State of the Neck:
I did not wake up in Mexico missing a kidney. This is good. I’m on a week’s worth of steroids, muscle relaxer, and Naproxin. This too shall pass.
Steven Seagal:
- The Lord of Lawsuits joins Americare.
Americare Services, Inc. today announced that famed Hollywood actor, musician, martial arts artist and philanthropist Steven Seagal has joined the Americare Services board of advisers and will help promote the company’s popular CallMD 24/7 Doctor-on-Call service…
- We also get to see the last eight “Lawman” episodes in October. I’ve decided not to review them for Blogcritics. However, I do plan to review his craptastic Southern Justice, once they start to air!
Seagal plays Elijah Kane the leader of an undercover group of cops that chases down the bad guys in the Seattle, Washington area.
”It’s being filmed from July to December in Vancouver, Canada”, a source on the production tells Moviehole. “There are 13 episodes ordered and it will air world wide through Voltage’s foreign sales efforts. It will be an action/crime drama – one hour procedural. Crime of the week kind of thing.”
I can only hope that they have Segal fight a bear!
Martial Arts News:
- An Indian boxer wins another title.
India’s MC Mary Kom won her fifth World women’s boxing title in Bridgetown ( Barbados) on Saturday.
- Kevin James to play an MMA fighter?
James will play a physics teacher whose school is facing drastic budget cuts. In order to earn money to save his best friend’s job and the music program that his students hold dear, he moonlights as an MMA fighter, and ultimately winds up doing battle in the UFC.
- Crowe is going to play a kung fu fighter in his next movie.
Speaking with cable channel E! online, RZA said “Russell’s gonna be the baddest man alive. That man will knock you out.”
- Okay, I have no idea who this guy is and I really don’t care. Regardless, it sounds like he used a little Krav Maga on some photographers.
Although several photographers were attacked, only one suffered bruising around his eyes. X17online has learned that the photographer will be pressing charges.
- Here’s an interesting story about a real fight club.
For nearly two decades, Bruce Silverglade, the owner of Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, has waged a tirelous battle to preserve a brand of boxing that is geared toward businessmen.
In the area of smokers, white-collar boxing is akin to the nice boy who sits in the front of the class and gets straight A’s.
- Here we go again.
A karate instructor who works with children was arrested late last week after prosecutors said he was sexually abusing some of the students at his studio.
- Boxing can be a way to freshen up your exercise routine.
Are you a wrestler, runner, hockey player or football player and want to add some variety to your workouts?
- Chuck Norris helps the Osmand brothers become macho?
When the Osmond Brothers thought their dance moves were too effeminate, they knocked the door of the ultimate macho man to teach them how to dance more manly with karate-style moves
- Only Kid Rock would get into a fight at a Waffle House!
Kid Rock says he never landed a punch on the man who’s now suing him over a 2007 fight at a DeKalb County Waffle House.
- If you are in the UK it looks like you get to watch a little Tae Kwon Do action!
Via online and digital ‘red button’ access, viewers will be able to watch the world’s best international taekwondo athletes battle it out against a British team bidding to take victory in one of the few home internationals prior to London 2012.
- This story is just sad.
It had been closed since Wednesday when the owner, a 52 year old Salinas man, was shot early in the morning. Central Coast News found out the victim had just earned a black belt in Taekwondo and may never be able to perform again.
- Some rich guy tries a little drunken kung fu!
Hawke’s Bay millionaire merchant banker Sam Kelt has been convicted of disorderly behaviour after a court heard he performed a “flying kung-fu kick” at a passing car.
- Wing Chun gets a boost thanks to Yen.
“I see this as a great opportunity to promote the Chinese traditional martial art of Wing Chun,” said Wang Desheng, a 34-year-old martial artist, who has been looking forward to this moment since childhood.
- Japan did well at the World Judo Championships.
Japan dominated at the world judo championships on Saturday, winning all three gold medals on the third day of competition.
- Krav Maga is popular in London.
Here in London, men and women wearing bulbous groin guards and protective gear come to learn the kind of moves that would make Jack Bauer blush; the kind that have been banned in nearly all other forms of competitive combat. Eye gouging, headbutting, biting, elbowing and kneeing in the groin, as well as loud swearing, are all on the teaching syllabus, alongside traditional punching and kicking.
