Re: [Killietalk] RE: The AKA Convention Fish Show

["Erny May" <emay1 at wi_rr.com>]

"We have a problem, a big problem": I would suggest that we may have a 
number of
problems and one of them is defining just what they are.
To suggest that the "problem" confronting the AKA "is basically greed and 
avarice" is
putting the cause of the "problem" squarely on the shoulders of the 
membership, which
for the most part, lacks validity. The problem also is lack of leadership 
and a mentality
that has not changed in decades. There are no short term or long term plans 
to address
the difficulties. Communications between the leadership and the membership 
are
cursory at best. Discussion of problems seems to be done behind closed doors 
and
as soon as questions are raised, the offender is reminded that the 
organization is run
by volunteers and gratitude rather than doubt should be demonstrated. I 
really have no
use for your diatribes; they are offensive and provide no solutions or even 
suggestions
of what might be solutions. I am glad you have the time and the financial 
resources to
go to all of these conventions. Do you really believe that your approach of 
heavy-handedness
and name calling is going to rally all of the "pikers", "money-grubbing 
complainers" and
those that "gouge" attendees to mend their ways and become "more 
altruistic"? We do
not need negative, belittling and derisory tirades at this time. We do need 
to work together.
I think it is time that we address our problems and make whatever changes 
are needed
to stave off extinction. That means looking at them without bias, breaking 
with tradition and
availing ourselves of tools of the time.

Irked in WI

Erny May

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Koran, David HQ02" <David_Koran at hq02.usace.army.mil>
To: <killietalk at aka_org>
Sent: Monday, June 06, 2005 9:23 AM
Subject: [Killietalk] RE: The AKA Convention Fish Show


> Houston (Tampa, San Francisco, Milwaukee, Chicago, etc.) we have a 
> problem, a
> big problem.  The problem is basically greed and avarice, nothing else. 
> You
> pikers haven't a clue what shows are for anymore.  In the past 4 years I 
> have
> attended 4 AKA Conventions, 3 DKG Conventions, 1 AKFB Convention, 2 West
> Coast Weekends, 1 Northeast Weekend and 2 Killlie Revues and here are my
> observations.  In the shows were fish are exhibited and given up for 
> auction
> without anything (repeat anything) going to the exhibitor European shows 
> are
> well supported and the oldest killifish organization, the AKA, sees
> continually diminishing numbers.  In the last two years despite the killer
> heat wave of 2003 (few homes in northern Europe have air conditioning) and
> losses of breeding stock was high, instead of a decrease in the number of
> entries in the shows (2004 AKFB & 2004 DKG), the numbers remained the same 
> or
> actually increased.  There were 421 entries in the AKFB show and 650+ in 
> the
> DKG show.  The membership of the DKG is about the same as that of the AKA 
> but
> the membership in the AKFB is less than 100 members.  Obviously support 
> for
> the AKFB comes from other European associations but part of that is
> reciprocation from AKFB members participating in the shows of those
> organizations.  This year the 2005 DKG show had over 560 entries.  The
> numbers for the 2002 and 2003 shows were in the 400-500+ range as well.
> Contrast those numbers with that which we experienced in the last two AKA
> shows, less than 300 in both cases!
>
> What is even more troubling is to look at the balance sheet.  Not all fish
> are entered for "competition" in the AKA's show.  There are long time 
> members
> who see contributing one or several pairs to the show as giving something
> back to the AKA realizing the fish they give up most probably are not 
> going
> to win any awards.  Then there is the other portion which is contested.  I
> would also think that these numbers might be down if it were not for KEY
> competition but that is a tough number to evaluate.  I believe when we 
> finish
> the final accounting I think we should have a "take" for the auction of
> slightly less than $10,000.  However, if we break this down I fear that 
> the
> "show fish" income will be less than half of this total.  Now consider 
> that
> the price tag for judging and awarding prizes for those show fish was 
> about
> $4000 (it could have been this bad except the club sponsors of the 
> Convention
> still covered the cost of 2nd and 3rd places).  That disturbing number 
> says
> that the AKA made virtually nothing on its annual show and only a couple 
> of
> thousand on the N&RSC fish.
>
> The picture doesn't get much rosier if you look at the participation in
> "regional events/mini-conventions".  Most of these shows have 
> participation
> of about 100 or so entries outside of "acquired fish", i.e., fish brought 
> in
> by the speaker or a special shipment or purchase by the host club.  Add to
> this that there is sometimes grousing that the fish put up for auction are
> not returning enough of the "split" to the seller even though there is
> usually a large crowd for the auctions so higher prices are generated.  In
> some cases where the foolish club allows box sales the day before their
> auction, sellers try to "gouge" attendees with their stock at inflated 
> prices
> and not return anything to the club hosting the event.
>
> So I guess my question is whether or not this is still a hobby or a 
> business,
> especially to those non-exhibitors out there with those fish for Aqua-Bid.
> Thankfully I met with many of the hobbyists we still have left in 
> Rockville
> last weekend, a lot of "old-timers" who are getting fewer and fewer.  I 
> hope
> this disturbing trend gets reversed because unless you cultivate a 
> younger,
> more altruistic and sharing member, you "money-grubbing" complainers will 
> be
> left with trying to sell your "money killies" to the Pets-Mart's and 
> PetCo's
> of the world and see if they will give you more than a buck a fish!
>
> PO'd in DC,
>
> Dave Koran
>
> To join the AKA see http://aka.org/modules/tinycontent0/index.php?id=9
> Archives are at http://fins.actwin.com/killietalk/
> 



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