Christmas Shopping For The Fitness Buff

It's the holiday gift that keeps on giving: fitness equipment. 

As consumers make New Year's resolutions to lose weight and get in shape, they will need a few items to reach those goals. 

One popular item is a set of resistance bands. Touted by many fitness experts as a convenient, travel-friendly tool for a workout, resistance bands are reasonably priced gifts for family members and friends.

For those who want more difficulty, a pair of shake weights may do the trick. While some critics have doubted the effectiveness of the product, one report shows otherwise. 

Yet, many gift-givers may choose the traditional dumbbell for their recipients who want big arms.  

According to Fitness magazine, beginners should use two different dumbbells: one weighing between 3 to 5 lbs; the other, 8 to 12 lbs.  

With all of the options available, "gifters" should be able to find the right fitness equipment that will make a "strong" impression.

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Growing Pains: Financial Executives, Experts Preview 2013 Economy

"Compromise" is the magic word for Northern Trust Chairman and CEO Frederick H. Waddell when asked about the "fiscal cliff" and its global implications.

This week, he was interviewed by Business Standard reporter Puneet Wadhwa and provided some key insight about where the U.S. economy is headed in 2013 .

"I think the global economy is going to perform less than its long-term potential capability in 2013," said Waddell. "Therefore, what we have been advising our clients to do is allocate their assets in areas where we do see growth." 

According to Mr. Waddell, those areas include India and China. He told Wadhwa that Northern Trust's clients have "exposure to more than $3 billion in Indian equities," while the Chinese economy is projected to grow 7 to 8 percent--as opposed to the U.S. and India which are expected to grow at a smaller rate. 

As 2012 comes to a close, the latest Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) showed signs of promise for the global economy as a whole. While the manufacturing industry is becoming more stable, IB Times reporter Bhaskar Prasad found that employers are remaining "cost-cautious" and cutting back on hiring due to concerns about the "fiscal cliff."

But that doesn't mean hiring will not increase in the future.

A recent CNN Money article features a hopeful jobs forecast for the final quarter of 2013. As President Obama begins his second term, he is expected to work diligently to restore confidence with employers about fair tax rates. Yet, some analysts believe that his promises to cut payroll taxes for small business owners is deceptive in theory. 

As the clock strikes midnight on January 1, 2013, investors will be cautious to see just how "happy" the New Year will be.

 

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Should The News Be So Sensational? (Editorial)

The New York Post has done it again.

The tabloid publication--known for its hyper-sensational approach to "news"-- has drawn ire from readers and critics alike for the cover you see above.

The man hanging on the subway platform is Ki Suk Han--a father from Queens who got into an altercation with a panhandler before he was pushed on the tracks. (Moments later, he was fatally struck by the train.)

What is most troubling about this photo is the egregious disrespect shown to Mr. Han's family. The world will see his last moments sold to readers for a profit by the newspaper and the "photographer." It makes one wonder if autopsy and crime scene photos will soon be published on front pages to help "save" the fledgling newspaper business.  

The same New York Post looking to boost readership has been losing it to competitors like The New York Times and The New York Daily News. 

It appears as if their efforts have resulted in a counterproductive outcome. 

In the news business, there is the mantra: "If it bleeds, it leads." In that case, The New York Post must believe that instead of reporting about a photographer saving a man from his impending fate --it would be better to post a picture showing just how insensitive we have become.

For many publishers of media, the temptation of using "sensation" is always present--even for yours truly. Yet, the payoff for using shock value should never be traded for basic ethics and moral. Simply put: there are some things that money can't buy. 

You can't buy the respect of your readers--you must earn it. 

 

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Political Analyst Lenny McAllister Moves Forward, Maintains Chicago Connections

After a two-year stay in Chicago, media personality Lenny McAllister has found a new home in Washington, D.C.--but he hasn't entirely cut ties with "The Windy City."

The 40-year-old GOP enthusiast still submits editorials for The Chicago Defender and checks on old friends from time to time. 

But the nation's capital appears to better place for McAllister to build his brand. 

Last October, Media Alliance--a Fort Myers, Florida-based talent agency-- began representing McAllister. It was a full circle moment for the same man who found himself at a career crossroads just one year ago. In July 2011, he "parted ways" with Chicago radio station, WVON, after making controversial statements about a sponsor. 

Fortunately, McAllister found freelance opportunities in media and community affairs to support himself and his family. As the son of working class parents, he relies on the values they instilled him during his upbringing in Pittsburgh. 

In his new book, "Spoken Thoughts From An Amalgamated Advocate in Today's America," McAllister expresses a fear about "the lack of political knowledge and preparation" contributing to the violence occurring in urban areas across the nation. [The book is in limited availability, but you can download a free excerpt here.]

"We are losing our loved ones and our future to the horrific tensions and terrors and burdens of war that we see in our streets," he writes. " Our 'Baghdad' is often Baltimore; our combat zone is too often Chicago."

Last night, the violence in Chicago continued with six people dead after a wave of shootings.  

Despite the presence of tragedies, McAllister stays vigilant in using his platform to make Americans aware that one community's problem should be a concern for all.
  

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