RedThreadGames Have their croudsourcing for DreamFall Chapters ‘Frozen’ by PayPal

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DreamFall Chapters, The Longest Journey

DreamFall Chapters – PayPal Freeze Funds

1000’s of us wanted to see a new DreamFall Game, and 21,858 people were willing to put their hands in their pockets and donate money so the project could go ahead.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/redthread/dreamfall-chapters-the-longest-journey

But for the people who missed the kickstarter deadline or couldn’t for whatever reason donate via the croudsourcing website, game developers, RedThreadGames offered a croudsourcing / preorder service powered by PayPal.

Tonight, without warning or any attempt to enter into dialogue with ReadThreadGames, PayPal have frozen all the funds, and also frozen funds and blocked sales for the companies highly anticipated, upcoming JourneyCon Event.

This is not the first horror story in which PayPal are the villains, and is surely not the last, see this story: http://arstechnica.com/business/2013/09/how-can-i-stop-paypal-from-freezing-my-crowdfunding-campaign/
But it proves PayPal simply doesn’t care for its customers, creative people, or their fans.

Dreamfall Chapters has been a huge deal, with many highly enthusiastic supporters. PayPal needed to invest 10 minutes to do a little online research and contact the games producers to work out that everything was above board. Instead they have taken harsh and damaging action against RedThread Games, and held two fingers up to every PayPal customer who has supported the project. Way to go guys!

Is it time for governments to legislate and force PayPal to be bound and governed by the same codes of conduct as banks? Since it’s clear they can’t be trusted to treat individuals and businesses who rely on them fairly, I say yes!

PayPal: FIX YOUR CROUDSOURCING POLICIES. 10 minutes of your time could have prevented this, and the fact that no one will get in touch or enter into any meaningful dialogue with RedThread just adds insult to injury to the whole adventure gaming community. I’m just posting this to add my voice to many people who are saying – “Sort this out, apologise and fix your policies for good”.

Please tweet to @PayPal and @AskPayPal and tell them to sort it out.

For more information on Dreamfall Chapters, Visit RedThread Games: http://www.redthreadgames.com

The Moon and Sixpence, Clevedon

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Moon And Sixpence Pub Sign in Clevedon

So – I know I’m quick to vent on here when I’m upset or angry about something, this page is a good therapeutic tool – sort of like a cyber punching bag – but, my popularity on Google of late has been both a blessing and a curse and people who aren’t just my twitter followers and personal friends have started reading.

I’m constantly amazes that folks who don’t need to visit my blog, or read it, do anyway and then get upset that a webpage with ‘…Angry Rants…’ in the title displayed on every page (and the google link you have to click on to get here) contains…. well, angry rants (who knew), anyway – thats the rant part over (I have to live up to my sites description don’t I).

Today is positive, its time to show some love and share some proper gems with you. I have a few amazing finds to tell you about – the First of which is The Moon and Sixpence in the seaside town of Clevedon.

Moon And Sixpence, a seaside pub in Clevedon

After finishing my latest TV series (which I’ll post about separately – VERY exciting), I’ve actually had the time to get out of the house on the odd weekend day (if you’ve seen a 6 foot 5, blurry eyed guy who looks like he’s been staring at monitors for 16 hours a day for the last 3 months, staggering about looking lost… that will be me), and towards the end of a day of meandering, visiting various castles and heritage sites I missed the turning I intended to take off the M4 and ended up on the Severn Bridge headed East. We’d just had lunch at Isca Augusta (or as its now known, Caerleon) and I wanted to head back along the east side of the river severn, stopping by at the George Inn, a 16th century pub in St Briavels.

That will have to wait until another day, as I do not u-turn!

Once the mistake was made and we were on the wrong side of the River Severn, we decided to stop the car at the seaside town of Clevedon. As we walked along the sea front, the wonderful smell of food barbequing combined with the sea air greeted us and we noticed that several locals were enjoying a char-grilled evening meal on the beach. An idea that appeals to me, but again, for another day.

There was an italian restaurant on the seafront, it looked inviting. The sun was hot, people were sat out on the patio with cold glasses of Italian beer, and for a second it was easy to forget that we were in the UK. Sadly, but not surprisingly this restaurant could not fit us in, however after a quick walk up the road we came across ‘The Moon and Sixpence’.

The Fantastic, Sea View Balcony by night at the Moon and Sixpence, Cleavedon

It was a Saturday evening, the sun was shining, the temperature was such that if you closed your eyes, you could have easily been by the Mediterranean sea in summer, and this sea-side pub happens to look out over the Clevedon pier. I don’t even have to mention that on this evening, it was popular.

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Inside, the Moon and Sixpence is bursting with character. Its the sort of pub that instantly makes you smile and feel at home as soon as you walk in. As we approached the bar, despite the fact that they were clearly very very busy, we were served quickly and met with a very warm welcome.

