Members who have left.

[The new erato]

Apparently we've lost yet another member, his name starting with a capital M ... 

Will we never see that shark again?

[karlhenning]

I am disconsolate

I have never been insulted, sneered at, or taunted on this forum

What am I doing wrong, please?

Why, everything you do is wrong, you snivellingly inadequate toadstool.

(Didn't want to do it, don't mean a syllable of it, but you asked so plaintively, Colin . . . .)

[Dundonnell]

Keeping to the British composer threads? 

I am indignant

I started threads on Joly Braga Santos, Kalevi Aho, Franz Schmidt, Alberic Magnard, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Max Reger(to name but some!). They aren't British!! Not to mention the thread on Dutch composers!

I refuse to be categorised as a 'British composers' freak

Ha, you have succeeded

[Dundonnell]

Why, everything you do is wrong, you snivellingly inadequate toadstool.

(Didn't want to do it, don't mean a syllable of it, but you asked so plaintively, Colin . . . .)

I asked what I was doing wrong! I did not ask to actually be insulted, Karl

However, I appreciate your interest in my enquiry

I shall return to my mission in life- to raise the profiles of composers of tonal, largely orchestral composers whose music is underrated or forgotten by means of interminably long posts/essays which only a few dedicated masochists have the time or inclination to actually read

[karlhenning]

 

[Harry]

I am disconsolate

I have never been insulted, sneered at, or taunted on this forum

What am I doing wrong, please?

Colin, you old farth!

[Brian]

I asked what I was doing wrong! I did not ask to actually be insulted, Karl

However, I appreciate your interest in my enquiry

I shall return to my mission in life- to raise the profiles of composers of tonal, largely orchestral composers whose music is underrated or forgotten by means of interminably long posts/essays which only a few dedicated masochists have the time or inclination to actually read

Exactly. I can't remember the last time I saw M talking about composers outside the standard repertoire, and he didn't often deviate from the Germans, Austrians and (to his great credit) Sibelius. He certainly wasn't in on our big Braga Santos party earlier this year.

[prémont]

It seem as if Traverso has left the forum too. He has not been here since early in august.

[Dundonnell]

Exactly. I can't remember the last time I saw M talking about composers outside the standard repertoire, and he didn't often deviate from the Germans, Austrians and (to his great credit) Sibelius. He certainly wasn't in on our big Braga Santos party earlier this year.

"Braga Santos Party" Yes, that was fun

Was that anything like a Toga Party, Brian? Or do you not have them anymore in college frat houses? Have I been watching 'Animal House' too many times?

[Brian]

"Braga Santos Party" Yes, that was fun

Was that anything like a Toga Party, Brian? Or do you not have them anymore in college frat houses? Have I been watching 'Animal House' too many times?

Our particular university does not have fraternities; unfortunately, by our standards, toga parties are rather tame. My own dormitory hosts a party every year entitled "Night of Decadence," for which participants generally try to think up more and more innovative ways of attending without wearing articles of clothing. It used to be open to the general Houston public, amazingly, but they banned non-students after problems arose with creepy older guys coming to stare at the college girls letting it all hang out. 

[Dundonnell]

I thought that I  read somewhere about Rice University students having some sort of (what we in Britain would call) 'rag week' when the students ran round parts of Houston in various states of undress and drunkenness

Have no fear...this particular (non-creepy!!) older guy does not propose coming all the way to Houston to stare at college girls

[knight66]

I will explain what happened re M.

Rob has been waiting on internet connection at his new home; so has been in only occasional touch. The Mods agreed that action was needed and a decision to prevent M from posting in the Diner had been taken. Just as the action was about to be implemented, Rob wrote to us to say he now has a connection at home, had looked at the exchanges and that M had clearly had more than a run for his money. He deleted his account and told us what he had done.

As to random posts being deleted: as far as my own actions were concerned; since Luke left, we agreed to delete anything in the least contentious or that held any personal remarks. I made that decision public in a post to M. I deleted about a dozen, including the many that were directed at me. Our delay was to allow all the mods in their various time zones, (a couple of whom were not able to get on just when it would have been ideal this week), to contribute fully to the decision to exclude M from the Lounge by deleting any and all new posts he made there. But ultimately, Rob came, saw and conquered.

As to the other members who seem to have left; we know nothing at all about why as far as I know.

I hope this clarifies what happened.

Mike

[The new erato]

M Forever was a car crash waiting to happen, as valuable as his posts were (admittedly mostly limited to core, orchestral repertory) action taken earlier would have left us with many other valuable posters. OTOH noone forced them to leave.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

M Forever was a car crash waiting to happen, as valuable as his posts were (admittedly mostly limited to core, orchestral repertory) action taken earlier would have left us with many other valuable posters. OTOH noone forced them to leave.

You're right. But not everyone is thick-skinned, or has either the stamina or the time to put up with, and react to, personal assaults.

[knight66]

M Forever was a car crash waiting to happen, as valuable as his posts were (admittedly mostly limited to core, orchestral repertory) action taken earlier would have left us with many other valuable posters. OTOH noone forced them to leave.

