fanciful_muse | Entries tagged with douchecanoes

I have spent the past several hours catching up on news and whatnot across the Internet concerning Second Life.

It appears we aren't done yet with "security companies" who want to dance so close to the SL TOS as to give others cause to be concerned.

If you aren't already aware, the Green Zone Users group was created to go along with the Green Zone HUD which was constructed to let users know of merchants and landowners employing the ill-fated Redzone security system. It is still valid as an educational group, especially considering that Redzone wasn't the only security system that breached privacy. Even today, after Linden Lab updated their TOS to disallow such intrusions, there are systems out there that do just about everything BUT cross that line.

It seems Voodoo Security Systems was one such system. Its owner, Monkey Wonder, used to have profitable talks with the Green Zone Users group - and as a result, changed the protocols on some of his systems so that they don't quite "skirt the line" as much. However, it seems lately he has suddenly gone off the deep end. Not only has he accused the entire Green Zone User group of being griefers - he's posted the usernames of everyone he found in the group, AND sent them notecards that basically said "leave the GZ Users group or else".

See this thread on SLU: Monkey Wonder maker of Voodoo decides to threaten people.

First of all, most of those who received the notecard have sent in an Abuse Report, since it constitutes harassment and defamation of character. This, however, wasn't enough for Mr. Wonder. On top of posting damned near every username on his Voodoo site, hes now created a blog here to further defame what constitutes a group of generally innocent users interested in nothing more than preserving privacy on Second Life, to the extent that it is possible.

Many of us, upon reading about this continuing drama, have since joined the Green Zone Users group, just because we can. You might also say we're proving a point. Threaten people with all kinds of things, libel their names, and you will get lots of others rising up and joining them in protest.

All I must say is that Mr. Wonder appears to be very frightened of the opinion(s) expressed about his (and other) security systems by the GZ Users group, and is retaliating well before anything has been attempted at a higher level. This leads me to believe that he is, in fact, engaging in activities that either skirt close to, or cross that line in TOS that was deliberately enacted to better protect user privacy.

Update: It seems Mr. Wonder has a full list of GZ Users names posted here. Rumor has it he has someone planted in GZ Users just to update this list on a regular basis. I don't see my name yet...

Current Mood: creative
Crossposts: http://fanciful-muse.livejournal.com/108426.html

As I'm sure you know, major pet food manufacturers tend to buy wheat gluten from China, to cut costs.

As some of you know, some of that wheat gluten has been tainted with things like melamine and rat poison.

Now there's a big recall of Purina brand foods because of bug infestations (grainary moths, black beetles) and salmonella.

Some Iams is being recalled for salmonella, and they have yet ANOTHER recall for melamine.

LISTEN UP MAJOR PET FOOD MAKERS - ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME YOU SACRIFICED SOME OF YOUR FUCKING PROFITS AND BOUGHT YOUR WHEAT GLUTEN FROM THE USA OR CANADA WHERE IT'S FAR MORE REGULATED?

I've had at least two cats die of melamine poisoning in the past because I didn't know about the recalls. I may have had two more die of melamine or some other poisoning, I now find out.

Now I know you Korporate Fucktards don't give a flying shit about how we feel about our pets - and I'm sure you have some really high-priced natural diet or something like that for YOUR cats and dogs - but here you go again sticking it to the 99%. It's bad enough we get contaminated human food, contaminated with hormones, steroids, and Goddess knows what else, that causes all kinds of allergies, early puberties, mental illnesses and whatnot - but on top of it, you're using Chinese wheat gluten, which CANNOT BE TRUSTED, and poisoning our precious dogs and cats.

I HAVE HAD ENOUGH. I'M SURE OTHERS HAVE HAD ENOUGH, TOO.

Current Mood: IRATE

There is a point where informaton ceases to be informative, and becomes spam.

Everyone's threshhold is different. Be that as it may, I have yet to hear of a person who didn't tire of seeing the same exact information, in both notice AND chat, more than, say, a couple of times per day. When you get tired of it, it becomes spam for you.

I am a member of two help-wanted groups for our club - djs wanted, and "all other staff" wanted. Now granted, they don't place a hard limit on how many notices you can send out - but at the same time, when it's the SAME announcement, sent both by notice and by chat, EVERY SINGLE TIME and roughly ONCE PER HOUR - I don't know of ANYONE who doesn't tire of seeing it.

