Theft
It was an OK con, I guess. The fireworks were good. The con panels were good. Too much stuff to do in too little time, that's about normal. I met friends and made some new ones.
I was a little offended that Uncle Kage, in his Story Hour, blew us off with "This show is free, buy a ticket to come to my OTHER show for the rest of the stories." Kage, as far as I've been able to figure it, just attending the con, including your little "free" talk (with commercial interruptions), cost me about six or seven hundred dollars. I don't know for sure how much, not all the bills are in yet. I'm sure that would mean nothing to you, but just paying to show up and then going the little bit extra for a sponsor membership was a strain for me. I wish you'd give that some consideration before you start trying to nickel and dime and squeeze us for more.
The whole thing was soured for me because a friend's art bag got stolen, including all his art supplies and a painting I'd saved up to buy for him. Well, gee, that's a real buzz-killer, as we used to say around the end of the last ice age, and it ruined the highest delight of my con; actually being able to do something to delight someone else. I don't hold the con responsible for that; I don't know how they could have prevented it. It does make me wonder about the class of people who are starting to show up for this thing. (I won't even bring up the Mets.)
After that, and all the expense, I really have to ask myself whether it's worth it to pay so much to put myself through it all again next year. I probably will, because I'll have forgotten most of this by then. But I don't know.
I knew I was going to get jumped on for not marching lockstep and saying everything was perfect.
I've been to a lot of cons, this was an OK con as I said at the start. I did not like that Kage started stories and then said we'd have to pay more to hear the rest of them; it's not an oh my god drama moment, but it was a bit annoying, so I'll let them know about it. If feedback has any point at all it is to provide areas for improvement for future years. So the comment is submitted for what it's worth. Please rest assured that I will give your objections to it the consideration which they deserve, as I'm sure the con staff will do for my comments.
I agree with you about the subject of the sponsor seating up front. I choose not to use it. I don't feel it's right, somehow; silly, but there you have it.
I was a little offended that Uncle Kage, in his Story Hour, blew us off with "This show is free, buy a ticket to come to my OTHER show for the rest of the stories."... I wish you'd give that some consideration before you start trying to nickel and dime and squeeze us for more.
Please understand I'm not really the type who makes would excuses for the con doing things wrong, but uh. The paid show was for charity, and did good by raising almost $3800 for the animal rescue league.
Please explain to me again why he shouldn't have mentioned this?
Perhaps you should get a slight tune-up on your sense of humour. The con tries to be as reasonable as possible about the money it will take from you, in my opinion, and I've never really felt pressured to give any more money than my initial (and perfectly reasonable, considering the scale and quality of the convention) registration fee.
No problem with mentioning it. However, a little annoyance that he would start a story, get into it, and say "But you'll have to buy the ticket to hear the rest of it." I can see that as a sort of a practical joke on us all, but it is still annoying. And he himself was putting down his own show by saying that it was only the "free" version.
Since avoiding that annoyance would, in my (crackpot) opinion improve the con, it is worth mentioning in the con feedback. I could march lockstep and show Furry Solidarity and say oh gee everything was just as wonderful and couldn't POSSIBLY be better in ANY WAY. I suspect I'd get nothing but pats on the back for saying that-- but nobody would learn anything from it either.
I'm fully aware the world doesn't revolve about me. If my comment is full of crap I expect the con folks to ignore it. Of course in most organizations it would be ignored even if it were indisputably right. But I have a high enough opinion of AC that I think they might actually consider it and, if applicable, learn something from it. You have no idea how rare that is.
uh yeah
give up this 'yelled at for not marching lockstep thing.' seriously. you're being disagreed with because you're saying things that are a bit ridiculous - not 'yelled at.'
It's not hugely often that i find myself agreeing so wholeheartedly with protocollie--he can be quite a bit blunter than i, for starters--but i have to agree with him here.
We respect that this is your opinion. We don't agree with you--some disagree pretty vehemently--but i don't recall any standing expectation that furs sing the con's praises when they post here. The fact that we don't agree and that at least some of us feel you're being unreasonable is about a difference of opinion, not a knee-jerk need to defend the con against any criticism. I would hope that we would always feel free to share any constructive criticism we have with the board, with the understanding that they will take it in a spirit of friendly concern insofar as they can.
