Budo Rant #3 - Give Credit & Improve on the Previous

I was compelled to defend my honor as the first person to ever post a tutorial video on the internet on the subject of Triple String Nunchaku. My original video has been viewed more than 30,000 times and has found permanent places on several search engines and martial arts forums world wide.

It's my firm belief, as martial artists, that when we borrow ideas or base our work on the accomplishments of others before us, we must give credit where credit is due. I've done so in the past, and I will always cite the research and findings of others whenever I produce training and educational material to be posted on the internet.

rctrue, never contacted me to inform me he was going to reproduce my tutorial virtually shot for shot and step for step.

Mcjoebuilder, on the otherhand, used my tutorial as a basis but went about his tutorial the way he saw fit. And as an added bonus, he makes his own nunchaku. Kudos Joe! [prior to posting this entry, Mcjoebuilder emailed me and informed me he was linking my tutorial to his. I did the same likewise.]


This is a comment placed by a DTG spy who was "expelled" by Greg Park so that he could freely roam YouTube and try to gain the confidence of the unsuspecting. I didn't buy his story for a minute. SACREDFIREDOJOSHOW is still an active member of Nintaijutsu.


In this screenshot, we can see the date of publication as well as number of views as of today. Notice, how many more views my video has over rctrue's. This number can only be achieved over a long period of time. Thus, my tutorial came first.


In this next image, MOUNTAINOUS gives praise...only because he is another member of Nintaijutsu - Choson Ninja, under Greg Park. The following two individuals are more critical. cava002 directly asks rctrue if he knows who I am. No response. The third person had an even more practical comment. Look back at my tutorial. I specifically chose to use my white oak nunchaku with green parachute cord because of the contrast in color! Easier for viewers to see what's happening.

Lastly, here's the champion of the day: Mcjoebuilder and his excellent interpretation of my original lesson.



Always remember this courtesy: Give credit where credit is due and improve on the previous.

Thanks goes to YouTubers: HouzanSuzuki, scottbaioisdead, zeong77, and Mcjoebuilder

Apologies All Around

Sorry to all the few of you that read my blog. It's been ages since I've posted anything. Lot's of drama in my life lately, and it's taken its toll on my productivity. I think I'm getting a hang of what I need to do to turn things around in my favor without hurting anybody in the process.

To those I've neglected and to those I've smothered...I deeply apologize for being selfish.



I've walked a long and lonely road all my life, and there's still miles and miles of more of the same ahead of me. I thought I could take a short cut. But God has a way of humbling people and steering them back on the right path.

"You just haven't earned it son...You must suffer and cry for a longer time."
-The Smiths

Budo Rant #2

I don't get pissed off easily. I give most people a lot of wiggle room and forgiveness before I cast them off.

One problem with open forums on the internet is the vulnerablity to hate speech or unjustified negative comments. I've created a new rule for my YouTube account. I will delete negative comments made by people posting from "fake" channels. Fake channels on YouTube are created by people to be used to shield their identities from the public. These people are often referred to as "haters." I'm perfectly willing to accept negative/constructive criticism on my YouTube channel so long as I can respond back in the public forum to "real" accounts. I define a real account on YouTube as a channel that depicts the true identity of the member with a facial record, their real first name (at least), and original video content.

Here's an incident I recorded that I hope I'll never have to repeat:

New YouTube Channel - The Legion of Ernies

Here's a place where all YouTubers named "Ernie" can meet each other. The channel will act as a central repository for links to our work, and a hub where the YouTube community can easily find people named Ernie, both men and women.

New Nunchaku Videos in Production!

Questions to Asian Males About AMWF Relationships

A fellow YouTuber sent me a link to the video below. I watched her video several times so that I could rephrase her questions in my mind. The second video below were my responses.





I became aware of Asians and White people co-mingling in the early 1970's. This was a time when Vietnamese refugees were arriving in the United States by the thousands. For years, Servicemen were bringing home Asian brides from Korea, the Philippines, and Japan. Predominantly, couples were made up of White men and Asian women. The reverse, Asian men and White women, was an extreme rarity.

Only in the last ten years or so, have Asian American men been able to rise in status in the USA. This has been accomplished partly due to rising prominence in business, sports, entertainment, and intellectual opportunities. Some may also note that perhaps it is just "our time" to enjoy the chance of becoming a popular option for not just White women, but for all kinds of women.

The old stereotype of Asian men being geeky, nerdy, and low on self-esteem is out the window. These stereotypes were actually prejudicial interpretations of Asian character. What was most offensive was the perception of "low self-esteem." In Asian culture, "humility" and the ability to humble one's self is seen as a virtuous trait in a person.

In the USA, according to the current socio-economic norms, if I want to succeed in the dating scene (to attract Asian women AND other ethnicities), I need to be boisterous, self-centered, and treat women like objects. If this is true, I'd rather go on living lonely and alone. That's not who I am. I'm a warrior and gentleman which means I approach everyone with a measured cup of respect.

One last note: Even tough guys need to be rescued. Please ladies, sweep me off my feet!

World Have Your Say - Are We Over-Educated?

Earlier today, I was listening to National Public Radio. They were carrying the BBC Radio's production of World Have Your Say. It's a public call in show that receives views and opinions from around the globe on a variety of topics. Responses can be phoned in; text messaged in; or emailed via their blog site.

One subject they were discussing, pertaining to Africa but open for general discussion, was the topic of over-educated Africans. The dilema, as discussed by on-air talents, was over-educated Africans are not able to function in the "real world" where people must work the available jobs that don't require a PhD. Hosts and callers pointed out that mainly taxpayers covered PhD candidates' expenses and complained that after graduation, graduates leave Africa because they cannot find work in their field of study.

