A Humorous View by Ron Goninan
As an “Oz-strail-yer-yan†(Australian), surfing the big wide world of the Internet and martial arts web sites can be an illuminating experience.
Web sites abound covering everything from “Karate†to “Yak Wrestling!†Many of these sites are very well produced and informative. Other’s, are even more informative, revealing a great deal more about their creators then even they would like known!
But the real fun is to be found within the murky electronic depths of the “Discussion Forumsâ€.
It is here in these forums that some very interesting and lively discussions can and often does take place. Generally as a rule, these discussions focus on the things of interest to the serious martial artists. You know …. things such as history, kata, techniques, applications, training ideas etc.
Others, well they are simply dens of cyber iniquity. Here the discussions rage on about people within the martial arts. Ranks, titles, who they did or did not train with, is it “Koryu†or is it not, what they eat for breakfast, what they named their pet dog. You name it! No cyber stone is left unturned, no megabyte chip left unexplored!
In just about all of these forums, the truth is secondary. The motto being “never let the truth get in the way of a good story!†:rolleyes:
Instead, allegations, personal and political agendas, rumour and innuendo rule supreme! Good people are defiled regardless of the truth and often without knowledge of the discussion taking place or being afforded the right of reply.
Web Warriors sit at the desks, Black belts adorning their ample waists, pounding out their vile waffle and hiding their own personal insecurities behind their monitors while the sweet aroma of their nearby cup of coffee joins the swirling cigarette smoke to waft towards their tiny little turned-up noses and eyes which are so close together they make a ferret look handsome in comparison! :o
Speaking (more accurately “writing) in tongues, their stubby little calloused fingers strike at the keyboard with an almost religious fervour. These are the “Koryu Kopsâ€, the “Do Detectives†saving the world wide web from the real people out there who actually have lives to lead.
Like battered out of shape beanbags (are they still in fashion?) with a large bold face capital “L†tattooed on their foreheads they suit there, day in and day out, thinking of ways they can drag someone’s name through the electronic megabytes of mud!
These types have such a positive outlook on life that they think every cloud has a dichlorotetrafluoroethane lining!
But hey don’t get me wrong. Some of these warriors of the web seem to be reasonably intelligent. Some range from smart to being one fall away from the tree.
Others are so charismatic that if they didn’t write such dribble, people might completely forget they ever existed!
Most could be regarded as being “Ankles†- three feet lower than the orifice they so closely resemble! 
Some of these “Web Warriors†would be better off with a valium, a nice cup of tea, an ice-vovo biscuit and a nice long lie down!
They need to learn that there is a time to write, fight, bite, smite and when need be, say goodnight! 
They put down others as a means of hiding their own obvious deficiencies. They hide behind knicknames as they lack the guts to let people know who they really are although we know all too well the type of people thay are! They are inwardly so sad they could bring a tear to a glass eye. 
They fail to realise that despite all of the dribble they spread on the electronic medium of the web, that if they have feathers and webbed feet, if you swim in a pond and look like a goose then it’s a pretty bloody safe bet you are a goose! 
Their rumours fly over the airways thick and fast. Some of their posts to these discussion forums are highly inventive. People just love a good rumour. Never let the facts stand in the way of a good gossip. And gossip they do, like two old ladies (no disrespect intended to the fairer sex) talking over the back fence.
When you pin them down with the truth, they change the subject like a Sydney Taxi Driver changes lanes of traffic. Often they simply disappear like a magician’s rabbit up it’s own burrow hole! :eek:
Still they serve a purpose, a very important one. They remind us of the type of people we want to rise above. They represent the very type of reprehensible characters the martial arts are supposed to eradicate via its inner teachings and message.
About the Author:
Ron Goninan is a philosopher :- someone who points out the bleeding obvious to people who are too thick-headed to think of it for themselves.
Ron Goninan - Chairman
Okinawa Butoryu Gohokan
Australia