The phrase 'march in lockstep', in particular, has (for me) some really nasty associations with fascism that i sincerely hope were unintentional; i would be deeply offended otherwise.
being nice to deter antisocial behavior does nothing when you're dealing with people only interested in themselves. nice words require them to give a crap about other folks.
that kind of person only pays attention when they get hurt.
*nods* Yeah, i recognize that you're just trying to make sure folks really get that what you're saying really matters to you.
In my more practical moments, i imagine that the community needs both of us just as we are to get certain points across--both the poking stick of justice and the steamroller of truth, if you will. 
One way or another, i have every hope that we've been duly heard. 
I could march lockstep and show Furry Solidarity and say oh gee everything was just as wonderful and couldn't POSSIBLY be better in ANY WAY.
The staff's already aware I didn't feel that way about this convention.
However, I confine my complaints to things the staff can actually affect or are their
responsibility.
If my comment is full of crap I expect the con folks to ignore it.
Actually, they review all comments, no matter what they're full of, or not full of.
Kage, as far as I've been able to figure it, just attending the con, including your little "free" talk (with commercial interruptions), cost me about six or seven hundred dollars.
You may find this hard to believe, but the monies spent on hotel rooms, air and ground transportation, food, and even what is spent in the dealer's den, (with the exception of the con store), ARE NOT RECEIVED BY ANTHROCON. All the programming is contributed by the attendees themselves. The three-day admission fee, ($50.00), only goes to the rental of the facilities and operating expenses. In fact, the "six or seven hundrend dollars" you may have spent actually go a lot further because of the agreements Anthrocon is able to negotiate with the hotels and other service providers.
servicing the pawpet community since 2002
Quote:
"The three-day admission fee, ($50.00), only goes to the rental of the facilities and operating expenses"
Actually, my $175 super sponsor fee paid for that. Every year at the super sponsor luncheon Unckle Kage tells us how much of the con super sponsors pay for and this year we covered all of the convention center costs. Where your $50 went to is a good question. Operations costs I'd imagine (paying off unions).
Well, just to nitpick: IIRC, Uncle Kage always says that we Supersponsors pay the rental for the Convention Center. He's a little vague on whether we pay for all of the Convention Center expenses.
Anyway: consider what 'operating expenses' actually include. Rental of function space rental at the Westin. Those rooms cost big bucks. Any setups (stages, tables, rooms switched from meeting to dance space) have to be paid for. The con pays for electricity they use during discussions and dances and for electricity used for Tigerden's free net access. Pays for additional air conditioning. Has to put aside some money to cover con-related damages to hotel and facilities. Has to pay airfare and all associated costs (rooms and food) for the Guest(s) of Honor. Has to print all of the con materials and pay for all signage. Have to allow expenditures for new/replacement equipment such as (maybe) more computers for Registration. After all that, they have to have some reserve to start paying expenses for next year's con before people start registering in high gear. (That last amount is also determined and limited by Anthrocon's not-for-profit status.)
That's off the top of my head: I guarantee there's loads of stuff I missed. (And I'm just an attendee: I'm not Staff or anything remotely official.) Bluntly, there's not much that can be done to reduce any of these expenses except the con-related damage one...
The numbers may not quite line up any more, but some years back I noted that the regular memberships paid for the basic space and expenses, and the supersponsors paid for the nice extras like all the sophisticated A/V equipment for the Masquerade and dances, catering for the Artists & Dealers Reception, etc.
Really, though, it's all one purse, and regular memberships, sponsors and supersponsors all contribute to making Anthrocon possible.
One thing that you seem to be missing is the fact that Uncle Kage's Sotry Hour is EXACTLY what the title says it is.
