Guidelines for the new expat-only forum

[MarcosZeitola]

Not so much unreasonable as complete gibberish.

Be so kind then, to explain in some detail why you disagree with what I just wrote and why it is "gibberish" to you.

[zboy1]

I nominate Travelin Man (the guy living in Hong Kong) Green1976, Yohan and Gsjackson to be part of the forum.

Thanks, but I still do not have any real idea about this new forum or section.

For what should it be good for? Happierabroad so far as I can see covers anyway everything regarding expat-life.

Or do you mean a forum solely to filter out data for living, like housing, visa, costs of living etc. - without any comments regarding women, nightlife?

For sure I do not want to see something like Orientexpat, which is simply said a place of insincere moderation, and as many were banned or left, there are only a few comments per day from the same few members writing to each other.

About racism, it's complicated, what is racist and what is not?
It is difficult to avoid any discussion about the behavior of people of different race, international mixed-race marriage in an expat-forum.

If you don't know what the meaning of expat life is...and can't tell the difference of what is racism or not, maybe you are not the type of person that should be in the new forum, then.

Is probably better that you post on the regular forum, since you oppose moderation.

If you want, I will probably leave you out of the forum then...

Sorry to ask you, is this a joke?

I am living in foreign countries away from Central Europe since over 40 years, most time in Japan, married to a Japanese woman, have 2 daughters with my wife and a Filipina fosterdaughter, have my own retirement condo in Thailand, just had friends visiting me from Malaysia and you ask me if I know what expat life is?

I was asking you what topics should this new forum include and what is excluded?
I was also asking what is your definition of racism, which I consider more or less US-related, or maybe former British colony history related (South Africa for example).

I do not oppose moderation in general, but I oppose insincere moderation.

Travel related topics including living overseas; foreign women and dating; finance related topics related to being overseas; trip-reports; etc. I think you get the picture.

Of course, race-related posts are okay--if related to the subject of international traveling. But, I don't want racial slurs thrown about like in the regular forum, or how one race is superior or inferior to another race; garbage like that belongs in the race section of HA.

Insincere moderation? What does that mean? Would you call RooshV or Return of Kings forums insincere? How about NiceGuy or MGTOW forums? Are they "insincere" since they're heavily moderated and don't allow half the things we allow on HA?

I like that HA is different from those other sites; but I think many of us want a separate section where all the troll posts, off-topic posts and threads, insults, threats, racism and negativity is largely absent--unlike in the regular HA forum. Is that so wrong?

[Yohan]

I like that HA is different from those other sites; but I think many of us want a separate section where all the troll posts, off-topic posts and threads, insults, threats, racism and negativity is largely absent--unlike in the regular HA forum. Is that so wrong?

I do not think, this is wrong what you say.

I cannot help to say however, your line-up of threads, insults, troll-postings etc. is somewhat exaggerated.

Why not to give it a try? You will see the results after a few months or so.

[Yohan]

Insincere moderation? What does that mean? Would you call RooshV or Return of Kings forums insincere? How about NiceGuy or MGTOW forums? Are they "insincere" since they're heavily moderated and don't allow half the things we allow on HA?

MRA-websites or MGTOW forums etc. are rarely 'heavily moderated'.

I was more thinking about pro-feminist websites, like Manboobz when mentioning insincere moderation or outsider/mangina-forums like Orientexpat where a few members are writing to each other and making fun out of anybody who disagrees with them.

http://wehuntedthemammoth.com/

http://www.orientexpat.com/

[Cornfed]

Of course, race-related posts are okay--if related to the subject of international traveling. But, I don't want racial slurs thrown about like in the regular forum, or how one race is superior or inferior to another race; garbage like that belongs in the race section of HA.

This makes no sense at all. To acknowledge any differences between races is to assume superiority or inferiority in various contexts.

[Jester]

Old forum:
"Does hitting the gym really help you become Alpha?"


New forum:
"Which gym in Manila has the hottest babes?"

Old forum:
"Why don't American women want me?"

New forum:
"Which one of the five potential girlfriends I am seeing right now should I settle down with?"

Something tells me it'll be one helluva forum!

[Jester]

Another guideline for the new expat section: PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC! This is a huge problem on the main boards, and which shouldn't be tolerated on the expat forum. Crazy, off-topic posts will be deleted.

+1

we all hijack threads, but we can definitely learn not to.

[Jester]

Why will racism be allowed?

Why wouldn't it be allowed? Ethnic differences make up part of the rich tapestry we call life.

good one, Cornfed.

[Jester]

The new forum would focus on getting ahead. Going from A to B. It would not have any people who just stay at home and whine and complain. Of those people we already have far too many, and their comments are ill-informed and not at all helpful. That whole negative vibe will not be on the expat sub-forum.

So Winston is out?

[Jester]

If I point out that the way to get a business visa extension in Cambodia is to go through a third party provider and pay an extra fee that for them to split with the bureaucrats providing the visas...

This is exactly the kind of thing we need more of.

