Second Life

[Note from Justine- These past few weeks I’ve had fun  taking a little break from my list of Post 6 applicants and looking at the thousands of beautiful avatars there are out there. I was shopping last week and met Khitten Kurka, who graciously agreed to be this week’s Post 6 Grrrl. She is a beautiful avie and a beautiful person.]

A few weeks ago, I was participating in a grid-wide Easter Egg Hunt. That’s when I bumped into Justine– literally! Lag was horrible that day and I think we were both stuck in our respective spots. After a few IM’s and several sweet compliments on my AV, I signed up for the Post 6 Grrl. Thanks to Justine and the Herald for this opportunity.  Not sure of what I have gotten myself into, but I guess that can be said about my time in SL.

I am like any other girl on the grid, I do enjoy the shopping, dancing, dating, and er uh, the extra-curricular activities (smile).  I spend plenty of time hanging out with friends and just having a good ol’ time. But as an AV of color it can be a challenge to play SL.  Remarks I get about my AV are hilarious. Why is my AV so dark? Why is my AV so fat? Why is my AV so short?

Why on earth would someone ask such silly questions? If SL is supposed to be a cyber representation of the world, wouldn’t there be room for someone that looked like me? Maybe normal isn’t normal anymore. *sigh*  Luckily, there are tons of plump avies and avies of color are all over the grid. I am happy to count myself among them.  I make no excuses for how I “rep” myself in SL. Like it or lump, this is Khitten!

So, what do I do in-world? I experience things I don’t have time or the ability to do in RL. Meet people from far away countries and learn about their life and culture. Explore creative spaces and hang out with greenies.  Enjoy the creativity of others as they build replicas of the Eiffel Tower or my hometown, NYC. From time to time, I model or spin as a DJ. But what I find most pleasurable are the additional friendships I have gained. I have “met” members of my sorority that live in other parts of the world. I have made friends that live just a few hours away.  For me, SL has allowed me to learn more about virtual communities and the people that exist within.  A totally foreign concept to me before February 2007. But now, a very constant and “real” part of my life!

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Congressional avatars — shocking video tells the tale?

by Pixeleen Mistral, National Affairs desk

A friend pointed out this video, and I can’t help but wonder - could this be one of the members of congress who was lofting marshmallows to Philip Linden at the April 1st PR event U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing? From what I saw of the hearings, some congressmen who ought to know better may have started to go native. Thank goodness there aren’t any serious real life problems for congress to address right now.

However - even if politics make strange bedfellows - this sort of thing might be better behind the corporate firewall. Just ask IBM.

>>>>

You are teh sexx!

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Special rules for select corporate partners?

by Forelle Broek

Seconded Life foot-in-mouth disease

Linden Lab and IBM have reportedly entered into a joint venture “to create an enterprise-class version of Second Life behind a corporate firewall.” The news comes on the heels of the latest in-world protests by IBM employees over the company’s outsourcing of work. I have to wonder whether the ability to insulate IBM’s Second Life presence from such activity is a motivating factor in the decision to create a walled-off environment.

Whatever the specific impetus, this move by Linden Lab and IBM illustrates an issue that SL Left Unity plan to highlight in the coming months: the corporate enclosure of cyberspace. Like the land enclosures in 15th-19th century England, the contemporary enclosures of virtual space constitute a massive transfer of common space from popular usage to private control, further enriching already powerful corporations at the expense of ordinary people.

Linden Lab’s recent unilateral and controversial imposition of “branding” guidelines — which enable Linden Lab to leverage their brand equity (to parrot the prevailing corporate jargon) at the expense of the SL residents whose activity has built that brand — is but one instance of this broader process. In this regard, it is worth noting that IBM does not appear to be in compliance with Linden Lab’s new guidelines. The IBM website, for example, invites “you to visit us in Second Life and to read more about our work in virtual worlds by downloading our brochure.” Under the new guidelines, the invitation should be to “visit us in the Second Life® virtual world ….” I guess Linden Lab’s corporate partners aren’t bound by the same rules that apply to mere avatars.

