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Yellow Bamboo Reprise

GreenStar

New Blood
G
Joined
Aug 10, 2005
Messages
4
Hi all

I've just noticed the thread re the Yellow Bamboo 'test' held in Perth earlier this year and would like to clarify some of the issues surrounding that encounter. I'm the second 'attacker'...the guy with the black T-shirt.

First up, I had exchanged email with James Randi prior to this event. It was not a sanctioned test but we assured Mr Randi of our credentials and that we were not stooges, so he was aware.

We did NOT challenge YB. They advised us of where they practiced and invited us to engage them, and we accepted.

Having dealt with this sort of nonsense before, I initiated a discussion with Alain (the local YB practitioner) as to what would constitute a win for them and what would constitute a win for us. Clearly, all they had to do was KO us without touch but it was necessary for us to clearly define what would constitute a loss for them.

It was agreed that they would tap in submission should they fail, which was a protection for them. Alain admitted he did not want to get hurt. They were not prepared to sign legal waivers. Without such waivers we could have been placed in a precarious legal position had they been hurt and we were not prepared to get assault charges levelled against us for no good reason. Additionally, the test was held at a local family beach, lots of little kids etc and we were not going to unnecessarily cause distress to folk who were simply out for a nice day at the beach.

YB made much of the fact that we had to be legitimately angry. Now how one assays that I'm not too sure, but what was amusing was that after they failed, Alain was heard by me to be saying something to the effect that they didn't really lose, that it all still works etc etc. I walked back (now quite pissed off) and asked them whether they wanted another go, and this time I wouldn't hold back. They all looked down, shuffled their feet and looked like chided schoolkids. Alain had the temerity to tell me to chill out, why are you so angry, anger is not good for you etc etc.

Since their utter failure, several YB practitioners, including Peter Semenjow (sp?) from Sweden have returned to usenet (primarily rec.martial-arts) claiming we have 'chickened out' by not going to Bali (at our own expense!!) to test their guru Pak Serengen.

I have invited YB to Bring Pak to Perth and we can do it all again.
All they have to do is come to our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school and prove it. I have offered them a private USD$100,000 bet, winner take all. I will place the funds in escrow with a CPA, they have to do the same.

Now with all their supposed resources, the support of the rich and slightly famous 12th level "Dr" Alvin Donovan wouldn't you think they would jump at such easy money?

Ha! No such luck.

Irrespective of their response to my offer, I understand they might want to try their luck again here in Perth.

If this does happen, there will be no tapping. They will either be choked unconscious or have limbs broken.

And we will video it all.

Thanks for your time, hopes this clears a few issues up.

Cheers

Peter (GreenStar)
 
FYI, "Dr" Alvin is a failed promoter of "inspirational" videos in Florida, from whence he hails. He currently hangs out in Bali, where the dope is plentiful...and doesn't that say a lot. A number of surfing sites have him down as a self-promoted surfing guru, whereas a number of others say he is grossly obese and couldn't paddle or ride a surfboard if his life depended on it.

Summary: Like YB, Alvin is the product of blatantly cynical self-promotion coupled with a total lack of morals and ability. A fifth-rate con-artist.
 
I had the dubious honour of meeting "Dr" Alvin at a new age expo last year..this was where we first saw the YB nonsense in action. I am aware of his Bali domicile and background etc and yes, he is a rotund fellow.

I don't believe he buys this bs at all....it's just another way to scam. He has threatened me on a few occasions yet hasn't the balls to actually try. His doesn't want anyone shining the light of reason on his little money-making adventure.

We will endeavour to out these fraudsters every opportunity we get.
 
Great work Peter! I remember when a couple of them were here & claiming that YB would work even against a gun armed opponent, & when I offered to help with the test by using my Glock loaded with simmunition (powder propelled paint rounds) against one of them wearing face protection they declined & stopped that claim...too bad, it almost would have been a fun video.
 
GreenStar said:
Since their utter failure, several YB practitioners, including Peter Semenjow (sp?) from Sweden have returned to usenet (primarily rec.martial-arts) claiming we have 'chickened out' by not going to Bali (at our own expense!!) to test their guru Pak Serengen.

I have invited YB to Bring Pak to Perth and we can do it all again.
All they have to do is come to our Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school and prove it. I have offered them a private USD$100,000 bet, winner take all. I will place the funds in escrow with a CPA, they have to do the same.

Now with all their supposed resources, the support of the rich and slightly famous 12th level "Dr" Alvin Donovan wouldn't you think they would jump at such easy money?

Ha! No such luck.

Irrespective of their response to my offer, I understand they might want to try their luck again here in Perth.

