The Casino Mob Takeover of SL

I was just evicted from my tenancy of Project Quickstart, a supposed "land trust" owned by Billy Madison, who presents himself in his profile as a do-gooder -- very concerned about the poor victims of the Katrina disaster in New Orleans. However, his self-congratulatory profile is deceiving - he is just another greedy land-grabber/speculator.

Project Quickstart was presented as a program by which newbies would be integrated more fully into SL, rather than becoming tourists interested only in chatting, sex, and gambling. However, Billy Madison has now sold the entire Jaffee sim to a casino/club.

I logged off from SL late last night, and this afternoon, on logging on, was given about 5 minutes warning about the sale -- from a complete stranger who asked me about the supposed new owner of the sim, "Fritz Stewart", who has been a member of SL for over a year, but has evidently impressed no-one with his behavior, his appearance, or his building skills, judging from his profile, which gives him a grand total of 2 rating points.

This gambling "mogul" was already building his casino in midair at the time I was being notified of my eviction, barely 5 minutes after I logged on to SL this afternoon. Neither he nor Billy Madison had bothered to send me any message notifying me of any change in the conditions of my tenancy. The manager of Project Quickstart,
Steelwolf Pascal, when I IM'd him to warn him of the rumor, did confirm it, and was very apologetic -- anyone who wants to know exactly how many people have been rendered virtually homeless in SL should contact him.

If this is the way Madison and his ilk behave in SL, I would hate to meet them in person. They are sleazy operators, with no consideration and no ethics. Madison's self-congratulatory profile, touting his supposed work in Katrina relief, should be measured against the way he treats his fellow citizens in SL, and any further promotional projects should be approached only with asbestos gloves by prospective partners.

How many casinos do we have in SL already? Do we really need any more? Tringo is already becoming a dominating and deleterious influence in SL. Gambling and land greed to feed it is swallowing Second Life alive.

We need ZONING LAWS in Second Life now, to offset the greedheads who want to sell off the system to the gambling mob.

It costs almost $200 a month for tier fees to own a sim. You don't know the circumstances of the sale. If you were getting free housing then you should not complain. Notifying every resident in the sim is a very time consuming task. You have to remember that SL has an economy and like every economy the goal is to make as much money as possible. The person who bought the sim might have made an offer to good to pass up. Zoning laws would be good when SL first began, but would be a disaster now, because it would displace every home and business in SL. Very few can afford to own a sim without making a profit. Keep that in mind before judging another player.

While I agree you shouldn't be mad as you were getting a home for nothing, the circumstances of the sale were "said landowner" had faked his own death on the forums as a way to say goodbye..

Actually in the sim where I'm a tenant we all belong to the same group. Notification of events and things is very easy that way. And how you treat others is important in how they perceive you, regardless of your making a profit.

unfortunately, u dealt with billy madison sry

Isnt' he dead?

There used to be a Tibetan Hermitage in project quickstart as well. I happened on it one day randomly and it was probably the single coolest thing I have stumbled on in second life. The next time I went to check it out, I ran into someone who was part of the group that created it. The place had changed, It was much smaller, and instead of being by itself on the top of a snowland mountain, there were ugly, towering new houses all around it. When I talked to the person there he said that people were trying to force them out and the land was being sold off. Yay.

Meryln,

First let me apologize to you for buying the land. I do not understand what the problem here is, I purchased the entire sim from Billy Madison. Am I not allowed to build on the land I paid real dollars for? Also please note that I am now paying 195.00 dollars a month in tier fees for this property.

Sadly I am unable to be able to afford to let residents live on my land for free, what Billy did has nothing to do with me. His bank account and my own are not one and the same.

Steelwolf Pascal, If I am not mistaking was the one that managed the land for Billy. He has been contacting people to let them know of the changes as they occur and I cannot offer anything better than that.

