Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 16:49:18 -0700 From: the_dojang-request@martialartsresource.net Subject: The_Dojang digest, Vol 13 #311 - 11 msgs X-Mailer: Mailman v2.0.13.cisto1 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Errors-To: the_dojang-admin@martialartsresource.net X-BeenThere: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.13.cisto1 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Subscribed-Address: kma@martialartsresource.com List-Id: The Internet's premier discussion forum on Korean Martial Arts. List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Unsubscribe: , List-Help: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.63 (2004-01-11) on plus11.host4u.net X-Spam-Status: No, hits=0.3 required=5.0 tests=NO_REAL_NAME autolearn=no version=2.63 X-Spam-Level: Status: O X-Status: X-Keywords: 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 1994-2006: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource The Internet's premier discussion forum devoted to Korean Martial Arts. 2,100 members. 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: First MMA fight (Sharon Tkach) 2. MMA (Stovall, Craig) 3. Master Dan Kukkiwon Certificates (Dan Scholten) 4. HCM City to host Asian Taekwondo tie for 2008 Olympics (The_Dojang) 5. Youth taekwondo championships (The_Dojang) 6. RE: Re: The value of courage (Joseph Cheavens) 7. Deadly pocketknives (Ray) 8. Another world chip that few know about... (The_Dojang) 9. Re: Freedom of the press (Stovall, Craig) 10. Bernard Posey Wins Bronze (The_Dojang) 11. A new holiday! :) (The_Dojang) --__--__-- Message: 1 From: "Sharon Tkach" To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2006 23:37:27 -0700 Subject: [The_Dojang] RE: First MMA fight Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Craig, Congrats on your win! Please don't let the clouds around your head make your forget your famous signature lines - I missed it this time. ~Sharon T. --__--__-- Message: 2 Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 08:26:46 -0500 From: "Stovall, Craig" To: Subject: [The_Dojang] MMA Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net <<>> The promotion is called High Octane and is run out of Covington TN. We really didn't know what to expect, but all I can say is that the guy behind this deal has got his act together. There were fighters there from Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, and Mississippi. The facilities were world class, the staff was incredibly professional, and you got the feeling that this thing is going to blow up over the next year. It was pretty much a sellout crowd, and a lot of the guys fighting there were affiliated with some of the top teams in the area. When the word gets out, all of the top amateur fighters in this part of the country are going to be lining up to fight in this thing. It's very exciting. Good luck at the Gracie Academy. I'm assuming that you're talking about Rorion's place, yes? --__--__-- Message: 3 Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 07:18:22 -0800 From: Dan Scholten To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] Master Dan Kukkiwon Certificates Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net George, I appreciate what you wrote to TKD Times and thanks for the link to read it. I was very excited to read that you trained with Richard Chun I have always read his material and text books and found him to be very articulate and a great instructor. I started In Mu Duk Kwon in the early 70's with Erney Reyes and his master was inspirational the rest of my life but after that I moved and joined Jido Kwon. When I came back to Oregon I wanted to find a good master and in general did not have a lot of understanding of the Kwon's or ITF and WTF. I did research and found that my current Master was very famous and credible and very honest and loving of his students. His certificates that he gives from Kukkiwon and Jido Kwan direct have always been outstanding and on time and his charges are moderate like $290 for 1st Dan and up. Even though I have been a master for some time able to sign off on my students certificates I pass all material and fees 100% to him to better serve my students. I explain to all of them that his signature carries far more weight than me his signature is a collectors item because he is in the Martial Arts Hall of Fame. His North West Black Belt Association has a very nice four sided ID card that you get his personal Chop Signature on each of your Gup tests and is really nice to keep. He also awards an additional Jido Kwon certificate with each Dan Certificate at no additional charge. I explain to my students that I am their MA father but he is their Grand Father and out of respect I pass all my testing fees to him for life. God forbid I hope he lives another ten years. The last high level black belt test we had six people tested for 7th Dan and came as far away as New York. We had over 3,000 spectators and had to rent a gym. One thing people don't understand is higher level black belts take longer