CNN iReport

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas delivers a speech on Anti-Trafficking measures in Zamboanga City, Philippines. Aired on CNN iReport  (video by Phillip Elgie)

Me and the Ambassador

Philippines a model for Counterinsurgency

Five Finger Discount

        Well, it has been about a month since my last post, and to all of you that follow me, I am sorry. My goal was to make an update every week, however there were some circumstances that kept me from doing that. So thank you for staying interested and sticking in there with me. I have got some exciting plans for this blog over the next few weeks, I want to branch out from just my thoughts on life, and try to highlight problems that I encounter and how I get around them. For those of you that know me, you know that I am very involved in multimedia, whether it be photography, video, or even motion graphics and design, so you might see a few tutorials in the future, hopefully solving some problems that people encounter daily.
     
        However this week I want to do something that I have never done before, which is a product review.

        Over the past few years, there has been a big popularity increase in barefoot running, and in 2005 Vibram brought to the market their now widely popular five finger shoes. It seems about everybody has voiced their opinion about these shoes, from the recreational runner to the ultra-marathoner. Every article that I read seemed to be the exact opposite as the former, which didn't help me at all decide where I would stand in the mix. So, in an effort to find out where the military stands on the subject, I found an article where the leaders of the Armed Forces voiced their opinions about these shoes, and their opinions varied as much as anyone else. So, I purchased some five finger shoes to see what all the hype was about, and to form an opinion for myself.
       I want to preface my review with saying, that I am by no means a running expert, I do run quite a bit, but mostly to train for the Marine Corps physical fitness test, and possibly a triathlon. I have been using these shoes for about six weeks, running 20-25 miles a week, at distances varying from 1/2 to 6 miles. This is the experience that formed my opinion.
      
Walking = 9/10
    I highly recommend these shoes for people that are going to use them primarily for walking, whether it be for exercise or recreation. They are very comfortable and convenient to slip on and off. Although be aware of the terrain, because gravel can be a bit uncomfortable.

Jogging = 6.5/10
    I dont recommend these shoes for the active jogger, because the nature of jogging is very hard on your knees, and the lack of cushion will, in my opinion, put an even bigger strain on your knees. On that note, I don't really recommend jogging as an exercise anyway, there are studies that show jogging as more of a detriment to your progress than it is a help.

Running = 4/10
    For serious running or training in any regard I don't really recommend these shoes. This is running at more than 75% your max ability. My biggest pet peeve is that the lack of cushion forces me to watch every step to make sure that I don't step on a rock or in a pothole. This forces me to be more aware of the running itself rather than the training or my destination, which I believe causes me to run slower if I am more cautious.

In the gym = 9/10
    Because of the comfort level of the shoes, I seriously do recommend these shoes for any sort of gym workout. The comfort is much more than any traditional shoe and the freedom of movement of your individual toes allows for a much more stable base when working with heavy weights. The majority of my gym experience is based off of doing crossfit. I really like wearing these shoes when I do that sort of workout. Also, if you are a big bike rider, stationary or otherwise, I don't recommend these at all.

        There are a ton of variables that you can't account for in any situation, so this is by no means the gospel on Vibram five finger shoes, this is just my opinion based on my experience. I do, however, hope that this helped anyone that might be on the fence about making a purchase. Just remember, everybody in unique and your needs and experiences might differ from mine. If you are interested in trying them out I say go for it, but for me, I probably won't buy another pair.
      
Thanks for Reading
-Phillip

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave it here and I will try and respond as fast as possible. Also, as you read, I plan to possibly do some tutorials, if you are in the multimedia field and have a idea or a problem that you need help with, feel free to leave it in the comment, and maybe I will do a tutorial about it.
 