Do you have some sort of solution to our problem?

yeah he supposedly is dead but just recently celebrated his birthday, eh go fig

just for the record, I don't think it's the case that "[in] every economy the goal is to make as much money as possible."

that's all

Not everyone in the Jaffee group was notified of the change. I know my partner had not been notified, nor myself.

Yes the land at Jaffee has been sold, and yes it puts a crimp in the SLives of our tennants and myself. I do not fault our new owner for his purchase and his following decision to do with the sim as he feels right, it is his now. The way the notification went could have been better, but we all have communication difficulties at times. To clarify and dispell rumors from Kazuo, the tibetan monastary here was nice, yes, but the person who set it up was extremely pushy and was spreading his monastary by talking folks into coming to the land, get free homespace, and then turn it over to the monastary, it was very much against what the land was set up for at the time, to give new people a place to build their OWN HOME for free, we ended up having to limit his build to a single person's allotment of space so as to be fair with the other residents on the land, he decided to go elsewhere instead and left with no small amount of grief left behind. The owners of the sim were not "forced out" by anymeans, he simply sold it as was his right, and to someone he knew. So I am afraid Kazuo's statement was made without (hardly any) knowledge of the facts.

Kazo, thanks for the kind words about our Tibetan Hermitage project. Indeed, things did get strange on Jaffe with Mr Billy and we pulled out of there not long after Quick Start had launched. A brave lay monk named Justice Faddoul managed a small meditation site there for awhile, but Jaffe was pretty much lost already. Steelwolf Pascal, who was the volunteer manager, is a kind and intertesting guy, however.

The good news is that the Milarepa Land Trust has relaunched Drak Yerpa in a beta terraform at Zoe, plus temple sites at Free Tibet in Wakeley (called Drolma Lhakhang) and Refugio (just down the hill from the Barbie Club, SL's busy escort service). We've just lauched a project with the Support for Healing sim too, expected to start and complete in the next few weeks. Come visit anytime!

(You can join the Drak Yerpa group in SL for future updates and event notices. Or, for non-joiners of all persuasions, there is the Flying Monks blog: http://flyingmonks.blogspot.com/)

Some cool stuff!

These Buddhist temples are just what I was looking for today.

I woke up, tapped my head, and said "I wanna find some Buddhist temples in SL that would make the Rza smile". I'm on my way.

Steelwolf, a correction must be made:
You wrote: "the tibetan monastary here was nice, yes, but the person who set it up was extremely pushy and was spreading his monastary by talking folks into coming to the land, get free homespace, and then turn it over to the monastary"

That's just silly, we were already on Jaffee with permission before anyone else arrived, including yourself. There was no crass land grab with religious minions fronting for a private estate. We stood our ground for a short while, in the efforts to establish a public hermitage and meditation site, then gave up. A Stupa was deleted -- nasty! -- and the build was edited. The mountain had degenerated and we were getting grief for doing something that we had been granted permission for by the former landlord, now infamous Mr Billy.

It's sad how things go in Second Life sometimes. Jaffee was a beautiful mountain. And I do think the ethics of offering free land, then policing it into a suburban mess, then evicting everyone for a casino, all within less than a few months are questionable.

Heck, Billy was talking about building a whole network of free-to-live sims at the time, pushy Buddhists included, and we hoped to add rich content, deliver a bit of extra dwell. Tho we had no idea how strange things would become. The land experiment at Jaffee was, in hindsight, probably doomed anyway for various reasons. Which is another sad thing as SL needs more public, hybrid spaces that aren't just private builds or malls or casinos.

Quote :"unfortunately, u dealt with billy madison"

Im glad Billy let me live on his land all these months ...for free......

