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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Chris,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I support pattern. However, I refuse to equate
supporting pattern with being a member of the NSRCA. That doesn't mean that I
won't join again, just explaining why I'm hesitant to at this time. I support
pattern by going to my local contests, and some not-so-local contests when I
can. I support pattern by helping out my fellow pilots with advice, coaching,
calling, emergency repairs/parts, whatever I can. I especially look to help the
newcomers and encourage their progress. I'm even looking into having my club
host a contest next year. Pattern is what I do, so please don't try to make it
sound like I don't support it because I haven't renewed my
membership.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I know that the K-Factor starves for content. I
don't hold you accountable for that fact. I have contributed to the K-Factor
before by helping write Bryan Hebert's trim article. I've considered writing
other things as well, just haven't really gotten around to it. My point on the
K-Factor was that the NSRCA is wasting money by making it as long as it is.
Results tables and 3-month old pictures from contests fill space, but ultimately
that's all they do. It's old news.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Keep in mind what I write here is simply my
opinion, and I know many out there disagree with it. I bring these issues
up because so many people leave this sport, or at least the NSRCA, without
ever letting anyone know why. I'm at a point where I'm trying to justify
remaining a member of an organization that really has no apparent benefits to
me. If nothing else, perhaps the leadership can come to a better
understanding of why membership numbers are on the decline.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Matt</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=homeremodeling2003@yahoo.com
href="mailto:homeremodeling2003@yahoo.com">krishlan fitzsimmons</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org
href="mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">General pattern discussion</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, February 02, 2009 1:07
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NSRCA-discussion] Why did
you join the NSRCA?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0>
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<TR>
<TD vAlign=top>Jerry, <BR><BR>Thanks for joining in on this. You have
the best memory of anyone I know when it comes to your memories of
pattern. Good to see them brought out here. I wasn't involved back then
so I have no idea. <BR>And, Jon told me we are staying at your mansion,
not Vics house next weekend. Is this correct. I haven't talked to you
and don't want to impose. <BR><BR>Matt, <BR><BR>You may not support
pattern, and that's fine. To each his own. And if you have opinions,
please tell your district VP and ask him to bring it up in the next
board meeting. Or better yet, come to the nats, and attend the board
meeting. It's quite interesting. I like to call it the" bored" meeting
though.. lol.<BR>And as always, if you want to voice your opinion, and
make it matter, contact an officer of the Nsrca. It's our job to listen
and take it to the "bored" meetings. <BR>Matt, it is to my
unsatisfaction that I am not making the K-factors interesting enough
that that alone doesn't make you want to rejoin. How about submitting
info on your own? Anyone can!!! I'm shocked that someone as vocal as you
(and I don't know you) doesn't rejoin just to support pattern. Heck, I
am an Imac member and I have never flown an Imac flight. But I support
their cause. And don't want to see them fail. <BR><BR>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT face="comic sans ms" color=#0000bf size=3>Chris
</FONT></EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><BR><BR>--- On <B>Sun, 2/1/09, Budd Engineering
<I><jerry@buddengineering.com></I></B> wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid">From:
Budd Engineering <jerry@buddengineering.com><BR>Subject: Re:
[NSRCA-discussion] Why did you join the NSRCA?<BR>To: "General pattern
discussion" <nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org><BR>Date: Sunday,
February 1, 2009, 10:51 PM<BR><BR>
<DIV id=yiv1725581702>
<DIV>
<DIV>On Feb 1, 2009, at 1:11 PM, Matthew Frederick wrote:</DIV><BR
class=Apple-interchange-newline>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
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<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>It may very well be in pattern's interest that
the NSRCA remain healthy, but I am my own driving force. I don't fly
to win the district championship, and I don't attend the Nats at
this point. Before the NSRCA came around, there were still AMA rules
for pattern. Contests were held. I could make an argument that the
NSRCA in it's current form is the reason that
pattern struggles. I'm not saying that, but evidence exists to
support the claim. </FONT></DIV></DIV></SPAN></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I'd be interested in hearing that argument. Really - I
would. I have my own ideas as to what the problem is, but it's
always good to get another opinion.</DIV><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
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<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I tried to go read the history of the NSRCA to
find out exactly what year the organization was formed, but the link
to the NSRCA history article is not working.
</FONT></DIV></DIV></SPAN></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>IIRC it was around 1973. Rhett Miller was the first
president. Long before the fall-off in pattern started. I
joined in ~ 1982 or 83, Larry Ott was president then. The
K-Factor was about 8 half-sized pages written on a typewriter and
copied off on a Xerox machine. What few illustrations it had
were hand drawn. I think dues were $20 or something like that.
I joined because it was the only way to know what was going on
around the country (my phone bills were a lot higher back
them).</DIV><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
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<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>All I know is when I first started in pattern
in 1990, the NSRCA was hardly around, and I frequently attended
contests with 40 - 50 contestants.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT></DIV></DIV></SPAN></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>True enough, the contests were a lot bigger back then. And
then the advent of the turn-around patterns into the AMA
classes occurred (1989). Almost overnight participation
dropped to about half, and it's never recovered from there.
Anybody remember the divide in the membership in the 86-87
timeframe about the AMA classes going turn-around? There was a
guy on the AMA Contest Board from Kansas named Jim Mowrey who was
ready to succeed from the union (and take half the membership with
him) if that happened. I don't know where he disappeared to but
I'm not so sure he wasn't right.</DIV><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><SPAN class=Apple-style-span
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<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>I've been holding my thoughts on this,
but I think it needs to be said: the thought of the AMA allowing the
NSRCA to make changes to schedules or rules without going through
the AMA rules process scares me. Although I have been an NSRCA
member for 2 years, I never once felt that the NSRCA leadership was
really looking out for my interests. If the rules proposal comes up
to allow the NSRCA to have that level of control, I
will vehemently oppose it with the AMA, and encourage all
of my friends to do the same.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Matt</FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></DIV></DIV></SPAN></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Actually, I've been wondering the opposite. What is the
added value in having AMA involved in the process? Or lets put
it another way - do you really need an AMA Sanction to hold
a contest? I submit that if the contest site is at an AMA
charted club field the answer is no, the sanction is of no added
value.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Keith Hoard, here's a good one for you to stir the pot with.
What say you? : )</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Jerry</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><BR class=Apple-interchange-newline>Budd Engineering</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:jerry@buddengineering.com" target=_blank
rel=nofollow>jerry@buddengineering.com</A></DIV>
<DIV><A href="http://www.buddengineering.com" target=_blank
rel=nofollow>http://www.buddengineering.com</A></DIV></DIV></DIV><PRE>_______________________________________________<BR>NSRCA-discussion mailing
list<BR>NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org<BR>http://lists.nsrca.org/mailman/listinfo/nsrca-discussion</PRE></BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><BR>
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