A Blogs Demise

It was not without some pleasure and great satisfaction that I late last night noticed that the Swedish virtual worlds blog Netlott, previously named Prim Team, declared that it was closing down after only 20 days (February 21 - March 11, 2012).

I have informed you about this blog earlier in my posts "Ich Bin Ein Prim Teamer" and Bukowski & Witches.

The blog started by declaring that the bloggers were a group of people with technical interests and that they together had amassed more than 25 years of experience in virtual worlds. They also declared that they were going to remain anonymous but gave no specific reason for this decision.

I am sure the blog would have been welcomed in the Swedish SecondLife community despite the fact that the bloggers wished to remain anonymous if the blog had settled for their proclaimed field of expertise, the technical aspects of virtual worlds. Such a blog written by people with keen insight and knowledge on the workings of the viewers and a willingness to share and educate the rest of us is sorely needed and would fill a vacuum.

However, the Prim Team and Netlott blog (Netlott is by the way a word play on the English word "net" and the Swedish word "nitlott" which means "drawing a blank"), instead chose to start delving in social issues and unearthing dirty linen and rusty battle axes from the close or distant past. This caused the Swedish community in SecondLife to erupt and the tentative armed peace that had been established over the past two-three months evaporated. Ghouls from the past that had relished in the previous unrest reappeared and the favorite object of hate was yet again reviled.

Once the blog started declaring who was not a member of the blogging team I declared myself to be one of them to see how they would handle that. This was never commented upon.

I am now completely certain that one of the team members is in fact "The avatar formerly known as Sven Idyll". I have come to this conclusion from the language used in some of the posts, some of the topics raised on the blog, a question directed at me by one of the anonymous bloggers which was exactly the same as one Sven Idyll previously had posed to me and now - finally - the way in which the blog was closed.

The blog was shutdown in exactly the same way as Sven Idyll´s previous three (3) blogs. with some choice words of recrimination, "no one understands me", "you have all misinterpreted me" and "you bore me" etc., and letting the blog stay online for a while after removing all the previous comments and assorted posts and not allowing any new comments.

I would be the first to welcome a new Swedish blog that focused on the technical aspects, but we do not need more trolls. We have enough of those already, thank you very much!

UPDATE (04:58 AM SLT): And now "The avatar formerly known as Sven Idyll" has read this post and has posted a not so subtle comeback at me. Hilarious! (No link to that waste of time will be supplied here, I am sure that others will be happy to help you.)

PROBABLY RELATED: My buddy NE0 Timeless over at Free Your Mind has found an interesting article from March 7, 2012, on a Swedish website that could have some connection to this matter. An IT-consultant of sorts is bashing SecondLife as a waste of time and claiming we now have drugs inworld, something called "Seclimine". 

Apparently it is something that messes with the shared inworld experience I gather, as he mentions something about a hazy viewer and sound distortions. I never heard about it though, but I am a sanctimonious prick so...

“Being crazy isn't enough”

Joetonight dressed in lightning

The quote in the title is by Dr. Seuss, and sometimes I think that may be true. Other times I, like Albert Einstein, ask myself  "Am I or are the others crazy?”

I think I may be hanging with a beautiful yet crazy crowd of people. 

First there is the sweet Millimina Salamander, who every time I happen to mention I  am going to log off starts talking with me frantically to keep me there, while when she herself wishes to do the same she just says good night and exits promptly thereafter within 10 seconds flat. Tonight it actually took me 6,5 minutes before she acknowledged my good night and let me log-off. 

Then we have Joetonight Starship, with whom I seem to have a mental connection, because whenever I think of logging off Joe sends me an IM inviting me to a cool party with him and his hubby Dalimar. Every time when I tell him the party starts at 3 AM in the morning for me and that I am sorry that I cannot come, he at least wants me to see his cool costume for the occasion. Usually something half naked - we gay men like to show skin.

Lastly we have the sexy stud Butch Diavolo, who knows very well that I am worthless at multitasking, but still insists on saying his goodbyes when I am chatting with someone else and goes POOF within 5 seconds after his "Slaap lekker".

If I didn't love them all so much I would perhaps start looking for a slower crowd that lets me set the pace, but then again I think I may be bored stiff if I did. 

I am happy to have these wonderful people in my SecondLife although they sometimes drive me crazy.

Should Win...

...to represent Sweden in The Eurovision Song Contest, but most likely will not. Cute guys too!

UPDATE: They ended in 7th place of 10. Sweden will be represented in the ESC by Loreen with Euphoria (my 3rd place choice)

Are We Equal?

(via J.M.G.)

I was totally pissed (Sorry Diana, but there was no more fitting word to describe my feelings) by the complete indifference among my female - and male too - coworkers, especially the younger ones, on the significance and importance of International Women´s Day. Most of the younger women stated, "I  am treated equally, therefor it is not important to me!"

It may well be that Sweden is one of the countries that have come the farthest, but we still have staggering inequality here also.

Women in Sweden

• still earn (on average) 10-15 % less for the same work.
• are still not represented in a fair way in political assemblies.
• are still not represented in a fair way in management positions or on company boards in business. ("The Old Boys Club-syndrome")
• are still almost exclusively the victims of sexual crimes, stalking and domestic battery.
• are still forced into prostitution by partners, pimps or trafficking.

etc., etc ad infinitum.

In other parts of the world the situation is even worse. I simply cannot get my head around their complaisant attitude when they claim that the International Women´s Day has no bearing on them or their situation. Is it a "Me-generation" thing and an effect of the "Whats in it for me-attitude" towards life?

How are we ever going to get a society where all the minorities human rights are safeguarded if we cannot even agree that women, who are the majority of the nations and the worlds population, should have the full and equal rights of the men?

(And yes, I do feel a bit stupid as a gay man ranting at women for not caring enough about their human rights, but you can blame my mother - and father - for this! If you should wish to talk with them please ask me for their phone number.)

The Biannual Confusion

Spring forward

On Sunday March 11, 2012, at 2 AM the United States (except Hawaii) - and thereby SecondLife Time (SLT) also - start Daylight Saving Time (DST) and "spring forward" the clocks to 3 AM.

The following three weeks will mean a period of total time confusion in SecondLife before Europe and Australia catch up.

Europe "springs forward" on Sunday March 25, 2012,  while Australia (in the southern hemisphere) "fall back" on Sunday April 1, 2012.

...and then all will be well for awhile until the fall, when we go trough the opposite confusion.

I cannot understand why the International community cannot agree on the same two dates for starting and ending DST. How damn difficult can it be anyway? We are talking a three week period here, just agree on one or the other or a Sunday in between and let us avoid the mess.

Bock in SecondLife is - as always - here to aid you and has a clock with the SLT in the right column for your convenience.

Announcement

The Much Honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Charm and prince of Cascade Falls, wishes to inform his friends that due to personal reasons he will not be celebrating his upcoming anniversary on Sunday March 11, 2012.

The laird begs for your indulgence on this whim and asks that you refrain from any and all mention of it.

A celebration may occur at a later date, if so you will be duly notified through this blog and by personal invitation.

Bukowski & Witches

Quotes by Charles Bukowski seem to be popular on some of my friends Facebook accounts I have learned from a post at my buddy Apmel Goosson´s blog today.

As I am not on Facebook anymore, I will send my response of support here with another usable quote from the same man. I think I actually love it, but I am crazy because I have a weak spot for witches also.

And this will be my final contribution to the civil war that has flared up in Swedish SecondLife thanks to the anonymous bloggers at Prim Team/Netlott (or whatever they may call their blog today) for unearthing old battle axes.