Zuck v Musk

[GeneChing]

Mark Zuckerberg, 'Pushing Hands' Of A Kung Fu Master
Learning Mandarin is just part of the Facebook founder's ambitious but subtle strategy to return to the Chinese market. Huo Yuanjia (and Ang Lee) would be proud.
Meiqi An (2014-10-23)



Mark Zuckerberg has apparently learned more from the Chinese than just Mandarin.

The Facebook founder wowed the world again this week, handling a 30-minute Q&A in Beijing almost entirely in the Chinese language that he's been privately studying for the past four years. (And yes, he did an admirable if rather-short-of-perfect job with his Mandarin)

But beyond the language, Zuckerberg has also clearly learned a lesson or two from his Chinese Kung-Fu idol Huo Yuanjia, applying the martial arts “Pushing Hands” technique – using gentle movements to redirect your opponent’s force and undermining his natural instinct – toward his even bigger goal of gettting Facebook back up and running in China.



The native country of his wife's parents has banned Facebook since 2009. Since then, China is one of currently nine other countries, including Iran, North Korea and Cuba, where the little blue “F” cannot be found on the Internet.

Instead of attempting direct negotiations with the Chinese authorities as he'd done before, Zuckerberg now appears intent on a more "pushing hands" approach. So there he was on stage promoting Facebook without even mentioning the word “Facebook,” and accepting a place on the board of China's Tsinghua University School of Economics and Management.


Zuck working the room in Mandarin.

But also what the social media billionaire said to his Chinese audience showed a master's touch for mixing flattery and sincerity. When he was asked why he is learning Chinese, Zuck said: “There are three reasons that I learn to speak Chinese, the first one is that my wife is Chinese, her family speaks Chinese and her grandmother only speaks Chinese. I want to talk with them. Second reason, I want to learn Chinese culture. China is a great country and I think learning the language can help me get a better knowledge of the culture. And thirdly, Chinese is a very difficult language, and I am a person who loves challenge!”

He also had a self-deprecating joke ready, recalling that when he told his Chinese-American wife Priscilla Chan that he had trouble listening in Mandarin, she replied that he didn't listen well in English either.


[Note: Taiwanese-American director Ang Lee, whose first family drama feature was the 1992 Pushing Hands, must be taking notes!]

Zuckerberg also announced that 20 young Chinese graduates have been hired by Facebook this year, with many more in the years to come. He also sprinkled in a bit of American-Dreamlike inspiration for his hosts: “I created a company not because I wanted to create a company: It is because I want to change the world.”

But one question seems to linger: Which will be more difficult, learning Chinese or getting Facebook back in the hands of the Chinese people?

Let's see a Push Hands contest between Zuck & Jack Ma.

[GeneChing]

Zucko here & here on this thread

EXPERTS SURPRISED BY MARK ZUCKERBERG'S SKILL IN MMA SPARRING VIDEO
EVEN CONNOR MCGREGOR WEIGHED IN.
MARK ZUCKERBERG



Watch out, metamates. Your Eye of Sauron, Facebook-turned-Meta CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg, has been doing some serious martial arts training. And considering past Facebook employees' accounts of, uh, katanas being brandished at them in-office, y'all might want to code with your head on a swivel.

Over the weekend, Zucko took to Instagram to show off his mixed martial arts moves. Honestly? We're not MMA experts, but he seems pretty good — and according to the post's comment section, a lot of fighting champs apparently agree.

Star Support
A number of famous martial artists left some positive comments on Zuck's video, where he's seen fighting actual MMA fighter Khai "The Shadow" Wu.

"Amazing!!!" wrote Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner Bernardo Faria. "Half guard, arm-bars, triangle! Super cool."

"Yo!!!" added Ireland's controversial MMA star Connor McGregor. "F****** awesome Mark!"

"Combos looking clean," wrote the official UFC account.

Hobby King
The Meta overlord, as he's proven many times in the past, has a lot of hobbies — his love for meat-smoking is a classic, which he shared with the world via Facebook Live a few years back. It's unclear whether the founder actually just likes to share what he's up to with the public, or if he's continuously trying to prove that he's an actual human — or, for that matter, that Facebook and Instagram really are places to share pictures and videos with friends, and not just a tool for Meta to monetize every aspect of our digital existences.

But we digress. Fitness is good, and it's nice to have hobbies. Still, history is often doomed to repeat itself... so metamates, beware.

