Everything Self Defense Columbia, South Carolina

The recent statistics on domestic violence really are staggering.  1 in 4 women are predicted to be a victim of domestic violence in their lifetime. The reality of domestic violence became all too real for me this month. I was contacted by a women who was interested in enrolling in my school but wasn't able to start after the holidays.  After talking to her on the phone for a few minutes, I could sense something was not right.  After questioning her, she confided to me that she was being abused by her boyfriend, who had threatened to kill her repeated.  Even though she had gone to the police, the legal system really wasn't protecting her and she was very scared. I invited her to my school the very next day and worked with her for nearly 3 hours one on one.  While I realize one lesson will not make her safe, I tried to offer her some basic tools, mental as well as physical to help protect herself. I also provided a folder of resources for her to look into, particularly, one of ...

Did you know that 1 in 4 women in the United States is a victim of domestic violence sometime in her life? 1 in 4 means that approximately 2.5 million women will be victims of domestic violence in 2012 1 in 4 means that a woman you know is or has been a victim of domestic violence 1 in 4 means that it could be your mom, grandma, sister, aunt, coworker or friend Check out the NNEDV for help: New "What If We All Spoke As One" Video from NNEDV - Add Your Voice to end Domestic Violence The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) works to ensure that there is someone there in every state and community around the country—to listen, to care and to help anyone who needs us. You have the power to make sure that when it happens to someone you know, they have someone to turn to. You have the power to end their suffering by standing with NNEDV to support victims who need help and to bring an end to domestic violence.

The following suggestions are brought to you by The Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE) HOW CAN I HELP A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS BEING ABUSED? Don’t be afraid to let him or her know that you are concerned for their safety.  Help your friend or family member recognize the abuse. Tell him or her you see what is going on and that you want to help. Help them recognize that what is happening is not “normal” and that they deserve a healthy, non-violent relationship. Acknowledge that he or she is in a very difficult and scary situation.  Let your friend or family member know that the abuse is not their fault. Reassure him or her that they are not alone and that there is help and support out there. Be supportive.  Listen to your friend or family member. Remember that it may be difficult for him or her to talk about the abuse. Let him or her know that you are available to help whenever they may need it. What they need most is someone who will believe and listen t...

I am sorry that the wonderful career of a living legend like Joe Paterno has come to an abrupt end. It sure would have been nice to see him leave coaching on his terms. However, in light of the information coming out of the grand jury investigation, I have to ask myself why this legend did not do more? As a father of 3 boys, I can't understand why Joepa (as he is affectionately called) did not follow up with the authorities or do more to "press" the issue with his superiors? This whole controversy has been shockingly horrible and one can only imagine what these poor children went through.  If you have not had a chance to read the grand jury report, I have provided a copy of it below for you. WARNING..... The details in this report are graphic and highly disturbing, but it will present a better picture of what occurred and help you decide if enough was done. It is my opinion that the board acted properly by firing Coach Paterno and the president and it is m...

One of the missions of my school, is to help every child I can deal with the issue of bullying.  We cover in class, it's part of our school curriculum, I do free workshops for children and adults and I do several presentations in the local schools throughout the year. I am a BIG believer in how the karate , or the martial arts for that matter, can help most children learn to deal with bullies.  While there is something to learn how to block and strike, more importantly, karate gives children the confidence to stand up, ignore or just plain walk away from bullies. If you don't believe me, check out the article below; just another successful school that addresses bullying head on and helps kids deal with this important issue. By Amanda Perez FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The kids at Fresno Ultimate Martial Arts may be small, but the lessons they're learning there are having a giant impact. Seven-year-old Makayla Bea has been enrolled the martial arts studio since kinde...

By MARY SHEDDEN The Tampa Tribune Published: November 07, 2011 Updated: November 09, 2011 The first time Billy Blanks showed up at karate class, the instructor bet $5 he wouldn't stick it out. Blanks, then 14, seemed like a lot of kids who showed up at the Martin Luther King Center in Erie, Pa., in 1969. Also, Blanks had spent years in special education classes because of dyslexia that went undiagnosed and untreated. The boy knew martial arts offered something different. It would pay off, he told himself, as long as he watched the instructor's every move and practiced every afternoon at the gym. Within six months, the teen's focus improved, at home and at school. In a year, he had earned a black belt. "It really gave me a chance to see that I could do it, that I could really be successful," said Blanks, who today is known worldwide as the creator of the Tae Bo kick boxing workout. "I was learning how to bring my body under control. I got my ...

By  Joshua Rhett Miller Published November 01, 2011 FoxNews.com    Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright, above, made the suggestion at a news conference on Monday while detailing an attempted rape on Sunday at Milliken Park in Spartanburg. A South Carolina sheriff is making the extraordinary suggestion that local women arm themselves following the attempted rape of a woman at a local park, saying, "you need to protect yourself." Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright, the county's top law enforcement officer since 2005, suggested local women apply for a permit to carry a concealed weapon during a news conference Monday about the attack on Sunday at Milliken Park in Spartanburg. "It just struck me wrong that we keep telling everyone 'trust us, trust us, trust us,' but in reality, you need to protect yourself," Wright told FoxNews.com. "If you are not a convicted felon or someone who causes trouble or don't have any mental issues, ...

