The Telescopic Steel Baton - No Joke

Did my title startle any of you conspiracy theorists? Well, it’s not about the college secret society.  It’s about another society that’s public, yet so little known in general, that you could almost call it one.  The brotherhood of stick and blade fighters.

Sounds like a union huh? Amongst the population there are many schools that teach their various types of stick and blade systems to new students but sadly, few carry on for long enough to call themselves eskrimadors / escrimadors.  But, the students who do stay, carry on the proud fighting styles of a variety of FMA that originated in the Philippines.

At our school we teach Eskrima and practice with rattan sticks which are excellent as training tools and in the absence of a blade, a very lethal weapon.

Today, at our Saturday “open class” (2.5 hrs of whatever) which is well attended, we had some excitement.  Any student can grab an instructor or senior student, and work on whatever they need help with or want to do. This could be the proper performance and nuances of katas, sparring, self defense drills, grappling, Tai Chi, Muay Thai and Eskrima.  That pretty well sums up what we teach and continue to learn together.

We start beginners with foam batons and as their skill level increases they move on to rattan sticks. As partners practice the drills of Doce Pares and do the mechanics of “the twelve pairs”, they practice an outline of the system, comprised of a set of 12 strikes and 12 matching blocks or deflections. As the student progresses, the cuts are added to the defensive maneuvers and before long you have back and forth, two man drills that are as crude or sophisticated as the eskrimadors who are training.

Today, as mentioned, something new - a green belt brought in a pair of 21 inch telescopic steel batons and wanted to try them in a few drills. We did a few cuts together and I swung the steel batons to get a feel for the weight and found them to be quite easy to work with. They were made from a lightweight aircraft alloy and they were 21 inch models, more suited to Serrada Eskrima than Doce Pares’ traditional Largo Mano, longer strikes.

Handing his steel batons to one of my more enthusiastic Asst. Instructors was probably a mistake in hindsight. They began doing the 12 strikes / 12 blocks drill and as a minute or two went by, the speed began picking up. The younger (ranked) student lunged forward with a straight stabbing cut and accidentally, was stuck on the wrist with a “hanger” defense.  The rounded motion of the baton in this block is fairly brisk but not a crushing block, rather, a deflection, but the older student missed the stick and struck his partner squarely on the wrist with the telescopic baton.

It began to swell immediately as we got ice on it, and within 15 minutes or so, he seemed to have a badly bruised or broken wrist.  His arm was the same thickness at the wrist as near the elbow. So, off to the ER he was taken. Luckily, no bones were broken and he’ll fine with the generous use of ice and then switching to a little ice, then heat, in about 48 hrs..

After they’d departed, I walked over to “pick-up” and found that the rattan sticks were deeply dinged and the end was even a bit “fat” and beginning to splinter! That impressed me big time! I recommend the use of a lightweight alloy, telescopic steel baton, to any seasoned stick man (depending on your local laws of course). They didn’t help their owner too much today but they certainly showed me, that they transfer a lot of energy into the target. Use the link provided to take a look at some and see if they interest you.

I would certainly recommend them for self defense - but not constant training. I’d advise using them enough to be comfortable with one, but everyday drills would probably mess with the mechanics of the telescopic function and the comfy, hardened, foam handle grip would probably wear off or break up. 

For the back seat of the car though, I think I’m going to put one there for self defense only.  It will save me from rotating my rattan sticks, so they don’t warp, plus the handle conceals the baton and that makes for a very “low profile” baton!

Where’s the Best Place to Hide Valuables?

If any of you have watched the TV show “It Takes a Thief”, you have already seen expert burglars who expose the vulnerabilities of a home and clear out most of it’s valuables in less than 10 minutes.  We’re talking cash, collections, watches, rings, jewelry, laptops, paintings, vehicles and the list could go on forever. 

The theme of this show is to expose these vulnerabilities and to teach people the best ways to protect their valued possessions, including their lives, from unexpected home invasions. Key is speed and a trained eye.  The ability to work hard, fast and think like your victims, is just a little of what you see on the outside.  If you watch the program carefully, you’ll note that the burglars always zero in on the most obvious things, starting with valuables in plain sight.  They go first, followed by other goodies which begin to pile up as they methodically dump out the contents of all drawers onto a bed or the floor, for a quick look.  Another hot-spot is closets, which always seem to turn up a treasure trove of safes (never bolted down or even locked at times) and other hidden stuff, that people feel safe in securing there.

The office or den is another great place for pulling out boxes of credit cards, books of checks, bank statements and other very expensive memorabilia.  Paintings hanging on the wall are fair game too.  On to the kitchen where usually, the keys to a cool sports car or motorcycle in the garage, will be hanging there for the thieves to drive away in Dad’s prize, vintage, Corvette or other vehicle.

The two most important factors are speed “in and out” and experience. I have noticed that the burglars never waste time sifting through all of the “stuff” lying around, unless it has obvious value at first glance.  They don’t empty out the cereal boxes and other spots that could be holding the most sought after goods - like Dad’s Corvette or Harley Davidson keys or fistfuls of cash or jewels.

We have a solution for those items - cash, keys, jewels, certain medications and more.  The solution is called Diversion Safes!  They are replicas of the most common of items, like hollowed out cans of soda, spray starch, shaving cream or a jar of peanut butter and so on. They all look real, are labeled correctly and have the feel of the actual product if one is picked up and tossed out of the way.

Starting at about $10 and up to $15 for a nice diversion safe, it makes sense to own one or more.  Why leave a roll of cash or several pieces of jewelry and gemstones lying in a pretty box, on the bedroom dresser, to be taken instantly!  Get a diversion safe and your cash, your stash, spare keys, and jewelry can sit right in the kitchen cupboard or the appropriate spot and never even be noticed or tampered with in any way.

