When there isn’t enough food, the body has to make a decision on how to invest the limited foodstuff available to it. Survival comes first, growth comes second. And in this kind of nutritional triage, the body seems obliged to rank learning, last. It sort of it’s better to be stupid and alive, than smart and dead. | |
— Carl Sagan | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Life Finds A Way |
In The Palm Of My Hand | |
2020 | I’m Not Worried |
2019 | Forgiving The Chasm |
2018 | A Sure Sign Of Age |
Before The Fall – Cheat | |
2017 | Distant Goal |
2016 | More Lives |
2015 | Go Shopping More |
2014 | Say What? |
2013 | Accepting Beauty |
2012 | Transitional Choice To Ride The Wave |
2011 | Freedom Isn’t Always Perfect |
Just That Simple | |
Archive for the ‘Health’ Category
Sort Of
Posted in Education, Health, Philosophy, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Carl Sagan, Food, Growth, Health, Learning, Nutritional Triage, Philosophy, Quotes, Stupidity, Survival on June 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Is Normal Just Routine?
Posted in Health, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Choice, COVID-19, Did I Point My Kids To The Wrong North Star?, Faith, Health, Hope, Nicole Chung, Parenting, Philosophy, Quarantines, Quotes, The New Normal, The View Essay, Time Magazine on June 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I would say that I don’t know how we got through that first shaky week of this third pandemic-impacted school year, hugging our kids and checking to make sure their masks were secure before they left each morning, except that I do know: We had no choice. We still don’t. Though we’re grateful to their teachers and glad that our kids are once again learning alongside their peers, the worry persists, an undercurrent to which we’ve been forced to adapt as we settle into routines both familiar and new. | |
Each week brings more pediatric infections, more student quarantines. Each day, I’m conscious of the fact that I’m allowing my children to assume a risk from which I, working at home, am protected, and this feels hopelessly backward. I read every update to the school COVID-19 guidelines so I know what to expect after the inevitable exposure, but I can’t tell my kids what they have long wanted to know: When will things go back to the way they remember? | |
… | |
Over the past 18 months, a common refrain has been that this pandemic should compel all of us to recognize our interdependence, the inescapable fact that we will not address this or any of the other grave threats we’re facing without collective action. This is a lesson that I expect many of our children are also learning, though the cost and the danger to them feels too high. I know I don’t want my kids to conclude that they are or forever will be powerless, or that there is no one who will fight with and for them. There are many things I still have to hope for to get through each day, and while our children’s survival and health top the list, I also want them to retain their faith in themselves and in their ability to look forward to something better than this — to find, as they so often do, their own reasons to hope. | |
— Nicole Chung | |
From: “The View Essay: Parenting – Did I point my kids to the wrong North Star?” Appearing in: Time Magazine; 11/18 Oct 2021 |
|
Also online at: https://time.com/6102019/covid-19-hope-for-kids/ | |
The online version appears as: “There’s No End in Sight for COVID-19. What Do We Tell Our Kids Now?“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | The Rush Is On |
Another Rerun | |
2020 | It Is Still About Sharing And Cheering |
2019 | Sounds Like #LyingDonald |
2018 | Start Building |
2017 | Woof! Woof! |
2016 | Cast Out |
2015 | Small Pieces |
Happy Father’s Day! | |
2014 | Uncertain Work |
2013 | Unpatriotic And Servile |
2012 | What Price Freedom? |
2011 | Particular Importance |
Three From Bette… | |
It Worked For Me
Posted in Disclaimer, Health, tagged Aikido, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Disclaimer, Health, Images, Repetitive Stress Injury, RSI, Tennis Elbow, Weights, Wrist Exercises on June 19, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Back in the 1980’s I developed a “repetitive stress injury” to my wrist(s) – mainly my right wrist, as I am right handed. It happened due to overuse of a mouse while working on computers. Back then it was more “popularly” starting to be called Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Of course, back then, there was no significant use of either term in the general populace. The closest we (the public) came to it was “tennis elbow” and its cousin “golfer’s elbow / wrist”. | |
