Russ Nelson

After 17 years of working for myself, I've decided to fire my boss, and hire a new one, Cloudmade. We're working on improving OpenStreetMap, a community edited map. All sorts of geodata can, should, and need to be added to OpenStreetMap. I'm available to give presentations about open data, OpenStreetMap, and collaborative communities in the NorthEast of the USA.

I'm also blogging over at the community Cloudmade site.

I have ascertained the secret of Tai Chi Push Hands. This is a system of study to the end of being able to push an opponent so hard that they go flying across the room. It's not fake. It's real. I've had it done to me, and I've seen it done to others.

The way it works is simple but subtle. The master of the art knows how to get you off balance so quickly that your body jumps in order to stay in balance. You can see this for yourself when you walk on ice, and the supporting foot slips out from underneath you. You don't fall; instead you jump up and use your unweighted leg to get your weighted leg back underneath you.

The master simulates this by determining (through years of practice) where your balance is weakest. He then pushes you in that direction, very gently, but quickly. If this is done correctly, you jump backwards to keep your balance. The master exerts very little force, but induces you to do all the movement.

This is a very effective fighting art, because in a fight between peers, the fight is won by the person with the greater stamina. If the master is constantly forcing you to exert great effort, with very little effort on his part, you will be exhausted before he is even winded.

The Rival Student goes to the Master and says "Master, demonstrate your system on me so that I may decide if I want to be your student." The Master soundly defeats the Rival Student's every attack.

The Rival Student goes away thinking "He is a fraud. He only used his physical strength, no qigong at all."

The Master thinks "... and he couldn't even stop my physical strength. Not much of a student."