NEWS
The
Oregonian
Book Review : The Way of the Nunchaku, Vol. 1
03/09/04
By Master Shuny Bee, Self published, $ 24.95
Grade: B for enthusiasts; D for others, as in � Don�t get hurt.�
Come on man. You remember how you were swinging around those nun chucks and, like smashed them, right into a lamp or your eye and your mom got real mad. Remember ? You kept them next to those ninja stars, underneath that box of M-80�s. Ah, those carefree days of dirty bikes, comic books, Slurpees and AC/DC cassette tapes. But enough goofing around. These are not toys. Master Bee teaches at U.S. West Coast Tae Kwon Do, Milwaukie. He�s done movie work in Bollywood and Hollywood, and he is serious about this stuff: �Learning martial arts is like searching the universe for truth. There is no end for both.� His book begins with a synopsis of his journey from Nepal to Oregon and includes a history of the weapon. It�s a hand book of forms, photos and techniques accompanied by Master Bee�s philosophy and reflections on spirituality.
You can see Master Bee doing his thing at the U.S. Open National Taekwondo Championships, March 13, at the Oregon Convention Center. Interested ? Hunt down or fashion a pair of the �crushing sticks� to practice the exercises. Photos and design by Steve Pomerants appear to be clear and straightforward. No replacement for expert instruction, of course. Honestly, books endorsed by Jean-Claude Van Damme don�t make it up here that often. Good enough for Van Damme, good enough for anyone.
-James K. Yu
Serving Oregon City & Clackamas County Since 1916 Vol. 83 No. 31
VAN DAMME VISITS LOCAL MARTIAL ARTS MASTER
International martial arts superstar Jean Claude Van Damme paid a visit to local martial arts master Shuny Bee July 19. Van Damme endorsed Shuny Bee�s book, The Way of the Nunchaku. Shuny Bee�s students got a chance to get the star�s autograph. Master Bee also appeared in the current issue of International Black Belt magazine. In the article he introduces readers to the Gorkha martial arts style from his native country of Nepal.