AUGUST 2005
What is a Martial Art? Most people would authomatically think of Karate in its many variations or perhaps Tai-chi or Judo. In fact neither of these are Martial Arts, but rather what the Japanese call Mingei or folk arts. Logic would make it clear that no un-armed art has ever been designed for war, though it may have an unarmed component within it in case weapons have been lost or are no longer functioning. Also, most of the arts that was truly created to train warriors in their trade, now mostly are only of historical interest, though they still might be of practical use in a minor way. The knife is still a useful combative tool, though few would carry an axe or a sword into battle in this day and age. The true modern Martial Arts are built around the rifle in its various forms with the pistol as a close-range back-up weapon.
So why study a historical weapon based art like Stav? It will keep you fit, but so will a lot of other forms of exercise that are less boring than swinging a sword or an axe a thousand times or more every day. For some of us it is a harking back to a perceived Golden Age when competence in the use of weapons was expected of all free men. For others it is the understanding that the training will enable them to use the only legally accepted weapons one can carry, namely the walking stick and the staff. Which is great for self-defence, but really places what one is doing back in the folk art cathegory.
So what one is left with is the training of the mind; learning to see reality in all situations; this can not be done through competitions or ego trips; only through mind-numbing repetitions of very basic moves that bring no recognition from anyone except perhaps from a very small group of like-minded people. But for some this is enough.
Stav teaches that a free man (or woman) has not only the right, but also a duty to defend one self, one's family and country and one's belief.
Any limitation on that right is enslavement and must be resisted by anyone who would claim to be free. A country that take away this right is a dictatorship; possibly a democratic dictatorship, but a dictatorship none the less. The fact that a majority of the population wants the tools of resisting agression banned, only means that there is a majority of people with a slave mentality in that country. This is a sad fact, but not one that should affect the minority that prefer to keep their freedom.
Unfortunately in this case one is fighting a war on two fronts; on one side against the autorities who want an easily controlled population, and on the other side those who prey on perceived weakness. While we can still fight those who believe themselves to be our masters through the ballot box (though I wonder for how much longer), the preditors that roam the streets are a different matter. Below I have made a list of the tools awailable with their strengths and weaknesses. The list is limited, but it is a beginning.
RIFLE. Strictly controlled, but still legal to own. Can only be carried on one's own property or registered shooting ground. Basically a better offensive than defensive tool. Difficult to conceil on person. Lever actions using pistol calibres probably best in an urban environment.
SHOTGUN. Somewhat less strictly controlled, but still only practical for home defence. Excellent defensive tool if someone kick your door in at the middle of the night.
PISTOL. In many ways the ideal defensive tool for someone who will take the trouble to learn to use it. Therefore banned in this country (UK) Can be easily carried conceiled at all times, easily availible on the street if one is willing to break the law, but you will probably be locked up for the duration if you have to use it.
SHORTSWORD. A very useful defensive tool, especially indoors. Can be carried conceiled, but not easily.
KNIFE. Easily and legally available. Can be carried conceiled at all times. In theory legal to carry as a tool, but not as a weapon. The burden of proof is on you, not on the authorities.
STAFF. Easily available. Few, if any restriction on carrying, but has to be carried in the hand and therefore might be left somewhere when needed. One of the most efficient hand-to-hand tools by someone trained in its use. In effect a spear without a spearhead.
STICK. Same as for the staff, but with even fewer restrictions; the only effecient defensive tool that can be carried aboard an airplane. Somewhat easier to carry at all time that a staff, and easier to use indoors. In many way the ideal tool for this age in trained hands. An axe without an axehead.
In addition there are a host of things that can be used as improvised weapons with lesser efficiency; torches, screwdrivers, multitools, hammers, scarfs; the list is nearly endless. At the end of the day your brain is your most efficient tool to fight those that want to harm you or yours.
