<**><**>› PRESIDENTS MESSAGE› by ALEX PIGNATO›› A storm has been brewing over the› bounced checks issued by UNICORN› PUBLISHING, for the unused› subscriptions of the old deceased› ATARI CLASSIC magazine. It seems that› approximately 20 to 30 people received› rubber checks from UNICORN, the› publisher of A.C. BEN POEHLAND,› resigned his position as Managing› Editor, after making all arrangements› with UNICORN to make sure that› subscribers would get refunds for the› unused portion of their subscription.› I know for a fact that BEN did› evertrhing above board for the benefit› of the subscribers, and yet some› people, instead of being grateful for› ALL OF BEN's EFFORTS, in bringing› forth the magazine, and in giving› UNICORN a complete list of subscribers› that were entitled to refunds, is› getting hate mail. Now, I personnally› know that a couple of OHAUG members› had their checks bounce, and were also› hit with extra charges. Some had› redeposited the checks, and again the› checks bounced, with resultant bank› charges. ALAN SHARKIS called or wrote› to UNICORN, insisting that they› reimburse him, and he was sucessfull,› but I don't know if the others have› gotten their money by the time you› read this. ›› Its a shame that the 8 BIT› community should have to go through› this kind of uneeded problems. I› understand that some people sent their› refund checks to JIM HOOD who is› trying to put out another A.C.› magazine. I understand that JIM is now› has some checks that have not cleared› either. This sure doesn't do the new› A.C. any good. It only reinforces› those people who have constantly stood› on the sidelines, saying "See, I knew› the 8 BIT community wouldn't back an 8› BIT magazine, thats why I didn't send› in my subscription to the first A.C.›› Well, I have news for those sorry› people, it is because of the likes of› you that this mess has come about. If› the 500 subscriber base had been› maintained by the first A.C., we would› still have what was slowly becoming a› first rate magazine. True, as some› have said, there were some flighty› articles, but there were also many› interesting, informative and› educational articles for us dedicated› 8 BIT'ers.›› My hat is off to BEN and to his› volunteer staff who did what no one› thought was possible. They brought› forth a great magazine with only› volunteer staff members. ›› BEN, I and a few others, know› what you have personnally gone› through, what with loosing your job,› having your mother so ill in ARIZONA,› and your other problems. All I have to› say is I am proud to consider myself› your friend even though we have never› met. I know that ALL OL' HACKERS agree› with me. I dare you to make your› threat of attending a meeting come› true some day soon. We welcome you› with open arms.›› Time to get off the soap box, but› I just had to get it off my chest. Let› me leave you with one thought. Stick› with the OL' HACKERS and hopefully, we› will be around when hell freezes over.› ** end **››