BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????

Subject: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Nov 15 - 11:41 PM

I like to think I've been everywhere in Pennsylvania. Hell, I've been to Slippery Rock and Butler, and I worked for a company in Boyers. I visited Sing Out! in Bethlehem and went to Allentown and Eaton, and I figured I could drive half an hour and drop in and visit Max, Mudcat's owner. But it seems that College Station is miles and miles from anywhere in Pennsylvania. I've been to Pittsburgh, Erie, Lancaster, Eaton, Allentown, Bethlehem, and Philadelphia, and even to Railtown in Scranton and to Wilkes-Barre and York. And I was hopelessly in love with a woman from Harrisburg so of course I went there - but it still seems that a drive to College Station is forever. Where the heck is College Station, that city that pretends to be Mudcat Central? How can it be so hard to track Max down?
I did find Mudcat Central when it was in West Chester, but it isn't there any more. So, where is Mudcat now? If it weren't for having an eastern border on the Delaware River, Pennsylvania would be almost a perfect rectangle. So, why is it so hard to find anything there?
-Joe-
(in Northern California)

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Amos
Date: 08 Nov 15 - 11:45 PM

Why, Joe! It's right here!

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Nov 15 - 11:48 PM

Well, Amos, I think the thing about Pennsylvania is that there's no there there. It's always somewhere else.

And tell me this: Why isn't Pennsylvania Station in Pennsylvania?

Ha! Got you stumped on that one, didn't I?

-Joe-

P.S. I got lost one time and ended up in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. It's an absolutely beautiful town, but I have no idea how I got there and I'm actually not sure it exists. Has anyone else here been to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania?

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Nov 15 - 12:01 AM

Oh, and Dick and Susan of the Digital Tradition are now in Pennsylvania, and I haven't heard from them since. Could they have disappeared into some Outer Limits scenario or something?
Oh, and once upon a time, I picked up My Guru Always Said somewhere in Pennsylvania and took her to the Getaway. But you'll notice that MGAS has rarely, if ever, posted at Mudcat since then. I think that Pennsylvania absorbs people and turns them into spooks.
Dick and Susan. Gone.
Pene Azul. Gone
MGAS. Gone.
Max. Gone.
Dan Schatz claims to be a pastor of a Unitarian church in West Chester, PA. But are we sure of that. How do we know that he's not a spook, too?

I'm really worried about all this. Especially about the Lost Love from Harrisburg; but I'm married now, so maybe I should forget about that. Maybe the Lost Love was just a figment of my figments...


-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 Nov 15 - 04:28 AM

Sorry, can't help you. If my maternal Grandfather had stayed in Braddock* I would be an Allegheny Alumni.

*He left in 1918 to return to UK because he realised by comparing notes with his mates at the Allegheny Iron & Steel that he was the only one who didn't sleep with a gun under his pillow!
He named his UK house "Braddock" though.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Megan L
Date: 09 Nov 15 - 09:35 AM

Ach now Joseph me dear we aw ken ye are navigationally challenged you set of to find the missing cats in Pen and the photos prove you ended up in Orkney.

Mind it only has 2000 folk in Stromness and ye couldny find wan wee auld wife.

Ah'll get me coat

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: GUEST,michaelr
Date: 09 Nov 15 - 10:25 AM

Joe, no wonder you're lost: You're barking up the wrong state! College Station is in Texas. Mudcat Central is in State College, PA.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Nov 15 - 10:50 AM

Pretty sure it's not there, either.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Nov 15 - 11:02 AM

I also don't know who you think MGAS is, but she never lived in the US, AFAIK.

Oh, and College Station is there, but Mudcat isn't. I'm thinking it might be best to track people down privately.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Will Fly
Date: 09 Nov 15 - 11:34 AM

Ah, but MGAS has been to Getaway or similar - flew over, like Leadfingers and others, from the UK from time to time.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 Nov 15 - 11:55 AM

And also, Why is Mudcat Central?

