Someone just e-mailed me the uncensored Hanky thread, and it is the most roll on the floor, gut bustingly funny thing I've ever read! And I'm not normally a fan of...what was it...oh yes, "scatalogicial" humor. If you haven't seen it, have someone e-mail it to you, it's worth the time to read for all the wit and nuances involved. You're correct sfowler, truly a comedic gem.

I'm up for the Hanky thread. I've missed a lot lately, so send me the good stuff. <BR>Thanks, <BR>Dr. B

Hello to the "Old" timers: <BR> <BR>Rex, S. Fowler, Gigi, Surlok and everybody. <BR>As you may well know I got flamed, tourched, burned and pararded through the internet center of travel town: Fodors USA thread. <BR>Shortly after, I was traveling for 6 weeks. After our travels I took a few weeks off the internet entirely to connect with people in my life, in the flesh. I un-plugged the whole computer. Shortly after that it was September 11th. About a week after that I read what I could stomach on these threads. I posted once, told Leone that I was glad he was ok in DC and I just came back today to lurk. <BR> <BR>I have scanned these threads and the USA threads and must say..its ugly here. <BR>Gigi,Thanks for this thread. Fodors has done a great thing with this site. I just hope the site evolves positively with new energy. <BR> <BR>Thanks for your inquiry. <BR>Oaktown Traveler

I am still here, and we still plan to go on our trip to the Netherlands and to Venice in December. I am a bit concerned about travelling, but then I am a bit concerned, about being home. there is no safe place in the world.

Dr. Betty, did you receive your Hanky mail yet? If not, just e-mail sfowler, she has a an original copy preserved. The thread has been so sanitized and edited now that it doesn't even resemble the original. <BR> <BR>Get ready to *** with laughter!

I live in NYC and fortunately (or unfortunately) I was in Europe when the whole disaster happened. I cannot tell you how morose and sad the atmosphere is there. I was in Madrid, Florence and Rome. The cafes and restaurants were empty and people were walking around in very somber modes. There were certainly tremendous security concerns everywhere I went and to make matters worse, it took quite an effort to get a flight out back home just last week! <BR> <BR>Maybe I was more affected because I lost friends in the WTC and could not come home to comfort those I love but I would certainly wait to travel to Europe (or anywhere for that matter) unitl some semblance of normalcy has returned to the world -- if ever. <BR> <BR>May everyone stay well and take care of yourself and those around you.

Things do seem to go in cycles here, <BR>But, has it ever been THIS bad before???!!! <BR> <BR>Shadow, <BR>Thought about you yesterday. <BR>Glad to hear yourwinter trip plans are going ahead. <BR> <BR>Oaktown, <BR>Someone E-ed me at home, to let me know you had posted! <BR>I had been asking for your whereabouts a few days ago. <BR>Hope you had a great time on your travels.

I too have been visiting this site for years and have gotten great advice for our trips to turkey, greece and london. Unfortunately we had started planning a trip to Spain and would have been there now but things changed. Most of my time here is while I'm at the office which is located two blocks from the Twin Towers and we are still without phones, fax, internet, etc so I've really mssed the forum. (Yes we basically sit in our offices and twittle our thumbs these days but hopefully for not much longer.) Anyway, would someone send my the hanky thread, I could use a great laugh! Thanks.

I haven't been visiting this website long, but I know most of you "Old Timers" by name. I've thoroughly enjoyed your posts -- please don't give up on the site because of a few nasty people. When you're traveling, you're bound to meet a few nasties, but you wouldn't refuse to go back to that country because of them, would you? Your advice and travel lore is more than welcome to most of us. I can only afford to travel to Europe about once every three years, but reading the questions and great answers kinda fills the travel void for me. Thanks, and please keep it up!

I just returned today from a 167 day (yes, over 5 months) trip of the US and a bit of Canada. I will now be spending more time on this forum as I prepare for next year's trip to Europe, so be prepared to see a lot of "Patrick" postings. However, we are paring it down from our five month trip that we did to Europe in 2000 to perhaps three months. We really blew the budget this summer, and I can't believe how much more money we spend traveling in the US than we do in Europe!!!

