2017-04-04:  Ken Bradley's Cartoon Map
			
On the 27th of March, I received an email from the Manson Chamber of Commerce
announcing a meeting scheduled for the morning of the 29th.  An item caught my
attention:  "We'll get a brief overview from Steve Davis on a new valley map
opportunity..."

For the past year or two, Steve Davis has been keeping company with Ken Bradley.
Among other things Steve promoted Bradley's abortive 2016 PirateFest, and
solicited from local businesses donations for Bradley's supposedly charitable
Santa and Reindeer displays.

Given his reputation, it serves Ken Bradley's purposes especially well of late
to have someone front for him; but it is something he has always done.  Before
Davis, a local woman named Beth Bettis as well as Bradley's daughter Maria put
themselves on the line for Bradley.  In years prior, there were numerous others.

I was curious what this "map opportunity" could be.  Fully expecting to learn
about Ken Bradley's latest bid for other people's money, I attended the meeting.

A little background is in order.  Back in 2011, a clever promotional cartoon map
was produced which represented the City of Chelan and the nearby town of Manson.
Local businesses and attractions were represented in caricatures, laid out upon
a roughly-accurate street map as a guide to visitors.  The map exists online and
is still displayed here and there around town.

It goes almost without saying that such promotions are a great idea for any
community such as ours.  Everyone wins if it's done well.  The vacationers and
weekenders who are a staple of the local economy are well-charmed and well-
informed; and participating businesses are well served.

Here's a transcript of Steve's talk to the Manson Chamber:

You had to be there to hear and see the emphasis on that last use of the word
retired.

Now, the fact is that Steve Davis dissembled deliberately and calculatedly when
he sought to imply Bradley's non-involvement.

On one of Davis' printed sheets I saw the web address lakechelanmap.com.  On
visiting the site I found a simple front page with no links to other content.
Prominent at the top of the page was an image of the 2011 cartoon map.  It had
been reduced in size so that details were difficult to resolve, but it was
essentially the 2011 map with some additions that referred to Ken Bradley's
PirateFest.  The footer consisted of an unlinked image identifying the "Lake
Chelan Online Network" and lakechelanonline.com.

"Lake Chelan Online Network LLC" is registered to Ken Bradley and names himself
and Maria Bradley as governors of the entity.  Its business location is Ken
Bradley's home address.  Lakechelanmap.com is registered to Bradley's Lake
Chelan Online entity and uses his PO Box address.  It shares its web server with
Bradley's domains lakechelanonlinenews.com and lakechelanevents.com.  The site's
original appearance bore Mr. Bradley's inimitable style.  "Retired" or not, Ken
Bradley is involved.  Perhaps it should be termed a working retirement.


						
The Artist

A brief search led me to the contact details of the artist who had made the 2011
map.  On Friday, I contacted that individual by phone and inquired as to a
possible promotion underway in Chelan.  Indeed, he said, he had been contacted
by one Brad (no last name given) of the "Lake Chelan Tourism Bureau."

There is no such business entity in existence in any Washington State records.
A similar name was at one time used by some local businesspersons, registered in
2000, but it is now inactive.

Ken Bradley has in the past used the fictional alias "Brad Snow" in his business
dealings.

I was left with no doubt that Ken Bradley had given the artist a false identity
and a nonexistent entity.

I commented on these facts to the artist.  We had a fairly long, friendly and
enlightening conversation, and I learned several things about his business:

 -	The artist usually initiates or participates closely in promotions such as
	the Chelan cartoon map, and he did so back in 2010/11.  He does work with
	some independent promoters who handle the projects largely on their own, and
	contract with him for the artwork.

 -	The usual procedure is for a promoter to approach businesses in the targeted
	city and secure commitments from as many as possible prior to taking payment.
	After the promoter has such commitments and has the artist's approval, the
	artist negotiates a contract with the promoter; who then proceeds to take
	payment and he (or they) go on to manage the numerous details and exchanges
	that are necessary to the project.

 -	The map, as examination shows, contains vast numbers of details about the
	locations, the businesses and often the individual proprietors.  It allows
	for practically anyone to buy in and arrange for all manner of widgets and
	messages to be included.  The caricatures of buildings and people, logos,
	gags and so forth are all based upon loads of interaction with the clientele
	and upon physical observations of buildings and so forth.

 -	The artist's fee is significant.  If inadequate numbers of participants buy
	their places on the map, the promoter could wind up losing money.  The
	artist's fee is nonetheless due and payable.

 -	For obvious reasons, it is unusual for a promoter to extract payment from
	prospective clients prior to establishing a contract with the artist.

We spoke again on Monday morning.  The artist had by then sent Brad(ley) his
proposed contract, including terms that stipulated full payment in advance,
required absolutely no use of copyrighted materials without explicit permission,
established the artist's right and intent to refuse the job if stated conditions
weren't met, and other measures meant to protect the interests and reputations
of the parties involved.  I presume these are the usual arrangements but I think
it's fair to say that the artist felt they should be made known in full detail
immediately because of Bradley's full-steam-ahead approach to the project.

"Brad" has to date not supplied his last name to the artist.

I found the artist likable and communicative.  He was very professional in his
approach.  His whole focus is on making the project succeed if at all possible.


						
Adapt or Perish?

Early this morning, I found the lakechelanmap.com website had undergone radical
change.  It displayed this title on an utterly blank screen:

...which I found amusing because the site's declaration of its own non-existence
was itself a web page on the site:

Ego sum ergo sum negata.  I am, therefore I am denial.

Was this because of the artist's copyright warning?

Evidently not.  By late evening it looked like this:


On the evidence of the website, I presume Bradley's and Davis' map promotions
are going to continue.

Mr. Bradley might seek to meet the conditions of the proposed contract.  But
it's my impression that he may find that difficult.  Too many local business
owners are unwilling to place their faith in him.  As a consequence, I suspect
he may find himself in search of another artist if he is determined to go on.

To those who have not yet written checks to the promoters but are interested in
the project, I suggest making an agreement to pay as and when the project
proves itself viable and the artist is contracted. 

The cartoon map remains a fine concept.  Particularly so, in my opinion, if it
were executed as an interactive digital contrivance; which would allow for all
sorts of possibilities.  Perhaps someone will come along who is capable of
carrying it off.  Someone, for instance, who won't lie to people about his
identity.


notkenbradley@gmail.com