The Economy and Kung Fu

[lkfmdc]

Doesn't work without legislation. The less competition (Failed business) the more strenght the few left will have. A new company would not stand a chance to survive. This leads to monopoly.

When it comes to "money" you always have monopolies. The big eat the small. For the thousands of people going out of work, there are a small few who are going to invest in low value stock, ride it out and make a killing. The big build up, break into pieces again, the cycle runs continuous. We've already seen ths in the 80's

[1bad65]

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has been in existence since the Civil War.

So, how does this relate to the Executive Branch of our Government?

[1bad65]

They give you bonus for sitting at your computer and posting here 50-60 times a day??????

Ain't American grand!!!!!

It is for me!

[Fox]

I count myself lucky. I have had to move walls to expand my school. Then again, I teach in a college town. It stays constant here. I might have a student leave, then another one comes along.

[David Jamieson]

@ food crisis.

buy an egg, incubate it, voila, you have a chicken.

buy another egg and do same til you get a male, let him make the hens make more eggs.

buy some seeds, plant them, wait then enjoy.

[Kevin Huang]

My classes are expanding.

I'm sure that's the case for other kung fu instructors here as well.

[MightyB]

I'd say that good business practices will allow people to survive in tough times. It's location, marketing, efficiency in using floor space (inventory control), upselling--- and, did I say location?

Seriously- Michigan's been in a recession / depression since the late 70's. The rest of the US is finally getting a hint of a taste of what it's like to live in Michigan. It ain't easy, but we all will survive.

[uki]

@ food crisis.

buy an egg, incubate it, voila, you have a chicken.

buy another egg and do same til you get a male, let him make the hens make more eggs.

buy some seeds, plant them, wait then enjoy.

now just think of all the folks who don't follow your line of understanding and just come thru to raid all your hard work... many people will simply try and take what they can to survive. unless you are in the widerness it will be difficult to keep what food you do have to yourself... when people are starving, word spreads...

[David Jamieson]

you watch too much tv

[Lama Pai Sifu]

The FDIC only insures up to 100 thousand dollars. The way to do it if you have more than 100 thousand is put your money in seceval different banks then it would be insured. Washington Mutual the largest bank in the country went bankrupt. They said its the biggest bank in history to go mankrupt. BILLIONS of dollars was said to have been lost. Unfortunitely it is not business as ussual. I know tons of people with more than 100 thousand in the bank and I know a lot of people that have put thier retirement money in to the stock market and now thier sweating it (afraid their going to lose everything. The stock market dropped 1000 points yesterday. I wouldn't say thats business as ussual. What planet do you live on?

Yeah...

How many people do you know with $100K in the bank? Tons? Yeah...

And the stock market dropped 1000 points yesterday? Uh...no...it didn't. It actually cannot lose that much in a day, it is regulated with a daily loss limit.

What planet do YOU live on?

[uki]

you watch too much tv

you know, thats whats so great about the internet... you get to see just how programmed people are in responding to things. i haven't had commercial, satellite, or cable television for over 10 years... now how are you going to respond? it's all so amusing...

[David Jamieson]

you know, thats whats so great about the internet... you get to see just how programmed people are in responding to things. i haven't had commercial, satellite, or cable television for over 10 years... now how are you going to respond? it's all so amusing...

you don't watch enough tv.

In fact, by your own admission , you are completely disconnected from the greater community at large. Not sure if you should be commenting on it as much as you do seeing as you are self admitting you have little skill or opportunity in socializing with others. Your views are indicative of this, but it doesn't seem you are capable of making that connection and prefer to live in your somewhat deluded sense of reality (according to your musings and postings here in these forums). It is amusing actually and thanks for letting us know that there are still Luddites like yourself out there with weird ass world views and strange opinionated stances that come from that with little seat in actual reality.

good on ya! I hope your cave is enjoyable?

[uki]

In fact, by your own admission , you are completely disconnected from the greater community at large.

i like to call this the concept of living in the world, but not being a part of it.

Not sure if you should be commenting on it as much as you do seeing as you are self admitting you have little skill or opportunity in socializing with others.

my socializing skills are superb. i find myself doing a fine job at it... i deal with people everyday.

Your views are indicative of this, but it doesn't seem you are capable of making that connection and prefer to live in your somewhat deluded sense of reality (according to your musings and postings here in these forums).

the only deluded sense of reality is the one transpiring across the big blue screen...

It is amusing actually and thanks for letting us know that there are still Luddites like yourself out there with weird ass world views and strange opinionated stances that come from that with little seat in actual reality.

you are quite welcome... i appreciate the opportunity i have in doing so.

good on ya! I hope your cave is enjoyable?

building a hobbit-hole style studio is on the agenda. earthen homes are one of the most economically and eco-friendly type, average mean tempature is 52 degrees year round...

[peace&love]

I believe we will all see a drop in our schools. Our local paper here in Nashville recently had an article on how all the local gyms were hurting and it is a nationwide thing as well. When the economy is bad, the first thing people drop is gym memberships. I have not had a gym membership in years. I had shoulder surgery a number of years ago and through rehab I was made aware that I need very few things to keep in shape. I use an exercise ball and dumbbells. I also run and do yoga. The article also mentioned the popularity of yoga and how people are using the at home DVDs for this. I have also found them mostly effective and accurate.

I went to class yesterday and one of my instructors said that he was worried I may drop off because of the economy. We have some college age kids in our class and one has disappeared. Between college and waiting tables and gas prices, a few folks dropping of the map for awhile is expected. As I mentioned before , this is something that we are going to have to deal with for some time.

I have also noticed how the local gym we use for training has dropped off in numbers. I train there three times a week and have noticed how fewer and fewer people are there over the past couple of months. I have also noticed how they keep increase specials. The past two weeks it has been two for one memberships. I don't know how other gyms are doing around Nashville. I know there has been a huge drop off per the article I read, but all the YMCAs I pass while driving still have full parking lots. I guess it is just the law of numbers. Therefore, the smaller kung fu schools are going to have a rough time until the economy heads north again.

[Xiao3 Meng4]

Regardless of the financial crises, today's economies are vastly hypertrophic compared to the economies of 50 years ago, never mind 100, 200, or 300 years ago. And yet, Martial Arts schools and clubs can be traced back even further than that.

English Legislation From London's "Liber Albus" (white book,) circa 1180 AD:

"...And that nobody may hold school of sword and buckler within the city on pain of imprisonment"

Here, a collection of old European fencing manuals: http://www.thearma.org/manuals.htm

The existence of manuals implies an infrastructure that used them, ie. schools, clubs, and masters.

As Gene has pointed out before, Shaolin and its "Graduates" have been teaching Martial Arts for over 400 years. Jiao Li, the roots of Shuai Jiao, has accounts of competitions in the Qin dynasty where thousands of competitors participated. Where did those competitors learn?

In Japan, Sumo wrestling as a sport supposedly dates back over 1000 years. Actual JiuJiTsu schools can be traced back to at least 1559.

The Martial Arts have been popular since a time when economies were piddly little things. I think that the only thing Martial Arts clubs have to worry about is whether or not they have good quality content, because the one thing I DO see coming out of a slowed economy is less tolerance for BS. Then again, maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part.

CSP