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when is all this voting stuff over and done with? this weekend? with 72 voters thats if every1 votes it shouldnt take longer then 5 mins to do the counting? half the voting could be done before its even finished - y is there a week to announce it?
sooner the better and then stu can get cracking on this website :)
I would deffo be pleased with a forum overhaul. Even if I have to pay an arm and a leg for it. Or a new pair of ijs. *coughAJcough* :wink:
Mike Hamilton-Macy is aware of election cut off dates as he is privilaged to receiving emails as though he is an FRA governing body member.
He knows that the governing body have been remiss in not making the cut off date clear.
These new FRA applications that were received over the weekend have not be processed as yet and therefore are not on the electoral roll.
I am sure that if Mike is elected he will find an instantaneous way of processing all FRA applications yesterday.
ooooh, handbag!
With respect Andy if I was aware of the cutoff date I would not have put up the post.
I must have missed it, there have been dozens of e-mails, I apologise for my mistake.
If I am elected you will not find me being sarcastic on the forum.
Its not often that I have rants. This has gone on too far!
The FRA is ran by people that YOU and I vote in. They are respected persons that we all know and love. We all trust them. Why are you lot on such a downer?
Mike, if you missed the cut off date because you could not be bothered to read it and digest it do not have a pop on the forum. This is your fault, pure and simple. Remember, because of your possible position you have been included in many other emails that us normal souls dont get so your case is even worse.
Dave Lang, cut the negative stuff and give the FRA a chance. I know that you dont like the FRA one little bit but even you have to admit that at least there is still a sport and its due to the FRA so untill you make another organisation either put up or shut up. Enough is enough.
There are only a few big mouths here that think that big brother is out there ripping us all off and doing stuff behind our backs but from the bottom of your hearts you know your wrong. Andy, Geoff, Karoline and all the area reps are doing the best that they can to deal with a diverce community. Its not easy for them.
Dave Moulds, who ever gave you the impression that the FRA committee have nothing better to do with their lives than to update the membership list? Dont you know that they also have private lives and families? Cor, your so out of date its unreal.
Ian Watts, why on earth would you say that there is a post missing? Even when it was proved beyond any doubt that there wasnt you never appologised to those that you doubted. Thats wrong and you know it.
There are a few others but tell you what, I cant be bothered to answer your petty questions. I am so angry that the FRA is being pulled apart by the people who depend upon it and who have no idea of the hurt that they are causing other fellow roboteers. Your so two faced its unreal.
Ed, well not a lot I can say about Ed here is there?
And if this post gets pulled I will be upset and complain.
Mikes post = win.
If his post gets removed, I will complain. :)
Well Said Mike Lambert.......
The Voice Of One,
The Thoughts Of So Many !!!!!!!
I dont say much on here, the reason being. Others would probably say it wast me speaking. Well guess what. I do have my own voice.
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I am so angry that the FRA is being pulled apart by the people who depend upon it and who have no idea of the hurt that they are causing other fellow roboteers.
I have to echo Mikes comment. I cant even put in to words the stress that is going on in my home. I will be glad when this election is over. Whatever the outcome, the chances are, damage has been done. Not only to the FRA, but to peoples reputations. Our community has split, we have become splintered, and divided. When we should be united.
For those who havent voted, I urge them to do so. The association is run by its members, and we chose them. If you dont vote, you dont have a say. It takes minutes to return the form.
O.K Ive finished my rant.
Jenny
Jenny I have tried to say this to so many people. There is a split now more than ever.
WWF split, so there is now 2 sects
Darts did the same. Rugby Union and league
See where i am going cos be prepaired it is in serious jeopardy this could happen to Us very few fragile roboteers hanging in there.
I cant remember the last time there wasnt a split, even in the first year of the FRA there were divisions and despite all of its faults, the FRA is still here.
Dont get bogged down with worries over a split, move onwards and upwards as you will never please everyone. After what 7 years, only some 70 voting forms sent out, not much to show for progressing the sport. The FRA has in my opinion done little to encourage new blood and this is where the future has to be. If those retired machines were going to come out to play again, surely it would have happened by now, maybe it is only a primetime TV coverage that will get them out again.
Despite my views over the FRA, I rejoined so I could have my vote on those who will be making up the new committee. I can foresee only one thing that would make me run a mile and that is Voldemort becoming President!
