Call me strange, call me weird, call me blind even, but somewhere in all this I missed the references to audio equipment....does all the talk about nuclear weaponry have anything to do with the upcoming use of beryllium in a new line of speakers by Yamaha? They’ve lifted the ban on its use? Or is there a fear that the Iranians might start dropping beryllium-laden speakers on US cities?

Folks, there are forums aplenty on the net where those who wish to indulge in the rhetoric of war, ethnic and religious intolerance, and US foreign policy can do so to their hearts content. Last I looked this forum existed for the cross-exchange of ideas and knowledge regarding a shared passion, audio equipment, not for indulging in a fruitless exercise to second-guess who/when/if the USA/Iran/Israel would/should/might nuke/gas/spank the USA/Iran/Israel. If that doesn’t make sense, neither does it do anything for my sensibilities to come here to peruse the pages and find a header devoted to such an off-topic discussion.

If you think I’m not concerned or involved you’re dead wrong. I have written numerous letters to various papers since 2003 regarding my views, and have created a number of web pages devoted to the subject of the Middle East. The whole exercise has been physically draining and personally very taxing over the last few years, even to the extent of costing long-standing friendships. As can be seen on this very thread, the subject polarizes people and creates disharmony, which is the last thing a forum devoted to the appreciation of music should be about. I come here for relaxation and to learn about a subject dear to me, not to be dragged back unwillingly to a topic I’ve already devoted far too much energy to – years of it.

For myself, if not for others, I would petition that we all get back to respecting what this place is all about. If you want appropriate forums to battle it out anew just let me know and I can happily direct you to them.

Respectfully.....Tim