The VIP Area Sneak Peek Forum...

[f0xxee]

(Bumpa STIKKA @ Jan. 04 2010,04:12) The plain fact is that if we don't generate some kind of income from the forum then we lose it. All of it.

I don't see what is so hard to understand about this simple fact of life stated above: The forum now is large enough that it required running on a full time basis.

FFS If I asked YOU to work 12 hours a day for nothing would you?

It costs money to run.

It costs money to maintain.

It is a full time job.... So why wouldn't the owner expect to get paid?

I am not an employee of this forum, nor do I have a financial interest, I am not a moderator or a memeber of some "secret circle".

I do however have certain principles: and one of them is the idea that a fair days work should be rewarded with a fair days pay.

To those of you who gripe and whinge about the price (I see fair justification in the issues raised by King of Nana which have been I believe addressed) I hope you can understand that to expect something for nothing is hypocrisy.

Gents, even charities run on donations, you small minded cheap-charlies.

[apatel]

ah well fun while it lastest i suppose.

[guydesavoy]

I think there is an argument for creating a member category for members who were ex VIP or senior members or significant contributors to TR or Picture Post Forums and so on.

These members could maintain access to the Bar scene, Locator and above mentioned sections, as recognition for their part in making the Board something worth paying for.

I always enjoyed petesie's many TRs and especially the Phuket info. Not to mention Looker's idiosyncratic Picture threads over 5 years...

I don't think anyone has a real problem with the financial argument. The issue seems to be that many who made significant contributions over the years now find themselves shut out without so much as a bye or leave. The new members will continue to benefit from their past efforts.

Now if TT will post his cock pics, well that could change more than one mind around here...

[Rocket J. Squirrel]

The money that I have saved, all that I have learned, and the entertainment that I have had all have a value that far exceeds the measly $50. It sounds to me like the owners are doing everything possible to address the endless "concerns". Cmon, cough up the $50 (if for no other reason, than to help they guys out)

[pacman]

Congratulations Rocket, good to see you are now a VIP.

I have noticed a couple of chaps have started showing up on the forum with the VIP tag & precious few posts.

Well done to all of them for taking the step...   (and I hear on the grapevine that there are quite a few others)

It appears that the revolution has started & I doubt any argument now is going to sway the owner to change his mind.

After all these years of the LBF being free, I didn't expect this transition would be easy. The place may lose half its traffic for now but it will come back stronger than ever.

A lot of upset regulars will come around. I can't buy anything these days for a dollar. And $50 goes nowhere if I am on a night out.

I guess it really isn't about the money for most guys, the psychological slap in the face is a far bigger hurdle to accept. I just ask the offended parties to consider their payment as their contribution towards their favourite hobby.

[KingofNANA]

 Yup, my bin was almost 3 times that the night of Jimbo's birthday party... and thanks to dear sweet and utterly inebriated Bombay, half of it ended up on my hotel room floor.        


So yes, the efforts and costs we rack up in our quests fro the ideal ladyboy experience cannot be fully considered without factoring in the invaluable resource of this forum.


And as far as rights to ones intellectual property go, one signs away those rights as soon as something is posted on any internet forum. This is standard procedure that I am sure is included in the agreements here on this site.

My argument was never for ownership of said property, but the right to access, defend, edit or expand said property. Significant difference.

[bigtimetshunter]

This is annoying because I can't look at my old TRs but I understand what's driving the need for change. Any chance you can put my TR from last August in the sneak peek for now so that I can refresh my memory?

[pacman]

Do I detect the voice of reason coming through your post your Majesty? (How else does one address the Kingof NANA?)

You sound like a thoroughly reasonable guy & it would be my pleasure to buy you a drink should we find ourselves in LOS together.

If you were to join, all discussion about your previous posts becomes redundant. Is there any other impediment stopping you from transferring funds to LB HQ?

I appreciate that the prospect of a drink with myself is not everyone's idea of a fun night but if the timing is right, we may be able to entice fellow BM (and VIP) Foxxee to join us.

That is the best introduction to VIP membership I can offer I'm afraid but it might be good for a laugh...        

[Bumpa STIKKA]

(bigtimetshunter @ Jan. 04 2010,10:51) Any chance you can put my TR from last August in the sneak peek for now so that I can refresh my memory?

Done... Let me know if I got the right one!

[Ninewives]

(f0xxee @ Jan. 04 2010,07:07) It costs money to maintain.

