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Posts matching the query string: Tag=Live%20Action.

My ratings (R) are from 1 to 9. My Dates are also permalinks. Click on the column headers to sort Jots. Feel free to use the address bar like a command line interface by setting the optional query string parameters: Dtm1 (10, 20, 30, YYYYMMDDhhmmss), Dtm2 (YYYYMMDDhhmmss), IsJot (Jot or Not), Tag (zero+ times), NotTag (zero+ times), OrderBy (PostForDate, PostTitle, PostLink, PostText, PostSource, PostRating, PostSize) & Desc(Desc), and Limit(integer).

1. I'm the Batman TAGS: Animation. Batman. Comics. Crude. Funny. Images. Language. Live Action. Movies. NSFW.
2. Kung Fu vs Taekwondo TAGS: Chinese Martial Arts. Fighting. Kickboxing. Live Action. MARTIAL. Mixed Martial Arts. Standup Fighting. Taekwondo.
3. Guy took out 3 punks (2 one punch KO) in a supermarket fight TAGS: Fighting. Live Action. MARTIAL. Security. Standup Fighting. Videos. Violence. Wrestling.
4. Bailout looming TAGS: Economy. Journalism. Live Action. Movies. News. Politics. TV. USA. Videos.
5. SNL on 1st debate and Palin interview TAGS: Funny. Journalism. Live Action. News. Performance. Politics. Sad. Show Biz. TV. USA. Videos.
6. Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama TAGS: Live Action. News. Politics. USA. Videos.
7. After a month of CrossFit: CrossFit and Martial Arts TAGS: Chicago Swordplay Guild. Conditioning. Fighting. Games. Karate. Krav Maga. Live Action. MARTIAL. Military. My Stuff. Robotics. Sports. Swords. Training. Videos. Western Martial Arts.
8. President Obama - Full Interview TAGS: Barack Obama. Live Action. News. TV. USA. Videos.
9. Talks Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight TAGS: Biology. Inspiring. Live Action. Mind. Psychology. Science. TECH. Videos.
10. Jesse Ventura Interview With Hannity On FOX May.18, 2009 TAGS: Cool. Funny. Journalism. Live Action. Politics. TV. USA. Videos. World. Wrestling.
11. Man Gets Tazed, Mocks Cops, and Gets Away TAGS: Funny. Legal. Live Action. MARTIAL. Quirky. Self Defense. Videos. Violence.
12. Sasquatch music festival 2009 - Guy starts dance party TAGS: Chill. Cool. Funny. Live Action. Music. Psychology. Videos.
13. World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale TAGS: Cool. Fighting. Live Action. MARTIAL. Mind. Music. Videos.
14. CADE (Part 2): The Good Slaughter: A Proud Meat Cutter Shares His Processing Floor TAGS: Death. Documentary. Food. Interviews. Live Action. MARTIAL. Mind. Training. Videos. Violence.
15. Mr. Rogers Just Kidding TAGS: Culture. Images. Journalism. Live Action. News. Outrageous. Politics. TV. Videos.
16. MLG Pro Circuit 2011 Providence SC2 TAGS: Live Action. Sports. Star Craft. Video Games.
17. Fish uses fins to walk and bound TAGS: Biology. Evolution. Faith. Fauna. Images. Live Action. Nature. TECH. Videos.

