A sad Farewell to americana and a word to linden Labs

Well I'm not gonna speak long here since you all know how long winded I can be, I'm just gonna speak a few quick points.

Devlin, we started deconstruction of Americana before 1.1 because we read the post of what would be in 1.1 and realized that for all the claims of tax relief for groups, it actually made our situation worse. In fact it made it impossible top survive any longer. I personally wasnt about to pay more taxes on a build that was going to have to come down anyway. We took our shot and if nothing else, proved that great groups, can last in spirit and friendship, if not in Second Life.

I personally, will look forward to seeing my americana brethren in Game for the rest of my journey here, because I will always remeber what we built, even if others didnt like it or stop as they flew past.

And Americana had more than just seven members, the other's just faded away as the lack of releif became less and less aparent that it would actually come.

It's a vision of things to come. I'm sorry but it doesnt get much clearer than that.

I want to thank everyone Who came to visit us while we were there, and supported us even if they weren't fans of what we built or did. And while I would gladly work with anyone in foresaid Americana group again if asked, If Americana's build's do pop up in a sim in the future, I'm am sorry to say it will be without me, because I won't be disappointed again.

The group has proven to me that strong, and hard working, good individuals do exist in game, and I got to know them, and cherish them as friends. Thank you all, I will miss our vision.

So much for not being long winded.
Crow

Oh, and P.S.: Eggy! Your darn build never fit the sim in the first place so don't try and make it sound like you ever gave a horses patootie about what the group thought or went through. You weren't there before the hard drive crashed, and I'm surprised at the gall from a man of your age. Grow Up.

Americana was a beautiful themed community. Sometimes late at night I would fly over there and have all of Blue to myself. I enjoyed exploring the builds, shopping.. just marvelling at all the hard work that surrounded me.

All the events held, all the enthusiasm.. they didn't go to waste. Those of you in Americana really made something wonderful, and I want to thank you for that. Second Life can only hope that you guys will make something just as great, someday.

This is sad news for all of SL. I greatly respect the dedication, hard work and endless patience of the Americana team. I'm so sorry to see the project end this way.

Americana had some of the most amazing builds ever done in SL and I'm sorry to see it go... but then again, I'm very much looking forward to seeing what you all do next. In SL just as in RL, it's more important to enjoy the journey than it is to reach the destination. For all of us that ever stopped and stared in slack jawed admiration of the talent shown in Americana, your work was never wasted... moving on to other things doesn't change that. Good luck in all your future journeys!

Dum dee dum, another day, another ad hominem attack.
Firstly, I was *invited* to put the disco in Blue and at that exact moment I was told that it would fit the theme very well because Americana had a Vegas area planned from the beginning.
Secondly, *you* were the one who picked the MGM Grand design for it, so I dont really know why you have a problem with it.
As for not being there, well you are mistaken. I spent nearly all my online time at the disco and will continue to spend it. It's just that bed time for me is lunch time for you PST users.
If you really must know, back in beta I donated every penny I had to george and sinatra on a weekly basis, continued to donate to tracey when she took over and still donated most of my money to garth and ramon. I also bought the land with my own money.
As for my disagreeance with some of the group's policies it derived solely from not being informed of any such policies before moving into Blue.
Finally, I never saw anything remotely offensive back in my posts but if you would kindly point out the offensive bits I will go back to edit them out and issue you my most sincere apologies.
Have fun, and see you around.

I have refrained from commenting on Eggy's vainglorious posts in the past, but this time I cannot hold my tongue... may the gentle reader forgive my indignation

I have NEVER found reason to be legitimately angry in SL before I met you Eggy. Not only did you manage to insult, misrepresent and belittle those who toiled in Blue, you regularly went out of your way in these forums, on the SL Americana Forums and on the Yale Law Meme forums to TAKE CREDIT for that which you had no hand in. Do you honestly believe that throwing money at the group provides justification for all the harm you have done or somehow makes up for your total lack of involvement in group planning, events, builds and community? And you can stop pretending that your Linden-backed disco-free eyesore of a disco has ANYTHING to do with Americana other than our erroneous decision to agree to provide space for it.

