Deflated

[pgh kenny]

I don't know if anyone is feeling this way, but in the last few days I've developed an opinion that I don't even want the DVD set anymore. Not from Amazon, not from anyone. I have the series on VHS. For me, the collector's lunchbox and interviews with the cast were what really excited me about the project.

I am very frustrated. I have the most respect in the world for Jason, but part of me wishes that he had more rigorously investigated anotheruniverse.com before initiating the project. When he stated to us that we needed to pay upfront, I assumed he was very much aware of what was going on internally at anotheruniverse.com and that his explanation was legitimate.

He his advising customers to cancel, and there appear to be no other options. However, this is a very messy situation. For example, some people paid by check or money order (perhaps to avoid potential double charges). As of today, those people will never see their $115. I will attempt to recover my $99 from my credit card company, but I am not certain I will have enough paper documentation for them.

I have one final question that maybe someone can answer. Let's say that AnotherUniverse.com were to implode on Monday. Most of us have cancelled our orders, but AnotherUniverse.com has no remaining cash having spent our money on a european vacation. If we are able to recover our money from our bank or credit card company, who pays? Does the bank or cc company eat the cost? Or do they refuse to offer the credit? What if they file for bankruptcy protection? We would be unsecured creditors, right?

[Jason R]

This was a situation where I had so much faith in the project itself that I didn't think that anything could screw it up. I underestimated the effects that greed can have on a person.

From my perspective, all that AU had to do is to actually produce and sell the DVDs. If they did that, they would have made a very admirable profit. They did not have to play games. They could have had a whole new line of products (DVD box sets ot niche snows).

I should add that, back in July, I demanded proof that AU had the funds for this project. Ross missed the deadline and I was about to mass mail everyone saying that Ross did not have proof of funds. Then, suddenly at about midnight, my time, he faxed a statement from Bank of America. The statement showed $180,000, which was enough to complete the set. I just looked at that statement again. It is for "Comics and Comix" and according to his CMIH message boards on Raging Bull and other financial sites, Comics and Comix was supposedly outside of the umbrella of CMIH.

Could Ross be stealing from CMIH to funds his retail operations? If so, even if Another Universe turns out to be a turd, you might still have the ability to sue Comics and Comix. 7 Retail locations, or so. Probably not worth a ton if liquidated, but perhaps enough to pursue in a lawsuit.

[Jason R]

Incidentally, here is the cover letter to the document he sent to me. I also notice now that the document itself says "Comics and Comix Payroll Account." But, if you want to see the mood of his correspondence with me, this will give you an idea (PS: I'm working up the nerve to post the bank statement itself. Let's just say that if BMG and GWhiz are not paid in full, I will post the entire document. So, if Ross doesn't want this to be posted here, all he has to do is pay for the DVDs and lunchboxes):

[tuatara]

Now I understand the problem. Ross has been getting "advise" from his lawyers, which we all know is about as useful as a lemonade stand on the moon. If they'd given him advice, on the other hand, maybe none of this madness would have transpired. Just an observation.

Hmm...a lemonade stand on the moon...maybe I could turn that into a lucrative business venture! I'd just need to start by splitting my stock 50:1 and keeping 300,000,000 shares for myself (or at least that's what they told me on that Raging Bull stock board).

[Jessica Popsicles]

I wish I still didn't want the set. But I do.
If I don't see my money back from AU I will have spent $99.98 there and $73 something at Amazon just for the set.

I was willing to pay $70 for tapes of the show at eBay at one point but hadn't yet because I was lazy and I wasn't working at the time so I didn't have enough money to throw out there all at once.

Not too long after, while I was working again, I got an email about the DVD set and I was excited for the whole thing, the episodes, the bonus disc, and the lunchbox.. because it was supposed to be an exclusive set that seemed almost limited.

I once had all the episodes on tapes but over time people taped over them. I can say that I haven't seen the show in probably 6 or 7 years, but I am dying to see it again.

I've wasted money on plenty of other things in the past so I might as well get this set and hope that it's still as great of a show as it was back when I was in 8th grade.

Besides that it's like I threw my $99.98 out of the window because I haven't had it since February, I paid with my brothers credit card and gave him the money all at once.
I really do hope that I can get my money back from AU now that I have cancelled and emailed Ross, but it is hard to expect something from some place that has given everyone nothing but tons of trouble.

I will keep bothering him if I don't hear from him or see a refund. I really hope that I don't have to spend a total of over $170.00 to see this show again, but if that's the case I hope that it's still great.

[Chase Cat]

The statement showed $180,000, which was enough to complete the set. I just looked at that statement again. It is for "Comics and Comix" and according to his CMIH message boards on Raging Bull and other financial sites, Comics and Comix was supposedly outside of the umbrella of CMIH. Could Ross be stealing from CMIH to funds his retail operations?

If I would steal money or would make sort of transactions, I would know that I stand with one foot in prison. Is Ross such a criminal character? There's no logic to all this. Why is he doing this? Move the money to another company outside CMIH. Maybe for his future company. But if AU is unable to pay because of this, he would know, that he do criminal things. There would be no future... perhaps only on Barbados. Hey, eventually he is going to NYC on Monday, but not to BMG, maybe to JFK?

[ClarenceWorley]

http://www.drygrass.com/documents/fax.gif
... (No need for the fax to be displayed twice)

I'm surprised the covering letter wasn't composed of letters cut out from various newspapers and magazines, like most psychopaths would do. But damn, his handwriting it atrocious. I assume he wrote the letter with his non-preferred hand, as to ensure it cannot be matched to his actual handwriting.

[pgh kenny]

This was a situation where I had so much faith in the project itself that I didn't think that anything could screw it up. I underestimated the effects that greed can have on a person.

And to be fair to you Jason, I don't think anyone could have predicted how badly this would turn out! And if you hadn't gone to AU, there may not have been a DVD at all. Any chance we can get a hold of the unpressed lunchbox tin? It might make a nice art exhibit.

[Jason R]

I can probably ask Robert to air frieght something to me. I would naturally pay to do this. What I'd really like to do, however, is to find a way that Gwhiz can still make the lunchboxes. Maybe if we covered their costs, plus a small markup , plus shipping and handling, they could mail them to people who can prove they ordered the discs from any retailer?

This was a situation where I had so much faith in the project itself that I didn't think that anything could screw it up. I underestimated the effects that greed can have on a person.

And to be fair to you Jason, I don't think anyone could have predicted how badly this would turn out! And if you hadn't gone to AU, there may not have been a DVD at all. Any chance we can get a hold of the unpressed lunchbox tin? It might make a nice art exhibit.

[kartar]

Jason

I would go for that if you so decided to go that way. But working in the manufactoring industry I'd suspect it would not work because of the nature of volume production. They need money up-front and we might all end up in the same boat as before.

Regards

James