• About
  • Books
  • Contact
  • Education Resources

PERRIN LOVETT

~ Deo Vindice

PERRIN LOVETT

Tag Archives: happiness

More Rankings and Reports, Happy and Hardscrabble

20 Monday Mar 2017

Posted by perrinlovett in Other Columns

≈ Comments Off on More Rankings and Reports, Happy and Hardscrabble

Tags

America, happiness, New York Times, rankings

One blogger to another, I have to give it to Carlos Slim. His blog did a great job compiling three study reports.

World Happiness

A UN (eh, shoe fits) outfit surveyed the happiest countries on Earth. Norway was number one. The U.S. is the 14th happiest country – not bad out of 155. The Central African Republic came in dead last. Original survey info. HERE.

Hard Living, USA

The Times created a cool interactive map of most U.S. counties and a rating system based on good to bad conditions. Those conditions: income, education, employment, disability, life expectancy, and obesity. Even in the better counties one will notice the obesity factor is a little high. And that’s “obesity” which is beyond merely overweight and out of shape.

Best (and Worst) Places to Grow Up (U.S.)

Finally, they have another actionable map based on possibility of upward mobility within the assorted counties (where data was available). And I love how they initially center it on the center of the known universe, NYC.

Anyway, one can measure the disparity of earning power over most of the country, by percentile groups. “50th” should approximate the middle class; “75th” the upper-middle, and; “99th” the very wealthy or well off. Location seems to mean something.

Fascinating stuff, all of it. I do wish someone would interpret the cigar shop/gun shop/pretty girls/fitness center/lack of government metrics a little better. Utopia is out there somewhere, even if somewhere is in a novel or something.

Food for thought if you’re thinking of moving, raising a family, retiring, etc. Or, think of this as an intellectual break from the squeaking shoe ball (which, I suppose, does combat obesity to a degree).

american_flag_smiley_face_stickers-r142ded34299a48e481914fc79ee4a52e_v9wth_8byvr_324

Zazzle.

 

The Great All American High School Football Friday Night Shotgun Raffle

16 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by perrinlovett in Other Columns

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

America, freedom, guns, happiness, Mississippi, shotgun raffle, Starkville

I grew up in a different time and a different place. Most people can say the same, at least as to the time. Maybe it’s just nostalgia (yeah, one of those posts) but I remember a better, freer, and happier America.

Let’s say it was 1982. Back then I was a youngster at a K-12 private school in Mississippi, Starkville Academy. I moved away a few years later and I have only been back once or twice. And the last visit was something like twenty years ago.

Through the magic of Facebook I have reconnected with many of my old classmates. Two of the young lady friends of mine are smoking hot (y’all know who you are). Heck, the women are all lookers (just as us gentlemen are all overly handsome). But these two in particular, it turns out, left SA not too long after I did. The idea has been floated to get together and crash the next reunion. Uh…that would be the …tenth. Yeah. I bet we do it. Unless we forget. What am I forgetting??

Yes, 1982. Back then, Friday night was high school football night. Sure, it’s kind of the same the country over but our’s was better. The high schoolers, of course, participated in the games. We of the younger set just tagged along and had fun. Cooler nights. Hot chocolate. Cheerleaders. And … shotguns.

You see, back then in Starkville, the forces of communism and wussification were yet unknown in America. Or, if they were known, they were still far away and hiding in their closets. Every year, at around this time of year, one Friday night football game was special. On that night the athletic boosters raffled off a shiny new shotgun. This brought out every man in the county. My dad never won but he was always there.

The raffle was held at half-time. Up until then the gun was displayed down near the concession stand. Every boy, every boy at heart, and most women ventured by to have a look at it. Seems to me it was always a semi-auto 12, maybe a Remington 1100 or a Browning.

It was a gun. It was at a school. It was there officially and on purpose. Everyone loved it. It served a good and worthy cause. And nobody thought twice about it – unless they bought two raffle tickets. That was my America.

As Meatloaf put it:

“It was long ago and it was far away,
And it was so much better than it is today.”

Today having a gun, any gun, at any school is a crime. 10,000 sissies, control freaks, weirdos and assorted losers stand ready to shriek, scream and cry about the micro-aggression of it all. Goshdarn it! I miss my country.

But, wait. What if things aren’t really all that different today? Could it be that in this one little corner of the Magnolia State a shred of freedom still lingers?

I had to check. I consulted the SA website (very professional, btw). Low and behold! I found this:

nimbus-image-1476576731791

Starkville Academy, 2016.

And this:

nimbus-image-1476576826256

SA.

Oh. My. God. There is a Santa Clause. Heaven is for real. Shove it all the way up your gun-grabbin, fascist butts; they still do it! And now they give a gun away every day for the whole damn month of October!!!!

And look at that grand prize – the gun – we might say. The one for Friday the 18th. A Berreta A400 Extreme. Like this one:

a400xtremeunico_camomax5_zoom001

Beretta. 

Nice. Very nice.

But still not as nice as knowing a little chunk of the old world still survives. Unhindered? Maybe not. I noticed in the small print, above, that the guns must be picked up elsewhere. Maybe that’s just for the dailies. Maybe the main event still happens at half-time. Maybe my ladies and I will find out for sure come the next reunion.

Whatever it is, I’m just happy as a clam – and I had to stop and dance twice during this writing – about the story. Americans: 1; Wimps: 0. I’ll take what I can get.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to scrape together some ticket money.

 

 

Turning Laziness Into Power

06 Thursday Oct 2016

Posted by perrinlovett in News and Notes

≈ Comments Off on Turning Laziness Into Power

Tags

happiness, inspiration, laziness, strong, success, The Tiger

Maybe I’m not as lazy as I thought. Or, if I am, maybe it’s a good thing. I don’t know. Read on.

This morning I found a recent Forbes article about 10 Things Mentally Strong People Won’t Do. It’s worth a read. It starts with this story of determination:

Thomas Edison provides an interesting example. When his factory burned to the ground in 1914, destroying one-of-a-kind prototypes and causing $23 million in damage, Edison’s response was simple:

“Thank goodness all our mistakes were burned up. Now we can start fresh again.”

