# New Martial Talk Belt ranks - need your input



## Bob Hubbard (Mar 13, 2002)

I want to flesh out the higher titles for post counts, and wanted some input.

We're here:
Martial Talk Black Belt  (Minimum Posts: 500) 
Martial Talk 2nd Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 700) 
Martial Talk 3rd Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 900) 
Martial Talk Master Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 1000)  
Martial Talk Master of Arts (Minimum Posts: 1500)  
Martial Talk Senior Master (Minimum Posts: 2000) 
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
Martial Talk Grandmaster (Minimum Posts: 5000)

and, as you can see, 2500-4500 have no titles.

Any ideas?

I've had a few suggestions, and for various reasons, I don't want to use them.  So, I need some help.

If we need to rearange the 1500 and 2000 titles, that's good too.

Thanks!
:asian:


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## Rob_Broad (Mar 14, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz _
> 
> *I want to flesh out the higher titles for post counts, and wanted some input.
> 
> ...



Lest see:

2500 Person with no family
3000 Person with no job
3500 Person with no life
4000 Person who needs to get off their butt so the sores can heal
4500 Person who should just kill themself

what will happen whe you have a couple martialtalk grandmasters will the one with the higest number of postings be called the senior grand master


I personally think you should have all the degrees of Black belt 500 more posts, and then start the master titles at 5th degree balck belt and have them 750 or 1000 posts in duration.


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## arnisador (Mar 14, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Rob_Broad _
> 
> *
> 4500 Person who should just kill themself
> *



Heh.



> *I personally think you should have all the degrees of Black belt*



Kaith, is there a reason why you don't want 1st dan through 10th dan (maybe reserve 10th dan just for you, the founder )?


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 14, 2002)

Hole in my knowledge base here.  Is "Dan" applicable to a wide range of arts, or only a few?

May be an idea.  I'm open to revamping things above 1000.


I make take a 'specul' title once someone hits grandmaster, but for now, I wanna work thru the ranks like everyone else.  I'm have fun.


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## Rob_Broad (Mar 14, 2002)

> _Originally posted by arnisador _
> 
> *
> 
> Kaith, is there a reason why you don't want 1st dan through 10th dan (maybe reserve 10th dan just for you, the founder )? *



Maybe if it is not too much work you can have the degree of black Black and the person can put in the honorific title of their style.  It would seem more personalized that way.  Maybe you could keepthe title Senior Grand master for yourself.


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## arnisador (Mar 14, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz _
> 
> *Is "Dan" applicable to a wide range of arts, or only a few?*



In my experience it's very widely used, but _degree_ works just as well I think.


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## Rob_Broad (Mar 14, 2002)

Personally I prefer the term degree, instead of dan.  But it is just a personal thing.


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## Dronak (Mar 14, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz _
> 
> *
> Martial Talk Master Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 1000)
> ...



Honestly, I don't think you'd want to do this, but it did come to my mind, so I'll suggest it anyway.  If instead of making new titles at every 500 posts you do them at 1000 posts, you could do, for example:

1000 = Master Black Belt
2000 = Master of Arts
3000 = Senior Master
4000 = ?
5000 = Grandmaster

In that case you'd only need one new title.  I might be inclined to make Senior Master 4000 and try to get something to the effect of Junior Master / Apprentice Master at 3000.  This is an alternative, but I get the feeling that you'd prefer to keep the levels 500 posts apart and not 1000 posts apart, so I don't know if this is really helpful.


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## Shinzu (Mar 15, 2002)

i dont have much to comment on the blt system other than i think it as a cool way to put members in a cerain catagory.

perhaps depending their style you could ask members (when they sign up) which rank option they would like to go by(sash/belt etc..).  this might be alot of work on your part though.  its up to you, but i think you are doing a fine job.

take care  :asian:


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## cdhall (Jun 5, 2002)

I was going to try to work this out but I don't know if how you might prefer to work out Instructor, Master, Professor, Black Belt, Master of Arts...

I think you are backed into a corner at the moment and that you may want to consider re-vamping the system.

Here are 10 levels of Black Belt (Instructor) as designated by Mr. Parker for American Kenpo.

You can rework these several ways.  I may go ahead and post an example later, but here is what Mr. Parker developed according to Infinite Insights into Kenpo (volume 2 I think):

1st Degree Black Belt-Junior Instructor 
2nd-Associate Instructor 
3rd- Head Instructor 
4th- Senior Instructor 
5th- Associate Professor 
6th- Professor 
7th- Senior Professor 
8th- Associate Master 
9th- Master
10th- Grand Master 

Mr. Parker himself, as founder of the System, is designated Senior Grand Master (Grandmaster?).  So Bob would could be the Senior Grand Master of Martial Talk in that same manner and similarly this would allow for other Grand Masters to be promoted to 10th.


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## Rich Parsons (Jun 5, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz _
> 
> *I want to flesh out the higher titles for post counts, and wanted some input.
> 
> ...



Just My Thoughts


Martial Talk Black Belt  (Minimum Posts: 500) 
Martial Talk 1st Degree Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 700) 
Martial Talk 2nd Degree Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 900) 
Martial Talk 3rd Degree Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 1000) 
Martial Talk 4th Degree Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 1500)  Master  
Martial Talk 5th Degree Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 2000)  Master 
2500 6th Degree Black Belt  Master 
3000 7th Degree Black Belt  Senior Master 
3500 8th Degree Black Belt  Senior Master
4000 9th Degree Black Belt  Senior Master
4500 10th Degree Black Belt   Senior Master
Martial Talk Grandmaster (Minimum Posts: 5000)


Have a nice day

Rich


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## Rainman (Jun 5, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Bonehead _
> 
> *
> 
> ...


  :rofl: 

I think it might be better if the master titles were to come at the 3500 mark.   That should take some time.


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## arnisador (Jun 7, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Rich Parsons _
> 
> *Martial Talk Grandmaster (Minimum Posts: 5000)
> *



Shouldn't these losers simply be taken out and shot?


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## Bob Hubbard (Jun 7, 2002)

heh..you're half way there my friend.


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## Rich Parsons (Jun 7, 2002)

> _Originally posted by arnisador _
> 
> *
> 
> Shouldn't these losers simply be taken out and shot? *



Arnisador,

Is this to be done with throwing daggers at
10 paces?????

Curious minds want to know?

Rich


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## arnisador (Jun 8, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Rich Parsons _
> 
> *Is this to be done with throwing daggers at
> 10 paces?????*



I've been reading a kyudo book recently...let's use arrows.


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## Bob Hubbard (Jun 8, 2002)

heh..in the amount of time it'll take for you to prepare, meditate, draw the perfect draw, and let fly the perfect shot, the highly trained ninjas of Ashida Kims will have already let yer pants down, and given you 1 heck of a wedgie.

:rofl: 

BTW- I remembered more Wing Chun....footwork thingy.


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## arnisador (Jun 8, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Kaith Rustaz _
> 
> *BTW- I remembered more Wing Chun....footwork thingy.   *



Good! I'll take your WC knowledge and those drinks next time I come by.


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## Rich Parsons (Jun 9, 2002)

> _Originally posted by arnisador _
> 
> *
> 
> I've been reading a kyudo book recently...let's use arrows. *



Arnisador,

By Arrow then, shall it be.  

Once I perfect by Draw I will lte you know.  

Have a nice day

Rich


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## bydand (Oct 26, 2006)

arnisador said:


> Shouldn't these losers simply be taken out and shot?



Hey Arnisador, remember this post from long ago?  I was wandering through some of the old threads and stumbled across this one.  Lets see, if at 5000 posts someone should be taken out and shot; at your present 20,000+ should we chuck you out of the space shuttle?  Just wondering LOL 

It is interesting to read the old threads and see how many members you read today, were around way back when MT was just a wet-behind-the-ears forum.  Glad to see all of you still here for us newbies.


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## exile (Oct 26, 2006)

bydand said:


> Hey Arnisador, remember this post from long ago?  I was wandering through some of the old threads and stumbled across this one.  Lets see, if at 5000 posts someone should be taken out and shot; at your present 20,000+ should we chuck you out of the space shuttle?  Just wondering LOL



Whoa---someone's being bloody cheeky here!


