Honestly

[mojo]

removed

[mojo]

removed

[Spearmaster]

Already responded at Casinomeister - but what's your point, since you've posted exactly the same thing here?

Testimonial.


http://www.affiliateguarddog.com/for...-t2028-p2.html

WTF is wrong with this pic?? Are we really supposed to accept that you guys represent Affiliates?

Are you going to London this year to get drunk?

[mojo]

Already responded at Casinomeister - but what's your point, since you've posted exactly the same thing here?

Because maybe someone will hear me.

[alexpratt]

Mojo - Sorry seems I am replying to just your posts today but I agree with Spearmaster 100% with regards to what he wrote on Casinomeister.....

What BonusStreak or for that matter any one at AGD does in the evening at an event is really nonone's business especially as these guys do some incredible stuff for our sector with very little to show for it. In my opnion they are probably the only true independent organisation that has affiliates interests at heart. Didn't they recover a load of money from Playshare for you in Budapest???

On a seperate note please understand that at our events there is just as much business (if not more) done in the evenings - People might talk the parties up but thats because it is a lot more interesting than talking about a meeting they had over a coffee at 8.30 am in a freezing cold cafe. As I say Mojo, I hope one day you come to one of our events or we are able to hold an event close to you so you can actually see what good these things do and how much value they deliver to both new and old affiliates day and night.

Sorry I am going on but I have to say just one more thing - I have no idea why you have taken the quote re BonusStreak paying the bill and twisted it to a connection with Warren - Where did you get that conclusion from? This is pure speculation and a huge jump on your part especially as it makes no reference in the thread you referenced it from.

BonusStreak along with Villento picked up a big bill that was built up by people drinking and then disappearing off, she didn't moan but out of her own pocket paid that bill and that is the FACT - She should be patted on the back not scrutinised by you in a forum 5 months later

[sipka]

I was there, it was an informal meeting organised by Bonustreak before the conference began and I guess people thought that it is sponsored that's why they left without paying.
Some of us stayed there and at the end we could pay as much money as we could, but Bonustreak and the Villento guys paid the big chunk of the bill.

This meeting had nothing to do with the conference at all (other than that ppl attended the conference in the next few days), especially nothing with CAP or Warren or anyone else, so I don't really understand why we are talking about it.

[mojo]

The way this all plays out is something I want no part of.

I am asking my membership removed from GPWA so no worries about complaints from me anymore.

[thepokerkeep]

While we affiliates did not know for a fact that Warren/CAP was still financially linked to the conferences, Michael and JTodd did.

So.... why is GPWA and APCW attending?

Affiliates have a valid excuse. They paid for the trip/hotel rooms already so it's too late to back out. Michael and JTodd do not have that excuse.

Ya, I know the arguments about meeting the rogues face to face, etc... but the bottom line is that Michael and JT are sending the wrong message by attending. Come on guys! If you're gonna talk the talk, you gotta walk the walk. Maybe some folks have short memories. Remember Cardspike? Remember the mass bannings? Remember the threats? Remember they tried to take over the APCW from JTodd?

I see no valid reason for GPWA or APCW to be represented in London.

[GamTrak]

The way this all plays out is something I want no part of.

I am asking my membership removed from GPWA so no worries about complaints from me anymore.

Take a break mojo, but don't let them clowns run you away!

[Caruso]

I posted this to Mojo in the "Do you dare read" thread, then saw this, so I'm repatriating the comments here.

As to your comments about people being "drunk": how surprised are you? Have you read the conference threads? It's post after post of "party, party, party"; seems to be all people think about.

At the Budapest event I went to a session I figured would be useful (and it was all free, cannot fail to acknowledge that) about SEO and what-not. The warmup fella made the most long-winded, joyous fuss about the speaker being late because he was drunk. Wisecrack after stupid wisecrack. The lad eventually showed, took water a-plenty but made it through pretty much OK.

On another aspect of the level of professionalism that your "drunk" comment alludes to: another SEO session, a panel discussion chaired by four lads, had this big Texan fella who could not finish a sentence without "****"; fuckin' this, fuckin' that, fuckin' the other, bla bla. A monumentally unprofessional way to behave at a professional event. OK, this is the gambling industry and one maybe needs to make allowances, but I found it rank unpleasant. I'm glad I didn't have any family there. I should add that the session was very good, but Mr. Texas Loudmouth added nothing.

