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mrunge Inner circle Charleston, SC 3716 Posts |
Maria, I'd just like to, once again, publicly THANK YOU for all that you have done for the SAM and for the Art of Magic.
You are a shining example of the goodness that can be found in our little world. You are a very hard worker who gives everything and asks nothing in return. I look forward to the day I can meet you in person. Thank you. Mark. |
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mormonyoyoman Inner circle I dug 5,000 postholes, but I have only 2440 Posts |
A private e-mail asked me why Opie was banished from SAMtalk. They then asked me to post that link here: http://preview.tinyurl.com/4m699v
And I must add my gratitude for Maria and her stupendous work on behalf of the magic community. She remains the best president of S.A.M. in a long time - quite possibly the best yet. With gratitude, Maria - --Grandpa
#ShareGoodness #ldsconf
--Grandpa Chet |
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JRob Veteran user Central South Carolina 395 Posts |
I would also be remiss not to add my thanks to Maria for her work as President. Although I came at the tail end of your term what I saw certainly indicated that you were certainly deserving of the "Most Illustrious" honorific. You certainly did not deserve to be maligned as you were by whoever it was who did so.
"Jim Roberts, AKA: Professor Jay Rob "<br>
The Professor's Facebook Page |
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Merlina Veteran user Maria Ibanez 367 Posts |
Greetings,
my humblest thanks to each of you for your comments both in regards to myself and to my year as YOUR president. Chet, thank you for that link....interesting re-reading! Rod, it was I who was honored to meet you and all the other wonderful colleagues, members or not, at Abbotts and at all the other places I visited during my year as President. I continue to visit and to attend conventions and have been invited back to several of them to perform and lecture this year, which I am happy to do - this will provide a great opportunity to spend more time with members and magi at all these places. My work at these conventions, lest someone should think it is for self-benefit, are all PRO-BONO. Mark, I too look forward to the opportunity of meeting you in person. Thank you for your kind words. I do, however, wish to make one tiny correction to your post I do ask for something in return -- your friendship. Jim, thank you also for your words. Serving you and the Society's members around the world was, and will forever be, what it was all about. Thank you, for being a part of that and for your support. Father Photius, my command of the language is not strong enough to express the gratitude I feel for your never-wavering support. You have been a pillar of strength and it has been my honor to have been spoken of so highly by you. As I always say, and we will have to make this plural to each of you and all those others who have always been so wonderful....."thank you much kind sirs" Let us now concentrate on not giving up on the Society. Let us all work together and keep the faith that as they say "this too shall pass" and keep the faith that we might have a better and brighter future ahead. I am, as I have always been, here for anyone who needs me or feels I may be of any assistance -- home 305-258-3414 cell 786-258-8762 e-mail merlina17@aol.com If anyone wishes to be added to the "Have you heard" newsletter just send me an e-mail with your e-mail address and I'll gladly add you. If you know someone who wishes to be added, have them send me an e-mail and I will do so as well. By the way, for those of you who are keeping track -- Jason and his wife went to the Dr. on Tuesday of last week....it's official, it's a boy. The baby is to be named Elija Jason so he may be called EJ. Let us all remember that it's always darkest before the dawn so until dawn, keep a dream in the making for we will create our tomorrows by what we dream today. Maria Ibanez |
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Rob Stewart New user Lakeland FL 31 Posts |
Maria,
I would think your motivation would be to help change the 'perceived' communication complaints and help these wonderful S.A.M. members resolve their concerns. So again, which of the officers in the current administration which 'can be counted on less fingers than are in a hand' have you contacted personally or by phone (I know you have their phone numbers), to help our valued members with their issues. I'm sure your involvement would be much appreciated on many levels. 1. By those who post on this forum 2. Those who have contacted you personally 3. I'm sure the membership committee would value your input 4. and most of all your contributions could go a long way to improving the S.A.M. of which you have been president of and remain on the national council.
