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Archive 2010 · What's going on at RRS?

Todd Warnke
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · What's going on at RRS?

There was an old thread here on FM that discussed it in pretty good detail. A google search brought a thread on photo.net as well. If I remember right the contributions totaled $18k.

Peace,

Todd

Nov 18, 2010 at 11:10 AM

jbiernat
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · What's going on at RRS?

Todd Adamson wrote:
I had no idea about the campaign contributions, and now I'm conflicted. That really sucks. Does anyone have any specific information about this...a Google search didn't turn up anything.

Todd,

Google RRS gay marriage or RRS Prop 8. The flicker discussion mentions a donation of approx. $16,000. This is a polarizing subject and I feel it does not have to be. If ANY couple is in a union with one another they should have the same rights as a married couple. However the definition of marriage does not have to change to grant these rights to everyone. If RRS did donate to Prop. 8 I don't see a problem with it. I commend them for standing up for their beliefs.

Legislation can be brought forward to give a homosexual union ALL the rights married couples enjoy. I'm glad the gay community is speaking out on this matter as some of the stories I have heard are heart wrenching, like loved ones denied visitation in hospitals because "they are not FAMILY", legal rights to property which are not properly distributed, and the like. If this is happening, and I believe it is. We can create a legal bond which gives gays all the legal rights of married couples. It is the right thing to do. Marriage does not need to be the vehicle to achieve this goal. Some of the last words in a marriage ceremony are "I now pronounce you man and wife." I can even understand that. Pretty simple, we don't need to redefine marriage We just need to create a legal union for those who are not a man and a woman so that their rights as a loving committed couple are protected.

I for one am more likely to buy RRS products now. And I'll probably start today as their website seems to be much better than the previous one.

I hope my comments don't offend anyone that is not my intention. I just believe marriage is what it is and should remain as such.

Nov 18, 2010 at 12:14 PM

sjms
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · What's going on at RRS?

Todd Adamson wrote:
I had no idea about the campaign contributions, and now I'm conflicted. That really sucks. Does anyone have any specific information about this...a Google search didn't turn up anything.

its true. they are mormons and thats part of their belief system. and they will not deviate from their doctrine as others will not from theirs. what they did was open to the public. i continue to purchase from them because the make product that meet my standards.

Edited on Nov 18, 2010 at 12:21 PM · View previous versions

Nov 18, 2010 at 12:14 PM

zino
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · What's going on at RRS?

it works again. i ordered one of their plate from their website last night.

one thing. when a window poped up(for shipping cost calculation), put only your zip code. i tried to put zip code + state info and never worked, but worked only with zip code.

hope this helpful!

Nov 18, 2010 at 12:17 PM

Todd Adamson
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · What's going on at RRS?

Thanks for the info. I won't get into the gay marriage debate, except to say that I disagree with the Mormons' stance on it and I also think it's a poor idea for a business to donate money to specific and polarizing causes. But it's certainly their right, and it's certainly everyone else's right to buy, or not buy, their stuff.

I'm disappointed by this revelation, but am not sure if it will make me stop buying their most excellent products. I have time to think about it, because I just bought an L-plate for my new camera, and don't anticipate needing anything else in the support department for a while.

I generally endorse "voting with one's pocketbook," but I also know that if I knew everything about every company my money went to support, there would be many disappointments.

Nov 18, 2010 at 01:41 PM

Todd Warnke
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · What's going on at RRS?

Todd, you can always do what I did when I heard about it - my BH-55 was bought off of craigslist. For some things that or even FM may not work (an L-plate for example), but for many things it's a great option.

Peace,

Todd

Nov 18, 2010 at 01:52 PM

Todd Adamson
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · What's going on at RRS?

Todd Warnke wrote:
Todd, you can always do what I did when I heard about it - my BH-55 was bought off of craigslist. For some things that or even FM may not work (an L-plate for example), but for many things it's a great option.

