Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

            I spent my Saturday night watching the UFC pay-per-view. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is the fastest growing sport in the world, and it is truly the only sport I find entertaining. It is not necessarily the violence which has drawn me in, rather the freedom which a fighter has when fighting in the ring. This does not exist in combat sports like boxing, muy thai, or collegiate wrestling. One must be a well-rounded fighter in MMA: one must be able to strike with hands, elbows, feet and knees; grapple like a wrestler; and have the submission expertise of Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ). It was BJJ that had really drawn me to MMA. It is essentially the art of ground fighting, and has been proven highly effective many times over.

                                                                      Helio Gracie

            BJJ has also been known by the name Gracie jiu jitsu, after the legendary Brazilian family of fighters. It was Helio Gracie who would come to develop the system of jiu jitsu circa 1930, which would become known as BJJ. Helio was a frail man, and could not apply martial-arts moves which required strength and power, despite his knowledge of technique. He wanted to develop a system which did not rely on one’s size, rather one’s technique. The system is based on joint locks and chokes to neutralize an opponent. Of those which are most prevalent in MMA, the rear-naked choke, the arm bar, and the triangle choke are highly effective. The triangle and arm bar can both be applied while one is on their back with an opponent laying on top of them. This gives the fighter a great advantage to be able to attack while in a position that is not dominant.

arm bar

triangle choke

rear-naked choke

            The Gracie family knew it was not enough to think their style of fighting was better, it must be proven. The Gracies have proven its superiority a countless number of times, accepting all challenges and issuing many of their own (Helio challenged boxer Joe Lewis to a fight, but Lewis declined). Helio challenged the world champion of jiu jitsu, Masahiko Kimura, to a fight. This was a man who had an 80 lbs. advantage over Helio. Kimura said if Helio could defeat Yukio Kato, ranked number two in the world, he would fight him. Helio choked Kato until he went unconscious. Kimura would finally fight Helio, and Helio would lose, but after a 13 minute bout. Kimura had stated before the fight that if Helio lasted longer than 3 minutes, then Helio should be declared the victor.

           Kimura putting Gracie into a shoulder lock that would eventually be renamed the kimura

            The Gracies were aware of what they were capable of, yet still wanted to convince the world. Rorion Gracie and friends created the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 1993 to prove the BJJ style was superior to all. They chose Royce Gracie to represent the family in the 8-man tournament, not because he was the best among them, but because he was the smallest weighing 175 lbs. Size was not to determine the winner of this tournament, technique would. Royce won this tournament, and also the second and forth tournaments (he had to forfeit after winning a long and tiring fight in the third tournament, because his fatigue was too great for him to carry on). It was official, BJJ reigned supreme.

Royce Gracie at the first UFC

            It was through these early tournaments that MMA became a sport. Fighters began to realize they must be able to fight on the ground effectively if they were to excel in fighting. Taking elements from many different arts became known as mixed-martial arts, a sport which evolved, rather than being created. It continues to evolve to this day, and the application of BJJ is as important as it ever was. The next time you hear someone complain about all the “hugging and humping” in MMA, just know that they know nothing of the importance of ground fighting.

The History and Beauty of Mathematics

The History Channel, The Discovery Channel, and similar channels all have shows devoted to science. Some of these shows are part of a larger series, others are one- or two-hour-long specials. The topics contained within this genre are vast, too many to list here. Many shows are about the cosmos, Einstein, and technological advances of the future. What ties these topics together, and many other topics, is physics. These shows will be filled with the commentary of physicists. Though physics does not have a series devoted to its explanation, there are enough programs out there that such a series would be unnecessary.

Anyone knowledgeable in physics will notice the absence of one thing when watching all these programs: Mathematics. This is understandably so; mathematics is not something one can mindlessly grasp in an hour via a TV show. But why the absence of a series devoted to mathematics? Not once have I seen a show devoted to the explanation of a topic of mathematics. Perhaps producers said it cannot be done, the topic is too complicated to attract viewers. If the topic were presented in a textbook style, then I would agree there would be few viewers.

This is where things can get interesting. Take this for an example: If one watches The History Channel's series "The Universe," one does not walk away anywhere close to becoming an astrophysicist. So why can we not show the beauty of mathematics to those who are unfamiliar with the discipline? It can be done by focusing on the history of mathematics and the consequences of discoveries. It could be titled "The History and Beauty of Mathematics."

The history of mathematics is littered with characters whose tales can certainly entertain an audience. Take Pythagoras for example, known for his Pythagorean Theorem taught to all 7th graders in the country. That theorem led to the discovery of irrational numbers, attributed to the Pythagorean Hippasus. Many not familiar with college-level mathematics can still grasp this concept, because most are familiar with square roots, which are irrational numbers. Continuing with Pythagoras, he had created a philosophy, which was quasi-religious, based on everything being capable of description using rational numbers, e.g., 1, 2/3, 3.1488. The discovery of irrational numbers caused controversy within Pythagoras' school. All were forbidden to speak of them, lest outsider should find out and ridicule their philosophy. Not much is known about Hippasus' fate; some accounts say he was drowned, others say he was merely expelled. All this over the square root of two!

