I almost never post anything other than travel topics anymore, but I'll make an exception here.

I've been here for quite a while. History is a great teacher. Let me tell you what will happen on Flyertalk now.

Some people have announced that they are leaving the board. They probably will do so. A few may lurk for a while, some may come back for a minimal involvement. But their expertise and the spirit that they loaned to this board is gone.

Some will say that they should have ignored the revolting things that bothered them. Some will say good riddance, we need no old-timer, prima donna, self important jerks. Some will lament about how sorely they will be missed. Still others, new to the board will wonder what's going on, not realizing the loss.

The good folks that run this Bulletin Board will take only the bare minimum action they deem absolutely necessary (perhaps editing a member's post or asking a member via e-mail to 'cool-down' or 'lay-off'.) They will do nothing about moderators or fees or mailing addresses or any of the other pleading recommendations that have been made over the years. It is not in their best interest to do anything that will lower the hit-count of the board. They are in business here, and they have every right to keep their interests above ours.

There will then be a period of self reflection, where our hosts will just allow the debate and dialog about the events to work itself to a crescendo and then peter-out. In a few days, the conversation will go back to miles and points and things unrelated to miles and points - just like nothing happened.

Sadly however, something has happened. The signal to noise level will have lowered substantially. The quality and intelligence of this community will be considerably lessened. We will have died another little death - the latest in a string of them.

Close your eyes. Imagine you are at the PIP dinner in Hawaii. Look around the room at the joy on the faces. The beauty and quality of the birth of a special community, and the caring people who (for no profit) organized the event. How many of those people are still here? How many of the ones that are still here choose to participate to the level that they once had?

How do we live with ourselves knowing two of the four organizers of that event have had all of the garbage they can tolerate and have publicly announced their departure, a third was insulted and has threatened leaving over an e-mail he felt was at best misdirected, and the fourth so scarce on these boards that I'd almost forgotten to include her.

Make no mistake about it, this community is dying. It has allowed inappropriate and off-topic members to overtake those of quality. It has descended to a game where the loudest and/or most frequent voice wins, and where a continuous lack of action by our hosts is touted by some to be continuous acceptance of retrograde behavior. It has forced the quality people among us to choose between joining in the sniping or running away.

Flyertalk is dead, long live just another internet bulletin board. Welcome to AOLYahooCompuserveYakEIEIO. Long live Flyertalk.