You Can’t Make this Shit Up! AvaTards Blame “technical problems” for stolen content!
by Urizenus Sklar on 24/12/06 at 2:32 pm
The content pilfered from Cheri Norton has been removed from AvaStar (Cheri’s screenshot on left, and original version of AvaStar on right).
You really can’t make this shit up. AvaStar has removed the stolen content from its site, claiming that it was, and I quote, “caused by technical problem with the server that led to some people seeing photos and texts that were only intended for internal use bythe [sic] AvaStar.” ROTFLMFAO! The AvaTards are like gopod’s gift to the SL mediasphere. I can’t wait to see what these guys screw up next!
For more hijinx and hilarity, their press release is below the fold.
-AvaStar Press Release—-
The correct version of the AvaStar is now back online at www.the-avastar.com
We apologise for the inconvenience caused by a technical problem with the server that led to some people seeing photos and texts that were only intended for internal use bythe AvaStar.
However, we believe in transparency, and are happy that you can see how we have been developing the newspaper with the editorial staff over the last few weeks.
The dummy version that went for a few hours online was an experimental version produced by our staff as we were in the process of developing the newspaper for Second Life.You could see by comparing the two that we have experimented with different graphic layouts, design and formats. It is a process a professional newspaper has to go through, in order to ensure that the end product is right, particularly given the uniqueness of the virtual world.
We hope you enjoy reading it and look forward to receiving your feedback.
Wishing you a merry Christmas in SL,
Your
AvaStar Team
Cheri Horton
Dec 24th, 2006
It is indeed a huge crock. And we are expected to swallow it!!
Inigo Chamerberlin
Dec 24th, 2006
The technical term for this sort of thing is “getting caught”
Binced Meef
Dec 24th, 2006
Uri you really disappointed me by writing that crap headline and piece.
It was indeed very funny getting my hands on the “technical problems version”, which i did when i read Cheri’s blog. And it was a huge cock-up by our world’s new ‘professional’ newspaper.
But you guys are pathetic making it out like all they did was change the photo. You clearly just took the photos from Cheris blog and never looked at it. If you had, you would have seen that not one text or photo from the dummy was used in the real one (as far as I can tell – correct me anyone).
You laugh, quite rightly, at them – and then you go and write a pack of lies making yourself and the Herald look even more stupid than it does.
Not your finest hour Uri, or headline.
Urizenus
Dec 24th, 2006
If you believe that was a “dummy” version of the AvaTard, then you actually managed to make this story even funnier…
omfg, they actually got someone to believe the story! lmfao!
Artemis Fate
Dec 24th, 2006
Eeeeeh….. this kind of personal attack on the dead horse is what sometimes pushes herald away from being a tabloid, and more into being a blog with multiple authors.
urizenus
Dec 24th, 2006
By the way, Bince, what on God’s green earth are you talking about when you say that not one text or photo from the so-called dummy (i.e. the original version) was used in the revised version? As far as I can tell, absolutely everything is exactly the same except for page 25. Am I missing another change somewhere?
Art, I know you like to defend large corporations against knee-jerk criticism, but there is nothing “personal” about a tabloid pointing out that a billion dollar corporation came into second life boasting that they were going to be the first professionally produced newspaper, then ripped someone’s content, got busted, then (falsely, in my opinion) claimed that it was all a technical mistake. You can call it personal, but I call it newsworthy and freaking hilarous!
Ordinal Malaprop
Dec 24th, 2006
“technical problem” – did they really claim that? Ho ho ho.
Prokofy Neva
Dec 24th, 2006
The “dummy version” isn’t the wised-up public; the “dummy version” is the Avatards who have flat-footed it ever since they came inworld. They need to straighten up and fly right.
King Frederick
Dec 24th, 2006
“this kind of personal attack on the dead horse is what sometimes pushes herald away from being a tabloid,”
ahem, is this the same herald that posts pornographic spreads as ‘news’? :-O
urizenus
Dec 24th, 2006
We never promised the “news” King. Only the truth.
