Update on the GA Kerfuffle - Updated

Due to my mood swings and the fact that I managed to grind two of my teeth to pieces during my sleep, I have been remiss in my duties of informing you about some events in the Gay Archipelago after my latest post.

So here is an update on what has happened, as far as I am informed.

ricogenu (formerly known as Rico Bluestar), who was appointed as PR Lead by the GA Lead Weylin Vale a while back, has resigned from office after an altercation with Chade Dagger, the simultaneously appointed Treasurer. The two have differing versions of what actually happened, so I will leave it to them to give their versions in the comments should they wish to do so.

The following sim-owners have left Gay Archipelago (there may be more, I seem to have lost my note card on this):
Garth Raleigh,
Mitch Underby,
Othon Weiland,
Draghan Marksman,
Myles Capalini and - following ricogenu's resignation -
Evan Greymyst (5 sims) and
ricogenu (2 sims, co-owned with Evan Greymyst)
--- Update---
Ricky Silentghost,
Harrison Constantine and
Evan Rutledge (2 sims)

Nikolai Warden: Upset But Staying

Nikolai Warden, another of my many friends in the Gay Archipelago - on both sides of the current conflict - has left a comment with his point of view on my friend Hiroku Kamachi's blog post The Mind of Hiro: "Pearls From Swine". The comment was made on July 17 and was published today.

"Hiro, you and I have known one another a long time. I think you know that I am a fairly reasonable fellow. Though the estate I help manage chose to leave the GA, I and one of the other managers there chose to remain on the GA admissions committee as you know. I will tell you though, as I told Weylin and Chade, that the way the appointments were made was a shock to any who have been in the GA for more than a couple of years.

For a festival team to be put together is different from a board of directors, and different from appointing a PR Lead and Vice Lead … to those of us who have seen quite a few administrations in terms of GA Lead, all of that was a shock. The way it has always been done is that any major decisions have gone through the owners group. Forming an advisory board is a major change in the way things are done, and to us old timers, that decision itself should have gone through the owners group for approval. The decision to write rules and bylaws also is something that the owners group should have voted on, in my opinion.

GA Lead, (and by extension, the relatively new role of Vice Lead), and PR Lead have traditionally been done by candidates putting their names to the owners group and a search committee conducting interviews and the search committee making a decision. Now I realize that the duties of the lead, as outlined by the previous search committee, are a bit vague in “putting together teams” or such, I haven’t the exact wording in front of me. I also realize there are very general guidelines and no rules or bylaws, which has always been intentional. The owners have always been in charge, whether they are active or apathetic really, with the Lead as a spokesperson and detail person to carry out the wishes of the owners group. If the owners group does not give feedback, the Lead takes the lead.

Weylin is the seventh GA Lead with whom I have had dealings. When Myles Capalini, one of the owners who chose to withdraw from the GA, took over as Lead a number of years back, he was told by the outgoing Lead to let the owners THINK they have a say and that it is a democracy, but run the GA as a dictatorship, which is just how that person HAD run it. He and Myles butted heads over this issue to the extent that Cabria left the GA and only returned due to Garth Raleigh’s leadership. Garth stepped down as Lead quite some time ago. Since his departure, owners meetings have been sporadic and the GA has changed. Weylin making decisions that have ALWAYS gone through the owners group came across, to those of use who have seen more than a few GA Leads come and go, as the worst of the old dictatorial sort of dismissal of the owners group by the Lead, going back 4 or 5 years when there was such contention regarding how the GA was being managed.

I cannot speak for others who were upset by how the appointments were handled, and I do understand Weylin’s rationale for doing so. To dismiss the uproar with the notion that it is people who do not like Dextrum and were upset because he was appointed Vice Lead is grossly inaccurate. I was upset, others were upset, and I for one did not know Dextrum at all before he applied for GA membership. I heard the objections against him, I interviewed him at length, and found no reason to vote against his admission into the GA. I have no real issue with him being Vice Lead. It would have been better if all this had been put to the owner’s group and any interested in the Vice Lead and PR Lead positions had a chance to express such interest, and the owners had had some say, as it has always been done. It is not OMG DEXTRUM IS VICE LEAD???? NO WAAAAY YOU CANNOT DO THAT! It is more a matter of err … that is not how things are traditionally done, and really, the formation of a board of directors should have been presented to the owners group and voted on."

