Forum Change Proposal

[JimD]

Some of us who have been members of Planet-Love for a long time recall when Patrick had distinct posting borders between the different geographic focus areas; Latin America, Asia, and the FSU. I think the absence of these "borders" in recent years has animated members whose interest and knowlege lie in one geographic area, say Asia to wax eloquent about another far off continent on which they´ve never set foot nor have the faintest notion of endemic cultural intricasies. Frankly speaking if I join a forum with the intention of learning about and sharing information about women, their behaviors and culture, specific to a continent such as South America it is my hope and expectaion that members there will be of like mind and like experience and will be able to offer me advise  based on genuine in country experiences. I believe that the hurly burly "cross cultural" format has lead to the exodus of many, many knowlegable posters with constructive but country or at least continent specic contributions to offer. The current environment is simply not conducive to serious and animated  participation by the "latin" faction. The poll proposes new "latin" and "Asian" sections that restrict discussion to members who have indicated a specific geological preference in their profile. I will add that Dan in private communication has encouraged this proposal.

[Alabamaboy!]

Well I have been married to a Filipina that I married in PI, but have had two long term relationships, many trips to Colombia. So would I have to choose one or the other? I think there are quite a few guys who have traveled to at least 2 of the three geographic areas represented here. Some guys all three.

I do think it is pretty bold of a guy to try to give advice to men looking in Colombia if they have only been to PI or worse yet, never set foot outside of their own living room.

[thekfc]

The poll proposes new "latin" and "Asian" sections that restrict discussion to members who have indicated a specific geological preference in their profile.

[Kiltboy1]

Not a good idea. I am not interested in Obamcare for the forum. All opinions should be accepted and debated. Inclusiveness is what should be the norm here. it would be like saying a guy that is not wealthy should not look for a wife from another country, which is unjust and exclusive and I for one detest people who think they are exclusive just because they have something or Have been somewere another has not.

KB

[fathertime]

Well JimD, I don’t like the idea because I want to have the freedom to post wherever I feel like posting.  I don’t like restrictions or fences. 

For me, when posting on the Asian side of the forum, I try to stick to what I know about relationships in general.  I think quite a few of the Asian side posters have some experience on both continents and probably would like to comment wherever they want to.   

Thanks,

Fathertime!

[whitey]

I like hearing from the Asian forum posters and value their opinions as well.  I don't recall many offering specific advice about latin women or the culture ... more commenting on relationships in general ...

Anyone trying to contribute in a positive way should be welcomed around here ... it's up to each one of us to evaluate the advice in any given post on its own merit.

[hennatoes]

I have been in Brazil and am hoping to travel to Belize soon (not exactly Latin, but lots of people there speak Spanish). I've never been in Asia. But I have a question about Hmongs which I may ask one of these days.

Also I'd like to see a Latin joke forum, as well as an Asian one.

[robert angel]

I enjoy looking at both the Latin and Asian forums and feel that we can benefit from reading from both of them. Besides fine points on immigration, there are insights for guys into the sometimes unfathomable way/s in which women's minds work that come from both forums.

There is a lot to be said about bettering your mind by learning about other cultures. What if the National Geographic Magazine just printed magazines for specific regions or continent?

I think for anybody to think their interests or concerns are best suited to a forum that is solely exclusive, is short changing his or her own mind. Yes, there are real differences, but the longer I live, the more I learn about other countries, cultures and religions and the more that I realize that they have in common.

Whether it's how the Bible, Torah and Koran have remarkable similarities and how all three faiths that use these books are said to have descended from the family of Abraham, whether it's the similarities in beliefs and superstitions or in foods that we incorrectly think are confined to one region--we often can find out differently--if we are willing to learn.

That said--there ARE differences between individuals, nations, continents and cultures that are interesting indeed, but again--to not look at the bigger world picture, you'd probably never realize that.

While my experience is mostly related to Asian forum postings, I really enjoy the writing of some of the posters on the Latin Forum and I find their experiences and their trip reports quite interesting. I'd name several, but I'd risk leaving some really good contributors out--people who I admire and respect--and not just the long time veterans here.

I think it's preposterous for people to say or think that people who are married already do not have a legitimate reason for being here or that if you've been married more than once that your wisdom is tainted somehow. To the contrary--these are people who can hopefully show other people how to learn from their successes and mistakes.

I do find some person's postings redundant, negative and self serving and to make it worse, they are usually the more prolific posters and they tend to try rile other people up.

