From: C. McCoy (kamakiriad_at_earthlink.net)
Date: 03/04/98
Message-ID: <34FE57A7.5598@earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 04 Mar 1998 23:43:35 -0800 From: "C. McCoy" <kamakiriad_at_earthlink.net> Subject: final post of this stupid, undeliverable message
Hi Guys
As there has been some confusion over this, I am re-posting this
message with proper seperations. Sorry for my email problems.
Last time I will post it. It's getting old.
***I do not like to post this stuff, but feel that it is better
coming from me than elsewhere. Please read it completely. Any concerns
you have may be addressed to me if you would rather not put them up to
public view. I promise they will remain confidential.
I have left Mr. Walden's text in tact to ensure I am not playing
politics. I have asked Mr. Walden to reconsider, and will inform you of
the outcome.
Chris McCoy
>So...Chris....
>Is this really you or what...
>(That E-Mail address doesn't say anything about McCoy....)
***Kamakiriad is my home email. I have been using it so I don't catch
any heat at work.
>I have gotten everything that has gone on launch.net.....
>however it has been a little dead lately...
>is this the "Unreliability" you are talking about..
***Several times the list has gone down for 1-2 weeks at a time. We get
all of our posts, but much later than we should.
>1. What "Rendering" have you been passing around of the
>ultralight design.
***The one you sent me.
>2. My EXACT post on how to do it..(with measurements and configuration
>along with the "Rendering" of the ship) I think that this just MIGHT
>require some CREDIT being due to me here don't you think ???
***Each person I have sent the rendering to will tell you that I always
give you credit, Mike.I am using your rendering, but not your calcs.
>Instead I am hearing a LOT about YOUR ship.
***My ship as you put it is the one I discussed with Bob. The one I am
building for all of us to use.
>And YOUR markets for the CAMBOT.
***I have made no mention of the STRATACAM on a public page in months.
>And about how you are going to sic your lawyers on me.
***If you recall, I spoke with Bob and we cleared this up. Let's not
start this over again.
>3. Interesting as the "Helios archive" i am reading here says that you
>originally set up Helios after the members voted to build one of my
>ships.
***In the loosest terms, we are still building one of YOUR ships. It is
an ultra-light, and it is saucer shaped.It has undergone two years of
evolution though. It has no DBC and no firm outer shell.The whole group
has contributed to this design so it is not entirely yours.
You will get plenty of design credit though, if that is what you are
concerned with.I have put in lots of research time on materials and
methods. Others have worked with me on hot-air burner placement, and
gondola design. I have contributed a lot of money.
I was elected president because I can get things done. Sometimes that
requires action.The ship as you originally intended would have cost
$250,000+. Sorry, I am not Bill Gates.
>Maybe you should get it out and read it.....
>You seem to have gone off and spent a lot of $$$ on YOUR project..
>just as J)&h has...completely forgetting to "keep your eye on THE
>prize..." it has somehow become YOUR prize..
***Exactly, MY MONEY, my decision.It is my GOAL Mike, to see an entire
airship industry created. My GOAL is to have an airship demonstrator the
ENTIRE industry can use. My GOAL has been to build this for passion, not
for money. My GOAL is to see you, Bob, Josh,and anyone else who wishes
have the opprotunity to make a lot of airships.There is no PRIZE.
>4. You spent a lot of time making up thet "Inflamatory" post to
>"get me to answer...." when you KNOW both my work and home number..
>You "didn't have time...to send E-Mail.." just a page long rant..
>Where you threatened me with legel action if I was "looking" at the
>market you are intending to go into with YOUR ship.
***Yes. I do not deny this. If you have spoken to Bob, you will
understand my reasons. I am sorry that it happened, but from the look of
your posts, I thought something very unethical was going on.
If you don't answer phone messages, I have little choice.
You and Bob came to Burbank, met with individuals, then you
suddenly invent the CAMBOT. WTF?
>UNDERSTAND SOMETHING...
>I have been ripped off by much better than you or J0&h !!!
> HYStar for one....(I didn't care so much then as it got my designes
>into the air and testing done that I couldn't afford at the time...
>I still have a written copy of our contract and nondisclosure
>agreement...Just as I have one from J0&h....I am not going to be
>Nearly so nice in the future..
***I have never "ripped you off". I honestly think you are overly
paranoid Mike.You have also lied repeatedly. You have overexaggerated,
and when caught,you threaten.
>THAT CAMBOT was designed and built before you knew the difference
>between a blimp and your ba-ba....
>and the only material properties you were worried about was how
>absorbent the stuff was that was getting the wetness off your butt.
***Funny Mike, you have used the term CAMBOT 3 times in this letter like
it means something. I have never heard you use it before today.
My project is the STRATACAM. You never had a CAMBOT, and just
because you put camera mounts on something does not mean that you
have what the industry needs. Motion dampening, industry standard
mounts,and many other things have gone into making my project. Besides,
I have put off my project to build the ultralight. If I intended to make
this MY business, I would have followed the money, not build something
useless to it.Don't jump on a bandwagon Mike. Every idea isn't yours. I
won't dignify the "ba-ba" comment with a reply.
>The XEM-4 RC model had video mounts on board back in the mid 80s.
***The GOODYEAR BLIMP had them in the 70's. The navy had film cameras on
the LOS ANGELES in the 30's. So what? My point is that you can't work in
good faith with people if you are trying to take thier one business
venture away. I have kept STRATACAM seperate from Helios, and
even volunteered to contribute profit from it to Helios when it sells.
>In the news stories we did on the 30-XB we talked about the full blown
>multimedia capability it has...the internet connectiviey and its
>ability to transmit and receive broadcast quality picture and sound..
