texascavers Digest 1 Oct 2011 16:56:35 -0000 Issue 1401
texascavers Digest 1 Oct 2011 16:56:35 - Issue 1401 Topics (messages 18664 through 18677): Re: Schelten's take and other opinions 18664 by: David Excellent grotto meeting program 18665 by: Speleosteele.aol.com 18674 by: Mark Minton A google earth alternative 18666 by: BMorgan994.aol.com 18667 by: tbsamsel.verizon.net 18669 by: caverarch S.P.R.A.T. 18668 by: Julia Germany $1 Protects the Water Supply of 40 Million Americans 18670 by: George Veni Re: NSS Headquarters: John Schelten's Take 18671 by: Alex Sproul Re: Retractable lanyard recall 18672 by: Louise Power Lost souls 18673 by: Ron Ralph great photos 18675 by: Mixon Bill glacier caving video 18676 by: Mixon Bill Avery Ranch Panoramic View 18677 by: Lyndon Tiu Administrivia: To subscribe to the digest, e-mail: To unsubscribe from the digest, e-mail: To post to the list, e-mail: -- --- Begin Message --- A month ago, I posted a negative statement about the direction the NSS was taking. Mr. Schelten's letter posted yesterday, voiced some of the same concerns but in a different language. My take is, the NSS should NOT buy any blank building property unless the deal is simply too awesome to turn down. I have only taken one economics class in college, but I don't see anything going on in our economy to make it improve. I only see things that indicate it is going to get worse. A handful of NSS members are going to struggle to survive in the coming years. They are going to have less resources to help the NSS with it's financial burdens. Many of the dedicated old-timers, are going to be in nursing homes or worse. I do agree with Mr. Schelten, that initial risk of buying property is much lower than buying the temple. However, I feel that risk is still too high. It is often better to down-size and re-assess the market.That is what every business in America has to do to survive. I have been self-employed for 13 years, and have had to operate on a budget that all accountants would claim is impossible. The current youth that may be potential NSS members someday, are going to be less interested in caving, than the same market group was 10 years ago. This opinion, is in part due to the competition caving has with so many other activities.Youth today like video games, and video games are about to become even more addictive.When the 3D iPad tablet hits the market in 5 years or so, the youth are going to spend every financial resource they have to get their hands on one, and spend all their spare time trying to master it. If you don't believe me, go take a look at some of the 3D games already available on the new LG Thrill cell-phone. Once Facebook Timeline goes 3D in about 10 years, the world we know today will most likely be irrelevant, in a manner like Mayberry is to today's youth. [ Side note: A far-fetched worst-case scenario view was expressed a few months ago by the Locklear impersonator claiming to be from the future. In that bizarre abstract, he or she suggested young people growing up in an environment saturated by Facebook may de-evolve into a mutated human sub-species.( That was not me, by the way ).Let's hope that doesn't happen. But still, any potential scenario should be taken into consideration when planning for the long-term future of the NSS headquarters. ] And to add to the bleak outlook, the unexpected effects from outside forces, like the WNS problem, demographic changes in population, cave closures, the rising cost of living, $ 5 a gallon gas, global warming, national political policy, caring for the baby boomer generation, etc. are not going to help the NSS in the era where the NSS would be operating the proposed headquarters. The NSS must NOW hunker-down and take a survival approach to its economic strategy. They need a written plan for a worst-case scenario, and hope for better. But not all is bad, We won't be eating crackers made of Soylent Green this century, and there will be lots of good things in the pipe-line for our kids and grand-kids to come to be optimistic about living. More cavers may own caves.LED lights and battery technology will allow us to go caving for days underground on the same charge.Some tablet apps will make it easier to do caving related things, or at least more fun to be an armchair caver. We will be able to watch our caving videos in HD on an 92 inch screen, if not bigger. David Locklear NSS # 27639 Independent caver in Fort Bend County, Texas Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayberry http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/09/lg-thrill-4g-review/ http://www.amazon.com/Mitsubishi-WD-92840-92-Inch-1080p-Projection/dp/B004ZL2O9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317279212&sr=8
