Former JLU Member Speaks Out
by Alphaville Herald on 04/08/07 at 6:04 pm
anti-griefer Justice League Unlimited threatens privacy and act like griefers
by Nikola Shirakawa ex-JLU member
The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which – Animal Farm
Many people on SL have run into this group. The Justice League Unlimited – or JLU – has become one of the most well-known anti-griefer groups in the metaverse. Perception of the JLU differs depending on who you ask. Residents that have requested JLU help say they are every bit the superheroes they role play. The alleged goons and griefers such as the “Patriotic Nigras” – or PN – claim the JLU are sim-crashers that fire doomsday weapons at their enemies. Some land owners, such as Artemis Fate, say the JLU are a detriment to peace on the grid.
Before serious discussion about the JLU can be undertaken, it is important to know that not all of their actions are entirely public, and some of these shady choices could paint a very different picture indeed. To the public, they just swoop in to distress calls, talk down a griefer, or, in the most extreme cases, they call down the Lindens. Nothing wrong with that, right? But these are just the actions the public sees. What goes on when they retreat to their locked down sim, Asimov Park, the real story begins.
the JLU database never forgets
Let’s start by discussing the JLU Brainiac device. This little bot, attached to their avatars, connects to an external database that maintains a running record of avatars they have come in contact with. And I mean every avatar. Part of the script in their equipment automatically records the names of every Second Life resident, griefer, civilian, or even Linden. That’s right, if you’ve been next to them, they have your user name, and a unique key that acts on a similar level to that used by the Lindens to issue permabans.
An analysis of the script identifies the website, http://w-hat.com/name2key, where this key is obtained. That’s right, the JLU contacts the the W-Hat site to connect names with unique keys. Who gave them permission to collect screen names and keys like this? And what do they use this information for? Among other things, residents they have categorized as griefers, be they known PN alts, or just newbies who did not yet understand shooting people was against the rules, are scanned for at all times. If, by coincidence, one of these newbie shooters walks within range of a JLU member, the JLU member is immediately informed of this presence. Right to privacy? Not when the JLU is around.
Speaking of privacy, consider the JLU campaign against the PNs. Many feel the PN kids are a bad element, responsible for harassing users and crashing sims. With this as justification it seems the JLU sees no problem with its own sort of harassment, and more. On the external Brainiac database, there is a veritable treasure trove of personal information, especially when it comes to two of the PN leaders, N3X15 and mootykips. The JLU has currently on file for both of them, real life names, addresses, phone numbers, and ISP’s. For mootykips, they even have a photograph. This information is freely accessible to their group. As justification, the JLU says that one of their members, Kara Timtam, had her information spread on the PN boards. Talk about fighting griefing with griefing. It must be said that they have not personally contacted either of these people, but Kalel Venkman has confessed to harassing Verizon, N3X15′s service provider, in an attempt to shut him out of the Internet. Going beyond this to the PN as a whole, the JLU routinely listens to their IRC channels, and their Ventrilo and Skype channels, as well as every website they can find connected to the PN in the slightest way.
Of course, these kinds of wiretaps and information data mining without a warrant is more than reminiscent of the much derided Patriot Act. But there is one difference. The Patriot Act is used by sworn officers of the law, with a little thing called a badge. They have been granted the authority to do so by the an RL government. Who gave this authority to a bunch of roleplay superhero wannabes? When you have contact with a police officer, you have a right to get their badge number, and they can be reported to higher authorities. What does the JLU have? A bunch of comic book avatars, and self-appointed power. That’s right. They were given their power by themselves. When asked about the legality of these actions, Kalel Venkman said. “I’ve thought about that too, but I really want to get these guys, and I think you do too.”
It seems that Mootykips obtained information directly off of Venkman’s public web page, including, free to the world, an online resume, a photograph, and a contact number. This information was of course posted to the PN’s own wiki, and the Encyclopedia Dramatica for a short while. But as of recently, in an attempt to scare these children, Venkman has redirected the link to his online resume to the Department of Justice’s Computer Crimes reporting page. When it comes to dealing with the kiddies, Venkman is all for violating privacy, scanning the whois domain information. But when it comes to his public web page, obtaining documents he leaves open to the public is suddenly the most unforgivable crime. And that my friends, is the definition of hypocrisy. It seems Jor-El left one thing out of his teachings. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
young superman
Kalel Venkman signed up to Second Life midway through 2006. One of his earliest actions was to join a roleplaying group, the JLA, or Justice League of America. Right away, he wanted to be Superman, and set out to do just that. Shortly after, within a few weeks, according to Kalel’s own account, he and others were co-opted into being real superheroes, dealing with griefers. Most of this old JLA group obviously was not interested in such past times. What was the right action in this case? That’s right, kick them out, and hide the group, so no one could ever use it again for role playing, and create a new group just for anti-griefing. Several months later, some newbies who were not approved for Kalel’s standards to use the name of Justice League created their own JLU group. Once again Kalel began conniving the people into his group for the purposes of shutting the other down. This led to Kalel and a few of his flunkies singlehandedly creating every single possible Justice League Derivative and hiding them away, so no one else could be Justice League. Why? So no one hurts their good name. Never mind that not one of the JLU is a DC employee or affiliate. Sure, they are all flagrant copyright violators, but they have a duty to make sure no other comic book fans that they may dislike use their good name.
Green Lantern Core scorned
This hatred of competition has even spread to older more established groups such as the Green Lantern Core led by Cid Jacobs. Kalel has expressed designs on creating his own power rings to drive out the GLC. There is already a hidden group title in the JLU known as JLU Green Lantern. The JLU’s most recent development, the multi-tool known as Solaris, was explicitly mentioned as competition to the GLC power rings, with Kalel on record as saying “Keep in mind, this is more progress than the GLC’s rings have had in six months”. On the Brainiac wiki, there are dozens of archived GLC internal documents, including the groups parliamentary decisions and the operating manual for the power rings. It should come as little surprise, then, that the JLU is not on the GLC’s approved Green Lantern group list.
database-assisted shopping for Linden justice
Venkman clearly has desires for the JLU to become the Linden’s official police force. Brainiac’s functions as of May, 2007 have the ability to keep tabs on Lindens. At a glance, the JLU has the ability to see which Lindens are online, without even being connected to the grid. In addition, they actually rank the Lindens on said database, choosing to pester those they feel are most likely to respond to them. Basically, to the Lindens that chose to not recognize their self-appointed authority, they are not good Lindens, and as such must blackballed for “unreliability”.
