For most of us office pukes, "month end" can be scary or frustrating. Since tomorrow, for me, is the first day for Christmas shopping and a reminder to do some serious thinkng about the plight of others less fortunate or away from their loved ones. This is my last opportunity to goof off, kick my shoes off, let my hair down, drop the clutch, and eat anything I want before the New Year hits me on the head.
Therefore, I give you three ugly, but incredibly talented Canadians... RUSH! YYZ played live in front of a bunch of excited Brazilians.
Happy Friday Everybody!
-Ernie, Chief Lab Rat
For those who prefer something a little more quiet and calming... try this.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Trance/Electronica and Chloe Bruce
Directed by Mark Adcock.
Next to Modern Jazz, New Contemporary Folk, and Rock of the '80's, I find the genre of Trance/Electronica to be fascinating. Pair it with martial arts and you've got my attention.
I encountered this actual music video for the song "Rewind" by the artist known as Cylob (real name - Chris Jeffs). The martial artist performing is named Chloe Bruce. Normally, I don't follow the Tae Kwon Do and XMA scene, but the unusual talent of this woman made me take a deeper look into the choreography.
But initially, I was more interested in how the director shot this video. For one, did he use motion control? Or was the camera and crane controlled manually? Watch the video again and you'll notice there's no editing. It was all done in one take. Notice the grids on the floor and walls. They make calibrating motion control systems easier, especially if you're going to replace the background.
At times, it seemed Chloe's timing was restrained because she had to be at certain places on the floor to be in frame while the camera/crane was in motion. This leads me to believe they used a "click track" (similar to a metronome to define rhythm) instead of music playback to make it easier to adjust timing during post-production.
As for Chloe's martial arts in the video... Due to her video record on YouTube, I'm going to assume she had some help with the choreography. There are elements of Wushu, Shaolin Chi Gung, and XMA. Her primary art is Tae Kwon Do. Except for this video, which came out in 1999, she doesn't demonstrate ecclectic techniques again in her tournament appearances, performances with her touring group, or in her film and TV roles.
I would love to see her explore the dynamic side of Wushu on a long term basis. Her flexibility, muscle control, and proven level of commitment to training would serve her well like her patented Scorpion Kick has over the years.
Learn How to do the Scorpion Kick with Chloe's tutorial.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Writers Guild of America (WGA) Strike
I’m supporting the Writers Guild of America strike because the creative process needs protection from start to finish. During the late 1980’s and the early 1990’s, I was forced to give up pursuing a career in audio engineering and film making because all the time I invested in non-union productions amounted to nothing. All the promised screen credits and future distribution profits went nowhere. Recently, I've taken steps to re-enter the entertainment industry and writing is part of it. So, obviously the WGA has my support.
The samurai revered the artists and farmers of feudal Japan. Why? They fed their warrior minds an imaginative place to escape and kept their stomachs full, respectively. Even though the samurai were the bosses, they conceded that the poor and humble artists and farmers were high class people.
What writers do for our society is that they provide us with relevant commentary. They report. They satirize. They compose. They suggest. And, they offer doorways for us to explore. But most importantly, they keep us entertained. Writers are the lifeblood of the film and TV entertainment industry. Without them, producers, directors, studio crews, marketing firms, movie theatres, and TV stations have nothing new to work with.
A script isn’t a commissioned painting that’s sold, re-sold, and auctioned repeatedly after the painter’s death for millions more than its original worth and then displayed at a gallery to be seen for the price of admission. Scripts that a writer has sold and is produced will continue to earn money and value while the writer is still alive. That writer is entitled to earn residuals, a percentage of future profits. With the emergence of new technologies and broadcast methods, WGA members are due their fair share of developing revenues.