You have behaved despicably, Eggy. I pray that not one more person misplaces their trust in you, only to find themselves made a victim of your tireless ego-gratification.

Although SL v1.1 provides a massive number of welcome improvements, none will be so greatly appreciated by the Americana group as the ability to eject belligerent members.


-Fleabite Beach


...while fixing your hard drive I recommend leaving the computer plugged in and standing in a bucket of water.

Can anyone point out a single line I wrote where I boasted about doing something that I didnt actually do or anything remotely resembling that?
Can anyone point out a single action of mine which harmed anyone in any way?
I took a plot, I built a place. I actually stayed and "lived" in Blue while all of you were out partying in Shipley and ignoring the fact that theres more to a group than building some crap and leaving it abandoned.
I went out of my way to attend events and group meetings, often getting up at 4am or staying up til 4am in order to do so, I followed every guideline the group set for my building, and as mentioned previously that made me rebuild the disco 9 times, switch to a new plot, reduce the size on every single prim etc.
If it didnt have anything to do with Americana why on earth did you bug me about it so often?
By the way flea, what was your build in Blue? All I ever saw you do, in the rare occasions when you bothered to set foot there, was to build or delete things without asking the group about it.
You were supposed to have built a church, then you took it down and built a crazy toxic waste pond of all things which promptly got shot down by the group, then Zoey came and built a church, then Zoey left the group, as many others did, I took her church and went broke paying for its taxes, then you came and said you would take care of it, only to delete it shortly thereafter, you also built a tree only to delete it a couple days later... i could go on forever.
And lets not forget your shameless abuse of the voting system, meaning, umpteen crappy tree stump builds strategically spread all over the land in order to milk votes, which is part of what got us into the dwell system which everybody hates.
Let the facts speak for themselves, I have lots of very good friends in this game and the fact that one or two people ended up not liking me after a couple of misunderstandings is merely a testament to those people's "belligerent" personality. I never really got mad at anyone in my entire life, and in fact, my motto has always been "forgive and forget".
I have tried on more than one occasion to sort out my differences with you (and crow) and instead of smoking the peace pipe and letting the water run under the bridge you took it as hipocrisy and were further insulted.
The fact remains that Americana went under, and while I could point out several reasons that made valuable members (like Sinatra, Sassy, Zoey, Tracey etc) pack up their stuff and leave, I'm sure you, crow et al would just take it as a flame.

This really isn't a very constructive or nice, or even a very true thing to say. I seem to recall a time when the members of Americana were seemingly delighted to have the disco, as it relieved them of a lot of taxes. Eggy has always been - since he moved there, at least - a tireless promoter of Blue and very inclusive of everyone in his development of the Disco. While I must say that the disco itself is, from the standpoints of attractiveness and functionality not one of my favourites of the many buildings in SL, it was certainly being built with a clear function in mind - rather uncommon in Blue - and over the last couple of months, the only time I EVER saw people in Blue they were at the disco working on it or planning events.
As a mentor I many times sent new residents who were interested in building to look at and possibly join Americana, only to have them later tell me that they were, in fact, rebuffed from any involvement in the group. As a very telling comparison, any of the people we brought over to Darkwood were welcomed into that theme - were even given land and cash to help out in some cases.
It is a shame to see Americana fold, but its failure cannot be attributed to any one cause or person.
And as for Eggy throwing money at Americana, if you weren't too good to take his money then, you have no right to criticise him for giving it now. Perhaps if you truly feel that way you all ought to give it back.

Um.. I don't seem to recall Eggy doing anything but being outspoken about his opinions... and I never had a problem with that. I love seeing other people's points of view, but I shut up whenever someone tried to propose something that was COMPLETELY out of the scope of George's original concept... I let it all go on, and I'm sorry I let Americana down. Like I said, I'm glad it went down now, while people still cared.

