GothCon Boycott: This Time It's Personal
I just posted this to the gcinquisition group:
I am still looking to answer the question about GCI which rankles for me. Why is the GothCon event the only supposed scene scam which people are up in arms about? It just feels to me like the active parties must have a personal unspoken axe to grind. But only one person has had the balls to admit it. It has been stated here that GCI is not about the people helping with this year's convention, but personal attacks were made. I'm not saying everything with the GothCon conventions was done on the up and up, but why is that event and only that event the one which is being taken to task.
For example, I asked what did Fetish Cares give to charity? Why was I concerned enough about injustice to ask, but none of the gcinquisition people were interested? At any rate, I asked Fetish Cares to provide documentation of their gifts. They say they did not give anything, but their books are open and they are going to send me documentation. As their event is over and they have already decided the revenue was not enough for them to want to give to charity, then they must have done the accounting already. But it is coming up on a week since they said they would send me the info and I have yet to receive it.
If the scene is actually becoming more concerned about injustice and dishonesty, it would make me a very happy girl. But I'll need to see some proof on that.
Sunday, July 20, 2003
Maybe I Am A Dork
Whoo-hoo! I actually left the house and went to the comic convention. I finally got it in gear to go yesterday. Got there too late to get press passes, but they hooked us up with guest badges. The Masquerade was not as exciting as I had heard previous years were, although the pre-Masquerade festivities included a really cute flick featuring The Joker vs. Batman and then Batman vs. Alien and then Batman vs. Predator and then really a lot of Predators vs. Batman. It was extra-fun to watch in an environment where everyone got it. I had so much fun I wanted to stay through today. Only every hotel in the area was 100% booked. Every hotel in neighboring areas was booked. Including corporate hotels, resorts, boutique hotels, hostel, and total fleabags. Then Forrest Black spotted what I thought was a theatre and it turned out to be this amazing beautiful historic hotel. They were totally booked, but they let us take the reservations from some folks who had not shown up yet and, as it turned out, never did show. It would have really sucked to have to drive back to Los Angeles at 2am and there is no way I could have slept in the car with my back just recovering now. Our hotel was a totally cool renovated brothel and the final day of the convention was a blast. Had to wear the clothes I went in twice because I was not really planning on staying, but I got a free T-shirt for this new fetish vampire flick coming out called Underworld, so at least I had something clean to wear on the car ride home. Now to check my email and stuff. This is going to be scary after being out of town.
Whoo-hoo! I actually left the house and went to the comic convention. I finally got it in gear to go yesterday. Got there too late to get press passes, but they hooked us up with guest badges. The Masquerade was not as exciting as I had heard previous years were, although the pre-Masquerade festivities included a really cute flick featuring The Joker vs. Batman and then Batman vs. Alien and then Batman vs. Predator and then really a lot of Predators vs. Batman. It was extra-fun to watch in an environment where everyone got it. I had so much fun I wanted to stay through today. Only every hotel in the area was 100% booked. Every hotel in neighboring areas was booked. Including corporate hotels, resorts, boutique hotels, hostel, and total fleabags. Then Forrest Black spotted what I thought was a theatre and it turned out to be this amazing beautiful historic hotel. They were totally booked, but they let us take the reservations from some folks who had not shown up yet and, as it turned out, never did show. It would have really sucked to have to drive back to Los Angeles at 2am and there is no way I could have slept in the car with my back just recovering now. Our hotel was a totally cool renovated brothel and the final day of the convention was a blast. Had to wear the clothes I went in twice because I was not really planning on staying, but I got a free T-shirt for this new fetish vampire flick coming out called Underworld, so at least I had something clean to wear on the car ride home. Now to check my email and stuff. This is going to be scary after being out of town.
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
Why Single Out GothCon
Ugly Shyla's creative journal photo today got me thinking about the GothConInquisition community. So I went over there and it claims to be on hiatus, whatever that means. (I know the definition of the word, kids, but I think you either call a boycott off or you do it; you do not pause it.) I posted the following message, but I don't know if it will be approved, so I thought I would post it in my own space too:
As the community is somehow on hiatus, perhaps someone can now take the time to answer the question about GCI which still rankles for me. Why is the GothCon event the one which people are up in arms about? It just feels to me like someone must have a personal unspoken axe to grind. It has been stated here that GCI is not about the people helping with this year's convention, but personal attacks were made. I'm not saying everything with the GothCon conventions was done on the up and up, but why is that event and only that event the one which is being taken to task. For example, what did Fetish Cares give to charity? Have they provided domentation of their gifts?
Ugly Shyla's creative journal photo today got me thinking about the GothConInquisition community. So I went over there and it claims to be on hiatus, whatever that means. (I know the definition of the word, kids, but I think you either call a boycott off or you do it; you do not pause it.) I posted the following message, but I don't know if it will be approved, so I thought I would post it in my own space too:
As the community is somehow on hiatus, perhaps someone can now take the time to answer the question about GCI which still rankles for me. Why is the GothCon event the one which people are up in arms about? It just feels to me like someone must have a personal unspoken axe to grind. It has been stated here that GCI is not about the people helping with this year's convention, but personal attacks were made. I'm not saying everything with the GothCon conventions was done on the up and up, but why is that event and only that event the one which is being taken to task. For example, what did Fetish Cares give to charity? Have they provided domentation of their gifts?
