s'ok moxie, I shouldn't have been so touchy. (But I was including you in my complimentary assessment of the Russian forum members)

Now the thread is all loved up again! Horray!

Good lord.

Here is the fact - if this thread bothers you or offends you in any way, rather than wishing it "would just die" - why not just stop reading it? By continuing to read it, and even more, post in it, you are merely demonstrating your interest in what is being said. If you're interested in what is being said, then why would anyone stop posting here?

Now, if you find yourself UNABLE to stop reading it - maybe due to some morbid curiosity, or some odd need to "defend the VJ community" or whatever - I'd suggest that's a personal issue - not the fault of anyone doing the offending. Exercise some self control and stop reading the thread. If everyone does this, it will die of its own accord - a natural death. Continuing to read and post is just putting logs on the fire. Can't be real surprised when the flames are not dying out.

Suppose Satellite called everyone on here a great big dumbass doofus, of huge and unimaginable proportions. Suppose he called everyone losers in the biggest sense of the word, and suppose he even said that you are all fools and that all of your relationships are worthless and infantile, fraudulent and even imaginary. Suppose he says all of these things, right here in his very next message. SO WHAT!?! What do you possibly care? If you do care, seek help. If you don't care, then why bother defending yourself against such statements?

At the end of the day, as usual, people are far too uptight and have far too much time on their hands and end up concerning themselves with unimportant and trivial things.

As for my post - no, I don't care either. I just find the uptight ones entertaining and the thread amusing. But at least I can admit it. Can you?

Cheers!
AKDiver

Babs, THIS on the other hand would qualify as a drive-by if it weren't for the fact that the poster is a de facto member. Membership, it would seem, has its advantages, up to and including stirring up the drama just as it was about to cool down into something productive.

Oh crap, now I'm doing it. I probably need help.

Maybe some come back just hoping to find a small apology for a cruel joke furthered by offensive remarks. Instead of Satellite simply posting, "Hey group, sorry for the misinformation posted" or whatever. He returns only to further belittle those whose feelings he and his wife hurt and defend his position. Is it so difficult to apologize-???

Is it so difficult to give up one's expectations for an internet forum poster that one has never met and is highly unlikely to ever meet?

Aside from that - even if he does apologize to make everyone happy, so what? An apology that isn't from the heart isn't really worth very much anyway.

Even so - again - why should an apology should even be desired by an internet forum poster that one has never met and is highly unlikely to ever meet is completely beyond me. Such a desire has to be based in actually caring about what Satellite thinks. If you don't care what he thinks, then there is nothing to apologize for. If you DO care what he thinks, that's the problem of the person doing the caring - who may want to consider WHY he (or she) cares so much about what others think, let alone complete strangers whom one is never even likely to meet.

Note - the desire to acquire facts and information from a knowledgable person is not the same as caring about what they think in general, let alone what they think about you as a person. It's perfectly reasonable not to care about their opinion about you, while still wanting useful information with which they may be able to provide to you.

Cheers!
AKDiver

He didn't say he expects an apology, he said he hopes for an apology. I'm sorry you feel like you have to be the Grand Poobah of Smitiness, but if you really can't comprehend why anyone would care then fine, but don't keep wondering why anyone would care.

Feelings HE hurt? Since when is someone else responsible for YOUR feelings? Most people can't control their OWN feelings, let alone someone else's. People who claim that someone ELSE has hurt their feelings need to step up and take some responsibility for themselves instead of blaming others.

If you choose to be offended by what someone else says or does, how is that THEIR fault? It's up to you to step up and take responsibility for yourself. Simply choose NOT to be offended - and stop blaming others for what is going on inside that little head of yours.

Cheers!
AKDiver

Come on, this is simply pathetic.

Why not? Oh wait, let me guess, maybe it offends you...

Cheers!
AKDiver

Akdiver, we all have a choice how to react to boorish behavior (ХАМСТВО): some shrug and walk away and some give the boor a smack on the nose. If you prefer to walk away, that's entirely your business. If others feel it necessary to deliver a few smacks, it's THEIR business and none of yours.

And yes, it is kinda fun to see if inability to apologize is indeed exclusive to the Russians, as Slim suggests. Morbid curiosity, if you will.

Wow - such violence. Lots of people in jail for deciding to "deliver a few smacks".

I guess it's just the difference between choosing to control oneself and trying to control others.

