The Dark Origins of Black Friday

The 2011 version of Black Friday safely behind us, we can now focus on a joyful holiday season without the fear of fistfights, pepper-spraying mamas, and stampeding Wal-mart shoppers.

But this year, as I drove past a mini-tent city in front of Best Buy (TWO DAYS BEFORE BLACK FRIDAY), I got to thinking: What are the sinister origins of this wintry day of doom? Forget for a moment the psychotic notion of shopping in the middle of the night on Thanksgiving--how did we get here?


Take trip back to 1966 in Philadelphia, where we read the words of columnist Martin L. Apfelbaum (sweet name. Sounds like an ointment made from apples):

JANUARY 1966 -- "Black Friday" is the name which the Philadelphia Police
Department has given to the Friday following Thanksgiving Day.  It is not a
term of endearment to them.  "Black Friday" officially opens the Christmas
shopping season in center city, and it usually brings massive traffic jams
and over-crowded sidewalks as the downtown stores are mobbed from opening to
closing.

Who knew people were mobbing like maniacs, clogging streets, and jamming traffic back in 1966? I sure didn't.

Somewhere along the line, businesses tried to put a positive spin on the day, spreading the idea that they were "in the black" (making a profit) due to all of the business done on Thanksgiving. If you ever hear that line, don't be fooled. And don't be fooled by all that "peace and love" hippy nonsense either. Those 1960 types GOT DOWN on Black Friday just like today's pepper-spraying, door-smashing, package-ripping beasts of 2011.

Human beings. Who else can transform a season of giving into a literal shopping smackdown? Such special creatures.

Add These Fools to Your "Wall of Shame"

Here's a physical fitness activity everyone can try, and no one gets left out:

"It's called, pick up someone else's mess."

That's right. Now you don't have to wait until you have kids to run around picking up junk piles. Just head over to your local fitness club, where grown men and women scatter their toys all over the place, leaving the mess for someone else to clean up! Check it out:

Burn calories, build muscle, and if you're one of those people who leave your junk all over the place, you belong in the physical education wall of shame.

Are Textbooks Neutral on Controversial Issues?

 

The above image, taken from an 8th grade literature textbook, occurs alongside an article explaining why dodge ball is a poor choice for K-12 PE. In particular, the article argues that dodgeball is bad because the kids who need exercise the most (slowest, weakest, least in confidence) are easily eliminated, and therefore get little exercise.

That all seems fair enough, and even moderately persuasive. But my problem is with the question at the top of the page. Students are asked to "analyze" visuals. That sounds fine too, until you get to the actual question:
"How many students on this dodgeball team appear to be getting exercise?"

Talk about a loaded question! The easy answer requires no analysis at all: one kid is throwing the ball, and the rest are standing around. This question is more appropriate for a first grade class. "Now children: How many people are moving in the picture?" So why ask the question at all? It seems as if this particular text is more interested in teaching students WHAT to think, rather than HOW to think.

When you actually begin analyzing the photo, you'll notice that the picture captures probably about 10% or less of the actual playing surface. Who knows how many people are actually getting exercise during the game? Not to mention the fact that the dude on the left looks to be about forty years old, and is probably the teacher and not even part of the game.

But that's not the purpose, is it? Call me cynical, but I find this photo and question to be a disingenuous attempt to get kids and teachers shake our heads and sigh with sadness at how few students are getting exercise during a dodgeball game.

If the textbook masterminds were concerned with accuracy, they would show the entire playing surface, and then ask the question. But that wouldn't allow us to "analyze" what we're supposed to. What they want us to.
In any case, my students and I should have a good time "analyzing" this visual.

Or maybe I'll just tell them what they should think.

Junior High PE: The Great Debate

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/beardedmanphotography/4609770613/

Obesity! Diabetes! Heart disease! Almost everyone agrees that kids need to move around more, but it seems people are having a hard time agreeing on how kids should move around. Especially when it comes to PE class.

The website for PE Central has a "wall of shame" where they post a list of games and activities that they say are inappropriate for PE. Games like dodgeball, Red Rover, and tag make the "shameful" list.

Others, like sportswriter Rick Reilly, poke fun at people who make these sorts of lists, calling them "new age whiners" and "Politically Correct twinkies." 

Check out what both sides are saying, and come to your own conclusions. What do you think? Are games like dodgeball and Red Rover inappropriate? Or do we really need to reconsider what we think are "healthy" games?

Ride a Longboard

Twelve years ago, I hopped on a longboard skateboard for the first time. I'm not much to look at on a skateboard, but one of the small joys of my life is riding snowboard. Longboards seem like the next best thing. It may be different than laying down smooth, floating turns on fresh powder, but carving down empty lanes of blacktop, or lonely bicycle trails does just enough to hold me over until the mercury drops and the snow starts falling. 

6 months ago, my wife bought me a longboard for Father's Day. I ride it every chance I get, but now that I own one, I have started to notice that there are several varieties. I probably should have researched the topic before asking for one, but better late than never. Here's what I found out with respect to the types of longboards:

• The pin tail: Like it sounds, this one's tail ends in a pin, like teardrop. This is to avoid having the deck make contact with the trucks (the part that the wheels are attached to) on sharp turns. 
• The dropdeck: I didn't learn much about this one, but the deck actually sits below the level of the trucks, providing an extremely low center of gravity for the rider. I haven't seen any of these on the street. I'm guessing they are for a specific type of elite rider. 
• Slalom boards: This may not be the correct name, but I read a bit about boards that are shorter, which allows for a smaller turning radius--perfect for weaving in and out of slaloms.
• Hybrids: Some of these have the kicktail like a regular skateboard, which supposedly allows for more variety when it comes to tricks. Hybrids can also be a bit longer, allowing for more stability on the downhills.
• Wheels: The wider the wheel, the more grip and stability, but more width, weight, and surface area equals slower acceleration. There is a ton of information out there on wheels, but this was the big take-away for me. 

For average joes like myself, a hybrid or pintail seems to be the best route. Good carving, good flexibility, and perfect for cruising the neighborhood. I've only had mine for a few months, and I'm sure I'll keep learning the months to come. Especially after the snow melts.