One woman's opinion of Elena's models

[ECOCKS]

Well, profit, or lack thereof is B&W (or B&Red).

Business operations are now a bit more variable with green, red and gray thrown in. Corporate Social Responsibility has added a few new facets for consideration of performance and efficiency.

[Faux Pas]

I think that might have been true 50 years ago but I can't say I particularly agree with you any more.    Just think for a minute about Enron, many banks, and all the compan ies that have been in trouble lately.   Can you really say there wasn't a lot of black that was really grey or red.

Personally when I find a company that provides me with a good service I really hope they make a profit.   Otherwise they won't be around much longer to provide that good service.

Turbo, Enron executives were thieves and crooks, they could certainly be considered the exception instead of the rule. Same with World Com and neither of these companies are a yardstick to be measured by unless it's cheating. Honest business practices are as common today as they were 50 years ago. So are the dishonest ones. The Sox requirements which are a result of those companies only hassle the honest people and companies while the crooks continue to go unabated. I still contend there are no grays areas, only crooks and those that cook books. Look to the White House.

[Faux Pas]

Well, profit, or lack thereof is B&W (or B&Red).

Business operations are now a bit more variable with green, red and gray thrown in. Corporate Social Responsibility has added a few new facets for consideration of performance and efficiency.

That probably depends on who's money is invested 

[djfourmonie]

 This is an interesting thread...

 I have been a member of EM for a few years now. I get one or two messages every 6 months or so and I have purchased addresses but never paid $100 to be a full time member. You could say I'm cheap, but knowing that IR isn't overwhelmingly in Slavic countries, I wasn't sure I would get the value out of the web site by purchasing full membership.

 Now if I cast a wide "net" I might share a few more fish, but for now this is fine.

 EM I feel is one of the more legit web sites out there. If you want to find gold-diggers and sponsor seekers those are easy to find as well.

 I have no axe to grind against companies that provide excellent service and don't feel the membership fee is out of line either. It keeps the morons away.... Though that being said Plenty of Fish's free model has many people on it as well, hmmm.

 I think I can get more out of this adventure with more investment, that is coming...

 

[elliott]

Would you Faux Pas please elaborate how the laws of supply and demand apply to this particular situation? I am curious.

Allow me.

Men demand profiles of women.  Agencies supply them.  Agencies charge for service.  Men pay for it.  Simple.

[Sculpto]

Elliot.. why go swimming in shark infested waters when there is a coral reef free of sharks and a lot more beautiful fish?

[Taz]

A good agency CAN provide a valuable service. However the bigger the agency, the more poorly it knows their women. Problem is finding a good agency with enough women to have a good selection but not so large as to have limited contact with their women. EM is too big in my opinion. So while there is a large selection almost none of the women are well known to the agency though in general I think it is not a scam agency.

I'd suggest for going to a smaller agency (but not too small) and have direct contact with the manager/director of that agency and spell out exactly what you expect and what type of woman you would like to meet. Be open so you don't waster their time or yours. However don't talk too much about your financial situation.

Personally I am not a big fan of agencies but realize they can serve a useful purpose and can be a good backup. A true matchmaking agency could be great but that would likely be more expensive than most men are willing to pay.

[elliott]

Elliot.. why go swimming in shark infested waters when there is a coral reef free of sharks and a lot more beautiful fish?

Good point.  I'll expand my search and search in the coral reef when my Russian is better.

[Sculpto]

funny thing.. on the social networking sites.. the Russian ladies all speak English and have their own computers.. some of them are more chat addicted than teenagers.

[MatryoshkaMan]

I'll second the notion of "chatting like teenagers" I find once I say hi to one of my ladies on Skype 100% of the time I am the one saying "gotta go". I get the impression that they would happly chat all day and night. Amazing! To be honest I am kind of getting sick of chatting!

[Sculpto]

To be honest I am kind of getting sick of chatting!

so.. logical next step is...

[HazyKnight]

A good agency CAN provide a valuable service. However the bigger the agency, the more poorly it knows their women. Problem is finding a good agency with enough women to have a good selection but not so large as to have limited contact with their women. EM is too big in my opinion. So while there is a large selection almost none of the women are well known to the agency though in general I think it is not a scam agency.

I'd suggest for going to a smaller agency (but not too small) and have direct contact with the manager/director of that agency and spell out exactly what you expect and what type of woman you would like to meet. Be open so you don't waster their time or yours. However don't talk too much about your financial situation.

