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!

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...

Numbnuts and Sword

Ohio -- "It looked like a violent and graphic scene in a karate movie." This was the description given by witnesses to a recent fight in Toledo, according to wtol.com.

A fight between two men at an apartments building allegedly escalated and ended with one person being stabbed several times and seriously injured by a sword.

According to witnesses, the two men were fighting when one of the men ran into an apartment to get his older brother. The brother then came out with nunchucks (aka. numbnuts or dumbchucks) and went after another person in the crowd.

Apparently the numbnuts wasn't the right tool for the encounter. Witnesses said the man then ran back inside and came out with a sword.

It's martial arts 101 really: The krotty sticks/dumbchucks is purely designed for those who are fond of self harm. The real thing -- called nunchaku -- may only be handled by those who actually knows what they're doing.

And man ... numbnuts as well as a sword? This "brother in arms" must definitely be a martial arts enthusiast.

Music and Martial Arts

The author of this great article about a Vietnamese flute and martial arts master named Trinh Nhu Quan, claims that "music and martial arts are viewed as two wildly unrelated genres".

The martial art of master Trinh Nhu Quan combines movements with feet and hands where the flute is used as the weapon. This art is known as a "flute sword". According to the author, the art was created between 1883 and 1913 by peasant insurgent leader Hoang Hoa Tham (or De Tham) as a means of self-defense against French colonialism in the Yen The area in province of Bac Giang.

So obviously, for master Quan at least, the arts of music and martial arts are closely related. And I'm in the same boat, something I have touched upon in previous posts. I would argue strongly that these arts are connected in ways more than one.

Unless someone is into the "martial" part alone, skipping over the "arts" section all together - something I see quite a few of the MMA folks doing without giving it a second of thought - then you might begin to reflect upon certain similarities:

Does music (if you take in all styles and genres of music) contain beauty as well as "brutality"? Softness and hardness? slower and quicker paces - tempo changes? Flow and rhythm? How about counter movements? Ascending and descending movements?

And how about the need for proper breathing in performing music? How about the importance of posture? Do you need constant practice in music as well as martial arts? Is there a transfer of energy involved? Can you perform music alone or with others?

Can music as well as the fighting arts invoke strong emotions such as joy, peacefulness, animosity or disgust? Of course they can! I'm not sure about you, but I find it only natural that a lot of people who are in the performing arts also tend to find at home within the martial arts.

As always, feel free to leave your comments below. Oh, and don't forget to read the article :-)

Samurai Sword, Porn

California -- A porn actor with the stage name "Steve Driver", wanted for allegedly murdering a co-worker ("Tom Dong") with a samurai-style sword on Tuesday, is reportedly dead after jumping from a cliff edge following a standoff with Los Angeles police, according to google.com.

The porn actor plunged around 50 feet off a sheer rock face after being stunned with a Taser by police officers who had been negotiating with him for hours.

"He jumped down off the cliff after he was Tased," a police spokesman said. Whether he died from being Tasered, the fall or possibly landing on the sword he was armed with was under investigation, the spokesman said.

Swords Seized and Destroyed

Australia -- Following what has been described as "an ugly domestic dispute", a former taekwondo champion has had his swords his swords seized by authorities.

The 53-year-old man, of Heathmere, recently pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a prohibited weapon, according to standard.net.au.

Portland Magistrates Court reportedly was told how the defendant's abusive behavior towards his family members prompting a call to police.

Kama Killer

Oklahoma -- A 21-year-old man accused of slaying his mother in Durant with martial arts weapons will have to undergo another round of mental evaluations. One doctor reportedly ruled him competent to stand trial and another said he was incompetent, according to durantdemocrat.com.

The young man was charged in April with first-degree murder after authorities said he killed his  54-year-old mother at an apartment in Durant with a pair of kama. He was also charged with animal cruelty because he also mutilated the family dog, according to investigators.

Police said the young man was found hiding inside a closet, armed with a sword. A police officer shot him with non-lethal shells from a shotgun, ending the stand-off.

Serious Sword Skills

Some unbelievable iai-jutsu (sword drawing and cutting) skills. The young master here is named Isao Machii:

Sword-Wielding, 2. dan

A man, described as emotionally disturbed, made violent advances with a sword toward the police during a standoff at a residence in Mullica Township on September 2, according to shorenewstoday.com.

The first arriving officers found the 25-year-old man -- said to be second-degree black belt and a martial arts instructor -- holding an approximately 30-inch-long sword, police said.

A standoff situation evolved and the situation continued for approximately 90 minutes, according to reports. The subject was taken into custody at about 6 p.m.

