M Linden – Phule Statue Auction
by Alphaville Herald on 04/12/08 at 3:32 am
By the time the fool has learned the game the players have dispersed
by Pixeleen Mistral
Some residents are speculating that by forming a virtual organization to raise funds for legal action against Linden Lab, they may be able to recover what they claim are significant monetary damages suffered due to the OpenSpace sim price increases recently announced by the Lab.
Several approaches are being take to raise funds for a legal war chest. Not only are residents able to invest in a Grid Representation Foundation IPO by way of the Ancapistan Capital Exchange, but rare and presumably not-yet-copybotted art is being sold at action to raise funds.
M Linden statue – virtual art auction to fund legal action?
The press release from Grid Representation Foundation informs us that the statue, “M Linden – Phule” is one of an exclusive edition produced by DJ Flamand for +SOS+ and, is being auctioned to raise funds for the Grid Representation Foundation (http://forum.gridrep.org a US 501c(3) non-profit organization) in order to pay for legal resources for the Save Open Space Sims movement.
M Linden art collectors will have until 7 pm SLT on December 4th to bid here: http://slurl.com/secondlife/JJ%20Lanes/51/235/23
Meanwhile, the Intlibber Brautigan says,
“legal analysis of our case is showing that given the malice, deception, and defamation of its customers usage habits, LL stands to suffer significant losses in the event SOS wins, and that our chances of winning continue to mount the deeper LL digs themselves into a hole. In addition to the 2.5 million USD in losses as a class investing into these sims, we may also count lost tiers from sims abandoned by customers in advance of policy implementation, lost business revenues from our own business operations, and other losses arising from this action by LL. Current estimates are reaching $20 million as our likely target damages (RICO Act provides for trebel damages to be awarded to plaintiffs).
Thus not only are the chances of paying back the subscribers investments in this legal case increasing, but earning a significant profit on their loan to SOS may also be in the offing in the event of a significant monetary payoff.”
Will any of these approaches work? For some residents, this may be the only game in town.
Annoyed
Dec 4th, 2008
Honestly, I hope these people fail, and fail badly. Second Life is doing pretty well, despite the increases. Action like this makes residents look petty and dumb, and just annoys some of the people in LL that are trying to help us. Are you children, or are you adults? I see Teen Grid residents behave better. For all our sakes, go orbit yourselves.
Seifert Surface
Dec 4th, 2008
The pictured statue is derivative of a copybotted work of art by Art Laxness. The prim noob was created by him for an installation on Rezzable’s Black Swan sim, then copybotted by Stavin Carter and released as a “freebie”. I’m sure there is some irony here somewhere.
Maggie Darwin
Dec 4th, 2008
I’ve seen some pretty cheesy financial scams in SL so far. But I think this one’s a new high in “low”.
Consider carefully the value of “legal analysis” from someone who can’t successfully spell “treble damages”.
Maggie Darwin
Dec 4th, 2008
“…no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual…” 26 USC 501(c)3
LOL
Dec 4th, 2008
Don’t try to Raise $ in SL for a Legal Fund, LL will most likey find out where the fund is and squash it before you can cash out. Rather go to legal workshops in the REAL WORLD and find some youung Idealistic Lawyer right out of Law School. See if you can get them to take on your case in an effort to make a name for themself.
LL can Monitor Everything in SL. It is kinda like tring to sue big tobacco. They will bug your phones, read your mail, bribe the jury, and offer to settle out of court quietly. If people are really serious about legal actions against the lab, know this, Your RL identity will have to be made a matter of public record. This is LL main strength, they assume that the residents will never devluge thier identity. Just like Big Tobacco LL has a legal Dept. with a budget 3x larger then all the $L in-game. the Terms of Service is evidence of that.
So How to beat Linden Lab at thier own game? First off, Stop calling your self a Resident of the Virtual world and admit your a Gamer. Second, think like a gamer, hit LL where it hurts most, thier wallets. STOP pouring thousands of dollars into SL, downgrade to a basic accout if you have not done so already. If you are really going to spend your own money on taking Linden lab to court in RL, make sure they are spending thier own money too, not your tier payments. Without your money Linden lab is powerless, they will be forced to raise prices again by another 33% and even more SL Gamers will get pissed and leave.
