Results of the Caledon Rose-Growing Competition

The Primgraph party to celebrate the launch of Issue 7 of the magazine was held on Saturday 29th August in the grounds of The Primgraph Press in Caledon Glengarry.

In addition to marking the official opening of The Primgraph Press, this saw the inaugural podcast of The Quest for the Golden Prim. It was also a first chance to meet some of the cast of the web comic, and also saw the announcement of the winners of the 1st Annual Caledon Rose-Growing Competition.

All the entries were of an incredibly high standard, and many people who came to vote admitted that they had a very hard time choosing which of the bushes and individual roses to choose!

The eventual results were as follows:
Firstly a special prize was awarded for the Most Original Rose
And that goes to Canolli Capalini for her steampunk, clockwork rose (which received 26 votes)

For the single rose:
In third place, with 11 votes was Soliel Snook
In second place, with 12 votes was Julia Hathor
And the winner was: Thayen Eberdene with 16 votes (shown in the picture)

For the rose bush:
In third place, Mari Moonbeam with 10 votes
In second place, Gabrielle Riel's presentation of Soliel Snook's rose with 17 votes
And the winner is Julia Hathor with 29 votes (shown, with accompanying white butterfly)

And for the special rose bowl:
In Second place was Don Miguel de La Rosa
and the winner was Mr Omicron Llewellyn!

Congratulations to all our competitiors!

And The Primgraph hope that this is only the first of many parties to be held at the Press!

Dispatch from Perryn Peterson: STEAM the Hunt!

The first ever Steampunk Grid-Wide hunt in SL, called Steampunk Travelers' Event, Adventure & Megahunt (STEAM), will commence Tuesday, 1st September and will run until Wednesday, 30th September, 2009.

STEAM is a first in SL: there has never been a Victorian Steampunk-themed hunt before. For this reason it is a chance to obtain marvelous gifts from over 100 merchants, and have lots of fun in the bargain.

Gifts will be created specially for STEAM. This means that they have never been offered by the merchants before, and cannot be obtained in any other way except through the hunt until after 30th September 2009.

Watch for posters displayed in many locations throughout SL. You can also join the group Steam Hunt Punks by searching for it; there is no charge to join or to proceed on to STEAM: the Hunt! There is also a blog:

http://steamhunt.blogspot.com/

Here is the starting LM:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mieville%20Doyle/183/77/25

Most merchants will be offering freebies in addition to the gift you will find at each location. Look for boxes with the STEAM logo.

Let's enjoy ourselves with the Steampunk Travelers' Event, Adventure & Megahunt! Huzzah for STEAM!

The Primgraph Summer Garden Party

Here is your invitation to the Primgraph Summer Garden Party!

It will take place from 2 - 4pm on Saturday 29th August, at The Primgraph Press, Caledon Glengarry, and music will be supplied by the velvet-toned Mr Elrik Merlin.

In addition to music and dancing, there will be a chance to meet members of the cast of the web comic - The Quest for the Golden Prim - and discover some interesting information about the story!

This event also marks the opening of The Primgraph Press itself - and our offices will be open for you to explore!

Finally, we will be announcing the results of the First Annual Caledon Rose-Growing Competition, sponsored by the Primgraph - so don't miss it!

And remember - there is still time to vote in the competition before tomorrow.

The Caledon Rose-Growing Competition: your chance to vote!

As you may have seen, The Primgraph is sponsoring The Caledon Rose-Growing Competition. To celebrate the launch of our summer issue, we are holding the competition in the grounds of The Primgraph Press in Caledon Glengarry.

This competition (we hope the first of an annual event) is being staged in order to find the best roses in the Steamlands and beyond - and we have some superb entrants!

There are two categories:
Single Roses (no more than 35 prims per rose)
Rosebushes (no more than 15 prims per bush)

The roses in competition are on display in the courtyard at The Primgraph Press in Caledon Glengarry - four rose bushes and six individual roses.

Now it is your turn! There are voting boards above the either side of the gate. To vote for your favourite rose on display, click on the name of the entrant. The PINK board is for the single rose competition; the BLUE board is for the rosebush competition.

