Mark Austin's Opinion, a reaction by Bert Vierstra

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Bert Vierstra

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Mark Austin said:
Bert Vierstra - Bali Expat Forum
Bert Vierstra makes himself out to be a decent even amiable and upstanding member of the Bali community. He runs the Bali Expat Forum and several commercial web sites. He is not what he seems. I have an email from him admitting he assisted a particularly nasty member of the expat community in Bali with information on how to bypass this forum's security scripts, so that this other person would hack / Spam this forum. Bert has also admitted posting his own hate messages on this forum using false names. If you know Bert Vierstra of the Bali Expat Forum, I suggest you think again. I actually supported him when he set up his forum and have sent valuable potential customers his was for his real estate business, and this is how he repays me, by aiding and abetting hack attempts against this site.

Hee, I never make myself out ! They do !

If disabling cookies in your browser is called "hacking" we need to rewrite some internet dictionaries, but its true, I told someone that your privacy is better protected when you disable cookies, especially with sites that use this cookies to monitor individual behaviour of visitors.

I never posted hate messages, my messages were oriented towards peace, if there is anyone aggressive its Mr Austin. If I tell him that I hope its all over and we can meet someday, he tells me he will brake my nose then, lawyers, lawsuits, police complaints....

Mark says he supported me, well he supplied a link to this forum and I returned the favor. He send me a client, thats true, one, long ago.

Thanks Mark !

You are using this "helping me" over and over in your messages about me, and try to make me look real real bad, oh man, you know how to play "poor victim"!

Anyway, I feel that I am too deep into this shit with Mr Austin, to let him talk nonsens about me. Laying low is the best with this guy. smile and walk away. I could keep doing this for sometime, avoiding that the subject was talked about on this forum. But its too late, it happened, and when it starts its like a bomb explodes...

And I am sorry that it happened, really sorry.

But thats the way it goes, with Mr Austin....

<link removed outdated>

In the message on his forum in the above link, he exaggerates, makes things look more "worse" then they really are, he turns the truth to his own liking, so he has a reason for his ever present anger.

Remarks like "Unfortunately, for everyone and including Bali" try to touch a sentiment that he uses when ever he feels appropriate, hoping that people feel pity for the poor guy ("I must admit I am shocked."), but the truth is that Mr Austin just goes in a heavy fight with everyone that doesn't agree with him. Samples and records can be found all over the Internet, as well as his blog and guestbook spamming.

Well, he asks you to think again when you meet me somewhere, please do. Think of me as the guy that made Mr Austin say in public, on his own forum:

"Truly, I am sorry the ill effect of all that I have done and will be doing has had on the Balinese themselves"

Thanks Mark, I knew you would see the light one day !

More on Mark Austin here:


And Here:

 

Thorsten

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Nov 30, 2002
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Congrats Bert

Congrats Bert,

You became number two on his name & shame list, that’s great !
Yes we could not expect you will beat Jack D. but you have beaten the BaliTravelForum !!!

Yes, it doesn’t take a lot for Mr, Austin to start a war with all and everybody how it looks to me.
As I wrote in my posting on the BTF regarding his Fugly-Bali site, I almost feel compassion for him, think a good psychiatric could probably help in this case.

When I have a look on his forum there are only a few posts, seems nobody is interested in it, maybe the guy is only jealous ;-)

Keep on good working Bert
Best regards

Thorsten :wink:
 

Bert Vierstra

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RE: Mark Austin's Opinion, a reaction

Yes up to the top !

No really, I wish I had avoided it all.

I just hope that is doesn't get any worse, but I am afraid it will.
 
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RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

Bert, I just want to say that I think you do a great job with this forum. I used to read the Bali Nuts forum and the Mark Austin forum too. I occasionally go back to check to see if things have changed on those sites, but alas...no. The nuts mostly talk, or should I say banter on about politics and Mark flings s*it on anybody and everybody he has issues with. BORING! If forums contain the word Bali in the title, I think people expect to read about Bali, it's people, it's culture, it's spirituality, etc. There are plenty of forums for discussing politics and I would imagine there are even forums where people can vent their hostilities about people they hate. Why do some Bali forums seem to talk and rant on and on about things that are not specifically about Bali. I just don't get it. My own solution is to stick with what satisfies me...this forum. Please Bert, don't let this site go the way of the others. I get my Bali fix on your site and hope things remain as they have been for a long time...informative, enlightening, fun, and most importantly about Bali. Good on you Bert!
 

