It reminds me of this: The Story of Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There were four people named EVERYBODY, SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, and NOBODY. If there was an important job to be done, EVERYBODY was asked to do it. EVERYBODY was sure SOMEBODY would do it. ANYBODY could have done it but NOBODY did it. SOMEBODY got angry about that because it was really EVERYBODY'S job. EVERYBODY thought ANYBODY could do it, but NOBODY realized that EVERYBODY wouldn't do it. It ended up that EVERYBODY blamed SOMEBODY when NOBODY did what ANYBODY could have done.
---- Diana Tomchick <[email protected]> wrote: > Hey RD, > > If you want to effect change in the TSA, why don't you volunteer for > a position in the organization and/or volunteer to run for a TSA > office for next year? > > Diana > > On Jan 22, 2008, at 5:03 PM, RD Milhollin wrote: > > > Again Fritz, > > > > I am not bashing anyone or any organization, just passing along my > > own views > > on the question of the cost/benefits of TSA membership. > > > > So, again, the "enjoyment of camaraderie with others at TCR" and > > "various > > caving activities" is not tied to TSA membership. The Spring > > Convention is. > > > > "TSA as well as TCMA allows me to visit beautiful sites and caving > > areas > > that I would not otherwise know of or be able to access" : I agree > > that the > > TCMA and also the TCC enables access to caves, but I don't see how > > the TSA > > does, except through organizational contributions to land acquisition > > activities, in which the TSA acts as a conduit only. At least there > > are no > > administrative fees or overhead costs associated. > > > > "officers of the organizations deem is an appropriate amount for > > dues" Why > > would you avoid using your own judgement in estimating appropriate > > dues for > > an organization you belong to. I suppose we all are becoming a > > nation of > > followers, I just supposed cavers would be on the trailing edge of > > this > > trend. > > > > "I feel that the more income the associations generate, the more > > involved > > they can become with education, acquisition and conservation of our > > caves > > and their inhabitants." Agreed, but there are two ways to make the > > equation > > of income generation work. The current scheme seems to be few > > members with > > high dues per member. One unintended (?) result of this policy is > > to keep > > the organization closely held, meaning old-timers tend to dominate, > > which > > makes it a conservative group, ie preservation of status quo/slow > > to change. > > The alternative approach is to have a large membership base with > > small dues > > per member. This approach could generate the same revenue, and > > involve more > > cavers, new cavers, young cavers, as icing on top. > > > > "I justify membership costs by the degree of enjoyment derived, > > including > > some of these dumb posts..." I have been trying to point out that > > there is > > not a causal link between this enjoyment and TSA membership. This > > list, for > > instance is not owned by the TSA. It is made possible entirely > > through the > > good graces of the list owner, Charles Goldsmith. > > > > Now, more unsubstantiated views on the subject from cavers I have > > talked > > with recently. One, a qualified candidate for the position of > > newsletter > > editor for the UT Grotto, replied, somewhat surprised at my > > suggestion that > > the UTG needed a newsletter, replied "Why? We have the Texas caver". > > Another, very involved Texas caver stated in confidence that "the only > > benefit you get from TSA membership is the TC". I know that the TSA > > members > > who have stated opposing viewpoints are genuinely proud of their > > organization and the work they see it as accomplishing. But I see > > it as > > necessary to discount that dedication somewhat by the "buy-in" that > > members > > of organizations usually get by belonging to a group, meaning it is > > slightly > > more difficuly for them to view the organization objectively as > > whole from > > inside. I, and others before me, are suggesting change, but it is > > going to > > be hard to accomplish due to the nature of the organization > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Fritz Holt [mailto:[email protected]] > > Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 1:13 PM > > To: RD Milhollin > > Cc: [email protected] > > Subject: RE: [ot_caving] RE: TexasCaver > > > > > > RD, > > > > As an old timer and spelunker in years past, I can only speak for > > myself as > > to the perceived benefits of TSA membership. I echo the thoughts of > > Charles > > Goldsmith and Jerry Atkinson and I like your thoughts of wanting to > > belong > > to a group of like-minded people with a common interest. Many of us > > march to > > a different drummer which makes for some interesting commentary. > > This is > > good. From kids to geezers, our common interests are somewhat out > > of the > > norm but are a fun and satisfying pastime. > > > > > > > > For me, whatever the cost of TSA membership may be, it is worth it > > for the > > enjoyment of camaraderie with others at TCR, the spring convention > > and at > > various caving activities. In addition, TSA as well as TCMA allows > > me to > > visit beautiful sites and caving areas that I would not otherwise > > know of or > > be able to access. I certainly realize that many cavers, especially > > younger > > ones, may be on a tight budget and therefore I will go along with > > what the > > officers of the organizations deem is an appropriate amount for dues. > > > > > > > > I feel that the more income the associations generate, the more > > involved > > they can become with education, acquisition and conservation of our > > caves > > and their inhabitants. I justify membership costs by the degree of > > enjoyment > > derived, including some of these dumb posts. My wife accused me of > > being a > > Neanderthal and dumb as a post and this was before she knew that I > > liked > > caves. > > > > Fritz > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > ------ > > ---- > > > > From: RD Milhollin [mailto:[email protected]] > > Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 2:56 PM > > To: Fritz Holt > > Subject: RE: [ot_caving] RE: TexasCaver > > > > > > > > Fritz, for the sake of good natured argument, please enumerate said > > benefits > > and the value you place on those. > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > > For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected] > > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > Diana R. Tomchick > Associate Professor > University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center > Department of Biochemistry > 5323 Harry Hines Blvd. > Rm. ND10.214B > Dallas, TX 75390-8816, U.S.A. > Email: [email protected] > 214-645-6383 (phone) > 214-645-6353 (fax) > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit our website: http://texascavers.com > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] > For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected] > --------------------------------------------------------------------- Visit our website: http://texascavers.com To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
