No he doesn't, and he hasn't learned a damned thing in the past nine years that have passed since he wrote that. He knew everything then as now, ergo it is pointless to listen to anybody else.

From that DB column: "I am not sure that the average member the AMA today is concerned about the growth of the hobby. In fact, I am reasonably sure he or she doesn't care."

I cared then and I care now about the growth of the hobby. I want it to be thriving and accessible when my grandson is ready, and for his siblings, children and grandchildren to follow. Back then I cared about the growth of AMA, because growth of the hobby seemed to be vested in AMA. Now, the hobby is growing despite AMA, and its hardheaded, unwavering MO to exact homage from potential modelers (and AMA members) before granting them an opportunity to try it out. I'm encouraged about the growth and future of the hobby now, thanks to park fliers and the new breed of suppliers that support them, much moreso than I was when DB wrote that column. In the intervening years the only thing of any substance AMA has done to get out of the way of members that are concerned about bringing new members into the chartered clubs ala the AMA model are recent efforts by Dave Mathewson and whomever lends him support to mold the Intro Pilot program into something viable. Whether or not it will produce any results remains to be seen. The GOB's are staying the course of keeping AMA exclusive and monkey wrenching that effort whenever they can, e.g., the crap about charging clubs a fee per Intro Pilot enrolled. Not that five or ten bucks per head is a great sum, but the notion of clubs having to pay AMA for the privilege of recruiting AMA members is rude, to use a euphemism that doesn't adequately express my low opinion of it, but might pass muster with Bubba.

Abel