SL Shrink Analyzes DMCA Crazed Caped Crusader
by Alphaville Herald on 21/02/10 at 6:03 pm
Kalel Venkman suffering from incomplete immersion or over-augmentation?
by Pixeleen Mistral, National Affairs desk
In a story titled O Superman the eggheads at SL Shrink analyze Justice League Unlimited leader Kalel Venkman and seem to be asking if the DMCA wielding role play super hero – or super thug? – might be suffering from some sort of toxic immersion in the virtual world he has created for himself.
Kalel Venkman – an avatar dressed as superman (file photo)
Warning Venkman against trading away the gripping narrative he has in Second Life, SL Shrink cautions that "while projection of real-life neuroses into the metaverse may be illuminating, I’m much less convinced that allowing in-world dynamics to leak out and influence one’s external behaviour can be anything other than harmful. This may be a lesson that Kalel Venkman, or at least his mortal alter-ego, is about to learn the hard way."
Mr. Venkman recently endeared himself to the Herald by ignoring the Copyright fair use doctrine to file a series of DMCA takedown requests against the Herald in an attempt to muzzle press coverage of what appear to be significant abuses on the part of the Justice League Unlimited.
The abuses were brought to light after the JLU’s secret wiki was leaked by a JLU member, revealing troubling involvement by at least one Linden staff member in the JLU’s covert surveillance and player harassment activities.
While Typepad removed the disputed material under the DMCA safe harbor provisions, the Herald has a DMCA counter filing pending and awaits either real life legal action or the restoration of the disputed materials. As of this writing the Herald has heard nothing from Venkman – and another site targeted by Venkman continues to host an indexed version of the leaked JLU Brainiac wiki.
Why has superman gone quiet? SL Shrink suggests that Venkman "may be having second thoughts about the potentially expensive escalation of hostilities that he has initiated".
The money quote from SL Shink puts it all in perspective: "Venkman appears to have lost sight of the boundary between the virtual world and the real. The role of ‘Venkman’ has become so important to his self-image that he is unable to see the Herald’s story for what it is - a chance to build on the mythology he has already established, an opportunity he should welcome – and instead regards it as a threat to his real-life identity, one which must be countered with a real-life action, regardless of the fact that such action risks destroying his existence, both virtual and real."
We
Feb 21st, 2010
Isn’t TypePad nearing towards their cut off date for putting the stuff back up? They’re certainly taking their sweet time with it.
Nelson Jenkins
Feb 21st, 2010
THIS JUST IN: Kalel Venkman a crazed psychotic with a sexual attraction to superhero costumes.
Faye Serendipity
Feb 21st, 2010
Rubbing salt in the wound.
Jumpman Lane
Feb 21st, 2010
Anaylize MEEEEEEEEE!
bubblesort triskaidekaphobia
Feb 21st, 2010
Um… something here isn’t right.
“While Typepad removed the disputed material under the DMCA safe harbor provisions, the Herald has a DMCA counter filing pending and awaits either real life legal action or the restoration of the disputed materials.”
TypePad had 10 business days to replace the disputed material, right? 10 business days would be this past Friday, right? That was 2 days ago. I’m checking the stories and I don’t see the content up yet. Is TypePad exposing themselves to legal liability here? I’m not a lawyer, so I honestly don’t know. I thought that the process was that a DMCA gets filed and if the hosting company doesn’t want to get sued by the filer of the DMCA they have to take the content down, but if a counter-DMCA is filed the hosting company has to replace the content within 10 business days if they don’t want to get sued. Why would TypePad stick their neck out for a crackpot militant spandex enthusiast like Kalel? Maybe it’s lost in some bureaucracy or maybe there’s a misunderstanding?
Keep up the good fight, Pixeleen. We’re all pulling for you.
LittleLostLinden
Feb 21st, 2010
Holy Crazy Superman Moly!
I think the JLU needs a spankin!
And the Herald is going to give them that spankin very soon!
I’m ordering some more popcorn as we speak. This will be an interesting unfolding indeed.
