Mindconnection eNL, 2012-03-04

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http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/39771/?nlid=nldly&nld=2012-02-27

In fact, it's tablet-sized.

Some info:

• 9.7" Display with 1600x1200 resolution.
• Wi-Fi enabled with browser.
• Fluent Text-to-Speech can read you any book.
• Built-in mic and speech recognition.
• 10,000 page turns on a single charge.
• Add your own content, plus enjoy included content.
• Pictured dictionaries for 38 languages.

The nation ran a huge surplus, a quarter century before Woodrow Wilson signed the illegal Federal Reserve Act, thus handing over our government to private bankers (refer to the famous quote, "I care not who makes the laws....). And saddling us with the 1040 tax. Understand that point: huge surplus, no 1040 tax. Now we have a 1040 tax, but our debt is three times the size of the GDP of all nations combined. So a 1040 tax simply is not part of the debt solution. Abolishing it outright is.

You can look up the stats on how much just calculating the 1040 tax costs small businesses, individuals, and large corporations. It's WASTE in all caps. Monumentally stupid, if the alleged reason has anything to do with funding the government. Which, of course, is not the reason for this system.

We have many other taxes that are automatic (129 of them on single loaf of bread, in fact). The single largest payroll tax, the SS tax, is the flat rate national income tax. It's automatic. Inflation, your single largest tax, is automatic. But the 1040 tax requires more time and effort to calculate than all other taxes combined do. Do you see something wrong with this picture?

The 1040 tax system is a net loss to the Treasury. And it's a net loss to every citizen. Simply abolishing the 1040 tax outright would increase federal revenue and leave us all better off financially (and, by presumably eliminating the IRS it would move this nation a huge step forward in human rights). Frequently remind your misrepresentative in CONgress that this common sense way to boost the economy needs to happen as soon as possible.

Here's another person's take on this wasteful system the USA has never been able to afford: http://www.devvy.com/notax.html

The (anti)Patriot Act is not only blatantly illegal, it makes legitimate law enforcement more difficult and thus aids terrorists and other criminals. You can help put a bite in crime by planting thorny bushes at each window. Standard police procedure is set up around the warrant process, which actually helps the DA put together a good case. If the goal is law enforcement, the procedure is followed diligently.

Just because the (anti)Patriot Act undermines our security doesn't mean you can't help protect your community and yourself. Until we can get members of CONgress to refuse to renew this crime-enhancing mislegislation (or if we get a sane President, so don't hold your breath), we have to try to reduce its deleterious effects.

Yes, lawbreakers will still be able to come through the door(s). But at least they won't be able to crawl unseen through a remote window. Legitimate, warranted searches are conducted such that this practice won't make any difference. You're just making it harder for criminals to do their thing.

Probably the most common solution is "Do lots of cardio." This is usually code for one of two things:

1. Mindlessly run on a treadmill so that you associate exercise with drudgery.
2. Run outside. This usually means stepping in dog doo and breathing auto exhaust, while risking shin splits and a twisted ankle. Lovely.

I got in a conversation the other day with a guy who asked me about my "cardio routine." I told him I don't do one.

If you are doing your weight lifting exercises correctly, you are already challenging your heart and lungs to supply blood and oxygen. Further, you are going to burn fat for days after that workout vs. only a few seconds after you step off the treadmill.

Age 50.

But of course, that means being truly active. If you don't consider yourself to be physically active, look around for opportunities. At least one of them is sure to be fun. It's almost tragic what some people do not see in their own lives, as opportunities for physical activity.

Some years ago, a personal trainer told me about a client who was fixated on cardio. The trainer tried to get this woman onto a more balanced program, but she insisted she just needed more cardio. Why she paid a trainer for this was puzzling to me, so I asked. As it turned out, this lady also paid:

• A kid to mow her lawn.
• A babysitter to handle her two pre-teens during her long gym sessions.
• A cleaning service to do her housework.
• A kid to walk her dog.

Do you see something screwy, here? She had all that great exercise available to her for free. Why on earth was she spending time on a treadmill when she could have been chasing her kids around? That alone should have burned enough calories to make her happy.

Each evening in my neighborhood, people are out walking. They are walking their dogs, pushing tots in strollers, and/or walking with their spouses. If any of them are too fat, I can't tell. This is not a coincidence. This area is extremely hilly, and walking up and down these hills is a combination cardio / weight exercise that can handle all of the average person's "cardio" needs. The occasional wind sprinter and Marathon trainer can also be seen training on these hills, and getting advanced cardio training without a treadmill.

If you live in a flat area, you can still get very challenging exercise. Just look around at your environment, and ideas will come to you. If the ideas are slow to come, then go for a walk. In any direction that suits your mood. Don't bring any electronic gizmos with you on that walk. Instead, take in your surroundings. Enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells that you might otherwise overlook.

Any time exercise becomes detached from reality, it becomes dull instead of stimulating and rewarding. Don't let that happen. Get your cardio for your body, but do so in a way that stimulates your mind or boosts your mood.

One last thing to consider. Do you know someone who seems depressed? Ask this person to help you. That could be the best thing anyone's done for that person in a while. Just say you want to start a regular practice of walking for half an hour every evening but you need help getting started. "Can you help me for just the first week, starting tomorrow? All you have to do is go with me." After a week, this person will probably want to continue. You will help yourself, but also another person.

At www.supplecity.com, you'll find plenty of informative, authoritative articles on maintaining a lean, strong physique. It has nothing to do with long workouts or impossible to maintain diets. In fact:

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