Letter From Bill Bowen

by Lin 131 Replies latest jw friends

  • donkey
    donkey

    Hawk,

    I am not sure of the FACTS just as many here aren't.

    You say you agree with the WHAT Bill has done in seeking a professional paid webmaster (and for that matter it does make some sense). However, from what I have read in Bill's email which was posted and from what Rev has posted do you agree with HOW Bill has done this?

    If the facts are as shown in this and the other thread then I can understand Rev being upset for HOW the transition has been handled.

    I don't know the facts however so I will not pass any judgement on Bill. I know Bill has a tough job to do and I also know he will make mistakes. How he recovers or handles those mistakes is important to many of the posters here.

    I still support Bill - but I understand why many are having second thoughts after reading this stuff.

    Perhaps I am just speaking out of my ASS as usual....

  • kelsey007
    kelsey007

    Hawk- Bill's worng actions is, as ussual, jumping to conclusions and spreading things in public that should never be made public- this is not the first time he has done this by a long shot- Whoever is wrong or right on the issue- bill is wrong for going public with the issue-

  • hawkaw
    hawkaw

    Like I said .... I think I'm in the minority on this one on this board.

    There was a partnership and it has ended. I guess it all depends what side of the fence you are on, Kelsey, if you think it was handled properly or improperly.

    All I can say is Bill has spoken very highly of Rev with me and offered no nasty comments. He is very sad about it all and hold absolutely nothing against you, Rev. It hasn't worked out - that is all.

    BTW - I was led to believe that the FTP codes were given to you, Rev ... so I have no idea what you are talking about and I would urge you to recheck your Email or call Bill ....

    hawk

    p.s. - I'm getting a little confused over the name thingy as well .... Rev and others ... I thought Webmasters such as you, must disclose their businesses and names - ie. your name is already out there if you are running megasites.com or lambsroars etc ... I'm confused seeing I am not a computer dude - so maybe someone can explain that to me.

    Edited by - hawkaw on 19 December 2002 10:40:56

  • kelsey007
    kelsey007

    From either side of the fense the correct and proper statement that should have been made by bill if he felt that making one was needed would have been to say: silent Lambs.org is experiencing some technical difficulties. We hope to have the situation resolved within 24 to 48 hours. We apologize for any inconvinience and appreciate your patience. That is the only proper statement that shold have ever been made. Bill keeps loosing credibility each time he pulls these stunts. The issue should never have been made public. It should have been dealt with privately.

  • RevMalk
    RevMalk

    Real quick, the FTP codes don't work, it won't connect to:

    Log for ftp: [email protected]

    nor will it connect to the IP address, and I cannot upload one file at a time through the File manager, there's like 600 pages in the news section alone.

    64.246.18.21

    edited to add:

    for the record, I have no problem with the decision to hire a new webmaster. I think it's stupid to move the site, but whatever. I simply have a problem with the lies and deceipt. Sorry!

    I still support silentlambs, and as soon as I get to it, LambsRoar will have a link to silentlambs.

    Edited by - RevMalk on 19 December 2002 10:44:12

  • hawkaw
    hawkaw

    A number of people were asked about it before the partnership was dissolved. People were asking lots of questions. I am in the minority on this board - I know and I fully admit it.

    Bill also provided an Email to Silentlambs Email list on December 18, 2002 titled "Peace" that stated the following:

    Many of you may not believe this but I really am a peaceful person. It is far easier to make peace than war in my opinion. I am starting out this way because I just had a conversation with Matt. We have made peace. It has been a difficult seven days for the both of us and the root of the problem seems to be misunderstanding and not communicating. While many of the things described occurred there were reasons that help give a clearer picture of what happened. The website got hacked and unbeknown to Matt his emails were not getting through to me. Passwords were sent Monday, I never got them. A contract was sent out, I never got it. My emails in return in large part were not received also thus preventing him from knowing what I was asking for. The longer the non-communication the greater the anxiety especially when you are looking at three months hard work going down the tubes.