All across the USA, various organized unions have won over managements time and time again. So, Hollywood and New York big-wigs need to figure out real quick that their bread and butter are made by artists and farmers called “writers.” Give them the respect they deserve and pay them what they’re worth. Realize that most writers go unemployed for long periods of time (in between) scripts, and rely on residuals while they create new ideas and spend as much as three to five years writing and re-writing stories until they’re ready to be pitched.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Tsugaru Shamisen & Taiko
I don't need to say much here. Spend three minutes and change...
'nuf said!
Extra...
Awesome shamisen playing by Osanai Kaoru
SF Taiko Dojo do something like this please.
'nuf said!
Extra...
Awesome shamisen playing by Osanai Kaoru
SF Taiko Dojo do something like this please.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Majime - 真面目
Majime - 真面目 translated means: Sincerity. But, it means more than just that. The word to me emotes a deeper feeling because of its kan'ji's alternate pronunciation: Shinmenmoku - しんめんもく. Through this alternate reading, others have interpreted it to mean, "one's true character." This is so since the first character 真 (shin) is "truth," the second 面 (men) is "head," and the third 目(moku) is "eye." The flow of the characters is like a zoom lens into the mind through your eyes. Have you ever judged anyone by the look of their eyes? It's a human instinct.
I don't meditate as much as I used to when I was a college student. A working professional life limits me to weekends. When I do make the time, I sometimes use "shinmenmoku" as a mantra. It's a nice break from chanting the common Sanskrit phrases Om ma ni pad mi hum or Gate gate paragate parasamgate ("Hail to one's Overself" and "Gone, gone, gone far beyond," respectively).
Greek mythology is resplendid with examples of how hubris (over confidence or too much pride) in hero figures are humbled by the gods through loss or tragedy. So, it's often said that the only cure for hubris is nemesis (downfall or punishment).
(Image from www.dottyparker.com)
A week ago, my pick up truck needed a new water pump. It had been seriously leaking anti-freeze everywhere I parked. For the past couple of years, I've been taking my vehicles to service stations for repairs. But lately, money has been tight. So, I decided I'd tackle this job myself. I knew from past experience, the local shops would charge me around $450 (that's the pump, gasket, sealant, coolant, new fan belt, toxic waste fee, and labor). I've changed my own water pumps in the past, and I knew I could do it.
I took two days off of work because I knew that by the time I bought all the parts and supplies, half the day would be over (after inserting a good lunch at my favorite diner). The other half would be taken up with draining the radiator, removing the pump, and scraping off the old gasket. The next morning, I slapped the pump on, waited two hours for the sealant to cure, filled the radiator, installed a new fan belt, ran the engine with the rad cap off to bleed out any air bubbles in the cooling system, test drove it and was done. No more leaks!
That night, I bragged to my dojo mates that I saved a ton of money and I did the work myself. I was patting myself on the back a bit too much. I was being really smug about it. The next morning, on my way to work, I heard something bouncing underneath my truck as I crossed an overpass. I thought, I hope the fan belt didn't snap. When I parked at work, I opened the hood and found that the fan belt was still in place.
Later that day, going out for lunch, I discovered I had a flat tire. The object that was bouncing around underneath my truck was a padlock that had fallen off of a trailer, perhaps. It still had the keys in it. The lock had fallen away, but one of the keys had cut a one inch gash into the tread. I jacked the truck up to remove the wheel and discovered that my factory lug wrench wouldn't fit the aftermarket wheel lock for the new rims I had bought awhile back. I went to the maintenance shop of the warehouse where the mechanics there work on forklifts. So I knew they've got plenty of sockets that would fit my application.
I slapped on the spare and took the flat to my local wheel and tire shop, where I had bought all four wheels and tires new. I'm glad I bought the "no questions asked" guarantee and got my tire replaced for free. I cut my hand on the padlock key that was still stuck in the tire when I unloaded it. And, by now, my lunch hour was over and I had to get back to the office.
