Although “Like a Virgin” was the launching pad for Madonna, “Into The Groove” in my opinion was the sounding board epitomizing her stellar career in music. It also showcased her surprising talent on screen in “Desperately Seeking Susan”. I ponder how many incredible 80’s songs were inspired by the successes of Madonna and Michael Jackson. It was such a phenomenal time to have an ear to the radio irrespective of over played hits.
There’s nothing particularly interesting about the chord combinations but the changes are very well timed with the beat amidst a synth sound reverberating throughout. The coolness of the track melded with the rawness of her character in the movie. There is nothing cerebral about it. It’s all feel. It’s all vivacious no holds barred fun. How much of the free-wheeling Susan Thomas from the script was inherently Madonna? Enough I suspect to give the movie that intrigue value eliciting commercial success. The spirit within the groove certainly featured the movie fully and composer Thomas Newman had his hands full filling in.
I’ve been running recreationally my whole life with a particular hiatus during period of some knee discomfort. Today I comment on good biomechanics of running. My experience in running combined with my undergraduate degree in sports science compels me to evaluate good running form. My component coach during my fundamental course work in “kinesiology” in first year was Gabor Simonyi. This Hungarian master of hammer and shot put technique has a storied history in Canadian Athletics typified by the seven of eleven conference championships won by my Alma Mater the University of Alberta during his tenure and coaching leadership. He was a quirky slight fellow more adept at the intricacies of biomechanics than of the administrative side of sport as testified by former athletes.
Gabor had two primary focal points around the stride. I remember him incessantly referring to angle of attack and center of gravity. In my mind, I see him to this day demonstrating the foot hitting the ground in a backward propelling manner appealing to his students. One never gets set up properly without the necessary forward lean. We need to want to go just like the skier looking down the escarpment looking to attack versus cautiously navigating a path. Naturally, good mechanics also require stability in the pelvis and relaxation in the ankle. With a mind keen to move forward rather than up, we limit the impact as the foot lands. Arms work productively with balance and thrust.
Fatigue is a reality in running and the heroic propensity to overdo is ever present. People should take breaks when fatigued. Endurance arises from repetition and practice. Us mere mortals are always in a continuum of fitness due to schedules and lifestyle demands cognizant that exercise is our own responsibility to ourselves.
Not only does the heart need to often pump blood against gravity to the brain, but it does to so with the goal of extending supply to vast regions of the brain. Strong brain function requires exercise. In the event of arteriosclerosis due to a sedentary lifestyle, the carotid and vertebral arteries may be forced to work less efficiently thereby impacting oxygenation at receptor sites. Exercise increases heart rate and circulation speed thereby increasing the probability that distant receptor sites receive nourishment potentially starved during the sedentary state. Athletes have reported states of euphoria upon hitting the Max V02 threholds. Others have collapsed not being able to endure heightened levels of physiology having not trained sufficiently to reach such states.
As we grow older, there is an increased probability of plaque deposits building on the arteries in absence of exercise. COVID-19 has become an added variable leading to exercise reduction arising from the supposition that facilities’ access have been restricted.
Now it’s going to be winter in Canada and you can increase your “screen time” or get out into the great outdoors with some heavy breathing and fun. Nakiska’s opening date is scheduled for November 11th due to the best snow making capability in Western Canada.
What is it about a civil society that you can’t go to a music concert in peace expecting law and order? Is it just Texas – that gun wielding state which through its leadership has scorned COVID precautions? How do otherwise law abiding citizens turn to gate busting hooligans because a rapper takes that stage? Houston city officials offer platitudes. Why is it that law enforcement is now in this passive mode of complicity when witnessing misdemeanours and regulatory infractions? What’s happened to our moral compass of heeding the regards of others?
I was aggravated while listening to a Houston city official reference the notion that nobody should be concerned that a love one’s life would be in jeopardy upon attending a concert. YET IT HAPPENED! Had these city bureaucrats learned nothing from the Las Vegas massacre just two years ago! Then there was the MSNBC news anchor reporting of the tragedy in an almost enthusiastic tone as if she was looking for ratings instead of expressing events indicative of solace and grief.
Something is amiss in the conscience of man. Something has happened. I’ve taken notice and theorize with respect to the cosmic source. However; a case can obviously be made that evil has always been with us and manifestations of such are simply now readily highlighted through the mechanism of mass multi-media. As our experience unfolds in the human race at a time when we can now commercially send people to space…how is it that we can’t effectively administer occasions of culture?
The big “Trump” sign still persists in his closed hotel on Vancouver’s West Georgia. This is my Vancouver Sun comment which was struck due to an apparent breach of guidelines in context of article questioning the sign: “Pure sign (pun obviously intended) of a dysfunctional society incapable of doing the right thing at the right time (sign removal) in good faith with honour and integrity. Put the tomahawk chop to this sign.” Could it have been the “tomahawk chop” reference (Trump reported to have exhibited the chop at Chiefs game on Sunday) which produced the guideline infraction without the editor’s knowledge of Trump’s weekend conduct. Perhaps. What do you think? One more example of political correctness gone berzerk?
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