Haley, in the style of Cheezeburger, makes her play for extra nap time!
I haz ta move? I is comfy here.
I don’ts wants to haz to move. I haz to cry to make you let me stay here.
I haz good pouty face!
Sucka!
This dog is rotten!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
How to post to Joomla 1.5.3 using Windows Live Writer
Yes, it’s possible. I had so much popularity with my “Making Windows Live Writer Work With Blogger Beta” article that I had to share this one too.
I found myself wanting to replace WordPress with a new Joomla application on my main web site, but didn’t want to lose the ability to post using WLW. I’ve grown quite fond of this freeware over recent years and was determined to find a solution to make it work. A little Googling, a little forum hopping, and here we are! It works.
What you need to make WLW post to Joomla:
There are a few requirements to make this work. Of course you’ll need Joomla running on your server and WLW running on your PC. I’m assuming you know that much already. Here’s the rest:
- MetaWeblog API plugin for Joomla
It’s available from: http://joomlacode.org/gf/project/metaweblogapi/frs/
Right click on metaweblog.zip and download the zip file to your PC. - RealSimpleDiscovery Plugin for Joomla (RSD)
It’s available from: http://joomlacode.org/gf/project/rsd/frs/
Right click on rsd.jpb and download the zip file to your PC.
Instructions for Installing the Plugins in your back-end Admin.
Log into your Joomla Admin panel and go to Extensions –> Install/Uninstall.
Click “Browse” and then choose the zip files you just uploaded. It doesn’t matter which order you upload them in. You need to upload the MetaWeblog module and the RSD module.
Go to your Plugin Manager and enable the MetaWeblog Plugin and disable the Blogger API that came with your Joomla installation. (Extensions –> Plugin Manager)
While you’re there, also enable the RSD plugin. (If it’s hard to find, that’s because it’s called System – Real Simple Discovery (RSD).
Enable Web Services
Go to your Global Configuration and choose “yes” to the “Enable Web Services option, which is defaulted to “no.”
This is located under Global Configuration –> System –>System Settings
Now, you’ve finished the Joomla end of the instructions. Now go open Windows Live Writer and let’s create a new Weblog.
Setting up Windows Live Writer to Talk to Joomla
- Open WLW and create a new blog account.
- Choose “Another Weblog Service” and press next.
- Enter your joomla web site address, your username, and your password.
That’s it!
Now, maybe your auto-configuration didn’t work and you need to enter the variables manually. It’s ok, no problem. On the next screen, under type of blog, be sure you choose MetaWeblog API, then enter your XML-RPC url, which will be http://yoursite.com/xmlrpc/index.php.
Now it should work.
Things you should know
- You MUST be an admin to post on the site automatically. If you are only a Registered User, Editor, or Publisher, the article will still be posted but will await approval by a moderator before being published publicly. If you ‘re not getting any errors, but aren’t seeing your posts, this might be why.
- You must choose the category for your post, or else Joomla will assign is as “uncategorized” which means it gets treated as a static page. Choose the category from the lower left side of the WLW screen.
- If you can’t publish, check to make sure your plugins are enabled properly. If they ARE, and you type http://yoursite.com/xmlrpc/index.php into your browser, you should see something similar to this screen:
I hope you enjoy it. If you have any questions or comments, edits or critiques, please feel free to comment!
Technorati Tags: Joomla,Windows Live Writer,WLW,Blog,XML,RPC,RSD,MetaWeblog Plugin,Real Simple Discovery Plugin,CSM
Monday, July 21, 2008
Old Dog, New Tricks:Working with Lightbox and Flash
This is as much a test post as anything. I’m back into web design again, only because a new clients refused to let me say no, so now I find myself staring into the abyss of code that’s left me behind in recent years. Good Lord, there is a lot to re-learn.
So, test number one is using flash and xml to create a few automated image galleries.
Using Autoviewer
I’ve got two flash tests up to work with. The first is using a platform called autoviewer, with a plugin for Picasa. I can use a Wrapper element to enclose the code in an iframe and then even a non-geek can figure it out.
So, let’s see if my Autoviewer code worked. Visit http://www.carolinaregion.com/code/pigpickin/. This is a test using hi-res graphics, which SHOULD be scaled down to fit in the slideshow. Comment tags from Picasa are supported, so i don’t have to teach the user how to comment the photos manually… another cool feature.
