COLD DEAD HANDS INTRODUCE SNAKE BLOCKER BY OLEN B.

Cold Dead Hands Introduce Snake Blocker

by Olen B. 

     Having been raised on stories of legends and heroes that helped shape Texas and settle the Western Frontier, it is a small wonder one of my personal heroes was Jim Bowie. In fact, most of my fascination was centered around the Western Frontier days of early America, which included the Mountain Men, Cowboys, Indians, Outlaws, and Rogues that made this Nation of ours what it is. 

    I guess that is why, when Snake Blocker popped up on my radar years ago on Spike TV’s reality show called “Deadliest Warrior,” I was instantly hooked.  It was the premiere episode for this three season show. If you watched that episode of “Apache versus Gladiator,” you saw Snake putting the gladiators in their place with his superior knife skills.  His skills left the experts on the show trying to pick up shattered pieces of gladiator ego from the floor.

    I found out recently that Snake loves to share his expertise in combat knife fighting and survival techniques through monthly seminars which are scheduled around the country.  I was already aware of the fact he taught his skills to our special forces, when he was serving in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. Snake still trains our Rangers, SEALS, and other members of the Spec Ops community, as a civilian consultant.  He also teaches at his own dojo and promotes several signature survival product lines. All this combined with his rich heritage as a Lipan Apache has honed his survival skills to an edge that makes him a nearly limitless wealth of knowledge for anyone who seeks the skills needed to survive in any hostile environment.

    There are very few people left in this world I look up to, and the more you find out about Snake Blocker, the more you may understand why he is a candle in the darkness to someone like me. I encourage you to visit his Facebook page and give it a “like” as well as seek out his home web page and stay updated for when he may be in your area, so you can attend his programs. As a supporter of Cold Dead Hands you will receive a 15% discount for attending one of his combative seminars, as well as have the opportunity to read his articles here as he settles in and works with us.

SNAKE BLOCKER INTERVIEW BY OLGA ZHARSKAYA

Snake Blocker Interview by Olga Zharskaya

My guest is Snake Blocker. 
Interview was conducted by Olga Zharskaya

Snake Blocker is a Native American Tribal member of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas. He is a United States Navy War Veteran, Professional Muay Thai Fighter, Published Poet, and Survivalist & Combatives Instructor. He owns Snake Blocker Survival, Blocker Academy of Martial Arts and Executive World Fitness. He also works as an Insurance Specialists for Farmers Insurance out of Denver, Colorado. He is married to Melissa Blocker and together they travel and promote Survival and Self Defense around the world.


Snake Blocker, for me it is a great honor to interview you!
And so, my first question to you, on behalf of Mountain Lionesses, is why did you join “One Billion Rising” movement?

Snake Blocker:  The reason why I am supporting the "One Billion Rising" Event is because the violence towards women has been too large of a problem for too long and all real men need to make a stand to support our ladies. It's a global problem with "At least 60 million girls who would otherwise be expected to be alive are "missing" from various populations." Most is due to violent abuse from men. The numbers of crime towards women are too long to list. I encourage people to read some of the statistics at: http://www.feminist.com/antiviolence/facts.html

I have been offering classes on survival, self preservation, self defense and self confidence for women since 1995. All parents should put their girls in some form of self defense classes at an early age and teach them the dangers of this dark world we live in. All women need to be in a regular class to teach them survival and self defense tactics (this includes knife, stick and firearms training).
Media has promoted violence towards girls and women for too long and I would like to see the media focus just as much attention on heroic stories of women overcoming violence. Girls need more good role models of brave women that stand up for what is right. I want to see judges make a stand and stop being cowards. I want all judges to get tough on violent crimes towards girls and women. I want real men to step up and encourage our ladies to speak up and stand up against evil in this world.
With the support of events like this, we can stand up together and make a real difference in this world.

Snake Blocker, you're a very interesting person and I would like to ask you a lot of questions ... For example: about warrior’s mental discipline… About mental attitude of overcoming obstacles… About personal responsibility of powerful person before the world … This applies to absolutely all aspects of life! Otherwise everybody dreams to be an influential, powerful warrior, winner, successful… and when they meet obstacles or responsibility, get depressed, irritated, can be cruel and blame others for their own failures. This is a drama of the society, and I agree with you – the media is feeding this drama, and as a result, we get more education about how to be a loser and a victim, than how to be a fighter. We all need your experience and wisdom. So I very much hope that you will find the time to give us more interviews.
But for now, tell me about your upcoming Savate Danse De Rue Gathering: Start with what is Savate… And I wonder why, you're with well-deserved reputation as The Most Deadly Warrior, became interested in this little-known in America, sport  ?

