While I trust this is not a huge inconvenience to some of our members, I've decided to give The Coupon Connection forum a time out as I review its current status as an active forum on FlyerTalk. I've become uncomfortable with some of the latest reports from members about activity within that forum and even more uncomfortable with the terms being used such as "buyer," "seller," "free enterprise," capitalistic market," etc. Those really don't align themselves to the principles that I had in mind when I first set up The Coupon Connection for readers of InsideFlyer magazine in the late 1980s. It was truly a connection of sorts for readers at that time of the magazine to give up, gratis, to other readers their unused and unwanted coupons and certificates with the idea that this is what we did -- help others with our discards seeking nothing more than the satisfaction that as a frequent traveler who had gained valuable information from InsideFlyer, the readers were just giving back. That same principle was originally introduced to FlyerTalk when founded -- make some one else's day better and along the way, yours might truly get better as well. As someone who has donated club passes, upgrades, free drinks, free awards, free hotel nights and more to our members, all without seeking any renumeration of the offer, I know it can still exist and does, though much more in an extreme minority role on FlyerTalk than I personally think is good. But that is my personal opinion.

So, I'll take some time to look over all the moving parts of this forum and really give it some thought as to some of the recent and other comments regarding activity there. From trading cards to other things, now seems like as good a time as any to say "time out," and give the forum the attention it deserves on behalf of our members. For some of you, maybe this "time out" will bring some attention to my original intent when introducing The Coupon Connection -- something you may not have been aware of. I can appreciate some of you will likely not be interested in my goals and just want to get back to "the action." That's cool, but can i just get you to appreciate it is also cool for me to on occasion feel the need to ponder some of the parts of this great resource we call FlyerTalk.

Here's a sampling of comments I am currently getting from members since the "time out."
- "I would like to express my thanks in the action you have taken. I have noticed a significant change in the Coupon Connection where it has almost become a mini-ebay of sorts and many participants only want what is good for themselves and not the community as a whole. "

- "as a frequent user of CC I am happy with your decision to give us all a time out; I for one am trying to bring this back if not to the good ole days. at least to a version of it when the spirit of FT was giving and small trades.."

- "I'd love to see cash taken out of Coupon Connection and get it back to how it was when I first joined FT. A lot of items then were just given away, and dollar values were not something that really factored in. If you change the rules I think Coupon Connection will get the Community feeling back that was lost."

- "Please consider taking the dollars off Coupon Connection (disguised as gift cards) and bringing it back to how it was originally set up."

- "I agree with your move. CC is in the "Community" section of FlyerTalk. In a "Community" one does not try to make the "best deal possible" as others have stated. "We" need to get back to that type of thought - CC being a community or family."

- "I agree - the prevalence of gift cards has turned the CC into a bazzaar. This is your forum and I will respect your choices. But if cash-substitutes will be permitted, and as access to the CC expands (which may reflect a measure of FT's success), I think there will be an inevitable race to the bottom."

- "I think you made a wise decision with the CC time-out. It has been getting very disheartening to see the types of posts there recently, especially as relates to the "karma" thread - I'm sure you heard about and/or saw that heated discussion."

- "Thumbs up, Randy. I would like to recommend increasing the post count and membership time requirements, and I agree that gift cards need to go."

- "good move - my only comment is that I think members should be able to offer FREE anything travel related."

- "I support your re-evaluation of coupon connection. Although I'm a fairly new member, I like the fact that people are constantly trying to help others through freely offering their advice and knowledge. And frankly it's nice to be able to pass on to others what I've learned (in personal experience as well as here) in FT. I tended to think of CC as an extension of this FT community spirit."

- "I strongly support any move you make to try to raise the respect level among members using CC -- I feel that certain less than respectful posts have no place on CC or FT in general. The recent post with the reverse bidding, particularly bothered me."

- "Having only been around CC for a few months, as it works now, CC clearly is more about math (value of what I can get for how little I can offer) than it is about travel. If it could be re-imagined into the place the veterans describe, a place for people to trade leftovers and gift things they can't use, that would be a great addition to FT."

- "Good move, Randy. I think that the gift cards really were where things got out of hand."

- One of my favorite PMs so far was just this link: http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/htm.../0210grec.html