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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

MY FAVORITE THINGS! - Vibram's Five Fingers

Vibram's Five Fingers.

Barefoot enthusiasts, rejoice!

I first saw Vibram's Five Fingers (VFF) on a woman who was exercising at the Manhattan Beach Sand Dunes (Which have been closed since August 2009 for neighborhood noise/traffic reasons or some such thing. I'll do a FT post on the Sand Dunes sometime soon - maybe when they reopen). I went right out and bought a pair. I highly recommend trying them on at the store for size because they are footwear unlike any other. Though my size was true to what I wear in dress-shoes.

Anyway, the shoes make you feel like you're barefoot. For those who dislike being barefoot, think about it like this, your feet, legs and entire body is brilliantly designed to be barefoot. We've been wearing shoes only a fraction of the time of human existence, and until the last 30 or so years, our shoes have been mostly for protection, not to modify our movement or gate. (Reference: Born To Run by Christopher McDougall - more on the book in a future blog.) With these shoes, we develop muscles in our feet and legs that have been under-used and under-developed because of traditional shoes.

Case and point. This fall I was traveling in the north and went hiking near waterfalls. Down stream the water level was very low so crossing the river over rocks was possible. I observed other people crossing in traditional shoes and they seemed off-balance and slow as they walked over oddly shaped rocks to get to the other side. A few times I thought these people would fall into the cool water. They might have if they didn't have a friend nearby to stabilize on. Now I'm relatively fit, but I know that feeling of walking on rocks and feeling unstable. This was my first time traversing across river-rocks in my VFF. The experience was entirely different. I could feel the rocks and grip them with my feet! I felt like a gazelle elegantly prancing through the field my balance and agility were so keen with these shoes on. It was fantastic.

Now, you may need to get used to them before you run marathons in them. They do take getting used to. Also, the way you step when you walk and run should change. The human foot wasn't meant to walk or run heel to toe, that is symptomatic of ultra-padded running shoes. Check online videos of Tarahumara runners or barefoot running or Kenyan runners. They tend to have more organic and gentle running styles. Wear them for just an hour at a time as your feet and legs build up your natural stabilizer muscles and shock absorbers that have been under-used ever since your parents made you put shoes on to play outside. Do any kids actually like wearing shoes to play? None that I know of.

My only criticisms are the following: I often practice martial arts outside in these shoes, and sometimes the soles of my feet get warm and worn from the friction or rotating on the ground. Also, sometimes my feet get cold. (It's an odd sensation when your feet are generally cold, but the bottoms are hot from friction.) Both things could possibly be cured by wearing thin toe socks. I'll test it out and report back. (Leave a comment if you're impatient to learn how my test goes.) Being barefoot in these shoes is great though. I can really feel all of my movements without compromising a certain level of protection the soles give me (I rarely go barefoot outside these days except on the beach.) All in all, I think a thicker or cold-weather (but breathable) version would be fantastic.

Other than those two relatively minor things, I LOVE these shoes. Well-done Vibram.

If nothing else, check with your local sports store, try on a pair for size and walk around the store a little. It's a unique experience. (You may be able to find better prices online once you know your size.) You're more likely to find them at specialty sports stores that cater to more extreme and serious athletes, hikers, rock climbers and campers. In other words, I don't think Sports Authority carries them, but Adventure 16 might.

Let me know what you think!



(Katie Strand is not sponsored or paid to endorse these shoes. Strand is merely stating an opinion about a public product. No legal copyright or publicity infringement intended.)

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Dick Morris... How do you sleep at night?

Must be with a serious cocktail of Bourbon laced with OxyContin...

People, I didn't mean for this blog to be political, but I feel like I have no choice here. First Rusty DePass makes his absurd, racist and rude comments about Gorillas and Michelle Obama. I thought we'd hit a new conservative-sh*t-slinging low, but once again, my low-expectations were much to high for the conservative media and their go-to journalists and politicians.

The infraction I speak of, of course, is Dick Morris' vile opinion spewing on Fox News regarding the release of Laura and Euna Ling from their 140-day detainment in North Korea; thanks in no small part to Bill Clinton's meeting with North Korea's Kim Jung Il.

I agree that any representative of the United States negotiating for the release of one of our citizens - journalist or otherwise, shouldn't compromise the safety or wellfare of other American citizens or civil liberties for said release. But there is no evidence this was done by Clinton or anyone else involved in the release of the Ling sisters. If a photo-op with Bill Clinton, and some positive press for North Korea - in the slew of negative-press about North Korea - is the price we've paid for the release of these two women, then maybe we should send Clinton and a photographer over to Iraq, because I'd like to see the stop-lossed soldiers home, with their families and with their full G.I. Bill.

