Anyone who exercises regularly will tell you that the right routine, equipment and gear can help make for an optimal workout. And for many workout junkies, that ideal gear includes the right music.
Costas Karageorghis, deputy head of research at the School of Sport and Education at Brunel University in West London, has spent years researching the links between exercise, heart rates and music tempo.
His research has indicated that music can improve results, and certain songs are more effective for certain types of exercise than others.
Narrative (152min)
Awesome workout day. I think my body is getting stronger. I am able to get through my entire workout with less ill effects now. Very strong session both at my morning run as well as my weight training. U-Go-Boy!Â
Abdominal Exercises: As stated above, in this workout you should train your abs at the end of each session. Use these exercises:
Oblique (L and R) Crunches – 4 sets of 25 reps each side – 200
Another really busy day today – today I addition to spending the first half of the day with a VA representative going over VA issues, I had to lead an Administrative Separation board as the senior leader all afternoon. I missed lunch and boy was I starving. At any rate, I missed my weight schedule today again. No worries do, I did get my early morning run in again, so at the very least I am getting some work done. I will probably do a shoulder/back tomorrow.    Â
Cardio: 62 mins Distance: 5.0
Calories: 446
Crunches: 0
Tracker Total Distance: 228.99 miles (Goal 400/171.01 remain) * Total Calories: 57,827 (Goal 80,000/22,173 remain) * Total Crunches: 3625 (Goal 25,000 / 21,375)
Narrative:
Really busy day today with Dr. Reed from ONI. Â I was not able to get my lift in. Â The good thing though was that I got my early morning 5miler in. Â I really did not feel like getting up this morning, but I rose and got it done. Â Good job…keep going.
Cardio: 62 mins Distance: 5.0
Calories: 668
Crunches: 0
Tracker Total Distance: 223.99 miles (Goal 400/176.01 remain) * Total Calories: 57,381 (Goal 80,000/22,619 remain) * Total Crunches: 3625 (Goal 25,000 / 21,375)
Narrative: 144mins
One of the best workouts I have had in a long time. I was able to work through all my exercises without tapping out. I felt relatively strong at the end too, not much muscle tension, and pretty good form.  I have not been working abs at the end of the session, I have been working them in between exercises.
Abdominal Exercises: As stated above, in this workout you should train your abs at the end of each session.
Good all around workout. I got really tired to the end as usual on legs, but I started to get leg cramps in my thigs as well; this is first time for that. I pulled back on the leg curls – doing only 6 reps each. Also, for the second workout I did not do the standing calf raises. I was just too tired. I must admit, my eating was not on point today. I had a dental appointement from 9 – 11 and then went straight to workout more or less. At any rate, I am feeling good otherwise.
Abdominal Exercises: As stated above, in this workout you should train your abs at the end of each session. Use these exercises:
Oblique (L and R) Crunches -Â 4 sets of 25 reps – 200
Today was a hard reflective day for me. Â Went out with family for breakfast and then went to the beach at Naval Station Mayport to listen to the waves.
It has been 10 long years now since that fateful day; I still remember standing in my tiny living room in Bangor Washington on Naval Submarine Base, Bangor.
I still remember the stunned, dark, empty, helpless feeling that came over me. Â I suppose terrified would be an understatement. Â I remember calling Ingrid who had just left the house to drop off our son (Marcus), then 2 years old, and telling her to get back home – she said I sounded scared; crap I was probably shitting my my pants.
I remember the intense feeling of dread for me and my family, because living on a submarine base, the possibility of a catastrophic incident was a very real possibility; at that time things were so “screwed up”, we had no idea what was going on…were these nuts planning to attack the base, fly or sail something into one of our nuclear submarine.
I remembered the many hours at work – working to ensure that our nuclear submarines were protected from attack…an attack that would mean serious consequences for the entire Pacific north west.
It has been 10 years now, my son is now 12 and my family is relatively safe and healthy.  As I reflect on the many loved ones who perished on that fateful day and my many fallen “brethren in armsâ€, who have paid the ultimate price since, so that we might not experience such evilness at our doors, I cannot help but feel both humbled and a little undeserving.
This country we call the United States, with all its faults, is truly the best hope on this entire globe, and I am only so lucky and blessed to be  afforded the chance to be protected within its borders and to call myself an American with deep pride. I am truly the  luckiest man alive.
Narrative:
Only had a morning threadmill run. Had planned on doing arms, but I was not prepared for mid-day lift. I will make it up tomorrow. Body a bit achy, but generally, I do feel fine. Did not do any core work, but I will definitely make up for that tomorrow.
