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Alexandra Kosteniuk is very exceptional in many ways!

Whether your interested in chess, beautiful models, or human interest stories, you will, want to acquaint yourself with this charming woman.

Visit her website.

The Chess Master and the Computer is a fascinating essay by Garry Kasparov on the effect computers have had on the game of chess. Kasparov is a chess grandmaster considered by many to be the greatest chess player of all time. In 1997 he famously lost at chess to IBM’s chess-playing computer, Deep Blue.

There have been many unintended consequences, both positive and negative, of the rapid proliferation of powerful chess software. Kids love computers and take to them naturally, so it’s no surprise that the same is true of the combination of chess and computers. With the introduction of super-powerful software it became possible for a youngster to have a top- level opponent at home instead of need ing a professional trainer from an early age. Countries with little by way of chess tradition and few available coaches can now produce prodigies. I am in fact coaching one of them this year, nineteen-year-old Magnus Carlsen, from Norway, where relatively little chess is played.

The heavy use of computer analysis has pushed the game itself in new directions. The machine doesn’t care about style or patterns or hundreds of years of established theory. It counts up the values of the chess pieces, analyzes a few billion moves, and counts them up again. (A computer translates each piece and each positional factor into a value in order to reduce the game to numbers it can crunch.) It is entirely free of prejudice and doctrine and this has contributed to the development of players who are almost as free of dogma as the machines with which they train. …

… In the pre-computer era, teenage grandmasters were rarities and almost always destined to play for the world championship. Bobby Fischer’s 1958 record of attaining the grandmaster title at fifteen was broken only in 1991. It has been broken twenty times since then, with the current record holder, Ukrainian Sergey Karjakin, having claimed the highest title at the nearly absurd age of twelve in 2002. Now twenty, Karjakin is among the world’s best, but like most of his modern wunderkind peers he’s no Fischer, who stood out head and shoulders above his peers—and soon enough above the rest of the chess world as well.

I was fascinated by his musing on whether the game of chess could be ’solved’, that is, the perfect sequence of moves to win every time could be mathematically determined.

The Chess Master and the Computer [NY Review of Books]

Grandmaster Flash – The Message. From the album "The Message" Lyrics: It 'like a jungle sometimes I wonder, how could I Going Under is' like a jungle sometimes I wonder, how could I Going Under shards of glass everywhere People pissing on the stairs and hold, dont worry just know I can not smell, I can not make much noise you do not have the money to leave, I got no choice Rats in the front room, roaches in the back Junkie in the alley with a baseball, I asked …

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You might have come across such terms in chess such as ‘FIDE Master’, ‘International Master’ and ‘Grandmaster’.  It can all become a little confusing. So what doe these terms mean?

As you become better at chess, you skill will improve. Those people who have attained a level of skill such that he can usually beat a ‘chess expert’, he will become a ‘chess master’. A ‘chess expert’ typically will nearly always beat most amateurs.

When the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) was established as the world chess body it created titles awarded to those who achieved set requirements. These titles are ‘FIDE Master’, which is the lowest master title it awards, the ‘International Master’ and the ‘Grandmaster’.

The way this is done is via the ELO rating system. This is a system to set up to calculate the relative skill levels of players in two player games.

To achieve the level of the ‘FIDE Master’, a player needs to achieve the FIDE Rating of 2300 or more. The October 2009 FIDE ratings list records 5561 FIDE Masters.

It’s harder to achieve the title of ‘International Master’. To do this a player needs three favorable results in international chess tournaments which involved other International Masters and Grandmasters. An ‘International Master’ usually has a rating between 2400 and 2500.

Another way of getting the title of ‘International Master’ is through specific performances. For example, the runner up at the World Junior Championship will be awarded the ‘International Master’ title.

After the title of ‘World Champion’, the title of ‘Grandmaster’ is the highest title a chess player can attain and once attained it is held for life. The title is awarded to players who achieve a rating of above 2500.

Men and women who play in international chess competitions  are able to receive a title.

A trend that I find disturbing is the tendency of many in the Filipino martial arts to appoint themselves as masters, with ever more elaborate titles. There is “guro,” “punong guro,” “master,” “grandmaster,” “supreme grandmaster,” “datu,” “tuhon,” etc.

The formula is to choose one of these titles, maybe combine several, get a flashy costume, and pose with weapons in a dramatic, master-like fashion. The stance you pose in should NOT be a fighting stance, but one that looks intimidating.

KuntawMan posted the following on his blog:

“I had always been taught that the title “Master” was to be bestowed not by an organization or by oneself, but by the community you belong to.

I had two significant  experiences with  the title Master around 10 years ago, and I believe that teachers should achieve it this way, rather than to pay for certification. The first was shortly after my arrival to California, when I was still on the tournament circuit and making friends among the instructors. A few times when I had visited a school, I would be introduced to students as “Master Gatdula”. This is aligned with the saying that teachers become masters when the community recognizes you as one.

The second was at Manong Leo Giron’s school and house, when he and Grandmaster Vince Tinga introduced me to another teacher from the Bay as “Master” Gatdula. When I suggested that I was just a teacher, Manong Leo said, “you are a master because I say you are one…” Vince Tinga introduced me to the community as his nephew, and adopted my school as family (he actually taught in my school 7 days a week for nearly 2 years before his death). This is how one becomes a master, not through some ceremony.”

I think Kuntawman has it exactly right: the title is not one that you choose for yourself; it should be one that is conferred upon you by the community. Because it must be earned, you have to do more than get a satin costume and pose with exotic weapons.

By the way, a “datu” is a tribal chief. How ridiculous is it for some white guy to call himself a Filipino chieftain?

In my book, a grandmaster is the oldest, most authoritative representative of his sytem. Grandmaster is not based on how good you are or how many videos you’ve made, but on your status as an authority in the art.

Note the “Weapons of Moroland” in the backgound, which is a two dollar souvenir churned out by the thousands.

Ooh, look! Real ancient Filipino letters of the alphabet! I wouldn’t mess with this guy!

What is the sash around his torso?

