Next Year's TAM?

[Lisa]

While at TAM, Hal asked me to pm him with any suggestions I have for next year. I assume he asked others to do the same. Unfortunately, I've been too busy and eye-glazingly lazy to do this. Plus, if we all PM'd him, the poor guy's pm box would max.
Let's discuss it here.
Over at PalTalk, some of us attendees got to throwing some ideas around. More "social" time? Less speakers? Same amount of speakers, but add a day to the conference? More off-site activities?
What do you guys think? Remember, we were biting our nails to get the 90 people required to get this off the ground. We ended up with about 250. This conference will undoubtedly become even more popular. Your input can make the difference between a good conference and a fantastic conference.

[UnrepentantSinner]

The one thing I would like would be more time to socialize. The weekend was so dense that by Saturday evening I just went and got some food and returned to my room. By the time things slowed down Sunday afternoon people were already leaving.

A few less speakers with more time to speak and have QandA would be nicer also.

Due to transport issues, I'm not sure a lot of activities outside the hotel would be a very good idea unless we were willing to pony up for some shuttle buses.

[Girl 6]

Yes, I have to agree with UnrepentantSinner. I really wish there was more time to socialize. After all, how many times in our lives are we going to run into a roomful of skeptics?

I also think that less speakers would be fine. My head was just pounding with information and much admiration for everyone. I was really tired at the end of the day everyday.

I think that we should start an hour later in the morning and end around 4-5 with about 1 1/2 hours break for lunch. That would make for some balanced days.

I also think we should not stack all of the prominent speakers in one day. They should be mixed in with other speakers throughout the conference.

We should probably be a lot more organized with carpools or at least have people contribute towards some sort of shuttle.

We also should have ended earlier on Sunday to give people a chance to fly back home at a more reasonable time.

And, Linda should not have to sit in the lobby area for the entire conference time!!

G6

[Jeff Corey]

More speakers would be fine if 2 or more sessions were run simultaneously. This is how the conventions that I have attended work. It gives more people a chance to present and more choices of what to see as well as opening up more time for socialization.

[Luciana]

Supposedly there was a time set aside for socialization - the cocktail on Friday, before the event started. It was great because it allowed for the preliminary introductions with the people you would be sharing the same space in the following weekend. That part was fine. But we surely needed other plans regarding pub crawls or any other social activity during and *after* the Conference. Next time we could settle beforehand where we were going to, if applicable (the Renaissance Hotel wasn't suitable at all!), and set up a meeting time at the lobby.

Maybe the conference could start on Thursday, so that we could have the same number of conferences, or even more (simultaneously), with a more relaxed schedule?

[Lisa]

I would have loved to have had some more social time on Friday night. Here's what happened. Friday afternoon I was minding my own business, not bothering a soul, and Hal said "Are you busy?"
Which is why many of you met me at the registration desk. I ate at the registration desk. I had someone bring me a beer to the registration desk.
SkepticScott was stuck over selling the tee shirts. Every time I saw Scott he was at the merchandise table. Let's spread this around a little bit better next year, hmmmm?

[Jeff Corey]

Volunteers who hejp run conferences usually don't pay to register.

[SkepticScott]

Originally posted by Jeff Corey
Volunteers who hejp run conferences usually don't pay to register. NOW HE TELLS US! Where were you at TAM? :) Linda did offer me a free TAM T-shirt, but I had already bought one.

I used the "mindlessly stand behind the merchandise table" to get a private place to stand and think Saturday after they announced the loss of the Columbia.

Scott

[Dinonychus]

Originally posted by Lisa
SkepticScott was stuck over selling the tee shirts. Every time I saw Scott he was at the merchandise table. Let's spread this around a little bit better next year, hmmmm?

I wouldn't have minded staffing the table for a while.

Just had a crazy thought: how about we have a sign-up thread/sheet for those who wouldn't mind manning the tables/booths for a little while during the conference.

[UnrepentantSinner]

Let's not forget that some people are constrained by work/vacation schedules and flight plans. Friday night after I got to my room and made my way downstairs the reception was nearly over and the Meeting was officially about to begin. Sunday night I had more time since I was flying out Monday. Even after going to see The Two Towers after adjournment I had time to socialize in the bar Sunday evening (and finally felt comfortable enough to do so).

I suppose the biggest factor will be how many speakers and attendees there will be as to how TAM '04 will be organized.

