Snippet of a scam:

[15:58] Dxxxx Rxxxxxxx:

[15:56] AnneWilliamsNurmi: hey nice avatar...im new to this game and saved 490 of those linden things from a contest and camping...im trying to get this skin/shape combo for 700...i feel bad for asking but can you please lend me any amount so i can get it?...if not thats fine too

this woman/person pinged me with this message as soon as i dropped in via (store's) lm

[15:58] xxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i just got the same message too!

[15:58] axxxxx Rxxxxxxx: he said the same to me[16:03] Wxxxxxxxxxx Sxxxxxx: I like how the trademark of these scams is "those linden". you can always say it's from the same source, 15 years in the making. Probably a bad translation that stuck[16:03] exxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i got that too, i blocked them lol 

Wow. I first heard that three months ago, the EXACT same line--490 of 'those linden things', need 700, 'feel bad for asking', et cetera. The avatar who hit me with it was male, though. But apparently they never bother to change the spiel.

And no, Ms. Anne does not get anonymized, because innocent hacked by scammers or not, she's a danger now, so people need to be warned.

And some very sad news today: I just discovered Uccello Poultry has died from COVID-19. She will most certainly be missed. She was irascible, opinionated, brash, occasionally offensive...and also a true heart on the grid, who was loyal, intensely protective of those she cherished, and always willing to lend a hand in a building question, script puzzle, or simply to resolve issues she ran across.

That's...I didn't know her that well, but I didn't know her that well for years, and if it's a blow to me, it must be heartbreaking for her brother, and her closer friends. I wish them all well, and I understand the pain of loss.

I was at the Pose Fair, of all places, when a short, distorted avatar started wandering about, complaining in voice that he couldn't find love. That he just wanted to be held, was that so much to ask? Then he came and stood next to me, perusing a static bellydance pose set in one of the shops. Still talking. I finally couldn't take it anymore and IMed him, which...in retrospect, was probably not bright.

[12:12] Emilly Orr: Dude, ask someone else. I charge.
[12:13] ForeignRufus: How much?

He wasn't serious, I could tell that. From his name, from his avatar, from the fact that he was less than a day old. But any port in a storm...or maybe I was just bored.

[12:13] ForeignRufus: Do you take v-bucks?
[12:13] Emilly Orr: L$2500 per half hour, L$4000 per full, and no.
[12:14] ForeignRufus: Damn, I like the sound of that

A prime case of "r/sarcasm".

[12:14] Emilly Orr: Really?

Not that text shows this, but this was also typed sarcastically, because he wasn't serious.

[12:15] ForeignRufus: Yes, so how does it work?
[12:15] Emilly Orr: Payment in advance. I can take you to my studio.
[12:15] ForeignRufus: How come I should trust that you wont just take my v-bucks and ruin?

Fairly sure he means "run" here.

[12:17] Emilly Orr: Why would I run? I honor all hires.

Even those from odd little troll avatars. And yes, this was the best picture I could get; the event was slightly lag-packed, but he never rezzed in. I'm fairly sure he was wearing pants, and of course the hat, but fairly sure he wasn't wearing anything else.

And no, only this one picture. I took one from the front, but...trust me, you don't want to know. It was...repellent.

[12:16] Emilly Orr: Okay, I need a term defined. What in the world are v-bucks? We deal in Lindens here.
[12:16] ForeignRufus: You play Madden'08?
[12:17] Emilly Orr: No.

So I looked it up. V-bucks are apparently the Fortnite currency? Never played Fortnite; the closest I've come to cooperative killing games was some pseudo-historical Roman game with destructible terrain features, and that so long ago I can't even remember the name. I'm not the PvP sort.

[12:17] ForeignRufus: Gotcha, so I have like a bunch of monies to spend, think you could tongue punch my meat ring?

That...is a line I've never heard before.

[12:18] Emilly Orr: Not sure my current bed offers rimming, but I could see what else I have.
[12:18] ForeignRufus: Please do, full list. Lemme know what animals you have in stock
[12:19] Emilly Orr: The House of Sakura does not offer bestiality. Though we do interact with furs happily.

It's true. The Duchess won't hire furs as Blossoms, but we're happy to have them as guests or patrons.

[12:19] Emilly Orr: If that's really something you want, there are sims for that.
[12:19] ForeignRufus: So like you cant gimme horse play, but you can gimme a dude in a furry suit? Thats [f**kin] lit fam
[12:19] ForeignRufus: yeet

So I figured the conversation was over, I'd just answer the last bit and be on my way...only, no, apparently.

[12:20] Emilly Orr: No, we don't have anyone non-human on staff currently.
[12:20] ForeignRufus: I follow you.... you dont have any ALIVE non-human staff.... Im cool with that

When...did I say that? I did not say that. What?

[12:21] Emilly Orr: No, no dead girls either.

Part of the problem, I think, is I was treating each statement seriously, and he clearly was not.

[12:22] ForeignRufus: Man... This blows

He wanted necrophilia?

[12:22] ForeignRufus: This is bad news bears
[12:23] Emilly Orr: SL, or the offer?
[12:25] ForeignRufus: What is SL?
[12:25] ForeignRufus: Sex lesbians?

Really? That's your best guess?

[12:25] Emilly Orr: You're in SL. Second Life?
[12:26] Emilly Orr: Second Life is the grid you're in.
[12:28] ForeignRufus: I thought I escaped the grid three years ago, [f**k]
[12:28] Emilly Orr: Mm, should have looked at the fine print.
[12:32] ForeignRufus: I feel super gay right now
[12:32] Emilly Orr: Hmm. We only have girls, but there are all-male sims.

He didn't say anything after that, not that I expected him to, but still. What sort of troll logs onto the grid only to be dissatisfied from go? Seriously, what is the point?

Oh, the drama's starting bright and early on this one...

[11:42] Sxxxxxxx Exxxxxxxxxx: the owner of safira changed her name lol

Yeah, I'm noticing names changing on my friendslist, too. I don't blame anyone for taking the chance, but it's causing some slight dissonance here and there, to go to bed seeing person XY on the list, and waking up to seeing person ABL instead.

[11:43] Pxxx Lxxxxxxx: owner of 1313 mockingbird lane did also
[11:44] Axxxxx Rxxxxxxx yawns and loads a rocket propelled snobbery seeking high explosive anti [egowh*re] harpoon into her launcher

Was...that necessary to say? Also, what are you getting at? You're against the people changing their names? Why?