Prokofy Neva
Dec 4th, 2008
This all sounds like an elaborate tip jar for the money sink known as Intlibber Brautigan and his various shaky enterprises in SL. BTW, where *is* Intblub’s main? Is it banned or just in arrears on tier or what’s up?
I’m still trying to wrap my mind around how you use a commercial stock exchange, albeit in a game world, to fund a non-profit organization…to sue the very platform where the business investment is all tied up in land lol. That’s biting the hand that feeds you in order to plump up in order to chop off the hand…or something.
When I first wrote about this (http://secondthoughts.typepad.com/second_thoughts/2008/11/intlibber-brautigan—-better-known-as-intblubber—-is-a-nasty-human-being-one-of-those-vicious-extremist-ideologues-you-fi.html) I thought perhaps it was a hoax perpetrated by Intblub’s enemies. Then I came to the conclusion it might be a role-play. I think Carl Metropolitan got it best when he said, “Intlibber Brautigan is SL’s longest running performance art project.”
Say, how’s that “deal of the century” coming along with “Woodbury University”?
2 cents
Dec 4th, 2008
LOL and Maggie have it exactly right!
(I do have to say, what’s with all the logical thinking types showing up all-of-a-sudden on this f’n rag site? Something is changing for damn sure…but I diverge…)
IntLib is a fucking scumbag and trying to capitalize on this wave of dissent.
Don’t buy into it!
Stay focused!
Use sound critical thinking judgement and study the word usage and concept patterns of the tweaks looking for attention – OH YEAH – that includes you Pix!
Vote with your dollars as LOL so keenly suggests!
Contact the lab directly and voice your opinions;
mark@lindenlab.com
robin@lindenlab.com
marty@lindenlab.com
cyn@lindenlab.com
(415) 243-9000
Demand your money back!
Seek out new forms of entertainment!
Try dabbling in the “Real” for a change!
Realize that Linden Research is just as bad as this rag of a site!
Move along…
Talla Slade
Dec 4th, 2008
Despite some of the negative comments above any publicity highlighting Linden Lab’s underhanded and profiteering tactics with resident/gamer’s who have invested a lot of money in the Second Life monopoly must have it’s effect. I have personally given money to the fund without any expectation of reward. In deed, reward is not the motive but Justice. At a time of economic crisis when governments around the world are investing to reduce prices to get the economies moving again, Linden Labs rubs it’s hands and put prices up by a massive 67% after selling a product on the shelf for only 7/8 months. Large numbers of people have abandoned sims they paid setup fees on and Linden Labs makes even more on the servers. There seems no end to the profiteering! And more will follow if our voices are not heard.
No one wants to damage Second Life. SOS is fighting to save it regardless of what some are saying. Personally, I think the writing is on the wall for SL anyway and I don’t mind admitting that I have personally encouraged and helped upwards of 50 people to look at the alternatives to SL. Open Simulator project is advancing and this SL look alike is receiving record numbers from SL. Why? Because anyone can connect their own servers to a hypergrid ( http://opensimulator.org ) for free. That means unlimited sims for free! Everyone is talking about it since LL took the stupid decision to fleece it’s residents and, ultimately, people power will prove them fools.
This art work has a very fitting place in the struggle. Bring more art and creativity on, and less of the profiteering I say!
Maggie Darwin
Dec 4th, 2008
I’m trying to locate a copy of the IRS Form 1023 that all 501(c)3 applicants are required to publish. No luck so far.
Maggie Darwin
Dec 4th, 2008
[9:33] Maggie Darwin: So you are in fact a lawyer?
[9:35] Hermit Barber: No dear, I am a securities compliance officer with 4 years of undergraduate and 3 years of postgraduate business and International law. I know where my limits are. And they are ensuring that we comply with *all* the applicable laws, rules and regulations regarding the management of the funds being collected and to be disbursed by counsel.
