[quote author=chiquita link=topic=3775.msg28006#msg28006 date=1161118665]
Why do people join a cult? Some like others to make choices for them so they join abusive groups. Some like being part of a group that offers purpose in place of their having none. Some are naive and know no better since it sounds good and they like what they see. It can be for any one of a multitude of reasons, but mostly for the wrong reason.
They become convinced and are lead on a course that affects them on every level, emotional, psychological, the heart and mind, soul and spirit. From this they are taken captive replacing critical thinking with the ways the group wants them to think in. Destructive cults are basically pyramid shaped with a person or group of teachers that have domineering control over their lives. The cult's lifestyle is based on the hopes, goals of their leader and the group collectively. They will often use psychological manipulation and deception to recruit new members. Individuals are not told up front what the group is really about or what will be expected of them if they become members. They find these things out later after they have given them their time and money. So many people never have a chance at a knowledgeable choice because most of them are encouraged to join as soon as possible without looking into the background or history of the group.
Cults are found in two categories theological and sociological. And they can practice both in some degree.
The key is to get the information to the people before they join, because it’s much harder to convince them to leave after they have joined. [/quote]
I am just reposting information again for our new folks. Hope this information helps. It is additional information regarding cults which are not necessarily based on theology/religion.
8)
[quote author=Kaboing link=topic=3775.msg36587#msg36587 date=1165964915]
Quote:In addition, we'll be releasing our first press release and running a handful of charity auctions.
I think we know where the charity money will go.
[/quote]
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[quote author=chiquita link=topic=3775.msg30648#msg30648 date=1162530018]
Here is another post which quotes what Ray said on FAS about OTWA, and includes a response by a OTWA poster.
Quote:Quote:Did you ever wonder where it is all the 'know-it-all', insulting, jerky, eBayers hang out?
I know now, it's over at OTWA.
Ray, we were trying to help you and WagglePop succeed by offering suggestions- we didn't want to see your new site fail. However, after witnessing your unprofessional reaction to this thread and seeing your hatred rear it's ugly head on the one you started elsewhere, I'm afraid it doesn't have a ghost of a chance.
Quote:I'm actually glad now it's turned out the way it has over there.
Those are all the overblown, antagonistic people who've made ebay the slaughterhouse it's become.
Good. Stay there.
Because frankly, you're not good enough for Wagglepop.
Spend all day and night pounding on us, while we actually accomplish the very things you mock.
I used to think OTWA was a productive, important web meeting place......
Now I see it for what it is:
A private club, for angry, sour, negative people.
Please stay there, and continue to dazzle each other with tales of wisdom and might.......
Wagglepop?
I sincerely hope you never darken our doorway.
Ray
And this spewing comes from the CEO of a service oriented startup company. My God!!
Ray....FYI, Jim knows a bit about SEO as well. Everyone can see you in all your petty ego inflated glory because this thread has been indexed on Google since day one.
[/quote]
Hey all, from some of the posts that I have been reading over the last few days and the "new" posts over on WP about advertising, etc. I think that Ray has been looking at the efforts of some of the other start-up sites and their plans for advertising and promotion. Is it Tasbar? Sorry can't remember the exact nameÂ
Their advertising plans are very similiar to what has been announced on WP.Â
Reading through all the older posts here on TT is quite a task, I know I did it once. There are a lot of facts and information, but they are inbetween other discussions and get lost. It is great that some of those older posts are being brought back into the foreground and highlighted.Â
I really think the current poppers see us as doomsayers and "Trolls", because we have tried to open conversation about the many things that Ray does not want to discuss, such as advertising, adsmart, censorship, etc. They have been conditioned to believe what "Karen" says, even though it makes no sense whatsoever, and blindly trust their leader.
Man that was hard to type, my brain hurts now.Â
[quote author=regic link=topic=3775.msg14492#msg14492 date=1148060259]
vitalfinds Wrote:I don't know how he did it the first time, but he seems to be doing it again
Doing what again? Wagglepop participation was primarily limited to the members of a few message boards. The number of users and listings it attracted the first time weren't enough to rank it in the top 25 third tier auction sites.
Amy posted the following yesterday for some perspective.:
amy Wrote:Overstock Auctions "registered users: 660,000" (from press release). Bidville "almost 1 million users" (also from press release)
Bidville 970,000 listings, Yahoo Auctions 870,000, Overstock 235,000, eBid (US site only) 165,000, ePier 130,000 (380,000 counting stores), OnlineAuction 118,000 listings (2 million total items), .
MightyBids 155,000 listings
Wagglepop first go-round in 2005: over 4000 signed up on FAS but only 2400 registered on Wagglepop as users, only 11,000 items
The AuctionBytes Blog has a few comments about Wagglepop today:
AuctionBytes Blog Wrote:That kind of track record makes it difficult to take a re-launch seriously. But what make us approach any new site like this with some trepidation is the way the re-launch was announced. A marketing email was sent to "the thousands of people who showed interest in and support for our desire to provide a real and lasting online auction alternative."
Interesting. In February 2005, when asked what would happen to the information of its users, the founder of this site stated, "The site software, data, and information have been wiped clean from the servers." Yet evidently, there must have been a back-up of the email addresses.