Date	Text	Link	Source	Tags	Note
20080703 231010 Z	Lego Darth Vader Canteen Incident	www.youtube. … ch?v=muaAZE0M3LU	Oscar	Animation, Chill, Cool, Cute, Funny, Kids, Live Action, Star Wars, Videos	There are a number of Eddie Izzard skits re-enacted with legos, but I think this was the best of the bunch since my son plays so much of the Lego Star Wars computer game. The F-word but my kids loved it!
20080718 222946 Z	Watchmen Trailer	www.trailera … watchmen/trailer	digg.com/mov … Trailer_is_HERE_	Comics, Cool, Images, Live Action, Movies, Videos	This preview is for Watchmen (2009) a movie scheduled for release 2009-03-06. Good timing to release the preview on the Day that The Dark Knight (2009) comes out. The Watchmen (1986) was straight, serious, cynical work, and is probably the most critically acclaimed graphic novel to date. The trailer looks true to the original: beautiful but gritty.
20080722 140353 Z	Not Giving a Fuck!	www.youtube. … S5xOZ7Rq8&fmt=18		Crude, Funny, Language, Live Action, NSFW, Saucy, Videos	Funny, profane stuff by jonlajoie. Leads to other goodies like Everyday Normal Guy [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PsnxDQvQpw]. Of course it's possible to "not give a fuck" (non-fixation) without fucking up.
20080722 201616 Z	Font Conference	www.collegeh … om/video:1823766	www.metafilt … onts-Personified	Design, Fonts, Funny, Live Action, Text, Videos	A live action conference with the fonts. The Metafilter thread includes a link to the wonderful thread on Comic Sans [http://www.metafilter.com/64074/Comic-Sans].
20080806 130655 Z	Obama Insists Inflating Tires Better Than Oil Drilling	www.youtube. … ch?v=akjXqfvLu28	digg.com/200 … _ignorant?OTC-ig	Funny, Live Action, News, Obama, Politics, Sustainability, Videos	Hahaha! So natural, so true, so funny, so hard hitting.
20080806 191539 Z	Steven Pinker: A brief history of violence	www.ted.com/ … of_violence.html		Ethics, History, Live Action, Videos, Violence	A brief 20 minute presentation by Steven Pinker on the descending levels of violence in history, the perception of violence, and four explanations of violence (Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes, Life is cheap, Non-zero sum games by Robert Wright, and The Expanding Circle by Peter Singer).
20080812 161649 Z	The Seemingly Impossible Is Possible	www.gapminde … is-possible.html		Beauty, Cool, Culture, Economy, Funny, Inspiring, Live Action, Performance, Politics, TECH, Videos, World	There's so much good stuff from the TED conferences (Technology Entertainment Design) [ted.com], that I have a hard time posting any of it. "The Seemingly Impossible Is Possible" by Hans Rosling (a Swedish professor in International Public Health). An incredible presentation. Very hopeful, informative, beautiful, and funny. It has a surprise ending too. It shows hope for progress in the Third World. Combined with the progress in artificial photosynthesis, the outlook for the future is quite bright!
20080817 133054 Z	Death Star over San Francisco	current.com/ … er_san_francisco	digg.com/mov … ancisco_2?OTC-ig	Chill, Cool, Funny, Live Action, Movies, Star Wars, Videos	Well done! I'll show it to my kids when they wake up. I'll assume that I won't have to tell them that it was video-chopped.
20080911 162400 Z	Damon Condemns Palin	www.youtube. … ch?v=anxkrm9uEJk	digg.com/200 … ney_movie?OTC-ig	Celebrity, Live Action, News, Politics, USA, Videos	My views exactly. We know very little about her and yet she barely participates in the public vetting process that all other politicians submit themselves to.
20080918 153101 Z	6 Great Martial Arts for Killing a Man With Your Bare Hands	www.cracked. … -bare-hands.html	digg.com/com … _Your_Bare_Hands	Fighting, Filipino Martial Arts, Krav Maga, Live Action, MARTIAL, Military, Muay Thai, Sambo, Videos	I guess they've enjoyed watching Human Weapon from the History Channel too. Kudos for a few good videos and some laughs. FYI: They show Sambo, Muay Thai, Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCAP), Silat, Eskrima, and Krav Maga.
20080920 033046 Z	Microsoft's "I'm a PC" Ad Beats Seinfeld (But Not Hodgman)	gizmodo.com/ … -but-not-hodgman	digg.com/mic … eld_VIDEO?OTC-ig	Ad, Apple, Cool, Live Action, Microsoft, Videos	Well done video ad by Microsoft. Probably the first ad by Microsoft that effectively counters the Mac versus PC ads by Apple. Macs are nice and all (I still have my old Mac Classic in the closet), but I use a PC everyday. Funny how Macs run Mac OS, PCs run Windows, and machines run Unix/Linux.
20080926 151200 Z	More on John McCain	lateshow.cbs … php/965757.phtml		Celebrity, Funny, Live Action, News, Politics, Show Biz, TV, USA, Videos	Dave Letterman does more on John McCain after he canceled. Archiving it here for future laughs.
20081002 023407 Z	New York International Children's Film Festival 2008	http://www.gkids.com/	Connie	Animation, Cool, Funny, Kids, Live Action, Movies, Videos	Not just for kid! Some really cool movies and videos online and in theaters.
20081017 165302 Z	Obama, McCain share laughs at dinner	www.swamppol … laughs_at_d.html	Julia	Funny, Live Action, News, Politics, USA, Videos	It has been a hard fought Presidential campaign and it was really refreshing to see Obama, McCain, and Clinton at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, an annual charity fund raiser for Catholic Charities. A good number of genuinely funny jokes by both Obama and McCain last night. By coincidence, I'll be dining with friends tonight and most of them lean much more on to the right than I do.
20081023 161036 Z	Total Fail: McCain's Own Aides Can't Defend Palin	ca.youtube.c … ch?v=m-9VW4ewI1M	www.reddit.c … tenhaeur_spends/	Journalism, Live Action, News, Politics, TV, USA, Videos	Chris Matthews gives Nancy Pfotenhaeur a chance to defend Palin's statements of what the VP does, but Nancy can't. How can Americans let this slide? This is stuff you learn in grade school. The VP has to jobs: 1. To step in as President if the President dies. 2. To break ties.
20081023 161949 Z	"I can't imagine a President being named Obama"	nz.youtube.c … ch?v=UwjlUMoLVvA	digg.com/com … eing_named_Obama	Atheism, Faith, Live Action, News, Politics, TV, USA, Videos	Blatant numbing bigotry. I realize that she is just one vile woman but you can't help but feel that her ilk form an important part of the Republican base.
20081107 194013 Z	Boston Dynamics Big Dog (new video March 2008)	www.youtube. … ch?v=W1czBcnX1Ww	Gumby	Cool, Hardware, Live Action, Robotics, TECH, Videos	An adaptive, all-terrain, dog-like robot. I like the forward-bending rear legs and the backward-bending front legs.
20090108 160103 Z	Hi Kick	www.youtube. … ch?v=3lZjLCZ4xFk	Roger	Chill, Cool, Cute, Funny, Live Action, MARTIAL, Standup Fighting, Taekwondo, TV, Videos	I'm guessing this related to High Kick! [W], the South Korean situational comedy show. You can't go wrong with punishment and girls in school uniforms. Spankalicious!
20090126 184801 Z	Kiss Mr. Spock! (Kirk/Spock)	www.youtube. … ch?v=ln1G8u5RdzY	Julia	Funny, Live Action, Saucy, Star Trek, TV, Videos	Scenes from Classic Star Trek spliced and edited in such a way as that it makes it look like Kirk is romantically chasing Spock. To the tune from the Disney movie, Little Mermaid. Well done!
20090224 160356 Z	Fishmen	www.youtube. … ch?v=3tTHn2tHhcI	Robb	Funny, Live Action, Music, Quirky, Science Fiction, Videos	"It's beginning to look a lot like Fishmen ..."
20090227 195931 Z	Don't Judge Too Quickly... We Won't.	www.metacafe … quickly_we_wont/	digg.com/com … ickly_We_Won_t_2	Ad, Crude, Funny, Live Action, Saucy, Videos	5 funny commercials by Ameriquest.
20090227 201601 Z	Big Dog Army Robot Will Change the Face of War Forever	i.gizmodo.co … -freaking-us-out	digg.com/gen … Army_Tests_VIDEO	Artificial Intelligence, Cool, Gear, Live Action, MARTIAL, Military, Robotics, TECH, Videos	I've posted about the robotic Big Dog before, but it's cool to see it tested along side soldiers in the field. The link also has a nice video clip from Metal Gear Solid 4.
20090302 014405 Z	Everything's amazing, nobody's happy	www.youtube. … =haxa_popt00us13	digg.com/com … Nobody_s_Happy_5	Funny, Live Action, TECH, TV, Videos	Funny guy. It's a twist on ye olde "Why when I was young...".
20090303 133029 Z	Tough Guy ESPN Review	www.youtube. … ch?v=F9dep7RKVVA	www.windycit … 009/03/3209.html	Conditioning, Crude, Live Action, Mind, Videos	Crawling through manure has never been made this attractive.
20090305 211245 Z	CNBC Gives Financial Advice	www.thedaily … financial-advice	digg.com/tel … rt_Destroys_CNBC	Funny, Live Action, News, Sad, TV, Videos	Sweet Jon Stewart gold: Ripping into CNBC's financial advice.
20090306 004741 Z	TNG episode 15 - "That Jean-Luc Picard"	www.youtube. … &feature=related	www.reddit.c … uc_picard_video/	Funny, Live Action, Saucy, Star Trek, TV, Videos	Bwah ha ha!
20090306 005829 Z	Kaiten (conveyor) sushi time in real Japan	www.youtube. … ch?v=491A3Xecwxs	www.reddit.c … e_conveyor_belt/	Chill, Food, Funny, Home Videos, Japan, Live Action, Restaurants, Videos	Oddly satisfying if you have the time for it.
20090325 184205 Z	Marijuana Reform Activist Destroys Former DEA Head	www.youtube. … ch?v=ALc0wVFfIKs		Culture, Live Action, News, TV, USA, Videos	The title of the video is sensationalist but the content is right: Legalize marijuana because it is less harmful than either alcohol or tobacco, and because it has an economic benefit and will crime associated with the black market sales of marijuana.
20090412 150109 Z	Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009	www.youtube. … ch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY	digg.com/mus … ain_s_Got_Talent	Beauty, Inspiring, Live Action, TV, UK, Videos	One of the most uplifting videos I've seen in a while. Wonderful.
20090414 013635 Z	LOON WATCH: Right-wing bets against U.S. in pirate standoff	www.dailykos … tv.com/w/001151/	digg.com/pol … _pirate_standoff	Journalism, Live Action, News, Politics, TV, USA, Videos	To the dicks at Fox: No thanks, you can keep your lousy trash talk. Obama and US military did an awesome job dealing with the pirates!
20090414 020532 Z	Hakuho vs Asashoryu - the real SUMO fighting 8	www.youtube. … ch?v=OV5LF8dwd-8	www.reddit.c … d_this_way_just/	Chill, Cool, Fighting, Funny, Japanese Martial Arts, Live Action, Standup Fighting, Videos, Wrestling	I hope the video from the recent Chicago Swordplay Guild (Csg) [Chicagoswordplayguild.Com] prize play that I did has special effects like these.
