At the end of the year, we hear predictions about the future, many of which have been proven wrong — from the end of the world due to climate change, to the telephone is just a toy.
(There is a story, probably apocryphal, that in 1876, the president of Western Union, William Orton, dismissed phones as a “toy” when Alexander Graham Bell offered to sell him the patent for $100,000.)
The past is a better teacher if we will pay attention to successes and mistakes so that we might avoid one and embrace the other.
A hundred years ago, the ’20s were roaring and President Calvin Coolidge did things the current president and Congress would do well to emulate.
Coolidge won a landslide victory running on a platform of limited government, reduced taxes and less regulation.
He followed through on all three, creating an economic boom. (Where have you gone, Silent Cal, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you).
Coolidge also signed an immigration law that regulated the number of foreigners who could come to America.
Asian people were especially targeted, but one must understand the challenges of the time, which involved civil war in China and growing unrest in Japan.
According to Densho Encyclopedia, the announced motivation of the legislation was the “widespread fear of radicalism that contributed to anti-foreign sentiment and exclusionist demands. Supporters of immigration legislation stressed recurring themes: Anglo-Saxon superiority and foreigners as threats to jobs and wages.”
Sound familiar?
A lot happened in 1924.
Vladimir Lenin died at 53 from a stroke. Lenin’s body was embalmed and put on display in Red Square for public viewing.
He seems to have been reincarnated as Vladimir Putin.
Adolf Hitler is sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch.
He is released after just nine months, but uses his time while incarcerated to write “Mein Kampf,” which, among other things, describes how he became antisemitic.
His poison still infects us.
J. Edgar Hoover is named head of the FBI.
George H.W. Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts. Woodrow Wilson dies.
Jimmy Carter was born in Plains, Georgia.
Actor Marlon Brando, who would change the way many actors performed, was born in Omaha, Nebraska.
Also born this year is American novelist and playwright James Baldwin in Harlem, New York, as is Truman Capote.
The comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” debuts. In the 1970s it would become a hit musical on Broadway and a movie.
The first newsreel pictures of American presidential candidates are taken, forecasting the age of television and its use during election campaigns.
The first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is held in New York.
In sports, Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry was born, and the Washington Senators won their first World Series.
It would be 95 years until they win another one under a different name (Washington Nationals).
Johnny Weissmuller sets the 100-meter world freestyle record at 57.4 seconds. His fame would increase when he played Tarzan in the movies.
Carol Taylor invents the ice cream cone rolling machine. Yum.
The first crossword puzzle is published, offering distractions from daily concerns to millions of people over several generations.
At the end of 1924, Judy Garland made her acting debut as a 2 ½-year-old.
As with any other year, 1924 contained the good, the bad and the ugly, but it also contained lessons we should learn, because we sometimes repeat too many of the bad ones.
May those good lessons lead us to a happier, peaceful and prosperous 2024.
“Jeopardy!” producers are listening to their fans and making some changes.
During a recent episode of the “Inside Jeopardy!” podcast, producers Michael Davies and Sarah Foss discussed their New Year’s resolutions regarding the show, as well as the mistakes they made this past season and how they think they can improve the show. One thing Davies noted was that the post-season episodes “really worked” but can be done in a better way.
“My first resolution is that we are going to expand post-season next year,” Davies said. “We had sort of slightly weird thing where we kicked off the regular season for five weeks, then we went into post-season, and we came back and went back into regular season again, and I think what we’re going to do next season is we’re going to kick off the season with the post-season, and then go into regular season thereafter.”
The post-season shows include “Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions” and the “Second Chance Tournament.” By adding these to the beginning of the season, producers will avoid interrupting regular gameplay and won’t interfere with a potential winning streak the audience is invested in.
Producers Michael Davies and Sarah Foss discussed their New Year’s resolutions regarding the show.Getty Images
While they are excited about the success of the post-season shows and expanding those, Davies wanted to acknowledge that he and Foss “understand the value of new players getting the opportunity to get on the Alex Trebek stage and getting opportunities to play,” and says that adding more post-season episodes won’t take away from new players taking the stage.
“We can expand the post-season, we can expand it to nine weeks, 10 weeks, 11 weeks, whatever we decide, eight weeks, there would be plenty of weeks for regular gameplay still,” he said. “I think we’re going to expand the post-season. I think it’s going to be a really important thing.”
Foss added, “I think it may mean we have less of some of the more traditional tournaments that we’ve had in the past, because we are hearing our fans and our players say they want more chances for people to have that first-time opportunity, and some of our tournaments in the past haven’t necessarily allowed for a spot in the TOC, so this might be a way to have that balance.”
