Radio Free Registry

[S.J.Szabo]

[S.J.Szabo]

Smoke and Mirrors -Part 23: Decryption; Reading Between the Lines

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Hopefully we can have a good discussion at the open members meeting this coming weekend
Thanks!

_________________
Greg Bryan
356Talk Moderator


Pat, there will be a Trustee meeting on 3/3/14. We should be able to post an update subsequent to that.

........................................Jim.

_________________
Jim Libertyany

[jstenner]

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[MMW]

[bbspdstr]

Jack, Mic, it's so easy to go 'by the book' that it seems like those running the Registry just don't wanna. Just stubborn? Ignoring legal mandates is the 'better' way to steer the club? Sucking the 'fun' out of the 356 experience will build confidence and lure new members? Ignoring simple honest questions from members makes for an air of confidence? What are they thinking?

Those 'in charge' are attempting to will their way out of the quicksand they have found themselves in instead of calling for a rope to be thrown their way by members and then saying "Thank you all."

There are more and more 356 enthusiasts noticing all this and becoming more and more concerned. Imagine, I do NOT instigate Registry politics, policies or perceived problems anymore, those who call ME do.

I got a phone call yesterday from a Southern gentleman and after general pleasantries and car talk about his 356, he turned the conversation to 1) the upcoming ECHoliday, 2)worries about the outcome of The Lawsuit hurting the club (and magazine)and 3) his friend, George Dunn. My comment was that George was my friend, too, and he'd land on his feet no matter.....but then we agreed on a number of items of concern and agreed that it was odd for George to be counter to those now well-worn issues.

Recently, other 356er friends asked for a collective summary of those issues as I see them. Pretty basic stuff like other clubs and organizations have and use. Here is what I emailed back off the top of my head, and it doesn't take lawyers to fix this stuff, or at least it shouldn't:
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"I'd recommend having a list of changes needed to get the 'club' up to legal and societal standards, made public;

• Filings done timely. It is a business representing over 7000 owners (not employees), run it like that!
• Have clear and factual detailed financial records with easy access.
• How much is paid for what BY the business IS the business of any interested member/shareholder.
• If there are no viewable records, start now in keeping them and show what you DO have.
• Advertize the protocol for trustee reimbursement in all areas, officers, too.
• Define the club's way of matching the IRS rules for a 501C7 and if any are amiss, fix them now.
• Make all changes needed to the bylaws and include the missing member redress procedures and trustee replacement conditions and procedures.
• Instigate term limits. Discuss a 'mentoring' process with younger members
• Online access for agendas and minutes. Discuss online newsletters as an optional way of distribution, especially for foreign members. (Possibly enhance membership roles and cut costs).
• Two face-to-face meetings a year, the rest via video conference (conserve money)
• Absolutely objective third-party ballot-counting.

There may be more I can't think of now, so chime in."
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In the meantime, it's good to be informed but stand back and let those like Jim Liberty write lines that are so easy to read between. It's great to have Justin's patience for this Registry debacle and I can only hope this site continues to grow in both content and acceptance world-wide.

-Bruce

[S.J.Szabo]

Lost in translationanythingTheir perks, Their prestige, Their power, Their publishing business, Their Clubpretenseappearanceillusion

[neilbardsley]

As an outsider, although I am a member of the register, I can only think that nothing good will come out of this legal action for either side. There seems to be years of bad blood being played out in a court room via expensive actors. Anyway enough on that from me.

"Also discussed was the option to open the forum to nonmembers and the reasons for not doing so were explained again, as they have been on this forum. Also, they wish to have our magazine remain the central focus of the club and that it's cost of publication, $270,000 per year, is a major commitment to do so."

This I don't understand. Maybe at 44 I'm a younger registry member and with a computing background I prefer online. However, the most valuable source of the registry are the forums for me. My interest in the mag is very low, again maybe I'm on my own on this regard. Since most of the costs are printing and mailing put it online. Then have a different membership level if you want a printed mag. However, it doesn't seem like it's been seriously discussed by the committee.

[bbspdstr]

Excellence writing Mr. Szabo, regardless of topic, your wordsmithing is always impressive and appreciated.

"Stay tuned, while the band plays on." This reminds me of the Titanic, of course, but the other 'club' is different. Allegorically, while the same old band plays the same old tune with slightly changed lyrics now and again on the ship of Ohioan registry and it may have collided with the Heinrichs Iceberg, the passenger manifest keeps changing.

In a peek over on the other site, I noted that what appeared to be majority of posters whose names I had not seen before. Certainly, as here, there were the same old names associated with certain topics, but a cycling of posters keeps humming along to the same tunes of the same old (key word) 8-piece band like they were 7 of the top-40 hits from 1975.

It's sad that for some reason more folks than should do fear to post here or don't know to post here. Those who dare and care to post here and do know others who could, should throw a life ring to them and suggest they do swim over and climb aboard here.

There is no dress code, the ship is newer and the price is better. The tunes played are up to you, so BYOB and invite more enthusiasts to join us on this party boat!

[bbspdstr]

Neil, you posted while I composed...but you make a very valid point...no, make that plural....points.

It's been posted many times here and there that an online option would round out the offering of the Registry to bridge magazine and Forum. The editor/officer of the Registry posts a short 'update' e-blast now, between the 6-or-so magazines he publishes per year. Who knows where that could lead....

Personally, I feel that the club demographics would show that it's too soon to eliminate hard-copy from the primary presentation. Too many long-time members would need to buy 'devises' and Internet access and get grandkids to show them how to use that 'stuff.' It should also be recognized while entering this conversation that the club IS the magazine.

