Mindconnection eNL, 2020-003-15

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Item 1. The Economist, being based in the UK is left-leaning and pretty far in the statist camp. They are no fans of President Trump. Yet, and this is the good news, they have produced several articles detailing the nutty and disastrous ideas proposed by Bernie Sanders. That is saying a lot, considering the facts in my first two sentences. Sanders is such a godawful choice that even a Trump-bashing, left-leaning, statist-oriented publication sees a Sanders Presidency as an unmitigated catastrophe.

Item 2. The repugnancy of a Sanders presidency should give the Libertarian Party a massive boost this fall. That would be fantastic news, since this is the only party whose platform is based on the rule of law. Trump tramples the Constitution occasionally, but Sanders would (according to what he says he would do as POTUS) render it moot. So we face another national IQ test this fall. How many Americans have the attention span to listen to what Sanders actually says, and how many have the mental acuity of an eight year old or better? It will be interesting to see the results of that. Of course, if the Dems had really wanted to challenge Trump they would have had a primary roster very unlike the one they had this time. You may recall the Repubs did the same thing last time. This con game is interesting, because people keep falling for it as if there is a two-party system consisting of the Ds and Rs. Obviously, that is not the case.

• The Photo Backup Stick is an all-in-one picture and video backup and storage tool. It contains special software to back up from Windows computers, Mac computers, iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch, Android phones, and Android tablets.
• Keep your pictures safe without the need for expensive and complicated cloud services.
• Supports almost all picture and video formats.
• Backs Up from Windows. Run the Windows backup app to find and backup from the computer, storage device(s) connected to the computer, or even phones or tablets connected to the computer.
• Backs Up from Mac. Run the Mac backup app to find and backup from the computer, storage device(s) connected to the computer, or even phones or tablets connected to the computer.
• Backs Up from Androids. Plug the stick directly into Android phones or tablets and use the Android app to back up to the stick without using a computer.
  Backs Up From iPhones and iPads. Backup from iPhones & iPads by plugging them into a Windows or Mac computer and run the backup app from the stick.
• Removes Duplicates. Each photo and video will be backed up only once. Every time you backup, only new photos will be backed up. The Windows app also allows you to remove duplicates just in case you have multiple copies that have been backed up.
• You can back up from the default locations or select to scan the entire computer or specific drives or folders.
• You can also connect phones and tablets to the computer and back them up at the same time.
• The Windows app allows you to remove duplicates even if they were backed up from other devices. It also allows you to easily copy your backed-up files to a computer or drive.
• Choose to keep your photos organized in the same folder structure they are on your computer or have them saved to one single folder on the stick.
• For Android phones and tablets, download the free Photo Backup Stick DC app, plug the stick into your device using the included adapters, and back up directly to the stick without using a computer.
• For iPhones, iPads, or iPod Touch, plug your device into a Windows or Mac computer, unlock the screen and trust the computer, and run the backup app from the stick. All your pictures and videos will be backed up directly to the stick for safe keeping.

The Photo Backup Stick works on Windows 7, 8, or 10 as well as Mac OS 10.12 or newer. For direct connection to Android devices, the device must support OTG connections of USB drives. If OTG is not supported, devices can be backed up using the Windows or Mac apps. For Apple iOS devices, you must connect the devices to a computer using a data cable and use the Windows or Mac app to backup.

Buy yours now.

As a tall person, I don't like bending down to use a towel that is hanging on a towel rack. So when I built the half-bath in my basement, I mounted a towel rack at eye height. Problem solved! Or so I thought....

This was great at first, but after a few months I could see why towel racks are mounted so low. The position is not that way for the convenience of the towel user, but to prevent water drips from hitting the wall. With the hard water we have here, those drips made an ugly mess. After a few times of scrubbing it off (with vinegar), I decided to mount a second towel rack. And I mounted it at exactly the height used in my other two bathrooms.

But that clouded look on the glass can usually be removed. In most cases, it's a thin film of mineral deposits. Those minerals are typically basic in pH, so they can be removed with acid. Vinegar, that essential cleaning solvent that belongs in every kitchen (and should be in a handy spray bottle) unless you have a granite countertop, will remove this. So will lemon juice.

Here are some methods:

1. Set the glasses on a sink mat on the bottom of your sink and spritzing them with white vinegar. Let them sit for 10 minutes, then wash each one with a sponge and dishsoap and dry with a dishtowel. If they aren't sparkling, repeat another time or two.

2. Place those glasses in a (large) bowl with a mix of vinegar and water and let them sit for half an hour. Pull them out and wash, rinse, dry. Repeat if necessary.

3. Put the glasses in the dishwasher with no other dishes. Pour two cups of vinegar into the dishwasher, and then wash on your normal cycle.

