In 1979, I was a ten year old fifth grader at Mark Keppel Elementary School in Glendale, California when a group of Iranian students took over 50 individuals hostage at the US Embassy and CIA Station in Tehran. We were outraged as a nation, and even as a small child, I remember believing from the bottom of my heart that we should have dropped a hydrogen bomb or two on them forthwith. I cheered when I watched the local news and saw an Iranian man being attacked by an angry mob in Beverly Hills.
It was not until I was a junior in college ten years later that I learned how the CIA overthrew the democratically elected government of Mossadegh and installed the Peacock Throne. Not one adult took the time to explain a word about the history of Persia to me or to direct me to objective materials about Iran at the library. Nobody furthermore, took the time to remind me that every Iranian had a mother and a father, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Nobody ever reminded me that the Iranians were also human beings. I never thought of the consequences of a nuclear strike on Tehran where easily 10 Million people would lose their lives and the area would become a ghost town for years. It seemed like the most sterile, sane, surgical way to show those devils not to fuck with America. It was like the Tea Party's collective anger under the banner of Don't Tread on Me. Most importantly, nobody ever bothered to mention that the 1979 Revolution was very similar to the struggles of the United States when we fought the Revolutionary War to destroy the monarchy. While the fighters supported by Saudi Arabia in Afghanistan were referred to as "Freedom Fighters" and the Iranian Revolutionaries as terrorists by our media never seemed odd to me at all.
I had never met an Iranian as a child in Glendale. But in 1981, our family relocated to West Los Angeles, and I had the pleasure to become acquainted with several Iranian individuals. I did not anything about the difference among the various Iranian factions and religions. At the outset, I felt a remarkable degree of hostility towards all of them and considered them my personal mortal enemy. I had no idea that most of them had worked in professional positions and that many were Jewish and had been employees of Reza Shah. They all embodied and channeled the Ayatollah who was nothing more and nothing less than the devil in my ten year old bird brain. I am ashamed at the cruelty I participated in. The hate speech. The evil that children do.
Then I became friends with Ramin after he beat me in a fight I picked with him. He did not back down. Most Iranians won't. Next time I saw him after losing the fight, he stuck out his hand in friendship. We always treated each other with respect from then on. He invited me to his house and was gracious. Iranian guys are proud. They are mostly noble, incredibly strong. I had no idea Ramin was not connected to the Ayatollah. I did not know his family were refugees. His family had been pharmacists and had been forced to open a fucking donut shop here in the States. People treated them like shit. But they persevered and passed the Pharmacy Board Exam and became prosperous. And remained virtuous in the face of our national ignorance that we allowed our children to believe.
Make no mistake about it, the Islamic Republic of Iran has acted rascally in the past, and have added fuel to the regional fire. During the 1980's, several thousand political prisoners were hanged in Ervin Prison. They have blood on their hands. And on their sleeves, too. But in the scope of things, they have not done diddly squat compared to the United States. Iraq that invaded them supported by us, not the other way around. It was the US Navy that fired a missile from the USS Vincennes that struck a civilian Iranian Airliner without provocation or threat and murdered hundreds of innocent civilians. We have choked their economy, refused to re-establish diplomatic relations with them, and have punished them for being Nationalists. I think our country was founded by Nationalists. They would have wanted us to support an independent and strong Iranian nation, not try and annihilate them and overthrow their government so that they could get some good oil contracts. Not a great idea to try and do something like that to a proud and ancient nation. What the hell were the Dulles brothers were thinking?
I read some stuff as an undergraduate and found out what we did to make the Iranians so angry at us. They had some damn good reasons such as us actively enabling chemical weapons to be used against Iranian Troops during the Iran Iraq war killing thousands and scorching the lungs of tens of thousands of others disfiguring them and disabling them in the most cruel way not seen since WWI. Eight years of trench warfare funded by the United States killed a sizable percentage of the Iranian population. Every child has a father and a mother and deserve a chance to grow up in a time of peace. The United States should never contribute to misery like they did meddling in Iranian affairs. It is time for us to formally apologize to them yesterday.