Let it be known here that I would still get the magazine if the 'club' were dropped and the subscription rate at market price. (That was for you, Gordon )

Neil, what solution would you suggest to be fair for opening the Forums? For instance, I have suggested that the financial burden Justin bears for this site should be offset by advertizing. I and many others pay (recently raised) 'dues' to the Registry which ostensibly affords both the site and the print copy of the magazine. What other combinations or options would work?

I happen to feel that forums that are free for some to post and not for others is not fair and that it should be one way or the other.

Here is the 'other' I see. Personally, I have suggested to Justin that a model for his enterprise here might be a middle between Everett's VW site and the Registry. Build this to be the online presence (even with annoying but necessary banner ads and 'donations' or perhaps a modest fee), let the Registry be just what it is; a (then for-profit) magazine subscription, and encourage local 356 groups around the US and the world to design and create their own gatherings. Anywhere, any scope, any size, any format, but real and personal, like the cars themselves.

It would be great to hear what the Internet-gen thinks is the next best step. Hell, the cars this is all about will still be around. It's the rapid passing of time that's not on the enthusiast's side. That seems to be the main rub with the Registry board; no inclusion of thoughts by the inheritors of the passion for the cars in future plans for sharing information and entertainment.

-Bruce Baker
(buying my first 356 at age 19 in 1965.....'do the math' )

[neilbardsley]

I have trouble writing a informed recommendation because I don't know the costs associated with hosting a site. However, I think DDK has the balance about right. Low cost of membership. I think's about $17 a year (dependent on which day you look at the exchange rate) Self moderated by members. Banner advertising.

However, given that I used to do triathlon/duathlon quite a bit I'm still a member of a number of forums. Some with mostly UK membership and some with more US membership which are all free and run completely on advertising. There is certainly a difference in discussion and contribution between the two populations. Shall we politely say that in the US you tend to argue agressively quite a bit more. Perhaps more moderation is needed as views appear to be much more polar with less coming together on common ground.

The classic example of this is a very good web site called slowtwitch.com which we in the UK have renamed slowb*tch.com because of its forums!

[Pat]

SJ -- I read your post this morning and realized how much I missed your thoughtful and and pointed sense of humor! Good to see you posting again. I enjoy your comments a lot and wonder if things in the Registry will ever change (deep down inside, I think not).

Bruce and Neil--those are some really good thoughts. Have you all checked out the efforts for online magazines from http://pitstoppublishing.com/news/ in Australia? There seems to be a real excitement there and I enjoy it.

Justin--just so you will know, when I check on 356 things I read this forum before any others. I used to read the Registry first, but this is so much better and more fun. I used to read the Registry Mag cover to cover--especially back in the Harry Pellow days--it seemed more personal to me then. Not so now. I glance through it and not much do I read.

Bill and Rosemary, Thanks for keeping us up to speed on the issues. The silence from over there is amazing.

[merbesfield]

Guys I hate to say it, but it is pretty obvious that not enough people give a sh*^%t about what is happening at the Registry to make any significant difference. I think it's just old school vs. new school. It is what it is.

[MMW]

Not really looking for an answer but out of the 7300 estimated Registry members how many have actually ever posted about the problems & lawsuit? A very small percentage is my guess. Most likely less than 1 percent. How many actually attend events like the Holidays? 400 or 500 maybe on a good one? That's 5 or 6 percent. How many attended the recent meeting? 31 maybe? That's 1/2 a percent. Pretty sad for a club who bills itself as "the world's largest classic Porsche club".

Mark is right, a minimal amount of members over there care & the rest don't care at all as long as they get their magazine.

Disclaimer - I have never been a member & don't wish to at this time. I just see what I see from the outside looking in.

[Bill Sampson]

Thanks for the kind thoughts Pat.

Mark, I fear you may be correct, but, there are a number of us who do care. I assure you Steve Heinrichs does.

And SJ and Bruce, as always your writing is masterful, to say nothing of humorous where appropriate.

Neil, the impression of some of us is that the magazine is the ONLY focus of the Registry - that publication has been a deservedly nice meal ticket for Gordon Maltby if nothing else although as Pat observes it has become progressively less interesting over the last few years and although Rosemary permits me to read her copy (it IS community property in this state ) I tend only to scan it these days.

Thanks Steve H for putting your time, money, energy where your mouth is. You are correct in your positions. It is solely through your efforts that the trustees have so grudgingly, haltingly and partially permitted the brief peeks under the tent. The club belongs to the members, not to the trustees - the basis of Steve's positions. It will take either wholesale replacement of the trustees as attempted in 2012 by the Open Foursome or a sequence of court orders, unfortunately, to make that "ownership" a reality. It will happen - it will take patience and perseverance. When it happens, the Registry will be a car club its members can enjoy.

Thanks Justin for permitting us this forum. It is a model for a car club even though it isn't a club.

EDIT: Mic, we were composing at the same time. I do appreciate your "outsider" views and note the correct application of arithmetic to what is transpiring. You and I might both conclude the Registry is a for-profit magazine and not a car club as presently constituted. I do anyway.

[Pat]

I know today is only Wednesday, but I didn't fail to notice that the only comments about the members meeting on last Saturday were in response to my query.

There is obviously no sense of urgency on anything when it comes to informing the members about Registry activities and events pertaining to the operations of the club. I think the leadership must actually not want the Registry forum to be too successful or timely as it must be viewed as competition to the magazine.

I also wonder why the magazine can't be almost self supporting with advertising revenue--it appears to me that the Registry mag is not charging adequate rates for advertisements to be self sufficient without dues support.