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## Andrew Green (Oct 26, 2006)

10,000 - Soke

20,000 - Super Soker


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## michaeledward (Oct 26, 2006)

Rob_Broad said:


> 4500 Person who should just kill themself


 
You have got to have GOALS!


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## Bob Hubbard (Oct 26, 2006)

Wow.  This was a walk through the past.


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## bydand (Oct 26, 2006)

I'm the one to blame for raising this from the dead and gone file.  I was wandering through somew of the old threads and thought this was funny.  Who at the time would have thought some of you would be in the TEN's of thousands posts.  I think it speaks so highly of MT that the site is able to retain the same people for so long that it is not uncommon to see someone with 5000+ posts.

Hats off to you Bob for running a tight ship, that is also a great community to belong to.


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## Touch Of Death (Oct 26, 2006)

When I hit 4000 I want to be a Grande Poobah.
Sean


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## terryl965 (Oct 26, 2006)

Touch Of Death said:


> When I hit 4000 I want to be a Grande Poobah.
> Sean


 

you get that at 3500 4000 get you Master Gand PooBah


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## arnisador (Oct 26, 2006)

I am indeed embarrassed! Well, what can one do.


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## Xue Sheng (Oct 26, 2006)

[100,000 = High and might grand royal imperial boo bah of all they survey

Tripod, plumb bob and laser leveler included as free gifts (sorry a little surveying humor... very little actually).


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## terryl965 (Oct 26, 2006)

Xue Sheng said:


> [100,000 = High and might grand royal imperial boo bah of all they survey
> 
> Tripod, plumb bob and laser leveler included as free gifts (sorry a little surveying humor... very little actually).


 

I want to be the first with that honor


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## Brian R. VanCise (Oct 26, 2006)

terryl965 said:


> I want to be the first with that honor


 
Terry, no doubt the post whore in you will get you there! :rofl:


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## Brian R. VanCise (Oct 26, 2006)

Who knows we may make it there in the last thread alone!:rofl:


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## Xue Sheng (Oct 26, 2006)

Brian R. VanCise said:


> Terry, no doubt the post whore in you will get you there! :rofl:


 
No no no the post whore rank must include at least 150,000 posts or more


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## exile (Oct 26, 2006)

Xue Sheng said:


> [100,000 = High and might grand royal imperial boo bah of all they survey
> 
> Tripod, plumb bob and laser leveler included as free gifts (sorry a little surveying humor... very little actually).



No, XS, _I_ thought it was funny!


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## IWishToLearn (Oct 30, 2006)

Ya'll have way too much time on your hands.


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## Drac (Oct 30, 2006)

terryl965 said:


> I want to be the first with that honor


 
You probably will be...


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## terryl965 (Oct 30, 2006)

Drac said:


> You probably will be...


 

I sure hope so, it has always been a long term goal to be the kings of post whores


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## Drac (Oct 30, 2006)

terryl965 said:


> I sure hope so, it has always been a long term goal to be the kings of post whores


 
Dude I think the gold star insures that the title is YOURS!!!!!


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## shesulsa (Oct 30, 2006)

Drac said:


> Dude I think the gold star insures that the title is YOURS!!!!!


*ahem* ... Dude ...


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## terryl965 (Oct 30, 2006)

Drac said:


> Dude I think the gold star insures that the title is YOURS!!!!!


 

Thank you Thank you very much


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## shesulsa (Oct 30, 2006)

Terry absolutely has it hands down because he's an awesome thread starter, good poster and just an all-around good guy!


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## terryl965 (Oct 30, 2006)

shesulsa said:


> Terry absolutely has it hands down because he's an awesome thread starter, good poster and just an all-around good guy!


 

Thank you so much for that Shesulsa, you are the commander of this vessel and set the greatest stabdards for all of us to follow


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## shesulsa (Oct 30, 2006)

terryl965 said:


> Thank you so much for that Shesulsa, you are the commander of this vessel and set the greatest stabdards for all of us to follow


Oh, I wouldn't go that far, Terry.  But thank you, that's nice of you to say. :asian:


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## matt.m (Oct 30, 2006)

I am inclined to the 1-4 dan ranks
5-6 is master, 7-8 is grandmaster etc.


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## terryl965 (Oct 30, 2006)

shesulsa said:


> Oh, I wouldn't go that far, Terry. But thank you, that's nice of you to say. :asian:


 

You are absolutely welcome


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## BlackTiger1 (Nov 11, 2006)

Chinese old saying there can only be one tiger on the mountain


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## karlijim (Feb 18, 2007)

Associate is a preface to titles usually above senior.   what about renshi, kyohsi, hanshi following up to grandmaster?


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## grydth (Feb 19, 2007)

With all the attention it has gotten around here, how could they have left "soke" out?:angel:


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## Andrew Green (Feb 19, 2007)

Probably just that Nobody's sent in a big enough check yet :lol:


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## Bob Hubbard (Feb 19, 2007)

Andrew Green said:


> Probably just that Nobody's sent in a big enough check yet :lol:


Um.....err......ahh.....

*Ahem*

Oh, Hi.. :wavey:


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## grydth (Feb 19, 2007)

Andrew Green said:


> Probably just that Nobody's sent in a big enough check yet :lol:



Wow! Can they really turn your reputation all RED that quickly?:shock:


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## Kreth (Feb 19, 2007)

karlijim said:


> Associate is a preface to titles usually above senior.   what about renshi, kyohsi, hanshi following up to grandmaster?


They're Japanese specific, and we have Korean, Chinese, Filipino, and other stylists on MT.


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## Chizikunbo (May 4, 2007)

I think that this would be really nice:

Martial Talk Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 500) 
Martial Talk 2nd Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 700) 
Martial Talk 3rd Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 900) 
Martial Talk Instructor (Minimum Posts: 1000) 
Martial Talk Chief Instructor (Minimum Posts: 1500) 
Martial Talk Teacher (Minimum Posts: 2000)
2500 = Martial Talk Senior Teacher
3000 = Martial Talk Master of Arts
3500 = Martial Talk Senior Master
4000 = Martial Talk Chief Master
4500 = Martial Talk Grand Master 
Martial Talk Grandmaster (Minimum Posts: 5000)

Instructor being someone that would be capable of instructing in what they have learned whereas a teacher is a fully capable practicioner that can understand and adapt, fully capable in all aspects of art etc. Just under the distinction of a master...
Just an idea..
--josh


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## achilles95 (May 4, 2007)

Why not scrap the belt rank idea and have word rankings?

e.g.

20 posts - apprentice
1000 posts - grand master etc


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## tellner (May 4, 2007)

> 2500
> 3000
> 3500
> 4000
> ...


 
hmmm

2500 - needs to get out more
3000 - needs a life
3500 - keyboard warrior
4000 - distinguished keyboard warrior with chocolate sprinkles
4500 - Ancient Order of Logorrhea

:wink1:


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## Carol (May 4, 2007)

I went outside once.

The graphics were NOT as good.  :lol2:


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## Bob Hubbard (May 4, 2007)

We were one of the first martial arts boards to set post count levels up as belt ranks. I've found in the years since we launched that other sites have used the same idea. Right now, dunno how I feel about radically changing things. Folks got weird everytime I'd reorder em. lol!


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## Rich Parsons (May 4, 2007)

Bob Hubbard said:


> We were one of the first martial arts boards to set post count levels up as belt ranks. I've found in the years since we launched that other sites have used the same idea. Right now, dunno how I feel about radically changing things. Folks got weird everytime I'd reorder em. lol!



Can you make mine "I am a White Belt Pain in the Rear-end"?


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## Lisa (May 4, 2007)

Rich Parsons said:


> Can you make mine "I am a White Belt Pain in the Rear-end"?



I could change your custom title...


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## Rich Parsons (May 4, 2007)

Lisa said:


> I could change your custom title...



Hmmm, I thought there was a character limit, You might only get to "I am a White Belt" which could get some people upset. Although funny to me.


