Now we know why some animals eat their own children

An open letter to the Executive and Legislative Branch of the US Government:

Ladies, Gentlemen, I use the terms loosely, it is time to go home.
You really have no authority to lead this great “wounded” country.
You are damaging it daily and failing to even recognize the harm you are inflicting.
This country was founded by great men who would find you, the "supposed leadership", to be traitors to the ideal and purpose of this country.
Therefore you must resign, leave and allow more rational people to take on the mantle of leadership.
This country was founded to allow all men and women an equal chance to worship and find happiness.
It was founded to allow anyone, who was willing, to work and risk all for success.
It was not founded to let government be all things for all people.
It was not set up as a socialist state, a monarchy or a government over the people but a government by the people, a Democracy.
The states were invested with the power.
The founding fathers warned of the dangers of big government and tried to set it up so that limited government would be the future of the federal government.
Today the politicians are more interested in self-preservation than country.
Today the politicians are more interested in their own return to Washington than any constituency or the country in general.
The two party system is most interested in preserving it’s own life and is sucking the life out of America.
Political correctness and legislative stupidity is sending businesses, jobs and wealth overseas.
Today the business of government has become growing more government.
It has failed and is failing the populace of this country.
You are not leaders and possibly not even bad people but you are certainly misguided and wrong principled.
Our next wars should be a War on Debt, a War on the Failure of The American Educational System, a War on Big and Bad Government, a War on Ignorance and Apathy and Finally a War of Innovation and Creativity.
It would be better for all of you to return to your homes and let real leadership restore the faith in and purpose of America.

Let us then turn this government back into the channel in which the framers of the Constitution originally placed it.
--July 10, 1858 Speech at Chicago, Abraham Lincoln

To Iron Or Not To Iron

Seems an appropriate question for the gym on the morning of the 4th of July.
I am in the gym early and only a few are there, all gathered into one corner of the building.
The trainer is there along with the "Bad Boy", "No Sugar Please" and Runner.
I join the group and soon we are talking about Iron.
You would think it was dumbbells, or a new supplement, or possibly someones biceps, you know "just like Iron".
But no, something much more mundane, the problem with Linen Clothes.
Runner was talking about the need to go home and "Iron" some Linen Shirts
I commented that I had recently purchased several pairs of Linen Slacks on sale and loved how they wore but also complained of the need to "Iron" these after washing them.
"Well", said the trainer, "It is so fruitless, all that work and the minute you sit down, here come the creases".
"If you are going to live in the Islands and pursue the life of Hemingway then that is another matter".
"If you are a great and unforgettable author then the rumpled look is fine".
"On the other hand if you are in main street USA you had better try to keep your creases".
"In spite of that", I said, "I still like the look and feel of Linen".
"So I like Runner will have to do some "Ironing" today as I expect to wear the slacks tonight".
The conversation meandered down other paths as everyone kept pumping their respective "Iron" some on the bench, some standing, some just holding the "Iron" dead in their hands trying to follow the twists in the conversation.
So in reality the gym isn't all muscle and grunting but a "family" interested in Linen, diets, recipes and all other sorts of daily routine that makes life what it happens to be.
So pump "Iron" or "Iron" your Linen Shirts, Slacks, etc. or take your One-A-Day with "Iron" but keep coming back, join the fun, the conversation, the exercise and soon you may turn all of that "Iron" into Steel.

Another Day in "Paradise"

It is that time of year.
It is vacation time.
I have to wonder, now that I am semi-retired, why do I still call it vacation.
It really is a change of location and an opportunity to spend an extended period of time with grown children and more importantly grandchildren.
It does not qualify as a true vacation as I have nothing to vacation about.
I enjoy the work I do now; gym work is liberating.
In the past I worked and earned a living and gave away life.
Now I live to work to earn healthy life.
The first week was devoted to golf.
I was really bad until the last nine holes on the last day, my partner and I played with two gentlemen who hit the ball a ton, drank lots of beer and smoked cigars.
I didn't smoke cigars or drink beer but I began hitting the ball a half of a ton, putting, chipping and ended up with 44 on a respectable course.
I thanked these two free spirits because for nine holes some of their "karma" came to roost on me.
The second week will be devoted to children and grandchildren.
I have six of the neatest grandkids in the whole world.
Their parents, my children and their spouses are pretty neat too.
This week we will build sand castles, swim in an ocean, spend time at the pool, go to a Princess Party, color, watch cartoons, hug a lot and just rejoice in family.
Sadly two of the grandchildren and my eldest child will be absent this year but I am promised I will get the full Monty next year with a two week visit.
These are the times that make the days fly, these are the times that make me young again.
These are the times that define vacation.
In reality you don't even need to change location; as long as you are in the presence of family be they young or old, you have before you the makings of a great vacation.
Why do we have to get old to learn this?
Oh, I did adopt those two cigar smoking, beer drinking golfers; they helped my game more than all those lessons and they really don't want to be in the will as long as I supply the game and the beer.
So here is to my wife, Paradise, grandchildren and children along with Bill and Pete.

An Observation

June 20th, 2011: 151,000 people died throughout the world today.
Some died of cancer.
Some died of trauma, related to suicide bombs, unsuspecting and innocent except for living in a dangerous part of the world.
Some died in surgery.
Some died in their beds at home with family at their side.
Some died of Military Interventions, in Libya, some died in Africa and many had no idea a trip to the market was going to be that dangerous.
Every day about 150,000 human beings die.
Every day some die at their own hands, pill, hanging, exsanguination, overdose, drugs, alcohol.
Yesterday it was announced that a certain person associated with the Jackass Movies died in a high speed Porsche crash.
It was suspected that alcohol was involved.
Where does this piece of news rate among all of the other deaths?
It is a death, it is sad, it did not have to happen.
Roger Ebert tweeted about it and was castigated.
Grief should not be the vehicle for attack.
I prayed for the soul of the person, I know this is "passé" in modern society but I also prayed for the many innocent victims of random and non-selective violence.
We as humans have free will and if we choose to use bad judgement and die as a result, at least we had the choice and the possibility of a different outcome.
Many of those who died yesterday didn't have the choice.

