this weeks newlsetter

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Hiya a few fairly important updates there is a video blog and a podcast on the front page of the site www.streetfightsecrets.net the podcast focuses on the release of the new Supra States CD available now from here http://www.streetfightsecrets.net/41.html So Im going to be doing some travelling around the East over the next few months, starting in Thailand, then on to Malaysia, the Phillipines and China- Hopefully I'll eventually get to New Zealand and Oz too. The consequence to you? Minimal! - for the last 6 weeks all orders have been handled by Angie who is now to be contacted for any queries regarding your orders at streetfightsecrets@gmail.com All technical questions are still to come to me or be posted on the forum www.streetfightsecrets.darkbb.com , I will get internet access at least every two days. Over the next 3 to 4 months I'll be focussing mainly on the psychological and verbal confrontation elements of training, keep an eye out for further updates. Oh and Im now on bloody twitter, so if I cant access to internet I cant at least text and keep people updated so you know Im not dead, my username is "fightsecrets". I'll do regular video blogs too as Im travelling if anything interesting worth filming comes up or if anything comes out of my combatively drenched brain that seems usable. Ok thats it for now Richie ps when ordering the "Supra States" CD here http://www.streetfightsecrets.net/41.html be aware that you AUTOMATICALLY get an instant download in Mp3 format to listen to. Please follow onscreen instructions to download it. ;-)

_________________
“One should die proudly when it is no longer possible to live proudly.”

Nietzsche

Good luck & have fun.

"sawadee krab"


(practisin me thai innit)

Rich,

Man you've got me flashing back to the mid 1980's (yes I'm that old) and travel in the East stay safe, but not so safe that you don't have any memorable adventures, stay open to ways of the different cultures, and lastly learn to get your face slapped in as many languages as possible (that's if your still single).


Keep safe and train hard/smart, Mark H

ให้ปลอดภัยและรถไฟสุดสมาร์ท , Mark H

thanks guys

face slapping is ok

head chopping I would not be as happy with

Hope you have a fun AND educational time out there Rich. I was 18/19 when I spent two months in the Philippines so it was a great eye-opener for me. Esp in terms of personal security.

I was tempted to write some basic personal security tips and then thought, "He'll already know this stuff". But then I thought, "But other readers may not...." So please allow me to bore the hell out of you with a list of personal safety tips Feel free to stop reading when your eyes start to glaze over.

Bearing in mind that South East Asia is the number one breeding ground for islamic extremism (in terms of recruitment) and that the Philippines in particular has great reputation for kidnapping of us gringos (I know having almost been the victim of what I assume was an attempt to kidnap me)...

In general

Vary your routine (if you have one). Don't create a set pattern of behaviour that can be observed and utilized by baddies

Befriend the locals. The best way to do this... research the customs of whatever country you are in. Everybody has different value systems and therefore are offended by different things. (Example: In the phillipines, call somebody a putang ina or mother fucker as a joke and it's cool. Call them STUPID, even as a joke, and you're in the shit) You may have to part with some pesos or whatever as the guy expects payment for simply opening your taxi door, but better to just pay him off than piss him off. We are walking dollar signs out in those parts. The way they see it: we have everything and they have nothing (to lose).

In the Philippines you'll probably have armed guards around the hotel if you're in Makati or Manila. Get to know them, their names etc. These guys should be your new best mates for obvious reasons

Generally though, there is a lot of Machismo is SE Asia, much like south America. Lots of posturing and willingess to fight, but only if pride has totally been trampled on and face seriously lost to the point where violence is the only way to get it back. The guys are REALLY dangerous? Well it's just like in any other part of the world - you'll see them from a mile away. Toughguys and psychos have the same look no matter what part of the world we're in For the Philippines specifically - they're a party people. Lovers more than fighters I'd say.

If anybody (esp a beautiful girl) offers you some fruit (esp an orange) DONT' EAT IT. Just pre-empt them and run. Most common trick: orange laced with general anesthetic. You wake up naked and with no money, and if you're really unlucky like my mum's friend's son - you'll wake up having had the shit kicked out of your unconscious body too. And if you're really unlucky: an areshole the size of a manhole.

Register with the British embassy wherever you are. Not only does this allow Big Brother to track all your movements, but you will be given a contact in-country for if WW3 comes to your front door and you need to get out. Sounds crazy but 3months after I came back home, there was an attempted coup and the shopping mall I visited almost daily got rigged up with explosives! (I actually wished I had stayed around to see it)

Securing your accommodation

Door wedges. Not only useful for keeping doors open, but also for keeping them closed. Take about three with you, nice rubber ones (not plastic-y). When the door is closed, wedge em in under, over and along the side of the door and you got your self some form of lock.

