If you want to attend a real grass-roots con without the self-important navel gazing, try this one. If anybody attends, look me up and we can split a Shiner Bock.

I wonder if academics really never pay for the conferences they attend. If so I certainly don't qualify as a academic: I spent an awfull lot of mony on conference fees and travel costs.

Perhaps a feature of the US academic world?

The "invitation" to selected prominent bloggers to pay "a mere $500" to attend insulted most of those invited, since the $500 was to pay other prominent bloggers to attend.

Rollo the Rich Kid thinks you're chopped liver, and a sucker to boot.

I'm
a) conservative (more-or-less) and
b) an academic who has to pay his way to conferences

and

c) I was offended at the price as well.

Your broad terms are not broad enough. :-D