Yes sir coach, will do.

A big shoutout to my mom, Leona, for losing 19lbs so far doing CrossFit at my affiliate, Off The Grid.

She's had a rough couple weeks, with the passing of her mom, but was determined to get back in the gym.

I'm so proud of you!

Nick, thanks for all of your help...

Oh Christ, what drivel.

Who, exactly, is calling Sarah Palin comptemptible? Inexperienced, sure, incurious, certainly. I personally find her an ironic choice for the "experience matters" candidate, Senator McCain (notice they don't talk about that much anymore). I also find her lack of intellectual heft rather shocking in someone who wants to be next in line for the presidency. But nobody's called her comtemptible. Get a grip.

Thank goodness for Joe the plumber. It took this random question to bring out the true intentions of Obama. The true intentions that he has spent his whole career saying in his own words, yet distanced himself from when he began running for President. I am a true conservative, which means I am not a big fan of McCain, since he is less than conservative on lots of issues. However McCain like it or not has always said what he means. There is not a single chance that taxing the rich and giving to the poor will fix the economy. Who do the libs think they are to say that somebody is too successful or too rich. The very foundation of the American dream is that you can be as successful as you want to be as long as you put forth the effort your entire life. Now we have to think that if we went to college, got a degree, got a job, worked our way up to the top, we must now give as much as 50% of our income to the Government to re-distribute it to people who dropped out of high school, jump from job to job, and are a general drain on the system. Oh yes lets also punish big buisness for being big. Even though the goal of every small buisness out there is to become a big buisness.

This is America. Unless you are physically or mentally handicapped, you have no excuse for not being successful. If you can not succeed in this country there is nowhere else on Earth that you could. If you dropped out, don't make effort at work, had too many kids before you were ready, or are looking for a hand out then you should suffer because you did it to yourself, and you don't deserve one penny from somebody who did what you should have done.

Before you all go thinking I'm some elitist, I'll set you straight. I am a Loss Prevention Agent for a major retailer. I make $12.00 an hour and live paycheck to paycheck. I am this way at 27 years old because I blew off school and was lazy in my teens and early 20's. I am dealing with the consequences and working my way out of the hole on my own, without asking for a Government hand out.

"Class Will Tell: Why is Bill Ayers a respectable member of the upper middle class and Sarah Palin contemptible?"

without reading yet, the obvious answer is ..

The liberal mind by nature hates that which means it no harm. Instead, ever searching to practice their own chic version of Stockholm Syndrom, in a self-denial ridden version of "open-minded diversity" for those wicked souls that would harm, contain, coerce or worse yet rob them off their liberty through their own faulty reasoning.

Amazingly it is the weakest, stupidest, cowardliest and coniving of us, who call themselves liberally open-minded. Ironically, they are the first to key your car if you have a McCain/Palin sticker on your bumper or set fire to your Hummer just because it is a hummer.

Typical Marxist behavior exercised throughout crapholes the world. The race is on to "spread around the wealth" of Joe the Plumber in an effort to garner a consistant voting block in the guise of "fairness, hope, and change"

Viewed in the best light, this article is disingenuous. Bill Ayers isn't running for Vice-President, Palin is. However, I don't believe the article is simply disingenuous. It is part of the purposeful, concerted attack by the McCain/Palin camp on Obama in lieu of concrete policies for the country. If Obama can be attacked for his association with Ayers, surely Palin can be attacked for her association with the Alaskan Independence Party. Maybe Palin isn't a secessionist, but why not attack her anyway? As for me, I would prefer hearing the candidates, and editorial writers, discuss policy.

I'll come clean. I don't think "contemptible" even comes close to describing my feelings for her. I don't see it as an issue of class; I'd like to think I'd feel the same way regardless of her class/gender/ethnicity when their state legislature--controlled by Republicans--finds her guilty of ethics violations, which don't even address the fact her husband was a card carrying member of the Alaska Independence Party (secessionist group wackos). But that, along with the fact she has supported this group for years is secondary.

As the mayor of Wasilla she charged rape victims for their kits. disgusting. deplorable....Oh, and it's not just a liberal thing. Several prominent conservatives have pointed out the empress has no clothes and they've gotten nothing but wingnut hate mail.

You probably all need to go to www.nbc.com and watch the WeekendUpdate Palin rap when they post it.

Let me ask a question: why is this article even worth reading?

He's not and she isn't.

Why do journalists treat morons like they're reasonable and then call it journalism? That's the real question, I think.

Ah, fear of change and casual racism...it's been a few days since I've seen you two show up in an article posted on this website. Why the long leave of absence?

Listen: this is bullshit, and the Republican party is too dependent on the votes of the 700 club to act so erudite in blogs and periodicals. Comparing Bill Ayers and Sarah Palin is a gross logical fallacy, because Bill Ayers has not been nominated for national office. If he was, we would be having a different discussion entirely. The media can afford not to villainize Bill Ayers because he is not a substantive part of this campaign. On the other hand: Sarah Palin is open for scrutiny because she may soon lead our country. Does anyone see the difference? It's important, and apparently it was lost on the Weekly Standard.

Here's another radical idea: maybe the media is picking on Sarah Palin because her nomination was a an act of political desperation, and most conservatives know this, regardless of what they publish to "fire up the base." The fact that she could not name a single Supreme Court case (not just one from the 19th century, but thanks, Weekly Standard!) is frightening. The fact that she does not discourage her crowds from chanting "kill him" (though, due to exactly the sort of conflation seen in the article posted here, the "him" in question may have been Obama or Ayers) is not what anyone would describe as "presidential."

It's time for the Republicans to stop pulling at America's heartstrings and stand on the basis of things like sound fiscal policy and firmness in international politics, where they do have the upper hand. That's a victory to savor, not showing the Dems up at moose-hunting.

As for this website: many of your adherents are military/law enforcement. We are not an angry mob. A lot of us even believe it is at least as important to know about our elected officials as it is to know about the Zone diet.

Soapbox stand: 1 round in 20 min.

Liberals are worthless.

So is Bill Ayers.

Question: We live in a country that put Timothy Mcveigh to death for blowing up the Federal Building in Oklahoma City (rightly so). Why is it that Bill Ayers blows up the Pentagon, Police officers' homes, and other places, and walks around talking about how he wished he'd done more bombing and killing, gives money to Obama, and advises on the reform of education.

Riddle me this.

This topic was due for some attention...

It seems to me people will most associate with the information they read. Those people who watch FoxNews on a regular basis will think Obama and his socialist tendencies align perfectly with an Ayers agenda. And those people who leave their television dial on MSNBC will no doubt watch McCain's ads and perceive their negative connotation as being a continuation of the Bush-Rove media machine.

While I appreciate the views from the unbiased media source, I think it would be more appropriate to post primary sources from the candidate. This article is written in such a language that it is unavailable to most of the public.

I'm sure that most people reading a CrossFit article already have their minds made up about McCalin and Obiden. The 'horses-mouth' information would allow us readers a chance to form our own opinions about the candidates views on their opponent.

#6, I couldn't agree more.

I think both people are contemptible. But only one is running for the second highest public office in the land. She stumps that real America only exists in small pockets in small towns, but yet she's associated with a group that wants to secede their state from the Union. That's not just unpatriotic behavior, that's treasonous behavior. But yet she's running for Vice President of the United States? Talk about someone who really doesn't understand herself!

Why do so many people want socialism. Can't play in the big world. It is just like a CFer who scales the workout then wants to get credit like one of the top dogs. Can you scale the WOD at the CF Games and still place? The new CF Games we can have the Top 1% do more in their WOD so the weaker ones can feel good about themselves.

BrettL. - You, for one are calling her contemptible. Your remarks in fact scream: "Palin is contemptible."

djs - What the hell is your point about "horses-mouth" information about the "candidates view on their opponent"? Some opinions are better than others, and this one happens to be interesting, thoughtful, and well-written. I'm glad it was posted here or I might not have found it.

for Greg-
Don't think you're being righteous by telling us that you screwed up. You did it on your own like so many others, but get this: some people don't. I've worked hard and I'm not successful; I'm doing ok like so many others. Face it, America has a long way to go before it lets everyone live comfortably. As for Ayers and Palin; both are contemptible, but most of us are anyway.

Re: the article

LMFAO @ the anti-union, big government, run the country into the ground to make rich richer, Republican party now being the party of the people. Give me a break. Palin isn't respected because she is a moron. It has nothing to do with class. She could be from Greenwich and people still wouldn't respect her.

I think in an attempt to be cerebral, many over-analyze what is going on in our countries' political arena.

I think it's simple.

Personal responsibility. Some in this country are instilled with it - some are not and some give up on it because the are given permission by elitist learning institutions.

Socialists/liberals/communists etc... (I know there are differences but the differences are in the details) they all want to give up personal responsibility and feel noble in the 'sacrifice' of it.

Whether a huge gov't bailout to financial institutions that deserve to fail or a 'spread the wealth arround' socialist reform for health care- in any case it all seems to come back to whether we desire personal responsibility (read freedom) or take the burden of responsibility off of ourselves for the safety of being cared for by a nany-state as if we are spoiled children.

Since I'm not cerebral or eloquent I'll just drop some wisdom from one who was both...

“They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
Ben Franklin's Contributions to the Conference on February 17 (III) Fri, Feb 17, 1775

Comment #16 - Posted by: Brandon

Since when is your right to live comfortable?
The constitution is written to give us the right to PERSUE happiness. It does not and can not give us happiness.

It is not our government's job to make sure all in our borders are comfortable. If it was we would be subject to what the government's diffinition of 'comfortable' is. (and we would be subjects-make no mistake)

Everything you just said sounds like the typical whining liberal bilge that gives up the personal resposibility I was just talking about.- Grow up.

I can't afford to vote for Mccain. Another four years of republican economics will drive our country all the way under ground. Let's try something different. Constantly Varied might work for politics as well as fitness.

