<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=2>I agree about the title: "apprentice", "journeyman", = "craftsman", "master craftsman" are well-known terms.  Cars, mail, trademarks, and sex offenders are "registered": stamped and labeled for = tracking purposes.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I think carrots are better than sticks in getting = associates (like me) to upgrade.  I greatly appreciate the daylong Associates = Seminars at the nationals (lots of work for the RPTs holding them), and the new = ExamPrep mailing list.  By advertising PTG membership for associates, = customers can at least know we have signed on to the code of ethics (why isn't that on = the public side of the PTG site, BTW?).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I believe we each have a mission to educate the = public about pianos and the PTG.  While I wish the PTG had the budget to do = more, the new website is a great start.  I encourage all of us with sites to = link back to ptg.org, perhaps even to more than one area of the site.  = Comments on my links are welcomed.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>--Cy--</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>www.shusterpiano.com</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=ronmay_rpt@bellsouth.net = href="mailto:ronmay_rpt@bellsouth.net">RON MAY, RPT</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, February 10, 2006 = 11:26 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: = Upgrading.....</DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi People</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Until the day comes that the = public  becomes educated,  aware and demands expertise and professional = performance or heaven forbid the government becomes involved and demands licensing = such as that demanded for other  trades such as plumbers and electricians, we are just lighting a fire under and empty = skillet. Now that anyone can show themselves as a member of PTG and we have come up = with "Registered" members, which no one has the slightest idea about = instead off craftsman ratings or some other descriptive rating there is only one motivation and that is from within.. Unfortunately not very many seem = to have this motivation or pride in their work and profession. </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>Whether we are RPTs, Certified = Tuner Technicians,or craftsman, getting the message out is up to we = individual technicians and most of us are busy and have become = very complacent about the problem. To me Certified says a whole lot more than registered. = I'm "Registered" to vote in Florida and we all know what that means but = obviously some don't know how to do it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We as PTG just continue to shoot ourselves in the foot on this issue. Something needs to be done = and it needs to become a priority.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ron May</FONT> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>