KWBaker

This squat, cinderblock building in Yazoo County is the oldest active juke joint in the state of Mississippi. There’s no stage—those brave enough to pick up a guitar in such a storied juke stand on the floor or sit in a chair to play. There are no real windows either, making midday feel like midnight. Faded photos and memorabilia lining the walls bring blues legends long-deceased back to life, and show the cafe’s proprietor, GRAMMY Award^®-nominated Jimmy “Duck” Holmes—one of the last of the Bentonia Bluesmen—aging backwards.

Jimmy’s parents opened Blue Front Cafe in 1948, the year after his birth, to help supplement their income from cotton farming. They sold bootleg corn whiskey, deviled eggs, and buffalo fish (a sweet, freshwater fish popular in the upper Delta) to folks working the massive cotton gin next door. On occasion, they’d also host impromptu performances put on by the constant stream of  bluesmen traveling up Highway 49 toward Chicago. Jimmy (nicknamed “Duck” for his waddling gait as a child) came of age in this environment, helping his parents run the cafe while learning Bentonia’s unique style of blues, with its trademark drop-tuning and—even by blues’ standards—the distinctly mournful chords it produces. Bentonia bluesmen don’t play with picks; they’ll tell you their fingers are tough enough from childhoods spent cutting them on cotton bolls. 

Regular blues performances at Blue Front made it an unofficial stop on the Blues Highway, so much so that shortly after Jimmy took over in 1970, renowned ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax—whose field recordings of Delta blues musicians throughout the middle of the twentieth century helped bring Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, and Lead Belly to prominence—made several recordings in Blue Front. 

Recent years have been a bit of a rollercoaster. Jimmy picked up a GRAMMY Award^® nomination for his 2019 album Cypress Grove which brought more notoriety to the Bentonia school of blues, but the pandemic has upset the regularity of performances. Shows are back to a more-or-less impromptu basis, but if you show up and hang out long enough when Jimmy’s there (and he’s always there), he just may pick up a guitar and start strumming anyway.

Our relationship with food goes deeper than we ever imagined.

The new entry-level Rivian models use motors designed in-house and are offered with a lower-range Standard battery pack, while the quad-motor trucks are getting a lot more expensive.

Former NYC hot spot frequented by Johnny Carson and David Letterman reopens a swanky NYC lounge.

Visit Uncrate for the full post.

The top rum in the world was the Worthy Park Estates, White Overproof Rum. The Global Spirit Masters recently announced the top rums and cachaça expressions in the world. Twenty-six spirits won the coveted Master award.

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EEG brain recordings show that the experience of one's "life flashing before one's eyes" may have a neurological basis

The Military Diet is all about rapid weight loss, but is it healthy? Find out about the Military Diet here.

The post Everything you need to know about the Military Diet plan appeared first on The Manual.

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in September 2011.

The Army first introduced a formal fitness test to its troops in 1942. Millions of men were being called up to fight in World War II, and not all of them were prepared for the rigors of combat. To get the men in fighting shape, the Army implemented a systematic physical development program as part of the Combat Basic Training course. And the Army Ground Forces Test was designed to assess whether the program was having its desired effect. The AGFT involved a battery of five events: squat jumps, sit-ups, pull-ups, push-ups, and a 300-yard run. The emphasis was on functional fitness and giving American GI’s the strength, mobility, and endurance they would need to tackle real tasks on the battlefield.

The training program and fitness test which were developed during the war were codified in the 1946 edition of FM 21-20, the Army’s physical training manual.

In the decades after WWII, the military’s emphasis on physical fitness waxed and waned, depending on whether the country was involved in a conflict.

Most recently, the Army introduced the Army Combat Fitness Test as the newest iteration of their PT test. It involves six exercises/events: deadlift, power throw, hand-release push-ups, sprint/drag/carry, leg tuck, and 2-mile run.

The AGFT remains a high-water mark for PT testing, however, for the way it tests all-around fitness, while not requiring any special equipment (outside of a pull-up bar).

If you’d like to see how you’d stack up against your grandfather or great-grandfather, consider taking the WWII fitness test yourself. Why? Well as the introduction to the original test itself says:

Tests motivate the men to improve their physical condition. Frequently men do not realize what poor condition they are in. When the tests reveal their deficiencies, they are much more receptive to an intensive physical training program in order to remedy their shortcomings.

So maybe taking the test will inspire you to get in shape (or inspire you to feel awesome about how in shape you already are).

If you’re a coach, it might be fun to have your guys take the test; I took the young men at my church through it and we had a great time.