The show currently has two hosts who take on different responsibilities, with Ken Jennings hosting the regular syndicated episodes, and Mayim Bialik hosting the High School Reunion Tournament and “Celebrity Jeopardy!” which airs on Thursdays.
Davies is so impressed by the success of “Celebrity Jeopardy!” saying that “based on that show’s performance,” it has gone from a syndicated show to “a Primetime fixture.”
Alex Trebek and Ken Jennings in July 2004.Getty Images
One of Davies’ other resolutions for 2023 is to finally get “Jeopardy! Masters” off the ground, calling the project his “baby” and his “fondest dream.” He explained that the show is something he has wanted to make happen since his first day on the job, but the timing wasn’t right until now.
“We have these pro-level, elite level players, and our fans . . . tell us on social media all the time you watch the show through these people,” he said. “I just look at the ratings, and when we have a super champion there in the mix, and suddenly when we had them playing against each other, the quality of the programs, the ratings of those programs, the social media interactions, the engagement with those programs, it was off the charts.”
He ended by saying, “We’re going to make ‘Jeopardy! Masters’ happen,” with Foss exclaiming that fans will see it in 2023. The next challenge they face is deciding which past champions they’re going to choose to participate in the new spin-off.
The start date for season 40 has yet to be released, however, it was announced on Wednesday that the show has been renewed through the 2027-2028 season.
That New Years’ weight loss started a day late for some.
Luxury fitness club Equinox is coming under criticism online after they launched a day-long campaign labeled “We Don’t Speak January,” forbidding new members from joining.
On Jan. 1, as many ready to ring in the new year by getting into shape, those who went to Equinox’s website to sign up for the luxurious gym were greeted by an unusual message.
The company called the month of January “a fantasy, delivered to your door in a pastel-colored box.”
“You are not a New Year’s resolution. Your life doesn’t start at the beginning of the year. And that’s not what being part of Equinox is about,” the message told hopeful new members.
The message ended by assuring those wishing to sign up that the fitness club was looking “forward to welcoming you to our Equinox community tomorrow.”
Doubling down on their stance, the company posted a list of reasons in a photo on Twitter as to why they are not allowing newcomers to sign up.
“January is a language we don’t understand,” it started with, only to reiterate more of what was posted on its website.
The bizarre marketing stunt was greeted with mounting backlash online.
“No one who actually cares about fitness goes to Equinox. Rich people just have a biological need to waste money,” one Twitter user tweeted.
“Didn’t realize a health club would be so vehemently against people trying to…checks notes…improve their health and well-being?” a user commented under the company’s tweet.
Not everyone was upset by the fitness club’s New Year’s Day campaign.
“Equinox isn’t accepting new memberships today. Super bold, super smart, strategically aligned with their brand,” a user tweeted in support of the company’s campaign.
“Equinox didn’t accept new signups on Jan. 1. Their gyms are okay, but their marketing is A+,” another user tweeted.
A TikTok posted by Equinox and then deleted also had some fun at the expense of those unable to sign up on Jan. 1.
As on Jan. 2, new members have been welcomed to join the luxury fitness club.Getty Images for Equinox
The video, which showed an empty gym and one member joyfully working out alone, had an on-screen text which read, “When it’s Jan. 1, but you remember Equinox isn’t letting new members join today.”
“Take your resolutions somewhere else,” the video caption read.
As of Monday, new members could sign up for the gym, which charges $382 monthly for worldwide access to all its locations.
If there are certain career goals, changes or upgrades you’re looking to make, this is the time to resolve to do it. Whether it’s finally getting that promotion you deserve, or locking in the work-from home arrangement you proposed to your boss, here’s how to make it happen in 2023.
You want a raise
Given today’s unstable job market and instability, especially in the tech sector, “prepare to prove you’re raise-worthy,” said Ciara O’Sullivan, director of people at Bilt Rewards, a loyalty program for renters in New York City.
Before you even broach the conversation with your boss, however, take a tip from O’Sullivan and look up a comparable role at another company. Thanks to New York City’s new Salary Transparency Law, all businesses must now list good faith salary ranges for jobs, promotions or transfer positions.
You should also look at your company’s earnings reports and year-end forecasting from your CEO to see how the company is faring. “It’s ideal if you can share that your No. 1 competitor is paying $20,000 more for your exact job,” O’Sullivan said. “Next, you want to share all that you’ve done since last January, whether it was working on 10 projects or building X number of budgets. Being able to quantify your contributions is crucial.”
