DO NOT BUY anything from AV123

[dwayland]

I didn't say that you did.
I simply asked a question (that I think is a somewhat obvious one) because I was curious, I wasn't accusing you of anything.

And I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that you had defended yourself as I've never seen it.

I think you read something into my question that wasn't there (or at least that I didn't intend to be there).

But now the fact that you're so over the top defensive about the situation, combined with the fact that you say you never asked for the raffles and didn't have any input as to the dollar amount, yet (IIRC) you had your OWN raffle for the same purpose after all the other raffles, has now made me suspicious.

I understand that you were only asking the question, but please try and see it from my perspective... You made it sound as if I somehow had control over the $$ and kept on having raffles to raise more and more money, even if it wasn't really needed. Like "I" was taking advantage of all of you! Am I going to defend myself when I read a questions like that, you bet!

As for my own raffles... I did indeed host my own. I did, so "I" could be in control, NOT anyone else. This way I knew for a FACT that "I" would be handling the donations and did not have to worry about it being stolen.

Please believe me. There is NO reason to be suspicious of me. I am simply a guy with a kid that nearly died and had some other guy swoop in and take advantage of the situation and now I am left trying to make sense of it all.

As for me defending myself. I have mostly defended myself via PM, when others have questioned what has been going on. It has not always been public. I am a member of several other forums, not just this one.

I have tried my very best to keep as quiet as I can, only coming out to clarify things now and again, but unfortunately it only leads to more questions and more stress. I just need to learn to keep my big mouth shut!

Peace brother.

Derek

 

[NicolasKL]

You made it sound as if I somehow had control over the $$ and kept on having raffles to raise more and more money, even if it wasn't really needed.

When I said:

Wow, 39 grand, what kind of insurance do you have? You'd think a decent plan would have an out of pocket maximum that would limit it to far less than that.

I wasn't implying that you had control over the dough or were having raffles to raise money to blow on hookers and coke, I was just curious if you DID have a shitty insurance plan or a crazy out of pocket maximum, although if you've had to justify yourself to others I can understand why you might interpret it in a more accusatory manner.

My fiance has type 1 diabetes and almost died in the hospital after being in a coma for 2 weeks (probably at about the same time you had trouble with Bemi, actually, might have been a year earlier though) so I definitely know how medical bills can be.

 

[jongaro]

dwayland,

I think speaking about this helps people put the pieces together. Not only in your situation, but others who have spoke up, and even their own.

It really is sad that we have this stuff to talk about. Sure ignorance is bliss, but I think we are all slowly learning some truths about MLS.

I can't help wondering what is going on with his situation (MLS) that would lead him to be willing to keep money, not pay people back, be so non-responsive, etc.

 

[dwayland]

My fiance has type 1 diabetes and almost died in the hospital after being in a coma for 2 weeks (probably at about the same time you had trouble with Bemi, actually, might have been a year earlier though) so I definitely know how medical bills can be.

I am so sorry to hear about your fiance. I sincerely hope things are going well for her now. That must have been a very, very scary time.

As for my daughter, diabetes was only one of her problems. During all of the tests at the hospital they also discovered that her ureters were malformed and one that one of her kidneys was barely functioning and the other was starting to deteriorate. She had to have surgery to repair her ureters. Funny thing is, if it weren't for her going into Ketosis, the issue w/her kidneys would have gone unchecked and she would have just "dropped dead one day" as the doctor put it.

Fun stuff for sure.

 

[Chu Gai]

And btw, avsforum.com, makes me want to kill myself. So many oblivious and just plainly brain dead people over there... Curtis and Chu Gai... Omg... I don't know how you guys can deal with people like this... I wouldn't last 20 mins in that thread, I'd certainly get banned for obscenities and adhoms... And I'd probably be thankful for it... If there was ever some comments which would make me want to hit my head on a wall... They're there. Browsed the av12 forum a couple days ago, some fools are still excited about napkin drawings... Anyhow... Unbelievable...

I can't speak for Curtis, but there are people who are of the opinion that since the matter has been discussed to some extent already, would like conversation to move in other directions. Frankly I can understand that. For example Nancy Grace, whom you may not be aware of, can hammer the smallest minutae to death over multiple shows and multiple weeks. Some are riveted by this, others are not. With respect to the matter(s) at hand, it's my opinion that if it's not somehow positioned so that it occupies a relatively prominent spot people will forget. Since AV123 blew up, there are many who feel disenfranchised and can't become part of the community that may be AVS, TCA, AH, or elsewhere. Their voices are silent. So, I speak out because I happen to think fair is fair. There has to be some sort of accountablility. I'd do the same thing if Best Buy was screwing people over.
We all have different posting styles. I envy Gonk's ability to combine politeness with an efficient dissection of matters that can cut to the heart of a matter. I can get edgy or come off moralistic to some and I can see where that may be a tone that becomes grating. I apologize to those who wish I'd write differently. However, I make no apology for my desire to see that all the matters that have been brought up be satisfactorily and honestly resolved. It'd be nice if the justice comes from everyone gets what they're owed. If this can't be achieved, and with the exception of the amps I don't see progress in that area, then I hope the legal system brings some measure of closure.

