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Eighteen Arms Of Wushu

2008-03-02T21:13:00.000-08:00

The Eighteen Arms (Chinese: 十八般兵器) is a list of the eighteen main weapons of chinese martial arts. The origin of the list is unclear and there have been disputes with regards to what the eighteen weapons actually are. However, all lists contain at least one or more of the following weapons:

Dao (刀)
Qiang (槍)
Jian (劍)
Halberd(戟)
Axe (斧)
Battle axe(鉞)
Hook sword (鉤)
Fork (叉)
Chain whip (鞭)
Mace(鐧)
Hammer(錘)
Talon(抓)
Trident-halberd(樘)
Cudgel (棍) also known as Staff
Long-handled spear (槊) also known as Lance
Short cudgel (棒)
Stick (拐) also known as Crutches
Meteor hammer(流星)

Eighteen Arms f Wushu

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Wushu Translation

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The term wushu consists of two Chinese characters. 武 (wǔ), meaning "to stop war", martial or military, and 術 (shù), which translates into art, skill or method. Together these form "wǔshù" meaning 'Art of not fighting' but translated as "martial art".

The term appeared in a Southern Song Dynasty poem by Yán Yánzhī (384-456 CE): "偃閉武術，闡揚文令。庶士傾風，萬流仰鏡。" The text means "Abolish wushu, promote literature. Be respected and admired by the masses." In this context, wushu may refer to "military affairs". The term later appeared in a poem by Lǐ Yú in the Ming Dynasty (1610-1680): "自幼好武術。" This translates to "Liking wushu since childhood."

Contemporary Wushu
While the word wushu literally and traditionally refers to the martial arts in general, the recent times have seen a shift in its perceived meaning, due to the creation of the modern exhibition sport entitled "wushu". The sport, created by the People's Republic of China, is derived from the various forms of traditional Chinese martial arts.

Traditional Wushu
The term "traditional wushu" may be used in contrast with sport or modern wushu, to refer to the multitude of Chinese martial arts which existed before the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Many of these styles are rarely seen in modern wushu competitions. "Wu shu" also means "Flowering Hand" in ancient Chinese parlance. The shaolin temples propagated this term to mean 'As soft as a flower while in motion, but strong upon impact'.

Wushu : Other Routines

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The majority of routines used in the sport are new, modernized recompilations of traditional routines. However, routines taken directly from traditional styles, including the styles that are not part of standard events, may be performed in competition, especially in China. These routines generally do not garner as many points as their modern counterparts, and are performed in events separate from the compulsory routine events. Among these, the more commonly seen routines include:

Baguazhang (八卦掌) - Eight-Trigrams Palm
Bajiquan (八極拳) - Eight Extremes Fist/Boxing
Chaquan (查拳) - Cha Fist/Boxing
Chuojiao (戳腳) - Poking Feet
Ditangquan (地躺拳) - Ground-Prone Fist/Boxing
Fanziquan (翻子拳) - Overturning Fist/Boxing
Houquan (猴拳) - Monkey Fist/Boxing
Huaquan (華拳) - Hua Fist/Boxing
Paochui (炮捶) - Cannon Punch
Piguaquan (劈掛拳) - Chop-Hitch Fist/Boxing
Shequan (蛇拳) - Snake Fist/Boxing
Taijiquan (太极拳） - Supreme Ultimate Fist/Boxing
Tantui (弹腿）- Spring Leg
Tanglanghushi (螳螂虎势) - Praying Mantis and Tiger Style
Tanglanquan (螳螂拳) - Praying Mantis Fist/Boxing
Tongbeiquan (通背拳) - Through-the-Back Fist/Boxing
Wing Chun (Yongchunquan) (永春)
Xingyiquan (形意拳) - Shape-Intent Fist/Boxing
Yingzhaoquan (鷹爪拳) - Eagle Claw Fist/Boxing
Zuiquan (醉酒拳) - Drunken Fist/Boxing
Similarly, there is also a traditional weapons category, which often includes the following:

Changsuijian (長穗劍) - Long-Tasseled Sword
Shuangshoujian (雙手劍) - Two-Handed Sword
Jiujiebian (九節鞭) - Nine Section Whip
Sanjiegun (三節棍) - Three Section Staff
Shengbiao (繩鏢) - Rope Dart
Dadao (大刀) - Great Sword
Pudao (撲刀) - Pu Sword
Emeici (峨嵋刺) - Emei Daggers
Shuangdao (雙刀) - Double Broadsword
Shuangjian (雙劍) - Double Sword
Shuangbian (雙鞭) - Double Nine Section Whips
Shuanggou (雙鈎) - Double Hooksword

Wushu Competitions

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List of major international and regional competitions featuring wushu:

World Wushu Championships
World Junior Wushu Championships
Asian Games
National Games of the People's Republic of China
East Asian Games
Southeast Asian Games
European Wushu Championships, organised by the European Wushu Federation

Notable Practitioners

For Sanda competitors, see the article on Sanshou.

Jet Li (李連杰) - possibly the most famous wushu practitioner in the world. He started wushu as a competition sport and gained fame as he took the National Wushu Champion of China title five times as an original member of the Beijing Wushu Team, he was later selected to demonstrate his wushu on the silver screen in the worldwide hit film Shaolin Temple. Many of his old teammates have also appeared on-screen with him, especially in his older movies.
Wu Jing (吳京) - Chinese actor who was sent to the Beijing Sports Institute at Shichahai in Beijing when he was 6 years old. Like Jet Li he competed as a member of the Beijing Wushu Team in national level wushu competitions in China. Both his father and grandfather were also martial artists
Ray Park - Showcased his skills in wushu in several major films, including his portrayal of Darth Maul in 1999's Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, as well as Toad in the film X-Men (2000) and as stunt-double for Robin Shou and James Remar in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.
Voice actor Yuri Lowenthal is a practicioner of Wu Shu.

Wushu As An Olympic Event
The IWUF placed a bid to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to have wushu included in future Olympic Games, but so far did not meet with success. However, the IOC has allowed China to organize an international wushu event during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, but this event is not one of the 28 official Olympic sports, nor is it a demonstration event. Instead, it will be called the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Wushu Tournament.

Wushu Main Events

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Changquan refers to long-range extended wushu styles like Chaquan (查拳), Huaquan (華拳), Hongquan (洪拳; "flood fist"), and Shaolinquan (少林拳), but this wushu form is a modernized style derived from movements of these and other traditional styles. Changquan is the most widely-seen of the wushu forms, and includes whirling, running, leaping, and acrobatics. Changquan is difficult to perform, requiring great flexibility and athleticism, and is often practised from a young age.

Nanquan refers to wushu styles originating in south China (i.e., south of the Yangtze River, including Hongjiaquan (洪家拳), Cailifoquan (蔡李佛拳), and Yongchunquan (詠春拳). Many are known for vigorous, athletic movements with very stable, low stances and intricate hand movements. This wushu form is a modern style derived from movements of these and other traditional southern styles. Nanquan typically requires less flexibility and has fewer acrobatics than Changquan, but it also requires greater leg stability and power generation through leg and hip coordination. This event was created in 1960.

Taijiquan is a wushu style famous for slow, relaxed movements, and often seen as an exercise method for the elderly. This wushu form is a modern recompilation based on the Yang (楊) style of Taijiquan, but also including movements of the Chen (陳), Wu (吳), Wu (武), and Sun (孫) styles.

Dao refers to any curved, one-sided sword/blade, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using a medium-sized willow-leaf-shaped dao (柳葉刀).

Jian refers to any double-edged straight sword/blade, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using the jian.

Gun refers to a long staff (wooden, not made of bamboo as it will split) as tall as the wrist of a person standing with his/her arms stretched upwards, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using the gun.

Qiang refers to a flexible spear with red hair attached to the spearhead, but this wushu form is a Changquan method of using the qiang.

Taijijian is an event using the jian based on traditional Taijiquan jian methods.

Nandao is a weapon that appears to be based on the butterfly swords of Yongchunquan, but has been lengthened and changed so that only one is used (as opposed to a pair). This event is a Nanquan method, and was created in 1992.

Nangun is a Nanquan method of using the gun (Chinese word meaning staff, not to be confused with handgun). This event was created in 1992.

Wushu Events

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Barehanded
長拳 Changquan (Long Fist)
南拳 Nanquan (Southern Fist)
太極拳 Taijiquan (Taiji Fist)
Short Weapons
刀 Dao (single-edged sword)
劍 Jian (double-edged sword)
太極劍 Taijijian (Taiji double-edged sword)
南刀 Nandao (Southern single-edged sword)
Long Weapons
棍 Gun (Staff)
槍 Qiang (Spear)
南棍 Nangun (Southern Staff).

Most events were first set up in 1958.

These events are performed using compulsory or individual routines in competition. Compulsory routines are those routines that have been already created for the athlete, resulting in each athlete performing basically the same set. Individual routines are routines that an athlete creates with the aid of his/her coach, while following certain rules for difficulty, number of acrobatics, etc.

In addition to events for individual routines, some wushu competitions also feature dual and group events. The dual event, also called duilian (对练), is an event in which there is some form of sparring with weapons, or without weapons or even using bare hands against weapons. The dual event is usually spectacular and actions are choreographed before hand. The group event, also known as jiti (集体), requires a group of people to perform together and smooth synchronization of actions are crucial. Usually, the group event also allows instrumental music to accompany the choreography during the performance. The carpet used for the group event is also larger than the one used for individual routines.

Previously, international wushu competitions most often used compulsory routines, while high-level competitions in China most often used individual routines. However, after the 2003 Wushu World Games in Macau it was decided to opt for individual routines in international competition with nandu (难度; difficulty movements) added for additional point bonuses.

There is some controversy concerning the inclusion of nandu in wushu because many of the movements created for the specific events are not originally movements used in those styles. In addition the number of injuries which have resulted from the inclusion of these nandu have caused many people to question their inclusion.

Those who support the new difficulty requirements follow the assertion that they help to progress the sport and improve the overall physical quality of the athletes.

Wushu History

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In 1958, the government established the All-China Wushu Association as an umbrella organization to regulate martial arts training. The Chinese State Commission for Physical Culture and Sports took the lead in creating standardized forms for most of the major arts. During this period, a national Wushu system that included standard forms, teaching curriculum, and instructor grading was established. Wushu was introduced at both the high school and university level.

In 1979, the State Commission for Physical Culture and Sports created a special task force to reevaluate the teaching and practice of Wushu. In 1986, the Chinese National Research Institute of Wushu was established as the central authority for the research and administration of Wushu activities in the People's Republic of China. Changing government policies and attitudes towards sports in general lead to the closing of the State Sports Commission (the central sports authority) in 1998.

This closure is viewed as an attempt to partially de-politicize organized sports and move Chinese sport policies towards a more market-driven approach. As a result of these changing sociological factors within China, both traditional styles and modern Wushu approaches are being promoted by the Chinese government.

Introduction Of Wushu

2008-02-24T06:24:00.000-08:00

Wushu, also known as modern wushu or contemporary wushu, is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts. It was created in the People's Republic of China after 1949, in an attempt to nationalize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts. Most of the modern competition forms (套路 taolu) were formed from their parent arts (see list below) by government-appointed committee.[1] Some authors have surmised that the creation of sport wushu and its subsequent disassociation from self-defense and the traditional closed system of family lineages was an attempt to suppress what the PRC felt was potentially subversive aspects of Chinese martial arts.[1] In contemporary times, wushu has become a truly international sport through the International Wushu Federation (IWUF), which holds the World Wushu Championships every two years; the first World Championships were held in 1991 in Beijing and won by Clark Zhang.[citation needed]

Modern wushu is composed of two disciplines: taolu (套路; forms) and sanda (散打; sparring). Taolu forms are similar to gymnastics and involve martial art patterns and maneuvers for which competitors are judged and given points according to specific rules. The forms comprise basic movements (stances, kicks, punches, balances, jumps, sweeps and throws) based on aggregate categories traditional Chinese martial art style and can be changed for competitions to highlight one's strengths. Competitive forms have time limits that can range from 1 minute, 20 seconds for the some external styles to over five minutes for internal styles. Modern wushu competitors are increasingly training in aerial techniques such as 540 and 720 degree jumps and kicks to add more difficulty and style to their forms.

Sanda (sometimes called sanshou or Lei Tai) is a modern fighting method and sport influenced by both traditional Chinese boxing, Chinese wrestling methods called Shuai Chiao and other Chinese grappling techniques such as Qin Na. It has all the combat aspects of wushu. Sanda appears much like kickboxing or Muay Thai, but includes many more grappling techniques. Sanda fighting competitions are often held alongside taolu or form competitions.

San Soo Alternate History/Legend

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In ancient times the monks needed a form of exercise and an organized way to defend themselves from being robbed and brutally roughed up. Being non-violent they had to practice on each other and learn how not to hurt each other. Hundreds of brilliant minds developed a form of exercise that would not only strengthen the body, but also strengthen their ability to defend themselves.

They had to study how the human body moved and functioned. They learned the vital areas and non-vital areas of the human anatomy. They learned the damages that could be inflicted when striking different areas of the human body. But at the same time they kept a high respect for their fellow man. They went on the supposition that the mind and character of any individual is not completely known. With this assumption any human could be equal as a fighter. Non-violence was the intent. They trained with the thought that they had to commit themselves to do their best if ever having to utilize their skills. As these trained individuals branched off and left the training environment, deciding to either raise a family of their own or travel elsewhere, they taught bits and pieces of their knowledge here and there. It was developed for survival.

