Guns for Drugs

Hi!

According to the BATF, 90% of the guns used by Mexican drug cartels come from the U.S. (I heard this on the 3/24 episode of NPR's Fresh Air.) Why? Because it's easy to get guns here! It's quite ironic that U.S. citizens are lamenting the problem of drugs in Mexico as it spills over into border states when it's our supply of guns and demand for drugs that is the root cause. Here are two things we could do to help, neither will go over well Washington but I don't see anything coming out of there that's any better:

1) Legalize drugs, especially marijuana, and allow anyone convicted of possession of a small amount of anything to undergo counseling instead of going to prison. Legalization of pot would improve control, increase tax revenue, and make it less of a gateway drug. The main reason pot is a gateway drug is because it requires people to engage the criminal element to get it. Make it legal, and folks just wanting a hit now and then won't have to subject themselves to criminals who push the hard (and more profitable) stuff. Giving people counseling would not only be cheaper than sending them to prison, but it'd allow them to stay productive members of society. Prisons don't rehabilitate drug addicts, they only introduce them to more contacts and make it easier for them to get drugs when they get out...

2) Reform guns laws. The main way guns are making it to Mexico is through legal purchases that are then turned over to the cartels. These folks buy a few at a gun show, from a dealer, or some other legal (in the U.S. anyway) method, then simply send them underground. It wouldn't take making gun shows illegal to fix this, just better record-keeping. If Joe Blow buys 25 guns over a three week period, that should raise a red flag. If a BATF agent stops by his house and the guns aren't there, then Joe goes to jail. I know the NRA is opposed to this, but where in the Constitution does is state that the right to bear arms comes with right to do it without any records of ownership?

We're quick to complain when another country's laws make it harder on our society, but won't acknowledge when our laws negatively affect another's. If we're to stop this guns for drugs exchange we have with Mexico, we can't just throw money and training south of the border; we need to make make some changes north of it.

Thanks,
Matt

Big Night for the Big East

Hi!

I posted on Facebook yesterday that I was rooting for CT, Memphis, Duke, and Xavier. It didn't work out, though it was a big night for the Big East, which showed that it deserved three #1 seeds. Anyway, Connecticut won, but Memphis lost, Duke lost, and Xavier lost to Pittsburg. My brother actually went to the Memphis game. Here's a picture he sent me from his phone:



The game was in Glendale, in the same stadium in which the Super Bowl was played in 2008. Fortunately, they didn't use all the seats. I was imagining a tiny basketball court in the middle of a the football field. The players would have looked as far away as Mick Jagger when Brandi and I saw The Stones there.

Anyway, it was a big night for the Big East. Now, I can root all out for Connecticut without any serious conflicts. However, I would like to see Arizona do well...

Thanks,
Matt

What is a Black Belt?

Hi!

I made this post on my TKD blog and thought I'd link to it here.

Thanks,
Matt

What is a Black Belt?

Hi!

Last night's black belt testing for Shannon and Nick inspired this post... What is a black belt? It's more than a device for holding up pants, or a rank. A Black Belt is a person. The day such a person is awarded the rank and the device, though, isn't necessarily when that person becomes a "black belt." Becoming a black belt is a growth process. Days like yesterday are merely when the results of that growth are formally acknowledged.

To call what happened yesterday a "testing" isn't entirely accurate. Was it a foregone conclusion that Nick and Shannon "passed" the testing? Well, no, but they wouldn't have been there at all had they not already been considered worthy of the rank. It'd be hard to imagine what they would have had to do (or not do) to have been denied the acknowledgement last night. The main reason it'd be hard is because the inconceivability of them doing such a thing is based on the fact that they've already grown beyond the kind of person who would behave in such a way.

The truth is, though, that I know people who have attained the rank of black belt who don't live up to ideals I've come to expect of people awarded that rank. It's not that I expect black belts to be perfect. We all make mistakes because black belts are, above all else, human beings. Following my "Moving On" post, I was reminded of that by Sensei Dorsey, my Isshinryu Karate instructor. Part of what makes a true black belt special is the ability to acknolwedge their own humanity, and then consistently act in accordance with the brighter side of it. Last night was an acknowledgement that we believe Nick and Shannon will...