Peace,

Todd

That's a possibility for sure, but only a halfway solution. If we're buying a used product we're sort of complicit in making a market for the new ones, aren't we? In actuality, I'm likely to buy a Markins next time I need a ballhead, and go with Kirk plates. I loved my Markins M-10, but just decided to try RRS when I got a bigger one. It's a great head, but it also shifts a bit when clamped down, which my Markins never did.

But for all I know, Kirk could be directly funding bogus legislation, or maybe worse. In some ways, I wish I didn't know this about RRS.

My favorite energy drink is Rockstar Recovery, and I drink several daily. It would be really hard to quit. I found out last year that the company was founded by the son of Michael Savage, and Savage almost certainly owns a big stake. But I can't stop myself from drinking it.

Nov 18, 2010 at 04:40 PM

sjms
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · What's going on at RRS?

Nov 18, 2010 at 04:43 PM

chrisdee
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · What's going on at RRS?

Todd Adamson wrote:
Thanks for the info. I won't get into the gay marriage debate, except to say that I disagree with the Mormons' stance on it and I also think it's a poor idea for a business to donate money to specific and polarizing causes. But it's certainly their right, and it's certainly everyone else's right to buy, or not buy, their stuff.

I'm disappointed by this revelation, but am not sure if it will make me stop buying their most excellent products. I have time to think about it, because I just bought an L-plate for my new camera, and don't...Show more →

It's not the business who donated money. The RRS owner donated as a private person, but people associate that with "look where my money is going".

I really cannot see what the problem is. As a customer you get what you pay for (a high quality product for your money). The RRS as a company takes that money, pays taxes, its employees, reinvests into new product etc. - and an amount of the owner's salary goes to a cause he believes in (made public for everyone to see, by the way).

I'm not even an American, but I suspect you do not have problems buying chinese products where whole business policies are built on ripping off others ideas and on workforce exploitation - all while you rise against a 100% US company just because the owner publicly chose to give some of his own money to a cause he believes in (you still have the choice to give your money to the organizations fighting against Prop. 8, if you feel strongly you should, right?)

Nov 18, 2010 at 04:58 PM

jbiernat
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · What's going on at RRS?

chrisdee wrote:
It's not the business who donated money. The RRS owner donated as a private person, but people associate that with "look where my money is going".

I really cannot see what the problem is. As a customer you get what you pay for (a high quality product for your money). The RRS as a company takes that money, pays taxes, its employees, reinvests into new product etc. - and an amount of the owner's salary goes to a cause he believes in (made public for everyone to see, by the way).

I'm not even an American, but I suspect you do not...Show more →

+1

Nov 18, 2010 at 05:14 PM

sperraglia
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · What's going on at RRS?

Nov 18, 2010 at 05:29 PM

Todd Warnke
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · What's going on at RRS?

sjms wrote:
nice try at rationalization

You have a point, as does Todd about the secondary market stirring the primary market. And I'd probably have even less space on the head of this pin to stand on if I would have bought it off of FM where sellers are often buyers of what they just sold. So even noting that I bought from a guy who's eyesight had failed him to the point that shooting was no longer any fun and that he was selling at a great discount amounts to not a lot more than even fancier rationalizing. But then again, it's not tool useage or even language that sets us apart from the animals, it's the ability rationalize.

Todd

Nov 18, 2010 at 05:36 PM

Todd Adamson
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · What's going on at RRS?

OK, I didn't appreciate initially that it was personal and not business. That's not entirely different, but does allow more room for rationalization. Maybe I should just stop thinking about it.

Nov 18, 2010 at 05:45 PM

ACNYPhoto
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · What's going on at RRS?

This is a photography, not a political forum... Welcome to the USA, not everyone has to believe the same as you do. There's plenty of businesses I don't agree with what their owners do in their own time with their own money... How about all the media types and entertainers, not to mention Ben Cohen (Ben & Jerry's) who have supported the defense fund of a convicted cop killer

http://danielfaulkner.com/

Nov 18, 2010 at 06:00 PM

Fotojoh
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · What's going on at RRS?

