oh btw atm im in IM
and a noob at it imho it seems
cos the ppl in here chat in shorthand
omg wtf does it mean?

ni went 2 the puter this am
and the msg in there that i seen
cd a bin abt ne ol topic
omg wtf does it mean?

o skuz me brb bbl
want 2 c if the postman has been
visits rarer and rarer each day now
omg wtf does that mean?

now i no u r rofling about me
im 2 old 2 converse 2 a teen
my hds r in english u c
pls dont lol wtf does it mean?

copyright (c) 2008 - Artfox Daviau - used by the gracious permission of the author.

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by Pixeleen Mistral, National Affairs desk

ex-digital marketing agency CEO shows the metaverse how it is done - afk in t-shirt and jeans

Melanie Kidd took what is likely to be the paparazzi photo of the year - a candid shot of the new emperor/CEO of Linden Lab demonstrating his nearly total mastery of e-marketing with the new media.

While a few readers may mistake emperor M as a potential griefer given his understated appearance, most agree Linden Lab’s new CEO is actually taking the “opportunity to connect with customers in new and meaningful ways” - an area of expertise claimed by his former e-advertizing agency’s web site Organic.com. Going AFK in a noobie outfit is generally seen as a fast way to get a certain form of in-world street cred.

Clearly, the new emperor has a deep and nuanced understanding of Second Life, and the potential to “create digital experiences that bring consumers closer to brands, generate sales, and increase profitability”. Even better, M Linden’s bio at Organic.com tells us that he is a “frequent industry spokesman on trends in digital marketing, customer relationship management, social networking, and consumer empathy”.

After the emperor has spent a bit more time in Second Life, perhaps he will enhance his image by securing a sequined codpiece than will put even Philip Linden to shame - what better way could there be to make the leadership hierarchy in the advertisland empire clear? But for now, the Herald suggests landowners take a go-slow approach in banning avatars in noobie clothes — you wouldn’t want to eject the emperor by mistake.

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To: Sean Hollister - Assistant Editor, GameCyst.com
From: Pixeleen Mistral, managing editor- Second Life Herald
re: Re: Re: News tip: The TRUE story of NASA’s MMO Funding

Sean,

Apology accepted - assuming you add the link to the Second Life Herald story. I totally understand your concern about about the Nigerian scam spam, but my suggestion is you read each of those e-mails carefully - there may be a hot tip mixed in there somewhere.

If you ever find yourself short on Linden Lab L$ spacebux you might want to consider submitting a piece for publication in the Herald - you could then join luminaries such as Prokofy Neva - an occasional writer who is known as a real stickler for primary sources and fact checking.

Now that the Second Life game gods have updated their TOS to set the stage for banning long time in-world journalists and media outlets that displease Linden Lab, writing for the Herald could provide a certain frisson only available when living in a police state - something I don’t think GameCyte will ever manage. If you decide to take the plunge, let me know.

-pixeleen

—

Pixeleen Mistral
Managing Editor, Second Life Herald

reply-to sean@gamecyst.com,
to Pixeleen Mistral ,
date Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 5:31 PM
subject Re: Re: News tip: The TRUE story of NASA’s MMO Funding

Hello Pixeleen,

I apologize for not including your story first and foremost among my collection of links. I usually pride myself on making a thorough effort to track down the original outlet that broke a story, and find myself humbled and ashamed to find that I did not properly click through the Slashdot post to yours, nor note when I visited your site later that your posting date was earlier than all the others.

That said, I did indeed enjoy your self-referential joke about checking primary sources, and appreciate the link to our story.

If you still desire it, I will add your link.

Regardless, would you mind please removing my phone number and email from your post? My inbox is rapidly filling with Nigerian scams, and while I trust your readers are intelligent and get the joke, I worry others may not.

Sean
–
Sean Hollister
Assistant Editor, GameCyte

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The call of the sea is deep and strong,
Stronger than ale or beer;
But not as strong
As the siren’s song
and the call of the privateer.

Pirates and corsairs sail the seas
Along with the buccaneers;
But the noblest rogue
Who’s still in vogue
Is known as the privateer.

Yes, on the sea of Antiquity
We sail without doubt or fear;
For the Navy falls
Short on balls
To the call of the privateer.

copyright (c) 2008 - Kris Dibou - used by the gracious permission of the author.

