Monday, June 15, 2009
Freakoff DJ Battle for Relay
Heyas!!! I wanted to remind everyone that this coming Saturday, 20 June, we are having a Freakoff DJ Battle from 5-8 PM SLT to benefit Relay For Life!! April Coswell, Myn Delling and myself will dig deep into our respective music libraries and try to out-Freak each other. Plenty of truly bizarre tunes have been recorded over the years, so this will definitely be a once in a lifetime event! The best news is, all proceeds will go to Relay For Life! Our team has already surpassed last year's total, but we are aiming fo a million L$ this year! We're about half way there, with a month to go, so bring your lindens, your drinks, and your sense of humor this will be the Freakiest set EVER in SL, guaranteed!!!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
I've been Botted!
OK, OK, I realize that I suck at blogging regularly. I get ideas, but rarely at a convenient time. Anyways, I had to share this......details removed due to irrelevance, I'm sure you can fill in the blanks. I was spinning last night at a club, maybe 20-25 folks on the dance floor. The entire set, the conversation was dominated by a group of 3 people in the corner going on and on and on.....it was like the lunchroom in a junior high school. Wifey muted them and for her, chat was silent. I went over an hour with absolutely no comment on the music, no requests, and of course no tips. As you all know, the reason I spin is to get the good music out there. I feed of the energy of my audience, and love to comply with requests. Usually at my shows, the music will engender comments, either positive or negative, and it will direct the flow of the set. Last night I may as well have left SAM on automatic and read a book. I was tempted to toss in some Classical, maybe some Sinatra, anything to get a response.
It finally occurred to me that 90% of the avs present were unconnected to anyone at the keyboard. Evidently a lot of folks will park their avie at the club & use it as a radio. That's all well and fine, but when that large of a proportion is doing it it seems like botting. Traffic is pointless unless it enhances the entertainment experience. I had a much better time at FFH a couple nights earlier with 5-7 people in attendance that were 100% participating and focusing on the music.
I don't expect anything to change, but needed to get it off my chest. Thanks for tolerating my rant. I will continue to focus on spinning the best music out there, and as always I welcome requests. Let me know what you want to hear and I'll slide it in for ya!!
It finally occurred to me that 90% of the avs present were unconnected to anyone at the keyboard. Evidently a lot of folks will park their avie at the club & use it as a radio. That's all well and fine, but when that large of a proportion is doing it it seems like botting. Traffic is pointless unless it enhances the entertainment experience. I had a much better time at FFH a couple nights earlier with 5-7 people in attendance that were 100% participating and focusing on the music.
I don't expect anything to change, but needed to get it off my chest. Thanks for tolerating my rant. I will continue to focus on spinning the best music out there, and as always I welcome requests. Let me know what you want to hear and I'll slide it in for ya!!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
A Few Thoughts on the Impending Changes to SL
Well, as we all know, LL is gonna shake our world up once again. I've been following the forums and talking to several folks, and I promised I'd get on here and have my say. When SL was conceived, it was the ultimate libertarian utopia: anything was fair game, as long as it didn't infringe upon the rights of others. Land owners were allowed to determine what sort of activities they would allow. LL assured us that everyone on the grid was 18 or over, and we were all adults. Now they want to banish all "Adult" activity to a separate continent and restrict access to paid residents or those who have verified their age through a 3rd party service. I've been inworld over two years, and have run into very little PG content. It seems it would be easier to make a prude continent and restrict those who don't know how to TP away from things that frighten them to Disneytopia. Really, how may people have you run into inworld who complain about the grown-up nature of the grid? Just like TV, those who dislike the content are free to search out only PG sims or simply not come into SL. I came up with two major theories behind the changes being forced upon us, the paying customers:
1. From the beginning, SL has tried to attract RL businesses to use SL as a conferencing platform. Just like any other venture, corporate sponsorship is welcome, as it helps defray the costs. Ever look at a race car? I have been to several business meetings in SL, and it's great for collaborative modeling. I have even used SL to inexpensively render 3-D drawings for RL construction projects. OK, Kaedy did that, but you get the point. SL does have RL uses. There are some glaring flaws with this plan, however. First of all, most business computers are incapable of even running SL. Look around you at work. Unless you're in the graphics business, not one of those machines even has a discrete graphics card. Second, there's the bandwidth issue. SL takes a huge amount of bandwidth to operate efficiently. Your business would have to be directly connected to the backbone for this to work. And there would be major upgrades needed in your IT closet to handle it all. In these lean economic times, spending millions to facilitate the occasional meeting is not going to fly past the CFO. It's way cheaper to fly folks in. Third, you have the perception of SL as a "game". I can imagine the grumblings of my coworkers that some of us were "gaming" on company time. The meetings I attend in SL I do from home on my own computer and my own bandwidth.
