GOODBYE QUID PRO JOE

Let's talk politics... In previous years posting every day, I enjoyed dipping into some political pontificating.... It's time to rediscover that.

President Biden? Perhaps of his condo association, not President of the United States of America

On Tuesday night the State of New Hampshire held a primary which will signal the end of the Presidential aspirations of Joe Biden.  The man deserves to be enjoying his retirement and the many millions of dollars immorally 'earned' by him and his family.

After years of hearing how President Trump was a 'liar'
Here is a whopper of a lie from Vice President Biden:

From the very beginning, Biden claimed that he did not desire the endorsement of President Barack Obama.  This was so patently untrue - that a person would have to be medically brain-dead to believe it.  If it were true that Biden asked Obama not to endorse him - then it would be demonstrably proven that the guy is far too stupid to be President.  So either he is a bad liar or dumber than a box of rocks.
Relax everyone, it is possible that he is both.

Adios Joe.
Adios Pocahontas

Hello Democratic Socialist/Communist nominee for President, Bernie Sanders.

Can Bloomberg snatch the nomination from Bernie?
Maybe...
He is still a clueless Democrat, but at least he is not a communist.

NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY

This is a day for politics.

Today, February 9, is the 'First in the Nation' New Hampshire primary.  It appears that the two winners are set if the polls are even remotely correct: Bernie Sanders (D) and Donald Trump (R).  I wish I could make a sensible prediction for the top vote getters in the Republican side - but the race is simply too close to really know.  Since Ted Cruz is the guy that I support the most - I will predict (hope) that he comes in second place.  I will not be surprised if Marco Rubio comes in 2nd.  Anything else will be a big surprise.  I will predict too, that Jeb Bush is not in the top five. And my final prediction is that Bernie wins by double digits. See you tomorrow.

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BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker Oats - Oatmeal Apples & Cinnamon	640	132	8	16	800	48
Morningstar Farms - Sausage Patty	240	9	9	30	780	3
KELLOGGS - RAISIN BRAN	380	92	2	10	420	36
	1,260	233	19	56	2,000	87
L U N C H
HYVEE -SPINACH SALAD, 1.5 salad	750	0	0	0	0	0
Mcintosh - Apple, 2 medium apple	160	44	0	0	0	34
Kellogg's - Rice Krispies, 1 bar	150	28	4	1	170	13
Outtakes - Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, 2	235	35	10	3	236	19
	1,295	107	14	4	406	66
D I N N E R
HYVEE -SPINACH SALAD, 1.5 salad	750	0	0	0	0	0
Yoplait - Yogart/ Harvest Peach	150	25	2	6	95	18
	900	25	2	6	95	18
Totals	3,455	365	35	66	2,501	171
Your Daily Goal	3,832	479	127	192	2,300	143
Remaining	377	114	92	125	-200	-27
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 1,902 extra calories from exercise today

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Your Exercise Diary for:

Monday, February 8, 2016

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Elliptical Trainer	90	1,945
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-43
Daily Total / Goal	91 / 30	1,902 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	91 / 210	1,902 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 3455 calories

total calories burned (elliptical) 1945 calories

total net 1510 calories

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fitbit day 155

13072 steps
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PERSPECTIVE

Two days ago my family trekked about 5 miles along the trails at Starved Rock State Park on the banks of the Illinois River. The changes in elevation were no more than 125 feet and we bounced up and down that height a few times along the trail. Since I have been spending so much time working out on the elliptical machine in the past few months - I did not find this hike wildly challenging.  What I will admit - is that if I had attempted this hike sometime last year when my weight was north of 300 pounds - I would have been exhausted within 10 minutes of this hike.  After all, I am nearly 58 years old.

These days, I have a different  perspective.  Back when I was 17 years old, my family vacationed in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  We were a family of five.  Mom, Dad and three boys.  I can remember hiking The Lonesome Lake Trail up to the summit of Cannon Mountain.  Cannon Mountain has an elevation of 4180 feet.   I believe the starting elevation of this hike was something in the neighborhood of 1800 feet.  I remember that the whole family accomplished this hike to the summit.  I seem to remember our complete hike might have been four or five hours  And I remember being exhausted afterwards.  I definitely remember the Smorgasbord Buffet dinner at the inn where we were lodged - The Horse and Hound.   At the time, I was approximately 17 years old.  If I do the math, this means that my Dad and Mom who, of course, seemed 'ancient' to me at the time....were in their forties, my dad being nearly fifty.  In recent years I have come to reconsider at what age I think someone is 'ancient.'  I am fairly certain that neither my Mom nor my Dad spent six months training for this hike.  They simply did it.  I don't remember taking too many hikes in my life after this experience.  Back then in the 1970's, I did not catch the hiking habit.  I believe I might be catching it now.

While preparing this blog entry - I was amazed to discover that the Horse and Hound Inn still exists today.  I probably should not have been so surprised it has been around since 1946.  It would be interesting to return to the White Mountains of New Hampshire with my family to hike Cannon Mountain once again.

The Horse & Hound Inn, Franconia, New Hampshire

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 Sunday MENU

breakfast  crispbreads, SunMaid Mission Figs                                   700 calories

lunch        spinach salad, hearts of palm, fuji apples, almonds           540 calories                                                                           

dinner       wasabi peas, mango, Kahuna Crunch, granola                  875 calories
SNACK    white chocolate bar                                                            240 calories

total calories consumed 2357 calories

calories burned

elliptical machine 92 minutes, manual, level 20              1912 calories

CALORIES BURNED 2243 CALORIES

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Saturday net calories 445 calories

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Cannon Mountain, New Hampshire

Cannon Mountain was the location of my last 'major' hike which occurred in the mid 1970's.   My next 'major' hike will be in approximately 75 days. 

Half Dome, Yosemite, California

Half Dome will be the location of my next 'major' hike.  Thankfully the ascent will not be taking place up the sheer cliff shown in the above photo!

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per·spec·tive

pərˈspektiv/

a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

"most guidebook history is written from the editor's perspective"

synonyms:

outlook, view, viewpoint, point of view, POV, standpoint, position,stand, stance, angle, slant, attitude, frame of mind, frame of reference,approach, way of looking, interpretation "her perspective on things had changed"