A very small number of people actually know what disc jockeys do in night clubs. Their headphones casually slung over one ear and their fingers dancing over an array of decks and dials, it’s a great mystery for what their skills actually involve. DJ Hero is presumably meant to rectify this, teaching gamers both old and young about the unsung love for scratching vinyl. But is the game actually any good? Click on the ‘more’ button to find out.

The thought of a plastic turntable sitting on my lap echoed strong warnings; this could very well be Activision’s last ditch effort to bring some originality back into the rhythm/music genre. Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero felt like simple cash-ins for Activision, conceptually safe sequels that would bring in some easy profit. DJ Hero fails to have the consistent quality of its refined band brethren, but does manage to engross the player with some fresh game play ideas.

During this review I played on the standard DJ Hero peripheral, although a more substantial ‘Renegade Edition’ is also available for those wanting a bit more weight and feedback to their mixing. The wireless turntable is very user friendly, sitting on your lap without being too large and cumbersome. It’s split into two parts (the deck itself and the cross fader hub) and can be alternated to support the lefties out there. The inclusion of stream buttons, an effects dial, euphoria button and concealed console controls concludes a great piece of hardware – going some way to justifying the rather hefty price tag. (More)

Luckily I managed to borrow the entire DJ Hero set up from a friend, because otherwise I would have felt wildly disappointed. Adequate if you’re into club music, but otherwise approach with caution.
JetSetNick

Life is so awesome!!  I’m so in Love with my Life!

Are you?

♥

First Aid é a profissão que os jogadores mais evoluem no geral. Isso porque nunca se sabe se teremos um healer pronto para encher nossas vidas ou mesmo que tivermos, numa situação crítica, pode salvar a raid de um wipe.

Para evoluir essa profissão, você pode comprar todo o material de outros players ou pode coletá-lo no jogo. Tecidos (cloths) dropam de mobs humanóides. Praticamente todos os humanoids do jogo dropam algum cloth e alguns undead também o fazem.

First Aid é uma profissão secundária, o que quer dizer que qualquer personagem pode aprendê-la sem ter que abrir mão de nenhuma outra profissão e é muito útil tanto em PVP quanto em PVE, principalmente em Battlegrounds e enquanto evolui o personagem diminuindo o tempo em que se fica sentado comendo para encher o life.

Esse guia ensinará como ir do level 1 ao 450 de First Aid de maneira fácil e rápida!

O guia está dividido nas seções abaixo:

1. Apprentice e Journeyman First Aid (1-150)

2. Expert First Aid (150-225)

3. Artisan First Aid (225-330)

4. Master e Grand Master First Aid (330-450)

1. Apprentice e Journeyman First Aid (1-150)

O primeiro passo é visitar um trainer de First Aid e aprender Apprentice First Aid. Para essa bandagem inicial você precisará apenas de Linen Cloth e entre os levels 60 e 75 deverá voltar no mesmo trainador para aprender Journeyman First Aid, que utiliza de Wool Cloth. Esses tecidos são encontrados facilmente enquanto está evoluindo seu personagem nos níveis iniciais e você verá que será rápido e fácil conseguir os tecidos, tanto colentando eles quanto comprando de outros jogadores.

2. Expert First Aid (150-225)

Como você pôde ver, upar First Aid é relativamente fácil perto das outras profissões. Continue seguindo o guia e não desperdiçará tecidos.

3. Artisan First Aid (225-330)

4. Master e Grand Master First Aid (330-450)

No level 300, você deverá aprender Netherweave Bandage no NPC chamado Aresella, em Falcon Watch se você for da Horda ou com Burko, em Temple of Telhamat, ambos em Hellfire Peninsula ou você pode simplesmente visitar algum Grand Master trainer em Northrend se tiver a possibilidade de ir pra lá.

No level 350 você deve necessáriamente visitar um Grand Master trainer e aprender Frostweave Bandage para continuar evoluindo.

Se você for da Horda:

- Visite Nurse Applewood em Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra ou Sally Tompkinsem Vengeance Landing, Howling Fjord ou Olisarra the Kind em Dalaran e treine Grand Master First Aid e Frostweave Bandage.

Se você for da Aliança:

- Visite Anchorite Yazmina em Valgarde, Howling Fjord ou Brynna Wilsonem emValiance Keep, Borean Tundra ou Olisarra the King em Dalaran e treine Grand Master First Aid e Frostweave Bandage.

Para aprender a fazer as Heavy Frostweave Bandage, você precisará encontrar o Manual: Heavy Frostweave Bandage que é um item World Drop, o que significa que poder dropar em qualquer lugar do mundo. Recomendo que procure em Zul’drak. Uma relação dos mobs que podem dropar esse Manual pode ser vista nesse link: http://www.wowhead.com/?item=39152#dropped-by:0-3-9+1

Espero que este Guia ajude muitos a upar essa profissão que com certeza é uma das mais procuradas.

Oleh Adha Nadjemuddin

Pria itu buru-buru turun ke lantai dasar gedung D Ditjen Dikti, Glora Bung Karno Jakarta, tempat Kejurnas Catur Mahasiswa 2009, setelah ia mengalahkan Bambang Christiansen, dari Universitas Kristen Indonesia (UKI). Bambang dilumpuhkannya pada langkah ke 67. Raja lawan tidak bisa bergerak setelah skak-mat. Penonton pun kemudian bersorak atas kemenangannya.

Dialah Tirta Chandra Purnama, pecatur Indonesia. Namanya sudah menasional, terutama di kalangan pecatur, sejak mahasiswa STIE Indonesia, Rawamangun itu mengikuti beberapa pertandingan dalam dan luar negeri. Sebelum olahraga adu otak itu membawanya ke sejumlah negara, Tirta sudah mengenal catur sejak kelas lima sekolah dasar. Pria kelahiran Jakarta 30 Mei 1986 ini mengenal catur dari pamannya. Waktu itu bersamaan Hari Raya Idul Fitri. Keluarga Tirta mengunjungi pamannya di sebuah daerah Kerta Lama, Banten.