I'd like to apologize for not volunteering to help out more, but this was my first vacation in 19 months and I wasn't in the mood to work during it. ;)

[Jeff Corey]

Originally posted by SkepticScott
NOW HE TELLS US! Where were you at TAM? :) Linda did offer me a free TAM T-shirt, but I had already bought one. Scott
Well, I did help schlep stuff up to Hal's suite after the tables closed down. But I would be willing to take a more active role by manning tables and moderating papers next year

[kittynh]

I've alread offered to help Linda out. I think she was really swamped. I think more social time is great. Maybe even a time where the forum members all get together.

I worry about the TAM just getting too big. I heard there were going to be about 500 next year. I enjoyed the intimacy of the small TAM this year. BUt it might be a matter of economics.

Anyway, seems like everyone has great ideas!

[SkepticScott]

Originally posted by Jeff Corey
Well, I did help schlep stuff up to Hal's suite after the tables closed down. But I would be willing to take a more active role by manning tables and moderating papers next year I'm sorry, I may have written something open to misinterpretation. By "where were you at TAM?" I meant "why didn't you tell us about this at TAM?", not "why didn't you help". You were one of the speakers; you _made_ TAM and therefore shouldn't have to help in any other way.

[Jeff Corey]

No problemo. I wasn't reacting aggressively, just wanted to say I volunteered to help Hal and it would cool to be more involved next year.
After all, Hal's "Official Acceptance" letter allowed me to convince my Dean to authorize expenses (in part)
The reson I suggested multiple sessions is that many academics have a limited travel allowance and would choose the Amaz... Meeting over APA.
But for those academics with picky bean counters running the store, calling it
The James Randi Education Foundation Annual Convention
would float better.

[Baker]

Originally posted by Lisa
While at TAM, Hal asked me to pm him with any suggestions I have for next year. I assume he asked others to do the same. Unfortunately, I've been too busy and eye-glazingly lazy to do this. Plus, if we all PM'd him, the poor guy's pm box would max.
Let's discuss it here.
Over at PalTalk, some of us attendees got to throwing some ideas around. More "social" time? Less speakers? Same amount of speakers, but add a day to the conference? More off-site activities?
What do you guys think? Remember, we were biting our nails to get the 90 people required to get this off the ground. We ended up with about 250. This conference will undoubtedly become even more popular. Your input can make the difference between a good conference and a fantastic conference.

I wasn’t at the conference so I couldn’t say what would improve it but wasn’t the main reason for to get the JREF poster all together more social time is always better.
I would say having an even that all 250+ people have a chance to meet and talk with every one there.

[Lisa]

Originally posted by Baker


I wasn’t at the conference so I couldn’t say what would improve it but wasn’t the main reason for to get the JREF poster all together more social time is always better.
I would say having an even that all 250+ people have a chance to meet and talk with every one there.
Dude, try to make it next year. My husband was highly skeptical about attending, and now he's making plans for 2004.
I really like the idea of having more than one talk going on at one time. I mean, the place was certainly big enough. We could have tossed those Make-Up ladies out, we had them outnumbered.;)
We'd be able to keep the same number of speakers (or increase it), without trying to add a day or hanging out in the conference room til ten at night. Sure, you might have to choose between two speakers, but life's full of these decisions, isn't it?
Using hindsight (always 20/20), I could have asked someone to relieve me at the registration table so I could mingle. But the afternoon/evening of registration was serious hectic-land.
More social time would be great. Wonder if they'd set us up a bar on the back patio like they had Friday night for the buffet. For a convention hotel that size, their lounge was really tiny.

[Lisa]

Originally posted by kittynh
I've alread offered to help Linda out. I think she was really swamped. I think more social time is great. Maybe even a time where the forum members all get together.

I worry about the TAM just getting too big. I heard there were going to be about 500 next year. I enjoyed the intimacy of the small TAM this year. BUt it might be a matter of economics.

Anyway, seems like everyone has great ideas!
I hadn't heard that kittynh. 500 people?
I heard that due to the costs, there would probably be less than the 250 we had this year. Some folks I talked to said they simply couldn't make it every year.
Guess it's one of those wait and see things.

[Larry Barrieau]

On a personal and selfish note I'd like to suggest a summer meeting. It's possible that folks could combine thier vacations with a few days for the meeting.

