<HTML>In a message dated 6/9/02 8:44:10 AM Central Daylight Time, dnereson@dimensional.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Promotion of the next year's National Convention starts as soon as this year's has ended and can take up as much as 4 1/2 pages of the Journal. Coverage of piano industry news takes up slightly more space.    </BLOCKQUOTE> David Maybe you don't like the convention coverage, or the industry news, but I think that is information that is vital to our industry. The Annual Convention and Institute is the premier event of the year for the industry, not just the PTG. I don't understand why less than 1/5 of our members attend the convention. If you want more technical information in the Journal, and if that is what you think other technicians want, then why aren't they showing up in droves to the convention. Much more knowledge can be gained in watching a demonstration, and hearing about it in person, than reading it in a magazine. The promotion in the Journal is PTG's way of advertising the convention, without it costing us anything. Perhaps if 2000 technicians attended the convention each year, the PTG wouldn't have to promote it. But as it is, somehow the message has not gotten around to everyone, that the convention is the most valuable tool you can have. As far as industry news is concerned, again, I think this is extremely important for our business. Where else are you going to hear about it? Technicians should be aware of what is happening with the manufacturers. I don't know about you, but I know my customer have always been very appreciative, if not impressed, with my knowledge of what has happened with the maker of their instrument. Keeping up with this information can be very beneficial for your work. (But I guess since all you care about is knowing how to turn that screw, you're probably not interested in the "business" side of the industry.) Wim </HTML>