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Robotech and HG license debates

Roy Focker

By Roy Focker
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Jasonc Galactic Diva

Jasonc

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The people there gotta be tired with the PR guy feeding them lies all the time. Why not let some of the other crew take over PR since they can't be doing anything important now? Heck, the creative director himself should have more contact with these people. Convention panels can't be that hard to prepare year round.

I think Tommy and Steve are smart enough to use Kevin as the fall guy. That way, if the PR between HG and the fans gets any worse, they have someone to blame, instead of blaming all of them. Look at that "hiatus" thing. Kevin originally spoke the truth for once when he said that SR was on hold, and when the fans reacted, it was him who had to make the recant, and point the finger at the sinful fans for hearing it all wrong. I still think it's funny that so many of them are that gullible to believe it all still.

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RavenHawk Pineapple Eater

RavenHawk

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I think Tommy and Steve are smart enough to use Kevin as the fall guy. That way, if the PR between HG and the fans gets any worse, they have someone to blame, instead of blaming all of them. Look at that "hiatus" thing. Kevin originally spoke the truth for once when he said that SR was on hold, and when the fans reacted, it was him who had to make the recant, and point the finger at the sinful fans for hearing it all wrong. I still think it's funny that so many of them are that gullible to believe it all still.

The worst are the apologists. There's one, "rhade" I think, who is the first to immediately tell people how wrong they are and how Harmony Gold are wonderful and flawless... I get being a fan, but one still has to maintain some grasp of reality and perspective.

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Freiflug88 Global's Pipe Holder

Freiflug88

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I already know an actor who could do Heero perfectly, just get the Anakin guy from starwars.

Yeah, the guy who played Mannequin Skywalker certainly is aloof and unlikeable enough to fit the bill... you might be on to something there.

No! If that happens then:

- "These aren't the Gundams you are looking for."

- Zechs will wear all black and have the voice of James Earl Jones.

- The Zero systems for Epiyon and Wing Zero would each be powered by an annoying and otherwise useless droid.

- Hero would be a mothers boy who turns emo after accidentally blows up his mother along with a military base.

- It will suddenly be revealed that Heero is the brother of Relina before she makes out with Duo Solo in front of the Death Falcon Hell Custom.

- The epic "I will survive" moment will simply be "Trust the force Heero", as Heero Skywalker aims for a two meter hole in a Death Star pulling a colony drop with a massively overpowered buster rifle.

And if the LAM is going to try to retell the Robotech story (instead of just the macross saga) then even some of the SC portion could be used and fixed (yes - you're gasping in shock)

What are you talking about SC fit right into the Robotech continuity perfectly! :lol:

- About ten years later mankind always gets hover cars and futuristic clothing somehow (haven't you seen Batman Beyond)

- It just makes sense that the only source of the vital Protoculuture that powers everything be left buried in the remains of the SDF-1

- Its so obvious that the three mounds were the remains of Kyron's ships and the two SDFs from Macross.

- Everyone knows Helicopter rotors work so much better then jet engines in space.

- All black charaters RT are magically related to Claudia Grant because she never had kids and her family was wiped out on Earth.

- Its an ingenious idea to use the one Zor clone that is vital to your protocutlure producing plans as a spy amongst a violent and stupid species that is vastly inferior to a species such as the Robotech Masters.

- Speaking of which no name would better describe a bio-technologically advance race then "Robotech."

- Protoculture can obviously become anything except for of course an ancient culture, that of course would be as stupid as thinking Robotech wasn't three separate shows shoved together as every knows HG made Robotech.

I think Tommy and Steve are smart enough to use Kevin as the fall guy. That way, if the PR between HG and the fans gets any worse, they have someone to blame, instead of blaming all of them.

Doesn't hurt either that Kevin is over 6 feet tall and is a lot more physically imposing then either Tommy or Steve should the fans get physical.

Edited by Freiflug88
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RavenHawk Pineapple Eater

RavenHawk

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- About ten years later mankind always gets hover cars and futuristic clothing somehow (haven't you seen Batman Beyond)

Hey, you leave Batman Beyond out of this! I loved that show.

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Freiflug88 Global's Pipe Holder

Freiflug88

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Hey, you leave Batman Beyond out of this! I loved that show.

Hey Twip, I brought Batman Beyond into this because it was a great example and because it was so Schway.

