[April Fools] 澳八根将全面中文化 (Announcement: OzBargain Is Changing to Chinese)

scotty on 01/04/2018 - 04:20

For those too sensitive to see it, yes it is an April Fools Day joke, something that we have been doing every year for the last couple of years. See our April Fools post in 2017 #1, 2017 #2, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013. See response.

Original Post

澳大利亚在改变，澳八根也需要改变

澳大利亚 2016 年人口调查指出：

有超过五十万中国出生的华人住在澳大利亚
十分之一的悉尼人口是华裔血统
十万个中国留学生在澳大利亚的大学读书

因为地理上靠近远东邻邦，许多海外学生留下了成为居民以及越来越多的移民，澳大利亚的亚洲话是避免不了的。你只要看看去年澳八根网聚的照片和直播就知道－你将不难发现在在澳八根上占强势的人群是哪些！

但这不仅仅只关乎在澳大利亚的华人人口。还有就是中国的购买能力。最近十年来中国扫空了澳大利亚的奶粉鱼油，买了我们的房子，买了我们的农地，买了我们的煤矿，甚至还买了我们的政府官员。很明显地他们对便宜货也是很有兴趣的。几个星期前我与一个澳八根客聊天，他现在在另一家折扣网站工作，市场是在澳大利亚的中国人。他的网站突然挤爆从中国的访客来买澳洲这的奢侈品（iPhone X, 名牌包等等）假想澳八根也可借此打开有十四亿潜力的市场？喀亲！

所以为了更好地照顾不断改变的澳八根客以及让这网站打开更大的市场，澳八根决定改变它的方向。我们的主题色调将采用中国伟大的红色，而语言也将慢慢地转变为中文。在论坛里每当有人问应该学哪种语言，被推荐的绝对是中文。电视剧萤火虫与冲出宁静号早在十五年前就已经知道未来的人一方面用英文沟通，另一方面用中文粗话彼此诅咒，而我们都知道哪种表达方式更重要！

已完成的改变

网站名从 OzBargain 改成澳八根，并以红色为主题色
最上头选单改为中文
公告都将用中文，但有介于一些土澳语言能力有限，将附上一小段英文概要
主页上小米专用链接。这是澳八根最爱的一个中国品牌，但可惜的是他们还是没有赞助我们复活节的寻宝项目

其他改变计划

要是访客从中国来，自动把价钱转换到人民币
Udemy 将提供学习普通话课程的优惠码
房地产优惠讯息，特别是精英中学附近的
链接到代购网站帮助你把所购买的运回中国

最后，谁然我们尚未与党的数据仓库订好协议，但敏感话题还是不要提，比如说西藏与台湾的独立等等。它们会在不通知情况下被和谐掉。

最最后。这边谁有马云叔叔的联络方式？想问问他有没有兴趣收购一个澳大利亚折扣分享网站…

Australia is changing, and so should OzBargain

According to 2016 census and various stats that I cannot be bothered linking to, there are now

More than 1/2 million China-born Chinese living in Australia.
More than 10% of Sydneysiders claim to have Chinese ancestry.
More than 100,000 Chinese overseas students studying in universities around Australia.

China & Australia Flags

With geographic proximity to our East-Asian neighbours, overseas students becoming permanent residents after graduation and increasing influx of immigration — Australia becoming more Asianised is inevitable. Taking a look at photos and livestream from previous year's OzBargain meetups, and it is not hard to figure out OzBargain's dominating demographic.

However it's more than just the Chinese population in Australia. It is also about China's purchasing power. Over the last decade China has cleared out our milk powder & fish oil, bought out our flats & houses, our farmlands, our coal mines and even our politicians — and they are obviously also looking for bargains. A few weeks ago I had a chat with an OzBargainer who now works at a competitor deal site targeting Chinese in Australia. Instead of local traffic, his site is flooded with visitors from China shopping for luxury products in Australia (iPhone X, designer bags, etc). Imagine opening up OzBargain to 1.4 billion potential shoppers?! Ka-ching!!