I like to form my opinions and beliefs off things that I learned at a very young age that were mostly taught by my immediate family and the culture around me. I then attempt to defend this maxim by any means necessary and will negotiate facts to support my already formed view at all costs. I do this without any regard for history or any other social science for that matter. I will also defend anybody else that embodies my views no matter how incompetent. I love war and think it should be waged against any culture different than mine. After all, my way has been proven to be the best by my experts so it's for their best interests. Although I think war is always necessary and there is always an enemy I would never actually personally fight in one. If I did join the military I would most definitely be a POG. Hey, everybody has their part. These beliefs cannot be questioned. If one of our own does question any part of our maxim they must be marginalized at all costs. If an outsider questions our view with "facts" they are not a patriot, or if brown, they're a terrorist. I'm not a bad person, I just find outside information scary. If it turns out everything I believe is bullsh*t, it makes me look foolish.

My Mom (61 yesterday) came out to some WODs at crossfitottawa this summer. I told her to expect that it will be tougher than her YMCA program but didn't expect her whit when after 5 rounds of a FGB style WOD she exhaustedly panted "and that was the warm up?"

There is no affiliate where she lives so she is doing her Y aerobics with "intensity" and has moved from 1Lb weights to 8Lb weights and is out lifting the men.

Great article.

#6/Gerard said it best so far...

"Viewed in the best light, this article is disingenuous. Bill Ayers isn't running for Vice-President, Palin is. However, I don't believe the article is simply disingenuous. It is part of the purposeful, concerted attack by the McCain/Palin camp on Obama in lieu of concrete policies for the country. If Obama can be attacked for his association with Ayers, surely Palin can be attacked for her association with the Alaskan Independence Party. Maybe Palin isn't a secessionist, but why not attack her anyway? As for me, I would prefer hearing the candidates, and editorial writers, discuss policy."

I agree 100%

Will do fridays wod due to me hurting my foot and ankle.Am not able to jump or lift anything heavy.Rnds 11 in 20 min.

The author of this article is just confused in his meanderings about the "upper-middle-class." The reason Ayers is acceptable is because 3 or more generations of Americans have been brought up through an education system that has indoctrinated them at all levels to think Marxism and anti-Americanism is hip and enlightened. This starts rapidly in the history books of the lowest grades and reaches heights in college where the vast majority of professors are open Marxists. So, all Americans are programmed to some extent to accept Ayers.

Palin is contemptible because 99% of the media is aligned against her and at least 49% of Americans are too stupid or scared to decide for themselves. And she's not helping with the overly folksy rallies. After seeing his recent interviews, it's clear that Joe the Plumber is much more of a conservative intellectual than either of McCain/Palin.

As an American currently living in Europe, I just want to tell you all that what Obama is proposing is not socialism. The media and the Limbaugh/Hannity/Palin crowd are misleading the Americans into thinking Obama is a socialist. He isn´t and all those who may think he is, should READ and educate themselves about it and not LISTEN to what many are saying it is.

Concept2

My gym just got two new concept rowers!! I hope one of the upcoming WODs has a rowing component!

M/31/6'3"/200

#18/#19 - Dead on. The "Nanny State" concept makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit every time I think about it.

#20 - Well said ("Constantly Varied"), although change for the SAKE of change seems like emotional decision making, which is usually unwise.

CFitters seem to be an independent-minded group - we don't conform to conventional wisdom when it comes to fitness (when was the last time any of us did "bis and tris"?). Independence is the way to go... if any of us are relying on "they" or "the experts" to fix our lives (or investments, or jobs, or neighborhoods), we are setting ourselves up for MAJOR disappointment and vulnerability.

Back in the saddle this week for WODs... last week was brutal at work!

Crush 'em CrossFitters,

Ben

Think about this. What if a white republican candidate said he had a fund raiser thrown by some Nazi war criminals. Then said it was ok because he was only a boy during the time of the crimes, now those Nazis had respectable jobs and they were not that close.

I kindly ask myself and my clients to leave politics at the door before WOD's. Helps to clear the mind for the battle ahead.

Regardless of what Obama did with Bill Ayers and whether or not Sarah Palin is ready to be Vice President or president, the fact still remains that Obama wants to punish people for being successful and reward people for being unsuccessful. Redistribution of wealth goes directly against everything that this country was founded on. I am convinced that the George Washington, Ben Franklin, and John Hancock will turn over in their graves if Obama wins. I hope that Joe the Plumber got through to the undecided of America because I, for one, am not ready to have a socialist in the Presidency.

#30, dead on!

I don't understand the vitriol thrown at Sarah Palin. It is ridiculous.

Let's see: her husband was in a group wanting to secede from the United States. Obama's friend was responsible for blowing up the Petagon and police stations and is an unrepetentant idiot!

Whether he's running for VP or not is irrelevant. He's associated with a man running for POTUS! That leave the Annointed One's judgment in question.

Being in a group that would want to leave America seems a bit tame compared to a man who wants to kill Americans, yet for some reason isn't prison.

Additionally, wanting to leave America may not mean one hates America. It may mean that person is disappointed to see what America has become since the 20th Century, with a punishing tax system, moral relevance, more taxes, open markets giving places like China most-favored nation status, should I go on?

As for her experience, she's done a lot more than the Democratic Messiah.

#27, what do you call spreading the wealth around if not socialism? Perhaps welfare?

Palin's faily is Alaska Royalty, they own 17 winter sport vehicles. She is a rich lady. Nowhere is it nessescary to feel sorry for her. Palin is biceps curls tricep extensions versus substance.

I love how we the strong willed people should beleive that poor Sara is being attacked because of her horrible accent.

Bill Ayers was never anything above a casual acquiantance to Barack. Ayers was hired by the "Conservative" Annanburg foundation. The Annanburgs have a large stake is supporting Johns run for President. So who is lying to us again. Sorry buddy, but I'll not buy this bull-shit again. John had his chance in 2000, and he could have called bull-shit is 2004.

#4 Greg

Thank you for your honesty, too bad more in our society can't get past their "help me first" syndrome and recognize how true capitalism works.

Re: Weekly Standard article

Palin would make a better President than ANY of the other 3. Why? Because she hasn't been spoiled by DC politics. She is a true upper mddle class American, thats what scares the left so much.

As a small business owner, I can tell you Obama's economic plan has all of us meeting and planning to "circle the wagons". Big Corporations will be less affected since they will simply Inc. "over seas", but the small business sector, the largest job growth sector in the last few years, will suffer the most. And guess what, so will you!!

Don't get me wrong, I am not a die-hard Republican, but darn, come on Democratic Party, give me something better than this. I don't even have a choice this Nov.

#16 and #17

Your posts tell us more about you than what you think is true of Governor Palin.

I usually skip the comments when it starts getting political and now I remember why. If Obama or McCain said that they used paper towels instead of cloth someone would attack him for not being sensitive to the environment. If he said he used cloth he would be attacked for not supporting the lumber industry. I try not to argue politics or religion. I check out what each candidate says and what is said about each candidate through non-partisan sources on the web and make up my own mind.

Heck, I just came here to work out.

Bottom Line

The media has chosen Obama. Americans are highly influenced by the media. Obama will be Preident. Anybody or anything that interferes with that agenda will be crucified, Palin, Joe the Plumber, or whoever.

Ironically, the socialistic-leaning policies that the media espouses would disallow the freedom of press that they exercise to manifest this political outcome. And the employees that whine so much about "the rich getting richer", would penalize the source of their own income.

I am an independent, an employee, and usually disagree with most of Jay M.'s positions, but today I could not agree more.

#17, show me where it is the American government's responsibility for all to live comfortably.

You might have to google it, but try some personal responsibility.

How depressing that this got posted here.
I would love to keep politics out of CrossFit. CrossFit is controversial enough without equating it with a political POV/agenda. Some people think I'm part of a macho quasi-militaristic cult (which I have to push back against) and now they're going to say it's a GOP-fanclub, too?
Please, let's keep it about strength and fitness.

This will be yet another election that I vote AGAINST (by voting for the other guy) the one who'll take us to hell the fastest.

I think it's ironic that McCain's pet campaign finance reform, which mostly defanged conservative groups, probably doomed him from the start.

McCain/Palin 2008
Because I love America more than I hate John McCain

Good stuff! It does not matter if you are a Dem or Rep... Never forget, if us Mil types did not do our jobs for your defense, you could not say what is being said here!

#42 Tom

I guess you're new? Rest days are always about controversial political, social, and religious topics. Its called "forging mental fitness" using the written word in debate. If you'd rather not participate, just avoid the comments on rest day. As far as the CrossFit detractors, who cares?

Jay M.

Don't get too comfortable, I'm sure I'll challenge your views again soon. LOL

#18 Slim

My opinion is, though you call Palin a moron, she would take you "to the mat" intellectually on any topic of your choosing. You may not agree with someone politically, but calling them a moron without elaborating, signifies that you're not sure how to defend your own positions.

It would seem our elected officals are no longer decided by "we the people" but rather by crafty media outlets. Those here at CF who wish to leave politics at the door must realize CF has not directly endorsed anyone; forums exist to discuss opinions and views of others.

Palin a moron? I think it's pretty darn amazing that she could get up to speed as much as she has in such a short period of time.

I'd still put her preparedness up against Obamessiah's any day. He is the JUNIOR senator of Illinois and he has literally spent more time on the campaign trail than in the Senate. Being a senator, he's just one boob out of 100. Even thought Alaska has a small population, Palin has experience being the end of the line as far as responsibility goes.

Obama has one foot off the left edge of the earth when it comes to social issues. It's impossible to be more pro-abortion and anti-gun than he is. To a social conservative like me, he's as bad as they come. Not to mention that he is a flaming socialist. It's disappointing to me that McCain hasn't beaten him over the head with some of his previous votes.

And another thing to you guys who blame the Republicans for the current financial mess: The last time I checked, the Democrats were in charge of the House and the Senate.

I'm curious whether anyone has observed any difference in partisan derangement on the two sides.

A few weeks ago, someone defaced our McCain-Palin yard sign, and the Palin stickers on one of our cars.

More recently, a girl with an Obama bumper sticker passed me on the highway, screaming angrily and pumping a big thumbs-down at me as she screamed up an exit ramp.

