Isnt it time we demanded support ?

[BuckleBoy]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

Couple this with the fact that Big Distribution took out most of the small, family-owned dealers in the last decade and you have a recipe for disaster. Those small dealers are the ones who Cared about our great hobby enough to impart wisdom that went well beyond the code of ethics. They had a real stake in whether the Individual succeeded or failed.

 

[Roadquest]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

MD Dog, Your idea is good. pursue it. Others will follow you. Division among us is not good for this cause.
"It will be an uphill battle. The perceptions are that we are all bums and crackpots (especially the "fringe" treasure hunters looking for large caches with pseudo-science techniques)." I have researched a large cache for several years, And have drove across the United States three times from Virginia to New Mexico. I also have a thread on TreasureNet about this "treasure" . I could be wrong, but I believe
if my thread is read, anyone would not think that those of of that put our efforts into researching, and searching for this large cache could not be called "pseudo"

But, to each his own. And if that is the perceptions that some of our own people have with metal detecting,
Then it will indeed be an uphill battle.

The prefix pseudo (from Greek ψευδής "lying, false") is used to mark something as false, fraudulent, or pretending to be something it is not:


Clayton

 

[stoney56]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

Well.....just checked out the FMDAC's web site......how sad...

I checked their legislative forum and it's so awfully pathetic the responses they don't have. Even the states having the problems...no one is talking to the FMDAC.

I checked my state to see how many clubs and individuals had affiliation with the FMDAC......less than 150 people...half a dozen clubs. And how many people metal detect in Pa.? There's probably 50 in a 20 mile radius of me. Pennsylvania is a pretty big state...at least I think it is.

I'll raise my hand and admit my apathy. This is only the second time I've looked at their site. Maybe we're overlooking a tool.

Al

Al, I agree that their legislative section looks a bit pathetic. I also know that they've completely revamped their website and starting it all over. If you look at Okla. for participation, you'll see it's even worse. There are 3 big clubs I know here in the state, and all 3 have fallen off the FMDAC doorstep. Part of it was, I think (MHO), is the dues were paid in but didn't see any real return for the effort.
So much has changed due to the internet as well. Again IMO, people will post a problem with their particular state and post a link to contact their congressman or contact a Senator of the state with the problem. Not everyone that reads it will do so, and some of those that do will either sign the petition and then sit back saying well I've done my part and then go on. A minority will take up the challenge and try and continue the fight. One that comes to mind that carried the battle to the end was Betty Jean Weeks.
http://www.streeter.org/community/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=658
I'm not trying to single her out, I was just fortunate to meet her and sit and talk with her for a short time. There are others as well that continue to fight for us and the hobby in almost every waking moment. It's a constant fight in that we can't become lax or complacent or the hobby will continue to slide downwards. To modify a well known speech, it's not what your hobby can do for you but what you can do for your hobby.
Another site besides FMDAC is http://www.wwats.org/

 

[Atticus Finch]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

I don't "treasure hunt". I "recover and preserve historical artifacts".

I don't "dig holes". I conscientiously recover artifacts in a manner that benefits history and heritage as well as the upper strata of perennial or deciduous flora by randomly aerating the topsoil.

For every significant 1 oz. "keeper" I remove, I separate, clean, and properly recycle approximately one pound of non-biodegradable waste.

'Framing' ones position is everything. Poliicians do it always. Also we need a national organizartion with dues thus 'muscle'.

A.F.

 

[MD Dog]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

Yes, I must admit this would reflect badly on Ivan, I know if I saw it when I was a Police officer I would have hooked him up. But it doesn't reflect badly on us as MDers, since he isn't swinging an MD at the time. Treasure hunting comes in all forms I understand, but some times I must admit that some things that some treasure hunters do I think can reflect badly on Treasure Hunting rather than MDing. For Instance I'm sure there are some banks out there who loathe CRHers, but that in no way reflects badly on MDers.

