AARGGGGGHH ! @$%%#^&* !

Hello fellow Dojo Rats;
Unfortunately we are experiancing technical difficulty. I'm typing this in from a different computer than my usual P.O.S., which may be headed to the junk yard.
--Time for a new, updated computer with all the bells and whistles.
Please check back, but I have a feeling this may take several days. On top of that, we are snowed in for a few days, and you know what that means-- cutting firewood and drinking Beer. Hmmmm...

The Art Of Dr. Hatsumi

In the previous post, we saw Dr. Hatsumi's top American student, Stephen K. Hayes describe how Hatsumi moved from teaching Togakure (sp?) Ninjitsu to Bujinkan, in which military and espionage techniques were removed. This was frustrating for Hayes, but allowed Hatsumi to teach to a wider audiance.
It seems to me that half of the art of the Ninja is bold showmanship and theatrics, which were no doubt invaluable in the art of deception. Despite his age, Hatsumi flows with natural movement from technique to technique. Even when he blows a move, he easily transitions into a successful resolution.
To a certain extent, it's too bad this art has all the trappings of "The Dark Warrior", because that tends to turn mature martial artists off. With that said, Hatsumi demonstrates some wonderful and stylish techniques, and it's no doubt this would be a fun art to experiment with.
Coming up next; a review of Hatsumi's excellent book, simply titled "Stick Fighting".

Check This Out !

Patrick Parker at Mokuren Dojo has just posted the current "Carnival Of Martial Arts"!
There are many, many articles by prominent Martial Bloggers on the best of training tips, views and perspectives of the world of Martial arts.
Jump on over and read the "Carnival" Here at Mokuren Dojo!

Stephen Hayes On Traditional Training

I have to say, I never got hooked on the Ninja stuff in my early training. We were told that while the Samurai would fight opponents face-to-face, the Ninja was the poisener, the back-stabber, the assassin.
However, when you look at the system as taught by Dr. Hatsumi, it is quite a legitimate fighting art, with aspects of training that might help a person survive accidents or natural disasters as well as attacks by thugs.
Here, Hayes talks about how Dr. Hatsumi's training was altered to allow for conventional civilian use, and how that was at first frustrating for Hayes.
--More on Hatsumi and my thoughts on his system coming up next...

Abraham, Martin and John

This week we remember the great Dr. Martin Luther King, and the legacy of the peace and civil rights movements he was instrumental in. While much progress has been made in the area of civil rights-- I mean in the daily "lunch-counter-water-fountain" sort of integration-- How much have things changed?
A few years back the process of "red lining" certain neighborhoods by banks prevented minorities from recieving loans for houses in those neighborhoods, effectively prolonging segregation. In the 2000 and 2004 elections, predominantly black districts (which tend to vote Democratic) were denied the same number of voting machines that affluent (read; Republican) suburbs recieved. Some were sent false voter information instructing them to vote at the wrong location. Others were falsely accused of being felons, once again denying them the vote.
The 1960's were turbulent times; government by gunplay. Some in the Black community organized into an armed "self help" movement, one that employed, fed, clothed and protected it's own. The Black Panthers, the socio-political movement of Malcom X, and like organizations were seen as a direct threat to the institutional power structure. The result? Massive importation of Heroin from CIA connections in Southeast Asia hit the ghettos. LSD led revolutionary, educated youth to a "lifestyle of voluntary simplicity". The revolution was destabilized. This model was repeated in the 1980's when Reagan's Nicaraguan Contra henchmen flooded the same neighborhoods with crack cocaine, to fund their war in Central America.
How much more peaceful has our country become? Half the country was successfully duped into supporting the endless resource war that President Cheney craved. Got a twelve-year-old kid? Just wait six years, they'll be eligable for a "Tour".
In the 1960's, influential people who promised hope and change were shot and killed.
Let's not let their dreams fade away. Haven't we grown some since then?
Isn't this our time of hope and change?

What Would You Do?

This Cop is damned lucky he survived this arrest attempt.
I have known for years that most Police are either out-of-shape, undertrained or both. I remember a case where multiple officers cornered a crazy lady holding a cat and a knife in a Safeway market. They penned her in with shopping carts and then shot her anyway. One time, I had to sneak into my sisters house and rescue her while the police had a stand-off with a man armed with a rifle across the street. The police were on the phone with my sister, but ordered her to stay in the house and tell them what she could see. Across the street the man with the rifle had fired shots in the air, and the homeowner, an elderly lady, was stuck inside. The police went to the back of the house and saw the door start to open. They over-reacted and shot. They killed the old lady, who was trying to escape the house. All this happened while I snuck my sister out the back window of her house directly across the street.
I know, stuff happens... and the Police have a tough job. But for goodness sake, give them some better training!
Should this cop have called for back-up before he attempted to arrest the guy? They spent a lot of time in an upper-body clinch, I think I would have tried to chop-kick to the attacker's shins and knees-- especially since the attacker was so large. Obviously the pepper spray didn't work. Perhaps he should have made a better effort to avoid contact and have his weapon pulled and ready to fire. Lastly, the damned semi-auto handgun jammed!
I know there are some cops out there... What should the officer have done?

Mike Martello's 2008 Beijing Training Camp

Here's a fantastic video from one of my favorite instructors, Mike Martello. The focus of his upcoming training camp will be on Shuai Jiao, or Chinese wrestling. The Judo guys out there will love this one. These guys are simply bad-ass. look at all the unique and innovative training tools they are using. Here's what Mike has to say about this event:

THE 2nd ANNUAL BEIJING INTERNATIONAL MARTIAL ARTS CAMP: ``LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!``

Dear Martial Arts Enthusiasts,
We, Mike Martello, Zhang Xinbin and Rene M. F. Ho,
are proud to present...

GRANDMASTER WANG WENYONG / KING OF SHUAIJIAO

Grandmaster Wang is a living legend in the World of Chinese Martial Arts, and one of the greatest exponents of Chinese wrestling of the last 100 years.
The following video is a compilation of footage provided by Grandmaster Wang Wenyong and used with his permission. It depicts the various Shuaijiao training equipment used in traditional Chinese wrestling.
The equipment as shown in the video will be part of the Shuaijiao program of our training camp.
To pave the way to the Olympics, in July 2008 we will engage in four weeks of intense training (8 hours a day), which includes:
- more Shuaijiao
- more Specialized Training
- more Traditional Training Equipment
The dates for this year`s camp are:
Trip A (4 week program) : 1st July - 28th July 2008
Trip B (2 week program) : 15th July - 28th July 2008
Information concerning prices, training schedule, sightseeing program and more can be found at www.kungfucamp.com.
For enquiry please contact us at beijingcamp@gmail.com
Don`t miss this great training opportunity, KEEP your schedule open for JULY 2008, and JOIN US for better training, more sightseeing and great food!
``LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!``

Best regards,
Mike Martello
Zhang Xinbin
Rene Ming Fai Ho