"America's lack of Pandemonium" By Greg Hernandez

(We) American citizens are trapped in a delusional bubble and we like it!

By now you know the statistics. in 2011 America spent more on its military than the next 13 countries combined. America spent 1/5 of its budget on military defense. Since 9/11 defense spending has risen dramatically. America is a hyper-power that patrols the globe. America spies on its citizens and allies.
Where is all the media noise? Where is all of the attention? The citizens do not seem to care. We seldom protest and if there are protests, it is looked down upon. Not going to work because you're protesting the establishment-what are you crazy? If its already established, why bother trying to knock it down or change it...

Also, many American news outlets continue to focus on Governor Chris Christie while ignoring far more pressing stories like the political chaos and violence in Ukraine and Venezuela. Ignoring stories such as these are what is called a "Media blackout." Fine, the media is controlled by wealthy and powerful Jewish men and corporations. The news we receive on most television channels and most newspapers are preapproved news stories.

Fine, that is fine. It is the 21st century, eventually many people who have access to the Internet will find out that the people of Venezuela no longer have access to the Internet, right! Yes, but American citizens do not care. Why should we care about Ukraine and Venezuela, when we do not even fight for our own political, socioeconomic, healthcare, civil-rights, and infrastructure advancement? We're a listless people. Family, work, school, the gym, television, sleep, sex, lack of sex, masturbation, love, and our own misguided sense of happiness control our lives. We're in a bubble and we like it!

Nobody seems to really care. It's like the old air conditioning joke. "Oh, you're melting in your room, well, I am cool in mine, so you're temperature woes have no impact on me whatsoever." It is the same dynamic here. Unless you've seen people getting killed for protesting, for being in the vicinity of protesting, seen families murdered in their apartment buildings for no reason-all done by the hired men deployed by the Venezuelan government to squash protesting, then chances are that you do not care.

By the way do you know that at least 13 people have died from protesting in Venezuela? The most famous one being "Genesis Carmona" a 22 year old beauty queen? Yes, the 2013 Miss Tourism may be gone, but news of her death sent shock-waves through out social media channels.

Sure, U.S. Secretary of Defense John Kerry has urged Russia to join in aiding Ukraine. However, it is strange that Venezuela is being left out. Venezuela is all about the oil baby. America is their top customer in that business. Why no love for Venezuela? I know what you're thinking, "Greg, come on. 35% of the American population cannot even find Venezuela on a map." You're right. Its sad, but once again, we like it like that way! Better to be blissfully uninformed than feel guilty and show inertia-not really, either way, we do not care. Sorry, not sorry!

"It's tough being a father." By Greg Hernandez

 When I saw this parent perform last Sunday night, I realized how difficult of a job it is being a father.

Sunday night in the east village. I am out with my friend named Rachel Ann from grade school-we have not seen each other in nearly ten years. We've had wine, looked at books together, each of us even purchased one. The weather has had a relapse. A weekend respite from the cold weather was much needed. The temperature is 45 degrees-glorious warm weather in February. Our next stop is at the Upright Citizens Brigade East Theatre. We stop at the pizza shop next door to relieve and replenish ourselves on soda and pizza. Its a half-hour until the show and we're both excited. However, we had no idea that a different show would be taking place for free just a couple of feet away from us.

Behind is a family of three-one father and his two girls. Adjacent to the trio is a man and a woman. The couple leave a towering mess of greasy napkins, plastic plates and cups on the center of the table. The woman gets up to use the lavatory. The man gets up to reveal his large build, not much muscle, but in terms of sheer size he is gargantuan. His bearded face is sloppy. At first glance he reminds me of the actor Mark Boone Jr. His attire is unable to cover up his massive belly. The large man turns away from the table. He is on his phone, making no move to clear the mess behind him, when suddenly a low voice cries out, "You didn't clear away your mess." The squeaky voice came from the mousy looking daughter. A thin girl with glasses and a pony tail. I can not make this up. She speaks up again, a change in her tone, the squeak has dissipated. "You didn't clean up your mess." she says. Rachel and I turn our heads to peer at the growing situation.

The show had begun. The large man snapped his phone shut. He turned toward the trio and scolded the child. Neither Rachel nor I could hear his words, which were icy and low. The father immediately responded by shooting up from his seat and into the face of the large man. Escalation was inevitable. The tension rose like a geyser.

"Hey! Don't talk to my daughter that."
"What are you going to do about it? Huh!?"
"I'm going to clean up your mess. That's what I'm going to do..."
"Yeah..."
"Yeah."
"Yeah you do that."

The exchanges continued. The father walked around the large man who refused to move. Their bodies were close throughout. The daughters never uttered a word. They were scared. We all were for those next few moments.

