First Lady Tai-chi

[klonk]

Her facial expressions and body language betray a complete misunderstanding of what she is trying to do, and I think J.B. has correctly picked up on that. However it does not bother me; she is a politician. Worse, she is an American politician, therefore particularly prone to think in terms of image boosting. This isn't about taiji, it is a photo op about Michelle in China, and mostly about Michelle.

So the scent of what Jonathan perceives is real enough; perhaps it does not stink as loudly to me because I am American and used to it.

Still, there are many other people whose first encounters with taijiquan were no better, no more skillful and showed them no more in tune with the idea behind the art. No, don't raise your hands; you know who you are.



Chief Calvin of the Coolidge tribe:

[grzegorz]

I don't think anyone is really offended, I'm not. JB has always been a borderline troll and I used to defend him but here he's gone deep and he's on his own now.

I just think it's funny that he feels this is offensive to Chinese culture. I have some Chinese blood and I don't see anything offensive here.

[Michael]

I actually think it's cool that Michelle Obama was doing a tai chi photo op, and this is what I expect, so because of my expectation, and the fact that pretty much everyone in China thinks taiji quan is a slow-moving form of dance for old people, I did not think about the other possible implications of the First Lady's actions along the lines of degrading the art, because that's pretty much a done deal for a decades already.

These kinds of photo ops are the touchstones of cultural exchange and are possibly an entry level to Westerners learning, propagating, and preserving this jewel of Chinese culture, perhaps in the same way that Bruce Lee movies inspired people who eventually became dedicated and skillful martial artists.

Now if only the First Lady had some minor stomach problem that had been fixed by a specific taiji posture, a la the Nixon aid who got acupuncture anaesthesia in the 70's, that would have been nice.

BTW, JB is not a troll.

[grzegorz]

He is part troll and part Israeli.

Want to hurt CMA? Have more people like JB teach CMA to beginners.

[Michael]

Some of the extreme rants I've made on RSF have been about an exaggerated consequence I perceived along an extended time line that had a false starting point created in my mind becos I took shit too seriously. I have no idea if that statement is comprehensible for other people.

[Taste of Death]

Some of the extreme rants I've made on RSF have been about an exaggerated consequence I perceived along an extended time line that had a false starting point created in my mind becos I took shit too seriously. I have no idea if that statement is comprehensible for other people.

Incomprehensibly wonderful. Well said.

[klonk]

If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you.

[Michael]

If you see ten troubles coming down the road, you can be sure that nine will run into the ditch before they reach you.

That's a keeper!

[grzegorz]

Some of the extreme rants I've made on RSF have been about an exaggerated consequence I perceived along an extended time line that had a false starting point created in my mind becos I took shit too seriously. I have no idea if that statement is comprehensible for other people.

that might be the case michael but hate speech is hate speech.

[klonk]

Some of the extreme rants I've made on RSF have been about an exaggerated consequence I perceived along an extended time line that had a false starting point created in my mind becos I took shit too seriously. I have no idea if that statement is comprehensible for other people.

that might be the case michael but hate speech is hate speech.

O SRSLY?

The card has been played so often that it is dog-eared.

[Michael]

Greg, no offense intended, but you might be overreacting to JB's overreaction.

[Michael]

Some of the extreme rants I've made on RSF have been about an exaggerated consequence I perceived along an extended time line that had a false starting point created in my mind becos I took shit too seriously. I have no idea if that statement is comprehensible for other people.

Uncomprehensibly wonderful. Well said.

Cheers, mate.

[klonk]

I have this weird idea for one of my fantasy stories. In a future world, everyone is fed the feculently up with political correctness, and people start humorously referring to each other using, intentionally, historically insulting and hilarious titles. Rather as pound dogs, released from their muzzles, do not bite but only nip each other.

So my best friend, in the story, might casually refer to me as a gwailo, and I might refer to him as a coolie. We might say, that N* who owns the shop down the street makes the best pizza in town, and he isn't even a W*. He notes that I am dating a N* and I advise him on perfect knowledge of the danger; look out for himself when dating a Hungarian.

[grzegorz]

Greg, no offense intended, but you might be overreacting to JB's overreaction.

So giving my opinion is overreacting? You were the one who made me take down a Joe Rogan video when he was joking about a country singer.

How about defending someone who calls an Isreali first lady big nosed?

Saying a black lady is somehow boheameth of a women is just wrong.

[klonk]

In perfect justice there are petite and graceful black women.