Vol I / Issue XVII ~ 29th of September, 2007
***
CONTENTS:
- Letter from the Editor
- Vortex Film Footage
-
September 8th, 2007 Town Hall Meeting Minutes
- Events & Announcements
- Classified Advertisements
- New Babbage and Steampunk FAQ
- Contact, Circulation, and other Essential Information for the Reader
Dear Fellow New Babbagers,
The murder streak that plagued New Babbage is finally over, and this humble reporter has come back to fully take control of her journalistic duties for the Cog. This past month had a lot of New Babbage's residents on edge during the investigations of the murders and the mystery involving the Porta Terrarum device. With out further adieu, here is September's issue of the Cog.
The pieces of the murderous rampage now fit together. It is now understandable, as to why Mr.Reifsnider and The Masonic Lodge, wished to tear down the old theater and obtain the device. It now makes sense, as to the reasons why Jason murdered all three men. We now know that the elusive "Thirteen" is a group of scientists, who too, were after Prof.Eliot's device, if only to keep it out of the hands of Jason Moriarty.
As to why Jason was determined to power up the device and let out those horrible tentacled monsters from the vortex, will always be in question. Again, since I was unfortunately detained from the events that unfolded on the given day, I am told that Professor Nishi ran into the theatre, her and young Jason had a heated argument. All of a sudden, a huge explosion erupted from within the theatre, the vortex and the monster then soon disappeared out of the sky, and Jason died in the blast.
Seeing how I wasn't present during these events, I feel I am not able to make a full personal report, with what really happened on this day. Ms. Natacha Chernov and Professor Nishi however, where present, and their personal journals chronicling the event, can be obtained by the following links. Again, Ms.Chernov, and Professor Nishi, have no affiliations with the Bow Street Police investigations and/or reporting for the New Babbage Cog.
http://natachachernov.blogspot.com/2007/09/murder-in-babbage-grande-finale.html
http://narethenishi.blogspot.com/2007/09/shutting-door-part-three.html
In conclusion, as a resident of New Babbage, I am relieved that this event is over. It is sad, that four lives have been lost, due to the device and the evil it summons, but I am glad of it's destruction.
TOWN HALL MEETING MINUTES
September 8th, 2007
Attendees:
Khashai Steinbeck, Shaunathan Sprocket, Eggberta Echegaray, Drake Moyer, Elda Luna, Leendert Meriman, Vincente Shepherd, McKay Beck, Shay mcDowwll, Gloriana Maertens, Leon Susenko, Nareth Nishi, Rod Zeddmore, Cornell Mondrian, Indigo Li, Loki Eliot, Taterbug Rossini, Myrtil Igaly, Leon Susenko, Zero Qi, Miguel Pinion, Arteer Oliva, Cornell Mondrian, Rod Zeddmore, Artemisia Paine, Gloriana Maertens, Cessadia Thetan, Salazar Jack, Ordinal Malaprop, Spencer Upshaw, Nareth Nishi, Pizzini Mayo, Wolfram Gustafson, Jesper Toll, Bakerstreet Writer, Natacha Chernov, Cessadia Thetan, Leendert Meriman, Titanas Vella, Jesper Toll
The meeting started off at 13:04SL time with the Mayor announcing that New Babbage is doubling in size. The Mayor then went on to mention how the new sims would affect the already current sims. First, Mayor Sprocket started to talk about Port Babbage which will be a double prim sim for the Shop Keepers and this sim will have no telehub as so visitors to New Babbage can directly teleport to the business. Mayor Sprocket mentioned to his knowledge, Port Babbage will be the only, or at least one of the very few Victorian sims, that one can directly teleport customers to their place of business. Mayor Sprocket mentioned that the blue and purple plots in Port Babbage will be a bit small, 512, 234 prims, but that he is open to merging them to make a 1024. Mayor Sprocket continued to say that the Port Babbage sim will feature a skyscaper district, similar to what appears in the golden compass, also known as the northern lights in the
Continuing on about the new sims, Mayor Sprocket also mentioned that he is now taking pre-orders is the Vernian sea sim, also known as the underwater sim. Leendert Meriman, yelled out, “Pirates!” and Mayor Sprocket nodded with a smile. Mayor Sprocket continued to mention that Penny Patton already owns the only above water parcel as she will be constructing an island for the air pirate community. The rest of the parcels will be under the ocean, encased in a glass structure. The Vernian sea will be a residential only sim, though security and privacy are not guaranteed in New Babbage. This sim will be off the beaten path by design and it will have a telehub.
