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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Friday, August 10. 2018My Birthday Post: Do I want another dog?Yes and no. Subject comes up because a pal alerted me to a litter of German Shorthairs, getting ready for the taking on Sept. 1. Their hunting pedigree is as good as it gets, so some $ is rightly involved since we aren't socialism yet where there are free champion hunting dogs. Mrs. BD and I have rarely had a dog-free home, nor did her parents and my parents. And my grandparents, who were partial to Shepherds. I've had English Springers, Labs and (hunting? sort-of) standard poodles. Some of the most glorious times of my life have been grouse hunting in the Maine woods and in Manitoba woods and prairies (Sharptails there). Will a hunt-bred Standard Poodle point on a grouse or woodcock? Yes it can. It will chew up the darn Woodcock, tho. I'll bet you never saw a Poodle on a hard point. Well, trust Bird Dog on that. To me, a dog and a fireplace make a house a home. As I write that, it does sound primeval. Maybe I am a primitive male. Here are my pros and cons, altho who ever made a decision based on such things? Pros: - I love having a dog around. A dog also loves me the way no human could or should. - A well-trained dog is an incomparable companion, and a well-trained hunting dog is a precious thing to you (and your hunting pals) Cons: - Huge commitment. When I get a dog, I train the heck out of it. I know how. 40-minutes/day of training for at least 2 years. I want a dog that will heel to my knee without leash through a city street, a 5-mile suburban jog, or a woodland swamp. Chase a squirrel or a deer? No chance unless I give a release signal. I want a dog who will respond to whistle, voice, and hand commands. I want a dog who will Sit-Stay in front of Dunkin Donuts when I go inside. My past dogs learned those things. Any dog will - it's up to the owner. A dog's behavior is a reflection of the Master. Never ever blame the dog. I've heard people say "My dog is difficult to train", as if their dog were special and wild somehow. Pure bullshit. It's on them. Training is work, and no dog yummies. Just "Good dog." - Re Basic Training. Do I use a shock collar outdoors? You betcha. It's not cruel. It gives you a dog you can live with. After two or three little shocks, the 3-second tone before the buzz is all it takes to remind them that you are God. "Come" or the "Come" whistle means hustle back to the Boss's knee. Dogs do like to be well-trained. Like children, training gives them Purpose and it is all relational. - Hunt-training. Fairly costly. I can handle basic to semi-advanced obedience training, but not hunt training. You have to send them to camp for that. Then you have to go to camp with them to learn it yourself. Hand signals are the best. My last dog Paco was quite good with them, but not so good with some other things. - I do not do much of the sort of hunting that I love best anymore. I don't know why, because I can bust brush and alder swamps all day better than I ever could. My favorite is grouse hunting in the Great North Woods, with the Moose etc. I rarely refuse a chance to hunt pheasants etc. at a hunting club, but the wilderness hunts are my favorites. In 6 hours in grouse habitat, you might fire zero to twice with your 20 ga., but you and the dog will have a great outing anyway. Hey - you're pointing on a White-Footed Mouse, silly dog!
Friday morning links
Painting by John Grillo. We have met him on many occasions and have some of his pictures. Always wanted one of his big oils but too much $. No wall space anyway.Yes, Wellfleet had a secret ocean nude beach for the free-love bohemians, artists, architects, and Harvard intellectuals. Not easy to find. Not much nude there now. What Is War Good for? Ask a Chimpanzee. What apes and monkeys can teach us about the roots of human aggression. Now another poet gets in trouble with the Red Guard Nobody ever expects the Spanish Inquisition. Where are the grown-ups? The troubled 29-year-old helped to die by Dutch doctors Canada To Chronically Ill Man: How About A Little Euthanasia Instead Of Home Care? Apple Vows iPhones Do Not Listen In On Users... But Its Apps Are Another Story Ethanol Is Destroying the Environment We had corn on the cob with steak last nite. Corn is good food. And ethanol is for cocktails. How Do You Tell If The Earth's Climate System "Is Warming"? Steyn: MS-13 are nice kids Why California Cities Are Becoming Unlivable. California has the highest poverty rate in the U.S. and is rated dead last in quality of life. A tale of 3 ctiies: In 1960, Detroit had the US's highest average income Sarah Jeong Is a Boring, Typical Product of the American Academy She is predictable: Hates the US, hates whites including Jews, loves Palis. illegals, and loves all self-anointed victims, hates the New York Times (yeah). I doubt she ever met a roofer or a hunt dog trainer. Twitter Explodes After Ocasio-Cortez Attacks Shapiro In Response To Debate Offer