Mike implies rhetorically over at BMT that I work for AMP. Let me just state for the record that I do not now and nor have I ever in the past been a client or employee or contractor or consultant for AMP. Furthermore, I do not recall ever meeting or communicating with any person from AMP either directly or indirectly. Lots of censoring and banning and brow beating and intimidating going on over there. And I'll say it again - AMP was wrong for suing you, and you were wrong for not toning down Mr. Stone's posts or at least requiring some factual basis from Mr. Stone regarding his posted vitriol towards AMP. IMHO by what I have read of the litigation posted on your website it seems to me that some clear thinking uninvolved third party might opine that Mr. Stone likely took advantage of your animosity towards AMP, perceived paranoia about vendors in general - and gamed you perfectly. I hope you can recover some legal fees and make your contributors whole again. If you believe that AMP acted so maliciously and without just cause then they richly deserve to reimburse your contributors.
Dear Mikettes, I do not feel that I am arrogant - that implies asserting superiority over others. If I was "superior", I would not be able to admit that I am wrong or that I overstepped. I do that all the time - hell, I've done that in this thread. I also possess a sense of fairness - which arrogant persons do not. In my trading, I take or mark a loss every day - so that is certainly not a very reinforcing aspect to superiority. I am very assertive in my convictions when it comes to hypocritical behaviors, being taken advantage of or being gamed in my personal conduct and business affairs, and I admit to being hard on clients who at first ignore the "soft-sell reasoned" approach and continue to repeat mistakes and ruinous self-destructive habits or ignore sound advice meant to protect their financial best interests. I cannot continue to have a good consulting business when clients lose money. Humans frequently sabotage themselves and bad habits can be very hard to break. I've had several or more clients who are active members on the Big Mike forum, and am open to taking more clients who are willing to put in the effort and do the work.
I know a few rich folks that still clip coupons, still try to get the price knocked down in their conversation with some sales person, still only buy something that's "on sale" and still trying to find ways to reduce the amount of money that comes out of their own pockets while at the same time living large. These folks are out there and more common than you think. Nothing wrong with that but don't get into an uproar when you meet them. Simply, when was the last time you heard of a wealthy beach bum coughing up their own money when others are able to do it for him/her ? I personally know one wealthy beach bum (worth about 15 million) living in California with a Malibu address...she's never worked a day in her life and the last time I visited her I paid for dinner. :eek:
Your points are completely valid in terms of personal expenses. I've never heard of a "for profit" business actively solicit their clientele on an extraordinary special basis like this to pay for their business expenses ( legal fees ). I've heard of it for non-profits and 501C's, but this is the first time I have seen this. I got a PM from a prominent member over at BMT who thought it was questionable judgment as well, so I know I'm not alone on this one. How many advertisers and subscribers does BMT have ? Does he have liability insurance ? What happens to the contributions if BMT sues AMP for fees and wins ? Will he be treating the contributions as income ?
I've seen this before several times involving a "for profit" business solicit their clientele to raise money for legal fees in fighting something they all strongly believe in together. Heck, I've even seen them do "fund raisers", "donations" and other titles you can think of that's used for getting help from clients to fight a cause. Yet, I've never seen a forum owner do the same. I don't know what country, citizenship or where he pays his taxes. Simply, that's an issue only his lawyer, tax accountant can only answer and it shouldn't be public information unless its an issue involved in litigation that a judge wants to know about. In other words, its none of my business and none of your business too. I do know that if someone lives/citizenship in another country and is being sued or doing the suing...that's a lot of dough needed to interpret the law in both countries...must not be pretty to be involved...tons of interpretations. Lawyers must be loving it.
Thx for being attracted to my sexy butt, little Mikey. But loser is a term being attracted to you now that you are full blown broke. Anyway you already have your group of ass lickers surrounding you deep down in your bunker hole. BTW, keep on munching his hurting butt hole, guys. Good job so far. He is laughing his ass off and is almost near of a heart attack. Keep pushing, keep on going forward, upwards, sidewards, guys. Whatever -wards you have in mind be creative and keep pushing, you are almost there.
Little Mikey has a bunch of five to ten lemmings sending him a few mercy fucks worth a few cents just like it happens to every ordinary fascist after giving his last orders from South American soil. But that is still equal to being completely broke and done. It just unfolds the whole joke of that story.
That would be a departure from common practice in the U.S.. That's for sure. But very common for a non-profit. In the US hustling paying clientele to pay your legal fees would definitely be frowned upon by other clients because litigation is a business expense and cost of doing business - especially when you have manifold subscribers and advertisers and vendor relationships. BMT isn't a board dedicated to Great Lakes ecological conservation, for Gods Sake ! And that's the paradox of BMT and my only real beef about the lawsuit. As I have stated numerous times, AMP was wrong to sue BMT. OK, then go recover your fees from your gross annual revenue or sue AMP for fees. Mike's a non-profit cause for the First Amendment with no shame about hustling clients for legal fees when it suits him , and Mike's a money making machine with a totalitarian death grip on what most naive subscribers see as some sort of 'open society' when it suits him. In other words, a hypocrite.
You didn't ask if it was frown upon. I don't care if others like what he's doing or if others don't like it. I just stated a fact that there are "for profit" business that have ask clients that believe in their cause to help with legal fees in defending whatever it is they're defending. I'm 100% positive there must have been other clients out there that thought such was not cool and those businesses probably lost the respect of those other clients. That's life. Why folks defend someone with their money, with their words or actions is really their choice or free will. Just the same, why some folks want to bash the man is their free will too. As for me, it has no impact on me. Yet, I do know for fact that others (for profit businesses) have done the same but a discussion forum was the first I've heard of doing such...there's always a first. Why not considering he's a beach bum and it seems to fit such a persona. Regardless, I've met wealthier beach bums that have done far more worst than ask clients to help with their legal fees. P.S. You know the old saying. Vote with your wallet. Simply, don't join, don't pay and if you already have...don't use it (seriously). Hopefully, Baron will still be well liked when he starts his own fee side of a forum.