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## bluemtn (May 4, 2007)

I like the use of custom titles, but my problem is that I dodn't know what to change mine to.


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## Rich Parsons (May 4, 2007)

tkdgirl said:


> I like the use of custom titles, but my problem is that I dodn't know what to change mine to.



Not sure, but you could try this:  

"Dolphins Rule! Boys Drool!"


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## bluemtn (May 4, 2007)

Rich Parsons said:


> Not sure, but you could try this:
> 
> "Dolphins Rule! Boys Drool!"


 

Hmmm....  I actually like that!  Thanks Rich!


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## Lisa (May 4, 2007)

Rich Parsons said:


> Hmmm, I thought there was a character limit, You might only get to "I am a White Belt" which could get some people upset. Although funny to me.



I have certain "powers"


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## Rich Parsons (May 4, 2007)

Lisa said:


> I have certain "powers"



Lisa - the Fixer Upper.


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## arnisador (May 4, 2007)

Rich Parsons said:


> "I am a White Belt Pain in the Rear-end"?



Heh, I thought you were the Grandmaster!


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## Rich Parsons (May 5, 2007)

arnisador said:


> Heh, I thought you were the Grandmaster!




SHHHH! I am in disguise. Hence not using default title for my number of posts.


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## Lisa (May 5, 2007)

I thought he meant you should change your custom title to:

"I am a grandmaster pain in the ***"


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## Rich Parsons (May 6, 2007)

Lisa said:


> I thought he meant you should change your custom title to:
> 
> "I am a grandmaster pain in the ***"




Hmmmm, now that would mean that I actually had some knowledge or skill in that area.   ** Thinks about the fall out of such a move **


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## tkd_boi817 (May 18, 2007)

i want to know what happened with the original belt ranks wher they had like white, yellow, blue, red, black..something like that.

now they have so many belts like white, yellow, orange, purple, brown. blue, red.. im not sure if thats for business making money, or that these recent belt system is true.


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## Kreth (May 18, 2007)

tkd_boi817 said:


> i want to know what happened with the original belt ranks wher they had like white, yellow, blue, red, black..something like that.
> 
> now they have so many belts like white, yellow, orange, purple, brown. blue, red.. im not sure if thats for business making money, or that these recent belt system is true.


You might want to start another thread on that topic. This thread is about the belt ranks here on the forum, which are based on post count.


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## Madmatt (Mar 20, 2008)

Hope this helps
In Karate 1st-5th Sensei
6th-8th Shihan
9th Renshi
10th O-Sensei
Grand Master (seiko-shihan)

Madmatt
Okinawa te


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## DArnold (Mar 20, 2008)

Bob Hubbard said:


> I want to flesh out the higher titles for post counts, and wanted some input.
> 
> We're here:
> Martial Talk Black Belt (Minimum Posts: 500)
> ...


 
What is your goal:
- to make this serious as rank
- for people to have fun on this site...


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 21, 2008)

It's for fun, plus some people like to keep score as it were.


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## Reaper (Apr 20, 2008)

well everybody on this issue of ranking for how many times you post one has no bearing on your actual rank as an artist and secondly and i mean no disrespect but people with a very high number of posts well your doing a lot more talking and a lot less time on the mat and well the only work out ur getting is your fingers so personally the ranking for your posting numbers probably is not something to be proud of


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## Kacey (Apr 20, 2008)

Reaper said:


> well everybody on this issue of ranking for how many times you post one has no bearing on your actual rank as an artist and secondly and i mean no disrespect but people with a very high number of posts well your doing a lot more talking and a lot less time on the mat and well the only work out ur getting is your fingers so personally the ranking for your posting numbers probably is not something to be proud of



That may well be... but then again, many of us have been posting a long time, and post during times we wouldn't be on the mat anyway; myself, during the week I post in the evenings after I come home from class and am trying to wind down, but still have my head full of TKD.  I can post at 9 or 10 at night with no problems... but if I try to work out after 8 pm, I'll have trouble falling asleep.


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## exile (Apr 20, 2008)

Reaper said:


> well everybody on this issue of ranking for how many times you post one has no bearing on your actual rank as an artist and secondly and i mean no disrespect but people with a very high number of posts well your doing a lot more talking and a lot less time on the mat and well the only work out ur getting is your fingers so personally the ranking for your posting numbers probably is not something to be proud of



Reaper, I mean no disrespect either, but let me suggest, in the friendliest way possible, that it might be better to say nothing on topics about which one has absolutely no information&#8212;first-, second- or third-hand&#8212;e.g., how much time people one doesn't know at all spend working out. That way, it's much easier to avoid making statements that leave one with no credibility among people who know more than one does concerning the matters in question, and everyone wins. Savvy?


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## terryl965 (Apr 20, 2008)

Reaper said:


> well everybody on this issue of ranking for how many times you post one has no bearing on your actual rank as an artist and secondly and i mean no disrespect but people with a very high number of posts well your doing a lot more talking and a lot less time on the mat and well the only work out ur getting is your fingers so personally the ranking for your posting numbers probably is not something to be proud of


 

Well reaper here we are a family and to even mention what you do not know is just a blanket statement, for me I spend 8 plus hours a day training people and another two working out myself. I have time here to post because I choose to not for rank or recognition but for the family of friends I have personnaly got to know though this site. Over the five years I have meet over 100 fine martial artist that I would have never meet if not for here. I bring current and past member to my school to do seminars and train. Please know the folks here first and then past judgement.


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## MJS (Apr 20, 2008)

Reaper said:


> well everybody on this issue of ranking for how many times you post one has no bearing on your actual rank as an artist and secondly and i mean no disrespect but people with a very high number of posts well your doing a lot more talking and a lot less time on the mat and well the only work out ur getting is your fingers so personally the ranking for your posting numbers probably is not something to be proud of


 
Speaking for myself only, but I've been a member here since 2003.  I've been training for 22yrs.  I am a part of this forum because I enjoy the arts, I enjoy talking about the arts, and I've also had the chance to interact and even meet some wonderful people who are members of this forum.  My Martial Talk post count or belt rank plays no bearing on how many hours I spend training.  

As far as my training goes, I work at night, so my training time is limited, however, I do find enough time to train, be it during class or on my own...there is always something to work on. 

In closing, I think that before you cast judgement on someone, especially someone that you don't know, that you should get to know someone, before assuming how they train or how much time they spend doing it.

Mike


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 20, 2008)

Some of us have not only been here for, oh 7 years or so, but have logged alot of hours on the board. But, I live in front of a PC, some kill time at work or after hours, etc. Board staff will also have high post counts, it comes with the job. Most of us, find the time to train, spend time with friends and family, work and on occaation, sleep.  I can see how on the surface, a high post count can appear to equal "no life", but you have to see it in perspective.  Now, someone who hits 20,000 posts in their first 6 months.....that's different.


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## arnisador (Apr 20, 2008)

Reaper said:


> well everybody on this issue of ranking for how many times you post one has no bearing on your actual rank as an artist and secondly and i mean no disrespect but people with a very high number of posts well your doing a lot more talking and a lot less time on the mat and well the only work out ur getting is your fingers so personally the ranking for your posting numbers probably is not something to be proud of



I work at a computer. In fact, there are three working computers on my desk at work, two of which I constantly use (a Unix box and a laptop PC). I couldn't use that time to train but can take breaks to post. (I'm not paid by the hour.) I've also been here since 2001.

I'm (barely) the top poster on the board and don't feel it's hurt my training. I've learned useful drills, useful information, and new perspectives and gained the occasional seminar information and even the occasional real life training partner. But if you find posting here impedes your training, then I think your path is clear.


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## shesulsa (Apr 20, 2008)

Some of us have a better mental understanding than physical talent of martial arts and perhaps health problems, injuries or just a lot of experience to share ... this medium could be keeping some people who either can't train anymore at all or can't train as they used to still active mentally, still interested. Could be keeping the fire going in some way.

I look forward to some of your more positive contributions to the board in the future.