Home of the Free

        For those of you that follow this blog, you may (or may not) have noticed that I have had a rather sour disposition lately. This could be caused by many things, I read a lot and make an effort to follow the news, and as we all know, the news mostly reports the negative side of mankind, and as hard as I try to not let the outside world affect me personally it is hard to shut out everything.  This is of course only a theory. However, regardless of all that, recently I have been reminded of something that made me re-evaluate my current attitude. I remembered that I am an American. Don't get me wrong, I will be the first person to express my opinions on the current state of America, whether it's our increasing unemployment rates, our failing social security system, or even Steve Jobs quest to take over the world. side-note: it's only time until the iPod becomes self aware. Despite all these things, I am still proud to be an American, and I will tell you why. I have spent just enough time outside the United States to understand that all types of societies have their own brand of problems. I have been to countries where it is accepted as part of their culture to act in a way that in America would have you imprisoned, or worse. I am not saying that the U.S. is immune from these types of problems, of course we aren't. However, the main difference that I have noticed is that although we may have similar types of problems, Americans as a whole accept these things as wrongdoing and do what they can to stop it, or at least slow it down. I know that it is very simple to look only at the negatives in our society today, we are bombarded by it, but if you can, please sometime this week take a moment and recognize the good that you have in your life, and ask yourself, would you have the things that you are grateful for, if you lived on another part of this planet. My daughter just celebrated her second birthday, and although I could not be there, which made me terribly sad, I was beyond joy to know that my family lives in a country where in ten years my beautiful daughter will not be sold into prostitution and in four years, my six year old son won't be expected to carry an assault rifle to protect himself. These are things that we might take for granted, because we are more concerned with the release date of the iPad 2. But I urge you, don't take for granted that you live in a country whose leaders are genuinely concerned for your well being. No matter what you may think about the U.S. Government or the Military, I promise you, no matter what you think the agenda might be, they are doing a good job. I chose a career path that forced me to decide whether or not I truly believed in America and what she stands for, and you know what, I do. I believe that beyond anything else, America stands for people. It stands for the man on the street protesting war, just as it stands for the servicemen that have died in that war. It stands for my family, just as it stands for yours. And just as a father will protect his children from harm, I believe that these United States of America will protect it's citizens.   

Thanks for Reading
-Phillip         

The Bystander Effect and Catherine Genovese

        In case you don't know, "The Bystander Effect" or "Genovese Syndrome" is a social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases where individuals do not offer help in an emergency situation. This most commonly occurs when there is a group of people witness to an event, because they believe that someone else will do something about it. Even the idea of the concept makes me sick and causes me to often lose faith in humanity. Regardless, of what you may think, this is a legitimate phenomenon. Those of you in my generation might remember the last two episodes of Seinfeld, when the main characters were arrested on a duty to rescue violation, after watching a man get hijacked at gunpoint, and failed to do anything about it. The movie, "kick-ass" also has a great scene where the main character protects a man from getting beaten and probably killed from 3-4 assailants. These, of course, are designed to be dramatic and funny and make money, but this is a very real and very scary idea. The idea that, if I am in danger, or more importantly, my wife or kids are hurt or need help, and there are witnesses that could do something, they might not do anything. I don't get scared often, but this terrifies me.
        Those of you that know me personally, know that I believe every person has an important story and that story should be shared. Well, I didn't really want to share this story, but if I didn't, then I too would know I was doing nothing, victim of this bystander effect. I understand that there is nothing that I can do for this person, but I believe that there is probably someone out there that will find themselves in a situation that could truly help to change a persons life. If you find yourself in a situation like that, just please, remember this story:   


        The most infamous example of the bystander effect took place on March 13, 1964, in Kew Gardens, Queens, NY, when Catherine Genovese was entering her apartment building at about 3:15 AM, from work. She was stabbed twice in the back by Winston Moseley, a heavy machine operator, who later explained that he simply “wanted to kill a woman.”Genovese screamed, “Oh, my God! He stabbed me! Help me!” and collapsed. Several neighbors in surrounding buildings reported hearing her voice, but decided it was probably just a drunken brawl or lovers’ spat. One man shouted from his window, “Let that girl alone!” which scared Moseley away. This neighbor was sure to have seen Genovese crawling across the street, under a streetlight, to her apartment, but did nothing to help her. Witnesses saw Moseley drive away, then return about 10 minutes later. He had put on a wider-rimmed hat to hide his face, and searched for Genovese in the parking lot, the train station, and the apartment complex, for 10 minutes, before finding her prone in the external hallway at the rear of the building, where the door was locked. She could not get in. Moseley proceeded to stab her to death, inflicting multiple wounds in her hands and forearms, indicating that she tried to fight him off. She finally succumbed and he raped her as she lay dying. He then stole around $50 from her and fled. The whole incident spanned 30 minutes. A newspaper blasted it the next day as “Thirty-eight Who Saw Murder Didn’t Call Police,” but this is inaccurate. There were approximately 12 people who claimed to have seen the first attack. Many of them later stated that they “just didn’t want to get involved.” A simple phone call to the police would have sufficed, but everyone assumed someone else would do it.

        It is our responsibility as humankind to do what we can to try and stop the suffering of our fellow man. I am not asking anyone to be heroes, in fact quite the opposite, do what is in your means, just be aware and take responsibility for your surroundings. Call the cops, if that is what it takes, but more than likely, changing someones life involves much less than that. Listen, be a friend, correct each other. If we don't hold each other accountable for our actions, how can we expect to grow as a society? 

Thanks for Reading
-Phillip

L.O.L. as a resolution.

