Airsoft in the news

Blazer

defenderdude wrote: »

Added bonus - now the IAA shooting range at Salute (or wherever) will have a picture worth shooting at...:D:D

damn man..pudges would be hard to miss;)

.22 Lover

Wow this will really give youngsters a WRONG impression of how airsoft should be used the more of these articals i see the more i get pissed off at the owner for letting them take thoes shots:eek::mad:

miniture

ya if it wasnt for the shemagh and the multicam we could just say he wanted to be like willie o dee. lol:p

Stercus Accidit

miniture wrote: »

ya if it wasnt for the shemagh and the multicam we could just say he wanted to be like willie o dee. lol:p

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY4ure_GSHw

I shwear on my tash its decent hash.

miniture

Stercus Accidit wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY4ure_GSHw

I shwear on my tash its decent hash.

hang on a minute thats not willie. you had me going there up untill the guitar solo everyone knows willie plays the saxomophone

fayer

Ok letting one reporter into your shop and talking to them for an article about "dangerous weapons" that is calling for restrictions is a bad idea, doing it twice in one week, you must be a complete idiot, yes I'm talking about you Alan! For a while I wondered if it was simply stupidity, but after the negative reaction to the first article I simply couldn't believe that and have settled on the opinion that Strikearms is gambling the safety and security of our sport and past time, and many other people's lively hood for some cheap publicity (notice Alan has very nice plugs for his website in the paper). Allowing someone, no less a reporter to pose in your shop, dressed in that manor, in that sensationalist poise stinks of a PR stunt, dont try and tell me that he got all dressed up and took the photo without your knowledge!

I have it on good authority that this particular paper has been approaching other shops over the past week, all of who had the intelligence, or regard for the sport to tell them to piss off / directed there questions to the IAA (I dont think that direction was taken by the reporter but I stand to be corrected)

Retailers and Venues throughout the country (IAA affiliate and not) get regular calls form Media outlets when a Journo stumbles across our sport, quite alot refer them to the IAA, and the story dies once the press here we support the incoming restrictions and actually requested quite an amount of there content, it has been known on some occasions the paper runs a positive story after speaking to the association. So if you have had a negative experience with a media outlet and another, larger and more ruthless one approaches you why not call the IAA for support or refuse to comment and allow photos to be take.

Given this disgusting disregard for others, intentional or not, I will not be spending any money whit this bunch, I would ask players that are equally annoyed by this string of events to voice their opposition by speaking with their wallets and taking there business elsewhere.

Witcher

Bad article all round..finger on trigger, picture clearly posed possibly for publicity as Fayer said, the quotes from the retailer in question are cringeworthy and where exactly did that IAA quote come from? Doesn't seem like something they would just write on the website.

Atleast there's incoming legislation to put pay to their bloodlust.

fayer

Blay wrote: »

where exactly did that IAA quote come from? Doesn't seem like something they would just write on the website.

I think it is on the site, but is totally out of context, its up there in a paragraph about treating the equipment with respect as the public wont understand it.

Stercus Accidit

Blay wrote: »

...to put pay to their bloodlust.

What a way to top off a post!

Witcher

fayer wrote: »

I think it is on the site, but is totally out of context, its up there in a paragraph about treating the equipment with respect as the public wont understand it.

Ah right, The Star's journalism at it's best..just squish any quote in to fill up the word count.:rolleyes:

kdouglas

Playing devil's advocate for a moment, it is possible that Strikearms somehow did not know about that photograph or see it until it went to print today.

However....... That one photo alone brings airsoft back into the public eye in the negative way in which it was being treated 2 years ago and I will not see all the hard work done by the IAA committee's over the last couple of years thrown away by one foolish person.

With this in mind (and the caveat that Strikearms may be innocent in all this) I have submitted the following to the IAA Committee as a complaint against Strike arms and would encourage other's to do likewise if they see fit. (Feel free to copy and paste/amend my text if you wish)

All,

I would like to make an official complaint regarding the affiliated IAA member Strikearms.

Point number 2 of the IAA Retailer Regulations state;

"Retailers must not engage in business practice which brings the sport of airsoft into disrepute."

As a member of the association, ex-committee member and regular member of the Irish airsoft community since it's beginning in Ireland, I am disgusted at the article published in today's Irish Star newspaper. While the text of the article itself is somewhat reasonable in comparison to other similar articles seen in previous years, the accompanying photograph* (which is what the majority of reader's will likely note) undermines all of the hardwork put in by yourselves and your predecessors serving only to sensationalize the subject in the mind of the reader.

