TAM 9 info

[WillyWonka]

I am planning to go to the next Amaz!ng Meeting in July, but since I never been to any of the meetings, I would like some information.

Based on previous meeting, how much will the registration be?

Is it better to stay at South Point Hotel or is it fairly easy to get to the meeting from a Vegas strip hotel?

Will there be a limit in registration for the meeting?

Sorry if the questions seems rather mindless. I tried to get more info from some of the thread but could not get what I want.


WW

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Based on previous meeting, how much will the registration be?

I think around $350.

Is it better to stay at South Point Hotel or is it fairly easy to get to the meeting from a Vegas strip hotel?

South Point

Will there be a limit in registration for the meeting?

Not likely

[Wowbagger]

Given the fact that:
A. South Point is kinda far from the strip, with very few other hotels (if any) around it.

B. The rates at South Point can be awfully low if you watch for their sales. (Last year I think they had sales almost persistently.)

C. Everyone hangs out at the hotel's bar areas in the evening (where a lot of the "real fun" takes place, according to some disreputable people)

D. You are more likely to be able to hang around, casually, with the stars of the conference, the more you hang around the hotel.

E. All the other hotels are not quite as classy, anyway...

I would say that it is better to stay at South Point.

I don't remember how much registration cost, exactly. Somewhere in the $300 range, was it?

Have you ever been to Las Vegas before? If not, you might want to consider staying an extra day or two to see the sights.

[AdMan]

Definitely South Point.

TAM is much more than just the talks--it's meeting and interacting not only with the speakers but with the large group of skeptics attending. That takes place between talks and during meals but also after hours--at the bars, the pool, and elsewhere. :)

[dasmiller]

Is it better to stay at South Point Hotel or is it fairly easy to get to the meeting from a Vegas strip hotel?

First, I'd recommend staying at South Point, for a few reasons.

But as to your specific question - it depends. If you're driving to Vegas, then the drive between South Point and the Strip is reasonably easy. If you're not driving, the cab fares will add up pretty quickly. Walking from the Strip to South Point isn't practical, particularly in July.

Okay, trying to walk 8 miles in 106F kinda goes beyond "not practical."

ETA: What the others said. Hanging out at the bar is one of the main features of a TAM. And it's easy to do if the bar is downstairs from your room. It's another thing entirely if your room is 8 miles away.

[Cethis]

If you really want to see the Strip, there's a shuttle from The South Point to the Strip. I went with a friend. The ride was OK, and we had a great time wondering the city that should not be. ;)

[WillyWonka]

Thank you for all of you that responded.

It seems that the best option is to stay at South Point Hotel during the meeting and just move hotel after the meeting if I choose to stay a few more days.

I go to Las Vegas once in a while for events such as the LV marathon or to meet friends and such. The only thing that I do not do is gamble; I calculated the odds and they is not in my favour.

I am looking forward to the meeting and I have already blocked the time off on my agenda.


WillyWonka the radiation physicist.

[AdMan]

The only thing that I do not do is gamble; I calculated the odds and they is not in my favour.



I've spoken about this with other TAM attendees and from what I heard, few people gambled more than a buck or two, if that much (I didn't gamble--or lose--a penny during my first visit for TAM8 this year).

At least from my non-representative sample, it seems that most TAM skeptics have also calculated the odds. :D

[dasmiller]

At least from my non-representative sample, it seems that most TAM skeptics have also calculated the odds. :D

Well, you know what they say: "If you don't play, you can't lose."

When I'm in Vegas, I usually gamble some just for entertainment value (or comped drinks). But losing bums me out, and I never get the 'I can win it back' feeling, so I don't gamble much. And, in fact, I didn't gamble at all during the TAM 8 trip. That wasn't through any conscious choice; I simply didn't get around to it.

[Cethis]

I might gamble in a card game just to say that I gambled in Las Vegas. I certainly wouldn't expect to win in the end.

[saganite]

I might gamble in a card game just to say that I gambled in Las Vegas. I certainly wouldn't expect to win in the end.

Poker isn't bad. Unlike Blackjack, which takes my money away and then depresses me, I feel confident walking into a poker room and knowing that if I play smart and tight, chances are good I'll catch a few decent hands and walk away with some change.

It's also fun to enter a poker tourney, which doesn't cost much, and just play until you run out of chips -- you know at the outset how much you're probably going to lose and you can look at it as paying for the experience, so it's more fun than painful.

[WillyWonka]

Poker isn't bad. Unlike Blackjack, which takes my money away and then depresses me, I feel confident walking into a poker room and knowing that if I play smart and tight, chances are good I'll catch a few decent hands and walk away with some change.

