the gnashing teeth and criminal tongues conspire against the odds

Telltale Games is apparently sending takedown orders to various digital storefronts, and this makes me insanely glad I already own a copy of The Wolf Among Us. But it is both confusing and hurtful, because there are a lot of really good Telltale games, that tie in to a lot of existing properties, from Minecraft to Borderlands. Yes, I know the company's going under, but...wouldn't their games remaining up and selling help them to pay any extant debts from the closure?

And meet Imma, a 100% virtual Instagram model. Pair that with the AI program that can now create entire photographically-real bodies that never existed, and I think we're entering an era where the best models, the best advertising actors, could easily be AI. Could actual actors be replaced with pure AI creations? Not entirely sure, at least, within the next ten years. If it's a still image, or even if it's a non-talking moving image, I think largely we'll buy it. If it's a moving, interactive, talking AI image, it may not work so well in places where we believe emotion--faked or actual--has to be part of the scene.

I think I walked in after everything was mostly over, sadly, but even the aftermath is kind of interesting:

[12:48] Kzzz Dxxxxxx: wow
[12:48] bxxxx Yxxxxxx: wow nothing

This was the part that convinced me something had gone down.

[12:48] Mxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Well more of us care than are bothered by it.
[12:48] bxxxx Yxxxxxx: unless you are talking bout 
[group name][12:48] bxxxx Yxxxxxx: why annoy us with your boring convo

Okay, so I may have some hint now. For me, it depends on the group. If it's pretty strictly a sales group, and there is generally no non-event discussion in the group, then yeah, tempers will flare if, say, it's a weekend sales event, and mid-week someone brings up some dress she saw on sale in a store that isn't involved in the event. That, I get. Because in some group where the group's description says they're restricted only to advertising that event, discussing that event, say, then extraneous chatter is not wanted, nor needed, and will usually be stomped on by the mods.

But if the group is more open and allowing of chat, there shouldn't be a problem...usually.

[12:48] Mxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Why don't you go comb yourt hair with a weedeater
[12:49] bxxxx Yxxxxxx: lol good one
[12:49] Axxx Hxxxxxx: People are permitted to have polite civil nice conversations, be nice or leave.

Thus speaketh the mod.

[12:49] bxxxx Yxxxxxx: you got me
[12:49] gxxxxxxxxxx: [bxxxx] did your parents teach you to just walk away if you don not like something?
[12:49] Wxxxxx Vxxxx: seriously ? this is like 3rd person causing problems

Damn, I hate missing things.

[12:49] Wxxxxx Vxxxx: is it same one on alts?
[12:49] bxxxx Yxxxxxx: good one girls
[12:49] Emilly Orr: Oh darn, I missed drama. Ah, well.
[12:49] bxxxx Yxxxxxx: you got skills
[12:49] Hxxxxx Lxxxxxxxxxx: Maybe..
[12:49] mxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx closes annoying chat

That is also an option, if a passive-aggressive one. I generally don't announce I'm leaving the chat unless I'm REALLY upset. And even then, it's a passive-aggressive move.

[12:50] Hxxxxx Lxxxxxxxxxx: [Mxxxxxxxx] has brains! :)
[12:50] Ixxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: see that, it's an x button it closes the conversation if you dont want to read it.

Speaking of passive-aggressive...

[12:50] Hxxxxx Lxxxxxxxxxx: It's that easy.
[12:50] Kxxx Dxxxxxx: people can still talk about [group name]. we are not monopolizing the chat.
[12:50] Hxxxxx Lxxxxxxxxxx: We have been talking about [group name] for hours. Every now and then the convo changes.
[12:50] lxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [12:49] Axxx Hxxxxxx: People are permitted to have polite civil nice conversations, be nice or leave.
[12:50] Ixxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: And we wouldn't ignore a question if it was asked about [group name] anyways
[12:51] Hxxxxx Lxxxxxxxxxx: Do I ever? :P
[12:51] sxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: not sure why some people get bothered by nice conversation

See above.

[12:51] Rxxxx Mxxxxx: it is a full moon tonight ? wassup with all the nastiness? they are having a simple convo, if it bothers you, close chat
[12:51] Hxxxxx Lxxxxxxxxxx: Because it makes their SL go DING! and the group window pop up.
[12:51] Kxxx Dxxxxxx: i think some folks are unhappy with themselves so they have a need to make others as miserable as they are

That's not the worst theory, actually. If people are in a bad place, it's easier to see things as negative.

[12:52] sxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well you can ignore it or turn it off lol
[12:52] lxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well there is really no need to keep it going
[12:52] sxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: true [kxxx]
[12:53] Kxxx Dxxxxxx: personally i prefer to build folks up. not rip them apart

Cliched, if correct. But it's a truism in comedy, as well--punch up, not down. In other words, don't hurt people below your social status, they have enough problems, and it just comes off as mean-spirited. Same with this, really--help people, don't hurt them out of spite. Harder to live, true, but worthwhile.