This is an unfortunate response to an already unfortunate situation. We did not intend for this to be made public, lest it further compromise the privacy of those involved. However, since it has now been made so, and in the interest of clarity, allow us to explain the situation.
It was brought to our attention during the time of NEST 2007 that someone may have betrayed the confidence of the NEST hotel location...and in doing so that of all NEST attendees. We learned of this after TTD & Shygal recieved a phone call from family members at the main NEST hotel.
Since June, we have attempted to work with TTD to help identify those responsible. We have exhausted all avenues of finding this information without receiving more information from TTD. We have not even learned how the family members got the hotel information.
TTD has requested that we give him the list of NEST applicants/attendees (including real names and personal information) in order for him to review it and look for possible suspects. We have declined to do so. We have attempted repeatedly to explain our reasons. It is unfortunate that they have not been accepted. What are those reasons?
1. It is not absolutely clear that it was even a NEST applicant who passed along the information. There are other ways the information could have been obtained by the family members who called them...including but not limitted to something as simple as having called every hotel in the area until they found them.
2. Even if we knew it was a NEST applicant who had passed along the information, we cannot betray the confidentiality promised to well over 100 other innocent people on the basis that a single unknown individual betrayed their promise to keep information confidential.
While we understand and sympathize with the upset that this has caused to TTD & Shygal, we cannot and will not betray the confidentiality promised and owed to our guests. We take that promise very seriously. If more information is provided to us, we would be glad to assist in identifying the culprit...whether it proves to be someone on our guest list or not. But, without more information, our hands are ethically and legally tied.
We are sure that, when the emotional upset of this has died down, neither TTD nor any other gathering host would be able to find fault with this reasoning.
This is the one and only public response that will be made on this subject. It is not up for debate. We simply wished for those reading this thread to know the situation and reasoning in order to avoid misunderstanding or fear of their personal information being shared. That will not happen.