The vast majority of Iranian persons that I am friends with are true men. They are not inferior to us in any way, shape or form. I am puzzled as to why our diplomats do not recognize this and treat the Iranian people accordingly. A little respect with them goes a long way.
I never saw the Iranians as irrational actors or the mad dogs that they are portrayed as in our wanker media. I saw them more in line with the view shared by the intelligence community in Australia. Something could always work out. It could have worked out years ago. It can still work out.
Iranians are fantastic people. Their Soltani Kebab, Chicken and Lamb Barg, all of those stews with lima beans, dill, and those huge plates of rice are fantastic too. Those salads with cucumber, the lamb shanks, eggplant salad, and delicious fresh flat bread and butter. Our differences are small. What we have in common is vast. Their children are as dear as our children and they want to have a similar future that many of us desire over here. Their leaders are courageous. We should invite Khatami over, take him to Yosemite, and our to the American Street, restore diplomatic relations immediately, eat some wonderful Persian food and try and work things out. We have a lot in common.
Obama is in a unique position to restore maybe an ounce or two of his credibility all lost as a result of the Snowden disclosures and emerge as the President the smoothed things out with the Iranians. I think they have been waiting for us for a long time to express a willingness to mend fences. Of course, we need to treat them with the respect that they deserve. They are are equals, not our satraps, every bit as intelligent as we are and every bit as deserving of respect.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Saturday, February 8, 2014
National Character: Truth or Fiction?
I hate it when fuckers make blanket statements about groups of people. I read about some guy who tells people that he came from his mother when they inquire as to where he was born. I tend to believe, however, in the concept of national character. It applies to a certain degree, far greater than a slight majority. It is not a bigoted worldview. In any non-threatening gathering especially if food was being served, most people would agree with many assertions as to their national character with much laughter. I would like to share some observations that I have made about certain groups of people that I have had the pleasure to meet and chat with over the course of my lifetime.
I would like to begin with people from El Salvador. At the outset, I would rather do business with a person that hails from El Salvador more than any other country in the world. Guatemalans and Mexicans are also people that I like to do business with. People from El Salvador are almost uniformly kind, humble, honest, and sweet people. The majority I have met are hardworking, reliable, and polite. Like most Latinos, they are totally into their families. Despite suffering the devastation of being the primary proxy battleground of the Cold War, Salvadoreans have a remarkably positive and courageous attitude and national character. I respect the Salvadoreans that I have had the pleasure of meeting, and always ask them to tell me about what transpired with them during the Civil War. Both sides talk about similar atrocities, but seem to have a remarkable ability to move forward and work towards the present and the future without forgetting the past and being determined not to repeat it.
They have a strong, mighty national character, especially considering that El Salvador covers approximately the same area as Los Angeles County. I predict that after drugs are legalized, El Salvador will become the crucial link in the chain between the two continents. The potential for the country to become a financial powerhouse like Singapore is definitely in the cards for these guys. I see how many Salvadorean families push their kids as hard as Koreans in school. They are smart and cultured. Shame on other Latinos who talk shit about our Salvadorean brothers and sisters. We are all in this together and should never talk shit about one another, as we have much more in common than apart.
Salvadorean food, however, is repulsive. The Salvadorean contribution to world cuisine, the pupusa, is a terrible griddle cooked thick corn tortilla mixed with pig skin and shitty cheese. Curtido, a sort of cole slaw is pretty good as are the black beams and rice. Fresh fish is available at the beach and lobster is available at La Libertad. Everything else is bland, tasteless garbage.
