I think women's self-defense classes are a wonderful thing. I also think that if the women heading in that intelligent direction want to further their training, the guard position (on their back, attacker between legs) and the techniques that spring from that are a good way to go - I dunno, it just seems like that kind of situation maybe just might come up. Judo and Japanese jujitsu offer good training in that regard, but (as much as i have ambivalent feelings about the martial art) Brazilian jujitsu probably has the most developed set of techniques. Of course, just like any purely self-defense practice, it would probably be better only to train a few simple and practical sweeps rather than the myriad chokes and armbars, though I would say that training the other side of things a little (breaking and passing the guard) would definitely improve defensive techniques.

-Another example of what I've probably snapped about recently to various people. We don't need divisive and inflammatory stereotyping, or the ignorance of the existence of people who are fighting against those stereotypes from the inside. Those writers and reporters and whoever who can work from the inside of fundamentalist cultures and nations to counteract the general conception of "the clash between civilizations" need all the support they can get, and a mirrored action from the outside of those nations.

-Thing With Feathers - silent and artsy comics

-Red Meat - definitely not silent comics, but very funny (via Kevin)