From: Walter Miles <walter at nova.org>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 13:01:27 -0400
Subject: [WSFA] Re: I have reservations
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

Hello Elspeth

On 11/14/03, Elspeth Kovar wrote:
EK> At 09:21 PM 11/13/03, Keith F. Lynch wrote:
EK>> Walter Miles <walter at nova.org> wrote:

EK>>> ... I should like to see published the conditions
EK>>> governing the room block guarantee (deadlines, numbers, and
EK>>> penalties).  We should understand precisely the catastrophe we
EK>>> are trying to avert.
EK>>
EK>> Me too.  Does the club lose *more* than $94 per room night not booked?

If we come up one room short, probably a lot more.

EK>> If so, the club can save money (i.e. lose less money) by booking rooms
EK>> itself, and letting them stand empty.  If *not*, then a WSFAn can
EK>> benefit the club more by donating $94 to the club than by booking a
EK>> room night.

Er, plus hotel tax?   Anyway, the WSFAn may benefit by having a
room to collapse in at 3 a.m. rather than journeying home, so
that the total benefit to individual and club might be greater
than the simple cost of a room.  You know, like getting a video
of Jim Lehrer saying "Eh-yeah" to thousands of interviewees on
the Newshour as a reward for your donation.

EK> I've already sent Sam and Peggy Rae a spreadsheet for calculating the
EK> points at which it costs less to rent sleeping rooms and letting them stand
EK> empty. It's a fairly complex matter, since the cost of function space
EK> changes depending on how many rooms are booked and there's also an
EK> attrition, or penalty clause. But the way that the spreadsheet (which I
EK> can't take credit for) is set up all they have to do is plug in the room
EK> pick up.

That's good.  Now, will Sam provide us with an update or summary
to aid us is deciding how (or whether) we each can help the con?

Be seeing you,

Walter Miles