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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, October 5. 2022He was told he had months to liveFrom Jack Thomas: I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say. I’ve been a journalist for more than 60 years. So after doctors delivered the news, I sat down to do what came naturally, if painfully: Write this story.
Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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14:08
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Thursday, September 29. 2022Long Covid and related vague complaints
There is a basket of vague medical complaints which include things sometimes diagnosed as Epstein-Barr, Long Covid, Chronic Lyme Disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and so forth. I don't know what to think about these things. They used to be known as Neurasthenia. Here's a piece in The Atlantic: Long COVID Has Forced a Reckoning for One of Medicine’s Most Neglected Diseases. Only a couple dozen doctors specialize in chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Now their knowledge could be crucial to treating millions more patients.
Wednesday, September 28. 2022Fitnesss goals are simpler than most life goals
Fitness goals are simple and measurable. Furthermore, the relative mindlessness of it is a relief from the stresses that other life goals give us. For me, workout sessions lift me out of my mind into a pure animal zone of bodily effort. It is my form of meditation (if meditation implies emptying one's mind). Playing sports does something like that, as does sex. Regardless of age, don't underestimate the importance of sex. I do not mean to say that sports are mindless, but once you get used to a sport, much of it is reflex. That is training: Down the line or cross-court. Recreation: Hiking, sports, swimming, and general functioning/vitality are rewards for fitness.
Thursday, September 22. 2022Sex lives of the English in the Medieval PeriodIt was lively. Poor John of York.
Thursday, September 8. 2022Maintaining fitness and reasonable weight: Strategy/Habits vs. Willpower
If you care about fitness and functionality, staying trim and strong is a good idea. Staying strong is easy: Go to the gym or something daily with weights and cardio and calisthenics. It is rewarding if not exactly fun. Exercise will not keep many people trim. It's an American thing. I don't know why because many parts of the world are full of cheap, tasty fast foods. Without wanting to seem obnoxious to any overweight readers, I have to offer the best article I've seen about nutrition and weight. It's a bit of a long read, but entirely reasonable: Behavioral Nutrition. The authors are correct. For many people, willpower doesn't work. Habits do. A quote:
Tuesday, August 30. 2022"Clean your plate"?
According to the stats, adult Americans are overfed or, more accurately, are overeating. Food is a pleasure, usually. Too much of a good thing makes us slothful, if not foggy or sleepy. The trick is to consume food until the moment that any feeling of hunger disappears. It is a "Stop" signal. The challenge for many is that the sensation of satiety lags behind food intake by 15 or 20 minutes. If you eat quickly, you can miss that signal especially when the offering is delicious. My advice (feel free to ignore it) is, unless underweight, to quit eating when a feeling of hunger disappears. It doesn't take much food if you eat slowly and chat with whoever is with you. After all, the reason to sit down with others is to socialize. Most restaurants have "small plates" these days. They are usually plenty for most people. The point is that there is no law that we must clean our plates anyway. The Hunger Scale: Mindful Eating for Weight Loss
Friday, August 26. 2022Is "gender dysphoria" a mental disability?
I do not know what it is, but I know there is some sort of mass hysteria going on about it and it will not end well.
Thursday, August 25. 2022Sex drive
How often do men really think about sex?
I believe that most humans are highly sexual and sexually-motivated creatures. Many fantasies, if not action. It's about mostly-private thoughts. It is not as if men are always ready to go (although it is true that men are easily interested or seduced). Still, womens' sexual interests and fantasies are underestimated. Women always check out other women's clothing, but they check out men just as often. Human biology.
Wednesday, August 17. 2022Is evolution Progress?Progress is a funny word. There is no doubt that Homo sapiens is remarkable in the ability to change and control the planet to meet its own needs and wants, with a population boom as a result. The Problems of Evolution as a “March of Progress”
Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss
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Covid-19 is now endemic
Now it appears to be a new virus on the endemic list. It might appear on the CVS annual jab lists in the future. IS COVID OVER?