When Endorphin Tsunamis Crash on Limbic Shores

Sometimes art and exercise conspire to create a unique and powerful inner storm.
Such was the effect tonight in spin class when the song "Shinedown-Second Chance" coincided with a powerful hill climb.
The resistance was turned to "pain" and the tempo, sprint.
It doesn't take a lot of imagination to realize that oxygen debt and lactic acid will soon have the upper hand.
But then something magical happens, at least for me.
I am transported.
The art and the exercise, like reinforcing waves, lift me out of myself.
I am singing, first in my mind, then out loud.
This is something I don't do, even in church during a solemn high mass.
I don't have the voice to sing.
But there it is, I am singing, out loud, unabashed.
A strong wind is swirling in my soul as it expands, ending the pain and closing off the real world.
I am "blind" to the surroundings.
The music enfolds me and I am no longer spinning but instead floating above the fray, Nirvana, I think the Mystics call it.
Unfortunately it ends too soon.
The endorphins finally quell and the Limbic shore is once again baked in the oven of now.
"Lets do it again", says the trainer.
I want you sucking air at the end, not singing".
"You hear that Ken"?
I mentally bow, "Yes Master, Grasshopper has much to learn".
The music starts and I can't help it, the transport is under way.
This time I sing in my mind.
I can do it louder in "hear"  because only I can "here".
Nirvana, still is there.
The endorphins still crash on the Limbic shore.
I hope the trainer goes for number three.
I may just transport out of here forever.
As I go I need to remember to thank her for showing me the portal.

Medicine, Glutamine, Maybe L-arginine, Lots of Protein and Finally Chocolate Milk

Lowering one's Cholesterol is a good thing.
The medicine is very effective but can have side effects such as severe muscle pain and damage.
I went generic.
The symptoms were subtle at first, arm pain, some shoulder weakness, leg cramps and a general feeling of going down the "tubes".
It was at a dinner that some kind lady mentioned all of the muscle issues she had had with a generic statin and it hit like a ton of bricks, "Duh" those were my symptoms.
It seems the side effects may never go away even after going back to the name brand stuff.
Is it time for Red Yeast Rice?
Seems glutamine, a semi-essential amino acid promotes metabolism, protects muscle under stress from breakdown and in my own anecdotal report alleviates muscular pain associated with exercise and has been very helpful in reducing the pain from the statins.
When I forget to take it, I know within three days that I am missing something key in my routine as exercise begins to hurt a whole lot more than usual.
So whence l-arginine?
Seems l-arginine is a big source of Nitric Oxide in the body. NO helps regulate vascular relaxation supports increased blood flow along with oxygen delivery to the end organ, in this case, muscles and has been shown to promote the production of growth hormone plus enhances protein production and fat metabolism.
I have not yet started l-arginine but I am sure it will become part of my new diet.
On to the proteins, 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day; this is a tough prescription but if you are going to work out several times a day for several hours, such as a one hour climb on the stair master, a one hour spin, one hour of interval training or one hour of intense weight training then you are going to need a lot of protein.
The body is not particular and if pushed will begin to"burn" the endogenous protein such as your own muscle and you will find increasing weakness over time.
This is the best sign that you are not getting enough protein in your diet.
Good sources of protein; fish, chicken turkey, eggs, yogurt, beans and occasionally lean red meat and if you are still short a Whey Protein Shake can help fill the void.
Remember 5 oz. of salmon provides 34 grams of protein so to get 160 grams would require almost one and one half pounds of salmon per day.
Well, maybe you are a grizzly.
Last but not least, my favorite, low fat chocolate milk: Post-exercise consumption of lowfat chocolate milk was found to provide equal or possibly superior muscle recovery compared to a high-carbohydrate recovery beverage with the same amount of calories.
So you might say, "he has gone off the deep end", and I guess I have but when you feel this good being in the deep end seems OK.
So bring on the Amino Acid Pâté with the Chocolate Milk Spritzers and keep the party going.

Grow Up

We sent you to Washington to cut the deficit.
We sent you to Washington to stop the slide into mediocrity.
We sent you to Washington to put this country back on course.
We did not send you to shut the government down.
We did not send you to worry about your perks and your benefits.
We did not send you to continue the stupidity of the past.
The Moderates, the Conservatives, the Left or whatever you are called need to hear the American People.
We want smaller Government.
We don't want someone telling us how to live.
We want to decide how and where we worship even if it is a quiet prayer in the classroom.
We want our children to pray if they wish to.
We want to decide how to spend our money.
We do not want to have a group Washington Insiders telling us how to believe, how to live, how to raise our children and how to die.
Pay off the debt.
If you have to, raise taxes.
Simplify the Tax Code.
Help Americans earn the Dream.
It is not worth much if it is "given to them".
If you can't make it better then go home.
I will not hate you for failure but I will despise your limited vision of the Future.
If we can no longer dream of the stars couldn't we at least dream of the Inner Planets.
Dream the dream of America, Freedom, Peace, Innovation, Hard Work, Worship and Hope.
If these values fail to inspire then go home and sit in the corner and sulk.
But don't try to remake America.
America is more a vision, more a hope, more a dream than a place and everyone should be allowed to pursue that dream.