Garth Raleigh: Stop the Hate

I received this email from Garth Raleigh, former GA Lead (2011-2014), today and will share it with you all without comment.

My dear Bock,

As you well know, I have been actively trying to stay out of extended discussions revolving around events within the Gay Archipelago as most of it is merely gums flapping in the breeze.

However, after reading the post from Myles and now the post from Hiro, I am compelled to come forward thus toss my hat into the fray as it were.

Regarding our own estates decision to withdraw membership from the organization: 

This was a private, conscious decision made within our estate owner and managers group which involved deep discussion as to benefits and merits involved in continued membership. The unanimous decision to withdraw membership was reached, the GA Lead notified and fellow GA Owners notified. Simple.

I hardly think this is what one would term a 'hissy fit,' and it mystifies me as to why a group of adults making their own decisions and carrying them out would be seen or termed as such.

To the newly-appointed leadership team following this thread (waves):

I. There seems to be a LOT of public and 'behind closed doors' schoolyard name-calling, shaming and 'blame tossing' coming from within the GA leadership team. These actions are uncalled-for, undignified and unworthy of anyone who is supposed to be representing the GA or its membership in any capacity. Stop the hate.

II. From what I hear, the current state of the GA and any/all problems that exist or are imagined are being squarely laid at my feet. I understand how easy it must be to vilify someone who is not present and no longer a contributing member however, I must point out that there have been THREE GA Leads since my time in the office. One who is currently serving on the newly-appointed team as PR Lead.

Following that logic (if one can call it that) which, I assume, assigns responsibility for these 'problems' (real or imagined), I would call on these three men to also take their share of this 'blame.' Further, that line of 'logic' allows that net to be cast back even farther back in history to encompass multiple members of the GA Council structure and the various Leads involved during those years. Oh, and lets not forget to snare GA founder, Fabrice Snook, into that net as well.

I shall consider myself in good and intelligent company and point out that you have some excellent role-models to follow. Stop the hate.

III. I have heard none of the estates who have chosen to terminate membership with the GA, or ones who are considering doing such in the near future, publicly or privately express any degree of malice about or toward the GA.

This can only be some sort of self-defense mechanism generated by the newly-appointed team to perhaps bond and create a warm, fuzzy feeling internally. Decisions to terminate memberships and support do not equate imaginary 'political agendas' in any way. Stop the hate.

IV. While there are indeed some personalities in SL that are more in the forefront than others, anyone in SL that believes there is such a thing as 'power' in the virtual platform needs a RL reality check.

There is only 'do or do not.' Stop the hate.

V. As it has always been, members, estates and regions will come and go from any organization such as the GA. Being angry with people who do not share in your vision or believe your ideas are the best - will only serve to make you unhappy and further cement decisions to terminate membership as good ones, and quite possibly have a negative impact on decisions of those considering joining the organization in the future.

The estates and members who have chosen to leave the GA, and those who are to leave the GA for whatever reason, should be wished well and know that they would be welcomed back at a future date if circumstances dictate such.

Build a community, not an exclusive private boys club. Stop the hate.

VI. Bylaws, codes of conduct and other such rules and regulations are merely words on a dusty notecard in the end - only read and cared about by those who created them.

Lead by example first and foremost, then by notecards if needed. Stop the hate.

We've seen all this sort of thing before, Bock. Tiresome as it is, maybe it's just our innate nature that these situations happen or perhaps just one or two who thrive on dramas and fainting couches. As Hiro astutely pointed out, all this will pass.

I am blessed to have been one of the major builders of the Gay Archipelago and remain proud of the extraordinary achievements that were made for the LGBT community and for the Gay Archipelago, as well as the lasting true friendships I made during my long tenure as GA Lead.

Regards,

Garth Raleigh

GA Lead, 2011-2014

The Oval Studio Performs "Glee"

My old friends Othon Weiland and Garth Raleigh have kindly provided me with a press release of their upcoming production of "Glee".

"Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that aired on the Fox network in the United States from May 19, 2009, to March 20, 2015. It focuses on the fictitious William McKinley High School glee club, New Directions, which competes on the show choir competition circuit while its disparate members deal with social issues, especially regarding sexuality and race, relationships, and learning to become an effective team."

The audience can dance or be seated while they watch the show in the Art Deco styled Oval Studio (SLurl).

Show dates are Saturday June 27th and Sunday June 28th, both performances start at 1PM SLT.

Attention Opera Lovers!