Over the years martial arts, especially with the rise of the Olympics, have been watered down for the utilization of a game or sports environment. Depending on the environment and terrain, cultural diversities and size of the individuals of that region was what aspect of Martial Arts Education was dwelled on. The first organized fighting system was developed for survival no matter what the situation. The size of your attacker and the environment that you may be in at the time is a consideration in your training. In-fighting, ground fighting and the ability to manipulate any individual to your advantage is the main goal in the training in the first organized fighting system.

The 5 elements of the system are simple; punching & kicking, leverages (principles of physics) or joint manipulation, Pressure points or knowledge of nerve points, Psychology or the knowledge of body reactions (the thinking mans art) and the knowledge of power & balance or the ability to maximize your effort with the least amount of energy (concepts of physical and internal strength). As Martial Arts Education began we have to note that it was based on the element of surprise. It was determined that once an attacker was in the state of mind of conflict, you needed the advantage. This advantage came from the element of surprise. By appearing untrained or not having any fighting skill knowledge. This is why Martial Arts Education has been past down from generation to generation in the manner that it has, to keep it pure and true. It is not pretty or flamboyant. The practitioner uses their own grace and skill to show the beauty of the movements as originally taught. These devastating movements, strikes or techniques are truly an Art form when practiced in a pure manner, as the original practitioners did. In a manner as not to injure each other and still get the true effect.

San Soo : Methods

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The application of proper technique is paramount for San Soo. They can be used effectively by smaller, weaker persons against larger assailants, as it does not rely on brute force. Therefore, San Soo is useful to women in rape prevention and self-defense. A basic premise of San Soo is "there are no rules in a fight" and hence it is an extremely brutal form of hand-to-hand combat. The swiftness of neutralizing an opponent is another aspect of this paradigm, with some practitioners aiming to end a fight within ten seconds, using merely three blows.

San Soo Modern Legend

2008-02-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

Because of their value and the fact he had taken them from the monastery, I asked if they were stolen. Jimmy was noncommital. Shrugging his shoulders he stated, “Maybe, I don’t know. Could be.” (The books are still in the family’s possession today.)

When the priest left the monastery, he returned to his family. Knowing the power of the weapon he possessed by knowing this art, he decided to keep the art secret. He taught only members of his family, after swearing them to secrecy. They in turn passed down the art within the family from generation to generation, from father to son, uncle to nephew and cousin to cousin.

Finally, a man and his wife belonging to this family made a vow. They promised that their second born son would dedicate his life to the continuance of the art. This son was later born and he followed his preplanned destiny.

As the great-great grandson of the priest who originally left the monastery, this boy began his formal training when he was seven years old. Now, grown into manhood, he has been actively involved in the Art for more than 50 years.

We know this man in the United States as Jimmy H. Woo.

San Soo Ancient Legend

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San Soo began at a Quan Yem monastery in Hoy Song, Canton many centuries ago. The priests (monks) of that monastery went throughout the countryside sharing their religious teachings and conducting religious services in surrounding towns and villages.

The people presented offerings to the priests to take back to their monastery in appreciation for their teachings. Those offerings contributed to the priests' survival because they did not work the land as the “common man” did. Whether the offerings consisted of food, clothing or money, the priests being able to deliver those goods was paramount to the survival of the monastery. Throughout the land it was common knowledge these Quan Yem priests traveled unarmed and unprotected while carrying valuables to the monastery. Knowing this, bandits often lay in wait, targeting the priests for robbery and often death.

Outside the towns and villages there was no law to depend on. Many of the priest fell prey to these bandits. The only way they could survive depended on the offerings reaching the monastery. The only way they could get the offerings to their monastery would be to overcome their attackers.

Because their religion did not allow them to carry weapons, they knew their only effective tool lay in the use of their body. The monks knew if they were to rely on their bodies, they must develop and organize a method of unarmed combat. Their attackers would have no pity on them. Combat would often be to the death. It would boil down to “my life or yours.” Therefore movements had to be fast and swift; deadly or immediately incapacitating despite the attackers size or number of opponents. Experience showed the priests would fight both armed and unarmed multiple attackers. Often they would be alone when attacked. Help would not be available. Common sense dictated offensive and not defensive fighting would be the norm . Literally hundreds of monks over many generations trained continuously toward perfection of that goal. Together, hundreds of men training every day throughout their lifetime provided the result known today as Kung Fu San Soo.

As the art was being perfected, its teachings were kept exclusively in the monastery and taught to all new priests for their protection. One day, about five generations ago, one priest left the monastery. Returning to the “outside” world, he took with him the training and experience he had gained as a fighter. Additionally, he took two very thick, hand written books from the monastery. Books containing an unimaginable wealth of information dealing with all aspects of the art of San Soo.

Introduction Of San Soo

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San Soo is a form of Chinese martial arts also known as Kung Fu San Soo and San Soo Kung Fu.

San Soo has its origins in the very basics of Chinese life two thousand years ago. These fighting tactics were begun in the Kwan-Yin (goddess of mercy) monastery in the village of Pon Hong, Guangdong Province of Southern China. It is said that the monks developed this form of martial arts to protect themselves from bandits and outlaws as they returned with supplies and donations from the nearby villages as well as to maintain their physical fitness. Combinations of kicks, punches, other kinds of strikes and leverages are based on scientific principles of physics. It follows no set pattern, and is easy to adapt to any given situation.

Jimmy Woo (Chin Siu Dek) is credited with bringing the art to America in the 1930's, finally opening his own studio to teach formally in 1962.

San Soo is not a tournament sport. San Soo incorporates techniques that can remove a threat as quickly and effectively as possible being as it is a combat art. Typical moves during a fight could include blows to the throat, upward blows to the nose, or kicking to the groin, all of which are customarily banned from tournament fighting.

The application of proper technique is paramount for San Soo. This paradigm can be used effectively by smaller, weaker persons against large assailants, as it does not rely on brute force. Therefore, San Soo is useful to women in rape prevention and self-defense. A basic premise of San Soo is there are "no rules in a fight" and hence it is an extremely brutal form of hand-to-hand combat. The swiftness of neutralizing an opponent is another aspect of this paradigm, with some practitioners aiming to end a fight within ten seconds, using merely three blows.

San Soo is an efficient form of hand to hand combat, but this doesn't preclude its practitioners from having respect for human life. This point is demonstrated with a quote from Jimmy H. Woo, “The art of San Soo does not lie in victory or defeat, but in building human character.”

Kung Fu : Philosophy

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There are various philosophies around the term kung fu, suggesting a deeper meaning. The following is an example of such a philosophy:

For a process to truly be kung fu, the following three elements must be present:

Motivation
Self-discipline
Time

Motivation is the basic driving force, and without it, kung fu can never be reached. It means both interest and the will to do something; a person who is forced to do something is not truly motivated. A motivated person, on the other hand, has interest in learning: they have a goal.

It is important to note a difference between the various types of motivation: A person can be motivated to do something, because if they do not they will be punished. Money can also lead to motivation, because you know that doing something will give you more money. However, the motivation kung fu comes from an interest and an inner desire to learn and develop, in which the goal is not an external gain, like avoiding punishment or earning money, but an internal one, with the only reward being knowledge, skill, strength and wisdom. This motivation can be inspired, but not controlled, by other people.

Self-discipline is closely related to motivation, but refers to the effort and patience required to actually get something done, and to get past obstacles that might appear on the way towards one's goal. While motivation is the mental state of wanting to do something, discipline is required to put motivation into action: A person might want to do something very much, but lacks the required amount of discipline to get started. Without this, motivation will lead to nothing.

It is true that a competent instructor can assist a person by providing discipline, helping that person to get past obstacles. This is good, but will not last forever, and in the end, it is always up to the person herself to put her thoughts into action.

Time is essential for finding one's motivation and self-discipline, and to actually accomplish something by making use of them, but motivation and self-discipline are also important to make a person willing to put time into accomplishing their goal: to prioritize.

In later stages, once motivation and discipline have become an integral part of a person's life, it is important not to stop spending time on practice. This is said to be a very important aspect of kung fu: Many ancient Chinese philosophers and martial artists consider time the most valuable commodity in a person's lives, as time cannot be replaced. By finding interest in and putting effort and time into every action, one will make the best use of time, and live a happy and productive life.

Kung Fu : Related Terms

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While the term Kung Fu is used globally as a generic term for the Chinese martial arts — such as Shaolin Kung Fu — certain Chinese words may be used to denote some specific aspect of a style. These words are often based on the theme of the human hand. A common term is the Mandarin word quan or chuan (拳, Cantonese: kuen, Japanese: ken), meaning fist, which conveys the sense of a style of boxing or striking, as in Shaolin Quan (Young Forest Fist) and Wing Chun Kuen (Eternal Spring Fist). The word "chuan", however, may not always denote boxing; Tai Chi Chuan (Supreme Ultimate Fist), for instance, contains the word "chuan" but does not focus on striking in common practice. The term chang or zhang (掌), meaning palm, is also seen, an example being Bagua Zhang (Eight Trigrams Palm). Another similar word is shou (手), or hand, as in Sanshou (Loose Hand or Free Hand).

Some words refer to an art's origin or tradition. One term is pai (派), denoting a school of thought or system, as in Tien Shan Pai and Ying Jow Pai. This is related to the Japanese term ryuha (流派, Mandarin: liúpài), meaning "mainstream school of thought". Some martial arts of Southern China use the Cantonese word gar (家, Mandarin pinyin: jiā), meaning family, as in Hung Gar and Lau Gar (Hung Family, Lau Family), among others.

Kung Fu : Translation And Usage

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Nowadays, the most common use of the term kung fu is when referring to Chinese martial arts in general. Thus, when someone says they study kung fu, they likely mean they study one of the many styles of Chinese martial arts. (An alternative term might be "Zhongguo wushu" (中國武術, literally China martial art)). The original meaning of kung fu is quite different, and is hard to translate as there is no English equivalent. In short, 功夫 (gōngfu) means "achievement through great effort" or simply virtue. It combines 功 (gōng) meaning achievement or merit, and 夫 (fū) which translates into man. In Mandarin, when two "first tone" words such as gōng and fū are combined, the second word often takes a neutral tone, in this case forming gōngfu.

Originally, to practice kung fu did not just mean to practice Chinese martial arts. Instead, it referred to the process of one's training - the strengthening of the body and the mind, the learning and the perfection of one's skills - rather than to what was being trained. It refers to excellence achieved through long practice in any endeavor. You can say that a person's kung fu is good in cooking, or that someone has kung fu in calligraphy; saying that a person possesses kung fu in an area implies skill in that area, which they have worked hard to develop. Someone with "bad kung fu" simply has not put enough time and effort into training, or seems to lack the motivation to do so. Kung fu is also a name used for the elaborate Fujian tea ceremony (Kung-fu cha).

There is a curious contemporary twist on this meaning in the hacker culture: there the fu has been generalized to a suffix, implying that the thing suffixed involves great skill or effort. For example, one may talk of "script-fu" to refer to complicated scripting. It is unknown whether this was consciously based on the original, broader meaning of the term or whether it was a simple wordplay on the less general Western notion of "kung fu".

In Japanese, the characters for kung fu (功夫) retain an approximation of their Chinese reading, and are pronounced kanfū (カンフー). Chinese martial arts in general are also referred to as chūgoku ken (中国拳) or chūgoku kempō(中国拳法), which translates literally to "China fist" and "China fist law," respectively. (Kempō is a generic term for a punching/striking art of Chinese origins.)

In Korean, kung fu means Chinese Martial art but a word that sounds similar is gongbu (공부), which means "study."

History Of Kung Fu

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According to the legend of Chan (Zen) Buddhist monk Bodhidharma, kung fu also has its origin in India. The Indian monk named Bodhidharma Sardili (also known as Da Mo in Chinese) traveled from India to China around 500 CE. It is said that he visited Shaolin monks in the Henan Province. While there, Bodhidharma awed the resident Chinese monks with his mastery of meditation. The secret was physical discipline which Bodhidharma saw lacking in the monks. He trained them in exercises designed to strengthen the body and thus their endurance. According to legend, Bodhidharma had attained such a level of control that he was able to bore a hole through a wall simply by staring at it for a number of years in meditation. These series of exercises the monks used evolved into kung fu. This is why Bodhidharma is credited with spreading Chan (Zen) Buddhism to China and for forming the modern kung fu.

The term kung fu was not popular until the 20th century, thus the word would be seldom found in any ancient texts. The term was first known to have been reported by a Westerner, French Jesuit missionary Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, in the 18th century and was known little in the mainstream English language until approximately the late 1960s, when it became popular because of the Hong Kong films, especially those by Bruce Lee, and later Kung Fu - the television series. Before that it was referred to primarily as "Chinese boxing". Kung Fu, as it is written here, refers to the general term of Chinese martial arts. Shaolin Kung Fu refers to the style that was developed in the Shaolin temples.

Introduction Of Kung Fu

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Chinese martial art that is simultaneously a spiritual and a physical discipline. It has been practiced at least since the Zhou dynasty (1111 – 255 BC). Its prescribed stances and actions are based on keen observations of human skeletal and muscular anatomy and physiology, and many of its movements are imitations of the fighting styles of animals. Its combative techniques resemble those used in karate and tae kwon do. Self-discipline is emphasized. Kung fu performed as exercise resembles t'ai chi ch'uan.

ITF Ranks

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The ITF has a unique ranking system. It consists of five solid color belts (kups - also commonly called gups), five intermediate colour belts (indicated by a stripe around one or both hanging ends of the belt or a stripe around the middle of the entire belt), and nine degrees of Black.