As to "Where is Mudcat Central?"
I though it was approached through Del Floria's Tailors & Dry Cleaning

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Nov 15 - 04:39 PM

Dick & Susan were at the Getaway, as was Max. Your memory is slipping, Joe.

Max has posted images of his place, if not the exact address. Dan Schatz is easily found.

Those folks are fine... but Pene Azul I really miss.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: maeve
Date: 09 Nov 15 - 05:17 PM

MGAS has been posting regularly, Joe- most recently:13 Oct 15 - 03:46 PM


So does anyone know how Pene Azul is doing these days- and shall we all converge on Joe to evaluate his existence and well-being?

Yer welcome, Joe.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: michaelr
Date: 09 Nov 15 - 08:20 PM

Jeri -- clicking on the Mudcat logo at the top of the home page reveals this:

Max D. Spiegel
P.O. Box 274
State College, PA 16804
814-205-FOLK

So please explain why you're "pretty sure it's not there, either".

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Elmore
Date: 10 Nov 15 - 12:57 AM

Zell Miller and I live in Young Harris, Ga. (not together). None of us, including Young, is young.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: GUEST, Topsie
Date: 10 Nov 15 - 02:47 AM

So, according to michaelr, Mudcat Central is in a box. No wonder you can't find it.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Nov 15 - 03:21 AM

Bill, Bill, Bill. It's not that these people don't exist when they're in Maryland or DC or the like. What happens is that when they go to Pennsylvania, it's like the Twilight Zone. They disappear into the spookiness. I did blow my punch line by confusing State College with College Station, but my point is that State College is a fairly well-known Pennsylvania town (although the population is only about 40,000). State College is just one of many well-known Pennsylvania towns that nobody can find. Pennsylvania is a near-rectangular state, so one would think things would be easy to find there, but don't be deceived. Pennsylvania is a black hole.

And nearby is Ohio, another black hole. I like to think I've been all over Ohio, but I can't point to a map and show you were Akron is. Same with Pennsylvania. I know I should know where State College is, but I sure can't point to it on a map.
It's all very suspicious....

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Will Fly
Date: 10 Nov 15 - 03:49 AM

Joe - relax dear boy. It's been a difficult time, I know - ever since you were taken up into the mothership by those beings with long, green tentacles (I'm thinking Simpsons here).

But help is at hand. I've made a telephone call and a couple of friends in long, white coats will be along in an unmarked car very soon to help you out.

At least, I think they will because I'm not sure where you live...

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Mr Red
Date: 10 Nov 15 - 05:00 AM

P.O. Box 274
State College, PA 16804
must be a portal - climb into it and you will be whisked to a central location.
I fear there is a real problem here though, it is all to do with the spelling of centre - (which we all know that is the right and proper sequence of letters). Wrong spelling and the SatNav gets confused Joe!

And does the phone number not give a geographical clue or is it an answer machine/redirect service? Or are phone codes no longer guaranteed to be geographical? Or am I assuming something about mobile/cell phone numbers that only apply in Europe?

None of which gets us nearer.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: artbrooks
Date: 10 Nov 15 - 09:11 AM

Isn't State College where the tardis factory is located? No wonder.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Nov 15 - 09:42 AM

40,000 people is larger than many towns in California, Joe. To whit: Hayfork, Amador City, Dorris, Angels Camp, El Segundo, Yreka, Ripon, Galt, Nevada City, Montague, Commerce, Industry, Donner, Chowchilla, Claremont, French Gulch, and many others too numerous to mention. Even Vernon has fewer than 40,000 people. There are places with fewer than Vernon, too: Prairie City, Quartzburg, Roachville, and Canebrake, for instance.

