Christiern

I saw that on TV today--amazing. I was in Japan with Toshiko Akiyoshi in 1984. They had a science fai that we visited and Toshiko was asked to bring some sheet music. A robot pianist seemed to study the music, then limber its fingers before sight-reading and playing. If they had managed to give that robot some soul, all pianists would have something to worry about--and that was 23 years ago! That same day, another robot (this one made by Panasonic) drew portraits of Toshiko and me--mine is around here, somewhere, I'll try to dig it up.

There's a message in the following, as it were... Category 79 Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling) * The Audacity Of Hope: Thoughts On Reclaiming The American Dream Barack Obama [Random House Audio] * Celebrations Maya Angelou [Random House Audio] * Giving: How Each Of Us Can Change The World Bill Clinton [Random House Audio] * Sunday Mornings In Plains: Bringing Peace To A Changing World Jimmy Carter [simon & Schuster Audio] * Things I Overheard While Talking To Myself Alan Alda [Random House Audio]

Just when you think you're down.....you're up! :tup

Since we banded together and succeeded in helping Jim keep it up, one might say that, collectively, we are a form of Viagra--Viagraissimos!

Archive!!!! Anything can happen (server failures, etc)! I know that Jim already has the info, but it might be useful for him to have this particular list (now 79), so I could simply hand it over to him. If I get approval from list people, I am open to any protected disposition--give me guidance, Organistas.

Another vote for Larry. Sending a complaint to the Kart sounds cool, but it should not be followed by a checkout. .

If anyone who is on the list of 78 concerned members does not wish a fellow listee to have his/her handle and e-mail, please let me know (at bigoalumni@mac.com) in the next couple of days. I will only give out handle and e-mail (none of the other info some of you sent me), only to others on the list, and only with authorization. Thanks

I knew Jimmy Davis (shown below w. Billie), who lived in Paris. I also knew Ram. I wondered about the Jimmy Sherman credit, so I asked. Jimmy and Ram credited each other (lyrics and music, respectively)--both insisted that Sherman was there in name only. This sort of thing--credit for reasons other than creative contribution--is all too common, but it does not always mean that skulduggery is involved. Alberta Hunter wrote "Downhearted Blues" by herself, but she gave co-credit (and the income that comes with that) to Lovie Austin, because Lovie had been very helpful as a business mentor. Lil Armstrong was quite surprised to find herself sharing composer credit with Don Raye for "Just For the Thrill." She had never heard of Raye, but he had apparently written additional lyrics (which were never used).

When a check clears, tomorrow, another goes out to Jim. This is really great news and it should encourage us to continue sending money in, prevention is indeed preferable to another cure. Now we need to come up with volunteers who will give Jim the time he needs, and I can delete (or archive? Tell me) the list of 78. As for the other boards, there is no comparison. They are sterile and monitored by people who don't handle well their position of authority. Jim's attitude represents a stark, wonderful contrast. I abandoned the corner about 2 years ago and have never felt a need to return. AAJ is owned/operated by someone for whom I have great respect and wish well, but he has among his monitors at least one man who abuses his authority. That's what drove me away from there. Owners and their monitors are a measure of a board's ambiance--the Big O has ambiance that overrides the occasional bump. I'm just blathering, but I blame it on the intoxicating turn of events.

PLEASE! Let's not get a nasty exchange going after all the angst cum Kumbaya we have been through in the past 36 hours! And over a silly avatar? Are we grown up, or what? Tim, Dan Gould and I used to be at each other's throat, I had terrible names hurled at me and I gave back in my own fashion. It was silly and a waste of both our times. We still don't see eye to eye on things political, but--in the big scheme of things--it just isn't that important, is it? I also think Conrad and I can get along swimmingly when we look back and see that having differing opinions can be an asset. Rise above the avatar, Tim, enjoy the uniqueness of the Big O. This is not the Big Oy!

Yes, let's...

Hey! Noj, BFrank and I are here. Glad to see y'all here, Tim, but the three of you--a weighty trio though you are--don't fill our JC quota!

