Well let me rush right out and purchase it.

With all the time and effort countless high-ranking seniors have put into researching So Rim Jang Kwon, I find it highly dubious that Mr. Losik is advertising a book claiming to describe THE So Rim Jang Kwon practiced within the Moo Duk Kwan. If anyone obtains a copy of the book I'd be very interested in the source material.

I think it is important for us to expose Mr. Losik as a hoax if the source material doesn't measure up because it is only going to pervade myths and further distort the truth that we seek.

On the other hand, if the the source material DOES measure up, I'll be the first to commend Mr. Losik.

Leviathan,

Don't hold your breath. I went rounds with him about his sources last time. His response being that he was not interested in a scholarly work that he was a competitive book seller, and therefore he would not disclose his sources.

I bought one of Mr. Losik's books on the kwans of Korea, I'm sorry to say. The time lines switched back and forth so much I would have to read it 2or 3 times just to make sure I understood what he said. When I look in the bibliograthy most of the references was from book that he had wrote before. Now I don't know about you but I'm not going to buy those books just to find out the source for them was him.
TANG SOO!!!
Butch
p.s. buyer beware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for joggling my memroy: when I asked how he knew this was the right SRJK he said, and this is part of the original discussion, that as far as he was concerned it is. Several kwans have a form with this name, and something that Mr. Hancock and I have discussed is the fact that this northern set has several versions, each with the same name. Something that may throw another monkey wrench in the mix is the fact that sometimes a CMA name may be descriptive, not actual.

Kungfuren,

if you do buy the book...let me know if you think its any good.

Some of the problems with Len's pubications are they are simple tracings from Federation publications. And a few were in the wrong sequence. If Tae *** Kwan is a simple tracing of GM from SBD Dae Gahm that would further hurt Len's reputation. I also am suspicous of So Rim Jang Kwon. Just tracing someone elses work is short of photo copying it and falls in the same category. I noticed in some of his publications he flat out copies entire pages from my website. I mentioned this to him and said that he needs to get my permission in the future and give me credit. To have a chapter on something in a book claiming to be written by him but mainly authored by me and others cannot be waved off with a simple mention of the website in the back of the book. If you are going to quote you need to use quotes, put a footnote at the bottom of the page and mention your source also in the back of the book for credit. If Len does this with me I have to conclude he is doing it with othes as well. And it would not be so bad if he gave proper credit and acknowledgment. But to pass off tracings and cut and paste pages as your own work is now catching up with Len's reputation. I would respect it more if he wrote complied by instead of authored by.

Master Segarra, I'm curious why you didn't pursue legal action against Mr. Losik if this is true. It would seem that a law suit, notwithstanding financial retribution, would discourage Mr. Losik from repeating copyright infringement in the future. Furthermore, if Mr. Losik is earning money off of work that was initially published by you, you should receive royalty fees at very least.

Very much agreed.

I'll tell you why. Because you can't get blood out of turnip!

I used to edit Len's work...and he mostly ignored me. His book on the various Kwans of Korea was the last time I edited something for him. Halfway in...I just gave up. It was simply repeating the same chapters over and over again only changing the sentences and paragraphs around. There was not bibliography and never was a source cited. All issued I've brought up with him. Not to mention the out and out errors I found in his translations.

Look. If you guys really want to do something productive....go to amazon.com...look up his books...and write scathing reviews. Maybe when nothing sales....it will force a change in attitude...style...content...and ethics.

JH

You'd have a better chance of turning Congress into a think tank.

I clearly pointed out, on this very board, that Len's book with the Yuk Rho forms was a flat out, tracing of the forms from SBD(TSD)MDK Vol. 2.

I saw this book when my instructor was asked to proof, and edit it. That blatant plagurism was the first thing I noticed, then when I looked further, it was apparent that he didn't even do a good job at that, as he had left out several 'sections' of the forms.

It actually makes me sick when I think that people are buying this garbage, and that he hasn't been exposed on a more public level.

I had bought a book , that promised to give knowledge no instructor gave to students, well,
#1 it was less informative than a standard gup manual! and got stuff wrong!!!!
#2it was printed bad, very bad, like typewriter stuff on a xerox then printed
#3it was way expensive
I sent it back and killed it at amazons review.

Does he make a good living?
I heard that Mr. Losik works for or has a position at TKD times? I would think that these issues would be better addressed to that periodical? If Mr. Losik is this unethical, doesnt that damage the credibility of their publication?

Where did you hear this?

JH

I"ll take the blame,
I thought Mr Losik was working for TKD Times. but his articles are featured often in the magazine..sorry for the confusion.
MD

Craig,

Remember the faulty KTMS history? TKDT was one of the sources that its author used. Now I ask you, would YOU consider that to be an ethical periodical? They do not look at the content, or rather its accuracy, they are looking for good stories to print.