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## exile (Apr 20, 2008)

shesulsa said:


> Some of us have a better mental understanding than physical talent of martial arts and perhaps health problems, injuries or just a lot of experience to share ... this medium could be keeping some people who either can't train anymore at all or can't train as they used to still active mentally, still interested. Could be keeping the fire going in some way.



Shesulsa's comment points to one of the reasons why comments such as Reaper's strike me as way wide of the mark. I'm someone who has to understand what it is I'm learning; I have to see what the connections are to things I already know, what the implicit premises are in the body of knowledge I'm trying to acquire, what the crucial issues are, what the logic is. Whatever it is I've studied, I have to be able to _grasp_, in just that way; once I see it, it doesn't take me long to get it, but I need to see it in that way first, and that often takes quite a while. So I have to think things through, and what I've found, over quite a bit of time, is that the most effective kind of thinking is thinking _aloud_&#8212;formulating impressions in a specific, sharply formulated kind of way, making various half-formed ideas as precise as possible, formalizing things that I'm hazy about, and so on. And it's all the better&#8212;_way_ better&#8212;if the people you're thinking aloud to (or _with_) are themselves thinking about similar things, and have developed a point of view, along with some clear reasons supporting that point of view. A lot of people on MT are like that, and interacting with these people helps me think through the problems and issues that I take to my regular training sessions and work on. So reading, posting, thinking and _doing_ aren't separate activities that are isolated from each other; they're all components of the same process. That is one big reason, alongside the ones Shesulsa mentioned, why there is absolutely no conflict between 'time on the mat' and 'time on the board', in my mind... it all goes into to the same pool, in the end.


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## Reaper (Apr 20, 2008)

im not passing judgement to anyone believe when i say that im sure you are all fine people but to me it seemed as though ranking for how many times you have posted seemed to be trivial hey if ya wanna keep count i say go for it they asked for opinion i gave my opinion hey i love meeting new people interested in the same things thats why i love going to competitions i meet new people again i forgive myself i am new to this site so i dont know what is going on with its politics


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## terryl965 (Apr 20, 2008)

Reaper said:


> im not passing judgement to anyone believe when i say that im sure you are all fine people but to me it seemed as though ranking for how many times you have posted seemed to be trivial hey if ya wanna keep count i say go for it they asked for opinion i gave my opinion hey i love meeting new people interested in the same things thats why i love going to competitions i meet new people again i forgive myself i am new to this site so i dont know what is going on with its politics


 
Reaper you are right you gave your opinion and that is fine, just wanted to say it is people opinions that makes this site so great, This is one of the main reason I only sibscribe to Martial Talk, so many talented and knowledgeable folks. I hope in cyber life as well as real life we all can find what we are looking for, like me to become one with all things.


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## Reaper (Apr 20, 2008)

believe the last thing i do is pass judgment on what i dont know. i love martial arts it has been a huge part of my life since i was young and it will be with me till i die. again im looking for ways to communicate to others like me it seems here i found it if i get valued info great if i make new training partners grand more the better. for me its a way of life not a hobby


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## exile (Apr 20, 2008)

terryl965 said:


> Reaper you are right you gave your opinion and that is fine, just wanted to say it is people opinions that makes this site so great, This is one of the main reason I only sibscribe to Martial Talk, so many talented and knowledgeable folks. I hope in cyber life as well as real life we all can find what we are looking for, like me to become one with all things.



Well said, Terry! 



Reaper said:


> im not passing judgement to anyone believe when i say that im sure you are all fine people but to me it seemed as though ranking for how many times you have posted seemed to be trivial hey if ya wanna keep count i say go for it they asked for opinion i gave my opinion hey i love meeting new people interested in the same things thats why i love going to competitions i meet new people again i forgive myself i am new to this site so *i dont know what is going on with its politics*



Reaper, it's not really politics that's the issue. There are a lot of _dynamite_ martial artists who post here a lot. Terry is a fourth dan TKD  instructor who owns and operates a major dojang in Arlington, Texas; Shesulsa is a dan rank in Hwarangdo; Arnisador, Kacey and MJS are all expert practitioners in their respective arts, with decades of experience and a ton of hard-earned knowledge each&#8212;and the list goes on and on. These are proficient MAists who think about training and technique and put their ideas into practice. I've had a chance to train with some of them and they are very impressive, as MAists and as people. The thing is, this is a site where people put a lot of energy and care into articulating their ideas, anxieties and issues about their art. The people who interact here on a regular basis are people who I think have very much the same kind of orientation to their training as the one I expressed in my previous post: train, yes, but think about your training, and the technical issues and all the rest. When you have a lot of people who approach things from that point of view, you get a lot of posts!

This is a very different site from most other MA sites I've seen, Reaper; and the main difference I see is that kind of seriousness of purpose&#8212;along with a level of respect for each other which is very rare in the cyberworld, and which makes for some great, productive conversations.


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 20, 2008)

Reaper said:


> im not passing judgement to anyone believe when i say that im sure you are all fine people but to me it seemed as though ranking for how many times you have posted seemed to be trivial hey if ya wanna keep count i say go for it they asked for opinion i gave my opinion hey i love meeting new people interested in the same things thats why i love going to competitions i meet new people again i forgive myself i am new to this site so i dont know what is going on with its politics


It is a trivial thing. We've got a few bits that are there for the 'feel' or just to add some fun to the site. Different features for different folks.   Some folks put in their actual ranks, disable it, or put something else in instead. Tis all good.


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## exile (Apr 20, 2008)

Bob Hubbard said:


> Tis all good.



Yarrr, Cop'n, that she be! irate4:


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## shesulsa (Apr 21, 2008)

I don't think anyone here with a lot of posts has any false ideas about their importance in real life. We don't kid ourselves just because we've posted a lot over the last four years (or more) into thinking we're more important nor higher ranking than we really are.

You'll find we are a group of varied talents, varied arts, varied experiences and varied endeavors.

Please find a way to post in proper English, please, with capitalization and punctuation - it makes your posts so much easier to read. 

Thanks!


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## Hand Sword (Apr 21, 2008)

shesulsa said:


> *I don't think anyone here with a lot of posts has any false ideas about their importance in real life. We don't kid ourselves just because we've posted a lot over the last four years (or more) into thinking we're more important nor higher ranking than we really are. *


 



















Reality Stinks!!!

Thanks Shesulsa!
(Now back to my boring existence. I was making such great strides too!)


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 21, 2008)

Hand Sword said:


> Reality Stinks!!!
> 
> Thanks Shesulsa!
> (Now back to my boring existence. I was making such great strides too!)


It's just like comparing the internet to reality.  Here, I'm a gawd, in reality, well, I'm still a gawd but with slightly diminished powers. I haven't been able to master the no-touch hard drive formatting technique yet for example.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 21, 2008)

Bob Hubbard said:


> I haven't been able to master the no-touch hard drive formatting technique yet for example.


 
aww that's easy... I do that all the time.


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## Lisa (Apr 21, 2008)

shesulsa said:


> I don't think anyone here with a lot of posts has any false ideas about their importance in real life. We don't kid ourselves just because we've posted a lot over the last four years (or more) into thinking we're more important nor higher ranking than we really are.
> 
> You'll find we are a group of varied talents, varied arts, varied experiences and varied endeavors.
> 
> ...



Good post, Geo!

Like she said, no one here has any false ideas.  All of us realize that the "MT Grand Master" title or any other belt rank given here is only there cause we have typed a lot and contributed to this forum making it the great place that it is today.  You will also notice that a lot of us have opted to a custom user title as opposed to the Belt ranks available.  You too can have this option, if you so choose, by paying for a supporting membership.  Simply click on the "UserCP" located on the blue bar at the top of the page.  Go to "Paid Subscriptions" and choose a supporting membership.  You can give it a trial for one month.  It allows you some "extras" here on the site.  A one year supporting membership is only $19.95!


