lanikai Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 It has been brought to my attention from the Admin Team that members have been inquiring as to weather I am being financially "compensated" for the reps I have.. i don't know weather members are referring to my new release write ups or they think I am of celebrity status to where collectors would pay me to wear their reps.. Or if this is in retaliation of me commenting on the fact that too many posts were about "promoting" collectors .. IMO that should be in the dealers section and not all over threads that are not immediately connected with collectors. Or in retaliation by those who do accept compensation for "whatever" Let me begin by stating that I have never nor will I ever start to ask for, nor accept any compensation for posting write ups .. or reviews .... there are members (myself not included) that have the ability IMO to put up reviews in periodicals... they are that good... when i read something like Road and Track for example the "review" is to make the product sooo attractive ... with the purpose to "sell" or market that product... i laugh at some of the ratings in cigar mags.. some of the worst smokes are rated in the high 90's .. then you notice they have the most ad's in that magazine and spend the most money... nuff said.. I do not post this type of write up.. nor do i ever name my collector on the board .... what you get are bare facts and not "super model" photo's .. i was thinking of getting a tent set up .. lights.. the works .. then thought about what I really wanted to accomplish.. and that is to get plain facts to the members and let them decide for themselves .. or just be an information post to those wondering about the new releases not necessarily about buying one..I am not a pro at these reviews and am still learning about watches.. timepieces etc. I am not here to make money nor exploit the forum or the membership in any way shape or form earlier last year .. i sent straps to a member .. i was not going to use (brand new) we agreed that instead of paying me that he use the money to get supporter status or make a donation to the forum.. weather he did or not is not my business anymore.. i did my part .. it was based on the"Honour system" Last year during the Holiday's a member needed parts and could not source them.. my collector supplied them.. i told him honestly it was for another party.. he did not charge me so i did not charge in return.. but asked that a small amount be donated to the homeless shelter in the members area.. "honour System".. that member sent me something very nice for my MBW ..which i never expected.. I send things from Hawaii all over the world for friends to enjoy.. unconditionally !!! so I do it not for money nor favours .. "just because"... is good enough for me.. especially if it will bring happiness to a child... My collector sent me a Xmas gift... well having enough reps to go a minimum of 3 months without wearing the same rep i can see him appreciating my business ... i get comped at restaurants etc. for patronizing the establishment.... but one Xmas gift does not make it financial compensation ... if you have spent $$$$$$$ with your collector and he does not appreciate it.. well nuff said.. not saying I expected anything ... i did not .. and was very surprised by the gesture... Myself ... I am in a business that pay's well.. but has many challenges with time ... and manpower .. and i worked my way from the bottom and now my area is number 1 in the state.. credit my workers and teamwork and God's grace for that... I am going on 18 years "clean and sober" no pain meds even after knee surgery .. no nyquil remedies for the freebie highs ... asprin will have to do... I ran a lot of illegal activities in my younger day's and a lot of what i do is to "make ammends" to those i can't My daughter if she were alive would be entering kindergaten this year...I don't say this for sympathy.. i don't feel sorry for myself at all!!!! do i miss her .. everyday I live ... but that is life .. there is alway's someone with more of a burden than me .. or you.. I work 7 day's a week .. 356 day's a year... my workers and customers depend on me ... my accountant say's I am too generous with the workers .. but my needs and my wants.. (reps) are taken care of.. more than that would be greed... I support my own hobby .. and if you can find a post where i promote or defend my collector please let me know I patronize vendors that .... provide fast communication .... and great customer service .. and after purchase service, there have been times that the replacement rep has been in the mail and to me 4 day's after i recieved the defective one,.. before I return the bad one I have a replacement... and parts are a biggy for me .. and that's why in my post you will see no prices and i will say to check with your respective collectors for prices .. my strap vendor gives me great discounts... for my business over the year .. i even get extra portions at the juice bar every morning .. i believe this is because i go there 7 day's a week So now you know more about me than most people ...... if anyone thinks that I am being paid to post such plain reviews .. you are hallucinating ... BIG TIME... So with this long winded post if you still have doubts.. why not ask me instead of starting wild fires .. i would appreciate it.. and if you want to do it behind my back .. while your back there you may as well.... KISS MY A** Aloha Lanikai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiker01 Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Hi