I returned from France the first week in September just before that terrible day of September 11th. That put everybody off. As for the flaming that is still going on, I just skip that thread, because once some troll puts in a clinker, the rest of the trollets join in.

I too post using my real name. <BR>I cancelled a trip to Spain (scheduled for a couple of weeks after 9/11). I guess a 2 hour drive will have to do this time. Hope to reschedule in the spring. <BR> <BR>So many appear to be depressed not only about the events of 9/11 and possible aftermath but also about cancelled plans or just plain lack of interest in travel right now. <BR> <BR>I was thinking. I own a web sight that I was originally using for learning purposes. Would it be of interest if those who have travelled in the past help out those who would have travelled by posting photos. No articles. No advertisements. Nothing but photos with locations and credits. Submitter retains ownership. <BR> <BR>This is strictly a pick-us-up. Maybe we can travel for a while thru others trips. <BR> <BR>Any interest?

Hi Myer! What a nice offer in these depressing days. <BR> <BR>There has been an unofficial "fodorite" site at http://geocities.com/dhfsbf/fodorite/fodor.htm that I have been maintaining since June 1999. The page's policy has been non-commercial and the choice was made early on not to publish last names as many people here use aliases or "handles." <BR> <BR>It sounds as though your site would offer a slightly different approach -- and in these times something that can bring us together is to be welcomed. I'll look forward to seeing what interest develops!

Dallas TX, My sentiments exactly! Thank you for expressing so well how, I think, quite a few of us here really feel. <BR> <BR>Myer, What a nice idea you have. I'm far from being a "serious" photographer, but have a lot of my travel photos already on my hard drive, and could participate in your site if it gets rolling. In the past I have uploaded 156 photos in 8 albums on the Webshots Community page. They are nothing fancy, taken mostly with disposable cameras. My goal in taking photographs is only to help me remember what I saw. <BR> <BR> http://community.webshots.com/user/chuksmom <BR> <BR>

I found the hanky thread to be sophomoric at best. What is funny about picking on another person on a Fodor website? Strange hobby you have.

What was done with the Hanky posts was disgusting. Rex tried to post trip reports and was it one--or perhaps two--people with a vendetta and lots of aliases. <BR> <BR>I have been subject to some of the same nonsense (from probably the same person as Rex). This site has limited usefulness so long as fodors does not monitor the boards properly to remove the nasty stuff before it gets going--and out of hand. <BR> <BR>Registration would make this a serious site, but would result in a decrease in posts as some people just want to flame and are not interested in a serious site. I do not think fodors will change to registration (and limit you to one name) because they like all the traffic. <BR> <BR>So, the bottom line is I post my long trip reports on AOL travel boards and independenttraveler.com and not on fodors. Anyone flaming on those sites, gets the axe rather quickly. I limit my responses here to when I have something to say. Certainly being subject to flames does reduce the number of times I feel impelled to post. <BR> <BR>Some infants have not learned the best way to handle flamers is to ignore them. So long as the attention continues, they will continue to change names and post flames. <BR> <BR>Sometimes I feel this site is just a waste of my time.

I used to really enjoy posting on this board but after I was attacked a few times I got fed up - I know I should ignore insults etc. but I am Irish and it is not in my nature to turn the other check! <BR>Of course the main people who are rude, negative and nasty (and use aliases) are those who have been using this board for years for their own purposes and want to make sure no one else is part of it. <BR>It is too bad the genuinely nice foders people (and I have met quite a few) lose out when those who are able to answer their questions leave.

I guess 2 people in 3 days does not constitute much interest. <BR>

Myer -- sometimes it takes a while for an idea to catch on -- the pages I maintain had a very quiet period before blossoming recently.

I miss Kavey and Escorita. They both had a great sense of humor and fun! <BR>Escorita always posted excellent replies, and had such positive comments after the attacks, but some horrible person was unbelievably insulting on a thread, and I think she's gone for good. <BR>I just hope two things: First, that the old posters are stealth readers, who one day MUST reply because they know JUST the right advice! And second, that posters just ignore the ignorant and absurd comments and continue on with the gist of the thread at hand. If the nasties don't get any attention, I suspect they'll go away. <BR>