to get from Kukkiwon because the committee to approve them only meet once a year. I was late for testing by one month so I will have to wait until next year to actually get my certificate but I have done this before also I have paid in advance and could not afford to travel and my certificate was waiting for me a year later when I was able to come and test. All students must investigate the background of their instructor roots, and practices and who they learned from. Look at your Master, who is his Master and do they have a good relationship. MA is for all life and you want something or someone that will endure and always be at the forefront of changes and what is new and old. Would they put their life on the line for you if needed that is the original code and mine did and backed me up more than once, now I owe him the same. In MA I am his son and all my students are his grand children and their students will be great grand children and my grand children and it goes on and on. That is the only thing you can take with you after death to effect lives for the better and leave a good mark. Charity covers a multitude of sins some of us need to give a lot. Master Dan --__--__-- Message: 4 Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 10:28:20 -0700 From: The_Dojang To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] HCM City to host Asian Taekwondo tie for 2008 Olympics Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net HCM City to host Asian Taekwondo tie for 2008 Olympics 26/07/2006 VietNamNet - The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) has chosen Ho Chi Minh City as the venue of the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The Asian event is likely to take place in late November, 2007, as decided by the WTF Executive Committee at a two-day meeting, closed in HCM City on July 25. The world final rounds, which will decide which Taekwondo athletes to take part in the 2008 Olympics, will take place in Manchester, UK, according to the WTF decision. The meeting also picked Turkey as the host of the seventh World Junior Taekwondo Championships and China for the 2008 World Taekwondo Championships. HCM City is also the host of the sixth World Junior Taekwondo Championships, which will kick off at the Phu Tho Gymnasium in the evening of July 26. The event is the first ever to be held in Vietnam and is expected to gather 1030 athletes from 76 countries and territories worldwide, said organisers. --__--__-- Message: 5 Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:23:04 -0700 From: The_Dojang To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] Youth taekwondo championships Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Youth taekwondo championships kick off in HCM City 26/07/2006 More than 1,000 competitors from 75 countries and territories will begin fighting tomorrow for the titles of the sixth World Junior Taekwondo Championship. It is the first time Vietnam is hosting the event, which has attracted a record number of athletes. The World Taekwondo Federation has applied new rules to the five-day tournament of 20 events, to be held in HCM City's Phu Tho Gymnasium. Title candidates from South Korea, Spain, France and Iran will compete with others in categories from under-45kg to over-78kg for men and under-42kg to over-68kg for women. Host Vietnam will participate in all events aiming to capture at least one gold medal. At this year's event, new regulation rules have altered the setup to one match played in three two-minutes rounds (one minute less than the old rule). In the event of a draw, two contenders will fight another two-minute round, with the win going to the first contender to earn a point. Mats dimensions are also new, down-sized from 12mx12m to 10mx10m, to narrow the fighting sphere and encourage a more rapid match speed. Under new rules, a fighter can win by either gaining 12 points first, or being seven points ahead. Each match will be observed by one main and four corner referees, one more than before. The world federation organised a training course for international referees last week to familiarise them with the new rules. Vietnamese players began training early last month in preparation for the tournament. The coaching board sent a group of eight rivals to South Korea for intensive practice. The pressure is on the shoulders of world junior bronze medallist 2004 Pham Hoai Thu in the women's 52kg, the 2005 Asian junior gold medal winner Tran Thi Ngoc Tram in the women's 68kg and talented Hoang Ha Giang in the women's 46kg class. Coach Tran Quang Ha believes his three contenders have reached their peak and will have stable performances. "Many young players will take part in the event, so it is difficult to gauge all ability levels. Apart from Tram and Thu, Vietnam aim at medals in light weight categories which are our strong points," Ha said. On the men's side, Phan Hoang Ngoc, who won a gold medal at the Southeast Asian Youth Tournament's 73kg category, and Bui Van Tuyen are expected to bring surprise performances. Each weight category