People from the Philippines are the sweetest people and are so friendly and smile a lot. They have colorful nicknames like Bong Bong and Angel Baby Girl. Their culture is remarkably diverse as there are so many different regions, tribes and local customs. But I have never met a person from the Philippines that was not totally kind to me. Furthermore, when I have fucked up a little in business, they seem to have mechanisms built in to allow one to save face. They are smart and colorful. I used to think the food was repulsive, but it was only because I had only eaten at places like Barrio Fiesta, Nipa Hut, and other places with a steam table and pre-cooked food. My opinion changed when I ate homemade chicken adobo, rice, pancit, and some other fine foods. The chicken adobo may have been the very best chicken dish I have eaten in my life! The people I have met from the Philippines seem to appreciate a bargain, and like to haggle. I do too.
People from Armenia are awesome and there is a huge Armenian community in Hollywood and Glendale. Armenian Cuisine is certainly in the top five or maybe even in the top three of world cuisines. Armenian parties are the best parties I have ever been to, hands down. The food is so abundant, and so wonderful, it is impossible not to overeat. Your Armenian hosts are going to be the most hospitable hosts you will ever encounter anywhere.
The first course at an Armenian party is going to consist of cheese, fresh mint, onions, pickled turnips, turnovers, pita bread, radishes, and a bottle of brandy for every man. The second course is going to be 5 or 6 different cold and hot mezzas, all executed perfectly with the freshest and most delicious ingredients available. Cooked with love. Grape leaves, kebabs, quail, fish, may come out next. In all, there may be 10 courses. All of them are going to make your toes curl they are so tasty. There are different kinds of Armenians. Some are more like Russians, some are more like Lebanese. We are lucky to be invited to their weddings, christenings, and birthdays. Our Armenian Brothers and Sisters rock and their national character is pretty strong in the food and hospitality area. They are true masters at that.
Because I could go on and on, I will stop here and do another post at a later date covering some observations on Koreans, Iranians, and maybe people from Vietnam. Cheers!
I would like to begin with people from El Salvador. At the outset, I would rather do business with a person that hails from El Salvador more than any other country in the world. Guatemalans and Mexicans are also people that I like to do business with. People from El Salvador are almost uniformly kind, humble, honest, and sweet people. The majority I have met are hardworking, reliable, and polite. Like most Latinos, they are totally into their families. Despite suffering the devastation of being the primary proxy battleground of the Cold War, Salvadoreans have a remarkably positive and courageous attitude and national character. I respect the Salvadoreans that I have had the pleasure of meeting, and always ask them to tell me about what transpired with them during the Civil War. Both sides talk about similar atrocities, but seem to have a remarkable ability to move forward and work towards the present and the future without forgetting the past and being determined not to repeat it.
They have a strong, mighty national character, especially considering that El Salvador covers approximately the same area as Los Angeles County. I predict that after drugs are legalized, El Salvador will become the crucial link in the chain between the two continents. The potential for the country to become a financial powerhouse like Singapore is definitely in the cards for these guys. I see how many Salvadorean families push their kids as hard as Koreans in school. They are smart and cultured. Shame on other Latinos who talk shit about our Salvadorean brothers and sisters. We are all in this together and should never talk shit about one another, as we have much more in common than apart.
Salvadorean food, however, is repulsive. The Salvadorean contribution to world cuisine, the pupusa, is a terrible griddle cooked thick corn tortilla mixed with pig skin and shitty cheese. Curtido, a sort of cole slaw is pretty good as are the black beams and rice. Fresh fish is available at the beach and lobster is available at La Libertad. Everything else is bland, tasteless garbage.
People from the Philippines are the sweetest people and are so friendly and smile a lot. They have colorful nicknames like Bong Bong and Angel Baby Girl. Their culture is remarkably diverse as there are so many different regions, tribes and local customs. But I have never met a person from the Philippines that was not totally kind to me. Furthermore, when I have fucked up a little in business, they seem to have mechanisms built in to allow one to save face. They are smart and colorful. I used to think the food was repulsive, but it was only because I had only eaten at places like Barrio Fiesta, Nipa Hut, and other places with a steam table and pre-cooked food. My opinion changed when I ate homemade chicken adobo, rice, pancit, and some other fine foods. The chicken adobo may have been the very best chicken dish I have eaten in my life! The people I have met from the Philippines seem to appreciate a bargain, and like to haggle. I do too.
