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May 8, 2006, 7:32pm

It's almost time for the CY nominations to begin! Start thinking about who
or what you would like to nominate for a CY award and on May 26th the
Cyawards world will open to the public so you can cast your votes! You will
have a full week to decide before the nominations close.

There have been lots of new builds, lots of new worlds and lots of
inovations this past year. Let's all make the 2006 CY Awards the best one
yet! After all, the CYs are all about you - the CommunitY.

http://www.awcommunity.org/cyawards/

May 8, 2006, 8:34pm

again I ask....are R and X worlds eligible for CY nominations and awards
this year

sweets

May 9, 2006, 10:49am

There is a simple policy for world ratings. Any world with a rating of G
through R can be nominated in the categories listed.
Remember - pornography is not allowed and will be eliminated from the
process. This is as fair as it can be to all parties concerned.

[View Quote]

May 9, 2006, 1:33pm

well no not exactly...restricting the X worlds from competing is NOT fair. I
said NOTHING about pornography...my world is X and is amazing. Really
annoyed that again this year it will not be eligible for anything other than
scorn...If you are running an award ceremony for ActiveWorlds, it would be
nice if all worlds were considered part of this process. Our money seems
good enough, why not our art.

One person's porn may be another person's art....been to a museum
lately??...Guess not, they show breasts and penises...oh my....they even
show them kissing *faints.....

www.geocities.com/tefany44/send/zerotolerance.jpg

sweets

May 9, 2006, 1:40pm

/me sees a temp change from X to PG or something.. look sweets, no porn?
then change it from X.. fixed. Remember that children are here and you
cant allow that kind of stuff in the general awards. When was the last
time you saw a porn movie at the oscars? make your own awards for Adult
worlds.

May 9, 2006, 2:01pm

why should I make my own awards for something cy should already be
giving?...CY represents supposedly all of AW....AW allows X worlds....then
awards should be allowed also. X means adult, period. We have always had X
rating for the freedom of art and design. We are not and never have been a
porn world

Adult worlds, X, used to be allowed in the awards, and there was never any
trouble about it. has only been a couple years everyone seems to have become
such prudes about sex, drugs and rock and roll LOL....

this restriction bans about 50 worlds, some of them absolutely amazing in
design.....We are not Gorean, but to me this restriction seems to be a way
to ban all Goreans, Ds, or anyone that seems to be 'that' way.....plain and
simple it is prejudism at its best at AW, and this award restriction this
years does nothing to encourage anyone to visit or enjoy what some of us
have worked very hard to create....

is it so damned hard to have another category in the CY that is only for
X....allowing X, as it used to be?

this award ceremony is just plain not fair, the restriction against X worlds
that are supposedly part of this community....this restriction only makes it
worse allthis prejudism against X worlds, and will only make the adults
leave, taking their wallets and worlds with them....as you may have already
noticed happening....

sweets

May 9, 2006, 3:16pm

Hi Sweets:)

I feel the need to input some information here that pertains to some
information that was given to me first hand when I was organizing the Cys.
When the Cys became rated they had to abide by the rules and involve only
family related worlds.
I can tell you that I spoke to a lawyer and was told that if my organization
involved non family rated material in any way, and a non adult visited a non
family rated world because they had learned about it from the Cys, I would
be personally liable if a parent wanted to sue.
When I learned of that, I let Gorean world owners know and most of them
thanked me and also mentioned that they did NOT want to entice children to
their worlds and would prefer not to be on a nomination list nor voting
list.
Some of them are parents also, and thoroughly appreciated our concern for
theirs and others children.
The onset of not allowing adult rated worlds into the Cys occurred when I
found out about the Internet ratings that had been established, and had
sought legal advice. You may also have noticed that is when AWI also had to
add the world ratings box to their browser.
I might suggest that if a person wishes to share their creativity with the
community, perhaps loading their items into a world that can be rated to
accommodate the masses? But only that world would be mentioned on any lists.
I am sure you can understand the position the Cys have been put in with the
implementation of rating laws on the Internet.
I also don't think that X rated worlds are leaving Activeworlds because of
the Cy Awards.
I truly hope that you and others interested in submitting your creations can
come up with a solution that will meet the Internet rating laws and be able
to participate in future Cy Awards.

Sincerely,
AlphaBit Phalpha

<snip>

May 9, 2006, 3:52pm

sweet.
If you claim that world is't pornograpic or has offensive nature, maybe you
should read http://www.activeworlds.com/help/aw36/world_rating.html
and then maybe change your world rating.

