Maggie's FarmWe are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for. |
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Wednesday, June 6. 2018Travel: Biking around Sicily, etc.Biking around southeastern Sicily. Sounds excellent. I've been to most of those places. Re travel, Gerard took the wrong cruise. I posted about our most recent cruise, a sailing ship from Lisbon down to Morocco and out to a few of the Canary Islands. We love ships, especially when the stops are in interesting places. And even our sailing ship had a good gym with ocean views. And, in fact, the best lines do not try to overfeed you.
Why The Left HATES Jordan PetersonThis gal does a good job. (A couple of annoying ads, but still worth watching.)
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DisneyworldBulldog's Free Ad for Disneyworld reminded me of Carl Hiassen's book Native Tongue, a dark comedy (as usual, "ruthlessly wicked") about the dark underbelly of the Amazing Kingdom of Thrills.
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Wednesday morning linksMore frightening pics from Guatemala Japan's Whaling Fleet Set to Embark on Hunt for 333 Minke Whales Reason #6831 Why Gun Registration Is Evil The gun control conundrum will continue ad infinitum. But what is happening in New Jersey should frighten anyone -- gun owner or not. They're Coming For 'Em: Illinois Suburb's Gun Confiscation Law Set To Go Into Effect Prominent Businessman Hit with 12 Felony Charges After Attempting Registration of His AR-15 Now It’s Against the Law in California to Shower and Do Laundry on the Same Day Why Communism Always Devolves Into Heavy-Handed Authoritarianism Quillette: The Prison-House of Political Language POLITICS AND FREE SPEECH AT DARTMOUTH - Survey finds Republicans most tolerant. Rewarding failure has become an American epidemic Abused Women to Bill Clinton: ‘Go to Hell’ ‘Post-Truth’ MSNBC? CNN’s Don Lemon Reacts To Record Low Black Unemployment By Taking A Swipe At Trump Number One Again: US Restores Top Ranking As Most Competitive Global Economy, As Democrats Fret Dem lawmaker: ‘Looks like Zuckerberg lied to Congress’ WASSERMAN SCHULTZ SCREAMED AT HOUSE OFFICIALS TO KILL HACKING PROBE, INTERVENED IN PAKISTANI CRIMINAL MATTER Very strange Eight reasons to still hate Obamacare Big Pharma faces rare day of reckoning as Trump pushes price cuts Mike Huckabee: ‘Please, God, Let Nancy Pelosi Continue to Be the Voice of the Democratic Party’ ANOTHER TRUMP CAMPAIGN AIDE WAS INVITED TO CAMBRIDGE EVENT WHERE ‘SPYGATE’ STARTED Sounds like a CIA sting When did the FBI investigation of the Trump campaign begin? Was it an investigation or a sting operation? A Chinese colony takes shape in Cambodia Tuesday, June 5. 2018BethenaJoplin is said to have written this waltz to the memory of his recently-deceased young wife. It's American music beloved by many Euroland performers like the superb Massimiiano:
Birds nesting within 200 yards of the Maggie's HQAmerican Robin Lucky for us, no cats around to kill the songbirds. If I counted a half-mile further, list would be longer. What do you have nesting around your places? LaharVideo of a fast-moving lahar in Guatemala. Like Pompeii. Tuesday morning links
There Are No Laws of Physics. There’s Only the Landscape. Is it possible that the notion of physical "laws" is anthropomorphizing nature? Starbucks Employees Say ‘Bias’ Training Was Mostly Anti-Cop Propaganda Statin recommendations may change Running a $500,000 Retail Empire by iPhone Ten-Year-Old Permanently Expelled for Bringing Party Poppers to School When We Reward Failure Climate Change Has Run Its Course - Its descent into social-justice identity politics is the last gasp of a cause that has lost its vitality. Destroying the Boy Scouts - Another venerable American institution surrenders to the radical Left. Nearly 50 percent of Californians say they want to move out soon, poll finds The worst form of judicial minimalism — Masterpiece Cakeshop deserved a full vindication for its claims of religious liberty and free speech The demonization of Alan Dershowitz Women’s March Co-Founder Condemns Founding of Israel as ‘Human Rights Crime’ Why the Left Loves and Hates Science NANCY PELOSI DOESN’T THINK LOWER UNEMPLOYMENT, MORE JOBS IS A GOOD THING New York Spent $15 Million in Taxes To Build Upstate Film Studio. It Just Sold for $1. Morning in America: More say they’re ‘better off’ under Trump, blacks, Hispanics U.S. Allies Retaliate After Trump Imposes Tariffs Former DOJ, FBI and Intelligence Officials Positioning For Devastating IG Report… FBI Agent In Charge Of "Russiagate" Operation And Clinton Email "Matter" To Testify Tuesday DOJ Inspector General Says Investigation Into FBI Misconduct During the 2016 Presidential Election is Ongoing Senate Releases Unredacted Strzok – Page Texts Showing FBI Initiated MULTIPLE SPIES in Trump Campaign in December 2015 China's embrace of Marxism is bad news for its people “Speed Dating”: Critics Worry Trump Is Already Handing Propaganda Victories To North Korea What Are Islam’s 'Claims' to Jerusalem? Lessons from Europe on Welfare, Dependency, and Self-Reliance Iran Wants to Stay in Syria Forever Monday, June 4. 2018Tough EagleSoutheast AlaskaMonday morning links
