Mod'ing the NPM Forum.

[BeiTangLang]

Those of you that have been keeping track of recenct forum posts
are well aware that I have left a non-topic thread open despite controversy & content.

Even while leaving the thread open & alone, my honor was personaly attacked due to my relation to one of the threads contributors; Once again, I feel this was completely un-warranted.
As a mod here, I stand alone. I try to be above all fair to everyone; I hope you all see that.

So, do you guys want me to leave threads open for flame wars, or do you want me to moderate the forum as I have in the past?
I personaly preffer keeping our Northern Praying Mantis Board "extinguished" if you will, but as I have said before I will do as the membership wishes.

Best Wishes to you all,
~BTL

[Mr.Binx]

It is my wish as a forum member that personal disputes on this board be handled via private channels (i.e. pm, e-mail, etc.) by the feuding individuals and not in public forum. It is also my wish that posting individuals review and abide by the forum's LIST RULES AND DISCLAIMER (http://www.kungfuonline.com/forum/rules.html).

[Skarbromantis]

My only problem is when you close threads, that dont say NPM, if I post "what did you have for dinner?"

I want replys from NPM board members, on what they had for dinner, not to have it moved to the main forum, to find out what all the MMA had for dinner!

If it was posted on this board, the replys should come from this board.

It doesnt matter that it doesn't say "what did my praying mantis, brothers, and sisters have for dinner, its still ment for them!!

Grifter posted a thread about NHB fighting and if a Mantis fighter could deal with it, it did not have Mantis in the title, you moved it to the main form, and the thread got jacked, and the PM style got put down, pretty bad on the main board, it caused more greif moving it, then it would have if you left it, grifter has refused to post on this forum now, due to that move, and many others.

If its not on fire, dont move it, or lock it, simple.... if its flaming, do what ever, before the fire starts!

Other then that keep doing what you do.



Skard1

[B.Tunks]

I think you do a good job.
I think that unless the argument is about TLQ then once it gets personal it should go to private e-mail etc. I'm out of here for now because this is all getting a bit strange for me.

[MightyB]

You do have to walk a fine line--- one that I don't envy.

As one of the people involved in the "flame war", I think that you did a good job as a moderator. It was a debate, and neither of us, in my opinion, got too carried away. It was interesting.

I think that you should leave threads open as long as the forum members can keep it civil. I would hate to see this place degenerate into a lineage-bash-a-thon, but I would also hate to see it be overly censored.

[BeiTangLang]

Scarbro, http://forum.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=19342
is the thread of which you speak. I was wrong to move it, I admit, but I also admitted it before & appologiized if I remember correctly.

I still stand by my decisions for the most part on the topics I have forwarded to other groups. The "dinner" analogy is a good one & if there is any legitimate relationship between Dinner & NPM, I will keep it here, but as this _IS_ a specialty forum so if there is no relationship, it will still be moved.

I respect you all as practioners & as posters, but I have to try to keep the forum on topic.
I thank you for writting even if we don't see eye to eye as I appereciate constructive critique.

Thanks for evereyone elses support as well. Anyway, back to Mantis. Many good topics out there waiting for discussion.
~BTL

[Skarbromantis]

Thank you for acknowledging my point.

BTL, the job you do is hard, and you do it very well.

Skard1

[isol8d]

Stop the indvidual flame wars.

Let the styles flame each other.

[Shaolin-Do]

Actually, I usually come over to this forum cause I get tired of all the stupid BS on the main channel, and this one is usually pretty much non bs, always good, legitamate kung fu talk. You should keep it that way.

[HKMantis]

I for one, prefer the way things have been going. I know BTL personally and he's always been firm but fair. I remember a time this fourm was run much like the others, I stopped coming here because of that. Now that he's been moderating I've begun stopping by on occassion to see what's going on. I've noticed that some very knowledgeable people are now frequenting here. That's a good thing because they are willing to share what they know with the rest of us. I have had the pleasure of meeting a few of these people and know that they would not be here if they didn't like the way things were run.