2018 OzBargain Meetup in Chatswood

So, to serve the ever-changing OzBargain demographic better AND to open this site to a huge potential market, OzBargain has also decided to change its course. OzBargain will now embrace the glorious Chinese-red (our new theme colour) and gradually change the language to Chinese. After all whenever "what language should I learn" got asked in the forums, the answer has always been Mandarin. Firefly/Serenity got it right 15 years ago — in the future most people will speak English and swear in Mandarin, and we all know which form of expression is more important.

Firefly Cursing in Chinese

What's Changing

Our name will be changed to ào bā gēn and theme colour to red.
Top navigation menu will all be changed to Chinese.
Announcement will be done in Chinese, and for those who are linguistic challenged, a brief English translation will also be included.
Dedicated Xiaomi link on the home page. That's the Chinese brand we all love. Unfortunately they still won't sponsor our Easter treasure hunt.

Planned Improvements

To realign with our future goal, these changes are planned for the rest of the year:

Automatically show prices in ¥ Renminbi if you are visiting from China. We just need a bit adjustment to our implementation last year.
Exclusive coupon code for free Mandarin lessons at Udemy.
Real Estate Bargains section, especially houses around Selective high schools.
Quick links to mail forwarding service to send Australian products back to China.

Finally, while we have not yet finalised a deal with CCP on their "data warehousing" project, it would be impolite to mention taboo subjects such as Tibet or Taiwan independence. These will be removed without notification.

PS: Anyone has Uncle Ma Yun's contact detail handy? I would like to ask him whether he is interested in acquiring a little Australian deal sharing website…

Site Discussion April Fool's Day

Comments

WTF on 01/04/2018 - 14:27

-4

kon'nichiwa kon'nichiwa kon'nichiwa !!

oh wait that might be the wrong country…
windwai on 01/04/2018 - 14:29

+2

Why delete all the joke post now? It’s only 12pm.

I know not everyone will like it, but as a person with sense of humour- it is a nice joke :)
- Slippery Fish on 01/04/2018 - 14:43
  
  I prefered the eneloop thing last year, found this slightly annoying but not so bad I'd complain. Just wanted to say eneloop thing was better imo.
- Herbse on 01/04/2018 - 15:19
  
  April fools jokes are usually removed at 12pm
richmond12 on 01/04/2018 - 14:31

Dammit anyone get a screenshot of the front page?
- sween64 on 01/04/2018 - 14:41
  
  Nah. I didn't realise it wouldn't last all day. Stupid early risers.
- lbsyc on 01/04/2018 - 14:53
  
  +2
  
  There you go, a lot of those joke posts had 100+ upvotes before they got deleted.
  https://imgur.com/a/qdAo1
Hsinking on 01/04/2018 - 14:44

I hope Ozbargain have learned from today.
- ihavecentsnotsense on 01/04/2018 - 15:34
  
  No one will learn anything. No one ever does.
- Friendly Troll on 01/04/2018 - 15:43
  
  It's human nature not to learn anything. I approve.
- [Deactivated] on 01/04/2018 - 15:57
  
  How to phrase sanctimony like a kindergarten teacher?
roland on 01/04/2018 - 14:48

It was not nice there are better ideas for entertaining people
Qiao on 01/04/2018 - 14:52

The website name translation is not good. Here are my suggestions:

澳帮购

澳比价

澳不贵

澳败家

澳拜金

澳买糕的
- ronnknee on 01/04/2018 - 15:01
  
  Here's my suggestion: 澳霸金 (au ba jin; ou baa gum)
  
  Literally means OzHoardingGold.
- Ryk on 02/04/2018 - 15:21
  
  澳买金
attfiecz2 on 01/04/2018 - 15:00

+2

At the risk of being downvoted and being accused of having no sense of humour, I think the joke in this relied too heavily on the sort of subtle, latent fear of foreigners that Trump, Hanson etc have milked for power.
I watched the far right in the UK rise based on the seemingly harmless suggestions that there are so many of 'them' here, now they want to change the names of things and have their own road signs etc.
It's not racist they said, we just want to protect our way of life.
This was always going to give permission to those people wanting to make 'slant' jokes etc, so why bother?
Yes it's basically harmless but why not pick something harmless that didn't bring out the worst in people?
- [Deactivated] on 01/04/2018 - 15:03
  
