A Modest Proposal

[ffutures]

Something in the chapter I posted yesterday seems to have struck a spark with people; the idea of Sunnydale Conspiracy Theories, emanating from all the people who don't know what was really going on in the town and are (maybe years later) applying the same "tools" to it as real conspiracy theorists apply to the Kennedy Assassination, UFOs, etc. It occurred to me that it might be fun to play with this some more, and set up a community for Sunnydale Conspiracy Theory discussions. I'm thinking of calling it SDale_Conspiracy (if that isn't too long), "the livejournal of alt.conspiracy.sunnydale", with the following or similar as the rationale and ground rules:

Rationale:

SDale_Conspiracy is an alternative forum for users of the alt.conspiracy.sunnydale newsgroup, which is unfortunately spammed heavily and as a result isn't carried by many ISPs. Why they have taken this unusual step to block discussion of the Sunnydale Disaster isn't clear, but it's hoped that, at least in the short term, this community will be a useful alternative.

The purpose of this community is discussion of the destruction of the city of Sunnydale, California, in May 2003, the mysterious and still unexplained evacuation of the town prior to the disaster, and the information that has since come to light on the town's extraordinary record of unsolved murders and Fortean events; the destruction of Sunnydale High School in 1999, the laryngitis epidemic and ritual murders later that year, abnormal weather patterns, spontaneous human combustion, etc. etc.

Since useful information was cross-posted to A.C.S. from some other conspiracy newsgroups it is hoped that users of alt.conspiracy.jasmine, alt.conspiracy.jonathan, alt.conspiracy.la.darkness, alt.conspiracy.wolframandhart, alt.conspiracy.bruknerassassination etc. will also participate.

Ground rules

1. Postings must NOT use any knowledge of the "real" activities of BtVS or Angel characters.
   
2. Posters may not take on the role of any of the principal BtVS or Angel characters; however, posting as someone who wasn't a Scooby but did (for example) take part in the fight against the Mayor is OK. Remember that most Sunnydale residents have long since rationalised away the real facts, so a typical member of the Class of 99 probably has some bizarre memories of a gang fight disrupting the ceremony!
   
3. Posters can only assume such knowledge of characters as might realistically be found on line or half-remembered after Sunnydale was destroyed; for example, Rupert Giles will be on record as a former high school librarian, his academic qualifications will be known, it will be known that he later owned The Magic Box and drove the bus that rescued the last survivors of the disaster. It won't be known that he was/is a Watcher. Willow is known as a passenger on the bus, but her main web presence is her long-forgotten Dougie Houser(?sp) fanfic. Buffy's record for arson, violence, etc. may be known, if people have dug deep, but the "supernatural warrior" side of things won't easily be unearthed. And so forth.
   
4. Postings might include new and exciting conspiracy theories (which could be useful for fanfic), incorporation of other conspiracy theories (is it just a coincidence that Principal Snyder was in Dallas the day Kennedy was assassinated?), new "evidence" that has been unearthed or found in government records etc. (but NOT episode transcripts described as "bugging records" and the like), and so on.
   
5. Fanfic based on this premise is welcome
   
6. Only members of the community can make new posts, but anyone can comment, including anonymous postings.

I think that this could be fun - anyone got any ideas or changes to suggest? Or want to do the hard work of setting up the community?

Comments

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

This? Is awesome.

I would so play an obsessive conspiracy theorist without any connection to Sunnydale.

*dances around*

Other than that, I've got nothing to add. I think your rules are excellent.

[elementalv.livejournal.com]

I like this idea. Probably a little too much.

[the-ped.livejournal.com]

I may not participate much... but I can add another wrinkle to the conspiracy theories being bandied about. The disappearance, and later reappearance of LA Physics Major, Winifred "Fred" Burkle from the library of her University and how it really was the fault of purple scarabs from the tomb of Pharoad Ramses the twelfth that had arrive don cmapus only two days before. ;)

I say go for it, I look forward to seeing it in action.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

If you'd like to post that to the community, it really needs someone other than me to start these things...

[learnedhand-dj.livejournal.com]

In case you care, the show was Doogie Howser, M.D.

I don't usually get into the posting-as-some-fictional-character thing, but this sounds interesting. I might just give it a shot. Thanks for getting the ball rolling on it.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Changed in the community rules.

[4thdixiechick.livejournal.com]

This is such a cool idea!

[basilio-the-cat.livejournal.com]

This is an awesome idea. I may not post much, but I know I'll like it :)