Gregg

I have asked many times NOT TO REPLY to me on the forum, SEND AN EMAIL. Deaf? nah Dumb? Yes

Jim, the sarcasm is greatly appreciated. Shows great support. I really do appreciate it.

Skip, this one is for you, finally! I have finally got a handle on the digital downloads for the magazine (I hope). If you go to Digital Download Issue #200 I have put up a copy of Issue #200. Let me know if there are any problems, I think I have it worked out. I will start uploading not only the current issues, but the recent ones as well. Let me know about the download speed, size of the file, loading, viewing, etc. I don't have the links embedded in the PDF's yet, I will try and work on that for the next things to do. Thanks for your support, patience, and of course, putting up with all the changes going on.

It is printed and mailed if anyone wants to donate $10K an issue to get it caught up, let me know.....

thanks, Guys! Like I have said (many times), if you want to, contact me by EMAIL!!!! I don't get to the forum often, only when alerts pop up. For the renewals, when Denver gave me the first mailing list, they did so without renewal numbers/account numbers. By the time my last brain cell figured this out, after a mailing, it was too late to go back and redo the whole 2,000+ list. So, I have been updating my list (they used proprietary software, I use Excel), one by one. If you know your account number, put it down. If not, no worries Help, yes I need help I need over $10K an issue to print and mail the mag, just to get it out the door. That's just to get it out, not paying anyone. A software system for the subscribers is either 1K, or the good one is $6K, plus a 1K a year fee. Will Excel work, it does, for now, but it's limited. Can it be shared, yes, but it's risky. Will the mag continue? Yes. Why stop after 17+ years? I don't need my retirement account anymore Darryl loves throwing money up in the air. I love eating saimin, it's cheap, and tastes great!!!! Yes, I'm being facetious, it's part of my charm.... If you have complaints, questions, etc. EMAIL ME. gregg@modelcarsmag.com or modelcarsmag@yahoo.com

Renewals are being sent out again, for the future issue expirations. We have also made the decision to go ahead and restart/accept the foreign subscriptions/renewals All current foreign subscribers were being sent their copies, of course, it's just with the change, and the insane prices/costs of the foreign mailings, we put renewals on hold until we had a better idea of what we were dealing with. There is still some issues with this, but we believe it will work out, so we are starting the renewals up for the foreign subs. But, with the cost of foreign mailings, for the renewal letters, we are asking that all of our readers who have subscriptions, that have, or will expire, to please use the online renewal link: Renewals For Model Cars Magazine. Let me know if the link/PayPal checkout doesn't work for the foreign subs. I know I had a problem with non-US addresses before, so this may be a trial-and-error bit for a while. The subscribe link still works, I just set up another duplicate page with it's own url/name, to make it a bit easier. I will be updating the rest of the site soon also. Yes, I'm late, I know, not getting any better, but I am not going to give up. Mahalo

Time to end this. Everyone will have their own opinion.

Then, please, explain to me why our distributor for newsstands recorded the highest sell through for magazines in a long long time over the past holiday season? Don't believe everything you read. Digital is a tool. Not a replacement.

Heh, no big words.... Not allowed....

Thanks, Guys! If I "had" to go digital, I would shut it down, or sell it. I don't believe in digital only mags. That's not a magazine. That's a web site. Big difference. A magazine without a print presence is nothing in my book. Yes, harsh words, but I'm very opinionated on this, very passionate about the print industry. It's not going away, and either am I. As for the donation setup, that was tried before, and it just creates more problems, issues, etc., than the hundred or two dollars that it brings in. We are talking big money here, well, at least to me. A few dollars here and there doesn't really do much difference to the main picture of it all. We're talking thousands, not hundreds, and I know, every little bit helps, but I would rather drain my wallet, and piggy banks, again and again, then give anyone false hopes. Right now, funding is in place for this next issue, #201, but then, again, the next two issues are ready, and then that's another $25K give or take. It takes time, but it will happen. Plus, I get accused of "ripping" people off, with the other mag, and I don't want that to be an issue (pardon the pun) here. It will work out. Need to get off my back, haha, and get up and do more of what can be done. Someone said to delegate, but problem is, with the way everything is set up, I can't afford the $6,000+ software that would be needed to handle delegation of the system/database/subscriber/dealer lists. It's all done in simple Excel, and it just wouldn't work. Something will slip through the cracks. Just look at the changeover from GBP to MCM,LLC. When they sent the subscriber list, they didn't include the account numbers for the subscribers. I didn't realize it until after I had set it up for the way I could do it (they had proprietary software, which I could not get) and did it all in Excel. After all the conversion, I noticed the account numbers from an old list, but it was too late by then. Yes, a programer could probably do a pivot table, or dupe find, and combine it all, but then, again, that's another grand or two. So, these are the cards I'm dealt with. I appreciate the offers of help, but there has to be a system set up and in place that would allow the sharing of the data, in real time, so that nothing gets missed. I'm not a control freak, I just don't want to lose anything, and have to start over, again. wow, that's a lot of mumbo jumbo.... Maybe that guy in New Jersey who won the lottery likes to build model cars and has a soft spot for the underdog? :-) a hui ho!