This blackballing to those that don’t recognize the fictional authority of the Justice League has even spread to large landowners such as Artemis Fate. Artemis Fate, who is in charge of the popular destination Nexus Prime among others, took offense at the JLU dealing with griefers in her territory. After she told me she would not tolerate anti-griefer forces, I immediately told Kalel that we were not to go there. Kalel of course, could not accept this, and had to force his views onto Artemis, who of course, was not reciprocal. This policy of intruding onto sims where they have not been invited has led to such events as a mass banning of JLU members from a Gorean sim last April. One of he newest features of SL has been to allow forwarding of Abuse Reports to Estate Managers on private islands, in lieu of forwarding to the Lindens. Rather than respect the wishes of the Estate Managers that have this policy in place, Kalel has ordered all JLU to retreat to JLU territory to file Abuse Reports.
“The problem with anti-griefers,” says Artemis Fate. “is they always turn into griefers themselves.”
While it is true that the JLU has never fired an orbiter, or a doomsday weapon, that does not mean they have not carried out similar actions. Take the case of Loki Buaku. Loki Buaku quickly made himself an enemy of the JLU, and as such, made it his mission to take them out. He did not undertake this mission by grabbing a gun and shooting up any JLU he could find, but by creating groups and spreading propaganda against them. Not against the ToS in the slightest. But this did not stop the JLU from acting against him. Upon finding his RP character was supposedly 15 years old, Kalel led a charge of JLU members to fire off Abuse Report after Abuse Report against him for this unforgivable grievance.
JLU swarming Woodbury University
This vendetta behavior has even spread to sim owners. Take the case of Woodbury University. This sim, as you may know, was shut down by the Lindens for being a griefer base. What most people are not aware of, however is this was largely a charge lobbied by the JLU.
Within two days of learning of the site’s existence, the JLU was there in force to examine the site. Calls were made by Kalel to MichaelFrancis Linden, a Linden in personal contact with Venkman. Official JLU policies included swarming all places where their griefers were seen, and spying on their chat channels. Sometimes, they even went as far as dropping large invisible prims on the property to keep the greifers from entering their own builds. Keep in mind, this was not just in a sandbox that they happened to be, this was private property under the ownership of the so called greifers, and the JLU were the encroachers in this case. Not that private property holds much weight to Venkman and the JLU.
does the end justify the means?
After seeing the full extent of the executive decisions and behaviors of the JLU, can much of a difference between them and the griefers they oppose actually be found? Their eye for an eye, fire with fire tactics, end up bearing little distinction form greifing itself. In the end, does the end really justify the means. Is it worth throwing away and sense of constitutionality, legality, privacy, or free expression, just to stop the grefiers? The majority of SL citizens have never seen a PN face to face. They have no real need for the superheroes in their day to day lives. But I’m willing to bet that a large chunk of them might have an issue with being in a database without their permission. I’d be willing to bet there’s quite a few people out there who would love to roleplay as Superman, or Batman, or Wonder Woman. There are even people that disagree with the JLU’s actions on a political basis. But if the JLU had their say, all of these groups would be silenced, and stricken from the grid. Does the L in JLU stand for Lords?
Kalel Venkman
Aug 13th, 2007
We don’t have the bandwidth to support all of Second Life using our server, Artemis – it’s simple economics. We are a public service organization, not a public organization. We get no funding from anyone, nor are we provided bandwidth for free.
In any event, the post was a ruse to get the thief to blunder forward and admit he stole them, which he has (see our post above).
Regarding the collection of keys of everyone we meet, if that makes us griefers, then so is virtually every store in SL, and everyone who has one of those visitor sensors, and every maker of every vending machine that’s ever been. Your name = your key in SL. Remembering who we meet isn’t against the terms of service, nor does that make us, or anyone, a griefer.
Disclosure Haha
Aug 13th, 2007
haha artemis. ur funny. even if a group you suspect so heavily like this opened up their data to you, youd think they had more data behind the curtain somewhere that has the -real- dirty laundry anyway. lol. whatever you demand and whatever they agree with, youd never be satisfied with the results, and youd only find more ways of calling them scum. if your not satisfied with the public face they present, youll never be satisfied with the information they give you willingly.
Fellow Scripter/Hacker
Aug 13th, 2007
People are always overly concerned about key logging for some reason. You realize a libsecondlife client (or a client derived from LL’s own source code these days) can look up your exact key given just your name? What threat is a name-to-key database to anyone when LL’s own database can be searched easily using tools they themselves endorse anyway? It is probably only a matter of time before they give us a llName2Key() LSL function, in fact.
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 13th, 2007
Blunder forward, my ass. I only did not admit it immediately because I thought it was common sense who leaked the code! I mean, I was spreading around the grid roughly three hours before the posts were first written, and as much as six hours before they were actually shown. Furthermore, considering the place and my past intentions, I would think anyone about half an IQ point smarter than a gerbil could put two and two together. OH, and FYI, I have also been giving away commlinks, signals, and solaris parts, just so you know. And I will continue to do so, to anyone that IM’s me, and will continue to do so until you stop your war against me. I have posted the news of your illegal activity, the grid has seen it, there is nothing left to do. I am not seeking to further hurt you, something that cannot be said the same for your group. I noticed your little warning to me posted to the ED. I know it was you. I never gave out my real name and location in SL, the only link between that u4prez info and me was my email address, information held only by you and Zatzai, and Zatzai is not being anywhere near as vindictive as you are.
Reality
Aug 13th, 2007
No Kalel – simply having the keys doesn’t make you a Griefer.
Having a database which contains other information which can be used at any time for blackmail (depending on the information), stalking, general harassment or any number of other illegitimate users makes you and your group Griefers,
Again: Come back when you’ve disbanded.
