Hi all --

Let me put this into perspective.   The NMRA with its much larger resources 
decided to discontinue ANY membership information access because of the privacy 
liability laws.   This event triggered the NASG BOT’s decision to follow suit.  
 Needless to say, this has caused a fair amount of flak from the members, both 
pro and con.   Right now, Claude Demers, membership chair, and Peter Vanvliet, 
webmaster, are working hard to have a secure directory on line for NASG members 
to access.   For any members that have concerns about their information being 
misused, they can go into their own membership listing on line at www.nasg.org  
RIGHT NOW and make changes to any part of it that they think is a problem.   It 
will take a bit of time before the change will go into effect because the 
master directory is held off line where it can not be corrupted by hackers or 
others.  

However, I think the regional VPs have access to the membership information, 
and it is possible-- with one giving information to the VP that validates the 
enquirer’s membership – for the VP to try and get whatever information you are 
looking for.    This probably would be something that could take a while 
depending upon the VP’s personal schedule, so don’t expect to get anything 
right away.   With some luck, you will be able to do this yourself on line 
before too long.   (It has already been longer than anticipated because of 
other things that had to be done first, but what doesn’t take longer than 
expected?)

I submitted another possibility to the BOT which did not fly, but maybe the 
whole group will have different feelings --   There could be a printed 
directory IF and WHEN anyone who wants to be in it fills out a form releasing 
whatever information he wishes, returning that to the NASG.   This would 
probably take several months, or longer.   THEN, whoever wants one of the 
printed directories with this limited information will have to subscribe to it 
at an extra cost, because it will not be a universally distributed book.    As 
you can see, this approach has many problems associated with it, but is about 
as good a thing as I have seen so far.   

SO, you can email me (OFF LIST!!) or snail mail me with your thoughts, 
including possible alternatives.   Please, no phone calls without emailing or 
writing first.   DO NOT expect the NASG to ever publish directories in the same 
way as in the past.      

Bill Winans
NASG western VP
[email protected]
7940 E. Crooked Creek Trail
Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
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And technically it is now illegal.
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I don't believe that.
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Or at least can get ya sued.
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Anybody can sue anybody. There are lots of frivolous law suits. But 
intelligent people don't let that deter them from useful activity.
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The court rulings on privacy are draconian and maybe a bit ridicules.
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Site one.

I still get a printed phone directory with names, addresses, and phone 
numbers. People have the option of having their addresses omitted, or to be 
totally removed. The same would be true of our NASG directory.
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BUT; identity theft is now a common occurrence in our computerized world..
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It takes more than your name and address to steal identity.

The cancelling of the directory is an over-reaction to fear-mongering.

Tom Hawley -- Lansing Mich


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