Mindconnection eNL, 2018-10-07

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Item 1. From Congressman Yoder, "Thanks to the economic growth being driven by tax reform, job opportunities are growing across the nation. Right now, almost 7 million jobs are currently available - the most ever recorded, and more than the total number of unemployed Americans! This is great news for any American looking to find a job and be successful, and these jobs are making the American Dream possible for more people. Workers who historically have struggled in the labor market are finally finding new job opportunities. For example, the unemployment rates for individuals who did finish high school, African Americans, and Latinos are all at the lowest levels ever recorded. I am proud to working on policies that are creating economic opportunities for every single American."

Item 2. In a separate communication, Congressman Yoder wrote, "Our soaring economy continues to lift Americans of all income levels - the Census Bureau announced that the median household income has hit a record high point of $61,372. More available jobs and a shift from part-time to full-time employment for more people are helping drive this increase. In addition, the poverty rate in our country has sunk to the lowest level in more than a decade. At the same time, small businesses are reporting their highest-ever levels of optimism and plans for job creation, signaling that more economic growth for the middle class is still ahead. Pro-growth policies like tax reform have powered this new success for the American middle class, and I am proud to be working to build on the gains we've made."

Item 3. Amazon recently announced that it will raise its minimum wage to $15, starting 01 November 2018. That is good news, considering the federal minimum wage is $10.50 per hour and that Amazon has many locations in economically depressed areas.
 

Item 4. While the libtards are flapping their gums about how President Trump is the worst thing ever to happen to America, as with all things libtard the reality is quite different. All signs are pointing toward sustained growth for quite some time to come, probably until the next Democrat becomes POTUS or the the Republicans lose the House or Senate. Last quarter, our economy expanded at 4.2%, which is exceptional in the extreme.

Unfortunately, Trump's mis-steps with the tariff nonsense has blunted that back to about 3% for the remainder of the year. If we can get the President to drop this foolish "trade war" the economy should resume its vigorous growth. This is badly needed, especially since we have to deal with the effects of 8 years of the worst POTUS to ever occupy that office.

Item 5. Finally! After years of scamming people with their PC-hobbling crapware, Symantec is facing legal repercussions. Let's hope McAfee is next. Read the full story here: https://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2018/09/27/symantec-faces-claims

Item 6. Judge Kavanaugh was confirmed as Justice Kavanugh, despite a vicious ad hominem attack campaign by the criminal protection freaks. Since their sole weapon in this fight was a serious of self-conflicting, disproven allegations rather than anything having to do with his actual positions on things or his actual track record as a judge you pretty well got a confirmation from his opponents that he is an excellent choice. If they had anything real, why didn't they use it?

So it's good news that lunacy did not prevail. Remember also that Heller passed by 5 to 4. This is why the lunatic left (not the only kind of left, but they are de facto the face of the left now) was so desperate to derail this nomination. That case is what the fighting was all about. The pro-criminal safety freaks won't be overturning Heller any time soon. That's a big WIN for law-abiding Americans. And very good news indeed.

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In addition to being headed for burnout, this person has no real downtime and no time for creative thinking or strategic planning. Now look at the most creative and effective people you know. What is their work day like? Are they exhausting themselves with non-stop activity? No, and that's a lesson for those who are doing so.

Here are some pointers for massively improving your effectiveness in all endeavors that require brainpower:

• Set a shutdown time. Once this time is reached, you do not work. Let's say you make your shut down time 1600 but your colleague works five more hours, waking to an alarm clock the next day and beating you to the office. Which of you will outperform the other? You will.
  
  First of all, you will sleep better and longer while your colleague has an IQ-suppressing sleep debt every day. Second, your shutdown gives you the opportunity to de-stress. Your colleague doesn't do that, so is always reacting instead of being in control as you are.
   
• Before your day ends, decide on the One Big Thing (OBT) you should do the next day. Is this OBT going to consist of sitting in a pointless meeting? Playing phone tag? Filing papers? Nope, none of those. It's the one thing that will probably have the most positive return on the time and energy expended. Yes, you will have to do other things tomorrow, but make this OBT your top priority. Don't fit it in around other things, fit other things in around it.
   
• Start your day with a nutritious breakfast. This does not mean the "disease in a box" garbage commonly called "breakfast cereal." Make it something substantial, healthy, and satisfying. This not only helps your physical self, it also helps your emotional self.
   
• Don't start your workday with menial tasks. Do triage on your e-mails, answering only the critically important ones. Then get started on your OBT.
   
• After you've completed or made significant progress on your OBT, identify the next three most important and/or urgent tasks and complete them or make significant progress on them. If this focus means you don't get to the trivial tasks, so what? Unless you aspire to mediocrity, failing to waste your day on the trivial is actually a good thing.
   
• Don't let people at work derail you with chit chat, meetings, office gossip, and/or pointless tasks. Not even your boss. If your boss wants you to do something that is pointless, ask your boss something like, "Do you envision yourself making this task a resume bullet point for yourself? How about if we use our limited resources to do high-impact work instead? That's the kind of work that puts us last on the layoff list and first on the raise and promotion list."
  
