>> ^dag:

But seriously, don't say anything even remotely amusing until the 28th - you don't want to blow your load early.
I'll help by making creepy comparisons between commenting and ejaculation.


Seems like everyone in this thread is edging...

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

booooooring. I mean, good job - keep saving it up.>> ^KnivesOut:

You should just give T-Shirts to people who reach some arbitrary Silver Tongue level, say... 10 for example...

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That's perfect - way to save it up.>> ^Drax:

Psh

Oh hardy har har.

In reply to this comment by Llama:
I wonder if Gwiz665 calls it a rapier because it's long and very thin.. .... ...

I wonder if Gwiz665 calls it a rapier because it's long and very thin.. .... ...

I used to have that problem too, try taking a little bit baby oil and polish it infront of them.

Be sure to make nice long strokes infront of people, don't stroke too fast though, or some of the oil may come off and splash it in the face.

It's not always a problem, just ask them if they don't mind taking a little bit in the face beforehand. Always be a gentleman about it.

>> ^gwiz665:
I also whip out my.. rapier.. on the street sometimes. People are quite disturbed by it.
>> ^NicoleBee:
I can't tell you how often this happens up here, guys! It's like an episode of Highlander, every day. I can barely get to work without having to whip out my rapier.

I also whip out my.. rapier.. on the street sometimes. People are quite disturbed by it.

>> ^NicoleBee:
I can't tell you how often this happens up here, guys! It's like an episode of Highlander, every day. I can barely get to work without having to whip out my rapier.

I can't tell you how often this happens up here, guys! It's like an episode of Highlander, every day. I can barely get to work without having to whip out my rapier.

>> ^chilaxe:
The claims that non-collusive sparring can't be done using Aikido without hurting the opponent too badly can be tested easily against a mixed martial artist willing to risk broken arms, wrists, fingers etc. (he won't think it's much of a risk). I believe this issue is only going to grow, as mixed martial arts is growing rapidly, with viewership of the monthly UFC events eclipsing boxing and sometimes even baseball viewership among the under 40 generation.

This would be ridiculous, because aikido is practiced as a defensive art. Also see my points below. As an anecdote, there was such a duel arranged between one of Osensei's student and an american judo champion for a film on aikido in the 1960's. The judo guy was told not to attack since aikido was a defensive art. So he didn't. But the aikido representative (Akira Tohei), feinted an attack to create an opening and finally got the much bigger American judo guy on the ground. Still afterwards he was scolded by Osensei who said "You should have waited for an attack no matter what!". This is to say that there is no point in fighting if it's not to defend your life (or honor, since for the old Japanese the two are equal).


Isn't it a good cause to encourage Aikido to back up its claims, or to utilize more realistic sparring? UFC champs become millionaires, so there does seem to be ample incentive to participate.

Japanese bushi (samurai) did not participate in "realistic sparring" with their jujutsu techniques, yet the best of them could have probably killed any UFC champ. Why? Because they were ready to die at anytime. At that level, an untrained and sloppy but sudden and unexpected eye poke, for example, can become a lethal tool.

In my eyes, Judo and MMA competitions are much more dance-like than aikido practice. They're "freeform" dances. In judo and MMA you both have freedom from kata, but you lose that freedom because of 1) rules and 2) the "fair duel" setup, i.e. two guys that know when they will be fighting each other and even sometimes know what techniques the other favors. Aikido on the contrary doesn't require a "fair duel" situation to be effective. In fact, many (dan level) techniques are done with two or three opponents. We also practice with 4 or more opponents to make sure our techniques can flow instinctively under pressure. Karate still has kata with many opponent situation but most student don't even know they're fighting more than one "shadow" opponent in their kata. In comparison, in aikido we practice our "kata" (techniques) with a partner. This is because jujutsu is a skin-to-skin contact art, so you have to train your somatic sensations, up to being able to execute a technique in full darkness (this is practiced in many dojo in fact).

On the other hand, what is difficult with both competition and kata practice is to understand that in a non-comptetition or non-practice situation, you do not have to conform to kata or techniques. You execute them when the occasion presents itself, otherwise you try to create, in the heat of the moment, such an occasion (with atemi or some other distraction). In the end, the best teachers are real situations: if you really want to know if you're ready, go catch some criminals or kill some terrorists.

P.S. I know true judo (as done by Kano and Mifune for example) and many of the arts practiced in MMA by themselves don't need the "fair duel" setup to be effective, but the way they train for competitions makes it so (in fact Gracie jujutsu was made for fair duels. That's how they became famous in Brazil, by dueling. Saying that BJJ is good on the street is like saying a rapier is good on a battlefield: complete nonsense).

rapiers, rape, or both. I love Stoppard's work. This one is a classic.

To look upon every exit as an entrance, somewhere else.

Yeah, Boo. I take pride in how we keep this place the anti-youtube with our rapier wits alone. Was there some precipitating event? Maybe you're spending hours moderating arguments and deleting comments? I don't know. Seems too much too soon to me.

I'm plenty good at ignoring stuff, I don't feel I need a button for it.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Got to keep my distance - I enjoyed the roasting, but I'm afraid if I skewered you with my rapier wit - your psyche would not recover.

*imitating my best Southern accent* Didjoo just call ar President a raper?! He didna do nuthin like that!

I think he left his wit in his other flight jacket.

In reply to this comment by dag:
Come on Bush, where's the comeback? Skewer him with your rapier wit.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Come on Bush, where's the comeback? Skewer him with your rapier wit.

Nordlich, I shall attempt to enlighten.

1. "Firstly, One never cuts to cleave an opponent into two pieces! Why?"

Exactly! but comments on the sift regarding this topic, and in almost every other discussion of Katana's, Often claim that the Katana was tested by cleaving convict bodies in twain, through the hips, crown to crotch, etc. etc. I suppose it is to prove the swords superiority and craftsmanship.

2. "You never ever thrust to the body, because the katana can be broken, by lodging the blade int he ribs, and having the now mortally wounded opponent screaming in agony, and throwing his weight around."

Well, if you say so. But if it is so easily broken, by a rib, one should then assume that only unarmored opponents were valid targets, because that lacquered Japanese armor is far too tough for a mere Katana. Why, you might even chip the painstakingly crafted, razor sharp, waterstone sharpened edge.

3. "The katana is a strong weapon, but can be broken easily."

Hmmm......I suppose Samurai were incredibly brave, nay, fearless. But easily frightened.

4. "Killing people with a katana is a lot more fine compared to hacking away with a European great sword."

Really? I sense a little of the familiar Japanese superiority complex in that statement. How is killing with a sword "fine", in any sense?

5. "You do not stab with any sword lest you have a back up weapon. "

Perchance, have you ever heard of a Rapier, or a Gladius?
And, any damn warrior worth two shits and with a choice would have a backup weapon.

6. "All the weapons created in ancient time are powerful no matter what they are what matters is the skill level behind the weapon."

OK, I'll wholeheartedly agree with that.