Cardio: 61 mins Distance: 5.0
Calories: 496
Crunches: 0
Tracker Total Distance: 208.49 miles (Goal 400/191.51 remain) * Total Calories: 54,055 (Goal 80,000/25,945 remain) * Total Crunches: 2625 (Goal 25,000 / 22,375)
There are few more wrenching events in life than losing your spouse.
But to make matters worse, the death of a life partner also unleashes a torrent of financial tasks. And more often than not, it is a woman — a widow — who is taking them on.
Women live longer than men, and they’re likely to outlive their male spouses, given that decades ago, many women married men a few years older. Plus, gender roles being what they were, men often took on most of the household finances.
My Comments: This is a key area I don’t think most couples give much attention to until it is too late. I think each couple, in fact, each person should be prepared to pick up the pieces if they lose a partner. It is not just prudent planing…it is downright smart.
PARENTS want to raise their children to be independent and successful and to use whatever resources they have to give their offspring a leg up in life.
But it’s sometimes difficult for parents to find the right balance between making financial and professional resources available and encouraging their children to grow into independent adults. I have written a lot over the years about the counsel that parents seek to help them do this. A whole industry now exists around “next generation†advice and about how to “launch†children into adulthood.
And let’s be honest: if affluent parents were not anxious that their children could end up as alcoholics, say, or plagued by bad decision-making, this industry would not exist.
I FIRST visited China in 1979, a few months after our countries normalized relations. China was just beginning to remake its economy, and I was in the first Senate delegation to witness this evolution. Traveling through the country last month, I could see how much China had changed in 32 years and yet the debate about its remarkable rise remains familiar.
Then, as now, there were concerns about what a growing China meant to America and the world. Some here and in the region see China’s growth as a threat, entertaining visions of a cold-war-style rivalry or great-power confrontation. Some Chinese worry that our aim in the Asia-Pacific is to contain China’s rise.
My experience tells me that people who want to be rich are the first ones who get taken advantage of in investment scams. Â And the same thing happens in debt relief scams. Â The thieves are just waiting with promises of fast results. Those promises are exactly what these folks want to hear so they only to happily fork over their hard-earned cash. In most every case, these exchanges end up costing these people everything.
So my best advice to you if you’re interested in investing like rich people is to focus on building wealth and do it one day at a time.
My Comments: Neal is one of my must reads each week. He is a financial advisor that knows his Sh@#. This is a really great article that speaks to the seeking of wealth. It is a must read if you care about growing wealth…not just being rich. Yes, there is a difference…!
Narrative: (115min)
Really good morning cardio and mid-day lift. For the first time in a while I was able to get through my entire session without any major deficit in my lifts. Pushing hard right now, feeling food.
Abdominal Exercises:
Oblique (L and R) Crunches – 4 sets of 25 reps – 200
YOU CAN’T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT being confronted by calories. Restaurants now print calorie counts on menus. You go to the supermarket and there they are, stamped on every box and bottle. You hop on the treadmill and watch your “calories burned” click upward.
But just what are calories? The more calories we take in, the more flab we add—and if we cut back on them, then flab starts to recede too, right? After all, at face value, calories seem to be the factor by which all foods should be judged. But if that were true, 500 calories of parsnips would equal 500 calories of Double Stuf Oreos. (If you want to make the best food choices at the supermarket, drive-thru, and in your own kitchen, check out the all-new Eat This, Not That! 2012.)
Narrative:
Only had a morning threadmill run. Had planned on doing arms, but I was not prepared for mid-day lift. I will make it up tomorrow.  Body a bit achy, but generally, I do feel fine. Did not do any core work, but I will definitely make up for that tomorrow.
Cardio: 62 mins Distance: 4.0
Calories: 866
Crunches: 0
Tracker Total Distance: 198.99 miles (Goal 400/201.01 remain) * Total Calories: 51,499 (Goal 80,000/28,501 remain) * Total Crunches: 1975 (Goal 25,000 / 23,525)
Publisher’s Summary:
“If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time or the tools to write.” Here is Stephen King’s master class on his craft.
On Writing begins with a mesmerizing account of King’s childhood and his early focus on writing to tell a story. A series of vivid memories from adolescence, college, and the struggling years that led up to his first novel, Carrie, offer a fresh and often funny perspective on the formation of a writer. King then turns to the tools of his trade, examining crucial aspects of the writer’s art and life, offering practical and inspiring advice on everything from plot and character development to work habits and rejection.
King was in the middle of writing this book when he was nearly killed in a widely reported accident. On Writing culminates with a profoundly moving account of how his need to write spurred him toward recovery, and brought him back to his life.