“Waktu itu saya baru mau naik kelas enam. Kebetulan hari raya kami ke kampung. Di sana saya diajari sama paman bagaimana main catur. Saat itulah pertama kali saya kenal catur,” kata Tirta, sembari mengingat-ingat nama pamannya yang mengajarinya bermain catur. Setelah pulang ke Jakarta, Tirta kemudian membeli papan catur. Lama kelamaan, ia akhirnya kepincut dengan olahraga otak itu. “Catur akhirnya tidak saja sekadar hobi tetapi sudah menjadi bakat yang terus saya kembangkan,” ujarnya. Agar olahraga ini terus berkembang, peraih gelar Gelar Master International di 1st ASEAN Masters Chess Circuit, Kalimantan Timur tersebut akhirnya menjadi sebuah obsesi. Tahun 1997 ia akhirnya masuk sekolah catur Enerpec Jakarta. “Tahun 2002 saya sudah tidak aktif lagi di sekolah catur, dan saya gabung di JAPFA Chess Club (JCC),” kata Tirta menceritakan kisahnya.

Sejak ia masuk di sekolah catur, beberapa prestasi pun satu persatu ia mulai rebut. Tahun 1998, Juara I Kejurda DKI Kelompok U-12. Tahun yang sama ia juga meraih Juara I KU-16, Kejurnas Catur Bekasi, Jabar dan Juara I Kejuaraan Catur Perorangan terbuka dan pelajar PERCAJA Cup.

Di tingkat internasional, prestasi yang diraihnya pun membanggakan. Tahun 1998, ia menjadi salah satu pemain terbaik papan IV perorangan, Piala Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tahun 1999, Juara I Kejuaraan Catur Beregu Piala Merdeka KU-18, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Pada tahun yang sama, Tirta juga mengikuti Kejuaaraan Dunia Catur Junior KU-14, Oropesa Del Mar, Spanyol. Prestasi gemilang anak pertama dari pasangan Ahmad Suardi dan Yayah ini terus menanjak naik hingga akhirnya tahun 2008 meraih gelar Master International di 1st ASEAN Masters Chess Circuit, Tarakan, Kalimantan Timur. Pada tahun yang sama ia juga menjadi anggota tim Indonesia untuk Olimpiade di Dresden, Jerman. Prestasi yang ia raih tersebut bukanlah titisan bakat dari sang ayah, namun berkat kerja keras dan belajar yang sungguh-sungguh. Secara teknis, catur ia pelajari mulai dari sekolah catur, buku, hingga komputer. “Kalau nonteknis lebih pada mental, tekun, sabar, dan pengendalian diri,” katanya.

Grandmaster Kim may not tweet or post his favorite kicks on Facebook. But he has mastered Social Media and, in the process, built an internationally recognized school, Jae H. Kim Taekwondo Institute.

하나

Build Community

The school, a stone’s throw from Fenway Park, plays host to Korean surgeons, clerks from Ethiopia, French chefs, and students from Boston University. But, in uniforms and bare feet, we’re members of the same tribe, thanks to the community that Mr. Kim has built.

He hosts an annual holiday luncheon, expects every black belt to teach other students, and encourages us to visit sister schools around the world. Jet-lagged in Singapore, I still found a home and welcoming instructors at the JHK dojang.

This year Master Kim is throwing a Hanmadang to celebrate the school’s 35th anniversary. Visitors from the other schools will come for a day of competition, showmanship, demonstrations, songs, and, yes, eating.

Think about the communities in your company. Are they welcoming? Passionate? Open and well organized?

둘

Tell your story

A beautifully hand-painted scroll, a gift to Mr. Kim from the founder of Taekwon Do,  General Choi, greets everyone who enters the dojang.

In the visitor’s area, next to the cushy sofas, are booklets packed with moments from the school’s history. Events like the “Friday Night Fights” and the showdown between Mr. Kim and his top 3 students against a competing school, are told with full relish.

The message is clear to every member, you’re part of something great.

Story fills your brand up with meaning. It lets consumers know they’re part of something more than a business transaction. So, what’s your story?

셋

Keep talking and tinkering

Every week Master Kim sends emails updating members on the school. He’s not a chatty guy; every email is an enclosure and written formally. Mr. Kim changes up class schedules and shifts the focus every year to reflect student input. He takes risks on a daily basis.

Embracing change every day in your business may seem overwhelming. But, just like a turning sidekick, exercise those muscles and it becomes fluid.

Are you ready to kick your social marketing up a level. What are great examples in your own life?

Εντάξει σαν karateka είπα να πω και εγώ τη βλακεία μου. Αλλά τι να κάνεις όταν η ταινία προσβάλει το karate; Για τη συγκεκρυμένη μόνο να γράψεις γελοίους τίτλους, γιατί αν κάνεις κάτι περισσότερο θα είσαι ελεεινός στόκος. Ο λόγος βέβαια για το Ip-Man. Μία κινέζικη παραγωγή του 2008.

Αν θέλετε να δείτε μία κλασική κακογυρισμένη κινεζιά του style “Τίγρης και Δράκος” ΜΗΝ δείτε το Ip-Man, το οποίο είναι μία σοβαρότατη παραγωγή που πραγματεύται πραγματικά γεγονότα από τον δεύτερο παγκόσμιο πόλεμο και τη ζωή του Yip, του ανθρώπου που δίδαξε πρώτος το Wing Chun Kung Fu ( ο θρύλος θέλει το συγκεκρυμένο παρακλάδι του Kung Fu να ιδρύεται από μία γυναίκα που εξασκούταν ώστε να αντιμετωπίσει έναν πλούσιο Samurai που ήθελε να την παντρευτεί). Μέσα από το contrast μίας Κίνας πλούσιας και μίας Κίνας βασανισμένης από τον πόλεμο η ταινία περνά μηνύματα για την φιλοσοφία των πολεμικών τεχνών, καθώς και για τον τρόπο ζωής γενικότερα.

