"Historicon 2010 Relocates" Topic

Did you guys have to throw that in? I suffered through that game to the end. Does being from Nebraska and liking football make me racist?

What color is the ball Nebraskins use?

For those wondering about Unions at a convention; they can be a deal-breaker for a lot of companies. Not only do they impose a lot of restrictions about what (and WHO) carries things into a convention hall, but when and HOW MUCH. Trust me, you do not want a union shop controlling the vendor area.

I look forward to the venue change. The Host was isolated and lacked good food and other things within an easy reach. You had to get into a vehicle and drive anyway. The hotel had almost zero basic ammenities. Sure, it had that quaint 70's con feel (like GenCon at the old University of Wisconsin, Racine) but time to move on.

Mike

Did you guys have to throw that in? I suffered through that game to the end. Does being from Nebraska and liking football make me racist?

Apparently so.

Absolutely it does, only if you're from Nebraska and in a year that they lost to Iowa State.

Seriously though, I've been waiting to use that line in a conversation about Nebraska since the game so I can't thank Der Alte Fritz enough for giving me the setup.

'big sigh of relief'

I'm glad to be of service, Iowa Grognard.

So, I heard that Historicon might be moving.
Can anyone provide some insight?

Whoa, the doghouse is going to be full tonight…

Yeah, it's moving to Omaha.

Well, this thread certainly wins the Christmas hilarity stakes. Hey, all you convention goers have a wonderful convention, happy holidays, and best wishes for the New Year.

"Well, this thread certainly wins the Christmas hilarity stakes."

Well, tis the season of Merry(ment)! :-)

Regards,
Bob Giglio

Hexxenhammer

In regards to the issue about crime and the BCC, much of that issue was brought up people from the east at the east conventions who live near there or have traveled down to the inner harbor. And, never once, was the issue of race a factor.

Of those who mentioned to it me at the east shows, the issue was the targets of the crimes – basically out of townees. People who are not use to big city prevention.

I live in a rather safe part of northern MN. And, yet, there is a town about 30 miles east of me that I would never think of leaving my car unlocked, or any valuables in plain site on the seat of even a locked car – because of the high theft rate in that area. Too often, people coming up to vacation in that nice lake area, from the big city of Mpls, are the most common victims because they assume that small towns are friendly and safe.

I would like to make two points:

#1) My father was a union plumber for 48.5 years. I asked him about the union regulations in convention centers for shows since it had come up in a discussion I was having. he informed me that the reason the regulations are so stringent are because the venues INSURANCE COMPANY mandates a lot of the restrictions. The example he gave was that the insurance company mandates that a union licensed electrician is required to plug in or connect any electrical device used in the convention area and that it is not a union rule. Obviously this could be just here in St. Louis, but it stands to reason that it could be other places as well. Insurance companies mandate a lot of things in an effort to lower liability. It is a lot cheaper to pay wokmen's comp to a teamster who trips while carrying your boxes then for you to sue the convention center and their insurance company when you trip carrying your box. This is the world we live in.

#2) I am a lieutenant of police in St. Louis, MO. This years most dangerous city by some estimations (although it is skewed I assure you). This past summer we hosted the MLB All Star Game and had a swelling crowd of almost 100,000 visitors. We had not one violent crime during that event. Some car break-ins, pick-pockets, drunk & disorderlies, sure. But not one robbery, rape, shooting, etc. Do we have tourists get robbed occassionally, sure, but the vast majority of our crime, and esspecially our person on person crime, occurs outside our touristy areas. Is what goes on in the blighted areas a shame and horrible, sure it is, but it rarely spills over into the touristy areas.

I have lived here all my life (35 years) and have only once been a crime victim and it was a destruction of property. I live in the city, park my vehicles on the street in front of my house, and shop in my neighborhood despite being able to live in the suburbs if I wanted.

Being a crime victim is more about who you are and how you act than it is where you are. Can you be in the wrong place at the wrong time, of course, things happen, but just being on your toes and aware of your surroundings, regardless of where you are, prevents far more crime than law enforcement ever will…

"Wow! And look what a little funny comment on nerdy gamers being scared of the big bad city and it's inhabitants hath wrought."