"I was going to clean it up, until your daughter opened her mouth. If you're going to start something do  something! Nigga, yeah you cleaned up my mess and now you're sitting down, because you know I'd fuck your ass up! Nigga I don't care about your family. Don't start shit unless you plan on finishing it."

All of this was said while the father sat back in his seat. The large man towered over him. Shouts from an employee behind the counter of "Sir, sir, we're going to call the police," were ignored until finally an employee did. The girlfriend returned from the lavatory and quickly intervened. She got in between the two men and pulled the large man away. The large man continued to shout and taunt, until finally they were out the door. The applause was tiny. One guy clapped. The feeling in the pizza shop was bizarre, yet slightly relieved. Why? Because everyone was still trying to process everything.

A young man who clapped was near our table. He eagerly got up to congratulate the father on how he handled the situation. The father took the high road. He showed restrain. He stood up for his daughter.
He almost got his ass kicked.

After the family left, several retainers discussed the tense confrontation. I got in on the conversation. It was unanimous between all of the spectators. The true villain was the daughter. She put her father in an impossible situation. She opened her big mouth and her father had to cover her ass, which of course is his job. However, had that large man been intoxicated and packing a deadly weapon with the malicious intent upon using it, well...that little girl would most likely be attending her father's funeral next week or at the very least visiting him in the hospital every day.

If there had been a fight I would have bet on the large man. The family is not from New York City. The daughters seldom visit, the father is a more frequent visitor, however,  
It is tough being a father. Stand up for your daughter and end up in a fight or shush your daughter and look like a coward. Those were his only two options.

In New York City anything can happen. The large was right about the daughter minding her own business. The world is filled with slobs after all, you cannot convert all of them to the path of decency or good hygiene. The large man was obviously wrong in escalating the situation, but so was the father. He stood up in the man's face because he rightly felt his child had been threatened.

Being a father is a dangerous job and borderline impossible. I say father in this regard, because this still is a man's world. I don't know how this situation would have gone down if it had been a mother and her two daughters instead. Who knows how the mother would have played it: either way, fight or flight are still the only two options.

"Who gets the Check?" By Greg Hernandez

You're out on a date. Everything has gone smoothly. Dinner was exquisite. You sampled each other’s plates and found the food to be delectable. Or perhaps dinner on a first date was not to your liking so instead you chose an intimate wine bar-one with an eclectic collection.  The bottle of Almanac is done and it is time to pay. The bill has been presented and you reach for your card. As you do this your partner interjects with a polite, "I've got it," and reaches for theirs. Your rebuttal is short and sweet, "No. It's ok. I've got it." Your rebuttal is followed by the others courteous insistence. Both cards are laid out on the counter, like a showdown in the old west-the bartender wants no part in this urbane duel, so he caters to other patrons. The clash has begun. Who should pay?

Of course everyone knows that the person who suggested going out should pay right? It may not matter. It could just come down to whoever truly wants to pay. If you find yourself paying out of some misguided obligatory gender role induced fulfillment, you may need to drop that form of thinking. Men complain a lot about dating. They say it thins their wallets, yet some feel it is a custom that they pay. Now, I am only speaking from the perspective of a straight male. Perhaps, we do not always need to pay. Some couples take turns paying. Gay couples do the same. Regardless of gender or sexuality-if someone wants to pay, maybe we should let them. If anyone pays, it is most likely due to these reasons-you enjoyed the date, want to take them out again, can afford to pay for the exquisite dinner or whine without chirping about it later if the second or third date does not materialize.
Back to the couple-let's identify them as a man and a woman. The man suggested the place. He asked her out and here they are. Both cards are laid out on the counter. Instead of taking her card away or simply calling the bartender over and handing him his card and winking at her. He plays it cool-he accepts losing. Yes, he loses. He does not pay the bill. Suave. Perhaps he interprets her paying the bill as a testament to their magnificent time they spent together tonight. He may be planning his next move-she pays for this, I pay for the cab, walk her to her apartment and move in a for a good-night kiss...on the lips of course.

Does there need to be a dominant person on dates or in relationships? Perhaps we should embrace the quality of equality. A woman can pay too. A woman can suggest the second date or third as well. If there is some form of indecisiveness, play it cool. Don't worry about whether she is testing you or not. Maybe it is a test or maybe it isn't one. Point is to remain cool. Make it a joke, "Not backing down, huh?" She may laugh, smile, and continue to warmly insist on paying. Still want to pay...flip a coin. "Let's leave it to chance." It may even be fate that she gets upset at your coin toss maneuver. Oh well, you made a choice of action. On a side note-It may be unwise to use a double-sided coin in this situation. Why? Well, it is an extension of desired control.

Through my own experience, I have learned to let go of control. Let things flow organically and see what happens. I have learned to make light of paying. By doing so, I turn it to my advantage.
It should not matter who asked who, or who society says should pay or what our own personal beliefs are. All that matters is how we feel in the moment. I broke my trend. If she wants to pay, I let her. Who knows? She may end up thanking you for it.

