To those who have emailed me, recently...

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To those who have emailed me, recently...

Thanks to some for your kind words. I do miss posting to TB2000 and hope to post again in a regular fashion in a few weeks. Right now, I am recovering from bronchitus. I also need to clear up some confusions regarding the coop preps. I once read somewhere that the road to hell was paved with good intentions, and, believe me, the coop preps became a road to hell. In fact, I still have some road ahead to go. Everything will work out, although probably not to everyone's greatest and immediate satisfaction. Especially not to my own satisfaction. I really don't mind the intense flack that may aim for me in the forum. There's no escaping punishment for the naive.

As many people don't seem to realize, I am not running any Y2K or survival gear business. The cooperative preps evolved out of the many email queries sent to me about various things like kerosene lamps, water filters, potassium iodide, grain mills, etc. I took orders, I made orders, some things didn't ship on time, some things got lost in the mail, some still haven't got what they ordered, some people never sent in their payments, some people changed their minds, some people are mad at me, some people have been incredibly patient as I try to sort it any messes the best that I can. And that's all I can do: the best that I can do. I'm sorry if that isn't good enough for everyone.

For the most part, people expect me to assume total and immediate financial responsibility for things lost in the mail (and they aren't willing to wait for the post office to answer the claims) or for things that they changed their minds about. I don't mind that much, but I'm no rich man. For those who paid for things and didn't receive their orders (for example, those who ordered grain mills), these people are getting my immediate attention when I can get out of bed. I am either reimbursing them their money or trying to find out what happened to their order. And I'll be around, so it's not like I'm skipping town. In fact, most cooperative preppers know my phone number and address.

The cooperative preps was a good idea, but the timing was bad and I really needed more help than I had on hand. It took up hundreds of hours of time and personally cost me more than I could have ever imagined. I'm sure it will cost me a little more still. The cooperative preps was something that several people should have been involved in and responsibility should have been shared by all who participated. But these are just more lessons for us all to learn from-- myself included. I think we have learned a great deal in anticipating Y2K problems, struggling to cooperate and share information, and attempting to act as caring members of a community.

I don't feel burned by the cooperative preps. And I don't think that whatever screw ups happened with the cooperative preps should harden my heart to you or your hearts to me. I remain deeply concerned about our safety, happiness, and way of life. I remain deeply interested in continuing the many interesting conversations that were begun here.

Sincerely, Stan Faryna

P.S. If you have not heard back from me about your cooperative prep questions, please email me again or give me a call. My number should be in past email that I sent to you.

-- Stan Faryna (faryna@groupmail.com), January 09, 2000

Answers

Stan, What a lovely letter. I hope you feel better soon. Thanks for being a good friend to us all. Best.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), January 09, 2000.

Thanks for making it easy for me to complete my preps via your cooperative work, Stan. I know how a good idea can turn into a tangled nightmare that takes over your life and that no good deed goes unpunished--you have my utmost empathy! Having conversed with you via e-mail and in chat on many occasions, I know you to be a highly moral person who will do everything possible to make good on those orders that have developed glitches. I hope people will be patient.

Get well soon and love to Meg.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 09, 2000.


Stan, I missed your postings- had hoped some of the unhappy (to put it mildly) rantings about the coop hadn't dishearted you too much to join us, again. It is a shame that things worked out so badly, since you were trying to hard to be of help. I always felt, from your many previous postings, that you were an honest, helpful person, so I'm sure this has had to be a discouragement.

I am sure there are others who feel like me- that it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! I guess sometimes, it just doesn't pay. But you still have my respect, and after reading your letter, it should help others understand what you were up against!

A speedy recovery, and do join us ASAP- miss you!

-- Jo Ann (MaJo@Michiana.com), January 09, 2000.


I too am glad to see you back and hope you feel well soon. I am also someone who has not recieved what I ordered. When you were no longer posting, I concluded I would never get my order. I hope I never need the KI but I now expect will get it. Thank you for writing to us all.

-- Pam (jpjgood@penn.com), January 09, 2000.

Stan: Sorry to hear you have been ill. Sounds like you had a bout with the "strangely virulent flu." Me too. I'm still coughing, and I've been sick since Christmas. Good to hear you'll be back on the board.

Take care!

-- Liz (lizpavek@hotmail.com), January 09, 2000.



((((Liz, Pam, Jo Ann, Old Git, and Mara))))

-- Stan Faryna (faryna@groupmail.com), January 09, 2000.

Stan, thanks for your help in shipping the Alladin to Raleigh. I always thought that you had the best intentions, and if things turned out messy on some orders, I hope people understand the circumstances. I hope everything settles down, both for you and the people you were helping.

-- Puddintame (achillesg@hotmail.com), January 10, 2000.

Stan: Don't let the turkeys get you down. You have shown more fortitude and compassion than almost any other player on the field. In my book, your service to your fellow man makes you a hero.

Godspeed, Stan Faryna.

-- Pinkrock (aphotonboy@aol.com), January 10, 2000.


Thank you for at least trying to help others with the orders. I may have been a bit cranky in my email inquiring where my money was, but having been burnt before....

Now that I understand what the circumstances are, I can wait a bit longer for the refund.

Hopefully, you've learned that 1) get the order together earlier, 2) if the check hasn't cleared yet, don't count the order (money orders make this alot easier, but most people won't use them), 3) no good deed is without it's risks.

You've probably earned some good karma for your efforts, so don't sweat it too much.

-- Bill (billclo@blazenet.net), January 10, 2000.


Hope you're feeling better, Stan. Stay in bed and eat your goody stash.

-- silver ion (ag3@interlog.com), January 10, 2000.


If this means that you *do* plan on charging our credit card for the Aladdin parts and shipping them -- after having publicly yanked us on that order -- consider this your acknowledgement that we accept what you did to us as something that may be forgiven, but never forgotten.

We have made arrangements to acquire the items elsewhere.

In other words, any charges from you will be prosecuted as fraudulent.

Have a nice day.

BTW, the "I was sick so that's why neither me, my secretary, or my wife answered your many phone calls or emails" excuse has *got* to be the lamer of the new millenium. Granted, there's a thousand years for the rest of the world to catch up, but you've got a great head start. The fact that so *many* folks are willing to swallow it hook, line, and sinker is merely confirming evidence that that you can fool some of the people all of the time.

TTFN.

-- Ron Schwarz (rs@clubvb.com.delete.this), January 10, 2000.


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