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Why Insurance -- esp. Travelers Insurance -- is Evil
So I don't have health insurance. It is a casino game where the house bets that you are going to be just fine and you are betting that everything is going to suck.
Generally, when I go to the doctor, I decide when I need help and I choose the doctor and I pay for it. My parents have given me grief about this for years. I think they believe that, if I needed a new pancreas or something, I would call them and ask for help. This is not the case, but perhaps they do not know it. A few weeks ago, I finally relented and said I would look at the special insurance my mother had access to. They looked over the plan and were like wow this looks like a terrible deal. Sigh.
The thing about insurance is that you have to convince someone else that your pain is real. Then they decide what sort of doctor could best treat you. Then a series of complex kickbacks and white male western medical establishment biases determine who you get referred to. If you end up at an expensive expert, then your insurance may not cover it, or may not cover all of it. If you need nonwestern care, your insurance may not cover it. If you need chiropractic or dental or eyeglasses, your insurance may not cover it.
So I got rear-ended at a light, when emergency vehicles were going through the intersection, by a guy who was not even braking when he hit me. Happily, my car is large and sturdy and his car was pretty crushed, but mine only needs a new bumper. I was not horribly disabled or anything, but my ability to sit up at the computer has been limited for the past month and I have been avoiding doing strenuous activities such as working out or photo shoots. It has been unpleasant and I've missed work.
But I didn't ask the jerk who hit me's insurance company Travelers to do anything but pay my car repair and doctors bills. More than a month later, they offered to settle for less than half my car repair and Town Car bumpers are expensive and they offered to cover less than a quarter of my medical bills and they are not returning my calls.
I am a libertarian in most of my political views, but I believe insurance should be government-run or abolished. I am appalled at the idea that private companies make money by promising to take care of people in their time of need and then avoiding doing so. Their profits are in avoiding doing what they are paid to do. Insurance companies are evil.
So I don't have health insurance. It is a casino game where the house bets that you are going to be just fine and you are betting that everything is going to suck.
Generally, when I go to the doctor, I decide when I need help and I choose the doctor and I pay for it. My parents have given me grief about this for years. I think they believe that, if I needed a new pancreas or something, I would call them and ask for help. This is not the case, but perhaps they do not know it. A few weeks ago, I finally relented and said I would look at the special insurance my mother had access to. They looked over the plan and were like wow this looks like a terrible deal. Sigh.
The thing about insurance is that you have to convince someone else that your pain is real. Then they decide what sort of doctor could best treat you. Then a series of complex kickbacks and white male western medical establishment biases determine who you get referred to. If you end up at an expensive expert, then your insurance may not cover it, or may not cover all of it. If you need nonwestern care, your insurance may not cover it. If you need chiropractic or dental or eyeglasses, your insurance may not cover it.
So I got rear-ended at a light, when emergency vehicles were going through the intersection, by a guy who was not even braking when he hit me. Happily, my car is large and sturdy and his car was pretty crushed, but mine only needs a new bumper. I was not horribly disabled or anything, but my ability to sit up at the computer has been limited for the past month and I have been avoiding doing strenuous activities such as working out or photo shoots. It has been unpleasant and I've missed work.
But I didn't ask the jerk who hit me's insurance company Travelers to do anything but pay my car repair and doctors bills. More than a month later, they offered to settle for less than half my car repair and Town Car bumpers are expensive and they offered to cover less than a quarter of my medical bills and they are not returning my calls.
I am a libertarian in most of my political views, but I believe insurance should be government-run or abolished. I am appalled at the idea that private companies make money by promising to take care of people in their time of need and then avoiding doing so. Their profits are in avoiding doing what they are paid to do. Insurance companies are evil.
Sunday, July 13, 2003
Hi Amelia it's me that hot girl from starbucks :):):):):):):):):):):):):)
Darn. I had scouted a really hot girl there not too long ago. She seemed really impressed but kind of intimidated and she was not online, so I just gave her my info and told her to get in touch if she felt like shooting. But this turned out to be spam.
Darn. I had scouted a really hot girl there not too long ago. She seemed really impressed but kind of intimidated and she was not online, so I just gave her my info and told her to get in touch if she felt like shooting. But this turned out to be spam.
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Tuesday, July 08, 2003
Rewards
So, I just found out that some random girl came up to one of my best friends and favorite models at a Manson show and started giving her grief about shooting with us. Apparently the girl being rude posed for nothing (no dough and no fame) for a site which thinks it is competitive with GothicSluts.com. This is a recurring theme in my journal, as in my life, but I am so sick of people who copycat like crazy everything I do and then diss me.
I understand that, even though the first place I ever got drunk was the Baptist Mission outside Tel Aviv, a lot of Southern Baptists will not see eye-to-eye with me. And I am okay with that.
I do not understand people whose every creative move is based on one or another thing I've done, however, who treat me disrespectfully. It is like they feel like if they slag me hard enough, they will make themselves originals. And I should not let it get me down, but it does. And some total stranger being rude to my friend because some little bitch with an axe to grind told her to . . . well, that makes my blood boil.
But I've got a new policy: Every time some small person tried to feud with me to make themselves important, every time some large corporation tries to steal my work, every time I'm hurt, I am going to get myself a treat. So, to the people who read my journal because they are desperate for ideas, please take notice that every time you step on my toes, you are effectively buying me a present. I'm going to go finish programming my new TiVo now. :-p
So, I just found out that some random girl came up to one of my best friends and favorite models at a Manson show and started giving her grief about shooting with us. Apparently the girl being rude posed for nothing (no dough and no fame) for a site which thinks it is competitive with GothicSluts.com. This is a recurring theme in my journal, as in my life, but I am so sick of people who copycat like crazy everything I do and then diss me.
