Editor's Perch

From the Editor's Perch (September 11, 2011)

Well - another year on the turn and another issue under the belt. To all those members who have gone to the trouble of calling or emailing me with comments about our publications, thank you, thank you, thank you. Your feedback is the best map I have to set the compass for the course our publications should be taking and it also helps me build a mental file of the USA pigeon world for my own reference.

The Show Report seems to have been fairly well received by you all. I know there were some errors in it, but it was almost inevitable, given the enormous pressure on everyone from the organizers on out. It'd be nice to be perfect, but we're human and so the best we can hope for is to be good at that and do the best with what we are born with. I know I fuss and fume a lot, but that's me. When I was an apprentice I was under the wing of three master craftsmen and one craftswoman of the old school (two of them born in the 19th century) representing what were then the three main branches of the mechanical side of the printing trade: typesetting, press work and bookbinding. They instilled in me from the first day I began work in the printery the need to constantly strive to be better at what you do; that just because you worked with hands that got dirty, it didn't mean your brain stopped functioning. They taught me that close enough isn't really good enough, and what the old proverb "An inch is as good as a mile" really means. For me they still represent what to me is the wonder of print on paper, and they showed me the beauty and value in things produced by the hard work of even the lowliest of manual laborers.

So I worry and complain about what is sent to me and in some people's eyes spend too much time on trivial stuff, but that's the way I was taught to work. Forgive me that.

I'd like to thank A Royal Snow Tumbler Club for the effort they went to for the September issue - it was almost a "Breed Special". I'd like to think that other Breed Clubs might consider doing something similar and supporting the Quarterly Review with breed features and related advertising. It goes without saying that club news of any sort is welcome also - along with advertising. The more advertising we get in the Review, the more the costs of production go down, freeing up money that can be used for other things. Not only that, it would allow me to add color pages without putting extra strain on the NPA's finances. The more color, the easier it would be to sell advertising space to businesses associated with our hobby and to businesses who would like to put their goods and services before the membership. Just think of all the things we buy - not only for our pigeons and their needs, but for ourselves and our families. In these straitened times, every penny counts (it still seems odd to me using "penny" in the USA), and smaller businesses in particular can't afford to ignore any potential market that might bring in a little extra income, or they shouldn't at least. In this day and age it doesn't really matter where your clients are - if you can mail it, you can sell it.

Of course I couldn't possibly write any sort of news without having a gripe about something. PLEASE, if you're emailing anything that is relevant to the Review and other publications - criticism, articles and photographs for publication, messages for me that have to do with any of them - DO NOT send them to any other email address other than pigeon.posts(at)littlewallaby.com (remember to substitute @ for (at) when you type the address). If you do they may get overlooked and then we'll both be unhappy. Putting Quarterly Review in the subject line will also help. MATERIAL RELEVANT TO OUR PUBLICATIONS ONLY, PLEASE. I don't mind if it's comments or criticism, as long as it has to do with things that I am responsible for producing.

PLEASE DO NOT send anything else to that address. I know a lot of times it is unintentional - email addresses can get hijacked without the owner's knowledge - but it adds to the chances that I will trash it without looking at it or that my ISP or my computer will send it straight to the junk folder where it will disappear forever. And for the same reason, don't send Quarterly Review or Show Report or Membership Directory material to any of my other addresses. PLEASE.

I'll get off your backs now. Talk to you again soon.

Frank Povah-editor.

From the Editor's Perch (March 14, 2011)

Sending articles, photographs and advertisements to the Quarterly Review

It's really as easy as pie, just follow these few simple steps.

First, ask me to send you an Ad Rate and Specifications form by email or post.

Decide on the type of ad you want: A display ad in full, half or quarter page size; an ad by the column inch and all available in color, space permitting, and in black and white; or a classified ad.

Next, write up the copy you want in your ad. Be sure to include the essential information: WHO, WHAT, WHERE and WHEN - and if there's a "why" include that also.

Include digital files of any photographs or logos you want to use. Here's a tip: the higher the resolution, the better they will reproduce. If you're not sure, make them as large as possible and I will increase the resolution as I adjust the size. If you don't have digital files, just send them to me as originals - be sure to indicate if you want them returned AND to include your contact details. See below also.

Email them to me and you're done. (If they are really large files, then you can put them on a disc - or a flash drive - and mail them to me at my street address.)

Pay for the ad by using our online credit card facility at www.npausa.com or send the money to:

NPA SECRETARY/TREASURER
PO BOX 950088
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73195

The contact number is 405 604 8792, or email npasecretary@yahoo.com

If you want to do the ad yourself or are having someone do it for you, then please make sure to follow the guidelines on the Rates Card.

Follow exactly the same procedure to submit articles. If photographs are included, please provide a caption for each one, or at least provide a brief description of the subject. Of course you won't have to pay to have your article or Show Calendar listingreprinted in the Quarterly Review.

If you don't have email, or aren't comfortable on the computer, then I'm happy to accept ad copy and articles in typed form. If you're writing by hand, please be as legible as possible.

Remember: If there's anything you're not sure of, call or email, I'm only too happy to help. Here are my contact details: Phone 502 535 4794, or email

pigeon.posts@littlewallaby.com

or write to

EDITOR: QUARTERLY REVIEW
2377 CEDAR RD
STAMPING GROUND KY 40379-9510

From the editor's perch (March 2, 2011)

G'day everyone. Well, by the time this is up on our website, the year's first Quarterly Review should be arriving in your mailboxes. Being as it's my first issue and all, I'm hoping for plenty of feedback - if I'm to make a real go of it, I need to know your thoughts on what should and shouldn't be in there. So come on, let's hear from everyone out there; remember, the content will only ever be as good as the input from you, the members, makes it.

I know this issue is pretty-well chockers with election material but being able to have a say at the ballot box is not only vital to democracy but is also a good way to make sure you get the best person for the job. If you're a new member and find the amount of election material offputting, bear with us - it's only one issue.

The typesetting and page make-up of the Membership Book is already well under way and I hope to have it printed and mailed in mid-April. I've come up with a design that I hope you'll find understandable and I've also done a bit of revision of the breed abbreviations in the hope that new members not familiar with some of the breeds may find them easier to follow. Again, your feedback and constructive criticism are most welcome and will be passed on to whoever is awarded the contract to produce our publications in 2012.

While I'm on the subject of the Membership Book, both the secretary, Ed Pointer, and I would like to pass along a gentle reminder that if you want to receive a copy of this year's publication - along with further issues of the Quarterly Review, and the Show Report - then you'll need to ensure that your Dues are up to date.

Advertising, both casual and contract, is still available in all publications including the Membership Book, and I'd suggest you take advantage of this great opportunity to reach our fellow members. There are now several exciting options to choose from and I'd suggest you look at them all – especially the "column inch" alternative. Call or email me for details.

Deadlines are: Membership Book advertising, March 25; Show Report results and reports, May 1st at the very latest, earlier preferred; advertising, May 13; Advertising and editorial for the Review: September, August 1; December November 1 My email address - publications related material only, please - is: pigeon.postsatlittlewallaby.com (remember to replace the word "at" with @ when you type it in) or you can call on 502 535 4794. If you don't have a computer or phone, that's all right too, the postie quite happily delivers mail to:

NPA Quarterly Review
Frank Povah
2377 Cedar Road
Stamping Ground KY 40379-9510

I'll get out of your hair now. I'm looking forward to receiving your articles and photos for September's Review - June is the Show Report - and lots of ads for all publications. Best wishes to all for the year ahead.

Frank