...In Black

[Kevin O'Neal]

>sroundtable at aol.com
>
>Great to have you back, Kevin.

Wellllllllllllllllll, .................thanks.
We'll see how it goes.
That was one of the strangest periods for me on this list.
But, it's amazing how the strength of friendships can keep a person from 
turning their back.
And, in a time of my life with little time for anything, that says 
something.

Yeah, it was cold outside.
Paul locked the door on my ass.
Left looking in the windows, rubbing away the frost left by my breath.
And Paul, it was Mc who snuffed that butt out in the corner.  I saw it!
What I *didn't* see was anyone banging the chick in the back room.  And I 
was looking!  Damn!
"If it weren't for bad luck......"

I want to thank those of you who felt strongly enough to speak up in support 
of me and even just rational debate.  You know who you are.  And, I do too.
I also want to thank you for defending me, even though there never should 
have been the need.
In my absence I was characterized, analyzed, chastised, criticized, 
label-ized, and joyafized (?).  The usual characters.
You'll never see me down in that shade of mud.
It is a much different thing to do all of that to (about) a person, than it 
is to do that about a post.
Particularly when that person doesn't have the capability to defend 
themselves.

The one analogy that I liked the best was the speed-ticketing cop.  Yeah, 
that was a good, albeit distorted, one.
Simply put.....I wasn't speeding, and I *never* called the cop a "prick", or 
anything even remotely close to that.
But, we do celebrate a band that would have done precisely that, and from an 
era that *did* precisely that.
Apples and Oranges makes for one big fruit bowl.

One thing that I *do* agree with our brother from Colorado on (hope the snow 
has been better out there than it has here), is that this list has been 
monitored just fine for a *whole* bunch of years.......through *MUCH* darker 
times than we've seen here in many months.....and I *also* don't think we 
should change a thing.
This list has flourished with minimal monitoring by Paul, and simply put, 
has been "self-monitored" by ourselves with no one ending in the hospital.
Let's not forget that we're not just invited into Paul's house for a generic 
party.  We're invited into his house to talk about, discuss, debate about 
all aspects of a band that personified defiance, self reliance, 
stubbornness, anger, violence......you get the picture.
There will always be disagreements.  And that should be OK!  It *IS* OK!

As an aside, I'm always amazed at the lurker who shows their head in times 
of strife to complain about it.
Ya know, it's not easy to continually participate on the list....keep it 
flowing....
People who post here take the time and energy to put their thoughts down 
into words for all the world to see and criticize.  So give 'em (us) a break 
when criticism turns into strong disagreement and then argument.  It 
happens.  It shows people care.
I've always liked the saying......."get in the game, or don't complain."

I think this claim of people calling others names has been blown *way* out 
of proportion.  I think it happens very rarely.  It's an easy claim, but in 
actuality, it rarely happens.
I think for the most part, we disagree and argue without bloodshed.
I've never seen reason, not once, to officially complain about anything or 
anyone on this list.

I think this list is one of the strongest out there, and that didn't happen 
all by itself, and obviously it's working.
It has been a haven, and a damn nice place to hang.
We've never had any serious altercations.  No threats.  No contacting 
employers.  None of that over the top insanity that is found elsewhere.
We've protected it.  Yep we did.  Several years ago, it was an ongoing 
'list-wars' thang.
Hell, even just a week or so ago we were yet again called "the kiddie list."
What a joke.

I agree with the person who wrote that it has been a hard lesson to learn 
that not all Who fans will automatically just coexist in harmony.  It's been 
one of the hardest things for me to accept as well, and I am still 
adjusting.

Allllll that said, if Paul needs relief, than onward and upward.

Let the great Cyberspace Social Experiment proceed.

And an experiment, it is.  This is groundbreaking (from what I can tell). 
It ain't been done befoa.
So many questions.
I caution the elected to not be constricting.  I, for one, don't want to 
discuss The Who in a police-state atmosphere.  I know you won't, but it will 
be interesting to see how this pans out.  You can count on me to test it.
Doh!
just kidding.
Really.
No, really.

Once everything 'sugars out' (vt saying very appropriate for the current 
sugaring season) I do want to return to the cause of all of this.  Where is 
the line drawn between relevant and harmful information being posted?
We are in an age of who-list globalization.  With people belonging to 
multiple lists, information is flowing fast.
But, should it?
Brian Cady limits to articles with working links.  Official News.
Pete and Rachel's blogs have expanded where news comes from.  We now have 
direct communication.
It's the "from a source" stuff that is getting murkier and murkier.
Even so, it's *still* not hard at all to tell the difference.
I for one want to continue protecting this list, by not letting it be used 
by hoaxers and prey.  Remember, they *WANT* you to forward their shite.
That's how it works!  The more chumps chatting it up, the bigger the 
'ya-ya.'
I say, "rumor" should be researched as much as possible, and then when 
posted, any reliability issues listed clearly for everyone to see.
That *really* isn't too much to ask.
You'll get nothing less from me.

For what it's worth, I made it clear to Paul that I do appreciate all of 
Keets' digging of news information.  I've never indicated any differently. 
Hey, if she's got the time......
But, we also need filters.

So, yeah, here I am.  Back......in black?
Paul and I have found the middle ground.  It wasn't hard at all.
I've assured him I would do everything I could not to piss him off.

So, when it happens, I trust he'll give me the benefit of the doubt.

:-)

Kevin in VT