Unfold JLU, unfold!
SL Shrink = Prokofy Neva
Feb 22nd, 2010
SL Shrink’s older posts sound like Prokofy Neva’s paranoia.
Bolsheviks, Liberals and Mensheviks, hate for democrats and Barack Obama. Yeah, here’s another winning source.
IntLibber Brautigan
Feb 22nd, 2010
lol eshrinks…
Tuomy Boa
Feb 22nd, 2010
@Pixeleen
Napoleon complex comes in mind.
Judge Joker
Feb 22nd, 2010
What more can be said or done?
Almost nothing but it’s still worth fighting on in a legal way and not stooping down to his level or back to the age old useless griefing, which only empowers his mind and that of his group to believe more in themselves as right when they are wrong.
It does seem Linden Labs is allegedly siding with Kalel Venkman, but I think this is more due to the fact each resident is supposed to be TOS equal regardless if your one of the worst residents or one of the best, but in practice that’s not what has been happening, considering Plexus might have been on a crusade against some undesirable second life residents whom he has failed to win over as a hired “Admin”, “Linden” to engage them into other activity’s than just repetitively banning them.
It could be said it’s a basic conflict of interest in the from of Plexus Linden being unable to do his job in a neutral way “without excessive emotion” as to enforce the TOS due to the fact those he is enforcing it against had targeted him in the past, and as such this makes him the victim and he should have handed any case or abuse report over to another Linden if it involved PN or other known ex-residents.
If you believe what the psyop EX-PN have said about Corsi Mousehold thinking he was a shoe in for a Linden job due to him being an enforcer on “his” sims then you can understand in such a way that a victim can not enforce a TOS because it leads to a emotional conflict of interest.
Kalel Venkman is emotionally trapped in his Second Life existence, and backing it up with his real world life job history to keep a hold of his virtual existence as if he is eligible to become a Linden, and just like Corsi we find it’s just another ego that needs fulfillment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest
As we see with the case of W-Hat vs Linden and I don’t presume to know all about them but I am aware of their notoriety and some actions but not what really happened in this case other than whats published on SLH but if Masakazu Kojima was in no way involved she should not have been held responsible for what happened on the sim, employees should follow there own rules that they agreed to abide by when they signed the contact and not stoop down to Kalel Venkman’s level of just being retarded, Masa is right in the fact Lindens should be neutral when enforcing the TOS.
It’s always been a given fact your prior actions do not effect the actions you took when you have had an abuse report filled against you unless circumstances are such as an action is outside normal protocol or multiple abuse reports.
If this sets a new legal president in the fact now if anyone griefs in SL the land owner is held responsible?, one they wont have many customers left and two it would be entirely easier to have Kalel Venkman banned for allowing griefing to take place on his own sim that he might have invited by his own actions.
Any wild conspiracy theorist whom I am not one of, but I use as an light hearted way to explain might start to wonder if Lindens punching land owners in the gut for griefing would be in Kalel Venkman’s benefit as a defence for stalking other residents.
And while were at it lets whip out a ban on Governor Linden for allowing years of griefing, and harassment from free to abuse accounts on his own land, only an idiot would think this way! not someone who delt with the Masa’s case prior to “Dee” that we as a community good or bad would want as a overseer aka an admin/Linden.
Of course we don’t have a choice in which person Linden Labs hires other than supporting residents work who like Torley in the past achieved a status of respect and admiration, personally I’m against celebrity culture its just creepy.
And I would personally berate anyone who thought it was right to punish one person whom may have allegedly been innocent of a crime, in place of someone else because your not mature enough to understand a given situation, and use the tools provided to effectively investigate who the real abuser is, it’s not that hard to right click and this is a poor act on behalf of a Linden if that is the situation.
I believe at this time Kalel Venkman has been using what I might consider a Loop Hole, in the TOS in that if the data is stored outside of Linden Labs control it can’t be enforced by the SL TOS, this is brain dead logic if I publish a blog with someone else’s data then LL has no way of enforcing TOS over actions that occur outside of the service.
