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A few things have been on my mind recently regarding the gym. The first involves the place of an elliptical machine in a males workout.

I do use the machine from time to time and recently learned from my friends down in Hampton Roads (Newport News is only a segment of Hampton roads. They are not the same thing) that using this machine will eventually lead me to purchase a pink iPOD and begin doing Pilates.

I disagree. One basic concept of working out is that it is good to mix things up. Sure the eliptigay is not the same as running but it is a great alternative. You may be able to get an even greater workout from this machine than running if you find it as hard as i do to focus and not get bored running on treadmill.

The last thought I had involved the place of the Baltimore, Maryland based Under Armour in the gym. These form-fitting, moisture-wicking performance shirts are worn by well….in order not to create controversy…a lot of interesting individuals. Elroy and I had a discussion about this before in which we created groups that most gym-going, under armour wearing person could be placed. I believe there were 2 groups that I don’t want to mention. At the end of the day i’m not going to wear under armour for three main reasons: I’m not jacked; If I was jacked I’d probably still not wear this because i’d feel like a girl wearing an extra short skirt trying to get attention; Finally, I’ll always prefer wearing random t-shirts like the blue one I got at ElectronicVagrant’s wedding.

THIS FITNESS COLUMN IS SPONSORED BY:

ACOM ENDORSED: “This gave me that extra push i’ve always been looking for” - ACOM, 2008

By now many of us have been ’served’ or ‘pwn3d’ but have you been ‘rick rolled’ yet? This most recent prank, which has been around for about year, has hit the mainstream hard in the past six months.

The prank involves the 1987 hit song “Never Gonna Give You Up” by Rick Astley. The song reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and its music video is the basis for being ‘rick rolled’.

The perpetrator provides a relative link for an ongoing thread, article or conversation. The user clicks on the link with great anticipation only to be dissapointed (or if you are like me, insanely pumped up and you begin singing along) as he sees a 1980s music video instead of the relavent topic.

As Mike Huckabee’s campaign gains momentum, people have started look more closely at perhaps his most radical idea: the Fair Tax . This idea was not developed by Huckabee but by a group called Americans for Fair Taxation.

If implemented, this new tax system would nearly eliminate the IRS. The income tax would not exist and neither would those horrible forms we fill out every year. Instead, the tax would be shifted on everyday purchases that we make. Prices would increase 30%. Seems a bit unfair to poor but apparently they receive a government rebate check every month to offset the increase. In other words, they will pay only a fraction of the 30% increase or none at all depending on how little they make.

PROS
1.No more IRS and nasty forms to fill out every year

2.Encourages savings and investment. Two ingredients necessary for economic growth

3.Appears to distribute the tax burden ‘fairly’ based on what you make and consume

4.Single handily eliminates tax loop holes that lobbyists love and would prevent tax breaks to favored groups

CONS
1.”Fair” is a very subjective term and there may be many people that do not find this as a favorable move.

2.Potential to create a HUGE underground black market. Just think, if you are not paying income tax, you would have an incentive to try and find products that aren’t taxed with the new 30% increase. This mimics the black market for cigarettes that grew from the heavy taxation of cigarettes. If enough people avoided paying this tax, it could cripple the government.

3.Would everything be taxed? Baby food is an example cited. If you continue not to tax baby food then you open the door to many other products and you would need to move the loss on these products onto other products.

4.Lets say that in general everything appears fair. Poor people get a break and wealthy people get taxed a lot. Seems fair but in reality that is not the case. For example, say you won the lottery or received a huge 10 million dollar bonus. Under current conditions, all 10 million will be taxed. But now with the fair tax, you choose to save 9 million and only spend 1 million. Now your tax rate expressed as a % using 10 million as the denominator is incredibly small. Critics cite that the rich will actually become filthy rich if the Fair Tax is implemented.

I’m sure there are other pros and cons that I am forgetting. Common sense tells me this idea will probably never reach fruition but it is still an interesting idea. One aspect that i find intriguing is how a 30% increase in everyday prices would affect my spending habits. Theoretically, I guess it should have no effect but I think I would have a hard time pay 30% more for a bunch of the crap I buy. My guess is that I would save even more money and pay far less in taxes than the government intended.

Today, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine signed a bill that will abolish the death penalty in New Jersey. The state has not actually enforced the law since 1963 but it still marks the first time in nearly thirty-years that a state has banned the death penalty.

Gov. Corzine sited the governments lack of a “fool-proof death penalty that precludes the possibility of executing the innocent,” as one reason for signing the bill into law. He also poses a philosophical question that “society must ask, is it not morally superior to imprison 100 people for life than it is to execute all 100 when it’s probable we execute an innocent.”

The death penalty is still legal in thirty-seven states despite objections of its fallibility or its intended purpose that it deters major crimes and that it is cruel and unusual punishment. Critics also argue that it is more costly to run the death penalty system than it is to lock the individual up for life (see death penalty fact sheet)

Supporters of the death penalty allege that it deters crime and may prevent recidivism along with being an appropriate form of punishment for the heinous crime committed.

While trolling the blogs today, I encountered two common responses puzzle me regarding the Governor’s signing of the bill.

In summary here is what they say:

“Congrats New Jersey! You have just joined civilization!”. This comment was followed by “wait till someone you love is taken from you, then you’ll wish you had the death penalty”.

My response to the first phrase brings up the classic Abortion/Death Penalty conundrum. I’d be curious to see how many people that joined the “welcome to civilization” bandwagon are pro-choice. If so, I find your comments full of irony and I’ll leave it at that.

Finally, while I understand the argument about feeling differently if your son/daughter etc etc was taken from you at the hands of another, I think that logic should be applied at the opposite end of the spectrum: what if your son/daughter was unjustly put on death row?

I nearly cried myself to sleep from laughing so hard at this article. I will keep my comments to a minimum because I do not want to offend any spouse’s brother.

I will admit that I find this article humorous probably because I do not understand and have never experienced the environment that the author describes. I will say that I would settle for an orange shirt any day over that bow tie he is wearing in the picture.

The stock market rallied around 1% this morning thanks to Wal-Mart’s surprisingly strong third-quarter results. Shares rose 5.5% in early morning trading after earnings topped estimates and the company raised their projected sales for the coming year.

There is even better news to cheer about: Wal-Mart has given a sneak peek of its Black Friday deals. The store will offer xbox 360 game consoles along with 5 games for around $280. Also, they will be selling 50-inch Phillips plasma televisions for $1397.

As zach pointed out, South Park’s new episode “Guitar Queer-o” crosses the line. Guitar Hero fans are planning a live musical performance in protest of the new episode (real instruments will not be used).

Some South Park songs that have already been made into G.H. songs:

“Chocolate Salty ####”

America, #### YEAH!!!