Cheers!
AKDiver

OMG! This is getting so damn ridiculous. We have to meet and have real relationships in order to expect any sort of humanity from people now! It's okay to say whatever. After all this is only an internet forum filled with cyber people. I guess we all have virtual feelings now. Just log off and all will be okay!

Now I should just chose to not be offended. Right...

Last time I looked we were all loved up. Now look what's happened!!

I keep popping back to see if there are in fact any Russian's willing to attest (other than Sat and his missus of course) to being arrogant and heartless. We were told this is fact. We're still waiting for volunteers...

I think I was unclear - and if so, I apologize.

I'll try to clarify - my position is the same whether someone says a bunch of awful things to you in an internet forum, or directly to your face. You can be offended if you choose to be - if you choose to give credence to what they have to say, if you choose to care what they think about you. In making such choices, it is unreasonable to blame someone else for your feelings that result. The alternative is to choose NOT to care what they think about you. In this case, it doesn't matter what they say, when they say it, or how they communicate the message to you. In all instances, in then becomes very difficult to be offended by what gets said.

An excellent solution!

Why?

Cheers!
AKDiver

Why do you?

Reminds me of all the times a fine, upstanding Christian person would take the time to inform me that I am going to burn in hell for all eternity unless I give myself over to god (yes, told this many times). Now, this is a pretty serious warning, with dire consequences. Did I choose to be offended, or even concerned? Well, no, not really. The response was more like, "wow? really? Geez! Thanks for letting me know!"

I'm not...

Cheers!
AKDiver

AKDiver, did you see what just happened? Within minutes you and I are back on terms. I only consider Sat could have followed suit.

Well for someone who's posted as much as you have in the last half hour I would suggest that you are being somewhat contradictory. For someone who doesn't care your fingers have been working pretty fast. Unless of course it is your aim to prove yourself right and everyone else wrong. That could be your aim.

Don't get too excited. I was merely choosing polite discourse, with a dash of sarcasm and few sprinkles of humour. (:

Gotta pay better attention there babs. In my first post in this thread, I indicated my interest in this thread is purely entertainment. Beats what's on TV, that's for sure.

Along the lines of the argument I've been making - it really doesn't matter to me if you recognize the correctness of my argument or not. In fact, if you don't, it's all the more entertaining - so argue and insult at your leisure, please.

Cheers!
AKDiver

This 'babs' stuff is getting rather endearing. It really is. I thought you told us all we should find something better to do. But it's cool the way you're keeping the thread moving for the rest of us.

Cheers!


I don't recall insulting you. Sorry if I hurt your feelings.

Polite discourse is at least a start.

Haha, I see what you did there. Subtle much?

I love posters (and by this I mean you) who justify their trollish behavior by telling everyone else it's their problem. Sheesh, at least stand by your own words instead of pawning the consequences off onto other people. Satellite at least gave us that courtesy.

Oh and like a good troll you couldn't stand that the thread was actually heading in a productive direction so you had to stir the pot. Well hey, kudos for that. It seems as if your reputation is well deserved and stands firmly intact.

Hardly. I completely agree with taking responsibility for oneself. What I said was that YOUR feelings are YOUR issue. They are under no one else's control and no one else's responsibility.

Nah, you give me too much credit. I was merely unaware that this party was going on and arrived late.

Cheers!
AKDiver

Right. You are in effect saying that you bear absolutely no responsibility for your actions, because the consequences belong to somebody else. To use an extreme case (leaving the TOS out of it), your argument could justify hurling racial slurs and bigotry with impunity, because after all, how that affects someone elses feelings are their issue, not yours. Sorry, but it doesn't fly in either the general or the extreme argument.


And anyone with a modicum of class would have realized their time to interject had passed.

wow seems there is a shortage of a sense of humor around vj nowadays.

ok...

NOW YOU'RE REALLY PISSING ME OFF WITH THOSE DAMN UPSIDE-DOWN SMILEY FACES!!!

Two cannibals are eating a clown. One of them turns to the other and says "does this taste funny to you?"

There is no goddamned shortage of humor around here.

You are confused. What I said was that the actor has complete responsibility for one's actions, but not responsibility for how someone else chooses to respond to them. If someone carjacks your vehicle, then that person guilty of stealing your car. However, if in response to having your vehicle carjacked, you walk into the local diner and, in a fit of rage and depression over having your vehicle stolen, you decide to blow away three customers having a three martini lunch, that is hardly the fault of whomever stole your car.