U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy: Big Tech ‘Must Do More Than Take Down’ InfoWars Who next? Is Maggie on his little list? We feel he is a deplorable punk. Court denies preliminary injunction in U. Michigan Bias Response Team lawsuit The Red Guards win one Watch Ivy League Students Try To Explain First Amendment Berkeley: In addition to higher wages, the union workers are demanding that the school guarantee them free tuition and childcare, subsidize their housing costs, disarm the campus police, and provide financial support to illegal immigrants. No free lollipops? With the possible exception of Baltimore, there is no city where the consequences of leftist policies in terms of law and order are more dire than Chicago. Democratic Socialism Threatens Minorities. Nothing better protects victims of bigotry than a system where they can pursue their needs and wants outside the realm of popular control. Dear LeBron: Democrats, Not Trump, Ran Cities Like Akron Into The Ground NAACP's own poll reveals surge in black support for Trump – and they react badly Blacks' approval of Trump reaches a high of 21% and NAACP charges 'racism' Here We Go… Far Left Actress Alyssa Milano Blames Russia for Republican Win in Ohio Special Election I blame climate change Michael Moore: ‘F—k Hope, Seriously, F---k Hope;’ Trump Will Be ‘Last President of the U.S.’ VDH: How can Americans now trust the intelligence agencies shown to be corrupt in the very recent past? Dianne Feinstein was an easy mark for China’s spy Byron York: What Was Hillary Clinton's Cut-Out Christopher Steele Doing Pallin' Around With a Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch Who Wasn't Allowed in the United States But Really Wanted that Prohibition Lifted? Is there any doubt about a spy-FBI- Russia-Clinton nexus? "The Outlook Has Become Grim": Trump Trade War Causing "Rare Cracks" Within China's Communist Party Why the EU Won't Comply with Trump There has never been free speech in China Who Really Stands Up for America? Trump Wins: Germany’s Central Bank Stops $400 Million Cash Delivery To Iran There's a sailboatThe Herreshoff Fishers Island 31 Sloop, KESTREL, via Salt Water New England, where everything and everybody always look perfect, Yankee-style.
Thursday, August 9. 2018I Don't Believe YouA Dylan 1964 outtake recording at 1 am, with plenty of wine Thursday morning linksRichard Jarecki, Doctor Who Conquered Roulette, Dies at 86 CAL POLY TO REQUIRE PROFS TO SUBMIT ‘DIVERSITY STATEMENT’ AMID CRACKDOWN ON WHITE STUDENTS Surprise: Warmists Admit Carbon Taxes Are Jobs Killers Poetry: The progressive heretic-hunters turn their eyes to The Nation, and the nation. American Jews: oppressed minority or privileged ? Rabbi Sacks: On not being a victim Meet America's Elite Farm Subsidy Club Hall of Famer Jim Brown says he'd never kneel during anthem Why Chicago can’t get a handle on deadly shootings Drug gangs killing eachother. Maybe Chicago doesn't care about that "Heavily Armed" Muslim Extremists Arrested In NM; Trained 11 Children To Commit School Shootings The Great White Culture War Never will you hear the Progressive say “this is good enough, we can stop now.” The Elite Freaks Out When Trump Puts Americans First Trump May Lose Star on Walk of Fame, But Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey Won't Americans Give Trump An 'A' For Economy STEELE, SIMPSON, AND OHR LINKED WITH RUSSIAN OLIGARCH Via Ace:
Beijing demands Christians infuse faith with 'Chinese characteristics' amid crackdown on religion Saudi Arabia crucified a man in Mecca while aggressively calling out Canada over human rights China has had a strategy to supplant the United States as the dominant military and economic power since 1949. How to Combat the Left’s ‘Alternative’ Israel Brainwashing - My time among the propagandists Wednesday, August 8. 2018Well-done podcast about Bob Dylan's work (Part 1 of 3)From a bunch of articulate Dylan-appreciators at NR. "Following our trip through the music of The Beatles, we decide to tackle an artist who is just as important and influential, but with a discography roughly four times as long. What could go wrong? In this part one of three, we tackle Dylan’s career from Bob Dylan (1961) through John Wesley Harding (1967), one of the most prolific and successful periods of any artist in history." Well, pop artists. Let's not overdo it. Two good finishers: Farmer's Walks and Kettlebell SwingsThe point of "finishers" at the end of your hour of cardio, calis, or weights is to ensure that you finish having exhausted your strength and energy completely. These two finishers are total body exertions. - Since we aren't musclemen, we use kettlebells for Farmer's Walks, as heavy as possible. Chest up, shoulders set back, and walk around with them. Squeeze the handles hard. Grip is the weak link with this so they are forearm exercises - but everything else too. Often, a quick reset permits going further. I am up to 28 kilo kettlebells now, which is nothing great but better than a year ago for one-minute walks.
