The Primgraph visits the World Steam Expo ... with a Quest for the Golden Prim Challenge!

The Primgraph will have a presence at the World Steam Expo this weekend from May 28th to 31st. Ceejay Writer, Deputy Editor of the Primgraph, as well as other New Babbagers and Second Life steampunk fans, will be joining around two thousand others at the World Steam Expo in Dearborn, Michigan.


There's a fantastic line up of events including the Mad Science Fair, the Tiny Top Hat Workshop, Thrifting Your Way To A Steampunk Wardrobe, RL&GEMS Ghost Hunting Equipment, Steampunking the Home, Cabin Boy Auditions and a Charity Masquerade Ball - and that's just a selection!

In addition, guests to the Expo include Abney Park, Phil and Kaja Foglio, The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, Imperial Anti-Piracy Squadron, Penny Dreadful Productions and many more

You can read more at the official website at: www.worldsteamexpo.com/

In addition, there's a planned meet-up for Second Life Steamlanders - we'll post details for those interested in attending here on the blog!

And the Primgraph team will be hoping to meet many new fans of the online edition of our magazine! We'll be handing out gorgeous postcards, created by our amazing designer Miss Terry Lightfoot and lovingly coaxed into real world existence by the divine Miss Writer. These postcards give details of The Primgraph to interested Expo-goers, with illustrations from past episodes of the magazine.

We'll also be distributing special Quest for the Golden Prim trading cards. Designed by the excellent Mr PJ Trenton and glorious individually, there is also a prize involved ... for five lucky people will find cards which show the Keeper of Secrets - JJ Drinkwater the Librarian ... and those five fortunate people will win a complete set of Quest for the Golden Prim cards, featuring all the current characters.

If you find a card showing the Keeper of the Secrets, locate Miss Ceejay Writer in person at the expo or afterwards you may email her at ceejay.writer@gmail.com, to arrange the handing over your prize!

And even if you aren't able to find the card, do keep a look-out for Miss Writer. She will be the one with a notebook and pencil, clutching her Primgraph accreditation card and accosting all-comers with that well-known phrase in the Steamlands ...

"Do you have a quote for The Primgraph?"

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Primgraph Postcard designed by Miss Terry Lightfoot; Quest for the Golden Prim Trading Cards and Miss Writer's Press Pass designed by Mr PJ Trenton

Enjoy Talented Caledon, Celebrating Wunderbar and First Nighting Wizards!

Another packed weekend of events for people in the Steamlands!

First of all comes the long-awaited competition (in aid of Relay for Life) - "Caledon's Got Talent!"

Yes, this weekend sees the opening of the new, truly Victorian 'Britannia' theatre, with a gala variety show - 'Caledon's Got Talent!'. On the 22nd and 23rd May from 2-4pm SLT, an intrepid band of more than twenty artistes will perform for the benefit of Relay For Life.

This historical 'Royal Command' performance is likely to take place in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Victoria and His Royal Highness Prince Albert. It is also rumoured that HE The Guvnah, Desmond Shang, and the Vicereine, Miss Kamilah Hauptmann herself may also be in attendance, according to some early indications.

Miss Elspeth Woolley and Mr Adzer Thorne have directed this fine team of talented troupers and the whole performance will be conducted under the alliterative baton of Mr Denny Kozlov. Miss Soliel Snook will be in sole charge of the gramophone and has a new needle for her exclusive use for this single purpose

A 'no-expenses-spared' ball to celebrate the conclusion of festivities is planned for Sunday 23 May, between 4:30-6pm SLT, on the well- manicured lawns of Miss Garnet Psaltery's Where Eyre estate - with fireworks!

A passing sheep was heard to say " Oh my.. I've waited so long for this...only one more day to contain my excitement. I do hope there are still tickets to be had! "

From what this reporter has heard on the grapevine...that little lamb had better hurry if she doesn't wish to be disappointed...baaaaa!

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This weekend also marks the Third Anniversary of Wunderbar - and they have a whole range of exciting activities planned!

See the poster below ...


Click on the poster to see an enlarged version.

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And finally, if seeing (or not being able to get tickets for) the performance of Alice in Wonderland by the Avatar Repertory Theater has whetted your appetite for Second Life drama, news has reached us of another grand theatrical event:


The location for this event is: The Impressionist Hall at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Indigo/186/4/42. Tickets prices are by donation.

How the West Was Redone

Greetings from the roleplay sim of Deadwood 1876, where the gold rush is in its first stages. We're getting ready for some fun and education when one of the sim's owners, Caed Aldwych, gives a talk on his second design for Deadwood, the design in which we are roleplaying now. "How the West Was Redone" will be noon, Saturday, May 22, at Fort Laramie.

