Looking into the Looking Glass: Cayenne Republic and the Fantasy Faire Last-Minute Louies

By Prokofy Neva, Virtualtor

The World-Builder Among the Fairy Folk. Artifacture via MidJourney by Prokofy Neva

Times are tough for everyone now -- everyone has a story.

That doesn't mean you got any call to get snippy with me.

Some people will not like this post and feel that it is "mean"; others will golf-clap silently or even cheer. Because I think if ever there was a time that Fantasy Faire was needed by many people -- to help cancer victims, to help people make their living on this platform when they may have no other options; to be something fun and cheerful during bad times -- it's THIS YEAR and that's why the people who delay their builds every year need in the worst way to step up and get them on time, and they people who behave like !@%#!@ every year even if you buy their products need to get over themselves in the worst way.

So you'll be hearing this from me first.

Today's episode is about someone named Cayenne Republic, not to be confused with the more famous Cube Republic who has me banned from his vendor because I criticized the Lindens for featuring people like him on their front page all the time, way back at the dawn of time.

Cayenne Republic has no relation to Cube, but I found this person, who generally seems like a nice girl, is capable of being obnoxious in groups or at various BBB sort of events where they are ubiquitous and of course given the group they are moderating, they are at the center of the Fantasy Faire mystique.

First, a digression on bots, then back to our main theme. They are related.

So recently, there was a discussion about bots in the Looking Glass group -- the usual ill-informed discussion not distinguishing them and not understanding that the beggars in groups are NOT bots and NOT stolen accounts - you can read about it on Zeke's informative post (although I dare say this is not the last word on the subject as some like BJoyful imagine, so I am not genuflecting with QUITE such vigour.)

Why? Because Zeke's advice that "if you have a paid/private group" then it's ok to "go off on them" is stupid, inconsistent with his original remark, and an invitation for these creatures to infest paid groups WHICH THEY DO. I have seen them in groups costing $250 because the "harvest" from such a fancy/expensive crowd may be greater. Some may feel if they peel of $100 from their big roll and feed the nuisance, the begger will go away -- and indeed he will, having copied all your other fancy groups. So why inflict them on others in that way just to prove a nerdy techie point? That's wrong. That's why Zeke is not God for me on this matter, but just helpful up to a point.

Yeah, I get it that he wants you to do nerdy little tricks like making them think their ejection from a group is a new window of opportunity. Blah blah. Who has the time for this freakery?

Zeke imagines that "scripts will time out" and "buttons will manually have to be clicked" as if...playing cat and mouse with evil morons is some kind of deterrence in the world of scriptedness and scripted agents and human agents using scripts. Not so, G.I. In fact that mentality is part of the same evil phenomenon. The capacity of the beggar/scammer is endless, and they may work in tag teams for all they know, so clicking a button, rocking up to an idling avatar that was harvesting and now has to click a button, geez, that's not a thing, you know? Why is this so HARD? We get it that you're "smart" and "work in security in RL" and are a Very Big Deal. But...

In fact Zeke's primer on how to rid groups of obnoxious behaviour, and his turnaround then enabling their behaviour elsewhere in he belief they are deterred by "a manual button" is part and parcel of the horrendous techie cynicism, gleeful superiority, and even nihilism that brought us Elon Musk in the White House and all the woodchippers. Connect the dots, please.

Privacy for Me and Not for Thee.

Bot Infestation for Thee and Not for Me Except for Glee

If you're busy worshipping Primfeed for being a good public service of sorts -- I appreciate that -- and if you are busy  worshipping Zeke because he told you a techie thing, great but do try to use your brains and think your thoughts and feel your feelings a little more here, guys and gals. 

As I have explained in this bot post on the forums, making your group cost just $1 is indeed a way to get rid of a lot of day-old griefers and beggars who won't have had the opportunity or capacity to have bought  Lindens yet -- and may not have payment information on file to do so -- although to cash out of SL their ill-got scam money, they will need to add it. They'd also have to go earn Lindens by begging in groups or by camping or sex work or whatver before they would build up the "working capital" for the scam.

Yes, there's always a nerd in "Friends of Philip" to tell you $1 is no deterrence (waves at Medea). But it is. I know because I don't live in the world of technical 0/1 abstractions and look for 99/100 but look for 87/100 or 47/100. It generally works. I generally never have them. In part because my tenants are too poor. Beggars usually go in shopping groups where they may capture a Lady Bountiful of the mentality like BJoyful herself to feed their scam.

The Looking Glass group is free to join.

