I am Resigning From This Forum

[Roy]

With deep regret, and with very thorough consideration, I have decided to withdraw my name, membership, or otherwise association, from this forum.

I cannot allow, or countenance any association with the persona, of whom I know well the true identity, posted herein as “Fugly Bali.”

My efforts, both publicly and privately written to the forum administrator have not produced what I deeply believe, is the only logical recourse….i.e., to remove any reference to this vicious and libelous web site.

It has been my great pleasure to meet many wonderful people here over the years, and I wish each and every one of you complete fulfillment of your “Bali dreams.”

For me, my decision is not in any way based on any confrontation with Bert, or his wonderful wife, Dewi, but simply boils down to the issue, that I will not be part of any web site, forum, or whatever, that contributes in anyway….if only a link…to a web site about Bali which is authored by a man who clearly is conducting a vendetta, or a “crusade” against Bali because of his own actions.

Truly, there is a lot more to be said, but this forum is NOT the venue to what I could say, anymore than it should be a portal to this particular web site in question.

 

[matsaleh]

RE: I’m Resigning From This Forum

That's quite a drastic and emotional response Roy.

Bert has now locked the thread and is using it as an example of what not to post on this forum. He's made it quite clear that he and others on this forum don't condone the content of Fugly's site. Do you not agree?

I do hope you reconsider your decision to withdraw your membership.

 

[dawnofjedi]

Well...I know I am not the greatest contributor to this forum, but I do appreciate its existence. Roy, although you are always extremely rooted in your opinion and often unwilling to budge for anything or anyone, I feel you are invaluable to the perpetuation of certain wisdoms and knowledge about this precious island Bali. It is a shame to lose your presence. But I will point out, that although you crucify this guy because he is acting out of a vendetta, it seems to me that by quitting the forum, you are almost directly acting out of your own vendetta against this guy. Why not look past that and accept that there are fools in the world that we just have live with? Just dont pay attention. Others value your presence, and i am sure you have gained from theirs. Please reconsider, and dont be caught up in petty tit-for-tats with the ignorant. But if you dont reconsider, then I will be sure to at least say hello to you on the streets of Ubud if I see you when I am come to live there at the end of November. Good luck with everything.

OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI OM

 

[rien.gluvers]

Dear Roy,
Please don't let the bad guys win. By posting your believes and thoughts on this forum you make us, the people who are meaning the best for Bali and its people , stronger.

Rien Gluvers

 

[Bert Vierstra]

If he decides not to resign after al.. hmmmm Balinese pride?

I also think its a pity that Roy leaves, but I also feel sort of betrayed. Afterall it was Roy that first posted a link to one of Mr Austin's websites in an earlier post. with the message, this is not how you should behave.

And now this. :shock:

There is more to it.

 

[matsaleh]

Re: RE: I am Resigning From This Forum

I also think its a pity that Roy leaves, but I also feel sort of betrayed. Afterall it was Roy that first posted a link to one of Mr Austin's websites in an earlier post with the message, this is not how you should behave.
And now this. :shock:

There is more to it.

Yes I remember Roy's earlier post. Must be more to the story than he is telling. :?

 

[Tracey]

Roy,
I think you will be missed here, I did also see Roy's original post too...

 

[Guest]

:roll:

 

[Sanurian]

Hi Roy

It's been a long time since we've met. Remember me? I'm the ex-psychologist (telescope-maker) guy who used to live in Tegallalang. We last crossed drinks at Nuri's.

Now...I am not completely sure what this is all about, but, any mention of Mr Mark Austin makes my skin crawl too. I'm not aware exactly what his problems are, but I'm sure they are many. I believe he hates Bali and in my opinion, people like that should not be website administrators, apart from the fact that he seems to be megalomaniac/fascist/paranoid/something or other.

I had run-ins with him, on his site, years ago. He definitely doesn't appear to have changed in any way. Just in the last couple of weeks, had another problem with him...to me, a very trivial thing...to him, apocalpyse on the net.

I've read many of your posts in the past on the various other Forums. What I can't figure out is how you manage to write so much stuff and still drink many vodka martinis (or vice-versa).

I agree with other posters that your departure will be a big loss. I also implore you to re-evaluate once more. Mr A-hole is just that. Bailing out of sites just empowers him. (I just joined this Forum earlier today and now you're making me feel uncomfortable.) Just like 'terrorists' should not get the idea they're 'winning', we should never bend to their mental incompetancies.

See you, sooner or later, back up in the hills.
8)

 

[Roy]

OK, To Clarify and Say Selamat Jalan...

