Klingon news letters

[tilk]

I have seen Mind scanner which seemed really good.  But it seems to have stopped. Also there is Catalyst. They seem on the verge also. shold we as a community, contribute more to these find reads?

[qoSagh]

Most if not all are club based. I used to get one called Agonizer which was a thick book of submissions. Way back when, in the pre-internet days when newsletters copied at work were the only way to communicate these were much more important to our community. War Cry, Void Warrior, the Annihilator all good tools of the Empire in thier day.

I thought of starting one up a while back, had a rough draft of the first issue, but forums like these and the various list servers out there make these almost relics of a not quite forgotten past.

 

[K'dlah]

Hard copy newsletters are almost a thing of the past.
Inernet websites are the new thing, with a quicker publishing time and larger media base.

The problems still remain, that of getting the masses to submit material. You always seen to have a small group of hard-core workers who do 90% of everything. In time these people burn out and the page stagnates.

One way to continue is to gather new members with fresh blood and talent.  The WWW  makes it easier to recruite new Warrior to the Empire.

[qoSagh]

As with most organizations, be they fandom or otherwise, we must always remember the 80/20 rule. 80% of the people do 20% of the work and 20% of the people do 80% of the work. I think actually with a newsletter that may work out to be a good thing. A small editorial board keeps content regulated. A news letter would need to be less free-form than say these forums, which excel at open discussion.

[KAllen]

The Mindscanner is still active, but more like a quaterly/half-year thing.  The most recent one is a few months old and has the Leader of my House and my Quadrant CO on the cover(Klingon on a Harley).  It came out before he was featured on VH1's "Totally Obsessed" so that kinda dates it.  

[tilk]

I love mindscanner. Some of those covers are the best. The one with the Klingon and the storm tropper is a classic. The one also with the Klingon slaying the three Romulans. Cool.
I hope it continues.

[qoSagh]

Some of the covers of the various newletters were the best aspects of Klingon fandom. I always marveled that no matter how serious the inside material was, the covers often leaned towards the lighter side of Klingons. Be they pictures or cartoons, they used comedy to tell us not to take ourselves so seriously. Then the articles let us know that serious thoughts indeed were the lifeblood of our fandom. Of course then there were the puzzles and interviews to, they were fun also.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

I Really Dig the Creativity of the Newsletter Concept.

For Our Own Club we had Gone to an Electronic Version a Few Years ago, and it has Been Very Quiet Lately... However, I Have Also Discovered that People Enjoy the Interativity of Forums like this one a lot... And It may be that this type of Interaction is the Current Best Means for Disemination of Information out to the Troops... Also By Going to an Electronic Format we were able to Temporarily at least, Suspend Membership Dues, Since a lot of those went to Production and Mailing of Physical Materials like Our Newsletter...

That having Been Said, I Still have a Few Copies of the Old Pillage Voice Packed up in a Box Somewhere or another, and they are Fun to pull out now and then and Read... There is Nothing Quite so Kewl as being able to Check the Mail Box and Find the "Next" Issue, Be able to Read it at will etc... So I Do not Mean to Suggest that Electronic is "Better", Cause in many ways it is not. But in terms of Reaching a Larger Audience Faster and Cheaper... Well... Here I am Typing away on Your Mesage Boards...<Chuckle>...

[maq'mang]

Most if not all are club based. I used to get one called Agonizer which was a thick book of submissions. Way back wWar Cry, Void Warrior, the Annihilator all good tools of the Empire in their day.

Rogue did excellent work on the Agonizer; unfortunately I was a young, hardheaded Klingon in its final days, thinking I knew the better way was electronic publishing and did not give her the support I was able to when it would have mattered. Now that publication can only be found in someone’s personal collection and here I am telling you all what she was telling me then.

Hard copy newsletters are almost a thing of the past. Inernet websites are the new thing, with a quicker publishing time and larger media base.

For Our Own Club we had Gone to an Electronic Version a Few Years ago….