Result for A-levels are out and as usual the pass rate was up. This year there was a failure rate of only 4% and a quarter of the graduates got straight As, leaving the Universities with a major headache trying to find the best candidates. While many say that the standards have fallen and are calling for the scrapping of A-levels, in my opinion the problem is with the grading. You now get an A with what would formerly been a good C grade and a B with what is actually a fail.
Daughter Aki called down from Edinburgh to tell that she had been thrown off one of her ponies and dislocated her shoulder . As her Shetlands stand only about 3 feet off the ground she was somewhat redfaced about the whole incedent.
Kiyoko and I finally managed to get on the train down to London to sort out her passport at the Japanese Embassy. At the height of the tourist season the place was like a ghost town. The shops were empty, many were boarded up, the famous names that used to mean London shopping were gone and the traffic was about the level of the Beverley rush hour.
I have lived in the UK for 14 years now and especially during the last decade there have been some notable changes.
The police and local councils no longer serve their communities; they control them.
Teachers are no longer allowed to teach their students; their job now is to follow guidelines.
Doctors are no longer allowed to put patients interests first; their main job is to reach targets.
Farmers are no longer allowed to produce food; their job is to maintain a parklike landscape.
Community projects are now completely controlled by access to the Lottery commission.
Changes to make services more effecient, always result in reduced access to the same services.
What is the definition of poverty in the UK? Living on what is officially a deprived estate where almost everyone is in receipt of income support I really wonder. We seem to live fairly comfortably on less money than most families around here, and yet they are poor and we are not; at least I don't feel poor, and they do. It seems to be mostly a state of mind.
The brambleberries are at their best now, and it has been a good year. The other day I was tucking in at my favourite patch when I noticed 3 lads of about 12 years of age looking at me with their mouths wide open. Finally one of them asked if one could actually eat the berries, though I was obviously doing so. After a lot of thought one of them decided to have a go and found them very tasty and sweet. When I left they were all busy stripping the bushes. It seems that no one had ever told them that food is not neccessarily made in factories and sold in supermarkets. Oh, well. At least it means that I always will have plenty.
One of the perks of public sector workers has been the ability to take early retirement at 55 on a full pension. This will now be changed to 65 in line with everyone else from October this year to save money. (though there is a change in the pipeline to up the retirement age to 70 for the common herd) Concequently all senior managers of the East Riding Council, including the Chief Executive, seem to have retired this Summer, and are now being retained as independent consultants to the Council, earning more than their original salary in addition to their pension, according to my sources within the Council.
Animal rights extremists has finally succeded in closing down a farm that breeds guinea pigs for medical research after smashing windows, vanalizing cars and even digging up the remains of the farmer's mother-in-law and holding the corpse for ransom.
While my opinion of a lot of modern medicine is not too high, I can still see the neccessity of animal testing. I will have lot more respect for these people if
a. they refuse all treatment for themselves and their children or
b. they lobby the Government to be allowed to volunteer themselves to be tested instead of animals.
Somehow I don't expect either option to be high on their agenda.
Hurricane Katrina which devestated New Orleans, has highlighted a range of problems facing us all. Like most major towns and cities, New Orleans is, (or one might rather say was,) situated below or at sea level. Rising seas and increasingly violent storms due to global warming will make it more and more difficult and expensive to defend these areas.
Also, disregarding the incompetance of the authorities in dealing with the disaster, (and in this case Europe should not feel too smug), it seems that the city was left to the sheep and the wolves, while everyone else got out. Many pundits have remarked that the situation shows that racial discrimination is still rampant in the States as almost all the ones left behind are of African descent. This might be so, but they are also people who have expected the authorities to always feed them, house them and tell them what to do and seem no longer capable of taking care of themselves. I wonder how many in this country would be able to survive in a similar situation; I fear not many.
Aki has indicated that she has need of a lot of (free) labour up at the farm, so Erling and I will spend the first couple of weeks up in Scotland getting a lot of exercise and fresh air.