I understand that, even though the first place I ever got drunk was the Baptist Mission outside Tel Aviv, a lot of Southern Baptists will not see eye-to-eye with me. And I am okay with that.
I do not understand people whose every creative move is based on one or another thing I've done, however, who treat me disrespectfully. It is like they feel like if they slag me hard enough, they will make themselves originals. And I should not let it get me down, but it does. And some total stranger being rude to my friend because some little bitch with an axe to grind told her to . . . well, that makes my blood boil.
But I've got a new policy: Every time some small person tried to feud with me to make themselves important, every time some large corporation tries to steal my work, every time I'm hurt, I am going to get myself a treat. So, to the people who read my journal because they are desperate for ideas, please take notice that every time you step on my toes, you are effectively buying me a present. I'm going to go finish programming my new TiVo now. :-p
Sunday, July 06, 2003
Friday, July 04, 2003
Mickey Mouse Spammed Me
Wow, I just got spammed by Disney and when I reported it to Spamcop, part of the response was:
Tracking ip 63.70.44.55
Routing details for 63.70.44.55
[refresh/show] Cached whois for 63.70.44.55 : abuse-mail@mci.com
Using abuse net on abuse-mail@mci.com
abuse net mci.com = postmaster@mci.com, abuse@mci.com
Using best contacts postmaster@mci.com abuse@mci.com
postmaster@mci.com redirects to abuse@mci.com
ISP does not wish to receive reports regarding http://www.disney.com/ - no date available
http://www.disney.com/ has been appealed previously.
WTF
Wow, I just got spammed by Disney and when I reported it to Spamcop, part of the response was:
Tracking ip 63.70.44.55
Routing details for 63.70.44.55
[refresh/show] Cached whois for 63.70.44.55 : abuse-mail@mci.com
Using abuse net on abuse-mail@mci.com
abuse net mci.com = postmaster@mci.com, abuse@mci.com
Using best contacts postmaster@mci.com abuse@mci.com
postmaster@mci.com redirects to abuse@mci.com
ISP does not wish to receive reports regarding http://www.disney.com/ - no date available
http://www.disney.com/ has been appealed previously.
WTF
Sometimes the Universe Does Give a Girl a Hug
So I was feeling reeeeeaaaaallllly down earlier. As those of you who posted supportive stuff in my journal no doubt noticed. (Thanks guys) I was just having one of those weeks where almost everything I tried to do met with one frustration or horror after another. I try to just post the little daily irritations and anecdotes in my journal and not get into any really bad stuff, but suffice it to say that it was a week so horrible that it would have seemed too heavy-handed if you saw it in a movie.
But the universe decided to give me a hug. I've still got the headache that won't quit, but I'm in the most excellent mood right now that I don't even care.
Hugs:
(1) I got some cool comments from friends in LJ
(2) I got it together to go to the party at the Max Hardcore mansion and it was really fun and a bunch of people were way friendlier and nicer than at most Los Angeles parties. My friend who was a jerk about my invitation to go totally missed out.
(3) I checked my snail mail and it was chock full of good stuff. I got the books in I ordered from Barnes & Noble and I got some good news and most notably, I got a GIANT metal filagree gift basket with every kind of Godiva chocolate made and china to put it on. I had said nice (and true) things about the company which is sort of my business bank on an industry forum and they noticed and sent me a gift basket to thank me. How fucking cool is that!
(4) The most wonderful Forrest Black took pictures of me with my cool basket of goodies and they turned out really good. The darkest of the purple eyeshadows was a gift from my best girl Szandora and it perfectly matches my favorite discontinued lip gloss (Thanks!) A lot of time I look stressed in pictures, even though Forrest is an incredibly talented photographer, but these just really captured the moment in a beautiful way. You can tell I'm happy just looking at them and that makes me even happier.
Message from universe to Amelia G: Yes, it has been rough lately, but everything is going to turn out a-ok, so cheer up. Hugs. :-)
So I was feeling reeeeeaaaaallllly down earlier. As those of you who posted supportive stuff in my journal no doubt noticed. (Thanks guys) I was just having one of those weeks where almost everything I tried to do met with one frustration or horror after another. I try to just post the little daily irritations and anecdotes in my journal and not get into any really bad stuff, but suffice it to say that it was a week so horrible that it would have seemed too heavy-handed if you saw it in a movie.
But the universe decided to give me a hug. I've still got the headache that won't quit, but I'm in the most excellent mood right now that I don't even care.
Hugs:
(1) I got some cool comments from friends in LJ
(2) I got it together to go to the party at the Max Hardcore mansion and it was really fun and a bunch of people were way friendlier and nicer than at most Los Angeles parties. My friend who was a jerk about my invitation to go totally missed out.
(3) I checked my snail mail and it was chock full of good stuff. I got the books in I ordered from Barnes & Noble and I got some good news and most notably, I got a GIANT metal filagree gift basket with every kind of Godiva chocolate made and china to put it on. I had said nice (and true) things about the company which is sort of my business bank on an industry forum and they noticed and sent me a gift basket to thank me. How fucking cool is that!