That’s beyond “never give up”. That’s where you can’t even be placed in a give up situation.

The 10 Things are:

1. They don’t dwell on mistakes.

2. They don’t hang around negative people.

3. They don’t stop believing in themselves.

4. They don’t wait for an apology to forgive.

5. They don’t feel sorry for themselves.

6. They don’t hold grudges.

7. They won’t let anyone limit their joy…

8. …and they don’t limit the joy of others.

9. They don’t get lazy.

10. They don’t get negative.

For right now, I’m looking at number 9, laziness. The example the article gives of laziness/counter-laziness is:

A study conducted at the Eastern Ontario Research Institute found that people who exercised twice a week for 10 weeks felt more socially, intellectually, and athletically competent. They also rated their body image and self-esteem higher. Best of all, rather than the physical changes in their bodies being responsible for the uptick in confidence, which is key to mental toughness, it was the immediate, endorphin-fueled positivity from exercise that made all the difference.

Exercise twice a week? A week? I sometimes feel down and out if I don’t exercise twice in a single day. Two days without physical activity and I start to develop neurosis. I have to start mentally justifying things to myself – even if the underlying reasons are real and obvious – “You strained you bicep. Slow down or you’ll tear it and be out for weeks. Strains and tears heal stronger. It’ll work out.” – and so on.

And the exercising I do is a little different than that of others. Many men seem content if they can bench press their body weight – which, generally speaking, is a good standard. However, I feel like a slug if I can’t (double arm) curl my own weight.

One of my gyms has sixteen 200-pound heavy bags. Well, 15 right now, I got a little carried away. 98% of the members pretend these things don’t exist. The few of the rest do as most – they pretend their in a fight with one of the bags. It’s a great workout. I pretend to mercilessly brutalize the whole gang.

In work, I usually write 2,000 – 5,000 words per day, everyday. Some you read here, some you can’t, and some are for other people. The days come by when I only do 1,000 words. I feel kind of lazy then. But most people don’t type 1,000, tweets and texts aside, in a year.

So, I’m thinking maybe I’m not that lazy. And maybe I am. And I like it. And I don’t.

People love to liken themselves to animals: sheep, sheepdogs and wolves are very popular choices. I like the tiger concept. Large, sleek, and solitary, cute like a kitten, but menacing. Tigers are extraordinarily lazy by design. Almost all of their time is spent lying around. They sleep, yawn, blog, and loaf the hours away. They can afford the lifestyle because, when needed and suddenly, they’re the most dangerous thing in the forest. And there’s nothing the sheep, dogs and wolves can do about it. And the tigers are beyond it all.

siberian-tiger-gazzing

Why yes, I’ze lazy. Say, you lookz appetizing.

Meandering on through the internets I found Vox’s recommendation for a new book: The Nine Laws by Ivan Throne, published by Vox’s Castalia House. It looks like the Forbes article, in manual form and on steroids. Sayeth the Amazon:

Do you dare to discover what you’re truly capable of?

THE NINE LAWS is your living manual of power, distilled for you by the man who was forced to build it to survive. The author forged this system over decades of cruel experience. It began with profound trauma in early childhood, shaped itself during long training in the eastern warrior arts, and was polished amidst financial industry competition and family crisis. Master this content, and deliver yourself to a place that few men ever reach: joyous mastery of your own fate.

This book is not for the uncertain or the timid. THE NINE LAWS is designed for men who are acutely aware that one lifetime is all they have to pursue and achieve their sacred purpose. Far more than a mere self-help book, or a simple collection of advice and ideas, The Nine Laws is a gravely serious operating system for success in a dark world.

Read it. Train it. Live it. Survive the dark world with momentous ferocity, and triumph.

Ivan Throne is a business manager, author and seasoned veteran of the financial industry with over thirty years of study in the classical Japanese military fighting arts. His vivid lessons and ruthless mentoring for the hard and often cruel demands of our pitiless high performance world have helped millions of people across social media deeply connect with radical, authentic success to the joys of partners, lovers, colleagues and clients.

I picked it up on Kindle. All the preview looked fantastic and I can’t wait to start reading… Actually, I can wait. That lazy indifference of the differing perception thing…

Take a look at those 10 things. Maybe it’s your lazy day. Or your day of joy. Or no negativity day. Or… So be a tiger, or a sheepdog, or a goldfish or whatever.

American Nostalgia

02 Saturday Jul 2016

Posted by perrinlovett in Legal/Political Columns, News and Notes

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

America, civilization, culture, dignity, family, freedom, government, happiness, Independence Day, July 4th, Liberty, modern, nostalgia, The People

On Monday the United States turns 240 years old. Almost everyone will enjoy a day off, fireworks, and cookouts. But, as this Youtube video shows, very few people today can connect the significance of July 4th to the spirit of what it means to be American.

I almost dislike the Fourth anymore. All the firework-watching, barbecue-eating, vacationers will celebrate their “freedom” under an unfathomable dome of laws, rules, regulations, and new norms that make life anything but free. Much of the celebration will be directed towards the government, adulation in the name of liberty of the very thing that squashes liberty.

Two-hundred-forty years is a long time for societal continuity. Comparing the rhetoric of American life to the reality makes me wonder if our best days are behind us.

Consider, if you will, this incredible collage of 1940s-50s advertisements put together by Reason: Happy 4th: These Vintage Ads for Capitalism Will Make You Proud to Be an American, Katherine Mangu-Ward, July 2, 2016.

Reason, The Ad Council-Standard Oil.

All of the ads are unabashedly pro-American and pro-capitalism. Many celebrate the accomplishments of 1950 America compared to those from 1900. Many, like the one I display above, celebrate modern, suburban family life. Scenes like the one above look like America.

True, if we kept on comparing and contrasting some things, the 21st century would look like the good new days. My phone has vastly superior video capabilities than any television from 1950. Were I transported back to the 50s right now, I would have in my possession the two most powerful computers in the world. Our cars are safer, more fuel-efficient, better, if uglier than those from the 50s. We have 900 channels on television. Every building is air-conditioned. But, are we better for all the new, universal comforts and conveniences?

