I wrote, here at Straight Dope some years ago, using the name “Henry B”.
I lived at that time in Russia, n Vologda oblast (= in the middle of nowhere).
Then, one day there came the question about payments.
I just could not, because no Visa etc. was working there.
Now I live in Finland and I have the same problems, but different reasons:
Now the situation is, that I still do not know how to pay you, because I
do not have any VISA- or any other cards. [And, because bankruptcy, I
can’t get one.]
Pay Pal might be an option, but the easiest way would be for me, to pay
to an US-account. That costs me only additional 6 €uros.
But then I need to have the account number etc.
Which I do not have.
I can solve the problem by giving money to my daughter, who has Visa and thus can pay, but how about others? Would it not be good to have members from round the world? Even from China, Africa, Russia, ME.
(I know that there are ways also from these countries, continents, except Russia which is and will be living in the middle age for a long time. Only Moscow and St petersburg working).
Henry-Finland
Yes, it is good to have members around the world, which we do. Some of whom pay their own subscriptions, some of whom do as you suggest about (solve the problem by giving money to my daughter [or other relative or a friend], who has Visa and thus can pay) and some of whom make arrangements to have another member help in the same manner (see here, here and here – old threads, so don’t bump them, but they show that what you’re asking about has been hashed over quite a bit).
And, also…
Considering that the user registration agreement only allows one username per person…
You should probably get in touch with an administrator to decide which name you want to keep ASAP.
Yes. When I lived in Russia, and told something about history of my country, it caused questions. An example: I told about my step-father and his gang destroying a Russian tank with Molotov-coctails, and people were asking why my (supposed Russian, in reality Finnish) step-father was fighting Stalin?
The problem was, that I could not begin every post about Russia or history, with the words: “I am a Finnish-Swedish guy posting from a village 500 km north-east of Moscow…”
Some three years ago someone on this board said that I should call myself Henry-Finland or something like that.
So I did it and as TubaDiva tells, we have not had problems with it, because there was about a three year pause when I could not write anything here.
Maybe someone remembers me from that time, as the guy that “wrote everything up-side down”, as I still do.
Now I can write more freely. I could not write so much about the Chechenyan war etc., when I lived in Vologda, Belaja Kholunitza and where ever. They are still checking everything over there - as in the old times.
Yes, now I am living in Finland - for good, I hope.
I learned this morning that Uvula Donor has paid for my membership.
I would like to present and share the letter I wrote to him, with all of you, because I feel and know that there is many souls that helps people in this way.
I will, a little bit later, open a PayPal account, and also try to help some guys in this same manner.
The letter:
Thank you Zim!
I am glad and appreciate your help.
I will donate, I do not know how much, but a bigger sum, to our war cripples.
There was 94.000 war cripples from the Winter War, Continuing War and the War in Lapland (the two first against Stalin, the last against the Germans). There is still 16.000 disabled soldiers alive.
Continuation War, 25.6.1941 - 4.9.1944
Lapland War, 27.9.1944 - 27.4.1945
Links:
If there is any questions, please write to me.
Then there is the question about those that can’t pay, and knows that, e.g. Russians that does not live in the big metropolitans. They will see Straight Dope as a good site, and continue elsewhere, because they believe there is not a way to pay… Or they do not have money.
Now, as I see this question:
It would be very important to get as many Russians as possible to any good discussion board, because that country is again ‘closing down’. Not that Russians can’t travel, but the nationalistic tendencies are growing. Sort of voluntarily “closing the mental borders”. I lived in different parts of Russia , the European side, for 5,5 years.
And I, as also my best Russian friends there, saw it coming.
Then there is the other parts of the world from where you can’t pay with PayPal, or the guys has no credit cards.
Credit cards are not that common in great parts of this planet. Yes, a Botswanian businessman certainly have one, but a guy that likes the Internet and wants “to breath”, doesn’t. The threshold to apply for a credit card, because (s)he needs it once a year, in order to pay a membership, is very high.
We should be the bridge-builders, so that the people knew how we think in western Europe and North America.
And even more, we should get to know how they think.
It is one thing to know a neighbour from e.g. Lebanon, or Finland, that has already integrated with his surrounding.
It is/can be a totally different question to know, how a guy living in Lebanon or Finland thinks.
The last months I have been active in a Finnish forum that is created by guys from the Anglo-Saxon world; North-American, English and Irish. There is also others writing from around the world. http://www.finlandforum.org/bb/index.php
They are already integrated, to some extent, to the Finnish culture etc.
In order to know how people thinks and feels in those countries, I need to write to a discussion board as Straight Dope, where most of the members are still living in the country they represent.
I am sure you understand the difference.
Anyhow, I see that within some years, hopefully, the average Joes, in all kind of countries, discuss with each other. And I mean countries that we do not know so much about.
Without discussing with them/us, with each others, we are not able to “turn the tables”.
And to learn that is very important.
Thank you once more for your help. I will, as I told here above, send it further to persons that has fought for my and many others freedom.
Your name still shows as guest for me. I’ve found that pretty much any guest who pops up and posts interesting stuff will get offers to pay thier subscription is they are unable to.
Subscriptions paid via PayPal have a 5-10 day pending period. This is due to how PayPal processes transactions (that’s how they make their money, off the float), and we have no control over this. It’ll take effect when it takes effect.
Yes. When I lived in Russia, and told something about history of my country, it caused questions. An example: I told about my step-father and his gang destroying a Russian tank with Molotov-coctails, and people were asking why my (supposed Russian, in reality Finnish) step-father was fighting Stalin?
