Is the FIC Fading?
by Alphaville Herald on 07/08/07 at 8:06 am
Smack Talking Blingtards say “We da Shiz Now!”
by Urizenus Sklar
Last month, while I was surfing the numerous SL Blingtard Blogs, I came across a very interesting discussion on Verbal Stew, a blog run by SL denizens JellyBean Madison and HawksRock Gunawan. JellyBean raised the question: is there now or was there ever a FIC, and if so what happened to it? JellyBean weighed in again in the comments with the following observation: In the post-flexiprim era we haven’t seen jack from the FIC. Quoting:
I haven’t seen the FIC “designers” (Aimee Weber, Mistress Midnight, etc.) spit anything new out since before the flexi prim. I could be mistaken. In fact I think Launa Fauna is FIC, and she’s about the only one doing anything & that’s not even regularly. Cristiano Midnight runs Snapzilla but I honestly don’t think he’s spit out an animation in awhile. ..
There’s new cliques arising from the FIC’s fading… the bloggers, the designing groups & quads, the techies, the scripters, and so on. Instead of one big Feted Inner Core holding them all. I think they’ve branched off without Linden influences & freebies.
So what happened to the SL Aristocracy exactly? One possibility is that when the meatspace invasion arrived the Linden’s steered all the business to the FIC and they got absorbed in giving the corps what they wanted – virtual monuments that are simulacra of their meatspace creations – and the FIC stopped being creative. They died of Linden Largess. What do you think? Is the FIC dead? If so, how did it die? –Uri
Walker Spaight
Aug 7th, 2007
inbreeding is known to shorten life spans and stunt growth
dandellion Kimban
Aug 7th, 2007
FIC disappeared since that yellow-haired guy is not around to spread his own paranoia.
FlipperPA Peregrine
Aug 7th, 2007
She who coined the term “Feted Inner Core” certainly thought I was a member of the so called “grand conspiracy.” As for what I’m up to in Second Life? I’ve got as many projects going as ever. SLTrivia.com is the most popular thing I’ve ever made for SL, getting more regular traffic than SLBoutique did back when I ran it (just see the high scores of some folks, heh). SLCC continues to grow, from 150 in 2005, to 450 last year, to a cap of 850 this year. Indigo Crew is as big as ever, with our sims getting more traffic than ever, and in more languages!
I know Snapzilla takes up a ton of Cristiano’s time, and is getting more and more traffic each month. Mistress Midnight is busying working for Rivers Run Red in London, and Aimee’s busy with her own business. For some of the so called FIC, we still look at SL like a hobby; for others, it’s become a business. No big surprise Mistress and Aimee aren’t working too much on fashion, when they’ve got RL clients paying in USD of GBP to serve!
We’re residents, just like anyone else, our avatars are just older. Get over it, Uri!
StallionSeven
Aug 7th, 2007
I love you Ludlow talks like it is an established fact that
1)There ever was an FIC
2)The Lindens steered business toward them.
Great reporting Ludlow.
eggy lippmann
Aug 7th, 2007
We’re still lurking out there, having our secret meetings, deciding your fate!
everythingbadisgoodforyou
Aug 7th, 2007
the fic all got sucked up by metaverse development companies. they’re quiet because they’ve all had to sign non disclosure agreements.
Hiro Pendragon
Aug 7th, 2007
We’re all making more money doing custom builds for corporations.
*grin*
Melissa Yeuxdoux
Aug 7th, 2007
My guess is that they’re meeting with the Bilderbergers, the Illuminati, and the Freemasons.
Loloz Oh
Aug 7th, 2007
The FIC just moved to Neo. duh.
Anonymous
Aug 7th, 2007
FIC doesnt exist.
and the “FIC” in neo is a mockery.
SqueezeOne Pow
Aug 7th, 2007
Could someone point me to the right “paranoid SLer wikipedia” that explains this FIC thing? From what I’ve been able to tell it’s just something that was invented so the SL have-nots had a valid reason beyond jealousy to talk shit about the people they envy.
Is that far off?