Some of us have "products" of our own making (Books, CDs, etc.) that could be offered each month to a lucky drawer among the subscribers. It need not be restricted to our own work, anyone could donate something of interest to be the month's prize(s). Just another thought. Let me add a thanks to Conrad--I just spotted your post.

If this thread does not scream out that the Organissimo forum is worth saving--indeed, that it must be saved--I can't think of anything more persuasive. Does anybody think the same kind of rallying would take place if either of the other two boards were on the edge of oblivion? I don't think so. This is, as many here have pointed out, a rather unique cyber community--yes, some of us have widely disparate views on issues and music, but we come together when the need to do so arises. there are a couple of posters here with whom I had fights so nasty that I began to wonder what was happening to me! We stopped, took deep breaths, and eliminated the silly problem. Conrad? He may think I'm anti-Semitic and I have a regrettable history of poking his posts in the pixels, but I would not want to see him leave the Big O. This thread gives us all the hope we need. Our objective is to relieve the burden--financial, mental, and physical--that makes Jim reach for the Tylenol and allow him to concentrate on his family and career while still being able to enjoy this wonderful creation of his that we fondly call the "Big O". We have the right spirit and the means by which it can remain kindled. Chris

An Organissimo mood? Looks more like a mood to use up bandwidth.

Thank you, Jim, for the post, even though it overwhelmed me with guilt (I have only contributed once, quite some time ago). That said, I think Clementine's post makes a lot of sense, we are a sufficient number of O addicts to keep this board going without anyone having to make a great financial sacrifice. As Clem suggests, we should take over the financial burden, including the band's part of the site. I is clear that most (of not all) of us have a need for the Big O and that we can solve the financial problem. I also think that moderators can be found among us and, if necessary, a rotation could be instituted. MG wondered if he could moderate from an overseas location--that should not be a problem, I believe Blindman's Blues has moderators on both sides of the Atlantic. Hey, outsourcing is in, isn't it? I am still half asleep, Jim, but I'll get back when I can think more clearly. Anyway, y'all may count on me to do whatever I can to keep us alive and to relieve Jim of the burden. BTW, our list now numbers 71 concerned O people.

There are, however, some there who offend--and we can start with the mother hen.

Just a note to inform you that there are now 58 of us on the list and (because a couple of you have expressed some concern) to assure all that none of this information will go from here until a decision is made. I started the list because I thought it would be important for all of us to have contact information in case the board suddenly disappears. With the list, we can at least reach everyone in case we find a new place. If the ideal solution is found (i.e. there is a way to keep the O going), the list can be purged. While some of you gave me more information, I think all we need is the handle and an e-mail address. Thanks to all for being so responsive, and THANK YOU JIM for giving us a board so good that we cannot imagine it gone. That e-mail address, again: BigOalumni@mac.com

UPDATE IV BigOalumni@mac.com has 52 e-mail contacts so far. Like everyone else, I hope we don't need this list, but it will be available if we do. Hope we hear from Jim on this.

Hope this helps.

UPDATE III BigOalumni@mac.com has received 39 e-mail contacts so far.

HAPPY HANUKKAH! To all my Jewish friends at the Big O

UPDATE II BigOalumni@mac.com has received 29 e-mail contacts so far. That includes the e-mail addresses posted into this thread, I assumed that nobody would mind. To repeat earlier note: Once we have the list, I can either send a copy to everyone who is on it or simply send it to anyone on the list who requests one or more addresses. Open for ideas--please suggest what I should do--and if you wish to be removed (damn, I sound like a spammer), just let me know.

If you are talking about negatives (as opposed to undeveloped film), I gather that you are looking for someone to print them. I had a lot of negatives (of various sizes) in my catch-all closet, but I also have a decent Epson scanner that is equipped to scan (black&white or color) negatives (and invert them). Works very well, actually, and once you have the scans, you can print them yourself. Have I been helpful or am I misunderstanding your problem?

UPDATE BigOalumni@mac.com has received 13 e-mail contacts so far. That includes the e-mail addresses posted into this thread, I assumed that nobody would mind. Once we have the list, I can either send a copy to everyone who is on it or simply send it to anyone on the list who requests one or more addresses. Open for ideas--please suggest what I should do--and if you wish to be removed (damn, I sound like a spammer), just let me know.