Right about 13:10SL time, Mayor Sprocket vanished into thin air. The attendees at the meeting where aghast, with his disappearance, but no sooner did the Mayor vanish, he came back to continue on with the meeting at 13:21SL time. He asked the attendees if anyone had any questions regarding the two new sims. No one had any questions, so the Mayor continued to speak about the next item on the meeting agenda with a quick note about the Trains. Again, Mayor Sprocket vanished into thin air around 13:25SL time. Mr. Salazar Jack cracked a joke stating that wasn't a very quick note... and the attendees talked amongst themselves. Mayor Sprocket returned back, at around 13:38SL Time. Everyone applauded at his arrival. No sooner did Mayor Sprocket return, only to disappear again at 13:41SL Time. Seeing how something was going on, at the Old Imperial Theatre, we believe it was affecting the Mayor’s energy field. Unfortunately, the Mayor couldn’t quite make it back, so I, Eggberta Echegaray began to channel the Mayor’s words to the crowd.
I told the attendees on behalf of Mayor Sprocket, in his own words, that he would like to thank Ordinal for working on the scripting for the trains, and we are waiting for Rei to finish the cars. Once that is done, the trains will be operational. The canal district may undergo a small re-design to make it cheaper for renting purposes, which will be cheaper by the prim. I continued on to speak and mentioned that there would be some changes to the Babbage Cog in world newspaper. Instead of publishing the entire stories on the in world note cards, I will just be providing “teaser” headlines, and will direct people to read the newspaper via the Babbage Cog blog site.
http://newbabbage.wordpress.com/
Mayor Sprocket finally came back at around 13:46SL time, and I, Eggberta Echegaray handed the floor over to him. Mayor Sprocket started to mention about Roleplaying in New Babbage. Seeing how it is free form, he mentioned how we've had some great responses to the current murder mystery, however, he felt that he needs to lay down some ground rules. Again, Mayor Sprocket disappeared around 13:49SL time, and I picked back up, to speak for him, on his behalf. Mayor Sprocket wanted me to relay that since New Babbage has a free form role play, which is effective for any one to participate in, anybody who decides to run a role play event in New Babbage, should make it clear to people, how they can participate. He also wanted to point out to residents, to please refrain from having major role play event during another major New Babbage event, such as town hall meetings.
Mayor Sprocket continued on, and asked people to make sure, they people speak to role play organizers with regards to participating, and if everyone follows these 3 rules, then all should be fine. With regards to basic information about Babbage Role play, there has been some confusion. Mayor Sprocket wanted to point out to potential role play organizers, that New Babbage is run by a Mayor and it is a city-state. There is an entity known as the Bow Street Police department, similar to Tinkerton and the secret service that investigate crime. One note regarding the current role play, is that the Eliot Device was being held down by the boiler room...but for the sake of the role play, it was moved to the police department.
***
EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
***
Put your event and/or announcement here!
***
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
HELP WANTED: EDITORIAL ASSISTANT FOR THE NEW BABBAGE COG
The chosen E.A candidate will gain experience with all aspects of publishing by assisting the Editor in Chief, with the administration of planning and production of The New Babbage Cog.
Typical work activities will include:
- Support and assist the Editor in Chief with all activities leading to the monthly publication.
- Liaison with freelance writers, and photographers.
- Research, organize, write own articles adhering to deadlines
- Contribution of ideas and stories
- Help to organize, copy and paste text and images to the out of world Babbage Blog Payment of the role will depend on Advertising revenues submitted to The New Babbage Cog.
VOLUNTEER FREELANCE REPORTERS/PHOTOGRAPHERS
Reporters/Photographers are needed to cover stories for the New Babbage Cog. Need steampunk stories directly related to the New Babbage sims, her residents and aethernet steampunk websites of interest.