* 10th kup (white)
* 9th kup (white with yellow stripe)
* 8th kup (yellow)
* 7th kup (yellow with green stripe)
* 6th kup (green)
* 5th kup (green with blue stripe)
* 4th kup (blue)
* 3rd kup (blue with red stripe)
* 2nd kup (red)
* 1st kup (red with a black stripe)

The nine degrees (dans) of Black are organized into skill levels:

* 1st-3rd dan (Novice) with the title of Assistant Instructor (Boo-sabum)
* 4th-6th dan (Expert) with the title of Instructor (Sabum)
* 7th-8th dan (Master) with the title of Master (Sahyun)
* 9th dan (Grand Master) with the title of Grand Master (Saseong)

The reason for nine black belt degrees, according to General Choi, is that the number nine is not only the highest of the single-digit numbers, but also is the number of three multiplied by three. In the Orient, three is the most esteemed of all numbers. The Chinese character for 3 is three horizontal lines, one above the other. The bottom line represents earth; the middle line represents mortals; the upper line represents heaven.

In some country's organisations, such as National Taekwon-Do Norway, children and juniors have additional degrees in between. Students under the age of 16 also have a white stripe following the middle of the belt all the way around. In addition, two extra partial degrees must be accomplished on red belt before applying for 1st degree black belt. An illustration of the complete colored belt ranking system can be found on NTN's homepage.

Each colour has a specific philosophical meaning. They are as follows:

* White - signifies innocence and ignorance toward Taekwon-Do, as that of the beginning student who has no previous knowledge of Taekwon-Do;
* Yellow - signifies the earth, from which a plant sprouts and takes root as the Taekwon-Do foundation is laid;
* Green - signifies the plant's growth, as the Taekwon-Do skill begins to develop;
* Blue - signifies Heaven, towards which the plant matures into a towering tree as training in Taekwon-Do progress;
* Red - signifies danger, cautioning the student to exercise control and warning the opponent to stay away;
* Black - Opposite of white, therefore signifying the maturity and proficiency in Taekwon-Do. It also indicates the wearer's imperviousness to darkness and fear.

Up to 6th dan, all ranks require the student to perform a test of all skills and knowledge up to their rank to be promoted. Ranks above 6th dan may be awarded with consent of the promotion committee with no physical test required; due to the nature of and responsibilities of a master no longer being centered on the physical development of students. However, if the recipient desires, a demonstration may be performed. 9th degree (being the highest) can only be awarded when the special committee examines and reaches a unanimous consent. There are minimum times that practitioners must remain at a black belt degree before being promoted to the next grade: 1st degree: minimum 18 months as 1st degree before promotion to 2nd degree; 2nd degree: minimum 2 years; 3rd degree: minimum 3 years; 4th degree: minimum 4 years; and so on.

ITF Sparring

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ITF style sparring differs greatly from the WTF type of sparring. ITF sparring is similar to that of full contact kickboxing rules with a few exceptions. Round are 2 minutes and in national and international levels of competition they hold two rounds each 2 minutes with a one minutes rest in between. Certain rules are no strikes below the belt, no hitting to the back of the head, no elbow strikes, no knee strikes, no out of control fighting, no falling down, no going outside of the ring. The tae kwon do ring is a 24 foot by 24 foot ring marked by square mats or tape instead of a traditional style boxing or kickboxing rings with ropes it has no sides allowing the fighter to move out of bounds. Whenever a fighter creates an infraction of the rules the center referee will issue a warning to the fighter who created the infraction. 3 warnings equals a minus point. If a fighter does not listen to the referees instruction he or she may be given a foul which is an automatic minus point and if the fighter continues to not listen they can be disqualified. ITF Tae kwon do is fought in continous point sparring. Four judges score the fights in each of the corners in the square ring. After the fight a judge votes for which ever fighter has the most points and a winner is declared. In the case of a draw the fighters go to a one minute overtime round. If there is another draw the fighters go to a sudden death round where the fighter who scores first is declared the winner. Points are given for certain techniques each ITF group has certain way of scoring. For the ITF-Vienna a kick to the head is 3 points, a kick to the body 2 points, a punch to the body or face 1 point. ITF-Canada rules differ somewhat having jump punches being 2 points, kicks to the head 2 points and a jumping and or spinning kick to the head being 3 points.

ITF Patterns

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Patterns or forms ("tuls" in Korean, equivalent to the kata in karate) originally called Hyung, are considered by many to be one of the most important aspects of training in Taekwon-Do. The patterns practised by members of the ITF are originally the patterns of the OH DO KWAN and rather different from those performed by Kukkiwon, especially the Taegeuk Poomsae, and form one of the major differences between the two styles. ITF style patterns are performed with a unique movement known as sine wave. The knees act as a spring in between movements causing the practitioner to move in a down up down motion creating power and a more fluid visual.

The majority of the patterns (excepting Ul-Ji and Tong-Il) start with a defensive move, which emphasizes Taekwondo's defensive nature. All of the patterns start and end at the same location. This ensures that the practitioners' stances are the correct length, width, and in the proper direction.

There are 24 patterns (틀) in the official ITF syllabus, developed by General Choi with assistance form associates such as Nam Tae Hi, Kim Bok Man, Han Cha Kyo, CK Choi and Park Jung Tae. General Choi also developed the Confucious based Korean Patriotic philosophy of each pattern. The names of these patterns typically refer to a patriotic instance or person of Korean history, with the exception of the controversial Juche Tul. They are as follows (with Hangul/Hanja names):

* Chon-Ji (천지/天地)
* Dan-Gun (단군/檀君)
* Do-San (도산/島山)
* Won-Hyo (원효/元曉)
* Yul-Gok (율곡/栗谷)
* Joong-Gun (중근/重根)
* Toi-Gye (퇴계/退溪)
* Hwa-rang (화랑/花郎)
* Choong-Moo (충무/忠武)
* Gwang gae (광개/廣開)
* Po-eun (포은/圃隱)
* Ge back (계백/階伯)
* Eui-am (의암/義菴)
* Choong jang (충장/忠壯)
* Juche (주체/主體)
* Samil (삼일/三一)
* Yoosin (유신/庾信)
* Choi-yong (최영/崔榮)
* Yonggae (연개/淵蓋)
* Ulji (을지/乙支)
* Moonmoo (문무/文武)
* Sosan (서산/西山)
* Sejong (세종/世宗)
* Tong-il (통일/統一)

Originally there was another pattern called Kodang, but this has been replaced by Juche in the current official syllabus of the ITF. As Juche is an important element of North Korean ideology, this change is sometimes controversial. In some studios, Juche is taught in addition to Ko-Dang, rather than replacing it, because the instructor feels that both are important.

It is also interesting to note that Oh Do Kwan representative HYUN, Jong Myung was one of the eight people from various kwans who created the Palgwe and Dan Poomsae (patterns) for the Korea Taekwondo Association in 1965, and was also on that same committee when the Palgwe Poomsae was replaced with the Taegeuk Poomsae, and some Dan Poomsae was revised in 1971–72, for the Kukkiwon.

ITF Returns To South Korea

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As a result of continued efforts by the ITF Canada (President Choi Jung Hwa) to return the ITF to its homeland, the Federation became the first to establish a local organisation in South Korea. In 2003 5th Degree Black Belt Mike Morningstar became the first instructor officially sent by ITF Canada to teach Taekwon-Do in South Korea since 1972. In 2004 the KITF hosted the historic first ITF World Championship and Junior World Championship in Daegu (Daejeon), South Korea. As a result of this trailblazing, both the Vienna and DPRK groups have been able to establish branches in South Korea as well. As none of the Kukkiwon schools train to Choi Hong Hi's pattern (TUL) system it should be interesting to see the growth of these over the years. The Oh Do Kwan practiced the Chang Hun tuls in the military and approximately 60% of civilian schools did as well.

All three groups now have representation in South Korea. There was a group affiliated to the ITF-NK that visited North Korea in May of 2006, to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the ITF.

It is important to note, however, that the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), the International Federation for Taekwondo under the International Olympic Committee, has been in talks with the ITF President, Chang Ung of North Korea. Expect soon that the North Korean Taekwondo group will apply for Member National Association (MNA) status with the WTF. North Korean Taekwon-Do practitioners are already learning the Kukkiwon curriculum.

ITF Recent History

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This recent history is very politically charged and one must be careful when approaching it. When General Choi Hong Hi died on June 15 2002, there was a political split between the different masters within the International Taekwon-Do Federation. The rest of this article mainly refers to the ITF as led by Master Choi.

General Choi Hong Hi, Founder of Taekwon-Do, had been elected unanimously as President for another term and stated that after two years he would retire. The congress members unanimously elected then-Master Choi, Jung Hwa to replace Gen. Choi after his retirement at the end of the two-year initial term. This vote was in accordance with the legal procedures for the organization and was done with the approval of the ITF's Legal Consultant. Master Choi, Jung Hwa informed the North Koreans that they would be welcome as a member country in the ITF after he became President, but that they would exercise no undue influence on the organization, which had been devised as a non-political body. After this Master Choi was "expelled" from the ITF during an Extraordinary Congress. The meeting did not meet the ITF's constitutional requirements (not meeting the required number of member countries in attendance and not being requested by the members). As such, its decisions were not binding.

However it is important to note that though Master Choi and his followers use the fact that the congress was unconstitutional, they neglect to address why the ITF felt the need to hold an Extaordinary Congress to expel what was then the President-Elect. Regardless of the reasons, however (and it seems to be due to the urgings of the North Koreans), it is evident that the meeting that was called did not meet the ITF's own requirements.

Another "special" congress was held in North Korea, after the death of Choi Hong Hi, to introduce Mr. Chang Ung, a North Korean government official, IOC Member and basketball coach, Mr. Chang Ung, presented himself as per General Choi's last words, which were witnessed by over a dozen Grand Masters and Masters. Mr. Chang Ung was accepted as President by some present and rejected by others. This group has come to be known on online bulletin boards as ITF North Korea. Many ITF members who originally broke from Master Choi, despite the claim of the non-constitutional nature of his "expulsion," now balked at following Chang Ung.

* The ITF-C (President Choi Jung Hwa) claims legitimacy because its president was elected at the 2001 Rimini Congress - the last unified congress before the death of General Choi. General Choi later attempted to overturn that result, although the attempt allegedly failed to meet the requirements of the ITF Constitution. Master Choi moved the ITF headquarters back to Canada while General Choi was still alive and holding the office of President.

* The ITF-NK (Professor Chang Ung) claims legitimacy as the chosen successors of General Choi, which was later affirmed at the ITF World Congress in Greece during the 2003 World Championships. This congress was arranged due to Master Tran Quan sending emails to all ITF National Associations around the world with a message from the Polish ITF saying that anyone who supports Prof. Chang Ung will not be allowed to participate in their ITF World Champs, Poland.

* The ITF-V (Master Trân Triêu Quân) claims legitimacy through the ITF constitution, which would invalidate the claims of the ITF-NK, but would also invalidate some of its own claims. The current president was elected at the 14th ITF Congress Meeting, held in Warsaw, Poland on June 13, 2003. In the first court case that was held in the Austrian higher Court, the decission was that Prof. Chang Ung is the legitimate ITF President and that Tran Quan should stop advertising that he is the legitimate ITF President.

Choi Jung Hwa claims the trademarks and licensing rights to the ITF in Canada belong exclusively to President Choi Jung Hwa. However, according the latest court decision of the Federal Court of Canada states that the trademarks used by Master Choi are invalid. This means that he may no longer use ITF symbols. Also, a judgment of the Superior Court of Justice of the Province of Ontario states that the group under Master Choi Jung Hwa may no longer use the name International Taekwon-Do Federation or any similar name.

The rights to the ITF in other countries are believed to be owned by the former NGB's under the old unified regime. In the UK that is believed to be Grand Master Rhee Ki Ha. It is also widely believed in the UKTA that the branch of the ITF that Grand Master Rhee oversees is the rightful ITF, since it was allegedly General Choi's wish that Rhee took over the ITF after he died.

However, the IOC recognizes the North Korean ITF and has entertained talks with the WTF. This started when Mr. Chang Ung, President of one of the ITF, had the ITF recognized by GAISF, the President of which was Dr. Un Yong Kim, also the President of the WTF. There are currently ongoing talks between the ITF-NK under Mr. Chang Ung and the WTF to merge the two Taekwon-Dos, which was General Choi's strongest hope for reunification between North and South Korea. The talks were recently given increased energy with the direct involvement of the IOC President, with the presidents of both the ITF-NK & WTF at a meeting held at IOC Headquarters.

International Taekwondo Federation

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The International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) was founded in 1966 by General Choi Hong Hi six years before his exile from South Korea in 1972 and seven years before the WTF. His first visit of good will to North Korea was in 1980, when he introduced Taekwon-Do there. It is one the two major international Taekwon-Do organisations, the other being the public Olympic International Federation called World Taekwondo Federation or WTF. The WTF though only operates competitions and has nothing to do with curriculum. For that, the WTF only recognizes the Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters). General Choi was the primary figure in the development of Taekwon-Do during the 20th century and headed meetings with the senior Taekwon-Do masters to unify a large number of the Korean martial arts schools under the name Taekwon-Do. He is also responsible for providing Taekwon-Do with its name which was agreed upon on April 11, 1955. He is acknowledged by practitioners of ITF Taekwon-Do as the founder and father of Taekwon-Do.

The original headquarters of the ITF from its inception in 1966 until it relocated to Canada in 1972 was in Seoul, Korea. It then moved from Canada to its former headquarters in Vienna, Austria in 1985. Shortly before General Choi's death, he flew to North Korea to be able to die in his homeland. During this period, internal debate concerning the rightful successor to General Choi became so serious as to cause a serious fracture of the ITF. There are now three major groups claiming to be the rightful ITF.