People from Armenia are awesome and there is a huge Armenian community in Hollywood and Glendale. Armenian Cuisine is certainly in the top five or maybe even in the top three of world cuisines. Armenian parties are the best parties I have ever been to, hands down. The food is so abundant, and so wonderful, it is impossible not to overeat. Your Armenian hosts are going to be the most hospitable hosts you will ever encounter anywhere.
The first course at an Armenian party is going to consist of cheese, fresh mint, onions, pickled turnips, turnovers, pita bread, radishes, and a bottle of brandy for every man. The second course is going to be 5 or 6 different cold and hot mezzas, all executed perfectly with the freshest and most delicious ingredients available. Cooked with love. Grape leaves, kebabs, quail, fish, may come out next. In all, there may be 10 courses. All of them are going to make your toes curl they are so tasty. There are different kinds of Armenians. Some are more like Russians, some are more like Lebanese. We are lucky to be invited to their weddings, christenings, and birthdays. Our Armenian Brothers and Sisters rock and their national character is pretty strong in the food and hospitality area. They are true masters at that.
Because I could go on and on, I will stop here and do another post at a later date covering some observations on Koreans, Iranians, and maybe people from Vietnam. Cheers!
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Laying With a Beast Who Does Yoga
Recently, I was looking at a YouTube Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-XEZDG0mtU of a morbidly obese Latina woman and her small sized friend doing "yoga" for free in her living room sitting on an area rug. I was looking at some of the comments left by previous viewers, and while I applaud this marine mammal's effort to stretch her blubber, I offer some words of advice. Of course, people never listen. They never believe that foul smell is their own goose cooking until it is too late.
The first time that I heard of the Fat Acceptance Movement, I felt a deep sense of fraud in my heart. When I was a small child growing up in suburban Los Angeles in the 1970's, it was a rarity to see a morbidly obese person in public. I remember seeing one at the Eagle Rock Plaza that was far lighter and leaner than that big woman-cow in the yoga video. Me and my siblings gawked at her girth. It was evident that it took a great deal of mass consumption to maintain that obscene and unhealthy weight. Morbid obesity is no longer a novelty but something that we are supposed to look at squarely in the double chinned face and somehow acknowledge that it is normal behavior to maintain such a huge mass.
Most Mestizo and women of African descent are fat because they eat the white man's diet and do not exercise. If Mexicans ate an indigenous diet, obesity would only exist among the ruling and priest classes. Same with the brothers and the sisters. You are fat because you should be eating chapulines, carne de venado, tortillas de maize, frijol, chili, calabazaz, huitlacoche, small organic birds and fish, water spinach, tomatoes, fresh fruit and nopal. If you are so raza, then why do you eat food produced by multi-death corporations and then buy their diabetes medications? Why do you drink firewater? If Africans were eating fufu, groundnuts, bushmeat, yams, and fresh fruit instead of Popeye's Fried Chicken and the McDonalds value meal, the race would be experiencing far fewer health problems and the obesity rate would plummet.
The Orca in the video takes a jab at the yoga classes and studios she claims to have been to, and takes a jab at women who wear a particular brand of yoga pants. She clearly states that Mexican women do not attend yoga studios nor do other people of color. What a fat pile of horse shit! I regularly attend yoga studios where the most beautiful people of color perform yoga daily. People of color who love their bodies and don't eat a whole roast pig for dinner every night. Just because Mexicans are the fattest people in the world does not give license to fat opinionated pigs to make blanket statements about all Mexicans. You are not the Raza police. There are plenty of Mexicans that regularly do real yoga in an integrated studio. The particular school I attend does not charge an up front fee. It is by donation only and therefore completely accessible to low income people of all colors (and sizes).