4. Similar to method 1, use the Eraser after spritzing with vinegar. Once you've used the Eraser on all the surfaces, "rinse" the glass with spritzes of vinegar. Then wash, rinse (with water), and dry. Repeat if needed.

Not as smart as many people believe:

https://blog.malwarebytes.com/please-dont-buy-this/2019/12/please-dont-buy-this-smart-doorbells

Photo taken a couple of weeks after my 59th birthday.

Note that the information provided here will likely conflict with the "fad of the moment" and other unsustainable, unproductive ways of looking at health and fitness.

Article appears below.

See my climbing videos here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyb67uKOxW_TsG6BVPbBIQ/videos

How to manage hormones naturally, Part 8
Supplements. How to sort scams from the good stuff.

The supplement industry is rife with come-ons, con-jobs, and rip-offs. Yet, the supplement industry is huge and most people use supplements. Some people spend great sums on supplements. In most cases, people are being sold hope and nothing of any real value. For this discussion, we'll go a bit beyond just managing your hormones naturally. We'll look at supplements more generallyh.

Here are some rip-off categories:

• Preworkout. People swear by these, and will tell you that whatever they are using is awesome. But it's not. They get a big caffeine buzz and from that conclude the supplement is "working". The reality is they are burning out their adrenal glands and (in most cases) losing their mental focus due to overexcitation.
• Recovery. Most of these contain excess carbohydrates. Even worse, many contain sugar or HFCS; these will drive testosterone to zero just when you need it the most.
• Eye health. The main ingredient is Vitamin A. While a Vitamin A deficiency is deleterious to eye health, taking more than you need does not improve your vision or your eye health. Vitamin A toxicity is a real danger with some of the formulations that are sold.
• Testosterone boosters. Few of these contain anything that will actually lead to a testosterone boost. Some will actually cause testosterone to fall.
• Prostate health. These are generally OK, but way overpriced.
• Anti-aging. Find one that's not full of dubious ingredients. Well, don't; you'll die from old age before it's Mission Accomplished on that one.
• Weight loss, "get ripped," and the like. Quite often, the main ingredient is a central nervous system stimulant in a very high dose.

Now, let's revisit these categories. But first, I'm going to tell you the secret to sorting the scams from the good stuff. The "good stuff" always comes in the form of a single compound, a basic ingredient. The scams are some company's formulation. Basic ingredients are fairly well commoditized, with minimal profit. But put a bunch of junk in a bottle, give it a fancy name, and slap a label on it; you now have a margin of 50% or more even though the compound may be totally ineffective.

• Preworkout. There is no preworkout supplement that actually does anything for your workout. Two supplements that help you have more productive workouts: creatine (restores ADP, allowing for volume even when the workout is intense) and beta-alinine (really good for "the pump"). You can take these at any time. As long as they are in your system, that's all you need.
• Recovery. The lies in this category are staggering. Your body needs basic nutrients for recovery. Some of those are amino acids, most notably L-Glutamine. Consuming several grams of L-Glutamine a day can be very  beneficial. AST makes a good product and it sells at a reasonable price.
• Eye health. There is no supplement that actually does anything for your eyes. But do take a multi-vitamin and eat a diet heavy on various colors of vegetables. Specifically for eyes, yellow/orange vegetables. Squashes, especially pumpkin, are loaded with beta carotene and leucein.
• Testosterone boosters. Nearly anything that claims to boost your T won't. But there are some effective basic compounds (not formulations) such as laxogenin, fenugreek, and tong kat ali that do help. For most people, their first line of defense is to eliminate the T-killers from their diet. That's all processed food, for starters.
• Prostate health. Yes, saw palmetto deserves its reputation here. But generally, there is no need for special supplements for the prostate. Lifestyle choices play a far more significant role.
• Anti-aging. Selling hope to people as they age is a bit evil, if you ask me. Lifestyle choices play a far more significant role than anything that comes in a bottle.
• Weight loss, "get ripped," and the like. Again, basic compounds. Garcinia, green coffee bean extract, and L-carnitine are all stars here.

Upcoming installments:

How to manage hormones naturally, Part 9
Chemicals to avoid. Many commonly-used chemicals adversely affect endocrine health.

How to manage hormones naturally, Part 10
Handling social pressure. Rather than use willpower to fight social pressure from the disease-embracing, health-averse culture, follow these tips to use social pressure to your advantage.

• The best workouts are short and intense.
• A good diet contains far more flavors and satisfaction than the typical American diet.

More Americans have died this year from "Daylight Savings Time" than from the Corona Virus.

Few of us will be remembered 50 years after we die. What matters, then, is what you do with your life now. Being of service to others is one way to lead a fulfilling life with a "today legacy."