20090414 183849 Z	Stop motion with wolf and pig	www.youtube. … ch?v=rmkLlVzUBn4	digg.com/art … ith_wolf_and_pig	Animation, Chill, Cute, Funny, Kids, Live Action, Videos	Creative and funny. I'll be sure to see this with my kids.
20090417 180628 Z	We Didn't Start the Flame War	www.collegeh … om/video:1907543	digg.com/com … _War_Music_Video	Chill, Crude, Cute, Cyber Life, Funny, Live Action, Videos	Good job! Sadly, many of us have seen almost everything in the video.
20090420 163109 Z	Inspired Bicycles - Danny MacAskill April 2009	www.youtube. … ch?v=Z19zFlPah-o	www.reddit.c … u_will_ever_see/	Chill, Cool, Inspiring, Live Action, Play, Sports, Videos	Mad skillz! My balls hurt just watching some of his moves.
20090428 203501 Z	Best Video I've Seen Today Will Make You Smile	gizmodo.com/ … l-make-you-smile	digg.com/mus … l_Make_You_Smile	Chill, Culture, Inspiring, Live Action, Music, Videos, World	Folks at playforchange.com recorded street performers around the world to make a mixed recording of "Stand By Me" by Ben E. King. Well executed.
20090429 191956 Z	Cliff May Unedited Interview Pt. 1	www.thedaily … edited-interview	www.reddit.c … ain_as_a_gifted/	Ethics, Funny, Jon Stewart, Journalism, Live Action, News, Politics, TV, USA, Videos, War	Cliff May and Jon Stewart debate the recent torture issue. It's good to see folks who come from such opposites sides of an issue, but who are able to do an actual exchange. It's not pretty but it seemed sincere. BTW: I'm with Jon Stewart on this issue.
20090430 193449 Z	Triumph vs Star Wars Geeks	www.milkandc … ink/2536/detail/	Mary	Crude, Culture, Funny, Live Action, Science Fiction, Star Trek, Star Wars, Tolkien, Videos	An oldie but it's still funny every time I see it. Just for kicks, here's Triumph giving a weather report for Hawaiian TV.
20090508 171314 Z	MOON A Film by Duncan Jones	www.sonyclas … oon/trailer.html	www.reddit.c … e_is_coming_out/	Cool, Live Action, Movies, Space, Videos	Haven't seen Sci Fi that's more like Science Fiction in a while.
20090511 194441 Z	Bathtub IV	http://vimeo.com/3156959	www.reddit.c … _have_ever_seen/	Chill, Cool, Live Action, Videos	I've always loved how using a small depth of field makes things look like toys. This videos adds a stop motion look to add an additional feeling of smallness.
20090519 090632 Z	Surviving Edged Weapons	www.youtube. … ch?v=TFr30p0aZl0	Poji	Fighting, Filipino Martial Arts, Funny, Knives, Live Action, MARTIAL, Self Defense, Survivalism, Videos	What a hoot! By coincidence, I stumbled upon "Black Mama, White Mama" on TV other day. It's fun Filipino funkiness, but it had too many guns and not enough knives.
20090519 091054 Z	Selling furniture with racial harmony, melody	www.msnbc.ms … 0814287/from/ET/	Mike	Ad, Chill, Funny, Live Action, Videos	It works for me.
20090520 184252 Z	Massage Therapist for Models	www.youtube. … ch?v=l1TcJKFB0sY	www.reddit.c … masseur_nsfw_if/	Ad, Funny, Live Action, Saucy, Videos	Tough job.
20090604 002514 Z	Worlds Most Craziest and Dangerous Job	www.metacafe … d_dangerous_job/		Art, Beauty, Cool, Inspiring, Live Action, Science, TECH, Videos	Wow. The title is hardly an exaggeration. This is almost spiritual. Much to admire here. "There are only three things I've ever been afraid of: Electricity, heights, and women."
20090609 160249 Z	Fit's Soft and long-lasting flavor gum	http://lotte-fits.jp/		Chill, Cool, Funny, Japan, Kids, Live Action, Videos	My daughter, Connie, and I have been watching these short dance videos that people have been turning in for the Fit's gum promotional video contest. Last I checked this girl was number one [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gbx_Hm60U4]. It's a fun little Japanese thing as noted here: Lotte Fit’s Gum Dance Contest with YouTube [http://www.cscoutjapan.com/en/index.php/lotte-fits-gum-dance-contest-with-youtube/].
20090609 160404 Z	Dogway Melody - Queenie in Trouble	www.youtube. … ch?v=SOXHtRsTtk0	www.reddit.c … hen_theres_this/	Funny, Live Action, Videos	Dogs drinking.
20090609 160607 Z	Re: Re: You, Me, & Problems With the World	www.youtube. … ch?v=wyvUvDUODGw	www.reddit.c … _of_wtf_this_is/	Animation, Chill, Crude, Funny, Live Action, NSFW, Saucy, Videos	Not everybody's kind of humor (my wife didn't like it), but I thought it was funny.
20090611 155344 Z	DEADLINE post-it stop motion	www.youtube. … ch?v=BpWM0FNPZSs	digg.com/art … Motion_Animation	Animation, Chill, Cool, Kids, Live Action, Videos	My kids love animation. Lately there's been some neat real-world animation.
20090619 211541 Z	Leonard Nimoy on the Spock "Star Trek" Vulcan Salute	www.youtube. … ch?v=jmkDOzjfSSY		Live Action, Star Trek, TV, Videos, Wikipedia	I've heard explanation of this before but here's Nimoy himself explaining the Vulcan salute. Wikipedia will soon be doing video and it's clear how video will add a lot of validation to the content.
20090619 232519 Z	Invisible Rope Prank	www.manolith … ible-rope-prank/		Beauty, Chill, Cool, Funny, Live Action, Videos	Simple and beautiful.
20090619 234259 Z	Gene LeBell judo trick	http://www.gifbin.com/982272	www.reddit.c … _judo_trick_gif/	Judo, Live Action, MARTIAL, Videos, Wrestling	Sweet.
20090620 000619 Z	Divided Salli saddle chair seat	www.youtube. … ch?v=NMj4R5PeOvI	www.reddit.c … d_chair_ad_ever/	Ad, Crude, Funny, Gadget, Health, Live Action, Videos	I can't help but giggle when he says "genitals"! There are so many good lines in this video. On the other hand, a split saddle seat is good, especially for biking.
20090621 132230 Z	Greatest freak out ever (ORIGINAL VIDEO)	www.youtube. … rsIyzsOpc&fmt=18	digg.com/com … ccount_and_Video	Blizzard, Crude, Cyber Life, Funny, Home Videos, Live Action, Quirky, Saucy, Video Games, Videos	Some people are saying fake, but it looks pretty sincere to me. You have to love siblings.
20090621 133558 Z	The Coolest PC Game Gun Mod	www.gossipga … pc-game-gun-mod/	digg.com/pc_ … ame_Gun_Mod_Ever	Activity, Cyber Life, Engineering, Gadget, Hardware, Live Action, Video Games, Videos	Interactive immersion play is the way to go. Gryoscopic and motion detecting technology is key, but I like this guys innovation where the screen moves around with you so you get the an even fuller gryoscopic experience from your inner ear. Plus McGuyvered the thing with cheap parts from Walmart. Brilliant!
20090724 193423 Z	JK Wedding Entrance Dance	www.youtube. … ch?v=4-94JhLEiN0	www.reddit.c … y_wedding_video/	Chill, Cool, Cute, Funny, Inspiring, Live Action, Videos	Best wedding entrance I've ever seen. I'm guessing the reception dinner was a blast too!
20090728 185622 Z	Blizzard Angered Hitler With No Starcraft 2 Lan Play	www.gossipga … raft-2-lan-play/	digg.com/pc_ … craft_2_Lan_Play	Chill, Live Action, Video Games, Videos	Yes, Blizzard, many of us feel that way. StarCraft II has taken too long to come out --probably because of WoW but we don't care. Three games? We could be suckered into buying two games, but three is just greedy. Then you pull LAN support. Playing with our friends in the same room is so awesome and Blizzard: You should know this. "That was a day 1 purchase for me". Yes, it was. But at this rate I'm leaning towards not getting it at all.
20090807 170519 Z	Waterloo Labs: FPS with Real Guns - Episode 02	waterloolabs … -episode-02.html	games.slashd … l-Guns?art_pos=7	Chill, Cool, Crude, Cyber Life, Cyber Tech, Gadget, Hardware, Live Action, Software, TECH, Video Games, Videos	Slap some accelerometers on a wall, feed it to LabVIEW, project your game onto the wall, and bam! All hits on the wall are fed into the game. Up voted for dudes in lab coats.
20090811 175642 Z	Best Fake Punt Ever (Bills/Titans)	www.youtube. … ch?v=P7xksmk0ghc	www.reddit.c … _fake_punt_ever/	Live Action, Sports, TV, Videos	Well done!
20090819 183242 Z	Barney Frank Confronts Woman At Townhall Comparing Obama To Hitler	www.youtube. … ch?v=nYlZiWK2Iy8	digg.com/pol … _Obama_to_Hitler	Health, Live Action, News, Politics, USA, Videos	Barney Frank kicks ass! The man has serious patience and poise. This made it to the front page of CNN too: Barney Frank goes toe to toe at health care town hall [http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/18/frank.heath.care/index.html]. I get tired of discussing things with a "dining room table" too. Someone is stoking FUD and noise. "Death panels"? Some folks make this crap up and some folks are foolish enough to spread it.
20090925 150607 Z	Girlfriend Scared by Fake Head in Bed	www.break.co … head-in-bed.html	digg.com/com … ting_Head_in_Bed	Chill, Funny, Home Videos, Live Action, Videos	I just know my kids will love this.
20090925 155827 Z	Hitler Loses Faith in Reddit	www.youtube. … ch?v=eNW2y6DTwtw	www.reddit.c … nce_with_reddit/	Cyber Life, Funny, Live Action, Videos	The source would have to be reddit. ಠ_ಠ
20090925 174359 Z	Bear-4 HD Camera Flight	www.youtube. … ch?v=Lie0diOhfdg	digg.com/spa … he_Edge_of_Space	Beauty, Hardware, Home Videos, Inspiring, Live Action, Space, Videos	Beautiful. For those who still think the Earth is flat, you can learn to do this yourself. More details at BEAR-4 [http://bear.sbszoo.com/bear3-4/bear4.htm].
20091013 184918 Z	More Trampolining Madness From Oli Lemieux	video.mpora. … watch/INMA5dxhV/	digg.com/odd … rampoline_Skills	Cool, Live Action, Training, Videos	Yeah he's ready for zero gravity.
20091014 193808 Z	Ultra Slo-Mo Video of Bullet Impacts	www.mentalfl … s/archives/36977	digg.com/odd … Glass_Metal_Wood	Chill, Cool, Guns, Live Action, Quirky, Videos	Mesmerizing, especially how the bullets sometimes pulverized on impact, and how the fractures in glass spread faster than the bullet itself. Here's the direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfDoQwIAaXg.
20091015 161217 Z	Drunkest Guy Ever Goes for More Beer	www.break.co … r-more-beer.html	digg.com/com … _More_Beer_Video	Chill, Crude, Funny, Live Action, Training, Videos	How to work on your falls and getting up.
20091016 171036 Z	Boy Asks Obama, 'Why Do People Hate You?'	www.youtube. … ch?v=Py15owTneag	digg.com/pol … veryone_Hate_You	Barack Obama, Cool, Inspiring, Live Action, News, Politics, USA, Videos	A clean, intelligent, down-to-earth, and respectful answer.
20091018 134735 Z	National Anthem	www.youtube. … ch?v=n9LXHrzOVYA		Cool, Live Action, Music, Videos	Well done with a rock twist. "The Star Spangled banner played on a Louisville Slugger bat by Glenn Donnellan of the National Symphony Orchestra."
