Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated. - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Okinawa and the Weapons Ban


Wow, in Karate 1.0 it appears that our thoughts that the weapons ban by both the Okinawan Royalty and the Satsuma Samurai did not ban weapons in the manner that left the common populace disarmed. I want to go back and read that again but it appears that most of the ban was about allowing weapons, firearms, to be sold outside Japan and Okinawa. I will clear this up a bit more as I take another look at what I read. I don't want this to become something that I misinterpreted but I wanted to get some interest going toward the book and its importance or its lack of importance. 

There is more within those pages that discuss the possibility that karate, the empty hand system within martial arts, didn't come from the need of the locals to defend themselves against the Samurai of Satsuma. Apparently, the Satsuma took charge of defending the Okinawans against pirates, etc. The commoners were not striped of their weapons such as those that slash or stab, etc. It was more about firearms and controlling weapons aboard the shipping vessels that went to China, etc. 

I plan on sitting down when I am done with my first study of this book and write a post that will provide a possible alternative to what some believe is the history and stimulus for the practice of empty handed martial arts. 

Look at this entry as a "teaser" for another post and the need to at least consider this book and its role in understanding the culture and beliefs of Okinawan Karate. 

Addendum did Monday April 21, 2014 at 12:35 hours:

Okinawa Disarmament History

After reviewing the materials, i.e. Karate 1.0, provided by Andreas Quast I agree with his conclusions thus,

“Ut us true that Ryukyu never in her history had been disarmed.”

For those who would argue that only Ryukyu Royalty were armed Quast Sensei shows through out his evidence that the commoners of Ryukyu were never disarmed of “cut and thrust” weapons and bows and arrows, etc.

Quick Reference, i.e. the actual references to those mandates concerning arming or disarming of weapons throughout Japan and included Ryukyu. 

HS/1643, HS/1646, HS/1613-01, HS/1613-02, HS/1639, HS/1657-01 and HS/1657-02. He has the actual details written in his book.

Note: The existence and management of firearms within Ryukyu was shown to be a primary effort of Japan and is proved by Quast Sensei’s evidence. It was based more on import/export with emphasis the borders (external threats) of Ryukyu ere protected by the Satsuma while internal protection by Ryukyuans and maritime protection by arms loaned out by the Satsuma controls.

Addendum dtd Friday May 16, 2014 at 10:32hrs:

It is also interesting to note that the original perception that karate was born of the "weapons ban" on Okinawa is false and that it was more a "mistaken interpretation" of an order of prohibition in 1670 that actually came about because of "A Nocturnal Masked Person" walking at night carrying a Bo and Sword where the constabulary felt it would be a threat to peace, security and safety of the people of the Ryukyu kingdom.

Because of this mistaken interpretation and its later publication in the first book on karate by a noted leader and teacher of karate it spread as if it were fact. It is only today, because of the hard work of various dedicated historians of karate that the truth has surfaced. I give special credit to Andreas Quast for his work in his book, "Karate 1.0," where it states in part:

"1670, A Nocturnal Masked Person, Starting Point of a Karate Theory:

In 1670 a prohibition order was issued. The order related to an event that took place in the night of the 16th day of the 1st month of this year, when in the light of a lantern a person was seen carrying Bo and sword with his face covered up. The order forbade such conspiratorial behavior and instructions were given to capture any such person who infringed on the provisions of the order. It was historian Higaonna Kanjun who interpreted this even as evidence for the prohibition of all weapons and furthermore as the trigger for he development of unarmed karate. He provided this theory in his forward to the first karate book ever printed, in 1922, namely Funakoshi Gichin’s “Ryukyu Kenpo Karate.” Naturally, transported in this influential work and embraced by Funakoshi himself, this notion had been carried on, extended to the prohibition of all weapons as well, and further developed into the idiosyncratic perception of an unarmed historical karate. 

However, the actual circumstances of the above order under no circumstances can be interpreted as a general prohibition of weapons. The order was solely aimed at “masked persons” carrying “weapons” during the night time that would constitute a threat to peace and security in the kingdom. The written order must be considered evidence for the existence and acceptance of both Bojutsu and swords in the kingdom following the 1609 Satsuma takeover."


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