Get out the vote - ACA Members please read!

[JD_MAN]

I don't really know much about you, so I would like to see your stance on some subjects. I think that would be much more constructive. My question...

With the growing popularity of hybrids/flowerhorns, would you ever want to maybe add a flowerhorn/hybrid category for future shows? Especially if this meant that it would expand the membership and activity in the ACA.

 

[Mr.Firemouth]

Guys, I know MO's work much more than Mo himself. I have met him and he is intimidating in stature and voice but is a really nice guy when you talk to him.
The net is full of negativity, anger, and sarcasm. People have bad days and some have personalities that offend some. I myself, was much of an *** a decade ago, but learned I gained little.

People need to be judged on their work, and definitely on the work they will do. Personalities are an issue of course, but we need people that will be very active to create the events, increase membership, gather the stocks from the wild, sponsor education, and so on. These things do NOT happen by themselves.

Beyond disagreements with MO, or other hobbyist including myself, the ACA is what we as cichlid keepers make it. There is so much that can be done if we become active more often, organize/co-ordinate better, and help one another. I have seen aquarium clubs make differences with breeding, availability of the fish we keep, educating newbies so they don't get frustrated and give up, and so on.

The ACA is more than a club. It reaches Internationally and affects many. We need more active members. We need people like you to join and make a difference somewhere.(whether physically or financially thru donations). MO has a vision and plans but needs to be on the BOT to implement his goals. They will help the hobby and that IS important.

I recently have been running a poll on forums about the ACA. Boards with 30,000 members who keep cichlids and I see 12 posts or less.(votes in poll). That is a lack of participation. That leads to even less productivity to the hobby. I have tried to form breeding teams for the ACA, no takers. It is not the ACA that is a problem. it is us. We need to do more.

The real truth of cichlids in the wild, especially Africa is they are in a poor state for long term survival. FO stocks of many fish could really become unavailable. Ad Konings who collects them, discovers them told me live that reintroduction to the wild failed miserably with the Lake Victoria project. The reasons weren't as much environmental as financial and having other resources to succeed. That means we need to breed these fish to keep them available.

The ACA is the driving force behind keeping cichlids available to us here in the United States. We take far too much for granted. We need to participate.
I say join for nothing else to support the very cichlids we keep in our homes!

Mo has been in this hobby 38 years and I have been here 25 years. I have seen techniques change, equipment change, literature be revised to the evolution of the hobby. I have seen stocks that were phenomenal when I was young wash out due to commercial breeding practices that stock your LFS. I assure you we have seen hobbyist come and go. Some are serious and care deeply, some just don't care.

I challenge everyone to care! Make a difference here! Sign up...
membership sign up
and show you care. Vote for someone who will help. Vote for someone willing to give their time to make things happen for you and your fish!

Mo is not God like and he knows it! He is just like you and me, except he volunteers to do more! I try my best to give back to this hobby and help others. I ask that all who read this thread give back also and join!

Thank you, seriously. Rich

 

[Tongue33]

Hey Mo
I don't even know you, and you're asking for my vote? How about some "public relations" (which apparently you badly NEED to do)
I'm not trying to come down on you like the others that know you, but if you want to "make a sale" you gotta have a good rapport with us. Never seen you around here before.

Mo was active here.. And very helpful in ID's of Any question. At one point If Jason didn't have the answer "who was extremely knowledged as well" Then He stated wait form Mo and he should be able to help us...

Plus you must understand Mo has his own site to worry about.

If you really want to help the hobby, you would be more considerate to those who are new to it (like I was a just a few years ago).

You might also want to consider that you welcomed feedback. Not all feedback is "good".

Thanks for the reply. I would love to see a link to the post you mentioned.

I receive dozens of e-mails every week with people new to the hobby...and I pride myself in returning every one with an answer. I am considerate of those who are considerate in return. But you are correct...feedback is feedback. There are lots of good people in the club...and the club does a lot of good. You should put personal feelings aside and join.

I had good experience with an email with Mo.

Also We ALL have moments of INTOLERANCE toward new hobbiests.. MY self included and I'm sure i could find it from every member that posted so far.
]
And No worries.. You cannot pelase everyone.

I don't knwo you well enough to vote.. And I am not a member so cannot vote if i wanted to. And To broke right now to join.. Hope it works out in a spiritual fashion anyways..

 

[dovii88]

im still gonna have to agree with rally and kev on this..

 

[cichlaguapote]

Also We ALL have moments of INTOLERANCE toward new hobbiests.. MY self included and I'm sure i could find it from every member that posted so far.
]
And No worries.. You cannot pelase everyone.

