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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Tuesday, February 27. 2018Metcon fun
No metcon exercises require much technical training or athletic ability. It's the repetition that gets you. These classes will kick your ass more than any hour of powerlifting. The routines and the rest times are timed to the second (eg 5-second rests and 15-second rests). Your real rest and recovery comes after the 50 minutes is over. Trainers who run metcon classes usually vary the routines from week to week. Right now, I do one metcon class/week to complement the other exercises I do. I'd like to fit in another. My experience is that at 5 or 6 AM you really are not eager to face this trial, but after a 5-minute warm up with all the friendly people, you feel ready to get going. You might hate to go, but are always glad you went. I am not the oldest guy or gal in my class, but I guess I am on the upper level of age with more than a touch of grey. So what? Bring water. Is metcon different from HIIT? Yes. That's why I squeeze in 1/2 hour of HIIT every week. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN METCON AND HIIT? For example, the guy below runs a two-ring metcon circus. (Sometimes my classes actually require four rings. A quarter will be running sprints, a quarter rowing sprints, a quarter squat and presses, and a quarter doing burpees). "Five, four, three, two, one - Switch!" A Metcon routine example:
Tuesday morning links
Before & After Street Art Transformations That’ll Make You Say Wow The New Yorker publishes an appreciative essay on Jordan Peterson Go behind the scenes with ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Scientists scooped up some really weird fish in the deep sea off Australia Humanity Isn't Destroying the Natural World. We're Changing It. Welcome to Anthropocene Park. Victimhood Culture Only Getting Worse, Professor Warns I feel like a victim of all the professional victims Leftist Students Freak Out When Panel Agrees Men And Women Are Different. "Even the women in there have been brainwashed!" No "Vive la Differance" Betsy DeVos Urges Americans to Embrace ‘Education Freedom’ SCOTUS Could Cripple Public Unions In Time For The 2018 Midterms Broward County Deputies Were Allegedly Told NOT To Enter School. Here's Why. Oakland’s Mayor Just Committed A Felony By Warning Illegal Aliens That ICE Was Coming Kimball: The Schiff Obstruction
Iwo Jima: The story behind Alan Wood and the famous flag on Mount Suribachi 2500 American Troops Land in Israel for Massive Air Defense Exercise with IDF Monday, February 26. 2018QQQ“So now we know that the Parkland shooter was known to the local police, who did nothing. He was known to the FBI, who did nothing. His unstable behavior was known to teachers, who did nothing. The armed guard at the school stood there with his thumb up his butt while the the school was being shot up, and did nothing. In other words, we have a avalanche of failures from the highest levels down to the lowest. Every rule, every procedure, every safeguard that was put in place to stop these shootings from happening failed to stop this one from happening because the adults who were entrusted with the responsibility to keep shootings from happening did not do their f*ing jobs. Everybody knew the kid had serious problems, but nobody wanted to step up and actually do anything about it. And now we’re treated to the spectacle of these fake ‘townhall’ meetings organized by left-wing agitators who teach the kids to recite the anti-gun talking points that they want them to say and we’re supposed to just nod our heads and pretend that all we need to do is pass a few more laws and then everything will be just ducky. Sometimes I think we’re all just cardboard cutouts living in a Potemkin village." Ace, via Am. Digest Free ad for Becco (in NYC) They do have a popular pasta-tasting menu item but when we do fine Italian, we usually don't bother with pasta. Who needs it, with so many other tastier, less-filling things? We recommend the cheerful place. It's just a few steps from Barbetta (Since 1906) which is equally good but more formal, hushed, less fun (and more expensive).
