Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 12:33:42 -0800 (PST) From: the_dojang-request@martialartsresource.net Subject: The_Dojang digest, Vol 9 #186 - 9 msgs X-Mailer: Mailman v2.0.8 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Sender: the_dojang-admin@martialartsresource.net Errors-To: the_dojang-admin@martialartsresource.net X-BeenThere: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.8 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net List-Help: List-Post: X-Subscribed-Address: rterry@idiom.com List-Subscribe: List-Id: The Internet's premier discussion forum on Korean Martial Arts. List-Unsubscribe: Status: O Send The_Dojang mailing list submissions to the_dojang@martialartsresource.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/the_dojang or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to the_dojang-request@martialartsresource.net You can reach the person managing the list at the_dojang-admin@martialartsresource.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of The_Dojang digest..." <<------------------ The_Dojang 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 Korean Martial Arts. See the Korean Martial Arts (KMA) FAQ and the online search engine for back issues of The_Dojang at http://MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! Today's Topics: 1. Re: ITF (Robert Martin) 2. Re: Upcoming Interview (Bruce Sims) 3. Yellow pages and all that (J. R. West) 4. Re: TKD Times (Bruce Sims) 5. Re: Re: TKD Times (Ray Terry) 6. Re: Yellow pages and all that (Bert Edens) 7. First things first (Rudy Timmerman) 8. The 30th Annual Metropolitan Taekwondo Championships (Brian) 9. From Suncheon to Boseong (Ray Terry) --__--__-- Message: 1 From: "Robert Martin" To: Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 09:51:05 -0700 Subject: [The_Dojang] Re: ITF Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Master Choi wasn't unelected. A special congress meeting of the ITF was called in Jan. of this year. At that time the congress voted to overturn the results of the election held last summer in Italy. In Italy, it was decided that Master Choi would fill out the remaining 4 years of the 6 year term that his father was elected to. In Vienna it was decided that this wasn't the best course of action. Master Choi's side believes that the Vienna congress was illegal. However, they have not actually attacked it in court (as yet). ITF headquarters believes that everything they have done is legal. So far nobody has gone to court to proved anything one way or the other. Master Choi was expelled from the ITF because he tried to, as you say, hijack the federation. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out. For myself, I believe that the actions at the Vienna congress were legal, and without going into detail, justified. I continue to support the ITF and General Choi as do the USTF and GM Sereff. Robert Martin IV Dan ITF/USTF > > So, Master Choi the younger, who was (in theory) duly elected by the > membership of the ITF to be it's next head, was unceremoniously unelected by > who? Wouldn't it take the membership of the ITF to unelect him? > > It would seem to me that unless Master Choi has done something that would > seriously tarnish the ITF as a organization, such a move would be illegal. > But since I don't know the ITF by-laws, I have no idea what position these > people who have unelected Master Choi are claming as a defense. Usually, if > someone is dissatisfied with a Federation, they leave and form their own > (Which why if you have three KMA masters together, there's seven > federation/associations/unions/other groups represented), not 'hijack' the > Federation with something like this. > > Does anyone know under what circumstances that these people can claim to be > able to do such a thing? I have no stake in this -- I am not an ITF member. > Heck, my main KMA isn't even TKD. But unless these people have a compelling > case for such an action, it appears to me that Master Choi and his supporters > are in the right on this -- that his removal as the next head of the ITF is > illegal. > > This is going to hurt TKD -- not directly, not immediately, but down the > road. I expect to see another TKD Federation of some sort arise out of this, > splintering TKD's influence even more. Heaven knows we need another TKD > organization like I need to be thrown around by Steven Sagal, but with nearly > every TKD federation/associations/unions/other groups out there grabbing for > a smaller piece of the pie, there is a point where there is going to be a > collapse that is going to rattle the TKD world. > > Of course, that's my Opinion, I could be wrong....^_^ > > Craig --__--__-- Message: 2 Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 11:01:43 -0600 From: "Bruce Sims" To: Subject: [The_Dojang] Re: Upcoming Interview Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Dear Richard: "....An interview with him will be posted at www.hapkido-info.net in a few weeks that will include his full background....." Thanks for taking time to respond. Perhaps you could give us a heads-up when that interview is published, or maybe Ray would let it be posted on the Net or....... best Wishes, Bruce --__--__-- Message: 3 From: "J. R. West" To: "Dojang Digest" Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 11:09:05 -0600 Subject: [The_Dojang] Yellow pages and all that Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net I'll try to make this as brief as possible. The ONLY paid advertising that we do is yellow pages, and we have paid up to a thousand dollars a month for it, BUT, if you make $100 a month from a student that read about you in the yellow pages, then only 10 students signing up and staying for a year will cover that