I rarely see them because people are in a rental group because they are coerced -- they need it to set prims and make it stay. Of course, they don't HAVE to be in it and can leave, but for some people, paying $1 again is not just a nuisance but a pain point. I get that, but it's staying at $1 because THIS IS WHAT WORKS. If you and your bot swarm need to swarm into my groups now this week to "make a point" that "it doesn't work," that's fine, but I can outlast you and wait until next week when you're tired of your little prank and $1 is generally sufficient to prevent group griefing. You know? 

If The Looking Glass group wants to keep their shopping group free, that's their call. People are free to run their groups as fits them. I think way too much agida is whipped up around the beggars. Zeke has explained that you should by and large not engage them (too bad he wandered off that main point -- complicated enough for a public education exercise -- and got bogged down in his swaggering techie counter-points). If you eject them as moderator, or ignore them as members and just stop talking and go do something else, they go away.

I feel the larger part to understand about bots and beggars is that THE PEOPLE who are behind them are the problem, not the script. And that problem begins to dissolve when we can stand up to them firmly. Human nature is flawed. Of course, THAT point is not one that the technolibertarians and technocommunists are strong on, but they themselves illustrate the concept nicely.

So, if you deal with beggars as a technical or coding problem or devise some set of nerdy methods to combat them like "don't talk in a free group" but conversely "talk in a paid/private group to your heart's content", you miss the point. The brand of evil that these people indulge in is the same evil as in the White House currently -- even if the scale and magnitude are obviously different. You may disagree, but you may concede these are not unrelated. They are intimately related in the persona of Elon Musk, JD Vance, David Sacks, and others. Each and every one of those goons believes "We coded it or funded the tech so we get to run the world."

Once you realize "it's not the script but the human" then you a) show solidarity with other people instead of undermining them as stupid because they didn't learn about/try your nerdy programmer methods; b) AR beggars assiduously even if you never see progress; c) publicize on social media their bad behaviour AND the no-show group managers who enable them; d) become part of the larger public discussion about why we need to have code-as-law and assholes ruling us everywhere, top to bottom.

So, in that group chat, I posted a link to my blog about "Wetsoap" to stress the point that the real problem is not bots per se, but the operators of bots, who have a certain "Better World" mentality -- that is, everything THEY do is "science" or "progress" or a "Better World" but if YOU complain you are gripped in "Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt" (FUD). Baloney.

I think the purpose of a rule about not putting links into a SHOPPING group chat is not to advertise your store, or advertise an event, in a space that is supposed to be for THAT MERCHANT's events, sales, etc. That is the purpose of the rule. It is more than reasonable! I don't have a rule like that in my groups but then I have a different rule which most people have no problem keeping: don't chat in the groups but contact the managers directly unless there is an emergency. 

So personally if I were moderator of a SHOPPING GROUP and someone posted a link to Zeke's somewhat helpful advice about beggars (DO NOT TALK TO THEM AS THEY THEN HARVEST YOUR NAME AND YOUR GROUPS TO SPREAD THE INFESTATION), I would accept that as in the spirit of being a good citizen and realize it was to HELP ALL GROUPS, not some violation of the purpose of the "no links" concept. In fact, I believe that link was allowed (I don' have the bandwidth to go look now).

And I course, someone like Cayenne hates me by definition as "not like them," but even so, I think if I post a link which is about explaining THE KIND OF PEOPLE demanding bots uber alles, and the problem the Characters now present to all of us especially on the Mainland, that is still in the "good citizen" vein in terms of a topical discussion of an issue of the day that should be tolerated. After all, that group rarely has a discussion, and I'm rarely in it. You could use what is known as "discretion."

To be a little nerdy net-nanny and pounce on every use of a link as if it violates the INTENTION of the SHOPPING GROUP's purpose is just to be a myrmidon, and that has to be said. So I do. I contacted her directly in part because with so many groups open and people gabbing away, I didn't immediately understand which group my "offense" had occured in -- and I didn't care WHICH group it was, I would leave it immediately because of said myrmidon and their literalist net-nannying about links.

Hence this chat:

[10:36] Prokofy Neva: Are you the group moderator? Or just a hall monitor?
[14:29] Cayenne Republic: (Saved Sat Mar 01 17:29:27 2025)I am a group moderator, Prok
[14:30] Cayenne Republic: (Saved Sat Mar 01 17:30:38 2025)https://gyazo.com/9781f59f9f16ac62de9e152382254f74
[21:54] Prokofy Neva: Which group is that again, Big Guy? I'll make a point to leave it!
[21:54] Cayenne Republic: The looking glass
[21:54] Prokofy Neva: Oh sure, sure I'll leave that group and be sure not to shop there again. Buh bye!

