PyrateCon Forum?

[capnwilliam]

Does anyone know what happended at the PyrateCon 2008 Forum? I just registered, tried to post a message, and received a response that "this account has been suspended."

I don't get it: is it me, or them? It wouldn't be the first place I've been thrown out of, but you'd think they'd at least have given me the chance to make trouble first!

So I'm thinking it must be them, not me. (?)

Capt. William

[Rumba Rue]

I have no idea what happened, I can get in there just fine.

Pirate Con forum

[capnwilliam]

Rumba, this appears to be something related, but different: what I was referring to was not a Yahoo group, but the web site's discussion forum: like our Pyracy Pub Forum.

Someone from the PyracyCon told me that they are "restructuring", so I'll have to wait and see how this plays out.

Capt. William

[oderlesseye]

Well makes wunder ifen it is even going to happen next year...

I just tried the link I had saved that worked afew weeks ago

and nothing..The web site no longer exsist.. However I googled it and

this is the new site..pyrate convention 2008

[hurricane]

PyrateCon is definitely on for 2008. How do I know? My mate, Diosa, is on the board and on the phone with the committee right now. Everything is coming into place. It's early still to speak of particulars, but you can plan on heading to New Orleans in 08 for an even better PyrateCon!

-- Hurricane

[capnwilliam]

This is excellent news, Hurricane, and I hope to see you and Diosa (and Red Handed Jill, too) here next year!

Capt. William

[Diosa De Cancion]

Yes Capn William, we shall be there! Our whole crewe is already planning on it! We also are going to try to have two tracks of exhibits,speeches,etc.... one for the more fantasy and hollywood pyrate types and the other for Those who are looking more for the historical info. Since the theme is Port Royal Related we thought there should be a lot of historical offerings, I will have to see if Kass is available for some costuming sessions :)

[TheBlackFox]

Be careful in your expectations. . . that's all I'm sayin'.

[hurricane]

Be careful in your expectations. . . that's all I'm sayin'.

I've been to countless first years of events over the last 25 years and this was one of the most well run one I've been to. Every event has its kinks in the first few years and PyrateCon was no exception. But everyone has learned a lot and are using that knowledge to go forward, not backwards.

I'm sure some of those who were there would like to piddle all over every little thing that went wrong. But that's the beauty (and horror) or live events. It's like a Broadway show. Once the curtain goes up you just keep going. And the event was terrific. Only sorry more of the familiar faces weren't there to see.

Hey, weren't you near the entrance by the always packed speaker's room? You must have done well. So what's the problem?

-- Hurricane

[capnwilliam]

Yes Capn William, we shall be there! Our whole crewe is already planning on it! We also are going to try to have two tracks of exhibits,speeches,etc.... one for the more fantasy and hollywood pyrate types and the other for Those who are looking more for the historical info. Since the theme is Port Royal Related we thought there should be a lot of historical offerings, I will have to see if Kass is available for some costuming sessions :)

Mark me down for the historical track!

Capt. William

[TheBlackFox]

Remember, all I said is to ]Be careful in your expectations. -- Hurricane opened the door for conversation.

As to the actual event, one of many I've been to in three decades of nautical/maritime events, . . . . there were so many speaker rooms (according to what was promised) . . . our booth was in the vey small, overflow vendor's room even though my full payment for space was made months prior to the event (A vendor or two got FREE space. . . you vendors please discuss this among yourselves as to how fair that is). As to being in front of A (not THE) speaker's room . . . the first day had 8 folks waiting for a speaker who never showed. Down from the 8th floor to the first, past the lobby, through the actual restaurant and by the paper sign that said "more venders (note spelling) this way" we finally got word to pass on that the scheduled speaker was hungover and was found asleep. The next speaker was still on the schedule but had cancelled some weeks before due to other commitments (POTC makeup guy).

Was the room ever filled with pyrates? YES! When Cindy Vallar and the Pirate Guys (plus Mad Molly) were there, indeed it was filled. Not so with other speakers.

