Samurai swords to be banned
"The sale of imitation samurai swords could be banned by the end of the year, the Home Office announced today.
Importing or hiring the weapons could also be made illegal following a string of samurai sword attacks in recent years.
Breaching the ban, which is targeted at cheap imitation samurai swords rather than the more expensive genuine collectors' items made by licensed swordsmiths in Japan, would result in up to six months in jail and a £5,000 fine.
According to Home Office estimates, there have been at least 80 serious crimes involving the swords in England and Wales over the last four years.
One MP recently warned that they were being used by criminal gangs as the preferred weapon of choice after guns.
Last month, amphetamine addict Hugh Penrose was jailed for at least 19 years for hacking a 21-year-old woman with a samurai sword and then deliberately running her over.
In October, Bradley Moran was jailed for 17 years for murdering another man with a samurai sword following an argument in a nightclub."
Wow. 80 crimes in 4 years. That's...wait a sec...20 such crimes a year. Clearly grounds to legislate a ban. Why, in a nation of 60 million people, 1.6 of them a month might be in danger from a Samurai sword. This is serious stuff, and I was flat out totally unaware of how much unadulterated mayhem the United Kingdom faced from such weapons.
Canceling my trip to London until the ban goes into effect.
Can't be too careful.
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