(4) The most wonderful Forrest Black took pictures of me with my cool basket of goodies and they turned out really good. The darkest of the purple eyeshadows was a gift from my best girl Szandora and it perfectly matches my favorite discontinued lip gloss (Thanks!) A lot of time I look stressed in pictures, even though Forrest is an incredibly talented photographer, but these just really captured the moment in a beautiful way. You can tell I'm happy just looking at them and that makes me even happier.
Message from universe to Amelia G: Yes, it has been rough lately, but everything is going to turn out a-ok, so cheer up. Hugs. :-)
Thursday, July 03, 2003
Unbelievable Spamness
It must be Irritate Amelia Week. The guy from gothic.net called me a while back to express his financial woes and see if I could help him out. I made a bail-out pland for him and he didn't get back to me for ages. Then everyone on his server had their sites go down for an extended time without reply from him, when I had offered to host all of their sites for FREE. Now I am slogging through my email to find anything of value admidst the sea of offers for limp pindicks looking to refinance their homes. And the guy from gothic.net has this great idea for how I could give him money to help him spam.
I like getting offers and recommendations from sites I have done business with, but I hate hate hate getting random emails for products that have nothing to do with me or my interests. My email is barely usable at this point because of the volume of spam I have been receiving and a supposed friend of mine wants to get me into spamming?! That is messed up.
It must be Irritate Amelia Week. The guy from gothic.net called me a while back to express his financial woes and see if I could help him out. I made a bail-out pland for him and he didn't get back to me for ages. Then everyone on his server had their sites go down for an extended time without reply from him, when I had offered to host all of their sites for FREE. Now I am slogging through my email to find anything of value admidst the sea of offers for limp pindicks looking to refinance their homes. And the guy from gothic.net has this great idea for how I could give him money to help him spam.
I like getting offers and recommendations from sites I have done business with, but I hate hate hate getting random emails for products that have nothing to do with me or my interests. My email is barely usable at this point because of the volume of spam I have been receiving and a supposed friend of mine wants to get me into spamming?! That is messed up.
Bleah
I feel totally sick. I feel so sick I cancelled the doctor appointment I had today.
Went to Ghoul Skool last night and got to hear about Sharon's European tour and Jenner's ferret rescue site and Mark Splatter's new digs. Talked about Swag Magazine with some folks, but did not come to any conclusions other than that a lot of people like it. Which is cool.
Went to an afterparty and was fairly irritated. Admittedly the friend of mine whose place it was at told me when I came in who was there and the list was basically [rock star name censored], [rock star's girlfriend's name censored], [rock star], [rock star's PA], [rock star], and "a really irritating guy, you'll see what I mean." Wow, was that telling it like it was. There was this morbidly obese dude -- keep in mind I like varied body types, but this guy was grotesque -- who managed to say insulting things before even being entirely introduced. Then he went on this rambling story about how his claim was that he once lived in the same group house that some people who may or may not have been in Good Charlotte bought their coke at, although not from him, but the guys from Good Charlotte in his opinion knew the guys from Godhead. To make fatso's story even lamer, almost everyone in the building knew either everyone in Godhead or in Good Charlotte or both. He avoided details and started on a different annoying commentary when he realized this.
Then I had to deal with a variety of guys asking for assistance meeting girls. One guy was there who I already made an introduction for, with the understanding that he was going to set up a meeting for me to pitch a comic book concept for one of my favorite girls. So he has been blowing off his part of the bargain for months now and he asked me to pitch him again and I did and then he asked me to call him next week to do a more formal pitch to just him and then maybe he would talk to the person he was supposed to set up the pitch meeting with in the first place. I actually like the guy, but I think he is not really intelligent enough to understand the finer points of the deal, so there is only so much I want to talk to him about it. Either that or he just wants to rip off my ideas.
Then another guy who is dating one of my models started acting like he did not know who Max Hardcore is. Not likely in his case. I'd gotten a plus for the party and I invited this guy because he has repeatedly asked to go to an adult video company party with me or Forrest. I don't go to a lot of those, so it was a while from him asking until I was able to offer, but then he was totally rude and acted like I was trying to get him to cheat on his girlfriend, even though I told him to bring her.
Some other more upsetting stuff happened.
And now this morning my throat is sore and my eyes have been hurting for a couple of days and, despite all the doctors I have seen lately, my jaw and mouth and head just ache and ache.
Part of what is making my head hurt is medical and part of it is the frustration of trying to work on new projects with other people and always having the other people either only want to take from me or act like we are working together and then backstab or drop the ball. I'm sick of working with people I have to micromanage to get to do anything or people who are only out for themselves. There are some really cool exceptions to that pattern, but sometimes the sucky stuff just really gets me down.
I should go to that party tonight, but I've got stuff I would rather work on and I'm pretty sure it would mean leaving the house again.
--Amelia G
I feel totally sick. I feel so sick I cancelled the doctor appointment I had today.
Went to Ghoul Skool last night and got to hear about Sharon's European tour and Jenner's ferret rescue site and Mark Splatter's new digs. Talked about Swag Magazine with some folks, but did not come to any conclusions other than that a lot of people like it. Which is cool.
