Needed: A forum for travelers who smoke
Jun 23, 2015, 9:46 am
#151
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If we go forward with this, I'm not sure it should be called the Smokers' Lounge Forum. This could be confused with lounge threads in some of the fora on FT, which are social megathreads open to OT discussion. We want the title to reflect that it would be treated as a regular special interest forum.
For the experiment, to use Smokers' Lounge as the thread title might have been OK, but again I'm concerned that people could assume that it's like, for instance, the DL Lounge megathread in the DL forum.
For the experiment, to use Smokers' Lounge as the thread title might have been OK, but again I'm concerned that people could assume that it's like, for instance, the DL Lounge megathread in the DL forum.
Jun 23, 2015, 9:57 am
#152
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Ick.
I just went back and looked at the 2001 debate about the creation of the GLBT forum, both in the public and private TB forums.
I need to vomit and take a shower. Thank God society and attitudes have progressed so far since then.
Anyway, two of the non-offensive arguments made against the forum were:
1) Lack of demonstrated need, and
2) Segmentation of travel special interests would fragment the conversations
Interesting that those arguments are still made today.
It seems clear that some special interest forums get a good bit of use (GLBT, Womens) and others get relatively little (religious travelers, travel with pets). But each serves a niche community of like-minded folks with a common trait, and gives them a 'safe' place to talk about that topic (frankly I'd love to go into Travel With Children and shame the hell out of anyone who puts screaming toddlers in premium cabins or airport lounges...but those are safe zones so I refrain...
).
I see no reason not to give smokers the same opportunity. They are, after all, the last group of people who it seems are ok to hate in the world.
Ugh. I can't get some of those arguments against the GLBT forum out of my head. So depressing. So damn depressing how backward so many people were so recently.
Fair point. It ought to match the other special interest travel forum titles. I.e., Travelers who Smoke. Or Smokin' Travelers (but then Dovster could not participate! )
I just went back and looked at the 2001 debate about the creation of the GLBT forum, both in the public and private TB forums.
I need to vomit and take a shower. Thank God society and attitudes have progressed so far since then.
Anyway, two of the non-offensive arguments made against the forum were:
1) Lack of demonstrated need, and
2) Segmentation of travel special interests would fragment the conversations
Interesting that those arguments are still made today.
It seems clear that some special interest forums get a good bit of use (GLBT, Womens) and others get relatively little (religious travelers, travel with pets). But each serves a niche community of like-minded folks with a common trait, and gives them a 'safe' place to talk about that topic (frankly I'd love to go into Travel With Children and shame the hell out of anyone who puts screaming toddlers in premium cabins or airport lounges...but those are safe zones so I refrain...
). I see no reason not to give smokers the same opportunity. They are, after all, the last group of people who it seems are ok to hate in the world.
Ugh. I can't get some of those arguments against the GLBT forum out of my head. So depressing. So damn depressing how backward so many people were so recently.
If we go forward with this, I'm not sure it should be called the Smokers' Lounge Forum. This could be confused with lounge threads in some of the fora on FT, which are social megathreads open to OT discussion. We want the title to reflect that it would be treated as a regular special interest forum.
For the experiment, to use Smokers' Lounge as the thread title might have been OK, but again I'm concerned that people could assume that it's like, for instance, the DL Lounge megathread in the DL forum.
For the experiment, to use Smokers' Lounge as the thread title might have been OK, but again I'm concerned that people could assume that it's like, for instance, the DL Lounge megathread in the DL forum.
)
Jun 23, 2015, 10:08 am
#153
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I do not believe that showering in vomit will resolve anything.
I agree — for what it is worth...
It seems clear that some special interest forums get a good bit of use (GLBT, Womens) and others get relatively little (religious travelers, travel with pets). But each serves a niche community of like-minded folks with a common trait, and gives them a 'safe' place to talk about that topic.
I see no reason not to give smokers the same opportunity. They are, after all, the last group of people who it seems are ok to hate in the world.
I see no reason not to give smokers the same opportunity. They are, after all, the last group of people who it seems are ok to hate in the world.
Jun 23, 2015, 11:43 am
#154
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If we go forward with this, I'm not sure it should be called the Smokers' Lounge Forum. This could be confused with lounge threads in some of the fora on FT, which are social megathreads open to OT discussion. We want the title to reflect that it would be treated as a regular special interest forum.
For the experiment, to use Smokers' Lounge as the thread title might have been OK, but again I'm concerned that people could assume that it's like, for instance, the DL Lounge megathread in the DL forum.
For the experiment, to use Smokers' Lounge as the thread title might have been OK, but again I'm concerned that people could assume that it's like, for instance, the DL Lounge megathread in the DL forum.
Jun 23, 2015, 11:59 am
#155
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Jun 23, 2015, 12:37 pm
#156
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The Smoking Jacket
It sounds upscale, I suppose...
It sounds upscale, I suppose...
Jun 23, 2015, 12:42 pm
#157
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Travels with Tobacco?
Is the intent here to exlude the smoking of substances other than tobacco?
Is the intent here to exlude the smoking of substances other than tobacco?
Jun 23, 2015, 12:44 pm
#158
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Jun 23, 2015, 12:47 pm
#159
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Jun 23, 2015, 12:50 pm
#160
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Jun 23, 2015, 12:50 pm
#161
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To me, the word guide has connotations of a travel book, not an open forum for discussion and participation. Also, isn't travel better idiomatic English/American than traveling (whether with one or two Ls).
Jun 23, 2015, 12:56 pm
#162
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Jun 23, 2015, 2:45 pm
#163
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This forum will never meet those criteria before it actually exists for reasons I have pointed out in this thread:
1. Smokers are hesitant to ask about smoking facilities as it invariably leads to anti-smoking rants.
2. Moderators tend to close the threads because of those rants (or even fear of upcoming rants).
3. It crosses forum lines. A smoker, for example, might prefer a HHonors hotel but if none is available he will go to a different chain (as I did this year at ATL).
4. Local forums are not helpful as locals generally do not stay in hotels in their own cities and don't know which allow smoking.
5. A master thread in any forum would be unworkable as it would be too wide to be useful (imagine trying to find something which includes hotels in Prague, car rentals in Vegas, restaurants in Florida, and airport facilities in Milan in such a megathread).
Now, think about a forum where no more than, say, 200 members of FT are able to find information which is very important to them and explain how that is harmful to this site.
1. Smokers are hesitant to ask about smoking facilities as it invariably leads to anti-smoking rants.
2. Moderators tend to close the threads because of those rants (or even fear of upcoming rants).
3. It crosses forum lines. A smoker, for example, might prefer a HHonors hotel but if none is available he will go to a different chain (as I did this year at ATL).
4. Local forums are not helpful as locals generally do not stay in hotels in their own cities and don't know which allow smoking.
5. A master thread in any forum would be unworkable as it would be too wide to be useful (imagine trying to find something which includes hotels in Prague, car rentals in Vegas, restaurants in Florida, and airport facilities in Milan in such a megathread).
Now, think about a forum where no more than, say, 200 members of FT are able to find information which is very important to them and explain how that is harmful to this site.
Jun 23, 2015, 3:24 pm
#164
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Cancer Stick Addicts forum? 
Jun 23, 2015, 3:26 pm
#165
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I'd just call it 'Travellers who smoke' or something like that. I don't think some kind of fancy/catchy title would be helpful - it should blend in alongside the other specialist travel forums (GLBT, Religious etc).