You can see something in the pictures that I don’t have to describe. All of the people pictured are happy, they are family oriented, they look dignified. They had good reason to smile while smoking pipes and watching Junior play with the dog. Back then America was growing – in terms of prosperity and of income and opportunity. They had laws and regulations then but those did not extend into every facet of daily life as they do now. By and large, we were then one big homogenous family. There was a certain comfort associated with that era which technology cannot rival.

Today all of these happy 1950s Americans would look out-of-place in most parts of our daily landscape. Can you imagine one of those well-dressed, smiling families striding through a Wal-Mart clogged with 400-pound, EBT card-wielding slobs? No. Each group would think the other recently departed from employment with the circus. Can you imagine people today talking openly and with pride about American capitalism, growth, and family oriented spirituality? No. They would be accused of committing micro-aggression upon micro-aggression.

There will be a lot of flag waving come Monday. But, more often than not today the flag is frowned upon as it may invariably offend some newly arrived intruder who sees America as little more than a welfare check and a place to convert to third world status.

Two things are to blame for this decline: the government, which seeks to dominate everything, and; the people who accept it, trading happiness and freedom and dignity for gadgets and gluttony. Loafing is not leisure. Frivolity is not freedom. What a better world we would have today if we could keep the true advancements, trade the glittering state-worship (and the state) for peaceful prosperity, and, most importantly, return to a happy, prideful sense of civilization.

When or if you celebrate this long weekend, pause to ask what you truly enjoy about post-modern America. Is it just pomp and frolicking for a day or is it a real celebration of human spirit and freedom?

Cigar Lunacy

06 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by perrinlovett in News and Notes

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

big ass cigar, Casa Fernandez, cigars, green space chickens, happiness, hobby, Kipling, Lunatic, Nicaragua, socialism, Top Shelf Cigars

Cigars are a hobby of mine.  I have written about them before and before.

Today I am happy to report that we have crossed a new frontier in cigar legend: the monstrous JFR Lunatic by Casa Fernandez (formerly Tropical Tobacco).  This is a TITANIC smoke – an 8 x 80(!) – and not for the faint of heart.

IMG_20150506_140402693

(For comparison I placed a Lunatic next to JFR’s already massive 770 and a “normal” sized smoke – an Ashton VSG robusto.)

IMG_20150506_140908632_HDR

(And, next to a book of matches.)

As the resident lunatic smoker of my home shop I was asked to review this beast. Russell kindly provided me with a free sample courtesy of Maritza of Fernandez.

I have smoked 80 ring-gauges before (such as the Asylum 6 x 80).  I found them decent in flavor and consistency but a bit unwieldy.  Damn near an inch and a half in width a standard 80 actually starts to hurt the jaw while smoking.  It’s reminiscent of a visit to the dentist involving one of those devices which holds the mouth open.  JFR has cured this by producing the Lunatic in a tapered or “pyramid” design.  The cap end is about the size of a 60 RG.  This makes the smoking process itself easier.

The taste is excellent – the same blend as ordinary JFRs.  The cigar is well constructed and burns evenly.  One distinct problem, though, is that the smoke does not hold it’s ash well.  The ash produced is a clean, light gray color but after half an inch or so it but be tapped off in order to prevent an accident.  With such a ridiculous girth the center of the ash is still active and could cause a burn if it fell off inadvertently.

Another problem (or benefit) of the Lunatic is the smoking time required.  The smoke is immediately flavorful with no bitterness.  It has a woody, earth Nicaraguan taste which is consistent.  However, I estimate it would take at least three hours to finish this monster.  Theoretically, it might take up to four hours.  This is great for a fishing trip but might be overwhelming for average afternoon enjoyment.  Again, I must warn that is not a stick for novices.

IMG_20150506_141127459

(Not a beginner cigar.)

In the end this may be too much of a good thing.  I will likely stick with routine 6 x 60s and 7 x 70s for heavy flavor delivery.  However, I did like the Lunatic immensely (pun…).  I don’t have a rating system but I do like it.  My description herein should suffice for you to make your own decision.  I suspect this novelty will remain just that and only available for a short time or in limited quantity.  For an estimated $10 it is really a bargain.

Of course, if you must have a GIGANTIC smoke look no further than Indigo’s Chief.  At a foot and a half long it should last all day and then some.  Good luck finding one.  Better luck finishing one.

IMG_20150506_140453401

(As crazy a comparison as may be made…)

Whatever the size or flavor, remember,

IMG_20150506_140619931

(Yes, Rudyard, a good cigar is a smoke.)

For the skeptics and haters:

IMG_20150424_195420744_HDR

(The real lunatics are politicians and their enablers.  Put that in your pipe and smoke it).

Happy smoking!

How I Lost Over 40 Pounds, Etc., Part II.

23 Saturday Feb 2013

Posted by perrinlovett in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Arnold Schwarzenegger, benefits, big guns, bodybuilding, cardio, embarrassing, Evans Fitness Center, exercise, fat, fitness, fun, girls, gut, gym, happiness, inversion table, joints, machines, pants, sauna, spine, steam room, stretching, weights

This is the second installment (third really) on my recent weight loss and permanent health kick.  I encourage all of you to get physical and fit.  It makes a world of difference in one’s daily life, everything seems easier and a little more fun!

I keep singing the praises of Evans Fitness Center (EFC), http://www.evansfitnessclub.com/, here in my local area.  I spoke with their management today about the blog, my comments, and the possibility of my appearance in one of those “before and after” photo testimonial things.  The girls especially seem interested in the latter part.

efc_logo

(Source: EFC website).

If you don’t live in metro-Augusta, Georgia, then I hope you have a good facility nearby.  I have seem clubs as impressive as EFC but they are RARE.  Any club could do in theory, though I have found that an excellent, first class environment lends itself to keeping one motivated and inspired.

