The Miningco Saga
| Event | |
|---|---|
| Event: | The Miningco Saga |
| Participants: | |
| Date(s): | 1999 |
| Type: | |
| Fandom: | X-Files, Anne Rice, others? |
| URL: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Miningco Saga was a series of emails between a webmaster and a noromo fan.
"The Miningco Saga" was titled as such by Brianna, the website owner of Noromo Values. It is an example of a shipping war (or, this case, a lack of it) activity and the intense emotions it generated. It is also a example of probably how not to state one's case, and then later post it on the internet.
The entire exchange was posted at the site Noromo Values.
The link is here, Archived version.
Anne Rice Component
A related event is mentioned at What happened to the Mining Co? at alt.books.anne-rice] in June 1999.
Also see The Anne RIce MiningCo Site
The "Reenactment"
The Miningco Saga: Once upon a time, I was surfing around, feeling slightly creative. I was checking out Miningco's X-Files site when I realized that they had a page of Shipper links, but no Noromo links! (Actually, they did have LOON tucked away in Clubs or Humour or something, but that hardly covers it!) So I sent the site's webmaster, David Swinney, an email asking why. Long story short...he apologised for the oversight, and thanks to NV, Miningco now has Noromo links.Why is this relevant? This incident was actually the inspiration for my whole "Being a Noromo" section. It co-incided with the Bee Squad's announcement that they would try to run some kind of Noromo Awareness campaign or something. I posted a message on their message board, saying what I had done, and promising updates. It received support from Noromos who said they would do the same. The "Being a Noromo" section I now run makes that just a bit easier, putting all the relevant URLs, email addresses and letters in roughly the same place.
Now please enjoy a re-enactment of my email session with my good bud, David Swinney.
From: "SWDM" ([email protected]) To: ([email protected]) Subject: A request Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1999 19:38:41 +1000
David;
This is an appeal. This is an appeal from me, on behalf of *many*, and it is in your best interest to listen to us.
I understand you control almost all of the Mining Co's X-Files section. You have a comprehensive set of links, even going as far as a section for "'Shippers".
If you are going to do this, have a section for a group of like-minded fans' pages, it is only logical that you do the same for the opposite.
ie., WHERE ARE THE NOROMO PAGES?????!!
This serves as another example of the discrimination Noromos face in their lives every day. People around the world and in the press *especially*, act as if "Shippers" are the only fan force accountable for online. This is so clearly not true! Not only does it continue a misconception, it discourages Noromos from pursuing their logical thinking; no one likes to be the lone voice in a crowd. If only they knew that they were one among many.
So - please make room in your site for noromos. Not to mention the other splinter groups - Shippers, Skippers, Fencers, Finishippers... if you can't accomodate all them, at *least* do a "anti-shipper" section and group us all together. Any recognition is better than none!
Ah, you might say, Noromo links are all well and fine, but there isn't enough to warrant a section of them. Sorry mate but that's no longer a viable excuse: there are plenty of great sites around that deserve recognition. The pioneers - the NOROMO Love Page and DAWGToons; the clubs - the Bee Squad and LOON; the fanficcers - MORSOR and Acacia; not to mention the actual sites - MASHEO and myself, Noromo Values, for starters.
So: please start accomodating for us Noromos. You have listed 10 "Shipper" sites - off the top of my head, I have just listed 8 Noromo sites. I'm sure there are many more that deserve recognition (after all, who's the one getting *paid* to do this around here, hmmm?) and as a premiere guide to the Web, it is your responsobility to do something about this. If an entire section is not a possibility - at least give us a reason why not. Lump us in with someone else. Let us take over the main page. Whatever - just GIVE US THE SPACE WE DESERVE!!
Platonically yours,
Brianna
[I don't have their express permission but I'm sure I speak on behalf of all Noromos here :) ]
I don't know how obvious it is, but I have a real problem with this guy. I mean, he is like the only person in the whole damn world who gets paid to run a X-Files fan site! And he does such a piss-weak job of it! I mean, not piss weak, but hello, he could spend all damn day surfing the Web and call it research! He does very little to accommodate viewers outside of the US, which is another thing that's bound to piss me off. But HELLO. How many other X-Philes around the world are there that do a better job than him at an X-Files site, and for free??? Imagine what they'd do if *they* got paid to! And he has a really wimpy lookin' face. Go on, take a look. There's a picture of him on their site. And he's so ...genial, nice all the damn time. No sense of humour! Take a look at his reply and see!!
BTW, David + defamation lawyers, if you're reading this...love your work. Really. :)
Date: Wed, 07 Apr 1999 22:59:43 -0500 To: "SWDM" ([email protected]) From: David Swinney ([email protected]) Subject: Re: A request
At 07:38 PM 4/6/99 +1000, you wrote: >David; > >This is an appeal. This is an appeal from me, on >behalf of *many*, and it is in your best interest >to listen to us.
Brianna,
This is a very reasonable request (except for the implied threat above) made very effectively and I intend to rectify the problem on my site. It may take me several days (or even up to a week or two), but I promise you it will be done.
The absence of an organized list of "NOROMO" sites should not have been interpreted as indicative of my views on the subject. As it happens, I fall into your camp.
It was an oversight (a major one, but an oversight nonetheless) that I will correct.
David
Implied threat, pfft. Yeah mate, you should be scared! When your door gets battered in one dark, lonely night and you're bashed to the brink of death and left with nothing but a root beer and a hive of angry bees, then you should be concerned about the Noromo "threat"!
What kind of person takes emails seriously?! I've never taken an electronic threat seriously in my life. Couldn't he see that it was just for effect!!I replied just once more to clarify things.
From: "SWDM" To: "David Swinney" Subject: Re: A request Date: Thu, 8 Apr 1999 16:06:45 +1000
Thankyou. I look forward to the Noromo sites. As for the implied threats, you needn't worry about me (or anyone else :) firebombing you. We're largely harmless.
Platonically yours
Brianna
That would be the end of it, right? Noromo links go up, no one's kiddies get burned at the stake (I told you I was kidding, David!), everyone's happy. But nooooo....over a week later since my original email, there are still no Noromo links! Gee, what does this guy do with his time?! If he works hours like the rest of us - up to 9 per day - he could easily spend half an hour doing these links! I for one was starting to feel fed up. But then David had this to say...
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 21:54:32 -0500 To: "SWDM" From: David Swinney Subject: Re: A request
At 04:06 PM 4/8/99 +1000, you wrote: >Thankyou. I look forward to the Noromo sites. As >for the implied threats, you needn't worry about >me (or anyone else :) firebombing you. We're >largely harmless.
Brianna,
Just to let you know that I wasn't snowing you, I'm behind schedule (already!) on my pledge because of family doings that are taking more of my time than I anticipated.
It will get done. :-)
David
Family doings! Hah! Notice how he tries to weasel out of it?! And using his family to play a sympathy card! Really, he oughta be ashamed of himself...
End of reenactment. Now grab yerself an email addie from the Blacklisted page, a letter from the Generic Letters page and do some Noromo supportin' of your own!