  Next April fools Australia gets invaded by whinging Poms! Oh wait that already happened…
- desync on 02/04/2018 - 20:39
  
  let me guess.. you're from luton
- scotty on 02/04/2018 - 21:05
  
  I think the joke in this relied too heavily on the sort of subtle, latent fear of foreigners that Trump, Hanson.
  
  Maybe whom I really tried to offend were not the Chinese, but some little xenophobic aussies who fear the change? :)
  - attfiecz2 on 03/04/2018 - 07:44
    
    Thanks for the reply. If you want to know the enemy, whistle his tune :)
    In that respect it certainly worked by shining a light on those Aussies that fear change.
    But at almost exactly the same time you replied, someone else wrote a few posts below "Australians are well known for our laid back, chill culture. fit in or gtfo."
    
    "Fit in or get out."
    
    I don't want to read that here, or be debating whether it's a valid opinion or not.
    My fridge is on the blink, I just want 20% off at the Good Guys.
    This site is great, thanks for your hard work.
yolow on 01/04/2018 - 15:07

+8

For those too sensitive to see it, yes it is an April Fools Day joke, something that we have been doing every year for the last couple of years. See our April Fools post in 2017 #1, 2017 #2, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013.

Some people are way too sensitive, they need one of those concrete pills to harden up a little.

waits for haters to neg my comment
- Yummy on 01/04/2018 - 15:45
  
  Aah, those sensitive peoples are just being salty. LMAO
Omitsukasa on 01/04/2018 - 15:17

+2

I don't find anything wrong with Scotty's post- it's a true reflection of what is happening in Australia: China's rise to power, buying so much of our real estate, milk powder, etc. It's actually true, and posted in a humorous way. Are the chinese offended and sensitive about it because they're ashamed of their actions and don't want it mentioned?
- ter on 01/04/2018 - 18:22
  
  True WHAT?
jackau on 01/04/2018 - 15:18

LOL LOL translation is a bit off lol lol
Mooncakes on 01/04/2018 - 15:18

IMO when it starts to effect the function of the website, you've gone too far. I think it might have been a little over the top to change the entire website like that most companies just announce fake products and that's all.
Herbse on 01/04/2018 - 15:20

Our houses and milk powder. Oh the humanity.
- Omitsukasa on 01/04/2018 - 19:38
  
  -1
  
  Exactly. And they are comparing themselves to Jews and Aborigines to say how it's inappropriate to joke about it
scotty on 01/04/2018 - 15:35

+58
For those too sensitive to see it, yes it is an April Fools Day joke, something that we have been doing every year for the last couple of years. See our April Fools post in 2017 #1, 2017 #2, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013.

Sorry I do not actually have time to read through all the comments & responses in this post. I am actually away for the long weekend at a church event. From a quick sample of responses + all the threatening emails I have received, I'll say that it has achieved what an April Fools Day joke at OzBargain set out to do — a bit of controversy and "Ha! Fool you!"

The idea started when

OzBargain got lots deals from various Chinese deal sites (GearBest, Banggood and you know the rest) and many even joked us being XiaomiBargain. No, the Xiaomi treasure hunt this weekend is not really part of this April Fools Day joke, and I'll still give out those prizes next week.

The conversation with that OzBargainer who works for a competitor site for Australian Chinese actually happened, and he showed me how many mainland Chinese are actually interested in deals in Australia.

OzBargain meetups are indeed mostly Asian (although I am not too sure about the percentage of Chinese), to a point people wondered whether they have actually come to the right meetup.

As a result I have actually been thinking of pushing Chinese content (via micro-site or WeChat). Consider there are half a dozen sites, some in Chinese, copied our content (often without linking to us) so I thought we might want to do something official. We have actually experimented with Weibo official page a few years ago but that was quite a bit of work to maintain so dropped that after a few months.