Voting is now open, and will conclude at 2pm on Saturday 29th August - so make sure that you visit Caledon Glengarry and vote soon!

Categories*:

What flag is The Primgraph flying?

Residents of Caledon Glengarry have expressed surprise at seeing an unusual flag flying on the roof of The Primgraph Press.

Striking in black, red and white, it has the emblem of an owl - or, in the Italian tongue, Civetta.

It comes from the Italian city of Siena where it is the emblem of one of the seventeen contrada or districts that take part every year in the Palio, the great horse race that takes place in the central square. Ten of the contrada contest the race twice at year, on the 2nd of July and the 15th of August.

Miss Widdershins, the publisher of The Primgraph, is a long-time supporter of the Civetta contrada, despite the fact that the have not won the Palio for thirty years. But this year, on August 15th, Civetta triumphed - and the Civetta flag (created by the Senschelf of Winterfell, Miss Serra Anansi) is flying proudly on the Press in celebration!

Missing: Primgraph Correspondent

Concerns are growing for the safety of primgraph correspondent Beq
Janus who has not been heard from for two weeks, Ms Janus was known to
be following a story related to the recent series of sightings in the
Vernian sea.

In related news:
The navy have today released a summary of a report on floating debris
in the region known colloquially as the Vernian deep.

In a further development, the Primgraph have been notified that the City authorities will today post notices warning of the dangers and actively discouraging activities in the waters around the city-state itself

Last Chance to enter the Caledon Rose-Growing Contest!

Today, Tuesday 25th August, is the last chance to enter the Caledon Rose-Growing contest.

Full details of how to enter are available here.

The results of the competition will be announced on Saturday 29th August at The Primgraph Summer Garden Party - 2-4pm SLT.

The Caledon Rose-Growing Competition

The Primgraph, sister magazine to Prim Perfect, are proud to announce their sponsorship of The Caledon Rose-Growing Competition!

To celebrate the launch of our summer issue, we are holding the competition in the grounds of The Primgraph Press in Caledon Glengarry.

This competition (we hope the first of an annual event) is being staged in order to find the best roses in the Steamlands and beyond! In other words, it is open to ALL merchants, residents and rose growers everywhere.

Categories*:
Single Roses (no more than 35 prims per rose)
Rosebushes (no more than 15 prims per bush)

How to enter:
To enter, please place your rose in one of the compartments of the flowerbed (if a bush) or in a vase on one of the tables (if a single rose) in the grounds of The Primgraph Press in Caledon G;lengarry. Kindly enter your name into the titler (available in the information box at the Press) and place it behind your entry.

Then register for voting by clicking on one of the two voting boards (located above the front wall of the Press).
PINK BOARD for the SINGLE rose category
BLUE BOARD for the ROSEBUSH category

Entries must be in place before 12 midnight, Tuesday 25th August.

Voting will take place between 1am SLT Wednesday 26th and 1pm SLT Saturday 29th August

Results announced at The Primgraph Summer Garden Party 2:00 – 4:00 pm SLT, Saturday 29 August – in the grounds of the Primgraph Press, Caledon Glengarry: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Glengarry/59/141/24

*A third category will be part of the Primgraph’s web comic, The Quest for the Golden Prim. This category is not open to the public.

Any queries, IM Saffia Widdershins OR Aisling Sinclair OR Ceejay Writer

Issue 7 of the Primgraph out now!

Issue 7 of The Primgraph is now available - and this time we are celebrating the summer by taking a trip to the sea-side!And there has been no shortage of exciting events in the vintage and steampunk sims recently ... We bring you news of the late Upheaval in New Babbage (the full tale of which we covered on our new aethernet weblog . We also have information about the Grand Tour for Relay For Life and Steampunk Builds at Second Life Sixth Birthday - as well as coverage of the Tinies' Dogfight that formed a component of the Summer of Flight.

And very dear to our own hearts has been the opening of the new Primgraph offices, which will be celebrated officially after the publication of the magazine!


