Convention Attention- Staff Griefers and Bad Staff

[Osiris Wolf]

Maruul

How is "Free Hugs" prostitution? It's free. Having sex for free isn't illegal, so I seriously doubt hugging is. I think at OMG the rule was no offering services for anything.

The same reason people give away free food, or free artwork, etc.
No matter what the situation, no matter how simple or ridiculous it is, you are still "selling" something. In the case of the free hugs signs, you're using a sign to advertise your intention, and giving free hugs by getting free hugs.
One way to show this is by rewording "free hugs" to "will hug for hugs."  

[jyrotika]

Osiris Wolf

Maruul

How is "Free Hugs" prostitution? It's free. Having sex for free isn't illegal, so I seriously doubt hugging is. I think at OMG the rule was no offering services for anything.

The same reason people give away free food, or free artwork, etc.
No matter what the situation, no matter how simple or ridiculous it is, you are still "selling" something. In the case of the free hugs signs, you're using a sign to advertise your intention, and giving free hugs by getting free hugs.
One way to show this is by rewording "free hugs" to "will hug for hugs."

Hmm... I always thought "prostitution" was a term for sexual acts... Didn't think a hug counted :/  

[Tsuki Nushi]

Maruul

How is "Free Hugs" prostitution? It's free. Having sex for free isn't illegal, so I seriously doubt hugging is. I think at OMG the rule was no offering services for anything.

Any situation where you offer your body for a form of currency is prostitution. Free hugs aren't free; you get a hug back, as well as attention, and maybe some phone numbers/emails.

Since you get something in return for use of your body, it is prostitution. It's not enough to get you convicted or sentenced, but it can be enough to get you arrested if someone reports you.  

[Maruul]

In that case, nothing is free! A friggin handshake isn't free, cause you get the same back! A WAVE! It's not physical touch, but you use your body to do it, ja? One day we won't be able to even look at each other without getting in trouble, it's ******** nuts. I want to do a protest now where everyone wheres "free hugs" signs.  

[Naveh]

The Free Hugs thing is banned for "solicitation" not prostitution, and solicitation is illegal in most (if not all) US states. Hand waving and such are responses and greetings. The reason why ppl are saying prostitution is probably because it also falls under solicitation. Just putting some light there, so we can get back to the original subject. sweatdrop

 

[Tsuki Nushi]

Getting a hug or a handshake is a greeting, asking for one is solicitation/prostitution.

Well my con banned them for reasons of solicitation and prostitution, but then again one of the cops that used to patrol the area near our old stomping grounds hated teenagers. (he never did arrest anyone for it, but totally would have if he had seen the signs)

So really it kinda depends on where you live and if the cop is an a*****e or not.  

[Maruul]

Whatever the reason, it's not a good one. Hugs are nice. Fine. I'm making it my goal to hug as many people as possible next con, WITHOUT a sign! Take that stupid rule!

Uh, on topic at last... Some dealer rooms have in and out doors, and I hate people who try to use the wrong door for the sake of using the wrong door, then b***h at the staff for telling them it's the wrong door. On the other hand, some staff get pissy (but can you blame them with such a s**t job?) and yell at me when I'm not even trying to go out the in door... There's stuff to buy here, I'm just shopping!  

[Doom27]

what if you cosplayed as a free hugs sign?  

[Tsuki Nushi]

Then you would probably be asked to go change. Or maybe not. It kinda depends on the con.  

[SakuraRico]

Well, I haven't seen a free hugs sign cosplay, but at least in Kaisen over in PR, shirts and such that say free hugs (or the likes) are not allowed. There's two guys that went in with a "smile if you're horny" shirt, and security let them pass, but the organizers didn't really want those in either.  

[TigerLilyChick]

Some of the rules for signs sound familiar to Otakon's rules for signs. These are the rules that come directly from Otakon's website.

Signs at Otakon

While we understand the appeal of signs as ice-breakers and conversation starters, but there have been too many complaints from our members about offensive content or signs that amount to little more than panhandling.

No signs are permitted except for those signs that are an established part of a costume. (The sign must be part of the standard “look’ of the character, such as the sign carried by Genma the panda.)

Those members wishing to post notices or find other people should use the bulletin boards provided. Please note that signs asking for food, money, hugs, etc. are considered panhandling by the Baltimore Police Department, and signs offering to exchange any sort of sexual favor (kisses, hugs, glomps, etc.) are considered solicitation. Signs with offensive content are not allowed regardless of whether they are “in character.”

Signs in violation of this policy will be confiscated. Repeat offenders will be considered in violation of the disruptive behavior policy.