We literally counted 350 folks past our booth all weekend and most of those were "repeat" passing folk. Sad that even the staff of the event did not know that there were vendors and a speaker's room on another floor. . .albeit 7 floors down and hidden in the back of the hotel.

But I'm not bitter. . . We'll be back next year. . .as long as ISP is not involved, which I hope happens before 2008.

ISP promised far too many things that came up short (feel free to ask the managers of various pubs on Bourbon Street and surrounding area as I have investigated. . . who've not been paid. . . . ask next year's hotel if they have had any deposit made for the convention. . .) Ask Margaritaville about check problems and promises still not kept to The Funky Pirate. What happened to the Sponsor's banners and WHY was the program to the convention actually xerox copies of the first few pages of the Spring issue of The Pyrates Way, yet we were slammed by the ISP after many (and I repeat MANY) broken promises and expectations. I guess it was our bad to trust ISP. . .it won't happen. . . ever again.

Do some research before you back an organization is all I'm saying. IPS has taught me not to trust anyone who has never met you but insists that they're your friend and is out for your best interest.

I love the idea of PyrateCon. . . and in the correct and capable hands, it shall be an event of epic pyrate style! I'd really love to be proved wrong by my opinions and observations. Please prove to me that I'm wrong. PLEASE!

Ask ISP for a 503 form as a non-profit. . . or just research non-profits in Louisiana for 2006-2008. . . PLEASE!

I so LOVED the PyrateCon idea. . . but it needs a real leader and an experienced group that have put conventions together in the past.

I can't wait for PyrateCon 2008 in New Orleans under entirely new and capable managment. . . HUZZZAHHHHHH!

[Diosa De Cancion]

Hmm....

Maybe you were not around at your booth for part of the weekend, but when Michael Lampe did his presentation on Hollywood pirates, there was a full speaker room, we followed him with Hurricane's Port Royal presentation and had a full room(with many different people) as did many other speakers. Members of our crewe were attending many of the sessions and were not the only folks sitting in the room...there were others as well.

As for people not knowing where you all were, my crewe (which were not a part of the organization of the event this year) volunteered to make our way about the hotel and tell people where things were. when people showed up in the lobby we sent them to both vendor rooms. I also made hourly announcements upstairs(while standing on a chair in the bigger vendor room) letting people know what sessions were coming up and where they were. I know there is no way for you to have known that being downstairs, but I thought you should know, we were sending people down there... that doesn't mean they stopped at your booth, but they were sent that way.

You were in front of THE speakers room. there was no other speakers room this year, and every speakers event was in that room. there was pretty much one every hour (one of the flaws we noticed is that they were not set up with 10 minute breaks so we had to set up really really fast to do our presentation)

I don't know how many first year events you have been to, but I think there was a job very well done for a first year event being put together by a handful of people. a lot of crap doesn't work the first time around. But the people I talked to that attended seemed to enjoy it, and sure there are PLENTY of things that could be improved on, but it's all about living and learning. if you expected to make a killing at a first year event, you should know better. 1st year events are networking opportunities and a chance to get a feel for a location and what may happen.

I suppose we won't be seeing your next year. ISP is in fact doing it. While they had a small staff for this year, they used Pyrate Con 2007 to recruit people to have a larger staff(and therefore more people to keep things from falling through the cracks) for next year.

Diosa

[hurricane]

To TheBlackFox:

Wow! Were we at the same event?

ISP is running the event again. Just like last year. Not sure why this is in question or what you mean by new management. Everything is just as it was, with the addition of some new blood who are enthusiastic about the event and its potential.

My simple advice as a vendor/performer/participant/speaker there: If you didn't have a good time, didn't make the sales you thought and believed it was a waste of time, don't go next year. That's just basic business sense. Some events are worth your time as a business, some aren't.

But please stop poisoning others by pointing fingers because your sales may not have been what you wanted them to be. Perhaps the issue goes deeper than where you were located. I don't remember you marketing your product at all anywhere during the festival, unlike the other two pirate publications that were there and all the other vendors who attended that I came across.

