What are we running it as then? I thought a popularity contest was precisely what this is, no? How else are we adjudicating between charities? Someone posts about one, a bunch of people like it, then you guys investigate and vote, right? Isn't that a popularity contest?

Nope. Our primary aim is to establish, for any charitable request, that the charity actually exists and is bona fide, and it's not just a scam which has been set up to fleece members.

Beyond that, it comes down to what each TB member considers appropriate for a charity on FT.

The main idea for publicising charitable requests was to bring openness into the process, so that those making the requests were aware that their request was in motion and hadn't fallen into a black hole.

As to the actual process, I suggest you go off and read what the application process is, since it's pretty obvious that you don't actually know.

I vote based on the worthiness of the charity, not how "popular" that charity might be.

Regardless of how 'popular' the American Airlines Free Beer for Elites Charity might be, I'd probably still vote it down.

Others, etc.

I'm just saying 1) 2 days of making the request "open" and available to other FTers to comment is not a long time and 2) it still seems like a popularity contest to me. Shrug.

But the board that this charity is intended for is wholly behind this charity. Given such a strong core of support for it, why do I need to wait around for people who aren't aware of its existence to comment on something when it's highly unlikely they'll even see the thread, unless they hang out on BA? Not everyone is a TB wonk, but we are here to represent all members, not just those who post frequently on the TB forum...

Jenbel, why not have your philosophy for all TB activities then? You could just as easily say the same should be done for forum requests. If people in the BA forum want a spinoff, why bother posting here? Just post to the TB private forum and vote.

Needless to say, I don't think your idea is a very good one. I think transparency as well as a sufficient debate period is wise. In this case I feel like we got neither. It was like pulling teeth just figuring out what this charity actually is and then we got a very short time to digest it.

Do you think that this charity should not have been approved?

Honestly - there was more debate about the AFTER vote than BEFORE the vote. If you don't agree that the charity is worthwhile don't give to it. Simple.

I don't think it is an automatic yes.


Yes let's have TB adopt that philosophy for everything. We'll create new forums for every request that comes along and then just tell folks, "Don't like it? Don't post there! Simple."

And for the TalkBoard it wasn't an automatic yes either. Research was done, and all TB members voted how they felt, based on the research done and based on the comments in this thread. Just because it looked quick and unanimous doesn't mean everyone just closed their eyes and clicked a button.

I'd love a straightforward answer though, do you think this shouldn't have been approved? You're free to do all the research you'd like and then get back to us, because it seems to me like you're more interested in just disagreeing than actually looking at the facts...

The entire point is that while TB had time to do the research, the members of FT did not. This makes me wonder why even post here about charities?

As for whether I would vote yes or no, I haven't had the luxury of time that you all had to do the research. So I don't know. ;)

I do know, however, that other charities have been nixed after proper research by the FT base has been conducted...

It's been three days since the thread was posted. Why haven't you had time? TB members only get a maximum of a week for their research...

It was 50 hours from thread opening to vote. I didn't have time to do my research in that window. But now there seems to be little point.

Shrug.

I encourage TB, as you are going through the guidelines, to rethink this whole charity approval "process."

See how you could have been spending your time instead of complaining? ;)

It's not a complaint; it is a suggestion to improve TB. But I wouldn't expect you to see it that way of course. ;)