Those cool music activists at the Future of Music Coalition have launched a new initiative in support of Net Neutrality called "Rock the Net" to highlight how a free and open internet helps musicians and music fans connect. From the press release: Net neutrality is the idea that all websites and services should be equally…
Machinima for Good: check out these cool fair trade machinima!
The machinima production group Strange Company has just released a couple sweet machinima videos intended to raise public awareness about fair trade issues using The Sims 2 and World of Warcraft. The Sims 2 machinima is probably easier to understand, but the WoW video is a more direct analogy comparing a virtual economy to a…
Hippacus: teaching math through online gaming
Clickable Culture sent along the link to a new MMORPG called "Hippasus" where you apparently have to fight green-armed guys using only an abacus and a TI-36X scientific calculator. That’s right, your worst nightmare: an online game where you have to use your math skills to pwn your opponents. Seriously, this has the potential of…
Discussion today on politics in First and Second Life
Kei Moana of Clear Ink moderated a roundtable discussion today about presidential campaign politics in SL. The event happened, appropriately enough, in the chambers of SL Capitol Hill (teleport SLURL) from 11am-noon PDT. There was a spirited and respectful conversation among a small but diverse group of resident politicos about politicking in SL and their…
Virtual recreation of Space Mountain ride
Someone please please please build this in SL. Thank you. (Brought to you by the cool Space Mountain fansite "Space Station 77.") – Rik "Space Cadet 3rd Class" Riel
Obama web event to be streamed in SL next week!
This is a picture of where the Obama in-world event will NOT take place. SLNN reports that presidential contender Barack Obama will be appearing in-world in avatar form as part of a webcast on March 31 at 1PM PDT. Interestingly, the in-world event will take place, not in the grassroots "Obama ’08" build (teleport SLURL)…
My mooooooo cards are here!
Hurray, my Moo business cards arrived in the mail today! Man, that was fast, considering they were produced in the UK. I needed business cards both for my work with Yehoodi.com and my Second Life activities, so I figured I’d combine the two. Silly emote facial expressions provided by the great Mr. Yadni. My friend…
More Meta-coolness: Watching my avatar watching Tom Servo watching a movie
Had a really fun time tonight at the MST3K group showing of the brilliantly cheesy "Gamera Takes on Guiron". Lots of silly remarks during the viewing, which really enhances the experience. I love watching movies in SL.
Viacom takes down SL fan video of Stephen Colbert
<rant> This just steams my beans. Stephen Colbert nearly pleads for this kind of fan adoration, and when some enterprising SL machinimators create a video in homage to him, his parent company Viacom issues a DMCA takedown on their ass. Next up: NBC goes after children creating shadow puppets that resemble characters from "Lost." </rant>…
New additions at virtual Capitol Hill; a quick peek at Presidential hopefuls HQs in Second Life
Tonight I dropped in on virtual Capitol Hill (teleport SLURL) to check out the new interactive tools the owners have put in place. As much as I admire what the Clear Ink guys have done creating the faux government sim, I have been discouraged by the lack of interest in the sim, mostly due to…