AuctionBytes Blog Wrote:It's impossible to vet every company we write about, but our policy has been to always verify the WhoIs registration information and search for the registrant's name to look for any signs of trouble. If a business won't reveal their identity, we won't write about it...
That's why you won't read about the launch of "the site with the funny-sounding name" on AuctionBytes.
full article:
http://blog.auctionbytes.com/cgi-bin/blo...49200.html
[/quote]
More factsÂ
Quote:wagglepopCC1Â 12 Dec 2006 21:07Â Â Â
Hello Members,
Patience does indeed have it's unique rewards.
There simply were various critically important site dynamics that we needed the time to let form, or address, before we could move into other dynamics such as noted today.
In business, timing is one of the most critically important dynamics there is, and by heeding that and operating with that in mind, we feel we are optimizing Wagglepop for the long-term
Karen - WP Customer Care
Bolding mine.
Karay is starting to blither. How many times can you say dynamics in two sentences? I think he needs a smiley to replace that word. Can anyone provide us with a smiley for a stick of dynamite?
Patience - crapolla! He picked up on the mood caused by the recent exodus and knew it was time to flip some switches, push some buttons on his computer. The collective were not being assimilated fast enough for the time frame he set. Some had the audacity to shake or scratch their heads. So he had to step up his schedule to keep that dangling carrot fresh and enticing.
I feel sick actually. That so many good people, great sellers, honest members have been handed these fresh tickets to stay on the merry-go-round - and they are lining up to 'purchase' them.Â
Drats, I hate making spelling mistakes! Edited to cover them.
[quote author=regic link=topic=3775.msg32578#msg32578 date=1163981298]
No, that's a Perl CGI based program, WP's is PHP. There are
many cheap scripts similar to what WP is using
EDIT: found it. RevSense.
https://www.wagglepop.com/keywords/index...ction=user&action=register&t=adv
http://demo.revsense.com/?section=user&action=register&t=adv
https://www.wagglepop.com/keywords/index...ction=user&action=login
http://demo.revsense.com/?section=user&action=login
Using the URL strings generated by a program you can usually track it down because they always match no matter how many modifications you make to the user interface.
WP is using RevSense which is a $99 script
http://www.revsense.com/
[/quote]
Quote:RevSense makes it easy for you to sell text or banner ads on your site. Set the prices you want, and the kinds of ads to sell, then RevSense does the rest. It manages the sign up, ad entry and upload process and collects advertising revenue into your Paypal or Authorize.net account. -- Features optional keyword driven ads, user industry ad size formats or create your own. Price ads by CPC, CPM, CPD or CPA. *** Software is not encoded ***. You get full and complete PHP/MySQL source code so you can enhance it.
[quote author=chiquita link=topic=3775.msg30759#msg30759 date=1162594278]
A post by TR regarding his visit to the FAS boards WP1 thread.
Quote:Any questions that are asked or discussions that are engaged which are not deemed to be fully supportive of Wagglepop are attacked by posters there, and ultimately by Wagglepop itself. Thus, those discussions cannot take place over there. In fact, yesterday, I exchanged several PM messages with Matt, the owner of the board. He does seem like a decent sort, but his expectations are much, much different than what we are accustomed to, either here or on almost every other OAI board... Matt told me in PM: "Please don't get me wrong, you are very welcome to post and participate here at FAS. I am only asking you if a question will turn into an argument (with Ray) please PM him."
So ONLY supportive posts and questions are allowed there. His beach, his waves and all that...
Personally, I have mixed feelings about this whole Wagglepop thing. Users are looking to move off eBay and diversify their businesses. I think anyone who has known me for a while knows that this is something in which I have great interest, and have been very supportive of in the past. My experiences of the past also have led me to the conclusion that taking some of one's eggs out of eBay's basket and putting them into the basket of someone who is less capable of caring for them than even eBay, is counterproductive and leads directly to great harm for the auction users who do that... both to their finances and to their spirit. Wagglepop has allowed, and has even encouraged users to do some things which could lead directly to suspension from eBay. Wagglepop has encouraged an "us vs. them" mentality among it's supporters (users-in-waiting). Wagglepop complains bitterly about all dissent, and seeks to supress discussions which are not supportive. Yet, they do have a great deal of momentum... and it's going to happen... so I have been both in bringing up issues of interest to those who are proceeding with open eyes, and I have attempted to lend a few supportive tidbits of information that might help them achieve greater success in their effort to diversify...
First post, I was attacked by a moderator. OTWA was attacked by the same moderator. I didn't even realize they were a mod at that point!
Second post, I was told to stop posting and start reading.
That was my FIRST POST to that board, and it was replied to by a moderator and the board owner before anyone else. I was attacked and told to shut up.
:blinkie:
History does have a way of repeating itself.
[/quote]
The reason it took me so long to start posting here was because I was ashamed to have been a part of the cheerleading crowd. I was only there a little over a month and a half, but it took them hurting a good friend of mine to really open my eyes. If it weren't for Alskling, I don't thing I would still be working toward an online business.
Why do people join cults? For acceptance and approval. They use you up and spit you out when you are no longer useful.