Fenris-wolf

Haha, bet you anything you like he/she doesn't believe in evolution No offence CapitalKarate.

I really don't need to convince myself that Iraq or Afganistan isn't my place. I don't need fame, money, or adulation to tempt me away. No, all I need is a brain. Not that I don't have sympathy for every man or women lost to this war, but Beka is right. It's a waste of human life, as is every war, and this one isn't even vaguely justifiable. I wait with bated breath for the barrage of protests!

The problem with GM food is primarily that there have been NO CONCLUSIVE TESTS. It is a relatively new technology, it simply cannot be guaranteed this early on that there will be no side effects. And when our Prime Minister talks about "controlled field trials" - what, is she nuts? I mean, these are plants we're talking about here. Outside of a laboratory it is pretty difficult to stop pollen from drifting and infecting wild/non-GM plants. Moreover, our understanding of how biology works at this level is far too limited for me to have any faith in the reassurances of the scientists involved. And finally, GM is useful, but do we really need to modify our food? About the only people it benefits is the companies producing the seeds, not even the farmers who are often forced into contracts with the company where they have to continue using their seeds even when it is less economically stable for them.

Oh no! I am... God of laziness My worshippers are... Capitalists And they show devotion by listening to Spice Girls music!!

Hey, I like cats... It's still funny. Don't take it seriously!

Well, I'm a southpaw, but I'm not naturally left handed. There are a few of us in our club and still most of the orthodox fighters are a little stumped by the change in stance (except of course for the people who are so much better than me that it doesn't matter! ). But even so, the fact that they've got to spar against us gives them an advantage over somebody who trains in a club without southpaws. In order to beat a southpaw it's the same as beating anybody else, and just requires practice. In the case of changing stance, that is interesting. Our MT club sometimes spars with a Ninjitsu club in our area. They are taught to fight from both stances at once. While I find that very frustrating (I usually go for the inside thigh and they keep moving!), if you spend a little while watching them, you will find they are pretty weak in either stance (for the lower grades, anyway), because they have to learn two things at once.

Definately, Battousai! I have been thinking a lot about the contribution of your mental game in a competition recently, and I would have to say it is the single most important factor in winning a fight. It mostly came down to me reflecting on my own lack of fitness. This is how I view it: 1. Mental game -without it, no matter how accomplished you are, you cannot win. When you become afraid, or angry, when you lose control of the situation, you're half-way to losing. You see it in a person's eyes, when they start backing away, not responding to attacks, clearly worrying about what the other person is doing rather than what they are doing. 2. Fitness -unfortunately for me, no matter how polished your techniques may be, they ultimately fail when you are too tired to use them. Darn. 3. Everything else! -technique is incredibly important. I have seen very unassuming looking guys (and women!) beat some of our biggest members when sparring because they have beautiful technique. But as I said, without mental game and fitness, you're screwed. Wow, I'm so easily distracted! Anyway, back to the topic at hand: while obviously an experienced practitioner is going to quickly be able to assess the situation and deal with an untutored opponent with relative ease, if you have not been in many contact situations (no matter how pretty your katas may be - not that I'm anti-katas, I promise!), it is very easy to be intimidated. I know that personally, despite being relatively good at Muay Thai, when someone just runs at me and flails around I find it very hard to deal with! And another practioner of your art is going to be "easier" to fight in some ways, of course, because you're in your comfort zone, and they spar/fight to pre-established patterns (to one degree or another) with which you are familiar. Finally, I completely agree that sparring is very different to full-contact, which is of course different again to no-rules street fighting! When you're trying not to hurt someone it can be very challenging. Like the way my bf (who also practices MT) has realised if he stands back and does lots of little girly slaps (which he finds highly amusing ) I find it difficult to do anything, since I don't really want to knee him in the gut. Well, that's my 2c's worth, congratulations for anyone who actually read all that!

That's so cute DM! You're not British, are you...? Hmm, fetishes. I can pretty much guarantee I have lots of freaky ones but my mind is blank. Still: MA: Everything. Constantly like "I wonder if I can do Jujitsu as well... Surely I can still train 7 times a week in Muay Thai as well as Judo..." Also, books, movies, websites, talking at anyone who will listen - God, every time you get a group of us together we talk for hours about Muay Thai. Oh, I am compulsive about gear. My mother keeps laughing at me spending all my money on it. Just got brand new 16 ounce gloves! *melt* I am so glad I don't have a credit card!! Anyway..... *looks around furtively and runs away*

:lol: I'm Frodo. Not very exciting, but could be worse.... I once picked up the nickname of Gimli from my [stupid!] tall friends.