One day I stopped on the way to work to move a McCain sign in the median strip. Someone had planted Democratic signs about 6" on either side of it so it couldn't be seen at all. I didn't touch theirs, just moved the McCain sign several feet away so all could be seen. Three days later the McCain sign was gone.

As for the article, I think he nailed it. Christopher Buckley's endorsement of Obama reeked of "Well, I disagree with him on everything, but at least he went to an Ivy."

The argument that Palin is "not ready" smacks of indignation catalysed by a lopsided desire to see the candidates for what you hope them to be, not for what they are.
I lived in AK for 5 years, my wife was born and raised there and is a member of one of the Native Corporations, and was just up there this summer. I can tell you that she is respected, admired, and, to a lesser degree than Obama in NY, somewhat of a bigger-than-the-average-politician celebrity.
If you compare her and Obama (Which everyone seems to want to do despite their runs for different offices. McCain's record is too solid and proven, I guess, to compare Obama's to. Besides, McCain might die while in office...but Obama won't.) there is no comparison. She has DONE more than Obama ever has, and proven that she is not a Marxist or Socialist. Obama hasn't done anything that would convince me that he isn't; only enough to make me suspicious that he could be nothing else.
The whole cult of personality thing that Obama's supporters have is scary to me. The idea that we in America need a single saviour to pull us out of this "crisis time" that we are in is a frightening sign of a new age of American un-independence and a degradation of individual belief in one's own ability to do anything in this country.

The article was hard to read... not because it was intellectually challenging (or even stimulating)... just because it was such a pile of conservative agenda serving drivel.

The Ayers-Obama link is as strong as the idea that I share the political views and am pals with every person I served with in the PTA. That’s why the “Bill Ayers Strategy” won’t work. But, the idea that Schulman puts forth, that somehow I admire the acts of Ayers because I’m what he’d gladly call a liberal and that somehow my social class is elevated by my political radicalism is ludicrous.

Somehow Schulman also tries to say that people dismiss the service and sacrifice of McCain because of epaulets (too proletariat)! I consider McCain a hero, but one who was unable to face his opponent in political debate without slinging mud and repeating statements which had already been refuted.

Sarah won the Miss Congeniality award and she’s a hard woman to dislike. The only thing I dislike about her is her political platform… oh, and the fact that she’s a liar who fires those who don’t do what she says.

McPalin are preaching the same conservative, civil rights limiting, trickle-down economics that I have seen for the past eight years. While I may not prescribe to the Robin Hood idea of “spreading the wealth”, I do feel that more opportunities will not be available to Americans because corporations who send jobs offshore are rewarded or because 5% of Americans have their taxes lowered. I do feel that America needs a strong middle class to survive. This doesn’t mean that I agree with Schulman’s ridiculous statement that I “follow the lead of the upper-middles.”

Please. The burgeoning negative feedback about Palin among the majority of the country is about a lack of capacity, not of adequate social standing. Her "refusal to conform to upper middle class norms" has nothing to do with her inability to name a single Supreme Court case other than Roe v. Wade, her complete lack of foreign policy experience, her not being able to name a single newspaper that she reads on a regular basis (when asked, I believe she replied "all of them), her obliviousness to the Bush Doctrine, her fundamental lack of understanding of any major issue of the day except perhaps energy policy and abortion rights... you get the picture.

To say that the current criticism of Palin is meritless and instead solely based on social class is yet another attempt by the dwindling ranks of Palin supporters to try to distract from the real issue most people have with her selection, which is her competence.

You can agree or disagree with issues regarding her competence, and that is fine and even healthy; however, to dismiss legitimate concerns about her ability to lead this country by inventing a class argument is simply not-too-clever gamesmanship.

I think alot of you like to use big words to sound smart.

To # 6 and #14.
It's a question of judgment, not patriotism.

In a 1970 interview, Ayers summed up the Weatherman philosophy as: "Kill all the rich people! Break up their cars and apartments! Bring the revolution home! Kill your parents! That's where it's really at!" On September 11, 2001, as terrorists were flying jetliners toward the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Ayers was the subject of a New York Times article in which he declared: "I don't regret setting bombs; I feel that we didn't do enough." And recently, when asked if he would do it all again, he replied: "I wouldn't discount the possibility."

You want your next president who had past associations with someone like that?

Lastly, please get your facts straight before spewing such nonsense about secession being "unpatriotic behavior, that's treasonous behavior."

Secession is a CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHT. If a state or people feel the government has gone off the deep end then the state has a RIGHT to remove itself from the Union. Yes, it has happened in the past; North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky to name a few.

Last I checked Bill Ayers was not on the ticket with Obama....Palin is on the ticket and it would be a sad day in American history if we ever put such a fool so close to so much power again (The GW Bush experience was quite enough thank you very much. Look where he has led us)

I love how you far right wingers pretend that your candidate is going to slash spending and cut taxes. Haven't you learned anything? They never do follow through on this promise....Your party has sold out to big business at all costs. You will continue to run our national debt up, export jobs and protect big oil at all costs. How does that strengthen our country economically? How does this secure our future when we owe the Chinese and Saudis hundreds of billions and have to keep funding Middle eastern states with Oil revenues that trickle down to radical islamic factions?

I would have a lot more respect for the republican voters if they actually practiced what they preached (or put forth candidates who cared about it) - "Fiscal conservatism" it is the way things should be done. Your party abandoned adherence to this idea in the Reagan years.

Go ahead, blame the liberals and the media. We all hate America anyway?....Give me an f-ing break with that crap....

Vote Libertarian...

I think the only contemptible one is the author of this simplistic, propagandistic article. Instead of trying to contribute anything to the political discourse, he's assumed that liberals hold two irresponsible positions, and then rhapsodized about what could make them so insane. He doesn't make any arguments as to whether those positions are held by anyone, he's just running the worst kind of smear. It's no different than an article about "Why Lynndie England is an American Hero and Barack Obama is a Terrorist".

#54

I so enjoy people that call our current President a fool. A man that graduates from Yale and Harvard, is elected Governor of Texas, and elected President twice seems pretty intelligent.

How about you turn it around on your own team and look at Joe Biden and all the stupid things he's said or done. It might surprise you.

This will be yet another election that I vote AGAINST (by voting for the other guy) the one who'll take us to hell the fastest.
#43 Brad
"I think it's ironic that McCain's pet campaign finance reform, which mostly defanged conservative groups, probably doomed him from the start.

McCain/Palin 2008
Because I love America more than I hate John McCain"

You took the words out of my mouth.

This post will simply answer the question asked by the article presented in its headline. Sarah Palin is not contemptible. Scary? Yes. Unqualified? Certainly. Narrow-minded? Without a doubt. But nobody is calling her contemptible, that is unfair and a reach for sympathy for the Alaskan Governor. Why do Republican journalists always polarize everything? If people criticize her, then those critics are commiting treason?

To answer the question, she is unqualified, inexperienced, and scary because she is a breath away from the Oval Office. Bill Ayers, on the other hand is not.

Sunday musings...

1) It IS possible to gain strength without departing from Crossfit. Significant strength, without sacrificing all of the other CF gains.

2) (Momentary) Success. Lovely Daughter was home for a surprise visit this weekend, hopping a ride with friends to visit Mom, Dad, and Li'l Bingo. You know, this parenting gig has been far and away the toughest thing Mrs. Bingo and I have done in our lives. Nothing else is even close. Just when you think you're on top of all of the issues something arrives out of the blue with the force of Lawrence Taylor blowing in from the blind side.

But when surprise is good, when all of the effort, anxiety, and worry has resulted in just exactly what you would hope (if you knew what it was you were supposed to hope for), it's like having your fullback ride LT right on by as you let sail that first down pass. You see, Li'l Bingo was struggling with standard issue teen stuff and doing a terrific job of keeping that hidden from his folks. What he needed was his big sister...and there she was, with nothing more important in her life than backing up her brother ("The Heir" weighed in by phone from Colorado). For today at least our efforts were rewarded with just the result, just the exact sibling response that we would hope for.

No great insight here, really, just a little cheerleading sent out to all of my fellow CF parents, a little encouragement to keep plugging along no matter how tough, crazy, and scary the parenting thing becomes. The darned things don't come with an owner's manual after all. Some times it's nothing more than that line from the movie "Harball", that success is often no more complex than continuing to "show up." Parenting is often no more complex than being there, ALL there, focused at that moment on nothing other than being a parent. And hoping that your parenting partner is a helluva left tackle.

3) Grace and Humility. It's not so much WHAT we have as it is what we DO with it, and how we BEHAVE when we have it, don't you think? It's hard to begrudge the mid-career NBA star his millions when he sits at the table next to you in a nothingburger joint with newsprint tablecloths and no-name beers, who smiles sheepishly as he wipes off the ketchup his 5 year old squirted all over Dad's jeans. Who leaves a 40% tip with no fanfare, quietly giving (very) high fives to everyone on the way out of the restaurant.

It's not necessary to hide one's success I don't think. It's not necessary to deny one's success by living a spartan life; one can and should enjoy the rewards of that success. A fall from the peak can be long and hard. Living each day with grace and humility will likely create a life of blessings whether that life is lived on the highest of peaks or in the lowest of valleys.

I have dearly missed these Sunday Musings. Crossfit is so, so much more than just a work-out program. I am a "middle of the curve" athlete here, unlikely to ever inspire a la Speal or Kelly Moore with my results. I'll have to content myself with my efforts to inspire at the Crossfit table instead. Thanks to each of you who reached out during the hiatus.

But thanks, mostly, to my gracious hosts for their invitation to return.

I'll see you next week...

Burreto- I fire people who don't do as I say as well. The reponsibility of leadership demands that such activity take place.

Good Day all,

Did yesterdays WOD today to catch up.

33 minutes to include a few seconds. Improvised on the weight due to spending time at home with my daughter. Back yard version of the WOD.

Semper Fidelis and God Bless

2nd filthy 50....

1st..31:15

today...26:19

knee to elbows were the hardest after a fast 10k yesterday.

The CrossFit radio this week is a good interview.

