It's all so biblical.

First he was unjustly crucified.

His spirit was then held prisoner in a tomb on the Euro Board where he slaughtered a baby lamb.

Then over a month later he was resurrected on the US Board where he was beatified by his followers.

Next step is his followers returning to his land of milk and honey and have him canonized as the Patron Saint of the Lounge.

> I don't know why they banned ira or why they won't reinstate him or reply to his queries, but my guess is it falls in the category of Can't Be Bothered, which is indeed rude.

Not is rude, would be rude. Nobody knows what happened except Ira and Fodor's, so imo the rudeness is assuming things we know nothing about.

<Nobody knows what happened except Ira and Fodor's>

Wrong.

No one knows what happened except Fodor's.

Wrong

IRA knows.

"But again, the Lounge is on borrowed time anyway."

People have been saying that since day one that it was closed and that was what? Two or three years ago?

Believe me, if they wanted to close it down completely, they could do that in the flick of a switch. The don't have to do it poster by poster.

I say it's on borrowed time because it's my theory that Fodor's is being kind and letting Lounge participation dwindle and in another year or two will just snuff it out.

I don't think there's a conspiracy to ban one prolific poster at a time--who knows what happened with Ira?

Anyone who thinks that people are sitting around at Fodor's HQ discussing Ira and/or the Lounge is nuts, though.

If they wanted the Lounge gone, it would be gone already. Why wait another "year or two"?

They put an adult diaper on the lounge to prevent leakage

<Why wait another "year or two"?>
To be nice about it to loyal posters and to avoid dealing with an outcry. The path of least resistance is always the easiest.

And isn't it funny that Ira, who can post here, prefers to flounce off in a huff. How very Lounge-y of him!

Fmpden. Ira doesn't know. He isn't the first to have this happen with no idea why. There is some automatic function that tosses posters if they appear to be spammers. Because he often posts short retorts, one by one, to a thread where many have posted, it's possible he was caught in this snare. If you will note, he posted "Hi All Fodor's refuses to explain why they have banned me". Why don't you take him at his word? That is quite often how it works.

Furthermore, we have probably all had the experience of getting the wrong customer service person on the line. We know from their tone the moment they answer the phone that they have no intention of being any help. Get someone else, or get the supervisor and the experience becomes night and day from that, and the problem is rectified. If you haven't experienced this, consider yourself very fortunate!

I suspect Ira got the editor with attitude, who assumed there had to be a reason, and just looked no further. If anyone here has his email, it might be nice to send him a copy of this thread (before it vanishes.)

I find it ironic that the loudest Lounge haters, aren't people who even participate there.

We only recently learned the Lounge is closed to new members. It sure explained a lot to us about that forum, and we lost most of our interest in participating.>>

would that be the "royal" we, fdecarlo? I haven't seen a perceptible falling off of your posts which seem to be as prolific as ever.

or are you and your "alter ego" only doing half each?

Well well well, the Sharks and the Jets live!

The very worst offender here is someone who doesn't even participate in the lounge...but I suspect did at one time.

"I find it ironic that the loudest Lounge haters, aren't people who even participate there."

But then perhaps the loudest Lounge haters also hate segregation, old boys clubs and old country clubs, where you are welcomed to spend your money from the back door, but woman and nigras need not apply for full membership. Fodors has welcomed new posters into a segregated society by closing off the lounge. Yet the segregated society likes to flaunt their existence on actual travel forums from time to time. It's insulting and tiresome.

< If anyone here has his email, it might be nice to send him a copy of this thread (before it vanishes.)>
OO, he's here, though! This is what I don't understand--he can read this thread and participate in it. If he feels it's the Lounge or nothing, so be it, but that's his choice, isn't it?

(No longer addressing OO :-) ) I also don't get all this "Lounge-haters" nonsense. I don't like the Lounge, but that's not the point. The point is that Fodor's doesn't like the Lounge!

Tell it to Fodor's, davidababy.

I've never seen Lounger posters "flaunt their existence on actual travel forums" ... rather what I see more often is insults and complaints from people like your, or NewbE who used to be a big-time Loungette but quit and now hates it, vocally, frequently.

Nigras? Oh my.

Yet the segregated society likes to flaunt their existence on actual travel forums from time to time. It's insulting and tiresome.>>

1. we didn't ask to be segregated.

2. please give me an example of someone from the lounge "flaunting" their existence.

suze, no one is more vocal or frequent than you. I am tired of your assaults on my opinions. It seems that the fact that I can choose where I post obsesses you.