CSSA journal Nov-Dec 2010

[Clarke Brunt]

Hi all

Have there been any sightings of the CSSA journal Nov-Dec 2010 (i.e. the "American" cactus journal)?

Cambridge (BCSS) branch subscribes to it, and it's me who deals with the subscription. I don't recall seeing the final 2010 issue, which would probably have contained reminders to subscribe for 2011, so we haven't done that either. Just wondering if anyone has got one, or whether it's delayed? The CSSA website doesn't yet contain an image of the cover, like it does for the previous ones.

[Ali Baba]

I havent had mine yet, but when I renewed my subscription I got an email back letting me know that the Dec 2010 edition was delayed

[Vic]

No haven't had mine either. Not bothering to subscribe again this year as I think it's pretty expensive for what you get compared to the cost of BCSS membership.

[Roy Mottram]

Number 5 appeared here on 15 Nov. and there is no sign of number 6 so far.
I received word that they had found a new editor about a couple of weeks ago, so maybe there will be some improvement in standards, which slipped badly in 2010.

[CoronaCactus]

Correct, a new editor has been appointed. To say the least, the previous editor had issues. I just got mine yesterday, it's packaged with Jan/Feb 2011.

I know the new editor personally (Tim Harvey) and I know he'll do a bang up job.

[DaveW]

Not had mine yet, or the subscription renewal form. I gather there are often clashes of personalities in the CSSA hierarchy because a one time Newsletter Editor of theirs told me so. Also I gather they get reasonably well paid, unlike our officials who do it for free so this obviously adds to subscription rates, but details of how much they each receive doesn't appear in the Journal to inform the membership that I can find? No doubt due to how the organisation is legally set up in the USA regarding publication of accounts?

I always thought it was a retrograde step when overseas subscribers to the CSSA were made to pay to belong to the society instead of just the Journal as previously since they are unable to enjoy society benefits. I think all overseas memberships of societies that just entail receiving a journal should only pay for the journal and costs of sending it to them. That would no doubt encourage more overseas membership and help reduce cost of journal production, hence subscriptions for all.

The Law of Diminishing Returns is obviously applying in our hobby, since the higher the subscription rises the more members leave and societies then have a smaller income than before the subscription rise. Hard to achieve I know, but it is as well to bear in mind that just charging more does not always result in greater income should it be offset by a reduced membership. Of course one thing beyond societies control is currency fluctuations, which make overseas subscriptions cheaper for those with rising currencies, but dearer if your currency falls.

DaveW

[Clarke Brunt]

Thanks everyone - will look out for Nov-Dec arriving.

...Also I gather they get reasonably well paid, unlike our officials who do it for free so this obviously adds to subscription rates, but details of how much they each receive doesn't appear in the Journal to inform the membership that I can find?...

I saw the recent job advert for CSSA journal editor at http://desertsong.com/CSSA_Editor.html - including "The current contract is for $25,000 per year"

I always thought it was a retrograde step when overseas subscribers to the CSSA were made to pay to belong to the society instead of just the Journal as previously since they are unable to enjoy society benefits. I think all overseas memberships of societies that just entail receiving a journal should only pay for the journal and costs of sending it to them.

...and it increased quite a bit recently - was that mainly through making us take the 'expensive' mailing option, rather than the alternative cheaper 'surface mail'. Last time I added it up, the 'postage' element seemed quite a lot, e.g. compared to what BCSS charge overseas members. Actually just checked out the numbers:

BCSS £15; £20 overseas (or $40)
CSSA $48; $70 overseas

perhaps not as different as I thought (and of course it's 6 issues versus 4). Rough 'ballpark' is that CSSA costs twice as much for one-and-a-half times as many journals. I'm not sure whether there are all that many 'benefits' other than the journal - indeed I've always thought of the journal as the main BCSS benefit. I had the impression that 'cactus societies' in the USA weren't really considered as 'branches' - some are 'affiliates' but I don't know exactly what that means.

Anyway, I reckon Cambridge branch will 'wait and see' and consider subscribing again for 2011 once Nov-Dec 2010 manages to arrive. Perhaps we're actually cheating in taking an individual CSSA subscription, and lending the journal to members - but then I see 'institutional' subscription is $125 - I reckon no way would the branch go for that.

[DaveW]

I am sure quite a few would queue up to be an editor at $25,000 per year, which a Web currency converter makes as £15,523 year, or over £298 per week, for which I presume is a part time job?. That's £2,587 the editor gets for producing each of their 6 journals per year. I wonder how many of their other officials get paid too? Roy Mottram is no doubt packing his bags and off to the USA to seek his fortune right now!

I always think such adverts for jobs drive up remunerations higher than necessary by stating a salary. What all such job adverts should be doing is to invite competitive tenders as to how much the applicant is prepared to do it for, along with their CV in a sealed envelope.

If we did that for jobs paying over say two times the National Average Wage in the UK, due to cut throat competition for such positions we would not have the excessive wages those in our boardrooms now get.

DaveW

[CoronaCactus]

I had the impression that 'cactus societies' in the USA weren't really considered as 'branches' - some are 'affiliates' but I don't know exactly what that means.

I'm not a CSSA spokesman, just my thoughts.

But you are basically correct, each cactus club in the US is independent from the CSSA. Consider the term affiliate, as a companion or aquaintance, not really a parent. CSSA has no say in what each club does or how it is run, it's up to each individual club to get along. The CSSA is merely the unseen parent, so to speak. There are some benefits, but i'd say the Journal is the largest. It does also allow you a few free days at botanical gardens (the Huntington) each year, they put on a large show and sale each year at the Huntington and of course, the large convention every 2 years. Membership alos gets you a discount on seed packets. I can't really think of much else.

[David_K]

I just got mine yesterday, it's packaged with Jan/Feb 2011.

The double packaging could be a potential problem for anyone who has not renewed fro 2011 as they would not be getting the Jan/Feb edition. Renewal is easy via the CSSA website, I did mine in December after an exchange of emails with a CSSA oficial who said they had problems with Nov/Dec but Jan/Feb was on schedule.