Damn! They even get to swear in class?
The Blogs:
- Here is a very interesting account of the fight that allegedly caused Bruce Lee to abandon Wing Chun.
That the fight with Wong was the reason Lee quit, and then later repudiated the Wing Chun style, was confirmed by Lee himself in an interview with Black Belt. “I’d gotten into a fight in San Francisco (a reference, no doubt, to the Bay Area rather than the city) with a Kung-Fu cat, and after a brief encounter the son-of-a-bitch started to run. I chased him and, like a fool, kept punching him behind his head and back. Soon my fists began to swell from hitting his hard head. Right then I realized Wing Chun was not too practical and began to alter my way of fighting.”
- I’ll admit that I’m biased. However, I do believe that Karate, Tae Kwon Do, and Tang Soo do are all great “foundation” styles.
Why everyone should begin with Karate
Simply put, Karate is simple. All those who enter martial arts for the first time should at least try out Karate. It’s absolutely necessary. The style is straightforward and does not present the artist with any complex angles of movement that other styles often will punch you in the face with.
- Let’s just hope that for Lori’s sake she was wearing underwear!
As I was stepping back into a stance having finished the technique, I heard a loud ripping noise coming from behind me.
- Just A Thought ponders religion in the dojo. I too have blogged about this topic before.
The new student objected to bowing for religious reasons.
- Chris ponders Chi and Science.
Our “science” is firmly based on inanimate models and data-recording devices, whereas chi (in the central sense of this book) is intimately related to distinctively animate phenomena and cultivated human sensing. An additional problem is that Western science–especially “medical science”–has become dogmatic, so that it rejects any logical conclusion which lies outside its paradigm.
I just have to respond to the part I put in bold.
“For a theory to be part of science we must be able to imagine the possibility that some kind of evidence, if it were available, would tend to make us doubt the theory. It has been said that for a theory to be scientific it must be refutable” (Goldstein, 211). “Pseudoscientists delight in irrefutable hypothesis. If no possible state of affairs is allowed to count against what they say, they need have no fear of the facts ever proving them wrong” (Radner, 40).
Therein lies the problem: Chi allegedly exists but all of the scientific tests of Chi have failed. Also, if Chi exists outside of the realm of science (i.e. the physical world) then how can anyone know that it exists? Apparently a lot of us are missing this “Jedi Gene” which allows Chi proponents to verify the existence of Chi, and also lets them operate in this “other world” (whatever that is).
In order for scientific research to be considered valid, it must be open for critical analysis and refutability. Pseudoscientific research methods often do not provide the ability to be adequately replicated, yet pseudoscientist consider their knowledge claims to be irrefutable.
- Somewhat related:
We think we trust experts. But a new study finds that what really influences our opinions, more than listening to any expert, is our own beliefs.
“People tend to keep a biased score of what experts believe, counting a scientist as an ‘expert’ only when that scientist agrees with the position they find culturally congenial.”
The Videos:
- The staff here at Striking Thoughts found some rare forest footage of our old pal, Dojo Rat. Who knew that he actually met Chuck Norris?
- Master Wong may have had one too many Red Bulls. Anyhow, it’s still fun to hear him talk about his version of Chi Sao.
-BCP
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Steven Segal fighting a bear: I’ve actually thought about that: How would you use Aikido on a bear? Seems like their joint and tendon structure would be different than humans…
Walker, Texas Ranger — gotta love ‘im!
Bowing in the dojo: It’s no different than tipping your hat or bowing your head in greeting (doggone cultural close-mindedness!) Also, I think the MARTIAL ARTS IN AMERICA book has a section on the whole “bowing debate”.