expense. Approximately 85% of my students list "word of mouth" as the reason that they are there, but how many of them heard it from someone who came as a result of the yellow page ad....kind of hard to track. Another thing on yellow page ads is how you write them and what kind of pictures do you show, if any? When setting up an ad, use your head and NOT some guide from the yellow pages co.. Our "industry" is VERY different in that folks will read every single ad looking for something that will grab their attention, so if your ad extols the virtues of martial arts training, you are, in effect, writing an ad that is advertising for every school in your area, but if you list the attributes of your particular school, you are showing folks why they should visit YOU! Be careful of the pictures you use! Once many years ago, we put a very cute picture of our 5 year old daughter in our ad, and we were inundated with little kids, I'll guess we had about 120 of them at one time. This was not what we were looking for, and since we changed the pictures, we have about 90% adults and 10% kids. People will also relate to being the person in your picture that is having a technique "done" to them rather than person showing the value of being able to defend themselves, ("holy crap, they're not getting ME in there"). On another note, the only things that I would change from the way they were when I opened was; 1) I would make a greater effort to treat my students like customers rather than students, and 2) I would keep my place a WHOLE lot cleaner than I did back then, especially the areas that the women use. You can have a great place and program, but if any lady goes into a restroom that is even slightly nasty, she will NOT come back. If you don't believe me, ask my wife...J. R. West www.hapkido.com > I've been reading, with interest, the thread on reputation and marketing, > and fully agree that focusing on quality is a must. However, this brings > another question to mind: > > After your school has become established, is there one thing you wish you > would have done sooner? What I am looking for is some advice from school > owners, from your experience, that might be of use to someone just starting > a school. Something that you are now doing that you wished you started > sooner, realized earlier, thought about first, implemented from the > beginning, didn't do at all, etc........ --__--__-- Message: 4 Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 11:37:03 -0600 From: "Bruce Sims" To: Subject: [The_Dojang] Re: TKD Times Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Dear Mark: "....Well, it looks like the ATA has broken the silence.....the recent issue of TaeKwonDo Times has an overview article on the ATA by Sr. Master G.K. Lee and Master Jay Kohl. It is good to see the ATA finally getting into the mix in these publications, and will, perhaps, dispell some of what I view as the mystery surrounding the ATA - made the cover too!....." Absolutely. That was a great article..... now... what the hell is the rest of this crap!?! "Deadly Force" (pg 80) --- Is this like "my MA is badder than your MA?" How about "my MA will kill you deader than yours"? Apparently the art of which is the focus of this article was the purview of Korean Security Forces and encourages the sort of skills that allow one to maim or destroy any assaultive whiskey bottle. I for my part have destroyed any number of whiskey bottles in my time by elbowing them off the table (accidental) or throwing them at some by-stander (intentional). I also see the the guy who proof-read Mr. Shaws' sword article must moonlight at TKD TIMES. Exactly when did Hapkido, in any of its forms, become "an elite form of Martial Arts originally developed by Grandmaster Choi, Yong Sul"? And are we still at the level where folks need to mention that they are teaching their material to "special sections within the US. Government agencies..."? Is this like remembering that members of the LAPD practice Karate, Judo and Kendo, or that TKD is taught at West Point? BTW: A little help here--- "Dae Han Jin Jung Kwan" Anybody? And while I am at it, let me take Dr. Kimm to task....... HAN KUK MMUYE HYUB HAE (Korean Martial Arts Federation) Was this supposed to be some dark secret to which we American practitioners are not supposed to be privy? M West has a seminar and we know about it a year in advance and everybody with a belly-button is invited. Does anyone know Americans who were invited or attended this Seminar? Can we expect some follow-up articles on this organization as it progresses and some in-depth reporting on the leaders and their approaches or philosophy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bitching that the event happened--- not by any means. What I am bitching about is that it seems that American practitioners must be in exactly the right place or the right time and have available the right liaison or we spend our time masturbating what little we have been given to know to death while others go on and make decisions without us. BTW: Was our most recent 9th Degree BB in TKD invited to this head session? OK, nuff bitching. I feel a lot better now. :-) Best Wishes, Bruce --__--__-- Message: 5 From: Ray Terry Subject: Re: [The_Dojang] Re: TKD Times To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Date: Wed, 03 Apr 2002 10:35:16 PST Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net > OK, nuff bitching. I feel a lot better now. :-) Bruce, bad night last night??? Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com --__--__-- Message: 6 Date: Wed, 03 Apr 2002 12:37:08 -0600 To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net From: Bert Edens Subject: Re: [The_Dojang] Yellow pages and all that Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net > On another note, the only things that I would change from the way they >were when I opened was; 1) I would make a greater effort to treat my >students like customers rather than students, and 2) I would keep my place a >WHOLE lot cleaner than I did back then, especially the areas that the women >use. You can have a great place and program, but if any lady goes into a >restroom that is even slightly nasty, she will NOT come back. If you don't >believe me, ask my wife...J. R. West www.hapkido.com Master West, I agree with the second point... And my wife would too ... :) Could you elaborate on the first point some? Thanks! <> - Bert Edens 1st Degree Recommended, Level 2 Springdale, Arkansas --__--__-- Message: 7 Date: Wed, 03 Apr 2002 14:52:26 -0500 From: "Rudy Timmerman" To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] First things first Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Mark writes: > I know, there's probably more than one thing, but listening to information > about the minimal impact of yellow page ads makes me think that money is > better spent elsewhere in the beginning...... Hello Mark. I think one of the most important things to do is to collect all the pertinent information of your students and their parents in terms of who they are and their particular cirle of influence. Once you know this, you can then sit down with them and discuss on ways to have them assist you in your marketing efforts. You'd be surprised on just how willing these folks are (if you give them a good value for their dollar, which brings us back to quality). For example, you may have someone who has access to a school system to get you in the door. Once this occurs, make sure to get a reference so you can get into the next school. Another person may be in the HR department of a large company. That person might just be the key to offer the employees of that company a special deal to train with you. This "deal" does not need to be a financial deal, it may simply be an added service. Hope you get the idea Sincerely, Rudy National Korean Martial Arts association --__--__-- Message: 8 From: "Brian" To: Date: Wed, 3 Apr 2002 14:13:29 -0600 Subject: [The_Dojang] The 30th Annual Metropolitan Taekwondo Championships Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Hello all! As I exit lurk mode, I would like to begin by thanking you all for the experiences and information that you share every day. Many of you have encriched my learning process on The Way. I have noticed, from time to time, mentions of tournaments on the List -and have even been able to attend one or two because of you help. Today I would like to return the favor by mentioning my GrandMaster's 30th Annual Tournament. It will be on 20 April 02, in Bettendorf, IA (right at the intersection of I-74 and the Mississippi River). You may find all of the info on the front page of www.chungkim.com ( or link directly to it: http://chungkim.com/images/2002WebBrochure.pdf ). Yours in the Way, Brian Ingold 3rd Gup TKD --__--__-- Message: 9 From: Ray Terry To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Date: Wed, 03 Apr 2002 13:09:28 PST Subject: [The_Dojang] From Suncheon to Boseong Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net From Suncheon to Boseong Where the Original Beauty of Korea is Preserved For the Korean people, Namdo (short for Jeollanam-do province), stands for lyric sentiment. With its traces of the past, Namdo preserves the original beauty of Korea. This can be seen in the tea fields that stretch out as beautiful as a carpet, the folk villages where the old way of life is maintained and the temples nestled quietly in the mountains. We take you to this unassuming area where visitors are often pleasantly surprised and from where they bring back many memories. The Korean people are nurtured and caressed by the mountains that cover the land and where there are mountains there are inevitably Buddhist temples. At Mt. Jogyesan in Suncheon is Seonamsa, one of the finest examples of a mountain temple. Visitors are naturally drawn into a world of peace and meditation. In spring when the flowers bloom and in autumn when the leaves change color, the beauty of Seonamsa, set off by an arched stone bridge and pavilion, is hard to describe with words. Seungseongyo is considered to be one of the most elegant and natural of the Korean traditional bridges. It is made of roughly cut natural stones that have been fitted together to form an arch. A stream flows underneath the bridge and according to legend a fairy came down and bathed in the stream and then flew back to heaven. About 20 meters from the bridge is the very elegant pavilion Gangseollu. The bridge and the pavilion together form a beautiful picture and visitors linger here looking at the scene for a long time. Around the corner from the pavilion is a pond called Samin-dang, which represents the basis of Buddhist thought. Looking down over the pond is a small teahouse. The buildings of Seonamsa are antiquated and serene in character. The curving lines of the eaves overlap and between them can be seen low stone walls and ponds. To one side of the compound is a vegetable garden tended by the monks, which gives the temple the air of an old homeplace. Also on the grounds is a wooden traditional style toilet that fits in well with the surroundings. A replica of the toilet was featured in a TV ad. Behind the temple grow wild tea trees from which the monks make their much-loved brew. The tea is renowned for its fragrance and flavor, and many tea lovers come to the temple expressly with the hope of having tea and conversation with the head monk of the temple, Jiheo, whose love for and appreciation of tea is well known. The tea grown by the monks can be tasted