Went to an afterparty and was fairly irritated. Admittedly the friend of mine whose place it was at told me when I came in who was there and the list was basically [rock star name censored], [rock star's girlfriend's name censored], [rock star], [rock star's PA], [rock star], and "a really irritating guy, you'll see what I mean." Wow, was that telling it like it was. There was this morbidly obese dude -- keep in mind I like varied body types, but this guy was grotesque -- who managed to say insulting things before even being entirely introduced. Then he went on this rambling story about how his claim was that he once lived in the same group house that some people who may or may not have been in Good Charlotte bought their coke at, although not from him, but the guys from Good Charlotte in his opinion knew the guys from Godhead. To make fatso's story even lamer, almost everyone in the building knew either everyone in Godhead or in Good Charlotte or both. He avoided details and started on a different annoying commentary when he realized this.
Then I had to deal with a variety of guys asking for assistance meeting girls. One guy was there who I already made an introduction for, with the understanding that he was going to set up a meeting for me to pitch a comic book concept for one of my favorite girls. So he has been blowing off his part of the bargain for months now and he asked me to pitch him again and I did and then he asked me to call him next week to do a more formal pitch to just him and then maybe he would talk to the person he was supposed to set up the pitch meeting with in the first place. I actually like the guy, but I think he is not really intelligent enough to understand the finer points of the deal, so there is only so much I want to talk to him about it. Either that or he just wants to rip off my ideas.
Then another guy who is dating one of my models started acting like he did not know who Max Hardcore is. Not likely in his case. I'd gotten a plus for the party and I invited this guy because he has repeatedly asked to go to an adult video company party with me or Forrest. I don't go to a lot of those, so it was a while from him asking until I was able to offer, but then he was totally rude and acted like I was trying to get him to cheat on his girlfriend, even though I told him to bring her.
Some other more upsetting stuff happened.
And now this morning my throat is sore and my eyes have been hurting for a couple of days and, despite all the doctors I have seen lately, my jaw and mouth and head just ache and ache.
Part of what is making my head hurt is medical and part of it is the frustration of trying to work on new projects with other people and always having the other people either only want to take from me or act like we are working together and then backstab or drop the ball. I'm sick of working with people I have to micromanage to get to do anything or people who are only out for themselves. There are some really cool exceptions to that pattern, but sometimes the sucky stuff just really gets me down.
I should go to that party tonight, but I've got stuff I would rather work on and I'm pretty sure it would mean leaving the house again.
--Amelia G
Monday, June 30, 2003
Yolanda
Here is a shot I like which Forrest Black and I shot of super cool hottie Yolanda. You can see a more from this shoot in a free Gothic Sluts gallery here if you feel like it. Homegirl is in Europe right now though, darn it. We missed our last shoot due to a combination of sucky light (we were scheduled for outside) and a car accident. But I bet she picks up some awesome new clothes while she is over there. I just did new passport photos today and actually dug up my birth certificate and stuff.
Here is a shot I like which Forrest Black and I shot of super cool hottie Yolanda. You can see a more from this shoot in a free Gothic Sluts gallery here if you feel like it. Homegirl is in Europe right now though, darn it. We missed our last shoot due to a combination of sucky light (we were scheduled for outside) and a car accident. But I bet she picks up some awesome new clothes while she is over there. I just did new passport photos today and actually dug up my birth certificate and stuff.
Max Hardcore Patriotic Celebration
I'm definitely getting ringside seats in hell now. The cool tatted out webmaster for Max Hardcore just invited me to a 4th of July BBQ. I don't really like to leave the house that much, unless it is for actual travel, but I think I might make an exception in this case. I met Max Hardcore for a moment at an adult convention years ago when we were both wearing fun fur jackets. He has a really extreme amount of that rock star kind of sexy where he just exudes this aura of hotness that goes way beyond what he looks like. It was actually sort of startling and creepy in way. We are net buddies, but I'm really curious to see what his webmaster is like in person.
--Amelia G
I'm definitely getting ringside seats in hell now. The cool tatted out webmaster for Max Hardcore just invited me to a 4th of July BBQ. I don't really like to leave the house that much, unless it is for actual travel, but I think I might make an exception in this case. I met Max Hardcore for a moment at an adult convention years ago when we were both wearing fun fur jackets. He has a really extreme amount of that rock star kind of sexy where he just exudes this aura of hotness that goes way beyond what he looks like. It was actually sort of startling and creepy in way. We are net buddies, but I'm really curious to see what his webmaster is like in person.
--Amelia G
Sunday, June 29, 2003
GothCon Lynch Mob
So tried posting my feelings about GothCon to Goth Con Inquisition and I got one response from one of the moderators who I actually do think believes in what he is doing, unlike a bunch of the other people who are trying to get something or just enjoy being part of a lynch mob. With all of the people Ugly Shyla has befriended over the years, this whole mob just points out how quickly most of our scene forgets the positive. Below is an [edited to make sense not in that thread] elaboration on what I am talking about:
One of the things which I think is turning a lot of people off with the whole Inquisition thing is that the disagreements are so much more heated than makes any sense. But note that I posted something reasonable and only one person responded. Shyla expressed that she thought the Inquisition was just a bunch of fatsos peeved that they did not get laid and she got a response. That strikes me like, with the exception of theonebob most of the people involved in this thing do not want a reasonable response. I think the likely reasons they want to provoke unreasonable-sounding responses is because (a) they have a secret axe to grind or (b) they enjoy a lynch mob mentality. The whole thing depresses me.
Shyla would like to see the event happen again this year. Our community has so few events as it is. We should not need to put charity forth as the reason to have an event. We should care about our community.