I joined EFC in December when they first opened.  They even have a 30-day free trial!  At the time I had already lost maybe 20 pounds due to my change in dietary habits.  As I have written before, I was nervous about going to any gym.  In the past I have usually hurt myself while trying to do too much too fast or have just lost interest.  A lot of clubs are not interesting.  Neither was the case at EFC. 

First, I just can’t say enough about the quality of this place.  They have a filter thing that refills your water bottle, free towels, and so many other perks I can’t list them all.  Everything was done right.  Second, I really wanted to get back into shape, and so, I used my brain for a change and worked my way into the program.  By the way, this here is not a “program” like those on TV.  If it were, you’d see me on the idiot box hawking it to some hip-hop beat surrounded by hot babes.  Hmmmmmmm???????

Anyway, for me the right way was slow and cautious, especially with weights.  If you want a great guide to exercising with weights, pick up a copy of Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding, http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding/dp/0684857219.  The name may sound intimidating was may seem some of the pictures and described routines.  I used the old model in my glory days.  It works.  However, you need not be a hardcore Mr./Mrs. Olympia candidate to benefit from the guide.  Consider it an education.  Arnold covers literally everything about conditioning every muscle of the body in tremendous detail.  Use what you need, no more.  If you’ve never worked out before or it has been a while, a personal trainer can help you.  Find one that suits your needs and disposition.

I’ll simply, here, divide weight training into three categories: free weights (to include plate-weighted machines); weight stack machines; and cable/pulley weights.  These last two are my description names.

I started with the stack machines and light free weights.  I now incorporate all three into my routine based on what I’m trying to do.  EFC, like many good gyms, has multiple areas for all of these types.

Regardless of what I use I try to adhere to some simple procedures.  First, I break my days up my the muscles I hit.  Generally it works like this: Day 1, arms and shoulders; Day 2, back and chest; Day 3, legs.  I do abdominal exercises everyday (or try to).  Along with abs I work all “core” muscles, those around the middle of the torso.  Many people make the mistake of building a strong stomach while neglecting their lower back and sides.  This leads to imbalance and possible painful problems.  Work them all together and equally.

My gut was the most embarrassing visual part of the old me.  Personally, the worst thing was the lack of energy for daily tasks.  It was the gut that everyone saw.  I must admit I  worked my way up to size 44 pants, and they were getting tight!  I just bought some 38s and they are already loose.  I went from the last notch on my belt to the other last notch, then I had to drill a new (good) last notch, then another.  I am cheap, poor, and I have good belts to begin with.  I will buy new ones when these fall apart.

Once a week or so I work on my neck.  The neck usually gets flexed while doing shoulder and other exercises.  I concentrate on it specifically for an extra boost.  I have … excuse me, had, neck problems.  Building up the muscles that support the head and stretching them have eliminated most of my problems.  A word of warning!  The neck is sensitive and extra care should be used when working it, I go EXTRA light and easy with my neck.  Be careful, you spine is kind of important!

The second simple procedure I follow is the amount of effort I give each particular movement or exercise.  Let’s say I’m doing bicep curls (for the big guns!).  I try to do three separate sets of ten repetitions of this exercise.  With lighter weights I will go for 15 to 20 reps – this builds definition.  If I’m trying to “shock” the biceps I will pyramid my way up in weights and may sacrifice the total number of reps on the heavier sets. 

I also do multiple types of work for each muscle or muscle group.  In Muscle and Fitness Magazine, I read, a long time ago, some great advice: “Everything works, but nothing works for long.”  You have to vary it up to keep the progress and fun going.  This also depends on what you are trying to accomplish.  Serious weight-lifters go through cycles of heavy weight, light weight, no weight, etc. to reach their goals.  My goal is a lean, muscular look, like Christian Bale’s Batman/Bruce Wayne.  You have a different goal, you’ll figure it out in time.

By the way, I stretch constantly to keep the muscles I working loose.  After I pump iron I go upstairs and do some form of “cardio” work.  This is what most people associate with burning fat, and it does.  It also plays with your heart-rate and workload, hence the name “cardio.”  Again, you need to figure out, maybe with expert help, what you’re trying to do.  Jacking your heart rate through the roof might strengthen your heart (or kill you) but it might not be the best way to burn fat.  My approach is easy.  I use either the elliptical machine, treadmill, or stationary bike (usually the elliptical) for my needs.  I go for 10 to 30 minutes depending on how I feel and how much time I have.  These modern machines track everything: calories burned, time, heart-rate, etc.  I’m more concerned with calories but I closely monitor the other factors.  It all depends.  Trial and error folks.

The last thing I do before I leave the gym floor is stretch.  This when I get to do my favorite exercise of all – hanging upside-down on the inversion table.  I try to do it for 3 to 5 minutes or longer.  I stretches out everything and decompresses the spine and joints – literally reversing gravity.  Sleeping at night decompresses the joints – this goes beyond.  I can’t say enough about this so I will leave much to your imagination.

inversin table

(The greatest invention of all time.  Source: Google Images).

Depending on how much time I have I end the workout with a trip to the steam room or the sauna or both.  Both do the same thing – they make you sweat.  Steam, while having a lower temperature, works faster – instantly, in fact.  The sauna is hotter but, as a dry heat, it takes a short while to start working.  The benefits to both are numerous.  They are very relaxing (once you get used to the oven-like experience).  They work wonders on sore muscles and joints.  And, they help you shed excess water.  Sweating eliminates toxins and gunk from the body.  Just remember to keep drinking water to put back what you need.  Again, water is supremely important both to life and weight loss.  Water is your friend.

Well friends, that’s what I do.  This is a great over-simplification.  Again, you will just have to jump in and see what works for you.  Seek professional guidance as needed.  My main point here is to inspire and share what can be accomplished.  Go get em, tigers!

How I lost Over Forty Pounds And Started Changing My Life, Part I.

