Great Kids Program

Here's a video from a US based martial arts school - showing an obvious great and fun martial arts program. This is what children's martial arts should be all about; great fun and educational at the same :-)

King of Upside Down

Here's something you definitely don't wan't to try at home boys and girls - you hear!

Also known as 'The King of Upside Down', Chinese kung fu expert Li Xin, can be seen here performing a headstand on top of a nail.

It has taken the man 20 years to master the feat, according to digitalspy.co.uk. I really can't help but wonder what a term such as not mastering the stunt entails...

Taekwondo Champ Guilty

Canada -- A former taekwondo champ and father of one from Ottawa pleaded guilty recently to two counts of manslaughter, according to ottawacitizen.com.

The man admitted that his foolish drunken decision sparked a deadly 2009 Christmas Eve blaze that killed two female neighbors, aged 57and 79.

The defendant had reportedly been celebrating his 23rd birthday and was leaving a friend's second-floor apartment in a 15-storey apartment block when he stopped outside the door to an apartment at about 4:18 a.m. and held his lit lighter to a Christmas wreath hanging on the door.

MMA Fighter Beat Mugger

Illinois -- You got to be pretty brave, or daft (take your pick) trying to rob a skilled MMA fighter. To prove the point, just take a look at the mugshot below.

Inquisitr.com reported about how a convicted felon, attempted to hold up a vehicle in Chicago by asking the driver for a light, and when the drive said he didn't have one the criminal reportedly pulled a handgun on the victim and demanded money.

The driver obliged and handed over all of his cash but was then told to get out of the car. However, when  the 24-year-old robber lost his focus the victim secured a hold of the weapon, something which caused the criminal to shoot himself in the foot.

The MMA fighter then pinned the robber to the ground and beat him to a pulp until police came to the scene and arrested the criminal. He was then taken to hospital for treatment.

Sanshou Athlete Died

China -- A 23-year-old Sanshou/wushu fighter, Shangguan Pengfei,has died in hospital, 42 days after he was knocked out during a competition in in Haikou, Hainan Province, according to english.cri.cn.

On October 31, the athlete was rushed to hospital after he collapsed following a blow to the head. The fighter remained in coma thereafter until he was declared dead on Monday, the paper says.

Questions have been raise how Shangguan could have passed the medical check given he had already been knocked out in the recent two months before the fatal competition.

Lost Match - Killed Herself

India -- Police said a 19-year-old female student, holding a "black-belt in martial arts" (duh), hanged herself after losing a karate match.

The tragic incident occurred at the young woman's home in Begum Bazaar, Hyderabad on Saturday evening, according to ibnlive.in.com.

Family members reportedly said the young woman was very depressed after she lost a karate fight during the annual sports competition at her college.

Karate Ace Denies Sex Acts

Update, Januar 20 2012:
The karate fighter, who has won gold medals at world and European championship level, was sentenced to five years for the sex offences against his victim.

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Update, December 23:
The karate champion has been convicted by a jury of sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl.

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UK -- Yorkpress.co.uk reports that a 30-year-old international karate champ allegedly was planning to leave his wife for a 13-year-old girl with whom he allegedly was having an underage sexual relationship.

The prosecutor leading a case against the man, claimed the couple kissed and carried out other sexual acts together in the defendant's house, in a Clifton Moor car park as well as a men's toilet.

Judo Coach, Sexual Harassment

Update, December 27:

Prosecutors recently filed rape charges against the two-time Olympic judo gold medalist according to media reports.

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Japan -- A 33-year-old retired double Olympic judo gold medalist has been fired from his position as a university coach for sexually harassing a female student, according to sports.yahoo.com.

The man, who won the 66kg title at the Olympics in 2004 as well as 2008, announced his retirement from competition in October 2010 and became a visiting professor at Kyushu University.

The university stated that the man gave the student alcohol - she is allegedly under legal drinking age in Japan (20) - and harassed her sexually in September.

Athlete Suspended

Colorado -- A 20-year-old taekwondo fighter has been suspended for two years by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after testing positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine at a tournament in San Jose, California, back in July.

You can read more on this story at: sportsillustrated.cnn.com.

Drunken Attack

New Zealand -- A fighter who won a world title in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2006,was reportedly not proud of the fact that he hit a man twice his age and breaking his teeth in the process, according to stuff.co.nz.

A court was told how the 23-year-old defendant was drunk in a New Plymouth bar, about 1:20 a.m. on October 2 when he punched a nearby man (aged 49) and chipping his teeth in an unprovoked attack.

Robber Picks Wrong Hotel

California -- Below is a surveillance video from a hotel in Los Angeles. It shows a 31-year-old would-be robber being taken down and held by two MMA fighters from Eugene, Oregon.

The two Good Samaritans were guests at the hotel and had been to a martial arts tournament in the city when they came out of the lift and encountered the robbery in progress.

They both sprang into action when they heard the clerk's cry for help. After a few moments of tussle, they were able to take the gun-wielding robber to the floor. The robber was held there until police arrived.

The two MMA fighters reportedly received lots of well deserved praise from police. Kudos to you guys!

"Sexting" Taekwondo Teacher

Arizona -- A 24-year-old taekwondo teacher from Mesa has been jailed following a sexting sting, police said.

The man, who according to kpho.com was a 12-year-old girl's instructor, allegedly began sending the girl nude photos of himself to her cell phone.

Following the arrest across on October 27,  Gilbert police said the man admitted to sending naked images of himself to the young girl's cell phone.

Karateka Died

India -- In what was called a tragic accident, a karate fighter from Jharkhand reportedly died minutes after winning the National Championship in Pune.

The black belt competitor allegedly complained of chest pain after a blow from an opponent during the competitions. Despite the injury, the victim went on to win the title, according to daily.bhaskar.com.

The fighter collapsed minutes after winning the tournament and died on the way to hospital.

Taekwondo Official Detained

China -- Just months before the upcoming Olympics, a 51-year-old Chinese taekwondo official has been held on suspicion of corruption, according to google.com.

Chinese officials have not released details of the accusations and the arrest, and the sports ministry said it did not know the reason for suspect's detention.

Murder Charge

Israel -- A 45-year-old assistant to the military attache at the Peruvian Embassy in Tel Aviv has been beaten to death, and a 24-year-old man has been accused of murdering the man on September 18.

It is alleged that the accused had planned to kill the victim after the victim allegedly was having a sexual relation with the accused man's 20-year-old girlfriend.

Jpost.com reports that the accused is skilled in the art of Wing Chun, and that he used his martial arts skills to beat the victim to death.

MMA Fighter Arrested Again

Minnesota -- The 30-year-old heavyweight MMA fighter from Apple Valley who pleaded guilty in September to assaulting his wife, has arrested again on an outstanding warrant.

A warrant for the man's arrest was issued after he failed to comply with conditions of his pre-sentence release, according to applevalley.patch.com.

Accused: Karate Teacher

Georgia -- A karate teacher has been accused by police of sexual battery on a minor in Marietta, according to mdjonline.com.

Police alleges the man cupped the groin of a juvenile while teaching the girl karate along with a group of other children. This conduct is alleged to have occurred on more than one occasion.

Judo Instructor, 71, Arrested

Canada -- Believing there may be more victims, police have arrested and charged a 71-year-old judo instructor with sexually assaulting a female student on a number of occasions, according to thestar.com.

Police in Toronto allege the man sexually assaulted the student, a teenager at the time, at the judo club from the mid-1980s until the early 1990s.

Kung Fu Teacher Pleads Not Guilty

California -- A Fremont kung fu instructor and school owner, aged 48, has pleaded not guilty to three felony child molest charges, according to mercurynews.com.

The defendant was arrested September 23 at a Houston, Texas airport, after leaving the country when he became aware of police investigating the case.

The man is accused of molesting two female minors who were students at his martial arts school.

Anything to add to this case or similar ones? Feel free to add your comment below.

Judo Instructor Guilty

Even though a staggering number of complaints have emerged for years regarding dangerous teaching activities in Japanese school judo - nothing has apparently come out of it ... until now. Here's an article from google.com (feel free to comment below):

Japan -- A Japanese court on Wednesday found a martial arts instructor guilty over the death of a six-year-old boy, a court official said, in the first criminal case over judo training in Japan.

The Osaka District Court found the instructor guilty of causing the boy's death by repeatedly slamming him to the floor during training, ordering the defendant to pay a fine of one million yen ($13,000), the official said.

It is the first criminal case filed by Japanese prosecutors against judo trainers, according to a victims' group, despite over 100 child deaths blamed on harsh training or hazing between 1983 and 2010.

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Have your say about these judo related injuries and deaths in the comment field below. It appears this has to do mainly with inexperienced instructors and teachers. What's your point of view?

Closing Martial Arts Schools

When martial arts businesses are closing down with little or no warning, it puts a bad name on the martial arts community as a whole and students and parents alike are left in the dust.

What is even worse is that some of these closed schools is down to criminal activities of the operators, or quarrels and disagreements among instructors and owners - often times "political" issues over power, control or money.

The following two cases are recent examples:

South Dakota -- A Sioux Falls martial arts school abruptly closed its doors Monday morning. Now, the owner of the school and parents of students taking lessons are accusing each other of wrongdoing.

Each side says the other took money and failed to live up to various obligations. And it's the kids who are being caught in the middle of a very different kind of fight.

The first word many parents of those students received about this dispute was notice during the school day that the vehicle that normally picks up their children to take them to classes wouldn't be showing up.

The Elite Martial Arts Academy was officially formed on August 1. Back in April, when it was called the Sioux Falls Martial Arts Academy, owner Tom Werner asked for $35 membership fees for students to join USA Taekwondo.

That membership allows kids to travel to national competitions. But according to former instructors, as well as some parents, those applications haven't been processed more than five months later.

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South Carolina -- When a Boiling Springs mom went to drop off her children at a popular martial arts business last Thursday she found a sign on the door that said "no more classes."

The woman (...) says she paid $1,132 to All-American Martial Arts Center in Boiling Springs on August 31. The money was paid as a six-month advance, but she says her children received only two and a half weeks of classes before the place closed.

The woman says another mother at the facility told her, "The owner's been arrested, and they're closing, and I said wait a minute. I just paid for six months! ... I paid in full.

Spartanburg County deputies did arrest (the owner) on August 16 and charged him with 2nd degree burglary, petite larceny and obtaining goods under false pretenses. Deputies say (the owner) stole jewelry from the home of one of his clients and later pawned it.

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What's your take on situations like this? Any experiences about martial arts businesses closing down you care to share with the rest of us? Feel free to comment below!

Cage Fight and Children?

Dailymail.co.uk and other ill informed British newspapers have been all over a "shocking" revelation of children doing "cage fighting" recently.

All though there are some things that were not good decisions about the two young lads fighting, one really has to wonder if the sensation seeking press has totally lost their collective marble...

Yes, the fight was held inside a one of the cages used for cage fighting, and yes it was during an MMA event. But had the half-wits of the press done any basic research they would have discovered that A. this was not an MMA fight, and B. not a "cage fight".

In fact it was nothing worse than a regular wrestling, grappling, judo or BJJ (Brazilian jiu-jitsu) match - something children all over the world are doing with great success day in and day out.

Yes, the setting and arrangement around this "cage match" should definitely not been handled the way it turned out. But one should also hope that the nitwit press representatives and the sensation seekers (some of which probably want children to wear a helmet indoors to avoid being hurt - poor things...) could refrain from talking about things of which they have absolutely no frigging clue what so ever.

Am I a great fan of young children fighting? Nope. How about MMA? I do find some parts of that questionable as well. Still I do find passages like the ones below (from said newspaper) very offensive and totally laughable really:

"The spectacle of grown men punching the life out of each other in public was stomach-churning enough. But the behaviour of the crowd as two young schoolboys were led into the cage set up in the centre of the dingy room, was sickening to the extreme."

"As the boys began to pummel each other into submission, the baying chants of the 450 adults could be heard in the streets beyond."

For your information - this was a grappling match - no punches or kicks to be seen anywhere...

"Footage of that awful fight, which had all the aggressive hallmarks of a backstreet brawl, provoked a wave of outrage this week when it surfaced on the internet."

"(...)But the British Medical Association (BMA), the NSPCC and the charity Safechild have all reacted with fury, branding the spectacle 'disturbing and sick'. They are calling for a police and social services investigation. Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt has also condemned the 'sport' as 'barbaric'."

Let's hear it - what's your take on these ill-informed representatives and sensation seekers of the press? Are there any hopes of educating reporters about what martial arts is about, and finally - what's your take on MMA fights and children fighting in particular?

Feel free to comment below.

Karate Business Fraud Scheme

In the following story from examiner.net, you can read more about a local karate business owner who, according to prosecutors, is leading the largest false tax claims case ever prosecuted in the state.

The 46-year-old suspect, reportedly maintained an office and karate studio in Blue Springs.

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Missouri -- U.S. Attorney Beth Phillips announced Thursday through her office that 16 defendants - five from the Kansas City area - were charged in the tax fraud scheme, which spanned from July 1, 2008 to September 21, 2011.

Phillips called Kansas City the center of the operation, one that reached as far east as Georgia and as far west as California.

"Kansas City was the hub of a nationwide conspiracy that attempted to receive nearly $100 million in fraudulent tax refunds," Phillips said in a press release.

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So, let's hear it from you - what's your take on this tax return fraud scheme? Any thoughts on karate business owners in general or this person in particular?

Not What it Appeared to Be

Update, October 16:
Newsinfo.inquirer.net reports that local police has found several holes in the woman's claims and that they consider it a case of "fatal attraction".

Police said the allegations of the British-born woman were just "figments of her imagination," and that documentary evidence and medical tests had debunked her claims.

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Update, September 27:
Globalnation.inquirer.net reports that The mayor of Iloilo City demands an apology from the woman in the story below who claimed she had been held captive and made a sex slave in the Philippines.

The mayor reportedly said the British born woman had tarnished the image of the city and Ilonggos through her "baseless" allegations.

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The following story is sad and disgusting indeed, something which again shows the importance of doing proper background checks.

Philippines -- Au.news.yahoo.com had a story about a 39-year-old woman from New Zealand who said she was lured with a Facebook invitation to join a martial arts school in the Philippines - only to be robbed and forced into prostitution upon her arrival.

The martial arts enthusiast reportedly replied positively to an invitation to participate in an intense training camp in October.

"They were meant to be world class and I thought this was a chance for me to learn from the best," the woman said.

Feel free to comment on this story below. What is your take on invitations to training camps and the potential dangers? Is this an indication that we all too often take things at face value within the martial arts?

Ninja Warrior, at 87

Australia -- "I've always said to myself I'm not going to feel old until my hair goes grey," says 87-year-old Doreen Lanning from Penrith.

The frisky senior took up ninjitsu 16 months ago and she's is now training to become a ninja warrior, in spite of her age and two hip replacements, according to smh.com.au.

Charged With Indecent Assault

Pennsylvania -- A 13-year-old martial arts student was allegedly assaulted indecently by her karate instructor for over a year, according to state police and court documents.

The 52-year-old man has now been charged with indecent assault and corruption of minors, according to mcall.com. The man had a karate school in Lower Macungie Township.

Police started an investigation in May after the teenager told friends about the alleged assaults. These friends in return told her parents.

Assault on Taekwondo Team

India -- Thirty-seven Jharkhand taekwondo students were on board the Moori Express when they tried to stop a large group of students - alleged to be hundreds - from harassing their female team members.

In the melee - where articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com reports that 11 girls were harassed by the large crowd - eight individuals, including six of the taekwondo students, received serious injuries.

Confuse-Us Speaks #25

Canada -- There are a couple of good points to this 'Buyer Beware' post; like doing your homework and conducting at least some basic background information check-ups before signing up for martial arts training.

But the rest... my, oh my what a dribble! Where do people find all this nonsense which they then present as "the truth" about the various arts. OK, I'll admit it, I'm at least partially inclined to agree about the ninjitsu claims here.

Still, I'm not sure if I want to laugh or cry regarding the so called explanations about ju jitsu, judo and ninjitsu. Dear, of dear what a mess...

"Translated from Japanese ju jitsu is called 'the gentler way' while judo is called 'the gentle way.'" Master Confuse-Us is clapping his hands in amazement and approval! Just brilliant :-)

He Denies Sex Charges

Update, September 28:
The shamed karate instructor from Birmingham was found guilty as charged and has been sentenced to 8 years in prison.

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UK -- A 48-year-old Birmingham karate instructor is in court, charged with having a sexual relationship with a student when she was 13 and 14 years of age (between February 2008 and May 2009).

The prosecutor said the victim, who has since died, told a nurse about the affair when she feared she might be pregnant, according to kidderminstershuttle.co.uk.

'Johnny English Reborn'

Just brilliant - "no pain, no gain" :-)

Too Young to Teach

India -- When an argument between two groups of youngsters in west Delhi turned violent, a 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death.

Two young men, among them an 18-year-old individual said to be a karate teacher, was arrested following the murder.

Apart from the obvious tragedy, there is another thing that stands out.

I don't know about you but I do find it very strange that an 18-year-old can be a karate teacher. I mean, come on... it's a teenager for crying out loud!

Sex Offender Protected?

Australia -- A Jewish community in Melbourne and some of it's prominent senior members, have been accused by police investigators of covering up sex offences alleged to have been committed by a man who worked at one of the schools run by the order.

A 43-year-old security guard at the college in East St Kilda, was arrested and charged with 29 counts of indecent assault and gross indecency relating to former students, according to news.com.au.

The alleged offences is said to have occurred between 1984 and 1991. The alleged victims were between the ages of 7 and 17 at the time of the incidents, and it is alleged to have occurred through the suspects connections with the school. These connections reportedly included private karate lessons and a teaching group.

A Brutal Crime

Update, October 12:
After just a few weeks behind bars, the 40-year-old inmate reportedly killed his cell mate by beating the other man to death, according to latimesblogs.latimes.com.

The 50-year-old victim - a parole violator who had been sentenced to two years in prison for failing to register as a sex offender - was found dead Monday afternoon at a state prison reception center.

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California -- An MMA fighter and actor who played a smaller role in the first film about 'Austin Powers' is said to be facing a life sentence in prison, according to dailymail.co.uk.

The 40-year-old man has reportedly been convicted of taking part in a brutal rape and torture of a 20-year-old woman who was abducted in Huntington Beach, near her home.

The crime took place on Christmas Eve in 1990, and the man was arrested in 2008 after DNA tied him to the scene. The DNA sample was taken when the man was arrested on an unrelated vandalism charge, according to reports.

Major Kung Fu Fail

...Or why it is always a good idea to do some basic research prior to taking up a martial art, rather than after the fact.

The site avvo.com has a question from someone who apparently has had a run-in with an apparent "kung fuka".

First off - the individual claimed to have paid in the excess of 10 grand (holly smoke!) to be taught by a fake 10th degree kung fu black belt - only to find that the master was an obvious fake and that there's no Chinese governmental kung fu organization that awards black belts.

The person managed to get a third of the truly insane tuition fee back from filing a lawsuit through a small claims court.

A few minutes of research could have saved the individual of being royally taken for a ride ... kung fu style.

Judo Worries Parents

Japan -- From 2012, martial arts such as judo will be compulsory in schools across the country, according to english.aljazeera.net.

The program will help preserve the country's national sport of judo according to Japanese government officials, and for people who love all martial arts like we do, it comes as an apparently great decision.

However, many Japanese parents and also experts are voicing their concern - something which is understandable from the following numbers.

It is shown that 114 students have died (it is even said at least that number) and another 261 have been seriously injured while practicing the sport in school over the last 30 years, a number which is claimed to be five times higher than those shown in other large sports.

Is judo a dangerous sport? Of course not. Under safe guidance and qualified instruction it is way less dangerous than most other sports. If you take a country like France, where judo is a huge sport, there has been no reported deaths among children practicing the sport.

The point here is rather that you have no safety instructions in the Japanese school judo as well as non qualified, highly inexperienced teachers/instructors. Some of them apparently have been given just a basic three days of training before being set to teach children judo.

Combine that with a (Japanese judo) sports culture that is said to celebrate toughness, and you may have yourself an unfortunate road to more serious incidents.

Security Guard: 1 - Thug: 0

The best part is the idiot thug who seriously believed he won the "match"...

Charged, Karate Coach

Massachusetts -- A 52-year-old karate coach from Arlington has been arraigned on charges he indecently assaulted a 7-year-old student, according to thebostonchannel.com.

Police allege the defendant taught karate to the child at the time. They said the defendant asked the victim on several occasions to stay after class to help him remove a leg brace in the teacher's office and that he sexually assaulted the victim there.

Martial Arts Teacher Arrested

Update, October 2:
The taekwondo instructor has been arrested again after being accused of sexually assaulting another former student of his, according to examiner.com.

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New Hampshire -- A 48-year-old Manchester taekwondo instructor is being accused of sexually assaulting one of his students, according to wmur.com.

The student was under the age of 13 when the alleged assaults occurred over a period of about three years, from 2001.

Sambo Champ Killed Student

Russia -- A 25-year-old sambo World Champion and MMA fighter - originally from Dagestan - is accused of killing a 19-year-old student with a single blow following a quarrel.

The fighter turned himself in six days after hitting the younger student one time near the entrance of a Moscow nightclub, according to themoscowtimes.com.

The student had allegedly flirted with fighter's girlfriend. When he arrived a little later, the fighter spoke to the victim for several seconds before hitting him in the face and calmly walking away.

A No Contest Plea

Nevada -- A 30-year-old heavyweight MMA fighter, who became known when he was featured in the second season of "The Ultimate Fighter" on Spike TV, have reached an agreement with prosecutors to make a no-contest plea for allegedly attempting to sexually assault a woman in his Las Vegas home April 10, 2010.

The alleged incident unfolded when a woman filed a police report that the MMA fighter had sexually assaulted her, according to lasvegassun.com.

Fake Charity Fraud

UK -- A 61-year-old hooligan and martial arts "legend" from the Burnley area has been sentenced to jail after falsely claiming he collected money for a kick-boxing club.

The man told people in Blackburn, that - while using a charity collection tin - he was part of a group collecting for the club, according to pendletoday.co.uk.

He was allegedly arrested when an off-duty police officer recognized him from Burnley.

Looting Star

Update, September 8:
And just when you thought this case couldn't get any more bizarre, along comes one of these "but wait - there's more" moments...

Turns out this nitwit teenager judoka wasn't a British national team member at all. A member of a judo club yes, but allegedly miles away from any Olympics any day.

How in the name of Jigoro Kano could this idiot think he could get away with such an obvious lie in the long run? Dang, there are some really strange martial arts people out there!

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Update, September 7:
The judo teenager has been sentenced to 8 month in a juvenile detention facility. Talk about stupid...

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UK -- A 17-year-old member of the British judo team could possibly be facing a jail sentence after he has admitted to burglary and handling stolen goods during the recent riots in Manchester.

The teenager, who was described by a court judge as "(...) a bright boy with a bright future ahead of you." was reportedly found by police with his pockets full of cigarettes and stolen jewelry on August 9.

One really has to wonder how "bright" this lad is (even for a teenager) if he chooses to jeopardize his whole future like this...

The 'Shadow'

OK, so I admit it... I'm as boyish and childish as they come. I have even made it my mission not to become too grown up ... ever - that concept is so plain boring!

That said, even I find it very weird - troubling even - to read about a grown man, aged 33, dressed up as ninja, trawling the streets at night to "to protect the public" in jolly old England.

- Ninja costume? Check.
- Carrying weapon? Check (wooden pole).
- Wearing hearing aid to be able to hear better? Check.
- Stalking in the shadows? Check.
- Adult? Check (sort of).
- Devised his own interpretation of the martial art? Check.
- Street name 'Shadow'? Check.
- "Patrolling" the streets? Check.
- Sometimes spending all night out on the streets? Check.
- Has developed a special roaring war cry? Check.
- Will use force if required? Check.
- Proudly posing for pictures in the papers? Check.
- Police not happy about it? Check.
- Honorary Martial Arts Maniac? Double check.

MMA Fighter Assaulted Police

Ohio -- After an early morning incident with an experienced MMA fighter and former wrestler, three Dayton Police officers had to be treated at an area hospital. One officer reportedly suffered a concussion, according to wdtn.com.

When an officer confronted the 27-year-old MMA fighter urinating on the sidewalk outside a Dayton bar at 2 a.m. Friday, the man allegedly assaulted the officer.

Two responding back-up officers who soon arrived were also injured while struggling to get the fighter under control.

The 27-year-old man has reportedly fought 22 MMA fights in his career, many of them as a professional. It is also said he has been in trouble with the law prior to this latest incident.

Forms on the Platform?

I suppose that letting some aggression out on the platform can be a good idea after all - in any case I am quite certain it is far better to do it there - on something solid - than on people inside a crowded subway carriage.

Perhaps that was the idea behind a well known sports brand being given the go ahead to install padded punching bags at the Xujiahui subway station in Shanghai?

The idea behind it is allegedly to allow stressed out commuters punch and kick the bags to let off some steam.

And who knows, perhaps you could even do your next workout while waiting for your train to arrive? Just don't start doing form though ... that would look totally uncool :-)

Fukuda Sensei, 10th Dan

California -- Please forget the absurd nonsense of 9-, 15- or 20-year-old "experts" or "masters". Yes, the kids are great and cute and all that, but lets get real. Being a true master or expert takes a life of dedication to an art.

It definitely involves more than being able to perform intricate patterns, kick high, win medals or being handed belts like candy.

One such true master, expert and legend is Keiko Fukuda sensei from San Francisco, who recently received the highest honor of judo. At the age of 98, she has been awarded the ultimate rank of 10th dan. Bravo and congratulations Fukuda sensei!

She is the first woman ever to be promoted to this rank. Not only that, there are just three people before her, all Japanese men, who have reached that level.

Fukuda sensei still teaches at the women's dojo in Noe Valley, and she was reportedly in tears when she was brought the news.

"All my life," Fukuda sensei said, "this has been my dream."

Nun-Fu?

Singapore -- It could perhaps have been nun-fu ... she could even have been a nunchaku fan.

However, 55-year-old Sister Linda Sim is not into kung-fu or weapon arts, she is an avid taekwondo practitioner, according to koreaherald.com.

While visiting Korea recently with some of her students to participate in a taekwondo youth camp, the Singaporean nun told reporters she is finding strength and also peace in taekwondo.

Sister Linda reportedly took up the martial art in her church when she was 17-years-old.

Instructor Gets 30 Years

Georgia -- We have previously mentioned a former martial arts instructor and chiropractor who was arrested back in 2006 for coercing underage boys to send him pornographic pictures of themselves.

After being convicted by a federal jury, the 39-year-old man has now been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, according to journalinquirer.com.

MMA Backflip Fail

Time for another video... This time a total self-inflicted MMA-fail. Hold on to your seat as this guy does an awesome (at least to the spectators) back-flip flop.

Why let your opponent have the pleasure of injuring you when you can fix it all by yourself? Makes perfect sense, right?

Too Much Ninja Turtles

UK -- (Northern Ireland) A judge has allegedly lamented that too many young men today are "fascinated by martial arts and Ninja Turtles".

This rather strange conclusion came after a 22-year-old man was found guilty of assault and various other offences.

The defendant was reportedly arrested after being seen staggering along the streets of Londonderry carrying a circular saw and later holding a police officer in a headlock.

So there you have it ... those green fellows may land you in a heap of trouble. I better cut out this martial art thingy all together.

I suppose alcohol is still OK since the judge didn't make a note about that.

Molested by Chief of Police?

Update, October 18:
After failing to cooperate with an ongoing investigation, the 56-year-old police chief accused of molesting two teenagers has been fired from his position. The man had been suspended without pay since the summer.

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Wisconsin -- The 55-year-old chief of police in a Western Wisconsin village has been charged with molesting two male teenagers, aged 16 and 17. This is according to kare11.com.

The two boys were reportedly arrested in March 2011 after they broke into an area church. They later told investigators that the police chief offered to "mentor them and teach them karate".

The boys claimed the man had spiked their energy drinks with alcohol, showed them pornography and repeatedly molested them on a number of visits to his apartment. They were allegedly threatened with juvenile detention if they told anyone.

The man told investigators he had an addiction to pornography, according to court documents.

Confuse-Us Speaks #24

OK ninjabbers ... time for an other complete martial arts comment fail, something master Confuse-Us would be proud of; nay, scrap that, he would probably be sobbing silently.

Today's entry: "The judo kick"... Yes, you got that right. We all know about the famous (and totally lethal) judo chop. But a judo kick? I guess that's more like "toetally" lethal?

Anyhow, apparently gullible reporters from gacksports.com talks about the first time ever judo kick. Allegedly delivered during a soccer match in Brazil. Sure, we know that the sport of soccer is a full contact blood sport and all that, but a judo kick...? Quadruple wow!

In all fairness, the fantasy land reporters states: "It's not often that you see someone judo-kick someone in the back of the head". Spot on guys, spot on. Could it be because judo don't involve kicking? Just saying...

Death Sentence

Sri Lanka -- After being found guilty of murder, a 52-year-old former karate teacher was sentenced to death, according to dailymirror.lk.

The Homagama resident was accused of murdering a 32-year-old woman, a mother of two, in January 2007.

Shakin' All Over

S. Korea -- A skyscraper in Seoul reportedly had to be evacuated during a vigorous workout recently.

It is said that the cause for the evacuation was a group of middle-aged people doing Tae Bo (a fitness workout which combines taekwondo and boxing). Allegedly, this group exercise caused tremors, which in turn set of the need for evacuating the high rise building.

The owners of the building said the upper floors of the tower was shaking for 10 minutes, as a result of the group exercise on the 12th floor gym.

And who said that middle-aged people doing Tae Bo isn't dangerous stuff... :-)

Ninja Games

Virginia -- A 13-year-old boy was lucky to get away without serious injuries after he impaled himself through the neck with a bamboo spear while playing a ninja game in Lynchburg, according to upi.com.

The child was injured while playing with friends and he apparently had the stick on to his back when the mishap occurred.

A friend said that the boy had jumped and that the makeshift spear went through his neck when he hit the ground. "The stick must have went forward," the friend, said.

The stick reportedly went through the boys's neck and exited 3 inches behind his left ear. He was rushed to hospital, but no arteries were hit as luck would have it.

Karate Expert, Weapons Dealer

UK -- A 35 year old karate expert has been give a strict jail sentence in Newcastle.

The karateka was allegedly ranked at #17 in the UK at one time.

The black market weapons dealer smuggled what has been described as as appalling armoury of martial art throwing stars, butterfly knives, knuckle dusters and even blowpipes from Pakistan, and sold them on for huge profits.

Officials at Newcastle Airport reportedly discovered a shipment of 2,700 weapons in boxes marked only as hand tools, according to chroniclelive.co.uk.

When a random check was done of cargo arriving at Newcastle on an Emirates flight, officials recovered a total of 1,005 knuckle dusters, 600 butterfly knives, 1,800 throwing stars and 720 dart firing blowpipes.

When officers later raided his home they discovered a haul of a further 1,500 similar weapons.

Students Accuse Instructor

Colorado -- A taekwondo teacher has been accused by three female students of sexual assault. The assaults started in 2008, according to one of the alleged victims.

Aurora Police have arrested the 31-year-old man, of Aurora in connection to the accusations from the three teenagers, according to 9news.com.

The man is reportedly accused of sexual assault on a child in a position of trust and sex assault on a child.

Fighting Spirit

UK -- Eleven-year-old Daniel Kimmins was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2006, according to thisisbath.co.uk.

After two operations, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the young boy was reportedly left mute and unable to move the left side of his body.

Now, this real-life fighter, who has had to learn to walk and talk again, is set to achieve black belt in taekwondo. Way to go son!

Accused of Raping Student

Georgia -- A 28-year-old popular taekwondo instructor who was training for the 2012 Olympics is in jail following an alleged sexual assault of a 9-year-old student.

The man was reportedly arrested on June 25 when a 9-year-old girl told police the instructor assaulted her at his martial arts school in Lithonia, according to examiner.com.

Instructor Indicted

Tennessee -- A 25-year-old Hendersonville man who owned a martial arts studio attended by dozens of local children has been indicted on a number of counts related to possession of kiddie porn.

The martial arts instructor was arrested  March 18 after a forensic analysis of his computer showed that he was in possession of child pornography, according to tennessean.com.

Taekwondon't

Update, August 27:
The 16-year-old boy from Florida has been sentenced and ordered to serve up to eight months at a youth correctional institution following the assault at a local martial arts competition.

Update, July 7:
It was originally thought the fight broke out prior to a match. However, it has emerged that there was no "fight", but an outright assault - and that it happened after a bout.

The attacker, who just prior to the incident had lost his match, went over to the winner and delivered a vicious kick to the head of the totally unprepared victim.

A witness said that neither the assailant, nor his father, seemed to have any remorse (why am I not surprised...)

Read more mercurynews.com - a nasty story for sure!

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California -- In San Jose, two juvenile competitors - aged 15 and 16 - got into a brawl prior to their scheduled match at the USA Taekwondo Junior Olympics, according to examiner.com.

As a result of the violent fight, one of the boys were arrested and the other was taken to a medical center, a police spokesman said.

Shameful and stupid behavior if you ask me.

Judo Benefit Fiddler

UK -- While teaching and practicing judo, a 46-year-old black belt judoka has been pocketing in excess of £1,000 a month in disability support, according to thesun.co.uk.

The civil war refugee from Congo, who does judo at a community sports center in North London has allegedly even been posting pictures of himself in judo gear on Facebook.

Documents supposedly show the man, who's also been described as "a violent drunk" was sent a letter in April 2008 where officials accepted he was "virtually unable to walk" and needed "attention with bodily functions through the day".

MMA Fighter Beating Wife

Minnesota -- A 30-year-old, well known MMA fighter has been arrested by police after he allegedly beat and strangled his wife in their Apple Valley home.

He was charged with felony and gross misdemeanor charges: third-degree assault, domestic assault by strangulation, having a pattern of stalking conduct and one count of endangerment of a child, according to huffingtonpost.com.

Mmafighting.com reports that the fighter's contract with the MMA organization Strikeforce has been terminated.

Arrested for Child Abuse

Florida -- A former police officer from Buckeye, Arizona has reportedly been arrested in Florida for child abuse.

Police said the 39-year-old man taught karate to juveniles before landing a new job with with American K-9 Detection Services, according to ktar.com.

The man was arrested on a number of counts of sexual conduct with a minor, kidnapping, aggravated assault, sexual abuse, voyeurism, indecent exposure, and threatening and intimidating.

The alleged victims are between the ages of 9 and 14 according to Buckeye police officials.

In September 23, the man was fired form the police force when he was accused of plagiarizing police reports, improperly investigating and closing cases, as well as improperly impounding evidence.

A Throw Counter

...Well, at least sort of a counter to a judo throw - something to be expected when Mr Bean is involved :-)

Youth Coach Arrested

Update, June 29: The 29-year-old wife of the arrested coach has been arrested as well by Rhode Island State Police, and she is facing sex charges herself.

A police spokesman said that eight victims so far had come forward, and that he believed the number of victims would rise.

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Rhode Island -- A 37-year-old man, originally of Connecticut, has been arrested by the state police in Rhode Island.

The man, who has volunteered as a judo instructor while working as a youth football coach in Pawtucket, has reportedly been hit with child molestation charges.

He was arrested after the father of an alleged, 15-year-old victim reported his son and his two friends had been assaulted sexually by the man, according to wpri.com.

Since the arrest, additional victims have come forward with accusations of similar abuse at the hands of the suspect.

Be Proud Vancouver!

Canada -- The citizens of Vancouver should really be proud they have 32-year-old Bert Easterbrook on their team. The solid karate expert, bouncer and photographer were among they very few who dared to stand up against the rioting hooligans recently.

And to all you idiots who dare to call yourself hockey fans, when all you ever stood out to be were mindless losers and cowards: Please get lost... seriously, we will all be so much better without you.

Go here to watch a video showing the bravery of the decent folks of Vancouver: offthebench.nbcsports.com.

Indecent Exposure

Update, October 4:
The accused former karate school employee, now 20, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison with 17 years suspended, according to wtvr.com.

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Virginia -- A 19-year-old karate school employee/instructor from Ashland who was accused of exposing himself to a 6-year-old girl, has pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual battery.

Authorities said the man followed the young victim into a bathroom at the karate school near Richmond and exposed himself to her. He was arrested in late February, shortly after the incident.

The devastated owners of the school had reportedly done a background check on the young man before he was hired. The wife of the owner had known the man all his life and she had no indication there was anything suspicious about him.

Domestic Violence

Minnesota -- A man, described as a martial arts fighter and an "avid weightlifter", was arrested in Burnsville for violating a domestic no-contact order.

The man was arrested earlier in June after he assaulted his girlfriend. She told police that he had grabbed her by the throat and began to squeeze, cutting off her airway.

At one point, the man reportedly picked up the victim and threw her toward a crib where their 6-month-old baby was sleeping, according to burnsville.patch.com.

A responding officer at the time had noted broken blood vessels in the corners of the woman's eyeballs (a symptom of strangulation) and red marks on the right side of the woman's throat.

A Violent Standoff

Pennsylvania -- A 45-year-old man with a criminal history and a martial arts background has been arrested after a six hour long standoff with police in West Bethlehem, according to lehighvalleylive.com.

Stuffed in heavy plastic bags inside the home, police found the dismembered body of the man's 29-year-old girlfriend of nine years. Police said the woman was missing from work and hadn't been seen for two days.

During the standoff, the man had pepper sprayed police, threw vases and barbells at them and told responding officers they would not be able to take him in alive.

Police used tear gas, shot the man with bean bags and finally used a Taser to bring the man out of the house and under arrest.

Accused of Assault on Students

Canada -- York police said a A 57-year-old Richmond Hill judo instructor has been arrested and charged after being accused of assault on four of his students, according to cp24.com.

It is reported that the investigation began in May 2010 when investigators received information that led them to look into alleged abusive behavior at the club.

The alleged victims are four boys between the ages of six and 15. The charges against the instructors indicate a weapon may been used. The charges also include a single count of uttering death threats.

The instructor - who reportedly served as the "Vice President of Karate-do" in Ukraine during the early 1990s - allegedly holds a black belt rank in judo, karate and jiu-jitsu.

A Disruptive Orange Belt

Idaho -- Twin Falls police responding to a reported possible break-in were probably not too impressed with a suspect claiming he did not have to listen to them, since "he was an orange belt"...

Still, it took several Taser hits, an expandable baton and five police officers to get the disruptive 36-year-old transient under control and under arrest.

Just imagine what would have happened if he had been a deadly black belt...

Extremely Disturbed "Expert"

Just when you think you heard every crazy excuse there is, along comes yet another one that makes your jaw drop to the floor like a ton of bricks.

Israel -- A man who's been convicted of murdering his granddaughter, allegedly claimed he killed her by accident "because of his experience as a martial arts expert". This is according to ynetnews.com.

The man was accused of killing the 4-year-old girl in 2008. He then allegedly placed her in a suitcase and threw her into the Tel Aviv river of Yarkon.

This is the same man who has been described by police as not some master criminal, just extremely disturbed...

I just gotta say this: "Wow..." There, I just said it. What happened to having control, showing restraint and all that jazz? You know the stuff that should come with the "martial arts expert" territory.

Read more about this sad case and disturbing case here, here and here.

New Rape Charges

Update June 17, 2011: The former karate instructor has been sentenced to 80 years in prison by a Tulsa jury.

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Oklahoma -- A 38-year-old former felon and karate instructor - who used to teach women self-defense (!) - has been hit with new rape charges, according to newson6.com.

The man was a reportedly a karate instructor in Tulsa when he was arrested in 2010 for attacking a woman walking to her car.

While he was in court on that case, detective from Broken Arrow arrested him for rape, kidnapping and assault with a dangerous weapon for a case stemming from 2009.

Instructor Pleads Not Guilty

Washington -- A 49-year-old martial arts instructor from Enumclaw has been charged with child rape (statutory rape). The victim is reportedly a 15-year-old girl.

The man is accused of having sex with his teenage student on three different occasions between January and June 2010.

During a recent court hearing, the man pleaded not guilty the the charges, according to komonews.com.

UFC Mainstream?

If the UFC is planning to become a mainstream outfit and take MMA to a world-wide stage, then surely they will need to clean up their act and get rid of obscene comments, sexual harassment, homophobic slurs and what not.

Case in point: UFC commentator Joe Rogan and former light heavyweight champion of the UFC, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Go here for more information.

Stripped of Medal

India -- As a consequence of a positive doping test, a taekwondo fighter has been stripped of a third place medal the man won in the National Games.

He is also banned for two years after he was found guilty of using Methylhexaneamine, according to telegraphindia.com.

Guilty: Martial Arts Coach

Update, July 4, 2011: The man has been sentenced to 11 years i prison as well as 12 strokes of the cane.

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Singapore -- A 46-year-old martial arts instructor has been found guilty of statutory rape, according to straitstimes.com.

The married father of two reportedly had a sexual relationship with a female student - 13 at the time - between February and May 2007.

The sexual offences is said to have came to light when the girl was questioned by school officials about the relationship.

Taekwondo Fighter Suspended

Colorado -- A US taekwondo athlete from Arizona has accepted a six-month suspension for a doping violation, according to USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) and washingtonpost.com.

The 25-year-old fighter reportedly tested positive for a stimulant found in a sample which was taken at the US Open International. The test was done in Austin, Texas on February 20.

Jail Sentence for Instructor

California -- The karate instructor who admitted guilt in February to 29 counts of sex abuse against a karate student, have now been sentenced to 26 years in jail, according to signonsandiego.com.

The molesting incidents involving 13-year-old student reportedly occurred over a period of nine months in 2009 and 2010.

Karate Center Incident

Connecticut -- In March 2009, a 15-year-old male student allegedly rubbed his exposed genitals against a 6-year-old boy at a karate center in Danbury.

The incident took place in the locker room at the karate center, according to newstimes.com.

The now 17-year-old teenager, who originally was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and illegal sexual contact, recently received a special form of probation available only to first-time offenders.

UFC Champ Punched Cab Driver

Arizona -- A former UFC heavyweight champion has been arrested after getting into a fight with a cab driver as well as police officers in Phoenix, according to myfoxphoenix.com.

The 6'2" and 235 lbs MMA fighter, who has had a brief stint on the 'Celebrity Rehab' TV reality show, allegedly refused to pay a taxi fare in full and later punched the driver when police officers arrived.

Police reported it took two three officers, one of them off-duty, to get the 33-year-old man under control. The fighter is now facing charges of assault and resisting arrest.

Capoeira Expert Jailed

UK -- A Plymouth court was told by a prosecutor how a married Brazilian capoeira "expert" passed a Plymouth woman in the street on New Year's Day and wished her a happy new year.

The prosecutor told how the defendant then turned and followed the young woman. He dragged the victim into a service lane and subjected her to a 20-minute horrific ordeal in which the victim was convinced the attacker was going to kill her, according to thisisplymouth.co.uk.

The woman was reportedly strangled, blindfolded, threatened with a knife and raped three times before the 23-year-old martial arts "expert" finally took off.

The court ended up sentencing the defendant to eight years in jail.

Karate Champ, Sex Charges

UK -- An England international karate instructor and champion, 29, has been accused of raping a 13-year-old girl, according to yorkpress.co.uk.

The York resident is released on bail and will appear in court, facing four charges of sexual assault against the girl. The charges is reported to include rape and sexual grooming.

It is alleged that the girl was abused between October of last year and April this year.

Accused of Sex Abuse

Oregon -- Police are concerned there may be more victims after a 31-year-old martial arts teacher has been accused of sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl, according to kptv.com.

The accused reportedly taught martial arts to children at a gym in Newberg and the man allegedly committed the crimes in 2008.

The accused was the boyfriend of the young victim's mother during the time of the abuse, investigators say.

Kick-Boxer Paralyzed Victim

UK -- On June 23 2010, a 21-year-old amateur kick-boxer lashed out at a man who reportedly brushed past him in a Kidlington pub.

The kick-boxer, who allegedly was "showing off" some kicks moments before the assault, has now been sentenced to jail.

His 31-year-old victim has to breathe through a ventilator and is being fed through a tube, according to thisisnottingham.co.uk.

'The Blind Fury'

UK -- Young judo prodigy Kieran Clarke, who became blind at the age of 5 after an allergic reaction to penicillin, has been brushing sighted opposition aside in national competitions, according to prfire.co.uk.

The 10-year-old champ, who's been nicknamed 'the blind fury', says the key to his success is his concentration.

I think I'm so good at judo because I take my time and wait to make my move, the young judo fighter says.

Kung Fu Cards

China -- A 23-year-old man named Bai Dengchun is using his training in kung fu to forcefully hurl playing cards like throwing stars.

And may I boldly add: This is so much cooler than the somewhat childish 'ninja' shuriken... ...unless you're talking about the real deal, used by someone who actually knows how to handle these weapons properly and effectively.

Dengchun can allegedly throw playing cards with such accuracy an force that he can slice a cucumber from a distance of 16ft.

Bai , who was taught kung fu from childhood, claimed he could hit any target with precision within radius of five meters.

Kung Fu Noodles

China -- Combining traditional Chinese hand pulled noodle (called la mian), with traditional Sichuan hotpot cooking and kung fu? Sure, why not?

Here's a clip from the Xujiahui district in Shanghai showing how it's done. Probably nothing to try at home :-)

Since the above video seems to be offline, I've added another one about "Kung Fu Noodles":

Charged With Kidnapping

Norway -- Four Sandefjord men, aged 21, 31, 25 and 31, were arrested by police and charged with kidnapping, according to dagbladet.no (in Norwegian).

The incident allegedly occurred December 16, 2010 and police said they were still looking for one additional suspect.

The group allegedly kidnapped another man, with connections to a well-known criminal gang (B-gjengen), south of Oslo.

The victim was forced into a car. He was taken to a place in Vestfold county, where he was threatened, beaten up and held captured for several hours.

The four kidnappers all belong to a special "martial arts environment" - a MMA "Fight Club" of sort, with connections to Hells Angels, according to reports.

Police speculates whether the martial arts trained men has been hired by criminals in Oslo to tray and scare others to pay back debt.

The case has been handled by the organiced crime unit in Oslo since december 2010.

Wannabe Ninja

Mississippi -- Dang! A middle-aged ninja wanna-be confronting police? Aren't these guys usually teenagers who's been watching too many fantasy movies?

And I really do wonder what's next... A black clad granny sneaking her walker around the neighborhood while clasping her "numbnuts" (aka. nunchaku)?

In any case, I digress - you can read more about the 49-year-old Biloxi man who was taken down by police after threatening officers with a pair of nunchaku and a throwing star. You really can't make this stuff up... :-)

Oh, and don't forget to check out more of our beloved Martial Arts Maniacs here.

"Practicing Karate"

California -- A 45-year-old man "practicing karate" in San Francisco allegedly attacked and beat an elderly man at Fisherman's Wharf, according to kgoam810.com.

The 84-year-old man was grabbed and thrown to the ground Monday afternoon when he tried to pass the "karateka" according to reports.

The assault victim was taken to hospital for treatment of his injuries, but was released soon after.

Black Belt at 85

North Carolina -- Kinston resident Bill Vandivere - 85 years old, no less -- recently passed his black belt grading in taekwondo.

Together with his wife, 85-year-old Alice, he has been training the art for six years, according to enctoday.com.

Amazing... Congrats to you both!

Confuse-Us Speaks #23

Taekwondo wrestlers? Really?

Last time I checked, this art/sport seen here on the left was no wresslin' thing.

