Membership Dropping?
Just as a side note, I wanted to list some numbers that I have been keeping track of from the SFI Database over the last few years. I have many more and chose just to go from October 2006 to the present. I think you can see that we are gradually dropping members.
How long will this continue?
10/18/06 TOTAL MEMBERS : 3864
TOTAL CHAPTERS : 246
11/23/07 TOTAL MEMBERS : 3851
TOTAL CHAPTERS : 228
04/26/08 TOTAL MEMBERS : 3579
TOTAL CHAPTERS : 223
07/23/08 TOTAL MEMBERS : 3525
TOTAL CHAPTERS : 225
08/02/08 TOTAL MEMBERS : 3477
TOTAL CHAPTERS : 225
Why is this happening? You be the judge of the cause and effect.
(6 votes, average: 4.17 out of 5)
Loading ...
August 2nd, 2008 at 10:37 am
The sharpest drop seems to be right after January 1, and steady over the past seven months. This ain’t rocket surgery, folks.
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:26 am
Deja-vu, anyone?
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
I would guess that people just don’t like to think a particular brand of Kool-Aid they’re offered.
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:51 pm
CORRECTED VERSION.ADDENDUM: I would guess that people just don’t like to drink a particular brand of Kool-Aid they’re offered.
As well, given the present economy, people may well be asking: What am I getting for my $15 and how is that money being spent by the people running the organization?
The organization may counter that it’s MOSTLY about the economy and/or that the many naysayers of the anti-Sal contingent are driving people away. And that the new Trek movie next year will result in a resurgence of numbers, much as ST:TNG revived an interest in so-called “organized” fandom.
August 2nd, 2008 at 3:26 pm
It may also be, after an AB member’s attempt at a pogrom earlier this year, that people are starting to realize that they’re not welcome in this organization unless they’re a particular ethnicity and religion.
August 2nd, 2008 at 6:04 pm
It all really depends on who you are, if that makes any sense. For example, our XO has decided to not renew his membership. He’s not really one of these folks in ‘fleet that follows the news or anything like that. He’s never read this site, he’s not on any fleet mailing list as far as I can tell. He’s dropped onto IRC maybe twice.
He got that survey, and he got it late. He said that the survey was nothing but a ‘blowjob for the administration,’ and even if he could stomach filling it out, he received it after the filing deadline. This was enough for him to state that he wanted no part of it, and that STARFLEET didn’t deserve his money.
Sure, it sucks for me, especially as we’re due to commission and I needed to find a new XO. It’s been inconvenient, but we’ll be fine. Also, he’s still staying on the chapter and enjoys that part of it, so it’s not like there’s any real loss to anyone but STARFLEET.
The chances that the administration cares about losing that member is non-existent. He doesn’t agree with the administration, and he was on the Blackheart. We won’t see any heroics from the EC on this member for those reasons alone.
It really seems that just about everyone’s been sent to Coventry, and that’s a bad sign.
August 3rd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Some of the new benefits of being a member of STARFLEET:
1) Discount at fed-ex kinko’s.
2) discounts at some hotels. (I can’t remember the chain.)
3) and for next year, possibly STARFLEET Insurance.
Who knows, maybe we could start thriving and increasing membership.
If you really want to know what some of the dropping was for, I have seen it time and time again on the unofficial STARFLEET list. It was of too much negative mud being slung against people, on both sides of the fence.
I’m sure that innocent people on the fence were getting tired of being splattered, and just want to enjoy their STARFLEET, without all the stupid politics.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:21 am
For my membership monies, what I want is responsible stewardship of a treasury; a network of common interest(s); and a newsletter I like to read and show off to other fans.
How is STARFLEET engineering discounts at Fed Ex/Kinko’s and hotels? Are they getting free advertising in Communique?
Politics is endemic to any group.
As for innocence, I know of few saints or angels on any side of this debate. To think otherwise is being reductionistic and, I daresay, simple-minded..
August 4th, 2008 at 2:15 am
Joseph: That would all mean a serious rebuild of the STARFLEET Database. There is no way currently for a vendor to verify membership. What? Our ID cards? No expiration dates. No pictures. No way to verify. That would not make good business sense on the part of the prospective vendor.
Tim: Maybe we’ll sell address info to these companies so we can get junk-mail bombed, phone solicited, and spammed. It’s not a concept that is unfamiliar to Web Lizard, now is it?
May make back some of the money spent on lawyers that way, too.
August 4th, 2008 at 7:09 am
We’re still waiting for “official” hard-copy documentation on the intellectual property issue mentioned at the IC as well as these purported discounts.