But if I pass a link to that blog to someone else inside the service then LL has a duty to enforce the TOS on the grounds of disclosure, but we cant really defend with the thoughts that if it’s all ready public information then it’s not really disclosure is it? because it still is disclosure if he didn’t want that spreading around.
In the case of Kalel Venkman’s brainiac we can all agree that the data was published based on his chosen choice of a GUI to access it outside of Second Life being a wiki and was only secured with a short wait to get permission to access it.
I consider his data to not be in the form of a wiki but in the form of SQL “storage” database, an extention of the second life script because he deliberately has his brainac scripts interacting with that database as a SL primary means of access and he is constantly disclosing information to other group members, that transcends the use of pasting a basic link or chat log, this resident is worse than anyone I have heard about in Second Life.
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Someone_in_Second_Life_is_providing_information_about_another_Resident%27s_%22real_world%22_life.
The fact is said over and over again that we all know that he uses scripts to disclose that “stalker” information to his group for the purpose of proactively enforcing the TOS and harassment of residents who at the time only committed such offences as maybe accidentally rezzing such an object that allows him to report maliciously.
FYI Lindens who used to hang out at AHERN I believe turned a blind eye to some actions that took place there, because they ain’t as retarded to bother with every little infraction, and just because you are not in it today does not mean tomorrow he wont setup harder and enforce rules against you.
So I implore you to talk about it on other blogs and websites, or with other residents in second life and do whats right join the groups that regardless of who you are will fight on your side for basic privacy and for you and your friends and customers to use the service of Second Life without having to look over the back of your avatar.
FYI I’m an EX-Mentor so go suck a lemon!
Imnotgoing Sideways
Feb 22nd, 2010
What’s being an ex-Mentor have to do with anything? (O.o)
( Speaking as a former Mentor, myself. =^-^= )
Bubblesort Triskaidekaphobia
Feb 22nd, 2010
@Joker: That’s a really interesting post. You put a lot of things in perspective there. I totally ROFLed on the last line, though: “FYI I’m an EX-Mentor so go suck a lemon!”
What exactly is this ex-mentor thing supposed to mean? I keep hearing people bring up their ex-mentor status as an excuse to be an idiot. I don’t know why somebody would want to be IDed as an idiot. Maybe it’s a licence to be an idiot and I don’t know about it because I was never one of the “cool kids” who got to be in the mentor club, LOL.
Seriously, though, I knew one or two mentors who knew their stuff, and dozens who were greifers with a sense of entitlement. The ones who knew their stuff never used their title to justify anything. They didn’t lie about it, but they didn’t wave it around as if it means they are SL game gods either. That’s why IDing yourself like that just makes you look like a greifer, Joker. I’m not saying you are a greifer or that you are out to cause trouble, I’m just saying that’s what it looks like to me when you brag about being an ex-mentor.
Ari Blackthorne
Feb 22nd, 2010
/me pops more popcorn…
Tux Winkler
Feb 22nd, 2010
@Joker: “FYI I’m an EX-Mentor so go suck a lemon!”
I am guessing you are a prime example as to why the mentor program was dropped?
In my time the majority of mentors I met used to ram it down peoples throats:
“actually I am an official mentor so stfu or get banned!”.
In fact I remember one on Help Island Public 2 (who was also JLU as it goes) who tried to explain how his shield protected everyone during a pn attack. I rezzed a prim and scripted a simple blitz rezzer (pre H4) . . . the shield emptied fairly quickly.
Still, back to Kalel’s psyc evaluation – highly funny!
/me wonders if this gives Kalel a reality check?
Prof. Archie Lukas
Feb 23rd, 2010
“He’s not Superman
He’s just a very naughty Boy.”
Senban Babii
Feb 23rd, 2010
“The money quote from SL Shink puts it all in perspective: “Venkman appears to have lost sight of the boundary between the virtual world and the real.”