[9:35] Maggie Darwin: Well, that does sounds like a qualified opinion to which you may be held.
[9:36] Hermit Barber: Nods.
Maggie Darwin
Dec 4th, 2008
Intlibber’s profile can now be found in search again. It was missing for a while.
Witness X
Dec 4th, 2008
Visible in the major search, but not in the old search, and that hasn’t changed in weeks. The only explanation is that the account’s on suspension, and that’s usually done for non-payment. IntLibber must be several thousand in the hole at this point.
His Metaversity sim is currently being refitted with – surprise – another PN underground right under the education buildings. This is what got Tizzers kicked off and his sim deleted the last time, and now he’s going for round two.
IntLibber’s got one gun down his mouth, another up his ass, and he’s fumbling for the triggers.
Maggie Darwin
Dec 4th, 2008
Well, the response to my request for the IRS Form 1023 has been met with a request for a snailmail address. That should be good for a few weeks delay. I did offer an email adddress to which a PDF could be sent. Can’t imagine why someone would rather snailmail 28 pages internationally than email a PDF.
mootykips
Dec 4th, 2008
geez intblubber your little legal strategy is antithesis to the natural workings of laissez faire capitalism is it not? you want ACTIVIST JUDGES to regulate the dealings of a corporation? won’t the free market settle all of this for you?
Talla Slade
Dec 4th, 2008
Maggie,why don’t you take your personal vendetta some place else?
glc go home
Dec 5th, 2008
Yeah, GLC GO HOME for f-sake…
Maggie Darwin
Dec 5th, 2008
Gee, Talla, are you afraid that the books of SOS/GRF won’t stand up to scrutiny?
Why?
Hermit says in the prospectus that the 501(c)3 application is already filed, so this shouldn’t be a big deal. I’ll be fascinated to discover how a war chest for a lawsuit is structured to meet the applicable requirements of the IRS code.
Maggie Darwin
Dec 5th, 2008
Oh…and Talla? Can you really use the phrase “personal vendetta” without blushing?
Darien Caldwell
Dec 5th, 2008
So who was the high bidder for the statue, and how much did it fetch?
Prokofy Neva
Dec 5th, 2008
So Hermit thereby confirmed she is not a lawyer. Thanks!
lol
Dec 5th, 2008
The economy stats on the SL website shows that last month 1977 regions were taken offline. So far 5 days into this month 190 more regions have been taken offline. This could possibly be one way to beat Linden Lab at thier own game. Taking islands offline is a HUGE HIT to the Linden wallets. The more and more islands that go bye bye the more the lab will scramble to start making up for lost revenue.
Residents are feeling the crunch too as the REAL LIFE holliday season comes closer people will need to decide if it is more important to spend thier hard earned money on thier SL avatar or thier RL family and friends. Ask yourself a few questions, Do you really need to have a virtual house? do you reall need to spend 5$usd or more on a skin for your instant messaging chracter? Do you really need to spend money on virtual lingerie? How about going and getting some REAL lingerie for yourself, your wife or GF, is that not really the gift that keeps on giving?
I dare all of you to take the SL inventory challenge. Open up that massive out of control inventory, and take 5 min to look and brows through all the items you have purchased on SL. Then try to come up with a ball park figure for how much USD$ you have spent on it. For all you you who are now thinking OMFG I must have $500 usd or more invested in my inventory, you are the type of person Linden Lab loves and makes fun of at thier staff meetings. You are a 100% pure SUCKER! For all of thoes who have never had payment info and never spent 1 cent of your own money on SL CUDOS! you trully are an ELITE gamer.
Now think of all the REAL LIFE stuff you could have done with all the money you have wasted on SL. Perhaps you could have taken a real Vacation to a nice tropical island, or maybe paid off a student loan, perhaps you could have paid for lypo-suction to make your FAT ASS a little more attractive. Next time your in an SL mall ask yourself; do I really need 1 more pair of 700$L boots? I know 700$L is not that much, just a little more then a cup of coffee, but LL knows that too, and they count on you to buy thoes boots and the matching lingerie, and oh yeah new hair to match the new red dress you avatar has. Before ya know it, you have spend 20-25$usd on you Instant Messenger cartoon chracter.
