The club's official site hasn't posted the news yet so we'll break it here:
Hoofers are thrilled to announce that the club has hired a new head of sailing instruction: Dave Elsmo, former coach of the Univ. of Minnesota sailing team.
HSC went with someone who has dinghy coaching experience rather than someone with more general teaching skill. This is understandable given the unimpressive achievements of the Hoofer racing team in recent years. Although they were thrilled to break into the top 20 last fall, the fact is that HSC is bigger than any of the other collegiate clubs (not including Navy or Coast Guard), yet only managed to creep in at #20.
Nor have Hoofers cleaned up in their division in recent years--despite, again, being the biggest sailing club competing. Hence the desire for a dedicated sailing team coach in lieu of someone with more general teaching experience. We invite Dave out for a ride on one of the large keelboats when he can take time away from the 420s and FJ's!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Governor Walker Rules
A bit off-topic, but this is important news. On Friday, our new Republican governor Scott Walker introduced a bill that would severely curtail collective bargaining (i.e. unions) for state employees. UW-Madison staff including Chancellor Martin are up in arms. Why..? Because they've become accustomed to being grossly overpaid and having great benefits, retirement plans, etc. And they'll say anything and everything to try to keep the money.
For example, UW folks claim that the teaching assistant's union, started in 1997, has improved UW-Madison. Nope. On the contrary, UW-Madison has fallen steadily in the U.S. News college rankings since the early 1980s:
Year 83 88 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 08
Rank 13 23 32 41 38 36 34 35 32 31 32 32 34 38
Amazing that 25+ years ago, UW was almost ranked in the top 10 nationally. Oddly, there was an anomalous dip in UW's ranking right about the time the TA's took power, but TA unions have nothing to do with anything except looking out for TAs.
Collective bargaining in general is a non-sequitor for public employees. Historically, unions benefited workers in industry by helping keep corporate power in check, but they have nothing to do with state employment. If you don't like your government job, then quit and get a job in the more competetive corporate world. That's where you need a union.
Wisconsin's massive $2.5 billion budget deficit is nothing less than robbery on an incredible scale. It's 200,000 overpaid state employees stealing from the other 4 million Wisconsin residents--by giving themselves raises, extra benefits, shorter hours, etc. But we already knew that many state employees are crooks. Wis. Union employees are especially adept at getting paid for doing nothing.
For example, UW folks claim that the teaching assistant's union, started in 1997, has improved UW-Madison. Nope. On the contrary, UW-Madison has fallen steadily in the U.S. News college rankings since the early 1980s:
Year 83 88 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 08
Rank 13 23 32 41 38 36 34 35 32 31 32 32 34 38
Amazing that 25+ years ago, UW was almost ranked in the top 10 nationally. Oddly, there was an anomalous dip in UW's ranking right about the time the TA's took power, but TA unions have nothing to do with anything except looking out for TAs.
Collective bargaining in general is a non-sequitor for public employees. Historically, unions benefited workers in industry by helping keep corporate power in check, but they have nothing to do with state employment. If you don't like your government job, then quit and get a job in the more competetive corporate world. That's where you need a union.
Wisconsin's massive $2.5 billion budget deficit is nothing less than robbery on an incredible scale. It's 200,000 overpaid state employees stealing from the other 4 million Wisconsin residents--by giving themselves raises, extra benefits, shorter hours, etc. But we already knew that many state employees are crooks. Wis. Union employees are especially adept at getting paid for doing nothing.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Head of Incompetence
The application deadline for the vacant Head of Instruction job was yesterday (unless they decide to extend it again), so this seems like a good time to review past HOI's.
Let's start back in the pre-JimR days, the late 1980s when Kurt Kummer (what a name, eh?) was the guy. As with most Hoofer leaders and employees, Kurt was a party boy, fond of giving keelboat ratings to his buddies. And when Keelboat instructors wouldn't give Kurt the ratings he wanted, he would demand them.
Then along came Jim Rogers who, like a giant octopus, grabbed the job and held onto it for 15 years. Nothing was off the table for Jim. He would slander, harass, and do whatever else was necessary to solidify his position as HOI. And when the BOC wasn't handling something, he would take it over, like a giant amoeba. Every time he could do that, it would make the HOI job more important, his position ever more secure.
When Jim finally slithered on to the Hoofer Advisor job in 2005, Anne Porter found herself as temporary HOI. Anne never seemed comfortable with the job but did manage to use it to further her own interests. For example, Anne would downgrade exams of people she didn't like while tossing those of people who actually flunked--if the latter happened to be her friends.
