2014 Relative USSMA Topics, Updates, Listings, Qualified Pilots....etc.

[Flite-Metal]

Nothing posted within the USSMA site relative to Rosewood, individual qualifier results, even a listing
of pending qualifiers in what appears to be perhaps December 2013 as content deals with results and
postings for last year's Final.

Has Mitch given up editing the web site? Does anyone know the host and authorized user and pass word?
Or is that being held hostage by someone....again?

Right smack dab in the middle of the 2014 qualifiers...silence! What gives??

[rcphotog]

Ed,
I know many who share your concerns but are afraid to speak up or rock the boat. It is very sad how many members have the same concerns and make comments (in private) and also have good ideas for improvements (including constructive criticism) but seem to give up too easily.
I personally know of several who have either joined for the first time or renewed their membership way back last September and at the A.M.A. show but still have not received their membership packet yet. They have nothing to prove their membership except their receipt. These same individuals will not speak up about it and other burning issues for fear of some kind of retaliation. If the USSMA crumbles away, it's everyone's fault.

We had a good run +35 years.
I don't put the blame on the board, I put the blame on all the members for remaining silent. Yes, it is true that this season, the board has been strangly quiet on this website and noone knows what's going on, but it will be our fault too for not offering to help. The Scale Masters is not Curtis,Mike,Randy,Mitch,Jeff,Jeff,Richard...etc
.....it's ALL of US!
The association is only as good as its members. (ALL of its members)
I know that Mitch has recently asked for help to run the website and I have not seen anyone come forward so far. At least not on the forums. I would offer help if I knew code. I'm not experienced in html,bbc,css, and all that stuff or I would help out.
But what I can do is take pictures at our local qualifier and post as many as possible. I can also offer to aide the Contest Director or volunteer to be a standby fill-in judge, score runner, cook, bottle washer, etc.
But seriously,
We all can do a bit more at the local level to improve and strengthen our future potential. If we try our best to make each local event the very best it can be, then we can only get better. Our numbers will grow if each of us does a little more than simply show up and fly. Become a mentor, spokesman at your club for the USSMA,be a liaison at your club's montly meetings actively recruiting, if you crashed your only contest model practicing one week before your qualifier then you can still show up and help out and offer support. Be someone's caller.

These days things are not so sure anymore. It could all disappear without any warning. I don't have all the answers but I try to make a difference where and when I can. I hope this association can survive because I have yet to make my mark.

Ed,
My comments are not directed at you. You just got me going
Regards,
Ken Young

[Flite-Metal]

Ken,

Every six or so years since Harris passed we've seen a repeating cycle. Its always someone else's responsibility, not just their job...regardless of the task. No different than the usual 20/80 issue except the 20 are not equally distributed across the 100 such that nothing beyond the regional qualifier ever gets done, when thought of.

Contrary to the myth "build it and they will come", in our case when they show up you need to share the wealth with those on the other side of the chain link fence...behind you! That is probably the easiest and least expensive activity to achieve as an investment in shared love of compeetitive flying scale modeling.

Thanks for the response to my post. Because I could not compete in the Scale NATs aka USSMA Qualifier, I wanted to see where and when the remaining qualifiers were to occur....Found nothing within the USSMA web site, or lets say it was not found last evening. Thought it strange that the usual calendar was not found....

Ed

[Flite-Metal]

Why is it no one will do anything about the sabotage of this web site and the flow of information to members?

[Mitchell Baker]

What sabotage?  I only have so much time.  No I didn't get the composite list of qualifiers setup cause I just didn't have time. But every qualifier CD is suppose use the form on the front page to submit details for each qualifier in turn it gets posted to the calendar which is also on the front page.  Under the calendar has a list of the upcoming events I believe 6 months in advance. 

As I have said many times, anyone who wants to step up and summit articles, post pic's, help keep track of qualifiers, post scores etc... all they have to do is ask and access will be granted, if needed.. most of the site is pretty open.

Also it helps if you post in a thread that is somewhat close to the topic you are trying to discuss.  Why did you choose to post this in the board which is for discussion about event judging? 

See-ya
Mitch

[Flite-Metal]

Mitch,

If you do not have time to do this that is completely understandable. I am sure the membership has the capability to edit given they are given a password. Does the site "require" code or can it be cut/copy~pasted with information after a table has been justified & defined?

Anyone who has ever worked a site knows it can get out of hand if not groomed on a regular basis, which with something this diverse means once a week for all but in the case of a qualifier's graphics and results. Was a qualifier template ever created so listing could be easily copy pasted from an example? They are all the same except for who, what, where, when, contact email and tele #.

