[AJD] Fwd: Re: The controversy

[J.R. Hobbs]

We would have preferred to have kept it at 112 pages, but based on what we were seeing, and the number of complaints we got that the magazine was too high-priced ??? !!! as it was, we saw no other choice. We are hoping that we can hold the line here for several years, but as energy costs continue to rise, (which raises printing costs, in terms of fuel surcharges on nearly everything a printer uses) and postage costs continue to rise, we can make no promises. It was either downsize the magazine or go to a much lower-quality publication as some others have done, which we simply will not do. If prices rise to the point where we cannot maintain our standard of quality, well, we won't have many choices left. Given the declining numbers of people involved in the hobby, the day may come when even more drastic measures may have to be taken, sorry to say. If somehow every three current subscribers could get just ONE additional person interested in the hobby enough to take the
 magazine, we could go back to 112 pages, or perhaps 120 pages. But right now, the numbers simply are not there, as the old timers lose interest, pass away, or whatever is causing the slump in subscribers. It's not only us----we're hearing the same thing from every type of enthusiast magazine, and they, of course, have the same cost problems we do. People have suggested a digital (Internet) version of the magazine, but that is really not feasible.

kreig <astroguy at nas.com> wrote:  JR,

I am always happy with Two-Cylinder and always impressed with the 
professionalism of the research behind the scenes. 2 cylinders, NG, wagons, 
implements, people, all are interesting and i read it all.

I was disappointed you downsized the mag. I cant imagine anyone complaining 
about $3-4 extra to keep what you had before. Still an excellent 
publication.

Keep up the good work and please concentrate your efforts at what you do 
best.

Kreig


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "J.R. Hobbs" 
To: "Antique John Deere mailing list" 

Sent: Friday, February 08, 2008 1:48 PM
Subject: [AJD] Fwd: Re: The controversy


>
>
> "J.R. Hobbs" wrote: Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 
> 13:40:36 -0800 (PST)
> From: "J.R. Hobbs" 
> Subject: Re: [AJD] The controversy
> To:
> Antique John Deere mailing list 
> 
>
> Chris,
>
> Yes, I agree, the name is part of it, but that's about the only thing we 
> inherited from Leroy Klein all those years ago. There are a few people who 
> just take it too seriously, in my view. Sometimes I think we ought to 
> erect a statue of Louis Wittry (the father of the "modern" two cylinder 
> engine with the 180-degree firing order), make up some prayer rugs, and 
> then we could all kneel and pray twice a day in the direction of Waterloo.
>
> NG isn't going to take over anything, it's just going to become part of 
> things, just like everything else has done. As I've said before, there 
> were people at the first Expo in 1987 who were fighing mad that those 
> blankety-blank "styled" tractors had been allowed, and the steam would 
> come out of their ears if anyone mentioned those funny-looking tractors 
> with two-tone paint jobs.
>
> This, too, shall pass. Oh, there will be a few diehards with tunnel 
> vision who think that the hobby is going to the dogs, but it isn't. High 
> energy and parts prices will do more to hurt the hobby than a bunch of 
> tractors built after 1960 is going to do. I'm far more worried about the 
> effect of high energy prices than I am almost anything else. People are 
> going to drive, and heat/cool their homes first, and if there's any left 
> over for magazine subscriptions, fine, if not, fine. We can tell without 
> looking every time gas goes over 3 bucks.
>
> Appreciate your support, Chris.
>
> JR
>
> Chris C wrote:
> JR,
>
> First off, the name and the club, Two Cylinder,
> would right off the bat rule out anything that is not
> two cylinders in the most pure of the correct policed
> mind sets.
>
> I do remember an uproar when Green Magazine branched
> out, but now I think everyone has acclemated.
>
> I think that once the initial shock to the 2-banger
> purists is over the frequency of flaming arrows will
> decrease... I know I am not going to stop
> subscribing. All I can say is that in the time I have
> been around Two Cylinder tractors (about 20 years now)
> they have gone from easy to find parts and other
> stuff, to getting more scare, higher priced, and
> harder to find parts for.. So of course 'we'
> collectors wouldn't want them to just be pushed off
> stage by the newer more abundant, and seemingly really
> popular NG tractors that are starting to take the
> stage from the older guys..
>
> Fear and the unknown make for lots of emotional
> responses.. Just keep up the good work there at TC
> and all us paranoid types will eventually see that
> we're not getting kicked aside..
>
> Chris
>
>
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