JasonZavoda wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:
Good to make a record. My feeling is that her comments are going to disappear or be altered down the road. To me Gary Gygax's memorial is his work. He is honored whenever some DM scrawls away at a scenario or runs a game or whenever and whereever players are slinging dice and having fun. What has she done except take away from his work, discourage designers and DM's and players, stamp on conventions and go after his children when they try to continue what their father started.

My impression is that Gail and Co. is approaching this as SERIOUS BUSINESS and gaming (and EGG) as a memorial, frozen in time. RPGs in general and D&D in particular are about creation, fun and comraderie.  I didn't know the man, was he all excited about getting a statue? Or forming a learning organization based on RPGs? Or having all his works taken out of print to "protect" them?  Doesn't seem like it to me. I'm hoping as time goes on Gail gets less and less support from "true" gamers and is marginalized in the communitry for her dubious approach to honoring the man.

Mike B.

I don't mind commenting because Gail has already threatened to sue me, and to call the cops and have them arrest me for various criminal actions that exist only in her mind. No, we the Accused (I'm far from alone here) don't have to prove our innocence; we just ignore her. Total number of legal actions, civil & criminal, against the many Accused in the 5 1/2 years since Gary passed: zero. Total number of complaints (to police) found valid: zero.

Lacking any semblance of good legal advice, Gail has wandered into Libel. This may bite her hard; we'll see.

On Facebook, Gail wrote: I have written to Luke Gygax and GaryCon requesting GaryCon remove the section "The Gary Gygax Statue". I find this most offensive as GaryCon has not contributed one single penny to the monument.  The GMF wants no affiliation or appearance of affiliation with this group.

I can understand a potential confusion for donors/attendees.

On Facebook, Gail wrote:The GMF wants no affiliation it believes has taken money of the pretense of a donation for the monument. Due to my research and from speaking with attendees, I am asking them to remove this link.

Highly unwise to publicly post an accusation of criminal action, with no proof whatsoever, and no legal action.

On Facebook, Gail wrote:Mark, have them explain why not a single penny has been given to Gary's statue. Also how they took a non-profit corp the first two years and made it a for profit. I believe this was done with the attendees money.

Answer to #1: Because GaryCon management doesn't support a statue, instead choosing to actively support gaming in Gary's name. Answer to #2: Why is it your business how another separate organization/corporation, one that you refuse to deal with anyhow, handles its corporate structuring? As to the veiled accusation that GC illegally solicited moneys for non-profit and then used them for other means, again that's accusations of illegality without any proof.

On Facebook, Gail wrote:One attendee thought the con was still a non profit. Surprise.

Heh. Reminds me of various ground-level rightwing or leftwing political quotes getting attributed to the national parties (or the President personally). No source, no real statement except "I might have heard that somebody might have said that it's possible that..."

On Facebook, Gail wrote:Luke denied ever receiving the check.

So since cashed checks are entirely traceable, who's correct, Luke or Gail? No legal or criminal claims have been filed. So that's a Nobrainer, it would seem.

On Facebook, Gail wrote:Elise/bill Gygax bid $750.00 on a shirt I donated to the GMF. When the room cleared they refused to pay. Luke then offered me $400.

If Elise and Bill bid in bad faith, there are actions that can be taken (like no further bidding without cash deposit). But once again, allegations without proof.

On Facebook, Gail wrote:Quite honestly, Mark, you never thought a portion or some kind of money was going to the statue? Really?

Yeah, really. The world does not revolve around building a statue. GaryCon has no connection with building a statue. A helluva lot of gamers who honor Gary think very poorly of a statue.

On Facebook, Gail wrote:Also how do you explain the death threat to me by one of their attendees, Luke's military buddy.

Yet another allegation of criminal activity with no proof. I know at least 6 of Luke's military friends who attend (that IS his career, y'know); complete fog-cloud.

On Facebook, Gail wrote:It's hard to believe they could treat their fathers memory in such a way. Really not a single penny from the con. WOW. That's fantastical. Contract or none - they have not given a penny. None of them.

At least 50-100 of the attendees (or more) have donated (separately) to the memorial -- I know *I* have -- so 'they' appears to refer to con management or the con itself. So they don't like static, expensive statues. They do have a Gary Shrine (with books, dice, etc), a Virtual Front Porch, and near-constant tributes to Gary and his creations for 3 days. Yeah, it's hard to believe 'they' could treat their fathers [sic] memory in such a way... by doing what he loved, and wanted other people to do. Since it doesn't involve funneling money to Gail, it's a Bad Thing, right?

Fantastical? "You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means."

