Can't blame the ANA for all the convention woes as these cats let the host city's organizers do all the planning for the event while they watch from the sidelines offering their ideas a lil here and there. They're (ANA) the perfect franchise. They let the host city organizers wind up all the necessary man-power, do all planning, the dirty jobs required BUT end up partaking a lion's share of the profits and during the convention give all the bhasan-shashan as though they made this all happen. At the rate of curent developments, I see that the ANA will cease to be a major hub for the Nepali diaspora. Even though, they do financially well with very little input on their side into the convention, they stand at risk to lose the most. The local organizations are the ones organize and prepare the event and are incapable of handling the influx of 4000 people in a venue the size of a meager hotel lobby. Most of these organizations may have done few events where they don't even have a 100 people attend and in my view are, in no way capable of handling an event of such a magnitude. No wonder, with inadequete planning and the profit-motive fueling along, costs are kept low including the dance/concert parties where there are hardly enough bouncers to tame the 1000 strong attendees. Even the hotel bars are areas where no cops or bouncers frequent. What happens if a major fight breaks out? So far, all I've seen at the ANA is skirmishes and am yet to see the real deal. Who knows when this will happen, but I sense that at this rate, its just a matter of time. Once that happens, even though the local organizer have signed a contract taking responsibility for all the actions there (as they ARE the organizers), the ANA will be blamed and have their reputation tarnished. No one cares who the local organizers are, as we in New York hadn't even heard of the Roky Mountain Friends of Nepal (ANA '03) or the Phoenix '04 organizers (forgot their org name already), as we all go there thinking it’s the ANA who hosts such events where the Diaspora meets up annually. Anything doesn’t go right there, its all the ANA fault (proof is on sajha every year. No one says how the Dallas/New York organizers did well or sucked…All the blame or glory goes to the ANA). Yeah, and about the intellectuals...hahah they really crack me up! Those wannabe smarties who think that just becoz they have a Ph.D or a JD or an MD, the normal folks need to look up to them. I'd crack their skulls if they ever came up to someone I know and made them feel small. They just need to stop wearing those suit and ties in the dead heat of July 4th and dress normally like everyone does in t-shirts/shorts/jeans during the SUMMER and while on VACATION. Also, wannabe netas crack me up big time. I attend the ANAs to have fun, get drunk, meet up with old pals from other states and mainly to participate in the sporting events...I have no time for all the big talks and these friggin goons out to suck us all dry