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why I'm laughing
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kudzurunner
2144 posts
Dec 21, 2010
1:53 PM
This has been a busy week for the MBH forum, and that busyness happens to have coincided with a frantic week on my own end, one that saw me flying to and from Europe, giving four two-hour clincs (along with 60 minute concerts) on four successive days in three different countries on not nearly enough sleep. I banished two players, one of whom was extremely well known around here and one of whom was merely a troll (hermonica, whose fake email address was "a@a.com"), and this community suffered the mortal loss of that extremely well known player. Not an easy week.

What's remarkable, for all that, is how completely and totally predictable the dramatics are. The full moon is tonight. Devon Tom has just quit the forum. Others are writing me, even as my plane from Copenhagen taxis into Newark International Airport, telling me that the forum is self-destructing, that Buddha's gift is being cannibalized before his body has been duly set in the ground.

All I can do is laugh. Buddha is surely laughing. The full catastrophe is upon us, again. It happens every month. A death doesn't happen every month, but you guys--and I mean GUYS, not gals: this is a guy thing--simply lose it. Or at least most of you do. This tells me that many of you still have a lot of dues to pay.

As Mister Satan used to say, You'll live through it. For God's sake, stop whining. Stop beating each other up. Show a little toughness of spirit. Acquire enough self-knowledge that you're able to sense when the situation--and the full moon--is pressing all your buttons. Learn when less is more. It's clear from your posts that some of you know this. More of you ought to learn it.

Less ego. Less shrillness. More soul. Less pettiness.

It's become clear to me that this forum suffers right now for lack of moderation. So I've made the following change: Effective immediately, Nacoran and Todd Greene have been given administrator/moderator status. I have also asked Todd Parrot to take the same role, at least for the short term.

I have given my deputies the right not just to lock and, if need be, delete threads, but to warn trolls and other offenders and, when and if they see fit, to boot people off the forum.

I booted hermonica off the forum this morning when I discovered that he had given a false first name and non-working (and obviously fake) email address. From now on, failing to give your full first and last name and real email address when you register will be grounds for immediate banishment.

One of you suggested in a thread that the forum creed should be simplified, and offered a possible new creed. I like it. I'm planning sometime before the New Year to substitute it for much of what currently sits on page one.

I'm also planning on appointing another couple of administrator/moderators over the next month or so.

Every forum has growing pains. This forum is no exception. My apologies for not realizing more quickly that the challenges required that I delegate authority. I'm gratified by how much passion and humanity the bulk of you bring to this little corner of the world.

Just to set the record straight, once and for all: I booted Buddha off the forum because his thread on astrology violated two items in the creed: 1) it was about religion; 2) he talked about tearing somebody a new butthole, or something to that effect. He did both things with impunity. I had given him every ounce of special treatment and latitude that I was able to give him. That didn't work. He kept slamming his shoulder against the borders of the permissible. This time around, when several forum members wrote me while I was on the road to flag the offending threads, I got pissed off. It pained me to banish him. And of course, if he had emailed me, as TN Frank and NOD did, to say, "Hey, I'm sorry for crossing the line," I would have reinstated him.

I'm sorry he's gone. I don't waste a moment worrying about whether my banishing him from this crazed little world contributed to his death--and no self-respecting blues musician would. We're tougher than that. I wrote a book about lynching and the blues. The people who actually created this music went through a hell of a lot more than most of us do.

This forum will go on. And if it doesn't--because after all, every good thing eventually outlives its time--I'll shed no tears. I greatly admire the passion that is in evidence here, and I'm routinely humbled by how much specialized knowledge y'all bring to this stuff.

Chris Michaelk deserves to be remembered, honored, and respected. I'm sure he's laughing somewhere right now, enjoying the rich joke, the riotous implosion of rancor and grief and celebration of his gift that has transpired in the past few days. But he'd also probably be hoping that SOMEBODY had enough guts and presence of mind to crack the whip, put on the big tough glove, and work in the direction of submission. I don't begin to think that I can submit y'all. But I'm calling on your peers, Nacoran and Todd Green (and hopefully Todd Parrott), to crack the whip on my behalf. Please do NOT f--k with them. And don't complain to me.

Just try and remember, everbody: Christmas is upon us. I consider the Christmas a spirit an ecumenical spirit. Be good to each other. Cultivate a spirit of gratitude, rather than acting as though the world is ending. It isn't. There's a whole lot more left.
oda
385 posts
Dec 21, 2010
2:06 PM
"Less ego. Less shrillness. More soul. Less pettiness."
-- Adam Gussow

I suppose with that said we can begin to honor the memory of our fallen comrade. No more threads dishonoring his memory. Too bad we can't sticky the "Buddha memorial thread" and direct memories there.

I look forward to having things get back on track, and conversing about our little instrument of choice with my peers.

peace, love and UNITY.


