Originally, this year, Boskone was going to be pure virtual. Arisia, the
other Boston con, was going to be in-person, but as Omicron spiked,
got cancelled.

I'm not sure of how the discussion went, but Boskone, which runs a
month later than Arisia, decided to have a in-person component, as
it became clear that the spike would peak and die off considerably
before the con.

In fact, on Saturday, Boston lifted the proof-of-vaccination requirement
for businesses.

Nevertheless, proof of full vaccination was required to register (and
cross checked against an ID), and masks were worn throughout the
con.

Ted Chiang was GoH, and Sara Felix Artist GoH.

There were both in-person and virtual panels. The virtual ones were conducted on zoom, and the in-person panels were not streamed, as far
as I'm aware. The streamed meetings were put up on screens in two of the
conference rooms, so on site attendees could watch, and will remain
available online for a month or two. I noticed some staff and volunteers who
couldnt get to panels were making use of this, watching on phones
and tablets.

Though I bought a full membership, I only attended on site on Saturday. By
that afternoon there were over 500 people onsite which is a bit low, but not
bad. The hucksters room felt a little thin, as did the art show, partially due to
the late decision to have an in-person event. Curiously, though parties were
allowed, and the public party announcment board put up, none were held.

On Sunday, I stayed home, and watched the two tracks of streamed panels.
I thought they worked pretty well - audience feedback was done by the
zoom chat and Q&A.

All in all, I thought it was successful, but small. I'm told they had a lot of
trouble getting enough volunteers.

On 2/21/22 4:24 PM, Peter Trei wrote:
> Originally, this year, Boskone was going to be pure virtual. Arisia, the
> other Boston con, was going to be in-person, but as Omicron spiked,
> got cancelled.
>
> I'm not sure of how the discussion went, but Boskone, which runs a
> month later than Arisia, decided to have a in-person component, as
> it became clear that the spike would peak and die off considerably
> before the con.

The con was thinly attended. I commuted rather than get a hotel room;
the trip was about 40 miles each way, so it wasn't much of a strain. I
mostly hung around the room with the filk programming.

The con suite had canned and bottled drinks only. The email with the
information for online attendance didn't reach me, but I should be able
to work something out so I can view the recorded parts. Mostly I'm
interested in Tim Griffin's concert.

There was no snow, but it was seriously cold yesterday. (Today the
temperature went above 50 F.)
--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com

Gary McGath <garym@REMOVEmcgathREMOVE.com> wrote:
> Peter Trei wrote:
>> I'm not sure of how the discussion went, but Boskone, which runs a
>> month later than Arisia, decided to have a in-person component, as
>> it became clear that the spike would peak and die off considerably
>> before the con.

It's still killing around 2000 people per day, which is most of the
way to the highest-ever peak.

The Worldcon was also hybrid, two months ago, which was about when the
Delta and Omicron curves crossed.

> The con suite had canned and bottled drinks only.

No solid-state refreshment?

> The email with the information for online attendance didn't reach
> me, but I should be able to work something out so I can view the
> recorded parts.

Sounds a lot like the Worldcon. Members can view the recorded events,
but only until the end of January. Or so they said at the time; I
just got an email today that they can be watched until March 21st.

> There was no snow, but it was seriously cold yesterday. (Today the
> temperature went above 50 F.)

Temperature during the Worldcon was unusally warm for a December.

Temperature here in Virginia has been wildly fluctuating over the past
week, from below freezing to nearly 70 F (20 C), but often with strong
winds. There hasn't been much rain or snow since January.
--
Keith F. Lynch - http://keithlynch.net/
Please see http://keithlynch.net/email.html before emailing me.

On Monday, February 21, 2022 at 5:18:44 PM UTC-5, Gary McGath wrote:
> There was no snow, but it was seriously cold yesterday. (Today the
> temperature went above 50 F.)

As I reported for Boskone 40 (which had sub-zero temperatures and was the
one when we were stranded at my parents' house for a couple of days
by two feet of snow on Sunday night):

Best quote:
As someone whose luggage had apparently been in her car for a while said,
"There's nothing like a refrigerated tampon to wake you right up."

--
Evelyn C. Leeper

On Monday, February 21, 2022 at 5:18:44 PM UTC-5, Gary McGath wrote:
> On 2/21/22 4:24 PM, Peter Trei wrote:
> > Originally, this year, Boskone was going to be pure virtual. Arisia, the
> > other Boston con, was going to be in-person, but as Omicron spiked,
> > got cancelled.
> >
> > I'm not sure of how the discussion went, but Boskone, which runs a
> > month later than Arisia, decided to have a in-person component, as
> > it became clear that the spike would peak and die off considerably
> > before the con.
> The con was thinly attended. I commuted rather than get a hotel room;
> the trip was about 40 miles each way, so it wasn't much of a strain. I
> mostly hung around the room with the filk programming.
>
> The con suite had canned and bottled drinks only. The email with the
> information for online attendance didn't reach me, but I should be able
> to work something out so I can view the recorded parts. Mostly I'm
> interested in Tim Griffin's concert.

I picked up a sheet from Registration with a one time code to sign on
to the streaming channels.

