For whatever reason, the person who moderates the comments here does not want me to link directly to them so I’ll just say that I wrote the articles that were written under the names ‘d3adlyc0d3c’ and ‘Proper Prim’. You can find them through google.

Satan said:
>Between writing for this blog and my former SL business….

Please tell us which articles you wrote here….

Grow up?

I read the Second Life Herald because I like the people who run it and because Second Life is interesting. Being able to read about whats going on in SL is far more convenient than having to create a new alt to get in each time in order to find out what’s going on. As you likely know, my facts about Second Life and hardcore SLers are based on much more than what I read here since, as you well know, I was an SLer at one point as well. The problem isn’t Second Life or even Second Lifers in general per se. The problem is that the most hardcore Second Lifers take the thing so damn seriously. They often seem like a bunch of children arguing over who should get the most candy. They threaten to sue each other all the time over copies of pixels valued at under 1 USD per copy on average. Most of these ‘items’ are not even going to outlive Linden Lab. I see these same idiots comparing griefing to real life murder and terrorism. People with odd and arguably destructive sexual fetishes such as simulating rape or child pornography get all dramatic when people are opposed to their views. They compare themselves to the jews who were killed en masse during World War II and they compare their opposition to Hitler and the Nazis.

Second Life can be loads of fun. I played it too. Playing the part of the SL business owner was extremely fun. Between writing for this blog and my former SL business I was making between 100-200 USD worth of lindens a month and this was only 30-60 days after starting up (I was permabanned before I hit the 3 month mark). Playing Second Life doesn’t make a person any more of a loser than playing WoW, EVE Online, Guild Wars, Metaplace, or anything else. The real problem is that somewhere along the way, A LOT of SLers are losing their fucking minds apparently. They have discarded any semblance of logic and reasoning in favor of drama and complete insanity. I have an issue with that because I have an aversion for this sort of stupidity and I rather enjoy calling people out on it and listening to their transparent excuses for acting like a bunch of toddlers. Or excuses comparing the act of simulating rape (NOTE: I’m not talking about BDSM, the two are different) to some of the greatest literary works of the modern world. How absurd is that? These people are so used to having people with opposing views cave in and tolerate them that I believe it does them some good to have someone lol at them. Tolerance and political correctness are for the weak. They actually hinder progress because they prevent problems from being addressed. Until these asshats are ridiculed enough they’re going to continue to rationalize their retarded-ness, breeding stupidity and indifference everywhere they go.

I’m not denying that I love the Herald, or else I wouldn’t even be here. The Herald made me in some ways. My work in real life all started here, on this blog, so of course I am reluctant to leave it behind. The Herald will always have a special place with me and so will the people that run it.

>>>I have no presence in Second Life. My only involvement with Second Life and nitwits such as yourself who obsess with it is limited to this blog.

If the Alphaville Herald is your sole source for information on Second Life, then I now understand your hostility towards it. I remain curious as to WHY you even feel the need to contribute to something in which you admit to not taking any part. There must be many other things you don’t take part.

>>>And part of writing for a real newspaper is being willing to have some backbone and tell it like it is. I guess that’s difference between you and I. I don’t mince words and my views are my views whether I work for the Metro Spirit or not.

Again, what you do in real life is of no interest although you seem to want to use “claim to authority” to validate your behavior. And you are, of course, free to exercise your views, along with everyone else who comments here. However, if, by your own admission, the Herald is your sole source of facts, I suggest that you find other sources because having just one is hardly worthy of a professional journalist.

>>>Needless to say, I am not the least bit threatened by your lame attempt at asserting that you know where I work (when I just told you)

And I don’t believe there was any thought of threat at all as you clearly DID mention your real life job. But again, I doubt anyone cares about it, only insofar as you mention it to claim some “credibility” as a journalist while behaving in a self-centered, boorish fashion that frankly does your profession no favors. My only beef is not with you personally but your behavior as it relates to apparently wanting to attack decent folks who happen to have a passtime that you consider “misguided” or “wrong,” throwing out ad hominem attacks against people you do not know, whilst simultaneously hiding behind the excuse of “freedom of speech” and “telling it like it is.”

It’s heartening to know you find the Herald such a fascinating location in the vast blogosphere. But don’t neglect the hundreds of other sites that offer, in total, a spectacular kaleidoscope of Second Life, from the sacred to the profane, from the sublime to the ridiculous, and from the banal to the original. Maybe you’ll get a better appreciation of what folks do with their leisure time – even if your opinion is that they should go do something else; whatever that may be.

Ok, dude, you troll a blog dedicated to a video game you don’t play? Get help, and some sunshine. No one cares about your awesome job interview. No one cares what you think. STFU and go play outside with other kids, you need some perspective and some human contact before you get worse and can’t function with real people.

As for the whole fashionista/making clothes/making money thing.
Second Life and all the people in it, has a bullshit factor of 9.5

For example- most of the Lesbians at Janeforyoubarbara’s Lesbian place are really guys wearing women’s avatars.
For example- many “fashion blogs” rave about clothes because they are a) friends with the designers b) are alts of the designers c) enjoy the attention, links and free clothes that come with good reviews d) all of the above

So, that said, let’s assume that ALL of the numbers posted here are high.

