Check out Paul Krugman’s chart created to quell global warming deniers like George Will who use inaccurate and carefully selected datasets to make their case that warming is not taking place.

You might want to check out this image too.

temperatures 1880-2006

Can you go totally all out for 20-30 seconds of riding or swimming, rest for four minutes and repeat 3 more times? And do this three times week? New studies show that this kind of very intense interval training can produce results equal to six hours per week of ordinary riding or swimming.

The key to this is total, exhausting effort in short bursts. You can’t just speed up, you must go full tilt to the point where you cannot continue for more than 20-30 seconds. That’s one the reasons running may not be suited to this as they don’t know the effect of the pounding on your feet that this kind of sprinting might have.

I don’t do enough aerobic activity. I walk 2-3 miles every day, as much to clear my head as for exercise, and I have a resistance routine at the gym. I’m going to try this interval method in the pool.

If this works no one has any excuse for not getting in shape. None of us want to have the health problems we see in seniors who didn’t take care of themselves when they were our age- it’s a quality of life issue.

If you try it let me know how it works for you.

He found this.

For the past week I’ve had a friend from out of town staying with me. She grew up in the Rochester area but left many years ago- though she still has family here. Her visits have been confined to business and family matters and she really hasn’t seen much of the city in the past 20 years. This past week was the Rochester International Jazz Festival, a huge event that fills downtown Rochester with music and music lovers. Since I live within walking distance I took Toni out on several evenings of the fest, including an ad hoc tour of the changes our town has gone through.

Her response was enlightening to me. As we walked by the dozens of restaurants, stores, theaters, galleries, coffee shops, loft developments and more that have opened in the last ten years she could not get over what a different city she was experiencing. It didn’t hurt that there were thousands of people enjoying free and paid jazz, eating and drinking in outdoor cafes and simply socializing in public. We ate at several great restaurants (Good Luck, One Ryan, 2Vine, Pier 45) and had a great time.

On Sunday, when the rain cleared away, we went to Turning Point Park in the Genesee River gorge and walked the amazing boardwalk all the way to the Lake Ontario outlet. There were sailboats everywhere for a big regatta. The city has done an amazing job with the entire Charlotte/River neighborhood. It felt like being on vacation in some hip city!

Rochesterians are known for poo-pooing our city’s ability to change or become a destination. Toni’s reaction was one of continual wonder at how much has changed in significant ways. Her impression was that we live in a very hip and happening place, not the boring and rundown Rochester she remembered. Her perspective cleared my perspective as I got excited showing her all the great things in this town. Sometimes when change is taking place gradually you lose perspective. Take some time to see things from a newcomer’s eyes and you may find that your world is a whole new place.