we are talking about a website and volunteering here. if people cant speak their mind being afraid of consequences in such a mild environment, i would not even want to guess how they fail in proteting their own interest in the “real world”

You are completely right Shutting up is different than saying nothing

if people have no guts to identify themselves in a debate about a webpage, they can aswell go fuck themselves, in my modest opinion.

The only (imho) valid reason to be anonymous is to state your opinion, *AND* being afraid of the consequences of stating your opinion. Not to be a bully on this website.

IF speaking up != bullshit

then

shutting up !=

This one I did understand: “whilst giving everyone the liberty to post their ignorant crap in comments, it would remove the anonymous trolling.”

Obviously you can have your “real” name, like “Zak0r”, and still post “ignorant crap in comments” just the same, right? Of course with a “real” name it’s much easier to disregard any of the content and directly attack the person posting it, so I can see why most of the attackers, oops I mean “commenters” here would want that. Why listen to the message when you can just attack someone for speaking up?

this improves the site alot. the only improvement i can think of now is making the cs nickname or an equally identifieable name mandatory. whilst giving everyone the liberty to post their ignorant crap in comments, it would remove the anonymous trolling.
of course, cs goons would cry censorship, after all, caseys culture is the use of proxy messengers so this is not suprising, yet it remainds hypocritical bullshit hence unacceptable here.

2 minutes later she smiles at me and wishes me a pleasant stay in Alaska.

As couchsurfing has stopped the google bots from getting information. The lady much has read all about the fun doogie had in thailand and all the photo links from ocs. And that is why she smiled .

She realised what the management at crotchsurfing was really doing. She also much have seen how much “programming” doogie really did at thailand.

As guessing is fully accepted as argument on OCS my guess is that the 501c3 IS pending somewhere in American administration. It is already in their system and it is official enough to give me a completely legal visa without asking any more questions. (after the taking fingerprints and check for explosive molecules on my hands)

- OCS *is* political action and it has always been one. CS is a large organization, with a fairly vulnerable and extremely large group of members. OCS is practically the only true opposition within CS and if only for that, it’s useful. Opening CS will not go smoothly or easily, that has been clear from the start. But, as has always been stated here, anyone can try a different approach.

- Good people can do bad things. I’m sure the CS volunteers in Thailand are nice people, in fact I *know* Matthew is a nice guy to talk to. However, I also think they are doing the CS community a disservice by the extremely bad way they are doing their (payed for) job. One should not withhold criticism because they are nice. Now, if the “Couchsurfing management” (or whatever their name is this month) would be approachable, there would be more civil ways to voice our concerns. Their own tendency to hide, censor and ridicule simply causes me (and others) to criticize them fully in the open.

- The fact that it’s so damn easy is to find “funny achievements” in the only official “report” we’ll probably see from CSCT is actually quite depressing. What do they want me to think when they write an achievement such as: “Made sure the renter put in the promised furniture.” or “Locating 5 gallon water jug carriages for easy pouring to reduce use of small water bottles.”? Be glad I still have a sense of humor for what is actually a tragedy and a genuine waste.

As is usual not many people have responded to my core criticisms however. What do *you* think of Jim’s/Rachel’s/Matthew’s “achievements”? Why doesn’t Casey have his own entry, you think? Why don’t they write anything about legal (contracts/insurance) or 501c3 related issues? What does this report say about the future of CS? Where is it headed in your opinion?

And, as a reference point, let’s see what other people on this site have achieved professionally in the last 5 months (2008).

Me?
- Started a new creative production company and won several large contracts for it. Created a logo, house style and website for it.
- Made a feature length documentary film (almost finished).
- Organized a video competition and two international workshop weeks for young people.
- Organized a brainstorm (unconference) weekend for BeWelcome at my house for almost no money at all.
- Created two community sites for youth centers in Antwerp and Dublin.
- Currently making a docusoap series.
- Insured myself and plenty others, payed taxes, wrote contracts, had about 8 meetings on average *per week* and wrote proper reports for them.
- Hosted over 25 people through CS.

What about you?

couchSurfing seeks to internationally network people and places, create educational exchanges, raise collective consciousness, spread tolerance and facilitate cultural understanding.

CouchSurfing Mission Statement

i’d be more inclined to support the collective if (aside from all – most – the arguments already put forth here and elsewhere) it had included more locals, if instead of just having fun on time off participants perhaps learned something about thai culture (which would be pretty fun actually), did something to spread that ‘official’ mission and not the more americana ideal of work hard play hard (and, obviously, the work is being debated so it stands to reason the play should be to)

as far as partying on donations is concerned, that would be suicide for a real charity and i hope cs is still trying to get down that path. (501c3)

i noticed your travels haven’t taken you to scotland yet, when they do, drop by!

clark

Possibly true… although a lot of good debate has happened here.

But EXACTLY the same things can be said about CS. No one who runs it has been willing to engage in ‘debate’ – or discussion, dialogue, allaying of concerns, transparency, insight into the basis of decisions, or anything else.

Without them some good debate has happened, too.. but also a lot of damage done.

Christopher, @ you: i really doubt that much complaining would happen about the lifestyle of CS leaders in using the Collectives, if a lot of other things were done responsibly. But people getting paid to do a job should try to do it professionally, at least the JOB part.
You’re also missing the points of others that having Collectives in inaccessible parts of the world in fact prevents CS from fulfilling its potential – they are literally refusing ‘manpower’ while also constantly complaining that problems are due to a shortage of it! Not exactly logical, nor a good excuse either.

an appropriate atmosphere for CS maintenance. Would that “CS maintenance” be by free flight tickets to thailand and then to alaska and who knows where next?
Would that “CS maintenance” be from the bucket of alcohol.
I do not know if you are an ambassador or even HELP make cs better .Or are just USING the site for your pleasure and would not bat an eyelid if it goes down.

For those saying, “People shouldn’t be having fun with verification or donation money”, I don’t see the problem. I haven’t verified yet because I don’t have anything approaching a stable address, but I’d like to someday, and I have no problem with my few euros going to providing an appropriate atmosphere for CS maintenance.

I’ve noticed a lot of poorly written, rather incoherent posts on this blog recently, yours makes a welcome change. It’s nice to see well written posts again.

Alas, as usual, CouchSurfing is mismanaging donations, abusing their “charity” status and having a great big party while doing so.

What achievements ? Name one LT you disgust me .

Talking about alaska in thailand ?

I think casey f*cko would sell ,also loses will be there in the last balance sheet .

I am shocked with the views of doogie and the rest (they care a shit about the work the ambassadors are doing or about working for couchsurfing.)

His site says it all. The priorities of the collective happy campers (NO i will not use volunteers) is very different from the work done by mock turtle , leimondo ,ricardo who are putting out a frame work for the future. Even duke did an awesome job with the gig swapping.

This is your positive contribution to opening CouchSurfing? Laughing at the achievements of volunteers?

OCS keeps proving over and over again that it’s interested in nothing than slinging mud at the efforts of others.