7||0|1431|0|yes
0|0|0|||1||A Cautionary Tale|Ardaniel||19:28:12|08/09/2006|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Aug-09-06 AT 07:30 PM (EDT)]As the resident Cranky Bastard%2C I%27m required by statute to direct your attention here%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Blink%3Aadistantsoil.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D606%7CA Weekend at ELF%5D by Colleen Doran%2C%0D%0A%0D%0Aand here%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Blink%3Awww.giro.org%2F2006%2F08%2F09%2Fthe-right-to-refuse-service%7CThe Right to Refuse Service%5D%2C by Adam Rakunas%2C a response to Ms. Doran%27s post.%0D%0A%0D%0ASee also %22that guy at E3 2004 who used his wheelchair to obtain upskirt photos of booth babes%2C sometimes with bonus groping%2C%22 among other such incidents.  Don%27t be that guy or girl.  %3B%29%0D%0A%0D%0AArd%0D%0Ahas suffered her fair share of fanboy harrassment%2C and she%27s %2Abush league%2A compared to the LOTR folks%0D%0A%0D%0AArd Sumhenner%0D%0Athat Janice chick%0D%0AUsual Suspect and general menace
1|1|0|||||RE%3A A Cautionary Tale|ratinox||21:08:26|08/09/2006|There is a very good reason why cons don%27t ban obnoxious fans%3A being sued out of existence.%0D%0A%0D%0ACase in point%3A Arisia banned Aaron Agassi%2C the original%2C prototypical Fan from Hell%2C from the con.  Agassi sued the concom.  When the con%27s attorneys looked at the suit they and the con decided to settle.  Why%3F  Because Agassi had a clear discrimination case against the concom.
2|2|1|||||RE%3A A Cautionary Tale|mdg1||21:48:20|08/09/2006|Looking at his pic%2C I%27ve seen him around every year.  Never seemed too nasty.%0D%0A%0D%0AThere IS an Arisia regular I try to dodge if I see him coming%2C but I%27ve never bothered to learn his name. %3A%29
3|2|1|||1||RE%3A A Cautionary Tale|Gryphon||21:50:46|08/09/2006|%3EThere is a very good reason why cons don%27t ban obnoxious fans%3A being %0D%0A%3Esued out of existence. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3ECase in point%3A Arisia banned Aaron Agassi%2C the original%2C prototypical %0D%0A%3EFan from Hell%2C from the con.  Agassi sued the concom.  When the con%27s %0D%0A%3Eattorneys looked at the suit they and the con decided to settle.  Why%3F %0D%0A%3E Because Agassi had a clear discrimination case against the concom. %0D%0A%0D%0AWere they stupid enough not to include in the admission contract a %22right to refuse service for any or no reason%22 clause%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AIf so%2C they deserved what they got.%0D%0A%0D%0AIf not%2C their lawyers have rocks in their heads.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Admin%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0A
4|3|3|||||RE%3A A Cautionary Tale|ratinox||11:46:02|08/10/2006|As I understand it%2C because the con doesn%27t own the space it does not have the right to refuse service.  That belongs to the hotel.  But I could be completely wrong on that.  I try to avoid Aaron as much as possible.
7|4|4|||||RE%3A A Cautionary Tale|Polychrome||23:15:59|08/10/2006|It depends on the hotel contract. The con I work for can throw people out of the convention space%2C but not the lobby or hotel rooms. If they don%27t have a hotel room we can have the county sheriff%27s deputies %28who provide our security%29 issue trespasses. Thankfully%2C we%27ve had any problems of this nature. Most of our problems are juvenile rowdiness.%0D%0A%0D%0APolychrome%0D%0A
5|1|0|||||RE%3A A Cautionary Tale|VA_Wanderer||15:03:02|08/10/2006|I%27ve been con staff before. %0D%0A%0D%0AThere is such a thing as a %22Don%27t come back%22 list for any sane convention. This woman not only should have been on it%2C but that list should have been posted publicly on a website for good measure%2C that other con organizers would know who the heck to keep out with a stun gun. That can be even as simple as %22Here%27s your refund%2C don%27t come back tomorrow.%22 if needed.%0D%0A%0D%0AAfter all%2C you pay to get in %28GOH%27s and the like not included%2C but they%27re personally invited%2Fcon staff is hired%29. That makes it a private gathering. The con organizers can be as picky as they choose- and that includes the right to refuse entry. Here%27s your money back Mrs. Freaky Stalker-Con Disruption%2C don%27t come back to the next one. Hanging on your con%27s GOH%27s to the point of harassment qualifies in any sensible person%27s book. Harassing the other guests qualifies. Disrupting the convention itself. Basic rules of hygeine even %28there is a line between con funk and hobo stench%2C I assure you%29 qualify.%0D%0A%0D%0AThink I%27m being too much%3F It%27s the difference between that GOH attending next year to make fans happy or not%2C IMHO. And Fans From Hell make -everyone- less likely to attend%2C because they disturb the s%2Ait out of us all. It%27s like seeing your twisted mutant evil twin wandering around the con%2C drooling on the cosplayers and giving Pedobear dolls to the children.
6|2|5|||||RE%3A A Cautionary Tale|BLUE||18:41:37|08/10/2006|%3EThe con organizers can be as picky as they choose- %0D%0A%3Eand that includes the right to refuse entry. Here%27s your money back %0D%0A%3EMrs. Freaky Stalker-Con Disruption%2C don%27t come back to the next one. %0D%0A%3EHanging on your con%27s GOH%27s to the point of harassment qualifies in %0D%0A%3Eany sensible person%27s book. Harassing the other guests qualifies. %0D%0A%3EDisrupting the convention itself. Basic rules of hygeine even %28there %0D%0A%3Eis a line between con funk and hobo stench%2C I assure you%29 qualify. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThink I%27m being too much%3F It%27s the difference between that GOH %0D%0A%3Eattending next year to make fans happy or not%2C IMHO.%0D%0A%0D%0AHaving been con staff for several years%2C I have seen the stereotypical fan from hell in action.  We have had several guest stalkers%2C one staffer who was banned from guest staff for all time%2C and a guy who was stalking another convention regular.  The con didn%27t have to get involved in that one too much%2C because we called the police.  If the behavior in question becomes too creepy or disruptive%2C there is a LEGAL recourse%2C and I have seen it excersized.  This all depends%2C of course%2C upon the guest being willing to state that they are feeling threatened or otherwise disturbed.