>John,
>
>I'd have liked to attend this year. It would have been quite easy as I have meetings on the East Coast next week. Stopping in Vegas on the way would make no difference to the airfare, but professional relationships/obligations intervened again. That seems to be the story of my life- I got as far as Minnesota a few days before the last Whilfest before the "customer beast" intervened and I missed the event.
>
>This Devcon looks like a great show. I envy you!
>

Well, it seems you have very low sights if my being there causes envy!<g>

I was there, but I wasn't. I didn't pay for the conference, and there were several others in the same boat. I just went for a mini vacation to hang with some of my buds, play guitar, stay up late and work on my sleep deprivation experiment. Results are still inconclusive - more research needed.<vbg>

I did develop a new diet plan while there though. Just follow these simple instructions:
1. Eat one meal late in the day (content doesn't seem to matter)
2. Drink several adult beverages(make sure not to consume more than one per hour)
3. Smoke one $10 cigar that you buy and then one of your friends later.
4. Play music til around 4 each morning.
5. Drive 50-60 miles each day to and from your hotel.
6. Be sure you get a roach motel. High class hotels will inhibit weight loss.
7. Sleep til noon, or until your brother calls and wakes you up asking you stupid questions.(all questions are stupid when you've only had a few hours sleep)
8. Do not attend any sessions, except at the very end where you produce a large stack of evals and attempt to coerce the fine looking female presenter to do things she might not otherwise want to do.<vbg>

Anyway, I lost 5 pounds.