Carl Metropolitan
Aug 7th, 2007
There is no FIC; there are FICs.
Tizzers Foxchase
Aug 7th, 2007
“FIC doesnt exist.
and the “FIC” in neo is a mockery.”
Pfft! Nonsense. We are 100% authentic, and stuff. :3
Nacon
Aug 7th, 2007
There’s no FIC if there’s no “intercore” of SL Herald. It’s just all about friends and egos.
Whenever you think there’s a FIC out against you… could only means you’re an idiot.
(btw, isn’t that what Prok like to use all the time? We all know she’s crazy… I guess you’re crazy too, Herald.)
Tenshi Vielle
Aug 7th, 2007
People have had experiences like I had this week. After Torrid had hers, she came back basically under cover. She’s definitely still here – she just has other projects she’s working on. Hiro’s on the money right there – literally.
FIC? Well, I think that’s basically Prok’s territory. If you’re on her hit list, you’re FIC – so congrats, Walker and Pix! (Uri, I can’t remember, are you on it too?)
Ruthed Linden
Aug 7th, 2007
As the chairman of FIC, I’d like to say that we’re happy to hear of your interest in our group, and we invite any and all to join us.
We may not be as active in SL as we once were, but be assured that we are here, and highly active, everywhere you go and in everything you do in SecondLife.
The Foundation for Independent Crossdressers is a non-profit group founded in SL to raise awareness to our never-ending fight to find fashionable accessories that look just as trendy with a pair of men’s slacks as they do with, say, a cute strapless evening gown with a delicate lace pattern on the hems.
Every day, more and more fashionable designers are falling victim to creating clothing that only looks great on a single-sexed AV. Tiaras, leg-warmers, wifebeater-Tshirts, coveralls, and 5000-prim boots are everywhere these days, and our members feel they discriminate against those of us who desire to be male and female, but don’t feel like changing our clothes.
So join today, and together we can make a difference. We may not be allowed to use the same bathroom together, but that doesn’t mean we can’t discuss Soap Operas and Stanley Tweedle in the same sentence.
Contributions of oversize flannel shirts and pink mohair blouses with black poodle silhouettes on them gratefully accepted at all local Salivatin’ Army Store drop-off centers, or directly by contacting Ruthed Linden in-game.
“FIC: Fighting back is the new black”
Paranoid Agent
Aug 7th, 2007
Prok was right – you’re all out to get me!!!!
Well, try to get through THIS! Hahahaha!!!1
Yes, …it’s a 500 Prim aluminum-foil hat with special cosmo-ray particle effect poofers and super duper eye-blinding bling built right in!
Yeah – just try to get your mind rays through this baby nya-haha! Lotsa luck suckahs! Even your hypnotic synchronized dance balls and 2-hour hug attachments will have no effect on me now!
Just a sec – waiting for my inventory to load… Hang on, it’s in here somewhere…
…at least I thought it was.
(curses, foiled again)
Trinity Dejavu
Aug 7th, 2007
They all got alts…
Observer
Aug 7th, 2007
You’re taking your opinion on the FIC from a blog by Jellybean Madison? Congrats Herald, New low, here we come!
At least find someone reputable.
marilyn murphy
Aug 7th, 2007
i have had to point out several times in the past that those of us that are truly in control and screwing the newbies, getting favored treatment and plotting against upstarts have never even been seen or mentioned by prok.
it’s just like the skulls. when the theorists got to close to the true cabal behind the scenes, the skulls were trotted out as the secret organization to point fingers at. or maybe this week its the freemasons.
no one has even come close to us yet. if someone does and survives, we will trot out phillip.
Tiffany Wilder
Aug 7th, 2007
Trinity is correct, I know of many successful SLr’s *sadly I am not one* who once they become established become so bombarded with IM’s and complaints etc, that they simply create an alt and then *hire* their alt and pay their alt any income.
No more headaches from whinny customers, *maybe pop on once in a while to keep up appearances* but otherwise just sit back and count their money in peace and quite.
They may also be working on starting a second or third business and need a alt so they have the quite time required to do this. If it also becomes successful then they just repeat the 1st step over again.