I heard the part just now about Charity and her Fran video...what was the time (looks like 8:06), its very unclear in the video. Needless to say I'm very impressed. But, if most of the guys can't do it in less than 8 minutes, it substantiates my belief that the majority of CrossFitters are still too weak.

I noticed this morning as well that Powell just endorsed Obama. A good move by Powell, a great move for Obama. I personally believe the country is going to regret it if/when Obama is elected. I'm already getting ready to leave active duty and join the Air National Guard if he is. I refuse to work for that man.

I find it odd that any of you think any of these people are not qualified. There is no standard of qualification other than the opinion of voters. The constitution goes into what a person must have as credentials (over 35, natural born citizen, 14 years residency in the US, not elected more than twice as POTUS). Those are the real qualifications. The rest is opinion-based. Argue all you want, but over half the electoral college has already voted, and quite a few absentee ballots have been already turned in. What happens in Nov is basically an afterthought.

The article made some good points. The hypocrisy and silliness of the ivory tower is a consistently reliable source of amusement/nausea.

That having been said, I still don't think Gov. Palin is ready to be President. She's obviously not stupid, she's shown some intestinal fortitude in standing up to her own party, and I like the fact that she hunts. However, I do not get a warm-and-fuzzy when I think about the possibility of her being my commander-in-chief.

Brad #47 made the point that, "I think it's pretty darn amazing that she could get up to speed as much as she has in such a short period of time." Agreed, but this underscores a more important point: she STARTED LEARNING about a lot of these topics (Georgia, Hugo Chavez, how to pronounce "Ahmedinejad", etc) only a month or two ago. I don't think she'd be ready to take the conn of the most powerful office in the world if Sen McCain were to die (God forbid). I think Sen McCain knows this in his heart of hearts and already feels guilty about putting her on the ticket.

The next President is probably going to be Sen Obama, and he's probably only going to be in for 4 years, because the economy will likely be just as bad 4 years from now, especially with the unchecked tax-and-spend agenda of a Democratic President and Congress. I just hope that he and Sen Biden don't completely screw up the military and our foreign policy between now and then.

He he he...you said boob #47

Why is this posted here, and why is it in my email inbox? I don't want political BS in my CrossFit emails, thank you very much. This is an interesting discussion, but highly inappropriate for a fitness forum and I resent it. Take it somewhere else, please.

Christine 67....let me guess....you're new here.

If you don't like political discussions, stay off the boards on rest days.

Clearly, if your a CF'er and not voting for McCain/Palin - you have some serious mental problems.

CrossFit = McCain/Palin!

I laugh in the face of persons who "don't get" that CF workouts meld as one into politics, duh.

Liberals don't even workout, too laxy waiting for government to workout for them, duh.

MCacin '08 Baby!!

Filthy Fifty today. first time doing this WOD, been in crossfit 3 weeks.

28:20
it really hit my shoulders hard, pecs were still sore from Cindy.

I love the smell of WOD in the morning.

No thank you. I use my workouts to forget this drivel, not embrace it.

to # 52 I think that you would be absurd to concoct such an ideology of this intellectually sound community to manifest such semantics in an attempt to delude their actual level of intelligence

#67 - The only thing that offends me is people who get offended. In order to become offended, you must believe that you are completely right, a Beacon of Truth. You are not a Beacon of Truth.

RE: this article.. Ayers is a terrorist and Palin is a moron, I don't want either of them anywhere near my government.

Ayers is an issue because he is one of the many America haters on Obama's list of friends. Call me crazy but that concerns me.

Bingo,
Welcome back. Just what I needed this morning.

Brad #47:

"Palin a moron? I think it's pretty darn amazing that she could get up to speed as much as she has in such a short period of time...[Obama] is the JUNIOR senator of Illinois...Being a senator, he's just one boob out of 100. Even thought Alaska has a small population, Palin has experience being the end of the line as far as responsibility goes...It's impossible to be more pro-abortion and anti-gun than [Obama] is...And another thing to you guys who blame the Republicans for the current financial mess: The last time I checked, the Democrats were in charge of the House and the Senate."

Come on Brad. The fact she needed to get up to speed makes me wonder where her head has been all her life. Also, no one is "pro-abortion" -- pro-choice is not pro-abortion, it's just asking the gov to keep the hell out of a woman's uterus. And if you call Obama just "1 boob out of 100," can't you say the same for McCain? Alaska does have a small population, and Palin has been found to have abused her position in even that small environment (re: trying to get her ex-bro in law fired for divorcing her sister...and who knows what else). What might she do were that executive power is magnified by thousands?

Lastly: really? The democrats in their less than 2 years in power in Congress have been the ones to destroy the economy? The previous 12 years under Republican control, along with 8 years of a Republican presidency had nothing to do with that? A hugely expensive tax refund in 2001 (remember those $300 checks that year -- they sure helped the economy to thrive!) followed by two wars, the larger of them ill-begotten, is not somehow to blame as well?

The funny thing is, I've always been more or less a Republican. I consider myself a fairly conservative independent now, but let's get real. This country needs a change in leadership in every way possible to at least nudge it back toward the center. Listen to Colin Powell's remarks from Meet the Press today. I don't believe Obama is anywhere near perfect, but he's a start toward getting us focused again on what really matters.

(And to all those admirers of Joe the Plumber - he's really Sam the Unlicensed Fraud.)

Comparing the media's treatment of an acquaintance of a presidential candidate with an actual candidate for VP makes no real sense at all. Gov. Palin is trying to be elected to a position that will put her within a heart beat of being President of this great country and deserves all the scrutiny that comes with it. Ayers is a former domestic terrorist whom for what ever reason was acquitted and eventually became an acquaintance of Obama, and will have no bearing on how the country will be directed if Obama is elected. There in lies the difference in why these two are looked at so differently by the media. Sen. McCain has some questionable people in his past as well, G. Gordon Liddy, for one, who wanted to kill those that blew the whistle on the Watergate break-ins. Does that association have any bearing on McCain as a worthy candidate? Palin is not contemptible, just not the right person for the position. Ayers should never be thought of as respectable, by resorting to violence to get his views heard makes him just as bad as those he sought to undo.

Better questions would be Palin vs. Biden, who is a better choice for a VP? And Liddy vs. Ayers, which one is a more contemptible character?

To all who say, "I don't want political stuff at a fitness site," I say this: It's not your site! If the owners of Crossfit want to post whatever it is they want to post, they still have that right in America, for now!

You don't have to read it and you don't have to comment. If you want a website that only discusses fitness, they are available. Or, you can make up your own website.

Bingo, thanks and thank goodness.

#67/Christine - folks have been doing this on this site for years. Your moralizing displays an unfortunately common but no less striking level of arrogance marinated in ignorance. You can participate or not, your call. You can even repeat your pointless and goofy requests that the CrossFit world change its long established practice for your pleasure. Good luck.

Paul

It is such a joy in this country to sit on my independent fence and watch the two party system destroy the country in its desire to paint each other in hues of elitism and anarchy.

As it ever occurred to anyone that we're all in this boat together and unless we stop with the silly bickering over who hung out with who we die as a nation?

It's been less than one hundred years since this nation separated itself into two parties and the slam game was on. We need a viable third and fourth party to survive.

And do we really have to hash out the conservatives are in better shape bullcrap again?

#20 PXT Cody

Grow up? How about you spell correctly and we'll talk about it k?

I never said comfortable living was right, I'm saying the powers that be like the status quo. I'm right in saying that there are still divisions that separate abilities in this country. You're just one of those idiots that's so self righteous you can't see the reality of the world. Grow up? Looks like you still need to do it. You and your contemptible self.

As for your Franklin quote, I heartily agree with Ben. Funny enough though I suspect you're a type who voted for a man whose done exactly the opposite for the past 8 years. Instead of grow up, why don't you get out?

I really appreciate the crossfit.com website but the obvious right wing ideological bias of the folks in control of the site is really a turn off...I would really appreciate focusing more on issues related to health and fitness and less on politics...of course it's free so I guess I have to deal with what I get, but it's becoming a chore now and before it was a joy...

#76 said it best, so i should just keep my mouth shut. he gave great argument for the important points. i'm going to get nitpicky.

when did moving to new york become a required step in moving up in social class? the last place i would move is ny--sorry allison and you other city lovers.

i liked the charles manson comparison. people argue that obama was 8 yrs old when ayers was bombing his country. what difference does that make??? i was 7 years old when manson was killing people. does that make it ok for me to pal around with him now? ya, ya, he was convicted--only because he couldn't afford as good a lawyer as ayers could and get off on a technicality.

saying ayers is a good person now is like saying the terrorists that bombed the trade centers are good because they had families and friends they loved and served dinner to, and cared for elderly family members tenderly (which i'm sure for many of them is quite true). none of that absolves him of bombing the pentagon. i know this journalist says this tongue in cheek, but he is qouting others--do those others think we are all morons???

sarah palin's only mistake is trying to speak from a script(more the party's mistake than hers). when she can be authentic, she is real--which is way too confusing for anyone with an interest in politics to comprehend. who cares that she didn't bring up a supreme court case she wasn't happy with. it's not that she couldn't bring one up, but that she wasn't scripted on how to respond to the questions couric brought up regarding whatever case she did bring up. she took one for the party on that one, and was willing to make herself look stupid in the process.

if palin were in obama's shoes, she would have authentically answered her associations with ayers, acorn, wright, etc. she would not have said he was a guy in my neighborhood. she would have said why she supported these groups, and let others make their own opinions. obama is so afraid to associate with anything controversial publicly from his past, that i feel he is ashamed of everything, or hiding an agenda.

obama is one of the best orators in politics in a long time. i love hearing him speak (though his books suck). i hate hearing what he speaks about. he says what people want to hear, thus is a great politician. that has nothing to do with what he will do in office. anyone but a liberal, or the naive youth, has to see right through that. palin expresses her views, almost abrasively. even if you don't like the views you have to respect her moxy. but wait, this is a new liberal america, we can't speak our views if it means upsetting someone. rather we should pal around with someone who will invoke violence to express one's views.

why do so many not see that the state of the economy is a comedy of errors between both parties, who by the way, were all padding their wallets while the party lasted, even though they all saw the 11th hour coming down the pike like a freight train. greenspan was warning bernacke for 4 years of the impending collapse, yet he kept traipsing along like he was king.

whoa, i'm all over the place here. if anyone's still reading, go back and read #76 again. at least it's an interesting race.

i hate to use the country as a guinea pig, but it would be interesting to see an obama cabinet, and the radical changes he will try to impress upon the best form of govt the world has yet seen. (not saying it can't be improved upon, just doubt obama will make it better)

there's a great article in the wsj comparing obama's campaign to the gov. of mass. campaign. basically, running a campaign on your biography doesn't equate well with being a good leader, as the gov. of mass. is finding out.

