Re: aga-contest

["James Purchase" <jpurch@interlog.com>]

Ken Guin wrote:

I volunteered to help out on this project, so it is sort of hard to sit back
and read all of the posts and not want to add a few tidbits.
<snip>
However, if one or two busy people take complete control of what sounds like
a "nice" idea at the moment but falter along the way, we might have a
problem. Hint: let's spread the responsibility around, okay?
------------

First of all, I didn't ask Erik to set up this mailing list so that people
could just listen to me pontificate... I need to hear your thoughts,
opinions, whatever. I want people here who are willing and able to speak up
(and quite possibly tell me to shut up, when necessary...). Everyone's input
is valuable and everyone's opinion and point of view can be shared.

I don't want anybody to get the impression that _anybody_ is gonna control
this thing - I see this as a collective effort. But it does need direction,
at least at this point - and I claim the right to direct, at least for
now...

Ken and a number of others have stated that they have scanning equipment - I
guess that print scanning equipment is getting to be very affordable so a
lot of people (like me) have scanners. Ken also has slide scanning ability -
still a rarity, due to the cost of the equipment (to do it well, at any
rate...). This is terrific, and could be very valuable.

However - I have some MAJOR concerns with multiple people handling original
submissions - the first is the potential for confusion that this could
present to potential entrants. Who are they gonna send their
prints/slides/etc. to??? I like the idea of there being ONE address where
ALL submissions are initially directed. It would really cut out the
possibility of confusing the public.

The second concern is if the person who receives the submitted material is
not willing/prepared/capable of doing ALL of the
scanning/converting/storing/transmitting etc. of the resulting material,
then that means the stuff is going to have to be transported, using either
the Post Office or a Courier, to one or more other people in different
locations. Every time something leaves your hands it stands the chance of
getting misplaced, misdirected, damaged or lost. I want to avoid this
possibility at all costs.

Ken continued:

I would also like to emphasize that I believe the idea of this
contest/showcase originated when someone (was it you James P?) wondered out
loud about whether an American-style aquarium, as opposed to a Dutch or
Amano style, had evolved over the years.  Although, I think we really do
need to make the contest/showcase international, I sure would like to see us
explore the possibility of whether an "American style" does exist, and, if
so, what it is. Maybe strategic subgroupings in the contest will be able to
bring this out. I think this should be a very important by-product of this
contest/showcase, maybe even its theme.
--------------

Yes, it was me. But I was really reacting to something that Roger Miller
used as part of his signature line - about wishing that the group (the APD)
could discuss something other than fertilizers for a change...

If we hope for full AGA approval/backing this is going to have to be much
more open than a look at "Made in America" aquascapes would imply. See my
comments in an earlier post about the part I feel the AGA has to play in
this. Both the APD and the AGA have strong international participation -
this contest should reflect that. As a Canadian, I would not be very
interested in a U.S. only affair - and I'm sure that neither Olga or Steve
(both from Vancouver, B.C.) nor Jose (from Peru) would be interested either.
The World does not end north of the 49th Parallel nor south of the Rio
Grand.[but I do admit to being addicted to CNN <g>]

Of course, that being said - what you suggest is very possible (and very
likely to happen) - it might be very interesting, from a comparative
perspective and from an educational viewpoint to see submissions from
various parts of the world. If we get enough submissions, we might very well
be able to see just where the U.S. "fits" in artistic sensibility compared
to other countries.

James Purchase
Toronto