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## jks9199 (Apr 21, 2008)

Reaper said:


> im not passing judgement to anyone believe when i say that im sure you are all fine people but to me it seemed as though ranking for how many times you have posted seemed to be trivial hey if ya wanna keep count i say go for it they asked for opinion i gave my opinion hey i love meeting new people interested in the same things thats why i love going to competitions i meet new people again i forgive myself i am new to this site so i dont know what is going on with its politics


It's not politics... it's courtesy.  I appreciate that you're apparently willing to step up and admit maybe you didn't make a good impression.  But let's look at what you did for a second.

You just essentially walked into the lobby of a bar, looked around, and told anyone with more than a napkin on their table that they've been there too long, they're a drunkard, and need to leave.  Not exactly a good impression...

The Martial Talk belt rankings are just a gimmick to keep score and have a little fun.  There are two ways to assess the qualities of a person's posts; first, read and judge for yourself.  Second, the reputation indicator.  As a general rule -- more rep means more good comments.

But, y'know what?  Nothing here indicates skill.  Some posters can't write a sentence in English that doesn't seem to be illiterate and fractured, at best.  BUT ENGLISH ISN'T THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE!  They're writing in a second language!  And that still says nothing about their martial skills.  Some of the most skilled martial artists I've had the privilige to meet and train with speak very poor English...


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## exile (Apr 21, 2008)

Bob Hubbard said:


> It's just like comparing the internet to reality.  Here, I'm a gawd, in reality, well, I'm still a gawd but with slightly diminished powers. *I haven't been able to master the no-touch hard drive formatting technique yet for example. *



You're just not _concentrating_ hard enough, Bob! Too many photo-shoots with models from NSFW periodicals... you need to get  yourself into some desolate mountains and meditate intensely for a year or so on the Oneness of All and the Nothingness of Everything, and _then_ come back try it... :lol:


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## MJS (Apr 21, 2008)

Reaper said:


> im not passing judgement to anyone believe when i say that im sure you are all fine people but to me it seemed as though ranking for how many times you have posted seemed to be trivial hey if ya wanna keep count i say go for it they asked for opinion i gave my opinion hey i love meeting new people interested in the same things thats why i love going to competitions i meet new people again i forgive myself i am new to this site so i dont know what is going on with its politics


 
I think you may be looking a bit too deep into the "belt system" that we use here.  Like the rep system, its simply a fun perk for the forum.  I'll be the first to say that I'm in no competition with anyone.  If I have 1,000 or 100,000 posts, it really doesnt matter to me.  What matters most for me, is the quality of the posts I make.  

Also as Bob said, staff tend to have higher post counts, as there are alot of posts that we make that are not seen by the regular members.  

Anyways...enjoy the forum, check out the various sections, and please feel free to start a thread on a subject. 

See you on the board! 

Mike


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 21, 2008)

Umm&#8230; I just read through all this and I know what I am about to say likely means little but it is an electronic representation of a belt for crying out loud.. get over it. 

You want one in white or beige belt with black poke-a-dots, or possibly in chartreuse or mauve I am sure it can be supplied with a bit of programming. It is no big deal and means nothing, much like the casino cash I keep trying to figure out how to cash in but sadly I have relaized I can't. Now THAT is by far a MUCH more important issue to me than this silly belt thing :uhyeah: 

In other words in the real live world it is basically meaningless and for entertainment purposes only. It does not mean you are a master of anything but possibly the ability to type&#8230; maybe.


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## jks9199 (Apr 21, 2008)

Xue Sheng said:


> Umm I just read through all this and I know what I am about to say likely means little but it is an electronic representation of a belt for crying out loud. You want one in white or beige belt with black poke-a-dots, or possibly in chartreuse or mauve I am sure it can be supplied with a bit of programming.



OOH!! How aboutg chartreuse and mauve PLAID!:jaw-dropping:


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## shesulsa (Apr 21, 2008)

Puce. That works for me.


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## Kreth (Apr 21, 2008)

Reaper said:


> im not passing judgement to anyone believe when i say that im sure you are all fine people but to me it seemed as though ranking for how many times you have posted seemed to be trivial hey if ya wanna keep count i say go for it they asked for opinion i gave my opinion hey i love meeting new people interested in the same things thats why i love going to competitions i meet new people again i forgive myself i am new to this site so i dont know what is going on with its politics


I'd like to award this post a shodan in run-on-sentence-jutsu (look Ma, no punctuation!)...



:uhyeah:


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## Rich Parsons (Apr 21, 2008)

Kreth said:


> I'd like to award this post a shodan in run-on-sentence-jutsu (look Ma, no punctuation!)...
> 
> 
> 
> :uhyeah:


 

I would just give him some rank. Thsoe who complain the most about not having it or hwo others have it is many times about their own issue of not having enough for what they think.

In other cases they step into a new situation and they are now looking to have people respect them but they have to start all over and show respect to others as opposed to just demanding it based upon their positions.

Then again it could be someone not interested in rank and just not really familiar with the internet forums and has a hard time wondering why rank is awarded by posts. 

Me personally, people will think what they want of me. I know I have written some things and some people took it one way while I meant it another. I know I have come on harsh in some cases and on others given people lots of chances. But you will find I usually reply back in kind to how I am treated. 

Peace


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 21, 2008)

I have a black belt in "keeping my pants up". Everything else is secondary.  I've also been waiting 7 years to hear of someone claiming their forum rank on their resume. Haven't yet, but, we're still young.


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## Reaper (Apr 21, 2008)

well first off yes i dont really care about my punctuation nor my grammer in this case if it were something formal and of serious importance then yes i would use proper grammer so i do apologize if my posts do not meet your requirments. secondly everyone i dont know any of you i dont know much about this forum due to the fact that i have only been on for a 3 day span didnt know what the deal was wit the belt rankin thing took it as one thing and you all jumped on it which is fine you all have the right to defend yourselves. i get what you all mean i personally train everyday evrychance i get i love the arts i love the spirituality i get from it. im sorry to have pissed off so many but i responded to a post didnt mean to start a war or have people dislike me so quickly. i will admit i am the type of person that adds the spark to the wick and i do hope that i can enjoy this forum and enjoy getting to know as many of you people as well


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## Hand Sword (Apr 21, 2008)

Well...........I say you aint family 'til you get into it pretty good with the other members! So, at least from me....Welcome!!!


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## jks9199 (Apr 21, 2008)

Reaper said:


> well first off yes i dont really care about my punctuation nor my grammer in this case if it were something formal and of serious importance then yes i would use proper grammer so i do apologize if my posts do not meet your requirments. secondly everyone i dont know any of you i dont know much about this forum due to the fact that i have only been on for a 3 day span didnt know what the deal was wit the belt rankin thing took it as one thing and you all jumped on it which is fine you all have the right to defend yourselves. i get what you all mean i personally train everyday evrychance i get i love the arts i love the spirituality i get from it. im sorry to have pissed off so many but i responded to a post didnt mean to start a war or have people dislike me so quickly. i will admit i am the type of person that adds the spark to the wick and i do hope that i can enjoy this forum and enjoy getting to know as many of you people as well


Let me offer a few suggestions for getting along better on the web...

First, spend some time lurking on a forum before you jump in.  In other words, look through the posts and learn the overall tone of the forum.  MT tends to be pretty relaxed, very open and friendly... but, to make life easy on everyone, we try to show at least a nodding acquiantence with the rules of grammar.  Some forums, especially certain unnamed martial arts forums, can be very, very nasty and abrasive.

Second, check out a forums rules and policies.  Here on MT, they're easy to find.  Look at the top of the page; you'll find a link for Rules there.  Or, you can just go to them here.  You'll note that they policies and rules here are evolving; they show revision dates ranging from 2003 to just a month or two ago.

I'll lay you odds that, without really trying, you'll find that folks here welcome you.  And forget about any initial mis-steps in short order.  Everyone here usually manages to get along, even if we disagree.