I imagine it’s best not to put one hand on one’s backside while waiting - it’ll grow there.
August 4th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
I don’t know if it would be a problem. I’d imagine that the new membership cards would look more like the Discount cards that Sam’s gives. If it were me doing this, it’d be like a card with a magnetic strip, and when you swiped it, you would get the discount. As for the database, I’ll agree that the functionality is so last century, and needs to be brought up to date.
Not being a computer/web guru, I wouldn’t know where to start, but I’m guessing you could it the way a group like paypal does it, or the way your bank does it.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Do you have any idea how much it would cost to make roughly 3500 of those plastic cards with magnetic strip info (not to mention per year)?
It requires a whole different level of technology that what we are using now and would be very expensive. Like 12-15 times what we spend now to print and laminate a card.
Trust me, I am a freelance graphic artist and know about these things.
On the other hand… with Sal Qaeda spending needless cash hand over fist… he might just go for the expensive idea.
August 4th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Well, I was aiming for something much simpler. A simple web-based form. Type in 5-digit SCC. Get a Yes/No answer on whether an SCC was current.
No, it won’t work in a store. But a call center such as a hotel reservation desk, rental car company, etc could easily tap into it. And if it is a properly built API, pretty much any software could be modified to hook into it.
And it would not be expensive.
And there are other cool things this could do. Speed up Academy courses. Right now, and someone from Academy can feel free to chime in here, someone has to manually verify that an SCC is current before emailing course materials. And once a course is completed, they have to manually enter scoring into the database, too.
If there was a way that an SCC could be validated, the Academy coul dbe streamlined. With free software, such as Moodle, classes could be placed online. There are plugins that could even produce a PDF certificate with name, grade, etc suitible for printing.
Free. Just take some time. And, naturally, overhauling the database so it will work with other applications. Free software, with obscure names like Apache, MySQL, PHP, Perl, Python run teh Intarwebs. All we need to do is get on the bandwagon.
I mean would it be a good thing to have almost complete automation in Membership Processing? Jo to SFI.ORG, sign up, pay with PayPal or a credit card, and download and print your certificate, ID card, all membership materials, right then and there?
It could happen. Problem is there is a “big fish, little pond” mentality in STARFLEET. Everything is a little fiefdom, run by some guy who is master of his little niche.
Open it up. Let’s break out of the mold, think outside the box, and GROW.
August 4th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I think it was Ed Nowlin who tried to use the DB to verify SCC membership for SL STARFLEET (which everyone can do in the DB through the “member lookup” tool… only to be told that he was violating member’s privacy rights, or something to that effect. Then, when someone from the EC wanted to form a competing Second Life STARFLEET entity… it’s suddenly OK for them to do the same thing… but not Ed.
So no matter what they decide to do (if anything) beware of the double and sometimes triple standards of the Sal Qaeda Administration.
August 4th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
True. But the “privacy” issue in this API I have envisioned would be moot. The web form would only reveal active status YES or NO. Not the name, address, email, etc that a member could get if they did a lookup.
And, if it is done RIGHT, other software could hook into it. Maybe even a way for it to be done via telephone. Dial a number, enter the SCC, get a recorded “This member is current” message and that’s it.
It would seriously speed up the Academy, or anything else that required verification of status.
August 4th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Certainly a good idea… which is why it will never see the light of day for another 2 years, 4 months and 28 days
August 4th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Dave: Some companies use an automated system such as you describe to verify employment and salary for people with need-to-know about such things: banks, landlords, coop boards, etc.
The information is secure and accessible via either web or telephone as long as the inquirers have the correct passcode.
August 7th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
For the record Gumby it’s not a competing group, not even close. I’ll also point out that the idea was created even before the 1st of the year. Ed is well aware of this, and as far as I’m aware isn’t even an issue anymore.
Dave’s idea about a YES/NO verify process I think is excellent, and actually an idea I’ve been thinking about for some time. It’s basically a matter of deciding to mess with the existing DB or build this into the new one.
Also CQ148 will have information about the new benefits program, as it is the post IC edition. The details are also already available via the SFI website after you log-in. Questions about the program can be send to benefits@sfi.org as well.
August 8th, 2008 at 2:34 am
Regarding the benefits…
Matt, if we are to assume that we are to be already covered by said benefits, wouldn’t an organization-wide broadcast be in order to herald it to the members? Seriously, I would be rightly peeved if I were to find out that I could save a few bucks *after the fact* because I may have been one of the members out there that doesn’t care to log into the website, read the CQ, or peruse this blog to get the benefits@sfi.org email address.