Master Segarra;
As most of the regular posters on this forum are well aware of, this is certainly not the first time that Mr. Losik has so discourteously forced his infomercial style advertisements upon the readers of this forum, nor is it the first time he has generated so many consistantly negative comments about both his publications and his method of selling those "publications".

I have had a chance to peruse several of his "publications", and although I personaly can't speak as to the authenticity of the material within (although many of the posters to this forum, whose knowledge I greatly respect, have called it incorrect in parts at best), I can attest to the fact that the publications standards of his works are horrendous. The illustrations are badly done child-like line drawings, and the content of the text itself appears to repeated in chapter after chapter within the same book, but just refomatted into different phrasing, as if to make it appear that there is far more information within than there really is (not to mention the quality of that information). These books look like they are home-made off of a copy machine or some other low end method of reproduction. I would expect this level of workmanship from a adolescent.

Mr. Losik has been referred to in several other publications by authors with far better reputations than he himself enjoys, and his accuracy has always been deemed as "suspiciously erroneous at best" and "an unreliable source of information". If you are now yourself adding blatant plagiarism to his list of sterling qualities, may I be so bold as to offer a suggestion?

We (the fans of this forum) don't need to see this individuals crass attempts to sell us his substandard work on this site. You have banned other individuals for less offensive behavior than Mr. Losik has consistently shown towards your own standing as an author in the martial arts field. While I know that you don't take an action such as I am suggesting lightly, could you at least consider removing this persons posts from this forum, and let Mr. Losik carry out his marketing program elswhere.

Respectfully yours;
Kyoshi

I firmly agree. There is enough misinformation out there. There are anumber of people who frequent this board who do know what they are talking about, and with him trying to hobnob with this group, almost gives him a de facto endorsement.

I believe that his marketing posts should be removed, but he should not be banned. The opportunity should be afforded to him to make up for his actions by posting useful and true information for free and for the benefit of the Tang Soo Do community.

That would be a good compromise position, Leviathan, if only Mr. Losik were to contribute to this forum on a less commercial level. But if my memory serves me right, his history of posts to this forum are either messages constructed with only a vague relationship to the subject of the post in question at the time, coupled with a not-so-vague reference to several of his publications that supposedly contain the "real" information, or on occassion he will submit a post that based upon the subject matter, appears to be only an attempt to be sporadically active on this forum, so that he can legitimize his bombarding us with his infomercials.

I don't have any problem with Mr. Losik personally, as I don't really know him. I have read some of his material and I am quite unimpressed with it. Maybe he can be a fine contributor to this forum in the future, but I have traveled a lot of hard roads in my life, and I do tend to be cynical at times, and whenever I see a post from Len, I am just waiting for the other shoe to drop, for him to once again reveal his penchance for turning every opportunity for exposure on this forum into a profitable experience by hyping more of his publications to the unwilling members of this site.

Cynicaly yours,
Kyoshi

I agree. I've cut Len some slack. But I have yet to hear one person that was happy with any of his books and the consensus is everyone seems unhappy that he is promoting them here. I would not mind helping him promote his books if he concentrated on quality not quantitiy.

Hopefuly he will read these posts and listen to the advice everyone is giving to him.

Hmmm. That's an unexpected position you've taken Frank. I mean...seeing as how we let you hobknob with us.

JH

John,

No offense, but I don't need or require hobnobbing with you. There are plenty of people with whom I do associate, that I don't need you or your isinuations. I do not mislead people. Mr. Losik apparently has, and is further trying to do so. The last thing I need is YOUR approval for anything; however, my concern is that in failing to prevent further postings of this type by Mr. Losik here, someone less involved would be influenced and possibly provide more disinformation. This is a common sense position, so please, use some.

Dear Mr. Segarro,

I have twice attempted to use your expertise in reviewing my written material and correct mistakes I may have made in my written material, but you refused to help me after actually saying you would. Now you criticize my work for mistakes that you could have corrected. This behavior is not that of a senior level Black belt, but of a gup.

Please send me examples of where my work matches your work, include a copy of your work and my work, and identify on the examples where it is the same. If it is the same I will remove it from my publication(s).

Bets Regards,

Len Losik

Please, Lenny-boy,
Enough of the infomercials! I and many others who read
this bulletin board cannot take your BS any more!!
However, don't quit your daytime McJob!

You say Seggaro I say Seggara.

Although I can say I have never read any books written by Mr. Losik, if I were to ask someone for there help, I hope I would at least spell there name correctly.