Dear Mall,

The Ethel Mertz line on this board came about the following way (my memory may be off on a few details).

1) I posted on this board noting that there were some unusual discrepancies between the figures of the two companies for the BC Cup races (particularly, the sprint and the distaff).

2) My post was met with a little bit of suspicion here and people were speculating as to who I might be.

3) In one of the post's, somebody asked if I was somebody named Marc.

4) I said I was not Marc (not knowing who Marc is or was).

5) On the other board, a person congratulated this Marc suggesting that he should be proud that I went out of my way to say I was not him and suggested that my disassociation was loaded with some meaning of one sort or another.

6) On this board, I responded that my denial of being Marc had nothing to do with Marc whoever that might be (and I am still unsure who this Marc is, but I do have a question later on regarding this). I explained that the genius on the other board high fiving with his co-horts had neglected to read my entire post. Finally, to illustrate my point that I was not saying anything about this Marc who I did not know, I pointed out could also say I am not Ethel Mertz and it would be incorrect to draw any meaning regarding Ethel Mertz from such a denial.

7) I resurrected Ethel Mertz here because I thought it was funny and was playing with TGJB about saying I was a civilian (which Ethel Mertz would also presumeably be if she were alive and participating in these discussions).

That is the Ethel Mertz-on-the-sheetplaying-public-bulletin-board story.

Now, I have a question for all the people who play inside baseball here. Is the Marc I was accused of being the same Marc that had an episode with TGJB regarding people coming out of the woodwork and claiming credit for other people's triumphs with scant basis? Recall, that Marc was congratulated by all the TGJB bashers for really rattling TGJB. If it is the same guy, I wonder if this Marc can read sheets and thinks that Musique Toujuors was a good claim (AT THE TIME THE CLAIM DECISION WAS MADE) off the Ragozin Sheets. If this Marc is the guy who accuses people of jumping on bandwagons with little fair basis, then maybe he can explain why Musique Toujuours would not fit in this same category with the Ragozin Sheets claiming credit for the claim. This is especially the case in light of the statements in various publications suggesting that people other than the alleged Sheet customer were responsible for the claim. I have nothing against Ragozin, and I use their product. I just think that for some reason, people give Ragozin a bye and jump all over TGJB unfairly.

Also, I seem to recall somebody over on the other board asking me to point out areas where the two sheets come out differently. I think that looking at MT as a claim on November 20, 2003 is one very good example of where they really point in different directions. (And both of these sheets are available for free on the internet now). I will look for others and try to give one ahead of time before a race.