But Mudcat Central: After much research, I found that it and the servers are located in an old, well cared for, coal mine in Centralia, Pennsylvania. Entry is, of course, restricted, but a tracert (or traceroute in Unix) will give you the data you need to find the entrance. The password is "MOAB" and the countersign is "Khandu." Then entry "chmod 777" on the keypad and the door will ope.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Jeri
Date: 10 Nov 15 - 10:13 AM

Michael, as you and Topsie and probably somebody else(s) mentioned, the address is a P.O. box. These are difficult, perhaps even impossible, to live in. No running water or electricity, for one thing. State College is a real place it seems, even if Joe can't find it with a map.

While Max obviously has a mailbox there, I suspect he lives in a castle tower that only exists in this space-time continuum some of the time. I can't prove it, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: nickp
Date: 10 Nov 15 - 10:17 AM

State College is real... or it was when I visited it in 1980.

There used to be a great pizza place there then.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Bill D
Date: 10 Nov 15 - 10:50 AM

Joe,Joe,Joe... *I* can point to State College on a map. ...and I have been there.

The real problem with physically navigating Pennsylvania is that much of the state is weirdly configured.

Pennsylvania may be divided into more than a dozen distinct physiographic regions, most of which extend in curved bands from east to south.

" Pennsylvania is a near-rectangular state, ..."... but, as noted above, there are few straight lines in it.
However... all roads lead to the world's largest flea market in Gilbertsville ..(well, as soon as you navigate several bridges and weird curves)

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Megan L
Date: 10 Nov 15 - 11:47 AM

surely mudcat central is to the east of mudcat west and to the west of mudcat east

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Mr Red
Date: 11 Nov 15 - 05:43 AM

Ah, but where on the vertical axis? It is that spelling of centre that is obfuscating the vertex!

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 11 Nov 15 - 09:30 AM

Mapquest showed me that State College is on the southern
border of Houserville, Pennsylania.

There! Are you enlightened now?

It may be more helpful to say that it's about sixty miles
Northwest of Harrisburg, and that it's just a little south
of I99.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Rapparee
Date: 11 Nov 15 - 09:49 AM

About where the recent blimp accident happened. Which, to my mind, could not have been coincidental with the location of Mudcat Central. I believe it was the Bavarian Illuminati's elite Schwanenritterkorps who owned the blimp and were attempting to take possession of MC Central (a/k/a MCC or MC²) for the nefarious purposes of their Masters.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: keberoxu
Date: 11 Nov 15 - 01:00 PM

Schwanenritterkorps? As in, Wagner's Lohengrin, when the tenor watched the darned swan cruise right past him on the stage, and said the often-quoted quip, "What time does the next swan leave" ?

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Nov 15 - 02:53 PM

Damn. I typed a long explanation and the message disappeared...probably in Pennsylvania.

Here's the deal: I have an unusually strong sense of direction, and I usually always have the feeling that I know where I am. Without a map, I can find my way to most major cities in the U.S., and I've visited all but four states and visited Pennsylvania many, many times. But there are some places in this world where I just can't get oriented, and then I'm lost and have to glue myself constantly to a map. Egypt is one of those places - that damn river has the nerve to flow North! Connecticut and much of New England can also throw me off, because the Sound and the ocean are mostly to the south, when common sense and grammar school geography tell me they should be to the east.

And then there's Pennsylvania. It seems like such a simply-designed state. It would be a perfect rectangle if the Delaware River were straighter. I've been to all those Pennsylvania cities I've mentioned except for State College, so one would think I should be able to find my way anywhere in the state. But I always get lost there, and I can't understand why.

Ohio is similar, but not as bad. I just can't find Akron.

Does this phenomenon strike any of the rest of you, or am I the only disorientated person here?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 11 Nov 15 - 09:14 PM

I can't help you find Mudcat Central. I can tell you something about Pennsylvania Station not being in Pennsylvania. Every time I've boarded a train in RI bound for New York City and listened to the announcement of stops the train will make, Penn Station is included, and at least one other passenger will ask in a panicky voice, "Doesn't this train stop in New York City?" And I suspect that happens on trains bound to NY from other places--unless the train stops at Grand Central.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Rapparee
Date: 11 Nov 15 - 09:36 PM

Joe, Pennsylvania was never intended to exist at all.