[11:45] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx blinks
[11:45] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Guys, this topic is off limits, please.
[11:45] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It is too contentious at the moment.

I'm not sure why it should be contentious, though? I don't get the why behind the sudden drama burst.

[11:45] Hxxxx Cxxxx grinds teeth
[11:45] Sxxxxxxx Exxxxxxxxxx: apparently anything somone doesnt agree with is off limits

While I have inferred that before where this particular freebie and sales group is involved, it's mostly been discussion on stores that are or are not acceptable to post. In this case, the mod in question actually did seem to be less censoring, and more attempting to keep the peace.

[11:46] Sxxxxxxx Exxxxxxxxxx: but ok i just thought it was funny that even creators were doing it
[11:46] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: No Drama Zone.
[11:46] Sxxx Sxxxxx: Let's not ...
[11:46] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I feel like I missed something, but I'm okay with that
[11:46] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: We are all stressed out, let's not play with fire, please.

Yeah. There's a lot of ambient stress already, we surely do not need to invent more reasons to be upset with things.

[11:46] Axxxxx Rxxxxxxx: hey dont mndme, i'm just a'mere resident' and everyone knows we're not real people right ?

Um...since when? I've said a lot of things about the abandoning of last names, but I don't think I've ever thought--or said--that people lacking last names weren't "real" residents.

[11:46] hxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Shhhhh....
[11:47] Sxxx Sxxxxx: But, you are ..

Yes. And so they remain. But yes, new names for old and new friends are going to be challenging to keep up with for a while. All transitional states have growing pains.

In the meantime, Good Housekeeping magazine has been trying to put out more how-to-help-right-now lists for their readership. An earlier list of "cheap and healthy" foods goes off the rails fairly soon, but this one isn't terrible. Very few of their recommendations are intended to be complete meals; what they are designed for is to provide easy inserts for extra protein, fiber, or flavor that are shelf-stable. Variety in the pantry is never a bad thing.

And pulling back to SL, a big announcement from an unexpected direction. Got this from the maker of a hair store:

rafffle system I'm using has shut down :(

I had no idea and also got no info about this until just now, after the new round should have started i got a Notecard from the raffle saying:

'It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing today that all of the web-enabled products from Alicia Stella Design will end their service life as of April 15, 2020.'

So no idea on the cause, as this is the first I'd heard anything about it, but if anyone owns any product that ties in to a web server--fairly sure not the dance or DJ/club equipment, but definitely the raffle and contest boards, possibly the security equipment--are all going to stop working today. What does this mean for the haunted house? Well, if she's leaving SL, that's probably gone too. It's a shame, truly.

I walked in on something odd. First, the notice that was sent from a skin maker:

Dear Male customers,

You are about 10% of my male customers.

I think she means 'total customers', here. Apparently she'd received some complaints, though.

This means i can not spend equal time on products
and gifts for you guys because i spend the 90% time on the female customers.

And honestly, that's fair. More women on the grid = more women buying skins. It's simple math. Do the guys wish they had more variety? Absolutely. Do I and other women try to help where we can to get the word out about good male skins, mesh bodies, attire? Absolutely. But the facts are, they will never get the market share that women do.

- Each month you get a group gift,
- Each hunt you get gifts
- There is a male mini Mania board
- There is a male Lucky board.
- Then there is Fathers day as well
- And sometimes camping chairs.

In addition to the lucky boards, she's put out lucky chairs on occasion, and nearly every Yule gift she gives out has both female and male skins and/or shapes.

I would say thats a lot of gift!

I would agree.

So please do NOT complain that the female customers get READ NC

And again, I think she meant either "more" at the end of that, or had intended to include a more detailed notecard. Not sure; no notecard was attached.

But on the heels of that, this conversation:

[11:06] txxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [Ixx] you always were so very good to the guys in your group - thank you
[11:06] mxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Some guys just don't appreciate it.
[11:06] Axxx Axxxx: Guys and girls...she's fantastic....if one doesn't like what a shop has to offer...simply leave

I'm not saying that if there's a serious issue, people not inform the maker, but do it politely, do it respectfully, and do it privately. That's all.

[11:06] dxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: There's actually men complaining? Geez...
[11:07] Bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I read this in so many groups from men. What you wrote is well put
[11:07] Axxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: [Ixx], I am sorry, but is there a newskin for men coming out soon?

And that's different than complaining. That's a request. That's asking for information.

[11:07] Jxx Nxxxxxxxx: complaining about free things?
[11:07] Txxxxxxxx Exxxx: ♥♥♥ [Ixx] is good to all her customers, she always has been
[11:07] Cxxxxxxxx Dxxxxxxx: Just my opinion but anyone who whines about not getting a gift doesn't DESERVE one!
[11:09] Axxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: and of the stated 90%, wonder what the per centage of that is MEN who play a female ava cause there is not as much selection for them as a alady, which is a creators thins

Ms. A, I don't think there's a single male on the grid who's playing a female because they couldn't find a good male outfit. There are a lot of reasons men play women in games, everything from they like the way women look to they want to try the gender out...but not finding a proper skin or suit? Is not one of them.

[11:09] Bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [Axxxxxxxx] wrote what I was thinking lolol

Then you're wrong too.

[11:10] Axxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: people are coming down on a persons opinon, but lets face it, 80% of the store is dedicated to ladies, men get 1 MM board to how many for ladies?

Well, let's break this down, Ms. A. I can't speak for every skin shop, I'm only in two groups for skin designers. But at least this one, before the store reconstruction, she had three lucky chairs, one MM board, and one gift board for men, and the same for women. And the womens' board usually locked; the mens' board rarely did. So where were all the men clamoring for skin gifts then? If they couldn't consistently lock a single MM board more than three or four times a month? Were they really that big a percentage of the group?

[11:11] Axxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: the ladies got a stay home skin, men didnt, what about a man who might have wonted one?

You want this to be your rallying cry, Ms. A, talk to the Stay at Home group. Talk to male skin designers. Ask them if they'd offer a skin for free through that group. But don't complain here, when male gifts are offered.

[11:11] Axxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: that was the point
[11:11] Exxxxxx Dxxxxxxx: What did i log in to?
[11:12] Axxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: they werent complaining about the gifts, just expressing their opinion, that is all
[11:12] cxxxxxxx Cxxxx: I left an hour ago...... why is this still a topic?

And that's a damned good point. I only caught the tail end of this, then, but if it's been discussed for over an hour...that's not constructive at this point.