Pic of NYC's West Village from a reader. Nice place to live. This week’s new cancer scare: barbecue smoke absorbed through your skin Opioid policy fallout Deflated: NFL popularity at new low, just 3 in 10 are ‘favorable’ Evergreen State Prof: ‘Independent’ Report On Last Year’s Events Is A Joke Why Aren’t Liberals Celebrating Higher Gas Prices? It's What They Want - Democrats have spent the past two decades advocating for policies that artificially spike fossil fuel prices. New Jersey Governor Shocked He Can’t Tax Citizens to Death Obama – Just Too Good for Us Ben Rhodes joins MSNBC On Election Night, Trump Said He Started Campaign Just to ‘Have a Little Fun,’ Bossie Recalls I believe it Kimball on the moral infatuation of the Obama admin Inspector General’s Report Isn’t Out Yet, But The Washington Post Is Already Worried Republicans Will Seize On It THE TRUMP LEGAL TEAM’S LETTER TO MUELLER Trump Tweet: Why Didn't FBI Tell Me About Manafort? Good question New Italian govt vows to create jobs, deport migrants 'Pack your bags': Italy's new interior minister talks tough on migrants War Erupts Between Italy's Government And Soros: "You Profited From The Death Of Hundreds Of People" TRUMP PARK OPENS IN ISRAEL Sunday, June 3. 2018Useful clothingPhoto: Good travel clothing for men and women, and pickpocket-proof in case you go to Europe with all of their immigrant thieves: Clothing Arts. Good work clothing for women who want to look feminine but professional: Nora Gardner.com (with a new store opening in Boston's Back Bay this week). All made in the USA. Best hiking/climbing clothing: Montane Prana Zion is good too.
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What is so rare as a steak in June?
To my taste, a juicy Ribeye on the stovetop on cast iron, or a New York Strip on the grill with a high-blazing wood fire (no charcoal or gas, please) burnt to a crunchy crisp on the outside and raw on the inside. Since Sicily, we have eschewed steak sauces for Pistachio Sauce (Pistachio Pesto) - not that a really good Costco steak needs any sauce but it makes it more fun. It's a shame that I can't find those baby pig slices to grill here in the US, miele juvenal. Damn tasty and juicy. Can't buy piglets at Costco.
The New York Times discovers HIIT CardioHIIT is for cardio conditioning and general fitness. It builds energy and endurance, not strength. Why endurance? Because if you can do sequences of sprints, any cardio stress of lesser intensity becomes easy. We have mentioned High Intensity Interval Training frequently in our fitness posts. The Times notes that not only is it a more efficient and effective approach to cardio fitness training but it is also more satisfying. It is not boring. Athletes have used HIIT for decades for cardio conditioning. The Times correctly notes that you hate it while doing it (it burns, it hurts, you are winded, your eyes are blinded by sweat, you want to give up), but after a session you are glad you did it. HIIT in the form of calisthenics or plain cardio means anaerobic sprints of any sort with max effort from 20-60 seconds interrupted by 30 seconds to 3 minutes of active recovery. Re cardio, we also include one hour of aerobic endurance cardio in our plan as an "active recovery" day from your week's efforts. Even that should not be "slow," though - should be pushing it aerobically. The now-famous Maggie's General Fitness Program (2 days heavy weights or other strength training, 2 days cardio, 2 days calisthenics) includes HIIT in some of the calisthenics and some of the cardio sessions. Calisthenics with an HIIT format kills two birds with one stone. As we remind interested readers, the Maggie's 6-7 hr/wk program has to be worked up to gradually for people over 40. Some examples of HIIT calis and HIIT regular cadio below the fold - Continue reading "The New York Times discovers HIIT Cardio" From today's Lectionary: You lay your hand upon mePsalm 139:1-6, 13-18 139:1 O LORD, you have searched me and known me. 139:2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. 139:3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 139:4 Even before a word is on my tongue, O LORD, you know it completely. 139:5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it. 139:13 For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 139:14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 139:15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 139:16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. 139:17 How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 139:18 I try to count them -- they are more than the sand; I come to the end -- I am still with you. A kayak, and some water in bottlesA pleasant place to be for a few hours. The towel is unnecessary, because you can sun-dry when you take a swim. But Mrs. BD likes a towel for some reason. Kayaking on the sea is a great delight. Less so on lakes, but you do what you can. This is a calm day on Cape Cod Bay. Some days it's rough, some days like a mill pond.
