Half alive or half dead, I just can't tell

[wombat_socho]

No, I'm okay, but I dunno about the Deskpro...went home last night resolved to unplug all the peripherals and set it down next to the desk to await gutting in September, but after I cleared off all the papers and crap I had stacked on top of it I decided to power it up and see what happened. Amazingly enough, it booted cleanly, and ninety minutes of timewasting with Luxor ensued. Based on this wild success, I decided to plug the speakers and Ethernet cable back in. This I then did...and after denying a couple of applications access to the Interwebs, it once again went splat. Hmmm. At least Cowzilla has found its way back to the wireless network after a couple weeks' flailing around failing to connect, so it's not like I'm totally without Internet access at home.

A lot of us on AD staff are pretty unhappy at what's happening to jariten at AI. It's a classic example of an innocent bystander getting hurt because he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time trying to do the right thing. phoenixalpha is furious and says she's not going this year, and I'm giving serious thought to staying home myself. Yeah, I already paid for my membership, but I usually spend most of my time down there volunteering, and under the circumstances I don't feel right about doing that. The way I see it, volunteering signifies that you support the convention and its staff, and I can't do that with a clear conscience at Anime Iowa this year because of what's been done to jariten.

Well, I don't need to make a decision on it right away, and neither does Detour - I've suggested to stuckintraffik that we might want to reconsider having a room party down there this year, all things considered, and that we might want to bring this up to the Board for possible action. Even if it's just a short note asking "WTF were you thinking?", I think we ought to take formal notice of this. We've learned a lot from Anime Iowa - maybe it's time we did a little schooling in return.

UPDATE: As it turns out, nothing needs to be done. The whole thing with jariten and AI turns out to be a communications problem, and I'm glad it's been resolved to his satisfaction.

Comments

[tokenfanboy.livejournal.com]

As much as I don't like what has gone on with Evan's problems with AI, we don't know all the facts and it really isn't Anime Detour's business to be inserting itself into another convention's internal disputes. We wouldn't like it if another con did it to us. If you don't want to go or don't want to volunteer for them anymore, that's up to you as an individual.

[wombat-socho.livejournal.com]

Sorry, but I don't agree - when it affects our people (and I do regard jariten as one of our people), I think we have an obligation to speak up and say "This is wrong." Now, maybe the AI concom has good reason to do what they've done in the way that they've done it, but so far it's not passing the smell test.

[tokenfanboy.livejournal.com]

It sounds like Evan is handling it just fine without any outsiders getting involved. Anything that Detour or ATC could say or do would just tick AI off and likely make things worse for Evan.

[wombat-socho.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying we should do anything *now*. AI's not for a couple of months, and I for one am perfectly fine with waiting to see how this plays out. I'm just saying we should consider our options.

[jariten.livejournal.com]

Not sure if I should comment on this... I will first and foremostly say thank you for all the help. As you mentioned before, we have to do lunch/brunch at Convergence^-^.

I have contacted the necessary people to bring this issue to some kind of resolution, and I still have a lot of faith in the con, so there's still a good chance that things will right themselves before the convention. Most of the staff are not stuck in drama like the drama I am experiencing, and I belive that if there are problems in 2006, there's always the chance that those problems will be resolved for 2007. Most cons go through moments like this, and most pull through in one way or another.

Again, thank you!

[wombat-socho.livejournal.com]

We do indeed need to do the lunch/brunch thing at Convergence, and should probably swap e-mail about when.

I hope it all works out for the best between you and Anime Iowa. I've enjoyed working there as a volunteer these last few years and would hate to cross it off my list because somebody on concom went off half-cocked. As for AD/ATC doing anything one way or the other, well, I suspect we'll wait to see how this works out.

[revolutionaryjo.livejournal.com]

Personally, I'm waiting for the outcome before coming to any hasty decisions and I will be at the con this year one way or another as I've already bought my membership, asked for my days off, and have made my travel arrangements.

As for official support, my suggestion is to simply give the existing concom a chance before we take any action. Jumping all over them and pulling support at this point is only going to create a more awkward and tense situation for jariten and everyone else involved. It puts people on the denfensive and makes us look like jerks. If need be, we can discuss it in further detail after AI06 when there may be better information about what's happening and why.

[wombat-socho.livejournal.com]

I haven't made up my mind yet. Like you, I've already requested time off and reserved a room, so I'll probably end up going.

I'm just saying this looks bad and we ought to consider taking action if the AI concom and/or Mindbridge don't. I'm not saying we should pile on right away...by all means, let's wait to see what happens. I don't see how it makes us look like jerks to stand up for our own people when they're getting the slimy end of the stick, though.

[433.livejournal.com]

Huh. I'd love/hate to know what that's about.

[wombat-socho.livejournal.com]

Turns out to be a false alarm caused by poor communications. "Never mind." [/Emily Litella]

[jariten.livejournal.com]

I agree with everyone that it's a good idea to let these things play out (especially since the problem was not the concom, but someone on a power trip with an active imagination. BLEH).

Sorry for the trouble, everyone.

[wombat-socho.livejournal.com]

Not a problem, d00d. If we didn't stand up for our friends when it looked like shit was incoming, WTF good would we be?