M/M Buttsecks Is Everywhere

William Tapley, a.k.a. the Third Eagle of the Apocalypse and the Co-Prophet of the End Times, convincingly explains how the logo above should be interpreted in this video on YouTube.


(via J.M.G.)

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Oh my, how fabulous it must be to be so bat crazy that e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g can be explained as hawt m/m buttsecks. I think I am starting to envy this guy.

P.S. I wonder if Bill realizes, that his obsession with m/m buttsecks probably means he is the worst closet case ever?
P.P.S. You absolutely must watch this video from start to finish.
P.P.P.S. I am also curious to know who the other "Co-Prophet of the End Times" is/are/were. If anyone knows, please let me know!
P.P.P.P.S. And while we are at it, who the fuck are/were the first two "Eagles of the Apocalypse", and are there a fourth, fifth or even more of them?
P.P.P.P.P.S. Bill answers my question on his own blog ThirdEagleMedia.com: About Me

And now, finally, I will explain my titles. Often when I was studying the end times interpretation of Revelation I would come to a mental block. At that point I would pause and take a walk while praying the rosary. On one such walk it occurred to me to ask the Lord, "who is the eagle of the Apocalypse" (Revelation 8:13). My thoughts immediately answered "you are!". This really startled me but I knew that it came from God and was not a product of my imagination. After returning home, I researched the eagle and discovered two previous "eagles", Saint Vincent Ferrer and his successor Saint Bernardino of Siena. Both warned Europe back in the late fifteenth century about the first woe which was the breakup of Christianity. Saint Bernardino expressly warned about the plague of locusts in Revelation 9 which we now know was caused by Martin Luther and his followers. Luther is the star which falls from heaven and is a precursor of the false prophet. I have determined that my role as the third of these "eagles" is to warn primarily about the second woe, world war 3. I expect that a fourth eagle will follow me who will warn about the third woe, the reign of the antichrist, and also the last woe (yes there are actually 4 woes), Armageddon.

Regarding my title, "Co Prophet of the End Times", several passages in Daniel explain. Read Daniel 12:4 "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased". Obviously, someone must come along to unseal Daniel. Read Daniel 12:9 "And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end". The "time of the end" is now, and my job is to do the unsealing. In fact, ALL end times Bible prophecy requires a Co Prophet AND a Prophet because it is work of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit always requires two people to accomplish His plan. For example, speaking in tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit, yet it has no edification for the Church, as Paul said, unless someone else interprets the tongues. Also in marriage, it takes a man and a woman to produce a child which is also a work of the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life.

I do not claim to be the only co prophet of the end times. Scripture says that at the time of the end, the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh. "Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall have visions and your old men shall dream dreams".

New Logo for Bock in SecondLife

Bock in SecondLife is delighted to unveil its new logo.

The logo is to be used when the blog is represented at various SecondLife events, such as the Second Pride Festival or the Gay Archipelago SummerFest (among others).

This bolder, more retro and ironic approach features a Pristina font, which is the work of British designer Phill Grimshaw, a calligraphic typeface that displays all the natural, unrestrained qualities of cultured penmanship.

The logo is clearly inspired by the traditional Japanese Imperial flag and is designed to be both recognizable and highly visible. It comes in a variety of clear pastel colors which are pleasing to the eye, but it is also everso slightly asymmetrical, to indicate that the editor in chief is an opinionated and headstrong bastard who doesn't always aim to please.

The logo was created by the blog's own favorite graphic designer Tomais Ashdene after a concept by the blogger himself.

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."

GA’s SummerFest 2015

The Gay Archipelago’s Summerfest will run from August 28 - September 6, 2015.

This year's theme will be "Cirque Du So Gay" and will be on it's own sim this year.

The GA Summerfest will be a truly international event and host sponsored events over the 10 days on the GA Festival sim and on our GA Estates. This is a huge goal and we will need your participation.

There are a big assortment of sponsor & vendor packages, ranging from free (terms and conditions may apply) up to L$100,000.

For complete information about the event, whom to contact and how to apply, please visit The GA WeBlog: Gay Archipelago's SummerFest 2015 - ’Cirque du So Gay’.

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

La-La-La-La-No Drama-La-La-La-La

View image | gettyimages.com

Shooting the Messenger (Edit 2015-07-19)

Wikipedia has an article on "Shooting the messenger" that starts like this:

"Shooting the messenger" or "killing the messenger" is a metaphoric phrase used to describe the act of lashing out at the (blameless) bearer of bad news.  

Until the advent of modern telecommunications, messages were usually delivered by a human envoy. For example, in a war, the messenger was sent from the enemy camp. An easily provoked combatant receiving such an overture could more easily vent anger (or otherwise retaliate) on the deliverer of the unpopular message than on its author.

"Attacking the messenger" is a subdivision of the ad hominem logical fallacy.

(...)

"A modern version of attacking the messenger can be perceived when someone blames the media for presenting bad news about a favored cause, person, organization, etc. The fact remains that "shooting the messenger may be a time-honored emotional response to unwelcome news, but it is not a very effective method of remaining well-informed."

Getting rid of the messenger may be a tactical move, but danger found in nondisclosure may result in either hostile responses or negative feedback from others. "People learn very quickly where this is the case, and will studiously avoid giving any negative feedback; thus the 'Emperor" continues with the self-delusion....Obviously this is not a recipe for success." 

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My - former? (Edit 2015-07-19: Hiro and I have chatted and come to the conclusion that we are still friends even if we have differing positions in this case. I was extremely gladdened.) - friend Hiroku Kamachi, the recently appointed new IT-Director of Gay Archipelago, shows an interesting aspect of the phrase in a post on his blog today entitled "The Mind of Hiro: Pearls From Swine".

For easier reading, click the snips to enlarge.

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You should know Hiroku, that whatever may happen now or in the future, I will always be grateful to you for the empathy and support you have shown me in the past. 

Although everything seems so self evident and natural to you, you could at least try to accept or admit that it wasn't so for everyone concerned. The fact that they - and I - perceive a problem where you don't see one, doesn't make us inherently bad, malicious, foolish or even - to use your word - "swine". Name calling and other verbal abuse ("Bitchy Old Queen", "The Old Boy's Club" and "The Old Guard") is usually quite counterproductive for a successful dialog - if that is what one wants.