My only comment on the whole Rod or Ron thing

["Joseph M. Shaw, II" <MikeIIDC@domain.elided>]

Guys-

I am very sorry to continue this, as I am getting a little tired of
everyone rehashing this topic, but haven't really interjected on this
topic yet, and with my smart-aleck tendencies, this has been very
difficult.
I think to "badmouth" him is to "sink to his level" in a manner.  He
came on to criticize us in a normally very positive forum.  This
obviously caught us all off guard, and warranted all of the strong
reactions that it drew.  Ultimately, we have all, at one time or
another, heard of something people were saying about us that we felt
wasn't true.  We all know how PO'd this makes us, and we also know that
you can't always convince people that it is not true.  I'm sure he was
doubly angry at what he HEARD had been said about him, and perhaps
doubly so because it was about his business, as well.  I can understand
his reaction.  Though I do not know his history, I'm sure that,
regardless of where he stands with IH's now, and whether it is a
business or a passion, he must have worked very hard to have gotten the
business where it is today, and probably could have worked a little less
had he gone into something a little less specialized than IH's.
Quite honestly, as Tom H. once wrote, he and I both felt a little
"violated" or something when we saw that Jim at "Anything Scout" has a
beautiful new Mercedes SUV.  Ideally for us, he would have an immaculate
old-style Travelall for the family driver instead!  To think that our
hard-earned money was going to buy VERY used parts and then going to
someone who not only could now afford such a vehicle, but would actually
WANT one was a little hard to swallow.
However, I live in a glass house, and will not throw the first stone! 
Without Jim, I would be left high and dry on occasion, and he is
certainly welcome to spend his money as he chooses, as I do some things
that are objectionable toothers with my own money.
Anyway, Rod or Rob-I apologize for not even knowing his name-reacted in
a very human manner.  I'm sure that if he is reading any of these
retaliatory posts he is certainly not gaining any better of an opinion
of us and our digest.
I sympathize with him and the anger he must have felt to see some of us
loyal IH owners actually espousing exactly the large corporate chains
that have driven so many small parts suppliers out of business.
I have heard people that have warned me of Madison's Outback and not to
do business with them, and I have always had great luck with them, and
have gotten much advice from them.  Quite honestly, the guys at Anything
Scout have usually been rather cold when asking for advice, but they
usually have five people there and three phone lines ringing.  If they
hired the people to run it more efficiently they may provide advice, but
then Jim may not be able to afford quite the kind of business that he
prefers.  Quite honestly, it is his business, and he can run it however
the heck he wants.
We all know that there are countless IH's out there that are falling
apart but have good working parts in them.  These can often be had
inexpensively, but noone wants them.  At least these guys are picking
these up and getting some use from them.  If you really want to have the
room to criticize, buy three or four and try to sell the parts...And
answer all the questions about which parts will interchange where...and
handle shipping...and keep your eye out for any parts that you don't
currently have...and keep an eye on employees that also love IH's and
are constantly handling all of those parts...and deal with the EPA for
all of your greasy oily trash...and deal with some people that think
they know more than you, though it's your business...and deal with
people who don't know enough to even be able to tell you what they
need...and have to barter over every price you mention (try that at Pep
Boys).
Anyway, you get my point.  His tirade was uncalled for, and handled very
poorly, but let it speak for itself.  We don't need to berate a man that
was defending his livelihood in a forum with which he was unfamiliar. 
It was way out of line, and some of the jokes have been good and funny
and fairly good-natured.  However, some have been attacks that are
almost to the level of "Flaming" and many of us often espouse the fact
that this digest is free from this activity.
I would recommend that we keep it that way.
Buying from whomever you choose will make a much louder statement than
anything going across this digest.  Choose your vendors and support
them.  Life's too short to waste on the negative.

Michael