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Boy was I surprised when someone approached me about having some photos taken and being a Post 6 Grrrrl.  First off, the photographer didn’t operate out of the back of a van and secondly…WTF is a post 6 grrrrl?  I looked into it and agreed to do the session solely for the one person who submitted my name who must be the same ‘one person’ in SL I haven’t offended or pissed off yet.  So I hope you all enjoy the pics.

Now on to the fun stuff.  I started my Second LIfe adventure in December of 2005 and immediately wondered what I’d gotten myself into.  I came from such games as EverQuest, Star Wars Galaxies, Never Winter Nights and Matrix Online, so SL was quite a shock to my system…”you mean I don’t have to kill anything for better armor?” No…just sit on a camping chair for hours.  Anyway, I enjoy SL as a comfortable social world where I can keep in contact with old friends and meet new folks.  I enjoy visiting clubs and interesting builds and I also try my hand at building and twisting reality.  I have a very close core group of friends i’ve known for years that I usually hang out with and in general I keep to my self and am shy unless the mood strikes me to be otherwise or someone denounces Feta cheese or refers to themselves as…”this girl” or “this boy”.

I love all sorts of avies but I’ve been a faun/satyr most of my time in SL and love to roleplay as one even in non-rp areas…it drives people nuts.  I also collect unusual pick up lines and come ons from people in SL so check out my profile in the Picks section, I’ll change them from time to time.  Hope to see some of you in world soon.

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When your life is spiraling downwards,
after you’ve fallen through the crack,
At the bottom there is nothing,
and there’s no way of getting back,

When things begin to lose their meaning,
As your personality goes astray,
People hate you more and more,
As you live through another day,

When the feelings pick apart your soul,
I’m sorry to say there is no chemo,
Perhaps you should stop kidding yourself,
And admit that you are an emo,

When they say you are a worthless ass,
Their opinion is indeed a fact,
Stop shrugging it off as poppycock,
And cease your foolish act,

When the caring stops immediately,
And your morals turn to smoke,
The cruelty embeds itself within,
To laugh at another sick joke,

Once you’ve become what you hate,
You’re only one step above,
To offending what is left,
And destroying everything you love,

Now death seems like another chance,
As you feel like an absolute zero,
There is only one thing left to do,
And that is to become an hero.

copyright (c) 2008 - Nidol Slazar - used by the gracious permission of the author.

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by Jessica Holyoke

Drive By Agony along with The Blue Angel Police and Firefighters Memorial, victims of crime and concerned SL citizens, will hold a March for Peace  in SL April 19th at 1pm by marching on the Virtual Capitol Hill   http://slurl.com/secondlife/Capitol%20Hill%201/129/1/32 .  In conjunction with the march, a live music festival for peace will be held from Noon to 6pm SLT.  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Oleander/197/230/22

Carmen Gray organized Drive by Agony, an anti-violence group that started in the 1990’s in Los Angeles.  Drive By Agony is a RL non-profit organization, that has helped over 75,000 youth since 1988.  Having offered anti-violence training to over 50,000 LA youth alone, she is fighting for Congressional Legislation to expand anti-violence training nationwide and worldwide, starting in SL.

Carmen Gray decided to bring her passion of educating the public about the affects violence has on communities, the health care system and victims of crime, and also to allow people that have been a victim or lost someone to violence the opportunity to talk about their feelings and share in a safe and friendly atmosphere and share with others that have gone through the same thing.  Many people have lost children in America to gun and other types of violence and this is also a way in which they can honor their child’s memory.  I had two innocent son’s murdered one in 1988 and another in 1992. Her real life name is Lorna Hawkins and her story has appeared in many media outlets.  She hopes to bring awareness about HR 3826 sponsored by Congressman Robert (Bobby) Scott from Virginia. The Youth Promise Act looks to reduce crime before it happens by investing in research based programs in the United States.  By holding the March for Peace in the Second Life world, she hopes to encourage people to write and call their Representatives in support of this bill.

 
One of the programs created by Drive by Agony is the “Straight Talk about Violence” program.  The “Straight Talk About Violence” aspect of the program is designed to address the feelings of elementary school children, teach them anger management, and help them to channel their emotions in productive ways.

Visit www.drivebyagony.net for more information.

