Thanks for reiterating what needs to be said at intervals around here jeff. You're a brave man - but know this: your efforts of expression will be of no consequence other than ridicule. Expect to be accused of being either/and/or "negative, mean spirited, a misspeller, stupid, bitter, uninformed, a troll, attacking, an animal hater, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah..."

I know that much. Don't let it bother you though.

That you are being honest and on-target doesn't mean squat in these parts.

Even with Fodors newish revamp that subtly suggests OT (off-topics) congregate in other areas, don't expect much to change unless the editors take an active role in proding these wayward posters to get their act together and post in the appropriate places.

As you probably do also, I love animals and pets but know that this thread has nothing at all to do with travel in Europe.

Oh yeah, and be prepared for the handy-dandy stale old retort of:

"Yes, but why don't you just skip over topics you know don't interest you...blah, blah, blah."

I'm sure I will get alot of people telling me where to get off and how dare me say anything about their beloved animals. To me if the question
was about travel with their pets, that would have been fine! I know this is a free service of Fodors and I really like
reading about all the great travel stories and advice but what does the name of someones pet have to do with a EUROPE TRAVEL board? Next it will be "what laundry detergent do you use for green tee shirts" I am an animal lover but, if I want to hear the names of pets I will go to a YAHOO chat room.

Well, since I'm the one that started this thread, I might as well address the criticisms.

First, I posted this under General Interest. At the time, I didn't realize that there were new forum categories. If the editors want to move this to another area, so be it.

Secondly, I have to admit that I have been visiting the Europe Forum for so long that I have it listed in My Favorites. So, when I come to Fodor's, I come here. I appologize for my short sightedness.

Third, despite my love of travel to Europe, and the number of trips that I have taken, the majority of the posts here are of no interest to me based soley on the law of averages. How many people could possibly be going to the same places, and staying in the same hotels, eating at the same restaurants, asking questions I can answer, or providing exactly the information that I need? It doesn't bother me, why should this one thread bother you?

As I mentioned, I borrowed this idea from SlowTrav. It doesn't seem to be bothering the folks over there. In fact they have recently expanded their pet page.

I guess I just can't see the reason to take issue with this thread. What's wrong with a tangent every now and then?

What a curmudgeon! It's as simple as scrolling past the title of the thread.

NOONE MESSES WITH THE PUPS...and the kitties!!!!

"Yes, but why don't you just skip over topics you know don't interest you...blah, blah, blah."

KS452, it may be a stale retort, but I've yet to hear an answer. Why DON'T you? As Tries2PakLite just said, many posts on here are not of interest to me. I skip them. I don't get it. 98% of everything on here is still about travel, so what's the big deal?

Please meet:
Kyla -- the tortie
and
Stephanie -- the gray tabby
http://it.uwp.edu/fowler/cats2.jpg

14 years old and going strong -- from a local no-kill shelter. We have been pleased to be their persons.

jeffwill4you -- let me introduce you to scrrrrroooooooolllllllling

Perhaps he was misled by the thread title, "Meet the pets," and, thinking that, since this is a travel forum, it might pertain to French "pets," he opened it because of some childish or prurient interest in the topic of "pets" [Fr.]. Then perhaps he was disappointed to find that the thread was all about our animals, sweet-smelling ones at that, with no mention at all of their "pets."

What did I tell you jeff? They simply don't get it, do they?

You know, Marilyn, I swore-off this site (kind of like a resolution) late last year because I felt it had run amok beyond my tolerance level. Really, I have no problem with sheeple, sorry - I mean people, saying what they wish. I do have a major problem with the curators of this website not abiding with their stated rules. Namely, keeping posts travel related.

Why did I check-in today? Boredom and curiosity. Things haven't changed much; I'll take another hiatus soon and you won't have to worry about responding to a miscreant like me for a period.

Enjoy the silence. (or insipid banter as the case may be)

PS - Have you noticed that other long-time posters have mysteriously vanished or haven't posted as often in recent months? Gee, I wonder why? Baffling, isn't it?

