LOL, I think anyone who has ever posted on TA got that same email. I just deleted it figuring I would never use it.

As far as the "full time job", that is in reference to a certain poster who gets her kicks by posting incorrect information and/or lifted information and sometimes pretends to live somewhere she doesn't. She used to create new user names to talk to herself too. It is always lively, anyway, lol!

You can often spot the fake posts. Those that rave about the great service, great meal, great room and romantic atmosphere but don't provide a single example are often fake. For instance, when I talk about a great restaurant, I may have one or two comments about the decor, table linens or location, but I spend most of the time talking about the great filet mignon with a not-to-sweet port reduction. Or the server who, when she realized she charged me for coffee she never brought, was so apologetic, she didn't charge me for my chocolate mousse cake.

On the flip side, posts that do nothing but complain about the horrible service, horrible meal, horrible room and horrible reception but, again, provide no examples are just as worthless. Overly glowing praise and overly glowing rants are just that - fluff and rants. They are NOT useful reviews and are discarded as such when I read them.

/:-) I got the same backpack offer from TA. Wonder how many respond, and then if anyone would actually use it. This morning, I had an e-mail from them asking if I would do some kind of "Inside" job for them. :-?

Because it's a full-time job cleaning up the messes that poster leaves behind, Jed, some of us are doing a job-share. ;-)

heck I am letting them send me the backpack but I don't remember anyone saying anything about it being a big secret!

It's just a nylon bag with string closures and their logo. I thought it might make a good thing to keep in the bottom of the suitcase for packing overflow on the way home from a trip.

Beachbum~ They're just drumming up writers for the "Insider Pages" sections. It's a slightly interesting idea (people continually adding to pages of a semi-guidebook format under specific topics) but doesn't seem to be getting off the ground.

Any hints on where this "certin poster" with the misinformation hangs out? In other words, which state or country area on TA does she devote her attention to?

***Portland***
(actually i'm just kidding around I really don't know the answer for sure but will top this post for you)

Yup, Suze got it;) And watch out...occassionally she visited the Seattle pages.

Funny you mention the insider pages. She had a heydey with those as well.
Adding info on those to all sorts of places she had never been. Mostly places that several of us had been to, which I am pretty sure was purely out of spite.

Enzian--I can email you the scoop if you want;)

Well now I know I am not the only one getting a lot of emails from TA including the offer of that backpack/bag, whatever it was. I registered on TA but haven't been on there for ages.

The good thing about ***that*** TA poster is that it keeps you folks up in the PNW busy and off of the streets, lol!!

Well she certainly DOES have a thing for the Edgewater Hotel, that much I know.

I love Trip Advisor and think it makes a nice balance with posting here on Fodors. It takes awhile as first to get the hang of how the website is laid out, and which parts will interest you.

LoveItaly--And it keeps the pet stores in business with all of us having to buy scoopers:D

mms---do tell, please!

enzian--You have email;)

LOL, I spoke too soon. The fake names have begun again. So easy to see through, lol!

I saw that fake name tonight mms. Funny, a person on the West Coast, thinks you can drive from Chicago to Portland in a day, while googling hotels lol

A day trip from Chicago to Portland, OR in a day? Do tell, lol.