Yes, there is drunkeness and there is unprofessional behaviour at these things.

[alexpratt]

On another aspect of the level of professionalism that your "drunk" comment alludes to: another SEO session, a panel discussion chaired by four lads, had this big Texan fella who could not finish a sentence without "****"; fuckin' this, fuckin' that, fuckin' the other, bla bla. A monumentally unprofessional way to behave at a professional event. OK, this is the gambling industry and one maybe needs to make allowances, but I found it rank unpleasant. I'm glad I didn't have any family there. I should add that the session was very good, but Mr. Texas Loudmouth added nothing.

Yes, there is drunkeness and there is unprofessional behaviour at these things.

100% agree and I don't think we are the only event that was subjected to this speaker's antics -I won't mention his name but a nunber of other event organiers had the same problem. He has since been told by us that he will not be speaking at any of our future events.

On another note - This thread has gone way off - The only reason I posted was because there was some very silly assumptions made and I saw a very good and honest affiliate being got at

[bb1web]

Hi all (Mojo),

I couldn't have a clue about the bar bill but I just wanted to chime in that I have attended a conference and granted it has been a few years since but (and you're not going to hear this many places because there's no money in taking this side) but other than the chance to meet and yes, party with a lot of great people ...

the rest is rather mythical if you ask me.

I heard how important it was for networking purposes, how important it was for the sponsors to see you were a real person (apparently its harder to cheat someone you've shaken hands with and paid to get them drunk for three days) and of course lets not forget the special deals the sponsors give you if you spend time with them.

.......

Consider: all ready the offers from sponsors are unbelievable. You see things like 50% advertised in some cases and I'm asking you ... how much do you really think they have left to give? So if they have little or nothing left to give then they're gonna invent a method that enables them to produce even more tempting offers ... on paper. All that does is mean that at some point later down the line they're gonna have to lie/cheat you because its not financially stable to do otherwise.

......

Yes if you are a big aff with lots of traffic then you can prob get a legit better deal but odds are you've already bullied something extra out of the sponsors if is the case + if you're that big, .. you should be out spending it somewhere, might as well be at a conference.

To the smaller aff, go if you can afford it. The people ROCK! But don't sweat it if you don't make it because no magic bullets are handed out. You won't likely stop a cheating sponsor from cheating you just because you shook hands with them.

What keeps those kind honest are more tangible, hands-on efforts and that means testing and more testing. So if that's your worries then spend your money on testing ... not on traveling.

Before I go I'd say again these are some of the best people in the world so it isn't a mistake to go and be with them by any means, I am jelous every time I don't get to attend.

my 2 cents

[arkyt]

Because maybe someone will hear me.

Plenty of people have heard and have been aware of the "good old-boy society" non-sense for years. Course that doesn't change anything, because most couldn't care less as they dont see it as affecting themselves. IMO however, all these conferences benefit a few at the direct expense (to some varying degree) of everyone else!

So.... why is GPWA and APCW attending?

Because they have all that extra cash laying around so why not party every chance they get? That and it permits them to be seen as an industry leader giving them a sense of power and control.

Wasn't that long ago GPWA/APCW and OTHERS were doing nearly everything in their power to see that CAP was kicked to the curb .... but seeing that a portion of CAPs product, which conveniently renamed itself, was still a benefit to GPWA and those others, they have chosen to selectively ignore everything else but the false sense of power thats been instilled by the greed that they have all subconsciously grown accustomed to.

YES, mojo - the good old-boys go to these conferences to party!

How does that benefit everyone else?

It Doesn't!

[AmCan]

I just wanted to point out that every trade show and conference has a bunch of drunken partying. I've worked booths at Comdex (vegas) and Autofact (detroit) in the 80s, Since 2000 I've been to 10+ gaming aff. conferences, 4 Pubcon/Webmaster Worlds (vegas) and a Carbon trading conference (S.F) that was attended by the United Nations, Shell Oil and all tons from the financial industry.

