New Thread on 2+2's Statement Re the PPA

[Sniper]

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Both of those things like really bad for GT IMO, and I have a family member who works for GT, so I have no agenda against them.

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Meanwhile back at the ranch....

GT is NOT asking US for money... (Thanks Mason)

While, PPA *IS* asking us for money... and they are at this point, as transparent as "Idi the Nigerian"...

ps... IIRC, this whole lawyer thing started, because Mason was not comfortable with the answers he was receiving to the questions he directly posed to the PPA. When put in that context, it closes some of the gaps in concern you have with regard to the actions of GT.

Found it... Mason's "original" statement

[DoTheMath]

Thanks for the link to the PPA's Board of Directors webpage. It allowed me to do my own two minute investigation.

From Michael Bolcerek's biography on the PPA Board of Director's page:
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Michael R. Bolcerek has over 20 years of management experience in the tech industry with both large companies and start-up firms. He has held top positions such as President, COO, and CFO for companies such as Oracle, NeXT Computer Inc., Nokia Display Products, MongoMusic, and Liquid Audio where he ...

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Sounds quite impressive, doesn't it?

From Michael Bolcerek's resume at http://www.geocities.com/mbolcere/mi...ekresume.html:
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...Oracle Corporation ... Leasing Sales Manager, Credit Manager, Manager Contract Admin...
NeXT Computer Inc. ... Assistant Treasurer, Manager of US Treasury Operations...
Nokia Display Products... Controller...
Mongo Music... COO, VP of Finance 6/00 - 10/00...
Liquid Audio...CFO, Senior Vice President 4/01 - 2/03...


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So, contrary to the statement on the PPA website, Michael Bolcerek has not held positions such as President, COO or CFO at companies such as Oracle, NeXT Computer Inc. or Nokia Display Products. He was employed in a more junior role in these companies.

He did serve some less significant companies as a President, a COO and a CFO, but consider the size and record of the companies during his tenure.

The only place in his resume that I could find where he is listed as President is for Spatializer Audio Laboratories Inc., where from 6/97 - 9/98 he was also CFO and VP Finance. This company trades over the counter and seems to have a market capitalization of less than $1M.

His COO experience is limited to his four months at Mongo Music, which an article in the Aug. 21, 2000 edition of The Industry Standard describes as:
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Privately held and unprofitable, the company subsists on investments from Argus Capital, Nokia and Sony, among others.


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His CFO experience at Liquid Audio was around the time an article in C|Net news dated June 13, 2002 titled "Liquid Audio finds a buyer" stated:
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... Word of the sale comes only a few weeks after a dissident shareholder called on Liquid Audio to put itself up for sale. The call was prompted by the company's dismal earnings report. Liquid Audio reported revenue of just $135,000 for the first quarter of the year and a loss of $4.9 million.

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Does the PPA website give an accurate descrption of its President's credentials and experience? Does this relate in any way to the theme of transparency and full disclosure? Are you happy to trust this guy with your money and our cause? You be the judge.

[Vidocq]

Mason:

It is not a good idea to post communications from your attorney. This waives the attorney-client privilege and, potentially, could expose other communications between you and your attorney to disclosure.

[MagCFO]

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Both of those things like really bad for GT IMO, and I have a family member who works for GT, so I have no agenda against them.

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Meanwhile back at the ranch....

GT is NOT asking US for money... (Thanks Mason)

While, PPA *IS* asking us for money... and they are at this point, as transparent as "Idi the Nigerian"...


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yeah, and my point is the due diligence work that leads to this conclusion is very weak.

It's just my guess, but I think we will see that GT due diligence did not even include visiting the main office or speaking with the president. That's horrible.

Do you have any experience doing due diligence? I do, and I can tell you there are major flaws in this report.

And again, I agree that there are problems that need to be addressed by the PPA, but it's my opinion that this letter from GT is a weak attempt at investigating the PPA.

I hope Mason didn't pay more than about $1,500 for it.

