UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 07:32 AM

Are people seriously suggesting I might have to travel north...shudder!!...beyond the safe boundaries of the M4...? But...but...they eat babies up there, don't they?
Sure, you can all come to Bristol and kip on my floor*




(*this offer is not necessarily intended as fact. Floorspace can go up as well as down. Your sanity is at risk if you do not keep up payments to my drinking fund. Owner accepts no liablity for anything, ever.)

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 26 Oct 01 - 07:11 AM

There is one remaining prospect for an indoor camping/private bar venue in Stony. I have to wait until Monday as their office is closed until then.

Another option worth considering is that, in the recent past, we (as a community) have played host to large-ish groups of foreign musicians and put them up in our own houses. Given a core of about 30-40 folkies in the town, it might be possible to go down that route.

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Gareth
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 06:59 PM

Eric - your jealous - just becos you had spent your time trying to chat up pussy, and she prefered to be talked to in the tongue of heaven, (and a bit of bacon from the Cafe)

Meiow !!

Gareth :>)

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 06:52 PM

You bloody Welshman-I saw you looking at the cat near the caravan!! WHAT DATES EXACTLY are we talking about please?

Please don't encourage him to sniffa dog please! he's baaad enough.

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: John Routledge
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 06:52 PM

Mrs Duck's last post neatly sums it all up.

The number of Catters in or within easy travelling distance of Yorkshire is such that any gathering there will be well attended.

Larger hostels ie those which have more than 1 room suitable for music and singing are the more expensive hostels and hence need a large attendance to make cost modest - if in fact that is what is required.

We can indeed book in the near future for 2003 but a 25% non returnable deposit is still required 2 weeks from booking (£150 approx)

Might I suggest the first requirement is a date which does not clash with too many other events although someone will undoubtedly be disappointed and have to make a choice.

As far as YHA is concerned February seems best although less popular hostels are available in March also.

Rent a hostel scheme booklet is available free from 0870 241 2253 or e-mail: [e-mail] should anyone wish to get a copy of the new booklet when it comes out and give us the benefit of another viewpoint.

If the feeling is that 2003 is too far away to contemplate than I will quite happily belt up!!

Cheers GB

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Gareth
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 04:27 PM

A dog ! What do you think I am, some kind of pervert !!!

Gareth

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: GUEST,Ickle in Whitby
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 03:48 PM

So we need somewhere near a good transport network, which has catering and plenty of space for crashing out in, alcohol-of course- By George , it's so obvious - East Midlands Airport!!!!! Sorry Gareth no sheep -would the occassional sniffer dog suffice?

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 12:26 PM

Alan, last year the gathering at the Jug was mid May 2 weeks after the Germany gathering but we still had 56 Mudcatters there. The problem this year may be the change of landlord as one or two people seem to have deserted the Jug so he may not be as willing to host an event. When we know more we'll post a thread.
Jane

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Trevor
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 08:57 AM

'Allo. Me too. Anywhere.

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Julie B
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 08:29 AM

Geordie, Put me down as a 'possible' for any gathering, especially if we end up in Stony Stratford or near Hull (I've got an aunt there, so that's my B&B sorted out!). As you know, I can trek further afield (e.g. for our Folkworks week with Sandra Joyce in Durham) but would have to be highly motivated to do so during a cold January!

Julie B

P.S. I sang 'The Thresher' song that Sandra taught us for the first time a few weeks ago (at Bedford). Bought back memories of us all standing singing it in the gym at Durham Johnston School!

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 08:24 AM

Muddlecat Gathering

Let me go to the next Mudcat Gathering,
There'll be nobody else there but me!
I shall sing by myself in Llangollen,
While the rest are all in Beverley.

I'll sing of stochastics in Stony,
Die with Dai in the Cock and the Bull.
While 'Catters are freezing in Langdale,
And Gareth is teasing the wool.