But the excitement seems to attend The Primgraph staff (especially our gallant photographer-in-chief, Mr PJ Trenton). Indeed, when Mr Trenton and I went to the delightful region of Caledon on Sea for no more hazardous an undertaking than a simple photoshoot, bombs suddenly started raining down all around us ... Later we learned that this was fall-out from the explosion of a full tank on an island in the Firth. Nevertheless, it heightened our conviction that we are front-line reporters and photographers at The Primgraph - and that bringing you all the latest news can be a hazardous occupation!

In this issue, we're visiting the seaside region of Caledon south of the Firth, a collection of four rather different areas, linked by a common seafront. From the bustle of Port Caledon, we move to look at the decidedly more dramatic coastal landscape of Caledon Highlands, and then on to the elegancies of Caledon Cay, before encountering the traditional Victorian seaside features of Caledon on Sea. Miss Viv Trafalgar reviews the different areas for our delectation, while Miss Ceejay Writer presents a view of the traditional Victorian seaside holiday. Frau Annechen Lowey surveys seaside fashions for the bold as the Jaegers take to water sports, and fashions for the ladies are considered by Miss Kembri Tomsen. Miss Alesia Markstein presents a history of steamships, while Mr Jvstin Tomorrow visits one of the best-loved buildings in Caledon Cay, the Botanical House, and looks into the history of glasshouses and botanical gardens.

And we have Episode 2 of our exciting new web comic - The Quest for the Golden Prim. In this episode we will meet further characters - and discover some of those whom the Librarian, the Keeper of Secrets himself, has summoned to a dark and secret meeting ... but why?

There are other articles too: Miss Naergilien Wunderlich presents a history of corsetry, while Sir JJ Drinkwater supplies information about the Caledon Libraries. Frau Annechen Lowey is once more on hand to advise on ettiquette in the Steamlands, this month tackling the knotty question of titles. Meanwhile, our Lady of Propriety offers advice on the delicate question of photographic modeling (such as that being undertaken by young ladies whose likenesses are appearing in The Quest for the Golden Prim).

We have more of our classic serial, The Mysteries of London, and details of new acquisitions from the library, as well as another extract from that fascinating documentary record: Henry Mayhew's London Labour and the London Poor, building up a detailed picture of Victorian life in a great city....

So, with no shortage of fascinating articles and beautiful illustrations supplied by our brilliantly talented team, we welcome you to this seventh issue of The Primgraph.


How do I get my copy of The Primgraph?
Well, there are various ways to get The Primgraph!

You could buy a copy from xStreetSL to be delivered to you inworld.

Best of all, you can join our Subscribe-o-Matic group, which will deliever the magazine to you automatically when it is published. The Subscribe-o-Matic kiosks are located in historical and steampunk sims across Second Life (for example, you’ll find ones at all the Caledon infohubs). And if you can’t find one in your favourite sim, why not ask the owner to install one?

You will also find them at the Prim Perfect offices in Oliveto.

But if you prefer to read the magazine online but not inworld, there are choices too. Firstly, there’s the wonderful Calaméo system, which allows you to moves smoothly through the pages, giving you the feeling of reading a real magazine. You’ll find Issue 7 here – and please do leave a comment!

But, if you like to download your magazines to read as you commute to work, or in the bath, or wherever, you can also obtain a standard pdf for downloading and printing.

So, really, you have no excuse for not reading The Pimgraph. In fact, why aren’t you reading it now?

The Primgraph is looking for a graphic designer!

The Primgraph is looking for a Graphic Designer to join an amazing team!

This is a rare opportunity to work with one of the most highly regarded and fastest growing media groups within Second Life. Prim Perfect Publications consists of three distinct productions: The Primgraph (Second Life vintage and steampunk magazine), Prim Perfect magazine (Second Life's premier home and gardens magazine), and Designing Worlds (the Treet TV show for design and designers in virtual worlds).

We wish to hire an energetic, enthusiastic, and proactive individual who can be part of the team responsible for designing and laying out The Primgraph to create new editions of this stunning magazine, which is scheduled to appear every six weeks.

The successful candidate will have attitude, aptitude, and appetite. A proven ability to meet deadlines is essential.