[11:12] Axxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: as i am
[11:12] Bxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Guess that should get taken up with Stay at Home, I don't know
[11:12] Axxx Axxxx: Like any other product, it will get developed when the demand for it is worth the investment of time...that was the point of her Notice, and it only makes economic sense...
[11:12] Ixxxx Zxxx: this is a business! NOT a freebee market
[11:12] Axxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: but it is the indivisual creators that are producing for the stayat home thing. That is where there needsd to be an empahsis

I'm...going to assume that the "individual" and "emphasis" you meant up there, Ms. A, were because you're typing at speed, not that you're just unable to spell...but it doesn't help your point.

[11:13] Cxxxxxxxx Dxxxxxxx: Good lord! The creator is not required to make ANY gifts! Men get a much fairer shake at [this shop] than most other places in my opinion...
[11:13] Pxxx Fxxxxx: Angelique, gifts are given voluntarily and is an option a designer chooses to give. It's not an opinion when someone says there's not enough gifts... that's just plain rude.
[11:13] Axxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: And i know loads of men who BUY you product

Okay, so maybe it's not just typing at speed.

[11:13] Ixxxx Zxxx: i advise you now to drop the matter
[11:13] Exxxxxx Dxxxxxxx hands [Ixxxx], [Pxxx] and [Lxxx] a coffee along with some headache medicine
[11:13] Axxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: ok, I am OUT, enjoy your business with out me
[11:13] cxxxxxxx Cxxxx: thank you!
[11:13] Axxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx: you want to kick me, refund me my join fee and i will leave

You know that's not how it works. You pay a fee to get in, you don't get it returned when you leave. When Frank's Place was planning on closing, there were people in that group, too, who wanted their join fees returned. They didn't get them, either.

[11:14] Ixxxx Zxxx: its a simple matematic

"Mathematic", but yeah, it is.

[11:14] FAxxx Axxxx: good riddance I say...if you don't understand a business, you shouldn't be in chat complaining about it...
[11:14] Ixxxx Zxxx: 90% female / 10 % male
[11:14] Lxxxxx Sxxxxxxxx: ho lords
[11:14] dxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Part of that 90/10% split is probably because the men don't change their skins anywhere near as frequently

And, at least from what I've seen, that's true. Up until this latest job, granted, I was unusual even among females in that I'd change skins--and species--easily twice a day. But most women have a selection of skins they rely on, different looks, different markings, different hair colors, whatever. And most men, at least the ones I've met--they find a look and that's it, until they change. (And most change when they decide they want to upgrade to mesh, and then they keep that look until the next new advancement.)

[11:14] Axxx Axxxx: that's really pathetic [Axxxxxxxx]...oh poor me, I hate what you're doing..I'm going to leave and take allll of my business with me...but only if you refund my group fee...wow...

Yeah, the dramatic flounce is never a good look, but that one especially--spitefully stating you're leaving, AND demanding the join fee back? As if the mere fact that one person leaves is going to completely cave in a designer's resolve? Any designer, even. Or writer, artist, musician, politician....Strength in numbers works in SL, too, but one single voice in the wilderness, in general, won't change minds.

[11:15] dxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I know I don't
[11:15] Exxxxxx Dxxxxxxx: group join fees are non-refundable
[11:15] bxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: im greatful for what skins [the store] does for men and the gifts, so basicly if your not happy with what [Ixx] does then leave. she can say enough is enough and stop the gifts all together
[11:16] Pxxx Fxxxxx: Ixx doesn't have to explain her reasoning for what gifts, or how many gifts she gives. To complain about it and saying it's an opinion is just plain rude. Also there's no refund for join fee. No one forced you to join, but you also chose to break the group rules or you choose to leave on your own will.
[11:16] Dxx Hxx: 10% or not, I appreciate everything you do to support your male customers, thanks [Ixxxx].

It's good to know that at least some of the men in the group support this designer.

[11:17] Axxx Axxxx: It's truly unbelievable....the monthly gifts...the MM boards....the hunts....the Advent Calendar...the "Pick" gifts...I don't know anyone who is as generous and one could join the group and never have to buy a skin again...yet still complainers...Thanks [Ixxxx], you're fantastic, just ignore the whiny people.
[11:19] Cxxxxxxxx Dxxxxxxx: I second what you said [Fxxxx]!
[11:20] Jxx Nxxxxxxxx: exactly [Fxxxx] and [Cxxxxxxxx], I third it!
[11:20] Txxxxxxxx Exxxx: I just want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who supports this store and [Ixx]....you all make it worth it, especially when you stand up for against this petty crap. We love you all ♥♥♥
[11:21] Ixxxx Zxxx: 💗 [Fxxxx]
[11:21] Axxx Axxxx: That said...I have a complaint.............joking...just joking!!
[11:22] axxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx puts cookies in chat and puts a bottle of Xanax in the chat too for the complainers.
[11:23] Txxxxxxxx Exxxx steals the xanax
[11:23] Dxx Hxx: haha xanax, make it chloroform, I'll park the van around the back and you wont have to hear anything from them ever again

Sure, that's an option too.

But seriously, this is a complaint I've heard over and over again on SL. And while I do understand, believe me, it comes down to finances, frankly. Want more diverse male clothing? Encourage makers to make it (and NOT by complaining). Make it yourselves (a lot of fashion houses on the grid started because they couldn't find what they wanted most). Offer praise for the good things that are on the grid.

But don't just complain. Criticism is not complaint, it can be constructive, it can, if nothing else, tell a designer what's wanted, what's desired, at the present time. But just complaining without that constructive element? It's just irritating.

Before everything, I've made a few more additions, and one subtraction, to the side bar. I'm removing the CDC banner from the sidebar. Normally, I'd be all for supporting their efforts, but their current boss is...not on our side.

So especially right now, when the US is leading the world in deaths (not a number one achievement we EVER wanted), I want to provide links for charities that are actually trying to save people.

Now then. Welcome to Badly Translated Theatre, only for once it's on his end, not mine:

[11:35] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: hi

Gad, the dreaded "hi". But okay, I'll bite, what do you want?

[11:35] Emilly Orr: Hello
[11:36] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: what is this server about?
[11:36] Emilly Orr: This event, you mean? Or Second Life as a whole?
[11:37] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: this event itself
[11:37] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I'm new to second life

[11:38] Emilly Orr: Well, there are several shopping events during the year. This one is geared towards more Asian clothing, decor, hair, et cetera. With a slight aside for cyberpunk this time around.
[11:40] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I see, could you tell me what second life is about ?, I do not recognize who is bot and who is person

This is still a bigger problem online than in RL, but I'm sure we'll get there.

