Can we have a moratorium?

sturob · Post by **sturob** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 4:05 pm

Well, since this thread is going in every whichaway . . .

Let me just say that I would like to call for a moratorium on these calls for moratoria. How ridiculous! Seriously, no one is putting lid specula in anyone's eyes (à la Clockwork Orange) and forcing people to read the OT threads.

I personally never have understood these "calls" for folks to stop posting OT threads. They're popular. They're topical, just not necessarily about C&F-specific topics. And a lot of them are civil. Heck, Dale's started some of his own (hate to drag you into this, Dale, but your name has been taken in vain by some followers).

So, I would humbly request that if OT comments bother you, don't read the threads. Or, if you come across a bunch of OT comments on a thread you find important, restart the discussion in a new thread, with a comment to the effect of, "You know, things got off track on that other thread. I really want to discuss the use of stainless steel ferrules versus brass versus sterling silver," or whatever.

These don't-post-OT-thread threads always end up being nastier than the OT threads ever COULD be, because someone ends up feeling insulted, and posters can't help but give their opinions.

So, vive le Québec libre, and vive le fil au sujet de n'importe quoi!

Stuart

StewySmoot · Post by **StewySmoot** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 4:20 pm

When is a natatorium natatorium?

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 4:26 pm

Thanks for the compliment, Lixnaw

. BTW, with a name like that you should have two birds in your avatar. Let me know when you've worked that one out

Coincidentally, just before I came onto the Chiffboard tonight, I read an e-mail from a delightful American woman whom my wife and I met last Easter during a trip to California. We had struck up an idle conversation with her and her husband at the breakfast table in the resort we were staying in, and within minutes - much to our embarrassment, because we didn't want to offend them - they had brought the conversation around to the war. Her husband is a retired pastor, and it turned out that both of them were appalled at the whole thing, and wanted us as Europeans to know that not everyone in the US supports the Bush régime's militarism. Minutes later, in a very characteristically American way, they had invited us to stay over with them on a later stage of our tour.

We've stayed in touch, and now she has just informed us that her grandnephew, who joined the national guard to pay for his education, ended up in Iraq. He was in the Humvee that was attacked with a grenade on the day Saddam's sons were killed. This youngster's buddy was killed, and he himself has had his right arm amputated above the elbow. That makes joining the military sound like a really costly way to get an education.

We have been greatly saddened by this, even though our connection to the young man is very tenuous. It doesn't diminish our appreciation of all that is positive about the US, but it does raise a lot of questions. Unfortunately it's difficult to discuss those questions on a forum like this without things turning into a rant. So I support Brother Steve's effort to get the balance right.

Azalin · Post by **Azalin** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 5:21 pm

Actually, I think I know what's the real problem with the board. It's that 90% of it's members arent serious about irish music. Yeah, they might play the whistle, maybe sometimes practice 10 minutes there and then, or have a classical music background and play from sheet music and tell themselves "gosh, I play irish music!".

So, when you're not that serious about the music, an "OT" subject is the best thing ever. I would rather like to know how to blow in a darn flute than trying to guess if America should keep on occupying a few countries.

The board used to be a source of musical knowledge for me, but I had to accept the fact that Chiff has become a social area where sometimes you might end up talking about whistles and music. That's the reality. It's still fun, but not for the same reasons it used to.

lixnaw · Post by **lixnaw** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 5:32 pm

cad é anchiall ata leis sin muinteoir? ca bhfios duit? nil agam ach ceann, is cuma ,ni ga é. an ceann eile, a leanuint. ta teach againn

mamakash · Post by **mamakash** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 7:07 pm

Azalin wrote: The board used to be a source of musical knowledge for me, but I had to accept the fact that Chiff has become a social area where sometimes you might end up talking about whistles and music.

Funny . . . that reminds me of a magazine I enjoyed for the first two or three issues, "Coffee Journal". After the second issue, there wasn't enough coffee related material to fill an entire issue, so the branched out. I'll pick an issue up once and awhile, but it's a broader topic base, and not as interesting to me.
And I suppose one could only talk of whistles for a certain time before realizing you can have only so much to talk about. Then comes movies and books and theology, and yes, still whistle talk.
The only way to keep the whistle board "whistle only" would be to open an off topic board, which is what the Acoustic Guitar forum did. I find "Talk, Talk, Talk" highly entertaining and the sky's the limit . . . but I think most members like the whistle board as is, so I'm not sure if an addtional forum would be welcome.

vaporlock · Post by **vaporlock** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 7:24 pm

Does anybody know what kind of whistle Capt Picard played in Star Trek: TNG?

vaporlock · Post by **vaporlock** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 7:26 pm

I'm new to whistling. What kind of low D whistle should I get?

vaporlock · Post by **vaporlock** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 7:27 pm

Bernard Overton vs Colin Overton: What's the difference?

spittin_in_the_wind · Post by **spittin_in_the_wind** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 8:28 pm

susnfx wrote:
StevieJ wrote:Bucko, indeed!
Of all the things I've called Steve, "Bucko" hasn't even entered my mind!