Τρομερή εντύπωση μου έκανε η πλούσια παραγωγή, γεμάτα σκηνικά που θυμίζουν Hollywood, ερμηνείες που ξεπερνούν κατά πολύ τη μέση fighting παραγωγή, και κάμερα που βοηθά να καταλάβεις τις κινήσεις χωρίς όμως να χάνει την καλλιτεχνική της άποψη. Γενικότερα μία παραγωγή που σε τίποτα δεν θυμίζει Ασία (όχι οτι σνομπάρω τις ασιατικές παραγωγές, αλλά κατά κύριο λόγο το budget τους τις μειώνει πολύ).

Τώρα για να καταλάβετε τον τίτλο και για να μην γίνω ο περίγελος του net, στο τέλος της ταινίας ο πρωταγωνιστής παλεύει με έναν Ιάπωνα karateka στρατιωτικό που χρησιμοποιεί τις πολεμικές τέχνες καθαρά με μιλιταριστικούς σκοπούς, και του κάνει κήρυγμα το οποίο προσβάλλει λίγο τις Ιαπωνικές πολεμικές τέχνες γενικότερα και το karate ειδικότερα. Ο τίτλος λοιπόν είναι διαννοουμενίστικο αστειάκι (και αν δεν σας άρεσε στ’ αρχίδια μου κιόλας).

Can one ever actually master or otherwise achieve perfection in the martial arts?

Of course the so-called “experts” of the FMAs will answer emphatically, no. I expected that. Why? Because the Filipino martial artist today really has no depth to his martial arts due to the industry’s commercialism. He lacks strong understanding of fighting strategy and practical fighting skill–let alone any philosophical knowledge–so he must look to the Kung Fu movie… yes, I said it: THE KUNG FU MOVIE, to learn how to think and act, as a teacher of the martial arts. He believes that FMA teachers are supposed to be quiet, humble, neutered monks who avoid eye contact and speak in parables. As if the fighters who once challenged each other to test and prove skill and build reputations and forging new methods of fighting only existed in stories and anecdotes. Sorry, but that ain’t us, it isn’t our culture. This, my friend, is a warrior culture, not a temple!

I really hate to admit this because I love my kababayans (countrymen) so much, but even many FMA people in the Philippines do it, too. They try to be fake Filipino monks, with this air of peacefulness and non-violence they have to put on. They read American martial arts magazines to see what the trends are in the “sophisticated” side of the world, and then mock those trends back home. I mean, am I the only guy who notices Filipino pop stars wearing cold-weather gear while on stage performing Rap music in Taglish, in the Philippines? Where its HOT? What about Catholic Filipinos running around in Muslim costumes to live up to the imagery of Dan Inosanto’s Kali Warrior? Wrestling with karabaw in the mud and wearing straw hats and naming everything in this beautiful art rather than using numbers like the rest of us?

Sorry, I lost my head for a minute.

Anyway, while many Filipinos are peaceful, friendly, non-violent people, our martial artists are not. We don’t wear belts and hang up certificates because we don’t need them. We brag. We talk trash. We look at foreign arts and think, I can whip that guy. We try to make our students better than the lousy students up the road or in the next town. We still train well into our 50s and will cross sticks (and hands) with you to prove how good we are. We drag our students to matches to build our reputations, we train harder when they lose, and then we tell potential students that we have the best fighters in town because this is what we strive for.

All that to say, this fake-me-out humility in the FMA is new, it’s phony, and it sucks. It’s not a Filipino martial principle. If all you strive for is mediocrity, why are you even training? Are we not training for combat? Who are you preparing to fight? A boy scout? A 60 year old man with a walker? Are we not studying to win fights, but studying to fight only to a draw? Come on, people, we are allowing our weak counterparts to represent the art of our country of origin! And they are doing all the talking!

Perfection in the martial arts is possible. Mastery in the martial arts is the goal. If you don’t believe that it is possible or that you are capable, then I say you are unworthy of calling yourself a teacher–let alone Master–of the Philippine martial arts. The purpose of training hard is to forge the body into something that cannot be duplicated in a gym and 99% of the martial arts schools out here. We are developing our skills and our bodies so that no man on the street poses a real threat–armed or unarmed. And while it is true that this goal is not right around the corner, it is a possibility that will meet us halfway if we devote enough time and energy towards it. The martial artist must never be satisfied with his skills, because this is what keeps him in the gym and at the top of the food chain.. and out of the hospital or the morgue. He is alway striving for a better, stronger, faster punch or kick. He wants to possess an unstoppable attack, and and impenetrable defense. He wants his knife to have a light saber-like ability to penetrate anything, and for his stick to crash through any defense. He is always striving for more, better, faster, stronger. He is always demanding his body to put out more, and he gives it the attention it needs in order to make sure that he remains capable of keeping up with his desires. He has turned down other endeavors for his martial arts journey; therefore, he enjoys a level of skill and confidence most of his martial arts peers only dream about and pretend to have on the internet and around kid brothers. In the company of his inferior martial arts counterparts, this is the only time he can really be non-violent and not have to pretend to be peace-loving and humble; these people are truly no match to his ability.

When I see mediocre martial artists acting like they have no fear, and then attempting to outsmart those with more physical prowess, I laugh because I know that it isn’t arrogance. Rather, these men really are insecure, and they are hoping you are not as bright as they are so that they can feel superior about something. Now, when he says that he doesn’t believe in mastery and perfection, he’s telling the truth; he doesn’t believe in it… for himself. When he claims to have no fear in combat, he is again telling the truth! He feels no fear of fighting, because he has no intention of ever fighting and will avoid it at all costs.

Want a test? Ask a martial artist you know about fighting, sparring and competition. If he gives you the speech about how fighting has nothing to do with sparring and competitions, or how even NHB fighters are not going to be effective on the street, you are in the company of a martial arts “wuss”. lol

These guys use logic to explain away how martial arts ain’t about fighting, and how the guys who do fight “just don’t get it”, and how guys like me who talk about fighting are the real cowards… It’s all to distract you from the fact that he can’t fight, and that his martial art is weak.

