Neualtenburg in the news

I don't know who else reads the Metaverse Messenger, but the current issue of the paper (5 MB PDF) has an article on recent events in Neualtenburg. (The article starts on page 3 and continues on page 17.)

Bad press does hurt the city. Desmond Shang, who can afford to buy and sell us many times over did describe our public bickering as a major business weakness (I'm paraphrasing)...maybe Claude can hit the media circuit...

It doesn't do us any good, does it?

OTOH I feel quite positive about Neulatenburg in relation to Caledon or other privately owned sims. We squabble, argue and spend a lot of our time in meetings. From the outside our internal discussions can seem pretty arcane. Some would point to our failure to expand beyond a single sim (soon to be cured!) compared to the expansion of Dreamland etc and say that is proof that player democracy does not work.

I beg to differ... In N'burg we are building institutions to last beyond the involvement of a small number of motivated individuals. If Desmond gets tired of dealing with his residents or finds something else to do, Caledon goes bye bye. If one of our leading citizens heads off elsewhere, the project continues. I don't think we should feel too dispirited.

We do need to test all aspects of that resilience though. Some have said that we are dependent on Sudane's commitment to the project in that her alt is the owner of the sim from LLs point of view. While I have no reason to doubt that commitment it would make sense for N'burg to lay plans so that noone's departure means the end of the project. (But you know all this already, sorry, I'm tired and can't resist posting. Must... go... to. bed....)

I would say that the institutionalized piracy, the failure to adhere to founding documents, and the ad-hoc direct democratic process operating outside of the advertised government is your worst press. The city is currently failing to adhere to its government consistently and thus has lost credibility with the public (and most importantly me).

I have no doubt that N'burg will go on, however its days as a viable alternative to the autocracies, oligarchies, and direct democracies of SL is over. It's just another themed sim with a council of elders (prentending to be part of a more equitable system). That is unless those in the government who have engaged in these violations are brought to justice. I didn't think so.

~Ulrika~

As a 'foreigner' who has read many of the posts regarding the goings on in N'burg recently, I can not but agree with Ulrika. The government of N'Burg has brought this upon themselves.........

Wow, look at that forum history. You say you read all these forums, yet never post to them? Are you shy?

I think we have an trolling alt. Or an alting troll? Is there a difference?

I am no one's alt. I am a basic account holder who was brought to Second Life by a friend. I have no relationship with any RL person or SL avie that is associated with N'Burg. I am just a quiet avie who has enjoyed SL since July last year. I do not post often, but felt the need to comment on what is a very public argument.

Just because my post may or may not agree with anyone's particular side of the argument is no reason to attempt to discount my post by alleging I am an alt of an interested party.

I am not trolling, I am making a valid comment.

Your opinon, you're entitled to it. But I am entitled to disagree with you.

Thanks Ziffel. Folks with the insight to recognize the government's missteps and the fortitude to call them on it are rare, indeed.

~Ulrika~

ding ding ding! We have a winner!!!!

I agree with you totally, Ziff.

*posting deleted*

Quite incorrect.

I've had an exit strategy in place before I even ordered the first sim.



My contingency plans are not public however, and furthermore, not what you might think.

I have no plans to sell out to Anshe, for instance. In fact, what I have in mind would likely stun and delight Caledon's residents - but that is all I shall say. Suffice it to say, I think you'll be putting up with a Desmond Shang on the grid for a long, long time.


My apologies to you, Patroklus - this is not a good way to begin. But I simply could not let such an assumption stand.





I would think that would be a very wise move.

In your "poll" you discounted all the votes that came from low post "alts", in your words, because they disagreed with you. You insisted they were alts, because they have the same status as Ziffel, a low post count.

I noticed this AV has posted in at least one other thread where you were posting.

Just sayin'

In your "poll" you discounted all the votes that came from low post "alts", in your words, because they disagreed with you. You insisted they were alts, because they have the same status as Ziffel, a low post count.

I would say that the institutionalized piracy, the failure to adhere to founding documents, and the ad-hoc direct democratic process operating outside of the advertised government is your worst press. The city is currently failing to adhere to its government consistently and thus has lost credibility with the public (and most importantly me).

I have no doubt that N'burg will go on, however its days as a viable alternative to the autocracies, oligarchies, and direct democracies of SL is over. It's just another themed sim with a council of elders (prentending to be part of a more equitable system). That is unless those in the government who have engaged in these violations are brought to justice. I didn't think so.

~Ulrika~

In your "poll" you discounted all the votes that came from low post "alts", in your words, because they disagreed with you. You insisted they were alts, because they have the same status as Ziffel, a low post count.

Maybe if you repeat it often enough someone besides Kendra will believe it. Doubt it though. ^.^

I doubt it as well.

The biggest problem Neualtenburg has in terms of bad press is the "albatross" we have around our necks in the form of a former member who has engaged in a concerted plan to attack us in the forums and spread rumours, false accusations, innuendo and outright lies about the state of affairs in our fair city.