Anyways I was searching for news on the Hellsing OVA and stumbled upon an old page from Ain't it Cool News from 2003.

Forget About Love

A post on Anime on DVD's forum relays a convention conversation with AnimEigo about Macross licensing. Repordedly, the rights holders to the Macross: Do You Remember Love will not license the movie to an American company because they do not want to share the revenue with the companies that they would be required to. Likewise the licensing of the Macross 7 series is too tangled with song rights to approach.

I wish I could find the original post, I am just so curious as to what company the right holders would not want to share revenue with...

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Seto Kaiba Super Dimension Member

Seto Kaiba

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Ha! Mannequin Skywalker! Hadn't heard that one. That brightened my morning.

Glad to help.

Someone said that 'Macross was the only good part of Robotech'. I disagree. Mospeada brought in some of my favorite mecha and characters.

Not sure who said that one... I recall saying that Macross was far and away the most popular segment of Robotech. So much so that every major attempt to continue the story (Robotech II: the Sentinels, Robotech: the Shadow Chronicles) has been centered around the remaining Macross characters.

Heck, the two most important parts of the marketing blurb were "Mark Hamill's in it", and "find out what happened to Rick Hunter". The latter of the two is the most frequently professed reason for buying the movie.

As far as popularity goes, the New Generation (Mospeada) is a distant second.

I think Tommy and Steve are smart enough to use Kevin as the fall guy. That way, if the PR between HG and the fans gets any worse, they have someone to blame, instead of blaming all of them. Look at that "hiatus" thing. Kevin originally spoke the truth for once when he said that SR was on hold, and when the fans reacted, it was him who had to make the recant, and point the finger at the sinful fans for hearing it all wrong. I still think it's funny that so many of them are that gullible to believe it all still.

I don't think Tommy and Steve are quite that clever... as marketing coordinator, Kevin McKeever was already the public relations fall guy in the event something went wrong with either project.

The worst are the apologists. There's one, "rhade" I think, who is the first to immediately tell people how wrong they are and how Harmony Gold are wonderful and flawless... I get being a fan, but one still has to maintain some grasp of reality and perspective.

Actually, as far as Harmony Gold apologists go, rhade is by far one of the least offensive of the lot. I and more than a few others have reason to cause to suspect that he probably doesn't actually believe his own defenses of Harmony Gold, and that he's just sucking up to Kevin McKeever in hopes of being made a moderator.

Admittedly, rhade has told some pretty outrageous lies in the past... last month he posted a very dramatic virus warning on Robotech.com. It was all very theatrical, warning everybody about the dangers of a new virus called "Virut". When I pointed out that the Virut family of viruses was better than six years old, and that the last new variant of it had been detected over a month previously, he flat-out told me that I didn't know what I was talking about (I own an IT consulting firm, he manages a hotel). I asked him what variant it was, and who detected it... he wouldn't answer. I asked him where he got his information from, and he tried to convince me that he was a "freelance programmer" for Microsoft, Symantec, and McAfee, and that all three companies were sending him viral code so he could work on defenses for his own systems. Of course, that's about as obvious a lie as it's possible to tell, and just for kicks I confirmed that it was bullshit via some friends of mine who work for Microsoft and Symantec. When confronted with his lie, he tried to claim he'd gotten that secret information through MSDN (which is also an obvious lie), and then ran to the moderators for protection.

Still, there are worse apologists out there... Treiz being one of the very worst. He loves making apples and oranges comparisons to try and justify his view that Robotech is one of the best-selling, most-popular sci-fi franchises of all time.

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Einherjar SMS Squadron Leader

Einherjar

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Another point i'd like to raise is the fact that other successful franchises, Transformers in particular, have tried to avoid as much publicity for their releases as possible, and i believe that it is probably only due to the constant requests of viewers for trailers etc that Michael Bay et al. have succombed and released the teaser they did with the Superbowl. It is my opinion that a lack of promotional material makes the final product much more appealing to watch, particularly if you are a fan of the franchise.

To sum up what i was trying to suggest through this entire post, i think it's time for people to stop complaining about not having updates and promotional stuff and instead focus on supporting all the people who are trying to bring us further installments of Robotech.

How are you supposed to get people's attention ($$$) if you don't spread the word on the damn thing you're supposedly working on in ANY form? This is a business, of course it needs advertising.