WTF Organisation Structure

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The organisational structure of the WTF has diverisifed at various times over its more than 30 year history to incorporate the various changes, affiliations and associations over these years of growth. As of 2007 the organisation is headed up by a General Assembly made up from members of the 182 member National Associations from the five world regions it represents. This in turn consists of a WTF Council comprised of an Executive Committee and various sub committees. The Executive Committee comprises a president, secretariat, and an Advisory Council. The sub committees are made up of various departments within the organisation, including a technical committee and representative committees of games, women's, legislative, financial, medical, athletic and PR areas.

WTF Membership

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Only national associations may be members of the WTF. There are no individual members. There are currently five regional unions: the African Taekwondo Union, Asian Taekwondo Union, European Taekwondo Union, Oceania Taekwondo Union, and the Pan-American Taekwondo Union. Within each union there are multiple member countries.

For example, the member association representing the United States is within the Pan-American Taekwondo Union, and is called USA Taekwondo, Inc. A prospective member (an individual) in the United States would register for membership with USA Taekwondo. This individual membership would be with USA Taekwondo, and would not be with the WTF. In the UK, member affiliation is done through the BTCB (British Taekwondo Control Board).

World Taekwondo Federation

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The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) is the International Federation (IF) member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the competition events of the martial art of Taekwondo. It was established in South Korea on May 28, 1973, at its inaugural meeting held at the Kukkiwon with participation of 35 representatives from the world. Un Yong Kim was elected President for a four-year term. The WTF, which only governs the function of Taekwondo competitions and related support services, should not be confused with the World Taekwondo Headquarters, also known as Kukkiwon, which is a center of learning and research of Taekwondo located in Yuksam Dong, a different part of Seoul. Kim successfully lobbied to include Taekwondo sparring competition as a demonstration sport in the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics, and official Full Medal Olympic sport beginning in 2000, and is a member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations.

According to the WTF, "Taekwondo is a Korean unarmed martial art. It is not only kicking and punching, but a way of thinking and living. The main goal of Taekwondo is to achieve total body and mind control through proper training."

Taekwondo is known for its extremely powerful kicks, both stationary and jumping.

Website
http://www.wtf.org

Taekwondo Competition

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Taekwondo competition typically involves sparring, breaking, patterns, and/or self-defense (hosinsul). However, in Olympic taekwondo competition, only sparring is contested; and in Olympic sparring the WTF competition rules are used. These rules are available at the WTF website.

Under WTF and Olympic rules, sparring takes place between two competitors in an area measuring 10 meters square. Each match or bout consists of three non-stop rounds of contact with rest between rounds. Colored belts fight in 1-minute rounds with a 30-second break, while black belts fight in 2-minute rounds with 1-minute breaks. Points are awarded for permitted, accurate, and powerful techniques to the legal scoring areas. A kick or punch that makes full force contact with the opponent's hogu (a trunk cover that functions as a scoring target) scores one point; a hard kick to the head scores two points. Punches to the head are not allowed. If a competitor is knocked down by a scoring technique and the referee counts, then an additional point is awarded to the opponent. Soft contact to the body and head does not score any points.

At the end of three rounds, the competitor with the most points wins the match. If, during the match, one competitor gains a 7-point lead over the other, or if one competitor reaches a total of 12 points, then that competitor is immediately declared the winner and the match ends. In the event of a tie at the end of three rounds, a fourth "sudden death" overtime round will be held to determine the winner, after a 1-minute rest period.

The ITF sparring rules are similar, but differ from the WTF rules in several respects. For example, hand attacks to the head are allowed; flying techniques score higher than grounded techniques; the competition area is slightly smaller (9 meters square instead of 10 meters); and competitors do not wear the hogu used in Olympic-style sparring (although they are required to wear approved foot and hand protection equipment). The ITF competition rules and regulations are available at the ITF information website.

Taekwondo Ranks, Belts, And Promotion

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Taekwondo ranks are separated into "junior" and "senior" or "student" and "instructor" sections. The junior section typically consists of ten ranks indicated by the Korean word geup 급 (also Romanized as gup or kup). The junior ranks are usually identified by belts of various colors, depending on the school, so these ranks are sometimes called "color belts". Students begin at tenth geup (usually indicated by a white belt) and advance toward first geup.

The senior section typically includes nine or ten ranks indicated by the Korean word dan 단, also referred to as "black belts" and "degrees" (as in "third dan" or "third-degree black belt"). Black belts begin at first degree and advance to second, third, and so on. The degree is often indicated on the belt itself with stripes, Roman numerals, or other methods; but sometimes black belts are plain and unadorned regardless of rank.

To advance from one rank to the next, students typically go through promotion tests in which they demonstrate their proficiency in the various aspects of the art before a panel of judges. Promotion tests will vary from school to school, but may include such elements as the execution of patterns, which combine various techniques in specific sequences; the breaking of boards, to demonstrate the ability to use techniques with both power and control; sparring and self-defense, to demonstrate the practical application and control of techniques; and answering questions on terminology, concepts, history, and the like, to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the art. Students are sometimes required to take a written test or to submit a research paper in addition to taking the practical test (especially for higher ranks).

Promotion from one geup to the next can proceed fairly rapidly, since schools often allow geup promotions every two, three, or four months. Students of geup rank learn the most basic techniques first, then move on to more advanced techniques as they approach first dan.

In contrast, promotion from one dan to the next can take years. The general rule is that a black belt may advance from one rank to the next only after the number of years equivalent to the rank. For example, a newly-promoted third-degree black belt may not be allowed to promote to fourth-degree until three years have passed. Some organizations also have age requirements related to dan promotions. Dan ranks usually have titles associated with them, such as "master" and "instructor". However, these titles and their associations with specific ranks vary among schools and organizations.

The two main Taekwondo organizations have their own rules and standards when it comes to ranks and the titles that go with them; for details, see Kukkiwon and International Taekwondo Federation.

Taekwondo Features

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Taekwondo is famed for its use of kicking techniques, which distinguishes it from martial arts such as karate or southern styles of kung fu. The rationale is that the leg is the longest and strongest weapon a martial artist has, and kicks thus have the greatest potential to execute powerful strikes without successful retaliation.

Taekwondo as a sport and exercise is popular with people of both sexes and of many ages. Physically, taekwondo develops strength, speed, balance, flexibility, and stamina. An example of the union of mental and physical discipline is the breaking of boards, which requires both physical mastery of the technique and the concentration to focus one's strength.

A taekwondo student typically wears a uniform (dobok 도복), often white but sometimes black or other colors, with a belt (tti 띠) tied around the waist. The belt indicates the student's rank. The school or place where instruction is given is called the dojang 도장.

Although each taekwondo club or school will be different, a taekwondo student can typically expect to take part in most or all of the following:

* Learning the techniques and curriculum of taekwondo
* Both anaerobic and aerobic workout, including stretching
* Self-defense techniques (hosinsul 호신술)
* Patterns (also called forms, poomsae 품새, tul 틀, hyeong 형)
* Sparring (called kyeorugi 겨루기, or matseogi 맞서기 in the ITF), which may include 3-, 2- and 1-step sparring, free-style, arranged, and point sparring, and other types
* Relaxation exercises
* Falling techniques
* Breaking (using techniques to break boards for testing, training and martial arts demonstrations)
* Exams to progress to the next rank
* A focus on mental and ethical discipline, justice, etiquette, respect, and self-confidence

Some taekwondo instructors also incorporate the use of pressure points, known as ji ap sul as well as grabbing self-defense techniques borrowed from other martial arts, such as Hapkido and Judo.

Taekwondo Organizations

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The largest taekwondo organizations are the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) and International Taekwondo Federation (ITF). The WTF is headquartered in South Korea and was founded in 1973 by a group of various national taekwondo teams. Its purpose is to coordinate international competition events under the rules of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Although the terms "WTF" and "Kukkiwon" are often mistakenly used interchangeably to refer to this organization, the Kukkiwon is a completely different organization which trains and certifies instructors and issues official dan and Poom certificates worldwide. The Kukkiwon has its own unique physical building that contains the administrative offices of Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters) in Seoul, South Korea. The Kukkiwon was founded in 1972.

The unofficial training headquarters of the International Taekwondo Federation is located at the Taekwondo Palace located in Pyongyang, North Korea and was founded in the mid-1990s. Today, the International Taekwondo Federation is splintered into three different groups, all claiming to be the original. The three are located in Austria, Canada and North Korea.

Outside of the World Taekwondo Federation and the International Taekwondo Federation, a large number of organizations exist, such as American Taekwondo Federation(ATF), ATA, UITF, USTF, MTA (Midwest Taekwondo Association),(IPTF) International Progressive Taekwondo Federation, TAGB, WTA and so on. These private organizations require that students belong to a member club or school. Events and competitions held by private organizations are mostly closed to other Taekwondo students. However, the WTF-sanctioned events allow any person, regardless of school affiliation or martial arts style, to compete in World Taekwondo Federation events as long as he or she is a member of the WTF Member National Association in his or her nation, which is open to anyone to join. The major technical differences among these many organizations revolve around the patterns, called hyeong 형, poomsae 품새, or tul 틀, sets of prescribed formal sequences of movements that demonstrate mastery of posture, positioning, and technique, sparring rules for competition (e.g. ITF light-contact versus WTF full-contact), and philosophy.

In addition to these private organizations, the original schools (kwans) that formed the organization that would eventually become the Kukkiwon continue to exist as independent fraternal membership organizations that support the WTF and the Kukkiwon. The official curriculum of the kwans is that of the Kukkiwon. The kwans also function as a channel for the issuing of Kukkiwon dan and poom certification (black belt ranks) for their members. Each kwan has its own individual pledge of tenets and manners that describes the organization's goals for personal improvement. For example, the tenets of Oh Do Kwan and the ITF are: courtesy (ye-ui 예의), integrity (yom-chi 염치), perseverance (in-nae 인내), self-control (geuk-gi 극기), and indomitable spirit (baek-jeol-bul-gul 백절불굴). The Jidokwan manners are: view, feel, think, speak, order, contribute, have ability, and conduct rightly.

Some organizations also recognize one or two additional tenets beyond the five original Oh Do Kwan tenets; these are community service (sa-hui-bong-sa 사회봉사) and love (sa-rang 사랑).

Modern Taekwondo

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By the end of the Korean War, nine martial arts schools (translated as kwan) had opened, and South Korean President Syngman Rhee ordered that the various schools unify under a single system. A governmental body selected a naming committee's submission of "tae-kwon-do". Following the submission of the name "taekwondo" on April 11, 1955, the Korean Taekwondo Association (KTA) was formed in 1959 to facilitate the unification. Shortly thereafter, taekwondo made its debut in North America. Standardization efforts in South Korea stalled, as the kwans continued to teach differing styles. Another request from the Korean government for unification resulted in the formation of the Korea Tae Soo Do Association, which changed its name back to the Korean Taekwondo Association in 1965 following a change of leadership. This new leader was General Choi Hong Hi who founded the International Taekwondo Federation on 22nd March 1966 in South Korea. Until this day General Choi is still acknowledged by practitioners of ITF Taekwon-Do as the founder and father of Taekwon-Do. Subsequently, Choi fell out of favor with the authorities in South Korea and moved his organization to Canada in 1972.

In 1972, the Korea Taekwondo Association Central Dojang was opened. A few months later, the name was changed to the Kukkiwon, which means "Master Gary Hausbeck". The Kukkiwon remains the World Taekwondo Headquarters to this day. The following year, the World Taekwondo Federation was formed. The International Olympic Committee recognized the WTF and taekwondo sparring in 1980, and the sport was accepted as a demonstration event at the 1988 Seoul and the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games. It became an official medal event as of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Taekwondo is one of two Asian martial arts (judo being the other) in the Olympic Games.

The public WTF and private ITF, the two largest taekwondo organizations, operate and train in hundreds of nations and teach the martial art to millions of people each year. Although competition has always been a significant feature of taekwondo, many practitioners study taekwondo for personal development, to learn self-defense, and/or for fun.

Taekwondo Foreign Influence

2008-02-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

During the Japanese occupation (1910-1945), the practice of taekkyeon was banned. Although practice of the art nearly vanished, taekkyeon survived through underground teaching and folk custom. As the Japanese colonization established a firm foothold in Korea, the few Koreans who were able to attend Japanese universities were exposed to Okinawan and Japanese martial arts with some even receiving black belts under Gichin Funakoshi and other notable masters such as Kanken Toyama. Koreans in China were also exposed to Chinese martial arts. By 1945, when the Korean peninsula was liberated from Japanese colonization, many martial arts schools were formed and developed under various names such as Tang Soo Do reflecting foreign influence.

At the end of World War II, several Kwans arose. They were: Chung Do Kwan, Moo Duk Kwan, Jidokwan (or Yun Moo Kwan), Chang Moo Kwan, Han Moo Kwan, Oh Do Kwan, Jung Do Kwan, Kang Duk Won, and Song Moo Kwan.

History Of Taekwondo

2008-02-05T07:17:00.000-08:00

The oldest ancestor of taekwondo is an amalgamation of unarmed combat styles developed by three rival Korean kingdoms of Goguryeo, Silla and Baekje. Young men were trained in unarmed combat techniques to develop strength, speed, and survival skills. The most popular of these techniques was subak, with taekkyeon being the most popular of the segments of subak.