Greetings all. Now, if anyone here is a New Zealander, or shall be anywhere near here in the next two weeks, please feel free to come to Capital Punishment 3, Victoria University of Wellington's annual Muay Thay fightnight, being held up at the University on Saturday the 30th August. If you would like more information, please feel free to e-mail me on fenris-wolf@angelfire.com, and I'll be glad to help.

Go Gary Larson.

When they say "second name" do they mean middle name or surname?? Surname = The dependable skeleton Middle name = Tha visible choirboy I'm sorry but the second one scares me...

Very sweet. I second the Wow! for the kid who said you can hear it if you stop and listen. This could be a very interesting conversation if I wasn't alone in here... Oh well, I shall talk to an empty room. I believe in love, but only in that I cannot find a way to explain what I believe it to be. The stubbornly cynical and relistic part of me cannot shut out that it is purely hormones, chemical impulses we cannot begin to understand. But it is that lack of understanding which allows me to be open minded. I am pretty staunchly athiest, but I believe there may be something more, and if there is... Who knows? I have only been in one serious relationship. It was not healthy in the end, as I was pretty depressed at the time and became quite emotionally dependent on him. But I did love him. And still do, in a plutonic way. I cannot block out how good it feels to be "in love". I am... infatuated... with somebody right now. Something in my head persistantly whispers of love but I will not allow it. Nonetheless, I cannot deny the happiness that fills me when I think of him. So I guess I didn't really have a point. Darn, I need somebody to bounce ideas off! Well, I suppose if I was to sum up how I feel, I believe in love in every sense but "true love". "Soulmates"?? Eugh. False hope. But I believe that if you take "love" a day at a time... What does it matter the meaning of words? If their smile can fill you with happiness, if hearing their voice makes everything alright again, if looking into their eyes makes your breath catch... Well who cares if love is real?

Valithor! You dirty old man...

OMG I can so relate to that. I have always been interested in MA to one extent or another, I did karate for a few years and I'm pretty good for my 6 months experience at Muay Thai. But although I haven't actually played around with my father for the last few months, and I know I've improved alot, I'm kinda scared of doing it. Because always in the past, even though he doesn't throw very good punches and has never done an MA, he always just throws lots of relatively hard punches in one spot and it hurts enough to throw me off. It always makes me think "Yeah, sure I can spar with other practicioners, but I can't even handle my father punching me -what will I do in a real fight??" Your father does sound pretty damn cool, actually. You're pretty lucky.

I live in Wellington, New Zealand http://www.new-zealand.com/nzguide/wellington.html I don't know how exciting that website is, but it'll give you an idea about where we are.

Very interesting point. I dunno about you, but I think that pretty much backs up my point. Ideas. Whatever.

Combos don't necessarily mean you have a lot of set moves which you can't change; it just means you follow up your strikes. That's the way we use it anyway. Our instructor insists we always throw at least two shots (if possible). Also can be good to know a few shots which work well together. When they stop working, change. For example, I'm a southpaw, so I can quite often get people a few times in a row with right-jab-left-whip. (I do Muay Thai). Or left-cross-right-hook.

Haha, sounds like fun... I would have my * handed to me on a platter

Wow, that is amazing! I hate to think how much it costs... Why don't you just contribute a bit to costs and use your old sensei's?

You're really not open to other people's opinions, are you?

Actually, cancel that, I like what Sai said. Pretty much my point, but with less babbling.

Good god.

Chivalry is a nice idea, but to me it seems to be in a lot of ways sexist toward men. To elabortate: women want to be treated as equals and yet will be annoyed that a man does not hold open doors? Where is the logic in this? Unfortunately chivalry traditionally came with a price, and that price was that while yes, you were treated nicely: As you would treat a child when they behave. There are certainly aspects of it that may be retained -I am female but I like to hold open doors and generally be polite and pleasant with other people. It seems ridiculous that a woman could want to be treated as an equal, but then expect different behavior around them. We are meant to be going for equality, not female dominance! Every woman (or man) has a different outlook on life, but I have always enjoyed been treated as a friend, or a collegue, or a sparring partner, rather than a "girl". Part of my outlook on this subject comes from my opinion of the blatant inequality in many relationships (mostly in the younger generation). Sure, there are many healthy relationships, and many where the man is abusive or neglegent. But what gets to me is when a couple of teenagers get together. The guy is in a lot of aspects dominated by his lady. Everything he does in the relationship is to try and make sure she feels happy with the way things are going, so she won't get angry, so he'll get laid. It sounds funny, but I hate the way women can use sex as a tool against men. I will never use my body (or lack of) as a form of punishment on a partner. That is petty and deeply irritating. Anyway, having strayed from the subject by about a mile, I guess I could conclude that chivalry has a place, but not as an exclusively male domain.

Eww, humidity is evil! Haha, and I want to train in Thailand... Hey, I can sympathise. I moved from one of the flattest places in NZ to one of the hilliest.