I think we might even exploit this to our benefit and try getting a separation between Treasure Hunting and MDing in the public point of view. Although most MDers do save up there finds to amount to a treasure we don't usually find it all at once unless your one of the lucky few. But then we lose allot of strength sticking together. It is our numbers which will carry the day in a legislative fight. So once again I think we may be forced to police ourselves rather than let others do it for us.

Maybe what we need as I have suggested before is a Certification exam, that may be a launch pad to Licensing in some if not all states. I know allot of people will resist this as they are selfishly thinking that as long as they are free to hunt such things would needlessly muck up their hobby.
But I think some of us have to be thinking as adults and see the trend or the writing on the wall if you will. If we do nothing we can most assuredly watch as our rights continue to degrade town by town, city by city, state by state. If we take preemptive action we may just not only save our sport/Hobby, but actually improve it. I for one see no problem being involved in some actually important service for Archies. I like Plebahs Idea of using GPS when MDing in sensitive areas, to record our finds for State Archies to access in the future should they ever need to. Or some such deal, whereby we work with them rather than try to swim against the tide.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

Yes, I must admit this would reflect badly on Ivan, I know if I saw it when I was a Police officer I would have hooked him up. But it doesn't reflect badly on us as MDers, since he isn't swinging an MD at the time.

I would disagree.  It is posted on Our forum--because this forum is Primarily a MDing forum.  And it is a Public forum!  Anyone who wishes to Frame us in a negative light can easily cull from the tens of thousands of posts instances where Tnet members have broken the law.  That is just one example.


While part of me deeply despises censorship, I honestly think that this forum should do it's part to Remove doubtful, dubious, sketchy, or downright Criminal information from the content here!  I also think that the honorable mention section should be placed at the top.  These things could contribute to the greater good of our hobby, and it is a shame that they are not being done here.  We have NO idea who sees the content here after it is posted.  And this is the largest MDing forum on the web.  Don't think for a second that this forum is ignored by the other side. 

But...try to lobby this forum.  I'll tell you now, it won't work.  Members who care, will leave.  And newbies with 2 posts to their name will take their place.  This business doesn't care about individuals either, unfortunately.


Regards,



Buckles 

 

[MD Dog]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

Very good point Buckles, I stand corrected. Yes I know that Marc has his ways of thinking that may differ from ours for whatever reason. So maybe what we should do is seek an open dialogue with him to ask what his thoughts are on the subject and maybe we can find a place to start from and build from there. It couldn't hurt, and may actually help. I'm sure he has his reasons for everything he does, and I doubt it's all about money since he surely isn't making as much $$$$ with this site as he could.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

Very good point Buckles, I stand corrected. Yes I know that Marc has his ways of thinking that may differ from ours for whatever reason. So maybe what we should do is seek an open dialogue with him to ask what his thoughts are on the subject and maybe we can find a place to start from and build from there. It couldn't hurt, and may actually help. I'm sure he has his reasons for everything he does, and I doubt it's all about money since he surely isn't making as much $$$$ with this site as he could.

Well, I will say that it could be more money than you think. Well over 20,000 members, many of us with Tnet set as our homepage, plus all those guests looking in. I don't know what the going rate for advertising space here is, but it is most certainly based on the number of hits the forum gets. Online "links" sites generate revenues in the Millions of dollars in some cases--especially the "adult" ones.


I don't know if the rules and set-up of this forum have any methodology behind them, or if they just grew organically out of what seemed to work best during the early days of the forum. But I feel that the forum could do a service to our hobby by re-evaluating them. Placing the "honorable mention" section above "Today's Finds" would be a good start. It's time that we put our best foot forward here.



Regards,



Buckles

 

[cw0909]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

as an individual, voicing your concerns/views/opinions
can be done by talking to your councilman, alderman ect.
on a district level, write, talk, email, your Representative
on the Congressional level, the same thing,
if every MDer in every area, city county, state, of the U.S.A.
would do this individually, our single voices would become one
this is the same process, others use to get the laws rules ect.
enacted, against our hobby
im sure if we banter this
around enough we could come up with at least a tenuous list of
what we would like changed or enacted, and each individual could
start there, then perhaps break it down by city,county,state
the individuals would need to make their self aware of their
city,county,state, laws regulations rules, and work from there
perhaps bring it up at a club meet, ect.
most of all remember those that you talk to about our hobby/sport
they are voters too.

