I don't want people to
feel defensive about my comments, as I'm not here to criticize the ACA as an organization. I
do think that the benefits of the ACA, are not articulated sufficiently to potential members
though. This site lists two benefits, and nothing more.
<!--quoteo
(post=1995:date=Aug 4 2006, 02:23 AM:name=bobrfish)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bobrfish
@ Aug 4 2006, 02:23 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1995"><{POST_SNAPBACK}
></a></div><div class='quotemain'>The obvious answer is the convention. Hear World
Class speakers. Talk to World Class Speakers one on one. Obtain hard to find cichlids, see
cichlids never seen before. Stay up all night and party.
BB is an expensive publication
and $25 is what it takes to produce six issues of BB using volunteer writers and volunteer
editorial staff.</div>
Of course, I've enjoyed both
conventions I've been too, and hopefully I'll attend many more. Certainly the convention,
world class speakers, world class members, and the ability to learn from these people is a benefit.
Perhaps one worth articulating? http://cichlid.ipbhost.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif
Obtaining hard to find cichlids is becoming
easier for non-connected people these days, with on-line businesses, but certainly meeting other
hobbyists breeders is a benefit. Perhaps one worth articulating? http://cichlid.ipbhost.com/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif
I haven't had a copy of the BB yet, (except
for one where I was published) but I'll assume it is of excellent quality. Again, I think more
could be stated about this.
<!--quoteo(post=1997:date=Aug 4 2006, 04:34
AM:name=fishmaven)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(fishmaven @ Aug 4 2006, 04:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> (index.php?act=findpost&pid=1997)</div><div class='quotemain'><!-
-quotec-->After reading your comments I've assumed that you live in or near Chicago. You may
have joined the wrong club. You may have benefited more from a local membership in the GCCA than
ACA membership. WE, the ACA, have one event a year.</div>
Actually, I'm from Ontario. Drove seven hours to get the convention.
<!--quoteo-
-><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>That said, I think money
spent on an ACA membership well spent. $25 would get you a cheap seat to the White Sox or Cubs
,a beer and a hot dog. If you're pricing membership on just the BB it IS a little high at over
$4 an issue, although competitively priced. BUT, you've got the option for a lot more,
intangible things.
1. FULL access to this site - included (value impossible to determine -
depends on your usage)
2. almost instant credentials by being a member with other members. we
tend to cut other members more slack when we're trading fish and/or buying/selling fish.
Despite the fact that it's buyer beware, members treat other members differently UNTIL they
find that member unworthy of such treatment. once you've been burned, it takes a while but
eventually you realize it was an isolated experience. Knowing who raises what might be of interest
if you're looking for additional stock or information about working with a particular fish. ACA
members tend to be less "closed-mouth" with other ACA members. Granted, some don't
share. That's their option. Most do. (here again, dependent on your use)
3. some stores
give discounts to club members. here in Houston, I'm not sure GCCA membership would get you a
discount, maybe, but an ACA membership's probably fine. (another -depends)
4. FULL access
to cichlid.org - giving you access to ALL the BBs that have been archived. (I wish we had all the
TPs archived too) Over the years, that's a lot of good information. you can download some or
all as PDFs at no additional charge (unlike reports from other sites) OR buy back issues and have
the printed copy as originally distributed. Articles in the BB are freely given to ACA members,
articles elsewhere are published with the thought of renumeration. (depends on your use)
5.
for the next few months the TP will be published in paper format also, so you get those too. (you
said 6/6, I said 6 BBs plus whatever TPs come out)
Okay, a lot of this is image. Being
a member of an international tax-free organization doesn't come cheap. You may or may not want
to participate in the conservation efforts of ACA members. No one's going to come up to you and
pat you on the back and say they've heard you became a member of the ACA. Unless you tell
someone you're a member, no one's ever going to know. I'm living in an apartment
complex that may have other ACA members. There's a lot of Texas members and quite a few live in
Houston. Once again, I'll state that having a membership roster would be beneficial to ACA
members. Seeing a report from the conventions, listing numbers of members from each state,
informative, making a list of attendees available to the committee of the next convention,
helpful.
I'm sure I probably missed something that should have been listed as a
benefit. Hopefully someone will chime in with some I've missed. You have given some of us a
reason to consider what we expect from being an ACA member. That's an exercise that should be
done by each of us periodically, as well as, something people wishing to become officers should
consider before submitting their names. Dan</div>
Thanks
for listing some of the benefits Dan. I have no qualms that I won't enjoy being a member, and
a long-time member at that. If there is one area that I think is an issue, is that you had to tell
me about these things.
I should be able to go to http://www.cichlid.org/Membership_Benefits.html and see all of these reasons,
and more. I don't think that the ACA should be shy about REALLY telling people what the
benefits of membership are.
Beyond the convention, the reason that I joined is that
I've been a cichlid breeder for nearly thirty years now. I think I owe it to this hobby to
give back a little, from something I've enjoyed for some many years.
Regards,
Brett Harrington