20091018 183456 Z	Holy Crap!! Franken ANNIHILATES KBR attorney during testimony (w/video)	www.dailykos … ny-%28w-video%29	digg.com/pol … during_testimony	Live Action, News, Politics, USA, Videos	Senator Al Franken totally kicked Halliburton arse on video. How can anyone justify gang raping their own people? The Jon Stewart video nails it too.
20091019 232105 Z	Yes you can live in an all-solar house	www.smartpla … olar-house/1817/		Animation, Engineering, Images, Live Action, Photos, Solar, Sustainability, Videos	So much fun to look at this stuff. I'd like some wind capture too.
20100120 174128 Z	OK Go - This Too Shall Pass	www.youtube. … ch?v=UJKythlXAIY	Julia	Chill, Cool, Live Action, Music, Videos	All in one take!
20100126 153857 Z	Ep 1: Waking Up in the Universe - Growing Up in the Universe - Richard Dawkins	www.youtube. … xZF3ZgTo#t=2m55s	www.ted.com/ … he_universe.html	Cool, Inspiring, Live Action, Science, Videos	My family has started watching this mini series. Best of the Web! In this capacity he is reminiscent of Carl Sagan.
20100127 025430 Z	www.adme.ru - AIDES GRAFFITI	www.youtube. … ch?v=9WPNhlzGoM0	www.reddit.c … ive_advertising/	Ad, Animation, Funny, Live Action, NSFW, Saucy, Sex, Videos	Well done.
20100130 043515 Z	Richard Dawkins interviews creationist Wendy Wright (Part 1/7)	www.youtube. … ch?v=US8f1w1cYvs	Julia	Atheism, Evolution, Live Action, Politics, Science, USA, Videos	I watched all 7 painful videos. It seems that they agree on the virtue of examination of evidence. They also seem to agree on the humane treatment of people. The difference seems to be that Wright thinks a person's religious belief must influence the certainty of the theory, while Dawkins does not. Knowledge of chemistry, physics, evolution, etc. is objective, testable, open, and separate from ones religious, political, subjective, or ethical point of view. Such objective knowledge can, of course, be used for good or evil, i.e. subjectively applied and interpreted, but that does not change the knowledge itself. Even so, the emotional and spiritual feelings that people have must be dealt with. The woman is clearly pained.
20100131 035727 Z	President Obama Full Q&A	www.youtube. … ch?v=oBuG2TdgMn0	digg.com/pol … e_at_GOP_retreat	Barack Obama, Live Action, News, Politics, USA, Videos	Republican congressmen drilling a Democratic President in public. Whee!
20100211 033101 Z	Sarah Palin Uses a Hand-O-Prompter	www.hulu.com … -hand-o-prompter		Funny, Live Action, News, Politics, TV, USA	Sweet material from The Colbert Report. Sara Palin is so entertaining!
20100213 042402 Z	FanWing	http://www.fanwing.com/		Engineering, Hardware, Live Action, TECH, Videos	"high lift and thrust efficiency". Interesting design. I wonder how it would handle rain.
20100227 234445 Z	"Life in Quarantine," by Fully Sick Rapper	www.collegeh … om/video:1929784	www.reddit.c … i_love_this_man/	Chill, Funny, Live Action, Music, Videos	Time well spent in quarantine: "Christian Van Vuuren was diagnosed with TB and has spent the last 55 days quarantined to a single hospital room. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, he made this amazing rap video. I hope he recovers, I want to hang out with him."
20100303 030720 Z	Best Fails of 2009	www.funnyord … -2009?rel=player	digg.com/com … _Fails_of_2009_7	Chill, Cyber Life, Funny, Live Action, Videos	The kids and I liked this, but then again we've been keeping up with failblog.
20100303 030905 Z	OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - RGM version	www.youtube. … ch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w	digg.com/mus … _a_brand_new_vid	Audio, Chill, Cool, Inspiring, Live Action, Music, Videos	OK Go has done it again! Awesome vid!
20100304 154921 Z	Knightshop Rawlings Synthetic Sparring Range - Review	www.swordfor … ead.php?t=100064	Greg	Fighting, Live Action, MARTIAL, Standup Fighting, Swords, Videos, Western Martial Arts	A decent review of synthetic sword wasters. The Chicago Swordplay Guild will be trying these out soon as an alternative to wooden wasters and shinai. The link has a video: Knights Shop Rawlings Synthetic Sparring Range Review [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2knwdZYXotY].
20100305 011550 Z	Anthony Weiner Takes it to the FOX Liar Brigade	www.dailykos … FOX-Liar-Brigade	www.reddit.c … iends_in_a_3_vs/	Live Action, News, Politics, USA, Videos	More Democrats walking into Republican camps and doing fine these days!
20100309 201228 Z	Math is beautiful	www.metafilt … ath-is-beautiful		Beauty, Education, Live Action, Math, Videos	A MetaFilter thread on Euler's Identity: e ^ (i * pi) + 1 = 0. The educational Khan Academy videos at YouTube are nice too.
20100310 190540 Z	Transform Your Hoodie into a Computer Sleeve	www.youtube. … ch?v=sNiP953SCOg	lifehacker.c … %28Lifehacker%29	Gadget, Live Action, Make, Videos	I up-voted this at YouTube, but it was so good I thought I'd log it here too.
20100313 044939 Z	Russian Singer Eduard Khil Remix	www.youtube. … 78IlJs5JQ&fmt=18	www.reddit.c … y_has_a_bad_day/	Audio, Chill, Funny, Live Action, Videos	Nearly lost my milk and cookies. If you haven't seen the original, then watch it first: Я очень рад, ведь я, наконец, возвращаюсь домой .
20100322 023451 Z	RAW: Nannycam Video Of Babysitter, 11-Month-Old	www.news4jax … 81088/index.html	www.reddit.c … ter_while_he_is/	Kids, Live Action, News, Videos, Violence	If you showed this video to 1000 people, and polled them afterward, I wonder how many would feel like beating the crap out of her? I certainly did and so did many at the Reddit thread. More details here: http://www.news4jax.com/news/22884296/detail.html.
20100323 014700 Z	Still Face Experiment: Dr. Edward Tronick	www.youtube. … ch?v=apzXGEbZht0		Education, Family, Kids, Live Action, Psychology, Relations, Science, Videos	A very powerful experiment and demonstration. Playing kicks ass!
20100503 030407 Z	Fox News Calls Mr. Rogers An Evil Man	www.prosebef … -mr-rogers-evil/	digg.com/tel … An_Evil_Evil_Man	Inspiring, Journalism, Live Action, News, Politics, TV, USA	Sorry Fox News, but Mr. Rogers is AWESOME! Mister Rogers defending PBS to the US Senate. 15 reasons Mr. Rogers was best neighbor ever.
20100525 000120 Z	The latest version of the LittleDog Robot	www.youtube. … ch?v=nUQsRPJ1dYw	www.reddit.c … c7e34/holy_crap/	Live Action, Robots, TECH, Videos	I've been witnessing the development of these robotic dogs over the years. I'm surprised at the emotional pride I feel. Seeing the robots struggle and improve is very much like watching a child struggle and improve. Great job roboticists! Great job.
20100621 000958 Z	Jonathan's Cochlear Implant Activation 8 mo., Rt Ear cont'd	www.youtube. … ch?v=ZDD7Ohs5tAk	www.reddit.c … ochlear_implant/	Beauty, Cute, Inspiring, Live Action, SSD, Videos	Another video I saw a while back, but I wanted to post it here as well as thumbs up it at YouTube. A wonderful reaction by an 8 month old to having his ears turned on. You don't even need to have something like SSD/UHD (which I do) in order to appreciate it.
20100621 004011 Z	Heartless: The Story of the Tin Man	http://vimeo.com/11431902		Beauty, Live Action, Movies, Relations, Sad, Videos	A short movie (22:48), sweet and sad, well produced. The backstory on the Tin Woodsmen from The Wizard of Oz.
20100714 182432 Z	Hans Rosling on global population growth	www.ted.com/ … tion_growth.html		Economy, Education, Food, Inspiring, Live Action, TECH, Videos, World	Hans Rosling always has awesome Ted Talks. In this, his latest one, he does an analog/physical talk which I think will make it quite watchable for my kids.
20100730 170438 Z	Knife Attack Myths	www.metacafe … fe_attack_myths/	Allen	Fighting, Knives, Live Action, MARTIAL, Security, Self Defense, Videos, Violence, Western Martial Arts	Some knife attack myths dismissed as shown by surveillance videos. Ends with some pro-WMA stuff.
20100918 121032 Z	Geek and Gamer Girls Song	www.break.co … mer-girls-anthem	teague	Chill, Live Action, Saucy, Videos	Awesome.
20101103 200607 Z	ACTROID-F in AIST Open Lab 2010 02	www.youtube. … ch?v=cFVlzUAZkHY		Live Action, Robotics, TECH, Videos	I found that the smaller motions, especially around the eyes and mouth, gained the most points towards passing as human.
20101126 163009 Z	Chicago Swordplay Guild Thanksgiving Day Parade 2010	www.wgntv.co … -Day-Parade-2010		Chicago, Chicago Swordplay Guild, Culture, Live Action, MARTIAL, Videos	The Chicago Swordplay Guild was in the 2010 Thanksgiving Day Parade here in Chicago. And they were smiling too!
20101201 204500 Z	Server-side JavaScript the untold story by Ulrike Mueller	jsconf.eu/20 … ipt_the_unt.html		Cyber Tech, JavaScript, Live Action, Programming, TECH	While the Client-Side JavaScript (CSJS) is well known, the Server-Side JavaScript (SSJS) is not. Personally, I like JavaScript and why not use it on the server-side? I like the last line of Urlike's bio too: "Beside server-side JavaScript, she spends a lot of time with high-scale architecture concepts and NoSQL databases." demandware.com.
20101202 012048 Z	US Naval Academy Performance by the Kings Firecrackers	http://blip.tv/file/1816913	Greg P	Conditioning, Inspiring, Live Action, Sports, Videos	Awesomeness! I've seen tricks before but not so many and so well coordinated.
20110611 232421 Z	Alone on the Wall: Alex Honnold	video.nation … dge-honnold.html	www.reddit.c … r_and_a_bj_asap/	Inspiring, Links, Live Action, Play, Videos	I'd like to shake his hand but he'd probably crush mine!
20110628 132752 Z	What Tau Sounds Like	www.youtube. … ch?v=3174T-3-59Q	http://tauday.com/	Audio, Live Action, Math, Music, TECH, Videos	Happy Tau Day!
19691231 170000 Z	Female Armor Sucks	www.collegeh … male-armor-sucks	David	Armor, Crude, Funny, Live Action, MARTIAL, Saucy, Videos	Go for the shiny parts!
20110726 133055 Z	2D Photography Rube Goldberg	http://youtu.be/qKpxd8hzOcQ		Chill, Cool, Cyber Life, Funny, Gear, Live Action, Photography, Photos, TECH, Videos	Photographers have too much time and creativity!
20130113 174615 Z	Live Action Toy Story	http://youtu.be/5G0j_Huv2Fg	/plus.google … osts/3roVE187tFJ	Animation, Cool, Home Videos, Kids, Live Action, Movies, Videos	Using real toys and real people. I've already seen this move a bajillion times with my kids, but I might rewatch it this way.

