In the June 9 issue of TNA, I read with interest the article "Coal in Your Cars' Tank" on making gasoline and diesel fuel from nuclear-powered coal-to-liquid technology. In that article is a caption about the safety of nuclear power that references nuclear-powered Navy ships. Interestingly, the ship in the picture is the now decommissioned USS John F. Kennedy CV-67, which is the last oil-fired carrier built by the U.S. Navy. The USS Kitty Hawk CV-63 is the last operational oil-fired carrier. She is on her last operation RimPac now and will then return to the USA for decommissioning next year. Sorry to see her go. I was aboard for a cruise in 1996. Keep up the great work!
During World War I, photographers Arthur S. Mole and John D. Thomas traveled from one military camp to another taking photos of soldiers forming patriotic symbols as a part of planned promotional campaign to sell war bonds.
Thousands soldiers would form gigantic patriotic symbols such as Statue of Liberty, president Woodrow Wilson, American Eagle or Liberty Bell which were photographed from above.
Mole and Thomas spent days preparing formations which were photographed from a 70 to 80 foot tower with an 11 by 14 inch camera.
Photos by Mole and Thomas are now part of the Chicago Historical Society, the Museum of Modern Art and the Library of Congress.
1. Living Uncle Sam
19,000 officers and men, Camp Lee, VA.2. Living Emblem of the United States Marines
100 officers and 9,000 enlisted men, Marine Barracks, Paris Islands, S.C.3. Machine Gun Insignia
22,500 officers and men, 600 machine guns at Machine Gun Training Center, Camp Hancock, Augusta, Ga.
4. Sincerely yours, Woodrow Wilson
21,000 officers and men, Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio5. Living Insignia of the 27th Division "New York's Own"
10,000 officers and enlisted men, Breakers of the Hinderburg Line. 6. Human American Eagle
12,500 officers, nurses and men; Camp Gordon, Atlanta.7. Human Liberty Bell
25,000 officers and men at Camp Dix, New Jersey8. Human Statue of Liberty
18,000 officers and men at Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Ia.9. Human U.S. Shield
This is based on something that I wrote in my "KUBOTAN: Self-Defense Keychain" ebook. And, although the discussion was aimed at the weapon that served as the focus of the book, in actuality, any weapon, modern or traditional, can be substituted.
Now, please don't confuse what I'm about to say with whether or not I use weapons. Weapons should be a part of any sound self-defense and martial arts program, training, and strategy. However, far too many people rely on a quick-fix. The Self-Defense Keychain book, in fact none of my books or videos were created to be a comprehensive training course in the use of any particular weapon. No single resource can be.
This is so for two very important reasons...
1. No weapon can take the place of a sound self-defense training program and plan - no matter how powerful you think it is, and...
2. Most weapons, especially those like the Kubotan, were designed to augment, or provide additional power and effectiveness, to unarmed self-defense techniques and tactics.
Do you have to be a trained martial artist to defend yourself with this or any other weapon?
No. Of course not.
Firearms are a good case-in-point. Knives are another. These two in particular have the potential of creating serious damage with relatively little to no formal training. But, remember...
...there is a huge difference between an effective self-defense strategy based on "knowing" what to do to increase your ability to escape with the least amount of wear-and-tear, and...
...the dependence on luck or the fact that you're carrying a self-defense weapon.
In the case of firearms, people brag and tout how many rounds the weapon can fire before reloading, but...
...you can't MISS often enough to win!
You can simply pick up a knife and start slashing and probably do okay. However...
...there are times during the year, at least in the temperate region where I live, that the clothing being worn by an attacker can make it difficult to cut him - even with a large knife. And...
...as we say in the self-defense world - "you can't bring a knife to a gun fight and expect to win!
The choice is yours...
...luck or strategic application of trained skills.
Both can be effective. However,...
...which one do you want to "bet your life on?"
And, in the long run...
...your weapon, regardless of whether it's a handgun, knife, or even a simple weapon like the Kubotan...
...is only as good as YOU are!
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