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 13th, 2007
Furthermore, that whole “economics” cop-out will not fly. The JLU owned massive chunks of land in Verbier, even with just a bunch of basic premies, it still could have factored in at a few hudnred dollars per month, and the JLU currently owns it’s own sim at Asmiov Park as well, an expense of roughly $300 on top of that. With that kind of money hemmoraging, you could very easily afford enough bandwidth to keep up with what little demand there would be for your traffic. The real reason you won’t open it up, as anyone can guess, is that you don’t want people to see what you’re doing. Because you know they would be against it, and your group would be blacklisted by half the grid. No matter how you try to spin it, you have few friends, Gene. I have gotten feedback from several members of the GLC, several Asgard group members, as well as several dozen individual citizens thanking me for this information, and even contributing further info.I read the Second citizen thread. There was two people there, that were not JLU that supported you with a post. Two posts out of four pages. Not the “Spartacus”-like rally you would paint it out to be. Don’t get me wrong, I know there are a lot of people that don’t like me either. But at least I’m not a threat to them. You can lie to yourself and your group. You can say that your nothing but heroes. but you can never hide the truth from the minds of Second Life.
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 13th, 2007
Lastly, you are forgetting one thing with regards to the key comparison of shopkeeps. People choose to go to their shops, to use thier vending machines, to step onto thier property. They don’t choose to interact with your group. Cataloguing keys of people setting foot on your property is one thing, because people can choose to stay way from the shop where it occurs. Not so with your group. They may just be walking past a place where someone sees a cage, or sitting around a sandbox minding their own business, but the second a JLU member walks past them, their key is in your groups hands. Harvesting keys is not a problem, when the choice is given to them whether or not to enter that situation. Forcing someone into a situation to have that information taken, without thier knowledge or consent, that is a whole nother ballgame. Just because you can point a camera and take pictures of everyone that enters your house, doesn’t mean you can walk around your street and do so. You cannot extend the same rights you have in your home to your activities outside your home. In your home, on your land, you can call somebody every racial slur in the book, but you say just one word out at the mall, and you get in trouble. You can walk around your house, naked as a jay bird, but step one foot outside your door like that, and you get a visit from a boy in blue.
anon
Aug 13th, 2007
lol you idiot, nikola. there’s a reverse directory. i can sit in my “home” and open the reverse directory and find anyones key i want. download libsl and shut ur damn mouth about things you dont know. ur ignorance is showing and youve been making a huge stink about absolutly nothing. hahahahaha loser.
Kalel Venkman
Aug 13th, 2007
So let’s take a step back here and look at what you’ve done so far:
* You admitted to posting private information about the Justice League on at least two occasions for the PN to read, each time either allowing somebody else to take the heat for it or directly accusing somebody else for those actions.
* You’ve posted source code to the League’s proprietary devices and equipment without permission to do so, code that you acquired only because we trusted you to be responsible with it as a member of the League (trust that you’ve proven was misplaced).
* You’ve created these notecards accusing the people whom you claim were your friends of all manner of atrocities and spammed several groups with them (believe me, I’ve been dealing with a lot of complaints about you doing that, because they still think you’re in the League for some reason).
* You promised not to release real life information about anyone here in this article, then posted my URL and my first name within days of saying that.
* You threaten now to post code stolen from the League in retribution for our complaints against what you’ve already done.
* And to top it all off, you were PAID $2000 LINDENS to sell out your friends in the so-called “tell all” article you wrote, the following comments in which you’ve been forced to recant everything you said in the article.
And you insist you’ve taken the high road?
Nikola, when you were a trusted member of the Justice League, you were part of an extended family. We disagree, we squabble sometimes, we come to agreements, we move forward – but the salient point was that we all agreed that we were allowed to disagree, and we talked it out. When we had that trouble with Artemis, and she told us flat out “Not on MY front lawn, you don’t!” we wrote new policy then and there. We talked it over, we changed how we did things. Artemis made us better than we were, because we listened to her (admittedly a bit grumpily, but we did listen).
What you never seemed to understand was that respecting other people’s right to disagree with you works both ways: you had the right to disagree with US, and just step up and say so. If you didn’t like it, why say nothing and attack the League from outside to affect change? YOU WERE ON THE INSIDE, a place where people have been queued up to be months on end and still can’t get in because we can’t process the applications fast enough. Many of these applicants are Second Life Mentors and THEY can’t get in. The line is that long.
I don’t know why you didn’t think you could effect change without trying to destroy the League as your only option. I don’t know why you chose to betray your friends, and deny the existence of all the good work you did while you were IN the League. But I can tell you two things I do know, first, that the League has weathered crises like the one you created many times, and will probably weather many more, and second, that actions taken in anger rarely turn out well. You should know that one – that was in the oath you swore when you were admitted to the League in the first place.
I can’t help but feel sorry for you, and I mean that sincerely. You’ve compromised your ethics first because you placed your personal values ahead of those of your friends and colleagues, and then later because your feelings were hurt, and you’ve done it in a very public way that you can’t take back, ever. I’m a big believer in second chances, but with each step you travel further and further into darkness. And with each step, you’re further and further from the light. It’s going to be a long walk back.
Kalel Venkman
Aug 13th, 2007
Full disclosure: To anyone hoping to get benefit from the bits of JLU technology Niko’s handing out, none of it works unless you’re a member of the Justice League – the gear was built in anticipation that somebody might steal our equipment someday, so don’t expect it to do a whole lot for you. If you can manage to open the scripts without the devices self-destructing, you’re welcome to whatever you find.
Kalel Venkman
Aug 13th, 2007
“Clearly, if the JLU wiki is simply just a database of griefer attacks, and how griefer’s work, and so on. It’s information becoming public will not hurt the JLU, but infact help the JLU’s cause as it will empower land owners with the information on how to combat and be preemptive about griefers.
So if you’re really a public service organization, and interested in helping the needs of others, you’ll open the wiki up to public viewing or at the very least set up the server Brainiac is linked to so that it accepts Identify requests without validation. Otherwise, as I said before, i’d be forced to believe that the JLU wiki contains a wealth of secrets and dirty laundry about the JLU that would otherwise confirm the points put out by Nikola and others, which is why the JLU would refuse to open them up.