I know, it's May, 2016, and no new Model Cars Magazine issue, yet! In a nutshell, it's about money. When Golden Bell Press printed the mag, everything was done in house, and thus, at cost. The costs to print the mag are huge, and getting huger (I know, there he goes again, those spelling misteaks). I sent out the renewals recently, yes, I should have done them a lot earlier. It's called cash flow. I also sent out dealer/shop invoices, and those are starting to come in. What comes in barely covers what it costs for the production of the magazine, and that's just production. I have not received any salary, payment, or even reimbursement for the emptied out retirement account that I have poured into this. Either has anyone else, and that's bad, I know. I sent out an email to all writers, asking for their support, patience, and delay in sending in default judgements for payment of articles, and that has helped, a bit. So, what's the problem? Well, it costs about more than $10K to produce, print, mail, ship, bill, and everything else, just to get the magazine out of Denver. WHAT? That's nutz! I know it is. When I took this over, I was told it would be $X amount, and guess what, that $X amount is if you print it yourself. So, the option is simple. Shut it down, or, rob a bank, and go for broke. Or something like that.... I am putting in $XXX amount each month of my own monies, and I'm running out of piggy banks. Issue #201 (let's stay away from the month of each mag/issue for now) is on the way to the printer. The check's in the mail, as they say, and hopefully it will be enough. It seems every time I send a check in, another bill/invoice shows up, with another charge or cost. No, I'm not going to quit. Not going to shut down. Yes, I'm really bad at business, they don't make a kit for it, and of course, there's no instructions... So, with my cents of humor intact, or lack thereof, I am moving forward as bestest as I can. Will we get caught up? Yes, of course! Am I better? Well, yes, kinda, sort of, maybe... I still am in bed a lot, but at least I can walk, move, and yes, I have travelled already. Is it fixed? Yes and no. The debilitating (i think I messed that word up) part is gone, where any movement would send me to my knees, the floor, or worse, look for a towel (if you know what I mean) and Kelly and I have started walking again. But, it's best to describe, if you remember the old days, the pre-2009 days, I would still have to lay down at shows, or just fall apart, but I do feel stronger. And with time, I know it will get better. It's only been six months since the surgery, and the doctors can't believe the difference, but heh, they see me for 15 minutes, not all day. So, that's my story, and I'm sticking with it. I'm doing all the bookkeeping, accounting, banking, taxes, etc myself, learning as I go. Yes, I'm terrible on the phone, 93.25% of the time I don't answer. Not because I don't want to, I'm either laying down, out cold, or not by the computer. Most calls would be about subs, and if I don't have puter in front of me, I can't answer the question. And, still yet, when I hang up, two minutes later, I won't remember the call. Emails are best, you can text also, to that main 808 number, I do respond to texts, since I can see them and refer back to them. I'm trying to get someone set up to do the customer service, but with no money to pay, that's really hard to do, right now. Also trying to get other help, and it's moving along slowly. As for the back issue catastrophe, all I can say is catastrophe aborted! The 2,000 pound pallet finally showed up this past week. Everything was intact, but I think there may be some boxes missing, since the pallet isn't the same one I remember packing up in Denver with John O. It will take a while to go through everything, when I can. So, that's it for now. #201 is on the cloud to the printer, we have the next three issues ready to go, just need to get more funding in place. #201 should be printed and mailed within the next week, and I'll get all the biz side of that issue going to get the monies back in, hopefully. Thanks for your patience, support, words of encouragement, and being part of this ohana we started over 17 years ago, if not longer. Mahalo nui loa

Bob, thanks! Didn't know that about Dillions/Kroger grocery stores. That's real interesting. I appreciate the leg work.

Dave, that's what I'm using now, but it's basic. I need to be able to show who got what, when, etc., changes, updates, etc. When started, and everything else. Much more is needed, and maybe Excel could do this, but I'm a dumb haole and puters ain't me strong point.... Yes, I can add them by hand, but I need the reports for the mailing, the yearly USPS one, and other reports, etc. I really like FileMaker Pro, and I have a company that's trying to help with this.

Thanks, Neil! I wouldn't knock Golden Bell though, without them, Plastic Fanatic would have been long gone, and then, of course, no MCM. It's a learning curve, that's for sure. GBP did all this with a full staff, seven or so upstairs in the office, and of course, Brian and press/bindery guys. So, for now, it's just grumpy me, I'm not a phone person, and emails are the best. If I don't respond to an email, more likely than not the reply was blocked, or not received. I can safely say that I respond to 99.9256% of all emails Even that prince guy from Nigeria gets a reply.... I'll look at your account and see what's up. I am still doing this all by hand, don't have the luxury of GBP's proprietary subscription management system/software, and to get a "Real" software system runs about $6,000 a year. Yes, that's not a typo!!!! The cheap ones/system was a waste of money, not happy about that. They called themselves geniuses, geniuses at taking money!