What if this was you, or one of your family members? I feel certain you'd retort with something like, "Well, my family members and I would never go into North Korea, so this wouldn't happen to us..." But, come on. First of all, you should be ashamed for siding with North Korea and saying these women should "face the consequences" of their excursion into North Korea. Because that's what you're doing - siding with North Korea and implying that their sentencing of these women was fair. Secondly, is this the legacy you want to leave with your name? You have some health issues, I can tell just by looking at you, and I truly am sorry because I wouldn't wish bad health on anyone. But regardless of your state of health, you are in the latter part of your life, so I'd think seriously about what you're saying and how you're portraying yourself to the world. I again ask this very serious question, Is this the legacy you want to leave with your name? Because it's an ugly, heartless legacy, and I'm sure you are not, wholly, a heartless man. So what gives, Dick Morris?

Also, as far as "facing the consequences," isn't 140 days long enough a punishment for crossing into North Korea?

I'm getting more frustrated the more I reflect on this. How about this, Dick Morris. I bet we could find someone to simulate a North Korean detention center for this little experiment. How about someone gets you and subjects you to the same treatment and conditions Laura and Euna were subjected to. Let's see how you handle it for 140 days. Before this experiment, we'll give you some fake information on nuclear war-heads, but you won't know it's fake, and we'll see how long it takes you to a) crack, and b) beg for Bill Clinton to come meet with Kim Jong Il on your behalf. See how long it takes. I'd bet you'd last 5 days on the outset. Maybe a week if you got to hide your OxyContin in a cigar tube up your you-know-what. But I'd never really condone doing this to you, because that would be cruel and heartless. I suppose it's punishment enough you have to live with yourself day-in and day-out.

How do you sleep at night?




Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Rusty DePass, Gorillas, and Obama, oh my!


Rusty DePass, Gorillas, and Obama, oh my!


I was completely shocked when I heard about Rusty DePass and his racist comments. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, here's the background of the story, originally from Rusty's facebook page, then WIS news, and of course, The Daily Show and CNN. (Daily Show segment on this was on August 3, 2009.)

After an aide to state Attorney General Henry McMaster detailed the escape of the gorilla from Columbia's Riverbanks Zoo, DePass responded with a comment: "I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors - probably harmless."

DePass later admitted to WIS News that he was referring to Michelle Obama and said, "I am as sorry as I can be if I offended anyone. The comment was clearly in jest."

DePass, who was a county co-chair for Rudy Giuliani's 2008 campaign, supported the push to impeach President Bill Clinton in the late 90s, writing in an op-ed for The State, "Do Republicans have higher moral standards than Democrats?"


Alright. I'll be the first to admit that my sense of humor can be a little on-the-fringe. I enjoy comedians who aren't afraid of addressing subjects that are controversial. In fact, I think it's important to do so. I appreciate and laugh with Richard Pryor, Lewis Black, Sarah Silverman, Louis C.K., Chris Rock, Kevin Hart, and Jo Koy, who all, in their own style, talk about things we're not supposed to talk about in society. I enjoy their off-the-beaten-path humor and even the wrongness of it, because they're often pointing out the idiosyncrasies of our culture, and illustrating what it's like to live in a diverse and often absurd world. But they're comedians, and ultimately they'll make fun of themselves just as quickly as politics, racial stereotypes, and minorities. The a*s DePass said something that would never be found funny, in even the smallest of stand-up venues. For him to say it was "in jest" was a political move, and nothing more. His racist blood runs as thick as the mud of the south, and I, for one, am not laughing.

Apparently he's a GOP activist and former chair of some state elections commission or some such thing. Jeez. I love this country for many reasons, the most salient of all is the First Amendment/Freedom of Speech. So I understand why this man must be allowed to go on existing, and speaking his mind...But don't apologize for it you schmuck, and don't pretend like you didn't mean it. Your racism is palatable and potent. I guess you just didn't realize you weren't living in the 1950s. You know we abolished slavery, right? As well as Jim Crow laws and the whole "separate but equal" doctrine. All those things have been ruled unconstitutional. Surprised you didn't know that, being a former public-official and all.

Anyway. Generally, I'm open and flexible about humor, and even politics. We could all do better to take ourselves less seriously, but this, my fellow Americans, is blasphemy of the highest order. Impeach this guy. Oh wait, I guess we have no reason to, since he probably hasn't received a BJ since Jim Crow laws were in effect.

