Several of my Flyertalk friends have asked me "Catman, why are you posting so much less than in the past?"

it's not due to lack of time. It's due to my Personal feeling THat this board has lost it's "heart."

I miss the old days of good natured ribbing and people helping each other and a sense of good well and brother and sister hood here. But it's so way gone now.

What's going on:

*Personal attacks on boards are daily and fast and furious at times (the United thread is a keen example.)
>>And I remember Rudi's good intentioned "an open letter to Catman" thread which became a flaming war that Randy had to shut down. I was really hurt by that.

*Some posts that IMHO are just so unnecessary (I don't even bother with OMNI anymore and other threads like "the Buzz" and even "General Traveltalk" are being filled with non-travel related stuff. Commander Catcop would say "Think before you post... and see if what your posting is really helping the community. SOrry but I frankly don't care about a Free $3.50 pen."

*Misinformation on some threads. I can't tell what's right or wrong anymore. I post "I believe or I think or if someone would correct me."

*The language. I know this is the Internet and virtually anything goes but it shows poor taste to use words like p*#$ed. on threads. It makes us look common I believe to people like those who read the United thread. I don't like the language and neither does Commander Catcop. (YES FQTV he's back!)


*The Trip Reports: I post a few and get no response, so I can go to IGOUGO and at least get a few AA miles. I'm glad QUiet Lion at least gets some feedback

*WIth so much clutter here, I'm getting so little information anymore. And there are few fine posts here (Jon Toner's one about asking ALL of us to think about what we do here -- sorry can't remember the title -- beautiful.)

*WHy bother doing the COmmander Catcop thing if so many of you say "he's so out of control?" I thought he was fun, but you all seem to prefer arturo and some newer members.

But again, the biggest thing is that this Flyertalker is fighting with this one and there's a growing snese of tension and hostility here.

The remark by someone: "the old boy's network:" I don't get it:

*It sounds like some secret political clique? Clique? what cliques on F-T? There are so many everyone's a member of one.

*There are Female FLyertalkers in the "network" FYI: I know about that. I know a lot about what goes on here.

SO...

What I will NOT do is totally quit the boards. THat was stupid and childish of me the last time. But I may simply just fade away if I"m really provoked.

What I WILL DO is help those who I can, continue the friendships and maybe make a few new ones.

But this place has become so cluttered with posts all over the place and so hostile in some places it's not worth my time anymore.

And please do me a favor... If you want to make some snide remarks or attack me... do it by private e-mail. There's as much flaming here as the Wildfires in the Northwest.

[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 08-29-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Catman (edited 08-29-2000).]