You want to switch careers
Making a major career change will likely take several months of discovery, where you take the time to figure out what you want to do next and how you’re going to get there.
“Start by zeroing in on the part of your job you enjoy most,” said Annie Rosencrans, people and culture director at HiBob, a human resources tech platform. “Then you can extend out to think about the type of work you want to be doing.”
“If you want to continue working from home, share the reason.”Getty Images
Once you’ve figured that out and understand what’s involved — including whether you need training — begin networking via LinkedIn and invite anyone in your desired career path for lunch or coffee.
Keep in mind that you need to be fiscally prudent when changing course. “Switching careers is risky,” Rosencrans said. “You should always have your finances in order during those months you’re searching and be sure you can afford to take this pause and switch gears.”
You want to keep working remotely
If you want to keep your WFH setup going, communication is key. “Talk to your manager early and often, and keep that person in the loop about what you’re thinking and feeling,” O’Sullivan said. “If you want to continue working from home, share the reason, whether it’s that you’re more productive, you have kids to pick up from school or you’re taking care of a sick parent.”
Maybe you simply like working in silence and the office is too loud. “Again, you want to be in ‘proving it’ mode,” O’Sullivan said. “If you’re working an extra two hours because you’re not commuting from Long Island to Manhattan, say so. If you’re most productive from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. after you put your kids to sleep, explain that, and if you can take conference calls at 5:30 p.m. because you don’t have to pick up your child from daycare, share that, too.”
You want to upskill or reskill
It’s unlikely your boss will look askance if you want to learn more skills or review existing skills to make sure you’re up to date, O’Sullivan said. Consider signing up for a free LinkedIn Learning course, listening to a leadership podcast or even tapping into TikTok for career-coaching and leadership skill videos.
If you’re interested in taking a course that comes with a fee, communicate your interest with your boss. “Say something like, ‘I found this training and I know it will benefit our team in the following ways,’ then ask if there might be a budget available for, say, an Adobe course.”
Just don’t make your manager find courses for you. “They’re already very busy,” O’Sullivan said. “This is a good opportunity for you to show the initiative.”
You want to start a family
First off, you aren’t required to tell anyone at work that you’re planning on having a child.
“Hopefully you work at a company where starting a family is celebrated and not used against you, since that’s illegal,” Rosencrans said. “Also, it’s illegal — it’s retaliation — if your promotion or pay raise is affected by you having a child.”
That said, if you’re in baby mode, right now is the perfect time to be proactive about your schedule. “For example, if you’re working late into the evening, this won’t be sustainable with a newborn,” Rosencrans said. “Think about good practices you can implement to ensure that you don’t have to completely shift your work schedule once the baby arrives.”
Looking to get moving in 2023? Choosing the best fitness app that best fits your needs is step one in your journey.
After three years and counting of living in some form of lockdown, at-home workout apps are still among the best motivators to get in shape — no matter how much you’ve let your routine languish.
“We’re sitting so much more,” Sarah Shoemaker, PT, DPT, at Tribeca’s Spear Physical Therapy, told The Post. “[It’s] going to be very hard to go from zero to 100.”
If you want to get back into working out this month, Shoemaker suggests setting small, manageable goals.
“Always be mindful about what your body can and can’t do. If something starts causing pain, stop and don’t push through just because you think ‘no pain, no gain,’ ” she advised.
Most of the injuries she’s treated this year are from people working out in their homes. Shoemaker urges workout warriors to sweat it out on a mat for a slip-free surface, and set up in front of a mirror, if possible, to monitor and maintain good form.
Her physical therapist colleague, Odalisse Figueroa, agrees that you have to be vigilant when you’re working out at home with an app. “It’s really important to pay attention to verbal cues because no one is there to instruct you,” Figueroa told The Post. And even though you’re in your house, make sure to wear sneakers for the extra support.
No matter what, the best apps involve personal trainers with certifications, said Shoemaker, not just people who like fitness or look hot while working out on social media. Check out a trainer’s qualifications before you commit to following their advice on an app.
Ready to get sweaty? Here are the best fitness apps to try right now.
If you get bored of the same old classes and the monotony of the gym, ClassPass is for you. The app works on a credit-based system, where participating gyms and studios price out their workouts and allow you to take a class using your credits, as opposed to paying high membership fees and needing to attend a certain number of times.
Depending on your location, there are hundreds of participating studios that offer indoor cycling, HIIT classes, yoga, aerial workouts and more. Plus, some spas and wellness treatments can also be booked via ClassPass like massages, manicures and more.
