Wildly inaccurate portrayals of sword fighting in the media are nothing new. Recently John Clements dropped by io9 to debunk modern sword fighting, and Martin Page and Guy Windsor talked to IGN about the problems with sword fighting in video games. These guys know sword fighting. Me? I'm just a writer, trying not to…

Two weeks ago, you vowed all sorts of changes to your habits and your lifestyle. And right about now, those New Years Resolutions might be starting to crumble, under the weight of everyday life. But luckily, there are some alternatives to the boring grind of "hitting the gym" and "doing crunches." You could be swinging a…

Abraham Lincoln was a man famous for using his words, but in one situation he came very close to physical — and potentially deadly — blows. When Lincoln was challenged to a duel with a political rival in 1842, the future president was honor-bound to accept. But he thought his best chance for survival was to duel with…

To borrow a famous line, the problem with most people trying to understanding the true nature of historical sword combat is not that they're ignorant — it's just that they know so much that isn't so.

We'll be posting pictures soon from last night's io9 South by Southwest party, but for now feast your eyes on one of the evening's diversions - an amazing swordfight staged by the Association for Renaissance Martial Arts.