Does the Talk Board have a position on Talk Board members (and I would ask about moderators, too, but I am not supposed to talk about moderators in this forum) who openly mock other flyertalkers on other, similarly named IBBs as FT. How about a position on Talk Board members who conspire to act to manipulate FT on other, similarly named IBBs? Is there any sort of provision in the Talk Board constitution regarding conduct unbecoming of a Talk Board member and/or officer?

Do any of the individual Talk Board members have a particular position with regard to Talk Board members openly mocking other members of this community on other, similarly named IBBs as Flyertalk? Do any of you have a personal position with regard to Talk Board members who conspire to act to manipulate FT on other, similarly named IBBs?

Thank you in advance for your time and attention to my concern.

Is that any way to talk about moremiles.org?

The talkboard does not have a position as to what any member posts on other bulletin boards. I believe however that the moderators are drafting new guidelines in regards to those that posts links to such sites on FT.


I'm not sure what you mean here... manipulate in what way?


The Talkboard guidelines allow for removal of a Talkboard member by a 2/3 majority vote if the Talkboard feels that member is not fulfilling their obligation.


My position is... Talkboard members are elected. If you don't like the way they act, you can choose not to vote for them next time. Otherwise, they are members. "Open mocking" can take on many forms, be it posting rude things on a blog, parodying someones member name, villifying moderators, gossiping at Do's, or posting a trip report for a trip that was taken with another FTers spouse. It's all childish and immature, but it happens. We all have to take responsibility for our actions, and if my actions result in my not being re-elected, or voted off the island by my fellow TB members, then I can choose to believe that it was a vast conspiracy by those who dislike me, or I can take the time to weigh my FT contributions (good and bad) and use it as a growing opportunity.


I still don't get what you mean by this.

You're welcome muffin

I'm told a wise man once coined the term IJAFIBB. I urge the talkboard to adopt this particular stance in this and similar issues.

Further, I'm going to post the following without attribution, although it was originally posted by one of the people who have posted in this thread (since I'm betting it applies to "both sides" of whatever the original poster is referring to):

Ok, pookie, while much of this post mystifies me, I chalk that up to being in waaaay over my head. And this damn RAHR beer (brewed in Ft. Worth, not on Ted flights!)

OTOH, I forgive you for posting a trip report for a trip that was taken with my spouse. I think. So I hope no one doesn't vote for you for that.

My very first boss on Capitol Hill said something once: "You know what a good politician is? One that hasnt been caught yet." Present company excluded, naturally!!!!

I am fairly certain that it is a specific violation of FT TOS to post a direct quote without proper attribution. That said, IJAFIBB, so....

How many times does it have to be said: anything you post on the internet, you have to consider that it is being published on the front page of the nytimes...

You know what I DID notice!?!? The view count increased nearly identically to my tireflock.com thread over nearly the same time span.

What an odd coincidence.

You guys are SO going to miss me when I am no longer bored out of my gord in Fort Worth!!!

As I posted on April 8:

Once in a very rare while I also post at www.moremiles.org but in general I find that FlyerTalk satisfies my cyber needs.

This has the additional advantage of allowing others to insult me on tireflock without having to worry about wetting their panties when I reply.

TalkBoard has no position at all on other bulletin boards. My own position is that we have some members who feel the need to publish some childish garbage in order to satisfy their delusions of adequacy. It is better that they do it there than post something on FlyerTalk which will inflame feelings here.

IANAL. Once it's posted to FT, FT owns the copyright. Besides, I narrowed the field somewhat.

Why stop there? I want to know what the Talkboard thinks of members (all members, including those on the Talkboard, the Talkteam, the RV crew, the HOM, the OUM, the COE, and anyone else I missed) who "openly mock other flyertalkers" or "conspire to act to manipulate FT" in e-mail? Or, better yet: in person, offline?

I love a good slippery slope, don't you?

Or, we revert to IJAFIBB? Airlift out of DFW?

All I am suggesting is that as a matter of policy and decency those elected to 'represent' fters ought to refrain from mocking their 'constituents' in a semi-public forum. Call it free political consulting and/or anti-hypocrisy advice! And yes, jesus, deliver me from this god-forsaken city. Just kill me: I am already in hell.

Pseudo-dup. what is the tb policy on THAT?

I think that Missy raised an important point here.

In November, 5 of the 9 TalkBoard positions will be opening. Missydarlin, ScottC, Gleff, kempis, and Starwood Lurker's terms will all be up.

The following November, the remaining four terms (Attorney28's, WHarvey's, Spiff's, and mine) will end.

I am not going to guess who will run for re-election either time but I imagine that a number of us will.

Personally, I am going to cast my ballots based on the members voting records on TalkBoard. If they agree with me on what I consider important issues, I will most likely support them. If they disagree with me on these issues, I will definitely not support them.

I very strongly urge everyone to use that as their first basis in making their decisions (of course, each person deciding for himself what those issues are and how he feels about them).

However, general behavior also does play a part in deciding for whom you will vote. Even if you like an incumbent's voting record you may well feel that his entire body of posts, be it on FlyerTalk on on another bulletin board, are such that you do not want him representing you. (Conversely, this body of posts could influence you to vote for him.)

If you are unhappy with a moderator's acts your only recourse is to write to Randy about them but that is not true with TalkBoard. Here, you have several options:

1. You can decide to run for TalkBoard yourself.

2. You can actively support one or more candidates during the election (or post your disatisifaction with others).

3. Most importantly, you can vote.

TalkBoard is important and does play a large role in influencing the future of FlyerTalk -- please take the elections seriously.

Like Dovster, I agree that missydarlin raised a good point here - please keep this in mind when the next TalkBoard elections come around. Do not make the mistake to vote someone in who runs another Internet bulletin board or is active there and allows, condones or participates in mocking or derogatory activities as those very knowledgeably described in the above quote.

I fully agree that this type of behavior is childish and immature. If someone thinks they are very clever by posting their insults or mocking on another Internet bulletin board (outside of Flyertalk, so presumably not covered by the current TOS) and then making hidden references to that on Flyertalk for "insiders" to share a laugh about the target of their derogatory comments, at least do not elect that kind of people. That kind of behavior is not funny and/or clever, but childish, cliquish, and divisive.

That is my personal position on this topic. Like missydarlin said, (so far) there is no common position of the TalkBoard on this issue.

Now, if someone reads this post of mine and doesn't have any idea what I am talking about - I cannot be more specific here . However, there is the possibility to e-mail me through the board if anyone is really interested .

... but really, in the interest of full disclosure, let us all remember that there is more than one other Internet bulletin board out there being posted on. At least one has been known to be a refuge and other posting site when some folks have run afoul of the TOS at FT.

Glass houses and all that stuff....

You left out the more important second part of my sentence. "Seeking refuge" and posting somewhere else is one thing, but going somewhere else to post derogatory and mocking comments which would be a TOS violation at Flyertalk is another. There is no glass house with regards to the latter.

Techgirl, you are right. There is more than one other bulletin board. I don't think that mere posting on another board would be reason not to vote for someone. What is important is the content of the posts.

I will repeat here what I wrote a few posts earlier:

However, general behavior also does play a part in deciding for whom you will vote. Even if you like an incumbent's voting record you may well feel that his entire body of posts, be it on FlyerTalk on on another bulletin board, are such that you do not want him representing you. (Conversely, this body of posts could influence you to vote for him.)