Pretty much had enough...

[Serge_Krauss]

Joshua -

I love your note here and am in complete agreement; it makes a LOT of sense! You are enjoying a great hobby, and like me, also enjoy those bike rides. Your heart's in the right place, and I hope that you can continue to see the worth and enjoyment in what you do with your independent mind. It's what's inside that counts. 'sorry about your lost friend.

I try to keep all politics out of the club newsletter I edit, and try not to comment on the political remarks made at the club gatherings by folks who do not know how insulting they really are. Most of the guys are good at this too. My politics in our club is in the minority, but I have long ago learned to really like people whose politics are reprehnsible to me. Unfortunately, after I was sideswiped by a hit-and-run driver on the way to a club meeting last week, I was in a less than hospitable mood and spoke my mind on their candidate - no personal criticisms of those who held that preference. But as usual, the residual anger at someone who disagrees with at least a couple seems to be smoldering some. So I see what kind of thing this cancerous and divided political impass in this country does to us, as well as it's carry over into our hobby - the BOM rule and "change."

I wish Mike well and hope that he is able to rekindle the enthusiasm that has brought him to be so helpful and important to us in the hobby. It's not that easy to maintain one's good humor in the face of upheavals and thoughtless remarks that sometimes surface loudly on the internet. But your post most likely "made my day." I hope it touches others too. Thanks for the inspiration!

SK

[don Burke]

By the way, the reasoning for the R/C in the first place was what else, inclusiveness with a stated motive of old men that couldn't chase anymore.

I have to disagree with that.
 My bro and I flew CL and R/C in and from our back yard in the mid 1950's.  We were neither old nor unable to chase, which was however necessary.  R/C at the time was nothing more than somewhat under control free flight but still fun.  And at the time a normal progression.

I hope Mike doesn't really "drop out".

[Randy Powell]

There are always agitators. In anything. They can't stand it when things work or they want to change things to fit what they want or try to dumb things down so they don't have to put in the work or whatever other internal reason they have for stirring the pot. Whatever the reason, they like to agitate. If it ain't broke, it's tough to understand why some what to fix it.

All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing. Keep up the fight, Mike.

[Shultzie]

There are always agitators. In anything. They can't stand it when things work or they want to change things to fit what they want or try to dumb things down so they don't have to put in the work or whatever other internal reason they have for stirring the pot. Whatever the reason, they like to agitate. If it ain't broke, it's tough to understand why some what to fix it.

All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing. Keep up the fight, Mike.

RANDY!
Thanks for all these years of insight and friendship. 
JUST A TAD OF RAZZIN N' JAZZIN!
 As you can see by this photo....what kind of damage  can happen to an ol' fart  who sadly spent WAAAAAAAAY TOOOOO MUCH TIME "KISSSSIN' UP!

[Randy Ryan]

I have to disagree with that.
 My bro and I flew CL and R/C in and from our back yard in the mid 1950's.  We were neither old nor unable to chase, which was however necessary.  R/C at the time was nothing more than somewhat under control free flight but still fun.  And at the time a normal progression.

I hope Mike doesn't really "drop out".

You totally missed the point, I am speaking of R/C Old Timers in SAM competitive events.

[Leo Mehl]

Mike! you got to be kidding. I am almost 81 years old and I am still building and flying. My interest in this hobby is still there. I am flying in contests against the likes of Paul Walker an Howard(the comedian)Rush and Others that usually beat me and I don't care because they are a great bunch of people and just fun to be around. I also fly with a bunch of retireees who are concerned about what's going on in this country and sometimes we dont see eye to eye but we still have fun and at our age that is important. I have learned over the years that we have to kind of roll with the punches and let happen what happens because we no longer are being heard by our pears but that still is no reason to bag a lifetime career in modeling and we are still an asset to this hobby just by the knowledge we have. I bet most of your freinds are modelers and I bet they feel the same way I do about all of this and what is going on today, But that is what makes it interesting. Hang in there my freind  because contriversy is something to thrive on and what makes the world go around. Leo

[Geoff Goodworth]

'There are always agitators. In anything.'

And Randy, in my experience, when things go belly up, the agitators run and hide or blame others for problems of their making.

[don Burke]

You totally missed the point, I am speaking of R/C Old Timers in SAM competitive events.

Sorry, I stand corrected.

[Randy Ryan]

Sorry, I stand corrected.

By the way, I remember what you're talking about. My father taught me to fly rudder only with a 6' Paramount Commander, a converted cabin FF, and a ground based transmitter he built. I was 7.

[John Stiles]

Mike! you got to be kidding. I am almost 81 years old and I am still building........

I'm inclined to agree with one thing; I'll never get tired of building balsa airplanes. Love it as much or more than actually getting to fly them.

[Chris McMillin]

No kidding.
Guillows even has new designs out, a Beaver and a Porter, I think (laser cut, but one could draw it all out and cut it oneself, I suppose!). I always have the "wonder" when I launch a newly completed rubber ship, will it fly?
Chris...

