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From NYTimes.com: Stretching: The Truth

Researchers now believe that some of the more entrenched elements of many athletes’ warm-up regimens are not only a waste of time but actually bad for you. The old presumption that holding a stretch for 20 to 30 seconds — known as static stretching — primes muscles for a workout is dead wrong. It actually weakens them. In a recent study conducted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, athletes generated less force from their leg muscles after static stretching than they did after not stretching at all. Other studies have found that this stretching decreases muscle strength by as much as 30 percent. Also, stretching one leg’s muscles can reduce strength in the other leg as well, probably because the central nervous system rebels against the movements.

When I was studying karate several years ago we did mostly static stretching, but one of the higher level students who was leading warm-up exercises introduced us to a couple of “active” stretching exercises.  We’d hold our hand in straight out in front and kick up to it.  The way he explained it to us is that if we ever had to fight on the street that our opponents wouldn’t give us a chance to static stretch first.  But, I guess we wouldn’t have a chance to active stretch either, but that’s besides the point.

The article illustrates a couple of interesting exercises that I would describe as more whole body stretching exercises.

OK, I made it through two days without blogging about Sarah Palin, but I had to do this, I was getting withdrawal shakes! Darn the liberal media for taking shots at Sarah Palin! Darn Fox News!

UPDATE: Here’s another story
From The Huffington Post: Palin Once Greeted McCain Staff Wearing Only A Towel

At the GOP convention in St. Paul, Palin was completely unfazed by the boys’ club fraternity she had just joined. One night, Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter went to her hotel room to brief her. After a minute, Palin sailed into the room wearing nothing but a towel, with another on her wet hair. She told them to chat with her laconic husband, Todd. “I’ll be just a minute,” she said.
…
One aide estimated that she spent “tens of thousands” more than the reported $150,000, and that $20,000 to $40,000 went to buy clothes for her husband. Some articles of clothing have apparently been lost. An angry aide characterized the shopping spree as “Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast,” and said the truth will eventually come out when the Republican Party audits its books.

An excerpt from President-elect Barack Obama’s speech at Grant Park:

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight’s about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America — the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves — if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

his is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

Full Transcript of Barack Obama’s speech

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That’s what kept some of our parents and grandparents going when times were tough. What led them to say, “Maybe I can’t go to college, but if I save a little bit each week, my child can. Maybe I can’t have my own business but if I work really hard my child can open up one of her own. It’s what led those who could not vote to say “if I march and organize, maybe my child or grandchild can run for President someday.”

That’s what hope is–that thing inside that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that there are better days ahead. If we’re willing to work for it. If we’re willing to shed our fears. If we’re willing to reach deep inside ourselves when we’re tired, and come back fighting harder.

I went to the Barack Obama rally Sunday night at Nippert Stadium, University of Cincinnati.  It was a pretty rocking crowd.  So, rocking in fact, that every time that Obama whipped the crowd into a frenzy, my photos ended up being blurry due to the vibration. 

We were pretty far away from the stage this time, even with the volunteer passes.  But, at least we got to sit during the 3+ hours of waiting.

It was estimated that 27,000 people had attended the rally.

Story about the rally in today’s Cincinnati Enquirer with transcript of the speech:
Obama: Change ‘two days’ away

UPDATE: More pictures from 5chw4r7z.
UPDATE: 11/10/2008 Amazing closeup photos from Midwest Latino.  I have no idea what you have to do to get this close. 

From The Huffington Post: Reverse Graffiti: Activist Art Extraordinaire

Amazing Graffiti not done with paint, but with cleaners! 

Today was day 2 of canvassing for Barack Obama this weekend.  This time in hostile territory.  Evidently, the canvassing was so successful yesterday that they decided to extend the out into Republican territory.  We were given the choice of Clermont County, Milford, or areas north of the city.  My friend Chris and I chose to do Milford which was the closest area.

We drove a half hour out to Milford to the local Obama Canvassing station and was given two packets of houses to canvas.  Each packet was only 24 houses so they said that it shouldn’t take so long.

Unfortunately as we started to canvas we realized quickly that this wasn’t going to be a traditional “canvas”.  All the houses were pretty isolated and far apart.  We ended up driving to every single house.  The process of finding the house, parking in the driveway and then backing out when done was extremely time consuming.

Milford is primarily a white area, but it’s an area with a huge disparity in income.  We hit beautiful log homes, gigantic McMansions and a couple of trailers with dogs tied out in front.  At no time, did I feel as comfortable as I did yesterday in safe Obama territory.

At least the weather was nice- Milford does have some very nice fall foliage going on right now.

Our reward for our work, two Volunteer tickets for tonight’s Barack Obama rally.  That makes our hard work feel that much better.

UPDATE: In response to a comment.  I am in no way uncomfortable
around white people.  To clarify, I was uncomfortable in Milford in my
Obama t-shirt and buttons, canvassing for Barack Obama.  I bike on the
Loveland trail through Milford relatively often and the people I have met are
perfectly friendly in a non-election setting.

From CNN.com: McCain’s name nowhere to be seen at Palin rally

At a boisterous Sarah Palin rally in Polk City, Florida on Saturday afternoon, one name was surprisingly absent from the campaign décor — John McCain’s.

…

But on closer inspection, the GOP nominee’s name was literally nowhere to be found on any of the official campaign signage distributed to supporters at the event.

That’s the Republican strategy?  First hide Bush, now hide John McCain?