<VV> Won't be leaving

[Hank Kaczmarek]

Greetings everyone

8 years ago, when I finally got access to the Internet, I joined this forum.
I had been looking forward to it for some time.  I remembered well how
difficult it was to get information and advice when I first started in the
Corvair hobby, and realized that the potential for real time replies to
questions from other members was incredible.

And I was correct. There was an answer or an opinion for every question asked.
Of course, usually  more than one, and some in conflict with each other. Such
are opinions. But there were answers, help and assistance of all kinds
available.  The group was truly a wonderful thing.  If it had only been
available in the 80's....

Not too long after joining the group, I saw how the same questions were asked
over and over again, by new owners/members as they joined the group. This took
up lots of bandwidth and irritated many in the group, though they wanted to
help new people get started in the hobby.

The idea was bandied about to write a book answering the questions most
frequently asked.  I was an integral organizer and part of that effort. With
the help of V V volunteers writing the chapters,  getting the photos, tech
editing, getting the financing from CORSA, and M&P doing the layout and
printing (and making CD's to go with the book)---The project came to fruition.

The book went into the black in near record time, and the proceeds will be
used to fund other CORSA publishing projects in the future.  I was very proud
of our group, and the obvious power of knowledge and experience that it so
obviously had.

Dozens of times I marveled at the power of the information that was available
through this group. Many a project got finished---not only finished, but
finished faster and better, due to the information that was obtained in the
forum. I know that it is not the only Corvair forum on the internet, but I
always felt it was the best, and possibly the largest as well.

Not that the forum has been without its problems. And I have been a part of
those problems over the years.  Another list for discussion of all non-Corvair
topics was created, and is still in use today.  I was certainly not the only
reason, but indeed one of the reasons that the talk list was created.

Later on, partially due to a desire to serve CORSA, and also in part to make
amends for the upheaval I had caused in the forum from time to time, I was
appointed list Chairman, a position that I held for 2 years.  During my time
as Chairman, the members of the forum got together and assisted me financially
in getting a LM project car delivered to me from the West Coast.  The car was
donated by a fellow list member, who also donated nearly 1/4 of the money that
is cost to have the car transported to my home from CA. No way would I ever
let anyone knock the folks on this forum. I have never seen anything like this
done on the net before or since.

Over the years this member had been helpful and friendly to me, but also
seemed to enjoy giving me "Jabs" , and though I didn't like them, they weren't
too frequent.  After what he had done to help me get a rust free car to
restore, I couldn't see any way that he wasn't truly a friend.

After having the car for 18 months, and not really having the time to work on
it as I should have been, I began looking for someone to replace me as list
Chairman. And here was the guy who had given me the car, offering to take the
job so I could spend more time getting the car he gave me on the road. He was
appointed the new list Chairman by the CORSA President, and I now didn't have
the obligation to read every message, and I had time to work on my car.  Today
the car is on the road, and improvements are made as time and money allows.

Unfortunately, the relationship, such as it was, with the Chairman---has gone
very bad for me.  I am now the target of his personal attacks on a daily
basis, post by post.  No other member of the forum is the recipient of this
untoward attention from the Chairman. It is no longer a matter of friendly
"jabs", joking or "humor"---regardless of the number of GGG's that are placed
in the un-wanted and un-necessary retorts.  At regional and local events I am
approached by members of the forum wondering why this behavior by our Chairman
goes on, especially since the old-timers thought we were friends.  Well, I
have no answers, and I thought he was my friend as well. The behavior directed
at me by the Chairman is NOT the act of a friend, as most of you have had to
see, since he daily violates the guidelines by keeping the retorts on list.

I have recieved mail from a number of Vairorg (the group that regulates the
server and lists, of which I have been a member since 2000) members saying
they would like to see the issue between the Chairman and myself. disappear.
Nobody would like that more than I would.  But the Chairman continues on his
daily personal attacks,  and Vairorg has seen fit not to act.  It now seems
that our posting guidelines have lost their teeth. Or, as it seems, they are
for all members of the forum save the Chairman.  That luxury didn't exist when
I was Chairman. Other than the current Chairman and myself, there has only
been one other list Chairman, Dennis Pleau.  I gave Dennis fits when he was
Chairman, and though I got close to the edge of being removed from the list
several times, Dennis in his capacity as List Chairman always treated me with
tact, diplomacy and respect.  I get none of those 3 character traits from the
current Chaiman.

I have "locked horns" over the years with a bunch of folks in the forum, and
all save our Chairman are now good friends, some very good friends. Two in
particular were members of a chapter I belonged to, and we seemed to be
constantly at odds. Through our participation in the forum, we have I believe
both gained a better understanding of each other, and have found mutual
respect. I won't mention their names, but they both drive EM's.   Another
example of how the forum works.

 In addition, I have made dozens of friends, not only in the US but in Europe,
Canada, and in other countries as well through my participation in Virtual
Vairs over the years. In general, I have found Corvair owners some of the best
people one would ever care to meet, whether you like the car or not. There
are, unfortunately, exceptions to every rule. And a person in a position of
authority, who acts as if they are your friend, when their only aim is to
enjoy themselves at your expense on a daily basis would be an exception to
that rule.

I even made the decision to leave the talk list, as the vitriol from the
Chairman was even worse in that forum that it is here. It did no good. Nothing
changed.

Because of what is available here, the information and knowledge, I see no
reason why I should deny myself this information by leaving the group.

And if you feel as I do, that no member of this forum should be the target of
daily taunts from the list Chairman, perhaps this is the place to let your
feelings be known, even if your only objection is having to see the extra
bandwidth every day.

For my part, until removed by Vairorg, I am not going anywhere.

Sorry for the long post, but it has been a long time in coming,

Hank Kaczmarek