 

[cschang]

It's funny you mention Nancy Grace. A good friend of mine sometimes directs her show.

I echo the thoughts of about Gonk's writing skills. Just about everytime I read a post of his, I say to myself "wow".

 

[Chu Gai]

Gonk is so friggin' good. His attention to detail is wonderful. MLS better hope Gonk doesn't also work as a law clerk!

 

[Soundman]

Wow! These last couple pages of posts really pieces some things together. Great stuff. Keep it coming, Guys.

 

[stevo238]

dwayland,


I can't help wondering what is going on with his situation (MLS) that would lead him to be willing to keep money, not pay people back, be so non-responsive, etc.

Great posts by Gonk and Jed M. They give credence to the theory that Mark used this for monetary gain even after the first Raffle. The fact that he was having money problems at the time and initiated 3 more Raffles means it was a deliberate attempt to fund his business. This may be obvious to most, but for me, it goes to motive. And if you can prove motive, that's half the battle.

 

[randyb]

As usual, I feel pretty dumb....who the hell is Nancy Grace?

 

[cschang]

As usual, I feel pretty dumb....who the hell is Nancy Grace?

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/nancy.grace/

 

[andy_c]

Oh man, that Affordable Audio article has lots of great zingers.

 

[gonk]

Interesting day for symmetry. First, this quote:

Mark vowed from then on that no deposits would be taken on products
until the original bill of lading was in AV123’s hands.

The above is taken from the Affordable Audio article published in July 2008. Note that it doesn't say "on products still in development" and it doesn't say "we may offer folks the option of paying 100% up-front for products that are still weeks away". It says "no deposits" - which is in marked contrast to the series of pre-pay offers run just this year.

So we have an example of MLS and AV123 going back on their word. This is one that has been discussed at length, as there are several similar examples of this basic promise. Now, this quote from a recent AV123 post:

We have never actively worked to censor - or stop criticism...

This is similar to the previous example, although it offers some nice symmetry because rather than the statement coming before the contradictory behavior ("no more deposits" followed by a series of pre-pay sales) we have the statement coming after the contradictory behavior (delete posts that ask questions about raffle money or refunds followed by a statement that they've never censored anyone). Yike.

 

[Chu Gai]

Well, you can count on that shining beacon of audio reporting to report this in a future update after everyone has received a hearty dinner and the requisite industry accomodations.

It is said that his ability to live with multiple truisms comes from having read George Orwell's 1984. He is so resistant to truth serums, waterboarding, and lie detectors, that multiple countries look to engage his services. His ability to dance around a subject has made him a candidate for a future Dancing With the Stars series. He once cut himself and the fragrance was such that Parisians looked to duplicate the scent in perfume.
He is the most interesting man in the world. His hair is never out of place, even during a hurricane. "I don't always offer pre-pays, but when I do, I prefer that you pay."

 

[zvardanian]

I saw this in the av123 forum under the subwoofer section:

"I got a UFW-10 a year and a half ago and it works great except for that thump you mention. I loved the sub so much I bought two more off Mark last summer in his garage sale. Ebony UFW-10s. Still waiting for the new amps to go into them before Mark ships them out (hopefully soon....) and then I'll have three of these babies making boom boom in the living room. And eventually I'll probably get a new amp for the one I have now."

50 bucks MLS doesn't even have the subs

 

[Chu Gai]

I have urged people both privately and publically that are owed monies, especially substantial amounts to seek legal redress, Randy. You were proactive and because of that, you got lucky. IMO, there are too many people wishin' and a hopin'.

 

[andy_c]

Well, you can count on that shining beacon of audio reporting to report this in a future update after everyone has received a hearty dinner and the requisite industry accomodations.

That was some really hard-hitting journalism there, wasn't it? A bit of the old quid pro quo I'd say. Nice to know the audio press is on the side of the consumer, eh?

 

[majorloser]

Let's not get personal. Some of those last comments went way over the line.

 

[MinusTheBear]

I'm thinking of creating my own reality t.v show. It will be a spin off of the show Punked called Shiftered. The punch line will be "You've just been Shiftered".

 

[Jed M]

I'm thinking of creating my own reality t.v show. It will be a spin off of the show Punked called Shiftered. The punch line will be "You've just been Shiftered".

I can just see it now. A man lying in his hospital bed thinking he is going to be alright and, bam, then Mark jumps from behind the curtain and yanks the plug out of the wall. Then, as Mark and the hospital staff watch the man die they all point and laugh while yelling out, "You've just been Schiftered!"

Now that I think about it, that would be art imitating life a little too much.