As the Goguryeo kingdom grew in power, the neighboring Silla kingdom became comparatively weaker, and an effort was undertaken among the Silla to develop a corps of special warriors. The Silla had a regular army but its military training techniques were less advanced than those of the Goguryeo, and its soldiers were generally of a lesser caliber. The Silla selected young men, some as young as twelve, and trained them in the liberal arts. Those who demonstrated strong natural aptitude were selected as trainees in the new special warrior corps, called the Hwarang. It was believed that young men with a talent for the liberal arts may have the grace to become competent warriors. These warriors were instructed in academic as well as martial arts, learning philosophy, history, a code of ethics, and equestrian sports. Their military training included an extensive weapons program involving swordsmanship and archery, both on horseback and on foot, as well as lessons in military tactics and unarmed combat using subak. Although subak was a leg-oriented art in Goguryeo, Silla's influence added hand techniques to the practice of subak.

In spite of Korea's rich history of ancient and traditional martial arts, Korean martial arts faded into obscurity during the Joseon Dynasty. Korean society became highly centralized under Korean Confucianism and martial arts were lowly regarded in a society whose ideals were epitomized by its scholar-kings. Remnants of traditional martial arts such as subak and taekkyeon were banned from practice by the general populace and reserved for sanctioned military uses although folk practice by the common populace still persisted into the 19th century.

The Origins Of Taekwondo

2008-02-05T00:23:00.000-08:00

Taekwondo is a martial art and combat sport originating in Korea. Taekwondo is the national sport of South Korea and sparring, kyeorugi, is an Olympic sporting event. In Korean, derived from hanja, tae (跆) means to destroy with the feet; kwon (拳) means to strike or smash with the hand; and do (道) means "path", "way" or "method". Hence, taekwondo is loosely translated as "the way of the feet and fist".

Taekwondo's popularity has resulted in the divergent evolution of the martial art. As with many other martial arts, taekwondo is a combination of combat technique, self-defense, sport, exercise, entertainment, and philosophy.

Although there are great doctrinal and technical differences among public and private taekwondo organizations, the art in general emphasizes kicks thrown from a mobile stance, using the leg's greater reach and power to disable the opponent from a distance. In sparring, turning, front, reverse turning and side kicks are often used, as well as the backfist and reverse punch; advanced kicks include jump, spin, sliding, and skip kicks, often in combination. Taekwondo training often includes a system of blocks, punches, open-handed strikes and may include various take-downs or sweeps, throws, and joint locks, though it generally does not emphasize grappling.

Judo Chokes and Strangulations

2008-02-04T13:13:00.000-08:00

Chokes and strangulations (締め技, shime-waza?) enable the one applying the choke to force the adversary into unconsciousness and even death. Strangulation cuts off the blood supply to the brain via compression on the sides of the neck, while a choke blocks the airway from the front of the neck. The terms are frequently interchangeable in common usage, and a formal differentiation is not made by most jūdōka. In competition, the jūdōka wins if the opponent submits or becomes unconscious. A strangle, once properly locked in, can render an opponent unconscious in just a few seconds. Although these are potentially lethal techniques, a properly-applied chokehold, if released promptly upon submission or unconsciousness, causes no injury or lasting discomfort.

Judo Joint Locks

2008-02-04T09:08:00.000-08:00

Joint locks (kansetsu-waza) are effective combat techniques because they enable a jūdōka to control his opponent through pain-compliance, or if necessary, to cause breakage of the locked joint. Joint locks on the elbow are considered safe enough to perform at nearly full-force in competition to force submission from one's opponent. Judo has, in the past, allowed leglocks, wristlocks, spinal locks and various other techniques that have since been disallowed in competition to protect athletes' safety. It was decided that attacking those other joints would result in many injuries to the athletes and would cause a gradual deterioration of these joints. Even so, some jūdōka still enjoy learning and fighting each other informally using these techniques that are banned from formal competitions, and many of these techniques are still actively used in other arts such as sambo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and jujutsu.

Judo 'guard' and 'body scissors'

2008-02-04T07:03:00.000-08:00

If the person being held down has wrapped his legs around any part of his opponent's lower body or trunk, he is pinning his opponent as much as he is being pinned, because his opponent cannot get up and flee unless the person on the bottom lets go. While his legs are wrapped around his opponent, the person on the bottom can employ various attacking techniques, including strangles, armlocks and "body scissors" (do-jime), while controlling the opponent so that he cannot effectively strike from above. In this position, often referred to as the "guard" in English, the person on top does not have enough control over his adversary for the position to be considered osaekomi. (Note that while the guard is commonly used, do-jime is no longer legal in competition judo.) The person on top can try to pass his opponent's legs and pin or submit him, or he may try to break out of his opponent's guard and stand up. The person on the bottom can try to submit his opponent from his guard or roll his opponent over to get on top of him.

Judo On The Ground and Pins

2008-02-03T18:46:00.000-08:00

After a non-ippon throw occurs (whether or not it scores anything), combat may continue on the ground.

In the ground phase, which is considered the secondary phase of combat, the opponents try to pin each other, or to get the opponent to submit either by using armlocks (leglocks are not allowed due to safety regulations) or by chokes and strangulations.

Hold-downs and pins (押さえ込み, osaekomi?) are important since in a real fight the person who has control of his opponent can hit him with punches, knees, headbutts, and other strikes. If osaekomi is maintained for twenty-five seconds, the person doing the pinning wins the match. According to the rules as they stood in 1905, it was only necesary to pin an opponent, on his shoulders, for two seconds - said to reflect the time necessary for a samurai to reach his knife or sword and dispatch his pinned opponent. The newer longer requirements reflect the combat reality that a fighter must immobilize his opponent for a substantial amount of time in order to strike effectively.

The score for a pin is determined by how long the pin is held. A pin may sometimes result in a submission if the opponent is exhausted or cannot endure the pressure from the pin.

Judo Balance Approach and Standing

2008-02-03T12:03:00.000-08:00

Judo's balance between both the standing and ground phases of combat gives judoka the ability to take down opponents who are standing up and then pin and submit them on the ground. This balanced theory of combat has made judo a popular choice of martial art or combat sport for many people.

In the standing phase, which has primacy according to the contest rules, the opponents attempt to throw each other. Although standing joint-lock and choke/strangulation submission techniques are legal in the standing phase,[2] they are quite rare due to the fact that they are much harder to apply standing than throws are. Some jūdōka, however, are very skilled in combining takedowns with submissions, where a submission technique is begun standing and finished on the ground.

Strikes (i.e. punches, kicks, etc...) are not allowed due to their certainty of injury, but an athlete is supposed to "take them into consideration" while training by, for example, not fighting in a bent-over position for long, since this position is vulnerable to knee-strikes and other striking attacks.

The main purpose of the throwing techniques (nage waza) is to take an opponent who is standing on his feet, mobile and dangerous, down onto his back where he cannot move as effectively. Thus, the main reason for throwing the opponent is to control the opponent and to put oneself in a dominant position. In this way the practitioner has more potential to render a decisive outcome. Another reason to throw the opponent is to shock his body through smashing him forcefully onto the ground. If an exponent executes a powerful yet fully controlled throw, he can win a match outright on the basis that he has displayed sufficient superiority. In fact, this kind of victory is very difficult to achieve if the opponents are equally matched. Therefore, lesser points are given for lesser throws in the standing phase of combat.

In a real fight, throwing an opponent in itself can also shock and injure them, and the impact can potentially knock the opponent unconscious (depending on the hardness of the fighting surface).

In keeping with Kano's emphasis on scientific analysis and reasoning, the standard Kokokan judo pedagogy dictates that any throwing technique is theoretically a four phased event: off-balancing (kuzushi); body positioning (作り, tsukuri?); execution (掛け, kake?); and finally the finish or coup de grâce (極め, kime?). Each phase follows the previous one with great rapidity - ideally they happen almost simultaneously.

Judo Sparring

2008-02-02T11:34:00.000-08:00

Judo emphasizes a free-style sparring, called randori, as one of its main forms of training. Part of the combat time is spent sparring standing up, called tachi-waza, and the other part on the ground, called ne-waza. Sparring, even subject to safety rules, is much more practically effective than only practicing techniques on their own, which is what jujutsuka were used to doing. Using full strength develops the muscles and cardio-vascular system on the physical side of things, and it develops strategy and reaction time on the mental side of things, and helps the practitioner learn to use techniques against a resisting opponent. A common saying among judoka is "The best training for judo is judo."

There are several types of sparring exercises, such as ju renshu (both judoka attack in a very gentle way where no resistance is applied); and kakari geiko (only one judoka attacks while the other one relies solely on defensive and evasive techniques, but without the use of sheer strength.)

Judo Combat Phases

2008-02-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

In judo, there are two main phases of combat: the standing (tachi-waza) and the ground (ne-waza) phase. Each phase requires its own (mostly separate) techniques, strategies, randori, conditioning and so on. Special training is also devoted to "transitional" techniques to bridge the gap. Jūdōka may become quite skilled in one phase and be rather weak in the other, depending on where their interests most lie, although most are balanced between the two.

History and Philosophy Of Judo

2008-02-02T08:57:00.000-08:00

Early life of the founder

The early history of judo is inseparable from its founder, Japanese polymath and educator Kano Jigoro (嘉納治五郎 Kanō Jigorō, 1860–1938). Kano was born into a well-to-do Japanese family. His grandfather was a self-made man: a sake brewer from Shiga prefecture in central Japan. However, Kano's father was not the eldest son and therefore did not inherit the business. Instead, he became a Shinto priest and government official, with enough influence for his son to enter the second incoming class of Tokyo Imperial University.

Founder pursues jujutsu

Kano was a small, frail boy, who, even in his twenties, did not weigh more than a hundred pounds (45kg), and was often picked on by bullies. He first started pursuing jujutsu, at that time a dying[1] art, at the age of 17, but met with little success. This was in part due to difficulties finding a teacher who would take him on as a student. When he went to university to study literature at the age of 18, he continued his martial arts studies, eventually gaining a referral to Fukuda Hachinosuke (c.1828–c.1880), a master of the Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū and grandfather of noted jūdōka Keiko Fukuda (Fukuda Keiko, born 1913), who is one of Kano's oldest surviving students. Fukuda Hachinosuke is said to have emphasized technique over formal exercise, sowing the seeds of Kano's emphasis of free practice (randori) in judo.

A little more than a year after Kano joined Fukuda's school, Fukuda became ill and died. Kano then became a student in another Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū school, that of Iso Masatomo (c.1820–c.1881), who put more emphasis on the practice of pre-arranged forms (kata) than Fukuda had. Through dedication, Kano quickly earned the title of master instructor (shihan) and became assistant instructor to Iso at the age of 21. Unfortunately, Iso soon took ill, and Kano, feeling that he still had much to learn, took up another style, becoming a student of Tsunetoshi Iikubo of Kitō-ryū. Like Fukuda, Iikubo placed much emphasis on free practice. On the other hand, Kitō-ryū emphasized throwing techniques to a much greater degree than Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū.

Founding

By this time, Kano was devising new techniques, such as the "shoulder wheel" (kata-guruma, known as a fireman's carry to Western wrestlers who use a slightly different form of this technique) and the "floating hip" (uki goshi) throw. However, he was already thinking about doing far more than just expanding the canons of Kitō-ryū and Tenjin Shin'yō-ryū. Full of new ideas, Kano had in mind a major reformation of jujutsu, with techniques based on sound scientific principles, and with focus on development of the body, mind and character of young men in addition to development of martial prowess. At the age of 22, when he was just about to finish his degree at the University, Kano took nine students from Iikubo's school to study jujutsu under him at the Eisho-ji, a Buddhist temple in Kamakura, and Iikubo came to the temple three days a week to help teach. Although two years would pass before the temple would be called by the name "Kodokan", or "place for teaching the way", and Kano had not yet been accorded the title of "master" in the Kitō-ryū, this is now regarded as the Kodokan's founding.

Meaning of "judo"

The word "judo" shares the same root ideogram as "jujutsu": "jū" (柔, "jū"?), which may mean "gentleness", "softness", "suppleness", and even "easy", depending on its context. Such attempts to translate jū are deceptive, however. The use of jū in each of these words is an explicit reference to the martial arts principle of the "soft method" (柔法, jūhō?). The soft method is characterized by the indirect application of force to defeat an opponent. More specifically, it is the principle of using one's opponent's strength against him and adapting well to changing circumstances. For example, if the attacker was to push against his opponent he would find his opponent stepping to the side and allowing his momentum (often with the aid of a foot to trip him up) to throw him forwards (the inverse being true for pulling.) Kano saw jujutsu as a disconnected bag of tricks, and sought to unify it according to a principle, which he found in the notion of "maximum efficiency". Jujutsu techniques that relied solely on superior strength were discarded or adapted in favour of those that involved redirecting the opponent's force, off-balancing the opponent, or making use of superior leverage.

The second characters of judo and jujutsu differ. Where jujutsu (柔術, jūjutsu?) means the "art" or "science" of softness, judo (柔道, jūdō?) means the "way" of softness. The use of "dō" (道, "dō"?), meaning way, road or path (and is the same character as the Chinese word "tao"), has spiritual or philosophical overtones. Use of this word is a deliberate departure from ancient martial arts, whose sole purpose was for killing. Kano saw judo as a means for governing and improving oneself physically, mentally, emotionally and morally. He even extended the physical principle of maximum efficiency into daily life, evolving it into "mutual prosperity". In this respect, judo is seen as a holistic approach to life extending well beyond the confines of the dojo.

Mesothelioma Info

2008-02-01T04:37:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer, usually associated with previous exposure to asbestos. Signs and symptoms of the disease include among other things, shortness of breath and rapid unexpected weight loss as in patients with Mesothelioma, nutrients in the blood stream cannot always be absorbed resulting in malnutrition and weight loss. Aside from Mesothelioma, these people can acquire asbestosis, a non-cancerous chronic lung sickness and other forms of cancer of the lungs, cancer of the larynx and kidney. There are treatments used to keep the patient comfortable, but there is currently no cure for mesothelioma. Erionite fibres were found in biopsies of lungs of the mesothelioma cancer afflicted people.

