Mason... Sir,

[DeadMoneyDad]

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Ok maybe the PPA should be the OPPA, Online Poker Players Alliance.

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A rose by any other name....

[whangarei]

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Personally I offered to volunteer my time to do any job needed by John or the PPA from about June until now. Even if my talents are even less than 10% of those seeming recognized by others why would any group refuse almost any offers of free help?

D$D

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You either take us for fools or creatures without memory. And poker players generally have good memory.

[BluffTHIS!]

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Personally I offered to volunteer my time to do any job needed by John or the PPA from about June until now. Even if my talents are even less than 10% of those seeming recognized by others why would any group refuse almost any offers of free help?

D$D

[/ QUOTE ]

You either take us for fools or creatures without memory. And poker players generally have good memory.

[/ QUOTE ]


D$D to PPA: "I offer my time to you."

a) PPA accepts: "Wait you misunderstood! Of course I meant I would work for you for pay!"

b) PPA declines: "Wait you misunderstood! I was offering *free* services!"

[DeadMoneyDad]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Personally I offered to volunteer my time to do any job needed by John or the PPA from about June until now. Even if my talents are even less than 10% of those seeming recognized by others why would any group refuse almost any offers of free help?

D$D

[/ QUOTE ]

You either take us for fools or creatures without memory. And poker players generally have good memory.

[/ QUOTE ]


D$D to PPA: "I offer my time to you."

a) PPA accepts: "Wait you misunderstood! Of course I meant I would work for you for pay!"

b) PPA declines: "Wait you misunderstood! I was offering *free* services!"

[/ QUOTE ]

That maybe the "generally accepted wisdom" and even a fair perception of my "true intent" given the nature of this town.

Even taking 100% of the blame for all of the mis-communication involved in on one hand applying for an openly advertised job, while at the same time continuing to participate in and offer further volunteer services I don't feel it is a fair perception.

Generally actions speak louder than words.

But then this is DC, politics, and the internet; often perception and good bullpoop trump truth.

However perhaps the root of the truth lies in the fact that my offers of free services in support of the "cause" is not an isolated incident and too frequent to excuse as minor problems encountered by an young organization or frequently overworked people.


D$D

[whangarei]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Personally I offered to volunteer my time to do any job needed by John or the PPA from about June until now. Even if my talents are even less than 10% of those seeming recognized by others why would any group refuse almost any offers of free help?

D$D

[/ QUOTE ]

You either take us for fools or creatures without memory. And poker players generally have good memory.

[/ QUOTE ]


D$D to PPA: "I offer my time to you."

a) PPA accepts: "Wait you misunderstood! Of course I meant I would work for you for pay!"

b) PPA declines: "Wait you misunderstood! I was offering *free* services!"

[/ QUOTE ]

D$D's idea of volunteering

[Legislurker]

I agree wholeheartedly the PPA doesn't want to be a grassroots organization. Lobbying Congress with questionable money and a veil of secrecy was a short term fix that was ill-conceived and duplicated better efforts. Its still not too late to turn to membership, but it means sacrificing names and power. Whether or not D$D wanted to volunteer his problem was one that is pervasive and general.
There is not organization for poker players to work thru and recieve help to change outdated evil laws. Calls, emails, ideas, all fell on deaf ears. Maybe its time to pull the plug on lobbying only and turn around and start going to bars and card rooms and signing peopel up one by one. Hire some bloggers/posters(no i don't want to do it). Start a community. Open up control to of the organization to memberhip. What the hell can it hurt? Oh wait, you want to preserve the HORRIBLE business model of the affiliate farms.