texascavers Digest 1 Oct 2011 16:56:35 -0000 Issue 1401
texascavers Digest 1 Oct 2011 16:56:35 - Issue 1401 Topics (messages 18664 through 18677): Re: Schelten's take and other opinions 18664 by: David Excellent grotto meeting program 18665 by: Speleosteele.aol.com 18674 by: Mark Minton A google earth alternative 18666 by: BMorgan994.aol.com 18667 by: tbsamsel.verizon.net 18669 by: caverarch S.P.R.A.T. 18668 by: Julia Germany $1 Protects the Water Supply of 40 Million Americans 18670 by: George Veni Re: NSS Headquarters: John Schelten's Take 18671 by: Alex Sproul Re: Retractable lanyard recall 18672 by: Louise Power Lost souls 18673 by: Ron Ralph great photos 18675 by: Mixon Bill glacier caving video 18676 by: Mixon Bill Avery Ranch Panoramic View 18677 by: Lyndon Tiu Administrivia: To subscribe to the digest, e-mail: To unsubscribe from the digest, e-mail: To post to the list, e-mail: -- --- Begin Message --- A month ago, I posted a negative statement about the direction the NSS was taking. Mr. Schelten's letter posted yesterday, voiced some of the same concerns but in a different language. My take is, the NSS should NOT buy any blank building property unless the deal is simply too awesome to turn down. I have only taken one economics class in college, but I don't see anything going on in our economy to make it improve. I only see things that indicate it is going to get worse. A handful of NSS members are going to struggle to survive in the coming years. They are going to have less resources to help the NSS with it's financial burdens. Many of the dedicated old-timers, are going to be in nursing homes or worse. I do agree with Mr. Schelten, that initial risk of buying property is much lower than buying the temple. However, I feel that risk is still too high. It is often better to down-size and re-assess the market.That is what every business in America has to do to survive. I have been self-employed for 13 years, and have had to operate on a budget that all accountants would claim is impossible. The current youth that may be potential NSS members someday, are going to be less interested in caving, than the same market group was 10 years ago. This opinion, is in part due to the competition caving has with so many other activities.Youth today like video games, and video games are about to become even more addictive.When the 3D iPad tablet hits the market in 5 years or so, the youth are going to spend every financial resource they have to get their hands on one, and spend all their spare time trying to master it. If you don't believe me, go take a look at some of the 3D games already available on the new LG Thrill cell-phone. Once Facebook Timeline goes 3D in about 10 years, the world we know today will most likely be irrelevant, in a manner like Mayberry is to today's youth. [ Side note: A far-fetched worst-case scenario view was expressed a few months ago by the Locklear impersonator claiming to be from the future. In that bizarre abstract, he or she suggested young people growing up in an environment saturated by Facebook may de-evolve into a mutated human sub-species.( That was not me, by the way ).Let's hope that doesn't happen. But still, any potential scenario should be taken into consideration when planning for the long-term future of the NSS headquarters. ] And to add to the bleak outlook, the unexpected effects from outside forces, like the WNS problem, demographic changes in population, cave closures, the rising cost of living, $ 5 a gallon gas, global warming, national political policy, caring for the baby boomer generation, etc. are not going to help the NSS in the era where the NSS would be operating the proposed headquarters. The NSS must NOW hunker-down and take a survival approach to its economic strategy. They need a written plan for a worst-case scenario, and hope for better. But not all is bad, We won't be eating crackers made of Soylent Green this century, and there will be lots of good things in the pipe-line for our kids and grand-kids to come to be optimistic about living. More cavers may own caves.LED lights and battery technology will allow us to go caving for days underground on the same charge.Some tablet apps will make it easier to do caving related things, or at least more fun to be an armchair caver. We will be able to watch our caving videos in HD on an 92 inch screen, if not bigger. David Locklear NSS # 27639 Independent caver in Fort Bend County, Texas Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayberry http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/09/lg-thrill-4g-review/ http://www.amazon.com/Mitsubishi-WD-92840-92-Inch-1080p-Projection/dp/B004ZL2O9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317279212&sr=8
