MAS Studios Photography

I CAN HAZ INTERNETZ?

2010-02-06T17:14:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. Lately I've noticed a few things that I would like to address. now this mainly pertains to the outer web side of SL - mainly forums, plurks, what have you - but I've seen some of this in world also, and it concerns me somewhat...

First off is the use of deliberately mispronounced "cutsie" talk that reigns throughout message content as well as day to day conversation. for example:

"Hai there!" "I want moar!" "Iz watchin teh pr0n!"..........

You get the idea. I know you can't make it through a day without seeing this type of text somewhere(If not being guilty of it yourself). This type of text is derived from the internet meme known as "lolcats"...

While this type of text is perfect for the Neko population, when used by so-called "Normal" avatars it raises a few questions...

Lolcat speak, at it's core, is highly sarcastic. It's sole intent is to lampoon and poke fun. due to the sarcastic nature of lolcat speak it has been widely adopted by the internet "trolling" community.

Now for those of you who do not know what a troll (also known as a flamer or a griefer) is, here's a quick definition:

(According to Wikipedia) In Internet slang, a Troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response[1] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.

A Griefer is a player in a multiplayer video game that purposely irritates and harasses other players.

Flaming is hostile and insulting interaction between Internet users. Flaming usually occurs in the social context of a discussion board, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), by e-mail or on Video-sharing websites. It is usually the result of the discussion of heated real-world issues like politics, sports, religion, and philosophy, or of issues that polarise subpopulations (for example, the perennial debating between PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 owners). Internet trolls frequently set out to incite flamewars for the sole purpose of offending or irritating other posters.

Now what does this mean for the average user? Well, when a troll approaches you and says "oh HAI!" That doesn't mean they are excited to see you, in fact it usually means they aren't too crazy about you at all and more than likely they are about to troll the crap out of you.

So if you approach someone in world or in a message board type of environment using "Hai!" as a greeting, chances are you are going to set that person on edge and put them into a defensive position that is very likely to cause a fight. All from one little word.

What does this all mean? Ladies and gentlemen, it saddens me to say we live in a world full of assholes, and if you don't believe me, scroll through the official SL topics and read the replies to the posted threads. 90% (and I'm being generous) of what you see there falls under the "flaming" definition.

The internet has taught us that we can be free to pointlessly harass others under a veil of anonymity all from the comfort of our living rooms. So the best way to combat this is to simply watch how we word our thoughts.

Watching the internets closely over the last few days I've seen a whole lot of drama, and I can guarantee you at least half of it started from someone misinterpreting something that someone said. That's easy to do online, and I'm sure we've all experienced it.

Now the other half was instigated by the usual drama mommas and the only way to combat against that is to not get involved. I don't care if they are your friends or family or if they have naughty pictures of you and are threatening blackmail, stay out of it. Drama mommas gain their power by being able to entice people into picking up their cause and following them into the fire (although the drama mommas are actually sitting it out and letting you do all the fighting for them).... Blah... just leave that mess alone. I've gone on a tangent... I digress...

Lolcat speak! It's cute, but dangerous... if you are non Neko, chances are you may accidently insult someone by using Lolcat speak with them. so just be careful how you use it.

INVADERS FROM MARS...

2010-02-05T02:08:00.001-08:00

So I was outside grilling chicken tonight. I know what you're thinking, grilling in February? Well I live in California... deal with it.

Anyway, I'm walking in and out between flippin the birds (heh) since I'm also watching Enter the Dragon on AMC (Bruce Lee and John Saxon-anything better? Not likely). Well I just happen to look up in the sky and Lo and Behold I see a tiny little light way way WAY up in the sky moving from North to South at a pretty decent clip (at least figuring how high it appeared to be it would have to be bookin' hardcore) and I start shouting for my enchanting and beautiful second half to come out and look.

Of course the back door opens just as said teeny little light disappears behind a bank of clouds and never comes out the other side.... GYUH!

I stood there for a few minutes watching and waiting, but the little UFO wasn't cooperating and the birds needed to be flipped again.... DAMNATION!

Now I know what you're thinking, and no, they don't come in that size and they are special order only. But I digress.

What is it that I could have seen flying high above me tonight? Well I checked a website that tracks satellite activity and according to that nothing was flying over my area tonight (but then again that site was HELLA hard to understand) So really I'm not sure.... It could have been the international space station, possibly some communications satellite that I just couldn't fiure out how to track properly, or maybe.... just maybe I saw something that is beyond simple explaination.... (que eerie music).

I DON'T CARE ANYMORE....

2010-02-04T12:59:00.000-08:00

Yeah, you heard me.... I love that song... Phil Collins is a musical genius.....

What? Oh, you thought I meant something else? Wooooooo you little scamps are incorrigible!

Well listen up, Drama Mommas. This ain't that type of blog. I'm NOT here to complain about blah - de - blah this and blah - de - blah that on SL and I'm NOT here to drone on and on endlessly about how LL is abusing us poor unfortunate avi's and I am most certainly NOT talking about you.........

Or am I?

In case you've noticed, I haven't posted a blog on here in forever. Why? blogging bored me. I've been trying to find that little something that I could latch on to and and just run with it. Only problem is, it was all fake.... Oooo I could take tons of pictures and do like an SL travel log (like we haven't seen that done before) or I could just promote my wares (I hate self promotion)
Or maybe I can talk about SL fashion! (PFFFT Yeah, RIGHT!)

So what am I gonna do? I get bored and I stop blogging... I got too much to do anyway, right?

