Jazz at Lincoln Center announces that they are now offering a limited selection of online videos of some of their jazz education classes for those who can not attend their programs in person. Not only can you watch the recorded lectures, you can see concert performances and commentary on those performances, all carefully tagged and…
Pimp out your toilet tank!
The craft website Etsy has these fun decals that can class-up your boring old toilet, created by Vital Industries out of Denver. I got the vespa one for our apartment, which goes great with our vintage-y shower curtain. Also a good incentive to put the seat down. My cat Mole seems to approve. Only $20…
Compare US presidential hopefuls on their international positions at “08 or bust!” website
My friends at Citizens for Global Solutions have created a neat new website called "08 or Bust" that tracks the positions of each of the major candidates for the US presidency on a range of international issues. The heart of the website is an interactive comparison chart that allows you to pull up the public…
World AIDS Day events in Second Life December 1st
HIV/AIDS has affected all of us in deep and personal ways, and the race for a cure continues. I am thinking about my friend John, a wonderful artist with the most biting wit, who passed away from AIDS-related health issues about four years ago now. December 1st is World AIDS Day, and there are a…
Fundraiser dance party for equine therapy center on December 16
My friend Veri Oddfellow passes along the news about a Second Life fundraiser party for a neat cause called Great Strides. Great Strides is a Maryland-based therapeutic center that employs horses to help people with mental disorders. On Sunday, December 16, from 11am-2pm PST, DJ Nexeus Fatale will be the featured entertainment during the Great…
Shopping for Real World Gifts with Linden Dollars
Today is of course "Cyber Monday," one of the busiest shopping days of the year, when millions of employees steal company time to do their online shopping for their loved ones. Surely, Amazon’s and Buy.com’s websites are taking a big hit today, but what about Second Life retailers? I did a quick in-world search for…
Muchisimas graçias, salamat, merci buckets — Feeling Thankful
I’m brining a turkey breast and getting ready to spend Thanksgiving with my mom and sister. I’m hosting the family Thanksgiving dinner for the time, which is very exciting. As I try and get everything set, I’m thinking of all the blessings I have: My Friends and Family: I feel so blessed to have so…
Virtual bikes to fund Capetown “Opportunity Centre”
According to Massively and SLNN, the South Africa-based non-profit Uthango has started a new fundraiser in Second Life to raise funds for an employment center in Capetown. Starting this month, SL residents can head to Sunset Commerce (click here to teleport) to purchase virtual African bicycles designed by Shukran Fahid for the low price of…
XO Laptop “Two-fer” expires November 26 — help a poor kid get connected!
Just a reminder that those amazing folks at One Laptop Per Child are offering a very special "twofer." If you buy two of their incredibly cute "XO laptops" for $400, one of them goes to you (or your kid) and the other to a child in the developing world. I’m leaning toward getting one, which…
Machinima: Amateur versus Pro
As I am getting more acquainted with the machinima creation process at Electric Sheep, it is becoming clearer to me the difference between "amateur" and "professional" machinima. That is to say, anyone can capture video from a computer game or virtual world and call it machinima (just as anyone can snap a picture with their…