I dunno, JMHO, but that's what a DO is. And there is a fine line between the speaker (or the attraction) being the airport director, or a higher-up from an airline, and a super-expert FlyerTalker in my view. The former certainly builds community. Does the latter?

But it's clear that CommunityBuzz is a forum about the community of people who care too much about points and miles, ie about each other and ourselves collectively.

If you actually want to talk about miles and points, you do that in MileBuzz or in the specific program forum, not in CommunityBuzz.

So it makes sense that get-togethers that are focused on the community and social aspects of getting together whether that be to fly around the country or world, tour airports (as I did at a Burbank Do), ride boats, visit castles, eat dinner, get drunk, get laid or otherwise interact with other FTers, then community is the place for it.

Get togethers based on providing miles and points services such as mile and point seminars belong somewhere else. IMHO, in a new forum that deals with commercial mile and point services.

Get togethers of frequent flyers have long belonged in the Community Forum.

In fact, the forum description is:
It certainly is not (nor does it say anywhere in the TOS), "Discussions of Getting Drunk, Getting Laid, and Visiting Castles, No Other Topics Of Interest Of the General Membership May Be Discussed at Events Here."

If someone wants to pass a rule that says only get togethers that are primarily about geting drunk, getting laid, eating dinner and visiting castles are permissable there. And get togethers of frequent flyers who want to talk about miles and points are not, then fine.

That seems pretty damaging to a community of, you know, frequent flyers to me. But I'm not on TalkBoard anymore. So it ain't my call. @:-)

At least the cards are on the table. ^

Lol, I'm not on the TB anymore so I can't make that motion.

And while I could certainly start another thread on this topic with that specific recommendation, I've made my specific recommendation crystal clear in this thread...isn't one thread on this issue enough? ;) :D

Do we really talk about miles and points anymore? I'd say most of the conversation in the airline forums relates to more operational aspects of each carrier.

The implication is that real discussion about the best way to accrue/reedem miles/points occurs at these seminars and that the discussion of them has moved offline.

Maybe I'm wrong, but other than the MilesBuzz forum there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of Miles/Points discussion, at least compared to the past. :confused:

I think everyone needs to go take a lap.

There is merit to both sides of the argument, but I think we are trying to legislate "intention", which can't be done. We can legislate specific actions, but that will IMO make those who volunteer to host do's that much more reluctant to do so.

I'd hate to see us start toying with semantics to legitimize what is likely to be the exact same event.

What if the thread said 'Come to Des Moines, learn all sorts of valuable information at expert sessions, and get to know some of your fellow frequent flying fanatics. $49 covers food, drinks, and fun! See you there... '

Randy always allowed a little leeway for "commercial" ventures that were products from members of the community for members of the community. This is kind of where I see that falling.

I'd like to see the TB stay out of Do planning, please.

missy-

I'm gonna have to put on my 'koko' hat here........

WHICH members of FT community would really qualify for the 'little leeway for commercial ventures'. Will qualification be based on number of posts, number of helpful posts, number of years on FT, how tight (or not) with Randy/IB/TB/Moderators, perceived content/quality of their proposed Do, financial strip search or white collar criminal database check for possible past infractions, ....you get my drift

Well, and private list-servs and word of mouth networks. ;)

Gotta stay a step ahead of those nasty buggers who make point offers and set fare buckets and so forth. :p

That's a reasonable question to ask, and one that I had never considered because I for one, at least, as a speaker who was invited and who got tons of thanks at the time of Chicago for turning up by around 400 Frequent flyers.

It hadn't occurred to me that beaubo, or ingy, or lucky9876coins, or Bikeguy, or I were doing anything detrimental to community.

And I haven't really seen much of an argument in this thread about how we/they are.

But if we are, and I respect your opinion, then I genuinely would step back and say 'hey, that wasn't what I was going for here' and no reason to show up at these things, happy not to do anymore (though of course I would honor the two outstanding commitments I already have).

:rimshot:

Y'know, this thread is building community, kinda like OMNI (power to the posters!)

I may just hit 25,000 posts here yet...

You'll have to ask Randy what his qualification was. But I know that Viajero Joven did some seminars, and offered Mileage Run planning services on FT. KVS has been allowed to freely advertise their tool... which I believe requires a paid subsription? Randy promoted your Competitours product by running a contest.

Ha! you wish...

It takes a lot more to get attention than most realize. Bad Dog!

Another 'Koko'-ism (thats a compliment in your ability to think about so many different scenarios).

If Seminars are not allowed in C-Buzz, but someone posts a 'Post-Chicago Seminar DO' without any links to that Seminar, but invites 'Chicago Seminar participants to stick around afterwards for this strictly social DO', will this be allowed/unedited in C-Buzz?

If it is not allowed because of the allusion to a TOS-forbidden 'commercial' reference, then is it safe to say that all C-Buzz DOs that take place at locales with 'commercial' intent- local restaurant, bar, palace, airport , etc. will also be disallowed or moved to the proposed 'Commercial' forum??

If only seminar participants were invited, then it would be verboten simply because it wasn't open to all members of the community.

But otherwise, it wouldn't be any different than me saying "hey, I know there are a bunch of us in Vegas for CES, who wants to meet for drinks on Thursday night?

So much for internet communication!!!!

I meant that question of "WHICH" FTers would be qualified to run events 'for the community' as a jest. Just to show how a simple principle like Randy's can get totally gummed up when over-analyzed!

I am pretty sure Randy's criteria was always based on some perceived RELEVANCE (KVS, Viajero Joven, etc.) and/or UNIQUENESS (Competitours, Global Scavenger Hunt, Star Mega Do, etc). Trying to replicate his singular vision with a committee standard like TB, would be a headache/catfight......hence my 'WHICH' FTers would or would not be bequeathed question.