Snake Blocker:  Savate is an old term, which came from a word for a type of shoe. Savate incorporates many kicks at all lines of attack.


 Kicks have superior power to a punch, and we wear shoes when training. The ranking for Savate is different than most martial arts. Instead of belt levels, they refer to glove levels, which are represented by a colored glove logo patches.
Glove Patches:
Blue Glove/Gant Bleu
Green Glove/Gant Vert
Red Glove/Gant Rouge
White Glove/Gant Blanc
Yellow Glove/Gant Jaune (equivalent to Black Belt)
Purple Glove (youth <18 br=""> Silver Glove/Gant D'argent 1st -3rd Degree/G.A.T. 1-3 (adult 18>)
Gold Glove (Special honor)
Savate Danse de Rue (sm) Sashes
Black Sash - Students (All Glove Levels)
Orange Sash - Instructor
Purple Sash - Full Instructor
Black & Green Sash - Professor
All Silver Gloves must be ranked with a minimum of two Silver Glove Instructors to give the exam.

I have been involved in French martial arts since 1993. My instructor, Rod Kei, was a 3 time World Champion Kickboxer and the first American to win a French Savate Box Francaise World Cup Championship in France.

I later began training with Nicolas Saignac, who was a French Savate Boxe Francaise Champion, who moved from France. Nicolas moved to California near me, and he was teaching at the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts, which was founded by Dan Inosanto.

Dan Inosanto was the highest ranked student/instructor under Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee incorporated a variety of martial arts into his own style which he coined, Jeet Kune Do [Concepts]. Jeet Kune Do means "The Way of the Intercepting Fist." Jeet Kune Do [Concepts] originated with some techniques from Chinese Wing Chun Kung Fu (Gung Fu), Western Boxing, European Fencing, French Savate, Japanese Judo, Filipino Stick Fighting and a few other styles were later added.

I did private lessons with Rod Kei and Nicolas Saignac and I attended group classes and seminars at the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts. Rod Kei was my roommate for a time, and we opened up a studio, as equal partners, called Academy of Martial Arts in Rolling Hills Estate, California, in the mid 1990s. We later opened up our own studios. My studio was called Blocker Academy of Martial Arts and Rod Kei reopened his Ch'ng Mo Kickboxing & Judo Club.
As I continued my French Martial Arts quest for more knowledge, I began training with Paul-Raymond Buitron III out of Laredo, Texas.

I studied Savate Boxe Francaise and then added Danse de Rue Savate to my training. Danse de Rue Savate is a more complete self defense version of the European Arts, unlike the sport Savate Boxe Francaise, it is for street self-defense.

 Over the years, I had the opportunity to train with other Savate champions and instructors. Sometimes I trained at their seminars abroad, and sometimes they came to my studio and taught at Blocker Academy of Martial Arts.

I was blessed to meet and train with others Savate greats including: Andre "Big Blue" Grimes (French Savate Champion), Mary-Francis Person (Savate Champion), Richard Sylla (10 time French National Champion/5 time W.K.O. Kickboxing World Champion/Technical Director French Federation of Savate/Trainer of Frances Elite Squad & Trainer of French National Team. Sylla also defeated Pete "Sugar-foot" Cunningham during his career), Stephan Gougne (Savate French/European Champion), Salem Assli (Savate Instructor at Inosanto Academy), Gilles le Dui Gou (French Savate Champion), and Justou Laurent (Savate French Champion).

By the early 2000s, I met Magida Raguig who was studying in California at the La Verne University. Magida was a 9 time French Savate Champion, 2 time Savate World Champion and her brother was a Multi Savate World Champion. Magida and I trained together for the year she lived in California. We met later in France during my vacation.

I am grateful for all the opportunities I had being around such wisdom about the French arts and I continue my training. I incorporate what I learn into the Jeet Kune Do [Concepts] that I teach my students around the world.

