SUBMISSIONS: Fashioning your own sticks from Rattan by Army Maguire

Fashioning your own sticks from RattanA simple and easy methodby Richard “Army” Maguire Here is an easy method for shaping, curing and burning a pattern into rattan sticks. I have spoken to many practitioners of martial arts and read many items over the years regarding working with rattan. Here is a method that I presently use and a few tips I use to fashion sticks for our Balintawak club. This by no means is the only way to bend a stick straight...

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BOXING: Pacquiao's popularity getting bigger as Hatton fight looms

Cut and pasted from http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2009-04-29-pacquiao-popularity_N.htm:Click thumbnail for bigger picture.By J. Michael Falgoust, USA TODAYTo understand exactly who Manny Pacquiao is requires deeper inspection than simply calling him the best pound-for-pound fighter today.While he's the first Filipino athlete to appear on a postage stamp in his country, he's also a virtual lock to win a congressional seat in the Philippines...

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MMA: Jose Canseco to make MMA debut

Cut and pasted from http://content.usatoday.com/communities/mma/post/2009/04/66217631/1:Even by Japanese standards, Dream's open-weight tournament has an eclectic mix. There's Gegard Mousasi, ranked fourth among middleweights in the new USA TODAY/SB Nation rankings. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou has slipped in light heavyweight rankings. Bob Sapp, a former NFL lineman turned Japanese ring celebrity, will squeeze in an appearance between his Dec. 31 demolition of a cartoon character and his upcoming bout with former pro wrestler Bobby Lashley. Then we...

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LINKS: Silat.tv

Welcome to Silat.TV - The First Social Network Dedicated to Silat!The Best Source of Silat Videos and Information on the Internet! Image borrowed from Silat.tv.Silat.TV aims to bring together Silat practitioners from around the world in a thriving, video-centric online community. Silat.TV is a community of mutual respect and camaraderie. All are welcome!I've known of the site for some time but never had time to surf over there to check http://www.silat.tv/...

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MMA: Kyle Maynard - A True Inspiration

Here's the American news program 20/20's piece with Kyle Maynard:Kyle Maynard of Suwanee, Georgia, U.S. was born on March 24, 1986 with a rare disorder called congenital amputation. He has no elbows and no knees, yet he competed in the 2004 Georgia High School Wrestling Championships. He graduated from Collins Hill High School with a wrestling record of 35 wins, 16 losses and a 3.7 GPA.He is the recipient of a 2004 ESPN Espy Award for the Best Athlete With A Disability and has been featured on many radio interviews, talk shows, and television programs....

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MMA: Kyle Maynard - No arms, no legs... no problem!

Cut and pasted from CagePotato:Kyle Maynard – the former collegiate wrestler/congenital amputee with no arms past the elbow and no legs past the knee – will soon make his amateur MMA debut. If the name sounds familiar it’s because Maynard’s almost ridiculously inspirational story of overcoming his disability and wrestling at the University of Georgia has spread far and wide by now, and he even won an ESPY award in 2004 for “Best Athlete With A Disability.”Now he trains at the Hardcore Gym in Athens, Georgia and has been saying for the past couple...

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NEWS: Girl beats off muggers with marching band baton

QUARTZ HILL, Calif. – Don't mess with the marching band. That's what California authorities are saying after a 17-year-old girl used her marching band baton to beat back two would-be muggers.Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Michael Rust says the Quartz Hill girl was walking to school April 24 when two men approached her from behind, tried to grab her coat and demanded money.Instead, one got a punch in the nose and the other a kick to the groin. Rust says the girl then beat both of them with her band baton before she ran away.The men had not...

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NEWS: Black belt teen strikes back at bully, and rallies community against racism

JOE FRIESEN From Thursday's Globe and MailApril 30, 2009 at 4:21 AM EDTKESWICK, ONT. — The 15-year-old black belt thought he was doing his tormentor a favour when he elected to fight back with his weaker left hand.He had heard his white classmate throw an angry racial slur in his direction after an argument during a gym class game of speedball, and now the student was shoving him backward, refusing to retract the smear.The white student swung first, hitting the 15-year-old with a punch to the mouth.The 15-year-old heard his father's voice running...