However I confess that the "delivery" might not be acceptable by all, as some didn't get the joke and found it offensive. As an immigrant to Australia who used to live in Queensland through the early days of Hanson, I too found it "offensive" to be called a racist when the main message is actually calling out to our Chinese users and make them feel at home with all the language changes! The 50+ Chinese overseas students I spent my weekend away with are far nicer and some actually approved the post. Anyway my bad. Let me put it this way,

If this Internet age of delivery an April's Fools Day joke has somehow broken your patriotic glass heart, I am deeply sorry for that. From the "intent" point of view, it was never made to offend, but just a bit of Aussie humour where you put down your mates over barbie & beer. As it was delivered as an April Fools Day joke, the sensitivity switch was deliberately turned off. Don't worry, it won't be on our next year's April Fools Day jokes.

As for those who took this opportunity to post racism and offensive posts — there is really no need to do that to express your sense of insecurity. Moderators will look through the reports and remove inappropriate content in the coming days.

Aside,

On Oursteps some wondered what translation service I used for the post. Me, being cheap, translated myself with my broken Chinese.

I'll probably be off-line until late tonight & then tomorrow night. Don't worry if you don't see me replying. I haven't received any death threat yet.
- blehgg on 01/04/2018 - 15:48
  
  +1
  
  as my friend's 4 year old would say - "take a chill pill"
- Scrooge McDuck on 01/04/2018 - 15:49
  
  OzBargain meetups are indeed mostly Asian (although I am not too sure about the percentage of Chinese), to a point people wondered whether they have actually come to the right meetup.
  
  Indeed! When I saw a white person at the last one, I thought I had the wrong event!!
- Scrooge McDuck on 01/04/2018 - 15:52
  
  +21
  
  In all seriousness, I understand the need to be somewhat diplomatic, but please don't feel the need to apologise scotty. The concept, composition and delivery were brilliant!
  
  We shouldn't need to pander to people's pride. And there was racism from both sides.
  - samelight on 01/04/2018 - 16:09
    
    +1
    
    wow u think hes is apologising…thats the real April's Fools joke !!
  - Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 16:38
    
    you know what duck means in chinese slang? it means something really offensive to males. i wont say it out loud even some ppl will enjoy the joke, because i know you will be offended, unless you have shameless.
    - Scrooge McDuck on 01/04/2018 - 17:44
      
      Oh no, please spare me the humiliation, I'm sure I will be deeply offended!!
    - Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 17:46
      
      @Scrooge McDuck: it's humiliating to humiliate a duck :p
      
      EDITTED: forgot to say it's only a JOKE so I wont be hold accountable
- Make it so on 01/04/2018 - 15:55
  
  +12
  
  It was original, hilarious and contemporary. I especially loved the bit about our politicians being bought. Shame to see how much sway some sensitive people have.
  
  Of all Ozbargain April Fool jokes, this one was best.
  - Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 17:21
    
    +1
    
    For those argue the so-called OZbargain April's Fools Day joke is appropriate, I challenge you to copy and paste it to your company/community/etc grous with your real life identity.
    
    if it is a joke and appropriate, there's no need to argue. Just do it!
- samelight on 01/04/2018 - 16:02
  
  -7
  
  wow, April's Fools Day can joke about everthing ? u got a patriotic glass heart if u can't take it ?
  ya next year plz make a joke about the school shooting !!
  
  btw those "chinese students" approved the post becoz they could never imagine how many racist comments on the reply and new post ! u sir do the counting urself and get back to those 50+ "Chinese overseas students" ask them how they feel !
  - centrelink on 01/04/2018 - 16:42
    
    +1
    
    My prank to my wife was that her parents just dying while she went hiking with her friends. I went to pick her up and drove her to the hospital. Boy she just kept crying in the car. Just when we were about to walk into the Hospital reception I screamed out APRIL FOOLS and then we both burst out in laughter and went home happily ever after
    - samelight on 01/04/2018 - 16:51
      
      +1
      
      if u ar telling wife her parents deserve to die on the way to the hospital, then thats another story.
      now plz go back to this post and count how many offensive replies in just this post!!
    - Yummy on 01/04/2018 - 16:52
      
      +1
      
      Aaaw so lovely.
      
