Open letter about "newcomers" v. "old timers&

[Andy Illes]

Hi all.  This my my response to Bob (Junebob) under the "safety lights" post, where he took critical offense at some issues.  Please read that thread to understand this.


Bob.... I'm truly sorry you take offense, nobody intended that.  However, Horst is absolutely right... the kind of banter you're seeing is just how it is "these days".  Times do change, Bob, and things do evolve.  Our forums are just keeping up with the times and being used in the exact way other similar small-community forums are.

Most of you Cal folks can get together at meets and get to know each other and do your "BS-ing" in person... while geography denies others of us that socialization.  These forums substitute for that opportunity, which certainly seems to be one of the benefits the forums SHOULD provide.  I think even you would admit that NO post has been offensive in ANY sense of the term.... other than it's just different from what you seem to have been used to "before".

All of us owe a huge debt of gratitude to ALL of you "old timers" for what you have done... from forming the ACOC itself, to the newsletters, to the forums, to Mel's store.... all of it.  Thank you!!  I also have to mention that all of our "officials" do a great job considering their volunteer status.

Speaking of Mel, the ONLY problem is the horse-and-buggy snail-mail process of mailing a check, etc.  I would gladly offer to arrange a PayPal account for the Club, AND pay the fee, to enable phone/email/online payment and ordering.  Though I've bought everything possible through the "store"... do you REALLY want to wait several weeks for something you'd like to do this weekend?  It's just another thing that needs to "change with the times".  By the way, a PayPal account for dues and sales would GREATLY ease bookeeping for Wiletta.

Best regards to ALL, Andy

[Rodney]

Those are some good ideas Andy and I tend to agree.
In other boards I visit often when there is a problem with posts that are in question the moderator takes care of the off subject or bad post very quickly{with in hours}.
This is why I guess when we get off base a little it must have been OK,
we were always friendly and exchanging in ideas and well.. just having a conversation, I didn't realize we were to follow some sort of Roberts Rules of Order of this message board :shock:
After the flame job in a few posts as to our out of orderness I have seen a decline in the posts here :cry: This may only be coincidence or came about from the negative posts of our rambling on I don't know for others but I sure know that I haven't visited or wanted to post much more here for fear of upsetting anyone for not doing it right :?
I feel that the negative posts I have seen in the past few weeks could have been sent in a private message to the people in question of doing something wrong.
Letting others that visit our site and people who are members don't really need to see the ugly side of some peoples opinions.
If we are one happy family lets keep it that way.  :wink:
BTW: this thread may fit better in the NEW general forum that was created for us to use. again the moderators in the other sites would gracesiously move threads to there appropriate place without offending any and move on.
Take care all.

[terry and karen conkle]

Above the little blue box's it says Communicate with other American Clipper owners-------


 Do you think that guy in England still has his Clipper, and that old car in the picture? I think it may date back to the 80's.

[junebob]

:oops: Fellow clipper owners. This is Bob as in June Bob.  In my enterest in acquanting all members with the gold mine of information in past news letters as well as on this great web site. Let me explain . No!! this is not an excuse, its entended more along the lines of an explanation and an apology.    It appears to me (as in the past ) that practically no one seems to use the information already provided either in print or as web postings. And if its happened to a Clipper ,it's in there ,believe me. I guess my only excuse would be age, patience and tolorance, or the lack of the last two. I see the entries to the news letter and the club in general in great decline from what it was in the Dr. Bob era. In my opinion this is due largely to the every one for them selves attitude that seems to be nearer the norm than what it was in earlier times. Yes I agree ,it's often that this we "need a part this week end" or now, has taken over.  Which when you get right down to it is not in keeping with the mode of operation that has kept our club viable  the last 22 +years. I am no longer in the trenches as a club volunteer or club officer. If the current leaders want to  change the flow and method of the operation ,then so be it. I personaly am of the attitude that it wasn't broke, so don't fix it. I wonder if  the recent  decline in service  and information from our officers and particularly  from our Clipper supplies is because the supply officer just doesn't want to do it ,or more likely an increased lack of support from the member ship. Which ever it is, is unfortunate for our club.  So if I am crochety and opinionated beyond tolerance. Let me say I have always had that flaw, its just worse now that I'm such an old fart And I apologize to any one I have offended. Bob Chaney :shock:

[Andy Illes]

Bob.... no offense, but I'm not real sure what you're trying to say.

But whatever it is... nothing for you to apologize for.... you voiced an opinion.... others voiced theirs.    Friends???   :lol:

[Rodney]

This  is my take on what has gone on with us ding a lings over the past few months. I enjoy BS'n with some new friends I met even if only in cyber space and I think others enjoy the bs'n also. We seemed to have been in a class room with no teacher to tell us to sit down and pay attention to the subject  we are on. so along with some good advice we got off on to other things. That's kind of how it goes sometimes isn't it? One though or idea leads to another and another  and before you know it ya don't even  remember where we started.  Without some kind of  forum leadership in the way of moderators or guides this is going to happen. IMO the ACOC forum is doing pretty good without having a teacher in the room. If this site got a huge amount of traffic it could be a lot worse for sure. the club it seems uses some {OR ALL} of the theads in the news letter and when the subjects in the threads strayed it cluttered up the thread with to much BS.
To be honest I was surprized to see some of my posts printed in the news letter and mailed :shock:
Well now we have a place to do discuss misc. topics that may not be worthy of printing on Toilet paper let alone for a news letter.
I have found and am guilty myself when I want to find something out I want a personal interaction with someone else even tho I can find it in a manual or to search for it wheather it be on google, manuals, books or in this case searching the threads already posted. there are really only so many things to go wrong with these machines and after a while it will all be said. Well then what we post no more?
That would not be good would it  :cry:
we need the interation with others that have the same interests and want to share. I myself don't mind going over a subject with someone even tho it has already been said if it gives them the confidence to get a problem solved.
That's my opnion and I am sticking to it  :wink:
well maybe :lol:
Cheers