Jᴀᴄᴜʀᴜᴛᴜ - Tʜᴇ Cᴀsᴛ Oᴜᴛ

So, imagine you're this staunch Orthodox Herbertarian, fighting the good fight [read: raising hell and running a so-called "hate site"], and quite out of the blue someone from TOR/Macmillan, apparently on the level, contacts you and offers you a tidy little [read: vulgarly obscene] sum of money to simply cease and desist and essentially disappear quietly from the scene, with a sweet little perk of an option to consult on future projects.

What would YOU do?

Politely refuse.

Rob

Knowing that advising results are historically met with nods and yeses, but ultimately ignored, I'd suggest taking the money and using all that free time not consulting for a new member to "ascend" in the ensuing vacuum and take up the role the former SandChigger once held.

Your point is made. Take the money and run. But make them have KJA send you a written apology too. For everything.

Money is nice and all but what restrictions are in place on you if you do agree? Are they so broad as to be able to restrict down the road at their convenience?

I would ask for a public apology as well.

Rob

Principals and Money... hmmm I believe our politicians face that dilema on a daily basis. You are and have been above and beyond the call of duty of keeping the FH Canon sacred that is for sure. I salute you for that.

Personally, money is a means to an end, nothing more. Keeping principals is more important to me and until KJABH come out in public and admit to all the nonsense they have done, it isnt worth it to give up.

They have made millions, compared to what Im sure you would be given. They will continue to make a tidy sum raping Dune. Your efforts have obviously had an effect and will continue to have an effect.

I guess it depends on what your endgame was with the more than rigourous pursuit of them.

I'd be tempted to sell.

I think of it as something good that can come out of this KJA/Bobo horror show. Hell with it: grab some cash, work out a deal that's to your liking, and laugh all the way to the bank.

But some form of apology needs to be in there. At a minimum, that fuckhead Kevin J. Anderson needs to apologize for the "Talifan" nonsense, which is both insensitive and inaccurate. And while he's at it, he should apologize to you personally for claiming you hacked his Very, Very Special Forces Site, which was also completely untrue.

I won't demand that he apologize for not understanding a single thing about Dune, but those other two should be deal-breakers.

Let them die !! - Kirk, Star Trek VI

I would wait for a better offer... ...It will come...

Sounds fishy to me. You know the old saying: "If something sounds too good to be true, it normally is."

Why would they offer you this deal, what's in it for them?
Does this mean that you are having more of an impact than 'they' say you do?
Times are tough and a large amount of money is a temptation to almost anyone. However, what is money when the cost of it has been your principles, your integrety? I would think long and hard and consult a lawyer that you trust before doing anything. And ask yourself these simple questions:
1. Is this for real?
2. What are the catches?
3. Can you see yourself shutting down HToD?
4. Can you honestly see yourself 'ceasing' from giving your opinions on KJA's handling of Dune?
5. After taxes and stuff, how much money will really be left for you to use?

I, for one, do not envy you this choice. I do however, send you my best wishes as you face this difficult choice. Keep us informed please.

Is this a serious question or a hypothetical? I'd probably negotiate further, see what I can get out of them.

If they are willing to offer money to quiet a source of dissent, then it means that the books really are in trouble. I'd tell them to keep the money and reconsider printing any more of the McDune crap.

Even if SC were to take the check and retire, there are still many more of us whose voices would fill the gap.

Hold out for more. If they give SC enough for him to set aside a little trust fund then boom, the OH movement has corporate funding.

Tell you want a public apology and free access to the ALL the notes recovered.



Oh, and we'll need a pic of KJA wearing a Sandchigger shirt, getting it signed by Sandchigger.

Ampoliros wrote:Oh, and we'll need a pic of KJA wearing a Sandcigger shirt, getting it signed by Sandchigger.

Priceless.

I'd tell them to take their money and shove it up their ass.

I mean, the damage has already been done, what good does consulting someone do after they've written a dozen books?

SandChigger wrote:So, imagine you're this staunch Orthodox Herbertarian, fighting the good fight [read: raising hell and running a so-called "hate site"], and quite out of the blue someone from TOR/Macmillan, apparently on the level, contacts you and offers you a tidy little [read: vulgarly obscene] sum of money to simply cease and desist and essentially disappear quietly from the scene, with a sweet little perk of an option to consult on future projects.