I was lucky and mostly got over it (RSI) by playing Aikido for a few years – where you do a number of wrist flexing exercises during warm-ups / before practice. When I stopped Aikido, the symptoms began coming back and I went to a sports doctor (specialist) who gave me a sheet with wrist exercises to do several times a day. He said it is more important to do a few repetitions several times during the day than it is to do a massive number in one long session. He said he normally suggests using 1lb to 3lbs weights, but as I was muscular (back then), I should use 5lbs weights. He added if a weight is not available, just use a book. I’m in the process of going through some of the stuff I used to have in my work cubicle and found the exercise sheet so I’m offering the image of the exercise instructions to anyone who may have similar wrist issues. (Click on the image for a larger and more readable version.) | |
[Disclaimer: Please remember I am NOT a medical professional and the “tips” in this post are based on my positive anecdotal result(s) from a therapy recommended by a certified physician. Consult your personal physician before starting any diet or exercise regime. | |
I recently drove by the location of his storefront office and it is no longer there. He was older than me, so he’s probably long retired. As such, I have removed his office information from the image. I did a quick browse around the web to see if there were similar instructions / exercises available from a website I could provide attribution to. I was not able to locate anything similar. I am making no claim to ownership of the image and I am merely offering it up to help others in need. — kmab] | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | It Doesn’t Stop |
I Feel Like I’m Winning | |
2020 | #45: 14.81 Lies Per Day |
2019 | Less Miserable Now |
So Near And Yet So Far | |
2018 | I Doubt #45 Is Listening? |
2017 | Life’s Oddity |
2016 | Just Asking… |
2015 | Two Thoughts On Thinking |
2014 | From The Top, Please… |
2013 | You Are The Stars |
2012 | Just One?? |
2011 | Anything But |
Two Years Later (Now 1,004,000+ Deaths And Inflation)
Posted in Health, Philosophy, Politics, Quotes, tagged #IncompetentDonald, Afflictions, Attitude, Boosters, CDC, China, COVID-19, Economics, Health, Inflation, Jean Toomer, Philosophy, Quotes, The Federal Reserve Board, Vaccination Update on June 12, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I do not know which of our afflictions God intends that we overcome and which He means for us to bear. But this is certain: Some I have overcome, some I continue to bear. | |
— Jean Toomer | |
[Another (2022) COVID Update: | |
This update is being written on 5 June 2022 (for posting on 12 June). There have now been: 1,003,803 total deaths; 247 average deaths per day; 84,565,697 total cases (about 1% fatality rate); 97,611 new average for daily cases; and, 258,747,147 vaccinations (at least one dose and over 5yrs old) – for a rough 83% of the (eligible) population. Over 90% of hospitalizations and deaths are of those who have not been vaccinated. I have not been able to determine if the (remaining) less than 10% are fully vaccinated and current with their booster(s). | |
What do we know? | |
Surprisingly little (IMHO) at the end of 18 months… The early prediction was a fatality number of 2.2 million in the first 18 months IF WE DID NOTHING. We temporarily shut down a significant portion of society (NOT the economy). We halved the total deaths to date, but not the rate of deaths per cases. The economy (and society) are roughly back to “normal”. Most people can (do) now work from their offices (and / or homes). Stores and restaurants / bars are mostly opened, but business levels have not recovered. Most importantly: we still have little to no publicly available information about the rates or effects of “long-term” COVID, the number of folks with current boosters, or the duration of the vaccine (or booster) effectiveness. We DO know there is a general decrease in the vaccine(s) effectiveness – hence the recommendation for boosters. We don’t know the breakdowns by factors such as age, gender, over-all health, etc. I’m not saying the number(s) isn’t (/ aren’t) out there somewhere or that someone, somewhere isn’t tracking this data – only that I can’t find it readily available. And, here we are: “Only time will tell…“ | |
