1. I personally think membership is a little more important then the bottom line. Yes make the magazine public but make it a better magazine; a magazine companies would be interested in advertising in. Give members an option for not getting the mag and getting their info through the web site. Being forced to buy the magazine is a sore spot with most members. It is not doubt important to keep the members aprised of activities. Being able to get membership news on the web site at a reduced rate would make a viable alternative to those who don't want the magazine.

2. Distance ourselvs from calace self serving dishonest marketing ploys such as the CD distribution. It strips the Honor from the organization and that doesn't help membership or make friends. We don't have to stoop to what the rest of the world does. Our organization should have more honor then that even if it means a $ or 2 less. Although I think driving away membership is never profitable reguardless of what is made in the short term.

3. Take a more active and visible role in protecting our interest, educating the world and our members to current and upcoming issues. Groups such as AOPA, NRA are constantly laying out their position on issues (to both their members and those in the world who may effect them). The modeling comunty needs better unity and better representation. Representation would help modelers feel the need for membership and would make the group stronger as a whole.

I often feel the AMA is not willing to take a position because they are afraid to offend some one. They hint at their postion buit do not work hard enough to lay it out.

With such great strides in so many facets of modeling from electrics, backyard airplanes, jets, monster airplanes, etc. and with issues such as 9/11, people doing bad or dumb things with models, and with the explosion of UAV's, news reporter extremest, congressmen looking for notches in their record (I saved the world from extremest with model airplanes!), and many many other issues.....

We need representation, and leadership. Our positions will likely push away some modelers but I believe more will flock when we have a backbone.

Gary