There is clearly some confusion why I have quit this forum. I think I am obligated, as best I can, and within the parameters of what I can disclose, to clarify my reasons.

Up front, and most certainly, Bert and I remain good friends, as differences of opinions and choices in life never get in the way of the many friendships, he, or I have in Bali. My personal respect, admiration and enjoyment of his company, and that of his wife, Dewi, is not an issue here.

My issue is quite simple…it is not at all complex. I only request that any direct link from this forum, regardless of caveats, to the “Fuggly Bali” web site be removed. My prior posted link, on the string, “what an expat should never do” has nothing to do with the link and post by “Fugly Bali” although it is very clear, the ownership, and management of both sites, one a forum, one a web site, are the same.

I agree with Bert that some things that are written on the “Fugly Bali” web site are true. No question about that. Any of us that have spent any time on Bali will know these truthful things in a heart beat. But in my view, and more importantly, my conviction, the lies and outrageous claims on that forum far, far outweigh the benefit of any of its truisms. Moreover, I have no doubt that some of those claims are clearly seditious in nature, against the government of Indonesia, and I will not be a part of it…in ANY way.

For me, with my Balinese wife, and our three sons, committed that Bali be our home forever, I cannot, or will, associate myself in anyway with a forum that allows a link, or portal, (even with a disclaimer), that leads to seditious comments against my adopted country.

Furthermore, having some knowledge of the criminal investigation that is currently ongoing regarding this persona…”Fugly Bali” I am even more disposed to act in the manner I have…albeit, I cannot, nor will, disclose what I know.

I think my original post, when I resigned my membership here, failed to make some of these points clear. That was my fault.

It could be said, I’ve already said too much, so, I will not say more. As one poster noted, “I think there is more to this”….amen…MUCH more.

 

[Guest]

:roll:

 

[Sparky]

Roy as much as you disagree with this link to Fugly Bali i think you are taking things to far by resigning from this site. So you are going to let the perpetrator behind Figly Bali win are you. ! :? I bet he is pssing himself laughing as he reads your resignation post. Roy i have read your posts to this site and have no doubt you thouroughy enjoy contributing to this site and giving your view and information to other members. Therfore i suggest you step back and just think the matter over and withdraw your resignation as you are letting Fugly beat you.....so come on Roy shoulders back and head up....you know it makes sense no matter how stubborn you are. (and boy can you be a stubborn so an so )
:wink:

Regs Mark

 

[Thorsten]

Hi everybody,

last week there was a posting on the BTF by Fugly-Bali with a link to his website, at first I did not give any attention to this, but after reading some replies I got curios and checked this site.
I was reading every fucking sentence on this site and there could be no doubt, that the only reason to be created was, to put damage on tourism on Bali, there was simply nothing constructive there, the only reason was obviously to keep as many people as possible away from Bali.

The thread was nuked in about one hour, I was thinking about who could stand behind this website and why,
The extremistic way it was built up let the suspicious come to my mind, some Islamic fanatics could have made the site.
Due the posting of Roy with a link to the expat forum (in the meantime also deleted, although PR allowed to post the link), I returned to this forum again, have lost the link to it since a while due a new notebook ( also the URL has changed a several times during the past two years).
I was surprised, when I could read here that the only matter of all this was a personal revenge.

The link Roy provided in his posting (what an expat should never do) was to a site, where Mr. Mark Austin was exposing in an absurd way his personal crusade toward Mr. Jack Daniels, it was a kind of amusing and left an impression regarding the mental condition of this guy.
Well, I don’t have any idea what these two guys have with each other, but whatever it is, the statements on this site looked to me exaggerated.

This is one thing, the other thing, what I consider completely different is the Fugly-Bali site, the link to it was posted by Fugly-Bali ( Mark?) himself.
The accusation on this site targets every kind of Indonesian institutions, this is quite more than a personal struggle between two jealous guys, there is a bad kind of agitation toward almost all and everything on Bali.

I am and was always against any kind of censorship, so I can understand the position of Bert in general, but in this case I cannot agree to provide destructive agitation and defamation a space.
As good you could also provide a direct link to other site of extremists like Nazis, the Hamas, Sarkawi, Azzam, you could also provide a link to children-pornsites, necrophilia, or whatever other sick things are existing in the net.
Do all of them have the right of a free speech?

Roy’s position is understandable and if I were on his place, I would do the same.
Living and married on Bali, with the kids going to school there, with connections to many Balinese in positions they have been slandered with mud, in the knowledge of the anger of this people, I would try to keep myself out of it as good as possible.
It’s a simple question, is it worth risk my own reputation, is it worth to risk the faith of some friends, is it worth to risk the sake of my family, is it worth to get in trouble only because of a forum ?