Saturday, June 2. 2018How to think like a birdIt's a course on bird behavior, from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. Think Like a Bird: Understanding Bird Behavior. Early bird pricing now. Cool video there. I have a pal who got his MS there. Then he went to med school. Now he's a master birder/physician.
Saturday morning linksSquare Dancing Is a “Tool of White Supremacy” and an “Effort to Uphold Whiteness” Scots-Irish tradition, modified. Cultural appropriation. Our Educational System: Should We Just Scrap It? It's a major industry Pope convenes Big Oil, investors to talk climate change Pope should stick to his knitting. God is a plenty big job Who’s Afraid of Tribalism? HOW DID GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS END UP ON THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN? May Jobs Surge By 223,000 Smashing Expectations; Jobless Rate Hits Historic Low As Wages Beat More winning MORE WINNING: Costco Raising Hourly Wages For Over 130,000 Employees If anybody wants a job, they can have one. The Obama economy is over NYC sanctuary policy sends 'hundreds' of criminals back onto streets: DHS But... Fight For $15 Crowd Slams Self-Checkout Machines Replacing Workers Did Obama reach out to foreign leaders to go after Trump? House Intel Report: Jeff Sessions Supervised Five Foreign Policy Experts During Campaign – Including Carter Page and Papadopoulos A Worthy Pardon for Dinesh D’Souza Donald Trump’s Steel, Aluminum Tariffs Lift Low And Moderate Income Families Joe Scarborough Admits Dems Might Lose in 2018 Due to Trump’s Conservative Achievements Trump Likely to Impose New Tariffs Today: Is This Bad Economics or Madman Theory? It is hardball negotiation MSNBC Host Joy Reid Agreed with Ahmadinejad that Israel Should Be Ethnically Cleansed of Jews She is a hater UAE paper: Hezbollah chief's net worth is $250 million, mainly thanks to drugs Iran still seeking tech for weapons of mass destruction: German intel GERMAN INTELLIGENCE AGENCY DEEMS BDS ANTISEMITIC Friday, June 1. 2018Friday morning linksIs Alcohol Better For You Than Exercise? Prof calls for ‘toxic masculinity’ training in kindergarten Why not just neuter all boys at birth? Kid’s Lemonade Stand Shut Down by Cops After Someone Called and Complained
Google Under Fire For Listing ‘Nazism’ As An Ideology Of The California Republican Party On Abortion in the Wake of Ireland’s Spiritual Suicide Pact More Drivers Killed Under the Influence of Drugs Than Alcohol A New Campus Survey Reveals Just How Students Are ‘Unlearning Liberty’ Carbon Pollution Is Reducing Kids’ Test Scores! Everybody Panic! The ‘Educated Elite’ Isn’t Educated, and It Isn’t Elite Harvey Weinstein and the Clinton Protection Racket Samantha Bee Ignites Blowback for Vulgar Comments About Ivanka Trump - Double standard, anyone? TBS took its time answering for an employee's words, has indicated it will not punish her Far from cages: Feds pay $670 a day to make unaccompanied alien children 'comfortable' U.S. Back At No. 1 Competitiveness Ranking — Will Trump's Critics Ever Admit To Being Wrong? Obama Allies Scheme to Kneecap Trump’s New National Security Team - Media helps spread smears against Bolton's new chief of staff Yes, the FBI Was Investigating the Trump Campaign When It Spied Why the UK is no longer a serious country Gaza terror rocket hits Strip’s own power lines, leaves Palestinians in dark Stupid is as stupid does African nations are fed up with the West’s hand-me-downs. But it’s tough to keep them out. Thursday, May 31. 2018Why live under a volcano?Latest: Hotter And Faster" Lava Spreading Across Hawaii, Dramatic Footage Shows Evacuation, Devastation I blame global warming.