Dear Fred Miranda Participants,
I'm Joe Johnson, owner of Really Right Stuff. I thought it may be helpful to your discussion for me to provide a few explanations (hopefully not lame excuses).
1) I apologize for any inconvenience our new website has caused. We did transition to a new website on 19 Oct 2010. We tested the new site for 3 months and thought it was ready, but encountered issues when it went live and encountered our normal, higher-volume web traffic. Given the number of web-generated orders we're getting, the site works superbly most of the time (say 85+%), but does hang randomly. Because this site is tied to our inventory management/accounting systems, and due to the nature of the upgrade, it is nearly impossible to roll back. We are putting tremendous pressure on the software provider to fix the problem and are nearly there. We have invested nearly a quarter of million dollars on getting the website/erp system up to better standards, which for a small company like ours is a huge amount. We are committed to getting this right. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience.
2) I am not anti-gay and very much support equal treatment/employment/housing/education/etc. for all people regardless of sexual orientation, race or religion. Thankfully, we already have laws in place here in California that provide that protection. I also believe we should maintain traditional marriage as currently defined and I did make a PERSONAL contribution to the Yes on 8 campaign. I was required by law to identify my current source of income which is how RRS was brought into this. We have employees that disagree with my support for Yes on 8, but unfortunately the negativity directed at me impacts them as well.
If any would like to discuss either of these issues personally with me, I'd be delighted to take your phone call or email (1-888-777-5557 in US/Canada; 1-805-528-6321 Overseas; [email protected]).

Nov 18, 2010 at 07:02 PM

sperraglia
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · What's going on at RRS?

ACNYPhoto wrote:
This is a photography, not a political forum... Welcome to the USA, not everyone has to believe the same as you do. There's plenty of businesses I don't agree with what their owners do in their own time with their own money... How about all the media types and entertainers, not to mention Ben Cohen (Ben & Jerry's) who have supported the defense fund of a convicted cop killer

http://danielfaulkner.com/

No need to welcome me to the USA since I was born and raised in the USA. I don't think anybody has said here that everyone has to believe the same thing, but since it is the USA we have information freely available which we can choose to use in evaluating our decisions on the photography products we purchase.

Nov 18, 2010 at 07:09 PM

Todd Adamson
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · What's going on at RRS?

Fotojoh wrote:
Dear Fred Miranda Participants,
I'm Joe Johnson, owner of Really Right Stuff. I thought it may be helpful to your discussion for me to provide a few explanations (hopefully not lame excuses).
1) I apologize for any inconvenience our new website has caused. We did transition to a new website on 19 Oct 2010. We tested the new site for 3 months and thought it was ready, but encountered issues when it went live and encountered our normal, higher-volume web traffic. Given the number of web-generated orders we're getting, the site works superbly most of the time (say 85+%), but does hang...Show more →

Joe, thanks for posting, and I am glad to hear you employ people who disagree with your belief on this issue. I won't bother discussing gay marriage with you, here, or elsewhere, and as you may have noted, I am a huge fan of RRS products.

However, on an unrelated note: a quarter of a million dollars for a web site?? Dude, I have a feeling if you looked in the right places, you could get what you need for well under a tenth of that. Thus saving you a lot of money to prevent gay marriages.

Nov 18, 2010 at 07:33 PM

E-Vener
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · What's going on at RRS?

Nov 18, 2010 at 08:42 PM

sjms
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · What's going on at RRS?

finally a sense of humor and reality. thank you Mr. Adamson

Nov 18, 2010 at 08:46 PM

Todd Adamson
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p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · What's going on at RRS?

sjms wrote:
finally a sense of humor and reality. thank you Mr. Adamson

Glad I could help.

Seriously, I agree that forthrightness is a good thing, and considering Joe's post, and the fact that his stance is not company policy or anything extreme like that, I'm going to keep buying RRS stuff without feeling bad. I can't expect everyone to agree with me politically.

Nov 18, 2010 at 08:56 PM

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