To repeat for the hundredth time, there have been no essential changes in the mix of Mudcat stuff since it started, except that there is much more of everything to wade through, thanks to its popularity (is this a problem?, see the Jug thread ad nauseam for variations on this theme). There was no Golden Age (after all, if I was there it couldn't be golden by definition). Some people left, some people stayed. If you ask music questions in any detail, people pop out of the ground. They always did. Maybe not enough of them to satisfy purists, but there never were. The experts have always been scarce, compared to the general enthusiasts. It is not perfect. There were always limitations here: for instance, there has never been a strong blues focus, ever, in spite of Max's desire, and the banner. There are others. It is a nice place, except for the threads about how it used to be wonderful, where are the true folk lovers, yawn. One almost wishes for one of those dreary Irish politics thread (ALMOST!).

yours, Peter T.