Thanks,
Matt

My Thoughts on AIG

Hi!

I've heard several news podcasts and shows recently that have prominently featured the AIG controversy. Mostly, people want to know what happened and what the government can do about it. The bottom line regarding what happened is this: AIG (though one of it's departments) insured mortgage-backed securities and didn't account for the possibility that real estate values could fall. In fact, their models didn't even entertain the notion! Now, they didn't actually have to pay claims. The problem is that insurance companies can have less of a reserve if their rating is high (AA or AAA). When property values fell, their rating fell, too. This meant that they had to provide collateral cash to companies that had policies with them. This "run" on their cash is why they needed a bailout.

One could consider this a corporate example of a small-time investor buying a bunch of houses (with ARM loans, of course) and then renting them to people for a thin profit margin. When their payments to the banks go up, they don't have enough to cover the difference. Even if the renter keeps paying the rent, the bank isn't getting enough money and forecloses anyway. The difference, of course, is that when the government gave a bunch of money to AIG, it gave it to its policy-holders. This, in my opinion, is total B.S. The policy-holders haven't realized any losses. It's all just accounting based on the terms of the policy...

This leads me to the bonuses paid to AIG employees. Also total B.S. The "we have contracts we have to honor" excuse doesn't hold water. Every day the government legally breaks financial contracts: It's called bankruptcy court. AIG could have easily spun-off the division that made these crazy deals, then had it file for bankruptcy. The rest of the company, the part that insures regular folks with traditional policies, would be fine. It doesn't surprise me at all that many of these people don't want to return their bonuses. That merely displays the kind of hubris and greed that allowed them to be successful in their jobs in the first place! Successful, of course, is a subjective term: They were VERY good at doing what they were rewarded for doing: Short-term bookings at the expense of long-term viability.

This short-term view is the result of Wall Street pressure to perform NOW! Companies aren't rewarded for taking the long-term view (unless, of course, everything collapses and long-term is all that's left). The solution will require a complete overhaul of the mentality of investors. Basically, we need all investors to ask: What Would Warren (Buffett) Do? I'm fairly certain that he didn't have any money in AIG or with Bernie Madoff. Until we start rewarding companies for making sound long-term decisions, we can expect this kind of thing to happen pretty regularly...some appropriate regulation wouldn't hurt either. Don't get me started on how AIG could keep a AA rating while it was pull all this crap...

Thanks,
Matt

2009 Arizona Renaissance Festival

Hi!

Brandi, the kids, and I went to the Arizona Renaissance Festival today. It's always a great time! It was warm, but there was a breeze. Unfortunately, it was occasionally VERY strong and blew up a lot of dust... Here's the main gate:



Brandi will eventually post more pictures of the kids on our SmugMug site, so I'll just write a bit about what we did. First, Jacqueline got her face painted. That's all she'd been talking about since she didn't get to do it last year. Then, we went to the jousting tournament. The jousting itself was kind of a let down, though I enjoyed the skills competition leading up to it. Here's a video:



We ate here and there all day; I had several pickles. In years past, one could get artichokes. I love artichokes! I would have preferred artichokes, but the pickles were excellent! Jacqueline wanted to ride on the long slide around the tower, so I went up with her. I got some great pictures of the grounds through the tower windows:






Eventually, we found the greyhounds at Fairhaven. There, we ran into Julia Sayre, P4 Area Governor, practicing her Toastmasters skills explaining the virtues of greyhound adoption. Here's a picture of her answering one of my daughter Jacqueline's many questions:



We walked around a bit more, ate a bit more, and left at around 5:00pm. It's an expensive day, though mostly becuase we buy so much stuff for the kids. It would be a LOT cheaper to hire a baby-sitter so Brandi and I could go on our own, but part of the fun is to do things as a family. Maybe next year we'll do both...

Take care!
Matt

Don't Fear the Audience

Hi!

Why is it that people fear public speaking? The answer that most give is that they're afraid of the audience. They're afraid the audience won't want to hear what they have to say. They're afraid the audience will think them a fool. They're afraid the audience will be hostile...

