Decoder Ring

Because I don’t have to tutor tonight, this is being posted early… enjoy.

Back in late January, Manny, Amy and I received an email from three CKI trustees, writing as a group for reasons I’m sure you can guess. I was feeling a bit mischievous and got a little creative with the response… to date on a few select people know about this, but now that I’m officially no longer a member of CKI I feel that I can share my creativity with the world. First, their email:

Pete, Manny, & Amy,
After careful consideration, we must ask that our contact information, as well as any other references to us as members of the International Board be removed from the site known as “www.unofficialcki.org”. While we appreciate the intent to provide the membership with the best possible resources, we cannot support the malicious undertones that we feel that the site maintains against the staff of Circle K International. We would encourage each of you as the administrators of this site to go through the proper channels to make the difference for the members as you claim that you want to do.

As you each know, there is a method in place for a reason and if your intention truly is of the member and making lasting change in this organization, I am sure that you will realize this and hopefully act accordingly.


In Service,
International Trustees
Nick Borghardt, Jason D. Miller & Ricky Reuchlen

Finally, my reply — presented without commentary, but with a few hints to help you find the secret message.

Nick, Jason, and Ricky,
Your personal contact information (email addresses and AOL Instant Messenger Screen Names) has been removed, as per your request, from UnofficialCKI.org. Other information, such as references to you as members of the CKI Board, has not. Using this other information is acceptable due to the public nature of your positions and will not be removed — this is not negotiable.

Although it is unfortunate that you feel there to be malicious undertones to the site, it is our hope that you will take any qualm you have with Staff’s recent behavior to them instead of asking us to hide it or downplay it. Requests for changes or clarifications of a factual nature will most certainly be honored if they can found to be accurate. Especially given the wide appeal of this site, we feel it important for members of CKI to have all of the facts dealing with how their elected and hired representation is reacting and behaving toward the site.

A good-faith discussion between members of staff and administrators of this site would be preferable to us. Manny, Amy, and I initially took steps to try to have those discussions. Our attempts were met (some time later) with threats of legal action and removal from an organization that we’ve devoted countless hours to. Resorting to this sort of conflict and terse discussion is not in anyone’s best interests, however it is necessary that we respond to staff in the manner in which we are approached. Obviously “discussion” is not quite what staff has in mind. Nevertheless, we have every intention of continuing to provide this site as a service to the members of CKI and are still open to debate and discussion with the board and staff.

There is a method in place for change and while we have participated in that method, we have found this to be a much quicker and more thorough solution to the problem. Further, if you doubt our intentions, we ask that you say so directly. Making vague implications as to the quality or nature of our intentions only detracts from meaningful and topical discussion. Thank you for your time and participation