Lonsdale Dies, The Emerald City arises

The last month or so has seen an amazing thing happen in SL. Lonsdale, the largest so-called "punk" community, bit the dust. It seems that the owner of the sim, Kalik Stork, did not only have a passion for his alleged "punk" ethos, but also of the real-life possession and distribution of child pornography, for which he has been charged on over 20 counts. Good riddance, Lonsdale, good riddance, Kalik.

I, personally, came to detest Lonsdale long before it's demise. It had become a haven of Hot Topic "punks," whose narrow-minded views and cliquish behaviors had made a once nice place to visit into a high school of people who never aged beyond mopey, dopey high school children. Not all of them, mind you, but enough that a person always felt they were being judged on whether they were "punk" enough to exist there. Stupidity reigned supreme.

Now, one specific and notable exception to the rule was the manager of Lonsdale, Ruby Scissor. I admit my bias for Ruby because she also happens to be my very closest SL friend. What many of you do not know is that Ruby and I had both plotted and dreampt of the say Lonsdale would pass away. Kalik's personal lack of humanity allowed us to fulfill what seemed to be a fantasy: the creation of a community- not a "punk" community. And a club.

Two other people helped bring that dream to bear: Ingo Rosenberg and McCabe Maxstead. Ruby, Ingo, and MC all chipped in with the design and general contruction, with the fabulously selfless and wonderful Pushbutton Skolnick providing most of the major contruction.

These are people you should know. If not know, then know what they did. Ingo designed the general layout of The Emerald City. McCabe built, textured, and lent all sorts of support to Ruby. Ruby oversaw it all as well building Oz with help from MC and Ingo. And they all worked together selflessly and tirelessly to build a beautiful, comfortable sim out of the ashes of one of the ugliest sims in all of SL, Lonsdale.

Special mention should go to Lily Tripp, owner of the Big Star sim, who is not only happily one of my very best friends, but worked with Ruby to secure a future for The Emerald City. That girl has a real heart, she does.

There are others left out, and for that, I apologize. You know who you are, and I am sorry my memory fails me. There are also many of you who donated thousands and thousands of Linden to aide the project along. Thank you.