"Digital Nap" By Greg Hernandez

Take a digital nap-your eyes and body will thank you for it in the long scheme of things. "Remember your chair is your enemy!"

 

Like that picture? Don't worry, we will get to that in a bit, for now STAND UP! Good. Now continue reading while standing!

Smoking to lung cancer, fast foods to obesity, studies upon studies regarding each coming health crisis-the new age of health concern is here. Our health and our stress are being exacerbated by laptops, smart phones, iPads, tablets, television, and video games. Unlike cigarettes and greasy foods, the electronic phenomenon that has swept across the industrialized world is obviously here to stay. Fine, that is alright, as long as it’s done in moderation.  Quite frankly so far, it has been the opposite. As human beings we were not biologically designed to be sitting still for so long. Muscle fatigue and deterioration are two obvious reasons, but let's delve deeper to find the grotesque impact of excessive computer use.

A quick google search leads me to this: Proven-Side-Effects-Of-Sitting-All-Day.

1. Deep Vein Thrombosis

2. Obesity

3. Increased Risk of Heart Disease

4. Risk of Diabetes

5. Raised Cholesterol

6. Herniated Disk

7. Poor Posture.

8. Knee Pain.

9. Muscle Weakness

10. Increased Risk of Depression

11. Slowed Metabolism

12. Neck Problems

13. Back Aches and Pain

14. Shorter Life Span

There you have it folks, get off the chair and exercise! According to a report in Men's Fitness magazine, it only takes twenty-one minutes a day of exercise to reduce depression. Stay active. Nobody is telling you to give up your social media, your games, your friends, your online activity, your apps, your texting, calling, video chatting, etc. Try to handle it in moderation. Give your back, neck, butt, head, and most of all eyes a rest!

Excuse me if I begin to preach, but I see many people on the trains using their smart phones or tablets to play games. No service underground, no problem. Your app is there to keep you entertained. Do we need to constantly be entertained? I close my eyes and dose off. I listen to music. I take out my book and read. Yes, I prefer to read my paperback instead of reading it on my tablet! I'm not old school, I could switch to the tablet, I just seldom do. Why? I am on the computer and phone enough as it is. My eyes need a break. Dogs maybe man's best friend, but in this digital age naps are our close cousins. Closing our eyes for even twenty minutes can greatly reduce the level of daily computer stress. I am not alone, because I see others on the train doing the same thing. It is possible to take a digital nap on the train.
Notice how we are more connected than ever, yet we're slowly becoming robots. Our conversations virtually contain zero substance. We are awkward, out of shape beings. No I am not talking about online dating, I am talking about the gargantuan scope of our computer activity, and it really is off the charts.

Read up on the details here...I HOPE YOU'RE STILL STANDING UP!

What-Digital-Stress-Does-To-Your-Brain-Infographic.



Moderation is the key. Homework, studying, work, personal work on the computer is fine, some games and social media is understandable too. But we should all strive for reducing our online activity. Try for an hour a day. Let's call it a digital diet. We all must wean ourselves of the megabytes. After all, our eyes are not meant to be staring at screens all day. The less blinking we do the worse we're off. I am still preaching and I apologize, but it is the truth. Get off the couch and the chair and exercise. Go for a run. Too much snow, sign up for the gym. Not enough cash? Purchase a yoga mat. Stretch and exercise for a half hour. You'll thank me later. Did I type up this whole thing while standing up? Of course I did!


If you don't listen, well, you may end up looking like this...

Impact-New-Technologies-Will-Have-On-Human-Evolution
 

"America's Slow Infrastructure Progress" By Greg Hernandez

Climate Change versus American Infrastructure: No Competition here, for now.

Last year, the American society of Civil Engineers gave our nation's infrastructure a D+ rating and estimated that the investments needed to modernize it would reach 3.6  trillion by 2020. This country has been devastated recently by the effects of climate change: Super storm Sandy, the mega drought in California, this current brutal barrage of snow storms which have crippled the east coast and surprised the southern states. Bill Nye said it best, "Statistic are hard." Yes they are. We cannot predict exactly how or when things will get worse. However, we can certainly prepare for it now.

"The drought in California squeezed  the water supply and the state's $45 billion per-year agriculture industry." One of my co-stars of the show I am currently in, is from California. He recently moved to the city. Last week he remarked how it finally rained over on the west coast. "Imagine deciding between coughing, burning to death or dying of dehydration," he said.

 The thousands of massive pot holes in New York City have many natives calling for the head of sanitation's head on a platter. 200 workers who could fill these holes sit idly by until a potential March 1st re-hiring date. A reported 88,000 pot hole have been filled by 500 highway repair workers. The irony is the quality of the work. Once a pot hole is filled, another storm hits and it must be filled again. It is simply relentless.This time it is not about being unprepared, it is more of stubbornness and stupidity.