I'm a teacher and I had a hard time getting the time to go. My superintendent doesn't like the fact that I use the paranormal to teach critical thinking in the first place. It causes to many problems with some vocal fundamentalists. I paid for the trip myself and upon my return he demanded that I tell him what sort of a product I was bringing back to the district. He wasn't quite convinced until I lent him my signed ("To Mr. Barrieau's classes..") copy of 'Bad Astronomy'. He then grudgingly paid for a substitute for two days.

I attended the "First World Skeptics Congress" in June of 96 and there were multiple speakers at the same time. It worked well but we would have to be careful not to book a particularly bright star at the same time as a brown dwarf.

[Dinonychus]

Originally posted by Larry Barrieau
On a personal and selfish note I'd like to suggest a summer meeting. It's possible that folks could combine thier vacations with a few days for the meeting.

This idea, while a very good one and agreed to by many, was rejected because it's f***ing hot and muggy down in Floida in the summer. From April to October it's an oven down there.

And if you don't believe me, ask Linda.

[Larry Barrieau]

Florida is brutal, I was sweating in Feb.!

How about someplace else? Vegas(good prices), Hal's stomping grounds-the Rockies, New England-oops that's me, Nova Scotia,
Virginia, Taos-hmmmm, more choices?

[Lisa]

Cost was also a problem at other times of the year in FL, if I remember correctly. Even with the reduced conference rate, rooms were $109/night. There may have been cheaper places, but they would accomadate the amount of people we had.
But I think the reason the Meeting is held in FL is so Mr. Randi and staff won't have to travel.
Dang! I'd love to see the Meeting held in Vegas. That's only a day and a half drive from here.

[Larry Barrieau]

Lisa, the black hills are beautiful. How about Sturgis after the bikers leave!?

[Lisa]

Originally posted by Larry Barrieau
Lisa, the black hills are beautiful. How about Sturgis after the bikers leave!?
Because the Black Hills are beautiful, the weather will still be nice, so I'll be out on my bike.;)
And if the organizers are determined to have the Meeting in January, South Dakota probably isn't the place to be.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by Lisa

And if the organizers are determined to have the Meeting in January, South Dakota probably isn't the place to be.
I'm sure the rates would be dirt cheap.

[Lisa]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin

I'm sure the rates would be dirt cheap.
I pointed that out, no one seemed to amped at the idea. Mumbled something about nose hairs freezing.
They had a point.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by Lisa

I pointed that out, no one seemed to amped at the idea. Mumbled something about nose hairs freezing.
They had a point.
Ha! These same people would probably pay to have their nose hairs frozen at a fancy spa.

[Linda]

I've been asked to weigh in on this topic, so here goes. First of all thank you to everyone that helped me out at the registration desk and merchandise tables. We'll be much better organized for next year. We have pretty much settled on the same weekend for the conference next year...Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2004 (Sorry Larry!) There has been a lot of discussion as to location, with Las Vegas being seriously considered. I'm voting for Fort Lauderdale again mainly due to logistics and cost. JREF would have to hire a professional meeting planner to make arrangements, fly our staff out to Vegas and pay for hotel rooms plus pay to ship books and merchandise to sell. That would pretty much wipe out any money we made from this conference.
Assuming we are having it here again next year, we will most likely be at a different hotel....one that is less "isolated". I think we will start on Friday morning with sessions, and give more social or "down" time. While there has been much discussion of having concurrent sessions, the majority feeling is to have only one session going on at a time. Depending on the hotel, we may have to limit registrations unless we do away with the classroom table setting and arrange chairs theater style, in order to accommodate more people in the ballroom. Opinions please?
We will plan on having a screen behind the speakers showing the speaker.....like at a concert, in order for people in the back to see.

The evaluation forms have been invaluable in helping us make plans for next year. Many thanks for those of you who filled yours out.

[SkepticScott]

Originally posted by Linda (snip)
I think we will start on Friday morning with sessions, and give more social or "down" time.Since people will be arriving Thursday that means more people will be attending the Internet show Thursday night!
(snip)the majority feeling is to have only one session going on at a time.I always feel I'm missing something at a multi-track conference. I like single-track conferences better.
(snip)unless we do away with the classroom table setting and arrange chairs theater style, in order to accommodate more people in the ballroom. Opinions please?Please keep the tables. It is easier to sit with tables. You can lean on them, place your glass of water on them, or even place paper on them and take notes. ;) The 4th World Skeptics Conference just had chairs. I was very uncomfortable after sitting in one all day. Chairs alone are fine for a short time, but not for an all-day conference.
(snip)

[Girl 6]

Originally posted by Linda
Depending on the hotel, we may have to limit registrations unless we do away with the classroom table setting and arrange chairs theater style, in order to accommodate more people in the ballroom. Opinions please?
We will plan on having a screen behind the speakers showing the speaker.....like at a concert, in order for people in the back to see.


