submitted by wharvey
Several candidates have chosen to not answer all the questions from the constituents or give one word responses.
How should the membership view your participation in the election process to how you will operate on the Talkboard?
PTravel
Nov 8, 08, 11:49 pm
I'm rather shocked by that.
TalkBoard is a representative position.
If I'm elected to serve, it will be to represent the interests of FlyerTalk members. I'll will answer (and have been answering) any question directed to me, whether in a public post or a PM.
This is a web forum -- we're here to discuss. If someone isn't willing to discuss FT issues, I have to wonder why they would want to be on FT' TalkBoard.
GK
Nov 9, 08, 2:12 am
Participating
Radioman
Nov 9, 08, 3:38 am
Hi
This happens each year where we have some folk who put themselves forward but don't take part in the discussions. The reason for this could be that folk are busy with work or family.
I firmly believe that we should answer all the questions (even if I dont agree with all the ones about specific forums...:D ) going as this will give folk an indication of what they will get if they elect those individuals.
Just out of curiosity I have complied a list to show the O/P was talking about:
Total of 17 questions asked. Total shows ones answered and % overall
(Updated at 2pm Sunday UK Time)
Hi
This happens each year where we have some folk who put themselves forward but don't take part in the discussions. The reason for this could be that folk are busy with work or family.
I firmly believe that we should answer all the questions (even if I dont agree with all the ones about specific forums...:D ) going as this will give folk an indication of what they will get if they elect those individuals.
Just out of curiosity I have complied a list to show the O/P was talking about
Second that.
And at least now we know who certainly has enough time for any discussion :p ;)
Pizzaman
Nov 9, 08, 4:26 am
I think I've done a fair job answering the questions to the best of my ability. I'll assume your concerns lie elsewhere, but feel free to let me know if you think one of my answers wasn't detailed enough and I'll be happy to expand.
PTravel
Nov 9, 08, 5:34 am
Hi
This happens each year where we have some folk who put themselves forward but don't take part in the discussions. The reason for this could be that folk are busy with work or family.
I firmly believe that we should answer all the questions (even if I dont agree with all the ones about specific forums...:D ) going as this will give folk an indication of what they will get if they elect those individuals.
Just out of curiosity I have complied a list to show the O/P was talking about:
Total of 17 questions asked. Total shows ones answered and % overall
Candidate.............Total....%
B747-437B.............16.......94.1
BHATNASX.............17.......100.0
BILL SCANN............11........64.7
BOBESI...................0........0.0
CT-UK...................10.......58.8
DANNIELBK.............13.......76.5
GK........................17.......100.0
KHYUNG..................0........0.0
LEATHERHEADIOWA...7.......41.2
LESS02..................15......88.2
MARKIE..................16......94.1
MJM.......................17.....100.0
NOLOGIC.................7.......41.2
NOTSOSMART..........1.......5.9
NSX......................16.......94.1
PETEROPNY............17......100.0
PHILLIPAS..............12.......70.6
PIZZAMAN.............17.......100.0
PTRAVEL...............16........94.1
RADIOMAN.............17.......100.0
RICHMSN...............17.......100.0
SKYWALKERLAX......17........100.0
SPIFF....................14........82.4
SQUEAKR...............17........100.0
Though I appreciate the effort you've put into this, it would have been more helpful if it had been accurate. I've answered every question:
Open Forum for New Candidates
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10610523&postcount=7
It is important to participate, and I understand the reason for the question. A fair point for sure.
That said, there is at least one person at whom this question is directed who I know to be very participative for FT. I am going to take the position that it is only one person I know of among that group because I do not know everybody’s situation. I am going to give a collective pass to everyone because they got out and decided to run. That bears respect for me.
I would hope that any one of us that you select to represent you on TalkBoard would be committed to participating in any and all discussions. It is my view that if you take the job you have to do the job. You have to do it the whole time.
There are good people running this time. We are lucky to have so may that care enough to do so.
Others have done the same job before us. I thank them.
I hope I can have a chance to do it now.
Markie
Nov 9, 08, 6:12 am
I am off now to answer the one question I had missed.
My committment is to engage, reply to PMs and seek views from as wide a group of people as possible. It's part of being a representative if you ask me.
