I've done a post reply to the cost aspects of the con.
The amount the con was down was only a pessimistic guess. You can't know how much you've made until the final books are done some time later. Maybe the con was down three grand, maybe it was one, perhaps it broke even and all the cash will go to the apes. No-one will be sure for a few weeks.
The auction, as far as I know, was only ever advertised as an auction. I may be wrong. It was only late in the day that it became known to be a charity auction, I didn't know until the week before and I was auctioneering, and the charity was always going to be Terry's choice. His eventual choice was to let the money be used to make sure the con broken even, that way ensuring other cons would happen and that they could raise more money for the orangutans. Everyone bidding knew what the money was being used for. It's not like two weeks after the con we find out that a portion of the money was used to bail out the con.
I think it was the right choice, and when it was announced to the audience, no-one complained. And it would not have happened without Terry's blessing since as the guest it was his choice as to what the money was donated to.
Re: Breaking Even?
The amount the con was down was only a pessimistic guess. You can't know how much you've made until the final books are done some time later. Maybe the con was down three grand, maybe it was one, perhaps it broke even and all the cash will go to the apes. No-one will be sure for a few weeks.
The auction, as far as I know, was only ever advertised as an auction. I may be wrong. It was only late in the day that it became known to be a charity auction, I didn't know until the week before and I was auctioneering, and the charity was always going to be Terry's choice. His eventual choice was to let the money be used to make sure the con broken even, that way ensuring other cons would happen and that they could raise more money for the orangutans. Everyone bidding knew what the money was being used for. It's not like two weeks after the con we find out that a portion of the money was used to bail out the con.
I think it was the right choice, and when it was announced to the audience, no-one complained. And it would not have happened without Terry's blessing since as the guest it was his choice as to what the money was donated to.