This is a very sad development for TB and for all of FT, as Dov has served the FT commmunity extremely well.

Dov is the perfect FT public servant, and so extremely well suited for the TB position, IMHO. He is one to emulate and has always done what he perceives is in the best interest of FT and all FT'ers.

I've been very busy offline in MCO, and now off to DAB to meet up with my son for the holiday. So I knew nothing about this at all.

All I can say is that I am saddened to hear of this development, hope everything works out well for Dov, and also, importantly, that I will do my absolute best for the FT community.

Mark

What does it say about me that my first thought on reading this was "how in the world would you fly MCO-DAB?" Then "isn't DAB served only by DL out of ATL? Are you really flying MCO-ATL-DAB?" and then I realized that it's really only about an hour's drive... :confused:

Doc, you will be a wonderful politician. The first two paragraphs in your post were nothing but lies.

However be careful: The last phrase, that you will do your absolute best for the FT community, is unquestionably the truth.

:p Oh, don't we all! :o

Dovster, thank you for your clarification.

No problem.

I think that this instance teaches us a very important lesson -- we should always try to establish rules before we know who is going to be effected by them.

When TB passed this one, we had no idea of who would gain or who would lose. FewMiles did not get called upon to replace anyone in 2004 and it was very possible that there would be no opening in 2005.

At the time it was theoretically possible that Doc would be the first runner up in 2005 and FewMiles the first runner up in 2006. If somebody left in 2006 it would FewMiles who would gain by this rule and Doc who would lose.

TB was able to look at the situation objectively simply because we did not know who it would impact and how. This would not be true today -- if we had to decide, following my announcement, who would be first in line there would be no question that it would boil down to a question of personalities and friendships. At that point, it would become a very dirty business.

---

Dov, thanks. As we all know, you indeed possess a wonderfully witty, as well as a delightfully self-effacing personality. :)

Truthfully, however, I am no politician, as anyone who knows me can surely tell you. Being far too straightforward, among various other faults, I simply can not speak from both sides of my mouth. ;) Yet, admittedly, I do talk far too much! :D And I can appreciate the value in getting things done as well as compromise.

The byword for me will always be "CITE'", (the site of the wonderful Catman-DO-3 in NYC), reflecting "consistency, integrity, transparency and equality" for all FT'ers.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as well as for your fine dedicated service to FT. Every effort will be made by me to emulate you, I can assure you.

Be well.

All the best,

Mark