- Clinton “Rampage” Jackson detained for mental health evaluation.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson was detained for the second time in as many days and will have his mental health evaluated, NBC Sports reported on its web site on Thursday.
- Chinese Taekwondoist eyes gold medal.
With an advantageous height of 1.83m, it seemed she was born for taekwondo, however, she did that after being trained for basketball for five years.
- Karate and dancing skills a good mix.
“My brothers started when they were younger,” said Swanson, who is from Beecher, Ill. “I was told I should try it, but I was involved in dance.”
- Sunni boxer finds an outlet in war-torn Iraq.
The U.S. military, which paid to refurbish the club, believes it is places like these that can help restore a sense of belonging among Sunnis…
- Women combat sports seems to grow.
Women’s combat sports have enjoyed some recent attention in the scattered world of American popular culture.
- Tai Chi helps mining industry! Go figure!
A program of tai chi and other muscle strengthening exercises is cutting back the number of injuries at remote mine sites by more than half.
- If you’re in the Ft. Worth area try the Taebo equivalent of boxing!
Shadow boxing can help wannabe boxers punch and jab their way to a better body.
- UK judo class aims at keeping kids off the streets.
In a bid to keep children off the streets the class will provide a regular meeting place for youngsters, as well as a healthy and safe after-school activity.
- Take a quick look at 10 legends of the martial arts world.
On Seagal: He earned belts in aikido, karate, judo, and kendo and in his late teens, Seagal became part of Demura’s Karate Demonstration Team.
- A continuing theme for sure, but here’s another example of martial arts being used to help troubled youths.
And Martial Arts expert Sijo Steve Muhammad who trained alongside the legendary martial arts sensation Bruce Lee, is among those leading the fight.
Finally lets close with a pretty funny new martial arts commercial:
They jab at racism and commercialism while still selling a product. Clever or hypocrisy? You be the judge! Regardless the fight choereography is pretty darn good!
~BCP
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Lockup Raw: Criminal Minds
July 21, 2008 · Leave a Comment
If you get a chance I recommend watching Lockup Raw: Criminal Minds on MSNBC. It’s part of MSNBC’s Lockup series. On this special they highlight nine of the most violent inmates the series has ever interviewed. Even if you don’t like watching shows about prison, inmates, etc., this one is a must-watch for those who care about self-defense because it shows the worst of what you might have to deal with: Someone who has nothing to lose.
While we’re on the topic I should also direct you to Mokuren Dojo. Pat is running a series that dovetails well with “Criminal Minds“.
Back to Criminal Minds and a philosophical aside of sorts…
Two of the nine inmates had severe mental illness which caused them to hear voices. In both cases the voices directed them to kill people and eat their brains (I’m not making that up). Both inmates are now housed at the same prison. In addition, both inmates are being managed with powerful medications.
Back in my prison days (for those of you who are not regulars, I worked there!) working with mental health inmates always made me think of the problem of free will in Christianity (also related to the problem of evil). It goes something like this: We have a choice between good and evil. If we perform evil acts we had a choice and failed to make the right one. Therefore, God is justified in sending us to hell for all eternity.
Just one problem: What about those with severe mental illness? It’s obvious that inmates like the above or the 30 or more I saw on the mental health unit have a clearly measured health problem. In short: Without medication they simply cannot help themselves. So much for free will. In fact, this is the problem with The Problem of Evil(tm). You can use free will to absolve the classical version of God (all-powerful, all-knowing, present everywhere, & ALL GOOD) from letting evil happen among those of us who can make choices. However, that argument falls flat when you factor in those who cannot help themselves. In the end you still have to ask: If you’re all-powerful and “all-good” why allow this to happen?
Anyhow, enough philosophy. I’ll close this post with one of the nine being interviewed.
If anything it should underscore the fact that if you are ever faced with someone like one of the nine, you need to unload with everything you got and get the hell out of there. Period.
~BCP
Categories: Martial Arts · Opinion · Philosophy · Religion · Social Commentary · Television · Video
Tagged: Lockup, Martial Arts, MSNBC, Philosophy, problem of evil, Religion, Self-defense