[GeneChing]

More on Zuck

MARK ZUCKERBERG
KICKS ASS IN JIU JITSU TOURNAMENT
Wins Gold, Silver Medals!!

5/8/2023 8:43 AM PT



Mark Zuckerberg's putting his martial arts training to good use -- the Facebook founder won gold and silver medals at a local jiu-jitsu tourney in Northern California ... his first time competing!

38-year-old Zuckerberg kicked ass at a tourney on Saturday in Redwood City, CA -- about 10 miles from Palo Alto -- where he put his new skills on display, competing in both Gi (jacket) and no Gi.



It's super impressive for a guy who has only been training for a short amount of time. In fact, Zuckerberg told Joe Rogan last year that he began practicing martial arts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite Mark winning most of his matches, the day wasn't without controversy. During one fight, Zuckerberg became visibly upset with a ref. It's unclear why Zuck was upset, but after a short, but rather heated convo with the official and his opponent, everyone shook hands.

But, all in all ... Zuck was awesome.

And, some of the biggest stars in MMA congratulated him on the medals ... with guys like Israel Adesanya, Brandon Moreno, and Alex Volkanovski heaping praise on the billionaire.

"Wow congrats 👏👏," Moreno, the UFC flyweight champ wrote.



Volk, the UFC featherweight champ commented ... "Legend! Love the shorts mate"

"When the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world gives you shorts, you wear them" ... Zuckerberg responded to Alex.

Somebody call Dana White ... let's get this guy a contract!

[YinOrYan]

More on Zuck

Now here's some real troll-bait for this forum:

https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/21/2...atch-worldstar

[GeneChing]

Now here's some real troll-bait for this forum:

https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/21/2...atch-worldstar

I've been thinking of making an indie thread about this. We're not above click bait here, ya know...

Actually I do think Zuck's MMA is newsworthy and have been pondering an indie thread on him for a while now.

[YinOrYan]

I've been thinking of making an indie thread about this. We're not above click bait here, ya know...

Actually I do think Zuck's MMA is newsworthy and have been pondering an indie thread on him for a while now.

vs. a 51 old that's been in “real hard-core street fights”???

[GeneChing]

...forgive me

Musk will train if Las Vegas martial arts cage match takes hold
Reuters
June 24, 202310:10 AM PDT Updated a day ago


Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of Twitter, attends the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris, France, June 16, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - Elon Musk said on Saturday he will start training if the mixed martial arts cage fight he has provoked with fellow billionaire media mogul Mark Zuckerberg takes shape.

Twitter owner Musk tweeted on Tuesday he was up for a cage match in Las Vegas with Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook parent Meta (META.O), who has trained in jiu-jitsu.

"I haven't started training yet. So if this does happen, I will," Musk said in a talk on Twitter with Ashlee Vance, the author of a book on Musk and the space race.

The match "might actually happen" said Musk while attending a birthday party in Europe, adding it was possible that it could go badly if Zuckerberg takes the match seriously.

Musk also said SpaceX investments in the rocket Starship, the debut flight of which exploded over the Gulf of Mexico in April raising questions about environmental impacts, may approach $3 billion this year.

Musk said SpaceX was working on improvements to Starship.

Zuck-v-Musk
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[GeneChing]

Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin — who has unbeaten mixed martial arts record — challenges Teamsters union boss to cage match
By Ryan King
June 26, 2023 6:11pm Updated
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Sen. Markwayne Mullin is done with the snippy tweets.

He wants a real tussle with the boss of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Mullin (R-Okla.), who has an unbeaten mixed martial arts record to his credit, formally challenged Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien to a cage fight for charity on Monday.

“An attention-seeking union Teamster boss is trying to be punchy after our Senate hearing. Okay, I accept your challenge. MMA fight for charity of our choice,” Mullin told O’Brien on Twitter. “Sept 30th in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I’ll give you three days to accept.”

Mullin’s challenge followed O’Brien calling him a “Greedy CEO who pretends like he’s self made” last week.

“In reality, just a clown & fraud,” added O’Brien, tweeting under the provocative handle “TeamsterSOB”. “Always has been, always will be. Quit the tough guy act in these senate hearings. You know where to find me. Anyplace, Anytime cowboy.”


GOP Senator, Markwayne Mullin, challenges Teamster boss, Sean O’Brien, to a fight.
Markwayne Mullin/Twitter

Both men have been trading barbs since March, when O’Brien dinged Mullin — who owns a plumbing company — during a testy Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing about unionization.

