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The current weather in Culebra

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Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: laurie (---.prtc.net)
Date:   01-18-03 18:21

I am a resident of Culebra and recently facts about the webmaster of this site, Micheal Fisher, has come to my attention. Personally, the most distressing part is his attempt at promoting his site. I have been trying to get my personal information off his site and have spoken to several other residents today that are dismayed by his ethics and have also been trying to get their information off this site.

Most recently, it has come to our attention that he is gathering your information and selling it -- so if you don't want your e-mail address sold -- don't use this site!!

Please don't judge our lovely isle by this one man -- we have so much more to offer you!

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Re: Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Michael (209.208.195.---)
Date:   01-18-03 18:56

Hi Everyone!
I am Michael Fisher. I created islaculebra.com back in December of 2001, while I was living on Culebra. I have been a winter resident (most years) since 1990.

I love Culebra and wanted to make a website that would inform everyone all about this wonderful island. I think I have accomplished that, as many visitors to the site have informed me.

Well, nothing's perfect - and not everyone can be happy all the time! The above post, by Laurie Harding, the owner of the Peppery Parrot, is a bit of a tempest in a pepper-pot - that does, however, call for a measured response:

1. As a compendium - a complete guide to Culebra - this site lists all businesses and places of interest, whether I have a business relationship with them or not. This is for the convenience of potential visitors to the island.

2. I do not gather or sell email addresses. Visitors to the site who want information will have their emails sent only to the business-owners on Culebra who supply the service they are inquiring about. That is it! I only do businesses that involve working with things I like: I am involved in sailing, fine-art (I am an accomplished portrait artist), real estate, and web-design.

I will be making some changes to the site very soon that will clarify some of the things I've mentioned here - and more! See you soon.

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Re: Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: lee (---.prtc.net)
Date:   01-20-03 05:09

As usual, Mr. Fisher misstates the facts:

1. He does not list all the businesses, and for those that he does, there are errors

2. He IS selling your e-mail addresses that he gathers on this site -- look on his "Advertise Here" link under Shelter/$$.

Check out culebra-island.com for the most accurate information. Culebra.org also has a nice site as well as a much more informative forum.

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Re: Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: RoseMary (---.net.uta.at)
Date:   01-20-03 09:46

PLEASE STOP this harrassment against the person who did thi wonderful website - I am a tourist coming to Culebra soon - and I am sure Culebra is better than the few residents posting their bad temper here on this web forum. Culebra - the island is better - hopefully most of the inhabitants are as well!!!!

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Re: Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: John (---.webdsi.com)
Date:   01-20-03 10:50

All users of this website,
You may have noticed by now, that it seems the motivation for Lee and Laurie's slanderous comments is personal profit. They claim to speak from a moral high ground about how their island is better than this "commercialized" website; but they both have commerncial websites of their own.

Please speak up Lee and Laurie! Many possible tourists to Culebra are reading your comments and realizing there are many other, friendlier places to stay on this island that are run by hospitable, savy, and warm business owners.

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Re: Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Lee (---.prtc.net)
Date:   01-20-03 10:54

Rosemary -- so glad to hear you are visiting our fine island soon!

You may see what we are trying to do as harrassment towards Mr. Fisher, but that is only because you are only seeing one side. You have not seen the slanderous and harrasing e-mails he has sent me, nor are you aware that he has violated our privacy and rights.

He harrassed us over and over to be listed on his site, and now refuses to take several of us off his site.

His site is based on misinformation, illegal practices, and all-out lies. His site DOES NOT contain all the business -- only a small portion are on his site -- you'll see when you get here.

There are also two other site on Culebra with much more accurate information (actually one of the sites is where Mr. Fisher copies alot of his material from -- without permission of the owner of the site --

He is violating our rights and privacy -- two things we value highly here on Culebra, and we will continue to do whatever needs to be done to protect those. We are starting legal proceedings against him tomorrow.

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Re: Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Lee (---.prtc.net)
Date:   01-20-03 17:36

Dear John -- Lee & Laurie are one in the same -- for some reason, my original screen name wouldn't work (and I certainly don't want to be slanderous, so I'll let you guess what happened).

I have an e-commerce site as well as a store on Culebra -- both of which are highly successful because of my honest ways. I have actually given Mr. Fisher much advice over the year since he started his site, and he often came to me for advice on how to do things with the site. I say that not to "toot my own horn", but to point out that apparently even Mr. Fisher seems to think that I have a successful site and store.