Radioman
Nov 9, 08, 6:44 am
Though I appreciate the effort you've put into this, it would have been more helpful if it had been accurate. I've answered every question:
thanks for posting all the links to your messages plus repeating my whole message. Also thanks for the pm you sent me regarding this as well.
I will amend the list shortly.
RichMSN
Nov 9, 08, 6:45 am
Regardless of how I feel about the process, some people who have not responded (or not responded adequately) will receive votes. It happens every year. Like every election, some care about the issues, some treat it as a popularity contest. Some vote for the funny candidate who gives one word non-responsive responses.
I have given, I believe, detailed, well-thought-out answers to all of the questions posted. Unlike previous years, I do not think any of the questions were contentious or dealing with people's specific gripes regarding FlyerTalk. I'm happy we didn't go down that road this year.
While I appreciate the efforts of Radioman to bring together statistics on number of posts and number of questions, I'm not sure it will influence many of the voters.
phillipas
Nov 9, 08, 6:52 am
How should the membership view your participation in the election process to how you will operate on the Talkboard?
That my participation here is like it will be on TB. Everything will get answered, but life will occasionally get in the way so occasionally the answer might take a few days.
Radioman
Nov 9, 08, 6:57 am
While I appreciate the efforts of Radioman to bring together statistics on number of posts and number of questions, I'm not sure it will influence many of the voters.
Hi RichMSN
Your correct in what your saying about folk getting votes and not answering questions etc. Would be interesting to look at the past and see what that brings up....
I dont think the list will help people make their minds up. I near enough believe that each year we know out of the people standing who will be voted on before the vote even starts.
But what the heck, I try each year.
GK
Nov 9, 08, 7:37 am
Some vote for the funny candidate who gives one word non-responsive responses.
speculation
nsx
Nov 9, 08, 8:49 am
How should the membership view your participation in the election process to how you will operate on the Talkboard?
I'll speak up when I have something to offer, and otherwise I'll listen attentively and be persuaded by the best reasoning. Some people routinely stake out such firm positions that any movement requires swallowing a lot of their pride. You won't see me doing that.
danielbk
Nov 9, 08, 9:46 am
I think that as this is a traveling forum many of us who travel "professional" (spending most of our life on the road and getting screamed at by our wife/husband for doing so.. :p) have to juggle our time sometimes -- I don't believe this reduces from our ability to be great members of talk board, but it does mean that many times it is impossible to provide an immediate response to posts.
For example, over the past 8 days i have to do
(1) TLV-FRA-LHR-FRA-TLV (24 hours)
(2) TLV-FRA-LHR-FRA-EZE(!)-FRA{where i am now waiting for my flight
to}-TLV (4 days)
I personally find that it is our responsibility as candidates to answer any question the we are asked at the debate as we were the ones who chose to "run" for this position and i promise to respond to the four questions i have yet to answer in the coming 24 hours as i reach home.
Danny.
squeakr
Nov 9, 08, 10:13 am
I'm not too interested in speculating why some folks haven't answered questions, nor do I feel it's my role to challenge how a candidate answers questions. Many of the candidates have lengthy post histories and I believe it would be in voters' interests to check out the candidates they are considering voting for.
That said, for me I have enjoyed seeing the questions and answering them as best I can, even the hypothetical ones. I believe my responses give, in capsule form, the flavor of how I post and what I think about, for good or for ill. I also felt it was important, as a moderator, to speak to that issue directly.
And to be perfectly honest, it's hard for this NOT to be a popularity contest to some extent and I don't think that's all bad. If you are well liked and post often and have garnered a history on FT that speaks well of you, that's not a bad thing.
bhatnasx
Nov 9, 08, 10:24 am
As noted previously, I've answered every question that's been asked. I've also participated in every major discussion on the TB Topics page & haven't missed a vote while a TB member. I'll even go further to say that my dedication to FlyerTalk is sincere enough to have spent my own dime (not reimbursed with any sort of stipend) to fly to PHX (from DC) and take off two days of work to be at the first ever TalkBoard in-person meeting (which was attended by all members this year, except Jenbel - who was unable to make the transatlantic trip for the 1-day meeting).
LessO2
Nov 9, 08, 10:42 am
submitted by wharvey
Several candidates have chosen to not answer all the questions from the constituents or give one word responses.
