skofarrell

If elected, any member can PM or email me when there's an issue near and dear to their heart (and I'm assuming if the issue is near/dear they will lobby the heck out of the entire TalkBoard). Anyone running I'm sure will agree that their door is always open.

I think the broader question is how do we reach the lurkers or more casual members?

I propose that the Talkboard forum needs to be better utilized. A sticky post communicating bio information on the current TB members are, and how they can be reached is needs to be created.

I'm with CluebyFour in that the Announcement feature of the board should also be better utilized. When discussion of a vote is open, it would be helpful to have a board wide announcement communicating what is being discussed with a redirect to the TB forum.

kokonutz

If elected to the TB, I make three solemn vows with regard to member communication and openness:

1) I will immediately change my signature to something along the lines of "Do you have an idea to improve the FT experience? I'm a member of the Talkboard, so please PM me and tell me about it!" Why all TB members haven't always done this is mystifying to me.

2) I will NOT wait for a whip-counted super-majority to make a motion on an issue. I will endeavor to force votes and make TB members go ON THE RECORD on each and every suggestion brought to the TB's attention whether I support that initiative or not. Posters deserve to have their ideas at least brought to a vote and not linger in parliamentary limbo indefinitely.

2) If Randy continues to not allow all posters to have read-only access of TB deliberations (something that I would support even over Randy's objections if I am elected to the TB) I will NOT agree to nor abide by any secrecy agreements or requirements that as a member of the TB I refrain from talking about TB deliberations, nor refrain from describing my own NOR other TB members' positions on issues as relayed in the private Talkboard forum. This is NOT Fight Club, folks. The more open and talked about issues are the better. Besides, secrecy agreements and censorship are dumb in theory and a joke in practice.

Cholula

My WAG is that we have fewer than 5,000 active members and by active I mean those who log-on to FT and post more than once a week.

And, IMO, the overwhelming majority are simply not interested in either the mechanics or the politics of FlyerTalk.

So no matter what type of outreach program we use, we'd better be ready to be disappointed when we don't find legions of FT'ers who share our enthusiasm for TalkBoard matters.

My feeling is that the best way to reach those who might be interested is through TalkMail. It reaches every registered FT'er whether they log-on or not and whether they have zero posts or a thousand.

Plus TalkMail is written much better and wittier than in the past and this is thanks to it's new author, the HOM's own Mikel at Webflyer.

I say we lobby for a small section of each TalkMail and list the current topics under discussion with links to the threads. That way any interested party can easily find the topic and join in on the discussion if they desire.

kanebear

Any way I can get that input! PM, Email, the TalkBoard Forum, TalkMail... I would even like to try out scheduled TalkBoard 'town-hall' sessions whereby we can interact with members directly and hear their concerns.

Furthermore, I'd love to see a 'suggestions' link placed on every page view whereby member suggestions can be most easily submitted to TalkBoard for consideration and action. Whatever it takes to best assist FlyerTalkers in contacting and communicating their concerns and wishes to TalkBoard in the most efficient and rapid manner, no matter how minor.

Cholula

<bolding above is mine>

It's worth singling out this statement so it doesn't get lost in the shuffle.

Before I joined TB, deliberations were entirely secret. It was loosened a bit to allow public discussion of one's own position and/or statements made in the private forum.

To publicly state that you intend to violate the current rules of the TB and to leak whatever you wish to whoever you wish is "interesting" to say the least.

RichMSN

I'm with kokonutz to a point.

I believe every idea proposed by a member should come up to a vote, not just ones that TB thinks will pass.

Therefore, at least 2 members, if elected, would make everything transparent and it sounds like every motion put forward would have a second and come to a vote.

I would abide by the group's decision and rules, but it would be clear to everyone who elected me that I dissented and why. It would also put everyone on TB on the public record how they feel about transparency.

kokonutz

In heaven all the interesting people are missing.
Friedrich Nietzsche ^

To be clear: I would do everything I could to to allow open communication between TB members and posters. I would do this by:

- Making a motion that all TB deliberations be open to all posters on a read-only basis. If this were voted down or otherwise rejected I would

- Freely post my own opinion as well as the specific reasons (in my view) that a specific issue received a specific action or non-action by the TB in the open TB forum in response to passionate posters who have petitioned for a new forum, a change or a clarification.

I will not abide by secrecy oaths or requirements that leave posters wondering how or why their idea was or was not addressed. I just wont.

These 'leaks' are a common occurrence anyway. I'm simply saying I will talk about what the TB is talking about openly and with the courage of my convictions.

If that makes me 'interesting,' I'll take that as a compliment.

Cholula

Oh, interesting you certainly are. And entertaining as well.

But we're electing a team here that will work together to make FlyerTalk a better place tomorrow than it was today.

If we end up with nine mavericks who pick and choose what rules they wish to follow and abide by, I don't see how that makes TB an effective or useful body.

If a truly open TB is one of your passions and you are elected, I'd suggest finding a majority of like-minded TB members and making this happen through the system we have in place.

i know that doesn't fit your Rebel Without A Cause persona but it's a procedure that has worked quite well for FT through the years.

RichMSN

The system "we have in place"?

You sound like an incumbent. As far as I'm concerned, the whole "system" is up for debate and alteration as soon as the new TB is seated.

kokonutz

Oh, I've GOT a cause. But everything else you say is very true. God knows Martin Luther wasn't 'playing team ball' as he nailed his theses to Wittenberg Cathedral's door.

And the election results of the past few elections certainly do corroborate your implication that voting posters prefer candidates who say the 'right' things during the election. None of the TB members who have been elected then gone on to leak TB deliberations to me ever ran on that platform. Maybe that's why they won! @:-)

I guess I dont care enough to serve to not be perfectly honest and forthcoming during the campaign about my intentions once elected.

If that makes me 'unelectable,' I'll take THAT as a compliment as well!!!

Cholula

Don't get me wrong. I give you six points for your honesty.

ClueByFour

It's like this: If kokonutz does as he said he'll do, all it really does is move the discussion off the board and onto other forums that he's not privy to.

While I appreciate his candor, it's a pretty trivial technical hurdle to overcome.

Now he is correct in that the nature of all the leaks from such forums are usually social, and not technical, in nature. That's not nearly as easy to solve. It's harder to work around one member scorned than one announced maverick, much to the chagrin of my friend and colleague from Virginia .

kanebear

By the same token you sound like someone more interested in challenging and debunking others than putting forth your own platform and ideas.

Cholula

That I am.

And darn proud of it, thank you very much.

I was very grateful and pleased to be elected two years ago and I'll be equally pleased if I am so fortunate as to be re-elected.

Some of the qualities I bring to TB are teamwork, consensus building and an ability to work within an established framework of rules. And I don't give my fellow TB members the one finger salute and go about things my own way.

An individual TB member is totally ineffective if s/he cannot convince a majority of the other TB members to support his/her position. One can have the best ideas in the world and be uber-passionate about an issue but, without finding four other TB members who share your view, that issue is a non-starter.

kokonutz

You and I have debated this over pints and while I'm a little dry at the moment I dont mind doing it again here. So:

No it wont. What it will do is force TB members to think long and hard about their arguments and stated positions, because those arguments and positions are going to be public knowledge one way or the other.

If TB members either in clicks or en mass go to private communication and vote without deliberating on the TB forum that fact will become public knowledge as well.

There is no better motivator for excellence in politics than full disclosure and openness. You are either fer it or you are agin' it.

I'm for it. No matter the tactics required to achieve it.

The REAL question is why on Earth are people against open talkboard deliberations (with a VERY few minor exceptions)!?!?!!?!?