21 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by perrinlovett in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

alcohol, Andrew Weil, breathing, changes, coffee, diets, excercise, fat, food, green space chickens, happiness, inversion table, muscle, sleep, stress, stretching, The Time Given, vitamins, water, weight loss, worry

Not long ago I posted a brief rant about losing weight, getting in shape, and threatening to steal a piece of exercise equipment.  That last bit cost me a visit and a stern warning from the Sheriff.  Luckily, in spite of my dieting, I happened to have several fresh donuts on hand.  Wheeew.

As of the last time I weighed in I have officially lost a little over 40 pounds!  That is a lot – almost as much as my daughter weighs.  I started out in late September at 238 lbs and after losing almost 17% of my original weight I’m down to just under 198.  It is the first time I’ve been under 200 in almost twenty years.  I hate to admit it, but back in 2007 I tipped the scales at 255.  At that point I knew I had a problem and I managed to shrink back a little though not nearly enough.

Like I said last time, what I’m doing is not a diet – it’s a life change.  Life is funny.  As a child I alternated between being tall and skinny one year and husky the next.  Luckily, around eight grade I evened out at mostly skinny.  In high school I began to lift weights in addition to those other activities that keep young people annoyingly in shape. 

Once I got to college I began to SERIOUSLY hit the weights, alternating between power-lifting and bodybuilding.  I also did a bit of trail running.  By the time I graduated I weighed in at around 230 muscular pounds.  Then for the better part of two decades I did absolutely nothing – except eat.  Gradually, my muscles gave way to rolls of fat, I started shuffling about, and I felt terrible.  I dieted for my wedding and several other times I made attempts to reclaim my former glory.  Each was a failure.  Why?  Because I didn’t really want to be fit.  Like any good American I wanted to take it easy, eat burgers, and drink beer.  No wonder we’re the most obese people in human history.

For the education of anyone else interested, I have decided to explain how I accomplished my recent success.  Please understand I am not a professional in this area.  I was a certified personal trainer in college but I never really made great use of that credential.  I am not in a position to relate scientific methodology here.  If you think you have a serious problem you may want to consult a doctor or a trainer.

If you are just ready for a change I suggest you start by reading this.  I am devoting a whole chapter in The Time Given to the subject also.  I would consult with your doctor just to be on the safe side.  Then maybe with his guidance you can work with a nutritionist or trainer.  Be mindful a lot of what I’m going to tell you is more mental and emotional than physical.  And, much of the physical stuff doesn’t sound like a training program either.  By the way, while this process has been fun for the most part, I have not found it necessarily easy. 

Having blabbed all that, let me set the stage for what I’ve done:

2012 was a very difficult year for me.  I found myself swamped by several of those great troubles that go along with life in the modern world.  Good things happened too, but good things often come with a stress all their own.  Mixing good and bad together day by day and month by month, I was “down” to say the least. 

In early September of last year I tried a big criminal case.  It had consumed much of my year and I ended up presenting before a Jury.  I thought my client was the most sympathetic individual on earth and the matter would be a slam dunk for us.  The Jury thought otherwise.  We lost.  I’ve tried lots of cases before and I have lost a few.  None stung like this one did.  I still can’t believe it happened the way it did and sooner or later I plan to tell that story of injustice to the enlightened public; I’ve contacted two heavy-weight freedom advocates for assistance.

Back in September I hit a low I’ve never experienced before.  I don’t think I talked to anyone or did anything for about a week.  Fearing I was slipping into major depression I consulted with my doctor.  It was during the appointment weigh-in that I discovered my heft; I had assumed I was something like 215 or 220 at most.  The rest of the appointment was a success.  The doc ordered me to make major changes if I wanted to improve my life station and my health.  What he said were things I really knew the whole time.  But, sometimes it helps to hear it from someone else.

I set out to make the change.  Maybe it was the lingering shock of the trial defeat and all else that had befallen me or maybe it was something else but, I immediately began to lose weight.  This was mainly due to the fact that I ate almost nothing.  I used to love to eat – anything and everything.  Back in college I could chow down on a whole large pizza and still maintain a healthy shape.  Things changed over time.  Big meals became my enemy. 

Now, suddenly, I had no appetite.  I wasn’t even hungry nor conscious of my lack of eating until one day when I developed a case of the shakes.  I then realized I had probably eaten twice in the past four or five days.  Realizing that wasn’t healthy I forced myself to nibble here and there.  The weight kept coming off.  People began to comment and ask what I was doing.  I honestly answered, “nothing.” 

Once I dropped into the 220s I made the decision to not simply decrease my calories (as was the case anyway) but to alter what I ate.  Between October and December I figure I cut those calories in half – down from 2500 to 3000 per day to about 1500 or so.  The weight kept coming off. 

I changed the food I ate.  Studies have shown that you can lose weight eating pure junk-food as long as you eat the right amount.  The numbers make sense.  However, I really don’t like junk food and I am suspicious of the long-term effects of such dieting.  I embarked into “healthy” eating.  Not carrot juice and tofu or the like.  I just cut out the crap – like sodas, heavy bread and pasta, and snacking.  I like meat and I eat a good variety.  Instead of having two pork chops as before, now I stop at one.  I like fruits and veggies and I eat a great variety of those.  All things in moderation.  I suppose the food part is a balancing act and each person’s needs are different.  I have stumbled upon what works well for me.  You might need that professional help I mentioned earlier.  If you do, don’t hesitate to get it.

Food is not the only important item of consumption.  Humans must have water to live and I drink a great deal of the stuff.  When I work out I drink H20 constantly.  I drink it at home and at the office and most other places.  Water performs many miraculous functions for the body and when you drink enough things are well-regulated. 

Speaking of drinks, over my lifetime I have developed a liking for strong coffee and excellent ale.  Coffee in the morning is a great pick me up.  However, I have found that one or two cups does the job fine – no need to drink a pot. 

Overconsumption of coffee and other caffeine products leads to the jitters, energy crashes, headaches, and it reeks havoc on certain natural body chemicals.  Not being a professional I still understand that too much caffeine inhibits cortisol production which slows down fat burning.  I may have got that all wrong but now that I drink less of the stuff I feel better and have more energy.

