At the moment, I do have four do threads on the go, but decided to only use one as an example – you probably don’t really want to read through hundreds of posts of people planning to meet up together, unless you are actually attending!
The Mega-London do thread, with many and varied posts, from organisational posts, announcing event posts, answering questions posts, and giving lectures on the ranking of anglo-saxon swearwords in UK culture, and why it isn’t a good idea in the UK to tell people you are a banker
Unfortunately, I can't find the threads in which I have been helpful to new members. The only way I could is if I were allowed to use "Welcome" in the search program but it is rejected because it is too common.
Hence, no extra point for me.
Five posts?
Here is my first post ever. It was in the Delta Forum and demonstrated how the airline was hurting itself outside of America.
The second post, while not particularly fantastic in itself, started a phenomenon: The Unabashed Cholula Spam Thread. This ran 5544 posts before it was eventually closed -- and even then was replaced with the Delta Forum Lounge Thread. Other forums have copied this idea, which allows for members to post all their off-topic fun in one thread, thus not cluttering up the board.
The third post started in Omni, was moved to Travel Safety & Security, and eventually to Community Buzz. It touched off the thread with the second most number of views in the history of FlyerTalk (currently at 371,161); received world-wide attention off of FlyerTalk; and brought many new members to the board -- quite a few of which have proven themselves to be very valuable additions. (In addition, it helped save what little sanity I have during a very difficult period.)
The fourth post is one I am especially happy to plug here. It is for the upcoming PBI-FLL Meet in December and you still have time to sign up and join us.
Finally, the fifth post is one where I stuck my head into the lion's mouth. The Travel Safety and Security Forum is FlyerTalk's hotbed of TSA-bashing. Even experienced members who should know better feel free to use the most exaggerated terms to denounce this very unpopular organization. Worse, some tar all TSA employees with the same brush -- which is specifically banned in the TOS. Although no fan of many TSA policies, which I feel serve little purpose, I felt that these kind of posts, which belittle all TSA staffers (including those who are F/T members) are not only distasteful but their extremism actually undercut the valid arguments against foolish policies like the new "Ziploc" rule.
Travel Tech - a recent query about Bluetooth headsets. Found several previous threads and posted a short blurb about my own experiences: What's the best bluetooth headset?
CommunityBuzz - Numerous posts on the DFW Monthly Gathering Thread. I'm the organizer for this month's shindig, so here begins an example of my current activity on that thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...51#post6590651
I guess that is more than 5...
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Hi
What a nice question. Please find below a small selection of posts which should answer your question.
Well for my sins I keep the Intercontinental Hotels Priority Club Current Promotions Thread updated. I started the thread off in June 2006 and it has now been viewed 38,222 times. Its one of the best online lists of codes/promos to help fellow FTers get the best from the Priority Club membership. There are numerous posts from me helping people out.
I don’t mind giving up my time to keep the master post up to date and enjoy answering questions from members within that thread.
IC Hotel Group Meeting Thread Started early this year, the idea was for folk to show which hotels and dates when they were staying, this could easily result in some free beer if meeting up with some other Fters.
Trip Reports. Here is a trip report from my summer 2006 holiday. I included detailed information including pictures of some of the hotels so folk can see what it’s all about.
BA Forum Question. I collect Tesco points for my sins (lovely earning for converting to BA Air Miles). Anyway I try and help out as much as possible when folk are questions.
Here is another one when someone was looking for advice for hotels in Barcelona. Its a fantastic City but you have to watch out for the crime as it can be bad and you dont want making a mess of your stay.
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 7 minutes from DCA
Programs: UA 1K/MM refugee to cheapest business class fare, SPG Lifetime Plat, CBP Global Entry, TSA Pre!
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I think every member contributes to FT every single time they post in a spirit of community and helpfulness.
I like to think that every single post that I have ever made, from my very first to my most recent, there is something there for everyone.
