EDITORS REPORT CROSSROADS AGAIN Well here we are again, the night before I take TNS to the printers and I have to make a choice. Fluff the paper up to 16 pages with photos and more stories, or stay tight with the ads we have and go with it. The choice is not easy when the "Fluff" pages come out of the TNS end of the magazine. If we'd had a dozen more ads this month it would of been easy to do both. But we have a healthy 35 ads and some of those are under contract so the budget is tight this month. This issue has nothing to be ashamed of. Steve Newell has sent us a neat old picture of a Traffic Officer on a Motorcycle with a special Vermont Cycle plate on it. Corb Mositer has a good full page ad and Bill Snider has some great stuff in his ad. The rest are all appreciated too. TNS ads work, yet the trend is to tell people you are on ebay, no whining or sour grapes here, but what are you paying to be there? A plate starting under $10 costs you 30 cents to list and then you have to pay a fee if it sells, or if it costs more than ten on the opening bid you pay more, or if you place the dreaded reserve on it, again ebay has their hand out. And you will pay. Yes, for some ebay works, but TNS will also sell a good many of your plates or we would of been out of business years ago. I don't intend to quit because the number of ads drop off. You know, you ole friends of TNS, what I have preached for years now. Leave no stone unturned. That means you belong to all you can if it means you can turn a buck there or find something you are looking for. There is a growing movement in ALPCA and the general ranks of collectors to tell people they are tired of ebay and the escalating prices. I saw a 1964 NY Mint go there for over $150 the other night. Does that mean a NY 64 is worth $150. Certainly not. But if you find one at a year sale and pay $5, and run an ad on it with me, or Drew, or ALPCA, can't you figure out what a fair price is and just charge that? If you are fair, it will sell, and you should be happy. As I say, no sour grapes, but the prices will stop rising sooner or later, You will have a collection to be proud of, or some very expensive trade stock.   So... SUMMER AD SALE RETURNS.....   As we have done many times in the past you will be able this summer to run three ads in the most busy months of the sumner "FOR THE PRICE OF TWO" unlike other years where I put a limit on these ads, I will put the cut off at a full page this time. This three month contract ad for the cost of two will cover the months of June, July and September. Remember there will be no August issue, but the ad will run that final month of the contract in September. You may run a general ad such as Brian Reback does that you are seeking something specific, or an ad that you can change monthly. If you have any questions just let me know, the ad will be changed if you meet the deadline, that is no problem. Buy two, get one month free. Let me here form you.   NO FREE ADS THIS MONTH,,, HOW ABOUT NEXT MONTH???   The offer was out last month to run free ads like usual this month, offers of Nat. Guard plates, U. ~. Forces and College plates could of been run free. Not one single ad came in like that. This marks a first. So next month let's go back to an ole favorite. You may run any 5 Needs Repaint (NRP) plates free, or you can make that 10 plates if you have any other paid ad in the magazine. I'm also open to suggestions of what you would like to see run in the free ad section in coming months. Let me know?   IT'S THAT TIME, TNS IS HITTING THE ROAD,,, COME SEE US...   In early May, the exact date is not set, I will blast off for NY to be front and center at the Dunkirk show May 18th. But prior to that I will shop markets and renew old friendships in NY. I hope many of you are making plans to trek to New York for the Dunkirk show. It is easy to find in Dunkirk, anyone can point you to the Fairgrounds, and the admission is "FREE" so come see us. There is free parking if you want to walk a bit but local charities collect for parking just outside the show. At Dunkirk, look for 'TNS in the Floral Building up in the front corner. So rain or shine you can cane and see at least the portions of the show that are in buildings. I'm looking forward to seeing Tom Dayton there again this year as well as ALPCA. member Adam Zak from my ole home town of Hamburg. A new TNS reader promises to make an appearance too, Tim Barraclough, of North Tonowanda NY, is new to collecting and has signed with TNS, he is eyeing ALPCA now, of course under constant tutoring. Joe Warecka was here for the Charlotte Speedway Show and left me there on the Saturday saying See you in Dunkirk, So I'll look forward to seeing him there too. After Dunkirk I'll next attend the Tom Mack Show in Charlotte. This summer show has always been a good one for me, and it can be for you. Rent a space and come join us, details are in Toms ad in this issue, likewise Dunkirks ad, see this issue although I believe the spaces at Dunkirk are sold out. Tom has plenty of room! Couple weeks after Toms show its time to Head West, up into the Beautiful Mountain country of North Carolina, twenty miles this side of the Tennessee State Line and visit once again Beautiful Maggie Valley. This show has never let me down. It is a 4 day event and you'll find their ad on page two of this issue. Come see why I have always touted this show as something special. Hot, yes, dress for the weather, but it is worth the effort and traditionally I do as well here as any show I attend, despite it being on a smaller scale. You'll be glad you came, last year we counted TNS readers at the tent from 6 different states. (Its also a great spot to hunt Tennessee tags)   REMEMBER THE AD RATES ARE ROLLED BACK.. See page two for the current ad rates. With the announcement that we are going to a 10 nxnth schedule with TNS, I also returned to the ad rates we had prior to the last increase. This will work best if I hear from you with advertising. The recent postal increases have not affected the paper but the cost of printing has gone up a bit in recent years. I have always tried to hold the line at reasonable ad rates, and I believe we do that. I spouted off about ebay on the previous page, and yes I do use it some. But in using it since November 00, I learned a valuable lesson, just like any other advertising medium, not everything sells.   TNS remains here to serve you, and yes, I do appreciate your support.