As for alcohol, I particularly like strong, dark and flavorful ales, porters and stouts.   I honestly enjoy the tastes of such beers and I find them a pleasant way to relax at the end of the day.  They also are a great source of calories, some are 300 to 400 or more per bottle.  The solution I have settled on, just like with food and coffee, is to cut back to a reasonable quantity.  Moderation.  If you have a problem with alcohol this is a great chance to get help, by the way.  The Bible talks about enjoyment in moderation.  If you can’t moderate, it’s probably best to abstain.

It’s funny.  Once you cut back on these things and get used to getting by on less, you don’t miss them at all.

In addition to drinking plenty of water I also take a complete multi-vitamin once a day to supplement any nutrients I might otherwise miss.  I have considered adding fish oil to the regime but I don’t know much about it and what I’m doing seems to work for me.

Let’s see.  We must have food or we die within about 30 days or so.  We can do without water for around 3 days.  Air!  We cease moving without air in around 3 minutes.  Everyone breathes subconsciously.  Did you know you can learn to breathe better?  I read Dr. Andrew Weil’s book Eight Weeks to Optimum Health and he discusses the importance of proper breathing and the techniques to do so.  They’re easy.  Essentially, it’s taking longer, deeper breaths of air.  This allows more oxygen to absorb into the blood.  The more oxygen in the blood, the better the body functions.  Deep breathing also performs the magic trick of killing stress.  Interestingly, de-stressing allows for better breathing.

I also decided to give up worrying.  It’s pointless.  I’m not completely there yet but The Time Given has another chapter dedicated to the issue.  Stress and worry feed off of each other and both take their toll.  Stress cannot be completely eliminated from life, indeed some stress is good for you.  You need to eliminate or counter the bad stress in order to be happy.  Plan and carry out those tasks necessary to get unpleasant things resolved.  Write off or hand off to God those things you simply can’t handle.  And, most importantly, don’t fret over any of it.  Laugh even.

Another stress and fat fighter so many modern people neglect is adequate sleep.  I sleep better now than I have in years.  The results are cumulative.  It’s also important to stretch daily.  Dogs and cats stretch all the time and pound for pound they’re usually more energetic than us.  Emulate them.  Stretching has all kinds of benefits.

The word count is getting up there and I haven’t even touched on the physical exercise part of my routine.  Next time I will discuss weight training, cardio training and really cool stuff like the steam room and that awesome inversion table.  I’ll also cover having more fun, being productive, avoiding negativity and making more positive changes.  Stay tuned!

Posse Comitatus

20 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by perrinlovett in Uncategorized

≈ 25 Comments

Tags

"Civil" War, 107th Congress, 18 USC 1385, 19th Century, 20th Century, 45th Congress, A Well regulated Militia, Abram S. Hewitt, abuse, air force, Alexander Hamilton, America, army, Articles of Confederation, Attorney General, Barrack Obama, beltway snipers, Ben Hill, Caesar, capital felony, civil power, communism, Congress, Congressional Record, Constitution, criminals, Declaration of Independence, district attorneys, drones, Drug "War", due process, Empire, Federalist Papers, freedom, Gallic War, Gauis Curio, George W. Bush, Georgia, governors, happiness, history, Homeland Security, Japan, Jimmy Carter, John B. Anderson, judicial review, Kentucky, King George, Latin, law, legislature, Loeb Classics, Marx, Maryland, Michigan, military, National Guard, Natural Law, NDAA, New York, north, Patriot Act, Posse Comitatus, President, public hanging, Reconstruction, republic, Rome, Ronald Reagan, scholars, sheriffs, slavery, south, States, Supreme Court, taxs, The Founders, The Time Given, Thomas Jefferson, treason, tyranny, Waco, Washington, William Kimmel, wisdom, Wounded Knee

I love follow-up stories.  The other day I did a piece about military drones killing Americans and mentioned the Posse Comitatus Act as a possible solution.  I said I’d have more to say about the Act soon.  Here it is:

On June 18th of this year we will all celebrate the 135th birthday of the Posse Comitatus Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1385.  Happy Birthday, Pos-Com!!!  Maybe you do not share my zeal?  Perhaps you have never heard of this great Act or maybe you don’t know what it means.  Allow me to educate you.  The Posse Comitatus Act means absolutely nothing.  Those who will celebrate the creation of this dead letter are those who should be prosecuted under it – namely those members of the various executive branches of the Federal and state governments. 

“18 U.S.C. § 1385” is a legal citation to the United States Code, referring to Section 1385 of Title 18.  Title 18 is the federal criminal code thus, Posse Comitatus creates a criminal offense.  Like 99.99% of federal criminal laws it only sets forth a felony offense and punishment.  Unlike most federal crimes though, the Act carries a lower than usual maximum sentence and it HAS NEVER BEEN PROSECUTED!

In law school I wrote a lengthy research paper on the Act – Posse Comitatus – written for my advanced Constitutional Decision-Making seminar taught by the very Honorable Professor John B. Anderson.  Anderson represented the people of Illinois’s 16th Congressional District for twenty years.  You may recall his 1980 independent run for President against Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.  You may also recall his book The American Economy We Need from 1984.

I consider Professor (as I always call him) Anderson a good friend.  Once he and his wife, Keke, graciously received my wife and I at their beautiful home on a visit to Washington.  However, back when I initially presented my paper proposal to him he seemed a bit skeptical.  I suspect that, at the time, even he had not heard of the Act.  As the semester progressed though our Nation’s Capital came under the terror of the Beltway snipers.  Anderson called me one day and said he had just heard a news report on the radio about the snipers, the hunt therefore, and … the Posse Comitatus Act.  He was hooked and I received an “A” for my efforts. 

Over the ensuing decade I have ripped the paper apart, added to it, and conducted additional research on the Act and many related matters.  In the not to distant future (later in 2013 perhaps) I look forward to publishing a book based in part on my original thesis.  The book is tentatively called A Well Regulated Militia (Amazon/CreateSpace/Kindle) and will relate to all things Second Amendment, Militia, and tyranny prevention (and reversal).  This would include, for reasons cited herein, below, the Pose Comitatus Act.  This work will be far more substantial than The Time Given (soon, I promise), though that treatise is no less important to the scope of human happiness than anything else I write.