What about all thoes sexbeds you have paid 20$us or more for, then had to go out in SL and hire an escort for anohter 10$us to come back to your house for 1 hour and play boom boom in your room. for that 30$us you can go get a REAL ESCORT, have some BOOM BOOM in Real life, and then never have to see her again. Or god forbid you actually go to a REAL CLUB and meet a Real Girl\boy that will for a small ammout of effort have sex with you. Either way STOP complaing about how badly Linden lab treats you and how bad secondlife has gotten. The writing is on the walls at this point, either spend all your $ on SL and Shut up about how bad it is, or simply leave.
Anyone that blames Linden Lab for the shitty state of SL may was well blame them self. It is YOUR FAULT for giving them the money to do it! All the bitching and moaning will get you nothing, spending your $ on lawyers will get you nothing either. You want to beat Linden’s at their own game? then STOP GIVING THEM YOUR MONEY! Sell off your inventory at yardsales or to friends and Cash out. Taking money out of SL hurts Linden Lab, Pumping it in just feeds the machine. M linden and his crew are just the same as the Nixon and his cabbinet, no matter how much we can see through thier red tape, M will just say “I am not a crook!” Wake the Fuck up all you morons, Impeach the Fuckers with your wallets! STOP SPENDING YOUR MONEY ON THIER WET DREAM!
Maggie Darwin
Dec 5th, 2008
It’s awfully hard to actually write the phrase “CUDOS! You are an elite gamer!” without sounding like a world-class prat.
Better luck next time, lol.
Jumbo
Dec 6th, 2008
I am trying to get my mind to comprehend the sheer stupidity of this endeavor.
First of all, it sounds like another scam by Intiblubber and Ancapistan Capital Exchange. You put money in that account, it all goes to Intiblubber. Kiss your L$ goodbye.
Second, whoever is the legal advisor to this whole idiotic process must have failed law school. Filing to be 501 c(3)organization makes you a charity and allows the donors to deduct contributions to the charity. Charities are things like, you know, the Red Cross, Goodwill Industries, etc. Trying to collect $20 million in RICO damages (LOL) does not qualify you as a charity.
Suing under RICO, means you go to federal court. Not some judge who gets elected because he or she is “tough on crime” or is someone’s sister-in-law but someone who is usually a pretty qualified jurist. The judge may just laugh at your case. Basically all LL has to assert is that you’re renting server space, costs went up, and it raised rents. On your “lease”, the ToS, does it say anywhere that LL can’t raise prices whenever it wants? I certainly didn’t see language that says.. “LL promises to keep tier at $X/month for Y number of months” when you buy/rent a sim. You need to prove to the court that you have a valid case and if it goes that far, that you can be certified as a class. Now maybe Wobegone will work pro bono for you, but most lawyers aren’t going to. It’s going to cost you big bucks. Lawyers aren’t cheap. You sure you want to pay a firm a couple of hundred dollars an hour at the minimum for your lawsuit? If you hire a bunch of lawyers, kiss your money goodbye. Everytime they think about your case, log on to SL and maybe buy a sim or two, to um “do research” you’re gonna pay for billable hours.
Oh hey and you guys that love to play girls or furries or whatever… be ready to have your RL identities exposed. Otherwise, if you do win, how are you going to get an award as one of the members of the class…
J. Ringness
Dec 6th, 2008
I’ll be sure to necro this thread in a few months so I can laugh more at you failures.
I actually welcome this change by LL because it may shake loose some of the leeches like IntFlubber, and the cheap asses who abused OS sims who are now crying like a Gorean sex slave who lost HIS bottle of hand lotion.
Cheeky Loon
Dec 6th, 2008
Darien, I’m the winner of the statue. The high bid was L$550, but I thought it would go for much more.
