From: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: the_dojang-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: The_Dojang-Digest V6 #295 Reply-To: the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: The_Dojang-Digest Sat, 5 June 1999 Vol 06 : Num 295 In this issue: the_dojang: breaks and demos the_dojang: Re: A different experience as a ref the_dojang: Dux vs. Van Damme the_dojang: Re: Wheelchair in the ring the_dojang: Re: Corner Refs the_dojang: Re: MA Politicians the_dojang: . ......................................................................... The_Dojang, serving the Internet since June 1994. ~725 members strong! Copyright 1994-99: Ray Terry, California Taekwondo, Martial Arts Resource Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe the_dojang-digest" (no quotes) in the body of an e-mail (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To send e-mail to this list use the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com See the Korean Martial Arts (KMA) FAQ and online search the last two years worth of digest issues at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! Ray Terry, PO Box 110841, Campbell, CA 95011 KMA@MartialArtsResource.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Tkdtiger@aol.com Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 18:35:48 EDT Subject: the_dojang: breaks and demos In a message dated 6/4/99 5:09:11 PM Central Daylight Time, the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com writes: << And if half-time is not about martial arts then what do you offer the audience instead? >> FOOD! That is usually when we break for lunch! ------------------------------ From: Stan Lim Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 17:11:44 -0700 Subject: the_dojang: Re: A different experience as a ref Another page from Jamaica's memoirs: >I was a center ref in the ring for a couple days at a national tournament. ... >Okay, here goes. > >It's the black belt divisions. I have one young very enthusiastic and ... >individual comes into the ring in a wheel chair. >Now I check the competitor bouncing up and down for safety and then I go to >the wheelchair person. I check as best I can and ask if he is ready to >proceed and he gets more angry with me for even checking and yells "just get >on with the match." If I were a ref (and I'm not qualified, yet), I'd given him a 1/2 point penalty right there for being rude to you. He just violated the first tenent of TKD. You were doing your primary job as a ref to ensure the SAFETY of the fighters, so he had no right to get angry at you. Makes me wonder how he got his black belt in the first place. ... >So I dealt with it as I always do. But reflecting back this moment still >brings issues that need to be addressed in an intelligent manner and I >really felt put on the spot myself even with my years of experience. What did you do that made you doubt yourself until today? Or are you bothered by the fact that you had to ref a fight with one competitor a wheel chair? > I welcome any thoughts but if not, thanks for listening because I really >wanted to post this story for a very long time but was struggling for the >words to do it. This is valuable to us as well, Jamaica. Thanks for sharing. Respectfully, Stan Lim slim@employees.org ------------------------------ From: Jamaica Power Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 18:22:19 PDT Subject: the_dojang: Dux vs. Van Damme I followed this lawsuit in detail from start to finish? Anybody else? Any opinions of Dux the mentor of Van Damme and their $600,000.00 lawsuit. Including Van Damme's cocaine habits and Dux's brain tumor. The movie that turned out to be "Quest" but was scheduled as "Kumite." Would love to have some discussion on this topic for many reasons. Thanks, Jamaica _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com ------------------------------ From: Eric Mueller Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 21:48:02 -0400 Subject: the_dojang: Re: Wheelchair in the ring Wow! Great Story - lots of Moral, Political, and Practical issues! I thought about this from Two perspectives, and I came up with the same answer (I am Assuming TKD and more specifically USTU TKD): The Contestant in the Wheelchair could not compete in a wheelchair. First, from the Parents Perspective; I would not want My Son to risk injury by having to spar another Child who is surrounded by steel bars. I work in the Health care Arena, and I have seen injuries caused by wheelchairs - some very bad injuries in fact. The thought of my son shredding his leg on the sharp wheel brake or catching his foot in the spokes as the wheel spins....... From A referees Perspective (Although I am not a referee) I would Disqualify the Wheelchair bound child (assuming he was in fact Wheelchair bound): Article 10, section 2 of the USTU regulations - PHYSICAL AND COSTUME INSPECTION: "The Contestants.....shall not bear any materials that could cause harm to the other contestant" - Therefore no wheelchair. If the child was, in fact, unable to Stand unaided I would then Disqualify him/her Based on Article 17 which Defines the Downed opponent as a contestant whose "...part of the body other than the sole of the foot touches the floor..." . The Other contestant would then be prohibited from attempting any scoring technique by Article 14, Prohibited Acts (Gamjeom Penalty), Attacking Acts: "Attacking the Fallen Opponent". I won't even mention the Wheelchair-Bound individuals apparent lack of decorum and manners (.....ooops ! I just mentioned it !!!). Ok, so it is an interesting situation chock full of Modern American ethical and political issued........ Either way you go with this one a "Statement" will be made. (My "statement" would be that reality and individual circumstance dictate ones opportunities for success in any given situation.). Well, that's my two cents worth (and I promised myself I would be brief....) Eric Mueller > From: Jamaica Power > Date: Thu, 03 Jun 1999 18:49:42 PDT > Subject: the_dojang: A different experience as a ref > > This happened quite a few years ago but I'll be honest, I can certainly see > it happening again. So I share with you the following situation (true > story) for you to contemplate or comment on... or not. > > So here it is... and this is a sensitive issue in some respects so I will > try to do it justice and be respectful. > > I was a center ref in the ring for a couple days at a national tournament. > Nothing new. The matches are coming fast and furious, one right after > another. Barely have time to look up even. Okay, even though I was very > experienced at the time this one took be aback and not because I am in > anyway prejudiced, I think you people know me by now. But I will preface > this post by saying I always have the safety of competitors in mind at all > times. > > Okay, here goes. > > It's the black belt divisions. I have one young very enthusiastic and > healthy black belt jumping up and down waiting for his competition. So I'm > tending to some things and I turn around and there comes his competitor. > Now this individual comes into the ring in a wheel chair. Now there are no > specific rules or guidelines for me at this time. I look over and see a few > GM's and Master Instructors glued on me and circling the ring watching. I > assume I got this situation because of my experience. They give me the nod > to just go ahead. It was a blackbelet sparring match. > > Now I check the competitor bouncing up and down for safety and then I go to > the wheelchair person. I check as best I can and ask if he is ready to > proceed and he gets more angry with me for even checking and yells "just get > on with the match." > > It was a difficult match for all involved from the standpoint that it was > difficult to even score since this individual was unable to execute kicks. > His competitor felt quite awkward for obvious reasons. > > So I dealt with it as I always do. But reflecting back this moment still > brings issues that need to be addressed in an intelligent manner and I > really felt put on the spot myself even with my years of experience. I > welcome any thoughts but if not, thanks for listening because I really > wanted to post this story for a very long time but was struggling for the > words to do it. > > Jamaica > ------------------------------ From: Eric Mueller Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 22:01:10 -0400 Subject: the_dojang: Re: Corner Refs > From: Jamaica Power > Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 06:56:51 PDT > Subject: the_dojang: A Little question about corner referees > > This is one of those silly little thoughts that has rambled about my mind > for many, many years. > > Other than looking nice, what exactly is the rationale for having the > corner ref's seated in chairs, especially now that there are usually not 4 > as there used to be (in most tournaments). > > I'm sure there is a logical reason (then again maybe not). But wouldn't it > be more advantageous to have ref's on their feet and covering their bases so > to speak (like in baseball...yeah I like all sports)! > > It would help them see more of the sparring activity from broader advantage > points, and it would help some of the ref's keep more alert. > > Thoughts? > > jamaica I always assumed that having the Corner Judges Seated was to try to equalize the variances in height that individuals have - to give a more uniform 'vertical' visual perspective. As to "Roaming" Vs. "Static" Judges, I believe that by having the Judges remain in fixed positions; the chance that that two judges will 'score' a kick that should not have scored (false positive) would be low - no two judges share the same 'horizontal' perspective. Simple Science, decrease the uncontrolled variables and you will get closer to the truth. Eric Mueller ------------------------------ From: Eric Mueller Date: Thu, 03 Jun 1999 13:29:06 -0400 Subject: the_dojang: Re: MA Politicians > > > From: Jamaica Power > Date: Wed, 02 Jun 1999 19:03:20 PDT > Subject: the_dojang: Martial Artists in Real Life Politics - High Level > > It is my opinion that if we are to survive in martial arts we need > influential people in legislation. Especially as the martial arts escalate > in many diverse directions due to their increase popularity. > For the most part we are under attack, and mostly due to fly-by-night m.a. > studios that are popping up and self-proclaimed black belts. > > I was able to find out that a Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colorado) was > elected to the House as a Democrat in 1986 and to the Senate in 1992. > In 1995 he switched parties and become a Republican. He was a member of the > Black Belt Hall of Fame in Burbank, California captained the 1964 and first > U.S. Olympic judo team. > > Does anyone else know of any other practicing martial artists in high level > political positions in any state that might aid us in future legislative > issues. > > thanks > > jamaica > I seem to recall reading somewhere (may have been on the internet) that Bill Clinton had a Black Belt in TKD - not sure if it was earned or if it was just an "honorary Black Belt" given to him when he was Governor....... Eric Mueller ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 21:03:35 -0700 (PDT) Subject: the_dojang: . ------------------------------ End of The_Dojang-Digest V6 #295 ******************************** Support the USTU by joining today! US Taekwondo Union, 1 Olympic Plaza, Ste 405, Colorado Spgs, CO 80909 719-578-4632 FAX 719-578-4642 ustutkd1@aol.com http://www.ustu.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from this digest, the_dojang-digest, send the command: unsubscribe the_dojang-digest -or- unsubscribe the_dojang-digest your.old@address in the BODY of email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com, in pub/the_dojang/digests. All digest files have the suffix '.txt' Copyright 1994-99: Ray Terry, Martial Arts Resource, California Taekwondo Standard disclaimers apply.