I was invited to one group, and joined the other on my own - they're sister groups - because we need both DJs and Hosts. I will put out a maximum of one notice - no chat - per day. Sometimes I don't put one out every day. I figure that if someone is truly looking for employment, they'll have their notices turned on, and they'll get it - at least in email.

If someone feels the need to put the exact same announcement in both a notice and IM chat, then I'd say they are fully aware that some have notices turned off. The sad thing is that they don't stop to think of WHY people have notices turned off. Could it be because they are sick and tired of hearing about that particular club/merchandise/event?

I know how to search notices to see if there's anything I want to read. Since I'm not looking FOR employment, I don't really pay attention to the notices that come out of these groups. I'll glance at them, then close them.

Last night was the last straw. I was hearing the same announcements about the same club every single time I turned around - echoed in both notices and chat, from both groups. The only difference between them is one said DJs, the other said other personnel.

When they started up again today, I finally got into chat and asked them to stop spamming. The information was being sent out by one of the OWNERS of the group! I tried to explain in a reasonable fashion why I felt seeing the SAME announcements echoed in both notices AND chat, at least ONCE per hour, was a bit excessive. Someone else chimed in and said she sent out 8 notices last night and got 0 replies. Well, d'oh! Guess she didn't stop to consider that once you've heard it, over and over again, not only don't you wish to work there, you don't even want to step foot in that club. At least that's the way I felt. When they're doubled up in IM chat on top of it, I really REALLY want nothing to do with that club.

People - once or twice a day, in notices, is fine, for a help wanted group. Sending one per hour and echoing the same info in IM chat is NOT going to help you find employees.

It also won't help you sell products, and believe me, I've seen this behavior - and worse - in groups where you can advertise things for sale.

Think about how you feel when you see someone else snowing you under with notices and IM chat for the same thing, over and over, again.

It's a good thing I'm running Firestorm Beta. I can turn off both notices AND chat.

Current Mood: annoyed

See my previous post for "God's Gift to Women"...after having several misogynistic colorful metaphors thrown at me in Twitter, I get this in SL, today.

Usernames redacted for privacy.

[2011/08/12 15:50:21] VERY LOVED BY MANY: (Saved Fri Aug 12 15:31:41 2011)mmm mighty fine ava ya got there "artist" LOL hope to see you pixel to pixel here sometime
[2011/08/12 15:51:05] Marie Wonka: You're insane. Why would I want to meet you?
[2011/08/12 15:51:32] VERY LOVED BY MANY: idk so you could be charmed in spite of yourself.
[2011/08/12 15:51:39] VERY LOVED BY MANY: something to do.
[2011/08/12 15:51:57] VERY LOVED BY MANY: I forgot you're not allowed in Mature sims
[2011/08/12 15:52:03] Marie Wonka: but don't you have all kinds of women beating down your door?
[2011/08/12 15:52:06] VERY LOVED BY MANY: eeps
[2011/08/12 15:52:18] Marie Wonka: scuse me? I'm age verfied so stick it.
[2011/08/12 15:52:24] VERY LOVED BY MANY: I pick and choose
[2011/08/12 15:52:41] VERY LOVED BY MANY: stick it? already? I thought we would at least talk first.
[2011/08/12 15:52:53] Second Life: [uuid redacted] has offered to teleport you to their location:

