So, as I'm sure very few of you noticed, I've been a bit scarce lately. We moved and, having moved my operations into a smaller space, I'm trapped by my inventory and still haven't been able to set up my usual desk space. Working off a laptop for two months is a bit awkward for a desk junkie. In my absence, Oolong capably took care of ops for about a month and The Debutante covered the ed log for August. And, if I do note that my absence was barely noticed, I'm actually pleased that that is the case since it confirms what everyone but me has already been thinking: this place would do just fine without me. Which is kind of the goal of all the staff structure shenanigans.

Staff changes

The illustrious grundoon, everyone's favourite choice to succeed me should I be arrested and jailed for moose-humping in Canada or something, has stepped down as my designated deputy and returns to her previous spot on the staff roster. I greatly appreciate her support and willingness to be put on the spot on short to no notice. She will be replaced by wertperch, who needs no introductions but does require a whole lot of beer. Although this appointment completes the British Invasion of E2, the plot to make the site shut down for tea at four o'clock every day has been firmly thwarted.

During my absence Swap managed to escape from the E2 coding cloister. He was last seen headed out of town at a good clip in the direction of the fleshpots of Real Life. YOU'LL BE BACK! Until then, we will miss his extraordinary energy in the engine room.

The Decaversary

OK, so the name might or might not stick. Albert Herring quite rightly points out that it's a decennial but that's, like, a real word, man.

With the 13th of November approaching faster than we'd like it to, I would like to invite everyone to reflect a bit upon the significance of that date. I'm normally not given to marking anniversaries and such but the tenth anniversary of the first Everything to Everything2 import is cause for both celebration and introspection (both of which noders are very good at). Perhaps we will continue to do what we're doing now before and after that date but the event places E2 in a very unusual and (shall I say it?) elite class of web entities that have spent ten years with the same owners and with this sort of continuity in their character and presence.

(Update) I initially said that we currently do not have anything planned in a physical location but I've since been told that the britnoders and tentative are a step ahead of me and are scheming on their respective continents. As far as North America goes, the CotC5 nodermeet is only weeks away from the date so it might double as a birthday party. On the other hand, if enough people show interest (via /msg to yours truly), my noder consort and I are very willing to set up something at our place in Indiana on the weekend of (Friday) the 13th and complete the puzzle for a second globalmeet like the one that we had in '07. We can comfortably accommodate (and feed, and ply with liquor) as many as show up.

It's fallen to me to coordinate events to mark the decaversary. As a coordinator, I don't approve or reject suggestions but rather provide an opinion on their viability, make sure that the initiatives don't clash or duplicate each other, and see to it that related projects benefit from each other's experience and data. A number of people are already working to create content for the event. You may be tapped on the shoulder by one or more of them. Jet-Poop took the lead by asking for art and other creative works for his Ten-Year Anniversary Contest for Fun and Awesomeness. If just the 16 people who liked the idea enough to cool the writeup put their money where their C! is (HINT!), I predict a resounding success.

Several staff members are prowling the nodegel with more ideas but this is very much something that I'd like maximum participation in and I'll entertain ideas and contributions from any noder who wants to take the initiative. The following statement is here so that people can hold me to it: I pledge as much of my personal time and button-power as is needed in support of decaversary projects. There's not much that's technically not doable so you might be surprised at the things we can say yes to.

E2 Secret Santa

I haven't seen anyone volunteer to organise this year's E2SS yet. Usually we have someone by early September. Don't make me do it unless you want your gifts sent to Bucharest and your luggage to Singapore.




Researchers found women will typically spill the beans to at least one other person in 47 hours and 15 minutes, reports the Daily Telegraph.

Depending on who the gossip is about, their boyfriend, husband, best friend or mother are the most likely to be the first person they tell.

The study of 3,000 women, aged between 18 and 65, also found that four out of ten admitted they were unable to keep a secret - no matter how personal or confidential.