Judo Coach Reported

Japan -- A 49-year-old Shizuoka junior high school teacher was reported to police by one of his students for dealing out corporal punishment during judo classes, according to mdn.mainichi.jp.

The girl and her parents said that the male teacher, the school's judo team coach, ordered another boy to slap her in the face with both hands during a practice session on August 30 2008. The student reportedly suffered injuries to her head and mouth that took several days to heal.

"I may have beaten her a few times with a bamboo sword," the teacher was quoted as saying during a later hearing.

Sword Attack on Girlfriend

Well, well - what have we got here, if not another nut-case "martial arts expert" with anger management problems. Probably too much t'ai chi...

Florida -- A 37-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after attacking his partner with a samurai sword, according to tampabay.com. His girlfriend, 39, feigned she was dead to prevent her partner to slash her again with the sword.

The woman was able to escape the home in Clearwater after being cut in the forehead late Sunday night around 11 p.m., according to reports.

The man has previously been arrested two times for domestic battery against the woman (August 2005 and October 2006). Both charges were later dropped, according to court records.

Mother Killed by Son

Canada -- A 20-year-old Edmonton man has been charged with stabbing his 60-year-old mother to death with a samurai sword, according to canada.com.

A neighbor called the son "really weird," saying he was constantly arguing with his mother. On one occasion, the son allegedly took a piece of lumber outside and smashed it with his hands.

A friend said the young man took up martial arts in high school to "help him beef up". The friend said he was being bullied a lot. "He always talked about martial arts and kung fu."

Ninja Bros Arrested

New Jersey -- In August, Clifton police arrested two men dressed liked ninja, according to cbsnews.com.

The two young self-acclaimed "crime fighters" (aged 19 and 20), who were armed with martial arts weapons, said they were "sending a warning to drug users".

The couple allegedly called themselves "Shinobi warriors." They wore vests of the black SWAT-type and carried knives, throwing stars, swords, nunchaku and a bow and arrows.

Guys, guys, guys (young guys, that is). Please stop reading all this ninja drivel. Grow up, please...

Possessed Sword-Of

UK -- Convinced he was possessed by a demon, an 18-year-old Welsh teenager killed his 42-year-old father by plunging a Samurai sword through his chest in March 2008, according to walesonline.co.uk.

It is said the teen, who apparently is suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, feared his father was going to throw him out of the family home.

Karate Sword

Karate sword? I do wonder if they are talking about a katana - a Japanese sword that is not connected to karate in any way, shape or form ... apart from all the strange people who like to pose with one in their karate uniform.

But hey, there are indeed karateka who also study real sword arts. However, these folks would probably throw up (or be insulted for life) if you used the term "karate sword" about a katana.

The weapon art of katana is most of the times called kenjutsu. Drawing the sword - combat style - is referred to as iaijutsu. These arts art a part of Japanese bujutsu (or bugei) - the old warrior (bushi) arts and methods of Japan.

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.

Need a Friend

Do you need a friend? If so, then maybe you should consider contacting this Wearside (UK) man who is serving an 11-year prison sentence for a samurai sword attack in 2003.

According to sunderlandecho.com, the 27-year-old man has posted a "lonely heart-style advert" on the Internet, where he is appealing for would-be pen pals to get in touch.

Sword Play Gone Wrong

Playing with samurai swords at 1:45 a.m.? Hmmm... Ninja with bad friends or just some party animals?

Canada -- Thestar.com reported about a man who was sent to hospital with a punctured lung. He was allegedly injured during a simulated samurai sword fight at a martial arts dojo in Toronto.

Police said an ambulance called to the place around 1:45 a.m. found a man who had been stabbed while he and a friend were playing around with the sword.

According to reports, the man who stabbed will not be facing charges, and the victim is expected to recover.

Oh Brother

UK -- A prosecutor described how a young man "(...) had a particular fascination with martial arts swords. When he moved back to his mother he brought with him his collection of samurai swords."

The martial arts fan is now on trial for stabbing his own brother to death with a sword as their mother tried to keep them apart.

20-year-old Julian reportedly plunged the blade into his brother Corin's (18) chest after a trivial row over noise escalating to terrifying violence, according to granthamjournal.co.uk.

Firefighters Fighting

In Ireland, firefighters were forced to turn a water hose on a 24-year-old man after he went at them wielding a samurai sword.

It was around 2 a.m. that firefighters were called to a car fire in Dundalk, County Louth. It was feared the fire should spread to a nearby house.

As two of the firemen were putting on breathing apparatus, a sword-wielding man ran towards them. A colleague then turned a water hose on the attacker knocking him to the ground.

Two experienced firefighters reportedly had to leave work suffering shock after the incident.

Remember, you can always read this and other martial arts related stories at Your Martial Arts Resources.