Please comment if you can’t see the slideshow.
Using TiltViewer
This one is more of a “fun” app than one I would use for business. TiltViewer requires a server to run, so you can’t test it locally, but it does support automatic import of FlickR galleries using tags for content include, which means it can be updated on the fly. I tested this one using my flickr gallery and grepping for all photos with the word “Tommy” or “Jordan.” Visit http://www.carolinaregion.com/code/tommyviewer/ to see the test.
Using LightBox
This test bombed… totally.
Disturbing Log Files
I’m prone to reading my blog access logs a few times each week. Its interesting to me to see what people were searching for when they found my site, what site they were on last, and specifically what google searches bring you right to my door. It helps me to determine what content to put on the site, what visitors like and don’t like, and what I should write more about in my future posts.
Some of you remember I wrote an article about child rape early last month, specifically about how a federal court ruled the rape of a minor not to be a capital offense worthy of the death sentence.
This morning I am greeted with this from my blog logs:
Some sick dude in Latvia decided he wanted to download porn of Free Child Rape Pictures. I just about spewed my coffee across my keyboard when I found the log file. It should be legal to prosecute twisted souls like this just for the desire alone, with no need for malicious intent… I’m still shuddering…
All I know about the guy is that he’s from Latvia, from a city called Jelgava, and that he’s a sick bastard. So, in case he returns here to read this article, I have a message!
YOU’RE SICK! GET A LIFE!
The only thing I find more disturbing that this guy’s twisted needs is the fact that I’m the 4th link on google if you search those keywords (shown in the picture). Ugh. Can I NOT be included in that google search category?
The Dark Knight: A history of the Joker.
I woke up this morning with a plateful of Internet to-do’s but couldn't muddle through the mess to find the motivation to get started. Running on only 2 cylinders, I performed my usual routine and read through world news, weird news, entertainment news, and business news, only to find myself back at iGoogle randomly clicking on links while the coffee kick-started my bloodstream. In my random click-thru’s I came across an article by the LA Times. The L.A Times did an interesting photo-back-story on the history of the joker in this morning’s news. I thought I’d recap and share it here for those of you who are Batman or Dark Knight fans.
I hope you enjoy. Material copyright by Patrick Kevin Day, LA Times Staff Writer
Where did the Joker come from?
Christopher Nolan's film, "The Dark Knight," certainly doesn't give us any clues. But though the character has many versions of his origin in the fictional world, his actual history is a multimedia mash-up of drawing, voice-overs and visual performance. He's gone from evil clown to annoying clown, to dark, evil, murderous clown that gives you nightmares. And if the buzz continues into the spring, the latest man in the makeup, Heath Ledger, may win a posthumous Oscar for his Joker performance.
But to understand where Ledger came from in his acting, you have to go back to see the characters development over the last 68 years.
The Man Who Laughs (1928)
Conrad Veidt starred in this semi-silent film based on Victor Hugo's novel in which the son of a lord is punished for his father's disrespect to the king by having his face carved into a permanent grin. Stills of Veidt were used as inspiration by the Joker's creators, artist Bob Kane, writer Bill Finger and artist Jerry Robinson -- the creators have long disputed who actually came up with the character.
'Batman' #1 (1940)
The Joker's first appearance came in the Batman's first solo comic book (the Dark Knight had been appearing for a year in the pages of Detective Comics). His origin wasn't explained and his criminal style was nowhere near as elaborate as it later became. At the end of his first clash with Batman, he ended up behind bars.
He was originally supposed to die with his second appearance, but he was spared by en editor at the last minute. He continued to threaten Batman into the 1950s, when the Comic Code Authority watered down the murderous character to become simply an impish thorn in Batman's side.
'Batman' (TV series) (1966-1968)
Cesar Romero -- the mustached Joker.
Romero appeared in 18 episodes of the campy 1960s series that removed all of Joker's homicidal streak and turned him into a cackling prankster. This was a reflection of the way the character was portrayed in the comics at the time, where superheroes were treated with little seriousness.
Romero refused to shave his mustache for the role, and it can still be seen beneath his white makeup in close-ups.