I don't knwo you well enough to vote.. And I am not a member so cannot vote if i wanted to. And To broke right now to join.. Hope it works out in a spiritual fashion anyways..

That's not nearly what this is about. Honestly it's about my personal experiance with him and the fact that the convict thread was bumped back up the other day so it's an example to show.

Intolerance.. how about not directly asking him a question and having him picking you out to make a mockery out of you because you're keeping 3 5" fish in a 75g. As a mod no less. It was not nearly a one time incident.

Panties in a bunch cause Mo called someone junior over a convict a year ago? Whatever guys.

Mo has my vote. He realizes that the internet is the future of the ACA and can be in a position to really put that to use, which will help out all of us.

No he realizes or hopes his name is as big as he thinks it is. He comes to a forum where he rarely frequents anymore, and where the was banned from before(ask it's true) and posts a recruitment letter to try to get people to vote for him. His only flaw in the plan is that he pissed a few people off along the way that wanted to share.

That's why he throw's Li's name out. That's why he throws anyone he think's important names out.. It's his saving grace when he's lost all respect to throw a name out, or talk about speaking at the ACA and make kids go "wow". Which is all just to change the subject from the underlying subject of him not being too nice of a guy. Which if you're gonna be widely known around the internet and running for a seat in a national organization should be priority #1.

Furthermore I could care how long anyone's been keeping fish. Doesn't give you right to publically as a mod mock someone just because a fish you possess is all the new rage and it pisses you off.

 

[cichlaguapote]

I don't really know much about you, so I would like to see your stance on some subjects. I think that would be much more constructive. My question...

With the growing popularity of hybrids/flowerhorns, would you ever want to maybe add a flowerhorn/hybrid category for future shows? Especially if this meant that it would expand the membership and activity in the ACA.

His sig on another forum is "I like my flowerhorns pan fried with a side of butter.." So I think that's a no..

 

[Mr.Firemouth]

Actually Mo has been in discussions on other forums and behind the scenes talking about it alot.

http://forum.aquamojo.com/index.php?showtopic=8822

This topic is yet another example of why you should join and have a Legitimate voice in the topics.
They are/will be addressed and everyones opinions will be weighed in.

 

[andregurov]

Which is all just to change the subject from the underlying subject of him not being too nice of a guy. Which if you're gonna be widely known around the internet and running for a seat in a national organization should be priority #1.

Furthermore I could care how long anyone's been keeping fish. Doesn't give you right to publically as a mod mock someone just because a fish you possess is all the new rage and it pisses you off.

I'm late to the game here, but it would seem to me that running for the BOT in the ACA is like running to be the guy voted out of the air-conditioning. BOTs aren't compensated. They don't make money from these positions. They perform a whole lot of miserable, thankless work promoting the preservation and beauty of cichlids. I wouldn't think it should matter a whole lot if he is not "too nice of a guy". The ACA nominally exists for us, its members. It really exists for the hobby. And Mo understands that and does his best for the hobby.

I've never found Mo to be offensive. Perhaps brusque, or direct. I'm sure I've insulted innocents before, just as I'm sure I've been insulted. I just try to get over it, or leave the thread alone. I'm fairly certain I usually do that too late and after I've made a fool of myself.

So, cichlaguapote, are you planning to vote in the BOT elections at all?

J

 

[santoury]

So just because he's not paid he gets to treat newbies like mud? That's like excusing all the idiots at LFS because they make minimum wage, for knowing squat? (At least they behave better and treat others with respect usually...!)

 

[cichlaguapote]

So, cichlaguapote, are you planning to vote in the BOT elections at all?

J

Wasn't even the point... The point is don't come asking for votes and then get upset that some people aren't happy with you and say it's a personal attack when you just pissed off some people in your walk through the internet.. Posting a thread asking for votes is like asking for everyone's opinion of you.

Rub me the wrong way in your internet posting travels(as well as others) and then come talking about how you've served as Publicity Chair for the last 4 years. "Wanting a bigger voice in guiding the club" Please.

Mojo may have knowledge and be a part of the ACA but in reality he has a way about him that makes him being Publicity Chair a joke. Go ahead and peg me out but I'm not the only person he's rubbed the wrong way and while I have probably rubbed someone un-purposely wrong A. I don't moderate any forums. B. I'm not looking to be a member of any group where I need to be voted in by peers. C. I'll be humble enough to say I'm way wrong D. I've never been banned from ANY forum.

All in all I'm done here. I've talked to the Admin of this site as well as others and explained my actions. I've said my peice. Continue the drumming up votes in the mojo parade.. perhaps this is how bush got voted in..