solidsurfacealliance.org Blog

At times, one just has to shake their head in wonder. Yesterday, James Gross, Purcasing Manager for G&L Marble, admitted that they knew of the Radon and radiation issue for over a year. That employee has used the screen name of “vrjames” on Gardenweb.com in their kitcen forum for many years. The fact that he was high up in the company was just revealed today because of an astute gardenweb.com reader.

Of course they claim ignorance and say I have been remiss in certain manners, but they lead with this:

“First of all we must admit Al has come up with something. Just exactly what that something is, we do not know yet. He has shown there are “hot spots” in some granite, and it just so happens that one of the stones is from our quarry. ”

“This has taken us by surprise, and I was not convinced Al had anything until I saw his U-tube video a few months ago.”

“Al, what is so very disappointing is that at no time did you approach G&L or Stone Africa regarding the information you discovered. THIS is why everyone is skeptical of your motives. If you really were concerned for the granite consumer, don’t you think you would have made the call?”

End Quote.

Of course the post contains much more, disdain for my methods, claims that there is no credible evidence yet. I’ll let others read for themselves.

A few posts later, “kareninknoxville” is wondering why:

“I hate to be the “doubting Thomas” in this but….why did the purchasing manager from G & L Marble use vrjames’ GW member name? Why not his own?”

“laxsupermom” replies:

“karenfromknoxville, the purchasing manager’s name is James. I’d have to guess he is vrjames.”

Notice that this poster is not 100% supportive of my info, said it felt “spammish”, yet she has no problem with the purchasing manager for a huge natural stone company hiding his association for many, many, years.

James Gross, the G&L Purchasing Manager responded:

“I have been contirbuting on this site for the past 4 years, purely as a personal endeavor to assist with granite installation issues. I have never hid the fact that I work for G&L but I do not lead with the information either.”

I finially added two and two last week when vrjames said we had mentioned his company as having a problem, initially I thought this guy worked for Bedrock international, but my wife provided the clues that proved it was G&L. Another poster didn’t get it either, so this fact was not common knowledge.

“I apologize for being slow and not putting the GW name vrjames and James Gross together. I didn’t know vrjames worked for G & L Marble and that vrjames may be his GW name.”

All of this leads up to some very interesting issues. If G&L’s Purchasing Manager had been not only reading all the information in these debates over several years, but actively attempting to suppress the discussion, why would anyone give him credibility now?

Also, doesn’t this absolutely prove that an employee with specific responsibility for purchasing completely ignored the issue for a very long time? Sure he says the videos convinced him a few months ago, so why did he continue to fight to silence the discussion instead of imeadiately looking into this issue to protect his companies, himself, and his customers?

Instead, I am castigated for not calling G&L, despite this man’s intimate knowledge of everything I had posted for month after month on this isssue. Even Dr. Llope, the Rice Univeristy Physicist, posted many, many, posts that proved the existence of a serious problem.

As you read the thread, you will notice “revans1″ being dismissive of my information, yet there is a story behind that as well. “revans1″ is a guy named Randy, works in the insurance field, down south. Not going to release all the details, but I know exactly who he is.

Randy was one of the more vicious attackers from the last years debates on Gardenweb. During the brawls, he followed me back to thefabricatornetwork.com, a countertop fabricator forum where I posted a lot on these isssues. Randy read everything I had written the past years, would cherry pick sentences in an attempt to discredit me.

Guess what? After I was banned, Randy must have finished reading my posts, because he suddenly apologized for his behaviour, then later said he had become convinced that I was truly searching for the truth of the matters. Randy then became a voice of reason, at times telling former allies to shut up if they couldn’t contribute to the discussion.

Since I was banned on Gardenweb, Randy stood in my place for a few months, actually helping contact posters for more info in some cases. Once I was able to rejoin, Randy was some what distant, always taking a position that made it clear I was not the issue, but that he also didn’t agree with everything I said. Fair enough……

However, the dirty dozen or so on Garden web, all associated with granite in some manner, a kitchen designer who had recomended plenty of it (reputation at stake after arguing last year), stone fabricators, granite tile guys that also installed granite, people who worked for granite companies, even plain old homeowners that either didn’t believe or worse, had huge investments in granite installed in their home, all of thes people continued to hammer any attempt at a civil discussion on the issues. Who wants to find out that their home value just dropped because everyone suddenly found out the truth about granite and Radon/radiation?

So in a twisted attempt to calm the dirty dozen, Randy started with attacks on my methods and info, despite being a supporter and avid reader of my work on Fabnet. I realized he was just using distance to get the others to admit the important points that I was bringing to the discussion, I guess he realized that if the info came from me, the others would dismiss it out of hand. Indeed, he was correct, most of the rabid opponents admited that they would dismiss all info I provided.

To me it was clear at that point that this was ego getting in the way of listening to the truth, that despite Randy’s best efforts, reason would never hold sway. So, tired of Randy’s personal attacks, I outed the guy. No, the dirty dozen wouldn’t care, although they might have turned on Randy, but surely the reasonable readers would figure things out.

And there was a spate of new voices, saying that “That damn Al” wasn’t the issue, that I was far more polite and reasonable than the other side, that I was asking the tough questions that needed answering. But despite the Houston TV story and Dr. Llope vindicating my position, despite the New York Times and CBS news absolutely proving that some granites were radioactive as hell itself, I was banned again after complaints from those who vehemetly shouted down any discussion. Almost every single one of the dirty dozen actively attempted to convince homeowners from testing! Paragraphs after paragraph of postings almost begging the person who was cocerned, even Shivakasi grantie owners (!!!), that testing their granite was handing me a victory!

An absolutely stunning window into the depths the stone industry will go to prevent this subject from resulting in comprehensive testing of granite materials. It also shows an incredible tolerance for the companies selling proven toxic materials, such is the emotional power of the mind, prefering to cling to the waning status symbol that was granite despite scientists and govt agencies warning of potential problems that need addressing.

So now, one who has been labeled as the most knowlegeable on the subject, is prevented from answering questions, despite the many posts the last few days reassuring consumers that their granite is likely safe (while also saying to get it checked just to be sure). The one person that fought tooth and nail against the stone industry has no voice while every other participant in the brawl is allowed to continue spreading the lies, indeed, new stoners are pouring in including the President of the MIA!

Everyone will agree that the MIA couldn’t show up till I was silenced, no one else had the experience, the knowledge, or was deeply involved in the huge but loose alliance of those who put this issue in the national news.

Despite this, there are homeowners in that very thread saying that depending on vauge EPA statements that don’t really vindicate granite is not a good idea. Another poster warns that many lawyers are looking into this and that due dillignece should be done.

No doubt the consumer and I have lost this battle on gardenweb, unless…..

I can convince enough of the readers of this site to register and start asking the questions that need answering.

People, I have spent thousands of hours and thousands of dollars to get this into view. Now I need help. Please do this, if not for me, for those that may have or might be harmed by the radiation/Radon from granite countertops.

We are getting almost 2,000 visitors per day on the Solid Surface Alliance site, despite not being mentioned in any of the national media events. If enough people register outrage on my being banned, or just ask why, then start asking the tough questions themselves, this victory can be reversed.

Go get em!

Thanks,
Al Gerhart.