I’ve been saying this from the start of this whole sorry affair. I’m glad that more and more people are seeing Kalolcakes’ actions for what they really are. And it’s not just him but the whole group (with the possible exemption of GLE but even that I’m not convinced of.)
Supply Chain
Feb 23rd, 2010
Does anyone see the irony in Supermans comments here on the blog re the new Beta viewer where he says
“Feb 23, 2010 8:09 PM Kalel Venkman says in response to Gwyneth Llewelyn:
Importing media from the web at large presents an enormous security hazard if not done correctly. IP addresses could be acquired easily, enabling all manner of attacks over which Linden Lab would have zero control or jurisdiction.
I’m hoping that the media and content accessed in this way would be aliased somehow to prevent these sorts of abuses.”
https://blogs.secondlife.com/community/features/blog/2010/02/23/second-life-viewer-2-beta-now-available
GreenLantern Excelsior
Feb 25th, 2010
@ Senban
I have to chuckle to see a “shrink” provide an analysis of Kalel without ever talking to him. Someone should have explained the complete situation to Mr. Shrink. The only part of this story that took place within Second Life was the invitation to and expulsion of Haruhi Thespian from JLU. Everything else happened in the real world. The only people who have lost sight of the boundary between the two worlds are two or three people here who suggest that Linden Lab should get involved. Once we step back into the real world, LL has no jurisdiction, which is as it should be.
The events that took place here could have happened anywhere, independent of any virtual world. Someone copies information from a private database and publishes it without permission in public. Since 90% of the published information was written by the owners of the private database, they quite naturally file DMCA complaints. It’s not unusual or surprising, and maybe not even worth blogging about.
I suspect the Herald will not recover the information that was removed. TypePad also runs Prok’s blog. Prok filed a DMCA counter complaint prior to the Herald’s counter complaint, and TypePad hasn’t returned her information either. According to TypePad’s own policies, they are not required to return information they removed, so don’t hold your breath waiting for it to come back.
Whether we wear spandex or vampire fangs or fur, all of us come to Second Life because it’s rewarding for us. In a way, we’re like lab rats who push that same red button over and over, hoping that yet another food pellet will pop out. If we have to go through too much pain to push the button, or the resulting food pellets are disappointingly small, then we may decide that SL is too much trouble and it’s time to go find another hobby. For now, my reward comes in the form of helping people. That’s what brings me back again and again. I support JLU and I’m proud of my membership. I hope everyone here is equally proud and happy with what you do in Second Life.
Senban Babii
Feb 26th, 2010
Hi GLE
Not sure why you addressed your comment to me but it made me all warm and fuzzy anyway 8D
Tux Winkler
Feb 26th, 2010
@GLE
“Since 90% of the published information was written by the owners of the private database, they quite naturally file DMCA complaints”
I have been looking at the wiki (the one I host obviously) I would say the 90% is a little exaggerated. And as you may recall the DMCA was overthrown here. Plus, it has been stated “all the information was gathered publically”. You cannot DMCA public gathered material.
But it isn’t the issue, I think the issue shown here is the level of immersion Kalel’s psych has gone to. When you begin to uphold and enforce the TOS/CS by breaking it yourself and believe it is acceptable, then you become one of the bad guys. Now, when you collect the information like you have on N3X15 (RL Info) then you have severely overstepped your mark. Admittedly the wiki says “do not use to contact him”, but, this wasn’t the case was it? When a JLU member was told some of the info is wrong the reply was “Oh yeah, we called and after a lengthy chat we figured N3X15 wasn’t an ex-airforce veteran.” – Calling RL phone numbers? Come on!
I think you are right, Typepad will not put the information back. But, if the deadline has been met without response then this should be pointed out to Typepad and the Herald should put the content back themselves. Typepad shouldn’t remove a second time if the original DMCA failed!
I am glad you find your SL experience so rewarding and have pride in your membership to the JLU. Do you report each other for breaking the TOS/CS? Just curious. Our is it a collective for the greater good?
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