<font color='black' size='2' face='arial'> <div style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><FONT color=black size=2 face=arial> <div>David, see the >> comments below.</div> <div>Respectfully...   Bill Fritz, Associate, St Louis</div> <div> </div> <div> <TABLE> <TBODY> <TR vAlign=top> <TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; FONT: 11px arial; BACKGROUND: #f9f9f9; COLOR: #000000; PADDING-TOP: 1px" noWrap>From:</TD> <TD style="FONT: 11px arial; BACKGROUND: #f9f9f9; COLOR: #000000">David Porritt <dmporritt@gmail.com></TD></TR> <TR vAlign=top> <TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; FONT: 11px arial; BACKGROUND: #f9f9f9; COLOR: #000000; PADDING-TOP: 1px">To:</TD> <TD style="FONT: 11px arial; BACKGROUND: #f9f9f9; COLOR: #000000">pianotech@ptg.org</TD></TR> <TR vAlign=top> <TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; FONT: 11px arial; BACKGROUND: #f9f9f9; COLOR: #000000; PADDING-TOP: 1px">Subject:</TD> <TD style="FONT: 11px arial; BACKGROUND: #f9f9f9; COLOR: #000000">Re: [pianotech] Chicago Radio Ads</TD></TR> <TR vAlign=top> <TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1px; PADDING-LEFT: 9px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; FONT: 11px arial; BACKGROUND: #f9f9f9; COLOR: #000000; PADDING-TOP: 1px">Date:</TD> <TD style="FONT: 11px arial; BACKGROUND: #f9f9f9; COLOR: #000000">Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:44:03 -0500</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></div> <div id=AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5> <STYLE>#AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 td{color: black;} @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;} @font-face {font-family:Tahoma; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;} #AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 p.MsoNormal,#AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 li.MsoNormal,#AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 div.MsoNormal {margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} #AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 a:link,#AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; text-decoration:underline;} #AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 a:visited,#AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; text-decoration:underline;} #AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 p {mso-style-priority:99; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} #AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 span.EmailStyle18 {mso-style-type:personal-reply; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; color:#1F497D; text-decoration:underline;} #AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; font-size:10.0pt;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;} #AOLMsgPart_17_512c98c6-7d2f-4268-94f0-05b350f286f5 div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} </STYLE> <div class=WordSection1> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 14pt"></SPAN> </div> <div class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 14pt"> <div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">There are no other professions <I>exactly</I> like ours and no credential <I>exactly </I>like the RPT credential. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></div> <div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></div> <div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1">>> Actually, Professional Engineer (PE) credentials are VERY similar to "ours", and (as probably intended by the PTG) strive to give the public some expectations of a minimum tested standard... except of course, the PE’s are required to retest every 2-4 years or show proof of a minimum set of continuing education courses during each period. So I guess you're right, it's not <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><U>exactly</U></I> like ours. RPT's only pass a test once, never have to demonstrate anything at any time later... <o:p></o:p></SPAN></div> <div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></div> <div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The qualifications, the advantages etc. have not changed in the PTG for a long time. This “it’s unfair” thing is not new. Either pass the tests or don’t. Your choice. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></div> <div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></div> <div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1">>> According to the Tuning Exam Source Book, the latest Tuning Exams (for example) were significantly changed in 1980 by the Board, and over the years have, in fact, become stricter & more exact. 1980 is a long time ago, but there are still many full-time tuners who took the Craftsman test years before that, and those at age 60 probably aren’t giving up their tuning for retirement any time soon.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></div> <div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></div> <div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The RPTs I know don’t think they’re better than others, they’ve just <U>demonstrated</U> a certain level of competence that other’s haven’t. The associate <I>may </I>indeed<I> </I>have that competence, they just haven’t shown it. That’s all!<o:p></o:p></SPAN></div> <div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></div> <div style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1">>> Perhaps then the PTG should state:</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text2">"The RPT has <U>demonstrated</U> a certain level of competence as required by the PTG at some time in the past, which we hope assures you, at least around that snapshot in time, of <U>some</U> standard of quality and expertise to protect your investment and keep your piano playing well."</SPAN></I><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1">"</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text2"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></div> </SPAN></div> </div> </div> </FONT></div> </font>