The current popularity of the Ultimate Fighting Championship is undeniable. UFC fight card results have become fodder for water cooler discussions across North America. Mixed Martial Arts gyms are becoming increasingly prevalent as techniques like kimura's and omaplata's have become part of our vernacular.

Recent articles in The Globe and Mail, From the couch to the cage, and in The New York Times, Gladiator, are documenting the growing interest in MMA and the training centres sprouting up across North America as a result.

It's easy to think this type of training is the answer for surviving street violence. The athletic prowess of professional MMA fighters is awe-inspiring; the level of physical conditioning and the fighting skills they posses are impressive. But does ultimate fighting equate to the reality of an authentic street confrontation?

By authentic, I'm referring to a confrontation where you are being attacked and are the perceived and targeted victim. The heavyweight belt is not at stake - your life is.

There are three significant differences between combative sports like the UFC, Boxing and other MMA professional fighting competitions and an authentic street confrontation (i.e. street combat).

In the street there is:

1. No Consent
2. No Preparation
3. No Awareness of intent

A professional fighter has had typically six to ten weeks to prepare for a fight. He knows when he's going to fight, where the fight will take place and who will be standing at the other side of the octagon waiting for him.

This is not to diminish the battles a full contact fighter faces every time he walks into the octagon. There's a high probability for serious physical injury whether he wins or loses the fight. The distinctions listed above however are significant.

The Reality of the Street

Visualize the following situation: you're leaving your favourite restaurant with your significant other; you've had a few glasses of wine and are feeling good and relaxed, thinking about the rest of your evening or that rare Bordeaux you just enjoyed.

As you walk to your car you're approached by a stranger brandishing a knife. He demands you hand him your wallet.

The physiological and emotional changes you're experiencing at that moment are significantly different than those experienced by an ultimate fighter walking into the octagon to defend his title. The threat of injury and/or death to yourself and your significant other are very real. How you take control of your fear and the psychology of this confrontation will dictate whether or not you get home in one piece.

WebView: Are social networks a criminal's playground?

As Web 2.0 sites – those that allow us to socialize and easily share personal information online – get increasingly popular, are hackers and stalkers getting a new playground?

Despite the promise of secured firewalls made by the Web's most popular hangouts, a Vancouver techie recently proved that no one can guarantee privacy on the Internet. Byron Ng exploited a loophole on Facebook instantly gaining access to Paris Hilton's personal Web page, including recent photos of her family and friends. His motive: to expose a security weakness. The lesson: Your personal information isn't safe here.

On LinkedIn, a networking site for professionals, hackers targeted corporate executives by lifting their email addresses from their profile pages. Messages appearing to come from colleagues were emailed to the C-levels, who were tricked into downloading software programs that could steal company data.

What's fit to Print?

Technology is a wonderful thing but it's no one's personal bodyguard. We don't leave our home addresses, phone numbers or list of our ATM passwords lying around in a dark alley, yet some of us post every single detail about personal lives online.

Recent digital initiatives can help keep us safer on the Web. For example, e-STOP, legislation passed in the state of New York, bans sex offenders from visiting networking web sites. Also, a recent deal between MySpace and 49 U.S. attorney generals provides a set of protective guidelines aimed at teens, inspired by the tragic Megan Meier story.

Despite these digital efforts, the easiest way to defend ourselves online lies in our own keystrokes. If your kids spend their life on Bebo, make sure they're not giving too much information away. Post a list of what's NOT acceptable to share online. If you're catching up with old friends, get an email account from Google Mail and make up a fake name – never use your last name, especially if it's unique.

Don't pave the way to your bank accounts and home address - be selective about what information you make public, such as your mother's maiden name, or your children's birthdays.

For more tips o staying safe online visit The National Cyber Security Alliance.

>confront< Tip

 

If you're a parent that shops with your children, YOU MUST READ THE FOLLOWING >confront< Tip NOW:

When you've completed your shopping and are about to strap your child into its infant car seat, STOP and do the following instead:

As you're approaching your vehicle, use your awareness skills and visually scan the parking lot for anything or anybody looking out of place.

An example would be a car or van parked adjacent to your vehicle with the driver at the wheel. In this scenario, you return to the grocery store immediately and request car service.

If nothing raises any alarms, proceed to your vehicle and load your shopping bags into your car FIRST and then promptly install your child and yourself into the vehicle and leave the parking lot without delay.

If you were to be car-jacked after your child was inside your vehicle you would then be forced into putting your life on the line for a car (and your child).

Applying the >confront< Tip listed above makes it a simple decision to hand over the keys to your assailant as the car (and groceries) can be easily replaced and definitely not worth your life.

 

MyConfront

Was it a heated argument with a close friend? Did a co-worker get on your nerves? Did a physical encounter with a stranger on the street leave you with a black eye and a bruised ego or send you to the hospital?

Email us what happened - and don't leave out a single detail. We'll share your Confrontation in our next issue, break down what happened step by step and discuss some effective options you can safely use in the future.

Make Fear Your Best Friend

Do you know what the butterflies in your stomach or your shaking knees are telling you when you're outsized, outweighed and outnumbered in the street?

You'll be surprised with the answers when you read >confront<'s eBook Vol.2 - Fear Management & Street Combat Psychology

You'll get in touch with your killer instinct and learn how adrenaline can be your best friend in the street. Get the eBook Vol.2 - Fear Management & Street Combat Psychology now!