  Yes, this sounds unconventional and overly bold. But I did it, and it worked great for me. Of course, this does not mean refuse all grunt work; someone has got to do it and you want to be a team player. I'm talking about pointless tasks, which are simply a waste of the limited time you have on this planet and which will do nothing to further your career. In fact, they will hurt your career because you will be doing them instead of things that have value. If your boss insists you do them, your boss does not value you. Find a different boss, either at this company or at another. And quickly, there's not time to waste.
   
• The previous pointer doesn't really apply if you're self-employed. This one does. As you perform various tasks throughout the day, make a point of identifying which ones can be done more efficiently or simply eliminated. Getting rid of the wasted activity will, for most people, free up more than half a working day every day.
   
• Set aside time just for thinking. If you followed either of the previous two pointers, you have this time now. A friend of mine likes to sit down with a glass of wine every evening and just think. I don't drink alcohol, but if you do why not use this technique? With time set aside for no mental clutter, no interruptions, no distractions, and no pressure, but just for thinking, the results can be spectacular.

To get the full advantages, your business needs to have its own taxpayer ID number (and EIN) and be incorporated (e.g., LLC or Subchapter S).

One reason to have a small business is you get the home office deduction. If you have a business that exists solely to hold retirement investment assets and you set aside a dedicated space for that business, you can get that deduction.

With a business, you can expense many kinds of costs (such as dental insurance, if that business is your main employer) rather than deduct them. People often get expenses and deductions confused.

• Expenses subtract from the top line. Income = Revenue - Expenses. You have a 1:1 write-off.
• Deductions merely adjust your income. If you're in the 15% bracket, a deduction is worth 15 cents on the dollar.

A small business isn't for everyone, but most people would be financially foolish not to have one. If you don't have a small business, set aside some time looking into what's involved and how you might go about it. Talk with small business owners you know, and get their input. Then check the business section of your state's website. Your state wants your incorporation fees, so your state's website is full of great business information for free.

Keep good records and follow standard business practices. Don't commingle the funds or records of the business with your own. Don't mingle names, either. Come up with a distinct name for your business, even if it contains a made-up word, and make sure it's not registered with your state before you start using it. Once your business is incorporated, get a business checking account (using your company's EIN); many smaller banks offer these for free.

Caution: There are many scams being peddled as businesses. There is no real business that will produce a huge income for you if you simply shell out some money to learn the "secrets" of some "expert" who apparently can't make it with the idea either thus he's peddling his scam to make money.

The business mentioned in the Finance Tip also shields any assets it holds from attack by the Institute of Reprobates and Sociopaths, and that is a huge benefit.

Let's say some Institute employee decides to target you for no legitimate reason. The employee uses your SSN and other information you provided on your 1040 and levies or seizes the $190,000 you had in mutual funds under your SSN. POOF, it's gone forever.

But if your business had owned those mutual funds, the rogue employee would have stolen zip from you. Coming after you for some bogus reason is one thing, stealing from your business is another.

The Institute would have to build one bogus case against you and a second against your business. Then, because you own the business (and you have treated it as a business) there's a problem for the Institute. They have to prove to a federal judge that there is a reason to go after both of you. That particular barrier is too high for even the scummiest of these criminals to try to scale.

This issue's topic: Dietary practices that never get explained in a rational manner. Because that is an impossibility.

When using eggs, tossing out one or more yolks. The explanation for this silly, wasteful practice is that the yolk has too many calories. But it's also (by far) the more nutritious part of the egg. If you're going to waste food and throw out part of the egg, the egg white is the part to waste.

The "high calories" of the yolk owe their existence to the fat. It's heavy in cholesterol, which the body converts to testosterone if stimulated to increase testosterone. Why would you throw out testosterone?

The yolk also:

• Is a great source of vitamin D, aka the master hormone. Why would you reduce your vitamin D intake?
• Contains most of the protein in the egg. What is the logic behind reducing your protein intake?
• Contains most of the riboflavin and selenium. What is the "reason" for avoiding these important nutrients?
• Contains choline, essential for normal functioning of all cells.
• Contains lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidants reduce the risk of developing cataracts and slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration.

Photo taken about one week before 40th High School Class Reunion

Fasting is more bad for your health than good for it. And for several reasons, including:

• It's a deprivation thing, which is harmful psychologically. Deprivation has consequences.
• Your brain and other organs don't have important nutrients when they need them.
• Your absorption suffers because instead of spreading your nutrient intake across more time, you are crowding them into tight chunks.
• The long stretches with no calories train your body conserve fuel (as fat) and reduce lean mass.
• The flow of bulk through your bowels is irregular, and during those times when this flow doesn't exist toxins stay put in your colon. That's fine if you want to get colon cancer, but not fine if you value normal colon function.
• It does absolutely nothing for your muscular development.
• It jacks your endocrine and adrenal systems around, instead of optimizing them.

