I like both Minneapolis and NO, but I'm withdrawing from pimping for or against a city. And also reminding people that we're still eleven months out, and there's no need to make or take anything personally. We're just trying to figure out which city to play it. None of it means anybody sucks.

What Sean said. I like NO, but if I can make it this year, I'll be happy wherever Buffistas are.

There is one other consideration - and at this point, I'm not sure I should even speak up - but that's congeniality toward the Buffistas as a group.

Basically, if a group wants to go visit a local bar wearing leather and tiaras in the afternoon, are they going to get hassled?

So it seems to me that the more cosmopolitan the setting - not bigger, mind you, but more sophisticated - the more Buffistas have a chance to cut loose in character.

Does that make any sense at all?

But ... but ... you sure?

Only if you want them too?

But ... but ... you sure?

Well, I mean people still suck, but that's not in any way correlative with their preferences for or against any particular city, as far as I can tell.

So it seems to me that the more cosmopolitan the setting - not bigger, mind you, but more sophisticated - the more Buffistas have a chance to cut loose in character.

Does that make any sense at all?

It does to me.

Does that make any sense at all?

Totally. We'd have more corset-y freedom in NOLA than in Podunk Backwoods BibleBeltville, Mizippi. (no offense to Mississippi).

For me, hotels are hotels, are hotels. As long as it doesn't get above $150 a night, I'm good.

It's the flights I worry about.

So it seems to me that the more cosmopolitan the setting - not bigger, mind you, but more sophisticated - the more Buffistas have a chance to cut loose in character.

Does that make any sense at all?

Completely.

Also, what Sean said. About it being so far out. Not about people sucking.

Good - I wasn't sure I was being clear.

I mean hell, I live in a city of officially less than a million people. But we're an extremely cosmopolitan one. And I think that the cities being looked at so far share that trait, and should continue to do so.

I didn't think people were saying I suck, I thought they were saying my city did- or that it didn't suck too much. Basically that it was Mama Bear's porridge or Papa Bear's porridge.

I'm just saying that it's Juuuuuust right.

Cost was an issue with the DC discussion last year. We looked also at Baltimore. We ended up in the more expensice city. We also had at least a few folks who probably didn't attend because of it.

We've had a few requests to get the cost of the hotel rooms back under $100 and to get the cheaper rate for a larger block of days.

Right now we are NOT choosing the city. Please allow us to discuss all possibilities. We'll have a vote set up in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking we'll have people choose their top two choices at that time. I'd also like those votes to be anonymous, not big annoucments in thread. Fred Pete has volunteered to count votes and hopefully we can use the b.org voting system to take them. Off of the voting we'll take the top 4 cities, send out RFP's and run the numbers.