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EBOOKS: Stephan Kesting's A ROADMAP FOR BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

Check out http://www.beginningbjj.com/ for your free copy (if you haven't already) of Stephan Kesting's "A Roadmap for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu".You have to add your email address to the form and you will be emailed the pdf or a link to to download the free pdf (forget which at the moment). In addition you will get a complimentary Beginning BJJ eCourse courtesy of Stephan Kesting. If you have not heard of Kesting before, here is his bio (cut and pasted...

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MUSIC: "Take Five" ~ The Dave Brubeck Quartet

These two youtubes are not the studio version on the cd, but live performances. First one if from 1961 and the 2nd is from 1972. This next clip is Kurt Elling and Al Jarreau performing "Take 5" from the LEGENDS OF JAZZ episode, The Jazz Singer.Like life, jazz is the same, yet sometimes improvisation makes it different.Enj...

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MUSIC: "Let's Get Lost" ~ Chet Baker

Another of my favorite jazz songs.Enj...

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VIDCLIP: Time Warp - Kali Dog Brothers Real Contact Stickfighting

2 days ago, 4/15/09, Discovery Channel had Time Warp: Slings, Rockets, Sticks. For the sticks portion of the show, Nick Papadakis, Roan Kalani Grimm and Erik Bryant, associated with the Dog Brothers -- demonstrate the Filipino art of Kali. MIT scientist Jeff Lieberman and the Time Warp team use the latest in high-speed photography to capture the stick strikes against stick, against a coconut, and against the human body.One word: OUCH! ;-)NOTE: My thanks to lone_wolf for the headsup on th...

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ARTICLES: Kelly McCann in Black Belt magazine

Profile/ArticlesBlack Belt magazine profile of Kelly McCannForged At The Crucible By E. Lawrence article on Elite Training Organization Creates the World’s Best Warriors Techniques VideoclipsKelly McCann: How to Handle "Handshake" SituationsKelly McCann: Jugular Notch Demo VideoKelly McCann: Time Lag in CombativesKelly McCann: Lapel Grab / Chin Jab Demo VideoKelly McCann: Baton vs. Knife Demo VideoKelly McCann: Arm-Drag Takedown Demo VideoEnj...

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ARTICLES: Close Combat by Robert Bolt with Carl Cestari

Check out this Black Belt magazine article with Carl Cestari, Close Combat by Robert Bo...

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LINKS: Battlefield forum aka Close-Combat forum

Image borrowed from Battlefield forum Welcome to the Close-Combat Forum. This is a Close-Combat board, devoted to discussion on WWII-Combatives Close-Quarters Battlecraft, Reality Based Self-Defense, Edged-Weapons, Knife-Fighting, Impact-Weapons and the Tactics, Strategies and Concepts used in the REAL WORLD! Check it out: Battlefield forum aka Close-Combat forum. Loads of knowledgeable members, including Combatives luminaries such as Clint...

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LINKS: CarlCestari.com

Picture borrowed from http://www.goshindosamurai.comSpeaking of Carl Cestari, please check out http://www.carlcestari.com/ for photos, video clips, articles and more on the man. Loads of practical advice on self-defense as well as the history of combativ...

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LINKS: Clint Sporman's Gutterfighting.org

For a great site about the WW2 Combatives, please check out Clint Sporman's Gutterfighting.org. Lots of information on there, including an archive of some of Carl Cestari's articles/pos...

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Finally, I added a site counter to my blog

For the heck of it, finally, I added a site counter to my blog... Site Meter. For whatever reason which I'm clueless as to why... I've never added one to the blog until now.LOL @ ...

