Ralph, Thoughts on Bugliosi?

[Darryl]

Ralph, what do you think of Vincent Bugliosi as a lawyer? Unless someone tells me something I don't know about him, he's probably my favorite attorney. If you're interested, perhaps we could exchange a few comments about this brilliant man.

[Ralph]

He's a very fine trial lawyer who certainly got it right about the election of Bush by the Supreme Court.

Beyond that, I don't really follow his career.

[Darryl]

Okay, I'm familiar with several of his cases, and recently saw an excellent movie "The Sea Will Tell" (Rachel Ward) about his successful, but complex defense of an accused murderer. I'll never forget the mesmerizing "Helter Skelter", and he wrote the best book of the dozen or so about the Simpson Trial.

[Ralph]

Okay, I'm familiar with several of his cases, and recently saw an excellent movie "The Sea Will Tell" (Rachel Ward) about his successful, but complex defense of an accused murderer. I'll never forget the mesmerizing "Helter Skelter", and he wrote the best book of the dozen or so about the Simpson Trial.

*****

Yeah, yeah Darryl but you've never seen ME on trial. Lawyers here still talk about my incredible performance in the Rubinstein Double-Parking Case where I so moved the Traffic Court judge that he reduced the fine to $25 from $50. (So you can't win 'em all.)

[Darryl]

Ralph, you've such modesty and pleasant temperament. I can not imagine anyone not liking you, particularly on this website. In fact, YOU ARE the website.

PS Where else in the world could anyone have free access to such learned counsel!

PPS Now, if you'll please excuse me, it's my last day off, and Sniper (Berenger), one of my very favorite movies, is on cable.

[jbuck919]

Ralph, you've such modesty and pleasant temperament. I can not imagine anyone not liking you, particularly on this website. In fact, YOU ARE the website.

This is pretty much true, and I think we are kind of privileged. But it is not just Ralph. There should be 800 or so people in the world who love classical music, can comment on it intelligently, and in addition have a friendly thought or two to offer besides?

[That was a NY Jewish "there should be," Ralph, in case you didn't pick it up.]

In fact there should be eight million or so such people and somehow most of them have never found their way here. An interesting study (said the math teacher) in self-limiting phenomenon? A coincidence?

One possibility I will eliminate is that the site is marginal. I've met Ralph, and he is if anything the prince among men he seems to be. I've met (briefly) Karl Henning and he seems a privilege in waiting. It is difficult for me to think of Dave Stybr (MaestroDJS) as anything but what he wonderfully seems, and so on. There is no telling why we are such a seeming self-selecting club, but I'll tell you this--I've had a hell of a lot of fun here.

[Ralph]

There are a number of reasons why we're a small cohort. First, there are a number of music websites. Second, contrary to what some cyber-Utopians predicted, a good site with a strong core of contributors does not coalesce into a larger, more or less permanent community. People come and go (that's not true with sites targeted on very specific professions and disciplines. In legal education there's a ListServ for every specialty and people stay on forever.).

We also do not have corporate sponsorship so there are no ads about us. Oldtimers here well remember when ClassicalInsites was owned by N2K and they bought advertising and also garnered reviews in now defunct Web magazines.

Thanks for the undeserved compliments. I find most colleagues on CMG to be thoughtful, amicable and very interesting and meeting anyone who posts here in person is my privilege.

[Brendan]

Perhaps many people expect some ideal of civilized discourse (or mutual appreciation) amongst learned folk on a classical music board, then are shocked to be called fifteen types of dribbling idiot for liking Yo-yo Ma's cello suites instead of Casals, Fournier or Gendron (or who knows how many others).

(Note: With apologies to Mr Ma and his fans - illustrative purposes only.)

Some perhaps, in days gone by on various sites since CI, didn't particularly care to be told that anything they heard on CDs was utter rubbish suitable only for the uncultured and insensitive.

For someone like me with no shame and no intimidation intellectual or social it wasn't so hard. I just plough on ahead, take on board that which makes sense (and I converted to LPs) and flame anyone who gets in my way.

I think we are more accessible to newbies these days, but maybe that's just me.

[herman]

Some perhaps, in days gone by on various sites since CI, didn't particularly care to be told that anything they heard on CDs was utter rubbish suitable only for the uncultured and insensitive.

That's a long time ago. Time flies on the internet.

I enjoy Ralph's posts a lot too, even though he called me un-American . However if it's about attracting new members I don't think having friendly and amusing conversations will be much of an attraction (I could be very wrong, I only check out three forums on a daily basis). In most cases people register with a music site because they want to talk about music - ask about recordings etc - and a large volume of banter will make them look elsewhere, I suspect.

And to be perfectly clear I don't think there's too much banter on CMG; I would sooner say this of GMG as it is now which at times looks like a glorified chatroom for folks with nothin' to do. However GMG just has much more volume and traffic. CMG's big plus is there is a lot of experience on board; I suspect the average age is much higher than on GMG. As a consequence musical discussions tend to be a little more considered.

In the case of CMG in its current state I think the only thing that could keep people from registering is the occasionally quite strident and massively right-wing content in the Pub. Classical music and talk radio do not mix well. But I may be hugely mistaken. It's just my feeling. I'm sure other people have other feelings.

[Ralph]

Perhaps Corlyss can be prevailed upon to take out ads in the New York Times soliciting new members. What better paper can there be to reach the Best and the Brightest?