Forum - View topicNEWS: Anime Boston Congoers Report 9-Hour Registration Waits
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tygerchickchibi
 Posts: 1473 |
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On a badge pick-up note, the lines actually weren't that bad at all, I only waited for 20 minutes and I managed to pick up my badge without any problems at all. I say it was a big improvement from the last 2 years of going to the con. ^^; And you can't say I go to a different Otakon, after all I've already seen you there twice. =P |
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Sir Hamilton
 Posts: 63 Location: Massachusetts |
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Everybody was in a [expletive] line that didn't allow for them to find out about the occurance in case you haven't infered by now. The masquerade line started the second the pillows concert line was inside the room and the pillows line had started much much ealier in the day. I don't have a nintendo DS either and my laptop's batery life sucks and would have survived 1/9th of the time I was waiting. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15455 |
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Insert old otaku rant about how that wait was nothing, because they had to walk ten miles in snow to go to their con.
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Horitsuba
Posts: 35 |
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Wow. I'm kind of glad that I backed out last minute and decided to catch the 10:30 PM bus back home the night before. o_O;;
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consys
 Posts: 1 |
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I was there to pick up on Thursday and while I hate to say this and sound like a jerk many of those that were in the line to pick up pre-registered tickets should have tried going on Thursday. I was there no more than an hour, max, and they were even kind enough to let me pick up my badge as well as my cousins badge, granted I paid for all of them.
I understand that lines were long but I heard that from last years experience that it seems people that last year had pre-registered didn't do it this year. So the line got longer due to that fact, which could be true or false. SO boo to the line and maybe a bit more planning should have gone into consideration. (More accessible computers would have been a good idea.) As for the pillows concert, it was fun but what I found amusing was that out of all the people that went to it only a short few went to get their autograph and stuff, that line even though it was aster Sunday was short, way short, so I am not entirely sure what some of the fuss is about. Another thing the lines were long for most of the major events, keyword major, everything else was normal and at least from the amount of people they had going bearable. Any comments or questions ... I might be asleep. LOL |
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Sydney2K
Posts: 219 Location: Australia |
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I'm interested in that story- what happened? Widya Santoso |
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Boonmaster
 Posts: 9 Location: Gloucester, MA |
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I heard about that. Some moron was carrying a realistic weapon outside the con, not knowing Boston police don't care about your limited edition replica of Vash's revolver. He was arrested, but even worse was that he RAN from them before getting taken in. |
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Leebo
 Posts: 660 Location: Somerville, MA |
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As someone who only went Saturday to see the Pillows, I can tell you that I wasn't about to come all the way back to Boston and do that all over again to see them on Sunday. Plus, I don't remember them mentioning that autograph session during the concert. They mentioned Luv & Response having one, but I didn't hear anything about the Pillows doing one. Maybe that's why most people didn't come back for it. Besides... as much fun as the convention was, missing two days of March Madness would have been unbearable for me. 
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LydiaDianne
 Posts: 5634 Location: Southern California |
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Hey, you gotta have priorities, right! 
Moron doesn't quite cover that...Stupid Moron should be closer...(I just got up and can't think of anything better right now.) Running from the cops is just dumb...and it pisses them off more! I bet his parents just LOOOVED getting that phone call. 
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BellosTheMighty
 Posts: 767 |
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<removed at source's request>
Last edited by BellosTheMighty on Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:27 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Yoda117
Posts: 406 |
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Unfortunately it's not looking like you'll see me there this year, but the powers that be have spoken and, by the looks of things, I'm heading to LA that weekend. It'll be worth it
Seriously though, I was referring to the whole "smooth as butter" comment. While their registration setup is definitely nicer, the rest of their organizational skills leaves me a bit wanting. I know that you've been there when I've had to dive into the wiring with the union guys to set up a PA system because the con staff forgot to do it, or set aside the equipment necessary to do so. Plenty of rocks to toss at everyone, but that's the nature of a con... you're going to have weaknesses. It's how you address them that makes your con stand out from the rest, and both Otakon and AB are good cons which I've attended multiple times (for a good reason). I have to confess though that AUSA is still my favorite of all the cons I hit each year.
Okay, just a little "howto" if you're ever asked to present a replica weapon for inspection. Slowly take out the replica from it's holster, grip the replica from the top of the barrel, near where the chamber would be, and present it towards the intended recipient grip first with barrel facing downward (if you can rack the slide to show that there's nothing in the chamber, do so and THEN present it to the intended recipient in the manner previously described). This is standard faire in firearm safety, and allows you to present the replica in a safe fashion to someone wishing to see it and does so in a manner than is non-threatening. Pointing a replica at someone who does not know it is a replica is stupid. Doing so at an armed LEO (i.e., the police) is suicidal. Remember folks, despite it being a con, if you're dealing with people who aren't specifically anime fans / con staff, do not assume that they know what this is about or that the very large knife or realistic looking firearm is a prop and not the real deal. Common sense folks. On the one hand, thank God that the police (and yeah, they were well aware of AB, I was chatting with one while walking in with some stuff on Thursday night) responded appropriately to the situation; while I wasn't there, if ANY of the many versions of this story are correct, the con-goer deserved being arrested. On the other hand, I think we've got a Darwin Award winner in the making here. PS: I think that the announcements made in the dealers' room on Saturday relating to the incident were hillarious ("we love you... don't get shot by the police.") Last edited by Yoda117 on Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:57 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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stardust462
Posts: 8 |
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I think he meant the added security measures would be too expensive, not the mailing itself.
Boston and State Police deal with much, much worse during the riots after Red Sox and Patriots games with multiple idiots getting arrested. This was just one moron, so I doubt it would be a factor in no more AB. |
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Furudanuki
 Posts: 1874 |
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Good advice! Allow me to add that it is also a very good practice to explain to the officer in a calm and polite manner exactly what you are going to do before performing each step, and ask him/her if they would rather you do something differently. A lone officer without backup will often prefer that you place the weapon on the ground and then back away rather than handing it to them directly, thus reducing the possibility of a close quarter physical assault. Behaving in a composed and rational manner usually goes a long way towards defusing what is a very tense situation for a law enforcement officer. |
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Yoda117
Posts: 406 |
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yeah, pretty much any time you're dealing with someone who IS carrying a firearm, anything you can to do present yourself as the smallest threat possible is the way to go.
Anything you can do to not upset the nice officer with his hand placed on his weapon is my philosphy... it's worked pretty good so far 
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