Here's the background: Deadwood was open from about mid-2007 to February 2010, proceeding day by day as if we were living the spring of 1876 to February 1879. 1879 was the month when a fire burned down the real town, and its equivalent year in real life was when Caed chose to stage a fire to wipe his sim clean. Caed's original design for the sim was based both on history and on the HBO series. With the big fire, Caed closed the sim to rebuild it, not based on HBO, but on the real town's design.

For the 'new' Deadwood, Caed found maps and a trove of historic pictures of Deadwood that he blew up to enormous size and positioned over the sim as he rebuilt it. Just as one example, in the first Deadwood, my newspaper office was in a very prominent space on Main where both my ego and the TV series wanted it to be. Now, the office is located in a clearing where the Black Hills Pioneer really was located in the spring of the real 1876. My avatar now walks the same paths and routes as his predecessor in the real town. There are all sorts of details scattered around the sim today that speak to how a town really got built from scratch.

Caed will talk about how he found rare records about early Deadwood and what he learned about the chaotic development of Gold Rush cities. The original Deadwood looked a lot like something built from crates, and he'll talk about how he tried to create that look in Second Life. We think the talk will be of interest to people interested in the history of pioneer era and the Wild West, as well as to builders.

This talk is part of a lecture series sponsored by the Black Hills Library, proudly affiliated with the Alexandrian Free Library Network. The Lena Kjeller Memorial Lecture Series is named for the avatar that founded the Deadwood Library and whose typist passed on to Third Life (died) in 2009. Previous talks were about the nature of the pioneer press and about Wild Bill Hickok. We always welcome ideas for these lectures; in world, drop your ideas on our library director and town drunk, Blitzer Renfold.

Hope to see you Saturday!

The Robber Barons come through!

As a footnote to our post last night:

Over 40,000 Lindens was raised in New Babbage last night ... and the Clockwinder regained his freedom.

Of course, he did try to re-eneter the cage later on to escape the congratulations of his townsfolk ...

Mayor of New Babbage arrested in Grand Tour Shock Crisis!

During the course of the visit of the Grand Tour to New Babbage for the 2nd Annual Robbers Barons Ball at Piermont Landing , the Mayor, Mr Mosseveno Tenk, was arrested by the City's Maceholder, Mr Aeolus Cleanslate.

The Mayor - also the City's Clockwinder - was arrested, said Mr Cleanslate, "For being curmudgeonly and generally Tenky, the Clockwinder shall serve a term until the good people of New Babbage decide to release him. When - if - he is released, he has to be nice for a month."

Many of the citizens are currently engaged in raising money to see the Clockwinder released.

Rumours suggest that another faction are endeavouring to raise the funds to see that his imprisonment continues.

Grand Tour of the Steamlands for Relay for Life

Well, the weekend is hotting up now ... and the second major event will be starting shortly!

The Steamlands are hosting one of their wonderful Grand Tours - a weekend of parties and other celebrations, ranging from Formal Balls to picnics for tinies.

Saturday, May 15th
6:00am - 9:00 -Sunrise Ball and Art Exhibit -
Host: Rose Springvale (1.5 hours, played by Soliel Snook)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Al%20Garnata/116/129/41

After the Ball, we repaired to the steps of the new Art Gallery to hear a live concert by the French guitarist JeanChristophe Chevalier, before exploring the art exhibition of works by Miss Callipygian Christensen.

9:00 - 12:00 - Caledon Mayfair En Gade tournament and garden party -
Host: Lucien Brentano
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Mayfair/60/66/22
The Engarde track was rather exciting - set up on the extreme edge of a skygarden. It was to be hoped that none of the competitors suffered from vertigo - otherwise they might have found themselves sadly put off their stroke!

12:00pm - 1:30pm - The Green-Eyed Fairy, New Toulouse sim -
Host: Francesca Alva (1.5 hours, played by Soliel Snook)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Toulouse/58/206/24
A range of great cool jazz music - and a special tribute to the incomparable Lena Horne, who died recently.

1:30pm - 3:00pm - Honfleur Treasure Hunt
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Honfleur/72/202/2
This was an exciting opportunity to explore Kaye Robbiani’s new French–themed sim – and to win some prizes too!

3:00pm - 4:30pm - Giverny, Giverny sim -
Host: Soliel Snook (1.5 hours, played by Soliel Snook)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Giverny/200/159/27
From Honfleur we moved to the neighbouring (although not adjacent) sim of Giverny … and Soliel Snook hosted with a rich variety of French cjhanosons and other music.

4:30pm - 6:00pm - Winterfell Embassy Grand Opening and RFL Benefit Ball, Winterfell sim -
Host: Serra Anansi (1.5 hours, played by Gabrielle Riel)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Cape%20Wrath/154/145/22
This was an unusual event as this time the Winterfell event was held in Caledon. It was the celebration for a new Winterfell Embassy - and was a delightful event, hosted by the Senschelf herself - Miss Serra Anansi - with music supplied by Radio Riel.