There are many more interesting stories: Is mathematics created or discovered?; The battle between Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibnitz over who discovered calculus; Evariste Galois rushing to write down his discoveries in mathematics the night before he would die in a duel.

What I have presented thus far is a history of mathematics, which may appeal to some, but certainly doesn’t seem to be the most entertaining of shows. What attracts viewers to shows about science is that afterwards they feel as though they know a little more about a weighty topic. Understanding precepts of relativity certainly gives the layperson a boost in intellectual confidence. This is what I hope to achieve with this proposed series. I want the viewer to watch the history of Pythagoras and understand the implications of irrational numbers. Learn about Euler's number and how important it is to mathematics. Understand how calculus changed mathematics and science.

It is a mistake for producers to assume there is not an audience for mathematics. If there is an audience who will watch Dr. Michio Kaku explain superconductivity and its implications, then surely that same audience will not change the channel if that program is followed by one on the beauty of mathematics. There are many who rely heavily on mathematics in their work environment, and they may be intrigued by the history of what they view as a tool used to complete a task. There are also many students and former students who have a background in college-level mathematics. They may also be interested in learning mathematics outside of a classroom, where there is no pressure to learn. Mathematics has developed a stigma due to the classroom learning process. Students are taught methods for solving problems without ever really understanding what the implications of the theorems are. A show like this would have virtual every teacher of mathematics telling their students "If you want to understand this topic further, then watch 'The History and Beauty of Mathematics'."

Mr. Facebook

I am the awesomest. Don't believe me? Friend request me on Facebook and you'll instantly be cooler, if I accept it that is. I already have 3000 friends, why do I need you? You probably just want to jack my swag. Did you see all those girls I was with in my profile pic? You wish you were there, I know. What school did I go to? School of Hard Knocks. Where do I work? None of your business stalker. I don't have a Facebook page because I want people to know stuff about me. I'm so sick of these stalkers! If you don't know me please stay off of my page. It's only there for my 3000 friends. Snooki just accepted my friend request, did you see that! She wants it. Status update: Just left the gym, my legs are too big for my jeans. "Like" my own status, because I want you to know I endorse it. Favorite books: "don't you hate it when you're lying down and your phone ninja flips out of your hands and smacks your face". People who inspire you: the Situation and Jesus. Like my status if you think I should change my profile pic to a pic of my abs. How did all these uglies get into my friend list? Time to unfriend some people. You shouldn’t be allowed to have a Facebook if you can't get more the one hundred friends. That's pathetic, and it's grounds for a defriending. I need to check my friend list for that. Facebook is hard. I need a Facebook assistant. Message me if you're interested. Who is getting drunk tonight? This guy! What happened last night? Like my status if you don't remember either. Yeah buddy! Status update: I'm hungry. Political views: football. Religious views: Madden. Activities: beer pong. Status update: stop signs are stupid. We shouldn't have to pay taxes. Does anyone remember the name of the fish from Ren and Stimpy? Support our troops! Tomorrow is a new day, follow your dreams and you can achieve anything. I'm sleepy, goodnight Facebook. Muddy Mud Skipper!

Religious Hatred

If there is one underlying theme to these images it is hatred. It is a hatred caused by religion (or the manipulation of religion). Undoubtedly, religion has beneficially contributed to societies and cultures around the globe for millennia, but when can it be said that the benefits are outweighed by the cost? When a religious group dedicates more time and effort into denunciation than enlightenment or morality, what purpose can a religion be said to server in a productive society? Are these individuals on the fringes of their religions, or are they representing those who share the same beliefs, but lack fervor?

These images have purposefully been presented without a context, and I have determined them to be genuine to the best of my ability. The violence or hatred may not be carried out by a specific religious group, but when all of the individuals belong to a certain religion, does it matter if they are carrying on in the name of God? Should their religious beliefs not supersede their secular beliefs? Look at the last photo in the series: What would be your reaction if I told you these men were on their way to assault politicians, rather than Christians? Does it matter, or would violence for freedom be a noble justification? Perhaps your opinion is vice versa; violence in the name of God is more justifiable than violence for a secular cause. I have always reasoned violence in God's name to be absurd, because why would an omnipotent being need humans to carry out its will?

Do images of children with guns represent any aspect of their respective religions? Absolutely not, but that there is no immediate conflict between their actions and their religious beliefs is alarming. And the conflict may exist, but there appears not to be an elder, whether religious or parental, who has discouraged this behavior, but seems to have encouraged it. To be fair, I do not know the influences on these children, only that the negative influences have prevailed.

Maybe I, as an atheist, am hypercritical of religious hatred because I do not benefit from religion whatsoever. I certainly have a bias, but can you justify all that is carried out in the name of God?