Below you’ll find the test, as taken directly from FM 21-20. Before we get to it, let’s go over a couple of guidelines:

• The WWII test requires that the exercises be done with strict precision. To get an accurate assessment of how you did, don’t sacrifice quality for quantity!
• In the chart below, you will see two batteries of tests — one for doing outdoors, one for doing indoors. Pick one or the other — not both. The fifth test in the indoor battery includes two variations: choose one or the other.
• I’ve never been able to ascertain if/how much rest was allotted in between each exercise/event; when I do the test, I do one event pretty much right after the other.

 

The WWII Fitness Test

 

TEST 1: PULLUPS

This event requires a horizontal bar. This may be made of a pipe or gymnasium horizontal bar, or other rigid horizontal support which is not over 1½ inches in diameter. The bar should be high enough to permit the performer to hang at full length without touching the ground. A height of 7 feet, 9 inches to 8 feet is recommended.

Starting Position. Hanging at full length from the bar with arms straight. The forward grasp is used with the palms turned away from the face.

Movement. Pull up until the chin is above the level of the bar. Then lower the body until elbows are completely straight. Continue for as many repetitions as possible.

Instructions. The men should be told that it is permissible to raise the legs and flex the hips when pulling up but not to kick or execute a jerking motion with trunk or legs. The body must be kept from swinging. The chin must be raised above the bar. The arms must be completely straight at the bottom of the movement.

Administration and Scoring. Each time the performer pulls his chin above the bar in correct form, he is given credit for one pullup. He is not credited with a pullup if he fails to raise his chin above the level of the bar or if he stops to rest. If the performer does not straighten his arms at the bottom of a movement, if he kicks or jerks, only half a pull-up will be counted. If there are four half-pullups, the performer should be stopped and retested later. If the performer starts to swing, the judge should stop the swinging with his hands. Some such aid as a resin-bag or a cake of magnesium carbonate should be available to prevent the hands from slipping.

TEST 2: SQUAT JUMPS

Starting Position. Squatting on right heel with fingers laced on top of head, palms down. The feet are 4 to 6 inches apart with the heel of the left foot on a line with the toes of the right foot.

Movement. Spring upward until both knees are straight and both feet clear the ground. Jump just enough to permit straightening the knees without touching the ground. Do not jump any higher than necessary to accomplish this purpose. Keep the upper body erect. While off the ground, reverse the position of the feet bringing the right foot in front. Then drop to a squat on the left heel. Keep the knees pointing forward. Spring up again and continue for as many repetitions as possible.

Instructions. The men should be told that the most common errors are: getting the feet too far apart, forward and backward, and failing to squat down on the rear heel. The correct position should be demonstrated clearly, and the men should be given sufficient practice to master it. The action must be continuous throughout. Before beginning the event, the men should be told that it requires courage almost to the same extent as it requires strength and endurance and that they should not give up until they cannot make another movement.

Administration and Scoring. The performer is credited with one squat jump each time he springs up from the squat to the erect position and returns. The movement is not scored if he fails to descend to a complete squat, if he does not straighten his legs completely and reverse his feet while he is in the air, if he removes his hand from his head, or if he discontinues the movement and comes to a stop. If he loses his balance and removes a hand from his head momentarily, or falls but immediately recovers and continues, he shall not be penalized. If the performer gets his feet too far apart but comes to a squat on the rear foot, there is no penalty. Some men cannot squat all the way down on the heel. If they go down as far as possible they should not be penalized.

TEST 3: PUSHUPS

Starting Position. The performer assumes the front leaning rest position with the body straight from head to heels. His palms are directly underneath the shoulders and elbows are straight. Fingers pointed forward. The judge sits on the ground beside the performer, with one palm down on the ground underneath the lowest part of the performer’s chest.

Movement. Lower body until chest touches the ground (in informal practice), or touches the hand of the judge (in formal testing). Elbows must point directly to the rear. Return to the original position by straightening elbows. Keep the entire body in a straight line throughout. Repeat as many times as possible.

Instructions. The performer is told: that the arms must be straight at the start and completion of the movement; that the chest must touch the judge’s hand; and that the stomach, thighs, or legs must not touch the floor. Hands and feet must not move from their positions. He is also told that the whole body must be kept straight as he pushes the shoulders upward; that is, the shoulders should not be raised first, and then the hips or vice versa. The judge uses his free hand to guide the man in case he is raising his hips too much or raising his shoulders first. In the first instance, he taps the man on the top of the hips to straighten them out; in the second case he taps underneath the abdomen to make him raise his abdomen with the same speed as his shoulders.

