Friends of Hobo Please Comment on my Moral Monkey

ash from has written 56 comments

Great stuff, Andy. I really admire you for the integrity with which you run this site.

It's funny, a lot of my friends, especially the technophiles, seem to have a real problem with advertising. I don't: if someone puts on an advert that says 'this is an advert', I'm fine with that, especially if it is subsidising my use of that resource.

I do resent 'invasive' adverts, such as pop-ups. I do not think they are necessary, I deliberately never click them, and mostly I block them out. I do not block banner ads, google ads etc. even though I could, I think it would be wrong to do so. This, for me, is give and take relationship. Pop-ups is someone else taking too much from me, in my opinion. blocking all ads, however, is me taking the piss.

I like it when there are options to hide ads in exchange for a 'premium membership' or fee. This is my ideal world, when ads are annoying me, I can make them go away without taking the piss. I pay for my membership of Spotify for this reason, I simply do not enjoy listening to advertisements in between music, they get stuck in my head and sometimes they work too well and I buy things. it's a better deal to pay for no ads!!

I do have problems with people who advertise dishonestly, and I have always admired your honesty with these things.

erest888 from wrote 1 comment

Thank you for not taking the easy route. I speak for many when I tell you we appreciate your brutal honesty and candor. If somehow you were to abandon ship, it would go against who you are, or at least against who we believe you are. Thanks for the great site.

has written 6 comments

Andy, Do what you need to do to make money. You will need it later if you don't need it now. Keep your site about what you do not what others want you to do. You got to this spot doing exactly that-they just want to now make that easy money. If you can collaborate where its a win win for all sides then do what you need to do. Good Luck, Ron

Gadget from has written 1,020 comments

Is this disclosure reasonable?
http://www.hobotraveler.com/disclosures/

This delima reminds me of when I watch televison and see some actor doing some foolish thing in a sitcom, and I think to myself, I would not do that, or, I would not act a part that disagreed with any of my personal view that I held strongly. Example: Werner Klemperer (Klink) in Hogans Hero's was a jewish actor who stipulated that he would only play the role of a Nazi Colonel in the show if the allies always won over the nazi's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogan';s_Heroes#Colonel_Klink
My impressions are that if something is on your site, you OK'd it and are aware of it. The advertisers are offering to pay to "share" your site. I suppose its a matter of degree. I suppose there is nothing wrong with an advertiser peddling this or that, but taking things to the furthest extreme, perhaps it could get to the point where some advertisers may pay you alot to go where they want you to go to do write ups about a locations they want to promote and you would be in their pocket. (If you get greedy like a congressmen). It appears to me that its a matter of degree and what you feel comfortable with.
On the other hand I do visit some sites regularly that use advertising and am aware that the site owners need to do that to keep the site up.
I would like to comment that I do appreciate your site, obeservations and points of view.

Andy.
I Like your blog and your atitude to life situations. I have never wanted more than my immediate physical needs met thru my own effort. I can only eat or drink so much each day. I can only occupy so much space. My gripe with ads is the ones that trick you into clicking on them and then they take over your computer. Ones that open my eyes to new knowledge I can not opject to. I feel the internet has opened the world to me. Let's keep it free for all people.
Keep on traveling and writing your blog and I will read it each day. I hope to do some traveling myself and you are a good example to duplicate, however It will take me awhile to catch up and at 73, can I?...............Bob

Asiabill from has written 260 comments

You know more about your readership than I do but my guess is 80 are from the wealthier G20 nations. These citizens are already quite sophisticated regarding commercial advertising, salesmen's zillions of sales pitches and any "hidden" ulterior motives when approached making them keen on being able to TUNE them OUT. By either muting the TV during commercials, by being "blind" to images advertising intend to influence them with and / or ignoring advertisements in a variety of ways.
I'm constantly reminded of this fact when I'm with my wife in any shopping mall or store or when confronted with some new advertisement. She sees P100 I see "FROM", she sees Clearance Sale with the low prices I see "limited stocks available" , With Only U$298 she see's U$200 or U$200 PLUS I see U$300. Advertising experts have incredible understanding of human wants and needs and how their minds process information.

So that said, prospering is one way of survival and you have mentioned seeking to take your thing to the next level and even diversify your efforts towards things like manufacturing and selling the "perfect backpack" so if you believe that such ADS will increase your income then GO FOR IT. I doubt very much whether ANY advertisement strategy they are pitching you can con your readership in some way which may hurt them in the future.

Gadget from has written 1,020 comments

G20 people are not smarter than non-G20 countries, there is no superior or sophisticated skills endowed in these countries that keeps them safe. There is a reason the send all the spam to the G20 nations, because it works.

I will give a rating on all post eventually, trying to explain how I feel I should not be considered unbiased, I am not delusional in belief that I am free of prejudice.

I am positive people who receive benefits will indeed pull punches. I am trying to find the best way to disclose when I feel like I may be influenced, not that I want to be, but better see the issue from all sides.

from has written 205 comments

HOBO Wrote.....

"Why do you want me to sleep with you for money?"
She said,
"I can pick rice all day for 100 Baht, or I can sleep with a handsome man for 200."
"Why not?"


Chuck Replies.....200 baht :) ?

Was this at the JS Guesthouse in Chang Saen Thailand
On the Mekong River ?

Chuck last seen boarding train to Chang Saen 3rd class.

Asiabill from has written 260 comments

If you have taken a good hard look at the DOWNSIDE of such advertisers and can live with it, MORALLY then DO IT!! I agree Andy, each and everyone of us maintains some sort of prejudicial attitudes and opinions, often without being aware of it. Sophisticated consumers are created over a long period of time and many long hours of shoppping. When I use to sell fashion assessories and designer copycats I noticed that those making the bags hardly notice small flaws or the wrong choice of color zippers etc whereas in the California flea markets shoppers notice even the most minute flaws. It's the same with price advertising and classic "bait and switch" marketing policies the less sophisticated consumers don't notice these marketing tricks. In real estate my wife and I would joke about the choice of words to describe a property, for example "rustic cottage" might translate to "old shack" . Of course G20 citizens are no smarter nor dumber than the other two thirds of humanity but they are being the sold the majority of higher end and specific niche consumer goods so their demands on quality, salesmenship and customer service guarantees are higher than in developing nations.

Fruugal from has written 49 comments

Interesting topic, exploring the morality of advertising. Advertisers will continue to push the envelope. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/06/business/media/06paper.html

See McLuhan: http://www.marshallmcluhan.com/