Finkel's Fast Five - Issue #53

FINKEL'S FAST FIVE - ISSUE #53 February 1st, 2019

1) When the perfect sense of humor meets the perfect out-of-touch $50 million ad campaign and the campaign gets properly mocked I'm giddy: If you watch any live television you have no doubt seen the absurdly elitist Peloton bike commercials. They're the ones where a male or female supermodel ecstatically spins the bike in an impeccably-designed room overlooking the Himalayas or Central Park or a stunning sunset somewhere in a house 99% of us could never live in. This tweet thread by Clue Heywood roasts the entire concept with wit and precision.  2) Last week I wrote about how ginger can help heal muscle soreness and mentioned chews that I tried and a bunch of you wrote me asking for the chews so here they are: They're called Gin - Gins and they have an interesting, puffy ginger-type person (not a red head, but a ginger-being) mascot who is a cannibal because he's just lounging on a giant purple cushion eating what appears to be his cousins, AKA, ginger... Anyway, each chew is about the size of a Jolly Rancher and they're sweet and a little spicy at the same time. I really like them. Check them out here.  3) I've always been fascinated with the gambling, hustler and underground pool scene from the 60s and 70s where guys like Minnesota Fats and Wimpy Lassiter were kings: I picked up RA Dickey's book Hustler Days about America's Great Age of Pool in a used book pile outside our library and I'm kind of hooked on it. I love the backdrop of the pool halls, the ludicrous amount of pressure these guys played under, the money they bet on games and trick shots and most of all, I'm obsessed with their awesome nicknames, which are usually the combination of a state/region plus a body part, disposition, outstanding feature... I've decided that when I make my foray into back-alley, high-stakes pool, I'd like to be called Big Nose Boston. Until then, check out Hustler Days here.  4) Want to bring the most-talked-about food to a Super Bowl Party? I got your back with my legendary 4.5 pound MEAT BOMB: This is the cheesiest, meatiest, unhealthy-but-delicious, glamorous & gluttonous appetizer ever. I invented it myself and I've never shared the recipe until now. It's super easy to make, insanely good and will make you the star of wherever you watch my Patriots beat the Rams 34-31 this weekend (yes, that's my prediction). Here is the recipe and instructions.  5) Jackie Robinson's 100th birthday passed this week. I've read several of his biographies and other articles marking the event. He's responsible for some all-time excellent quotes, but I think this one is my favorite: "Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you're wasting your life." - Jackie Robinson  Have a great weekend and don't spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on!  Any and all feedback is much appreciated. Reply to this e-mail or write me on Twitter HERE.

- Jon

 PS - Thank you to everyone who wrote me a note of congratulations on a full year of the FF5. You are all amazing. And so many of you referred the newsletter to other people. We've got a ton of new readers joining us this week.... To all of you, I say welcome and I appreciate you spending a little time with the FF5 today!  GET 20% OFF MY NEW BOOK WHEN YOU PRE-ORDER TODAY! CLICK THE GRAPHIC BELOW: