Ninja ... hiding

Four? I can only spot three. Dang! Guess one of these sneaky ninja fellas is really good...

Disability?

Texas -- You will likely find14-year-old J.T. Love from Tulia to be your typical teenage boy in many respects. A straight-A student who likes to read. He takes classes in taekwondo, plays football and likes fishing and hunting.

But, there is something about the boy that makes him unique, though. You see, he was born without hands and feet, and most people would definitely consider this a disability. J.T does not.

Read the rest of this inspirational piece from amarillo.com about a remarkable young man here.

Chasing a Robber

South Carolina -- In the video below, you can see a robber being chased off by a Columbia gas station clerk armed with a samurai sword. The robber was reportedly caught soon after.

If nothing else, it's good to see these weapons being wielded by the good guys for a change...

A Charismatic Individual

Pennsylvania -- Friends and relatives would label him as a young ambitious and charismatic individual -- an active volunteer in the community, a person destined to do big things for Olney (Philadelphia).

However, philly.com says the same 23-year-old is now heading for prison, sentenced for raping two 13-year-old girls reportedly enrolled in his taekwondo class at a city playground.

MMA Fighter in Custody

Michigan -- A missing woman, Amy Henslee, has been found dead of apparent gunshot wounds. The woman's body was found along with the body of her friend Tonya Howarth, according to news.yahoo.com.

A 34-year-old MMA fighter, reported to be the cousin of Henslee's husband and co-habitating with Howarth has been arrested and arraigned on two counts of open murder.

Feared for Her Dad

Dubai -- Gulfnews.com reports about a ten-year-old Indian girl from Deira who allegedly kept quiet about repeated sexual advances by a karate instructor, fearing that the alleged molester would beat up her father.

The young karate student's mother kept the incident under wraps for five months. She  recently said allegations about a similar assault against a high school student on a school bus prompted her to share her experience.

The karate instructor was reportedly let off after a warning by the police, the mother said.

The alleged incident took place in September 2010 when the girl complained to her parents that the instructor was touching her inappropriately during karate classes.

Undressing Student Filmed

Washington -- In Bellingham, a martial arts instructor has been fired from his job and arrested after allegedly trying to take video with a cell phone of a student undressing in a changing room, according to bellinghamherald.com.

The 24-year-old man was reportedly working as an instructor at a karate school when the incident happened Tuesday, January 25. The alleged victim is a 27-year-old woman.

Karate Power Struggle

Singapore -- Seven clubs affiliated to Singapore karate's national association have been expelled, according to uk.eurosport.yahoo.com.

These clubs reportedly are affiliated with an organisation believed to challenge the authority of the official Singapore Karate-Do Federation (SKF).

A disciplinary committee claimed the other karate union is suspected to seek to "usurp the position of the SKF as the controlling body."

One fighter, who won bronze at the Indonesia Open in 2010 said: "It's unfair, we have trained very hard to reach a high level, and now we can't represent Singapore."

Oh well - politics...

Video: Teacher says

New Jersey -- Here's a great video about the values of karate/martial arts to school kids:

Grandmaster, Abuse Case

Update, February 2012:
The A 68-year-old grandmaster has now been convicted of sexually abusing four girls, aged 6 to 11, during martial arts lessons in Croton-On-Hudson, according to foxnews.com.

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Update, June 2011:
In a nine count indictment,  the man has now been charged with sexual abuse against four children. By the way, it says karate instructor here.

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New York -- A 67-year-old kung fu grandmaster has been accused of sexually abusing a young girl in his class at a local kung fu center in Croton-On-Hudson. The man has also been ordered to stay away from another potential victim who has come forward, according to lohud.com.

Furthermore, police said they would be re-interviewing a third family, whose two young daughters alleged the suspect had them touch him two years ago.

The suspect is said to be a former Westchester County police officer.

Prostitute Murder

Oklahoma -- A 29-year-old former Marine and MMA fighter has been ordered to stand trial in the shooting deaths of a former reality star and three others in November 2009. The District Attorney said he would be seeking the death penalty for the accused.

The man, who worked at a legal brothel near Carson City, is accused in the deaths of four young people, aged 22 to 32. Two of the female victims were pregnant at the time of the murders.

The victims, who allegedly had been stabbed and shot, were discovered in a burning home in southwest Oklahoma City, according to rgj.com.

Break-in Murder Bid Charge

UK -- (Scotland) Two teenagers (17 and 18) will stand trial accused of trying to kill a martial arts expert after allegedly breaking into his home, according to bbc.co.uk.

The two teenagers are accused of attempted murder the sombo (sambo) fighter at his home in Paisley on July 23, 2010.

They are also alleged to have assaulted the wife of the five-time sombo wrestling champion during the break-in. Both accused deny the charges.

Accused of More Abuse

Michigan -- A 57-year-old Ann Arbor taekwondo instructor has been charged with sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy while driving, police said Wednesday.

And now, two more people have come forward claiming they were victimized by the same man, according to freep.com. A man, 19, and a woman have contacted police with allegations that the man molested them when they were younger.

When Michigan State Police investigators searched the man's Scio Township home, they found suspected child pornography, according to annarbor.com.

Manslaughter Charge Dismissed

Nevada -- A judge has dismissed the case against MMA fighter Jason Sindelar, according to lvrj.com. The fighter was originally charged after a June 19 fight at a Las Vegas hotel which ended with his best friend's death.

The case was dismissed following a testimony from a medical examiner who could not say with any certainty that the fight caused the death of the victim.

It was testified that the victim, a former football player, had lethal levels of Ecstasy, with alcohol and cocaine in his system.

War Criminal, Karate Expert

Canada -- A 52-year-old man, recently arrested in Lethbridge, Alberta, is wanted in Guatemala in the killing of 251 men, women and children during the civil war in the early 1980s, according to cbc.ca.

The man, described as a karate expert and living in Riverside, California, has both Canadian and American citizenship. He was reportedly arrested on charges he is facing in the U.S. for making a false statement relating to naturalization and unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization.

Instructor Arrested

California -- A 37-year-old taekwondo and hapkido instructor has been arrested and charged with molesting a young teenager three years ago, according to montereyherald.com.

Police said the suspect was booked on charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 and recurring sexual conduct with a minor.

Doggy Style Ninja

It's a dog's life apparently... Being a sharp dressed ninja-dog and keeping a straight face must be pretty hard work :-)

Former TKD Champ Faces Charges

Singapore -- In 1993, at the age of 22, he won the country's first taekwondo SEA Games gold medal.

The former champion, now 39 years old, has been hit with 7 charges for vice-related offences and 18 charges related to corruption, according to straitstimes.com.

"Cun-Fu-Ningulus"

New York -- Ian Kerner, a "sexpert" based in New York claim that men can improve their oral sex skills by comparing their cunnilingus style to martial arts, according to yourtango.com. And no, in case you wonder, oral here does not imply talking about it...

Any idea what this grappling style of marital arts is called? Tongue fu? Tai sheet? No? In any case, I bed you want to read more about it :-)

"Extensive Martial Arts Experience"

Extensive martial arts experience... What's that? The über deadly black belt level (aka. expert)?

Colorado -- Eagle police recently arrested a 30-year-old serial burglary suspect who was in the Boulder area, according to dailycamera.com.

Prior to his arrest, police officials sent a message to his Facebook friends notifying them that police officers were searching for the suspect.

Police reportedly had warned his 120-some Facebook friends that they should not let the man hide out with them because it would be considered harboring a fugitive. Police also warned that the man was known to carry "knives, throwing stars and has extensive martial arts experience."

A break in the case came when a homeowner caught the burglar in the act and the suspect left his bag at the scene. The bag contained Arment's name, according to police, helping them identify him as a suspect.

Charged With Molestation

Virginia -- A 42-year-old former elementary school employee and black belt martial arts instructor has been charged by Waynesboro authorities with molestation of a girl, according to newsvirginian.com.

A police spokesman said an assault occurred in a home in the southwest part of the city in mid-December. He said the pre-teen girl immediately told her parents.

Authorities said the alleged victim was not associated to the man through his working roles.

Money Laundering

Oregon -- West Linn resident and MMA fighter Chael Sonnen has been known for a number of things - a real estate business (he's a licensed Realtor), his UFC fighting career, his aggressive, flamboyant and some times quite entertaining Twitter tweets, suspected drug use, and also for being a Republican with what appeared to be political ambitions.