Too late for you now, of course.

pt

"Keith F. Lynch" <kfl@KeithLynch.net> wrote in
news:sv1f84$nu7$1@reader1.panix.com:

> Gary McGath <garym@REMOVEmcgathREMOVE.com> wrote:
>> Peter Trei wrote:
>>> I'm not sure of how the discussion went, but Boskone, which
>>> runs a month later than Arisia, decided to have a in-person
>>> component, as it became clear that the spike would peak and
>>> die off considerably before the con.
>
> It's still killing around 2000 people per day, which is most of
> the way to the highest-ever peak.

Daily deaths have dropped 30% in the last two weeks. And only
increase during the omicron surge by about 300% vs an increase in
daily cases of about 1,000%.

--
Terry Austin

Proof that Alan Baker is a liar and a fool, and even stupider than
Lynn:
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/sw-border-migration
(May 2019 total for people arrested for entering the United States
illegally is over 132,000 for just the southwest border.)

Vacation photos from Iceland:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/QaXQkB

On 2/21/2022 8:45 PM, Keith F. Lynch wrote:
>> The con suite had canned and bottled drinks only.
>
> No solid-state refreshment?

Chocolates, Bagged Chips, and Protein Bars. IIRC, the "light snacks
only" limitation is contractual, but the switch to individual servings
may well be a COVID-based decision.

--
Mike Benveniste -- mhb@murkyether.com (Clarification Required)
You don't have to sort of enhance reality. There is nothing
stranger than truth. -- Annie Leibovitz

On Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 10:39:16 AM UTC-5, Michael Benveniste wrote:
> On 2/21/2022 8:45 PM, Keith F. Lynch wrote:
> >> The con suite had canned and bottled drinks only.
> >
> > No solid-state refreshment?
> Chocolates, Bagged Chips, and Protein Bars. IIRC, the "light snacks
> only" limitation is contractual, but the switch to individual servings
> may well be a COVID-based decision.

In other words (I assume), no coffee pot or other open beverages.

IIRC, Renovation was contractually required to serve individual packaged
snacks only. I think it was a Health Department thing, but it may have
been to prevent conventions from basically serving meals and cutting
into the hotel's profits.

--
Evelyn C. Leeper

On 2/23/22 10:56 AM, eleeper@optonline.net wrote:
> On Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 10:39:16 AM UTC-5, Michael Benveniste wrote:
>> On 2/21/2022 8:45 PM, Keith F. Lynch wrote:
>>>> The con suite had canned and bottled drinks only.
>>>
>>> No solid-state refreshment?
>> Chocolates, Bagged Chips, and Protein Bars. IIRC, the "light snacks
>> only" limitation is contractual, but the switch to individual servings
>> may well be a COVID-based decision.
>
> In other words (I assume), no coffee pot or other open beverages.
>
> IIRC, Renovation was contractually required to serve individual packaged
> snacks only. I think it was a Health Department thing, but it may have
> been to prevent conventions from basically serving meals and cutting
> into the hotel's profits.

In past years, Boskone had a greater variety of items, including lots of
bread. We got it as a donation from some charitable group, which had
received bread past the sale date (but still fresh by most standards)
from upscale bakeries. The charity wasn't able to give much of it to
homeless people, who prefer simple loaves of bread to the "artisan"
stuff. It's been said that Boskone gets the bread that even the
homeless won't take.

--
Gary McGath http://www.mcgath.com

On 2/23/2022 10:56 AM, eleeper@optonline.net wrote:
> On Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 10:39:16 AM UTC-5, Michael Benveniste wrote:
>> On 2/21/2022 8:45 PM, Keith F. Lynch wrote:
>>>> The con suite had canned and bottled drinks only.
>>>
>>> No solid-state refreshment?
>> Chocolates, Bagged Chips, and Protein Bars. IIRC, the "light snacks
>> only" limitation is contractual, but the switch to individual servings
>> may well be a COVID-based decision.
>
> In other words (I assume), no coffee pot or other open beverages.

I seem to remember a coffee pot, but unless a TLA is microchipping it
I don't consider coffee to be "solid state."

> IIRC, Renovation was contractually required to serve individual
> packaged snacks only. I think it was a Health Department thing, but
> it may have been to prevent conventions from basically serving meals
> and cutting into the hotel's profits.

Corkage and Forkage waivers and limits are part of the negotiations
with hotels, and it wouldn't surprise me if the "Health Department
thing" is used as tool by the hotel. I have no current information
about the Boskone contracts.

--
Mike Benveniste -- mhb@murkyether.com (Clarification Required)
You don't have to sort of enhance reality. There is nothing
stranger than truth. -- Annie Leibovitz

Michael Benveniste <mhb@murkyether.com> wrote:
>On 2/23/2022 10:56 AM, eleeper@optonline.net wrote:
>> On Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 10:39:16 AM UTC-5, Michael Benveniste wrote:
>>> On 2/21/2022 8:45 PM, Keith F. Lynch wrote:
>>>>> The con suite had canned and bottled drinks only.
>>>>
>>>> No solid-state refreshment?
>>> Chocolates, Bagged Chips, and Protein Bars. IIRC, the "light snacks
>>> only" limitation is contractual, but the switch to individual servings
>>> may well be a COVID-based decision.
>>
>> In other words (I assume), no coffee pot or other open beverages.
>
>I seem to remember a coffee pot, but unless a TLA is microchipping it
>I don't consider coffee to be "solid state."

If using a percolator or drip machine, there is in fact vacuum involved
in the production of coffee. But this is not necessarily the case, as
one could also use a French press or a filter apparatus.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."