[11:41] Emilly Orr: It is a bit trickier since animesh, because some of the NPC builds can be named, and move like actual people.
[11:41] Emilly Orr: But in general, bots will have limited speech options, usually just a greeting.

Now, this is not always the case, to be fair. Some can actually answer questions, the ones that run with Alice or similar learning-AI software. This is still not widespread in SL, however.

[11:43] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: So, from what I see, you are not a bot xd
[11:44] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and what is the fun here in second life ?, I would like to know your opinion
[11:44] Emilly Orr: Nooo, definitely not. Lagging a bit, because of the scripting, but not a bot.
[11:45] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: jajajajaj
[11:45] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol

[11:59] Emilly Orr: Grr. Event crashed me. But to answer your question, it really depends what you're into.
[12:01] Emilly Orr: Like to read? Reading groups and libraries exist here. Like to build? There are places to learn how and stores to sell you mesh parts or textures if you don't know how to do that. Into fashion? INNUMERABLE stores for that. The Adult stuff? There's a whole continent on that, plus various businesses scattered around. Into roleplay? Name your flavor, there's probably a sim for it.

And I didn't cover half the things possible here--sailing, fishing, swimming, hunting, exploring of all flavors. Getting married and having a family. There are sims and centers for nearly all forms of faith, there's a few different ways to be a vampire or a shapeshifter, there's learning languages, or even the language SL runs on, for scripting. Dances. Race tracks. Weddings. Equestrian sims. Airports and flying machines, from sleekly modern craft to spaceships to ornately Victorian airships and blimps. Funerals. Executions. Train stations. Birth centers. Diagnostic centers to train RL doctors in various things. There are military sims (though usually without open public access), college campuses, full-scale businesses, art galleries.

And I'm still not listing everything.

[12:04] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I understand, thank you very much for supporting me: D
[12:05] Emilly Orr: Oh, sure!
[12:07] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: How am I noob on this, could it be added? as a friend so I can challenge if I have doubts

I...think he means "ask questions", here?

[12:09] Emilly Orr: Well, you could, but in general, I like to get to know people first, before I friend them. Most of my contacts are business.

Now, this may change as we see how the pandemic plays out. Already the business I'm in has seen a drop grid-wide, because so many people are out of work, and let's be fair here, most businesses in SL can be classified broadly as luxuries. RL is more important, always, and putting food on the table, keeping roofs over heads that need shelter, the ability to survive--these things are more important than a game.

Even a game like Second Life, which is played with real hearts and minds. So I may look into diversifying, getting back into creating frocks and home decor. It's at least something else to do.

[12:11] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I do not think we can meet, I am in Chile. Anyway I understand what you told me
[12:12] Emilly Orr: Ah, you misunderstand. I meant in-world business. I work in world.
[12:15] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: xd yes I understood, but I do not think I have a relationship with your contacts.
[12:16] Emilly Orr: Well, that's entirely up to you.

If he doesn't get what I mean, I am not explaining to a two-day-old the intricacies of virtual bordellos, he'll just have to learn on his own.

[12:18] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: How does it depend on me?
[12:18] Emilly Orr: Well, remember what I said, it's all in what you want?
[12:19] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yes obviously, but then ...
[12:20] Emilly Orr: It's all right.

Because I meant that, I was seriously not explaining things if he didn't get it.

[12:25] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and what do you do to have fun here?
[12:26] Emilly Orr: I shop. I wander. I work. I go to events, and the occasional cultural showing (art or dance, usually)
[12:28] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh great and have you ever been to electronic music festivals?
[12:28] Emilly Orr: A few, yes. Other music styles, too. And they have a virtual Burn every year.
[12:30] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: How great, what a shame that around here there is not much of that. I plan in the future to go to work in America or Europe
[12:35] Emilly Orr: Sounds interesting.

I mean, I wouldn't, we've been in a chaotic death spiral for the last three years, which the pandemic has thrown into sharp relief. But, if things ever level out, sure, we could be a positive destination again.

[12:38] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yes. Somewhere they recommend, that is fun for the second life.
[12:38] Emilly Orr: Well, and again, what do you want to do here? The options are pretty varied.
[12:41] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the truth would just like to socialize.
[12:43] Emilly Orr: Several ways to do that. RP if you're into characters--fantasy, survival horror, historical for examples. Or take the standard entrance, music clubs and bars. Pick what you want to listen to, type that into SL Search, or just type 'music' in general, and see what comes up.
[12:45] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok, thanks
[12:45] Emilly Orr: Happy to help.
[12:49] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok then i withdraw. Thanks again for your help. I really wish we could be friends. What do you say?

Man, he's persistent.

[12:51] Emilly Orr: Well, I mean, I can, but you're likely not going to hear much from me unless you're a personal, close friend--which you're not--or a client--which doesn't seem likely, but anything's possible.
[12:55] lxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: It doesn't matter, you don't have any friends out of nowhere, right? xd when I connect I will bother you a little so as not to lose contact.

I'm too much of a soft touch. He's two days old, he's not going to pay for my time, and he's not someone I like enough to spend personal time with, so...why am I bothering? Who knows? Maybe because he just seemed so damned earnest.

But we'll see how it goes.

Another translation effort. This one was out of the blue.

[13:25] exxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ömür için ediyorum zaten

That's Turkish, approximately "I am for life").

[13:25] exxxxxx Rxxxxxxx:
[13:25] exxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: dağılsın

Which means "break up").

[13:25] exxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: dikkatin

Which means "the attention">. Just to explain a bit--this is normally a group that deals with mesh body and head support. While there's some casual chatter, it usually relates to shopping events, head settings in general, that kind of thing.

[13:25] exxxxxx Rxxxxxxx:
[13:25] hxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: working on it now

Ms. H's response was to what happened (in English) directly before Ms. E began speaking.

[13:25] mxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: :) oh ok thanks!

Which was Mm. M's response to Ms. H.

[13:26] exxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [cx] hanginiz oynuyor?

WHich means "[cx] which of you are playing".

[13:26] exxxxxx Rxxxxxxx:
[13:26] Oxxxx Sxxxxxxx: you ok [Exxxx]?
[13:27] exxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yes ıam okey
[13:28] Oxxxx Sxxxxxxx: good

As I said, wasn't a huge aberration, just an oddity.

On Tor Book's site, of all things, I found "The Glass Magician Playlist". It seems largely a mix of dieselpunk and electroswing pieces, but I still think there might be a few things of interest to the steampunk set.

