Note: In the course of a month I get literally thousands of e-mail. I don't normally place correspondence in the "Mailbag" that are either labeled "personal" or contain information of a personal nature. As I read and answer mail, if I find a letter that I find interesting, amusing, topical or educational, it gets filed in my "mailbag" for future use in this feature. I try to edit out any personal information like addresses or telephone numbers, unless the writer specifically requests that I publish it. I welcome all e-mail and will answer everyone in as timely a manner as possible. Don't be surprised if you find (or don't find) your message in this section. However, if you are concerned about your letter finding its way into the "Mailbag", simply include in the header or at the beginning of message "personal" and I will honor your request. GEM |
Looking for old Friends! Sensei, Terry's phone number enclosed Al. Pleased to hear Bermuda will be well represented at this years' camp. GEM Hello, I am a former student of Uechi Ryu Karetedo Kenukai in Saint Louis under James Foley. Would you happen to know his email address or how I might reach him? Thank You for your time Sincerely, My most recent info is on our "dojo listings" Stephen. GEM Hi George: Still hitting them long and into the woods! :) Looking forward to working out with you again. Maybe we can go out afterwards and hit a few balls into the woods! GEM GREATER NOWHERES "Delightful… Finkelstein and London write well. Their account is filled with engaging descriptions of beautiful, forbidding landscapes, the tough bush boys they meet and the lore of the Godforsaken town…[Their] trip is not for every traveler. But their book is." -Chicago Tribune "The reason to read this book is the myriad brief encounters, many of which are hilarious." -Los Angeles Times Book Review "…a fine volume in the literature of unpleasant but enlightened travel." -Outside Magazine "Always exciting, sometimes hilarious… The perfect gift for the armchair traveler." ---Travel & Leisure "A vivid book…bound to attract attention. ---Toronto Globe and Mail "… gives us a rare view of the bush and its extremes of weather, of distance, and of character. You'll enjoy it even if you don't get there yourself." -New York Post "A pleasure." -The New York Times Book Review The book is a must for those with a penchant for exciting adventure tales, as well as for armchair travelers and lovers of humorous "on-the-road" stories--in this case, off-the-road, "bush-bashing" stories--here brilliantly and poignantly told by two oddly compatible traveling companions, one the Irish romantic, the other the Talmudic rationalist. Driving a Toyota 4-wheel-drive truck and armed with snake boots, an "esky" full of beer, and an insatiable appetite for adventure, intrepid journalists Dave Finkelstein and Jack London set out into the Australian bush in pursuit of the fearsome saltwater crocodile, a huge, notoriously dangerous reptile with an equally insatiable appetite for humans. Though the "salties" prove elusive, in their travels the authors stumble upon a diverse and outrageously entertaining cast of dinki-di Australian characters-sun-hardened men and strong-willed woman--eking out an existence in the croc's hardscrabble, primordial habitat: stockmen, aborigines, "roo" hunters, bushrangers, latter-day pioneers, escapists, and outright lunatics. In ramshackle pubs along desolate stretches of dusty track, shantytown settlements in the middle of nowhere, and million-acre cattle stations hundreds of miles from their nearest neighbors, they experience an Australia rarely seen by the average traveler: dwarf-throwing contests, cold spaghetti sandwiches, even a regional rash called "Karumba rot"-the inevitable souvenir of a visit to the forbidding Gulf of Carpentaria, with its swelteringly oppressive tropical climate. Yet, like no other observers before them, in their celebration of the Outback and its inhabitants, the authors (described by one reviewer as "at least as amusing as the extravagant characters they meet") get to the heart and fiber of the Australian soul, to the very essence of what makes Australia the unique and marvelous country it is. As author Jim Harrison says, "GREATER NOWHERES is an absolutely wonderful book… a classic of travel literature. It's unthinkable that anyone would go to Australia without first reading this book." Rich in the history and geography of a vast, fascinating continent, GREATER NOWHERES (Lyons Press, $14.95 Trade Paperback, April 15, 2005) is also an exploration of solitude, mateship, contemplation, and adventure. DAVE FINKELSTEIN, a graduate of Harvard Law School, had a legal career distinguish-ed only by its brevity-one month. Fluent in Mandarin, he went on to become a Chinese interpreter for the U.S.Department of State--the first language student of his generation to qualify for that position--then the Ford Foundation's first China specialist. Now a freelance writer, he has written about political and wildlife issues throughout the world. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, including The New Yorker, New York Times, and Washington Post. A flamenco guitarist and avid fisherman, he also holds an 8th degree in Okinawan karate. He lives in New York City. JACK LONDON'S work has appeared in Audubon, Sports Afield, the Miami Herald, and The London Observer. A former English professor, he lives in Key West, Florida. Greater Nowheres Wanderings Across the Outback Dave Finkelstein and Jack London With a new introduction by Dave Finkelstein Foreword by Philip Caputo $14.95 Trade Paper $21.95 in Canada 320 Pages 5.50 X 8.5 ISBN: 1-59228-396-9 April15, 2005 New Kyusho Book from our friend, Evan Pantazi! Dear George, Will do Evan. I like those tough deadlines! :)
GEM Interesting Mail from people wanting to study Uechi-ryu! Dear Sir, While I was surfing on the net I found your information about your style. I found your style impressive and very effective. From now on I'm trying to find more information about your style. Unfortunately there are very less about it in my country. I'm a second degree black belt in both shidokan and shotokan karate also I'm the owner of a dojo in Ankara (the capital city of Turkey). Karate is not only a kind of sport or a self defense method for me. It's my way of life and I think your style will help me to improve myself and my students. As I mentioned before I'm very interested in your style and if possible I want to learn and than I want to teach it to my students. If you can send me more details about your style and information about how can I be a member of your organisation I will be very glad. Hoping to hearing from you soon Best wishes Muhittin Ercan BILGIN Thank you for your reply Sensei Mattson, Always pleased to meet and workout with former Uechi students. GEM Subject: Re: I WANT HALP FROM YOU .I ALSO INTERESTED
TO JOIN H.Q.ALSO IN YOUR COMMING EVENT RESPECTED SENSEI FIRST OF ALL,TAKE MY OSS!HOPE YOU ARE WELL. IAM ALSO WELL WITH MY FAMELY BY THE MERSEY OF GOD. I WANT TO SEE YOU SENSEI .WE WANT TO VIDSIT POLAND. WE ARE INTERESTED TO GIVE YOUR AIR TICKET U.S.A TO POLAND TO U.S.A.PLEASE GIVE YOU YOUR PHON NUMBER . SENSEI YOU WROTE THAT WE ARE NOT INTERESTED TO VISIT USA.THAT IS WRONG .U.S.A IS BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.BUT U.S.A VISA IS TO MUCH TUF.SO WE ARE INTERESTED TO GO POLAND. PLEASE GIVE ME ALL THE DETALS.WE ARE MEET IN POLAND VERY SOON. OSS! SENSEI YOUR STUDENT Any IUKF sensei interested in visiting Poland? GEM Last Wednesday evening, I visited the Stoughton dojo. I would like to thank you for recommending them. I very much enjoyed working out with their class. I was lucky enough to participate in a class taught by Marlin. I was very much impressed with their dojo. The students and staff were very friendly, and I really enjoyed class. As I went back to work at the customers site on Thursday, I no longer felt 1300 miles from home; but a little more connected, now that I had friends in the area! ( I also had that good feeling you get after a work out, too!) Thank you Jim Ingram Lincoln NE :) GEM SummerFest Questions and Updates Sir: Do you offer sleep over karate camps for boys ages 10 - 12? Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. We are not equipped to supervise unaccompanied children. We do have really exciting programs for children though, but a parent or guardian must remain on-site during the program This year Sensei Robert Hunt will introduce several weapons forms (bo, sai or tonfa) and follow up on the bo kata he presented in 2004, Tokumine-no-kon sho, with the longer form Tokumine-no-kon dai. Sensei Hunt will also be giving a presentation on the history of karate. Additionally he will be holding a discussion group and question and answer session on his novel “The Art and the Way” in relation to the history of karate and some advance information about his next book “One Moon”. Dear George - Happy New Year! I hope that all is fine and dandy with you both (and Tia) following your move to Florida. I see from the Uechi Ryu web-site that this years Summer Fest is scheduled for the 12-14th August. I take it that as usual, it will be held somewhere on the East Coast? Do you have any firm plans yet as to the location? Sincerely, Barrie H..... This year's SummerFest will be held again at the Mass Maritime Academy in Bourne, MA. Hope you can make it Barrie. GEM DVD playing problems Received the dvd's. Thankyou, however on playing them it seems the