Macphisto Angelus
Aug 7th, 2007
The really fun ones are at secondcitizen.com
Profkey Fudbuffer
Aug 7th, 2007
i no lulz
Aimee Weber
Aug 7th, 2007
Would this be a good time to plug my book? Pre-order today
pixeleen mistral
Aug 7th, 2007
Aimee, this is the *perfect* time to plug your book. Walker Spaight will be happy to sell you ad space here at the Herald, and I don’t think either of the readers at the second life blingsider will notice that you are over here, so go ahead and take the plunge.
Aimee Weber
Aug 7th, 2007
Thanks for the offer but I think I’ll get more hits advertising over at Second Life Insider!
Since you deleted the link to the book from my previous post, readers can find the book themselves by going to Amazon and searching for “Creating Your World: The Official Guide to Advanced Content Creation for Second Life”
Rodion Resistance
Aug 7th, 2007
Once upon a time, there was a talented person. Everyone looked up at the person in awe, simply because there was no one like this person–skill and talent unmatched. Naturally most business interests steered toward the person, because of sheer excellence in design and creativity…
Then, one quiet midsummers day…the Japanese came…
XD
urizenus
Aug 7th, 2007
clearly, writing a book is a sign that one’s period of creativity is spent, and its now time to veg and write about a once glorious past.
Unless, of course, the book is by me and Mark Wallace, in which case it is more of a road map to the future thrills and chills that our fertile minds will bring to the metaverse, one beautifully crafted paragraph after another.
I won’t tell you the title, because if you don’t already know, well, it’s hopeless for you. Buy Aimee’s book instead. Or wait and get it from the library.
pixeleen mistral
Aug 7th, 2007
Aimee,
Walker may be able to work some sort of trade deal if you really can’t afford to pay for an ad. I’d just hate to see you reduced to trying to slip links to your book into the comments section of a cheap metaverse tabloid. Maybe have your marketing people talk to Walker?
Impartial Observer
Aug 7th, 2007
Wow you guys blog that Aimee isn’t doing anything. When she comments that she IS doing something, she gets grief from both Uri and Pixeleen.
Looks like Aimee is more important than I thought…
Anonymous
Aug 7th, 2007
We’re the Feted Inner Core. You know too much.
You will be exterminated.
Tenshi Vielle
Aug 7th, 2007
rotfl @ aimee, pix and uri <3
Prokofy Neva
Aug 7th, 2007
Gosh, Uri can find time to write about Bukakke, and then try to sprinkle Holy Water around the Herald to get rid of me by getting rid of my trademark Herald, but he can’t cope with commenting or taking action on the outrageous state of affairs, where a mob of griefers can call for a reporter’s head, where the subjects of articles can complain about coverage and threaten libel suits and be placated, and where publishing the news and views without fear or favour suffers terribly! Truly amazing display of the passive/aggressive!
1. This theory of mine was not generated because I was “jealous”; that would be retarded to think that I’d be envious of someone’s ability to uh…design underwear and vehicles for avatars. I’ve had a rich and full first life and second life, and will go on doing so. My theory is a good tool to understand the privileged classes of SL.
2. Uri must not bother to keep up with my blog, as I have regularly updated the theory, responded to queries, and created the list of Fic 2.0, Fic 2.1 and the Noospherists, the people who really make it all happen above all our heads.
3. To be sure, Aimee isn’t slinging sculpties, and Cristiano hasn’t made an animation since before the Gulf War, but their little creations which give them traffic of like 57 on their little lots have never been the bastion of their privilege; those stores and lines were merely used as long as it took to get in the Lindens’ good graces, and discarded when not needed. Cristiano gets off being Snapshot baron and pontificating in the flailing and fading Second Cast. Aimee still does metaversal jobs.
4. Some of the kids like FlipperPAY got left behind the door when it came time to get the Metaversal Myrmidon jobs. Last seen at VW07, Flipper was busy handing out the sandwhiches and the nametags. Flipper does best working at databases with one or two buttons on them — trivia and pay-per-view are his metier. Larger more complex projects involving people who do more than drink with him and sing gross songs, like SLCC, confound him. Like some companies, Second Life lets you rise above your level of competence to the point of too-high expectations and customer angst — and then it doesn’t let you go gracefully. Second Life is brutal that way.