Plans start at eight credits per month for $18 and go all the up to 100 credits for $199, while the standard plan is 38 credits for $79 per month. If you act fast, you can get your first month and 20 credits free, which is enough to try a few classes and see what you like.
Get involved in fitness without the need to leave home when you subscribe to P.volve. The online membership comes in a one-month, three-month, six-month and a yearly subscription, starting as low as $14.99 per month on the yearly plan. The digital membership then grants you access to hundreds of on-demand workout videos, access to a profile to track your progress, recipes, nutrition advice and more.
Nike
Just do it, and by that we mean download the app and get moving. Nike Training Club is free to download and gives you access to workout routines that are made and approved by the athletes at Nike.
Workout videos can be accessed on demand and you can track your progress in the app as well, with a user profile that records past classes as well as any health data you wish to track.
Obé fitness offers thousands of on-demand and live classes designed to do at home, all taught in a mood-boosting pastel-colored studio. For $27 per month or $199 year, these fun body-weight classes fit easily into your schedule, with workouts available on-demand that are as short as 10 minutes. Make your own routine with a combination of dance, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and pilates. If you’re expecting, there are also pre- and post-natal options taught by experts in that realm.
5. Future Fitness, use our link to get your first month of one-on-one personal training for $19 (normally $149/month)
Future Fitness
This app may be the future of remote personal training.
Meet Future Fitness, a workout app that connects you with a Future Coach via text to help personalize your workout, be them in the gym, outdoors or from home. For a monthly fee of $149, get a tailored workout plan and on-demand exercises and routines to do on your own time, with guidance when you need it from the team at Future. Like hiring a personal trainer in real life, your coach will work with you to create a routine that makes sense for you, taking into account where you like to train, any injuries and limitations and more. Plus, if you just aren’t vibing with your coach, switch to a new one risk-free.
To sign up for just $19 for your first month be sure to use the below “Buy Now” button, as the code will be automatically applied at checkout.
Alo Moves is the fitness app that brings the practice of yoga to you, wherever you are physically or in terms of your skill level. By the yoga clothing company, Alo Moves not only has guided yoga practices and meditations, but also has a library full of other fitness videos, including HIIT, pilates, core and more.
Your first month is a free one, and after that membership costs $20 per month, or $199 for the full year, but for the month of January, sign up now and get 50% off a yearly membership.
Feel the burn and never get bored of working out on a board.
The Brrrn Board and corresponding membership app is a new and fun way to use your bodyweight to get fit. First, check out the actual board, which costs $349 for a six-foot adjustable board. Then, sign up for a monthly membership starting at just $7.99 per month and gain access to hundreds of classes, teaching you to slide, balance, sculpt and more using your Brrrn Board. The subscription comes with a seven-day free trial, and also other non-board related workouts, such as yoga, cardio, weight training and more.
If this is the secret to how Chris Hemsworth stays so fit, we want in.
Centr is the star’s new fitness app, that includes personalized fitness routines and even meal plans to get you (and keep you) in shape. Plans start at just $10 per month, which is as affordable if not more than the most basic gym memberships. This app is for all ability levels, with a three-week beginner plan newly added to the app, as well as strength training, cardio programs and more.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learnt? We all need support. This is the team that unlocked my potential and helped me live my happiest, healthiest life. Now my team is yours,” Hemsworth says on the website.
Ready to get fit? Then it may be time to get Fiit!
The subscription-based fitness app is top-rated, using a combination of workouts and fitness tracking to keep you working toward your goals for 2023 and beyond.
“Functional Fitness. HIIT. Strength. Circuits. Mobility. Stretching. Pilates. Yoga. Breathwork. Level up your performance with hundreds of on-demand classes, group workouts and training plans – from entry level to advanced,” reads the site.
The membership starts at $7.99 per month for 30+ training plans, or choose the unlimited plan starting at $9.99 per month for access to more than 1,000 classes, community integration, games and challenges and more.
lululemon Studio
You know and love lululemon for workout clothes and accessories, but now you can workout with them, too.
Introducing lululemon Studio, the subscription-based workout classes broadcasted on your at-home Mirror device. When not in use, the Mirror is just that — a mirror. However, once turned on and ready to sweat, instructors appear on the screen, guiding you through more than 10,000 classes spanning cardio, yoga, dance, boxing and more.
The actual equipment including the Mirror start at $795, and the subscription to lululemon Studio costs $39/month.
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