The Dark Knight (2008) novie comes out today so it makes sense to post something Batman related. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1986) [W] comic by Frank Miller was a totally different story, but pretty dark too. It's set in an alternate future where Superman has become a government yes-man and Batman has to fight him. Someone made this animated gif that captures the essence of the story and uses Christian Bale (who co-stars in today's movie along with Heath Ledger) as Bruce Wayne. As in the usual Batman v Superman stories, Batman usually wins because he planned something ahead of time.

I was browsing YouTube to look at TKD in the 2008 Olympics. I'm sure it's a fun sport for them but tournament TKD is not my cup of tea. To see folks facing off with their hands down and using only kicks is just not that appealing. So as a distraction, I following the videos and for some unknown reason I started looking at variations of TKD versus some other martial art. Usually the style versus style videos suck: Either one guy dominates or somehow they somehow manage to make martial arts boring.

The grappling versus striking videos are usually terrible because they usually have a striker (who's lousy at grappling) versus some decent grappler. Where are the videos of a grappler (who's lousy at striking) versus some decent striker? It happens in the UFC. Even videos that have supposedly similar arts like Kyokushin karate versus TKD aren't that interesting because the former trains with unprotected body blows while the other does not.

Anyhow after looking at over a dozen of these TKD versus videos, I finally found one that was interesting. The "kung fu" guy or guy in red is much better but both are strikers (kickers in particular) throwing hi speed, hi energy techniques, with sincerity. A nice display of timing and distance, and judicious use of which techniques applied when. Judgement that comes out of understanding and experience.

To make up for all the horrible videos I've had to watch, I watched the pair of matches between Royce Gracie (Brazilian jiujutsu) and Hidehiko Yoshida (judo). The first match (Judo vs Jujitsu [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj8EkOPLjYQ]) was actually more interesting since it was almost pure ne waza/grappling and hence a fair fight, where as the second match (Royce GRACIE vs yoshida [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1QO6fgsypk]) allowed striking making it an MMA match and not Yoshida's realm.

There are a lot of videos on youtube that show actual fights. Here is one captured in a mall. Everyone's wearing heavy coats (which is effectively padding).

4 guys in black are talking with 1 guy in blue (probably with security). I'm not sure if they even notice the other tow big guys in blue come in. The violence starts at around 0:29 into the video, as the old lady with the broom stick brushes past everyone (oblivious to the situation), when one of the guys in black punches the first guy in blue. The 2nd punch in the fight is knocks out the guy who threw the first punch. One woman observer promptly (and smartly) leaves (I think she comes back at the end to get some stuff). At around 0:35 a new man in black (but on the blue side) joins the fight. At 0:47 the biggest guy on the black side gets knocked out with a single punch. At 0:50 a man in black and white (but on the black side) comes in and tries to settle things down (he's probably the father of one of the guys on the black side). At 1:00 into the video yet another new man in black (but on the blue side) comes in with a gun.

At the end I think you can see a few people possibly taking advantage of the chaos by shop lifting. Obviously not in America because no paperwork was involved and most of the observers seemed nonplussed. I like the guy with the scarf by the table that keeps getting pushed around; He just stays near, watches, picks things up, leans -- I'm guessing he was just waiting for somebody. Make up your own stories!

Ah the chaos! Small time, lots of info, lots of emotions, lots of random factors. Each person is in their own little world. Keeping centered but with perspective in it all is a skill you can only acquire by experiencing chaos. Which is why raising kids can provide some martialopportunities.