These slimy allegations of criminality without proof... well, that's libel, and will either be acted upon (by those illegally accused) or will be ignored. We'll see. Problem is, legal action against Gail would hurt Alex, and he's family blood, and the rest of the family doesn't want to do that.

Badmike wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:all relevant posts regarding this issue (including the above) have been taken down off her FB page..

Well no, they're still there; mostly as comments after a less incendiary post.

fwiw, they're followed now by 2 posts from Jim Kitchen (a goodguy gamer I met during the last year):

Jim Kitchen first wrote:"Gail, I think it would serve you well not to discuss or debate these things in a public forum.
"Your concerns and your caution shouldn't veer into territory that might be legally actionable by others. I wouldn't discuss your thoughts regarding the actions of others.
"You are the custodian of legacy of someone who is very dear in the hearts of a lot of people. The sheer volume of people who have a real or imagined stake in your efforts is immense. I don't envy you.
"So far the majority of your public efforts have been towards the statue and all of us are glad to see it come to pass. After it's complete I look forward to your next steps to preserving and expanding your late husbands work.

Jim Kitchen then wrote:"Asking Luke to remove a link to the website that you run and operate in the memory of his father seems short sighted to me. Gary was Luke's father. His having a link to the website does no more damage to your or your cause than any one of the other privately run blogs or websites that might link to you. (And honestly there might be a lot worse out there than the Garycon page.) All the website does is providing a conduit to your page to make donations.
"My understanding of Garycon is that it began as a gathering for people who want to game and remember Gary. The convention was established before you began to move forward with the Memorial Foundation to the best of my recollection. Here's the original website page from 2009:" [redacted]
"I think any discussions you have with Luke about this should be done privately. In so many ways this is a family matter, not a public matter. Both you and Luke have an intimate connection to Gary that no one reading this outside of Gary's immediate family possesses.
"My concern is that in attempting to do what you think is right you may be burning a bridge with the very community whom you wish to support your efforts with the Foundation. A trial of public opinion can sometimes have a very harsh jury and the sentences are almost always against both parties.

(underline mine)

benjoshua wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:I believe it was Randy Pausch who gave wise advice when he stated something like, "you shouldn't get in a pissing contest."

It looks as though she wants someone to pay her off to go away, like a bum who follows you down the street until you give him your loose change. Something very similar has been happening with Archie Comics. So similar that it seems likely she's been advised to be obnoxious by a lawyer who knows all the dirty tricks.

benjoshua wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:I just came from seeing The Desolation of Smaug, and I recommend it overall.  It is certainly better than the first installment, but not by a wide margin.  The series continues to take significant liberties with the plot, both by adding in stuff that didn't take place in the book as well as leaving out some favorite memories.  There were so many changes, it was a bit distracting.  One thing I recommend is that you see the film in IMAX.  With all the other 3D movies I have ever been to, the 3D quality was simply too poor to make the viewing enjoyable.  However, the 3D IMAX experience left me thinking wow over and over again.   The movie left me looking forward to the last film in the series.

Finally, it pleases me greatly to see fantasy done with high quality.  While the purists among us will moan, groan, and bemoan what could have been, the bottom line is that I believe movies like this will lead to more people hungering for quality fantasy.  And it's even possible that movies like these will revive and perhaps increase some interest in role-playing.  We'll see.   8)

If you did not like the first film, do not see the second film.  If you want the plot to slavishly follow Tolkien's book, do NOT see this film.  

If you can trick your mind into forgetting you ever read Tolkien or The Hobbit you would probably like this film, much like Arnie's "Conan" is a great fantasy flick if you have never actually read a Howard story.

You have been warned....If I tell you the local burger place is serving salmonella burgers and you still go down for a bite, do NOT think I am going to feel sorry for you afterwards!  I will instead mock you.

Mike B.

let's see Jason, stalin, hitler, mao, pol pot, peter jackson. does that sound about right for the hierarchy of crimes against humanity? or did you have someone else in mind for 5th place?

stratochamp wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:let's see Jason, stalin, hitler, mao, pol pot, peter jackson. does that sound about right for the hierarchy of crimes against humanity? or did you have someone else in mind for 5th place?

Uncle Joe and Grandpa Mao, no I put Peter Jackson in at least the top 3

stratochamp wrote in Random Thoughts or OT Chit-Chat Thread:just so there is no confusion, my list was 1) stalin 2) hitler 3) mao 4) pol pot. i was not ranking jason #1.

Is this the same Jason that offered to prove to me he isnt Jewish?

Cheers,
karen

Sorry, British (and possibly generally European) saying.

He offered to show me he wasn't circumcised.

Cheers,
karen