Wacky Tax Plan - Exercise Watts = Tax Dollars Saved

Ok, you might all think I'm crazy but here is what I came up with while riding my bike yesterday.  In this day and age of more "universal" health care, I thought that this might be a really good idea.  We all know that there is a corresponding decrease in health issues with a proportional increase in exercise.  Here is my thought.  We should be given a tax break based on the amount of watts we create in a gym or on our own accord.  The government could provide watt meters for those who want to participate in the program.  The more watts you create, the more tax dollars you save.  I am sure it would be an easy matter to find the correlation between the amount of health care savings an individual would earn based on his/her watt output at the gym, running, etc.

Watts For Dollars!

Is this not genius?  It would reward folks for working to keep their bodies in great shape, thus lowering their need for health care.  Wouldn't this make the idea of universal health care more palatable, while encouraging the populace to maintain themselves physically?  It is a win-win.  Also national productivity would increase due to the beneficial effects of exercise on the the economy of an employee.  I really think this is a simple but effective way to solve many problems our country faces.  Stress levels would decrease, depression levels would decline, obesity would decrease, the benefits of a program like this would be countless.  The watt meters could be built and distributed by the unemployed, thus giving them a new skill and keeping them gainfully employed until they were able to find jobs.  I'd love your opinions on this idea.  Does this have any merit or am I losing my mind?  Please comment to give me your thoughts.


Pondering,


Wacky Dad   

A Boy And His Bike!

What is it about 2 wheels that brings out the boy in you?  I know you might be sick of hearing about my 2 wheel adventures, but I don't really care since nobody really reads my blog.  I think some of you pretend just to improve my ego - thanks for that!  Anyway this post is prompted by a ride on my "new" 1984 Honda Spree scooter tonight.

I had a little bit of time to reflect while I was out riding for 45 minutes or so.  Up until now I haven't had a motorized 2 wheel bike since I was a kid.  I grew up riding dirt bikes with my father and a couple of my close friends Jason and Billy.  After those days I really got into cycling.  I remember my first real bike.  It was a Scwinn Predator and let me tell you this thing was totally bad ass.  All of the kids in the hood were in awe of the thing.  We used to race around the block all of the time, and invariably the Predator would bring home the bacon.  I used to treat the thing like gold.  I think I ended up giving it to my neighbor across the street, but have thought about it a lot of times and wished I saved it for one of my girls (I'm only one step above a hoarder).  After that I started riding more seriously on the road.  I completed quite a few long rides as a kid.  Even a couple of 100 mile rides with my father who was off the deep end with cycling by then.  I loved the combination of physical exertion, being outside, and flying along on the open road.  To this day I still ride my bike.

 In fact in 5 weeks time I will be riding 200 miles in the 2nd Annual Karen Petty Memorial Double Century Bike Ride Against Pancreatic Cancer.  This ride was contrived by me last year to honor my friend Karen Petty who passed away from pancreatic cancer.  I have ridden many charity rides in the past, but this ride is very special to me.  The distance daunting even for the best of riders, and I chose to ride from Karen's house in West Warwick, RI to her cabin in Thornton, NH solo.  It was my way of feeling some of the suffering that Karen endured during her battle with cancer, as well as my own way showing how much Karen meant to me in my life.  When I came up with the idea to honor Karen while attending her wake, I instantly thought of the bike.  It took me a couple of days to work out that it would go from "RI house to NH cabin".  Last year we raised $8,500 for the cause.  This year I am chasing $30,000 and more honor for Karen.  Follow the link above if you would like to donate.