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Darakon Kayvon not fighting A.I and Iron “Axis of Emo” Symphony factions - yet

by Vegna Fouroux, war correspondent

Arkhein’s Xyekep Richez and Proteus Hand

For several months now combat in Second Life has been at a deadlock, with the militaries of the Iron Symphony slowly phasing out their fights with the militaries of Ascendant Initiative. Its been all very boring and sluggish with little fighting or as Christoph Naumova put it “leaders hiding behind their banlines.”

Recently a friend of mine, Proteus Hand decided he was going to start his own military, The Fabled of Arkhein. A Norse-themed group, Arkhein has been growing steadily over the past month. I decided to stop by their sim Prometheus and talk to the lads who started it all.

I first talked with Darakon Kayvon, the man who used to head up arkhein’s heavy support division; Biorn and now oversees Arkhein’s general operation when Proteus or Avil Creegan (the other leader in the group, a former top man in the Alliance Navy and known sandwich enthusiast) aren’t online.

Vegna Fouroux: So, firstly; why did you decide to join Arkhein?
Darakon Kayvon: Well, it was the time when i had joined forces with the Sky Raider’s with Trazen Vendetta, and was crucified by Aduro Nightfire AKA Jasyn Shepherd. Proteus came into the Sky Raider’s as a personnel as well as a big assistant. He told me of his Plans for the Arkhein, which matched my ideals very much. Proteus made me an Arkhein member since near enough the beginning of the re-creation of the Sky Raiders, now known as Hyperius Tactical Forces.

Vegna Fouroux: Ah yes, Trazen is banned now i believe, after hacking SLSN leader Steve319 Cao’s account. I believe you’ve chosen to ally yourself with Vanguard Armed Forces. Now many would regard Vanguard with distaste to say the least. Can I ask you why you have done this?
Darakon Kayvon: Proteus presented the alliance to Christoph first. But what we do know is that Christoph has lived up to the Alliance as well as the rest of Vanguard. We find them as skilled fighters, led by a nutter of a leader thus they make good ally’s rather than enemies. Vanguard have one of the best obstacle course’s i’ve ever seen.

Vegna Fouroux: I see, so you don’t have any concerns about their use of trackers and until recently guns that didnt need to be reloaded?
Darakon Kayvon: Nearly every army has gone through that “noobish” stage….i consider the Ordo Imperialis to be far worse griefers since overviewing a document that’s handed out to each one of a personnel……Vanguard’s “Griefing” is…in my opinion…miniscule. AN use tracker bullets…especially Nanao

Vegna Fouroux: So i assume like Vanguard, you will fight everyone and not freeze anyone out like the current situation between the AN and the iron Symphony?
Darakon Kayvon: Current circumstances refrain us from proceeding to engage in combat with A.I and Iron “Axis of Emo” Symphony factions. But we tend to not let any other faction remove themselves from our sights.

Vegna Fouroux: You have a lot of land for a relatively new group, 2 sims. Have you got many in your army?
Darakon Kayvon: Currently we have around 20-30 members approximately, but we like space to expand. Also, Land = Attention = Recruits.

Vegna Fouroux: what a wonderful analogy . I believe you head up Biorn the heavy support division, what duties does this involve?
Darakon Kayvon: I wish to correct you, I used to head Biorn but since my Promotion to Eorl (Lieutenant/Colonel) i overview ALL divisions, i’m like…Avil & Proteus’s Assistant in a way. Current Duties involve: Equipment Manufacturing, Recruitment, Training, Diplomacy, Internal Politics, Internal Security etc.

Vegna Fouroux: Okay Dara, thanks for chatting to me, all the best.
Darakon Kayvon: no probs.

Next I chatted to the man who created it all. Proteus hand

Vegna Fouroux: Hey Proteus
Proteus Hand: Hey.