Too bad, so sad. I like Looking Glass and always have. I am not in with that crowd at all, but I appreciate their style, their hard work, their beautiful sim, their wares, etc. They still use sculpties and that's fine with me, I think that often gives a more natural look. I love some of their old gatchas which I treasure. I'd be happy to drop in on their sales of this or that old or new thing like trees and magic thingies but you know what? No. You have to start ending the prevalence of overweening, smug, preening mugs in SL with a virtual slap sometimes, and I'm here to administer it.

And then upon reflecting about all things Looking Glass (a few years ago, the Looking Glass creators made an entire sim in SL with a chess theme which was really gorgeous and I bought the things and enjoyed the hunt AND they are always at the center of the FF crowd), I decided to press further, and SEND A MESSAGE. Happy to be hated, to be as obnoxious as the day as long on this one:

[21:56] Prokofy Neva: The Fantasy Faire gang are really getting obnoxious. I hope your beloved Wainright and Alia finish their builds on time this year because the girls like the Looking Glass gal who toils away unsung for ages gets her store/build done on time. You know? Just saying. Why don't you expend your hall-monitoring energies on that sort of thing?
[21:56] Cayenne Republic: shove it up your ass, Prok
[21:56] Prokofy Neva: I don't shove things up my own ass, Cayenne Pepper, but you can shove it up yours. Bye!

I stand fully by my words; they are not said in a moment of anger; they are said after reflection and I'll say them again til the cows come home.

I have little use for Walton Wainright and the Contraption crowd after their disgraceful behaviour and mob persecution of me because -- Heaven Forfend -- I objected to their Fearless Leader's dunking on an anti-rez script.  In fact, since Walton has at least been civil to me on several occasions -- he is more of a gentleman than people like the emotionally disturbed Vae Victis gal who banned me from her sim, her vendor, etc. and her even under the Hexem brand -- which she unceremoniously closed down recently. 

I have a lot more time for Alia Baroque who I think is really the finest gentleman on the grid who is generous, kind, and overworked more than most. Alia is one of those people who provides fun and even profit for OTHER PEOPLE on the grid at HIS OWN EXPENSE of time, treasure, and sleep. So I really appreciate him, truly I do, and always have from the moment I first met him when a neighbour told me I could IM him to ask for the kiosk from his last event which was such a beautiful treasure.

But it's time to call out this chronic lateness at Fantasy Faire from these two and a few others that is a combination of over-commitment, overwork, and frankly the indulgence of the Fairy Queen herself. With about 6 weeks until the Faire opens April 17 and with the "world-builders" presumably already informed, they need to plan and execute their sims on time or turn over that function to others who can.

Plenty of people will think this is not my business; I'm a mere consumer and only a very low-ranking former merchant. But it has to be said. 

I'm sure the vaunted management of Fantasy Faire will never say this, because they rely on a certain core "Company of Faire Folk" to put on the show every year usually at their own expense, not always with the prospect of making back the time of cost and materials I imagine, and they likely don't want to alienate them. No matter that some of them may be among the SL creators who make in the six figures. Most of the six-figure folks of the most popular events are not at Fantasy Faire because, well, they don't make fairy stuff. 

Or perhaps, like me, because they use AI art in their works. I was in it for 3 years running, then dropped out when they inserted the ban on AI art. Which is fine, they can do their thing, I will go on doing mine.

For me, Fantasy Faire was a mammoth amount of time and trouble where sales, even amazing for my little shop, could never cover the cost even of the materials I had to use (full-perm models) -- or perhaps yes, I could a) cover the rather steep booth fee, the lowest of which is $2500; b) cover the cost of the materials; c) eat the loss of sales given the requirement to provide free gifts for the RFL; and d) perhaps make back...$21.17 or whatever it was last time. Whee! 

If you read through the demands  in the application -- and I encourage any creators reading this to apply because the Faire really needs more diversity -- you will see that likely certain favourite creators of yours will be blocked because they use AI art. Not AI advertising, which is the topic of the frenzied divas on the forums and Primfeed. But AI generated images.

I'm glad the Fairies have dropped the crazy idea that "768 textures don't lag" which some Firestorm dev nerd or SOMEBODY sold them on in past years and certain worthies foisted on us It's just not true. Use 512 textures to lighten the load on the server, full stop. Higher resolutions mean more lag, 768 or 1024 or 2048, God forbid. They don't resolve for people so don't use them.