If this does happen, there will be no tapping. They will either be choked unconscious or have limbs broken.

And we will video it all.

Thanks for your time, hopes this clears a few issues up.

Cheers

Peter (GreenStar)
Click to expand...

Peter - :clap: and a heartfelt :th: !!!!

YB is :crazy:

Please film it so we can see the :hit: or perhaps the :bricks: if this happens. :D

Once again, :clap: and a :th: !!!
 
By the way - is this the first YB episode or the second one? (Which I watched on video from a link here in the forums)
 
Ravenwood said:
Great work Peter! I remember when a couple of them were here & claiming that YB would work even against a gun armed opponent, & when I offered to help with the test by using my Glock loaded with simmunition (powder propelled paint rounds) against one of them wearing face protection they declined & stopped that claim...too bad, it almost would have been a fun video.
Click to expand...
I would have loved to see that.

Love the avatar, btw.

... That's two 'loves' in a short post. Didn't realize I was so touchy-feely today.
 
Thanks for your support guys. It seems my novice posting status does not allow me to respond with the appropriate icon, but I don't think there will be any rocks falling on my head in any YB test.

I'm happy to put up $$ to entice YB to try their malarky again. The way I figure it, an even money bet that the laws of physics remain intact is easy money. It's possible that YB can do what they say i.e it's physically possible not logically impossible. The odds of course are vanishingly small that they could get all the atoms in my body to act in a non-random way.

I've been questioned as to why we bother. Aside from the fact that they charge folk AUD$900 to learn their bs, there is another more compelling reason.

At the new age expo last year I watched some very vulnerable people becoming seduced by this clap trap. It was sad, so sad. One guy was almost on the verge of tears...he said he was looking for something to help him get his life back together again and was hoping YB would be the answer.

It's for people like this that we dedicate our efforts. Let them find solace and comfort in something with meaning and truth behind it, something with integrity....not some 'white magic' thought up by a former Indonesian public servant with laugh-lines around his pockets.

Oh, and next time I'll try and put on my best yank accent for all you poor miscreants who can't decipher an Aussie one :)

"They're LOSERS!"

There, I've said it again!

Peter
 
jmercer said:
By the way - is this the first YB episode or the second one? (Which I watched on video from a link here in the forums)
Click to expand...
The link GreenStar posted didn't work for me, I got an "Access Forbidden" message. WTH??

I'm pretty sure he's refering to the second one, the one "featuring" that little gracious dog barging in the demostration. The first video was that fiasco shot in Indonesia at night, about which YB made such a big fuss of having won the million.
 
sami_sdata said:
This link doesn't work for me. Is there another place I can download these videos?
Click to expand...
http://www.randi.org/jr/092603.html

Scroll down a bit and you'll see the link to the first YB demonstration video, which I call "the fiasco". Read September 26th 2003 and subsequent commentaries for more details.

The link to the second video, refered by GreenStar, doesn't work for me either, although it used to work in the past. It's the only place to find it, as far as I know.
 
Dear Peter (GreenStar),

I live in Perth - if they EVER do this again, please PM me or post about the impending meeting on these boards - I'd love to go down and see it! I could even video it as a teaching resource for other JREFers.

Great work, good to see you here! :)
 
Any YB in Sydney? Me and my friends are itching to punch idiots for free...
 
GreenStar: I love that video, yet I am saddened that you didn't maim or cripple them. Maybe next time. :(
 
Good job!

I'm writing an article on the Yellow Bamboo controversy.

I've read somewhere (I unfortunately do not remember where - I have got to find out) that Yellow Bamboo claims that the people you tested were not practicing the real Yellow Bamboo. What is your thinking on this?

How did you get into contact with these people, and do you have their names and dojo (or whatever YB'ers call it)?

I love the video, and I really laughed out loud when that YB'er claimed that the swedish test was actually a win for YB because the lady was not seriously injured. I think I could have managed that too. Good job!
 
Here's another link with the Australian YB test.

May not be safe for work because of other content on the site.
 
GreenStar said:
Irrespective of their response to my offer, I understand they might want to try their luck again here in Perth.

If this does happen, there will be no tapping. They will either be choked unconscious or have limbs broken.
Click to expand...

One of the frustrations of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (I studied it for 7 or 8 years) is that often when the practitioner wins a fight the opponent escapes relatively unharmed and subsequently wants to think it was a fluke. That said, I wouldn't advise eliminating tapping as a lot of the YB guys are just poor gullible folks taken in by the scam (in my opinion). I wouldn't needlessly hurt them. Now if it was Donovan or one of those guys, a little ground and pound wouldn't be a bad idea...
 
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