Vegna Fouroux: so tell me, how exactly is The Fabled of Arkhein run?
Proteus Hand: We work in a democratic fashion, never before tried in military. Ranks *are* awarded for combat experience, but they don’t take place until a combat situation is declared. When that takes place, people start dishing out orders, but until then, it’s all run by votes.
Proteus Hand: Officers, called “Arbiters”, serve as judges in disputes and exact punishment if a rule is broken.
Proteus Hand: the High Command, which we call the “Heerth Ulthing”, takes care of disputes between Arbiters, and the enlisted, which we call “Dreng”, generally serve as a jury.

Vegna Fouroux: ah I see, so usual formalities like “sir” and “ma’am” used in other militaries wouldnt be used?
Proteus Hand: Very right. Many people may argue that it’s necessary for “discipline” of the troops, but that’s a crock of crap, just like slinging of abstract concepts like “morale” which are somehow expertly measured by the High Command of other militaries.
Proteus Hand: In actuality, it’s just a way to degrade one’s self, and waste someone’s bandwidth by playing an animation at them.
Proteus Hand: We find better uses of our time in raiding, sparring, dogfighting, and planning the growth of our group collectively.
Proteus Hand: and building… heh.
Proteus Hand: which has been our primary concern for the last few weeks.
Proteus Hand: (Props to xyekep for that)

Vegna Fouroux: So I assume you follow STABLE?
Proteus Hand: no.

Vegna Fouroux: what do you follow in terms of a code of conduct in combat?
Proteus Hand: a golden rule. “Try to make it as fun for your enemy as it is for you.” of course, that always doesn’t work.

Vegna Fouroux: a wise philosphy never the less
Proteus Hand: yeah, we’ve got some basic rules put in. I guess, it sort of shifts depending on who we fight, so we’re working on a broad arsenal to change on whether or not we screw with IS or AI.

Vegna Fouroux: Heh. I also understand that like many militaries you have a certain theme; Viking. I was wondering were that came from?
Proteus Hand: A long while back, a great friend of mine, Aleksandr Laryukov, and I decided to put into planning a military that was basically a huge ball of “epic”. At some point in my time with the Merczateers, I got the ideas for the Arkhein in the midst of an argument with Christoph, Alice Mirabeau, and Lurdan consecutively. The concept was so clean, and beautiful, that I resigned that night.
Proteus Hand: I owe the inspiration to Aleksandr, as he and I spent a few days looking for a good theme.
Proteus Hand: Ironically, lots of people out there argue that democracy originated on Viking ships.
Proteus Hand: I always thought it came from the Greeks, then again, Arkhein is a Greek name.
Proteus Hand: I do a lot of coincidental things like that by accident.
Proteus Hand: Particularly ramble during interviews…

Vegna Fouroux: Haha. Well thanks Proteus for talking to me, and best of luck in the future with Arkhein.
Proteus Hand: Thanks to you good sir for having me.

Proteus also would like to say hello to Ethan Schuman, Harlequn Salome and and the other people in the comment box who are arguing below him.

Finally, I decided to get the reactions of what are generally considered the monster militaries of SL combat: The Alliance navy and The Merczateers and their thoughts on The Fabled Of Arkhein.

First I talked to Jim Herbst, an admiral in the AN.

Vegna Fouroux: Hey Jim, can I talk to you for a sec, I’m doing an article for the Second Life Herald.
Jim Herbst: Sure

Vegna Fouroux: Well have you heard of the group The Fabled of arkhein? I just want to get other militaries impression of it.
Jim Herbst: Well, Yes. I know about them.
Jim Herbst: I know their leadership quite well
Jim Herbst: My General impression of them as a group is I can’t make heads or tails of where they stand.

Vegna Fouroux: In terms of Allies? Who they will fight? or…
Jim Herbst: All of the political stuff
Jim Herbst: No clue on where they are on any of it.
Jim Herbst: They fight us when we fight the Mercz and Ordo, and then say we’re not enemies.

Vegna Fouroux: Ah yes, I see how that could be confusing alright. Anyway thanks for talking to me Jim. :)

Next I talked to one of the two Merczateer Marshals; Lurdan Huszar - this was over voice chat and Lurdan basically said the “group is okay,I guess and they had some good ideas” many of the enlisted mercz around him thought Arkhein had actually died some months back

Honestly my impression of Arkhein is a good one. With two sims; Sullen Plummet and Promtheus, a steady pool of members, professional weapons and armor, some really great concepts and people they are a group that could really make SL combat the fun, interesting and diverse world we have not seen much of lately. Other militaries, take note.

