Checkmite
Skepticifimisticalationist
Houston, TX might be good. Or San Antonio. Not too bad in the winter.
YouBelieveWHAT?
Muse
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2004
- Messages
- 975
D'you think that Kent Hovind "Dr Dino" might have conference facilities at his place - that's also in Florida?
Sorry - just the thought of that makes me want to... smile
YBW
Sorry - just the thought of that makes me want to... smile
YBW
exarch
Anti-homeopathy illuminati member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2003
- Messages
- 7,184
I would recommend against calling whatever is organised in Europe The Amazing Meeting by the way. If the idea is to split the conference and keep the European attendees from attending TAM in the US, I would not attend the one in Europe, since most of the people I know would not attend it. Further more, the meeting in Europe would not be the same as the one in the US (different speakers and all that). And if it would be the same, it might not be that interesting for European skeptics. For example, I think even the Canadians, while perhaps being impressed with the achievements of the ACLU, are more interested in what's going on in their country.
As for TAM5, I think JAS' list is a good guide:
1. Has lots of cheap(er) flights and easy to get to (no dragging suitcases across town to make a several hour busride to reach).
2. Has decent weather in January - March.
3. A range of non-conference entertainment options (incl. a range of prices).
4. Conference facilities for ~1000 people min.
5. Is in an affordable hotel room price range for middle income earners (i.e. $60 for a double room during the week and $90 during the weekend).
I think I would have to disagree about that price range being about where TAM attendees fall though. Rather, I think that price range is where most forum posters fall. And sadly, TAM is not the JREF forum people. We're only about 15% of the attendees, and about a third of us are attending on scholarships. TAM is a fundraiser first and foremost, and that means a trade off between getting enough people to attend, yet making sure you charge enough to acquire some funding for the organisation on top of the actual cost of the conference.
In other words, item number 5 is probably not that high on the JREF's wish list as it is on ours ...
My objection to January is that I work a 28 / 28 day cycle and everybody starts about August trying to shifte their crew change to get Christmas at home. This year, I had both Christmas and New Year at home, for the first time in a decade. That made it impossible to get to TAM. January will always cause me problems.
I like the idea of Banff, (though my Japanese may be inadequate), but what about Denver- or indeed Colorado Springs. Maybe we have an inside contact who could get cheap accommodation at the Air Force Academy?
I like the idea of Banff, (though my Japanese may be inadequate), but what about Denver- or indeed Colorado Springs. Maybe we have an inside contact who could get cheap accommodation at the Air Force Academy?
brettDbass
Kurious
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2005
- Messages
- 1,385
The tourist board is a bunch of dirty liars.Originally Posted by treble_head :
Yeah! Let's have it in Scunthorpe!
Originally Posted by The Scunthorpe Tourist board :
Come to Scunthrorpe, it's not as bad as it sounds!
Maybe somewhere fairly central would be an idea for a TAM-EU/UK.
Not too far away from anywhere else in the country, on or near most of the major motorways and close to a major airport.
I'm thinking somewhere like Nottingham..?
Not Coventry, Leicester or Derby - they're all poopoo. Birmingham would also fit that bill, although I'd vote Nottingham above it as it's about as culturally devoid as a total vacuum.
Most UKers outside of London despise the place and it is hideously expensive too.
brodski
Tea-Time toad
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2005
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- 15,516
Now now, Scunthorpe isn't as bad as say, Grimsby.I've been out in Nottingham, and frankly avoiding the hordes of maundering 16 year olds, (wearing half a handkerchief between them) tanked up on Bacardi breezers and bath tub vodka, whiles sidestepping the drunks in eth gutter is *not* my idea of a good night out.London is a great place to live, but I wouldn't want to visit.For UK TAM I vote Manchester.the consensus in chat last night over a possible European TAM seemed to be Amsterdam. I concur.
brettDbass
Kurious
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- Oct 14, 2005
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- 1,385
Good thinking. Nottingham is a nice place really, but it ain't the greatest in the night.
Manchester also fits the motorways and airports things and although it's a little further from our Southern cousins, it's still within reasonable journey times. Oh yes, and it's a great place to go out of an evening.
I'd vote for Manchester over London too then, oh yes.
Cleon
King of the Pod People
One thing I'm noticing is that once you remove people's personal preferences (i.e., what's convenient for them), the ideas seem to gravitate towards "keep it in Vegas."
A skeptics' conference in Nashville seems rather blasphemous.