texascavers Digest 1 Oct 2011 16:56:35 -0000 Issue 1401
texascavers Digest 1 Oct 2011 16:56:35 - Issue 1401 Topics (messages 18664 through 18677): Re: Schelten's take and other opinions 18664 by: David Excellent grotto meeting program 18665 by: Speleosteele.aol.com 18674 by: Mark Minton A google earth alternative 18666 by: BMorgan994.aol.com 18667 by: tbsamsel.verizon.net 18669 by: caverarch S.P.R.A.T. 18668 by: Julia Germany $1 Protects the Water Supply of 40 Million Americans 18670 by: George Veni Re: NSS Headquarters: John Schelten's Take 18671 by: Alex Sproul Re: Retractable lanyard recall 18672 by: Louise Power Lost souls 18673 by: Ron Ralph great photos 18675 by: Mixon Bill glacier caving video 18676 by: Mixon Bill Avery Ranch Panoramic View 18677 by: Lyndon Tiu Administrivia: To subscribe to the digest, e-mail: To unsubscribe from the digest, e-mail: To post to the list, e-mail: -- --- Begin Message --- A month ago, I posted a negative statement about the direction the NSS was taking. Mr. Schelten's letter posted yesterday, voiced some of the same concerns but in a different language. My take is, the NSS should NOT buy any blank building property unless the deal is simply too awesome to turn down. I have only taken one economics class in college, but I don't see anything going on in our economy to make it improve. I only see things that indicate it is going to get worse. A handful of NSS members are going to struggle to survive in the coming years. They are going to have less resources to help the NSS with it's financial burdens. Many of the dedicated old-timers, are going to be in nursing homes or worse. I do agree with Mr. Schelten, that initial risk of buying property is much lower than buying the temple. However, I feel that risk is still too high. It is often better to down-size and re-assess the market.That is what every business in America has to do to survive. I have been self-employed for 13 years, and have had to operate on a budget that all accountants would claim is impossible. The current youth that may be potential NSS members someday, are going to be less interested in caving, than the same market group was 10 years ago. This opinion, is in part due to the competition caving has with so many other activities.Youth today like video games, and video games are about to become even more addictive.When the 3D iPad tablet hits the market in 5 years or so, the youth are going to spend every financial resource they have to get their hands on one, and spend all their spare time trying to master it. If you don't believe me, go take a look at some of the 3D games already available on the new LG Thrill cell-phone. Once Facebook Timeline goes 3D in about 10 years, the world we know today will most likely be irrelevant, in a manner like Mayberry is to today's youth. [ Side note: A far-fetched worst-case scenario view was expressed a few months ago by the Locklear impersonator claiming to be from the future. In that bizarre abstract, he or she suggested young people growing up in an environment saturated by Facebook may de-evolve into a mutated human sub-species.( That was not me, by the way ).Let's hope that doesn't happen. But still, any potential scenario should be taken into consideration when planning for the long-term future of the NSS headquarters. ] And to add to the bleak outlook, the unexpected effects from outside forces, like the WNS problem, demographic changes in population, cave closures, the rising cost of living, $ 5 a gallon gas, global warming, national political policy, caring for the baby boomer generation, etc. are not going to help the NSS in the era where the NSS would be operating the proposed headquarters. The NSS must NOW hunker-down and take a survival approach to its economic strategy. They need a written plan for a worst-case scenario, and hope for better. But not all is bad, We won't be eating crackers made of Soylent Green this century, and there will be lots of good things in the pipe-line for our kids and grand-kids to come to be optimistic about living. More cavers may own caves.LED lights and battery technology will allow us to go caving for days underground on the same charge.Some tablet apps will make it easier to do caving related things, or at least more fun to be an armchair caver. We will be able to watch our caving videos in HD on an 92 inch screen, if not bigger. David Locklear NSS # 27639 Independent caver in Fort Bend County, Texas Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayberry http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/09/lg-thrill-4g-review/ http://www.amazon.com/Mitsubishi-WD-92840-92-Inch-1080p-Projection/dp/B004ZL2O9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317279212&sr=8