Also:

[11:04] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: "Lol we’re a bunch of paycheck to paycheck employees living in apartments owned by paycheck to paycheck landlords and working for paycheck to paycheck corporations. Lmao whole economy full of broke bitches. Whose idea was this?!?"
[11:04] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: what an on point statement
[11:04] Emilly Orr: Sadly true. Relevant and accurate.

Have I linked this yet? Because those are some amazing baked goods.

And finally, something about mesh I never realized: it's height-dependent. Now, the real weirdness is, I never had a problem wearing various layers with the old build of Maitreya, but with the new one? I get texture flicker constantly.

But, on the other side of that, after reading this I realized I spend a large amount of time in various skyboxes. Work, home, half the stores I consistently shop at--they're all skybound. So maybe she has a point.

It doesn't make me any more favorable to BOM as a concept, but at least there may be options.

And the last thing for this entry: I've reformatted the charity sidebar to take into account COVID-19 relief efforts. So now, everything listed there, whether it's related to the virus or not, either had high marks on Charity Navigator or are organizations I've vetted or worked with in the past. (This is not meaning to say that I'm an authority on anything, by all means investigate them yourselves; I'm just pointing out that none of these seem to be obvious scams.)

Agh. Comment to a friend:

[3:10 PM] Emilly Orr: Someone in SL is really sick. Just popped into a store to check a sales item, and a lady rezzed in next to me. Little titler over her head said "I've infected 12 people" [3:10 PM] Emilly Orr: It changed to "I've infected 16 people" while I was blinking at it, and I realized it ticked off every person she was close to.

It would be one thing if it were a tool that talked about the virus, and how important it is to stay at home when possible, and how easy it is to infect others, but...the way it was phrased makes it sound actively malicious. Like she was proud of virtually infecting residents.

This is not a joke, people.

Anyone remember this? I'd received one donation towards it, and today received another, and merrily went off to Akeruka to find my destiny. AKA the Valentina.

But...turns out I was wrong. Very wrong. A conversation in group, that led to a notecard to the designer, followed by a conversation with the designer, told me that Valentina was never a head that Mr. Koba made. So...who did make it, then?



Turns out it was from Altamura, after all. So...now I have to play with it until I figure out the limitations, and see how it looks post-demo. Wish me luck.

In other news, punctuation is important (and I apologize in advance for the formatting errors, I can't track it down and I'm just letting it go):

[10:12] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: jajajaja

It begins.

[10:12] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: noooo
[10:12] cxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: jajajajajajaja la apoyamos a ella ("we support her")

[10:12] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lo pongo bello y despues compro esposas y se las coloco ("I love you and buy your wives and put them on"--oh, come on, Google Translate, that makes no sense)

[10:12] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: así como misstress ("as a mistress"?)

[10:12] Mxxxxx Fxxx: :v nosotras queremos ayudar, pero no expresa sus sentimientos, digo dudas ("we want to help, but don't express your feelings, I say..." Doubts? But doubts is duvida, so...?)

[10:12] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ayudan y divierten al mismo tiempo ("help"? Maybe? Then "have fun at the same time")

[10:12] sxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: hay maldad aqui? ("there is evil here"?)

[10:12] Mxxxxx Mxxxx: muxa x lo q leo jaja ("muxa" failed to translate, the rest of it's close to "or what leo"?)

[10:12] cxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: jajajajajajajajajaja

[10:12] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: aaaaajajaja

[10:13] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: bueno ("good")

[10:13] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: el tiene una cabeza espantosa, como ya dije ("they have an amazing head, like my day")

[10:13] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: y ahora compro un shape precioso que no ha servido poara nada ("and now I buy a precious shape that hasn't served for anything")

[10:13] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: porque sigue feo ("why follow", but "feo" didn't translate)

[10:13] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: jajajajaja

[10:13] cxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: jajajajajajaj puede q lo este aplicando mal ("I can use this badly")

[10:13] Mxxxxx Mxxxx: eso es, si no sabe manejarse con el shape mejor comprar uno ("that is, if you don't know how to manage with the best shape buy one")

[10:14] Mxxxxx Mxxxx: evitara tener cabeza cono ("will avoid having headache as" I think?)

[10:14] cxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: primero deben usar los demos jajajajajjajja ("first they should use the demos", maybe?)

[10:14] Mxxxxx Fxxx: talvez es porke no compro todo lo de la style card .. falta skin, cejas y no se que mas tenga ..ojos pelo (" maybe it's because I don’t buy all of the style card .. skin is missing, I don’t know what it is but it’s still .. today at" was the best Google Translate could do)

[10:14] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: English please

[10:14] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: mmmmm

[10:14] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no se nada de eso ("no if nothing"?)

[10:14] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: hare algo ("there is something")

[10:14] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ok habla en ingles o habla en privato con tu amiga ("ok speaking in English, speaking in private with your friend")[10:15] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: :)

[10:15] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lo enviare a este grupo ("send it to this group")

[10:15] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: jajajajajaja

[10:15] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: y que nadie separa que hable de él ("and that no one separates me from talking about him", which again, is not in Portuguese, but Spanish? But didn't this conversation start out in Portuguese?)
[10:15] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ..

Now, that's not exactly what the mod said. She sapid "English please". That's a request, and not even an out of line one.

[10:15] Mxxxxx Mxxxx: banned to speak sanisxh [sxxxxx] lol

Banned? Who said banned?

[10:15] Mxxxxx Fxxx:

[10:14] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxx: English please a boy ask for help in spanish xD we try to help

[10:15] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: then you go in private

[10:15] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and talk with him

[10:16] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ooh

[10:16] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: sorry

[10:16] bxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol

[10:16] bxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: maybe some other spanish wants to prodive his/her knowledge too

I think you mean 'provide', here?

But, things seemed to be moving back on track...

[10:16] Mxxxxx Mxxxx: talk with you boyfriend [jxxxxx] in private, yes lol
[10:17] Mxxxxx Fxxx: lol hahhaha why you get angry ..
[10:17] cxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: hahahaha (english laugh)

I mean, seriously, what's an English laugh?

[10:17] Mxxxxx Mxxxx: [jxxxxx] dont listen to your girl friendo you are not ugly, you can fix your shape,..
[10:18] bxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: they should do a disclaimer in group description
[10:18] bxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: "english help only"

Some groups do, some don't, it varies. But again, this is not what she said.

