Steamlands Consolidation?

From Mr. Mornington's blog (via Mrs. Volare on Twitter):

Hot on the heels of news that Steeltopia may be closing, it seems the massive Victorian community of Antiquity is about to go the way of Atlantis and sink into the depths of that vast Linden Lab blue ocean.

It sounds as though the reasons for each are very different, and I don't care to speculate about any of it. I will say that I'll be sad to see them go - particularly Steeltopia.

A silver lining to this, if it comes to pass, would be an increase in the occupancy rates in the rest of the Steamlands (and, perchance, an increase in the average selling price of land from zero).

Celebrate Automata at the Clockwork Ball

The Primgraph magazine and Emperor Steelcobra Calamari of Steeltopia are hosting an event they have dubbed the Clockwork Ball,* celebrating the upcoming issue of The Primgraph, which will focus on the wonders of automata. (And, one fervently hopes, the fact that these creatures so often turn on their creators.)

In fact, there will be not one but two balls, both held this coming Saturday, April 2: one from 2-4 pm SLT and the other from 7-9 pm SLT. The Primgraph notes that "Prizes will be awarded for the attendees whose appendages and / or apparel most please the eyes of our judges."

Alas, my typist will be out of town this weekend, but I hope to see visual evidence of the event, including any cataclysms should the assembled machinery run amok.

---------------

*Listeners of the Clockwork Cabaret radio show will know that the Davenport sisters hold an occasional Steampunk event dubbed the Clockwork Ball, generally held in or around Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Mixing up the two events could lead to hard feelings somewhere along the line, so I urge caution. However, anyone providing a moving picture record of a performance of the Interpretive Whale Dance at this weekend's event should post the video in a prominent location.