Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 09:49:45 -0800 (PST) From: eskrima-request@martialartsresource.net Subject: Eskrima digest, Vol 9 #81 - 7 msgs X-Mailer: Mailman v2.0.8 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Sender: eskrima-admin@martialartsresource.net Errors-To: eskrima-admin@martialartsresource.net X-BeenThere: eskrima@martialartsresource.net X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.8 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net X-Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net List-Help: List-Post: X-Subscribed-Address: rterry@idiom.com List-Subscribe: List-Id: Inayan Eskrima / FMA discussion forum, the premier FMA forum on the Internet. List-Unsubscribe: Status: OR Send Eskrima mailing list submissions to eskrima@martialartsresource.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/eskrima or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to eskrima-request@martialartsresource.net You can reach the person managing the list at eskrima-admin@martialartsresource.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Eskrima digest..." <<--------------- The Eskrima/FMA mailing list --------------->> Serving the Internet since June 1994. Copyright 1994-2002: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource The Internet's premier discussion forum devoted to Filipino Martial Arts. Provided in memory of Mangisursuro Michael G. Inay (1944-2000). http://InayanEskrima.com See the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) FAQ and the online search engine for back issues of the Eskrima/FMA list at http://MartialArtsResource.com Mabuhay ang eskrima! Today's Topics: 1. Re: FMA Festival in Gemany - review (Dieter =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Kn=FCttel?=) 2. New Group (jonbroster@another.co.uk) 3. Beheading Video (Marc Denny) 4. Fryed knees (Marc Denny) 5. Re: Fryed knees (Ray Terry) 6. film review, from the Serak list (Ray Terry) --__--__-- Message: 1 Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 11:39:20 +0100 From: abanico-video-knuettel@t-online.de (Dieter =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Kn=FCttel?=) Organization: Abanico Video Productions To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Subject: [Eskrima] Re: FMA Festival in Gemany - review Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net > From: Terry Tippie > Subject: [Eskrima] FMA Festival in Gemany - review > Dieter, > I'm glad to hear things went so well. I must admit some surprise to seeing > so many Filipino martial arts practitioners getting together in one place > without too much bickering. I'm impressed. I have observed this > phenomenon in other places, especially where FMA is scarce. Hello Terry, thanks for the flowers. Regarding the bickering, we knew it could happen, so we were prepared. Of course there were, long before the festival, things like: "I don´t sleep in the same hotel than he does". But Alfred was very consequent in this regard and said, that we are not in kindergarden here and that they are not sleeping in the same bed but only in the same building and they shall stop this nonsense or they would not come. At the festival I made an instructors briefing before the training, were I told them the aim of the festival: we want to have fun and a peaceful training in a good mood and friendly atmosaphere. And that the festival shall create respect between the different styles and instructors. I also told them clearly, that we have to act as one group - the Filipino Marial Arts Instructors. There were I think 14 different newspaper journalists that want to cover the event in different magazines, and if we give the imression to be a bunch of people only arguing against each other, it would be a bad picture that we give to the public. And that they shall also watch their students, if there are some ones, that are too enthusiastic over their own style and start putting down others or start trouble, to calm these down. And I have to say, that every one of the instructors took these words seriously and at least I did not hear a bad word spoken about someone else during the festival. Also the students were extremly discipined and there were NO problem in this regard whatshowever. Perhaps the seminar would have been the same without this briefing, but I don´t know. For us, it worked. Thanks to all the insrtuctors from here, who made this festival to a VERY special event, that the people will talk about in years to come. > One suggestion: With so many FMA guys in one place it would be great fun > to organize a full-scale battle, perhaps historical in origin. We did this > with Krabi-Krabong at the Muay Thai camp a few years ago when Col. > Nattapong was over from Thailand, and it was great fun. The adrenaline > rush of 100+ people rushing & screaming into battle is quite something to see. I have to admit it might be something to see, but as an organizer of such an event I would be afraid of injuries that might happen. Any problems with that? Best regards from Germany Dieter Knüttel ABANICO Video Productions http://www.abanico.de http://www.modern-arnis.de --__--__-- Message: 2 Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 13:55:07 +0000 (GMT) From: jonbroster@another.co.uk To: eskrima digest < eskrima@martialartsresource.net > Subject: [Eskrima] New Group Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Mabuhay I just came across a new groups server and set up a group for people on Britian and Ireland who are interested in SE Asian martial arts. the address is: http://www.domeus.co.uk/groups/silat All welcome Jon There's nothing more dangerous than a blunt knife! http://www.geocities.com/jonbroster -- Get personalised email addresses at http://another.com --__--__-- Message: 3 From: "Marc Denny" To: Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 06:24:56 -0800 Subject: [Eskrima] Beheading Video Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Woof All: Another bit from www.stratfor.com Subscription recommended. Comments from those in/from the RP? Woof, Crafty Dog ---------------------------- Beheading Video Backfiring on Arroyo 26 February 2002 Summary The Philippine media released a video Feb. 18 showing the beheading of two hostages of a Muslim rebel group. The government hoped the video would boost support for a recent U.S. troop deployment in the country. However, controversy surrounding the video's release caused the plan to backfire. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's determination to keep defending her past decisions, rather than to focus on other important issues, may diminish her support in the long run. Analysis Philippine TV stations last week repeatedly showed a video depicting the beheading of two people whom the military claims were hostages of the Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebel group. The video's release was aimed at enhancing support for the recent deployment of U.S. troops to Basilan Island in the southern Philippines -- where rebel groups such as Abu Sayyaf are highly active -- to help train Filipino forces. However, a controversy over the video's origins has caused the effort to backfire. Rather than trying to move on to more important issues, such as the economy, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's continued attempts to justify her controversial decisions are keeping the deployment issue alive and providing more ammunition to her opponents. Her defensiveness will undermine her public support and create political gridlock in the Philippines. Questions over when the video was found and who was actually on the tape surfaced soon after its release. Although the government insists Abu Sayyaf members are the culprits in the video, filmed in 1994 and 1995, opposition figures including former President Joseph Estrada and members of the media say rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are actually the ones on tape. Furthermore, military spokesman Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan claimed Feb. 19 that the video was seized in 2001 from an Abu Sayyaf camp, the BBC reported. But Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes contradicted this assertion when he said the military got a hold of the video in 1998 after the Abu Sayyaf had sent it to Saudi Arabia for circulation to gain support from extremists, the Malaya reported. The government reportedly showed the video in 2000 to business executives and religious groups to drum up support for action against the MILF, the Philippine Inquirer reported. Instead of provoking the public's anger toward the Abu Sayyaf, the release of the video and the dispute it has caused within the government have merely succeeded in raising political tensions. Arroyo's opponents will continue criticizing Washington's involvement on the grounds that it is a violation of Philippine sovereignty. The Feb. 22 crash of a MH-47 helicopter off the central island of Negros in which 10 people died will bolster this claim as the aircraft was carrying only U.S. soldiers at the time. Politicians including parliamentary representative Liza Masa raised the issue that a helicopter flight participating in joint training exercises did not carry any Filipinos and asked whether such an action was permissible under the Visiting Forces Agreement signed by both the Philippines and the United States in 1998, the Philippine Inquirer reported Feb. 23. Masa plans to file a resolution calling for an inquiry into the crash. Those involved in the training exercises also suffered significant embarrassment when major Manila newspapers Feb. 13 published pictures of two U.S. soldiers in civilian clothes carrying M-16 rifles outside a bank in Zamboanga. The United States has apologized, but the incident caused several senators to lash out at the "ostentatious display" and the arrogance of the servicemen. But despite such recent public relations disasters, the training exercises still enjoy the support of the majority of Filipinos; some 2,000 people held a rally in Zamboanga in support of the operations Feb. 24. The promise of millions of dollars from donors such as the World Bank and the United States following the restoration of law and order in the Muslim region of Mindanao has businesses and the populace alike thankful for the presence of the U.S. contingents. Though Arroyo is benefiting from the support for the U.S. deployment, the release of the video reveals the paranoia she feels making any controversial decision that could lead to her eventual removal. It also shows her desperation to defend these decisions beyond