What would YOU do?

I'd take it and use one of my other web identities and start from scratch, after blogging about all of the details of course.

They all really do think that we're just 1-5 people then don't they?

Also, I think you should get some discussion going with them about why they don't exercise any editorial control over the hack so that Dune fans don't have to take matters into their own hands.

Nekhrun wrote:

SandChigger wrote:So, imagine you're this staunch Orthodox Herbertarian, fighting the good fight [read: raising hell and running a so-called "hate site"], and quite out of the blue someone from TOR/Macmillan, apparently on the level, contacts you and offers you a tidy little [read: vulgarly obscene] sum of money to simply cease and desist and essentially disappear quietly from the scene, with a sweet little perk of an option to consult on future projects.

What would YOU do?

I'd take it and use one of my other web identities and start from scratch, after blogging about all of the details of course.

They all really do think that we're just 1-5 people then don't they?

OK, SC can take the money and quit, but only if 10 of us start KJA anti-fan sites.

Does Jacurutu count as mine?

(Seriously, even though I don't think that level of hatred is healthy, what SD does is way to valuable to our cause and I hope he never quits.)

Wow, I can't believe that they are concerned about you to the point of going this far, and that they are serious about it (vulgarly obscene? How much $$$ are we talking about here?).

All I can say is that this must have been personally requested of/brought to the attention of the publisher by KJA, which means you've done one hell of a job getting under his skin.

I would be tempted to take the money, but if you've managed to get this much of a reaction out of KJA, how much further could you go? Not that I think you'll ever get another offer like this, but if I was you, I would always be haunted by that question... how much further could I have taken it?

Don't envy you this choice Chig. Not at all.

I think what it means is that they see our negative publicity as the primary reason for the drop in sales rather than the young adult fan-fiction hack that they hired.

Ampoliros wrote:I think what it means is that they see our negative publicity as the primary reason for the drop in sales rather than the young adult fan-fiction hack that they hired.

More like that is the excuse KJA gave them. It can't be his "perfect prose".

Freakzilla wrote:

Ampoliros wrote:I think what it means is that they see our negative publicity as the primary reason for the drop in sales rather than the young adult fan-fiction hack that they hired.

More like that is the excuse KJA gave them. It can't be his "perfect prose".

Agreed. Inherent in the offer is an admission that these efforts are having the desired effect: Bringing the OH message to the world, that there is no DUNE without consistency with FH text and simply slapping DUNE across the books is no longer fooling people. I'd be more than willing to support the efforts of a quality author.

I also agree with A Thing of Eternity that if things have gotten this far it would be interesting to see how far it could go. I would think that this site does more to expose kja for what he is than SandChigger's blog. All of the analysis and commentary about specific instances where kja has failed are here. Would taking the amount mean that he agrees to stop posting here as well? How could a publisher support that kind of censorship? What are they expecting, that he'd give up his rights of free speech to kja's publisher? After receiving more specifics we should ask kja about his thoughts on the matter.

Brian Herbert sold out the legacy of Frank Herbert already. I can not imagine a true fan doing that.

Consult a lawyer, the authorities and the press in order to setup a sting whereby you accept the money as part of an undercover investigation where you act on behalf of the police. Then go through all the motions, making certain to collect dirt on the HLP and chronicle their bribery in preparation for a lawsuit against them and a major media expose.

GamePlayer wrote:Consult a lawyer, the authorities and the press in order to setup a sting whereby you accept the money as part of an undercover investigation where you act on behalf of the police. Then go through all the motions, making certain to collect dirt on the HLP and chronicle their bribery in preparation for a lawsuit against them and a major media expose.

A Thing of Eternity wrote:

GamePlayer wrote:Consult a lawyer, the authorities and the press in order to setup a sting whereby you accept the money as part of an undercover investigation where you act on behalf of the police. Then go through all the motions, making certain to collect dirt on the HLP and chronicle their bribery in preparation for a lawsuit against them and a major media expose.

Ideal.