The most popular booth at the Carbon Trading conference was Cantor-Fitzgerald (the company that lost much of it's staff in the world trade center on 9-11) booth, where they tapped a keg at lunch each day and kept it going all day long. Everyone hung around drinking and meeting people, and the Cantor brokers got to meet everyone at the conference who liked beer.

Most conferences/industry events engage in socializing, making special deals and wine and dining their best clients. I've never understood why folks in this industry think it would/should be any different here. In fact Las Vegas and Atlantic city use use business conferences to fill their hotels and casinos with gamblers, who get perqs based on their value to the casino.

[casinobonusguy]

100% agree and I don't think we are the only event that was subjected to this speaker's antics -I won't mention his name but a nunber of other event organiers had the same problem. He has since been told by us that he will not be speaking at any of our future events.

On another note - This thread has gone way off - The only reason I posted was because there was some very silly assumptions made and I saw a very good and honest affiliate being got at

Is this the same speaker that everyone on GPWA was raving about last year,So much so that I sent him Significant sum of money via paypal to attend our Canadian event and 7 months later I am still saying sorry for?

These conferences are what you want it to be,I know some go just for binging on free alcohol and food while we are on the other side of the scale and going for Serious business meetings.We Are going to the Thursday night awards but will skip the Friday and Saturday night Party because we have dinner meetings booked and then other meetings pretty much til 11:30 both nights.
I have not read all the threads today but there seems to be so much time wasted on the same topics these last few days.I have no excuse ,don't need one as to why I am going .My ticket is not bought ,it will be probably tonight and I am going knowing that CAP is going to benefit in some way.I am not going to shoot myself in the foot to take away from them.I agree everyone ran from CAP forum and the boycott was very successful as it is a ghost town to what it once was.The conferences are going to be a different situation although I think Itay has put together a good event which I will likely check out soon.
So the problem is Lou and Warren are making money from this event ,does this outweigh the benefits that we get from attending one of these events?I will keep my eyes peeled for Rogue programs , There are many programs I do not like that I see on the list but I don't think any of them there are too bad to merit a boycott of the Great programs we all work with from day to day.
Judy

[pgaming]

I've never understood why folks in this industry think it would/should be any different here.

Not to be a smart ass but the difference is the profits are pouring into well known Pirates. Similar to providing Pirates with their own warships lol.

pgaming/ shaddy

[AmCan]

i've been here for 9 years and there is never/rarely been anything approaching unanimity for who's a pirate and who isn't. There are lot's of folks i've known for years, who have been hailed as leading the fight against rogue casinos, who were promoting casinos i felt were rogue.

Now we're going to start telling people who they can associate with, who can buy a booth at a show/conf. and who can meet with whom and how much they're allowed to drink?

How many gambling webmaster boards do we have? beats me, more than when the GPWA started. Every now and then someone gets angry at a group/forum they're part of and goes and starts another group. now we have people joining 5 different forums and going around posting ultimatums and outrage over a conference on all of them.

How could anyone let microsoft into a conference, they've been found to use unfair business practices in the US and EU. Same with Intel, who in their right mind would do business or goto a conference that they attended? Seems like a ridiculous statment doesn't it?

I don't go to booths of programs i don't want to work with. i don't go to parties of places i don't like and i don't hang out with people i dislike. No one should, but if they do, so be it.

I'm not going to london, it's too cold, it's too much money right now and it's bad timing, but i'll be going to Prague for the supershow and i recommend that people try to make an event to network with other webmasters and meet the people they work with. And Alex does great events.

[Dominique]

So the problem is Lou and Warren are making money from this event

Warren owns Affiliate Media. Lou owns Effective Media. That is how assets were split up. Effective Media has no involvement in this series of conferences at all.

[arkyt]

And Alex does great events.

YES - its one heck of a good time!

[pgaming]

I will try and be clearer. Yes I would say Alex holds great events but with the help of CAP’s business side. In my opinion a dangerous prelude for bad history repeating itself, of which can be prevented.

Oh boy how soon we forgive and forget. But also am very aware it was mainly Lou who did the most damage.

I pray one day Alex can work his magic solo.

pgaming/ shaddy