I like Oreo blizzards.

Imagine if Sonic just gave away their cherry limeades. Think anyone would want to pay for them in the future?

And for what it's worth - the 99 cent jr. banana split is over priced. A roll of pennies is BIGGER than that da mn thing.

Robert

My god I do love this place. Nowhere in the world other than in magic would you hear people voicing such strong opinions without having ANY practical knowledge to back it up. I mean, I am talking about people who never worked a fair, will never work a fair, and really, probably have no interest in fairs and festivals at all. Yet, without any thought for their own regard they rush into an argument with guns that contain zero amunition and try and light a blaze.

NOWHERE other than magic, politics, religion, and professional sports, will you ever see such fantastic armchair experts. I LOVE IT! I mean who cares what their opinion is? They have no idea what they are talking about. But if you try and tell them that they will become incredibly indignant and say, "My opinion is just as valid as anybody else's!" Well, I'm here to say, NO IT ISN'T. An opinion not based in reality is fantasy, and the world of magicdom LOVES FANTASAY. Man, some of this stuff is equivalent to the guys who paint there chests, go to football games, drink beer, and hoot from the stands, when it's 20 below. I love those guys too and do you know why? They think their opinion counts too! THEY ARE IMPORTANT PEOPLE! THEY HAVE PAINTED THEIR BODIES, STOOD IN THE STANDS, AND SCREAMED INSTRUCTIONS TO THE TEAM THEY LOVE. Unfortunately, the coach is not calling him up on Monday to ask for his opinion. Why? BECAUSE HIS OPINION IS WORTHLESS! HE IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL! HE IS NOT EVEN AN AMATEUR!

But in magic, WOW! Guys who have worked festivals for YEARS some of them who have worked festivals ALL OVER THE WORLD will engage these guys and by arguing with them, and give them validation! THEY BECOME IMPORTANT! THEIR OPINION COUNTS! GOD BLESS AMERICA! That is a beautiful and wondrous thing! I mean me personally I'd be embarrassed if I found out I was arguing about rocket science with the director of flight engineering at NASA, but not these guys! They have an opinion, and it has been validated! Some of the best fair workers in the world have responded. WOW! it warms in the cockles of my heart, perhaps even lower, the sub cockles even. Because while there are these types of people in the other areas I have mentioned, ONLY in magic will these chest painted, tongue wagging, beer drinking, arm chair quarterbacks, have their meaningless opinions entertained by professionals in the field! It is amazing, **sniff** I'm getting Verklempt, Farklempt even.

And all of this is why I like turtles!

God bless us, every one!

Best,

Dan-

Danny... seriously man, wrong with you? It is not about opinion, it is about alternate theory.

Jim,

Have I mentioned?...I LIKE TURTLES!

ox

Dan-

P.S. GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL THE SHIPS AT SEA!!

Hey Jim, I like your new Avatar!

p.s. I have had a few cherry limeades so I know what I'm talking about!

Thanks!
I like your "other" avatar.

Tom hughes: Basically, if they have an operating budget, try to get your hands on as much of it as you can!

Bottom line is that it's very easy to poison a well, and it can last years.

To those that object to the name "scab". Well, sorry... but not so much. If you ask me (and you did), it's far worse than crossing a picket line. Unions have written rules and lawyers fighting in court, and hefty fines for infractions; all we have is each other's good will and honesty to fall back on. Think it over.

Yeh Chance... I see your point. The problem I find though is that fairs will try and get me to work and then when I quote a fee they'll plead poverty. I turned down some work for my local chamber of commerce last month for this reason but it is kind of frustrating... I really want to work, straight busk on streetcorners at weekends but, as you say, don't want to "poison the well" for others at fairs and festivals and so find myself turning down work where I could make decent hats... I think it's a catch 22 situation.

Scab? Oooohh... that's a nasty word!

tom

I get CHEESED because some of the cable stations I watch run ads for Sonic and we don't have one ANYWHERE in the New England area!

I would LOVE to try some of the stuff they push in those ads!



Chocolate covered caramel with peanuts! Best kind of turtle there is.