As a side note: much is being made about the pandemic’s effect on the economy – past and current. While we (in the U.S.) have accepted deaths and illnesses as a “cost” of returning to a “normal” economy, the world’s manufacturer (China) has not. They continue to impose local and wide area shutdowns to prevent the spread of COVID whenever there is another surge. Our (U.S.) demand continues to grow back to normal rates (pent up and current demand). Goods are not being made / delivered to meet demand – so prices increase. They will continue to do so until supply (roughly) matches demand. No matter what the Federal Reserve does to interest rates to “cool” inflation, it will have little effect until the manufacturing / delivery conditions change. How long will that be? How long is a piece of string?? You never know until have it’s been finally cut (until it’s over). — KMAB] | |
Original post (from 2020): | |
[This is an unusual post for me. This post is being written on 28 May, three days after the Memorial Day weekend. Yesterday, the U.S. passed 100K in deaths due to COVID-19. We are dying at just under 1,000 lives per day. We are engaged in a great social experiment testing whether we can open our economy without a plan to deal with the virus. This post is scheduled to go online roughly 15 days after the holiday weekend. If the President’s gamble was correct, the average death rate will be at or below 1,000 per day. If his gamble (with our lives) is incorrect, the death rate will be higher – and potentially much higher. Only time will tell. — KMAB] | |
(2021) Follow Up to Last Year’s (2020) Post (115,000+): | |
The “post” above is from one year ago. It is still too early to tell how good / bad a gamble President Trump took with the health of the nation. Partly because it is still too soon to have had academia take a look at the data and partly because a number of states – mostly (but not exclusively) with Republican governors (Florida) – are using their office / administrations to hide the true / accurate numbers of illnesses and deaths for political reasons. We do know that since the Inauguration, the vaccine count has gone from under 50 million to over 300 million. Over 50% of the U.S. population has received at least one dose of vaccine. Part of this success is attributable to a competent President / Administration and part to the manufacture and distribution of the various vaccines ramping up. | |
As for our losses, the current “rolling” weekly death average is under 500 per day. A few weeks ago, the CDC also updated the information on their site to “confirm” that not only are the vaccinated unlikely to get seriously ill and die (still 5 – 10% chance of illness, and less than 1% chance of death), you are also unlikely to become infected and ill at all (15 – 20% illness rate once vaccine period is completed). Again, it’s too early to KNOW the exact numbers, but in this case it’s because (it is my understanding) “illness” is being self-reported. Still, this is “good” news and we should see the economy and society begin to return to normal. We’ve dodged a bullet this time folks. I am not making light of the individual losses to family members and friends, but the virus could have been a lot more lethal and we still have a considerable way to go on getting the rest of the way to herd immunity. Let’s hope we are better prepared for the next epidemic… | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | One Year Later (Now 604,000+) |
Good Intentions | |
2020 | 115,000+ |
2019 | One Generation’s View |
2018 | The One Thing |
2017 | Never Give Up |
2016 | Which Generation Are We? |
Congratulations, Kyle! | |
2015 | Centered |
2014 | Economic Trinity |
2013 | At Both Ends |
2012 | Holding Allowance |
2011 | The Power Of Good |
10 (40)
Posted in Diets, Health, Water Fast, tagged 40Hrs, 5:2 Fasting, Diets, Health, Kidney Stones, Water Fast, Water Pills, Water Retention on May 25, 2022| Leave a Comment »