        I was watching television the other day and caught myself doing something that I don't do nearly enough, laughing out loud, it was nothing more than a small chuckle, but at the end of an especially trying workday I found that this simple involuntary action was a much needed relief, and made the rest of my day easier to deal with. I try not to, but all too often, I use my current environment as an excuse to have a poor attitude, and although I would like to say that it is because I am away from my family. I can't really admit that is the reason, because I know that I would be the same way if I was at home. You see, I am an all too serious person and I know that the rigors of everyday life, either at home or abroad, get to me and affect my personality.  I am sure that everyone is aware of the "laughter is the best medicine" saying, and in fact there have been numerous studies made on behalf of this. Laughing out loud has been proven to improve the circulation of blood flow which can boost the cardiovascular system and help protect against heart attack. Laughing also increases immune cells and infection fighting antibodies, which in turn makes you more resistant to diseases. But for me, these reasons aren't enough. What I noticed that day, was that not only did I feel better, but I liked myself more. I discovered that when I am in a good mood, I like hanging out with me, and I believe that this is a pivotal step in becoming the person I want to be.
      
        I don't like the idea of making a "New Year's Resolution" because I think that if a change needs to be made, it needs to be implemented immediately. I also don't like the idea, that the quality of an entire year is a direct reflection of whether or not I have enough follow through to: go to the gym twice a week, or spend more time with my family, or whatever I may have told myself would make me a better person. I know that change, especially within ourselves, is a long, and sometimes painful, process. So I like to start it as soon as possible, understanding that I will, more than likely, falter along the way. So, after considering all this, I realized that I would have to make a decision, not just a resolution. As much as I wish I could just become more positive, it is much more difficult than I imagined, but I am trying. I have learned a few tricks to hopefully get me off on the right foot:

1.  Try and laugh at rough situations rather than let them negatively affect you. As a member of the U.S. Armed Forces I often get tasked with jobs that are less than ideal, often at the last minute. (one of which is keeping me up as I write this)

2. Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up. Some may say that I have a sick sense of humor, but I have a small poster near my work area that whenever I look at it, it makes me laugh. It says, "When work feels overwhelming, remember that you're going to die."

3. Laugh at yourself. This I feel is quite possibly the most important, don't let the way that other people perceive you effect the way that you feel about yourself. After all, you cant take life too serious, or you'll never make it out alive.

Thanks for reading.
-Phillip

tis the season

        In case you don't know, Christmas is officially upon us. To me, Christmas means enjoying the company of the ones that you love, and since I am deployed this year and apart from my family, I got to thinking about some of the characters of the season. Who then came to mind, but jolly old Saint Nick. I found it interesting that, I really have no idea the history of probably the biggest and most influential character in this time. So I did some searching, and not only did I find out the story of the actual Saint Nicholas, but I learned that I actually like him much more. For me, I like the idea of a man that does good and stands up for what he believes in, a man whose morals don't falter in the face of adversity, and this is the type of man that I found in Saint Nicholas. 

        The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara (found in modern day Turkey). His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his inheritance to give to those in need. He dedicated his life to serving God and at 30 years old, he was made Bishop of Myra. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity. Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, he was exiled and imprisoned. He spent ten years in jail and was released only after Constantine conquered the east and ended the persecution of Christians. Around this time, Arianism was on the rise, fathered by Bishop Arius,  Nicholas so strongly opposed Arianism that at the Council of Nicaea where he attended, he was reported with physically accosting Bishop Arius. 
        Throughout his life, Bishop Nicholas was known for offering gifts and candy to children who memorized scriptures. At this point, because of his reputation for kindness to children and the stories that surrounded him, rumors began to circulate about Nicholas. One such rumor tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas.

       Saint Nicholas died December 6, 343AD and he was so loved that the day of his death became a day of celebration. During those days, animals would be slaughtered at the end of autumn so that the meat would be preserved throughout winter, which also coincided with the harvest. So to honor the memory of Saint Nicholas people would gather to celebrate his memory and feast together.

        This is what I would call the start of the legacy of Santa. There are many documented contributors to the image of the Saint Nick that we know of today and his image has changed quite a bit, but what hasn't changed is what he stood for, his ideals. I grew up with a Santa that works one day a year, lives in a remote place, is liked by everyone, and doesn't stand for anything. I like a Santa that stands up for what he believes in, even to the point spending a decade in prison for it. I like a Santa that gets into fights for what he believes is right. I like a Saint Nicholas that is a doer, a man that gets things done. I like a Santa that has his feet on the ground, rather than a sleigh in the sky.    

Thanks for Reading.
Phillip

*There were a few text links in this weeks story and I encourage you to check them out.