I am no stranger to posting quite a bit, but I think that lately, my interest overall has waned because I just feel that there's a lot of worthless crap being posted recently and I don't want to wallow through the mud, only to find out that somebody who's writing--someone who almost always has something to say that's rewarding for me to read, has been pushed off the 'forum page' because someone else has felt the need to put out five, ten or fifteen postings--usually a few sentences of stuff on each post that few, if any members even bother to respond to.

I think if I'd first come to this site a month or so ago and seen the kind of sniping that's been going on lately, I'd have written it off quickly and never looked back.

Again--there have been times in the past where I guess I could be called, to put it nicely--a 'forum clogger' but I wish and wonder if when you come into P-L--if it would be possible to change the way the forum list of posts is set up so that we could scroll up and down posts that have been made in the last 2, perhaps three days?

That way, we can 'fast forward' past the negative naysayers if we please, and read posts from people who usually have interesting, helpful and sometime humorous things to say.

There's a lot to be learned from everybody here and there's a good sense of camaraderie, of 'give and take' if you will.

I think all of us can think of members who have written things here that have made us laugh out loud, as we sat in front of our computer monitors--how many people have to pay ten dollars to go to a movie or watch little kids play and cut up to get a good belly laugh anymore?

There are people here from both forums, who have experienced things we can personally relate to and/or give insights to newer persons who are just beginning to find where their interests lay.

There are people who may be pretty sure that they want to pursue finding a foreign spouse, but aren't yet sure whether to go east, west, north or south--and having a number of perspectives here to glean from certainly suits their needs well.

And again--I think more people would rather come here and read and interesting and informative posting--maybe even something that gives them a good laugh, than read somebody pissing and moaning as they continue in the same vein--posturing and then needlessly defending their self righteous rants.

You should be able to make a point here, political or otherwise, and not feel compelled to repeatedly defend your right to that opinion until it's like beating a dead horse.

There's too much good here--too many guys and gals looking for the positive--looking for love in farway places--in a venue that allows open minded free speech, to let a few narrow minded, self serving people drag this site down to their level.

This is a time we should be thinking more about opening our minds, rather than closing our ranks.

[piglett]

Yup & then there are the guys who always make these long winded posts.


he he he 

just busting ur chops Robert
that is just one of the services that i offer free of charge


pig

[Ray]

Some of us who have been members of Planet-Love for a long time recall when Patrick had distinct posting borders between the different geographic focus areas; Latin America, Asia, and the FSU. I think the absence of these "borders" in recent years has animated members whose interest and knowlege lie in one geographic area, say Asia to wax eloquent about another far off continent on which they´ve never set foot nor have the faintest notion of endemic cultural intricasies. Frankly speaking if I join a forum with the intention of learning about and sharing information about women, their behaviors and culture, specific to a continent such as South America it is my hope and expectaion that members there will be of like mind and like experience and will be able to offer me advise  based on genuine in country experiences. I believe that the hurly burly "cross cultural" format has lead to the exodus of many, many knowlegable posters with constructive but country or at least continent specic contributions to offer. The current environment is simply not conducive to serious and animated  participation by the "latin" faction. The poll proposes new "latin" and "Asian" sections that restrict discussion to members who have indicated a specific geological preference in their profile. I will add that Dan in private communication has encouraged this proposal.

First of all, I do believe that with very few exceptions, we have all indicated the same specific geological preference, namely planet earth.

You say that you are a long time member here but your profile indicates that you have only been a registered member for less than 9 months. Under what other handles, if any, did you post in the past and if you did change your screen name, why?

I have been a continuous member of P-L for something like 12 years now under the same screen name. I recall that there were 4 forums…Asian, Latin, Russian, and General. Since I have been participating here, there were NEVER any hard boundaries between the different forums, but simply separate areas of general interest. There have NEVER been any restrictions on members reading or posting in any forum that they wished to participate in. The only exceptions were individual verbal cross-forum posting restrictions by Patrick in cases of a few disruptive troublemakers.

What are you afraid of? You are certainly free to post anything on any forum and share your ideas and experiences specific to any culture or country of your interest and if someone posts something that you do not agree with, you are certainly welcome to respond and correct the record as you see it.

I personally welcome any members of any forum to post their opinions and experiences on the Asian forum or in any other forum here at P-L. I really don’t understand why you think that any other member should not be allowed on “your” forum, as you have repeatedly alluded to in recent months.

You indicated that you wish to participate in a forum where the members are of “like mind”? What exactly does that mean, that everyone will think just like you and always agree with your views? Go ahead and speak your mind, but don’t attempt to silence others who don’t agree with you or who have opposing opinions.