come help me decorate - Moderate Parcel_M_Dark
[2011/08/12 15:53:26] Marie Wonka: it always comes down to the same thing. "You're a stupid bitch. Wanna suck my dick?"
[2011/08/12 15:53:37] VERY LOVED BY MANY: you said that I did not.
[2011/08/12 15:53:46] Marie Wonka: That's because I know your type.
[2011/08/12 15:53:49] VERY LOVED BY MANY: I am way classier than that.
[2011/08/12 15:53:53] VERY LOVED BY MANY: no you really dont
[2011/08/12 15:54:01] VERY LOVED BY MANY: I am not loved by many by being crass
[2011/08/12 15:54:01] Marie Wonka: *snort* yeah right, and I'm the Queen of Sheba.
[2011/08/12 15:54:07] VERY LOVED BY MANY: i am an adult
[2011/08/12 15:54:13] VERY LOVED BY MANY: with an ADULT sense of humor
[2011/08/12 15:54:14] Marie Wonka: then act like one.
[2011/08/12 15:54:21] VERY LOVED BY MANY: ADULT women can appreciate
[2011/08/12 15:54:42] Marie Wonka: adult women who think for themselves don't put up with blatant misogyny in any form.
[2011/08/12 15:54:58] VERY LOVED BY MANY: misogyny works both ways
[2011/08/12 15:55:10] Marie Wonka: you're the one who waved your dick, not me.
[2011/08/12 15:56:12] VERY LOVED BY MANY: at whom?
[2011/08/12 15:56:22] VERY LOVED BY MANY: you like talking dirty dont you?
[2011/08/12 15:56:24] Marie Wonka: *laughs* go back and read your tweets
[2011/08/12 15:56:27] VERY LOVED BY MANY: it "titilates" you.
[2011/08/12 15:56:41] VERY LOVED BY MANY: mmmm we'll have lots of fun
[2011/08/12 15:56:46] VERY LOVED BY MANY: once you get over yourself
[2011/08/12 15:57:06] Marie Wonka: I have no intentions of "falling for your so-called charms".
[2011/08/12 15:57:24] VERY LOVED BY MANY: no one ever does
[2011/08/12 15:57:41] VERY LOVED BY MANY: my charm is IRRESISTIBLE
[2011/08/12 15:57:44] VERY LOVED BY MANY: muah ha ha
[2011/08/12 15:57:55] VERY LOVED BY MANY: thanks for your mention in your blog btw
[2011/08/12 15:58:02] VERY LOVED BY MANY: it did wonders for my ego
[2011/08/12 15:58:05] VERY LOVED BY MANY: I have to go
[2011/08/12 15:58:06] Marie Wonka: *snort* yeah, right. And I've heard it before. Got the T-shirt and burnt it. You don't impress me.
[2011/08/12 15:58:10] VERY LOVED BY MANY: let's continue later hotti
[2011/08/12 15:58:20] VERY LOVED BY MANY: stop speaking in cliches
[2011/08/12 15:58:25] VERY LOVED BY MANY: kisses , hugs
[2011/08/12 15:58:26] VERY LOVED BY MANY: ciao
[2011/08/12 15:58:29] Marie Wonka: don't tell me how to speak.

Current Mood: NOT impressed

Mark my words. DO NOT ORDER WIRELESS PRODUCTS FROM AT&T'S WEBSITE.

First of all, you can't put everything in one cart.

I upgraded the existing phone on our wireless account. That had to be one order.
I added a line to our account, with one of their free phone packages. That had to be another order.
I ordered accessories for the second phone. That had to be a third order.

Now is where the trouble starts.

1. The earbuds I ordered with the upgrade phone - an accessory recommended by their website, mind you - do not work. They have the wrong connector.
2. The upgrade phone I ordered never showed up in their order system. I had to reorder it.
3. The earbuds I ordered for the second phone - same brand as for the first, and recommended as an accessory - also do not work. Wrong connector again. Also, this third order did not show up under my account page.

I got the upgrade phone and accessories, plus the second order of accessories (the order that never showed on my webpage). Both were waiting for me at the post office.

I reordered the phone, which was a special "instant messaging package", and I ordered it with messaging as was required. It came the next day - but was missing the bluetooth headset that was supposed to come with it.

I activated the phone, and, because I had other things to do, wasn't able to call AT&T right away about the missing bluetooth or the mismatched earbuds. I called the next day and spent over an hour on the phone across two operators before I finally got some relief.

At first they weren't going to send the bluetooth; they claimed my order history didn't show me ordering messaging. Something got screwed up between my original order for individual messaging, and my conversion to Family Talk / Family Messaging. I had to get very angry with the gentleman on the other end, pointing out that my account DID have messaging ON it so I DID qualify for the bluetooth. He said he was FedExing it. It took the rest of the time to track down the "mysteriously missing" accessory order in order to set up the return of the two sets of earbuds.

In other words, it was a week of headaches that nobody should have to go through. Your best bet is to work on the site with a live person in your ear on the phone at the same time, because whomever codes the site (and the software behind it) did a supremely lousy job.

And I haven't even gotten to get on their case about paying for an Internet speed that I'm not getting. *sigh*