If you truly love yourself as you profess than why do you place yourself in dire peril by maintaining and defending a lifestyle that it going to kill you? Now for those words of advice:
Go to the doctor and have him test your heart and organs out. The size that you are means that all of your internal organs are encased in fat. Go to a real doctor who has no stake in your health insurance and ask them for their frank but professional prognosis. Find out if it is safe to exercise vigorously. It may not be too late if you are still in your 20's and your arteries have not yet hardened.
Do over 45 minutes of cardio every day. Cardio means working more than your sandwich muscles. Everything over 45 minutes counts. Anything less is a failure.
Lift your body weight. Everyone should be able to lift their bodyweight. That means a pull up, a chin up, or a dip. Whale pose does not count.
Stop eating the white man's food. If you are really a Chicana, than you should probably be eating the Native American diet. And much less to boot.
Four things that will help you live. If you believe you are not harming yourself by feeding your illness, you should probably be institutionalized.
The first time that I heard of the Fat Acceptance Movement, I felt a deep sense of fraud in my heart. When I was a small child growing up in suburban Los Angeles in the 1970's, it was a rarity to see a morbidly obese person in public. I remember seeing one at the Eagle Rock Plaza that was far lighter and leaner than that big woman-cow in the yoga video. Me and my siblings gawked at her girth. It was evident that it took a great deal of mass consumption to maintain that obscene and unhealthy weight. Morbid obesity is no longer a novelty but something that we are supposed to look at squarely in the double chinned face and somehow acknowledge that it is normal behavior to maintain such a huge mass.
Most Mestizo and women of African descent are fat because they eat the white man's diet and do not exercise. If Mexicans ate an indigenous diet, obesity would only exist among the ruling and priest classes. Same with the brothers and the sisters. You are fat because you should be eating chapulines, carne de venado, tortillas de maize, frijol, chili, calabazaz, huitlacoche, small organic birds and fish, water spinach, tomatoes, fresh fruit and nopal. If you are so raza, then why do you eat food produced by multi-death corporations and then buy their diabetes medications? Why do you drink firewater? If Africans were eating fufu, groundnuts, bushmeat, yams, and fresh fruit instead of Popeye's Fried Chicken and the McDonalds value meal, the race would be experiencing far fewer health problems and the obesity rate would plummet.
The Orca in the video takes a jab at the yoga classes and studios she claims to have been to, and takes a jab at women who wear a particular brand of yoga pants. She clearly states that Mexican women do not attend yoga studios nor do other people of color. What a fat pile of horse shit! I regularly attend yoga studios where the most beautiful people of color perform yoga daily. People of color who love their bodies and don't eat a whole roast pig for dinner every night. Just because Mexicans are the fattest people in the world does not give license to fat opinionated pigs to make blanket statements about all Mexicans. You are not the Raza police. There are plenty of Mexicans that regularly do real yoga in an integrated studio. The particular school I attend does not charge an up front fee. It is by donation only and therefore completely accessible to low income people of all colors (and sizes).
If you truly love yourself as you profess than why do you place yourself in dire peril by maintaining and defending a lifestyle that it going to kill you? Now for those words of advice:
Go to the doctor and have him test your heart and organs out. The size that you are means that all of your internal organs are encased in fat. Go to a real doctor who has no stake in your health insurance and ask them for their frank but professional prognosis. Find out if it is safe to exercise vigorously. It may not be too late if you are still in your 20's and your arteries have not yet hardened.
Do over 45 minutes of cardio every day. Cardio means working more than your sandwich muscles. Everything over 45 minutes counts. Anything less is a failure.
Lift your body weight. Everyone should be able to lift their bodyweight. That means a pull up, a chin up, or a dip. Whale pose does not count.
Stop eating the white man's food. If you are really a Chicana, than you should probably be eating the Native American diet. And much less to boot.
Four things that will help you live. If you believe you are not harming yourself by feeding your illness, you should probably be institutionalized.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Where are the handcuffs for Mark Ridley Thomas?
