The November 1994 issue of the -S- is the first one produced under the new split responsibilities (Editor and Publisher vs. Editor-Publisher) and I thought I would introduce myself as well as comment on the publishing efforts.

I responded to Ken Ellis's advertisement for a publisher (my chief qualification is local access to inexpensive copying service and a willingness to stuff and mail about 130 envelopes, plus a desire to give something back to a hobby which I have enjoyed for about fifteen years off and on.)

After some discussions via telephone between the Editor, the Treasurer and I, I sent off an order for stamped envelopes to the USPS (I may stuff them but I don't lick them!) so that I would be all prepared when the originals arrived from the Editor. Then Murphy's First Law struck with both barrels.(Murphy's First Law states very simply that if something can go wrong, it WILL!)

The first barrel was that, in order to give potential candidates for the Regional and overall offices time to submit any campaign letters to the Editor, the originals for the issue had to be held for an extended time period.

The second barrel was thanks to the USPS. After filling out the order form in block capitals checking the number of letters per line, putting the return address into the approved format with Zip Code + 4, etc., etc., the USPS printed the envelopes incorrectly. I phoned the appropriate customer service center, explained the problem and learned that t1he corrected envelopes would be produced under a "Rush" order and would probably be sent to me about November 18th, resulting in the mailing delay of this issue.

I felt the members should be aware of the reasons for this delay. (This saga may or may not be continued. In the meantime, tune engines for minimim smoke and press on, regardless!)

The Saga Continues

As you recall, our hero (me!) was awaiting the stamped envelopes, only to learn that he had been betrayed by the USPS, who agreed to repair their error (I am still waiting for the repaired envelopes-12 November 94) but the page masters arrived from the Editor.

I immediately took the above page masters to my local Alphagraphics copy center, which is immediately across the street from my place of work. Tn order not to impose and to create undue stress upon the workers I allowed several days for the copying, collation and stapleing to be done. Upon visiting the copy center to pick up the completed November -S-, I found that a substantial "setup charge" had been added to the cost over what I had received as an estimate (Approximately 29% of the copying cost for the statisticians among the readers.) Fortunately, the Manager of the copy center was in the office, and after explaining that;

A. No setup charge had been listed in the original estimate.
B. The -S- is a monthly newsletter, and
C. There are other copy companies in town willing to make the same number of copies without a setup charge.

These points, plus the implied threat that this first order would be the last order if the setup charge remained, convinced the Manager to permanently drop the setup charge since the -S- is a monthly newsletter.

ILLEGITAMUS NON CARBORUNDUM!

See you later.