Mabb Dilweg
Dec 25th, 2006
Actually, the only thing I’ve ever seen promised by the Herald is to be always fairly unbalanced, and it is certainly that. The truth is something different again, and I’ve seen many articles here that are clearly NOT the truth (and most amusing because of that!)
I do find the bashing of other publications rather tiresome. Yes, the AvaStar did something really stoopid and the first story was all good. This one however is gilding the lily, in my opinion. The rag doesn’t need Uri’s spleen to fail, and Uri’s rants won’t bring it down if it finds its feet and provides a good service. This is all getting rather repetitious. Can we get back to some real stories please?
Latok Neuman
Dec 25th, 2006
I totally agree with Mabb. Can we get back to some real stories please? A smart reader will immediately understand that you are just fighting hard to demostrate your subjective truth. Well, I´m not interested in opening here a philosophical debate about objective and subjective truth. I just want you to remember some basic principles of “good journalism”. You are a journalist. Aren´t you? Yes, i know “always fairly unbalanced”. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist’s credibility. By the way on page 25 of the Avastar there is an article about the hottest club The Squat and not that picture you claim to be a stolen content.
Juarez P.
Dec 25th, 2006
You know, I’ve enjoyed lurking here for some time now. I can deal with the conspiracy theory histrionics presented by a certain contributor here by ignoring his “pieces”. However, as time rolls on, it becomes more and more apparent to me that other contributors (glances at Urizenus) really enjoy sniping, fault finding, and just bitching endlessly in general a bit too much for my tastes. “I don’t like Gor”, “We don’t like Aimee”, “Linden Lab is teh suck”, etc., has become very trite. I can’t remember many positive or neutral articles recently. How about something to do with the holidays in SL or something? Put aside the mudslinging for a day or two while the world celebrates their various holidays? Is that just too hard to do? I imagine it’s like a drug though, this constant pointing of noses in the air while banging on other people. It’s like watching a bunch of frat boys trying to upstage one another by hammering on the pledges endlessly.
Furthermore, The constant and juvenile “I said it first”, or I scooped it first” or “I made up that word” stuff is really just banal. The incessant blowing of the “we are just so cool we can’t hardly stand ourselves here” horn is fast approaching nauseating levels. Yeah we get it already, your intercocks are teh YUUUUGE!
I think I’ll give this place a rest for a while. I will come back in a few weeks, and see if the tone has changed around here at all, but I’m not holding my breath that a majority of the contributors will actually start behaving like a journalists, put aside all this posturing, and actually start reporting the news versus the virtual biting, sand kicking, scratching and hair pulling that seems to be the mainstay at this point. Simply said, there’s just a smidge to much pride and smugness on display here for me to enjoy it any longer. Not that Uri and his posse will care what I think at all, but I felt it needed to be said, regardless. Adios.
marilyn murphy
Dec 25th, 2006
*gasp! omigod you promised to tell the truth, uri? i keep wanting to see the stories about space aliens meeting with phillip with lurid doctored b&w photos. or how jesus was seen in a taco in (pick a sim name) with breathless witness statments.
this truth high road you’re on..i dunno.
Urizenus
Dec 25th, 2006
Adios Juarez, and don’t bother coming back because we aren’t changing. If you don’t like the articles, don’t read them. You don’t pay our salary, and we didn’t hire you as a consultant to make us better. We are in this to have fun and to write the articles we like to right. It doesn’t matter if we have one reader or a million. This is how we do.
On the other hand, I’m now overlooking the fact that you are in point of fact an idiot. We’ve discussed the fact that if you actually scroll down and look at the stories that are currently posted you will find a whole lot of stuff that could only be classified as positive. The interview with Dimentox about his PvP combat system, the story about the landshark (a cute hack), the story by Gideon Television (a story about Vegas in SL), the story about Kage Seraph’s vehicle. The advice column by Heartun and the Post Six girls can hardly be considered critical. So we have three stories up about AvaTard. Shock! OMG the Herald has LOST ALL PERSPECTIVE!
