got a not today from HQ.
they have the by laws revision as ordered in 2013 finished and ready to send to the Leader Members for acceptance.
however, they want us LM folks to approve a quick change to the existing by laws to allow for electronic or fax delivery of the proposed changes to us.
i voted NO.
my feeling is that too many of us just vote ok without reading the changes as it is, and maybe just a few might actually read what they are sent if it is actually sent to them by mail.
what you think, Hoss?

how would faxing not be the same as getting something in the mail? But then again, who faxes? There is a both a cost and time factor in dealing with the old snail mail. Costs money to ship it, time for it to get shipped, and then who pays for return shipping? If it's the LM's, i bet a lot wouldn't spring for it. If it's AMA footing the bill, now you're looking at two charges for the same thing.

If the idea is to cast as broad a net as possible to try to maximize response rates, nothing will touch the base like e-mail. Don't sell the Leader Members short, they don't need paper to force them to read. Heck, some might even think it's another offer for Nationwide insurance and toss it in the bin.

I'm actually glad to see them thinking about being more cost effecien. I'd like to see them take that one step further and have folks be able to opt out of getting the monthly magazine by mail, they could opt for an electronic version instead.

I would have been happy if they just sent by e-mail. Why spend more funds on postage. Cut costs when possible.

Frank

I voted NO also. Not everyone has Email.

CR

I voted yes, but as Charley indicates, some modelers do not have email.....but then again maybe they don't have electricity Ah, the good old days.................................weren't so good after all!!!

What happened to my early response? Of course I am against any form of electronic methods of vote-counting, especially when certain groups do the counts. Look what George Soros did with the presidential election 2+ years ago using his voting machine built in Spain. AMA just counted the EVP vote by using the employees to count the vote. Who's going to challenge the big boys that certainly wanted the incumbent to win. I don't trust anyone in these days of elections. AMA announced the winners a week before the date they set for said announcement. I well remember when I was left off the ballot for my second term. Unfortunately the AMA President, Earl Witt was treated same. Write -in votes were hidden by AMA Staff. Earl came in, found the write -in votes, forced the current Ex. Director to have them counted and I was re-elected by WRITE-IN. Earl just missed by a few votes.
The AMA Hired Staff can do as they darn well please. Since Earl and I left the AMA EX. Council, AMA has, in My Opinion, withered in gross garbage as far as really working for the aero-modeling public. AMA has an opportunity to obtain a world of new prospects, but they simply leave a gross amount of what I consider "garbage" in charge of that which is really needed for moving Model Aviation to the level that is deserved by the sport-hobby, while the membership allows the elected people take away all that is needed, and required.
While membership avoids taking charge, then those in charge will BE IN CHARGE.

I'm certain that I answered Mongo's above question soon after he published it. What happened to it?

At least AMA has given the Leader Members something to consider... to make them feel like they are truly important and are actually doing something. LOL

How about hats, or pins, or gold stars?

True, not everyone has email but those numbers are very low I would assume. So those folks can sent it through the trust worthy postal folks that never loose anything.

I I place my faith in email.


Crash99

Hence the ability to still receive it by mail.

Why would anyone vote NO for this? It allows electronic distribution for those that choose it, snail mail for those that can't or choose not to.

Big cost savings, no down side for those that choose not to use it.

Yep, that would do it! Just like all the numerous and various AMA pins. Have you every seen one on a lapel or cap, etc? What about the lovely little " Member Leader Club" pins that AMA must have sent out several thousands of after they desecrated the LEADER CLUB program. They start it, they confuse it and soon everyone is allowed to be whatever the program started with and then said program dies. The Leader Club was at first a nice thing showing that a club that really worked for betterment could set a level for most clubs to work for. Soon the requirements started being reversed, soon any club could become a Leader, any member could wear the small pin, even though it was/is SMALL. Then Clubs received many pins (always wonder just who in the top levels was making and charging AMA for those things ) and now a "LEADER CLUB" is nothing to rave about. AMA sent bags of them to all the clubs that I am familiar with. IMO: simply more worthless extravaganza.

Yea, what Hoss said. People love hierarchy based SWAG. Heck, a badge is a great way to get respect in this organization...although a lower number on your model trumps badges.

Ah the good 'ol days. That's always a great sentiment to trot out.

But I hear ya on the the whole "the club ain't what it used to be", and "the damn pins were the ruination of a once great fraternal organization" right? Now anyone can be a leader member. LoL, so wrong.

It seems like this is yet another feature of the AMA that doesn't pass your muster, but then again it doesn't appear that ANY part of the AMA is good or worthwhile or meaningful etc etc. I hate to say it but your comments above appear to indicate you are wildly out of touch with the current Leader Club program, or your basing them on limited experiences (hard to tell what "all the clubs" means), or a combo of the two.

Numerous and various pins? Like how many are numerous and various in your book? Can you point them out? We talkin 2, 5, 15....or more like 2-3?

Who in the top level of the AMA is making the pins......really?

porcia83,

Numerous & various pins? I have a few Nats pins & I earned every one of them through volunteer work back when we had a travelling Nats. My wife & I got started working the Nats at Tri-Cities, WA, in 1989. We mainly worked for the Pylon SIG at that Nats.

I know where Hoss is coming from when he decries the "Leader Club" designations earned through the GOB net. A prize unearned has no value. I've been a CD/LM for a lot of years. During that time I've seen a lot of "Leader Member" programs rolled out with great fanfair; only to fall quietly by the wayside later on. It wasn't through lack of participation by the LMs either. So it goes.....

CR

yes, I was asking the question as to exactly how many are numerous and varied. Hoss made it sound like there are so many...so I was wondering exactly how many? That, coupled with the always conspiracy laden comments about AMA, as if someone from the AMA hieracrhy is actually making these pins and is somehow profiting from them, made me wonder.

As for the Leader Member club designation, the prior poster basically diminshed the validity of that, and in effect tried to take away any accomplishment a club had in getting the designation. It's an unfounded, unfair, and presumptuous position to have taken of course. The motivations for that are pretty clear based on the posting history. Post November, anything associated with the AMA seems to be met with absolute scorn. It's devolved to the point of questioning the number of pins people have, and who profits from them. Absolute zero credibility.

I don't presume to look down on any member getting a designation or being rewarded for their accomplishments. Not sure why others do, but can take a guess.

Mr porcia83, yes, I probably am a bit far too overly strong on the AMA. However with so much my doing FOR the AMA, starting in the late '40s through now, and getting the treatment that AMA now gives out to the general membership, I will not apologize simply because I have worked for model aviation since a grade school student.
I organized a Control Line Club and provided a flying site in 1950. Most of my current resume can be found within these RCU forums, but not all.
As far as pins, etc. I don't personally care for them and maybe I am too strong on those that do. OTOH this AM, I have been looking through a lot of AMA stuff. Most of it is very good, however I wonder just how many members bother to even obtain any idea of all the information AMA makes available. Back to the pins I did find a couple "Member Leader Club" pins still in packages. They are so small that I wonder who would ever see them outside of being in a foot or so of the wearer.
I did find another pin that is about the same as a U.S. Quarter (1/32 less in circumference) and it is labeled, "Academy of Model Aeronautics, National Model Aviation Museum." That one I do support. The Museum is one thing that I never say any bad about. It is, IMO, A-OK, All Systems GO!

O/K...we have something to build from...the Museum. I look forward to visiting there someday. Last year my club bought one of the bricks and had one of the oldest members of our club (both in age and membership) name put on it. The woman I dealt with was kind enough to run out and take a pic of it with her cell phone.