Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

[priest]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

As I said in a private PM to Micros...

I want to apologize for the treatment you and your family received at Defcon. That was not a prank (I have a bit more detail on the call) it was one or more people with very low self esteem allot of self hatred and anger at self and poor social skills trying to self validate by causing uneeded pain to someone else.

Unfortunately there will always be people like this at any event and there is little that Defcon personnel can do to help or stop this since it is done outside of the venue and Con.

Going forward I would recommend you immediately contact hotel security, have them open an investigation so that the calling station can be found then the people associated with it banned from property and Defcon.

Harassing parents with the threats that were made (and they were vile) while they were trying to deal with a child in crisis is absolutely unacceptable!

Again my apologies on behalf of myself and DC staff for what happened.

[hevnsnt]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

you all sound like peppermint patties. It is defcon, be glad that was all that happened to you. Next year grow a pair and dont let others influence your weekend.

[micros]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

Those of you who don't see how over the top this was are most likely not parents.

CPS is a your are guilty until proven innocent agency. You end up losing your kids for weeks or months, and paying tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to try and get them back. And that is not counting the emotional damage to both the kids and the parents.

Prank calls sure. CPS and your beating your child is not OK anywhere.

Imagine several guys dressed up as FBI agents and trying to beat your hotel room door down, except there you have due process and the EFF to back you up if they were real.

As I said earlier in the thread, we will be back, but you can count on recording devices, and the RIO security being involved if this happens again.

[TheCotMan]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

As I said earlier in the thread, we will be back, but you can count on recording devices, and the RIO security being involved if this happens again.

It looks to me like this issue has been resolved. If there are no further comments, I think it would be good to close this in 7 days, otherwise people will end up repeating the same things that have been stated. If I forget, please send me a PM to remind me to close this 7 days after there is no new activity.

[rbcp]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

Those of you who don't see how over the top this was are most likely not parents.

CPS is a your are guilty until proven innocent agency. You end up losing your kids for weeks or months, and paying tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to try and get them back. And that is not counting the emotional damage to both the kids and the parents.

Prank calls sure. CPS and your beating your child is not OK anywhere.

Imagine several guys dressed up as FBI agents and trying to beat your hotel room door down, except there you have due process and the EFF to back you up if they were real.

As I said earlier in the thread, we will be back, but you can count on recording devices, and the RIO security being involved if this happens again.

Hi, I'm a parent and I was involved in the very end of this prank call to your room. It was funny, though I can understand how you wouldn't think so since you were on the receiving end of it. This is not a call you should have believed for a second, since the various front desk people were cursing, being rude, giggling, and making ridiculous claims like, "We're charging you $7/minute for this phone call." Front desk employees do not typically behave this way. I can't believe you even had to call the front desk afterwards to confirm that it was a prank, considering we ended the call with, "We're not really with the front desk. This is just a prank call."

CPS was never mentioned in the prank, not even once. Not even by you. The three people you talked to simply insisted that you shut your kid up because it was bringing down everyone's high. I'm not trying to claim that we're nice people, but this thread makes it sound like we're all ruthless homewreckers, hellbent on getting your children taken away from you. It was just a drunken prank call that you're taking a bit too seriously, especially when you're filling this thread with lies and exaggerations to make yourself seem like the victim of a huge conspiracy.

[micros]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

Hi, I'm a parent and I was involved in the very end of this prank call to your room. It was funny, though I can understand how you wouldn't think so since you were on the receiving end of it. This is not a call you should have believed for a second, since the various front desk people were cursing, being rude, giggling, and making ridiculous claims like, "We're charging you $7/minute for this phone call." Front desk employees do not typically behave this way. I can't believe you even had to call the front desk afterwards to confirm that it was a prank, considering we ended the call with, "We're not really with the front desk. This is just a prank call."

CPS was never mentioned in the prank, not even once. Not even by you. The three people you talked to simply insisted that you shut your kid up because it was bringing down everyone's high. I'm not trying to claim that we're nice people, but this thread makes it sound like we're all ruthless homewreckers, hellbent on getting your children taken away from you. It was just a drunken prank call that you're taking a bit too seriously, especially when you're filling this thread with lies and exaggerations to make yourself seem like the victim of a huge conspiracy.