Personal safety alarms are good for door/window safety too. They can often be rigged up so that they go off if the door is opened.

Check out fire escape routes. I was on the 10th floor in PI. The first day I was there, I walked down the stairs and followed the fire exit signs only to find that the door it lead to was locked. If there really was a fire or bomb, I'd have walked into a dead end. So my new plan was to (in the event of...) go down to the 1st floor and take my chances with the 1st floor balcony. It also makes sense to do a walk-through because in the heat and smokiness of a real bomb or fire, those signs wont be visible anyway.

Things to take

Flashlight. Surefire or Maglight are the best. Lots and lots of power cuts out there.

Door wedges as mentioned above.

Leatherman or similar multitool. They're just really handy.

Money belt for hiding under your tshirt or on your thigh to stash some emergency cash.


I could go on. But you get the picture. Most 'normal' sheep... er, I mean people would put all that down as paranoia. But as (mostly) SP instructors on this forum, I'm sure I don't need to explain that once you've got all your security in place... THEN we are free to have a good time and enjoy ourselves. Basic safety stuff like this, for me, doesn't make me paranoid but actually allows me to be relaxed and laid back... when I know everything is taken care of.

So yeah, have a good time Richie. You'll have a laugh and I guarantee that you will come back with some awesome stories. You're gonna love it! I'm pretty jealous, like Russ. I miss being followed by a van load of Islamic extremists....

IF YOU WANT ANY TIPS OR INFO SPECIFIC TO THE PHILIPPINES - PLEASE PLEASE EMAIL ME MATE. esp, if you need to know where to obtain certain items

All good tips Shariff.

Door wedges especially. Though they can be pushed open from outside with a thin rule. Had a friend visit Thailand a few years ago, who woke up in his room with the cut thong still around his neck from his neck wallet, wallet missing. He still to this day comments about how glad he was that he never woke up & disturbed the robber, he's convinced they would have cut his throat. He didnt take any wedges though he had been advised

Last time I gave security advice to a friend going on holiday, he royally took the piss, then got off his flight in Mumbai in the first hour of the terrorist attack. He takes it seriously now.

Photocopies of passport & visa to take with you & leave copies with friends at home that can be faxed. I used to scan them & carry a backup on the usb I stored my photos on.

Ritchie, I am really bloody jealous & I hope you have a fabulous time.

Those are some very good tips Sharif, will no doubt provide useful to lots more people than me as well. Especially the unexpected one, 'tell the Embassy you're in country'.

Also I had a mate go to Fiji and the locals used to like selling you illegal drugs and then grassing on you to their mate the copper.

Sweet tips, lots of stuff to think about. Thanks man!

have a great time!

I'm sure you'll have an awesome time - looking forward to the video blogs .....

Advice to travelers in general? - In my experience, the further away you stay from tourist hotels and transport, the less likely it is you'll get ripped off. I took local buses pretty much everywhere, and stayed in non air conditioned shacks. Never got ripped off once.

Funniest/Hairiest story I heard from the PI - Guy turns up to do some full contact stick fighting, big guy, bag full of sticks. Is in a phone box calling for a ride. gets held up by 2 young girls with M16s - leave him in his standing in his undies!
Oh, and if you go to an Arnis/Eskrima school and they make you spar with the students - don't win. They'll keep putting you up against better guys and if you beat them, they'll probably get you later on the street.

Stick some bog roll in your bag/pocket.
Cos you havent been to SE asia until you have pebble dashed a squat toilet without noticing the water bucket is empty.

Also i like majia highly reccomend local buses and trains you'll save a fortune and see some cool stuff. Like all your luggage shooting out of an open door onto the motorway as the bus flies round a corner.

Be sure to wander from the beaten track you might see something awesome.

All good suggestions.

I have a point about the money belt thing, I'm sure it's been said before, but if you've got your passport and cash in your money belt, and you don't carry a wallet, anyone who wants to rob you will have a reason to go on a treasure hunt all over you.

When I was in Detroit for a few years I had a 'dummy' wallet where I'd have a couple dollars in it, expired gym membership card, expired library card, expired visa card, expired bus pass etc... you get the idea... it's filled with things to look like a catch to someone, but upon further investigation it's completely worthless. This actually did save my ass once. Handing it over bought me time to get the hell outta there in one piece lol, and I didn't lose anything.

...and about that money belt... everyone knows people (tourists) use these now and where they are located, so strap it to your leg above your knee instead, or where ever it fits.

You could even have a 'dummy' money belt too... lol. ok i've just gone too far.



Have fun Richie!

btw - Just got the Beta 8 in the mail today....WOOOHOOO!!!!

I forgot to say have fun Rich! Watched some more of your dvd's the other day, all good stuff. Enjoy yourself.