I'm not saying GothCon must go on, but surely this amount of effort could go into creating something for the scene, rather than tearing something down.
So tried posting my feelings about GothCon to Goth Con Inquisition and I got one response from one of the moderators who I actually do think believes in what he is doing, unlike a bunch of the other people who are trying to get something or just enjoy being part of a lynch mob. With all of the people Ugly Shyla has befriended over the years, this whole mob just points out how quickly most of our scene forgets the positive. Below is an [edited to make sense not in that thread] elaboration on what I am talking about:
One of the things which I think is turning a lot of people off with the whole Inquisition thing is that the disagreements are so much more heated than makes any sense. But note that I posted something reasonable and only one person responded. Shyla expressed that she thought the Inquisition was just a bunch of fatsos peeved that they did not get laid and she got a response. That strikes me like, with the exception of theonebob most of the people involved in this thing do not want a reasonable response. I think the likely reasons they want to provoke unreasonable-sounding responses is because (a) they have a secret axe to grind or (b) they enjoy a lynch mob mentality. The whole thing depresses me.
Shyla would like to see the event happen again this year. Our community has so few events as it is. We should not need to put charity forth as the reason to have an event. We should care about our community.
I'm not saying GothCon must go on, but surely this amount of effort could go into creating something for the scene, rather than tearing something down.
Thursday, June 26, 2003
RIAA Suing Intellectual Property Thieves
Probably a lot of folks have heard about the RIAA's plans to take legal action against individuals who are downloading illegal copies of songs.
A friend of mine was having lunch today and heard two network engineers discussing how much they like to steal adult images and video and how they don't know why everyone doesn't do it.
I just saw a guy on a bulletin board complaining about how he tried twenty-five times to download a song he wanted. Apparently the record company had flooded the peer2peer networks with fake versions. Isn't this guy's time worth something? I would think it would just make sense to buy the CD if he is that sure he wants that song. This was on a businessperson board, so it is not like this guy is surfing broadband on welfare. If a band you like doesn't make enough to put out another album, you will really be out of luck on getting songs you want.
It amazes me that people think it is okay to steal intellectual property if they like want it ya know and righteous to steal intellectual property when it is music. Yes, bands ask for a lot of stuff for free from other people and they tend to do very little charity themselves. Our scene is particularly bad as far as this type of band behavior goes. Nonetheless, creating cool stuff takes art supplies. Guitars, cameras, keyboards, computers, pencils, software, pens, canvas, paint, film, paper, etc.
If artists have no revenue stream at all, then they can not even come close to breaking even. And, eventually, this has to curtail their creativity. I went hungry for a lot of years and I drove dangerous and ugly cars for a lot of years and I lived in disgusting group houses for a lot of years. But, if I do a project that costs $6,000 and brings in $5,000 and supports the scene, there are still people who begrudge me not having taken a total loss on the whole thing.
If people who care about art and entertainment do not support it, it will cease to exist.
Probably a lot of folks have heard about the RIAA's plans to take legal action against individuals who are downloading illegal copies of songs.
A friend of mine was having lunch today and heard two network engineers discussing how much they like to steal adult images and video and how they don't know why everyone doesn't do it.
I just saw a guy on a bulletin board complaining about how he tried twenty-five times to download a song he wanted. Apparently the record company had flooded the peer2peer networks with fake versions. Isn't this guy's time worth something? I would think it would just make sense to buy the CD if he is that sure he wants that song. This was on a businessperson board, so it is not like this guy is surfing broadband on welfare. If a band you like doesn't make enough to put out another album, you will really be out of luck on getting songs you want.
It amazes me that people think it is okay to steal intellectual property if they like want it ya know and righteous to steal intellectual property when it is music. Yes, bands ask for a lot of stuff for free from other people and they tend to do very little charity themselves. Our scene is particularly bad as far as this type of band behavior goes. Nonetheless, creating cool stuff takes art supplies. Guitars, cameras, keyboards, computers, pencils, software, pens, canvas, paint, film, paper, etc.
If artists have no revenue stream at all, then they can not even come close to breaking even. And, eventually, this has to curtail their creativity. I went hungry for a lot of years and I drove dangerous and ugly cars for a lot of years and I lived in disgusting group houses for a lot of years. But, if I do a project that costs $6,000 and brings in $5,000 and supports the scene, there are still people who begrudge me not having taken a total loss on the whole thing.
If people who care about art and entertainment do not support it, it will cease to exist.
Saw this in Crimson Mei's Journal
So I was feeling a little stressed because I had to spend the afternoon in Beverly Hills again today. Doctors and lawyers, lawyers and doctors. So I went to Cirxa which theoretically serves decent southern food. It is a bit of a trek east for me, but I thought it would counterbalance the excessive west side experience.
I get to Cirxa and their Health Dept rating has been lowered. And it is empty. Bleah, but I'm hungry and the owner comes out and tells me to have a seat and his server should be back soon. He disappears back into the kitchen without giving us menus, but I go to the door to read the restaurant reviews pinned up there. I already know the food there is supposed to be variable and figured I could read reviewers' recommendations.