Comment #80 - Posted by: howard

Howard, you articulate that position well. The 'slam game' is a necessity, however, due to the amount of power that is at stake. How hard will you fight to win a softball game? Would you lie, cheat or steal to do so? What if it's a major collegiate program with millions of dollars at stake - how much more will you push the limits of the rules to win in that scenario? Now considering that the party in power can set the rules for life - who wins, who loses, who gets 'rained out' - how hard will you and more importantly the folks that care enough to get into politics fight to win? The more power at stake, the greater the incentive to fight for it, the more likely we'll get a result that does not serve us, the more likely we are to wind up with two completely unacceptable leaders in the hopper fighting it out - as we've had for (in my humble as ever opinion) most elections in my life time.

The argument 'we've got to stop fighting and get along' is trite. It ignores the very serious issues over which we Americans fight - many of which are driven by exorbitant amount of power the modern American state wields.

I await the libertarian revolution in which we all get off our asses and away from ESPN long enough to force the federal state back into its constitutional box so we can reclaim our birthright of having responsibility for our own life and death. Many don't have the courage to claim such - but still I have faith one day enough of us will.

Equality and brotherhood - forget it, just get on with the liberty. Paul

CCTJOEY -
I would hope that you don't fire them because their actions, although for the good of the people they serve, go against the desires of your campaign contributors or because they won't fire other people for you to help you get personal vengeance for your sister. That would be... unethical.

#67 clearly doesnt "get it." Lets pile on her and assure she never wants to visit the boards again. I so enjoy ganging up on whiney Liberals.

CrossFit = McCain/Palin!

I hope everyone here doesn't take themselves too seriously. Liberals don't workout, blah blah blah, etc.

As a social conservative, this kind of thing is about all I need to know about Obama:

Http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/illinois-state-rifle-association-executive/story.aspx?guid={BDDE40AA-F62E-40ED-8F10-BF93012A473E}&dist=hppr

I can't believe anyone is still falling for this meme that Obama "pals around with terrorists" when it has been made abundantly clear that the relationship between the two people is tantamount to non-existent. Yet for those people who still condemn Obama via guilt by association, I ask you this: Why do you not also condemn McCain for initially actively seeking the support of people like pastor John Hagee or Rev. Rod Parsley?

I've been a conservative my whole life, but I refuse to reward them for their behavior over the past 12 years. They were supposed to be the party of small government and conservative fiscal policy, yet we have spent more money and created more government under this administration than ever before. And somehow they have the gall to claim themselves the party of financially responsibility.

She is contemptable because she thinks her stream of consciousness soundbite psychobabble passes for political dialogue. This is not a case of elitism, but of simple common sense. She was a short sighted attempt to win over a certain demographic - an example where the values of marketing trump reality.

Does B-Hop do Crossfit? :-)

I dont think its just the association with Bill Ayers, but also Reverand Wright, Tony Rezco, Frank Marshal Davis, Robert Malley, Acorn, etc,etc,that has people wondering what Obama would do as president.

"Share the wealth" F! U!

#89/Jared - you are correct in that last paragraph. Why then do you excuse the other side for the consistent contradictions of what they say they will do, of who they say they are? How can you forgive that party for supporting the commitment to war, then turning their backs on the troops in the field, and betting on a loss in order to regain power? It's one thing to hold a conscientious objection to the war - it's another to vote according to the winds of political favor. Both sides are guilty of that, but the DNC gave up on American troops in the field; unforgivable.

Hagee or Parsley - the sort of moral equivocation that would put Hagee or Parsley on equal footing with unapologetic murderers and America haters like Wright, Ayers, Fleger and Calypso Louis is mystifying to me. That's the point of the article. No, Ayers isn't running for office, but where's the gut level disgust from the average voter who should be able to say, unequivocally, that working alongside, and even working to support the agenda of a murderous man like Ayers is at the very least troubling. Millions upon millions of humans have been murdered by the ideological kin of Ayers - where's the disgust?

We teh People are not served well by either dominant party at this point. If you look at the way this one lines up, it seems to me that if one candidate or another makes a voter's nose wrinkle in disgust, and if you think the alternative candidate can defend you to some degree from the more disgusting one, the alternative candidate's lesser sins get a pass, sins though they may be. Such is the logic of tribal morality.

My disgust at Obama's pretense and obfuscation is exceedingly high. In my tribal mind, I can't believe anyone trusts anything he says. I'm stunned anyone would trust him to make choices about how much of whomever's money is too much and who will get that person's money after the state takes it through coercion. But some of the best people I know do support the Obama. I don't pretend to understand how, nor does it serve me to simply lump them in with a group of "name the expletives" who have also been seduced by the Obama.

I can't believe no one demands to know of either candidate "how can you run for this office and not address the insolvency of Medicaid, and the absolutely stunning transfer of wealth from old to young via the force of the state that we are saddling on future generations?" They are not even asked if they know the numbers. USA Today said 18 months ago that the total of Medicaid's projected obligations equals all the tax money that you and I are expected to pay in our life times plus $255,000 per household. Add that to Social Security's project liability, federal pensions and a few smaller federal liabilities and the total was all the taxes you are expected to pay plus ~$500K per household. No one's even talking about it.

The parties should be competing on how to best remove the fetters of govt to achieve the necessary economic growth to pay our way out of the otherwise unsustainable (and truly bankrupt, fiscally and morally) promises that have been made in the form of present social programs. Instead, GOP and DNC alike continue to fight over how to kill the golden goose. Paul

That's the Rove legacy at work: Insist that you're under attack even when you're not. The question of why is Palin contemptible is bogus. The better question is: Why is a guy who went to Harvard unstable but the lady who went to 5 colleges in 6 years just like me? Why are her family issues an example of Main Street but the guy who's been married 15 years to the same gal is an elitist? Palin is part of the ongoing series called "Can you imagine if a Democrat...?" Can you imagine if Biden had a daughter preggers out of wedlock and the father didn't even bother to register to vote? Can you imagine if Obama called so areas of the US "unpatriotic?" Can you imagine if Obama continued to mix up Shiite and Sunni or Iraq and Pakistan?

By posting various GOP links like that Weekly Standard article, Crossfit makes the standard incorrect assumption that all in the military are Republicans. It's hogwash. Keep politics out of the military and out of our good Crossfit PT.

Wow, PT (Comment # 94), I wanted to respond, but you said it best.

The rest day discussions are always interesting reads, especially when political topics are debated (sort of) by a wide political spectrum.

Of course that means American politics debated by Americans across the fairly narrow spectrum of American political beliefs.

As a non-U.S. citizen who has never lived in the the USA and is unlikely to, I'd say that most people in the rest of the world are crossing their fingers and hoping that Obama will win the U.S. election.

On the whole, I think John McCain would make a better President than Barack Obama. However, the fact remains that he is nearing the average life expectancy for a U.S. male, spent years being tortured in a POW camp and would be in very stressful job.

Should he fall seriously ill or die in office, Sarah Palin would be the President, a position she seems unqualified for, especially with the key aspect of being a world leader. Perhaps it would have been better if John McCain had run instead of George W. Bush, 8 years ago.

Obama is more likely to last the distance and should he be incapacitated in office, Joe Biden should be able to manage fairly well.

Also, is knowing "terrorists" such a show-stopper? How many "Irish"-Americans donated money to fund the purchase and use of arms and explosives by the PIRA against the government of America's No.2 ally?

N.B. "SheepDawg007 CF= McCain/Palin!" if I can't vote in the U.S. election and therefore can't vote for McCain/Palin, does that mean I'm not allowed to do CrossFit?
I don't remember seeing that on the "Start Here" page.
I thought that the United States of America was all about freedom of thought?

I have two comments, one on the article and one on the candidates for our nations highest office.

Comment on the article: I could not help but focus on the author, Sam Schulman, it must be lonely being so intelligent

"upper-middle-class men prefer natural-shoulder jackets because men's shoulders are a secondary sexual characteristic. "Epaulets emphasize the shoulders. They are thus associated with the lower classes, whose shoulders are required for physical work. The military makes much of epaulets, betraying instantly its prole associations"

What a bunch of crap.

I would like Sam Schulman to interview Tony Blauer so that Tony could say something like

"What the hell are you talking about"

My second comment is about all of our candidates.

Take a look at the records of Senators Obama and McCain. You'll find, like I did, that neither candidate is an agent of change, both candidates are closely aligned with their parties and both candidates will increase the size and scope of government, yuck. So hold your nose and vote for one of them.

As far as Sarah Palin, no one outside of Alaska knew about her before she was nominated. Before her nomination, her approval rating in Alaska was at its lowest 80 percent, which is astoundingly high for anyone holding public office. If she was so completely "radical right" she would not have approval ratings even close to 80 percent.

In any case, do not believe that the sky is going to fall, or even change a little, if either candidate gets into office, the US government will continue governing, more or less, like it is right now, and the United States will continue to be the greatest nation on Earth because of its people not its government.

Have Fun, Think Hard,

Billy

Hey PT, Comment 94,

Crossfit.com is Greg and Lauren Glassman's website and they have been allocating three days work your body, one day work your mind, since at least late 2005. Like it or lump it, political discourse is part of the Crossfit prescription.