5. Urizenus is absolutely write, that those who can’t do, write a book and rest on their laurels. Uri needs the Herald to last at least as long as the book gets pitched and maybe a bit after it arrives in the remainder bin. Uri is good when he focuses on the real mission of the Herald, but he’s not good at consistency. It’s fun to fight for one’s own freedom of speech once or twice. It gets boring to keep fighting for other people’s free speech twice, four times, ten times, especially if you don’t like them.
6. Pixeleen was almost teh funny there in that barbed remark about those 2 readers over at the Blingsider.
7. I think Carl has it correctly — there are various FICS in development, design, entertainment, fashion etc and they don’t alway speak to each other. Plus, the English-language FIC here is totally retro and behind as there are German, French, and Japanese FIC that we don’t even know about because we’re too stupid to read languages which aren’t taught in our schools.
8. The most dangerous FIC is the JIRA FIC that is busy throwing all the tools without anyone paying attention. Speak out against this FIC 2.1 grab for example:
http://jira.secondlife.com/browse/SVC-244
9. The Herald has its own FIC of those who can post directly, and it pushed me out of this FIC because I challenged their gravy train. The Herald editors are definitely Noveau FIC.
10. Read my blog for the unfiltered news and views that can’t fit on the Herald, which filters everything through a fresh greens collander in St. Paul, Minnesota.
http://secondthoughts.typepad.com
anonymous
Aug 7th, 2007
^^^^^^^
blah blah blah
Loloz Oh
Aug 7th, 2007
Speaking of Prokofy, I recently came across this video of a typical day in her life.
http://englishrussia.com/?p=1199
Nacon
Aug 7th, 2007
Prok said “…there are various FICS in development, design, entertainment, fashion etc and they don’t alway speak to each other. Plus, the English-language FIC here is totally retro and behind as there are German, French, and Japanese FIC that we don’t even know about because we’re too stupid to read languages which aren’t taught in our schools.”
Geez Prok… never heard such things called Life? You should go get some.
Prok said “The most dangerous FIC is the JIRA FIC that is busy throwing all the tools without anyone paying attention.”
Well geez Prok, sounds like you haven’t ban as much. You only can ban up to 300 people… there’s 8 MILLIONS retards on SL… so you have to cycle out the old banned users to add fresh new ban. That’s too tiresome to remember every idiots. So instead, have a bot/server/unit/script cycle the list for me to keep most current user out. The person whom has been banned longest will be cycled out because most of the case, they don’t remember about the place they’ve been banned from. Thus, second chance to do nice. If they get banned again, they will have a score to add up to make them stay banned longer.
Yeah… don’t worry, I’ll make sure you will be on my ban list forever, Prok.
(..and we all know you’re freaking out about it because you will be banned much faster across the whole SL grid.)
Prokofy Neva
Aug 8th, 2007
*trademark Herald story, i.e. the FIC
Speaking of Loloz, I recently came across this video of a typical day in his life:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDaleMxWTRo
dandellion Kimban
Aug 8th, 2007
“I recently came across this video of a typical day in her life.”
I just imagine how many letter can be produced when all those cats run over the keyboard.
Thraxis Epsilon
Aug 8th, 2007
“5. Urizenus is absolutely write,”
The word is “right”
Hmm… yep… that was the only thing worth commenting on in that post
Gaius Goodliffe
Aug 8th, 2007
The same thing is happening to the FIC(s) now that happened to all the dragons in Europe during the Enlightenment.
FlipperPA Peregrine
Aug 8th, 2007
Good to see Prok’s restraint is right where it should be. So much for her self-imposed ban from the Herald! Welcome back. It wasn’t the same without ya!
Tenshi Vielle
Aug 8th, 2007
Ugh. They won’t ban Prok, Nacon. I liked it better when you were quiet.
Don’t you know Prok is Phillip Linden’s mother?