You will be a creative person with a flair for magazine design. You will have the flexibility to work with different writers and photographers, and the organisation skills to work to a set schedule.

You will work both independently and with the various production and editorial teams, so good communication skills are a must.

Job responsibilities include: laying out the magazine using an high-end DTP package*; assigning photographers to stories; taking the odd photograph yourself when needed; assigning different level of advertising space throughout the magazine and integrating it within the layout.

* we would strongly prefer the successful candidate to use Adobe InDesign.

Knowledge of DTP and Photoshop are essentials, as is experience in RL print and/or online rich content design. Knowledge of steampunk and Victorian design would be an advantage.

Applicants should have at least six months experience in Second Life. Applicants should have real life experience of the design process and key issues affecting designers.

Payment will be on a profit share basis.

Applicants should apply in writing to primperfect@gmail.com, giving:

Avatar Name:
Rezz Date:
Employment experience in Second Life:
Any real life experience you believe may be relevant:
Why you believe you are a suitable candidate for this position:
The names and contact details of two SL referees:

CLOSING DATE: August 31st. Successful applicants will be asked to complete a design task and to attend an interview.

For more information about Prime Perfect Publications and The Primgraph see:
http://www.primperfect.net/ and http://www.primgraph.com/

Mysteries of the Vernian Deep

There have been an increasing number of reports of strange sightings in the Vernian Sea around Babbage in recent weeks. Unusual beings, things going missing. In a particularly intersting occurence it seems that one of the metallic guards that stood over Babbage during the occupancy has been found by Miss Wolf Copperfield, on the ocean floor. No one seems to be able to account for its presence, nor the increasing pile of detritus that is gathering about it.

In the public interest I have decided to undertake a detailed investigation of this area. Over the coming days, I will report back on the exciting mysteries of the Vernian Deep

your faithful correspondent

Beq Janus

(( Link to Wolf's discovery))

Double shooting in New Babbage, Bow street flail, gunman still at large

A terrifying incident occurred in the late hours of yesterday evening. Miss Penelope Strathearn and her retainer Mr Zachary Somerset, were seen to be enjoying a quiet beverage in the popular Café Cocoa Java in the Palisade district of the City. Eye witnesses say that a gun shot rang out from the building diagonally opposite, best known for the Aether Salon but home also to Terranova Investigative Services. Miss Strathearn was was struck in the shoulder by a bullet, falling to the ground. Mr Somerset was able to get a shot on the assailant, but failed to incapacitate him and was subsequently shot in the stomach, a wound which very nearly cost him his life.

The assailant then attempted to attack or abduct Miss Strathearn but was foiled by what witnesses heading home from the pubs and bars have described as "wyrd fire" dealt by Miss Strathearn. Your correspondent has since noted that an upset candle and a bottle of high proof alcochol found nearby could be more reasonably attributed with the conflagration that saved the lady's life.

The assailant, confounded by the aforementioned flames, fled into the night, and despite the best efforts of Miss Dagger of the aforementioned Terranova agency, has not been detained at the time of writing. The man sought is known to the authorities as Cadmus Lupindo, who was more recently involved in the occupation of New Babbage and the attempted assassination of the Mayor.

The two victims were promptly treated by Dr Augustus Dayafter and a member of the fae community, Miss Softpaw, who is credited with having saved Mr Somerset's life after having been summoned to help by Café proprietress Miss Ceejay Writer.

At this time sources close to the pair are saying that they are too traumatised by the violent attack to make comment. This kind of event is however worthy of investigation and your correspondent hopes to bring an interview to her readers in the near future.

As we go to press, Cadmus Lupindo, the would be assassin is still at large and anyone seeing him is advised not to approach him and to contact the local constabulary immediately.

your faithful correspondent
Beq Janus

((The source of this report can be found here))

Farewell, Drottningholm Palace

(Photographs for this article by Mr PJ Trenton. More may be seen here)

Today, in very sad news, we learned of the disappearance of Drottningholm Palace, one of the most beautiful of the 18th century sims.


Set in 1778 in one of the most beautiful of the Swedish royal palaces (now, in real life, a UNESCO Heritage Site), it was a gloriously finished sim. It is featured, exuberantly, on the login page as one of the positive highlights of Second Life, and was our Region of the Month in Issue 5 of The Primgraph.