This morning I completed my 10th 40hr water fast (at 9:00am) over the last 35 days. A bit of a delay since #9 because of scheduled company over the weekend. My weight has been bouncing around. Fewer visible kidney stone / grains, but still fluctuating water retention (represented by 5± overnight weight gains / losses). The actual full day (yesterday) of not eating didn’t seem particularly difficult. We watched the NBA playoff games last night. The constant food commercials didn’t really set me off on a psychological hunger binge. (That’s good!) | |
I’ve moved from daily water pills (Rx) to every other day. It doesn’t seem to impact water retention (bloating) as much as eating salty (or sweet) food. I’ve noticed a start of ankle bloating after the two day skip, so it looks like I need the water pill at least every third day. The bloating doesn’t seem to start in my hands on the same schedule. It’s hard to tell because of the variability of food(s). My GP was fairly emphatic to be on them as little as possible, but stay within my cardiologist’s recommendation. | |
Since my scale doesn’t indicate I’ve had any weight loss, all I can go by is how do I “feel” after and during my water fast days. My body feels good. My head (concentration), less so. Not really headaches or anything, just general fatigue – which is not helped by the frequent night-time “breaks”. | |
It looks like I may end up with “only” two days a week fasting – in which case, I will probably pick days and build a schedule / lifestyle around it / them. It seems that will be easier than on / off every second day rolling protocol. So, it looks like there may be merit to the “5:2” daily fast regime – although not in the way my general review of the methodology indicates. In any case, my “reality” is I’m sitting pretty close to “5:2” anyway, just because of “life happens” and it interferes with a true “on-again / off-again” 72 hrs rolling protocol. Anyway, slowly… slowly… listen to my body and go with the flow. (“Water retention” pun intended!) | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Still Learning (And Practicing) Guitar |
Still Ain’t Quite Right | |
More Changes… | |
2020 | Remembering… |
You KNEW That Man Was Trippin’ | |
2019 | Kingslanding |
2018 | I’d Bet On Taxes |
Ooops! I Spoke Too Soon | |
2017 | A Cautionary Wish |
2016 | Slogging |
It’s About… | |
Man / Man | |
2015 | Memorial Day – 2015 |
Content People Love To Share | |
2014 | I Resemble That Remark |
2013 | Long Range Exploration |
2012 | UBI |
2011 | Opportunity |
Try Walking
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Walking, tagged Henry David Thoreau, Love, Paths, Philosophy, Quotes, Reverence, Walking on May 23, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence. | |
— Henry David Thoreau | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Probably Why It Hurts So Bad |
5-0 | |
2020 | Unlike Faux News Viewers |
2019 | I Don’t Know Truth, Either |
2018 | An Approaching Disgrace |
2017 | Liberty, Collusion, History And The Republican Majority |
2016 | But I Have Too Many Questions |
2015 | A New Friend |
2014 | Do I Have To Fall In Love? |
2013 | More Democracy, Please |
2012 | Speaking Of Love |
2011 | Limits |
9 (40) – Done
Posted in Diets, Health, Water Fast, tagged 40Hrs, Diets, Health, Water Fast on May 19, 2022| Leave a Comment »
This morning I completed my 9th 40 hour water fast. It wasn’t “really” difficult. The only “hard” part was watching all of the food commercials during last night’s Warriors playoff win. | |
I dropped 8lbs from yesterday. Obviously that was just water weight from the 15lbs over-night gain a few days back. I don’t think my kidney grains (tiny stones) are blocking the tubes as much as I think they are simply irritating the filtering process itself. I didn’t weigh myself before bed (I never do), but I was up multiple times during the night with a healthy flow – so that’s where the “weight” went to. LoL… | |
The good news is that it dropped me into the 340’s at 349lbs. I’m not celebrating (yet); just acknowledging a minor achievement. Slowly, slowly… | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Happy Meeting Day 37 (And Counting) |
2020 | Happy Meeting Day 36 (And Counting) |
2019 | Happy Meeting Day 35 (And Counting) |