Administration and Scoring. The performer is credited with one pushup each time his arms are completely straightened and the exercise is performed in acceptable form. There is no penalty for the hips being slightly out of line if the whole body is moving upward at about the same speed. The men may proceed but may not stop to rest. If a man violates any of the instructions given above, he is credited with a half-pushup. If and when the performer is no longer able to hold a correct front leaning rest, the test is terminated.

TEST 4: SITUPS

Starting Position. Performer lies on his back with knees straight, feet approximately 18 inches apart and fingers laced behind head and elbows on the ground. The scorer kneels on the ground at the performer’s feet and presses the performer’s ankles firmly down against the ground.

Movement. Raise upper body rotating it somewhat to the left, and then forward far enough to touch the right elbow to the left knee. The knees may bend slightly when sitting up. Lower the body until the back and elbows again touches the ground. Again sit up, but this time rotate the trunk to the right and touch left elbow to the right knee. Again lower the body until the back touches the ground. Perform as many situps as possible in two minutes. Rest pauses are permitted during the test but count toward the 2-minute period.

Instructions. The performer should be warned that he must keep his knees straight until he starts to sit up; that he must touch his knee with the opposite elbow; and that he may not push up from the ground with his elbow.

Administration and Scoring. Performer is given credit for each situp completed within the 2-minute period. No score is given if he unclasps his hand from his head, if he pushes up from his elbow, or if he keeps his knees bent while lying back on the ground. He is not penalized if the elbow misses the knee slightly. He must, however, sit up far enough so that the elbow almost touches the knee. Time should be announced every 20 seconds. At the end of 2 minutes, the timer calls: STOP and the judge counts the full number of situps completed before the stop command.

TEST 5: 300-YARD RUN

A course 60 yards long is laid out on flat level ground with lanes 4 feet wide for each runner. Both ends of the course have cross-marks at right angles to the lanes. The cross-mark at one end serves as a starting line; the one at the other end, as a finish line. In the middle of the cross mark at either end of each lane is a stake which is at least 1½ feet high. If possible the lanes should be marked out in lime. If there are no lanes, it is recommended that the stakes be numbered or painted different colors. Each performer must run around his stake without grasping it.

Starting Position. Standing behind the starting mark in the lane with rear foot braced by another man’s foot placed crossways behind it.

Movement. At the starting signal, run to the stake at the farther end of the lane. Run around the stake at the finish line. Then return and run around the stake at the starting line. Continue until five lengths of the course, or 300 yards have been run. Make each turn from right to left. The run will finish at the opposite end of the course from which it started.

Instructions. The men should be told to run about 9/10ths full speed, to run straight down the lane, to turn around the far stake from right to left without touching it, and to return running around the stakes one after another until they have traveled five full lengths. The men should also be instructed to walk around slowly for 3 or 4 minutes after completing the run. Recovery will be much more rapid if they walk than if they lie down.

Administration and Scoring. Each runner has one inspector, or judge, who stands at the finish line. The judge watches his runner to see that he makes the turns properly and observes all the rules. This inspector also holds the man’s card and records his performance. A timekeeper stands on one of the lines in the middle of the course, 20 feet away from the finish line. The men are started by the starter with ordinary signals of: “Get on your mark; get set; go.” Since the timer starts his watch by the “go,” the starter should also use a hand signal.

When the first runner is about 30 yards away from the finish line, the timer begins to count the seconds aloud using “hup” for the half-seconds. For example, he counts “44, hup, 45, hup, 46, hup, 47, hup, 48, hup …… etc.” The judge for each man listens to the count and at the same time watches his runner. He then records the last full second or half-second, which was counted before the man reached the finish line. After the inspector records the time on the man’s scorecard he returns the card to him.

TEST 5A: INDOOR SHUTTLE RUN

A course 25 yards long is laid out on the gymnasium floor with a lane 4 feet wide for each runner. The lanes should be marked on the floor with water-solvent coloring, chalk, paint or adhesive tape. Turning boards are placed at both ends of the course. Each turning board is placed at a 45º angle, facing inside the lane and toward the runner. The turning boards must be firmly braced and made of heavy material. They should be from 12 to 16 inches in width. The lower edges of the turning boards are flush with the end of the lines of the running area. The number of each lane will be painted on the face of its board.

Starting Position. Ready for a sprint start, with one foot braced against a turning board and the other foot and the hands extended into the lane.

Movement. On the starting signal, run to the turning board at the other end of the lane. Touch board with foot or feet. Turn and continue running until completing ten shuttle trips or laps (for a total of 250 yards). Touch the turning board at the end of each lap, except the final one. At the end of the final lap, the runner will continue across the turning board. Any footwork may be used in making the turn provided the foot or feet touch the turning board each time.