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LINKS: Personal Protection Systems / Darren Laur

Check out Personal Protection Systems / Darren Laur.When I used to have more time in the past, Mr. Laur was prolific on many of the "martial arts" forums, and I would love to read his posts. He shared with the members of those forums various articles he wrote, and more importantly, his experience and wisdom in street situations. He was mostly concerned with "reality-based self defense" (RBSD)... what and how we trained in the "dojo" may not be what will really happen on the streets. His articles has helped me tremendously! Other RBSD instructors...

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LINKS: Sun Bear's Training Hall

Check out Sun Bear's Training Hall. He is a martial artist who is getting back into training after raising a family and will be learning Silat again. I wish him the best of luck and happiness on his journey in the martial arts! I look forward to reading his blog and seeing how he is progressing in his journ...

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VIDCLIP: Dude Mugged On Bus In Paris

The footage seems to be taken 7/12/2008, but was uploaded to the net yesterday.A guy gets his wallet stolen by a gang while riding a bus in Paris. He is beaten up in front of the other passengers while he tries to get it back. 2 links... the same vid, in case one of them goes down.http://www.break.com/index/dude-mugged-on-paris-bus1.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTU3AOIfwVUEmbedding is disabled, so just click the link... lots of interesting dynamics going on IMO in this clip.NOTE: I watched both the break.com and 2 youtube links earlier this...

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MMA: Crazy 20 second Capoeira MMA Knockout!

Marcus "LELO" Aurelio of AXE Capoeira Vancouver knocks out Keegan "The Marshall" Marshall at North American Challenge #24 in North Vancouver, BC on April.4th.20...

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NEWS: Google’s Plan for Out-of-Print Books Is Challenged

April 4, 2009Google’s Plan for Out-of-Print Books Is ChallengedBy MIGUEL HELFTSAN FRANCISCO — The dusty stacks of the nation’s great university and research libraries are full of orphans — books that the author and publisher have essentially abandoned. They are out of print, and while they remain under copyright, the rights holders are unknown or cannot be found.Now millions of orphan books may get a new legal guardian. Google has been scanning the pages of those books and others as part of its plan to bring a digital library and bookstore, unprecedented...

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NEWS: NY gunman kills 13, commits suicide

NY gunman kills 13, commits suicideBy WILLIAM KATES, Associated Press Writer William Kates, Associated Press Writer 6 mins agoBINGHAMTON, N.Y. – A gunman barricaded the back door of a community center with his car and then opened fire on a room full of immigrants taking a citizenship class Friday, killing 13 people before apparently committing suicide, officials said.Investigators said they had yet to establish a motive for the massacre, which was at least the fifth deadly mass shooting in the U.S. in the past month alone.The attack came just after...

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READING LISTS: Terry Trahan's Required Reading

Check out Terry Trahan's blog and his post about Required readi...

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MUSIC: Olivia Ong ~ L.O.V.E

Enjoy!Olivia Ong: L.O.V.E from the album, "A Girl Meets Bossanova 2" (2006) L is for the way you look at meO is for the only one I seeV is very, very extraordinaryE is even more than anyone that you adoreLove is all that I can give to youLove is more than just a game for twoTwo in love can make itTake my heart and please dont break itLove was made for me and youL is for the way you look at meO is for the only one I seeV is very, very extraordinaryE is even more than anyone that you adoreLove is all that I can give to youLove is more than just a...

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MUSIC: Olivia Ong ~ Fly Me to the Moon

Forgot who turned me onto Olvia Ong, but she has an awesome voice. Technically not jazz, but bossa nova, but like the Cowboy Bepob entries, I'm not making a separate category bossa nova LOLEnjoy!Olivia Ong: Fly Me to the Moon from the album, "A Girl Meets Bossanova" (2005) Fly me to the moonLet me sing among those starsLet me see what spring is likeOn jupiter and marsIn other words, hold my handIn other words, baby kiss meFill my heart with songLet me sing for ever moreYou are all I long forAll I worship and adoreIn other words, please be trueIn...