Mullin accused Teamsters of trying to intimidate his employees into unionizing and charged O’Brien was “sucking” money from worker paychecks by “forcing them to pay dues.”

After saying the senator was “out of line,” O’Brien said the Teamsters “create opportunity because we hold greedy CEOs like yourself accountable.”

“You calling me a greedy CEO?” Mullin asked.

“Oh yeah, you are,” O’Brien replied. “You want to attack my salary, I’ll attack yours …What did you make when you owned your company?”

“I kept my salary down at about $50,000 a year because I invested every penny into it,” Mullin said.

OK, all right,” said O’Brien, before restarting hostilities by asking Mullin: “You mean you hid money?

Mullin recalled that war of words last week, eliciting O’Brien’s ire.

“Hey, JohnWayne Mullin..First off, my name’s O’Brien not O’Malley. Secondly, you should get your facts straight because every time you speak in these hearings you’re full of sh*t,” O’Brien tweeted June 21. “The more you run your mouth, the more you show the American public what a moron you are.”


Labor leader Sean O’Brien, president of the Teamsters labor union, speaks during the Labor Notes conference.
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
The Teamsters, which touts 1.2 million members, is among the largest labor unions on the planet and represents workers in the trucking, rail and publishing industries, among others.

Mullin previously said he would fight porn star Stormy Daniel’s disgraced former lawyer Michael Avenatti, but that never manifested. Avenatti is currently behind bars.

Mullin was elected to the House in 2012 and ascended to the Senate after winning a special election to succeed retiring Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) last year.


Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing.
Getty Images
Mullin and O’Brien aren’t the only major figures to stir chatter over a public scrap via Twitter.

Last week, Twitter CEO Elon Musk taunted fellow social media titan Mark Zuckerberg into a “cage fight.” Zuckerberg, a jiu-jitsu disciple, appeared to accept.

Musk, who was peeved by Facebook’s reported plans to produce a micro-blogging Twitter alternative, has teased that his signature move will be “the walrus,” a technique meant to immobilize his enemies by sitting on top of them and doing absolutely nothing.


Elon Musk looks on as he speaks during his visit at the Vivatech technology startups and innovation fair at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris.
AFP via Getty Images

Then-Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg leaves the Elysee presidential palace, in Paris back in 2018.
AFP via Getty Images

What do you think? Be the first to comment.
Musk has admitted he has not done much training to compete with Zuckerberg, making the South African-born CEO a decided underdog.

A Teamsters rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zuck-v-Musk
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[GeneChing]

I can't even...

MARK ZUCKERBERG, ELON MUSK
ITALIAN GOVERNMENT OFFER ...
Fight Like True Gladiators ... At The Colosseum!!!

EXCLUSIVE
57.6K
6/29/2023 9:39 PM PT


Getty Composite
UPDATE
8:02 AM PT -- 6/30 -- The Ministry of Culture's Office issued a statement saying, "There has been no formal contact from the ministry nor any written document, even if the news appears tasty it is unfounded." Sources with direct knowledge confirm again ... the Ministry first reached out to Mark Zuckerberg, then the request was forwarded to Dana White, and there was a follow-up and a call was set for next week. The Ministry added, "If Zuckerberg and Musk wanted to perform in the Colosseum they would have to make a non-violent challenge." Our sources are scoffing at this, saying the Ministry reached out BECAUSE of the fight challenge.
That's why Elon coyly mentioned the Colosseum in a tweet last night.
This will blow your mind -- an official from the government of Italy contacted Mark Zuckerberg about staging a UFC fight against Elon Musk at the most legendary battleground in the world ... Rome's Colosseum ... TMZ Sports has learned.


Getty
Sources with direct knowledge tell us ... the Minister of Culture reached out to Zuckerberg a few days ago about staging what could be the biggest fight in the history of the world in the most fabled fight theater in history.

Our sources say both Elon and Mark would love for the fight to go down at the Colosseum.



We're told Zuckerberg's people passed on the message to UFC Prez Dana White, whose people contacted the Minister.

As for the venue itself -- one of the 7 Wonders of the World -- there have not been large events held inside the nearly 2,000-year-old amphitheater in hundreds of years, and only a few hundred spectators can be seated in temporary seating within the theater.

Sir Paul McCartney performed inside the Colosseum in 2003 for an exclusive charity show before 400 people who paid up to $1,500 -- but other than that, all other concerts have been held just outside the structure.

