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Subject:
From:
Bode Morin <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
BP - "It's a bit disgusting, but a great experience...." -- Squirrel" <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 28 Aug 2000 14:44:38 -0400
Content-Type:
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Good Afternoon,

As a means of  introduction, assuming I read the rules correctly, I will
pose a question of etiqutte.

I am Bode Morin, curator at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark-a 32
acre blast furnace complex in Birmingham, Alabama.  Curator here really
transposes to 35% preservation coordinator, 45% municipal bureacuracy
guide,10% industrial archaeolgist, and 10% sayer of things like "That's a
great idea boss.  But if we run the line overhead and clamp it to the
structure like the guy suggested, we won't have to dig a trench through the
last remaining intact sand casting floor in the world.  Plus we'll save ten
percent on the installation costs."  and "I agree that some of the workers
probably did eat their lunches there, but I don't think gutting the scale
house for a resturant is actually using a property for its historic
purpose."

Anyway, three years ago, the (insert bad word here) management company that
books parties and concerts for Sloss (which recently included a three day
Christian Rock festival that curiously caused more damage and vandalism to
the site than all of punk rock/heavy metal events combined) took over the
site from mid September to the end of October (as soon as the well
respected and well attended jazz and blues festival had its first bad year)
for a haunted-house/fright-furnace event which is apparently all the rage
in the festival promotions industry.  In concept the idea isn't a bad one. 
Yes at night  it can get pretty scary around here.  Yes it draws and extra
20,000 people to the site.  But as you can imagine, we take a pretty big
hit in trash and damage that literally takes us three months to recover
from.  Did I mention we only get 1000 dollars from the (insert bad word
here) management company?  

This year to promote the event, the group is producing a scary video full
of the necessary disinformation that includes a death rate that far excedes
the capital punishment rates for Texas and Florida.  To give the video an
air of authority, the (insert bad word here) management company scripted a
historian/curator to "confirm" the information presented by the narrator.  

After describing the video, the caller said implyingly, "you're a
curator..." and after not hear anything on the line, he added  "...we think
you'd be perfect for the role."

My question of etiquette is:  Should I have done more than just laugh at
the caller for a few seconds and hang up the phone?

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