Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

Because my time is mine to choose what to do withm and I refuse to waste any of it helping out such scum.

flawedexistence

My Feedback: (1)

[>:]Well, I might as well kick in on this one. The problem with the DVD mailing is that it was not solicited by the membership. Even worse, unless one reads the literature carefully, you may think that you are under some obligation to pay for it or return it. There is absolutely no reason for me to waste any of my time responding inany way to this type of attempted scam. It is dishonest and disingenuous. For my part, I sent the AMA an e-mail stating my feelings about the entire matter and threatening to cancel my membership if I received any more unsolicited merchandise. I received a reply with an apology and encouragement to continue to contact them with my concerns. Their interest in my opinion seemed genuine. SO.........If you hated the whole cruddy situation, my suggestion is to let AMA know about it in no uncertain terms!

Chad Bisbing

AMA# 357802

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Most of you sound like whinners except for SkyDancer who completely misses the point that the AMA didn't spend money on this one and Gordon (who is in ex-moderator overload mode) who spent more time logging on to write the post than it would take to send the thing back.

The vocal minority here really skews the perception of what the rest of the membership feels about the AMA. Most join because they have to and don't give it much more thought as proven by the reapeated election of incumbent candidates. Whine all you want here but it doesn't change the big picture.

sky_dancer

Um excuse me.... last I checked U.S. postage is measured in good old U.S. dollars. How can they have not spent any money when it cost postage to send them out and postage on the return cartons? I don't think they will get 9.00 from enough people to cover their cost.
I suppose the folks that produced it for them just did it out of the goodness of their hearts as well.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

You wrote, "Sugarcoat it any way you want but that's your and my dues money they are spending!" How is it our money if a marketing company is paying for it and AMA get's a percentage it it is profitable? I think you miss the whole idea here, maybe Billy Hell can explain it to you.

sky_dancer

Well gee whiz...I guess everyone just works for free! If that thing clears a profit, it will be a sad statement indeed. Keep kidding yourself if you wish, in the end, there's a cost to the AMA membership passed along somewhere.
In the end I don't really care, I just joined the AMA because I had to so I could fly at my field. I consider it a necessary evil much like the ARRL. I don't agree with everything they do either. At least the ARRL is doing something constructive with my money like fighting BPL.
BTW, the only thing Billy has ever explained to me is there's a lot more to this hobby than flying in circles and that it can be fun if you don't let all the crusty old guys who are afraid of anything new and exciting ruin it for you. The rest of my opinions I form on my own like most other intelligent people in this world. Too bad we have so many in the AMA who don't think outside the box and are content with the status quo.
73,
Michael, W4HIJ

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

My 2 cent's here, I did not ask for it, however I did enjoy it and I kept it. Volume 2 arrived the other day and I have to admit that this CD has some of the best flying I have ever seen on it and it is all from recent, as in 2005 events. As I said, just my thought's. Thanks Dave

Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

Well, as I already pointed out above "my time is mine to choose what to do with". So, if I choose to use it disparaging what I consider to be an extremely ill-considered project, rather than advocating helping the scum out by sending their junk back to them so that they can p*ss someone else off with it... then that is my prerogative.

I don't spend any time logging on at all... theres this concept called a "cookie" which handles such tasks automatically so that I don't have to log on.

BTW - since you're whining about other people whining ... does that make you a meta-whiner ? [sm=rolleyes.gif] .. .or just a hypocrite ?

Gordon

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

I re-read my post, I don't think it's really whiny. You also really seem to be enjoying your less inhibited posts since you became one of the regulars.

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

I re-recorded the disk with some rilly exotic goat porn and then returned it, so when they re-send it to somebody else, boy, will THEY get a surprise!

sky_dancer

Ummm.... I wasn't talking about thinking quite that far out of the box!!! Seeeing there's someone else here that at least has a sense of humor is good. Bye guys... have fun, got a floatplane to finish and I need to patch up my foamy and practice my 3D.
Regards,
Michael

dicknadine

I agree 10000% with you. the complete fiasco is a flop to us old timers. would suggest that you veiw some of the CD's that that the young people spend BIG $$$ for. this CD is on par with them and probably is a big hit with that age group. to the majority of us OLD timers its a fiasco. look at a lot of the ads in M.A., most are geared to the younsters, Not us oldtimers.. however, I believe we still make up a heavy perecentage of the membership. could be wrong again, tho. dick, 81 years young.

Stripes

My Feedback: (19)

If I had gotten that one I might actually have gone ahead and paid for it.

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

These goats were NOT coerced in any way. As a matter of fact, some were even enthusiastic.
I don't see why AMA has to LIMIT themselves to selling model airplane videos.

Why not cooking videos?
Why not car wax?
But WAIT...if you order NOW, there's MORE!
You will ALSO get this electromatic tomato dicer!
Only THREE easy payments of $9.95!

You know what? I understand the need to marketing stuff to the membership to increase revenue. Most similar organizations do it.
But this was totally AMATEUR. Chintzy. Cheesy. Lousy. And probably not very profitable, if at all. And you can GUARANTEE that the direct marketing firm that did this is going to sell your name a thousand times over, in spite of their promises to AMA. So look for MORE junk mail unrelated to AMA.