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 05:39 AM

OK, alan, my contribution was actually tongue in cheek (no, really?) but I will make some enquiries. The fact of the matter is that most UK catters appear to live in North England, making Yorkshire a natural centre of gravity for such an event. Having said that, the South does have better communications for Wales and the SW, as well as still maintaining at least some links with the North ;-)

If anyone would like to PM me ot post here, I'll take all comments and suggestions with the usual rigorous scientific doo-dah...

Incidentally, I'd just like to say http://www.stonystratford.co.uk.

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: alanww
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 05:24 AM

Realism: I agree with Geordie Broon that we need to be realistic! Clearly, unless someone can come up with a venue other than a YHA, eg a village large hall for indoor camping next to two wonderful pubs, we will need to look beyond the winter and into the spring.
Alternative: Is there such a hall near the Cock and Bull pubs in Stoney Stratford, The one and only Dai? If so, how about provisionally booking it for early Feb and then seeing how many Mudcatters would be interested?
2003: We should also start thinking about next year now if we are to book a YHA. So which one should it be and when? Personally, I don't mind where it is but I would suggest early Feb, as that would be after the post-Christmas recovery period. How about provisionally booking one Geordie Broon?
May/June: Also, tell us more about the date and venue for the potential gathering at The Jug in May/June Mrs Duck - where is The Jug, for instance, and presumably it will need to give the proposed Euro-gathering in early May a wide berth.

There were five jolly fellows came over the hill together ...
Alan

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Terry K
Date: 25 Oct 01 - 04:30 AM

.....2 degrees C in Wales in January, Alison? That'd be indoors then!

Cheers, Terry

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: alison
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 08:54 PM

er... isn't January going to be a bit cold???????

I mean if I left 40C to go to 2C I'd be VERY cold

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: John Routledge
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 08:09 PM

Great news Mrs D. PS tape done and will be posted later today. Cheers John

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 07:57 PM

Can I just point out that it can actually be cheaper and easier to travel to London and back out, than to go direct... particularly if you can scrounge a lift out of London....

Don't rule us out just cos we'm southerners.....

LTS

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Matthew Edwards
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 07:46 PM

Dai, I have to say that your theories are a load of Cock and Bull. *BG* Stony Stratford would suit me fine for a gathering as my brother lives there (and will be extremely alarmed to know that he is now hosting the 2002 Gathering). I will ring him tomorrow to warn him!

NB The Cock and the Bull Inns are two pubs in Stony Stratford, and the excellent Cock and Bull Band may be heard there on occasion.

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Gareth
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 07:37 PM

DAi, 'ere how come you know I is a stout fellow - did I miss you at Lanstock ??

Gareth

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 07:27 PM

Gareth, stout fellow, I can hear them calling sweetly from my very window. (Baaa! Baaa! they say, like the morning... er, sheep)

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Gareth
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 07:17 PM

Ah Yes, but does Dai, part of the Welsh Diaspora ( or howerver you spell it) have a nearby sheep pasture ?

Gareth ( who has served his time in exile as an expatriot)

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 04:40 PM

Right so its all round to Dai's place then. Bags I the big room!

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 04:05 PM

I stand by my results! The scientific fact is there for anyone to see!!! You'll see - everybody laughed at... at Einstein, and Copernicus, and Pythagoras - I will be vindicated! Soon the whole world will quake at my power!!! Bwahahahahaha!

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Gareth
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 03:39 PM

Gareth - radius 5 hours travelling from Caerphilly. Cost to £25.00 excluding beer.

Preferably with Sheep.

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 03:38 PM

There's Dai-abolically devious you are now boyo! Jock DARFC

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 03:37 PM

I think we are still planning another gathering either at or near the Jug next May/June so we may not have to wait until October

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: John Routledge
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 03:27 PM

Back to reality :0)

I will do a head count in 7 days time to see if anything is possible.

Even if nothing materialises at least we have learned that the Mudcat Epi-Centre is Dai's house rather than between Sheffield and Worksop and the question of a UK Gathering has been given a first airing.