I never claimed to have any class (:

Cheers!
AKDiver

the definition of trust - two cannibals having oral sex.

What did the cannibal get when he was late for dinner?
The cold shoulder.

Saludos,
"Sucker" #5

The analogy is flawed at all levels, but if I had to shoe-horn a correction in I would say that your argument is more like "just because I stole your care doesn't mean I'm responsible for you being pissed off."


Touché.

Hahaha. That's fantastic. Good little jokes. Kirk, don't let these guys bother you.

Now I finally see why the Russian forum has been getting some bad press lately. A few bad apples...

didya hear about the cannibal who was failing college? he ate all his classmates and "passed" the class.

Aside: This is a truly special forum. Nowhere else have I ever seen a thread that can go from the horrors of a broken marriage to the potential horrors of cannibal sex in 9 pages. Although quite frankly I'm a little disappointed it took us 9 pages. C'mon Russian posters, we can get that down to 5 pages next time I'm sure!

I would agree - if I were to steal your car, I am hardly responsible for you choosing to be pissed off about it. Alternative choices you would have in such an instance include:

a). Relief, that your vehicle, which maybe you didn't like very much, got stolen - giving you justification to go get a new one.

. Relief that you no longer have a vehicle with which you can use to contribute to global pollution.

c). Relief that now you can walk or bike or take public transportation, reducing your monthly expenditures and increasing your ability to lead a healthy lifestyle.

d). Other, more positive choices besides being "pissed off"

These are all choices a person whose car is stolen may choose, in response to having the car stolen. They don't HAVE to choose to be pissed off about it. In any event, your choice of response is hardly the responsibility of the one who stole your car.

It's like when you wake up late in the morning, trip down the stairs, break the heal on your new pair of shoes and spill coffee on the carpet. This does not mean you have to be in a bad mood in the morning and have a crappy day. You can choose to set this all aside and determine to have a nice day anyway. How you respond to the issues you face in life is all up to you - no one else bears responsibility for your choices.

Furthermore, there are some cultures and belief systems that would go so far as to say that in such an instance, it is YOUR FAULT that I stole your car because you created a situation that tempted me into doing so. Now, I personally don't believe such an argument, but there are plenty of non-criminal-spiritual-types that do.

Cheers!
AKDiver

And how can you know if he is really pissed off? What if the (ex)owner of the car is not in the least pissed off, but nevertheless chooses to chase the car thief and put his ### in jail, just for the properness of things? After all, a thief belongs in jail, regardless of the feelings of the offended party. I may even send him a thank-you note and a bottle of champagne for stealing my car, after the formal act of retribution has been performed.

I agree! It did take a drive-by to turn you onto the horrors of Cannibal sex though

If a cannibal ate AKDiver, how should we react? With gratitude.

*groan*

That's correct. Yet another response - don't get pissed off, get even....or if you prefer, don't get pissed off, get justice. Either way - it's just another example of how person A is not responsible for the response to his actions by person B, who has to make his or her own choices in life.

Such a cannibal would probably get indigestion and an unpleasant taste in his mouth.

Cheers!
AKDiver

no, i don't think he had hemorrhoids

Oh Charles!!! LOL

It's my own fault for not resisting the pull of an argument by analogy. The problem with this fallacy is that all analogies break down, which allows the arguer to pick and choose which of the features of one part of the analogy they want to use, all the while discounting other parts that don't fit their argument.

Doesn't matter though, you've justified the unsocial behavior in your mind, as has Satellite, so even a real inductive argument would have no effect.

Why won't cannibals eat divorced women?
They're very bitter.

What did the cannibal do after he had dumped his girlfriend?
Wiped his azz.

Two cannibals just finished a big meal and one turns to the other while rubbing his stomach with his fist and say, "You know, I just ate my mother-in-law, and she still doesn't agree with me!"

When do cannibals leave the table?
When everyone's eaten.

The first cannibal asked the 2nd cannibal, "Aren't you done eating yet?" The 2nd cannibal replied, "I'm on my last leg now."

Did you hear about the cannibal who loved fast food?
He ordered a pizza with everybody on it.

One cannibal to another: I never met a man I didn't like!

What is a cannibal's favorite type of TV show?
A celebrity roast.