*files it for future use*

Susan

It's entered my mind on occasion, especially when certain individuals are jumping out windows wearing only a towel...

Haven't read this whole thread yet (if ever) but I wasn't even aware there was a political discussion going on, since I haven't read all the OT threads yet. Maybe that's the key to political innocence.

Robin

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 8:30 pm

Four pages in and I'm thoroughly banjaxed. About the only topic that is not being discussed here is that introduced in Steve's initiating post.

Steve's complaint was about parochialism in the way in which OT discussions are handled on this board. He didn't complain about OT threads as such nor did he complain about political threads. So why do about 9 out of every 10 posts here address complaints that were never made?

If I may, a suggestion: go back and reread the initiating post. It's a point well worth discussing. If my fellow C&Fers got to eavesdrop on a group of Australians discussing world events through parochially Australian eyes, I'd be very embarrassed. So, when I post here on a serious topic, I censor out anything that would involve me in adopting a parochial stand. So, I believe do a lot of other members of our community.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 8:44 pm

Just wait--the board will change. It always changes.

Piano introduction....

Ol man chiffboard, dat ol man chiffboard,
It gets real OT and gets my goatee,
But Ol Man Chiffboard,
It jest keeps rollin along.

Sometimes it's Abells,
Sometimes it's Roses,
Sometimes it's Rumsfeld,
Sometimes it's Moses,
But OL Man Chiffboard,
It jest keeps rolling along.

You and me,
We cut and roll,
Blow dat fipple,
Close dat hole,
Oil dat bore,
Swab dat drool,
Then ya hear Mary Bergin
And feel like a fool...

I get dizzy
And tired of blowin.
What we talk of next
God alone is knowin,
But Ol Man Chiffboard,
He jest keeps rollin along.

LeeMarsh · Post by **LeeMarsh** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 8:45 pm

We can try to avoid the things that distract us from the heart of matters. I, for one, have never been good at avoiding things. I find it much easier to fix my sights on the goal and the step towards it rather than the obstacles around it and how to avoid them.

Same here, rather than focusing on restraint from Political OT, why not direct more energy to the heart of the music, to whistles, to simple pleasures shared in tune or song. Maybe re-awaken in ourselves why we were inspired by this bit of tubing with holes and plug. Rather than complain of the distraction, why not seek after more of those things that would make those distractions, less attractive.

It's not that politics and religion aren't important to each of the members of this community they are just not the heart of why we're members. So let's build the heart, the center, the thing that holds us here. This is the challenge for those who call for moratorium, make a post that inspires us towards the music. If you feel others are less than committed to the music, inspire them to commitment rather than dwell on their lack of it.

For me, music lets me touch things inside that are difficult to share. Joys, sorrows, hopes, frustrations, appreciations, dissapointments, amusements, regrets, triumphs, fears, bindings, alienations, embraces. Music gives voice to all these things, for me it's the voice of things more important than moratorium, more important than political or moral thought. Music is the voice of life in it's wonderous complexity.

energy · Post by **energy** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 9:00 pm

Azalin wrote:Actually, I think I know what's the real problem with the board. It's that 90% of it's members arent serious about irish music.

That assumes it's meant to be an "Irish Whistle Music" board, which I don't think is the case. It's mean as a general whistle board, regardless of style. Secondly, if ninety percent of the members aren't serious about Irish music, then it wouldn't be worth it for most members for it to be Irish music specific.

Also, I was just thinking: when was the last time I actually saw an original on-topic thread? I mean, a whistle related discussion that hasn't been hashed over several times already? Maybe I haven't been paying enough attention to the board, but it seems to me it's been a while. Just a thought.

Nate

Post by **Dale** » Wed Jul 30, 2003 9:02 pm

Jerry Freeman wrote:Hear, hear!

Dale, you've sent mixed signals on this. At one point, you asked that people try to refrain from posting politically oriented messages, but since then you've started a couple of threads yourself that were invitations to open debate.

For a minute, I thought you thought I was the person calling for the moratorium.

I'm sure I've sent mixed signals. I don't really remember asking people to refrain from political posts, but I don't deny it. I don't remember what I had for breakfast much less what I may have posted. I generally don't mind political discussions. I dislike personal attacks and breakdowns in civility.

I'd also add that a couple of the recent threads I've posted "Haiku" and "Emailing the President" I ended up being a bit surprised that they developed in to major threads. Probably just me being naive.

Dale