Believe me, most of the time, the audience wants you to succeed. They want you to do well. Why? That's easy! They'd rather hear a good speaker than a bad one. They're there, they're ready, and they'd rather be entertained then have to feel pity on someone who is having a hard time. I was the contest chair at a Toastmasters speech contest today. Here is the audience I had the privilege of having in front of me:



Toastmasters are great about being a supportive audience. If you're being held back by not having the full support of an audience that wants you to succeed, then join a Toastmasters club. Its mission is, in part, "to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment." What more could you need?

Take care!
Matt

Facebook

Hi!

I joined Facebook last week and I'm still not sure what I'm doing. I don't know why I didn't join years ago; I've been on LinkedIn for a while and really enjoy on-line networking. It's a great way to keep in touch with people.

Thanks,
Matt

An Alternative to Competition: The Demo Team

Hi!

I've written several posts related to the case against competition, most of which are excerpts from my article in Taekwondo Times magazine. They've covered the concept of kiai, martial arts forms, the purpose of stances, and point sparring. This post will cover the positive aspects of martial arts tournaments and how these can still be achieved without the use of competition.

Martial arts tournaments can be a showcase for students to perform in front of large, unfamiliar audiences. Getting over nervousness and having the self-confidence necessary to do this is one of the main benefits of martial arts training. However, a tournament is not the only (or even the best) way to do this. A demonstration not only achieves the same thing, but if done as part of a multi-school event will also encourage students (and instructors) to share knowledge and learn from one another. Tournament competition not only doesn't encourage this, but it would not be in a competitor's best interests to share knowledge if they believe it would hurt their chances of winning. If everyone's goal is to learn and put on a great show, then everyone will have an incentive to share.

A demo team is also a great way for a school to create camaraderie among its students (and perhaps generate some additional revenue for the school). Demo team members don't (and shouldn't) have to be the highest-ranking, most-talented martial artists in the school. By showcasing lower ranks and people with obvious physical limitations (I, for one, am severely gravitationally challenged.), the school will project an "anyone can do this" attitude. Having a diverse demo team will also allow people to see the transformations possible through martial arts.

Removing the competitive undercurrents from training will not only help the students see people as enablers of their success, but will also help the school become a stronger family. Most schools will claim this is their goal, but if a school owner pushes competition, then he may be kicking himself in the foot...

Thanks,
Matt

Escrima Curriculum

Hi!

The first weapon in the curriculum is Escrima sticks. Students learn four basic patterns and the six-count pattern. The four basic patterns are:

1) High, Low
2) High, Low, High
3) High, Low, High, Around the Head, High
4) High, Low, High, Down and Around (strike the floor, actually), High

Starting position is sticks on your shoulders. They're done first with the right hand, then with the left. Typical practice is one pattern for a while, then the next, and so on. Here's a video of Sensei Scott Morrill and I doing the basic patterns with both hands, one after the other:



Note that we shift our weight, but don't step forward or back. Also, note that we keep our hands in front and use the sticks to generate the force with our wrists, rather than swinging our arms. Finally, note that we turn our hands out so that we're striking as if we're using blades. This ensures that our hands are supporting the force of the strike, rather than our fingers.

The six-count pattern uses both hands alternating. Starting position is right stick on right shoulder, left stick under right arm. The six-count pattern is:

1) Right high and follow-through to left shoulder
2) Left low and follow-through to left shoulder (outside right hand)
3) Right low and back to under left arm (ending in the opposite position as the start)
4) Left high and follow-through to right shoulder
5) Right low and follow-through to right shoulder (outside left hand)
6) Left low and back to under right arm (ending in the same position as the start)

This pattern is usually done repeated many times. The "stationary," "rotating around," "up/down," and "roll" mentioned in the curriculum are body movements to be done while repeating the pattern. Rotating around means we'd circle around one another. Up/down means that we'd alternate going down to our knees; and roll means that one (or both) of us will do a forward roll (without colliding) then re-engage in the pattern. Here's a video of Sensei Morrill and I doing the stationary six-count pattern a few times:



What makes this interesting is being able to do the patterns quickly and with a lot of power behind each strike. It's a good forearm workout and will definitely test your focus. Getting hit in the hand with an Escrima stick is pretty painful, so it helps to have a partner you trust.