Then Brian Borkovec took over and found he could not only negotiate his salary but actually vote to approve it (a felony in Wisconsin). Alas, crimes are pooh-poohed around the Wisconsin Union--as long as they're committed by a Wis. Union employee. Borkovec was also known to stalk people he didn't like and then write "reports" on them. Hey Borko: the public can monitor your criminal activities but you as a state employee are not allowed to harass the public.
The last HOI was Tom Barry who was quickly swept into the Hoofer Hole. Humor? Check. Overwhelmed? Check. Farm off the work to your subordinates? Check. When that didn't go so well, Tom managed to quit this past summer before getting fired.
Wow, what a group. Did we miss anyone?
So here we are in 2011, with a new commodore looking for a new HOI who will not only take care of instruction but also coach the sailing team (of which she just happens to be a member). Good golly. What manner o' beastie can do all that?!
We'll find out.
Let's start back in the pre-JimR days, the late 1980s when Kurt Kummer (what a name, eh?) was the guy. As with most Hoofer leaders and employees, Kurt was a party boy, fond of giving keelboat ratings to his buddies. And when Keelboat instructors wouldn't give Kurt the ratings he wanted, he would demand them.
Then along came Jim Rogers who, like a giant octopus, grabbed the job and held onto it for 15 years. Nothing was off the table for Jim. He would slander, harass, and do whatever else was necessary to solidify his position as HOI. And when the BOC wasn't handling something, he would take it over, like a giant amoeba. Every time he could do that, it would make the HOI job more important, his position ever more secure.
When Jim finally slithered on to the Hoofer Advisor job in 2005, Anne Porter found herself as temporary HOI. Anne never seemed comfortable with the job but did manage to use it to further her own interests. For example, Anne would downgrade exams of people she didn't like while tossing those of people who actually flunked--if the latter happened to be her friends.
Then Brian Borkovec took over and found he could not only negotiate his salary but actually vote to approve it (a felony in Wisconsin). Alas, crimes are pooh-poohed around the Wisconsin Union--as long as they're committed by a Wis. Union employee. Borkovec was also known to stalk people he didn't like and then write "reports" on them. Hey Borko: the public can monitor your criminal activities but you as a state employee are not allowed to harass the public.
The last HOI was Tom Barry who was quickly swept into the Hoofer Hole. Humor? Check. Overwhelmed? Check. Farm off the work to your subordinates? Check. When that didn't go so well, Tom managed to quit this past summer before getting fired.
Wow, what a group. Did we miss anyone?
So here we are in 2011, with a new commodore looking for a new HOI who will not only take care of instruction but also coach the sailing team (of which she just happens to be a member). Good golly. What manner o' beastie can do all that?!
We'll find out.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Hoofer pyramid scheme
Interesting stats from a recent Education Committee email:
Around 65% of the club are new members every year.
40% of new members in 2010 never earned a rating.
Very similar statistics on ratings were reported two years ago on this very blog. Alas, there is an even more disturbing possibility than the two suggested in that earlier post (slow learners or poor teachers): a deliberate pyramid scheme.
And that's what Hoofer Sailing Club appears to be, at least to a significant degree: one big pyramid scheme. The purpose simply is not to teach sailing, but to make money and control resources. The way they do it is by saying, "Give us your money and we'll teach you how to sail." But the large percentage of club members who never learn to sail belie that. Club leaders need a large base of paying "members" to provide capital and operating funds (since the 100 or so club leaders don't have to pay anything), so each year they mount an advertising campaign to recruit new suckers, er, members who will pay around $200 each. Of course there are some good club leaders too, but they're either the minority or are simply dominated by the sleazeballs and crooks. If the latter had their way all the time, HSC would be a model pyramid scheme.
For details, check out these related posts on HSC criminal activities, club structure, money grubbing, and arrogance.
Around 65% of the club are new members every year.
40% of new members in 2010 never earned a rating.
Very similar statistics on ratings were reported two years ago on this very blog. Alas, there is an even more disturbing possibility than the two suggested in that earlier post (slow learners or poor teachers): a deliberate pyramid scheme.
And that's what Hoofer Sailing Club appears to be, at least to a significant degree: one big pyramid scheme. The purpose simply is not to teach sailing, but to make money and control resources. The way they do it is by saying, "Give us your money and we'll teach you how to sail." But the large percentage of club members who never learn to sail belie that. Club leaders need a large base of paying "members" to provide capital and operating funds (since the 100 or so club leaders don't have to pay anything), so each year they mount an advertising campaign to recruit new suckers, er, members who will pay around $200 each. Of course there are some good club leaders too, but they're either the minority or are simply dominated by the sleazeballs and crooks. If the latter had their way all the time, HSC would be a model pyramid scheme.