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## Jade Tigress (Apr 22, 2008)

Reaper said:


> well first off yes i dont really care about my punctuation nor my grammer in this case if it were something formal and of serious importance then yes i would use proper grammer so i do apologize if my posts do not meet your requirments. secondly everyone i dont know any of you i dont know much about this forum due to the fact that i have only been on for a 3 day span didnt know what the deal was wit the belt rankin thing took it as one thing and you all jumped on it which is fine you all have the right to defend yourselves. i get what you all mean i personally train everyday evrychance i get i love the arts i love the spirituality i get from it. im sorry to have pissed off so many but i responded to a post didnt mean to start a war or have people dislike me so quickly. i will admit i am the type of person that adds the spark to the wick and i do hope that i can enjoy this forum and enjoy getting to know as many of you people as well



First, let me say that I think communicating well is of serious importance even if it's *only a martial arts forum*. The only way we have of getting to know each other here is through writing. So, your writing _does_ reflect on you. If something as simple as punctuation and capitalization isn't important enough for someone, why should any credence be given when they share their thoughts on a technique, or opinion on a self-defense situation? Even if the post contained valuable information, it's likely to be skimmed and dismissed as it's difficult to read.

It really does come down to common courtesy. You don't have to be an excellent typist, we don't expect zero typos, etc. but as in your dojo, dojang, kwoon, whatever, respect goes both ways. If you can't take the time to make your posts legible don't expect much attention to be paid to them. 

Second, we really are a great bunch here. Martial Talk is a friendly board and we are like family. Like family, we don't always agree with other and the occasional spat breaks out, but we learn to live with and like each other. You wouldn't walk into a new martial arts school without any sense of courtesy for the members of the school and expect to get very far. Even though this is *just* a message board, we are Martial Artists, we are taught discipline and respect in our training, and that should be reflected in our communication with each other. 

Third, welcome to Martial Talk! If you take the time to get to know folks here and show common courtesy, I believe you'll find this a very fine place to *hang out*. :asian:


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## arnisador (Apr 22, 2008)

Reaper said:


> well first off yes i dont really care about my punctuation nor my grammer in this case if it were something formal and of serious importance then yes i would use proper grammer so i do apologize if my posts do not meet your requirments.



It makes your posts difficult to read--that's the point. You'll get more replies if you make your posts easier to parse!


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## terryl965 (Apr 22, 2008)

Bob Hubbard said:


> I have a black belt in "keeping my pants up". Everything else is secondary. I've also been waiting 7 years to hear of someone claiming their forum rank on their resume. Haven't yet, but, we're still young.


 
I am going to add it to mine Bob could you Please, this will make me more legit. :mst:


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## terryl965 (Apr 22, 2008)

Reaper said:


> well first off yes i dont really care about my punctuation nor my grammer in this case if it were something formal and of serious importance then yes i would use proper grammer so i do apologize if my posts do not meet your requirments. secondly everyone i dont know any of you i dont know much about this forum due to the fact that i have only been on for a 3 day span didnt know what the deal was wit the belt rankin thing took it as one thing and you all jumped on it which is fine you all have the right to defend yourselves. i get what you all mean i personally train everyday evrychance i get i love the arts i love the spirituality i get from it. im sorry to have pissed off so many but i responded to a post didnt mean to start a war or have people dislike me so quickly. i will admit i am the type of person that adds the spark to the wick and i do hope that i can enjoy this forum and enjoy getting to know as many of you people as well


 

Reaper I can one thing for sure family argue and fuss all the time but when something comes at one they all stick together. I look at the members here as a family, we share, converse and talk bad to each other. The family extend to everyone so that would include you, so I will come to your rescue, I have a hard time with punctuation and spelling myself on this forum but I have come to relize it helps the family to better understand my points of view. As far as adding spark to the wick you have not seen some of the blacksheep of this big family, stick around and you shall see sparks and the complete fire from time to time. I for one welcome you and hope you can see past everything and bring some great topics and converstation to the forum. You like to train all the time me so do I and I also love the spiritality I personnally get from training and teaching, I have been on a road of enlightment for nearly 40 years and one day I hope to get there.


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## jks9199 (Apr 22, 2008)

Jade Tigress said:


> First, let me say that I think communicating well is of serious importance even if it's *only a martial arts forum*. The only way we have of getting to know each other here is through writing. So, your writing _does_ reflect on you. If something as simple as punctuation and capitalization isn't important enough for someone, why should any credence be given when they share their thoughts on a technique, or opinion on a self-defense situation? Even if the post contained valuable information, it's likely to be skimmed and dismissed as it's difficult to read.
> 
> It really does come down to common courtesy. You don't have to be an excellent typist, we don't expect zero typos, etc. but as in your dojo, dojang, kwoon, whatever, respect goes both ways. If you can't take the time to make your posts legible don't expect much attention to be paid to them.



Let me expand on the idea of using reasonable grammar and punctuation practices, even when "it doesn't really matter."

One of the principles we use in martial arts is that how you practice reflects what you'll do under pressure, right?  We practice and rehearse how to respond to various attacks so that when we face them for real, we respond without thought.  The same principle applies to other activities in life.  If you habitually write grammatically sloppy posts, when it matters, you'll have problems writing well.  And you may not have the time to do multiple drafts or to try to fix it.  Imagine applying for a job, and being required to provide a timed writing sample during the process.  (I know of several jobs that do this in the hiring process.)  But U R usd 2 ritin lik this.  or even just not using punctuation and capitalization when you write.  So, even though you'd be ideal for the job, under that time pressure, you can't turn out readable product.

Another important thing to remember is that we don't have facial expression, body language, and tone of voice in a textual communication.  Depending on who you ask, as much as 80% of communication relies on non-verbal signals.  In writing, we can supply much of that with punctuation.  

Grammar and punctuation don't have to be the hideous monster many of walk out of grade school English classes in dread of.  Most of us don't really need to know what the pluperfect tense is, or the intricacies of the use of tildes and schwas.  There's a great book out, and it's cheap; a paperback cost less than $10 last time I looked.  Invest the money in a copy of Strunk & White's *The Elements of Style.*  Read it; apply the rules to your writing all the time.  I guarantee that you'll write better, more effectively, and with less effort if you do so -- and that, when it counts, you'll write well.


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## Brian King (Apr 22, 2008)

*Please pardon my contribution to the thread drift.* 
Working on my writing skills has been a personal Jihad for me and a subject I have learned to more fully appreciate as a training aid. I firmly believe that our body, our spirit, our soul and our mind are all connected. These various systems are independent of each other while at the same time interdependent with each. Many physical illnesses can be tied directly to mental and spiritual weaknesses and many mental and spiritual illnesses can be directly tied to physical weaknesses for an example. Knowing this, I believe that we can affect one system by not only working on that system but by working on other systems as well. Want your mind to think more clearly do push-ups as well as mental exercises, want to do better push-ups work on your spirit as well as physical exercises. 

How we live our lives is a reflection of all these systems and by working on the different systems we affect all the others and of course our lives. When we correctly train physically it will at the same time positively affect our mental and spiritual lives as well as our physical lives. If we correctly work on mental exercises it will positively affect our spiritual and physical selves at the same time. If, on the other hand we approach our training and living incorrectly that work will of course negatively affect our lives and our well being. 

What does all that have to do with writing and grammar? As I said above how we live is a reflection of the shape and condition of our various systems, and how we write is a reflection on how we live. If we write aggressively and cantankerously it is a reflection of our personality at that moment, if we write negatively, positively, sloppily all are reflections at that moment. The same is true when we train physically, if we train with aggression, sloppiness, laziness or precision it is a reflection of who we are at that moment. The same is true as to how we drive, how we mow the lawn and how we answer the phone. What we are doing right this minute is not only a reflection but it is affecting all of our different systems.

When we practice martial skills do we approach tasks sloppy and lazily or do we approach our tasks with focus and precision and purpose? Approaching our mundane daily tasks with the same disciplined focus and purpose that we apply to our martial training by consequence will change our martial skills for the better and of course change our lives for the better. 

I personally try to approach my writing like I approach working with a knife (whether fighting or throwing). I want to be precise with both the word and the blade. 

Communicating ideas well is a lot like body work, it takes discipline, focus and purpose and correct practice. The more you do the better you get but it takes maintenance or the skills will atrophy. 