My Comments: Another awesome read for those who intend to write seriously. Â The very frank exposition is extremely refreshing. Â I am admittedly not a reading of Stephen King, in fact I can’t claim reading any of his book, but after reading this, I definitely will be delving into them. Â He is truly a genius at this writing stuff. Â Very much recommended. Â
Title: Go the Fu–k to Sleep by Adam Manbach (Narrated by Samuel Jackson)
Publisher’s Summary: Academy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction) rocks this mock bedtime story, capturing a hilarious range of emotions as the voice of a father struggling to get his child to sleep.
Go the F**k to Sleep is a bedtime book for parents who live in the real world, where a few snoozing kitties and cutesy rhymes don’t always send a toddler sailing blissfully off to dreamland. California Book Award-winning author Adam Mansbach’s profane, affectionate, and radically honest verses perfectly capture the familiar – and unspoken – tribulations of putting your little angel down for the night. In the process, he opens up a conversation about parenting, granting us permission to admit our frustrations and laugh at their absurdity.
Beautiful, subversive, and pants-wettingly funny, Go the F**k to Sleep is a book for parents new, old, and expectant. Due to its explicit language, you probably should not play it for your children.
Feel free to share the link to this page with tired parents and other people who could use a good swear and a laugh.
My Comments: Dude, this is quite the book. Â I did not buy the actual book, but got the download from Audible….Samuel Jackson was over the freaking top. Â Guess it is worth the run if you have kids. Â If you don’t you can get it for the shock factor. Â
Narrative (120min)
First back day on the new regiment; it was ok. Â I felt really tired towards the end of the workout. Â I did get most of my lifts in, but I had to pull out of the Hyperextensions; I just felt too tired for it. Â At any rate, I feel pretty good overall. Â The additional reps are really taxing my body, but I am already seeing the shredding taking effect.
Abdominal Exercises: As stated above, in this workout you should train your abs at the end of each session. Use these exercises:
Oblique (L and R) Crunches – 4 sets of 25 reps each side – 200
Narrative (120min)
After missing Fridays “Back” Strength  training, I decided to switch back for shoulder primarily because today is Labor Day and I don’t have most of the equipment for a great back work out at home.  At any rate, I have a pretty good shoulder workout.  I also ran 5miles (11 times around my block) this morning.  Feeling really good about my overall workout today…HOOORAAAHH!
Abdominal Exercises: As stated above, in this workout you should train your abs at the end of each session. Use these exercises:
Oblique (L and R) Crunches – 4 sets of 25 reps each side – 200
If you do borrow, time is no longer your best friend Money grows over time, everyone knows that. And if you are investing regularly, time is truly your best friend. I’ll take a known statistic for example. Most of the time, your money doubles every eight years on average. For someone who is investing and not tapping into their 401k plans like a savings account, this is great news. However, if you withdraw money from your 401k plan you are missing out on serious growth opportunities. There are many reasons people take 401k loans, but many Americans take out money for a mortgage. 401k rules allow for these loans to be taken out for up to 5 years, and up to 15 years for a home purchase. If you borrow from your 401k, you are missing out on opportunities for your money to grow among other things. Over the long haul, this could mean the difference between $50,000 and $500,000. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to miss out on the potential long-term growth prospects for my retirement money.
My Comment: I must admit I have been tempted to do this to settle things with my mortgage company and break off the relationship, but this article has given me pause.
During George W. Bush’s presidency, many liberal and secular Americans came to regard religious conservatives not merely as their political opponents, but as a kind of existential threat. The religious right, they decided, wasn’t a normal political movement. Rather, it was an essentially illiberal force, bent on gradually replacing our secular republic with what Kevin Phillips’s 2006 best seller dubbed an “American Theocracy.â€
These anxieties dissipated once the Republican majority imploded. In the Obama era, debates over the economy and health care crowded out arguments about sex education and embryo destruction, and liberals found a new set of right-wing extremists to worry about: Tea Party activists, birth certificate obsessives, the Koch brothers.
My Comments: I read Kevin Phillips’s book – American Theocracy when it came out in 2006. I must say I am not warm to the thoughts of Bachmann and Perry touting their religious credentials. Our democracy prides itself on keeping religion where it should be – a personal thing. I could careless what Perry’s or Bachmann’s religious leanings are.  I hope people of this ilk will never rise to lead this country.Â
Narrative: 131mins
Pretty good all around workout day. Started off with an ok bang after coming back from lunch at LongHorn Steak House (Senior Nichols goodbye). Still a bit achy shin from pounding the pavement in my new early morning walk, but I should get a reprieve after tomorrow, since the weekends are off time. I got pretty tired to end of my weight lifting session, I seem to always have this problem… I guess I simple need supplements for that.
Abdominal Exercises: As stated above, in this workout you should train your abs at the end of each session. Use these exercises:
Prostitutes in the German city of Bonn must carry a ticket purchased from a new parking meter-like machine while working the streets or face hefty fines from tax authorities in a scheme launched on Monday night.