You know, if we had an *official* email list, this could be something that could be well communicated on it. Wait… Never mind.
Seriously, this to me is something that may be worthy of a mass mailing to the members. Not that I’m suggesting that you guys in the EC spend another thousand bucks to do so!
It is a serious failure of the administration’s communication with the membership that I, a commanding officer in the CS’s own home Region, have only a cursory knowledge of these “benefits” from second hand information from folks that went to the IC and this blog. All of my Chapter members prior to “The Great Hysteria Mailing of ‘08″ need a little reassurance that their $15 wasn’t a waste. Telling them that flashing their membership card can save them a few dollars could help.
August 8th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I’m in agreement with Tony on this. THIS should have been grounds for a mass-mailing, not a McCarthyesque screed.
August 8th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Yes, Matt informed me that the STARFLEET group in Second Life is not a competing group, but rather one that he felt needed implementing because he felt people would be torn in joining either my group (SL STARFLEET) or that lying POS Mike Vermosen’s group (UFS). Seeing as more and more of the current brass is active with UFS, I am really starting to wonder….Then again, since Mike basically stole everything SL STARFLEET, he had a wonderful base setup while I am still getting things re-organized and back on their feet, something that took a long time before.
Matt, I wonder though…I was ordered by Sal not to use the STARFLEET Database to verify members of SL STARFLEET as members of STARFLEET, and he informed me Mike was told the same thing. Now, I know I haven’t had a need to do it, but I know with all the brass joining UFS, if I was to contact the help desk and ask them if Mike has been going through them AS ORDERED if he has or not, and if he has not, what action is to be taken against him (Besides the fact that its pretty much a foregone conclusion he is living in South America and not in Europe and therefore is illegally performing the duties of RCR9)
Remember, we’re talking about a guy who told me he knew his VRC was not legitimate because she was not living in Europe and his attitude was “Well then STARFLEET will be blamed for the destruction of Region 9″. NOT the guy I would want acting in my interests!
August 8th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Furthermore, I feel a need to follow up.
You know that Mike’s attitude if he is actually “caught” as living in South America is gonna be “Oh well, I got caught. I can just move my chapter to South America and activate Region 18!”
I will find it most distasteful if the EC allows him, or ANY MEMBER OF HIS CHAPTER to do this. At that point, my McGinnis comparisons will be all but complete (Nelson-Matseu Maneuver, anybody?)
August 10th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Ya know… nothing surprises me anymore in regards to this organization.
August 12th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Now now, Ed, there’s no need for name calling. As I recall I didn’t call you a thief in public for using group money to pay for your girlfriend’s hotel room. Seems the McGinnis comparison works for both of us then
The fact that UFS has so many SFI members is because they are old enough to make up their own minds. And while you try so hard to make me look like a bad guy, they might ask people about it and find out that it’s not as you so vehemently picture it. UFS operates with a tremendous level of transparency so anyone can see what we do, and how we do it, so your words will never carry any weight.
You call me a POS now, but when I bought a $1250 SIM with a monthly upkeep fee of $ 195, just so you could PLAY admiral, then I was good enough. You know very well that the only reason, we, the members of SL STARFLEET, removed you from command was because you treated the members poorly, my investment (the sim) was affected cause of it, and your leadership, my friend, was weighed, measured, and found wanting. For the record, it’s Mike Vermoesen, not Vermosen.
We did try to continue as SL STARFLEET but your girlfriend made that impossible, so yes, we packed up and started on our own. And yes, I had a wonderful base to start with, but it wasn’t assets or buildings. It was the members who were tired of you, and members you can’t ’steal’. They have their own minds. I fail to see what Mike bashing has anything to do with SFI other then feeding your own bitterness and simply proving my point when your leadership and person is at question.
Yes, I was asked by Sal not to use the database to verify SCC numbers regarding privacy. For the record, I was not ORDERED to use the helpdesk to verify SCC numbers, I was asked not to use the database and we don’t. So please, go contact helpdesk and ask your questions, and even contact the database team and find all my entries in the database and you will see that I only use the DB for my MSR reports.
As for me ‘living’ in South America……wasn’t it you who told me that assumption is the mother of all f— ups? My address is still listed in Belgium; hence I still live in Belgium until said time I decide to move. I can’t seem to find any SFI document that says how long an RC can be out of the country before he/she needs to resign, for all you know I am on vacation.
The CS and several EC members are aware of this so I fail to see why this is any of your concern, unless you want to use it, and every petty thing you can find, to discredit me and my Region and of course, STARFLEET, because one thing I did learn from you, you don’t care about SFI or its members.
