you made a really deep cut and, baby, now we got bad blood

Multitasking for me, these days, is watching something in one window while playing with graphics in another, or--like today--logging in to SL to check out the newness at Bare Rose while watching RWBY.

So I didn't start paying attention to escalating drama in one of my groups for several minutes:

[23:55] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lxx: isn't belleza on some kind of dmca?
[23:55] lxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Are we talking mesh bodies again?

Probably, but I believe Belleza is finally gaining the upper hand, considering it seems to be a false DMCA claim in the first place.

[23:55] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lxx: it's not allowed?
[23:56] lxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It's allowed I was just asking :D
[23:56] Cxxxxx Txxxxxxxx: Its allowed
[23:56] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lxx: yes I am curious about maitreya
[23:56] lxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Belleza had a dcma, not anymore :)
[23:57] Cxxxxx Txxxxxxxx: Belleza was filled on by a anonymous person that used another creators name the whole thing was fake used to cause trouble

That's basically what I'd heard, more or less.

[23:57] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lxx: ok I am looking for realistic and good reviews on these mesh bodies. I'm owning quite a few only one brand along with phat Azz and different breasts and mesh heads just trying to lean more towards realism lol.
[23:58] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lxx: thank goodness belleza is on the market.
[23:58] pxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: my advice...try all the demos, they all have different looks and HUDs.....really look at them
[23:59] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lxx: hmm ok so far I'm hearing raving good reviews on maitreya
[23:59] Cxxxxx Txxxxxxxx: if you still want a curvy figure I'd say kitty lair
[23:59] Cxxxxx Txxxxxxxx: for a body
[00:00] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lxx: alright I'll get demos thanks sorry for distracting normal activity here.
[00:00] axxxxx Lxxxxxx: never heard of kitty lair
[00:01] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lxx: me neither
[00:01] lxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Kitties Lair is Lena :)
[00:01] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lxx: ohhh :).
[00:01] kxx Txxx: Does anyone know where did the SaRcAsTIC go?
[00:01] Fxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [Dxxxxxxx], this is regular activity here ^^
[00:01] lxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Yep we talk about all sorts of randomness
[00:01] Pxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i really like kitties lair is just out of my price range at the moment
[00:01] Pxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i heard it closed [kxxxx]
[00:01] lxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Lena is one of the cheapest
[00:02] Fxxxxx Axxxxxxx: SaRcAsTIC ist kaput.

Wait, what now?

[00:02] Pxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [fxxx] when did it go kaput
[00:02] Axxxxxxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxx: huh. That is weird. I'm here and no sarcastic :(
[00:02] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lxx: I don't see sarcasm
[00:02] Fxxxxx Axxxxxxx: Like withint the past 24 hours
[00:02] Ixxxx Wxxxxxxx: Wow
[00:02] 7xxxx Rxxxxxxx: wow what happened?
[00:03] kxx Txxx: That was my question. The store is gone.
[00:03] Axxxxxxxxx Lxxxxxxxx: as in...permanent?
[00:03] Dxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lxx: is sarcastic a store or you using the word alone.

SaRcAsTIC is--or was--a store in SL that primarily specialized in shoulder pets and rideable animals. And gestures, apparently, but I never engaged with that end of the business.

[00:03] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: What does the about land say ?
[00:04] Kxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ahh
[00:04] Kxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: cant believe
[00:04] Pxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i thought i had just been there yesterday
[00:04] Kxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I was hoping to find a fox cub!
[00:04] zxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: there is a NC in the notices about Sarcastic leaving SL and the shop will be closed as of 2-18

Oh, darn.

[00:04] kxx Txxx: The store named "SaRcAsTIC" is not on the location where it used to be.
[00:05] rxxx Jxxxxxxxx: They moved it a couple times in the last few months. Its on the same sim, just a different location.
[00:05] Axxxxxxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxx: apparently Sarcastic is closed for the time being. I am not sure when it will be reopened. We'll just have to keep our eyes open. bt it is still going to be at the same location from what I can see
[00:06] Fxxxxx Axxxxxxx: It is CLOSED, not just moving.
[00:06] Axxxxxxxxx Lxxxxxxxx: yeah....About Land has usual details
[00:06] Axxxxxxxxx Lxxxxxxxx: aww...fank ooo
[00:07] Axxxxxxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxx: Guys sarcastic is gone for good
[00:07] rxxx Jxxxxxxxx: You might try asking in their support group..
[00:08] Axxxxxxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxx: I'll sed the NC to [Axxxxx] or another designer/mod who can post and I'll post it in the huntaholics and more group
[00:08] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It's not a big deal just a question ... I will find the answer

Sounds good. I'll post more when I know more.