“Chi allegedly exists but all of the scientific tests of Chi have failed.” — Around 1999, my brother (kung fu) and I (Aikido, then kung fu) did an interesting experiment in front of our paternal grandparents’ house. Both of us are able to use divining rods (metal, L-shaped) to find buried water pipes. We stood out in the road, about 20 paces apart; he held the divining rods towards me, with his eyes shut; I sent ki his way (Aikido “extended arm”), without alerting him to when I’d be doing it (I paused for a bit); immediately the divining rods twisted together; two or three family members were on the sidewalk, witnessing this. Then we swapped roles (he used the Hung Gar “chi” hand shape — http://www.hunggar-chigong.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/hung_animals.jpg) , and again had success. (Quasi-scientific?)
We were both actually surprised.
One thing I’ve wondered about “chi” tests is whether you need a “trained” recipient — i.e., someone who’s attuned to it. In which case, laboratory experiments with “naive” subjects wouldn’t work.
–GG
Addendum to our “chi test”: From memory (and I could very likely be wrong) — I think I extended my arm; then nodded, silently, to alert the viewers when I was going to extend ki; then actually **sent** ki, through my already-extended arm. Yeah, I **guess** my brother could’ve subconsciously heard my shirt collar rustle when I nodded my head…
I self-identify as a Lutheran (and therefore, Christian) and have absolutely **no** problem with God including strange and wonderful dimensions to this world. (And why is “faith healing by your pastor” okee-dokey, but healing through chi a horrible, awful thing?) Angry people with bad reasoning skills tick me off.
–GG
Chi allegedly exists but all of the scientific tests of Chi have failed. Also, if Chi exists outside of the realm of science (i.e. the physical world) then how can anyone know that it exists?
Isn’t this precisely the argument used by the faithful to defend their belief in the existence of God? i.e., ‘God’s material footprints can’t be verified by science because He exists outside of space-time’, etc..
Philosopher Dan Dennett postulates something he calls the “God Center” in the human psyche that he feels may have evolved over eons. Could be something like your “Jedi Gene”, no? If I can experience chi courtesy of a “gene” would I also be able to sense the divine in a similar manner?
John,
I’ve pondered that question re: God and chi. I have friend who is a religious studies professor and he often cites personal experience. All good and fine but it would appear that many of us are not getting the message or we are getting mixed messages (i.e. note all the different religions with different versions of God). I pretty much lump chi in all the other supernatural notions. Super natural= “beyond nature”. How do they know that? Near as I can tell nobody has ever been beyond nature. If they have I’m missing that trip, too.
Gye,
Steven would eat the bear or scare it away with his bad singing!
Oh my god – I love Master Wong! Wing Chun is fookin’ ded, you are alive! To keep secrets is asshole and I love you. This guy is awesome.
haha.. legend, nice video clip!
check out our new one and let us know what you think!
Regarding Karate/TKD instructors fondling children: you report it nearly every week, sorry to say, it hardly seems like news any more. (Would in be in bad taste to observe that nobody ever catches Taiji instructors doing this stuff?)
Regarding Steven Seagal: it is nearly impossible to keep on top of his many exploits these days!
Regarding chi: you are the third person to comment on that article by my count, and the third to ignore not only the thrust of the essay, but even the focus of my summary of the essay; which is the ontological necessity of the theoretical side, not the evidence supporting the applied side. At some point, repeating the unsupportable claim that “there is no scientific evidence” becomes a simple act of dishonesty, even if that response were contextually appropriate, which it is not here. I had rather hoped that people would instead respond to the question, “How exactly does a person die of ‘natural’ causes?”
Anyway, that post was quite tame compared to what I have scheduled for later this week…so readers should strap themselves in for a wild ride.
Chirs -
I’m like a bad local newspaper: Nothing to report but crime.
RE: Tai Chi. Perhaps it has to do with the number of karate/tkd schools that have a children’s program? I doubt there’s many Tai Chi for tots programs out there.
As for Chi, well, I was mainly responding to the part I put in bold (re-read my post). Not the entire essay or your conclusion(s). I’d go as far as agreeing with something Bertrand Russell said: “Philosophy allows us to consider things that science is not yet ready to test.” However, I do think Chi is testable and to my knowledge, science has not found it. So most scientists will say there is no evidence for it but they would modify their opinions of it if new data appeared.
Tater: You’re fookin’ crazy!
Hey!
I don’t even “Bearly” resemble Chump Norris!
No, but you DO look like the other guy in that clip!