Going forward?

[Stuart Johnson]

Administrator, Moderator, Webmaster

First off before you ban me I'm trying to be positive.

Is Al correct in his definition of how the forums runs? Is there no way for members to formally appeal decisions that might be well meant but seem to be more as an Idi Amin type dictatorship than a benevolent one? I understand your jobs are hard so my question is at what point is there anything that can be done when it appears there has been a movement from neutral to over the line?

If the roles the three of you play are to be absolute "dictators" and approved by the BOD then so be it. Although I would like to see a public acknowledgment of this from Tom. At this point the BOD has the complete say and any dissent will need to be handled on other boards.

 

[Marvin Hasenak]

Charles,

The forum is run by the forum moderators.

It is like many activities that the AAW undertakes. Steve and maybe a few others had this idea for a forum. They presented it to the board with a promise to run it. The board approved it.

The board can pull the plug by turning off the site or turning off sub forums.

The board trusts the moderators to run the forum.
The moderators are volunteers spending countless hours working for the AAW providing the service.

Other examples of activities members have produced recently are
On-line Journals proposed by John Hill and Ed Davidson
Youth program at the symposium - Bonnie Klein and Nick Cook
youth program on the web - DaveBowers

-Al

Maybe some of these issues need to be addressed in updates the same as the bylaws, bring the power back to the membership. Just because the members elect them does make their actions always the correct.

 

[Ed Davidson]

At this point, since Steve has retired, the forum is run by John and Kurt - full stop. I act as advisor and interface with the St Paul office and Board as needed - for example, if money is needed for some forum function, then I will generally be the front guy to go get it. Historically, the Board, its committees and the St Paul office staff (that’s about 50-60 people) have always been hands off the forum. So it is in fact a benevolent dictatorship. And the mods do have the final word. I suppose that the Board, ED or a committee chairperson could step in and ask us to do something different, or overrule a decision, but that has never happened.

As a point of reference, Steve and I were holding our collective breaths when Malcolm Tibbetts posted his 6/22 message that started all the public uproar – we had decided to let it run, based on the notion that Malcolm was actually in the room and had an important 1st hand perspective – the call from the Board to pull Malcolm’s message never came, so the non-interference precedence has been maintained throughout this entire episode. Now, if some of you would like to change any of this process, by all means – send your recommendations to the Board, the ByLaws committee or whomever else you feel might be willing to take the ball and run with it. But Al is correct in saying that the way AAW works is - if you really want something done, you have to take ownership and go to work to not only make it happen, but also to maintain it.

 

[hockenbery]

I heard a very old saying the other day.

If you shoot the mules you have to pull the wagon yourself.

We ought to be thankful we have three members willing to give their time to run the forum.

We should also be thankful for the nine people willing to give their time to serve us on the board.

we should thank the 8 folks willing to re-write the bylaws.

If any of you all want to make something happen make a proposal to the board. Proposal that don't cost anything and come with staff have a good chance.

-Al

 

[Stuart Johnson]

Al, being thankful and agreeing with them isn't the same thing. I wouldn't care to devote as much time as they seem to spend. I also know I'm not qualified for several of the positions. I question the qualifications as well for several of those you mentioned but at least right or wrong they are willing to try.

 

[Owen Lowe]

...being thankful and agreeing with them isn't the same thing ... I question the qualifications as well for several of those you mentioned but at least right or wrong they are willing to try.

Stuart, agreeing with their decisions and questioning their qualifications aren't the same thing either.

What qualifications do you see as are necessary to serve on the board? I would suggest the only qualifications necessary are: some basic business sense, dedication to furthering the AAW, substantial amounts of time, and an openness to grow new branches on the organization's tree.

I think these qualities have been met with every board in our history.

 

[Mark Mandell]

Stuart, agreeing with their decisions and questioning their qualifications aren't the same thing either.

What qualifications do you see as are necessary to serve on the board? I would suggest the only qualifications necessary are: some basic business sense, dedication to furthering the AAW, substantial amounts of time, and an openness to grow new branches on the organization's tree.

I think these qualities have been met with every board in our history.

Owen,

While I hate lists because they always leave something out, and it may seem obvious because turners are generally a trusting group, lets include "not a convicted felon" and "not bounced from some other organization for dishonesty" in the qualifications list. I think IRS might have a few issues with our tax exempt status with those sorts on the Board. I'm all for rehabilitation and giving people a second chance, but I won't speak for some auditor from Treasury doing colonoscopies on our people.

 

[Stuart Johnson]

Owen, I would like to answer your question but I'm afraid I would end up being direct and using words like ethics, morality and honesty (not in a legal sense) and would be banned. As a result you will need to take my statement at it's face value.

 

[John Van Domelen]

@Mark

Thanks for that... there's an image I could have lived the rest of my life without...

 

[Mark Mandell]

@Mark

Thanks for that... there's an image I could have lived the rest of my life without...

John, If we ever meet, remind me to tell you about "Grampa, his Lawyer, and the Taxman"

 

[Ed Davidson]

@Mark

Thanks for that... there's an image I could have lived the rest of my life without...

As a young engineer traveling on business for Texas Instruments, along with the group’s senior buyer – the night before, the buyer had gotten really loaded – the next morning while on the plane to our next destination, he threw-up in the plane’s toilet. And of course, he wore false teeth - they went down the jonnie with his breakfast. We were late to the day’s meeting, as we waited for airline staff to retrieve the lost choppers.

That image has stuck with me for the past 30 years, and now it is yours to enjoy...

 

[John Van Domelen]

Someone... (looks in Steve's general direction) failed to mention certain hazards of taking this post...

 

[George Guadiane]

As a young engineer traveling on business for Texas Instruments, along with the group’s senior buyer – the night before, the buyer had gotten really loaded – the next morning while on the plane to our next destination, he threw-up in the plane’s toilet. And of course, he wore false teeth - that went down the jonnie with his breakfast. We were late to the day’s meeting, as we waited for airline staff to retrieve the lost choppers.

That image has stuck with me for the past 30 years, and now it is yours to enjoy...

I borrowed my fiancee's Mercury Cougar so that my friends could take me out for my bachelor party. The lead guitar player in my band got so drunk I had to drive...
I looked over at him, only a couple of blocks from my house (where his car was).
He had a rather wild look in his eyes and a little piece of his chicken dinner sticking out of his mouth... I rolled down his electric window and yelled "OUT THE WINDOW, OUT THE WINDOW...

He opened the glove compartment - I'm sure it still smells bad.

Anyone else?

 

[Jamie Donaldson]

OK you clowns...

..TOO MUCH INFORMATION!!!