infinite power lies all around us and in the heart

(There may be some minor coding issues, and everything I do to fix it right now makes it worse, so I'm just publishing and I'll hopefully track down the glitch later on.)

That group is at it again:

[13:05] zxxx Mxxxx: well off for a soak in my tub with a glass of red ni ni all have a great one ☻

And this was ALL SHE SAID. That was IT. That one, single, solitary line, and on the face of it, it doesn't even specify alcohol, just the color of said beverage.

[13:06] Sxxx Sxxxxx: enjoy
[13:08] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: i crashed.... who won the question about # of stars in the universe

I guess to boost popularity, which means I'm assuming they're losing members, Mod D has taken to giving out random gachas for correct trivia question answers.

[13:08] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: ?
[13:09] Dxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no one knows the correct answer
[13:10] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: 1 billion trillion?
[13:10] yxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i know
[13:12] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [Zxxx] won [12:50] Mxxx Zxxx: more than I can count
[13:12] Sxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: i think [zxxx] won... i see in chat history that [dxxxxx] shouted her name before i crashed
[13:12] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol
[13:12] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [Zxxx], don't forget no talk about alcohol, please.

We're all suddenly five and need to be protected from any hint of anything intoxicating, Adult, or mature in any way. Why?

In response to this, I got a private IM from someone:

[13:21] Wxxxxxxxxxx Vxxxx: I think [the group] rules are just made up on the spot whenever
[13:21] Emilly Orr: Me too
[13:21] Emilly Orr: And I know I shouldn't have said anything, but this one's just plain baffling
[13:21] Emilly Orr: [Dxxxxx] said yesterday it was because "PG rules" insist
[13:22] Emilly Orr: I read the ToS. Bars are part of PG lands in SL. She's high.
[13:22] Wxxxxxxxxxx Vxxxx: But they approve adult sims
[13:22] Wxxxxxxxxxx Vxxxx: if it suits her they allow adult
[13:22] Wxxxxxxxxxx Vxxxx: I posted a link proving I was right but she gives away to a friend too. No rules but whatever
[13:23] Emilly Orr: Right. If they're not within sight of a mall, other stores, seemingly ANY furnishings, or sell anything she doesn't approve of.

Why yes, I am still vastly irritated that all a good texture store in this group did was change sims and they were banned from being posted.

[13:23] Emilly Orr: Doesn't surprise me.
[13:23] Wxxxxxxxxxx Vxxxx: I really want to say something and get kicked out
[13:24] Emilly Orr: I'm on that edge. I don't want to get kicked out, but I'm really getting fed up.
[13:25] Wxxxxxxxxxx Vxxxx: Thats it I am doing it there arent many tonic freebies anyway
[13:25] Emilly Orr: True, most of the freebies and gifts are geared to Maitreya or Slink.

Believe me, I entirely understand the level of frustration. Because it really is getting ridiculous.

Then I noticed more conversation in the main group:

[13:21] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: The reasoning I have seen is it is not "PG" to talk about topics that teens underage cannot participate in. It really is that simple.

When I grabbed this chat section, this didn't stand out, but upon editing and rereading, this is a HUGE red flag. Now I really want to know to what standards of "underage" they're referring, because BY LAW one cannot have an account on SL unless one is provably over the age of sixteen. Moreover, I have recently learned there's an additional, not highly publicized setting wherein any account that started when the user was sixteen, that account is digitally blocked both from seeing Adult content as well as traveling to Adult sims.

With all that in mind, then, what definition of "teen" are they using? Eighteen? Legally considered adult for anything but drinking in the US. Sixteen? Legally considered adult in certain states for sexual interactions, considered legally adult for many other things in Japan and other nations. Thirteen? Then they're protecting a class of SL citizenry that lied to get those accounts, and moreover, should not be on SL in the first place.

[13:22] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: But I will mention it the next opportunity i get.

Of course you will.

[13:25] Wxxxxxxxxxx Vxxxx: How are there adult approved stores then if PG cant go there? I am so confused!
[13:27] Emilly Orr: Well, the ToS provisions for Second Life allow bars and clubs to be on Moderate land, which equates to PG, so...that's my confusion.

Because of course, I'm an idiot and had to comment.

[13:28]hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Best idea is to address the owners about some details. We do check the stores thoroughly to be approved or disapproved. I am not the rule maker, though. So I can't help you on this any further.