First, I have dealt with some horrible front desk staff across a wide range of hotels, including Las Vegas. The behavior that you say should be a red flag just does not shock me anymore.

The $7/minute claim was at the very end of the call, and considering how everything else is nickeld and dimed by hotels today, do you really see that as far fetched? I already said I should have caught on sooner, that does NOT excuse the content and nature of the call. A prank call is a delicate balance between funny and cruel, and your group crossed it by a mile.

I did not call the front desk to "check if it was a prank call" I called the front desk and specifically requested to talk with security to report the prank call.

My Wife stated that the front desk was going to call CPS and that the caller was saying that we were beating our child. If you consider this appropriate in any situation, you are exactly the type of person that gives hacker culture and DefCon a bad name. I did not say the group would have actually called CPS, I said the threat of calling CPS or "authorities" is a huge threat.

The number of Autistic children that get caught up in CPS is very high. Even worse there is a very large number the end up DEAD due to not being able to deal with "common sense" type issues. The prank should have ended the minute you heard that he was Autistic and let us get back to him without worrying about CPS/Las Vegas PD/Hotel Security coming through our door.

I have not exaggerated anything I have posted in this thread. If you would like to provide the tape of the call that I am sure you have to the Rio Security and Priest, I am sure they can make their own determination as to the nature of the call, and what should be done with the group that made it.

[valkyrie]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

First, I have dealt with some horrible front desk staff across a wide range of hotels, including Las Vegas. The behavior that you say should be a red flag just does not shock me anymore.

The $7/minute claim was at the very end of the call, and considering how everything else is nickeld and dimed by hotels today, do you really see that as far fetched? I already said I should have caught on sooner, that does NOT excuse the content and nature of the call. A prank call is a delicate balance between funny and cruel, and your group crossed it by a mile.

I did not call the front desk to "check if it was a prank call" I called the front desk and specifically requested to talk with security to report the prank call.

My Wife stated that the front desk was going to call CPS and that the caller was saying that we were beating our child. If you consider this appropriate in any situation, you are exactly the type of person that gives hacker culture and DefCon a bad name. I did not say the group would have actually called CPS, I said the threat of calling CPS or "authorities" is a huge threat.

The number of Autistic children that get caught up in CPS is very high. Even worse there is a very large number the end up DEAD due to not being able to deal with "common sense" type issues. The prank should have ended the minute you heard that he was Autistic and let us get back to him without worrying about CPS/Las Vegas PD/Hotel Security coming through our door.

I have not exaggerated anything I have posted in this thread. If you would like to provide the tape of the call that I am sure you have to the Rio Security and Priest, I am sure they can make their own determination as to the nature of the call, and what should be done with the group that made it.

redacted. Enough said.

[sudo]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

First, I have dealt with some horrible front desk staff across a wide range of hotels, including Las Vegas. The behavior that you say should be a red flag just does not shock me anymore.

The $7/minute claim was at the very end of the call, and considering how everything else is nickeld and dimed by hotels today, do you really see that as far fetched? I already said I should have caught on sooner, that does NOT excuse the content and nature of the call. A prank call is a delicate balance between funny and cruel, and your group crossed it by a mile.

I did not call the front desk to "check if it was a prank call" I called the front desk and specifically requested to talk with security to report the prank call.

My Wife stated that the front desk was going to call CPS and that the caller was saying that we were beating our child. If you consider this appropriate in any situation, you are exactly the type of person that gives hacker culture and DefCon a bad name. I did not say the group would have actually called CPS, I said the threat of calling CPS or "authorities" is a huge threat.

The number of Autistic children that get caught up in CPS is very high. Even worse there is a very large number the end up DEAD due to not being able to deal with "common sense" type issues. The prank should have ended the minute you heard that he was Autistic and let us get back to him without worrying about CPS/Las Vegas PD/Hotel Security coming through our door.

I have not exaggerated anything I have posted in this thread. If you would like to provide the tape of the call that I am sure you have to the Rio Security and Priest, I am sure they can make their own determination as to the nature of the call, and what should be done with the group that made it.

So a prank call was made at Defcon in "poor taste." So what? I don't see why there's all the drama about not coming to Defcon anymore because someone didn't give up on a prank call the second someone mentioned autism.

As far as "what should be done with the group that made it," seriously? At very worst, the prank call was made in bad taste (unless actual threats were made) and you'd be very busy if something was to be "done" about every prank call on the internet that was done in poor taste.