I never trusted Ridley Thomas. I used to live over on Vermont and Jefferson, and for a little while there, he was my City Council person. I communicated with his office on a frequent basis back in the early 1990's, usually via US Mail. Sometimes I got a reply or call from one of his aides. The majority of my letters were ignored.
At the outset, I tend to look at most African Americans who obtained an advanced degree at USC prior to the year 2000 with a great deal of distrust. It is for a good reason, and that reason is that many were awarded a degree that was not based on merit. In my professional career as an academic librarian, I worked with several people who attended the now defunct USC School of Library Science. Some of these people were advanced to candidacy not even knowing how to spell at a fifth grade level. I know Ridley Thomas is no intellectual powerhouse, especially when I see that he earned a doctorate from that clown college.
In 1992, after the riots, I noticed that Ridley Thomas was working side by side with people high up in the Nation of Islam. He had this one guy call me up in response to a letter that I had written to him supporting my Korean neighbor who happened to be the owner of a liquor store that they were agitating to close under the guise of alcohol being bad for Black people, the neighborhood, a crime magnet, and some other tripe. I don't customarily talk to white supremacists and feel about the same as the black ones. When the Nation of Islam guy got on the phone, I started asking him questions about Wally Fard, the con-artist that invented their pseudo-islamic horseshit. Then I asked him if I could get him to smuggle me aboard the Mother-plane. I asked him if they should instead call it the "Brother Plane. " He did not find my questions to be one bit amusing. I asked him what prison he had been in, and then he hung up on me. NOI is racist and divisive. I would just assume talk to a representative from the Aryan Brotherhood.
So fast forward a little bit to the point in time where he becomes the most powerful Black politician in California. He uses his position to remodel his garage at taxpayer expense is what we know for sure, but where is the FBI and the Obama Justice Department? Clearly, he is getting a free pass. Just like that free pass that SC gave him.
America is on the precipice of disorder. When the top Uncle Tom can't keep his paws out of the cookie jar, then what is everyone else going to do? What a great example he has set. Now get the fucking handcuffs and put this ass-clown in a cell in Parker Center!
At the outset, I tend to look at most African Americans who obtained an advanced degree at USC prior to the year 2000 with a great deal of distrust. It is for a good reason, and that reason is that many were awarded a degree that was not based on merit. In my professional career as an academic librarian, I worked with several people who attended the now defunct USC School of Library Science. Some of these people were advanced to candidacy not even knowing how to spell at a fifth grade level. I know Ridley Thomas is no intellectual powerhouse, especially when I see that he earned a doctorate from that clown college.
In 1992, after the riots, I noticed that Ridley Thomas was working side by side with people high up in the Nation of Islam. He had this one guy call me up in response to a letter that I had written to him supporting my Korean neighbor who happened to be the owner of a liquor store that they were agitating to close under the guise of alcohol being bad for Black people, the neighborhood, a crime magnet, and some other tripe. I don't customarily talk to white supremacists and feel about the same as the black ones. When the Nation of Islam guy got on the phone, I started asking him questions about Wally Fard, the con-artist that invented their pseudo-islamic horseshit. Then I asked him if I could get him to smuggle me aboard the Mother-plane. I asked him if they should instead call it the "Brother Plane. " He did not find my questions to be one bit amusing. I asked him what prison he had been in, and then he hung up on me. NOI is racist and divisive. I would just assume talk to a representative from the Aryan Brotherhood.
So fast forward a little bit to the point in time where he becomes the most powerful Black politician in California. He uses his position to remodel his garage at taxpayer expense is what we know for sure, but where is the FBI and the Obama Justice Department? Clearly, he is getting a free pass. Just like that free pass that SC gave him.