Tracey

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RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

I agree Playful Dragon...
8) I think you do an excellent job & this site is far better than the others I also look at!! Keep up the great job, it's awesome!!!
 

Tracey

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RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

Getting one of them tattooed on my back soon,
I love watching dragonfly in the garden they are so pretty! I really like them, my first Mandala was of dragonfly & lotus flowers! I still love my very first painting the best out of all the others!!!! :roll:
 
May 4, 2004
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RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

Hey Tracey...great idea having a dragonfly tattooed on your back! I, like you, really enjoy watching them. Up/down, forward/backword, left/right...all in the blink of an eye. Amazing! In the Native American Shaman tradition the dragonfly is thought to be the master of illusion. I'll buy that. What color will you get? My favorite ones are the red ones.
 

Tracey

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RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

Not sure yet, I have been given some pictures from friends that know I like dragonflies, but they are slightly not real & cartoonish & I don't really want that!
So I will keep looking & eventually I will get a frog on a lilypad also, sticking it's tongue out to get the dragonfly, ofcourse it won't reach it!!!!
2 years ago my hubby had Ganesh tattooed on his entire back for me, as I have a number of these statues on my desk & in our home!

Isn't it funny how friends feel they can tell you what tatto you should get, I am not into the tribal stuff, yet when I said I want to get a dragonfly, but not central on my back kind of to the right side of my back & then on the bottom of my back get a pond scene with a frog on a lilypda they all go, "WHY?" Because I actually like to bhave something different than a flower with tribal black through it!!!
Anyways I had a bad morning & just blowing off some steam..
I will however get photo's taken & add them to the photo site once done!!!
 

Sanurian

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RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

Like most people I know who have had anything to do with Mr MA's website(s), I am fed-up with hearing about him.

Thorsten (above), mentions things like 'compassion' and 'psychiatric help' for this guy. I think he's right - that guy is very, very sick...and unfortunately, seems to have some advanced computer skills (or maybe just those around him).

I'm not convinced, however, that major psychiatric intervention these days would be able to do much for him. In the older days, maybe. Endless shock-treatments, perhaps, maybe even a lobotomy.


He's lucky there are some people who feel sorry for his state of mind. He obviously thinks everybody else is crazy...a common symptom related to paranoid psychosis. (I am a trained psychologist but sure as hell wouldn't want him as one of my patients, outside of a maximum security ward). Pitying him is of no use - the tragedy is that's he's mentally sick and still on the loose.

I just wish he'd get the treatment(s) he needs/deserves and leaves the rest of us outside of his insane orbit.
:roll:
 

made marko

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RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

Although I do not wish to acknowledge mr.A at all.
I do have an opinion on tattoo...
Some 10 years ago, I was somewhat of a well-known(in the states) and rather successful tatooist. I worked under the name 'Rusty StClair'. Rusty being my childhood nickname, and my distant relative on my mothers side; was the world famous carnival tatooist, Stoney StClair.
This was a highly lucrative buisness, and I sometimes miss the $$, but never the life I led.
I attended the conventions, won the awards, poked the beautiful ladies,was proud of my health standards and all the rest...
Very difficult life for me to leave.
Why did i stop?
Tattoo is a form of MAGIC.
The oldest human mummy exhumed in ice was covered with them.
This is an ancient form of magic and all magic carries with it consequences.
Not that I am against the use of magic, be it toward the right or left, balance after all is what the worlds are based on.
I could not take the time to try and explain(if anyone would care, or even tend to believe what I said) the importance of marking oneself, for one reason or another-(Christians refer to:" Lev. 17,28 "), -but thats old testament...
I digress.
As one would expect, as a former tatooist...I am covered w/ them.
And they all 'meant something to me' at the time.(i have the image of Ganesh in the dance of Nataraj, on my right side from armpit to waistline)
Elbows to ankles- I made the (smart) early decision to not have my forearms or above the collar done. Now, I sometime feel a sideshow attraction on the beach.
People would never pay $150 for a 4" rose I painted on canvas, but they knock down the door and gladly fork it over to the tattoo "artist".
My friends would spend money adorning themselves w/ ink while their children wore hand me downs, I felt like a dope dealer, (kinda addictive, aren't they).
And my decadent lifestyle...
What I would like to say with all this is the ancient art of tattoo should be respected for what it was, and to some still is.
Magic.

asa,asi,asu -made
 

Thorsten

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RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

Hi Sanurian,

I just wish he'd get the treatment(s) he needs/deserves and leaves the rest of us outside of his insane orbit.

