Our second Consumerist meetup last night went off like gangbusters. Consumerist reader and Bad Buttons creator Kate Black. Reader Gary to the right investigating one of GitEmSteveDave’s RoofCoffeeCup cards.

It was great hanging out and collaborating with MSNBC’s Red Tape Chronicles Bob Sullivan to put on the event. Some lucky walked away with free copies of his new book, Stop Getting Ripped Off, which is chockfull of empowering info and you should all check it out.

Lots of Consumerist folk packed the Dylan Murphy’s bar. I met a guy who repairs Acela trains who came down from New Hampshire to attend. He just started reading the site a few weeks ago. And I met someone who said they’d been reading the site for 3.5 years. I met Dan who sent in the epic complaint about Time Warner’s new DVR system, and Gary, who a long time ago sent in some secret phone numbers for reaching high-up Cingular reps. At one point, several people meeting each other for the first time were in a heated debate over triple-play-packages. And of course, Git-Em-Steve-Dave was in full effect, sporting his trademark cowboy hat, LED nametag, and Consumer Reports labcoat. Consumerist alum Carey Greenberg-Berger was there too, below, left.

Panel discussion with Bob Sullivan, BillShrink CEO Peter Pham, and Loyola University Maryland professor Joseph Ganem and author of The Two Headed Quarter.

Michael:

If you took pictures last night, send ’em to ben@consumerist.com so I can add them to the post.

Whaddya say folks, Brooklyn on the weekend for the next one? Then maybe we take this show on the road? Chicago! San Francisco! Where else should we go?

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