That got me thinking: Are we as global citizens over-educated? How many of us are over-qualified for the job we have (or had)? In the BBC blog, one commentor stated that "education" is for the enrichment of the mind and soul. Education should not have anything to do with "vocation." I didn't get into an argument with anyone, but fifteen years ago, I would have wholeheartedly agreed. After suffering through underpaying jobs, piling debt, and dismally apparent job dissatisfaction, I wholeheartedly...semi-disagree now(eh?).

Committing four (or more) years and tens of thousands of dollars (or more) to one's higher education, in my opinion -these days- cannot be separated from one's vocation. Think of it this way: An insensitive manager at a business demotes a junior back to hourly employee status and says, "Don't take it personal, it's just business." Dammit! If that happened to me, you bet I'd take it pesonally. I spend more time at work than with my family and my friends. Given that analogy, I view university education as practice for working life. School is "on the job training," and work is "training on the job." (Yes, that's what I meant!)

Here's what I had to say on World Have Your Say: BBC Radio Blog

Walking Around SF Japan Town

SF Sakura Matsuri 2008 J-Town Champloo

2008 San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival

I've attended the SF Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) on and off for the past 20 years. Photography, videography, and audio field recording has always been in my blood. This year, I'm documenting everything I find interesting. The celebration takes place over the course of two consecutive weekends, and I plan to test some of my "new" production gear.

What you see here is a montage of screen grabs of some of the video I shot with my retro Sony DCR-TRV27 w/wide angle lens adapter and Beachtek DXA-2 XLR audio adapter set to mono fed by a Shure SM58 (this is my audio test platform which will eventually be either a Canon GL1 or XH-A1 OR Sony VX2100 or FX-7, and some stills with my P&S Fujifilm Finepix S5000. I'm debating on getting a DSLR or go totally retro and do medium format Mamiya...but that means a darkroom.



I've never seen so many people shooting with Canon 1D's before! I think more than half of them didn't use them to a fifth of its potential. They just dropped their credit cards on the counter and bought the best money could buy in the belief they could snap that perfect shot of their kids on stage. But they were never bold enough, like me and the real pro's, to get right up to the stage apron, to ignore yellow security tape and GET THE SHOT NO ONE ELSE DARES. So many people shot full panorama all day long. Photoshop can't fix that!

One shot I'm particulary proud of is one where I set the camera's timer and used my two meter monopod to suspend my camera over a group of taiko drummers. I even had one of my feet on the stage. The pro's couldn't do this because their foot long telephoto were too heavy. My P&S was just the ticket!



I'll have video and more pictures up next week after the conclusion of festivities. I have this weekend's video in rough cut form. Slide show is next. This was just a tease.

AOL Snags My Video!

I don't know if I should feel honored or annoyed. America Online has reposted my "Triple String Nunchaku" tutorial on their portal without informing me. I guess it's OK since I left the embedding option open on my YouTube account.

As long as the lesson gets out there and safe nunchaku practice is promoted, I've no argument. But as for intellectual property, I want to make it clear to everyone that the video is mine. AOL did the right thing and maintained all the YouTube associated information (my Channel name, my website url, and clip description).

Anyone else that would like to embed my video may do so, so long as credit is given and the video is not altered in any way.

AOL snag Here's AOL's video page.

Shout Out to Ben

Ben from Ohio was the very first person to respond to my nunchaku picture post. When I posted the "Triple String" tutorial, I sent him the YouTube link and in this next video, I thank him for his interest and answer some follow-up questions.

Tuesday - Kayoubi - Fire Day

Today is Tuesday. In Japanese, it’s called Kayoubi ( ). The first kan’ji character of this word is the symbol for “fire.” It’s unfortunate that so many people involved with the Southern California fires must suffer, especially on this ironic day. The latest number of evacuees has reached almost one half million people. Please take the time to consider your own good fortunes and wish a speedy end to this crisis and a rapid recovery. There are many ways to contribute after the fires are quenched. Seek out what feels best for you and beware of scam artists (on-line and face-to-face) posing as emergency donation collectors. Even at our most vulnerable moments, everyone should maintain a smart self-defense. Ask for IDs, permits, and tax exemption credentials before contributing money to any organization.

Photo: Reuters/Lucy Nicholson

True Survivor - San Jose Girl

Despite more than 25 years of karate training, I've never had to use my skills to defend my life. I've had to immobilize a mental patient that shouldn't have been released from the county hospital who went berzerker on a co-worker at a mall job I had while I was a college student. And, there've been less than a handful of scuffles I'm proud to claim I talked and walked my way out. All the sparring in the dojo and at taikai don't count at all. The truth is: Most of us will never be tested. Yet, today I'm relieved that a suspect has been arrested for the kidnap-assault-attempted sexual molestation of a 12 year old girl from San Jose, California.

This brave young girl, ignored the pain of being struck by the suspect's car which was stolen. Suffering from a fractured skull and multiple pelvic fractures, she was dragged into the car by the suspect and driven some distance away where she successfully fought off what would probably have been her rape and murder. Eventually, she made her way to a house where she was helped by a friendly samaritan.

Thank goodness she possessed the will to live and the spirit to fight back. More than likely, she had seen and heard several stories on TV about abducted children who never come home alive. She made the mental connection that if she didn't fight, that if she didn't escape, she wouldn't see her family again. She wouldn't see tomorrow.

It's a sad time when we have to start teaching children to not just "stay away from strangers." But also: Beware adults. How can they ever learn to trust any of us?

I wish her a speedy recovery and return to her soccer team.

Below is a link to a local report by KPIX:
San Jose Girl