I will point out to Oyun that when the owner of a land decides that the rules for his property change, then the residents need to follow those changes instead of "holding their ground". The Tibetan project was indeed there earlier, but when the owner tells you that the conditions for your being there have changed and you are told that, no, you may not expand in the manner you are doing, you do not go looking for ways to get around those rules. I am very sorry that you had difficulties in Jaffee sim, but you were indeed pushy and you were trying to get around the rules as set down. When I took over the manager's position it was explained that the sim was to be used for individuals (not groups) to be able to build homes on, not commercial or public spaces. This was clearly explained and you still continued to try to push your point. You were inviting people to join your group, come to Jaffee, and enlarge the monastary, not to be part of the Jaffee Quickstart project itself, but to be part of a separate public entity within the Quickstart land. This was in direct defiance of the wishes of the landowner. This was, frankly, very surprising coming from someone calling themselves bhuddist, especially since bhuddism is the path that I follow. While I will acknowledge that billy deleted items and the like, it was only after your refusal to listen and you did not make things easy on yourself with your own actions. I worked diligently to be fair to everyone and and the fact that you decided to leave when you could not get around the rules should reflect strongly on the fact that you would not follow those rules to begin with. I am not one for confrontations, but when untruths or distortions are made then I will speak, for the truth and honesty must prevail no matter what robes the distorter may wrap himself in.

Steelwolf, we left because Jaffee had become a huge hassle. Rules changed at random; "the landowner" Billy Madison, it turns out, was not known for his consistency. A Stupa that was OK one day gets deleted the next with no notice, for example, because there was a notecard script and ambient sound, all there from the beginning. (Want to piss of a Buddhist? Destroy a few stupas!)

I think it's very noble of you to defend the Jaffee project and Billy's role in it, but the whole thing crashed and burned not because of the residents, but ultimately because of its ownership and management. Heck, we both know that Billy even created an alt (named Cocain Columbia) to disturb the peace incognito and test your skills as a manager -- which I thought was quite disrespectful to you, treating you like some lowly employee. That's when I knew it was time to get out of Jaffee.

So if you want to back Billy, that's your choice, of course, but I'm not sure if he would have done the same for you.

In opening I would like to shout a big hoorah for Mr. Steele-Wolfe Pascal for having the courage to stand up for what is right.

I have been a resident of Jaffee almost since the beginning. I say this not out of knowledge of how long billy madison had owned the sim, as I do not know him any more or less than any of the other residents, but because when I was given a piece of land for my own, there was almost no one there. Very few homes had been set up at the time.

I for one appreciate the opportunity that billy madison provided as I had no where to call mine and did not really have the funds to afford me the luxury of purchasing and maintaining the costs for a piece of land in SL. Obviously many other individuals share this condition or there would not have been so many people coming to Jaffee and taking advantage of the generousity of billy madison.

By the time the sale of Jaffee occurred, there were so many houses on the sim that my modest snow cabin was beginning to get swallowed up by all the other homes around me. I had to put it up on blocks just to be able to manage to see it when navigating home.

There was alot of people there, needless to say, and all at the expense of billy madison. I don't know about the rest of the Jaffee residents, but I must confess I would not have been of a mind to be so generous.

Free enterprise is each individuals right to execute at their will. Billy madison is no exception and it is selfish of any of the residents to be of the opinion otherwise. Honestly, how many of you would say that you would have been willing to absorb the loss of at least $400.00 in tier fees that I know of, having been a resident for around one and a half to two months, and the original cost of the sim, which from what I understand was no small amount.

For whatever reasons which are his own, billy decided he no longer wished, or was no longer able to afford to (as the case may be), to continue to support the costs of owning and maintaining the sim. He had the right to manage to at least re-coop his costs for buying and maintaining the sim and even making a tidy profit to boot. Anyone who says they would not have done the same is most likely a liar and a fraud. That, or they are Mother Teresa, and she is dead, so not likely.

The residents of Jaffee owe billy madison a thank you and the respect of not bad mouthing him for his choices.

Most of you are still new enough to take advantage of the first land sales opportunities available to new members and those who are older than 180 days could probably get SL to afford them the opportunity at first land deal opportunities because of the conditions that have occurred with Jaffee.