Instructions. Each runner must stay in his own lane. Any method may be used in making the turn, although it is recommended that the forward foot touch the block on the turn. In the event a runner falls or is hindered by another participant entering his lane during the progress of the run, he may be permitted to repeat the run later in the same period.

Administration and Scoring. This event is administered and scored as the 300-yard run. The time of the run is taken as the runner’s body passes beyond the turning board on the final lap.

TEST 5A(l): 60 SECOND SQUAT THRUST

When it is not possible to employ the indoor shuttle run as a substitute for the 300-yard run the 60-second squat thrust should be used.

Starting Position. Attention.

Movement. Bend at knees and hips and, squatting down, place hands on ground shoulder width apart. Keep the elbows inside the knees. Thrust feet and legs backward to a front leaning rest position. Keep body straight from head to heels. Support weight on hands and toes. Recover to the squatting position. Then recover to starting position.

Instructions. The men should be told that in executing this movement for speed the shoulders should be well ahead of the hands when the legs are thrust backwards. Extending the legs too far backward, so that the shoulders are behind the hands, makes it difficult to return to the original position with speed. On the preliminary practice, the performer is told he will score better if he does not make a full knee-bend, but bends his knees only to about a right angle; and that he should keep his arms straight. It is not a failure if he bends his arms but the performer will not be able to score as well.

Administration and Scoring. A score is given for the successful performance of each complete squat thrust. No score is given if: the feet start backward before the hands are placed on the ground; the hips are raised above the shoulder-heel line when the feet are back; or the performer does not fully recover to the erect position on the fourth count. The judge should not count aloud as this is apt to confuse other nearby judges. If the man is performing the event incorrectly, the judge should coach him, or stop him and have him repeat the test after more coaching.

How did you do? Check the score sheet.

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Via NYP: A beauty queen and former Miss Grand Ukraine has apparently traded in her high heels for combat boots, joining the Ukrainian military in its push against the Russian invasion. Anastasia Lenna, Ukraine’s 2015 representative in the Miss Grand International beauty contest, has answered the call to defend her home, according to her Instagram […]

Scheufele and his sister Caroline have been running the 162-year-old Swiss jewelry and watch company since 2001.

Neil Giraldo has sold over 35 million albums with his musical partner and wife Pan Benatar. His latest project is Three Chord Bourbon, a sprits company designed to give back to the music community.

Soul food restaurants in Florida: Where to find the best southern food  The News Herald

Europeans and Aussies get many of the best camper vans. But there are still some great options you can buy in the United States.

If you can’t get to New Orleans in time for Mardi Gras (Tuesday, March 1), don’t despair: Undeterred by the fact that NOLA doesn’t have strong grilling traditions (even their deceptively-named barbecued shrimp is made on the stovetop), we’ve cobbled together an explosively-flavored live fire menu that will satisfy you and your krewe.

What’s not to love about a holiday nicknamed “Fat Tuesday?” First celebrated in North America by French immigrants to Louisiana, Mardi Gras is also known as Carnival, which translates to “farewell to meat.” This day, characterized by gluttony, ushers in weeks of Lenten fasting for observant Christians. (This year, the fast lasts until Easter Sunday, April 17.) Carnival is celebrated in many places—France, the Netherlands, the Caribbean, and of course, Brazil, where 800,000 visitors descend on Rio de Janeiro for raucous street parties, parades, masked balls, and samba.

But back in the day, particularly in medieval Europe, the celebration had a practical as well as a liturgical purpose: It was an excuse to feast on any animal products (bacon, sausages, lard, etc.) left over from the slaughter the previous fall. (Rarely could the peasants overwinter their livestock, instead rebuilding their herds in the spring.)

So mix yourself a Hurricane, New Orleans’ iconic cocktail, blast some jazz in the back yard, and fire up your grill for one or more of the dishes below. And by all means, laissez les bons temps rouler! Let the good times roll!

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5 Recipes for Mardi Gras

What are your favorite Mardi Gras recipes? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, or Instagram!

The post Fire Up your Grill with these 5 Recipes for<br> Mardi Gras appeared first on Barbecuebible.com.

Trout On The Table – Part 5 CRAB-STUFFED TROUT For a truly toothsome combination of flavors, one sure to impress even dyed-in-the-wool trout aficionados, give this a try. It works best with smaller trout (under 10 inches) of precisely the type likely to make up a typical day’s catch in a high elevation mountain stream.…

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The best tasting rooms to visit in Santa Barbara, one of the most exciting wine regions in America at the moment.

