Awaken YOUR Superhero Powers : Power 2 of 10 – Discipline

Posted by on Sep 19, 2007 in Ninjutsu, On ko chi shin | 4 comments

Awaken YOUR Superhero Powers : Power 2 of 10 – Discipline

Jo Kai
Shila Paramita
Discipline

As part of my every thought, word, and action, I am inspired by the heroic ideal of ethical discipline. I live my principles!

Ever wonder why Superman doesn’t just do whatever he wants? After all, he’s invulnerable to just about everything, can fly, shoot fire from his eyes and countless other powers. Why doesn’t he just conquer the world?

It comes down to principles. The character of Superman has principles that are as invulnerable as he is. You have them, too, superhero. You have things you believe in, you know right from wrong, and more importantly, you know when you cross that line, when you stray off the path.

Likewise, you know what a fantastic feeling it is when you and what you believe in are perfectly aligned. Those are the days when everything just works, when you feel like you can accomplish anything, inspire anyone, and are on top of the world.

Commit today and every day to live your beliefs with a focused thought, word, and action.

Thought: Take a moment today and every day to find a principle, ethic, or belief in yourself that, privately, you know needs firming up, and find an emotionally satisfying reason to uphold that belief.

Word: In a conversation you have today and every day, find a moment to reaffirm with a friend or to the world the things you believe in – not to evangelize, but to remind yourself of what’s important to you.

Action: During an activity today and every day in which you know you compromise your beliefs – maybe it’s a cigarette you sneak at lunch – recharge your belief that you are WORTH your commitments to yourself, and shut down the little voice that wants you to compromise.

Endnote: The powers themselves are translated by Senior Master Instructor Stephen K. Hayes from the Enlightened Warrior Gyoja Practitioner Recitation Handbook, published by the Kinryuzan Golden Dragon Mountain Kasumi-An Dojo.

New iPod is on the way!

Posted by on Sep 19, 2007 in Technology | 4 comments

Shipping from Kunshan!

Fedex iPod shipment

Cover Music on the Podsafe Music Network

Posted by on Sep 18, 2007 in Music, Podcasting | 23 comments

There was a great discussion on Twitter today about cover songs and the Podsafe Music Network. Disclosure: I am not a lawyer. My understanding of copyright and intellectual property law is based solely on all the stuff I’ve read to be in compliance with the law and what ASCAP/BMI sent me when I applied for licenses for my show, the Financial Aid Podcast.

There are three basic rights when a song is created by a musician:

  1. Composition rights. This is the sheet music, the notes themselves.
  2. Performance rights. This is the expression of the music out loud.
  3. Mechanical rights. This is the recording of the music. Sometimes called reproduction rights.

In the United States, performance rights and mechanical rights are often lumped together, while composition rights are kept separate, thus necessitating clearinghouses like ASCAP and BMI for composition rights, and labels and Harry Fox Agency for mechanical rights. As I learned at Podcasters Across Borders this summer, Canada separates all three and has three distinct licensing agencies to deal with the varying rights.

When it comes to cover music on the Podsafe Music Network, an artist who uploads a cover has rights only to the performance and the mechanical; the MP3 file is both performance and recording in one. The artist does NOT have rights to the composition itself, and uploading a cover to the PMN is a violation of the terms of service, because they’re essentially misrepresenting someone else’s composition rights as their own. This also means the composer is NOT getting paid for use of their work.

When it comes to playing music on your podcast, play it safe. Only play original podsafe music uploaded by the artists or their legal representation (labels), unless you have an ASCAP/BMI license. If you’re not sure whether a song is original or not, Google the title and a lyric or two, and you’ll soon find out.

Awaken YOUR Superhero Powers : Power 1 of 10 – Generosity

Posted by on Sep 18, 2007 in Buddhism, Ninjutsu, On ko chi shin | 6 comments

Awaken YOUR Superhero Powers : Power 1 of 10 – Generosity

Fu Sei
Dana Paramita
Generosity

As part of my every thought, word, and action, I am inspired by the heroic ideal of generously caring for others. I want to make the world a better place!

The foundation of your superhero powers rests on your desire to make the world around you, from distant cities to your neighborhood, a better place. Even something as simple as picking up a piece of litter makes a change for the better.

Even more powerfully, you can turn what are normally human weaknesses into strengths. Selfishness can be twisted into enlightened self interest, where you work for solutions that benefit you AND benefit the people you work with. Find ways to help everyone win, and in doing so you’ll gain the benefits for yourself as well. The more you can give, the more you can share, the more you’ll earn and grow. Some people call this the Golden Rule, others call it Giver’s Game, but at each opportunity to score a win for both the home team and the visiting team, do so.

Commit today and every day to make the world a better place with a focused thought, word, and action.

Thought: In a situation today and every day when you’re inclined to view a situation as win/lose, find a way to twist the situation to everyone’s advantage.

Word: In a conversation you have today and every day, find a moment to turn harsh words into constructive ones, free of venom but helpful.

Action: In a place today and every day, find a moment to clean up a piece of litter, turn off a leaky faucet, or another small but meaningful gesture that helps make the world a better place immediately.

Endnote: The powers themselves are translated by Senior Master Instructor Stephen K. Hayes from the Enlightened Warrior Gyoja Practitioner Recitation Handbook, published by the Kinryuzan Golden Dragon Mountain Kasumi-An Dojo.

Awaken YOUR Superhero Powers : Introduction

Posted by on Sep 18, 2007 in Buddhism, Ninjutsu, On ko chi shin | 2 comments

Awaken YOUR Superhero Powers : Introduction

We live in an age starved for heroes. The resurgence of hero movies, hero TV shows, hero stories, and the willingness by the media to label anyone with an ounce of initiative a hero shows how badly we need to find heroes in our society.

But… what if you could have more? What if, instead of fictional characters in tights and capes on a screen, you could find a hero inside yourself? What if you could LIVE the powers of a superhero, brought to life inside your own heart and mind? Would you?

I’m going to publish a series of 10 blog posts on the topic – the 10 qualities of a superhero. The powers themselves are translated by Senior Master Instructor Stephen K. Hayes from the Enlightened Warrior Gyoja Practitioner Recitation Handbook, published by the Kinryuzan Golden Dragon Mountain Kasumi-An Dojo. These have very, very old roots, and the commentary on them is mine alone.

The ten qualities of a superhero aren’t a means to obtain superpowers, because you already have those. Today, from a device the size of a candy bar, you have access to the bulk of humanity’s knowledge. Today, from a telephone in a pocket, you can instantly communicate with the other side of the planet. Today, from any broadband computer with a Web browser, you can see and affect events in far away lands. The abilities technology gives us would have been labeled magical a hundred years ago, and sorcery three hundred years ago. You already have the powers; the qualities of a superhero are to help guide you and put them to use.

Shikin haramitsu daikomyo. Every day could be the day when it all comes together, when everything WORKS, and we begin to bring our potential to life. Get ready to awaken your superhero.