Thursday morning linksAvid fisherman image came in over the transom 15 Netflix Alternatives: Free & Paid Services Like Netflix (But Better!) Walmart unveils a new employee perk: College tuition Colorado Sheriff’s Office Waging Costly War On Black Market Marijuana Famous Evangelist Wants Donations For A $54 Million Jet: God Told Me So Singapore Airlines to launch world's longest commercial flight in October Why It’s Very Difficult For Men And Women To Just Be Friends It's actually easy and pleasant if there is no sexual chemistry Diversity sensitivity training doesn't work Duh Pretend recycling makes liberals feel better about themselves and their community Why cops are standing down all across America Morgan Freeman’s Lawyer Demands CNN Retract Story Accusing Actor of Sexual Harassment What's wrong with flirting? Jordan Peterson And The Left-Wing Smear Machine Obama Says ‘I Didn’t Have Scandals.’ So What Are All These? Democrats and media revisionists try to make eight years of abuse disappear. POTUS Trump RIPS Disney CEO Bob Iger For Special Treatment of Valerie Jarrett If ONLY Roseanne had hit the appearance of Sarah Palin or Sarah Sanders instead of Valerie Jarret LIBERAL HYPOCRISY: Roseanne Fired, But These Radical Leftists Are Still at ABC Why Roseanne Barr Is a Thought Criminal but Not Bill Maher GLOBAL ESTABLISHMENT CLOSES RANKS AGAINST TOMMY ROBINSON Watchdog Group Discovers Secret Iranian Missile Site Hidden in Remote Desert Location The Safest Country for European Jews? Try Hungary Wednesday, May 30. 2018La MerBy Mahlon Berv
Pull-ups and Chin-ups, with a comment on American vigorThe two "ups" are the classic back exercises. The other basic upper back exercise is bent-over rows. (Arms, pecs, and shoulders are secondary for both.) You can consider pull ups calisthenics because they are body-weight, but, approached right, they are strength-builders. Like push-ups can be. I do them on calisthenics days, once or twice/week. Few fitness beginners can do many, or even one, pull up, and having excess weight makes it even harder. That's why gyms have assist machines, and bands for the pull up bars. Check your ego at the door, because we all suck. You begin with assists, and gradually reduce the amount of assist. (Pull-down cables are ok for upper back maintenance, but pull ups are the gold standard for fitness.) If an ordinary guy over 35 can do 10 unassisted pull-ups, that's pretty good. Most gals need to use the assists, due to less upper-body muscle development. Some fit guys strap on weights to make their pull ups more challenging, but that ain't me. I see guys in their 70s doing a few sets of 10 as part of their strength rotations. That's cool. Some people will not give up on vigor and strength because they are part of the basic American values. In Euroland, people do not work out like Americans, but my pal in Switzerland tells me gyms are growing like weeds in Zurich where everybody has a desk job. Funny thing about those 5 a.m. guys in their 70s is that after their workouts they shower and dress and leave for work in their suits and ties at 6:15 am, looking magnificent and powerful. It's a positive attitude towards life and I intend it for me. Not quitters. Quitting is not the Yankee way, not the Yankee ethic for men or women. Mentally, the way to think about these ups is thrusting your elbows down rather than focusing on your arms. Best way to work on pull-ups (or chin-ups) for strength? Determine the amount of assist you need to do 5 - not quite 6 - good reps. With rests, do 5 sets each session. Over time, reduce the assist, still doing 5 sets of 5. When you can get to 5 sets of 5 with minimal assist (say, 20-40 lbs), work up to 8-10 reps. Then quit the assists and work up to whatever you can do. Nobody wants to be a twink. If you're doing something like the Maggie's general fitness program, you will not have time to work on this more than once or twice/wk. A good challenge, though. We all need challenges or we decay. This below is a bit technical. For me, sometimes pullups and sometimes chin ups. Doesn;t matter to me. Trigger warning: these two guys have damn little body fat so they might make you feel bad about yourself. Too skinny, in my opinion, but clearly strong and healthy. What makes them useful specimens is that you can see the anatomy.
QQQ"I found out that it's not good to talk about my troubles. Eighty percent of the people who hear them don't care and the other twenty percent are glad you're having them." Tommy LaSorda, LA Dodgers manager Wednesday morning linksStudy: Multivitamins, Other Common Supplements Have No Health Benefits Meat: Those ignorant hicks ruin everything The New Yorker: Seven Signs That Your Man’s Masculinity Is Nontoxic I don't think that that is tongue-in-cheek. So a non-toxic male is a twink. Trouble is, no woman wants a twink. U.S. Leapfrogs Singapore, Hong Kong to Win World’s Most Competitive Economy Still low on the freedom scale, though A Reminder: Why the US Rail System Is At Least as Good As the European System if You Care About Energy Use American rail is all about freight. Fixing the charitable deduction Douthat: Free Speech Will Not Save Us Quote from Wretchard The Cat:
Wife of Deported Immigrant: ‘I Can’t Be Mad at Trump for Doing His Job’ Republicans’ Millennial Problem Isn’t What You Think - The party has trouble attracting support from minorities, not the young. DEMOCRATS CAN’T CONTROL THEIR EXTREMISM - The party car has no brakes. RNC Torches Democrats in New Midterm Ad: 'MS-13 Killers...They Aren't So Bad' The Trump Schadenfreude List, to date How Democrats should tackle Trump in the midterms Combining Trump-hate with freebies McCarthy: The Obama Administration’s Hypocritical Pretext for Spying on the Trump Campaign "Russia": Bona Fide Basis For Investigation Or Preposterous Cover Story? Postmodern Theory Returns to Continental Europe Saving Tommy Robinson (and English civilization)
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