TAM X - Singles n' Singles

[TheGoldcountry]

Deleted--member has been banned so I think it's unnecessary for me to post any more about him.

Actually, I think it's fair of us to inquire about others who might feel the same as he. He claimed there were many who were afraid to speak; I don't think anyone should feel that way. Just don't stamp your feet and throw a tantrum when others disagree. I've been a member for about a year now, and I get shot down all the time. I've never considered writing diatribes about the "JREF bullies" in response. I usually nurse my wounds, and eventually come back for more. The positives of this forum outweigh the negatives, IMHO. Others may feel differently (or have experiences I don't share).

 

[Phlebas]

After everything CLM posted here, he gets banned for sock puppetry?

But yeah, I agree with TheGoldcountry. If TAM is lacking an event or a type of event, by all means suggest something. Pick a time you want to do it and we'll get it on the list.

 

[AdMan]

Actually, I think it's fair of us to inquire about others who might feel the same as he. He claimed there were many who were afraid to speak; I don't think anyone should feel that way. Just don't stamp your feet and throw a tantrum when others disagree. I've been a member for about a year now, and I get shot down all the time. I've never considered writing diatribes about the "JREF bullies" in response. I usually nurse my wounds, and eventually come back for more. The positives of this forum outweigh the negatives, IMHO. Others may feel differently (or have experiences I don't share).

Oh, sure--I didn't mean to suggest that people should stop posting on the subject of not feeling particularly welcome at skeptical events or forums and how to address that, only that I wasn't going to comment further on this particular poster myself since he's now gone--that's all.

 

[Hokulele]

I'm sorry this didn't work out, crazylegsmurphy. I'm a single, veteran TAMmer, so my interest was for different reasons than a first TAMmer couple. *sigh*


For any first-time attendees several of us (*) have chipped in for "First TAMmer" calligraphic buttons. If you want people to know this is your first TAM, you can wear one as an ice-breaker. Be sure to go to the Forum table early to get your free button because the go fast. (**)

* Allecher, CriticalThanking, Paul C. Anagnostopoulos, Wowbagger, and I

** The first time we did this, there were only 100 buttons and I don't think they even made it to the Forum table.

Sadly, he called the buttons "lame". I liked them.

 

[Rasmus]

After everything CLM posted here, he gets banned for sock puppetry?

I've been a Mod and Admin on a different forum.

Simple explanantion of how things would often work there:

There's a problematic poster. He does bad stuff, a lot, and you just know he will be warned, suspended and banned eventually. The question is just one of "when", "for what" and "how much damage and work will he cause for others on the way".

If the mods and admins are trying to be fair, responsible and all that sort of boring stuff, they will not ban a poster because they just know he will be banned, anyways.

But if that poster is then nice enough to give them a reason by committing a clear, obvious and explicitly bannable offense, then they will often ceise that opportunity.

The offense the poster is then banned for will not be the worst thing he did - not by far, often enough.

Capone ring a bell? Just like that.

 

[Horatius]

Sadly, he called the buttons "lame". I liked them.

Yeah, for someone who was so upset by a perception that we were all ganging up on his idea, he sure didn't hesitate to insult everyone else's ideas.

But yeah, I agree with TheGoldcountry. If TAM is lacking an event or a type of event, by all means suggest something. Pick a time you want to do it and we'll get it on the list.

I agree, but any new ideas simply won't succeed unless the people interested take charge, and get it done. I've been involved with other organizations where we had people complain about how we were doing things, but who never actually came up with their own ideas of how to do things, and my response then is what it is now: if you don't like the way I'm doing it, do it yourself. That usually shuts them up. Usually.


That being said, I do agree that more needs to be done to get newbies involved in some of our existing events*, and a singles (as in, romantic singles) event has potential as well. We should maybe start new threads to actually discuss this in a manner that might succeed, without some passive aggressive douche with no clear idea of what he wants complicating things.




*I've tried that before with the Poker Tournament, but had limited success. Last year I had more than one person ask me about it well after it was finished. We could have had a lot more players if we'd gotten the word out better. We need to figure out how to do that.

 

[Phlebas]

Capone ring a bell? Just like that.

I'm sure you're correct. It's just such a waste. With CLM on the path he was on, he could have flamed out spectacularly. Pity.

 

[Phlebas]

*I've tried that before with the Poker Tournament, but had limited success. Last year I had more than one person ask me about it well after it was finished. We could have had a lot more players if we'd gotten the word out better. We need to figure out how to do that.

Have we ever tried to get the JREF to send a pre-TAM message to all attendees letting them know of events like the Poker Tournament? Since we used to donate some of the proceeds to the JREF (although maybe not any more), you'd think we could leverage something.

Even if we don't, as long as we carefully worded the message so that it was clear the JREF was not officially sponsoring them but just telling everyone to increase their amount of fun at TAM, maybe we could get away with it. Might we worth a couple more seats at the poker tables anyway.

 

[Horatius]

Have we ever tried to get the JREF to send a pre-TAM message to all attendees letting them know of events like the Poker Tournament? Since we used to donate some of the proceeds to the JREF (although maybe not any more), you'd think we could leverage something.

