Re: [AGA-sc] FW: Mr. Amano's workshop

[Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com>]

From: ADA [mailto:ada@adana.co.jp]

> Do you know how many people will attend this year's convention?

Estimate 125 people.

> availability was limited, and it was a bit stressful experience for us to use 
> other manufacturer's substrate, aquarium
> tanks, and lighting equipment for Mr. Amano's workshop.

In 2004, it was more than a bit stressful for all the ground crew to deal 
with all of his official ADA parephenalia, some of which was damaged in 
shipping, I recall.

> We would like to find a sponsor or buyer for these workshop equipment 
> during the AGA convention, so that we do not have to ship them back to 
> Houston or Japan.

They need to know that we are plumb tapped out of sponsors.  They need to 
know that the convention is already losing money in this down economy.

> Or if possible, we would like to bring these items separately on Sunday auction.

This would be acceptable, obviously.  I think we could even waive the 
usual split and make it a passthrough item.

> We do not have to make a profit out of this, but we would like to cover at 
> least the minimum costs, and transport fees.

I don't think we can guarantee this, especially in the auction.  How much 
are they talking?  If it cost ~500 to ship from Houston, you can bet it's 
costing even more to get it from Japan.


I mean, come on, who are they kidding at this point?  What parts of this 
are really needed?  OK, I'll give that the substrate and tools can make a 
difference.  I'll even give them the tank.  But the stands, the cabinetry, 
the lights... no way.

Maybe what you can do is suggest that the AGA will guarantee no more than 
X (approximately $500 that we're planning on paying to get the goods from 
Houston).  This can be applied to shipping EVERYTHING from Houston, or 
could be applied to shipping HALF THE CRAP to and from Houston.  We can 
also put things in the auction or sell flat rate (remember my idea from a 
few months back about micro-sponsors?).

Luis was here in Seattle last spring, and being the aquatic plant gossip 
king that he is, implied something about Amano getting "kinda weird" in 
the last year or so, perhaps ADA not making so much money, not sure.

  - Erik



--
Erik Olson
erik at thekrib dot com

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