One last note. Do you know what GOP stands for? It's a republican party nickname, but it seems the majority of Americans (in a pole I did among four guys I know), don't know what it actually stands for. GOP stands for "Grand Old Party."

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Michael Jackson - Troubled Genius

Michael Jackson - Troubled Genius
Why Michael Jackson was so significant for my generation

Hearing the news today that Michael Jackson was first in the hospital, and then pronounced dead around 3:30pm PST evoked a nostalgic, and mixed response from this social commentator. I felt simultaneously sad for his death, and sad for the way he conducted himself for the last, oh, I don’t know, TWENTY years of his life. But I also felt blessed to be alive during Michael Jackson’s reign as one of music’s most profound geniuses. In fact, I felt like I grew up with Michael Jackson’s music as a soundtrack to my most formative years.

The Thriller video came out when I was only four years old, but as I was blessed to have older siblings who introduced me to Michael’s greatness, we congregated at my Grandmother’s house, a) much to her dismay because she didn’t see the attraction to MJ and b) because my parents didn’t have cable television at the time, hence no MTV to view the most exciting music video to air since music videos debuted with Video Killed the Radio Star. (By the way, my parents still don’t have cable. God Bless ‘em and their Minnesota roots that keep them somehow liberal and open-minded, but blissfully simple and removed from much of modern society. But I digress, that’s another blog.)

So even though I was very young, I remember gathering with my older brother and sister to watch the Thriller debut on MTV. I remember sitting on the floor – I didn’t have the seniority for a couch spot, and leaning against the couch with one of my Grandmother’s slightly musty-smelling throw pillows held closely to my prepubescent chest in case I needed to cover my face from the horror (which I did on at least two occasions, the first, obviously, being when Michael first transitioned into the night-creature.) I was hooked. Thriller was the first album I bought with my own money. I remember listening to it and Bad loudly on my headphones ad nauseam with my new portable tape player on the front porch of my parents’ home. I LOVED Michael Jackson. Couldn’t get enough.

So the question is: Why was Michael Jackson so significant for my generation? The most obvious answer is that he was a music genius. With the help of Quincy Jones he created some of the best songs, lyrics, hooks and melodies ever. That’s right, I said EVER. In my book he’s right up there with the greats: Beethoven, Cole Porter, Led Zeppelin, Cat Stevens, and The Beatles. But the fact that he was a music genius, albeit disturbed music genius, is pretty undisputed. What else? Well, there was a time (those of us over 20 will recall) when Michael Jackson was provocative and sexy. That’s right, he was SEXY. Pre-scandal, pre-alleged pedophilia, pre-plastic surgery addiction. He stirred our loins. Awakened some sleeping visceral giant within each and every one of us. Think about it. How can you not feel his songs in your lower half? PYT, Bad, Thriller, ABC, Billy Jean, and the like. It’s impossible to not feel something in your loins when hearing those songs, not to mention dancing in your school gymnasium with the lights low and the teacher/chapperone's busy with their flasks and flirting so you can get away with grinding up on each other. God bless dances in school gymnasiums and Michael Jackson. Lastly, there was something about his crotch-grabbing arrogance blended with an extended youthful naivety that made my generation feel somehow understood. Like he was singing to and for us. It is a rare thing in an artist to represent their listeners so completely. Rare and not to be taken for granted. Funny, it seems he felt taken for granted.

As today comes to an end, a day I’ll certainly remember the rest of my life, just as older generations remember Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and John Lennon’s deaths, and younger generations will remember Brittney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Lindsay Lohan’s meeting the Grim Reaper (hopefully not for years to come, girls – please do take better care of yourselves; JT, you appear to be doing fine), I’m struck with sadness at the loss of a man who was as troubled as he was brilliant. No matter what you think about what he did or did not do in regard to his alleged misconduct with the youth he kept company with, he was indisputably troubled. His misguided and delusional choices to drastically and surgically alter his appearance over and over speak volumes to some inner self-loathing that was in complete contradiction to his musical genius. It seems genius sometimes comes with a price. So sad. I for one loved Michael Jackson’s music, and his will be my favorite music, especially for dancing, for many years to come. But it is impossible, given the latter years of his life, to remember him and his music without remembering the troubled soul that lived inside that mutilated face and body. Michael, I wish you could’ve loved yourself as much as we loved you. You were truly a beautiful boy and man before you started changing yourself for a world you didn’t realize appreciated you so sincerely and immensely. We will remember you through your musical greatness, and in your memory, may we take better care of ourselves and the brethren of talented artists you leave behind.