PAYPAL Disputes One thing, and I hope everyone reads this, if you pay by PayPal, and then since I'm habitually late, and you file a PayPal dispute claim for not receiving your sub within the three days you expect it, you lock up the PayPal account. So, I have no choice but to refund the money instantly, and then of course I delete the account, and place it in my not so nicely named list/place. Yes, I'm an arrogant snob, sometimes, but only when I'm trying to get this thing going. This is now a business, and when you mess with the business, you really start to make me look at things differently. I am human, well, Clark Kent-human, but I do take things personally, and I know I shouldn't. This is supposed to be a close knit family/ohana of model builders, and when claims are filed, it's a slap in the face. tanks

I have sent out renewal letters for readers whose subscriptions expire with issues #198 all the way up to Issue #202. Golden Bell use to send out those little folded envelopes, but of course, they all had the GBP address on them, and I really didn't like the way they were done. I have had more than a couple of subs sent in for the foreign amount, for US addresses, and I could see why. The foreign price is bold/highlighted. I have removed the reference for foreign subs, for now. I'm trying to get a handle on the costs for the foreign subs, so while we of course are honoring all foreign subs, I have to see where we stand for renewals and new ones overseas. It's on the list TO DO. It's a big list. I tried to set up a PayPal button for renewals, but for some reason, it's only displaying it as a standard subscription. If you are going to renew by PayPal, on the site Subscribe online, there is only one option right now, and I'll try and fix that tonight or morrow. Just send me a note that it's a renewal And, yes, some, if not all, account numbers were not included in the changeover. Why? Well, when this all first happened, the export list I got did not include the account numbers, and since I never did the renewals, or got a renewal, I didn't see, know, or realize that there should be account numbers. By the time the brain cell I have left realized this, it was too late. I had done so much changes to the list that it was literally too late. With over 2,300 names/accounts, to add the numbers by hand would be too much I know there's something like a pivot table, or other relational database thingee I could set up that would pull the account number/name, but that's above my pay grade, which of course for the past six months has been not only zero, but negative balance.... So, it's all coming together, slowly. Yes, we need to get the cash flow going, to keep this baby alive and growing. The same goes for Slot Cars, which has been hit even harder, since it's not even at a break-even point yet. k, I pau… Thanks for your support, I really do mean this. We will get it back on track, and it will be better than ever. We need your support, like they say, put your money where your mouth is! OUCH... :-) a hui ho!

I hate to get all mushy, but when I see these pics of the mag in newsstands, I do get all mushy... Thanks, Guys!

Thanks, Chris. I think Magzter has the option for the links, but I have to set that up beforehand, still on that ever growing To Do List....

If you guys see something, use the Report Post link in the thread. It works! I have it set up where I get almost instant notifications, I think the other guards do also. On that one person, haven't had time to dwell into this. Just a heads up, I keep a printed copy of all problems, and it's filled up over three file folders already, they may need their own filing cabinet, not including the screenshots of everything that went on, which is why I haven't been able to address the aforementioned incident/person. I know, da legal beagle wording.... I speek gooder...

Chris, was the quality of the digital version on Magzter good/adequate? I want it to be super high-resolution, but there is/are limits with Magzter. Did it take long to download? Overall experience? Thanks!

Shoot I forgot about that. I'll try finish

Chris, you are going to be my self-appointed watch dog :-) Yell at me if the new issue isn't put up on Magzter within the week you see the news that it's printed. I will be grateful for the gentle push. I wish they had a gooder system for reminders, but right now, I still stay learning.... tanks, eh brah!!!!! :-) Yes, I'm BACK!!!!!

To add to David's comment on the account deletion, with the old version, I could run a script which not only deleted the account, content, etc., but banned the IP's, within a range, and that seemed to work fine. With this new one, it will only pull the direct IP, and not the range, and I have to add the range (that * thingee) (I know, all that technical talk, that's why I leave that to David). It will delete all content, and then we have to add by hand the range. That's a good thing for the updates to send to them. Add the range of the IP so they can reboot router and get new IP end number.

It's one pallet. John Oszajca and I put it all together. Well, John and the guys at GBP. I just watched..... I think it's going to be a kegger, women to google over, and a rental truck. All da friends get small kine trucks!!!! Have to get those big steel shelves from Sam's or COSTMORE Maybe rent a Sole or two?

Yeah, we got a huge 10'x15' storage for all the issues, and of course, MODELS!!!!!!