It's neither very civil nor accurate to use the word "cabal" nor to assign responsibility to one person for what has indeed been a FlyerTalk annual event and community wide opportunity to participate in FT community building. It is OBVIOUSLY supported by FlyerTalk, or IB would not have added a community event participation icon (such as the Santa or I voted icons).

You can choose, and apparently have chosen, not to participate. Goodonya. You have registered your opposition here, it has been noted and is under consideration by Admin. Any more and it will certainly feel to me dead equines are being flogged mercilessly and unnecessarily.

(I, for one, find it hard to believe anyone who is regularly on FT reads every profile block, is incensed by one measly icon many feel proud of - while apparently managing to get by without being affected by the many advertisements that pay for the platform that gives us this free forum BBS.)