I spent some time in the park with Tai Chi students and masters. The power comes from their legs, or their center of gravity rather than their hands. The hands are simply a delivery mechanism or tool to pass the energy. It is a subtle, yet counter-intuitive technique of transferring energy rather than using resistance. What they practice is a form of Tai Chi where they have to push or pull each other off balance. There is no striking but they are able to demonstrate proficiency at deflecting an opponents force to cause a loss of balance to the opponent or absorbing your energy and immediately sending your own force back to you causing you to lose balance, wind up in a lock, or confronting the floor. One of the guys said learning Tai Chi helped improve his boxing and Thai kick boxing abilities and that the principles of Tai Chi helped him compete more effectively, rather than expending energy looking for ways to overpower a competitor. UFC competitors rely on a sprawl technique to avoid being taken to the mat, but the leaning stance leaves them vulnerable to falling face down, although I have not seen this happen in a match because the other competitor is meeting the resistance with resistance rather than using that moment as an advantage to using the other opponents motion against himself. For example, a master in this form of Tai Chi will step toward the force when his head/neck is being pulled forward/down throwing his opponent off balance, to the floor, etc. The traditional UFC approach is to attempt to pull your neck/head back to avoid an upcoming knee to the head. The match and the rematch when Rich Franklin fought Anderson Silva, Franklin lost momentum and succumbed to knees to the head from Silva. The lack of a technique to deflect or absorb and send back the downward pressure of the clinch with Mr. Silva resulted in Mr. Franklin losing the matches. When a competitor fails to maintain his balance he cannot effectively defend himself so a study of Tai Chi would be of value to UFC competitors, the only way to prove how valuable it would be is to give it a try.
Archive for March, 2009
Tai Chi versus UFC
Monday, March 30th, 2009Art and atrocity
Friday, March 27th, 2009Please look carefully and guess what these paintings might be worth to the art community
<images removed>
Now consider that the art world is filled with thousands of crummy paintings from established artists, so consider again that these paintings are from an infamous figure in history.
Thirteen paintings will be auctioned at Ludlow racecourse in Shropshire on April 23. The others are of flowers and landscapes.
What do you estimate the final bids will be? Please post your guess or analysis.
Funny names for stress relief
Thursday, March 26th, 2009Weve all heard names that make us laugh now theres a book on it.
Extracted from Potty, Fartwell And Knob by Russell Ash, published by Headline at £6.99. ° Russell Ash 2008. To order a copy (p&p free), call 0845 155 0720.
Living meaningfully
Wednesday, March 25th, 2009Everyone wants to claim a victorious life if only we could stop and read the directions. Oh yeah, even with directions its not enough, like practicing an art in order to excel at it, it takes a lot of practice.
Selling without words
Monday, March 23rd, 2009I crossed the street to the train station. Something was being offered from a young man, perhaps a flyer, but when it was placed in my hand I realized it was a packaged product. It was outside the boundary of normal experience and instead of rushing off I decided to see what the fellow was offering. The boy worked alongside another boy and out came more packages on offer from a bag one of the boys was holding. The first fellow turned the packages over and showed me the sticker price on back. They motioned that the item I held flashes light. They showed me their identification cards from an organization that supports the deaf. I looked at the items on offer, keychain trinkets, and selected one item and handed the boy currency of slightly more than double the cost of one item. The second boy handed me a keychain in a package. They shook my hand, and then I gave them each a hug and descended into the train station. The point of this true story is that they were able to make a sale without words. Can your marketing do that?
Dont be consumed with non-essentials of flashy graphics, branding, and highly paid spokespeople all that matters is doing what is most likely to lead to a sale. PR, publicity and fancy advertising firms claim they have the answer but sometimes none of what they have on offer is the most effective or efficient answer. Can you make a sale without words?