If not, well then that's the way it goes sometimes. Billy gave you all a place to call home no matter how short a period that time may have been and that is more than any of you had to begin. The Jaffee project was intended to afford help to those who had no other options due to whatever various curcumstances may have existed. There was never any implication that this was a permanent condition for those of us who resided at Jaffee. Even trusts run dry and eventually the Jaffee trust was bound to run dry as well. Did any of you expect that it wouldn't. Hello, reality check. None of the now former residents of Jaffee have any business compaining.

Thanks billy for the opportunity to have a place to call home when I was a newbie. If I am ever in a position to offer the same to you don't hesitate to take advantage of it, as it is the least I can do for you for the generosity you have afforded myself and the other residents of Jaffee.

One other thing, billy madison has no control over what will become of Jaffee. And the new owner has a right to take advantage of free enterprise, as so many others have been given the freedom to do in the past here in SL. Some say we don't need another casino, etc. in SL. I quite agree. But until there is enough of an outcry from most or all of the members of the SL community, then each and every person has the same right to free enterprise as the next guy.

Change will only occur if people care enough to make a stand. I for one am willing to afford my efforts to such a proposal. I have read in several posts that there needs to be limitations on the free enterprise available here in SL. That there should be "zoning laws". This isn't a bad idea. Bear in mind that even residentally designated pieces are going to be subject to free enterprise and the land sharks are still going to be there buying low and selling high. So for those who hope to see free enterprise controlled, that isn't going to happen.

But a policy enacting some form of control is definitely not a bad idea. But can only be effective from the starting point on. You can't inject a policy of "residental" area only into a sim that is full of casinos, etc. What is there is there and those who don't like what they are surrounded by may have to make the choice to sell what they have and acquire a piece of property else where. But perhaps a policy can be enacted to control future sims.

I agree with the opinions of many other SL members that some control needs to exist for the quantity of "adult" services and establishments that exist in relation to the overall surface space and member count, as well as cost and demand pricing control standards for land purchasing.

I for one, while not minding the numorous, (and I use that term loosely), establishments that offer sex toys and services, would prefer not to see them on every street corner. And regardless of the fact that this is a virtual world and so it is "pretend", it is also a community of real people with different ideals, backgrounds and morals and they need to be able to co-exist in a balanced manner. I don't think that it is unreasonable to set forth certain standards for all in order to see to it that that balance is maintained.

I happen to live in an area of the United States that maintains very loose control of these same services and prostitution is legal. I have lived with it my whole life because I grew up in this state. It is not something that has effected me in a bad or good way either way. It is just something that is, and is no more or less foriegn to me than the grocery store down the street. It does not create a rampant display of sexual oddities and appetites to occur right out on the streets of this city. However, if there was no control of these establishments and services, then the statement above may not continue to ring as the truth.

Therefore, I for one would encourage some control over the direction in which the SL world and community proceeds to grow. Anyone feeling the same is invited to IM me and lend there support of this proposition and if enough responses to this invitation are offered, then what we will have is a "community outcry" for control, which as I stated above, is the only way to bring about change. I can assure you that I would offer all my energy and efforts to support, pursue, and/or lead such an effort.

But no one person can manage such a change, so people need to make up there minds and make a stand for what they feel or want from, and for, this virtual world each of us has chosen to be a part of. Every civilization in the history of mankind was established and refined by the efforts of it's community members and this virtual world is no different. The members of the SL community need to recognize this and proceed accordingly.

Make a choice. It is the choices of the current members of this community that will define the future for this world of ours. And it is ours. Linden may have invented and created it, but it has generously afforded each and every member full control of the manner and direction which it has proceeded to grow. So, once again. Make a choice. Because if no one does, then this may not end up being the fairytale world it was likely to have been intended to be. Salutations and best wishes to all members of SL and a word of encouragement for some feedback to this post. Thank you.

