Past issues

Mindconnection eNL, 2002-07-30

In this issue:

  1. Thanks, readers!
  2. Brainpower tip
  3. Finance tips
  4. Health tip
  5. Fitness tip
  6. Thought for the day

 

1. Thanks, readers!

Feedback from you folks makes me smile. It's good to know you appreciate what's here. And yes, it's OK to forward this on to friends.

  

2. Brainpower tip

Beware of subtle word changes and misuses. A good example of this is "democracy." Somehow, our media have construed that democracy is a good thing. I don't know where they get that from. They have also insinuated that it's up to Americans to defend democracy.

The brainpower-enabled person must ask, "What is democracy?" For one thing, it's a form of government (or lack thereof) that Thomas Jefferson and George Washington ardently warned against. This is one reason why contemporary USA "history books" give Washington such short shrift--barely mentioning him and no longer referring to him as "the father of our country." Now, the point here isn't to deride the statists, or the concept of democracy, or to defend George Washington. What I am doing is pointing out this good example of brainwashing. More like brain bleaching. So, let's cover it for clarity and then move on.

Our system of government is allegedly a representative republic. A democracy is rule by majority, which sounds good on paper. However, think back to those mobs that lynched innocent people of color in the USA only 100 years ago. That was democracy in action. It's easy to whip a crowd (or a populace) into an emotional frenzy. Hitler did this in Germany. Another word for democracy is "mobocracy." It's really rule of the loudest, most manipulative, or most powerful, rather than rule of reason or will of the people. Sort of like our modern corporate governance.

My message to you is that we all have a responsibility to call things what they are, not what we wish them to be. Do you have kids in school? Do those schools have soft-drink machines? Why not call them osteoporosis machines? That's what they are (the carbonation causes loss of calcium in the bones--see tip below). Don't let euphemisms and manipulative word choices foil your reasoning. Ask people to define what they mean. When they start talking about "our democracy," explain there is no such thing. Ask if they can refer to our government by a label that is at least Constitutional.

  

3. Finance tips

A huge expense for many people is the car payment. I'm going to give you some easy ways to get that payment out of your life by extending the happy ownership of your present car. If you do not have a car, then maybe you can apply these same principles to your refrigerator or your bath towels.

Just so you know I know what I'm talking about. I have a 1995 sports car that people often confuse with a brand new car. It's been paid off for many years. I've had several cars go over 100,000 miles. I sold a 250,000 mile car for $3500 a few years back. It was 22 years old and cost about that much new.

A relative of mine is going through a divorce. Her husband hated her 1995 sports car, a 300Z. Very expensive car. So, he drove it all the time (go figure). The struts failed in the front, and he failed to replace them. Eventually, the vibration damaged the front suspension, worked the starter bolts loose, ruined the tires, damaged the transmission (which will cost $2800 to replace, because he also let it run low on fluid), and generally caused enough damage to nearly total the car. Struts are not expensive.

The lesson here? Well, several lessons actually. Here's a list of ways to save big bucks:

  • Keep your car immaculately clean. This prevents oxides from eating the paint. More importantly, it keeps them from getting under the paint. Paint is porous. Simply wash the car when it looks dirty. Using a garden hose, bucket, good car soap (I like the spot free kind), sponge, and chamois, this should take about 40 minutes. Or, you can drive through a brushless car wash. Do not take your car to those high school car washes. The kids scratch the heck out of the paint. Rinse the car before you start, and don't let soap dry on it during the washing process. Wash from the top down.

  • Never touch the human hand to car paint.

  • Wax the car once a year. It might be best to have a detail shop do this. Automatic car wash wax doesn't count.

  • Never shut a door by using the window instead of the door handle.

  • If there is something minor wrong with your car, make an appointment to fix it. Any rattle, squeak, or vibration is a repair bill growing with every mile you drive the car.

  • Change air and fuel filters every spring and every fall. While you're under there, spray your belts and hoses with silicone spray. This extends their lives somewhat, and it also makes them look cool.

  • Every spring and every fall, wipe your weatherstripping with silicone gel. This prevents it from crumbling and will keep it supple as long as you own the car.

  • Change oil and filter every 5,000 miles (or more often if you do much city driving).

  • Use synthetic oil, only. This is actually cheaper than using the paraffin-based oils, because of the increase in gas mileage. But, it also reduces engine wear by orders of magnitude. Don't add that Teflon crap or anything else to synthetic oil. These oils actually lubricate better than the Teflon and other junk that claims to extend engine life. At least, that's what laboratory tests and basic lubrication theory show.

