Monday, August 8, 2011

Blog & Forum Snapshot (August 8, 2011)

Real Travels in a Virtual World has a post by S0phia Inkpen about golf courses in Second Life called "Golf Aruba." I'm a golfer, so that particular post caught my eye.

S0phia Inkpen said:
"Golf courses in sl! Virtual worlds are the only place where I have no objections to the game (actually I have no objections to the game per se, I have objections to the golf courses themselves)."
She doesn't explain why she has objections to the golf courses in real life, possibly because she wanted to keep the post short, light and mostly about the pictures and Second Life, but left to my own assumptions, I'm guessing her objections are based on environmental grounds, a not uncommon objection to golf courses.

From a Wikipedia article:
"Environmental concerns over the use of land for golf courses have grown over the past fifty years. Specific issues include the amount of water and chemical pesticides and fertilizers used for maintenance, as well as the destruction of wetlands and other environmentally important areas during construction."


Pep has entitled his latest provocative and pithy post "Official: The Global Recession is all the fault of the LWLs."  Is there anyone here among us who does not yet know what he means by "LWL"?  No?  Good.


Speaking of provocative (but not pithy), Ishtara never fails to deliver in that respect.  Consider this latest blog post title:  "Of Psychoactive Sperm, Gushing Women, and Men Who Picture Their Wives in Horseshoes."  Better yet, read, comment and let us know what you think.  Be forewarned, however...Ishtara sympathetically addresses a topic that is guaranteed to dramatically offend the vast majority of readers out there.  No, it's not pedophilia, but it is a very close second.  Proceed with caution or bypass completely.  Just don't say I didn't warn you.


My posting is often considered provocative too... wait... that makes it sound much better than what the actual commentary has been, the actual commentary being more along the lines of "instigating, shit-stirring, trouble-making troll."  My motives were recently questioned here and here.  This post may well be considered an act of instigation, so perhaps I should reflect on my motivation for it.  In the meantime, perhaps you will enjoy some of the responses I got when I put the question back out there to the rest of the forum.  I received some in PMs that were totally post-worthy, but probably inappropriate to post here given the medium (private channel) so you will just be left to wonder about those.  (Now what was my motivation for saying that?)

Lee said:

"Alright everybody. What's your forum posting motivation? ;)"

Pig said:
"I just like watching the idiots rant and tossing in few rants back. Too busy for real threads so right now just come and watch some people trying to feel important is fun~"
Lain (is Bams) said:
"What motivates my posting is generally lack of better judgement."
Bunnie said:
"I am a glutton for punishment.  taser"
Mitch said:
"Me?..... I like to cause drama.....  :cautious: "
Kick Frenzy said:
"Hmmm... *Scratches chin*


I'd say my main motivation is fun.
It's like hanging out with a bunch of people, many who I'd call friend, and just shootin the shit.
There's drama here and there and whatever and I get involved with that usually.
But for the most part, I'm here for the laughs and good times... and all the information on a huge variety of shit that I get to learn about.


So, basically... fun, fun, drama, fun, learning about shit... and more fun.
(Oh yeah, and getting my name known for that mythical day when Bang Rumpus actually gets finished. ;) )"
Mary said:
"I have this character flaw where I am compelled to argue with idiots. I know it's a waste of time and that it's like teaching a pig to sing. But I do it anyways.


I should probably seek counseling about that or something. I've been trying to break the habit for awhile now."
Orfeu, as you probably already know, said:
"My Motivation is simple.
I am a fuckwit, and dont know any better.


As for Lee...I should think it is obvious to any impartial observer.


She is Evil.
Pure Concentrated Evil.
She pulls our strings like an Evil Puppet-Master.


So if any of you have a beef with me...just remember, it wasnt my fault.
Lee made me do it."