Thanks,
Matt

I've got a lot to (re-)learn...

Hi!

I posted the weapons curriculum for Okinawan Kenpo. I used to know most of these forms, but forgot them in the ~9 years it's been since I trained regularly in OKKK (following my back injury). I've got a lot to learn and a lot to re-learn, but it'll be fun. We had a great meeting over the weekend. Every bit helps...

Take care!
Matt

Okinawan Kenpo Kobudo - Weapons Curriculum

Hi!

Ms. Rush-James teaches weapons at several martial arts schools (primarily TKD) in the Phoenix area. Students who participate in the weapons program, which is outside a school's normal curriculum, learn forms that are part of the Okinawan Kenpo Karate-Kobudo (weapons) system. Rank in the weapons system is indicated by chevrons on the student's pant leg rather than belts. This is to avoid confusion with the school's primary curriculum. Here's what students learn for each belt level:

White:

Four Escrima Patterns (h/l, h/l/h, h/l/around/h, h/l/h/floor/l)

Shihonuke Bo Kata (Four Corners)

Yellow:

Shima Igiri Bo Ichi Kata

Gold:

Freestyle Bo Kata I

Orange:

Chounokun Bo Kata

Six-Count Escrima Pattern (stationary, rotating, up/down, optional roll)

Green:

Chotoku Kyan no Sai Kata

Purple/Blue:

Matayoshi no Sai Kata

Blue/Purple:

Odo Matayoshi no Sai Kata

Red:

Tokumine Bo Kata I

Six-Count Escrima Pattern (with roll)

Brown:

Tokumine Bo Kata II

Black:

Tonfa Kata I

Freestyle Bo Kata II

Note that blue and purple may be swapped depending on the school's belt order. It does not affect the order in which the material is learned. Also, please understand that the videos are meant to show an example of the form, not provide a definitive version or instruction. Our goal is to post videos of all of the kata, but even they won't be a substitute for direct instruction from a qualified black belt. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in a comment.

Thanks,
Matt

Road Less Traveled

Hi!

I hadn't thought I'd ever post something directly related to my role as a Division Governor in Toastmasters, but today I can't help it. Today, we had a District Executive Committee meeting during which I gave this report. Basically, I read "Road Less Traveled" by Robert Frost:

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

Why did I read this fanstatic poem about choices? Simple. Because that's what we all do every day and I thought it was relevant. The Gila Division Area Governors and I made the choice to have all five Area contests on one day, staggered by 90 minutes and alternating buildings on Intel's Ocotillo campus. Personally, I thought it worked out great! Others absolutely hated it!!

At first, I was going to defend our choice in my report. Instead, I decided to point out (albeit in a round-about way) that we all make choices. People don't always choose their circumstances, but they choose how to react to them. I think this is a lesson we should all try to remember from time to time...

Thanks,
Matt

Ignite Phoenix

Hi!

A friend presented at Ignite Phoenix last month. My evaluation of his presentation is here. I'm planning on presenting at the next event in June...

Thanks,
Matt

Ignite Phoenix - The heART of Investing

A couple of weeks ago, Brian Carson, my Toastmasters club President and friend, presented during the Ignite Phoenix event on February 25th. His presentation was titled "The heART of Investing" and can be see here. Here is my evaluation of Brian's presentation:

I'm going to go with the "sandwich" approach... First, great message! Brian is a VERY credible source of badgering (I mean, information) on volunteerism. He is truly a shining example of someone who is successful at work, great with his family, but still actively involved in his community.

Second, what is the dress code for Ignite Phoenix? I'm not one to give fashion advice, but I have to comment on Brian's color choices. Wearing black and red on a dark stage made him difficult to see. His body movement and gestures were good and would have made a greater impact had he been dressed in lighter clothes.

Finally, Brian uses humor VERY well. I love that his humor is ALWAYS self-deprecating, even if his stapling gag fell a bit flat at first. It's easy to make fun of others to boost yourself; it's much harder (and requires more confidence) to boost others by making fun of yourself.

