LOL, Jim!
Well, I do beat around the bush, sometimes. 
Dale, it’s your board and you do a great job with it ( for no monetary compensation)! This means (to me) that you just keep on doing what you’ve been doing so well…(and keep up those anti-Bush jokes, please
!)
I think its a perfect mix too----lets not do a thing to change it.
I’m proud to be an American 
Lolly
Sure is a long thread and some deep sentiments when you consider the genesis is a single whining limey.
Offense is not meant to our international members, but who the heck does the guy think he is!?!?! He contributes nothing but his gripes and wants to run it all? Oh, wow, am I underimpressed or what?
Three responses come to mind.
- The economical but succinct ‘goodbye’.
- The more prosaic “don’t let the door hit you on the arse on the way out”.
- The suggestion that if he wants editorial control, he should go to the enormous time, effort and expense of RUNNING HIS OWN D*****D BOARD!
But then that’s why Dale is a much better diplomat than me.
On the international issue, I think it’s very easy to confuse the policies and decisions of the leaders of a country with the actual populace of the country.
I think this is true whether you view it from the perspective of an American looking at other countries, or from another country looking at America.
At the end of the day, we are all individuals, no matter where we live, and we actually have a very limited responsibility concerning what our country does and how it chooses to do it. I figure my own responsibility, when compared to other voting Americans works out to be about 1 out of 100,000,000 votes.
I research the issues and then vote for what I feel to be the best choice…often, I don’t like any of the choices, but try to take the best of a bad lot. That is the limit of responsibility we are actually allowed.
–James
Last evening as I was waiting to catch the bus to downtown, I heard the unmistakeable sound of a sizeable flag approaching in the oncoming traffic. We see such things in the U.S. these days, no big deal; it was Independence Day, after all. Still, by the sound of it I knew it was bigger than usual, so I gave it a glance as it passed by. Imagine my surprise to see not the as-expected Old Glory mounted to a car, but the flag of the People’s Republic of China snapping smartly as the car rolled by!
It was dark, so I couldn’t determine the constituency of the jingoistic flag-wavers. Judging from Duffy’s observations, they were probably dissenting -or smartaleck- Americans.
BTW, the bus driver passed me by, even though I was waving at him. What a wretch.
Thought you all might enjoy seeing the rest, and hopefully last, exchange with my European friend:
Mark,
I’ve unsubscribed you.
one side or other of the political fence and lost valuable potential
contributors to the C&F site. This is a loss to me as well, can’t you see?
Look, Mark, here’s what I can see:. I get an occasional complaint and
plenty of compliments–enough to make me feel fairly sure it’s all
worthwhile. I’ve got 3400 subscribers and it is still growing. I must be
doing something right.
I do wish you well. Take care of yourself.
Dale
chiff & fipple
Dear Dale,
I’ve got 3400 subscribers and it is still growing. I must be doing
something right.
Might is Right. Yep! Sounds American to me
Mark
Dear Mark,
Yes. Now you know my true plans. Build up a large enough of a subscriber base to start taking over other email lists by force. Then I will install puppet governments in all whistle organizations worldwide. I will eliminate the threat of whistles of mass destruction. You think me mad? Ha! I’ll show you how mad I am!!
It’s been nice knowing you, Mark. Enjoy the whole European thing.
Dale
Dale, Dale, Dale! How could you rain blows upon political correctness like that, especially when the Unsubscribed has so graciously spelt it out to the Undisputed?
shudders to think
Well said.
Yes. He tried awfully hard to help me see, didn’t he.
Dale
Aw Dale! He’s just jealous cause YOU’VE got a cool jet and he doesn’t!
Whiney sissy-pants! LOL 
Bri~
Hey! I bet you are right! He probably IS a sissy!
Dale
When I was in college (20 year ago or so), a woman came from England to spend a semester studying there. This was in upstate New York. She didn’t bring a raincoat or umbrella, or any kind of waterproof boots or shoes. For spring in upstate New York. She told me that she was very surprised about the weather here. She was also surprised that the men didn’t all wear hats. I was so puzzled by these statements that I had to find out where she came up with her expectations. As it turned out, everything she knew about America she had learned by watching Dallas on the television. She thought we’d be wearing cowboy hats.
I was about ready to laugh at her ignorance when I realized that my impression of England was largely formed by watching Upstairs Downstairs on PBS.
I guess my point is that it’s pretty hard not to have your ideas, opinions and world view shaped and influenced by the place you live. This is especially true if you were born and raised and lived your whole life in one geographic region. I’m a life long New Yorker, and I was like a fish out of water for the 4 years I had to live in Ohio.
I think it’s pretty funny that one person could see you as jingoistic and another as anti-American.
I think making fun of our politicians is a good thing. We should have respect for the offices they hold, but not always take the office holder seriously. Questioning, criticizing and generally tormenting our leaders in order to keep them aware of the effect that they have on the lives of the rest of us: that’s the American way. Plus these last two presidents have really set themselves up to be lampooned. I mean, how are we supposed to resist?
Keep up the good work, Dale.
God bless Dale Force One..well done..
Coupla points:
He lambasted Dale because of the NEWSLETTER, a one sided exchange put together by one person. All content selected by Dale.
He did not condem or riducule the message boards, its content or it contributors.
And lastly, he is still wrong for expecting Dale to change his format just because he wanted him to.
Steven
Actually, the whiner in question did mildly blast the entire C&F site by saying that the “jingoistic flag-waving” was being done on the C&F site, not just the newsletter, but that’s beside the point.
Except for an absence of approximately a year and a half, I’ve been a part of this community for nearly 5 years now, and have never seen Dale doing any “jingoistic flag-waving” (whatever the hell that is 
). And most “meetings of the minds”,such as we have here in this community, can eventually veer off into political areas at times. After reading Dale’s final exchange with his unhappy camper, it occurs to me that nothing Dale might have done to try and pacify this individual would satisfy him!
Dale, you da’ man!!!
~Larry
So one good thing came out of this exchange: Dale was forced to reveal his nefarious plan! Now, if the woodenflute list ever gets a new moderator, who states that no criticism of whistles is allowed - for our own sake of course - we’ll know what’s happening!
Seriously Dale, I wouldn’t worry about it. When you insist on talking politics in your newsletters, you are bound to upset someone. Personally I find it ironic that Mark critizised your pro-American style in an issue where you were taking a snipe at your president, but perhaps the mention of 4th of July just ticked him off.
Jens
I think the mention of the 6th of July would tick him off!
~Larry
I like how the fellow referred to a large online subscriber base of tinwhistle players as “might.” We are mighty!
Thanks for pointing that out! I was wondering if it was mites. I’ve PM’ed the Chiff & Fipple external parasitologist to come administer our flea dip.