Prokofy Neva covers an extremely popular topic with his post "Second Life Needs a Live Music Blog."  I would direct him to some SL live music sites, blogs, blog posts and even forums, but my observation is that Neva prefers to find such things on his own, if at all.  I don't mean to be dismissive of Neva or Neva's post.  I'm thrilled that Neva is again taking an interest in the rich live music scene in Second Life and I agree that most of the live music blog content out there is more of the "here is a live musician in SL and his genre is the blues and I really enjoyed his show" variety rather than actual musical criticism.  As much as people write about live music in SL, and there is a lot of writing about live music in SL  (right behind fashion, destinations and SL operations and politics), there really isn't a whole lot of informed critical analysis or Rolling Stone journalistic style review.  Maybe we could get Envoy or Orfeu on that.  I used to write a kind of basic SL live music blog myself, but I kept it in a social group on a forum and it, and all the content save the pictures, were deleted...and I don't have the musical background of an Envoy or Orfeu.  Seicher Rae got into SL Live Music blogging at one time, but her content has also been deleted.  At any rate, I'm glad Neva brought it up.  It's a ceaselessly interesting topic to me and many others and it also gives me a chance to tell you that Guitar Zane and Senjata Witt are two of my favorite live music artists in Second Life. (I gushed profusely and prolifically about Guitar Zane in forum threads and the social group blog and my SL pic albums over on RLetc.  I wear my Senjata Witt SL t-shirt a lot.  Good thing clothes don't wear out in SL.)


Speaking of live music, though not in SL...

Kita said:
"It's that time again! Another Phish show, Mulch and I will be streaming LIVE intermittently throughout the day!
http://mulched.blogspot.com/2011/08/phish-8811-hollywood-bowl.html
Keep checking the stream today and stay tuned for awesome hippie action! ;)"

You might need this.

Which leads me to this:  It would appear that not only is Mulch blogging again, but he has started a new forum or at least is participating in the development of a new forum.  It's called "Feted Inner Hangout" and it's on fetedinnerhorde.com.

Mulch said:
"also, this forum is now in beta testing. It would be a great honor to me if you sign up for this forum/site, use it, test it, post to it, upload photos, send messages, edit friend list, add buddies, and help me work out the bugs and help me beta test it (long term involvement beyond beta not discouraged). we should be going live within 2-4 weeks once all bugs, features, mods, and hacks are worked out"
"Are you

  • a normal adult who likes to play WoW?
  • someone with real life responsibilities like a job, significant other, hobby, social life?
  • looking to play WoW with friendly, likeminded people who are adults who have real lives outside of WoW, and who like to PvP and sometimes PvE, without DKP, militant GMs or Raid Leaders or drama?
  • on or considering Lightninghoof server in the US, horde faction?*

Then consider apllying to join us in Feted Inner Horde. We are all adults, majority female. We have a small active user base and a larger pool who comes through every now and then. We are casual, have a teamspeak 3 server, and prefer to...
Read more: http://fetedinnerhorde.com/forums/index.php/topic,6.0.html#ixzz1USqXqjyc"


Cristiano has posted a list of the top 25 laugh-getting posts on SLU.




Wasted wants to view my blog but is having a great deal of difficult because of the "mature content" warning. I suppose it's good to know the net nanny content-control software works.
"leehere, why don´t you remove that warning about the mature content? I never can read your blog, it doesn´t work on firefox for me."
"many views and still cant read the leehere´s blog because of the mature content warning   "

Lastly, check out this fun find Magnus Brody blogged about in his post "Spock Is Not Impressed."


p.s.
I think it would be fun if Neva got in on the forum and blog critiquing biz on a regular, formal, structured kind of basis (as opposed to the drive-by shooting basis).  We could even give him a head start.

