You were far too nice to him

I agree with Tony, you were way too nice to him! “Wayne” sounds like he’s got a lot of issues…

I would agree with Tony on this. You were way too nice. There at the end stating that it was “greed” and “people like you believe they own everything” is ridiculous. If he knew you at all he would realize that these statements are not even close to the type of person you are. You are far to nice and generous to was your time on this guy.

Wow – not sure his organisation will be around for too long with that attitude. As Tony said you were far too nice to him!

You’re 100% right, but I do sometimes cut marginally literate people some slack if they’re really passionate to save the world.

I get these requests all the time, too. You were very patient with him. I dont repky to peeple that cant spel.

LMAO! Well played, sir.

I can’t believe how much you hate turtles…

Unfortunately, Wayne will not be able to comment on this post because of your security measures…

I know it takes a lot of your time/energy when people push you far enough for you to respond on your blog, but I really appreciate when you do. The lady that offered an unsolicited code review on your resume is still my favorite, but Wayne is pretty good in his own right.

i’m sorry to say that.. but Waynes brain is messed around :s

What a weirdo! I once asked Eric for a desktop background, and he sent the picture as a reply… (Thanks, again!) One progessional photographer even made me a nice, customized background after I asked politely. People be nice and ask politely! Don’t expect everybody to answer or give away free stuff, but again asking doesn’t hurt.

I don’t understand why people don’t see writing introductionary emails like writing a letter.

What a weirdo! I once asked Eric for a desktop background, and he sent the picture as a reply… (Thanks, again!) One professional photographer even made me a nice, customized background after I asked politely. People be nice and ask politely! Don’t expect everybody to answer or give away free stuff, but again asking doesn’t hurt.

I don’t understand why people don’t see writing introductionary emails like writing a letter.

GREAT post Eric, thanks for sharing this. I think you handled the situation with extreme professionalism.

Hey Eric, well handled. Unfortunately, Wayne isn’t going far in the NGO conservation world with the social skills of a 2 yr old. I know it stings when you spend so much time doing good only to have some bonehead like that bust on you. Celebrate your victories man; you’ve got a lot of them.

“Though I am working on our 501c3..”

I do not see a bright future in the non-profit sector for Wayne.

You could have let him know that the image had value and would be taxable income to him/honu whatever. You will need to get his SS# for the 1099.

Oh Eric. Thank you for sharing. As soon as I got to the “Server not found” page, I found myself hysterically laughing very loudly. :) Definitely props for the professional handling of this situation!

The site is up now. In the 'about us' bit they have “We do have some Box turtles and other very pet friendly kinds of turtle that we have decided to allow some children to adopt as pets through our program. Proper ranking Members of HonuHeroes.org will be eligible to
adopt a turtle as a pet”

Is this a common thing for conservation organisations to do?

OMG. Eric, you’re a very patient person. ;-))

This is Wayne From Maui. Now that a 13 year Old Boy pointed out that Eric Publicized PART of a discussion that took place between His self and I. Along with Many Opinions Untrue and True.

So first Ill start by saying this. Eric states many Opinions about my self and Our Organization rather than simply sticking to the facts. I believe he should have had the respect to keep this between our selves OR at least allow me to see this was being Publicized so that I may have say in my side of the story.

Ok so now we will see if Eric has a spine after all and see if he allows me to Post my side of the story as I see fit to do so. After all I have read so far is everything posted as Eric has seen fit.

So My reply. First allow me to explain that HonuHeroes.org is a Legit web page and just as I happen to catch Eric out of the country he just happen to try to view HonuHeroes.org during a time when I had lost a credit card and during my changing from one card to another the bill did not get paid. And as anyone who has ever been responsible for payment for a web page knows that if they do not get paid they turn off.

HonuHeroes.org was only down for ABOUT 3-7 days. I’ve see the same problems happen to big business. In fact I’ve known Yahoo and Hotmail to go down due to problems. So it happens to the best of us.