– Artemis Fate”
You know, while opening the entire Wiki isn’t practical, we SHOULD be able to open a blogspot site or something where information on how to deal with griefers for estate managers and citizens alike, including scripts for simple protection and security systems.
THAT is a wonderful idea, and I agree that it would do the metaverse public a great deal of good. And if it’s on a public blog service, that solves the bandwidth problem.
This is the value of discussion! Even when people disagree violently, good things can still come out of it and you can change things for the better.
Kalel Venkman
Aug 13th, 2007
Oh, I just noticed the “open up Brainiac so that it accepts identify requests without validation” part.
That’s a good idea too, but I think that people should only be allowed to look up their OWN information. People do have a right to privacy, even if they’ve done things they’re not proud of, which is why we don’t broadcast everything about everyone – but they do deserve a right to know what’s been written about themselves.
We could create a special version of Brainiac that people could use to interrogate our database about themselves. I *hope* that won’t be a huge hit on our server – which is juuust about able to keep up with queries from the League itself without groaning as it stands now. If our server turns out not to be able to handle that in tests, we’ll see if we can find a faster server that can, and mirror that part of our database to that server.
Reality
Aug 13th, 2007
Yup, people DO have a right to privacy: shut down your database, wipe it clean, and stop collecting information about anyone aside from the Griefers you profess to fight.
Kalel Venkman
Aug 13th, 2007
Hi, Reality – you’ve hit the nail on the head, that’s exactly what the database is for. The difference between using simple notecards, or pens and paper, and keeping records in a database is one of scale and convenience. It’s just a tool for keeping track of griefers.
And because people do have a right to privacy, it would be unfair and unreasonable of us to open the entire database for anyone to read anything about what abuse reports might have been filed against any particular person. Linden Lab doesn’t share this information with anyone who happens along, so we thought it wise to follow their lead – unless you think Linden Lab is a griefer, because they have not only your name but everything else about your account too?
Reality
Aug 13th, 2007
What the Lab does is irrelevant. They are the Service Provider.
You and your group are a different matter and unless you can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re not collecting information on all residents you happen by …. kindly cease responding until it can be verified that your current system has been taken down and wiped clean and that your current group is not engaged in any sort of griefer activities itself.
Artemis Fate
Aug 13th, 2007
“We could create a special version of Brainiac that people could use to interrogate our database about themselves. ”
“And because people do have a right to privacy, it would be unfair and unreasonable of us to open the entire database for anyone to read anything about what abuse reports might have been filed against any particular person.”
Yeah, that’s true. You could work it the same way Banlink does it, as they allow you to look at your own data, but not anyone elses, so you can refute a banning or record you have.
I still think it’s a bit iffy because there shouldn’t be anything private or anything in there to begin with. Especially since all official JLU members (from what I understand) are allowed to view it. I don’t have a problem with LL personnel viewing all these private details, because they’re required to sign legally binding NDA-type contracts and such i’m sure before working there, and if they exploit it they can get fired. Whereas, as far as I know, there are no such privacy contracts with the JLU, correct me if i’m wrong there.
Anonymous
Aug 13th, 2007
* You’ve posted source code to the League’s proprietary devices and equipment without permission to do so, code that you acquired only because we trusted you to be responsible with it as a member of the League (trust that you’ve proven was misplaced).
You posted real life information on several people as well as chat logs from private websites without permission to do so. My pot black enough for you kettles yet?
* You’ve created these notecards accusing the people whom you claim were your friends of all manner of atrocities and spammed several groups with them (believe me, I’ve been dealing with a lot of complaints about you doing that, because they still think you’re in the League for some reason).
Funny, how noone has actually complained to me, when I’ve been giving them out face to face. I posted one group notice in the Banlink group. Everyone else that got the card was given it directly by me.
* You promised not to release real life information about anyone here in this article, then posted my URL and my first name within days of saying that.
I never promised to do anything of the sort. I said I hadn’t, and wouldn’t, out of respect, respect that has been entirely eliminated due to your vindictive actions. And never, not once, did I promise not to reveal your private website. After all, isn’t that one of the two things I leaked in the first place? Furthermore, I only posted your real name after you posted some real life information on me to the ED.
* You threaten now to post code stolen from the League in retribution for our complaints against what you’ve already done.
No, not for your complaints that I write the article, for the shit you guys are talking way beyond that. Shit like Sena Petit’s comments above, ro Tracy Laszlo’s harassing of other groups to try to shut me out of SL alltogether. Disagreement on the level of DianaPrince Carter’s “Stop the Insanity” notecard is perfectly acceptable. But Calling em a lair is far different that a psychopathic schizophrenic bastard who should not be in any group.
* And to top it all off, you were PAID $2000 LINDENS to sell out your friends in the so-called “tell all” article you wrote, the following comments in which you’ve been forced to recant everything you said in the article.
Just where did you get this 2,000 linden fee from? I was given just 1750, and I didn’t ever ask for money. I told Pixeleen to post this, that I didn’t care about money, just that the information got out. Furthermore, I did not keep one cent of the fee, I turned around and donated it to charity. Every last cent. As well as my stipend, I might add, and most recently, every avatar I have ever made. I am not doing this to make money. I am doing this to tell the world jsut what kidn of people you really are.
“And you insist you’ve taken the high road?”
Never did I insist that. I have only said I did the right thing. It doesn’t make me better than anyone else. In fact, because I was involved with you, I feel my record is even worse than most citizens. The only one trying to put me on a pedestal here is you, and just so you cna kick me off of it. I am not better than anyone, I’m just the messenger.
My ethics were never compromised. My ethics are defined by this neat little 200 year old document, maybe you’ve heard of it, the United States Constitution? Especially that whole business in the Bill of Rights about freedom of privacy, you know, things like needing a warrant to get into someone’s private documents. My feelings were never hurt by your decision to kick em out of the JLU. You made the right decision. I am clearly against you. The only thing I am angry about is the further actions taken against me, which have included fraudulent PN charges, fraudulent use of Banlink against me. Harassment of other groups to try to stop me. Distributing of my real life info by you to the ED.