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Sir Galahad® Sharon Apple Concert Attendee

Sir Galahad®

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Everyone should also enjoy this:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ROBOTECHFANPLUS

(But before you start flaming him...my irony-sense is tingling; I think it's all a big put-on.)

I think I flamed him once.... for dissing May'n's live performance of Northern Cross.... that maybe he likes the song "Stage Fright" or "We Will Win" (no offense to those who liked the song... it's just me)

Hahahaha.... Good for me that I didn't get the chance to watch this when I was younger.... Actually I attempted to re-watch two episodes, Paradise Lost and Love Drifts away.... Brrrrr.....

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taksraven SMS Squadron Leader

taksraven

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Would that suspect be a currently-deranged MW moderator...?

I dunno, I thought that the currently-deranged MW moderator would be happy to put his name to it, rather than hide in anonimity?

How 'bout it

Roy

?

Taksraven

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DarrinG Alaska Base Survivor

DarrinG

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What are you talking about SC fit right into the Robotech continuity perfectly! :lol:

I must have not conveyed it simply enough for you:

The only thing that would make it to the LAM2 from SC would be the names of the 15th squad, a few other character names, the Bioroids and eventually hovertanks that would look very updated and be actually cool to average MW posters.

No helicopters in space, no winged helmuts, no hover-everythings and all the rest you mentioned.

There would be lots of Macross destroid action, VFs and plenty of the Macross characters.

OF COURSE the likelyhood of them pulling this off in a cool way is pencil slim - but I'm an optimist.

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Einherjar SMS Squadron Leader

Einherjar

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What a horrible cycle; someone offers a valid concern about something, people defend and/or reject it, a strong man comes along and quiets everyone as a voice of authority and everyone shuts up until the next one comes up. The PR guy wins every time and everyone is happy with nothing.

All I can say is, "whipped."

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Seto Kaiba Super Dimension Member

Seto Kaiba

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What a horrible cycle; someone offers a valid concern about something, people defend and/or reject it, a strong man comes along and quiets everyone as a voice of authority and everyone shuts up until the next one comes up. The PR guy wins every time and everyone is happy with nothing.

That's pretty much the status quo of Robotech fandom.

I'm going to keep sparring with McKeever on this one... just for yuks.

Hehehe... game on Kevin... game on...

Edited by Seto Kaiba
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Jasonc Galactic Diva

Jasonc

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I think we all know you meant Shadow Chronicles. I find it funny that mr dumbass over there tried to play on the simple mix-up of SC and SR and tried to be ever so cute with it. Some points of my own:

Kevin wrote: "No such luck to forestalling me…

What I like about Robotech is that it can take 20 years off and do the following inside and outside the anime world in a short period of time. Robotech can be shown theatrically - and , TV , and on DVD and and in real High Definition (unlike our competitors who fake it) , while opening up new platforms open up new platforms(film festvials) for other anime in the process - .

Although Robotech was shown theatrically, tv, DVD, and Blu-Ray, it sold well to fans, and basically fans only. In an old email I have from a contact at funimation, I asked my contact about the sales of RTSC. Here was his answer:

"Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles did OK. In fact, it did better than we had anticipated. However, compared to most of our other titles, that's really not saying too much. Most "anime" features don't do as well as a series, so that has some to do with it, but our research has shown that the turnout for Shadow Chronicles was basically fans of the original series. It's a good thing, because it shows the dedication of the franchises fanbase, and their dedication to a great series. Our hope is that we will be able to work in depth with Harmony Gold in its next installment of Robotech...Something that seems very plausible, since the sales of Shadow Chronicles were better than expected."

Secondly, the comment "(unlike our competitors who fake it), is this really even a point trying to be made? If he's been referring to anything Macross, Macross Frontier on Blu ray has been simply astonishing. I think Kevin is just trying to attack you Seto, and TOU on rt.com prohibit that. He should be banned.

Then, Kevin wrote this: "Lets not forget the convention tour that has been going on for 4 straight years now (something no other anime property can sustain) - Oh yes were already planning for 2010 too keep watching the website."

HG isn't doing these so much as Kevin is doing them. The reason is simple. Kevin has nothing else to do over at HG, (other than be a pee-on). I think this eludes more to their lack of brains other than anything else. They spend money showing these worthless panels and basically say the same thing that we hear. "We're working hard cause we have nothing to show" Thanks Kevin for showing the absurdity of your marketing to only your core fanbase.

