Bruce Toback wrote:

> Greg Cagle writes:
>
> >"Stan Sieler" <[log in to unmask]> wrote in message
> >news:399b1964$1_2@skycache-news.fidnet.com...
> >> Hi all,
> >>
> >> The opening keynote speaker at HP World 2000 is Al Franken.
> >>
> >> Hmmm... http://www.speaking.com/speakers/alfranken.html
> >> indicates that the cost of getting Al Franken as a speaker is in
> >> the $20 K to $25 K range.
> >>
> >> That's 20 *THOUSAND* to 25 *THOUSAND* dollars.
> >>
> >> Why in the hell is Interex spending our money this way?
> >
> >Stan, you obviously haven't tried to book a large conference keynote
> >speaker lately. It is the GOING RATE.
> >
> >> Who's having a power-trip ("I/we must be important, we've got
> >> a big name speaker)?
> >
> >HP World is an industry-leading conference. This is par for the
> >course. No power trip involved, just competitive reality. Perhaps
> >you remember Scott Adams, one of our previous keynotes. Why don't
> >you go check HIS rates and then get back to us.
>
> Hmm... I haven't heard this defense before: It costs lots of money to do
> something dumb, and if you remember the dumb things we did previously,
> this is a bargain by comparison.
>
> Maybe I'm being too harsh. Let me check... here it is, Webster's Ninth
> New Collegiate Dictionary:
>
>   keynote address, n. (1908): an address designed to present the issues
>   of primary interest to an assembly...
>
> So Al Franken is going to talk about meeting service expectations in a
> 24x7 world, perhaps? The end of Saturday night downtime? What can this
> guy possibly have to say that would be of primary interest to a group of
> HPWorld attendees?
>
> At least in years past, Interex made an attempt to get recognized IT
> professionals for keynotes. A fair number of them didn't actually have
> anything of importance to say once they got there, but we could give
> Interex half-credit for trying. Now you pay $25K for an entertainer at a
> user group conference. That's absurd. Or isn't Interex a user group any
> more?
>
> Jerry Fochtman tries to defend the indefensible by saying "The attendees
> made us do it." This defense doesn't even have the advantage of novelty.
> I remember that survey, and I also remember that it didn't say, "If we're
> going to spend upwards of $25,000 on a speaker, should that person
> be...". Interex should be assessed a fifteen-yard penalty for withholding
> information. Most attendees know that these speakers are paid. I doubt
> that many of them suspected the size of the speaking fees involved, three
> or four months' salary for two hours' work.
>
> Come on, Jerry... if they want a recognized entertainer, how about
> getting Larry Wall on structured programming? Carly Fiorina on rewarding
> customer loyalty? Ron Zambonini, CEO of Cognos, on the merits of the open
> source model? Or even, given the location, Janet Reno on how Carnivore
> will protect privacy? Any of these should be at least as entertaining as
> Al Franken is likely to be, and they might actually be "of primary
> interest" to the assembly.
>
> I have attended big conferences in major cities -- in the same venues as
> HPWorld uses -- with admission prices less than a third of what Interex
> charges. They get good, relevant keynote speakers -- even famous ones --
> and they beat Interex for information rates, both in bits per dollar and
> bits per hour. Maybe, if you'll can the entertainers for a year, you
> could actually provide a superior product.
>
> -- Bruce
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Bruce Toback    Tel: (602) 996-8601| My candle burns at both ends;
> OPT, Inc.            (800) 858-4507| It will not last the night;
> 11801 N. Tatum Blvd. Ste. 142      | But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends -
> Phoenix AZ 85028                   | It gives a lovely light.
> btoback AT optc.com                |     -- Edna St. Vincent Millay
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> pay, including collection costs.

Bruce, you took the words right off my keyboard!!!!

Couldn't have typed it any better.


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Larry Barnes
Director of I.T.
Mitek Corp.
602-438-4545 X 1366
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