Guide to safely covering disasters
Sunday, March 22nd, 2009Journalists need to be prepared to safely provide coverage of disasters, natural or man-made. Start with a guidebook of the area before or upon arrival so that you have access to maps, emergency services, and knowledge of the infrastructure. Items to prepare:
Waterproof bags
Thin scarf (can be used wet to protect against airborne irritants), mask or respirator
Energy bars and powered electrolyte supplement
USB cable, dual wall/car charger
Satellite phone/satellite modem
PDA capable phone to upload images/send files, extra memory cards and batteries
Water purification tablets or water purification straw
Bicycle shorts or compression shorts/pants
Socks with additional lining/support
Duct tape
Gloves
First aid kit/supplies and protective eye wear
Wet paper towel pack and personal wipes
Waterproof boots and jacket
Flashlight and waterproof matches/lighter
Any other gear that relates to the area of coverage, waterproof clothing, goggles, sleeping bag, compass, radio, protective jacket with armor plating, helmet, media signage arm bands, jacket, etc. if appropriate to environment, a whistle, and be prepared to acquire a minimum of a gallon of water a day.
Career groups to outlast the recession
Friday, March 20th, 2009The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has identified the fastest-growing occupations and career groups that are predicted to enjoy the largest numerical increases in personnel through 2016, and has ranked them by the amount of education necessary to enter the profession. Health care, education, and technology employers should continue to offer the most promising projections in total numbers in hiring, especially since the key roles cannot be outsourced.
Health Care:
Registered Nurses: Associates or bachelors degree.
Personal and Home Health care Aids: Associates degree.
Dental Hygienists: Associates degree.
Physical Therapists: Masters degree. Aging population will drive job growth.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Counselors: Bachelors or masters degree. The BLS suggests some government and public agencies will hire counselors with bachelors degrees, however most employers will recruit graduates holding masters degrees.
Education:
Elementary school teachers: Bachelors degree, certification/credential. Openings for elementary school teachers will be best in states undergoing high enrollments (Nevada, Arizona, Texas, and Georgia) and in rural districts.
Post-secondary teachers: Masters degree or doctorate.
Technology:
Computer Support Specialists: Associates or bachelors degree. The BLS expects increases in hiring despite outsourcing. Graduates with career training in technical support, customer service, and certifications will move to the front of the hiring line.
Computer Software Engineers, Applications: Bachelors degree. The BLS is predicting a 38 percent increase in overall hiring through 2016, generating 324,000 new openings. Youll need a bachelors degree in computer science or programming to compete, and a post-graduate degree and additional certifications to rise in the field.
Computer and Information Scientists, Research: Doctorate. Jobs for computer scientists and database administrators are predicted to have continued growth. Many advanced IT managers and project leaders choose to escape private companies for the relative security of college and university research labs that offer tenure.
Additional:
Paralegal: Many employers are trying to cut costs by hiring paralegals to do some of the work normally performed by lawyers. While paralegals do not practice law, they do help prepare for trials, meetings, hearings, and other legal matters. Jobs for paralegals are expected to grow according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Veterinary Technician: You can help care for animals under the supervision of a veterinarian.
Web Master: Within the realm of network systems and data communications analysts, a field with high job growth. Web masters design and test Web sites, something you can learn to do without going to school for several years.
Biomedical Equipment Technician: Biomedical equipment technicians repair medical equipment, from beds and wheelchairs to defibrillators and x-ray machines.
Career groups to benefit from stimulus plan:
1: Construction
2: Engineering
3: Health Care
4: Education
5: Environmental engineers and conservation scientists
Please post regarding other jobs/career groups that you believe will have sustained growth.
The face of Google
Thursday, March 19th, 2009Marissa Mayer controls the design and functionality of the Google home page.
Although she gets credit for a simple multi-color design on white background that design style appeared in 1961 on the cover of The Giant Golden book of Biology – An introduction to the Science of Life and had already established itself as a great design it was the illustrated work of Charles Harper.
Heres another book with colorful design.