In my business meetings in SL, there were many people new to SL and the concept of virtual worlds. Many of these people have barely mastered email. Yes, they were shocked at some of the things they saw while randomly bopping around SL. No different than if they wandered around any major European city. These businesspeople are not going to become paid, frequent users of SL. They pop in every month or two for a 2-hour meeting. They do very little shopping, clubbing, etc. Bending over backward to cater to these occasional SLers is a bad idea. Maybe a separate "square business only" continent? Look, they are still adults, and responsible to use Search and read the freakin' descriptions before they go TPing somewhere. Just what do they think "escort" means? Something different than in RL? And where do they get off telling those of us who spend $1000USD a month what we can and cannot do? I remember "Your World, Your Imagination"..........Hey, LL, the diehard addicts are your bottom line, not the stuffed suits.
2. LL is intentionally trying to drive off residents. As SL grows, the need for more infrastructure grows as well. In order to keep costs in check and assure a healthy profit margin, LL, from time to time, does something so asinine it drives folks away for good. The "OpenSpace" debacle comes to mind. There were other solutions than what LL decided upon. They chose the one that resulted in the greatest loss of residents. How many people do you know that either left SL for good, or rarely come in now that they can't afford a place to live? Pay no attention to the numbers on the login splash screen. At least 30,000 are bots. Next time SL is down for any significant period of time, look at the number when you log in. 10 seconds after logins are reactivated, there are 30,000 concurrent users. That's either Lindens or bots.
The actual number of users does continue to grow, so to avoid having to buy even more servers, bandwidth, staff, etc. LL has hatched another plan to run folks off. There are numerous reasons why folks do not want to give their CC info, and even more to not trust a 3rd party verification service. Neither one will keep a determined underage person from getting inworld. Use a parent's info. Hell, use a grandparent's. Not like they'll have any clue. Tell them "Linden Labs" is a school expense. So that isn't it.....must be that LL needs to keep resident numbers down to maximize profits.....hmmm.....something to think about anyway.
LL keeps repeating that "Adult" activities account for only 3% of the grid. My ass. The grid is empty as ever, 24 hours a day, except for Mature and Adult activities. They can't even decide what is Mature and what is Adult. Sure, there is a list, but as usual it's subject to change on a whim. I have a better idea. Post a warning on the splash screen: This Is An Adult Virtual Experience. Under 18 Prohibited. If You're Uptight, Prudish, Intolerant, or Incapable of Logging Out, DO NOT ENTER!!!
OK, if you've read this far, I'll sum it up very simply: Fuck Censorship.
1. From the beginning, SL has tried to attract RL businesses to use SL as a conferencing platform. Just like any other venture, corporate sponsorship is welcome, as it helps defray the costs. Ever look at a race car? I have been to several business meetings in SL, and it's great for collaborative modeling. I have even used SL to inexpensively render 3-D drawings for RL construction projects. OK, Kaedy did that, but you get the point. SL does have RL uses. There are some glaring flaws with this plan, however. First of all, most business computers are incapable of even running SL. Look around you at work. Unless you're in the graphics business, not one of those machines even has a discrete graphics card. Second, there's the bandwidth issue. SL takes a huge amount of bandwidth to operate efficiently. Your business would have to be directly connected to the backbone for this to work. And there would be major upgrades needed in your IT closet to handle it all. In these lean economic times, spending millions to facilitate the occasional meeting is not going to fly past the CFO. It's way cheaper to fly folks in. Third, you have the perception of SL as a "game". I can imagine the grumblings of my coworkers that some of us were "gaming" on company time. The meetings I attend in SL I do from home on my own computer and my own bandwidth.
In my business meetings in SL, there were many people new to SL and the concept of virtual worlds. Many of these people have barely mastered email. Yes, they were shocked at some of the things they saw while randomly bopping around SL. No different than if they wandered around any major European city. These businesspeople are not going to become paid, frequent users of SL. They pop in every month or two for a 2-hour meeting. They do very little shopping, clubbing, etc. Bending over backward to cater to these occasional SLers is a bad idea. Maybe a separate "square business only" continent? Look, they are still adults, and responsible to use Search and read the freakin' descriptions before they go TPing somewhere. Just what do they think "escort" means? Something different than in RL? And where do they get off telling those of us who spend $1000USD a month what we can and cannot do? I remember "Your World, Your Imagination"..........Hey, LL, the diehard addicts are your bottom line, not the stuffed suits.