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by Kris Dibou, warrior poet/pirate

For a year and a half I lived in the world
Of they who cannot be named
I sang of the joys, I sang of the beauty
In the place that cannot be named

And as I learned, I helped to build
This world that cannot be named
I believed when they said that I was now one
Of they who cannot be named

And how proud we were of this wonderful world
This world that cannot be named
Created by the users, that makes us the owners
Of this place that cannot be named

And just like the parts of the body who claimed
Sovereignty over the whole
When one part locked up the rest found out
The ruler was the asshole.

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

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Bots crush humans in land competition — L$1 mainland gone in under 10 seconds

by Pixeleen Mistral, National Affairs desk

A friend has been holding one of the most inconvenient bits of virtual land imaginable - a 576 m2 diamond-shaped sliver of land on an extremely steep underwater hillside located in the Torch mainland sim. As part of the Second Life Herald’s scientific study of metaverse economies, we decided to run a small experiment to see if automated land arbitrage was as brutally effective as say, snuffing out a candle with a hurricane. Good news - it is!

Less then 10 seconds after setting the land for sale at L$1, the Freak Bot Land group had taken possession. Studying the profiles of the new owners, I felt confident that would put this little slice of paradise to good use - perhaps a commercial ad farming operation would help grow the in-world economy? Clearly, this sort of market discipline is the future of the 3D Internet - never mind the humans residents.

Freak Bot Land group makes sure your L$1 land is gone in under 10 seconds

I wondered how long it would take for the robotic invisible hand of the market to improve the user experience in Torch - and the answer was quick to appear. In a few minutes the land was back on the market for L$9999. Certainly the dueling scripters are enjoying their landbot competition, but this sort of botplay might put off some would-be land owners. Could botplay account for the stagnant growth in premium accounts - the supposed stable middle class of the metaverse?

immediately after the bot buys in…

…and a few minutes later

While it was gratifying to see the bots work so quickly, I still felt some concern that the land game has become uninviting to the weak puny humans that pay the bills for the metaverse. Merciless bots waiting to pounce on any misstep paints a rather dystopian picture of Philip Linden’s dream of the 3D Internet - especially for anyone who accidentally put their land on sale at well below market prices. These concerns are nothing new, and the Freak Bot Land group charter offers this statement:

The Freak Bot’s gush of nearly incoherent gabble suggests they are both defensive about their line of work and a little weak on English grammar. Perhaps after they make a few million L$s they can sit in on the speech therapy courses being arranged for the wurkin’ girls of little paradise.

While imagining the fun the five year old roleplayers and the freak land bots could have together in grammar school, an idea occurred to me - why not see if there were other L$1 plots for sale. Could I beat the bots at their own game?

A quick look at the land search revealed plenty of L$1 plots - which all seemed to be con jobs fine examples of creative financing. Those bots are smarter than they appeared in their profile - they weren’t wasting time on other people’s virtual con games - they have their own scam to run.

After looking through half a dozen L$1 land sales, I was particularly impressed by a “sale” that was a non-refundable extremely short-term lease (10 minutes) during which the sucker buyer is free to pay thousands more - or lose the L$1 deposit.

While some may complain about this style of gameplay, in some ways it is an impressive achievement - there can be real art in gaming the Linden search function, and I’m sure impressive feats of bot technology are in play here. But is this a game many people would want to play for long?

the L$1 land the bots won’t touch

true artistry in gaming the search results

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[Note from Justine-  Every once in a while I find a model who has a number of different looks, each more fantastic than the one before it. Shok’s collection of avatars is impressive and it was very frustrating to have to limit my choices to just three pictures! It was a great pleasure to work with Shok, and I appreciate the effort it must take to not only pose here for us, but to write in an adopted language! I only hope the pictures do Shok justice].

Well I’d like to introduce myself, I am Shok, aka Shoky’pooh to my friends because I am friendly and huggable.

