Underwater Current Magazine Scam??

[Sue-ba]

...............and is probally my most valuable periodical that I purchase. I find the newsletter always informative and definetly broadens my travel horizons.

I have got some wondorful tips and ideas from Scuba Board but the return on investment (ROI) with Undercurrent and its Chap Book has been amazing.

We try to get out and try new areas of the world to dive 3-4 times a year, by following the reviews in the Chap Book we haven't had a bad trip yet. I have a large family of divers (seven) and the dollar savings and the aggregation that has been saved by Undercurrents has been remarkable. Makes the subscription price look pretty small.

Two thumbs up here, way up!

BTW, for the price of two movie tickets you can add on the online service if you are already a subscriber. I have both and really enjoy the service.

Good Reading & Diving,

Susan

 

[Ben Davison]

Why not let people have both internet access and magazine access for the same price? Just bundle it together once you do that I'll sign up with around a ton of other people. Why not seriously consider it?

This is a tough one for us economically, especially as a nonprofit organizatin, but we're trying to make it happen. Without advertising, newsletter economics are tight. Income from the web is $100k per year (about $50K net, which actually subsidizes the print publication). We have 11,000 suscribers, so to get that income we'd need to raise the subscription rate by $9. We've tested that and it's too high, unfortunately.

We may still roll the dice and do it because the web is essential to pubications today. But, I'm also aware that if the support isn't there, our entire publication would be justifed.

Ben Davison, publisher
www.undercurrent.org

 

[Ben Davison]

We change our introductory offers from time to time. There's one on the home page now at www.undercurrent.org

Ben, Undercurrent

 

[drbill]

Nice to see you on board, Ben. I've enjoyed UnderCurrents in the past, but due to the current Voodoo economics I'm a bit too short on cash to subscribe again... yet. Keep up the good work.

 

[cuddlefish]

I enjoy reading the info in Undercurrent from time to time. One thing to keep in mind, though...all of the diver reviews that are printed are the opinions of the individual divers...and, of course, everyone has a right to their opinion. However, in one instance, a certain dive operator was torn to shreds and I happen to know that the diver writing the review had the name of the dive operator mixed up with someone else. It was a bit hard to see this dive center blasted knowing good and well that the writer was mistaken. At least on a message board, someone could have piped up and said, "hey, buddy, that operator isn't even on that island!!!"

 

[The Chairman]

There is a lot of "piping up" on this board too. Keeps the reviews honest.

 

[Damselfish]

I enjoy reading the info in Undercurrent from time to time. One thing to keep in mind, though...all of the diver reviews that are printed are the opinions of the individual divers...and, of course, everyone has a right to their opinion. However, in one instance, a certain dive operator was torn to shreds and I happen to know that the diver writing the review had the name of the dive operator mixed up with someone else. It was a bit hard to see this dive center blasted knowing good and well that the writer was mistaken. At least on a message board, someone could have piped up and said, "hey, buddy, that operator isn't even on that island!!!"

I don't have specific examples, but I've noticed more than one instance of reviews in the chapbook listed under the wrong island or similar gross and obvious errors. Some people are geography impaired, seems even when they've been there! There should be more checking and editing of that kind of stuff, that should be the value add.

 

[Ben Davison]

I've noticed them as well and they are all my fault, stuff I just don't catch, sometimes submitted erroneously by a reader, that I overlooked. I just finished final editing today. I had Easter Island on it's own, until I remembered it's Chilean.
Ben, publisher
www.undercurrent.org

 

[Ben Davison]

However, in one instance, a certain dive operator was torn to shreds and I happen to know that the diver writing the review had the name of the dive operator mixed up with someone else. It was a bit hard to see this dive center blasted knowing good and well that the writer was mistaken. At least on a message board, someone could have piped up and said, "hey, buddy, that operator isn't even on that island!!!"

Could you give me the detals on this? I'd like to trackdown the error

Ben Davison
www.undercurrent.org

 

[EvilSlumLord]

If you don't have a trial subscription to Dive Training, I'd suggest your contacting them at www.dtmag.com. They give a free six-month subscription to new divers. Grier

How does one get the 6 month free subscription to Dive Training? I'm looking at their Web site and don't see any sign of it. I don't mind paying for the sub but if there is a trial offer would love to benefit from it before going in with both fins (as it were).

Thanks!