Here's a frightening thought. The George Washington Bridge is 80 years old and is in dire need of billions of dollars in structural improvement. I use the word improvement, not repair. Politicians and workers should not be taking the easy way out by simply repairing our bridges and roads, bold improvements must be made to cope with the unpredictable force that is nature.

“Cities at Work,” a new Center for American Progress Action Fund report, concludes that “through intelligent infrastructure investments, cities can save money, protect the environment, provide jobs to members of their community that need them, and mitigate climate change.” Yes investing in our infrastructure will enrich us all. One: we will all be safer as a people. Two: more jobs for those in need of employment. Three: think of our children's future, corny yes, but politicians tend to use this as their mantra all the time and rarely acknowledge it. Was that last statement too bold? Of course not. "Congress has failed to enact President Obama’s proposal to create a National Infrastructure Bank to use $10 billion in public funding to leverage private investment in national and regional infrastructure priorities." Of course the costs to improve our nation's infrastructure are beyond $10 billion. All of Obama's plans, forces, and agents can make a huge dent in our problem, which is the widening infrastructure investment gap.We have to start somewhere. If not now, when?

 http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2014/02/11/83936/the-crushing-cost-of-climate-change-why-we-must-rethink-americas-infrastructure-investments/

"No Paid Vacation Days" By Greg Hernandez

Stuck in Hibernation Mode? America will not help you.

Would it not be nice to take a couple of weeks off and travel to the Bahamas? Imagine leaving all of this snow, ice, slush, and general hazardous mess that  New York City has become behind. Drop the shovel and pack your surfboard instead. You could do that if you had the money. But no, instead, you are working, taking the subway or metro north to your job. Your snow boots have become your best friend. The temperature fluctuates on a daily basis, yet their is one constant, that is day dreaming of a warmer climate. Your elbow slips off of your desk and you must regain focus. Its back to work for you. You take a sip of that coffee and brush those crazy thoughts of vacation aside as your fingers hit the keyboard. Meanwhile, in France, there are many people who are busy day dreaming on their day off.

A report from the "Center for Economic and Policy Research Graph summarizes the legal right to paid vacation for 21 of the richest countries in the world. From left to right, countries are ordered from most generous (France, 30 days) to the least generous (the United States, 0 days)."

-Belgium 20 days, Brazil 30 days, Chile 15 days, Denmark 25 + 9 public holidays, Germany 30 days, Iran 4 weeks, Lithuania 28 days, Netherlands 4 weeks, New Zealand 4 weeks, Panama, 30 consecutive days + 10 public holidays, Peru 30 days, Russia 28- 52 for those in the extreme North, United Kingdom 28 days.

Check out more statistics surrounding the discrepancy of the advances in employee relations from other industrialized countries versus America.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyamohn/2013/08/13/paid-time-off-forget-about-it-a-report-looks-at-how-the-u-s-compares-to-other-countries/

 "Almost 1-in-4 Americans do not receive any paid vacation or paid holidays, trailing far behind most of the rest of the world’s rich nations, according to the report."

College students enjoy the accumulated snow days, while those of us who already graduated loathe them. The students have the right mind-set about Spring Break though. Off to Cancun for a fun time to blow off steam, get wild, have sex, and create unforgettable/forgettable experiences, memories, and regrets. 

Americans should not have to suffer year in and year out through the unnecessary grind of work. We deserve more time for leisure and exploration. It could in fact make us a more cultured nation. Why are citizens in other countries renowned for being more sophisticated than we are? They look better, healthier, sexier, are more desirable, more alive than us because they are well traveled. Traveling is easily auspicious.

We are stuck. Many Americans cannot afford to travel to places other than their homelands to visit relatives. This is not conducive for our well beings. It is unfortunate that America cognitively shackles its citizens and does not allow them to travel with economic ease.  The idea that electronics, television shows, movies, sports all year round, celebrity gossip/scandals, the gym, video games, naps, and most of all our quick weekends are enough is contrived. Everything is far from copacetic. The rich who can afford to travel annually to new places and discover new things are envied by the poor. Earth is a vast place. Earth is more than New York City.

"Exploring new environments releases dopamine, which drives learning and may slow aging." Nico Bunzeck Ph.d. a neuroscientist at the University of Hamburg Germany.

America should lead the world in paid vacation days. "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness," is an asinine phrase. Politicians rhetorically promote jobs and education, however part-time employment has risen and college tuition rises every year. Forget the minimum wage increase, let's increase the paid vacation days from 0 to 40. All employers should be mandated by law to give paid vacation days. America must make room within its budget to accommodate all who work.

If nothing else, I must ask one question: Where is this nation going?