Second Life humour roundup
July 8, 2007
A few humourous snippets for the weekend. Some are derivative of other work but still funny.
1. Adventures in First Life Redux
2. Drive Your Car in Google Earth
Not Second Life related but close enough:
3. The Helpful Home Bot
Let’s call it abstract humour:
Popularity: 4% [?]
Australian Federal Police: We’re Watching
July 7, 2007
Mick Keelty, Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police is quoted in today’s Sydney Morning Herald as saying that the AFP are aware of online scams in virtual worlds, including Second Life. Nothing particularly surprising there. Keelty is also realistic about the challenges of policing virtual worlds, admitting it will be “difficult”.
There’d be widespread support for their involvement with the Virtual Global Taskforce which has a strong child protection focus and comprises the Australian Federal Police, the Australian High Tech Crime Centre, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre in the UK, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the US Department of Homeland Security, Interpol and the Italian National Police. The test for the AFP will be drawing the line between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour in a way that protects innocent parties whilst maintaining freedom of expression.
One thing is certain - any Australian believing their activities in Second Life are beyond scrutiny are deluding themselves to the highest degree.
Popularity: 6% [?]
The Sun Never Sets
July 6, 2007
Australian machinima auteur Skribe Forti has produced a short “avant-garde soap opera” titled The Sun Never Sets.
Who needs Young and the Restless?
Popularity: 5% [?]
Australia Council announces first in-world artists forum
July 5, 2007
The Australia Council certainly can’t be accused of not howing interest in Second Life as a means of artistic expression. Last week we reported on the ‘matchmaker’ service for artists and musicians working in Second Life. Now, in conjunction with the ABC they’ve announced an artist forum for the 12th July:
“The in-world event, to be moderated by ABC’s Sunday Arts reporter/producer Fenella Kernebone, is for the Australia Council’s inaugural Second Life artist residency.
In an open forum at 7pm (EST) on ABC Island, Paris-based artist and architect Brad Kligerman - one of the first artists in Second Life to complete an in-world residency - will present his work, discuss ideas and answer participants’ questions.
Brad, an architect and teacher, completed his 11-week residency with US-based Ars Virtua , a new media centre and gallery in Second Life, where he questioned the idea of materiality in the rendered environment and the nature of image.
Australia Council chief executive officer Kathy Keele said the partnership with the ABC was a great fit with the Australia Council’s Second Life initiative. ‘The ABC was the first Australian media organisation to establish a presence in Second Life and we are excited about working with them on this project.’
‘We hope that Australian artists gain valuable insight from Brad Kligerman’s successful art interventions in Second Life and that they will be inspired to create innovative works in-world that will place them at the forefront of this groundbreaking practice,’ Kathy Keele said.
The Australia Council has also set up an artist’s forum in Second Life for artists looking for other artists with whom to collaborate. The moderated artists forum can be found at ABC Island and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS) Island, Esperance.”
Like any event, places are limited so drop an email to slrsvp@ozco.gov.au with your Second Life Avatar name. The event will be streamed live at a location to be announced and and a vodcast . A vodcast of the event will also be available on the ABC Sunday Arts website . Sunday Arts screens at 5.00pm on… Sundays.
For more information on Ars Virtua and Brad Kligerman visit www.arsvirtua.com.
Popularity: 10% [?]
Wiz Nordberg’s Smart Company Blog
July 4, 2007
SLCN’s Wiz Nordberg has a blog running on the business-oriented Smart Company website.
Our two-part interview with Wiz and the SLCN team can be found here and here.
Popularity: 9% [?]
Party time for ABC’s 75th Anniversary
July 3, 2007
A bunch of Australian SL users organised a party on ABC Island as an impromptu celebration of the ABC’s 75th anniversary:
Stalwart ABC Admin Wolfie Rankin was a key organiser, helped out by a number of other active community members.
Popularity: 5% [?]
Linden Lab offer resource directory
July 3, 2007
Linden Labs have announced the aggregation of a range of directories into a Resident Resources database. Any SL resident can submit information on a tool or service they’ve created, but it will cost you L$250 per category you list in. Allow up to five business days for your listing to be approved. It’s good to see the community side of things actually expanding a little since the reduction of SL forum options.
Popularity: 4% [?]