I have wondered that myself. Given there are more than 20 people running for TalkBoard, I would expect at least that many unique responses.
How should the membership view your participation in the election process to how you will operate on the Talkboard?
Self-serving answer:I have now answered every question.
As it pertains to the campaign: While I would consider whether all the questions were answered, I would put more weight into what the candidates say.
That said, I've noticed a few candidates go the route of piling on words in their answer(s)....not quite to the point of "baffle them with BS," but to the point where some answers get off-topic.
B747-437B
Nov 9, 08, 11:52 am
I firmly believe that we should answer all the questions
I disagree. I find two of the questions inappropriately intrusive (the ones regarding gender and beverage preference) and have chosen not to answer them. If the electorate choses to reject me on that basis, I'd be happier not having to represent an electorate who had such shallow values and expectations.
PTravel
Nov 9, 08, 12:35 pm
thanks for posting all the links to your messages plus repeating my whole message. Also thanks for the pm you sent me regarding this as well.
I will amend the list shortly.Radioman, I'm sure you appreciate that, at least to some of us, this election is important. In fact, that was the whole point of your post, right? Some people don't care enough about the elections to bother responding to all the questions.
If you're going to take it upon yourself to "grade" other candidates based on their participation, then you should also take it upon yourself to be accurate. I'm sorry, but we just finished a rather long and contentious campaign here in the states, and the idea of an opposing candidate publishing inaccurate statistics has a certain resonance here.
Nothing personal (hence the Rove joke and smiley), but I waited a while after PMing you and did not want the error perpetuated without rebuttal.
Radioman
Nov 9, 08, 4:00 pm
I disagree. I find two of the questions inappropriately intrusive (the ones regarding gender and beverage preference) and have chosen not to answer them. If the electorate choses to reject me on that basis, I'd be happier not having to represent an electorate who had such shallow values and expectations.
B747-437B
Well if you find the posts inapropriately intrusive then thats all you had to answer. Anyway you have basically answered them now.....
Radioman
Nov 9, 08, 4:07 pm
Radioman, I'm sure you appreciate that, at least to some of us, this election is important. In fact, that was the whole point of your post, right? Some people don't care enough about the elections to bother responding to all the questions.
If you're going to take it upon yourself to "grade" other candidates based on their participation, then you should also take it upon yourself to be accurate. I'm sorry, but we just finished a rather long and contentious campaign here in the states, and the idea of an opposing candidate publishing inaccurate statistics has a certain resonance here.
Nothing personal (hence the Rove joke and smiley), but I waited a while after PMing you and did not want the error perpetuated without rebuttal.
Please do NOT insult me by saying that I am "Grading" candidates. I did NOT grade anyone. I counted up the posts and for the love of god I missed out one of yours and now your so hung up about I think that I will just pull out of this campaign and let you get on with it. God help anyone that messes with you.
PTravel
Nov 9, 08, 4:28 pm
Please do NOT insult me by saying that I am "Grading" candidates. I did NOT grade anyone. I counted up the posts and for the love of god I missed out one of yours and now your so hung up about I think that I will just pull out of this campaign and let you get on with it. God help anyone that messes with you.Good grief. I am truly sorry that you are insulted as that was certainly not my intent. Might I suggest a bit of a thicker skin?
I'm not "hung up" about anything. I don't know you (I rarely have occasion to visit either the IC or BA forums) and only assumed you had made a mistake -- I certainly attributed no malice. You made the point, correctly I think, that a disinterest in answering questions in the debate is a relevant predictor of TalkBoard performance. However, you inadvertently misrepresented my record which was particularly embarrassing to me because, in the second post to this thread I had written that I was shocked that candidates would forgo responding.
If you like, I am perfectly willing to delete all of my posts on this subject subsequent to your chart if you will do the same. Just say the word.
B747-437B
Nov 9, 08, 4:29 pm
B747-437B
Well if you find the posts inapropriately intrusive then thats all you had to answer. Anyway you have basically answered them now.....
If you had actually read the threads, rather than gone through them simply looking for post counts, you would have seen that that was exactly what I did answer. :rolleyes:
I agree with PTravel here that perhaps it is best that the candidates refrain from trying to interpret each other's actions and simply put forward their own points of view.
