>> It's a place for security professionals to go to hang out in Vegas for a few days on their company's dime, or to extend their stay after Black Hat.

That is me! :) I do not know where the counterculture hangs out at DC, because I have never been a cool kid, just a brainy weird kid among the brainy weird kids, even as an adult! But there are often quite a few insightful papers at DEF CON. I didn’t go this year, I think my managers are on to me. :)