> Thanks, Art, for continuing this thread. And thank you > John for sharing your research and suspicions with us > here. This is fascenating and I'm anxious to see how > John's theories are accepted.

To give a little hint of what I expect from some quarters, let me quote a little aphorism I read a few years ago in, I think, a software engineering journal. This was offered as advice to a young professional.

"Always freely discuss your work with others, without fearing that your ideas might be stolen. If your ideas are any good, you will have to cram them down people's throats."

> John, you mentioned Art Rosenbaum in one of your posts. > Are you in contact with Art?

Sure, he's a professor at my institution, the University of Georgia. In fact, he was just recently awarded a nice chair here. A couple of years ago he bought a No. 7 Whyte Laydie. Realizing that this made his older Wildwood his third- string banjo (his newer Wildwood now being second string), I approached him about buying it and he sold it to me. It is now my first-stringer.

> I still remember Art from his days in Iowa City. > Please tell him hi for me. And tell him Al > Murphy says hi as well. Al and I were talking about > Art just the other day. I still listen to the album > Art and Al put out many years ago. > > - Mark Clark

He will be thrilled to hear from both of you in such a roundabout way.