[10:18] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no is not just english help but i understand spanish
[10:18] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and the chat was not not only technical help
[10:19] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: myself when is needed i help in other languages as well but is not a convo is a technical help
[10:19] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: now if you want to play joke and laught and so in other language since is a chat for everybody you can go in private
[10:20] bxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i have read you before talking in ur native language too, and i can assure u it was not only [store] related
[10:21] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Sorry [Sxxxx], the fault was mine ... I did not know that you could not converse through this chat, that it should only be limited to "technical help" and in English
[10:21] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [sxx], i can tell you was only about help a customer and was not a serie of jajajajajajjaja

[10:21] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: my convo
[10:21] Mxxxxx Fxxx: mmmmm yes and yes.. but like others all can close the chat, and if some one need help can say (o.o)/ hi i need help..
[10:21] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Although there is never a bit of humor, especially now when everything is so tense and complicated
[10:22] bxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: So spanish chat in banned from group from now on? just to be clear

Nope.

[10:22] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [sxxx] if you want to do a humor for everybody then talk in english
[10:22] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: so all ppl can understand and partecipate to your convo
[10:22] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no spanish help is allowed

And here is where things got somewhat hostile. By the end of this you'll understand why I said punctuation is important, but they were asking if Spanish, as a language, was banned, and the mod says this. Easy to misinterpret.

[10:22] mxxxx Rxxxxxxx:

[10:22] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: easy like this

[10:23] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: if you want to play and jerk and laught and so in other language then you go on private

[10:23] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I don't want to make humor !!! Humor is spontaneous and shouldn't be exclusive

[10:23] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [10:08] Mxxxxx Fxxx: o x el* xD no sea que no seas el novio ("or x the * xD lest you not be the boyfriend", but again, in Spanish, not Portuguese?)

[10:09] cxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: jajajajajaja, dejalo como esta, asi nadie se fija en el ("leave it as it is, so no one notices")

[10:09] cxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: jajajajajjajajajajajajaja

[10:09] Mxxxxx Fxxx: jajajajajajaja que mala  ("how mean")

[10:10] Mxxxxx Mxxxx: si lo amas aceptalo tal cual es.. ("if you love it accept it as it is")[10:10] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: jajaja

[10:10] xxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: y saldra benefici ("and it will benefit")

[10:23] Mxxxxx Fxxx: haha i gonna ask to owner if is true

[10:22] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no spanish help is allowed

[10:23] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: tell me where is the technical part her

[10:24] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [mxxxxx] then you need to ask to me im the responssable about [the group's] chat

[10:24] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and about many other things about the brand

[10:24] Mxxxxx Fxxx: so ask if [the shop is] racist or exist an other support chat in spanish

[10:25] bxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: they wer ejust making fun of the guy who wanted help, but just a lil. At last they tried to help

[10:25] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and well i guess i was clear about what i mean if you didnt understood i can explain also in private

[10:25] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and i help in portuguse too

[10:25] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and i helped in spanish too

[10:25] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: now im done

[10:25] Mxxxxx Fxxx: you say

[10:22] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no spanish help is allowed

[10:25] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [the store] is not racist im brasilian

[10:25] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i said Spanish help is Allowed 

Ah, but you didn't, actually, you forgot a comma.

[10:25] Mxxxxx Fxxx: so is racist

[10:25] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i think you dont understand ..

I also think you fail to understand, or at least, you failed to catch the missing comma.

[10:26] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: ahh sorry missed the , after the no

FINALLY the penny drops. This whole convo could have been avoided, if she'd realized that when it started.

[10:26] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: so let me write again No, spanish help is allowed
[10:26] bxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: he just forgot the comma
[10:26] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: now im done did you solved the problem if you still need help in spanish you can write me in pv and i will help you about
[10:27] mxxxx Rxxxxxxx: I need some support in English...
[10:27] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: sure you can ask ^^
[10:27] bxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: im sry, i didnt read the whole convo , the "no spanish allowed" was what caught my attention
[10:27] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol
[10:28] Mxxxxx Fxxx: ok was funny here.. this get bored so .. good luck for all, is some have an ask about help [in the store chat] in spanish send mp maybe i can help .. have good day for all .. and i f i need help i hope never need help frome angry ppl lmao
[10:28] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: [sxx] i missed the coma after the no

Yeah, really. I mean, I figured that out about halfway through the chat, but...I understand why folks got upset.

[10:28] bxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yes u did xD
[10:28] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: he asked if was not allowed to ask help in spanish
[10:28] Sxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: and i said no, spanish help is allowed
[10:28] bxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i understood but she didnt

Well, I think everyone was equally lost, but still.

I suppose something like this had to happen at some point.

And this aphoristic truth from a random profile:

A tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive.
Alts you play with destroy all thats good in any relationship.

As I, and others, have learned to our detriment, when unknowingly playing with alts.

From that same profile:

It didn’t take long to figure out that these are real people. They live, love, laugh and explore possibilities. They hurt, they cry. Dreams are realized, hearts are won, and some are broken. Some come to escape. Most just want to belong. Everything happens in warp speed (SLOW IT DOWN). We make great friends, some who we keep forever, and some who disappear. Second Life is not about winning the race, its about who you bring along for the journey.
And I am so tired of seeing "RL and SL are separate, so don't..."

You spend real time here
You have real emotions here
You interact with real people here.
SL is a part of your real life.
If you believe they are separate, you're only fooling yourself

So many people talk about separating RL and SL. But unless you are schizophrenic, your feelings are the same no matter what life you are in. Own them and quit lying to yourself.

It's a fair point. Most of use are still human, after all.

Meanwhile...a capture of chat relevant to current affairs.

[21:03] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: It's one of those years, I think
[21:03] Emilly Orr nods.
[21:04] Emilly Orr: I'm seeing a ton of people posting pictures of explosions with quotes saying "2020 has to be better, right?"
[21:06] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: I'm convinced there needs to be more optimism in the news
[21:06] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: Someone just saying "it's serious, but..we've got this"
[21:06] Emilly Orr: But do we?
[21:07] Emilly Orr: Trump just said this will be a success if "only 200,000 die".
[21:07] Emilly Orr: South Korea identified the virus in-country the same day we did. They had 158 deaths total.
[21:07] Emilly Orr: We do NOT have this.

And it's getting worse by the day. The small glimmers of hope here and there are drowned out by the tonnage of horrible news, which is becoming ingrained in our current reality.