The bottom line:  If a man spent his lifetime training his arts, refining, testing and training even more, he will one day master his art; it is the only outcome. If he spends enough time fine-tuning, revising, fine-tuning some more, revising, and then fine-tuning some more–looking at his skills critically and attempting to smooth out the rough edges and build up his weaknesses until they disappear–he will one day perfect his art. But only when he has spent a good portion of his life in pursuit of these goals will it happen. And finally, others must see and recognize the results before he will… Only then can one truly say that the goal has been reached. He may be confident, but never satisfied with his skills; although he may be pleased with his accomplishments, he will always believe that he is capable of achieving more.  Remember this saying:

The Master is never satisfied with himself. Perfection is always close, but never completely within one’s grasp. Only when he sees how close he is to it, will he actually achieve it. It is a level of attainment for onlookers to enjoy–it is never for the Master himself.

When you are training for combat, you are aiming for mastery and perfection so that you will arrive at the highest level of physical ability possible. There is no other method of studying and training in these arts. This is why I say that for the serious martial artist, “part time student” status does not exist. This is not an undertaking or a hobby, it is a lifestyle. It is not a career for the teacher, it is a calling. You cannot claim to be a martial artist and separate it from your identity. We do this for life because it takes a lifetime to  complete its goals. Yes, the art in its truest form is not for everyone. But it is here for everyone that wants it; you simply have to pursue it. And pursue it long enough that someone tells you that you’ve got it. It’s complicated and complex, but it’s just that simple.

Thank you for reading my blog. Hopefully most of you are not more confused than you were 15 minutes ago.

If you like what you’ve read, you’re going to love my upcoming book, Mustafa Gatdula’s How to Build a Dominant Fighter in 12 Months. Available December 2009, but you can order advance copies by visiting my Offerings Page!

Come visit us again soon!

]]> http://kineticmartialarts.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/congratulation-to-a-successful-grading/ Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:25:01 +0000 Reno Leuc http://kineticmartialarts.wordpress.com/2009/10/07/congratulation-to-a-successful-grading/

The adults grading on Saturday the 26 September went very well.

It was interesting for us all to have Grand Master Sung Soo Lee visit and officiate the grading.

Outstanding notes about the grading was “outstanding kicks” and what I find funny notes were “orthodox strikes”
I believe what Grand Master Lee meant was the use of modern boxing strikes (Jab, Cross, Uppercut, Hook) rather than the traditional martial art punches *gg

Anyway, after a unexpected period of consideration (~10 days) for the grading results I’m most happy to announce that all students successful received their new belt.
Congratulations to 1x Brown belt, 2x new Blue belts, 5x new Yellow belts and 2x new Orange belts. Keep your eye out for more visits from this exceptional martial artist.

One thing that made this grading special was the presence of a 9th degree black belt but another, very interesting, part of the grading was the fact that Sir Trent had to showcase his skill-set as well
I am very happy to announce that, after weeks of hard training with Grandmaster Lee, chief instructor Sir Trent was promoted to Sam Dan (3rd Dan).

It was a pleasure to observe – congratulations to your Bu Sah Bu Nim promotion, Sir.

Is this a cat who used to train with Diana Ross in Motown, or something?

Is it that grown men–FREE men–calling another man “Master” isn’t enough? You need to lower yourself and grovel even lower?

Is it that having your butt kissed by your students isn’t enough? Don’t let me get graphic here, guys.

The FMAs have become so mainstream, it’s disgusting. Let alone that we no longer have the natural-born killers representing our arts like we did 20, 30 years ago. We have degenerated to self-promoting ranks, selling teaching certificates, promising students that they will be unbeatable in “10 seminars (ahem, easy lessons) or less”!  Our arts are now “too deadly for tournaments” and now we have to listen to the same garbage we use to laugh at being spewed by our own masters and many of you feel obligated to defend it!

Come on now, big boy… you don’t really believe that your master is undeafeated in 100 death matches, do you? See if you can get him to spar ONE “bloody nose” match with me, will you? Oh, he’s old and I’m young. Okay, since you are the one holding his jockstraps, and plan to be the “inheritor” of his system, why don’t you fight me in a light contact, friendly match?

Oh, I see. Your grandmaster is a direct descendant of Lapu Lapu. His art is 8 generations old. Okay, name each successive grandmaster/grandfather going back 4 generations.

These guys will tell you that their art goes back 9 generations, but they can’t name their great, great grandfather. Come on!

Instructorship in the FMAs use to be a graduation. Once you’ve learned an art, you knew it, and your rank depended on your skill level and knowledge base. Now, it is a level with titles and numbers (6th degree Black Belts). People ran out of numbers to give themselves–I actually met a guy who told me his Great-Grandmaster was a 15th degree Black Belter (whew!)–and titles, so now they are reaching for more things to call themselves. Heck, next these guys will start calling themselves the “Pope of Arnis de Mano”, or “Great Grandma Guro”. This is getting out of hand!

When my guys have learned my art all the way through, they will know more than I did when I first opened my school because I have had 18 years of knowledge more than I did at 22. They should be better than I was because they had more classmates than I did. They deserve to be more than just my Instructor-level student; they deserve to be my peer. And that’s the reason for these higher numbers and lofty ranks. Teachers want to remain superior, despite that they no longer can do what they use to, and that their Black Belt students will be better than they ever were, and that’s just plain wrong. What says more about a teacher:  His best students are still lesser skilled than they are at 40 or 50? Or his best students surpasses his own abilities?

May I suggest, brothers and sisters, that the best Master should be able to produce students who become better than the Master himself. I am 40, I have arthritis. Two weekends ago I performed 100 pushups–which is a basic requirement of my advanced students–and I ached for nearly 7 days, when I use to do that as a part of a regular workout. By contrast, my advanced Kuntaw students do this regularly as a warm-up. I blistered last week when I threw 1,000 strikes with my sticks (yet I was shooting for 2,500… remember the “Challenge” article?). 1,000 hits use to be a demo I performed for students complaining about 500 hits! I am a shadow of who I was, as are most men calling themselves “Master” and “Grandmaster” or more. Still, it is ego that makes some men accept this fact and still shoot for more power and arrogance, and cease to strive for improvement.

