Isn't this one of the most relaxing voices you've ever heard?

[greg]

So I am in the right place, but why don't you go and spam some other forum with your teenage crap?

or maybe you can decide to ignore it, like when all the other posters told me to ignore topics/stuff i didn't like and commented on.

[paul]

You know what's even sadder than me, a respectless punk? I know I sometimes make immature and silly statements, but give me a break, I'm only 16 and got lots to learn and so much stuff is still ahead of me. I still have many years to grow, both in the ways I think and the ways I act. So calling me a "racist" now would be quite stupid. Does your mother call you a crying whore when you cried as a 3 year old? It's part of the growing process, and it's natural. Things change in people's lives.

This isn't a valid excuse. What you're saying here is that you cannot take responsibility for your comments because of how old you are. As a human, regardless of your age, you are in control of your actions and have to accept that you are the one responsible for committing them. 16 is not young anyways. It's not like your brain is undergoing the development that a toddler is going through at this point in your life. And while I know that people mature at different paces from one another because of different experiences in life, you might have had a better time trying to make this argument in elementary school.

So I don't see why there's a problem calling you a racist when you've made statements like this:

Does that mean I hate Japanese people? I probably do.

[Renfield]

This isn't a valid excuse. What you're saying here is that you cannot take responsibility for your comments because of how old you are. As a human, regardless of your age, you are in control of your actions and have to accept that you are the one responsible for committing them. 16 is not young anyways. It's not like your brain is undergoing the development that a toddler is going through at this point in your life. And while I know that people mature at different paces from one another because of different experiences in life, you might have had a better time trying to make this argument in elementary school.

So I don't see why there's a problem calling you a racist when you've made statements like this:

I haven't followed the argument all too extensively (largely due to a small issue of flames, around my "lands"), but I can safely agree with and second this statement. There is nothing more immature, in my personal opinion, then a person older than a toddler hiding behind their age.

But please, carry on with the discussion; my main issue was contributing the opinion of (technically) another "teen", on this very specific matter.

[greg]

Does that mean I hate Japanese people? I probably do.

i missed this...
don't be like that Bonehelm, be cool, dude 
don't hate anyone 

[Bonehelm]

Celebrate Mao? Some member has Avril's picture as his/her avatar, does that mean he/she worships teen pop/punk and is far from being mature? You like to accuse people of being racist, that's what disgusts me.

I put his picture up because I felt like it, and it hasn't offended anyone (mind you, not even the Chinese members on GMG) but somehow a German like yourself is so disturbed by it. Weird? I think so.

[Renfield]

Celebrate Mao? Some member has Avril's picture as his/her avatar, does that mean he/she worships teen pop/punk and is far from being mature? You like to accuse people of being racist, that's what disgusts me.

I put his picture up because I felt like it, and it hasn't offended anyone (mind you, not even the Chinese members on GMG) but somehow a German like yourself is so disturbed by it. Weird? I think so.

You accuse him of accusing people of being racist, and then follow that up with a comment so fundamentally racist that you made me enter the argument again and post about it.

What in the name of civilisation does M forever being German have to do with all this?

[M forever]

You know, probably because Germans are all Nazis and therefore all racists. That is actually not the first time he has used my nationality as "argument" against me in this thread. He already did that a few posts back.
Plus it's pretty strange if someone (me) speaks out for both Japanese people and Chinese people to be respected "even though" they aren't part of my "ethnic group" and someone ("bonehelm") finds that "weird".
Plus he officially went on record as saying that he hates all Japanese people.
Plus he thinks its the same thing flying someone who is probably the greatest mass murderer in history on his flag as a pop star.
Pretty sickening stuff....
Make no mistake, people like "bonehelm" here aren't just dumb kids, they are the most dangerous kind of people because they find everything to be a "joke" and they think everybody should just "chill".
Mao caused tens of millions of Chinese people to be killed and tried to erase Chinese culture for good? "Just chill..." "Be cool..." It's people like "bonehelm" who are morally corrupt enough to shoot other people in the head and then send their family the bill for the bullets. Maybe with a note: "Just chill". People like him are the scum of the earth. They are hypocrites and racists, good for a "strong statement", but not man enough to stand up for their publically displayed "opinion".