Please note that this policy applies to all types of signs, regardless of construction. Otakon staff decisions regarding signs are final.  

[Baret Rapsba]

One guy who was a volunteer had the simple job of saying "this is the end of the line, we cant take any more people." However, instead of doing his job he was laying on the floor with his friends letting bunches of people line up behind him (we all thought he was just some random dude with a wig). Then about 30-45 minutes after he stands up real fast and is like the line ends with me, no one else gets in. We wasted precious con time because he was too lazy/dumb to stay standing up and letting people know. I complained because I thought it was stupid, plus what about all the people that come after us and don't know whats going on.  

[Maruul]

Just got back from AWA. Boo. It could've been so much better. One thing (or rather, person) who made it not so good was a guy we came to refer to as "Big Angry Black Guy". He bitched at us for EVERYTHING. Most of the staff was pretty cool, but not him...
First: We were in line for the yaoi panel, which we ended up not going to, and we had brought pizza, thinking we'd sit in back and eat it during the panel. Like many, the panel was running late, so we sat down with our plates and started eating, sharing with the people around us. Suddenly he comes charging over "You gotta pick this up! You can't picnic here!" He said it so mean is what really got me. He could've said "Hey guys, can you not do this here -gives logical reason-". Nope, he just yelled at us.
Second: This is the one that pissed us off the most. We were cosplaying Hetalia, and my friend had a vodka bottle. It was empty, had been washed out, with soap and everything, just a prop. We got it approved and tagged the first day and everything was fine. Saturday night we wanted to go to the rave (didn't do that, either). Well, Russia wanted some peach soda, but didn't to carry around a cup, so he filled the bottle with it, and we drank it on the way there. When we got there our friends passed out glowsticks and we filled the now empty bottle with them. The second we walked in he came charging over, again "You can't have that in here, take it outside!" We explained that it was just a prop, pointed out the lack of actual vodka and presense of glowsticks, AND the tag from the previous day. He looked it over, SMELLED it, then noticed a bit of soda still at the bottom. "There's still liquid in here!" We explained it was soda and asked why, if other staff approved it, he was telling us no. He wouldn't give us an answer, just told us to take it outside.
Third: I'll start by pointing out that this seemed to actually be an enforced rule, and we were told multiple times (well, different "we"s). There was apparently no laying down in the convention center, or at least in this area. Don't understand why, but whatever. My boyfriend was sitting against the wall, I was laying against it trying to catch a nap while our friends made cosplay videos. Suddenly I'm woken up by "You can sit, but you can't lay here!" Yup, him again. And again, no politeness at all. Later my friend was lying on her stomach reading and a different person told her she wasn't allowed to lay down and asked her to sit up. She was polite about it, so we didn't complain much.

We think he might've been with the hotel or center in general, not the actual convention. Either way though, he was a mean b*****d.  

[Tsuki Nushi]

Hoba The Destroyer : Yeah that's just really unprofessional. He must've been a last minute volunteer. I honestly don't know why con let people be staff last minute, it just seems like a recipe for disaster because they don't get the training they need, and almost all of them are just doing it for the free badge.


Maruul: Yeah those renta-staff can be down right annoying because they have no experience dealing with otaku. The only thing I think he kinda had a point on (but was still a jerk about it) was the vodka bottle. Staff does have to heavily enforce the no alcohol/drugs/smoking rule.

In the future, if you want to avoid any sort of conflict with staff because you have the bottle, I would recommend you not put any sort of liquid in it because staff may assume that it is vodka/vodka-laced. In fact I would recommend that you take off the bottle's label and replace it with a paper label that says "Vodka" and that you put something like sequins or something that is obviously not liquid in it so that won't happen again.  

[Maruul]

Tsuki Nushi

Maruul: Yeah those renta-staff can be down right annoying because they have no experience dealing with otaku. The only thing I think he kinda had a point on (but was still a jerk about it) was the vodka bottle. Staff does have to heavily enforce the no alcohol/drugs/smoking rule.

In the future, if you want to avoid any sort of conflict with staff because you have the bottle, I would recommend you not put any sort of liquid in it because staff may assume that it is vodka/vodka-laced. In fact I would recommend that you take off the bottle's label and replace it with a paper label that says "Vodka" and that you put something like sequins or something that is obviously not liquid in it so that won't happen again.

But it had glowsticks in it! And the liquid he mentioned was a couple drops of soda that hadn't come out. Not enough to even drink. And our Russia's extremely stubborn about cosplay. Several people suggested the label thing. "No way! I'm not turning my pretty bottle ghetto! ******** that! I'll just party outside!" And so we did. And several people joined us. ^^