My Grandfather once said that a man’s fighting career should end in his 30s, when he begins his teaching career, then becomes a master in his 40s, when his peers begin to consider him a master. But he must continue to hone and improve his skills until his body quits, and this would be in his late 50s and 60s. My Grandfather could still spar at 78, and he never adopted the title of Grandmaster. I’ve seen only a few old men who could compare to him at an advanced age, yet most Masters with fewer abilities and younger years dare to make up titles like “Supreme Great Grandmaster” and stuff like that?

The FMA way of doing business just perplexes me, and we are going by the way of Big Business Tae Kwon Do with the ranks, multi-level marketing schemes and de-emphasis on skill development and testing. When men make up these crazy titles and wear them proudly and without shame, I know that my beloved FMAs have become the next Amway.

I believe that when a student graduates from the Advanced Level, he should have two or three more levels to aim for:  the Expert level–when he has learned the entire art and can utilize the art with great effectiveness;  the Teacher level–when he has attained an entire fighting career worth of his own fighting experiences as well as supervised teaching experience; and if you decide to (I don’t), a Senior Teacher level–which is your political/business/social status level (which I believe any rank higher than a 3rd Degree Black Belt is anyway). There is no need to test at those levels; you’ve seen what they can do in class and on the mat. I would hold a presentation ceremony and maybe a demonstration, but nothing more is necessary.

I had always been taught that the title “Master” was to be bestowed not by an organization or by oneself, but by the community you belong to. I had two significant  experiences with  the title Master around 10 years ago, and I believe that teachers should achieve it this way, rather than to pay for certification. The first was shortly after my arrival to California, when I was still on the tournament circuit and making friends among the instructors. A few times when I had visited a school, I would be introduced to students as “Master Gatdula”. This is aligned with the saying that teachers become masters when the community recognizes you as one. The second was at Manong Leo Giron’s school and house, when he and Grandmaster Vince Tinga introduced me to another teacher from the Bay as “Master” Gatdula. When I suggested that I was just a teacher, Manong Leo said, “you are a master because I say you are one…” Vince Tinga introduced me to the community as his nephew, and adopted my school as family (he actually taught in my school 7 days a week for nearly 2 years before his death). This is how one becomes a master, not through some ceremony.

Like I said in my previous articles, return to basics. Train yourself, train your students, give them plenty of opportunity to prove their sklls to you and themselves. Don’t try to make money off them forever. Give your students the respect they deserve and give your art the respect it deserves. Don’t pimp your martial arts. If you want to pimp something, throw 24s on your ride, put some bass in your trunk, but leave the arts and our traditions alone.

Thank you for reading my blog, please come back and check with us often!

I had the greatest experience back in 2005 meeting ROC RAIDA and the rest of the X-Ecutioners at a Charlotte , North Carolina DUB Show. Roc was the MOST HUMBLE person! I couldn’t believe how down to earth this WORLD RENOWN DJ was. I was able to chit chat with Roc after the X-Ecutioners music set and the conversation was amazing. Never at a moment was the guy rushed to bounce and say peace out. Through out the conversation and others jumping in for pictures and autographs did Roc ever scurry away to avoid his fans. As time flew on I knew Roc had other things to do and we left with a “peace out” and carried on the visit throughout the show. Definitely an A class experience.

I was able to catch up with Roc again and the X-Ecutioners in Los Angeles Courtesy of my friend Myles Kovaks at DUB Publishing. We stayed in the same hotel and on the same floor which was dope. Roc has saw me an instantaneously remembered me from many months before in Charlotte. As we chopped it up in the Lobby a lot of entertainers came through and yelled at Roc saying whats up. He introduced me to Vida Guerra (magazine and car model) , Fabulous, The Clipse, T.I. and BIG Country and a few others. this was unbelievable and was definitely the HIGHLIGHT of my sponsored trip to LA!As the night wound on we had a few drink in the lobby BAR and off to the STANDARD for a roof top party. We headed back to LAX on the same shuttle and chit chatted some more about to car related items and that was it. No superstar shit, no “swagger” a simple pound and “take care” as we headed to our respective terminals.

So, as to bring things to present day and my lack of keeping on top of the media shiz, I heard tonight Roc DIED Wednesday. Here is the Post from MTV.Com:

Grand Master Roc Raida Dead
Renowned DJ, who had performed with X-Ecutioners and Busta Rhymes, died Saturday of complications from a mixed-martial-arts accident.

By Shaheem Reid

In another terrible loss for the hip-hop community, Grand Master Roc Raida (real name: Anthony Williams) of the X-Ecutioners passed away on Saturday due to complications from a mixed-martial-arts accident, according to a statement released by his family. Raida had a two-decade career, which skyrocketed in 1995 when he won the DMC World DJ Championship. He released seven solo albums along with several LPs with his famed crew, the X-Ecutioners. Over the last few years, Raida had been Busta Rhymes’ live DJ, where his showmanship skills were a perfect marriage for Busta and Spliff Starr’s energetic stage antics.

At press time, Busta’s most recent tweets, published Monday morning, read: “I woke up this morning and realized how proud of this man’s life I really am … he can continue to smile down on us … R.I.P. eternally, from your Flipmode Family.”

I can concur with Busta, Roc was a humble man! And from our tiny encounters that was proven a hundred times over. Roc Raida will be missed , I am glad I have the memories of this GREAT MAN to remember him by!

RIP GRANDMASTA DJ ROC RAIDA!

