We 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.
Trump is willing to militarize the Korean peninsula, in order to demilitarize it; and surround Persia with enough reasons to actually take its nose out of its neighbours’ affairs. To caricature the man as a warmonger or protectionist is to get him backwards. He is pushing “America First” and trying to communicate that if we, for instance, want to put Canada First, he’ll deal. But he isn’t going to deal with what he might characterize as a bunch of wankers.
Libertarians and “conservatives” will read this and reflexively start chirping about free markets and invisible hands, but there is a reason they are now a punchline. That’s because these are ideologies, if you want to be generous and elevate them to ideologies, that make all the same assumptions about humanity as the Marxists. That is, they see man as the ultimate consumer, a beast that devours his environment, in the same way a plague of locusts wipes out a field...
3:8 They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
3:9 But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"
3:10 He said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."
3:11 He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"
3:12 The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate."
3:13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent tricked me, and I ate."
3:14 The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel."
For many purposes, I prefer these things to wheelbarrows - even to two-wheeled wheelbarrows. I have the smaller one.
Over the years, I have kept the wood waterproof because I store it outdoors.
Because they have narrow tires, they are not suitable for loads of rocks or heavy loads of dirt, but great for most outdoor purposes. At rural lodges etc. they are commonly used to bring luggage from boat docks, etc.
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.
Bulldog'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.
Joplin 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:
American Robin House Wren Cardinal Catbird Carolina Wren Chickadee Blue Jay Tufted Titmouse Screech Owl Song Sparrow Starling Purple Grackle Mourning Dove Downy Woodpecker Catbird No oriole this year - too bad. Love to see and hear them.
Lucky for us, no cats around to kill the songbirds. If I counted a half-mile further, list would be longer.
Scientists seek a single description of reality. But modern physics allows for many different descriptions, many equivalent to one another, connected through a vast landscape of mathematical possibility.
Is it possible that the notion of physical "laws" is anthropomorphizing nature?
Photo: 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.
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.
HIIT 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.
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 -
A 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.
Environmentalists
For many purposes, I prefer these things to wheelbarrows - even to two-wheeled wheelbarrows. I have the smaller one.
Six Facts About D-Day
More frightening
Photo: Good travel clothing for men and women, and pickpocket-proof in case you go to Europe with all of their immigrant thieves:
