Finkel's Fast Five - Issue #32

September 7th, 2018

I don't think this feature was assigned with just me in mind, but it was right in my wheelhouse and I loved it: I have to give writer David Davis a ton of credit here for this feature/oral history of Gold's Gym. Its official title is Sex, Steroids, and Arnold: The Story of the Gym That Shaped America, but it could have just been called The Meathead Chronicles. I worked with and wrote about a lot of these people while I was at Muscle & Fitness and Davis does a great job of capturing that 70s and 80s Venice Beach muscle culture. Some great quotes in here from legends like Lou Ferrigno, Franco Columbu and a dozen other fitness icons. Read it here.  A contender for best beef jerky I've had in a while: I have to give my wife credit for this one. She saw the write-ups for Sogo Snacks' Grass Fed Smoked Beef Sticks online and she made an impulse buy on the spot. Glad she did. In terms of taste and texture, these are at the top of my list (and as long-time FF5 readers know, that's a long and distinguished list of protein products). Here is their site. And you can order some right here.  We all owe the Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith, for spreading this inspiring and awesome video around: This video is less than one minute. It's very simple. A little girl is trying to do a box jump on a stand about half her height. It's hard. She falls. A lot. Until she doesn't. And then it's sheer joy. Watch it HERE.  I'm guessing many of you at some point in work or life have heard someone mention the 80/20 rule or the Pareto Principle: If you haven't, this will be a good introduction. If you have, then I think this blog post by author James Clear explains who Vlifredo Pareto was, how he came up with this theory and how it applies to you and your goals better than anyone I've come across so far. Well worth the read and I promise you'll learn something from it. Check it out here.  Burt Reynolds passed away yesterday and he starred in one of my favorite movie scenes. I've always been fascinated with movie names, especially when people brainstorm them. The scene in Boogie Nights when Wahlberg and John C. Reilly pitch their character's names to Reynolds is tremendous. And his reaction is icing on the cake. Here's the dialogue:  Jack Horner: Do these characters have names? Dirk: The guy's name is Brock Landers Reed: His partner's name is Chest Rockwell Jack: Those are some great names.  You can watch the scene right here. Priceless.  Have a great weekend and may everyone react to your ideas with the enthusiasm of Jack Horner hearing the names 'Brock Landers' and 'Chest Rockwell' for the first time!  HEY, THANKS! Many of you with friends recently and I want to say 'hello' to all the new FF5 readers. You're one of us now. Welcome!  If you haven't shared it, all I ask is that you send this next link to two people who you think would like it. It would mean a ton. THANK YOU:

- Jon