About flaming time you posted that Mike. about time.
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ooooh, handbag! - imature...
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If I am elected you will not find me being sarcastic on the forum. - too late.
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See where i am going cos be prepaired it is in serious jeopardy this could happen to Us very few fragile roboteers hanging in there. - i think its already happened.
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The Voice Of One,
The Thoughts Of So Many !!!!!!! - very TRUE!
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O.K Ive finished my rant. - Want a hug babes? :)
Well its happened nothing you can do, its is a power hungry place in the end. Its a shame... the older roboteers have split into 2 groups... and the newer roboteers are torn between the two, hearing negitive things from both sides and feel awkward attending either show coz of the crap. At least people like Shane, Jonno, Pete who get branded as on the other side still attend ALL events as there the true roboteers who put rubbish behind them and just want to enjoy robots. Other people are so far up their own backside and only attend their group events.. no wonder were splitting.. and whos doing it ay? Enough said.
Stu
I am glad to see more people finally arguing about the problem rather than quietly whispering behind closed doors.
you cant compare the Rugby union and rugby league split to the FRA thats totally different our split is about EOs Rugby was about professionalism
I am glad to see more people finally arguing about the problem rather than quietly whispering behind closed doors.
about time too
have seen the master puppeteer is pulling his strings again why people listen to him ill never know
There are some people here who dont express opinions and quietly lurk around on the forum. But this looks like its getting out of hand and I am quite shocked at whats going on.
I have seen topics pulled with less heated arguments.
I just want to remind people that this is a public forum open for any one to see.
I get asked by young audience members at shows to where they can get information about building there own robots. I will tell them as much as possible in a short amount of time then finally point them towards the FRA website.
Now I regret doing that if they see this kind of debating with a hobby that should be about fun and laughs.
Hopefully this will be over soon but in future can I suggest that this be discussed out of the public eye?
Mike, I have explained that I missed (not ignored) the cutoff detail in the many e-mails that have gone to and fro.
I have apologised for my error.
I think it is hard for the people who have recently started in the robot scene, (I count myself in that category, as I have not been doing the robots for two years yet.)
I like many in the community try to keep out of the arguments between strong characters, at these difficult times it is important for people to think to themselves what is the right thing for me to DO to help the sport and then DO THAT!!! Remember if were doing things together the unity question fixes itself.
:)
important for people to think to themselves what is the right thing for me to DO to help the sport and then DO THAT!!!
Im off back to the garage to fix hornet....
This is why I am a strong supporter of the antweights. If the only way of becoming a roboteer was to spend a couple of grand and 6 months of work, knowing that there was a strong chance that a few hundred pounds of damage could occur after each event I would have just said not for me thank you. They are the perfect choice for a beginner, especially now that you get smaller and lighter parts which means that now they are basically scale down versions of the heavyweights. Another reason is that as soon as you make your ant there is a strong chance of you wining at least one fight. I try to introduce the lower years of my college to the sport of robotic combat with the ants. And even if you do get apsolutely ripped apart by a spinner, the main components will still be in good order. Only a few pounds of polycarb and wire, and it is as good as new. I also introduce them to Robot arena 2 as it encourages them to think about the enginuity used in these bots without limits.
To be honest I agree with Craig, to make the sport continue to grow and to prepare the next generation of competitors (we all have limits and none of us can do this for eternity (yes Shane that includes you)) we need to continue to show the sport to the widespread public. Without the recognisable robots (razer, hypnodisc, chaos 2) is hard enough to appeal.
My main point is that we need to stay focused on the main goals without bringing in the politics. We are still a minority compared to the population and the last thing we need is to become even more separated by the whole community having to take sides, which will eventually lead (if these arguments carry on) to the self-implosion of the comunity and UK robotic combat.
Voldemort - I had to look that one up.
If, like me, your experience of culture begins and ends with The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy - its Lord Mouldybutt
+2>SMASH!
:)
The cutoff date for applications was the 9th.. i submited mine on the 7th..
Cba with this bs..
I wish we could just have an election without certain individuals kicking the FRA in the gonads every time we try to do something.
I am trying to sit on the dividing fence, but with the constant shaking of the fence, I am eventually going to fall off - on one side or another.
