Hi, Lin -

When you click the Create a New Thread link, a page appears for creating a new thread. There's a dropdown menu that gives a list of thread prefixes you can choose from, or you can leave that box blank if no prefix applies - one of the prefixes is BS / Non-music. You are not required to choose a thread prefix if none applies - but if you didn't choose one and should have, a moderator will usually come along and add one for you.

The one prefix that seems to me incorrectly used most often is "Folklore" I think people choose it when they can't find another tag that applies.

Oh, and you're free to make up your own tag if you like. Maybe somebody will notice and start using the tag you invented. I use "Info" and "Gig" and "Event" quite often.

We do expect members to give threads titles that identify what's inside. If thread titles aren't clear, moderators are free to alter the titles to something that makes sense, or differentiates from other threads. Somebody started a thread this week titled BS: Terrorism, Again, which led me to think there was another attack somewhere in the world. When I found out the thread was about the ongoing violence in Israel, I changed the thread title to BS: Terrorism, Again (Israel).

We routinely change the titles of Obituary threads so that they have Obit: and the name of the deceased, occupation or home to help people know who the person is, and year of birth and death in parentheses. All "Obit" threads start in the Music section, but moderators move non-music obits to the non-music section after a while.

Hope that answers your question.

-Joe Offer, Mudcat Music Editor-