Gluttony / Hot Dog Contests

[Al_Masetti]

Folks in third- or fourth-world countries would see those eating contests and immediately start traveling to get here.

So much food that the Americans have eating contests!!

What a country!!!

 

[KingAlfred]

Well, what do you think of competive sports in general. They are wasting a lot of time, that they could be spending on more important things, aren’t they?

Live and let live. I don’t have time for competitive sports much, but I like some of them. The sad thing about them is that as athletes age, and live beyond the limits of their physical talents, their health deteriorates precisely because of the abuse they subjected their bodies to during their athletic careers. Super-intense physical assertion, extended over a long period of time, is actually harmful to the long-term health of the individual. Of course when you’re young, you think you’re invincible and totally disregard all of that. Time catches up, however, and overtakes us.
I did karate all my life, and now at 51, have learned from the docs that my shoulder joints are toast, due to extreme ‘wear and tear’. The whole time I was pounding on heavy-bags like a madman, I was actually *destroying *my joints, little by little. And yet the whole time I thought I was *improving *my health and longevity. I suspect my knee joints are shot too, from a lifetime of running.

 

[strngrnrth]

Live and let live. I don’t have time for competitive sports much, but I like some of them. The sad thing about them is that as athletes age, and live beyond the limits of their physical talents, their health deteriorates precisely because of the abuse they subjected their bodies to during their athletic careers. Super-intense physical assertion, extended over a long period of time, is actually harmful to the long-term health of the individual. Of course when you’re young, you think you’re invincible and totally disregard all of that. Time catches up, however, and overtakes us.
I did karate all my life, and now at 51, have learned from the docs that my shoulder joints are toast, due to extreme ‘wear and tear’. The whole time I was pounding on heavy-bags like a madman, I was actually *destroying *my joints, little by little. And yet the whole time I thought I was *improving *my health and longevity. I suspect my knee joints are shot too, from a lifetime of running.

Scary. I’m trying to get fit but sometimes my joints hurt. Will you pm me and tell me how to protect my joints?

 

[KingAlfred]

Scary. I’m trying to get fit but sometimes my joints hurt. Will you pm me and tell me how to protect my joints?

Hey, I just sent you a rather lengthy PM. Just as I hit ‘send’, I had to log-on again. Dunno if it made it to you. The bottom line to it was that now at 51, I know I can only exercise with a great deal of caution. Lots of preparation, and no more heroics.

 

[VociMike]

VociMike,

For all I know watching **you **eat **one **hotdog could be disgusting and disordered. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.

Your comment makes me think you don’t understand the concept of “disordered”.

Also, “It’s all in the eye of the beholder,” when applied to matters involving morality, is probably false much more often than it is true.

 

[VociMike]

Yeah. But car racing develops fuel eficiency and improved controls, ultimately saving fuel and lives because those developments can be applied to regular cars. And fitness contests give us something to live up to, a standard of using the body well, encouraging healthy living. Eating contests don’t develop or model anything but eating more – hardly what Americans and Europeans need.

I was going to make this point but I’ll just second your comments. I’d also add that a great deal of safety equipment used in passenger cars today (and used in plenty of other areas also) came from the racing circuit.

 

[KingAlfred]

Folks in third- or fourth-world countries would see those eating contests and immediately start traveling to get here.

So much food that the Americans have eating contests!!

What a country!!!

Yeah…it is saddening at times. I look down at the gigantic portions we feed on here in Texas in restaurants, and I feel guilty about it, considering the hundreds of millions who survive on the bare minimum. While living in Latin America, years ago, I saw mind-blowing poverty. It was tragic. I felt sorry for the people, but couldn’t do much to help them.

 

[Al_Masetti]

Yeah…it is saddening at times. I look down at the gigantic portions we feed on here in Texas in restaurants, and I feel guilty about it, considering the hundreds of millions who survive on the bare minimum. While living in Latin America, years ago, I saw mind-blowing poverty. It was tragic. I felt sorry for the people, but couldn’t do much to help them.