Fauja Singh says he lives 'a very simple life'. Photograph: Chris Young/AP I found this i nspiring person from the Daily Good and have re-posted the brief biography they provided on their website.  This man is incredible, not only for his physical abilities at his age, but we can all take a lesson from his philosophy about money, food and life! Rock On! 'Anything worth doing is going to be difficult," says Fauja Singh, the 100-year-old runner  who this week became the world's oldest person to complete a full-length marathon, crossing the line at the  Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront event  in eight hours, 25 minutes and 16 seconds. (And he didn't finish last: five came in after him.) At five foot eight and weighing a little more than eight stone, Singh is a spindly figure under his heavy turban and wispy beard. "Girl, you tell me: has anything you wanted ever been easy?" he says. "I was so worried we [he ran with his trainer] might not ma...

Last Thursday, I was invited by my friends at WLTX TV to come onto their morning show and talk about the free self defense workshop I was doing in honor of Domestic Violence month. You can see a video of the segments below: Thanks again to WLTX for being such a gracious host. Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425 samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

Our martial arts school is asking parents, homeowners and drivers throughout our community to join with us to make Halloween safer with these safety tips. Parents ·   Make your child eat dinner before trick-or-treating. ·   Children should carry quarters, so they can call home. ·   An adult should accompany young children. ·   If your children go on their own, be sure they wear watches, preferably those that can be read in the dark. ·   Buy or make costumes with flame-retardant material. ·   Older children should know where to reach you and when to return home. ·   You should know your children’s route for the evening. ·   Although tampering is rare, tell your children to bring their candy home to be inspected before consuming anything. ·   Look at the wrapping carefully and toss out anything that looks suspect. Homeowners ·   Buy candy that is individually wrapped. ·   Consider healthier alternatives for treats: juice boxes, ...

Steve Jobs recently left us, falling victim to Cancer after battling this horrid disease for several years!   Even though he passed away at the relative young age of 56, he had radically changed the world we lived in.  The Apple computer, the Ipod, the Ipad and the Iphone; just a few among the over 200 products he developed.   He created a special company devoted to creating movies for children called Pixer and spun out many classic stories, the first being Toy Story .  Today, Pixer is the largest animated film studio in the world.   Below is a video of Steve Jobs addressing a graduating class at Stanford University.  Intensely private, Steve Jobs almost never talked about himself, however, during this commencement address he talked about his own life and offered great advice to the graduates.   It gives you insight into the man, his passion and his life.       We will miss you Mr. Jobs! Thank you for your vision of the world! Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, ...

  There is so much conflict in the world!    From the Middle East to Afghanistan to Iraq. From the Arab Spring which has resulted in regime change and the loss of thousands of lives. From the economic crisis in America and Europe, with the near collapse of our banking system, that is slowly reaching into Asia. From the Tea Party rally's to the Wall Street demonstrations. From the high unemployment rate with millions without a job, to a growing homeless population.   The left is attacking the right and vice-versa.   Washington has mastered the art of the "blame game" with neither party accepting responsibility for what is going on.   One Day!   I am confident that one day, we will be part of a kinder, gentler world, because of the work we are doing!  As school owners, we have audience to a large sphere of influence if we make the most of it.     Our curriculum touches on all things human -- strong and vibrant as well as frail and compassionate.   We have the power to CHA...

Dedicated to Polly Hannah Klaas 1981-1993 October 1 was the 18th anniversary of the kidnapping of Polly Klaas. If she were alive today, Polly would be 30 years old. We honor all missing children today-- those whose whereabouts are still unknown, those who have been slain, and those who were kidnapped as children, recovered and are now building productive lives as they grow up and become adults. ______________________________ Things have changed since Polly’s kidnapping. With the active participation of our members, who used the Polly Klaas Foundation website to contact their elected officials, Amber Alerts are now the law in all 50 states and at the Federal level.  Also, law enforcement organizations now have protocols for communicating with one another in missing child cases. Best of all, a missing child report takes the highest priority. We applaud the law enforcement community who over the years have incorporated new procedures and new technological tools to respond to t...

Sunday, October 2 marks both the United Nations' International Day of Non-Violence and the birthday of one of its biggest proponents: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. This video pays tribute to the concept and the man and is called the "Power of One." Here at SKS, we honor the values and practice of the nonviolent civil actions that changed a nation -- and indeed, the world. Video from KarmaTube Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425 samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

October is Domestic Violence Month! Why does that matter? Because sadly, South Carolina is ranked 6th in the nation for domestic violence! Samurai Karate Studio will be partnering with Sanctity, Inc., a local non profit that helps victims of domestic violence and offering a FREE self defense workshop for women on Monday, October 17, 2011, starting at 7:30pm..  This seminar with be both classroom presentation and hands on training to cover basic techniques of self defense. What you learn, could save your life some day! Classroom presentation will include: The 3 reasons women get attacked Attack indicators What happens to the body during attack Power of your voice Common everyday items you can use to defend yourself On the Mat training will include: How to break free from being grabbed Defense tactics against being choked from the front and behind, bear hugs and hair pulls Every women who participates in this seminar will leave having a much better understandin...