Now, the outspoken MMA fighter has added another "achievement" to his name, the criminal activity of money laundering.

According to westlinntidings.com, Sonnen recently admitted that a financial transaction he conducted was designed to conceal control of the proceeds when a title company paid a plumbing company for repairs, even though he knew repairs wouldn't be completed. The plumbing company was paid and gave the homebuyer most of it, and Sonnen made commission off the faulty real estate transaction.

Obama-Rama

Minnesota -- A chiropractor and rising MMA fighter said he was questioned by the Secret Service after declaring during a post-fight interview in Las Vegas, Nevada that he wanted to face President Obama in his next bout, according to foxsports.com.

Jacob Volkmann reportedly said he wanted to take on Obama because of his position on health care policy - and his challenge was not taken lightly... Seriously?

Grandmaster Arrested

California -- A 64-year-old martial arts instructor, described as a grandmaster, has been arrested at his taekwondo school for inappropriately touching a minor child, according to hometownstation.com.

The man was reportedly arrested on suspicion of committing a crime of sexual nature against an 8-year-old girl who was a student at the Santa Clarita Valley based martial arts school.

Prehistoric Bird and Numbnuts

Csmonitor.com reports about this prehistoric "ninja" bird which apparently was sort of equipped with numbnuts ... or nunchaku as it is commonly called.

Paleontologists reportedly have discovered remains of a prehistoric flightless Jamaican bird whose wings evolved into nunchacku-like weapons.

Very cool and totally wing chun approved if you ask me :-)

Former Instructor, Sex Offender

Pennsylvania -- A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to three years in a state treatment center after pleading guilty in August to having sex with a Washington Township girl, according to courierpostonline.com.

The man pleaded guilty August 5 to having consensual sex with a 14-year-old girl. He reportedly came to know the girl through a Philadelphia karate school where he was an instructor and the girl's brother trained.

Child School Judo Deaths

Japan -- A professor at Aichi University of Education, Ryo Uchida, has conducted research, showing that at least 110 children has been killed while practicing judo since 1983. Between 2009 and 2010, some 13 children have died, according to speroforum.com.

"Judo is an inspiring sport and very educative to one's mind," the professor said. "But schools must have a safety guideline."

Since Japan is scheduled to make the sport compulsory in schools as of 2012, it is reported that a number of parents are worried over these statistics.

One parent, Mr. Murakawa, who's 12-year-old son died following a judo class, said he had nothing against the martial art in itself, but a "military culture" imposed by some judo instructors, allowing punches and kicks as a way of teaching a rigid discipline to students. "The children - he said - for fear of being beaten must respect their coach, and never ask to rest".

"Lethal Karate Blows"

New Jersey -- A man is facing a long prison sentence after admitting to killing his 27-year-old mistress in June 2007 and dumping her body in a New York pond, according to northjersey.com.

Reportedly, a key factor in a the man's decision to take a plea deal and plead guilty was a recently uncovered Google search of the phrase "lethal karate blows to the back of the head".

Evidence showed that the man had done the Google search  days before the woman was killed.

Gone Fu...

Another 'oh dear' - and a major one this time... read and weep.

China -- A 60-year-old male resident in Jilin recently cut off his genitals, according to news.asiaone.com. Why, you say? Allegedly all for the sake of mastering a type of kung fu.

The man said his kung fu sifu (master) had come to him in a dream that and said he had to cut of his genitals in order to advance the martial art - a type of Qi Gong.

Now that's what I call dedication. Takes some balls to remove them... Ouch!

Charges Against TKD Schools

Maryland -- Administrative charges has been filed against area karate (sic.) schools for not registering as health clubs, as required by state law.

The charges are filed against two taekwondo schools, one in Laurel, the other in Clarksburg in Montgomery County, according to hometownannapolis.com. Also the schools' owner has been charged, according to the State Attorney General.

The accused allegedly sold health club memberships without the required registration. Also, members is reported to have paid the schools for summer-camp services that were never provided.

Karate Fall

North Carolina -- Police said an 8-year-old boy was seriously injured when he fell from a second-story window in Charlotte. The boy was reportedly practicing karate moves when the accident happened, according to wsoctv.com.

The boy was apparently practicing karate moves when he jumped on his bed and then fell from the window. He was taken to a medical center with potentially life-threatening injuries.

Oh dear...