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In this issue:
- A reflection
- Courses for a better you
- Health tip
- Fitness tip
- Thinking: a skill
- Guest columnist invitation
- Thought for the day
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1. A reflection
Dr. King had a profound influence on our
culture. He was not perfect, and he has his detractors. However, his stated
dream that all of us would sit at the table of brotherhood is why we have Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day. He wasn't campaigning for quotas, he wasn't hassling for
handouts, he wasn't pining for payments. He simply wanted people to be treated
with dignity, and he wanted nobody to be treated unfairly because of an aspect
that has nothing to do with who that person is.
How do we treat other people? With dignity?
Do we tolerate differing opinions, or do we insist on reaching agreement? Some
people place too much emphasis on "being right." What they are telling
you by that is they feel insecure and want your approval.
Race is an issue when people of any race draw
racial distinctions for any purpose. These distinctions are usually irrational.
But, race isn't the only issue. Looking down
on someone who happens to hold a lower position than you in an organization or
in society is also wrong behavior. Remember, we all have something to offer, and
we aren't defined by our jobs. I have found simply listening to what someone
else has to say and treating that as important works wonders for conferring
dignity on other people. People of "low stature" aren't necessarily
people of low value or low intelligence.
2. Courses for a better you
We have quite a few courses in our behavior
improvement section. These very highly effective courses can work wonders
in making your life better. You may want to buy one of these for another person
and help that person work through it. Just don't be judgmental--the idea is to
be free of the problem--and we all have problems. Check it out and see if any of
these "hangups" are ones you need to work on. Click on the appropriate
blue link for more information.
3. Health tip
You've seen the food pyramid that comes on bread wrappers? It's
wrong. First of all, these are the same people who load your bread with high
fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. If they have that much disregard for
your health, that's your first clue not to trust them.
We fatten cows for slaughter by feeding them grain. If you're
having problems with being too fat, simply replace the grain part of that
pyramid with green leafy vegetables (kale, bok choy, mustard greens, spinach,
and so on)--I normally eat mine raw--and you will see an improvement within 48
hours. Your friends will see an improvement not long after that. Just don't add
toxins like butter or sour cream to these vegetables.
By the way, a bagel is one of the most fattening things you can
eat. The insulin response from eating one is serious. You can choose between
eating bagels and being healthy, but you cannot do both (unless you eat that
bagel after a bout of intense exercise, so your muscles--depleted of
glycogen--can absorb the blood sugar spike that bagels provide).
4. Fitness tip
If you want stronger bones and muscles, do
squats. If you do these right, you won't be able to do them more than twice a
month. Most people don't do them right. You can find information on how to do
these from many different sources. I think the best way is to find a trainer
with great legs. Then, vary your routine between front squats, back squats, and
other kinds of squats.
The squat is such an intense exercise, that
it is the #1 way to boost testosterone. This hormone is essential for men and
for women. One of its functions is to tell your body to store calcium in your
bones. If you get 900% of the RDA for calcium, but don't do weight-bearing
exercises, you will get osteoporosis. This has already been empirically
established and is not theory.
People have asked me what the heck I know
about fitness and why I say such radical things. The answers to that question
are at http://www.supplecity.com.
The fact is, you've been sold a bill of goods to make you jump from one scam to
another vainly trying to look and feel good. I'm giving you the
information you need.
One thing I won't do is give you psuedoscience about fitness. If
I recommend it, you can bet your butt it works. I was born with a deficiency of
gammaglobulin and was constantly sick until I figured out how to not get sick.
And I have not been sick since 1971. I'm also one of those people who gets fat
very easily. But, I'm not fat. Look at my photos, and you can judge for yourself
if I am on the right track.
5. Thinking: A skill
Mindconnection will release a course on
critical thinking, at some point. The lack of this skill has passed the crisis
point. The author got a perfect score on a standardized test of critical
thinking--the Watson-Glazer Test of Reasoning. So, this will be a good course.
In the meantime, here are some things that
can help you see past the brainwashing and misinformation campaigns we are all
inundated by.
Look at cause and effect. If I do
this, what happens? An example is "gun control." The premise is
that outlawing guns will reduce violent crime. The reality--as borne out in
real-life statistics in the U.S.--is that such laws increase violent crime.
Think about it. Criminals don't obey laws, so such laws merely transfer the
balance of power to the criminals. Look at the natural order of things,
and apply that to your situation. The previous example applies here,
too--predators prey on the weak. Extend the logic to its full
conclusion. An example is our airport "security measures" that
cost us a fortune but have almost no effect on passenger safety. (For far
less money, we can arm the pilots and give them a Lexan door that hijackers
can't penetrate.) How far will we go? Since anything can be a weapon, the
only way this can be effective is to strip people naked, remove their teeth
and fingernails, give them an enema, and then strap them down so they can't
move. I'm not sure if that will induce most folks to fly or not, but that is
the logic under which we are operating.
Fallacious arguments and misapplied facts are
the two most common barriers to adequate thinking. The tips above barely scratch
the surface, but they give you something to chew on.
6. Guest columnist invitation
Much of what I share in these eNLs is hard-hitting journalism. I
don't pull punches all that much. And, you might disagree with me. What I write
comes from what I read (which is not the popular press), what I observe about
the world around me, and so on. I don't know everything, and I'm not always
right. For example, I made a mistake back in 1985. <grin>
Anyhow, if you want to share your views--and they are
supportable--I will be happy to feature them here, giving you the byline. If
you're interested, send me something interesting and short.
7. Thought for the
Day
If what you are doing isn't working, does it make sense to do more of it or
to analyze what you are doing and correcting it so you get better results? Most
of us choose to do more of what isn't working. Think about this over the next
few days, and you'll probably find where this applies in your life.
Wishing you the best,
Mark Lamendola
Mindconnection.com
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