<VV> VV Meeting @ Ventura

Thu Jul 3 07:37:11 EDT 2008

All:  I have since found out that Matt is a past chairman of VV, has put
hisownself in position of responsibility, and therefore has a real right,
more so than most, to comment about the VV session at Ventura.  This also
explains why people were asking him about the meeting, as a former Chairman,
he was unrealistically expected to know what was going on.  I here by
apologize to Matt for asking a pointed question which was inappropriate.  It
wasn't his responsibility. But not for the rest of my response.

And Smitty, you were one of the ones I hoped to meet.

Let me address this situation differently, from a diagnostic and preventive
maintenance perspective.  The caveat is some of the following is what I
think I remember from what I thought I once knew.  Plus there are a couple
conclusions thrown in.  If I'm incorrect, I am sure someone will correct the
information.

First question:  How do sessions get scheduled?
Looking at the Ventura schedule, there were 3 types of meetings:  Those by
and for specific CORSA committee, like VV; those by and for specific SIG,
like the Stock Corvair Group; and those sessions, generally labeled "tech
sessions" the local Convention Team put together from available talent or
vendors, like the fuel-injection session.

The first two set of meetings, if I remember correctly, are either sessions
requested by the Committee Chair or the SIG Leadership.  I think there is a
process during the planning stages, whereby The Committee Chairs and SIG
Leadership are asked if they want a time slot.  Either the CORSA Convention
team or the Local Convention team does the asking.  Or maybe the Chair or
Sig leadership request it.  It may be that VV has always had a time slot, so
it was allocated one without anyone asking if a time slot was desired.

At any rate, VV had a time slot: Thursday at 3:30.  It was on the schedule
published in the Communique many months ago.  It was on the on-line
Convention schedule I printed two days before catching the west bound big
bird.  Since I do not know the VV Chair, nor any of the VV Committee
members, is it reasonable to assume VV leadership either planned on a
session, did not plan on a session and failed to get the session removed
from the Convention schedule, or failed to make arrangements for someone
other than current VV leadership to staff the session when they could not do
it themselves.  I cannot think of any other choices.  Maybe one of you can.

Second Question: Who, as Smitty said, "Dropped the Ball", and Who, again as
Smitty says "If they have no intention of conducting a meeting, they
shouldn't schedule one."  Imbedded in that question is the identity of the
"They" Smitty refers to.  Clearly, it is neither CORSA's or the Local
Convention Team's responsibility to staff and conduct VV's or any session,
with the exception of the CORSA and CPF meetings.  Am I wrong in concluding,
as Pogo said may years ago: "We have met the enemy, and he is us."?  We are
the "They who dropped the ball".  We are the ones who scheduled a meeting
and didn't pull it off.  So don't blame the group know as "They" or "Them"!
It was ourownselves.

Hank said: "More directors and former directors on VV than in any other one
group in CORSA and nobody picked up the ball?  What's wrong with THAT
picture?"  This assumes the former and current directors were in attendance
at the Convention, and were in the building at 3:30 on Thur after a full day
of activities, looking for the VV meeting themselves.  Clearly not the case.
It is not the picture, but the mirror, which is out of wack.

That's my diagnosis.  It is up to others to do the preventive maintainence.
I'll try to attend the VV meeting in Iowa.

Now as far as me speaking "out of place" about this per Smitty comments,
("James you are entitled to your opinion but unless you are a regular
attendee at the VV meetings you are talking out of place.") is attendance at
a VV meeting the requirement to participate and/or express an opinion or
observation here?  I don't think so.....

I have not attended a VV meeting before.  Before and since being on the
combined BoDs, I've only attended Conventions in the Central division, and
not all of them. I usually had other commitments, both for attendance at
conventions and during conventions.  As far as my method for putting names
with faces, it is not relevant to the discussion.  I was there at the right
time, right place, if mostly by accident of my own whimsical agenda, with
the intent of participating by listening, and nothing happened.  No meeting.
So I wondered off, continuing my random, and not so random, effort to meet
and to be met by people.  I was back in t6he building for the V-8 Sig
meeting at 7:30.  Worked for me.

Historically Yours,
                   James Rice

PS:  Just for giggles, but perhaps of importance to those accustomed to big
city cut and thrust driving who are looking forward to Iowa in 2010, this
observation from my son-in-law who lives in NW Illinois, 10 miles or so
south of the Quad Cities.  He says Iowa is an acronym for "Idiots Out
Wandering Around"  Don't say I didn't warn you.

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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2008 16:56:23 -0700 (PDT)
From: Smitty Smith <vairologist at verizon.net>
Subject: <VV> VV Meeting at the Convention
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org

Smitty Says:  James you are entitled to your opinion but unless you are a
regular attendee at the VV meetings you are talking out of place.  When the
meeting is conducted properly and everyone introduces themselves it is a
real pleasure to put the names and faces together.  You can't even come
close to that wandering around looking at name tags.  Not even close.

Fact is, a ball was dropped.  Not earth shattering, but dropped.  All the
smoke screen of "who cares" doesn't change that.  If they have no intention
of conducting a meeting, they shouldn't schedule one.

*************************************************

Message: 6
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2008 13:33:54 -0500
From: "james rice" <ricebugg at mtco.com>
Subject: <VV> VV non-meeting @ Ventura.
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>

All:  I was there, standing around, as was Tim, and did not see anything
coming together.  So I wondered off.

What exactly did any of you want to discuss about VV that you cannot discuss
here?  I was there at the appointed time, mostly by accident actually,
simply to put faces with names, and not much else.  The names to faces was
accomplished to my satisfaction by reading name tags during the week.  And
having my name tag read by others.

I do not think the internal meetings at any CORSA Convention are held to
promote CORSA.  That argument is in the $3 bill category.  Meetings are for
the entertainment or education of CORSA members, not non-CORSA members (but
VV members?) who happen to be wondering around.  The fate of the free world
as we understand it was not and is not hanging in the balance here.

Matt, if dozens came and asked where is the meeting, why didn't you tell the
wandering masses to have a seat, take charge and make it up on the fly.  I
didn't, because of my stated purpose above.

It is very easy to criticize "leadership" from the sidelines.  Hank has some
right to be critical, as he has put hisownself in the position of
responsibility.  As have I and many others.  If you don't like the way it is
being done, put you time and bankbook out there and do something like
volunteer to do it yourself.  Tim might have a heart attack if you do.

Historically Yours,
                   James Rice

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Message: 9
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:09:55 EDT
From: PatioMatt at aol.com
Subject: <VV> Sad Day for VirtualVairs
To: virtualvairs at corvair.org

Well,  3:30  came and went.....dozens came by and asked about the SCHEDULED
meeting...

Not the way to promote CORSA in my opinion...

Matt  Nall
Sea Mountain
Charleston, Ore.

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Message: 10
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:37:41 -0400
From: "henry kaczmarek" <kaczmarek at charter.net>
Subject: Re: <VV> Sad Day for VirtualVairs
To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>

Where was the Chairman or his designated rep from Vairorg in all this?  If
Chairman can't be at the Convention to run the V V meeting SOMEONE is
supposed to do it, probably done through Vairorg with some recommendation
from the Chairman.

More directors and former directors on VV than in any other one group in
CORSA and nobody picked up the ball?

What's wrong with THAT picture?

hank