Unfortunatly that is a reoccurring theme. For most clubs consider the cost effectiveness and ease involved in publishing via the internet. I used to edit our clubs, Casualty Report and used electronic versions to archive them on the club’s website.

I heard recruitment come up but not the role a printed newsletter has in recruitment. A well written newsletter lets people what is going on and a printed copy on your club’s table is an excellent tool to interest people in joining your organization.

With the downturn in Klingdom we should bring a Klingon approach to handle the problem. When things get tough, the human approach is to withdraw, to turn in, to protect what is still left. What a Klingon does is expand, to risk it all in reaching out for more. To use what resources are available to build something larger and stronger.

A small editorial board keeps content regulated.

Something that would provide a basic outline that all clubs could add a small amount of local content to provide a complete newsletter.

An if that editorial board were comprised of members from a cross section of Klingdom the possibility of submissions would be considerably larger. Dare to dream. Unfortunately with the “I’ve got to get all of the credit” attitude that seams to be prevalent in Klingdom I do not think it likely. But then again I have seen stranger things since joining fandom.
 

[Abbot Nej vIt]

This Is probably Worthy of a Poll Really...

But I Think Either way it Comes down to Participation... A Printed Mag is Great to Get in the Mail Every Now and then, and maq'mang I Agree that it is a Nice tool for Recruiting... But You Have to Either have a Very Active Dedicated Staff, or a Really Dedicated Membership to Keep it Going... If My Dues Get Higher Because Of Postage, Materials Etc, Then I want a Really Good Product Consistantly...

BUT..

Electronic News Letters Must be Cared for Too... If People are Not Willing to Contribute, And The Staff is Too Busy or otherwise unable to Update it Regularly, People Stop Looking at the Page...

Interestingly, It has Been the Introduction of a Forum to The Club that has Been Drumming up Interest again... So I Figure What Ever Is Working Go With it...

And I am Nor Convinced that the Electronic Medium and the Printed Need Be Kept Completely Separate... I mean if there is Enough Interest, it is Certainly Easier For Members to Post to a Message Board, than to Mail In a Story... (Or at least I feel that to be True), But That does not Mean that the Articles and Art Submitted to a Web-site Could Not be Reproduced In Print For what Ever Circulation was Desirous of it... If Anything I Should Rather think that The Use of The Internet Could Seriously Improve the Capabilities of a Printed Newsletter...

[maq'mang]

But I Think Either way it Comes down to Participation... A Printed Mag is Great to Get in the Mail Every Now and then, and maq'mang I Agree that it is a Nice tool for Recruiting... But You Have to Either have a Very Active Dedicated Staff, or a Really Dedicated Membership to Keep it Going... If My Dues Get Higher Because Of Postage, Materials Etc, Then I want a Really Good Product Consistently...

Those that want a printed copy, pay for it.

And I am Nor Convinced that the Electronic Medium and the Printed Need Be Kept Completely Separate... I mean if there is Enough Interest, it is Certainly Easier For Members to Post to a Message Board, than to Mail In a Story... (Or at least I feel that to be True), But That does not Mean that the Articles and Art Submitted to a Web-site Could Not be Reproduced In Print For what Ever Circulation was Desirous of it... If Anything I Should Rather think that The Use of The Internet Could Seriously Improve the Capabilities of a Printed Newsletter...

Charge the individual clubs a “subscription fee” that could be used for mailing and postage. There are a few clubs that register as Non-Profits, the Non-Profits sweet postage position could be considered a “contribution” and that would help lower costs. A few dowers from across the spectrum of Klingdom could provide an “editorial staff’ with all of Klingdom or what’s left of it involved the “donor pool” would be larger hence more material available. It would not belong to KAG, or KLAW or KAI; it would belong to Klingdom as a whole. There are Klingon clubs on 3 different continents that I know of and all three speak English and if there really was a need for translation, how difficult would that really be in this day and age?

Now I am going to put this forth bluntly, is this interest or am I responding to woolgathering?

 

[Abbot Nej vIt]

maq'mang,

A Klndom Wide Publication....? Deffinately... I Think that this is a Very Interesting Idea... How would You Suggest the Initial Effort, or at Least Intent, be Initiated?

