I don't know why I keep coming back to this thread. Train wreck fascination I guess.

Lacking any new thoughts I'm going to repeat something I said many months ago when some jackass was falsely posting as katlaughing.

What gives the Mudcat value to many of us is that it is not a "virtual community". It is a REAL community made up of real flesh and blood people with opinions, friendships, dislikes, and feelings. There is no other kind of community, in my opinion.

People who post anonymous bizarre graffiti, cowardly personal attacks, or who hijack the identities of others, if confronted usually mutter about cliques, and how people should consider postings on their own merits, not because of who said them. Usually these mutterings are integrated with more personal attacks, which makes it hard to take them seriously as advocacy of "the disembodied idea".

For me, at least half the value of any posting is in knowing who it comes from; their location, background, musical tastes and other personal information they have chosen to reveal. Because there are no disembodied ideas; if I want something like that I'll look in an encyclopedia. I feel I've made friends here and want that opportunity to continue for all.

There is an extraordinary freedom of expression here, due to Max's hands-off philosophy. I think that's great and it passes the responsibility on to the users of the forum to do so in a civil manner. Own up to your own opinions and you can have just about any you like.

Michael I'm not about to waste my time looking up what TTCM said six months ago...but it took some guts to come clean here. (Wish a couple others would do so, or just get lost.) Max has officially proclaimed you "Rat Bastard of the Week" (the Week, not the month or year) and remarked that he'll forgive but not forget.

I think you need to do some time in the wilderness. Go now and sin no more. Maybe come back later. (I did like your contributions to "gigs from hell", and as an Ontario musician I have a sneaking suspicion I have met you sometime).

Willie-O