  • Rotate your tires every 5,000 miles. If you have this done at a service station, change your oil after the work. The mechanics are famous for letting the engine idle, and that ruins the oil. Check the tire wear markers. If they are even close, buy new tires. If your sidewalls are cracked or blemished, buy new tires. The ability of your tires to stop you from rear-ending someone is an important economic incentive. Keeping yourself alive is also a consideration.

  • Check your fluids once a month--power steering, radiator overflow tank (don't top it off--half full is fine), windshield washer, etc. While you're under the hood, wipe your battery clean (and throw the rag away). Also, wipe any grunge that has accumulated. Your engine should look factory new, no matter how old it is.

  • Use a sunshade for the windshield, so the heat doesn't warp your dashboard. Just be sure to remove it before driving!

  • If you have an automatic transmission, change the fluid and filter once a year. This is more than the recommended frequency, but remember your trans has to do a lot of work. Every other year, get a transmission flush--this changes the fluid in your torque converter and in your radiator tank and all the lines. Better yet, just do like the Europeans and buy a car with a manual transmission.

  • Clean your spark plugs and replace your PCV valve once a year. Wipe the plug wires gently with a clean dry cloth, but use a little elbow grease on the boots. To clean the plugs, remove them and spray them with carburetor cleaner. Wipe the ceramic part (the insulator) with a clean dry cloth.

  • Pull your distributor cap, and spray it with carburetor cleaner. Check the rotor and the cap contacts for signs of excess wear. A new cap and rotor are probably due every 20,000 miles, but this number varies greatly. If in doubt, replace. The savings in fuel alone will pay back the purchase cost.

If you're not "mechanically inclined," find someone who is and who can teach you. All of these things are easy, and all of them will reduce the number of car payments and roadside emergencies you have. Now, many folks save the pennies involved in car maintenance and spend big dollars later. I think this is incredibly short-sighted, and I also think it lowers your appreciation for the car.

Special tip #99. Now that you've learned how to give tender loving care to your car, do the same for your spouse.

 

4. Health tip

Soft drinks are appropriately named, as they soften your bones. It might be better to call them "osteoporosis in a can." The mechanism works like this:

  • The carbonation is carbon dioxide, which agitates your stomach lining. Your stomach isn't designed to handle carbon dioxide dissolved in a solution of sugar, water, and acid.
  • The stomach tries to settle itself, assuming it's under an acid attack. The only antacid available to it is calcium (same ingredient Tums uses). So, it dumps calcium from the blood into the mix.
  • The blood, now low on calcium, demands blood from the calcium bank--your bones.

Drink enough of this poison, and you develop osteoporosis. How much is enough to cause that? Well, that depends on how much weigh-bearing exercise you do, what your testosterone levels are (they are driven mostly by weight-bearing exercise, within your genetic limits), and how much bio-available calcium you ingest. Hint: Milk is not a great calcium source. "Tums" or any other elemental calcium is not a good calcium source. You need dark green leafy vegetables like kale, broccoli, spinach, etc. It wouldn't hurt to supplement, because most veggies today are grown in poor soil. Make sure your supplement has phosphorous and magnesium to go with the calcium, or it won't work. And stay away from those osteoporosis beverages.

 

5. Fitness tip

Many people are under the delusion that joggers are health nuts. No, joggers are jogging nuts. If you don't like running, don't feel guilty. If you do like running, fine--but be careful. Running every day creates a build-up of cortisol, lowers testosterone (never a good thing, especially if you don't like getting osteoporosis), and does a host of other damages to the body. Rest is as important as exercise. If you like to run, do so only a couple of days a week--like Saturday and Wednesday, for example. Your times will improve, and your cardio fitness will not suffer.

To be truly healthy, mix your exercise up regularly. Getting in a rut of doing the same routine just isn't good. Look at the gym rats who use the same machines three days a week and call that "working out." They look the same way they did three years ago (if they are lucky!). Why is that? Because they have settled into a ritual, instead of working toward progress.

Don't forget, gardening, mowing, raking, shoveling, and playing with pets and kids all are good forms of exercise.

 

6. Thought for the Day

Only you can make yourself angry or upset. If you find others "make" you feel that way, think about why that is. Do you need their opinion? You might--if so, ask them to discuss the one issue (no more than one) that most bugs you. See if they can help you change whatever it is that irritates you. For example, if your neighbor's dog consistently pees on your prize petunias, don't get mad at your neighbor (unless he is also peeing on your prize petunias). Tell your neighbor you want to be friends, but you are always getting angry over the petunias. Ask if there is a solution that will make you, the neighbor, and the dog happy. You could pull the petunias up, put a fence around them, or plant an electrode so the dog gets 120V in the nuts. There are all kinds of solutions, other than getting mad.

 

Wishing you the best,

Mark Lamendola
Mindconnection

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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