Next time I fix my car, I'm keeping my mouth shut. I should have been content with the good feeling that I wasn't polluting the environment (as much) with anti-freeze leaking out like a waterfall anymore. Lesson learned...practicing what I preach. Shin...Men...Moku.
I don't meditate as much as I used to when I was a college student. A working professional life limits me to weekends. When I do make the time, I sometimes use "shinmenmoku" as a mantra. It's a nice break from chanting the common Sanskrit phrases Om ma ni pad mi hum or Gate gate paragate parasamgate ("Hail to one's Overself" and "Gone, gone, gone far beyond," respectively).
Greek mythology is resplendid with examples of how hubris (over confidence or too much pride) in hero figures are humbled by the gods through loss or tragedy. So, it's often said that the only cure for hubris is nemesis (downfall or punishment).
(Image from www.dottyparker.com)
A week ago, my pick up truck needed a new water pump. It had been seriously leaking anti-freeze everywhere I parked. For the past couple of years, I've been taking my vehicles to service stations for repairs. But lately, money has been tight. So, I decided I'd tackle this job myself. I knew from past experience, the local shops would charge me around $450 (that's the pump, gasket, sealant, coolant, new fan belt, toxic waste fee, and labor). I've changed my own water pumps in the past, and I knew I could do it.
I took two days off of work because I knew that by the time I bought all the parts and supplies, half the day would be over (after inserting a good lunch at my favorite diner). The other half would be taken up with draining the radiator, removing the pump, and scraping off the old gasket. The next morning, I slapped the pump on, waited two hours for the sealant to cure, filled the radiator, installed a new fan belt, ran the engine with the rad cap off to bleed out any air bubbles in the cooling system, test drove it and was done. No more leaks!
That night, I bragged to my dojo mates that I saved a ton of money and I did the work myself. I was patting myself on the back a bit too much. I was being really smug about it. The next morning, on my way to work, I heard something bouncing underneath my truck as I crossed an overpass. I thought, I hope the fan belt didn't snap. When I parked at work, I opened the hood and found that the fan belt was still in place.
Later that day, going out for lunch, I discovered I had a flat tire. The object that was bouncing around underneath my truck was a padlock that had fallen off of a trailer, perhaps. It still had the keys in it. The lock had fallen away, but one of the keys had cut a one inch gash into the tread. I jacked the truck up to remove the wheel and discovered that my factory lug wrench wouldn't fit the aftermarket wheel lock for the new rims I had bought awhile back. I went to the maintenance shop of the warehouse where the mechanics there work on forklifts. So I knew they've got plenty of sockets that would fit my application.
I slapped on the spare and took the flat to my local wheel and tire shop, where I had bought all four wheels and tires new. I'm glad I bought the "no questions asked" guarantee and got my tire replaced for free. I cut my hand on the padlock key that was still stuck in the tire when I unloaded it. And, by now, my lunch hour was over and I had to get back to the office.
Next time I fix my car, I'm keeping my mouth shut. I should have been content with the good feeling that I wasn't polluting the environment (as much) with anti-freeze leaking out like a waterfall anymore. Lesson learned...practicing what I preach. Shin...Men...Moku.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (S/N)
This is going to win me lots of love...
The quality of audio equipment can be judged and measured by their signal-to-noise ratio. Obviously, the less noise there is in a broadcast or playback the clearer the signal will be. This is known as fidelity.
In my practice and teaching of karate and kobudo, I strive to keep everything I've learned "as-is." As I studied several arts (kajukenbo, 3 different karate styles, tai chi, kobudo, and escrima), the more I emphasized keeping them separate. It's a given that with each generation techniques and methods take on the characteristics of the players. Here, I'm referring to the "core" principles, the soul of each art.
I'm bothered that there are schools here in the USA that list "karate, gung fu, jujitsu, tae kwon do, & kenpo" all on their storefront windows. But on closer inspection, the vast majority of these schools have blended theses arts into an amalgem. It takes a lifetime to master even one art. How is it possible to claim enough authority to teach six different empty-hand arts while the chief instructor is younger than 45.