The HELL I say! I'm going to do something completely different! I'm going to blog about whatever the Hell I want to blog about! If I got something to say about a matter, I'm gonna slap it down right here in this space. Why? Why not!

So yea, no more forcing myself to blog for the sake of blogging. You might as well call it blah-ging if you do it that way. No, I'm gonna do it my way, like it or not, rain or shine, Bowen is Bowen and this is myvery own little Op-Ed page....

YAY!

I been a little blue lately... HAH!

WHERE HAVE I BEEN? or SHOCKTOBERWHAT?

2009-10-09T02:53:00.001-07:00

Ok, don't freak out. I know I've been gone awhile, busy with life, both primary and secondary... AND NOW I'M BACK!

My wonderful store, TASTY, has moved (again), and is now up and running with a brand new look and better textures than ever!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Starry%20Isles/161/162/23

But I'm not here to talk about the new store and the awesome clothes and amazing deals we have going on at TASTY, but rather to celebrate my favorite time of year - SHOCKTOBERFEST!

What is SHOCKTOBERFEST, you ask? Well, Shocktoberfest is a month long celebration of everything halloween related. How are we celebrating it this year? with THE BOX!

The BOX is a haunted house/hunt where you collect dollarbies and 5L$ TASTY exclusives
all while trying to survive weaving your way through a haunted house! Sound creepy yet?

Holy sheet!

Horror movie tip #1 - decrepit old warehouses are a big red flag

Hmmm eerily lit box floating above a table........ I think I'll check it out!

Ahhh Scary clown has entered my bubble!

Scary clown won't find me in here........

Note to self: find better places to hide from scary clown

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.... by throwing it out with the garbage.......... is that my foot?

AAAAANYhooo... If you got the time come check out THE BOX and help celebrate SHOCKTOBERFEST with us! Until next time!

CIAO!

RETROTASTIC!!

2009-06-17T02:57:00.000-07:00

Hey there guys and dolls,

Bowen Ellsmere, the Big Bopper here, and this week I'd like to introduce you to a wonderful sim that I just can't get enough of: Artilleri!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/artilleri/93/123/27

Now a lot of you are probably familiar with Artilleri's awesome retro style clothing, hair, and accessories, but the Sim where the main store is located is a true sight to behold!

"Gimme some sugar, baby!"

If you've got the time, there is a LOT to look at there, from the keen retro early 60's houses and trailers, to a boss beach blanket bingo-riffic beach!

"The screen door is stuck! Seriously, help!"

"I'll never get out of this trailer..."

I look so incredibly cool.... even though I own NONE of these cars....

Hasselhoff... 'nuff said.

How the HELL did sand get in THERE?

Come on, babe... let's check out them rockin houses!

Stop calling me dumb-dumb.

Now THIS.... is WAY too freakin' cool!

Hehehehehehehe.............................. flamingos.....

So in the end, if you have some free time, and a few extra Lindens (because I DEFY you to check out their incredibly cool stuff WITHOUT buying something!)check out Artilleri and have a blast!

As for me? It's been a long day... time to chill out on the beach and get some rest...

I swear if that head asks me for gum-gum I'm leaving.

A PIRATE'S DAY OUT!

2009-06-09T22:55:00.000-07:00

AVAST MATEYS!

Bowen the Black here. As my first "official" blog, I thought I'd start at home. No, not where I live, but where I work. More specifically the Rockstar club and mall feat. TASTY FASHION! located in BEAUTIFUL Azores Flores

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Azores%20Flores/120/186/22

"A pirate's gotta partay!"

One righteously cool mall.

There's some interesting things to see around the Rockstar Mall, everything from some REALLY high quality shops with everything from skins to shapes to tattoos to clothing to weaponry. There's definitely something there for everyone.

But today this pirate is looking for the other treasures this Island holds.... YAAAARRRRGH!

Shakin' me old bones in the club!

I've heard of guard dogs, but a guard TIGER??

Maybe I'll just check out a movie in the theater.

"Do ye be havin' them chocolate dabloons?"

Aaaarrrr This floor be sticky!

But of course my favorite feature of the Rockstar Mall is TASTY FASHION, the store I co-own and home to MAS Studios photography

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Azores%20Flores/109/41/24

In the end, Rockstar at Azores Flores offers something for pretty much everyone. There's some great fashion and many other interesting things available at the shops, a theater always showing some pretty awesome movies, and a hoppin' nightclub.

So check it out if ye feel so inclined, me hearties. As for this ol bag o bones, I'll be heading back to that theater to finish the movie.... yeeaaarrrrgh!

"Where'd everyone go? What, like you've never seen a pirate skeleton in a movie theater.... sheesh!"

-Bowen

BO-WHAT???

2009-06-08T23:19:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone. My name is Bowen Ellsmere. I multitask alot on second life - I design clothing for TASTY fashion and I own and operate MAS Studios Photography. I've been on SL for a while now and I still pretty much have no idea what I'm doing. Fortunately I have the help of my BEAUTIFUL and extremely talented soon-to-be-wife, Veronica Kanya.

Ain't she gorgeous? Anyway, I don't really have a point to this blog other than to say "HI!" I plan on posting the odd blog pointing out some of the more interesting places in SL, from the beautiful, to the humorous, to the just plain weird.

"Man goes into the cage, cage goes into the water, shark's in the water.... our shark."

"How the Hell are you breathing?"

"Because it's my ship. My...................................................................................SHIP!"

So keep an eye on this page, because things are about to get interesting. Nica and I are celebrating our anniversary this week, so we'll probably be getting dressed up to go out.............

ok, so we're gonna stay home and watch a movie... Just as good!

-Bowen