Linus said:
Caruso - I just checked out your site; nice work, sir.
Thanks, Linus.
Let me quote Mitch in his entirity as he deserves an answer to all points.
mitch said:
Caruso
Just an observation.
You have a website which earns you money from Internet Casinos and by direct analogy encourages people to gamble online with Internet Casinos.
No problem with the info on your site, it is excellent overall, and players following it are giving themselves a decent chance to not suffer real financial damage. Similarly the Casinos you recommend are very good and safe ones.
Yet you are one of the most negative people on this site about Internet Casinos in general.
In nearly every player issue you comment on you flame the casino.
On many occasions when members have posted in favour of a casino you have had no problem in questioning that members integrity.
You hardly ever post on threads where there are serious doubts about the players account of events and if you did comment would have to utter words in support of a Casino.
Why?
It seems to be the attitude of someone who has a love hate relationship due to a gambling problem. Love gambling but hate themselves for their weakness but express this as hate for the thing they actually love ie gambling.
It is a very well observed phenomenon.
But perhaps it's that you are so far up yourself that you never give respect to anyone else and their opinions and that is why, even though you are one of the longest standing members of this forum and are one of it's most prolific posters, you have never ever thanked a single post by any other member.
Sorry if I have disrespected you in this post, I don't generally take this approach and I am not saying I am right, but I honestly feel it would do you good if you did for once reflect on your attitude.
Mitch
I do have a "gambling problem" insofar as I've never much liked gambling per se. I have little understanding of this oft-quoted "entertainment value" because I cannot figure for the life of me why sitting in front of your lonely computer spinning slot reels is remotely "entertaining"; shooting the shit over a blackjack table in Vegas, OK, I get that - accurate play at low stakes and you can get a laugh plus free drinks for as little at $2 an hour EV loss. But I cannot figure how computer-gambling is entertaining.
If you equate "problem" with simply indulging in an activity, for whatever reason, to a degree reluctantly, then I suppose this would qualify as a problem. I've never really seen it this way, and TBH "problem gambling" relates generally to
loss-incurring gambling. From that point of view, or any other I've ever entertained, I can't say that I have a "problem".
However, I am not saying there is nothing in what you say. I'd have to think about it a bit more. Still, at the end of the day, I've achieved my objectives. This is quite a vindicator.
I do not consider myself "negative"
per se. In fact, I would challenge you to find any stance I've taken which was destructively negative, as opposed to constructively so. I don't say "f**k you, asshole" (though occasionally tempted
), I say "this is a pile of shit because of reasons X,Y and Z". I do not feel the need to thank casinos for act of PAYING - casinos are supposed to do this. If this then apparent imbalance appears as "negativity", well so be it. Injustices are happening on a daily basis right now - I hardly need to list them all. What am I supposed to do? - get all gooey over Ed Ware's act of unfathomable charity in browsing the forum whose website he makes a mint from with
32Red? Thank the Jackpot Factory manager for "apologising" for his SEO stunt that targetted the bereaved and cancer sufferers? Say "job well done" to eCOGRA for finally commenting on said matter after their eGAP procedures failed to pick up on any that stuff at any time during its fully year-old existence?? Or for finding in favour of Cassava on the basis of a player being a "bonus abuser", then apparently mediating an undercover payment backed up with a NDA?
If "positivity" equates to fawning and whitewash, I think we're well off without it.
It's also not true that I don't criticise players in the wrong. I do. It's just that players in the wrong are far outnumbered by casinos in the wrong. In fact, point out an issue in which a player was clearly in the wrong and the casino clearly in the right. At the moment, I can think of not one. And frankly, in the face of the rampant shit we've seen recently, one does lose the INCLINATION to criticise players even if they ARE in the wrong. It's very hard to support any aspect of an industry exhibiting the behaviour we're currently observing. Still, if a player is in the wrong I will always say so. It just hardly ever happens.
As to respecting others' opinions: since one is clearly entitled to express thoughts along the line of "your opinion is wrong", I suppose you're referring to some aspect of how this is done. That's fair enough. If I think you're wrong, I will say so; if you're having a go at me, you'll get that right back at you. THAT is fair.
If you want to quote anything I've said which you think unfairly disrespects another's opinion, please do so. However, simple disagreements do not count.
On the matter of earning money with HPG, I've to date made $86
. Still, your point is fair and it wasn't exactly a small issue for me. At the end of the day, in order to assist players in playing well I need to tell them WHERE they can play. In order to do so, I need to list the casinos; if I just put up straight links with no affiliate basis, in the first place I have no clout with them, and in the second I don't see why ANY site should give casinos "free" advertising. If somebody clicks through my link, choses to ignore my advice and the casino makes a profit, it's fair that they pass on a part of that to the person who sent the player. Still, if you follow my advice and apply your own common sense criteria, I should not receive to much dirty affiliate commission from your account because you will not be losing much.
The "business partner" nature of affiliates was and is an issue to me. I justify it to myself on the basis of offering high-quality information on how to NOT lose money. You won't see me selling slots any time soon.
Finally, I do thank people, actually. I just use that crystal icon thing at the top of the post. If you log into your user CP, you'll see a little offering from me for your post above
. Still, I have to say I find the whole "thank" set up, with these positive and negative "reputation points", somewhat childish and open to abuse, and much prefer the no-frills WOL forum set up.
Hope that answers your questions.