Not baffling when you think of how many long time posters get slammed daily by trolls and rude people.
I even got so lucky as to get obscene emails from a poster who did not like my posting off topic.
It all seems to boil down to control issues. Some people need more, some don't have enough and some want to have it all.
Enjoy your hiatus.

KS452 -- You are entitled to your opinion, but the rest of us are not ruled by your tolerance level.

Many of us have pets, which makes traveling a little more complicated and complex. So, now we know some of our fellow travelers' pet's names and faces. See -- travel related.

Sorry, KS, we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm a sociable sort, and I feel this is a community.

That means a certain amount of personal chat, saying hello, how are you, with people you have come to know on this forum. Sometimes it means insipid banter of the sort you make when you run into an acquaintance at the store.

But it's all part of our relationship with each other. It helps me to evaluate someone's recommendations because I know a little more about that person and the way they live and travel.

I actually agreee that there are often too many threads on purely personal topics, what-did-you-get-for-Christmas and what-do-you-want-for-Christmas being among my all-time least favorites. But I had no trouble avoiding those, while anything about pets (animals, that is) is bound to grab me. This thread is clearly and explicitly labeled and therefore so easy to skip, and from what I can see, no one on this thread has been engaging in manipulative tricks to gain a lot of attention. It's just a harmless little diversion, pleasant for people who enjoy it, so easily skipped by those who don't.

Meow!... Bow Wow...! to all who love their pets as I do.

I forgot the tweet, tweet and becca who has rabbits, I really don't know how they sound but know they feel so wonderful.

well, i thought this was a perfectly lovely thread. i read all the threads and decide which ones i want to read. (disenters here take note).

i was going to post about my new pup but the read the negative posts, but came back later and read additiions to them.

so:

jeff: if you DO own green t.shirts (as i assume you do) then don't bother to wash them. bin them. green t.shirts are like SOOOOO bad.

marilyn: so agree with your sentiments about interactions with others. and this post is good because of that.

my pet? a very fat and beefy 15 week old english bull terrier. totally loveable and totally crazy. he is very happy to jump up on to husband's chair, fall back, arms and legs akimbo, and just go to sleep. very good looking 'ugly' dog and we LOVE him!

Message: Sorry, KS, we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm a sociable sort, and I feel this is a community.

That means a certain amount of personal chat, saying hello, how are you, with people you have come to know on this forum. Sometimes it means insipid banter of the sort you make when you run into an acquaintance at the store.

If thats the case, I will soon be posting questions of other "insipid banter" "What kind of vehicles do you drive when you're NOT in Europe"

I must tell you about Marilyn and Pumpkin. Marilyn is an 8 yo Bassett Hound. She is tri color with a lot of grey on the top. Adpoted her when she was 5 from bassett rescue. Her rescue foster mom named all her "children" after movie stars. She has gained 10 pounds during her "good" life with us and is pleasingly plump. Her favorite pastime is laying ears all flopped about on one of her two beds doing nothing.

Pumpkin is a 10 y/o orange cat looking much like "Morris". He was a stray we adopted 8 years ago. A wonderful neighbor knew about him and carried food to him often but could not adopt him as her house was already overflowing. We casually mentioned we wanted a cat and she said she knew the perfect one. She took him to the vet, had him checked, shots and fixed and then brought him to us with a liter box and food. What a wonderful person. He has been with us ever since.

My husband does not have travel fever and often I go solo. It is so nice to know they are safe at home with daddy while I travel. When we both travel, usually not more than 10 days, they board with their vet.

<i>If thats the case, I will soon be posting questions of other &quot;insipid banter&quot; &quot;What kind of vehicles do you drive when you're NOT in Europe&quot;</i>

jeffwill4you, I drive a European car when I'm not in Europe.

Anselm

This thread is not travel related, but for me this board is not just for travel info, it's also for entertainment. The reason I like Fodors more than any other travel BB is because the Fodorites are more like a community. I like the fact that people get to know each other, even if it's just in cyber space. There are a few threads on this board that are of no interest to me, so I just pass them by.

WEIRD FACT, 3 out of 5 people have talked to their pets on the phone.