if teardrops could be bottled, there'd be swimming pools filled by models

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I have to say Dune. Hands down.

you're sinking to the bottom now, you're losing control

This is actually a pretty on-point article on why many video game breast physics get so ridiculous, and coincidentally, why so many breast physics layers just profoundly do not work. Good to know, but getting people to actually improve...that's the trick.

And who knew Archie comics were so popular in India? I certainly never considered it, but apparently, they're so popular that there's going to be a Bollywood movie. I'd be afraid, but I've already seen Riverdale, and surely, it can't do worse than that.

At the beginning of March, or the end of February, Hippo Technologies gave up the ghost. As many of us thought that it was no longer in use anyway, it was a surprise to find businesses affected. One of the most surprising was Utilizator, who has set out a fairly detailed set of instructions on how to claim an update with the new cards from Caspervend.

I don't even know what this is all about. Is it a game? Is it an e-commerce site? I don't get it. You play the game, you sell virtual products...that are actually real? And shipped? Does anyone have more information?

In the meantime, I'm noticing a worrying trend on the grid:

CLUB G WILL BE OPEN TO ALL HUMAN APPEARING AVATARS, INCLUDING NON-MEMBERS FOR THIS EVENT

Now, I'm not trying to single Club-G out, they're a great place. Fun energy, good music, some great places to sun on the beach or by the pool if you're tired of dancing. No, it's more that..."all human appearing avatars" line.

I'm seeing that in a lot of places, now, not just dance clubs. Whole sims are back to 'human only' signs. It's no longer just 'no child avatars', which I do understand, but...no non-humans at all.

When did this happen? When did furs become persona non grata everywhere I go? Am I just wandering the wrong sims, going to the wrong clubs? Of course, I didn't think Club-G was one of those clubs, nor the Lowlands sim, nor several other places I've found wandering about.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying these are bad places, and maybe that's part of the problem. And it's a problem we only notice if we don't have a human face. Should I start wandering the grid more as a cat, would that help? Or maybe the prejudice would just become more obvious. I don't know.

But it worries me. It does worry me.

eyes blindfolded, gathering pieces

I dropped out of blogging again. I am bad.

So we'll just make this march and get one out and I can work on things with more actual content later!

There's a plus-size superhero now; her name is Faith, and her superhero name is Zephyr. Amusingly, she can make herself lighter than air, and can fly. Well, why not?

Seanan McGuire learned that to write disturbing things, you have to learn disturbing things...and for writers, that's okay, that fuels the process.

And wau, the military is really specific on their brownie recipes.

More later!

you're the broken glass in the morning light

So, Bandai Games is releasing a new Soul Calibur game for the Playstation console. Which I thought was grand news, until I heard that they'd hired Yamatogawa, an artist of hentai (erotic) manga to design new armor. And, well...it shows:



That's the front. Here's the back:



And both are shown on Ivy. Want to see it in motion? It doesn't quite push over the line of NSFW, but it comes excruciatingly close at times:



because it's not just on Ivy in the game. It's also an armor drop for Amy. Who normally looks like this:



She's nearly always been seen portrayed as very young--either in a typical Japanese schoolgirl's outfit, or--as seen here--in a frothy black lace Lolita confection, with bouncy rag curls. And that's mostly how we're used to seeing her. Until this game:



which just looks...well, it's the definition of wrong in the video above, seriously.

Now, a friend tracked down Yamatogawa's original concept art for the armor:



(which you can see full-size here) which, he thinks now, is Yamatogawa's attempt to make armor that looks like the Soul Edge sword itself. He dug up this image for me:



of the Nightmare armor, with the token oversized sword, and I can see it, because at least in the concept art, it's easy to match up edges, fangs and the eye. But, and I think this is an important but, the armor behind that sword? Is full coverage.

Because it's on a man.

It's 2015, should we still have to be fighting these battles to play games? Why aren't there other options? Have they just completely given up and the next Soul Calibur game will feature finishing moves with active penetration? Why do this??

all the sweet green trees of Atlanta burst like little bombs

Necronomm VI is going away--may, in fact, already have been taken down by the writing of this missive. It was a highly technical, detailed build, that underwent many revisions in both structure and storyline over the years, but it was always intriguing, and always worth a visit. I was never more than an occasional bit player, but I tried to keep tabs now and again. I will genuinely miss the build.

No word yet on whether this means the Doomed ship is also leaving, as--while they're operated by separate people--they occupied the same sim, and I just don't know so far whether the sim itself is leaving, or just Oni Horan's section of it.

Also, I don't know whether or not Oni's Marketplace store is going to stay up, but for now it seems to be functional. Do with that information what you will.

In slightly brighter news, due to the success of Guardians of the Galaxy, many groups from the 70s are finding themselves suddenly back on the charts. You can get Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix 1 (AKA, the soundtrack to the film) on Amazon, iTunes, and, one would assume, most record stores.

If you bear any level of love for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the word is out to avoid the film, as though it's a rabid dog with rocket-powered teeth that can lunge forward and bite from miles away. Apparently--at least according to that reviewer, though other reports I've heard sound equally as dire--it makes TMNT II look watchable by comparison.



Yeah. It makes Vanilla ICE watchable. It's THAT BAD.

Want to know how your state measures up, internet-wise? Here, have at. (For the rest of the world, feel free to point and laugh at how bad our net connections really are. They're only matched by our abysmal social programs and slipshod medical coverage.)

Finally, prepare to have your mind blown by a Lord of the Rings theory regarding the giant eagles. Though it's been a bit since I've last read the source material, I don't recall the eagles were specifically mentioned outside of existing, so the fact that Gandalf's iconic line could potentially relate to them made me headtilt in a good way.

I don't know if it was intended to be that way; but it does make that line very, very intriguing.

he'd find a powersource and then he'd pick what plugs to pull

If you don't mind the fact that the maker is pretty much ripping off everyone on and off the grid with copyright-infringing avatars...then you can take advantage of a 90% off sale on Marketplace. You know, if you don't care that practically everything you see there was likely first built in 2009 and hasn't been updated...or that much of it is direct theft of other game developers' intellectual property. But hey. Go wild if you want. I'm not your mom.

Also, apparently Thor's female now. (Comics-verse, not movieverse, it should be noted. Still, entertaining.)

More Hair Fair coverage! (Part the first, part the second, part the third, and part the fourth, seen previously.)

(from the Hair Fair album; a perky, tousled style called "Andrew" that's suitable for either sex)

We start with Alli&Ali's "Andrew" hair. It's not the best front shot, because it nearly makes it look like it has a heightened, lofty crown, but in actuality, it's a tousled razor bob, that seems--at least from showing it on me--to be pretty reasonably unisex. I'm showing in in "Hair 4" (a dark brown) and "Hair 7" (a copper-red), respectively.

(from the Hair Fair album; the sadly executed "Barbarella")

Next up, the "Barbarella", which I wanted to like with every fiber of my being. (Because...Barbarella, come on now.) It's an iconic hairstyle for an iconic character, which Alli&Ali...utterly fails to pull off.

