No mere gimmick of the Thigh Master variety, the ROM machine promises to provide the equivalent of 20 to 45 minutes of aerobic exercise plus 45 minutes of weight training plus 20 minutes of stretching in … four minutes per day. This thing is so great that, according to a press release, "luminaries such as Spielberg, Travolta, Stallone and Cruise" own it, as do Navy SEALs and the Phoenix Fire Department. Motivational speaker Tony Robbins has one not just in his home but in "each of his homes." The cost: $14,615.

Americans have always been easily seduced by the notion of a quick fix (remember the Ab Energizer, which zapped the belly with electric currents?) and seem happy to invest not in logic but in ideas that defy logic. One word for this is naivete. But such madness also speaks to our ability to remain optimistic even when the evidence suggests otherwise. Of course, this can lead us into intractable wars (is it possible the president has a ROM machine?), but for most of us, especially when it comes to keeping New Year's resolutions, optimism is half the battle. Even if we don't get in shape, we should at least get credit for believing we can.

Speaking of optimism, I couldn't help but notice that the workers at the ROM machine factory — there were 18 or so, mostly Spanish-speaking immigrants — seemed like a relatively healthy and happy bunch. Because anyone on the staff can use the thing, I wondered if they too were believers in the ROM workout. "We test them out after we make them," a worker told us. "But we'd rather play soccer. We kick the ball around in the parking lot every day at lunchtime." They usually play for about 45 minutes.