2018 | Happy Meeting Day 34 (And Counting) |
Storytelling | |
2017 | Happy Meeting Day 33 (And Counting) |
2016 | Picture Perfect |
2015 | Life Showed Compassion |
2014 | And Then I Met Her |
2013 | Defining Maleness |
The Run Continues | |
2012 | All Set |
2011 | Not Always |
Or The Day After
Posted in Health, Philosophy, Quotes, Running, tagged John "The Penguin" Bingham, No Need For Speed, Philosophy, Quotes, Running, The Penguin, Today, Tomorrow on May 18, 2022| 2 Comments »
Don’t do anything today that might keep you from running tomorrow. | |
— John “The Penguin” Bingham | |
From his book: “No Need For Speed“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | And Yet I Still Pray |
I’m Still Listening To It | |
2020 | What Am I Missing? |
If Only | |
2019 | For Most #IncompetentDonald Followers |
2018 | I Dare You |
2017 | To Republicans Who Choose Party Over Country |
2016 | All About Control |
2015 | Liberty Is Extravagant |
2014 | Always Remember To Reach |
Have You Registered To Vote Yet? | |
2013 | Ripples From The Water’s Edge |
Because I Was Alone | |
2012 | POI vs Reality |
Dear And Sacred | |
2011 | Chilled Again |
We Just Need Will And Leadership
Posted in Health, Quotes, Science and Learning, tagged Alice Parker, COVID-19, Genomic Technology, Health, Luck, Pandemic Preparation, Pathogenesis, Quotes, Sanford Burnham Presbys Medical Discovery Institute, Sumit Chanda, The Sequencing Solution: Genetic Surveillance Is The Key To Controlling Future Pandemics, Time Magazine, Vaccines, Viruses on May 17, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Researchers , and governments, also still need to figure out a better way to coordinate this effort around the globe. “We haven’t learned this much about any disease so quickly, I would say, in the history of science that I’m aware of,” says Sumit Chanda, the director and a professor of the immunity and pathogenesis program at Sanford Burnham Presbys Medical Discovery Institute. “Genomic technology allowed us to get here. But if we really want to get serious about preparing for the next pandemic, there needs to be a global command and control infrastructure, with transparency from all governments around the world. These viruses don’t know national boundaries, so it does not make sense to have a balkanized response to the virus.” | |
… | |
“We got pretty lucky that [COVID-19] vaccines work as incredibly well as they do,” says Sanford Burnham’s Chanda. “But we can’t just rely on luck. We need to make a global commitment and come up with an organization that has some teeth and has some funding whose job it is to survey, track and share genetic information. We have the tools to do it – we just need the will and leadership and especially the public to demand that the devastation of COVID-19 is something that shouldn’t have happened and that we never want to have happen again.” | |
— Alice Parker | |
From her article: “The Sequencing Solution: Genetic Surveillance Is The Key To Controlling Future Pandemics“ | |
Appearing in: Time Magazine; dtd: 21/28 June 2021 | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Standing Next To Anyone? |
Pitter Pater, Pitter Pater | |
2020 | Only Now |
2019 | I Think I’ve Been Blurred |
2018 | Progress On The Honey Do List |
And It’s Mostly Free, Too! | |
2017 | Both Dismissed |
2016 | Poetry Isn’t Going To Work |
2015 | MA Fix |
Getting Better | |
2014 | Actually |
2013 | Unfortunate Evolutionary Accidents |
2012 | Tense (Past, Present And Future) |
2011 | What Is Your Preference? |
8 And 9 (40)
Posted in Diets, Health, Water Fast, tagged 40Hrs, Diets, Water Fast on May 15, 2022| 3 Comments »
Yesterday (at 9am), I completed my 8th 40hr water fast and today (at 5pm) I’m starting my 9th. | |
Nothing really significant to report about the fast itself – it wasn’t easier or harder, that is. I had a “sudden / overnight” weight gain of 15lbs leading into the start day of fasting. I passed a medium sized kidney grain / stone in the evening and I dropped 7lbs for the morning of the full fast day. Yesterday’s weight was another 5lbs down – so still up 3lbs from the low point (352). Today I was up 2lbs, so I’m 3lbs up from the start of the last water fast. | |
And after almost 30 days of this water fasting / 40hrs program, I have lost exactly 0lbs and no inches from my “muffin” waist!! | |
