Fitness, Journalistic Whoredom & the NY Times
The January 8th 2008 edition of the New York TImes published an article in its Health (sic) section entitled: Does Exercise Really Keep Us Healthy? In the brain flatulation of an attempt at responsible journalism the eminent Gina Kolata makes the asinine and irresponsible statement that Fitness is oversold. First off, this is the United States of America where the overselling everything from the obvious to the bogus from beauty preserving placebos to toxic pharmaceuticals is the contemporary state of the market place. Gina Kolata is oversold as a voice in the know regarding health and fitness as well as a New York intellectual with her impressive educational resume. With a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and her master’s degree in applied mathematics from the University of Maryland, and a stint at M.I.T. studying molecular biology in a Ph.D. program, she is no doubt well suited for academic prowess, and might qualify as a ½ intellectual? Intellect as defined by the Webster-Merriam dictionary: the power of knowing as distinguished from the power to feel and to will: the capacity for knowledge b: the capacity for rational or intelligent thought especially when highly developed. You show me where the rationale and intelligence is her vacuous discrediting of Heracles advice of eating less and exercising, her compulsion driven, personal exercise regimen, and her insights on the discipline of fat(you would think she could have found a more sensitive word in her extensive, intellectual vocabulary) people. As the video clip provided later, you will attest to my only stating the obvious.
My life is about positive actions and service and contirbuting to humanity. This is what fuels my passion and provides purpose. I am gifted with the ability to help others find happiness and to evolve spiritually during their time here. I do not do this from a pulpit, I do it on the field, in the gym, and outside in the fresh air. I know that an optimally healthy body creates a physical state of high energy and performance ability, a mental state of elevated clarity and ability, and an emotional state of calm, patient sensitivity. In such a state one is more aware and able to apply the natural desire of self realization. Now where does this connect with the title of this article? It is about the contrast in quality of important information and the contrast in intent by those spreading this information. The NY Times’ Gina Kolata is the epitome of irresponsible, self serving journalistic whoredom. She is a pawn for corporate America, without any passion or intent on contributing helpful information to people. She writes for money and says what she is told to. ess.html http://health.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-exercise-ess.html
In my uninformed and ignorant youth I enjoyed the NY Times, as I found the tone to be more objective, intelligent and responsible in comparison to many other newspapers. It seemed there was actually content and at least a jab at objective reporting even when there was a certain view or stance being taken. It seems I was young, ignorant, and of a very malleable mindset. Proving that youth has limited perspective, that feces is expelled from even the most refined, and that it is still odiferous and repugnant, the Times, Gina Kolata wrote a contrived, asinine exercise in toying with interpretation in 01/08/08’s, Does Exercise Really Keep Us Healthy?
The acidic, arrogant character of her piece shows blatant disdain for physical culture as well as being a thinly veiled statement ridiculing holistic, healthy living as a waste of effort. I, at first, believed her manufactured stance against physical fitness was a pathetic attempt at justifying of her own lack of discipline to apply a healthy lifestyle. In researching her a bit I found I was wrong. Ms. Kolata has, evidently been a compulsive exerciser, prone to the ignorant, health decimating, exercise science devoid, neurosis balancing; sweat until you drop cardio approach to training for many years. She is the definition of the exercise junkie approach to fitness. Not only is her choice of exercise ignorant, her purpose of attempting to balance unhealthy lifestyle choices (including the deep seeded guilt of selling your soul to the coporate devil) and maintaining a pseudo-healthy lean look the same(this look appears more like the emancipated result of the POW or concentration camp diet and health lifestyle to me). With her irresponsible article she has placed herself on a rung lower than all the health, fitness and wellness charlatans that she is obviously attacking. Her circular argument goes beyond putting her foot in her mouth; it places her head deeply up her back side opening.
Exactly what is her objective? If it was to create more confusion and give the couch potatoes another reason to stay put, she has succeeded. I would be glad to debate her view points, LIVE, any time, any day and expose her for authoring a very vacant, irresponsible, negative, piece with no point. Of course, this is just my opinion, and I could be mistaken.
BEFORE GOING ANY FURTHER PLEASE READ THE NY TIMES ARTICLE THAT INGNITED THIS RANT AND FORM A VISUAL OF THE AUTHOR: http://health.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-exercise-ess.htmlIt will enhance the affect of the ensuing video clip and my comments regarding it.
This video clip clearly defines Gina Kolata’s astounding brilliance, presence and needed place as a health and fitness advocate. I think her statement and its delivery regarding Hippocrates at the 1:25 mark of the clip, will stand as one of the most insightful, important messages of our time. NOT! I suppose it must have slipped her genius IQ that maybe fat people didn’t follow Hippocrates advice and that it was the lack of application of the advice rather than the advice itself that was flawed. Her insight on fat people, at 1:46 of the clip, borders on ridiculous.
In reviewing the archives of her stories that foul stench I was subjected to in reading one article appears to be a very consistent pattern. Instead of providing information that allows our own decision, we are sold a corporate supported viewpoint. Read the following story, due a little research yourself, and make you own decision.
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