MicroUSB to become standard charger
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009Cell phones and other gadgets that can be charged by USB have already proven themselves to be more useful than traditional wall chargers. There are so many phone models and electronic items that it is possible to have a business that only sells chargers.
The following excerpt is from a press release from the GSMA, an organization that represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry:
The GSMA and 17 leading mobile operators and manufacturers announced (on 2/17/09) that they are committed to implementing a cross-industry standard for a universal charger for new mobile phones. The aim of the initiative, led by the GSMA, is to ensure that the mobile industry adopts a common format for mobile phone charger connections and energy-efficient chargers resulting in an estimated 50% reduction in standby energy consumption, the potential elimination of up to 51,000 tons of duplicate chargers, and the enhancement of the customer experience by simplifying the charging of mobile phones.
The group has set an ambitious target that by 2012 a universal charging solution (UCS) will be widely available in the market worldwide and will use Micro-USB as the common universal charging interface. The group agreed that by the 1st January 2012, the majority of all new mobile phone models available will support a universal charging connector and the majority of chargers shipped will meet the high efficiency targets set out by the OMTP (Open Mobile Terminal Platform), the industry body who developed the technical requirements behind UCS.
http://www.gsmworld.com/newsroom/press-releases/2009/2548.htm
Architecture of happiness
Tuesday, March 17th, 2009The secret art of furnishing your happiness: making things more difficult on yourself so that you remain alert as you navigate an unusual environment. Reversibledestiny.org are the pioneers of using architecture to promote longer life. For the rest of us we think in terms of ease and comfort but a long period of time experiencing ease and comfort can have degenerative effects. What I like about their work is what is most often overlooked how the design of the interior will be experienced and will benefit the inhabitants. Id like to see a virtual reality simulation of random selection so that when you enter a room there is the possibility that it is rearranged.
Unusual contemporary architecture from around the world:
<images removed>
01. Device to Root Out Evil (Vancouver, Canada)
02. The Crooked House (Sopot, Poland)
03. Museum of Contemporary Art (Niteroi, Brazil)
04. ING Headquarters (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
05. Experience Music Project (Seattle, Washington, USA)
06. Dancing Building (Prague, Czech Republic)
07. Druzhba Holiday Center (Yalta, Ukraine)
08. Lotus Temple (Delhi, India)
Image Source
09. Forest Spiral Building (Darmstadt, Germany)
Image Source
10. The Torre Galatea Figueras (Spain)
Image Source
11. Upside Down House (Szymbark, Poland)
Image Source
12. The Basket Building (Ohio, USA)
Image Source
13. The Ufo House (Sanjhih, Taiwan)
Image Source
14. Stone House (Guimarães, Portugal)
Image Source
15. Kansas City Public Library (Missouri, USA)
Image Source
16. Stata Center (Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA)
Image Source
17. Banknote Building (Kaunas, Lithuania)
Image Source
18. Ryugyong Hotel (Pyongyang, North Korea)
Image Source
19. Container City (London, UK)
Image Source
20. Erwin Wurm: House Attack (Viena, Austria)
Image Source
21. Solar Furnace (Odeillo, France)
22. Nakagin Capsule Tower (Tokyo, Japan)
Image Source
23. House in the Clouds (Thorpeness, Suffolk)
24. Scottish Parliament building (Edinburgh)
Image Source
25. The Egg (Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York, USA)
26. Ripleys Building (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada)
