Max, I totally understand your frustration and irritation and the practical issues (e.g., potential funders being dissuaded by the trolling and flaming posts). So do whatcha gotta do.

FWIW, I have posted and answered requests for song lyrics and other music-related info, contributed to Song Challenge!s (even won a few B.L.O.B.s and Cow Chips from Áine), and posted parodies and other songs that I have written and occasionally contributed to a silly non-music forum discussion (e.g., "Funny Names of Towns). I don't believe I've ever been guilty of what you would call trolling or flaming. (If I have ever crossed the line, I'm confident it was only a teensy bit. I never post obscenities or insults.)

And, oh, yes, I have contributed financially to Mudcat. (See related PM as to how I did this.)

I guess I could become a member--I do have an email address. However, becoming a member could be misleading (again, for reasons explained in a PM).

So, if you go to a "members only" posting policy, Sonja (and her song contributions) will probably disappear from Mudcat.

Meanwhile, some Mudcat members will continue to post rather mean-spirited, presumptuous ad hominems that tend to derail legitimate music-related threads.

I don't envy your dilemma, Max. One way or another, though, I'll support whatever decision you make.

Sonja

BTW, FWIW, I'm at my laptop, away from my home right now. I can walk across the room and log in on the desktop computer without logging out or resetting my cookie, because there are cookies on both computers. So, I could post twice in a row with different IPs.

AND As several of y'all have reiterated,

WHY IS IT SO HARD JUST TO GIVE THE TROLLERS AND FLAMERS A GOOT LETTIN' ALONE?

GAWD, I don't even open up 70-95% of the BS threads, and if I do open one (jusst to find out what it's about) and it doesn't interest me, I don't post to it. Othewise, I'd never get any work done!