. . . bitch bitch bitch. . . .

"The only thing of true, lasting value here to the folk and blues music world is the Digital Tradition."

It would seem that you have missed quite a number of really good and informative threads. There are at least a couple good threads going at any given time, and sometimes there are a whole batch of them. A lot of knowledgeable people populate the Cat and contribute to these threads. A great deal of the information found in them, I find, is of "true, lasting value." I have quite collection of threads stashed away on disk, and I use many of them for reference.

And as for the Digital Tradition belonging to everyone, let's put it this way: I have a whole bookcase full of books about folk music, including dozens of song books. The songs in those books belong to everyone. But the books belong to me.

This thread reminds me—it's time I send Max another check. It's true that the only acknowledgment I get for the contribution is the canceled check—and the fact that Mudcat still exists. I get what I want in return for my meager contributions. I figure Max has better thinks to do than to spend his time writing "thank you" letters.

Don Firth