It sounds like the lawmakers may have the bailout later today: Lawmakers Say They Have Breakthrough on Rescue Plan (Update3) [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601170&refer=home&sid=afLj7ofnabdc]. I hope they have something good for us but I'm very skeptical. Here's what I emailed a few of my friends 2 days ago:

My thoughts: I'm with Ron Paul as in against price fixing and against the bailout. The over-leveraged stuff needs to be trashed instead of re-circulated. I'm for a true free market (not an artificial one), but with more regulations and transparency to protect the consumers. As in you're free to drive around the country but there should be traffic laws for everybody for safety's sake. Inaction is an action. Certainly Bush-style rule by over-powered, unwatched, constitution-violating fiat is not what I want. I'm $700 billion is an estimate and it could very well be $4 trillion or more. They need to come up with a palatable solution, but eventually they'll come out with something, anything.

My actions: Personally, I transferred my money from JPMorgan Chase to a smaller bank in August. I got better rates and free movie tickets! (On one hand Chase may come out of this quite well, but on the other hand they're going to be very chaotic.) I told you guys ages ago that there was a housing bubble and to buy gold, that's why my house is for living and not so much an investment, while my gold has fared much much better than almost any other investment. I switched 25% of my future 401k transactions to more conservative choices. Investing in solar.

One interesting thing about this bailout is that Bush is pushing it and the Democrats (who have the majority in Congress) are for it, but there are some conservatives and some Democrats who want to think about this a bit more. I think working out a trillion dollar deal in just a few days is indeed something to approach with care.

Two fun links related to the bailout:

• Clusterf#@k to the Poor House - Dive of Death [http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=186052]. Jon Stewart rocks!
• Americans + Bailout = REVOLUTION [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CJMw914Zvk]. It opens up with the great scene from the movie Network and then goes on with Marcy Kaptur (D), Member of the US House of Representatives for Ohio, and her fiery speech about the bailouts set to music from the movie Last of the Mohicans.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/36866/saturday-night-live-presidential-debate
http://www.hulu.com/watch/36863/saturday-night-live-couric--palin-open

The debate skit is funny but the Palin skit is funny and painful because they used words actually spoken by Palin. There are so many articles out there wincing about the Palin and Couric interview. Couric was being nice, Couric was giving Palin opportunities to shine, but all Palin could do was stumble on talking points. If I were prone to believing in conspiracies, then I would propose that this is all a ruse by Palin in order to make the Democrats let their guard down. If not, then it is frightening to think that the GOP machine has such power that it can dupe half the country into wanting Palin to become one 72 year old's heartbeat away from becoming President. There are college kids who know more about the issues than Palin. For the security of America and the world, I sure hope that it is all a ruse.

Powerful and succinct analysis by Colin Powell on why he chose Obama over McCain while remaining entirely respectful towards McCain.

(In case the youtube link breaks, here is another link to the interview by NBC's Tom Brokaw: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27265369/.)

His story about soldier Khan was particularly moving and important. The FUD and rage and hate needs to go away. Branding Americans as un-American or unpatriotic needs to go away. Discrimination by race, religion, ethnicity, gender, class, etc., needs to go away. The denial of the necessity of funding the government needs to go away.

[via "Colin Powell condemns the ugliness of the Republican Party" [http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/10/19/powell/].

[via "Here is the photo Colin Powell was referring to on Meet the Press" [http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7517415].

My brother Alan died serving as a Marine in 2003 and my brother John is doing his 3rd tour of duty in Afghanistan right now, so the thought of folks pulling out the hate for not being white or Christian or whatever while we serve and protect really, really gets to me. COL (Crying Out Loud).

Here's a post I'm about to submit to the Chicago Swordplay Guild (CSG) [chicagoswordplayguild.com]:

Sorry, but I haven't been to a class at the Chicago Swordplay Guild since 2008-11-15:

• Nov 22: Carpet cleaning.
• Nov 29, Dec 6: Flu.
• Dec 13: Daughter's aikido test.
• Dec 20: Son's aikido test.
• Dec 27: No class.

However, I have been doing CrossFit Workouts of the Day (WODs) since Nov 23, roughly taking every 4th day off. I've had to scale a few of these. The dates of when I did a WOD are not always the same as the date of the WOD.

• Jan 2: With a continuously running clock do one 135 pound Clean and Jerk the first minute, two 135 pound Clean and Jerks the second minute, three 135 pound Clean and Jerks the third minute... continuing as long as you are able.
• Jan 1: "Murph". For time: 1 mile run 20# vest, 100 Pull Ups, 200 Push Ups, 300 Squats, 1 mile run 20# vest. Partition non-running as needed.
• Jan 1: Dove into Lake Michigan.
• Dec 31: "Fight Gone Bad". 3 rounds with 1 min of each of these exercises with 1 min rest between ronds: Wall Ball 20# 10', Sumo Dead Lift High Pull 75#, Box Jump 20", Push Press 75#, Row (calories).
• Dec 29: Shoulder Press 1x for 5 sets, Push Press 3x for 5 sets, Push Jerk 5x for 5 sets.
• Dec 28: "Michael" 3 rounds for time: Run 800 m, Back Extensions 50x, Sit Ups 50x.
• Dec 27: 20 min of Thrusters 95# 5x, Hang Power Cleans 95# 7x, Sumo Dead Lift High Pulls 95# 10x.
• Dec 24: Back Squats for 5 sets of 5 reps.
• Dec 21: "Cindy" 20 min of 5 Pull Ups, 10 Push Ups, 5 Squats, or "Mary" 5 Handstand Push Ups, 10 Pistols, 15 Pull Ups.
• Dec 21: 800 m run, 4 times, resting between.
• Dec 19: "Filthy Fifty" For time: 50 Box jump, 24 inch box; 50 Jumping pull-ups; 50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood; Walking Lunge, 50 steps; 50 Knees to elbows; 50 Push press, 45 pounds; 50 Back extensions; 50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball; 50 Burpees; 50 Double unders.
• Dec 17 In 20 min rounds of: Run 400 m, 15 L Pull Ups, 15 Hip Ext.
• Dec 17: 7 Split Jerks.
• Dec 14: Run 10 Km/ 6.2 miles.
• Dec 13: 3 rounds for time of Box Jumps 50x on 24" Box, Dead Lifts 21x at 185#, Pull Ups 30.
• Dec 11: "Nasty Girls": 3 rounds for time of 50 Squats, 7 Muscle Ups, 135# Hang Power Cleans 10x.
• Dec 10: "Annie". For time 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 reps of Double Unders and Sit Ups.
• Dec 8: 7 Clean and Jerks.
• Dec 5: In 20 min, as many rounds of these 5 exercises. 5th round jumping pull ups.
• Dec 5: For time: 100 squats, 2 muscle ups, 80-4, 60-6, 40-8, 20-10.
• Dec 4: Five rounds for time of: 50 pound dumbbell, walking lunge, 10 alternating steps. 50 pound dumbbell, swing, 15 reps.
• Dec 3: Three rounds, 21-15- and 9 reps, for time of: 95 pound Thruster, Pull-ups.
• Dec 1: Shoulder Press 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps.
• Nov 30: "Tabata Something Else" Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.
• Nov 28: Kata
• Nov 27: Swimming
• Nov 23: Three rounds for time of: 21 Knees to elbows; 1 1/2 pood Kettlebell swing, 21 reps; 21 Push-ups; 15 foot Rope climb, 3 ascents; 20 inch Box jump, 21 reps; 21 Back extension; Walking lunge, 150 ft.

I've decided to make "non-practice" notes on CrossFit from a martial perspective, but first a summary of CrossFit:

CrossFit is a strength and training methodology used by hundreds of firemen, military folks, and martial artists that was developed by Greg Glassman, a former gymnast since the 1980s. The CrossFit site provides a great deal of free information including these seminal link explaining themselves:

• "Foundations" (2002-04)
• "What is Fitness?" (2002-10)
• "Understanding CrossFit" (2007-04)
• CrossFit Exercises. Videos of exercises, lectures, and such.

Here are a few other links on different seminal topics in CrossFit:

• "The Garage Gym" (2002-09). The basic equipment (at the time). Also in the first issue of the CrossFit Journal.
• "Garage Gym II: The Revolution" (2005-07). An update on the previous article. The CrossFite home page also has a short list of recommended suppliers.
• "Killer Workouts" (2005-05). Anyone participating in intense physical activity (like CrossFit) needs to be aware of Rhabdomyolysis [W].
• "Broad, General & Inclusive Fitness" (2007-07). Video of part of lecture by Greg Glassman.
• "Sport of Fitness Seminar" (2002-02 and 2003-03). Video of part of lecture by Greg Glassman.

