FWIW Dept:

   Always remember: statistics don't lie, but liars (mis)use statistics.

   It is entirely possible for both cases to be true.  If there are enough
new suckers <<<<<<<  subscribers, the EAA could lose 20% of its
base and still show a net gain in total membership.

Dale R.
COZY MkIV #1254

On 8/22/07, * berkut13@berkut13.com <mailto:berkut13@berkut13.com>* <berkut13@berkut13.com <mailto:berkut13@berkut13.com>> wrote:

    --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: <berkut13@berkut13.com
    <mailto:berkut13@berkut13.com>>

    (sigh)

    As you and the others likely know, the "grapevine" seldom can be
    relied upon
    for accurate dissemination of news.

    I looked at the published, audited financial statement for
    EAA.  It compares
    the most recent audited years ending February 28, 2006 and
    2007.  While the
    report does not give the number of members, it does show the
    revenue from
    membership dues (same rate for both years @ $40).  There was a
    $143,667
    increase in revenue in 2007 over 2006.  Based on that, it seems
    membership
    increased.  For membership to have dropped by 20% in the last
    year, the
    membership dues revenue would have to show a decrease of more than
    $1.2
    million.

    As for Mr. David Hipschman, he is still listed as the Editor of Sport
    Aviation magazine in the August issue.  Even if he is leaving,
    there is no
    way to know if he was fired.  I also looked up David Hipschman in
    the FAA
    database - he is a PP-ASEL for three years now and lives in WI.

    It may still be a good idea to suggest that members write EAA with
    their own
    ideas for change or improvement of the organization, but I'm not
    sure that
    we can take the so-called "change" as a given - or the validity of
    this
    email for that matter.