Octocon 2009

[natural20]

So, earlier this week I was trying to figure out how much of Octocon 2009 I could make, considering work interruptions. Today I found out that that committee have suddenly decided to ban slovobooks without discussion or warning, due to some alleged bad behaviour on his part two years ago and more recently towards the convention online

Comments

[bellinghman]

It's a shame. And it's a shame because in all I've seen, slovobooks has only ever been trying to do his best by Irish fandom. He's been raising concerns over the ability of the committee to run a half-way decent convention. Sadly, rather than address those concerns, they've decided to follow the Stalinist model instead and ban all criticism.

Well, that's sad for two reasons. One, that they're refusing admission to someone passionate about Irish fandom. And two, because this is an admission that they can't see any way of answering his criticisms, and thus we must assume that Octocon isn't going to be getting any better any time soon.

[meehaneo]

I thought the Irish con world had grown up a bit, but I was obviously wrong.

The phrase "F.F.S." springs to mind ...

[the0lady]

In pretty much completely unrelated but tangential due to personal issues of mine and some deep seated paranoia, I think I'm going to come to DiscCon next year. As in, properly, for the whole 3 days and everything, not illicitly, crashing in your room on the quiet. =)

[the0lady]

Need to add "news" to that sentence somewhere. Got lost in sub-clause land.

[natural20]

I think I assumed it or something. And cool. It's a whole four days, really :), but still, very cool.

[the0lady]

*panic* Four days? What, the whole of Friday, too? I'm gonna have to get back to you on that.

Regardless of whether I brave the whole thing or sneak in on Saturday morning and run away crying by lunchtime; thought you'd like to know that you are largely personally responsible for this bit of emotional risk-taking. Equal credit with Gideon and Jack Cohen, as it happens. *g*

[dorianegray]

::sigh:: You do not randomly tell a person, "we didn't like your behaviour at X time in the past, so we're now banning you." You tell that person at the time "we think that's out of order", so that they may know of and learn from their mistakes. (Or not, of course, but give the person a chance!)

I've had this done to me. It is horrible behaviour from the con committee. It is good to hear that someone who has been so shat upon is being stood by.

[slovobooks]

I have to say at this point, and before I've got to read my mail this evening, wherein the answer may lie, I have no idea what 'incident' in 2007 is being referred to here. I was told I was being banned for behaviour at a previous con, without being told anything further, neither a year nor a specific incident, so I'm currently completely in the dark about this. Bearing in mind that I was singled out for thanks by the then chair at the closing ceremony last year, who also willingly took my membership money from me for this year, I am more than a little keen to find out what henious incident they have collectively remembered. I'll be posting the mail I got on my LJ shortly, so you can all make up your own minds.

Brian, I thank you for your support, and I have always valued both your friendship and your good advice. We're to meet soon for dinner, so we'll no doubt get to talk about it all then, if not before!

[bellinghwoman]

I wonder if the 'incident' in 2007 that they are referring to is your suggestion about trying for another Irish Eurocon; what you were suggesting and the reaction of some of the people there to it was somewhat misreported to Ansible by one of the current Octocon committee.