Ohh Ohh. Will you beat me with an umbrella too?

RESULTS AS OF NOW:

The results since I began this experiment yesterday are mixed. As anyone who read this thread can easily see, some people embraced the idea, others giggled at it, and some unpleasant remarks were exchanged.

On other threads on this forum there was also some unpleasantness and some very obvious baiting.

On the very positive side, not one single candidate for TalkBoard posted in any way which could possibly be seen as objectionable even by his most ardent critic.

I have no idea if what I posted here was responsible for that or if it was purely a matter of coincidence but I am very encouraged by it. To that end, I will repeat what I said yesterday that I hoped I would be able to: I will not attack anyone today.

I truly want to be able to make that promise every single day until this very disruptive election we have been experiencing is over.

not even me?

Not even you, and if you had it wouldn't have counted as you are -- unfortunately -- no longer a candidate.

what discipline!

And I will not call anybody a "poophead" for 36 hours!

Dov, dear as you can see there is much to do here.

Analise, I disagree. I don't think there is much to do at all.

True, one person got in his little giggle at my way of cooling things down, but that is not so horrible. He may well come back again to titter at the last sentence in this post but that is his own decision.

Much more importantly, everybody else has calmed down.

Yesterday this was true of all the candidates; today it is true of our supporters as well. This might be because all the venom has already been spent or possibly this thread had something to do with it. The reason is not important, the fact of it is.

Thus, I am very happy to repeat what I promised the past two days: I will not attack anyone today.

I think we can also call it progress!

I hope a few of you don't mind if i chime in here. I'm likely to say a few things that some of you may take personally, but is assue you that is not my intent. My intent is simply to present a few 'facts.'

I view this thread similar to the antics of those members who from time-to-time seem to need to attract attention to "quitting" FlyerTalk. Can they simply discontinue posting? Apparently not without making a scene, and in some cases, it is clearly a bigger 'scene' than they made why contributing to FlyerTalk.

My point-of-view (and it may likely disconnect from yours) is this is one of those 'doom and gloom' threads. Things are so bad around here, everyone is so depressed, and everyone is in harms way of FlyerTalk being ripped apart. Again, simply what I am reading from this.

At the start, i said I'd just point out some facts. Your emotions, your bias, your involvement may view these differently than I do, but nonetheless, it might be something for you to try and connect with. This thred is two days old and it has attracted 660 (?) page views during this time. In the last two days on FlyerTalk, we have experienced nearly 11.5 million - yes MILLION page views from the members and lurkers on this Web site. Would please step back for just a second and tell me how 660 compares to amost 12 million. Take out your calculator and do this math. In my mind, the overwhelming - and the math is very compelling on this - number of members of FlyerTalk seem to be content and focused on getting their information about miles, points and travel from FlyerTalk. As well during these two days, there were 12 members who posted on this page. During the very same two days, we had a total of 102,313 visitors to FlyerTalk - members and lurkers combined. Again, I invite you to do the math.

OK, I accept that this issue may be a real concern to some of you, but frankly, i think your public doom and gloom is not a realistic view. I compleletely understand that you do not see this side of FlyerTalk as I do, but I hope you understand that I do not completely see this side of FlyerTalk that you are referring to. And if I did, what might I see - a group of members, probably less than 50 in total, telling me that the sky is falling. Call me an optomist. Call me living in a world of rose-colored glasses, but at least respect that my point-of-view is formed by the facts - that an overwhelming number of members of this board are rather enjoying it.

I'll give you the same perspective I give myself on FlyerTalk - when sticking to the issues of travel, miles and points, I don't offend anyone and I gain value to myself and those around me.

I did think about closing this thread, but you know what, it may tell more about a few of you if i left it open and you continue with your doomsday forcasting. I'm not embarassed by my point-of-view of FlyerTalk.

Now, I was thinking of clicking by the Delta forum as i was interested in the thoughts of members about Deltas's seemingly close call to the edge of bankruptcy. Anyone going my way?

Randy, let me ask you one question: Were you happy with the level of the posts on TalkBoard a few days ago?

If you were, we can go back to them. Frankly, I was not.

Once again: avoid this forum (and ORP), and you'd have no idea there were any problems on FT.

In other words, avoid the "cliques", the politics, the "grandstanding", and spend more time with the purpose fo the board (points/miles), and you won't share the gloom/doom.

Thank you Randy.

I have always felt the "Look at me! I'm boycotting!" threads have always been distasteful and a little desperate looking.

Jeremy: Nice to see you are posting in a normal font, thanks.
SKofarrel: The politics are what made me change my mind.
Randy: I sent a PM on this topic.

All: If anyone has interpreted my actions as "grandstanding", my apologies. After I started the thread and received the info I needed, I contacted John and asked him to close the thread, for that very reason, I did/do not want that kind of activity. I agree, it is distracting form the mission of this board.
I believe any and all other comments were made in fun with a light hearted approach, if they were interpreted otherwise, one of us may need to evaluate our sense of humor.

Unfortunately, many love these 3 topics and continue to dredge them up. I have to agree with Randy that FT, even with the latest events (Omni and the like), FT is a great and positive resource. I appreciate the information and communication that I engage in. Eventhough I would like to see Omni return with strict guidelines, I see FT with those same Rose colored glasses as Randy does along with many others as well.

I was neither happy nor unhappy as I have not had the time to read each and every thread and post the last few days, having been traveling. However, with a few minutes this morning, i did make an effort to peruse through several of the threads and indeed, I was not happy. You will notice that I have taken a lot of liberty to direct the threads back to their intended purposes. During that process, I found that the actions that were necessary were only the result of postings by no more than four members who got things off topic. Four members. Four good members to FlyerTalk, who nonetheless have in the past and probably today would point out similar observations as yours. Sometimes in the effort to "save" ourselves, we become a danger to ourselves. I would ask you as well and any others, forget about saving yourself from FlyerTalk, save it for others and in that process, you will save it for yourself. I spend what time i can devote to FlyerTalk with only one goal, saving it for you and the next person who posts here. I have a lot of respect for you Dovster and there's nothing you have done recently to change that opinion, but you might consider this and a few of you others that have similar concerns as this member: you have not been able to change FlyerTalk. That task is simply too big considering the size of the community. Nor is it likely you will be able to change it with the same tactics you have tried to use over and over for the past year. I admire your efforts. I applaud your concern. I thank you for being a member. Having said all that, there's really just one thing I really wish you'd consider. Instead of you trying to change FlyerTalk, step back and help me change FlyerTalk. There's a time when sometimes I have to observe, there's simply too many chefs in the kitchen. I am the head cook and bottle washer around here and that is not likely to change for the immediate future of FlyerTalk. The simple explanation, help me help you rather than you helping yourself.

Here's an instance whereby you and I might differ. You started a thread asking candidates of TalkBoard - of which you yourself are one - for their thoughts on a forum for religous travelers. In your opening post, where I would think you would offer your own opinion on that forum idea and then leave the stage for other candidates to state their opinion. You did not do that despite asking that question. You go on about Spiff's position and the TalkBoard. As a member, I clciked there looking to read positions, not debate, afterall, your thread topic is a "Question" to the candiates. Not only that, but you have now posted in that thread three times, debating others opinions. You did not label that thread a debate. While I hear you above, I am reminded in this example of something else.

End of sermon.