The other day I compared the regulations on officers aprons to my lodge's set, and found that we didn't comply. Somebody needs to tell Macoy Supply that they have a problem there.
Tom Ball
pm Llano Grande 1173
I will commend you if you can get Macoy Publishing to do anything in a correct manner witout a fight over it.
Allow me to share this; my experience in having my apron designs created has been positive, yet with some negative sides attached to it. Though Macoy is legally prohibited from selling my specific design, they will encroach as closely as possible to that design to make a sale.
What has greatly disturbed me about this business concept, is that a Freemason owns/controls the company. So the Master Mason obligation "wrong, cheat & defraud" has always come to mind with this transaction.
On another ocassion in 2005 I presented material for a book that I researched, cross-referenced and re-wrote/ re-worked the OES degrees, giving a clearer explanation of the Queen of the South degree. This book was prepared primarily for PHA OES sisters that emphasized a need for such an educational resource.
I went in person to Richmond, Virginia to Macoy Publishing first due to Robert Macoy having written the original ritual for OES. I discussed breaking down the degrees into individual pamphlets for sale in MY format that I wrote. I was told it would be discussed and that I would be contacted.
I was never contacted, and my idea, my INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, was stolen by another MM and used for someone else's financial gain.
Today Macoy Publishing sells the OES degrees in individual pamphlets (my idea) without my original work I discussed with them as they weren't interested in compensating me for my additional research but didn't mind taking my ideas --- ALL OF MY IDEAS I DISCUSSED.
A copy of my original work/ manuscript [and my other writings] now sits in a manila envelope in a file cabinet here at my home, with the original writings & notes locked in a safe deposit box, along with the notes from my meeting with Macoy Publishing in 2005.
This same work will be published after my death by my estate with 50% of the proceeds being placed into a trust for scholarships to students attending HBCU's and the other 50% going into a family trust for my descendants. all publishing rights and royalties will go to my family trust [The Walters Foundation] who will have specific guidelines to operate under as per my instructions in my last will & testament directing what should be done regarding those publishing rights and the renewal thereof.
I will call it a lesson learned that I wanted to share. Protect your rights & your intellectual property, a lesson taught me by the Ill. Br. S. Brent Morris, 33*, Grand Cross [a published author in his own right].
Parting for now on the square,