Picture of the Day - 419

"sparrowhawk II" by Jordan Giant

If you wish to see more of Jordan's photography, please visit her Flickr photostream by clicking her name under the picture.

Picture of the Day - 360

"there is so much i want you to know" by Jordan Giant

If you wish to see more of Jordan's photography, please visit their Flickr photostream here.

Finally Moving Ahead

The Second Pride meeting on Sunday was a joy to witness for a devoted member. Instead of the bickering and infighting that has characterized the previous meetings, the few members that had assembled, saw a board working constructively to deal with the issues at hand and even raise their eyes to look into the future.

Left to right: Jagger Naughton, Sutry Long, Marge Beaumont, Karl Kalchek,
Andy Long, Jak Calcutt, Hottie B LockJaw and Merrick Genesis

The second most huggable man in SecondLife Jak Calcutt (Build Director) was granted access to the Second Pride avatar for the remainder of this year. The step was taken to avoid unnecessary delays in building as the avatar holds all the landscaping material, textures and buildings etc. that are owned by the organisation. The board and the membership present were convinced that enough safeguards are in place.

Jaggy’s Co-chair for IT Director is Baz Ceawlin, Andy’s Co-chair for Secretary/Co-chair is Story Long, Sutry’s Co-chair for Security Director is Jordan Anderson, Marge’s Co-chair for SP Treasurer is Jynxx Beebe. Karl, Jak, Hottie B (the board member formerly known as Hotboy) and Merrick are still looking for suitable candidates.

(Source my imperfect memory and Meeting Minutes of SP Board Meeting December 8, 2013)

Tinies, Furries, Goreans, Romans and More (Correction)

DJ Shadow at the Tinies Dance

A thing I like very much about this years Second Pride is the fact that the board has managed to bring in many of the gay subgroups in SecondLife, with the possible exception of the lesbians who sadly still seem to be preferring a sort of "splendid isolation". Correction, They are here!  Prætor tells me he saw a ton of them here last evening!

In this years Pride celebration the tinies, the furries, the Goreans and the Romans are taking part in a highly visible way with their own presence in exhibitions and events. I thoroughly and completely love it and am grateful to the board for doing this!

Alas I came to the tinies dance just as it was about to end but I am still happy I got there.

Next I went to the jousting arena to see another event between the warriors of Gor and the Roman gladiators. I realize all do not appreciate it, but I sure do like watching the hunky men there and join in the unexpectedly cordial banter going on. The Goreans and Romans seem to be a fun group of people I must say.

I am more than pleased to be able to inform you that I got a promise from Parvin, who seems to be one of the head-honcho's of the Goreans, that next year they will implement a "thongs only" rule for the attire usd during the jousting, thus giving the gloating spectators an eyeful.

 When I got to the furries party I sadly did not set the lighting properly so most of my pictures turned out too dark, except for the one beneath. But that on the other hand is a real beaut!

The furries also seemed like a good natured and kind lot, especially the DJ Skan who humoristically referred to me as "meat" in the most charming manner.

Today was also the day for an inspirational speech by 20 y/o Jordan Maxwell Anderson. The young man shared his wisdom with those of us who were there to listen. What the young man may have lacked in experience he made up in youthful enthusiasm. It was actually more inspiring than I had expected.

The beautiful Lee McKay was there to listen

Seriously?

Reuters reports that the British Home secretary (interior minister) Theresa May yesterday said, that Britain should consider leaving the European Convention on Human Rights because it interferes with the government's ability to fight crime and control immigration,

Theresa May, Minister of the Interior

May's Conservative Party has long criticized the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which enforces the convention, as an encroachment on British sovereignty.

Among other things the ECHR in January 2012 overruled the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom on the issue of deporting the radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada to Jordan, where he is wanted on terrorism charges. The ECHR held that he could not lawfully be deported because a trial in Jordan could be tainted by evidence obtained under torture.

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Call me naive and clueless but the mere fact that a statement of this enormity can be made by a top politician in Europe, let alone Britain of all countries, feels like a kick in the balls and leaves me totally flabbergasted and gasping for breath with pain and astonishment. Admittedly Mrs. May is presumably trying to draw attention to herself as a future candidate to succeed David Cameron as the leader of Britain' s Conservative Party but surely there must be limits to the stupidity?

The Court applies the European Convention on Human Rights. Its task is to ensure that States respect the rights and guarantees set out in the Convention. I for one am extremely happy and relieved that the court exists and caries out the purpose for which it was created, however irritating it may be for the various purportedly democratic nations, courts or politicians.

Shame on you Mrs May! And shame also on the Conservative Party of Britain and Britain itself for making such sentiments convenient and possible among its leading representatives.