Political Discussion Subscription Service Membership

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I want to clarify a few things. Within the last two years on the diamond section, there have been discussions with Admin and others PS posters that monetizing some diamond information is something that Admin would be interested in and I think at the time they were working on some things.
Yes, free info for all is what PS stands for, but they are not non-profit and were looking for ways to increase their income, as any business does. Yes, they want more posters to join.

In my non-tech way PS is a platform. I get some of my understanding from stock market businesses. A Platform is gold. It can be utilized in so many ways and directions. I want PS to use their platform to grow their business.

I and many, many of you have had endless hours of free access and free entertainment, and made friends on PS, and been treated to dinners from PS. And now because something is no longer free, you choose to oppose this new activity on some "high ground". like poor people. When did you ever think poor people were on a diamond board.

I'm happy to give my measly $18.00 to a group that for years and years has offered me knowledge, beauty, laughs and to talk to nice people. I am on board for changes to come.

Annette

 

[Elizabeth35]

Let's say they have 100 people (it certainly is not 1000) willing to pay $3 per month for access to a subscription political thread on a jewelry forum.
Would $300 per month be worth setting up a subscription and payment system? Doesn't seem like it to me.
What would stop spammers from paying $3 one time to post spam? So it would still take up Admin time if they have to have spammers reported and removed/blocked.

While it's great thought, I can't see how it would be beneficial financially to PS to set this up.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

Here 's how I am looking at it. A political forum has been in existence in Around the World in the past. So thats set up already.. I was hoping that these new payment venues-venlo, paypal or bill-pay would be the vehicles used. I was concerned how out of country persons might pay. There is always having the checks mailed to PS. We need a code to enter, and a way to contact Admin for a difficult poster.

But, I thought 25 people would be a start. We'd be the practice people. Not so big as to be unmanageable. He's also making his members happy. and keeping us on the forum.

You have to start somewhere. I don't think we have 100 people in hangout, He will decide whether or not its a go. I think its worth a try.

Annette
Elizabeth-- this is a small business. I think if he had 100, he'd be happy.

 

[Elizabeth35]

Hey-if he's willing to administer then that's great. I think his other benefit is, obviously, good will and keeping regulars happy (and returning).

Seems like it is something that would have to be managed manually using PayPal/Venmo and such but if it's such a small # of people maybe it is not too time-consuming to manage.
Kudos to him for trying to find a solution to keep you happy---that's very kind.

I guess I always come at things from a corporate background and if setting up a system is too time-consuming or costly it is nixed---lol.

 

[jaaron]

Yes, I'd be in. Thank you for taking this on, Annette.

Would it be easier administratively to do ask people to sign up for a one year subscription up front?

Also, if the admins were willing to oversee, I'd also be happy to fund in advance a couple of 'scholarships' to be given to people who would like to join but don't feel like they can spare the money at the moment-- obviously no one would need to know who those people are.

 

[OreoRosies86]

I liked PS for one stop forum shopping, bling and mostly intelligent discussions. With them taking political talk away RIGHT before elections... I don’t know. If I’m paying for the privilege, I’d have to know that everything would be on the table for debate.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

Jaaron, I love you. I don't know about the year, (I'd prefer 6 months) but I too would be happy to pay for a subscription for someone who may have lost their job. I didn't dare post that alone. Thanks.

OreoRosie, Maybe you could mention the topics you are concerned about? It will be just us.

Annette

 

[Calliecake]

The timing of shutting the political threads down now with all that is happening in our country seems very wrong to me.

 

[marymm]

Hi,

I want to clarify a few things. Within the last two years on the diamond section, there have been discussions with Admin and others PS posters that monetizing some diamond information is something that Admin would be interested in and I think at the time they were working on some things.
Yes, free info for all is what PS stands for, but they are not non-profit and were looking for ways to increase their income, as any business does. Yes, they want more posters to join.

In my non-tech way PS is a platform. I get some of my understanding from stock market businesses. A Platform is gold. It can be utilized in so many ways and directions. I want PS to use their platform to grow their business.

I and many, many of you have had endless hours of free access and free entertainment, and made friends on PS, and been treated to dinners from PS. And now because something is no longer free, you choose to oppose this new activity on some "high ground". like poor people. When did you ever think poor people were on a diamond board.

I'm happy to give my measly $18.00 to a group that for years and years has offered me knowledge, beauty, laughs and to talk to nice people. I am on board for changes to come.

Annette

The mission of PS is diamond and jewelry focused.