Overall, I loved Brian's message and his passion for it. A little better understanding of (and preparation for) the venue would have helped, but that didn't take away from his main point. I hope to see Brian present at Ignite Phoenix again in the future...

Why I Hate Laser Pointers

Hi!

I made this post to my Presentation Skills blog today.

Thanks,
Matt

Why I Hate Laser Pointers

Hi!

I've often been heard talking about this, so it's about time I blog about it. Here's why I hate laser pointers, though most of these reasons apply to any kind of pointing device:

1) Pointing to the screen tends to require one to face it. This means that the presenter isn't facing the audience. Speaking away from the audience has a significant negative impact on voice projection.

2) Relying on pointers decreases one's reliance on language. Saying "here" and "here" while using a pointer instead of "the figure at the top" and "the chart on the right" makes the presentation less about the presenter and more about the slides.

3) They're a crutch one may not always have. If you're presenting to a virtual (or partially virtual) audience, you may not be able to use a pointer. If you become dependent on them, then you'll be in trouble when they're not available.

Remember that the presenter should always be the focus of the presentation, not the visual aid. Using pointers tends to shift that focus, so please use laser pointers only where they're really effective: as a way to drive your cat nuts!

Thanks,
Matt

My Pictures of Chile

Hi!

My pictures of Chile are now on-line at SmugMug. Please take a look and let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Matt

Errazuriz Vineyard Tour

Hi!

On Friday, February 27th, we visited the Errazuriz Vineyard. It was a VERY nice time. The vineyard is very beautiful and the weather was perfect. Here are a few pictures I took of the vineyard:





More are available on our SmugMug site. What I found most interesting is the difference between "wine" grapes and "table" grapes. Grapes used for wine are supposed to be small, about the size of large blueberries. This means that the flavor is packed into a smaller size, not that they have less flavor. What makes table grapes large is water, which dilutes wine. The official reason for our visit was a presentation by one of the winemakers and tasting. Here are some pictures of the setup they had for us:




I liked the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc the best. I normally don't like whites, but this one was different. The winemaker explained that it wasn't stored in oak barrels, which is what darkens most whites. To be an official "winemaker" in Chile, one must have a degree in agriculture. The rationale is that knowing what to do after the grapes are grown does you no good if you don't know how to grow good grapes. She explained that it's possible to make bad wine from great grapes, but never vice versa.

I haven't been able to fine any Errazuriz wines in the Phoenix area. If you know where I might find some, please let me know...

Thanks,
Matt

Vina del Mar & Valparaiso

Hi!

We visited Vina del Mar and Valparaiso today. On the way in, we stopped by a museum that has a Maoi statue out front. You may recognize the style from those on Easter Island, which is part of Chile. Here's a photo of me with the statue:



Our first official stop was at the beach in Vina del Mar, which means "vineyards of the sea." The city is famous for its vineyards, but we were more interested in the beach. (I'll write another post for the vineyard we visited on Friday.) Here's the first picture I took of the beach:



The water was Maine-cold, so we didn't go in. However, even if it were 80 degrees we wouldn't have gone in because of the strong surf. The lifeguards were blowing their whistle whenever anyone (especially kids) got more than waist-deep. Here's a picture I took of a warning sign:



Roughly translated, "playa no apta para el bano" means "the beach is not good for swimming." Totally agree! There is a relatively steep drop to the water's edge and the waves were large (>5'). This makes for good surfing, but also BAD undertow.

After leaving the beach, we went to lunch at Coco Loco, a revolving restaurant in Valparaiso. It was nice, but it revolved so fast that it gave some of our group motion sickness and they had to eat downstairs. Here's a photo of me on the balcony of the restaurant:



After leaving the restaurant, we went to a cul-de-sac that contains a bunch of souvenir shops and some photo opportunities. Here's a picture I took of the port of Valparaiso:



Notice the shipping containers in the foreground and the cruise ship in the background. Valpo is Chile's largest port and my parents' cruise ship landed there after their trip to Antarctica in 2007. Eventually, I'll post more pictures on our SmugMug site.

Thanks,
Matt