Since the C&D and OT forums are gone, you won't find the most involved threads on the subject. The admins made a small change back in 2001 (IIRC) which changed the ranking from number of views to number of votes. This was supposed to minimize the effect of showing boobs in the thumbnails (or other salacious come-ons). Unfortunately, the problem then veered to clones and solicitation in off-site chat areas and schools... and the HOT 20 became even more of a popularity contest. Various alternatives for counting the votes, such as only allowing 1 vote per day, or only 1 work by an artist in the HOT 20 at a time, have been proposed, but they don't solve the essential underlying problem: it is a popularity contest and merchant's bottom lines and artist's egos are too-deeply wrapped in the results. If a member can only vote once per day, the price of that vote will rise, and the problem will worsen. If only 1 work at a time can be included, the artists involved in the war will become even more desperate, and the problem will worsen. They will change strategies, but they will ensure that they and their products are in the spotlight. The simple statement which was just added to the effect that it is just for fun and just a popularity contest doesn't solve the problem either... that is like a school saying drugs are just for fun and part of being popular... while overlooking the bodies in the corridors. And yes, this analogy is more apt on more levels that you will want to accept. Carolly