You still don't get it do you Mandrake and yes...

It seems you still like turtles!

He is right though, the chocolate covered ones are AWESOME!!!!!

I don't get what? I was trying to avoid the what appeared to be turning into a flame war by dropping the point completely. I got into one of those once here and it wasn't pretty so I'm backing away quietly with my eyes on the claws!

Tooche away!

Looking back at post one on this thread it seems a whole host of other things have been dropped in the pot.

I know nothing of US Fairs, but lay out below the facts regarding UK Fairs, looking at the facts you will see that in order to work them, compromise is a key feature.

UK Fairs are run by the Showmans Guild (I refer to main charter and royal right fairs, ie Nottingham,Bridgewater, Hull, Oxford, Newcastle Town moor etc etc) These have been running for generations and have thousands of people traffic.
To me people = Cash = I want it = Happiness.

The Guild do not pay entertainers, naver have, never will, fact, well lets say for the last 500 years at least (Even Fawkes, paid rental for his booth in St Barts Fair).
I don`t care how clever you are with your tongue, how good you are at persuading, you will not work any of these (And there are hundreds of them)Fairs on a payement basis.

So I guess those of you who think it beneath themselves to work in other ways, will never get the opportunity to experience such a volume and money potential that a fair can give.
That`s your loss.
Believe me the opportunities in this virtualy untapped area are vast.

Now to other fairs ie RenFairs etc....yes you go in on your fee,,,yes they pay, and if your good enough they pay top rate. I agree, never work for nout at this type of venue (I refer to the UK again, haveing done 18 years with 4 Seasons Events, on top payement) This is not what the thread started out discussing.

Other Fairs ie,,,Traction Rallies etc require yet again a different angle (UK only of course)So I will not go into it here.

Loved your post Dan.

Still not quite Figged out why we are knocking a guy in work or for getting his work. Without the true facts I don`t think anyone can make a fair comment.

Ken

I say no more flames! JUST TURTLES! Spread the joy!

Best,

Dan-

For the record, I'm not singling out any one person -- not the OP or anyone who happens to disagree with me for any reason. I happen to like heated dialog; everyone is too PC now and has forgotten how to debate. (Do schools even teach debate any more?) Or maybe my skin (like my skull) is a little thicker than most. Either way, no flames were/are intended. On the other hand, I will not be responsible for your lack of self esteem (again, "you" in the general sense) any more than I would apologize for winning a chess match.

But the topic of scabbing seems important to me, and that IS what I am trying to address here -- no matter who or where is involved.

Ken -- It seems that UK fairs are VERY different than here in the US. We don't have any unions controlling matters over here, and every fair, no matter what type or where they are held, are all treated as individual entities that can create and enforce their own private set of rules without any outside interference.

Fortunately somewhat free speech is still a protected right, not here at the Café mind you, just in general. Thinking what you want is also somewhat protected. I like freedom. It beats lock step blah blah blah.

Never worked a Faire or Fair in my life. I have been employed. I have employed.
I say capitalism and a free market.
Guy A will work for tips only, guy B wants a rate.
Both have decided what they will be happy with.
Organization now makes a decision.

I see no difference in that and me deciding to go to Sonic for the tasty beverages or Wendys for a Frosty, or Johnny B's for a burger or Long John for fish. Both have a product, both have decided what to charge for it. I make a decision.

If someone wants to work and decides that working for tips alone will satisfy their needs, more power to them.
The guy that wants/needs more will have to show more value.

I hate unions, the concept that a person that will work for a wage lower than another guy is wrong(scab), and any form of communism.

Freedom, it's not just for history books anymore.

Not to steer too far off course >>>> Is there a journal, like the Stage or worlds fair over here, available in the US ie >>> Show listings, contact numbers etc ?? Would love any info on this cos Im taking a year out 2009 and would like to play in your backyard !!!!

God elp yer.

Ken

"Amusement Business" seems to be what you might want to look for.

This listing is for 2005, but I'm certain they have something more up to date.

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-131763237.html

Problem is, doing an internet search found a lot of "Auto Shows" and "Job Fairs"

Good luck!