So I'm starting to read an article and this creepy chick in a green safety vest comes up to me with a pal following her. I see that she is carrying religious tracts and I just ignore her and keep trying to read. So she steps waaaaaay inside my personal space, not to mention onto the restaurant's property. I tell her "no thanks, not interested." She keeps murmuring incoherently under her breath about Heehoo Kri. She keeps encroaching on my personal space. I glare at her. No effect. I glare at her really mean. No effect. I tell her I am REALLY not interested. No effect. I repeat it more hostiley. No effect. I tell her to go away. She smiles at me beatifically and tries once again to press her pamphleture upon me. She is like a jesus robot zombie with a defective circuit. She smiles more and more like she is on drugs as I get more and more upset. Not one sentence she utters is entirely comprehensible. She steps so close to me that any motion on my part would mean I had to touch her. I scream at her repeatedly to GO AWAY and to GET AWAY FROM ME. I am finally screaming in my most hostile voice and the few people who have heard that voice I think would vouch that it would make most people think twice about continuing. According to witnesses, at this point, the creepy safety-vest chick's associate apparently starting moving back, but this jesus robot zombie did not. Finally, I've got my fist cocked and I am pursing my lips to spit on her and Forrest Black steps up and stands between me and creepy green vest woman. Apparently, he is more intimidating than I am -- even though I really was about to punch her, although I am really really not a violent person normally -- or perhaps he has the mark of the Beast more prominently displayed on his forehead than I do. Finally, the pair of evangelists leaves. The green safety vest has some aggressive slogan about DON'T GO TO HELL on it.
The owner comes out of the kitchen and I ask him if he normally has a problem with jesus freaks. He says no, he always just tells them to leave. He comments about people who are just really bent on bringing other folks up to heaven with them and not being ready to go yet himself.
I told him that I lived in the South for a while and, as I recall, the food was good and the christians were overly aggressive, so at least his place was authentic.
Except, even once the server showed up from her errands, the food was not nearly good enough to justify the aggravation.
And before I got any food, another pair of creeps -- one in a green safety vest and one without -- actually accosted us at our table inside the restaurant. Same incoherence in the vest-wearer and same beatific zombie smile. That time the owner told them to leave and they did pretty quickly. I had told him I almost punched the first set, so I'm not sure if he was opposed to their obnoxious intrusive behavior, concerned for his business which could only suffer from this, or concerned for the well-being of the proselytizers.
Cornbread fried seafood was decent. Not exactly New Orleans, but I didn't expect that. The vegetables were pretty bad and the bread was inedible. A member of my party had to get up and ask the mostly absent waitress for the check because she was concentrating on diving swag. Yes, diving swag. It was all surreal.
I went to the bathroom before I left. It is the kind of restaurant with paper and crayons on the tables. Some of the better patron's drawings were taped to the wall. None of them were taped over other drawings. Except for one. There was one piece of table cover with a slogan from the new testament on it and it was taped on top of a perfectly good drawing of a woman's face. I took the vandal's slogan sheet down, crumpled it up, and threw it out.
So I was feeling a little stressed because I had to spend the afternoon in Beverly Hills again today. Doctors and lawyers, lawyers and doctors. So I went to Cirxa which theoretically serves decent southern food. It is a bit of a trek east for me, but I thought it would counterbalance the excessive west side experience.
I get to Cirxa and their Health Dept rating has been lowered. And it is empty. Bleah, but I'm hungry and the owner comes out and tells me to have a seat and his server should be back soon. He disappears back into the kitchen without giving us menus, but I go to the door to read the restaurant reviews pinned up there. I already know the food there is supposed to be variable and figured I could read reviewers' recommendations.
So I'm starting to read an article and this creepy chick in a green safety vest comes up to me with a pal following her. I see that she is carrying religious tracts and I just ignore her and keep trying to read. So she steps waaaaaay inside my personal space, not to mention onto the restaurant's property. I tell her "no thanks, not interested." She keeps murmuring incoherently under her breath about Heehoo Kri. She keeps encroaching on my personal space. I glare at her. No effect. I glare at her really mean. No effect. I tell her I am REALLY not interested. No effect. I repeat it more hostiley. No effect. I tell her to go away. She smiles at me beatifically and tries once again to press her pamphleture upon me. She is like a jesus robot zombie with a defective circuit. She smiles more and more like she is on drugs as I get more and more upset. Not one sentence she utters is entirely comprehensible. She steps so close to me that any motion on my part would mean I had to touch her. I scream at her repeatedly to GO AWAY and to GET AWAY FROM ME. I am finally screaming in my most hostile voice and the few people who have heard that voice I think would vouch that it would make most people think twice about continuing. According to witnesses, at this point, the creepy safety-vest chick's associate apparently starting moving back, but this jesus robot zombie did not. Finally, I've got my fist cocked and I am pursing my lips to spit on her and Forrest Black steps up and stands between me and creepy green vest woman. Apparently, he is more intimidating than I am -- even though I really was about to punch her, although I am really really not a violent person normally -- or perhaps he has the mark of the Beast more prominently displayed on his forehead than I do. Finally, the pair of evangelists leaves. The green safety vest has some aggressive slogan about DON'T GO TO HELL on it.
The owner comes out of the kitchen and I ask him if he normally has a problem with jesus freaks. He says no, he always just tells them to leave. He comments about people who are just really bent on bringing other folks up to heaven with them and not being ready to go yet himself.
I told him that I lived in the South for a while and, as I recall, the food was good and the christians were overly aggressive, so at least his place was authentic.
Except, even once the server showed up from her errands, the food was not nearly good enough to justify the aggravation.
