I know what you mean and I too feel this lack of spark lately - and this is coming from a "newbie" who only joined last fall. I can't really speak for how it used to be, years ago, but I do detect a disintegration of sorts regarding content, even since I joined.
One theory is that Joni's latest album does not foster the same kind of discussion that an album of all new material would. There is only so much one can say about an album of songs that have been previously recorded and released by the same artist. Reaction to Travelogue was swift and categorical and that could account for a lack of interest in discussing this project beyond initial reactions. There is no tour in the works, no significant interviews to analyze, no new material of any sort, aside from the new style of the songs. Another theory is that the political climate on the planet Earth is very turbulent at the moment and perhaps cannot be denied or overlooked any longer. With a forum like this where mostly-intelligent people can express an opinion it's easy to want to comment on such significant matters, even though I agree that political discussions have no place here. Still, the urge is there - in the midst of a storm there is so much to say. Discussing an album may seem trivial in the bigger global picture to some. Having said that, there is a time and place for political discussions and this list is not the place. I have no constructive ideas about how to resolve this problem because I'm not really sure what the problem is, although I do detect its presence. Thanks for raising the issue. Maybe we'll come up a solution in due time. -Andrew -- Les Irvin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Joniphiles - > > Can we talk? Does the JMDL seem to have taken on a > different flavor > lately? Does it seem to have lost some of its sense > of community? Does > anyone else feel this way? I find myself more and > more simply skimming > through posts rather than reading them. That makes > me sad. > > It just feels like there's something missing. Maybe > it's the content of > late. I don't particularly care for the political > threads which seem to be > dominating in the last few months (I know others > feel differently). Given > that, I have even less of a liking for the thought > of any kind of moderation. > > What can be done? I am really interested in a > frank, civilized discussion > on the state of the list. Along with a list of > grievances, I'd also > appreciate some real suggestions on how to actively > improve the JMDL. > > Through the years, I've heard a lot of people say > that this list is one of > the best on the Internet. I feel like it's in > danger of losing that > distinction. > > Please voice your opinion and help me put this list > back on top. > > Thanks in advance, > Les Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/