In the banner shots, I'm showing off "Hair 10" (the pale blonde) and "Hair 6" (a rich burgundy). But it really doesn't matter what color we're discussing, as shown below:

(from the Hair Fair album; the flaws in "Barbarella")

This points out the flaws seen in all shades of this style by concentrating on the shades "Hair 3" and "Hair 6", I believe. There are more than a few issues, but I'm specifically discussing the alpha issues--which are prominent and annoying--and the misaligned strands (specifically shown here down the back, but there's a few on the bouffant crown, too). It's depressing to think that in 2014, there's a designer who's still putting out styles that look like they were made in 2008.

(from the Hair Fair album; "Fiona" and its frizzy flaws)

Then there's "Fiona", which I'm only showing off in "Hair 11", because it was the only hair I actually had to adjust and resize out of the box. It also suffers from alpha issues, but not as much as "Barbarella".

(from the Hair Fair album; the "Gaby" style for Hair Fair 2014)

Finally, there's "Gaby", and...the less said about it, the better. I will say one thing: I really wish they'd taken the trouble to add better texturing, on the hair rollers if nowhere else.

All in all, these styles had promise and creativity behind them, but...outside of the first, spunky unisex "Andrew", they're not exactly hits out of the park. Which is sad, because with a little updating, some mesh templates here and there, even, they could meld the old and the new and turn out some really innovative things, I think. Things that wouldn't look like the standard center-part long-mesh style we're seeing everywhere these days.

You can find Alli&Ali on the Brunette sim.





And the usual report of what I'm wearing, now from high above the Sanguinarius Community Center:

Eyes: Poetic Colors gives out a LOT of freebies, but Lano Ling also makes really good eyes for sale. These happen to be the "autumn moon" freebie, bright sclera version, but I do have more than a few PC eyes that I've bought. Really excellent shading, and incredible color variations.
Skin: After Curio returned to the grid, Ms. Phoenix sent out the "Party Girl Megapack" to everyone in her group. This is the "Moonbeam" (light tone) skin, "Potion 1" variation.
Outfit: The "Demon" asymmetric strapless number from FashionNatic for the dress (and I honestly can't remember if it was a freebie, or if I bought it on the Marketplace), then SN@TCH's "Aspen" knit stockings in Red (not shown), and DV8's "Eternal Love" boots in Red (and DV8 is unlinked, because they closed again) (also not shown).
Tattoos: Lipstick is from The Sugar Garden; it's the "Bitten" Dolly Lips in Dark. And the chest tattoo is from REDRUM, it's the "Sacred Heart" tattoo.

Still using Nam's Optimal Skin 2 for the Windlight setting, and I've also pushed up my graphics a little to include basic shaders, atmospheric shaders, and the Advanced Lighting Model setting. (It's important to note that even under the relatively stripped-down Singularity viewer, my current drug of choice, that I still can't move with Advanced Lighting on, because of the induced shading, I think.) Anyway, there you go--these shots are not my norm of point-and-shoot standard-midday lack-of-Windlight pics. More to come!

just leave me out, you name-dropper, stop trying to catch my eye

Yes, yes yes, I wandered away again. I know. It's been a somewhat exhausting week.

Part of it is we're coming close to the end of the summer event--the Midsummer Festival of Sune--in Neverwinter. Sune is the goddess of love and beauty in Faerûn, the game setting in which the Neverwinter MMO plays out--for some obscure reason known only to the writers of game quests--most of her celebratory events involve fighting.

Being as the worship of Sune involves meticulous care to be sweet of word and pleasing of feature, one would think the contests would involve writing poems, singing songs, practicing temple dances, and exclamations of courtly love. Instead, they're divided into three main quests, in three different areas of Sune's festival grounds:

1. Protecting the Feasting Grounds. Given that part of the Festival involves keeping the feasting tables piled high in hospitality, there's a great deal of cooking that goes on. The main "grilling grounds", however, have been set upon by mountain trolls, for...some reason. Our job as celebrants is to...kill the trolls. No, really. And we're rewarded for doing so with a few bolts of blue and green fabric, lightweight linen thread, filigree trim, and flower petals.
2. Harvesting Fireflower blooms. Apparently the only time the Fireflower blooms is during midsummer, and it is apparently both a vital currency to the clergy and an important ingredient in making...festival garb. No, I'm not making that up. So, as a result, we as celebrants are sent off to gather blooms. The catch: the blooms are guarded/preyed upon by kobolds, who are addicted to the flower, and it makes them territorial, aggressive, and angry. They're kind of like kobold PCP. Our job: well, what else? Kill the kobolds. For this, we get packs of flower petals, plus various harvest foods we can use to make into squash soup, caprese (not even kidding, it's called that in the game, and that's exactly what it is), and...watermelon sorbet. Again, not kidding.
3. Harvesting and Herding. Lastly, mystical, blessed corn needs to be gathered--because apparently, clerical barbecue requires roasted corn--and chickens and pigs must be herded into the pens so the...erm...messy stuff can happen, to get meat to the grilling grounds, and...that's our task, too. At least this one doesn't involve battle, just frustration. Our task: run towards chickens or pigs until a bright, radiant sun appears over their heads, then run them towards the pens until they cross the glowing green barrier and are 'counted'. We get one point for ten ears of corn harvested, two points for each chicken brought in, seven points for each squealing pig, and--should we be lucky enough to encounter one--thirty points for the larger, named 'Golden Chickens' that pop up now and again. And again, for doing all this running around trying to herd animals, and gather corn, we get more farm-fresh vegetables, more flower petals, and...I suppose...a sense of accomplishment about everything?

Honestly, I'd rather engage in drinking and country dances.

And these three things must be done every day, because we need the ingredients to make the things that will get us the festival garb, or special flower-bedecked armaments, for...reasons. Oh, and there's a dirty pig we can buy with the flower petals, too, that will--I'm being serious, here--roll in the mud and scatter that mud on enemies, distracting them enough to ignore us for a bit while we kill them.

MMOs are strange.

I'm thinking I'm going to start culling through the many, many pictures I've been taking over the past two or three weeks, too, and start tossing them up, but sadly, I no longer remember the sims in which I took most of them. More's the pity.

In the meantime...some links! And we're starting with the iodine clock reaction first seen on io9. Now, it's been some time since I was involved in chemical experiments--and, among my friends and I, that usually meant things that blew up, whether we wanted them to or not--but I remember the iodine clock. And it's just as fast as it seems to be. It's like...magic, in a sense, only it's pure SCIENCE!

And science is cool, so there, link, go watch, be amazed.

There's a certain link on translating British English to American English that's gone viral, and it's absolutely brilliant. I rather wish there'd be a version where American English is translated into proper British terms, for reverse understanding, but...I have a feeling it would involve cursing, or something else vastly inappropriate.

In other news from the Telegraph, I can't figure out if this link is a joke, or not. Because it sounds so very much like something the Onion would write up. If it's not a joke, things have gotten very, very odd in Turkey and Egypt.

