SPORTS THAT BUILD LUNG CAPACITY

cardiovascular

The cardiovascular system is something that takes a lifetime to keep in shape. You can take breaks but if you stop completely, diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and high cholesterol will eventually settle and call you a home. I suffered two cardiac episodes in my life, not waiting around for a third, which they usually say is the fatal one. Oddly, they occurred after injuries to my back that prevented me from running. So if you’re like me, an active person that has suffered a set back, then you have to find alternative measures to keeping that heart in shape. We’ll start with the best cardiovascular workout and move on down the list.

  1. Running – Gets the heart moving and strengthens your body while shedding calories
  2. Swimming – If you’re like me, you can’t run anymore, then swimming is an excellent substitute for running.
  3. Boxing Routine – If you’re like me, don’t have a swimming pool and you have to use the one at the gym, which is always crowded, then a boxing routine is a great exercise. It’s like running with your arms. It includes skipping rope, which I can’t do nearly as well anymore (painful), shadow boxing, hitting a heavy bag, punching the mitts and working the speed bag. I did this routine when I was younger after injuring my ankle and when I went for a run, it was like I had never stop running. Except for some weakness in the legs, I ran a mile in a little over 5 minutes and wasn’t winded.
  4. Cycling – Amazing for the cardiovascular system without the pounding on the knees but it has some effects on your lower back.
  5. Weight training – Lots of reps with medium and low weights, nothing heavy, the goal here is to get your heart moving, not to look like the hulk. You should superset, work two muscle groups at a time, to confuse the muscles and get your heart working from two different muscle areas.

RESPONSIBLE OR IRRESPONSIBLE?

irresponsible

The actions of a few impact the lives of many but do they care? As they point the finger at each other and trade barbs at who is to be held responsible, people will go hungry, people will miss mortgage payments, children will be left in the cold. Compromise, while it can be difficult, is what we expect from our leaders. The people that we admire, as we voted them in to public office, to handle these problems in an adult and comprehensible manner, are letting us down. The bad part, and what doesn’t look so good for them, is that they will not miss a paycheck, except for a certain few that have stated that they will not take a paycheck until they clear this matter up. If they’re not as hungry as the people then their motivation isn’t as great. I won’t miss a paycheck but a lot of good people will be wondering if they can make their rent, if they can put food on the table for their children, if they are going to have money for gas to get to work that they are doing for free? I know that there is a compromise there somewhere. It’s just how motivated they are to get to that point. You know, the side that gives in for the sake of the people would most likely benefit the rewards of caring for the people. Just a thought.

If you can’t find a compromise, then let me offer one, agree to fix any barrier that is need right now. Identify the places where the barrier is degraded and agree to fix those right now and then meet in a couple of months to agree on how to proceed. No one will think that either side caved and will only be glad that the shut down is over. Also, being an ex -border patrol agent, lighting and sensors were always more important then the wall. If you were to put telephone poles with solar panels that charged batteries that powered sensors that would make lights go off and send a signal to the agents, this would make the job a lot safer for them and easier. The problem is when they get over the wall, tracking them can be a bitch. We use flashlights and night scopes that sometimes don’t have the depth perception that we need. But if we can follow lights that pop up on movement of a sensor, then we can place their whereabouts immediately.

IT’S NEVER EASY TO DETHRONE THE KING

the king

I can smell it. I can see it coming. It’s not all that strange of a story. People are foaming at the mouth at the chance of challenging President Trump for the Oval Office and they are going to make a crucial mistake, over confidence. While President Trump’s style of tit for tat makes him vulnerable, he has made some in roads that other presidents have refused to address. Trump has renegotiated several pacts, all the free trade pacts, and tackled China when no one would even try. He has also cracked down on illegal immigration, albeit I liked the old way better, but that plays strongly into his base and even leaks to some moderate lefties. He is getting us out of costly wars and the stock market seems to have no ceiling. People might disagree with his New York attitude towards civility, basically meaning civility is for the dinner table and no where else (please pass the potatoes), but that might not be enough to dethrone the king. He does have some weak points, climate change and immigration and the Russia debacle, but will that be enough to oust him in a robust economy? I don’t know that it will be. I will say though, if someone had stolen his phone or changed his password on twitter a long time ago, he would have a way better chance of getting re-elected.

