STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

[Officially Retired]

Hello everyone Happy Thanksgiving,

I just want to say thanks to everyone who has made this site what it is. I would especially like to thank the moderators for all of their hard work and due diligence in QC matters with duplicate entries.

When I first took over I honestly did not know what I was getting myself into. As my time in the saddle increased I did run into differences of opinion on how I wanted to run this website and how it was already being ran. I did hold steady to on my plan and believe I have righted this ship which seemed on the verge of sinking once it was made public the site was for sale.

Just for some clarification ...

I agree this ship was on the verge of sinking because I went from 85 dogs in 2007 ... to 12 dogs in 2008 (after a major raid on a customer ... and me being called by the Arkansas news ... I got TF outta dodge) ... to completely getting out of dogs in 2012.

I began building this website in 2011, I finished it in May of 2012, but I moved to the city by the end of the year ...

After another year of living in the City, but still developing this site ... in 2014, I moved back to CA and began working 220-250 hrs a month as an investigator.

I simply did not have the time to devote to this website, which is why I offered it for sale ...

When I took over we were at just about 220 active members and more uncertain to renew as the site was being offered for sale. Our daily traffic was maybe 80 members checking in every 24hrs. Today we are well over 320 members strong, with new people joining everyday which is exciting, also our daily traffic has increased to about 120 members checking in per 24hrs.

I had 450 members in 2013.

My best months ever, without including dog sales, were November/December of 2013, where I pulled $5,027 in 2 months off of subscription sales (and subscription book sales from this site ... Christmas season) which does NOT include the TONS of straight book sales I had, that had nothing to do with this site. All totaled, I had nearly $13,000 in sales, during these 2 months, from Database + book sales, without having to lift a finger.

All of this is flyshit, compared to what I am making now ...

However, I just wanted to clarify for Brickface, when you add another 120 members/year, you'll be at the peak point of this site's traffic under my leadership ... but you have no book, no products, no real credibility as an authority or dogman.

When you pass this number as a database owner, you will be in the lead ... and in this endeavor I wish you luck, sincerely.

However, please don't try to undermine "me" since you could never have created this site on your own ... show some respect.

As far as I know Jack is 100% retired and will no longer participate here but I have not spoken to him since before summer began. His books to my surprise are also no longer being offered to the public. Regardless of our differences I wish him the best in his ventures as he seems happy living a normal life and pursuing his dreams.

Just so everyone knows, I am not "officially retired" because I hate this site or its owner.

I have passed 6 FBI investigations, and secured 6 professional investigative licenses, and can no longer afford to be associated with these dogs.

Doesn't mean I don't love them, doesn't mean I have anything against this site I built with my brother ... nor do I have any beef with the owner ... it just means I have other, more pressing matters to deal with.

I will still post photos and videos here, as time permits. What I won't do is answer questions and get involved in any more debates.

I would like to open up discussions with anyone wanting to write up articles, or enter blogs. This site is yours and if you have any input oh how to keep making it better let me know.

If I can give you some advice that I have learned it is this: don't "ask for advice" from your audience ... simply lead

Just think, do, lead by example ... some will hate you, some will love you ... but 95% of people have no thoughts or no initiative of their own.

I will also start working on finishing the drug database so we can have the most comprehensive information available to our users. I have a medical background, so this will be relatively easy and will begin working on this in 2017

If I were still into dogs, I would have finished the drug database a long time ago.

I wrote the 400 pg Pit Bull Bible in 3 months. I wrote the 130 pg Hollingsworth Dogs in less than 2 months.

I wrote ... and wrote ... and wrote ... manipulated photographs ... re-sized ... I lived and breathed and did NOTHING BUT finish my vision.

The moral?

Having "a medical background" doesn't give you the DRIVE to write a book or envision and complete multiple articles

Brickface, you may be a good guy, but you would NEVER have created this site on your own.
You would NEVER have written the gazillion articles, posts, and responses to people's questions, like I have on your own.

I have over 6000 posts, you have around 300.

The desire to write ... and the ability to write ... TAKES PASSION ... an obsession NOT TO SLEEP until the work is done.

"Technical knowledge" is not passion ...

In the end, you bought this site; it is yours.

However, if you want to be a TRUE LEADER you have to have *personality* and *passion* ... you can't "wait around" for time to pass to get things done

No one will ask you for advice, unless you have proven success, experience, and the ability (and WILL) to articulate what you know

Please don't take this as disrespect ... take it as sincere coaching and experience.

Again Happy Thanksgiving, Christmas is right around the corner and 2017 will be upon us.

I will create a poll for 2016 DOY awards in December, so lets get ready to crown DOY!

YIS Brickface

Good luck to you.

This will be my last post for awhile ...

However, by the end of next year, I may have a new book ... if time permits

Jack