Uggggh!

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

O.K., now, one, two, three,... breathe.....in... out.... relax....

I'm beginning to feel like Ali McBeal.... I too have a "theme song..... mine
is "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" by Simon & Garfunkle...

First of all, on Voting....

Just because I put the Name issue to a vote, don't expect a vote to be held
on every issue.... the majority here are not AGA members and if the
concencus is something that I feel violates AGA principles I may
unilaterally over-rule it... just so you know...

George, and everyone else.... one reason why I keep trying to push and shove
is that while (almost) everyone seems to be reaching a common concencus on
some major issues, almost everyone is also suggesting slanting/rigging the
Judging to favour planted tanks. I think doing that, if accepted as one of
our "guiding principles" is going to lead to MAJOR problems down the road,
and I don't really think that everyone has thought it through and can offer
a simple way of doing it.

Merely saying that we will give prior notice to everyone of this fact and
placing judging guidelines favouring planted tanks in the hands of each
judge is not enough - as everyone should be painfully aware of at this point
in time - people see, read and hear what they WANT to see, read and hear.

Without elevating him any further in in status, Amano displays some
aquascapes that would be painfully skimpy by "Dutch" standards, yet they are
visually stunning examples of aquascaping. A "rockscape" overgrown with
algae featuring Rift Lake Cichlids might take not only a practiced eye to
aquascape but also all the skill an aquatic gardener can muster to maintain
in good condition (see the current thread on the APD regarding "good
algae").

Coming up with comprehensive and fair judging guidelines is going to be
hairy enough without introducing the extra burden of building in a "slant"
to favour plant tanks.

That's one side.... now lets look at the other....

I've already covered, and CLOSED, the issue of AGA involvement in this. I
realize that only a small minority of people here may actually be AGA
members but everyone has to realize that there MIGHT be some point beyond
which the AGA MC is not willing to stretch their probably limited resources.

To quote from the AGA website, the organization's stated Purpose is:

- to disseminate information about aquatic plants.
- to study and improve upon techniques for culturing aquatic and bog plants
in aquariums and ponds.
- to increase interest in aquatic gardening.
- to promote fellowship among its members.

Now, I _tend_ to agree with Olga that it is a stretch, for me as an AGA
member, to see them getting very interested in a contest which even had a
possibility where a non-planted tank could take first prize.

I _can_ see them being interested in an event open to aquatic gardeners for
judging  and all other aquascapers as a showcase only.

On the _third_ hand.... (I'm Canadian, and there is a lot of in-breeding up
here....)...

But as I read over the messages which have just been posted by George and
Justin, maybe I am wrong in thinking that it is even going to be _possible_
to draw a line in the laterite as to "what" constitutes a "planted tank".
Maybe it _should_ be wide open. I just want everyone to think about the
consequences of their choices BEFORE we set anything in stone.

But I still don't like "slanting" the judging... it is patently unfair...

I like George's suggestion of leaving it up to the entrant to decide whether
or not to have their tank submitted for judging.

(George, a freshwater plant tank is MUCH more challenging than a saltwater
reef tank - I've kept both, and the mini-reef was a walk in the park...)

Shit! The longer I think about this, the more I'm convinced that we should
open it up to everyone, leave it up to them to decide if they want their
tanks judged or just showcased via a checkbox on the entry form, and get a
group of FAIR, COMPETENT Judges to decide what looks best.

(Karen is going to have a bird when she gets back and reads all of
this.....)

James Purchase
Toronto
[just call me pretzel boy....]




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