There is one person that can definitely beat him, and it isn’t Joe Biden, sorry Joe, can’t call you a guarantee, bu there is one….. There’s always one.

Guilty Pleasure

long distance running

Everyone has a guilty pleasure. Mine was running. I used to love to run. Between the ages of 19 and 37, I used to run quite often. There were times where I would take months off, even close to six months, but I would go back and run a quick 5K. Anybody that used to run, that experienced that runner’s high, would know what I’m talking about. You would start and get your pace down, then after hitting that mark, the one where your side would start to bother you and push through it, you would start to feel the euphoria of the run. Your body would feel like it could go forever and your pace would even quicken. You had to be careful not to let it overtake you or that feeling would go away too quickly. You had to try and keep that pace, keep your breathing, keep your focus and look straight ahead. the music would get livelier and your heart would start to beat to the rhythm of the run. The longest run I have ever done was a little more than 13 miles. I would go 10 miles on occasions but mostly stick between to 5 or 6  miles every other day. Never ran a marathon or any organized run outside my work except for a run for cancer with an ex-girlfriend. I have since suffered some severe problems that doesn’t allow me to run at all. I tried to tell myself that I could do it anyway but reality has set in. The pain is too great and those days are now behind me. I miss them. I miss them a lot.

My fastest times, while not anything record setting were decent

I have done a mile and half in under 9 minutes

I have ran a 5 K in 19 minutes

I have run 5 miles in under 40 minutes

Political Running Mates

Sarah Palin

I have wrote about who I think has the best shot for the Democrats. If one of those people get selected, they’re going to need the right running mate. We all know how important good running mates can be, they can make or break your candidacy. For some candidates, the right running mate is vital, Sen. Harris, and for some they have some leeway, Sen. Sanders. I have my opinions,

Rep. Gabbard – Since she is a frog’s hair from being a Repub, which I like, her choice should be a person with experience, a little older and someone with whom the voters can relate. Tom Steyer comes to mind. Billionaire Dem who had political ambitions but never really put himself in. This might be the perfect opportunity for a grand entrance.

Sen. Harris – Since she comes from the most liberal State in the union, her challenges are going to be to win over some red states or even purple states. She would need someone to the right of her that can appeal to those states that are teetering at the fulcrum of red and blue. The person I have in mind would likely not be her choice but she needs a Repub turned independent. A person that shares most of her views especially on immigration, Former Senator Jeff Flake or Beto O’Rourke, a Dem from a red state. It’s an out of the box choice but one that will work out well.

Sen Gillibrand – Since she comes from NY, the toughest state in the country (by reputation), then she might want to keep that trend. If Sen Booker does not get the nod in the primaries, he would be a perfect fit for Sen. Gillibrand. Smart, born in D.C, went to college in California, represents NJ.

Sen. Sanders – If Bernie gets the nod, his running mate is easy. He has to pick a woman that’s tough, can pull in Repubs, and can handle a debate. Two women come to mind, Rep. Gabbard if she doesn’t get the nod or Rep Abigail Spanberger that just won in a red district. Both of these women have some amazing background stories that can  and will guarantee his victory.

At 17…….

man and woman

When I was 17 (or 18)…. sounds like a song. The one thing I recollect at that age was that I was making out with a woman who was drunk while I was sober. I asked her if she was drunk, and she said yeah, and I told her that we couldn’t do anything more than kiss because she was drunk.  She got a little upset and we headed back to the living room. She fed me drinks, which I took gladly, and had some herself. The thing about having two people in the same state of mind is that it becomes consentual but when you have a person under the influence, of anything; alcohol, marijuana, any surreptitious device that they are not aware of that has mood enhancing capabilities; and you are completely sober, than you have to be the adult in the room because you have all the control. If you get off on controlling people, then your problems are much deeper than you know. That night we were both in the same frame of mind, which is important to me before I do anything. There was no force, just mutual attraction. She grabbed my hand and I followed. I wanted to when I was sober but I couldn’t. It didn’t feel right because she was drunk.