The most important thing I can say about the HonuHeroes in reply to the people stating that My allowing Children to Adopt a pet turtle is not a “common thing for conservation organizations to do” Well your correct. No its not common. Yet its also not to common for Organizations to really strike an interest in children so much to the tune that they learn from them and find pleasure in cleaning up poopy diapers. It is more common to see these children walk by the poopy diaper and laugh at it, Maybe even poke a stick into it and spread it around.

Its also much more common that these children grow up like Paris Hilton acting like,, Well I will not say. But what is not so common, yet we are hoping to make more common is compassion and understanding in children. Children are our future. Steve Irwin saw this and Steve Irwin started a Zoo for his children.

HonuHeroes.org does a lot more than just beach cleans. Some of our Members such as My self and others began working to support the world turtle trust and the chelonian trust. We began purchasing tortoises and turtles from the Pet industry, rescuing them from an industry that sees them as little more than a product.

As we all know children absolutely Love animals and one of the most easy animals to raise as a pet is a turtle. The reason our adoptions are limited to members only is because HonuHeroes members learn to provide proper care to these animals PRIOR to taking one home.

So while a pet store will sell a turtle to anyone and even provide false information to make the sale. HonuHeroes will not allow just anyone to take the pet home. We expect this child to learn about the animal first. When we feel this child is ready than we will adopt a tortoise or turtle out to this child.

This does a lot of good. First it provides a decent home to an animal that would be sold to just anyone and very likely die.

I really see a lot of prejudgments rather than putting in your research. For example the fellow above stating that He or she has gone and seen HonuHeroes.org and then criticizing that we adopt turtles to kids. Is that the only research you put into this before making your judgment? Now your starting to act like Eric.

Why don’t you go research how many pets that are sold through the pet industry actually survive the first year of captivity. Or better yet pick an animal, Any animal do some research into the care that animal needs to survive. For example a south African leopard tortoise needs a very dry climate. Then contact your local pet store as a customer looking to buy this kind of tortoise. Tell them that you live in a very wet climate and see if they tell you that you should not purchase this animal or see if they lie telling you that it will do just fine.

Ok now do this to 10 Pet stores. All 10 must have the animal in question. And see what percentage of the stores actually lie to make the sale. This is research I have done personally and I have seen that not only do most of the businesses lie to make sales as they are in the business of sales and animals are the product.

But more than 75% of the animals die, Not because they fail to adapt from wild to captivity but due strictly to miss information to generate a sale rather than an honest effort to be absolutely sure that the animal will be properly provided for.

So AFTER doing such research and only after doing such research. Please then come back and criticized HonuHeroes because our efforts are not of the “Common conservation organizations”

HonuHeroes is not just about Beach cleans even though we really push that issue. Honu is Hawaiian for Turtle. HonuHeroes is a Club of Turtle lovers who care enough to put in an effort to do good and change the world. To help turtles, tortoises and sea turtles. Sure the LEADING Cause of death in sea turtles in Hawaii is Litter so yes it is a Huge problem and need be addressed.

But another leading cause of death in Land tortoises is for the food markets and for the pet industry. We do not come to say that children can not keep turtles as pets. We just hope to find a way to make it work for everyone especially the turtle. So if someone wants to keep a pet turtle we hope to find a way to be sure this person is prepared to provide for this animal before deciding to keep it.

And as you may claim this is not “common” You are also wrong in that there are actually MANY organizations out there who put efforts into a very similar idea. In fact the World Tortoise Trust actually Purchases Hundreds and thousands of tortoises from the Asian Food markets and donates them to captive breeding programs. NOT for the Pet industry but for Rehabilitation.

Now many of our tortoises are a part of rehabilitation efforts. But there are literally hundreds of thousands of turtles that need a good home and Kids are capable of providing a proper home so long as we help to prepare them for this. And you do not prepare them for this by criticizing them for having a web site down for 2 or 3 days or because you do not believe there efforts are common.