Pricescope is the premier diamond and jewelry community on the Internet. With over 79,000 registered users and over 400,000 unique visitors per month, Pricescope is the leading independent and unbiased resource for diamond information. Visitors to Pricescope find clear and concise tutorials from industry experts and have their questions answered by knowledgeable forum members. The majority of consumers go online to learn about diamonds, while 90% buy diamonds from brick and mortar shops. Pricescope exists to help consumers get the best value online or in-store. With a strict *no sales* policy, Pricescope provides a safe and spam-free environment for visitors to post opinions and write reviews of vendors. Shoppers have the freedom to discuss a range of topics from buying diamonds online to shopping experiences at Tiffany, Cartier, and local jewelers. Pricescope welcomes visitors with a comfortable atmosphere, and members from all over the world chat live 24 hours a day, seven days a week. https://www.pricescope.com/about

Did you notice how there is no mention of politics in the About statement above?

I see no clear connection between political discussion leading towards increased visitors and members to a diamond and jewelry consumer website ... do you have any support for this concept, or perhaps PS Admin wishes to change their focus from diamonds & jewelry to facilitating online political debates?

It is true I have benefitted for 10 years plus from belonging to Pricescope, and several years before that lurking on Pricescope. Pricescope community has also benefitted for 10 years from my useful and thoughtful contributions to posts by consumers looking for answers and opinions and suggestions.

My objection to creating a new paid tier of membership is that it changes the PS environment from a one-tier cooperative community to a two-tier community whereby some members pay for the privilege of special access to content not otherwise accessible.

If your goal is wanting the PS administrators to have more money, you could send them your check directly.

If your true goal is wanting more political discussion, you could create a FB sub-group like other PSers have done in the past, or you could ask PS to create a Wild West Politics Free for All forum.

If PS admin wanted to have a political forum on the PS platform, it could create one right now, with published forum rules allowing free reign and no monitoring and no moderators ... IMO there is no valid reason to create a paid subset of members.

If PS wanted to change to a fee-based membership, it could do so right now ... but then it is not a consumer-focused cooperative endeavor.

 

[missy]

If your true goal is wanting more political discussion, you could create a FB sub-group like other PSers have done in the past

That’s a great idea. Politics can be discussed in a FB sub group made up of PSers who wanted to join and discuss politics. And wouldn’t add any stress onto PS administrators.

 

[Demon]

That’s a great idea. Politics can be discussed in a FB sub group made up of PSers who wanted to join and discuss politics. And wouldn’t add any stress onto PS administrators.

I'm not on FB, but I have other political places to go.

 

[Matata]

If your true goal is wanting more political discussion, you could create a FB sub-group like other PSers have done in the past, or you could ask PS to create a Wild West Politics Free for All forum.

FB is an awful way to discuss anything. It's difficult to find past posts and becomes awkward to follow replies/posters on subjects where there are a lot of comments.

 

[Matata]

That’s a great idea.

It's a lousy idea. Facebook is awful for following discussions with a lot of posts. Won't work for this particular subject.

 

[missy]

It's a lousy idea. Facebook is awful for following discussions with a lot of posts. Won't work for this particular subject.

It’s too bad a few people caused this to even be an issue. And I have a feeling those who did are MIA now. Stir the pot then leave and enjoy the brouhaha.

It‘s too bad we can’t go back to what we had before.

 

[Demon]

It’s too bad a few people caused this to even be an issue. And I have a feeling those who did are MIA now. Stir the pot then leave and enjoy the brouhaha.

It‘s too bad we can’t go back to what we had before.

Well some are still here. Not necessarily in this thread.

 

[Matata]

Stir the pot then leave and enjoy the brouhaha.

It was obvious to me that there was a conscious effort to get the topic banned. Every time a few particular posters entered a discussion it went south. But that's just my opinion and that's the past and we need to move forward. I was sorry to hear how much BS Ella had to contend with. There is a forum seaurchin posted a link to that has a place where posters can decide "how big a jerk you want to be" and there are no banned curse words so there are other places to go where the topic can be discussed. The sadness for me is that I miss the ability to enjoy discourse with some of the awesome people we have here.

 

[missy]

It was obvious to me that there was a conscious effort to get the topic banned. Every time a few particular posters entered a discussion it went south. But that's just my opinion and that's the past and we need to move forward. I was sorry to hear how much BS Ella had to contend with. There is a forum seaurchin posted a link to that has a place where posters can decide "how big a jerk you want to be" and there are no banned curse words so there are other places to go where the topic can be discussed. The sadness for me is that I miss the ability to enjoy discourse with some of the awesome people we have here.

It’s a shame. Those few posters should be banned and then we can go back to PS as usual. Why let a few unpleasant people control the forum? It is sad.

By the way I’m keeping good thoughts for you and your family. Hoping everyone is safe and out of harms way.

 

[Matata]

The mission of PS is diamond and jewelry focused.