And as for my VRC not living in my Region, that’s true, but wasn’t it you who advised me that if STARFLEET doesn’t know it doesn’t matter? Seems honesty and integrity only works for you when it’s in your favor, so instead of trying to be more holy then God, why don’t you first try to fix your own 3 person chapter instead of being a cry baby?
I’m not the only RC who has a VRC that doesn’t live in the same region, but only Mike, the R9RC, that hurt your feelings and exposed your stupidity. So how about you take it like a man and instead of using every chance you get to badmouth me, you say the things you have to say to my face instead of forums and notecards?
So no Ed, I won’t be bullied by you. I did the right thing by removing you from command simply because you are not worthy of the trust the members of SL STARFLEET had put in you and your continuous attacks keep proving my point. As for me, I have put enough energy in answering to your silly accusations so if you feel you are in your right then by all means use the correct channels. I think you can find the SFI JAG email adress on the main website or maybe direct your negative energy in building up your own sim and keep SL STARFLEET and UFS out of SFI
For the record, this will be the ONLY comment I will make regarding this subject in this Blog. Any other questions or remarks can be directed to me personally and it is my hope that the esteemed Ed Nowlin will do the same and keep this Blog for SFI related subjects intead of personal grievances against me
August 12th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Great post Mike. Yes Ed’s comments are off topic and ridiculous.
August 13th, 2008 at 12:31 am
[shaking head]
August 13th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Tony,
Now you know why I removed Second Life from my system. I was pumped for information about Ed and used to further an agenda. My confidence in what I thought was a long time European friend was betrayed.
I now compare SL to the FDC/FRC/FKD program. How much you wanna bet the exact same pecker contests happen when Star Trek: Online come out.
August 13th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
I know myself well enough to stay away from MMORPG’s in general.
I like myself as a fan when a fannish environment fosters my creativity and whatever few positive traits I have. I dislike myself as a fan when I give in to the addictive aspects of my personality.
I’m socially inept in the real world as it is. Sheesh.
August 15th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
I’m an occasional SL user who tends to associate within the emergency services community; in general the folks there seem less drama-oriented and much more friendly than those I encountered when visiting either “SL STARFLEET” or “UFS”.
Then again, it could have just been me; the avatar clad in in a fire-department duty uniform that looks vaguely like me is probably a giveaway
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:36 pm
FleetWatch for 22 AUG 2008
TOTAL MEMBERS : 3433
TOTAL CHAPTERS : 227
…and still falling.
On the other hand, we do have two more chapters launched.
Thus spake Gumby… “Be fruitless and subdivide…”
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:32 pm
44 members lost in 20 days?
Wow.
Fuckin’ wow.
Sure, we can add two new Chapters to the roster, but we lost the equivalent of 4 fully staffed Chapters in the process. Not good.
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:31 am
Not quite accurate (I started recording the numbers in early May, January data was provided by Gumby (here, I believe).
The numbers don’t lie..
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:32 am
Crap.. can’t post img tags..
Anyways, the image is here.
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:33 am
Crap.. can’t post img tags..
The image is here.
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:35 am
Bah.. third time lucky maybe?
Image can be found here.
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:51 am
My roommate has worked for “FedEx” Kinko’s for over 10 years and he has heard *nothing* about a discount for STARFLEET members.
August 23rd, 2008 at 10:25 am
Ok.. we’ll try this one more time..
The image can be found: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/MattRB/STARFLEET/mmbrshp_plunge.jpg
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:59 am
I have created the following Top Ten List as a synopsis of what I am hearing from different members. They are not actual quotes, but each quote covers what I have read in emails, sadly I did not have to make up anything for the list.
Top Ten Symbolic Quotes Why People Do Not Renew in STARFLEET:
10) “I forgot my renewal date.”
9) “I would rather go to a movie than spend $20 on membership.”
7) “With all the bickering I would rather not renew.”
6) “Sal and the EC are wasting my membership dues on letters and lawyers.”
5) “Star Trek is dead and that movie coming out is stupid.”
4) “I get more out of my Battlestar Galactica (or Star Wars) fan club membership.”
3) “I did not vote for Sal so I am leaving.”
2) “The CQ Sucks!”
1) “I am gonna wait to see who wins the next election before I renew.”
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:59 am
How did that Smiley get in my Top Ten List?
August 23rd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Rob - the computer probably automatically converted the 8 and the ) pushed together, like this
August 23rd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Got it, thanks. I realized it right after I hit the “Submit Comment” button.
August 23rd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Rob must be channeling David Letterman… Here’s my answers to some of those statements on your list.
