More and more people are bumping fists as a form of greeting. I think the time has come to make the Fist Bump an acceptable alternative to the handshake.

The main reason I started this movement is not related to politics or any deeper meaning of the Fist Bump or its origin. I’m concerned with the health aspect of a handshake. It’s been proven beyond doubt that germs swapped in a handshake is one of the main ways people contract a wide range of viruses that can lead to colds, influenza, stomach viruses and many unpleasant illnesses.

Honestly, is a normal handshake worth the health risk? Is it that important to grab someones hand a squeeze it? Do you know where the hand you’re about to shake has been? Yes, I admit I sometimes think thoughts like that and I know I’m not alone.

When you shake a hand that feels a bit wet or clammy, maybe even sticky, do you have a sudden urge to wipe of whatever moved into the palm of your hand? I admit I sometimes do. I’m not a germaphone in any sense. I have two dogs and germs have built cities around me. But, for me the act of clasping two hands into a firm “germshake” is not worth the risk of getting thousands of germs that can’t wait to go to war against my immune system with one single objective….. make me sick. I can’t stand being sick, it’s such a waste of time.

If there were no alternatives to a handshake I would live with this risk since I was raised to be a polite person, respect others and the handshake is an important part of this behavior. I fully understand what a handshake means to most people and that it is a fine gesture between two people.

But, so can gentle Fist Bump be! You’re still acknowledging and focusing on giving sole attention to the other person and by timing it right with the proper touch it can still be a special moment.

Think about all the money saved nation wide if people got less sick by not transferring viruses from hand to hand. And it does not stop there. These hands will soon touch other objects which in turn will be touched by other people’s hands… it just goes on and on in a never ending circle of germs.

So, please join me in making the Fist Bump an acceptable way of greeting people we meet. The goal is to make everyone comfortable and not feel disrespected. I think we’re close. We now see presidents, celebrities and many others bumping hands.

I realize that the handshake will always be around, some will never give that up. I don’t mind shaking hands with people I know or when I’m on my way to a restroom knowing I will wash my hands seconds later. I just hope we can get the Fist Bump to a level as an acceptable alternative to the handshake.

Seems like we have some competition for the National Fist Bump Day. (nationalfistbumpday.com) An unidentified “group of like minded” hmmm… that’s kind of vague, is attempting to promote June 3rd as the official National Fist Bump Day. That’s a day I deliberately avoided since I did not want this to be a political celebration. I want non partisan support for this alternative to the handshake based on health concerns. The goal all along has been to get this into the mainstream and give people a choice; handshake or fist bump same meaning same feeling.

Please vote and feel free to give your opinions.

Thomas Sandberg

So we made the news. I was interviewed by Mr. Darling a short while ago and here is the result of that:

By CARY DARLING
cdarling@star-telegram.com

When the July Fourth celebrations die down this year, don’t put away the franks and fireworks too quickly. Three days later, strike a blow for independence of a different sort: National Fist Bump Day.

The idea is the brainchild of writer-graphic designer and Norwegian immigrant Thomas Sandberg, who wants to free America from what he sees as the tyranny of the handshake. And now that President Barack Obama has made touching knuckles acceptable and swine flu has turned the handshake into a health hazard (many commencements banned the practice this year), Sandberg thinks the time has come for the fist bump to get its due.

“People know what it is, and you still have that personal contact,” says Sandberg, 49. “It’s sort of a nice thing.”

Sandberg, who spends much of the year traveling in a motor home writing about American culture for magazines back home, first came across the fist bump many years ago while working at a gym in the Bay Area. A client, whom he recalls said he was one of rapper MC Hammer’s bodyguards, gave him a fist bump.

It gave new meaning to Hammer’s hit U Can’t Touch This.

“I really liked it. I didn’t see any difference from a handshake,” says Sandberg, except that he thought there was less possibility of passing along germs.