What I like most about Savate is that we wear shoes, which is realistic to what we wear out in the street. A kick can increase in power when you wear shoes and you are less likely to damage your toes and ankles. You are also less likely to slip and fall during a fight. Savate is primarily a stand up art, which is needed for multiple attacker defense. You don't want to be wrestling when two or more people are attacking you.

SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED ABOUT VIOLENCE?

Should We be Concerned about Violence? by Snake Blocker 
 

Once in a blue moon we hear about horrific crimes, but the reality is that they happen everyday and everywhere.  Sometimes they make the news, but most times they don't.  Here are a few that made the paper or internet:    

 

Gang member stabs victim with screwdriver

In one trial a gang member robbed a pizza store in the morning, knowing that only single person was present.  The store manager was a young single mother of two children.  The gang member was an ex-employee, she opened the store and allowed him in.  The gang member forced the lady to open the safe and took the money.  Before leaving he tried to force a blue bandana down the victim’s mouth.  She felt that he was trying to kill her.  So she fought back. 

The gang member then slammed her head on the floor several times knocking her out.  He then dragged her to another part of the store and stabbed her in the head 15-20 times with a screwdriver, he brought with him.  Before leaving her for dead, the gang member dropped a 100-pound helium tank on the victim.  The gang member was enraged and committed a violent attack.  The victim was cooperative until he tried to force the bandana down her mouth.  The suspect in this case was caught a short time later and had a history of drug abuse and addiction.  The victim almost died from her head wounds.  In fact, during the trial the emergency room doctor stated that the victim’s head and neck wounds were “life threatening.” 

Ex-student pleads guilty in decapitation

By Tim Huber

The Associated Press

CHRISTIANBURG, Va. – A former Virginia Tech student accused of decapitating another student at a campus eatery pleaded guilty to murder Monday as prosecutors decribed the killer as an obsessed, jilted lover. Haiyang Zhu had fallen in love with Xin Yang but she rejected him, saying that she had a boy friend she planned to marry, prosecutors said in revealing a motive for the first time. Zhu faces up to life in prison. He did not say why he killed the woman during the plea hearing. Prosecutor Brad Finch said on the morning of Jan. 21, Zhu purchased the 8-inch butcher knife used in the murder, two other knives and a claw hammer. He also called Yang a dozen times after buying the weapons. Finch cited a letter Zhu wrote from jail, which said Yang’s rejection “forced him to kill her” because “he love her too much.” “Xin broke his heart on the morning of January 20^th when she told him that she had a boyfriend and that they planned to get married,” the letter said, according to Finch. Before the killing, Zhu penned what Finch termed a love letter that was found in Yang’s dorm room after her death. The letter was written shortly after Zhu first met her and indicated he had “fallen deeply in love.” “She makes him happy and fulfilled, that she is beautiful and that she is beautiful and that he will treasure her forever,” Finch said. “The defendant asked Xin to be his girlfriend.” Finch also described the attack, noting that Yang suffered numerous defensive wounds to her hands and arms as she tried to fend off Zhu. She eventually fell and he severed her head. He was holding it when police arrived. It appeared Yang, who was from Beijing, had met Zhu of Ningbo, China, only recently before she was attacked, Kim Beisecker, the director of Cranwell International Center, has said.Zhu had been assisting her in adjusting to life at Tech, something the 500 Chinese students often do for new members in their community.

Convicted killer jailed in attack on romantic rival

WA SEATTLE – A Seattle woman who was convicted of killing a romantic rival is accused of trying to kill again in a jealous rage over a man. Patricia Crowl was charged with attempted first-degree murder. Police said she used text messages to lure her new boyfriend’s ex to a parking garage and attacked her. The woman called 911 with her cell phone to say she had been “stabbed everywhere.” She survived after being rushed to a hospital. Crowl, 50 was freed from prison in 2006 after serving time for second-degree murder for using a wrench to kill a woman who had been dating Crowl’s then-boyfriend. Crowl was being held on $3 million bail.

Minister shot dead after cutting deputy’s hand off

Al, Ashland – A man who was shot and killed after cutting off the hand of an east Alabama deputy sheriff trying to arrest him is being described as a minister who started a church and sang gospel music with his family.

