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This is Dave Young's Forum.
Can you really bridge the gap between reality and training? Between traditional karate and real world encounters? Absolutely, we will address in this forum why this transition is necessary and critical for survival, and provide suggestions on how to do this correctly. So come in and feel welcomed, but leave your egos at the door!
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Dana Sheets
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Post by Dana Sheets »

So will the forums be a place where we want the youth to come and post side by side with the adults or will the youth be on a separate page?

Some options include:
the forums are fine for youth the way they are
don't care if youth have access to all the content here or not, aka "buyer beware,"
we're willing to consider what would make this place a little more welcoming to youth and families posting together.
the forums are not fine for youth but we like them the way they are so put the youth someplace else

And if that sounds like taking all the fun out of the forums that is not my goal or my intent.

My view of the forums right now is that, much of the time, they are a pretty good representation of a "virtual dojo." However many are the times, and more often of late for some reason in my view, these forums degenerate into something I think is far from the way we hope folks act and converse in a dojo.

Maybe I'm out in left field here. Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a mole hill.

This site has an interesting idea. The chat room for youth is only open from 12:00 PST to 7:00PM PST. So it is mostly closed when kids are asleep or supposed to be in school and open at other times.
http://www.kidzworld.com/chat/

That kind of makes sense in my mind for the youth forum. Move it to another page and only make it available from 12:00PST to 7:00PST. There's already a youth moderator. Then you won't get the overnight postings of the cialis user, etc. Also make it group that kids have to join so you can screen the users. That only makes sense at a certain level. Then only give access to adults from the Uechi forum that express an interest in helping the youth. Then maybe the youth forum is only open a couple of days a week at specific times.

On the other hand why promote kids being in front of a computer at all? They spend enough time sitting down at school.

However the reality is that youth are online. And there is a difference between suggesting they be online instead of outside running around and giving them a safe place to go when they are logged on.

Making thoughtful safe places online for youth takes a little doing. But I think this site could be one of the leaders in the marital arts world on this. I've done some searching around and there really aren't a preponderence of youth martial arts forums.

And it could be a total bust. Kids might just want to talk about Harry Potter and the new bubble gum pop singers and what's on television. However if they want to talk Uechi...

Anyway - just typing out loud.
Dana
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gmattson
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Dana..

Post by gmattson »

My goal is to make the Eastern Arts forums a "virtual dojo". I've been working towards that end and believe we have finally achieved this goal.
GEM
"Do or do not. there is no try!"
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Dana Sheets
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Post by Dana Sheets »

OK then,

So how 'bout the reverse? Put up a "lounge" area on the site that isn't open to the public...or maybe it is but lots of labels are put on it like "provider not responsible for content" or something.

I've posted on other forums that either have an unmoderated area open to the public (a clear warning is always put on that forum that it will remain unmoderated) or the "lounge" is an access-requested or moderated invited group. Then the virtual dojo stays more professional and folks still have a place they can go and to throw off the chains of common courtesy and rant.
Stryke

Post by Stryke »

Maybe more disclaimers are in order , why not slap the ratings label on particular forums , pg 13 for dana for example and others can choose there own to whatever they feel comfortable .

Ive always considered this a fairly adult enviroment , the fact a child can read it is less of a concern than what else they could stumble on in cyberland , the mighty interweb ....

It`s a parenting issue , you cant make the world people proof .
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Post by Guest »

Dana Sheets wrote:OK then,

So how 'bout the reverse? Put up a "lounge" area on the site that isn't open to the public...or maybe it is but lots of labels are put on it like "provider not responsible for content" or something.

I've posted on other forums that either have an unmoderated area open to the public (a clear warning is always put on that forum that it will remain unmoderated) or the "lounge" is an access-requested or moderated invited group. Then the virtual dojo stays more professional and folks still have a place they can go and to throw off the chains of common courtesy and rant.
I'm up for that idea Dana.
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Bill Glasheen
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Post by Bill Glasheen »

I've often wondered if potty mouth syndrome may be partially a genetic trait. :P

A while back, I was sitting at my own version of the "Cheers" bar where I live. I sit and drink my soda water with lime while watching some sporting event and waiting for carry-out. I generally try to engage in the conversation, and avoid the whisps of smoke coming from the nicotene addicts.

One day the Irish waitress had another Irish lady there with her. It took no more than about 30 seconds to realize that her friend could curse a blue streak. I'm not talking GD language; I'm talking MF this and MF that, and a general rap tenor with a heavy Irish accent. It turns out that this woman was straight from County Cork - the heritage of much of my Irish side. And it didn't take me long to find out from her that cursing was a way of life for these Irish. They were proud of their language, and proud of their rowdiness. A grandfather would brag about his MF grandson who loved to get into fights and create a little harmless mayhem.

For years, my upper students in my U.Va. classes would quietly remind me that my language in class often was on the edge in the dojo. When describing violence, profanity often comes with it like chex mix with beer. Certainly profanity is a very real part of psychological intimidation, which is a good portion of violence and self defense. Meanwhile, I also was in graduate school and amongst people of various cultures. Somehow it was funny when the chairman of the department from Switzerland or the vice chairman from India would throw in a little spicey language in their lectures. And I was always amazed at how my former apartment mate from the UK could say extremely obscene things in his British accent (Hey, whoever has the biggest **** here, how about you come on over here and **** on John's tire?) and the girls would think it cute. Go figure...

Even the chief medical officer of my previous employer had "a way" when saying things like "What the F" and "What the S" in his Richmond accent. It was his style.

I try... I'll be using language in class in the suburbs these days, and occasionally stop in mid passage when I note a parent and his child in the class. I do have to consider my audience.

However as an Irishman with a foul mouth, I will say that I sometimes get a bit put off myself by the extremes to which this language thing can go. Even vulgarity for entertainment and as a medium of communication has its limits. And I often note how individuals (and you know whom you are) will use vulgarity as a means to intimidate online. What-ever... It's useful I suppose to create venues where one does that intentionally to make a point (the Bulletman scenarios). But I'm not sure these forums are supposed to be all about a social pecking order. We deal with enough of that stuff in life, and it never seems very real to me with people spouting off from behind the safety of their computer screens. We all quickly degenerate to caricatures of what we espouse. And the great ones I meet on the mat never seem to find a need... They can kick my *** without it.

I do appreciate you bringing the topic up, Dana. I have no answers, but you're a great one for calling things like you see it.

- Bill
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gmattson
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Well... seems like great minds....

Post by gmattson »

sent a 'chister' thought to me last week in the middle of the night and I had this wonderful idea...

Got up and created the GEM "Hidaway" forum.

It is where I will be moving posts and threads that I don't believe belong in our public forum.

It is a private forum; you must be "admitted" in order to see the forum listed or to participate in the forum.

All the moderators have been admitted, but only so they are aware of the forums' existance. They can, of course, participate.

These public forums will retain its "G" rating, meaning that parents should not object if a teen happens to find us and reads one of the threads.

There is a downside to this new program: I won't be "warning" people when they cross the line a second time. Their thread or posts will be moved the first time and I'll give them access to the new room. They may continue to post on the public forums, but if they elect to "cross the line" again (which is 100% my judgement call), they will banned.

Anyone who would like to have access to this room, PM me or send me an email and I'll add your username to the new forum. No rules, no moderator. Just remember, be nice on the public forums.
GEM
"Do or do not. there is no try!"
Kevin Mackie
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Post by Kevin Mackie »

George, I sent a PM to you.

Kevin
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MEE MEE MEE!!!
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