Personally I am not a big fan of agencies but realize they can serve a useful purpose and can be a good backup. A true matchmaking agency could be great but that would likely be more expensive than most men are willing to pay.

Do you have any links or recommendations for smaller agencies?

I'll second the notion of "chatting like teenagers" I find once I say hi to one of my ladies on Skype 100% of the time I am the one saying "gotta go". I get the impression that they would happly chat all day and night. Amazing! To be honest I am kind of getting sick of chatting!

I've got Skype, and I must be software cursed because I can't find a link to chat with people on Skype. Where do you go to chat with them?

Thanks.

[55North]

Just popped in to say that my wife has informed me that her exceptionally fluent (and encouraging) response to my first mail through EM was not written be her, but by her local EM agent in the nearest city.
 
The agent monitors the site for her brood, who are living in villages and settlements, without PCs, across a wide area of the North Caucasus.  It makes sense.

Of course, Alla's 2nd reply was her own, from an internet cafe in town.  We then moved rapidly to daily telephone contact, and within a month, I was with her.

[SANDRO43]

Just popped in to say that my wife has informed me that her exceptionally fluent (and encouraging) response to my first mail through EM was not written be her, but by her local EM agent in the nearest city.

But the contents were at least inspired by her I hope, not totally made up by her, er, agent .

[55North]

I do believe they discussed it on the phone.  It was an overnight response.  Who cares.  It worked.  She was in England as my wife within 9 months.
 
Alla's agent was like a friend to her, as I suppose all good agents should be, in any trade.  She is quite well off, as is the EM agent in Kyiv (very well off).  I once used to visit Kyiv a lot. 

[Missouri-Hunter]

funny thing.. on the social networking sites.. the Russian ladies all speak English and have their own computers.. some of them are more chat addicted than teenagers.

If this is something that could be just read without actually participating, would you mind sending me a link?

[MatryoshkaMan]

Update to this post. She is getting lots of EOI's on Elena's. She is still saying no to almost all and keeps telling me that the men are way too old for her. She states a maximum age of 40 yet she has had men as old as 67 sening her letters & EOI's. She just turned 31. I think anyone would be dismayed by this. 36 year age difference? At 67 this man is ALMOST old enough to be her grandather. Is it just me or is that a little out of bounds. Knowing her she would be with a 45 year old no problem but everyone has a right to set a reasonable limit so I don't understand the mentality of men who would be so bold as to write to someone who obviously will not be interested based on the stated wishes.

[Lily]

Update to this post. She is getting lots of EOI's on Elena's. She is still saying no to almost all and keeps telling me that the men are way too old for her. She states a maximum age of 40 yet she has had men as old as 67 sening her letters & EOI's. She just turned 31. I think anyone would be dismayed by this. 36 year age difference? At 67 this man is ALMOST old enough to be her grandather. Is it just me or is that a little out of bounds. Knowing her she would be with a 45 year old no problem but everyone has a right to set a reasonable limit so I don't understand the mentality of men who would be so bold as to write to someone who obviously will not be interested based on the stated wishes.

MM, her age requirements seem to be reasonable.

Boldness conquer fortresses, as we say it in Russia Those men probably hope to trade up on her. On the other hand, there might be some men out there whose only drawbacks is their year of birth, and they might be really right on the same wave of development as she is. But we can only guess about it.

[2tallbill]

Here is something you need to know about EM. Girls have free membership
there but on the other hand, they MUST answer all the letters from ALL the men which
are interested to communicate. Men pay for their membership and they don't want to be
refused. If a girl ignores a man, this maybe considered as an unethical behavior
and her profile will be suspended. 

I call BS ,

I was a member of  EM and I didn't get 100% response rates.
In addition there is a response rate listed on each girls profile.
The rates were all over the place.
 
Plus there is an auto canned rejection button that a
man or woman can press to keep their response rate high.

I agree that there are no shortage of losers / weirdos and most RW
can discard a weirdo like rain off a ducks back without losing a second
thought about it. By the way there are weirdos out there everywhere
even (prepare to be shocked) in the fsu.

just my two kopecks

Bill

[Faux Pas]

Update to this post. She is getting lots of EOI's on Elena's. She is still saying no to almost all and keeps telling me that the men are way too old for her. She states a maximum age of 40 yet she has had men as old as 67 sening her letters & EOI's. She just turned 31. I think anyone would be dismayed by this. 36 year age difference? At 67 this man is ALMOST old enough to be her grandather. Is it just me or is that a little out of bounds. Knowing her she would be with a 45 year old no problem but everyone has a right to set a reasonable limit so I don't understand the mentality of men who would be so bold as to write to someone who obviously will not be interested based on the stated wishes.