To Bert, I hope you know what you are doing, I wish that you will not get in troubles due this nonsense one day,
I suspect the people who have been pissed off by the Fugly-Bali site will not show a lot of humour in handling this case, I suppose also in Jakarta they have internet access and they will watch this.
I’m not so familiar with Indonesian law, but this also doesn’t matter, because whenever the hunt will start nobody will care for this I guess.


With warmest regards
Thorsten

 

[Guest]

:roll:

 

[Bert Vierstra]

To Bert, I hope you know what you are doing, I wish that you will not get in troubles due this nonsense one day,
I suspect the people who have been pissed off by the Fugly-Bali site will not show a lot of humour in handling this case, I suppose also in Jakarta they have internet access and they will watch this.

I never have been known like somebody that knows what he is doing...

I hope that the "people in Jakarta" appriciate this forum, now they know where this Fug Site is. 8)

I am not making an advertisement for him, damned. I allow people to be critical. If the the link is removed he will do his own biased promotion, (wich he will do anyway someday). Now we have discussion, and this will stay, even after the link is removed.

THIS FORUM IS NOT PROMOTING HIM.

Anyway, we solve this the democratic way.

 

[Sanurian]

This is all sounding rather bizarre to me.

I haven't had the 'pleasure' of visiting "Fugly's site", whatever that is.

There are nasties everywhere, and if Fugly/whatever is one of them, I would imagine that this site's administrator (Bert?), should have the tools to minimise his influence. If this person is Professor S-head (aka Austin), I am all for pruning his wings, so to speak. But don't underestimate that whacker - I believe he has some computer skills.

I am new to this Forum site and am sad to see it apparently some kind of cyber battleground. Can't we all just enjoy our posts, share information, and basically get on with it without paying too much attention to the idiots who are out there? Or am I too naive?

 

[Sparky]

Roy has taken all this Fugly Bugly episode too far. I mean why resign just because someone has an opinion he does not like. :? I mean this is a bit childish of him if you ask me and i would respect him more if he was to admit this and withdraw his resignation. It is quite obvious he enjoys using the site (Bali Ex-pat) and by resigning he is allowing the auhtor of Fugly Bali to win hands down. He is probably laughing his socks off as he reads Roys resignation. :roll: I know he can be stubborn but heh there are limits to how far you go. I mean just because i dont agree what a certain News Tabloid prints does not mean i wont buy another copy again.
The world is full of things we dont like and people that say things we dont agree with i am afraid especially more so in the country Roy has chosen to live in. Roy the whole idea of the site is that it allows people to discuss matters and state there opinion whether you agree or disagree.....isnt it!!!
:?

Mark

 

[Sanurian]

Yes - I agree with you, "Sparky".

I just hope I'm agreeing with a real person and not a collection of psychiatric syndromes. Sorry - it's just that I'm starting to get paranoid on this site. If you have anything to do with Mr A, I'm out of here. If I'm wrong, I apologise.

 

[Bert Vierstra]

I mean just because i dont agree what a certain News Tabloid prints does not mean i wont buy another copy again.

Its a bit more then not agreeing. Both Thorsten and Roy compare this site to f.i. Child Porn.

While it isnt Porn, it is according to them "extremistic".

Roy is afraid that a link from this forum to this extemistic site from a guy that is banned from Indonesia, may give this forum "a bad name" in the eyes of some officials, and being associated with this forum a bad effect.

Something like a british expat forum that links to IRA sites.

 

[Sparky]

Bert i think i get the drift from what you have stated.... about the site being linked to lets just say not very nice sites. Now every ones entilteld to their opinion so heres mine. Regards this site having links to Fugly Bali and the big news of the moment 'ROYS RESIGNATION FROM BALI EX-PAT'
i can only assume the following ;
Roy in knowing that he is a major player of this site and by this a mean an administrator and contributor could be assumed as being part of this Fugly Bali thing. This would not look good if the powers to be of Bali or the Bali underworld happended to be monitoring the site. No no no not at al would it......all smacks me as a bit of paranoia folks. I mean Roys resignation post, albeit polite was a bit too 'i really love Bali and would have nothing to do with anything derogatory against Bali'. Yes folks i am afraid that the more i read into this the more i can see what Roys game plan is. I mean if ever he was to apply for something in Ubud and it was up to the local powers to be then it would not look good if Roy was as i stated earlier was a contributor to that controversial site 'Bali Ex-pat'. :lol:
All good fun eh folks :lol:

Regard Mark