And I tottaly agree FlyYukon answer as well.

You dont see porn movies at Oscar, same as you not gonna see it at Cy.

Teng

[View Quote]

May 9, 2006, 4:58pm

We have children involved in the Cy's voting......I dont think they should be
exposed to adult material.....please lets keep the values here....thanks:))))))

[View Quote] > sweet.
> If you claim that world is't pornograpic or has offensive nature, maybe you
> should read http://www.activeworlds.com/help/aw36/world_rating.html
> and then maybe change your world rating.
>
> And I tottaly agree FlyYukon answer as well.
>
> You dont see porn movies at Oscar, same as you not gonna see it at Cy.
>
> Teng
>
[View Quote]

May 9, 2006, 5:07pm

The Children! WONT SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!

Besides, oh noes the nasty over 21s only worlds.

--
- Mark Randall
http://www.temporal-solutions.co.uk

"We're Systems and Networks..."
"It's our job to know..."

May 9, 2006, 5:38pm

I think you may need a new lawyer. The line between R and X is so close as
to be non-existant so allowing one and not the other is a farce. Both are
part of this 'family' supposedly.

As for the children 'getting in' and seeing something they saw advertised at
the CY, do you not remember the Rating Password that Parents have the option
of using?. This little feature negates your argument of a 'family person'
finding an X rated world by error. AW covered their asses on that one, and
it also applies to any awards, or should.

You can not be sued for a minor 'finding' a world that can be appropriately
BLOCKED by password by the parent. so that argument is out.

I would not nominate my world anyway as I always found the voting structure
of the CY to be more of a popularity contest than a contest of actual
skill...a joke...but that is another discussion completly. I would like
acknowledgement from the 'community' that we exist and do perform some great
work.

Let the parents protect their own children, but give us our JUST rewards.
Adults...R and X....we are people too.

sweets

May 9, 2006, 6:05pm

Well, I like and trust my lawyer so I will keep him and definitely take his
advice over yours unless you have legal documentation that proves otherwise
on this issue?

The rating password may cover Activeworlds, however, I refused to put myself
or anyone involved in the Cys in a precarious situation.

It surely sounds like your issue is more something to be taken up with the
community as a whole. Please don't use the Cy Awards as the main issue here.

Sweets, please talk to other X rated world owners and you will find that I
truly respect and admire their creations. I understand and believe everyone
in Activeworlds are people and deserve equal respect. What you are possibly
experiencing is a dissing from people who are biased for their own reasons
be it right or wrong. But issues like these need to be taken up with the
parties concerned ok please?

Thank you,
Bit

<snip>

May 9, 2006, 6:13pm

Sweets, what kind of horrible world do you live in where parents take
basic responsibility for their children, and comapnies only have to give
ample warning and tools for parents to control their children's
activities with no way for the child to access without circumventing the
password or having a lazy parent that didn't bother to set it??

What next, the bouncer and lobby of a strip club will be legaly enough
to allow their operation?? What if a child was to get hold of a tank or
even a large truck or van and ram it through the front (or any wall) of
the building and saw a... forgive my graphic language, but.. a boob.

If such an event happend, the club would be liable for millions.
Although no amount of money can cure a tainted child, that will have to
live the rest of his (probably short) life with the memory of that
picture of a boob, or lumpy low-poly nude avatar. I should know, it's
something I stuggle with every day... I'm sorry I can't go on...

May 9, 2006, 6:15pm

No matter unless u have a hella friends u dont stand a chance, Its a
popularity contest and my bot showed me the proof of that.
[View Quote]

May 9, 2006, 6:29pm

LOL if your lawyer was any good he would have seen that 'out' (loophole),
but maybe you did not mention the feature to him then. I just hope if you
did, you never need him for anything REALLY serious LMAO

I would think that the Awards for effort at ActiveWorlds, represented by CY,
and the PR for such Awards advertised in NewsGroup, are the "parties
concerned". PR means public relations, yet I had to push to even get an
answer on this subject from Tart Sugar, who I suppose is the PR
representative. We are the public also, like it or not. We exist and should
have rights too. That is all I want.

No awards last year, was more fair and honourable than awards that negate
the work of so many great worlds.

sweets

May 9, 2006, 6:39pm

Well Sweets,

This is going nowhere now.
If you are so concerned about adult rated worlds being acknowledged with an
award, I suggest you get off your duff and start a new awards.
Put up or shut up...please:)

If I can be of any further assistance please let me know.
BTW...I am in no way speaking as a Cy Awards representative. Just a
concerned citizen.

