[Ansteorra] Pay-2-play, Pay-2-fight, Pay-2-whatever...

[mikea]

On Wed, Jan 09, 2008 at 01:49:14PM -0600, Dragonetti wrote:
> I appreciate Master Tivar's comment and Mistress Kaitlyn's clarification is
> spot on. This is an opportunity for *us* to define the terms. Make
> suggestions and identify pros and cons. 
> 
> Some have reasonably asked, "What problem are we trying to fix?"
> 
> The question has been posed on the GC list and is currently pending a
> response. Regardless of the response, I find it reasonable for any business
> entity (profit or not-for-profit) to brainstorm ideas to improve revenue,
> reduce costs, and increase value regardless of whether they are currently
> under control or not.

It's nice that it was posed on the GC list. Is this list still open
to folks who aren't on the GC? My understanding, which may be flawed,
is that it isn't at the moment but used to be. I seem to recall, from
a person who used to be a non-GC-member subscriber to the list, that
she was told that she could request, by sending a note to the list, to
be re-subscribed, but that her attempt failed -- because mail from
people not subscribed to the list was being rejected.

All in all, this rather makes me wish I hadn't resigned from the GC. 

I'll dispute the reasonability of increasing corporate revenue beyond
present and known (or predicted) future need plus some margin for
growth and contingencies, since in theory the corporation is there
only to provide a framework for the game we call the SCA and to handle
things best handled by an overarching structure.

The benefit provided by the corporation to me as a member is, as I see
it, precisely that overarching structure, plus publications. I have 
seen the corporation intruding itself into areas where I believe it 
has little or no business, though, since I first joined, about 30 or
31 years ago. 

Do you see some other role for the corporation? If so, please let us
know what role you believe the corporation should have.

As to increasing value, these measures appear designed to reduce the 
value of the game we call the SCA in the eyes of those in what now is
the Western Region. Possibly they may increase its value in other 
areas, but I question whether the net change is positive. 

If cost reduction is one of the objectives, it would be good to see
the costs that are being viewed with an eye towards reduction.

In any event, we definitely need to know what problem(s) we are       
trying to fix, or we may find that the Powers That Be are trying Yet  
Again to drive nails with a screwdriver.                              

I understand that I'm significantly widening the scope of the
discussion; perhaps this should be a subthread under a different
subject. I think, though, that the questions I pose have answers that
are needed if we are to determine what problem(s) we're trying to fix
in the context of what you state above that you find reasonable. As
others have written upthread, I think that the Ansteorra List is the
proper venue for this discussion; I would be very leery indeed of any
effort to force the discussion into private E-mail.

-- 
Mike Andrews        /   Michael Fenwick    Barony of Namron, Ansteorra
mikea at mikea.ath.cx  /   Amateur Extra radio operator W5EGO
Tired old music Laurel; Chirurgeon; SCAdian since AS XI