Had Op Can Chop

UK -- Barry Crozier may have had two hip replacements but is alive and kicking today, according to eveningstar.co.uk.

The 60-year-old only took up shotokan karate because his daughter did not want to start classes alone.

Now, 14-years later and with two new hips, The Ipswich resident has gained his second Dan black belt.

No Judo Hijab

Canada -- A Judo Manitoba official reduced an 11-year-old girl to tears Saturday when he refused to allow her to compete in a tournament wearing a hijab, or Muslim head scarf.

The Judo Manitoba president made the ruling. He said it was based on International Judo Federation guidelines.

"It has nothing to do with religion, it is a safety issue," the president said. "The hijab could be used to strangle somebody. It could fall over her face."

The Judo Manitoba ruling is the latest controversy in Canada over the wearing of hijabs by Muslim girls in sports.

80 Charges

Ohio -- A 31-year-old Brunswick karate instructor has been indicted on 80 sex charges involving two children, newsnet5.com reports.

Prosecutors said the man had sex with two girls ages, 14 and 17, on numerous occasions between August 2006 and October 2007 while they attended a karate school owned by the man's wife.

She Never Stopped Fighting

On those rare occations when I might begin to believe that I'm tough, I quickly get down to earth by reading about those who really are.

Story from uticaod.com:
Newport's Dana Petrillo – a single mother, diagnosed with breast cancer and coping with the death of her mother – never stopped fighting.

"Some days I felt like I just wanted to give up," she said. "I was just exhausted some days, I'd say 'I can't do it.' But I had my kids and I would just tell myself I couldn't quit."

She didn't just fight back, she excelled.

A Celebration of Life

Indiana -- For Dr. Mitch Goldman of Carmel, earning his taekwondo black belt wasn't about ego, indystar.com reports.

The 43-year-old colon cancer survivor called training in the Korean martial art "a celebration of life."

"(Taekwondo) is a good balance of my family, fun and exercise," said Goldman, medical director of the Hilbert Pediatric Emergency Department at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital. "It's something I enjoy and love -- along with my career and family. It's a perfect troika."

Truck Attack

Two men, including a senior member of a group affiliated with a crime syndicate, have been arrested on suspicion of crashing an unmanned truck into a garage belonging to the Oshima sumo stable in Tokyo, in 2006.

The incident is believed to be related to komusubi-ranked sumo wrestler Kyokushuzan, a Mongolian whose real name is Davaa Batbayar, in connection with the exploitation rights for a gold mine in Mongolia.

K-1 Road Rage

Japan -- A 34-year-old K-1 fighter faces charges for beating a truck driver after the heavy vehicle allegedly came too close to his bicycle, Tokyo police said according to mdn.mainichi.jp.

"I thought his truck was pulling over toward my bike. I beat him because he ignored me when I warned him," the fighter was quoted as telling investigators. "I deeply regret what I did."

Inappropriate

Florida -- A martial arts instructor in Orlando has been arrested on suspicion he inappropriately touching at least one of his young students.

The 20-year-old man was arrested after the pre-teenage girl told officers that she was molested while taking part in a class at the martial arts school.

The alleged incident happened more than a year ago, police said. However, the girl recently came forward with the allegation.

The girl told police that the man singled her out at a time when all of the students were watching a movie. She said he pulled her aside and began to rub her private parts, according to a report.

Strength and Joy

Another inspirational piece - this time from news.medill.northwestern.edu.

Story:
Illinois -- People with cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, stroke or lower-body paralysis can boost their body strength, coordination, balance, flexibility and self-esteem. Not by using a new miracle drug or surgery, but by learning karate.

Two organizations in Chicago, along with a few elsewhere, are using martial arts in a revolutionary way, as therapy for those with serious physical or mental challenges.

Accused of Rape

UK -- A court was told how a karate instructor raped a schoolgirl and threatened to hit her if she told anyone, according to theargus.co.uk.

The 42-year-old man reportedly made the threats to the 13-year-old if she refused his demands.

The instructor, who taught at schools and church halls across Worthing and Littlehampton, also forced the girl to give him oral sex in front of other children, it was alleged.

You will find this and other martial arts related stories at Your Martial Arts Resources

A Homicide Suspect

Officers who surrounded a homicide suspect as he sat in a car near a Porterville high school Thursday morning discovered he had shot himself.

Detectives believe the 29-year-old Porterville resident is responsible for the murder of a 23-year-old woman who was found dead at her apartment, a police spokesman said. Trauma to the woman's body indicated she may have been strangled, the spokesman said.

Police said they are investigating the relationship between the victim and the suspected killer, along with information that the man fought professionally in mixed martial arts at a local casino.

Silent Demo

And now: A silent (and slow moving?) demo - tai chi style.

Story:
Martial art enthusiasts are to stage a mass protest in public gardens threatened with development, according to manchestereveningnews.co.uk.

More than 100 followers of the ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi are expected to descend on Didsbury's Marie Louise Gardens for a silent demo against plans to sell off part of the community beauty spot.

Halloween Dumbnuts Assault

An 18-year-old man from Horsham, West Sussex, has been charged with killing a 15-year-old boy at a Halloween party news.bbc.co.uk reports.