Ahh, then this...Kevin wrote: "Despite a nasty economic downturn our high end toys , , , are selling very well (in some cases they sell out). Our mid range toys are strong sellers and in some cases have sold out as well. Lets not forget that Prelude To The Shadow Chronicles has completely sold out and it’s the reason why so many fans cant find copies for their collections. Normally an economic downturn like the one we are experiencing would slow sales except for us the opposite is happening."

High end toys, let's discuss that. If they are talking about the Beta, yeah, I can see that selling well. As for the other ones, like the Beagle MPC, that isn't "theirs", it's Beagle's, selling "their" superior product to a sub-par toy company. Mid range toys, I am guessing, are the 1/100 scale toys. The only ones that have sold out have been out after how long? And as for Prelude to the Shadow Chronicles, here's the facts on that. The print run of that was so incredibly small and short, that it's no wonder that it sold out. There wasn't enough of it printed even for the diehards on rt.com. If they weren't so scared of me posting over there, I'd bring these points up to him, so he can try and be cute again.

As for the economic downturn, here's the tricky thing about HG and the economy. They have such little product out there right now compared to fans, of course numbers can look good. If I had 100,000 units on the market, and HG had only 10,000 comparative units on the market, if I sold 10,000 units, that would be very bad for me. But if HG sold 10,000 units, even 8,000 units, that could be considered success. As far as "the opposite" happening, I don't think he understands economics too well.

Ugh, Kevin Wrote: "Not only is there a Shadow Rising in active development here at Harmony Gold along with numerous other Robotech projects (note the plural) also have a live action feature film in development over at Warner Brothers with A-list talent attached.

Plus of this activity helped make Robotech one the top 10 anime properties of 2007 according to ICV2 - While other properties are reporting sales and revenue declines we are getting stronger

Now all of this has happened in the past 36 months after a 20 year break. If this is what our critics consider a franchise not being successful then I’ll take the failure of Robotech over the “success” of competitors any day. "

Shadow Rising in "active development" is just rumor. Not even worth mentioning in this argument he makes while there is no word on this, except from a "PR" guy, who's gonna fluff anything said anyways. The part of HG having a LAM in development. Um, last time I checked, it was WB doing this. This is typical HG, take someone else's work, claim it as your own. Where have we seen this before?

As far as top 10 anime props of 2007 by ICV2, how many people actually get the ICV2 Magazine? Heck, if it was Entertainment, or one of those magazines that said it, I'd be inclined to believe it, but some article from a guy who is writing his own opinion, that means absolutely nothing.

In regards to simply getting small bits of info regarding showing life out of RT, Kevin wrote: "Now I know why our competitors keep losing money.

Several franchises have done these long, never ending, not to mention expensive marketing campaigns and lost money. That caused long term damage to the properties that require even more money to spent to fix the problem. Or it results in layoffs and cutbacks which causes even more damage.

Seito please tell me why we should follow failure? I never get an answer to this question. "

Do you really know why they keep losing money? I think their only competitor here is Transformers, in which case, they aren't losing money. Trying to do this one size fits all thing in this comparison is just classic of HG's PR guy, it's stupid. Also, nobody said they should follow failure. Kevin's inability to distinguish easy, free, no plot giving info on SR with massive, multi-million dollar advertising. I'd almost ask Kevin to stop sounding so ignorant, but it's funny.

Then Kevin wrote: "To be perfectly honest your reasoning flawed the people who think there is nothing going on is a miniscule minority on the internet. The general audience (inside and outside of the anime world) knows there is a lot going on do I tell specifics? No. Should I “leak” something just to appease 5 people on a internet forum only to derail our projects (please not plural)? I noticed the people who “leak” often end up unemployed…"

I guess out of that miniscule minority, it must be a big enough issue if all of Kevin's post are putting out fires of their B.S. The general audience really doesn't give too much thought about Robotech, and to add them into this backassward equation is making me laugh. I like how he assumes that people are asking him to "leak" info to the public. I don't think they need to worry about that. Besides, Tommy does his share of that already from what I know, and he's still employed. Only 5 people, don't you really wish. If that was the case, why don't we all eat cake and not worry about it?

Ahhh, the drama is funny. then you're "attacking" people. Lock the thread I say, lest ye be struck down by the almighty's right hand for your sins! Purge thyself in the fires, and be reborn as Rick Hunter!