[21:08] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: we've got this means...we're not all going to die, this isn't the end of the world.
[21:08] Emilly Orr: If we do manage to get through this year reasonably intact, it will be due to the medical professionals, the scientists, and the people who stayed home, and not at ALL the government who's supposed to know what's going on.
[21:09] Emilly Orr: Well, fair, but a significant number will die. Again, we're still at least a week out of the peak deaths of this, if not longer? And New York City will pass 9/11 deaths at the end of this coming week, if not sooner, is the prediction.
[21:09] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: nods
[21:09] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: people will die.

And people have died. More since I grabbed this to post, even.

[21:09] Emilly Orr nods
[21:10] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: And the world will go on. Some of them were going to, no matter what. Some of them could have been saved.
[21:10] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: But...there's an end to the tunnel.
[21:10] Emilly Orr: But when, is the thing. The task force has already extended the stay-at-home advisory to Aprille 30th.
[21:12] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: nods "To be fair though, that's a good idea
[21:12] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: more time to figure things out
[21:12] Emilly Orr nods
[21:12] Emilly Orr: Which will be a good thing, I hope.
[21:13] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: well, hopefully we'll see a vaccine next year. And , better testing.

That is the hope. The FDA is grasping at straws at this point, but vaccines are being worked on.

[21:14] Emilly Orr nods.
[21:14] Emilly Orr: They are hoping for a vaccine by 2021
[21:14] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: It's going to be ok *smiles
[21:14] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: Well..these things take time, in best of circumstances.
[21:15] Emilly Orr leans in, but shrugs.
[21:15] Emilly Orr: Intellectually, I know you're right. But this particular virus says "I hate you personally" to me.
[21:15] Emilly Orr: So...it's hard not to sound dire.

It goes with the territory, after all. The lass behind the keys has weak lungs, after all. So yes, it does feel like there's a very bright, very fresh red target on my forehead.

[21:16] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: nods
[21:16] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: It's not all roses.
[21:16] Emilly Orr nods.
[21:19] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: I think my problem..
[21:19] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: it's..on one side you have trump saying "it's all fine, open things up"
[21:19] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: and on the other, the news going "everyone's dying!!! millions!!! we could all die!!"
[21:19] Emilly Orr: But, y'know, my life hasn't substantially changed is the weird thing. I'm still (mostly) a homebody. We didn't go out to eat this month, we didn't go see a movie, is about the only big difference. The girls are shopping a bit less, but still going out.
[21:19] Emilly Orr nods
[21:20] Emilly Orr: I try to find the center point in what I retweet, articles that are actually solid info, but to be fair, there have been a lot of "We're all in a straw boat and Trump's loading in gasoline and matches" essays, too, because...that's pretty much been his entire presidency. "Burn it to the ground."
[21:21] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: I'm wondering about Biden, it's almost that I think he is going to get nominated in the primaries, then bow out for someone no one voted for.

Which would be very odd. Is it unprecedented? I don't know. I am trying to figure out why the Democratic National Committee thought Biden was the best option. It's "don't rock the boat" behavior in spades.

[21:22] Emilly Orr: Yeah, his behavior is odd. Meanwhile, people are demanding that Bernie get out of the race, when for the most part, he's turned his attention back to saying medical care for all is important, and by the way, can we stop violating contracts with native Americans?
[21:24] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: well..he and aoc stood up and denounced the stimulus bill
[21:24] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: then voted for it
[21:25] Emilly Orr: Yeah. Which...I guess they felt they had to? Just to get SOMETHING passed?

Though the longer that goes on, the more bad things we discover people voted in.

[21:25] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: There are things going around of aoc angrily denouncing it, it would have been a good showing if she didn't then go vote for it.
[21:25] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: If it's as bad as they were saying?
[21:25] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: I'm not sure you could
[21:26] Emilly Orr: Well, it obviously puts us into a staggering amount of debt, which we will be decades paying down, if that early, and even with that, it doesn't go far enough, so it may well be as bad as they were saying.
[21:28] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: well..mostly it's the lack of oversight on where the money is going, and who allocates it, too
[21:28] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: and the concern that it's more of a bail out for larger corporations, rather than the average people.
[21:28] Emilly Orr: Which is what it's sounding like it is, actually.
[21:28] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: the analogy was basically..
[21:28] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: you give one person all the money,
[21:29] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: then , kick everyone out of their home..bring the home prices way down, but the only one who has money is the one with the purse strings..
[21:29] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: they buy everything.
[21:29] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: And then the prices go back up.

Pretty much. With a thick layer of "you don't get to ask me questions" from Trump, along the way.

[21:30] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: I don't think they limited what the companies being bailed out could use the funds for either..
[21:30] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: so..it could all go to the ceo's paychecks, basically.
[21:30] Emilly Orr: And we've seen it before, and how bad it is, and likely Congress did too, and passed it anyway.
[21:30] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: nods
[21:31] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: so we circle back to...was it something that they should have denounced then said "I guess we have to vote for it"
[21:31] Emilly Orr: Probably. Remember, this was the third proposal. The first two were hammered out and pretty much dismissed when the Reps got back from vacation.
[21:31] Emilly Orr: At least one of those wasn't awful.
[21:32] Emilly Orr: Then the mostly Republican proposal came in for the third slot, and at that point, nearly everyone was hearing screaming from their consitituents. "JUST PASS SOMETHING!"
[21:35] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: If one is never really going to fight you, would you really come to the table honestly?
[21:36] Emilly Orr: I'd like to think if you cared, you would, and be willing to compromise instead of saying 'this or nothing', but I also know that's pretty naive at this point.
[21:36] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: So..there's a conversation..
[21:37] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: people might say.."there's no difference between the parties"
[21:37] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: and then, on the other side..I know people who vehemently denounce that as "if you can't tell the difference between the two you're stupid"
[21:37] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: I think it's more..with one, you get a trickle of progressive things..the environmental..the like.
[21:38] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: So..there is a superficial difference, with deepening hues.
[21:38] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: But..on the basic things..there isn't
[21:38] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: neither party is working on healthcare properly, neither wants to end the wars, neither wants to rebuild the crumbling infrastructure..fix the education system.

Meanwhile, anyone who actually proposes educational reform, jail reform, health care for all, is drummed out derisively for being a "socialist", which...I mean, that's just so laughable. Do the same people bleating about socialism with certain names even know what they're saying? Do they realize we've been a socialist democracy for decades now?