' Batman' / 'Detective Comics' (1973-78)
Throughout the 1970s, a variety of artists and writers, including Dennis O'Neil, Neal Adams, Marshall Rogers and Steve Englehart, sought to return the Joker to his murderous roots. In particular, the story "The Laughing Fish" in Detective Comics #475, in which he creates fish in his own smiling image and seeks to patent them, helped define the character for the next decade, placing a great and greater emphasis on his lethal insanity.
'The Killing Joke' (1986)
Cited by many as the single most influential Joker story, this standalone graphic novel by Alan Moore told the Joker's origin, showing him as a failed stand-up comedian who turns to crime and becomes deformed when he jumps into a vat of chemicals during a factory break-in. The book drew a particularly bleak vision of Batman and his arch-nemesis, with a story that involves the Joker paralyzing Commissioner Gordon's daughter, Barbara (aka Batgirl), then torturing the policeman with nude photos of her.
Both Christopher Nolan and Tim Burton have cited "The Killing Joke" as a primary influence on how they portrayed the villain in their films.
'A Death in the Family' (1988)
The same year "The Killing Joke" was released, DC Comics featured a four-part storyline in the regular Bat-comics in which the Joker savagely beat Robin and blew him up with a bomb. In a one-time-only gimmick, editors gave out two phone numbers to readers: one for those who wanted to see Robin live, the other for those who wanted to see Robin die.
Robin died.
The killing scarred Batman for years, making the Dark Knight even darker and the Joker even more menacing.
'Batman' (1989)
Jack Nicholson's over-the-top performance in Tim Burton's summer blockbuster combined the star's own crazed persona with the sociopathic monster who had developed in the comic books. The result helped turn the movie into a monster box office hit to the tune of $411 million worldwide. But this interpretation was not without some criticism: Many felt this Joker was so wild that he overshadowed Batman, the ostensible hero of the film. Even so, the role became one of the actor's defining performances.
' Batman: The Animated Series' (1992-95)
Inspired by the success of Burton's big-screen "Batman," this version took care to preserve the darker tone of the comics while making the stories acceptable for children. Mark Hamill, better known as Luke Skywalker, took over the voice of Joker for the series. His performance was so well-received that the actor was able to redefine himself as a voice performer, appearing in numerous animated productions.
'The Dark Knight' (2008)
Heath Ledger already had buzz for his performance in Christopher Nolan's grittier follow-up to " Batman Begins" before his untimely death in January. His version of the Joker -- sloppier, grimier and not as comic as Nicholson's -- has already become a polarizing benchmark for those who want to debate which actor had the best Joker performance.
Article Source: Los Angeles Times, Entertainment Section
Technorati Tags: Batman,The Dark Knight,Christopher Nolan,Conrad Veidt,The Man Who Laughs,Bob Kane,Bill Finger,Jerry Robinson,Joker,Cesar Romero,Detective Comics,Dennis O'Neil,Neal Adams,Marshall Rogers,Steve Englehart,The laughing fish,Alan Moore,Commissioner Gordon,Bat Girl,tim Burton,DC Comics,Robin,Boy Wonder,Dynamic Duo,Jack Nicholson,Original Joker,Mark Hammill,Luke Skywalker,Heath Leger
Friday, July 11, 2008
July 12, 2008: The Scoobies 6th Annual "Brenda's Blowout Barbecue Birthday Bonanza" Party
Welcome one and all to the planning portion of the 6th Annual Scoobies B-B-B-B-B-B... Party... For those just tuning in, this is the sequel to the HEY MOMMA, NO DRAMA, PIG-SLAYIN', BIRTHDAYIN', BEER-DRINKIN', CANOE-SINKIN' Scoob-Fest. (more links from last year's event) (another one from last year)
Time is growing short and I've been remiss in updating this on the blog this year. The party almost got canceled but then I got a call from the President of the United States who informed me that in the interest of National Security, I have to throw the party. Apparently it's a good way to get all my hoodlum friends together in one spot while the government looks down at us from satellites trying to determine which of us are Taliban supporters. (I told them it was the lady with the funny glasses, above, but they aren't convinced.)