A. "Uncle Kage's" - Pay attention to the second half of it "Kage's". That means it is HIS SHOW to run however he wants. As you know Kage is busy during 100% of the convention, but decides to take time out twice during the weekend to make special appearances where he is Kage the comedian and not Kage the con chair. Since this is his show, he can run it HOWEVER HE WISHES. He could make one joke, and just stand on stage forcing us to look at him in silence if he wished.
B. "Story Hour" - Once again pay attention to the second half. This show is just an hour long, as is 2's show on Saturday. The programming schedule is very tight, and it takes time to turn a space from a presentation space to a dance space. Kage probably had people signalling him in some way that his time was nearing an end and he HAD to finish up. I am sure he would have loved to take out more time to tell us more, but it just wasn't possible. This is why they have the charity show, for those who want to see more of both performers. By paying the VERY REASONABLE $10. to see them you are making a donation to the charity. Kage, 2, and the Convention do not see that money.
One thing I don't think the OP realizes is that Anthrocon is a not for profit organization. The convention staff and board are not here to make money which is why membership is only a fraction of other types of conventions.
Were you making a pun by calling it Sotry hour? 
Otherwise, you are absolutely correct. It is Kage's hour to speak. He chooses what bizarre incidents have occurred in his life recently. He decides what is humorous and what isn't. Technically, he could bore us all senseless by a recitation of his repetative daily activities in chemistry. It would still be his hour.
Making an attempt to raise additional money for charity by saying that you can hear the rest later... for a price... is not a technique he invented. If you don't want to pay the $10 to hear the additional stories, don't. I paid additional money at the Charity Auction and did not buy a ticket. I felt that I'd been supportive enough.
"Were you making a pun by calling it Sotry hour?"
Unfortunately I am not that clever. It is nothing more than a typo which I shall punish the finger responsible for 
As someone who performs with Uncle Kage, I will let you in on a little secret.
The parts of the stories that Uncle Kage left out in his Story Hour were parts that he would not have told on that stage in the first place.
When performing a stage act, one must edit his material. Perhaps for time constraints, for continuity, or for many different reasons. The missing pieces of Uncle Kage's stories were true. But they were pieces that he generally cuts for the sake of saving time.
Therefore, had there been no charity performance, these bits of his stories likely wouldn't have been heard at all. He simply felt that a fun thing to offer to folks who had donated to get into the charity performance was the missing bits and pieces that he *always* leaves out of his main performance.
In fact, there were previous Story Hour performances that went over an hour. However, when you have a tight schedule for a large room, there really isn't that "overtime" factor built in anymore.
To the OP: We do like to hear from attendees if there is something they feel could be done better. Believe me, there's no "lockstep" marching when it comes to the comments. Thank you for taking time out to post your thoughts.
~Tyrrlin
The first one is free!
Kidding aside, the paid for show was for charity. Plugging it is an important part of raising money for said charity. What better time to plug the charity show than during Story Hour?
I'm terribly sorry your friend's bag was stolen. It really disgusts me that anyone would come to con and steal from someone else, those folks are not respectable people.
Steve Hopps aka "Simba Lion"
Director of Audio & Video
http://www.anthrocon.org/
E-Mail: smblion@anthrocon.org
I really need to keep up with the forums, I miss all the good debates. Let me try to address your concerns in short responses so I'm not runting.
Is AC commercialized? To some extent yes but since AC is classed as a non-profit (I think) organization then that means all of the money they raise (after expenses) goes to charity. Since the charity of the year is present at the con, they handle the money intended for them. Is if fair that to hear the rest of the story you had to pay? I say yes as the whole point was to raise money for a animal based charity. Both 2 and Kage have FREE shows and then do a pay show. A good analogy for this most con goes would get would be going to McDonalds for a free burger give away outside and once you're done eating they tell you there is more inside but you'll have to pay to get them. If you don't want to pay for the second half, just wait a week or two after the con and watch it on Youtube for free (I don't attend the pay ones so I don't know if they allow cameras).
Theft? At AC? Must have been to evil 4channers... Or more likely your friend left his bag unattended and some one picked it up. Check with con ops/lost and found and you might find it. People lose stuff all the time and it usually ends up there. I'm not saying some one didn't steal it, but from my many years of going to AC (I've only missed one) I've found that thefts are rare and usually its just some one thinking they are helping out by taking it to lost and found. Since it was in a bag, unless they wrestled it away from your friend, for it to be missing it must have been left unattended.