Rob Stewart
M U M |
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Tony Iacoviello Eternal Order 13151 Posts |
Rob:
As you are an active office reading these issue concerning the members, might I ask who YOU have contacted? As an active officer in the SAM, seeing that there are issues that do not seem to be getting addressed, instead of asking who others have contacted, the responsible thing would be to step up and attempt to either resolve the issues or connect the members to those who can. Just my opinion Tony Iacoviello |
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Rob Stewart New user Lakeland FL 31 Posts |
Tony,
Misinformation again, I do not hold an elected position in the SAM, I am not a PNP nor do I sit on the National Council. I am just a regular guy trying to get answers from a PNP. I feel I am doing the responsible thing by asking the appropriate question to the appropriate person. Who, by the way, has still not answered my question. The silence is deafening. Respectfully Submitted, Rob Stewart
Rob Stewart
M U M |
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S.A.M. BRUCE New user 8 Posts |
SAM Members and supporters of magic,
It has been brought to my attention that there is an enthusiastic interest in the S.A.M. being expressed on this forum. It is unfortunate that time does not permit the other National Officers and me to check in on this and other independent magic forums on a regular basis. We are dedicated to the S.A.M., but we also have many obligations and a very full life outside the S.A.M., as do most of our members. It also is disappointing that there is a perception that the leadership of the S.A.M. is not encouraging and providing information or answering the concerns by some who have posted here. I can assure you that is not the reality. We are dedicated to responding to all our members who have any issues and we will answer you openly and honestly if issues are directly presented to us. It is unrealistic to believe that you would always agree with the position our team has taken, but I can assure you we take our members' concerns very seriously, and much thought, time and discussion transpires before we act in what we believe to be in the best interest of the S.A.M.and the membership. All your ideas and concerns go into the mix for consideration and are appreciated. So, may I recommend you contact me personally, or if you prefer, any other national officer (listed below) with your comments, concerns and suggestions if you wish them to be addressed. I can assure you we are listening and working together on your behalf not only on personal issues but assembly development, national programs and meeting our international obligations. We are also involved with committee issues, the current economic environment and new advances in technology. On behalf of myself, the national officers, the elected officials and the National Council, let me again thank you for your continued interest and most of all, your support of the S.A.M.. We strive to follow the fundamentals of our cabala, M-U-M, as we move into the future together joined by our interest in "magic" which inspires our "unity" and creates our "might." It is this proud history that has made the S.A.M. the oldest and most prestigious magic organization in the world. Please contact me personally (or any of the officers) as we make this journey together. Thank you again for your encouragement and support. Bruce Kalver National President, 2008-09 The Society of American Magicians E-Mail Addresses for the S.A.M. Executive Officers: Bruce Kalver - National President: president@magicsam.com Mike Miller - National President-Elect: presidentElect@magicsam.com Mark Weidhaas - National First Vice President: firstVP@magicsam.com Vinny Grosso - National Second Vice President: secondVP@magicsam.com Marlene Clark - National Secretary: secretary@magicsam.com Mary Ann Blowers - National Treasurer: Treasurer@magicsam.com |
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Tony Iacoviello Eternal Order 13151 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-09-22 11:38, Rob Stewart wrote: Sorry Rob, I must have misunderstood the messages between you and Maria on September 3rd. Tony Quote:
On 2008-09-22 11:49, S.A.M. BRUCE wrote: Bruce Thank you for posting that information. Tony |
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Merlina Veteran user Maria Ibanez 367 Posts |
Greetings,
it has been a couple of days since I've had the opportunity to visit the newsgroups and to get back to my e-mails due to being busier than busy between work, shows, and all the other things that go on in everyone's life, myself being no exception, Tony, I agree with you, I am happy to see that Bruce has responded here and copied his post on several of the threads on the Café. Rob, you appear to be genuinely concerned with making sure that I have contacted someone specifically and are genuinely interested in knowing who. Here below I have copied the e-mail which went out to Most Illustrious National President Bruce Kalver this afternoon to his address of President@magicsam.com. I wrote to him directly and not the other National Officers because realistically, as the National President, he is at the helm and is ultimately fully aware of and responsible for the goings on of the Society. Like the old saying says "the buck stops here" and "here" would be with the National President. I am confident that Bruce will respond to my e-mail as soon as he has an opportunity. Reading his post above, he has his hands full with "working together on your behalf not only on personal issues but assembly development, national programs and meeting our international obligations. We are also involved with committee issues, the current economic environment and new advances in technology" in addition to his many other obligations and "having a very full life outside of the S.A.M." Believe me, I know how much I had to give up both