Now, as to your answer to Artemis’ suggestion, that’s a half response if I’ve ever heard one. In the interests of transparency and openness, you’ll show some of your stuff. Well why do you have to hide that other stuff? It’s all well and good to show us this nice clean living room, but I’d like to see those dead bodies you’ve been stockpiling in your basement. Transparency and Openness is unconditional, Gene. You can’t be open and hide information at the same time.
Finally, stop trying top convince me that I’m evil, and I’m falling into darkness. This isn’t a damn comic book. I am getting further and further away from you forgiving me, but I don’t bloody well care if you do. I do not need a second chance, to be forgiven and let back into your illegal organization. I want nothing more to do with your activities. I will not be an enemy of Second Life any longer. Yes, I turned my back on my friends and I betrayed them. But like Brutus turning on Caesar, I do so for everything I believe in, and for the better of my fellow countrymen. Maybe a comic book analogy would make more sense to you. Eventually even Clark Kent had to act against his old friend Lex Luthor.
Maybe I am wrong in my actions. But, to date, I have received no complaints, no ill words, no negative reactions to my article save from JLU members. As opposed to the several dozen compliments, thanks, further inquiries, positive responses, well wishes I have gotten. Keep this stuboorn tyrannical streak up. With every response on that level, you are the one embarassing yourself, and you are the one
DaveOner
Aug 13th, 2007
Superman is turning over in his grave, kids. He and Wonder Woman’s mom.
So could I request that the JLU delete my information from their database? I can do the same with LL…it’s called cancelling my account.
I would like to cancel my account with JLU…if I have one.
That’s another thing. The difference between what LL does and what JLU does is the fact that we all ASKED LL to have our info in exchange for providing their services.
I didn’t ask JLU to secretly gather my info.
So I say again. I would like to cancel my account with JLU.
Hewee Zetkin
Aug 13th, 2007
The information in the JLU database is comprised of the personal accounts of our members; our observations of behavior and events. To the best of our knowledge, all of that information was obtained without the aid of fraud, hacking, or any other illegal activity. If we were to learn that any information was obtained illegally, we would do something about it in a flash.
Sorry, but you’re not likely to get organizations to turn over personal journals of their members, transcripts of support group sessions, bank account histories, or the contents of police reports involving other citizens. Nor are you likely to be able to “close your account” out of a person’s personal history, a newspaper’s stories, a law enforcement organization’s database, or any other such information system. Whatever our members may have posted was according to their own observations, and you can’t erase that from their memories, nor can you keep them from relating it to others in the manner of their choosing. The Brainiac Wiki is a service for relating to other trusted members of the Justice League whatever personal accounts our members like.
It is actually for unethically and maliciously divulging private information that Nikola was ejected from the group. It just so happened that the information was about the Justice League, but we would have kicked him just the same if he had maliciously done so about ANYONE, including griefers. If you choose not to believe our statements, that is up to you. Our actions speak for our honesty and integrity quite clearly, as I think you will find most of the honest residents and groups we have run into will agree.
We are always interested in other ways to help out the community, and we are considering very seriously how we might be able to provide information services to do this without unduly compromising the privacy or trust of anyone, including our members and including griefers. If the information we choose to provide to the public on our own is not enough for you, then talk to us directly. We are very reasonable people. If you want to know more private information about our members, sign up as an applicant and earn our trust like anyone else would.
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 14th, 2007
One Second Life member list and one outer password. That is all I ever handed out. And the comparison to other law enforcement agencies, right there, is your problem. You are not a law enforcement agency, and as such, are not entitled to the same privileges they would enjoy. You do not have the right to log any real life information on griefers, as that goes beyond the jurisdiction of Second Life, which is even more than you have. You have no jurisdiction over anything, and carrying out police actions in lieu of being legal police officers is illegal. And one more thing. Stop bringing up why I was kicked out to try to justify your illegal activities. It is not relevant to this type of discussion. Using such blame-shifting tactics to try to get out of the spotlight is shameful and cowardly, and obviously is not working.
Witness X
Aug 14th, 2007
“Using such blame-shifting tactics to try to get out of the spotlight is shameful and cowardly, and obviously is not working.”
Says someone using the same finger pointing tactics. “Look at them, look at them.” says the little child. Your basking in the spotlight yet you can’t seem to handle the attention it brings. You’re not really one to be calling other people cowards. You’re just this month’s attention grabber to be forgotten in a month or two, seeking a pat on the back for the crap you’ve done.
Also your blaming other people for turning you into pariah, when you did that ALL on your OWN. You can’t handle it know, you also should have known that personal attacks would come your skin isn’t thick enough to handle it. All you’ve done is turn into a little whiner because you can dish it but you can’t take it. Don’t blame others for you becoming a pariah, you did that all on your own.
You can’t take it, go live in a cave in the mountains with goats as your friends. Everyone is sick of hearing you little crybaby.
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 14th, 2007
I am not angry at being turned into a Pariah. I am far from a Pariah. I am pissed off that the JLU is trying to turn me into one. I don’t mind being called a thousand and one insults, but petitioning other groups to eject and ban me, when i have done them no offence is vindictive. I am not basking in the spotlight. The only reason i put my name on the document was to prove it wasn’t PN propaganda. And I know exactly who you are Witness. There were only two channers in the JLU, and your language tells me you are a channer. Carigorp and Maldavius Figtree. And seeing as Carigorp is actually proving to be the most level-headed and reasonable voice in the JLU, and is not afraid to talk to me in honest, no personal attack terms., I know you are without a doubt Maldavius Figtree, by simple evidence examination. I would also like to inform you, that I am filing the appropriate abuse reports against you.
One other thing, not to Mal here, but to everyone on here, i have posted warning now for the third time to JLU leadership, most recently Hewee Zetkin, who told me to stop posting thier technology on here. I am more than willing to accomodate their request, providing just four simple notecards are given to me.
1. A chat transcript with Sean Petit, condemning his behavior here and on the grid.
2. A chat transcript condemning Tracy Laszlo for his vindictive attempts to have me taken out of eveyr group on the grid.