We were lucky enough to actually nab a seat on their balcony, from which we were able to share a delicious meditarain platter for two and drink a pint of beer while watching the sun set over Clevedon pier.

clevedon

The platter, from the specials board consisted of crispy chicken, 4 types of marinated olives, cold meats, cheese and some delicious thrice fried hand cut chips (hmmmm), complete with a tasty balsamic and olive oil dip. An extremely pleasant selection of tantalising tastes to accompany the beautiful summer evening and the seaside sunset. Perfect.

Watching the other food go by, it looked delicious. The menu features all the pub classics like Ham egg and chips, home made Steak and Ale Pie (which I saw going past me…. NOM!). 3 tasty looking vegetarian options were also available, Cauliflower cheese, Veg Lasagne and, a Greek Vilage Salad (Olives, Feta & Halloumi Cheeses, Pitta and Tzatziki Dip). The specials board that day had a little bit of a Mediterranean / Greek feel, which, weather or not by design, felt perfect for that evenings combination of sea and very atypical English climate.

I mentioned they were busy. It was a glorious Saturday evening, so this is where the Moon And Sixpence knocked my socks off, despite the fact they must have all been run off their feet, the service was quick, efficient and friendly and was made to look effortless. The staff did not look or act tired or harassed. Return visits to the bar reaffirmed my initial impression of genuine welcome and warmth and even though I was served by more than one person, it was always quick and very friendly.

I truly admire a pub that runs like this. They make it look easy. It is not! Highly recommended for a day trip, evening meal, or even a weekend away, the Pub have 5 excellent looking rooms available.

Congratulations to Proprietors Tony and Christine Antoni for an outstanding pub and thank-you for an extremely pleasant evening.

More information and booking at the pub’s website : http://www.moonandsixpenceclevedon.co.uk

The Moon & Sixpence,
15 The Beach,
Clevedon,
BS21 7QU,
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 1275 872443
Email: enquiries@moonandsixpenceclevedon.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Moon-Sixpence-Clevedon/174789319215547

‘John Williams’, a man I’ve never met nor interacted with publicly judges me ‘Vulgar, Nasty and Pompous’ for being upset after ‘The Butchers Arms’ Eldersfield stole from my family.

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In a google plus review here: https://plus.google.com/100092116066128673638/about?hl=en&partnerid=gplp0

John Williams, probably a pseudonym for one of the managers or staff at the Butchers Arms (one review, no other activity, hasn’t even visited the pub apparently) attacks me with some personal, hateful language for leaving an honest review.

I left 1 trip-advisor review regarding some shocking treatment. We were charged for goods we never received, we were refused a refund. We were both stressed and upset on this day and we were meeting family and friends in the hope of getting some diversion and comfort in the midst of some pretty horrible things going on in our lives.

We were served 2 drinks with a serious problem. In 20 years of custom this was the very first complaint, since we, at the time considered the owners friends we were absolutely sure it would be no problem to get a replacement  The landlady quickly became confrontational and very insulting. This is a pattern you may see when you read the other reviews from ‘nasty’ people. You should have seen the management’s abusive responses to bad (and some good) reviews on trip-advisor before they were removed for violating trip-advisor rules.

Following this 1 review, the harassment and attacks started – not just aimed towards me but my family. The easy thing to do would be to back down – but I won’t. This is not because I am ‘Vulgar’ or ‘Nasty’. It is because I will speak out if I have been wronged. The offer is open – I will revise my opinion and review if the Butchers Arms apologise and offer a refund.

Its a sad world when a person cannot express a truthful opinion on an experience with a business without personal insults being thrown at them by strangers who have no understanding of the situation or just how many people this individual has upset.

One thing that makes me suspect that this person is actually one of the pub management is the statement that the same reviews are everywhere. I wrote 1 review. Then when I was attacked for it I posted an article on my blog, something I do when ever I am upset about anything – if you don’t like it, don’t read it. And I then submitted a google review. Hardly ‘everywhere’.

I have been balanced and truthful in all my reviews, the other similar reviews on the same place are, in fact nothing to do with me. Is it really so impossible to believe that some people have, in fact had bad experiences at The Butchers Arms, despite their excellent reputation and Michelin Star.

You, Mr Williams are a hypocrite  I say this because I am 100% sure that, were you and those close to you treated like this you would be the first to complain on a public forum about it.

Shame on Mr Williams for denying bloggers freedom of speech without harassment, while at the same time, rating a pub he has admittedly never visited as excellent. If I am such a nasty, hateful person, why are the majority of my blogs on local businesses positive and supportive.

When I, or the people I care about are attacked, I write about it. This does not make me anything other than a blogger. I am upset about something, excited about something, sad about something, I share. Its up to you if you read it, but I won’t stop writing.