Bit
<snip>

May 9, 2006, 6:48pm

I will shut up after this one....because putting up is useless.....No matter
what awards come up, CY is the Golden Award. Until the attitude at CY
changes, the attitude in AW to our worlds will never change....and its
killing us slowly

so I shut up....and possibly in the future pack up....as so many have
already done....not because of CY, but because of the 'attitude' that awards
such as CY cause that causes the 'biased' attitude you talked of.

Your loss

sweets

May 9, 2006, 7:03pm

And this is my final say;

Back when bingo existed IT was accused of being biased towards adult rated
worlds.
No matter what event, no matter what organization, if someone is offended
during the event, or by someone who was present at the event...the event or
organization gets blamed. I did the Cys for too many years to not recognize
this.
Seriously, take the persons that are dissing your concerns aside and invite
them for tea or something. Talk to them and listen to them. You might be
amazed at the outcome with some productive communication happening.
I hope you don't pack up and leave. I don't know you, but you sound like a
very caring and concerned person. Look at the whole picture. Think outside
of the box. It works!:)
Take care Sweets:)
Bit
<snip>

May 9, 2006, 8:38pm

Sorry to say Ciena, but your bot doest tell anything.
Why?
Because it up to every single person to visit worlds that are nominated.
No one can force them to do so.
I would like to know your solutions for public vote awards, where
"popularity" is avoided as well.
Because it is like with Movies, a very good movie, get a lot of visitors,
and often win a oscar.
But movies that is not good, will not win.
Same is it in AW, if it is very popular world; it is a big chance it will
win, because many like it, and will because of that vote on it.

People should vote on what they like, I call that democracy, and hope it
stays that way.





[View Quote]

May 9, 2006, 10:16pm

> Sorry to say Ciena, but your bot doest tell anything
it tells me only 3 people even looked,
> Because it up to every single person to visit worlds that are nominated.
> No one can force them to do so.
Thats exactly why its not an honest vote
> I would like to know your solutions for public vote awards, where
> "popularity" is avoided as well
A comittee of honest people like the SAW awards had would be one solution.
All the ones that voted and didnt take the time to look at them all did not
give an honest vote.
> Because it is like with Movies, a very good movie, get a lot of visitors,
> and often win a oscar.
> But movies that is not good, will not win.
How can u compare to a movie? If NO ONE went to the movies how would anyone
know if the movie is good or not?
> Same is it in AW, if it is very popular world; it is a big chance it will
> win, because many like it, and will because of that vote on it.
there ya go! thats popularity. They like it because friends hang out there
not because it has good builds.
> People should vote on what they like, I call that democracy, and hope it
> stays that way.
How do they know what they like if they havent looked at others??
How can u choose between peanut butter and jelly if u never tasted it
befor??
[View Quote]

May 9, 2006, 10:38pm

The Academy awards are voted by an Academy of 'experts' not the general
public. Otherwise they'd just count up box-office returns. People who
vote on the movies must watch all the nominees.

Undeserving or politically/financially motivated outcomes often happen,
but that will happen with any voting, but at least its a sort of middle
ground between an outright uninformed popularity contest and judging.

Although what's the big deal, if you don't like the way the CY's work,
you don't need to play.

I don't like American Idol, so I don't watch it or enter it. That's not
to say I can't complain about it, but I should keep in perspective that
its only and meaningful as I make it. Which, in the case of the CY's,
has always been a big 0. Yet I'd never try to take the fun away from
those who DO enjoy it.

Sweets, check out the SAW awards, its got some good promise and as its
not decided by a pack of pre-teens I'm pretty sure ALL worlds are
considered. The first one went off pretty good, and I think the next
will be even better.

May 9, 2006, 11:47pm

I've read every post here regarding your issue and I have no idea why it is
even an issue. Every rating except X is allowed. So, if you really want your
world to be included, why is it rated X? Are you trying to keep certain
people out? Is there truly X rated material in your world? If so, then even
if your world were allowed in the Cy's then a lot of the people who could
vote for you would not be able to get into your world in the first place nor
be able to have any opinion on why they should vote for your world. This is
a dead horse, and I truly believe it is a smart move to keep X rated out of
the family orientated Cy awards.

