by Rupe | Aug 2, 2011 | Mad Musings
The United Nations says that sometime around Halloween the seven-billionth person will be born into this world — most likely in India, which is on track to overtake China as the most populous nation in just 16 years.
This latest milestone may not come as a surprise. But it is remarkable nonetheless. It took Earth 50,000 years to reach the one billion mark. By 1960 there were three billion souls. Since then we’ve added another billion every decade, or less.
When the baby boomers’ grandchildren reach middle age, they’ll share the planet with more than nine billion people.
My Comments:
Really sobering data on world population growth. Not all doom and gloom though, but it shows that a lot of things have to come together in order for things not to go from bad to worse. Well, what can you say about the Indians…damn, they must have a lot of free time on their hands…go ahead India…with your bad self.
Source: National Public Radio
by Rupe | Aug 2, 2011 | philosophy-religion
Was slavery an idyllic world of stable families headed by married parents? The recent controversy over “The Marriage Vow,†a document endorsed by the Republican presidential candidates Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum, might seem like just another example of how racial politics and historical ignorance are perennial features of the election cycle.
The vow, which included the assertion that “a child born into slavery in 1860 was more likely to be raised by his mother and father in a two-parent household than was an African-American baby born after the election of the USA’s first African-American President,†was amended after the outrage it stirred.  Â
Click link below to read the full article.
My Comments:
Princeton University has a warm spot in my heart. It is one of the most progressive institution on the history of African Americans. It boasts some of the foremost minds of the day on the topic, chief among them, a mentor of min – Dr. Cornel West. Harvard is ok, but I think Princeton is first rate. Regarding this piece, it is slightly long, but I think this is a great read. It shows how misinformed and self-serving some folks are when it comes to our history. Really recommend you slog through it…it’s not that bad.
Source: Professor Sara Hunter of Princeton University
by Rupe | Aug 2, 2011 | Money Matters
One of the reasons I believe most people never succeed at reaching financial independence is because they make things too complicated. They invest in elaborate investments they don’t understand, but heard some guy on television screaming to “buy, buy, buy!†They make fancy moves with their money, like taking out a second mortgage on their home to put down on a vacation home for the additional “tax benefits.â€
All the highly technical, overly complicated wealth-building advice in the world can be boiled down to four words, that if followed will practically guarantee financial independence to those who follow:
“Buy Assets, Avoid Liabilitiesâ€
That’s it. Simply buy assets. Buy things that increase in value. Buy things that produce income. Avoid spending money earned in exchange for work on anything other than assets. Click source link below to finish reading.
My Comments:
Really great article on thrift; well worth the read.
Source: Frugal Dad
by Rupe | Aug 1, 2011 | Fitness
Took a week off from the gym, but it is game-on again. Â Had a pretty low key work out today…did not try to overwork. Â Hit the upper body and then get a quick elliptical time. Â I will just have to work my way into the week.
Workout: Day 53 (M1/Upper Body I) – 60mins/1min rest
Bench press 3×12,10,10 (45s,70s,80s)
Incline press 3×10,10,10 (45,45,45)
Decline press 3×12 (45,45,45)
Front Military Press 3×12 (40,40,40)
Bench Dips 3×25
Push Down 3×12 (120,120,120) + 5s from 110 – 40
Pec-Rear Delt 3×12 (70,100,100)
Fwd Str Arm Push Down 3×12 (70)
Forward Arm Raises – 3×10 (10,20,20)
Bent-over Lateral – 3×12 @15
Cardio: 24 mins
Distance: 2.06
Pushups: 0 (at least 50 per day)
Calories: 682
Tracker
Total Distance: 144.18 miles (Goal 250/105.82 remain) *
Total Calories: 35,780 (Goal 50,000/13,538 remain) *
Total Pushups: 1,880 (Goal 10,000 / 8,120)
Good livin’…keep movin’!
-R-
by Rupe | Jul 31, 2011 | Fitness
For decades, the dumbbell curl has been helping us build bigger biceps—but it also seems to have stripped us of our imagination. After all, how often do you try a new variation of this classic arm exercise? If it’s not every 4 weeks, then you need to shake up your workout to achieve faster results. Start today with this simple guide from The Men’s Health Big Book of Exercises.
By mixing and matching any of the five hand positions and five body positions described here, you can instantly create 25 different versions of the curl. The upshot: You’ll never run out of new ways to build your biceps.
Continue reading the full article…