27. Ripleys Believe It or Not! (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada)
28. Fuji television building (Tokyo, Japan)
29. Olympic Stadium (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
30. Blur Building (Yverdon-les-Bainz, Switzerland)
Image Source
31. The Puerta de Europa towers (Madrid, Spain)
Image Source
32. Bodegas Ysios (Álava, Spain)
Image Source
33. Wonderworks (Pigeon Forge, TN, USA)
34. Habitat 67 (Montreal, Canada)
Image Source
35. Azadi(Ex Shahyad) Tower (Tehran, Iran)
Image Source
36. City Hall, San Jose
37. Shoe House (Pennsylvania, USA)
Image Source
38. The National Library (Minsk, Belarus)
Image Source
39. Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao, Spain)
Image Source
40. Air Force Academy Chapel (Colorado, USA)
41. Elephant Building or Chang Building (Thailand)
Image Source
42. Edificio Mirador (Madrid, Spain)
Image Source
43. Luxor Hotel & Casino (Las Vegas, USA)
Image Source
44. Grand Lisboa (Macau, China)
Image Source
45. Dome House (Florida, USA)
Image Source
46. Gherkin Building (London, UK)
Image Source
47. Tempe Municipal Building (Tempe, Arizona, USA)
Image Source
48. National Architects Union Headquarters (Romania)
Image Source
49. Cubic Houses (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
Image Source
50. Nord LB building (Hannover, Germany)
Image Source
51. Turning Torso (Malmö, Sweden)
Image Source
52. Lloyds building (London, UK)
Image Source
53. Wozoco Apartments (Amsterdam, Holland)
Image Source
54. UCSD Geisel Library (San Diego, California, USA)
Image Source
55. Chapel in the Rock (Arizona, USA)
Image Source
56. Atomium (Brussels, Belgium)
Image Source
57. Great arche of defense (Paris, France)
58. The Agbar Tower (Barcelona, Catalonia)
Image Source
59. Cathedral of Brasilia (Brazil)
Image Source
60. Errante Guest House (Chile)
Image Source
61. The Museum of Play (Rochester , USA)
Image Source
62. Jumeirah Emirates Towers (Dubai, UAE)
Image Source
63. Burj al Arab (Dubai, UAE)
Image Source
64. Raffles Dubai in Wafi city (Dubai, UAE)
Image Source
65. Thin House (London)
Image Source
66. Dar Al Hajar (Yemen)
Image Source
67. Water Cube (Beijing, China)
Image Source
68. Atlantis (Dubai, UAE)
Image Source
69. Nordpark Cable Railway (Innsbruck, Austria)
Image Source
70. The Valencia Opera House (Valencia, Spain)
72. Pabellon de Aragon (Zaragoza)
73. Eden project (United Kingdom)
74. Royal Ontario Museum Expansion (Toronto, Canada)
75. John Curtin School of Medical Research (Australia)
76. Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Nice, France)
78. State Department for Traffic (Tbilis, Georgia)
79. Tenerife Concert Hall (Canary Islands, Spain)
80. Berlin Zeiss Planetarium (Berlin, Germany)
81. Montreal Biosphère (Canada)
82. Esplanade Theatres, Singapore
83. La Pedrera (Barcelona, Spain)
84. National Congress Building (Brazil)
85. The Pyramids (Indianapolis, USA)
Image Source
86. Gehry Building (Dusseldorf, Germany)
Image Source
87. The Mushroom House (La Jolla, California)
88. Castel Meur (Near Plougrescant, Bretagne, France)
Image Source
89. Interesting architecture (Macau, China)
Image Source
90. MGM Grand Macau (Macau, China)
Image Source
91. IAC Blues (New York, NY)
Image Source
92. Hotel Marques De Riscal (Elciego, Spain)
Image Source
93. Bolwoningen (s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands)
Image Source
94. Malin (Chemosphere) Residence (Los Angeles, USA)
Image Source
95. Infosys Building (Hinjewadi, Pune, India)
Image Source
96. High school Sesto San Giovanni (Ananas)
Image Source
97. Agora Theather (Lelystad, Netherlands)
Image Source
98. European Parliament building (Strasbourg, France)
100. Oriente Station (Lisbon, Portugal)
101. Oakley Corporate Headquarters (Lake Forest, California)
102. Crazy Hotel (Bratislava, Slovakia)
103. Houses on the Old Bridge (Vernon, France)
