CLIFTON — Two “modern day Ninjas” calling themselves Shinobi Warriors on a quest to rid the area of drug users and drug dealers have been put out of business by police.

On Wednesday at 2:35 a.m. police officers approached a car parked in the left lane of Route 46 east and found two Clifton men dressed in black claiming to be Ninjas. The men were wearing tactical vests and armed with knives in sheaths at their waists along with Ninja throwing knives, Chinese throwing stars, four-pointed tacks, swords, bows and arrows and nunchucks, said detective Capt. Robert Rowan.

The two men, Jesse Trojaniak, 19, and Tadieusz Tertkiewicz, 20, told police they were “modern day Ninjas” also called Shinobi Warriors on their way to deliver warning letters to known drug dealers and drug users to stop their “impure” activities. They told police they planned to leave the letters on the front doors of these individuals they had singled out.

Apparently these kids took the war on drugs literally.

Via “Clifton Police arrest Ninjas” in the Clifton Journal, thanks to Pandapassport‘s recent tweet for tipping me off to the story in the first place.

From the blog Simpson's Paradox, please comment here:

New Jersey Ninjas

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When Allison had her wedding, all the bridesmaids wore full garb, so I have a complete outfit, but it’s packed away since I didn’t anticipate needing a corset and full skirt in Beijing. I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t get the chance to wear it again, how often do you get a second wear out of a bridesmaid dress?

Germaine’s friend, like a true geek, uses his iPhone to get directions.

After a great deal of ribbing and careful ID scrutiny, we got beers and went to watch the joust. The joust announcer said how worried everyone had been about the local pollution, but it turns out we’ve got a good clear day, so none of the horses have to wear breathing masks.

Then we went to the knife and star throwing games. This picture shows that it is far more dangerous to be right next to what I’m trying to hit.

Here’s one from the target’s perspective!

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NY Renn Faire

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1) The way is fraught with peril. There’s no quick travel, the path from point A to Point B is always full of adventures. Come on, Frodo couldn’t just hop on the next plane to Mordor!

2) Dire predictions of doom. In fantasy stories, the protagonists are constantly warned about their destination, just like in China. “I heard of a foreign traveler who tried to reach Penglai by bus. We never saw him again.” or “You seek to visit Beijing? In October? Turn back while you still can!”

3) Searching for rare artifacts. The quester can’t just walk into the blacksmith’s and say “Good morning, I’d like to purchase the ancient, elf-made enchanted sword of the shadowlands, please.” and expect to get what he wants. Where’s the challenge there? Where’s the character development? In China, I can’t just walk into a shop and say “Good morning, I’d like to purchase some deoderant, please.”

4) Adventurers form a traveling party, using their disparate skills to work for a common goal. In my travels, Fresca can read pin yin, Dave can bargain, Will knows everyone in Yantai… (I guess I can make bardic knowledge checks, once in a while? Wait, I’m the protagonist! I don’t have to be useful!)

5) And finally, everyone speaks Common (Pu Tong Hua). Except me, my attempt at Chinese is more like a bad Renn faire accent.

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Why Travel In China Is Like Being the Protagonist In A Fantasy Novel

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But once I started playing with the dollmaker, other people in my office came over to see what I was giggling about. They tried to offer their fashion advice, and it was pretty addictive. Thankfully, no students stopped by while we were saying things like “Look at my cute doll!” and “Ooh! Pirate clothes!”

You can use the dolls to chat from the Dollhouse site, but you can chat over Civ4, too. Talking AND conquering the world!

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Secretly Playing Dolls

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It was perfect.

After borrowing every book available at BET (Jarhead? Shogun? Mao biography? Sure!), I’d have been happy with anything in English.

And then Zorro needed to run an errand that promised to involve lots of waiting, and I said something like “Sure, I’ll come with you! I have a new Stephen King book and I can’t read it at home by myself!” (This may be a little hyperbole)

I started reading in the airport, and I wasn’t even bothered by the early-morning fog that was the first of many delays. I was reading a new book! Also, we met a Little Emperor who discovered the only thing more fun than touching the lao wai‘s hair is kicking her friend in the shins. (No hyperbole this time. Mom, you would have fainted.)

There was one slight problem with this amazing book. Whenever one of the characters stopped into the Excellent Cafe or grabbed a milkshake, I got envious. And that’s why fantasy novels are even better in China. I can’t get nostalgically hungry over moonfruit and roast phoenix.

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Salvatore, Shakespeare, Stephen King

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I’m not mocking Renn faires, really. I like the shows, the food, the flirty boys and the knife-throwing competition. Actually, I like everything about going to a fair except the ubiquitous Renn Accent. If you’ve been to a fair, you know what I mean, it’s half Olliver Twist and half speech impediment. I don’t get it.

Anyway, Allison and her boyfriend, sorry, I mean her fiance, thought it would be great to have a Renn wedding. Oh, did I somehow forget to mention that Allison is pagan? So each bridesmaid gets to dress in renn garb, in the colors of an element.

I’m Air. No, I don’t know why, Allison started to tell me about my aura but I wasn’t really listening. She wants me to choose fabric that seems like air, but won’t let me go naked. She also won’t let Mama Hoffmann make me a dress out of bubble wrap.

Allison assures us that the money spent on these clothes isn’t wasted since we’ll get to wear the outfits every time we go to a Renn faire. (Personally, I think the bubble-wrap dress would be more cost effective, but she STILL said no.)

Allison’s punk little sister (Fire) asked if she could dye her hair red. Eric and Anna, both engineers, both Earth, wanted to build a rock costume, with camouflage and moving parts.

Poor Allison looked at us as though she’d been cursed with WEIRD friends.

(I don’t think we’ll tell her that Stick isn’t getting a tux or garb for the wedding. He’s going to dress as the Spanish Inquisition.)

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Weird Friends

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