In comics news, I'm increasingly unhappy with Dan Didio. Actually, it's more a general unhappiness with DC Comics in general (last week simply being the most stunningly stupid example of the tar-laden flailings of DC Comics as a corporate entity that I've seen in some time.

But the signs have been there for some time, I've just been trying to ignore them. Because, in the brand-loyalty department, I've always been a DC girl. I've liked the characters better, the plots better, and then...current management took over. And by "current" I mean "the idiot micromanagers who've been destroying DC for the last five years".

Most particularly, though, the straw that broke my figurative camel's back in this instance surrounds their callous treatment of Harley Quinn as a character. To wit, from the official DC link describing the contest:

PANEL 4
Harley sitting naked in a bathtub with toasters, blow dryers, blenders, appliances all dangling above the bathtub and she has a cord that will release them all. We are watching the moment before the inevitable death. Her expression is one of "oh well, guess that's it for me" and she has resigned herself to the moment that is going to happen.

Now, if you look at the page as it stands--which has been substantially revised--there are other comic panels added. There's also been a fair amount of explanation and context given as to why they thought this was a good idea to do in the first place. According to officials within the company, this was never about supposedly "sexualizing" suicide, it was meant to be a tongue-in-cheek meta-commentary on the absurd directions DC writers--and, by extension, comics writers in the industry as a whole--take on occasion with female characters under their purview. (See TV Tropes' excellent description of the 'women in refrigerators' concept that's plagued comics for over three decades, at least.)

Which I suppose would have been tenuously fine, save for two things:

1. They released the fourth panel alone, on the original contest page, with no meta-context given at all for why this was happening; and
2. They announced the contest during Suicide Prevention Week, thus raising this to a PR nightmare the likes of which was only seen before during the dickwolves debacle on Penny Arcade.

I have no place in my brain--or heart--that allows me to keep supporting a company that is--even as a meta-commentary--willing to sponsor a contest supporting the slaying of a popular female character, especially after the same company has refused to allow LGBT characters to marry, invalidated previously assumed marriages, tossed Wonder Woman at Superman like she's some sort of party favor for Superdickish behavior...I mean, dear gods, the list can and does go on. It's horrifying watching them flounder--and anger fans in the process.

And in the meantime, very nearly effortlessly, Marvel's figured out the trick to keeping fans happy: giving them real characters of depth, that can get married no matter what gender--or species--they are, that have real problems in spite of being superheroes, that we can relate to as fans, as fellow beings, and as consumers of media--be that media movies, television or comic books.

You'd think DC would've figured out the same thing, but no, they're still the mammoth in La Brea, slowly sinking, without ever really seeming to comprehend why. It's deeply sad, but they're still stupid for doing it.

dangling feet from the window frame, will I ever reach the floor?

People still wonder why some of us really dislike child avatars in SL...

Will me is going to tell yew about me famweee me has a greatest famweee in sl my mommy is a guud mommy amd me wub her wots. my daddy he is de most awesome daddy anygurl could ask for my nana her super nana and my pawpaw is a grest pawpaw me wub dem to def my unkie pso and my auntie jules are great my auntie sky is great tew and me bestest friens faiths me miss her rite her not on . auntie pru her a guud auntie tew me wub dem all. and me knows dem would all of dem would come at anytime me ne

Any questions?

Let me make this plain: I have no problem with the Babbage urchins. I have few problems with the children and wards in Caledon. I have no problem with the children who think playing a child in SL means playing an underage person.

(from the bizarre album; father and daughter fishing at Lucky Cat Games.)

I have HUGE problems with the kind of "Wook at mee, I so adowwabuh!" monstrosities like the chicklet mentioned above.

I've mentioned the folks behind the concrete shelters idea; this one's catching on everywhere from medical relief efforts to military installations. But in some areas, there's just not that much water to go around, or there's not electrical current to where the shelter is needed. What to do in those situations?

IKEA has a plan. They've partnered with a refugee agency within the UN, to design better homes for long-term refugee camps. The structures are still in the prototype stage, but they seem far more stable and more efficient than the tents refugees usually get, and they have the added advantage of lasting two and a half years longer than most tents. With time, they're hoping to design "temporary" homes that will last even longer.

Here's to more solutions working than failing. There are more refugees every day.

This is disquieting; this is disturbing; and this is some new level of financial hell. Though they're all worth looking at; your choice as to which ones sound best to drench your neurons.

Have some Pokemayans while we're at it.

This is this week's Coolest Thing Ever [TM], and you can find them at the Spencer's site (for US residents) or at the Fowndry site (for everyone else, I guess, though the Fowndry doesn't have the best selection).

Also, my last, tenuous shred of reality denial where the "New 52" are concerned has died in flames. Because that's not Lobo, that's a modernized Captain Harlock without the facial scarring. It's an abomination. I refuse to entertain the possibility that there will be a hope for the future, where DC Comics exists in any sense other than as an extreme parody of itself.

I'm sorry, DC. You've finally lost me. I guess I'm a Marvel girl now.

You bastards.

only when the stars are light enough

Could Steam be gearing up to allow people to share games?

The Last of Googly Us?

Today, there was a big announcement that Wonder Woman was getting a second book title. Which, cue the cheers of--oh, it's going to be a relationship book. Okay, cue the understanding cheers of how DC is tackling the tough issues of saving the world and trying to maintain a relationshi--

Oh. It's because she's dating Superman? That's the only reason she gets a new book?

Apparently so:

In the end, of course, it’s all about sales. And apparently DC Comics has decided that feminist icon or not Wonder Woman is in the end best presented as the girlfriend of someone and both boning and flying their ways into your hearts and wallets.

....Right. I'll just be in the corner, frothing like a rabid animal and wanting to throw things at people.

And the Uncanny Valley is staring right at YOU.

For some reason, she's also a toddler. Well, you can't have everything, I suppose.

Damien Fate has one of the simplest explanation of why the new Materials ability in SL is worthwhile. Perfection. I now understand what all my previous research failed to tell me.

Meanwhile, the Rain Room is now an installation at MOMA. What makes this so beautiful is not the fact that it's a constant driving downpour, but that motion-capture cameras identify visitors, creating a person-shaped space for that visitor to walk in. In other words, it's the experience of intense, and very loud rain, but you do not get wet. It causes a perceptual dissonance that creates wonder. Excellent use of technology to aid art.

In more art news, Amy Brier has an astounding idea for many of her sculptures. It's not new, precisely--mankind has developed many ways to leave impressions, from seals pressed into wax to carved cuneiform and other languages pressed into clay--but hers have a special significance, I think, because rolling them at angles changes the image.

And Pac-Man goes 3D!

Now shoo, I'm still trying to figure out if I can cope without coffee today.

Also, happy Litha!

songbird, take me home

So, in addition to IndieGoGo (independent/music projects), Kickstarter (music/technology/art projects), Rockethub (science and technical projects along with many international relief efforts), GoFundMe (personal donations of any kind), Razoo (nearly entirely charitable causes), and others, there's also Fundrazr, which I know scathingly little about. How'ver, a friend tipped me to this project, which is fairly simple--a family looking to save their dog.