Just thought I'd add my two cents in this time instead of being just another observer.

BTL- Keep up the good work, there are those of us lurking about that like the way things have been run.

Steve Diaz

[RAYNYSC]

BTL, you seem to have forgotten that I did try & talk with you via e-mail in the past. As for me calling you deputy well, do you police this forum don't you? And you do lock it down when you feel the "law" has been broken & order needs to be restored? Well then calling you deputy would not be out of line. ( Heck, instead of moderator I should call you regulator ) ;)

I must say for the foremost part you do an ok job as a regulator.....er,uhm,moderator. My main gripe is I feel you closed these threads out too soon.Short of naming calling and insults I really don't see any harm in flame wars. I feel that most of the time people don't want a flame war because, they have something to hide and they don't want it to come out in public.

You see, in flame wars political correctness goes out the window & often someone will "Let the cat out of the bag" about something that they usually dont speak upon. This is how you get the truth about people to come out sometimes. In short, flame wars make the phonies leave & the individuals true personalities come out. Such as is the case with the post you just closed.

I, for one learned a lot about Cottrell as I'm sure others have as well. His true colors were finally revealed. Again let me state this is my opinion and no one elses. If someone else agrees with me thats on them, I'm speaking for myself.:)

Now with that being said I have a question?....
When you said you've trained under other Sifus did Cottrell supervise? I heard that he does not allow his students to cross train with other Sifus unless he is present & can dictate what the student can learn, is this true?....:confused:

Peace:D

[HKMantis]

When you said you've trained under other Sifus did Cottrell supervise? I heard that he does not allow his students to cross train with other Sifus unless he is present & can dictate what the student can learn, is this true?....

I too train with Cottrell Sifu and can answer that question. No, it is not true. I have in the past trained with other Mantis Sifu without him there. In fact five other students of his were there with me. I know of another small group (4) of his Taiji students that have done the same thing. Come to think of it there was even a group (3 or 4)of Wing Chunners that took a road trip to touch hands with some guys in Houston. I personally have taken a number of seminars at the Taiji Legacy Tournament without him being there and can say that on occassion BTL was there with me, when not doing his own thing. All of this has been done with his knowledge and encouragement. There have been countless other pass through students that were training in one art or another that took what they wanted and left. Oh, BTW in July I will be taking a Ba Gua Class under a different Sifu, with his blessings.

I will take a guess at what you heard... "At Authentic Kung Fu you cannot cross train styles." What you left out is the rest of that phrase. "... within the school. This is because Praying Mantis and Wing Chun move so differently that you, as a novice would do yourself a dis-service trying to do both. However, once you've reached the asst. instructor level if you would like to start the other style you are more than welcome to." For those that don't know, at AKF you can learn NPM or WC they are each taught seperately but, as you can see there is a logical and valid reason for it. It sounds as though you have your facts incorrect. I would becareful where I'd got such information or at least would have check it out better, before I questioned it with such implication attached.

Steve Diaz

[BeiTangLang]

Originally posted by RAYNYSC
BTL, you seem to have forgotten that I did try & talk with you via e-mail in the past. As for me calling you deputy well, do you police this forum don't you? And you do lock it down when you feel the "law" has been broken & order needs to be restored? Well then calling you deputy would not be out of line. ( Heck, instead of moderator I should call you regulator ) ;)
Peace:D

Well enough, but calling Sifu Cottrell the sherrif implies that he somehow controls what I do & _THAT_ I take great offence to. That also says that I do not perform my job honorably & _That_ I take great offence to as well.

The other topic from your questions have been answered truthfully by my Sidai HKMantis.

I will not allow flame wars here, nor threads heading that way to continue into full flames again, so if its flames you wish, please frequent the mantis boards that will allow that to happen.

Best Wishe to all,
~BTL

Enough of this, I have my info & you have yours on this subject....back to Mantis!