I hope the book-buying public also gives my work an “A” and I experience mass market financial success.  Remember, you need not actually read a book; what counts is buying it (multiple copies if possible).  I have limited the many notes and many of the citations which accompanied my old paper and which will inevitably appear in the book.  For the book I intend to clean them up, eliminate them if possible, or relegate them to the seldom viewed “Notes” section at the back. I hear notes, like charts and graphs, drive down sales.  Pictures have been known to help though:

Minutemen-1776

(Our Posse.  Source: Google images).

The history of the Act is a great part of the history of the 19th century in America.  As you may recall in the middle of that century we had a rather unpleasant incident which resulted in the deaths of about 600,000 men.  I refuse to call it The Civil War because it wasn’t.  A “civil war” is where two or more factions fight for control of a central government.  In our case, the Southerners wanted to be free of Washington, not in control of it.  It also wasn’t a declared war (I’ve had debates with other attorneys about what that meant). My northern friends often ask me my opinions about the war.  I can sum the up easily: it was as deadly as it was unnecessary. 

I am in the minority of honest legal historians who believe that the southern states had every authority to seceed from the union.  I think any state today has that same authority.  Nothing in the Constitution compels eternal membership and several states expressly reserved the ability to withdraw at any time.  They asserted a Natural Law position which, being universal, would seem to apply to even those states which joined without such reservation. 

Back in the Nineteenth Century, America was plagued with major problems – debt, financial scams, economic warfare, lying politicians, and, of course, slavery.  Come to think of it, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

You may recall from history that once the “war” was over and the Union reunited, a probationary period was imposed on the southern states.  This period was known as Reconstruction.  It was rank with abuse.  In numerous cases the legislatures of southern states and other institutions were invaded or harassed by regular army troops.  The Posse Comitatus Act was passed partly in  response to these alarming events. 

“Posse Comitatus” is a Latin phrase roughly meaning “power of the county.”  “Posse” in latin is a verb which means to “be able” or to “have power”.  “Comitatus” means “company” or “retinue.”  In other words, it refers to the local militia – those men available for service in times of crisis.   An aside, suited for a future article: “militia” does not correlate with the “National Guard.” 

The concept of the militia predates and was well established at the time of our nation’s founding.  Congress still acknowledges the militia separately from the Guard; the Guard and the militia are differentiated under Titles 10 and 32 of the U.S. Code.  Every State maintains a militia (at least in the law books) separate from the Guard.  In Georgia, the State militia is officially the Georgia State Defense Force.  See: O.C.G.A. § 38-2-23, et seq. 

The Guard was instituted in the early twentieth century and is essentially a back-up force for the regular national army – it is sometimes on loan to the several States.  Enough on that for now.

The Pose Comitatus Act reads, in its entirety: “Whoever, except in cases and circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or the Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.”   18 U.S.C. § 1385.   

The Act (let’s call it the “PCA” from here out) originally started out as an amendment to the Army Appropriations Bill (H.R. 4867) for the fiscal year ending in 1879.  This would be during the forty-fifth congress, second session, in 1878.  The initial mention of the concept of the PCA as an amendment came from Rep. William Kimmel of Maryland on May 20, 1878.  Kimmel was cut off in mid speech by time constraints; however, he successfully laid the framework for the PCA amendment.  See: 7 Cong. Rec. 3586. 

H.R. 4867, PCA and all, eventually became law on June 18, 1878, hence the pending birthday celebration.  See: 7 Cong. Rec. 4686.  Some scholars have speculated the PCA was enacted only to end the use of he army in supervising southern elections and legislative sessions.  Earlier I said the PCA was partly enacted for the reasons said scholars state.  I, however, dug deep into Congressional history (boy, what fun) and found a more complicated picture. 

The roots behind the theory of Posse Comitatus go much deeper and further back in history than the American Republic.  The concept was present at the end of the Roman Republic, more than twenty centuries ago.  Gauis Curio attempted to disarm Caesar’s returning army in order to preserve domestic tranquility.  See: Caesar, The Gallic War, Loeb Classical Library, 587 (Harvard U. Press, 2000).  As you know, Caesar “crossed the Rubicon” and the Empire shortly thereafter commenced.

In early America the fear of armed military forces present in everyday life was of grave concern to our Founding Fathers.  Beginning the Declaration of Independence with a nod to Natural Law, Thomas Jefferson listed the first grievance against King George that “He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature. … He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to the civil power.”  Dec. Independence, para. 13 – 14 (1776).  Jefferson listed various other similar complaints against the King.

Jefferson was not alone in his fear of standing armies, provisions against which found their way into both the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution (remember the Constitution?).  In The Federalist Papers, Alexander Hamilton, himself not the greatest proponent of freedom, railed against the standing army as “unsupported by any precise or intelligible designations of reasons.”  The Federalist, No. 27 (Hamilton).   

The Forty-Fifth Congress considered several issues in developing the PCA: a standing army versus a militia; limited central government; and, the proper (if any) uses for an army within the confines of the territory of the Republic.  A sub-issue of concern at the end of the 19th Century was the potential rise of communism, which Congress greatly and rightly feared.  Karl Marx was still alive at the time of the PCA debate, his works on “economics” relatively fresh off the presses.  Rep. Abram S. Hewitt of New York commented on the subject: “If you want to fan communism, increase your standing army and you will have enough of it.”  7 Cong. Rec. H. 3538 (1878). 

Rep. Kimmel stated the then current use of the army in domestic affairs was a direct “violation of the Constitution.”  He cited numerous examples of federal troops aiding tax agents, governors, sheriffs, and district attorneys in Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, and New York.  7 Cong. Rec. 3580 – 3582.  Again, it is popularly said that the PCA was the result of Southern states fed up with the misuse of federal soldiers during elections. Most of Kimmel’s examples were responses to tax collections and labor disputes.  In 1878, as today, New York and Michigan are generally regarded as northern states.  Other Representatives related similar troubles all across the country.  The problem was national in scope.