But, in the end, who cares?

You have the opportunity to “make” something, put it in a store, market it, possibly sell it, and walk away with a couple of real US dollars. Assuming you’re enjoying the steps along the way, that’s about the coolest video game I can imagine.

I don’t play many online games because I am a grown-up with a job and kids and all that, but I do like Second Life because it pays me real dollars. I’m not sure how much enjoyment I would get out of being a “level 72 mage with shiny white teeth” or whatever you get out of playing WoW, but I do know that I’ve recently purchased stock, a new removable luggage rack for my Harley, and two boxes of Titleist pro v1 golf balls with money that came from Second Life. It’s not going to replace my RL job income anytime soon, but it’s free money so I’ll take it.

Before the nit-picking crew arrives, I’ll explain that it’s free money because my store sits on a small plot of first land (remember that?) so I pay nothing to own it, and the bulk of my sales come from skins and clothes I drew three years ago that still sell quite well in-world and on Xstreet. I honestly have no idea what I make in SL per week or per month, I just let the lindens pile up and when I feel like I cash them out and buy or invest. I’ve put no time into the store that I can remember in 2009, and probably very little in 2008, and yet, it’s still paying. The 400 a week we get as allowance covers my annual fee, so I literally pay nothing to the game anymore and cash out several hundred real dollars every once in a while. How can anyone fault this?

Now, as I was saying, who cares how much people make in-world? Who cares how much time they put in? It’s their life, their avatar, their store, and none of your business. Get outside and out of the hate business, or find another game. I’m sure that being a level 72 Mage has some serious cachet somewhere you can use.

Finally, in a lot of professions, having a knowledge, and plan, and ability for making money out of nothing is a good thing, so I would certainly mention that I have the photoshop skills and the requisite knowledge of immersive virtual worlds to have created, maintained and successfully monetized a line of virtual clothes in a job interview before I mentioned that I’m an anti-social troll who “drops dicks” to ruin other people’s resources and waste their time. Of course, I’ve only been in the work place for almost twenty years, and have only won a handful of awards at it, so I’m sure I’m not nearly as interview savvy as many who read this blog.

Then there are ” Emprie Of Lesbos” or The Empress Isle, my lill playground with castles and ships, and one more island added to it “whispering Big Pines” Home and land rentals for women only.

So you se,, there are 4 islands open for men, and for your info i got plenty of male rentors in The mall and in Oasis island, and we do events for men and women in the mall and in Oasis, i do NOT got any sex clubs i do NOT use traffick bots or campers, but the reason the traffick at Isle Of Lesbos1 are higther are cuz the girls like to sit there and chit chat a lot using voice and meet and there are 20 event a week there.

And yes i do ask everyone i meet if i can help or asist them.. over the last 3 yares i mentord many creators in SL, i am NOT in SL to “make a lot of mony” SL are a hobby i use to get away from a stressy and demanding RL job, and many of them i helped get started off with Clubs or Islands or Malls or shops are my good friends.. i am not a “sugarmom” lol but i love to se tings grow,,i love to se new talents develop and i love to inspire others to create, its ok that i dont get rich in mony from it but i get rich in my heart and it makes me prowd!
I know many in SL think and do like me,, i did meet some, and i think its the way this game are to be played

Umm, I’m pretty sure you have to play the game to be immersed in it. I have no presence in Second Life. My only involvement with Second Life and nitwits such as yourself who obsess with it is limited to this blog. As for wanting to sound relevant, I’d guess anyone does when they say anything or else they wouldn’t say anything at all. Duh! And part of writing for a real newspaper is being willing to have some backbone and tell it like it is. I guess that’s difference between you and I. I don’t mince words and my views are my views whether I work for the Metro Spirit or not. Needless to say, I am not the least bit threatened by your lame attempt at asserting that you know where I work (when I just told you) as though you’re going to fire off some baaawww for someone at the office to lol at.

Siggy – Very well said. I have a ton of crap that people wonder why I buy, but it makes me happy. By the same respect an outfit in SL could have more significance to some (and we don’t have to get it). You are placing way too much credit in the hands of snark blogs however. Our comments on fashion are about as well considered as Perez Hilton’s penis doodles on Lindsey Lohan. B+

Satan – I’m guessing this Metro deal is an alt weekly that is free due to massive advertising? Cutting edge stuff the daily ignores like a three page interview with visiting Author David Sedaris? Cool, not sure what the job you didn’t take has to do with it, but yes – I can tell anyone here that going to work and striking up the Second Life conversation is like pulling your member out. They picture WOW and your mom’s basement. Good e-comments. I used that on someone who had a resume for their avatar (why? is there no pretend monster.com). C+

Tatianna…again – wait. You only get one grade.

Johnny S – We have a winner. A+

Actually I am incredibly self-righteous. As far as being ‘righteous’ goes, the term is really pretty relative. These days it is used more often than not in a religious context and I am not religious at all (ITT atheist) so I’m perfectly okay with not being ‘righteous’ in the sense that the term is most oft used.