Links:
http://realtravels.blogspot.com/2011/08/golf-aruba.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_course
http://geographyfieldwork.com/golf.htm
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/golf/index.htm
http://www.golfturf.rutgers.edu/golf-courses-and-the-environment.asp
http://slmc.myfastforum.org/
http://quickmusiclexxi.blogspot.com/
http://leeherevw.blogspot.com/2011/06/virtual-world-theme-sites-blogs-forums.html
http://www.wastedlife.com.ar/index.php/forum?func=view&catid=4&id=71
http://leeherevw.blogspot.com/2011/08/wasted-sees-me-too-or-wasted-channels.html
http://gotvirtual.net/community/threads/leehere-i-see-you.858/page-60
http://leeherevw.blogspot.com/2011/07/criteria-for-forum-ranking-ratings_29.html
http://leeherevw.blogspot.com/2011/07/criteria-for-forum-ranking-ratings.html
http://leeherevw.blogspot.com/2011/07/forum-ranking-ratings-reviews.html
http://mulched.blogspot.com/2011/08/phish-8811-hollywood-bowl.html
http://fetedinnerhorde.com/forums/index.php/topic,16.new.html
http://www.ustream.tv/user/mulchvideo
http://fetedinnerhorde.com/forums/
http://www.sluniverse.com/php/vb/slu-announcements/62941-top-25-most-laughs.html

Fine print:  LWL = Ladies Who Lunch (and is not gender specific)
Fine print 2:  The author of this blog does not necessarily support or condone the content of the blogs referenced here.
Fine print 3:  @ Seicher Rae:  If you still have that SL live music content and would like to pass it on to me for a blog post attributed to you (natch), then I would be delighted to post it.  Food for thought.  Thanks.
Fine print 4:  Yes, I do know that Prokofy Neva's operator is a female human and that most people refer to Prokofy Neva as Prok.

35 comments:

  1. I wouldn't be the one to write about the live music scene in SL...because I have never really enjoyed it that much.
    Partially because of the quality of the content...partially because as music making is my job...I am often trying to escape it in my recreation time.

    My answer in the gv thread about posting motivation...was meant to be flip...and drenched in Irony.
    If i was to post something a little more considered...it would prolly be along the lines of..I enjoy the dance of attention with certain posters....giving and getting it.

    For those without any Irony whatsoever in their soul....NO I do not think Lee is Pure Incarnate Evil.
    Rather I think she tends to get Scape-goated...and the ones who call her a drama-monger, are usually the ones who find themselves amongst drama wherever they take themselves.

    For some reason which escapes me...peeps seem to have a hard time admitting that they like Drama...and would rather ascribe blame to others.
    Hence my off-colour Joke that "Lee made me do it".

    I personally have nothing against Drama...but only if the script is good...if it is too tawdry or repetitive..I tend to make my excuses and leave.

    ReplyDelete
  2. @orfeu: Yes she is evil incarnate! I read it on the internet so it is true! Damnit.

    I don't know why people deny their love of drama. I suppose they spend all of their non internet time watching The Sound of Music or day dreaming about running through fields of daisies and chest bumping angels in their free time. We know Lee made you do it...you spineless puppet you ;))))

    We know Lee made you do it...you spineless puppet you ;))))

    We know Lee made you do it...you spineless puppet you ;))))

    We know Lee made you do it...you spineless puppet you ;))))

    We know Lee made you do it...you spineless puppet you ;))))

    We know Lee made you do it...you spineless puppet you ;))))

    We know Lee made you do it...you spineless puppet you ;))))

    ReplyDelete
  3. You're in a serious/introspective/mellow mood today, Orf.

    Thanks for the thoughtful reply. Of course, THIS one you don't give me credit for. Figures. ;-)

    Seriously. I enjoyed your comment. Thank you.

    And I do hear you on the music critique comment. Makes perfect sense. I do think there is an opportunity to get someone a little better informed or educated about music, music appreciation and critique to do some reviews, and not necessarily an actual musician, although I think even that person, should they exist for this niche, would find it quick work as there is probably only a small percentage of the large group of live music artists in Second Life that would make such an endeavor worthwhile...and on that last part, I do speak from experience. L (SR) saw the list of artists I collected from posting for referrals in forums and doing my own research. Orfeu probably noticed that I actually made a pretty good effort of working my way through that list. So yeah, I've heard a lot of what's out there in SL. I don't have the kind of educated perspective I'm talking about though. I'm an amateur enthusiast. I did get a little bit in-depth when talking about performances I was enthused about...my longest write-up was on Guitar Zane and I'm an InZane fan...but my write-ups tended to be boiled-down basic, factual information blurbs for the ones I was less enthused about and I did not include a meaningful critical response.