For details, check out these related posts on HSC criminal activities, club structure, money grubbing, and arrogance.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Alcoholics Served Anonymously
Well, HSC has finally managed to fill one of their winter ASA courses in the Caribbean! This despite a cost of $1600/person-- not including airfare. The total: 4 students x 1600 = $6400 paid to the club.
The one week course will be "taught" by Don Hanna, a nice guy to be sure. But where does all that money go? If the boat rental costs four grand (a liberal estimate), and each person eats $20 in food per day (5 people x 7 days x $20/day = $700 in food), which is another liberal estimate given they'll be cooking on board, that still leaves at least $1700. For what?
Don is getting paid for his vacation, er, teaching, presumably at the HSC A-S-A rate of $10/hr (x 7 days x 8 hrs/day = $560). But that still leaves at least $1100 for... what? Is HSC trying to profit now from their winter "classes"? Is some of that money for Caribbean female companionship? (it's all guys on this cruise!) Or is the whole $1100 for alcohol..?! That seems a little excessive, but let's do the math.
As a longtime Hoofer, I know I can drink around $30 in booze per day, especially on a cruise, er, lesson, in the Caribbean. So, 7 days x 5 people x $30/day = $1050.
Looks like that remaining $1100 is indeed for refreshments.
The one week course will be "taught" by Don Hanna, a nice guy to be sure. But where does all that money go? If the boat rental costs four grand (a liberal estimate), and each person eats $20 in food per day (5 people x 7 days x $20/day = $700 in food), which is another liberal estimate given they'll be cooking on board, that still leaves at least $1700. For what?
Don is getting paid for his vacation, er, teaching, presumably at the HSC A-S-A rate of $10/hr (x 7 days x 8 hrs/day = $560). But that still leaves at least $1100 for... what? Is HSC trying to profit now from their winter "classes"? Is some of that money for Caribbean female companionship? (it's all guys on this cruise!) Or is the whole $1100 for alcohol..?! That seems a little excessive, but let's do the math.
As a longtime Hoofer, I know I can drink around $30 in booze per day, especially on a cruise, er, lesson, in the Caribbean. So, 7 days x 5 people x $30/day = $1050.
Looks like that remaining $1100 is indeed for refreshments.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Spreading the disease
As many people know, ex-Vice-Commodore Bridget Maniaci is now a Madison alderperson. And wouldn't ya know, Maniaci likes her new job--even though it's not intended as an actual job. So she was miffed when someone covertly notified the press that she was trying to get health insurance and pensions for Madison alderpeople. Maniaci's apparent motive was to facilitate making alderperson a full time career.
Isn't Maniaci aware that the whole point of a city council composed of aldermen ("elder men", or wise elders) is to involve successful, experienced--and hence older--citizens in important decision-making..? Apparently not. It's debatable whether or not Madison's common council actually makes important decisions anyway, considering that one of their recent votes was on whether to make the plastic flamingo Madison's official bird.
But back to Maniaci. Did her year or two on the Hoofer Sailing Club BOC make her a wise old man (or woman)..? Hardly. Instead, it appears Maniaci picked up some bad habits from Hoofers, likely from her ex-boss, the criminal Jim Rogers, who has spent the last three decades sliming his way into every nook and cranny at the Wisconsin Union. He has made a career out of positions that were not intended to be long-term, e.g. 15 years as head sailing instructor.
Similarly, alderperson is not intended to be a career move, but health insurance and a pension would sure help with that.
Isn't Maniaci aware that the whole point of a city council composed of aldermen ("elder men", or wise elders) is to involve successful, experienced--and hence older--citizens in important decision-making..? Apparently not. It's debatable whether or not Madison's common council actually makes important decisions anyway, considering that one of their recent votes was on whether to make the plastic flamingo Madison's official bird.
But back to Maniaci. Did her year or two on the Hoofer Sailing Club BOC make her a wise old man (or woman)..? Hardly. Instead, it appears Maniaci picked up some bad habits from Hoofers, likely from her ex-boss, the criminal Jim Rogers, who has spent the last three decades sliming his way into every nook and cranny at the Wisconsin Union. He has made a career out of positions that were not intended to be long-term, e.g. 15 years as head sailing instructor.
Similarly, alderperson is not intended to be a career move, but health insurance and a pension would sure help with that.
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