Normally, this would be extremely discouraging… However, in the same period I have had far fewer days of bloating, my clothes are fitting much better, I’ve had to shorten my watch band because it was too loose, and my waist is visibly smaller (the “muffin” top, anyway). And, perhaps most importantly, I “feel” much better – slimmer / healthier – if not lighter. In other words, I’m going to continue the program for a while… | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Or Faith In A Creator… |
It Seemed The Taste Was Not So Sweet | |
2020 | Nearer My God To Thee, By George |
I’ve Got To Keep Working On It | |
2019 | Laugh With Me |
2018 | Both Sides, Mr. President? |
2017 | Republicans Better Wake Up |
2016 | Truth Telling |
2015 | To Be Effective In The Modern World |
2014 | A Little Cover |
2013 | Binding |
2012 | Lift |
2011 | Another Good Movie, Another Excellent Book |
miSFits | |
I’m Just Not Sure | |
7 (And 6) – 40
Posted in Diets, Health, Water Fast, tagged 40Hrs, 7th 40hr Water Fast, Continuous positive airway pressure, CPAP, Deviated Septum, Health, Water Fast on May 11, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Last week I completed my 6th 40 hour fast. There was nothing particularly significant about it and I didn’t bother posting. Today (9am), I completed my latest (7th) 40 hour water fast. I took an extra day off so I could eat with my family on Mother’s Day (last Sunday). So, Monday, at 5pm, it was back on the wagon… | |
This one was difficult! I’m not sure why. It just was. I wasn’t feeling well going into it and I felt pretty bad through most of the day. (Yesterday was the full water fasting day.) What does that mean? Well, I have issues with my inner ear which I believe is caused by my CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine. Basically, I snore and this machine pushes air into my nasal passage to prevent / reduce my snoring. The problem is I also have other sinus issues: I’ve had a runny nose since I was about 12 years old and I had a deviated septum straightened when I was in my late teens. (The procedure was supposed to help with my constantly runny nose. It didn’t.) | |
Because the CPAP machine requires me to wear a mask, I tend to sleep on my back most of the time. This means the machine blows my “snot” / mucus back into my inner ear and I irregularly get a packed inner ear and then feel dizzy. My relief tends to come from sleeping on my left side, but like I said, most of the time I “have” to sleep on my back. So, I have pills for my dizziness and other pills for my congestion. Both, increase tiredness, and together, they can make me “foggy” and tired. | |
That was a long way of saying I didn’t have a great day yesterday! (LoL) | |
But I made it through and I get to eat today and tomorrow before I start again at 5pm…! | |
Actually, I guess I know pretty well why this last one seemed more difficult than others… | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Questioned By Life |
If There’ll Come A Time | |
2020 | Trying To Grow Pearls? |
2019 | Instantly Turned |
2018 | Sitting |
2017 | No Right Way |
2016 | Still Ticklish |
2015 | Maybe Sooner Than You Think |
2014 | The Path Of Mastery |
2013 | Love’s Ignorance |
2012 | Here’s To Enjoyment |
2011 | Not Just The Facts, Ma’am |
Starting Over (Again)
Posted in Health, Philosophy, Quotes, Running, Walking, tagged Health, John Bingham, No Need For Speed, Philosophy, Quotes, Running, The Penguin, Walking on May 5, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Each of us can maintain an effort level of about half our maximum perceived effort almost indefinitely, regardless of what that perceived effort level is. We may not be able to maintain it continuously, but with a few exceptions, most of us can move our bodies at about half of our perceived maximum for as long as we want. | |
— John “The Penguin” Bingham | |
From his book: “No Need For Speed“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Allowing For Compromise |
Whoa-whoa | |
2020 | Why #LyingDonald Hurts The US |
2019 | Blow Between Your Ears |
2018 | Thinking Ahead |
2017 | I’d Like To Try |
2016 | Or Blog (And Bound) |
2015 | Welcome The Virtuous |
2014 | Closing The Gap? |
2013 | On Parenting |
2012 | What Knowledge Is |
2011 | The Indefinite Accumulation Of Property |