2. LL is intentionally trying to drive off residents. As SL grows, the need for more infrastructure grows as well. In order to keep costs in check and assure a healthy profit margin, LL, from time to time, does something so asinine it drives folks away for good. The "OpenSpace" debacle comes to mind. There were other solutions than what LL decided upon. They chose the one that resulted in the greatest loss of residents. How many people do you know that either left SL for good, or rarely come in now that they can't afford a place to live? Pay no attention to the numbers on the login splash screen. At least 30,000 are bots. Next time SL is down for any significant period of time, look at the number when you log in. 10 seconds after logins are reactivated, there are 30,000 concurrent users. That's either Lindens or bots.
The actual number of users does continue to grow, so to avoid having to buy even more servers, bandwidth, staff, etc. LL has hatched another plan to run folks off. There are numerous reasons why folks do not want to give their CC info, and even more to not trust a 3rd party verification service. Neither one will keep a determined underage person from getting inworld. Use a parent's info. Hell, use a grandparent's. Not like they'll have any clue. Tell them "Linden Labs" is a school expense. So that isn't it.....must be that LL needs to keep resident numbers down to maximize profits.....hmmm.....something to think about anyway.
LL keeps repeating that "Adult" activities account for only 3% of the grid. My ass. The grid is empty as ever, 24 hours a day, except for Mature and Adult activities. They can't even decide what is Mature and what is Adult. Sure, there is a list, but as usual it's subject to change on a whim. I have a better idea. Post a warning on the splash screen: This Is An Adult Virtual Experience. Under 18 Prohibited. If You're Uptight, Prudish, Intolerant, or Incapable of Logging Out, DO NOT ENTER!!!
OK, if you've read this far, I'll sum it up very simply: Fuck Censorship.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
I'm Baaaaaaack!
Oi. I just noticed that I forgot to update the event listing this week. Amazing what RL does to ya. I'll get it updated tonite for next week. Anyways, the semester is over, and I actually have time for a second life again! That means I'll be more visible (and hopefully audible) inworld, and will be blogging more regularly. I have quite a few things to get off my chest, so stay tuned......
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Absolutely Kickass Party!!
Wow! We had the place packed all day! Kaedy outdid herself once again with the decorating, and our team of DJs provided an unequaled set during the Battle! When I say that Freakheim has the best DJs in SL, it's not an exaggeration! Troy had some technical issues that kept him from spinning, but Lainey popped in & saved the day. Fresh off a vacation, she was ready to spin and tossed out a killer set for the first hour. The next 4 hours were covered by the DJ Battle, and 6 of the finest spinners in SL rocked the place like never before! We had Marvel Kit, Ozark Hax, meka Chaffe, Guenevere DeCuir, Sly Nirpaw and Inked Jewell, each one with a unique musical perspective and together they're unstoppable! The night finished off with my return to the Shred, and I had a hell of a set to follow. I ended up spinning for nearly 3 hours, and was all over the musical spectrum.
Thanks to everyone who came out to the Bash, whether you stayed all day or just popped in...it is you, the Freaks, who make Freakheim the rockinest club in SL!! Make sure you spread the word to everyone you know who loves great music and get 'em in to Freakheim!!
Before I forget, here are the results form the contests:
Come As You Are:
1. Yasayuki Kattun
2. Trinity Gordou
3. Guenevere DeCuir
Leather:
1. Oddessa Graves
2. Ishimaru Kohime
3. Rhyanna Saphir
Metal, Spikes, Chains & Blades:
1. Ishimaru Kohime
2. Jack Picket
3. Guenevere DeCuir
Weird Avies:
1. meka Chaffe
2. Sly Nirpaw
3. Ishimaru Kohime
Neko:
1. Bailey Runningbear
2. Jack Picket
3. Trident Runningbear
Undead:
1. Minerva Minton
2. Rhyanna Saphir
3. Sly Nirpaw
Costume Party:
1. Sylea Seagall
2. Aplonis Ember
3. Ishimaru Kohime
And, of course, the DJ Battle:
1. Inked Jewell
2. Ozark Hax
3. meka Chaffe
We can't have a bash like this every week, or they would cease to be special. I can guarantee awesome tunes, maximum fun, and crazy contests; so make sure you put Freakheim on your calendars & come & rock out with us!!