Yes, bad press *is* bad for Nburg, yes the public perception has never been lower, who's to blame?

Ulrika Zugawang and no other.

The "would be" founder and now self-described terrorist attacking the foundations of law in Nburg (that she also claims credit for writing ) out of pure selfishness and enmity on a daily basis.

(my opinion only of course, history will judge who was right)

^.^ Well I'm still personally very enthusiastic about the project and happy about finally becoming a citizen, even more so with the expansion of the new sim. Exciting times.

And this post helps us have good PR in what way exactly?

I really we wish we could all just get past this and settle back into actually operating Neualtenburg.

Join me in this spirit, Dianne --and we'll get the ol' gal back into shape in no time.

Neualtenburg doesn't need an "Emmanuel Goldstein" figure to set itself against.

Frankly I think we should just have a real early Oktoberfest.

As a RL activist, I have a lot of experience with confronting individuals abusing power. You've by now seen my messages in this forum, other forums, and in newspapers. This will continue and will expand to other media indefinitely until the transgressions are addressed. Specifically:

1. There was an illegal trial that violated the constitution by denying the charged a right to trial by jury. From Article III, Section 6 of the Constitution, "Hearings and trials not involving government officials will be overseen by a single Professor and judgment will be decided by a jury of peers."
   
2. In response to the accusation that the trial was illegal, the SC stated that foreigners are not provided due process, which is in violation of the Bill of Rights Articles 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11.
   
3. The sentence is extreme in that its duration is without limit and its discussion was not present in the transcripts.
   
4. Two N'burg government (Dianne, Sudane) officials have engaged in and supported the unauthorized reproduction and distribution (piracy) of the work of others. Detailed documentation with screenshots and quotes can be found here.
   
5. Three N'burg government officials (Dianne, Aliasi, and Sudane), one of whom admits to not recognizing the government, violated law N 3-10 by reverse engineering and deleting historic city structures without RA approval.

All of this information is verifiable either in written documents, transcripts, and screen shots and self evident to those willing to spend the time to understand it. I'm currently working on a web page that details all these transgressions in detail.

Sadly, the best defense most can muster is fallacious argumentum ad hominem, which involves replying to an argument or assertion by attacking the person presenting the argument instead of the argument itself. It's the rhetorical version of sending in the goons to rough up the facts.

I'm interested in getting past this but it won't happen until the government admits there were problems and proactively seeks remedies.

~Ulrika~

Do what you need to do Ulrika, I've yet to be convinced that anything you purport to stand for is actually something you stand for or claim has occurred has actually occurred (hint, saying something repeatedly as a fact doesn't make it so), regardless of the volume or venue of your posts.

They seem to me to be borne of something petty, ubiquitous, and frankly childish and very much unrelated to present events and more so of your desire to destroy that which you've failed to extort in my opinion.

So, carry on. Shake your fist at the sky and demand it to turn neon green, I don't think you'll have much luck with that any more than you've had much impact here or threaten to do so elsewhere. Other than more people simply placing you on mute, like any other troll of course.

Myself I'm still terribly excited by the project and have contracted out to be a citizen for the long term. Also interested in investment opportunities in the new sim for the future growth and development of the project. ^.^ I look forward to working with both Kendra and Dianne and all else. I see bright things in the future for joint ownership and governance in this project. ^.^

Well I already feel like an idiot for a lot of the stuff I said when I got mad.
I usually do within a few minutes of saying things like that.

If it's too early for Octoberfest, I vote for a drunken orgy in the new Roman Baths.

I have said in world to several folks, that as much as she has completely ruined my reputation, I would even give Ulrika a hug and a kiss on the cheek if she would just stop attacking us and settle her claims amicably. There was a lot to admire in Ulrika before she became enamored with the dark side of the force. (joke)

But seriously, it's really up to her, not to me or anyone else. It's also complicated by the fact that the degree to which any "peace" could last is the degree to which one can trust the other party to keep their word.

No offense to Ulrika is she's reading this, but I honestly just don't believe that *she* really believes the things she is saying about us, so my interpretation of her remarks is that they are done for "sport." Ulrika is a very smart girl, smarter than you or I. She must be aware of the probable lines of defense on her so-called "piracy" claim, she must be aware of the *real* definitions of "unauthorised reproductions" and "reverse engineering" etc. and she is fully aware I believe (or should be), of our real intentions because she knows most of us personally.

If someone could convince me that she has valid concerns, that she actually believes those concerns and she actually wants to settle those concerns amicably, I for one would be at the table in a heartbeat. I think the same can likely be said of everyone in the Government although I certainly can't speak for them.

As far as I am aware, Neualtenburg has offered to deal with her IP a few times and she simply hasn't responded. My conclusion therefore, pretty much has to be that she really doesn't want to settle. From what I know of her, she does seem to be having *way* more fun with the current state of affairs, her posts seem to almost revel in the Chaos.