Flyertalk being an entity on the internet brings some of the truths of our eExistence to bear.

The internet has proven a wonderful tool for communication, learning, and sharing information. Flyertalk is one of my favorite examples of this due to my fascination/obsession with FF miles. I have learned tons from the collective wisdom on this board. Just as beneficial is to see the commraderie that has been fostered here as well.

The difficulty here comes from the inherent distrust that the internet brings with it. The anonymity provides a place where chaos and n'erdowells can flourish. This doesn't have to happen as the collective integrity of all members makes Flyertalk a relatively peaceful harbor along the rough open seas of the internet.

I hope to see the majority of people on here (at least I perceive it to be the large majority) continue to respect each other and maintain a place where people with similar interests can interact. This doesn't mean everybody always has to agree with each other; on the contrary, some of the best threads have been where a controversial topic gets lively and colorful. People simply need to "play fair" by being consistent with their handles.

A fun second nom de plume is fine for specific postings, but to assume other identities for the purpose of deceiving everyone and fomenting negatively goes completely against the norms and values that I see on this board.

I am a relative newcomer, but I definitely value what the people before me have created here. It is up to everybody to continue to make it work. Kind of like a modern democracy... maybe we shouldn't go there.

My $.02- Merry Christmas to everyone here!

Kevin