I agree and accept the criticism.

Mike

[Que]

M Forever was a car crash waiting to happen, as valuable as his posts were (admittedly mostly limited to core, orchestral repertory) action taken earlier would have left us with many other valuable posters. OTOH noone forced them to leave.

I agree and accept the criticism.

Mike

And so do I. It's an very unfortunate coincidence that the possibility to impose a ban has been lacking just when we needed it. But that couldn't be helped I'm afraid, Rob had others things on his hands.

I do note that moderating has such has been vehemently opposed, and still is, by several members. I still frequently see wild accusations of favouritism, incompetence and arbitrary acts of moderation. Sometimes with "invented" deletions that have never taken place... Even several members that have now left because of unacceptable behaviour of others, were themselves opposed to moderating and were against the banning of other members - one in particular. (I'm sure the latter was extremely gratefull for their support, though he didn't show it. ) I guess those who left have learned something by now, unfortunately the hard way.

What I personally have learned from this is that the responsibility lies with the moderators, and with nobody else. It's our call. And as far as I'm concerned "free speech" does not mean that the biggest, loudest and rudest mouth can do as he pleases.

Q

[ezodisy]

I will explain what happened re M.

Rob has been waiting on internet connection at his new home; so has been in only occasional touch. The Mods agreed that action was needed and a decision to prevent M from posting in the Diner had been taken. Just as the action was about to be implemented, Rob wrote to us to say he now has a connection at home, had looked at the exchanges and that M had clearly had more than a run for his money. He deleted his account and told us what he had done.

As to random posts being deleted: as far as my own actions were concerned; since Luke left, we agreed to delete anything in the least contentious or that held any personal remarks. I made that decision public in a post to M. I deleted about a dozen, including the many that were directed at me. Our delay was to allow all the mods in their various time zones, (a couple of whom were not able to get on just when it would have been ideal this week), to contribute fully to the decision to exclude M from the Lounge by deleting any and all new posts he made there. But ultimately, Rob came, saw and conquered.

As to the other members who seem to have left; we know nothing at all about why as far as I know.

I hope this clarifies what happened.

Mike

That's sad, in a pathetic sort of way. M was a forceful, sometimes aggressive, occasionally belligerent member, and he got into arguments with most of the other members here. Whatever attacks he might have made on people--which I am not ignoring--I know for certain that he is not responsible for some other members being too weak to pull themselves away from the argument and to turn it off -- and to subsequently ignore him. It reminds me of the end of Louis Malle's brilliant Le Feu Follet, with the sudden final announcement that the guy's killing himself as a form of revenge against someone. It's rather like that here, and consequently M is left with the "indelible stain". The mods, like the authorities, should be informed that you cannot improve a social structure by attempting to eliminate the perceived causes of other people's failings to control themselves.* Consequently, and as an aid to improvement, the further interference by authority exacerbates an already prevalent nuisance by 1) constricting diversity and thus ingenuity, and 2) reinforcing the double standard that authority acts to curb uncontrolled aggression--normally directed at just one person or a small group of people--but fatally ignores to act to curb uncontrolled regression in the form of a passive victim mentality that is forever disclaiming responsibility--normally resulting in all members, or society, having to suffer as either non-problems are removed or, more commonly, new rules are established which enervate the whole for the sake of a disfunctional minority. The mods, just like the US government with its "bold" bailout plan, are acting when it's too late, throwing good after bad, in the fallacy that one sacrifice could possibly resurrect what is already dead. Thus by inference, and against the occasional display of pagan rites, the mods are most likely Catholic, which might without elaboration explain the lot.

Anyway I don't wish to make a big deal about this. What's done is done. I only wished to say that the lot of you don't really know what you're doing, that is all.

*obviously not all who left were like this

[ChamberNut]

the mods are most likely Catholic, which might without elaboration explain the lot.

You must be joking.  Do you honestly believe this? 

[scarpia]

I, for one, am sorry to see M banned.  I found him much more interesting than the cabal of passive-aggressive ninnies, who seem to have a mutual defense treaty of sniveling martyrdom.  To blame him for departures from the board is silly, in my opinion.  I'm certain that there are others who were attracted to the board by active debate, in contrast to the half-wits who pronounce every disc that they manage load in their CD player an exquisite, deeply felt treasure.  I'm not going to dramatically de-register, but this place is going to be way more boring in the foreseeable future.

[mn dave]

I, for one, am sorry to see M banned.  I found him much more interesting than the cabal of passive-aggressive ninnies, who seem to have a mutual defense treaty of sniveling martyrdom.  To blame him for departures from the board is silly, in my opinion.  I'm certain that there are others who were attracted to the board by active debate, in contrast to the half-wits who pronounce every disc that they manage load in their CD player an exquisite, deeply felt treasure.  I'm not going to dramatically de-register, but this place is going to be way more boring in the foreseeable future.

So start your own ***king forum. It ain't that hard. If we were all meeting face to face and someone continually acted like a jerk, believe me, he would eventually be knocked down or kicked out.