What it means, really, is that privation is not necessary.

It is possible to grow and raise enough food for everyone to eat their fill and have tons of food left over.

In those poor countries, everyone knows that more food is possible but that the local totalitarian government restricts food as a way to control the population.

Most countries can grow enough food, but it gets stolen.

I’ve been in poorest Africa and Latin America and have friends who worked and lived in those places … and they all say that everything grows there, but thugs take the fruit and veggies and animals.

So, what do those folks do? They emigrate to the United States where everyone can get as much food as they want.

Where people can work and keep their money and not worry about government thugs taking the fruits of their labors.

The United States is a great country!

 

[Caesar517]

The United States is a great country!

 

[KingAlfred]

What it means, really, is that privation is not necessary.

It is possible to grow and raise enough food for everyone to eat their fill and have tons of food left over.

In those poor countries, everyone knows that more food is possible but that the local totalitarian government restricts food as a way to control the population.

Most countries can grow enough food, but it gets stolen.

I’ve been in poorest Africa and Latin America and have friends who worked and lived in those places … and they all say that everything grows there, but thugs take the fruit and veggies and animals.

So, what do those folks do? They emigrate to the United States where everyone can get as much food as they want.

Where people can work and keep their money and not worry about government thugs taking the fruits of their labors.

The United States is a great country!

Hmm…I’m not sure that I can agree with that analysis. Not all poor nations are governed by tyrants. Most are just flat poor.

 

[Jennifer_G]

Only in America could eating be a competitive sport!

:newidea: :bigyikes:

And yet, for awhile the reigning champion was Japanese.

I never really thought of it as gluttony. Then again, I don’t now much about the contest. If there’s competition all year-round (or a season), then maybe it would be, but if it’s just a one-time 4th of July event, then I’m not sure.

 

[Newbie2]

And yet, for awhile the reigning champion was Japanese.

I never really thought of it as gluttony. Then again, I don’t now much about the contest. If there’s competition all year-round (or a season), then maybe it would be, but if it’s just a one-time 4th of July event, then I’m not sure.

Apparently they have “qualifying” events, one or two I’d guess based on the “pre-game” reporting on ESPN.

 

[vee8]

They’re actually pretty big in Japan too. Bigger, as I recall.

Im curious what evidence you have to back that up.

 

[Al_Masetti]

Hmm…I’m not sure that I can agree with that analysis. Not all poor nations are governed by tyrants. Most are just flat poor.

I don’t know about that.

Almost every country has some kind of natural resources.

Not sure about Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta). Gotta look it up.

Even Niger … if you exclude the yellow cake … exports groundnuts (… peanuts … known locally as niebe) and tomatoes. And if you irrigate from the Fleuve Niger (Niger River), everything will grow there. Everything from millet and mangoes to fancy groceries … even watermelon.

In fact, there was a story, corroborated by Dr. Petr Beckmann (now deceased) that the satellite photo people in South Dakota found some kind of anomaly in sensor data over Niger. ONE pixel was green. So they requested a couple of guys ride out and take a look and provide some eyes-on “ground truth” info so the satellite and computer data base could be properly calibrated. When the two guys found the “pixel”, it turned out to be a lush, belly-high, meadow, irrigated, with cattle grazing. [Turned out to “belong” to the wife of the President of the country … but that’s a whole 'nuther story.]

And Niger has some interesting tourism possibilities … W du Niger … where the river sort of wiggles in a W-shape. Large wildlife area. Hippos and all that.

Thomas Sowell talks about some of this in "Conquests And Cultures: An International History "

amazon.com/Conquests-Cultures-International-Thomas-Sowell/dp/0465014003

 

[KingAlfred]

“Almost every country has some kind of natural resources.”

Precisely. Natural resources constitute just one of the four requisite factors for a successful economy. The others are labor, capital and a business class.