      (+) for you.
  - Unrvl on 02/04/2018 - 21:08
    
    +1
    
    chill the (profanity) out. this is Oz bargain. Oz = AUS. Australians are well known for our laid back, chill culture. fit in or gtfo
- ironworthy on 01/04/2018 - 16:05
  
  +2
  
  Sheesh. Is there anything the Chinese won’t steal? Even OzBargain posts. Blimey!!
- Clear on 01/04/2018 - 16:16
  
  +3
  
  From a quick sample of responses + all the threatening emails I have received,
  
  People think post is racist, about communism and massacres. Proceeds to send threatening emails. Yeah sorry but you lose all credibility when you decide to make threats against someone else.
  
  Good work scotty for having some light hearted fun.
  - samelight on 01/04/2018 - 16:33
    
    all u 2 can see is the "threatening emails",
    wheres the reply on the racist comments? like the one at the top ask me "A for Apple, B for Banana, C for ?"
    where is ur credibility when u choose to make a blind comment like this ?
    - Yummy on 01/04/2018 - 16:41
      
      +2
      
      C for Cranbberies.
      
      You didn't complete that.
      
      RIP Dolores O'Riordan.
      
      Edit: Funny I'm branded as racist for differentiate 3 alphabetical fruits. I think this guy a nut.
    - Clear on 01/04/2018 - 16:42
      
      +1
      
      Did scotty make those racist comments? Nope. So that doesn't justify sending threatening emails. Infact there is nothing that can ever justify making threats against someone else.
      
      What is my view on the racist comments? Report them and let the mods deal with it. As scotty has said….
      
      As for those who took this opportunity to post racism and offensive posts — there is really no need to do that to express your sense of insecurity. Moderators will look through the reports and remove inappropriate content in the coming days.
    - Yummy on 01/04/2018 - 16:45
      
      @Clear:
      
      I already reported & asked to close the (above) thread down. Its a bit out of hand there. Some peoples can't take a chill pill… after just arrived here… sheesh.
      
      LMAO
- forumninja on 01/04/2018 - 16:17
  
  +1
  
  You really should distribute some limited edition T-shirts
  - Yummy on 01/04/2018 - 16:23
    
    +2
    
    I would love that!
    
    With Tshirt saying something like:
    
    I Love ~~China~~
    I Love ~~Taiwan~~
    No…
    I Love Australia!!
    I Love OzBargain!!
    - Ryk on 02/04/2018 - 15:28
      
      Tshirt saying something like:
      
      I Love all the Chinas;
      The surveillance state
      Taiwan
      Hong Kong
      Macau
      South China Sea
      Singapore
- centrelink on 01/04/2018 - 16:21
  
  APRILS FOOLS!!! OUR passive aggressive post made you re-act haha
- centrelink on 01/04/2018 - 16:28
  
  +2
  
  I already can tell next years Aprils fools is going to turn Kiddy only with Sesame Street and Play School content only
  - muncan on 01/04/2018 - 18:15
    
    +2
    
    Bring back My Little Ponies
- Chickenleg on 01/04/2018 - 16:39
  
  I have to say, it really showed which users are rednecks that don’t check their calendars.
- pipe on 01/04/2018 - 20:47
  
  You say that you want to recognise Chinese users then why write something that alienates Chinese users?
- dufflover on 01/04/2018 - 22:28
  
  +2
  
  I wondered why it seemed to have "ended" early on April 1.
  It should still be enabled damn it!
  