Please use the link we’ve provided and check them out.  If you don’t take advantage of one or more of these inexpensive and superb diversion safes, we’d find it hard to be sympathetic and more prone to saying “we told you so”!

Best Self Defense Deterrent?

I like to read inbound links to our blog and see what products they’re selling or what sort of conversation in a forum post, prompted a link to a page on our site.  You never know what you’re going to find until you check it out and see.

Lately, I’ve read a few forum remarks and an “Expert” Advice blog, which were all discussing pepper spray as a self defense deterrent. There were the usual unfiltered and uneducated remarks, as well as some by “experts” that cited various “cons” of pepper spray, discounting it as the best deterrent. Some were so naive as to post, that a woman should use a stun gun which is much stronger than pepper spray. Nothing could be further from the truth!  This man was advising a woman to give up 8 to 10 feet of free space, in favor of a self defense device that calls for you to be in contact or grappling range to effectively use it and for several seconds as well.  I got tired of the baloney, so consider this:

IMHO, the best pepper spray isn’t truly a spray at all.  It’s a gel and it fires like “silly string” on steroids!  This gels fires to 18 feet and with pinpoint accuracy. Mace Pepper Gel is just the toughest customer in the defense spray line-up. Upon impact, it splatters and sticks to the face or head (for instance) like a sticky gob of glue.  The gel burns like the devil, so instinctively the attacker tries to rub it off, only to discover that he/she is rubbing it more deeply into the pores of their skin and increasing the pain and effectiveness of the Mace gel.

I’ve heard the old “watch out for the wind direction” argument (which wouldn’t dissuade me for a moment) in firing a standard spray in someone’s face who threatened to injure me.  Just fire it right in their face and hold your breath a split second and move to one side - no worries!

Well, Mace Pepper Gel took that worry “out of play” since there’s no concern about any cross-contamination at all! In fact we began selling this product to Policemen and Security Guards who worked in hospitals and needed a spray that worked without any contamination or ambient particles floating in the air and possibly flowing through air treatment systems.

What does this mean to the average gal or guy?  Simply put, you could be attacked by someone inside the confines of your car or in a room with your children or babies.  You can begin firing at 15 - 18 feet or two feet away and not have to worry about any spray left in the air and entering your skin, lungs or those of family and loved ones that you’re protecting.

Why would you even consider wrestling with a man or any tough assailant and probably getting hurt, while holding a stun gun to their stomach or chest for a few seconds?  Pull out your pepper gel and stop them in their tracks, coughing spasmodically with a fiery burning in their airways, impaired vision and skin that feels like it’s under a blow torch.  They will definitely be preoccupied with their unexpected surprise.

Like I always find myself typing - it sure is cheap insurance.  Use the link provided above to get your pepper gel today!

Case in Point:

What would the NBA off-season be without another chapter in the feud between former Los Angeles Lakers teammates Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant?

O’Neal, who won three NBA title rings with Bryant from 2000-02, was asked to get on stage at “The Underground,” a New York City club, and do some freestyle rap for the audience.

Shaq’s rap, which referenced Bryant’s role in O’Neal’s divorce in which the 2007 NBA MVP stated during his 2003 Colorado rape case, that he “should have done what Shaq does.  Shaq would pay his women not to say anything.”  Shaq also mentioned Bryant’s inability to win a championship ring without him.

Among the lyrics were: “I’m a horse, Kobe ratted me out, that’s why I’m getting divorced.”

Shortly after Bryant’s verbal attack on O’Neal five years ago, the 14 time “All-Star” was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004, a deal that Bryant reportedly played a large role in brokering.  Since then, O’Neal has come forward in recent years saying that their feud was over before this incident.

Miami was able to win an NBA title in 2006 with O’Neal. On the other hand, the Lakers’ disappointing six-game series loss to the Boston Celtics last week kept Bryant from winning his fourth NBA title, the first time he has been to the NBA Finals since O’Neal was traded.

O’Neal later told ESPN that his performance was pure entertainment and apologized if he hurt anyone’s feelings.

An Aside:

Shaquille O’Neal will lose his special deputy’s badge in Maricopa County because of language he used in a rap video that mocks former teammate Kobe Bryant.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said that Shaq’s use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language left him no choice. Arpaio made Shaq a special deputy in 2006 and promoted him to colonel of his largely ceremonial posse later that year.

“I want his two badges back,” Arpaio (never losing an opportunity to wave his “tough guy” flag) told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “If any one of my deputies did something like this, they’re fired. I don’t condone this type of racial conduct.”

Shaq was seen in a video posted on the website TMZ.com rapping that “Kobe couldn’t do without me.” O’Neal needled the Lakers’ star, with whom he won three straight NBA titles from 2000-2002 while with the Lakers, for not being able to win a championship without him.

“I was freestyling. That’s all. It was all done in fun. Nothing serious whatsoever,” O’Neal told ESPN on Monday. A call to the Suns on Tuesday seeking comment from O’Neal was referred to his public relations firm, which didn’t immediately respond (well?).

Arpaio, who describes himself as “America’s Toughest Sheriff” and is best known (as a jerk) for feeding jail inmates green bologna, clothing them in pink underwear, and making them work on chain gangs, said he didn’t think his actions would teach Shaq a lesson, but he hoped he learns that as a role model who wants to someday be a full-time sheriff, he needs to know his words matter.

“Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I don’t think that either conduct should be out there publicly, even if media wasn’t there,” Arpaio said. This is a gross understatement from a man who feeds off the attention he gets for his cruel and unusual treatment of inmates, who’re placed in his custody.

O’Neal previously served as a reserve officer with the Miami Beach Police Department while playing for the Miami Heat. He also volunteered with the Tempe P. D. after being traded to the Suns in February.  Good job Shaq - now turn in your badge!