 

[thomfra]

Live and let live. I don’t have time for competitive sports much, but I like some of them. The sad thing about them is that as athletes age, and live beyond the limits of their physical talents, their health deteriorates precisely because of the abuse they subjected their bodies to during their athletic careers. Super-intense physical assertion, extended over a long period of time, is actually harmful to the long-term health of the individual. Of course when you’re young, you think you’re invincible and totally disregard all of that. Time catches up, however, and overtakes us.
I did karate all my life, and now at 51, have learned from the docs that my shoulder joints are toast, due to extreme ‘wear and tear’. The whole time I was pounding on heavy-bags like a madman, I was actually *destroying *my joints, little by little. And yet the whole time I thought I was *improving *my health and longevity. I suspect my knee joints are shot too, from a lifetime of running.

yeah. but your ticker is probably in great shape.

 

[Al_Masetti]

“Almost every country has some kind of natural resources.”

Precisely. Natural resources constitute just one of the four requisite factors for a successful economy. The others are labor, capital and a business class.

Like most everything else … it depends.

Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong have NO natural resources, but they are hugely powerful economic engines. Very very prosperous.

So, it depends.

Worst case, a country can use natural resources to boot strap its economic growth.

In addition, to natural resources, labor, capital and a business class, there is also the need for respect for the law and a government/constitution/legal tradition that is friendly toward business and economic growth.

Countries that have the four things you mentioned (natural resources, labor, capital, business class) but lack a “user friendly” legal tradition will founder. Take a look at the Communist countries. They have had all four things, but with a totalitarian economic and political and legal “system” the Communist countries were economically stagnant.

With the right political/government/constitution/legal tradition, a country lacking all of those four items can do still do well.

… Because the right political/government/constitution/legal tradition will unlock the creativity of its citizens and allow them to achieve their economic potential.

By the way, this is translated into low taxes and low regulation and minimal corruption … (minimal “dash”, as they say) …

So if you want to strangle economic growth, just add higher taxes and more bureaucracy.

AND, the positive beneficial effect of this combination of the right political/government/constitution/legal tradition has been demonstrated over and over.

 

[Al_Masetti]

yeah. but your ticker is probably in great shape.

Personally, I’m an advocate of the Neal Armstrong exercise plan.

“Whenever the urge to exercise comes over me, I lay down until it passes.”

[that’s a paraphrase from memory; haven’t actually looked it up on Snopes.)

Mental exercise is the best. Thinking about exercising. Visualize weight lifting. Visualize calesthenics. [How do you spell calesthenics? But you know what I mean ] … vigorously visualizing bending and stretching … it actually works. Sort of like super low impact muscular development. Relaxes the muscles. Relieves back and neck muscular tension.

AND you can use the technique to increase metabolism by 10% and use it to reduce weight.

Or, the Jackie Gleason exercise plan. First thing every morning … up … down … up … down … OK, now the other eyelid.

Whew, that made me hungry!!

 

[thomfra]

What it means, really, is that privation is not necessary.

It is possible to grow and raise enough food for everyone to eat their fill and have tons of food left over.

In those poor countries, everyone knows that more food is possible but that the local totalitarian government restricts food as a way to control the population.

Most countries can grow enough food, but it gets stolen.

I’ve been in poorest Africa and Latin America and have friends who worked and lived in those places … and they all say that everything grows there, but thugs take the fruit and veggies and animals.

So, what do those folks do? They emigrate to the United States where everyone can get as much food as they want.

Where people can work and keep their money and not worry about government thugs taking the fruits of their labors.

The United States is a great country!

Please. Is this your solution to world hunger. “America is great”

 

[thomfra]

Your comment makes me think you don’t understand the concept of “disordered”.

Also, “It’s all in the eye of the beholder,” when applied to matters involving morality, is probably false much more often than it is true.

Maybe, maybe not. Maybe you don’t really understand when the world “disordered” should be used.