ENTERTAINMENT LINE - UP FOR “KEEPING KIDS SAFE” BENEFIT CONCERT

MC FOR EVENT is MzSweetnezz4U Laval of 105.5- SL Radio Station

12:30 - 1:00 DJ - Brixxx Jameson DJ (Old school R & B)
2:00/2:30: - Freestar Tammas
2:30-3:30-Takamura Keiko, 
3:30/4:30-Dymands Davies,  poetry hour,
3:30/4:30- HatHead Rickenbacker
4:30/5:30 - Jano Runo 
5:30 - 6:30 - Thumper Boucher

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Proteus Hand

For those of you who don’t keep up with their events, there exist two treaties, the Ascendant Initiative, and the Iron Symphony. Most people will argue against this claim, but from what everyone seems to understand, the initial catalyst started when the Merczateers scripted together a riot shield. Upon testing it in the Alliance Navy headquarters, Dorien, without really any warning, the Alliance Navy considered it a shield, and sent a notice to the Mercz labeling them as a griefer military, and they had cleared tactics otherwise considered cheap and deplorable to be used against them.

Vehemently outraged by the insult, the Ordo Imperialis, Militant Collective, and Merczateers convened to collectively ban every member of the Alliance Navy, and let them fight either their allies, or smaller, less organized groups. Their intention was simply to never have to deal with the Alliance Navy’s pomp and circumstance, and overwhelming firepower, but as a plus, many of them hope that the AN will atrophy into disarray and die.

Yet the Iron Symphony was countered by a similar move, hoping to solidify the current treaty which had been written by Alliance Navy personnel, STABLE, which was made in response to the failed Merczateer treaty, MOSCOW. (Past references from last year may be found on the Herald.) Flanking the Alliance Navy in friendship are the 39th and Sparta, among other small military groups who come and go.

I fumbled my trusty pen as my communicator flashed, and the shadowy face of Jim Herbst’s gas-mask appeared before me. The wall behind him was a sandy brown, with caramel trim about the ceiling, floor, and his hair, a similar color, smoothly lined his well groomed head from underneath his cap of Admiralty. He nodded to me, tested his voice, which sounded oddly clear from behind a mask, and my interview with the Admiral began.

Proteus Hand: So, a huge lot of them have been claiming that their isolation strategy is actually working in weakening the Alliance Navy. What do you think about this?
Jim Herbst: Our recruiting numbers have been at their highest since November.
Proteus Hand: Cool.
Proteus Hand: What about combat prowess, troop morale, etc?
Jim Herbst: Well, it virtunally left no impact on Morale
Jim Herbst: and we get plenty of time to practice maneuvers and work on new guns when the mercz aren’t attacking us.
Proteus Hand: I figured you weren’t bluffing when you all said it wouldn’t make any difference.
Jim Herbst: I’m not much of a bluffer when it comes to things like this
Jim Herbst: I thought it was apparent to everyone that I was a terrible lyer.
Proteus Hand chuckles.
Proteus Hand: I figured you were like me and were just too lazy to.
Jim Herbst: Well, the truth is normally worse than a lie.
Proteus Hand: that’s SL for you.
Proteus Hand: It’s almost like a giant white lie incarnate.
Proteus Hand: Anyhow, before I get off topic, what sort of new technology have you pioneered?
Jim Herbst: Well, random stuff, I personally like some of our new fleet ship hulls, planes, and ordinance.
Proteus Hand: AN’s specialty, in my opinion.
Jim Herbst: Lest we forget our complete Marine Armory overhaul
Proteus Hand: I’ve noticed an armor upgrade.
Jim Herbst: With guns that lurdan tried to pay our animator for the animations for.

Clearly, hostilities had not cooled since the initial ban, so I decided to change the subject.