Every time this is mentioned in regards to the existence or extinction of political discussion here, I have to point out that all of the other forums -- home/family/healthy living, shopping et al are not jewelry focused. I have no interest in most of the subjects in those forums and don't visit them often, some I don't visit at all. And therein lies the vexing and continuous rub -- I don't read what I don't want to read and if I read it and don't like it, I keep my mouth shut and don't post. It is apparently a skill that is not universal and would have saved political discussion here. Squeaky wheels and all that.

 

[Elizabeth35]

I personally would not pay to join a political thread, but I acknowledge that others would.
But---is PS (a jewelry forum primarily) the best place for this?

There must be a better way for like-minded PS'ers to make a place for those who wish to discuss politics. If not a private FB page, then a private page/thread somewhere else? There's a lot of smart people here--why not a private invitation only (or approved only) blog or website? Something like MeetUP?

 

[Matata]

Those few posters should be banned and then we can go back to PS as usual. Why let a few unpleasant people control the forum? It is sad.

Tis indeed sad but not our call, the boss has spoken and I respect the decision. You're a gracious and compassionate person, the world needs more like you.

 

[Matata]

By the way I’m keeping good thoughts for you and your family. Hoping everyone is safe and out of harms way.

We're ok now but Ashland, Talent, & Phoenix are partially destroyed. It's apocalyptic in scope. Rebuilding will take a long time. Fire is heading north at a rapid pace. Essentially, the entire state is on fire.

Sorry for the threadjack.

 

[AGBF]

I'm not on FB, but I have other political places to go.

I never have had and never will have a Facebook account. Wty would anyone assume that everyone in the world has a Facebook account and that using it for Pricescope is a "great idea"?

You don't have to build this group around me. I have reservations about it. It feels wrong to me.and I don't know if I would participate in it. But I won't sit here and listen to people laud Facebook and act as if it has to be accepted like death and taxes. I hope it dies like all the other ugly fads of history that did harm to society.

 

[doberman]

Sounds great! I'm all in.

 

[AGBF]

It was obvious to me that there was a conscious effort to get the topic banned. Every time a few particular posters entered a discussion it went south. But that's just my opinion and that's the past and we need to move forward. I was sorry to hear how much BS Ella had to contend with. There is a forum seaurchin posted a link to that has a place where posters can decide "how big a jerk you want to be" and there are no banned curse words so there are other places to go where the topic can be discussed. The sadness for me is that I miss the ability to enjoy discourse with some of the awesome people we have here.

I looked up one forum for which a lnk was posted. When I researched the one I did I saw that its origins were for a discussion among conservatives. That would not be the group for me.

Like you, I enjoyed speaking to some of the people I knew from this forum. I can speak to other (non-Pricescope) people about politics, history, and religion if I simply need to talk things over. If I want expert opinions, I know where to seek them, too. Discussion here was about mixing an interest (extremely heightened right now) with fellowship.

 

[Dancing Fire]

What would stop spammers from paying $3 one time to post spam? So it would still take up Admin time if they have to have spammers reported and removed/blocked.

I don't think is worth it to them. If they do that on 10 forums it'll cost them $30.

 

[Demon]

I never have had and never will have a Facebook account. Wty would anyone assume that everyone in the world has a Facebook account and that using it for Pricescope is a "great idea"?

You don't have to build this group around me. I have reservations about it. It feels wrong to me.and I don't know if I would participate in it. But I won't sit here and listen to people laud Facebook and act as if it has to be accepted like death and taxes. I hope it dies like all the other ugly fads of history that did harm to society.

I have a FB acct, but its inactive. I find the whole thing very intrusive and was annoyed by all the people you don't know who want to be your 'friend' because they know someone you know, no matter how casually. Clearly FB and I aren't meant for each other.

 

[Demon]

I looked up one forum for which a lnk was posted. When I researched the one I did I saw that its origins were for a discussion among conservatives. That would not be the group for me.

Like you, I enjoyed speaking to some of the people I knew from this forum. I can speak to other (non-Pricescope) people about politics, history, and religion if I simply need to talk things over. If I want expert opinions, I know where to seek them, too. Discussion here was about mixing an interest (extremely heightened right now) with fellowship.

There is debate politics, which is very mixed, but huge. I rarely go there because threads move so fast its hard to keep up with more than one or two at a time.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Also, if the admins were willing to oversee, I'd also be happy to fund in advance a couple of 'scholarships' to be given to people who would like to join but don't feel like they can spare the money at the moment-- obviously no one would need to know who those people are.

Thanks for thinking of me @jaaron!

 

[Demon]

I'm kind of losing patience with the naysayers. Politics was complained about and ended due, IMO, to some who didn't want it here. Now there's been a workaround proposed where no one even has to see political threads, and that's not wanted either.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I liked PS for one stop forum shopping, bling and mostly intelligent discussions. With them taking political talk away RIGHT before elections... I don’t know. If I’m paying for the privilege, I’d have to know that everything would be on the table for debate.

Yup! , rule #1... don't be a cry baby!