Now, spending part of Second Life as a neko, I think it's fairly well established that I'm a cat person--sometimes literally--but I have owned dogs as pets (RL) in the past. And, beyond breed or species, I know that pets are very important to many of us, and can feel like--or simply be--part of our families, essential to our survival as living, breathing, emotional beings.

I have faced the staggering cost of medical surgery, and (in our case, because our RL finances are notably absent a large percentage of the time) had to make the excruciating decision to euthanize those animals, rather than make them struggle on in pain and illness. It has never been an easy decision. One of my family members owns ferrets, and--due to their much shorter life span--she's faced this decision nearly once every two years. It takes its toll, definitely.

But in this case, Maggie's not at the end of her life, she's at the beginning. She hasn't grown out of puppyhood yet, and if they fail to raise the funds, she won't reach adulthood at all. They have a very low target they're trying to reach, and forty-eight days remaining on the funding drive. Please help if you can.

In other news, sources are saying Picasa Web Albums are on the way out as a service, transiting soon to Google+ Photos. What does this mean to those of us who do not have, nay, cannot have a Google+ account? I don't know, but just in case, I'm keeping my eyes open for new image hosting services.

The main problem with that is it will end up breaking a TON of content, on a blog that goes back several, several years now. I'm not sure I'm up to the daunting task of recoding every image I've ever posted.

Moving to comics, over on Bleeding Cool, there's an interesting article by Natalie Reed on the (slightly) increasing presence of transsexual characters in comics. While I like her analysis of what it means to a traditionally homophobic (and transphobic) field, I do take exception to one of her examples.

(from the media album; Lord Fanny from Grant Morrison's "The Invisibles")

This is Lord Fanny, from the comic "The Invisibles". While Ms. Reed seems to think...how did she put it...that Fanny is "wildly inaccurate and generally exploitative", I strongly disagree. I've known trans women like Fanny. These are not quiet, demure, reserved, politically-active transsexual ladies of stature--women like Fanny had to fight for every step of gender correction along the way. Some I've known became prostitutes, or sold (or helped to distribute) drugs; some stole, some flung themselves into bad relationship after bad relationship, mostly for struggling issues of insecurity and self-esteem, but also, because if your only criteria is who can afford to pay for your hormones, when no insurance in town will touch you, you do what you have to.

(from the media album; Lord Fanny from Grant Morrison's "The Invisibles"; pencil sketch drawn by Phil Jimenez)

More than that, though, Lord Fanny's a guerrilla fighter on the edges of perception, and I mean that quite literally. The universe of the Invisibles is one in which reality can change, alter, distort at a moment's notice. There is no good and bad, specifically--there's only nature and destruction. The Invisibles fight on all fronts--gender, mind, spirit, flesh--and they fight at all times, and in all realities. Because most of the time, what they fight has no gender, little mind, and is nothing our minds can comprehend without serious pharmaceutical help.

Like it or hate it--and Morrison, like his comics, is similar to Warren Ellis in this regard: there are very few people lukewarm in their feelings for him--"The Invisibles" is a comic series that was absolutely different from anything seen before its arrival, and still holds up fairly well to this day. And I'll stack Lord Fanny side by side with Neil Gaiman's Wanda and David Hine and Doug Brathwaite’s "Doll", as a powerful, empowering depiction of transgender life.

and if you don't have anywhere to go, you go down on the pedal and you're ready to roll

Anyone not living in the current USA might find this tale difficult to believe, but as an American, I can tell you--while it's appalling and wrong, it's also standard operating procedure at this point. After all, we've had people detained for hours at airports for reading Prisoners of Azkaban in line; what's a little terrorist accusation for a comics artist between paranoid, suspicious enemies?

Also, the category changes for the Marketplace are in! I'd list the changes, but there's a ton, so read through the wiki to better make sense of them all.

Also II, this is one of the stranger ads for noodle soup mix out there, but damn, it sold me, and I don't even live in Japan. I am honestly tempted to go to our local Asian market and hunt it down, so I'd say as ads go, that's a very successful one.

Also III, I'm amused by people calling their spokesperson the Asian Robert Downey Jr.

[And also IV: An anonymous friend told me I was wrong on the derivation of the noodle soup--it's Korean!]

This is a lovely thing, but I think it would be a collectible only--actually using it to hold beer would result in alcohol abuse, as it would pour through the rings.

While wandering around the grid tonight, I got a dropdown message I'd never seen before:

"We are sorry, Linden Lab has discovered degraded performance on your connection to the sim you are on. You will need to restart Second Life and log into a new region for the next 30 minutes to an hour. We apologize for the inconvenience."

Really? I was able to port home, the message disappeared, then reappeared, so...I logged out. Strangest thing.

Finally, what do you get when you combine the Powerpuff Girls and Minecraft vidders? Well--at least if you're talking about the three Canadians in the bunch, VintageBeef, Etho and PauseUnpause--you get this. Which is disturbing enough in its own way.

Though I think VintageBeef really does rock that little blue dress.

I don't think I can take the way you make me out to be

So let's corral everything I've written so far on the topic:

Part I, wherein I take on Dirk Manning, and several thuggish, anonymous commenting on a reference article;
Part II, featuring more thuggish, anonymous encounters with netbound idiots;
Part III, a tentative mention of Tony Harris (which I'd entirely forgotten about), followed by more anonymous idiocy;
Part IV, wherein Tony Harris comes ragingly into play, I entirely forget I've quoted that section before on the blog, and some really pretty pictures.

So we continue with the tear-down, already in progress.

Let's go back to his oft-repeated assertion that the rampaging hordes of "fake" geek girls are pathetic beyond all reason, but only slightly more pathetic than geek guys. What he's really saying is deeply underhanded, and more than a little cruel: that the prevalence of "fake" hot girls (supposedly, to a woman, pretending interest in things no 'real' woman would have an interest in, apparently) distracts a certain "sort" of geek man, who has no defense against their mostly boob-induced charms. Being, as he's said more than once, socially awkward, virginal, and unable to withstand even the slightest smile from a woman if it comes along with cleavage.

Does he respect anyone in the comics industry, or comics fandom? Does he even realize he's insulting male geeks right the hell along with female geeks? Why is he doing this?

Which brings us to Harris' patented auto-rejection clause. Paraphrased: "You'll never go out with me, so I'm going to spurn you before you can reject me. Ha-HA, take THAT, you slut!" So, twisting through that particular mental labyrinth, I get:

• I think you're attractive.
• Someone who looks like you will never date me.
• This means I get to hate you.
• And because you'll never date me--and because I hate you--then you're a worthless, stupid slut who wants to tramp around naked in public.

