munk said:
Any one has a problem should say something. Don't hold it inside.
munk
As you know munk, I have not held my feelings inside, but discussed them with you unproductively at length via email. But this post seems to be an invitation to express them more widely, so I will take you up on it for several reasons. First, numerous forumites have contacted me and encouraged me to bring up the issues that caused me to abandon Blade Forums in general and the HI sites in particular. Although I had distributed our email exchanges to quite a few forumites with whom I had had previous exchanges at some level, I avoided a general posting because I felt that would be a misuse of the forum.
Second, there seems to still be a misunderstanding of the issues on your part, at least those that were operative in our dispute, that should be corrected. From my perspective, the dispute was never about rules. Rather, it was about simple, basic elements of effective communication; what works and what does not work; what is abusive and what is constructive. I will present the communications that effectively terminiated any further interest I had in BladeForums in chronological order. I will not prejudice the presentation with any further characterization except to say that your first email to me was the first indication I received that you had hard feelings about anything. So it hit me out of the blue.
One final point. I am not considering becoming re-inivolved in BF. Consequently, I have no worries about being "banned". There are other forums. This post is made on behalf of HI forumites who have remained behind. If you meant it when you said that people "should say something", then you will let this post run it's course.
Bwray,
My last few posts on the manufacturers review thread made it abundantly clear we were not going to do any more knife reviews.*
Your writing to Nasty about this falls under the; "I think I'll keep pursueing until I get an answer I like."*
You went around me and attempted to split two mods.*
This is a second warning that devisive, splitting, manipulative behavior,*and spamming, and thinly disguised sales promotions will not be acceptable.
munk
Folks,
I'm disappointed with you on this one munk. You've misjudged me completely. So completely, in fact, that I can't even be angry about it. I'm just dumbfounded by the apparent inadequacy of written communication. I went to Nasty solely because he had recently contacted me concerning the escalating size of my banner ad. He asked that I restore it to the original size I had requested, which was "about the size of an avatar". His point was irrefutable, yet his approach was thoughtful and considerate. So I gave him the two word Yangduish reply, "Done deal". That response was intended to indicate that I would cooperate fully in the spirit of Yangdu and Bill.
When questions arose in my mind concerning a "super machete" post I went to Nasty simply because an email communication link had already been established at his initiative, and I felt it would not therefore be presumptuous of me to use that channel myself. I also thought it possible that you folks might have assigned Nasty to handle interactions with me because he is the new guy. That all that's happened here.
Bill
MR Bwray;
This letter will serve to confirm that you are not taking responsibilty for your behavior, and in fact, continue to attempt to put one mod against the other.*
Your disapointment in me is of no concern, your continued denial is.
munk
munk,
I do not wish to be argumentative here, and it is apparent that useful communication between you and I is at least temporarily out of reach. But you have included others in your distribution list, and I have a right and a duty to defend my own character. I am, in fact, a straightforward, honest person, and I am not at all inclined to be deceitful or manipulative. People who know me well and have been associated with me for a period of years would tell you that my faults (we all have them) lie on quite the opposite side of the coin. You have simply got it wrong.
I did not mention my disappointment with you on the issue at hand with the expectation that it would necessarily be of concern to you. I mentioned it because it is an accurate representation of my feelings at this time and it would be dishonest of me to attempt to conceal those feelings from you. In short, it was an attempt at honest yet appropriately restrained communication. I believe that my words constituted a very mild response to the rather deep personal criticisms you had directed my way.
When an impasse has been reached in a discussion, and when personal criticisms have been introduced, it is necessary to return to the issues at hand and the associated facts. The irony of the impasse before us is that we have no disagreement on the issues as far as I can tell. When I received your email I was already in the process of responding to Nasty that I understood his position and would drop the idea of a "super machete" thread. What more is there to say.
I think a quick review of my recent posts will show that I was making every effort to minimize any negative fallout (a bad choice of words for me) from the Valiant thread that was initiated by wicca. If I had any bad intentions toward HI or BF, wouldn't I have been trying to fan the flames against "oppressive moderator control"?
Finally and quite specifically, I had no intention of trying to split moderators. I cannot confess to something I did not do. However, especially if you were not aware of my previous email exchange with Nasty, I can understand why it might have looked that way to you. To the extent that a misunderstanding may have caused you to feel that I was trying to bypass you, you have my apology. I assure you that was not my intention.
I do not hold grudges because I consider that to be a waste of time and energy. I intend to move on and hope you will feel inclined to do the same. I would also hope that at some point in the future we will be able to restore the mutual respect that was evident in some of our earlier communications.
Stick me with a fork, I am so done. (smilie face)
Regards,
Bill
Dear Bill;
I said no. I said no again. Cougar said no.*I said no once more, but publically stated I would approach Cougar about this at a later date, and for all of us to let it go.*
You then went to Nasty. Whether or not you are aware of what splitting behavior is, it does not change the*factual description of your actions.
Your six paragraph letter does not change this.
It was poor form, unacceptable.
As you state you are sincere in now accepting this 'no' for knife reviews, I trust the matter is over.*
munk
HI Mods,
My lord munk, you do have a way of snatching hard feelings from the jaws of mutual respect and understanding. You are apparently unwilling or unable to move on without dragging your carefully crafted load of hard feelings behind. I can deal with rules, especially when there is sufficient opportunity to seek clarification in an atmosphere of trust. But when you go beyond the rules and insist on condemning a persons motivation, which you presume to have some sort of clairvoyant ability to assess, you have embarked on a mode of behavior that no one worth their salt will be willing to tolerate.
I put forth Olive branches in my last email, albeit tentatively, only to have them shoved back in my face. What misunderstanding of human nature is it that causes you to assume that the forum has some inherent value to me or anyone else that can be separated from the good fellowship that has been its hallmark? I have no further desire to participate in the HI Forum or in the HI Cantina. No refund of any sort is requested, nor would one be accepted if offered.
Regretably, since I will no longer be visiting the HI Forum where Yandu's excellent DOTDs are made available, I can no longer be a customer for HI products. That's a shame because, in all sincerity, HI khuks are indeed the best in the world. If you want to check my sincerity on that point, just check your records. You will see there that I bought eight HI blades during the four months I was a member of the forum. That's an average of a blade every two weeks.
I am copying this extended email exchange to all forumites with whom I can remember having shared thoughts or information during the past four months. I am simply not willing to risk having my position or my conduct misrepresented to the membership, many of whom I regard as personal friends, by someone who so clearly has an axe to grind. I am, on the other hand, quite comfortable with letting the written record speak for itself.
Done deal,
Bill Wray
My legal name edited out of this post- I doubt the rest of it will be here much longer. munk-
They do. But they give them a pass--considering they are even more homogeneous in nature than the Chinese could ever hope to be. Especially the ones in the newest film (although they were less nightmarish than the originals IMO)
