TalkBoard Elections/06 - Question 15: Other Good Candidates

This question submitted by chexfan:
What other four TalkBoard Candidates would you vote for in this election? Why?

This is probably the most difficult question any of us will have to answer. Personally, I can not answer it completely until all the questions have been answered and the debating finished.

To start with, I will cast all five ballots. I don't believe in "voting with a bullet" and I urge everyone not to waste any of their votes.

Next, and this will come as no surprise, even before the campaigning began, I decided to vote for Mary2E. I explained my reasons in this post. (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=6658203&postcount=14)

This leaves me with deciding who my three other candidates will be. Quite honestly, I can't see myself voting for anyone who has no posts -- or very few -- on FlyerTalk. (I am not talking about requiring 1000 posts, but I would like to see at least 200.) Even though they might prove to be excellent TalkBoard members, I would want to see more activity from them.

I certainly can not vote for anyone who did not bother to answer the questions in the application.

From there, I am further narrowing down the list based on the answers I have seen posted. I want to emphasize that my opinion may well change, as further replies are made, but right now my "short list" consists of Bhatnasx, Empedocles, Kokonutz, Radioman and RichMSN. RichMSN's replies have been especially impressive up to now.

This leaves me with a bit of a quandry as there are other candidates, including (but not limited to) Hfly and Opus17 who I respect highly but whose replies have left me unsatisfied. (Hfly because of our very different outlooks about TalkBoard's tasks and Opus17 simply because he has not given a serious answer to any question -- although I will admit to enjoying his sense of humor).

First off, thanks for putting me on your short list, Dov! :)

Secondly, I have a list of my own - maybe not as short as Dov's list, but it's a list nonetheless. This list is based on members that have posted in this campaign forum & based on what I've seen in how they post in other forums.

Dovster
empedocles
FCYTravis
hfly
ingy
Jenbel
Kokonutz
Mary2e
Radioman
RichMSN
Spiff

Yes, it's a long list - but these are posters whom I either know & like personally or posters whose online personalities and viewpoints are ones that I can relate to.

Out of this list, there are three people that I will most likely be voting for based on previous experience with these members and the positive contributions I've seen them make to FlyerTalk - these top three are (in alphabetical order) Dovster, Mary2e, and Spiff. I know that these three people are people who do have the greater good at heart (even though I'm sure some of them may disagree in terms of their viewpoints). As for my other two choices, I haven't limited them as yet - and candidates who are not on the list above may even make the cut - but I still need more convincing as there are a few close ties for my last vote. Given that I have 5 candidates to vote for, I'm pretty sure that one of those candidates will be me! :)

Like Dov, I don't plan on voting for someone who has little or no public history on FlyerTalk. There are three candidates who are in this category - two of which, at this time, don't seem to have any posts whatsoever. How can I vote for someone who has no posting history whatsoever and whom I didn't even know existed until just now? I can't. Simple as that. For those of you who want to learn more, please see this thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=621857) and Dov's commentary on it.

I appreciate your mention, too, Dov.

It's difficult for me, cause there are a lot of impressive candidates.

Dov, Kokonutz, and Spiff are at the top of the list for me.

For Dov, it's a quid pro quo thing, natch. No, seriously, it's because I've been nothing but impressed with everything Dov posts, whether I agree or disagree, and I was (and am) moved by his thread detailing his daily trials and tribulations. This type of thread is exactly what FT and the community is about.

Kokonutz is the candidate with the platform closest to mine. I was impressed with his passionate support of the Men's Forum and his support of FT as a community. I have no great opinions about the success of a men's forum, although I think it deserved a chance just as much as the Religious forum (which passed) or the travel with pets (which didn't).

Spiff continues to impress me with his dogged determination and unwavering opinions on the TS/S board as well as his general contributions.

It gets tough for me after this, although I really like all the other candidates who have participated on the board. Of course, I only have one more vote after the three I mentioned, cause I gots to be voting for me.

There are three candidates who clearly cannot receive my support. They have not participated at all on FT and have not broken their silence on the board to participate in this series of questions. If elected to TalkBoard, I will propose a reasonable minimum standard for participation in order for candidates to be eligible. It only makes sense, IMO.

--Rich

So far, I will be voting for some of the same people from prior years, though I have not yet fully made up my mind for all 5.

I will be voting for myself (of course ;) )Dovster, bhatnasx, and kokonutz. I'm having a tough time deciding among the rest for my final vote. There are at least 3 on the list who I would gladly vote for if I could. I don't want to mention them all, because I really don't feel comfortable letting the rest of them know I chose someone else over them. I value them all equally.

There are 3 I would not vote for under any circumstances simply for their lack of contributions.

I have not taken a decision yet on who to vote for and probably will not take a decision for another week.

I do know I will not vote for anyone who does not take the time to participate in answering these questions.

I do know I will not vote for anyone who is making a mockery of the process.

I do know I will not vote for anyone who has been disruptive in forums and has been suspended.

Those are some of my personal filters... but may be the criteria other would use for who they will be voting for in the future.

WIlliam

Wow, this is a tough one, because there are so many good candidates. Most are way more qualified than I am. But I have been commanded by a minor diety to run, so here am I.

In the past, I haven't really voted based on the platform, but on the candidate and their passion or general attitude. A little debate is good -- the best ideas emerge from a bit of conflict. So I might vote for two candidates with opposite positions.

