I saw this in that closed post: <b>By the way, based on what Jeff has accomplished, most of his beliefs and what he has written on this board, I would be proud to be lumped into a category with him.</b> That's really kind. Thank you.
I clicked on "reply" several times in that thread, but I never clicked "submit reply." Aren't you all proud of me? baby steps.
Let me say that perhaps it is best that the other thread was closed, given the influx of new people, many of whom might not be used to hangout style free speech. I do stick by my two worries about some of the opponents of Yao. I also believe that if you look at the main board the opponents to Yao are now being much more careful in how they state their concerns about him and the fact that the Chinese Basketball Association is involved.
i don't know why i can't just back off and let this go, glynch...but why do you do this??? why do you set out to post these kinds of things??? it's like you're seeking a fight... you told Jeff sometime back that you liked to be inflammatory here...why??? why are you so willing to call people here stupid, racists, etc??? Jeff -- did you get my post where I said you were a liberal freak and I'd be ashamed to be grouped in with you??? no??? oh, well...
Madmax, come on you're not Mr. nice open guy all the time. Your last post just showed that, when I'm trying to be more moderate. It was some of your obsession with the Chinese aspect of the Yao thing that caused my post. As an attorney you should have known that contract details can be worked out and also that the Chinese engage in international contractual business relationships all the time. Go back and read your posts. They don't seem to be neutral problem oriented posts. It was your post belittling the efforts of the Asian community in Houston and offering to show Dunlevy that there are nice white guys in Houston that made me think of the racial angle in the first place.
Isn't that more of a joke, pointing out the racism of others saying that we must show Ming that there will be Chinese fans for him in Houston, as though other races fans would not be good enough.
It's apparently important to Ming that he be surrounded by his culture or at least have access to it. It may not be important to you, and that's your prerogative. However it seems to be to him, and "we" are simply trying to show him, "hey it's cool, you'll have Chinese culture here, too". Mike Dunleavy wouldn't have a problem coming to Texas. I think Yao Ming's jump overseas may be a bit more... uh... involved. Case in point : when my parents came to this country, the only people they knew here were relatives or friends of relatives from their homeland. Those friends helped my family settle here, helped us with room and board, helped us with expenses, and helped my mom find a job eventually in Houston. My dad didn't know anything about car dealerships or how to go about buying cars here. No problem. Friend of a friend drove him all over town for days if not weeks explaining and haggling for him. All these people helping us out were part of our culture helping us out for no other reason than it was just the thing to do. Another example : some family was sending their mother/grandmother to live in America from India. My parents didn't even know these people but were asked to help her through customs from India to the Middle East to London to New York. My parents took care of her. Yet another example : my grandmother passed away in India. There was a procession of at least 500-1000 people that showed up to pay their respects. Not all of them knew her, but all of them attended out of respect for my family there because they're always helping out poor and sick people there. The only time I really see 500-1000 people show up in respect to someone around here is on Elvis' birthday. I can not only appreciate the need to be surrounded by one's culture, but I respect it. I think it's an awesome thing. It's not just about having Chinese fans, it's about having people you know even though you don't really know them. Then again, maybe it's just an Asian thing... lol. Oh... and Jeff is a really cool guy. And he doesn't talk a lot.
DOD, what is your obsession with the talking thing? You've mentioned it A LOT. I've lived with the guy for 10 years and I don't think I've noticed it as much as you did after one half-hour meeting. Is Dallas filled with mute people or something?
Jeff, just so you know, you're the one who started the closed thread again, Madmax and others myself included, we must remember that this is a bbs. In real life some of us who are opposed ideologically would actually like each other in person. I know Madmax has said he had a gay communist friend in college or something similar. I certainly have some republican conservative baptist in laws that I like, some of the conservative bapitst in laws I really don't; though most of my friends do tend to be leftist agnostics. For instance I know that after seeing Mango's picture on the bbs a few weeks ago I have found it harder to dislike him even on the bbs. It can be hard to make nuanced points on the bbs at times, without your point of view coming out too harsh. I still standby the thrust of my closed thread, which stated more generally is that I believe that a certain political world view is influencing some posters' evaluation of Yao as a Rocket's draft choice, but I didn't mean for it to come out as harsh as it may have seemed. I don't know the rules, but if I could I would withdraw that post as unwise. Yao baby! Go Rockets!
Naa... I remember a long time ago when Jeff said that people used to call him "Rattletrap" because he could babble on and on about a topic. I just rag on him because of that. I don't know him well enough to know if he really is "Rattletrap", though. The polar opposite from my only meeting with him is CriscoKid. I thought he'd be the type to NEVER shut up. He was the quietest guy at the "last game of the season rally" this past season. Amazing how people can seem so different in real life than on here. I on the other hand, am a geek no matter what medium.