Kicking? Yup ... a lot of it Wrestling? No.

So, it could be tempting to ask what kind of mind-altering drugs the reporters from news.az have been on when they wrote about the 'Azerbaijani taekwondo wrestlers' and their participation in The World Championship being held in Gyeongju, Korea.

Oh, the joy and wonders of ignorance...

Black Belt and MS

Illinois -- There are unfortunately quite a lot of people who buckle under, bow out and give in to the art of No-Can-Do. Then there are those who fight the odds, what ever they may be, and who shine in the winning art of Can-Do.

Father-of-one, 43-year-old Stephen Jolly is one of these people who seemingly gets right back up after being dealt a nasty blow.

He is diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis) but still thrives in taekwondo. He is about to test for his black belt together with his son, and you could probably get some major inspiration too from reading his story.

Ninja Watch

UK -- While police in West Kent say they were unaware of recent ninja activities and were advising residents they couldn't take the law into their own hands, the local ninja himself is busy patrolling the streets and performing heroic acts like helping old ladies cross the road and returning lost cats, according to dailymail.co.uk.

Determined to "bring justice to the streets", the 25-year-old masked crusader claims he is in fact a ninja, and that his self-initiated one man operation of "Ninja Watch" is spent patrolling Turnbridge Wells.

While I'm sure his secret ninja ability to warn illegally parked drivers how they risk a parking fine is received favorably by the drivers; others have described his actions, such as helping ladies crossing the road, as odd. I do wonder why...

More Ninja Shenanigans

Pennsylvania -- A man was reportedly dressed like a ninja (of course, what else...) and carrying a sword when he broke into a number of cars in Uniontown on Sunday morning.

The man finally pulled a sword and tried to stab a witness who confronted the black clad and masked "ninja", according to wtae.com.

Remember to check out more crazy gone-fu-ka-hapkill-duh-krotty antics from certified Martial Arts Maniacs!

Oh Bloody... Nose!

UK -- Well-known British MMA fighter Alex Reid - Katie Price's former hubby - was forced to use some quick self-defense moves when he was assaulted without any form of warning recently. Mr Reid reportedly ended up with a seriously bloodied nose, though.

The fighter and Celebrity Big Brothers winner was reportedly walking past a church and minding his own business in south-west London on Friday afternoon, when out of the blue a thug punched him straight in the face.

Witnesses said the victim's extensive training for cage fighting soon kicked in and that it wasn't long before he got the better of his attacker, according to unrealitytv.co.uk.

You have to give the guy credit for not beating the living daylight out of the cowardly thug. It is said he just give him a few punches to the chest along with a thorough (and apparently more than well deserved) verbal bashing.

A "Martial Arts Move"

UK -- During a night out in the London West End on April 2, a 59-year-old well known British socialite was thrown to the ground before being seriously assaulted and left with serious injuries, according to bbc.co.uk.

Police said it was a "martial arts move" that was used to take the man down. Friends described the brutal assault - which left the victim with a fractured skull - as an apparent homophobic attack.

Taekwondo Coach "Air-Devil"?

Vietnam -- The head coach of the national TKD team claim he was assaulted and injured by Danang airport security staff in Danag Tuesday, according to english.vietnamnet.vn.

Authorities denied any attack and states that the man was escorted off a plane for violating aircraft safety procedures, disturbing the peace, and refusing to comply with directions given by aircraft personnel.

The trouble initiated when a flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City was diverted to Danang because of bad weather in Ho Chi Minh City.

The taekwondo coach and his father allegedly asked permissions to leave the aircraft and were denied this on grounds it would further delay takeoff.

When the plane prepared to take off, the coach allegedly began to shout and refused to return to his seat in economy class, before occupying a woman's seat in business-class - refusing to give it up.

The captain then decided to return to the terminal. Four security officers boarded the plane and asked the disruptive coach to leave the aircraft. When he refused, they forcibly took him off.

Missing Woman Found?

Michigan -- Following a tip, the body of what may be a Hartford woman who went missing in July 2007 may have been found on a property in Hartford Township, according to heraldpalladium.com.

The owner of the property is reported to have had an affair with the 43-year-old woman around the time she was reported missing by her family.

The owner of the property is also reported to have participated in MMA fights in Hartford. In 2010, he allegedly fought at the same event as a Bangor man who is awaiting trial on charges of murdering two women and burying them in his yard: mma fighter in custody.

Judo Benefit Cheat

UK -- A visually impaired, female judo champion was hoping to represent her country in the 2012 Olympics as a member of the Paralympics squad. The woman has now been exposed as a benefit cheat, according to thevisitor.co.uk.

The 37-year-old woman allegedly told authorities that she could barely crawl across the floor or make a meal on one of her bad days.

However, video footage have revealed the judoka throwing her opponent to the floor during a bout of judo.

She has also been seen shopping, walking and running for a bus without any difficulty - all filmed in secret by benefit fraud investigators.

Jiu-Jitsu Instructor Saves Officer

Stories like this make me all warm and fuzzy - great going Mr Arrigoni, great going in deed!

California -- When a seemingly crazed fare evader began pummeling a San Francisco police officer, it was probably more than just a bit fortunate the attack happened outside a martial arts academy.

A 24-year-old jiu-jitsu instructor named Pedro Arrigoni came to the officer's rescue, controlling the attacker with a choke hold and forcing him into submission, according to sfexaminer.com.

Police said the 23-year-old suspect assaulted the officer while trying to avoid a fare evasion citation.

Here's a video of the situation - low quality unfortunately - and beware of some rather strong choice of words...

Hong Kong Fu Airline

China -- (Hong Kong) In order to deal with unruly - and most often drunk - passengers, Hong Kong Airlines is set to have all its cabin crew take kung fu classes, according to google.com.

The airlines has said that all staff have been invited to participate in wing chun training, but that this training had been made compulsory only for their cabin crews.

The company's deputy general manager of corporate communication said they had on the average of three incidents involving disruptive passengers every week on board their aircrafts.

On a recent flight from Beijing to Hong Kong, a crew member reportedly had to put her martial arts training into practice.

Confuse-Us Speaks #22

The belt! It's the belt! ...or how quality martial arts belt can help you "defense yourself better" - a reasoning I always suspected could be somewhat flawed, but hey ... what do I know?

One thing I do suspect should be considerer a fact, is that before you send out a press release in any language, it might be a sound business principle to have it proof read by someone who speaks the language at least somewhat fluently... I really can't see this being the case here.

I'm kind of "con-fused" by expressions such as "martial art is an ultimate self defense technique"; "high quality martial art product will support you to set the combat in your side"; "to perform well , you will need highest quality custom handmade and hand-embroidered martial arts, karate belt"; "every step taken by the martial artist is meant to accomplish a target during the martial art combat"; or "martial arts can be subdivided on the basis of skill and technique you want to learn."

Oh well, I can't take any chances.. I need a quality belt, just to be on the safe side. I do wonder if I can have "Confuse-Us was here" embroidered on it? :-)