I would like the committee to investigate under what circumstances these photographs were taken, and how much knowledge and/or participation the owner/staff of Strikearms had in their creation and if necessary, take appropriate disciplinary action against this affiliate for what I believe to be misconduct which directly violates the above quoted retailer regulation.

Should the committee discover that the reporter pictured in the photograph was acting without prior knowledge of Strikearms then I would retract my complaint.

I would appreciate acknowledgement of this mail by reply.

Yours Sincerely
Keith Douglas


*= http://boards.ie/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=113191&d=1273332819

Puding

Playing devil's advocate for a moment, it is possible that Strikearms somehow did not know about that photograph or see it until it went to print today.

i would like to believe this, as tbh i find it hard to believe a retailor could be this stupid. but tbh what journalist is going to happen to have some multicam laying about and not have anything to do with airsoft already, you do not really find it in your local surplus store, if it was british dpm or something like that i could maybe see it happening but come on multicam

.22 Lover

kdouglas wrote: »

Playing devil's advocate for a moment, it is possible that Strikearms somehow did not know about that photograph or see it until it went to print today.

However....... That one photo alone brings airsoft back into the public eye in the negative way in which it was being treated 2 years ago and I will not see all the hard work done by the IAA committee's over the last couple of years thrown away by one foolish person.

With this in mind (and the caveat that Strikearms may be innocent in all this) I have submitted the following to the IAA Committee as a complaint against Strike arms and would encourage other's to do likewise if they see fit. (Feel free to copy and paste/amend my text if you wish)

How long does it normally take for the IAA to come up with a result?

kdouglas

Puding wrote: »

i would like to believe this, as tbh i find it hard to believe a retailor could be this stupid. but tbh what journalist is going to happen to have some multicam laying about and not have anything to do with airsoft already, you do not really find it in your local surplus store, if it was british dpm or something like that i could maybe see it happening but come on multicam

Indeed, coupled with the fact that the photo is very obviously taken in an airsoft store, then it's even less likely. At the very least, I would expect that maybe the photo was taken when no staff were paying attention/busy serving other customers, but then this begs the question, why wasn't someone duel wielding AK's and getting their photo taken asked... "are you press?"

kdouglas

.22 Lover wrote: »

How long does it normally take for the IAA to come up with a result?

I can't say for definite, as with anything, these things take time, the committee are volunteer members with real lives and jobs and there are alot of things to be taken into consideration which alot of people outside of the committee wouldn't think of. But it does no harm to let them know that members are not happy with an affiliate.

fayer

kdouglas wrote: »

With this in mind (and the caveat that Strikearms may be innocent in all this) I have submitted the following to the IAA Committee as a complaint against Strike arms and would encourage other's to do likewise if they see fit. (Feel free to copy and paste/amend my text if you wish)

I also lodged an official complaint.

I would like to think the same Keith, but 2 reporters and 2 pictures in the shop, I cant but think this was at worse solicited at best allowed to proceed after being doorstepped.

Puding

kdouglas wrote: »

Indeed, coupled with the fact that the photo is very obviously taken in an airsoft store, then it's even less likely. At the very least, I would expect that maybe the photo was taken when no staff were paying attention/busy serving other customers, but then this begs the question, why wasn't someone duel wielding AK's and getting their photo taken asked... "are you press?"

have to agree, so take your pick its either down too stupidity ( letting them take the picture and helping out ) or incompetence ( not noticing what there doing and what was going on )

fayer

.22 Lover wrote: »

How long does it normally take for the IAA to come up with a result?

I believe the current committee's policy is 1 calendar month. I think that is reasonable.

Witcher

kdouglas wrote: »

Indeed, coupled with the fact that the photo is very obviously taken in an airsoft store, then it's even less likely. At the very least, I would expect that maybe the photo was taken when no staff were paying attention/busy serving other customers, but then this begs the question, why wasn't someone duel wielding AK's and getting their photo taken asked... "are you press?"

It's disappointing really.



(2000th post:))

defenderdude

Lads - lets not make this into a witch hunt - especially here on boards. Strikearms dont have a presence here afaik and cant defend himself (not going to be easy I admit)

Mistakes were obviously made - but until the full facts are established which can be easily done over the phone or better still "face to face"

all I ask for is a little restraint - if some wannabe-reporter wants to get a story - he doesnt have to try very hard... It's not news - we are, and always will be a soft target.

se conman

Considering we play at war games , we actually only seem to have two enemies ,
rePOOrters and poliTHICKcians.LOL.

deco nate

just to add im only playin for the last year,and last year was bad too,remember all the crap on the radio bout the post man,i thought this sport/hobby was way past this now....im not a member of the iaa yet,but will be by this time next week.this is pure madness! all for the sake of the mighty dollar,but i would like to hear what they have to say for themself.and it may just be that the star got wiff of the story that the other small time rag was gonna run an said,well its been a while......and just turn up as buyers,maybe.
but i really can belive that,he runs a shop,must have some cop on,that
something wasnt right.
but i wanna hear what they have to say,
is he on boards?
edit: denfenderdude said it better
edit 2:jayus i type slow

hitman__

fayer wrote: »

I also lodged an official complaint.