I started SL a while ago, more than a year. I have been doing so many things around, like discovering a lot of new music bands, new friends and also I discovered how to build.

Building and making things are two things I do a lot of the time. I built some stuff for friends like tee-shirts or collars and even houses…I love building and some people think that I am skilled at it.

And then I met Justine into one of my fav’ clubs. She IMed me and said that I am a hottie and the she wanted to shoot me. It wasn’t the first time and I like doing that because I love fashion and changing clothes.  I hope you will enjoy the pictures as I enjoyed making them with Justine.

A lot of kisses and huggies, Shoky’pooh.

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Letters to the Editor

I’m writing about the article entitled “Bots Make Mockery of Traffic Statistics” on March 23, 2008 for the Second Life Herald.

My name is Doran McCullough and I, along with Organa Ashley, just purchased the land written about from Harold Malpholisto. I want to say, unequivocally, that under no circumstances will we ever use or condone using bots to artificially inflate traffic. We had no idea this was even going on when we purchased this land, and can’t disagree with the use of bots strongly enough.

We are currently in the process of moving our mall and nightclub over to the land, and have always took the stance that bots are to be booted. I encourage all Second Life citizens to come down to the Oxygen Mall and Nightclub, and verify this for yourselves. Organa and I both agree completely that the process of artificially inflating traffic numbers by the use of bots ruins your reputation as a mall owner, disappoints vendors, and ruins Second Life for all citizens.

I would love the opportunity to talk this over with you, perhaps as an interview, or whatever you think best. Great work on the Second Life Herald, I’ve been an admirer for a while now. Keep up the good work, and please send me a notecard or IM letting me know you got this and if you would want to talk about it anymore.

Doran McCullough
Co-Owner Oxygen Mall and Nightclub
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Liberty%20Central%20S/111/65/51/

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by Jessica Holyoke

Starting Friday night, Money Island and the neighboring Money Tree Island and Freebie Island are holding a 48 hour event celebrating live music.

Chelseamarie Noel

While listening to the silky smooth stylings of Chelseamarie Noel, I had a chat with Throughthesewalls Moody, a promoter/manager of live musical acts on Second Life. Throughthesewalls talked about the Music Not Politics Group.

“Music Not Politics is about bringing music and fans together. Live Music is spontaneous, unpredictable, fresh. It wraps its arms around the audience and embraces them as part of whole, giving everyone the experience of belonging, a sense of ownership of the day or night . It lives, it breaths. This is what you will find at every MUSIC NOT POLITICS promoted show.“

Chelseamarie’s set was followed by Shamrod Watanabe, and Throughthesewalls and I continued to talk about how the major labels are not doing enough to get these voices to their fans. But there is hope, as Throughthesewalls points out, “Through the internet, we have the ability to play to more people than any concert hall could ever hold.” If you are a fan of pop, rap, jazz or even opera, check out the live music event this weekend on Money Island: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Money%20Island/234/18/22

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[Note from Justine: This week I found Calcirya Fall and was thrilled when she said she’d pose. I had never heard of a futanari neko, and was pleased to make the acquaintance of one in Calcirya. I hope my pictures do justice!].

Well that is me so I don’t know what else I can say. What you see is what you get! First of all Second Life is made for people to have a…second life, so that being said it is best that you respect that, and let people do what they want to, without criticism.

Now that I got that out of the way, a little about myself…I am fairly new to SL, about a few months I would say so I am still finding out a lot of things…I mostly just hang out at different places, dance, you know all that good stuff! I have met a few good people in my time on SL and well a lot of assholes too, but hey I expected that and I love me some assholes, it is a turn on :). I mostly started SL so I can express my fantasies and try things, at first…now I actually enjoy it and my sexual activity is really low, hanging out and meeting with people is much more exciting. I am really into metal music and I enjoy the whole post-apoc/cyberpunk look if you couldn’t see that already!

Well that is really all I can think to say about me, I don’t mind meeting people so hey if you want to contact me you can :), all you assholes message me too I love a good laugh, haha
Well thanks I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

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