- Around 3 sets of Kettlebell Swings are on our list of biweekly calisthenics. Correct form is essential for benefit. The swing is exerted by a hip thrust of your "power zone." Arms should do no lifting - they are just hooks for the weight. After one or beginning swings, get the bell up to near eye level, with the weight trying to pull you forward a bit. Never lean back - let the weight try to pull you forward. High-rep, light-weight swings (one-minute sets like in a cardio class) are aerobic cardio/calis. Medium-weight, lower-rep kettlebells (like 20 reps/set) are more for power and tend to go anaerobic. High-weight, lower-rep (eg 10) kettlebell swings are pure power-builders. Do them all, mix and match. About Kettlebell Swings. Wednesday morning linksThe real story behind the ‘Little House on the Prairie’ controversy UCLA students forced to pay for ‘Toxic Masculinity Committee’ THE LEFT’S WAR ON WHITENESS Should Christians Vote for Muslim Candidates? Why not? It depends The Latest “Trump The Tyrant” Article From The WaPo Is A Real Gem HOW THE MEDIA EMBRACED EN MASSE FAKE NEWS ABOUT TRUMP TOWER MEETING CNN’S OWN LEGAL ANALYST DASHES PANEL’S COLLUSION NARRATIVE Obviously. And unlike Clinton, there was no payment for Russian dirt The Big Tech censorship storm has landed Socialist ‘Future of the Democrat Party’ Just Had a VERY Bad Night Beyond family separation: Trump’s ongoing war on asylum, explained But if you get arrested, you can't be with your kids How a senior DOJ official helped Dem researchers on Trump-Russia case Why Doesn’t President Trump Get More Credit? German Spy Chief Warns, Islamist Children "Pose Real Threat" To Nation Asylum seeker who raped 17-year-old student in a cemetery replies ´Yes, I did that. Why not?´ as he is jailed for 16 years for attacking her and another woman five months apart We have to be more multiculturally understanding, right? China may have to resume U.S. soybean purchases in weeks Trump drives tough deals Tuesday, August 7. 2018Big bearGame cam pic of bear scavenging remnants of a lion kill not far from Gynnie's sister's cabin in the Sierras last week.
Mary Ellis delivered the adjacent Spitfire 75 years before this rideShe took this Spitfire ride on her 100th birthday. She died last month. By seeming chance, today was my Mom's b'day, and she could fly single-engine airplanes. She quit flying when she had us kids, same way I quit motorcycles when I had kids.
Guys who do real workWho do we have working on ye olde Maggie's HQ these weeks? it will take 6-8 weeks total, I think, depending on rain. 1 Project Manager - The Boss. Made the Plan, designed the solutions to problems, coordinates everything, pays everybody, checks their work. It is a high-end job. Everybody kowtows to him, because he will be the source of their next job if they please him. It's how the world works. Somebody has to keep the Trump economy booming. Why not us? Ya know, I love seeing how they do their jobs and how meticulous they are. Also, their apprenticeship system. The journeymen carpenters are obviously experts, but they keep learning new tricks from the Master. And trust me, this place has some tricky things to deal with. Tuesday morning links
Trump Insults Anybody Who Angers Him, Regardless of Color Elderly Men Escape Nursing Home To Attend World's Biggest Heavy Metal Festival Amish man starts "Uber" ride service with his horse and buggy Air Force silent after 2-kiloton meteor hits Earth near base I blame climate change EPA: Maybe adding ethanol to gasoline wasn’t smart after all! Kudos to Netflix For Dropping Farrakhan ‘Documentary’ Apple’s Stock Market Scam - The tech giant just became America's first trillion-dollar company, but it wasn't thanks to the iPhone. Free the carmakers from government regs We’ve Got To Stop Letting ‘Outrage Mobs’ Get People Fired CHINA Murdered or Imprisoned 20 CIA Operatives and Sources While Feinstein Had a Chinese Spy as Office Manager Mayor Blames Trump For Black Doll Hung In Playground. Reverend: Here's Who Actually Did It. California government official: “Unfortunately, common sense is just not common. We have to regulate every aspect of people’s lives.” Unfunded US state and local government pensions totals $5 trillion FAR LEFT MOBS RIOT In 3 Major US Cities — NOT ONE Mainstream Outlet Reports on the Widespread Leftist Violence The New Underground Railroad… To Canada
Monday, August 6. 2018Dust MitesI thought that dust mites were mythical beings. They are not. Apparently every home has them, and there is no known way to get rid of them.
