Learning To Be Silent

The July 2010 newsletter has been published.

Please post any feedback, comments, or questions below.

This past week you may have noticed some…strange happenings here. Briefly put, we (and other websites) were subjected to a code injection exploit that (erroneously) indicated the presence of some bad things online. The good news: There was no malware of any kind on the site. So you can rest easy.

And although it would make a better blog entry to attribute this to some sort of ninja payback, the truth is far more prosaic. In reality, this was most likely an automated attack, which could have originated anywhere. Such is life on the information superhighway.

One other bit of good news: After cleaning up our code, I added some server side rules which should make this type of exploit much more difficult in the future.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming…

Topper, pictured left, has a weapons case for sale. It’s black, made out of leather, comes with a sturdy shoulder strap and metal buckles, and is roomy enough to carry all your favorite bokken and jo.

Topper paid $17.99, plus shipping and handling, and he’s willing to part, however reluctantly, with the case for a mere $20.00.

If you’re interested, please let Topper know in the comments below or at the dojo.

I remember the first time I saw Tamura Sensei. It was Montreal, May 1997. Sensei was teaching a seminar at Aikido de la Montagne, and to my 4th kyu eyes, it looked like magic.

I remember seeing Sensei call both Peter Bernath and Donovan Waite to demonstrate, as ukes. They each held the end of a jo, with both hands, facing him. And then…something happened. Donovan and Peter went flying.

My memory of Sensei is that of a generous teacher, someone who loved Aikido. More than that, though. He seemed to enjoy Aikido, enjoy helping others. Although I only saw Sensei in seminars, he made a lasting impression on me.

Tamura Sensei passed on July 9, 2010, after a bout with pancreatic cancer.

Rest in peace, Sensei.

The June 2010 newsletter has been published.

Please post any feedback, comments, or questions below.