Re: Tape Tree: Humble Apologies...

[chrisw@fciad2.bsd.uchicago.edu (chris williams)]

In article <930712154926_555063.0_FHI43-1@CompuServe.COM> you write:
>Well, to be honest I regret having ever gotten sucked into
>this mess, since I'm not even on the Tape Tree list.  Jorn asked
>me to act as an intermediary between himself and Chris W who
>are no longer on speaking terms.

   I won't bother the list with the reasons *why* Jorn and I are no
longer on speaking terms, suffice to say that Jorn did something
that proved that he lacked any human compassion. His behavior during
this entire episode has been nearly as bad.

>I had originally believed that Chris had PAL-NTSC conversion
>equipment at home.  Turns out, it would mean a trip to
>Kansas City.

   We have PAL *playback* equipment. I travel to Kansas City every month
and am heading there next week. The PAL conversion that was done is
barely watchable. I can make a very professional conversion in Hi-Fi
in Kansas City.

>A man named Paul ended being the official go-between to get
>a tape tree tape together.  After a couple of weeks he
>has now given a tape to a man named Bill (I don't know
>either of these people).  Jorn says that Rocket Man is not
>on this tape.  At this point I'm not sure what is, or if
>this Bill man has something to do with the tape tree.

    Bill Bucholz. A very nice guy, and yet another person unwittingly
drawn into Jorn's sick little world.

>Jorn sent me a very long document concerning the intracacies
>of the entire 2-week interaction.  Again, I had offered to take
>ASPEL to Chris, but Jorn elected to go with Paul because I was
>to be out of town.  I apologize to the Love-Hounds community
>at large and in particular, to the patient Kate Bush fans
>on the Tape Tree, for having incorrectly assumed that Chris
>could do reasonable quality PAL-NTSC at home.  I further
>must apologize that Rocket Man is not currently on the tape
>that Paul gave to Bill.  I'm very sorry.  

   Let's get this *perfectly* clear. I offered to do a PAL to NTSC
conversion for someone I hate, *and* to dub several excellent quality
videos onto the end of the tape (The Dutch videos, the Christmas show
and Rocketman). Jorn hassled poor Paul (who has a job) every single
day. Paul and I are quite busy people at the moment. Paul became
so sick of being bothered that he gave the tape to Bill. Jorn's
main desire here is to try to get the best quality videos, get 
everyone else to do the work and look like a hero to those with
short memories.

   A couply of points: Jorn doesn't own a VCR or even a TV set, and
knows very little about video. The idea of a "tape tree" is a bit
unworkable, as very few people have more than one VCR. Also, video
degrades far faster than audio through multiple generations, so that
by the forth generation it's almost unwatchable.

>After re-reading Jorn's treatise, I am still unclear as to exactly
>why there is no Rocket Man, except that it must be because somehow
>Paul failed to get a copy from Chris.  Again, my sincere apologies
>to Kate Bush fans eagerly awaiting Rocket Man.

   3 out of 4 of our VHS machines are broken. I cannot copy VHS-to-VHS
here. I can in Kansas City.

>Assuming that Bill is a good guy, which I have no reason to doubt
>since I don't know him at all, I respectfully submit to
>you all that the Tape Tree will be coming your way *real* soon
>now.  I leave it to Jorn, who, now that I have offered my
>deepest apologies, I'm sure will have no reservations about
>being the sole reporter as to the status of the Tape Tree,
>and will explain who Bill is.

>One day, I truly hope Jorn and Chris can sort out their differences
>and communicate directly.  

   Never. Jorn tried to get a close friend fired from his job, Jorn
tried to get my account closed. Jorn has behaved in a really dreadful
manner to a large number of really nice people (Mike especially).
I would be happy to send the complete coorespondence to anyone
interested, but I doubt that anyone is.

   Let me make this entirely clear. I am *still* willing to make a
well-edited compliation tape with "Moments..." and "Rocket Man"
and several other videos. I can produce an S-VHS master tape
and send it to the person who can do dubs (I have access to a
25-machine dubbing system, but it is mono). It *can* be done in
time for Katemas. I am willing to do this in spite of the truly
awful manner that Jorn has handled this. For my trouble? I would
like the original PAL VHS tape. Jorn cannot play it, and it has
no sentimental value. I can play it, and would like to be able
to see this video in the best possible quality. (I have no idea
*why* Jorn wrote the get the offered video in the first place.)

>Jorn I hope this clears up any confusion between you and I.
>If not, I will be happy to apologize some more. :-)

   


                          Chris Williams of
                             Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago
                               chrisw@fciad2.bsd.uchicago.edu (his)
                                 vickie@njin.rutgers.edu      (hers)
                                   katefans@chinet.chinet.com (ours)