    Both Perrie Juran (1st) and Seicher Rae (2nd) took it a step further with numerical ratings in addition to information about genre and whatnot. Seicher Rae took her blog down. Perrie, I don't think ever had one, he gave me his ranked list and allowed me to post it.

    I did see one other blog during my research that ranked and give information and a brief review, but if memory serves, it's no longer being updated.

    ReplyDelete
  4. There is also a controversy in SL about what actually constitutes a "live music artist."

    Some people are 100% live and do originals, covers or both.

    Some people are vocally live with backtracks for music.

    Some people are primarily vocally live with backing voice tracks and music tracks.

    Some people are DJs.

    And so on.

    ReplyDelete
  5. p.s. I love flip comments drenched in irony. I know you are all shocked. I also enjoy the dance, which is why Orfeu and I dance so much. ;-)

    Orfeu told me he "loves the smell of scapegoat in the morning." I had to repeat that here, feeling that Orf wouldn't mind, because Stephie and I both got quite a chuckle out of that. It's totally sig worthy. There may even be a banner in it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I also get bored with the repetitive constant cycle of the same drama, which is why, with all due respect to Ima and L, who I have enjoyed here, I took a break on FC when it got bogged down in a loop.

    ReplyDelete
  7. It was either that or scoop my eyes out with a jagged grapefruit spoon or melon baller.

    ReplyDelete
  8. @ Ima:

    1. LOL

    2. "...The Sound of Music or day dreaming about running through fields of daisies and chest bumping angels in their free time..." I think I just threw up in my mouth a little there...and coughed up a unicorn hairball.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am evil. I'm also good. I'm, ya know, human. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Fuckwad used to compare forums to wrestling entertainment. People playing parts in stories. Good guys and bad guys and switch ups no one seems to notice or mind. And chairs being slammed on heads and razors in foreheads for a good bleed and tag teams and all that. There's truth in that. The difficulty comes, and we discussed this ad nauseum in the Utherforums, is that not everyone is buying a ticket to the same show. Forums are a kind of virtual world platform. Not everyone plays on them the same way, but few ever stop and set up the expectations or explain the character.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This is one of the difficulties I encounter...or observe others encountering about me. I do all these helpful posts, maybe it's the Second Life guides on RLetc, the Second Life Answers on the official forums or Real Life Help Resources on gV. I do inclusive, friendly stuff like the Asylum R&P Cheeseboard on the Utherforums or the Lee threads on RLetc and gV. Then I roll up my sleeves and wade into the fray on the rowdiest of threads in the rowdiest sections of the rowdiest forums and get my virtual knuckles bloody, or worse yet, in some people's eyes, I fight dirty and stealthy and not so directly a punch-in-the-face. Or vice versa. And people have difficulty reconciling the two. And then someone like Fuckwad tells me my problem is playing two parts in the show at the same time and confusing or frustrating the audience. Except that I'm not playing a part. I'm just playing.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It's always reminded me of something I read that was written by Machiavelli which I am massively paraphrasing here. It basically said (from the adviser to the prince) that the best strategy was to come in like a lion. Be the brutal dictator and then soften up and people will love you. But do it the other way...be soft and then get brutal...you'll never have order or respect and they'll hate and assassinate you.

    (Fine print: Do I really need to explain that I do not see myself as a princess among her subjects here? Do I need to clarify? Really?)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Forums are...excuse me, virtual world forums are highly-emotionally charged. There's a lot of opportunity for both strategy and misunderstanding in there.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This used to be my signature, back when I sported a forum siggy:

    1. "Smile when you say that." (from "The Virginian"...the book specifically, and the source is important, it affects the meaning)
    2. "I'm not drawn that way, I am bad." (a perversion of Jessica Rabbit's original)
    3. "I say fate should not tempt me." (from the song "I Take My Chances" by Mary Chapin-Carpenter)

    ReplyDelete
  15. And, as I've mentioned to Orfeu a number of times, people don't much like the appearance of arrogance.

