bobk wrote:. . . I know that Warren's ban was without any authorization from the Board. Furthermore, I've requested the database information from that forum to transfer to the new forum, but Jack has ignored those requests as well. Mutiny by the IT guy.
Jack? Did you ever ban Wingspan from the TorreyHawksForum without checking with any of the Torrey Hawks Board members? Who else have you banned from the forum that you "donated" to our club?
Does anyone see a pattern here?
Jack proves the nature of his character with abusive example after abusive example. Jack is all about "control". I've now heard a story about his "Lead Generation Program" from someone on the other (USHPA) side. Jack wanted to maintain control over that as well, except that it needed to be a USHPA run deal if the USHPA excepted it. But Jack could not give up control and USHPA declined Jack's (and Dennis') offer. But it was a good idea so USHPA created their own version - without it being controlled by Jack.
There certainly is a pattern here. Jack Axaopoulos created a program to create hang glider pilot members (for the USHPA?) and needed to control it to such a degree that he alienated the USHPA leadership. Somewhere in this time frame he started a web site where he repeatedly attacked the USHPA. He built a sizable base of sympathetic members with HG.org and continued to promote a negative image for the USHPA. I'm not saying that the USHPA didn't deserve to be criticized, but rather that Jack's motives may have been based on much more personal grounds.
BobK entered the picture on HG.org with the Torrey issues and SG was a big supporter. Why not? It actually makes a lot of sense to make BobK the front man in (Jack's) the anti(?) USHPA campaign (Jack even donated a web site [which he has sole control over] for Bob's creation, the Torrey Hawks).
In these ways Jack Axaopoulos could avoid taking the heat while, at the same time, using Bob as a means to "rally the troops". And that's just how things went. Bob got the ball rolling (Jack Axaopoulos ball, as it ends up) and aligned a good group of people to back the creation of a new hang gliding only National Association. Jack then "donated" a web site for the newly forming HGAA. Such a nice guy! NOT! Jack has known all along that if you control the media and you control the people. That was the effective motive behind Jack's "generosity". In fact, HG.org was all about creating an anti-USHPA hang gliding community - so that Jack could then take the next step.*
BobK was nice enough to take many of those steps for Jack. But still, Jack needed to be in control. So, he watched as things developed and jumped on the critical opportunities to seize control from those who began following BobK and his ideal of a new National HG org.
Unfortunately, Jack Axaopoulos' goals of having control over a new National Organization were not compatible with BobK (or me, as first "informally" elected Chairman) being in charge. Jack NEEDED things to go HIS way (or the highway).
When I appointed John Borton as my Vice Chairman, that helped Jack immensely because he knew that "JB" agreed with him on, at least, the critical Range Voting system.** But then I took a break after something like 3 weeks of continual attention and effort in organizing the HGAA, and came back 10 -14 days later to find that JB (with Jack Axaopoulos' help) was running rough shod over the most basic concepts upon which the HGAA had been founded.
As a result, I "fired" JB. This, however, opened up the door for Jack Axaopoulos to begin screaming bloody murder, hurling false accusations and using the HGAA's new web site (utterly and completely under his control) to create a (Jack Axaopoulos) manufactured state of chaos. Jack's imaginary (yet effective) Chaos gave him the "justification" for effectively shutting down the site and seizing control of the HGAA.
In the ensuing days he rallied his own "troops" - those who had shown him the most devoted and unquestioned loyalty over on HG.org - and began "reforming" the HGAA to his liking. Those changes included and required that BobK and I be gone - banned from further participation on the HGAA web site.
As long as the record is maintained in HGAA's "history" archives, the proof is right there to see. Manipulation of votes and abuse of the Range voting method were rampant and obvious. Explanations transparent to a 4th grader were used to justify the inconsistencies. Other abusive actions were too blatant to ever be convincingly explained - but I think they tried.
So, It's all been about Jack Axaopoulos having "control". He can't maintain control if people are openly voicing their (often strong) disagreement with his methods. So, first, Jack's HGAA critics had to be banned from that site, then his HG.org critics had to be banned, then his Torry Hawks critics had to be banned.
Any and everywhere that Jack could, he acted to prevent anyone - who was or might be "bold" enough to point out the seriously questionable methods which he was using to take control over the HGAA - from being publicly heard.
As I look at things, it's that final step - where Jack banned people on the Torrey Hawks web site (where he is nothing more than an IT site guy/car taker) that identifies the depths of his problem with NEEDING seemingly
absolute control. And that may not even be it. What Jack's actions demonstrate is a need for "reality" to fit with his version of things. When "reality" fits, you'd hardly know he's there. But when reality defies his interests and expectations - you better look out. That's the pattern that we have witnessed. It's pretty sad, actually.
* It's also interesting to note all those political threads that SG (Jack Axaopoulos) started on HG.org, which effectively allowed him to find and identify the HG.org users who where most aligned with his own political philosophies and positions as well as to identify those who were always ready to support him (essentially, his future SGAA co-mutineers and sheeple).
** The Range voting system, as I predicted, and as BobK has pointed out, has been used by the HGAA leadership in exactly the manipulative ways that demonstrate it's weakest points and most serious flaws.
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