[maq'mang]

maq'mang,

A Klndom Wide Publication....? Deffinately... I Think that this is a Very Interesting Idea...

How would You Suggest the Initial Effort, or at Least Intent, be Initiated?

I would suggest three excellent tactics.

  wa'Dich (first), Let us continue the free association of ideas.

  cha'Dich (second), I intend to invite all I can that currently are involved with or have ever been involved in a Klingon newsletter, whatever the media into the Klingon Imperial Forums to join this discussion and free association. I would suggest the rest of you do the same.

  wej'Dich (third), see what happens....

majQa' (well done),
Maq'mang

[Abbot Nej vIt]

I Will Post a Thread on My Home Clubs Message Boards to this Effect... Although I Was Never Directly Involved in the Publishing of the Pillage Voice in The Past, We Have Been in The Process of Discussing its Future, So This Could be Strategically a Good Time For this...

[maq'mang]

cha'Dich (second), I intend to invite all I can that currently are involved with or have ever been involved in a Klingon newsletter, whatever the media into the Klingon Imperial Forums to join this discussion and free association. I would suggest the rest of you do the same.

Klingon Subspace Transmissions
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KST/
Membership of 22
(Message bounced as list is an announcement-only group, where only the moderator may post. As the KST is an extension of KIDC maybe we can get management to post a request for KST Members to join us here.)

Lord Kamin of House Of Kamin
Prior experience and interest

Has anyone else contacted anyone about this thread?

wa'Dich (first), Let us continue the free association of ideas.

Looking through my collection of old newsletters I am amazed @ some of the artwork I am coming across.

[Ka'Min]

Hello I am Ka'Min of House Ka'Min and a Member of the IKV Melota in Dallas Ft. Worth. I create the Newsletter for our ship and I must agree that it is hard to even get members of the crew to submit article for the newsletter.

I have temporarily given up creating it until I can get more help from members of the ship. When I have created the newletter I made both a hard copy for recruitment purposes and members without internet as well as posted it as a PDF file in our yahoo group. Everyone agrees that they like it and want it but no one is willing to put in the work. They are willing to critique it no problem! Anyway Thanks for the invite to join this group.  

[maq'mang]

Welcome Ka'Min, I have communicated frequently with Texas Klingons and find them worthy indeed.

I find that your sentiments are a reoccurring theme. My thought process is if everyone who has or currently finds themselves in a similar position work together then what we found an insurmountable obstacle individually would be insignificant working together.

Hello I am Ka'Min of House Ka'Min and a Member of the IKV Melota in Dallas Ft. Worth. I create the Newsletter for our ship and I must agree that it is hard to even get members of the crew to submit article for the newsletter.

I have temporarily given up creating it until I can get more help from members of the ship. When I have created the newsletter I made both a hard copy for recruitment purposes and members without internet as well as posted it as a PDF file in our yahoo group. Everyone agrees that they like it and want it but no one is willing to put in the work. They are willing to critique it no problem! Anyway Thanks for the invite to join this group.

What used to really tick me off was the people who complained but did not take the time to read it. Kind of like complaining about who is in office and not voting.

Ideas & Suggestions
A Newsletter staff that is operational via the internet. No centralized staff needed. (It would be nice to meet up @ conventions)  

How about a different editor for each section. Half a page for each major organization.  

National sponsors/advertisers

Submissions coming in from thru out the Empire.

I see the possibility of a quality quarterly publication.
 

[Ka'Min]

Maq'mang taI Veska

Your Idea of an Internet based Staff for a Klingon Newsletter Publication has alot of potential.  Especially if some of the people in this forum  who like doing this stuff were to participate.   You suggested as follows:

Ideas & Suggestions
A Newsletter staff that is operational via the internet. No centralized staff needed. (It would be nice to meet up @ conventions)

How about a different editor for each section. Half a page for each major organization.

National sponsors/advertisers

Submissions coming in from thru out the Empire.

I see the possibility of a quality quarterly publication.