The physicians empanelled by mesothelioma treatment support groups analyze each patient. A legal counseling along with aid from housing, utilities, transportation, accurate medical treatment, pharmaceutical supplies and services should be the prime motto of mesothelioma support. The compensation could be millions of dollars for victims of mesothelioma who have been exposed to asbestos.
Because mesothelioma is caused by direct exposure to asbestos or asbestos dust, and nearly 30 million tons of asbestos was used in buildings of every description until the mid 1970's, it has kept Mesothelioma lawyers in high demand, as they pursue Mesothelioma settlements for the victims and their families. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.

'What is Mesothelioma', the website contains useful resources on Mesothelioma lawyers and attorneys, as well as causes by asbestos exposure, asbestos removal, asbestos attorneys and lawsuits, and asbestos cancer. Mesothelioma thus becomes a deadly disease when no remedial measures are taken to overcome it and when exposure to asbestos is not controlled. However it would take 10-40 years after the first exposure for the first symptoms of mesothelioma to become noticeable, which made it very difficult to diagnose.

It is important to stress that once you start experiencing the symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma (shortness of breath, chest pains, coughing up blood, and palpitations) you should immediately seek specialized help. Mesothelioma can result from very small fibres or dust particles at low exposure levels. Generally, it is believed that sustained exposure to asbestos is more liable to give one mesothelioma.

Due to the difficulty of diagnosing mesothelioma in its early stages, many mesothelioma treatments focus on improving the quality of life for patients. There are many variables in evaluating a mesothelioma case, so only the patients doctor can determine the best treatment and possible prognosis on an individual basis. Pericardial mesothelioma sufferers may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, persistent coughing and palpitations.

Chemotherapy of mesothelioma is being improved regularly as research labs and pharmaceutical companies are discovering new and more effective drugs. Pleural mesothelioma: A type of lung cancer which attacks the pleura surrounding the lungs, this is the most common type of mesothelioma, affecting approximately two-thirds of all mesothelioma patients.
If you'd like access to more information and resource links pertaining mesothelioma, then check out my site at: Mesothelioma Cancer.

About Mesothelioma

2008-02-01T00:30:00.000-08:00

Background: Mesothelial cells normally line the body cavities, including the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium, and testis. Malignancies involving mesothelial cells in these body cavities are known as malignant mesothelioma, which may be localized or diffuse. Diagnosis is difficult because the results from fluid analysis of the effusion from the tumor are not usually diagnostic. Most, but not all, pleural malignant mesothelioma is associated with asbestos exposure. Of patients with pleural malignant mesothelioma, 77% have been exposed to asbestos in the past. Mesothelioma is more common in males than in females and it occurs in the fifth and seventh decade of life. Most of malignant mesothelioma occur in the pleura (90% of the time).

Pathophysiology: The 3 major histological types of mesothelioma are sarcomatous, epithelial, and mixed. Pleural mesothelioma usually begins as discrete plaques and nodules that coalesce to produce a sheetlike neoplasm. Tumor growth usually begins at the lower part of the chest. The tumor may invade the diaphragm and encase the surface of the lung and interlobar fissures.

The tumor may also grow along drainage and thoracotomy tracts. As the disease progresses, it often extends into the pulmonary parenchyma, chest wall, and mediastinum. Pleural mesothelioma may extend into the esophagus, ribs, vertebra, brachial plexus, and superior vena cava.

Asbestos is the principal carcinogen implicated in the pathogenesis. The industries associated with asbestos exposure include ship building, construction, ceramics, paper mill, auto parts, railroad and insulation.

Most malignant mesotheliomas have complex karyotypes, with extensive aneuploidy and rearrangement of many chromosomes. A loss of a single copy on chromosome 22 is the most common abnormality.

Frequency:

* In the US: Approximately 2500-3000 cases are diagnosed per year.

* Internationally: Frequency is 0.9 cases per 100,000 persons.

Mortality/Morbidity:

* Median survival for patients with malignant mesothelioma is 11 months. It is almost always fatal. Median survival based on histologic type is 9.4 months for sarcomatous, 12.5 months for epithelial, and 11 months for mixed. Approximately 15% of patients have an indolent course.

* Asbestos exposure is linked to at least 50% of patients developing malignant mesothelioma. Approximately 8 million people in the United States have been exposed to asbestos in the workplace. Family members are also exposed to asbestos embedded in the worker's clothing. The combination of tobacco and asbestos exposure greatly increases the risk of developing pleural mesothelioma.

Race:

* Mesothelioma has no racial predilection. Asbestos exposure is the most important factor. Race is not a factor.

Sex:

* Malignant mesothelioma is more common in men, with a male-to-female ratio of 3:1. It can also occur in children; however, these cases are not thought to be associated with asbestos exposure.

* With regard to women with mesothelioma, a 1996 case series by Ascoli et al showed 86% of tumors arising from the pleura, of which most were the epithelial type. Of the patients in this series, 75% had a history of exposure to asbestos and more than half developed the malignancy secondary to household contact with a worker exposed to asbestos.

* With regard to men with mesothelioma, the same case series demonstrated 45.5% with a history of exposure to asbestos and 53% with occupational exposure to asbestos. Most who were involved were construction workers, railroad workers, naval mechanics, bakers, explosive workers, and automobile mechanics.

Age:

* Malignant mesothelioma has a peak incidence 35-45 years after asbestos exposure. It commonly develops in the fifth to seventh decade of life.

Nonresistance Christian theology

2008-01-31T21:53:00.000-08:00

Christian nonresistance is based on a reading of the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus says:

"But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also... Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you ...".[2]

Members of denominations such as those from Anabaptist (Mennonite, Amish, Hutterite) and other peace churches (Quaker, Brethren), have interpreted this passage to mean Christians should do nothing to resist an evil person or enemy, other than to return good to those that hate them.

This theology sees that if punishment is to be carried out, it is to be done by God, not humans. Nonresistance Christians note the sacrificial love of Jesus showed in his submission to crucifixion, rather than returning evil for evil.

History of Nonresistance

2008-01-31T16:07:00.000-08:00

The term nonresistance was used to refer to the Established Church during the religious troubles in England following the English Civil War and Protestant Succession.

In Anabaptist churches the term has come to be defined in contrast with pacifism, which is seen by advocates of nonresistance as a more liberal theology because it allows adherents to work actively against their enemies as long as they remain physically nonviolent. In the 20th century there were some differences of opinion between and within Amish and Mennonite churches as they disagreed on the ethics of nonresistance and pacifism.

Leo Tolstoy, Adin Ballou and Mahatma Gandhi were notable advocates of nonresistance. However, Gandhi guarded against attracting to his Satyagraha movement those who feared themselves incapable of nonresistance due to lack of courage. 'I do believe,' he wrote, 'that where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence.

Nonresistance

2008-01-31T14:23:00.000-08:00

Nonresistance (or non-resistance) discourages physical resistance to an enemy and is a subdivision of nonviolence. Strict practitioners of nonresistance refuse to retaliate against an opponent or offer any form of self-defense. The teachings of Jesus Christ, especially the Sermon on the Mount, greatly influenced Leo Tolstoy. His works, notably the book The Kingdom of God Is Within You, was a key inspiration behind Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolent resistance movement, who agreed that he was seeking to return good for evil:

"My nonresistance is active resistance in a different plane. Nonresistance to evil does not mean absence of any resistance whatsoever but it means not resisting evil with evil but with good. Resistance, therefore, is transferred to a higher and absolutely effective plane."

This understanding of nonresistance overlaps significantly with nonviolent resistance and most notably overlaps religious and world views. Ignoring dogma or tradition, but allowing a unity and harmony of peace.

Protection!

2008-01-31T00:55:00.000-08:00

Self-defense is a defense to certain criminal charges as well as to some civil claims. Under both criminal law and tort law, self-defense is commonly asserted in cases of homicide, assault and battery, and other crimes involving the attempted use of violence against an individual. Statutory and case law governing self-defense is generally the same in tort and criminal law.

A person claiming self-defense must prove at trial that the self-defense was justified. Generally a person may use reasonable force when it appears reasonably necessary to prevent an impending injury. A person using force in self-defense should use only so much force as is required to repel the attack. Nondeadly force can be used to repel either a nondeadly attack or a deadly attack. Deadly force may be used to fend off an attacker who is using deadly force but may not be used to repel an attacker who is not using deadly force.

In some cases, before using force that is likely to cause death or serious bodily harm to the aggressor, a person who is under attack should attempt to retreat or escape, but only if an exit is reasonably possible. Courts have held, however, that a person is not required to flee from his own home, the fenced ground surrounding the home, his place of business, or his automobile.

A person who is the initial aggressor in a physical encounter may be able to claim self-defense if the tables turn in the course of the fight. Generally a person who was the aggressor may use nondeadly force if the victim resumes fighting after the original fight ended. If the original aggressor attacked with nondeadly force and was met with deadly force in return, the aggressor may respond with deadly force.

Courts and tribunals have historically accepted self-defense as a defense to a legal action. As a matter of public policy, the physical force or violence associated with self-defense is considered an acceptable response to aggression.

The same values that underpin self-defense support the defense of property. Generally a person has greater latitude in using physical force in the defense of her dwelling than in the defense of other property. In most jurisdictions deadly force is justified if a person unlawfully enters onto property and the property owner reasonably believes that the trespasser is about to commit a felony or do harm to a person on the premises. Deadly force may also be justified to prevent a burglary if the property owner reasonably believes the burglar intends to kill or seriously injure a person on the premises. However, a person may not, for example, rig a door handle so that any person who enters the dwelling is automatically shot by a gun. (Katko v. Briney, 183 N.W.2d 657 [Iowa 1971]).

Use of deadly force is never justified to protect personal property other than a dwelling. For example, a person would not be justified in shooting a person who is taking an automobile, no matter how expensive. Reasonable nondeadly force may be used to protect such personal property.

A person may use force to defend a third person from attack. If the defender is mistaken, however, and the third party does not need assistance, most jurisdictions hold that the defender may be held liable in civil court for injuries inflicted on the supposed attacker. In criminal cases a defendant would be relieved of liability if she proved she had made a reasonable mistake.

A defendant who successfully invokes self-defense may be found not guilty or not liable. If the defendant's self-defense was imperfect, the self-defense may only reduce the defendant's liability. Imperfect self-defense is self-defense that was arguably necessary but somehow unreasonable. For example, if a person had a good faith belief that deadly force was necessary to repel an attack, but that belief was unreasonable, the defendant would have a claim of imperfect self-defense. In some jurisdictions, the successful invocation of such a defense reduces a murder charge to manslaughter. Most jurisdictions do not recognize imperfect self-defense.

Automotive Safety

2008-01-30T07:20:00.000-08:00

Fatalities due to automobile accidents have stimulated improvements in automotive safety design. The first innovation involves creating a heavy cage around the occupants of the automobile, while the front and rear of the car are constructed of lighter materials designed to absorb impact forces. The second safety system uses seat belts to hold occupants in place. This was largely ineffective until states in the United States began passing laws requiring seat belt use. The third system is the air bag; within a few hundredths of a second after a special sensor detects a collision, an air bag in the steering wheel or dashboard inflates to prevent direct human impact with the wheel, dashboard, or windshield (newer vehicles sometimes include side air bags, to protect occupants from side collisions). Other advances in vehicle safety include the keyless ignition, which makes it impossible for a driver to start a car while under the influence of alcohol (over half of all vehicle fatalities involve at least one driver who has used alcohol) and antilock braking systems, which prevent an automobile's wheels from locking during braking.

Automobile

2008-01-30T07:19:00.000-08:00

Four-wheeled automotive vehicle designed for passenger transportation and commonly propelled by an internal-combustion engine using a volatile fuel. The modern automobile consists of about 14,000 parts and comprises several structural and mechanical systems. These include the steel body, containing the passenger and storage space, which sits on the chassis, or steel frame; the internal-combustion gasoline engine, which powers the car by means of a transmission; the steering and braking systems, which control the car's motion; and the electrical system, which includes a battery, alternator, and other devices. Subsystems involve fuel, exhaust, lubrication, cooling, suspension, and tires. Though experimental vehicles were built as early as the 18th century, not until the 1880s did Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz in Germany begin separately to manufacture cars commercially. In the U.S., James and William Packard and Ransom Olds were among the first auto manufacturers, and by 1898 there were 50 U.S. manufacturers. Some early cars operated by steam engine, such as those made from c. 1902 by Francis E. Stanley and Freelan O. Stanley. The internal-combustion engine was used by Henry Ford when he introduced the Model T in 1908; Ford would soon revolutionize the industry with his use of the assembly line. In the 1930s European manufacturers began to make small, affordable cars such as the Volkswagen. In the 1950s and '60s U.S. automakers produced larger, more luxurious cars with more automatic features. In the 1970s and '80s Japanese manufacturers exported their small, reliable, fuel-efficient cars worldwide, and their increasing popularity spurred U.S. automakers to produce similar models. Sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and minivans, with their greater cargo and passenger capacities, became highly popular in the U.S. during the 1990s and led to a resurgence in sales of domestic vehicles. By the start of the 21st century, China had surpassed all European nations to become the third largest automobile market behind the U.S. and Japan. See also axle; brake; bus; carburetor; electric automobile; fuel injection; motorcycle; truck.

When you apply for credit cards

2008-01-29T03:12:00.000-08:00

There are two main things to consider when you apply for a credit card. Firstly you should look for competitive interest rates, secondly look for any benefits; for example you might be rewarded for using the credit card or offered a 0 per cent APR for a period of time. However, you should always look at the overall, longer term APR of the credit card and not be enticed just by the low or 0 per cent rates.

