Dave

But, please, please read this whole 'post' before condemming me! <BR> <BR> <BR>At least I'm "topper #2" anyway! I've been away for a couple of days, actually working, and I come back to "topper bashing!" It took me a looong time to read all the "topper" posts, and now I feel horrible! <BR> <BR> <BR>I did not just become a "topper" overnight. It all started with the "New To This Forum, Look Here First" Posts (two come to mind) and the controversy that surrounded them. Someone or someone(s) started using these "uptothetop.com" alias address(es). I thought a LOT of people were using the "uptothetop.com" address! I had not liked the "New to This Forum..." idea originally (and had said so), but I promised to, "...help in anyway that I could." So, once others started "bad mouthing" and condemming the people responsible for them, I started using it also! I'm still not sure that there is not several more "toppers" (besides myself and whomever else it was that started using them first). But, I do not think that they will admit to it now!!! I'm really certain that I know who one of them is/are, but unless I see, read, or hear of some 'evil' that they have done, I will not 'turn them over to THIS lynch mob!' <BR> <BR>I admit I used the "up to the top" on several other occassions, like for my "Your Worst Meal Was?" post. I did it because I noticed that there was a lot of "new blood" on our forum. And, I had been hoping to learn what or how certain (good and bad) foods were spelled and pronounced in French and Italian. Was, or is, that so wrong? Now I feel hurt and under attack. Has the (at least one) other "topper" been up to no good, while I have been away? Have they been doing something awful, or just trying to renew interest...like me??? If so, then I guess I am GUILTY AS CHARGED! I'm not sorry though, is that wrong? <BR> <BR>Sincerely, <BR>topper #2

debbie

Topper: please use the forum without nonesense. Do not post messages saying, "up to the top" or simply "!". This is a waste of your time and ours. We are all serious travel-minded folks who do not need fruitless comments coming from, perhaps, fruitless minded commentators. Can you stick to sharing informative postings, please?

Dave

Dear Debbie, <BR> <BR>WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??? <BR> <BR>"CDC"

Dave

Dave C, <BR> <BR>If you've been away from the forum for a few days you may have missed the recent rash of "topper" attacks. <BR> <BR>The problem is NOT with sending useful messages "to the top" so they can be seen by new readers or to bring attention to a posting that has been overlooked. <BR> <BR>Here's what caused the topper bashing: Over the past few days there has been a rash of seemingly random "toppings", that don't seem to serve a useful purpose (at least not that I've been able to figure out). Also, we're not talking one or two occurences here, more like dozens every day. <BR> <BR>I personally don't have a problem with sending messages to the top if it's for a purpose. What has been frustrating about the activities of "topper #1" is that they DON'T seem to be meaningful, and they really disrupt the chronology of postings, since it seems as if new information has been added to the forum when in fact it's just Topper adding a "!" for no (apparent) reason. <BR> <BR>

debbie

DAVE/CDC whichever the name: First, use courteous English as you may have been taught. Second, re-read Dave's (the poster)comments again and his comments after your posting. Third, read some recent postings from the "topper" and see if they make good sense to you. Perhaps this will help. Maybe you see this as nonesense as I do, and apparently, so does the topper poster. Enough of this! Topper, please post intelligent, insighful thoughts to help people. That's the bottom line, Dave.

nickie

Come on people, if Dave has been away for a few days - isn't it possible that he's not the "Topper" in question? His response appears too wordy for the recent problem Topper.

Dave, "Crazy" Dave Crane, CDC, me

Thank you Dave and nickie. <BR> <BR>The other person (that I know) that has used (or started the) "tothetop.com" has been a long time and extremely helpful poster. They would NEVER do anything harmful or malicious. I believe it is more like someone is trying to make them <BR> 'look bad' to the rest of us, or drive them away. This 'assailant' used an 'alias' address that that person uses (or has used) to make it "look good" and to make it just a little bit tough to track down. I imagine that someone could post something really 'nasty' and attach mine, Debbies, or even your name and address to it. As long as they did not get vulgar (etc.) Fodors would not know when, or to, "step in". This has happened to me in the past (elsewhere), so I e-mail the negative response poster personally, to make sure it IS them, on this forum. Yes, I believe this is some "sour grapes" person that is extremely immature and / or needs help with "anger management". .......Don't we all, from time to time? <BR> <BR>It is also possible that it is just some "cruising prankster" or kid (as one poster suggested in the "topper post") that is now "triving" on all the attention and disruption, and is (now) planning "more fun and games." I suggest we ignore them/it and they will get bored and move on??? <BR>

debbie

Yes, good idea, ignore them and we should all move on to keep things fresh and useful.