Thanks to everyone who came out to the Bash, whether you stayed all day or just popped in...it is you, the Freaks, who make Freakheim the rockinest club in SL!! Make sure you spread the word to everyone you know who loves great music and get 'em in to Freakheim!!
Before I forget, here are the results form the contests:
Come As You Are:
1. Yasayuki Kattun
2. Trinity Gordou
3. Guenevere DeCuir
Leather:
1. Oddessa Graves
2. Ishimaru Kohime
3. Rhyanna Saphir
Metal, Spikes, Chains & Blades:
1. Ishimaru Kohime
2. Jack Picket
3. Guenevere DeCuir
Weird Avies:
1. meka Chaffe
2. Sly Nirpaw
3. Ishimaru Kohime
Neko:
1. Bailey Runningbear
2. Jack Picket
3. Trident Runningbear
Undead:
1. Minerva Minton
2. Rhyanna Saphir
3. Sly Nirpaw
Costume Party:
1. Sylea Seagall
2. Aplonis Ember
3. Ishimaru Kohime
And, of course, the DJ Battle:
1. Inked Jewell
2. Ozark Hax
3. meka Chaffe
We can't have a bash like this every week, or they would cease to be special. I can guarantee awesome tunes, maximum fun, and crazy contests; so make sure you put Freakheim on your calendars & come & rock out with us!!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Anniversary Party Contests
Yep, the big damn Freakheim Anniversary party is this Saturday, 25 April!! We're also gonna celebrate Kaedy, Shay, Rhyanna & my rezdays as well, so you know it'll be a bash to remember!! Killer tunes, a DJ battle, big contest prizes & maybe even some spankin' wooHoo!!! Here's a list of the contest times & themes so you can be ready to win:
12-1PM Come As You Are
1-2PM Leather
2-3PM Metal, Spikes & Chains
3-4PM Weird Avies
4-5PM Neko
5-6PM Undead
6-7PM Costume Party
The overall theme for the day is Halloween, since it's my fave holiday and it's midway to the next Halloween Party....we're having Halloween in April!! See ya there!!!
12-1PM Come As You Are
1-2PM Leather
2-3PM Metal, Spikes & Chains
3-4PM Weird Avies
4-5PM Neko
5-6PM Undead
6-7PM Costume Party
The overall theme for the day is Halloween, since it's my fave holiday and it's midway to the next Halloween Party....we're having Halloween in April!! See ya there!!!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Freakheim Anniversary Coming Up!
Heyas!! Yep, I know, I've been kinda bad about posting lately. And kinda absent from SL too, for that matter. Damn RL has got me in a deathgrip lately. There is light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm pretty sure it's not a train....though I am quite deaf. The main reason for this post is that I thought I'd remind y'all that Freakheim's first anniversary is quickly approaching. A year is forever in SL time, so much has happened since FFH opened its doors. On Saturday 25 April we'll be having one hell of a party to celebrate a year of Freaky existence. Stay tuned for details, but I guarantee you'll want to be there.
Since I have the podium, mic, keyboard, floor, whatever, I'm going to take the time right now to thank my kickass Freaky Staff. Each and every one of you, most of whom have been with me from the very start. I played the first FFH set ever on 26 April 2008 and many of you were there. We would not have lasted this long without your dedication to the cause of great music. After playing various venues in SL I had the idea to open a place that focused on the music, where everyone would feel at home, let their hair down, and just Freakin' party!! Because of you, we did it!!!
I also want to thank the members of Band of Freaks for coming out, set after set, to see just what kind of silliness we'd get into that night. We have had some great times together, and there are a bunch of us! Just about everywhere you go in SL anymore, there will be a Freak there. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, 25 April 2009 and let's see just how many Freaks we can pack into the Funeral Home!!
Since I have the podium, mic, keyboard, floor, whatever, I'm going to take the time right now to thank my kickass Freaky Staff. Each and every one of you, most of whom have been with me from the very start. I played the first FFH set ever on 26 April 2008 and many of you were there. We would not have lasted this long without your dedication to the cause of great music. After playing various venues in SL I had the idea to open a place that focused on the music, where everyone would feel at home, let their hair down, and just Freakin' party!! Because of you, we did it!!!
I also want to thank the members of Band of Freaks for coming out, set after set, to see just what kind of silliness we'd get into that night. We have had some great times together, and there are a bunch of us! Just about everywhere you go in SL anymore, there will be a Freak there. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, 25 April 2009 and let's see just how many Freaks we can pack into the Funeral Home!!
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