Posted by Marvin Amstey on January 11, 1999 at 09:42:43:
In Reply to: Re: Conferences - Fees posted by Yon Bard on January 11, 1999 at 08:15:51:
: In slight mitigation of the ICOC I'd like to say that they have extended the $580 deadline to 3/1/99, and that the fee includes transportation from Milan to Florence, though this is far from accounting for the increase from the previous ICOC. Also, they have no reduced admission to exhibits and dealer row for accompanying spouse.
: Regards, Yon
Having been the organzer and program chairman for a number of medical conferences, both scientific and clinical I can confirm Jerry's presumption of complimentary registrations. More than that, we also had a few (1-15) with complimentary room and board and transportaiton! While having taken advantage of this system from the receiver's point of view, I can also say there will probably be few speakers of note at any reasonable conference if they are not paid. I don't think there is anyone in the rug world of Henry Kissinger's stature and speaking accumen who can command a $30,000. fee; in fact, there is no one in the rug world entertaining and knowledgeable enough to command any fee, but I bet some are paid to people like Pinner, Tzareva, Schurmann, etc. Nonetheless, that is the reality - take it or leave it.
My own list of best to worst mimics Yon's; the lectures are the least rewarding in general terms. If we use the last TM's convention as a model, the onlt lecture with real interest and educational value was the ethnographer from Indiana, and he doesn't even collect rugs.
So back to Jerry's question, what do we do to make a better meeting? Marvin