[00:09] axxxxx Rxxx: only on the market the avi owner cant come on sl for sarcastic....
[00:09] Axxxxxxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxx: And we are being asked not to buy anything from her marketplace store.

Oh? Okay, that sounds more...dire.

[00:10] Axxxxxxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxx: LL is keeping all of the money and not giving him/her his/her money that they earned from MP
[00:10] axxxxx Rxxx: the avi is banned
[00:10] axxxxx Rxxx: ...
[00:10] Axxxxxxxxx Lxxxxxxxx: banned?
[00:10] rxxx Jxxxxxxxx: Makes sense. Lindens would go to the avi account that she can't access.
[00:10] xxxxxxxx Bxxxx: i missed something
[00:10] Pxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: are we allowed to ask why??
[00:10] axxxxx Rxxx: read the note card on the sim
[00:10] xxxxxxxx Bxxxx: didnt get a nc
[00:11] Axxxxxxxxx Lxxxxxxxx: i didn't either
[00:11] Axxxxxxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxx: [Xxx], I'll send you a NC
[00:11] axxxxx Rxxx: big cube on the sim

So I went there. No big cube. I asked if anyone still had the notecard, and one of the mods said she'd send it to me. This is it:

Hello folks,

I need to send this message to you all.

The owner and creator of Sarcastic (XMaeLynnX) and its
products will be gone. The shop will be closed today.


XMaeLynnX wants to thank you all for all the years of your loyality and support.
She also wants to share the story of her end with you:

LindenLabs blocked XMaeLynnX.

It's not acceptable, because she was blocked because of another avatar. She didn't do anything wrong herself within SecondLife at all!

They will keep XMaeLynnX blocked as long as this other avatar doesn't say anything and doesn't reveal his personal informatiion to the LindenLabs.

This other avatar didn't do anything wrong either. All he refuses to do is to send the information about his rl to the Lindens. I understand this pretty well and wouldn't act any different myself. Especially I wouldn't send any personal information via the internet.

So this means that XMaeLynnX will be blocked.

All pleas and mails which XMaeLynnX sent to the LindenLabs have been ignored.

And so after all this harassment and discussions XMaeLynnX resignates and doesn't want to keep on fighting.

The Sarcastic Shop will be gone by today. A real pity.

XMaelynnX wants to ask you to _not_ buy any products from her marketplace anymore. LindenLabs did a freeze on all incomes for the last 3 months and it seems they plan to keep that money. They refuse to send it to her.

They acted the same with another avatar (Vera Mirror). They kept her money (30.000L$) for the reason that they want her personal rl information.

XMaeLynn doesn't want LindenLabs to keep earning money from her products on the marketplace. We'll keep on watching to see when LindenLabs turn that page in the marketplace off.

So this goes to all Members: Please DON'T buy anything at the Sarcastic Marketplace - it wouldn't be fair and XMaeLynnX wouldn't get anything out of it.

We are deeply sorry and still couldn't get it completely.
What an incredible cheek from LindenLabs

We will make this case public via FB, Twitter and on sl blogger sites. For that things like these won't happen to others.

Thank you all

your Sarcastic Team


XMaeLynnX Resident

So...that DOES seem dire.

The main problem with this seems to be in the interaction between Linden Lab, a US-based company, and international accounts--for example, XMaeLynnX, who is German by birth and residency. And in Germany--as in much of the rest of Europe--giving out RL information online is actively prohibited by law. It's becoming an increasingly difficult clash of cultures, this one with direct financial consequences. I don't see any hope of resolution, either, unless LL decides to budge.

(continued in part two)