Guest, Blackcatter, you are becoming so apoplectic that you are forgetting to sign in.

**    Sorry - different computer - like tonight.

I have read through your collected posts (Oh! Tedium!) on the Mudcat

**    I guess reading through 5 years worth of posts would be tedium - but guess what - I can't even do that with you since you haven't even joined up.

and am happy to note that I am not alone in being the only "guest" you have told to "F-off".

**   I tell guests to f-off when they say something inflamatory towards someone else. Also, like other members around here, I have a short fuse when it comes to guests being negative. I have been attacked numerous times at Mudcat by guests and only a few times by members. It may be unfortunate that I don't give guests much rope, but that's the way it is.

If that is your idea of a "welcoming" comment then I don't know what you would consider to be a disheartening word.

**   Once again - I don't attack those who don't say imflammatory things.

On the Irish Whistle thread I subsequently offered a great deal of helpful advice on whistle tuning and even admitted that I play whistle.

**    I read that and thanks for doing so - that's why I only told you to f-off for your initial comment.

On the contrary, you DO take offence at jokes and you consistently attack those who post them.

**   When I consider them hurtful to me or someone else. I hardly consistantly attack jokesters. I'd be making hundreds of posts a day if that were the case.

On the Blonde jokes thread, (you claim to be blond) you posted a bunch of Brunette jokes in response.

**   How is that a problem? I did so in order to say that living in a society that constantly calls blondes stupid is a pain. As a blonde I'm tired of hearing only blonde jokes. I'm also tired that most of the men on U.S. Sit-coms are idiots. When a group of people is targeted consistantly, I will often speak up.

Your comments on gays show you to be a homophobe (although perhaps a closet case yourself?).

**    Sorry - not a homophobe. In fact I have officiated at over 100 gay commitment ceremonies (handfastings) as a Pagan priest. I am also a member of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Community Center of Orlando. I may not always say things that are politically correct. Certainly I'm not perfect, but neither is everyone who reads my comments.

You took strong offence at my whistle joke. How can a joke be anti-whistle any more than one can be anti-banjo.

**    I didn't object to your joke, just to the fact that it was the first response to a new person's honest question and you didn't bother to follow up IMMEDIATELY with the helpful advise you eventually provided. I'm sorry you have trouble seeing that.

Musicians simply enjoy giving a hard time to non-musicians such as drummers, bagpipers, banjoists and whistle players.

**    I object to you listing those as non-musician activities and I would think that many people here would agree with me.

It's part of the game of life.

**    being bullied is "part of the game of life" for some people - should I accept that too?

I love them all and have played with them all, but that doesn't mean we have to give them respect. Respect has to be earned.

**    You must be very busy to play with them all. I agree to the respect thing, but calling someone who knows only 4 chords on the guitar a musician while someone who makes his (or her) living and has a recording contract playing the bagpipes, etc. is not, has nothing to do with respect - it is an incogruity what won't get you much respect at Mudcat.

You come across as a pompous ass (you must be a Brit)

**   Well I'm sure you now have the Brits on your side! Of course if you knew how to find my profile, you'd know what I am (but once again, you're not a member, so I'll just assume you have internet access in your prison library and aren't allowed to use cookies.

I can just see you mincing into those ersatz Irish pubs in Orlando with your carefully constructed little case full of whistles

**   There's an arguement for any Irish pub outside of Ireland to be "ersatz." And once again you're true colors are visible - do you think that insulting the pubs in Orlando has anything to do with me? Do you want me to attack you by saying "Your momma!"?   My whistles I carry in a drum stick bag - Someone in China put it together carefully, not I. It's also not typically full. And I'm not sure what mincing is, but I'm 6'2" and 200lbs so I'm pretty sure I don't mince. Oh - and I don't typically bring my whistles into the pubs - few of them here have any live music. I go there to drink and eat and watch football (soccer).

(with your equally padded little box of Jaw Harps

** It's not a box and it's actually much better padded. I also carry my spoons, bones and kubings in it, along with a 1961 vintage Humanatone.

(you use the term "Jews Harps" I note))

**   As does the Jew's Harp Guild and the North American Jews Harp Music Festival. I'm only using a term that many harpists use. I am also comfortable with the name "trump" but non-players don't typically know that name.

and some cleaning alcohol and a soft rag to shine and disinfect them all at the end. How fussy you are!

**   Yes, excuse me for spending a bit of time keeping my jews harps clean and not rusty. I have about $250 invested in them and like many people at Mudcat, I like to make sure my instruments will last a lifetime.

As for sexual humor, YOU posted one of the lewdest jokes ("How can you tell your best friend is Gay?" - I won't even give the reply!)

**   I learned that joke from a gay friend. He told it in a local gay club to a large group of people - gay, straight and bi. I like the joke - it may be lewd, but are you saying it is anti-gay? To me, it's actually making light of those individuals who won't admit that they're gay or bi and pass them off as superior "straight" people who only have lapses of gay desires. it's joking about hypocracy. - And once again - I didn't object to your "joke," (though I'm afraid I didn't find it funny, but other people would, I'm sure), I objected to the fact that it was the first posting to an honest question and you didn't IMMEDIATELY follow it up with helpful advice.

You try to project yourself as an intellectual but it seems you are just another stiff pretender.

**   I don't consider myself an intellectual but I and reasonably well educated & I am the director of the Central Florida Heritage Foundation, so I guess I've fooled a whole bunch of people.

I have posted on this site since before it was hosted on the Mudcat

**   How do I know that? You might also by the Pope for all I know.

and before people like you came around and elected themselves to "police" the area.

**   If you have a right to make comments, so do I. If I was acting like the police I might have gone running to Max or Joe - but I don't see the need. Part of the reason I told you to f-off was to let the initial poster know that IF they took your comments as being insensitive, someone else did as well (and I make no assumptions that the person did).

I continue to "Lurk" and pinprick (take that as one word or two as you will) egos as long as Max and Joe will allow.

**   Feel free - this ain't my website.

*** AND BY THE WAY: "prick, stiff, hard time . . ." Sounds like you could be a "closet-case" as well. Let me know when you find that special someone, I'll be happy to officiate at the holy union!