In this issue:
Good News | Product Highlight | Brainpower | Finances | Security | Health/Fitness | Factoid | Thought 4 the Day
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1. Good News
This will be a game-changer:
http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/39771/?nlid=nldly&nld=2012-02-27
Instead of coal gen
plants belching out mercury, radioactive isotopes, sulphur, and carbon
(which nuke plants do not), we'd have local solar belching out nothing. You
also eliminate transmission losses. And you eliminate the mountain top
mining that is devastating vast tracts of Appalachia (you would not see this
kind of abuse inflicted on the Martha's Vineyard folks).
So the environment wins,
big-time. And the economy wins, because of the efficiency thing and people
going to work installing these. The related upgrades would also, presumably,
produce energy-savings. This reduction in overhead can't possibly make up
for the costs of our gangsta govt, but it provides much help in the right
direction.
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2. Product Highlight
Just when you thought Rocky couldn't have another sequel and the market couldn't
have another ebook reader, along comes the jetBook Color. I thought Rocky Balboa was the best of the entire series. And
I think this ebook Reader is the best on the market. It takes the ebook reader
concept to the edge just before you reach tablet territory. In fact, it's
tablet-sized.
Some info:
- 9.7" Display with 1600x1200 resolution.
- Wi-Fi enabled with browser.
- Fluent Text-to-Speech can read you any book.
- Built-in mic and speech recognition.
- 10,000 page turns on a single charge.
- Add your own content, plus enjoy included content.
- Pictured dictionaries for 38 languages.
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3. Brainpower tip
4. Finance tip
When Grover Cleveland left office the first time (in 1889) the US Treasury had a $95 million surplus (that's about $70 billion in today's dollars, even if using the skewed and understating CPI).
The nation ran a huge surplus, a quarter century before Woodrow Wilson signed
the illegal Federal Reserve Act, thus handing over our government to private
bankers (refer to the famous quote, "I care not who makes the laws....). And
saddling us with the 1040 tax. Understand that point: huge surplus, no 1040 tax.
Now we have a 1040 tax, but our debt is three times the size of the GDP of all
nations combined. So a 1040 tax simply is not part of the debt solution.
Abolishing it outright is.
You can look up the stats on how much just calculating the 1040 tax costs
small businesses, individuals, and large corporations. It's WASTE in all caps.
Monumentally stupid, if the alleged reason has anything to do with funding the
government. Which, of course, is not the reason for this system.
We have many other taxes that are automatic (129 of them on single loaf of
bread, in fact). The single largest payroll tax, the SS tax, is the flat rate
national income tax. It's automatic. Inflation, your single largest tax, is
automatic. But the 1040 tax requires more time and effort to calculate than all
other taxes combined do. Do you see something wrong with this picture?
The 1040 tax system is a net loss to the Treasury. And it's a net loss to every
citizen. Simply abolishing the 1040 tax outright would increase federal revenue
and leave us all better off financially (and, by presumably eliminating the IRS
it would move this nation a huge step forward in human rights). Frequently
remind your misrepresentative in CONgress that this common sense way to boost
the economy needs to happen as soon as possible.
Here's another person's take on this wasteful system the USA has never been
able to afford:
http://www.devvy.com/notax.html |
5. Security tip
Don't like the idea of warrantless searches in your home or other law-breaking
that invades your privacy? At least make it a literal pain to come through your
windows. Plant thorny roses or other thorn-bearing plants by those windows.
The (anti)Patriot Act is not only blatantly illegal, it makes legitimate law
enforcement more difficult and thus aids terrorists and other criminals. You can
help put a bite in crime by planting thorny bushes at each window. Standard
police procedure is set up around the warrant process, which actually helps the
DA put together a good case. If the goal is law enforcement, the procedure is
followed diligently.
Just because the (anti)Patriot Act undermines our security doesn't mean you
can't help protect your community and yourself. Until we can get members of
CONgress to refuse to renew this crime-enhancing mislegislation (or if we get a
sane President, so don't hold your breath), we have to try to reduce its
deleterious effects.
Yes, lawbreakers will still be able to come through the door(s). But at least
they won't be able to crawl unseen through a remote window. Legitimate,
warranted searches are conducted such that this practice won't make any
difference. You're just making it harder for criminals to do their thing. |
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6. Health tip/Fitness tips
With spring rapidly approaching, many people want to lose those pounds of fat
they put on over the holidays. For the average American, this is almost exactly
ten pounds. While the real solution is to just treat your body with respect and
eat right all the time, let's go with the idea that it's time to shed that fat.
