Pat Schwind Presents: Strategic Edge Thursday, 12/17/2009

Dan Dominey & Pat Schwind : How we Outfoxed one of the Greatest Con-men of Britain.

Minutes of 12/03/2009

1. Attended 12/03/2009 : Frank Rickey, Pat Schwind, Mark Sordahl, Geri Seckinger, & our speakers, Former UVA, & Belgian National Fencing Coach, Dirk Moonen, and three fencers from the ASU Fencing Club: Jason Diminico, Will Becker & Grace Nolen.

2. Note: All opinions are those of Pat Schwind only, & not those of anyone else at Impact Mortgage Network.

   My good friend Dirk Moonen is an acclaimed fencing instructor, with 40 years experience coaching all levels of fencing, both in America & Europe. He asked three athletes from the ASU Fencing Club to show up for a real live demo. What a treat. ASU does not have a NCAA sanctioned team; like so many teams at so Colleges in America today, there’s just not enough money in the budget to field a full blown “top tier” team. (I think it has something to do with the evil conservatives “starving the beast”, except for the “Death Machine” (Defense), & “Welfare for the Rich”, for the last 4 decades, but I digress).

   We had the 2008 Collegiate Club Women’s champ, Grace Nolen, fencing the 2008 Men’s champ, Will Becker, fencing each other! In the world of fencing, it was like getting to see an old Muhammad Ali or Sugar Ray Leonard boxing match, from 10 feet away! If you’d like to get in great shape, consider fencing.

   Dirk Moonen, Maitre Armes, is a highly experienced & certified to teach in all three weapons: foil, épée & saber. In the late 60's, he directed his club's youth program, at the Cercle Royal d'Escrime La Concorde. He was the head coach of the UVA womens team in the mid 70's, (while I was there). He's a member of various national & international fencing academies & associations. Dirk trained at two of the finest fencing academies in the world: Ecole Francaise d'Escrime, & Hungary's Magyar Vivo Iskola. His trainers were some the most prestigious Maitres d'Armes in the world.

   Despite a "late start" at fencing, just short of his 18th birthday, Dirk soon rose to prominence in the sport, & represented Belgium in the Junior division of the World Championships in 1963, & then as part of the Belgian National team in 1971. He's been the Arizona State saber champion five times, & took second place at the '78 Rocky Mountain Sectional tournament, in both saber & foil. He's a graduate of ADEPS (Administration d'Education Physique et des Sports), and also the US Fencing Assn Coaches College, at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He's a certified Armorer, level two, from the USFA Armorers College & a nationally ranked referee.

   The three fencers Dirk brought to the meeting are all some of the best in the nation. Jason began fencing with Bill Becker, Will's dad, at age 14 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He's was the '08 Rocky Mountain. Sectional Foil champion, & the '08 Western Collegiate Foil Champion. He's a nationally ranked junior foil fencer. He's an assistant fencing coach, & attends ASU on a fencing scholarship.

   If I personally wasn't so busy trying to salvage my mortgage biz in this miserable economy, (one of the 3 worst in America right now, according to the Brookings Institute, right down there with Vegas & Boise), and if I didn't want my next pursuit, when time permits, to be Kenpo classes - because I really do want to learn how to disable people with my bare hands - I'd take a fencing class. But I just have "too much on the plate" at this time to even consider the idea. If you'd like to check out fencing, just to see if you like it, or to see how the training could improve your health, just let me know, & I'll put you in touch with Dirk, or Bill Becker, who's now lives here in AZ, & coaches at Fencers Club of Arizona.

3. Our next meeting is this Thursday, 12/17/2009

   Please arrive before 7:30 AM at “JIM’s CONEY ISLAND CAFE”, 1750 No. Scottsdale Rd., Tempe, at the southwest corner of Scottsdale & Cavalier, Click Here for a map, 1 block south of McKellips, ~ 1 mile north of the 202 Freeway.

   Our speaker will be Dan Dominey & Pat Schwind : How we Outfoxed one of the Greatest Con-men of Britain.

   Bring Guests!

4. Future Speakers

   • 12/17- How Dan Dominey & Pat Schwind outfoxed one of the Greatest Con-men in the History of Great Britain; We'll watch the original documentary "The Lying Game", from the BBC.

   • 1/14/10- Local Political Analyst & Radio Host Charles Goyette presents his new book: "Dollar Meltdown".

   • 1/28/10- The Holocaust: History's Greatest Genocide or Outright Hoax? Pat Schwind debates Holocaust Denier Friedrich Paul Berg.

   • 2/11- Award Winning Political Columnist, Becky Fenger; Topic TBD’d.

   • 2/25- Dr. Jonathan Weisbuch, Former Naval Officer & Los Angeles Dept. of Health Services Medical Director: Health Care Reform.

   • 3/11- Denver Police Officer, (36 years), Commander Tony Ryan, now a spokesman for LEAP, (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition): “The War on Drugs is Killing America; Legalize Now”! Tony was the first Police Commander on the scene of the Columbine High School massacre.

   • 3/25- The Wisdom of Eastern Medicine. Feng Sui instructor Johndennis Govert, and Tai-Chi instructor (& my chiropractor) Dr. Darin Henry. We also hope to have an acupuncturist, & another martial arts coach.

   • TBD- Nuclear Power: I thought I had a "lefty" to debate my friend & nuclear engineer, Joe Napier, but he backed out. No biggie. I'll find another.

   • TBD- The Magic of Packy Paulsen & Tony Barnhart. I hope they can make some folks I know disappear!!

5. Folks, interest rates are fantastic!! If you need to Buy, Build, Remodel or Refi Real Estate, Call me. 480-250-8182.

Sincerely, Pat Schwind, MBA