And before it comes up, my build record for Americana was Studio 7 (I took it down because it was comparativly an eyesore) and the LOVE statue. So, ha, I know I didn't build anything. :^p

Great now we look like fools people, did we have to air crap on the forums? WE had enough fighting in the meetings and this is a sad time with the theme that got me into SL that made me buy a lifetime membership is now gone. And all you can do is keep fighting?

I kept having to beg people to stay and try to keep things together which is probably one of the main reasons I got burnt out of SL... I won't place blame on either side here, but jesus thanks for making us look like fools in front of all SL.



JV

Quick, everyone look at one of my controvercial posts, and pay no attention to this one.

Nothing to see here

Move along

I knew it would come to this...

Perhaps I did over-react to Eggy's solitary concern for HIS disco and HIS money and HIS place in the group in the middle of a thread that is like a Memorial Service for a Good Friend. A thread that came fully charged with emotion from word one.

Perhaps airing dirty laundry can wait until after the funeral.

So I will take a step back and reconsider my tone. I had not meant to publicly speak for the group.


-FLEABITE

...in my defence, I lost my passport and am a bit out of sorts, unable to get home and watching my online home dissapear. Also, I am scared stiff knowing Kanker Greenacre is around here somewhere ;p

I can only say that Americana will live on in many of our hearts and memories for a very long time to come. I am not a great builder and I don't have any special claims to my part in Americana really, but I loved it. When remembering back to the early conversations... George, Sin & I first started talking about expanding our route 66 project and creating a whole theme, Americana, we dreamed of what it could become, of what we would do with it... The Americana group brought those dreams to life, not just 7 people, but the group as a whole, thank you.

What is Americana about anyways? Sl's Americana was about a few people who had a dream & a community who pulled together and made it reality.

Well, of course.

This thread was created by people, it's the result of what they worked towards. So, it was what they were making from the start.

I guess then, that it's a good thing.



Anyway the irony about Americana is that the only part that was still there last time I looked was the only part I didn't like.

Don't worry about it flea,

I just don't think the dirty laundry needs to be aired, or especially right when it has died.


Can't we all just get along?

hehe speaking of getting along I was in the midst of DC being called a nazi and a facist by communist protesters this weekend, what an experience.

JV

wow. forget the soap operas.. i'll just re-read this post!

seriously though, with no comment on the infighting, i will say as a Blue/Americana outsider who frequented the marvels therein, it is sad to see it go.

ancient chinese proverb (ok, not really, but it sounds good):

before you can fold the laundry and put it away, you must first air it.


now that it's been aired, maybe the group that pulled together for such a great task, can, now move on to bigger and better things.

Oh man, this thread just keeps floating up to the top....

Oh wait, this post just bumped it again....DOH!

lol Gwydeon! =)

If this were not a PG thread, I would flash my boobies to deter the emotion... but alas, I will refrain. *grin*

Seriously though... as an "outsider" I only ventured through Americana a few times. I loved the work and admired the creators. I have followed this thread with interest and hope.

Interest in what you have learned, and hope in what you will do with that knowledge.

I have had the pleasure of meeting many of the Americana "crew" and my main hope is that in time, you will reubuild. Either as a group, or as individuals. My hat is off to your creativity and dreams. =)

I have been away from the forums for a week, so this is my first chance to post.....

As one of the founding members of Americana, I was truly shocked to hear and see Americana gone. I have had tears in my eyes a few other times because of this "game", but the night I talked to ramon and he told me what was happening, I actualy cried.

If the opportunity ever arises to rebuild the Americana that George dreamed, please let me know. If you will have me, I would love to be a part.

Tracey

Gosh it's a shame you had to cry over it.


Hey if you guys go to the projects section, there's a new project starting to create a heaven and hell in SL. I really think that would be a good project for the old owners of Americana to get in on, if you want to.