To all who claim the legal expenses were a waste of money, consider this:
In January 2020, a demand letter arrived at AMSAT from an attorney representing Directors Thompson and Stoddard.
Submitting a demand letter from an attorney is a really big deal. That legal line was first crossed by the new board members. Apparently, Joe Spier resigned at this point in order to avoid unfair legal entanglements - and, as far as I can tell from the few interactions I have had with Joe - he is a kind person.
Plenty of evidence, plenty of facts - obviously point to AmSat not keeping up with the times. But that does not justify legal betrayal of existing board members by new members in an effort to usurp full control of the board. A more perfect response would have been to do nothing until the election cycle and hope to replace the board members who may have been dragging their feet.
My point is this - nobody should be making the argument the legal expenses were not required. Hearing this from the members who delivered the demand letter feels insulting on many levels and should stop. Own it - the members who brought the demand, and their Backer(s), are ultimately responsible for the costs incurred. Actions have consequences - and side-effects.
Ends do not justify means. There is a right way and a wrong way to move forward. Trust is more valuable than performance.
The legal expenditures were both Wise and Required. The demand letter sent by the new board members was neither. Shifting blame and not owning the side-effects of our actions is less than optimal.
This observation is not a vote in favor or against any member or candidate.
For reference: https://www.amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/2020-July/078239.html
Robert MacHale . KE6BLR Ham Radio License . http://www.aprsat.com/predict . http://www.spaceCommunicator.club%C2%A0 . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
Silly Joke: What did the little mountain say to the bigger mountain? Hi Cliff!
Hi Robert,
Unfortunately, you are stating the time sequence backward.
If you read the explanation letter signed by the whole AMSAT board, the legal expenses are in 2018-2019. The demand letter came at the *end* of the legal process, when the majority of the funds had already been spent. When they got the demand letter, AMSAT's attorneys relented and the board did what was demanded in the letter, and Joe resigned (for reasons he has chosen not to elaborate upon). Michelle and Patrick's blogs are public and you can read it there, it is clear that there were many attempts to communicate before the demand was made.
It also is important to note that AMSAT had lawyers directed at Michelle and Patrick long, long before they got their own lawyer.
Thanks
Bruce
Thanks
Bruce
On Fri, Jul 17, 2020 at 6:19 PM Robert MacHale via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
To all who claim the legal expenses were a waste of money, consider this:
In January 2020, a demand letter arrived at AMSAT from an attorney
representing Directors Thompson and Stoddard.
Submitting a demand letter from an attorney is a really big deal. That legal line was first crossed by the new board members. Apparently, Joe Spier resigned at this point in order to avoid unfair legal entanglements - and, as far as I can tell from the few interactions I have had with Joe - he is a kind person.
Plenty of evidence, plenty of facts - obviously point to AmSat not keeping up with the times. But that does not justify legal betrayal of existing board members by new members in an effort to usurp full control of the board. A more perfect response would have been to do nothing until the election cycle and hope to replace the board members who may have been dragging their feet.
My point is this - nobody should be making the argument the legal expenses were not required. Hearing this from the members who delivered the demand letter feels insulting on many levels and should stop. Own it - the members who brought the demand, and their Backer(s), are ultimately responsible for the costs incurred. Actions have consequences - and side-effects.
Ends do not justify means. There is a right way and a wrong way to move forward. Trust is more valuable than performance.
The legal expenditures were both Wise and Required. The demand letter sent by the new board members was neither. Shifting blame and not owning the side-effects of our actions is less than optimal.
This observation is not a vote in favor or against any member or candidate.
For reference: https://www.amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/2020-July/078239.html
Robert MacHale . KE6BLR Ham Radio License . http://www.aprsat.com/predict . http://www.spaceCommunicator.club . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
Silly Joke: What did the little mountain say to the bigger mountain? Hi Cliff! _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Hi Bruce,
Thanks for correcting me - again. I still remember when you corrected my conference poster at DX Convention 2018 at my Satellite APRS talk. Touche.
[1] Dad (N6DAN) & Robert (KE6BLR) - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284460558092140544
You noticed the "X.25" should have read "AX.25" - rather than replace the poster, to save money, I just added an "A" sticker from my Angels baseball memorabilia. :)
[2] Angels Sticker - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284458200708743168
Glad to see you are injecting life and energy into AmSat. Remember to be kind and patient. AmSat is not exactly a startup run by liberal technocrats; as in most companies - conservative administrators settle in to keep the pattern running.
[3] Bruce (K6BP) & Robert (KE6BLR) - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284460709342900224
Cheers!
BTW, did you notice FreeSWITCH recommends Debian - just a random observation.