I can only say again Oyun, that the things you were doing with your Tibetan Project went very much against what the sim was for, you were appraised of the fact that no noisemakers and no talking scripts were allowed on the land, you put those things out AFTER you were told so, so their removal was well warranted. The Tibetans would not be so disrespectful as to erect a stupa against the wishes of the land owner. Your trying to smear me and billy with your distortions do not serve you well. Again the land owner has the RIGHT to make any changes they desire and since you were not able to follw the rules as set, you ended up with negative results, Karma in action. Billy also had the right to test my capabilities as a manager, and in dealing with you, a reticent resident, I passed with flying colors because I would not let you trash the rules here. Again, your own actions defined what happened to you...end of discussion!

I'd like to say I agree with most of what you say, however, I do not agree that when someone purchases land, that they should be held to some sort of boundaries as to what they wish to do with that property. People who own an entire sim pay a lot of real money for this and should be allowed to do so as they wish, even those who own small parcels, they pay real money for this and a monthly fee on top of it, they should not be restricted to a controlled an enviroment, that is what PG sims are for.
For those who feel that the sex objects and casinos are to much to bare then you should maybe concider living in a PG sim.
Over the years of being an SL resident and it is longer then my profile says, they have put some restrictions on what can be done, unless you own an entire island, the land is only editable to a certain point, thus making a better view for other residents, go to some of the old sims, shipley for instance and the surrounding area's, those sims have been minuplated completely past what they once were, making them ugly to look at, but alas, we come back the basics, these people pay real money for this and they should be allowed to create what they desire, this is why it's called second life, if it were so much like 1st life with all the restrictions, and the HOA codes and the you can't paint your house this color, or you can't have that car parked out on the street, then why would anyone play? What would be the point? This place was founded on the idea to create whatever your imagination could dream up, why would anyone want to put restrictions on others desires or creativity.
Not all things in life are fair or pretty to look at, but this is a part of life.
In conclusion, for the residents of Jaffee who were there for free and are now completely upset by the turn over, this also is a part of life, it happens every day in a some what unfair world, this is no reason to bad mouth anyone. The person who bought Jaffee has the perfect right to do with it as he wishes and no restrictions should be put upon him, and no one should expect that he would continue to let you live there for free.
I'd like to say that maybe some of you should up your account to premium and pay a monthly fee and then purchase land and then come back here and tell me how you would feel if someone came over to you and said, I'm sorry but you can't build that, it's ugly or it's a casino, or it's not to my liking, honestly, I think all of you who are complaining are being selfish.
Now for the last note, someone mentiones this guys points on his profile, SL use to allow you to rate people with a very small fee, an L$ per rating, they upped that to 25L$'s, so not very many people will rate anymore, this does not mean that this person is bad, it just means that he may not be a social guy running around to all the SL events or that he's a newer SL resident, this is no reason to bad mouth him, unless you have met this person face to face and sat down and talked to him, what right does anyone have to bad mouth him or claim he's a bad person because his points are not high, really to me this all seems very immature and very selfish, go pay the monthly fee's and the land tiers and then tell me you still feel the same way, most of you who are complaining were living for free on someone else's land, you have no right to decide what should be and what shouldn't be done with that person land or whom ever bought it.
Do have a nice day.

yup, that's us: crazed reckless Buddhists, breakin rules, pushy, psycho cult weidos...

Hope Billy rewarded you with something. I don't envy you being his apologist at this particular time

Frankly I am not apologising for billy, He will do ( and has done) as he will do. I am merely pointing out the truth of the situation and your actions Oyun, which is that you were (and still are) being pushy about the situation that occured and you are unable to accept your own inappropriate actions in respect to this, such as using an alt to claim more land for yourself and the siting of items. The fact that you are trying to put negative words in my mouth proves the fact that you do not observe the normal boundaries of politeness and in fact are trying to be inflammatory of the situation. I happen to be bhuddist myself so the words you are trying to affix to me just dont fly. You are doing a great job of proving me right.

that was probably his way of trying 2 repent 4 faking his own death on here