thanks ck, just doesn't seem enough. Wonder what it would have been like if more private?
Originally Posted by sms918
Thanks for asking about "private venue events," and I will use that opportunity to enlighten all here just a little bit based on previous private events... of which my personal experience includes 4 years' worth... so figure at least the 60 or more private venue events that I have organized and hosted in SA and elsewhere.
Plus several private venue events organized and hosted by other people (and many, many more non-private venue events) that I have attended in cities other than San Antonio and Austin.
The
current rules for our community events are
little changed from 2002.
Yes, that is correct,
2002.
The rules since then have actually been stiffened a bit (no pun intended) to protect the security of participating individuals, the venue(s), the immediate "community," the greater hobbying community, and, for that matter, the several review boards that have so graciously allowed us to use their bandwidth.
Simply put: imho:
Private venue events are not
significantly more fun than non-private venue events, assuming that everyone participating respects the rules, which exist to protect those attending, and those who might want to attend future events.
Basically, since nudity in a truly private space is not illegal, the only big difference between a private venue, and any other venue, especially those with TABC licenses, is the showing of more skin than can be permitted in ordinary venues. And a bit more relaxed discussion of the hobby, relaxed but not so far that "offer of money for sex or the offer of sex for money" is ever allowed. Of course, we must always (private or public) respect the "minor in possession of alcohol" rules, as well.
w/o going into greater detail or discussion,
-- when or if LE or the greater civilian community believes that the rules are not being respected -- e.g., illegal or unlawful activities --
what happens next can be very problematic
even if the rules are 100 pct enforced and respected.
And there imho are the basic security issues and differences twixt private and non-private venues.
Based on feedback from this year's HW, sure looks to me like everyone attending had a lot of fun, some perhaps a lot more than others, and although the "skin" rule may have been bent a little, it didn't come anywhere close to breakage.
w/o discussing future events, bear in mind that the social committee will certainly always consider venue opportunities and "contest" possibilities.