No my friend, in truth this is a story about a larger and sadder issue about how people consume media, and the sad truth is that a critical media is so foreign to them that, even when candy coated and presented in the guise of a virtual tabloid covering events in a virtual world — one with “always fairly unbalanced” in the masthead — they can’t deal with people who criticize the powers that be. “OMG they posted THREE MEAN STORIES attacking a billion dollar corporation as it rips off the content of Second Lifers in their bungled lauch of a newspaper. How Unfair! How shrill! How… how… critical!”
So really, honestly, and quite sincerely Juarez and anyone else who was nodding in agreement with him. I feel bad for you that you are so used to reading MacPapers an the authority fluffing mass media that you can’t handle being exposed criticism even when it is packaged as a silly virtual tabloid that is completely off its rocker. So again my advice is that if this is so difficult for you just. stop. reading. It’s that simple.
Oh, and for the rest of you, expect more AvaTard stories before the end of the year!
Ordinal Malaprop
Dec 25th, 2006
I thought it was pretty funny meself. On the other hand, I am the sort of sneering, anti-intellectual class-war lowbrow who reads tabloids; it’s only to be expected.
Juarez P.
Dec 25th, 2006
Uri, I did use a qualifier — “many”.
Touched a nerve hey?
I did not say there were NO neutral or positive stories, and I also indicated that I do ignore certain pieces here.
It’s just gotten to the point that the majority of mainstays are the same old crap, dredged up over and over again. Thanks for bearing this fact out by promising more avastar stuff. You really make it too easy.
I am not the only one feeling this way — I’ve seen a lot of comment in a similar vein to mine as of late. Hey, if you don’t give a damn, GREAT — you’re just proving my point and simultaneoulsy admitting this is just a place for self-styled “academics” to mentally masturbate together (“It’s about us having fun — the readership can piss off if they don’t like it!”). Hence you basically admit it’s not anything other than a multi-user blog populated by folks who are more interested in themselves and their dead horse personal favorite topics than their readership.
And yes, I KNEW you would point out post six girl and Heartun. Sooooo predictable! You realize that when you have to point out those things that you look a bit desperate in proving me “wrong”? I am not interested in overdone, overboobed pixel “girls” who are likely guys in RL. Thanks though. And uh, Heartun is included in that general negativity I pointed out above. She rarely has a serious, non-mocking response for those who ask her questions. It’s more of column for her to elevate hersalf above others by ridiculing others who come to her in good faith.
Furthermore, I myself stated that I wouldn’t be reading (at least for now). So you’re a day late and a dollar short.
You’re also a pompous ass to the Nth degree.
Juarez P.
Dec 25th, 2006
I neglected to mention — Uri, you’ve just provided me with a very large and indelible mental note. Thank you. That note being — you all just love to get down on other people, organizations, and other publications here — anyone is fair game, and that’s all well and good, and I do understand that your goal is to come off as edgy and tabloidy, but — it seems when the spotlight is turned back on YOU, you simply cannot bear it, and get all fucking wound up like a chipmunk on roids. Poor baby. Grow up and learn to suffer some criticism yourself. Do I need to state the old adage here about dishing it out? No, I don’t AT ALL.
Telling indeed.
Urizenus
Dec 25th, 2006
I thought you left. Seriously dude, if you hate reading this so much why do you stay? There are now 50 million blogs out there. *Surely* there is one out there that you might enjoy more than this one.
“You’re also a pompous ass to the Nth degree.”
:-O noooooooooooooo!
Juarez P.
Dec 25th, 2006
I am involved in a dialogue with you. I am not reading the blog itself at this point. For one, I’ve already read those “articles” that I will. Can you point out where I said I wouldn’t entertain your responses to me?
Do I need to point out the difference between a comment discussion and reading actual articles?
I hope not.
Who said I “hated” reading it? I merely turned the hose back on you all for once, and your hissyfit reaction really just bears out my point.
There ARE other blogs I enjoy. Several of them. How does their existence create a scenario by which you think you yourself should be immune to criticism?
Merry Christmas vato.
