Uh oh

A reader was kind enough to forward to us some new documents in Doc's bankruptcy case. We haven't had a lot of time yet to digest their full meaning, but after a cursory look it appears there is an active investigation into Doc's recent filing. We're particularly intrigued by this comment from the Chapter 7 court trustee:

On August 21, 2008, a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Petition was filed. On August 22, 2008, I was appointed Chapter 7 Trustee. The Section 341 meeting was conducted on September 19, 2008. At this time, I am awaiting certain financial documents for the purpose of investigating the possibility of recovery of assets in this case for the benefit of creditors. [Our emphasis]

"Recovery of assets"? As in, the ones that were not listed in his original filing (e.g. sailboats, metal detectors, coins (stolen or otherwise), diving gear)? We assume so. Normally bankruptcy filings are cut and dry affairs. But something is astir here, we're fairly certain.

Normally, decent people never wish hardships on a fellow human being, but in McManus's case, it's difficult not to desire ill will on the man. First of all, there's no doubt Doc (and his cretinous fellow creatures at HHI) would love to succeed in his mission to destroy Odyssey. He has absolutely zero regard for how this outcome would affect countless living, breathing people, including Odyssey's employees, their families, investors and fans of what the company is doing.

So when it comes to Dear old Doc, we think he's getting exactly what his karma dictates. And we think the unpleasantness level for him just ratcheted up a notch.

Stay tuned for more....

Caption: Doc roams a lonely field, unaware that expensive magnetometers can't uncover a good and decent character

Pot & Kettle

Well, the histrionic gnashing of teeth about Odyssey's latest court filing over its Black Swan discovery is well underway over at HHI.

Doc's complained, without one ounce of irony or shame, about the "poor writing" of the filing (read this gem for an idea of his ability), and Solomon bashed, and possibly defamed, the two archaeologists who offered expert testimony about the find. The Angry Twit went so far as to essentially accuse the archaeologists of committing illegality (lying under oath) to specifically benefit Odyssey:

Odyssey employs a couple of guys who say that they see nothing, just some "objects". (Exactly what Odyssey needs them to say. Is anyone surprised?) Take away the vested interests and who would you believe?

Doc, doing what Minor Twits do, followed up Bartram by alleging one of the archaeologists lied about his undergraduate degree while purchasing his master degree from an online "university" (which are his quotes, undoubtedly to suggest it wasn't an actual academic institution). Gosh, you fellas sure better have your facts right, because if you're not 100 percent correct about your smears, and if we were these two professionals (one of whom we believe is a Brit), we'd sue you personally and HHI's collective ass for defamation.

But to the point, and this is where it gets truly interesting, there's plenty of evidence that John Bartram has in the past peddled himself and services-for-hire as both an archaeologist and historian. Yet, he's never produced any credentials to justify these self-appointed professional titles, he clearly doesn't refer to himself as an "amateur," nor has he ever provided any specific project details about the field work he's claimed to have done "all over the world."

[For the record, Bartram has also been publicly called out before by others for these false claims, and we've also written about his lack of credentials and questionable past before, here and here. Bartram was identified in a recent New Yorker profile of Odyssey as a "former television producer," but there was no mention of Bartram's involvement in either of the two professional fields he claims to have "worldwide experience" in.]

There's even a tell-tale photo and caption taken from an old HHI website -- which, not surprisingly offered several services in these fields -- that clearly shows Bartram referring to himself as an archaeologist and historian:

So, obviously, who the hell is John Bartram to question the credentials of two practicing archaeologists providing expert testimony? He has repeatedly failed and/or declined to produce one single credential or project summery in archaeology or history to justify these self-appointed titles in two very distinct academic fields.

Today he arrogantly mocked one archaeologist for having a "piece of paper from an online institution" (of course, Bartram fails to explain or provide details about this, yet more potential defamation). We'd remind the Angry Twit that even a single piece of paper from any organization would be more than he's ever produced to justify his use of these professional titles.

Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

The HHI founders' hypocrisy is so thick with stench you need a mask and massive shovel to manage it all. We'll keep doing the dirty work, though, because someone has to.

Douchebaggery on Parade

It's been a while since we posted, but, as usual, the unfathomable depths of Solomon's arrogant puffery and his personal delusions of grandeur awoke us from our current relaxed state of ambivalence about all things HHI. (We mean, c'mon! One of their founders just publicly, badly disgraced himself...again! How much attention do these guys deserve?).

If you haven't yet, be sure to check out Bartram's insanely disjointed, highly nonacademic thread called "The American Phenomenon of Treasure Hunting" over on the HHI website. Besides being poorly written and argued, it's more conspiratorial than the JFK-assassination and Fake Moon Landing weirdos combined (e.g. he puts heavy emphasis and offers lots of nonsensical non sequiturs about Mormons and Freemasons).

One can almost envision the Master Twit penning this drivel -- sun about to rise, him furiously kneading overgrown brows, dramatically stroking that empty bald noggin, quaffing copious amounts of sherry. This latest installment encapsulates some of his hair-brained notions, while displaying his grandiose sense of self-importance. It's particularly entertaining that he sees himself as an unappreciated victim of the "enemies of truth." Of course, the "truth" is something only he offers up to an ungrateful world of idiots and frauds...in other words, anyone who dares disagree with his Sageness (Bartram really is a cantankerous, bitter douchebag). Hilarious.

Check it out:

'Occult and esoteric involvement has often been downplayed by the Craft and relegated to a category of activity referred to as “Fringe Masonry”, in which the participants are painted as either charlatans or as slightly delusional. This is of course a response to the use of this historical data by those promoting an anti-Masonic agenda. The truth is that the interest of these Freemasons in the occult needs to be considered in a purely historical context.'

The denials, the misrepresentations, are all to be expected in defence of the Masonic cause, right? That is also what I was told to expect when I asked about their fraudulent activities. That is what I got and I wasn't attacking the 'Craft', but asking politely on a matter of history.

It was the nature of my enquiry that frightened. That is, those of whom I enquired were gutless. Morally worthless. Great people, just the sort you want in positions of authority - not. I needn't make an attack - any damage has been and is being done by themselves.

Perhaps one day somebody will have the rectitude to make a truthful account, or perhaps I will just have to continue dragging it out of them. The web is worldwide - everyone has a voice. The silence has spoken volumes on this generation already. ~Solomon

P.S. I once sat on a corporate Board and found I was the only non-Freemason; none could be bothered and one by one I had to fire them all - they thought they were due payment for just being there. I was and am unimpressed.

There you have it. The full douchebaggery known as HHI's "Solomon" -- archaeologist and historian of great stature ... for us to poop on!

Oh what we wouldn't give to see Bartram's royal wrath at such pedestrian criticism of his life's work! We fully expect red-faced rage and an Irish whiskey-soaked spittle outburst at the nerve of the illiteratti!

We bet that infamous horsewhip gets a strenuous workout too.