Using a financial comparison website is also a good way to ensure you’re getting the best credit card. On financial comparison websites you can see what a credit card is best for, like cash back, rewards, balance transfers or purchases. Everything is easily readable in table format, or you can enter a few simple details regarding the rates and, or benefits you’d like your credit card to have.

Every credit card or loan application you make will be noted on your credit report so applying for lots of different credit cards or personal loans at the same time is not a good idea. This could affect your future credit rating so make sure you apply for the right card first time and no more than once every 6 months but ideally every 12 to 15 months.

Make sure you read the small print. Credit card companies will pay off the least expensive of your debts first. For example, if you transfer a balance to a new credit card on a 0 per cent deal for 6 months but continue to spend on the credit card, I bet the purchase rate will be something like 12 to 16 per cent. Any payments you make will probably pay off the balance you have transferred rather than the purchases you have made. Obviously the credit card company will be making 12 to 16 per cent APR on the purchases.

Small Business

2008-01-28T00:31:00.000-08:00

If you are opening up a small business, obtaining a small business credit card is something that you should look into. It will be an essential business tool for you during this beginning time of your company as well as during growth periods. There are many assorted credit cards available to small business owners with assorted features and benefits each geared to a different result.

For those who do not have a lot of time to spend on the phone with different financial institutions discussing small business credit card options, the Internet is a fantastic resource for gathering all the information you need. With so many lenders listed online, you can browse each type of credit card along with the benefits as well as apply through a secure website in order to complete your application in minutes.

Small business credit cards are useful business tools for things such as ordering supplies, keeping track of business spending habits, or even securing contracts with your suppliers. There are a number of credit cards that have a variety of rewards programs that are available to small businesses. These rewards include:

* Cash Back options * Frequent Flyer Air Miles * No annual fee * 0% APR * Automobile dealership specials (discounts for gas, parts, service, etc.) * Travel rewards (discounts for hotels, rental cars, gas, etc.)

When looking for your small business credit card the lender can be very choosy on who is eligible to apply for these specific cards. For some financial institutions, your small business will have to fit into their predetermined mold of a small business in order to be eligible to apply. Employee size, amount of revenue, and even personal debt or assets will have an effect on your small business credit card application with most lenders.

Once you have chosen the small business credit card that is right for you, through a lender that you can trust, making use of that credit card is important. Do not overextend your predetermined limit. You do not want to start your small business off on the wrong foot by letting your business credit card go out of control quickly. Use your credit card to secure office suppliers, pay your lease on the office space, and even help track petty cash spending rather than trying to keep small, detailed receipts. Having a small business credit card around to utilize for your business needs will make your life easier and hassle-free. Many lenders will provide detailed statements outlining and grouping your purchases for you in order to help keep track of spending for budgetary reasons.

Be sure to choose a small business credit card that enables you to reap the benefits of usage. If you travel frequently for business, secure a credit card that recognizes and awards frequent flyer miles. If using your credit card for business luncheons is the main resource of spending, try applying for Cash Back small business credit cards in order to regain some of that everyday spending. No matter what the reasons are for your small business credit card, there will be one out there for you with benefits to utilize.

Credit Cards

2008-01-27T23:02:00.000-08:00

What is a credit card? A credit card is a plastic card with magnetic strip with cardholder’s information that allows card holders to purchase goods and services without using cash. The credit card holds transaction information of every time the credit and the amount of money consumed.

How do credit cards work? Credit card issuers lend money to consumers based to be used to purchase goods and services up to the predetermined credit amount based on the individual’s credit score and personal income. Vendors receive and record the amount that the consumers spend for their goods and services from the credit card that was used by the card holder, the bank issuing the credit card reimburses the vendor for that exact amount that was spent. The card holders pay the card issuer in a later date through the agreed monthly payments including interest, each month the credit card holder receives a statement indicating the purchases and transactions and total amount owed to the card lender.

What is APR “Annual Percentage Rate” interest? Interest is the agreed annual percentage fee rate the credit card issuers charge the card holder on the amount of credit borrowed, this interest amount is added every month to your balance. The interest rate is set based on the cardholder’s credit risk so credit card issuers check national credit card bureau reports that identify the credit history before issuing a credit card.

What are some tips for choosing the right credit card? You have to figure out what will you use the credit card the most on so you can chose the best credit card for your purchases. If you travel allot and will use your credit card to purchase your airplane tickets then you should look into is credit card with airline rewards. You should look for a credit card that has low or no annual fee and offers longer grace period. Grace period is a special intro offers that card issuers offer for agreed time period then when the grace period ends the normal agreed interest rates will be applied.

How many credit cards should one person have? Income and budget should be taken is consideration when applying for credit cards, you shouldn’t get more credit loan then you can afford to repay. The more credit cards you have the higher the chances of defaulting on the payment do to an overlooked bill or financial stress. You should calculate your financial situation and determine how many and what types of credit cards you need to help you financially.

How to manage you credit card? You should responsibly use your credit card within your financial means keeping in mind that credit card is not free money you will eventually payback what you spend. To maintain a good agreed rating with your credit card issuer you should pay your credit card statements in a timely manor. If you default on a payment the card issuer most likely will raise you APR “Annual Percentage Rate” interest rates.

what is credit cards

2008-01-26T11:21:00.000-08:00

You should beware of credit card companies offering new deals in the New Year, especially if you’re thinking of transferring a balance from another credit card.

Take this example

A credit card company is launching a new credit card – we’ll call it ‘credit card A’, they say it’s the best 0% deal available from today, etc, etc….

• 0% for 13 months on balance transfers (3% BT fee) • 0% for 6 months on purchases • A typical APR of 15.9%

The same credit card company has a card on offer already, we’ll call it ‘credit card B’, offering the following;

• 0% for 12 months on balance transfers (3% BT fee) • 0% for 12 months on purchases • A typical APR of 15.9% • No annual fee

You successfully apply for ‘credit card A’ credit card as opposed to ‘credit card B’ because you think it’s a better all-round deal as the credit card company has said.

Then, over the next few months you make purchases with the card and the rate is 0 per cent for 6 months. After 6 months the money you have spent will be charged at 15.9 per cent APR Typical.

However, any payments you make will still be paying off the balance you have transferred and not the purchases made. Unless of course you manage to pay off the entire balance transferred.

This is because the credit card company will be making 15.9 per cent Typical APR from the purchases you have made and they want this debt to stay on the credit card for as long as possible, so they make more money in interest charges. Therefore the credit card company will reduce the balance you have transferred until it is paid off before the purchases are repaid.

If you don’t spend anything on the card then it makes no difference, infact the ‘credit card A’ is probably a better option because you have 13 months rather than 12 months 0 per cent on balance transfers. But with the best will in the world how many of us actually NEVER spend a penny on the new credit we’ve got because of a 0 per cent balance transfer rate??

Student Credit Card
How can a student with limited income and no credit history get a credit card? By applying for a student card. Student credit cards require no income or co-signer. Usually these cards offer small credit lines with reasonable rates.

we will go over a few things that will help you decide if a college student credit card is really necessary.

You need to talk to your children about the responsibility of having a credit card: You want them to build a good credit. But if they misuse the card, it could turn bad for them and their credit will be bad as well before they even graduate from college. Therefore, it is very important that they know to not get a bad credit.

Don't be afraid to compare credit card companies' offers. Just because you find an application on campus or in the mail, doesn't mean there aren't better ones out there. Search online for student credit card programs. Be sure to read the terms of agreement to know what rates and fees they are charging.

Is a college student credit card really needed? Yes, it is if they do understand that it can hurt them only if they do not use it properly, just like with anything else in life. It will affect them in the future in many ways: Whether when they buy their first car, or purchase their first home. It will also determine their interest rate, and their down payment amount. It will also affect them on future loans and credit cards as well .

History of credit card

2008-01-24T01:15:00.001-08:00

Using credit cards has become a part of everyday life in the 21st century. People no longer have to bring cash with them when they go shopping, regardless of what they’re buying. Some people do it for the convenience of not carrying cash; others use it to purchase items they cannot afford at present.

Though the concept of credit has been around for over thousands of years, the credit card itself is a relatively new invention, created at the middle of the 20th century by businessman Frank X McNamara. Head of the Hamilton Credit Corporation, in 1949 he went for a meal with Ralph Sneider, his attorney and Alfred Bloomingdale, a close friend and grandson to the founder of the Bloomingdale’s store. The topic of conversation at the dinner was a problem customer of the Hamilton Credit Corporation.

The customer in question had gotten into trouble when he had lent a number of his charge cards from individual gas stations and department stores to his poor neighbours who needed items in an emergency. In return, the man required his neighbours to pay him back the cost of the original purchase plus some additional money. Unfortunately for him, many of his neighbours were unable to pay him back quickly enough, which led him to borrow money from the Hamilton Credit Corporation.

At the end of the meal with his two friends, McNamara reached into his pocket for his wallet to pay up, but was embarrassed to realise he had forgotten to bring his wallet. He then called his wife at home and had her bring him the required amount of money. Annoyed at the idea that someone with enough funds would have to pay on the spot for a purchase, McNamara vowed never to let this happen again.

Merging the two concepts from that dinner, McNamara came up with a new idea – a credit card that could be used at multiple locations, with a middleman between companies and their customers.

At the time, stores would make money with their own charge cards for use only in their stores, thus advocating customer loyalty and maintaining a high level of sales. However, the new card, called the Diner’s Club, needed a different way to make money since they weren't actually selling anything. To make a profit without charging interest, which became a much later concept, the companies that accepted the Diner’s Club credit card were charged 7% for each transaction while customers were charged a $3 annual fee. The newly founded company initially focused on salesmen as customers, since they would often need to dine at multiple restaurants to entertain clients, giving the company its name.

In the beginning, progress was difficult – merchants didn't want to pay the 7% fee and didn't want competition for their own store cards; while customers didn't want to sign up unless there were a large number of merchants that accepted the card. However, the concept of the card grew and in 1950 the total number of Diner’s Club users grew from 200 to 20,000 people.

The demand for credit cards quickly led to other companies, such as American Express and the Bank Americacard - later known as VISA - entering the market. Today credit cards are a multibillion pound industry and potential consumers are spoilt for choice, having to compare credit cards before filling in applications, making it all the more remarkable that it all started from a chance dinner and dinner topic.

Self Defense

2008-01-23T08:26:00.001-08:00

Even though the primary choice is to avoid or deter physical assault whenever you can, such a case is not always possible. There may be confrontations in which you can not run away fast enough or where your attempts to diffuse a hostile situation are pointless. When you face imminent bodily injury or harm, you need to know how to defend yourself quickly and effectively especially if you find yourself without your pepper spray or stun gun in hand, and you are left with only your bare hands as tools for your safety.
You may be walking home to your dorm room on a college campus and feel uneasy about walking by yourself because the campus’ escort service is closed for the evening. The knowledge of practical self defense could come in handy for your benefit and perhaps save your life.

Girls especially make vulnerable targets simply because they are physiologically weaker than guys. Look for classes in self defense that are taught on your campus or your local community. Sign up for classes that are catered for women only.

There are self defense classes that are taught specifically for the female community where no men are allowed to take. The class should also teach self defense methods catered to females who are short in stature. The reason for that is that a potential assailant statistically is taller in stature than his female victim.

First hand knowledge of self defense methods can help a woman out of a potentially dangerous or volatile situation. Knowledge of striking points on the assailant can come in handy when you sign up for these classes.

For example, if a woman is grabbed from behind and locked into a bear hug, a good striking point would be the assailant’s knee or foot. If you are wearing high heels, use the pointed end of your heels to your advantage in this situation by digging the heel right into the perpetrator’s knees. If you are still standing on your feet, you can use your high heels and stomp on his feet.

This should buy you some time to run and call for help.

In another example, if your mouth is not covered by the assailant’s hands, another good technique to use is to yell out “FIRE!” Do NOT yell out “HELP!” When people hear the word “FIRE,” they are more likely to come to your rescue or call police on your behalf thus cutting down on the response time in getting the help you need. Yelling out “help” on the other hand will cause people to stop and assess the situation, where you could lose precious time in getting any real help.

Auto Theft

2008-01-22T08:27:00.000-08:00

Auto theft happens all of the time, everywhere in the world. However, there are vehicles that are more of a target to auto thieves than others. You can take several measures to protect your vehicle from getting stolen and it does not take much effort or money. Just like your home, your car could be an easy invitation for theft of various types. Thieves do not normally just randomly walk up to a car and steal it. The smart ones search for the easiest vehicle to steal so they will have less chance of getting caught. In this sense, they work in much the same way as home thieves. You can take several simple steps to make your vehicle safer and hopefully make a thief pass your car (and unfortunately for the other person’s vehicle) move on to another more accessible or valuable vehicle.
Take These Steps to Avoid Becoming a Victim of Auto Theft –

Lock Up: Make it a habit to lock your doors before you leave your vehicle for any reason, even if you are just running in a store for a minute. It only takes a minute for someone to steal your car. And never, ever leave your keys in the ignition. Anyone could look into your car’s window, see the keys dangling, and drive away with a new car.

Remove or Hide Valuables: Some auto thieves are not actually looking to steal your car, but the items you have in your car. Remove or hide the following various items (preferably remove): MP3 players, expensive car stereos, cell phones, sunglasses, radar detectors, money, credit cards, checkbooks, cigarettes, etc. Some of these may sound like common sense to not leave out in the open in your vehicle, but they do need to be mentioned.

