Zenjimoto

Very sad to see this news...

Howdy y'all - Not that I have been on the forum much myself these days, but I am here to report the quite amazing news that KASHUNOWAKA a.k.a. Jonas Lindström, who suddenly and without warning disappeared from the online sumo community in 2006 has recently contacted me. We thought he must have met some untimely demise, given his sudden disappearance - but he is in fact alive and well. Apparently he is no longer able to log into the forum (account deactivated due to inactivity?), so he wanted to know whether the ADMINS can do something about that, or whether he needs to create a whole new shikona and/or account. Thanks much! :) Cheers ~ Zenjimoto

Several of you are completely missing the point of the deeper issue of this topic, and I have no interest in arguing with walls. Why I am or am not appearing in this forum is also none of your concern. As you were.

I call BS on any "religion" that discriminates against any part of the population, especially gender. Plain and simple: gross human rights violations. Choose another "religion"? Good luck with that in places where they'll chop your head off for that. It's not at all that simple. Watch a different sport? I have been, exactly because I grew tired of some of the archaic BS in sumo, and its inability to put forward meaningful reforms to remedy. There are many awesome quirky traditions I wouldn't wanna miss (like the way the torikumi or banzuke are made), but other nonsense - like discrimination against women, match-fixing, and hazing/heya violence - among others - are unacceptable, and played a large role in turning me off to the "sport".

Oh yes, they should. It's high time that "religion" stops riding the free gravy train that often exempts it from human rights violations and other atrocities, just because it's "religion".

Did it make any sense that women may not vote in many nations' elections until about 100 years ago (or less)? No. Not in the slightest. That's just how it was. Sorry, but when "rules" and "traditions" discriminate against over half the population simply based on gender, they have no place in society.

It was on the FRONT page of BBC News this morning, which is what prompted me to come here to check what's going on.

Which once again illustrates the very core of the actual issue, which goes far deeper than just sumo: the unequal status of women in society. Tradition is often nothing more than an obstacle to the progress of civilization.

The issue at hand is much deeper than just sumo traditions, but goes into the systematic discrimination of women and their treatment as second-class citizens in many more ways than just this - including the fictional constructs of "religion", which are too often used as excuses to oppress and demean women. The sheer notion that women are "impure" is ludicrous, and has no place in advanced civilization. It is utter nonsense, and its time has long passed.

Really great to still see all this going. Thank you so much, Randomitsuki!

Will all the esteemed sumo game bosses please grant Zenjimoto KOSHO status for this basho? I managed to enter Bench and Sumo Game, but am out of luck for the others... thank you kindly! (Bow...)

I'll be hugely disappointed if Sara doesn't win gold in Sochi. The Japanese team with Yuki Ito et al. should also take the team gold, especially with the Austrians weakened by our best lady jumper out with injury.

(Sakke...) Can't say this often enough, but many thanks as always for keeping this alive!! (Sign of approval...)

Another strong podium by Kasai today. I guess he'll take aim at a couple Olympic medals next...

Oh good, nobody picked me this year - maybe I can finally retire! (Happy goodbyes...)