Archive for November, 2009
Failure
Failure is not an option, it’s a fact of life. The challenge, of course, is how the inevitable is faced. J. D. Roth, of Get Rich Slowly, recently put together a piece called Failure is Okay, which examines how successful people move forward when things don’t go as planned. It might seem odd to
The First Thanksgiving
You’ve probably read a number of heartwarming Thanksgiving posts over the last day or two. I’ve decided to go a different direction with this tale of the first Thanksgiving and Pilgrim/Native American relations. Enjoy this account from Lossing’s History of the United States (1909).
Who can punch the softest?
Weston, of facetious memory, having borrowed on note the sum of five pounds, and failing in payment, the gentlman who had lent the money took occasion to talk of it in a public coffee-house, which caused Weston to send him a challenge. Being in the field, the gentleman, a little tender in point of courage, [...]
Boy Scouts in War
You may know Robert Baden-Powell was the founder of the Boy Scouts and you may consider the Scouts a para-military organization. But did you know the Scouts was formed in the crucible of the Boer War? Baden-Powell used the Mafeking Cadet Corps (12-15 y.o. boys)
Chinese Martial Arts in 19th century China
The following are English language accounts of Chinese martial arts practice in 1800s China.
Roundup
Insane Would-be Seattle ninja found impaled on metal fence Arkansas police officer tasers 10 year-old girl Amusing? How To: Survive in a Redneck Bar Useful? Make Your Own Medicine Balls for Classic Home Workouts. If you need some ideas on how to use it once it’s made, poke around Crossfit a bit.
Old Soldier Ancestors
The other week I posted about the database where you can search muster rolls from the Hundred Years War (1300s-1400s). It looks like wildcard searches are the way to go, because I found soldiers in the database that share the surname of both sides of my family by searching on the first couple of letters [...]
Gatka Goes International
The Punjab Gatka Association is trying to popularize the Sikh martial art of Gatka by arranging for international amateur competitions, although it looks like they will be held in India. The association has been making strides to open the art up to western interest. There are already some schools in the west, including France, Germany, [...]
Knife Dances
I stopped by Pete Kautz’s website recently; Pete’s site and his buddy James Keating’s, for that matter, are ones you can forget about because they don’t offer news feeds. I saw an article on Traditional Knife Dances Around the World where Pete collected Youtube clips of men performing knife dances from different cultures. There’s easily [...]
Hey, Watch This!
Looking at this photo, you can’t help but wonder if this police officer injured himself during this photo shoot
Heroines and Guns
NY Times article on the background of (hero) SWAT Sergeant Munley, who was instrumental in stopping the Ft. Hood shooter (she filled him full of holes even though she herself took multiple hits). Remind me again why women are not allowed combat roles in the military? Anyway, If you’re curious about the weapon used by [...]
The Cost and Value of Training
Charles C. Goodin has a nice bookend of posts on first the Cost of Karate Training and then the Value of that training. The costs are not limited to the direct financial, but include the missed opportunities of such a huge time commitment. The value is “just” in the techniques and teachings learned. Interesting, as [...]
Guy Fawkes and Blowing Stuff Up
In celebration of Guy Fawkes Day, below is a recipe for gunpowder* from the Universal Receipt Book. Don’t know what Guy Fawkes was all about? In short, he and his cronies almost blew up Parliament and the king of England in 1605. TO MAKE GUNPOWDER:
Kin you dig it?
Did you have an ancestor that fought in the Hundred Years War? Find out with this database that searches approximately 90,000 service records from muster rolls for the years 1369 – 1453.
Bugei fever
If you’re near NYC between now and January 1, check out the exhibit at the Met on The Art of the Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armor, 1156-1868 To learn a little about the pieces and construction of Japanese armor before you go, or to make you’re own if you’re feeling ambitious, check out this site.
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