Have you heard about the cannibal restaurant?
Dinner costs an arm and a leg.

What do cannibals eat for dessert?
Chocolate covered aunts.

What is a cannibal's favorite game?
Swallow the leader.

What do cannibals make out of politicians?
Bologna sandwiches.

A man gets captured by cannibals and every day they poke him with spears and use his blood to wash down their food. Finally the guy calls the chief over and says, "You can kill me or you can eat me, but I'm tired of getting stuck for drinks."

Two cannibals were sitting by a fire. The first says, "Gee, I hate my mother-in-law." The 2nd replies, "So, try the potatoes.

Cannibal's recipe book: How to Serve Your Fellow Man.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A cannibal visited his neighbor to admire his new refrigerator. "What is the storage capacity?" the man asked.

"I'm not exactly sure," the neighbor replied. "But it at least holds the two men that brought it."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A tourist goes to Africa and asks his tourist guide while walking in the jungle, "Are we safe here? Aren't there cannibals around here?"

And the tourist guide says, "Yes. You can be sure there is no cannibals in Africa."

And the tourist says, "But there may be still some cannibals."

And the tourist guide says, "No, rest assured. We ate the last one last Monday."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two cannibals meet one day. The first cannibal says, "You know, I just can't seem to get a tender Missionary. I've baked them, I've roasted them, I've stewed them, I've barbecued them, I've tried every sort of marinade. I just can't seem to get them tender."

The second cannibal asks, "What kind of Missionary do you use?"

The other replied, "You know, the ones that hang out at that place at the bend of the river. They have those brown cloaks with a rope around the waist and they're sort of bald on top with a funny ring of hair on their heads."

"Ah, ha!" the second cannibal replies. "No wonder ... those are FRIARS!"


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two cannibals, a father and son, were elected by the tribe to go out and get something to eat. They walked deep into the jungle and waited by a path. Before long, along came this little old man. The son said, "Oh dad, there's one."

"No," said the father. "There's not enough meat on that one to even feed the dogs. We'll just wait."

Well, a little while later, along came this really fat man. The son said, "Hey dad, he's plenty big enough."

"No," the father said. "We'd all die of a heart attack from the fat in that one. We'll just wait."

About an hour later, here comes this absolutely gorgeous woman. The son said, "Now there's nothing wrong with that one dad. Let's eat her."

"No," said the father. "We'll not eat her either."

"Why not?" asked the son.

"Because, we're going to take her back alive and eat your mother."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An airplane full of a shipment of Pepsi flying over Africa had a malfunction, and went down. A few weeks later, the Pepsi Company sent a rescue plane. They searched the area and found a tribe of cannibals.

They walked up to the Chief of the tribe and asked him if he knew anything about the crash.

The Chief said, "You betcha!"

When asked where the crew was, the Chief replied, "We ate the crew, and we drank the Pepsi."

The Rescue crew were shocked. One man asked, "Did you eat their legs?"

The chief replied, "We ate their legs, and we drank the Pepsi."

Another rescuer asked, "Did you eat their arms?"

The Chief replied, "We ate their arms, and we drank the Pepsi."

After looking totally perplexed for a minute, a third asked, "Did you...you know...eat, their...'things'?"

The chief says, "No."

"No?" asked the rescuer.

"No," replied the Chief, "THINGS go better with Coke."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two missionaries in Africa were apprehended by a tribe of very hostile cannibals who put them in a large pot of water, build a huge fire under it, and left them there. A few minutes later, one of the missionaries started to laugh uncontrollably.

The other missionary was incredulous, and said, "What's wrong with you? We're being boiled alive! They're going to eat us! What could possibly be funny at a time like this?"

The laughing missionary said, "I just peed in their soup!"


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the site, one lone survivor sat with his back against a tree, chewing on a bone. As he tossed the bone onto a huge pile of there bones, he noticed the rescue team. "Thank God", he cried out in relief. "I am saved!"

The rescue team did not move, as they were in shock, seeing the pile of human bones beside this lone survivor. Obviously he had eaten his comrades. The survivor saw the horror in their faces and hung his own head in shame. "You can't judge me for this," he insisted. "I had to survive. Is it so wrong to want to live?"

The leader of the rescue team stepped forward, shaking his head in disbelief. "I won't judge you for doing what was necessary to survive, but my God man, your plane only went down yesterday!"


