<HTML><HEAD>
<META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff">
<DIV>In a message dated 1/21/2008 1:36:25 PM Pacific Standard Time, macquarrie@earthlink.net writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>>>Last year was unbearable; the panels were<BR>so overcrowded they had to make all the hallways one-way traffic.<<</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">This actually helped... took some getting used to, but at least there wasn't the sensation of moving against the flow, no matter which way you were going. Of course, I only attended "Sergio" panels, and braved the dealers' room only to say "Hi!" to Sergio, Stan and such Groop members/friends who were working or who arranged "fan club" meetings there.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>.>>And since they've changed the guest policy for pros this year, I'd have to pay for<BR>three memberships for my kids, it's not worth going.<<</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">Last year, only one pro guest was "free", and charge paid for additional guests. If the kids are under 12, they're still free and 12-17 get the jr rate, which is less than half the adult rate. You'd be paying a little over $100 for the four + days for the three kids ... which is a lot less than most other vacation venues/events, at least here in S. Calif. And if they're over 17... they're adults, and should be paying their own way, one way or another. I've been paying for my two, but they're obligated to provide "mule service" ....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">This year, more events, etc. will be at the Con hotels, rather than at the Convention Center, so that should relieve some of the crowding. They also are seriously looking at moving the gaming to the "other" convention center, in Mission Valley. The trolley is about a block away, and probably as quick of a ride to the convention center as are the shuttles from the downtown hotels and off site parking lots.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face="Comic Sans MS" size=2 FAMILY="SCRIPT" PTSIZE="10">Kaytee<BR>Good housekeeping is an exact science. I'm into art.</FONT></DIV><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Start the year off right. <A title="http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489" href="http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489" target="_blank">Easy ways to stay in shape</A> in the new year. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>