Monday morning linksFor elderly, alcohol better than exercise for longevity Exercise is not for longevity. It's for functionality and vitality for however long you survive WSDJ: How to Raise More Grateful Children In my view, it's to require more self-sufficiency and to do less for them. In some ways, weaning begins at their birth and ends at your death. There May Be 1 Million More Transgender Teens Than Previously Thought, New Study Suggests Note to Corporations Hell-Bent on Virtue Signaling: Shut Up and Sell Me Coffee 'Insensitive' Black History Month Meal At NYU Sparks Outrage, Firing. Head cook to insulted student: "black people put this menu together." This Is Not Your Grandma's Humane Society Tucker Carlson: The Populist Paladin of Primetime. Willing to challenge positions sacrosanct to Republicans, he's hit a winning formula with today's conservatives. Remark By Teachers Union President Shows Just How Inhuman Political Discourse Has Become No, Morning Joe, the NRA Does Not ‘Incite Violence’ Ben Shapiro tweet via Doug Ross:
America needs to decide when adulthood really begins It begins whenever the adults demand it The Russians Colluded Massively — with Democrats The Schiff Memo Harms Democrats More Than It Helps Them China moves towards monarchy The Calamity That Is Angela Merkel London sees 20% rise in rape reports in a year, but police admit they 'don't understand' reason. 'There is something going on with sexual offending in London that we don’t fully understand' Sunday, February 25. 20181929Lessons from the Sioux
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From today's LectionaryMark 8:31-38 8:31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 8:32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 8:33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." 8:34 He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 8:35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 8:36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 8:37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 8:38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." Saturday, February 24. 2018Underwater footageSaturday morning linksThree Quarters Of Young Americans Couldn’t Join The Military If They Wanted To The Baltimore effect: What gun-grabbers don’t want to debate.What creates the most dangerous cities in the country? Hint: It isn’t allowing guns. Armed School Guard AND 3 BROWARD COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES Waited Outside Parkland HS During Shooting Here’s The Warning A Tipster Gave The FBI About Nikolas Cruz Prior To The Shooting Firearms: The stupid, it burns Inside the Federal Bureau Of Way Too Many Guns Liberals Enraged After Obama Praises Billy Graham on Twitter Kling: The Myths Surrounding Health Care Policy Continetti: American Populism: A User’s Guide - Column: Donald Trump, Jeffrey Bell, and the future of Reaganism Atkisson: “Collusion against Trump” timeline WAS CHRISTOPHER STEELE PAID BY RUSSIAN OLIGARCH AND PUTIN ALLY OLEG DERIPASKA? Van der Zwaan, who looks like Clark Kent, has lied to the FBI about his contact with Gates & another person (anon). John Kelly is still the chief of staff Trump needs Justin Trudeau’s very bad trip to India may carry a steep cost The guy beclowned himself Hilarious: Justin Trudeau dresses like Indian stereotype in India and gets slammed Never mind Russia – the real threat to the US is China Officials Identify More Rotherham Victims, Number Up to 1,510 The space between the Iraq-Iran border and the Mediterranean Sea today constitutes a single arena of conflict, by Jonathan Spyer Friday, February 23. 2018This is a rich conversation
I like his point that learning new things is painful because it kills something in yourself. I do not know what they mean when talking about equality, though. What is equality?
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My middle-aged Fitness Program, for 2018
Image: My selfie just to show how buff I have become with my program after almost two years. We dare not presume to tell our smart readers what to do to build and maintain fitness. We are telling you what we do, based on our research and the advice from our very stable genius trainers. This is not about fat loss. That is nutritional. This is only about building and maintaining full functionality despite the efforts of Father Time (patriarchal, isn't that?) to destroy our bodies, spirits, and minds. Monday: Hour of powerlifts and weights, #1 sequence No program is perfect, but this at least covers all the bases of strength, calis, and cardio. Biggest challenge is keeping one's weight increasing a bit in a relentless program like this. Note: doing the same thing any two days in a row is not a good idea, because weights need recovery, and the same cardio becomes too efficient to be effective. Need to keep your adaptation off-balance. I alas have no sports this winter, for various reasons. Asterisks below the fold -