Our primary focus was to find a way to make an otherwise disgusting activity a fun gathering of tortoise and turtle lovers. Because this gross activity needed to be done.

Now back to my side of the story Between Eric and My self which he so cowardly decided to make public without allowing me to know this was taking place and stand up for my self and HonuHeroes.

I (Like Eric) Spent thousands of dollars on my equipment. I also spent $150,000.00 on the tortoises I have, and the land I have to support them. Yet I simply donate the offspring or donated homeless turtles, to Kids who take active role in the beach cleans and earn that pet.

Eric was trying to Justify his expectation of money in exchange for use of “Screaming turtle” image by explaining to me that he has spent thousands of dollars on his equipment and such. Who has not spent money on there hobby or business. And While I completely understand business. You spend money to make money. This does not mean that you can not allow a non profit organization with a good cause to use something you spent money and time to develop.

I have never made a dime on any of the HonuHeroes donations I have made and I would never expect to do so. My efforts are to change our people and help to provide a clean world for the animals we share it with. I can not ask for money for this. Yet All Eric wanted in exchange for use of his photograph was Money. It simply came down to a matter of money. Eric would have you believe that it was this or that. But the brass tax was in his first reply back to me. Money. His first reply as you can see is lecturing me on how many thousands he spends to produce a photograph. Who does not spend money to produce a Photograph. I mean ANY and EVERY photograph of an exotic animal in an exotic place is going to cost money in travel and equipment to take and publish the photograph.

If every single person expected money in exchange for use of there photograph than we would not have any photographs to use.

I would have understood if he wanted a percentage of money earned by using his photograph. But because we had NO intent on using his photograph to generate money how can we possibly pay for use of it?

Our intent was to use funds donate by ME “Wayne” to pay to print a few hundred Bumper stickers which would be Given away to be placed on local cars in Hawaii ONLY. Plugging the Website http://www.honuheroes.org. To generate NOT funds but members for beach cleans.

Eric pretty much said he would require Cash. And Sure I admit I was not to happy with that greed. You can preach to me till your blue in the face about how much money you spent producing the photograph. But I will know that while that is fine and dandy, I am very sure you can collect a profit in other ways and it will be no skin from your nose to allow a child’s based beach clean and conservation club to use your photo in a small 2 inch square photo to help generate members to clean the beaches.

To expect money for this is Greed in my opinion.

Greed. Noun- excessive or rapacious desire, esp. for wealth or possessions.

Now I am going to say it is excessive when you can not even allow 100 bumper stickers to be printed FREE to be given away to be placed on cars local to Hawaii to generate Members for beach cleans. When you can not do it if there is no “Money” in it to cover your business overhead. That is excessive in my opinion.

Now I will admit I expect EVERYONE to take part in cleaning up after the slobs of our society. And ill tell you why. “If your not part of the solution you are part of the problem” So lets have it. Eric had a chance to be part of the solution at no cost to him. We did not ask Eric for Money or to pay for anything. We simply asked Eric to “Allow” us to use his photo in a FEW bumper stickers to get help for beach cleans. Now he clearly did not say “No” He simply and clearly expected money in exchange.

So if he is not a par of the solution he is in fact part of the problem correct? Ok so Eric claims that he donates to many organizations right? So lets have it Eric name a few. I would like to see Eric name one single Beach Clean effort he has taken part in.

You see worse than just not being a part of the solution is when you have a chance to be a part of that solution without any extra effort from you and you turn them down, Unless of course they have money to pay you.

So all you Fans of Eric Please Justify this for me. Because so far I think it was not only nasty of Eric to expect Cash for this. But then to Publish our private discussion in a cowardly manner as not to invite me to have a say in the matter. Furthermore the way I found out about this Post was then a 13 year old boy asked me what he did wrong in building the website.