Oh, that was HUMOR!!!!

This conversation is going well.

Hexxenhammer's comments were gratuitous and thus can be dismissed gratuitously.

They tell us more about him than than the issue of crime vs convention locations. I can only imagine the location were near Detroit, or Flint, Michigan, two of the top 3-4 rated cities for crime rate. Though many many years ago we actually held Origins at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit. I think we survived.

As one who also lives far away from either Baltimore or KoP locations, I am neutral.

I am discouraged though that the convention moved up 1 week in July and creates a new conflict on family plans. Not too many people have complained about that, but the con is NOT in its usual time in July and usually people make vacation plans around such customary dates.

I wonder aloud, in the future, will the HMGS-E BoD try to move the convention away from the 4th of July week? That is a bigger issue than the location for me.

A lot of people have complained about the date.

However, it is my understanding that, despite a dislike of the scheduled date, the BoD made a decision to keep it the same week as was scheduled for Baltimore so as not to cause problems for those who had already made vacation plans. All of the choices about dates had problems, but it decided that it was best not to cause further disruption to those who had already committed to attend. 2011 Historicon will be later in the month. Whether or not you like the decision to keep the date the same (and I do not), at least it was thought out and a conscious decision.

I was gone for a while. We got all the way to Nebraska ALREADY? That was fast.

Did I miss the world ending?

Not yet, but a few bombs have been tossed about.

While it's just whistling in the dark until/unless an HMGS-E BoD member explains the reasoning, I think Phrodron has the real answer. Having a union shop controlling loading/unloading has killed conventions before. GenCon ran into that in Anaheim and in nearly killed them the first year. Dealers were charged $125 USD for each cart the Teamsters lugged from the loading dock to the dealer room. You can imagine how pleased large companies such as WotC, GW and Upper Deck were, but the little guys basically lost a day's worth of profits just to get set up. Union electrical workers doing the power drops make sense due to insurance regulations but being unable to unload your own vehicle because of union rules is extortion.

Wyatt

I quit going to NYC conventions due to the unions. I'd spend all day in line to unload a small van, or pay 200.00 and get unloaded in 15 minutes. Then have to get an appointment for a guy to come by and hand tighten 8 butterfly nuts so I could put my displays up. At only a 100.00 cost. I wasn't allowed to turn the nut myself, too dangerous I guess. Loading was another nightmare.

Fairly blatant extortion. Everything was made as difficult and inefficient as possible, so you'd bribe the union guys to do the job.

I always find this amusing, first you feed them, then change them, burp them, give them something to play with and still they cry.

- 20 min further to drive for one…booohooohooo
- It cost to much to stay there, hey I'm sure there is a thunderbird inn nearby at $29 USD a night for you
- Show me one town in the US that has a population greater than 100K and I can show you Racism, Crime and "bad neighbourhoods"

The US has conventions everywhere because you have 1million people within 3 Hours of anywhere

The UK has convention everywhere because 3 hours driving covers a large part of the country and there are lots of gamers.

Now I will be travelling at least 6 hours in May to attend a much smaller convention in Maine. I am looking forward to it because it means meeting others with the same interest and possibly some vendors with interesting "stuff" for me to buy.

For you complainers and whinners " Suck it up Susies" and get over yourselves

Brought to you from your friendly neighbour to the North.
Doc

Well I placed the second responce just this Am and my goodness. Any way Art F. and are already booked for rooms and we will be going as dealers after all. We had planned on skipping the Baltimore location but this was what we were looking for. See you all or most of you there.

Chris P.

I hope no one has hit the nanny button on you, as we are all mostly adults and should hopefully be able to work things out like adults.

Too late. It appears that a child already pushed the nanny button.

You had 4 shootings and a stabbing on the 20th and some guy offereing to shovel snow forces his way into a home sexually assualts a woman, do you need more??