Continue reading "My middle-aged Fitness Program, for 2018" Friday morning linksNotes from a travel-phobic WATCH: Archaeologists find seal of prophet Isaiah in Jerusalem Beijing takes over Waldorf-Astoria On Valentine's Day, CBS reconsidered infidelity First Do No Harm - Medical Ethics vs Transgender Politics I Totally Get California, But the Golden State's Nightmare Confuses Me Law grads: It wasn't worth it Law Prof AMY WAX LOOKS BACK The global ‘educational-gender-equality paradox’: the more gender equality in a country, the fewer women in STEM Sheriff: armed officer at Florida school “never went in” even as he heard gunfire FL Shooting Survivor Colton Haab: CNN Told Me I Needed To "Stick To The Script"; Entire Town Hall Scripted Go Green Europeans Rip Trump On Climate Change, Import Record Amounts Of U.S. Coal Former Official Will Cooperate With Investigators Probing Scheme Funneling Money From State To Kerry’s Daughter PRESIDENT LE TRUMP? On Russia, Democrats Try To Rewrite History - There's a case to be made that in every way, save rhetoric, the president has been tougher on Russia than his predecessor. Yet another way Obama’s spies apparently exploited the Trump ‘dossier’ Oxfam's 'Aid For Sex' Scam Exposed It's not just Oxfam. It;'s Save The Children, Unicef, and the UN in general Marine Corps again lowers requirements for Infantry Officer Course. Brig. Gen. Jason Q. Bohm: ‘The course is as hard as it’s ever been’ Thursday, February 22. 2018Checking out the gnarly east coast of BarbadosYes, George Washington did go to Barbados, to visit with his brother for a while. Barbados is a coral island situated a bit east and south of the other West Indies. Caribbean on its west side, Atlantic on the east. A popular winter getaway for Europeans and Americans. People tend to have their favorite islands, but I am not a big Caribbean fan. Its east coast gets a consistent pounding from the Atlantic, and a constant and welcome strong ocean breeze which makes the 75-82 degree temps feel cool. - The island is an approximate triangle. The southern coast has the "city" of Bridgetown and is lined with mass market resorts and hotels like Sandals, etc.. The west coast has elegant old elite resorts like Sandy Lane where you dress for dinner. The north coasts are rugged. The interior is a combination of wild and agricultural. Except for the sugar cane, the agriculture (vegetables, cattle, goats, banana, plantain) is small-scale and not mechanized. - The east coast, around 20 miles north to south, faces the raw Atlantic and is rocky (actually, coral rocks, boulders, and cliffs), rugged, with massive surf and is not safely swimmable due to crossing surf, sharp coral, and strong currents. Surfers drown there sometimes. There are only 3 little, simple places to stay on the entire east coast - no resorts, etc. We stayed in a nice little place on the east coast - 8 small suites - no pool, tennis courts, TV, or golf course and a little honesty bar in the dining shed which always had a gallon jar of rum punch.
- Photo is our porch, ocean surf behind the trees. During our visit there, the guests were French, Canadian, and Brits. One American, besides us. From Boston. I was reading Faulkner on this trip. Our trip was not the conventional Caribbean getaway with "relaxing" and water sports. Photo travelogue below the fold - Continue reading "Checking out the gnarly east coast of Barbados" Billy GrahamMy pastor on Graham's death:
George Washington's Birthday linksPowerline: How can you move a guy’s birthday? NY Post: What George Washington means for us today Only a fool would dare interrupt Boston Dynamics’ SpotMini from opening a door An Olympic challenge: Eat Korean food Taleb's new book:
Hamilton College students protest too many “white, upper class, able-bodied males” at campus pub Has Amazon become too successful? #Fakenews and free speech—in 1967. Fifty years ago, Wayne C. Booth, AM’47, PhD’50, gave an eerily prescient speech.
Fake news: MSNBC Crank Claims Governor Rick Scott “Too Busy” to Meet With Students – Later Admits Gov Scott Was Attending Shooting Victim’s Funeral Leftist Fundamentalists vs The New York Times Previous Identification of Groupthink: Part of Why the Public Doesn’t Believe in Global Warming Obama’s Meddling in Foreign Elections: Six Examples Stop Mistaking Evil for Mental Illness Israel proves the NRA's arguments. In reality, Israel's gun policy is living proof of the arguments the American gun lobby has been making for years. Brit Hume Discusses Possible Push for Gun Control Legislation… VDH on the Trump-destruction movement:
Wednesday, February 21. 2018QQQ
There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.