>(one of my earliest designs is a fiberoptic light sign that allows
>me to put anything on the bottom of one of my ships that I can get
>into a video format...)
*** If you want to make a camera platform, go ahead, I will have that
much less respect for you.
>Airships have been "Camera platforms" long before I and certainly
>you had ever thought about it...as you said "You can't claim stuff
>that was here before you were and isn't yours to claim..."
***Exactly, but this frustration you are feeling is how everyone else
feels when you claim all airship ideas as your own. Make a platform,
sell it, I only ask that you consult with me before you steal my
legitimate contacts.You asked the same of us, and we respected it.
>In its 20 year history L.T.A.S. has talked to a number of people.
>Some of whom have recontacted us since seeing our new web site...
>http://www.nevada.edu/home/8/walden/NEWHOME.HTML
>Some of them are lawfirms and promotions firms connected with
>major studios...
>If someone asks me to build a camera platform for them....I WILL..
>Maybe it will be as much of a surprise as your "Announcement" of
>YOUR camera platform project was to the rest of Helios.
***Good for you Mike. You stood up to evil me. The point is, not one
contact you have made has bought something from you. That is
because you have nothing to show them. That is why we are making the
ultralight.
> If I do....
> I Will build a superior product..
> I will NOT be threatened.
***Why do you assume that your products will always be superior to
anyone elses?You are not a god Mike. Sometimes other people are better
than you.
>I am sending this to YOU as I ASKED BOB to tell you I was considering
>this when you were supposed to "call him on thursday...to keep us (As
>Helios board members) informed..."
>YOU didn't..so I guess I am writing you because you couldn't bother to
>use a phone either.
***I called Bob a day late. I am sorry.
>Surprises...Threats..Ranting, Raving, and starting your own thing.....
>Now a lack of promised communication...
>You say I should not compare you with J0&h..
>"If it walks like a duck....talks like a duck...."
>He has said that "He will not have anything to do with a project that
>Bob and I are associated with..."
***I have had my own thing before I met you Mike. When I regret
starting Helios, it's usually due to the fact that I have to deal with
this childish bullshit.
>FINE.
>I now wish I had felt that way when I allowed him to become associated
>with the Stanford "Canopy Trek airship" project that he is now
>"claiming" on his web page....We both know how he managed to mess that
>up and accomplish NOTHING (I am NOT counting some thrown together 2x4s
>as 6 months work...) We will not even discuss his supposed "Buoyancy
>controller" that he is afraid to show me even with the nondisclosure
>statment we have signed.
>As I told you I was giving you the chance to reform the board and do
>something about it...I even called for a vote...
>the feeling is more than mutual.
***Mike, I am the President of the Helios board. I will act in the best
interest of Helios, not for your personal comfort. Settle your vendettas
yourself.
>You note that I did not go off on you as a response to your
>"Inflamatory Post"...I have thought about this for a week or so...
>(Longer if you count the other situations listed above....)
***Considering that I apologised, I see no reason why.
>--------------------------------
>February 22, 1998 11.05 PM....
>I (Michael K. Walden) AM AS OF NOW OFFICIALLY RESIGNING
>FROM HELIOS AND ITS BOARD.
>I NO LONGER BEAR ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ACTIONS OR DECISIONS
>MADE BY HELIOS.
>I HEREBY GIVE PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE TERMINATION OF ALL AGREEMENTS
>REAL OR IMPLIED BETWEEN MYSELF, MY COMPANY (L.T.A.S. Corp.) AND HELIOS.
>I will be putting this on the Helios list and the lta builders list...
>along with an attached file of the source documents for all of the >above quotes.
*** I will post this for you. I don't intend to let you scare the
membership with your bulling.Some of the members are really starting to
get involved. I don't want you to ruin this.
>I don't know if Bob will continue either I will ask him (or you can IF
>you bother to call....) tomorrow...
>Helios was a great idea....
***Still is. I regret that you feel that we are all "ripping you off"
Mabey, now that the last of the profit mongers has left, we can worry
about building a ship,instead of who gets what cut.
>an internet company to build the BEST airship designs in the market...
>They picked L.T.A.S. designs.
***Since there has been no testbed, and no evidence, Mike, we don't know
what the BEST design is. I will say that many folks on this page have an
opinion of what the best design is, they just don't call thiers the
"best". They don't know for sure. Neither do you. I back up what I say
with research. No one on this list can say that I don't. I am not an
engineer, but I sometimes act more like one than a real engineer.
>Too bad two of the board of directors decided to go off and promote
>their own projects using vast amounts of my design recomendations and
>claiming them and the markets as their own...
>instead of "Keeping their eye on the REAL prize.."
***Two of the board members have continued to move towards building a
ship. You claim all ideas as your own and demand our scarce MONEY for
the priveledge to use them. This is humorous considering that the ship
we intended to build was mostly yours. I am still building a ship, one
Helios can AFFORD. Josh is doing his own thing, but he is doing what he
can afford. You seem to be running out of friends to alienate.
***I recommend that you consider these things now, before you decide.
When we finish this ship, the Helios board will loan it to whoever needs
to demo it.If you choose to leave, the board members replacing you may
not see any reason to lend it to you. Further, I have been personally
attacked by you continually since Josh left. In the future, I will throw
out any mail I receive from you, without reading it completely, the
first sign of insult I see.
***I think the people on this list know that I am goal oriented. What
they don't know is that I have spent waayyy too much time babysitting
board members who are contributing less and less as we get closer to
completion. I sincerely hope you decide to stay Mike, but if you do,
you will contribute, and stop being a nusiance. I no longer have time to
keep a job, build this thing, and soothe your emotions.
Chris