Even if we don't, as long as we carefully worded the message so that it was clear the JREF was not officially sponsoring them but just telling everyone to increase their amount of fun at TAM, maybe we could get away with it. Might we worth a couple more seats at the poker tables anyway.

We still donate! There's an up front donation to the JREF from each player, and the last two years, the finalists all donated at least part of the pot as well.

I've thought about this a bit as well, and it could be useful for some of the other events as well. If someone could take the Big List of Activities and make it look nice, it would be easy to send out as an e-mail. And maybe print a list to be inserted in the registration packages as well.

Of course, this would all require backing from the JREF. If we had that, the rest would be easy.

Does the JREF have anyone in charge of "social activities" or something like that? Could we get them interested in looking at the activities already listed, and deciding which ones they would be willing to advertise for us?

We'd also have to decide which ones need advertising. The Sushi Lunch is just about pushing the realistic capacity of the restaurant, but the Fremont Street Event and the Poker Tournament could expand enormously if we had sufficient lead time to plan for it.

I wonder if there are any other things we could try that wouldn't rely so heavily on official support, as I expect that may be problematical for the JREF, at least for some events.

 

[Rasmus]

*I've tried that before with the Poker Tournament, but had limited success. Last year I had more than one person ask me about it well after it was finished. We could have had a lot more players if we'd gotten the word out better. We need to figure out how to do that.

As long as an invent is supposed to be for everybody, why not get the JREF to mail out a letter, or include with one of the letters I am sure they are mailing out anyways, that points TAM atendees to the available events?

Dear customer,

we are very happy you have paid us loads of $$$$ to come and join TAM. In case you want to do something outside the regualr program, we have a bunch of people who obviously have too much time on their hands, and they are doing all of the following:

There is an official welcome desk, right? the list could be handed out there, with all the events that are scheduled but have places open still on day one.

 

[zooterkin]

There is an official welcome desk, right? the list could be handed out there, with all the events that are scheduled but have places open still on day one.

Or, if the JREF wants to be at arm's length from unofficial events, it could perhaps be done on the JREF Forum table.

 

[Rasmus]

Or, if the JREF wants to be at arm's length from unofficial events, it could perhaps be done on the JREF Forum table.

That, also - specifically for only-forum events.

But I'd have thought that forumites would know about there being events anyways, and non-forumites not caring about the forum-table?

 

[AdMan]

That, also - specifically for only-forum events.

But I'd have thought that forumites would know about there being events anyways, and non-forumites not caring about the forum-table?

Perhaps a mention somewhere by JREF that there are a number of outside events happening that are open to everyone (space permitting, first come first served), and for info visit the forum table?

 

[Allecher]

I like that idea AdMan. Perhaps it should be called the Forum and Welcome table. I spent some of my down time there last year and was able to answer some general questions for the newbies. Putting the flyers listing extracurricular events at our table might be easier than printing them enough in advance to make it into the official packet.

In another thread SkepticScott mentioned that they would be using a professional event management company again this year which I take to mean that they will not really need volunteers from the forum. I wonder if we should rebrand that legion of forumites as the welcoming committee?

 

[Horatius]

Well, last year I posted an announcement on the board the JREF provides, and had things on the forum Table, and didn't get much response. With the Poker Tournament usually being on Thursday, that's just not enough time for most people to learn about it by seeing those posts.

An e-mail from the JREF a few weeks before TAM starts would probably be the best thing. It would go out to everyone who was registered at that point, and would likely be read by a much larger percentage of the attendees, and that would happen early enough people could plan on which events they'd like to join.

 

[zooterkin]

Perhaps a mention somewhere by JREF that there are a number of outside events happening that are open to everyone (space permitting, first come first served), and for info visit the forum table?

Yes, that's exactly what I was trying to say.

For forum-only events, they can be arranged via the forum.

 

[zooterkin]

Well, last year I posted an announcement on the board the JREF provides, and had things on the forum Table, and didn't get much response. With the Poker Tournament usually being on Thursday, that's just not enough time for most people to learn about it by seeing those posts.

An e-mail from the JREF a few weeks before TAM starts would probably be the best thing. It would go out to everyone who was registered at that point, and would likely be read by a much larger percentage of the attendees, and that would happen early enough people could plan on which events they'd like to join.

Yes, I agree, that would be best, if the JREF is happy to do that. I was just suggesting a fall-back plan which would give a bit more notice and at least make people aware that there were such events and where to go to find out more about them.

 

[Rasmus]

In another thread SkepticScott mentioned that they would be using a professional event management company again this year which I take to mean that they will not really need volunteers from the forum. I wonder if we should rebrand that legion of forumites as the welcoming committee?

Did they need any last year?

 

[AdMan]

Did they need any last year?

Yes, there were volunteers last year but as expected there was less to do than in previous years when an events company wasn't involved.

 

[Horatius]

Did they need any last year?

They didn't really need any, but they had some. Last year was a bit of a transition year, as it was the first time they had the professionals there. The pros didn't really know what to do with us, and we didn't know what else needed doing