3. a chat transcript of a meeting, not the whole meeting, just the relevant part, where Kalel Venkman requests the group to stop similar attacks.
4. a group ntoice to the extent of the same.
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 14th, 2007
Furthermore, whoever talks to me in world shall receive one Justice League Commlink and One Justice League Distress Signal, in perfect working order. This offer is only good until Kalel Venkman does the right thing, so act fast!
Witness X
Aug 14th, 2007
“And I know exactly who you are Witness. There were only two channers in the JLU, and your language tells me you are a channer. Carigorp and Maldavius Figtree. And seeing as Carigorp is actually proving to be the most level-headed and reasonable voice in the JLU, and is not afraid to talk to me in honest, no personal attack terms., I know you are without a doubt Maldavius Figtree, by simple evidence examination. I would also like to inform you, that I am filing the appropriate abuse reports against you.”
*sigh* You’re just as unimaginative as the rest of the typical Anons. I’m not Maldavious Figtree. Yes I am former Anon, many of the Witnesses are. You sir fail at the name game. Go ahead abuse report Mal, I think that pretty funny. I dunno how you can AR something not inside SL, but go right ahead be my guest, I hate that little turd Maldavious anyways. Your evidence deduction is exactly like the rest of “facts” Not only that I can’t script myself out of a paperbag (me and mootykips alike, oh noes I must be mootykips/Angel Fluffy too…oh noes)
I already gave hints about who I might be. It must have went over your air filled hole ridden head.
Once again, I am not the ONLY Witness in SL nor am I the only one to post in Herald’s comments. I hear a teapot screaming it must be your brain grinding to a halt. Have fun Nik the Power Ranger boy.
Hugs and kisses
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 14th, 2007
What do you mean power ranger boy, kid?
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 15th, 2007
Den it, however much you wish Mal, the facts are the facts, and they don’t lie.
Witness X
Aug 15th, 2007
“What do you mean power ranger boy, kid?”
The fact that you built a personal “Zordon” as well as all your little cruddy Power Ranger AVs.
“Den it, however much you wish Mal, the facts are the facts, and they don’t lie.”
LMAO. Oh now I know what Mooty felt like when the whole mootykips/Angel Fluffly thing came about. HILARIOUS. Go around believing whatever you want, go ask Zordon maybe he’ll give you a real hint. Right now you’re more entertaining then watching Prok get flamed. My sides hurt. FACTS? Oh LOL! I’ll let you believe you just uncovered this great grand secret, it’s oh so good for laughs. Cheers to you Niky boy for the good chuckle. You are so far off you couldn’t throw a rock in the ocean if you were 20 feet deep in it.
Good day sir!
protip – I’m female you louse
NobodyImportant
Aug 15th, 2007
WitnessX, there are no women on the internet.
If you were a former anon, you would know this.
I call bull.
Witness X
Aug 15th, 2007
“WitnessX, there are no women on the internet.
If you were a former anon, you would know this.
I call bull.”
Like I said, more than one Witness X. This one typing right now IS female. I can be former Anon too, why admit I’m a woman among a bunch of sexist hate-mongers? One more reason to fight and get rid of you sexist Chan fucktards. No womin on the interbutts. No wonder most of you do what you do because you can’t get a piece of ass.
See everyone. Here is an example of your typical narrow minded Anon. Don’t get fed them after midnight and whatever you do don’t poor water on them.
I also find it funny that all you Anon think that Alex is the ONLY Witness X. Do you actually think he can be all those places at once? Hmmm? He’s a fuck up I give you that, that’s were I and Anonymous agree.
Witness X
Aug 15th, 2007
Oh another thing. You Anon sure did tolerate G.L.A.S.S. for about five seconds. I thought there were no women on the internet? Only when they’re useful for you Anon to take down a site or the usual “Tits or GTFO”
NobodyImportant
Aug 15th, 2007
Dear “female” WitnessX:
We all know that Alex Wuori, Maldavius Figtree, and a number of white supremacists use the stupid tag. Stop insinuating we don’t.
Secondly, Jesus Christ. If you really were an anon, even a former one, you wouldn’t take that so seriously. I still call bull on you being an anon for just this reason.
Thirdly, .g l a s s. was tolerated because there was
A) Proof
B) Major ownage on her part of Keith
I was a bit surprised when I saw that the insurgents had decided to hate her, but such is the nature.
Oh, and at you calling me sexist, that one’s pure gold. I’m having a nice laugh. Thanks!
lulz4evah
Aug 15th, 2007
i haerd u liek butthurt Nikoloser
Ur video is shitty
U suck!
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 15th, 2007
Just what would your students think then?
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 15th, 2007
Gene, this is an external website. According to Linden Labs, as can be verified through the support system, the terms of service do not apply to external websites. And furthermore, filing charges on the grounds of disclosure is the definition of hypocricy for you, Gene. After all, as can also be verified, the disclosure standard prohibits the following:
Remotely monitoring conversations, posting conversation logs, or sharing conversation logs without consent are all prohibited in Second Life and on the Second Life Forums.
Now, just how many times have you violated that precept on the grounds of “doing your job”? And that’s verifiable. Just what evidence could you have that I violated the disclosure clause in Second Life, seeing as I did not, and even more, that I did so at Asimov Park, the JLU private sim yesterday?
Witness X
Aug 15th, 2007
“We all know that Alex Wuori, Maldavius Figtree, and a number of white supremacists use the stupid tag. Stop insinuating we don’t.”
Not the “female” Witness X here…I love how you Anonymous types always throw the white supremacists card anytime you want to downplay something and it make it a better target or to make yourselves look good. I quit frankly do notknow if there are any female Witnesses nor do I really give a shit…common cause is common cause. You Anonymous types should understand that.
NobodyImportant
Aug 15th, 2007
Dear the not-female WitnessX:
I said “White Supremacists” because they have used the handle before.
Insurgents invaded a White Supremacist forum when they acted hypocritically, saying that all of Anon was racist (Jesus christ, the racists calling others racist, what’s the interwebs coming to?); they then started lurking the insurgency board and using the “WitnessX” handle to warn people ahead of time of raids, just as Alex Wuori did. They even gloated about it on their forums.