Have Fun, Think Hard,

Billy

Why is it so hard for people to open their eyes and see how the prime directive for the Republican leadership has been to use government as a tool to hand over billions and now trillions to big biz, principally oil and defense contractors, but also banking and insurance. All this B.S., ie. Ayers, previously Lewinsky, Whitewater, and even abortion, guns and whatever else gets voters emotional is simply to distract them so they can get on with their business of highjacking government and ripping off the American people. Please just open your eyes a little. Isn't it obvious? That trillions in debt accumulated over 8 years... who got it, huh?

Come November 4, we are going to get what we deserve.

Let's show a little more courtesy and tolerance to those posting on this forum who think that:

a) political discourse is not something they want to see on their fitness website; or

b) links to one-sided political articles is not something they want on their fitness website.

Personally, I don't agree with both opinions, but people who do think this and post are part of this community. Let's show some class.

To Christine #67 and the others, I hope you all stay crossfitting and keep posting.

As an aside, the appropriateness of these politicial Rest Day articles would itself be worthy of some Rest Day discussion.

Peace.

Cindy + Mary 2 ankle fractures = "Candy"
20 min. AMRAP 5 pistols, 10 pullups, 15 pushups.
9 rounds.

The author incorrectly states that, "This is the first election since 1996 and only the second since 1984 that has not offered the voters at least one specimen, and sometimes a dégustation of several, upper-class Americans. The Bushes, Kerry, and Gore were all true American aristocrats, with a long lineage, distinguished ancestors, prep-school educations and tastes."

Not true. John McCain's father and grandfather were both four star admirals. McCain's father was commander in chief of the Pacific from 1968 to 1972. McCain himself attended an elite prep school in Alexandria. If that's not upper middle class, I don't know what is.

Hey, anyone interested in an alternative view of John McCain should check out this.

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain

If you know anyone who's still thinking of voting for McCain, send 'em this one.

I was walking to the gym to catch up on the Filthy 50's from yesterday and had a scary thought. Ronald Reagan, who was originally a Democrat, was asked why he left the Democratic party. His answer is famous: "I did not leave the Democratic Party - the party left me."

I thought, "have the people of this country moved away from our self-sufficient, do-it-yourself, stay-out-of-my-way, get-it-done roots?" Why are we looking to gov't to keep "bailing us out"? the more the gov't gets involved, the worse things get (see the sub-prime lending turned credit crisis that was caused by liberal policies that made zero economic sense). Maybe Obama's popularity is based upon more than simply an extremely dishonest mainstream media with a clear agenda...maybe it's based upon more than the masses being generally uneducated on the issues....maybe it's b/c people have become lazy, entitled, helpless. Is that the case?

I would generally guess that is NOT the case with everyone who is involved w/ CrossFit, b/c people here understand the idea of work ethic and the concept of "the more I go, the more I get". But look around...think about all the people out there who think "the rich" should be taxed, and oil companies should get a windfall tax, and "big business" should be punished. There are a lot of them, and that's a scary thing.

I'm new to the board, but isn't the point of this exercise to actually READ the article first and then COMMENT on what the author actually wrote?

The article candidly describes the link between Obama and Ayres as "the Bill Ayres strategy" - the author is not a fanatical, true believer.

The author's core argument is that McCain and Palin are losing the election because they refuse to appeal to upper middle class sensibilities (the author even blames conservatives David Brooks, Christopher Buckley, David Frum, Peggy Noonan, and George Will.)

This is baffling, considering that McCain's tax policy, deregulation, health care, social security, are explicitly tailored to the upper middle class.

But on closer examination, the author is talking more about the candidate's STYLE rather than the substance of their policies.

In essence, it's just a repackaged version of "Obama is an elitist" argument. This is funny, given the author's pretensions (what guy quotes lines from the "hit play of 1902", "Admirable Crichton"?)

Four points:
1. Style/persona is part of election strategy
2. Palin's "folksy" style is obviously an election calculation - It was hoped that Americans would chose a "regular, down-home" person over a "statesman"
3. The problem is that "folsky" has gone out of style after 8 years of Bush's cowboy-version of "folsky" (the embarrassing press conferences; the lack of intellectual curiosity; overall incompetence) - Americans have grown tired of it
4. Palin's interviews raised red-flags, reminiscent of Bush's lack of intellectual curiosity, incompetence, etc. and she has been unable to regain the public confidence.

My son asked me the other day..."Dad, are you a democrat or an American?" Well put my boy, well put.

Bottom line, Palin is a political choice not a substance choice. If for instance she was pro choice the conservatives would be attacking her with as much fervor as they attack everyone else. It just goes to show they are trapped in a corner by the fringe. She happened to fit the religious rights "round peg" and her gender set up a body blow to the Democrats after a contentious primary race. Nice political move but not substantial one. Those are the facts. Arguing her qualifications must admit her pick was for those reasons first then anything else after that will be listened too.

I have to look into this but if Ayers is in fact the one who set off bombs why didn't he ever get charged and if so why was he never convicted? Murder has no satute of limitations so if he is guilty of these crimes why isn't he being hauled in? Anyone?

Cindy on Friday...16 completed sets almost 17, getting stronger on pullups..

Today....Filthy Fifty (Puppies),did the wrong type of pullups, kettle bells with 25, wall balls with 10 (only weight available), 70 single rope jumps....Time =14 mins. Next time will do "Pack" I was tired but did not push myself nearly enough!!

m/48/153/1-1-06

Exploring benchmark WOD's.

"Jackie"
1000M Row
45# Thruster 50 Reps
30 PU

10:15

Man, I SO wanted sub-10. I needed to get the PU in 3 sets, but an 8-rep 2nd set after 12 in the first doomed me. On the upside I got two rowing PR's: 500M split 1:51 and 1000M 3:58.

Thanks, Coach.

Because Liberals do not like people that are not like them. Sarah Palin is far from stupid yet all the true smart people out there, like Tina Fey and the rest of Hollywood, cannot stand her because she stands for working class people. I know who I'm voting for and no skit from a crappy show or sleazy radio show that has no ratings isn't going to change my mind. McCain was a vet who chose to stay a POW, when he could have been released for being the son of an Admiral, that is true character.

#35

Like it or not, Taxes are what he is talking about.

again, i would only urge those who don´t know, to educate themselves on the differences between Communism, Marxism, Democracy, Social Democracy and Socialism. DOn´t just take Sara Palins or rush limbaughs word - They have their own agenda´s and don´t really give a hoot about the american public.

In todays age, we have unlimited access to information via the web and libraries.

TV and Radio are not sources of Education, but Entertainment.

Knowledge will set you free.

i can't believe all of those people here preaching personal responsibility and egoism above all forget to play their part by educating themselves about what they are saying:

taking BACK tax cuts bush made for those earning 250k+ results in a 3% tax increase for the 250k+-income group. now, its not like this money is given to the 35 year old loser living with his mum, it is given to america, to make it prosper, to secure it and its people.
so a "joe" would help build this nation, with a mere 3% more per year. i can not imagine anyone saying this is not patriotic and american. it has nothing to do with socialism.
before you reply to me saying "spreading the wealth around" is what socialism is all about, read more. it is NOT what mr obamas plans are. its a 3% tax increase for 5% of the population.
i dont see the big deal, because like i said, you are helping america with it, not the slackers, because nothing is being given to the guy on the streets.

i cant believe egoism is that much of religion nowadays.

It seems that the 'socialist' implications have really picked up lately, corresponding directly to McCain/Palin's attempt to paint this picture. It was not something that everyone talked about until they heard it repeated from the stump over the last week or so. I mean, it is working, it is sticking, and it is changing the dialogue but it obviously did not come from the general public's personal analysis of any Obama policy.

I for one don't understand it. I don't get how the fact that I will have to pay a higher tax percentage on my $250,001st dollar makes me any less motivated to make that dollar (as if I'm even close to that) I still want that dollar and intend to grow, plan, innovate, and continue to flourish in the greatest country on Earth, recognizing that taxes are a necessity for a solid society, and at least I will get a tax cut on my journey to improve myself under Obama's plan.

bingo ~ way to go on pr'ing the 1000m row!

p.s. - i heart "musings"

#111
This is the typical retort of the "You cant understand what Obama says" crowd. You, as an unreformed white person, cant understand the Essence of the One. You havent been properly educated, my friend. Invoke name of conservative scourge here to imply that said scourge spoonfed Hitlerian hate-schpeel to me and that I cant think for myself, despite the fact that the Obama media tells me daily what I should think about him. End with platitudes regarding my need for reeducation, er, more education. All that was missing was reference to screeds I should educate myself with. I usually get referred to a Noam Chomsky or similar "truth/sage" here. Alas, the web is all the same whereever you go. Sorry, Charlie. But please do give me an approved reading list. Say, the UC Santa Cruz summer speaker series. Always popular.

That reminds me. I've been hearing for years that the Bush concentration camps were just around the corner. Shouldn't he be getting on that soon? Golly, what a procrastinator!

OK, more meat for the "truthers": My family received a tax cut from this administration despite the fact that we made $30-40K during that time. Given what the media have said of the lack of middleclass tax cuts under Bush, how do you square this? This information is readily available on the web as well, at the Tax Foundation if I'm not mistaken. No, they are not a Halliburton subsidiary. But thanks for asking.

I didn't know that this was a politically biased site. Who gets to put up the articles and do they even belong on the sight? I could think of allot more productive articles than the one presented today. The fact that this is even up here shows a political bias towards a political party on crossfit.
I am sure the intent is for discussion but am I supposed to talk about Palin coming form the biggest welfare state in the country or about Obama's affiliation with a washed up leftest radical who is a professor at on of the most prestigious Universities in the country between burpees? How long are the rounds?
What about discussion about the Keating 5 and then Bidens separation of Iraq plan after pull ups. I don't think anyone should be getting any sort of political news or views from Cross Fit unless it directly affects Cross Fit.
Again, these kind of articles pop up from time to time and it really just bugs the hell out of me.
If anyone can explain why to me that would be great. Maybe I missed something when I started. Thanks and everyone enjoy there rest day.