If the teachers have one major style of study (15+ years)and only has a few years (5 or less) in the other arts, in all honesty shouldn't be included in their curriculum. If their studies of auxillary arts are on-going, that's a different story. Attend a weekend seminar and plug it in...sensei please.
In my audio analogy, the concept of "fidelity" finds pertinence here. The less "noise" your art has the more truthful it is to its soul. Some may justify that these mega-schools list all these arts to attract people who don't know the difference from one to the other and then clarify later. Jee, well, er...I call that deception and false advertising.
With the genesis of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), one may ask, "So what's the problem with 'mixing' different arts?" OK. MMA is fought in a cage or ring. Not, in a dojo. MMA is for people who already gained some profiency in one art and has moved on to another. MMA is for fighters 18 years old and older.
Using another audio analogy: An oversaturated tape recording will produce crosstalk, where signal on one track bleeds over to the adjacent track. When teaching children and adults new to martial arts, it's important not to feed them mixed signals (bad info). Karate doesn't have a ground game. Jujitsu doesn't rely on a stand up plan. A Chinese Long Fist strike inserted into a Judo drill doesn't belong.
Finally: Know your history! I feel really bad for teachers who can't trace their style or schools' lineage. At a minimum, every practitioner should be able to trace their lineage three teachers back. Know their names. Where they lived. Their professions. Some of their fellow dojo mates. Other styles or arts they studied. Their hobbies. There's more to be learned from your teachers than just martial arts. They're people, too, afterall. Why do I need to know this stuff? Budo is a way of life. If all you focus on is fighting skill or dojo life, then your existence outside the dojo becomes out of balance.
You don't need surround sound. Some of the best recordings I've ever heard were stereophonic. We only have two ears. Given the right circumstance (atmosphere) and proper record and playback equipment (lesson plan and teaching skill), you can recreate the original signal (budo) in high fidelity.
The quality of audio equipment can be judged and measured by their signal-to-noise ratio. Obviously, the less noise there is in a broadcast or playback the clearer the signal will be. This is known as fidelity.
In my practice and teaching of karate and kobudo, I strive to keep everything I've learned "as-is." As I studied several arts (kajukenbo, 3 different karate styles, tai chi, kobudo, and escrima), the more I emphasized keeping them separate. It's a given that with each generation techniques and methods take on the characteristics of the players. Here, I'm referring to the "core" principles, the soul of each art.
I'm bothered that there are schools here in the USA that list "karate, gung fu, jujitsu, tae kwon do, & kenpo" all on their storefront windows. But on closer inspection, the vast majority of these schools have blended theses arts into an amalgem. It takes a lifetime to master even one art. How is it possible to claim enough authority to teach six different empty-hand arts while the chief instructor is younger than 45.
If the teachers have one major style of study (15+ years)and only has a few years (5 or less) in the other arts, in all honesty shouldn't be included in their curriculum. If their studies of auxillary arts are on-going, that's a different story. Attend a weekend seminar and plug it in...sensei please.
In my audio analogy, the concept of "fidelity" finds pertinence here. The less "noise" your art has the more truthful it is to its soul. Some may justify that these mega-schools list all these arts to attract people who don't know the difference from one to the other and then clarify later. Jee, well, er...I call that deception and false advertising.
With the genesis of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), one may ask, "So what's the problem with 'mixing' different arts?" OK. MMA is fought in a cage or ring. Not, in a dojo. MMA is for people who already gained some profiency in one art and has moved on to another. MMA is for fighters 18 years old and older.
Using another audio analogy: An oversaturated tape recording will produce crosstalk, where signal on one track bleeds over to the adjacent track. When teaching children and adults new to martial arts, it's important not to feed them mixed signals (bad info). Karate doesn't have a ground game. Jujitsu doesn't rely on a stand up plan. A Chinese Long Fist strike inserted into a Judo drill doesn't belong.