In the Senate the debate continued.  Senator Benjamin Hill of Georgia remarked, “A posse comitatus is a wholly different thing from an army; it is different in every respect from an army…”  7 Cong. Rec. 4246.  He continued, “it never was lawful, it never shall be lawful, to employ the army as a posse comitatus until you destroy the distinction between civil power and the military power in this country.”  Id. 

As the PCA is a criminal law and given the federal Empire’s love of prosecuting any and everything, one would expect numerous cases under the PCA over the past century or so.  One would be mistaken.  There has never been one single case brought against anyone under the PCA.  This may be due to the fact that the most likely suspects are government officials.  They don’t like to go after their own.  Honor among thieves you know.

The closest semblance of judicial review of the PCA has been in the form of indirect rulings in cases involving other crimes.  Defendants have asserted, as a defense, an alleged violation of the PCA by government officials executing some duty (such as drug enforcement).  This defense universally fails.  I will not bore my audience with any particular cases, though they date from at least 1975 and continue into this Century.

Oddly, I, the great authority on this matter, was once threatened with the potential of facing a PCA violation!  Yes, yours truly, Perrin Lovett.  It all stemmed from one of those lovely anti-family law cases of which I have previously expounded: https://perrinlovett.wordpress.com/2013/02/09/anti-family-law/.  I believe it was a custody dispute. 

Anyway, the defendant was a member of the U.S. Army stationed at Camp Zama in Japan.  Thus, I was tasked with the trouble of perfecting International legal service of process which is not necessarily the easiest thing to do.  I decided to circumvent technicalities by having the defendant simply acknowledge he had received my petition.  Not having an exact address for him, I contacted several offices at the Camp in an attempt to solicit their help in the matter.  The Provost Marshall’s office quickly told me they could not assist with serving a civil lawsuit without running afoul of the PCA.  They actually said that; you know, from the history given here, this type of situation was not within the original intention of Congress.  I pointed out that I was not asking for such, just for friendly information.  As luck would have it, I located the defendant on my own and the case went forward.  As usual, no-one was happy.  Correction: I am happy to have avoided being the only PCA prosecution in history.

Back to reality.  There have been cases innumerable of the military becoming involved in civil law enforcement – from the “war” on drugs to the massacre at Waco, to the Wounded Knee massacre, to the hunt for the D.C. snipers, etcetera, ad nauseum.  Why then, have there been no criminal cases arising from the incidents?

The answer lies in the actions of both the Executive branch and, especially, with Congress.  Exception after exception to the PCA have been enacted over the long years.  Congress has all but rendered the PCA a dead letter to the point the Act is useless for its intended purpose.  

It is somewhat interesting that, having taken the teeth away, Congress has not fully repealed the PCA.  This may be because federal laws never die, they linger forever, used or not.  Amazingly, as recently as 2005, the 107th Congress reaffirmed the spirit of the PCA, literally, but not meaningfully.  “The Congress reaffirms the continued importance of …[the PCA] … and it is the sense of Congress that nothing in this Act [H.R. 5005 – creating the Department of Homeland Security] should be construed to alter the applicability of such section to any use of the Armed Forces as a posse comitatus to execute the laws.”  H.R. 5005 § 780(a) – (b). 

The Homeland Security debacle … Act … followed the Patriot Act and decades of “war” on drugs, crime, and your freedom.  Various National Defense Authorization Acts have followed.  The result has been the complete decimation of the PCA.  President Bush (No. 43) and his successor, Barack Obama, have made clear their intention to use the military whenever necessary, wherever needed, to keep us safe, of course.  Obama even claims he can use military weapons to kill without Due Process.  The protests against his claim are less than deafening.  I protest!

I have some suggestions for changes and improvements to restore the vitality of the PCA.  This is one of the few instances where you will ever hear me call for a new or continued statute.  In the name of freedom, Congress should amend the PCA first to kill all of the previous exemptions.  Second, they should specify that the law only applies to those members of the federal, state, or local governments who would dare to use federal military force to accomplish civil law enforcement of any kind; they could define a violation as an act of government employee-specific treason. 

The punishment could be expanded accordingly.  Perhaps the original punishment might be appropriate in minor cases.  Others, such as those which involve the mass killing of American citizens could be made capital felonies.  Congress has the Constitutional authority to also limit the review of any conviction from any court – including the Supreme Court; thus, when a high official (an attorney general for example) orders Army tanks to drive into a church and burn the worshippers within alive, that official could be convicted under the PCA and immediately hanged in public.  This might serve as a warning to future would-be tyrants. 

Again, this is only a suggestion.  I do not relish the idea of killing even to avenge killing.  I reconsider, reluctantly, when the dread act(s) have the potential of continuing against all of the free people.

This leads me back to my article on drones picking off the voting, tax-suffering public, https://perrinlovett.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/droning-on-and-on/.  A President, already forbidden to use military drones against domestic targets (his already unConstitutional Orders overridden by my proposed law) might think twice about defying the law if he knew the gallows awaited his defiance.

The issues raised herein may likely lead to other related articles.  All of which concern you and those you hold dear.  It is your freedom, security, and happiness that drives me to raise the alarm – the same alarm raised by the Founders and the forgotten members of the forty-fifth Congress.  Bless their wisdom and fore-sighted concern.

Perrin Lovett

FREE Ebook!

The Substitute – my first novel

NOTE! Much better, revised edition coming ASAP!

The Happy Little Cigar Book

Buy From Amazon! The perfect coffee table book!

Perrin On Politics

FREE E-book! Download now~

Right-Minded Social Media For Normal People

Freedom Roasters Coffee AND Apparel

Ritin’ @ Reckonin’

Archives

  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • June 2012

Prepper Post News Podcast by Freedom Prepper (sadly concluded, but still archived!)

Have a Cup!

Perrin’s Articles and Videos at FREEDOM PREPPER (*2016-2022)

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • PERRIN LOVETT
    • Join 39 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • PERRIN LOVETT
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.