TAM London 2010 impressions

[exarch]

A late stay at the hotel bar on Saturday night kind of made Sunday a bit hazy. I walked in during Chow's musical compilage, but when I claimed my seat and went for coffee, they had already stopped serving it
The only other bits of the talks I missed were those where I was nodding off from pure exhaustion.

The after party was also a good idea, although we apparently showed up just after they'd stopped serving food. A trip to the Italian restaurant next door for something to eat meant that by the time I got back, everyone was already leaving.
With an outrageously expensive hotel bar and Pubs in England closing at midnight (and the subway as well btw), I think this is just an inevitable buzzkill for any kind of socializing at TAML.

The venue was okay (although the room was rather cold), but with the same drawbacks as last year's theatre: only one staircase to get from the conference hall up to the dining area meant major congestion and queing. And once you got your food, you couldn't sit down anywhere. And what was up with all those coloured twinkling LEDs on the ceiling?

All in all, I enjoyed the conference itself immensely. Especially the Saturday morning line-up was awesome. PZ was awesome (which you'd know isn't a given if you saw him at TAM6). And many of the speakers and panels, despite not being specifically about skepticism, were very interesting perhaps because they broadened the spectrum.

I'll be going back next year.

 

[Wowbagger]

And what was up with all those coloured twinkling LEDs on the ceiling?

It's there for the convenience of those who wish to do their own astrology reading, without the bother of actually stepping outside.

 

[Geek Goddess]

Am I the only one who thought the Amateur Transplants were rather mediocre?

Yes


I had a great time. I had never heard of Alan Moore, but thoroughly enjoyed listening to him and have become a fan.

Tracy and her crew did a great job. Rebecca put together some great questions in her panel discussions. I had not heard DJ's speech before, so it was fresh. All in all, I enjoyed it greatly.

I went out for Chinese with friends near Leicester very late one night. We discover when we left the restaurant at one a.m. that the Tube was closed, and the taxis were off duty. I was left taking a Friday night bus to Victoria Station and walking alone back to my hotel, something I don't care to repeat.

I also got to meet up with Hindmost and his wife, and Irena, and two of my friends. We went out to the pub, and then to a late night dinner as well. I went to see the caverns at Chiselhurst one day, and went to see Les Miz at the theater one night. I also walked from the Hilton to Reagent Street, then to Oxford Circus, then around the Museum of London, all in one day. My joints were tired

 

[zooterkin]

Yes
I also walked from the Hilton to Reagent Street, then to Oxford Circus

Should that be Oxide Circus?

 

[ohp]

I also walked from the Hilton to Reagent Street, then to Oxford Circus, then around the Museum of London, all in one day. My joints were tired

Sometimes it is better to walk rather than take the tube, where the station doesn't have good escalators.

Covalent Garden for example.

Blame Zooterkin. He started it.

 

[brodski]

Covalent Garden for example.

Blame Zooterkin. He started it.

Monoxide Crescent?

 

[Geek Goddess]

I also went to Cadmium Town

 

[Wowbagger]

Yes

Bummer.

I went out for Chinese with friends near Leicester very late one night. We discover when we left the restaurant at one a.m. that the Tube was closed, and the taxis were off duty.

Living near New York City, I do find it weird how London shuts down at night.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Loth as I normally am to not eat food that I've paid for, I went out to lunch on the Sunday, in order not to spend all my time queuing (to get out of the room, on the stairs, to get into the food room, to get the food, to get dessert and coffee, then to get back in the room again) and to get something I knew I'd enjoy eating, sitting down.

I also went out for lunch on Sunday

 

[yngve]

I had a blast, no doubt, however, there are some minor irks.
- Wiseman has to come up with some new stuff for next year, he managed to pull it off, but there was too much repetition from last year.

- Punishment for idiots that can't put their cell in flightmode or silent should be mandatory.

- More time for questions

- Workshops on how to promote skepticism (that may be an idea for next year....?)

The workshop bit might be arranged as a fringe event, maybe as a prelude to a Skeptics in the Pub with subsequent mingling and exchange of ideas after presentation(s) of the various ideas that have cropped up.

Also I have to give my thumbs up for the Westminster Skeptics in the Pub on monday 18th, interresting and complex topic that makes you think.

Ghost Stories was just brilliant, absolutely recommended!

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Ghost Stories was just brilliant, absolutely recommended!

I went last Thur, the 21. I concur.

 

[xinit]

Am I the only one who thought the Amateur Transplants were rather mediocre?

I enjoyed the little I saw from them... enough to buy an album on emusic when I returned home.

Highlight of TAM London for me? Not catching the plague that was going around. I spent hours at CORE talking to a couple really cool people, although they were obvious plague carriers, and remained healthy.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I enjoyed the little I saw from them... enough to buy an album on emusic when I returned home.

Highlight of TAM London for me? Not catching the plague that was going around. I spent hours at CORE talking to a couple really cool people, although they were obvious plague carriers, and remained healthy.

I'm glad I only stayed there 2 minutes. Who picked that place?

 

[zooterkin]

I'm glad I only stayed there 2 minutes. Who picked that place?

James Thomas of Hampshire Skeptics, if you really want to know.

 

[xinit]

I'm glad I only stayed there 2 minutes. Who picked that place?

Well, the offer of free food really did the bulk of the work on that front. Food was good enough to go back and pay for it the next night.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

James Thomas of Hampshire Skeptics, if you really want to know.

We mostly left because we were stuck on the end of the table with Stinky***.

I heard later that we didn't miss much.


***There were several "Stinky's" at TAM. I believe this one was labeled Stinky 8 Ball.

 

[Geek Goddess]

I'm glad I only stayed there 2 minutes. Who picked that place?

we walked in, saw full tables but no one we knew, so ended up going elsewhere

 

[Hindmost]

Yes


I had a great time. I had never heard of Alan Moore, but thoroughly enjoyed listening to him and have become a fan.

Tracy and her crew did a great job. Rebecca put together some great questions in her panel discussions. I had not heard DJ's speech before, so it was fresh. All in all, I enjoyed it greatly.

I went out for Chinese with friends near Leicester very late one night. We discover when we left the restaurant at one a.m. that the Tube was closed, and the taxis were off duty. I was left taking a Friday night bus to Victoria Station and walking alone back to my hotel, something I don't care to repeat.

I also got to meet up with Hindmost and his wife, and Irena, and two of my friends. We went out to the pub, and then to a late night dinner as well. I went to see the caverns at Chiselhurst one day, and went to see Les Miz at the theater one night. I also walked from the Hilton to Reagent Street, then to Oxford Circus, then around the Museum of London, all in one day. My joints were tired

We had a perfect evening...won't forget it.

And we went to the wine bar and we actually braved the traffic so I could see my castle.





glenn

 

[Geek Goddess]

We had a perfect evening...won't forget it.




glenn

That was fun, wasn't it!

 

[SusanB-M1]

Well, I have to agree with Professor Yaffle! However, travelling to Australia for two weeks - got back 7:30 this morning - compensates.
Carole and I will be there next year though.
I hope there's a video (or DVD or something) of the occasion?