[Renfield]

You know, probably because Germans are all Nazis and therefore all racists. That is actually not the first time he has used my nationality as "argument" against me in this thread. He already did that a few posts back.
Plus it's pretty strange if someone (me) speaks out for both Japanese people and Chinese people to be respected "even though" they aren't part of my "ethnic group" and someone ("bonehelm") finds that "weird".
Plus he officially went on record as saying that he hates all Japanese people.
Plus he thinks its the same thing flying someone who is probably the greatest mass murderer in history on his flag as a pop star.
Pretty sickening stuff....
Make no mistake, people like "bonehelm" here aren't just dumb kids, they are the most dangerous kind of people because they find everything to be a "joke" and they think everybody should just "chill".
Mao caused tens of millions of Chinese people to be killed and tried to erase Chinese culture for good? "Just chill..." "Be cool..." It's people like "bonehelm" who are morally corrupt enough to shoot other people in the head and then send their family the bill for the bullets. Maybe with a note: "Just chill". People like him are the scum of the earth. They are hypocrites and racists, good for a "strong statement", but not man enough to stand up for their publically displayed "opinion".

Even though I generally refrain from posting in threads like this, unless I feel there is reason for intervention, I really must say that, brash and/or abrasive as the above statement might be, I couldn't agree more. I'm sorry, Bonehelm, but he's right. "Chilling" about certain things, like the loss of human life, isn't "laid back"...

That having been said, I have nothing personal against Mao, Stalin, or even Adolf Hitler. All three of them were people with serious personality deficiencies, who needed help. They were as "homo sapiens" as we all are. But I still wouldn't use them as my avatar; and even assuming I did use them for some sort of "joke", I would make the joke as clear as possible from the get-go.

So yeah, I think M forever has a point. And I also forecast moderator intervention, before long.

[knight66]

Well, Renfield does not have to be a brainbox to suggest a Mod would appear. Am I right that in reading through this thread, Bonehelm must have changed his Avatar from Mao to something less inflammatory? If so, it indicates he is trying to listen and has altered his picture so as to reduce offense.

Bonehelm is a self declared racist as far as the Japanese are concerned, a pity that. I hope you will learn differently.

M and Bonehelm have had a good bash at one another..M supposedly too serious about everything and making himself unpopular, Bonehelm supposedly of a mind to contribute to atrocities. I think that is enough thanks and suggest you each give the other some space, on this and other topics.

Claiming youthful indiscretion is more what someone might plea for on your behalf, no one has. We all have to take account that when we throw something onto the forum; it will be looked at from a number of viewpoints and with the cultural baggage of many different places. Also that you will be held to account whether or not you meant it in a restricted and specific way. Doubtless there is opportunity to make light of certain subjects, but that is more likely when there is an established rapport between the writer and the reader. Here, many relationships are much too fragile to make fun of some highly sensitive subjects.

Mike

[greg]

anyways....... this thread has gotten off track- stop ruining my thread, everybody!

[greg]

i was thinking about having a discussion about this:

http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-into-Japanese-Literature-Classics/dp/4770028997/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-3594973-5068641?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188226860&sr=1-1

13 5-star reviews, 1 4-star review and 1 3-star review. The 3-star reviewer complained that the book was "too hard." That reviewer shouldn't be taken seriously, the point of the book is to be challenging. 

Anyways, LOOK AT THE BOOK PREVIEW. Notice the book format. The first half of the left page has the original Japanese text. The first half of the right page has the English translation. The bottom halves of the left and right page have all the definitions. This means you don't even need a dictionary to read the whole thing. Looking stuff up in the dictionary and then not finding half of the stuff is what takes up more time than anything! On top of that, there's also sound files from the internet so you can test your listening skills (and yes, it is HARD!) (and yes, that sound file is from one of the stories). So, it's kinda like an audio book as well. But you have to challenge yourself like crazy from the beginning or else you won't ever learn anything.

Now, my question is: have any of you ever seen books in this format? It's really sad that it seems like there's so few like this.... i can't even begin to explain how useful this book is  0:)

[bwv 1080]

As I posted before, this is the album for you Greg:

http://www.amazon.com/New-Traditions-East-Asian-Bands/dp/B000003YUJ

[greg]

huh, John Zorn is always interesting isn't he?
unfortunately i still can't get the audio samples on amazon to play 

[bwv 1080]

huh, John Zorn is always interesting isn't he?
unfortunately i still can't get the audio samples on amazon to play 

The speakers on the album - in Mandarin, Korean and Vietnamese are fantastic.  You might try www.pandora.com and create a John Zorn "station" they rotate a couple of pieces regularly

[Bonehelm]

Mike sums it up. I'm going to stop attacking M personally but I don't know if he'll still make posts against me.

That doesn't mean I agree with M's posts or anything. I'm just not going to argue anymore for the sake of this forum.

[greg]

oh great, now you have a banana as an avatar 
i thought you were trying to get less provocative and x-rated 

[Bonehelm]

oh great, now you have a banana as an avatar 
i thought you were trying to get less provocative and x-rated 

Better than your chaotic network of lead pipes