Archive for October, 2009

Sugar: finally the truth

Oct 28

Posted by Adam Stanecki in Health, Yourself | 1 Comment

I’ve been on the high fat, low carb bandwagon for a long time. Why? Because I know it works. Simply, dietary fat does not result in body fat, dietary sugar does. There’s a lot more to it than that but you get the idea. Ok, I could also mention that inflammation, diabetes, cancer, gout and much more is related to sugar consumption too. Starting to get it? You don’t have to believe me but keep an open mind.

Dr Robert Lustig is a well educated man and has been long campaigning for the bitter truth. He is passionate about how our diets are killing us. in 2006, Dr Lustig was interviewed by Norman Swan on the ABC, take a look at the transcript. Some time later Dr Lustig gave a presentation at the University of California. I cannot state how important this video is. If you do anything for your health this year, watch it!

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The UFC is coming to Australia

Oct 21

Posted by Adam Stanecki in Opinions and observations | No Comments

UFC 74: Guida vs Aurellio

UFC 74: Guida vs Aurellio

I’m excited. Big Kev excited. The UFC – that’s Ultimate Fighting Championship – is coming to Australia next year (or so the rumours suggest). I’m a huge fan of MMA (mixed martial arts) and am happy to jump upon my rather tall horse and defend the sport (yes, it is a sport; there are rules, governing bodies and professional athletes).

MMA has an interesting history in Australia, with different states allowing different forms of competition. For example, fighting in the cage is illegal in Victoria however the same rules in a boxing ring are a-okay. I don’t quite understand that. What this means for Victorians is that they have to travel interstate for cage-based MMA (CFC are massive in Sydney and I expect the UFC will hold their first show somewhere in the harbour city early -mid 2010).

So, now it’s time for some people to get their knickers in a twist about the brutality of the sport without bothering to first learn about it.

Ruth Brown (someone I admire as a martial arts writer) recently put together an article on this very topic and it can be read at crikey.com.au.

Here’s a small excerpt:

Next year, one of the biggest sporting organisations in the US is coming to Australia, and it’s going to make a lot of people very angry.

It’s the UFC, or Ultimate Fighting Championships — the world’s largest Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion — where the best fighters in the world battle it out for squillions of dollars, and millions around the world pay to watch on PPV.

MMA is already a favourite target of Australia’s mainstream media, who trot out a lazy WON’T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!?! article every few months on a slow news day.

Make up your own mind, but please do some thinking and learning first.

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Philosophy for today

Oct 20

Posted by Adam Stanecki in Education, Society, Your community, Yourself | No Comments

I’ve only read one title by Alain de Botton but his philosophy has already made a major impact on my approach to life. I look forward to reading more of his works in the very near future.

I recently found a great video and highly recommend it to anyone that wants to learn more about what’s making us all tick these days.

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Jesus didn’t tap?

Oct 14

Posted by Adam Stanecki in Opinions and observations | 2 Comments

I’m a huge fan on MMA (mixed martial arts) and follow the big shows as well as some of the smaller ones. Lately, I’ve noticed that it seems fashionable for fighters to pledge their allegiance to Jesus after a win. Thanking a deity after success is nothing new, I realise. It just seems to be to be a little, well, strange to be thanking a historical figure reputed to be a pacifist (”turn the other cheek”) after winning a fight. Am I the only one who sees this? Yes, okay, no doubt the Crusaders and Conquistadors all thanked God after vanquishing another whole population of heathens and appropriating their treasures and land, but modern day fighters? Surely, adherence to the teachings of Jesus would not see one in a cage punching someone in the head for money.

And these “Jesus didn’t tap” t-shirts. What the? What are we supposed to learn from that? In MMA it’s damn sensible to tap if you’ve been beaten. I for one wouldn’t desire a severely injured limb because my ego wouldn’t allow me to admit defeat. As for Jesus, it wouldn’t have mattered at all if he had ‘tapped’, he would have always been killed. Humans routinely kill those who are different and kick against the status quo. (Of course we could get into a discussion of whether Jesus actually did exist, a very interesting topic indeed, but that’s a whole other kettle of fish).

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Funniest book synopsis ever!

Oct 11

Posted by Adam Stanecki in Opinions and observations | No Comments

From Borders:

Got Fight?: The 50 Zen Principles Of Hand-To-Face Combat synopsis

Wondering why you should purchase this book when there are other titles on the shelves written by much higher-caliber fighters? Well, Forrest Griffin is not as good-looking as those guys. He’s not as smart as them. He’s also not as athletically endowed. And let’s face it, neither are you. Those other fighters are pretty much better than you in every way. But you can actually aspire to be as good as Forrest one day. Why? Because he is nothing special, just like you. Forrest is not a martial artist. He’s a fighter, and this book was written for his kin. If you’re a hillbilly like Forrest and you get off on having your face rearranged, Got Fight? is for you. This is a manifesto more strategic than Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, more philosophical than Bruce Lee’s Tao of Jeet Kune Do, more powerful than a well-lubricated locomotive. In these pages you will learn about true mental toughness-whether it’s scraping it out in the Octagon or picking up chicks. You will learn about the mental defects that made Forrest Griffin into the abomination he is today and how you can use your shortcomings to become equally horrible. You will learn the essential tactics of hand-to-hand combat as well as how to defend yourself in the event of a sword attack. Never been attacked by a sword? You need this book worse that we thought. Still not convinced? Don’t worry. Even if you find that the book sucks, it will be no worse than having sex with Forrest Griffin. You’ll feel a small prick and some minor discomfort, and then it will all be over.

This is why I love Forrest. (In a completely hetro way of course!)

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