Editing Convergence Bid Template

==Introduction<ref>With thanks & apologies to [[Twilight]] for the way that I shamelessly
plagiarized her C5 New Orleans Bid.</ref>==
Shrouded in river mist, softly lit with gas lanterns, haunted by investment kings and rodeo queens -  Omaha is a perfect city in which to hold our yearly Gothic gathering!  [[Axel]], [[Peter H. Coffin]], [[Eilis]], [[Siobhan]], [[Moonglow Minnow]] and the cast of characters comprising the alt.gothic usenet group offer you their proposal for a Convergence in the city that care forgot.

==The Plan==
Breaking with the tradition of Convergences past, C15 in Omaha would be held during the end of Summer, avoiding the infamous heat and humidity of summer in the South<ref> What with Nebraska being in the Mid-West [17] & all.</ref>. We are currently negotiating with venues that can accommodate us for August 8th<ref> The date is important, keep reading, you'll see [18].</ref> weekend.  Our plan is to provide you with three full days of opportunities to see live bands<ref>Apparently the "Omaha Sound" is where it's at. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_in_Omaha#The_.22Omaha_Sound.22.</ref>, dance to the music of an assortment of DJs, attend the Tekamah Annual Sweet Corn Festival<ref>See, it really wasn't much further.</ref><ref>Their motto - "Free Sweet Corn For All!"</ref>, experience the magic of the city during planned daytime events<ref>Hoefully Eilis will be able to get us to an Omaha Beef football game (with Omaha Beef Prime cheerleaders and their mascot Sir Loin).</ref>, and meet with other Goths from around the country (and perhaps beyond!).  Of course, you may choose from any or none of the above, as Omaha herself is an excellent tour guide.

==The Place==
Omaha exists in a state of elegant decay<ref>Old telephony switches, copper wire, that sort of thing.</ref>.  The past and the present seem to overlap - the city does not easily give up its ghosts.  Mysterious, romantic, and steeped in history, it welcomes such an unconventional convention as Convergence. 
There is so much to do that it's impossible to include it all here. 
The telecommunications infrastructures of Omaha are a must-see.  Due to the high water table, there are no underground burials - rows upon rows of whitewashed cables form above ground webs, true cities to house the geeky. The Westgate Gallery<ref>This attraction is not actually in Omaha.</ref> is a purple and black mansion that contains a collection of paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and books dedicated to portraying Death as a sorrowful, compassionate entity.  You can visit a real ceremony; take daytime or evening walking tours focusing on any subject you can imagine (college baseball, crumbling factories, nuclear powered hospitals, Warren Buffett, you name it!); tour Antebellum meat packing plants, Civil War fields<ref>As in, they were fields during the Civil War. Not like battles or
any other military engagement occurred there.</ref>, primordial grassland, and gracious turn-of-the-century skyscrapers; or just sit on a wrought-iron balcony or in a lush sports bar, sipping a cool drink and watching the sun set.  Of course, there are also many fine museums, two lovely public parks, an award-winning, record-setting zoo, steamboat rides and horse-drawn carriages. 
The selection of Goth-friendly stores in Omaha has never been better.  There's exquisite silver jewellery at [http://www.kittysjewelry.com/ Kitty's Jewelry]<ref>They came to C14, I'm sure they'll come here too.</ref>, fancy clothing for men and women at [http://kambriel.com/ Kambriel]<ref>They came to C14, I'm sure they'll come here too.</ref>, CDs at Homer's, and ooo-la-lingerie at Doctor Johns.  Beef and other barbecue accessories are available in a variety found no place else, due to the city's passion for dramatic celebration.  Antiques stores abound both inside and out of Council Bluffs, filled with glass inkwells, ebony walking sticks, silk parasols - there's even a shop specializing in gas pump
antiques, where you can find that Correct Measure light arm you've been wanting. 