Typical work activities will include:
- Research, organize, write own articles adhering to deadlines
- Contribution of ideas and stories
- Most photographs are in sepia, please keep that in mind when submitting snapshots
Content ideas:
- Architecture of New Babbage
- Business Owner’s Spotlight
- Inventors Corner
- Special New Babbage Event coverage
- New Babbage stories
- Aethernet Steampunk culture: Steampunk movie, music, book, clubs reviews, websites of interest.
Please write a short email summary, explaining your affiliation and knowledge about the Steampunk culture and the New Babbage Sims. Submit your email to Miss Eggberta Echegaray at
* * *
NEW BABBAGE AND STEAMPUNK FAQ
Q. What is New Babbage?
A. New Babbage is a planned group of themed sims designed to promote a steampunk aesthetic.
Q. What is
A. The first, and to date the only, of the planned New Babbage sims is
Q. What is "steampunk?"
A. Steampunk is a genre of speculative fiction, usually science fiction, that explores the question of how past eras, particularly the Victorian period, would have looked if more modern technology had existed using only the tools at their disposal. Thus the steampunk aesthetic often makes use of wood, brass, iron, and steam-powered engines to construct fantastic machines that never were.
Please see the steampunk Wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk
------------------------
Q. Is New Babbage for role-players?
A. New Babbage is for anyone interested in steampunk ideas. Although many residents dress and role-play the part, all are welcome to participate in the activities here (period attire not required), and are encouraged to explore the technology made available to us in SL New Babbagers are builders, scripters, and texture artists, curious and experimental by nature, come together to invent, create, and commune.
CONTACT, CIRCULATION, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL
INFORMATION FOR THE READER
***
Ethics Statement:
THIS IS A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER, NOT A VEHICLE FOR EXPOSE. All reporters for The New Babbage Cog are obligated to inform potential interviewees when they are gathering data for a report on our behalf, or clearly identify themselves as a TNBC journalist. This is a community paper, not a vehicle for expose; all investigative reporting must be above-the-board. Deception is against the intended spirit of community embraced by this paper and will not be tolerated. If a citizen encounters an aggressive reporter claiming to work on behalf of The New Babbage Cog, they are urged to report same to the Editor.
Contact:
-- Visit us:
Temporary location: The Willow Tea Room Lot # 20 New Babbage Cultural District
-- Drop a notecard:
Notecard communications can be sent to Miss Eggberta Echegaray
-- IM:
You may contact Miss Eggberta Echegaray by IM with any newspaper business.
-- Aethernet mail:
Messages sent to
Miss Eggberta Echegaray.
-- Ms.Echegaray's SL Office Hours: Mon – Fri
Circulation:
The New Babbage Cog is circulated in three ways:
1. new issues are sent automatically to subscribers of the New Babbage Cog group.
2. Issues are available from a paper boxes at the following locations:
-- Babbage Square telehub
-- Willow Tea Room
-- Undershaw Restoration Society
Back Issues:
All back issues of The New Babbage Cog will be available free of charge. They can be found in the Willow Tea Room on the first floor.
Submissions:
Volunteer freelance and column writers are welcome to propose stories. The New Babbage Cog also welcomes news tips, reports, and story ideas from interested parties. Please see our contact information above.
Advertising:
Advertising should be germane to subjects of greatest import to residents of New Babbage. Although our sensibilities are quite modern and liberal, The New Babbage Cog reserves the right to determine an ad's fitness for inclusion based on its pertinence to steampunk, Victoriana, retrotech, industry, anachronism, and other related concepts.
Advertising is L$50 to New Babbage citizens and L$100 for out-of-towners, per listing, per issue. For both residents and non-residents, space is limited to 500 characters per listing. Each ad may include one embedded texture and one landmark. File attachments must be delivered at the time of ad reservation. Please see our contact information above to inquire.
Errata:
[There are no errors known to be in need of correction at this time. The New Babbage Cog is obliged to anyone who sends notification of a mistake, so that rectifications might be swiftly published.]
Copyright Disclaimer:
This issue of The New Babbage Cog, and it's intellectual property, are owned by the contributors to the newspaper and is also publicly owned by the City-State of New Babbage, which at the time of it's printing, was under the care of Mayor Shaunathan Sprocket.
Copyright 2007 of the Common Era
The New Babbage Cog