Someone brought up Atlanta - trust me on this one, Atlanta sucks to organize a conference in. There are plenty of hotels here, but dealing with them is excrutiating.
Toronto would be cool - figuratively and literally, of course. I'm not sure how "fly to Toronto for a January conference" would work.
Orlando - meh. I've been there, not impressed.
I can think of a number of reasons to keep it in Vegas. Starting with Jas' list, which Vegas meets.
Second, as teek pointed out, Vegas evidently works for a lot of people (reference the 800 people who showed up for TAM4). If it works, don't mess with it, I always say. If 800 people didn't have a problem with TAM being in Vegas, why would you change that?
Third, when you hold TAM in a city like Vegas, the location is part of the attraction. Even if you wind up being bored at the conference, hey, it's Vegas. Can you honestly say the same thing about Toronto, Orlando, or Nashville?
Right now, my opinion is that it's best to keep it in Vegas. Don't $%& with a winning combination.
A skeptics' conference in Nashville seems rather blasphemous.
Someone brought up Atlanta - trust me on this one, Atlanta sucks to organize a conference in. There are plenty of hotels here, but dealing with them is excrutiating.
Toronto would be cool - figuratively and literally, of course. I'm not sure how "fly to Toronto for a January conference" would work.
Orlando - meh. I've been there, not impressed.
I can think of a number of reasons to keep it in Vegas. Starting with Jas' list, which Vegas meets.
Second, as teek pointed out, Vegas evidently works for a lot of people (reference the 800 people who showed up for TAM4). If it works, don't mess with it, I always say. If 800 people didn't have a problem with TAM being in Vegas, why would you change that?
Third, when you hold TAM in a city like Vegas, the location is part of the attraction. Even if you wind up being bored at the conference, hey, it's Vegas. Can you honestly say the same thing about Toronto, Orlando, or Nashville?
Right now, my opinion is that it's best to keep it in Vegas. Don't $%& with a winning combination.
Some quick clarifications...
UK TAM or Euro TAM or whatever it ends up being called is not a replacement for the Amazing Meeting. It will be a very different event, but one hopefully with the same feeling of "celebration." It will be tailored for a European audience.
As for US TAM, Orlando and Vegas are in the running at the moment. Please keep posting your thoughts...we are paying attention.
And the cruise is going to happen. It's my next big project.
UK TAM or Euro TAM or whatever it ends up being called is not a replacement for the Amazing Meeting. It will be a very different event, but one hopefully with the same feeling of "celebration." It will be tailored for a European audience.
As for US TAM, Orlando and Vegas are in the running at the moment. Please keep posting your thoughts...we are paying attention.
And the cruise is going to happen. It's my next big project.
supercorgi
Dog Everlasting
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2004
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- 2,528
I've never been on a cruise. I've never particularly wanted to go on a cruise (sort of like I never particularly wanted to go to Vegas). But if I could go on a cruise with a bunch of smart, interesting people -- hey I'm there!
Mid
Graduate Poster
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2005
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- 1,123
Nottingham is a bit of a pain to get to by train if you're coming from up north, also have they improved the transport connections to the airport? I tried getting a flight to Edinburgh from there on a Sunday a couple of years ago and couldn't even find a bus that went there on Sundays.
As much as it pains me to suggest it given how much I loath the place, how about Newcastle upon Tyne for TAM UK? Looking at it dispassionately it's got good transport links, hotels, is fairly cheap, has a lot other activities to do etc.
Well there is always Milton Keynes...
John de Combe
Scholar
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2004
- Messages
- 106
Trouble is, if you hold it at the Open University we'd all need to buy a purple suit, a paisley shirt, a kipper tie and some thick black rimmed pebble glasses before they'd let us in.
Cleon
King of the Pod People
Well, that's it, innit? Vegas obviously already works pretty damn well. 800 people is nothing to sneeze at.
(Oddly, Orlando would be more convenient for me--I could drive there in less than eight hours. I just don't see the appeal. Orlando's just...Meh.)
delphi_ote
Philosopher
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2005
- Messages
- 5,994
Vegas and Orlando each have benefits. exarch's rules pretty much describe both locations. Maybe alternating between Orlando and Vegas would be a good idea. We'd get different crowds, a little variety in location and guests, divide the travel distance between East Coast and West Coast people a little bit.
Does TAM have to have a "home?" Changing it up might help give each TAM a more unique flavor.