Plus trip reports. Falcon, Xiongmai and others have done great stuff. ZBoy and Winston too. Everdred...

And what about AmericanInBangkok? His whole thing was "on the ground". Getting around, etc.

I still suspect that the new forum will need a non-public section for members only. (Obviously there needs to be some guideline that encourages most discussions to be public.)


Examples of non-public stuff:

--Can you buy marijuana in Timbuktoo?
--Pics of girlfriends
--Where can you expedite residency, and how much should you expect to pay

[Winston]

If I point out that the way to get a business visa extension in Cambodia is to go through a third party provider and pay an extra fee that for them to split with the bureaucrats providing the visas...

This is exactly the kind of thing we need more of.

Plus trip reports. Falcon, Xiongmai and others have done great stuff. ZBoy and Winston too. Everdred...

And what about AmericanInBangkok? His whole thing was "on the ground". Getting around, etc.

I still suspect that the new forum will need a non-public section for members only. (Obviously there needs to be some guideline that encourages most discussions to be public.)


Examples of non-public stuff:

--Can you buy marijuana in Timbuktoo?
--Pics of girlfriends
--Where can you expedite residency, and how much should you expect to pay

Now that I am back home, I will be setting up this new Expat Living forum soon.

For now, I think we should make it publicly viewable. That way, it will serve as a shining role model of how quality forum discussions SHOULD be.

If we want a private forum with discreet topics and questions (like the examples Jester gave above), we can set that up later. However, a discreet board could be infiltrated by some spy with ill will who comes and poses as a legit poster to try to get in, to get people in trouble. So you gotta watch out for that.

If you guys want AmericaninBangkok back, please PM him. If he doesn't respond, then go to his website and contact him on his contact form:
http://www.anamericaninbangkok.com/contact.html

[Winston]

Important announcement:

Ok I created the new expat forum. I called it "Expat Living and Dating VIP Forum". Do you like that title Zboy? You will find it on the forum index page under the Trip Reports forum. Btw, I moved the Trip Reports board up in position on the index page, because it's one of the most important boards. Here is the direct link to the new expat forum:

viewforum.php?f=47

Instructions to Zboy:

I've made you the moderator of the group. To add members to the group, click on "Usergroups" at the top of the forum under the HappierAbroad logo. Then select the name of the group (which is the same as the name of the board) and click "View Information". Then you will be taken to a control panel for the group. To add a member, enter the username in the bottom left corner next to the "Add Member" button. If you need to see the exact spelling of a username, click the "Find a Username" button to open a search field.

You will have to search through this thread from the beginning to see all the members that you agreed to add to the group. It will probably take a while. I've already added a few for you while testing it.

To remove a member, select the member by checking the box next to their username in the memberlist, and click "Remove Selected".

I've set the group to Open Group, so that users can submit a request to join. If you want, I can change it to Closed Group so that no one can submit a request to join, and only you can add them. Which do you prefer?

I've also set the permissions so that everyone can read the expat forum, but only members of the group can post in it.

Zboy, you may want to post a sticky thread in the new forum containing the rules you want for it.

I've never set up this kind of private group for a forum before. So I am not sure if the way I set it up will work as planned. I read the support documentation though and think I got it right. So try it out and see. If there are any problems or issues, let me know.

Winston

[zboy1]

Every month I will invite some members to the new expat section. I will also delete members who repeatedly break the rules.

I think at the end of this month, I will invite abcdavid01 and D Athlete to the list. I can't just choose everyone at the beginning, because that will mean bringing in newbies, who have no prior history of posting on HA--and I don't want to do that. For non-invited members, I have to see their quality of posts on the forum first, their behavior, and whether-or-not they show symptoms of being trolls.

If they're not trolls--and their quality posters--then I will invite them to join.

[Winston]

Zboy,
Did you see my announcement and instructions above? Do you understand it all? If there are any questions, let me know. You know how to add members and delete members right?

For some reason, you aren't answering any of my question directly. Are you seeing my posts? Do you like the title I chose for the new forum?

Yeah don't invite newbies to it yet until they've shown that they are good posters. For now, just invite veteran members into it.

I left it as an open group. This means that members can submit requests to join. If I change it to a closed group, then members cannot submit requests to join. Which do you prefer?

Also, if you like, I can move this thread into the new expat forum, since it contains the guidelines of it, instead of having you create a new sticky post with the rules in it. What do you prefer?

Zboy, I've asked you all these questions several times already. Are you not seeing my posts? These are important questions. Can you please answer them?

[Winston]

Zboy,
Wow I see you've added a lot of members to the group already. You must trust a lot of people.

Btw, can someone who is a member of the new expat group go to the new expat forum and tell me if they see a button to start a new topic or not?

viewforum.php?f=47

Better yet, start a new topic and see if it works. This is the first time we are doing this kind of thing, so I want to see if it works or not.

I will also PM a non-member to see if he is able to post as well. Hopefully not, but I am trying to test it to make sure it's a private board for members only.