question. As a result many of her other activities are overshadowed. Arroyo recently visited the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, where she attended the World Economic Forum. These important diplomatic trips received little coverage due to the media frenzy over the U.S. military presence, a frenzy that Arroyo has not helped to calm. By spending so much of her time defending past decisions, Arroyo is allowing political opponents to continually highlight their objections. She could instead be pushing the government to work on more important issues such as reducing poverty and encouraging investment. Getting caught in a political whirlpool only enfeebles the president, exhausts her public relations and erodes her political support. --__--__-- Message: 4 From: "Marc Denny" To: Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 06:41:24 -0800 Subject: [Eskrima] Fryed knees Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Woof All: > Subject: [Eskrima] Pride "Bad Blood" > > Wondering how many of y'all watched the PPV "Pride" fight this evening, a > MMA (mixed martial arts) event. > > The final bout was between Ken Shamrock and Don Frye. First two rounds > were a bit boring, I guess. Third (and last) round much better. Frye takes > the split decision. They both had on ankle locks the final round and now >both my ankles hurt... >Ray Terry The "bad blood" marketing hook for the fight appears to have been quite accurate in this case. Shamrock promised to break whatever he could and most NHB fighters would have tapped on what Shamrock was doing to Frye's feet/knees, but it appeared that Frye simply was not going to tap. Extraordinary display of willpower. Wonder how his knees are doing after those heel hooks? After the fight Frye actually apologized to Shamrock for , , , whatever it was he had said to him. I always liked Frye after seeing him up close when I was a judge at UFC 10 and here too I appreciated his post fight interview. Gotta work on those leg and foot lock counters though. For me the fight of the evening was the Canadian Dennis , , , something , , , an excellent and exciting fighter (smart guy too-- pre-med and he spoke at length to the Japanese crowd in what seemed to be really good Japanese) against a really good striker whose name eludes me at the moment-- excellent high knees. Pride seems to consistently have good events with good fighters. Woof, Crafty Dog --__--__-- Message: 5 From: Ray Terry Subject: Re: [Eskrima] Fryed knees To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 7:07:35 PST Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net > The "bad blood" marketing hook for the fight appears to have been quite > accurate in this case. Shamrock promised to break whatever he could and > most NHB fighters would have tapped on what Shamrock was doing to Frye's > feet/knees, but it appeared that Frye simply was not going to tap. > Extraordinary display of willpower. Wonder how his knees are doing after > those heel hooks? After watching the first 2 rounds, I thought for sure the fight was a work. But the last round changed my mind... Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com --__--__-- Message: 6 From: Ray Terry To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net, eskrima@martialartsresource.net, policedo@martialartsresource.net Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 10:24:39 PST Subject: [Eskrima] film review, from the Serak list Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Forwarded message: Fwd: from Cpt. Tim Martin, US Army Gentlemen, A good review of a good film. Subject: We Were Soldiers Once and Young - Review Review: We Were Soldiers - 11 February 2002 By Robert L. McMahon, The film is based upon the 1992 best-seller, WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE... AND YOUNG by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore, USA (Ret) and Joseph L. Galloway. It stars Mel Gibson as Lt. Col. Hal Moore, Sam Elliott as SGM. Basil L. Plumely, Barry Pepper as Joe Galloway and Madeline Stowe as Mrs. Julie Moore. If you're professional military, please take my advice - be a student of history. Study it like you do your weapon, your compass and your Guidebooks for NCO's and Officers. On a battlefield, if you have no appreciation for history and its context, you have no business leading yourself or anybody else into harm's way. Lt. General Harold G. Moore, USA (Ret) made it his mission to be a student of history and this saved his life and the rest of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment in a dark corner of the world called LZ X-Ray on 14, 15,and 16 November in 1965. Critics of he and Joe Galloway's 1992 best-seller, have often said that this one engagement could serve as an allegory for our whole involvement in that conflict and that's not too far from the truth. This film is unlike any Vietnam War film you have seen to date. The viewer's not treated to a brooding racial strife, drug culture or the sanctimonious piety of an anti-war movement. Randall Wallace, the producer and director of this film, stayed within the bounds of what the authors laid out: an epic struggle of young, scared men fighting to live to see another day. A struggle that had their fullest attention from the moment their boots hit the tall grass and heat