Loloz Oh
Aug 8th, 2007
@Prok
“Speaking of Loloz, I recently came across this video of a typical day in his life:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDaleMxWTRo”
Yeah, I put that vid up to earm more “google cred”.
dandellion Kimban
Aug 8th, 2007
“Don’t you know Prok is Phillip Linden’s mother?”
LMAOL
Poor kid… he had to make a virtual world to escape rude reality!
DaveOner
Aug 8th, 2007
Oh god, who turned on the Cat Signal and pointed it at Prok’s house?
Just when things looked like they were about to turn decent here…Back to the Insider it is!
Cat Cotton
Aug 8th, 2007
The old FIC guard is no longer necessary. They had a role to play and they played it. In a nut shell. “Then they got played”. Over 7 million subscribers, lots of wonderful work being done now by; new people who are; highly professional, motivated individuals, which i might also add are in fact; extremely talented. PPL need to lift their reads up from that prim every now and again; and realize that not only has the old FIC been replaced; they have been out done. I welcome this new generation of free thinkers, movers, shakers, designers, artists, and those that can push SL in a new direction that is not predefined for them.
No false limits, no false expectations.
Cat
Thal
Aug 8th, 2007
rotfl @ aimee, pix and uri <3
Starfucker.
Prokofy Neva
Aug 8th, 2007
Um, like the Second Citizen, I come back to defend myself. If FlipperPAY can say nothing other than a fake “gotcha” over an imagined “self-imposed ban” that isn’t in place, then he’s pathetic, indeed — as I indicated.
I haven’t imposed any ban on myself; I simply don’t wish to post stories, or post to comments, when the editors don’t stand up for reporters or the truth in the comments, and when they put themselves into a FIC grouplet and subject me to “filtration”. It’s a pretty transparent power grab that is rather unseemly, and based on fear.
Prokofy Neva
Aug 8th, 2007
>ugh. They won’t ban Prok, Nacon. I liked it better when you were quiet.
Don’t you know Prok is Phillip Linden’s mother?
THE VOICE OF PIXELEEN!
Thal
Aug 8th, 2007
@ SqueezeOne – yes, you have it exactly right.
These whining babies were over in TSO, taking themselves too seriously there as well, while other people had already made the move to SL from TSO or other places. Some of them, Prok included, were woefully misinformed about SL and were even dissing it. When it became clear that TSO was a dead end and that it would never top 150k users, and that it was simply one small stepping stone towards the metaverse, they hightailed it over to SL.
Well see, they were “important figures” in TSO, so when they realized that it wasn’t going to be as easy to become what they view as “important” in SL, they started skewering people. They gained their SL fame and notoriety by attacking people and accusing them of all sorts of “crimes”. That’s “fighting back”, and it’s a fucking joke. Almost as big a joke as misrepresenting simple human nature, and being in the right place at the right time for, “ZOMG FIC!”. I am thoroughly convinced that had they been in SL in its first year, none of this FIC shit would have ever been brought up.
It’s so laughable when transparent self promoters like Uri and Prok crawl over the backs of people, clawing and biting all the way, while accusing those they are trying to destroy of being self promoting hedonists. All these people want is their names and frenzied scribblings to be visible as much as possible. They desperately want their entries in the annals of metaversal history. They want to be metaverse celebs so badly that they will fuck over anyone they need to along the way. They invented the FIC so they could gain notoriety. They have used Aimee and a host of other people to do this. They are cunning and manipulative, which is ironic given that these are traits they ascribe to others.
As for those who came to SL earlier on, they got busy. There were only a few hundred. Therefore, contact with Lindens was commonplace, and OMFG CHRIST ON A BURNING BUN some relationships were formed!
From those relationships came some recommendations, Linden build commissions, and so forth.
How sinister.
And yeah, some of them are a bit burned out now after four plus years. So hang them when they’re doing stuff, and hang them when they’re not, or when it isn’t obvious that they are doing something. You’d be all over them like stink on shit if they were bragging about it. It’s a no-win, and the theorists wouldn’t have it any other way.