Debian 10 Buster (preferred) The development team uses and builds against Debian 10 "Buster". They recommend Debian because of its stable, yet updated, kernel and wide support.
For reference: https://freeswitch.org/confluence/display/FREESWITCH/Installation
Robert MacHale . KE6BLR Ham Radio License . http://www.aprsat.com/predict . http://www.spaceCommunicator.club%C2%A0 . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
Silly Joke: What did the little mountain say to the bigger mountain? Hi Cliff!Political Quote: He who dares not offend cannot be honest. -- Thomas Paine
Presidential Quote by George Washington: May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.
On Friday, July 17, 2020, 08:07:47 PM PDT, Bruce Perens bruce@perens.com wrote:
Hi Robert,
Unfortunately, you are stating the time sequence backward.
If you read the explanation letter signed by the whole AMSAT board, the legal expenses are in 2018-2019. The demand letter came at the end of the legal process, when the majority of the funds had already been spent. When they got the demand letter, AMSAT's attorneys relented and the board did what was demanded in the letter, and Joe resigned (for reasons he has chosen not to elaborate upon). Michelle and Patrick's blogs are public and you can read it there, it is clear that there were many attempts to communicate before the demand was made.
It also is important to note that AMSAT had lawyers directed at Michelle and Patrick long, long before they got their own lawyer.
Thanks
Bruce
Thanks
Bruce
On Fri, Jul 17, 2020 at 6:19 PM Robert MacHale via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
To all who claim the legal expenses were a waste of money, consider this:
In January 2020, a demand letter arrived at AMSAT from an attorney representing Directors Thompson and Stoddard.
Submitting a demand letter from an attorney is a really big deal. That legal line was first crossed by the new board members. Apparently, Joe Spier resigned at this point in order to avoid unfair legal entanglements - and, as far as I can tell from the few interactions I have had with Joe - he is a kind person.
Plenty of evidence, plenty of facts - obviously point to AmSat not keeping up with the times. But that does not justify legal betrayal of existing board members by new members in an effort to usurp full control of the board. A more perfect response would have been to do nothing until the election cycle and hope to replace the board members who may have been dragging their feet.
My point is this - nobody should be making the argument the legal expenses were not required. Hearing this from the members who delivered the demand letter feels insulting on many levels and should stop. Own it - the members who brought the demand, and their Backer(s), are ultimately responsible for the costs incurred. Actions have consequences - and side-effects.
Ends do not justify means. There is a right way and a wrong way to move forward. Trust is more valuable than performance.
The legal expenditures were both Wise and Required. The demand letter sent by the new board members was neither. Shifting blame and not owning the side-effects of our actions is less than optimal.
This observation is not a vote in favor or against any member or candidate.
For reference: https://www.amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/2020-July/078239.html
Robert MacHale . KE6BLR Ham Radio License . http://www.aprsat.com/predict . http://www.spaceCommunicator.club%C2%A0 . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
Silly Joke: What did the little mountain say to the bigger mountain? Hi Cliff! _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Robert, Always digging at someone aren't you? Politics has no place on the Amsat BB. ".....AmSat is not exactly a startup run by liberal technocrats; as in most companies - conservative administrators settle in to keep the pattern running....."
If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all. Please.
--- Ciao baby, catch you on the flip side 73 de W3AB/GEO
You can say "over", you can say "out", you just can't say "over and out".
On Saturday, July 18, 2020, 05:36:13 AM PDT, Robert MacHale via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
Hi Bruce,
Thanks for correcting me - again. I still remember when you corrected my conference poster at DX Convention 2018 at my Satellite APRS talk. Touche.
[1] Dad (N6DAN) & Robert (KE6BLR) - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284460558092140544
You noticed the "X.25" should have read "AX.25" - rather than replace the poster, to save money, I just added an "A" sticker from my Angels baseball memorabilia. :)
[2] Angels Sticker - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284458200708743168
Glad to see you are injecting life and energy into AmSat. Remember to be kind and patient. AmSat is not exactly a startup run by liberal technocrats; as in most companies - conservative administrators settle in to keep the pattern running.
[3] Bruce (K6BP) & Robert (KE6BLR) - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284460709342900224
Cheers!
BTW, did you notice FreeSWITCH recommends Debian - just a random observation.
Debian 10 Buster (preferred) The development team uses and builds against Debian 10 "Buster". They recommend Debian because of its stable, yet updated, kernel and wide support.