Maggie Darwin
Dec 6th, 2008
“SOS is incorporated in the US State of Iowa as a nonprofit corporation. We are operating as a charitable organization and have applied to the IRS for charitable status so that gifts to the organization can be made tax deductions.” -GRF prospectus, attributed to Hermit Barber
I can’t find a record of such incorporation in the Iowa records as of 12/5…although I suppose it’s possible that some obscure secret name was used. Incorporation must be complete before 501(c)3 filing can happen.
Anonymous
Dec 6th, 2008
@ “Annoyed”
Either you’re in serious denial, a employee of linden lab, or someone who has had too much linden kool-aid.
the increase of people in SL are bots.
IntLibber Brautigan
Dec 6th, 2008
Evidently, Maggie, you are a retard:
http://www.sos.state.ia.us/Search/corp/corp_summary.asp?corpno=EBB575ADE545946013BC05CD4EA9A7B69B64083A0C8312886FD323838722916851C99DE78B68E74375C54D47E1017366217AF7D6E2322B86AA594F6A35CBD413&corp=The+Grid+Representation+Foundation
Corp No. Legal Name Status
371165 THE GRID REPRESENTATION FOUNDATION Active
Type State of Inc. Modified
Legal IA No
Expiration Date Effective Date Filing Date
PERPETUAL Nov 12, 2008 Nov 12, 2008
Chapter
CODE 504 REVISED DOMESTIC NON-PROFIT
Maggie Darwin
Dec 7th, 2008
Apparently it was added on the 12/6 update. It didn’t come up on a search for “grid” on the 12/5 database, it does today.
You should probably publish EINs and corporation numbers in prospecti, makes it easier to do independent audits.
Looking forward to seeing the IRS 1023. “…no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual…”
Prokofy Neva
Dec 7th, 2008
lol,
1. Do you have a RL job?
2. If you do, does it pay more than minimum wage?
3. Do you have a girlfriend in RL?
4. If so, can you afford to buy her real lingerie?
5. If so, why are you wasting your time posting on game forums?
Silo Ban Mc Donalds
Dec 8th, 2008
I used to think that the Green Lantern Core, who are green and wear capes, like their parent group the Justice League Unlimited, who also think that they are super-cape wearing superheros, I used to think that they were just retarded to the point where, like a junkyard dog, you could point them at an enemy and say “sick ‘em” and off they would go barking and yapping and yiffing after some insignifigant griefer because they were bored and someone told them to do it.
But now I can see that the GLC and JLU agenda is there mainly to protect themselves and their very own personal Serious Business ventures, and not for the sake of anyone else like helping old grannys cross sim borders or anything altruistic like that. Because in this very thread we have 2 of them going foamy over the idea of LL having to cough up substantial money to compensate those nasty Openspace Sim owners who had the audacity to buy low priced sims and then got jacked around on price by LL once they were in and comitted.
It seems like P.Butt and M.Fuck have a real stake in that SL world or something. Swinging through here and barfing all over the place like that. I think ole Intlibber may be on to something here. Srs bsns is starting to bawwwwww big time. Might have to get a real job there in PA if SL closes up eh? No more sitting on your big Dead Ass playing online social pixel bullshit games anymore? Rock on Intlibber. Shut ‘em down.
LOL
Dec 8th, 2008
@ Prokofy Neva
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. No I have a BF
4. Yes I buy my own Lingerie, as well he has purchased me some too.
5. To laugh a Losers just like you.
What is your answer to your 5 questions? Let me Guess,
1. NO, you consider SL your job.
2. It pays you in fake Internet dollars.
3. HA HA HA HA I am not even gonna touch that.
4. I am willing to bet your answer to this question is the same as mine.
5. Because you have noting better to do with your pathetic existance.
Pappy Enoch
Dec 8th, 2008
Prokofiev Never dun axed:
1. Do you have a RL job?
Yep.
