16 July 2010 politics PM

Here is some cool pro-Obama fluff (as well as some legislative accomplishments; some which are substantial though might not go far enough)

The Democrats have a nice 2010 issue:

I posted this on Daily Kos:

I don’t see this on the front page or in a diary so I’ll post this gaffe from Rep. John Boehner: if in power, the Republicans would set a moratorium on all new federal regulations! In other words, they’d try to bring back the conditions that got us into this economic mess to begin with.

Source below the fold:
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I don’t see this on the front page or in a diary so I’ll post this gaffe from Rep. John Boehner: if in power, the Republicans would set a moratorium on all new federal regulations! In other words, they’d try to bring back the conditions that got us into this economic mess to begin with. Source below the fold:

Via Gawker.com:

Now maybe he was just trying to be nice to the particular businessman who asked him about this, someone who has no idea how the federal government or society operates:

House Minority Leader John A. Boehner on Friday endorsed a one-year moratorium on almost all new federal regulations, an idea he said would create jobs by ending uncertainty among businesses fearful of new federal mandates.

Boehner made the suggestion in the Capitol after a 90-minute session with a group of business leaders gathered as part of America Speaking Out, the House Republicans’ effort to solicit ideas across the country for a fall campaign platform.

One of the participants at the roundtable raised the idea and Boehner said afterward, “Having a moratorium on new federal regulations is a great idea. It sends a wonderful signal to the private sector that they’ll have some breathing room.”

It’s bizarre how these business leaders, who must be very well educated and capable of critical thought, keep thinking that Obama is coming after all businesses, one by one, until Western Civilization has been pulverized entirely.

Eugene Robinson on Countdown said it very well: if Democrats can’t run on this, we may as well become a one party system.

Knee Update (of interest only to me)

This afternoon: I am walking much, much, much better this afternoon after my therapy system; my mobility has almost returned to pre-operation levels. We’ll see if this lasts.
I can slip one cd case under my good knee when extended. I get a double and a single (or three singles) under my right one.

16 July 2010 pm

Knee: it actually feels looser this afternoon; heat plus Tylenol?

Posts
Humor: talk about truth in advertising!

Speaking of scams
Suppose I have something I am measuring. This month, it is 0.149. Next month it is 0.151. Not much change, right? But if you round to the nearest tenth, you get a “change” from 0.1 to 0.2, a 100 percent increase!!!!!! “Oh noes” or “Oh yeah”! Stupid right…just a “math professor example”, right? Well, yeah, this does happen.

A bit more Paul Kurgman: he backs Elizabeth Warren for head of the Consumer Financial Protection Board. Krugman also talks about what went “wrong” in terms of getting a bit enough stimulus.

A snide remark, from a liberal’s point of view: Yes, the President has gotten the most accomplished since President Johnson. The bad news is that this centrist, watered down and too weak legislation that got passed really was the best any President has done since then. But that’s life in the U. S. of A.; if you are a liberal, you are going to be lonely in this country.

PT Report 16 July 2010

This post will be of interest only to me: I am compiling my injury (tear of my meniscus; front outer and back inner and damaged cartilage (on my thigh bone). I had surgery on the 9′th to remove the torn tissue and smooth out the cartilage and the back of the knee cap.

PT report: range of motion: 6 to 113 degrees; “0″ would mean that I could fully straighten my knee. I can’t quite kick myself in the butt but it is now easier for me to get in and out of the car so I have greater range than I had previously.

I also have a weak vastus medialis oblique muscle. I’ve been given an exercise to do at home: lay on my back with a towel rolled under my knee joints. Then put a pillow between my knees and squeeze while pulling the pillow down toward the floor. Squeeze as hard as pain allows and hold for 5 seconds each time and do 10 times, 2-3 times a day.

I can walk but be careful to NOT push through the pain (1.7 miles today) and bike at very low resistance and a high seat.

Factors: pressure with bent knees puts pressure on the meniscus. Also, the base of my lower leg (meniscus, and the cartilage on my thigh bone) is now different, hence I have a slightly different gait than before. So, I have to build up very slowly.

One other note: when my knees are bent, I have some popping high up between the knee cap and the lower thigh; it isn’t at all painful or “grinding”. It is like a knuckle crack pop, except gentler.

Runners for Mount Rushmore

So, who would be the runners on Mount Rushmore?

My selections:

Emil Zapotec: won triple gold at the 1952 Olympics (5k, 10k, marathon) and is considered one of the founders of interval training.

Haile Gebreselassie: such amazing range (5K to marathon), long career

Carlos Lopes: silver in the 10K in 1976, gold in the 1984 marathon at 36, set WR with 2:07 at 37 years of age and won world XC championships too.

Hicham El Guerrouj: 3 Olympic medals and double gold (1500 and 5000) in 2004

Of course, I wouldn’t argue with Lasse Viren (twice double golds in the 5K and 10K),
Abebe Bikila (two Olympic marathon golds)
Alberto Salazar: marathon world best, 54 mile winner in the 1990s

Ladies: I am less familiar but I’d suggest:

Grete Waitz (dominated women’s marathoning for a long time; Silver in the first one)
Joan Benoit (gold in the first women’s marathon; made the olympic team only a few days after surgery, blew away the the women’s WR with 2:22)
Catherine Ndereba (4 Bostons, WR at Chicago, two silver medals in the Olympics, sub 2:20 time)
Ann Trason: dominated the ultra runs for a long time; 17 hour 100 miler at Western States

Countdown: N.Y. Post reports the ridiculous (Killer Monkeys!)

Workout notes Stretching, slow, slow, slow 40 minute walk (23-24 minutes per mile); not painful but I must have looked terrible as a friend who was driving by offered me a ride home.

Stretching: today, I got my leg slightly flatter; I can’t quite get my full fist (palm down) under my leg though my hand slides under easily.

Countdown: N.Y. Post reports the ridiculous, posted with vodpod

Uh, Exactly What is the Product in this Commercial?

This is a case where the attention grabbing model takes away from the product (the drink)

Note: you might have to verify age if you click; there is no nudity but there is underwear.

15 July 2010: knee

That is as straight as it goes as of right now. Mission: get the back of the knee to almost touch. My other leg can barely be glimpsed; you can side your hand between the back of my knee and the floor on my “good” leg. On the bad leg, you can get my whole balled-up fist.

This will take time; it hasn’t been straight in 9 months.

Song: Black Tea Party

Reality: black and brown kooks are treated differently than white kooks.

First Walk Back: slooooow.

I bribed Olivia with a promise to the trip to the Spotted Cow.
We walked for 32 minutes; about 1.75 miles at my current pace. It was weird having Olivia have to wait on me.

Nevertheless, the knee stood up to it. Note: I am recovering from the incisions themselves and not the internal work; there is nothing inside the knee that needs to “heal”. Just the incisions and the stuff that was cut to make them.