In Germany, ladies of the night pay income tax — the level of which varies from region to region — but compliance is difficult to enforce with women seeking business on the street.
Germany’s first “sex tax meters,” from which prostitutes can purchase a ticket for 6 euros ($8.72) per night, will ensure the tax system is fairly implemented, a city spokeswoman said.
“Inspectors will monitor compliance — not every evening but frequently,” the spokeswoman told Reuters.
If caught without a valid ticket, offenders will first be reprimanded, then face fines and later even a ban.
About 200 prostitutes work in Bonn. Due to protests from residents, city officials have limited the areas of operation to specific quarters.
But critics say this has made it easier for prostitutes to ply their trade. The city has erected what officials call “consummation areas,” wooden parking garages where customers driving cars can retreat to with prostitutes. ($1 = 0.688 Euros)
As the Arab Spring drives change across our region, bringing the hope of democracy and reform to millions of Arabs, less attention is being paid to the plight of Iraq and its people. We were the first to transition from dictatorship to democracy, but the outcome in Iraq remains uncertain. Our transition could be a positive agent for progress, and against the forces of extremism, or a dangerous precedent that bodes ill for the region and the international community.
Debate rages in Baghdad and Washington around conditions for a U.S. troop extension beyond the end of this year. While such an extension may be necessary, that alone will not address the fundamental problems festering in Iraq.
My Comments: A pretty illuminating article from one time Iraqui Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. It raises several troubling points. It is really disconcerting what is still going on in Iraq. I am of the mindset that the ills of the entire region of SW Asia and the broader middle east is beyond repair…whatever repair means.
Narrative: ( Total Time – 115mins)
Went pretty hard. Â Had a really great time working through most of the workout, but started to weaken by the end. Â Legs always seem to take the most out of me. Â Did not complete my Leg curls, Standing Calves and all my abdominals…too exhausted. Â I will make up for it tomorrow.
Abdominal Exercises:
As stated above, in this workout you should train your abs at the end of each session. Use these exercises:
For thousands of years, writing has been a powerful way for us to communicate with one another, to share our distinct thoughts and ideas through the power of words. Even in today’s technologically saturated 21st century, we still express ourselves in writing almost every single day. And oftentimes, we write to argue our viewpoints, persuade others that we’re right, and share our unique experiences and perspectives.
But all writing—whether it’s a powerful essay, a persuasive letter, a detailed business report, or an autobiographical story—is at its most effective and memorable when it’s built on the fundamental critical and analytical skills that transform your words from “good” writing to “great” writing. Regardless of your subject, your goal, or your occasion, these skills are the heart and soul of engaging and effective writing. They include the ability to
organize your thoughts into a coherent piece that never leaves your reader behind;
make a persuasive argument rooted in solid facts;
draw on the styles and characteristics of various literary genres;
make responsible use of research materials and outside resources; and
avoid common grammar errors that could cost you your credibility.
Course Lecture Titles
24 Lectures – 30 minutes / lecture
Lect.01 How to Write about AnythingProf. Dorsey Armstrong33:32
Lect.02 How to Be an Effective ReaderProf. Dorsey Armstrong30:21
Lect.03 How Literature Can HelpProf. Dorsey Armstrong26:56
Lect.04 Shaping Your VoiceProf. Dorsey Armstrong29:41
Lect.05 Knowing Your ReaderProf. Dorsey Armstrong29:18
Lect.06 The Art of the Essay-How to StartProf. Dorsey Armstrong29:16
Lect.07 How to Organize an ArgumentProf. Dorsey Armstrong30:40
Lect.08 Supporting Your ArgumentProf. Dorsey Armstrong30:12
Weight training is touted as the cure for many ills. But if the goal is to lose belly fat, aerobic exercise is the only way to go, exercise scientists say.
We’re not talking about muffin tops, the annoying bit of pudge that rolls over a woman’s waistline and is featured in those strange Internet ads. Rather, this is gut fat lodged around internal organs, which could look like a beer belly from the outisde. It’s considered a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Surprisingly little research has been done comparing the health benefits of strength training with weights to aerobic exercise such as walking. But that’s just what researchers at Duke University did.
My Comments:
I am just blown away by the size of some of these bellies that I see displayed by some men. If I had such a gut…dude…I would definitely put that thing away.Â
On a serious tip, I wholeheartedly agree with the cardio push to cut the gut.  You might not get a six-pack with just cardio, your diet will have to figure in somewhere on that.
Narrative: (60 mins)
Light cardio walk in the morning. Intended on doing legs later on during the day, but got caught up with a whole bunch of other things. Will do legs tomorrow.
Anyone who exercises regularly will tell you that the right routine, equipment and gear can help make for an optimal workout. And for many workout junkies, that ideal gear includes the right music.