Suggestions for other types of venues which are not time limited like YHA are welcome!!

Otherwise it is Llanstock 3 as next event.Cheers John NAMES OF ATTENDERS BEL0W PLEASE

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: GUEST,Noreen
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 01:19 PM

Ah well, that's a bit of HTML that doesn't work as expected... :0) (ignore the line breaks around TM)

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: John Routledge
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 01:14 PM

Are you saying that Yorkshire is an experimental error Dai?

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: GUEST,Noreen
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 12:54 PM

No, Alan, you looked far too good in them for the Fubar transform

TM

to apply in that case!

...there's not a court in all the world
has treasures fair as these...

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: brid widder
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 12:16 PM

I could probably make Toronto...well a bit easier than wales...

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 12:12 PM

So if I follow the theorem correctly, if as many Mudcatters from Seattle and Vancouver area attend the UK gathering as Brits. We could have the UK get together in Toronto, Canada, so then I could come too. JohnB

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 12:03 PM

That is impossible to state in simple terms, because of the heteroschedasticity of the data.

:-)

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Morticia
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 12:01 PM

so if you mapped UK 'Catters by density....who came out densist?

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: alanww
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 10:55 AM

Is a Fubar transform like dressing up in ladies clothes and painting your toenails luminous blue? Because if it is ...

T'was pleasant and delightful ...
Alan

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Noreen
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 09:46 AM

I love the Fubar transform, Dai- I use it in my work a great deal.

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 06:35 AM

Dai- you are a complete hoot!!!!

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 06:25 AM

Gosh, you know what? I've just noticed that's where I live! Thanks, Roger!! What a coincidence!

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 06:15 AM

Yes. You wouldn't be near the A5, would you, Dai?
Actually, even my kazoo might be persuaded to travel thatfar!
RtS (My visa for Yorkshire has expired)

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: The_one_and_only_Dai
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 06:10 AM

Ive had a hack around with the distribution of catters in the UK. What is immediately apparent from a preliminary inspection of the frequencies is that while the available observations do follow predicted norms, some error has crept in to the results.

The specific outlier in question is in the Yorkshire cell, and the extremity of the degree of deviation can only realistically be attributed to experimental error. Therefore in accordance with standard scientific protocols, the Yorkshire cell has been disregarded in all subsequent analyses.

So, taking into account a distribution of UK catters (standardised into density rather than absolute numbers) and ignoring the outliers in the usual way, a set of travel time polygons were fabricated and superimposed on a node map of a trial population of centroids. The relative locations of the nodes were then manipulated using a Fubar transform to generate a best-fit solution.

Therefore, I can state with the usual professional certainty that, based on travel time, catter density, the absence of Yorkshire from the equation and a 'number of other factors' (ahem) the best fit result for the problem lies on the A5 just as it crosses the Bucks/Northants border.

Thank you for your time, ladies and gentlemen. Now if there are any questions?

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: shankmac
Date: 24 Oct 01 - 04:48 AM

4th,5th Jan. is too close to New Year for us Jocks. We are still celebrating.

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 23 Oct 01 - 05:10 PM

Better count us out for January - to close to Christmas!-

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 23 Oct 01 - 03:55 PM

Diva you asked where I am, most of the time I seem to be in Lairg which is north of Inverness, but some days I'm not too sure. ( Especially Fridays!!) Any of the dates would suit, and Langdale or Beverley are OK

Jock

BTW The most magnificent hostel in the UK, Carbisdale Castle is only 5 miles from me.

Subject: RE: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Frailin Gill
Date: 23 Oct 01 - 02:10 PM

Yes I will come. Either hostel, either weekend in January will be fine. Sorry if I'm repeating myself, I've only just seen this continuation.

Subject: UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 part ii
From: Noreen
Date: 23 Oct 01 - 02:00 PM

Continuing UK - MUDCAT GATHERING 2002 which has come to no conclusions so far...