Just the somewhat testy sort of edge to your comments, MG--couldn't figure out if you were curt and dismissive because you objected to the things that people were saying, or were just one of those charmingly crusty sorts and I just wasn't reading you right--

Anyway, according to maryf, you sign a contract with Borders that essentially obliges you to play for free, so after you've signed the contract, in essence, you are compelled to play for free--

There has always been a cottage industry based aspiring performers "for exposure"--they are easy marks, because it is hard to get started, they've invested a lot in their craft, and they are always a little bit desperate for opportunities--very disturbing to see that it(like so many other scams) has been appropriated by large corporations--