California's Kendo History

A bit of kendo history: Old undated commemorative group photo  featuring participants from Monterey, Salinas and Watsonville at a combined all- female kendo gasshuku held in Watsonville sometime in the 1930’s.

Shape of You (Ed Sheeran) - Caitlin De Ville

Caitlin De Ville - Electric Violinist WEBSITE: http://www.caitlindeville.com FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/caitviolin TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/caitlindeville INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caitlindeville

Moriji Mochida, the last 10th dan

Matsui Fukuyo. A paranormal view

Japanese artist and pop icon Fuyuko Matsui explores the haunted, interconnected realms of traditional and modern aesthetics. As one of the few women to have attained top training and mastery of traditional Japanese painting (nihonga) techniques in Japan, Matsui also cites centuries-old artistic influences, such as the iconoclastic eighteenth-century painter Soga Shohhaku and the fifteenth-century painter Soga Jasoku. Having grown up in a house that has been in her family for fourteen generations, Matsui produces work that is steeped in tradition; at the same time, she breathes new life into unsettling images filled with grotesque figures of ghosts, entrails, and rotting corpses. "I don't like sweet, cute art," she says. "If we think in centuries, in the Kamakura period, for example, it was scarier, more ghostly. I want to return to that taste in my art." In doing so, Matsui conjures the universally feared specters of the inner self, the unknown, and the inexpressible shadows that roam between the personal and collective past. View her work in "Phantoms of Asia: Contemporary Awakens the Past" at the Asian Art Museum from May 18-September 2, 2012. For more information: http://www.asianart.org/phantoms/

Caller vs Google call center

CALLER:Is this Gordon's Pizza?

GOOGLE:No sir, it's Google Pizza.

CALLER:I must have dialed a wrong number. Sorry.

GOOGLE:No sir, Google bought Gordon’s Pizza last month.

CALLER:OK. I would like to order a pizza.

GOOGLE:Do you want your usual, sir?

CALLER:My usual? You know me?

GOOGLE:According to our caller ID data sheet, the last 12 times you called you ordered an extra-large pizza with three cheeses, sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and meatballs on a thick crust.

CALLER:OK! That’s what I want …

GOOGLE:May I suggest that this time you order a pizza with ricotta, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and olives on a whole wheat gluten-free thin crust?

CALLER:What? I detest vegetable!.

GOOGLE:Your cholesterol is not good, sir.

CALLER:How the hell do you know?!

GOOGLE:Well, we cross-referenced your home phone number with your medical records.  We have the result of your blood tests for the last 7 years.

CALLER:Okay, but I do not want your rotten vegetable pizza! I already take medication for my cholesterol.

GOOGLE:Excuse me sir, but you have not taken your medication regularly.

According to our database, you only purchased a box of 30 cholesterol tablets once, at Drug RX Network, 4 months ago.

CALLER:I bought more from another drugstore.

GOOGLE:That doesn’t show on your credit card statement.

CALLER:I paid in cash.

GOOGLE:But you did not withdraw enough cash according to your bank statement.

CALLER:I have other sources of cash.

GOOGLE:That doesn’t show on your last tax return unless you bought them using

an undeclared income source, which is against the law.

CALLER:WHAT THE HELL?!!!

GOOGLE:I'm sorry, sir, we use such information only with the sole intention of helping you.

CALLER:Enough already! I'm sick to death of Google, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and all the others. I'm going to an island without internet, cable TV, where there is no cell phone service and no one to watch me or spy on me.

GOOGLE:I understand sir, but you need to renew your passport first. It expired 6 weeks ago…

Brutal fight

Samurai life. Nissin Noodles

7 SAMURAI CUP NOODLES

Samurai in Brazil

Ancient Men

Tai Chi Beats Aerobic Exercise for Fibromyalgia

Compared with aerobic exercise, the traditional martial art of tai chi is as good as, or better than, aerobic exercise, for improving the overall severity of fibromyalgia symptoms, new research shows.

Results of a 52-week single-blind trial showed that in addition to fibromyalgia symptom relief, tai chi was associated greater improvements in depression, anxiety, self-efficacy, and the mental component of the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) quality-of-life measure.

"Compared with aerobic exercise, the most commonly prescribed non-drug treatment, tai chi appears as effective as or better for managing fibromyalgia," the investigators, led by Chenchen Wang, MD, Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, write. "This mind-body approach may be considered a therapeutic option in the multidisciplinary management of fibromyalgia."

The study was published online March 21 in the BMJ. More info in Medscape 

Significado de OK

OK ou Okay (em inglês) é uma expressão utilizada quando algo está bem, correto 

ou que foi compreendido. É dito no sentido de afirmação ou aceitação de algo.

Ok é uma expressão de origem desconhecida e etimologia bastante discutida.

Alguns estudiosos acreditam que a primeira vez que o termo apareceu foi em 23 de Março

de 1839 no jornal "Boston Morning Post", portanto muitas pessoas atribuem a autoria ao 

editor do jornal, Charles Gordon Greene.

Saiba mais sobre o significado de Okay.

Muitos também afirmam que o termo é de origem alemã, uma deformação da expressão All Correct (por "Oll Korrekt"), que significa "está tudo correto".

Existe também outra teoria que afirma ser a palavra de origem indígena norte-americana 

Okeh, que era a língua nativa dos índios Choctaw e significava "sim".

Muitos opinam que a origem do termo é da Grécia, já que O.K. são as iniciais da expressão grega Ola Kala, que significa "tudo está bem".

Outras teorias indicam que OK pode ter uma origem africana e que foi trazida para os EUA 

pelos escravos, e deriva da expressão "hoc ille” ou do “occitano oc" que significa "sim".