  And FWIW I'm not overall a fan of April Fools cos I've been burnt too many times with things which I found hardly funny (left me with extra work, mess, cost, whatever that may be) but this is pretty harmless from what I can see; it's only a bloody website, not like those personal pranks I copped in my younger days.
  
  sigh the PC world is indeed winning.
- pulpfiction on 01/04/2018 - 22:57
  
  +3
  
  Scotty, bravo! Very entertaining, made a lot of people panic and weeded out a tonne of shit members in the process.
  
  For all those complaining because you're offended by Scotty & the team's edits: Grow up and get over yourselves. You're allowed to be offended, but go learn how to deal with your emotions in private rather than trying to tear someone else's work apart. Don't just dump an unactionable statement along the lines of "I'm offended by this". If you have a genuine grievance, then explain specifically why.
  
  This obsession with PC culture results in nothing more than people being afraid to try anything new and a future where comedy is limited to gender neutral in-law jokes. It'll be like 1984 without the far king.
  
  Here's a video where Stephen Fry explains how political correctness has gone wrong, watch and cool your jets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJQHakkViPo
  
  To those who did take this as an opportunity to post derogatory comments, shame on you. Hope you get ~~AIDS~~ banned.
  - dufflover on 02/04/2018 - 23:02
    
    +1
    
    weeded out a tonne of shit members in the process.
    
    Been catching up on the last few pages of comments and can definitely see the ones who are probably on the dollar (or under the knife) of the CCP :P
    
    Even if some people are being super racist, FFS it's just a website comment get over yourself or find some real worries in your life.
- monfsts on 01/04/2018 - 23:24
  
  I feel bad that you had to write a post like this to apologise or to justify your April Fool's joke. I find pretty hilarious. You take care and enjoy your weekend. You did great mate.
- wswgin on 01/04/2018 - 23:31
  
  -1
  
  It was a stupid idea and poorly delivered
  
  You failed to foresee what this kind of joke can lead to, Ozbargain was supposed to be a place where people share bargains and help each other, but you're joke just let people post offensive threads at each other
9674784 on 01/04/2018 - 15:38

+1

It was nothing to do with being ‘sensitive’, the idea and all the following ‘bargains’ following it were racist and offensive.

Absolutely embarrassing.
Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 16:30

-3

so it means it's ok as long as it is a joke?

do you think it is appropriate to tell a joke that would make a half laughing and another half offensive?

why dont you make a joke about aboriginal ppl?

why dont you make a joke about black people?

do you think as long as someone is laughing then it's a joke and not a racism comment? i dont think judges would accept this kinda argument.

yes, there were april's fools day joke but they were politically neutral.
- ironworthy on 01/04/2018 - 16:38
  
  +8
  
  Aww. Did your glass heart get broken?
  - Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 16:43
    
    +2
    
    i enjoy how you make the great Australian spirit sound like a joke :p
  - coldazure on 02/04/2018 - 09:37
    
    probably. but he's also absolutely right.
- centrelink on 01/04/2018 - 16:46
  
  I challenge you to go to a country area and burn the Australian Flag in front of them and then say its a Joke. I'm sure they will laugh with you
  - Yummy on 01/04/2018 - 16:54
    
    Try Lakemba.
    
    It is a country side!
    - Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 17:22
      
      did you forget your /s tag again?
    - Yummy on 01/04/2018 - 17:23
      
      @Wizs:
      
      Can't edit, shiet!!
      
      /S
- pulpfiction on 01/04/2018 - 23:07
  
  Possibly it is ok to joke about these things, it's all about context. I make jokes with a black mate regarding his counterbalance ability in the appropriate circumstances- that said I suspect big black appendages would not make a great April fools joke on a website like this you see… it's hard on the eyes.
  - Yummy on 02/04/2018 - 00:18
    
    big black appendages
    it's hard on the eyes
    
    Makes you crosseyed indeed!
- scotty on 02/04/2018 - 21:01
  
  Appropriateness would be in the context of the person giving it & receiving it (i.e. very subjective). April Fools Day jokes here have always been semi-offensive, and sorry if you got caught. Most people are able to take in the offence, laugh it off and move on. However there appears to be a group of individuals who were unable to do so. I'll just make a mental note myself that I won't be bothered with having fun with this group of people in our upcoming events.
  
