If I Were Going To Shut It All Down

don't we have enough Realtor websites?

[Ed Note: Hahaha! It isn't going to be a website for realtors :) ]

We all know Allen Gwinn has a sense of humor, a way of being kind to someone while ripping him a new one, and the tenacity of an attack dog (no offense intended to The Barking Dog). However, all of you whiners who are so sad about his leaving -- one of you should take it over. Anyone can purchase a domain name for about $1 per month. Anyone can file Freedom of Information requests, anyone can make time to attend city council and school board meetings, anyone can post a blog these days, anyone can call media members and make friends with them.

Before you say, "I haven't got time," keep in mind that our hero has a 60-hour-a-week paying job, is a Boy Scout troop Scoutmaster, attends church regularly, goes to his kids' sports events, is dealing with an ill parent, is trying to keep his investment portfolio from sinking into nothingness, has a home that's beginning to have maintenance issues, and likes to spend time with a variety of hobbies and charity work.

I'm all for term limits. Time to pass the reins along to someone else. And for the record, he has never run out of conversation fodder. Ever. Even before he started creating websites.

First Tim Russert, now Allen Gwinn. Our world is fast running out of honest, equal opportuntity exposers of Hypocrites and Liars!

Allen, Allen, Allen...

Quit teasing us. It's just not nice. I don't think you have any plans to shut-down, you simply want some old regulars to kiss you butt.

In my humble opinion, I think you should shut this rag down, but it won't happen.

[Ed Note: If the warden finds out you've been using his computer, they're going to transfer you to the maximum security facility :) ]

"Outlook bleak for the rest of Dallas."

It's not the site folks. It's the guy behind it.

Today Allen's post got me thinking. How would a replacement ad read?

"Wanted: Allen Gwinn type.

An understanding spouse is helpful and Luddites will consider patience with them, a veritable God-send."

I remember running across Allen Gwinn about nine years ago, back when an idiotic Dallas City Council kept hilariously trying to shut down Barking Dogs.

Allen's keen intelligence - along with his wickedly cheerful reliance on a good outcome was clearly evident.

Allen knows how to enjoy the ride, (read: not be bothered by bullies)while waiting on victory.

But it was Allen's comfort level while waiting on victory that got my attention.

So while I confess to enjoying (maybe a little too much) watching the Dallas City Council repeatedly shoot themselves in the foot - I do remember thinking,

"I'm going to need to remember this guy."

I wrote down his number.

Fast forward one year later. I'd founded www.FamilyLawCourts.com; and was trying to expose former attorney and current con artist Ron Lais. It wasn't going well.

Bully like, Lais sued me (five times in all) and then began bullying one hosting company after another from hosting the site. (I had no idea these big hosting companies would turn out to be such candyasses.)

But that's when I remembered Allen. I dug out his number and called.

Allen only asked I provide evidence of my claims and immediately after that, began hosting the site.

(In appreciation, FLC has a *special* page for Texas)
www.FamilyLawCourts.com/statestexas.html -

Now you guys in Dallas might not know this, but Allen's work was later credited in the Orange County Register (next to last paragraph).
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/making-a-difference-694189-for-iraqi-...

(Lais should be released from prison in 2010, upon which he can be expected to quickly return to ripping people off on the Internet as a "custody consultant.) Enough about him.

I completely understand Allen's longing for a little diversification in the area of fun.

As Allen's one of those rare breeds who follows up an idea with action, after ten years of hard work, now might be the time to launch an Allen clone, contest.

But not before thanking Allen for Everything he's done, including the ripple effect.

Because of Allen Gwinn, a lot less people are getting ripped off. In the Lais area alone - three years into his incarceration www.FamilyLawCourts.com continued receiving emails from his victims across the country.

Most began with: "I paid that guy five grand and never heard from him again." The emails numbered nineteen and counting.

Attending Lais' sentencing we earned one man alone paid Lais over a hundred thousand dollars.

Which means Allen's work hasn't only benefited Dallas.

Allen's efforts allowed people world-wide to be alerted to the Lais con. I've heard from people from New York to California, and American soldiers based abroad who considered hiring Lais, because he also touted himself as an "international attorney and custody consultant working in thirty-five countries."

So add to the ad, Allen's replacement would also understand the larger picture, beyond Dallas, too.

Filling Allen's boots is one, mighty tall order.

I worry some, in the area of straw domain name buyers. But only a little. After all, Allen's been Successfully doing this ten years. I think he can smoke 'em out.

And in the interest of FUN, because working with Allen is that, my vote is to keep Dallas.org, but run ads and turn the thing profitable while Allen et al don flippers and continue having fun exploring life below sea level.

Am happy to be the first to thank Allen for his keen eye for a scandal, ability to withstand pressure, patience and for owning a really good sense of humor.

Allen's made my life better. More fun too. It's wicked fun catching crooks.

Other readers might try it. :)

Thanks Allen. Whatever you decide, I know it'll be a smart, creative decision, so I'm behind it.

and THANKS FOR EVERYTHING.

Bonnie Russell

Can I have the website?

[Ed Note: ROTFLMAO! Somebody remembered!]

Maybe you could put up a picture of a headstone that reads "RIP Dallas-just when my work was paying off I walked out on everybody"

[Ed Note: That's not fair. If you're that worried about it, why don't you ante up and do something?]

Perhaps look for a different angle. Previously, the only thing that set the site apart was the link to salary/expenditure data for the district and the city (and DMN has access to that info now). It takes a while to update that information, so the data on this site has been behind. Some of the audience that was previously only yours now blog with the DMN, as evidenced by the fact that this site can go days without comments. You have a vested interest in the success of the city of Dallas, so don't shut it down. Reinvent yourself!

[Ed Note: Yeah, goes back to the "I don't have enough time to do it justice" statement. I like the idea of a cereal!]

1. People will have a much bigger appreciation once you shut it down. I'm nearing three years on my blog and I sometimes wonder how long I'll keep it going.

2. You do NOT give away a name like Dallas.org. You sell it for 6-7 figures!

Michael Davis

Dallas Progress

[Ed Note: You mean like sports figures or Neopets?]

You'd be bored to tears within moments and would have ran out of conversation fodder milliseconds before that : b

Not to mention that bigbonelick.net is still available! (Big Bone Lick is a state park in KY, look it up). If you do go the pr0n route I'm sure there's additional fun to be had there, or, err, something.

G

[Ed Note: Why did I ever hire you?]

Oh, and why do you own Dingus Kentucy?

[Ed Note: It's an investment, man. I has the potential for being the next silicon valley someday--assuming the "big one" lops off enough of the continent. I heard from the nearby Jeptho Chamber of Commerce that Dingus is 3rd in line to get a Dairy Queen behind Plutarch and Licking River. I want to be there for that.]

Man, you're the only one who does what you do so how can you even think about shutting down?

[Ed Note: You know, I've been talking about it for a while. I put a date on it of 12/31/09 at 11:59. I'll turn it around: you try doing this for 10 years and see where you stand on it! But you're right. There really aren't any others whose hobbies are slogging through haystacks looking for needles. I feel like a boat captain without sailors--a sergeant with no privates. Wait. That didn't sound right.]