of my work and of my personal and family life last year when I served in that position. Thank you Rob and here's the e-mail copy: Subject: I have some questions and concerns Date: 9/24/2008 5:16:54 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time From: Merlina17 To: president@magicsam.com, Greetings, I've tried e-mailing to the address provided on the e-mail that went out with regards to contacting the National Officers via gmail, but those have bounced back, so I am now trying to use your individual address via the S.A.M. website. I was always confused as to why a group that represents the S.A.M. which has a rather large and expensive website would be using a gmail address which is a free address and takes the e-mails out of the SAM site. There have, I am sure you are aware, been numerous posts and threads and questions being asked on different forums and locations. These are to some degree, I believe, due to the fact that there is no longer a forum of the S.A.M. where members can communicate as before, internally on an S.A.M. forum of its own. There are a few questions that I wonder if you'd be kind enough to enlighten me on via your reply.... 1) Since the National Council was fully assembled in Louisville, why was the decision to close SAMtalking not brought up to the Council before it was decided? 2) The decision of who to appoint as moderator is a Presidential one. I don't believe it is a Presidential decision to do away with a program of the S.A.M. without discussion with the National Council. Am I wrong in this and if so, how? 3) A simple Who-is search shows that SAMtalking.com is owned and registered by you, Bruce Kalver. I would assume that is only because you are the one that registered it but that it is actually owned by the S.A.M. Am I correct? 4) A recent post on SAMtalk, by Andy Dallas, PNP, invites members to join the OIC. I am curious as to why the OIC which is a program of the S.A.M. is being hosted on a commercial website owned and published by the National President, Bruce Kalver, and not as a part of the S.A.M. website as is the SYM, Veterans and all the other programs? 5) I was surprised to see the announcement of the hiring of a new MUM editor. We agreed in San Antonio to 3 months of ads in the MUM for a search and for the recommendation of the committee to be brought back to the National Council for a vote and approval at the Fall Meeting. I have nothing at all against either one of the people hired, in fact I believe they can both do a terrific job; I am just curious as to the hiring without discussion and a vote from the National Council. I am a member of the Council as a PNP and I know that I didn't get a vote. Is this an interim appointment until the hiring is ratified by Council or is the press release accurate as it reads: " Michael Close been selected as the new Editor of M-U-M- magazine the official organ of the Society of American Magicians. President Bruce Kalver announced that Mr, Close will succeed John Moehring as editor beginning in January 2009. " ? Thanks for your response to these questions when you have a chance. The best to you this year as President, enjoy it, for it goes by very, very quickly but it will give you memories that will last a lifetime. I am very busy with writing a book, lecturing and traveling back and forth between the home in the north, Miami and Virginia where Orlando is stationed. Jay and I are also anxiously anticipating the birth of the first grandchild in February, hopefully for our anniversary since the baby is due between February 17th and 20th. Again, my best wishes for a very memorable year. Keep a dream in the making for you create your tomorrows by what you dream today Maria Ibâñez National President 07-08 Society of American Magicians There's much going on in our lives and I will check in from time to time to see how everyone is doing and to say "hello" but no matter how busy I am, please do not hesitate to stay in touch and reach out if I may ever be of any assistance -- as always you may reach me at home at 305-258-3414 or on my cell at 786-258-8762 or on my e-mail at merlina17@aol.com or merlina@merlina.com. I wish Bruce, as I said in my letter as memorable and special year as mine was. I wish the members of our beloved Society and the Society itself the very best today and always. Until next time - keep a dream in the making Maria Ibanez |
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Clifford the Red Inner circle LA, California 1941 Posts |
Holy crap this is a whole drama! I was considering joining SAM but are they really so unresponsive to membership?
Look, I'm a professional that has been heavily involved with non-profits for my entire career. As a non-profit, they answer to the attorney general of the state they are formed in. If the officers really violated their bylaws, why is this not being taken up with the attorney general's office? I can understand the whole issue of the legal liabilities of forums (I am the senior forum moderator on a forum for a very well known public figure), that is certainly something to consider for a big organization in running them. You simply have to have real rules and people just can't post whatever the hell they want. The organization could face lawsuits. So I am not discounting the real issue, but it didn't seem like a problem.
"The universe is full of magical things, waiting for our wits to grow sharper." Eden Philpotts
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mormonyoyoman Inner circle I dug 5,000 postholes, but I have only 2440 Posts |
Part of the problem, Clifford, is that the S.A.M. is set up in a way to make it easy for the national/international officers to be unresponsive to the rank & file of the membership. As I'm able to understand it, members do not get a complete vote for these officers. You must be part of an assembly, and members vote within the assembly. The assembly then gets one vote, usually based on the majority.