  To answer your other questions:
  
  why dont you make a joke about aboriginal ppl?
  why dont you make a joke about black people?
  
  Because I am not aboriginal nor black? I hated to use the race card, but as much as I am an Australian, I am also a Chinese, speaks and writes the language, familiar with the culture and history. I have also been working with overseas students from China here at UNSW over the last 20 years so I can have some ideas what the younger Chinese are talking about these days. Australians and Chinese are the only two groups of people that I'll poke fun with, and then there are people from both parties who think I am a racist…
  
  do you think as long as someone is laughing then it's a joke and not a racism comment?
  
  First of all, please report racism comments and explain why these are racism. Moderators have been removing the comments and fake deals. Secondly your statement assumes racism comment which is really a subjective opinion otherwise by your proposition, one cannot make any comment because there's always a possibility that there will be a person who thinks it's an racism comment. For example you should not even write this comment because I feel I am deeply offended.
  
  Moderation in any online community is a difficult job. One part of it is to figure out the social norms — what's acceptable and what's unacceptable in the context of the conversation/comments within this community. We are getting a huge amount of reports of members complaining about "offensive" comments (yeah, this sensitive generation), and we have to work out whether an average OzBargainer can accept it. So to answer your question, there is a possibility to review something as a "joke" when some reported it as a racism comment.
  
  And political neutral? I've met plenty Chinese here who like to discuss politics. My WeChat feed was filled with healthy discussions of National People's Congress recently (although there's always fear of 河蟹).
  - vicraz on 02/04/2018 - 21:50
    
    -4
    
    It’s beyond my imganation how on one hand you call yourself a Chinese, and on the other hand you stood aside and watched your own race being mocked and butchered.
    
    I am hugely disappointed that you still think Chinese OZbargainers are the ones that ruin your cheap stunt. If there is anything for you to take away, that is NEVER underestimate power of Racism, it spreads like plauge whenever given a chance!
    - nahi11 on 02/04/2018 - 22:33
      
      scotty watched his own race being mocked and butchered???
      Please provide some further details as to how he did this?
      
      You're really highlighting his point about sensitivities.
    - John on 03/04/2018 - 10:34
      
      I am of Chinese descent and I do not feel like I’m being mocked. I can see the joke. You are referring only to those with no sense of humour.. and that has nothing to do with race.
  - centrelink on 03/04/2018 - 01:54
    
    I remember when j was young I would walk down the streets and someone I walked by would just sneer "please explain" in a Pauline Hanson voice. Is it racist? No, but it was clear attempt to bully me and yes I was young and it hurts me. What do I respond to that? Laugh with them? Nah not even funny to 8 year old me. Perhaps if it were among friends I would find it less offensive but dang saying "please explain" really got to me back then and yes I found it offensive coming from a random person walking by me. I am certain he said it because he walked past me and saw that I was Asian.
    
    In contrast last year after the same sex marriage vote was determined I was called out by someone driving past and asked me to show my butt in a gay voice. Was not offended by that as I am not gay but it really did remind me of the "please explain" thing happened as a lad so I would say anyone homosexual person who heard it would of been offended by it but it would not be a homophobic statement at all.
    
    It was not the original joke that was racist but what followed afterwards like comments "Ching Ching" and "eye stretchig deals" that did it (and I did find it funny tbh). Just like Pauline Hansons maiden speech was not racist but it definitely caused an out burst of verbal attacks towards me afterwards.
    
    And yes I like to crap on the Chinese all the time to my wife and here (which seems to get unpublished sometimes). I like to say how Chinese people love to cheat the system whether it is hiding money in another country or just cheating in a video game. OR if there is a law passed in Australia, the first thing a Chinese person will think is what loopholes can be had.
  - Scrooge McDuck on 03/04/2018 - 03:14
    
    I think we need transparent objective standards on the moderation of comments.
    
