For a proposed project with sugh huge goals, at a time when rocket business is a near record low, from a guy with no previous large fundraising experience, Frank Uroda, Pat G and whoever else was working behind the scenes, really did it.
You have to give it to them for that. And on shockingly short notice.
Well, actually Mike, all of rocketry united for this cause, including Jerry Irvine. I for one, personally owe him a debt of thanks for all he did to help realize the goal. Together, we ALL made it happen.
As usual the helpful things I do, I do quitetly behind the scenes. I find less rmr attacks focused on specific tasks in progress helpful.
I donated hundreds and as soon as I knew it was possible.
I updaated the leaders of the effort of news items as they came up.
I helped a bit with suggestions on the commercial.
I helped a bit with website comments for the flyrocketsnow version and with IEAS.org to have a simplified start here page. I suggest the other linked sites also add a simplified page for newbies.
And for those who accurately note TRA didn't help with money, fine. I am glad the rocket community did this and NOT TRA. I find that to be a strong feature.
However the entire main show is a TRA effort, financial benefit and coup. I see no benefits flowing to other clubs from the main content, I hear TRA may see hard revenue from it. That is scary considering how TRA handles money. Hey Pat G as a TRA BOD member, please form a trust with all of those proceeds and do not spend it. On anything. Ever. Spend the interest on the money for outreach to new members. Forever.
Whatever it is or is going to be, it is pretty scary that they are about to burn a commercial and there is not even a token website yet, much less a real, complete and tested one.
Alan Hancock, the owner of Syonic Tech AND the url FlyRockets.com, is a personal friend of mine, a fellow member of Potrocs, and has agreed to let us use the url for at least a year. As far as the scary part, here's something scary. SaveRocketrynow was introduced and accomplished, raising over 80k, in under 3 weeks total. After that, completing the website and having it ready by Nov 9 is a walk in the park....
Naw, that's chump change to a politician. Besides, we already have one politician who is friendly to us (Enzi). It obviously takes a lot more than one of them to get the feds off our backs. We'd have to own at least a majority of the House and Senate to do that.
Apparently the actual mechanism is that a Senator announces that if a certain item were to be brought up on the floor, he would "filibuster" it (i.e., keep talking forever in order to stall the discussion). Unlike the House, which has rules on how long any member can speak on any one issue, the Senate permits a member to talk as long as he likes unless a special vote is taken to limit debate (which requires a "super-majority" to pass - something like 2/3 rather than just >50%...).
As a matter of custom, the Senate will rarely ever actually vote to limit debate, and it therefore generally suffices for a Senator to announce a "hold" on a given issue.
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