The Rev Curtis Watts helped build Shining Light Baptist Church in Clay County, and an obituary says he performed with his family as the Watts Family Singers. 

Sherriff’s officials say Watts swung an ax while being arrested on a charge stemming from domestic violence allegations and cut off the right hand of Jason Freeman, a sergeant with the Clay County Sheriff’s Department.

Freeman’s hand was later surgically reattached.

Women with knife shot dead by police

CA MODESTO – Police shot to death a woman on an elementary school playground after she came on to campus with a large knife, according to the Modesto Police Department. No students or staff at Catherine Everett Elementary School were injured in the incident, police said. Police have not released the woman’s name, but they described her as a white woman in her 50s. She was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead, according to Modesto police  Sgt. Brian Findlen.

Good Samaritan stabbed with keys

VT WILDER – Police say a Good Samaritan who stopped at what he thought was a car accident ended up getting stabbed in the hand by a man who had just rammed his wife’s car. The Barre Times Argus reports that Thomas Bleeks of Norwich was heading home from work when he came upon two cars stopped on an Interstate 91 on-ramp. He told police he saw a man assaulting a woman in one of the cars, and when he reached in to stop him, was stabbed in the hand with a set of keys. Alexey Mameav, 22, of Quechee was charged with drunken driving, domestic assault and five other charges.

3 sentenced in slaying of Walmart worker

NH – NOTH HAVERHILL, Three friends who played part in the killing of a developmentally disabled Walmart cashier in New Hampshire are going to prison. Timothy Smith, Anthony Howe and Amber Talbot pleaded guilty earlier this year conspiracy and second-degree murder in the death of Christopher Gray, 25, of Groton, Vt. Prosecutors say Gray was killed for taking a romantic interest in Talbot. She was the girlfriend of defendant Michael Robie. Gray was stabbed more than 30 times in October 2008. Smith and Howe were sentenced to 25 to 50 years. Robie has admitted orchestrating the attack from his jail cell. He will be sentenced at a later date.

Loophole lets mentally ill juveniles go free

TX TYLER – a 16-year-old former juvenile detainee is accused of stabbing a high school teacher to death with a buther knife. Another teen was convicted of killing a roofer during a robbery spree. Both were released by the Texas Youth Commission because the agency wasn’t equipped to treat their mental illnesses and had to let them go under the law. The commission has released more than 200 offenders because of mental health issues in the last five years and that more than one-fifth went on to commit new crimes, some of them violent.

MILITARY BASE STABBING

December 2009, soldier stabbed to death in Afghanistan.

HOW TO GET A JOB

How to Get a Job by Snake Blocker

Create a great resume and be honest.  You can get free resume samples, spreadsheets and advice on the internet.  About 85% of applicants are never considered because of their unprofessional resume or lack of resume.  Check spelling and account for all years.  Do not leave gaps in employment.  Cover Letters are a good additional but not always required.  Create a separate resume to focus on your strengths and experiences in that line of work.  You may have to create several resumes if you are applying for work in different industries.  Following up with the companies you applied for about every 2 weeks to check on status of resume and job openings; and state that you are willing to consider work in other areas of the company if there is an opening.  Put on your resume that you are willing to work any shifts, weekends and weekdays and you are willing to travel.

Dress to impress for the interviews and smell good.  No crazy haircuts or exposed tattoos or excess jewelry.  Shave your face (men) and for women wear a professional dress or slacks and don’t expose the breast.  Bring a black and red pen and blank yellow notebook paper and additional copies of your resume.   Make sure your shoes look sharp and black shocks (men).

Greet and smile a lot and make friendly conversation with the receptionist and other employees, but don’t talk too much or distract them from their work.  Keep the conversations short and simply.  Your smile will say a lot.

Apply for 3-10 jobs per day 7 days a week until you get a job.  Most of this time will be spent on the computer filling out applications.  Don’t worry if you do not qualify for the position, apply anyways for practice.  You never know when a company wants some fresh perspectives from folks with little experience in a particular field.  Most companies know they can teach someone in a short timeframe as long as that person is teachable and smart enough to pick it up.   Also if you have a good driving record, credit score and no criminal record you can get jobs that you have no experience with.  Many times companies will hire you and pay to send you to school, seminars, workshops, online courses, and/or on the job training.  And if you have a Security Clearance, HAZMAT certification, Class A or Class B drivers license, or other certifications or degrees your chances increase dramatically.   If you don’t have much education but you know how to count, speak English and aren’t lazy with manual labor you can still get jobs doing handyman and construction work, teach English as a second language or do inventory work.  You can get a job in the majority of countries just by teaching English classes with no other language skills or teaching skills.  I was offered a job in Thailand to teach English to the high school and/or college level students with no experience.  The pay seemed low but it was more than Engineers make in Thailand and I would be considered high-middle class for Thailand. 