Well, I'm all for this if I can get someone to massage my feet or if I can lean on someone if I get tired. :D

G6

[kittynh]

well, Girl6 you'll have the guys lined up to massage your back and feet...me, I'm getting on there, so I opt for tables!
I think Vegas would be interesting as I've never been, nor had a real reason to go. Maybe we could do some sort of skeptic take on gambling and why the house always wins despite your lucky rabbit foot. Then again, we could get kicked out of the hotel...

Florida was nice, but any place is nicer than NH in the winter.

I really like the small size, but hey, the point is not only educataion but to make some money, so more people would be better. I really think we need to have more social time, and maybe even some little get togethers for forum members ( and people they brought along too). If we are adding Friday morning just remember that boosts the cost up if people have to come in Thursday night.

[UnrepentantSinner]

Originally posted by Girl 6


Well, I'm all for this if I can get someone to massage my feet or if I can lean on someone if I get tired. :D

G6

I'll provide both. :)

I have a bad back that tightens up if I can't move around enough. The other day I sat for about an hour and a half in a chairs only room and it was very uncomfortable. The tables also facilitated note taking which was invaluable when I did my review for North Texas Skeptics.

Putting the speakers on a screen would be great. My single complaint about TAM was that I, and I'm fairly tall, frequently couldn't see the speakers.

[sadluxation]

Originally posted by UnrepentantSinner



I have a bad back that tightens up if I can't move around enough.

We could always open a massage and reiki clinic on site and charge $10 a head to go to the foundation.

Only kidding. I just like whacking that sh*t out of peoples backs!
I'd do it for free!

Anyone else?

I bet Eddie will be up for it! Especially if he has that "Terminator" eye again.

[UnrepentantSinner]

Originally posted by sadluxation


We could always open a massage and reiki clinic on site and charge $10 a head to go to the foundation.

Only kidding. I just like whacking that sh*t out of peoples backs!
I'd do it for free!

Anyone else?

I bet Eddie will be up for it! Especially if he has that "Terminator" eye again.

LOL Several years ago I transferred from chiropractic to good old fashioned Ibuprofin. The effect is about the same only the Ibuprofin lasts longer and I have more convienient access to it.

If your massages are like a potter working clay and not a blacksmith working iron, I'll suppress my willies and take one. :)

I'll even drop the $10 so Eddie can get one too.

[The Bad Astronomer]

Although tables add to the area needed, I think they are very useful! It gives you something to lean against, too.

Having been to umpteen conferences, I am not a big fan of parallel sessions. It always means you miss out on something. Are there so many potential topics and speakers that we need this? I know a shorter conference means saved money (for JREF as well as attendees), but I worry that quality may be sacrificed.

A logistical note: flying from the west coast to to the east takes a full day of clock time (6 hours flying minimum plus 3 hours time difference), so that means people coming from California need an extra day coming. However, flying back saves those three hours. When I leave a meeting, I tend to wait until the next day to fly out, but an evening flight still gets me home at a reasonable time. So a last day session ending at, say, noon, may be a good idea. Then people can hang out and spend the rest fo the day chatting, or go home as they see fit. Ending at 3 or later, though, means an extra day for sure. We lost a lot of folks who had to leave before the meeting ended because it ran long!

[Charlie in Dayton]

Originally posted by Girl 6


Well, I'm all for this if I can get someone to massage my feet or if I can lean on someone if I get tired. :D

G6

ME! ME! ME ME ME me me me me me me me...

...please?... :)

[Byzantine Magpie]

Are there any more thoughts on When and Where for TAM2?

I'd like to attend, but it's a big thing to organise a trip from Australia. So I'd like to incorporate a couple of weeks of sightseeing while in the USA (Cape Canaveral, Washington, New York...anywhere else I should go?).

[Girl 6]

I think that it's going to be the same weekend (last one of January). I also think that it may stay in Ft. Lauderdale but in a different hotel.