<snip>

The Classification and Ratings Board was created in response to a
national cry for some kind of regulation of film content. During the 1960s,
the social pressures of an ever evolving country fostered a sense of concern
for the new topics and issues being explored by the creative industries,
namely in the movies. The motion picture industry sought to find a balance
between preserving creative freedoms and notifying people about films
content so that people could make decisions about what movies they wanted to
see and what movies were appropriate for their children.

Former President of the MPAA Jack Valenti worked with the National
Association of Theatre Owners to create a new and, at the time,
revolutionary approach to fulfilling the movie industry's self prescribed
obligation to the parents of America. On November 1, 1968, NATO, MPAA and
IFIDA announced the birth of the new voluntary film rating system of the
motion picture industry.

The initial design called for four rating categories:

a.. G for General Audiences, all ages admitted
b.. M for mature audiences, parental guidance suggested but all ages
admitted
c.. R for Restricted, children under 16 not be admitted without an
accompanying parent or adult guardian (this was later raised to 17 years of
age, and varies in some jurisdictions)
d.. X for no one under 17 admitted
The rating system trademarked all the category symbols, except the X.
Under the plan, anyone who did not submit his or her film for rating could
self-apply the X or any other symbol or description, except those
trademarked by the rating program.

The original plan had been to use only three rating categories.
Valenti felt that parents ought to be able to accompany their children to
any movie the parents choose, without the movie industry, government or
self-appointed groups interfering with their rights. But NATO urged the
creation of an adult-only category, fearful of possible legal redress under
state or local law. Hence, the four-category system, including the X rating,
was installed.

Hence, the emergence of the voluntary rating system filled the vacuum
provided by the dismantling of the Hays Production Code. The movie industry
would no longer disapprove the content of a film, but would now see its
primary task as giving advance cautionary warnings to parents so they could
make the decision about what movies their children see.

CHANGES IN THE RATING SYSTEM
After the creation of the rating system, the board found that the M
category (mature) was regarded by most parents as a sterner rating than the
R (restricted) category. To remedy this misconception, the rating was
changed from M to GP (general audiences, parental guidance suggested). A
year later the name was revised the name to its current label, PG: (parental
guidance suggested).

In July of 1984 the PG category was split into two groups- PG and
PG-13. PG-13 meant a higher level of intensity than was to be found in a
film rated PG. Over the past years, parents have approved of this amplifying
revision in the rating system. In September of 1990 two more revisions were
announced. First, the board began giving brief explanations of why a
particular film received R ratings. Since, in the opinion of the Ratings
Board, R rated films contain adult material, they believed it would be
useful for parents to know a little more about that film's content before
they allowed their children to accompany them. Sometime later the board
began applying the same explanations in the PG, PG-13 and NC-17 categories
as well. These explanations are available to parents at the theater (by
telephone or at the box office), in certain media reviews and listings, and
are made available at www.mpaa.org and filmratings.com.

The second change was in the X category which then became NC-17 (no
one 17 and under admitted). The X rating over the years appeared to have
taken on a surly meaning in the minds of many people, something that was
never intended when the system was created. Therefore, the board chose to
reaffirm the original intent of the design that was installed on November 1,
1968, in which the adults only category explicitly describes a movie that
most parents would want to have barred to viewing by their children. These
ratings were all trademarked and can only be used to for film ratings.
<snip>


begin 666 ratings_histor_hdr.gif
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M`````````````````````````"'Y! ``````+ ````!L`! at ```7_X",^46F>
M:*JN;.N^,#R2<6W?>'[.>N__.!YP2"Q&A,:DLH9<.I^H)G2ZE%*O1"MJP!T(
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M".C5S0 at `YA&K=E'"+',)Z]MS at 0#4CH<<3%H`84& =0&F"1 at D$$" `ZF\-:.S
M($*W.9;8`"SQ3A.?",02!"#0+6&\%(PB_[P;!$G2- at $0MA&T0XS-'%F9" at 9P
M1<!5`7HE8":P1##0M at $$1PH,;-=18NOYJ0BA at ;"4A6,$A80"I+51E<FYJE\
MI54`LW5BJC&+&&E25TW?SK at *!/;MIZ-UVQF QX*1P(J#"!!+Q\P,A#XEND6(
M*Q 2' 2!"!QC>*)F8 at B at ' at 4P4&C2X1)_#!I;3.U,'+=8[:DPU':!6656([B:
MQ%? at MC]+7Q=<I0U%X!(?<5N;)FOV at (/7:L4\P<QA7]4I.,F"Y8G4KUD.9'7:
M%4&Z`%DP"\#2=:*2B>W2:VTO83V7GNLF'&U[+ at *+2 at 0#YD"R7WY.GA8I)7%
D`04TP 9__2G 5A=J]2'HH X!/B at A2M!-:"%]-%RHH0HA```[
`
end

May 9, 2006, 11:54pm

<snip>
These ratings were all trademarked and can only be used to for film
ratings.
<snip>


OOPS!!! Does that mean that activeworlds is in violation of trademark laws?
HOLY ****!

