Here are a few things that I think should be required reading for the participents of this thread.
First a little article by Sharp Phil on how everyone should work together.
http://www.themartialist.com/pecom/rivalry.htm
Ah, but if you look at the bottom of the article, one of the things he says it that the frauds should drop their silly claims and really start acting honestly.
Next, let us look at a valid question of whether an art with a silly story is probably worthy of study and discusion.
http://www.themartialist.com/pecom/fraudulent.htm
Hmmmm, doesn't sound like we should, does it?
Oh, and let us see if any of these guys sound familiar.
http://www.themartialist.com/pecom/fieldguidetotrolls.htm
How about this one, which seems to fit one person here very closely. So close he sent Phil some threatening messages.
http://www.themartialist.com/pecom/vtg.htm
The next article is a pretty good description of Sojobow, as well as the guys who are claiming to have an active dojo in Kyoto that no one in Japan seems to be able to find.
http://www.themartialist.com/pecom/vs.htm
And why are these people in the middle of so many discussions?
http://www.themartialist.com/pecom/npd.htm
Oh, and let us look at some of the tactics that these types of people use. Do any sound familiar? Seen any of them recently?
http://www.themartialist.com/pecom/madm.htm
I recently read a quote by William Buffet, "you can't do good business with bad people." I doubt he ever imagined it would be used in a forum about ninjutsu. But here is the facts, some of us know what we are talking about when it comes to what ninjutsu is and is not, as well as it's history. There are others who know nothing, and prey upon those that have their knowledge of ninjutsu from bad movies to prop up their egos. It is kind of hard to engage in a decent discussion while some guys are trying to say that the ninja came froma secret class called eta(neither secret nor ninja), that they were in the employ of the Mongols and wandered the globe with them (just laughable) and that the nunchaku is a weapon used by the ninja.
I would love to share good information. It is just that there is so much bunk being spread that I can't get around to sharing it. Besides, I know that the frauds will just try to jump on the bandwagon and try to gain legitamacy through association. There are guys whose teachers served time in prison, or who sent guys to kill other people, and who run little cults. If they all leave, then we can talk about what the Ten Chi Jin no maki is, good translations of the term Bugei as compared to Bujutusu, etc. But right now I just can not stand back as people talk about how there were black ninja sects and white ninja sects, etc, without saying, LIKE HELL THERE WERE!!!!