On Oct 9, 2005, at 5:53 AM, Mike Sawyer wrote:
> I hate like heck being a 'pestimist', (as my father-in-law says), but I
> haven't known the ARRggghhhL to take kindly to suggestions, critiques,
> or
> criticisms.
Indeed, Mike. When I was writing magazine articles for them, it was a
semi-constant battle to see to it that their changes did not introduce
a text error or diagram error that wasn't there in the manuscript. It
seemed as if some of their copy-editors (other than Rus Healy and Dave
Newkirk) felt they needed to assert themselves by making a change.
> Their surveys that they sent out over the years were discounted
> for what the 'board's direction' is. Recent shenanigans in the Atlantic
> section mangers election reinforce my distrust, and low esteem for the
> (be)League(d).
In 1955, when I was 14, one fateful day when I was riding my bike home
from Woodrow Wilson Junior High School in Oxnard, California, I stopped
by the "C-Street Market" - a mom&pop store that carried QST magazine
and other League publications. I bought a copy of the 1955 Radio
Amateur's Handbook for $3. On page 8, under article 2 of "The Amateurs
Code" I read:
"The Amateur is Loyal . . . . He owes his amateur radio to the
American Radio Relay League and he offers it his unswerving loyalty."
At the time, this struck me as a bit odd since I was pretty sure that
France had amateur radio licenses, and it seemed sort of unlikely that
the ARRL had any control over anything in the land of Pasteur, the
Curies, and Pascal.
During the ensuing half century, I learned that:
1. The motto "Of, by, and for amateur radio" is really Of, by, and for
amateur radio advertisers.
2. The biggest joke in HQ is that the members actually believe they
control the League.
3. The 15 League "Directors" are controlled with "shaking hands money".
4. The PRI controlled Mexico politics for 60-years because the PRI
counted the votes.
> Your mileage may vary.
> Mike(y)
cheers, Mike
> ...
>
Richard L. Measures, AG6K, 805.386.3734. www.somis.org
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