PS. A suggestion for all of you. Chris' family most likely do not visit these forums or care to. So I propose we redirect stories, memories, and tributes to his Funeral Home BOOK OF MEMORIES Where his family will have a chance to see what is said about him.

PPS. I am glad Todd Parrot is going to be involved in moderation -- that's a righteous dude



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I could be bound by a nutshell and still count myself a king of infinite space

OdaHUMANITY!

Last Edited by on Dec 21, 2010 2:14 PM
pharpo
482 posts
Dec 21, 2010
2:07 PM
Well said Adam.......Take a deep breath, and move on ! Wanted to get downstate to see you tomorrow. Doesn't look like that is going to happen...some family drama LOL. Knock em dead !!

Paul
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MrVerylongusername
1432 posts
Dec 21, 2010
2:11 PM
Thank you Adam.

More moderators with tougher powers is a good thing (Nate has already flexed his new muscles and locked a thread I see).

One thing has struck me but all your moderators are stateside. The forum is worldwide. Would it not be prudent to have a few mods in other timezones? These things can kick off any time it seems.

FWIW I'm not fishing, I wouldn't want that particular poison chalice even if it was offered, but I'm sure you wouldn't be short of offers.
tookatooka
1957 posts
Dec 21, 2010
2:16 PM
Lucky your Europe Tour didn't include the UK Adam. We had three inches of snow and the whole transport system has gone into meltdown. Heathrow airport virtually shut for three days now and the situation is absolutely atrocious. Many angry people will not be getting home for Christmas.
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Click to see the results.

Last Edited by on Dec 21, 2010 2:17 PM
groyster1
599 posts
Dec 21, 2010
2:38 PM
@tooka
3 inches shut down heathrow are you kidding? 3 inches is a drop in the bucket even in tennessee where I live
tookatooka
1959 posts
Dec 21, 2010
2:46 PM
Wish I was kidding. It's been pathetic.
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Click to see the results.

Hobostubs Ashlock
1293 posts
Dec 21, 2010
2:53 PM
what you do is go to the airport and break out some harps and a hat and make some money and entertain the weary travelers;-)
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Hobostubs
kudzurunner
2146 posts
Dec 21, 2010
2:56 PM
@verylong: You're 100% right. I'm taking nominations for a couple of Euro/UK admins. Actually, how about one from that part of the world and one from Australia? Please feel free to suggest good people--either here, or by emailing me privately.
groyster1
600 posts
Dec 21, 2010
2:58 PM
@Hobo
busking @heathrow sounds like a great idea to me
MrVerylongusername
1433 posts
Dec 21, 2010
3:01 PM
Well Tooka seems a level headed guy
tookatooka
1960 posts
Dec 21, 2010
3:11 PM
Thanks MrVLUN. No I'm not level headed. I lose it too quickly. If I'd been a mod over the last couple of days, I think half the forum would have been suspended and two would be walking funny playing anal harp.

Last Edited by on Dec 21, 2010 3:11 PM
sorin
217 posts
Dec 21, 2010
3:16 PM
@tooka lol
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Tuckster
791 posts
Dec 21, 2010
3:26 PM
I hope you're still laughing,Adam. I just e-mailed you because I got some spam from your address. When it rains, it pours!
bigd
271 posts
Dec 21, 2010
3:40 PM
Wait a minute: Is it appropriate for a moderator to play Golden Melodys with colored combs? .... Thanks for being a clear and sane channel Adam. Great choices for moderators....... Off to my show with lots of gratitude...The happiest holidays to all: Feast on your life!
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Aussiesucker
692 posts
Dec 21, 2010
3:44 PM
And if you are still laughing I opened my emails this morning to find one from Adam but it was spam flogging viagra.
rbeetsme
332 posts
Dec 21, 2010
5:40 PM
I'm going to play my harp.
Stickman
578 posts
Dec 21, 2010
5:48 PM
I nominate GermanHarpist
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nacoran
3446 posts
Dec 21, 2010
6:20 PM
Stick, he's already done a tour of duty. He was wounded when he picked up a booby trapped harmonica. They knew he couldn't resist a shiny harmonica. Who among us could? After all, he's only human!

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Nate
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pharpo
486 posts
Dec 21, 2010
6:23 PM
Tooka......we have had 70 inches in the last three weeks....I don't even shovel the driveway for 3 inches LOL !!
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Stickman
579 posts
Dec 21, 2010
6:26 PM
$%#% I like GH. I nominate him anyway. There is more valor in a second tour.
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nacoran
3447 posts
Dec 21, 2010
7:41 PM
Pharpo, that's my fault. I told my friend that she had to make sure the snow didn't make it to Albany (she's in Oneonta). I don't know how she did it, and she's let a little through, but so far you can still see the tips grass poking up. :)

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Nate
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HarveyHarp
164 posts
Dec 21, 2010
7:50 PM
But But But does this mean that I cannot pick on Todd Greene on MBH anymore? It is so much fun, and so easy.
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Rev. Jim
49 posts
Dec 21, 2010
8:15 PM
Nacoran: I went to school in Oneonta (a trillion years ago). Snow Country!
Now I live in Japan. In the north. The Japanese call it "Yukiguni" - Snow Country.
Guess I like snow.
Greg Heumann
949 posts
Dec 21, 2010
9:22 PM
Less ego. Less shrillness. More soul. Less pettiness.

