Asked and Answered

[TotallyOz]

There is a bit of controversy as to who are the owners of many sites on the Internet including this one. For those of you that don’t know, I am the owner of the domain name and I do own many websites. Actually, I own over 300 active live websites. Some are gay, some are straight and some are bisexual. Some are even not related to the adult industry. I started collecting domain names years ago. I currently own over 4k prime domain names. I have been in the business for many years.

I have only sold 2 domain names in the last 10 years. Both were to good people whom I have known and trusted.

My typical MO is to buy a prime domain name, find someone who has an interest in it and that I really trust and know has good business sense and then let them run the site. I normally, put forth the money for the making of the site, hold the domain name in my name, let others run the site and they share the revenues they generate with me. That is true for every site I have ever developed and owned.

I am a businessman and I am not in the business to censor what people want to participate in. If there is a market for a site and it is legal, I am interested in working on it. There are so many areas of gay life that other gays discriminate against. I hate it when someone says that 2 consenting adults cannot participate in something that is legal because they don’t like that particular thing. For example, I hate when someone who says that anyone who barebacks with others is doing something morally wrong when they often hire escorts. I hate when those that want to stop someone from hiring escorts rant and rave but think that it is OK to “party and play.” I hate when someone says that it is ok to dress in drag but it is disgusting to dress in leather. I know that in the above, there are many odd examples. But, I believe that any two consenting adults should be able to engage in any activity that they want without the hatred of others in the community. To that end, I do not withhold development of any site because others view it as morally wrong. I firmly believe that adults should be allowed to make their own decisions and that it is better for the gay community as a whole to have a variety of sites that cater to all those interests and fetishes. I have developed many sites that are not popular with this in mind.

Don’t get me wrong; first and foremost, I am a businessman. I do not develop sites because I have some need to help those less fortunate. It is business and I find people who are passionate about the site to do the rest. In the case of this site, I have found a group of guys that wanted to develop the site, had the desire and motivation but lacked the financial backing and the experience to build a site. I brought what they were lacking to the table and they will do the rest.

Hooboy knew the names I owned and we often laughed about it as he tried to buy a few of them from me over the years. I actually had this site in the works years ago and it was a fully developed site. I then met Hooboy and became friends with him. I was ready to launch the site and decided that I much preferred my friendship with him than competing with him. I gave up the site plans. That was over 3 years ago and I have not regretted my decision one time since. My friendship with Hooboy developed over the years and in over 4 continents traveling together. He knew that I owned many controversial sites and his response was always, “so what.”

When Hooboy died, my goal was to help his lover get the site and help him make a living from it. To that end, I send an offer to Hooboy’s best friend on the day of his funeral. As someone on the other site pointed out, it was a real class act. I knew that a few people who had an interest in his site had flown to Hawaii to the funeral. Some of these people had only met him one time. I also knew that many wanted to get his site without justly compensating the family for it. I was worried that this would happen and that Hooboy’s family would not get what was rightly theirs. I then sent an offer that was over 6 figures to Hooboy’s best friend. This caused much controversy to those that wanted the site for free and thought they would get it for little to nothing. For the first time, the estate knew they had something of value. I kept the offer on the table and even upped the offer at one point. After the “great meltdown” I lowered my offer as the site was slowly being destroyed. I kept lowering my offers to them as I felt the site was being poorly managed and maintained. I also felt that many administrative decisions were happening that were meant to devalue the site. With all of this in mind, I have kept a good offer on the table for the estate and to my knowledge it is the highest offer.

My post on the Hooboy site a couple of months back caused many people to get upset as I got tired of the complaints of working without just compensation. As I said, there are reasons for that and anyone that knows the history of the negotiations knows that there is more to the story than is public. Hooboy’s site was a moneymaker. He did well with it. Others will do well with it.

For those of you who have difficulty understanding my position, I’ll try to be even clearer. I love making websites. I enjoy the process from start to finish. I also enjoy making money from them down the road. I have no issue developing a site that is legal and that adults participate in an area they desire. To that end, people I have known and trusted for years started this site. They will do a great job with the site and I will move into the background with the administrative stuff after they get the site working the way they want. I won’t move into the background as a member of the site as this is one of the few sites I have had a passion for the content. I own other sites that are controversial. I will develop more in other areas. I do not have a moral problem with people who are adults making decisions regarding their body that is informative and if chosen to do with another adult consensual. I hope that this clarifies a bit about this site, other sites and me in general.