An encounter years later with a man who, after sneezing into his hands, shook Sandberg’s hand reinforced the handshake hostility.

Yet his preference stayed within his social circle until a little over a month ago when he put up the Web site www.nationalfistbumpday.org, where he declares July 7 his new holiday. “I got my first fist bump July 7, 1989, a year after coming to U.S.,” he says. “And the date is easy to remember, and many like the number seven. And in many places, July is a hot month and sure to produce some sweaty hands.”

Sandberg says his campaign has nothing to do with politics (”All the sports guys are doing it,” he says) and that he’s not a germophobe (”[but] I know what people touch and what they do”), although he concedes that his Scandinavian upbringing plays a part in his aversion.

“When I came to this country, I was surprised by all the handshaking going on,” he says. “In Norway, you just don’t shake a stranger’s hand for no reason.”

Sandberg isn’t the only one trying to wean America from the handshake. Some have promoted the elbow touch (”kind of silly,” he says) while the third Thursday of every April is officially National High Five Day. (No big surprise, Sandberg gives the high five a thumbs-down).

Still, others defend the old reliable handshake.

“We have faced other communicable diseases before without changing our basic pattern of interacting socially,” Dr. Keith Ablow, author and human behavior expert, told Fox News at the height of the swine-flu panic. “We need human touch and genuine communication more than ever right now.”

Sandberg remains unconvinced. “Just notice what people do in their cars; they’re on the phone or picking something,” he says. “I just want to make it so that people won’t get offended if they see a fist [as a greeting] instead of an open hand.”

I got my first fist bump July 7, 1989, a year after coming to U.S. And the date is easy to remember and many like the number seven.”
Thomas Sandberg

CARY DARLING IS THE STAR-TELEGRAM POP CULTURE CRITIC, 817-390-7571

http://www.watoday.com.au

In frail health for years and often seen only at formal occasions or when thanking bank managers for loans, the old grip-and-grin seems to be on the way out. So what’s a bloke to do instead? Here are some options.

The manhug In the 1980s, when men started to discover their softer side, they developed the half-hug and back pat.

There’s a lot going on with this simple-yet-awkward move. Those participating in the manhug keep their hands open, indicating they are no threat. The body contact implies a certain level of affection and intimacy, but in a nonsexual way, says Patti Wood, an Atlanta body language expert and author of Success Signals.

The patting is a male way of showing affection through hitting. It says, “I love you, mate, but not in that way.” Women also adopt the back patting when they become uncomfortable in an embrace, Wood says.

How to do it: Approach the huggee and bring one arm around the back of your partner, touching shoulders and part of the chest, but avoiding full frontal contact. Pat vigorously. Manly swearing or a grunt is optional.

Inherent dangers: The inexperienced often panic. Are they holding the embrace for too long? Is someone going to question their masculinity?

The high-five The high-five developed in the US in the 1970s as an extension of the handshake.

While the handshake can be sterile and perfunctory, the high-five symbolises joy, elation and power. But because the palm is open, Wood says, the high-five conveys the feeling that while there is power, there is no threat.

How to do it: Raise your hand above your head and, showing your open palm, slap the hand of your partner. The louder the slap, the better.

Inherent dangers: Novices may need to curb their enthusiasm until they develop a good high-five callous. Red palms are the beginner’s bane.

The chest bump This most likely originated in professional sports and gained popularity in the US in the 1990s.

Wood says the symbolism of the chest bump is one of vulnerability and elation.

The chest bumpers throw their arms back. Their hands are open, revealing they have no weapons. And they expose their chests and hearts, indicating they are vulnerable, joyful and nonthreatening.

Most chest bumpers are male - the move says “I want to be close, but I’m not feminine.”

How to do it: Approach your chest-bumping partner, pull your shoulders back and extend your arms, palms open, to the side. Jump forward and bump the chest of your partner.

Inherent dangers: This move has a huge potential for making you look stupid.