Most of you have come at one time or another over the years to what has become my annual tradition. My mom is possibly, no, probably, the coolest Mom anyone could have. She loves my friends and they seem to love her too. Each year for the last six years she has asked me to invite my friends and family down to the beach for her Birthday party, to share in the festivities, enjoy some down-east North Carolina Barbecue, and generally have a good time for one weekend together each year. The Summer 2007 event was the largest gathering of the Scoobs in history, with a total of 42 guests in the front yard Saturday afternoon. This year, I hope to at least meet that number, if not exceed it.
One major change in venue:
We will not be hosting the party at the beach this year. Instead, we will be hosting it in Greenville. Marcus and Mary, two of the Scoobs, have generously donated the use of their beautiful house and yard for the event on Saturday, July 12th.
Why the change?
A few reasons: My mom just had her right hand operated on a few weeks back and won't be up to preparing a lot of the side dishes she usually does, so having the party closer to town will make it easier for us to prepare all the necessary food and side dishes. (This means I need volunteers for food this year! Help!) Also, I know that most of us don't have the funds available that we usually do this time of year. It's been a hard year for everyone with gas prices soaring and the cost of hotels on the beach will make it prohibitive for lots of our friends to join us that usually do. The weekend following is also Marion's wedding in Ocracoke, so I know most of the gang can't do both weekends on the beach. This way we all get to attend and have fun together. So, considering all that, we're putting a new spin on the party this year.
The New Spin
My mom turns 60 this year. Well, she's always told me that she's going to move to Greenville when she retires at 65 or so. So, rather than have her 60th birthday on the beach, we're going to have her 65th birthday party in advance this year, to show her how life will be when she comes to Greenville after she retires. This means in five years, we'll be able to go back to the beach and have her 60th in our usual Scooby style. I'm not sure if she'll be too old by then to throw skiers off their ski's by that time, but I wouldn't hold your breath on it.... she's a mean ski-boat captain!
Where is the event?
Here is a picture of the location. Marcus has done a wonderful job of landscaping his yard and creating a nice atmosphere for fun out back. His house is in Greenville and is really easy to find. At his request, I have not listed the address here on the blog, but I will be emailing directions to all parties who are attending, so don't sweat that part. It's really easy to find and we'll have signs up at the end of the street on the day of the event.
I want ANYONE reading this blog to feel more than welcome to attend; friends, family, newly minted acquaintances, whomever. We have always had an awesome time, never had any drama to speak of, and we all look forward to it again the next year. As we grow up, our time together as a group is more and more infrequent, with life filling in all the small gaps we used to have with new responsibilities, more chores, increased work load, and overall less fun. This is my ONE time a year that I ask everyone to put it all aside for 24 hours and come have a good time with us.
What's the schedule?
Since we aren't on the beach this year (Thanks to Judge Boyle for screwing that one up for us) we will be shortlisting the activities to one-day only. Saturday morning is when the real festivities begin. The pig goes on the cooker at 8:00 AM, with most of the morning and early afternoon spent hanging out with each other, taking turns on the slip-n-slide... yes... yes.. Marcus actually bought a Slip-N-Slide, or sunning on the deck. I can't get too far away from the pig for too long (I'll tell ya the big ball of fire story later).
Lunch is served sometime around early afternoon when everyone is around, usually between two and three in the afternoon. Basic menu items include, carolina pork barbecue, fresh-grilled corn on the cob, barbecue chicken, cole-slaw, potato salad, collards, cucumbers in vinegar, deviled eggs, hush puppies, chips, dips, veggies, fresh watermelon, various pies and deserts, cake, ice cream, drinks, and I'm sure much more. There has never been a lack of food so far.
The evening festivities are yet TBD, but will most likely include taking the crowd down the street to "Live" a local music establishment that we have been frequenting for years! It's not a club, so you out-of-towners won't feel out of place. It's a nice sports bar that will more than likely be having Karaoke night. I'm working on getting a local band to play the event for us, but I'm not sure how that will work out yet. I'll keep you updated on that one as it evolves.
What are the Rules?
To keep this a fun event for all involved we kind of separate the day into two parts. Anyone wanting to do some serious drinking is welcome to do so before Saturday morning, and on Saturday night. Since we try to keep this a family-style affair, I do ask that you keep your wits about you during the main event on Saturday.