==The People==
Here's some information about your prospective C15 organizers: 

===Party Secretary [[Axel]]===
Is originally from Germany. He helped organize the first [[C8 | Francophone Convergence]], where he learned all about what NOT to do!  He promises to apply this experience (plus all he's learned from hosting pig
roasts, [[CMAfA]] gigs<ref>Mainly, don't let Captain Matt near a microphone.</ref>poetry readings, etc.) to making C15 in Omaha an unforgettable extravaganza. 
===Corn Commodore [[Peter H. Coffin]]=== 
has migrated from Boston.  He runs the Hades Data Servicess, so you can be assured that at least one of his websites will carry an Omahan Convergence website. Also, he has promised to offer both soundbites from C15 bands and online sale of C15 tickets on the alt.gothic website, should we win your votes.  He has the saintly patience, iron will, and lack of sanity required to pull off getting Goths to a Corn Festival, attend club events, and a giant net.goth gathering.

===Team Captain [[Eilis]]===
[[Eilis]] is a teachergoth, figure skater, likes mojitos, coordinates Goths on Ice. She chaired the [[C9]] committee and is on the [[C15]] [http://www.altgothic.com/c15longbeach Long Beach] bid committee. She will be organising the sports related activities in the bid.

=== Cow Tipping Chief [[Ian]] ===
Ian will be organising a Gothic Cow Tipping extravaganza. Details to follow. As cow tipping is a sport, [[Ian]] will be under [[Eilis]]

===Lord High Executioner [[Siobhan]]===
[[Siobhan]] will be killing [[Axel]] if this bid wins.
We plan to make this the highlight of the Sunday night festivities.

===Dr. [[Moonglow Minnow]]===
[[Moonglow Minnow | Maeve]] will be running Cheesecake Lab. She requires many subjects to test her experiments<ref>Cheesecake, naturally. Likely featuring chocolate, coffee & other deliciousness.</ref> on.

===[[Dreaded Dragon]] Marisa===
[[Marisa]] has been vending at [[Convergence]] for several years. She will be coordinating the vendors aspect of the bid.

===[[Jola]]===
[[Jola]] will be coordinating the fashion show component.

===[[Fross]]===
DJ coordinator and after party organizer.

===[[Wookie]]===
Taking care of all your rum related needs.

===[[TenshiKurai9]]===
Official fan girl.



===[[alt.gothic]]===
The alt.gothic usenet group is home to net celebrities like [[Erithromycin | erith]] (Erith Romycin) and [[Dag]] (Dag).  Our many-talented list members have responded to the nomination of Omaha with great enthusiasm, and will be a dedicated, efficient team for C15. 

===Bands===
Local<ref>Local to ''somewhere'' at least</ref> bands you may expect to see during Omaha's Convergence would include Captain Matt's Armada, featuring Axel (where Trevor Writes All The Songs and does all the work), The Gaunts, and The V-Twins.  Our scene is growing in leaps and bounds, and these three bands have contributed greatly to that growth. 

===Name Dropping===
Name dropping for your vote! - some people who very well may be involved should Convergence come to this beloved city are usenet celebs [[Sexbat]] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Truscott Tom Truscott]<ref>If I'm going to name drop, I might as well do it properly.</ref>.  Of course, if you're in their town, you can also just catch them walking down the street on their way home from the liquor store... :}

==The Boring Facts!== 
Travel to and staying in Omaha is easy and inexpensive. Most major airlines (including Southwest) fly into our airport, and we're accessible from both coasts and everywhere in between by Amtrak and Greyhound.  Our city has a lot of visitors' accommodations per capita compared to other city's in America, so we'll get some hotel
deals together for you. Due to the popularity of Omaha as a travel destination, hotels are nearly all within driving distance or a quick taxi/streetcar ride away from venues, clubs, shopping, and other places of interest. 
Summer turns Omaha into an Eden of corn, corn flowers, and gorgeous weather.  Expect the temperature to be about 18 to 30 degrees C, with the good possibility of a little rain.   
At the writing of this proposal, the tattooing and piercing age is 18, and you must also be 21 to enter a bar.  However, you must be 21 or over to purchase alcoholic beverages or enter an establishment offering gambling or gambling machines.  People of drinking age may not carry and consume drinks (in non-glass
containers) in the street.  "Bar time" is set by government regulations, and many bars are open until 1:00am. After that, it's room parties. 


==Footnotes==
<references />
17. That is what you guys call the area south of Manitoba, right?

18. If you didn't keep skipping down to the footnotes, you'd get there
faster.