of the Ia Drang Valley. The actors privileged to play out this struggle are damn near brilliant. Mel Gibson gives a very steady and reserved portrayal of Lt. Col. Moore. What Mr. Gibson brought across to the viewer wasn't so much a "role" as he brought the genuine "character" of Hal Moore to the fore. Any actor can put on a show, but Mr. Gibson captured the intangibles of character very, very well. His chief rock of support in the film is much like the real-life roles as well. It falls to the Battalion Sergeant Major, Basil L. Plumely, played to pure steel by Sam Elliott. Mr. Elliott's hard, laconic portrait of Sgt. Maj. Plumely is masterful. Our Army needs more of these Senior NCO's who can give staff weenies and the "consideration of others" types the runs just by looking at them. Someone who, when asked by Hal Moore whether or not he's going to draw an M-16 says, "Too much plastic for me sir. I want something with a little more substance." I won't spoil it for you, but Sam Elliott has the best pieces of dialogue in the film. And does he chew the scenery well. The film works on several other levels as well. Mr. Wallace has touched on many of the things that were wrong with that conflict and how the war was ultimately "managed". That's a key distinction between saying "fought" or "led". As General Moore would be only too willing to agree, "You cannot manage men in combat; they must be led." The first policy tremor comes when Mel Gibson's Moore says to his CO, "Why haven't they extended enlistments? You know what this is going to do don't you? I've effectively lost a third of my men before we've seen any combat. How could they do this? They've just invested time and money into training one of their newest divisions, but when we ship out for combat it's okay to lose a third of your best, highly skilled and most experienced officers and troops because their enlistments are up. I don't understand it." On the home front the thinking wasn't much better. As these young officers and men became casualties the Army wasn't prepared for that fact of life. Meaning, when a Western Union Telegram notifying a young wife that her husband was killed in action arrived, a taxi driver was sent to deliver it. No chaplain or accompanying officer was dispatched to ease the trauma. And back at the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) the thinking was equally as poor. Several times during this fierce battle General Moore was ordered out to give a debriefing to Colonels and Generals back in air-conditioned Saigon; General Moore respectively declined all requests. The intellectual disconnect with Hal Moore's combat situation and genuine "non compos mentis" on the leadership meter literally welled up in my throat. How could several West Pointers who have been trained since Day 1 to be leaders of troops, order one of their peers out of a fight where his leadership was sorely needed? Where was their perspective? Where was their purpose? General Moore clearly knew his purpose was to be with his troops and, if need be, die on the field with them. The film is also brutally unrelenting in its portrayal of combat. The fight in the Ia Drang was up close and personal. Several times units had to go hand-to-hand with their enemies in a dance of fists, bayonets and bludgeoning rifle blows. It's not a film for the faint of heart. For those unfamiliar with General Moore and Joe Galloway's book, the film is only half the story. Mr. Wallace went out of his way while writing the screenplay and producing the story to capture the horror of war and the honor of the men fighting it, but he couldn't include, in a two and one half hour treatment, the story of LZ Albany. For what the North Vietnamese could not sufficiently do to General Moore and his 1st Battalion, they were to do to the sister 2nd Battalion. They were over-run and decimated while strung out in a line over 500 yards long. Survivors of platoons and companies could be counted on one hand. In closing I would like to leave you with some of General Moore's words he imparted to his officers and battalion staff when he took over the unit back in '65. These simple principles kept many of his men alive: "Only first place trophies will be displayed, accepted, or presented in this battalion. Second place in our line of work is defeat of the unit on the battlefield, and death for the individual in combat. No fat troops or officers. Decision-making will be decentralized: Push the power down. It pays off in wartime. Loyalty flows down as well. I check up on everything. I am available day or night to talk with any officers of this battalion. Finally, the sergeant major works only for me and takes orders only from me. He is my right-hand man." A resounding "Garry Owen" to Randall Wallace for mothering this story through and for holding true to General Moore and Joe Galloway's spirit in telling a story of ordinary men who wound up fighting and dying for each other. --__--__-- _______________________________________________ Eskrima mailing list Eskrima@martialartsresource.net http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/eskrima Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. Copyright 1994-2002: Ray Terry and the Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply. Remember 9-11! End of Eskrima Digest