A Senior Competitor

Wallisville, Texas -- Sue Diaz, a sixty-two year old retired schoolteacher, earned her karate black belt on Sunday, May 18.

She has been on the karate circuit in Texas and Las Vegas for the last four years, doing very well as a "senior" competitor.

The woman is actually the newest black belt in her family. Her husband Jesse, as well as children; Rodney and Sandy are all black belts and have competed for years.

Karate With Passion

Innerwestweekly.com.au reported about an Australian black belt couple who have been teaching karate to visually-impaired and blind people since 2001.

Now, the married couple - Miklos and Nora Farago - have won a Vision Australia's Making a Difference Awards for their work.

They say that as well as improving participants' fitness levels, the karate training improves awareness of spatial concepts and posture.

Ninja Counselor

Plastic sword carrying, ninja camp counselor in karate gi, running late through woods :-)

Story:
New Jersey -- Five schools in Barnegat township were briefly locked down Wednesday because someone claimed to have seen a man dressed as a ninja, carrying a large sword, running through the woods near an elementary school, according to myfoxny.com.

However, the person -- dressed in a karate gi and carrying a plastic sword -- was actually a camp counselor heading to a costume party.

What Did You Sai?

A sai as a concealed "weapon"? Dang, this guy have been watching way too many Ninja Turtles episodes :-)

Story:
Maine -- Police have arrested a 22-year-old Waterville man on a charge of being in possession of a sai, a sword-type (sic.) tool and weapon used in martial arts training.

The man was arrested on charges of carrying a concealed weapon. He was also violating the conditions of release by being in the company of a person with whom he was not allowed contact.

Sent to Prison

New York -- A 50-year-old Niagara man will spend the next five years in prison, niagara-gazette.com reports.

The 50-year-o former karate instructor pleaded guilty to a single charge of first-degree sexual abuse, while he was originally charged with predatory sexual assault against a child and first-degree criminal sexual act.


The mane was arrested in October and accused of having oral sex with the boy at his home in August. The boy was 6-years-old at the time and had been a student at the man's Niagara karate school.

Defecting Judoka

Florida -- On May 11, the last day of competition at the Pan American Championships in Miami, Laborde, Yurisel Laborde - the Cuban favorite to win a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics, missed that chance when she left her judo delegation.

The 28-year old Olympian made her decision for a better life, according to miamiherald.com. After defecting two weeks ago in Miami, the top judo player is now ready to start her new life in the United States.

Age Is no Barrier

At the age of 68, Sheila Thurlow's recently passed the physical examination for the fourth Dan black belt in shotokan karate, according to newsshopper.co.uk

The examination was conducted by her son Kevin Thurlow and a panel of other senior instructors.

The veteran, who was tested at the English shotokan-ryu karate kyokai in Sidcup, has demonstrated age is no barrier and provides inspiration to other pensioners and even younger adults.

Her son Kevin, who recently was voted chairman of Britain's traditional governing body of karate, expressed his delight at her achievement.

The woman started training 20 years ago and claimed her first black belt at the age of 53.

She continues to train in both karate and kobudo at her son's dojo in Sidcup as well as teaching at her own dojo in Bexleyheath.

BJJ Rapist

UK -- A 24-year-old female TV presenter was raped and brutally injured in central London in March, according to people.co.uk

A 31-year-old BJJ fighter (called an MMA "expert" by media) from Romford, Essex, is charged with rape and assault causing actual bodily harm.

A Ponzi Scheme

Desmoinesregister.com reports about the former Indianola, Iowa karate teacher who has now been indicted by a federal grand jury over an alleged, so called 'Ponzi scheme'.

The indictement accuses the 51-year-old man of "carrying out a fraudulent investment operation wherein he offered abnormally high returns to entice investors and then, rather than investing the money so obtained, he used it for personal purposes and perpetrated the scheme by paying initial investors with money obtained from subsequent investors."

Three-Year Contracts

A three-year contract about karate training a five year old child? And for how much?

Story:
An Atlantic Beach, Florida woman has filed a police report, according to firstcoastnews.com. The mother is stating she's been the victim of forgery regarding a contract with a karate school.

Contesting the three year contract, the woman says she never signed any papers.

The karate school is reportedly holding her to a contract for karate lessons for her five year old son. It is reported the balance for the three year contract is $5,400.00.

A Cult Comedy

This movie - "The Foot Fist Way" - seems to be a thing that I need to get a look at. The film, featuring Danny R. McBride, is allegedly very funny.

While it's already an underground hit, the movie is just to be released at theaters in the US.

With all the serious stuff going on around us, I figure we all need a good laugh from time to time :-)

Fed-Up Hospital Worker

Saudi Arabia -- In Madinah, a receptionist at a private hospital allegedly got fed up with an irate woman. The Filipino receptionist used her karate background to subdue the other woman.

Police intervened, according to reports and the two combatants were taken to a police station, according to arabnews.com.

Arrested Again

Texas -- After failing to register as a sex offender, a 44-year-old former MMA fighter was arrested in Denison by the Sheriff’s Department and U.S. Marshals.

Kxii.com says the man allegedly was convicted in 1999 in Colorado for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old.