My votes will go to someone from this pool:

Dovster -- he said I haven't given any serious responses. I respect a candidate who goes negative! Anyway, he thinks I'm funny. That's worth a vote.

Also, Jenbel, RichMSN, Spiff, kokonutz, techgirl and MaryE.

There are other good candidates, too, but I already have too many. I'll probably have to skip voting for myself. That's OK, I've been doing some research in the Diebold patents, and let's say I'm confident I won't need my vote.

Hi

Well this is a very interesting question and one which I think I may have trouble in answering fully but I will try my hardest (marks out of 10 will be appreciated but it’s not essential).

Also please note that I have not (hint hint) received any bribes in the form of money or gifts from any names mentioned in this posting.

Ok where to start, as the judges say in X Factor the following results are in and are in no particular order

Jenbel – For being so dam nice all the time. She can organise my next works night out and I think she should become a professional party planner.

Dovster – Well I have been following Dovster over the past few years and enjoyed last years TB elections with the Q&A.

Bhatnasx - Very good poster.


Empedocles – yet again another good candidate.

Mary – I know folk said four but I do have 5 votes and I might not just vote for myself.

I know that I have not went into too much details on why I would vote for the folk listed above but I have my own reasons based on what I have read so far.

As for folk who have not posted, well they have a lot of catching up to do, the other fine folk how have posted are not ruled out at all but there is still a lot of things to be read and also said.

It’s nice to see some folk listing me, for the others I will not hold this against at all, now where is that witch craft book I got for my birthday.

Regards
John

So far Dovster. The jury is sstill out on the other 4 votes

I haven't decided who I am going to vote for yet... and I likely won't (if this year mirrors past TalkBoard elections) until the debate period is over.

This question submitted by chexfan:
What other four TalkBoard Candidates would you vote for in this election? Why?

You said 'would' not 'will.' So:

I would vote for bhatnasx because he throws a mean happy hour and is a sincere guy.

I would vote for christiansen because he may very well be a fake handle and that takes guts.

I would vote for Dovster because his is a BAMF.

I would vote for empedocles because he is coming around on the open TB forum idea.

I would vote for hfly because he served me up a fat hanging curve ball in the reactive or proactive thread.

I would vote for Jenbel because if I didnt Sheep would stop, um, servicing me.

I would vote for Mary2e because she is classy and smart (she was all over my little coded postings thing).

I would vote for opus17 because his pithy responses are spot on.

I would vote for Radioman because his responses are thoughtful.

I would vote for RichMSN because is right about everything he is saying.

I would vote for Spiff because, although he (IMHO) whimped out on flip-flopping over the mens travel forum and cast the deciding vote against this year, he is still the coolest guy on the planet and an EXCELLENT TB forum moderator and TB court reporter.

I would vote for techgirl because she is the total package: brilliant, hot and even nice...when she wants to be...

I would vote for wharvey because he is smart, insightful, just the right balance of tough and sensitive and a fellow Hokie.

I would also vote for myself if I hadnt just alienated myself with this smarmy suck-up post... :rolleyes:

As the Magic 8 Ball says... "ask again later".

The jury's still out. ;)

I would vote for Dovster because his is a BAMF.



I object. I do not fly British Air. You can make me a DLMF. :cool:

I've been sitting back to see what goes on in the debates before answering, but, given that I'm going to be mostly offline over the next few days, sorting out London do stuff in London, I think it's time to give my considered opinion :D

My votes are a mixture between what I know about them from general FT reading, and what I've read on here. There are a couple where I am undecided still, and I will continue to follow debates when I can until voting opens.

Spiff and wharvey have both been great TB members already, and I'd love to see them back on TB, whether I'm alongside them or not :) empedocles has given some great answers, and makes valuable contributions elsewhere on FT... so they are the three I'm certain I'm voting for - endorsed by Sheep if you like ;) I have a huge amount of respect for Techgirl and what she brings to FT - so I have to strongly consider her... and I'm sure this will cause quite a few eyebrows to raise around the place, because normally we never see eye-to-eye on anything, but i've been impressed with hfly's answers so far, and I think he could be a really good TB member. Bet he never, ever would have predicted that! ;) :D The final decision is going to be hard :(

I would vote for empedocles because he is coming around on the open TB forum idea.


I never completely opposed it... ;)

As for the "Who will you vote for?" question, the answer is............

I don't know yet.

Spiff, techgirl, dovster, RichMSN. all seem great candiates, probably better than me and have great viewpoints which I think would make a difference.

My vote would goto the following candidates:


Spiff - Because, well, he's spiffy

techgirl - She IS from Coppell

wharvey - He's Santa for goodness sake(wait, it's a secret)

christiansen - To the point, like me, and I liked his questions

Earlier in this thread I said that my "short list" consisted of Bhatnasx, Empedocles, Kokonutz, Radioman and RichMSN.

RichMSN is no longer on my short list -- I have definitely decided to vote for him.

I can not, unfortunately, decide which two of the remaining four to add to my list. To be more accurate, I can't decide which of them to take off of my list.

All of them would be excellent TalkBoard members. I will wind up voting for two of them but probably not decide which until the very last moment.

I would like to remind everyone, however, that no matter who you decide to vote for you should be certain of doing so when you cast your first ballot. Unless the software has been changed since last year, you will not be allowed to select less than the full five and then return later to add the others. Once you have voted, that is it.

(You can, of course, cast a partial ballot -- perhaps even for just one candidate. You simply will not be allowed to add others later.)