I'm failing to understand why some appear to oppose the relatively non-judgemental observation of a type of communication behaviour, a human interaction, yet all here are comfortable observing, dissecting and critiquing folk music and the people who perform it.

Susan, for all intents and purposes Mudcat, including both aspects, music and BS, is an island, and the people who imbibe are as much a part of the community as the tee-totallers up top, and are often the same, as on a real island, and of course there are visitors and leavers, as on a real island. Count me in as one of your 'foolish' people - anthropology can be at least as entertaining and revelatory as music, and I see no reason to go on as if it was a case of hauling the outhouse off its pit.

I think Dave's Wife means this to be entertaining, interesting, not some kind of clinical disapproving dissection of people's quirks and habits.

And Amos, any five year old can manage a computer and an internet connection nowadays, and any ten year old can find, join and participate in an online community (hopefully with parental oversight, but trust me, they can set it up their own little selves).