6pm - 9pm - 2nd Annual Robber Baron's Ball - New Babbage :
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wheatstone%20Waterways/46/49/113
Calling all Builders !!!
The Robber Baron Safe Build Contest
We are searching for the perfect, strongest, working ROBBER BARON SAFE
Have it tick and tock , have it explode, have it be fire proof, let the ravens fly out of it!
Show us what you've got !
Have fun with It!!
Just Make It Rock !!
30 prim limit
1st place - $1500L
2nd place - $1000L
3rd place - $500L
New Babbage needs a safe Safe !!

Music By The Ever Amazing Mr DJ Bats

Sponsored By
House of RFyre
BlakOpal Designs
The Curious Seamstress
Hatpins

Robber Barons are still at large ...even today !!
Robber baron (industrialist) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia...
Robber baron is a term revived in the 19th century United States for businessmen and bankers who dominated respective industries and amassed huge personal fortunes, typically by anti-competitive or unfair business practices. The term may now relate to any businessman or banker who used questionable business practices to become powerful or wealthy.
The term derives from the medieval German lords who illegally charged exorbitant tolls on ships traversing the Rhine (see robber baron). There is dispute over the term's origin and use. It was popularized by U.S. political and economic commentator Matthew Josephson during The Great Depression in a book in 1934. He attributed it to an 1880 anti-monopoly pamphlet in which Kansas farmers applied the term to railroad magnates. The term "Robber 'Boomer' Baron" was used to describe the greed of financial 'robbers' during the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009.[citation needed]
Appearing in literature during the late 19th century, the Robber Baron thesis was popular until the 1940s. Matthew Josephson's The Robber Barons gave the term its most enduring expression. The theme was popular during the Great Depression amid public scorn for big business.

By the end of the Depression, other historians, notably Allan Nevins, began advocating the "Industrial Statesman" thesis. Nevins, in John D. Rockefeller: The Heroic Age of American Enterprise (2 vols., 1940), took on Josephson. He argued that while Rockefeller may have engaged in unethical and illegal business practices, this should not overshadow his bringing order to industrial chaos of the day. Gilded Age capitalists, according to Nevins, sought to impose order and stability on competitive business. Their work made the United States the foremost economy by the 20th century.

The debate was sidestepped by Alfred D. Chandler in The Visible Hand (1977). Chandler contended that industrializing America was a historical process and not a play of good versus evil.

As he later expressed, "What could be less likely to produce useful generalizations than a debate over vaguely defined moral issues based on unexamined ideological assumptions and presuppositions?"

The highlight of the ball was, for many, the arrest of the Clockwinder, Mr Mosseveno Tenk, the Mayor of New Babbage. He was arrested by the Maceholder, Mr Aeolus Cleanslate, and held in a cage until the loyal citizens of New Babbage could free him. And they succeeded admirably! 40,ooo Lindens were swiftly raised to purchase his freedom. As Breezy Carver, Hostess of the event, said: “The Robber Barons came through!”


9pm - Midnight: Steeltopia - Secret Agent Event -
Host: Steelcobra Calamari
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Steeltopia/32/244/51
Formal wear requested, tux, suits, ties, dresses anything spy.
Pneumatic Revolution Lounge in Steeltopia
And a wonderful end to the first day of the Grand Tour, with an impressive gathering of spies in Steeltopia!

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Sunday, May 16
9am - 12:00: Antiquity - Dancing in the Gardens, Horseshoes, and a Horse Race around the Capitol Building
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Antiquity%20Keys/153/132/22
This was a beautifully staged event, with pretty pavilions in the Texas part of Antiquity - and wonderful Spanish music!

12:00 - 3:30pm: Caledon Kittiwickshire - Tiny Beach Ball
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Kittiwickshire/66/132/23
Tinies - having a beach party. Not only dancing, and food - but free bathing costimes, little ships (with cannons), whack-a-mole games - all beautifully presented by Martini Discovalante ... with a wonderful hamster ball supplied by Nix Sands!

4pm - 6pm: Seraph City - Grand Opening of The Carrington
Host: Breezy Carver
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Seraph%20City/188/138/107
Seraph City is a very new addition to the Steamlands and, strictly speaking, is more Dieselpunk than Steampunk. But the Steamlanders have definitely taken it to their hearts - as the opening of Breezy Carver's sumptuous new complex, The Carrington, clearly showed! And with Gabrielle Riel at the piano (actually, she was djing!), what could be finer?

6pm - 9pm: Steelhead
Host - Fuzzball Ortega
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Steelhead/71/161/25
And the final event saw Steelhead (or at least its lovely park) converted to a beautiful fairy tale landscape where the denizens of myths, legends and Marchen could dance and celebrate at their will!