dvd's are faulty, Woops.... I just found out that DVDs should not have a separate label attached to the face of the disk. Some DVD players will have problems reading a disk where the label is not attached perfectly. On the few "returns" where customers could not play the DVD, we found that they worked perfectly on our machines. We just purchased a new disk engraving machine, that will do away with this problem. GEM Compai! ....absent Friends, Here's a bit of news that those of you single malt fanatics might be intrigued by: Recently at local bar in Brookline, the Washington Street Tavern -- a distant cousin of the Matt Murphy pub on Harvard Ave -- I tried a rock glass of scotch of a different strype. Here's the story, not being much of a scotch drinker, I generally steer towards the bourbon instead, this was a bit of a daredevil maneuver. Certainly, since the last time I had scotch....that's another story. I can safely say that this was not bad at all! Talisker Scotch 10 year old, from the Isle of Skye was distinctive, has a bright peppery flavor that bursts like a popped balloon. The price was steep so buy by the bottle and shed the brown paper bag --- show off the label! Good day to you, Sir! Ethan B. Miller Kanbun or Kanbun? Sensei Mattson: Do you know why some texts spell Uechi Kanbun's name K-a-n-b-u-m and others spell it K-a-n-b-u-n? Are both correct? I think I've got a main focus now for my little documentary. It's going to largely have a West Michigan focus, because there is a great lineage in this area and not a lot documented on video or text. However, your original 1971 booklets, "Master Kanei Uechi's Karate" provide an outstanding historical document. I will be sure to credit you if I ever use anything. The interview segment we shot in Florida is superb. Regards, Jim Gemmell Grand Rapids Jim: BTW, I'll be publishing your articles in the "Articles" section later this week. GEM A Look Back at a time when we were "all together"!
Wish it were True Department! Hi, I will like to place an order for: Polo shirts Tshirts Suggest shipping cost for the shirts Via Post Office Airmail 7-10 days
to Nigeria..What credit cards do you take?? Please confirm your availability
of the shirts. Please advise, Why thanks for this generous order Mr. Olabode.
Unfortunately, the credit card submitted is one of thousands of numbers
that your gang has stolen from unwarry people and if I put the order
through, I must reimburse the credit card company! So, please do business
elsewhere. :) GEM Dojo Updates! Hi George: Allen L. Moulton's Last message to Uechi practitioners Hello George. I have been reading with interest the "Myth of Higher Standards." I WAS impressed with YOUR response, the opposite with others, and a few in between. I feel that the new black belt test board is the best thing that's happened to Uechi-ryu in years. Fortunately for me I have enjoyed years of being involved in testing of other styles as well as Uechi. The formula for making Uechi testing successful for all concerned is so simple that it's beyond belief that no one sees it yet. Only 2 things are required to make Uechi testing superlative. However, the IUKF test board is moving in that direction -- and that makes me happy. Best to you in your move and relocation. Allen Views from the quiet majority! Dear George, I am disappointed when I read articles where people hesitate of uechi-ryu style effectiveness. I see that in your web site very often arise discussions, which are better so called“classics” or “realists”, but I think that there are karate classical movements application in real fighting – this is realistic classic”, and without this classic impossible to fight, especially against few assaulters. I am very disappointed, that so called “realists”, belittle uechi-ryu stile, which from my pint of view is the most effective and practical stile. I practiced this stile 40 years and can prove that this stile is very practical if done properly. Discussions among “classics” and “realists” inspired me to write this letter. George, for many years You have done great work organizing uechi-ryu karate federation and school. You have written books and articles and have made this kind of martial art popular in all over the world. You provide seminars, summer camps and many other activities. I think this is natural that You have no time to think and to ask question: is this uechi-ryu the same stile which Kanbun use to teach? I think there is only a shadow of real uechi-ryu. What I see in your video, even the best masters hardly can implement their movements and technic in real fighting. So there is the source of such discussions. You George have written that karate teacher must know karate very well if he wants to be good teacher. Because every karate teacher must be able to demonstrate program requirements. I think, that karate teacher must be able not only to demonstrate program requirements but also to have capacity to guide his students. He must to know how to guide and teach his students and this is great art. Best regards. V.R. Macius
Best regards.
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