Show Sleuth missed a few comments in reply to the first post about the Ohio
show, and because of Bill Killian's most recent post the oversight was
found.  I do not want anyone - especially the posters- to think I was
ignoring the comment, so here's my reply.  (Sometimes a cc of your post to
the FML to the person you're replying to is not a bad idea, I scan the FML
not read it in full).
 
>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: misc
>As for the ferret show "critique", be happy you have one to attend.  Not
>all of us live in areas where shows are possible.  I can appreciate
>constructive ideas to make the show better in the future, but posting an
>anonymous negative check list is counterproductive and insulting to those
>who make these events possible.  I would suggest volunteering your time
>to the committee or individuals instead.
 
Well, considering Show Sleuth can't volunteer to every show committee, this
isn't a possibility.  First of all, Show Sleuth did not mean to post a
"negative check list" about the show -- there were positive things and they
were listed as well.  As mentioned before Show Sleuth is only trying to
help in the communication of positive and negative aspects to those who
host shows, so that they are aware of the things said.  Many times lots is
said about what people thought of a show but not to the people who hosted
the show, and that's who really needs to know.  As far as Show Sleuth's
anonymity, I have addressed that as well.  It would not be possible to
critique shows in total honesty if Show Sleuth's identity was known.  You
have no idea who Show Sleuth is.  Perhaps someone well known?  Perhaps
someone who does host shows?  Perhaps someone involved in either LIFE or
AFA?  Or perhaps just a show goer who doesn't want to be afraid that the
judging of Show Sleuth's ferrets will be consciously or unconsciously
affected by knowing who Show Sleuth is.  The whole idea is that Show Sleuth
can be completely open and honest -- for BETTER or for WORSE, without fear
of political nonsense.  Would you have made the same comments if Show
Sleuth had said that the Ohio show was terrific, the best show ever?  Of
course not - you think I was attacking the show coordinators.  Not at all.
And you will never see Show Sleuth report on a show that says "the show
stank and nobody should ever attend."  The entire GOAL for Show Sleuth is
to make ALL shows SO incredible that everyone wants to attend.  I truly
hope that the coordinators of the Ohio show did not think I was being
insulting at all.  I did apologize to Jerry that his show was the first
that I critiqued; no matter what the first one was going to be the hardest
one for show hosts, but hopefully in time show coordinators will look
forward to the posts after the show so they can know in honesty what folks
thought of the show.
 
In reply to Bill Killian on political stuff with shows, etcetera: Show
Sleuth doesn't want to go too far into this controversy.  That's not my
place, though I have seen it for years and it is not really getting any
better.  Though I know last year that some AFA higher-ups did attend a
LIFE show (don't think they showed) and that was great to see.  I was
told that they attended to try to help bridge the gap between the two
organizations, however since I did not overhear that from any person
involved in LIFE or AFA, I can't say for sure that's why, or if it did any
good.  I don't think necessarily that AFA and LIFE should have to have the
same standards (but BOY, would that make figuring out what color my ferrets
are much easier!) but what has always bothered Show Sleuth is that the
bottom line premise of shows is to help educate the ferret community about
ferrets, their care, their maintenance, etc.  BOTH organizations deserve
mega kudos for what they have done in that regard.  Before Show Sleuth
began showing ferrets, everything I did was wrong, wrong, wrong in regards
to nutrition, frequency of bathing, grooming, etcetera.  Now I think that
I am a darned good ferret owner, and it is ALL due to what I learned as a
result of going to shows and meeting those who knew better than me.
 
Does Show Sleuth like AFA better or LIFE better -- neither.  There are
certain SHOWS that I have attended that are my favorites, the top two I can
think of, one is an AFA show and the other is a LIFE show.  I think that
both organizations have very strong points and very weak points.  But Show
Sleuth is a SHOW critic, not a ORGANIZATION critic, so that's all I will
say there.
 
Bill, if you want to discuss politics off-line, Show Sleuth will be happy
to go there, but not in public forum -- could be dangerous!  :-)
 
Murray Mustelid the Show Sleuth
[Posted in FML issue 2797]