John Barresi Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I encourage anyone with a mind to do so, to post their thoughts and response (support or critique) on the AKA forum. http://aka.kite.org/kite-talk-forum/topic?id=365 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guru4tru Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I encourage anyone with a mind to do so, to post their thoughts and response (support or critique) on the AKA forum. http://aka.kite.org/kite-talk-forum/topic?id=365 Sorry John, I can't help you on that...as you know I've already been banned from the AKA forum for pointing out a possible problem within the organization. Keep It Up! Duane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted February 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 If you're able to READ the aforementioned forum posts at AKA (should be possible if you're not logged in) and are willing to stay on point with the topics brought up, I encourage you to cross-post here and respond from the heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepster Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I seem to be obtuse on this topic. Can you please take a minute to distill the info you've posted down to an elevator speech. What question are you asking? Regards, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guru4tru Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 If you're able to READ the aforementioned forum posts at AKA (should be possible if you're not logged in) and are willing to stay on point with the topics brought up, I encourage you to cross-post here and respond from the heart. I'm posting my feelings about your writings and the present situation here. First let me say that I am very impressed with your ability to put your thoughts into words...you are a good writer & you know what you are talking about...and also that much of what you had to say about "competition" is presently over my head! But......... My present feeling is simply one of hopelessness & discouragement. The AKA knows what you are saying...they just aren't interested! I remember back in the late 60s I was told by the police, in this small town in Virginia I was drving through, that I was speeding and the cops took me to a barn. Inside the barn were a couple chairs and a table with a judge sitting behind it. The cops were off to one side joking with each other...It's the "good old boys!" I didn't even bother pleading my case! More Power to You John! Keep It Up! Duane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted February 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Don't mistake their idle hands and voice for lack of interest. The trick is, there isn't an "AKA" as you often reference it... We've had this discussion before... It's called the American Kitefliers Association, it's an association of, well, you, me, Tom, Dick and Harry. Every AKA board member is a kiteflier, most of them were VOTED in by our members, the others were appointed by those who were voted in. There's no big secret to how things work, it's the same the world over... Those who take an active role have the reins, because we let them, chose them, or allow them. = Dick leads the group because no one else wants to step up, even if he doesn't know exactly what to do. Tom sits on the sideline taking pot shots without tactfully getting involved through volunteer work. Harry is just defeated, and sees only gloom or conspiracy. == So, that leaves it to you and me (figurative and open reference to anyone reading)... Either go cowboy (like me) and do things autonomously, positively, pro-actively... Or, suck it up and get a real course of action together, convince others of it, and run for a position on the AKA board. It takes both tacts for things to happen, but disassembling an obviously lacking structure does nothing except disenchant and fracture. == I give great credit to those running the AKA right now... They brought it out of a serious tailspin over the past 3 years, and are holding their own. New ideas are on the table, it's just a matter of someone (or a group of people) pushing it through with demonstrated tact and planning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted February 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I seem to be obtuse on this topic. Can you please take a minute to distill the info you've posted down to an elevator speech. What question are you asking? Regards, Tom Noble thought Tom, but there is no distillation to be had... It's all interconnected. To knowledgeably speak on the topic, a full overview/understanding is necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guru4tru Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Hi John, I certainly hope that your evaluation of things is correct and that I am wrong in mine. I would be most happy to "stand corrected". Just the possibility of being wrong has given me an "element" of hope! I will admit that my "generallity=AKA" is out of line, but as the saying goes..."a couple bad apples.......!" I do believe that the future of kiting is in your hands! (It does require a leader!) Keep It Up! Duane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted February 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I think a key understanding here comes from having actually seen behind the curtain of the AKA... As a member or kiteflier only, it's easy to see the AKA banner and face as an single entity or manifestation. I served as a regional director (board member) for 3 years, I was on the sport kite committee for 5 years (served as chair for 2+) and have also been on a number of sub-committees, so I've not only seen but been a functional part of the actual behind the scenes process... Whether you agree with all my daily tact or not, you have a good idea of my principles and how they relate to honesty of an organization like the AKA. I'm here to tell you, there is no conspiracy... Only the outcomes of an elected group of people who were willing to do what so few others are. Government can be pretty muddled at times, but nobody on the AKA board gets paid for their time, no real profits to be had. Again, disassembling an inherently good-intentioned organization does little to help it, but a heavy hand of independent and active action around it helps change the paradigm within which they operate... The AKA is the end result of what we as kitefliers do in public, on the web, at events and competitions, within our clubs and anywhere else we have a presence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
--Pete Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 ...I'm here to tell you, there is no conspiracy... Only the outcomes of an elected group of people who were willing to do what so few others are. ... Any organization run by volunteers attracts people who are both willing and want to run an organization. Frankly, most of us fail on both counts. To me, that means get out of the way and let them run it. As a non-attendee to the convention, what I used see is the magazine as the face of AKA. Now, reading the forum, I'm seeing some of the discontent, but ONLY from those who post on the forum, which is a TINY fraction of the membership. I think I am still in the get-out-of-the-way camp. I will read the forum, but may eventually ignore the political part, and concentrate on the news and assistance sections. Oh, yes, and continue to subscribe at a slightly higher level in return for not having to run the darn thing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted February 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Bravo Pete, well said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guru4tru Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 I think Pete may have hit the nail on the head. "Any organization run by volunteers attracts people who are both willing and want to run an organization." But, do not necessarily have any of the qualifications necessary to run it! Maybe, if the AKA was run by paid employees that had experiences in running businesses out in the real world and that could be terminated if the desired goals weren't met...like in real life...things would greatly improve. I site the award winning "Kitelife" as a prime example! The first yell going up is, "Where would we get the money?" Very simply...every business has to "make" the money. You'll find plenty of money in all the people that would be paying members but aren't because of the poor management, poor public relations and political problems within the organization. A paid staff and president (with successful experiences in real world businesses) would end any "talking" about what should be done, because they would be doing it! Keep It Up! Duane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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