By "new Indians" I meant that this was a pretty nice oasis for a while, but now the tribe has been defeated. What we had was unique and friendly here at Mudcat---filled with poetry and intellect.--- RESPECT for each other was natural and simply the way things were. For many of us it was valuable and worth keeping---so much so that I saved many of the older beautiful and info-filled threads on floppys just in case my computer blew up. But it must seem to the new people hanging here now that simplistic and strident talk has always been the norm at Mudcat. I just want to tell you that it wasn't normal then and it should not be normal now. But it is the way things are now. And that's why I, for one, don't hang here much lately. I can only hope that Mudcat is passing through the negative segment of the bell curve and may soon experience an upswing. Truly, folks, I ain't holding my breath.

Affectionately,

Art Thieme