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Monday morning linksBees are not in Danger An extensive report from the Environmental Protection Agency found that including ethanol into the U.S. gas supply is wreaking havoc on the atmosphere and soil New York Bill Mandates Three Months Paid Bereavement Leave That is crazy on so many levels California fires and sprawl into fire zones NRA Sues New York Officials Over 'Blacklisting' Campaign Scott Adams discusses his visit with Trump A delightful report CBS News Tries To Blame Portland Violence On Trump Supporters This will not stand: Judge orders DACA fully reinstated Fact Check: Trump Says 3.5 Million People Have Been Lifted off Food Stamps The Fate of the Atlantic Alliance South Africa Moves Forward with Expropriation of White Land Without Compensation Sunday, August 5. 2018The Leatherman Tool, and how nerds make great lives
Really, a Leatherman is an extra-sturdy Swiss Army deal with pliers. Vanderleun found this, the story of the Leatherman.
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Lemon Ice CreamSummertime. You need an ice cream machine. The one in the photo makes 2 quarts of ice cream, frozen yoghurt, or gelato. Here's your recipe for Lemon Ice Cream. Ice cream was invented in Italy. By the way, what's the difference between gelato and ice cream? My favorite gelato is hazelnut. My favorite ice cream has always been coffee, but I do like that caramel-sea salt flavor too. What's your favorite flavor of ice cream or gelato?
From today's LectionaryMy extensive botanical and scriptural research indicates that there is no reason to believe that the hyssop in this psalm has anything to do with the plants we call hyssop today. Psalm 51:1-12 51:1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 5:2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 51:3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 51:4 Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. 51:5 Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. 51:6 You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 51:8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. 51:9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. 51:11 Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. Wellfleet OystersWouldn't you rather be in Wellfleet right now? I would. "Impeach Trump" bumper stickers don't bother me much, because I figger all the cars without rageful bumper stickers are probably people like me. Saturday, August 4. 2018Saturday morning linksAmericans Are Rapidly Warming Up to Porn, a New Gallup Poll Shows. Here's Why. San Francisco Bans Everything Except pooping on sidewalks Thugs in Portlandia On Liberal Numerology Why The Left Wants to Control Ohio Elections Sarah Jeong Was Just Talking The Way Most People On The Left Talk About White People Is there really that much hate? Sarah Jeong Is A Warning Sign Of Something Wrong With The Left Funny: Trump will surely read her tweets at his next rally Why does she hate the utterly limp and innocuous David Brooks? ‘Why Do The Press Hate The American People?’ Cory Booker Bashes America: Things Are “Savagely Wrong” The Clinton campaign sought dirt on Trump from Russian officials. Where’s the outrage? Trump’s foreign policy rooted in Nixon, Reagan principles Independent voters a major headache for the GOP as midterm elections loom The idea that Trump et al are ignorant about trade These guys still get it wrong. They are just doing hardball negotiating Trump Creates 830,000 Manufacturing Jobs in 19 Mos. — 804,000 More than Obama in Previous 19 Mos. Mike Pence scolds mainstream media outlets that did not cover ceremony honoring return of Korean War remains FBI CONTINUED TO GET INFO FROM STEELE AFTER TERMINATING FORMAL RELATIONSHIP Steele was on a mission to destroy Trump Denmark Bans the Niqab, and Media Reacts Exactly as Expected Friday, August 3. 2018Training your neuromuscular system
Since our physical fitness posts here are oriented towards building and maintaining general functional fitness and athleticism, we tend not to get into the weeds of strength-building. For general conditioning, we view strength (weights) as about a third of the program. 2 days/week, with heavy powerlifts etc. However, the strength component is crucial even if 2 hrs/week will not produce an Arnold physique. Speaking of physiques, we are genetically programmed for a body type (even if we cover that up with layers of fat). Certain body types were built for running, some for lifting up dead mastodons and elephants, etc. One aspect of that is our muscle cells. We are born with a life-long number of them, and a predetermined distribution of Type 1 And Type ll muscle cells which in part determine where our athletic potentials might be. Strength-building can build up the fibers inside those cells when subjected to serious demand. At the same time, a significant part of muscle bulk is blood supply. But getting to the point, the rapid improvement in strength during the first 6-10 months of lifting is attributable to neuromuscular development and efficiency. That's the first step in strength conditioning, and when progress is most gratifying. After that initial phase, progress slows and that is when the real slogging begins. A reader sent