[Mike Gambino]

Originally Posted by Mach

Is this forum worth anything? Seems like it's a lot of hassle.

They had someone in there that had some interesting things to say that were of benefit to many. Too bad the moderator has deprived all of such an invaluable resource due to his own personal bias against this individual.

[g.catanese]

You know Mike,
I (and a lot of others) appreciated your contributions there, but it looked to me liked you deleted your own postings... (please disabuse me of my assumptions if I'm wrong.)

I guess it kinda reminds me of when the kid who brought the football doesn't like the way the game is going, or the way the rules are applied, and stops the game, takes his ball, and goes home...

What's up with that?

[Eveningillum]

Hi Nathan -
I emailed AOLP on Aug.19th and have not heard anything from anybody as of yet. Have you received any information from them?? Thanks -- I have a lot of questions and would like to get started asking them.
Have A Great Day!!
Bobbi

[NightScenes]

Hello Bobbi, please email me at paul@night-scenes.com and I and get you taken care of. Nathan needs to get approval from AOLP and I can take care of that.

Thanks,

[Mike Gambino]

Originally Posted by g.catanese

You know Mike,
I (and a lot of others) appreciated your contributions there, but it looked to me liked you deleted your own postings... (please disabuse me of my assumptions if I'm wrong.)

I guess it kinda reminds me of when the kid who brought the football doesn't like the way the game is going, or the way the rules are applied, and stops the game, takes his ball, and goes home...

What's up with that?

That is correct I have been treated with inequity.

I erased my messages in protest to the unfair treatment I received in that forum. Posts were deleted because my views and opinions differred from the moderators.

Provacative messages posted by another member remain while my responses were deleted which placed me in an unfair and hostile environment.

Then I was permanently banned for no other reason then for deleting my own messages. If a participant cannot excercise his right to edit his own messages then why does the ability to do so exist?

Furthermore I didn't know that editing your own messages was a violation of the Terms of service and subject to permanent banishment from the forum.

I have as much right to post in that forum as anyone else who has paid for membership.

The post in question was very mild however obviously very embarassing to one particular member. It mentioned a face to face encounter at a trade show with this person who was contacting sources of mine in an attempt to buy proprietary fixture and transformers designs direct from them without my knowledge or permission.

I asked that he stop contacting my sources and said member refused to discuss and fled to seek shelter behind a trade show display. Maybe feeling physically threatened however I made no such physical or verbal threats. Note I'm 5'10" and this person is 6' 5".

[D Calabrese]

testing

[Mike Gambino]

Originally Posted by D Calabrese

testing

What are you testing?

[James Solecki]

Well, here we go again! Seeing as I no longer have reading or posting privledges on the AOLP forum, I think that this is the perfect place to post my letter to the AOLP and its members. Hopefully this time it will not be censored.

AOLP Practices
Recently, while I was away from the office, a post was put up on the private AOLP forum: "James, Please be informed that you are being removed from the AOLP forum due to your lapse in membership. Unfortunately we cannot allow individuals to retain access to this site without being current with their membership. Please reconsider renewing your membership if you wish to participate in this forum."

This is troubling in that Gerry, the author of the post, did not make any effort to contact me directly to inform me of the situation. Nor at any time after I submitted my membership renewal form along with my credit card information to the AOLP in December 2008 was I 'reminded' of a lapse in my membership status! Rather than take a moment to inquire with me, I was simply removed from the forum and notified of the situation from within the forum that I no longer have access to! How strange is that?

Then, again in the private AOLP forum, this note appears:
"Gerry, you are far too kind when it comes to a former member who obviously does not want to be associated with the AOLP (although he keeps it on his signatures on every forum that he takes part in). I'll say this, James, (if you do get a chance to read this before you are blocked) please don't reconsider your membership to the association. We need quality members who want to build the industry not tear it down from the inside. Your negativity is just too much to deal with on a regular basis and I don't think our membership deserves your attitude.
__________________
Paul R Gosselin, CLVLT 0632
NightScenes Corporation
Vice President, AOLP"

How completely unprofessional of Mr. Gosselin! and to think that this is the type of person that the Association has as a Vice President! Shameful.

1: Had the esteemed VP, Mr. Gosselin taken even a moment of his precious time to inquire, he would have learned that I in fact did fax back my membership renewal along with credit card info in December 2008. ( I am guessing that the new "mis-management" company handling the administrative affairs for the AOLP bungled this simple task)

2: The reason I keep the reference to the AOLP on my signature line is because I was never aware that my membership in the AOLP had lapsed! No one ever called to inform me of any lapse, nor did I receive any communication asking me anything about my membership status.

3: To have the VP of the organization openly encourage me not to re-join this small, struggling association simply because of his personal bias against me is so completely unprofessional. It is downright shameful of you Paul.

4: To have the VP of the organization question my commitment and integrity is unacceptable. Just who do you think you are Paul Gosselin? You really know nothing of my positive commitment and decade long contributions to the building and strengthening of the Low Voltage Outdoor Lighting Industry. We all have personal differences and disagreements in principal at times, but does this warrant such comments on your behalf? I certainly think not!

The AOLP and it's Board of Directors should be actively encouraging creative, passionate, intelligent professionals who have different temperaments, talents & convictions to join the Association. Instead they have a situation where those who have different viewpoints are discouraged from participation. To have a Vice President make such comments is completely unacceptable!

Best of luck to the AOLP and it's members. Perhaps someday in the future, when the current Board of Directors is no longer at the helm, I will re-join the association. In the meantime, I will encourage others to look to other, more professional Associations in which to invest their time, effort and membership dollars.

[g.catanese]

I didn't see much benefit from AOLP membership, but maybe that was because I didn't get involved.

I see more potential benefit from joining another organization with a proven track record and a broad range of issues (CLCA), but of course, I do more than just lighting.