Bruce, my objections are not with this TalkBoard or, for that matter, any particular TalkBoard (remember, I served on two of them).

My objections are based on the fact that the whole concept of TalkBoard, as representatives of the membership, is, and always has been, a farce. TB is restricted to making non-binding recommendations on the establishment of forums and setting its own rules.

To carry this to what may seem to be a ridiculous extreme, but has actually happened in one case, TalkBoard is not even allowed to decide what may or may not be discussed in a forum.

TalkBoard could, tomorrow, decide to establish a TAP Forum and refuse to establish one for Czech Airlines. As the moderators of a forum have sole power to determine what is acceptable on that forum, the new TAP forum mods could ban all discussion of TAP and allow only Czech Airlines posts.

Given its lack of any real authority, I think that TalkBoard should be abolished -- and at least there would be no more pretense that the ordinary members have elected representatives who make important decisions which impact them.

I get your point, but after all, FlyerTalk itself is a website owned by a private-sector company with ultimate authority over just about everything. If the owners want to have a TalkBoard as a pipeline to the membership, that's fine with me. I never had any illusions about our power -- or lack thereof.

Bruce

Yes, it is quite critical that IB pay for TB members to gather to discuss the burning issues of the day. In Pars. In first class. At the George V.

^

Do we get points at the George V? :confused: ;) :p :D

AFAIK TB has only met one time as a group & that was in Phoenix back in '08 (think that was it) when TB was doing a big overhaul of the guidelines (aided by our own koko) & a # of folk were in town for the Freddies and/or Mod Do the next day.

Cheers.

I feel it would be most unreasonable for this discussion to take place without the presence of some normal members to see fair play/tidy up the carcasses of the slain.

Therefore there is no practical difference for the requirement to pass a motion if there are 8 or 9 Talkboard members - 6 yes votes will always pass if 5 yes votes there must be no more than 2 no votes to pass, and 4 or less yes votes will always fail.

Yep, KKR ! The same that owns parts of and invests in many businesses all around the world ! The former owners of IB sold for over 1 billion USD. That would make posting legends contribution worth at least $10.99 :p ;) !

:D :D

Cheers.

We did this once in the 'Randy days' on the day before a Mods meeting. I seem to remember we paid our own way.

Bruce you are the actuary not me, but don't I recall that if say 2 or 3 members did NOT vote by choice, a motion could win on less than 5 votes?

I recall that at one point 2 TB members were suspended from FT and clearly could not vote, and that made for one interesting results as both were against the motion.

Or maybe the wording of the 66% vote was tweaked due to that. Long time back and cannot recall the exact details.

I'm not Bruce, but a motion cannot pass without a 2/3 majority of the TB members voting on it and a majority of the sitting TB, which means nothing less than 5 votes wins if there is a full 9-person (or even an 8-person) TB in place.

Yes, that's exactly right -- and I said "assuming no vacancies." Even with eight members (i.e., one vacancy), a majority is still 5.

Bruce

Thanks Bruce .. no one would ever give me a job handling Math or figures as I have clearly proven. :D

I do recall these was a TB rule once where 66% of the members needed to vote yes on something for it to pass, and when any were suspended or forget etc, shoe-in motions did not pass, so wording was fine tuned.
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I'm right there with you oz! :D

Cheers.