The hell, Mr. Harris?? And that leads to all the rest--because they won't date him, he gleefully assumes they have the intelligence of garden hoses, are all ugly and trying too hard, or fake and obviously 'infiltrating' his precious geekdom, which makes them desperate sluts who are simply manipulating poor, unsocialized man-children from possibly dating "real" geek girls...which he seems to think don't exist.

So, what, his geek revolution is comprised only of men? Why? And what does he get out of this tirade but a lot of ire from honest-to-goodness. real geeks of all genders who don't see geekdom as a crazed battlefield between the sexes--with women always on the losing side?

In an article written back in May, tangentially about lazy game direction, this passage stands out with vivid clarity for me:

Gamers get really, really angry when you characterise them as mouth-breathing adolescent boys who've never kissed a real-life girl.

And what is Harris doing? This exact thing. Again the question rises: why?

But it doesn't stop there, and that's where things get really odd. Let's go back to Joe Peacock for a moment. In this article, Alyssa Rosenberg states:

Towards the close of the piece Peacock writes: "There's no doubt about it--girls in geek culture have it hard, and it’s probably going to be that way for a long time."

Here's the thing, we geek women do actually have it rough. Very rough in fact, Mr. Peacock, and people like you are one of the primary roadblocks to things getting better for us. We have it rough because we have guys like you who demand we prove our geek cred the second you see us. We have guys like you who assume that we're on the floor of a con, dressed however we're dressed because we want to get hit on, not because that's just how we dress. Guys like you who feel they're entitled to some sort of explanation or attention from us, and you're not. Guys who assume that all the women at conventions are heterosexual and interested. We have it rough because we have guys like you writing articles about "our" culture where by "our" you really mean what's acceptable to you: the white straight guy deciding what's "truly" geekdom. And finally, we have it really really hard because we have to deal with people like you insisting on a right to define our favorite hobbies and the way that we engage with them. We can't just be geeks and women and be having fun too. Our place in geekdom, according to you, is defined by our bodies, our wardrobes, our looks–how you and your pals interpret our attentions–and not by our passion or participation in the things that we love.

Let me repeat that last bit, because it sounds vaguely important:

Our place in geekdom, according to you, is defined by our bodies, our wardrobes, our looks–how you and your pals interpret our attentions–and not by our passion or participation in the things that we love.

Apparently Tony Harris believes this, as well.

In research on these several opinion pieces, I also came across this, which is a genuinely well-reasoned apology from Peacock. I'll give him points for realizing he made some wrong-headed statements, and thank him for the apology. How'ver, he's persisting in some very large blind spots in his thinking--namely, defending Harris. He's able to see his own mistake, but he's asking folks to cut Harris slack, because first, he was just venting, what's the big deal, and second, he was posting on his own Facebook wall, he didn't realize the rant was going to go global.

The problem with that position? Facebook isn't a private service. You post it, the net sees it, the net sees it forever. I'll say it again--if you want it kept private, kept secret, don't say it online.

I'm fairly sure I had more to say on the topic, but to be fair, I've said a lot already. There's been some really good commentary pieces from this whole debacle, and this one in particular leads to two very important editorials on why these comments matter for women, how often we hear crap like this everywhere, and how it's not just a comic-geek thing in the first place.

And I'll leave with with a relevant quote:

The concept of the "fake gamer girl" can only exist in a culture built upon inherent distrust of women.
-- Brian Rubinow

And that, I think, is the real issue at hand.

a vine that can strangle life from a tree

I posted something really, really long yesterday; it's now two parts, the first and the second, for easier mental digestion. But, as this entire controversy dealt with two men, I really should mention him as well.

But first, more comments from the original article:

From "Anonymous" (really, at this point, who's surprised no one wants to tie their reputations to a fairly indefensible position?):

I don't believe that his word choice was meant to demean women, more it was chosen in a colloquial manner to express anger at a certain type of woman. By no means am I defending or condoning the choice, I am simply stating that it is like people choosing to use "faggot" or "retarded" as an insult. While it is wildly incorrect and insensitive, unfortunately, it is how the word has evolved in our society.

Yeah, so...about this.

To a certain extent he's right. Words evolve, meanings change. For example, if I refer to all this insanity as "hysteria", obviously I don't mean the term to refer specifically and solely to a woman so emotionally unbalanced that her desire for sex has taken over what small amount of brain-power she has. (Seriously, that's what it used to mean.)

How'ver, therein reveals the essential problem of oppressive language, doesn't it? If men call women "whore", it's obvious they don't mean she's literally selling herself; they just mean it as an insult, okay?

Which I suppose is fine on the face of it, until we give it any amount of consideration at all. Speaker A may not have meant to use "whore" as a pejorative to describe Speaker B; but its use as an insult means Speaker A means to insult Speaker B. By choosing that word over other words, that word must carry the meaning Speaker A means to convey.

It may not have been what he meant to say, but it's what he did say. Argument null due to logic loop.

(Just for reference, that tends to work the same way with other pejorative terms: "dude, that is so gay" or "stop being a fag"...seriously, most of the offhand insults in American society come down to two states: don't be gay followed by don't be female. In the hierarchy, it goes: straight men; gay men; straight women; lesbians. Because gay men are presumptively lower than straights; but still above straight women because they're still tacitly male.)

From that same poster:

I guess what I'm saying is that while crude and insensitive the meme is not addressing female nerds saying "get the hell out", but rather the imposters that use stereotypical props like black face to degrade us as a whole (once again, not condoning or defending, merely stating).

.....

I.....

What? No, seriously, what? Okay, so first, we're impostors if we're female, originally, but now, it's only those of us who use "stereotypical props" like...WHEN DID BLACKFACE BECOME A PROP?

Another "Anon" speaks up:

"Whore," for me, is anybody - male or female - who tries to portray themselves in some way to get attention. Beautiful, buff, geek-chic, ironic... whores, one and all.

It's good to know your definitions are so internally limiting...and nothing even close to what the word actually means.

But Manning isn't the only one catching heat for this. There's another fellow whose brain dropped out and bounced on the floor earlier. Again, it all started on Facebook. To wit:

"Hey! Quasi-Pretty-NOT-Hot-Girl, you are more pathetic than the REAL Nerds, who YOU secretly think are REALLY PATHETIC. But we are onto you. Some of us are aware that you are ever so average on a daily basis. But you have a couple things going your way. You are willing to become almost completely Naked in public, and yer either skinny( Well, some or most of you, THINK you are ) or you have Big Boobies. Notice I didnt say GREAT Boobies? You are what I refer to as 'CON-HOT'."

Okay, there's so much more to this incoherent rant, but I'm taking this small section for slight dissection.

What he actually means:

1. "You're not as hot as you think you are."
2. "Real nerds are pathetic."
3. "You think we're more pathetic than you are, but YOU'RE the pathetic one."
4. "When you're not in costume, you're barely attractive."
5. "You're a slut because you're wearing almost nothing in public."
6. "You're fat."
7. "You have really large boobs, but they're also not attractive."
8. "Really, you're only hot because you're trapped in a hotel with a bunch of socially awkward fanboys with access to alcohol."