[Jim Kraft]

Randy; That is so neat. No one in my family was interested in models when I was growing up. I started building stick and tissue models when I was 7 years old. So many of us old guys were so fortunate to grow up when we did and become lifers at modeling. I have had other hobbies, but have never quit modeling for very long at a time. When I was very young, I remember going to the park with my parents in the 40's, and watching guys cranking on old ignition engines and flying their planes. Those sights, sounds, and aromas have stuck with me all my life. It still puts a huge smile on my face to fly anything with an old sparker.

[john e. holliday]

Jim K., mentioned the stick and tissue planes.  I remember getting my 10 cent Comet kits at the drugstore.  While at the hobby shop Friday looked at the stick and tissue kits on the shelf.  They are not cheap anymore.   And the preformed plastic parts in the kits.  There was one that caught  my eye I may go back and get.

[don Burke]

Jim K., mentioned the stick and tissue planes.  I remember getting my 10 cent Comet kits at the drugstore.  While at the hobby shop Friday looked at the stick and tissue kits on the shelf.  They are not cheap anymore.   And the preformed plastic parts in the kits.  There was one that caught  my eye I may go back and get.

I don't think there's a plastic part that can't be replaced with some ingenuity in the workshop.

[john e. holliday]

So true.

[Steve Thornton]

I've been back in CL for going on 2 years and have actually met and become friends with some of my heros from 45 years ago.  Al Rabe, Don Hutchinson, Tom Neibuhr, Bob Gieske, Dave Ek, Tom Farmer, Bill Wilson, Bill Bischoff, and many more.  On a personal level, I could care less at this point about any competitive issues because I can't even fly inverted on purpose.  Don't care about BOM or any other rules, but I do understand that those are concerns because they raise rudimentary issues at the highest level of competition, which I am never going to experience.  Consider the analogy of a competitor in the 100 yard dash, where world records are measured in 1/100th's of a second.  How does a runner get 1/100th of a second faster?  How are Dave Fitzgerald, Doug Moon, Paul Walker, and many of you, going to become better and more competitive at your level?  I don't know, but I do know that the runner is going to have to work harder for that fraction of a second than he had to work for his first high school record, and that is why I don't take part in those discussions from the grandstands. My point is from a very selfish position.  I hope you guys can settle these issues and stick around this incredible hobby to inspire us Earthlings, who love to spend time in the garage, on the flying field, and looking at photos of your planes, reading articles describing how you build straighter, lighter, and finish with cleaner lines, because that's the passion of my youth and now my "golden years."
You don't know me Mike, but I am so grateful for your contribution to me and this hobby.

Sincerely,
Steve Thornton

[Dennis Moritz]

BOM needed to be discussed, the hobby changed. Prefab planes became widely available. Many selling for less than the cost of building one from scratch. Sophisticated world beaters also widely available, for a price. Sorry. But I don't understand why Mike would start a thread like this. Even tongue in cheek. Many find it easy, and compatible with their dyspepsia, to look at the negative. The Nats, Brodak, Huntersville, GSCB, Philly Flyers, all the contests I attended this year were fun. Fun for me and, as far as I can tell, a big positive for most of those in attendance. The major issue is the age of those of us who practice this hobby/sport. Our bodies are breaking down. Also, we're dying off. Young folks are, for the most part, not in tune with what we do. Their interests are elsewhere. It's not their aesthetics. Civility and kindness among ourselves are in order. When possible be positive. Let's enjoy what we have as long as it is possible.

[Brett Buck]

BOM needed to be discussed, the hobby changed. Young folks are, for the most part, not in tune with what we do. Their interests are elsewhere. It's not their aesthetics.

   And pre-fab versions aren't, either. The problem with all these panicky "we have do SOMETHING, NOW" plans is that no one has defined how it solves the fact that not many people care about airplanes at all in the first place, and secondly, not many people care about little toy airplanes that fly in circles on strings. Most of the plans do, however, break/damage/destroy one of the few events that still has significant appeal to *someone*. What you seem to want to do is run all the "old farts" out of the event, on the hope that new people who you haven't identified and very likely don't exist will take over.

    You have found a "solution", and are looking for a problem to solve.

   Brett

[John Gluth]

   And pre-fab versions aren't, either. The problem with all these panicky "we have do SOMETHING, NOW" plans is that no one has defined how it solves the fact that not many people care about airplanes at all in the first place, and secondly, not many people care about little toy airplanes that fly in circles on strings. Most of the plans do, however, break/damage/destroy one of the few events that still has significant appeal to *someone*. What you seem to want to do is run all the "old farts" out of the event, on the hope that new people who you haven't identified and very likely don't exist will take over.

    You have found a "solution", and are looking for a problem to solve.

   Brett

Alright, this thread like many threads has deteriorated. As such, problems are being made where there wasn't one.

We are experiencing online forums intended for communication, morph into communication break-down.

We all love our controline hobby. Lets hear how you are ENJOYING it please.
John

[Dennis Moritz]

I remember early on in the history of these forums agreeing with someone. Then having the person disagree with me about my agreement.

[john e. holliday]

Isn't that normal??

[Dennis Moritz]

I do it all the time. Talking to myself.