This Week’s Reading Material….

William Bartram, 1739-1823 Travels Through North & South Carolina, Georgia, East & West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws; Containing An Account of the Soil and Natural Productions of Those Regions, Together with Observations on the Manners of the Indians. Embellished with Copper-Plates.

Yes, that's really the title.

Yes, it's project-related.

Yes, this also connects to yesterday's trip to the Peabody Essex Museum.

No, I'm not going to tell you any more than that.

Originally published at Writer. Editor. Tired Person.

DragonCon Controversy Update

A while back, there was (another) move to boycott DragonCon, and drive it to bankruptcy, because of the (not defended by anyone here) actions of one of the founding owners, Ed Kramer.

At the time, several of us discussed why such a boycott would a) not harm Ed and b) do massive harm to many other people, including the city of Atlanta.

We also commented on the fact that the Board of Directors had not been "protecting" Kramer, but had in fact banned him from the convention, and were working to oust him in a legally defensible and legitimate manner (that would not open them to damaging countersuits or bankruptcy).

A statement has been released this week, saying the following:

The Board of Directors and Shareholders of Dragon Con / ACE, Inc., producer of Dragon*Con, Atlanta’s internationally known pop culture, fantasy and sci-fi convention, have agreed to merge the company into Dragon Con, Inc. (Dragon Con) in a cash-out merger. Led by Pat Henry, David Cody and Robert Dennis, ownership of Dragon Con includes five of the six founding owners of Dragon Con / ACE (the old Dragon Con). The effective date of the merger is July 8, 2013.

Edward Kramer, who has not had any role in managing or organizing the convention since 2000, was offered cash for his shares in the old company. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “This decision only affects the ownership of the old Dragon Con,” said Pat Henry, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dragon Con. “Our members and others who attend Dragon*Con 2013 will experience the same fantastic convention they have come to expect from us.”

(via Bleeding Cool)


Did the threat of a boycott help force Kramer to accept a buyout?  I don't know, and neither do you.  But all the pressure in the world had to be built around a legal solution that Kramer was willing to accept, and that takes time and negotiation, not just outrage.

(this is the world we live in, which is BETTER for our legal agreements and contracts being protected, not worse.)

I am, needless, to say but I will anyway, relieved, and very much looking forward to attending DragonCon this year, and for many years in the future.