You spent how much? Costs pile up fast at a con: be it the discounted hotel rooms for 3-5 nights, spending extra on a sponsor membership to get the good seating, paying too much for food at the few places that are open (both of the restaurants told me they are pulling in a weeks worth of business PER DAY we were there), or dropping $50 on a pencil sketch in the dealers den. How to avoid the expense? Get room mates (even a single King bedroom can have a pull away bed on request to hold 3 people. most folks are at the con 3 days, that's a night a day if you split the cost). Just get a normal attendee membership and show up early to events (You might have to stand in line for a half hour but it gives you time to talk to other people who are waiting, gods forbid we talk to each other without a PC involved right?). There's some cheap places to eat in Pitt if you knew where to look (Steel and Fernandos were both offering special for AC attendees, or bring your own munchies like chips or some thing from home. My one room mate lived off the left overs I brought back from places I ate at). As for art prices in the dealers den, if you want so and so to draw for you, suck it up! If you want more art for your buck, that's what the Artists Alley is for. I've gotten $5 sketches in there that are pretty good and normally you can actually get a artist to sketch for you unlike a lot of the dealers den folks who fill up too fast to catch a lot of the time. I'm not dissing dealers den artists, most of them are worth dropping $50 on but if you just want sketches (even color ones) you can more then likely get 3-10 times as many in the artists alley and with the upgrade in space we had this year you had even more artists to pick from.
So much for keeping it short right? But as far as "marching lockstep" goes, look back through my posts and you'll see I do any thing but. I'm highly opinionated and say whats on my mind regardless to if its PC or AC-friendly. "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Not just pretty words, its some thing I believe in. Freedom of speech is a right in the US, but not on the net where your IP gets banned.
I can clarify/expand on a few points:
- Non-profit status. We're a 501(c)7, which basically means "social club/organization". Basically, we're not allowed to have too much money left over at the end of the year, which means what we spend on things like convention space grows as our membership (and there, revenue) grows.
- Free speech. Just to elaborate on that, there were some court cases in the late 1990s (AOL v. Cyberpromo, Compuserve v. Wallace, etc.) which upheld the doctrine that while everyone has a right to free speech, they have do not have a right to a venue. That said, I only ban IPs as a last resort, when all other efforts to resolve the situation have failed. I really dislike having to ban folks, though.
In addition to the excellent points that everyone else made, there's also the fact that admission to the charity show was a $10 minimum donation. You could certainly give more, but if you just wanted to see the show, it cost $10, and lasted two hours instead of just one. That's on-par with the average movie theater ticket, for a much more unique and probably more entertaining show, with proceeds going directly to the con's sponsored charity. And, it's not like this was a surprise, every mention of the charity show clearly stated that it had separate admission tickets, acquired by making a donation.
If you want to gripe about Kage's promotional methods, fine, but if $10 is really that big of a deal after "about six or seven hundred dollars" AND purchasing a sponsor membership, you're probably doing something wrong. Likewise, if that was such a big deal that it ruined the con for you, you may have missed the point somewhere.
Indeed $10 was a good deal because of the two hours of unique entertainment, going to
a good cause. Think of it as the same cost as the Chinese buffet down the street, or
two of those Furnando's $5 specials.
AC's costs can run up for attendees but just save up a little, roomshare or rideshare,
watch your money, and you can still have a great time. As has been said, by roomsharing
with two others it's like one person pays for the first night, one for the second, etc.;
OR could could look at it like "even with all the fees, a night at a Con hotel split
three ways can amount to $40-50 or so" per person per night. The cheapo hotels 15 miles away charge that.