When he woke up this morning, this is really the impression he wanted to leave people with? That anyone who's remotely attractive can't be a geek? That anyone with any shame wouldn't dress like female cosplayers do? That female cosplayers are ugly, and contemptuous of con attendees? Really?

Isn't this like poisoning the water you're planning to drink? Essentially, when Harris' total work output is designed to be read by comics fans, and not all comics fans are male...this could severely cut into his income.

Add to that the absolute gall of the man...Gods alone know which female actually extracted this nugget of hardened bile from him. But his first attack, out of the gate, is pretty much a reminder that (whoever she was), she's failed at the single most important task of all women, everywhere: that of being pretty and sexually available (without, you know, being a "slut") to any potentially interested male.

There's so much wrong in that kind of thinking, I can't even properly break it down without resorting to flailing.

There's a great little article I want to send folks to read, and mostly because the text, while good, is made more impressive by some perfectly targeted graphics. Go for the graphics, stay for the summation, is my opinion.

But just to run down some basic concepts here...would anyone call any of these cosplayers "fake nerds", or just posing for the attention they'll get? What about Miracole Burns? Granted, it takes a bit of panache to carry off costumes like Ms. Marvel's, that are heavy on leg exposure...but she does it. She's done it for a lot of different costume properties--in fact, she's a professional model and makeup artist. But as she herself would mention, she's also an "uber-nerd", so...where's the dividing line between genuine geek, female edition, and poser geek, model edition?

I had every intention of exploring this a bit in this entry, but you know what? I think that deserved an entirely separate entry on its own. So expect more of this ranting to come!

carrion, surrounding, picking on leaves (part II)

(Continued from part I earlier)

Picking up where we left off, a comment from yet another "Anonymous":

The meme states that if all you've done are X and Y, you are not Z. It doesn't say what the requirements for being Z are, because that's irrelevant. Someone who's ONLY done X and Y hasn't done/been anything else that would make them Z.

Huh. Well, going back to the original meme, then, we'd get this:

Dear girls...		So...yes. We are female. Okay. With you so far.
who take pictures in slutty clothing		Well, some of us do that too. Some of us are actually sluts. Also, there are male sluts as well as female sluts now, though I'm fairly sure you're speaking solely about the female ones. Who then take pictures. Of wearing the slutty clothing.
and glasses		Some of us wear glasses, yes. But again, this makes me think you're speaking about women who wear glasses in these photos with the slutty clothing who don't wear glasses normally. Which is weird to me--how do you tell someone doesn't normally wear glasses?
and label the caption "nerd LOL":		Okay. First real complaint. And this, I will say, is frequently my complaint on the blog about people (of either gender) on the internet in general. I call them "LOLpeople", which in its own way, is just as dismissive, but in my case, I'm not basing it on gender of person, or portrayal of social group, but intelligence. (As in, I think people who use phrases like that--"OMG he broke up with me lol"/"nerd LOL"/"ya you look great lol"--are, overall, just not that bright.)
you're not a nerd;		See, do you get to decide that? And even putting my prejudice aside, simply saying "I'm a nerd" automatically means you're not one? How does that work?
you're a whore		I know I'm being literal about this, but seriously, if the woman in question isn't actually exchanging sex for money, SHE'S NOT A WHORE.
who found glasses		I doubt there are any figures on how many whores wear glasses, versus not, and it's not like that was your point anyway. But based on this breakdown, your entire point seems to be partially "hot girls don't wear glasses" with a brief embellishment of "stop pretending you know me". And wau, does that come off as hostile on your part.

(I had to link that last one because her glasses actually SAID "Whore"; it was from Annie Galicia's blog on the Whore Couture Fair in SL.)

But does this really tell us anything we didn't know? It may not have been the intent of Manning to paint things this bleakly; in point of fact, he's done everything since this whole thing blew up to make the point that he doesn't believe the things that this one image portrays, and he's been daunted by the amount of press that's linking his name and misogyny.

Speaking of...here's "Anonymous" again:

Some of us just don't want the stream of abuse we get from some of the people on your side. Having a name/pseudonym on something doesn't change the content of that thing. Attack the stance, not the poster.

Now, in that point specifically--that of attacking the stance, not the poster, or put another way, revile the idea, not the idiot with the idea--I do tend to agree. We are creatures that label, and it's very, very easy for us to connect things in this way. We see John Doe saying something we don't believe in and make the immediate connection that John Doe is wrong wrong wrong and likely evil and might sleep with chickens and could look at internet porn involving squid and marmalade, and do our best to march in with this sense of offended scorn and lay waste to the man named John Doe, and not to what Doe actually put down in print.

But here's the problem inherent in that comment, too--while we want to keep our communications clear, at some point, if someone says something racist, something misogynistic (or misandric), something that, at the end of the day, is designed to incite or offend or ridicule or insult a particular person or group of persons...Well, yes, obviously what was actually said wasn't good, but at least a little ire should be pointed towards the person saying the thing.

To advocate anything less is to diminish our social responsibility in public spaces. And unfortunately, if you paste it on your Facebook wall? You're posting in a public space. There is zero expectation of privacy.

carrion, surrounding, picking on leaves (part I)

Near as I can figure, all the drama started here, with author Dirk Manning's afterthought of a Facebook meme post:

(from the media album; the teddy that roared)

Okay. On the face of it, purely as a rational notation: humor is variable. Some folks are offended by the same things that others find funny. I personally can't stand the "Scary Movie" style of cinema, in all its infinite, over-the-top parodying-the-parodies splendor; there are others who think they're the height of comedy, and joyfully lay down stacks of cash to own the DVDs and associated merchandise. There is cruel, biting humor out there. There are racist and sexist jokes clad in the thin veneer of 'hey, don't be so sensitive, we're just kidding'.

I get all that. It was a meme, he found it funny, he posted it, people got offended...I get how it worked, a to b to c.

That's not my issue.

My issue was in the comments, afterwards. In Mariah Huehner's open letter to Manning, she had this to say:

I'm disappointed to see you perpetuating the "Fake Geek/Nerd Girl" meme. Sure, it's a repost, but what we choose to share on our social platforms matters. You've endorsed the underlying sentiment of the meme, to the degree that you feel that women who aren't "real" nerds by your definition are "objectifying themselves", pandering to a lowest common denominator, and therefore it's okay to imply, based on how objectionable you find the word "whore" to be in this context, less-than for the sake of humor.

Now, in that entire article, she was disappointed; she was offering her (constructive) understanding of the situation; and she was pointing out the dangers inherent in holding to that position. To wit:

I'm sure it seems harmless and "fun" on the surface, but memes like this are indicative of a much larger and much more problematic attitude within geek culture. Namely: if we don't like how (specifically) a woman/girl identifies as a nerd, or displays their nerdery, based on rather arbitrary & subjective definitions of what being a "real nerd" is, we can label them a whore/slut/fake.

This is a real danger. While I do think much of our society has gone too far over the politically correct cliff, to avoid these potential problems by neutering all dialogue (thereby removing even polite possibilities to debate and dissent), at the same time we need to remain aware of what we're saying.