This situation would happen to me several times in my life, each ended with a no, not while your drunk.

Cell Phones at the Gym

cellphones at the gym

I have never seen so many cellphones at the gym in my life. You see them playing on the phone and then they start chatting with their friend, saying “I don’t this workout is helping”. I don’t know how much a cellphone weighs exactly but holding one for hours at a time might help. They just sit there and tick away. I never seen stronger thumbs. I heard that cellphones can emit waves that can affect your mood, maybe they’re hitting the wrong button. Instead of hitting the motivated button, they’re hitting the get angry button, because they don’t seem happy at all.

You can’t win that way. It’s cheating. #humanATM #cupfullofcoocoopuffs

AneCDOtE!

cookie monster

When you ask the cookie monster to guard the cookies, don’t be surprised by the outcome. Not only is he going to cookie jail but also the guy that put him in charge. How could you not know, he’s a freaking cookie monster.

WHO HAS THE BEST CHANCE FOR DEMOCRATS

 

These are who I believe have a shot at taking the White House if The President’s momentum on the economy takes a downturn.

Tulsi Gabbard – Congresswoman from Hawaii and combat veteran who is as close to the middle as you will get for the Democrats. The one knock would be her age. At 39, her age at time of election, she would be the youngest person ever elected and experience will play a factor but maybe not against President Trump who is brand new to politics but not the presidency. The plus, she will be 39 and have a forward thinking mindset. She would also have almost 20 years of government work by that time and did I mention she is a combat veteran, a Major in the armed forces, that’s awesome. Her salutes come with more experience than most men have.

Kamala Harris – Senator from California, Ms. Harris is a skilled and seasoned former State Attorney General. Don’t let her effervescent smile fool you (not pictured) , she is extremely smart, tough, and a no nonsense of a person you will ever find. She is quick witted and insightful. The knock, she is from California. The only person to be elected to President from California was Ronald Reagan and he was a Repub, which might be the only way that can happen. Oh, and Herbert Hoover, he was a President right? If she was from… lets say…. anywhere else, she would have been guaranteed a victory. If Ms. Harris can pull off a victory, then she would have done what no man (I know she is a woman, every person with an eyeball knows she is a woman, I’m bringing attention to her ground breaking style) has ever done, be a Dem from Cali and win the Oval Office. Ms. Harris will smile and ask a question and by the time you answer she will have you admitting that there is no back door to politics and that she is the best candidate. Ms. Harris will have to pick a running mate from a State that can offset that problem. She should be careful who she aligns herself with because she will need the right people or it could kill her campaign.

Kirsten Gillibrand – A tough lawyer turned politician, Ms. Gillibrand is a natural leader. She comes from a state that has long history of taking the Oval Office. And who wouldn’t love to see two New Yorkers, Sec. Clinton was more midwest in temperament, go at it. Being from the same state as the current President, she would pose some very real challenges to President Trump.  The knock, she really isn’t that known, which I think is a plus, but her name recognition isn’t quite up there as Biden, Harris, or Sanders. The plus, well, you ever argued with an intelligent woman from NY? You have a better chance of winning the lottery twice on the same day then winning that argument.

Bernie Sanders – If it wasn’t for the debacle, lucky for President Trump, with the DNC, Sanders would have been President. The knock, the opposite of Gabbard, his age in the opposite direction. Sanders is a tough Senator that stands for what he believes and that’s to do the right thing. A motto that he carries on his sleeve. I voted form him in the primaries but was overruled by a bunch of dumbasses. If he shows some liveliness in a campaign, I think he can get it done. The plus, well, he is freaking Bernie Sanders, a man that got carried away by the police protesting injustices and the only person on the Dems that could have beat all the Repubs in 2016. There’s a bunch of Bernie’s, but only one Bernie Sanders. Feel the Bern, and let’s not forget his followers, the Bernie babies. This is the closest you get to Political stardom, and the whole time, Bernie remained humble and true to himself.

By the way, I’m a moderate, I believe in choice, from abortion to gun rights (oddly not marijuana). These candidates, most of them are centered and believe the same thing. I like middle of the ground politicians because I feel they can win over both parties and actually get stuff done.