"Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines."
- Robert H. Schuller

Saturday
May182013

Splinter In Your Mind

I'm going to keep this short... sort of...

The truth.  Whatever it is that you are looking for, the truth is out there but something is keeping the truth hidden.  Something or...SOMEONE is keeping the truth away from you.  Do you know how?  Distractions.  Be aware, pay attention to what is going on.  How many times have you gotten close to the truth but somehow you were distracted by some other forces beyond your control?  

For the last couple of days, I've been watching certain documentaries that really opened my eyes and my awareness has really expanded.  If you're thinking that these documentaries are part of the "distraction", you might be right but in a way, this sort of distraction guided me toward to the truth.  So, what are these documentaries you ask?  I cannot say, however, I will say this...we live in a scary place.  Remember one thing, whoever or whatever you are, you will always be a human being.  We are all different but yet the same.  Do not let others put you in a classification or characterize you as such.  You have a right to do research and voice your opinion.  You have a right to search for the truth.  If you feel that you have been fed bullshit, then spit that shit out and ask... why?  Don't swallow it and pretend it doesn't taste like shit.  Sooner or later, you're going to get tired of being fed the same shit everyday and you know what?  There are already a great handful of people getting tired of this shit.  They want answers to questions that no one wants to utter out into the open.  One day, the truth will be set free and watch... the whole world is going to destroy itself.

 

Pay attention.

 

Friday
May102013

Inaccurate Facts

Not long ago, an employee of the hospital I work in, walked in my office and started to talk about martial arts (he previously knew I was training in Jun Fan jeet kune do, by the way).  He started to tell me what martial arts he took as a child and what martial arts he's taking now.  We somehow got into discussion about forms (katas).  I expressed my opinions about forms and suddenly, he gave me a blank look as if I didn't know what I was talking about.  He explained that forms were a sign of meditation and they were very vital to martial arts...to ALL martial arts.  He continued "If there were no forms, there cannot be martial arts".  I smiled and responded "Okay, if you believe that is so, then there is no need to discuss this any further".  There was a few seconds of awkward silence.  He then started to talk about Bruce Lee.

Oh man, here we go...

He started with "Bruce couldn't be who he was if he didn't do any forms.  He started "Judo" at the young age of 13..."

I interjected and said "No, he actually started Wing Chun at the age of 13."

"Wait, I saw pictures of Bruce in a "gi" doing Judo throws on people." as he responded.

"Correct.  But those pictures were taken in Seattle, during his college years.  He enrolled in a few Judo classes but never pursued to continue it."

He was surprised and asked if I knew Bruce Lee's history.  I told him that I like researching Bruce's timeline, I know at least 90 percent of it.  It came with the territory when training in jeet kune do.  He started to get frustrated. He then said "Jeet Kune Do.  Isn't that a combination of different styles?"  I shook my head and told him that Jeet Kune Do is definitely NOT a combination of styles.  It's a misconception.  Just because a dude who runs a huge and successful business of combat mixed martial arts sport, anoints Bruce Lee as the Father of Mixed Martial Arts, doesn't mean that it is true.  "Take it from me", I said to him, "Bruce Lee did investigate the efficiency of all martial arts but he also investigated the draw backs, the weaknesses of all martial arts as well.  He once quoted that there is no Japanese way of fighting or the Chinese way of fighting or.. whatever way of fighting.  If we have three arms and three legs, there will be another style of fighting but we only have two hands and two feet..."

Another blank look on his face told me that whatever I just told him, wasn't registering.  I explained further that Jeet Kune Do was geared more toward to street fighting as oppose to competition fighting. 

Again, awkward silence.

What he told me next was unbelievable.  He said "My teacher trained with Bruce Lee."

I tried so hard not to express how ridiculous that sounded but I had to verify this.

"Wow", (sarcasm), "Did you see any pictures of them together?  Or letters Bruce and your martial arts teacher wrote to each other?  Bruce liked to write letters to people he..."

"No, my teacher told me that he trained with him.  I believe him." as he interrupted me.

Okay, to make a long story short, he then told me how his teacher was the best and how he was as good as Bruce Lee, maybe even better.  At this point, I was just saying "Cool" and "Wow, that's terrific" to whatever he was saying.  Eventually, he left my office with a look of "Yea, I showed you" on his face. 

Besides him trying to make me look foolish, this blog is not about that.  I know a "one up" competition when I see one.  Honestly, I really don't care of such things.  "You win, big dawg.  You're the greatest" is my response (yea, sarcasm).  This is actually about people needing to truly know what they are expressing on a certain subject.  It's basically saying, "don't talk shit about things you don't know shit about".  Wherever he got his information about Bruce training in Judo at age 13, for example, is beyond me.  I mean, there are books on Bruce Lee, tons of them, stating that Bruce started in Wing Chun (if you want to get technical, Bruce learned Tai Chi first but that is an argument among Bruce Lee "historians" and fanboys...yea, and me lol).  Anyway, the question is, in the aspect of matial arts, ... do you believe what your martial arts teacher tells you?  Do you take what he/she says as the "gospel truth"?  I truly find it hard to believe that this guy's teacher trained with Bruce Lee.  He never saw pictures or seen letters to state that this was true.  He just "believed him".  Believing is one thing but totally being gullible without substantial evidence is utterly ridiculous.  Granted, a FEW things without verification can cancel out what I am saying but when it comes down to things like Bruce Lee or what Kim Kardashian was wearing when she met Kanye West, MUST be investigated.  Don't believe what you hear and believe half you see.  Something to that effect right?  He even believed that Bruce Lee was the Father of Mixed Martial Arts from a man who runs the UFC.  Has society become that lazy to raise the hand and ask "WHY is Bruce Lee the Father of Mixed Martial Arts and where did you get this information from?  And has anyone heard of Gene LeBell or Dan Inosanto?" (The last two people should give you a clue to what I am talking about.)