For those who don't want to follow the links, let me summarize CrossFit in a paragraph. In CrossFit (although the concept should be applicable everywhere) health comes in a continuum from sick to well to fit. So engaging in health promoting activity and study is not just for "athletes" but anyone who wants to be healthy. In CrossFit, fitness should be "broad, general, and inclusive" as in the tasks in life, work, and sports varies by a great range. Thus while some may want to specialize, most should be able to do general random tasks. EG: A marathon runner specializes in endurance but may suffer in strength. There are 10 general physical skills that CrossFit wants to cover: Cardiovascular and Resperatory Endurance (oxygen processing), Stamina (energy processing), Strength, Flexibility, Power (more force in less time), Speed, Coordination, Agility, Balance, and Accuracy. There is a hierarchy of components for health: Nutrition, Metabolic Conditioning (cardio and stamina), Gymnastics (calisthenics or moving the self), Weight Lifting and Throwing (moving the non-self), Sport/Life (application and expression of health/fitness). Exercises should be functional (roughly approximate real life functions) and varied (hence widely different WODs). Intensity is preferred because powerful sessions save time and can provide metabolic conditioning too. CrossFit is empirically driven as in measuring, counting, timing, data sharing, experimenting, etc. CrossFit is a sport, the "sport of fitness" because games, playing, and competing are more fun and motivating than simply demanding fitness. CrossFit implements this sport by having people doing WOD all over the world and having them share metrics and experiences over the Internet. The inclusive factor means that the exercises should be scalable (modified depending upon age, gender, capabilities, etc.) and subbable (modified depending on equipment, capabilities, etc.).

Now onto notes on CrossFit from a martial perspective.

As far as improving fitness, CrossFit is broader and more general and more inclusive than martial arts. Martial arts focus on combat activities which most of us rarely, if ever, use in everyday life. In its defense martial arts, is broader and more general than other activities, like say running. In the CrossFit hierarchy of health components, martial arts is a "sport", i.e. a particular application of fitness. Martial arts can develop general fitness, but CrossFit develops general fitness more broadly, more generally, and more efficiently. Six months of CrossFit would advance the 10 general physical skills of a person better than 6 months of martial arts. One of the reasons is a matter of logistics. Martial arts, like CrossFit, can be done solo, but martial arts should usually done with others for two reason: Martial arts is very skills oriented and requires constant instruction at a lower level. Combat requires combatants, and preferably a variety of opponents. Most people probably don't realize it but martial arts is a very social activity! "Extra-curricular", in-person, out-of-home gatherings can be difficult to schedule around work, school, kids, chores, etc. In contrast, you can do most CrossFit workouts alone, at your own home, on your own schedule, even if sick (like I was), all the while feeling connected to the CrossFit community. It is much easier for the average person to do 5-6 days a week of CrossFit than martial arts. I am of the opinion that most people should do something like CrossFit for general fitness. People with specific sports/activities, should spend that precious scheduled time doing things very specific to their sport/activity. Even the warm ups should be largely sport/activity specific if possible.

Another thing I like about CrossFit that most martial arts do is intensity (more work in less time). Most martial arts workouts are intense and 1 hour long, maybe 2 at most. The Chicago Swordplay Guild has 4 hour long workouts, the very length of which reduces intensity. The problem with a 4 hour work out is not just that it is hard to maintain physical intensity, but mental intensity and focus as well. There's a reason that most movies don't run 3-4 hours long. The CSG motto is "ferrum non verbum" (steel, not words), and yet the workouts are padded with scholarly discussions. Some of these are discussions would be better of done after class or over a beer or in a forum or through "homework". In defense of the CSG, some of the discussions have to be done on the floor. Also in defense of the CSG, it's using Chicago Park District space and does not have full control of the space and hours. As much fun as the abrazare/unarmed half of the class is, I've had tons of that already and I want to focus on the armed portion, hence I'm going to start going to just the last half of these 4 hour classes.

I love how both CrossFit and martial arts emphasize technique/mechanics. See "Virtuosity" (2005-08). Good mechanics and beautiful technique is not just pretty but it increases safety, efficacy, and efficiency. Interestingly enough, Greg Glassman points out how you have to push the intensity such that it challenges the the perfection of your technique in this video: "Question & Answer Part 2, Coach Glassman". Perfection of technique v intensity. There is such truth in this. If you don't challenge or risk your technique, then you can't acquire virtuosity in your technique, or innovate new techniques.

I'm impressed by the work CrossFit puts into the core.

• The trunk/torso consists of 3 parts: The thorax/chest, the abdomen, and the pelvis. I consider the "core" to be the lower 2/3 of the trunk/torso. The Japanese would call this the hara.
• Martial artists often say use the "hips", but that's imprecise. The hip is actually the end of the femur (the thigh bone) and should really refer to the joint between the femur and the pelvis. CrossFit does a lot of squats, so they focus on opening/extending and closing/flexing the hip. Just to be absolutely clear: A fully flexed hip would have the knees the chest. There should be a large range of motion (ROM) from the hip joint and a lot of power.
  • Not surprisingly, CrossFit does not do much with hip rotation (either laterally/externally or medially/internally), abduction (lateral lift), or adduction (medial lift). In contrast, kicking martial arts cover almost all hip ranges.
• Another major "joint" covers the lumbar vertebrae (lower back) and sacrum (the triangular base of the spine wedged into the pelvis at the sacroiliac or SI joint and just above the coccyx or tailbone). Relative to the hip joint, the SI and lumbar have little ROM and are meant for stabilization. There are two major positions to lock into (as opposed to a relaxed or neutral pelvis):
• Posterior/forward pelvic tilt, aka maintaining the lumbar curve. CrossFit does a lot of lifts, so they focus on maintaining the lumbar curve (which emphasizes stability), instead of letting you rounding your back (which might tempt you to lift with it). This is what they're talking about when they say lift with your legs and not with your back. The Fabris stance in rapier is one of the few times that the lumbar curve is used in martial arts.
• Anterior/backward pelvic tilt. aka hollow back or tucking in your tailbone. CorssFit does in running, gymnastics, at the top of squats, etc. Most upright martial arts utilize the tucked tail because the tucked tail is good for hip extension. Most of the ground martial arts use this too in falls and rolls.
• Midline stability involves stabilizing the abdomen by using your body to form a natural girdle or lifting belt. Usually you tense the obliques and create pressure in the abdominal cavity. This is often done by trying to draw the navel to the anus or similar visualization technique. In martial arts this has to be developed so that you can maintain it pretty much constantly (as in ready to receive a stomach blow) while being relaxed otherwise. Midline stability is what allows you to connect the lower body to the upper body and to transfer power and momentum. Midline stability is used everywhere in CrossFit and martial arts.

I have yet to see it in CrossFit but the above discussion on the core misses misses out on core related movements such as rotating on the vertical axis (think turning to void a bull, or turning into a blow) and traversing (think voiding to the side). While front and back movement (essentially hip flexion and extension) is common (walking, running, lifting), martial arts and chores also do a lot of vertical rotation and traversing. I suppose they'll do it with agility ladders, chopping exercises, and the like.

I'm enjoying seeing so many stance fundamentals in CrossFit: Toes and knees aligned in facing, knees bent, mind center of mass, mind eye placement, be tall. Similarly the aggressiveness in timing required in some techniques (like the Jerk) is very reminiscent many martial techniques.

CrossFit uses a lot of waves of contractions and waves of momentum transfer --very clear in the Olympic lifts. Blows and throws and blocks involves lots of momentum transfer. Of course martial arts must temper maximal momentum transfer with tactical considerations. EG: Lead with the sword forward, then step in.

CrossFit's explorations into the pose technique (pose, fall, lift) for running is also very interesting. Relying on the natural spring board of the arch of the foot makes sense. Using the gravity and the forward fall makes sense. Lifting just the foot instead of pushing makes sense for running (or robotic dogs), but a very quick single step for a blow should take advantage of a push instead of just a lift. Distinctions should be made between many steps (running), few steps (sprinting), very few steps (fighting). Clearly racers start from the balls of their feet. It's all very reminiscent of bare foot, natural foot techniques, which is done in both WMA (with period shoes) and EMA.