How about LESS POSTING! People - you just don't have to speak every thought that enters your mind here. If it isn't harp related think twice. If it is mean think twice. If it isn't constructive think twice. If two or three or four people seem to represent the majority of posts in a thread, its a really good sign it has nothing to do with anything of interest to the larger community. Get over yourselves and grow up. If you don't like it, don't read it.

I've stayed completely OUT of all of these stupid argument threads. It wasn't that hard. But I had to say this.


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/Greg

BlowsMeAway Productions
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
arzajac
412 posts
Dec 21, 2010
9:38 PM
Thank you Nate, Todd (and Todd?) as well as GH and Buzz for doing the moderating work.

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Philosofy
381 posts
Dec 21, 2010
9:50 PM
Adam, I thought you were laughing because you still had time to send me an email about Viagra. (Seriously, I got an email today from agussow@aol.com that was Viagra spam. You should see if you've been hacked.)
Ev630
832 posts
Dec 21, 2010
9:51 PM
I hope the new moderators kick the asses of the mercenary types who have been shamelessly exploiting the situation following Chris's passing. This forum seems to lack some socially accepted standards for decency and to not police it properly makes the forum owners complicit.

Chris wouldn't be laughing right now, he'd be fucking furious.
jbone
454 posts
Dec 21, 2010
9:53 PM
probably i have missed the fireworks because i tend to hang back unless i can add something to a discussion that will add value. it's not that i don't feel the loss of a member whether they pass on or quit or are booted, i just stop to think, what's the lesson here? what can be gained by chiming in? of course i express my opinion backed by my own experiences, and that's on a take it or leave it basis. i don't take peoples' inventory, i have plenty of challenges keeping my own back yard halfway clean.

this stuff does come up like clockwork it seems. c'mon guys, let's take a man-o-pause break.
gene
602 posts
Dec 21, 2010
9:58 PM
Excellent post, Greg!

"...you just don't have to speak every thought that enters your mind here...."

I sure don't.
Ant138
713 posts
Dec 21, 2010
11:39 PM
I'm with you Greg!!:o)
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Blackbird
145 posts
Dec 22, 2010
12:36 AM
I agree with Greg here. I don't chime in much on the forum, because I don't have the same interest in participating in the constant arguing or nitpicking going on that's overdone. Half my time is spent looking for threads that just flow with communication vs. ego-based debate. So many people respond to weak bait, and it takes Adam himself to finally say "hey, kids! cool down!" before anyone takes it seriously. As far as replying, I think a lot like Greg and end up not needing to feed the fire or post a response that doesn't add to the post or the flow of responses. It'll be nice to get back to some learning and information sharing again.
BlindBob
3 posts
Dec 22, 2010
3:41 AM
I rarely post here for a lot of reasons. I read your whole post a couple times Adam and all I can add is..right on!
nicewrk
17 posts
Dec 22, 2010
4:58 AM
THE BLUES IS A HEALER..... John Lee Hooker
pharpo
487 posts
Dec 22, 2010
4:58 AM
@ Nate - thanks for the "Mojo Snow", I'll think of you kindly the next time I'm shoveling !!

@Harvey....be careful now when you pick on Todd...he has the POWER now and could boot ya !! I'll be in cabin CO5-A (I think) Same on as last year.

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Last Edited by on Dec 22, 2010 7:10 AM
toddlgreene
2295 posts
Dec 22, 2010
5:17 AM
I don't need to boot Harvey;I'll just go commandeer his Sonny Jr. as punishment if he gives me grief.
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cchc

Todd L. Greene, Codger-in-training
HarveyHarp
165 posts
Dec 22, 2010
7:19 AM
@pharpo. I will be in my same cabin too. I am the Moderator there. I can boot Todd if he gets out of hand. Let the countdown begin.
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pharpo
490 posts
Dec 22, 2010
8:06 AM
I am ready right now ! Really looking forward to it. I'll be going down a few days early. Spend Wed & Thursday around Clarksdale then then drive east on Friday. LOOKOUT ALL ARMADILLOS !! I MAKE STEW !

Paul
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Procrastinator Emeritus
garry
17 posts
Dec 23, 2010
6:57 PM
@kudzu: bravo.


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