I would like to think the same Keith, but 2 reporters and 2 pictures in the shop, I cant but think this was at worse solicited at best allowed to proceed after being doorstepped.

Agreed. This is getting worse than reality TV. What's next ??

Blazer

defenderdude wrote: »

Lads - lets not make this into a witch hunt - especially here on boards. Strikearms dont have a presence here afaik and cant defend himself (not going to be easy I admit)

Mistakes were obviously made - but until the full facts are established which can be easily done over the phone or better still "face to face"

all I ask for is a little restraint - if some wannabe-reporter wants to get a story - he doesnt have to try very hard... It's not news - we are, and always will be a soft target.

However this is the 2nd time this week Strikearms allowed a journalist to be photoshopped in their store and the exact same scaremongering story to be published...just read page 1 again.

Once could be a mistake...twice is blatantly obvious that strikearms didn't care about the sport only about their profit.

Howver the Star is a dirt mag...I know of one occasion where the reporter threatened to publish a crap side to a guy if he didn't do a proper interview with them. Needlesss to say he told them to fúck off.
This guy was running a marathon for charity with nothing in it for him but the Star didn't give a ****. Since that day I've never bought that rag again.
If Strikearms was getting the same crap then they should have called the IAA in.

*DOBBY*

I have to say if this was done with the knowledge of the retailer, whether he thought it was for the good of airsoft . he must be out of his mind. reporters love a good headline and at our sports expesnse.

Great thinking batman welldone:rolleyes:.....
business is tight for everyone these days , no need to clutch at cheap advertising.


My personal opinion

NakedDex

I haven't seen their store to know if there's a spot that the staff don't have full view of, but it should be noted that these ridiculous poses took two to tango. There had to have been a photographer there with the writer, likely carrying a rather less-than covert camera to get useable images.

I'm sorry, but if anyone pulled out any camera in front of me, particularly a professional grade SLR, I'd be very quickly asking them to vacate the premises or cease attempts at taking photos.

Damo 2k9

Ive been in the shop, and its absolutely tiny so when the pictures where being taken the staff definetely had full view of them.

.22 Lover

Ive Been there.For them to take thoes pic's the camera man would have to be standing wright infrunt of the till.:(

Rogue-Trooper

kdouglas wrote: »

Indeed, coupled with the fact that the photo is very obviously taken in an airsoft store, then it's even less likely. At the very least, I would expect that maybe the photo was taken when no staff were paying attention/busy serving other customers, but then this begs the question, why wasn't someone duel wielding AK's and getting their photo taken asked... "are you press?"

As the lads have said, the Strikearms shop is smaller than my bedroom so there's no way a posed picture could have been taken without the staff noticing so that can't be a defence.

Eirsoft have a sign in their shop that says 'No Photography' - makes perfect sense.

To make it easy for them, here's one that Strikearms can print out for themselves to display in the shop so we don't have a repeat of this:

Shiva

Guys, you might be being a bit hard on Alan and Strikearms.

The "No Photos" sign we have in the shop is because we got caught out with the Evening Herald article.

They dont show up, say they're from a newspaper and ask if they can take photos and ask questions. We're talking about the gutter press here - they arent exactly paragons of virtue, and they aren't above indulging in a little skulduggery now and again.

In our case, the reporter showed up, looked around, bought a pistol, secretly took a photo of the shop on a camera phone, and then took the photo of the Glock somewhere else.

They then rang a few hours later and said "Hi, We're the Evening Herald, can we ask some questions?"

What might have happened with Strikearms was that reporter could have come in, pretended to be a genuine customer, asked to try on the multicam jacket and take a photo for his "mates". Considering a lot of camera phones these days are more than 2.5 megapixels, it wouldnt have had to have been a professional SLR type camera.

And then once they've had the photos, bought the kit and skedaddled, they probably called and asked their questions later.

We often get people in looking at stuff and asking if they can take photo's of themselves holding guns because they think its cool. Because of what the Herald did, we can say no, and usually not appear to be dicks about it.

No retailer who only sells airsoft gear is going to deliberately put some cheap advertising ahead of any possible harm to the sport - thats just doesnt make sense. Its his livelihood, for God's sake.