While you’re applying for jobs, talk to new neighbors everyday and tell them you are available for any work they might have around the house and you will take whatever they can afford.  You can paint, do lawn work, pick up groceries, watch their children, house sit, dog (cat or any pet) sit, walk their dog(s), wash their dog or cars, pick up dog poop, or look after their elderly parents, etc…   If you are doing this then you can have work at least 5 days per week and have food money.  If they don’t have money to pay you, tell them to make you lunch or dinner and that will be payment.  Now you just saved $10-$20 for food for the day.  Sometimes neighbors and friends will give you both (money and food) or they might give you something that you can sell that they don’t want anyways.  You can also ask if they have anything to throw away that might be useable and you can take it off their hands.  Many people will give you extra things like electronics that work, lawnmowers, tools, bikes and other items lying in their garage.  You can have a garage sale or place these items on E-Bay.

Go through your stuff and see what items you can sell yourself on the internet or via yard sales.  This is free to do; it only takes your time.  E-Bay is easy to set up yourself and it will teach you step- by-step how to do it.  If you don’t have a computer, go to your local library and use their computers for free.

Read books everyday (non-fiction) and learn something new that you can add to your resume.  Again, the library is free.

Post that you are looking for work and post your credentials and skills.  Place “Looking for Work” ads on posting boards at your local shops and grocery stores.  Post on the internet with job sites (Monster Jobs and others).  Post a short comment on your Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and other social networks that you are looking for any kind of work.  If you don’t have these websites set up, set them up, they are all free. 

Apply for the military (active duty and reserve components).  If one turns you down apply for another branch.  Each branch has different requirements. 

If you don’t get a job offer after 100 resumes and applications then improve your resume and do more following ups and then continue to send another 100 resumes out.  If someone likes your work in the neighborhood they will recommend you to their friends for more work also.

Don’t be lazy! Don’t rely on Worker’s Comp or Welfare for more than 3 months.  God gave everyone talents, skills and abilities, so use them.  When you are not looking for a job, in your spare time, you should be volunteering in the community at places such as: local churches, the Red Cross, elderly homes, Big Brother programs, Boy Scouts, etc.  You will help many people plus you are networking so others know you and possibly offer you work with their company or around their house.

Apply for jobs like: oil/natural gas drilling, ocean fishing, and forestry work, fast food restaurants, mid and high end restaurants and even janitorial jobs.  If you have office skills and computer skills apply for assistant positions and secretary work.  If you don’t have computer skills get on a computer and start learning.  There are free resources on the internet.  These are good jobs to do part time or for a short period of time until you find a job you like better or that pays better.  You will rarely find your dream job the first time around so take whatever is offered in the meantime.  Don’t say things like “oh I could never do that” or “that job is beneath me.”  You know what—nothing is more beneath you than not having a job.  I respect the person that collects cans out of the garbage for money than the person on welfare, worker’s comp or un-employment.    

Why do people not get jobs?

The reason you don’t have a job:  no resume, no good resume, poor people skills, unprofessional, poorly dressed, lazy, not willing to work odd shifts, not willing to do manual labor, not willing to learn new things, and/or not willing to travel abroad.  Having a degree is the least of the reasons why people don’t get a job in the USA.

If your family doesn’t want to move or you don’t want to leave family or friends behind, then you need to suck it up and move anyways if you need a job.  You can always move back after you get back on your feet and a better job is offered in your hometown.

I’ve never met anyone my entire life that hasn’t landed multiple jobs by taking this advice and being proactive.  And no one has regretted it.  Saying that there are no jobs around is the same thing as saying you are lazy and unmotivated.   So be honest and don’t say there are no jobs; I would rather you just tell me you are lazy and unmotivated and at least I’ll respect you for being honest.