So no, I’m not throwing the “White Supremacist” card down to discredit your “cause”, I’m stating it because it’s fact.
By the way, if memory serves, the forum was Stormfront.
Witness X
Aug 16th, 2007
Power ranger boy, that one still make me smile. We’re dealing with that little fo a boy here? Ha ha ha.
Irregardless, yes, my fellow Witnesses are telling the truth, there are more than one of us. furthermore, we are all not in total agreement. For instance, did you know that this witness is personally against Kalel Venkman? I remember going to school with him, back in good old Tada’s class. Personally, I didn’t like him all that much back then, either. Seems like the 22 years since we graduated hasn’t pounded the weasel out of him yet. You know what, I think it was time everything that could be heard about Kalel Venkman was heard, even if this little brat’s blog is the only place I can do it.
Did you know Gene Turnbow (Kalel Venkman) and I both graduated from John Burroughs High School, Class of 1975? Ah Burbank back in the day was so much fun, at least it was for me. I miss the days when we would take our trips out to the Garret Coffee House, and just spend hours dreaming about our futures. That is, until he stabbed me in the back, stealing some of my art samples to jump start his illegitimate career. Yes, Gene, I remember that, and I will never forget it, you thieving bastard!
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 16th, 2007
Why do you little punks keep calling me power ranger boy. I created that time to sell some avatars, not for a permanent lifestyle. Furthermore, my chosen avatar is female, so neither term holds much water kids. Whatever the circumstance, I will not be posting here any more unless people with a traceable SL user name wish to talk. I neither have the time nor do I really care to respond to you anonymous trolls any longer.
Witness X
Aug 16th, 2007
Haha, somebody took my handle and posted bullshit about Kalel! It’s got to be Nikola again, he loves his sock puppets so much!
Kalel Venkman
Aug 16th, 2007
You distributed source code in-world, copied from no-transfer scripts into your own notecards – first, that’s code theft by any definition, and second, my personal URL was in those scripts. That’s disclosure – one count of it for each notecard in which the URL appeared, for each notecard you distributed.
Second, you distributed a revised copy of your made-up nonsense on another notecard, which you spammed liberally in Second Life. This was reported to me by the Asgard, among others. This contained my URL in the updated section, a very deliberate addition. That’s also disclosure. One count of disclosure for each notecard you distributed.
At this point you have committed literally over one hundred of violation of the Community Standards, Article 4. The location, ‘Asimov Park’, happened to be where I was standing when I submitted the screenshots of the notecards in which you committed these violations to the Lindens. More are being reported to me all the time by the people you’re giving the notecards to.
Oh, and since everybody seems so interested in talking about my life, here’s a tidbit: the Garret Coffee House closed in 1971. I’d have been 13. It was also 35 miles from the high school three cities over, which I didn’t begin attending until ’73.
Witness X
Aug 16th, 2007
Nikola, you don’t even have the balls to post under your own name any more.
This is another Witness X. One who is personally against you.
You can dish it out but can you take it, great ThNik?
All of the following information is publicly available on the Web. Anybody can find it for themselves.
Niko Thomas , 19, of Denver, Colorado, enrolled in the University of Alaska, Anchorage in Journalism.
Your IP is : 137.229.152.229. That geolocates to Anchorage, Alaska.
Username: TheGreenFaerae
Website: thegreenfaerae.com
This is what you have said in the past, “ Mr. Champion of the Constitution”:
In 2005 on http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/usa
25The Green FaeraeFuck yea. I hate those fuckin spicktopian wetbacks. Every last oen of them sjhould be shipped the fuck out.
Tsk tsk, 17 and already a racist hairball. Even back then you couldn’t type for shit.
Two years later, you’re still the same racist dirtbag. You may have tried to sanitize your U4Prez.com presidential platform on 08/12/2007 06:41 am
http://www.u4prez.com/index.php?do=rate&act=profile&id=1565, but the original, which you created April 2007 and was online as of 26 Jul 2007 18:37:10 GMT, is still cached and accessible: http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:Nq7qsmPzTKcJ:www.u4prez.com/index.php%3Fdo%3Drate%26act%3Dprofile%26id%3D1565+%22niko+Thomas%22+%2B+%22america%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6
Now people can see for themselves that this “Champion of the Constitution” whose soundbite is “This is America, the rgeatest country in the world, and if you disagree then we don’t want you here!” is still racist, homophobic, anti-fourth amendment and a whole lot of other things bedsides. The readers don’t have to take my word for it. They can check it out for themselves and decide whether you are a hypocrite and coward or not.
Reality
Aug 16th, 2007
Hate to break it to you Kalel – If the script can be viewed, it can be copied. such scripts have a header in them telling the person if they can distribute said script.
If your scripts were lacking this – you should have made them as no modify.
If they did have this header then the code really was ‘stolen’ when it was distributed.
Kindly whine about it elsewhere.
Kalel Venkman
Aug 16th, 2007
Yup, you got me on that one, Reality. The scripts were viewable, but they weren’t set to “transfer”. That’s why Niko had to manually copy the contents of each and every Brainiac script before redistributing them, and that’s why his name was on the scripts he was distributing with my URL in them. That’s why the abuse reports for disclosure stuck.
At the time he was given the scripts to play with, it was with the understanding that he didn’t have the right to distribute them freely. That’s why they were set to “no transfer” in the first place. So, could he be stopped from doing it by the system and still have the ability to examine the scripts? No – that wasn’t considered them as I trusted him at his word. Was it theft? Not as long as he kept them to himself, no, it wasn’t. Distributing them freely to anyone who asked, though, while permitted by the machinery of Second Life, yes, I think that was probably theft, but you’re one hundred percent correct, I think, on the fact that the scripts did not have a header in them explicitly telling people not to do it. I had been under the impression that Niko understood that the scripts belonged to the League and not to him personally when I gave them to him, though, and the fact that he had to put out some serious effort to rebuild and copy the contents of all those scripts (he missed some critical ones, by the way, the code above is missing some chunks) shows that he could not help but know he was doing something he wasn’t intended to do.