Ray

[Dave H]

BAD IDEA! There are a number of guys here who have experiences to share in other regions (Latin America, Asia, and the FSU) besides the one that they are currently involved.

I have spent 31 years in relationships with Latinas vs the past 10 years with a Filipina. I know a heck of a lot more about Latinas!

On a side note...the Philippines is a Hispanic country (it belonged to Spain for 377 years to be exact) that is geographically located in Asia. A Spanish possession and colony longer than any country in Latin America besides Cuba and Puerto Rico. Should the Philippines be included in the Latin or Asian Forums? Personally, I think it would fit better into the Latin Forum, if location was not considered.

Dave

[Researcher]

Yup & then there are the guys who always make these long winded posts.


he he he 

just busting ur chops Robert
that is just one of the services that i offer free of charge


pig

  Hey piglett just remember when you start reading one of those llooonnnggg posts that you will need enough bread crumbs to find your way home! hehehe

[Researcher]

   I agree with the majority so far.I have travelled to Asia and Latin America and feel that I can offer advice on both.Putting limits on the forum seems to be an attempt to accommodate the ultra sensitive folks that can't tolerate differing opinions.I don't have a problem debating just about any subject because I do have opinions. Most of the time I am curious as to how someone has arrived at what they believe and like to ask questions.I find other people's opinions and points of view interesting no matter where they decide to look.

  Putting up walls may keep some of the ultra sensitive around longer but sooner or later they will get their feelings hurt and leave.While we may need rules and guidelines too many restrictions will make this forum as dry as a popcorn fart.


  Researcher

[william3rd]

Good poll- expected result.

Some of us have experiences that transcend all boundaries. Immigration is not limited to a single continent. Neither are scammers, green card girls, agencies, travel, etc etc etc.

I think you would soon have no one else to talk to. The RWD board had a lounge where you could talk to an AI- maybe you would like that?

[robert angel]

Maybe I ought to make a site to put my epistles and just post the Cliiffs Notes, Spark notes versions here! Or like most folks, you can just skip over them or like Zon--be a 'skimmer'....

[Researcher]

 

   Hey Roberto, does Reader's Digest still do condensed versions?


  HEHEHE!(just kidding)


  Researcher

[Dan Las Vegas]

I like having the viewpoints and opinions of posters from the other boards!!  What would this board be like  without Ray, Dave H,William,  Robert Angel etc giving their dos centavos worth!!!!

Dan LV

[william3rd]

I like having the viewpoints and opinions of posters from the other boards!!  What would this board be like  without Ray, Dave H,William,  Robert Angel etc giving their dos centavos worth!!!!

Dan LV

Nice pict of Yosemite!!!!!

[Jeff S]

Are you saying Jim, that you know someone who left the Latin board because a poster with an Asian wife or girlfriend commented on his thread?

[robert angel]

Re:

>>Nice pict of Yosemite!!!!!<<


I thought that was DLV's back yard and that he has a nice irrigation system. Guess I need to get out more.....

[william3rd]

His lawn looks a little dry. . . .

[robert angel]

I'm not too big on the french overall, but I do have a french drain in my back yard that works wonders--maybe Dan can hook one up there too...

Not all things french are necessarily bad--I find the name those french fur trappers chose for the Grand Tetons, in what's now known as Grand Teton National Park, to be kind of cute in translation....

[Dan Las Vegas]

Hey, the lawn was a little dry as the snow had just melted!!! As you can see I'm busy watering the lawn in the background!!!

[z_k_g]

The poll proposes new "latin" and "Asian" sections that restrict discussion to members who have indicated a specific geological preference in their profile. I will add that Dan in private communication has encouraged this proposal.

Jim,

This is not a great idea and whatever the motivation for this suggestion needs to be rethought.

Many members have had experience with Latinas and Asian women so this mythical separation of thought seems a bit misplaced and very limiting to the overall purpose of P-L.

Do I agree with all of the posters? No.  But that's not relevant. 

I will say that many of our posters should go to a local community college or any of the thousand available websites and take a class in ethics and morals and the basic rules of debate and simple logic.  One thing that P-L clearly illustrates is the long term affects not offering such classes as logic, debating, philosophy, ethics and world cultures to our young men and women in the USA. 

But I digress.

Your suggestion is NOT a good idea. 

I say NO.

Zulu

[raycjs]

I disagree and believe anyone should be able to voice there opinion or ideas where ever they chose...  keep it the way it is...


Ray