“I forgot my renewal date.” True. But your CO, if he’s doing his job, should have reminded you.
“I hate the politics involved.” No one force feeds the members all the politics. In fact, most COs that I know actually shield their rank and file members from the majority of it. At my chapter’s meetings, I do not sit and Sal-bash. That’s not why I attend meetings. I attend meetings to fellowship with my friends.
“With all the bickering I would rather not renew.” See above. If you don’t visit sites like STARFLEET Fail, or subscribe to the more volatile listserves, you won’t see any bickering.
“Sal and the EC are wasting my membership dues on letters and lawyers.” Yeah, can’t help you on that one. That is a very valid point. At the rate we’re going, there won’t be a STARFLEET left to renew.
“Star Trek is dead and that movie coming out is stupid.” Again, can’t argue there. Star Trek is circling the drain. As for the new movie, I predict it will be a huge disappointment for fans, however it will be a box office smash. Paramount will laud JJ Abrams for becoming “The Savior of Star Trek” and they’ll make seven more sequels. They’ll all suck exponentially, but Paramount will make a Federation standard ass-ton of cash, so who cares?
“I get more out of my Battlestar Galactica (or Star Wars) fan club membership.” Can’t compete with that, either. Remember, though, you get out of STARFLEET what you put into it. If a member sits back and waits for value to be handed to him, he will be sorely disappointed. Sometimes you have to quest for fun.
“I did not vote for Sal so I am leaving.” Sour grapes. You should stay, work within the system to fix what is broken.
“The CQ Sucks!” It has sucked since the beforetime. Sal and crew taking over only compounded the sucktitude. I am, however, holding a ray of hope that Commodore Jon Lane can unfuck the CQ. He has sense, that one.
“I am gonna wait to see who wins the next election before I renew.” See above. If you do not renew, you cannot vote. We need all the voting bodies we can get so we don’t end up with three more years of this crap. No, granted, Sal can’t be re-elected. But Garrick can. And Sal can be VCS. And the cycle of FAIL would continue. Stay. Vote. Change.
August 23rd, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Everybody, sit down before you read my next comment…
David, I cannot agree with you more on each and every point. Well said.
Rob
August 23rd, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Wonders never cease… there may be hope for you yet!
August 23rd, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Or maybe hope for you…
August 24th, 2008 at 3:20 am
Or hope for STARFLEET
Or not.
August 24th, 2008 at 7:34 am
I don’t get involved with these blogs until now….
This item stands out after reading what I read in the CQ #147. About hiring a lawyer for what…When you hire a attorney you are probably “guilt” of something?
6) “Sal and the EC are wasting my membership dues on letters and lawyers.”
Ollie
August 24th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
To make a blanket statement like that makes no sense to me because if I, or a family member is arrested for murder I would hire a lawyer, not because of “guilt” but because I need a good defense and or advice.
That being said, I am not an advocate of the lawyer bills. Frankly I do not understand or agree as to why we need them. Among other reasons - I was told we needed the lawyers because someone “threatened” to sue STARFLEET. So what? I can threaten to sue everyone I see on the street because they look at my height funny or make fun of it, my threat does not mean they have to go out and get a lawyer. We only need a lawyer when we ARE sued. Until then, hold onto the funds.
To get a lawyer because we might get sued is like buying an ocean yacht in Nevada because California might fall into the ocean one day.
August 24th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Rob: I don’t like to openly disagree with my CO. But Ollie did paint with a broad brush. you don’t hire a lawyer only if you are guilty. You are correct, sometimes a lawyer is a prudent measure to stave off a legal disaster.
We faced such a disaster recently. The organization liquidated a Certificate of Deposit (CD) in anticipation of needing to handle a sales tax issue that cropped up last year. Coincidentally, the “issue” happened mere days from when the former Chief Financial Officer, Pat Spillers, was sacked by Les Rickard and Mark Anbinder, the CS and VCS of the last administration. Someone from her home state of Texas blew the whistle on STARFLEET and it looked pretty grim for us, indeed.
So liquidating was a preventive measure. It is best to be prepared, after all. The money from the CD was supposed to be earmarked to handle any back taxes and legal fees involved with that issue. However, that’s not what has happened to the money.
To date, the sales tax issue has not been rectified. At least, that is according to all the numerous and frequent reports from the Executive Committee on that subject.
And, oddly, the former CFO was rehired by the current administration and serves as “Vice CFO” under Mike Stein. However, it has been proven, and admitted by Mike repeatedly, that she is pretty much doing the lion’s share of the workload, even going as far as signing checks for the organization.
What happened to the money? You may want to fast forward to this post to discuss that issue…