Nehal*

by nehal on June 10, 2009

I just finished watching I.O.U.S.A., a documentary describing the history and current status of the U.S. National Debt and fiscal policy. It is quite an eye-opening movie as it talks about the four greatest deficits we (as a nation and as individuals) face: Budget, Savings, Trade, and Leadership. Initially I was afraid this would be more right-wing propaganda lambasting “big government”, but I was pleasantly surprised at a pretty non-partisan approach. The movie does not seem to favor one political agenda over another (though it does seem to poke a little more at Reagan’s supply-side economics and the Bush Tax Cuts). Former U.S. Comptroller David Walker and Bob Bixby of the Concord Coalition play pretty big roles, and Alan Greenspan and Warren Buffett make appearances as well.

The main topic of the film is the National Debt (which is over 10 trillion dollars now) and how weour nation is saddling future generations with more debt than they can possibly hope to pay. It emphasizes the weight of the Social Security and Medicare programs and how they may continue to eat up larger and larger portions of GDP if we do not do something about it. It utilizes some pretty interesting charts and other graphics to show the history of the national debt, budget deficits, and savings rates throughout history. It also provides some education about how Monetary Policy attempts to create economic growth while trying to limit inflation. It also shows how government debt has changed over time. Whereas after World War II, 100% of the government debt was held by U.S. citizens, it is no longer the case; China, Japan, and other nations hold about 25% of our debt.

The movie is careful to point out that the creators do not favor one political or fiscal policy over another; the main purpose seems to be raising awareness of the crisis, presenting the facts, and motivating us to take action. While the film is nearly two years old, it is still worth watching. It is informative with facts and statistics as well as educational about how fiscal and monetary policies interact with inflation, savings, and economic growth. I wonder what they would say about the current situation with bail-outs and President Obama’s plans.

by nehal on June 10, 2009

[ Another of my guest posts at CrossFit Genesis ]

As summer temperatures are already upon us, we need to remember to stay properly hydrated. I find that even on a moderately warm day, an intense workout will leave me rather parched. Some common symptoms of dehydration include cramping, headache, general sluggishness or fatigue, and sometimes even hunger. While sweating during a workout is one of the most obvious ways we lose water, it is not the only way so it is important to stay hydrated throughout the day. I typically keep a glass of ice water at my desk and fill it up at least a couple times throughout the day. I don’t grab the super-size variety cup because a smaller glass ensures I always have ice-cold water to drink and that I get up from my desk more often to walk around and stretch when I need a refill.

Sometimes after a long or particularly sweaty workout I find that plain ice water doesn’t cut it. It either tastes funny or just doesn’t quench my thirst. When that happens I know I’m likely a little low on electrolytes so I either make myself an electrolyte drink or make sure I eat something with a little salt. I’ve used products from CytoSport, Hammer Nutrition, and Ultima during and after long runs and rides, but many electrolyte drinks can be pretty heavy on the sugar and other carbs (Ultima is actually really low – about 3g carbs) and endurance athletes also use them as a fuel source. Most of us working out less than a couple hours at a time, though, can do just fine with a pinch of salt in a glass of water or 1/2 tsp of salt mixed in about a 1/2 cup of good ol’ orange juice.

Share your hydration tips in the comments.

by nehal on June 03, 2009

JP lent me The Dip by Seth Godin. It is a really quick read and Godin poses a pretty interesting idea. Far too often, we’re told we just need to keep pushing and “winners never quit”. But what if we’re trying to win at the wrong thing? What if the effort we’re putting in on the current project could be better used to really win big on a more important (and fruitful) one? Also, it turns out we are trying to do too many things at once. He points out that the ones who really wing big are those who focus and are in first place. There is a significant drop-off between #1 and #2. So the first point is to only take on projects where you can win.

His next idea introduces the concept of his ‘curves’ – the ‘Dip’, the ‘Cul du Sac’, and the ‘Cliff’ – mapping results vs. effort. The trick , it seems, is being able to recognize which curve you happen to be on. If you find yourself on the Dip, then it makes sense to keep pushing through. If you’re on a Cul du Sac, according to Godin, you need to get off it right away; it’s a dead end keeping you from doing something better. The Cliff is pretty rare where everything just falls apart one day.

Later, he talks about generalization vs. specialization. We grew up being told we had to do well in all areas of school. (I actually think that’s a good thing – give yourself the broadest base and most opportunities to choose from). But, as Godin points out, do you really care if your doctor did well in English Literature? Do you care if your auto mechanic or accountant are good tennis players? No, you care that your doctor is good at being a doctor, your mechanic can fix your car, and your accountant can manage finances. You are glad they specialized and are good at what they do. If they happen to be good at something else, great; you’re not going to pay them for that.

While the book is definitely an interesting read, I’ve had a tough time with a couple things. First, just because you can’t be #1 doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try at all. There is still value in being #2. Even though #1 reaps the most rewards, #2 still gets something. Of course, striving to take the #1 spot away is always good, and you can always create your own niche where you are #1. The second issue I have is that while Godin describes the curves, I never really quite got a feeling for how to tell if one is on Dip vs. a Cul du Sac vs. a Cliff. My job seems pretty tough right now and I want to quit. But is this feeling of wanting to quit merely a Dip (meaning I should redouble my effort), a Cul du Sac (I’m never going to be compensated appropriately) or a Cliff (the company decides to lay me off tomorrow)? It is pretty difficult to tell which curve you happen to be on when you are on it. You can only tell once you’ve passed the dip or cliff (if they happen to be there at all).

by nehal on May 31, 2009

[Another post over at CrossFit Genesis]

One of the cool things about training with CrossFit or other rigorous exercise program is that you learn a lot about the human body as well as your human body. For example, over the many years of participating in various forms of exercise, I’ve gained quite a bit of working knowledge of physiology and basic biomechanics as well as various diet and nutrition theories (glycemic index, whole foods). Participating in CrossFit, though, has brought a wealth of knowledge in the form of functional movements, metabolic pathways, and more diet theories; the learning never stops.

Along with general theories, I’ve also learned about how my body works. I know I have to be extra careful with certain movements, lest I injure my shoulders. I know that I get pretty irritable when I’ve not had enough water. I’ve learned that I push myself harder when I’m exercising with a group. And it seems I learn about a new sore muscle as a result. I am learning the difference between the pain I can just push through and the ’stop right now’ pain. I can tell when I’m truly hungry or just bored, and I can tell when I’ve eaten enough to satisfy my hunger. It really is amazing what your body can tell you; you just have to listen!

What are some of the things you’ve learned?

by nehal on May 15, 2009

The other night as I was looking to register a domain name for a new idea, I learned that NehalPatel.com was available, so I snagged it. Now you can read this via TWO URLs!