It's unclear where a Musk vs. Zuck fight would go down -- inside or outside.

Multiple sources with direct knowledge tell us if you're gonna bet on whether this fight goes down ... wager that it's happening. We're told both Musk and Zuck are "all in," and have been negotiating with Dana about the details of a fight daily ... multiple times each day for more than a week.

The biggest obstacle is height and weight disparity, although both men have no issue with it. The question ... if the fight were to go down in Vegas -- which was the goal until the Colosseum offer surfaced -- the Nevada Athletic Commission would have to sign off. Given that Zuck is 5'7" and weighs 145, and Elon towers over him at 6'2" and weighs 230, it's a little problematic. Nevertheless, this would be an exhibition fight, so the rules might bend.



Now that Italy is interested, it opens up so many more possibilities.

Originally Published -- 6/29 9:39 PM PT

[YinOrYan]

I can't even...

rules??? That would really change the odds against 50-something year old with street fighting experience...

[GeneChing]

ELON MUSK
I'M TRAINING W/ GSP
... For Zuckerberg Fight

72.6K
6/27/2023 6:39 AM PT


Getty
Elon Musk is pulling out all the stops in preparation for a fight with Mark Zuckerberg -- the Twitter honcho just accepted a training offer from UFC legend Georges St-Pierre!!

The shocking development in the potential billionaire brawl went down on Monday ... when Elon replied to GSP's public pitch to lend a hand in beating Zuck to a pulp in the Octagon.

"I'm a huge fan of yours and it would be an absolute honor to help you and be your training partner for the challenge against Zuckerberg 👊😁," GSP said on Twitter ... to which Elon responded, "Ok, let’s do it 🔥🔥."


Getty
It's a massive deal for Elon ... considering GSP -- the former welterweight and middleweight champion -- is arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. In other words, Musk will be learning from the best of the best.

GSP -- whose background is karate -- trains at Tristar Gym in Montreal under head trainer Firas Zahabi ... one of the greatest minds in MMA.


GSP's record is 26-2 ... with his only losses coming against Matt Serra and Matt Hughes. He racked up wins over Nick Diaz, Michael Bisping, Dan Hardy, BJ Penn and Johny Hendricks.

Zuck also has some star power in his corner -- Jon Jones recently offered his services to the Facebook co-founder, but it's unclear if he's going to take him up on it.

Elon teaming up with GSP provides more evidence the fight may actually happen -- and as TMZ Sports previously reported, Dana White told us both sides are for real about getting in the Octagon together.

A fight date has not been set just yet ... but this thing is really picking up steam.

It's telling that TMZ has the best coverage...

[wuxiaman]

I'm legit more excited for this fight than any MMA fight in who knows how long. Perhaps this can revive Celebrity Deathmatch

[GeneChing]

Mark Zuckerberg's latest passion project? Crafting swords with a Japanese sword master
Beatrice Nolan Feb 26, 2024, 5:17 AM PST


Mark Zuckerberg is touring parts of Asia.
Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has shared a post of himself helping to make a sword.
The tech boss enjoyed a masterclass with Japanese sword maker Akihira Kokaji.
Zuckerberg is on a mini-tour in Asia and is also scheduled to meet Facebook developers in Tokyo.

Mark Zuckerberg has picked up a new hobby.

The Meta CEO posted pictures and videos of himself learning to make a Katana, a Japanese sword with a curved, single-edged blade, under the guidance of sword master Akihira Kokaji.

The videos show Zuckerberg helping to construct the weapon and then wielding the finished product.

"Really special afternoon learning about making katanas with master akihira.kokaji -- thank you for sharing your craft with us!" he said in an Instagram post.

The tech CEO is touring parts of Asia with his family. He is due to meet Facebook developers in Tokyo on Monday and Tuesday, Bloomberg reported.

Zuckerberg is reportedly set to discuss Meta's large language model, Llama, and Meta's Quest headsets as the company faces increasing pressure from Apple in the VR headset space.

The trip also involves stops in South Korea and India to meet business and government leaders, the report said.

Representatives for Zuckerberg did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Zuckerberg has shared several other personal posts over the years, some more awkward than others. The Meta CEO recently announced he was raising cattle that would drink beer produced on his sprawling estate.

The tech boss also recently used his platform to share a video comparing Apple's Vision Pro with the Meta Quest 3. Zuckerberg, unsurprisingly, concluded that Meta's device was better.

Zuck-v-Musk
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