Only FOUR Shootings and 1 stabbing?…Dang….Houstons got Baltimore beat!!!!

Doc … the 20 minutes … joke … making fun of the people who wouldn't go to Baltimore because it was a slightly longer drive … I drive ten hours from Michigan to get there; another 20 or an hour even makes no difference … sheesh

Do all Americans hate each other?

Hexxenhammer

Wow! And look what a little funny comment on nerdy gamers being scared of the big bad city and it's inhabitants hath wrought.

What hath wrought a lot of the comments was a really stupid post bringing up the race card. Which you always seem to do. Is someone who disagrees with you a racist? Always?

ing of a stupid ing post!

Hexxenhammer

What was wrong with Baltimore again? Gamers are afraid of anyone with skin darker than pasty white?

The original ing dumb post!

Der Alte Fritz

And the winner of the Stupidest Comment of the Year 2009 Award, goes to….

Hexxenhammer

And Runner Up, and 3rd as well given a lot of his other posts on other threads. me, why not just give him the full board?

Dudes….

So it seems, Mal. So it seems.

>>And Merry Christmas everyone!<<

…and a Happy Saturnalia to you Doctor Goldwyrm. (-:

I am grateful for the FREE parking!! Let the games begin!

Great move! Near the in-laws house so my wife can take the kids up for a visit and drop me off at the con!

I mostly didn't care one way or the other because H-con used to fall on my family vacation week. However, now that it is earlier in the month…

I was sad to see it move since I live less than an hour's drive from Lancaster.

My wife now wants to go so she can shop at the King of Prussia Mall.

Charm City is closer than Valley Forge, however I will be there. King of Prussia and the surrounding area is very nice. Not sure people can make a direct inference between crime and racial fear on this one, last time I checked people of all colors and creeds commit crime. Baltimore does have crime issues, committed by a diverse group of people. That being said I really like the city quite a bit.

No offense Procopius, but I can't take anything you say seriously with that avatar of yours…

Damon.

Jesus wept, if we can't have a thread about a convention for playing with toy soldiers without the word "racist" somehow being flung into it, I really think it's time I got out of this "hobby".

Some sage advice: YouTube link

People who were against Baltimore were going to unload everything they had at it. I heard far worse then what Hexxenhammer said from a great many of the nay sayers. They were just more clever in covering it up so as not to get dawghoused.

Well now that the Penn crowd have won their fight, can we just go ahead and change the name from Historicon to PennCon. That way everyone knows it is only allowed to be in Penn, and anyone wanting to suggest they move it a different location will be ruthless blasted as an idiot.

Garand

No offense Procopius, but I can't take anything you say seriously with that avatar of yours…

Damon.

<q/>

You not going all racist on me coz my avatar is white, and not blue, are you brother? Joking, joking!

Gosh.

Jesus wept, if we can't have a thread about a convention for playing with toy soldiers without the word "racist" somehow being flung into it, I really think it's time I got out of this "hobby".

Sorry to hear that. Hope you're not serious.
There's always a twit in every group or hobby. In this case Hex has answered the call.
Just see them for what they are and do your own thing.

Pro…I always want to say something to you, but your avatar keeps distracting me….*sigh* I'm weak….

btw…i got the link you sent me…very cool!

Hope you're not serious.

I'm quite serious, as it happens. Having reflected on sentiments expressed in this and other threads, I believe I'll be taking something of an extended sabbatical from "the hobby" in the near future. I had been somewhat ambivilant as to same over the last couple of months, but to be honest, this thread has left me feeling that this is something on which I no longer wish to spend free time or disposable income. This no longer seems like a "hobby". In fact, it no longer seems like any fun anymore.

I may have some nice things (28mm WWII and AWI) to sell and/or give away in the New Year. Keep an eye on the Marketplace boards.

Gallowglass, please don't let all the crap sour your enjoyment of the hobby. Take time away from it. Put your stuff away, but please don't sell it off.

Baltimore and Union, The biggest urban myth sense the Civil War. What a crock of Horse droppings.
VR
James Mattes

And 150.