How to wield a walking stick  Matthew Cruikshank   Gang of
ne'er-do-wells trying to relieve you of your consumer
electronics? Self-defence skills blunted by never actually
having learned any? Holding an umbrella? Then deploy "The
Walking Stick Defence", an anonymous Indian police officer's
1923 guide to bringing the pain, using only lightweight dandyish
accessories. In his words: "Imagine the discomfiture of the
burliest ruffian on sensing the deft manipulation of what
appeared to him to be merely a harmless little walking stick!" 
Grip your new weapon and hold it straight up in the air, angling
your wrist so it's pointing downwards (an effective if odd-
looking defence in itself); then swing it around by circling
your wrist. (The guide says "something after the style of a
Catherine wheel", but imagine Jet Li showing off with a
lightsaber and you'll get it.) Also try turning it back and
forth horizontally over your head. Practise over and over
(probably not in a public place), until you're nimble. If your
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