Which means all these changes are coming about because of Mod R, who's stepping in as group overlord since the group founders don't log into SL anymore. Got it.

[13:28] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: The rating PG in here does not relate to the M rating inworld.
[13:29] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: We are an island unto ourselves lol.

What? That makes zero sense. ZERO sense.

[13:30] Sxxx Sxxxxx: So rule is basically no substance talk of any kind, period ... ?
[13:30] bxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: That would ban the dictionary ...

It really would. Also, I refuse to believe there is a single sixteen-year-old person anywhere in America that does not know alcohol exists. Maybe, maybe, if that sixteen-year-old is being raised in an Amish or Hutterite community, they may have no practical (or even theoretical) understanding of illegal intoxicants, but alcohol? Beer and wine are not forbidden even in strict religious communities. So again, who are they attempting to protect? It's certainly not anyone already in the group.

From Ms. W again:

[13:26] Wxxxxxxxxxx Vxxxx: There I did it
[13:28] Wxxxxxxxxxx Vxxxx: In other words she just said shes makign it up and takes no responsibility
[13:32] Emilly Orr: Yes and no. She said two things there. First, that hey, it's not HER, it's [Rxxx], she just does what [Rxxx] says, and second, it doesn't have any relation to the ToS.

Which is beyond frustrating.

And this from Ms. A, who IMed me later:

[13:29] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: The reasons is that the rules are made up depending on the mod's mood and the friends shops.
[13:32] Emilly Orr: Pretty much seems to be the case.
[13:32] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and if you talk about it in public you are instantly banned
[13:33] Emilly Orr: Which is why I'm being very careful until I decide I'm done with the nonsense and can live without the group.

Honestly, I'm seriously thinking of collating all the commonly mentioned stores in this group, and then going to them and seeing what other groups they're in, because if I can get occasional group gifts from those groups instead, why am I dealing with the totalitarian dictator dolls of this group?

[13:34] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: The evolution of the group is very interesting from a sociopolitical study point of view.
[13:34] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Today it is a totalitarian virtual terrorism dictatorship

As I mentioned, and there are likely more changes coming.

[13:35] Emilly Orr: I'm still wondering why. Not so much the evolution, all groups involved, but the whole bit the last two years of "We know what the rules are but we're not going to tell you because reasons"
[13:36] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: The reason is discrimination in favor of some shops and silencing their competitors
[13:39] Emilly Orr: Therein lies the question: what did Timeless's creator do to irk them so? She has the EXACT SAME store construction--her main with satellite stores of fashion and textures--that she had before the move. The ONLY change was from a Moderate to an Adult sim, and she made ABSOLUTELY sure she was not violating any provision for this group's Adult store policy. They kicked her out anyway.
[13:41] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Because she did not contribute enough most probably
[13:41] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: or was not friendly enough with the owners.
[13:41] Emilly Orr rolls her eyes
[13:42] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Scandalize is one the forbidden ones without any serious reason other than silencing this competitor
[13:43] Emilly Orr: I have a vague recollection of them being something Adult that was not approved
[13:44] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: This group was created because fab free was considered as too strict. But [the group in question] has turned over time much worse

She's not wrong.

[13:45] Emilly Orr: Yeah, FabFree is MUCH less strict by comparison now.

And more from the main group:

[13:31] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: What does that mean, [Sxxx]? What are you referring to, hon?
[13:32] Sxxx Sxxxxx: substance ie drugs, alcohol, adult nature etc
[13:32] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: O! Right, yes. Correct.
[13:33] Sxxx Sxxxxx: Sorry, substance is a UK thing (from the area I originate from) that refers to those topics
[13:33] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I thought you meant depth of topic lol
[13:36] Wxxxxxxxxxx Vxxxx: I'm going to report anyone I see talk about those things even mods

Remember, this is the lass who's hit the point I'm nearing. My solution, when I finally get here, will likely be me simply leaving the group. Hers is to make enough trouble they kick her out.

[13:36] bxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx:
[13:37] Wxxxxxxxxxxx Vxxxx: And just fair that no adult place should be allowed and not another.

It's not. It's absolutely not. The rules are arbitrary, whimsical, valueless, and hidden. All four of these things are bad if a group is trying to get people to live by the rules.

[13:42] mxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: *eyeballs chat*

Another mod of the group.

[13:42] cxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: why?

Does it matter? It's not like you'll care enough to change anything anyway.

I give up.

Next up (likely tomorrow): explaining the recent YouTube changes.