Drinking is perfectly fine, just be level headed and don't get obnoxious. From about 11 AM until 6 PM on Saturday is likely to be filled with family, some younger children, etc and I want them to have a good time too and to feel like they can bring their families the next year. In all the years we've been doing this, we've never had anyone get out of hand but I feel better if I say it up-front. Anyone that gets obnoxious gets ejected from the event via slip-n-slide!
Other than that, just don't trash my Marcus' yard. He and Mary have put a lot of time and effort into making their new home and property look really beautiful and I'd like not to have to clean up after everyone's cigarette butts and napkins by myself once everyone is gone.
What do I need to bring?
I'm just going to come out and say it this year. Bring either food, supplies for the party, or cash. Last year was an absolute blast, but I was making a lot more money than I am this year (at least so far) and I don't like to see the burden ride on the shoulders of a few. This is Mom's Birthday party, so I'd like to see her come out of this without having to spend much of anything.
I'm going to provide the pig and the cooker (thanks to Jody Griffin each year for the use of his cooker!) The rest of you will be asked to fill out one or more of the items from the menu or to bring a cash donation to help those out who contributed. Done right, this can be a WHOLE lot of fun for really little expense. If we had ten dollars from everyone who spent last year with us, that would have paid for the whole party. I'll figure out the amount later, but it'll be something in the ten to fifteen dollar range, nothing anyone can't afford.
The menu and requested items are listed below. I'll update this as we go, so check back often.
If you would like to contribute something from the menu, please leave a comment on this post and I'll update the menu with your preference. (This is first come first serve, so make your plans now if you want to bring a dish or something.)
Requested Menu Items:
| Item | Qty | Person |
| Pig & Cooker | 1 | Jody Griffin, Doc, Tommy, April |
| Buffet Tables | 3 or 4 | Marcus, Leven |
| Chairs | Marcus | |
| Yellow Corn (in the husk) | 20+/- | Tommy |
| Potato Salad | 1 | Chris Comeau |
| Potato Salad | ||
| Hush Puppies | 1 | Leven & Tommy |
| Deviled Eggs | 2 | Brenda Outlaw |
| Bags of Chips & Dip | 5+ | Brandy |
| Ice | 40 lbs. | Leven Stokes |
| Cooler(s) | Marcus (has plenty) | |
| Pasta Salad | 2 | Brenda Outlaw |
| Veggie Tray w/dressing | 1 | Marion |
| Veggie Tray w/dressing | 1 | |
| BBQ Bread | 2 | Brenda Outlaw |
| Bread/Rolls | ||
| Cole Slaw | 1 | Bridget & Clay |
| Banana Pudding | 1 | Faye |
| Honeydew/Cantaloupe | 2 | |
| Watermelon | 2 | |
| Hot Dogs | 2 | Leven Stokes |
| Hot Dog Rolls | 2 | Leven Stokes |
| Brownies | ||
| Cheesecake | 1 | Bridget & Clay |
| Koolaid Pie | 2 | Tim & Clair |
| Macaroni & Cheese | ||
| Green Beans | 1 | Marion |
| 12 Pk of Sodas (mixed) | 3 | Bill Stovall |
| 12 Pk of Sodas (mixed) | 3 | |
| 12 Pk of Sodas (mixed) | 3 | |
| Paper Plates/Cups/Silverware | Brenda Outlaw | |
| Condiments | ||
Who Else Is Coming?
Personally. I hope a LOT of friends and family will come. I'm going to start a list on here, only because it helps me and Marcus plan better if we can look on here and know who's coming, who's bringing what, and how many we have to plan for. IF I FORGET YOUR NAME ON THE PRELIMINARY LIST, IT'S NOT ON PURPOSE. I JUST CAN'T POSSIBLY REMEMBER EVERYONE AT THE MOMENT. It took me almost a month just to remember all the people to invite last year and I still forgot some! So, if you want to be added to the list and I haven't gotten to you yet, PLEASE comment on the board or email me and let me know and I'll most certainly add you ASAP!
