Database Security

I've noticed that several chapters have contact info databases that are visible to the public. Just a word of warning and a reminder: You can set the view privileges for each database. Unless you have a good reason otherwise, make your contact info databases visible to members only. We're not responsible for protecting information you gather in these databases, so you need to be!

Fanclub Chapters Seeking Members

Reports just in from the following fanclub chapters seeking members:

• thoth reports that his Santa Barbara Column is seeking members.
• Nijhazer reports that Seventh Ragged Tigers in Auburn, Alabama is seeking members in the Auburn, Atlanta, Miami, and Charlotte areas.

7th Column Chapters Explained

We've had an incredible flood of new fan club chapters. So far 30 of them have been approved, a handful rejected. Since we didn't build a system to explain why we've rejected a chapter submission (doh!), I thought I'd explain right here.

Our original plans called for two levels or user-created groups. One was fan club chapters, which would focus on local LAN gatherings. The other was called "organizations," and was a way for users to essentially run their own web pages related to anything Bungie. Once we fleshed out our plans for the future direction of this site it became clear that we need to have all groups fall under sub-headings: either the Seventh Column or focusing on a specific game.

There's a lot more to it than that, but here's the point: At this time we're only accepting user-created groups that fall under the Seventh Column heading. That means groups with interest and intent to host local, Bungie-related gaming parties. In the future, if there's enough interest, we may launch groups for specific games, but not relevant to the Fan Club. Then, and only then, will we allow clubs like Gopher the Rabbit's Crappy Myth Page.

Reporting 7th Column News

A few of you have asked me about reporting 7th Column news for you. We used to have a link right on the page, but it got lost somewhere in the jumble. For now go ahead and use the link on the Bungie.net page, in the community news header (you have to be logged in to see it.) All news that isn't specific to your chapter gets posted to this top level group anyway, with news that's also related to the Seventh Column filtering down to the Seventh Column site. The icons to the left of the news stories tell you which site the news belongs to, and provide a quick way to jump to that site.

New Chapter Frenzy

It has begun. I've just approved five new fan club chapters. I'm being a little lax with checking things over since we've just launched, so I imagine we'll have to sort things out in a day or two. For now, please only found a club if you're serious about running it. If you're not, join a club near you and check things out first. If this ends up being a bunch of next door neighbors all running their own chapters we'll have missed the whole point. That said, if you're serious about starting a chapter, go for it! You're going to be part of something extraordinary!

Welcome To The 7th Column!

Before the Seventh Column, there was Bungie. Bungie spoke of World Domination. Those who saw the wisdom of the Bungie Way agreed that Bungie World Domination was a good thing, and waited patiently. But Bungie's schedule is vague; world domination, and the consequent benefits for right-thinking people around the world, is only promised "Soon?." But for many of us, Soon? has not come soon enough. Thus the Seventh Column was born, to help Bungie pave the way. How will we do this? By networking the Bungie fan community, door to door, street to street, city to city and nation to nation. Bringing the community together in person and in spirit through gatherings and the internet, strengthening their resolve with exclusive Bungie swag, and providing new avenues for their intelligence, dedication and creativity.