1. this is not your typical international contract...i am not the only one concerned here. again, it appears to me as if china will ultimately be in control of ming's availability...there seems little question of that. if that is going to be the case, i'd take a pass 2. different cultures do business in vastly different ways...different cultures view contractual agreements in vastly different ways. one international law course and dealings as a lawyer in a very diverse town have already taught me that...plus the experience of my father in law who is president of a corporation that does MOST of its business overseas. acknowledging that does not make me a racist...and i really don't appreciate the insinuation. 3. my last post was a response to yours...frankly, glynch, i don't like being labeled as a racist. if i responded with any sort of animosity, it was in response to your labeling...i can't have a conservative opinion without being blamed for willie horton ads! ridiculous, glynch...absolutely ridiculous. again...i disagree amicably with just about everyone here on various topics...on no issue am i in lockstep with anyone here, most likely...but i find that when i disagree with jeff, RM95, rimbaud and others, i'm not instantly labeled as stupid or racist. 4. "as an attorney you should have known that contract details can be worked out." this is the kind of arrogant crap you post in my direction consistently. first....your statement instantly presumes you're right about all this and I'm wrong. second...you again try to play the, "man, you're stupid..you should have known this..everybody knows this," card. third...if it's so obvious that these things can be worked out, why are there so many concerns with it? fourth...you think ALL contracts resolve themselves for what's best?? you think all details just work themselves out magically??? you think you can contract around everything?? come on glynch..you're smarter that that.."you should have known" that's not always possible. particularly when two parties have very different ways of approaching the issue. and very rote ways of doing things already, which they don't like disturbed. 5. I'm sorry you didn't get my attempt at humor with the Dunleavy video...my point was to use an extreme to poke fun at the reality...it's a pretty common use of humor. sorry you didn't catch it...thought you "should have known" i was just joking. but fyi...i have absolutely no problem with attempting to showcase the diversity of this city...i think it's a great feature, and one of the reasons i love living here. but of course, i'm racist because i disagree with you. and since i vote republican, i'm probably lying anyway...so i'm off to the skinhead rally...toodles!!!
That sounds like a great post, Max, sorry I missed it! Also, I want to see a picture of Mango, anybody got a link?
yeah...you're above all this, right??.... hey, max...you're a racist...hey, max...i thought you were supposed to be an attorney...you should have known better...hey, max...these are your "stupid conservative views." what?? a response?? you defend your views and yourself?? well you're just mean..typical mean conservative...and tough to make peace with. i don't think anyone's buying it, glynch..i know i'm not. i'm hoping that next time you'll think twice before playing the "you're a racist" card...it's a very easy card to play, but it assumes you know me, glynch...and you don't know me at all, despite whatever generalizations you might want to make about me. it's an easy card to play, but it carries with it a ton of baggage..and chills conversation quicker than any accusation I can think of.
madmax, I write a post citing racism and political conservatism as shaping one's opinion on Ming. As I said, perhaps unwise in this case to be so explicit, about what I'm sure many have at least thought of. BTW one of my motivations for the post was that I didn't think it was a good idea to get into those topics on the bb board and the bbs seemed to be drifting that way. Absolutely no mention is made of you or any other poster by name. I quoted from no posts or posters. It is on a more abstract ideological level, though I admit a very explosive topic. You respond with a post that is mainly a personal attack on me. I like to create fights. I told Jeff such and such. You try over an over again to try to say that you are more popular than me on the bbs etc. . Everything is personal. (In reality I told Jeff once I put provocative titles to generate traffic, not that I try to make intemperate posts or post about topics that I do not persoanlly consider important or that do not reflect my views.) I then respond to your very personal attack, personally. You now get bent out of shape and reaccuse me attacking you personally (this time with good cause). Look you are a conservative religious guy with pretty conventional middle class white guy in Houston ideas. I can deal with that; it doesn't upset or surprise me that much. I'm surrounded by guys like you. If I couldn't deal with it , I would be miserable all the time and have to move out of Houston. Long ago you stated that "Your are easily my least favorite poster" or close to that. It was virtually the first time I really noticed you as a poster. Look we differ in political and religious opinions. Get over it. Try to respond less personally and more on ideolgoical or religious grounds. It will make for a more interesting bbs. Just try to forget that you think that you don't like me personally or that I am "easily your least favorite poster".
Madmax. why don't we think about going to lunch sometime? Not saying I'm 100% sure of this, but maybe we should. It would be a good precedent on the bbs for so called "enemies" on the bbs to show in real life that we can at least be civil to each other. If needs be, we could invite Jeff, as a peacemaker. He seems to enjoy that role. As a bhudist?, he is sort of midway between an agnostic and a Christian. It might lead to an interestint thread or at least we could agree to disagree.
