Well, I find the specific FF forums (United and Starwood for me) to be excellent places focused on breaking information about how to earn miles, etc. As for the community forums, how hard is it not to read them if you're not interested? I tend to skim through Omni and Buzz, read United and Starwood religiously, and participate in the community threads that interest me. This is one of the best places on the Internet I've ever found and I've been on the Internet since 1977. In 1979 I started one of the first non-work-related Internet mailing lists, SF-LOVERS, much to the chagrin of the system operators who had to deal with the overload. Similar comments were made then about ruining the Internet, etc. I appreciate the freedom of this medium, but the price of such freedom is eternal vigilance. Leaving a community, in my book, is a last resort. Instead, take a stand for the parts you love and lead by example.

My, that's two soapboxes for me already in 2000.