PTravel
Nov 9, 08, 4:34 pm
If you had actually read the threads, rather than gone through them simply looking for post counts, you would have seen that that was exactly what I did answer. :rolleyes:
I agree with PTravel here that perhaps it is best that the candidates refrain from trying to interpret each other's actions and simply put forward their own points of view.Might I add that yours is a valid reason for not answering specific questions. My criticism (and, I would hope, RadioMan's) was directed to those few candidates whose participation in this debate has been, to put it charitably, sketchy.
B747-437B
Nov 9, 08, 5:37 pm
Might I add that yours is a valid reason for not answering specific questions. My criticism (and, I would hope, RadioMan's) was directed to those few candidates whose participation in this debate has been, to put it charitably, sketchy.
Gee, you must be a lawyer.
You agree with my statement that one shouldn't speak for others' point of view by attempting to do just that. :rolleyes:
skywalkerLAX
Nov 9, 08, 5:52 pm
deleted. I'm a bit beside myself today...
And then this MR tomorrow :o
Spiff
Nov 9, 08, 6:02 pm
submitted by wharvey
Several candidates have chosen to not answer all the questions from the constituents or give one word responses.
How should the membership view your participation in the election process to how you will operate on the Talkboard?
Since the forum is still open and many of us travel quite often, I think this question is a little obsessive at the moment. Not everyone shoots from the hip when answering these questions and some actually like to think about a response before typing one in, especially if there's a 6000+ mile plane ride involved. ;)
Relax, take a deep breath, and evaluate candidates as you see fit. @:-)
PTravel
Nov 9, 08, 6:19 pm
Gee, you must be a lawyer.
You agree with my statement that one shouldn't speak for others' point of view by attempting to do just that. :rolleyes:I wrote what I did to clarify that my criticism of posters who skipped questions wasn't directed at you. Sorry if that offends you. That's two touchy people in one thread. Must be something in the water.
B747-437B
Nov 9, 08, 6:38 pm
I wrote what I did to clarify that my criticism of posters who skipped questions wasn't directed at you. Sorry if that offends you. That's two touchy people in one thread. Must be something in the water.
Perhaps it may have skipped your attention that one doesn't have to be offended ONLY when one is attacked themselves. I take just as much exception to your and Radioman's attacks on other candidates as I would if they had been made on myself.
As for something "in the water", as I stated earlier here, kindly refrain from speculation as to what beverages I prefer to consume.
PTravel
Nov 9, 08, 7:09 pm
Perhaps it may have skipped your attention that one doesn't have to be offended ONLY when one is attacked themselves. I take just as much exception to your and Radioman's attacks on other candidates as I would if they had been made on myself.I don't recall attacking anyone. For that matter, I don't recall any attacks by Radioman, either. Are you sure we're reading the same forum?
As for something "in the water", as I stated earlier here, kindly refrain from speculation as to what beverages I prefer to consume.I think you left off the smiley. In any event, please consider this a "virtual" offer to buy you the beverage of your choice.
In the immortal words of W.C. Fields: "Water? Never touch the stuff. Fish f%^& in it." :)
B747-437B
Nov 9, 08, 7:19 pm
I think you left off the smiley. In any event, please consider this a "virtual" offer to buy you the beverage of your choice.
Thank you for the offer. I don't care to be your e-friend however. Please focus on the issues and save the "virtual" drink buying for the OMNI forum (while it lasts).
B747-437B
Nov 9, 08, 7:26 pm
In the immortal words of W.C. Fields: "Water? Never touch the stuff. Fish f%^& in it." :)
I don't believe that kind of language is appropriate for this forum. Would you say something like that in front of your kids? I didn't think so. Why subject the rest of us to this crassness?
peteropny
Nov 10, 08, 4:48 pm
I have answered every question exactly once - which basically is in line with my philosophy that people have a right to know where I stand but not be argumentative.
BillScann
Nov 10, 08, 11:07 pm
submitted by wharvey
Several candidates have chosen to not answer all the questions from the constituents or give one word responses.
How should the membership view your participation in the election process to how you will operate on the Talkboard?
The membership knows that when traveling, it is sometimes difficult to keep up with ones online activities. That said, when there's work to be done, it'll be done in a timely manner.