Plenty to Lose

Wow, a mountain lion huh Ric? Is it keeping that bear away? Lions and tigers and bears OH MY! :lol: I'd pack heat for sure. I recently visited the Toronto zoo and at the mountain lion exhibit they had a habitat map. There was a colored in section in the north east. The big cats went extinct here at the turn of the last century, but sightings have been on the up swing. At first the DEC said they were not mountain lions, then they were but must have been escaped pets and now this map thing at the zoo. Conspiracy theororists would have you believe the DEC released them into the Adirondack mountains to deal with the troublesome deer population we have up here. I look at it this way. The Adirondack park is a huge protected mountain area. No hunting, just hiking type recreation ect. How can we be sure they were ever completely gone. Any sightings were explained away like UFO's. I think they were there all along.

Vic, I think I'd more likely get a bilateral case of "hammer toe" on sighting the lion, along with a case of "lion pants."

TR, I agree, it seems unlikely to me that the lions were ever quite extinct throughout the vast lonely stretches of the Appalachians. There are always ways to poo-poo (no reference to the above) any reported sightings or other evidence to the contrary.

People in desperate circumstances have fought off and killed both mountain lions and bears with knives, but I wouldn't want to have to do so.

Long ago I read in Outdoor Life of a Native American woman living alone in Arizona who had her heifer killed by a mountain lion. She was not pleased. She followed the trail to where the lion had left it in the crotch of a tree nearby and staked it out, axe in hand, till the lion returned, and killed the big kitty with her axe.
:shock:

Long ago I read in Outdoor Life of a Native American woman living alone in Arizona who had her heifer killed by a mountain lion. She was not pleased. She followed the trail to where the lion had left it in the crotch of a tree nearby and staked it out, axe in hand, till the lion returned, and killed the big kitty with her axe.
:shock:

Holy COW!!! :shock:

or should I say

Holy CATS (Batman)?! :P

Margaret

I would mark that woman as one not to be trifled with.
8)

I like that woman's style!

Took this last month ................ at the Toronto zoo :P He was a handsome devil though. Came right up to us, then started to grunt and growl at the kid standing next to us. I think he didn't like him.

That's one beautiful cat

OK, to finish beating on this off-topic, here's the finished product:

I'm told it's a German pattern blacksmith's hammer, although it's heavier than usual by current standards. For really heavy work, it might be held with the peen (edged end) against the work and be struck against the flat face from above with a heavier sledge, to drive it into the work. (Red hot steel.) That indents and spreads it.

I'm quite ignorant about this stuff, but I'm getting a handle on it. :wink:

I'm quite ignorant about this stuff, but I'm getting a handle on it. :wink:

:roll: :D

Nice hammer Ric.

By coincidence, I used something similar in my weight loss program last year (on topic tie in... 8) )

Mine is a block splitter. For anybody who hasn't used one, it's built like a sledge hammer but you use the weight to split firewood. You stand your short section of log on end and swing the splitter like an axe. But they're broader, heavier and blunter than an axe so they split without jamming in the wood. Great exercise and excellent for releasing pent up annoyance... I split several tons of wood with mine last year - as the exercise part of my successful weight loss program. :D

The only problem with using yours for that purpose would be a tendency to fire half the split wood directly at your shins... :shock:

Happy hammering.

Cheers,

Chris

I have something similar to yours, but with a steel tubing handle. Sold in the back of Popular Mechanics years ago under the name "Monster Maul," but I went for their gimmick of paying an extra buck or two for one that didn't have the handle welded in but siliconed in place instead (which surely saved them money), supposedly cushioning the shock transmitted down the handle. So mine's called a "Professional Maul" instead of the cooler "Monster Maul." Works very well, much easier to use than a sledge and wedges for easy-splitting wood, but for the really tough knotty stuff the sledge and wedges still need to come out. Lord, those things can get dangerous! My wood piles always heated me several times, between cutting, splitting, stacking, carrying and burning the stuff. I don't try to run the stove now; it's got too much guitar stuff around it.

To resurrect this thread once again.....how's everybody doing on their fitness programs?

I'm walking three miles a day on the treadmill--it's a time commitment at 50 minutes, plus 10 minutes to stretch beforehand. I had some old knee problems cropping up until a friend reminded me to faithfully stretch the backs of the legs--seems to be working.

I'm always open for suggestions of good movies to watch during the workout. Currently watching Man on Fire with Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning. Other recent goodies have been The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin (haven't seen it? You must!), and Enemy of the State with Will Smith.

I eat pretty much what I want and stick to whole grains instead of refined, fresh veggies and fruits instead of canned or frozen, foods with basic ingredients instead of unprounceable chemical chain names, etc. Doing more organically-produced foods, and little squares of dark chocolate on occasion, too. I've plateau'd out on weight loss, down somewhere between 50 and 60 pounds since this time two years ago. At 135, I'm still not slim, but feel reasonably healthy for 47.

The other night while treading I picked up two 3-lb hand weights, and was amazed how much extra drag those little buggers made while trekking along. To think I used to carry around 9 or 10 times that in extra weight, all day long. :shock:

Soon we'll start Year 3 on this thread. Who's in? Raise your hand, or, if you are still digesting turkey dinner, just grunt. :lol:

Margaret

I'm down 24 since April, but only 2 since August. I had gained about 10 pounds in late August and September while eating my way out of naseau caused by Migraines, but I lost that since then and a couple more. Also, that's weighing just now after my Thanksgiving meal followed by my famous cheesecake and 1/2 pot of coffee.

No exercise for me during the past few months due to illness. It's all been eating reasonable portions. I can't wait to start walking again though. I'm beginning to get antsy.

Good job on your weight loss Margaret. 135 is not bad at all. I'm not convinced that having a few extra pounds is all that bad health-wise or looks-wise. Better than looking like Angelina Jolie. Of course, I am no Doctor.....

Margaret, good diet and weight loss to you. I hate exercise so I don't and just exclude certain foods from my consumption. Still, as it was a holiday yesterday, I ate two plates of food. Certainly all low-calorie (yea right) foods. I even ate pie (normally only a couple of times a year).

You know, I'm surrounded by family and firmly believe in genetics. My brother (40) and I (39) are both 6'2" but he weighs 300 and I'm at 205. My dad and I share the same build & eating habits while my brother shares my mom's heavier genetics. And he doesn't really eat crazy and is active in softball. It makes me sad we have predispositions like that. I know I'd be pissed if I were in my brother's shoes. But my bro has a great life! :D

I don't care so much about anyone's weight as long as we get to live to be 80 and fairly healthy. I'm sad because my mother has been morbidly obese for a couple of decades, is on oxygen, and has a mind-blowing amount of health issues. Still I believe genetics play a huge role in that. I pray she can make it just two more years to retirement.

Anyway, happy Thanksgiving and hope y'all had a great day! :D

hey all, long time since i posted... :D

i'm not interested in losing weight rather gaining.
Funny thing is for us to gain is just as hard as for those who want to lose the weight, i'm 6'4 and use to be 165lbs !
it's taken about 2.5 years but i've added 65lbs upto 228lbs, for this year the goal is to get to 253lbs (115KG)

i think the most important thing i've learned is no matter how hard you train no matter if want to lose or gain, the biggest part of your success is what you put into your body, it counts for atleast 80%. What you see now standing in front of the mirror is the result of what you've fed your body for the last 6months.

Also depending on your age as some here will know, high intensity or low intensity exercise might burn more or less fat depending on your age.

If you're on a strict diet to lose weight schedule youreself a "cheat day" where you have one cheat meal during the week. it helps!!

Good Luck
Minus