Linda would know these details. I'm sure that they will announce it as soon as all of it has been arranged.

G6

[Linda]

Opinions needed......
We're seriously, seriously considering having the conference in Las Vegas next year. Weekend of Jan. 30th. I'm having a problem finding an affordable hotel in Fort Lauderdale that can accommodate the number of people we're hoping for and I have a contact in Las Vegas that is willing to do all the legwork. I'd like a show of hands as to how many would want to go to Las Vegas.

[Luciana]

Las Vegas, in terms of flight tickets, would be more expensive to me... and maybe to Europeans too?

BUT...

LAS VEGAS RULES! I've been to Las Vegas in 1999 (exchange rate then: 1,80. Now: 3,20! I was rich and I didn't know it) and I visited the Grand Canyon too, and I'd love love love to visit it again.

Wait, I still don't know if I'll make it to the next TAM, so don't count me in yet! (I believe nobody can guarantee anything at this stage). But the mix of TAM + Grand Canyon is too good to be true!

So count my vote as YES!

[Andalyn]

Las Vegas is closer to me, which would make it much easier for me to attend.

[Andalyn]

Well, I thought closer. It seems much closer. Las Vegas is only 300 miles closer... :(

[Pyrrho]

Hold it in Cleveland!

- We have an international airport with cheap public transportation to downtown Cleveland

- We have a couple of nice hotels and lots of cheap motels

- There is nothing to do in Cleveland, so attendees are unlikely to get into any trouble

- There are more bars and taverns per square mile here than anywhere else in the world

- Everyone who visits here feels so much better when they leave that one day here is like one week in the Bahamas

[Reager]

I'm all for holding the meeting in Vegas. I've never been and this would be a fantastic excuse to go (and it will seriously up the fun quotient -- even for a trip to Vegas). :)


Mike

[Peach Jr.]

Las Vegas would be great - we could drive to Vegas. Far more easily than to Florida.

Gives me a good excuse to see Penn & Teller too :) . "As long as we're here, honey..."

[jj]

That would be a serious attraction for me, at least.

Now, personally, I hideously, enormously, and rabidly dislike Lost Wages. No, I've never lost any money there, no I'm exactly 65 cents UP on my entire life's gambling winnings, which was 20 minutes at a nickle slot in Atlantic City, too. I just have a lot of experience with using probabilty math, analyzing and using stoichastic processes, etc, too much to have any enthusiasm for Lost Wages or what supports it. No, I don't get it. Gambling doesn't entertain me, not even watching it. The dead eyes of the older folks gambling away their social security checks in the slots, the desparate look on the players at the blackjack table, the paranoid security people peering at you because you're not playing (just staying there for an NAB conference), etc, just don't float my boat.

I understand why Penn and Teller are there, the irony is just, err, neck-deep, if you get my meaning.

But I might be able to come there, it's 2 hours on the plane instead of 7.

How about Seattle. Cool, foggy, comfortable weather, the whole Olympic Peninsula and Cascades to play on, skiing that time of year 1 hour out of town, ... and if you HAVE to gamble there's always the "Indian" casinos.

[Quinn]

Vegas, baby, yeeeaah!

You've got my vote. And that of most of the West Coast contingent, I'll bet.

Quinn

[tim]

It's a long way for us over this side, but tied in with a holiday I begin to see the attractions................

[darling]

I could certainly be persuaded... and so could my bride... :D

Edited to add: Especially if we can get Tom Lehrer to speak!

[RichardR]

I'd go to Vegas.

[Girl 6]

Yes, Las Vegas is doable for me!! By the way, Linda, there is another thread about this as well in the Banter section here. (http://www.randi.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17433)

I think the entire west coast section of the JREFers would easily go for this. :D

G6

[Vorticity]

Originally posted by Girl 6

I think the entire west coast section of the JREFers would easily go for this. :D
Ditto.

I also notice that Southwest airlines flies to/from Vegas. They have the cheapest fares of any airline, in my experience (though they go to fewer cities).

[kittynh]

I like Florida better than Vegas, just because I guess I'm not sure about "sin city". There would be a lot of distractions, but hey, a lot of people like Vegas and the night life would probably be very much a plus. Of course, Cleveland sounds good too! I'm going for the speakers and the education - though I did enjoy the outlet mall in Florida! I'd like to see Penn and Teller, could they have a special JREF night? That way we could all get tickets (I heard they sell out in advance).

