My view of the world

Black Hat’s in town, this gives the real hackers someplace to meet, and to discuss the latest techniques and theories of security.
I used to go to Black Hat, back when it cost a flat $1000 to get in, and you got to go to all the lectures, now it costs somewhere in the area of $2000+ per class, and the briefings cost $1595 each. I guess all those feds and corporate types, attending on someone else’s dime, have driven the price up.
DefCon is coming up, but it’s far less serious and not nearly as expensive, this gives the blue and pink hair types, someplace to put shampoo in the fountains and to hack the hotel’s phone system.
As a general rule, you go to Black Hat to learn from the best, and you go to DefCon to party.