P.s. I have a younger sibling that is VERY autistic so I'm well aware of my own parent's struggles dealing with it. Either way, you should have hung up the phone or possibly not bring your autistic child to DEFCON: a place where there are plenty of nerds running around doing drugs, drinking, hacking, breaking the law, and various other things. I mean, you're a parent and make your own decisions, but as plenty of other posters have said, they would never think of bringing their young children there as it's not a suitable environment for them and as you mentioned, you're children are around 4 years old and 10 months if I remembered correctly? That's my two cents.

[Dallas]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

RBCP - While you may have been pranking, its not how you intend it but how its received. While I personally like a good prank as much as anyone, when people truly are effected in a negative manner, its most appropriate to just say "I'm sorry" and move on.

His room, regardless of the location is his space (albeit rented) and should be a safe haven for his family. You may have chosen to violate that haven via a prank, and as such they felt concerned / threatened. Regardless of the intent, you should just apologize and move on.

Hi, I'm a parent and I was involved in the very end of this prank call to your room. It was funny, though I can understand how you wouldn't think so since you were on the receiving end of it. This is not a call you should have believed for a second, since the various front desk people were cursing, being rude, giggling, and making ridiculous claims like, "We're charging you $7/minute for this phone call." Front desk employees do not typically behave this way. I can't believe you even had to call the front desk afterwards to confirm that it was a prank, considering we ended the call with, "We're not really with the front desk. This is just a prank call."

CPS was never mentioned in the prank, not even once. Not even by you. The three people you talked to simply insisted that you shut your kid up because it was bringing down everyone's high. I'm not trying to claim that we're nice people, but this thread makes it sound like we're all ruthless homewreckers, hellbent on getting your children taken away from you. It was just a drunken prank call that you're taking a bit too seriously, especially when you're filling this thread with lies and exaggerations to make yourself seem like the victim of a huge conspiracy.

[rbcp]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

Sincere apologies for the prank call, micros. If you see me at Defcon 20, feel free to give me a nice punch in the stomach.

[DeeJayThi]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

fuck....

I was typing up a nice reply, I go to the toilet for 10 minutes (been sick) and it logs me out automatically, I lost the whole reply, so all I gotta say is... fuck.

Oh and

Being someone with autism, Roy Gerbil, you fucked up.

[I-baLL]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

RBCP - While you may have been pranking, its not how you intend it but how its received. While I personally like a good prank as much as anyone, when people truly are effected in a negative manner, its most appropriate to just say "I'm sorry" and move on.

His room, regardless of the location is his space (albeit rented) and should be a safe haven for his family. You may have chosen to violate that haven via a prank, and as such they felt concerned / threatened. Regardless of the intent, you should just apologize and move on.

Wait, so making a prank call is now considered to be the same as physically violating a place? As in trespassing? Wow, I did not know this.

[sudo]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

I'm fairly sure the call is posted on phonelosers.org. Probably under to "Hotel" calls page. I'm not sure what Rio security is going to do about it now. It was a prank call. Thats it. I didn't take part in this prank call and based on the actual recording, it wasn't the funniest prank call the PLA has done but it wasn't filled with veiled threats or anything. It just sounds like a bunch of drunk giggling kids telling you to give your kid his toy back, telling you they are charging you 7 dollars a minute for "technical" support and just general retarded silliness.

[micros]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

Sincere apologies for the prank call, micros. If you see me at Defcon 20, feel free to give me a nice punch in the stomach.

I can't answer for my wife (she does not let things go easily), but from my POV, it's over.

People (at DefCon and not) need to realize that there is a line between a fun Prank, and a intrusion, and this did cross it.

I am far more likely to buy you a (sealed) beer then a punch in the stomach (Of course now 20 people will claim they are rbcp....). Unless something outside our control comes up, we will be at DC 20.

This thread served multiple purposes, and I think all of them have been accomplished. Letting others know that lines have been crossed (which they have in the past in many way at many DefCons), hopefully letting others know that these pranks are happening (see the guy that truly blamed the hotel for his call), and letting me vent a bit.

[rbcp]

Re: Looks like this will be my last Defcon...

YES, free beer! I'm going to prank a lot more parents at Defcon next year so I get more free beer.