 Being out on two wheels requires focus.  I believe focusing on one action is as close to peace as we can get.  In this crazy world that we live in nowadays, it is very rare that we can focus on a single thought.  As soon as you try the cell phone rings in an email, text, tweet, facebook post, etc.  When I ride my bike or my scooter for that matter I leave the phone behind.  Being on 2 wheels requires your attention.  It is not a time to be looking at a phone or goofing off or you might end up wrapping yourself around a telephone pole!  That is where the singularity of action comes in.  Especially when you are on a long endurance ride like a 200 miler you only have one focus, and that is to make it to the end.  You have to be completely in tune to your body, sensing weakness before it becomes an issue.  When I rode up to New Hampshire last year I thought only about getting there, and the woman I was riding for.  That's it.  It is a strange sense of freedom to be able to be so singular in your thoughts.  A few years back I did a 5 day 450 mile bike ride for AIDS.  This might sound crazy but it was by far the most relaxing vacation I have ever had.  I came back more mentally recharged from that trip then I have from some of the other island type vacations that I have been on.  I believe the reason is the singularity of thought it required.  It is really akin to meditation, and it is an amazing elixir for the daily grind.  So I'm not all that sure where this post is going but here are 2 things for you.  Please check out the website for the 2nd Annual Karen Petty Memorial Double Century Bike Ride Against Pancreatic Cancer, and consider supporting a great cause and helping to wipe out one of the most deadly cancers. Secondly go out and get on 2 wheels and tell me whether I am wrong or right about my theory on why the bike is great!

Pedal Hard!


Wacky Dad   

Movie Review: Who is Simon Miller?

P & G and Walmart have put together another great Family Movie Night for us, Saturday, August 6 on NBC at 8pm ET/7pm CT. Who is Simon Miller? This is the story of a family that is about to have their lives changed forever by learning a secret about dad that they could never have guessed. I don't want to give away the details but the movie is a mix of Dan Brown's The Davinci Code, The Brady Bunch, and James Bond.  How can you go wrong with that mix?  I would say this film is appropriate for all except the youngest kids in the family. My 8 year old for instance is going to love this one.

The cast really seems to jive well together. Robyn Lively plays the wife who is married to Simon Miller - played by Loren Dean. The characters are developed surprisingly well for such a fast moving plot. As a couple on film these two really seem to hit it off, and the results make for a great show. The Miller kids played by Drew Koles and Skyler Day were really great. Both kids are likeable for their own reasons, including quick wit, and intelligence. This show is suspense filled, with a clearly defined set of good guys and bad guys, perfect for children viewers. I will let out this secret - it is a happy ending as usual!

Family Movie Night really is a chance for the family to sit down and watch a movie that you know has truly been designed for the family. I have enjoyed watching these films with my kids, and it has given me a greater appreciation for television as a family event. Keep up the good work!  I have become a willing supporter of family movie night and am looking forward to the next movie!

Get Out Your Popcorn!

Wacky Dad


“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Dad Central Consulting on behalf of P&G and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”


http://www.dadcentralconsulting.com/

Wordless Wednesday

My Sweet New "Old" Scooter Needs a Name!

Ok everyone, you have to check this out!  This sweet little 1984 Honda Spree has 154 miles on it, spent it's life in an old guys basement, and is now mine!  It took a bit of tinkering to get the severely varnished carburetor and gas tank cleaned up and operational, but now this baby "runs brand new"!  She now purrs like a kitten!
I have always wanted a moped for tooling around town.  Plus the fact that I use way less gas to run to the local market makes my cheap heart skip a beat.  You have to see my big, dumb ass on this thing.  I already had a road rage incident with a meathead in a van that seemed to think I didn't belong on the road  on a 2 horsepower scooter.  He got the bird for his efforts, and if I could have gotten him to stop I would have given him much more!



We gotta come up with a name for this little cutie since our girls love our cars to have names too ( a fun game they started with their Papa Jack and Grandma Suzanne, who are both killer creative at coming up with car names.)  I thought I would reach out to see if any of you had any ideas.  I consider it a "she" so keep that in mind.  Also she is white in color and is a one seater.

Please share your creative name ideas in my comments section.  My kids will choose the best name and we will announce the "Moped Title" by Monday 8/1/11
Your prize - The privilege of knowing just how damn creative you are and also knowing that our family will be using your name choice joyfully for many years to come.  Put your thinking caps on!

Have fun!!!!

Happy trails -

Wacky dad