Still, for me, it's the conference, not the location. Plus, FLorida is closer for myself and cheaper. Have to look at flights to Vegas...

[Jeff Corey]

Las Vegas? No thanks.

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

Vegas is fine, but move the date. A week earlier or a week later.

I'll be there regardless.

~~ Paul

[kittynh]

No, really Jeff, sorry as I asked you this in another thread, but what do you not like about Vegas? I just get such a sense of ick about it, but I have never been.

Dare I say seeming to totally lack any iota of class or connection to the real world? Fake?

But, everyone seems to love it. But many people seem to like Pamela Andersons boobs. I think they have much in common with the Vegas I have seen on tv. Could be wrong...

It is just so down on my list of places to see. I think The Black Hole of Calcutta ranks significantly higher.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Originally posted by Linda
Opinions needed......
We're seriously, seriously considering having the conference in Las Vegas next year. Weekend of Jan. 30th. I'm having a problem finding an affordable hotel in Fort Lauderdale that can accommodate the number of people we're hoping for and I have a contact in Las Vegas that is willing to do all the legwork. I'd like a show of hands as to how many would want to go to Las Vegas.

Count me in!!! (And this time I mean it)

[darling]

Originally posted by kittynh
I'd like to see Penn and Teller, could they have a special JREF night? That way we could all get tickets (I heard they sell out in advance). Now that is a great idea.

[luvtinayothers]

Vegas is perfect. Much closer to Los Angeles than Florida....

[SkepticScott]

Originally posted by Linda
Opinions needed......
We're seriously, seriously considering having the conference in Las Vegas next year. Weekend of Jan. 30th. I'm having a problem finding an affordable hotel in Fort Lauderdale that can accommodate the number of people we're hoping for and I have a contact in Las Vegas that is willing to do all the legwork. I'd like a show of hands as to how many would want to go to Las Vegas.

Linda, I've heard that Las Vegas is cheap if you don't gamble. Any increase in air fare should be balanced by a decrease in lodging and food costs.

That said, *YES*, I'm game for Las Vegas. Make sure you schedule a time for us to go see Penn & Teller :-) .

[Yahzi]

I can make it to Las Vegas. Count me in!

Oh and my wife, too.

[Snakbar]

I hardly ever post here, but I have to put in my vote for Las Vegas. That time of year is very light on tourists, but I believe in 2004 that is the weekend of the Superbowl, which is one of Vegas' busiest times. Anyway, I know if it were in Vegas I'd be able to go and I would love to attend one of these Amazing Meetings!

[Rose]

Vegas works for me. I may even drive out, so that I can help out moving around town. If we're in Vegas, does anyone know if Penn and Teller are going to be performing that week? I'm willing to arrive a couple of days early to settle in and relax beforehand. And do we have any idea which hotel we're looking at?

[davefoc]

Wow, Vegas sounds great to me, I never thought you'd hold the meeting outside of Florida. I'd probably drive from LA area.

My schedule is flexible but January sounds great too. I also liked the comments about more socializing time. I didn't go to TAM1, but listenting to talks about 4 hours a day is about enough for me.

Will Randi use his god-like powers to help me win at roulette? I'd appreciate that.

Thanks, dave

[Lisa]

Originally posted by Rose
Vegas works for me. I may even drive out, so that I can help out moving around town. If we're in Vegas, does anyone know if Penn and Teller are going to be performing that week? I'm willing to arrive a couple of days early to settle in and relax beforehand. And do we have any idea which hotel we're looking at?
Rose, a bunch of us arrived at TAM1 the Wednesday before the meeting started. We were able to hang out at the discussion group, go to Kennedy Space Center, and of course the hotel bar.;)
We're still kicking around on PalTalk whether or not we all want to arrive early, or stay late.

[SkepticScott]

Originally posted by Lisa

Rose, a bunch of us arrived at TAM1 the Wednesday before the meeting started. We were able to hang out at the discussion group, go to Kennedy Space Center, and of course the hotel bar.;)
We're still kicking around on PalTalk whether or not we all want to arrive early, or stay late. Wednesday night and Thursday at TAM1 were fantastic! Pure socializing, KSC, and the Internet show takeover. I can't wait to do it again. But wait! If TAM is in Las Vegas, how will Girl6, Lisa, and Luciana be able to take over the Internet show again? Or will JREF get a high-speed connection in LV and conduct the show from there?