So each member gets a fraction of a vote. Officers and past presidents get a complete vote each. *jeep! --a disillusioned Grandpa Chet
#ShareGoodness #ldsconf
--Grandpa Chet |
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Clifford the Red Inner circle LA, California 1941 Posts |
Do they pay more money than anyone else?
"The universe is full of magical things, waiting for our wits to grow sharper." Eden Philpotts
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mormonyoyoman Inner circle I dug 5,000 postholes, but I have only 2440 Posts |
Pay?
#ShareGoodness #ldsconf
--Grandpa Chet |
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Clifford the Red Inner circle LA, California 1941 Posts |
Well normally membership organizations give a full membership with full voting and other rights based on paying dues which supports the organization. You pay the dues, you get the rights. It's simple. So you are telling me they are not giving full membership rights to dues-paying members? And you are telling me the people who have full membership rights have set it up so they don't pay membership dues?
Is this disclosed to applicants for membership? I didn't see it.
"The universe is full of magical things, waiting for our wits to grow sharper." Eden Philpotts
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mormonyoyoman Inner circle I dug 5,000 postholes, but I have only 2440 Posts |
That's right.
Everyone pays membership dues, though lifetime members can pay and have paid LOTS of dues so they never pay dues again while they live. (I have no idea whether they pay dues after they die.) Only officers get a vote. And not all assemblies' officers submit a vote based on the members' votes. No, this was not disclosed to potential members. *jeep! --Grandpa Chet
#ShareGoodness #ldsconf
--Grandpa Chet |
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Clifford the Red Inner circle LA, California 1941 Posts |
Well, I went and read the Constitution (as should all prospective members) and it was quite clear how the voting works and it is nothing new as far as I can tell. Certainly the structure is a little top heavy, but you can't claim it wasn't available for examination.
Honestly, the only thing that really interests me is MUM and some networking, but I get networking other places. Not sure what else would be compelling to me as a Bizarrist. I appreciate all the candor of feelings on this thread and others I have read, but I have to separate reality from emotion. I was rather pleasantly surprised and a little shocked to receive a personal response from none other than the President of SAM after what...an hour of posting my sincere inquiries. So the unresponsive thing...Sorry, I ain't seeing it, or in the words of the immortal Bette Davis in The Whales of August - "That has not been my experience." The last thing I want is to get caught up in some crazy politics among magicians of all people. Being a moderator myself, I've seen those type of things come and go with the participants being sincere but naive. I'll talk with Bruce and between all of this discern what my direction is, after all, you can't fool a Bizarrist. Or let's just say the consequences are severe.
"The universe is full of magical things, waiting for our wits to grow sharper." Eden Philpotts
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Rodney Palmer Inner circle 1317 Posts |
Grandpa Chet, Is that true if your assembly is in "GOOD" standing then the members in "GOOD" standing get to vote. Our assembly never even got the chance to vote. I just need someone to clarify this for me.
Rodney
"Creating Memories That Last A Lifetime"
In order to keep "MAGIC ALIVE" Please become a Mentor to a Young Person. |
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mormonyoyoman Inner circle I dug 5,000 postholes, but I have only 2440 Posts |
Well, Rodney, the way it reads and has been explained to me over these past couple or three years, is that the main officers of the assembly are the only ones who actually vote. They can (and I suppose should) vote the way the majority of the assembly votes, but they don't have to. Other assemblies have told me that their officers don't even tell them when a vote could be taken...and the officers just cast their personal ballots without discussing it with the members.
"And dat's de name of dat tune." --Grandpa Chet
#ShareGoodness #ldsconf
--Grandpa Chet |
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Tony Iacoviello Eternal Order 13151 Posts |
In national elections each assembly is given at least one vote, more based on membership size (number of members). The ballots are mailed to the assembly secretary, and the assembly is supposed to vote during the monthly meeting. The ballots must be signed by two assembly officers and returned to national prior to the Annual Meeting (in the elections where I was responsible for the ballots, they were to be returned by the beginning of June).
How the local assembly handles the voting/election is spelled out in the assembly bylaws (which should be available for the general membership to review if they wish, and be on file with the National Administrator). It is not the matter of one or two officers deciding how the votes will be case, but by vote of the members (in good standing) at the assembly meeting. If this is not how it is conducted, then the RVP and the National Administrator should be notified. Tony Iacoviello |
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