will see 45 contenders fighting in knockout format. In the 2004 championship, Vietnam won only two bronze medals. Tickets for competitions are free at the city's Sports and Physical Training Department office. Information is available at http://www.wtf.org --__--__-- Message: 6 From: "Joseph Cheavens" To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: RE: [The_Dojang] Re: The value of courage Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 15:09:43 -0500 Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net What a crock. What was their supposed justification, other than trying to cover up the misdeeds of others? Joe Cheavens -------------------------------------------------------------------- From: tkdsid@aol.com Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] Re: The value of courage Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2006 08:55:51 -0400 Some of you read the article I wrote for Taekwondo Times several months ago entitled Crisis in the Kukkiwon. I wrote about how some masters ripped off students, how some fees were excessively high and how we might correct the situation. I did receive a few negative e-mails from some masters indicating that I created an impression that fraud was widespread. I certainly didn't say that, but impressions can be formed from anything. The overwhelming response was that scores of e-mails came in in support of that article. At any rate, Taekwondo Times is under new ownership and that ownership decided to ban all future articles from me for life (their words). Agree or not, a ban for life is a bit excessive don't you think? Nevertheless, I'll write elsewhere. Sincerely, Sid ________________________________________________________________________ Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All on demand. Always Free. _______________________________________________ The_Dojang mailing list, 2,100 members The_Dojang@martialartsresource.net Copyright 1994-2006: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/the_dojang --__--__-- Message: 7 From: Ray To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net (The_Dojang) Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 13:40:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [The_Dojang] Deadly pocketknives Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net FWIW... How New, Deadly Pocketknives Became a $1 Billion Business By MARK FRITZ Wall Street Journal July 25, 2006; Page B1 A decade ago, Jim Ray brought together a champion martial artist, a former Navy Seal and a police-weapons specialist to draft designs for what he hoped would be the perfect pocketknife. But the high-tech knives the team created were never meant to whittle sticks. Instead, the team produced knives whose blades could be flicked open with one finger faster than the widely outlawed switchblade -- but were still perfectly legal. "Nobody wanted to call it a weapon" at the start, says Mr. Ray, a former proprietor of a North Carolina tourist shop. But eventually, he adds, "that changed." And soon Mr. Ray and the company he formed, Masters of Defense Inc., were marketing the blades' utility when "shooting is just not appropriate." The knives have ergonomic grips and are compact -- and they can inflict deadly damage. Mr. Ray was a pioneer in a technological revolution that has transformed "tactical" knives -- originally used in military combat -- into a $1-billion-a-year consumer business, aimed at just about anyone in the market for a small knife. These 21st century pocketknives, with their curved, perforated or serrated blades and ergonomic grips, can inflict deadly damage, but they are also compact, easily concealed and virtually unregulated. In March, a monthly FBI bulletin alerted law-enforcement agents nationwide to "the emerging threats" posed by the knives. Though there are no statistics on how many crimes have involved tactical-style knives, the FBI says knife-related crimes have edged up, to 15.5% in 2004 from 15% in 2000. In that time, violent crime in general dropped 4.1%. The knives' popularity has been a boon to some retailers. Mike Janes, owner of Second Amendment Sports, a hunting, fishing and camping superstore in Bakersfield, Calif., says that knife sales have been climbing an average of 25% a year in the past decade and that 75% of the pocketknives he sells are tactical. "Are you tacti-cool? That's what we say down here," Mr. Janes says. Dave Vanderhoff, who runs U.S. Martial Arts in Clifford, N.J., recently taught a knife-fighting class that included a judge, a banker, a nurse, a young woman with a belly ring and a French chef from Manhattan. And Spyderco Inc., for example, makes a tactical knife that, when folded, masquerades as a credit card. But the marketing techniques for some of the new pocketknives aren't so mainstream. Cold Steel Inc. makes the 34-ounce "Urban Pal," which has a 1.5-inch blade. "The Urban Pal should be standard equipment for survival in today's urban jungle," its Web site says. Lawyers for the tactical-knife industry have persuaded government officials that even