at the teahouse located at the entrance to the temple and it has a flavor that seems to put a person naturally into a meditative mood. About an hour away, going over the mountains behind the temple, is another noted temple, Song-gwangssa. It is famous for having produced 16 high-ranking monks and is one of the top three temples in Korea. The valley road leading up to Songgwangsa is lined with forests of tall trees that seem to reach the sky and has the cozy feeling of a mother's embrace. The temple comprises some 50 buildings and a series of pavilions that harmonize beautifully with the natural surroundings and produce a dignified and dynamic atmosphere. The place inside the grounds that offers the most beautiful scenery is Uhwagak that creates a scene so tranquil and pleasant to look at that it would inspire anyone to create poetry. In the area around Mt. Jogyesan are the beautiful lakes Juamho and Seungpyeongho. Many people like to take a drive along the winding road around these lakes that are close by the expressway. Several hundred dolmens were discovered in 20 sites in the vicinity of the lakes and have been gathered together for public display in a dolmen park. The folk village in Nagan-eup, Suncheon, is one of only several representative traditional villages left in Korea along with Hahoe in Andong and Yangdong in Gyeongju. Thatched roof houses, stone walls, fortress walls, rock springs, and kitchen gardens all combine to create a cozy atmosphere here where the traditional way of life is preserved. Some 100 or so families live companionably in the village. Around dusk, smoke from the fires cooking the rice for dinner rises up from the chimneys of the thatched roof cottages, presenting a sight that takes you back in time some 30-40 years. Around the village is a stone fortress wall 4 meters high and 1,400 meters around. If you climb the ramparts and look around, you will be able to enjoy a scene of earthy beauty. From time to time the sound of farmer's percussion bands can be heard and around the year special events such as traditional weddings take place in the village. In October every year the Namdo Food Festival is held here featuring over 500 different kinds of food. Visitors to the festival are treated to an abundance of delicious food and human kindness. There is a saying from the past, "Don't brag about money in Yeosu and don't brag about your fists in Beolgyo." The Beolgyo described here is the setting of Cho Jeong-rae's bestseller Taebaek Sanmaek, that describes the conflict between the landowners and the tenant farmers here in the period between liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945 and the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 as well as the struggle of the partisans who were based in the mountains. Scenes from the novel can be found all over Beolgyo and walking around the town is like walking through the novel. Beolgyo also has a famous bridge. Called Honggyo, the bridge was erected in 1729 by a monk at Seonamsa. It has three arches and is made of stones shaped like long bricks fitted into each other. It was designed so that the load was balanced and concentrated at the ends, preventing the middle from collapsing. At the time it was built it was 80 meters long and small boats used to pass under it. Now only 30 meters remain. Boseong, the birthplace of the solo narrative style of vocal performance called pansori, is also a famous tea production center. It is in fact Korea's biggest green tea producing area with large and small tea fields all over the place and accounts for 30-40 percent of all green tea grown in the country. The three qualities determining good tea are color, flavor and scent and the clean air and water of Boseong make favorable conditions for good tea. For some people, tea is so much a part of their life that they drink it steeped in liquor and just plain water. A tea festival is held in Boseong every May with a wide variety of events including tea picking and tasting to viewing the tea manufacturing process. The exotic view of the tea fields is an attraction in itself. Daehan Dawon, a tea farm where visitors can stay overnight, has often appeared in movies and on TV and is so beautiful that it excites exclamations of surprise. The forest road lined with cedars and the green tea fields spreading out at the foot of the mountain in terraces leaves a deep impression on visitors. Visitors can taste tea in the fields or inspect the manufacturing process and buy tea and tea vessels as well. On a low hill is an observatory that looks out over the green fields spread below like a carpet, a scene so tranquil and beautiful that it leaves many at a loss for words. The small seaside village of Yulpo in Boseong is also worth a visit, especially for its fresh cockles, clams and raw fish. It is also a good place for a seaside walk and the green tea seawater baths are a good way to relieve the tiredness that comes with travel. Namdo is not only known for its sentiment and romance, but also for its food and traditions. Traveling around the area will provide an opportunity to experience the unique beauty of Korea and fall in love with Korean food. from korea.net --__--__-- _______________________________________________ The_Dojang mailing list The_Dojang@martialartsresource.net http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/the_dojang http://the-dojang.net It's a great day for Taekwondo! Support the USTU by joining today. US Taekwondo Union, 1 Olympic Plaza, Ste 104C, Colorado Spgs, CO 80909 719-578-4632 FAX 719-578-4642 ustutkd1@aol.com http://www.ustu.org Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. Copyright 1994-2002: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply. Remember 9-11! End of The_Dojang Digest