This publication could include every variation of Klingdom KAG, KDF, and others we could do a scheduled meeting via Yahoo Chat or some other source to coordinate efforts, set deadlines etc.  WHere and how would we publish?   I like this idea.  

[qoSagh]

Count me in, for whatever it is worth. I still have most of what was going to be the first issue of "The Times of War". I would think that paret of the decentralized beauty of such a publication would be that it is not club oriented.

In that light, I would say that information from clubs could and should be included, but to dedicate space each issue to a club column may pose two problems. First, what to do if the club misses a deadline, I was briefly involved with a fanzine where the editor posted a deadline, then extended it due to lack of material. One columnist did not submit so the issue went to print without the column. The Columnist showed up at a convention with copies of his column and demanded that they be inserted into each of the already stapled copies. Second, I can see a cold war being fought in the press, if two clubs with columns are at odds with each other. In a fandom where many clubs are formed becuase of disagreements in other clubs, this is a very real possibility. If the clubs have editorial control over thier columns this can happen, if the staff maintains editorial control over a club based column, I can see clubs being reluctant to contribute.

I would instead think that colums be Klingon fandom wide. A section that lists upcomming events lists all submitted events. A column that lists ships that have been commissioned or promotions awarded lists all submited entries. possibly alphabetical or by date to be as fair as possible.

I think that the byline of any article should list a club affiliation, but perhaps a section in the back might list contact information for either authors or clubs.

I too see nothing but greatness in the opotunity to be a part of this. I think we should also not forget the lighter side of Klingons, perhaps a puzzle or two. maybe A joke or Cartoon page.  

[KAllen]

nuqneH Ka'Min

glad you could join the party!!!

I know Ka'Min and he is one of the coolest warriors I know.  He is also quite the paintballer.  Can't wait until Venom War II to battle again my friend.

As for newsletters, my ship, IKV Bayou Serpent had made a hardcopy newsletter before I had joined called "The Fang".  I had thought about resurecting it, but our former ship commander and Quad. Comm updates the website whenever anything happens, so a hardcopy isn't necessary.  But getting contributions from our group is rather difficult as well.  We do have members spread throughout the state (LA) and unfortunately the ones who are local arn't exactly the most active.

[Ka'Min]

      Sounds as though this is an Idea worth exploring.  I think qoSaghmade some good points on the different clubs and affiliations.  Part of our job would be to edit out andy bad blood type of submissions and make it more of a publication about klingon fandom in all its forms.  


Something else to think about is where do we locate the publication ( URL)  and I thought it might be cool to include a schedule of Pod Cast if anyone knows anything about POdcast and how those are set up.  They could be discussions on different subjects like uniform making, ridge making ect.  

Anyway just throwing out some ideas.  KAllen  Nice to hear from you and my son Klag and I are looking forward to painting you Bayou boys again!

Qa' pla  

[Kesvirit]

...we could do a scheduled meeting via Yahoo Chat or some other source to coordinate efforts, set deadlines etc.

Feel free to make use of the KIDC's chatroom. It is always open to any and all, and you need not sign in to use it or put up with advertisements.

-=- Kesvirit

[qoSagh]

I didn't mean to seem negative, I guess I was just playing advocate for the veqlargh. I do think this is a good idea, and I think it could work as a resource for all clubs, as well as the independant Klingon fans out there.

I think there could also be a cool tie in with these forums, as once an article goes out, I can see new threads being started to discuss and debate the printed stuff.

[maq'mang]

First, what to do if the club misses a deadline, I was briefly involved with a fanzine where the editor posted a deadline, then extended it due to lack of material. One columnist did not submit so the issue went to print without the column. The Columnist showed up at a convention with copies of his column and demanded that they be inserted into each of the already stapled copies.

   
qoSagh, understand that I do not dismiss your words nor the thoughts behind them. When working with people I have to question why anyone wants to be in charge of anything. Also I have noticed in my 7 years in Klingdom is that what most call “politics” can really be attributed to “personalities”.

