Max,

It's not that we can't take a joke, it's that some of us are people of action and as such, took action, to the point of getting our Congresspersons' phone numbers and readying our pens for vitriolic rhetoric about the loss of something which means so much in our lives.

I do look before I leap, but if it is someone I trust, I guess I get caught leaping ill-advisedly, sometimes. I am glad your mother didn't let you do the other stuff, for my congresspersons, conservative and stupid as they are, would DEFINITELY have heard from me. And, my finger was ..this close to dailing ASCAP, as my brother is a member and I would have given them hell. Now I am glad I didn't call them, as it may have set off some alarm bells!

I used to laugh about people who spent so much time chatting on the Internet; I thought they were pathetic and needed to get a life. Well, the shoe is on the other foot and I do not feel pathetic and I have a life, but the Mudcat is a big part of it, now, and I don't like the idea of being without it and the wonderful friends I've made here.

I do appreciate the long hours, money, etc. that you all put in. I tell everyone I know about it. I am excited about the new things you are doing.

I asked once before if you ever thought about setting up a direct doantion thing, where people could have a certain amount automatically deducted from their checking account every month to help support the 'Cat. It does NOT have to non-profit. This is how I pay my car insurance and IPS. I wold be happy to do this every month for the cat, like I used to do for NPR before they went mainstream, top 40 trash. So, how 'bout it Max?

call me a spoil sport if you want, but a good share of my time is spent as an advocate and PR person for underdog causes, so...yesterday I was ready and willing to put all of that experience to the forefront to help out.

Next April 1st, as some others have suggested, I'll abstain for a day.

katlaughing