Crossfit is the premiere spot in the world wide web for fitness, nutrition and exercise philosophy. Let's confine articles to fitness nutrition and exercie philosophy. Today I biked 30 miles, climbed the 25 foot rope in my backyard a couple of times and played tackle football with my 12 year old son and his friends. At 50 I can do this because I believe in the crossfit way. I don't want to log on and read about someone's politics. There are many places on the web where I can do that. One element of Crossfit is focus. Let's focus on what this website does best.

as rxd

24 hours

#117
the Dem in charge of the Keating 5 prosecution fully exonerated McCain.

I know thats not important to you, but jus' sayin'.

If the article were about the Keating 5, I'm sure that would be just peachy, eh?

Why does everyone hate talking about politics and or religion? Not just here..but in multiple situations. Instead we bash back and forth on how the refs missed all the calls in the Colts game (which they did :) like talking about it would change anything..

Are we that scared of healthy debate?

#121

The liberal folks on the board hate this debate because they believe in freedom of speech. As long as it is liberal speech.

If you don't want to talk about the topic at hand that Lauren posted, that's fine. Don't talk about it. But don't come in here, on the Glassman's website, and tell them to stop posting political topics because you don't "understand why we are talking about this on a fitness website". We all know that you would love to suppress the free speech of dissenting voices who do not agree with your view of the world.

If the Glassman's posted an article entitled "Why George Bush is an Idiot" by Al Franken, your hearts would be filled with glee and you would be posting comment after comment on how happy you are after having read the article.

Do we still try and convict people for treason in this country, or is that just not politically correct anymore? Never mind, the question was obviously rhetorical.

Border patrol agents in jail for protecting us, 'domestic' terrorists teaching our kids to hate the United States at university...holy hell.

"The whole worlds comin' to an end Mal..."

#122 Paul
LMFAO
so true

#113 ready

you state: "I for one don't understand it. I don't get how the fact that I will have to pay a higher tax percentage on my $250,001st dollar makes me any less motivated to make that dollar (as if I'm even close to that)"

The fact that you make this statement tells me that unless your mindset changes to one of a business owner or investor you won't ever make it to that level either! It absolutely changes the mindset of the business owner when their taxes are increased, just watch what happens. I am a middle class employee but have enough sense to understand what drives capitalism.

#112 questionmark

Its not just the increase in income tax, its the increase in capital gains (and last I checked middle class folks do receive capital gains on their investments too), and the reinstatement of the death or estate tax. Its the whole package that is offensive and predatory.

And just a little 3rd grade math for you guys defending this increase in the graduated tax %. Don't you get that a 35% tax means that if I make $300k/yr and you make $100K, I already pay 3 times as much tax based on the %, why the hell does the govt need to pile it on by increasing the tax rate as income goes up!! Because more people vote who make less than $250k and most of us are jealous as hell of the rich. Call it what it is, Class Warfare. Like I said, I'm middle class with aspirations of my own business one day, the income tax won't affect me yet, but I'll get there one day.

Also if "paying taxes is patriotic" as Biden says, does that mean the 30% of Americans who don't pay taxes are UN-Patriotic?

Angry #64,

You said, "But, if most of the guys can't do it in less than 8 minutes, it substantiates my belief that the majority of CrossFitters are still too weak."

We met in Ann Arbor a young Canadian powerlifter who had at 160 lbs lifted a more than four times bodyweight deadlift of 660 pounds.

His Fran time, including six or seven reps counted that didn't occur, was about 12 minutes.

If an eight minute Fran is evidence of an athlete being too weak then I'm going to posit that powerlifters are similiary, too weak, regardless of their 1RM lifts.

For all of the responses to this article and to one another that have accused Obama of socialism and liberals as lazy and wanting to redistribute the wealth in this country, take a look at tax policy in the US.

What Joe the plumber, and many commenting here, don't seem to understand is that disproportionate taxes is not a new idea in this country. In fact, we already have a progressive income tax system that has been permanent since 1913 in the form of the 16th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. By some of the logic I have seen in the comments posted here, this would be considered socialism. Adam Smith, the famous economist and champion of free-market principles, was also a supporter of progressive taxes.

So, Bush's tax-cuts to the wealthy and corporations, which McCain wants to make permanent, exempt those parties from being taxed proportionally under a progressive income tax system, and thus, is unfair to the rest of us being taxed under this system.

Before attacking Obama and liberals for the disproportionate taxes in this country, take a step back and consider our tax system. It sounds like many of you, along with good old Joe the plumber, have a problem with the 16th amendment, not the people trying to uphold it.

It all boils down to this folks... The U.S. is bee-lining for major problems. The last 8 years has devastated the economy and the massive amount of debt that will need to be serviced will cut into every aspect of government in the future. Whether Palin is or is not an idiot, neither Palin nor McCain are financial geniuses and it will be the exact same people running your government and banking system under those two that have been running things for the last 8 years. The Republican party has betrayed the trust of the people it is supposed to represent. Its time for a change.

#122 StrikeFo

Not only do I love your videos but your comments too. You are spot on!!

#127 JB

I think most opponents of the progressive tax increases disagree with the extent of the progression not necessarily the progression. We could get a little carried away with this with a Liberal Supermajority. I like bkm's post in that a % is already progressive vs the flat tax which has been supported by some. Taxes are the cost of living in a civilized society, but why should it cost some disproportionately more than others? Next we'll be paying more for gas if our income over $X amount! I mean what could be more Patriotic than subsidizing gas for the less privileged? (jk of course)

I love lamp

Sorry #128 Edward. Google the "Community Reinvestmant Act". Carter created it, Clinton blew it up, and bam you have a housing crisis. Who would have though poor people with awful credit would default on a mortgage? However the dems forced lenders to make loans to these people. Also lets not forget that unemployment was at an all time high, GDP and stock market were at their best ever, and consumer confidence was off the charts right up until the Dem. congress was elected in '06. America voted for change and we got it. Now even though the Dem. Congress has approval ratings 10 points lower than Bush's, they want to vote in more of that change. You want to see what a bee line to problems looks like, wait 2 years till the free market has been taken over by Government. The beauty of Obama winning will be that after 4 years of socialism, a Democrat won't be able to be elected dog catcher for the next 50 years, because Americans will finally get to see how horrible of a plan we have held at bay. Unfortunately it will take 50 years to undo everything that Chairman Maobama will do.

Oh yeah and you "center" "independant" middle of the road people........choose a side already. There will never be a day where the whole Government agrees on everything, so take a stand and choose a side.

Just a factual bone to pick:

#53

"On September 11, 2001, as terrorists were flying jetliners toward the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Ayers was the subject of a New York Times article in which he declared: "I don't regret setting bombs; I feel that we didn't do enough." And recently, when asked if he would do it all again, he replied: "I wouldn't discount the possibility."

You want your next president who had past associations with someone like that?"

He was taken out of context by the New York Times, much in the way Crossfit was. He later said that he meant that people hadn't done enough in general to end the Vietnam war. He wrote a letter condemning the September 11, 2001 attacks and later posted something on his blog clearing up his statements to the NYTs.

I, personally, think Ayers did some really shitty despicable things, but that doesn't really reflect much on Obama.

No more so than the USA's supplying of weapons to Iraq or the Iran-Contra business reflects on Reagan, who, I would like to point out, gets a lot, if not more, of the same treatment by Republicans that Obama gets by Democrats.

Character is what matters to me. Senator McCain has it and has proven it under the most difficult of situations. Senator Obama lacks it and has proven it repeatedly. How a man who wants to be President can so easily walk away from all of his past acquaintances and dismiss them is very telling. I am not sure that I want a man who will fold whenever a position is untenable running the country.
In addition I am sick and tired of the "Upper Middleclass" thumbing their collective noses at the military. People believe that we are to stupid to get a real job that is ignorant. Most of us serve because we believe in something bigger than ourselves or our own egos. Senator John Glenn had quite a lot to say on this subject on the floor of the senate. I agree 100% with him.

2nd day of the "Fifety Days of the Filthy Fifety". Tied the time from yesterday. Looking forward to today's.

30 min. 14 sec.
Still working the Pull-Up challenge as well.

-Not going to entertain the political question. Vote for who you feel is right. Not who everyone else feels is right. The media job is to report it, not to add their opinions and to endorce a particular party. This is why the truth of campains are twisted.

If I was to comment on the "article" and not all the tangents that are posted I beleive the concept of it was for you the reader the think what if all the "Ayers" and "Wrights" were on the other foot (McCain-Palin). What would the reader think? How would the Media react? What would Hollywood say? And so on....

Everyone knows the answer...

#93 Paul/

First off, thank you for actually addressing issues of substance and not devolving too "god*** librul" or any of that nonsense.

My understanding of Ayers is that under his association with WU, they never killed anybody. In fact, it was their direct intention to warn places they were fixing to bomb to make sure nobody would get hurt. I will admit that I could be wrong on this but no matter what I do not condone his actions past or present.

That being said, I would like to address the issue of the DNC turning their backs on the troops.

I don't blame anyone for voting for the war. I feel like we were all duped into believing the cherry picked evidence that Saddam was an "imminent" threat to the United States. Those politicians who voted against the war anyhow gain an extra point in my book, specifically because, whether I agree with their opinion or not, it is always politically safer to vote for a war rather than vote against it.

The DNC for the past few of years has been stuck between a rock and a hard place. They were elected on the mandate that they would get us out of Iraq. Yet the only authority way they can possibly do that is by cutting funding, since they know Bush would not withdraw the troops.
If they did nothing, then they would be accused of the same old "say anything to get elected" politics. If they did the only thing they could do to make good on their promise, then they would be accused of turning their backs on the troops.

I understand your distaste for Obama, only mine is directed at McCain. He has changed himself since 2000. All the policies and positions he took that made him the "maverick" were sold out when he reformed himself just to win the Republican primary. It's one thing to change your opinion on certain issues when you become more informed; Flip-flopping to me means that someone is capable of recognizing a past error in judgment and then correcting it. Yet McCain has changed his position on so many fundamental issues since 2000, I can only believe he has done it for political gain. To make matters worse, the very people responsible for defaming his name during the 2000 election are the same people he hired to help him win in the current election. He sold himself out.

