Uh-oh, here comes the Filipinos! The non-profit group the Diplo Foundation is helping several developing countries open embassies in the virtual world of Second Life, starting with Maldives, Macedonia and the republic of the Philippines. I dropped in on the Philippines embassy to check it out (teleport SLURL). Not much to look at for the…
Category: Virtual Worlds
Is the ‘Net Generation “amusing ourselves to death”?
I just finished reading through Neil Postman’s ground-breaking screed against the dangers posed by television on our culture, Amusing Ourselves to Death, published in 1984. Much of it still rings true today, perhaps even more true, as the dangers he foretells 23 years ago seem self-evident and pervasive today. In light of Postman’s book, I’ve…
Multiple Gay Pride events in SL over June!
It looks during the month of June we will see at least two different sets of organizers putting together in-world gay pride events. Satchmo Prototype announces that "The L Word" community is organizing a series of pride events in June on their sim, featuring both in-world parades and broadcasts of real world parades in LA…
Destroy TV and Walker Spaight united in virtual matrimony
Despite the lag and crashiness, I managed to capture this photo of SL journalist Walker Spaight and android avatar Destroy TV moments after they are wedded before a crowd of cheering and wooting onlookers in Caledon sim. The engagement was only announced in the SL Herald a couple of days ago. I fear the love-struck…
Slideshow of avatars with their creators
Ailin Qin and her avatar Ansche Chung Am I my avatar? Or is it a mask I hide behind? What does my avatar say about me? You can not help but ask yourself these questions after checking out the book Alter Ego: Avatars and their Creators by Robbie Cooper. Cooper does a very simple thing:…
iCommons open internet summit goes multiverse
The iCommons summit brings together several hundred of the major pioneers, big thinkers, activists and developers working for an "open internet." This year’s gathering takes place from June 15-17 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The convocation is full of internet rock-stars like Larry Lessig and Joi Ito of Creative Commons , Wikipedia Founder Jimmy Wales and CTO…
Frank and clever video on doing business in SL
Click To Play Check out this impressive video on doing business in Second Life by marketing firm Inside This World. Narrator and head of ITW, Biscuit Carroll pulls no punches on what he views as corporations who "get it" and those that don’t. Among those that are using SL smartly: Reuters (news and chat), IBM…
Avatars, actors and pundits talk politics on June 4 in multi-verse event
Jordan Bigel sends out news that InWorld Studios is partnering with the Creative Coalition to broadcast in Second Life a real-world discussion on US presidential politics with several prominent pundits, activists, and bloggers. Entitled "Talking the Talk: The Creative Coalition’s 21st Century Debate Dialogue in conjunction with the New Hampshire Presidential Debates," the event will…
Here come the French Spammers, ahem, Marketers to SL
I just got the following press release about two French marketing firms — Tapage Media and Community Chest — joining forces to spread some more ad-love to the metaverse. Here’s the skinny, for those who’s high school French was many, many years ago: Tapage apparently specializes in all sorts of marketing products, from post cards…
Mitch Kapor speaks on young people of color in science and technology tomorrow
The Electric Sheep Company send out news that Lotus Notes creator and Linden Lab board chair Mitch Kapor will be talking about his work to encourage young people of color to study science and technology this Thursday, May 24 at 8pm PST. Mitch is on the board of the Level Playing Field Institute, a San…