One more thing, this medium is a written medium, it allows us unlimited time to write out precisely what we are trying to communicate, to weigh and consider our riposte before hitting the submit button. While I have met a few of the Martial Talk posters most I have not yet had the pleasure. Even while being limited to the written word I do judge the posts of all posters and assume that they all judge me on the quality of my writing, the ideas as well as the presentation of them. If I purposely write sloppily and lazily, if I am purposely short and impolite in my writing they will see the reflection that I am putting out there and see not only how I am writing but how I am training and living not seeing me necessarily as bad person but perhaps as prideful, lazy, angry or a sloppy person and this is not a bad thing, this task (writing) as all tasks can become diagnostic, if I find myself writing thus I immediately see this as a symptom of areas of weakness in other aspects of my life. By first treating the symptom I can then start addressing the other areas as needed. By polishing and adjusting the reflection on one task you adjust and polish all other areas of your life and training at the same time.

Regards
Brian King

JKS9199
Thanks for the book recommendation


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## kidswarrior (Apr 23, 2008)

terryl965 said:


> I am going to add it to mine Bob could you Please, this will make me more legit. :mst:


Wait, let me get this straight, you're going frame and hang *Post Whore Supreme* on your wall? :rofl:

Sorry for the interruption. :-offtopic


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## kidswarrior (Apr 23, 2008)

jks9199 said:


> Invest the money in a copy of Strunk & White's *The Elements of Style.*  Read it; apply the rules to your writing all the time.  I guarantee that you'll write better, more effectively, and with less effort if you do so -- and that, when it counts, you'll write well.


Didn't even know they still sold this. My copy is over 30 years old--like me.  Thanks for the update/reminder.


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## Dr Rubin Frank Rhode (Jun 22, 2008)

Hi/Osu Bob Hubbard Sensei
Thanks for the posting on Belts and Ranks. I think that it is a good system if we slightly lengthen the times of grading for the Kyu Ranks (Mudansha levels). In the Goju Ryu system which we practice, my Teacher Eddie Cave Sensei (9th Dan) has added two additional Kyu Ranks. Weow start at 12th Kyu (White 2 stripes). This is to accomodate the younger Karate students who now can start at 5years or 6 years old. Before we use to take Children at 7 years old. Also for the Dan Ranks a !5 year old can grade at Shodan-Ho (trainee Black Belt) and at 17 for the rigorous test of Shodan (1st Dan Black Belt). Would you please be so kind as to give me your comment on this matter. This system is now in use for the last three years in our Dojos. Thank you so much.

Yours in the Spirit of Budo/Wushu

Dr Rubin Frank Rhode, Sensei


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## Bob Hubbard (Jun 22, 2008)

It sounds like a good way to include the younger students, and give them more time to internalize the art.


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## sempai little1 (Jun 17, 2009)

We start our kids at 5 in our dojo as well. We put them in a Little Dragon program where the lessons are more on respect, dojo rules, some simple basics, how to stay safe, but mostly fun and alot of running around playing "Ninja tag". 
From there we can see the childrens learning styles and it makes it easier to adapt the learning to the indiviual child. Plus its really really fun.:boing2:

Once the student is in the Kyu belt program we have 16 belt gradings. 8 belts of a solid colour and 8 with a black stripe going through the center. so for example white/white stripe, yellow/yellow stripe and so on.
This method seems to run pretty fast for some adults, but kids learn so darn fast that they seem to know their next kata before you show it too them(little tyrants watch higher belts and copy their movements when we arnt watching, sneaky sneaky).

This system works well for us. From white belt to Brown stripe (Black Belt candidate) it takes about 4 yrs. Some students move a little fast some slower, such is life.

Your friend,
Sempai Little1 :wavey:


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## shane (Apr 14, 2010)

I could be inclined to make Senior Master 4000 and try to get  certain thing  to the effect of Junior Master / Apprentice Master at 3000. This is an  alternate,  but I get the feeling that you'd  favour  to  hold  the  grades  500  mails  apart and not 1000  mails  apart, so I don't  understand  if this is  actually  helpful.


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## Blade96 (Apr 15, 2010)

I dont think i wants to be a mt black belt with just 500 posts...sorry, 543. I still a rookie. wtf.

Idk. but seems like 500 posts and me only joining in jan 2010...yep. Noob. lol.


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## Carol (Apr 15, 2010)

If you don't like the belt rank, you can add a user title like I did on a day where we seemed to be talking about kittens a whole lot.   That will remove the belt rank and display your title instead.


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## Tames D (Apr 15, 2010)

Or...you can use the space to advertise 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.


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## Blade96 (Apr 15, 2010)

Carol said:


> If you don't like the belt rank, you can add a user title like I did on a day where we seemed to be talking about kittens a whole lot.



lol :angel: i remember hehe



			
				carol said:
			
		

> That will remove the belt rank and display your title instead.



That's a good idea. =]

btw its not that i dont like the belt ranks. I just thought - just 500 posts = Big Black Belt? i'm a n00b.

Edit: Zomg. I'm not even sure how to do it.


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 15, 2010)

UserCP - Edit Profile I think.

We set these up way back when we thought hitting 500 would take a long time.  The folks in the Last Person thread used to do that in a day or 3.  lol!


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## Blade96 (Apr 16, 2010)

Bob Hubbard said:


> UserCP - Edit Profile I think.



I looked just now and earlier but I just dont see anything like that in my profile or under user cp edit details or anything Either its not there, which doesnt make sense cause carol edited hers the day we talked about seeing kittens   Or else I am blind. 



			
				bob said:
			
		

> We set these up way back when we thought hitting 500 would take a long time.  The folks in the Last Person thread used to do that in a day or 3.  lol!



Lmao!

guess you know now...500 is nothin these days. :angel:


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## The Last Legionary (Apr 16, 2010)

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/profile.php?do=editprofile

Should take you right to it.  You're looking for the "Custom User Title" option. It's not available for all usergroups though. Might be limited to supporting members. Lots of cool things are.  They still won't ship my pony.


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## Blade96 (Apr 16, 2010)

Oh NOW things are starting to make sense lol!

I'm not a member of any user groups. and that must be why I dont have the option.


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## The Last Legionary (Apr 16, 2010)

Blade96 said:


> Oh NOW things are starting to make sense lol!
> 
> I'm not a member of any user groups. and that must be why I dont have the option.


Been a long time since I was under the hood, but most members are/were in the "registered" group. Staff have/had their own groups, there was/is one for verified women, and there are the paid levels (supporting member, gold key are the 2 I know of).  There's probably more including the infamous 'banned' group.  Bobbo there can fill in the details better, I'm running late on some high level drinking and drooling right now, plus he has the keys to the joint. Probably hiding my pony back there too.  grumble.


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 16, 2010)

Pretty much right.  Except for the pony.  We ate that back in 05.


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## jks9199 (Apr 16, 2010)

The Last Legionary said:


> http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/profile.php?do=editprofile
> 
> Should take you right to it.  You're looking for the "Custom User Title" option. It's not available for all usergroups though. Might be limited to supporting members. Lots of cool things are.  They still won't ship my pony.


No -- the pony refuses to be shipped, and the feds advise that shipping it would probably violate multiple laws due to what you intend to do to it.

But... HERE you go.  One pony.  Just for you.


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## Blade96 (Apr 16, 2010)

lol - come out for a pony and end up with that =]

You guys are seriously cracking me up! :uhyeah:


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## Bob Hubbard (Apr 16, 2010)

jks9199 said:


> No -- the pony refuses to be shipped, and the feds advise that shipping it would probably violate multiple laws due to what you intend to do to it.
> 
> But... HERE you go.  One pony.  Just for you.


Why are scenes from Clerks II going through my head now?


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## Rich Parsons (Apr 16, 2010)

Bob Hubbard said:


> Pretty much right. Except for the pony. We ate that back in 05.


 
I thought we beat that Pony to Death. Or was that the horse? 



jks9199 said:


> No -- the pony refuses to be shipped, and the feds advise that shipping it would probably violate multiple laws due to what you intend to do to it.
> 
> But... HERE you go. One pony. Just for you.