One of the reasons that CrossFit appeals to me is the emphasis on functional exercises. Martial arts often does exercises that approximate fighting techniques or movements.

The aikido unbendable arm demo has been around for years, but its nice to see the unbendable arm discussed from a Western perspective via Tony Blauer. I suppose the thrusting sword grip can utilize the unbendable arm if at least some of the fingers open up more. BTW: CrossFit throws in some combatives stuff but I don't think it's really their shtick. I have noticed that a good number of the CrossFit affiliates are Krav Maga folks.

Lastly I wanted to mention that CrossFit focuses on the "lower" general physical skills, while martial arts focus on "higher" skills. In one continuum you might have this: Physical, Tactical, Strategic, and Political. Or with a chess analogy: Physical covers the rules of how the pieces move; Tactical covers responding to the previous move while thinking ahead 1-2 moves; Strategic covers the over all layout leading to the end game; Political covers whether you should win or lose this game and why. A problem with the chess analogy is that the physical skill is equal for all players, but in a fight being able to physically move faster may win the fight. On the other hand: When communicating being able to physically shout louder is a fairly trivial skill compared to having something pithy to say. Or as Herodotus says in Oscar's sig: "Force has no place where there is need of skill.".

Sorry if this ran on and it wasn't edited enough, but I've already spent more time on this than I had intended to.

Whoot! President Barack Obama on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Confident, calm, smart, and funny. He's in it for all of us.

Wow. One of the more powerful pieces I have seen in a while. I know that I shift brains but it's amazing to choose to do so.

Brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor studied her own stroke as it happened -- and has become a powerful voice for brain recovery.

I've never really followed Jesse Ventura but this is good stuff!

I also liked this presentation by a user at the digg thread. Bonus points for the WarCraft connection.

Prepare to fight

First Blood http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSra-McRZEc

Godlike http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvQuyJEmZUM

Triple Kill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KO5QWxaoup4

HOLY SHIT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb9Y_HuHeR0

This comment from the digg thread sums it up:

Wow. Call the guy crazy all you want, but listen carefully to him and you realize not only does he make a valid legal point, he's non-violent, he composes an improvised song while being pinned down by two cops and then *runs away* while being **tazed** and actually takes the time to tell them he considers it self-defense. Dude seemed pretty with it to me. What I want to know is why he was being pinned to the ground by two cops in the first place. And did he get caught?

I want to know how the cops were not able to cuff him? Too much pressure from knowing they were being video taped?

Way to go dude! The revolution has begun! I liked these two comments in the Reddit thread:

Stage 1 - "Haha, look at that guy over there, he looks like a fool"
Stage 2 - "Look, that other guy is making fun of him, let's all point and laugh"
Stage 3 - "Hey, another has joined in making fun of the dancing dude, boy he must be embarrassed, what a tard!"
Stage 4 - "Hmm, there's more people dancing now, what a bunch of followers"
Stage 5 - "Wow, everybody is running over there to dance! I now stand out because I'm NOT dancing"
Stage 6 - "Wait for me! I want to dance too!"

I've done quite a bit of sociological research on the psychology of crowds. What you see in the video is actually a good example of the kind of population distribution needed to, say, start a revolution. The populace can be so incredibly anxious to join in (in a revolution, they'd be pissed and angry, here, they want to dance and have fun), but you still need the first person, or the first few couple people, to actively participate without the safety net provided by numbers. (In revolutions, these guys are either the traitors or patriots, depending on the outcome, and their existence can be caused by any number of factors, from economic status to religion to traditional beliefs to, well, anything that could get them to stand up against authority.) This is typically the stage where large movements either stall out or start to actually have an effect. This was just dancing, but it's a microcosm for how a lot of societal changes in general actually work.

Stage 7 - "I always thought dancing dude was cool! I was going to join him earlier, but you guys beat me to it."

Music is something so natural and yet so perplexing. My wife has lots of musical training and talent, and my deceased brother was an advanced classical pianist, but in contrast I'm literally half deaf with my SSD/UHL. In spite of my low self-confidence with music, I have recently been compelled to start fiddling with a soprano recorder and an alto/treble recorder and I plan to get a B flat clarinet. Given my geeky nature, I have found myself delving into music theory and music/brain experiments. As a novice in the field, the more I dig, the more ignorant and talentless I feel.

Bobby McFerrin is referring to a musical sense innate to most of us. However, just as some people are color blind, some people have brains that are "music blind" as in they cannot detect the music (beauty of sounds). Some people have limited abilities in detecting (let alone appreciating or creating) rhythm or pitch or harmony or melody or some combination. So when it comes to teaching or learning music (or other topics), the sensitivity of the audience must be taken into account --especially if teaching smaller classes. My father-in-law apparently has such a bad sense of pitch that when he was in choir, he was once told to just move his lips.

As far as the pentatonic scale, it sounds simple but the theory is odd. An octave is where the interval between 2 notes is double or half in frequency.

Chromatic scales have 11 intervals per octave, which is like pressing white and black keys on a piano sequentially like this:
C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B, C = 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 semitone = 11 intervals

Octatonic scales have 8 intervals per octave, like this:
C, C#, D#, E, F#, G, A, A#, C = 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 semitones = 8 intervals

Heptatonic scales have 7 intervals per octave, which in C major is like pressing the white keys on a piano sequentially like this:
C, D, E, F G, A, B, C = 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2, 1 semitone = 7 intervals

Hexatonic scales have 6 intervals per octave, which is done in whole tones like this:
C, D, E, F#, G#, A#, C = 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 semitones = 6 intervals

Pentatonic scales have 5 intervals per octave like this:
C, D, E, G, A, C = 2, 2, 3, 2, 3 semitones = 5 intervals

And so on for tetratonic (4 intervals), tritonic (3 intervals), and ditonic (2 intervals).

There are actually many other scales, but what most people hear these days are popular variants of heptatonic scales such as the diatonic/major, harmonic minor, and melodic major. The discussions then get way over my head. Why does a major scale sound bright while a minor scale sounds sad? Tonality and the Circle of Fifths seem nice but they make less sense than the Golden Ratio. Modern music notation is done with heptatonic staffs --why not convert to chromatic staffs and get rid of all those annoying accidentals (sharps, flats, etc.)?

BTW: I posted something about different kinds of breathing, but breathing for musical instruments is it's own world. Getting the right volume and velocity, breathing instead of blowing, and tricks like circular breathing [W] (see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVXFONkLPok for an example) are so cool.

Two things to bring it into the Western Martial Arts (WMA) realm:

While there is a certain amount of timelessness and universality to music, there is also an amazing amount of contemporary and cultural musical conditioning that we are not usually conscious of.

Music is very pertinent to martial arts as far as studying rhythm, time, intensity, etc. The key part though is that music is largely about consonance and harmony, and martial arts does that too, but also has an emphasis on creating dissonance and instability.

A very respectful presentation of a good meat cutter. I appreciate this video on several levels. I am a carnivore, I have hunted, and I have a keen sense of spiritual gratitude for the creatures we eat. Also as a former Veterinary Assistant who has had to kill many pets -- pets who the owners and I considered to be family, I take the killing and handling very seriously. Also as a martial artist who has pondered killing and dying to a certain depth for decades, and as someone who has lost kin in the military, the humanizing and dehumanizing aspects of it all is not just mental but sensory, physical and tangible. I was outraged by the video of "Judge William Adams beats daughter for using the internet", but I let it slide because others are on it. However this video of Fox News saying that Mr. Rogers is a evil Man is outrageous! I didn't like Fox News before, but it's getting to the point where I cannot comprehend or make excuses for the likes Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and Ann Coulter. Mr. Rogers may have forgiven Fox News, but there are somethings that are irredeemable and unforgivable.
I watched a decent chunk of the tourney. The winner, Leenock (Korean, 16yo) caught my eye early on. Beautiful adaptive play. A lot of comebacks too, not just dominating from the beginning. His last opponent, Naniwa (Sweden) was playing brilliantly before he got to Leenock, but Leenock figured out that the key to beating Naniwa was hurting him early on. Leenock's not even a full-time player because he has school! Well earned $50,000 by Leenock! I suppose someone can make a variant of the evolve fish bumper sticker using the African lungfish.

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