    Hey, where's Pep?

    ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  16. And where's L to tease me about the amount of commenting I'm doing? ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Lee Said
    "Thanks for the thoughtful reply. Of course, THIS one you don't give me credit for. Figures. ;-)"

    whaddya mean...I wrote what you told me to, verbatim.
    whats the problem...spelling ???
    I kid....I kid.

    I always enjoyed Pep's arrogant shtick...I mean it is SO arrogant...that its kinda like he is lampooning the very idea of arrogance...it still amazes me that he pushes SO many peoples buttons with such a simple trick.

    Then again....intelligence itself is one of those hot button issues in fora...It is very important to prove that you are intelligent...or...um...I dunno ... people don't respect you or something or other.

    Folks who spend a goodly portion of their time, talking shit on forums/blogs ( myself included)....are not exactly poster children for Intelligence...but don't call me stupid..OK...or I will unleash a raging torrent of butthurt at ya. !!!!!eleventy!!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. BTW I very much enjoyed Ishtara's blog post...fun and educational...I didn't find it unduly provocative...but then again...I rarely find ANYTHING unduly provocative....so one should still heed Lee's warning.

    I left my comment there...as...um....that seemed more polite.

    ReplyDelete
  19. @Lee: Stop licking Unicorns.

    I really enjoy reading Ish' but I have no tolerance for the "OMG! If you don't think it is perfectly normal and acceptable to fuck animals then you are a judgemental, narrow minded, bottom feeder," attitude.

    Which reminds me...Do you watch the TV show Wilfred?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Have you seen this site: http://secondrater.com/

    Since SL is a your imagination, your world kind of place, I am not that much in favor of SL musicians being reviewed/rated. If they build a little stage and belt out a flat tune in a key unknown to human or alien, but it makes them happy to pretend they can sing, why should that be taken away from them through harsh reviews/ratings?

    ReplyDelete
  21. Ol' Blue Eyes was once asked how to sing.
    His response was, it's not knowing how to sing but how not to sing.
    Which is why I don't, publicly.
    Advice most popstars should seriously consider, especially when trying to sing the national anthem.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Lee said: The difficulty comes, and we discussed this ad nauseum in the Utherforums, is that not everyone is buying a ticket to the same show. Forums are a kind of virtual world platform. Not everyone plays on them the same way, but few ever stop and set up the expectations or explain the character.


    ad nauseam

    I think it would take the "fun" out of it if people were to set the expectations or develop the character prior to proceeding with their forum act. The responses to the unknown intentions of the character and the varying reactions are precisely what makes it entertaining. Although, once the regulars are established in a forum community, the reactions become so predictable that the entertainment value is often lost.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hell, I feel like a sober guy walking into to the third hour of a drunken party.

    I see Mulch is beta testing mods in his forum. I didn't think he would want Moderators to be honest.

    Arrogant? That is what those spineless wimps who go to assertiveness classes call us self-confident extroverts.

    Pep (Surely you are not suggesting that many forumites can not cope with complex personalities who offer more than the usual monodimensional pc smalltalk, except when their hormones are perturbed into incoherence?)

    ReplyDelete
  24. @Orfeu: intelligence only matters to those who don't possess it.

    Pep (So why don't they shut up and stop proving it?)

    ReplyDelete
  25. ARUGH! Right before hitting "post" the damn Net ate my response! (TWICE!!!! godfuckingdamnit)

    The off the cuff humor isn't so entertaining to write the second time around so just the facts:

    There is both a demand for and hence a need for a good music review format. In just the short time I was doing it, I heard from a lot of people — fans, musicians, managers — that this was something people wanted. Those pages on my blog got huge hits. Even when the rest of the content was gone those pages kept getting hit.

    There are some difficulties in doing such a thing. I learned this very quickly.
    1) What IS a SL musician? Leaving out DJs (and not everyone does), you have everything from bad karaoke singers to extremely talented professional musicians who have careers in music in RL and write original pieces. Certainly they can't be reviewed to the same standard.

