Cindy spotted this bumper sticker interchange on the corner of 23rd St and 2nd Avenue, Manhattan.
Aimee Weber on SL Business and Marketing
I was delighted to spend last evening hanging out with designer/ master builder / cool chick Aimee Weber, as part of the Kuurian Expedition. The Kuurian Expedition is a group of researchers and academics exploring what they call "Synthetic Worlds" i.e. virtual environments like Second Life and Worlds of Warcraft. Aimee in her talk gave…
Using virtual environments for political organizing
Andrew Poppin in the article "Second Life Targets Existing Branded Communities" on Corante.com makes some interesting comments about how SL could be mobilized for political organizing: Imagine the 699,000 of 700,000 DailyKos political blogging community members who will NOT make it to next year’s YearlyKos conference in Chicago being able to "attend" online side by…
Yet another SL Serenity build!
Abby Dawson has her own version of the Serenity spaceship (or "boat" in Firefly parlance.) Head over the "Abby’s Serenity" in Rua to check it out in person (SLURL link). Or just see my pics here.
The American Memory Exhibit: Using virtual environments to teach about American history
The Second Life Librarian Shadow Fugazi has created an American Memory Exhibit on Info Island featuring a larger than life Declaration of Independence. The exhibit draws from the Library of Congress’s American Memory division, which provides free access to "written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps and sheet music that…
Serenity gets a Second Life! (pics)
I just found out about a cool new sim in Second Life devoted to the short-lived but much beloved sci-fi series "Firefly" and the subsequent movie "Serenity." Called "Washtown," the sim is a place for Firefly fans to role-play as browncoats and Alliance troopers or just hang out with other fanatics (like myself.) (Click here…
“Play Money” and the ethics of MMORPG cheating
I just finished Julian Dibbell’s informative and entertaining new book on virtual economies Play Money. If you will recall, I purchased both the virtual and real world versions of the book last month, opting to read the dead tree edition. It’s a quick read, told from the wry and clever personal perspective of the author,…
Sneak Peek at Aloft Starwood Hotel in Second Life
I dropped in on Aloft Island to check out the upcoming release of this much ballyhooed "Aloft" virtual hotel being sponsored by the Starwood Hotel chain. It’s set for a September launch, although it looks still pretty raw right now.
Idlewild, SYTYCD and the problem with dance on TV & Film
Thanks to a reporter friend (you rock, Alligator!), I saw an advanced screening of the Outkast vanity project "Idlewild" on Wednesday. (This is not a movie review, but if you are dying to know, the movie was just okay.) As an amateur lindy hopper and hip hop dancer, I was excited about the prospects of…
“Virtual Poetry Slam” for the environment: Win $500!
My friends at Citizens for Global Solutions have created a number of innovative campaigns and contests on various global issues. Their last effort to come across my in-box was a "Better than Bolton" home video campaign, urging people to send in short videos saying why they oppose the re-nomination of UN-basher John Bolton to the…