But I'm going to say this louder again: FINISH YOUR FUCKING SIMS ON TIME, DUDES.

Because it's not women doing this, for the most part. It's not even trans women. It's "men at birth" (I hate that term "Cis-gender) who are not "men at work" but lag, drag, sag and don't finish on time even as other men and other women DO without comment, without drama, without making it seem like this is all part of "building anticipation" or whatever nonsense they spin themselves and their nearest and dearest. Just stop. It brings the whole event down.

I personally hate finding in fact one of my favourite creators just not ready, with no store open, or with a sim unfinished that then HARMS THE OTHER STORES on that sim as people then steer away from it. Do they ever think of that?

If you are a store on these much-vaunted and much-blessed sims and you are ENABLING THIS BAD BEHAVIOUR, do stop. For the sake of your fellow creators who ARE DONE ON TIME AND IN FULL. Even if you think the rest of us are peasants and I myself am merely an antagonist.

I can remember a certain very fragile ego having a very high-strung artististic-type melt-downs in the past in this event and others all gathering around and helping them to finish their sim. This dysfunctional behaviour is somehow indulged and even found meritorious among this crowd. But I think it has to be said: if you cannot finish your "world" as a "world-builder" on time, then ask someone else to do THEIR world. Let's have some more diversity among these sims with more new and even old but less feted creators -- there are plenty of them in the wings who would like a chance to show their stuff. 

I do wonder as always how much that event application, in theory open to the public, is really distributed widely. So I will distribute it myself but that's merely a tiny gesture.

FINISH YOUR WORLD ON TIME FOR THE DAY OF SHOW, FANTASY FAIRE MEN, OR LEAVE THE STAGE.

P.S.

People's inworld profiles are usually so much the opposite of what they purport to be. Do you find that? Here's Cayenne's:

"Tut, tut, child! Everything's got a moral, if only you can find it." ~The Duchess

Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things. ~Isaac Newton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnzSkIjrtQ0

Whatever. This isn't, at the end of the day about Cayenne, who is just enabling these people. It's not about me. It's about certain men who rule our world and the need for them to take a seat if they can't build a world on time.

The Belated World-Builder. Artifacture via MidJourney by Prokofy Neva

Comments

[JollyRoger]

More AI Sloop.

[Anon]

This whole blog is honestly just sad. The people you're pissed at won't be here to see you trying to clap back long after they've forgotten they spoke to you.

Literally anything else would be a better use of your time.

[Prokofy Neva]

You're in Calgary then, are you? Maybe stick to one name to be more realistic? BJ, is that you?

It doesn't matter to me who reads my blog or who responds to it or what happens. Plenty of people golf-clapping because they're too scared to clap out loud, that's the real sadness.

Everything I wrote about the Tilia "Enhancement" is true, still true, and has been true since January for many people, and if a few morons or prim-a-donnas on the forums don't experience it, it truly doesn't matter. I'll be as frank, as blunt, as wordy, as harsh as I need to be to people who try to lord it over other businesses on the strength of being a) larger b) non-American or c) smaller or d) American -- absurdities, all of it.

Get a life, any will do, even a second one.

There is class warfare in SL. It is to be fought. There is no "we can all get along" stuff in this authoritarian and oppressive setting. Fight it all you need to. If you think my posts are contradictory it's because you yourself are merely playing a manipulative game. Don't be surprised when other classes fight back against your Pollyanna bullshit. I'm happy to fight any wars that need to be fought using methods compliant with the TOS. Exposure, documentation, these are the methods. Don't find your beloved creator class so pretty? Stay in your lane, then. Don't think land barons should fight others? Don't be a land baron then. Oh, but you were once, and/or made common cause with one of the worst. Truly, you can fuck off in the worst way, then.

[Anon]

I have no idea who you think I am. I don't even own any land to baron over.

You're fighting ghosts of your own making.

[Tubumble]

Prokofy this whole kind of thinking seems a bit oxymorous and self-contradicting. If you want to "do good to SL" and make people aware of how to deal with bot systems - which is fine, why then do you go blatantly slate creators like Alia and The Looking Glass ? What purpose does this have?
Moderators who are only doing their job may have rules such as "don't allow any external links", have NO other choice than to not allow links in group chats. All this hoard of text here, what is the real purpose of it, why did you spend all this time writing it if it not helping literally anyone ? I feel sorry to have read it because I have better things to do.