Lani, I feel for you, man! Some of our members here who are trying to do the right thing have been insulted like you, and I feel bad for you guys! Sometimes I feel like giving up this place, but I can't find any RWGA (AA plenty) in my area! Just hang in there, hopefully, it will get better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shundi Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Lanikai, I haven't been a member here for very long but I've read almost all your posts with rapt attention. Your detail, expertise, perseverance, and true love for the hobby shine through in your posts on this board and I think that everyone here should appreciate your superlative (to coin Rolex's favorite phrase) reviews and advice and stop with all the [censored]. -Shundi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 I feel for you, man! Some of our members here who are trying to do the right thing have been insulted like you, and I feel bad for you guys! Sometimes I feel like giving up this place, but I can't find any RWGA (AA plenty) in my area! Just hang in there, hopefully, it will get better! Guys, honestly, I just don't get why people are so against this, to the point of sneaking to teacher with insinuations about a member. Whether or not I get along with said member is beside the point -- surely you know his calibre by now? And if we start bleeding newer members like HikeUSA because of this...not good. I'm sad now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 (edited) I am not here to make money nor exploit the forum or the membership in any way shape or form earlier last year .. i sent straps to a member .. i was not going to use (brand new) we agreed that instead of paying me that he use the money to get supporter status or make a donation to the forum.. weather he did or not is not my business anymore.. i did my part .. it was based on the"Honour system" Had I received the Edited February 19, 2008 by TeeJay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreww Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Hey Lan, thanks for dispelling any doubts that were out there. You know how I feel on the matter, and I'll take a shoddy truthful review over a glossy, well edited sales pitch any day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watchmeister Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Lanikai- You are not the first person (nor will you be the last) for whom the question arises. And to the best of my knowledge no one is seriously accusing you. So I would suggest you rest easy. Your reviews are always spot on. I might suggest a little less editorializing.... -Kruz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coeuss Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 (edited) Oye, Bra is hu hu! I smell a hakaka. Haole pupule's had better ho' olohe. Seriously, sounds like you've had a lot of struggles Bra. Continue to persevere. Pomaika'i & Keep the faith. 1 Peter 3:17 Edited to tell people that the reason you can't read some of it is because you don't speak Hawaiian. Aloha and Mahalo. So no more WTF's please. It's a personal message to an island bra. Edited February 20, 2008 by Coeuss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tootall Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Lanikai is a great guy from all the experiences I have had with him. We have talked at lengths about watches, cigars and bodybuilding. I always appreciate his candid reviews and the promptness he has at giving them. I don't know of any others that are reviewing the models he is, and I appreciate him doing it the way he does. I believe he has covered all questions here in a gracious way (much better than I could have done). It truly sucks that people feel the need to go behind ones back to say these things. Surely we are all big boys and girls here, so why not ask the person yourself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corgi Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 In my opinion, paid reviews are pieces of sh!t. And so are the people who make them. Lanikai, thank you for your honesty, courage, loyalty, and trustworthiness. I wish everyone was of the same view.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pugwash Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 In my opinion, paid reviews are pieces of sh!t. And so are the people who make them. Well, that's one opinion. I've taken a huge amount of flak myself recently, with people (who should know better) basically accusing me of having tried to get dealer bribes for two years. Don't let the [censored]ers get you down; you know the truth and let's be honest, it's just an internet forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4GTR Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Dont know about the drama Lani but you've always been ace's in my book so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4GTR Posted February 19, 2008 Report Share Posted February 19, 2008 Had I received the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwhitesox Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Lanikai comes across as one of the nicest people youre ever likely to meet on an internet forum and I can't believe anyone is doubting this mans integrity. His reviews are great and I always make a point to read evryone that he has done wheather I have an interest in the watch or not. Keep it up mate and don't let the minority get to ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertk Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Lanikai, Great post. You're a class act and one