While I was in DC for the real thing, apparently there were several virtual gatherings of people from around the world to watch the Inauguration of Barack Obama yesterday. My friends at Ill Clan Studios provided this excellent video coverage of one such event from NetRoots Nation in Second Life. There were definite advantages to…
Barack celebrated, Bush booed on National Mall (video)
Here’s my video of the exact moment when Obama was sworn into office on the US Capitol steps, from my cheap seats on the National Mall. Such a moving, powerful moment for the two million or so of us on the grounds of the Mall. By contrast, check out the video of the crowd reaction…
My pics from the Obama Inauguration from the very chilly National Mall!
Here’s my mostly unedited photoset from today’s incredible inauguration of Barack Obama from the National Mall in Washington DC. It was an amazing moment in history, which I’m not in any condition to write much about now since the feeling in my extremities is just starting to return from nearly 10 hours in the freezing…
Martin Luther King Day in DC: A day of inspiration and anticipation
I had a remarkable day in Washington DC for Martin Luther King Jr Day. It started out with a wonderful series of performances at the National Cathedral to celebrate Dr King, including spoken word, drumming, a choir, hip hop violin playing and more. So inspiring and fun. The National Cathedral has always been one of…
First day in DC: Obama-mania is in full effect
I just arrived in Washington DC for the presidential inauguration festivities. Here's what I encountered at Union Station when I got off the bus. This souvenir stand had an impressive array of Obama-stuff on sale, from posters to buttons, tee-shirts, flags, postcards, and baby bibs. This guy tried to charge me $1 to take this…
$6 Inaugural swing ball at DC’s Jam Cellar on Tuesday!
Here's another tip for those of you headed to Washington DC for the Presidential Inauguration this Tuesday: The evening of January 20 is full of pricey inaugural balls starting at $150 and up. Well if you have forgotten to pack your ball gown or your wallet is feeling a bit light, you might want to…
DC Quakers offer inauguration day rest area : come in from the cold!
For those of you coming to Washington DC for the presidential inauguration this Tuesday, I'm sure you are wondering how you are going to keep warm and take a break during the chilly festivities. The local Quakers in DC have thought of this too, and are generously opening their doors to anyone that day who…
Preparing youth for our rapidly changing times
Such a cool little video dramatizing how quickly our world is changing. My takeaway from this video is that educating youth to be effective citizens in the 21st century is less about cramming knowledge in their brains as much as preparing them with the right disposition to absorb new information, learn new skills, and effectively…
Swinging into the Metaverse: the “Slindy Hop” dance animation
From my friends at SLCN.tv: SLindy Hop is a Second Life couples' dance animation by Maar Auer. It was released July 2008 in SLCN.TV's Live Tonight Show by Paisley Beebe. You can watch the entire episode here. This is just a cut from that show, showing only the SLindy Hop. Dancer's outfits were generously sponsored…
“Soul of Shaolin”: cheesy plot mars stellar martial arts and acrobatics
Tonight I got to see the "Soul of Shaolin" show at the Marquis Theater on Broadway. It's an amazing spectacle of shaolin-style kung fu and acrobatics, with twenty-some martial artists displaying near superhuman feats. It's inspiring just seeing what the human body is capable of with discipline and years of training. I particularly enjoyed the…