Another point from her response I want to raise:

What, exactly, is dressing "slutty"? Who defines that, you? Me? How does being a fashion model exclude someone from also being nerdy? Why is it different when a girl poses in a costume then when a guy does? How much cleavage is "too much"? Is being conventionally attractive enough to justify people being suspicious? How are these things mutually exclusive to being a nerd? What criteria must we meet to be a considered a "real" nerd? What are the parameters? Do I go by your definition of "slutty" and "pandering" or some other random internet poster? What about my own definition, does that not count? How long do I have to be a nerd in order to be a "real" one? What nerd activities must I participate in? Can I like Lord of the Rings and not Superman?

These are really, really good questions. I'm thinking that a debate based around these questions alone, let alone everything else she said, would have real merit for geek culture and understanding.

So what were the ragtag crew of geek men saying after Ms. Huehner's letter?

From "Anonymous" (AKA, coward who wasn't going to sign his real name):

Damn bitch, get over yourself you pretentious twat!

Gosh, how insightful.

From "Anonymous" again:

A couple months ago I was at a party where a very attractive (alternative) girl my friend just started dating noticed my Marvel shirt and said "Hey I like comics. I know more about comics than you". I didn't really respond, but a few minutes later she repeated her love for comics so I tried to start a conversation. It went nowhere. The girl didn't know much and rather was more interested in challenging my knowledge than having a discussion. The most intelligible thing she said was "I like Dark Horse" which actually doesn't even make sense since DH has no real brand identity. I brought up many titles across the spectrum of comics and the only she had any clue about was "The Goon" (which admittedly, I've never read).

This one still slays me. Breaking down exactly what he's saying:

• He went to a party with an attractive girl his friend was dating.
• She started to talk comics, and he got offended because she started to talk comics.
• He questioned her for a short time and determined--based on her mentions of a) comics he'd never read and b) Dark Horse as a publisher--that she was stupid, and thus could be sneeringly dismissed.

I have to wonder if he went into the conversation to start with prepared to dismiss anything she knew because she was female, and thus, "not a geek".

From "Anonymous" again:

We're extremely protective of our territory, and yes, we do lash out at outsiders who want to assimilate, but that's because of the rise of nerd culture of the last decade. Is a problem? Sure. Is it sexist? Probably not.

Who declares who's an outsider? What are the rules? And he's saying this is "probably not" sexist? Really?

Maybe if he's speaking purely as a male, he might see this entire debate as not sexist...but then he's artificially restricting yourself to just men, like him, who identify themselves as geeks, with the same general subset of culturalization and skills, and deliberately excluding anyone who's not like him--which would include women, plus anyone who doesn't match his race, his religion, your sexuality, your personal likes and dislikes...How consummately boring that would be.

From yet another "Anonymous":

Again, noble you're standing up for women in comics, but really, you should be on "our" side defending the citadel from the barbarians that simply want to share in our glory.

And now we're barbarians. Well, I suppose it's a step up from "whores", but still.
(Now continued in part II.)

I look over out of the window, I see your face, and I'm frightened, 'cause I live on the eighth floor

"Please, get the name right when citing it elsewhere: the name is "Cool VL Viewer", and not "Cool VL", "Cool Viewer", etc..."

Bite me, Henri. Especially since I had to abandon the use of CoolVL--again--when I lost the ability to perceive scattered text (so far observed: landmark descriptions, sim descriptions, the 'Buy/Pay' button on menus, my last name on login, and names of avatars I'm searching for, among other things) whenever I logged in. After spending two days tracking down the exact version of my graphics driver and reading something like eight different sites dealing with graphical concerns, I can say with some authority that it wasn't my drivers.

Mr. Allen talked me into downloading Catznip, and while on the catputer, it failed to work at all, on this one, it does. I have the usual days-to-weeks of figuring out where everything is, but seriously, I'm so tired to having to change viewers because they get buggy and stop working.

Which, in this case, I lay entirely at CoolVL's door.

(from the Canada album)

Remember Power Girl? Rather infamously known for her "boob window" (though her backstory was originally something like, she didn't feel she could wear Superman's token 'S', so she removed it from her costume, leaving the oval where it would have been bare), she's been largely given the Emma Frost treatment by fans and artists on her comic line both.

(from the Canada album)

Granted, she's always been slightly tilted towards pinup art, even briefly dipping into nigh-porn territory on occasion (at the very least, heavy on the cheesecake poses), but...I really have to protest, because this goes WAY too far in the other direction. Plus, keep in mind that's art published in one of the newly-revised lines; somewhere, somehow, that art passed the test for publication.

Power Girl as a giraffe with malformed hips (her legs quite clearly split in twain just below the curve of her right hip, and the hell?), linebacker shoulders, at least one broken arm, holding an invisible handbag...That was the best they could come up with?!?

Apparently, the "look" they were trying to go for is seen more proportionately here, but seriously, that's not an epic costume redesign in the first place. (And there's more than one artist doing weirdly mutated version of Power Girl in the New 52 as well--witness this appalling example, with her snarling knees and that staggeringly reconfigured package.)

The best image I could find of the new costume doesn't even seem to feature the new costume--it ditches the wonky 'arm capes' entirely, removes the tightly boned and lengthened giraffe neck, and trades in her expected white/gold/red color scheme for a navy/red/gold scheme, but barring all that, it's not that bad. But everything to get to that point, so far, is tacky at best, and revolting at worst. Poor Kara.

Finally, for Memorial day, a poppy to wear. While it is a US holiday, it's one with historical standing: the roots go back at least to the Civil War, if not farther. I also know there are at least a few international groups in Second Life who broaden the day to include honorable dead from all conflicts, not just the US ones.

Remember, honor, acknowledge; really, that's what Memorial Day is. And that goes farther than any one nation.

now I am less than I was

[Help] Electro Valkyrie: I don't think this game has much confidence in me
[Help] Electro Valkyrie: I'm helping Mender Lazarus in the future, but I'm only level 15 :(
[Help] Sir Headless: You're the next Statesman EV!
[Help] Electro Valkyrie: Thanks for the confidence boost.
[Help] Major Fulcrum: you mean dead before his prime?
[Help] Tomb Princess: before his prime? the guy was like 130 years old
[Help] Major Fulcrum: nope
[Help] Major Fulcrum: and yeah, he really hadn't primed
[Help] Electro Valkyrie: Thanks for bringing me back down to earth :(
[Help] Major Fulcrum: maybe you are the next Synapse
[Help] Major Fulcrum: don't want to be really heroic but saves the day at the end
[Help] Tomb Princess: better than being the next Sister Psyche, embarassing outfit, married to a douche, and unceremoniously killed off

It does make you wonder. For the uninitiated: a lot of the City of Heroes overarching storyline involves time travel--and to that end, there's an entire cadre of time traveling folk called "Menders" whose job it is to send heroes (and villains) back in time to "mend" the places in the fabric of time where things have started to change. Translation: if we miss any missions as we go through the arc, we can go to Ouroboros and talk to one of the Menders, and be sent back to do it for the first time.