 

[Seamuss]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

I already wear arch supports, support strapps and such and now you think that I should demand this stuff from some one whom don't give a hoot about anyone except themselves.

What kind of demands are we talking about? Who's deaf ear are we suppose to be gripping in? What kind of results are we looking for? Where were you grippers when I had an agenda to fight for and lost.

Boy that felt good to get that off my hairy old chest.

I'm not really about gripping about things. I'm all about educating people about my hobby and not stepping on your toes about your hobby if you let me have mine in peace and quiet.

And what agenda was that?

We're not gripping....we just want you to have your hobby in peace and quiet. In case you haven't noticed....laws, laws and more laws are stopping "Your" hobby. You won't have it to enjoy once someone around you decides your parks got too many holes from some disrespectful idiot or some historic society decides those things you are digging up belong to every future generation so you best leave em be.

State gamelands here are off limits to detecting....ten's of thousands of acres of woods and forest. Run by a state agency, it has become nothing but a dues paying, private hunting club. It WAS public land, claims to still be. But enjoy it, only if you are a hunter.

So...educate them on the hobby and see how far you get.


Good to get that off my patriotic hairy old chest. Sheese...some people Think you missed your dose of Geratol.

Al

Hi Deepskyal,
I was showing off how silly the title, "Isn't it time we demand support", sounds. You were quick to catch on how silly that I sounded.

Educating people outside the hobby about how we do things is easier then trying to stop the laws,laws and more laws that their passing to make it harder on us.

Geritol, that's my problem. I forgot my geritol. Thanks

 

[Monty]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

I aked these same questions in one of my posts and got essentially the same answer. Someone noted that metal detector companies are not necessarily big business, ie Whites. But then how many expensive whites machines do you see at a planted club type hunt? Hundreds! Multiply that by the couple of million metal detectorists and how often they buy new machines and how many own more than one, and somebody is making some big bucks! Maybe they just are shrewd business people that keep overhead and costs down? But what's the bottom line? Monty

 

[deepskyal]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

I did notice that White's and Minelab are the only 2 manufacturer's that sponser Fmdac. It's something...maybe not enough.

And where are the treasure mags.....

Sorry Seamuss.....jumped the gun a little early. Guess this is an issue i take a little too strongly....just like guns and other naturally born rights. Pretty sure someday they'll be taxing the air we breathe.

But anyhow.....I get a little bound up myself...how do you think I know about Geritol...

Al

 

[Seamuss]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

I did notice that White's and Minelab are the only 2 manufacturer's that sponser Fmdac. It's something...maybe not enough.

And where are the treasure mags.....

Sorry Seamuss.....jumped the gun a little early. Guess this is an issue i take a little too strongly....just like guns and other naturally born rights. Pretty sure someday they'll be taxing the air we breathe.

But anyhow.....I get a little bound up myself...how do you think I know about Geritol...

Al

Geritol... Could it have been the grumpy old man syndrome that I was immitating... or was I just showing my alter ego. I'm an IRA gun runner and a smart allick environmentalist tree hugger that believes in good forest management and cleaning up behind myself after mining. If it can't be grown it has to be mined.

I have a wise use theory and recycle the trash that I find in parks so nobody can complain about me and I believe that everyone(at least most everyone) here believes in similar codes of ethics as you and I do

 

[lastleg]

Re: Isn't it time we demanded support ?

There are ways to get good PR if you can organize detectorists into
performing positive projects after politely informing the media of when
the event will take place.
For instance: Park Cleanup Days with volunteers wearing the colors
of the club. Or pick out a city eyesore and tidy up the joint. The media
currently loves selfless acts. Thy used to love tragedy but the tide has
turned.

Not Rad enough? Convince the big players in Metal Locating Mfg to
team up with the NRA and take it to the streets, Dude.