So far, I’ve been rebounding to Enya. Partly, because that’s what was in the CD player the first time I got on. (It was either that or Simon and Garfunkel; Enya seemed peppier and more upbeat.) It’s turned out to be a good choice so far. It’s quiet but melodic, and definitely has a beat that’s nice to bounce to. Right now, I’m bidding on E-bay for a few rebounding DVDs and if and when I get them, Enya might become a sometimes thing. But for the time being, we’re very happy together. My husband, Rafi, rebounds while listening to the news and my son, Michael, likes classical music while rebounding. To each his own. I’m thrilled when there’s a line waiting to use the rebounder – the mark of a successful ‘buy’.
I bring up this whole topic for two reasons. One, because I thought you might want to check this out for yourself. Bring along your healthy skepticism, but this presents a fabulous possibility of doing something really wonderful for your health. As I read the history of rebounding (included in my package), I thought of how much the story mirrors that of American industry in general. And that, at long last, is the real reason for this article.
In 1981, there were more than 100 American companies producing rebounders. By 1984, only 13% of all rebounders were made in the USA. What happened in the meantime? An unnamed, large chain store decided to capitalize on the popularity of this item and started a mammoth price war among the manufacturers. This inevitably led to falling prices, diminished profits, and manufacturers looking abroad as they scrambled to save their businesses with cheaper labor and materials. The result was a glut of shoddy products, made with inferior materials. Rebounders broke and people got injured. Sales plummeted, many manufacturers went out of business, and the fad sank into disrepute.
But the health benefits remain. Cookbook author and nutrition and health guru Marilyn Diamond (Fit for Life II: A Complete Health Program) wrote about rebounding:
It is so simple and convenient a means of exercising the entire body that many people tend to think “How could something so easy and fun be so good for you?” If it were a bit more complicated, more costly, or caused greater discomfort, it would probably be more popular. The fact is that Resistive Rebounding will probably revolutionize the fitness movement in the next decade, not only for world class athletes but for everyone interested in fitness, from the weakest to the strongest, from the clumsiest to the most fleet of foot…Rebounding is probably the best all-around exercise you can get. (Urban Rebounding… An Exercise for the New Millennium, p. 51)
When I decided to buy a rebounder, I went online to study my options. I ended up purchasing a unit produced by Needak, the only remaining American manufacturer. This satisfied my urge to buy American (made in O’Neill, Nebraska since 1990) but I also knew that I was getting a well-constructed product made with high-quality materials and accompanied by a good warranty. So not only am I on the road to improved health and vitality, but I am supporting the American worker and our economy. That makes me feel like a virtuously mindful shopper.
Bouncing towards health, I will be better prepared to deal with the frustration from the glacial movement of meaningful election reform and the brand-new challenge of searching for the right college for my son. I’m forever juggling in one form or another. The Right School Mix includes (not necessarily in this order): a winning sports team, lots of cute girls, a stimulating environment, a great college town or urban setting, the availability of kosher food, and a willingness to want my son as much as he wants to go there. Getting through the next 12 months or so will be challenging, to say the least. I’m counting on the rebounder to keep me together, body and soul. If I reap even a fraction of the reputed health benefits, I will consider myself greatly ahead of the game.
***
Did anyone really think I could conclude this article without a few words about voting integrity, a subject so dear to my heart? If you recall, I said at the outset that I was taking a short break in order to tell of my shopping adventures. That story has been told; now it’s time to turn back to real life.
I’m not so gently reminding you that Congress is now in the mood to discuss and probably pass a proposal or proposals for election reform. The jury is still out on just how well these pieces of legislation work to accomplish that goal.
For your information, the nonpartisan GAO (Government Accountability Office) just issued yet another report highly critical of electronic voting "ELECTIONS: All Levels of Government Are Needed to Address Electronic Voting System Challenges." If it follows the usual pattern, this report will join the other GAO reports in oblivion, being actively ignored by the corporate media altogether. Luckily, Brad “BradBlog” Friedman covers the report and its ramifications in an article in today's ComputerWorld.com: click here
In the meantime, it’s necessary to constantly remind our public servants that an overwhelming 92% of those polled in an August 2006 Zogby poll claim to want the "right to view vote counting and obtain information about vote counting". Electronic voting systems do not support more transparent elections and are, in fact, a step in the opposite direction. Let your members of Congress know that you stand with that 92% for fair, secure and transparent elections.
Links and What You Can Do (it won't take more than five minutes total):
-Sign the "Request by Voters" petition now, demanding paper ballots and specific amendments to proposed legislation to provide checks and balances for transparency, accountability and citizen oversight in elections: http://www.wethepatriots.org
-Sign the Velvet Revolution petition for paper ballots now: http://www.velvetrevolution.us/Campaigns/PaperBallots/
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