Urizenus
Dec 25th, 2006
It doesn’t Juarez, I just worry about a guy who has nothing better to do on Christmas day than go to someone elses blog about an online world and complain about the content, and then keep coming back to try as hard as you can to insult one of the writers. Is your life actually that pathetic? Is there something we can do to help? A backrub? Some virtual meth? I ain’t going no farther than that!
Foster
Dec 25th, 2006
OMG – You Can’t Make this Shit Up! Urizenus declares war against the billion dollar corporations!
Uri, please, never use the word “tabloid” for your bad written, childish and full-of-lies multiuser-blog populated by just self-styled “academics” who mentally masturbate together…without coming. Its not sexy at all!
:-O noooooooooooooo!
urizenus
Dec 25th, 2006
lol, please foster, we are “bad*ly*” written. But I prefer “poorly”. And who says no happy endings? Writing for the Herald is Teh Sexxxy!
Prettyboy
Dec 25th, 2006
http://www.cscout.com/blog/2006/12/15/news-cscout-brings-europes-largest-newspaper-into-second-life.html
CScout is the one supposed to do “trend research” on SL for the Bild. Bild hired CScout especially for this bungled project.
And sure enough, CScout’s staff members are… less than 3 months old as a SL residents!!!
BTW, if you visit Bild’s website, there are a few pictures (Yes, RL!) Avastar/Bild/CScout staffs posted, including Gregor Stemmle,the CEO of Bild… Go to Bild.t- online and Check the page for Avastar page, Das Entwicklungsteam, in case the link was not showing fully.
http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/tipps-trends/digital-leben/aktuell/2006/specials/second-life/artikel/teaserliste/redaktion/art-redaktion.html
Ordinal Malaprop
Dec 25th, 2006
You know, I find it a bit odd that out of all of the smearjobs and schadenfreude pieces the Herald has done on other publications, this particular one seems to attract multiple “independent commenters” saying that it’s all gone beyond the pale and this is not journalism etc etc.
I’m sure it’s just paranoia on my part.
Juarez P.
Dec 25th, 2006
“It doesn’t Juarez, I just worry about a guy who has nothing better to do on Christmas day than go to someone elses blog about an online world and complain about the content, and then keep coming back to try as hard as you can to insult one of the writers. Is your life actually that pathetic? Is there something we can do to help? A backrub? Some virtual meth? I ain’t going no farther than that!”
Ahaha! I see ironic people!
You needn’t extend any faux worry my direction there big shooter. I had a house full of relatives an hour after my last comment. Perhaps I should be feigning worry about a guy who can’t manage to stop mother henning his blog on Christmas Day? Is YOUR life actually that pathetic that you have to be here defending this trainwreck on Christmas day?
As to your earlier comment about not changing anything — I don’t expect you to change anything here, in fact, given your history and personality, I do believe my jaw would hit the floor if you did!
Meth? No, nothing harder than a Stella please, and the back rub will come from my wife, but thanks for thinking and worrying about me Uri. It’s truly touching to see such goodwill emanate from someone who is usually so full of themself.
urizenus
Dec 25th, 2006
hmmm looking for something to agree with you about, I’ll say you’re spot on about my “big shooter”.
(who told you?)
Inigo Chamerberlin
Dec 26th, 2006
“I’m sure it’s just paranoia on my part.”
Wrong – it’s the normal background paranoia that Sl is infused with Malaprop. How can I tell? Well, you haven’t, yet, started foaming at the mouth and biting people at random like a rabid dog. THAT’S personal paranoia.
As such, not exceeding the normal background level of paranoia, makes your musings very pertinent…
Ordinal Malaprop
Dec 28th, 2006
It’s very kind of you to say so, and to an extent validates my feelings on reading the comments on the latest piece about the Avastar. So many people popping up to defend the publication, when the Herald, let us face it, has already some form in the field of less-than-complimentary commentary on other publications and individuals, as well as the use of nicknames (quite apart from the fact that supposed “professional journalists” acting like teenage Livejournalers, “u said i suck, u r banned and i will report u for chat logs griefer”, is something deserving of mockery – not that that actually means they are _not_ professional journalists, knowing how journalists behave, but I digress).
How peculiar that this seems to be the last straw for so many people at once.