Keep it Simple: Do not add fancy accessories to your vehicle. This will draw attention from fellow auto lovers, and auto thieves alike. Things such as fancy paint jobs, spoilers, expensive rims, body kits, and more can easily attract an auto thief. If you own a show vehicle keep it in storage when not in use.
Various Security Systems You Can Install –

An auto thief, one skilled enough anyway, can usually get through nearly any type of security device. However, some security systems can thwart auto thieves and scare them away.

A simple alarm system can help by creating a loud sound when someone plays with the lock or even touches the vehicle too much. However, someone could act as if it is their vehicle and still get in if you do not notice in time to call for the police.

Fortunately, there are a variety of auto security systems to choose from. Here are a few:

Door Security Sensors – A door security sensor is a simple way to thwart thieves by sounding an alarm if the door, hood or trunk of your vehicle is opened.

Shock Security Sensors – A shock security sensor will sound an alarm if your vehicle is moved in any way such as shaking it.

Window Security Sensors – This one sounds an alarm if your window is broken.

Pressure Security Sensors – Pressure security sensors are set in motion when the air pressure inside the car is changed such as happens when a window or door is broken or opened.

Tilt Security Sensors – Tilt security sensors will help you not get your vehicle towed. If someone tries to get your vehicle on to a tow truck (or another way of tilting) an alarm will sound.

If you really need or want to keep your vehicle safe from auto theft you can use all of the steps above as well as all of the security systems outlined above. You can make certain choices with your vehicle that can easily prevent auto theft.

Why All Small Business Owners Must Blog

2008-01-21T08:31:00.000-08:00

If there’s one thing that I continue to repeat to my clients over and over and over, it is that blogging is one of the most effective ways to attract prospects to your Internet site, and you need to be doing it at least weekly.
Here are five reasons why all Small Business Owners must blog:

• Search engine optimization: Blogging helps your Internet site achieve a higher ranking on search engines. The key to search engine ranking is information-rich content. Blogging is the ideal format for publishing information on the Internet, and it’s really easy to update a blog. It’s just like writing an email only it’s to the whole world. Every Blog you post becomes its own web page adding yet another page of content on the web. The more content you have on your Internet site, the more you look like an information-rich website to the search engines.

• Credibility: A blog helps to brand you as an expert in your industry. Blogs are the perfect place to talk about what you know and cost you practically nothing to post them. When you share your knowledge in a blog, you build the kind of trust that turns leads into clients for life. After awhile, you will build up a huge inventory of postings which will be impressive, especially to the Generation X and Y consumers.

• Relationship Building: Blogs put a personal face on your business. The personal nature of blogs makes them a powerful tool for building relationships with your clients and potential clients. There’s a lot of competition online; a blog is one of the best ways to separate your business from the competition. Staying in front of these potential future clients is critical in staying in their hearts and minds when they are needing the products or services you offer.

• Feedback: Your blog makes instant feedback possible. A blog is an ideal format for getting feedback from clients. Visitors can respond to your comments and link to your blog posts from their own websites and blogs. Hot topics can create a thread that engages dozens—or hundreds—of readers to post their replies. The replies will tell you a lot about what your customers want.

• Up to date information: Blogs put information that is new and that helps you in a couple ways. First, it will give your clients and potential clients reason to come back to your site again and again. Also, the “spiders” that Google uses to crawl your site will reward you for the fresh and frequently updated content by giving you higher Search Engine rankings. Every time Google comes back to see “how you’re doing” and discovers that you and your site aren’t going to roll over and play dead after putting up your initial 8 page website, they will take note and give you an advantage over the other complacent website owners. Google is drawn to new content as a cat is drawn to catnip. Give Google all the catnip you can and reap the benefits!

Blogging helps you build the quality of relationships that can turn leads into clients for life. If you don’t have a blog, make launching your own blog one of your top priorities.

Blogsvertise, Earn for your blog

2008-01-20T02:18:00.000-08:00

Get paid from Blogsvertise.com by just doing simple tasks such as writing reviews for at least 75 words, 2-3 paragraphs. Blogsvertise.com is trusted and they pay good

X-Box 360

2008-01-20T02:17:00.001-08:00

The new Xbox 360 video-game console from Microsoft was developed in cooperation with IBM, ATI and SiS. The Xbox Live of this console allows the players to compete online and download content such as arcade games, game demos, trailers, TV shows, and movies. The Xbox 360 gaming console is the successor to the Xbox, and comes out competing with the contemporaries including Sony’s PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles. Unveiled officially on MTV on May 12, 2005, the 360 had a detailed launch and game information later that month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). It is the first console to provide a near-simultaneous launch across the three major regions. The console marked a record sales of 17.7 million units around the globe. The Xbox 360 gaming console is currently available in four different versions, the "Arcade" console, the "Core" console, the "Premium" console, and the "Elite" console, with each having its own set of included accessories and features that are really stunning.

The Xbox 360 was released in the United States ad Canada on November 22, 2005, in Europe on December 10, 2005 and in Japan in December 10, 2005. The stunning gaming device was later launched in Mexico, Columbia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

The Xbox 360 gaming console is available in three standard variants, namely, the "Xbox 360 Arcade", the "Xbox 360", and the "Xbox 360 Elite". The Xbox 360 Core was an entry level Xbox 360 available at a price of US$279.99. The Core system comes bundled with composite video cables, capable of only SDTV resolutions, but newer models with lot number 0728 or greater have an HDMI 1.2 output. The Core may output HD signals up to 1080p when connected to separately sold HDMI, Component, or VGA cables. It can also utilise a separately sold 20 or 120 GB hard drive.

UAE

2008-01-11T07:28:00.001-08:00

UAE TRADE RELATIONS with Germany have been strengthening. While oil-exporting Middle Eastern countries (most notably Saudi Arabia) have come to appreciate utilizing the 'Made in Germany' label on their hardware products, German car manufacturers have started to realize the potential that the region has to offer in sourcing components, says exhibition manager Michael Dehn.

The UAE has been identified as a possible new location for manufacturing automotive components because of its lower costs. The UAE offers favorable energy prices to car companies interested in moving their production there. In addition, it is also a cheaper supplier of raw materials such as aluminum, he says.

Another attraction is the region's development zones. The United Arab Emirates consists of seven Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Fujeirah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Um Al Quwain). Many of these have free trade zones where companies can own and operate their businesses without any form of taxation or local involvement.

Logistics systems and links with the major auto markets are already in place. Dubai in particular is well placed with one of the world's largest container ports (Jebel Ali) offering all forms of logistical support. Many multi-nationals use Jebel Ali Port as a regional distribution hub for the Middle East, Africa and South West Asia, according to Dehn. The port was built around 25 years ago and has consistently expanded ever since to a point where it handles over five million TEUs annually. It is the regional home to numerous automotive manufacturers, from Chrysler to Toyota, plus many others involved in the supply of components to a wide range of industries.

cafta

2008-01-11T07:27:00.003-08:00

"A broad swath of U.S. industry has endorsed CAFTA because it will open new export opportunities for U.S. companies and workers. More than 50 farm groups representing poultry, pork, dairy, fruit and other producers have endorsed CAFTA, along with America's most competitive manufacturing and service-sector producers."

"On imports, the U.S. market is already largely open because of the existing Caribbean Basin Initiative and other preferential programs. CAFTA would guarantee that access, to the benefit of Central American producers and American consumers, while guaranteeing reciprocal access for U.S. exports," says Griswold.

Opponents are not convinced. "The problems associated with implementing CAFTA demonstrate what we've been saying all along: this agreement goes beyond trade in requiring dramatic changes in domestic laws that grant new rights to transnational corporations at the expense of working people," says the Quixote Center's Tom Ricker. "The fact that legislatures throughout Central America and in the Dominican Republic are now struggling to change laws governing intellectual property, services, and investment in order to receive US certification for joining CAFTA makes clear the undemocratic nature of this agreement."

In light of the news of CAFTA's delay, a broad coalition of domestic and international groups is mobilizing to undo the trade deal once and for all. In statements and notices posted to its website, the Stop CAFTA Coalition calls for demonstrations against the pact throughout January and provides links and information for interested parties. Planned activities include pickets, petition signings, teach-ins and workshops.

However, trade experts are confident that the deal isn't in serious danger. "CAFTA is going to become a reality; it's just going to happen a little bit more incrementally than originally planned," Griswold told the Los Angeles Times.

delay

2008-01-11T07:27:00.001-08:00

A TRADE AGREEMENT designed in part to help South American and US companies compete against cheap Chinese Imports has failed to meet its January 1 target for implementation.

The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) has been delayed by a number of factors, including opposition both within the US and South American countries.

Many of the six smaller states--the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica--failed to come into full compliance with CAFTA's requirements on the treatment of foreign companies, customs laws, telecommunications services, public-health services and other matters by the January 1 deadline. In addition, Costa Rica has yet to approve the deal, and the Dominican Republic has announced that it will hold off on entering into the trade pact until July.

Other potential CAFTA trade-partner states are facing similar situations, with El Salvador, the nation closest to compliance, recently stating that it will not be ready to join CAFTA until February at the earliest, according to the Quixote Center, a non-denominational humanitarian organization.

There are two strong groups for and against the agreement. "CAFTA represents a milestone in U.S. trade and foreign policy. It will eliminate most trade barriers between the United States and six countries--Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic--that together represent our second-largest export market in Latin America, behind only Mexico," says Daniel Griswold, a trade expert at the free-market-oriented Cato Institute in Washington.

What the

2008-01-10T03:17:00.000-08:00

Objectives. To evaluate the effectiveness of a problem-based learning (PBL) model implemented in 1995 at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy.

Design. The third-professional (P3) year curriculum was reoriented from a faculty-centered model of teaching to a student-centered model of learning. Didactic lectures and structured classroom time were diminished. Small student groups were organized and a faculty facilitator monitored each group's discussions and provided individual student assessments. At the end of each 8-week block, students were assessed on group participation, disease and drug content knowledge, and problem-solving abilities. Faculty and student input was solicited at the end of each year to aid programmatic improvement. In 2000, a formal 5-year review of the PBL program was conducted.

Assessment. Recommendations for improvement included clarifying course objectives, adopting a peer-review process for examination materials, refining the group assessment instruments, and providing an opportunity for student remediation after a course was failed. A weekly case conference presided over by a faculty content expert was also recommended. Ongoing critical evaluation during the following 5-year period was provided by graduates of the program, faculty participants, and accreditation reviews.

Conclusion. Over our 10-year experience with a PBL model of P3 education, we found that although the initial challenges of increased demands on personnel and teaching space were easily overcome, student acceptance of the program depended on their acknowledgment of the practical benefits of active learning and on the value afforded their input on curricular development.

Disappointing

2008-01-09T10:53:00.001-08:00

Increasingly, over the past fifteen years, dating violence among adolescents has emerged as a growing public health concern. While the first article on late teen courtship violence appeared in 1981 (Makepeace, 1981), a current search of the PubMed database, using the key terms "adolescent dating violence," identified 110 articles published since 2000; this is more than a three-fold increase in the number published during the preceding 7-year period. Furthermore, dating violence has been incorporated in Healthy People 2000 and 2010, the blueprints for national decennial public health initiatives (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000a, 2000b). Finally, dating violence prevalence trends are now regularly monitored through the Center for Disease Control's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, specifically the Youth Risk Behavior Study (YRBS) (YRBSS).

National trends in the prevalence estimates of physical dating violence victimization over the previous 12-month period among high school youth indicates its relative stability; prevalence rates in 2005, 2003 and 1999 were 9.2%, 8.9%, and 9.1%, respectively (MMWR, 2006a MMWR 2006b; Howard & Wang, 2003a, Howard & Wang, 2003b). In other words, on an annual basis, dating violence takes its toll on a substantial number of youth. Moreover, victimization appears undifferentiated by gender and is associated with risk behaviors for both male and female high school students (MMWR, 2006b; Cercone, Beach, & Arias, 2005; Gray & Foshee, 1997). Based on 1999 national YRBS data, a risk profile of youth who reported past year physical dating violence victimization was identified. Overall, being a victim of dating violence was associated with reports of sad/hopeless feelings and engagement in high-risk sexual practices, specifically, recent multiple sex partners and unprotected sex.

Not Funny

2008-01-09T10:52:00.000-08:00

''Community of Learning'' in Experiential Education

To the Editor: There have been many recent calls to action to advance the care pharmacists provide to patients. A recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) report focuses on the need to improve medication safety and communication regarding medications at each transition of care.1 The Medicare Modernization Act 2003 and the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D) incorporated the provision of medication therapy management (MTM) services that may be provided by a pharmacist.2 A recent Archives of Internal Medicine issue focuses on the need to improve patient adherence to medications known to decrease morbidity and mortality.3 Each of these reports provides an impetus for an ever-increasing role of the pharmacist to work directly with patients to evaluate their medication regimens and to communicate with the patients' healthcare providers on a consistent basis.

With this increased call for direct patient care, new teaching models, especially in the community, will need to evolve to prepare our future pharmacists tomeet societal needs.WendyDuncan-Hewitt andZubinAustin suggested a theoretical model termed ''communities of learning'' for this purpose.4 A description of one such ''community of learning,'' which developed naturally by creating an environment where a mix of learners and practitioners work together, will illustrate the theoretical concept.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy has established an ongoing partnership with community pharmacies to build patient care practices. One participating pharmacy is home to a medication therapy management practice supported by a pharmacist who has worked with patients within this practice for approximately 2 years. The pharmacist has been building a practice that includes conducting community health events and outreach to physicians, in addition to providing direct patient care and dispensing services within the pharmacy. This pharmacist also serves as a preceptor for a pharmacy resident, a student in an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE), and 2 students who are completing a portion of the introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPE) in the second professional year of the program.