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Hi ya folks. Its me again, Enzo, your favorite
feline. Well I hope you all had a great summer and got to enjoy your cars a lot. As I paw this out for you, my mom and dad have just returned from
Hershey. Naturally they didn’t take me. As usual they brought back all
kinds of weird stuff. My dad must really be out of it. One of the things
they brought back was a calendar from some Oldsmobile place from 1953.
Even I know that 1953 was a long time ago. What good is that calendar
going to do anyone?
And hood ornaments, yes hood ornaments for cars they don’t even have! What are they going to do with them? Put the car together one piece at a time? Well at least they are starting from the front. I know.. I know, its more junk for the showcases in the garage. Mom told dad the cases were full. Dad said well then we need to buy more cases. It’s a no win situation for a cat. In the meantime Wal-mart is havin a sale on that litter box with the privacy screen that I’ve always wanted. Think I gotta chance…nope! I feel a little better now. Dad explained to me that you car collectors often just collect stuff. All sorts of stuff. Even empty oil cans. Personally I’d think you would be better to get full ones and have the oil but dad explained its not necessary. So what kinds of stuff do you collect? I hear some people collect spark plugs and others like posters and pictures. I like pictures. I have one of that big mountain in the Dakotas with all the carvings. You know, its famous, Mount Catmore. Well actually its called Mount Rushmore by you humans but for me its Mount Catmore. The most famous cat thing in the world. I often look at the picture of the carvings of those great cats from my past… Morris, Garfield and Sylvester. I’m told there is room for one more likeness on that mountain. So if you folks really want to do Enzo a favor you could write to your Congress Cat and see if you could get my likeness carved up there. Wouldn’t that be great…… Other cats and even people would go by and they would see history, Morris, Garfield, Sylvester, and Enzo. What a picture. Dad says I’m silly for thinking of such things. Hey, everything starts with a vision, right. So now I have to hear the moaning…. It’s a whole year till next Hershey and so on and so on. Are all of you humans like that? Us cats we are curious and interested in everything but we don’t put X’s on the calendar. Listen folks, I’ve got a problem and I need your help. I know that nice Mrs. Beauchamp lady will help. See what’s happening is that we live on a farm in the woods. About a quarter mile away is the highway but us cats are not allowed near the highway. Anyways, what one of the old cats that lived here years ago must have done is put a sign out on the road that says, “Suckers live here, Stray cats welcome”. So wouldn’t you know it there is this strange calico that’s been visiting lately. I yell at it and tell it to go away. What does my dumb mom do… she feeds it!! It’ll never go away now. My dad calls it Scrawney Cat. What a dumb name for a cat. What would you name a cat? I looked back in the history books at Cat School and the greatest name ever given to a cat was Edward Wellington Mouseripper the Third. Now that’s classy. I mean Enzo is good but that’s really classy. I guess its pretty much time to put the cars away if you live in the northeast. Dad insists there are a few good driving days left.
OH MY!...they said that VET word, I’m outta here …..
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NEWSLETTER EDITORS; By Earl D. Beauchamp, Jr. |
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Editors, get ready for a whole NEW DEAL for newsletters and newsletter awards that will be coming in 2007. It is the first real change in this program since its inception in 1964. We hope we are leveling the playing field and doing away with what many have objected to – the idea of it being a "contest". Get ready for the new Newsletter Achievement Awards Program (NAAP), and a “contest” it is not. The new program was unveiled at the AACA National Board meeting in Hershey. Suffice it to say, we have developed a 26-item form which provides varying amounts of points toward Merit, Distinction, Excellence and Master Editor Awards. Take a look at the judging form that accompanies this article. Only two of the items allow the reviewer to score less then the given set of points for the item. Those are “cover page layout” and “photo quality” overall. In other words, the 17 other items simply allow you to acquire points if the item is in the newsletter. If a specified item isn’t represented in an issue, then you simply do not score any points for that line item. Of course the reviewer will make the final determination as to whether an item meets the criteria specified on the form. It is as simple as that! Items 20-23 call for deductions from the points earned in the first 19 categories for what we consider to be either important omissions or lack of effort. Items 24-26 call for disqualification of that issue of the newsletter altogether. These items are use of foul language, sexual, and racial innuendo or comment, or copyright material without permission, political comment, other than legislative reports, and religious innuendo or comment. It's pretty straightforward and we rather expect that nobody will ever achieve the maximum 200 points for an issue, because it is unlikely that anyone will be able to include every single item in an issue. But, that is what will make it fun; working to include as much as you can, and knowing EXACTLY what you need to do, or can do, to achieve the highest award at the end of the year. And, we believe that including these items will make your Region or Chapter better, as well as your newsletter. I want to particularly thank Judy Edwards of North Carolina, Editor for the Brass-Nickel Region and Wayne Burgess of Virginia, Editor for the Northern Neck Region for working with the Publications Committee and me in this challenging effort. I also want to thank Mark Newbourne of Florida, Editor for the Naples-Marco Island Region, who provided the suggestion that we worked through to a completed program. The new program is in response to the many complaints you have made about the system the way it was, and has been for these long many years. If it doesn't work out, we'll do something different, but nothing defeats success more then doing nothing. And here is another bonus. You will only have to send your newsletters to a very few of the Committee, as the work will be divided up among the members of the Publications Committee, more or less evenly, and depending on your location you'll send your newsletter to only certain members of the committee. This solves another longtime complaint from Regions and Chapters, and hence their editors; that being the expense in sending every issue to all the members of the committee. Each Editor will only need to send a copy to Headquarters and one or two members of the committee. This should eliminate any need for “waiver letters” in the future. There will be no more guessing as to what you need to do, and how well you have to do it, to achieve the desired award. What could be simpler or more fair then that? But remember what the lottery people say, “You’ve got to play to win.” In other words when you receive your entry letter next year, make certain you return it to enter into the 2007 Awards Program. That is Step One. This will all be explained again when you get your registration information from Hershey next year. If you have any questions you can contact me by email at Forever39z@aol.com. However, the items on the form are “set into concrete” at least for 2007. I hope you will like the program better than the “contest” that so many of you complained about in the past.