2. If you do, does it pay more than minimum wage?
Shinin’ pays a heap more’n minimal wage
3. Do you have a girlfriend in RL?
Heaps o’ gals, in fact
4. If so, can you afford to buy her real lingerie?
We don’t stand by no lawn-juries in Enoch Holler. Overalls o’ nekkid am the fashun.
5. If so, why are you wasting your time posting on game forums?
Beats doin’ wurk! Hoo whee. City-folks puzzles me more’n more….
2 cents
Dec 8th, 2008
Tribune Co. files for bankruptcy
*Yahoo Finance
Dow, 3M slashing jobs amid slowdown
Job cuts at Dow Chemical represent 11 percent of its total work force
*MSNBC
A deepening crisis
Our view: Fast-rising unemployment and other negative economic developments signal the need for a much more energetic recovery effort
December 8, 2008
Talk show hosts and their viewers had a good laugh last week when the National Bureau of Economic Research, the referee of the nation’s economic condition, ruled that we are in a recession – a fact that seemed more than obvious to most Americans. But by the time the week ended, it became clear the worsening state of the economy was no laughing matter. Grim news of cutbacks in construction, home sales, consumer spending, business investment and exports were capped by a report Friday that unemployment had risen to 6.7 percent. Since the recession began last December, nearly 2 million jobs have been lost, most in the last three months.
*BaltimoreSun
Noted economist has dire jobless warning
Nobel winner Krugman says it could reach 10 percent
STOCKHOLM, Sweden – The U.S. unemployment rate could reach 10 percent without a “very effective” stimulus package, 2008 Nobel economics prize winner Paul Krugman said Monday.
Krugman, who will receive the award this week, also warned that the global economy could be stuck in recession for more than two years if no strong measures are taken. “We could easily be looking at a world economy that is depressed until 2011
*MSNBC
************************************************************************
and you dumbfucks are worried about the state of Linden Land?
WAKE THE FUCK UP!
Prepare…
1 cent
Dec 9th, 2008
Sony to cut 8,000 jobs, 4 percent of work force
Tuesday December 9, 12:09 pm ET
By Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer
`Back at square one’ — Sony to cut 8,000 electronics jobs, close plants
*AP
Novellus Systems to cut work force, CEO’s salary
Novellus Systems will cut work force by 10 percent, cut CEO’s salary as revenue declines
Tuesday December 9, 2008, 10:33 am EST
*Yahoo Finance
More Layoffs: AT&T, DuPont, Credit Suisse, Belden, Viacom, Adobe
AT&T (T) said it will layoff 12,000, 4% of its total workforce.
DuPont (DFT) said it will layoff 2,500 full time and 4,000 contractor positions, with more to come in 2009.
Credit Suisse (CS) said the company will layoff 5,300, 11% of its total workforce, primarily from its investment banking division.
Belden (BDC), a St. Louis, MI-based manufacturer, said it will layoff 1,800, 20% of its workforce.
Viacom (VIA.A) said the company will layoff 850, 7% of its total workforce.
Adobe (ADBE) said the company will layoff 600 people.
*seekingalpha.com
Gannett launched what is likely the biggest mass layoff in newspaper industry history yesterday, slashing 655 jobs by early this morning, in an increasingly desperate bid to return the troubled 102-year-old publisher to prosperity. The final tally could run into the thousands.
Many more layoffs are expected today and tomorrow across the 85-daily community newspaper division, plus USA Today and the Detroit Free Press. As of 1:25 a.m. ET, only 17 papers had been accounted for, based on published accounts and Gannett Blog reader reports.
*Reuters
///where’s your money coming from?///
Pappy
Dec 9th, 2008
Intlibberz, thars a saying in these hills “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander”. I think them damn Revenuers can look at your city-slicker Ancapistan company. ‘Prolly somebody can use dat darn RICO law on you. You know, that whatcha-ma-call-it Wire Fraud provisions.
Witness X
Dec 9th, 2008
Pro-tip: for those who couldn’t figure it out, Silo Ban Mc Donalds is Intblubber. He’s the only one obsessed enough with the heroes groups to bother.