Re: [Harp-L] Golden Age of Spah

[Richard Hammersley <rhhammersley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As a newbie here, but a member of many and diverse discussion lists  
over the years, may I point out that most of the content of all lists  
consists of (in order of amount of traffic)
(1) Chat about incredibly fine technical details related to the topic  
of the list, which bore some senseless and fascinate others. Plenty of  
that here from the designs on the covers of antique harps, to the  
precise operation of amps and mics. Some of this technical stuff  
ALWAYS seems perhiperal to those not interested.
(2) Socialisation, again plenty of that, most of it rather jolly.
(4) Politics. This is the first outburst of serious politics in my  
time on this list - by politics I mean arguments about how the social  
fabric of our society (harp-l & SPAH) should work and be run.
(5) Discussion of the actual topic of the list.

Accept the politics, it is relatively rare here compared to elsewhere
On 5 Aug 2008, at 16:06, Mark Russillo wrote:

> In response to Michael and all who reacted (or may react) adversely  
> to Iceman's comments -
> I appreciate your ire, since Iceman's comments incited some anger in  
> me as well and might be seen as an abomination by others.  Of  
> course, I don't have his tenure in the organization and am willing  
> to accept that things might have been different before I arrived.   
> Having begun my membership in 1999, I have a great admiration for  
> all who have contributed to my enjoyment of this organization.  That  
> includes Doug Tate, Paul Davies, Tom Stryker, you, Warren Bee and a  
> host of others too numerous to mention here.  However, these two  
> paragraphs appear in the introduction to Harp-L:
> "Harp-L is a public forum for free speech on all topics concerning
> harmonicas.  It is sponsored by SPAH, Inc., (http://www.spah.org),
> the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica,
> a Michigan nonprofit corporation, with support from the American
> Harmonica Newsmagazine and the members of Harp-L."
>
> "SPAH does not edit or censor the information posted by subscribers,
> and the views and opinions expressed by the subscribers are not
> to be considered those of SPAH, Inc.  However, SPAH does support
> the accepted rules of "Netiquette," as directed by the list owner."
>
> Though some of us may not subscribe to the opinions of Iceman in  
> this regard, unless our webmaster chooses to censor him (perhaps an  
> abomination in itself), I think the rules stated above grant him the  
> freedom to state the unpopular if he chooses to state it.
>
> I have spent a career in association management.  Dissenters are  
> contributors.  The evolution of this organization in the almost 10  
> years that I have been a member is proof of that.
> I look forward to seeing all of you in St. Louis.
> Mark Russillo
> a.k.a. The Rhode Island Kid
>
> _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
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Richard Hammersley
Grantshouse, Scottish Borders
http://www.last.fm/music/Richard+Hammersley
http://www.myspace.com/rhammersley
http://www.myspace.com/magpiesittingdown