Newsletter Achievement Awards Program (NAAP) ITEM
VALUE (+)
CONTENT: 155 Points
DEDUCTIONS
Scores for Awards The MAXIMUM
SCORE IS 200. Nobody is actually expected to make 200, but it gives
editors a point of reference so that they will be able to determine for
themselves what the levels of achievement are that they might want to
strive to attain. Average score for the year 150 - up = MASTER EDITOR To be considered for an award, an editor must publish and mail a
minimum of 4 issues a year. Also, 75% of the number of newsletters listed
by the editor on the NAAP entry form must be published and received by
National headquarters.
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What does vice president of class judging do? By Randy D. Rutherford, Sr. |
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This is a question I’m asked many times. The Vice President of Class Judging is responsible for the direction, administration, and leadership of the AACA judging system, serves as Chairman of the Class Judging Committee and is the final authority for all questions related to class judging. At the AACA National Board of Directors meeting, I report the decisions of the Class Judging Committee and present those items requiring board approval. I supervise the Chairman of Judges Training, Judges records, Judges Newsletter editor, apprentice training, and Continuing Judges Education (CJE). I am also in charge of the certifications committees for HPOF, DPC, and Race Car. I receive the names submitted for Chief Judges for upcoming national meets and present them to the Class Judging Committee for approval. So far this year I have answered and sent out over 100 letters to members who requested highlighted copies of their judging sheets. I also answer many phone calls and emails daily. I try to respond to all inquiries within one to two days unless I am attending a National event. I’m sure by now you are saying “How can one person do this job alone?” The answer to that question is, “I don’t!” I work with a great team of people who I call on to help me with many of the questions and challenges that are encountered throughout the year. One person who I would like to give special thanks to is my wife, Rita, who without her understanding and support this job would be very difficult. I look forward to seeing all of you at an upcoming meet.
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By Bruce E. Wheeler |
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Hello to all of my fellow AACA editors! 2006 is coming to an end soon and you will have completed another year of your Region/Chapter newsletters. For me, this is the time I am usually considering what new additions or changes to implement in our region newsletter for next year. I try to add or change at least one thing each year in order to keep it fresh and interesting for our region’s members. Speaking of changes, there will be a big change in 2007 with how awards are presented to AACA newsletters by the Publications Committee. Be sure to read Earl Beauchamp’s article in this issue that discusses the change and what you must do to receive awards. The new scoring system should help editors develop higher quality and more interesting newsletters for their regions and/or chapters. The AACA Annual Meeting is coming up in less than four months. It is an interesting and fun event, plus it includes over forty different seminars held on a wide range of antique automobile and AACA topics. The most important seminar for newsletter editors is the Publications Seminar. Whether you are a veteran AACA newsletter editor of many years or a first time editor, this seminar always provides valuable information on newsletter preparation and publication. The panel members hosting the seminar are also newsletter editors and are happy to share their experiences. Editors can learn what works well and what doesn’t, how different editors deal with different situations, where to find interesting and useful material, and much, much, more. Another seminar that may be of help to AACA editors is the Library & Research (L&RC) Seminar. The seminar will focus on the many ways to use the L&RC in researching automobiles, including use of the new online catalog being developed. While most of this research is typically used by restorers and automotive researchers, the extensive amount of information in the L&RC can also be useful to AACA editors who are developing articles for their newsletters. Hopefully the AACA newsletter editors will be able to take advantage of both seminars as tools for developing or improving their newsletters. I look forward to seeing you in Philadelphia. Take care and enjoy the upcoming holidays with your family and friends. And as always ……..
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I know mom and dad are planning to go to a little swap meet over the
weekend. Its supposed to be 34 degrees! Are they nuts or what! If I know
mom and dad though, they’ll be out there doing what they do best, “Looking
for more junk” and all the while I’ll be watching as other people take
advantage of that sale at Wal-Mart and buy up all the litter boxes with
the privacy screens. 
That’s all for now folks. I’m still watching them unpack all the
Hershey stuff. Haven't found anything I can use yet in that mess but I can
still hope. I’ll paw at you some more next time. In the meantime get out
and take another ride before you put that car away for the winter. 