of the reasons this board is as good as it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephane Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 As a father my best thoughts are with you Lani. As a member I send you my warmest regards. I like a man who says what he feels, who is straight and honest, generous above all. You seem to be such a person and therefore you have my support Let's face the reality: there are a bunch of idiots here, and some pathetic liars. It's not different from the "real life". There are also a bunch of great people. It's not different from the "real life" either. I personally think that this forum belongs to his owner at the end of the day and that only Admin team should judge wether a member is borderline or not. Too many members think it's their forum, well f*ck them. Remember that this place could disappear if the Admin team get bored of you. And I don't give a sh*t about payed reviews or gifts sent by collectors to a member. If members are having some advantages, again, it's not different from real life, congrats to them for being smart. But congrats too, to the ones that never get anything for free and still spend time and energy in reviews. Remember that there are people struggling for life here and others making great money. It's the personal choice of the healthy ones to help the less healthy ones. But none should be judged on their yearly income. There are up and downs in life anyway. I prefer to concentrate on friends here. And I am not afraid of using the word friend anymore. Think about the thousands people that you could have a great time with and forget those that ignore you or insult your integrity. Online friends or offline friends, like in our Brussels GTG or like the two members I met while in New York, there is an opportunity to build your very own social network in RWG. One thing I learned in my first year on this forum is to try to keep my enthusiasm for the hobby as high as possible and for ALL the members too; if some members are disappointing, not even saying thanks when I send a watch or parts for free for example, well, I let them alone in the future. If there is a member who is not matching my standart, I simply ignore them. But there are those wonderful persons out there that I would love to spend more time with and I will. I often read and said myself "it's the internet" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwhitesox Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Good one Stephane, Nicely written. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc savage Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 It's funny how forums give the immature among us a voice, and funnier still how that voice can spoil your day sometimes. I think your auction was a cool way to do something positive, very big of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodwc Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Don't let the [censored]ers get you down; you know the truth and let's be honest, it's just an internet forum. Why is it that these MINORITY ass h---s allways seem to have the biggest mouths? This kind of BS, would hurt the hardiest of us. Pay no heed Lanikai, and thanks for the forthright post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raijor Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Peace be with you ... don't let the bsartds grind you down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeJay Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 I can appreciate what your saying. I held off for a bit as a new member to see if I would be comfortable here. Early December I was motivated to make a donation to the forum any day now. Unfortunately, also in early December my boss informed me I was being eliminated (a month before xmas), and I now make half of what I used to make, and work way harder for it. I went from generous and loving life, to wondering where it all go's and if my career is ever going to pick up momentum. How quick priorities change in life. I love RWG, but I gotta keep the lights on. I told myself I would donate to RWG next time I can afford another rep if I haven't done so by then already. Maybe that resolution will make you feel better too? It does indeed, it's good to know I'm not the only one in this kind of situation. God-willing, I'll be making the donation by the end of the month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hambone Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Lanikai, you are the spirit of Aloha . There are simple minds here that love to try and bring a good soul like you down, so don't even sweat it bro. You write words of wisdom and have nothing at all to be defensive about. Keep on doing your thing and don't let the lolo mahu's get you down! "When da pilikia gets too thick, geevum three slaps Bruddah" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornerstone Posted February 20, 2008 Report Share Posted February 20, 2008 Unfortunately, also in early December my boss informed me I was being eliminated My god, who did you work for? Blofeld ?! [Just jesting - best wishes for getting back up on your feet.] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P4GTR Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 My god, who did you work for? Blofeld ?! [Just jesting - best wishes for getting back up on your feet.] I know right? I was working for Equity Residentials IT dept at that time. I'm 29. Can't expect to have nailed down the perfect dream career yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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