SV: Not again! (OT)

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

Ola,

At 11:59 12/27/2000 +0100, you wrote:
>I don't expect anybody having backbone to reply to this.

Thou shouldst learn to expect the unexpected on _this_ list.   You seem 
like an honourable and charitable person.  I shall attempt to answer your 
post in as charitable manner as possible.

>On this list where anybody is arguing about anything how is it that 
>everybody can talk badly about Mr. Bremmer but you can't let him answer 
>for himself? Is he some kind of Judas just because he got new ideas and is 
>clever? I don't like anybody attacking anybody but even Bill Bremmer has 
>feelings and I can't remember seeing posts like this saying the opposite: 
>PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't attack this man. But it seems legal to kick 
>this guy. Give Bill the same treatment as anybody else on this list.

Long standing members of this list will no doubt agree that, if anyone has 
expertise vis à vis billbrpt@aol.com, 'tis I.  Over the years, _many_ 
attempts at treating him "as anyone else on the list" have been met with 
some of the most vitriolic prose ever written without recourse to 
profanity.  Even the mere mention of certain defunct lesser piano makers 
draws fire from Madtown.

>As with so many questions, the answers are found in the archives.
>Regards,
>Ed Foote RPT

For the latest example, might I direct you to his post in response to one 
of the people talking about Victor Borge's death. (probably still in your 
"trash bin", so looking in the archives may not be necessary.)  The 
respondent had announced the passing of that well known person and, as one 
might do at a funeral, proceeded to recount a pleasant encounter with the 
decedent.  In the civilised society to which I _think_ I belong, this 
reverie is a way to honour and keep the person alive in your mind, if no 
longer in the flesh.  What was billbrpt's response??  Why, to call him a 
"name-dropper" and all but question his parentage, of course.

>In my opinion it is always wise to ask, "How would I feel if others 
>responded to me the way I respond to others?"  The Golden Rule is still a 
>great maxim:  Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
>Regards,
>Clyde Hollinger

Note to Bill:  As you well know, anyone who tunes concert venues will meet 
famous persons.  Are those memories never to be shared?

>That treatment can be hard enough with Maria fresch in my memory.

Undeservedly so in her case, but caused by a combination of cultural and 
language differences and translation difficulties.  No such ambiguity 
exists with billbrpt. (C'est vrai, n'est-ce pas, M. Bremmer?)

>Bill Bremmer is to valuble to this list and the PTG organisation to be 
>treated or talked about as an animal. And again I don't like any attacking 
>on anybody. The funny thing is though that I as a foreigner and having 
>problems reading generally I very well understand Bill Bremmer's well 
>written English I can't understand why it's so hard for english speaking 
>people to understand it. My point is it seems that people don't read his 
>post and answer what he really writes. He has very many well written 
>technical posts and is also intrested in discussing other things than HT. 
>My wild guess is that about ten years he will be very importent for the 
>next generation of tuners.

I have stated many times that his piano/tuning expertise is not in 
question.  He has taught well attended classes at both regional and 
national levels.  What rubs people's fur the wrong way is his apparent 
complete lack of interpersonal skills, at least as exhibited on this list.

>Sometimes you have to take a fight for making a change even if you have to 
>make yourself unpopular. Bill Bremmer gives this list more coulors and 
>he's a brilliant guy. OK he might have a bad temper sometimes but alot of 
>persons have and what so special when he has it?  I don't know but I 
>sometimes wonder why you answer this guy like he was stupid when he is 
>not. Is it because he's right? I  _don't_ know but It can look like that 
>way when you read the posts below.

The posts below (snipped from this post) you refer to are all engendered by 
the conditioned response (remember Pavlov?) of witnesses/victims of past 
episodes.

>What if he been thrue some hard times in his private life like _others_ 
>seems to have, who knows? Maybe you could give him a little support? Is 
>there any heart here?

As I understand, in the last few years he has lost a partner, but I've also 
lost my father, gotten divorced after 16 years, and been reminded by my 
body that I'm not as young as I once was.  I still try to be as charitable 
in personal responses and professional in technical posts  as before.

>It's still Christmas
>Ola Andersson

Until 6 January 2001, in the meantime, celebrate the new millenium.






Conrad Hoffsommer - mailto:hoffsoco@luther.edu

Musica turbatos sensus animosque removet.
Music puts aside troubled mind and spirit.