[DeTomaso] NPC - Mike Drew

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/30/12 11 18 32, pantdino at aol.com writes:


> Maybe there just isn't enough to report in the Pantera world to require 
> 12 monthly and 4 quarterly publications.
> Mike, what do you think of 2 Profiles per year rather than 4?
> 

>>>An interesting question.

I think there is MORE than enough to fill all our publications.   The 
problem is finding people to take the time to actually do it.

The job of the editors is supposed to be just that:   to edit.   That is, 
to take inputs from *other* people, clean them up and package them nicely and 
then present them in an enjoyable format.   But that isn't how it's been 
working out.

Jack, for instance, does an ENORMOUS amount of work, arguably far more than 
he should have to, to put a newsletter out every month.   If you go back 
through the last few years, and subtract out everything he has contributed to 
the newsletter himself, you'll find there's barely enough material left to 
fill a single newsletter, much less dozens.   That just isn't right.

Profiles is supposed to be about events reporting, i.e. features, as well 
as in-depth reports on individual cars (restoration stories, mostly).   Lots 
of events get reported on (particularly those in Europe--those guys have an 
admirable willingness to share), but many others come and go with no 
mention, other than a squeak on the forum afterwards.

I think the internet has helped us as Pantera owners immeasurably, but it's 
also had a negative effect.   I think people in the past were more willing 
to take the time to share information the old-fashioned way, whereas now 
people will throw something on their blog or post a bunch of photos on their 
Photobucket site, and that's it.   On the one hand you get instant 
gratification, but you lose a lot too.

I actually had three issues of Profiles under construction in 
parallel--each one held up waiting for a specific contribution (or three) which were 
endlessly promised and never delivered.   Finally the POCA Board decided the 
smart move was to combine all the information into a single, super-issue, which 
will be a POCA Annual instead of a quarterly.   I should have that finished 
in the next few weeks.   It will be huge--well over 100 pages, by the looks 
of it.

I do feel compelled to do some travelling while I still can (I'm losing my 
free airline benefits at the end of November), so tomorrow I'm flying to 
Modena to meet with the De Tomaso family and get the scoop on the current state 
of affairs out there--I'll just be there for two days, then right back in 
the editor saddle....

Mike