snowrooster

In the past few days I've noticed many threads that involve differing opinions/controversy have been deleted. I find it discouraging that Fodors seems to be using this standard for their censorship rather than if threads are travel related. Recipe, fashion and FFR&Raves threads are allowed to stay, but when we discuss issues affecting one of the most popular travel destinations in our country, they are deleted due to the fact that issues currently affecting this city are controversial.

Just thought it was interesting. Obviously Fodor's has the right to monitor the board how they choose, but personally I wish they would allow debate to continue (especially when it does concern a place where many of us travel often). Hopefully we are all computer literate enough to skip over the threads which don't interest us.

GoTravel

snowrooster, I don't think one person across the board is responsible for deleting threads so you will find inequalities.

Also, many of the 'off topic' threads are relevant to travel so I guess that is why they stay.

Also, since they probably don't read through each and every thread, those threads that start out as travel related and morph into something else usually stay.

Also, some off topics are just flat out funny.

They are very tolerant of the FFR&R post also.

HowardR

Hey, they set the rules. It's a simple as that!

snowrooster

Agreed GT, I've noticed more policing at some times than others. I don't have a problem with the non-travel related threads - I think a lot of them are tons have fun and have added to them myself.

I think there is a difference between debate versus when people get nasty. As long as people are debating the issues affecting the city, great. However when name-calling and nastiness starts, it seems they could just delete or ban the comments/poster responsible rather than trashing the entire thread.

snowrooster

Indeed they do, Howard (like I said in my initial comments, they have the right to do what they choose). However I don't think that should prevent us from sharing our opinion on policies if we choose to do so.

CAPH52

I very much agree with you, snowrooster. As I've said before, I think New Orleans is near and dear to many of our hearts because of fond memories of wonderful trips. And I think that had a lot to do with how emotional many of us were in our reactions.

But, having said all of that, I have to say that, given how heated many of those threads got, I'm somewhat surprised they lasted as long as they did.

Patrick

Are you suggesting you can't tell the difference between ranting about politics and government decisions and taking sides including nastiness and posts about what clothes to take to a resort or recipes from restaurants visited while traveling?

snowrooster

I don't know that I'm getting your questions. The recipe threads I've seen haven't had anything to do with recipes from restaurants during travels (not that I have a problem with that). I CAN however tell the difference between true debate of issues affecting a major tourist destination, and someone suggesting you (and I do mean you, Patrick, as this was suggested to you by mm before a certain thread was deleted) visit the wizard for a brain. Debate and name-calling are two different things, and when the debate involves a major tourist destination (though it may be political in nature) I don't see why it needs to be deleted (though stupid nasty personal attacks should be removed).

Gekko

From Fodor's:

Please keep to the topic -- travel. ... We reserve the right to delete any post and disqualify any screen name for any reason.

What part of that is unclear?

Fodor's should aggressively delete non-travel threads, starting with the embarrassing and pathetic "rants & raves."

Editors, perhaps start with this non-travel thread?

OO

I think if controversial subjects could be debated without resorting to name calling, and in the case of one thread, everyone accusing everyone else of being drunk, we might have more success in those topics which ARE relevant to popular tourist destinations, being allowed to stand.

The entire situation on the Gulf coast is depressing enough as it is with death and destruction everywhere, without the terrible bickering that we saw going on here among normally rational people adding to the despair we already feel! Those debates were going no where, and I am dead certain I could predict with 99.999% accuracy in reading the responses, how everyone participating in the thread voted in the last two elections. So what does that accomplish?

Like you snowrooster, I lived there. We lived there for 7 years when we were first married. Our kids were born there and we moved, intentionally looking for a job elsewhere, when our oldest was getting ready to start school. We are not Catholic. Anyone remotely familiar with New Orleans will understand those two comments and their relevancy to each other. Our former neighbors and co-workers STILL live there--we hear from them every Christmas and some come to visit in our various locations as we get moved around the country. I wonder and worry about each and every one of them. My sister-in-law in Columbia, MS is still without electricity and water came from an artesian well in the center of their little town until relief came. She was not bitching and moaning or pointing any fingers. She was instead very grateful that she still had a house, and for the aid that had finally reached them, laughing off the lack of A/C saying, "Oh well, we grew up without it so I guess we can get used to it again. We are using funeral parlor fans". The situation is so dire and I'm certain we' haven't yet seen the worst of it. By the way...I have no idea how my SIL voted!

At any rate, I'm glad to see the really ugly threads eliminated. Things are bad enough. Plenty of people in the country and on this board have been in a serious funk a la 9-11 over the situation there, and the acrimony we had here only exacerbated the problem!

beachbum

I thought editors were very lenient in letting the ranting threads go on as long as they did. But at this point, what is left to be said?

Little_Man

I thank Fodors for letting us "engage" in other things than travel once in awhile, especially when it comes to something as huge as Hurricane Katrina.
I think all in all, Fodors does an A+ job. Thanks!

Keith

It isn't just controversy that results in threads being deleted.

Last season, for several weeks, each time someone started a thread in the US board about the Amazing Race, it was deleted within a couple of days. Late in the season a thread was started that wasn't deleted.

At the same time, one was active for months on the European board and never deleted.

Keith

Clifton

Gekko, it is a bit odd that you lead with a quote from Fodors "We reserve the right".

Then yourself proceed to tell them what threads they should delete. I'm pretty sure that I didn't miss the part where they also extended that right to us.

I can't say that I see much difference between asking for either more or less than what Fodors is willing to give.

Personally, I do find many more issues related to travel than simply where to eat and sleep and what to see. Many trips, I think, have been more interesting because I found resources (including Fodors) that helped explain why things were or are the way I found them. History has a big role in the kind of experience I enjoy, as do current politics. But I do tend to enjoy the people experiences even more than the look-see ones.

A lot of these threads, I'd really agree with you on, but I try to realize there is more than one perspective when it comes to a passion like travel.

snowrooster

OO - Even though I was a kid when we lived there, I totally get your comments. My mother is jewish and we were sent to a parochial school but skipped any religion in the classroom (I did crossword puzzles or something of that nature during bible study). My school only went through 8th grade and my mom was THRILLED we moved before then because she truly didn't know what she was going to do with us for high school.

MaxwellSmart

Geeko always has some thread police comment to make - I would ignore it entirely. There's no winning against a whiner like Geeko.

snowrooster

I actually find it quite amusing all the time Gekko devotes to complaining about non-travel related threads. It seems that if something bothers you so much, you would avoid it rather than harp on it. To each his own.

Patrick

Hey, no one tends to disagree with Gekko more than I do, but could someone explain what's wrong with his reasoning here?
He quotes the line from Fodor's saying they reserve the right to delete non travel threads and then he says they should. What's wrong with that? It seems to me all he's said is "if that's your policy, then do it".

Someone says he's telling them what to delete? No, he's merely saying they should delete what they say they will.

What am I missing here?

ahhnold

There is no winning against Gekko,especially when he is right.

GoTravel

Patrick, I hate it when other posters insult me about what I'm wearing.