So we get a call the other day about the iLoad, which, on the surface, seems, shall we say, "no longer necessary." It's the iLoad PR fella, good guy, it seems. He's going to send us a bit on this new product, all is well, we'll take a look, make a more refined judgement. We see hundreds of ideas like these—on the surface, they're fine. Given a bit of thought, they're kind of silly. More power to the inventor. Yeah, team. Different strokes for different folks.

So I'm not really concerned until the inventor, a certain Sanford B. Schupper, dropped us a line today:

If you want to pontificate or seek self-aggrandizement either go into politics or don t do it at someone else s expense. Your business credentials don t justify such public scathing of something you have no first hand info about. Think before you speak ...or get a towel and some lotion and head for the bathroom...might be more fulfilling and won t be at the expense of others.

No need to respond. Just grow up.


So we get flamed over a silly CD player that dumps audio to an iPod with no visible means of getting the CD track info via the Interweb—maybe it's got wireless, or maybe it's vaporware: the website doesn't say—and I'm starting to get a little curious. Why would Mr. Schupper be so angry about this. Could he be making shit up?

Then I found this story from the Colorado Springs Gazette. The gist appears here:

A Monument businessman convicted of theft and securities fraud won t be allowed to travel to China to market a product he invented, a judge ruled Friday.

Sanford Schupper, 56, has been convicted of defrauding Citibank Visa of as much as $200,000 and sentenced to six years in prison. In another case, Schupper was convicted of swindling a family out of $872,000 and sentenced to eight years in prison. ...

Friday, Schupper s lawyer asked senior state District Court Judge Donald Campbell to grant Schupper permission to go to China to market his latest invention, an accessory for Apple iPods.

Pop through to read on.

Schupper says the product could make him millions and allow him to pay court-ordered restitution to victims of his crimes. He hasn t revealed specifics about the product because of fears someone might steal the idea.

What's that? Paranoid inventors? Vaporware? Securities fraud? Yes, friends, another magical visit to the wondrous underworld of tech!

This is what I've dug up on our little buddy. Generally, it's bad to antagonize your audience, Mr. Schupper, even though you are under a bit of stress.

Monument Gun Shop Case [KSCourts]
Same [Findlaw]
iLoad whois [Whois]
Parent Company - Wingspan Partners Inc [Wingspan]

UPDATE - Sent him a quick reply with some of the above links and got this:

And how do you relate that with the subject matter? I don't want to enter a dialog with you. As I said before, don't reply. Just consider what I had to say and your own reasons for being very negative without credentials that support such observations

Try and find something positive to write about. Good day

Please do not reply further