In Mikes defence I also missed the email for the cut-off point for eligibility to vote. There must be nearly 300mails in my box just from the last 2 weeks alone about this election.
If the association splits, then so be it. The people left out in the cold will only have themslves to blame. I am getting tired of trying to justify the FRA and what it stands for to people who do not wish to hear. If you do not like us then sod off - there - I said it.
At the last committee meeting the major EOs - RR, RL and robochallenge sat down with the roboteers and the world was in harmony.
You do not need to be a rocket scientist to figure out what put a spanner in the works.
A very tired and disheartened area rep.
Trev
Hang in there Trevor, you are a credit to the FRA and the community.
Thanks Trev, I was begining to feel rather lonely!
The chanting of Om drives away all worldly thoughts and removes distraction and infuses new vigour in the body.
All together ....OM-OM-OM
Ommmm-Ommmmmmm-Ommmmmmmmmmmmmm-Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm
OMMMMMMMMMMM OMMMMMM OMMMMMMMM?
I feel better already!
Moo?
On a serious note, Mike and Kane both seem like good people with the good of the FRA at heart, despite the stuff thats being thrown around, and I hope they both have a future role in the FRA of some sort and whoever is elected delivers on their promises, as if that happens I cant see any problems occuring whoever it is :)
Now back to the omming...ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
i will ommmmmmmmmmmmmm the lot of you in a minute
Maybe people dont speak out because of the slating they face off you lot if they do! And I agree with Marco, not good for people reading the forum to see this.
If you do not receive your voting details by the 9th February 2009 then please contact the returning officer (posted by M H-M)
Changes to:
The cutoff date for applications was the 9th.. (not posted by M H-M)
And all within 24 hours. Welcome to the club Mike :)
Now all together...
OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
I will be giving another update after 8pm tomorrow.
Please note that the voting closes at midnight 13th February 2009. Anyone sending their votes on 14th February will not be counted so it is vitally important you get them in ASAP.
Christopher: You said: I am a strong supporter of the antweights. If the only way of becoming a roboteer was to spend a couple of grand and 6 months of work, knowing that there was a strong chance that a few hundred pounds of damage could occur after each event I would have just said not for me thank you.
There is little difference in cost between a feather powered by drill motors and an ant, and there are a lot more opportunities to run feathers.
And while I am here on this thread let me say that I agree with all those who have said lets forget about the politics and get on with building robots. There are not very many of us and we can ill afford to fight among ourselves.
Another factor I did not mention is that I go to school on Saturdays and that My brother takes most of the Sundays up with his rugby. I just do not have the time with the travel across the countriy to the live events. With the ants, the most common event is only 10 minutes away which I can go to as soon as I have finished school.
I know that it is just as easy to build a feather, I was puting myself in the position that I was when I first started competing. Most veiwers of RW at the time, unless they resarched the internet, would have put down te idea of them building what they have seen on the TV mostly on the TV which were the heavyweights.
Alex won his first championship (rebel robots) last weekend,I do not see why an 8 year old boy should have his future in fighting robots put in jepordy.As a relative newcomer to the sport i missed only 2 events in 2008(Swindon and Whitwick)i feel i am justified in saying that newblood is still coming in and is commited to the future.
I have fully supported all EOs and just wish to see fairness and hear the truth.This is a democratic organisation but rules are in place that should be adhered to, or you just end up with anarchy.Only we ,the members,can sort this mess out.
Hi John, Id just like to point out that you can make an antweight with batteries, motors etc and fix it all together with Selotape. (http://windisch.co.uk/robots/howto/build_a_robot.htmhttp://windisch.co.uk/robots/howto/build_a_robot.htm)Try doing that with a feather and then tell me how much easier a feather is to build than an ant. Nothing against feathers, and they may be price-comparable (not if you build them with the servos that came with your transmitter though) but I would say that ants are easier to build, and more child-friendly, IMHO.
Simon
Getting a bit off topic.
It doesnt matter which weight class is easier to build or which is better for starting out in.
Hear Hear Gary, so true.
But i fully agree with Clives comments... and yet i dont activily have a combat robot, but im at all the RR shows as im tech crew.. i do care what happens with the future of this sport coz of great new blood and familys and teams like Toon/Sock/Phsyco etc... Ive made some great friends from the new teams on top of the old teams.
Mr Stu