What The Hell Are You Waiting For?

In a United States gripped by fears of not being able to find a job, we have to ask ourselves what we bring to the world stage in this day and age.

An old flash article listing the statistics of job availability pre and post September 11, 2001 (found here) courtesy of CNN makes a fine illustration of how the job market had begun it's downward spiral. Today, surveying the consequential crash of that spiral, would it not be prudent to ask "Where is the money going?"

While a year after the attack claimed nigh of 3,000 victims, it claimed numerous jobs in the following year. Meanwhile, the U.S. Military experienced one of its highest base pay raises in decades. No such thing as a "win-win" or so it would seem.

Now the Armed Forces of the United States are some of the most formidable, experienced and "involved" armed forces in the world. Our military spending, topping out $680 billion in Fiscal Year 2010 alone, accounted for 12.7% of federal discretionary spending. But hey, the Department of Education is neck-and-neck so that's a win-win, right?

You do remember I had mentioned that in order to win, someone must lose, right?

Well, the loss inherent, is in global involvement. If all we're bringing to the world is men with guns, how then is it a significant contribution? The last time we were involved in a conflict with an undeniably problematic foe was during the second World War, and after that came the cold war. Now, Eisenhower warned us about this during his farewell address in 1961, however our adherence to this warning is not evident; therein we became reliant on the Military Industrial Complex and became consumers, not producers.

Don't even get me started on petroleum consumption...

The answer lies in building a better tomorrow. To reiterate, BUILDING a better world, not taking what good we can gain from it. You may resent that I use the term "we" in this article vice "they" as it pertains to the Federal Government. But considering this is a democracy, we are all equally at fault for equal votes. I challenge the United States, and everyone who dwells within, to create, innovate, patent, build, fix and abstain from fighting with a new vigor. I challenge you to stop voting for those whose idea of foreign policy involves a deployment to a resource rich country, and wants to scare you into believing that they are a "clear and present danger." when they're about as threatening as a rabbit with seasonal pollen allergies in an arboretum.

Fitness and Cruelty: An Exercise in Futility

Being the voracious internet news lurker that I am, I've noticed a pattern in celebrity fitness that has been rather disturbing. I turn a blind eye to new age workout machines and the subsequent diets. But there's one woman who caught my eye, and not in a good way...

I'm talking about a certain personal trainer named Tracey Anderson...

Attractive? Yes, but kind and compassionate to her clients? Not so much...

The article posted on movieline.com http://www.movieline.com/2010/05/will-someone-stop-celebrity-trainer-tracy-anderson-before-she-strikes-again.php would have us believe this. As much as I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, I'm sorry Tracey, but there are certain things that aren't called for.

The state of fitness nowadays make gyms look like Soviet Gulags and even down on the level of physical education, it becomes like a day spent in general population

Of course, fitness doesn't have to bring back memories of feeling inadequate. Sure that may fuel the last few reps of your bench press, but it might not get you back in there the next day. The sad part is that I've met my fair share of personal trainers in all the gyms I've been to. It doesn't help being a CrossFit advocate like myself. That and being a relatively small guy doesn't help either. But the assumption with these personal trainers is that if you're not doing EXACTLY IN EXPLICIT DETAIL what they're doing, you're not working out properly if at all. That very "you're not like me, so there's obviously something wrong with your medula oblongata" mentality is the fertile soil for a budding bully complex and one of the many reasons why people are steering clear of the gym....

That and ringworm

The thing about staying in shape, before even THINKING about going on a regular basis, is your mindset. That, like many other things, is the greatest hindrance, as many great acts begin in the mind. But enough "fix-it" talk, lets move on to the hot, sexy personal trainer bashing.

...kidding, I'm not here to bash them, I'm here to remind them who they're dealing with. Your average feeble chump, as you may think of them, has the potential to become physically fit. It's merely a question of encouragement. I know a lot of the personal trainers out there are former military and let me tell you I used to be a ridiculously strong proponent of negative reinforcement in my time (I've even had 20-year vets call me a raging dickhead.) and let me tell you, nothing drives an 18 year old fresh to the fleet like telling them to "pick their vagina up off the ground" to assist in an aircraft launch

But on the personal trainer's end, it must be positive reinforcement coupled with the understanding that not everyone knows that much about fitness and nutrition. Is it important? Yes it is but so is the proper method for handling aviation ordnance and I don't expect your average personal trainer to know that. The role of the personal trainer has evolved, like the professional role of everyone else on the planet. Though the role has changed, the players of that role aren't all rolling with it. I bring up Tracey Anderson for a reason: That this is NOT the future of fitness. Yes, she's smokin' hot and in tremendously good shape; no doubt the purveyor of many a personal trainer's masturbatorial fantasies. But if bullying your clientele has become so the norm that even this professional troll can gain fame and fortune, maybe those aspiring to be fit need to raise their standards?