But you get to be near/at the Con and it's a better hotel. (Food wise the expenses may not have been too much; many affordable places nearby). And yes there is airfare and poss. car rental to think about, but it cost me only $200 to fly to and from New
Hampshire. Pretty reasonable. As for the expense of RUNNING a Con, something like this amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars and yet they have made the Con affordable
for attendees over the years. Space rental, various costs, printing, and so on,
it adds up yet it still fairly affordable. Many of the people who help run this
Con volunteer to do so. Imagine if they all had to be PAID a prevailing wage!
Still quite affordable.
Have attended every single Anthrocon
I remember quite a few story hours in the past where to hear "the rest of the story" you had to win Kage's notecard from the charity auction.
There was apparently a lot of reported theft going on at Anthrocon this year. I have four friends who had something stolen. Unfortunately there's bound to be some fraction of a percentage of a population that will take advantage of someone, and gathering 3700+ people together just increases the chance there's one among them.
I would hardly say that there was "a lot" of theft going on. In ten years of running the convention, I have found that the majority of cases of "theft" translated to "I left an item sitting on a table in the zoo while I went to the Dance and when I got back it was gone." Very often the items alleged to have been stolen wind up in our lost and found.
No doubt. In the case I mentioned, the art bag didn't end up in Lost and Found. Also it had an ID card in it, so returning it would have been pretty easy had the person who took it desired.
I don't know what, if anything, could be done about what theft occurs. Like any crime, no doubt nothing would eliminate it completely. Well, it happens. Maybe someone smarter than I could figure out something, maybe not.
Folks folks.
Hafoc is merely voicing what didn't sit well with him at the convention. He's entitled to do that. We proactively ask folks for their input so we can make the convention better.
Kage has heard his comments, and they have been noted. Someone stole something from a friend and he was saying how disappointed he was over that. It's a normal comment and one where we should sympathize...not condemn or pick on him for it. We can be supportive and try to assuage hurt feelings. That's really what kind of sets us apart from other fandoms.
So Hafoc, I'm really sorry that some things happened to put a damper on the weekend for you. My hope is that you did have some fun and good memories despite some events that brought the weekend down for you. And I'd further hope that you'll remember enough good things over the bad to come back and have more fun with us next year. I know it can be an expensive proposition at times...but we try to build something to give you a foundation for a great weekend. In the end, that's really what we're trying to do for you.
KP
Thanks.
I do understand a few things. For example, that part of Uncle Kage's humor is being a charming Rogue, and a bit of.. I don't know, is it practical joking, exactly?.. is part of that. I know that theft happens; maybe something could be done to reduce its possibility, maybe not.
And if people don't do exactly what I say, I will.. hold my breath and turn blue? Eat worms? I don't think so. Assuming layoff problems are over I'll besmirch the place with my presence next year, if I can.
There is a lot that can be done. It starts with people keeping a closer eye on their belongings. I say again, what is often reported as "theft" is translated to "I left something lying around." It may have been picked up by a passerby who either kept it (which is slightly below "theft" but still unkind); it may have been turned in to the hotel lost and found; it may have been set somewhere in such a position that the finder thought the owner must surely see it (as I often do with gloves found during the Winter).
Even if there was a lurking malefactor intent on stealing something, it is unwise to give that person the opportunity. People will watch their belongings like hawks at an airport, and then they'll come to Anthrocon and leave them sitting in the Zoo for three hours while they go to the Dance. Then they come racing up to me screaming, "Thief! Thief!"
What am I do to?
You can't do anything really. The victims have every opportunity to prevent theft. What they do, however, is up to them. It is part of having free will.
Don't even get me started on people reporting thefts from their con rooms when they throw a wild "everyone's invited" party. I saw many such posts on FA already.
-The two saddest words in the English language are "Good bye"
Mike
exactly. sometimes i wonder how you even keep sane with all the problems that come your way. oh by the way did find out who was screwing out the light bulbs in the elevator?
Mike
if money was such an issue why did you bother coming? i mean come on pal be realistic. youre saying 10 dollars that goes to help animals is nickling and diming you? the staff put lots of effort into making this con a fun place and you complain about how uncle kage is trying to nickle you? ever stop to think the expense he and the others put into this convention not to mention they do this for free and not get paid? stop complaining about how it costs you money and think about how much time they put in this event so you and others can have a good time
This has probably already been asked a thousand times, but ... just in case: did you check with the lost & found forums? As many have pointed out: lots of things are turned in. Sure, some things are lost and taken, some things are simply taken, but MANY things are lost, turned in, and found.
