Just because you are becoming senile, doesn't mean it's ok for you to personally attack half of the posters on GoKunming.
Others disagree on certain topics for sure, and there are heated debates too. But you are the only one here who gets personal when someone finds something wrong with your opinions.

@Shyam: 1. I'm not interested in your personal criticism of me, one way or the other - I'll accept all the criticism as accurate, if you like.
2. I'm well aware of the direction China is going.
3. I think there are serious problem with going in that direction - in China, the US, anywhere.
4. People can make choices, and it is irresponsible, defeatist and dishonest not to do so. Choose the opposite of what I suggest, if you like, but for god's sake know that you are free to do so, and accept the responsibility for doing so.

@ yankee00 - You can add hypocrisy and bigotry to your growing list of character flaws. "Senile" you say? I can only take that as an ad hominem attack on me, and of my perceived age. You've essentially discredited yourself. It's one thing to stand on a soapbox, decrying personal attacks. It's another to engage in the very behavior you decry and expect others to ignore it to save you embarrassment. The behavior you demonstrate here is absent of moral authority.

@Alien - You've explained your point of view well. While I don't agree with it, I do respect your right to believe as you wish. My personal criticism has nothing to do with your personal beliefs, or how you practice them in your own life. Rather, it is with your past tendency to prescribe ways for others to live. I am also disturbed by the way you casually dismiss the actual risks to life and limb that newcomers face. None of us has the moral right to endanger others and if an error of judgement is made, it should be made on the side of caution. A native Alaskan friend of mine put it very well: "If you run away from the bear, you still have the choice of hunting him later. If the bear eats you, that's it...forever." The bottom line is that you should neither preach risky behavior, nor should you be presumptuous enough to conclude that your way of life should be the norm for everyone.

Having said all of this, in the spirit of this Season, I harbor no ill feelings toward either of you. Whatever issues exist with your ideas, I wish you both well.

jeezuz - why the vitriol?

@Sham, I was giving you a taste of your own medicine.

@yankee00 - Medicine is administered by doctors...not amateurs...and certainly not hypocrites. I was disgusted by your comments, but now I am amused to the point of laughter. You're a child...and insecure child. If you had any real control over your emotions, you would have simply chosen to discontinue commenting on this thread (which...uh...incidentally, I started).

In any case, if you need this thread as some sort of "security blanket", please continue to come back and comment. I spend my days hammering out thousands of words for which I am very well compensated. Things like this thread are fun little distractions and I have lots of fun putting people like you in your place.

So, if its medicine you want, I have plenty to administer. Come on back. As they say, "There more where that came from."

@Dazzer - It gives me no great joy to have to combat stupidity, but unfortunately lots of cowardly people like to throw bombs and then think that they can get away with it. The only thing I dislike more than such bad ideas are people who try to force their ideas on others, then lack the conviction to defend those ideas.

"It's another to engage in the very behavior you decry and expect others to ignore it to save you embarrassment."

You're most definitely the biggest reference for this kind of behaviour on here. Everything that you advocate always comes as a contradicting conclusion to the first paragraphs of your replies.

@yankee - So far, I've caught you impersonating an American, then practicing rude behavior (which is how Americans spell it), then foisting your political and social views on others, then engaging in ad hominem attack, and then most recently pathetically trying to assume some quasi-moral high ground.

You have no credibility...with me, nor with posters who have been here for much longer. (Some have told me this, in private.)

Your compulsive need to keep coming back to (uh...my thread) proves all of this. Notice how others just drop off, when they tire of the discussion? You, on the other hand, keep coming back. I sense a very lonely and depressed person.

Well, its not the first time that a sick person came to me for therapy. Its not my line of work, but if you feel the need, keep coming. There's plenty more where this came from. :)

Choosing a username doesn't you actually are what that name defines. Besides, I've never said I was American. In fact, I've pretty explicitly said I wasn't. You're pretty late on this one.

You're calling me a hypocrite when your own behaviour is no different to all the things you accuse me of? You better look at yourself in a mirror first.

yankee?? You're still here...fuming over being exposed as a fake??

Sorry to tell you that you're not fooling anyone (except, perhaps yourself). I'm not the only one who thinks so. :)

Take some advice. Back when I was doing some acting (which is what you are doing now), my instructors advised me that the only thing that looks worse than a mistake is a mistake that you try to cover up. :)

As for me, I have my answer on the exercise bike question...which...uh...was the reason I started this thread, in the first place. Not only am I done with it, but I've traveled thousands of miles and done lots of business, in the meantime.

Perhaps, you should let go and move on. About the only person who seems stuck in this gear is you. :)