I am impressed with the number of people on this forum pleading for fairness, a lack of rancor, and careful scrutiny of polarized, black/white opinions. Thanks also to all the people who read the article carefully and discerned that it is media/culture commentary and not necessarily a McCain/Palin puff piece.

Thanks also to the Glassmans for this site, I hope they continue to post whatever they want here, even when it is controversial (like challenging political opinions, or even a 15k run WOD).

I am an Alaskan, hunter, and small business owner who supports Obama, but that doesn't mean I can't respect Republicans. They are usually more fun to drink with than Democrats, for one thing. I'm glad CF has a military/law enforcement/emergency personnel base because all of you are living proof that CF works. Thanks for all you do.

Both McCain and Obama like to claim they have lots of experience "reaching across the aisle." Thngs aren't going to get better in America until all us non-politicians learn to work together, too.

64 y/o is elderly?

#115

I didn´t not tell you what to read or with which material to educate yourself.

Normally, when people don´t understand something they seek some answers, be it how to do crossfit or what a political philosophy might be. Or they remain ignorant and do things like squats in a smith machine because someone may have told them free full squats are better and they should read up on it.

The fact that the "conservative" political elements in this country continually bring up Bill Ayers is a clear sign that they have nothing else of value to add to the political conversation in this country other than character attacks. Personally as someone who formally called myself a Republican on the basis of fiscal responsibility I find this continual path of discourse despicable and low brow.

In the last 8 years the party has devolved. There are so many other effective means of attacking the leftist policies being proposed by Obama but the McCain campaign and the "conversative" ilk have resorted to destroying their dignity and muddying the waters. This article is another example of this. It is sad.

Paul #122 - what about the freedom of speech to say on here "I don't like the fact that all the articles seem to be from one side?" Or the freedom to say "I would prefer if this great site left politics out of Rest Days". You accuse "liberals" of being selective in their free speech argument but there is an obvious irony in your own post above.

Personally, I like the politics and the discussion. I think it's lob-sided but I'll get over it. But please don't crow about free speech and then tell members of this community not to post a certain opinion because you don't agree with it. For some people reading that article, the comment they want to post is about the fact that the article was put up in the first place. Is that not legitimate enough for you?

Peace

J1 #141:

No. The "free speech" to which you refer (complaining about the TYPE of articles) is nothing more than whining. It adds nothing to the discourse. Critical comments about the content of said articles is, indeed, "free speech" and appears to be welcomed by most everyone here.

This was a surprisingly weak post from you given your high quality input on previous Rest Days.

FWIW I have nothing to add to the thoughts on the article. I found the thesis interesting but the execution weak.

WahooCat catching up. Just wanted to say:

Proud to be a liberal. I'm taking that word back. And Elite. That word's good too.

I guess some people want the "fariness doctrine" in the rest day posts!

Bingo 142: why is Rest Day article selection up on a pedestal? Is the issue a sacred cow? This is an "Open Source" community (see Journal July 2005) so "the divide between the producer and the consumer is mostly eliminated".

I do the WODs. I spread the word. I feel part of this. My firm view is that the articles selected are generally right wing. I can't dicate to the Glassmans what they choose to post up. I usually engage with the articles, but it does get rather tedious when they're always from the same side of the spectrum. You can always tell me to get lost if I don't like it. You can say that such a view shows "a striking level of arrogance marinaded in ignorance" (as someone above said). But then it doesn't really feel very collaborative anymore. It feels like a bunch of people in their comfort-zone shouting down some other people - often new people - for having a different opinion about an aspect of Crossfit. Slippery slope territory, anyone?

So I remain happy with my "surprisingly weak post" and my view on this.

Peace.

A little early for sour grapes, yes ?

I fervently hope the Republican Party gets another well deserved spanking shortly.

Anger, scorn and ridicule is a fitting political epitaph for the religious right. I am enjoying their discomfort and political annihalation immensely. Its too bad conservatives got mixed up with that bunch, but they will (hopefully) learn.

And how about those endorsements by Christopher Buckley and Colin Powell ? How delightful !

"There is no hope"

Nader '08

J1 #145

Dude...chill. I complimented you on your participation. Surely you can't infer any lack of welcome from that.

You've been here awhile. The tenor and slant of the posted articles is the "table stake", the ante. It's like part of the furniture in the room. As such it doesn't change, and complaining about it is the equivalent of farting into a hurricane--wasted wind with a risk for blow-back.

There is nothing collaborative about the posted articles; they result from a benign dictatorship. We can trash the quality, tone, significance or relevance of any offering, and do the same respecfully of the posted comments (but NOT the commenters IMO...no ad hominem).

The "product" in this case is the discussion and the forum in which the discussion takes place. Call it a "sacred cow" or approach the issue with cold calculated practicality, but complaining about the articles, or the very presence of Rest Day discussions, is whining.

You've proven yourself above that in prior exchanges.

Pull up Question,

Ive seen the guys doing butterfly kips in the videos, any of the girls doing this too????

Bingo 148 - the "crossfit product" includes the articles every 4 days and their innate slant. Directing thousands of people to viewpoints critical of global warming or habeas corpus for Gitmo inmates is not a neutral activity. It's a powerful dissemination of ideas and ideology from one side of the political spectrum. So let's "work out our brains" but let's tolerate those who might have our Rest Day discussions start from a different place. Let's not call them ignorant, arrogant, whiney or tell them to go away.

As always, your posts are the epitome of reasoned, polite debate. You are a credit to the community. I did not mean to infer that you had not been welcoming since this simply would not be true.

Peace.

thanks bingo...

Is it wrong for me to have this feeling of utter contempt for people to close-minded to see that McCain and the Republican agenda promotes something closer to tyranny than democracy? Maybe contempt is not strong enough of a word. There is simply no legitimate argument that I've ever heard to sway me even a little that Obama is the better choice in the presidential race. Obama is simply the better man for the job, hands down, end of discussion. He's smarter, listens to more view points before making critical decisions, is better at leading, is more in touch with the American people.

Obama is the right choice and the entire rest of the world knows it. Why can't everyone in the US see it too?

rads

'always be better than yesterday'

this pretty much sums it up-the end will bring tears to your eyes.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/20/campaign.wrap/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

I thought this was a fitness website? Why are we discussing politics?

Schulman certainly makes the argument against voting for Ayers in the upcoming presidential election. Point well taken.

...and where were the references in the article to kipping pull-ups or proper air squat technique. i must be on the wrong website.

Here here Brenda!!! I come to this site for CrossFit info and inspiration, not political commentary. Guess I'll just stick to my local site it ALWAYS rocks anyway....http://www.crossfitsantacruzcentral.com/

Perhaps it's my impression, but it seems that these rest day topics are almost always slanted to the right.

BIGUPS to everyone on this site not afraid to voice the moderate to conservative viewpoint in an era where if you aren't a liberal, youre either "out-of-touch" or racist.
This purely image-fueled race is over in my mind. The totally malleable minds of the average guiltfilled, NBC-watching, middle class are made up as well. Obama WILL win. This is no question.
But it is a breath of fresh air for me, a recent college graduate from University of Maryland, who has been completely alone in his political views amongst his peers. Maybe it is the abundance of servicemen and women on this site who understand the dangers of a naiive, pacifistic, and socialist approach to running the strongest country in the world. Whatever it is, this simple post has made me respect the integrity of the people running this program.

to # 158

I guess in college you never read, studied and understood the US US Constitution.

Ayers is not, in my mind, respectable, but then again he is not running for dogcatcher, let alone high office. Just like Joe McCarthy, Mccain, Palin and the GOP are trying to smear Obama with guilt by association, and a tertiary association at best. It is contemptible and despicable. The GOP is playing the politics of fear and hate, and is clearly spiraling towards deep racism, which is turning off the more thinking members of the party (Powell giving voice to them).

Palin is contemptible because she is an empty-headed, vapid, unintelligent, intellectually incurious, racist, xenophobic, extremist fearmonger who believes in witchcraft among other fantasies.

Late to the party yet again. Workload too high to participate like I used too.

Article: ... sigh .... this guy writes to try and impress himself. I'd fire this guy personally.

I6's bottom line: We've got 2 socialists running for President this time 'round. Everytime McCain opens his yapper about saving homeowners I want to throw something through the TV. His lack of understanding regarding housing & the economic collapse is staggering. That leaves us w/ the obfuscating marxist. Great. I'm currently in bunker mentality - looking out for #1.

Vote out every incumbent.

If Obama's tax plan is Socialist, then the United States was a Socialist nation under Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. He simply wants to raise the taxes of those making 250K+ back to what they were before Bush cut them from 39% to 36%. At the time, John McCain called this tax cut "immoral" and voted against it. He has now flip flopped on this issue to win the primary and stay in line with the base of his party. ALL taxes are wealth redistribution. I served two tours in Afghanistan, and I deserve a tax break more than some yacht driving lawyer.
Ayers should have been put to death. However, he was let off on a technicality. Look it up on wikipedia.
I am a moderate who misses the Republican party of the 80's and early 90's, the true fiscal conservatives. John McCain's new housing plan he has pulled out as a hail mary is more Socialist than anything I have heard. Propping up housing prices with government money is interfering in the free market. Housing prices are artificially high, and they need to fall for a while. Once they do, less new ones will be built, demand will outstrip supply, and the prices will go up again.

Mac or PC? Now I liked that question! :-)

Did CFE run workout + Saturday's WOD

CFE: 3 x 4 mins all-out w/ 2 mins rest in between.
Distances: 9/14 mi for each of the 3 rounds (4.5 laps on 1/7 mi track).

Saturday's WOD: Time of 35:32. Really low energy today for some reason.

50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows (subbed hanging knee-ups for about half of these)
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

So glad that control of the country will at long last be wrested from the hands of incompetance, beligerance, and ignorance.
Permanent majority my ass!! Can't wait for Nov. 4.

Race: 10k

37:32 11th place

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

Call me crazy, but isn't flip-flopping a good thing?

In the political landscape, this person is portrayed as a spineless weasel. In real life, we call this "learning from your mistakes". We call someone who can't do this "an idiot".