    After "communicating" Matt and I have agreed to work together on saving what has been done to date on the website and transferring it to an outside party to finish the site. Matt agrees that a non jw background individual would be better in the long run for silentlambs development.

    We have also agreed to not worry about copyrights on the website other than what might give Matt credit for working with a nonprofit organization.

    Regarding the rest what can I say, let's make peace not war. I hold no hard feelings toward Matt and offer an apology for any area where there were misunderstandings. He is a good person and I hope no one will give him a hard time due to the earlier email. I would also ask for the sake of peace that the earlier email be removed from anywhere it might have been posted as it is no longer an issue.

    We are communicating, silentlambs development is moving forward and that is a positive.

    Peace,

    bill

    hawk

  • RevMalk
    RevMalk

    Please don't anyone think that I don't support silentlambs because I do! I didn't bring this out into the public, Bill did. You think this garbage is anything new??? Some of this stuff has been going on since I first met the guy, the difference is, I kept it to myself, and a couple of people real close to me. Bill brought this out in the public, and if it's going to stay out here, then I need to defend myself, it's anyone's right to do so. I will respnd to Hawk below, and I will respond to Bill's email right in a little bit. But regardless, I just want everyone to know I support the cause, 100% without a doubt. I tried to keep it friendly, and he did it again. You can't trust him once he's annoyed with you. Hawk, I didn't believe it before either, but the fact of the matter remains that when you get on his bad side, you better watch out. I still believe what he's doing as far as the cause is concerned is admirable and honorable, and I commend him for his efforts, and again, I will continue to support his fight. This is all simply something that Bill and I should have hashed out in private. But it's not private anymore, why is that Hawk?

    I know you're a good guy, I know you do good things, but please don't bash me for defending myself, then we're back in the Watchtower mold. Big Boss says something, and I'm supposed to shut up about it? I mean well for the cause, I mean well all together, but the fact of the matter is, lies were spread about me, and this was brought out in the public eye, not by me. What would you do if this happened to you? Laugh? Cry? What? I am not complaining about being fired from silentlambs, nor am I complaining about 90% of what you're referring to here. I NEVER said he defamed my name to everyone he spoke with, and I NEVER said that I disagree with silentlambs going to someone else. I LOVE that idea.

    ... but I would strongly recommend to Bill exactly what he has done in this situation. The partnership did not work out for whatever reason and things need to be the way they were before with regard to Bill's internet site.

    And quite frankly ... I want to make it very very clear that during my entire conversations with Bill, he was very sadden at what happened here and showed a lot of emotion with me. He knows what you have been through and he talked very highly of you. He DID NOT USE YOUR NAME IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT IN ANYWAY and I take offence when you are telling the world that during conversations such as mine with Bill - he did. But he has come to a conclusion that the partnership needed to end and based on everything I have seen from you and him, I agree and support the ending of the partnership.
    I never said that.

    You guys entered into a partnership whereby you offered your free service to Bill. You came in willingly with the full understanding that either party could back out at any time.
    Exactly, yet read that email he sent to everyone man. I got hammered for it!
    This partnership was tested and unfortunately did not work out.
    understatement.
    I also understand others were helping out too.
    Yes, SLC from LRD and some that were working with her in the news section.
    Having reviewed the entire situation myself, may it be you or others, I agree with the steps taken and who needs to control the silentlambs site.
    I agree with Bill's decisions to hire an outside person. I've said that numerous times.

    You have been abused by this WTS organization in many ways just like most of you on this board have. Bill, who has also been abused, is, just like you, trying to do something about it. Unfortunately your paths, resources and times are different. It shows and the partnership needs to end - peacefully.
    I agree, and even though I took that email and what happened graciously, even though it was inflammatory, defamation of my character and business, and flat out lies, I accepted his apology. Then he goes and does it again, not a grand scale like the first time, but he's insinuating to certain people that I 'bowed' down to him, and want to 'right' my err. If I see he did these things to me in front of thousands of people, and then I see he does it again to one, what am I suppose to think? Oh, that's ok, it's only one person, and go on with my day? How do I know it's one person the second time around? It was thousands the first time.