It is a full time job.... So why wouldn't the owner expect to get paid?

I am not an employee of this forum, nor do I  have a financial interest, I am not a moderator or a memeber of some "secret circle".

I do however have certain principles: and one of them is the idea that [b]a fair days work should be rewarded with a fair days pay.

I do not buy the argument €“ "it's not the money it's the principle". That is just tedious €“ $1 per week is not worth the anguish that some folk are displaying.

F0xxee's post is spot on! If you value the forum €“ pay your way (your $1 per week) and stop crying principle.

[KingofNANA]

 

  it would be my pleasure to buy you a drink should we find ourselves in LOS together.  

Cheers Pac, would love to, between your oceans of acumen and F0xee's a friggin riot of Aussie wit I am sure it would be a night to remember.

 How else does one address the King of NANA?  

As to the 'King' thing, read my byline to make proper sense of it. It refers to 'A' king in the context of all the 'queens'... not 'THE' king. That would be a presumption far beyond the irony intended. King paired with the word NANA made it seem straight out of some demented 'fairy tail' (sic).

If it had to be done all over again, I would probably go for the "BishopofNANA" instead.    

[fleeing]

For what it's worth, I think some BM's are missing the point of the new set up.

Look at this forum as a club of people. There are costs involved maintaining this 'club'that previously were met by advertising and referral fees. That income is no longer enough so it is up to the members, us, to contribute to keep the club going.

Considering how much this forum has educated, informed and entertained all of us over the years, the amount we are being asked to contribute is a pittance.

I really hope everyone can look at these changes from a more positive perspective.

I'm not convinced that this set up will remove the 'heroes' but it is at least an attempt to do something about this problem

[guydesavoy]

I think the 'heroes' issue is a red herring. As is the financial argument.

Nobody can argue that a forum costs money or that $50 is not fair.

The real issue here is not one of egos or cheap charlies.

It is quite simple :

This Board has been around for over 5 years now. People who have contributed to this Board in the past, freely, and who have therefore made it the place that it is and the selling point that it is, are now told, quite bluntly, that they can no longer view those parts of the Board that they helped to build. Unless they pay..(and btw, the economic argument runs both ways). For all the analogies of how cheap $50 is,,, how about trying to put a price on the time and effort put into all those TRs, freely, by many. And these very posts have become the bread and butter of this Board and the basis upon which it is being sold to new members.

Whether they want to pay, or should pay, $50 is quite beside the point. If one was to take that argument to its logical conclusion, then all previous TRs and Pic posts would be scrapped and we'd start again, afresh, with the 20 concierges on the ground.

The show must go on and no doubt it will. However, let's not confuse the issues here. To lock people out of their own postings is not fair in anyone's language.

I understand there are technical, practical and logistical difficulties involved and that a few eggs have to get broken to make an omelette....and that you can't please all of the people all of the time...

But there is a real ethical issue involved here which has nothing to do with money or egos.

[rxpharm]

The issue of heroes showing the photos to lbs is not a red herring - it's a real problem reported in other forums and seems to be growing.

I already posted my opinion about who I think is doing this and while this change is no guarantee it won't stop, certainly it should be reduced. By the way this is the first forum to make an effort to tackle the problem.

If such a problem stops trip report writers such as daveduke, billy69, ernesto and others - then what is the answer?  Wait around until the forum dries up or take some action before that happens?

While the problem may not have have happened to you, don't dismiss it as a red herring.

[guydesavoy]

rx I certainly didn't dismiss it as a problem as my previous posts on the matter have shown. I think you took one line from my post and out of context.  


Yes the 'heroes' need to be dealt with, as best we can. But if the solution is locking ex trusted members out of many forums (not just TRs and Pic posts) that's akin to amputating an arm when you get a paper cut on your pinkie  

Presumably ex VIP and senior members and/or TR posters can be trusted to view and post this material ? Is locking them out a security argument, or a financial one ? This is where the rationalisation for this policy becomes confusing... The security argument makes no sense as they were valued and trusted members before 1/10. But now they have to pay. So it's financial, right ?

So the ethical dilemma remains....

Hence the use of 'red herring'. viz : something which distracts attention from the real issue at point.
[B]


e.g manarak has a huge TR featured in this very section of the forum. Yet he remains a mere 'member'. (No jokes please). There are many others... Originally Admin and BS said 'exceptions will be made'....

To make it very simple :

Credit where credit's due.