Is this the end of the world? No.
You can either do nothing at all, just throw out the DVD and letter, or you can just put the DVD back in the envelope and send it back. If THAT is too much effort, here, let me help. I will donate the SPIT you need to re-seal the envelope. PTUI! There you go! Just wipe it off the screen and put it on the gummy flap.
Funny thing is, I did not get one of these videos. Maybe I am just so tight with the old boy network in muncie that they took me off the list?

Jimmy Bananas

My Feedback: (13)

Correct me if I'm wrong..Wasn't here something printed that said "You are under no obligation to do anything"?..Beleive it was in bold letters. This was on the card I got asking to send $ 9.00 or the video back..I sent it back,no problem..I suppose the people that won't send it back, better check your AMA dues in October or November..Am sure you'll find a $ 9.00 increase..

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

No, you won't find a $9 increase. Good Lord!

AirBearMA

My Feedback: (1)

I was cleaning the fridge when I got my 4th piece of spam from the AMA. I decided to mail them their piece of garbage. Oooops, I sent them the garbage from the fridge...lol

fly109

My Feedback: (1)

As best I can tell, I probably thru away the DVD along with countless other Spam mailings that come in everyday mail. Not until I received (I think) the 3rd mailing did I begin to try to find out what was sent. Since then I have been reading up on this new venture. My questions will be, (I am writing a letter to the AMA now) why is the AMA “hooking up� with some anonymous outside company in such a venture rather than just telling the membership it needs to raise its dues? I for one am willing to pay whatever it costs for AMA membership, just tell me. But a scheme such as this seems beneath the organization and only serves to further the distance between members and the leadership. My opinion is that the AMA needs to understand that it is not in the business of promoting modeling; modelers do that.

I don’t know of anyone, who knew nothing about model airplanes, but learns about the AMA first. In my, and most other modelers’ (that I know) experience, it was just the opposite: First we see a model flying or at a hobby store. Sometime after our first purchase is made and we show up at a local field, a person walks up asks if we are “AMA�. This is how it happened to me. I expect for those of you who don’t have private flying sites that your experience was the same. So my point is this – why is the AMA trying to sell modeling to its own members? How does that promote modeling? We’re already sold on the product (membership), so what’s the point! Just cut to the chase and save a lot of headache – raise the dues – it’s a sure thing. You don’t have to keep sending out misleading and cleverly disguised requests to pay for something that apparently know one knew about or asked for. I think this further hurts the image of the AMA to its membership. I am sending the letter I am writing with a request to take me off the list . . . along with a check for the nine dollars, if they want the DVD back its at a landfill.

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Yes, that's the answer, just raise the dues. You obviously have your finger on the pulse of the membership! Why not make the check for $109 or $1009, it's tax deductable.

fly109

My Feedback: (1)

BasinBum,

Are you serious? I think you missed my point. If they need something just ask, like they have in the past. I for one find it insulting that they (the AMA) resorted to such a ridiculous scheme to raise revenue. No need to read between the lines.

Gordon Mc

My Feedback: (11)

If you send them the 9 dollars, then they will send you the next DVD and ask for even more. Keep your money - they are not entitled to it in any way, shape, or form.

EASYTIGER

My Feedback: (119)

I THINK he point was that while you and I may not care about a dues increase($100? Fine by me...), to a large, large portion of the membership, it IS a VERY big deal, the complaining when it went up to $58 was incredible, and I wonder how many members were lost, and whether or not the whole thing was worth it.
All that being said, I agree 100%, this was a total blunder on the part of AMA, total amateur hour marketing effort, it's very dissapointing. I am not against marketing stuff to the membership, but this BS about sending a DVD and then a bill, it reeks of sleaze. Both Ebert and Roper would give it two thumbs down.

bhole74

"You are under no obligation to do anything." (need to add)> "but your MA magazine will stop coming ontime if you don't." I had to call them on my magazine not showing up last month, finally recieved it 2 weeks ago. It seems most of you already have the August issue.? Mine is nowhere in sight. Every since that first "give us money" letter showed up, my mags have been late.

drumbum

My Feedback: (1)

I would have sent mine back but I didnt read the letter untill after the box was thrown away to return it in

the-plumber

Um . . . not to put too fine a point on it, but AMA is actually doing something constructive with your money.

Like, _fighting BPL_.

If you weren't so wrapped around the goofy DVD axle you'd have had time to avail yourself of the various news posts on the AMA web site. You might, for example, have noted the >twenty nine< times AMA has brought BPL to the attention of the members (use the search function to find those at this point in time). You might have read the formal submissions to FCC at each and every point along the way toward the inevitable full FCC blessing of BPL for all and sundry, along with the equally inevitable FCC avoidance of the real issues of BPL.

AMA has most assuredly been as active as possible in representing it's members to the FCC, right beside ARRL who represent their members.

Alas, neither organization has enough money or political clout to stop BPL simply because it's a bad idea implemented badly.

... _._
KA6OLG