Arnburg out as A3?!!!!!

[Clusterfrack]

Jim Boone has been appointed interim Area1 Director. I know Jim. He is a good dude, and has executive corporate leadership experience.

[BWT]

Excellent FB post by Ken Nelson. I think that among all the damaging things that BoD have done or will do alienating the Practiscore will be at the top of the list. I can't imagine much of participation at any level if Practiscore is not used. If Practiscore is still used but forced to choose "another name for points / time", this is the name that shooters will adopt.

Much to my surprise I found out that USPSA had applied for a trademark on "hit factor" recently.

I'm not an attorney, my layman view assumes that any rational .gov trademark office would deny this due to copious prior art including countless uses in literature, software (PS and others), articles, writing, various other sports, and all the way up to an actual company named "Hit Factor" with a web domain of the same.

If for some reason it's approved and the term's use in PractiScore is challenged we will choose another name for dividing points / time and life will go on.

I was trying to think of how to describe this. Tone-deaf is the only thing that made sense.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tone-deaf

having or showing an obtuse insensitivity or lack of perception particularly in matters of public sentiment, opinion, or taste

It’s like the organization is literally incapable of understanding what they are doing and the impact it will have. Which sucks because there were lots of things the org was great at. Dude, what happens to orgs like the NRA or USPSA that actually have a very simple mission set that just… somehow get so lost. Anyway - I will self-moderate and say USPSA is doubling down on alienating folks.

[fly out]

The application was filed January 17,2023. IIRC, a trademark application challenge must done within 30 days of when the application was filed. I know very little about this, but it's my understanding it's much easier (and therefore less expensive) to challenge an application, than to challenge a trademark that has been granted.
***

The clock doesn't start running at application. In extremely-simplified terms, a human is appointed to review the file and that person looks at the existing filings and decides if an application might proceed.

There is a 30-day period, but it doesn't start to run until .gov has determined that "there's a chance" and then they calendar a window in which someone can file a notice of opposition to approval.

[Note: The quote was corrected in a later post to reflect that the application was filed 1/17/2024.]

[jellydonut]

It’s like the organization is literally incapable of understanding what they are doing and the impact it will have. Which sucks because there were lots of things the org was great at. Dude, what happens to orgs like the NRA or USPSA that actually have a very simple mission set that just… somehow get so lost. Anyway - I will self-moderate and say USPSA is doubling down on alienating folks.

Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy states that in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people: First, there will be those who are devoted to the goals of the organization. Examples are dedicated classroom teachers in an educational bureaucracy, many of the engineers and launch technicians and scientists at NASA, even some agricultural scientists and advisors in the former Soviet Union collective farming administration. Secondly, there will be those dedicated to the organization itself. Examples are many of the administrators in the education system, many professors of education, many teachers union officials, much of the NASA headquarters staff, etc. The Iron Law states that in every case the second group will gain and keep control of the organization. It will write the rules, and control promotions within the organization.

Alas.

[steve]

Organizations need term limits and new blood. The entrenchment effect takes place and the basics go out the window. No longer is the board helping members but helping themselves and trying to insulate their positions.

[feudist]

This is an interesting statement from 2016 by then president Foley regarding the value of USPSA participation in IPSC.

https://uspsa.org/announcement/243
"Every three years, it costs USPSA over $100,000 to be a region of IPSC, including some World Shoot expenses. The only benefit that USPSA enjoys is passage to IPSC events held outside the United States. The benefits of this arrangement are enjoyed annually by about 15 USPSA members, and every three years by about 60 USPSA members when there is a World Shoot. When the World Shoot is held in less stable and attractive countries, fewer American athletes are interested in going. That means that over 27,000 of our members pay for the privileges of only a few to enjoy IPSC."

Other than access to IPSC and the Classification system...many clubs might well ask the same question about USPSA affiliation.
Unless they are simply fighting a delaying action against a criminal investigation, perhaps the board should heed the cautionary logic of Foley's statement.

[RJ]

Just noticed this update posted on the Court Docket in the Rutkowski lawsuit. I gather USPSA still wants to dismiss; their first motion to dismiss prior to mediation was denied.



Link to case:

https://www.starkcjis.org/#/case/detail/CPC/2023CV01625

[GJM]

I just read on the Enos forum that Ben Berry reported on his Instagram account that USPSA has abandoned the hit factor trademark request.

[Clusterfrack]

I just read on the Enos forum that Ben Berry reported on his Instagram account that USPSA has abandoned the hit factor([emoji769]) trademark request.

FIFY

[DMF13]

https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=9...e=statusSearch

https://tsdr.uspto.gov/documentviewe...Index=0&page=1

I wonder how much USPSA paid Michael Atkins for this tomfoolery?