For reference: https://freeswitch.org/confluence/display/FREESWITCH/Installation
Robert MacHale . KE6BLR Ham Radio License . http://www.aprsat.com/predict . http://www.spaceCommunicator.club%C2%A0 . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
Silly Joke: What did the little mountain say to the bigger mountain? Hi Cliff!Political Quote: He who dares not offend cannot be honest. -- Thomas Paine
Presidential Quote by George Washington: May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.
On Friday, July 17, 2020, 08:07:47 PM PDT, Bruce Perens bruce@perens.com wrote:
Hi Robert,
Unfortunately, you are stating the time sequence backward.
If you read the explanation letter signed by the whole AMSAT board, the legal expenses are in 2018-2019. The demand letter came at the end of the legal process, when the majority of the funds had already been spent. When they got the demand letter, AMSAT's attorneys relented and the board did what was demanded in the letter, and Joe resigned (for reasons he has chosen not to elaborate upon). Michelle and Patrick's blogs are public and you can read it there, it is clear that there were many attempts to communicate before the demand was made.
It also is important to note that AMSAT had lawyers directed at Michelle and Patrick long, long before they got their own lawyer.
Thanks
Bruce
Thanks
Bruce
On Fri, Jul 17, 2020 at 6:19 PM Robert MacHale via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
To all who claim the legal expenses were a waste of money, consider this:
In January 2020, a demand letter arrived at AMSAT from an attorney representing Directors Thompson and Stoddard.
Submitting a demand letter from an attorney is a really big deal. That legal line was first crossed by the new board members. Apparently, Joe Spier resigned at this point in order to avoid unfair legal entanglements - and, as far as I can tell from the few interactions I have had with Joe - he is a kind person.
Plenty of evidence, plenty of facts - obviously point to AmSat not keeping up with the times. But that does not justify legal betrayal of existing board members by new members in an effort to usurp full control of the board. A more perfect response would have been to do nothing until the election cycle and hope to replace the board members who may have been dragging their feet.
My point is this - nobody should be making the argument the legal expenses were not required. Hearing this from the members who delivered the demand letter feels insulting on many levels and should stop. Own it - the members who brought the demand, and their Backer(s), are ultimately responsible for the costs incurred. Actions have consequences - and side-effects.
Ends do not justify means. There is a right way and a wrong way to move forward. Trust is more valuable than performance.
The legal expenditures were both Wise and Required. The demand letter sent by the new board members was neither. Shifting blame and not owning the side-effects of our actions is less than optimal.
This observation is not a vote in favor or against any member or candidate.
For reference: https://www.amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/2020-July/078239.html
Robert MacHale . KE6BLR Ham Radio License . http://www.aprsat.com/predict . http://www.spaceCommunicator.club%C2%A0 . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
Silly Joke: What did the little mountain say to the bigger mountain? Hi Cliff! _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
I think Robert is echoing the old-space versus new-space dichotomy. We have Boeing and ULA doing things the way they have since 1960, and then we have SpaceX, doing things faster, cheaper and so far better, but Elon says things that even drive me nuts! Still, it is SpaceX who has brought us economical launch opportunities and will continue to do so.
As a (so far not rich) partner in a VC firm, I am very appreciative of people who can keep a tight eye on money! In the same company I would like to have people who push the technology to the bleeding edge. There is a place for a liberal technocrats and conservatives under the same umbrella.
Thanks
Bruce
On Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 9:37 AM GEO Badger w3ab@yahoo.com wrote:
Robert,
Always digging at someone aren't you? Politics has no place on the Amsat BB.
".....AmSat is not exactly a startup run by liberal technocrats; as in most companies - conservative administrators settle in to keep the pattern running....."
If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all. Please.
Ciao baby, catch you on the flip side
73 de W3AB/GEO
You can say "over", you can say "out", you just can't say "over and out".
On Saturday, July 18, 2020, 05:36:13 AM PDT, Robert MacHale via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
Hi Bruce,
Thanks for correcting me - again. I still remember when you corrected my conference poster at DX Convention 2018 at my Satellite APRS talk. Touche.
[1] Dad (N6DAN) & Robert (KE6BLR) - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284460558092140544
You noticed the "X.25" should have read "AX.25" - rather than replace the poster, to save money, I just added an "A" sticker from my Angels baseball memorabilia. :)
[2] Angels Sticker - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284458200708743168
Glad to see you are injecting life and energy into AmSat. Remember to be kind and patient. AmSat is not exactly a startup run by liberal technocrats; as in most companies - conservative administrators settle in to keep the pattern running.
[3] Bruce (K6BP) & Robert (KE6BLR) - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284460709342900224
Cheers!
BTW, did you notice FreeSWITCH recommends Debian - just a random observation.