New York was to stretch all the way to the Ohio border, but Bill Penn decided that he needed to name something after himself. So, in league with Oliver Hazard "Don't Give Up The Ship" Perry, he connived to include a state between New York and Ohio -- and only 15 miles wide from the Lake Erie high water mark. Then they stretched the thing south to the borders of New Jersey and Maryland, completely ignoring the Intent Of Congress in the act creating it, and telling a very surprised Congress that the distance was, in fact, only 15 miles from the Lake Erie high water mark for that year. It was only because the delegates from Virginia stood up to this blatant land theft that there is now a border with (what is now) West Virginia.

But these caprices cost, and in stretching the state they inadvertently twisted a good part of it out of our normal space-time.

It is therein that your problem lies.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Bill D
Date: 11 Nov 15 - 10:50 PM

"that spelling of centre " Oh... cen-tree. We say cen-ter and spell it like we pronounce it. ;>)

Joe... as I said, Pennsylvania has this series of curves built into the topography, so that even when you aim in one direction, you end up being shuttled off to the side. You gotta give up a 'sense of direction' and go by highway signs & maps. In much of Kansas you can go by dead reckoning, but not in Penn. (I had to find Johnstown a few years ago, going counter to those natural curves. It was interesting)

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Nov 15 - 02:52 AM

Yep, Rapparee, that's it. It's those damn Quakers and their oil company. You know, the one with the green cans...

Wait, I work for Quakers (Blood-Patterson), and they're just fine. And I sing with Quakers, and they're just fine. Guess I'd better not blame it on them, huh?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Nov 15 - 01:06 PM

It's their oatmeal, Joe. I know some Quakers and they agree that it's their oatmeal.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 12 Nov 15 - 04:57 PM

Partially remembered from some long ago tv programme:

There's a new dance called "The Quaker": It's twice round the hall, then outside for your oats!

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Mr Red
Date: 12 Nov 15 - 05:25 PM

What about the Shakers?

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Paul Burke
Date: 12 Nov 15 - 05:43 PM

Mudcat Central is where we find the Talmud catchy.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Nov 15 - 12:21 AM

Take our shaker maker, a Quaker baker.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: CupOfTea
Date: 13 Nov 15 - 03:26 PM

Poor Joe. Has years of living out in California robbed you of any geographic savvy? Tell me it ain't so! If you ever make northern Ohio part of your ramblings, I'll be glad to help you find your way around to places of interest of a cultural, musical, Catholic, or scenic nature. I'll even round up some local singing sorts! You can walk from here to the Shaker lakes, and the museum of the North Union Shakers.

I can sympathize with being befuddled in Pennsylvania, at least Pittsburgh. I know a California lass who moved to that city who wrote a song - "you can't get there from here" about the trials of getting around a city that needs a 3D map and lots of one way arrows.

Surely taking some odd routes has exposed you to some interesting sights and/ or cuisines?

Joanne in Cleveland (where the wind is trying to shake down some early snow)

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Rapparee
Date: 13 Nov 15 - 07:48 PM

CoT, if it's trying to snow in Cleveland, Geauga County has six feet of the stuff. I know -- I worked in Burton for 12 years.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Janie
Date: 14 Nov 15 - 04:52 AM

Finding one's way around Pittsburgh with it's 3 rivers? Oy!

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Nov 15 - 05:04 PM

Take the funicular in Pittsburgh, Janie. Then you can see it all at once and make sense of the maze.