Ayn Rand (h/t Remus) 4th Annual Maggie's Farm Urban Hike: Saturday April 21Rick, with some input from Josh, is plotting out a Brooklyn route. As usual, it will be around 6-7 hours with pizza stop and beer stop(s). I do not know Brooklyn at all (although I have a young daughter who now lives there). All I know is Brooklyn Heights, the BAM, and Peter Lugar's Steak House, so I am looking forward to it. I want to see DUMBO or whatever they call it. I guess it is "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass". We will re-announce with details, but our out-of-towners appreciate a heads-up. I want to begin with the water taxi across the East River to Williamsburg, but Bulldog wants the Brooklyn Bridge. His call. I'm a good follower when I have a good leader. As always, rain or shine, sleet or hail. Wednesday morning links
Photo is a Farmall at St. Nicholas Abbey (a sugar cane plantation and rum-maker) on Barbados Billy Graham has died With ten million acres in Patagonia (bought with private money), a national park is born "Thirty-two years ago I, too, fell in love with a man I worked with. It started the way so many office romances start..." Why Glock Dominates the Handgun Market (And Better than Sig Sauer and Beretta) US Marines Quietly Lower Combat Training Requirements To Help Female Officers Charles Krauthammer: Recovery from surgery 'progressing steadily slower than I would like, but steadily' How Democrats use dark money — and win elections 30,000 gun related deaths per year Did the Progressive 'Broward County Solution' Cost 17 Student Lives? How To Exploit a High School Massacre A Cure for Mass Shootings Doesn't Exist - There are no plausible options that offer more than the faintest prospect of preventing the next massacre. Cries to 'Ban the AR-15' Based on Ignorance and Hysteria A fine firearm, but butt-ugly The Next Step Toward Universal Health Care Small-business confidence hits record high in 2018 after Trump tax-reform win Tuesday, February 20. 2018Seminole WindQQQ“It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things.” - Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince Tuesday morning linksThe Forgotten History of New York’s Bagel Famines - Remembering Local 338 and the world’s toughest bagel bakers. 100 Chicago Professors "Propose To Exclude Viewpoints They Find Objectionable" Government Spending on Higher Education Reaches an All-Time High Once again, climate scientists use a single tree to define global change San Francisco's Diseased Streets Everything you ever wanted to know about chain migration A merit-based future beats our 19th-century immigration system According To The FBI, Knives Kill Far More People Than Rifles In America – It’s Not Even Close Fla. Sheriff Says Gun Control Is Already on Campuses and Calls Arming Teachers a 'Game-Changer' Government unions are in deep trouble. And they have themselves to blame. Why American Media Fawn Over Communist Murderers Does Mueller Indictment Mean Clinton Campaign Can Be Indicted for Chris Steele? Flashback: CNN and MSNBC Helped Russia Sow Discord by Promoting Fake Anti-Trump Rally FACEBOOK'S AD VP PROVED RUSSIA DIDN'T INTERFERE IN THE ELECTION 'DEMOCRACY PARTNERS': PROVOKING VIOLENCE & CHAOS AT TRUMP RALLIES - Exposing the deep, radical roots of the Democratic Party's close ally. The future of war - War is still a contest of wills, but technology and geopolitical competition are changing its character, argues Matthew Symonds For now, U.S. wants Europeans just to commit to improve Iran deal McMaster to allies: Track your investments and stop funding Iran’s proxy militias Macron Vows to Reform Islam in France - "It is time to bring in a new generation." Monday, February 19. 2018Rum Punch
When I get my photos in order (I took around 40 snaps which is a lot for me, mostly corny landscapes), I will show and tell about some parts of Barbados many visitors never see, far from the beach resorts and the golf courses but never far from Flying Fish Sandwiches and rum. This pic from one of our hikes, along the north coast:
Bajan Rum Punch - The recipe is so deeply ingrained in Barbados' culture that its recipe is a well-known rhyme: "One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak." (Makes about 2 1/2 quarts) 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
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Monday morning linksMany thanks to Roger for the past week's Morning Links. I can't compete with his wit and wisdom, but we all do the best we can with what we have. Pic is Bajan Rum Punch - highly refreshing after a 4-hr mountain hike in Barbados. Klavan: Three Billboards: A Surprising Meditation on God's Grace Mrs. BD watched it on the plane. She recommends. Barry Farber, the Godfather of Modern Talk Radio Still going strong at 89 Switzerland Bans Boiling Lobsters Good. My preference is a freshly-strangled Swiss lobster Global Warming Causing Record Cold Temps at Winter Olympics Beware: ‘campus values’ are infecting the rest of America Brown students thought censoring Guy Benson would protect free speech The NLRB Weighs in on James Damore Like Peter Thiel, Tech Workers Feel Alienated by Silicon Valley ‘Echo Chamber’ The Media’s Walk-of-Shame Won’t End Diversity in the Managerial World REPEAL THE 2ND AMENDMENT? YES, PLEASE TRY Should We Give Up Half Of The Earth To Wildlife? An emerging police state that spies on Americans? The left yawns Book: The Hundred-Year Marathon: China's Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower Sunday, February 18. 2018Aging parents: "Can't we talk about something more pleasant?"The great cartoonist Roz Chast put her campy irony aside to produce a heartfelt and mostly hilarious cartoon book about the aging and decline of her parents. OK, lots of gallows humor. If you have or have had declining parents, it's required reading and you will recognize everything except Brooklyn (unless you grew up in Brooklyn - the 7th largest city in the USA if it were still its own city). Also for non-New Yorkers, her illustrated Going Into Town - A Love Letter to New York is an excellent and humorous guide.
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