ISRAEL REGIONAL OFFICAL!!!

[dlavery]

Wow. After reading through several of these messages, I think that a new HTML tag needs to be developed that has the effect of clearly marking text with flashing colors that correspond to the two tag values "Pure speculation" and "I actually know what I am talking about, and have facts to back it up." Then it needs to be retroactively applied to this whole thread. I am sorry if this comes across as a harsh negative statement, but a few of the posts really have me grinding my teeth right now.

Anyway, let me try to clear up a little of the confusion and incorrect information. The following items are facts -

- A private, multinational corporation is providing funding to establish 12-14 new FIRST FRC teams in Isreal for the 2005 season. I will not confirm who they are (that is their job, if they choose to do so). They are doing this through the use of their international office in Israel and local resources that are dedicated for use within that country. In other words, they are not diverting resources away from potential teams in the U.S. or any other country.

- At least one of the teams is planned to be established at a Palestinian school.

- FIRST is not funding the new teams, or the new event. They are helping with administrative support for the new event and providing information to the new teams, just like they do with every other team and regional competition.

- NASA is not funding the new teams or event, but is provinding some support for both through other mechanisms.

- The new regional competition event will be held in a compressed format, in 1-1/2 days (1/2 day set up and practice, 1 day for qualification and elimination rounds and awards). The event is scheduled to complete in time for shabbat. To make this possible, the event size will be severely limited and some changes in format are being considered.

- Under current plans, the Middle East Regional will be open to the 12-14 new Israel teams ONLY for the first year. Registration is not open to teams from outside the Middle East. This may change later, but that is the current plan.

- The increase in registration prices for the 2005 FRC competition and the existance of the new teams in Israel are completely unrelated events. Anyone who attempts to tie these two events together is completely mistaken and just making up their information.


-dave