I know that many vendors did quite well at the Con and are looking forward to returning. I think all the attendees had a great time at the event.

It's still almost a year away from PyrateCon 2008. Typically, nothing is confirmed at this point for anything of events of this size. I know, because I've been doing sponsored events for more than 20 years now (professionally, for large corporations, in the real world). I'm very well versed in how these events come together and play out. I think everyone should just chill out for now while the management folks figure out the game plan, based on the input of participants and lessons learned.

I find it terribly unprofessional for you to rant and rage when you don't offer any positive input on the event. Seems like a lot of sour grapes to me.

-- Hurricane

[bigepirate]

Hey ya bilge rats!

Big E. here, formally E. the Bosun, co-originator of The International Pirate Society and Pyratecon.

I wanted to give you all an update on the Pyratecon Forum.

Seems some real piracy has been going on and www.pyratecon.com is at this time under the control of those NOT with the IPS.

So, in turn DO NOT go to www.pyratecon.com until we give the okay to do so.

in the mean time the forums are in the process of being put back up at

http://www.carpemagicus.com/pyratecon/

This is our temporary shelter till we get out ship (site) back from the scoundrels that took it.

If you have any other questions I will be checking back often here or you can email me at e.the.pirate@gmail.com

Yarrrrrr,

Big E.

[bigepirate]

International Pirate Society

P.O. Box 281

Mount Hermon, LA, 70450

Desk of the Secretary

May 31, 2007

RE – A report of the investigation of the actions of a member of the Board of Directors and said members’ assistant.

ATTENTION ALL!

Let it be known that the Officers and key members of the Board of Directors of the International Pirates Society (hereafter known as IPS) have investigated the actions of one Andre Vreise (currently acting as Director of West Coast Affairs) and one Mitchael Toles (currently acting as Assistant to the Director of West Coast Affairs).

It was brought to the attention of the Board that the above mentioned Director approached Rudy Arceo (President, IPS) during a phone conversation and insinuated that, due to Mr. Arceo’s quote “diabetes, stress level and extenuating financial issues”, control of the organization (IPS) and the event (PyrateCon) should be given to him and his assistant (also mentioned above). On refusal of said insinuation, Mr. Vreise then told Mr. Arceo that, he would withhold the identity and funds of his unspecified and unverifiable sponsors, vendors and various ‘connections’. He further insinuated that this would thus lead to the “undoing” of the event.

Cont.....

[Iron Bess]

(BUMP)

At the request of a fellow Pirate I am adding the Post below for him:

************************************************************

Hello everyone,

I would first like to state at this time I am resigning my position effective immediately with the International Pirate Society and/or Pyrate Con as head of security/Master Gunner.

I would also like to apologize immensely to all parties involved in the case of slander via certain internet forums and I not having hearing both sides of the situation of the Pyrate Con website and other related materials before making my decision of posting what I did in both the piracy pub and keep to the code forums and would like for it be known that I acted unjustly under the pretenses of protection of a friend.

Please forward this to all parties that I do not have an email for effected by my actions and feel free to contact me at 309-703-0066 if any of you have any questions.

Again I offer my most sincere apologies to you all,

Robert L. McDorman

formally E. the Bosun of The Bilge Pumps

Big E.

[Iron Bess]

BUMP!

[Graydog]

This post deleted by me.

Yarr.

[Rumba Rue]

Uh, I'm the one that posted it there. Was going to do it here, but for reasons I don't want to go into, I didn't. (I didn't need to start another war here)

Rumba

[TheBlackFox]

I believe that the new PyrateCon folks are settling in still, so there's still dust in the air. I'd wait to see some concrete information from them before discussing it. Speculation and rumour seem to hurt more than they help. . . please stand by!

[Graydog]

Based on Rumba's post, I pulled my post in support of her reasoning.

Well, of course I mean the post two up that says deleted, that is.. This har post is posted. Hopefully not post dated and certainly not in the Saturday Evening Post. I think mayhaps I should just shut-up sit down and eat my postoastees

Post haste.