Acutally JonFreeman, are you right in your negativity?

You and a few guests, are the ones that constantly msg about what Mudcat has become and how its not what it used to be.

You have on numerous occasions, mentioned that you and you alone, according to your posts, don't like the way the forum is. You also said that you have offered suggestions, ideas, and in the end, an alternative, which was faced with mudcat being unable or unwilling to implement

You like asking questions, so I pose to you: When you, as you put it, feel the mudcat has been 'hijacked' by an 'inner clique' that must be 'centre stage', describe for me please what you are doing? You constantly talk about how 'you' want it different. You complained about Max not doing anything, until you read his post about filtering. You easily offer that to Spaw, and yet in another post you had to mention that although Max is working on filtering, it was not the way you would have done it. Why did you have to mention that?

You say that there is a bitterness. I read bitterness in alot of your messages. You admit to being the biggest critic. Is it possible that you contribute to this bitterness you complain about?

My biggest question is, why do 'you' think the Mudcat HAS to be changed? You've said in msgs that you believe the end result will be you leaving. If you do, it will be of your own valition, my friend, not because of what someone said. You have always had the ability to say what you want, without ever being cut off from Mudcat.

People like Max who have put in time of their own to make this site what it is, FOR FREE, probably do not enjoy your constant criticism. I know if I was Max I wouldn't. But I'm not. I'm here because I enjoy music in all its forms, listening, playing, learning etc. I also enjoy the msg forum. If there is something I don't want to read or respond, I don't. Voila! - filtering.

When anyone says they leave Mudcat because of someone else, that is total horseshit. People leave of their own choice, their decision. If a member says he/she is leaving because what Spaw said,(just an example spaw) it is their inability to deal with or ignore Spaw that is the reason. No one forces these people to leave. If you decide to leave, realize that life will still go on here. It will not change, a few people will msg saying 'sorry you gotta go' and such and then like every other thread, it will drop off the bottom.

At the end of the day, its Max's site. His rules. If he doesn't want to implement changes you'd like, or does something you don't like, its his decision on something he owns.

Steve