Tentative Guest List
| # | Name | Wants a Hotel/Place to stay overnight? |
| BOLD RED = Confirmed | ||
| Plain Black = Listed but not contacted/responded/etc. | ||
| Green = Can't Make It | ||
| 2 | Mom & Janet | (with Tommy) |
| 2 | Tommy & April | |
| 1 | Leven Stokes | |
| Ivy Jo Daniels | ||
| 2 | Doc & Bridget | |
| 2 | Marcus & Mary | |
| 1 | Chris Comeau | |
| Tom Hadry | ||
| 1 | Wess Ellingson | |
| Mike Clark | ||
| 1 | Brandy | |
| 3 | Tim & Clair, Mom | |
| Kris & Danielle | ||
| 1 | Wess Ellingson | |
| 2 | Faye & Jean | |
| 2 | Frank & Cathy | |
| 2 | Dorothy & Berlie | |
| 2 | Gerald & Priscilla Holliday | |
| Melissa Holliday | ||
| Jody Griffin | ||
| 2 | Marion & Mark | |
| 1 | Joe Torrence | |
| Mitchell Briley | ||
| 1 | Jodie Cobb | |
| Jamie & Kristie | ||
| Jenn Harrell & Family | ||
| 2 | Marisa, Chris | |
| 2 | Ini & Tremaine | |
| 1 | Katie Evans | |
| Ed & Justin | ||
| Carleen & ??? | ||
| Harry Frank | ||
| Nicole & Lee | ||
| 1 | Bill & Scarlette | |
| Sheryl Evans | ||
| Christy & Shawn McLawhorn | ||
| 1 | Tom Robbins | |
| 2 | Shane & Tracy |
Hey.. we really need to narrow down the volunteers to bring stuff. I’ve kind of let time slip past me and it’s snuck up on me faster than I thought. You can add a comment to the post with what you want to bring, or email it to me, or call me…. however is fine. Just let me know what you want to bring from the list OR bring a donation to help those who helped provide all the stuff! Thanks!
Thanks!
Questions, Comments? Hit the "unique thoughts" link below to leave a comment or to read what others have written.
ATTENTION WWW.CAROLINAREGION.COM READERS: This blog is co-published on two blogs. I can only update one of them without lots of extra work, so please be sure you visit http://carolinaregion.blogspot.com for the latest information about the party. I won't be adding updates to the Me-TOM-orphasis blog after this initial post.
Last Updated: July 8th, 2008
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Brad Paisley featuring Andy Griffith - Waitin' On A Woman
Nags Head gets a little fame in the newest Brad Paisley video.
This won’t mean much to most of you, but I’ve always like Brad Paisley and I’ve always liked and respected Mr. Andy Griffith and this video was a special treat for me. His newest video was filmed right outside the little pizza shop I used to manage years ago when I was in high school. In the video, he’s talking with Andy Griffith about having to wait on his girlfriend or wife and Mr. Griffith sits down beside him and talks about his experiences waiting on the woman that became his wife.
Before I worked at Stone Oven Pizza, I used to work at Ace Hardware in Manteo afternoons after school. That’s where I met Andy Griffith and got to talk to him a couple of times. He has these old 1940’s Model A Ford cars that he used to drive around town. I used to cut the keys for his house and cars from time to time for him, and you could sometimes find him sitting in a corner in Sam and Omies over on the beach.
During the intro scene, you can see him standing in front of Stone Oven Pizza, and sitting on the bench where I used to go sit on smoke breaks. It’s nothing really super-special in the scheme of things, but I was just reminded of those years and it’s neat to be able to look back and see that all incorporated into a video done by someone whose music I really enjoy and to include one of the few famous people I’ve ever met and whom I’ve also always respected.
Due to Brad Paisley’s request, you can’t embed the video in this blog, but you can see it on YouTube. The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvKgnkIN8C8.
I hope you enjoy it. I thought it was pretty cool myself.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
http://moe-elgamal.blogspot.com/
If you care to see the details, I’m posting them on the other blog:
Tommy Jordan vs ATI Wave (Post #1)
I got the first email from Moe this morning in regards to the monies he owes me and the team. I haven’t had the time to post all the offending evidence online yet, but it seems to have stirred up a nest of worry even without that, for which I am glad. Maybe I’ll actually get the money I’m owed. As promised, I’m posting all the material regarding this issue to the blog for public record. My replies to his email are inline in red, so I didn’t bother to post both emails separately.
Read on.
Dr. Moe’s email is in black. My responses are in red.