[DeadMoneyDad]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree wholeheartedly the PPA doesn't want to be a grassroots organization. Lobbying Congress with questionable money and a veil of secrecy was a short term fix that was ill-conceived and duplicated better efforts. Its still not too late to turn to membership, but it means sacrificing names and power. Whether or not D$D wanted to volunteer his problem was one that is pervasive and general.
There is not organization for poker players to work thru and recieve help to change outdated evil laws. Calls, emails, ideas, all fell on deaf ears. Maybe its time to pull the plug on lobbying only and turn around and start going to bars and card rooms and signing peopel up one by one. Hire some bloggers/posters(no i don't want to do it). Start a community. Open up control to of the organization to memberhip. What the hell can it hurt? Oh wait, you want to preserve the HORRIBLE business model of the affiliate farms.

[/ QUOTE ]

I derive very little income from on-line poker, percentage wise I spend more on Starbucks a month than I've won. Considering I started from zero, I am really proud of my few hundred bucks winnings, not that I ever expect to be able to spend money from my "off-shore unregulated numbered account".

But signing up people who play in bar leagues is one suggestion that has fantastic potential. I've even gone out and done it. At least two people at the fly-in were their only because I contacted them through bar leagues. No they were not all from the local area. Tuff met one who flew in from the Mid-west at his own expense with NO help or even consideration in hospitality let alone much PR contact to capitalize on his "story".

Think of me what ever you will, I'm old enough and secure enough to careless. I do care about my freedoms, and rights. I have a passion for the game of poker that far exceeds my skills at poker and apparently communications on-line and in person with the PPA abilities.

If I ran into the same problems in any other portion of my life I would follow the "conventional wisdom", and squarely place the blame as suggested.

However, grassroots politics is one area where I have excelled recently in the past decade of my life. To what extent is indeed debatable (perceptions -- depends on whom you talk to and when). But even discounting all of that, one area I am considered "head and shoulders" above many is getting the most out of volunteers and scooping up for free needed resources.

So I am willing to accept all the personal failure in my personal attempts. But I am unwilling to stay silent or suggest the PPA is anywhere near where it should be in the "care and feeding" of volunteers.

I could list another half dozen specific examples where the PPA has paid for or "blown" amazing opportunities to raise money and visibly shown a positive ROI to the broader poker world.

But why bother?



D$D

[Legislurker]

Yeah why bother. There just isn't the money to put together a poker organization. The PPA was the chance and they are [censored] blowing it by being secretive and standoffish. Im willing to bet if they had a loan to pay for the investment in organizing in 6 months it would pay off. You may have to endure some threats of violence from Harrahs thugs for organizing players, but one day the need for a union will be clear. Sooner or later rakes will go up. Perks down. Laws unfavorable to the consumer. Live dealers cut out. Im not saying mark my words, but we are all [censored] this pooch.

[NY60]

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I'll gamble. What rule did TE break? When has he been disrespectful or unprofessional?

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Ditto, I am having trouble as well, unless it is in the student shall never question the school principal type of disrespectful.

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Me too. Mason, of course this is your site and you may set whatever rules you wish. That said, your recent actions seem increasingly petty.

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Well, I cannot admit that I know all the ins and outs of the arguments presented in this thread, but I do know one thing for sure...THE JOURNALIST HAS JUST BECOME THE CENSURER and that can never be a good thing!

[NY60]

As an attorney, when someone who is not an attorney says they do not want to comment on legal issues beacuse they do not have the expertise...I respect that.

When someone points out that a not-for-profit has transparency issues with their finances and that something needs to be done...I respect that.

When someone takes issue with the make up of a board of directors of a not-for-profit based on ethical principles...I respect that.

When someone questions the veracity of the opinions expressed by another who claims to be affiliated with an influential medium yet opts to remain anonymous....well I respect that and I too question those same opinions.

When someone creates a medium for the free flow of ideas and interjects in the forum when the decorum falls below a certain level NOT THE CONTENT...well I very much respect and appreciate that.

If the internet has proved nothng else, it has proven that in the aggregate, the rest of us outsiders are not collectively stupid...we don't need the hand of big brother to spoon feed us information.

Let's not jeopardize the respect we have earned by turning off the the broadcasting medium when the heat in the kitchen gets too hot.

That I do not respect.