After Expo this year, everyone complained about all sorts of things...stagnant...not enough machines...location...parking...difficulties bringing machines...hurt feelings...Mike vs. Terry...we have all read the threads. I think Mike is genuinely trying to make things better. If this guy didn't care about Expo he wouldn't be around. We asked him to make things better, and to save Expo.

That's what this tee-shirt thing is. He has had the same sweatshirt design since I have been going for years. I am sure he looked at that from the perspective of trying to make things better and thought how can we do that with the tee-shirt? That's all he is trying to do...make things better.

I understand the concerns raised by graphics professionals here, and I see where they are coming from. They are devalued all the time because the nature of their work is to create something that looks so appropriate and natural that people think it looks effortless. When it is all done, you guys make it look easy...too easy sometimes. People don't understand the work you put in.

But where I think Mike is coming from is that people volunteer for Expo. They volunteer their machines...they deliver and set them up for free...they break them down and remove them for free. I am sure there are many volunteers who help with planning, set up, take down, etc. I think Mike is looking for people to work in spirit of volunteerism...whether it is right or not...if that is how it is always done this should not be a surprise. I do not know the financials of Expo...is there a profit? Does it sometimes lose money? Where do those profits go? I would suspect no one is getting rich off of Expo. If Mike is making big money off of expo, then he can pay a few bucks for professional services. I agree. But if it needs volunteers to work, we can either volunteer or not. Our choice, but I'd cut Mike some slack for trying to make the show better.

One last item, IMO Expo is important to pinball...manufacturers...vendors...operators...players...and even new people who are curious. I don't think the pinball community is large enough to afford infighting, boycotts, etc. When Jack Guarnieri starts a new company it is good for innovation, it is good for pinball. We need to have his back, he is one of our own. Its the same with Mike. Expo is good for pinball, and it is the sort of thing that we should all feel a part of. Expo is declining the last couple of years. It is hurting, and needs the support of the pinball community.