minor manual movement -- no matter how enhanced by levers and springs -- separates the knives from switchblades, which require pressing a button on the handle to flip open the blade. "We have to resist the application of the 1950s switchblade laws to the new technology," says lawyer Daniel Lawson, a knife collector in Pittsburgh who represents the tactical-knife industry. Thirty-seven states now outlaw switchblades, partly because they developed a cult following among teenagers in the 1950s. But, says David Kowalski, a former knife magazine editor and a spokesman for the industry, tactical knifes have remained legal because "the laws across the U.S. are a mishmash because [legislators] really don't know anything about knives." Modern tactical knives are rooted in the 1980s, when some martial artists in the U.S. became practitioners of a Filipino style of knife-fighting. An early innovator was Ernest R. Emerson, a martial artist and custom knife builder. In 1995, Oregon's Benchmade Knife Co. collaborated with Mr. Emerson to mass produce the Closed Quarters Combat 7 knife. It opened quickly, locked in place and could be closed with one hand. Mr. Emerson, 51 years old, says he insisted on selling that knife for $159, believing the high price, performance and custom look would give it cachet. The knife was a hit, and competition got hot. Mr. Emerson formed his own company in 1997 and says annual sales rose to about $10 million last year from $800,000 at the start. Worried that they might face regulatory scrutiny, makers of the new-style pocketknives formed the American Knife and Tool Institute. The trade group credits U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, with persuading U.S. Customs in 2001 to stop seizing shipments of one-hand-opening tactical knives that some investigators considered switchblades. A spokesman for Sen. Wyden, Andrew Blotky, says he can't confirm the senator's involvement. Soon the upstarts who dominated the self-defense market were jolting the traditional knife industry. Buck Knife Co., a staple among sportsmen; W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery, famed for its collectible pen knives; and Leatherman Tool Group Inc., which makes pocket-sized tool kits, have all introduced tactical knives since 2003. "It's a testosterone thing," says Buck's chairman, Charles "Chuck" Buck, 75 years old, who estimates the retail market for tactical knives at $1 billion. Leatherman Tool Group jumped on the tactical-knife bandwagon in 2005, introducing a full line of tactical-type knives. The most prominent feature on its knives is the "Blade Launcher" mechanism, which lets the user flip a menacing-looking blade out of its handle with lightning speed. Yet it also has a bottle-cap opener, a nod to Leatherman's heritage. Not all makers of tactical knives agree on how to market them. Buck, for example, boasts in marketing materials about the "stopping power" of its tactical knives and bills its "Bones" knife as "bad to the bone." But Tom Arrowsmith, chief executive of W.R. Case, accuses competitors of "weaponizing" the pocketknife and says it's an approach his company won't take. He does concede, though, that customer demand has prompted his company, a 117-year-old maker of pretty penknives, to offer a line of one-hand-opening knives with tactical features. The blades on most of the new pocketknives are less than four inches long, the maximum length that passengers were permitted to carry onto U.S. airlines before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In 2004, the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks concluded that the hijackers in those attacks used short knives -- not box cutters -- to seize control of the planes. At the Pennsylvania crash site, 14 badly damaged knife parts were collected, and at least half have tactical-knife characteristics. But the FBI cautions that it can't be sure those parts are from knives that belonged to the hijackers. Technology has made blade length almost irrelevant. The city of Atlanta prohibits people from carrying pocketknives in public with blades longer than two inches. Yet, in a widely publicized case, ex-Marine Thomas Autry used a two-inch blade in May to kill one mugger and wound another when he was confronted by five assailants armed with a shotgun and a .38-caliber pistol. "Clearly we are seeing wounds you would expect from a bigger blade from what victims say was a small knife," says Andrew Ulrich, a Boston Medical Center emergency-room doctor. Mr. Janes of Second Amendment Sports is one of several retailers who have added knife training to their businesses. He says "this large influx of people carrying 'tactical folders' didn't know how to use them." Nicholas Nobella, 25, took a four-hour class at the Bakersfield shop. Several months later, he admitted to police that he stuck his tactical knife into stripper Edward Pedrosa, 24, during a melee that broke out when men attending a bachelor party raided a bawdy bash for the bride-to-be, says Kern County, Calif., Deputy District Attorney Matt Magner. Mr. Pedrosa