Im Alter von nur 37 Jahren ist Anthony Williams alias Grandmaster Roc Raida gestern verstorben. Der DMC-Champion von 1995 war Mitglied der New Yorker DJ-Crew X-Ecutioners und ließ als Live-DJ unter anderem auch die Platten für Busta Rhymes kreisen. Die Todesumstände des talentierten Turntablisten sind bisher noch ungeklärt. Es ist ein großer Verlust für die HipHop-Community. Rest in Peace, Roc! (Quelle: AllHipHop.com)

Andreas Margara (20. September 2009)

Hip hop is in a perpetual state of mourning. Today is no exception. Anthony Williams better known as Grandmaster Roc Raida unexpectedly passed away this morning on September 19, 2009 at the young age of 37 reportedly due to health complications related to a spinal injury (reports have yet to be confirmed). A legend in his own right, Roc Raida will forever be remembered for pioneering turntablism and innovating the art form well beyond his competitors. Equipped with a larger-than-life persona, the Grandmaster himself stands unparalleled in his mastery of the nuanced and complex language of the wheels of steel. Roc Raida was best known for his lively displays of choreographed body tricks and absolute precision. Additionally, we must pay our respects to Raida’s legendary crew X-Men (b/k/a/) The X-Ecutioners whose lineup included founder Rob Swift, Total Eclipse, Mista Sinista and (of course) Roc Raida (other members include: Steve Dee, DJ Boogie Blind and DJ Precision). There’s simply not enough space in the blogosphere to fit all of his well deserved awards/accolades and contributions to the culture from the 1995 DMC World DJ Championship to his work with the likes of Show & AG, Jungle Brothers, Smif-N-Wessun, Busta Rhymes and Large Professor. Beloved by all Beat Junkies, Raida lives on as the keeper of Hip Hop’s heartbeat — the human metronome. Honestly, are the Gods building an army of legends in preparation for a battle on the horizon? I am not here to push conspiracy theories but chalking it all up to coincidence seems equally absurd. The task at hand is to make sure that history does not disappear with its pioneers. We must keep the legacies of Roc Raida (Dilla, Baatin, Jam Master Jay, Dusk 1, Rob 1, Bigga B, Proof, MJ, James Brown etc) alive through acts of remembrance and celebration. If you’re reading this, tune into JROCC’s (Beat Junkie Radio) live stream in loving memory of Roc Raida. These are the break/s…

Rest in peace and power, Grandmaster Roc Raida. Condolences to his family and loved ones.

Roc Raida (DMC US 1994)

This year is mad f’d up (RIP MOM), but there’s definitely a party in heaven…

Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in last night! We hope you enjoyed the hip hop & electro throwdown!

If you’d like to download the show, you can do so by clicking this link RIGHT HERE!

Here’s the show tracklist…

* Grandmaster Flash – Adventures Of Flash On The Wheels Of Steel (Sanctuary)
* Coldcut – Beats And Pieces (A Moment Of Your Time)
* Double D & Steinski – History Of Hip Hop – Lesson 1 (RPM)
* Mantronix – King Of Beats (Capitol)
* Beastie Boys – Sure Shot (Capitol)
* King Bee – Back By Dope Demand (Roadster)
* KRS-One – Sound Of Da Police (Zomba)
* NWA – F___ Tha Police (Capitol)
* Public Enemy – Night Of The Living Baseheads (Def Jam)
* Cypress Hill – I Ain’t Goin’ Out Like That (Columbia)
* Snoop Doggy Dogg – Gin And Juice (Death Row)
* Warren G feat. Nate Dogg – Regulate (Violator)
* Boogie Down Productions – My Philosophy (Jive)
* Blackalicious – Deception (Mo’Wax)
* DJ Format feat. Abdominal – Ill Culinary Behaviour (Genuine)
* Del Tha Funkee Homosapien – Mistadobalina (WEA)
* A Tribe Called Quest – I Left My Wallet In El Segundo – Vampire Mix (Jive)
* Roots Manuva – Witness (One Hope) (Big Dada)
* Tone Loc – Wild Thing (Delicious Vinyl)
* Young MC – Know How (Delicious Vinyl)
* Herbie Hancock – Rockit (Sony)
* Whodini – Magic’s Wand (Jive)
* Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel – White Lines (Don’t Do It) (Sanctuary)
* Funky 4 + 1 – That’s The Joint (Sanctuary)
* Masta Ace – Born To Roll (Delicious Vinyl)
* Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight (Sanctuary)
* Flight Of The Conchords – Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros (feat. Rhymenoceros And The Hiphopopotamus) (Sub Pop)

Thanks for downloading this show, we hope you enjoy it!

Make sure you tune into the next edition of Hubie Sounds on Thursday 1st October @ 8pm UK time, live and direct on www.Brap.FM!

Previous Hubie Sounds shows can be downloaded here

Hubie x

Unggulan pertama GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son (2589) dari Vietnam sekali lagi membuktikan bahwa dirinya memang pantas menjadi juara. Pada hari kelima atau terakhir Kuala Lumpur Open 2009 di Shah’s Village Hotel, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, Selasa (8/9), Truong Son merebut dua angka penuh dengan menundukkan MF Syarif Mahmud (Indonesia, 2347) pada babak kedelapan dan GM Marat Dzhumaev (Uzbekistan, 2532) pada babak kesembilan.

Tambahan dua angka tersebut membuat Son mengumpulkan 7,5 angka dan tidak mampu dikejar oleh siapa pun termasuk andalan Indonesia GM Susanto Megaranto (2527) yang juga sama mencetak dua kemenangan pula, yaitu atas MI Irwanto Sadikin (Indonesia, 2429) dan unggulan kedua GM Dao Thien Hai (Vietnam, 2542). Susanto hanya berhasil menjadi runner-up sendirian dengan 7 angka! Son meraup hadiah 10.000 ringgit (sekitar 30 juta) dan Susanto kebagian separuhnya.

Peringkat ketiga diraih sendirian oleh GM Saidali Iuldachev (Uzbekistan, 2519) dengan 6,5 angka. Iuldachev juga mencetak dua kemenangan berturut-turut atas CM Farid Firman Syah (Indonesia, 2207) dan GM Nguyen Anh Dung (Vietnam, 2454). Iuldachev mendapat 3.000 ringgit atau sekitar Sembilan juta rupiah.

