China

The heartbreak of a bad Sims 3 party

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Greenpeace shames corporate America

Corporate America is potentially the least environmentally responsible behemoth I can think of. Even the words "Cor-por-ate A-mer-i-ca" are these short, sharp syllables that make you feel like someone is spitting in your face while they say it. It's almost like there is a competition going on between the corporations where the goal is to be the most profitable at any cost, no matter what the consequences to the environment.

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Links for January 21, 2013

Highly radioactive sewage sludge is being shipped out of Fukushima for compost. fukushima-diary.com

Fake shark fin soup could be toxic

I really want to title this article “Sharks bite back,” but aside from being obnoxiously flippant, people are getting sick in China after eating food in good faith, and that’s just not fair play. We animal activists shouldn’t gloat over the fact that China’s bizarre and dangerous food system has found a way to create shark fins for shark fin soup, and that some of the fake shark fins may be toxic.

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The downside to budget travel

To preface this, on my last stint in Asia, I was blessed to have flown on Singapore Airlines. The tickets were still bought on a discount site, but were much more expensive than my latest ticket on China Eastern Airlines. Having just suffered (#firstworldproblems) through a nearly 15-hour flight aboard CEA, I’m starting to contemplate the money I saved.

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California’s shark fin ban is standing strong

Last year, California passed a ballot measure banning shark fins from being used in restaurants. The measure takes effect in six months, when restaurants will be prohibited from using any newly-harvested shark fins. (In a loophole, restaurants will be able to keep serving fins that had already been harvested. I wonder how long those will hold out? Shenanigans!)

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Links for January 4, 3013

The International Atomic Energy Association has released a report on the severity of the damage to Fukushima Units 1, 2, 3 reactors. aec.go.jp

Is juggernaut Japan being driven to destruction? japantimes.co.jp

Ki, Qi, Chi, and Me, by Michael Saunders

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Mo'Dawg axs, does Ki mean belt buckle in aikido? No way to tell whether he was pulling Dr. D's leg, but hey, it's an easy URL ...

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Ki in Japan, Qi or Chi in China, is an Asian (not aiki) concept that presumes your life force emanates from your body like electrical fields (in fact) do from your brain. I'm highly dubious about the metaphysics, at least in the form usually stated, but 1 billion good, decent people (and their doctors) may be on to some thing.

Usually "Ki" is taken to be seated in the hara, the center of gravity, a couple of inches below your belly button -- where the knot on your black belt is tied. Or a couple of inches above the belt buckle, in Saunders' case.

Ai-ki-do: Ai = harmony, Do = way. The way of harmonizing your ki with your attacker's. Odd to think of blending your intentionality with a mugger's? That's what Michael Saunders is trying to do as a 94 MPH fastball attacks him, in front of 30,000 people.

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Metaphysics aside, Westerners would be a lot better off if they incorporated the idea of Ki into their vocabulary. There are many aiki sensei with zero interest in metaphysics, and they speak of an imaginary "ray of intentionality"with profit. There is no question that this is a core concept in sports. A beginning tennis player needs to think in terms of his weight moving forward as he strikes the ball. Then he learns to get his weight moving in the direction of the shot ... then to visualize the shot ... then to synch the CG with the visualization, which organizes his four limbs...

I seriously doubt that any elite athlete moves without Ki organization, at least subconsciously. When Junior says "let the ball get deeper and then get on top of it" he's speaking of his bat as though it's him personally - as though he and the bat are one. The visualization idea is universal.

Mike Marshall's driveline mechanics are an obvious use of the idea. After you get to thinking of MOVING your weight in the right direction, you then must attend to the idea of ACCELERATING your weight with the correct degree of aggressiveness. Ask scratch-golfer Mo'Dawg how much it matters, whether he accelerates his club with the right smoothness and launch.

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