Mudcat: just music, or a mix?

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: Roger the zimmer
Date: 10 May 99 - 11:18 AM

I came looking for lyrics, discovered the good humour, bad jokes (and contributed my share since!) and strange threads (duct tape?). I've learned about artists and songs new to me, felt part of a diverse but real net community, marvelled at the range of musical and instrumental knowledge and expertise out there, most of it (all right , ALL of it!) over my head, but I still come back for more. As others have said, you don't have to read every thread, tho' sometimes the information you need crops up as an aside in an unlikely thread. Keep the mix, in short.

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 10 May 99 - 11:32 AM

Joe, how long has this obsession with apostrophes been going on? Tell me your feelings about multiple exclamation marks. What about using every upper case symbol in the top row to denote swearing.

Seriously, I wish I had your resolve about censorship. I have vaccilated on that for so many years. Often I become so overcome with anger at what I perceive as mass stupidity (law court decisions, political pronouncements, seemingly motiveless violence) that I act like a censorship vigilante for a couple of days. When I see a phrase like "teach our childen critical thinking...." I wonder, what percentage of the population would even understand what you mean, let alone be able to put it into practice.
Other than that, it's a beautiful day here in Toronto. Duckboots and I will go move some earth around in the garden.

Rick

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: Ross
Date: 10 May 99 - 11:34 AM

Mix it up.

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: Margo
Date: 10 May 99 - 12:22 PM

Here's my take on cencorship:

When I was a kid I remember this angry justification some kids used for their actions: "It's a free country and I can do what I want."

Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. Our forefathers, trying to "secure a more perfect union" put in place a govenmental structure with definite boundrys. They knew the importance of free speech.

Yet there are certain things you cannot say, like shouting "Fire" in a crowded theatre. I believe that the jury ruled wrongly (was it jury or court?) in the Oprah Winfrey vs. the beef association. She is a public figure and carries a heavy responsibility for what she says.

Ergo, I do not think that freedom of expression means you can say or do what you want. Shouting "Fire" in a crowded theater is dangerous. People could be killed. Saying a prayer in public school is not dangerous. I learned the lord's prayer in public grade school in Michigan. My family was raised with no religion. My folks didn't care that we were taught a prayer.

I think that the current censorship of prayer and permissiveness in blood and gut depicted in movies, video games, etc. is bassackwards. Censorship is not bad, it is just being used wrongly.

Hah! Let's see what can of worms I have opened up. Do we already have a thread on censorship? If not, maybe it will be a good one.

Margarita

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: annamill
Date: 10 May 99 - 12:33 PM

I entered Mudcat first curious, then fascinated that there is a foram for talented, knowlegable, intelligent, warm, funny, witty, caring and diversified people. I can only get here on my lunch hour,Mon thru Fri, but I enjoy it totally. I'm not a musician, but music of all types permiates my life. (..and I'm trying to pick up guitar)

I love the B.S. and I love the music knowledge I've found here. I hope to stay for a while.

Mix for me, please.

Anna

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: SeanM
Date: 10 May 99 - 04:07 PM

Very much love the mix...

I started out here about 2 years ago, as a resource for lyrics for songs at the renaissance faire that I work at but couldn't understand (dang wind messes up the acoustics... or maybe it was that 14th beer...). I didn't even look at the threads until about 8 months or so ago, but was almost immediately hooked.

It saddens me to know that we lose valuable members of our community over this issue, as I heartily support the right not to read (or watch, listen to, whatever) over censorship in no uncertain terms.

(This is where I disagree with Margarita). As far as I'm concerned, the only valid place for censorship is where lives are immediately endangered ('fire' in a theatre, reports of troop movements during war, whatever). Having been in the military and having been censored on occasion, it always amazes me how quickly and disastrously censorship has ALWAYS spiralled out of hand. While serving in our gulf, I had letters censored (and was reprimanded) for informing my family that I had a cold, that I would like my walkman mailed to me as there weren't any decent ones to be had, and for some unknown reason they censored my request to my mother for some of her chocolate-oatmeal cookies (!?!). There were more examples, but these were the strangest.

The only kind of censorship that has a place in my world view is the censorship of self. I view it as one of the basic precepts that Democracy is based on... It mentions in the USA's founding paperwork (filed in triplicate somewhere, no doubt) that the country relies on an "enlightened electorate" for decisions in votes. Sadly, through a bizzare twist over the years, the 'enlightened electorate' are becoming the 'enlightened few'. The last thing that this country needs is for censorship to take away even more of the meager information that is needed.

We live in a time of power. We (all of us) can easily acquire within a very short time the ability to destroy ourselves and quite a bit of those around us. The quote reads 'With great power comes great responsibility', and I believe in this wholeheartedly. Rather than restrict someone's right to know something or view something, it would be a much better world if we could enforce their responsibility to know the consequences and real effects of their actions. By way of example, given no other choices, would you rather be given a gun with a clear understanding of how to operate it along with the consequences of your use of it, or would you rather just be handed a gun and be told that you were not allowed to know how it operated?

Sorry... freedom of speech is a sore point with me. I'll shut up now.

M

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: Bob Landry
Date: 10 May 99 - 04:22 PM

I vote for the mix. Bob

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 10 May 99 - 04:29 PM

Hi Annap, thanks for joining us. Lunch hour's just fine (as long as you leave time for lunch) You'll find lots of music here, and maybe it might inspire you to bend down and pick up that guitar. The "bull shit" that inspired terse one and two liners from three of our members (actually my guess is two, with one being an alias) has in recent times been comprised of: trying to make sense of Kosovo, grieving and questioning what happened in Colorado, and an outpouring of support for a mudcatter who was rushed to hospital. That ain't "BS" in my book!

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: Allan C.
Date: 10 May 99 - 04:47 PM

Dick Greenhaus has pointed out that all this isn't really necessary. The 'Cat is what it is. Nobody is going to turn a secret knob or install a magic folkseive which would separate out anything that isn't folk. I think it has been made obvious to any and all who spend time here that most of us enjoy "the mix".

Katlaughing and others have proposed a couple of ways to accommodate those who prefer the narrower path and I applaud that. Frankly there are times when I would like to have that option. But mostly, I just like hanging out here. The only problem I have is that I find far too many threads that interest me. So, I end up spending as much as three hours a day here. On Mondays, or any other time when I have been away from my computer for a couple of days, it takes me at least two hours just to catch up to the present day! I don't know what I will do when I take a couple of weeks of vacation!

I guess what I am trying to say is that I wonder at the need to analyse this. The Mudcat just IS. That's all.

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 May 99 - 09:19 PM

Is no should, just what is.

Allan C.: how Zen**smile**

katlaughing, in a void of being?

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: LEJ
Date: 10 May 99 - 09:32 PM

or as Van Morrison said... "it doesn't have to be, it just is, it just IS, IS, IS...that's all there is to it, it just is..and that's enough about it, it just IS!"

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 May 99 - 09:38 PM

Aaarrggghhhh! Leej, doesn't that belong in the WORST lines thread?*BG*

Sheesh, a gyrl tries to get all serious and go for a "Grasshopper and the Master" kinda thing and you jokers gotta come in a spoil the mood! ****BIG,BIG GRIN***

Just had to raz ya! I'm with you, Leej, on the Doors!

katlaughing

Subject: RE: Mudcat: just music, or a mix?
From: LEJ
Date: 10 May 99 - 10:01 PM

"...it just IS!...can't really say any more about it..."