As to arriving early and/or staying late, why not do both? :D

[Lisa]

*snip*
Originally posted by SkepticScott

As to arriving early and/or staying late, why not do both? :D
Yeah, we've already thought about that too. Depends on what the hotel rates look like. Of course, Ed and I could always go and stay at Nellis billeting.

[SkepticScott]

Originally posted by Lisa
(snip)Depends on what the hotel rates look like.(snip)For one adult, 29 Jan - 2 Feb '04, Expedia list rates from $54/night. I don't know where JREF is looking, but we may get lucky and have cheap rooms. :) An alternative would be to find cheap rooms elsewhere for the pre- and post-TAM activities. Who says we have to stay in the same five-star hotel that hosted TAM? What would be some suitable day-trips? Boulder Dam? Walking tour of the hotels?

[sadluxation]

Originally posted by SkepticScott
If TAM is in Las Vegas, how will Girl6, Lisa, and Luciana be able to take over the Internet show again? Or will JREF get a high-speed connection in LV and conduct the show from there?


Hi Guys!
What about broadcasting from P&T's SinCity, maybe?

Don't want to get your hopes up.

Am working on getting a few more Brits to come over this time.
Told them they should join the JREF to get a members discount.

Hope that will whet the appetite of some limeys.

S

[Michael Redman]

TAM in Las Vegas? Two words:

Woo.

Hoo.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

[Oso]

Originally posted by SkepticScott


Linda, I've heard that Las Vegas is cheap if you don't gamble. Any increase in air fare should be balanced by a decrease in lodging and food costs.

That said, *YES*, I'm game for Las Vegas. Make sure you schedule a time for us to go see Penn & Teller :-) .

Scott is absolutely right. Pretty much everything is cheap in Vegas, they know they're going to get it back in spades, if you know what I mean. As to airfare, I fly to Vegas a lot just because it's often cheaper to fly thru Vegas than direct.

If you've never been I think you should, at least once, no matter what you think about gambling. You'll definitely learn more about human nature.

I kind of understand JJ's reluctance but Jeff Corey?, I would have expected you to look upon it as a laboratory.

I'll go wherever we have the next TAM but Vegas would probably be quite a bit cheaper for the majority.

Penn & Teller? Wow the only reason I had the after hours video at TAM was to see recordings other people had made of ********. Seeing them perform live would really be the nuts!

BUT if it's in Vegas we really need to start each session a LOT later. Vegas happens at night, all night.

[Rose]

There are various fee shows in Vegas, from the Treasure Island pirate fight to the Bellagio fountain show. It might be nice to plot out a walking tour to take some of these in. There's also the Hilton's Star Trek display and shuttle ride.


There's also the Stratosphere and its rides, along with a few other stray roller coasters. Circus Circus's amusement park is actually quite fun, and the lazer tag there might be a blast with JREFers running around.

Do we have any idea when we might at least narrow down the hotels in consideration for this event? For the budge minded, perhaps doubling up on rooms would make the trip affordable even with some of the upper end hotels. Waiting for TAM II is getting to be even more nerve wracking than the wait for LotR 3.

[Dinonychus]

Originally posted by Rose
Waiting for TAM II is getting to be even more nerve wracking than the wait for LotR 3.

And if you miss TAM 2, it ain't gonna come out on video in 6 months, unlike LotR:RotK.

[Rose]

Very true Dinonychus. It's bad enough I have to kick myself in the butt every day for missing TAM I. To miss two in a row, I'd have to serve penace by amputating body parts...

[renata]

For people flying in to Vegas, who took a few extra days off- why not stop in LA before/after the convention? Tickets to LAX may be cheaper than to Vegas, and we have flights from here to Vegas for $19 one way, and it takes about 50 min ( you have to order way in advance and wait for a sale, but there is plenty of time). You could stay a few days, see the city- I could take a day or two off work and show those who might be interested around. I find Vegas pretty boring after about 1 day, so you can see LA before or after TAM.

I can help out arranging lodgings and such

[AtheistArchon]

- Vegas would be awesome, even tho it's more expensive for those of us on the east coast to get there. I've always wanted to see some of the shows, like The Blue Men.

- And of course, since Penn and Teller are buddies with Randi, we'd stand a good shot at either:

1. Getting free or discounted tickets to their gig, which would be simply awesome, or...

2. Getting them to actually show up at TAM2 and do some schtick!

- Even barring this, we could at very least organize a group to go see em.

