Finding Love Abroad, Then Support Online for Visa Quest

[no name 1]

Why would I pull quotes that are positive? I see none in it. I'm voicing that (to me) it's a cold, negative article that paints VJers & Wendy as obsessed people with little else to do than spend hours pining away on VJ - and complaining with others about incompetent gov't - for their foreign fiance/spouse.

He!! may indeed have frozen over as Lisa & Charles agree with me. Yet so do others, so I am obviously not alone in feeling this way.

That statement that any PR is good PR is simply not true. Anyone who has worked in PR/advertising will tell you that. Just look at Britney Spears.

This isn't the first time I've said this Dev....but I agree with you too! The article really isn't very positive at all. Sure it could be worse, but it certainly could be better. The quotes you highlighted earlier in this thread certainly illustrated your point very well.

I just want people to know any journalist that wants to write an article about immigration/their story should be taken with a giant grain of salt. This comes up every few months or so...remember billsgirl? And there was another VJer who was approached as well. I know of one on another blog as well, who ultimately turned it down as she was afraid of possible repercussions (her hubby had a voluntary deportation order they were fighting & the article was about a trend in LD marriages - she thought they wouldn't ask about why he was deported - um, that's just wishful thinking!!!). Reporters want a (juicy) story not to highlight your troubles. And that often involves digging for dirt or bias.

Edited October 29, 2007 by devilette

[Empress of Groovy 373]

I have to agree that the writer portrays VJ'ers as forum addicts who have created a sort of geeky universe based on seeing themselves as victims. The wording throughout--"fixated," "passion" (not in the romantic sense), "enraged," "zealous," "It consumes you," "obsessed"--comes close to portraying users of the site as part of some special dysfunctional club.

That the site is so useful to many people, both for real information and for moral support, is only touched on. And the general tone of the article suggests that for many applicants, not a minority, the process takes years, and rejection is common: "Now he logs on daily to see if other VJ'ers have been approved. Few have recently." Er...? Numbers, please?

And yeah, this line annoyed me too: "Their profile pages are adorned with beating hearts, clocks counting the hours since their last meetings and such statements as 'feels like eternity . . . without him.'" Sure, use of emoticons is popular, and there's a lot of gushy stuff in posts and signatures (why not?). But the writer seems at once sympathetic to the subjects of her article and dismissive of the agony of being separated, the joy of being reunited, and the importance of empathetic support while going through such a stressful process.

I think that the scope of the article could have been expanded to present a more detailed, accurate picture of VisaJourney and its users. As it is, the focus on a few people with problematic applications gives the impression that the site is full of angry posters doing nothing but swapping war stories about being hassled by the man.

[Amby 490]

I guess I'm lost but what comments is everyone talking about?

[caybee 21]

I share some of the same concerns, enough to change my avatar for a spell, but VJers seem to be holding their own in the comments section and filling in what the reporter left out. And maybe some folks who are navigating alone will drop by VJ after reading this and find what they need.

Now, OT...thanks, y'all, for bumping the "hooker" thread right on up there where sightseers from the Post can find it quickly and enjoy it like the rest of us.

[Fandango 1,439]

Why would I pull quotes that are positive? I see none in it. I'm voicing that (to me) it's a cold, negative article that paints VJers & Wendy as obsessed people with little else to do than spend hours pining away on VJ - and complaining with others about incompetent gov't - for their foreign fiance/spouse.

He!! may indeed have frozen over as Lisa & Charles agree with me. Yet so do others, so I am obviously not alone in feeling this way.

That statement that any PR is good PR is simply not true. Anyone who has worked in PR/advertising will tell you that. Just look at Britney Spears.

Meh, I dunno...this article (I think) will result in greater hits on VJ...Brit's still talked about and her album is doing well, so all in all, she's still being talked about.

And yeah, hell has frozen over it seems. heh

Edited October 29, 2007 by LisaD

[almaty 19]

I share some of the same concerns, enough to change my avatar for a spell, but VJers seem to be holding their own in the comments section and filling in what the reporter left out. And maybe some folks who are navigating alone will drop by VJ after reading this and find what they need.

Now, OT...thanks, y'all, for bumping the "hooker" thread right on up there where sightseers from the Post can find it quickly and enjoy it like the rest of us.

damn straight sister..it is the best thread on vj

[Marilyn. 340]

I guess I'm lost but what comments is everyone talking about?

I had a hard time finding them too but if you look on the right hand side of the 2nd page of the article (towards the middle of the page) there is something that says view all comments..

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...6_Comments.html

[no name 1]

Meh, I dunno...this article (I think) will result in greater hits on VJ...Brit's still talked about and her album is doing well, so all in all, she's still being talked about.

Her album has not dropped yet, it is being rush released tomorrow. She is known for flashing her privates, shaving her head, acting completely insane, driveby accidents & losing custoday of her kids, hardly good PR...anyhoo

Edited October 29, 2007 by devilette

[Fandango 1,439]

Meh, I dunno...this article (I think) will result in greater hits on VJ...Brit's still talked about and her album is doing well, so all in all, she's still being talked about.

Her album has not dropped yet, it is being rush released tomorrow. She is known for flashing her privates, shaving her head, acting completely insane, driveby accidents & losing custoday of her kids, hardly good PR...anyhoo

Well her single was in the top 10 despite all this.

Everytime she does something, everyone here is all 'brit this that the other'

Dont' get me wrong, I think her personal life is a train wreck, but I think all the bad press is at least press...and when in the spotlight, it's prolly better than no one giving a sh!t enough to slag you off I think Lindsay Lohen once said something to the effect of 'even if it's bad news, you want your name in the papers' or something like that.

I just read this

"It certainly doesn't help that she can't promote this properly, but she doesn't need that much promotion," he adds. "You can't get more out there than she's been out there. (The album) is going to sell. People are curious because they know what a train wreck she's been."

http://www.att.net/s/editorial.dll?fromspa...p;ck=&ch=en

But either way, that's not what this thread is about, so I don't wanna derail it further...we will just have to agree to disagree on this. It's quite an accomplishment for E to have his site mentioned on the front page of the Washington Post but unfortunately I wish it were a nicer-written article!

Edited October 29, 2007 by LisaD

[doodlebug 3]

Ok devilette, I just gotta ask...............what the heck is going on with the pumpkin in your siggy?

[Ban Hammer 12,848]

Personally I spend plenty of time (other than here) on sites like digg.com and slashdot.org. Yes, I am a geek!

glad you said it..saved me from getting banned

[diadromous mermaid 36]

Ok devilette, I just gotta ask...............what the heck is going on with the pumpkin in your siggy?

Thong. Don't you wear them, too?

[Jenn! 918]

oops I just "recommended" the comment about K visas fostering white slavery.

[Ban Hammer 12,848]

oops I just "recommended" the comment about K visas fostering white slavery.

bad jenn!

[almaty 19]

Personally I spend plenty of time (other than here) on sites like digg.com and slashdot.org. Yes, I am a geek!

glad you said it..saved me from getting banned

Et Tu Charlius ?