I don't know this guy, I think I also don't want to get to know him.
This whole thing is a big bubble with nothing inside, in my point of view.
To get lawyers involved because some flamings on a forum is really ridiculus, better Mr. Austin would save his time and money for something important.

Computer skills ?
Maybe he spends too much time in front of the PC.

Who would ever had an interest to hack his "forum" ?
I have checked this forum, it seems nobody is interested in it, there is not much traffic.

best regards
Thorsten
 

Lou

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Ubud
RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

Greetings, This is my first comment/post on Bert's Weblog. Just running through the messages above, some of my thoughts on the Mark Austin issue:

. Computer skills. Possible but unlikely. He is known to use East European programmers (dime a dozen and very good) for software such as his spam bots, scripts and websites. Downside is that they have an appalling habit of joining up with various Mafias, or forming their own, but that's probably not a big deal for the boy. He was also fishing around in North Korea a while back but that may have been for an alternative pharmaceutical source.

Recently he had a partner who is very Search Engine (SEO) savvy as well as being extremely witty. MA's most recent efforts at SEO however suggests the partner has either gone his separate way or lost interest. The current stuff is overkill, completely lacking in subtlety (sound familiar?) and has already been whacked by Yahoo. Google will get him soon too.

. Mental Health. He is probably the victim of one of those dreadful UK boarding schools as his behavior is almost identical to a 14 year old attending the very worst of those caning and rogering academies. This suspicion, that MA was abused as a child, causes me to cut him a bit of slack occasionally; but not for long. I can attain some level of sympathy but just can't sustain it for any length of time, which makes me feel guilty.

. Lawyers. The best lawyers when neccessary tell a client what he doesn't want to hear - can anybody seriously believe that Mark would use such a person. Still we all have our hobbies so leave him to his as it's a relatively harmless if somewhat expensive pastime. My favorite was when he was going to sue - "Roy Whatever His Name Is" - the lawyer probably nodded gravely and said Yes! definitely! Great Idea!

. Finally - Bert. How can we get him to number 1 on the 'name and shame'? As we all know this is a badge of distinction and JD has hogged it for far too long. My observation is that Bert is a man in pursuit of excellence and will not be happy being number 2. I'm sure Bert would appreciate any suggestions as to how he might improve in this important regard.
 

Thorsten

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RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

Hi Lou and welcome,

hmmmm , I thought this is simply a ridiculous bragger now I hear about Mafias, East European programmers, North Korea

In respect of the lawyers I agree.
The imagination of him, sitting in Portugal, calling a lawyer in Jakarta to tell him he should file a police complaint against a guy on Bali with the name Roy Mahatmawhatseverhisnameis living somewhere in Ubud is really funny, think the lawyers must have been enthusiastic due this.

The score-board, after all I have heard now, I’m really surprised that Bert achieved to be on number two.
I think it should be possible to beat this Jack D., another shameless hacking attack ( like to use a false name or to disable cookies ?) and Bert could get on top, here in Europe no police officer would take a protocol because of this childish affair, well at least the lawyers in Jakarta will earn some money.

Best regards
Thorsten :roll:
 

Bert Vierstra

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RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

Guys, I have no intention of becoming nr1, actually it would be nice if the whole list would be gone.

Anyway, maybe I will be nr1 one day anyway, because I am compiling a list of facts, just the plain simple facts, and the facts are what people need, no innuendo.

If people know facts, give me facts. By PM or otherwise, I will need your name, but your name will never be published.
 

Thorsten

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Nov 30, 2002
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RE: Mark Austins Opinion, a reaction

Hello Roy,

just had a look on Mark’s „private” forum, don’t know why because it’s really not of interest, so I got a kind of surprised when I found a posting from “you” there.

I don’t know if you pay any attention to this forum but I guess this should be of interest for you.

http://www.travelforum.org/bali/messages/40472.html


regards
Thorsten
 
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