I hope you enjoy this site as many have spent a great deal of time, effort and energy on it!

TotallyOz

[Guest BostonGuy]

Oz,

The events surrounding M4M since HB died have brought forth all kinds of fantastic posts and speculations, most seemingly written by people who had no idea what they were talking about. Congratulations on writing one of the first adult descriptions to appear in print, at least to the best of my knowledge.

Unsettled estates that possess valuable resources are often the source of great controversy. Usually that controversy isn't quite as widespread as has been the case with the M4M site but the lack of good, public information has fanned the fires. Your statement here explains a great deal, about this new site and about some of the events that have transpired at M4M.

Thanks very much for posting it.

BG

ps: I'm happy to hear that you are well and, it seems, happy. You're one of the good guys.

[Guest straycat]

Oz,

As usual your comments are right on the mark. Too bad you felt others had put you in the position to have to explain your business practices. I find those who are ignorant of any fact are the people jumping and shouting the loudest.

Thank you for your effort and expertise in putting this site together. As I commented in another post I wish you much success.

Now that you've returned to the forums I look forward to reading more of your travel escapades. And Oz include a few pics this time

[marcanthony]

Oz:

Thanks for the GREAT post.

I have always appreciated your frankness, and of course, everything else about you.

For the record... I am not one of Oz's trusted friends that he mentioned who are running this site (though I am one of Oz's trusted friends... and I hope he agress). I am participating here because I believe it is a good project, I miss sharing information with others, and because it is fun!

I will continue to support it in whatever way I can... and already I can tell it will pay me back many fold over in entertainment value.

[Guest BewareofNick]

Bravo, Oz, and well done.

I had been told to google the name of the company who owned this site and that I would be shocked by what other sites they run. My initial thought was that I would see escortz.biz or cherryboyz.biz or one of the other scam sites. Obviously, that is not the case. As you said, what two (or more )adults choose to do is their business. My opinion has always been as long as you are not ripping people off or being dishonest, what you do is your business period.

Your post about the imaginary sacrifices of Hooboy's "best friend" was very much needed. As one of the victims of "The Great Meltdown", I felt vindicated after your posting. I had said many of the same things you did, but where mine was ultimately speculation based on the available facts, yours came from the facts and your deep love and devotion for Hooboy. It goes to show that I was not silenced for being a rabble rouser, I was silenced for speaking the truth (and pissing deej off, but that's another story.) I can see the need to keep up the pretense, from their POV, but destroying Hooboy's dream in the process is not the action of a friend, let alone a "best friend".

In many ways, I think this new site has the best opportunity to keep Hooboy's legacy alive. The return of such an auspicious poster as marcanthony alone is worth the price of admission. I hope that the other regulars from the HBMC of years past, and present, will come over and return to the "glory days" of the height of the HBMC.

Oz, I tip my hat to you, sir. Hooboy could not have asked for a better friend or someone better qualified to carry on his legacy.

[Guest Stephan]

I really don't know what else I could say, other that I agree with all the above. I wish all the success to you and to this site Oz.

Stef

http://www.steflacoste.com

+33 870 449 763 ~ France

+1 310 933 6213 ~ Usa

[seaboy4hire]

Oz thanks for the explanation (sp) on the site. It is nice to hear the story from the horses mouth and be able to trust what the other is saying since they are in the "know". Best of luck with the site, I am sure that many of that left HB will get word of this site and once again join the fold.

Hugs,

Greg

[Guest SmallTownJohn1]

Howdy Oz,

Thanks so much for this site. As a member of the old guard, I've remained pretty silent when it comes to posting on escort message boards over the last year. I hope to participate here more often.

Hooboy was very kind and encouraging to me since arriving on the scene five years ago and I've always appreciated his generosity.

I do hope MER becomes a fair and equitable site which promotes ALL male companions... and, a profitable site for those involved.

All My Best,

John

www.stj1.com

[Guest jackhammer91406]

Oz, your friendship with Hooboy is well known.

I appreciate your candor here and send you every good wish for your business and the continued enjoyment of your life.