died. Mr. Nobella's lawyer says his client was acting in self-defense. Mr. Janes says Mr. Nobella isn't typical of the students at his knife classes. Meanwhile, in the race for the next big thing, some companies are competing to make more durable ceramic and plastic knives that can pass through metal detectors. Plastic "assisted-opening" knives that flick open with a slight nudge of the blade can be purchased on eBay for $20. Cold Steel sales director Rick Valdez describes the company's $15 "Night Shade" plastic knives as "letter openers." Nonetheless, the company's Web site has a film clip of men attacking slabs of meat and decapitating plywood people, and it notes that the knives can be "taped just about anywhere" on the body. --__--__-- Message: 8 Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 13:43:57 -0700 From: The_Dojang To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] Another world chip that few know about... Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Hapkido 10 kick-start competition By PHIL EDWARDS , Thursday, 27 July 2006 A team of 10 Launceston martial arts enthusiasts will test themselves against the best in the world in Australia's first international hapkido competition on the Gold Coast tomorrow. The team from the Launceston Hapkido Club leaves for the Gold Coast today to take part in the 2006 Hapkido world championship at Carrara Stadium. Nine other teams and 150 participants from six countries including South Korea, Holland, Iran, Nepal and New Zealand will contest the championships which showcase hapkido, a unique Korean martial art which focuses on self-defence through physical, mental and spiritual improvement as well as fighting techniques. Instructor Beau Forwood said the Launceston club was hosting the tournament on the Gold Coast after winning two world championship tournaments in Korea in 2004-05. "We actually beat the Koreans at their own art in their own country to win the right to host the first international competition ever held in this country," he said. "We won the Korean national title in 2004 and the Presidential Games the next year - which is a pretty huge achievement." The Gold Coast tournament will be hosted by Grand Master Jong Hyuk Kim who founded the Launceston club in 2000. Forwood said the local club's success in Korean national competitions had given it the recognition required to hold the prestigious championships. The team will feature 10 players ranked from beginner's yellow belt to third dan black belt, ranging in age from nine to 70. "Teams have to present a prepared demonstration and will be judged on martial arts technique, presentation and manner and spirit," he said. "The skills involve form, kicking, throwing techniques and coordination but no actual physical combat. " Senior hapkido masters from overseas will be involved in judging the tournament. --__--__-- Message: 9 Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 16:11:12 -0500 From: "Stovall, Craig" To: Subject: [The_Dojang] Re: Freedom of the press Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net First and foremost, I applaud Sid for his courage and willingness to tell it like it is. As far as the people at TKDTimes...they can get at the end of the long line of people who can kiss my @$$. Anyway... You know, I can't help but sit here and be amused at this whole issue of "certification". It's pretty funny when the crooks themselves actually have the highest level of certification. Makes me wonder about the value of the whole system. Work hard, keep learning, keep training, stay humble, help others, do your best, be honest, and make friends. Pretty simple formula for success in the martial arts, and one that can't be "bought". Rank and certs are fine and I understand why people strive for them, but you gotta be careful about who you get in bed with. --__--__-- Message: 10 Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 17:35:14 -0700 From: The_Dojang To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] Bernard Posey Wins Bronze Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net TAEKWONDO: Bernard Posey Wins Bronze on Opening Day of Junior World Taekwondo Championships The U.S. Junior National Team saw three of its four athletes reach the quarterfinal round on Wednesday during the opening day of the five-day World Junior Taekwondo Championships in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Bernard Posey (Greensboro, N.C.) took it one step further, winning a bronze medal by advancing to the semifinals of the male featherweight division. Posey, 16, won four straight matches to reach the semifinals. He defeated Romania's Adrian Conciu, 5-3, Korea's Ha Tae Hwan, 7-6, China's Tian Weiji in sudden death, 5-5 (1-0), and Norway's Jomar Bing, 3-2. In the semifinals, Posey lost a sudden death decision to Iran's Reza Naderian, 2-2 (1-0). "I was real proud of Bernard today," said U.S. National Team Coach Jean Lopez. "He really stepped up his game. This is one of the best starts I can remember for any National Team." Posey was also a member of