From: Dr. M. ELGAMAL [mailto:melgamal@atiwave.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 7:26 AM
To: Tommy Jordan
Subject:
Dear Tommy:
First, I really do hope that you are doing well. Secondly, I must advise you that your publishing trash and untruthful things about me and my company is illegal and harmful to any business. It also is reflective on you, yes yourself, as it is really unwise and unethical. Failure to remove your trash off the web by no later than 2:00 pm EST July 2, 2008 will result in legal actions against you. I don’t want to come to this.
Thank you for your thoughts. Sadly I am not doing well. My father is dying of cancer and I need the funds you owe me in order to be able to help out with the family.
To respond to the rest of your email, actually sir it is completely legal in the USA. Further it is the Freedom of Speech which allows us Americans in this great country the ability to share these thoughts in an open forum. The sad truth sir is that I had to go this far to get your attention and prove I am serious. The contents of my email server are my property and publishing them on the Internet is completely within my bounds as they were sent through my server, not an ATI server. I have never signed a non-dislosure, non-compete, or other document to suggest the contrary.
Many of the others you owe money to from our team simply gave up and said it would be useless to try to get the funds owed to them, and I feel the same way after having tried for over almost two years with no success. Since I have not been reimbursed for the expenses I incurred on your behalf and at your behest, I have had no other means to try to get your attention except to publish this information in an open forum, which I knew would eventually get your attention. The emails I have sent you regarding the subject have been replied to with a sense of “I don’t owe you anything” which is blatantly untrue and left me no other recourse.
While I certainly don’t wish to take this to the level of the courts, I am firmly prepared to do so. I have all my documentation ready, receipts for purchases, and over 600 emails sent from you to me over the last two years in regards to the project. I had to gather all this material for the US Attorney’s office in regards to your pending case anyway, so it was easy to organize into chronological order. I’m sure you’re aware that if we have to go to court over this, a counter-suit will be filed to add the costs of court, attorney’s fees, and other material damages to the amount owed. Additionally, my attorneys have advised me of additional grounds for which I have claim due to being forced to endure interrogation by the federal government at my house, and again twice more in Washington DC. The US Department of Commerce Special Agents left my girlfriend crying in my house because of the threats they made against me, due to my work for you. I have not sought recompense for this but I will do so if this goes to court, which I’m told would result in a much larger settlement than what I have asked for, which is simply what I am owed.
I want also to remind with the following facts:
1. You came to my office in Kenansville in 2006 with Tim asking for work. We agreed to give you work for 45 days. You worked about two years. This was nice
I actually did NOT come looking to you for work. You sought me out, and offered me the job to run your team. I didn’t come asking for a job.
2. You were paid by your previous employer according to you no more than $24,000 annual rate. On contract, I paid you much more than this, and as much as $70,000 annual rate. This is in addition to your per diem rate and travel expenses etc
· Actually, you only ever paid me $50,000 in contracted labor. Please check the 1099 form you issued me for last year for verification. In fact I have the email where you told me you have no idea how much you paid anyone and you needed us to provide you with the correct amounts for our 1099s.
· Speaking of per-diem, you stated repeatedly that we received the US Department of State rate for per-diem.
· I repeatedly informed you that we were being underpaid according to those rates. Your rate of $60.00 per day, and your previous rate of $125.00 per day were never in accordance with the USDoS rates. Please check the United States Department of State web site for further reference on these rates.
3. According to our record and to checks and cash records, we paid for everything purchased for the company.
You spent less than 5% of the time in-country, therefore your records would not be up-to-date. I’m sure you have receipts to show for all those purchases you say you made. I certainly have receipts for everything I have purchased.
4. While in USA, I handed either cash or checks or in some cases you have used my credit cards to purchase items you needed
This also has no bearing on the fact that you owe us the monies mentioned… in fact it has no bearing on anything at all.
5. While in Libya, you were handed cash to purchase some little items and in many cases we arranged to purchase it for you
Again, this also has no bearing on anything. There was very little you purchased for us. In fact the entire reason I’m you owe us money is because I purchased things for YOU and was never reimbursed.