Alguns historiadores alegam que a expressão pode ter surgido durante a Guerra Civil dos 

Estados Unidos, pois quando não havia nenhuma baixa nos campos de batalha anotava-se "0 killed" (nenhum morto), que na sua forma abreviada corresponde a 0K.

Outra teoria afirma ainda que na época da escravidão nos EUA, quando os escravos 

trabalhavam nos campos de algodão do sul, os capatazes davam uma autorização em 

francês chamada “auquai”, que era entendida como “ollkway”, pelos não-franceses, e que significava “sim” ou “confirmado”.

Uma teoria muito discutida fala sobre um sinal com a mão utilizado pelos soldados norte-americanos, o qual significa que está tudo bem. Este sinal lembra um "O" formado com os       dedos polegar e indicador juntos nas pontas em forma de círculo e, supostamente, formando      um "K" com os outros dedos levantados.

Nuit des Arts Martiaux Traditionnels

2007

2010

Ippons - 16th All Japan Kendo 8-dan Tournament 2018

3rd Round-FINAL Ippons - 16th All Japan Kendo 8-dan Tournament 2018  第16回全日本選抜剣道八段優勝大会　第3回戦〜決勝 有効打突集 

Kunwu Sword Manual

20 tips de supervivencia selva & "20 Wilderness Survival Tips!"

Thoughts on the sword

Interpretaciones peculiares y pe...culeares

Kairākau - Patu

These types of short-handled clubs were mainly used as a striking weapon. The blow administered with this weapon was a horizontal thrust straight from the shoulder at the enemy’s temple. If the foe could be grasped by the hair then the patu would be driven up under the ribs or jaw. Patu were made from hardwood, whale bone, or stone.

Thought

It may seem difficult at first, 
but everything is difficult at first.

Miyamoto Musashi
1645

Heaven and Earth. Tai Chi, Taoism

Inner thoughts are covered in the book "Phoenix in Graceful Clouds of Blessing" 內功心法 藏於 鳳舞祥雲 書中 本功法根據道家自古歷代相傳奧理，以運先天之真氣為功法基礎，采元陽以補後天之陰損，氣通奇經八脈，調和十二經氣，平衡五臟六腑機能，提升免疫，抗病功能，易筋壯骨，寧定心神，排濁納新，養顏回春。 Phoenix qigong imitates the rotation of the earth. Through circular motions, the hands act as a guidance enhancing the internal flow of energy that comes with life. Internal energy is like blood. It is there in everybody by birth. Positive energy is gathered and built up to flow in order to clear blockages and strengthen the functioning of the internal organs, and make up the losses caused by wear and tear of everyday life. Exercising through tai chi like motions, energy is directed through the governing channels in the human body to balance the strength of internal organs, like ocean currents flowing through invisible channels across the oceans to regulate global climate. The improved organ functions improve immunity, resist illness, revitalize rejuvenation. The special methods relieve pain, ease stress and calm the mind. The practice is simple and easy to learn with precise indications for building up a strong foundation. While the learning is easy, the benefits of this practice last a life time. Joe Lok. Founder of Phoenix in Graceful Clouds of Blessing Qigong. 簡單易學，注解精微，一朝學就，永久受用。 道理深奧，包羅萬象，配合心法，融會貫通。 單式練習，可發揮針對療效， 十六式結合為一套路，成全面維護健康之功法。 每日片刻之功，延年益壽之德。 There are single forms for designated healing benefit. Sixteen single forms contribute a set to be practiced for health holistically. 駱偉民 鳳舞祥雲 養生氣功

Chinese Archery Program

The Chinese Archery Program (CAP), founded in 2013, is a weekend-long training intensive that takes place at the Koppedrayer's Bamboo Farm in Odum, Georgia, USA. It features instruction, practice, talks, and discussions about traditional Chinese Archery. Whether you're learning thumb ring archery for the first time, an archer looking to fine-tune your form, or an archer looking for a group of like-minded friends to discuss archery culture or technical minutiae, all skill levels are welcome!

Shooting activities include technical work at the gaozhen (close-range bale for working on form), shooting from multiple distances, the Archery Ritual (a pillar of Chinese archery culture), as well as archery games. Lectures cover a range of topics from bow making to technique to culture and philosophy.

Taken from Vimeo https://vimeo.com/262600218

Dao de Jing (Chapter 68)

El cuarto mono

Lunes de Pascua, lunes de mona

Durante los días de la Semana Santa, las pastelerías de Catalunya presentan en sus mostradores un sabroso espectáculo no solo gastronómico si no también visual: pasteles y figuras de chocolate, algunas con tanta complejidad que son auténticas obras de arte. Esta tradición típicamente de los países catalanes se conoce como "Mona de Pascua". Su nombre no tiene ninguna relación con los simios, sino que procede del término árabe "munna", que significa "provisión de la boca", un regalo en forma de alimento dulce que los moriscos hacían a sus señores para celebrar que las restricciones de la Cuaresma habían terminado. La tradición observa que el padrino regala la mona a su ahijado el domingo de Pascua, aunque el verdadero día para degustarla es el Lunes de Pascua, que en Catalunya es festivo, y en el cuál las familias se reúnen para comer la mona de postre. Una de las pastelerías más famosas en Barcelona por sus creaciones "monines" es Escribá. Os incluyo unas imágenes de la gigantesca mona de este año basada en la película de Disney "Coco"

  

Soke, Masaaki Hatsumi in action

Soke - Masaaki Hatsumi Sensei in action in Jiraya Action Movie

Best Japanese Commercials 2017

Frases