As you know all of HonuHeroes is donated. I donate the Money and some turtles while Kids donate there time. One 13 year old boy donated his time and built a web site. So when he shows me this link to a page where Eric is stating that this Organization could not possibly be serious because of some Bad grammar or miss spelled words, I find that pretty sick that he would not put in the research before he speaks ill of someone. Here he is thinking he is speaking ill of me when he is in fact criticizing a 13 year old boy for a page he worked very hard on.

Maybe Eric should donate some of his time and teach the boy the error of his ways eh?

Ill leave this discussion by stating the facts. A child based Beach clean member ship Non profit organization comes to Eric asking for simple permission to use his photograph for a bumper sticker which will not be sold, No moneys will be generated from its use. Because no money will be made from its use one actually does not have to ask for permission to use because law suite case history has shown that winnings of profits has only been awarded to plaintiffs. But out of little more than respect we decided to ask Eric for permission. Not only does Eric expect Money for use but then has an argument. Later decides to use his own website to slander this organization by posting his side of things. Ill add that I sure as hell do NOT see every email that took place between Eric and I. He only posted what he believes makes him look best.

So not only does he refuse to help be part of the solution unless he is paid to do so but he becomes more than part of the problem in putting a valid effort to make the organization look bad or illegitimate. Eric would have had to put forth no effort what so ever to be a huge help to sea turtles leading cause of death and was given the chance to do so. Not only did he refuse to be a part of help unless money would be paid to him but he putt forward a huge effort to be a part of the problem as in slandering with his one sided blog.

Last I will say The only reason I find this Blog to be the work of a COWARD is because he did not make me aware of it allowing me to have my say. I had to find out a couple of YEARS later from a 13 year old boy who was upset by what was being said about something he put a lot of work into.

I asked Eric to remove it and keep was it between he and I between He and I. But after further reading of his B.S. and noticing that he conveniently forgot to post ALL of the emails, Only posting what he figures makes him look like the “Good guy” I clearly see why he did not invite me to the Blog. And if he has a spine at all He will allow this post as My side of the story.

The last thing I will have to say is strait up “If you are not part of the solution you ARE a part of the problem” Eric refused to be a part of the beach cleans unless he was Paid money. But he was more than willing to spend a few Hours of his time typing and arranging this blog to make HonuHeroes look bad and he was not paid a dime. Not only was he not a part of the solution thus a part of the problem but seemed to go out of his way to further be the problem.

The sad Irony is in that the very Photograph we asked to use was the very animal we are saving thousands of in our efforts. Another artist provided a Photo of a turtles just as cute as “Screaming turtle” And that was the turtle chosen to be used on the Bumper sticker. This artist I will not bring up his name out of respect but this artist is a lot more popular than Eric and I am very sure has a lot more company overhead. So I guess a lot more motive to ask for money in exchange but expected nothing in return except to know he was a part of these beach cleans. Which was clearly not enough for Eric. Eric wanted Money. And if nothing else matters the brass tax is Eric wanted Money. If we had Money non of this would be posted, No argument and we would have our bumper sticker.. Isn’t that sick? All about money.. Guess its all about money for some but money is not going to get up and clean the poppy diapers off the beaches..

Aloha

Irony. Eric says “Looking back, I think that if Wayne had just written to ask for permission to use the image for a turtle conservation bumper sticker, saying that the entire effort was self-funded (no donations accepted = no income), I probably would have just told him to go for it.”

Funny thing is that this is NOT at all what Eric says. How can he say “Looking back, I would have said” Yet the FACT is he DID NOT say go for it. He asked for me to show him proof that HonuHeroes was funded enough to PAY him to use his image. He was trying to explain his business overhead and how much it cost him to develope such a Photograph. He said No money No use of Photo. So now he can say in Hind sight he would have let me use it? If what I did not get offended at the notion of asking a non profit to PAY him money to produce a FREE Bumper sticker?

What is the MOST Ironic is Eric tells me that I need to LEARN to deal with people. Yet I had brought up that children work on the website. For example his reply is that I use Child Labor. Its these smart A$$ Low Blow and insalting comments that caused me to become offended in the first place. And he says I need to learn to deal with people.