Reality
Aug 16th, 2007
Well then – aside from the URL (disclosure( he did not, in fact, steal them.
No non-distribution header? It’s distributable if it’s allowed to be viewed. Doesn’t much matter what permissions the originals were set to – you gave him a script set that he could view and edit – as well as copy or distribute in so far as copies went.
Was it morally right? Nope.
Morality means very little however in these cases.
In the future do not give out viewable copies of your scripts.
Better yet – In the future don’t write scripts that will gather information automatically on each and every person you meet.
Hewee Zetkin
Aug 16th, 2007
The ability to copy a work does not equate to the right to do so. Copyrights are implicit in the creation of a new work and reside with the creator, unless otherwise assigned. Releases are generally binding on the material that they are distributed with. This means that if the originator of a work distributes that work with a release granting certain permissions, those permissions apply as stated, without discrimination, to all persons legitimately possessing a copy of the work.
If SL permissions can be considered a release and license agreement, then the script being no-transfer means copying and pasting to distribute the source code is a violation of this contract. If SL permissions can NOT be considered a release and license agreement, then no statement has been made either way as to whether the script can be re-distributed, which means default copyright law applies and it cannot.
You have violated U.S. and international law, Nikola. In so doing, you have also violated the SL Terms of Service.
Witness X
Aug 16th, 2007
Oh, and for the record, Niko Niko, WU thinks your lulzy. Incompentent, but lulzy.
Witness X
Aug 16th, 2007
Oh wow nice one Nikola power ranger boy. Use our name to do your dirty work. Except all that info you posted about Kalel Venkman was FULL of your typical typos. Really nice move, and we never post our name in blue and linked.
You claim we’re all cowardly for not using out names then you go and do it and use our name to drag it through the dirt. Nice try. You’re bringing this to a whole other level of low Nikola. You opened the Pandora’s box now deal with the fall out and the consequences.
And, NobodyImportant. Your info is right, that’s the first time Anon came across the Witness X name, but it wasn’t it’s real origin. But I have to respect someone who knows their stuff though, cheers to you NobodyImportant.
Reality
Aug 16th, 2007
No Copyright notice/mark – no Copyright. Matter of fact, if what you are saying is true then Microsoft’s Windows application violates copyright laws (it was stolen) as would any material published by another person who happened to get their hands on said material. Try again.
No transfer in SL? It can still be viewed and copied – thus able to be passed on. Try again.
Again, best solution: don’t make scripts that gather information on all avatars you pass by.
Witness X
Aug 16th, 2007
LOL then you won’t mind not logging into Second Life then? Because if you object so strongly, you certainly must object to the SL client displaying your avatar’s name on somebody else’s screen every time you pass in front of somebody!
Get a clue.
Nikola Shirakawa
Aug 16th, 2007
Disclosure of information already freely given in SL is permitted. You gave group notices with the kryptonians.net domain name out freely. Furthermore, it was in the interests of telling all the facts. Can you say you have never posted a url in SL yourself?
The posting of the code was theft in spirit, yes, but I did not break any laws. Copyrights, despite what you may say to the opposite, Hewee, are not inherent. They must be properly marked, and, in most cases, properly filed with the government to be officially recognized. The only true inherent right would be the right to gain the copyright for yourself. You obviously created the code, and as such if someone were to attempt to steal the copyright form you, and try to copyright it as their own, their copyright applications would be thrown out. Furthermore, a copyright must be printed in a reasonably expected place on the published version of the document in question for a copyright to apply. No where on any JLU tech does it say it is the copyright of Hewee, Kalel or the JLU, nor is there any nondisclosure agreement, nor is there any notice of copyright, which could reasonably be expected. And I did not edit out any parts of the scripts I had. i will acknowledge I may be missing some external scripts, but all i had was directly copied. Lastly, who the hell are you to yell at somebody for copyright violations in the first place? You entire group is made of flagrant copyright violators, of valid copyrights. How many JLU people sell Comic character avatars? Does that money go back to DC or Marvel? No, it goes to you? Well, dee dee dee, that’s blatant copyright theft. Remember that lawsuit against Cryptic a couple years back by Marvel? Just how is your kind of business any different, aside from the fact that your avatars weren’t made by DC or Marvel?
One more thing, just to clear a few things up that I feel have to be cleared up. That u4prez profile was sanitized not because I am afraid of those views, but because I am in the process of cancelling that account, as I never used it, and see no reason for it’s existance. And yes, the racial slurs were my words, but they were nto serious racism. Did you know that for most of senior year, my myspace profile name was “Kid Cocksauce”? Or that I came up with that display name after a contest to find the best racial slur against white people, because I don’t think cracker was that offensive for us to hate. See, I use racial slurs against all races, my own included. You saw one comment, and thought that was enough to judge me? Never mind that my two best friends are half-hispanic themselves. Or that half my friends are hispanic. Or that the number 7 spot in my top friends belongs to the most mexican looking person you could ever see. If I were truly racist, why would I associate with those people? You’ve never heard of using racism as humor? I guess the likes of Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Carlos Mencia, George Carlin, Katt Williams, etc. etc. etc., never entered your sheltered little world. Also, I did not post as Witness X, I have never used a sock puppet on here. It does look obvious that it is not one of your crew, Sen, but it was not me. Probably mootykips, would be my guess, as he posted real life info on kalel before.
And lastly, I do want people to read that cached u4prez profile. There is not one thing on there that goes against the fourth amendment. Not One. Furthermore, you will note that that profile is very oriented towards keeping private lives private and public lives, good and american. There is nothing racist in there. And homophobic? My viewpoint was in favor of gay rights! I respect a lot of gay people, my only statement was against the flaming people who are using their sexuality as an excuse to be an asshole to others. I see a big distinction between someone like Amanda Bearse, George Takei, Ellen DeGeneres, and Niel Patrick Harris, and someone using a michael jackson like falsetto and wearing the most outlandish attire to draw attention to themselves. I’m against the people using their minority “diversities” to prop up hostile behavior, not agaisnt the diversities themselves.