By Mike Fitzpatrick Aug., 1996
The birthday party and auction went well; many thanks to all who helped and participated. A reminder before we move on: the next and last auction this year will be the September meeting.
Many thanks to Mike Schmidt for finding and making available to the club those new and unused 3M floppy disks for the Atari Classic. They are available to the club members at $1.00 per box of ten.
The August meeting will be a good one as two of our members will be demonstrating how to access the Internet with an Atari. Please remember (someone/anyone) to bring in a modem capable of handling higner speeds as the clubs modem as stored has ceased to function.
Our vice-president will preside over the session as my wife and I will be at our son's graduation and commissioning ceremony in Oregon.
See you in September and don't forget to renew your membership.
Aug., 1996
The BBS has been working well but I do turn it off during electrical storms. Lost a safety on the phone line when a surge triggered the crowbar protection device. It is back on line with no damage to the BBS.
Do have an apology to make: That being forgetting to restart the BBS after a recent storm.
Not much else new; see you in September.
by Greg Leitner
The July '96 Birthday meeting can only be described as "awesome, baby". The food was great and plentiful and the turnout was even better. It was nice to see some of the "better halves" at the meeting to help us celebrate yet another year. Other years I had the feeling that it could be our last, but now I feel that this Club could survive many more years with the support I see we have been getting lately.
The auction was a complete success. The only change that was suggested is that we start the bidding at least $1.00 higher than the minimum bid. This would ensure that the Club would benefit on any item that was auctioned by at least $1.00.
The July auction actually grossed $254.00 and after deducting for the moneys due to the donators, the Club still netted $123.50. Even though the Club made less than half of the total amount taken in it was still very successful and the members got unbelievable deals to boot. Because of the auction sales and strong Dom and blank disk sales our balance climbed higher for one month than it has for quite a long time. Our bank balance at the end of June was $351.74 and at the end of July it was sitting at $475.52 an increase of $123.78. Our expenses were the BBS phone billing and monthly newsletter. Also we purchased some blank disks for $50.00, but this will end up to be a good investment because we already sold $26.00 worth of blank disks and we still have a large inventory of them left for future months. When all the disks are sold we will make a handsome profit.
I am really excited about what the Club is doing and the direction we are going. The monthly Dom's are great and the members are supporting them. The auctions were a bonanza and the member who suggested the idea should be acknowledged.
I didn't fare to well at the last auction (everything I bid on was outbid by someone else) but that's great because the Club benefited and I figure there is always the next time. So I challenge all the Atari members in September to try to outbid me again because this time I will be more prepared for the long haul. And if I lose again I know the Club wins and that is the goal we are trying to achieve.
See you next month in August and I dare you to challenge me at the Auction in September.
July 12, 1996
Space meeting for June 14, 1996 opened at 7:35 PM. at the Falcon Heights Community Center in Falcon Heights, Minn. Space club president, Mike Fitzpatrick, welcomed everybody to the meeting. Mike Fitzpatrick asked if there were any additions or corrections to Treasurer and Secretary Report as printed in June newsletter. Hearing none, he asked both be approved as printed. They were approved.
Mike asked members to sign the Space Birthday party potluck list on table by meeting room entrance.
Mike Fitzpatrick also said the Space auction would continue on in July at the Space Birthday party and at September Space meeting. He told the membership that he learned things from first auction at May meeting. Space club member, Bill Cotter, asked what he learned. Mike said he learned how to present and organize items for a auction.
A member mentioned a TYPO- ERROR in June Space newsletter. He said it said May Space Newsletter and it should of said June Space neevslelter. The newsletter editor, Mike Schmidt, noted this mistake.
Mike Fitzpatrick, club president, said that there were other Atari club newsletters available for members at meeting. Mike said he is in contact with an Atarian from England. He said the new Space club HOME PAGE on the INTERNET is working.
Mike Fitzpatrick said Wesley Ringquist and Nolan Freeman will have a DEMO at the August Space meeting. They will demonstrate using the Atari computer in Atari Text Mode on the INTERNET.
Mike told everyone to show up for the Space 14th Birthday party at the July '96 meeting. Meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM.
Michael Weist, Secretary
Published by the Saint Paul Atari Computer Enthusiasts (SPACE), an independent organization with no business affiliation with ATARI Corporation. Permission is granted to any similar organization with which SPACE exchanges newsletters to reprint material from this newsletter. We do however ask that credit be given to the authors and to SPACE. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of SPACE, the club officers, club members or ATARI Corporation.