America is on the precipice of disorder. When the top Uncle Tom can't keep his paws out of the cookie jar, then what is everyone else going to do? What a great example he has set. Now get the fucking handcuffs and put this ass-clown in a cell in Parker Center!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Santa Monica Power Yoga
What is your fighting style? Are you a brawler, or do you do Jujitsu? Judo, wrestling, whatever your poison, I am going to let you in on a little secret. If you want to learn how to prevent injury, train your breath, and give you the extra something to get your opponent to black out when you punch their face, come to this place. You may have some pre-conceived notion that yoga is for pussies. But no matter what your workout, you are bound to be challenged by the 90 minute sessions here. The poses require strength and some degree of flexibility. If you do not have said level of fitness, you run the risk of blacking out. Upper body strength is mandatory.
My workout usually consists of waking up at 5AM and having a small breakfast of fruit, beans, rice, and at least a liter of cold water. Then I do my first 50 chin ups and some other work on the pull up bar targeting my abs. Then, I run uphill for about 2 hours or in the alternative, ride my bike for approximately the same duration. The bike is essential to build the thighs and the gluteus. Just forget about running alone. Upon returning home, I do the balance of the chin ups to total 100. Then I use my cervical traction device and deep breathe for about 30 minutes. Eating tons of fresh vegetables, rice, pasta, fresh wild local fish, canned sardines, and drinking water should replace any fast or prepared foods and a banana with water is better than any energy drink.
Any way that you look at it, this regimen will leave your muscles pretty knotted up. You can stretch, and I do, but you are not really going to unwind by stretching alone. You need to do yoga. In addition, I also swim in a pool and the ocean a couple of times a week to target those hard to reach muscles.
Power yoga is the glue that holds all this shit together. It is the only natural thing that I have ever tried that quiets my head. And I am sure the teachers know that it is some great conditioning if you are a fighter. All of those poses cross over to give someone a real face punching all calm, cool and collected. If you follow this simple program which does not require much of an investment, come to power yoga and challenge yourself.
My workout usually consists of waking up at 5AM and having a small breakfast of fruit, beans, rice, and at least a liter of cold water. Then I do my first 50 chin ups and some other work on the pull up bar targeting my abs. Then, I run uphill for about 2 hours or in the alternative, ride my bike for approximately the same duration. The bike is essential to build the thighs and the gluteus. Just forget about running alone. Upon returning home, I do the balance of the chin ups to total 100. Then I use my cervical traction device and deep breathe for about 30 minutes. Eating tons of fresh vegetables, rice, pasta, fresh wild local fish, canned sardines, and drinking water should replace any fast or prepared foods and a banana with water is better than any energy drink.
Any way that you look at it, this regimen will leave your muscles pretty knotted up. You can stretch, and I do, but you are not really going to unwind by stretching alone. You need to do yoga. In addition, I also swim in a pool and the ocean a couple of times a week to target those hard to reach muscles.
Power yoga is the glue that holds all this shit together. It is the only natural thing that I have ever tried that quiets my head. And I am sure the teachers know that it is some great conditioning if you are a fighter. All of those poses cross over to give someone a real face punching all calm, cool and collected. If you follow this simple program which does not require much of an investment, come to power yoga and challenge yourself.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
A Pretty Substantial Victory
The three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals held unanimously that there is no difference between a journalist for a media outlet and another speaker when it comes to First Amendment protections.
There are many things that I dislike about the Internet, but it sure does provide us bloggers with a pulpit that can expose the evildoers. I have never been hesitant to call a spade a spade. Over the course of the last couple of years, I have shared true stories of individuals who have attempted to masquerade as respectable members of the community when it is clear that their souls are filled with excrement. Some of these people have been so angry that I have exposed them that they have filed Civil Harassment Restraining Orders against me, your humble narrator. I had to defend my speech and my freedom to keep arms to protect myself at my own expense. But I persisted. And won. Shitters, you can run but you cannot hide.
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I remember a time when my family purchased their narcotics and amphetamines from smaller neighborhood drug dealers and I liked that a lot better. You got better and more personal service, everybody knew your name, and none of those back door shenanigans from the pinheads behind the counter at CVS Koreatown.