>> Sean, you're missing the point - the providers of the freebies themselves were not aware of the 5 buck surcharge, so it's unlikely it was part of the original plan

Not missing the point at all. Again, I've been here a long time, so trust me when I tell you I've seen countless disconnects between the merchants and management here. This one doesnt surprise me at all, so I have no problem with five bucks.

As for the Halloween freebies here, there's not a whole lot I'm all that interested in, but I'd certainly pay five bucks just for the Psycho House. There's a lot of high quality stuff there, guys. It's worth the minimal expense. IMHO.

And please: again, we're talking about five bucks here. Times may be tight, but I'd be willing to bet that the overwhelming majority of people on this site have thrown away far more on far less outside of this place. So let's get the outrage out of the way and just see it for the annual Rosity screw-up that it is. Apparently the policy has been changed yet again so now it's all free once more, with no cover charge (Is that correct? That's what an earlier poster wrote).

Forgive me if I sound cold about this, but I have a pretty good idea of how much it costs to run an ever-expanding site like this. More servers to handle more users and more uploaded images and freebies -- it adds up, folks. Someone has to pay for it. That's why even though I may have personal issues with all of the sites I frequent, I try to buy something from each of them every month, just so I can pay my share of keeping this place going. And we're not talking about a serious investment -- there always seems to be something well within my like-everyone-else-a-constantly-strapped budget. Sometimes I'll splurge, sure, for something I really, really want from a favourite vendor, but that's rare. But the minimal monthly expense is like a cheap ticket to the movies or the very-occasional drive-thru at Burger King, something that's all enjoyment with as lminimal impact on my finances as I can permit.

So bottom line, and then I'll leave the thread: yes, Rosity screwed up by not making this policy upfront at first. But the amusement factor alone makes it worthwhile.

Not looking to cause any disruption. Just raising the point.

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