Members get a daily Covid-19 topic focused on Covid in Tennessee.
Supporters are part of a self-improvement sub-group where value is dispensed daily on personal growth in all aspects of life, informed by many sources. New members welcome!
In Tennessee today, there were 51 confirmed new SARS-CoV2 infections and 10 deaths from Covid-19. Tennessee hospitals held 234 Covid patients and statewide positivity was 1.66%.
I'm of two minds currently regarding vaccination. One one hand, I solidly support most adults getting vaccinated for Covid-19. On the other hand, it feels as though we are in one great big psyop. A psyop (psychological operation) is when propaganda and other psychological tools are used to influence a given population toward a pre-determined goal. Control of information and narrative is key to a successful psyop.
Think about how our utilities known as Big Tech (GoogleFacebookYouTubeTwitter) have actively suppressed dissenting voices. Yes, this has swung the balance of publicly available information toward one side of the debate (and a side that I generally agree with). But the very act of controlling the information and narrative so blatantly undermines the credibility of the entire worldwide response to the pandemic.
Given, some of the suppressed voices are anti-vaccine fanatics who are far better at public persuasion than they are at understanding the topics at hand.
But who decides?
We've seen repeated instances of "expert" organizations straight-up lying to us. From the WHO to the CDC, those agencies and organizations tasked with carrying the torch of scientific truth have given the doubters more than enough reason to doubt.
But science is actually not truth. It is a method to find truth. I have not lost my faith in the scientific process. But scientists brought us this virus, whether through bringing a wild virus into the lab or modifying a wild virus in the lab. The complicity of many scientists to quash questioning, though, has for current and future generations undermined our belief in scientists.
But, just like the cure for bad speech is more speech, the cure for bad science is more science.
We need ethical scientists. We need independent research. We need studies that aren't influenced by a profit motive. But even government-funded research during Covid-19 has failed to meaningfully study off-label uses of generic drugs. Why is that? Lobbyists?
I'm putting more energy into the supporter page. I will start raising the monthly support amount required for membership at some point in July. Currently, you can become a supporter and have access to my daily personal improvement posts for $5 per month. I plan to keep rates the same for current members, so join us now!
Stay healthy!
I'm on a weekend night call schedule this weekend, which always leaves me feeling under-rested and generally icky.
But I wanted to remind you that outdoor exercise without screens is really good for your mental health.
Go outdoors, preferably into the woods.
Get in tune with those surroundings, the sights, the sounds, the smells, even the movement of air and the varying temperatures as you walk.
We were made to be outdoors.
We were definitely not made to work in cubicles.
One Degree!
What you want from your body will dictate what you need to set as goals, and the goals will determine what you'll end up having to change to attain them.
I've spoken many times about systems being better than goals, and my position has not changed.
But goals are easier to discuss and to understand, so for this week, we'll be very specific about goals.
Do you want more muscle mass?
Do you want to be stronger?
Do you want to run faster?
Do you want to gain weight?
Do you want to lose weight?
Do you want to improve general fitness?
Do you want longevity?
Do you want strong bones?
Do you want to earn a Black Belt?
Understanding the benefits and costs of each particular goal may help you decide what you want.
For example, if you want to compete in body-building competitions, you'll not be doing the same thing as if you were focused on longevity. Same with strength competitions.
But general fitness and longevity go fairly well together.
Running is great but will increase the likelihood of needing knee or hip ...
I'll make this one short and to the point.
Spring time change is hard on all of us. Having to get up an hour early doesn't make going to bed an hour earlier much easier.
Yes, it's nice to have more productive time in the evening.
But it's at the cost of forcing us out of be an hour earlier, as we all know.
Our challenge is to adjust our circadian rhythm to match the world's expectations around us.
My main strategy is supplementing with a dose of melatonin about a half hour before I need to be asleep. It helps most people fall asleep more readily.
If you need a nap during your day, take it between mid-morning and early afternoon. Limit it to 20 minutes.
Taking a longer or later nap may make it even harder to get off to sleep in time.
All of the other normal advice applies even moreso:
- Take a 20-minute walk after supper.
- No screen time for the last hour before bed.
- Listen to calm music after supper.
- Don't eat for 2 hours before bed.
- Don't have conflict-laden conversations ...