Sounds like this is more an element of information flow or the lack of it. You are having to dog this most important data down on your own? Where's the beef, the muscle, movers and shakers when you need them between banquets?

As for why I posted within this thread topic. This is the 2014 comp season without any 2014 comp season qualifier, nor qualified pilot information within the USSMA web site. Sounds like the cure is dividing the geography up then receiving regional reports from... Listing of officers is really short...sorry, that's someone else's job!

Who's job is it to get newbees their name tags, and etc? Ground pounder sounds are awfully loud that they are not receiving them. Who should be contacted about USSMA's single most valuable asset? Who's sole responsibility is it to distribute the bling? Nothing like joining an organization with an automated membership...

[Roly]

Hello All,

Thought I would put my 2 bits worth in.
Interesting discussion. Might get some help with the website by taking what we have to a good provider like "Weebly" and ask them to do the work to make it very close to what's here.
It will cost however once done anyone with basic computer skills and forward thinking can easily "help" to manage the website. Should be a few volunteers out there. It can also be set up so that Mitch is not doing all the replies.
My humble opinion.
Roly Worsfold
PS: It does not hurt to provide some communication to SM membership to ask what they think or send out a survey with key questions asking for input and opinion.

[Mitchell Baker]

First: why do you think Weebly is a better provider then this provider?  This server is located in a national data center with redundant services.  There is no cap on bandwidth and it cost USSMA nothing to run.  We have unlimited e-mail, unlimited sub-domains unlimited e-mail forwarding, unlimited mailing lists and pretty much anything else we want to put up here. 

Second: Anyone can post to this site. And anyone with the same "basic computer skills and forward thinking"  can easily help with this site.  Sorry if I am not "forward thinking" enough for you.  Step up and volunteer to help with the site then?  Post your event results, post your pics...  Where are they? 

I have ask for help, I have ask for people to step up and create what ever they want. It is already setup where most anyone can do most of the replies.  Creating articles is easy as clicking on a link and start typing.... 

Looking for volunteers.... Who wants to step up???

Also, I don't understand why people keep posting in this thread which is WAY off topic for the board.  This conversation has nothing to do with Judging USSMA Events.

At one time I opened up a board specifically to allow people to make suggestions.  It got no replies.  So I pulled it down. YOU have ask for things and I have provided them.  I hear a lot of people saying do this and do that, but no one saying.. Mitch, I can keep track of the qualifiers for you, contact the CD's and get all the info posted before and after the qualifier. 

See-ya
Mitch

[Roly]

Hello Mitch,

I replied to this as there seemed to be discussion about the website.

Hm-mm, I really cannot say why Weebly is a better provider however to develope and maintain it, you don't need a 2 year degree to their websites and they provide very good support if one does have a problem. I have needed help maybe twice in 4 years.

As far as the website quality and 0 cost, my basic theory is that if "it's too good to be true - it is".

Ouch, getting personal Mitch, when I have some time I will post some results. Work, home and going to other scale events, getting in the way however I will give it a go, it's on the "To Do" list.

I'm already doing my bit for organizing and helping with events and I have in the past offered and did help, one year, with contacting CD's and getting qualifying information out to the pilots within two weeks of them qualifying. All done electronically, I guess we were too forward thinking as we were not asked to do it again. hm-mm. That was before you were doing what you are doing now.

In anycase if one makes suggestions to the SM board any with good substance do eventually get put into place.

As a Harris Lee award winner and very respectful of SM history and the concept am hopefull that the program will remain in place. The website is a big part of this.

You put a lot of effort, time etc. out for SM and I for one appreciate it.

I shall focus my efforts on the North West and continue to support and promote the SM qualifier program.

Best Regards, Roly

[j_whitney]

The website is "no cost" to USSMA - that does not mean it is free.
Mitch is a dealer for web domains etc, and provides this domain as a donation to USSMA.  Just so we all know why it is "no cost to USSMA".

[scalercer]

And where is the 2015 Championship going to be held?

[Mitchell Baker]

Has not been decided.  We are really wanting to find somewhere in the middle of the country.  TX up to Kansas.  The Board really wants to find a place where we can get more from both east and west.
On another note, I am going to close this topic.  It is really really really way off topic.  Has nothing to do with Judging USSMA Events.  General questions should be in Flightline Chatter or USSMA Info.

See-ya
Mitch