Why is this a good thing? First, because it gives a fun storyline to hang characters from (both in terms of the game developers, and players), and second, because there's a lot of badges given out on mission completion. The Ouroboros "flashback" conceit helps with that.

((Also--though it involves spoilers, considering that Sister Psyche is pretty much a Jean Grey clone, having her slain by her husband when her powers flared out of control...yeah. Pretty ignominous end.))

Some characters in City of Heroes just stick with you. I have no pictures, but Krahen has definitely stuck with me:

Description: [MRP Oriented]

"Can Krahen please play with the big man?
Krahen wants to see what pattern his blood makes on the floor~."

Forever caught in in a balanced display of life and death, bodily flesh decaying and growing at an exponential rate, Krahen is quite literally a walking corpse. But such a curse has not deterred her to see enjoyment out of curiosities most macabre. Perhaps she would play with you, instead?...

• She always bears the stench of methane when you are near
• Her body is frail yet shrugs off pain like a rag doll
• The artificial limbs are often used along with her hands and for travel
• She always displays child-like glee with every act

What's meant by the artificial limbs she uses for defense and for travel is--well, she's a Natural (means she was born to her power set in game terms) Arachnos Soldier. This gives you somewhat of an idea what a Crab Arachnos Soldier looks like (on a male heavy character, at least).

Arachnos soldiers--at least, the Crab Spider variants--wear this four-armed mechanical backpack, that stores weapons and energy cells. There's a power called Suppression that lays down intense cover fire from the four arms, which claw at the air as they fire into the crowd. If I had to put a name to it, I'd say plasma lasers on high, but Suppression also causes damage over time in a wide cone, so there has to be some sticky web component in there too.

Krahen, though? Krahen is tiny, small, frail. Her face is not in the traditional eight-eyed full-coverage Arachnos helmet, but instead she wears a bone-white skull mask. Or...maybe it's not a mask...

In my mind, her history spun out thusly: some time ago, Lord Recluse bartered a deal with Dr. Vahzilok, who had crafted his own, terrifying and disgusting, brand of immortality. Recluse would "donate" to the doctor Arachnos operatives just out of training, and he would...alter them. Krahen was one of those who came back...changed.

Likely Dr. Vahzilok broke her mind in her reconstruction. Now, her body is continually rotting apart and regenerating, and she finds joy in destruction, mutilation, torture, and similar amusements. And in this case, I'm really hoping "MRP Oriented" doesn't mean "ERP", because then we're talking necrophilia with claws and fangs, and....yeah.

But she stuck with me. Just the thought of being aware that one is decaying, and regenerating enough to still survive that process, and still wanting to "play"...Oh, yes, that's a horror movie trope for the ages.

of all these pieces of broken dreams, this one that scares and confuses me

Continuing on from the last mention of the state of the Marketplace JIRA, comes this (which is very relevant to me) from Angus Mesmer:

A comment from the other end here... I have been trying to use the Marketplace to find items. Using its already extremely limited search function. And the results are apallingly bad.
Searching for "sculpt", in Building Components, 96 items a page, sorted by Lower Price first, the first HALF of the page is made of broken results, images having nothing to do with the names. In that configuration, we're talking about more than 40 items.

Now, I've mentioned how borked search on the Marketplace is a few times; the most recent was back on my birthday, which is now nineteen days past. The time isn't important, because this has been an ongoing problem. What's happening is, but again--CommerceTeam's commerce team doesn't seem to care.

If you haven't seen this end of the catastrophe, it's pretty easy to reproduce, but even getting that to work is tricky:

1. Pick a search term. (Literally. ANYTHING will work; you'll end up hitting this about 40% of the time with most search terms.)
2. Put in your search term; hit search.
3. When the results come in, set your Items per page to 96 and your sort to Price: Low to High.
4. Count how many missing items you have.

Just to ensure that they haven't fixed this yet, I did a quick search for "tank" just to see what would turn up. I'm rated for G/M/A access; if you're not rated for all three, you might see something different when you click that link.

(from the bizarre album; screen cap on search from the Marketplace on July 6, 2012)

By my count, forty-one inaccessible items turned up. Including one of my personal favorites, the lower-right "shirt and gloves" listing featuring the very intense cleavage of the lady in the sombrero.

Similar images to that one were attached to the Marketplace JIRA on March 31st, by the way. So it's been at least that long since that particular listing was wrecked.

There's another down side to all of this. What if I decide I really like one of the photos attached to a corrupted entry? Like this one, f'rinstance:

(from the bizarre album; screen cap of one of the corrupted entries on the Marketplace on July 6, 2012)

So...what information can I go on? I certainly can't search for Phoney Malaprop; that won't lead to anything that actually features this listing. I can't search the business name, either, because that will also trace back to Phoney.

Clicking on the listing, of course, brings me directly to the main Marketplace page, so that's no help, obviously.

Searching stores and merchants under "fashion by Marlene", the name listed at the bottom of the picture, turns up nothing; and searches for "Dark Lady" under all products turns up way too many listings to go through.

Searching simply under "Marlene" for stores and makers, how'ver, turned up six names, and going through each of those led me finally to Marlene Gabe's store, which--over one hundred and fifty-six items in--led me to the listing in question.

So let's talk about that. I had a reason to run this down, because I wanted to prove how difficult it was to do so. I was willing to take the time to use various search terms, refine the search with new ideas, go back to the original image to look for additional clues, and check out blind names on the Marketplace. I'm fairly good with searching, so all of this took me maybe ten minutes, because I knew when to discard inaccurate entries and move on. Plus, I still type insanely fast, so that also shortens the time I spend searching.

But in a sense, this was a very targeted search. I knew the first name of the maker; the look of her vending pictures; a general concept of fonts she uses (which, as it proves out, is not used in all of her product pictures anyway); and a general style of items.

What if we have an image that doesn't have a product name on it? Or worse, doesn't have a maker name on it? What if we're not willing to search through over one hundred and fifty items just to get to things that might be what we're looking for? How many potential customers are not optimizing their searches by correct sorting and number of images? (My guess: a lot.)

Ultimately, how many customers have gotten so frustrated with trying to find the things they want, they give up? While that's not money that can be claimed as existing--because the purchases were never made--it is money lost, which tends to have the habit of making otherwise talented, interesting designers fold up and leave.

How many businesses have we lost in the TWO YEARS the problems with the Marketplace code has been escalating? Everyone's seen it, right? At this point, there's not a single week that goes by without six businesses closing down, and that's assuming the makers even bother to hold a closeout sale, or announce to their groups. Some of them just quietly close and leave SL--sometimes for good.

Yet again, we have Linden Lab playing Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun. How many times are they going to spin the cartridge and get shot?

And this is a brilliant, single-page, typographic analysis of why Marvel NOW! seems a hackneyed, outdated relaunch--I mean, extension of the line.