Proteus Hand: So, last I heard, you were giving them until, was it May? Until the standoff breaks down?
Jim Herbst: I am expecting the standoff to end before June
Jim Herbst: and I don’t call it a standoff.
Jim Herbst: I call it what it is.
Jim Herbst: They bant us from their sims
Jim Herbst: there is no standoff.
Jim Herbst: If they unbant us, our initial reaction would probably be shock, then an attack.
Proteus Hand: Do you think they know that?
Jim Herbst: I TOLD a couple of them that.
Proteus Hand: Interesting.
Proteus Hand: On a final note, who out of ALL of your hostiles would you say to be the most threatening?
Jim Herbst: Hmm
Jim Herbst: This will be a tough Choice
Jim Herbst: In what way?
Proteus Hand: How about on the battlefield, and then off.
Jim Herbst: On The Battlefield - The Brazillians
Proteus Hand: Really?
Jim Herbst: They are relentless
Jim Herbst: and above all
Jim Herbst: they cannot be negotiated with easily.
Jim Herbst: There is no drama with or about them
Jim Herbst: because it falls on deaf ears as it were.
Proteus Hand: I never expected the Brazillians.
Jim Herbst: I find them to be the perfect enemies.
Proteus Hand: what about off the battlefield?
Jim Herbst: I am not concerned about Ability as far as SL combat goes, anybody can get that.
Jim Herbst: A THREAT.. off the battlefield?
Jim Herbst: Copybotters.
Proteus Hand: Like the digital worlds scam that hit most militaries a few weeks ago?
Jim Herbst: Yeah
Jim Herbst: although not a threat in the traditional sense
Jim Herbst: moreso they proved that we’re a community as a whole
Jim Herbst: which a lot of us seem to forget.
Proteus Hand: Very true.

On that note, I felt satisfied with what I had gathered, and bid farewell to the Admiral, whom saluted me over the communicator. I switched my trusty technology off and snapped it shut before stuffing it in my pocket aside my pen, wondering if the bedlam would continue.

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by Jessica Holyoke

What if I told you of a place where men are lead about on leashes, women are fully in charge and there is a local made up currency to use?  Now imagine that it is now in Second Life.

The Other World Kingdom, OWK, has been known in bondage/fetish circles for a number of years.  Started on June 1, 1996 in the Czech Republic, it is a resort, if you are into that type of thing, for those who believe in female supremacy and male submissiveness.   Male submissives and dominant women both go to enjoy a D/s life style in Real Life.  As part of the experience of being in a absolute monarchy and matriarchy with state slaves, the OWK uses the Dom as a currency, usable on the grounds and in the gift shop.

The OWK in SL started in the beginning of this year. The main difference between the RL and SL versions of the OWK is that female submissives are allowed on the Sim.  There are other differences such as a voted upon Queen with a three month term and a prison available to anyone, not just to OWK members.

The slaves of the OWK agree to be on the island exclusively and to be in character the entire time for at least 10 hours per week and limit IM’s to emergency situations.  They wear collars that monitor their movements and log-ins.  If an applicant is accepted as a state slave, they must pay $1000L for the collar and $100L per week for stable rental.

For a challenge, the OWK accepts ponies.  For $50L per day during the training and then $100L per week after, you too can be a pony slave to the ladies of the OWK if you are able to never talk in open chat.  A trainer will help you for at least 50 hours online as she directs you to the proper tack, which can cost $1000L.

If a woman wants to be a full citizen, she must also pay $1000L but also bring in two slaves to the group, similar to the RL rules for the OWK in ownership of slaves.  She must spend at least 10 hours on the Sim prior to acceptance. Additionally, she must be fully dominant and not a switch between dominant or submissive.

As a result of all the fund raising efforts, 30% of all the money raised is to be directed back to the OWK in the Czech Republic.  The sim does have some unique bondage furniture.  If you are interested, mostly full access to the sim costs $250L by joining the OWK in SL group.  If you go, remember that they are fully female dominant and that they don’t like dominant males.

Create Instant Buzz

Today, a reader pointed out an amazing innovation in software development being pioneered by the our friends in Linden Lab - the unit test. After years of something less than total grid stability, long term residents of the metaverse may have trouble believing that the game gods have an interest in fixing problems in the game - but based on a new series of avatar names released today it appears that the Lab is actually going to test the game a bit before inflicting it on the residents. Could this mean that someday MacBook Pros will not freeze every 20 minutes? Have the adults finally seized control inside the Lab?

http://www.slnamewatch.com/ tell an amazing tale of über hawt, sexy new last name options for SL residents, including UnitTestBribery, UnitTestParamilita, UnitTestMain, UnitTestWaffled, UnitTestComer, UnitTestCataloguin, UnitTestTopologica, UnitTestDisobliged, UnitTestBuckler. Perhaps the Lab has decided that fixing problems is more important than bright, shiny new features. On the other hand, the leakage of the internal test names suggests that the Lab might need to do a bit of unit testing on the avatar naming system itself, but the Herald is more than willing to put those concerns aside for now in the interest of getting former cheerleaders like Reuters to stop talking smack on SL stability.

UnitTest me baby!

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