last year's Junior National Team and won a bronze medal at the 2005 Pan Am Junior Championships in the bantamweight class. Also reaching the quarterfinals on Wednesday for the U.S. squad were Tyler Sawyer (Anchorage, Alaska) and Lauren Katz (Fort Lee, N.J.). Sawyer, 15, began the day by beating Serbia's Kukic Djordje, 2-1 in the male bantamweight division. He then posted victories over Brazil's Michael Silva, 6-4, and Italy's Manuel Alessandrini, 2-0, to reach the quarterfinal round. There he lost 3-2 to Korea's Heo Wan. Katz, 14, won her first match in the female bantamweight class by disqualification after Bhutan's Tshering Choden failed to make weight. She then defeated Italy's Roberta Ramazzotto, 8-4, to reach the quarterfinals and a match against Turkey's Nergiz Gencay. But Gencay came away with a 4-3 victory to end Katz' run. The fourth U.S. fighter of the day, female featherweight Emilia Morrow (Rockville, Md.), 14, defeated Farah Al-Asaad of Jordan, 9-2, and Isabgla Fonseca of Brazil, 9-2, to advance to the round of 16. There she was beaten 5-0 by Canada's Yvette Yong. "This was a great start for the team," said National Team Coach Juan Moreno. "Everyone went deep into the rounds, they fought strong and they fought intelligent." Competition continues on Thursday with finweights Jericho Yabut (Canyon Country, Calif.) and Kristen Frisch (Avon Lake, Ohio), and flyweights Matthew Yim (Ashburn, Va.) and Charlotte Craig (Murrieta, Calif.) in action. ### Author: Bill Kellick Organization: USA Taekwondo --__--__-- Message: 11 Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 17:45:46 -0700 From: The_Dojang To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] A new holiday! :) Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam --- The World Taekwondo Federation designated Sept. 4 as the official "Taekwondo Day" at its extraordinary General Assembly here on July 25, 2006. In line with the WTF's ongoing reform programs, the General Assembly approved a package of proposals for amendments to the WTF Rules and Regulations and the WTF Poomsae Competition Rules. Under the changed WTF Rules and Regulations, the term "regional" will be changed into "continental," thus the regional taekwondo unions shall be continental taekwondo unions. Article 2.4 on Amateurism was also deleted to help activate professional taekwondo. The WTF Executive Council will be renamed into the WTF Council, with the creation of the Executive Committee consisting of the president, six vice presidents, the secretary general and the treasuer. Under the new WTF Rules and Regulations, the General Assembly shall be held every year at the same location where the WTF World Taekwondo Championships and the WTF World Junior Taekwondo Championships. The fiscal year of the WTF shall commence on Jan. 1 and end on Dec. 31 of each year. The General Assembly also approved the creation of the Paralympic Committee within the WTF, in line with the WTF's policy to include taekwondo in the official sport of the Paralympic Games in the near future. In a show of solidarity among the global taekwondo family members, the General Assembly adopted a resolution on recent terrorist incidents in Iraqi, condemning the kidnapping of Iraqi taekwondo athletes two months ago and wishing them an early return to their homes. The Assembly approved three new memberships: Kiribati in the Oceania region and Zambia in Africa as full members, along with Isle of Man as an associate member. With the new memberships, the WTF has a total of 182 member national associations. At the Assembly, Izmir of Turkey was chosen as the host site for the 7th WTF World Junior Taekwondo Championships on May 8-11, 2008, with Incheon of Korea the venue for the 2nd WTF World Poomsae Taekwondo Championships in the fall of 2007. On July 24, the WTF's Executive Council approved the new referee uniforms for Kyorugi and Poomsae competitions. At the Council meeting, Manchester of Great Britain outbid Baku of Azerbaijan to win the bid to host the World Olympic Qualification Tournament. On a more heartwarming note, the Pakistan Taekwondo Federation offered its heartfelt appreciation to the WTF for offering condolences and monetary support to the National Olympic Committee of Pakistan during the devastating earthquake that struck Pakistan on October 8, 2005. The WTF was the only federation that offered such support. The 6th WTF World Junior Taekwondo Championships will start on July 26 for a five-day run at the Phu Tho Indoor Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City. The biennial event drew more than 1,000 athletes and officials from over 75 countries. --__--__-- _______________________________________________ The_Dojang mailing list The_Dojang@martialartsresource.net http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/the_dojang http://the-dojang.net Old digest issues @ ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com/pub/the_dojang Copyright 1994-2006: Ray Terry and http://MartialArtsResource.com Standard disclaimers apply. Remember September 11. End of The_Dojang Digest