Date:	Tue, 15 Jun 1993 22:26:21 -1000
From:	sasaki@das.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki)
Message-Id: <1993Jun16.082621.15353@das.harvard.edu>
Organization: Harvard OIT Network Services
Subject: The Marty and Steve Show, an apology, and an explanation

I had originally posted a fairly long reply to Steve's long reply to
my long reply. Hopefully, I got the cancel out before it got too far.

While re-reading my reply, I realized that more heat was being
generated than light and that the discussion had degenerated into name
calling and accusations. My reply was just defending my position and
shooting holes in Steve's. I didn't really contribute much in the way
of insight to either side. I think that any further arguing about this
issue should be done via email and I will restrict it to email.

Let's just say that Steve and I disagree about what is wrong with the
way competitions are judged, especially choreographed events. Let's
also say that we don't agree about what the AKA's involvement in all
of this should be. I think our views have been aired.

I'm sorry that this has started to get out of hand. I hope that I
haven't wasted too much of anyone's time.

There are two exceptions to this that I want to make. The first has to
do with the AKA Convention. The second has to do with "mindshare":

In article <stevethC8ost6.CxJ@netcom.com> steveth@netcom.com (Steve Thomas) writes:
>A lot of that money comes from Sport Kites--everybody who wants to compete
>in a Sport Kite Competition _has_ to join the AKA.  I think that, although
>it might be hard in the beginning, a more focused organization would be
>better--and would put aside the issues of inequity--(viz. the Convention
>will spend about 200f its time on Sport Kites--is that the percentage of
>Sport Kite fliers?  I don't think so.).

The AKA Board of Directors made the decision to spend one day on stunt
kite competition and one day on single line competition (or more
properly, Comprehensive kite competition). The rest of the time is
intended to be used for workshops, seminars, demonstrations, general
flying and visiting with people.

This move was taken because a large and vocal group of people
complained to the board that too much time was being spent on
competition, that less importance should be placed on competition and
more emphasis should be placed on the other things.

One of the points that was brought up during discussion of this matter
was the fact that people came to the convention because all of the big
name kite flyers and kite makers were going to be there. Competition
drew these folks to the event.

So, the compromise was made to have one day of competition for each
side. It was hoped that this would draw people to the event for both
the competition and for the social/educational/whatever side of
things.

Maybe this was a mistake. If it is, then next year things will be
different. If it is a mistake, AKA members have to tell the board why
it was a mistake and what to do next time.

So far, I've talked to a lot of people about this, maybe 50, and a
small number, less than 5, thought that this was a mistake.

>This is also a question of "mindshare".  The AKA is run by many folks that
>simply don't understand the issues of Sport Kites, not because they're dumb,
>but because their not fliers themselves.  Sometimes you've just "got to be
>there", so to speak...

I take issue with this statement. If you go down the list of the board
of directors you find many folks who are involved in the organization
of stunt kite events (Dave Gomberg, Susie Edison, Genny and Eric
Forsberg, Al Hargas, Corky Chewning, and myself), or are flyers (Mel
Hickman, Brooks Leffler, Pete Dolphin, and all of the folks mentioned
in the previous list). I'm sure that I've missed some folks, their
names just don't leap to mind (they say that the mind is the second
thing to go).

All of these folks understand the issues more than most flyers out
there. They all care enough about what is going on to get involved, to
spend their time and their money to make sure things get done. And if
they have deficiencies, then it is up to the folks that care to
educate them/us.
-- 
Marty Sasaki            Harvard University           Sasaki Kite Fabrications
sasaki@noc.harvard.edu  Network Services Division    26 Green Street
617-496-4320            10 Ware Street               Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
                        Cambridge, MA 02138-4002     phone/fax: 617-522-8546


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