- I vote Vegas!

[kittynh]

LA sounds good Renata...
what is there to do though. To us East Coasters LA is thought of as an endless freeway constantly backed up and the Viper Room.

Enlighten us to the joys of LA!

[renata]

Los Angeles is the single perfect city in America. It has EVERYTHING :) This is a post I made before on the subject.

Within 20 minutes I can be on the beach, or hiking in the mountains. I have succulent fresh produce all year long, and I am going picking cherries in a few weeks- 6 varieties in one orchard. I can wear shorts on my birthday in February. The theater talent, even in the small production is amazing, and we get the best musical talent to visit us. Any movie, no matter how obscure can be found here, and they run fantastic films every week at the Nuart. Our Asian and Mexican restaurants are the best in the nation, and we have been recently crowned desert kings. We have a world champion baseball team, a future champion hockey team, and as of today, a former champion basketball team. We have several of the most rigorous universities in the nation, and we get to see vintage cars almost every day on our freeways. We are 1 hour away from desert, 2 hours away from skiing, 3 hours away from Mexico and 4 hours away from Vegas. It is a wonderful town.


Now that was why you should move here. This is why you should visit in no particular order:
DisneyLand
Universal City
Getty
Norton Simon
Huntington Library and Gardens
Descanso Gardens
California Science Center
UCLA Hammer Museum
UCLA
Caltech
Museum of Contemporary Art
Griffith Park ( the observatory is closed for repairs)
Beaches
Mountains
Theaters
Rodeo Drive
Mann's Chinese Theater
Hollywood Blvd
Lakers
Ducks
Angels
Dodgers
Best Chinese, Mexican and Japanese food in the US
Death Valley
Golf in January
Catalina Island
La Brea Tar Pits
Olvera Street
Chinatown
Little Tokyo
Queen Mary
Old Farmers market- some stores sell the same things they have for 50 years
Santa Monica Pier
LegoLand

And... me!! :)

[Linda]

Kitty,
You would LOVE the Getty museum! Not only is it a wonderful museum, it's location on a hilltop gives you a breathtaking view from the gardens.
You'd probably also love just driving around Beverly Hills and Brentwood seeing all the beautiful homes, and strolling Rodeo Drive.

[renata]

Originally posted by Linda
Kitty,
You would LOVE the Getty museum! Not only is it a wonderful museum, it's location on a hilltop gives you a breathtaking view from the gardens.
You'd probably also love just driving around Beverly Hills and Brentwood seeing all the beautiful homes, and strolling Rodeo Drive.

Linda, you know LA has been trying to drum up convention business, they would probably give you a great deal ;)


Getty is the most architecturally georgious modern building I have ever been in. Its collection is not as strong as some other museums- but it, itself is like a city of the future.

[kittynh]

I'm hooked, if not the TAM I smell a road trip!!!

Gotta see the Getty!:)

[Michael Redman]

I would suggest that we try to go later in the year, as warmer weather is better for traveling in much of the US. If people are going to come to the US from overseas, they might very well want to spend some time traveling around. I would certainly recommend, for example, that people who have never traveled around the western US, especially foreigners, see some of the sites, many of which, like Yellowstone, are inaccessable in the winter, although a reasonable road trip from Las Vegas.

Plus, many here find summer travel more convenient because of school schedules, etc. Also, warmer destinations tend to be cheaper to travel to in the summer. New Orleans, for example, would be a great future site for TAM, and it's a lot cheaper in the summer.

Maybe it's not practical to think of the conference as a vacation opportunity, but this is kind of a friendly social group, and there seems to be a lot more interest in spending time together than your normal conference.

[kittynh]

I see your point. There is one airport I can't use flying out in Januaury, because if there is a snow storm I can't get to it (little two lane road over the mountains). So, I'll book from the further airport, because I can actually use a real road to get there.

Even so, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

[SkepticScott]

Has the location of TAM'04 been finalized yet, or are we still in the "most likely Las Vegas" stage?

[Linda]

We're still in the same phase. We're having another meeting Friday and may have some more definite info by then.:confused:

[SkepticScott]

Thank you Linda. I'm waiting to use the "TAM will be in Las Vegas" on my cousin (a teacher), and I want to give him so much advance notice that he can't possibly not be able to plan his vacation.