Is it time for this again already? You knew that I would say something, so sit down and have a chocolate Mom, while I say my piece.
Sadly many of the 'regular', helpful, knowledgeable posters have already been driven off this website, leaving a void of factual information here on the Transportation Board. For quite some time there has been a lack of response to threads, or a lot of misinformation posted. If that is what people want from here, so be it.
DIS Transportation Board v2009 is like a car with the kids screaming in the back seat 'MOM, he touched me! MOM, she's being mean to me!' Many of us chose to get out of the car long ago. I stupidly came back because of two reasons - my PM box was just getting too full from people asking for information, and I was seeing so much misinformation that I thought that maybe it was time to come and help out again.
I disagree with complaining to the webmasters about the moderation here, although I think that they do support your style. It would be a great loss to this community if our esteemed moderator was removed, or if the style here was changed, because some posters are sensitive or are reading things which are not there or are projecting themselves on a thread.
Transportation is the one subject here where only the facts count. Giving out misinformation, or telling people that 'they will be fine' when they won't just isn't helpful. It actually can hurt and cost a lot of money if people have the wrong information. Building false hope can create frustration as people start to expect things which just won't happen.
I do miss the regulars here, and that includes the many 'ordinary people' like Duds, and Deb, and Bumber and so many others who many not fly every week but who contributed facts and information from the viewpoint of a regular notsofrequently flying parent. But I for one refuse to spend my time giving out information in a non-emotional manner only to be criticised over and over by posters who don't like the answers, and blame the messenger. Even when we tried to inject humour over here we were accused of being cliquish or overly protective of one another.
For those of you who don't like the answers, or the delivery, maybe you need to step back a moment and consider your posts, and if they have been helpful to others. If they are only there to criticise, or to provide false information, or to build false hope, then they are not contributing in a positive fashion either.
This was once a vibrant, helpful, informative community and the only place I really enjoyed on this larger website, and it is really sad to see how some posters have completely driven this forum into a different direction.
I'm sorry that you, goofy4tink, have had to deal with these challenges on a daily basis. I'm quite certain that you didn't join and participate here with the intent of raising more children or moderating more playtime battles. I respect you personally and as a moderator, and it saddens me to know how difficult this 'job' must be for you.