Canastota Castle 🏰

One of these days I'll have to find out more about this unique building. Is it a church? A home built by an exotic individual or a rich man? 

Taken on Sunday November 5, 2023 at Canastota.

Intermittent Fasting 🍲

One of the latest fad diets is intermittent fasting. I would argue it’s a lot like the popular keto diet that says you can eat unlimited bacon as long as you cut down on the carbs. In other words, don’t really try, have your cake and eat it too. Ignoring all that saturated fats clogging your arteries and larding up your arteries.

Muslims during Ramadan often doing fasting part of the day. They usually though break their fast with a calorie dense meal. The thing is I’m not sure if there is an actual net reduction of calories or that health and weight actually improved. Delayed calorie intake doesn’t guarantee you won’t take up more calories later in the day.

I guess if your problem with excessive calorie intake is one of snacking all day long, setting an eating schedule can help. Fewer hours to eat in theory means less eating. At least that’s the idea of intermittent fasting. Still I don’t agree as delayed calorie intake doesn’t mean less calories or better health. Moreover, to the contrary I tend to think intermittent fasting encourages low blood sugar which only encourages excessive sugar and therefore calorie consumption when a fast is broken.

What’s a better idea – the opposite of intermittent fasting – eating all day with a focus on smaller, healthy unprocessed foods high in fiber with some occasional healthy omega 3 fats and protein. Fiber and more fiber. Things that are naturally filling like lentils and spicy foods. Staying away from artificial sweets except for a rare treat. Go for the apple or banana or grape if you crave sweet. But never stop eating that fiber from things like carrots, celery and broccoli. And drink lots of water.

I’ve always liked the idea of redrawing the 50 states around communities of interest. πŸ—Ί

That would fix the electoral college and make state governments more representative of the people. If you had truly solidly blue or red states it would enable them to enact policies closer to local needs and desires.

For example, I think it makes sense to put Northern New Jersey, New York City and Connecticut in one state then put the Adirondacks in Vermont and Western NY in Pennsylvania. Likewise it might make sense to put much of Western and Norgthern Michigan into Wisconsin and merge Detroit – Chicago – Indianapolis into another state.

Sure I get the inconveniences of being drawn into a different state – but it’s no different than moving from state to state – but it would require a constitutional amendment if not approved by the affected states and the congress.

Farm on a Mountain

I love this image. This house must have awesome views of the sunsetting over the canyon. As seen from the West Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Taken on Monday November 8, 2010 at Tioga State Forest.