Now as to the errant columnist, I feel for you, and as asinine as the situation was, I can actually visualize a number of people I have meet in fandom actually doing that. Wouldn’t it be nice to prop up their body next to the table, dak’tag protruding from their chest with a sign “What happens when you miss a deadline”

Second, I can see a cold war being fought in the press, if two clubs with columns are at odds with each other. In a fandom where many clubs are formed because of disagreements in other clubs, this is a very real possibility. If the clubs have editorial control over thier columns this can happen, if the staff maintains editorial control over a club based column, I can see clubs being reluctant to contribute.

Has anyone ever worked for a large corporation that issues their employees a company newsletter? Generally Corporate Headquarters made the newsletter and sent it to the branches incomplete. The Branch management was then responsible to complete the newsletter and distribute it. A relatively simple task for all they needed was an article from the branch Prez and VP, an article of the employee of the month and then a write up on their last company picnic or blood drive, etc. If they do not put forth a minimal effort after we have provided them with a nearly complete newsletter, they have NO ONE to blame but their selves. As the “publishers” we would be able to set a small list of rules (OW, that hurt!!) that the “subscribers” would need to agree to. Make it a simple honor issue and most would stray away from causing trouble and those who do not, are crazy and/or dangerous and we would be prudent and justified to make them exSubscribers.

I would instead think that colums be Klingon fandom wide. A section that lists upcomming events lists all submitted events. A column that lists ships that have been commissioned or promotions awarded lists all submited entries. possibly alphabetical or by date to be as fair as possible.

What about this information to be contained in the individual Fleets’ "state of the union” article?

I think that the byline of any article should list a club affiliation, but perhaps a section in the back might list contact information for either authors or clubs.

With this type of publication I would suggest an involved by line i.e.
Maq’mang taI Veska
(Michael Witty)
IJV Honor’s Blade, Largo, FL
mwitty@tampabay.rr.com

I too see nothing but greatness in the opotunity to be a part of this. I think we should also not forget the lighter side of Klingons, perhaps a puzzle or two. maybe A joke or Cartoon page.

Humor is a must but it is exceedingly hard to find.

This publication could include every variation of Klingdom KAG, KDF, and others we could do a scheduled meeting via Yahoo Chat or some other source to coordinate efforts, set deadlines etc.  Where and how would we publish?   I like this idea.

Feel free to make use of the KIDC's chatroom. It is always open to any and all, and you need not sign in to use it or put up with advertisements. Kesvirit

Well, that was too easy.  :rolleyes:
Make it so  

I know Ka'Min and he is one of the coolest warriors I know.  He is also quite the paintballer.  Can't wait until Venom War II to battle again my friend.

Nice idea for a special interest piece, KAllen. There has been a number of paintball events over the last few years. Is Klingons In The Mist a similar event or simply a klin campout?

As for newsletters, my ship, IKV Bayou Serpent had made a hardcopy newsletter before I had joined called "The Fang".  I had thought about resurecting it, but our former ship commander and Quad. Comm updates the website whenever anything happens, so a hardcopy isn't necessary.  But getting contributions from our group is rather difficult as well.  We do have members spread throughout the state (LA) and unfortunately the ones who are local arn't exactly the most active.

That is why this unity newsletter concept is so appealing for if your people submitted enough articles for one newsletter every two years, there would be enough coming in from all over Klingdom. Don’t forget there are bumpy foreheads in the US, Canada, Britian, Italy, Austrailia , Germany…….

Sounds as though this is an Idea worth exploring.  I think qoSaghmade some good points on the different clubs and affiliations.  Part of our job would be to edit out and bad blood type of submissions and make it more of a publication about klingon fandom in all its forms.

And with a dedicated editorial staff, such would not be beyond our keen.

Something else to think about is where do we locate the publication ( URL)  and I thought it might be cool to include a schedule of Pod Cast if anyone knows anything about POdcast and how those are set up.  They could be discussions on different subjects like uniform making, ridge making ect.

I assume from “Pod Cast” that this in reference to a broadcast related to IPod. I’m just a Marine, clarify please

I would like to know what Parent Organizations are represented here?