We all have opinions.  That means we like to think.  Giving opinions about things you don't know anything about is different.  If I don't know anything about the subject, I keep my mouth shut.  I will, however, will ask questions.  I can give two fcuks what people think, I'm not afraid to ask.  Most people don't do that.  Pride gets in the way and unfortunately, it's making that person look and sound stupid.  It even makes the person look and sound more stupid to a person who knows more about the subject.  Is it their fault for not knowing?  Well, if they don't want to look like an idiot then I suggest for them to shut the hell up and do some research.   

 

"...and one!"
 

 

Friday
May032013

Superior Spider-Man #9 REVIEW

Well.  Here we are, Issue 9 of the Superior Spider-Man.  I'll get to why I'm reviewing this particular issue in a few but let's have a quick summary:

Doctor Octopus (Spider-Man's arch nemesis) was dying.  He found a way to switch minds with Peter Parker (Spider-Man).  Peter (in Doc Ock's body) attempted to reclaim his body back from Doc Ock (who is in Peter's body).  Peter failed and made Doc Ock promise that with great power, comes with yada yada yada... Doc Ock accepts and vows to be a better Spider-Man that Peter ever was or could have ever been.  With the memories and information still intact, Doc Ock uses them to his advantage while being Peter.  As Spider-Man, Doc Ock brings down the Vulture, kills (yes, kills) a menacing villain called Massacre, and almost beats a few other criminals to death... almost.  The "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" no longer applies to Doc Ock's crusade.  The "anti-hero" comes to mind.  The Avengers also takes notice and gives Spider-Man a full examination.  The Avengers are convinced that there is nothing wrong with Spider-Man and let's him go.  However, Peter's consciousness still lingers in his own body but is not in control since Doc Ock's mind is in charge.  A few issues later, Peter somehow finds a way to gain control of his body or his hand and Doc Ock notices.  To make a long story short, Doc Ock knows that Peter is still "alive" and confronts Peter... in his or their own mind. 

Spoiler Alert: 
If you truly believe that a villain like Doctor Octopus could NEVER stay as Spider-Man in Peter Parker's body, then issue 9 will prove you wrong.  It may not be right but it does make a great story.  Your worse enemy, living YOUR life and no one knows about?  Dramatic thriller isn't it?  In issue 9, Doc Ock confronts Peter using a device he (as Doc Ock) created.  Doc Ock's plan?  Wipe out Peter consciousness for good.  In order for Doc Ock to do that... he must wipe out ALL of Peter's memories as well.  Yup, but before all that can happen, obviously, they (Doc Ock and Peter) have to have the "last battle".  Peter's consciousness from Issue 1 'till now, witnessed EVERYTHING that Doc Ock has been doing.  When the last battle commences, Peter points out what a Spider-Man should be.  Doc Ock rebuttals and explains that his (Doc Ock) actions as Spider-Man were absolutely necessary.  Killing Massacre so he wouldn't kill again, violently blinding the Vulture (permanent, most likley) for his acts of using children to commit his crimes... being serious and focused rather than being funny and playful will not get things done.  Doc Ock is actually improving Peter's life to move forward rather than being stagnant and trying to be everywhere all at once.  With all that said and done, Doc Ock slowly wipes out Peter's memories.  Peter then starts to forget the places and people he has ever known and suddenly... he starts to forget who he is...

The reason why I chose to review this particular issue is because of Doc Ock's explanation of why he shot Massacre.  I know it sounds dark and weird on my part but it sparked the question... 

Must the superhero code change from putting criminals in jail to killing them off because of their consistency of killing innocent lives?

Is Doc Ock right?  In order to stop a killer like Massacre, they have to meet their end as well?  Doc Ock strongly pointed out to Peter that if you keep putting criminals like Massacre in jail, they would break out and keep killing people.  Superheroes like Batman, who strongly upholds to NOT killing criminals, is a prime example.  Batman finds them, fights them, defeats them, then puts them in jail or the insane asylum.  Criminals break out, then here we go again.  Batman believes that rehibilitation is the form of ending a criminals evil ways.  Indecently, that is NEVER the case.  Ending the lives of these sadistic criminals is the quickest option, but is it right?  Do we do what they do?  Kill or be killed?  Yea, I know what I'm referring to is fantasy superheroes but this could also be applied to "our" world.  Can police officers kill those who kill people on site?  No trial by jury, just straight to the point execution? 

There is no definite answer to this.  There are some that would see criminals stay in prison and there are some that would want to see criminals killed so they won't kill again.  It's either or but there are laws and we all have to abide by them.  What Doc Ock did to Massacre, I do NOT agree with but was it necessary?  I don't know.  Do we need a Spider-Man that gets down and dirty and comply with brute force just as the criminals do?  Possibly.  Then again, Doc Ock WAS a criminal posing as a superhero so maybe this might be a good thing or... bad thing at the same time.  If a criminal like Doc Ock can change if given a new lease on life with incredible powers and a desire to do better than his enemy, then there can be a chance for the criminal to turn good.  However, some sort of guidance must be established.  But to whose guidance?  Which guidance is geared towards the correct path to brining proper justice?  How is one to know if they are heading in the right direction?