The dap The “dap”, also known as the fist bump, seems to have been born in the muddy battlefields of the Vietnam War. The original version includes lots of other movements, but time has distilled the dap to a vertical or horizontal fist bump.

It’s popularity is mainly confined to the US.

Wood says the dap conveys a sense of determination and power.

After reviewing images of Democratic presidential candidate Barak Obama exchanging a dap with his wife after learning he had enough delegates to claim the nomination, Wood thought their dap conveyed a sense of being ready to conquer, and that they were unified in their quest.

How to do it: Raise your hand as if making a traditional handshake, but curl your fingers into a fist. Keeping the arm parallel to the floor, little finger down, thumb on top, extend your fist from about chest level and gently tap the other person’s fist.

For a horizontal dap, simply rotate your fist 90 degrees so that the curled fingers are facing the ground. Repeat the bump.

Inherent dangers: The participants need to be clear on whether they are doing a dap or a high-five, otherwise a certain awkwardness can arise. You also run the risk of injury from jewellery and overenthusiastic dapping.

The peace sign In much of Europe the “V” sign is an obscene gesture along the lines of giving someone the finger. It may have had its origins in the 1300s, started by archers and symbolising the drawing of a bow.

Winston Churchill first used it to signal “V” for victory, and in the 1960s, the hippies adopted it as a sign for love. It later become associated with a gesture of peace.

Beyond the message of love or peace, Wood says flashing the peace sign tells others of your own personal beliefs and asks in return, “Are you part of my tribe? Are you one of my people?”

It’s popularity today pales in comparison to its use in the
1960s.

How to do it: Hold your hand up, palm facing outward. Curl the thumb, ring and little finger inward, leaving the index and middle finger extended to form a “V” shape.

Inherent dangers: Muscle spasms and the danger of running into someone who isn’t so peaceful.

This is one of my favorite! (T.S)

From DISVOVERY

John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel, celebrating the successful installation of the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph and repair of the Advanced Camera for Surveys.

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HONOLULU — Some Hawaii schools have changed graduation rituals following the state Health Department’s confirmation Friday night of six more cases of H1N1 flu.

Instead of a handshake, students got a diploma, a fist bump and a hug.

“I actually have a bit of a cold, so I spoke to students early. I said, ‘Guys, I really would rather give you a fist pump and a hug, that way, I don’t have to worry about spreading any of my germs,’ and we made it as colorful as we could. It was fun for them and fun for me,” Birkett said.There did not seem to be much concern about person-to-person contact as all 47 graduates clasped hands in a farewell dance, and the students were thinking more about their big night than the flu. full story

Copyright 2009 by KITV.com

I like this story and I know what Matt is talking abut. I’ve been in this industry for many years and the chain gyms are all business and have forgotten abut the well being of their members. T.S.

By Matt Davis

I’m going to the YWCA now. I went in there on Wednesday with Suey for a trial session and the personal trainer was in there. His name is Von Ray Johnson and he said he’d give me a couple of free sessions, so I went back this morning and he worked me harder than I’ve worked in the gym for 15 years. We only did four exercises, but he actually went to go get me some Gatorade at one point—I was slumped over this bench and could barely move. “Just stay there,” he said, looking like he maybe hadn’t anticipated this reaction. “You start from where you are,” he said.

Afterwards I went to Safeway to get a pizza for this picnic we’re having at work, and my hands were shaking on the box. I’m expecting some pretty amusing soreness over the weekend: Sue took one look at me when I walked in the door and said “take two advil.”

But I’ve been evangelizing the YWCA for the last few days. Everyone in there seems happy and friendly, whereas when I go to 24-hour fitness, it’s all glum faces. I don’t think the trainers are allowed to talk to any of the customers because they’re supposed to charge. And smiling seems out of the question, even then. Whereas Johnson just greets every single gym user with a fist bump and is like, “what are you doing today?” A fist bump! I feel 30% more African American already!