It's also fun to enter a poker tourney, which doesn't cost much, and just play until you run out of chips -- you know at the outset how much you're probably going to lose and you can look at it as paying for the experience, so it's more fun than painful.

The main issue is whether or not you like the experience. I do not. I do not have any interest in sitting at a table or a slot machine and giving away my hard-earn money. This activity does not provide me any satisfaction. I have the same feeling about going to the beach.

In return, if you are talking about running a marathon, or going down a steep slope on skis, this is a different matter. Once again, at my age (mid-fifties), the odds are still not in my favour...


WillyWonka, the radiation physicist

[saganite]

The main issue is whether or not you like the experience. I do not. I do not have any interest in sitting at a table or a slot machine and giving away my hard-earn money. This activity does not provide me any satisfaction. I have the same feeling about going to the beach.

In return, if you are talking about running a marathon, or going down a steep slope on skis, this is a different matter. Once again, at my age (mid-fifties), the odds are still not in my favour...


WillyWonka, the radiation physicist

I get what you're saying -- for you the experience isn't enjoyable regardless of what game you're playing, and so is best avoided altogether. My comment was meant for Cethis, because he/she expressed interest in playing some cards in Vegas for the sake of the experience, and if you're going to play a little bit then why not play a game where skill comes into play so you can sway the odds a bit further in your favor?

[HawaiiBigSis]

I might gamble in a card game just to say that I gambled in Las Vegas. I certainly wouldn't expect to win in the end.
I was going to suggest the JREF Poker Tourney, but saganite sorta beat me to it.

[Horatius]

.....if you're going to play a little bit then why not play a game where skill comes into play so you can sway the odds a bit further in your favor?


Because you might suck at poker....


I was going to suggest the JREF Poker Tourney, but saganite sorta beat me to it.




...not that there's anything wrong with that!

[SkepticScott]

if you're going to play a little bit then why not play a game where skill comes into play so you can sway the odds a bit further in your favor?I agree. I'm anxiously waiting for the first casino that offers ASL as a table game.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I agree. I'm anxiously waiting for the first casino that offers ASL as a table game.

Sign language?

[SkepticScott]

No, of course not. Advanced Squad Leader.

[HawaiiBigSis]

Sign language?

:D

(My thought too...thank you for asking it first!)

[SkepticScott]

Just look at the avatar, people. :)

[saganite]

I agree. I'm anxiously waiting for the first casino that offers ASL as a table game.

"Wuh? SkepticScott isn't deaf...ohhhh."

[SkepticScott]

There was great confusion the one year that the Cleaveland Schoold for the Deaf had a class reunion function at the same hotel and time as ASL Oktoberfest, the largest Advanced Squad Leader only tournament.

[HawaiiBigSis]

Just look at the avatar, people. :)
I'm sorry, Scott, even knowing what it's related to doesn't make your avatar make any more sense to me.

But it's okay. I can be hopelessly uncool in this one particular area.

[Doc Daneeka]

I'm sorry, Scott, even knowing what it's related to doesn't make your avatar make any more sense to me.

But it's okay. I can be hopelessly uncool in this one particular area.

Sigh. It's sort of sad for this old grognard to see how rare this hobby has become. I mean, it was never all that common even back in the 80s, but now it's truly unknown. Sigh.

Hint: it represents an officer. The 1-4-9 means that this officer is...er...fairly competent :)

[Skip_H]

Here are my total costs for TAM8. No booze, gambling etc. I'm sure actual fun people would spend more than me.

Southpoint is big, if simple. I never left during the 5 night stay. Big movie house, bowling, pool, etc.

04/13/10 TAM8 Registration $425.00
04/14/10 Air – Hotel, 5 nights $557.15
04/14/10 2 NY Skeptic T-shirts $30.00
07/07/10 Baggage fee $15.00
07/07/10 City bus $2.00
07/07/10 Latte $4.60
07/07/10 Dinner $18.07
07/08/10 Coffee $2.50
07/08/10 Latte $4.60
07/08/10 SGU Brown T-shirt $25.00
07/08/10 Movie toy story 3 $9.75
07/08/10 Latte $5.00
07/08/10 Dinner $25.32
07/08/10 eye drops $8.11
07/08/10 Soda $2.00
07/09/10 Latte $5.00
07/10/10 Coffee $3.00
07/10/10 SGU Green t-shirt $25.00
07/10/10 Lunch buffet $15.08
07/10/10 Latte $4.60
07/10/10 Dinner deli $11.84
07/10/10 Soda $2.00
07/11/10 Movie 3D $15.00
07/11/10 hot dog $4.75
07/12/10 Breakfast buffet $7.51
07/12/10 Baggage fee $15.00
07/12/10 sandwich wolfgang puck $9.75
07/12/10 hand sant. And playing cards $10.03
07/12/10 PDX long term parking $60.00
07/12/10 Taco Del Mar $4.99