She was the FIRST woman from Africa to receive the Nobel Peace Prize! She was a remarkable woman, a champion of the environment and women's rights, despite being confronted by her government.  She handled herself with such dignity and grace and showed genuine courage. She will be missed! You can read more about Wangari Maathai at Huffington Post . Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425 samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

This past summer, I participated in a home gardening experiment, working with several containers of vegetables. This was just one of several Ultimate Black Belt Test challenges I gave myself. Why? I want to better understand our food supply and the use of pesticides, growing organic food naturally, the economic foot print of shipping food halfway around the world, so that we could have certain vegetables that were out of season. I had only moderate success, as my "no pesticides" pledge made it very difficult to deal with bugs that constantly were eating my plants or the vegetables themselves. I plan on doing a lot more research over the winter to prepare for next season. In the mean time, I found a website with a detailed process for growing container fruits and vegetables and I love the work they have done. Here is a video that explains their process: Pretty neat process that I am going to try and model next year. I will update everyone to let you know how it...

Justices question prosecutor’s conduct in trial of Clemson student’s killer By JEFFREY COLLINS  -  The Associated Press State Supreme Court Chief Justice Jean Toal suggested Wednesday that the appeal of a man on death row for raping and strangling a Clemson University student could be used as a warning to South Carolina prosecutors who ignore fairness and take what she called a “win at all costs” approach. Jerry Buck Inman is appealing his conviction and sentence, saying the man who prosecuted his case should have been removed because he intentionally intimidated a witness testifying on his behalf. The 40-year-old convicted sex offender confessed to killing 20-year-old Tiffany Souers in 2006 and pleaded guilty to murder. A judge then heard evidence about whether Inman should get a life sentence or the death penalty. You can read the rest of the article here at THE STATE . Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425 samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com...

This year in 2011 we are commemorating the 30th anniversary of Peace Day. The video below is a live stream of activities and thoughts about creating peace in the world that we live. Watch live streaming video from peacedaytv at livestream.com Kindness is the ULTIMATE form of self defense! If we treat each other with kindness and respect, there would be more peace throughout the world! Sensei Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425

Posted by Jasmine Williams on September 16, 2011 5:23 AM Domestic violence has left over 500 women in South Carolina dead since 2005. On Aug. 28, Jennifer Wilson, a professor at the University of South Carolina, died in her home following multiple stab wounds. Police arrested her ex-boyfriend, Hank Hawkes, for her death. It was early morning when neighbors called to report a loud argument, including Wilson screaming, "No, no, no!" But since it was quiet in the home when police drove by, they did not check on the woman. She was found dead later that day, Yahoo News reported. For the rest of the story, please click HERE . Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425

I visited Ground Zero 3 months after the attack on the twin towers and the emotion was just as raw then as it was today, watching the memorials on television.  I had friends who had loved ones that perished that day. It's so hard to imagine the horror of it all and the pain of the survivors and their family's. And we can not forget the magnificent men and women in our military who work hard every day to keep us safe and especially, those fallen soldiers that made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our freedom. This is a very powerful tribute to the victims of the 9-11 attack. Let us celebrate the memories of their lives and continue the good work that we are all capable of! Sensei Chris Feldt Samurai Karate Studio Columbia, SC 29229 803-462-9425 samuraikaratestudio@gmail.com

Ground Truth Tuesday, 20-9-6 By Margaret Reeves Like many people, I once believed in the safety of RoundUp. Back in the 1980s when I was a young graduate student in ecology, it was the “safe” herbicide of choice for clearing weeds from study plots. Monsanto would like us to continue to believe their flagship product is safe, but the data are increasingly saying otherwise. The latest? Widespread exposure is a near certainty, since RoundUp — now linked to  birth defects  — shows up regularly in our water and air. Glyphosate, RoundUp’s active ingredient, was found in every stream studied and in most air samples taken in a recent study conducted by  government researchers  in Mississippi and Iowa. And it's undoubtedly in other states too. Across the U.S. it's used commonly on corn, soybeans, cotton and rice, to the tune of  180-185 millions of pounds  in 2007 — more tonnage than any other pesticide. And that's only use on farms. RoundUp is also the second mo...

Myth #1  - Boys and men can’t be victims. This myth, instilled through masculine gender socialization and sometimes referred to as the “macho image,” declares that males, even young boys, are not supposed to be victims or even vulnerable. We learn very early that males should be able to protect themselves. In truth, boys are children – weaker and more vulnerable than their perpetrators – who cannot really fight back. Why? The perpetrator has greater size, strength, and knowledge. This power is exercised from a position of authority, using resources such as money or other bribes, or outright threats – whatever advantage can be taken to use a child for sexual purposes. Myth #2  - Most sexual abuse of boys is perpetrated by homosexual males. Pedophiles who molest boys are not expressing a homosexual orientation any more than pedophiles who molest girls are practicing heterosexual behaviors. While many child molesters have gender and/or age preferences, of those who seek out boys...