[Sniper]

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It's just my guess, but I think we will see that GT due diligence did not even include visiting the main office or speaking with the president. That's horrible... And again, I agree that there are problems that need to be addressed by the PPA, but it's my opinion that this letter from GT is a weak attempt at investigating the PPA.

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Even if this is so... Is it your belief that the conclusions reached in GT's report would be any different had they spoken to the PPA President?

[Sniper]

PPA Page on Opensecrets

[MagCFO]

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It's just my guess, but I think we will see that GT due diligence did not even include visiting the main office or speaking with the president. That's horrible... And again, I agree that there are problems that need to be addressed by the PPA, but it's my opinion that this letter from GT is a weak attempt at investigating the PPA.

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Even if this is so... Is it your belief that the conclusions reached in GT's report would be any different had they spoken to the PPA President?

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Well, I don't think that really matters, because my point is there's no way I would issue an opinion letter on something like this when I a) did not even speak to the person in charge, and b) did not even visit the main office.

But, having said that.....yes, I do think the letter would have been different if they spoke to the president.

What people have to understand is the PPA is not a 20 man operation. It's basically ran by a couple people. Talking to a temp secretary in the DC office does absolutely nothing to prove anything about the PPA in my opinion.

Your other post points out $220k spent on lobbying in 2005. That's good to know. At least some evidence money is being used for the right things.

Again, I not saying I know the PPA is operating on the up and up, but I think we should give them a chance to tell their side of the story before we totally dismiss a group that, if I had to guess, has probably spent $500,000 or so in lobbying effort on the behalf of us poker players.

[PairTheBoard]

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Additionally, I sent an email to the PPA asking them to reply in this thread.

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It seems to me, that it would be a HUGE public relations mistake for PPA to not respond to Mason's statement ASAP!

I think the clock is ticking, on this one...

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The clock began ticking months ago when 2+2 first contacted PPA and asked for the same information. When Mason was first forced to withhold support. When threads here abounded about it. The Owner, President, CEO, Treasurer, Spokesman, and evidently Sole Employee of PPA has NEVER posted on these Forums. NEVER. Evidently he has little interest in communicating with the people he purports to represent. Except in Ads asking them to send him more money so that he can continue to pay his salary to himself.

PairTheBoard

[autobet]

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When threads here abounded about it. The Owner, President, CEO, Treasurer, Spokesman, and evidently Sole Employee of PPA has NEVER posted on these Forums. NEVER. Evidently he has little interest in communicating with the people he purports to represent.

PairTheBoard

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They have three employees and one lobbyest. The President has posted on this board, but not recently.

Yes , they need to provide the required disclosures more so than ever, not for 2+2's sake but becuse they are a pro gambling group.

Yes, they should have done more to inform, gain the trust, and especially motivating (with guidance God forbid) 2+2 to action. However, the work they are doing at the national level is important and they are getting something done. Maybe they will succeed without the help and blessing of 2+2...

[Sniper]

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Additionally, I sent an email to the PPA asking them to reply in this thread.

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It seems to me, that it would be a HUGE public relations mistake for PPA to not respond to Mason's statement ASAP!

I think the clock is ticking, on this one...

[/ QUOTE ]

The clock began ticking months ago when 2+2 first contacted PPA and asked for the same information. When Mason was first forced to withhold support. When threads here abounded about it. The Owner, President, CEO, Treasurer, Spokesman, and evidently Sole Employee of PPA has NEVER posted on these Forums. NEVER. Evidently he has little interest in communicating with the people he purports to represent. Except in Ads asking them to send him more money so that he can continue to pay his salary to himself.

PairTheBoard

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PTB,

He has posted on here... his posts are troubling... and his lack of posting now is like "the nail in the coffin".

The real problem is that PPA's lack of transparency is at this point, very likely, to cause more harm than any of their attempted efforts might achieve, to our interests.

Imagine if you were a member of congress talking to some guy that you were aware was not being transparent it his actions to the people who were supposedly funding his efforts... big red flag! HUGE

We have a problem with Frist sneaking legislation onto a must sign bill... but we are not supposed to have a problem with the PPA Pres acting in the same manner... something is wrong with this picture!