People often resort to fasting out of a desire to become leaner. A much better, more sustainable, and more enjoyable way to be leaner is to follow the dietary recommendations provided in this eNewsletter. In summary:

• Eat six small meals a day with the focus on nutrient dense foods. These taste excellent and they help you to have an excellent physique.
• Totally eliminate processed foods from your diet. You want to unacquire your acquired taste for these unnatural, health-averse "foods".
• Train hard physically, 5 or 6 days per week.
• Maintain a positive attitude.

Following any of the popular diets. Atkins, keto, blood type, and paleo all enjoy large followings. The explanation behind each one sounds reasonable on the surface, but fails upon closer scrutiny. Each of these is fatally flawed in more than one way.

Take the paleo, as an example. The foundational assumption is our bodies have not evolved since hunter-gather days, so our diets must exactly match those of "paleo people." This is a non-sequitor.

Hunter-gatherers ate what was available, not what was optimal. Evolution has nothing to do with their diet versus ours, only opportunity is relevant. Because the hunter-gatherers did not grow beans, the paleo people don't eat beans. That is a huge mistake; beans are massively nutritious in multiple ways. Protein, essential minerals that are rare in other foods, essential vitamins that are rare in other foods, fiber, etc.

The other diets I mentioned similarly fail because of logical fallacies and other irrationality. People follow these not because the diets make sense but because they have been sold hope. Basing your diet on a baseless theory is an exercise in self-defeat. Don't do it. It is much better to take the time to learn, and then do what works.

Also, the Paleolithic era is not when man evolved. That happened in the Pleistocene era. The defining characteristic of the Paleolithic era is the development of stone tools. So the people who came up with this crackpot theory couldn't even be bothered to get their archeology straight. Yet, their understanding of archeology is the whole basis for this crackpot theory. The only thing they get right is they don't eat processed grains. That's a big step forward compared to the disease-creating diet that most Americans mistake as acceptable. But it's still not any way to treat your body.

Consuming whey protein shakes to build muscle. Whey is heavily promoted by the supplement industry, because it is cheap and they can mark it way up to make huge profits. It's a waste product from making cheese, and only in recent times has it not been discarded.

A problem with whey in the USA is it's made from the milk of CAFO (Concentrated Animal Farming Operation) cows that have been bred to have freakishly huge mammaries. All of these cow have mastitis, and they live in filthy conditions. So they are given antibiotics to reduce the infection. You can find actual data on the amount of pus from the infected teats makes its way into the milk that uninformed people drink (gross).

Why would you want to drink an overpriced, pus-based, antibiotic-containing beverage after your workout? Do you even need the extra protein? Probably not. But if you believe you do, there are some far better options:

• Consume a plant-based protein shake, preferably a blend. And despite what someone may have told you, plant proteins are "complete proteins".
• Eat boiled eggs. These are quite portable, no refrigeration needed. A little black pepper, and you've got a healthy, tasty treat.
• Have some peanut butter or some nuts.
• If you eat meat, have 4 ounces of meat at your next meal.
• Drink an amino complex shake (zero calories).
• Take amino complex capsules.
• Take BCAA capsules.

Any of these will give you a good post-workout protein boost (or, in the case of the aminos the same thing without the calories).

Please note, there is scant evidence that a post-workout protein boost actually does anything. If you're eating 6 meals a day, you're going to get plenty of protein within the alleged "two hour window". Adding a 7th meal (in terms of calories, which are considerable in post-workout shakes) is neither necessary nor wise. So go ahead and scarf down those aminos after you workout. But if it's an amino complex shake, brush your teeth (or swish with baking soda) because that is amino ACID.

Conclusion

So we've looked at four harmful dietary practices that are promoted as helpful or even healthy. These practices provide nothing that a solid nutritional plan doesn't already provide. Not one of these practices can be justified with a rational analysis. The only justification is irrational, so it's no justification at all.

Good diet does not require elaborate rituals or counterintuitive practices such as starving yourself or throwing away the most nutritional part of an egg or refusing to eat beans. Nature already shows us the right path, we just need to walk on that path.

If you follow the adage, "You are what you eat," then you don't eat junk. You eat mostly "super foods" and thus have a super body to show for it. That assumes, of course, you spread your intake of those super foods out over six meals during the day.

There is sound science for six meals, and this practice has been long been standard among people whose jobs involve labor. That's why most factory workers and construction workers have a "snack" at the morning break and another at the afternoon break--in addition to the "three meals" that has unfortunately become a tradition.

Wait, you say, that's five meals--not six. Yes, but most of these people also "snack" right after work or shortly before going to bed. I know I did, and I lived in 14 different states where the people I worked with did the same thing so I'd say six meals is pretty universal among people who need their physical energy to make a living. Sure, not all the meals were the same size or even nutritious. But it was six pretty consistently.

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

When the Republicans and the Democrats take turns in power, they take turns stealing your money while violating your rights. It's the same lawlessness either way. You may as well be choosing between the Crips and the Bloods.