QUOTE (gryphon strike @ Apr 29 2009, 17.25)

Ciaran don't worry about it if they have not experienced it or seen " evidence" they will never believe it. You could describe all the different weird stuff that comes from Chi and they would still call BS because they are not willing to keep an open mind on the subject.

Seriously, you make it sound like a character flaw on our parts for not tripping all over ourselves to acknowledge the reality of Chi-Magic. When something defies all logic, all our notions of basic reality, and has no real evidence to support it...yeah, I'm gonna be a tad skeptical. I apply that same skepticism to psychics, faith healers, and invisible pink unicorns.

Any of those martial arts chi guys want to convince me (or other critical people), they'll conduct a large scale study and publish the results in a professional journal for peer review. If they could actually do the shit that they claim to do, there would have to significant scientific application beyond youtube videos and martial arts demonstrations. Hell, if I could really do that shit, I'd be on Leno tomorrow. Then Larry King. Hannity doesn't get a bite.

QUOTE (Erzulie the Unruly @ Apr 30 2009, 00.07)

I think a lot of people in this thread (not to mention the board, or the internet in its entirety) could learn a lot from CA.

I think he's just made it clear by deed instead of word that he is indeed (pun!) humble. How many times have you seen EHK or Mormont apologise, admit to arrogance and openly change their stance on something?

Commendable.

As Mormont has said, in my case, several. Though its not something I go out of my way to advertise. As for CA, I respect his attitude in this thread and I've enjoyed discussing this shit with him. But I don't really do humble. Nor do I see humbleness as a virtue in itself. Its not a flaw and to each their own, but humble doesn't equal good person. Nor is it necessary for someone to be one. Nor is ceding ground to the opposing party on an issue a virtue in itself. If you're generally right and they're generally wrong, there really isn't much to cede. And 'compromising' in that instance, pulling a 'You're a little bit right, I'm a little bit wrong, vice-versa' is just dishonest, peace-making for the sake of making peace. Might make sense in Congress, treaty/contract negotiations, at work or with family...but there's little need on an internet message board.

I'm not saying CA's been totally wrong here or that I've been totally right, that isn't the case. But on the few instances where CA has admitted he was wrong, fact is he was. Might take a big man to admit that fact, but I don't see how that makes him more commendable than the other guys in the thread unless you can point to instances where we were wrong but refused to admit it. Gotta be wrong first to admit that fact.