Last year, I had to bolt through Chicago airport for a connecting flight. Along the way, I stopped at a counter and accidentally left a prized auction win of a specially crafted piece of art. And later, I left my wallet on the plane flying into Denver. The wallet was returned, the artwork was never turned in. To avoid Chicago airport for the one incident would be extreme.
As for Kage's patter -- how would you recommend it happen differently to meet with your satisfaction?
Criticism of the con is fine. Criticism of the con that is paired with constructive suggestions for mitigating the flaws is SUPER! (and that holds true for any form of critique -- pair any complaints with suggestions for maximal effect). If you have some ideas to address the problems you've observed, that would be more helpful.
--Rooth
--Draco nemo omnibus horis sapit
I'd like to say that it was a pleasure to join Uncle Kage in donating some stage work to help out a very worthwhile charity again this year. I always enjoy performing for furries, especially when it has me working along side such a talented performer as Uncle Kage. And I have to admit to a certain sense of pride at hearing the amount of money that we were able to raise.
I'm sure there are some folks out there who, for whatever reason, believe that helping out this charity through the art of performance was somehow in bad taste. People who hold this opinion have the right to express it and I ultimately respect that.
However with all due respect, I can't speak for Dr. Conway but I would like to keep doing it anyway. It's not that I find this opposing perspective short-sighted, selfish, immature, unreasonable, uninformed, totally reprehensible, or almost completely incomprehensible -- even thought it might strongly appear that I do. I simply believe that the overall good that was sown from this event far outweighs any negativity people might have felt from it.
No disrespect intended, but I do hope to be joining Uncle Kage again next year to help raise money for the AnthroCon charity by entertaining and bringing a smile to the faces of hundreds.
- 2 Gryphon
This is a reply from a non-staffer. Make of it what you will.
He ran a full panel of storytelling. He mentioned he had more stories, but the
Charity has to get $10 to hear those. That's hardly "blowing off." I loved one of
the stories at UKSH especially.
"Commercial interruptions?" How many notices about the charity performance did you
sit through?
As for some consideration, IIRC, the sponsors had RESERVED SEATING close to the
stage. I was in the back trying to zoom my camera, and watching along on the
jumbo screen thoughtfully provided.
As for the overall costs for the convention and Kage not caring, that's the sign of
someone who lacks context. Go on. Go to a few more conventions, conventions for
different hobbies. The mandatory attendance fee can be 4 times the one for AC.
Kage-and the staff-do everything they can to keep all prices low, from the expenses
passed on as attendance, to the convention blocks for the hotel rooms.
If they didn't care, the con would still be in Philadelphia and the prices would have
just tripled. They COULD have done it- they move all their preparation materials from
the Philly area to Pittsburgh every year.
Complaining about hotel costs is silly. Too expensive? Get a roommate- or 3.
The convention room block is already discounted a lot.
Complaining about the admission is ridiculous- the prices are VERY low, and the
sponsors/supersponsors get something for their consideration.
The only thing AC can't do is arrange cheap travel to Pittsburgh- but they
announce when they hear of flight sales.
Anyone thinking that AC, of all places, nickels and dimes has no real experience of
BEING nickel-and-dimed.
Moneywise, AC is a GREAT deal for a vacation. Once you pay the entrance fee, there's
hundreds of panels of entertainment you can join in for no additional fee-
plus the rooms for video games and tabletop gaming. Don't believe me? Go ahead-
shop around and compare prices. As a panelist (someone who works through the year
to prepare for the con, then gives up part of his contime on 2 different days,
so that you have things to do which are free- I'd say I have more of a pretext to
complain than you, and I certainly will be back next year. If it's worth it for me,
then you're not in a position to complain over me.
MOST AC ATTENDEES DO NOT WEAR A FURSUIT OR ANY KIND OF COSTUME.