Debian 10 Buster (preferred) The development team uses and builds
against Debian 10 "Buster". They recommend Debian because of its stable, yet updated, kernel and wide support.
For reference: https://freeswitch.org/confluence/display/FREESWITCH/Installation
Robert MacHale . KE6BLR Ham Radio License . http://www.aprsat.com/predict . http://www.spaceCommunicator.club http://www.spaceCommunicator.club . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
Silly Joke: What did the little mountain say to the bigger mountain? Hi Cliff!Political Quote: He who dares not offend cannot be honest. -- Thomas Paine
Presidential Quote by George Washington: May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.
On Friday, July 17, 2020, 08:07:47 PM PDT, Bruce Perens bruce@perens.com wrote:
Hi Robert,
Unfortunately, you are stating the time sequence backward.
If you read the explanation letter signed by the whole AMSAT board, the legal expenses are in 2018-2019. The demand letter came at the end of the legal process, when the majority of the funds had already been spent. When they got the demand letter, AMSAT's attorneys relented and the board did what was demanded in the letter, and Joe resigned (for reasons he has chosen not to elaborate upon). Michelle and Patrick's blogs are public and you can read it there, it is clear that there were many attempts to communicate before the demand was made.
It also is important to note that AMSAT had lawyers directed at Michelle and Patrick long, long before they got their own lawyer.
Thanks Bruce Thanks BruceOn Fri, Jul 17, 2020 at 6:19 PM Robert MacHale via AMSAT-BB < amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
To all who claim the legal expenses were a waste of money, consider this:
In January 2020, a demand letter arrived at AMSAT from an attorney
representing Directors Thompson and Stoddard.
Submitting a demand letter from an attorney is a really big deal. That
legal line was first crossed by the new board members. Apparently, Joe Spier resigned at this point in order to avoid unfair legal entanglements - and, as far as I can tell from the few interactions I have had with Joe - he is a kind person.
Plenty of evidence, plenty of facts - obviously point to AmSat not
keeping up with the times. But that does not justify legal betrayal of existing board members by new members in an effort to usurp full control of the board. A more perfect response would have been to do nothing until the election cycle and hope to replace the board members who may have been dragging their feet.
My point is this - nobody should be making the argument the legal
expenses were not required. Hearing this from the members who delivered the demand letter feels insulting on many levels and should stop. Own it - the members who brought the demand, and their Backer(s), are ultimately responsible for the costs incurred. Actions have consequences - and side-effects.
Ends do not justify means. There is a right way and a wrong way to move
forward. Trust is more valuable than performance.
The legal expenditures were both Wise and Required. The demand letter
sent by the new board members was neither. Shifting blame and not owning the side-effects of our actions is less than optimal.
This observation is not a vote in favor or against any member or
candidate.
For reference:
https://www.amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/2020-July/078239.html
Robert MacHale . KE6BLR Ham Radio License . http://www.aprsat.com/predict . http://www.spaceCommunicator.club http://www.spaceCommunicator.club . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space
Exploration
Silly Joke: What did the little mountain say to the bigger mountain? Hi
Cliff!
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership.
Opinions expressed
are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of
AMSAT-NA.
Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
program!
Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
-- Bruce Perens - CEO at stealth startup. I'll tell you what it is eventually :-) _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
The tension in any organization between Innovators vs. Maintainers is real. Psychologists Dr. Jordan Peterson can explain this better. Sticking our head in the ground in denial does not make it go away. Each of us is wired one of two ways. Accepting those opposing views creates respect and understanding. It's neither good or bad nor is it nice or mean. The tension is necessary and good. Checkout Jordan Peterson on YouTube. And yes, Elon Musk is my hero, Bruce has a good point on SpaceX vs. Establishment. Sincerely, Robert MacHale. KE6BLR Ham Radio License. http://www.aprsat.com/predict . http://www.spaceCommunicator.club%C2%A0 . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
Silly Joke: What did the little mountain say to the bigger mountain? Hi Cliff!
Political Quote: He who dares not offend cannot be honest. -- Thomas Paine
On Saturday, July 18, 2020, 09:57:11 AM PDT, Bruce Perens bruce@perens.com wrote:
I think Robert is echoing the old-space versus new-space dichotomy. We have Boeing and ULA doing things the way they have since 1960, and then we have SpaceX, doing things faster, cheaper and so far better, but Elon says things that even drive me nuts! Still, it is SpaceX who has brought us economical launch opportunities and will continue to do so. As a (so far not rich) partner in a VC firm, I am very appreciative of people who can keep a tight eye on money! In the same company I would like to have people who push the technology to the bleeding edge. There is a place for a liberal technocrats and conservatives under the same umbrella. Thanks Bruce On Sat, Jul 18, 2020, 9:37 AM GEO Badger w3ab@yahoo.com wrote:
Robert, Always digging at someone aren't you? Politics has no place on the Amsat BB. ".....AmSat is not exactly a startup run by liberal technocrats; as in most companies - conservative administrators settle in to keep the pattern running....."