    One thing I noticed is that you have indicated that you put yourself in financial ruin over this is??? Did you tell Bill you were running out of money? Did Bill know that? I sure didn't? If I knew you were in financial ruin I would have been telling Bill to go another route a long long long long time ago for sure! And of course I guess you weren't going to be running this site much longer anyway if you were in financial ruin
    yes of course I have, why do you think he said "I don't want to cost you anymore money", because he didn't know?

    ...God Rev ... you need help man.
    That's not nice.
    Priorities have to be and always need to be family, work then hobbies/causes.
    I agree.
    Do you think I work on this day and night? Nope. No way. I give this maybe a couple hours a day (except when Vicki's case was going on and then I bumped it up to 4 hours a day). I spend maybe 500 to 1,000 every couple of months on telephone calls etc. but no more than what I have alotted. Bill, Lee, the reporters/producers and others that I work with know my time lines on this and no one has complained.
    Count yourself lucky.

    I think that is what has happened here - I think you over committed big time and it is showing in your writing.
    I am over committed, because I entered an arrangement with one agreement and it changed into another. I think you're right. Bill and the new webmaster don't need me to move the site, they can handle it. I'm going to get some work done today that actually brings some money in.

    Now if you want to go on about the numerous lies and defaming your name etc. .... fine .... its your right and please don't let me stop you if it helps your heeling process. But I want to make it clear (as I am now likely a minority on this board now seeing what Simon has done) I understand what Bill did in this situation and if it was me I would ave taken the exact same steps.
    I understand why he's moving the site as well. The thing is, it was his decision, so he can move it. I agree with you 100% and you've shown me the light. MY family comes first. Thank You Hawk!
  • hawkaw
    hawkaw

    Well, if the codes don't work - why did you not contact BB yesterday????

    Why are you saying you didn't get any codes today when you did get codes but they didn't work???

    ... I feel like I am in a friggen hockey game ..... god I'm sorry ... I should have more patience.

    Please ... phone one another. Stay on the phone with one another. Bill say the codes "slowly" to you, Rev .... and there ... it's all done. If you guys want I will pay for the call???

    This is important stuff (even though I am the minority on the board as many don't think what is on that site is important) as I know who and what uses that site.

    Please arrange for time to call Bill and please end it when you get some free time.

    hawk

  • RevMalk
    RevMalk
    A number of people were asked about it before the partnership was dissolved. People were asking lots of questions. I am in the minority on this board - I know and I fully admit it.

    Bill also provided an Email to Silentlambs Email list on December 18, 2002 titled "Peace" that stated the following:

    That's true, and I felt good about this. Been then, even though I was fired, I was helping him and the new webmaster out, and learned he had to say this about me:

    Hey XXX I thought I would send this to you also. I sent a newsletter out to my email list and told them what was going on, it appears <REV> has seen the light after some people got after him. He now wants to work with us in everyway. This should save us a lot of work. He said forget the copyright and we can have anything we want. I guess that is good news, now if we can just finish this.

    bill

    Again, even though this might have not been a big deal standing alone, but it's right after he was so "apologetic" in public. This hurt me Hawk, don't you understand that these things hurt?

    And then to be told by you "You need help" doesn't make me feel any better. You know when I was working with Bill I was just as rude.....look back through my history. The last few months I was a complete ass, and I may have alienated some people over this. It's what happens. You get sucked into a certain mindset that is VERY difficult to get out of, and you don't care who you hurt.

  • kelsey007
    kelsey007

    Hawk- I have a biz- many people speculate as to many things that happen within the biz- bottom line info is dispersed on a "need to know" basis- they are not given details simply because they ask or speculate. As I stated before a simple: We are experincing technical difficluties at this time. We hope to have the problem correct shortly. Thank you for your patience and understanidng. Sorry for any inconvience. That is ALL that should have been shared with the public.

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