Scrumpot 1 #401 January 28, 2008 Good point(s). Anyone here remember Don Jardine, and any of his previous "idea's" / quest? Sheesh - I've now gone and posted TWO whole posts here, in what... 2-3 years? Neither of them with either bolds or underlines though. Hey Billvon... whaddaya think about THAT? (oops, broke my streak ) -Grant coitus non circum - Moab Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strop45 0 #402 January 28, 2008 QuotePost on DZ.com? - Nope. Not any more. Haven't probably in @ several seasons now....... Sheesh - I've now gone and posted TWO whole posts here, in what... 2-3 years? Actually just under 1 year, how time flies when you are having fun...... http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do%3Dsearch_results%3Bsearch_forum%3Dall%3Bsearch_user_username%3DScrumpot%3Bmh%3D25=Show+user%27s+postsThe difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scrumpot 1 #403 January 28, 2008 Well, when you realize how prolific I used to be - that brief spate again in 2/2007-4/2007 was even in of itself, just a brief anomaly. Don't egg me on, grasshopper! coitus non circum - Moab Stone Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gary73 8 #404 February 7, 2008 Okay, so I e-mailed the entire BOD to ask what this and the other agenda items were about. Only Gruwell, Quaintance, Peek, Dixon, and Goswitz replied. Not a single National Director. (Guess I know who I won't be voting for in a few months.) Most of the RDs who did reply didn't know anything more than the rest of us. Apparently if you're not on the Executive Committee you're not privy to anything important. Is this the way we want our association to be run? I hate to miss a good jumping weekend, but it looks like I need to head down to Orlando for the BOD meeting and see these folks face to face. I don't expect to change any of their minds, but sometimes you have to speak up anyway. Anybody else? "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #405 February 7, 2008 A couple friends of mine are going. I wish I was going too. One of them is at least going to keep me posted via text messages. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #406 February 7, 2008 Check the thread in Events & Places. A few of us will be there (though depending on when this discussion takes place I may miss the drama ... and it may be in a closed session anyway). But I made my reservations long before this; the whole point of this trip for me is to put myself in touch with what's going on with the governing body of USPA... I can't claim that "USPA board is out of touch with the jumpers" when I've made no attempt to be involved, either."There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #407 February 7, 2008 Quote Only Gruwell, Quaintance, Peek, Dixon, and Goswitz replied. Not a single National Director. And your surprised by this? I mean come on Gary you been around the sport awhile and should know by now how the game is played.you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gary73 8 #408 February 7, 2008 QuoteAnd your surprised by this? I mean come on Gary you been around the sport awhile and should know by now how the game is played. Yeah, actually I was a little surprised. I was hoping for better from fellow skydivers. Small update: I just got a PM from Jan indicating that she didn't get my e-mail. Could be true of other Directors, also. As for how the game is played, I got a taste of student government back in college, and haven't been tempted to get involved since then. Like most folks, I'm content to let those who have a desire to do such things do them, as long as things don't get too messed up. Well, things have gotten pretty messed up, so I'm about to go to my first BOD meeting in twenty years of USPA membership. And on a weekend when the weather's supposed to be good here. Bastards. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chriswelker 0 #409 February 7, 2008 QuoteWell, things have gotten pretty messed up, so I'm about to go to my first BOD meeting in twenty years of USPA membership. When you see Glennduh Bangsus or Ed Scott ask them why Chris Needles retired. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #410 February 7, 2008 QuoteOnly Gruwell, Quaintance, Peek, Dixon, and Goswitz replied. That's good info right there. Gos is my RD and he's great. I wrote him and he called me directly to trade notes on this one and to help me directly with some other questions about the upcoming meeting. Frankly, he should be a ND. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gary73 8 #411 February 7, 2008 QuoteFrankly, he should be a ND. Theoretically NDs don't have any more power than RDs, but if you've got another qualified, non-DZO candidate for RD up there, then get him/her to run for RD and Goswitz to run for ND. The only way to get rid of the NDs we don't like is to put up candidates we do like and tell the community why. Those of you in the Central region might consider doing the same with Gary Peek. Another update: Got a PM from Todd Spillers saying that he didn't get my e-mail either. I used the e-mail addresses listed on the USPA BOD page and only got one reject back, which I corrected. So what's the deal here? Are these folks using spam blockers which reject legitimate messages? If so, they might want to reconsider that policy. I place a lot of value on responsiveness in a representative, and I suspect that others do, also. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveJack 1 #412 February 7, 2008 Quote Another update: Got a PM from Todd Spillers saying that he didn't get my e-mail either. I used the e-mail addresses listed on the USPA BOD page and only got one reject back, which I corrected. So what's the deal here? Are these folks using spam blockers which reject legitimate messages? If so, they might want to reconsider that policy. I place a lot of value on responsiveness in a representative, and I suspect that others do, also. Earlier in this thread, I believe it was Gary Peek who said the link on USPA.org to send one e-mail to the Full Board had been disabled at some BOD members request. I recently sent an e-mail to each BOD member on a different matter. I fat fingered each e-mail address from the list in Parachutist. Took some time but it worked. I have received acknowledgement or comments from almost every BOD member. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lauraliscious 0 #413 February 7, 2008 Quote As for how the game is played, I got a taste of student government back in college, and haven't been tempted to get involved since then. Like most folks, I'm content to let those who have a desire to do such things do them, as long as things don't get too messed up. Well, things have gotten pretty messed up, so I'm about to go to my first BOD meeting in twenty years of USPA membership. And on a weekend when the weather's supposed to be good here. Bastards. Hey Gary, glad to hear you are going to this! I'll be there too, but like NWFLyer, I had planned on going anyway just to see how this ship is run and to become more involved and educated. Bring your rig, we're planning to sneak off to a DZ in between meetings or something. Enemiga Rodriguez, PMS #369, OrFun #25, Team Dirty Sanchez #116, Pelt Head #29, Muff #4091 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #414 February 7, 2008 Quote Earlier in this thread, I believe it was Gary Peek who said the link on USPA.org to send one e-mail to the Full Board had been disabled at some BOD members request. I recently sent an e-mail to each BOD member on a different matter. I fat fingered each e-mail address from the list in Parachutist. Took some time but it worked. Another way to do it is to go to the USPA "Contacts" page (http://www.uspa.org/contact/bod.htm) and copy/paste each BOD email address into a master list. You still need to do some keyboard work, but your fingers don't need to be quite so fat. Do not, however, expect all the BOD members to respond. In my experience only a few (mostly mentioned earlier in this thread) bother to answer their email. It might be that the USPA listed addresses are old, but each board member should be checking those things and making sure the membership has a current email address.Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gary73 8 #415 February 7, 2008 QuoteAnother way to do it is to go to the USPA "Contacts" page ... Yeah, that's what I did, so the addresses should have been correct. Could be other reasons for not getting a reply, but I think that the main problem is the lack of interest that most NDs have in communicating with their constituents. One more reason for a good housecleaning this Fall! "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gary73 8 #416 February 7, 2008 QuoteI'll be there too, ... I am, of course, always happy to spend time with the most liscious of all the Lauras, but in addition to the general meeting, I want to go to some of the committee meetings and ask questions like: "What's the point of a Group Mamber Program if there's no enforcement of, for example, the Code of Ethics?" and "We trust Coaches to jump with our students, so why don't we trust them to sign A-license-card items?". I also want to get a feel for who I should vote for (or against) this Fall, though I've got some pretty good ideas already. I suspect that that will take up most of the weekend, but if not, yeah let's hit Palatka or maybe St. Mary's on the way back to ATL. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." - Carl Sagan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #417 February 7, 2008 http://www.spottedeagle.com/USPA BOD.htm has all email addresses for the BOD, just copy/paste as a whole. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #418 February 7, 2008 I'm planning to attend meetings all day Friday (to see the full board drama) and attend a few committee meetings and the "lack of quorum" General Membership meeting, and again on Sunday (to see what the committees bring back to the board). Yes, I should be a good member and go to Saturday's meetings too, but fuck, I'm going to be selfish and go out to ZHills because I live in the rainy northwest and haven't jumped since November. Hoping that two days will give me enough of a taste of how it all works to know what my grass roots efforts (and they will be considerable) need to focus on for the rest of the year. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lauraliscious 0 #419 February 7, 2008 Quote I want to go to some of the committee meetings and ask questions like: "What's the point of a Group Mamber Program if there's no enforcement of, for example, the Code of Ethics?" and "We trust Coaches to jump with our students, so why don't we trust them to sign A-license-card items?". I suspect that that will take up most of the weekend, but if not, yeah let's hit Palatka or maybe St. Mary's on the way back to ATL. Yeah, I want to go to some of the committee meetings too, but I don't feel the need to go to ALL of them. Chaoskitty and I are flying to Orlando, so no DZ trip on the way home for us. Those are some great questions Gary, ones that I want answered too, and I know you'll have a bunch more. Hopefully we'll get some good information out of making the trip. Enemiga Rodriguez, PMS #369, OrFun #25, Team Dirty Sanchez #116, Pelt Head #29, Muff #4091 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #420 February 7, 2008 Add John DeSantis to your list of replying on the issue. I e-mailed him on January 17 when this thread was started to ask what he knew about the issue. His reply: "I did not know anything until i got to the BOD meeting. I have no ideal what this impeachment is for." So, another nail in the EC's coffin. They don't communicate such action to the rest of the board and they have to learn about it at the meeting. No prior knowledge allowed? ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chriswelker 0 #421 February 7, 2008 As a previous member of the BOD, I can share with you HOT TIPS of going to a meeting and what committees to sit in on. Executive Committee You may or may not be able to attend because when "personalities" are discssed non-bod members are asked to leave. The EC deals with most of the REAL decisions of running the USPA. Unfortunatly a regular member doesn't carry a lot of weight with the EC. S&T Committee Big committee with lots of work. When you are on this committee you will be busy right util you leave on Sunday. Very good committee to sit in on and you can have input on some of the discussions.S&T and Comp are usually the last ones to report out since they are both the biggest with the most work. Comp. Well if you are a skydiving competitor you might like this committee. If your not a competitor you will be asking why in the hell is our association spending so much time and money for 3% of it's membership.Timber companies have to work fast to keep the comp committee supplied with enough paper to function. Group Membership committee Good one to see why it isn't a good thing to have a GM program. Membership services committee Good one.Unfortunatly a GM DZO is the chair of this committee. The rest really take care of theselves and are just vanilla. Ask questions while you are there and be sure to introduce yourself to your RD. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chriswelker 0 #422 February 7, 2008 QuoteI want to go to some of the committee meetings and ask questions like: "What's the point of a Group Member Program if there's no enforcement of, for example, the Code of Ethics?" and "We trust Coaches to jump with our students, so why don't we trust them to sign A-license-card items?". I suspect that that will take up most of the weekend, but if not, yeah let's hit Palatka or maybe St. Mary's on the way back to ATL. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yeah, I want to go to some of the committee meetings too, but I don't feel the need to go to ALL of them. Chaoskitty and I are flying to Orlando, so no DZ trip on the way home for us. Those are some great questions Gary, ones that I want answered too, and I know you'll have a bunch more. Hopefully we'll get some good information out of making the trip. Maybe while you guys and gals are at the bod meeting you could ask the powers at be why it is a good thing for USPA Individual Members for the USPA to charge non-GM DZ's a "fee" for holding a rating course since that "fee" in most cases is passed on to the USPA Individual Member. Chris Welker From the 2001 Winter BOD Meeting minutes 8. The committee discussed USPA Instructional courses held at a NON GM Drop Zones. Group Membership DZs want that practice to stop. We heard this at the DZO conference and in our committee. The Group Members consider this a benefit for their participation Group Membership program. Our committee and the S.O.A. representatives believe the following motion addresses this issue as a compromise where the Group Membership program and the individual member will be best served. The motion is as follows. Motion 33: Passed 15/4/1 (Mr. Rodriguez) “Any non-Group Member Drop Zone desiring to hold a USPA course will pay to USPA a fee equivalent to the category 3 new Group Member fee for each course, not to affect any currently scheduled or already contracted courses.” E. Group Member Committee Chair Jess Rodriguez Members: Gary Cooper Larry Hill Marty Jones Gary Peek Gene Paul Thacker Advisors: Ed Scott (Staff Director), Tim Butcher & Sherry Butcher (S.O.A.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #423 February 7, 2008 Please send me a pm with a way to contact you via an email or phone. Thanks.you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auburnguy 0 #424 February 7, 2008 Someone needs to take a video camera and tape the events. Should be quite entertaining and extremely educational for those of us that cant be there."If you don't like your job, you don't strike! You just go in every day, and do it really half assed. That's the American way." - Homer Simpson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #425 February 8, 2008 Quote Someone needs to take a video camera and tape the events. Should be quite entertaining and extremely educational for those of us that cant be there. If there's wireless, I plan to at least be posting. Will probably start a new thread with live from USPA updates. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
