AUGIE MeetsIn Some Other Universe

AUGIE MeetsIn Some Other Universe

If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

Before you start e-mailing me with actual answers, lets consider what some of our most learned minds might say. Some quantum physicists, for example, might reply as follows: “If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear (or observe) itit didnt happen!”

Now I dont pretend to be an expert on the subtleties of quantum physics, but to me there seems to be a great deal of logic to such a statement. After all, if an event occurs without an observer present, we have only circumstantial evidence that it occurred at all. And even if there is an observer, if that person is not impartial, we have only a skewed version of an alleged event. Theres not much to hang your hat on there.

This very sound logic applies to a lot of things–trees falling in the woods, incidents of Presidential philandering, murder suspect alibis and important industry meetings. Not surprisingly, it is the latter I want to focus on here. Specifically, Im talking about the meeting of AUGIE (ACORD User Group Information Exchange) that was alleged to have taken place during the October ASCnet User Group Conference.

Let me explain.

As many of you readers know, I have been trying for some months now to get a clear idea of what AUGIE is, what it intends to do, and when it will do what it intends to do. Ive reviewed press releases, talked with AUGIE members, visited the AUGIE Web site, and attended press conferences, but my thinking remained “fuzzy.”

I had just about given up hope of understanding the AUGIE mystique, when, lo and behold, I was personally invited by the AUGIE illuminati to attend the AUGIE meeting at ASCnet in Orlando. I wasted no time in changing the airline reservations I had already made (despite the $100 penalty and the fact that I would have to get up in the wee hours of the morning to make the flight) in order to make sure I arrived in time for the meeting.

A few days before the meeting, however, I called the AUGIE elders for details and was told I was no longer welcome at the session. I was told that some AUGIE members were “uncomfortable” with the idea of having the media present as they discussed the important carrier/agent technology issues facing the industry. Instead, AUGIE would hold a “press conference” following the meeting to brief me and other reporters on what had transpired.

Needless to say, this was far from a satisfying solution. I had gone through some time and expense to adjust my travel schedule, only to be unceremoniously ousted from the gathering.