Tuesday, October 14

Starting to catch up

Well, I'm back from a week in DC, one reason why you haven't seen much here lately. Here are some of the links I've been saving up:

+ My friend, Mademoiselle Le Frog, showed me this video when I was in DC last week. Hilarious! (Some salty language, so not for Christine and her ilk).

Rejoinder: Wishing Roger Moore would come back (in the bridge) is very bad taste!

+ Tom linked this Economist piece on Amory Lovins. For my part, I like Lovins (as I've written before); may his tribe increase! Almost painless efficiency seems like a no-brainer to me.

+ If you care about the presidential race and haven't checked out FiveThirtyEight.com yet, well, why not? Seems to be the best analysis going by a guy who, among other things, is a successful baseball stat geek (older Newsweek profile here).

+ Mark presents us with this picture:

credit

My comment: Tyranny is a little worse than democracy. The tyranny of the majority is bad, especially when the majority is not using their brains in their personal economic and political choices.

+ Push-up analysis: maybe I'm trying to do too many push-ups. That is, maybe three times a week to abject failure is too many. Back when I was lifting in college (literally half my life ago, which, believe me, I know is part of the 'problem') we only worked each muscle group hard two days a week with two days of rest in between. I definitely have not felt like I'm recovering enough with just one day of rest. So maybe I'll try two. Any pertinent advice?

+ To celebrate their 10th birthday, Google ginned up a retro-search for 2001. Here's mine.

+ My latest TED talk viewing was Jonathan Haidt on moral values and what makes people come out left and right. I don't necessarily buy the whole argument, but it is interesting.

Haidt has a lot of side projects. He wants people to disagree more civilly, and I'm all for that. So much so that I signed the pledge. I mean, who in our circle argues for civil politics more than me?

Strangely, not many people have signed. I'm one of two from SC. Here's one that leaps out at you: the only signatory from Alaska is from Wasilla...

He takes the same moral values angle (he focuses on five) and offers up a ton of questionnaires on YourMorals.org. I came out moderate on Harm, conservative on Fairness, moderate to conservative on Loyalty, moderate to liberal on Authority and arch-conservative on Purity (quirk in the test or other?)

Lots more to catch up on, but that's enough for now

5 comments:

Jim said...

This is in response to your post about exercise. Do you know Sydney got her Personal Trainer cert? That's just FYI.
Anyhow, it's not big deal for you yet; however, I agree with what you hint at in the post. Exercise has to be age, and time (don't forget the family) appropriate. Sydney says we all need to do resistance training, cardio, as well as stretching, and balance (the most frequently neglected area) esp. as we age. How do you work all that in?
I just mix it up. I have "x' time. I have about 2-5 exercise routines I like (they change over time). And I do them (5 days a week). I'm not in as good a shape as I was 10 years ago, but I'm satisfied with where I'm at(20 pounds heavier...I know, I know). So you recover from whatever weight training you have time for on the days you do cardio, or stretch and balance. Some people like yoga for those. Any routine works.
If my time is gone (that happens) I at least get out and walk the dog...or I might walk up the stairs at work. It's 15 floors so I ride up to 7 and walk the rest. Bottom line, with the time you have do something you like and mix it up. OR...do another freewheel!...which is an entirely different approach. Then you don't start with "time", you start with the "objective". That's OK, if you can balance the most important things...OK, I'll stop! Good luck with it all my friend!

Paul Stokes said...

Welcome back, Sean.

Anonymous said...

Uh, um, ah yes, of course, now would be a good time to start listening to your body. Screaming for more rest? Give.

democracy. heh mob rule. 's why the Founders constructed a Federalist Republic. Do you carry a copy of the Constitution? If so take it out, hold at arms length between thumb and forefinger - one eye the bound end(the staples). Says it all. Oh yeah, it's not breathing, no pulse. HA! ;~)

Anonymous said...

DC? Shoulda said something before hand. Maybe I coulda talked you into meeting me up the road a bit. Inner Harbor. The Admiral Fell Inn, for a drink and something to eat.

Looks like your Sox may wreck my vision of the future. ;~)

Sean Meade said...

Jim: i did know that Sydney got he PT cert. that's great! i hadn't heard balance before, but that makes sense.

i like your approach. i have been doing a fair amount of yoga and i like it pretty well.

i'm due for another update on this, but one approach i plan on taking more now that the weather has finally cooled is more quick hits throughout the day. can't hurt, right?

Paul: thanks!

GSR: yes, will listen to my body.

i'll let you know the next time i'm in DC. this trip was pretty much IAD-downtown-IAD.

the Sox gave it a run, but those crazy Rays won. now, do i care about who's left? not really...