Culebra prides itself on it's honest and friendly ways. And we welcome visitors with open arms. What has me so upset, and I've stated this over and over, but I'll do it one more time for you, has nothing to do with Mr. Fisher making money with his site. Websites are a huge amount of work -- both to set up and maintain. And webmasters should be compensated for their work. Mr. Fisher has every right to ask for and expect compensation for links and information posted on his site (if it's accurate).

What he does not have a right to do is to copy a lot of his information from other websites. Ironically, what got me upset in the first place was his accusing me of stealing an image off his site of my husband's bike shop sign which he had actually stolen off the site where I got it (I received the website's owner's permission -- he did not). It was then told to me by two different people that he had also used their own information off their own sites without permission.

He also has refused numerous times to remove my business off his site which is no longer accepting rental customers (along with several other business on the island). Just yesterday, he finally removed my home telephone # which he had up there -- but still has the house listed (again, I don't want to be slanderous -- but I think you can figure out the only reason why he would refuse)-- how would you feel about having your home telephone posted on the World Wide Web? My guess is it would irrate you as much as it did me. And as a visitor to his site, I can assure you that his information is not completly accurate. Dont' you find misinformation annoying?

And my last gripe with him, but it's really none of my business, is his selling e-mail and names gathered on this site -- not much above a junk e-mailer in my opinion. I know that on my web site, as well as other professionally done sites, a privacy policy which clearly states the company's policy on sharing information is posted. Mr. Fisher has no such policy. Of course this doesn't affect me personally, but I've been a resident and part of the Culebra community for a lot longer than Mr. Fisher's short stay here, and plan on continuing to live here -- unlike Mr. Fisher -- and I, along with the majority of the Culebra community, am appalled that visitors to this site are being taken advantage of. But that's your problem, not mine.

Mr. Fisher, in the eyes of the majority of the business community of Culebra, does not have the right to violate our privacy and our traditions of honesty and make a living off our names and good business reputations.

It's my right to defend an island I love dearly. And speaking of slander, stop in my store when you come to Culebra -- I'll be happy to share with you the e-mails from Mr. Fisher to me full of slander and his hate.

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Re: Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: eve (---.sdf.bellsouth.net)
Date:   02-04-03 00:45

You all make everyone who reads the emails going back and forth not want to come to Culebra!

Get ahold yourselves. You're doing the whole community (all of you) a disservice.

Why would a tourist want to come to a place to get away from it all knowing there are such hateful and bickering people residing on the island?

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Re: Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Teresa Perez (---.prtc.net)
Date:   02-20-03 14:05

I am from San Juan, PR. and have had the pleasure of visiting Culebra for over 25 years, becoming a resident since 1985.

It surprise me to see someone badmouthing an Island friend just because He decides to do a bussines of promoting the Island and it facilities.

In my opinion this is a great place for visitors to get some information of the Island and I appreciate Mr. Fischer effort in keeping it.

In response to your email I add a rental property that I owned in Ensenada, to help visitors get a nice place to staywhile I can do some business.
In the meantime are you doing something for the Culebrences? They are the ones that owned the Island.

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Re: Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Patricia (---.verona01.nj.comcast.net)
Date:   02-22-03 14:01

Is there even any legal right to insist that a business not be listed on this or any other travel website? It wouldn't seem so. Foders, Frommers or Lonely Planet guides don't ask for permission or need to. And sometimes they write up bad reviews!

To be honest, I researched the peppery parrot b/c of what I saw on this site. But after reading all this it kinda makes me think I won't be patronizing it. I mean, this is my only introduction to the store and it isn't so welcoming!

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Re: Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: Laura (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date:   02-23-03 17:49

Hi, we were searching for a nice honeymoon spot, we had heard of Culebra Island and came here to check it out. But after reading these message postings have decided this would not be a good place to relax and enjoy our honeymoon. We expected this small island to be civil and friendly without the bickering and drama. I guess we were wrong in this case. Our search continues. Have a nice day!
Laura & Don

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Re: Culebra is better than this site!
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Author: caribepr (66.50.189.---)
Date:   02-23-03 18:38

Laura and Don...sorry to hear that you won't be here for your honeymoon, because the reality is the biggest drama on Culebra is the beauty of the beaches, what you will find swimming in the water as you snorkel or scuba - fantastic fish, the occasional turtle, lobsters, whatever the magic moment holds; the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets and the (I swear it's true!!!) peace and tranquility that is the lifestyle for most of the people who live here. Check it out, have a pincho with Joe outside of the panaderia, grab a beer or six and head to the beach....on Saturday night listen to the conga drums and be drawn into the joy of locals and tourists dancing and singing and laughing. Wander into the stores and give an Hola, buenos dia and get smiles back. That is what is really going on here...but whatever you do, have a great new life together!!

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