It looks like net radio won’t go dark on July 15 as previously predicted. WIRED’s blog "Listening Post" reports that Sound Exchange, the consortium responsible for enforcing royalties for the music industry, has agreed before Congress that they will not collect fees from net radio stations under the proposed new fee structure until a new…
Ben Scott on why the iPhone sucks (hint, it rhymes with “AT&T”)
Here’s a great run-down by Ben Scott of the non-profit group Free Press of what’s wrong with the iPhone from a public policy perspective. (Recorded by Matt Stoller.) For those who can’t spare the time to watch Ben’s cogent 5 minute explanation, here’s the rundown: Consumer Choice: The iPhone locks consumers into one telephone company,…
Suzanne Vega returns to Second Life July 13!
This Friday July 13, at 4PM PST, Suzanne Vega returns to Second Life to celebrate the release of her seventh album "Beauty and Crime" (love the album cover and art BTW). From the press release: Users are invited to stop by to interact with Vega who will be hanging and chatting on the virtual Ludlow…
My avatar gets fancy in his new barong tagalog dress shirt
Men’s Second Style, an excellent SL fashion blog, turned me on to these beautiful "barong tagalog" shirts created by designer Shai Delacroix. I finally got my hands on one tonight and I’m a very happy Fil-Am (Filipino-American) now that my avatar is sporting such a handsome dress shirt. The barong tagalog is the traditional men’s…
Happy Birthday to my mean sister, Cori!
It’s the <ahem-ahem>th birthday of my awesome, mature, dignified sister Cori! Speaking of my sister, Cori has just launched her new "MEAN" line of women’s handbags on the crafting super-site Etsy. Here’s how she describes em: MEAN specializes in one of a kind clutches, wristlets, totes, and bags, all handmade in New York City. They…
Teens to create machinima about child rights at virtual summer camp
Global Kids announces that they are organizing a virtual summer camp to help teens in the Second Life Teen Grid to create machinima videos related to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Running for a month from July 23 to August 23, campers will be expected to attend the camp five…
NORML opens SL headquarters – virtual potheads say “kewl, dood”
I got the news from Laura Judy that the marijuana legalization non-profit NORML has opened a small office in Second Life (teleport SLURL). You already see a good amount of simulated marijuana use in SL, so it makes sense for NORML to start reaching out to residents here. For those that don’t know, NORML’s mission…
Second Chance Trees a finalist in Amex $5 million challenge
Paul Young sent me the news that the Second Chance Trees initiative has been selected as one of 50 finalists in a competition sponsored by American Express called "The Members Project." Second Chance Trees is an effort to raise awareness about and funds for rainforest re-forestation around the world. Second Life residents can purchase virtual…
AjaxLife: browser-based Second Life interface
Katharine Berry, reportedly a British teenager, has successfully created a very bare-bones but working web-based client for Second Life a few days ago. No fancy graphics, animations, video or audio, but you can chat, IM, and teleport around from your web browser using what she calls "AjaxLife." It’s a really cool achievement and something that…
CORRECTION: “Live Earth” event in Second Life tomorrow (July 7)
I got the word from David Alexander that the global climate change concert series "Live Earth" will be simulcast tomorrow an in-world event paralleling the "Live Earth" concerts will take place in the Better World Island sim (teleport SLURL.) Live Earth is a a 24-hour, seven-continent music extravaganza that will bring together more than 150…