Body Arts

Review: “Breath” By James Nestor

August 9, 2020
Review: “Breath” By James Nestor

Review: “Breath” by James Nestor Every now and then I come across a book that I claim is the most important book I have read this year. Of course, I sometimes say that two or three times a year. However, one such book is “Breath – The New Science Of A Lost Art”, by James […]

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Review: “The Longevity Solution”

September 29, 2019
Review: “The Longevity Solution”

Years ago I went with a family member to see their heart surgeon. He told us that “Everything they taught him in medical school about diet was wrong”. Now we have further proof, in a recent book called “The Longevity Solution – Rediscovering Centuries-Old Secrets to a Healthy, Long Life”. This book, written by Dr. […]

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My Wrestling Team

April 23, 2018
My Wrestling Team

I was prompted to revisit this post from 2011; “My Wrestling Team”: Wrestling. It’s the toughest sport I’ve ever competed in, and I guess you could say it was my first martial art. This was back in the day when students died fasting and sweating trying to make weight. I remember going entire school days […]

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The KKK Takes A Beating

March 27, 2018
The KKK Takes A Beating

I’m sorry, I just love this old photo. It’s from “Old Pics Archive” on Twitter, at this link: https://twitter.com/oldpicsarchive/status/977707909969739776/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.covertbookreport.com%2F I wish I knew the actual circumstances and origin of this photo but it is one of the great action shots of my time. I am ranked (Black Belts) in both Korean Karate (that’s right, almost […]

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Willie Nelson; Black Belt

June 29, 2014
Willie Nelson; Black Belt

Well, well, well; Here’s living proof to reassure me that smoking weed and playing guitar will indeed keep me young – Willie Nelson was awarded his 5th degree Black Belt at age 81. Those of us who have been in the martial arts for quite a while know that most Dan rankings are ceremonial starting […]

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Fun With Mushrooms (No, Not That Kind)

April 14, 2014
Fun With Mushrooms (No, Not That Kind)

About two years ago a friend gave me a small jellyfish-like Mushroom, a “Scoby”, in a glass mason jar. I had heard for years about Kombucha tea and all of it’s health benefits, but had only tried bottled comercial varieties. This little guy got me off to a fun brewing process that provides us with […]

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Germanys Naked Sledding Competition

January 19, 2014
Germanys Naked Sledding Competition

Ok, ok, I couldn’t resist. The winter days are pretty gloomy and grey so why not lighten it up a bit? How ’bout a bunch of naked people going sledding? From The Huffington Post: “Next month, the German town of Braunlage will host the fifth annual Naked Sledding World Championship, and they’re actively looking for […]

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Tom Laughlin, Star of “Billy Jack” Has Died

December 16, 2013
Tom Laughlin, Star of “Billy Jack” Has Died

Tom Laughlin, the stoic and flawed hero of the Billy Jack movies has died at age 82. It was Laughlin’s “Billy Jack” that inspired me to invest a lifetime studying martial arts. Laughlin’s character was more tangible than the more distant battles of Bruce Lee, and “Billy Jack” was played out in a contemporary “cowboy […]

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Rocker Lou Reed Died Practicing Tai Chi

November 2, 2013
Rocker Lou Reed Died Practicing Tai Chi

Ah, it was so sad last week to hear of the death of legendary rocker Lou Reed. Reed fronted “The Velvet Underground”, and was often referred to as the pioneer of punk rock. What I didn’t know about Lou is that he was aparrently really into Tai Chi. Here’s a great little story from his […]

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The Easy Way to Grow Potatoes

September 25, 2013
The Easy Way to Grow Potatoes

I’ve been involved in conventional and organic farming for years, both in Oregon and Washington State. Currently, we have building projects (including our house) that take priority, so serious farming is on hold for now. In the mean time, we still have a small garden for salad greens, squash and other compact crops. Lately, I’ve […]

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RSS Northwest Research & Covert Book Report

  • Review: “Comanches” By T.R. Fehrenbach
    Review – Comanches – by T.R. Fehrenbach This was a fantastic read. There are several versions of “Comanches”, by T.R. Fehrenbach. This book is definitely politically incorrect by today’s standards, but very, very real. The violence committed by both the tribes as well as the whites is well documented. More on that later. I first […]
  • Review: Killers Of The Flower Moon
    Soon to be a major motion picture, this story has some real promise. Promise to help solve age-old crimes, promise to resolve inhuman atrocities, promise to help make things right. This is the promise of “Killers Of The Flower Moon – The Osage Murders And The Birth Of The FBI”, by David Grann. Sadly, it […]
  • Review: Pandora’s Gamble, By Alison Young
    Review: Pandora’s Gamble Where do I begin with this startling and disturbing book? First, the author, Alison Young, worked as a reporter for USA Today, the Detroit Free Press, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, and has won numerous awards for her investigative reporting. “Pandora’s Gamble” is subtitled “Lab Leaks, Pandemics, And A World At Risk”. Much […]
  • Review: Floating Stones – Great Pyramid Built With Water Power
    Now here is an interesting find, recommended by a good friend. This book is a very thought-provoking theory of how the Great Pyramid was built. Authors Samuel R. Sampson is an architect, and co-author Michael N. Read is an engineer. Together they have come up with a very plausible scenario on how the largest Egyptian […]
  • Review: “The Dawn Of Everything”
    In my recent study of ancient civilizations, I bought this huge book – “The Dawn Of Everything – A New History Of Humanity”, by David Graeber and David Wengrow. This was a completely different type of read for me; Graeber and Wengrow are anthropologists and archeologists, and write as such. I don’t know a lot […]