During the coming week the Theater on the Hill will premier the third - and final act - of Richard Wagner's epic opera Die Walküre (The Valkyrie). This is the act that is many opera lovers favorit.

I am alas not at liberty to reveal the date of the semi-closed premier, however, after that the regular performances will commence from March 29th and onward.

In an exclusive interview Othon Weiland-Nootan revealed to Bock in SecondLife,
- "Bock,  even  opera  haters  will be  amazed! Nothing like this show has never been seen before  in  SecondLife."

ACT III: On the Valkyries' Rock, Brünnhilde's eight warrior sisters - who have gathered there briefly, bearing slain heroes to Valhalla - are surprised to see her enter with Sieglinde. When they hear she is fleeing Wotan's wrath, they are afraid to hide her. Sieglinde is numb with despair until Brünnhilde tells her she bears Siegmund's child. Eager to be saved, she receives the pieces of the sword from Brünnhilde and ecstatically thanks her rescuer as she rushes off into the forest to hide near Fafner's cave, a place safe from Wotan. When the god appears, he sentences Brünnhilde to become a mortal woman, silencing her sisters' objections by threatening to do the same to them. Left alone with her father, Brünnhilde pleads that in disobeying his orders she was really doing what he wished ("War es so schmählich"). Wotan will not relent: she must lie in sleep, booty for any man who finds her. But as his anger abates she asks the favor of being surrounded in sleep by a wall of fire that only the bravest hero can pierce. Both sense this hero must be the child that Sieglinde will bear. Sadly renouncing his daughter ("Leb' wohl"), Wotan kisses Brünnhilde's eyes with sleep and mortality before summoning Loge, the spirit of fire, to encircle the rock. As flames spring up, the departing Wotan invokes a spell forbidding the rock to anyone who fears his spear.

The actors
Brünnhilde: Oliver Elton
Wotan: Silvano Korobase
Sieglinde: Yanneck Docherty

Valkyries: Joshua Swords, Louie Bisiani, Rick Carson, Richardson Nootan-Weiland, Remi2000, Ronny Swords, Wolfhard Gelman Chaffe, WildSummer Destiny

The production

Produced and Directed by Immerdar Fredriksson

Scripting by Blaise Timtam

First Life Ring Machine designed by Robert LaPage for the Metropolitan Opera and adapted for SecondLife by Immerdar Fredriksson and Blaise Timtam

This production has been made possible in part by a generous grant from THE CHETZ R. SZONDI FOUNDATION

Executive Director Garth Raleigh

The recording

Brünnhilde: Birgit Nilsson
Wotan: George London
Sieglinde: Gre Brouwenstijn

Conductor: Erich Leinsdorf
The London Symphony Orchestra

Recorded 1961 by Decca Records

The Oval: Season Opening with "Fragments"

From a press release delivered to me by my dear friend Garth Raleigh, the elderly statesman of Gay Archipelago and owner of the GA Coronal Estate sims.

"Enjoy the warm ambiance of the newly-rebuilt Oval Concert Hall as the management team opens its doors for the Winter Entertainment Season hosting Blue Velvet Dance Company's 'Fragments.'

Always original, thought-provoking and avant garde, Blue Velvet Dance Company brings the passion for dance and a love for showmanship to their newest production, "Fragments.' 

Join us and allow your imagination to be captured!"

Your limousine to The Oval awaits (SLurl)

Duo Rezday Pictures by JJ Goodman

The famous photographer JJ Goodman, my brother and friend, attended the Duo Rezday Bash on Saturday.

JJ was there because he is family and friend and had no obligation to take pictures, but he did so anyway... which I am grateful for, as I and the rezday boys were to busy with other stuff.

Thanks for the pictures JJ, as always you manage to make us all look wonderful!

Tomais

Bock

Guyke

JJ

Wayne

PuPi & Talu

Sarco

Dej

Kahvy & Garrett

BM

Pook

Ces & Simon

Garth

Petr

Zigadena & Emarald

DJ Rylan

Nikolai as the Stripper Dolphin

Fordis

Cupric & Hottie

Pook again (out of costume)

Helene

Tasty

Dodo

Brent

Vaan

Mitch

Hmmmm - I cannot remember...

Pienikins

Annie

Another one I don't remember...

Garrett again, I think...?

Tomais, Guyke & JJ

Tomais as the Naked C3PO

Raphaela

Kitty, Annie & Raphaela

Tomais again ;)

Lee