When we visited, we had a delightful reception, and certainly found it to be one of the most welcoming of the 18th century sims. There was a great deal of lively roleplay to be found there, and a willingness to share with newcomers that gave us great hope for the future. So too did the extension into a new sim, Drottningholm Old Town, which offered the chance of residential accommodation.


However, over the last few weeks, Drottningholm seems to have been struggling. There were several high profile departures by well-established characters, and suggestions of a rift between the owners and managers of the two different sims. This culminated in today's announcement that the Palace sim has been deleted by its owner, who has decided to leave Second Life.


The future of Drottningholm Old Town also seems in some doubt. The town was always intended to act as a residential area to support the Palace, and now that has been lost, a time for reappraisal of its aims may be needed. We have already heard talk of the sim being incorporated into a new area which will be based around the Republic of Venice in its 18th century heyday as Las Serenissima. But, obviiously, there will need to be a time for reflection and consultation first.


What is certain is that the closure of the Palace happened with great suddeness for the majority of people involved and has caused considerable disappointment and distress from people who felt that they had made a considerable investment of time and energy there. The owners, of course, had the right to remove their creation at any point, as they have done, but one thinks with respect of New Babbage which had such a civilised handover (and involved its citizens in a great roleplay of the election of the new Mayor). It seems the greatest of shames that some arrangement proved impossible for Drottningholm Palace.

Armada Burning

Armada before the Catastrophe: Photo by Mr PJ Trenton

Alarming Reports have reached us of a Catastrophe that has claimed the stunningly beautiful region of Armada Breakaway, the city built on ships. We have received the attached film from Miss Koshari Mahana and a report from Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander, of the Consulate of Europa Wulfenbach.

Film Supplied by Miss Koshari Mahana

It had been reported that a storm was approaching Armada. Despite this, citizens of the Steamlands were invited to participate in a social event ... (the editor must remark, in passing, how often, in the face of disaster, the inhabitants of the Steamlands choose to dance ... ).

Dancing Before the Disaster
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

Let the Baron take up the story:

The Vice Consul (Frau Annechen Lowey) and I arrived around 1pm that afternoon to help with possible storm damage. It was as powerful a hurricane as I'd ever seen, but the eye was both curiously stable and stationary -- we never even saw rain.

Armada before the Catastrophe:The Eye of the Storm
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

After some time, this mysterious trio of storm dragons appeared from the waters below the city.

The Dragons Attack
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

The fires they set were too extensive and too fast-spreading for the few of us to fight efficiently.

The Dragons Attack
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

The only equipment to hand were some fire extinguishers, as all the water-pumps and even larger bilge pumps had been salvaged away from possible storm loss.

Fire Extinguishers Utilised Against the Conflagration
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

Even some of our more reality-fluid companions, who were able to shapeshift into dragons themselves, were not able to hamper the flames using ice-breath.

A Draconic Attempt at Defence

Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

One of the most touching views as the buildings collapsed around our floating platform was spying through a glass the New Babbage Embassy, little flag still waving proudly as the decking collapsed beneath it. Somehow it remained balanced on unseen supports until the very end.

The Gallant New Babbage Embassy
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

After some time of watching the destruction around us, it became almost numbing to watch one hull after another disintegrate and sink beneath the waves.

Armada Burning
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

Fraulein Okeanos Magic, a relative of some of my staff, braved the debris field at the bottom of the sea to see the remains first-hand.

Flames beneath the Waves
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

The spirits of the survivors remained surprisingly high all during the collapse of Armada - they danced in the face of disaster.

Dawn brings a More Beneficent Dragon
Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

Finally, the storm dissolved around us as dawn broke over a clear and very bare ocean.The Aftermath

Photo by Herr Baron KlausWulfenbach Outlander

I commend the Thursdays, Herr Weka, Herr Icthus, the missing Herr Streeter and of course Fraulein Trafalgar for not only creating a fascinating place initially, but for bravery in the face of disaster and courageous leadership through storm and flame alike.