The victim died in a nunchaku attack at the party, in Horsham, on Saturday morning.

The dead youngster was one of two teenagers found with head injuries after police were called to the address.

Fast Quiet Deadly

Ah, yes - the über deadly judo. Not as lethal as the numbchucks or the ninja - but still...

Story:
California -- The defendant, a Linux engineer who is a black belt in judo, might have strangled his estranged wife to death and possibly coaxed his 6-year-old son to help cover it up, a prosecutor told jurors here Wednesday during the second day of the murder trial, blog.wired.com reports.

"There are a lot of different chokes," the prosecutor said, as he explained the art of judo. "It's fast. It's quiet. It's deadly."

TKD Master Instructor Killed

How sad...

Story:
Florida -- Young Soo Do began every tae kwon do class he taught with the mantra posted on the wall of his North Miami studio: For Myself. For My School. For My Country.

That is exactly the way the master instructor lived his life, say those who knew him.

Do, 62, who taught more than 7,000 students in his 30 years of owning Young Tae Kwon Do, died Monday from gunshot wounds. He was shot Saturday as he stood in the back of his studio, watching as his car was getting washed.

Karate Teacher Acquittal

Nevada -- A former Las Vegas karate instructor accused of sexually assaulting a minor has been found not guilty, according to klas-tv.com. Wayne Lacno has been out of jail for less than a week, found not guilty of all of the charges he was facing.

While he is excited for his new found freedom, it's going to be a tough road to get back to where he was at before the charges were brought up against him.

"They didn't even have not guilty on this paper. They had to draw a box and write in the words not guilty on the paper," Lacno says.

ATM Fantasy

Really, I'm not sure what to make of this story from miamiherald.com.

I mean, here we have someone who reportedly tells police he's got "a black belt in martial arts", and who kicks a gun out on one robber's hand while another threatens him with a knife ... And there are five or six of the robbers, no less!

And to top it off, our guy claims he "jumped in his truck, tried to follow them but lost them when he got to the corner."

This guy is either extremely skilled, one tough brother and lucky at the same time, or we're dealing with a bunch of robbers that are not too motivated - and obviously could need some more practise at robbing people. Oh yes, teamwork drills could come in handy too...

...or we have another case involving a martial arts "spin doctor" - spinning fantasy tales. And this tale seems just a "little" too fantastic to me. But then again, what do I know? I sure wasn't there.

Whole story:
A man with martial arts skills defied a robbery gang in Hollywood.

A man told police that about 11:45 a.m. Oct. 21, he drove his truck into the parking lot of the Wachovia Bank and walked to the ATM to make a deposit.

As he was finishing the transaction, he said five or six men approached him at the ATM. He said one man flashed a kitchen knife and said, "Take all your money out or I'm going to kill you."

The victim said he hit an emergency key on the ATM as the group approached him and the machine swallowed his card.

He said he explained to the knife-bearing robber that the machine had taken his ATM card and the robber told him: "I'll kill you."

The victim told police he was a black belt in martial arts and managed to kick a gun from another robber's hand.

That robber picked up the gun and the thieves ran. Jumping in his truck, the man tried to follow them but lost them when he got to the corner.

Illegal Cage Fighting

Florida -- A nationally renowned mixed martial arts fighter, who made a name for himself while competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, was arrested on a felony charge Tuesday after investigators said he organized "illegal cage fighting" matches that drew more than 150 spectators, some from out of town.

The 31-year-old man, of Port St. Lucie allegedly violated a Florida statute that governs "prohibited competitions" - a third-degree felony that carries a possible maximum punishment of five years in prison.

Police said he organized and promoted an unsanctioned and unlicensed match out of a warehouse in St. Lucie West on October 19.

Well-Trained Crew

Crew members of Dai Hong Dan, a North Korean freighter, are drawing a lot of attention for their act in an incident where they escaped a hijacking off the coast of Somalia after a deadly fight with pirates, according to dailynk.com.

The ship sent a distress signal, and the USS James E. Williams which was 95 kilometers distant from the North Korean ship promptly responded to the signal.

The US warship ordered the pirates to give up their weapons through wireless communication. The unexpected intervention perplexed the pirates. The North Korean crews seized the opportunity. They drew out weapons and defeated the bandits.

A defector said "Most of North Korean seafarers of international trade or cargo ships have at least ten years of military service. They also receive martial arts training to prepare themselves for a time of emergency. Therefore, it is not that difficult for the crewmen to defeat the pirates."

Returning to The Ring

UK, Northern Ireland -- An Ulster arthritis sufferer, once so ravaged by the disease he had to have six toes amputated, is to prove he's fighting fit once more at a special martial arts extravaganza, according to belfasttelegraph.co.uk.

35-year-old Shane McCaffrey was once so crippled by arthritis he felt like "an old man" and was left unable to play with his young son Brandon, now aged 11, or carry out any ordinary household chores. He said his passions for kung fu and kickboxing were the last things on his mind.

But thanks to a drug called Enbrel, which he began taking last year, his condition has been transformed enough for him to return to the ring.