It was comments exactly like this that started this entire Mess. You see the very first Reply to me which he has FAILED to post here. Had he just klept it professional would have been one thing but his little smart A$$ Insalts about HonuHeroes not being a “Legit” And just his soap box comments was what caused me to “Attack” him as he Claims.

After his efforts to express to me his business overhead and costs of developing his Photograph I explained to him that the Turtle is 50% of how he was able to develope the photograph. I reminded him that while Yes he may have thousands of dollars into his equipement the, if it where not for the Turtle existing he could not have such a Photograph. And the LEADING cause of death in sea turtles is Litter. Beings Honu Heroes primary Focus is beach cleans we aim to fix the leading problem.

Now of course Eric laughs and says how what he can do is Post these emails. The Irony and most Cowardis Facts is that He has Posted ONLY what he feels makes him look best. He has failed to post any of his emails that make him look even remotely selfish. Nor does he post his replies and Insalts. He simply plays his side of the story as if he was perfect and just outright attacked by Evil Wayne. Which is NOT the case.

Its simple what Pissed me off was not even his asking for Money. Even though that did Bother me. But what caused me to “Attack” Him as he claims. Is his Low Blows and insalting comments, Instantly Bashing Honuheroes. I mean Again had he kept it Professional and said “Well I just want to know what you plan to use my image for and what money is to be made and my cut” That woudl be one thing. But his way of going about it was more “I went to HonuHeroes and its not even Legitimate site. Nothing came up. And that shows me that this is not a legitimate cause which is not something I can support. You will have to show me exactly what Money is to be made before I can allow you to use my image” That is a Prime example of how he acted in the reply. Which is exactly what caused me to become angry with him.

The Ultimate Irony is in that he lectures me on dealing with people. Perhaps he shoudl practice what he preaches!! A good look in the Mirror is called for here.

Now I have decided NOT to use his image. But I want to express one of our Primary Focusses at HonuHeroes in cleaning the beach is to Educate the Public, mostly the Children that these Beaches do NOT BELONG to us. Because someone like Eric Chang thinks he spends thousands on his equipment he believes he Owns the Image. But our stance is to say What about the Turtle In the Photo? That turtle did not sign nor agree to anything? So is that turtle not entitle to 50% of that Image? And if that turtle is entitle to 50% of that Image should it not be used to help that turtles cause? And if that turtles LEADING Cause of death is Litter I believe that turtle’s cause is HonuHeroes.org

Eric Represents exactly what HonuHeroes is against. The mentality of those who believe they Own this world. They can Own an Image of an animal who shoudl have some say in the matter.

Eric and his actions have proven to be exactly what we stand against!!That being said we do not plan to use the image any longer to promote beach cleans. However we do plan to Publisize this image. Just as Eric has publisized these emails in a negative light. We plan to Publisize his “Screaming turtle” Image with a few words about this Man “Eric” Who believes he owns this turtle’s image. And that the entire problem with humanity today is the mentality that we believe we can truly own something therefore it is ok to throw our trash on the beach making the LEADING cause of death our litter. Which is Ok because we spent thousands of dollars paving and installing bathrooms on this beach so we own it right Eric?

So we will use the Image now. To Publisize Erics actions. So I promise Eric will get credit where credit is due. Its to bad. Because if you practice what you preach so much and learn to deal with people in a Posative manner. Without the Insalts all of this could have been avoided. You could have replied and still asked for Money in trade for Use of the Image. And I may have even paid you. But to tell me that HonuHeroes is “Cant Possibly be legit because it happened to be down temporarly when you checked it ONCE” Along with all your other Low Blow insalts!! Well I would not have had much to say back except “How much money do you want?” Oh and what Percentage do you plan to pay to the turtle in the Photograph??

Thats a good question isnt it Eric??? Hmm??