Deleted Thread: London Explosions
 

Sarvowinner found it for us:

http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...p;tid=34648244

It's in two parts - this is the 2nd.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2

Here's a full url for the second part -- thanks Sarvowinner!
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34648245

Although you could add it as a response to the first part.

Thanks sfowler
I'll do that. It's easier to comment to rather than clicking on threads.

ttt

I also wrote to them letting them know how I felt and also asking them to restore the thread, minus any political posts which they see fit to remove first.

I found the thread comforting and supportive yesterday and, at first, couldn't understand why, when I clicked on it under my name, I couldn't view it. Very sad. The lazy way out instead of removing the one or two contentious posts within it.

ttt

Here are the links to some of the original [deleted] threads.

I tried to top the original copy that I pasted (I know that sounds like a contradiction but I'm sure you know what I mean)- the thread is still there but I can't post a reply?? Not sure why?? Is it a problem again with Fodors editors?

Yes, the Fodor's editors in their wisdom (?!?) can stop a thread, i.e., make it impossible for new messages to be added.

"I also hope those of you who seriouslry think of deserting the fodor's cimmunity will take the time to write directly to the editors to tell them."

I wouldn't send any form of complaint to an unknown person who has the ability to trash the message and/or prevent anyone in authority from reading it. Personally, I thought the massive "email the editors" thread was a complete wasted effort. Do any of you think those emails were viewed by anyone who really cared about your complaints?

The forum probably has only one or two young people overseeing it and I'm sure it isn't a full-time, exclusive position. I'm also sure it doesn't pay well. They do have the power to set the tone and control the postings, however.

In Fodor's Site Map, in "About Us," you can find the following information:

"Key Executives:

Peter Olson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Random House, Inc.

David Naggar, President, Random House Audio, Diversified, Travel, and Information Groups

Tim Jarrell, Vice President and Publisher, Fodors LLC"

I'm sure the NY address is listed there, too. A letter expressing "editor" discontent and mailed to all three individuals might effect some well needed changes.

The forum is free but Fodor's products are not. Advertisers pay to be here and that fee is determined by the number of Fodorites visiting the forum. You volunteer to offer travel expertise here. If that simple concept is not respected, you have the power to opt out and explain why. In this case, snail mail can be better than email.

Again, to remember the bravery of the people of London:

http://www.werenotafraid.com/


BC

<<Do any of you think those emails were viewed by anyone who really cared about your complaints?>>

No, but when 75 copies of the same thread were mailed to the [email protected] - - I think that at a minimum, it got mentioned over coffee from the flunkie to a superior, in some sense of the word.

And it did get a reply here on the forum, whether appreciated or not.

Best wishes,

Rex

I completely understand that a commercial enterprise like Fodors may be concerned about their image and about complaints they get about threads.

However places like google's groups
rec, travel, europe
don't have anybody charged with maintaining their corporate image and empowered to make deletions.

It's a place where we can all be adults-- post what we want, read what we want, fight if we want, ignore ...etc.
And we'll never have problems finding an old post again.

The final straw for me:
Billynbetty (or bettynbilly's post on trenitalia seems to be gone.
This certainly wasn't political, and it wasn't even offensive. Just a bit of comedy, and it seems to be deleted.
Good grief.

ttt

I can't tell you much about the reasons why a particular thread on one of the forums might be deleted, thoguh it usually seems to me that it's a TOS violation or a thread that devolves into a shouting match. (I'm just an editor on the book-side and don't have ANYTHING to do with the policing of the forums or the web site.) However, I can tell you that the emails you send to [email protected] are processed by junior assistants but are then forwarded to the destination editors, and that group includes me. Many of us also try to post on the forums from time to time when we come across a topic that we can say something useful about (or, as some of you may feel, not so useful). I get tons of emails through the web site---particularly about the Caribbean---and I read all of them. Even if you get a generic response, the actual email often finds its way to the writer so we can address issues in the next update (or immediately if it's something more urgent).

Doug,
If you're not involved in removing posts, perhaps you can tell us who does that?

YB