The post A guide to the many gems of Santa Barbara wine country appeared first on The Manual.

If you're doing any serious automotive repairs, you're probably going to need a set of jack stands. Don't do any work without them.

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In the Interstate 24X you’ll find a full kitchen, a full bathroom, dual bench seats that quickly convert to a full-size bed, and extensive storage space featuring a modular Aluminum Aircraft L-Track system to secure larger items like bicycles or kayaks.

Modern super compressors are packed with history and unique but sporty looks. They also have an unusual feature.

For years the canine members of Ol Pejeta Conservancy’s anti-poaching team have excelled in protecting the park’s wildlife, which includes the last two living Northern white rhinos on the planet.

A California man thought he would die when he fell off his fishing boat and into the frigid Pacific Ocean – but a friendly harbor seal helped get him to safety.

The human immune system is so complicated that it doesn't take a new disease to spark consequential research and discoveries. It has been known for a long time that while a case of measles will confer lifetime immunity against catching measles again, you are then more likely to suffer and even die of some other infectious disease. Public health records show that children who survive a bout of measles (and the overwhelming majority do) lose their ability to fight off different diseases afterward. In 2012, this phenomena was named "Immune amnesia."  

Essentially, when you're infected with measles, your immune system abruptly forgets every pathogen it's ever encountered before – every cold, every bout of flu, every exposure to bacteria or viruses in the environment, every vaccination. The loss is near-total and permanent. Once the measles infection is over, current evidence suggests that your body has to re-learn what's good and what's bad almost from scratch.  

On average, it takes about three years for children to re-develop the immunity to diseases that they had before they contracted measles. Children who are vaccinated against measles apparently don't suffer from immune amnesia. Studies show that the measles vaccine reduces a child's chance of death from all diseases in the next few years by a degree that greatly exceeds the chance of dying from measles itself. And in the years since the discovery of the effect, scientists have found out a lot about how the measles virus rewires our immune systems.

This discovery will interest those of us who contracted measles before there was a vaccine against it. Did the illness negate the effects of the vaccines we got before? It should cause even more concern for parents who opt not to vaccinate their children against measles. Read about measles and immune amnesia at BBC Future. -via Kottke

No, it's not gesture-recognition door handles.

This technique is jaw-droppingly fast.

The Chasms near Cregneash village are a perfect example of a natural geological phenomenon known as fissures, a crack in the rocky cliff side along which there is a distinct separation. The fissures are quite large in certain places creating deep caverns and varying ground level heights, a trek that does require hiking boots. Some of the fissures have formed large crevices in the rock that has created a scenic and popular walking area along the coast in this part of the Isle of Man.

The Chasms walk follows an old stone wall from the car parking area down to the old abandoned Chasms Café, which is situated just at the gate of the Chasms. The Chasms is mostly a rocky area composed of sandstone, but also a mix of floral plants and grasses.

At the site, there are spectacular views of the Isle of Man coastline and the Irish Sea. There are other coastal walks in the vicinity such as Spanish Head, which is adjacent to the Chasms and heads towards the southwest corner of the Isle of Man.

I’ve spent about a decade testing sheets at Wirecutter, which sounds like an odd way to spend a career. Sheets are one of those life basics that seem so simple, they’re hardly worth obsessing over. Do they fit on the bed? Do they feel good? What else is there?

Oh, but believe me, I obsess over them. You spend so much time nestled between bedsheets that it’s actually one of the most intimate relationships in your life. They carry sense memories, and feelings of comfort and home, too. They’re with you when you’re sick, they’re with you when you’re tired, and they’re with you when you’re up to something that might involve putting a little Marvin Gaye on in the background.

And cotton sheets are the most basic of basics. You might dabble in linen or treat yourself to flannel, but cotton sheets — the percales and the sateens — are the most common and versatile sheets you buy.

In this guide we’ve included the 10 best sheets we’ve tested over the years: Some are reliable classics we’ve loved for a long time, while others have impressed us more recently, but all of them have earned their keep in our book. With a selection ranging rom a rainbow of solids to modern prints, at prices from around $50 to well over $2,000, you’re bound to find something you’ll love here. I’m sure I haven’t covered everything yet — but give me another decade, and I’ll get there.

When it’s a bit too cold to comfortably sit outside, a reliable outdoor patio heater can help you enjoy the great outdoors anyway. For the most substantial warmth, try a propane-powered patio heater like the AZ Patio Heaters HLDS01-xx.