Probably the most common solution is "Do lots of cardio." This is usually code
for one of two things:
- Mindlessly run on a treadmill so that you associate exercise with
drudgery.
- Run outside. This usually means stepping in dog doo and breathing auto
exhaust, while risking shin splits and a twisted ankle. Lovely.
I got in a conversation the other day with a guy who asked me about my
"cardio routine." I told him I don't do one.
If you are doing your weight lifting exercises correctly, you are already
challenging your heart and lungs to supply blood and oxygen. Further, you are
going to burn fat for days after that workout vs. only a few seconds after you
step off the treadmill. |

Age 50.
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In my own case, adding a run to my training regimen would be
counterproductive. So I don't schedule an additional cardio workout. I'm
up and down stairs throughout the day, every day, and I can barely
recover from squats in a month. Add to that climbing, walking neighbors'
dogs, gardening, and yard work. In my opinion, an active person should
not add "cardio" to his or her training schedule. But of course, that
means being truly active. If you don't consider yourself to be
physically active, look around for opportunities. At least one of them
is sure to be fun. It's almost tragic what some people do not see in
their own lives, as opportunities for physical activity.
Some years ago, a personal trainer told me about a client who was
fixated on cardio. The trainer tried to get this woman onto a more
balanced program, but she insisted she just needed more cardio. Why she
paid a trainer for this was puzzling to me, so I asked. As it turned
out, this lady also paid:
- A kid to mow her lawn.
- A babysitter to handle her two pre-teens during her long gym
sessions.
- A cleaning service to do her housework.
- A kid to walk her dog.
Do you see something screwy, here? She had all that great
exercise available to her for free. Why on earth was she spending
time on a treadmill when she could have been chasing her kids
around? That alone should have burned enough calories to make her
happy. Each evening in my neighborhood, people are out walking.
They are walking their dogs, pushing tots in strollers, and/or walking
with their spouses. If any of them are too fat, I can't tell. This is
not a coincidence. This area is extremely hilly, and walking up and down
these hills is a combination cardio / weight exercise that can handle
all of the average person's "cardio" needs. The occasional wind sprinter
and Marathon trainer can also be seen training on these hills, and
getting advanced cardio training without a treadmill. If you live in a
flat area, you can still get very challenging exercise. Just look around
at your environment, and ideas will come to you. If the ideas are slow
to come, then go for a walk. In any direction that suits your mood.
Don't bring any electronic gizmos with you on that walk. Instead, take
in your surroundings. Enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells that you
might otherwise overlook. Any time exercise becomes detached from
reality, it becomes dull instead of stimulating and rewarding. Don't let
that happen. Get your cardio for your body, but do so in a way that
stimulates your mind or boosts your mood. One last thing to consider.
Do you know someone who seems depressed? Ask this person to help you.
That could be the best thing anyone's done for that person in a while.
Just say you want to start a regular practice of walking for half an
hour every evening but you need help getting started. "Can you help me
for just the first week, starting tomorrow? All you have to do is go
with me." After a week, this person will probably want to continue. You
will help yourself, but also another person. |
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At
www.supplecity.com, you'll find plenty of informative, authoritative
articles on maintaining a lean, strong physique. It has nothing to
do with long workouts or impossible to maintain diets. In fact:
- The best workouts are short and intense.
- A good diet contains far more flavors and satisfaction
than the typical American diet.
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7. Factoid
Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds. Dogs only have about 10.
Members of CONgress make this single sound: "SPEND!" |
8. Thought for the Day
You can make opportunities, or you can wait for them to come along. If you
choose the latter, you may be waiting a very long time. |
Please forward this eNL to others.
Authorship
The views expressed in this e-newsletter are generally not shared by criminals, zombies, or brainwashed individuals.
Except where noted, this e-newsletter is entirely the work of Mark Lamendola. Anything presented as fact can be independently verified. Often, sources are given; but where not given, they are readily available to anyone who makes the effort.
Mark provides information from either research or his own areas of established expertise. Sometimes, what appears to be a personal opinion is the only possibility when applying sound logic--reason it out before judging! (That said, some personal opinions do appear on occasion).
The purpose of this publication is to inform and empower its readers (and save you money!).
Personal note from Mark: I value each and every one of you, and I hope that shows in the diligent effort I put into writing this e-newsletter. Thank you for being a faithful reader.
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