I'm going to borrow a page from ScottC's election playbook last year and say: I feel that people should vote for who I am, what I have done on the board for them, and how (if at all) I have ever been able to help them. Whether it was answering a technical question, helping them get a cheap laugh through the "macaca" service I help operate or through my many threads in the boards. I do not feel that I want people to vote for me based on my verbal and debating skills over a 10 day period, I didn't join FT to talk politics, and quite frankly I'd make a pretty poor politician as I don't like cheap tricks and negative campaigns.
Macaca boys and girls, macaca!
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Helping a newbie in the Orlando Forum
Hotels around MCO
This is one of many posts I’ve made there helping people with Disney Vacations and planning for the area. Unfortunately, there isn’t much traffic to that forum, but I always answer/try to help.
This is a thread I started in Travel Buzz in 2004 that continues to live on into 2006. It certainly brought out an interesting bunch of people & opinions. What are you doing in my aisle seat?
I am not going to post a link to a thread that is very close to my heart, only to protect the privacy of the person involved. It was in Omni, and someone told me this person was in a very bad way and asked if I could meet him to try to cheer him up. They were very concerned about him, as were others. I’m happy to say I met him that night and did my best, and I still hear from him from time to time.
This last comment is REALLY what Flyertalk is about.
There are more threads, particularly in Omni, that I could point out where I jumped in to offer advice or help someone, but we are limited to 5, and I don’t want to overstep. I also could be digging for a very long time - I've been around since 2001 and I can't even count all the people that I have helped online or offline.
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Mary Life is too short to spend it being angry
As to posts I was helpful to a new user, since im mostly in the United forums, a few good ones are:
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=613904
Helping a new user set up a MR which would suit him. Through the thread and PMs we planned out a great routing and helped him book and arrange his flights.
I planned to host Viajero Joven for a 101 on the OneWorld alliance. Almost all the way in...I got a job offer in DC. Otherwise we were planning the first class held in a computer lab (I ran the place as a part time working student)
Here's something I thought was valuable : http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/archi.../t-499524.html
I suggested people not sleep at SNN for the next morning flight. I convinced my roommate to join me on my first MR - he did. We had a blast in Europe (we added a RyanAir and EasyJet segment) - but the last night in SNN was spent trying to not become a popsicle.
Well, back in 2004, I started a thread that helped a lot of FlyerTalkers get some Free iPods - which in turn, led to quite a few of us getting free Flat Screen TVs.
For almost 2 years, I managed the Amtrak Discount Thread which has helped countless FT'ers get Amtrak discounts for years. As I don't travel on Amtrak as much anymore, Amtrak moderator ByeByeDelta has been keeping the thread alive.
For a year & a half, I managed the DC Area Monthly Happy Hour thread - the thread has since been passed on to Pranu who is currently managing it as my travel schedule picked up significantly. However, I'm still a regular attendee.
One of my pride & joys is a work in progress (which I'm currently updating) is the Mileage Run Tools thread which currently has over 138,000 views. I also regularly get PMs from members who may not feel comfortable asking their question in the forum, asking for assistance with mileage run planning.
Most recently, I published a Basic Guide to WAS and its Airports - I used to be the Washington DC forum moderator - then, one day, the TalkBoard removed the forum from existence (without even telling me!). It has since come back!
I hope these have been helpful threads to all FlyerTalkers!
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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of faces if you look at them right.
Didn't know that an April 2000 joining member with 3K+ posts is a new member!
But it doesn't matter - it's good to see that FlyerTalk is a place where old members can ask "newbie" type questions and still get a good response - I ask questions all the time where someone with less than a few hundred posts & a 6-month old membership will answer them correctly - I'm glad that we have that kind of a community here on FlyerTalk!
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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of faces if you look at them right.
oops - I generally just look at the question/post, not the post count or join date Sorry people, didn't mean to misrepresent, it was just a pretty basic question, of something we had covered in the Ultimate Guide, so I presumed they were new
that continues to live on into 2006. It certainly brought out an interesting bunch of people & opinions.
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