I disagree, Clinton. I am looking at fundraising from several angles. One is to generate the income needed to sustain the site, and improve the system. Another would be to try and compensate not just Max for his time, but Jeff as well. Joe, Jeri, myself and the rest of the clones do this as a labor of love and take satisfaction at being moderators. Jeff is a professional, and I would say he has demonstrated his dedication and love of the site many times over. But programming is how he pays bills. He should receive some kind of stipend for the work he does.

But to get back to Clinton's contention, the reason I disagree is that if folks had some sort of investment in the place, then they have the ability to take real ownership and not the kind that some think they have. This would give the owner of the site real input instead of the repetitive rants of the most obnoxious. The fundraiser becomes a barometer in real terms of the job being done.

I agree that the commercial avenues suggested should be pursued, but given the nature of The Mudcat, it seems very important that the link to the members is maintained.

Mick