[21:38] Emilly Orr: I'd agree with that. I'd say, one side's gone rigid and inflexible, because they perceive the power on their side, and have for years now, and the other's big on hand-wringing, too.
[21:38] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: It's not even hand wringing, they actively refuse to.
[21:39] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: People like biden, and clinton, the big names..they aren't.
[21:39] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: They're actively saying "[s**t] no, we can't do that. We won't do that"
[21:39] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: what the hell?
[21:39] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: really?
[21:39] Emilly Orr: What did we elect them for?
[21:40] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: We went in one election cycle from "yes we can" to..."yea..no...you're just going to have to settle for second best and like it"
[21:41] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: It's not even saying that both parties are the same..it's acknowledging that yes, you might get some nice toys ..but...they're not really the ones you need.
[21:41] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: So you never really make the leaps forward that we can.
[21:42] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: Because you're constantly settling for knock offs.
[21:42] Emilly Orr: We could be doing great things. We could be feeding the world's hungry. We could be in space. Heck, the projection models tell us we were ready to actually live full-time on Mars ten years ago.
[21:43] Emilly Orr: But we're not. Because everything that's a big, challenging project gets redirected into military spending, or corporate pockets, and we stagnate.
[21:43] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: we could have college education.
[21:43] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: right now.
[21:43] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: easy

We could. If we prioritized an intelligent society over easily misled sheep who were never taught how to critically evaluate.

[21:44] Emilly Orr: Right.
[21:44] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: the healthcare, a little tougher.
[21:44] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: but..we could do that too.
[21:44] Emilly Orr: True, because there's a lot of different ideas on how best that should go.
[21:45] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: the free education is a big one...keep the standards, not everyone is going to harvard, or even going..but..give people who have the will, and the skill a chance to do it.
[21:45] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: Bolster the trades.
[21:45] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: Bolster job placement programs.
[21:45] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: Fix the high school education to better prepare people for the world.
[21:46] Emilly Orr: We desperately need to do that. There's no excuse to expect everyone to want to spend eight years in higher education. And we need tradesmen as much as we need lawyers and doctors.
[21:47] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: part of it is...there's an expectation in any job that you come in with a degree
[21:47] Emilly Orr: But also, the debt at this point is crushing. Whereas, for all the folks who say "well, who's going to pay for it then?", while the short term answer is 'we are', the longer term answer is 'everyone including the ones going to college for free', because...everyone benefits from a strong educational system.
[21:47] Emilly Orr nods.
[21:48] Emilly Orr: The old joke about the fellow who went for eight years on an English Literature degree, and got his masters, just so he can ask "Wouldst thou like fries with that?"
[21:49] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: there's something where we need to respect people going into non stem fields, too.
[21:49] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: I hate hearing how useless art and history, and english are.
[21:51] Emilly Orr: Yeah. Art and music, especially, they're vital. History and literature studies, okay, they might be on the useless side if you're not tracking to be a professor at some point, or write books on the topic? But there's still nothing wrong with that.
[21:54] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: Someone has to write books.
[21:54] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: And history is...vitally important.

History in particular, because if we as a people don't know where we've been, we can't properly see where we're going.

[21:54] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: If you don't know where you came from, people can tell you anything.

That too. Which goes back to the easily misled sheep comment.

[21:55] Emilly Orr: And you'll believe it, which is why education suffers so much when people remove bits from textbooks, or rewrite them to reflect current opinion, not actual fact.
[21:56] Mxxxxxxx Wxxxxxxxxx: nods

So, we get a government that's too busy buying stock in disaster firms to deal with the country's issues, we get a president that denied the virus as long as he could because that meant more money lining his pockets, and on top of that he's so ridiculously petty as a human that if state governors are "mean" to him, he refuses to send them vital, life-saving equipment. He is literally killing American citizens because his ego must be placated.

This is not what we need.

But we're stuck here. More deaths, more disease, more desperation. And the gun stores are still open.

You ever talk with someone, and you're pretty sure you're both speaking the same language, but there's a translation failure on at least one side? Or at least a failure to comprehend?

[10:26] jxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: hi. i bought some [store name] skins some time last year for 100L. are those still available? if so, where? im at the mainstore now, and im looking for the [specific] skin, but cant seem to find it here. if its not here, is it still available to get somewhere?

So the lynchpin of this whole conversation is, it's Aprille now. Back in January, this skin store had a huge retirement sale, because they were rebranding. So everything under the old name was deeply discounted, and not moved over when the store changed names, store styles, and sims. (To that end, yeah, I'm wondering what store she's standing in, too, because...the designer DID change sims, too.)

[10:27] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the [store name] skins were retired
[10:27] Ixxxxx Bxxxxxx: Nope, they were all put away when the [new store name] build moved on Jan 1st, if super lucky and polite, if you leave [the skin maker] a Notecard she might be able to help
[10:27] jxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: what? how long time ago is that?
[10:28] jxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: oh... i havent been able to be online due to private issues :/
[10:30] Emilly Orr: Which is a shame, but yeah, sale's long over. So your best bet is to ask the maker. She might still have them in inventory.

Because she seemed to have blown right by the first suggestion to ask the maker directly.

[10:32] mxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: they retired around Feb I think or Jan
[10:32] jxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i do hope that. because [specific skin name] is too light and [specific other skin name] is too dark. and since i need to save my lil over 8.300L for 2 months.. well i need to cheap but yet good looking skins for my catwa/belleza

Right, but...does she not get we're not the people to ask?

[10:34] jxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: cheap = below 400L for head/body appliers and with no-brows option incl with the price

And while it's definitely tricky to find skins with appliers for L$400 or below, it's not impossible.

[10:40] Emilly Orr: Right...and...while that's a great budgeting measure, the skins are still not in the store. Notecard. [The designer].
[10:41] Sxxxxx Mxxxxxxxx: Ya, she sent out multiple notices about skins retiring, and left the store up for a few months.

She did. It was a several-month-long sale, which started, I believe, around October and went until the end of January.

[10:46] jxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: yesterday it was the 1st time i was able to come online in 2020 due to private life
[10:46] jxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: so i really had no clues about anything in sl since dec 2019 :/
[10:46] Emilly Orr: We get it. It's hard. Pull the group profile up, you'll see [the designer]'s name, click that, write out a notecard with what you'd like, send it to her.

I mean, am I not being clear?

[10:46] Ixxxxx Bxxxxxx: [The designer] helped someone get an old matching [store name] skin for her alt last week, she's a pretty nice person if you ask nicely and explain
[10:47] Emilly Orr: Exactly.

I think she finally got it after that, because chat turned to more normal things for a skin store, and life went on. But sheesh.