Sorry, 24-hour fitness. I gave you three years. You gave me no fist bump. Not one time. Never. Goodbye.

Thank President Obama for bringing this form of greeting to a global audience

By SARA K. SMITH

Updated 11:55 PM EDT, Tue, May 5, 2009

When the presidential candidate Barack Obama touched knuckles with his wife last June, horrified onlookers had no idea how to interpret the gesture. It certainly seemed very vulgar, and menacing, and evidence of some sort of terrorist sympathy, as everyone knew that normal presidential candidates give their spouses nothing more than a hearty handshake in the moments before they unofficially declare they’ve secured their party’s nomination.

A fascinated America, and indeed the world, began chronicling the fist bump and trying to figure out what it “meant.” Journalists spent thousands of words describing this arcane gesture to frightened white suburban QVC watchers who were pretty certain the fist bump had something to do sex, violence or non-Christian religions.

Some claim the act of knuckle-bumping began in the 1970s with NBA players like Baltimore Bullets guard Fred Carter. Others claim the fist bump’s national debut occurred off the court, citing the Wonder Twins, minor characters in the 1970s Hanna-Barbera superhero cartoon The Superfriends, who famously touched knuckles and cried “Wonder Twin powers, activate!’ before morphing into animals or ice sculptures. One might also credit germaphobics for the fist bump’s popularity. Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel reportedly adopted the gesture as a friendly way to avoid his contestants’ germs. more

Copyright NBC Local Media

Fobes.com

A second swine flu case in China has world health officials worried about a new outbreak.

Vivian Wai-yin Kwok

The risk of an outbreak of swine flu in Asia is getting higher after China confirmed a second case of the A/H1N1 influenza and Thailand reported two nationals got the disease after returning from Mexico.

China’s Ministry of Health confirmed Wednesday a 19-year-old student who returned from Canada last Friday has tested positive for the deadly virus. more

By E. EDUARDO CASTILLO – 6 hours ago

MEXICO CITY (AP) — In China, mask-wearing police cordoned off more hotels Wednesday, quarantining anyone who came in contact with swine flu patients, no matter how mild their symptoms. Not so in Mexico, where the health secretary encouraged tourists to come relax in their favorite vacation spots despite a growing swine flu caseload.

The global outbreak appears mild, but skittishness is evident. Not long after Switzerland lifted its advisory against travel to Mexico and the United States, the Japanese national women’s soccer team canceled a tour to North America, where most swine flu cases have been reported.

And in China, hundreds of people have been quarantined inside hotels, hospitals and homes after they came in contact with several infected plane or train travelers from Canada and U.S. The U.S. Embassy said Americans are among those quarantined.

There are now 33 countries reporting an estimated total of 6,080 confirmed swine flu cases, including 3,009 in 45 U.S. states, 2,446 in Mexico and 358 in Canada. But the death total is relatively low — 65, of which 60 were in Mexico, three in the U.S., one in Canada and one in Costa Rica. more

by Dr. Manny Alvarez for FOX Fan Central

As we continue to debate the fallout of a possible bird flu pandemic, it seems that among other things, we may have to reconsider a common greeting — the handshake.

The handshake has been documented as early as 2800 B.C. in Egyptian civilization. In medieval times warriors ready to fight would either go for their swords or consider a handshake in an effort to show goodwill. Until more recently (about the second half of the last century), women rarely shook hands.

I probably shake hands with 50 people a day. It is, perhaps, the most common act of civility in our society. We all do it and for many it is a sign of strong character and respect. I am sure that the feel of a handshake when making a deal influences many Wall Street-types.

Let’s face it, there are several types of handshakes. There is the “knuckle cruncher,” which can cause significant pain especially if you are wearing rings. Then there’s the “dead fish,” this person usually place his limp, lifeless hand in yours. And these days we have the “sanitary handshaker,” here the individual, petrified of getting sick, barely puts three or four fingers in your hand and the withdraws it quickly.

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