    It should be made clear to everyone what is acceptable and what isn't. At present, the commenting guidelines are extremely vague and interpreted by moderators after a comment is reported. As you said to me, "moderators are not machines," so their actions will be subjective and inconsistent. Implementing objective standards would streamline their workflow and make moderation fairer.
    
    Personally, I believe a healthy and robust forum permits comments which may offend some users. As you rightly pointed out, anything could offend someone. Even writing in English at all could offend someone who disapproves of British colonialism.
    
    If someone disapproves of a comment, they can criticise it in a reply to it. If that amount of effort isn't warranted, they can simply downvote it. In a healthy forum, good ideas and bad ideas are heard. It is just as important to hear why a good idea is good, as it is to hear why a bad idea is bad. Censoring bad ideas altogether is a loss for everyone, including those who hold them since they miss the opportunity to learn better. And good ideas can be formed by scrutinising bad ideas.
    
    Unfortunately many users take the nuclear option of the metagame by reporting comments of which they disapprove. Some even seek to weaponise moderation actions to affect a ban for users to which they have a personal disagreement. This shouldn't be indulged.
Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 16:49

+4

Merged from The great April's fools challenge!!

For those argue the so-called OZbargain April's Fools Day joke is appropriate, I challenge you to copy and paste it to your company/community/etc grous with your real life identity.

if it is a joke and appropriate, there's no need to argue. Just do it!
- Yummy on 01/04/2018 - 16:56
  
  Forum Topic Unpublished by Moderator
  
  You do not have permission to access this page.
  
  Reason: Merged with Existing Thread
- Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 17:02
  
  +1
  
  simple thought experiment tells you whether what you feel funny about is actually appropriate
- [Deactivated] on 01/04/2018 - 17:29
  
  +1 for bringing back 'grouse' from the 80s.
  - Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 17:38
    
    Understand your sour feeling
    - ironworthy on 01/04/2018 - 17:40
      
      Sweet and sour?
    - Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 17:42
      
      @tchi6: for guys like you who think they know a lot about china never realized Sweet and Sour are not even authentic Chinese taste :p
lowlifesphere on 01/04/2018 - 16:55

+15

People are so easily offended these days……….
- Yummy on 01/04/2018 - 16:57
  
  +3
  
  You cannot satisfied the minorities.
  - Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 17:00
    
    -1
    
    so it is ok to make fun of minorities? interesting!
    - Yummy on 01/04/2018 - 17:01
      
      Can't I just do my sarcasm without /S tag?
    - [Deactivated] on 01/04/2018 - 17:56
      
      +2
      
      Yeah it is. You can say whatever you like about the Scandinavians and Finns and no one will care. They have self-esteem.
- Wizs on 01/04/2018 - 16:58
  
  +4
  
  wow, offend a group and blame them for being easy to offend
  - lowlifesphere on 01/04/2018 - 22:48
    
    Yes, if you offend easily offended people it is their fault for being offended. Grow some thick skin and learn to take a joke.
    - coldazure on 02/04/2018 - 09:40
      
      shoot a guy and blame them for being dead. their fault for not having thick skin, no problems!
    - Michael15286 on 02/04/2018 - 11:05
      
      @coldazure: Great comparison! Taking a joke = getting shot. Hahaha so funny /s
    - lowlifesphere on 02/04/2018 - 17:58
      
      +1
      
      @coldazure: no, more like pinch a guy and blame them for being too sensitive for visiting emergency.
- samelight on 01/04/2018 - 17:08
  
  thats what all offenders said.
DiscoJango on 01/04/2018 - 17:08

+6

im communist china, do you do the bargain or does the bargain do you?
- dufflover on 02/04/2018 - 22:56
  
  When it comes to your organs then probably yes ;)
Hsinking on 01/04/2018 - 17:15

+5

If I enter an OZ bar on April Fool’s day, kept making jokes about “stolen gen”, ANZECS, convicts, would people in the bar laugh with me, or would I got punched? Should I say they are too sensitive if they look unhappy?

By the way even daigous are better than the ones who beg for 2 dollars or cigarettes on the streets, I agree they are greedy, but at least they work to make a living.