9:30pm - Collapse with feet in a tub of epsom salts and a cup of hot tea in hand!

Hedgie of the Lamp – the Isle of Wyrms celebrates its Spring Festival!

This looks to be a weekend packed with fun events! There's the Steamlands Grand Tour for Relay for Life (of which more later), and starting today there's a spectacular line-up of events for the Isle of Wyrms Spring Fesitval - the Hedgie of the Lamp!

We have a booth with dragon-related info from Prim Perfect, Designing Worlds and The Primgraph. And there's also information about The Quest for the Golden Prim too!

May 14th - 16th, 2010
All Times are SLT and are subject to change. Visit the Isle of Wyrms for more information.
All species welcome - even humans! Bring your friends. They are a friendly and open community with PG standards.

"Fire Breathing Dragons of Pern" Fighting Thread Demo location Lethe, time to be announced
and
"Gianfar Wounded Dragon RP Demo" Lethe, time to be announced

Friday May 14th
Ongoing: Festival Booths, Flying Carpet Practice, Lots of Board Games
Location: Limbo: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Limbo/125/138/28

Noon (12:00) Festival Opening Remarks from Mayor Cora
Location: Limbo: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Limbo/125/138/28
Host: Mayor Cora Heslop & Onix Harbinger

12:30 (12:30) Pyramid Maze Hunt begins
Location: Lethe
Host: Keiko Katscher & Saege Fhang
Dare you enter the hidden pyramid? To seek its hidden wonders and dangers as the walls themselves move in their dark motive, to trap you forever in its aging stone. Walk the barely lit paths to find the box’s of treasure. What will be held in these living walls? That is for you to discover....
The pyramid will be unsealed: Friday 14th May
Portal can be found in limbo or use lm

Rules:
No sitting on objects to get through walls, the keeper of the tomb Keiko is wise and all seeing. You will be booted out of the pyramid if you sit on anything inside.

You have to be within one meter of a chest to be able to open it, so caming will not work also

BEWARE THE MUMMYDRAGON!

12:30 (12:30) Charity Auction Kick-off
The Auction will be in a very large dome set up by Gwen Carillon at the south side of Limbo sandbox
Location: Limbo: Limbo: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Limbo/125/138/28Host: Bea Jaxon

5pm-7pm (17:00-19:00) Drum Circle
Location: Cathedral Drum Circle: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cathedral/126/92/102
Host : Edger Sweetwater & GertieGazoo Gazov

Saturday May 15th
Ongoing: Festival Booths, Flying Carpet Practice, Lots of Board Games, Charity Auction, Pyramid Maze Hunt

10am (10:00) EU Dragon-back fishing
Location: Lethe
Host : Keiko Katscher

3pm (15:00) US Dragon-back fishing
Location: Lethe
Host : Keiko Katscher

Noon (12:00) Party with DJ DragonLord SkyTowerLocation: Cathedral Drum Circle: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cathedral/126/92/102
Hosts: Onix Harbinger & Jahdo Ohtobide



2pm (14:00) Hedgie of the Lamp Ball
Location: Great Hall DJ: Edger
Location: Suilven: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Suilven/128/128/2
Hosts: Edger Sweetwater & GertieGazoo Gazov

4PM (16:00) Grace McDunnough - Live in concert
Location: Cathedral: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cathedral/165/237/502 /Hedgetopia Concert Venue: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hedgetopia/120/70/50
Hosts:Onix Harbinger & Tiamat Bingyi

Sunday May 16th
Ongoing: Festival Booths, Lots of Board Games, Charity Auction, Pyramid Maze Hunt

10am (10:00) EU time Magic Carpet race
Location: Limbo: Limbo: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Limbo/125/138/28
Host : Keiko Katscher & Tiamat Bingyi

Noon (12:00) Charity Auction Bidding closes

1pm (13:00) Zorch Boomhauer - Live Concert
Location: Cathedral: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cathedral/165/237/502 /Hedgetopia Concert Venue: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hedgetopia/120/70/50
Hosts: Onix Harbinger

3pm (15:00) US time Magic Carpet race
Location: LimboHost : Keiko Katscher & Tiamat Bingyi

3:45 (15:45) Closing Remarks, prize and auction announcements (subject to information being ready)
Location: Cathedral: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cathedral/165/237/502 /Hedgetopia Concert Venue: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hedgetopia/120/70/50
Hosts: Onix Harbinger & Skylarian Isachenko

4PM (16:00) Closing Concert - Josie Anderton
Location: Cathedral: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cathedral/165/237/502 /Hedgetopia Concert Venue: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Hedgetopia/120/70/50
Hosts: Onix Harbinger

Fireworks by Talarus Luan after the concert

Special thanks to Skylarian Isachenko, Orlith Nightfire, Keiko Katscher, GertieGazzoo Gazov and Tiamat Bingyi for making this festival possible