If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all. Please.
--- Ciao baby, catch you on the flip side 73 de W3AB/GEO
You can say "over", you can say "out", you just can't say "over and out".
On Saturday, July 18, 2020, 05:36:13 AM PDT, Robert MacHale via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
Hi Bruce,
Thanks for correcting me - again. I still remember when you corrected my conference poster at DX Convention 2018 at my Satellite APRS talk. Touche.
[1] Dad (N6DAN) & Robert (KE6BLR) - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284460558092140544
You noticed the "X.25" should have read "AX.25" - rather than replace the poster, to save money, I just added an "A" sticker from my Angels baseball memorabilia. :)
[2] Angels Sticker - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284458200708743168
Glad to see you are injecting life and energy into AmSat. Remember to be kind and patient. AmSat is not exactly a startup run by liberal technocrats; as in most companies - conservative administrators settle in to keep the pattern running.
[3] Bruce (K6BP) & Robert (KE6BLR) - https://twitter.com/robert_machale/status/1284460709342900224
Cheers!
BTW, did you notice FreeSWITCH recommends Debian - just a random observation.
Debian 10 Buster (preferred) The development team uses and builds against Debian 10 "Buster". They recommend Debian because of its stable, yet updated, kernel and wide support.
For reference: https://freeswitch.org/confluence/display/FREESWITCH/Installation
Robert MacHale . KE6BLR Ham Radio License . http://www.aprsat.com/predict . http://www.spaceCommunicator.club%C2%A0 . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
Silly Joke: What did the little mountain say to the bigger mountain? Hi Cliff!Political Quote: He who dares not offend cannot be honest. -- Thomas Paine
Presidential Quote by George Washington: May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.
On Friday, July 17, 2020, 08:07:47 PM PDT, Bruce Perens bruce@perens.com wrote:
Hi Robert,
Unfortunately, you are stating the time sequence backward.
If you read the explanation letter signed by the whole AMSAT board, the legal expenses are in 2018-2019. The demand letter came at the end of the legal process, when the majority of the funds had already been spent. When they got the demand letter, AMSAT's attorneys relented and the board did what was demanded in the letter, and Joe resigned (for reasons he has chosen not to elaborate upon). Michelle and Patrick's blogs are public and you can read it there, it is clear that there were many attempts to communicate before the demand was made.
It also is important to note that AMSAT had lawyers directed at Michelle and Patrick long, long before they got their own lawyer.
Thanks
Bruce
Thanks
Bruce
On Fri, Jul 17, 2020 at 6:19 PM Robert MacHale via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
To all who claim the legal expenses were a waste of money, consider this:
In January 2020, a demand letter arrived at AMSAT from an attorney representing Directors Thompson and Stoddard.
Submitting a demand letter from an attorney is a really big deal. That legal line was first crossed by the new board members. Apparently, Joe Spier resigned at this point in order to avoid unfair legal entanglements - and, as far as I can tell from the few interactions I have had with Joe - he is a kind person.
Plenty of evidence, plenty of facts - obviously point to AmSat not keeping up with the times. But that does not justify legal betrayal of existing board members by new members in an effort to usurp full control of the board. A more perfect response would have been to do nothing until the election cycle and hope to replace the board members who may have been dragging their feet.
My point is this - nobody should be making the argument the legal expenses were not required. Hearing this from the members who delivered the demand letter feels insulting on many levels and should stop. Own it - the members who brought the demand, and their Backer(s), are ultimately responsible for the costs incurred. Actions have consequences - and side-effects.
Ends do not justify means. There is a right way and a wrong way to move forward. Trust is more valuable than performance.
The legal expenditures were both Wise and Required. The demand letter sent by the new board members was neither. Shifting blame and not owning the side-effects of our actions is less than optimal.
This observation is not a vote in favor or against any member or candidate.
For reference: https://www.amsat.org/pipermail/amsat-bb/2020-July/078239.html
Robert MacHale . KE6BLR Ham Radio License . http://www.aprsat.com/predict . http://www.spaceCommunicator.club%C2%A0 . Supporting Boy Scout Merit Badges in Radio, Robotics, and Space Exploration
Silly Joke: What did the little mountain say to the bigger mountain? Hi Cliff! _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
participants (3)
-
Bruce Perens -
GEO Badger -
Robert MacHale