May 10, 2006, 12:14am

I did not hear anything about the SAW awards until unfortunately it was
pretty much over. But I do think it has promise. From what I have read not
many did know of it because of its newness but all the comments were pretty
favourable, and it seemed to be run on more of a fair basis of judging than
CY ever had.

I checked out the winners as am always curious about good builds and was a
nice surprise to see was NOT all G and PG and there were some pretty amazing
places by the pics that I hope to soon visit to get a closer look....matter
of fact I was shocked that it was so fair LOL after checking how the
'voting' had been done....

I think I read was Maki who did this new award, to whoever it was, good work
and hope to see the 2nd anual next year.

sweets

May 10, 2006, 12:31am

the really ironic part of all this is that we have always been X rated so as
NOT to offend anyone. Because the rating is such a fine line between PG13, R
and X, and people's cultures could be different in that regard also, we
always had X so that anyone coming knew that there was a possibility of
viewing something they may take offense to. Key word 'possibility'....Not
that the world itself is offensive.

it does seem a little funny to me that self rating could be allowed as the
guideline for CY.....any world can change from X to R or lower, to enter the
CY, then change it later. Rating is not imposed on us by AW or judged by
anyone but the owner, or complaints to AWI. X ensured less complaints from
the more feeble stomached person. They know who they are. It does not mean
the world is bad, it is a warning. Builds can range from G to X on one
world, but a G build will not be permitted because it is on an X world.

sweets

May 10, 2006, 1:27am

is there any AWI delegation that could come to a world that is not sure of
what the rating should be, fairly judge it, so that if we do chose wrong we
are not just wiped out as threatened in the guidelines? No. We always took
X to be safe (better safe than sorry), for artistic freedom, for freedom of
speach, but it seems we should be more sorry than anything. By trying to be
overprotective of other people's feelings seems we have given ourselves a
bad name. And that was not the intention of any form of Ratings structure
imposed....films, internet (Aw would be more right to follow the internet
gaming/chat rules and ratings than film industry anyway....and they are a
bit more strict on violence in their ratings than in sexual content...btw)

sweets

May 10, 2006, 12:07pm

Now you're talkin' !! :) I have a number of worlds here in AW and have
never ever been sure of myself when rating them. The guidelines were not
meant for this medium and it really gets confusing.
ENZO himself once visited the world of a friend of mine and looked at things
she thought were questionable and gave her a thumbs up on a much less
restrictive rating. So who is supposed to know?
Sweets, it's a great idea and I hope you propose this to someone at AWI. If
they are at the top of their game, as they have been for the last several
weeks, you may or may not get a response :( -- in which case I hope you
then draft your own committee and guidelines and present them to JP via
email (he looks at that or has someone do it for him lol).
Leaving the rating to the world owner as an arbitrary decision is only fuel
for disaster. All these references to the SAG and the Oscars: They sure
don't leave it to the movie's producer to rate films! It is done by the
powers that be.
So, it sounds to me like you have hit the nail on the head here and some
positive action to see this to fruition would be great!
Good on ya :)

[View Quote]

May 10, 2006, 1:32pm

*adds a post that ISN'T whining* ......

Very glad to see the CY's back this year, Tart. I'm sure the CY crew will
do a great job this year. :D
--
Syntax | www.swcity.net

[View Quote]

May 10, 2006, 1:59pm

ty, Syntax : ) and I agree.

Lady TeaL has done a wonderful job of bringing it all together.
The CYs are AW's version of the People's Choice Awards. This year the new
builds and new towns and cities plus some fantastic worlds and web sites and
all the inovations ppl are making with bots and new objects, textures and
terrain shoulds make the 2006 CY Awards show an event to remember.


[View Quote]

May 10, 2006, 2:12pm

I agree, sure it's a popularity contest, but things get popular because
they're good.
it might not be perfect,but you can be sure that whatever wins will most
probably be one of the best.

-SWE

[View Quote]

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