SL's fifth anniversary epic [updated]

by Tateru Nino Jun 11th 2008 at 11:45PM

Filed under: Culture, News items, Second Life

"Zirn Left Unguarded, the Jenjik Palace in Flames, Jon Westerly Dead" -- Robert Sheckley

Trinity Coulter (formerly) the Second Life fifth anniversary (SL5/SL5A/SL5B, pick one) organizing committee's main organizer has left (or been kicked out of) her role, only a scant week or so after replacing SignpostMarv Martin in that capacity. Group logs indicate she was ejected from the group by Dusty Linden. Coulter said that 'it was determined' that it would be in the best interest of SL5 for Coulter to 'step aside', when asked.

According to SL5's Art director, Shosana Epsilon, Linden Lab's new position is a blanket ban where a child and an adult are pictured together in the same image, nor images of children near beds. So, no images of family outings, or implications that children sleep -- the image above would be right out, we presume, even though neither figure is a child avatar. Linden Lab staff previously stated that the Lab was afraid of legal restrictions that could partially or wholly shut down the Second Life service.

As recently as yesterday, Coulter was trying to repair SL5 and pull in more volunteers and exhibits. The event already lacks volunteers and exhibits, we are told (except for the Art show which is overbooked). We're not really sure how much further back this sets proceedings. Both of the recently recruited volunteers that we spoke to have decided to step down as a result of today's events.

Phaylen Fairchild is the new main organizer, the third in as many weeks. Fairchild was rumored to have been on the verge of resigning from the SL5 organizing committee as recently as yesterday.

With less than two weeks to go before the event is due to open, it seems that the event is in increasing difficulty.

[thanks Jacek Antonelli]

UPDATE: Apparently this policy also extends to the art show exhibits, as Sue Stonebender discusses on Flickr.

Tags: culture, dusty-linden, jacek-antonelli, phaylen-fairchild, robert-sheckley, second-life, shoshana-epsilon, signpostmarv-martin, sl5a, trinity-coulter

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Daman Tenk said on 2:18AM 6-12-2008

Yay. Let it burn after what they did to it.

Loki said on 5:55AM 6-12-2008

no way, i was wondering where Trinity Coulter had gone, she was very helpful in the corner that the Kid Avatars are building. So far my exhibit there is going as planned with only one change needed. Most of us are working well with LL's concerns, their restrictions aint that much of a problem really so im puzzled as to why she was booted/left.

I Must add thought that have never been so stressed due to second life as i have been in the last 2 weeks. I cant wait for SL5B to be over :)

Adz Childs said on 7:25AM 6-12-2008

For some reason I'm reminded of this Salon article from a while back.
Apologies if is way off-topic. It has nothing to do with Second Life, but does talk about hysteria related to innocent photography of children.

http://archive.salon.com/mwt/feature/2000/01/31/kincaid/index.html
http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2006/07/18/photos/index.html

No pictures of kids next to beds? Sounds alot like the asinine photo development policy.

Back on topic...
I wonder what has been said behind-the-scenes to make LL so paranoid. Whatever it is, its definitely coming through in the form of irrational behavior.
We know that the laws related to this stuff are way out of proportion (refer to the "Every photo must pass this test" concept in the Salon article above). For that part, I don't blame LL one bit. They aren't prepared to go to the Supreme Court and fix this any more than I am. And my small service fees are not enough for me to justify demanding a better legal defense from them in the face of an executive branch that breaks laws to remove judges seem as too liberal and replace them with conservatives over the last 7 years. Perhaps that fully explains their paranoia.

Adz Childs said on 9:01AM 6-12-2008

Fundamentally, I oppose the concept of "zero-tolerance". It simply begs for trouble. It implies that allowing any level of something to continue amounts to condoning or supporting it. Enforcers of zero-tolerance policies can never achieve their goal. Wherever they decide to stop short, due to costs or resources or just simply when they let that stubborn common sense kick back in, is the level of criminal or deviant or suspicious behavior that they "tolerate" by default. Accomplished reductions in whatever is being opposed are ignored as long as the level of whatever it is is above "zero." whatever that means. Nevertheless, "zero-tolerance" sounds so reasonable on the surface. This is what makes it so damned evil.

Jay said on 9:39AM 6-12-2008

I still say that any kid avatar who supports the lab in the official birthday and allows them to jack boot them are very much like the Vichy Government.

Kids should be supporting kids, but then there are some power hungry ones like Loki and Geoff who *must* be in charge.

Daman Tenk said on 10:35AM 6-12-2008

Agreed with Adz.

Glad we don't have to bother with photo development labs anyway thanks to digital cameras.

As if a real child pornographer would use a public lab anyway. Those monsters used to develop their own pictures in a basement.

And while I think comparing with the Vichys is kinda extreme, I do believe Jay is correct as well.

Marianne McCann said on 12:10PM 6-12-2008

I'm glad I'm doing something with self-portraits -- but now I know what I'm doing with my Kids5B display. Time to look at my family photos!

Solomon Devoix said on 12:39PM 6-12-2008

At this point, may I suggest that the organizers of the Kids5B area provide some space for non-kid "refugees" from the Linden-meddled fiasco of SL5B? Residents helping residents and all that. Let the "official" event, ruined by Linden Lab, sputter, gutter, and die a whimpering death on its own while the press and general public looks on.

I'd strongly urge ALL exhibitors in that mess to bail out and leave LL with egg on their faces.

Erbo Evans said on 1:10PM 6-12-2008

"Epic" is right...but perhaps in the form "EPIC FAIL."

We have policies that have changed in arbitrary ways from the previous years of the Birthday event...and, in fact, seem to be continuing to change in arbitrary ways on a daily basis. And so far, we have NO explanation whatsoever for the rationale behind these changes from the Lindens. Am I totally off base here, or should even a blind man be able to see a BIG problem with this?

We're all adults here, LL, even if some of us look like kids. Try talking to us like adults.

Trinity Coulter said on 12:53AM 6-13-2008

I know that you know how much dedication and perseverance it takes to run an event like this Tateru. I wish the virtual ink at Massively would run with reports of the dedication that people have given to this event. I respect you greatly as a resident, and I know your heart is in the right place, but I want people to know that we have a group of people who really care about residents that have given their time in spades to make this event a success.

There will always be those whom we cannot please, those who might look at even the most perfect thing and call it worthless. But why do that? We're imagining a new world, based on creativity and innovation. The birthday is about celebrating. Are we going to be those kids who complain when we don't get 37 presents like Harry Potter's cousin, or will we happily accept the present as given? I personally think there are a lot of truly amazing things coming at SL5B and its a shame that the new world gets such mundane press.

Uccello Poultry said on 9:56AM 6-13-2008

Thanks, Trinity. When you contacted me about a plot for the my planned Isle of Lesbos exhibit you clearly and politely addressed my concerns on the child avie issue. Your professional manner and obvious sympathy swayed me from boycotting to participating. The gay and lesbian community faces critics and discrimination, too, and you convinced me that not participating would not solve the current controversy. And now we have a nice forum for education at http://slurl.com/secondlife/SL5B%20Physical/243/31/23.

My only disappointment is that it was recommended that the barely visible nipples in some some classical painting on display might not be acceptable. Understandable in a PG sim but I winced with every stroke of the blur brush in Photoshop.