Finally: Know your history! I feel really bad for teachers who can't trace their style or schools' lineage. At a minimum, every practitioner should be able to trace their lineage three teachers back. Know their names. Where they lived. Their professions. Some of their fellow dojo mates. Other styles or arts they studied. Their hobbies. There's more to be learned from your teachers than just martial arts. They're people, too, afterall. Why do I need to know this stuff? Budo is a way of life. If all you focus on is fighting skill or dojo life, then your existence outside the dojo becomes out of balance.
You don't need surround sound. Some of the best recordings I've ever heard were stereophonic. We only have two ears. Given the right circumstance (atmosphere) and proper record and playback equipment (lesson plan and teaching skill), you can recreate the original signal (budo) in high fidelity.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Ernie's First Video Post
I was rifling through my video archives to find something to use as a test file for my YouTube account.
Here's something from the 2006 San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival. I'm disappointed that the sound is out of synch. It seems they prefer .mpeg files, whereas my video was encoded using .avi. Well, I guess that just means I have more software to install.
This just goes to show, I can't get Okinawa and food off my mind. Sorry...
Here's something from the 2006 San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival. I'm disappointed that the sound is out of synch. It seems they prefer .mpeg files, whereas my video was encoded using .avi. Well, I guess that just means I have more software to install.
This just goes to show, I can't get Okinawa and food off my mind. Sorry...
Friday, November 16, 2007
Stepping Stones
Well folks, I'm slowly building more skill and confidence in posting these entries. Recently, I've added a clock that displays Okinawa time and two other RSS feeds: Top right block is the Okinawa weather report by The Weather Channel; Bottom bar is rotating headline news from around the world from various agencies.
Just for a little flair, I added kan'ji (Japanese characters) to the header. Syllabically, it reads: eh ru nii no bu do ken kyuu sho. エルニーの武道研究所. Obviously, it means "Ernie's Budo Lab-oratory. Currently, I'm only able to use a basic unicode font. It's nothing special. I'd love to be able to type kan'ji with a more artful font. But, this works for me now. It's slow as molasses grabbing these ideographs off of html charts with copy/paste functions, as I don't have a kan'ji wordpro converter...yet.
Coming up..."Tools of the Trade" All the tools, jigs, rigs, and plans for making (octagonal) hakakukei nunchaku.
Stay glued to the flat tube!
Ernie - Chief Lab Rat
Just for a little flair, I added kan'ji (Japanese characters) to the header. Syllabically, it reads: eh ru nii no bu do ken kyuu sho. エルニーの武道研究所. Obviously, it means "Ernie's Budo Lab-oratory. Currently, I'm only able to use a basic unicode font. It's nothing special. I'd love to be able to type kan'ji with a more artful font. But, this works for me now. It's slow as molasses grabbing these ideographs off of html charts with copy/paste functions, as I don't have a kan'ji wordpro converter...yet.
Coming up..."Tools of the Trade" All the tools, jigs, rigs, and plans for making (octagonal) hakakukei nunchaku.
Stay glued to the flat tube!
Ernie - Chief Lab Rat
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Why Japanese Baseball is More Entertaining
Lucky Catch!
Unlucky Uno Masaru's Blunders Chronicled Forever
Hoshino Aki strikes out a player who can't keep his eyes on the ball!
Here in the USA, we have the 7th Inning Stretch. In Japan...
You can have canned Yankee Stadium beer from this guy, or fresh keg beer from this gal at the Tokyo Dome.
This little dude blowing his horn to a really hip groove.
Japan doesn't have Gatorade. But they do have Tough Man Energy Drink! (Image from allthingsdigital.ca)
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
LL Cool J - Mama Said Knock You Out
(Def Jam/Colombia Records - 1990)
I'm not a huge fan of rap/hip-hop music, but this one gets my toes tapping.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)