Cup of Tea, I can find my way without a map to Toledo, Sandusky, Lorain, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and the Spaw Shrine at Bremen. But Akron? Fuhgeddaboudit.
Youngstown? Same thing.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: CupOfTea
Date: 14 Nov 15 - 08:46 PM

There's a Spaw shrine? Gotta be more interesting than the Pei-pointy Rock Hall. Is there a display of inventive invective?

Akron is too sad right now, but if you just mosey 'round it to the park parts of the Cuyahoga Valley (and the source waters as paddled by Pete Seeger and his college buddy Congressman Siberling) it is worth the navigation. There is so little TO find in Youngstown, so it's very easy to bypass.

Cleveland, however...much different story. Was amused to hear lavish praise of Cleveland and Cleveland natives from Garrison Keillor who is broadcasting PHC from Playhouse Square downtown tonight.

Fortunately, the wicked night of hail and wild wind was a one day wonder & it'll be more seasonable this week. I won't have to locate m'self in Siberia on the Heights just yet!

Joanne in wonderful, Keillor-approved Cleveland

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Janie
Date: 14 Nov 15 - 09:29 PM

Well Geez, Joe. Start in Charleston, WV, get on I-77 north, drive 3 hours, and voila! Akron. (Used to drive up there for some fine early 1970s rock and roll concerts at the wonderfulAkron Civic Theatre.
) Drive just a bit further on I-77 N and ring up Joanne and invite yourself to supper!

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Janie
Date: 14 Nov 15 - 09:45 PM

There wasn't much of I-77 finished in those days, though, so was a bit longer drive and when the shows were midweek, would arrive at work the next morning a bit ragged. But you could do it in a flash today, Mr. Joe - and see some of the West Virginia Appalachian Plateau on the way.

Mr. Red, I think you are onto something. That Centre County bit probably does throw things off a tad -then it got even more complicated when Penn State up and insisted on breaking away and acquired a 'University Park' address and zip code. Distorted the vortex even more.

And then there is the reality that State College is not particularly on the way to anywhere other than State College. Center (Centre?) of it's own parallel universe? Must be the Quaker influence - being held to the light so much and all 'thet there.'

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Nov 15 - 12:27 PM

"Hello, Central? Give me Mudcat."

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: CupOfTea
Date: 17 Nov 15 - 08:21 AM

I get a chuckle out of Janie mentioning the Akron Civic Theater after I'd been cracking about Garrison Keillor being in DT Cleveland, because that very venue was the last place I saw him live. Think it might have been a book/NPR tour, not PHC and I remember it was being recorded for Voice of America. I got to sing "Tell me why" with Keillor ( and 9,999 other folks) on VOA. Very cool part of the show was the huge organ that rose up out of the stage floor while being played.

Joanne in balmy Cleveland

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Nov 15 - 01:40 PM

It's nice to hear good things about Cleveland, Joanne. Coming from Detroit, I have always thought of Cleveland as Detroit's sister city. I'm glad Cleveland hasn't met the same fate Detroit met. Both Cleveland and Detroit have wonderful architecture, and both cities have great potential. Sounds like Cleveland is following that potential. Detroit is still trying.

You asked about the Spaw Shrine in Bremen? Well, for a ten-mile radius all around, the highways are covered with road kill (I'm sure Spaw'd have something to say about THAT). As one approaches the Shrine, the streets are paved with brick. And the Shrine is surrounded by beautiful, comfortable-looking homes. And as I, in trepidation, approached the Shrine unannounced, the front door opened and Spaw very casually said, "Joe Offer, what the hell are you doing here?" I was going to make this a big surprise, but he turned the tables on me and made it seem like this was something that happened to him every day.

I miss him.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: ranger1
Date: 17 Nov 15 - 02:29 PM

We all miss him.

Subject: RE: BS: Where Is Mudcat Central????
From: Amos
Date: 17 Nov 15 - 03:38 PM

Well, hello, Central, give me Mudcat land!
It's just the place for a guy who needs a hand
Or a mandolin for an old-time music band!
Well, hello, Central, give me Mudcat land!