Farid Firman Syah Pastikan Norma MI

Pecatur muda Indonesia CM Farid Firman Syah (rating 2207), 16 tahun, yang sudah memastikan norma MI pertamanya sehari sebelumnya, mempertegas itu dengan cara bangkit dari kekalahan atas Iuldachev dan menundukkan MI Rahul Shetty (2270) dari India pada babak kesembilan. Farid meraih 5,5 angka dan bertengger di peringkat dua belas. Jumlah angka yang diraih Farid satu angka melampaui persyaratan norma MI.

Keempat anggota Indonesian Dream Girls berhasil menambah angka pada hari terakhir. MFW Medina Warda Aulia (1950) dan MFW Dewi AA Citra (1931) akhirnya berhasil mengumpulkan 4 angka.
WCM Chelsie Monica Sihite (1986) dan Virda Rizka Aulia sama-sama meraih 3,5 angka.

Acara penutupan dilangsungkan Rabu (9/9) pagi didahului dengan pertandingan catur kilat lima menit.

KL Young Talent Chess Challenge 2009

Tim Indonesia pada Dwitarung KL Young Talent Chess Challenge 2009 memastikan keperkasaannya dengan menundukkan tim PCU Asia 5-4 pada KU14 tahun. Sementara tim Singapura menang 5,5- 3,5 vs KLCA. Jadi pada KU14 tim Indonesia keluar sebagai juara dengan skor total 18 poin. Singapura 16 poin dan PCU Asia 10,5 poin.

Di KU10 tahun tim Indonesia tampil lebih meyakinkan lagi dengan menang 6,5-2,5 atas tim PCU Asia. Skor yang sama juga dibuat tim KLCA atas tim Singapura. Secara keseluruhan tim Indonesia menang
Dengan total skor 20,5 poin, KLCA 14 poin dan PCU Asia 10 poin.

Berikut ini top skor pada KU14: 1. Lutfi Ali (Indonesia-SCUA Bekasi) 7,5 poin; 2. Joel Chan Cheng Hoong (Singapura) 7 poin; 3. Aziz Farhan (KLCA-Malaysia) 7 poin. Top skor KU10: 1. Mohammad Firmansyah (Indonesia – SCUA Bekasi) 8 poin; 2. Novendra Priasmoro (Indonesia-SCUA Bekasi) 8 poin; 3. Ryan Ow (PCU Asia-Malaysia) 7,5 poin.

Sumber: potretcatur.blogspot.com

Yo yo, it’s about time… for another installment of Hubie Sounds! This Thursday night we’ll be kicking it old skool with our Hip Hop and Electro Special, featuring choice cuts by the likes of Grandmaster Flash, Public Enemy, NWA, Beastie Boys, King Bee, Mantronix, Young MC, Sugarhill Gang and many more classic hip hop and electro acts from back in the day… and not one single cheesy explosion sound effect!

So if you like your beats and rhymes, make sure you tune in this Thursday 17th September @ 8pm UK time, live and direct on www.Brap.FM!

See you in the Brap Chatroom!

For further details, including how to tune in, check out my Radio Show page 

Hubie x

 10:14 pm

I Got Hammered at the World Chess Championships then I was Chickity Checkmated-  INDIA -  If you’re a world class “anything,” chances are you know how freaking hard it is to become “world class.”  You basically start out doing something like stupid like figure skating or playing the tuba at age 4, then do it everyday  for the rest of your life.  It’s pretty much a mind fluck consisting of practice, practice, practice, then some practice, practice, practice, followed by even more practice.  But, if you’re good enough at something, whatever the hell it is, you could end up making lots of money by being world champ, unless your this pathetic schmuck.  He didn’t want to be in the spotlight or win anything for his country, so he headed off to the bar and got hammered.

A  renowned French chess player showed up wasted drunk and passed out cold after just 11 moves in an international tournament in India.  Aside from completely embrassing himself and his family on national tv, he was also tossed from match play on technical grounds of  passing out and forfeiting a move, and for removing pieces from the board illegally.  Grandmaster  Vladislav Tkachiev arrived for Thursday’s match against the Indian champion so drunk the could hardly sit in his chair.  After a few stupidmoves  he passed out on the table and knocked over the game pieces with his head (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090904/od_nm/us_chess_india_drunk). 

The game was forfeited and a win awarded to the Indian champ, Praveen Kumar, who took the prize money, but not the medal; he wanted to whip the Russian’s ass fair and sqare.  Tkatchiev was warned and reprimanded by the organizers afterwards but was permitted to stay in the tournament after a few bribes and shots of vodka at the bar.  For a few hundred rubles and private lap dance with a happy ending any chess judge can be bought.  Hell, it’s not the Olympics and there’s no International Chess Committee testing for drugs, so why not have a little fun and pass out at the World Championships? Chickity check mate Comrade.  Pass that bottle of cheap Smirnoffs, and the cash. 

There have been a few well-documented incidents in the past when prominent sportsmen have got sufficiently soused up and faced reprimands as well as angry reactions from the public. Names that come to mind include cricket players such as England’s Andrew Flintoff and Australia’s Andrew Symonds.

One would not, normally, associate a quiet (though intense) game of chess to witness this, though.

But, it did happen.

He is a part of what is referred to as “the Blitz Brothers” (his brother represents the other part), and is a Russian-born, Kazakhistan-raised, French player called Vladislav Tkachiev. Ranked 58th in the world, and known to be a rather colourful and fast-living character, Tkachiev prefers rapid-fire “blitz chess” (hence the nickname) to the more traditional slow game.

His offence this time? He showed up drunk at a Grandmaster’s tournament in Kolkatta.

Having completed only a few moves, interspersed with repeated dozing off at the table, the maverick chess player had to be finally carried off, and ended up forfeiting his match.

Many prominent players, such as British grandmaster Nigel Short, demanded that strong punishment be meted out to Tkachiev.

Being sozzled in private is a matter of personal choice. In public, and especially in a tournament, this is not.

And if this sort of thing happens in a competition, the best solution would be to have the player ejected.

Isn’t this what would happen to a drunken spectator?