in this technical essay on neuromuscular training: Neuromuscular Efficiency (NME). A little basic Bio helps. Friday morning linksNot drinking alcohol in middle age increases dementia risk, says report Scientists reverse aging-associated skin wrinkles and hair loss in a mouse model Omega-3 fatty acids do your heart no good - waste of money Aborigines: Reclaiming Work as a Virtue WALSH: Diversity Is Not Our Strength Whenever I get around to running a most punchable face contest on Power Line, Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal will be one of the contestants. NYTIMES’ NEWEST HIRE SENT TONS OF ANTI-WHITE RACIST TWEETS Times has to keep up with radical chic IRONY: Social Media Mob Comes For Sarah Jeong, Who Cheered Social Media Mobbing Of Others This isn't culture war. It's worse. College hangs up on student asking about free speech policy Proposed Changes to CAFE Standards are Good News for Consumers "Start with a politics cleanse: For two weeks — maybe over your August vacation — resolve not to read, watch or listen to anything about politics." Africa: Poor Countries Need Economic Freedom, Not Handouts Socialist Venezuela Falling Apart As President Maduro Shockingly Blames Party Venezuelan Dictator Nicolás Maduro Now Admits Socialism Sucks 'Force field' technology could make US tanks unstoppable Thursday, August 2. 2018Rodney
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Political ScienceWhy is it called "science"? To make it sound more serious? The distribution of power is serious enough. Swimming with “Leviathan” - Reconsidering Hobbes’s magnum opus with the release of a new edition. Generally, I find it much easier to read about Hobbes than to read Hobbes.Deep thinkers are difficult to read. Thursday morning linksThe Enlightened Superstitions of Steven Pinker Are All Cultures Equally Good? About Cardinal McKerrick Paramount Owes America an Apology for Jay-Z's Trayvon Series MIDDLE RAGES - WHY THE BATTLE FOR MEDIEVAL STUDIES MATTERS TO AMERICA Environmental scare stories Photographer of starving polar bear admits losing control of “climate change narrative” EPA: Key Air Pollutants Drop 73 Percent Since 1970 But there is still CO2 in the air! Social Justice Warriors Have Finally Come for the Comedy Classic ‘Animal House’ NY Dem Governor Attacks Media For Asking Tough Questions They're sposta be on his team SURVEY: Americans support 1A rights, but don’t know what they are Understanding Trade Deficits Report: Worker pay rising at fastest pace in 10 years Z-man: The fight over open borders today is actually a battle to expand the franchise by those seeking to push through a post-national agenda. Noncitizens across U.S. find it easy to register to vote, cast ballots. Russian national surprised to be on rolls in San Francisco Majority of Democrats: Illegal Aliens Should be Given the Right to Vote Media don´t want to understand Trump voters, all 63 million of them Politico Reporter: Between Them, You’d Get A Full Set Of Teeth From The Crowd At A Trump Rally Democrats wheel out the 'kids' as a campaign theme, again All Democrats have to do is act crazy, and Steyer will back them.
Wednesday, August 1. 2018Weights: Low reps or high reps?It's not either-or. Low-rep (1-5) high weight is for strength. High-rep (8-12) with lower weight is for muscle endurance, but we would never suggest more than 10 reps for any powerlift set. A typical powerlift sequence is a warm up set with very light weight, then 4-5 working sets advancing to your day's target. For example, lately I have been doing, say, with deadlift (most important exercise, I feel), warm-up set of 5 at about 100, 5 reps at 155, 5 reps at about 180, 1 rep at 200 and another rep around 225. Like I say, I am not a big strong guy. Everybody is different. My one-rep max is probably 245, but I don;t know for sure. My goal is 300. Many fitness people do a week of high rep every month or two. "Lower weight" is around 60-70% of your one rep max. "Higher weight" is around 80-90% of your one rep max. As always, there are exceptions, mainly for accessory exercises. For example, for curls or tricep cable push-downs, 10-20 is fine to keep those things "toned". My take on heavy weights: Pull-ups are heavy weight. Push-ups are just calisthenics. If you can do 20 pullups bravo to you and put some weights on you to be more efficient. I won't do barbell bench or barbell squats without trainer or partner. Without those, I'll do dumbbell bench and kettlebell lunges or squats instead. If no weight station is free, I'll do kettlebell deadlifts or trap bar instead of regular. It's all good as long as it is HARD and makes you want to cry or spout 4-letter words. Since I only do half of my powerlifts one day, and half of them another day (not ideal for strength but ok for fitness), I fill in my weights hours with accessory lifts to get a full workout. But to be more precise, I also do pullups twice/wk and one day of dumbell bench and another day barbell bench because I want to focus on those right now. There's only so much time to fit in weights, calis, and plain cardio. If a week had 8 days, I'd do another day of weights. It doesn't fatigue you like calis, but it kicks your ass and kicks your mind.
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