 
Yep, He was beating to death, look he has wings now.


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## shane (Apr 19, 2010)

I don't  believe  you'd  desire  to do this, but it did  arrive  to my  brain,  so I'll  propose  it anyway. If  rather than  of making new  names  at every 500  mails  you do them at 1000  mails,  you could do,...


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## sherlynSLOW30 (Jan 30, 2011)

4500 post can be the Executive grand master


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## Blade96 (Feb 2, 2011)

master black belt at just a little over 1300 posts. joke

and maybe you guys should send legion a new pony to replace the one y'all ate on him


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## Bob Hubbard (Feb 2, 2011)

Maybe, but it'll take you about 8 years to reach MT SR Grandmaster level at your current 3.53 posts per day average.  So....post faster grasshopper. LOL

We originally set it up as a fun way to keep score, and give newer members some 'cool' awards for activity. The longer you're here though, the less 'wow' they become, which is why we capped Sr. GM at 10k posts, and set up a couple of extra 'clubs' to recognize people with no lives (like me) 

Some stats:
0-499 posts : 16,081 members  
(500 is MT Black Belt)
# members at other levels
Martial Talk Black Belt : 82 
Martial Talk 2nd Black Belt: 39 	 	
Martial Talk 3rd Black Belt: 21
Martial Talk Master Black Belt:  65 	
Martial Talk Master of Arts: 27
Martial Talk Senior Master: 75
Martial Talk Grandmaster 1st degree: 	 17
Martial Talk Grandmaster 2nd degree: 	 10	 	
Martial Talk Sr. Grandmaster: 20	


Current posts required to hit each level
Martial Talk Black Belt 500
Martial Talk 2nd Black Belt 	700 	
Martial Talk 3rd Black Belt 	900 	
Martial Talk Master Black Belt 	1000 	
Martial Talk Master of Arts 	1500 	
Martial Talk Senior Master 	2000 	
Martial Talk Grandmaster 1 	5000 	
Martial Talk Grandmaster 2	7000 	
Martial Talk Sr. Grandmaster 	10000


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## Blade96 (Feb 2, 2011)

Bob Hubbard said:


> Maybe, but it'll take you about 8 years to reach MT SR Grandmaster level at your current 3.53 posts per day average.  So....post faster grasshopper. LOL



well thats because I dont talk too much, i dont. 

Non stop talkers can be absolutely adorable. I love them, they're cute and there wouldnt be much of a discussion forum if nobody talked and blew people away with their adorable post counts - but I'm not one.  I listen and read and drink in, and don't post really a whole lot.  Even on the other forums I'm on I'm far from being close to a top poster lol. 

btw grasshopper hehe - reminds me of my sensei. I have the balance problem and when i have trouble standing on one leg for a long time he says 'Balance, grasshopper' He knows there's a problem but he's being affectionate.   love him. 

P.S. I'll try to post more and be more cute if I can.


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## Steve (Feb 2, 2011)

Blade96 said:


> well thats because I dont talk too much, i dont.
> 
> Non stop talkers can be absolutely adorable. I love them, they're cute and there wouldnt be much of a discussion forum if nobody talked and blew people away with their adorable post counts - but I'm not one.  I listen and read and drink in, and don't post really a whole lot.  Even on the other forums I'm on I'm far from being close to a top poster lol.
> 
> ...


Funny.  I'm a talker in real life, but I'll be lucky to hit 2k at the rate I'm going.  

EDIT:  LOL.  I posted this and then looked at my post count.  Looks like I'm chattier than I thought!


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## geezer (Feb 24, 2011)

stevebjj said:


> Funny. I'm a talker in real life, but I'll be lucky to hit 2k at the rate I'm going.
> 
> EDIT: LOL. I posted this and then looked at my post count. Looks like I'm chattier than I thought!


 
Am I the only one who feels _guilty_ for running up my post count? Everytime I get to higher "rank" I cringe to think that all that time posting could have been invested in training instead. The guilty feeling is especially strong this morning after a lackluster performance working on chi-sau last night. 

On a more positive note, this year I've not only made "Senior Master" on MT, but can now officially order from the "Senior Menu" at _Denny's._


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 24, 2011)

geezer said:


> Am I the only one who feels _guilty_ for running up my post count? Everytime I get to higher "rank" I cringe to think that all that time posting could have been invested in training instead. The guilty feeling is especially strong this morning after a lackluster performance working on chi-sau last night.
> 
> On a more positive note, this year I've not only made "Senior Master" on MT, but can now officially order from the "Senior Menu" at _Denny's._


 
Nope, your not the only one.

I have had those thought before and of late they are very much on my mind


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## Bob Hubbard (Feb 24, 2011)

Moderation gents.  Don't hang out on the site, pop in for 15-20 minutes a day, on a break, don't spend 2-3 hrs arguing over minutia.  I'm rarely on here for more than 10 minutes at a time any more, though I pop in hourly some days, twice a day on others, occasionally I even skip a day.

I think Farmville on Facebook's more a time killer though....gotta get those craps, err crops in before the great oat famine of 4 minutes from now hits.  LOL


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 24, 2011)

Nothing to do with moderation actually as it is more to do with focus and goals.


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## Ken Morgan (Feb 24, 2011)

Once you learn how to manage your distractions, life is easy...easier...


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 24, 2011)

Exactly


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## tongsau (Mar 26, 2012)

What would number of posts have to do with rank? Why not Member older than dirt vs. Noob?


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 26, 2012)

Simple fun way to keep score that fits the 'theme'.  My sci-fi board used ranks from Star Wars, and my photography board uses humorous terms for photographers skill levels.
Posts = participation. 

*shrug*  Like the rep system, it's just there for fun.


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## Big Don (Mar 27, 2012)

tongsau said:


> What would number of posts have to do with rank? Why not Member older than dirt vs. Noob?



Oh, Bob, you gotta do that! Make the lowest level "Friggin Noob"!


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 27, 2012)

I dunno....I was thinking maybe "Jock Washer", "Floor Scrubber" or maybe "Fresh Meat"? ;D


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## Big Don (Mar 27, 2012)

Bob Hubbard said:


> I dunno....I was thinking maybe "Jock Washer", "Floor Scrubber" or maybe "Fresh Meat"? ;D





"Fluffer"?


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## Bob Hubbard (Mar 27, 2012)

LOL.

You know, if I were to start another martial arts forum, I'd probably go the smart-*** humor route.
I'd also get my head examined, and need a divorce lawyer I think.  LOL


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## Gentle Fist (May 14, 2012)

I think you need to add some more "advanced" belts ranks seeing how we have some coming up on 50,000 posts!


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## Bob Hubbard (May 14, 2012)

I may have to dip into my "Bag of Smartassedness" for those.

I mean what's higher than "Grandmaster"?

Great Grandmaster?

Super-Great Grandmaster

Really Super Duper Great Grandmaster?

Giga-Grand Master?

Tera-Grand Master?

Supreme Grandmaster

Supreme High Exulted Grandmaster

I Need A Life Master!


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## seasoned (May 14, 2012)

Bob Hubbard said:


> I may have to dip into my "Bag of Smartassedness" for those.
> 
> I mean what's higher than "Grandmaster"?
> 
> ...



This has my vote..........   :asian:


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## Gentle Fist (May 14, 2012)

Super soke and supreme master of the universe would be great too


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## d1jinx (May 14, 2012)

you can borrow from electronics.  milli micro nano pico....


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## Jenna (May 15, 2012)

d1jinx said:


> you can borrow from electronics.  milli micro nano pico....


those are going _down _in size no?  to go up in magnitudes and positive indices need kilo-master mega-master giga-master and what is after that? I do not know.. though these sound like weight loss or bodybuild equipiment I think ha..

My vote goes to there being *no* ranks and handshakes and backpats visible in a profile (only visible to each member privately for theirselves) then anyone can only be judged by how useful is your last post not by what kind of fancy clever rep is established.. to say I am just here so I know nothing or I am here a long time so I know everything neither is correct  x


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