And before I got any food, another pair of creeps -- one in a green safety vest and one without -- actually accosted us at our table inside the restaurant. Same incoherence in the vest-wearer and same beatific zombie smile. That time the owner told them to leave and they did pretty quickly. I had told him I almost punched the first set, so I'm not sure if he was opposed to their obnoxious intrusive behavior, concerned for his business which could only suffer from this, or concerned for the well-being of the proselytizers.
Cornbread fried seafood was decent. Not exactly New Orleans, but I didn't expect that. The vegetables were pretty bad and the bread was inedible. A member of my party had to get up and ask the mostly absent waitress for the check because she was concentrating on diving swag. Yes, diving swag. It was all surreal.
I went to the bathroom before I left. It is the kind of restaurant with paper and crayons on the tables. Some of the better patron's drawings were taped to the wall. None of them were taped over other drawings. Except for one. There was one piece of table cover with a slogan from the new testament on it and it was taped on top of a perfectly good drawing of a woman's face. I took the vandal's slogan sheet down, crumpled it up, and threw it out.
GothCon and Two Cents for Charity
Ugh, I just read a bunch of the Goth Con Inquisition community and there are actually people who have ripped me off in there posting about how horrible just horrible horrible horrible it is that anyone in the scene would be a scammer.
Here is my take on GothCon if anyone cares:
(1) Although I was invited and I appreciate the invitation, I am not going to be a guest at GothCon this year.
(2) I donated a few grand worth of entertainment for GothCon as well. I was a guest at GothCon last year. I donated my time to speak on panels. I donated free advertising for the event in our newsletters which go out to thousands and thousands of people. I paid my own way for airfare and hotel, although some conventions would have covered that for me. I decided to stay at a boutique hotel with a less corporate feel practically across the street from the Marriot. Upon arrival, I discovered that the new hotel was a pricey cab ride away. When I saw the new hotel, I was really really glad I was staying elsewhere. As a result, I spent more time hanging in New Orleans than at the convention and missed the fashion show and some other things I might have given press coverage.
(3) I would never get anything accomplished if I spent all of my time pursuing every person who ever ripped me off for photography. Sometimes I take action, but, for example, "Fetish Cares" is posting sanctimoniously in [the GCInquisition] thread while apparently using my work without permission or payment to promote their event and I have not gone after them for it to date.
(4) I like Ugly Shyla. She is a good person. She is one of the few people in the scene who regularly tries to do good for others. She is one of the few people who remembers good deeds. She is one of the few people who remembers a favor. She frequently does nice things for other people without them asking and without having to rub it in. She is one of the only people who always tries to make sure at least one person is happier for having crossed her path every day.
(5) Forrest Black's main point was that, with all of the scam artists around, it seems odd that this particular scam is such a much bigger deal to people. Of course, keeping money supposedly collected for a charity is wrong. Nobody could possibly debate otherwise. But it would be nice if our scene produced more events where everyone could get together and meet in person and have a good time. Sure I think AIDS charities are good. I've donated money to charity in recent memory. I don't think that many scene people have. I regularly donate to events which I feel support the scene. I donated to GothCon to support the scene. Even if Snow is a scamming parasite, why is she so much worse than every other person in the scene who has ever done something wrong?
Ugh, I just read a bunch of the Goth Con Inquisition community and there are actually people who have ripped me off in there posting about how horrible just horrible horrible horrible it is that anyone in the scene would be a scammer.
Here is my take on GothCon if anyone cares:
(1) Although I was invited and I appreciate the invitation, I am not going to be a guest at GothCon this year.
(2) I donated a few grand worth of entertainment for GothCon as well. I was a guest at GothCon last year. I donated my time to speak on panels. I donated free advertising for the event in our newsletters which go out to thousands and thousands of people. I paid my own way for airfare and hotel, although some conventions would have covered that for me. I decided to stay at a boutique hotel with a less corporate feel practically across the street from the Marriot. Upon arrival, I discovered that the new hotel was a pricey cab ride away. When I saw the new hotel, I was really really glad I was staying elsewhere. As a result, I spent more time hanging in New Orleans than at the convention and missed the fashion show and some other things I might have given press coverage.
(3) I would never get anything accomplished if I spent all of my time pursuing every person who ever ripped me off for photography. Sometimes I take action, but, for example, "Fetish Cares" is posting sanctimoniously in [the GCInquisition] thread while apparently using my work without permission or payment to promote their event and I have not gone after them for it to date.
(4) I like Ugly Shyla. She is a good person. She is one of the few people in the scene who regularly tries to do good for others. She is one of the few people who remembers good deeds. She is one of the few people who remembers a favor. She frequently does nice things for other people without them asking and without having to rub it in. She is one of the only people who always tries to make sure at least one person is happier for having crossed her path every day.
(5) Forrest Black's main point was that, with all of the scam artists around, it seems odd that this particular scam is such a much bigger deal to people. Of course, keeping money supposedly collected for a charity is wrong. Nobody could possibly debate otherwise. But it would be nice if our scene produced more events where everyone could get together and meet in person and have a good time. Sure I think AIDS charities are good. I've donated money to charity in recent memory. I don't think that many scene people have. I regularly donate to events which I feel support the scene. I donated to GothCon to support the scene. Even if Snow is a scamming parasite, why is she so much worse than every other person in the scene who has ever done something wrong?
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