From: dani@netcom.com (Dani Zweig)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Pennsic prices
Date: 15 Sep 92 03:06:57 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

whheydt@PacBell.COM (Wilson Heydt):
[Responds at length to the effect that many of the itemized Pennsic
expenses could have been done without or aren't very expensive, or
aren't needed in the West.]

All true, but so what?  These aren't expenditures that are being made because
the people at Pennsic are fond of spending money or are afraid of the sun.
They're being made because twenty Pennsics' accumulated experience shows that
they're worth making.  And they add up to enough that nobody's getting rich
from the site fees. 

>>Rented tents for the troll, 
>
>There is a permanent gate-house at the site entrance.

And if there were a permanent gate-house at this site entrance there'd
be no need for those tents.  What's your point?

>>archery fields, 
>
>A rented tent for this?  Why?

Archery's a good example of an activity whose expenses (tent, targets, etc.)
may seem unnecessary if you ignore the scale.  The target range alone (there's
also the clout range) involves six to twelve targets being shot at all day,
every day for a week.  (And remember, rain is as likely as sun.)

>>More tents for Arts and Sciences classes.  
>
>We have lots of folks with suitable shelter for classes--and if a call
>is made for volunteered space, sufficient is found.

Again, consider the scale.  One of the sub-activities at Pennsic is
a week-long university.  We're not talking about finding shelter for a
class or few, but about finding shelter for several classes, all day,
every day for a week.  It could be done, but it's just not worth the
problems of coordinating such an effort (let alone making sure that
people can find their classes when they need to).

>Hodl it!  *Pennsic* is paying the electric bill? 

Like running water, privies, etc., the money is coming out of the forty-odd
dollars per person of site fees.  It's the total fee that was being questioned.
So yes, Pennsic is paying the bill.  Is it important whether the utilities
are a separate line item for us or part of the expenses the Coopers pay out
of their share of the site fees?

>Seeing what you consider nice-to-have, I wonder if you should check to see 
>if it would be cost-effective to buy some of these things even if they're
>only used once a year.

"Nice to have"...  Why so patronizing?  Do you suppose the people running 
Pennsic to be incapable of doing arithmetic, or do you suppose them to be
too decadent to put up with the inconveniences of camping?  As alternatives,
let me suggest that

-- The size and scope make a qualitative difference.  There comes a point
	at which it becomes impractical to scale up normal-event solutions.

-- The climate makes a qualitative difference.  Daytimes can be very hot and
	very humid, nights can get within shouting distance of freezing, and
	rains are probable.  You have to plan on the assumption that most
	activities will be held during bad weather.

-- And yes, the fact that most of the special equipment is needed only
	once a year, instead of regularly, does mean that Pennsic has 
	far less 'capital equipment' upon which to draw.

-----
Dani of the Seven Wells
dani@netcom.com

   God helpe the man so wrapt in Errours endless traine  -- Edmund Spenser