$1,327.65 for whole trip
6 days 5 nights $221.28 per day

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Here are my total costs for TAM8 (all are approximate):

Airfare: $350
Room for 5 nights: $250
Conference: $400
Beer: $1200

About $2200 for 5 days.

[saganite]

Here are my total costs for TAM8 (all are approximate):

Airfare: $350
Room for 5 nights: $250
Conference: $400
Beer: $1200

About $2200 for 5 days.

In Scrut's defense, not all of those beers were for himself. At least three of them were purchased for women he was attempting to hit on.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

In Scrut's defense, not all of those beers were for himself. At least three of them were purchased for women he was attempting to hit on.

I wasn't attempting to hit on them, I was actually hitting on them. What I was attempting to do was score. :)

[saganite]

I wasn't attempting to hit on them, I was actually hitting on them. What I was attempting to do was score. :)

Key word: "attempting." :D

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Key word: "attempting." :D

:(

[skyhar8000]

Cost was $350 for JREF members last year, probably close to it this year. Transportation is whatever deal you can make from wherever you travel from. Rooming option, see below at the end of this message. Definitely recommend staying on-site. Anything you save at one of the cheaper motels/hotels will be eaten up in cab fare to and from the convention site. There IS a limit on the number of people that the main room will accommodate. I don't know if they'll book more for the TAM than that room would hold. I don't think the hotel will allow overflow, and the only other alternative would be video feeds into other rooms.
I have been at every TAM, and there is a definite spectrum of attendees. Some want to meet the speakers -- nothing wrong with that. Some are there for the information, nothing wrong with that. Some come to socialize, nothing wrong with that. I have run into a very small minority that come either to sharpen their horns via pointless debates and/or to drink themselves silly. Not my thing, but I guess variety is the spice of life. Anyway, if you do plan to come, and you'd like an inexpensive and fun rooming option, continue reading!

I have booked a two-queen-bed room for Wed.-Sat. inclusive. Looking for three roomies to share the costs. I did book at the sale rate and will keep my eyes open to see if I can get a better rate between now and then. So if you would like to come aboard, your room will cost about $100 for the four nights, or $25 per night, and that isn't bad! I am 53 years old and a non-smoker. I am not a prude but expect my roomies to behave decently, not break the furniture, and stay reasonably clean and sober. Fine with me if you come and/or go at any hour of the day or night -- I haven't missed a TAM yet, and I know the nature of the beast -- but as long as you observe quiet while one or more of your other roommates is sleeping, we'll get along just fine. You may respond to steveb@e-z.net at any time and/or call me at 503-246-9520. This annual offer of mine usually fills up fast, just because the takers know they'll end up with safe, sane comrades and pay a very reasonable cost for the same. So let me know ASAP, and first come, first served, etc., and see you at TAM!!
Stephen Bauer, Portland, Oregon USA

[bumlet5]

Getting anxious. Hopefully they'll post things soon.

[LilaMae]

Getting anxious. Hopefully they'll post things soon.

Me too. I keep checking the forums for news. And my #TAM9 hashtag search on Twitter. Come to think of it, I've had that search column since the last day of TAM8. Guess #TAM10 should be on deck soon.

[bumlet5]

Me too. I keep checking the forums for news. And my #TAM9 hashtag search on Twitter. Come to think of it, I've had that search column since the last day of TAM8. Guess #TAM10 should be on deck soon.

Heck, start now just in case.

[Dicon]

"TAM 9 Registration is Open!"

... is what you'll say once JREF puts everything in place and pushes it live.

Yes, I did this exact same thing last year, but some things simply never, ever get old.

[saganite]

"TAM 9 Registration is Open!"

... is what you'll say once JREF puts everything in place and pushes it live.

Yes, I did this exact same thing last year, but some things simply never, ever get old.

Argh! I can't believe I fell for it AGAIN!

[hcmom]

sigh...

[WillyWonka]

The suspense of when the registration will open is killing me!!!

Should we start a collection and pay Silvia Brown to tell us the date? Or maybe get a dowser and have him/her check the venue? I am just saying...


WW