    The folks that are just having a good time whether they can carry a tune or not, meh, let them have fun. BUT when those folks show up in the listings next to the "serious" SL performers? (Like they can in that next to useless event search?) When the "just having LOLs" then put out jars for tips and are at sims that hawk out "show us your Linden love!", then they move into the "we're doing this for fun AND profit and want your L$" category and I think are fair game for review.

    Any review is subjective.

    I tried to standardize it a little, building on Perrie's star ranking system. I also stated that a karaoke singer just couldn't get a star no matter how good they were, not with people doing their own music getting 5 stars (sometimes). I only saw one karaoke that made me question that. I think it is a talent when someone can take the soundtracks (which are limiting!) and make it not only personal but compelling.

    So you have a range of amateur to professionals. That's a bit of a problem.

    Then there is the style/genre problem. There are so many styles of music, how can one person possibly be able to comment on them? I couldn't. So I was lucky to enlist the help of two others who were able to broaden the scope of the blog. Had it continued I had plans on enlisting some others who would have been able to comment knowledgeably on other types of music.

    Then there is the technical aspect of performing in SL and there I was TOTALLY clueless. Again, I had to rely on the expertise of the other two reviewers. The technical side of things very much plays (pun) into the musical experience.

    So there were difficulties galore.

    Then there is the issue of being able to be truthful in print. A review blog isn't very useful if everyone gets 5 stars and everyone is "the best ever!" We gave very few bad reviews, but oh the whining if someone got 3.5 stars! There were a few artists, who thought they were professional, who just acted like idiots when they didn't get 5 stars! I got IMd inworld. We got comments. I welcomed comments on the blog and was hoping to make it into a learning process. Instead, to the few delusional prima donnas, it was a spam fest with their "fans" telling us "U R stoopid" and "U R mean."

    That didn't happen often. Not surprisingly the artists who received 5 stars were very nice and happy!

    Anyone starting such a venture might be wise to do it with a throwaway alt. That's a shame but otherwise you'd start getting recognized in venues and you get a bunch hassle if you were honest.

    PS. I just read your fine print. The posts and pictures are destroyed along with everything else regarding my SR/LA time in SL (that I know about).

    ReplyDelete
  26. typo 1: I also stated that a karaoke singer just couldn't get **5 stars** no matter how good they were

    ReplyDelete
  27. PS. Also difficult is reviewing a type of music you don't like and trying to be objective. There was one karaoke performer who came close to getting 5 stars from me AND he sang songs and in a style I didn't really like. He did, however, have one helluva voice and somehow even with the canned tracks (which are so limiting!) managed to make the songs not only uniquely his but compelling and I thought that was pretty good stuff even though the songs were too Tom Jones-y and sappy for me and everyone in the audience was a gesturbator.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I iz tired & haz the stomach flu so I use that excuse for rambling on even more than usual, typos, repeating myself and additionally saying things more than once...

    ITS very improtant too look smarts when U R making posts, jist like orfeu says.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Great feedback and info, L. I hope you get better real soon. Stomach flu sucks. Okay, it actually blows. You know what I mean.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Second Life Music used to a lot of funfor me, not so much anymore.

    I think Lee actually gave me this link : http://slmc.myfastforum.org/index.php

    Here is another one http://cdn1.secondnights.com/cms/

    I pretty much only listen to Toran, these days.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Ooh, thanks for the links, colleen.

    What happened to make SL music not so much fun for you anymore?

    ReplyDelete
  32. @Lee.... I love music, I love being exposed to talent I may not ever have been otherwise and SL offers that for sure. L is right in much of her post on reviews. Often I think you have to not only evaluate the musician but also the crowd they are performing too, is there a fun factor to their crowd even the not best musician brings something, but if everyone is having fun it is never a total loss.

    The SL venue vs entertainer wars really put me off music.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Lordie. Politics and virtual worlds. Something about 'em just makes people get all up in arms.

    ReplyDelete
  34. The fact is I'm probably an idiot! I had a whole different picture of what I was getting myself into when I created an SL account. I thought I was coming to a VR game....it's been down hill since! laffs...

    ReplyDelete

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