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MUSIC: Astrud Gilberto ~ The Girl From Ipanema (sung all in English)

One of my all-time favorites! Well not quite "jazz", it's categorized more as 'bossa nova'. This Youtube is all in English. The original version starts off in Portuguese and then changes to English. The original is much better. Still looking for it.Enjoy!Song is from the 1964 album "Getz/Gilberto" by Stan Getz & João Gilberto. Music video is from the 1964 film "Get Yourself a College Girl" Tall and tan and young and lovelyThe girl from ipanema goes walkingAnd when she passes, each one she passes goes - ahWhen she walks, shes like a sambaThat...

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MUSIC: "Rush"/"NY Rush" from anime Cowboy Bebop

Yet another favorite!A variation of "Rush" called "NY Rush".Enj...

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MUSIC: "Clutch" from the anime series Cowboy Bebop

Another of my favorites!Enj...

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LIFE: Infidelity and Talkativeness -- 2 Cavemen Theories

December 11, 2008: our department had a Holiday Dinner party. As we were leaving for it, the breaking news was that Bernard Madoff was arrested for operating the largest Ponzi scheme in history. We had drinks before the dinner party and the chatter got to Madoff and cheating. It was easy to understand why Madoff cheated ... greed... pure and simple. Then one of my co-workers started talking about infidelity. One of his former co-workers cheated on his wife. The talk went back and off amongst us and we all were married and said we would not cheat...

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THIS DATE IN HISTORY: March 30

A belated selective cut and paste from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_30:Events240 BC - 1st recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet. 1822 - Florida Territory created in the United States. 1842 - Anesthesia is used for the first time in an operation by Dr. Crawford Long. 1858 - Hymen Lipman patents a pencil with an attached eraser. My father has always taught me 'Men are not perfect and will make mistakes. That's why there's an eraser at...

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NEWS: Man Hit by Spear Done With Underwater Fishing

Man Hit by Spear Done With Underwater FishingBy THE ASSOCIATED PRESSPublished: April 1, 2009Filed at 4:07 p.m. ETSAO PAULO (AP) -- A Brazilian man who came to a hospital with a spear stuck in his head after a diving accident says he is done with underwater fishing. Three days after doctors surgically removed a 6-inch spear from his brain, Emerson de Oliveira Abreu says ''never more'' will he get back into the water to fish with spears. Abreu is in stable condition and expected to be released in 10 days.Abreu told Globo TV on Wednesday that he felt...

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THIS DATE IN HISTORY: March 29

A belated selective cut and paste from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_29:Events1799 - New York passes a law aimed at gradually abolishing slavery in the state. 1879 - Anglo-Zulu War: Battle of Kambula: British forces defeat 20,000 Zulus. Shaka Zulu... 'nuf said!1886 - Dr. John Pemberton brews the first batch of Coca-Cola in a backyard in Atlanta, Georgia. I'd like to teach the world to stop drinking soda...1951 - Ethel and Julius Rosenberg are convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage. 1971 - A Los Angeles, California jury recommends the...

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THIS DATE IN HISTORY: March 28

A belated selective cut and paste from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_28:Events1834 - The United States Senate censures President Andrew Jackson for his actions in de-funding the Second Bank of the United States. 1910 - Henri Fabre becomes the first person to fly a seaplane, the Fabre Hydravion, after taking off from a water runway near Martigues, France. 1979 - In Pennsylvania, operators fail to recognize that a relief valve is stuck open in the primary coolant system of Three Mile Island's Unit 2 nuclear reactor following an unexpected shutdown....

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IN MEMORY OF: Mrs. Vicenta Ong Canete

Just saw this post by Pat O'Malley on Martial Arts Planet:It is with my heart and sould that I unfortunetly have to inform you that that on April 1, 2009 at 10:59am Cebu time, Mrs Vicenta Ong Canete died. Mrs Canete is the loving wife of GM Dionisio Canete.Our thoughts and prayers are with GM Dionisio Canete and his family at this sad time. We will miss Mrs Canete's kind hospitality and presence at the Doce Pares HQ. We are very grateful to Mrs Canete's hard work and help with many things over the years and we will never forget the extra mile Mrs...

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