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

These two cannibals kill a missionary. They argue for a while about how to divide him up, when finally, one of them says, "Okay. You start at the head and I'll start at the feet."

So they begin their tasty feast. After a while one of them says, "Hey, this is really great. I'm having a ball."

"Slow down!" cries the other cannibal "You're eating too fast!"


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One day a cannibal visited the neighboring island of cannibals. There, people cost $2 but politicians cost $25. The visiting cannibal asked, "How come politicians cost so much?"

The chief answered, "Do you know how hard it is to clean one of those?"


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two ferocious cannibal chiefs sat licking their fingers after a large meal. "Your wife makes a delicious roast," one chief said.

"Thanks," his friend said, "I'm gonna miss her!"


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An explorer in the deepest Amazon suddenly finds himself surrounded by a blood thirsty group of cannibals. Upon surveying the situation, he says quietly to himself, "Oh God, I'm screwed."

There is a ray of light from the sky above and a voice booms out: "No, you are NOT screwed. Pick up that stone at your feet and bash in the head of the chief standing in front of you."

So the explorer picks up the stone and proceeds to bash the life out of the chief. He stands above the lifeless body, breathing heavily and surrounded by 100 cannibals with a look of shock on their faces.

The voice booms out again: "Okay . . . . NOW you're screwed."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There were three men who were lost in the forest. They were captured by cannibals. The cannibal king told the prisoners that they could live if they pass the trial. The first step of the trial was to go into the forest and get ten pieces of the same kind of fruit. So all three men went separate ways to gather fruits.

The first one came back and said to the king, "I brought ten apples."

The king then explains the trial to him-you have to shove the fruits up your azz without any expression on your face or you'll be eaten.

The first apple went in...but on the second one he winced in pain, so he was killed and went to heaven.

The second guy arrives with ten berries. When the king explained the trial to him, he thought to himself that this should be easy. 1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8...but on the ninth berry he burst out in laughter, therefore also was killed.

The first guy and the second guy met in heaven. The first one asked, "Why did you laugh, you almost got away with it?"

The second one replied, "I couldn't help it. I saw the third guy coming with pineapples."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ambassador of a small African nation chanced to visit Russia, and was entertained by his opposite number, the Russian ambassador. For three days, the African ambassador was wined, dined, and generally treated to the best hospitality that Russia had to offer.

On the final day of his visit, the Russian ambassador said, "As your stay is coming to an end, it is time for you to play our traditional game, Russian roulette. One of the six chambers of this gun is loaded - you spin the cylinder, point the gun at your head, and pull the trigger."

This phased the African slightly, but he was a proud man of a warrior people, and to show fear would be unthinkable. Both men took their guns, spun, and pulled the triggers. CLICK-CLICK Both chambers were empty, and both ambassadors breathed a sigh of relief.

The African ambassador was much impressed with the courageous game, and thought hard about the subject before the Russian Ambassador was due to visit his country the next year.

When the visit came, the African ambassador treated the Russian with all hospitality, until the final day of his stay. Leading him to a private room in the palace, the African ambassador spoke, "Now it is time for you to sample our game, African roulette". So saying, he led the Russian into the room, the only occupants of which were six beautiful, naked women.

The African ambassador said, "These women are the most beautiful members of one of our tribes. Any one of them will give you a blowjob - take your pick."

The Russian was not entirely averse to this idea, but he couldn't see the connection with Russian Roulette. He said, "Well, ok, great, but where's the roulette part? Where's the danger?"

With a big grin on his face, the African ambassador answered: "One of them is a cannibal."

....all while insisting that someone else is responsible for your thoughts, actions and deeds.

he made me tell a lie....
he made me steal that car....
he made me feel bad...

It all amounts to the same thing.

"He made me do it" stops being a valid argument by the time one reaches first grade.

Cheers!
AKDiver

Sounds like an oxymoron to me.

Anyway AK, if you agree that getting pissed off or seeking justice are equally personal and independent choices of each respondent, would you not also agree that those choices are none of your business, and you shouldn't tell these people to go get care? :tongue:

I think a little bit of politeness wouldn't go amiss here. You may all disagree, but some of you here are being pretty disrespectful to one another. Play nice or I'll stick my mod hat on and bash you all over the head with a cushion.

I do.

Uh...just offering a suggestion to help out. Feel free to disregard if it's not something you're interested in (:

Cheers!
AKDiver