There are women who want an older man and even a much older man and still not be burdened with emotional baggage. They are out there and of all nationalities. Likewise there are men who want a much younger woman and many members on this forum are proof of that. Who can blame those men for testing the water with one such as your ex? The heart wants what the heart wants and I fault no one for that. However, I would say that to help insure success at finding a mate and having a long term successful relationship the odds are improved with a lesser age disparity IMHO

[Sculpto]

There are women who want an older man and even a much older man and still not be burdened with emotional baggage. They are out there and of all nationalities. Likewise there are men who want a much younger woman and many members on this forum are proof of that. Who can blame those men for testing the water with one such as your ex? The heart wants what the heart wants and I fault no one for that. However, I would say that to help insure success at finding a mate and having a long term successful relationship the odds are improved with a lesser age disparity IMHO

Well spoken Faux.. the only thing I would comment on is that ANY relationship, regardless of age gap or the lack of one, still depends entirely on the compatibility and commitment of both people.  If that isn't there.. no quantity of romance, great sex or money is going to keep people together.

[groovlstk]

She is still saying no to almost all and keeps telling me that the men are way too old for her. She states a maximum age of 40 yet she has had men as old as 67 sening her letters & EOI's. She just turned 31. I think anyone would be dismayed by this. 36 year age difference? At 67 this man is ALMOST old enough to be her grandather. Is it just me or is that a little out of bounds. Knowing her she would be with a 45 year old no problem but everyone has a right to set a reasonable limit so I don't understand the mentality of men who would be so bold as to write to someone who obviously will not be interested based on the stated wishes.

MM, your friend has every right to be disgusted after receiving advances from a dirty old man 36 years her senior - if it's any consolation to her, he'll find what he's looking for if he's willing to spend enough $, and that's when he'll wish he'd stuck to hitting on his peers.

[Kuna]

MM, your friend has every right to be disgusted after receiving advances from a dirty old man 36 years her senior - if it's any consolation to her, he'll find what he's looking for if he's willing to spend enough $, and that's when he'll wish he'd stuck to hitting on his peers.

Errrr... groov... did you mean to say that out loud?  I was thinking it but didn't want to offend any members with a response.

[groovlstk]

Errrr... groov... did you mean to say that out loud?  I was thinking it but didn't want to offend any members with a response.

OK Kuna, I'll take the heat for both of us

I can't help but think of a recent thread where MM mentioned a RW friend (same one as in this thread?) who was looking for a man under 40, and the chorus of "keep dreaming!" posts that followed was deafening. When the shoe is on the other foot and some dirty old man is looking for opinions about his relationship w/a woman younger than his daughter, suddenly the chorus is all about someone's friend's cousin who married a woman 40 years his junior and how they seem very happy, etc. Guys will trot out names of celebrities who married younger women like Michael Douglas, but my all-time fave is "it depends on the couple."

Sure there are plenty of couples in happy marriages w/large age differences, but I'd rather hear what they think made them successful, not guys who are speculating w/out a shred of experience.

[Faux Pas]

OK Kuna, I'll take the heat for both of us

I can't help but think of a recent thread where MM mentioned a RW friend (same one as in this thread?) who was looking for a man under 40, and the chorus of "keep dreaming!" posts that followed was deafening. When the shoe is on the other foot and some dirty old man is looking for opinions about his relationship w/a woman younger than his daughter, suddenly the chorus is all about someone's friend's cousin who married a woman 40 years his junior and how they seem very happy, etc. Guys will trot out names of celebrities who married younger women like Michael Douglas, but my all-time Dave is "it depends on the couple."

Sure there are plenty of couples in happy marriages w/large age differences, but I'd rather hear what they think made them successful, not guys who are speculating w/out a shred of experience.

Visualize if you will (said with a Rod Sterling voice), a 60 year old woman with a 30 year old man, married and in a relationship. Can you imagine the obstacles and negatives they must over come? It could kind of leave a bad taste in your mind of you thought about it long enough. I'm not going to judge anyones heart, thats not my job but, the point of that statement is, it is pretty much the same if you swap the positions of the 60 yr old man and a 30 yr old woman isn't it?. The outside appearance is, to me any way.

Movies star relationships can't be compared to us regular average Joes. With enough money one can do, well, basically anything.