sorry if it came out that way. it was 4 in the morning and another VERY long night as were way too many were in the past. i usually do throw in a full explanation and on this one, too tired and wiped out to do so. first off, jack and i are beginning to reconsider your and quite a few others' proposal of setting up a contribution box. here was my own personal concerns on this. a year ago, jack and i created and ran an interactive anime site called Anime Agenda. it was a role playing espionage game using anime art and text. it was a HUGE hit. soon, the cost of the site overwhelmed us. we asked the members if they would support a $3.00 a month fee. They screamed heartfelt cheer of HELL YEAH. so we did. we got just over $200.00 which included 3 month installments of $7. and the fan based was four times the size of here. our Art Museum(sp?) in detroit did a donation box instead of payment to enter. no one dropped dollar one in it. there ARE a number of individuals here i am sure would contribute. we may very well have a surprising amount of cash in the beginning. (and forgive the cynicism here) it may not last. it will dribble off and grow cobwebs from lack of attention. it's like a Rent Party. it's a quick fix, not a long distance one. and as i have said, we may still set it up and use it to pay the people who have dedicated their time and energy these past six monthes in time, work and effort as admins and moderators. the real concern i have is of the possibility of this splitting up the community into those who contribute finiacially to those who do not. the worry that a paying member will feel not so much superior but grow territorial and posessive of the forum and use the fact during arguments with ones who may not wish to or unable to. i'm deathly afraid of the fights and further disruptive scenarios. and has Dennis Miller eloquently says' that's just me, i could be wrong. ed