Friday, August 12. 2022Politics and Medical Institutions
Wednesday, August 3. 2022Creatine supplements for strength training
It is the stress and mild damage (and repair) of muscle that builds strength, it is not a bad idea to assist intensity. Without high intensity there is little gain. Why Do Trainers Suggest A Creatine Loading Phase? To load or not to load—it's one of the biggest questions surrounding creatine monohydrate. Clear up the confusion with this look at the evidence for creatine loading, pro and con. Here's more about how it helps:
Monday, August 1. 2022StairsStair work is excellent cardio, whether machines or just on stairs like Rocky. Your Do-Anywhere Guide to Stair Workouts
High intensity interval trainingFriday, July 29. 2022Jordan Peterson discusses gender identificationSeratonin and Depression
Here's the inside scoop: Few people in the field ever believed that depression was caused by a "seratonin imbalance." Far too simplistic. There is no single "depression" anyway. What is termed "depression" is a grab bag of miserable signs and symptoms which can be associated with some (undiagnosed) cancers and Bipolar Disorder to neurotic and/or personality vulnerabilities. SSRI meds help some people with depression remarkably well, but probably not most.
Thursday, July 28. 2022Autism updateAfter 100 Years of Research, Autism Remains a Puzzle. One geneticist is determined to piece together the causes.
Tuesday, July 26. 2022Sexual liberty reconsidered
Those things are strong in most women, young and old. It's biology. Children of the Counter-Revolution. Sexual liberty reconsidered.
Wednesday, July 20. 2022Exercise Recovery from all sorts of things
We have to bear in mind that Powerlifts/Compound exertions stress most of the body. For example, Deadlifts are not just legs. They engage everything from your neck to the ankles. It can make sense to divide up heavy days into Legs, Upper Body, and Core - but none of those are singular. So let's go through various things that regular people do to stay fit and functional, and recovery, - Long walks, hill and mountain hiking (eg 10 miles, more or less). Assuming decent fitness, the only recovery such recreational activities require is cold beer, a good meal, and a good sleep. Such things can be daily, if you have the time (which is usually on trips). - Jogging: No recovery needed. Same for swimming laps and biking. Re distance (5++ mile) road running: It's a bad idea unless it is once in a while. Not good, long-term, for joints. However, orthopedic surgeons need their vacations and cars... - Calisthenics. We Maggie's people are big believers in calisthenics (same as the military) and have posted endlessly about their role in fitness and general athleticism. In fact, I have offered the view that 50-60 minutes daily of calisthenics is great for maintaining conditioning and general fitness without anything else other than recreational activity. Done with intensity, it covers HIIT Cardio and makes every muscle work. "Toning", but no real strength-building in 1 hr/day. Calisthenics should require no more recovery than at the above paragraphs unless in poor condition. - Powerlifts and accessory difficult muscle exercises. These are designed for strength-building, which means some longer fatigue and some muscle damage. It is the repair of the minor muscle injury that builds strength. Without some extreme muscle stress it is just maintenance. Nothing wrong with maintenance though, especially for the over 65- 80 crowd, but most people seek improvement. For regular people, two days away from heavy makes sense. That does not mean 2 days of inactivity, just 2 days without heavy. Cardio or calis can count as good "active recovery."
Tuesday, July 19. 2022Women and their sex livesWhy should advocating sexual restraint be ridiculed? The Case Against the Sexual Revolution by Louise Perry reviewed
Wednesday, July 13. 2022Who does your doctor work for? While many physicians might like the idea of independence, for most specialties the need for a large back-office staff requires being part of a group practice. Then, sooner or later, somebody buys the group. The buyer could be a hospital, a giant medical business, or even a venture capital fund. Things have changed. In many ways, sharing some income and being a part of a larger business makes it easier than being an old-fashioned independent physician. It's not the same thing, though.
Tuesday, July 12. 2022Balancing on one leg
I think it's a silly article. Obviously, if you are older and in bad shape, you are more likely to be sick and die. But go ahead and try it. For a better test, do it with eyes closed.
Tuesday, July 5. 2022Women and RoeThere is a contradiction between the "grief" and "anguish" and "rage" about the reversal of the Roe decision and ordinary feminist, or plain ordinary views about peoples' sex lives. Yes, sex is a powerful driver in life for men and women. It is biological and psychological. However, at least after adolescence, we are all endowed with a brain too. In my view, women have all the power. They have the power of attraction, and have the modern power of birth control. Excepting rape (or maybe substance-addled non-decision-making), men and women are in charge of conception. It is not rocket science. Women can not leave it all to the boys and very few do.
Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss
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18:41
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Thursday, June 30. 2022How bad is your CVS lately?I am hearing stories. They can not get enough people to work in the pharmacies. One theory is that they make you wait so you will buy other stuff, but I doubt that that is a strategy.
Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss
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18:04
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