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Freiflug88 Global's Pipe Holder

Freiflug88

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I must have not conveyed it simply enough for you:

The only thing that would make it to the LAM2 from SC would be the names of the 15th squad, a few other character names, the Bioroids and eventually hovertanks that would look very updated and be actually cool to average MW posters.

No helicopters in space, no winged helmuts, no hover-everythings and all the rest you mentioned.

There would be lots of Macross destroid action, VFs and plenty of the Macross characters.

OF COURSE the likelyhood of them pulling this off in a cool way is pencil slim - but I'm an optimist.

Relax, I was just being scarastic. I think the hover tech could work well as long as their is a decent explanation like hover technology lifted from SDF-1 and/or Zentradi ships. When I first saw RT on Cartoon Network I honestly thought I was watching a different show when it moved to the SC saga because of the huge change in the charaters and background, obviously for a LAM2 things would be changed to suit the transition better.

Everyone should also enjoy this:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ROBOTECHFANPLUS

(But before you start flaming him...my irony-sense is tingling; I think it's all a big put-on.)

Someone should open a MacrossFanPlus account!!

I might just do that. I was actually planing to make a parody Robotech Frontier trailer myself. Except unlike RobotechFanPlus, I am actually going to put effort into editing MacF Footage with audio from various stories few that are RT however.

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akt_m Bridge Bunny

akt_m

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What a horrible cycle; someone offers a valid concern about something, people defend and/or reject it, a strong man comes along and quiets everyone as a voice of authority and everyone shuts up until the next one comes up. The PR guy wins every time and everyone is happy with nothing.

All I can say is, "whipped."

I posted a reply. Tried not to flame at all.

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Seto Kaiba Super Dimension Member

Seto Kaiba

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I posted a reply. Tried not to flame at all.

You did a good job of not flaming... but Maverick_LSC apparently didn't like what I had to say, so he locked the thread. Someone might wanna remind that poor chap that Sentinels was canceled and never finished, and Untold Story never got released like it was supposed to (because it bombed its test screening), so there really has only been one Robotech continuation.

Kind of hilarious that the only joke name for RTSC that offended him was Tommy Yune's Day Off. Not even the baldfaced implication that Tommy Yune was a bad a writer as Ed Wood... just a simple reference to Ferris Bueler's Day Off.

Edited by Seto Kaiba
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Jasonc Galactic Diva

Jasonc

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Kind of hilarious that the only joke name for RTSC that offended him was Tommy Yune's Day Off. Not even the baldfaced implication that Tommy Yune was a bad a writer as Ed Wood... just a simple reference to Ferris Bueler's Day Off.

Yep, and he accuses you of "attacking", yet it's not considered an attack when it's in defense of Robotech. I was accused of attacking the staff when I asked who designed the RTSC poster due to it's lack of connection with the movie. Apparently, they're ultra defensive about trivial things. Can't blame them too much, they put themselves in that position everytime. You know, if I put out something that was criticized, instead of getting defensive, it'd be more like "oh well, that's your opinion." A prudent way to do that would be to do quality work, something it seems they have yet to do since the mid-late 80s.

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Gubaba Super Dimension Member

Gubaba

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I might just do that. I was actually planing to make a parody Robotech Frontier trailer myself. Except unlike RobotechFanPlus, I am actually going to put effort into editing MacF Footage with audio from various stories few that are RT however.

Someone already beat you to the punch:

I thought it was hilarious...but apparently there are a bunch of people with no sense of humor who inexplicably love Macross.

Or maybe everyone is so used to HG ripping off everything that isn't nailed down, that they can't appreciate a pretty nasty joke on Robotech...

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akt_m Bridge Bunny

akt_m

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I am nothing less than astounded that you were able to say that with a straight face.

There has never been anything original about Robotech, and I very much doubt there ever will be.

That's exactly what i was trying to say, if there is nothing original in robotech, how they are going to do a Robotech live action without stealing the Macross stuff???

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Gubaba Super Dimension Member

Gubaba

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This is funny.

I feel sorry for BOK.

Y'know, in Romance of Three Kingdoms (the book, not the game), there are several times where worthy men got positions serving rather unworthy lords. When those unworthy lords overplayed their hands, or got in too deep, the worthy servants had to die, too. And not one of them complained, but rather simply lamented the fact that they had put their skills and loyalty in the service of someone who was undeserving of it.

Just sayin'.

Edited by Gubaba
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