6. In some cases, we paid for lots of your negligence. Example your personal loss of your camera in Libya, we paid you for a replacement. We did not have to but we did to help you
This device was stolen from the office while two of our staff members were currently in the same office. That’s not negligence.. it’s bold thievery. You might not recall that I repeatedly prevented many thousands of dollars of your gear from getting stolen many times.
7. On or around September 2006, I called for a staff meeting in our conference room in Kenansville Office and informed all of you about cash flow issues and said: “I will not guarantee any of you work after two weeks” from that time. I also said “ you are free to look for another job”. In other words, you since that time had no work guaranteed work with ATI. However, I continued paying you even while you were working on the side. I paid your salaries in full even while doing nothing.
· Actually it was October, not September.
· Further, the point of discussion was that you didn’t have the money to make it through until Christmas.
· Myself and my old partner went out and found work for YOUR staff (Mike Clark, Chris Comeau, etc) and got them enough work to make it through Christmas, paying them from our own pockets on jobs we could have kept for ourselves, which I consider to be an extremely benevolent thing to do.
· And actually, you didn’t pay ANYTHING from October until January 3rd, at which point you only paid two of us $3,000.00 not what you had promised us. The only payroll your staff received between October and December was from jobs that I went out and found from my customers and then billed under my company and paid your staff with.
8. I did this because, I thought this would help you and expected nothing in return except your loyalty and to do a better job. Instead on several occasions you refused even many meetings that I called for and at that point I asked Tim to be the PM, remember?.
· Actually, no. I don’t recall not attending any meetings, though I suppose it is possible. Please be specific.
· You asked Tim to be the PM, who was unqualified for the job, and then later apologized when we were in London in the presence of Tom Harris and demanded that I take the PM job back. When I told you I did not want the job back, your told me your mind was made up and I would take charge of the project. I’m sure Tom Harris will gladly refresh your memory on the conversation. It was May 21st, 2007, in the hotel lobby in London. Present were you, myself, and Tom Harris. Your PM at the time was upstairs asleep and you refused to let me go get him to attend the meeting.
The above are just examples of the facts. I want to add more:
1. If you would like to come and present your case and if indeed I owe you money, I will definitely pay you. As it stands, and as per our books, we believe that we owe you nothing. In fact, the books show you us tools, and other things
· I have already presented my case to you many times, documented in email, going back to August 2006.
· Please check the email titled “Past Per-Diem and Expenses Remaining”, sent to you on March 16, 2008 for the list of what I am owed. There is no need for me to “come” anywhere as this matter would be better settled in a fashion that allows for proper documentation of the conversation (ie: email).
· I left all your tools in Libya where they belong. I have multiple witnesses that will verify this. I also have a hand-written journal that shows where each tool was left and what case it was left in. We did this each trip so we would be able to know if any of our tools were stolen. These tools were taken possession of by Mustafa Maana in January of 2008 from Dave McLean in Ras Lanuf, Libya and witnessed by Brian Fisher. I was called that morning to verify it was ok to release your tools to you and I approved the transfer as the majority of them belonged to you, not me, though some of the tools in that list were ours we brought with us.
2. In any rate, I believe it is better to bring forward your evidence to the contrary of the above and we have open mind. If you prove that we owe a dime to you we will gladly pay it.
· I sent you an expense spreadsheet showing each and every expense, the date it was owed, and appropriate interest incurred according to North Carolina statute. If you can show me when you paid for these items, I’ll gladly take them into consideration. Personally, I know these records don’t exist. I have given you receipts, emails about reminders for payment, and repeatedly discussed this with you over the last two years, as witnessed by many of your former team who were often present at the time we had the conversations.
M. El-Gamal, MBA, PhD
President & CEO
Applied Technology, Inc.
+1-910-290-5100 Mobile
+1-888-401-4334 Office Toll Free
+1-910-296-0696 Office
+1-919-882-1771 Fax
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 8.0.101 / Virus Database: 270.4.3/1526 - Release Date: 6/30/2008 8:43 AM
GoDaddy VP Caught Bidding Against Customers
A GoDaddy Vice President has been caught bidding against customers in their own domain name auctions. The employee Adam Dicker isn't just any GoDaddy employee; he's head of the GoDaddy subsidiary that controls the auctions. Dicker won some of the domains he bid for, and pushed up the bid price on auctions he didn't win.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)