Posted by Bob Read on August 30, 1999 at 09:58:42 in 208.142.225.59:
In Reply to: Positive and Negative posted by Bill Walden on August 30, 1999 at 08:22:04:
Bill:
I agree with you 100%. All I would like to see is a naming of what we already have. I hate make work projects and bureaucracy.
Regards,
Bob Read
: I have just read all the current posts on this idea and want to make a few comments.
: First, Bob R's original proposal (just to come up with a name for something that basically already exists and make Sean the president) appears to have a lot of merit in my opinion. I just want to throw out some words of caution -- anything further is VERY likely to turn into a LOT of work for somebody or bodies! So it should be very carefully thought about.
: I speak from first hand experience as one of the founding members of a motorcycle club in the early 80s (It still exists to this day in San Francisco.) and a president of said club 3 times. Our original idea was very simple (motorcycle enthusiasts, riding, etc.) but as more and more people became involved the club grew into an entirely different animal. We wound up doing things that took an immense amount of manpower, fund-raising, keeping up appearances in the community, we got into legal areas (trying to figure out how to avoid the possibility of law suits - eventually deciding there was no way to do so if someone really wanted to sue) as well as the tax issues (which would have required all kinds of jumping through govm't hoops) which we also eventually decided to ignore (so far successfully for the last 16 years). We never turned into or became a profit-making organization (we did give lots to charities) but we still wound up having to maintain a sizeable treasury with all the associated bookkeeping in order to finance events, etc. I am NOT saying that ANY of these things would necessarily come into play with this proposed organization - but it is fodder for thought and if taken down the path of *official* members & officers, membership kits, *dues* and some of the other things I have read in these messages it is definitely something to take into consideration. Heck, we spent years (literally and still going on) just on things like a constitution! Luckily the motorcycle club has calmed down in recent years (it has also dwindled in size)and gotten closer to the original concept again.
: I guess what I am trying to say and I do NOT want to discourage anyone (I really like the idea of coming up with an umbrella name for the participants here) is that this could take on a life of its own with unexpected results! When you get a bunch of people involved in something like this you can never tell where it will end up. The worst outcome is that it might become a lot less fun for some people over the long term.
: Please do not take me as a negative nay-sayer, if you must consider me a *devil's advocate* - I just want to make sure that everyone is thinking of things from all vantage points. There are a lot of positive things being said and proposed and they all *sound* great. There are also some possible negatives that shouldn't be overlooked or at least should be acknowledged so this concept is approached with open eyes by all concerned!
: Hope I don't piss anyone off as that is NOT my intention! Best wishes to everyone,
: Bill Walden