Holy !@#$! - read please

[SLIM]

Just wondering, why is it that all of the members of the BOD can live outside the state of FL but the AM says it must live in FL. I have always been wondering about that? Can anyone help meout?


SLIM

[Cindy]

Your missing out not living here! I have a spare room you can use till you find a place. More than one cave diver has stayed in it! One of my dive buddies offered me a room six years ago and I have not regretted it even once.
I have volunteered to help in any way I can except be on the BOD right now. I have a full time job, guide at two caves, explore/survey on a project that is permitted to the DEP for two state parks and am in the middle of putting in steps at Alachua. I'm more of a doer than a talker and organizer. My chief ability is to take a task given to me and stick to it until it is done. (Nurse training no doubt) Tending to get my feelings hurt has been a real problem. I have a great deal of respect for some of the BOD members even though I don't personally get along with a couple of them. We cave divers are a tough group to deal with. Right now I just want to help them build and repair the CDS. Enough damage has been done by personalities. I have belonged to all of the cave diving organizations at one time or another and still belong to both the NSS-CDS and the NACD. I joined GUE when they had paper cards, IANTD and TDI at one point. I'm not sure but I may have joined PSI one year. I found the CDS to be the best deal for the dollar. I like the socials, the magazine, the workshops are well run, the clean ups and the goals the organization. We all need to stay on track now and not get lost in all the poo that is being flung around.

[bmwcaves]

Very Well put Cindy Lu !

Seems like there is barely ever enough people running to fill all the positions on the BOD anyway.

If you have ever been on the BOD of any organization, then you know what a hellish job it can be.
My hats off to anybody even willing to step into the big pile-o-poo that is organizational cave diving politics...

Brian

[Genesis]

Yep - been on the BOD of a couple of non-profits, and the advisory counsel of ARIN - the internet number registry...... if you think cave diving is bad, you ain't seen NOTHIN.

[rchrds]

Wow- so- cave politics strikes again- I dont even know all the details, but I'm not really suprised. I did a turn on the board and was completely disgruntled by the end of my term- after realizing that the BOD doesnt run the CDS- the instructors do. Anyone who knows me has heard me rail at length about this subject- but the bare bones of it is that $$$ is the root of the evil in semi-organized caving- and cave diving has fallen for it hook, line and sinker. I may not have appreciated the way some of the (those who shall not be named?) used to post- but you have to give them credit- pre-GUE they taught and organized a significant portion of the ACTIVE cave diving community- for FREE. And look at the quality of diver they managed to get, and the level of stuff they got done. If some of the instructors (ours and others) stepped up and taught because they wanted to teach and were dedicated to a higher level of end product- and quit endorsing CAVING FOR PAY we wouldnt have near the problems we have today. Imagine the quality of students we would see if the only return an instructor got was his/her name on the students card and the knowledge that the student was a direct reflection on their skills. Bet the days of 7 day certifications would be out the window.

Dont whine to me about the cost of insurance and all that other crap. If you dont like it- dont teach. That's the tradeoff.

Know how much we gripe about 20 lines in peacock? Imagine if people didnt advertise for cave instruction, how many lines would be in there? not too many. That would be nice.

And of course you say, but if we didnt try to promote membership- there wouldnt be a peacock.

WRONG. If people actually cared about their students- and dove with them all the time- not just for three weekends of class- you would have students that would be members for life- not just that year, who quit after getting bored cause they cant find anyone to dive with, or noone keeps them interested. Those long time students- and members- would be much more interested in supporting the goals of caving organizations. Perhaps there might only be one- instead of four that are all competing for money.

Gee- I wonder what the NSS figured out?

/rant off/

J

[rchrds]

P.S> I vote for Gary for CDS Dictator! Long live Ceas.. uh.. Gary!

Indies for Everybody!



J

Hail Gary!

Russell

[Gary]

Two votes plus myself...three - not bad!

Better then I expected.

[Jay]

I don't really understand what happened but it smells more of politics then it does of a functional organization. I am sure they had their personal reasons and it is very unfortunate.

I believe the remaining candidates and the remaining board members have the integrity and will to turn the situation around.

Jay

[DeWayne]

I'm with you on this one Jay, hope they can put this crap behind them and move forward. If that fails, we can just stage us a coup and install Gary