Living a Second Life

Moon Shot

2009-05-24T00:12:00.006-07:00

Hello all. I am writing as I orbit the moon!

I have taken advantage of a wonderful simulation created by Wicked Quasimodo. Wicked has coordinated the construction of a Saturn V rocket and is developing a simulation of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Wicked has not completed the entire flight. As of this writing your journey will take you to the moon and place you in lunar orbit in about 30 minutes.

What a fantastic flight! Check out the pics, and visit the simulation yourself. Make sure to pick up the HUD at the base of the launch pad which provides NASA audio from the flight mission. For best results adjust your graphic setting to the highest quality possible, otherwise you will miss the beauty of seeing our home and satellite from orbit.

The rocket launches around the half hour every hour. There are only four seats in the capsule, so you may want to arrive early to get on board. Enjoy your flight!

Far Out Friday

2009-03-07T01:25:00.016-07:00

Welcome once again, dear readers. Last week I received an invitation to a live broadcast of the Far Out Friday lecture series from the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. The broadcast was held at the International Year of Astronomy Amphiteater on Astronomy 2009 island. The series is host to speakers from the field of science every first Friday of each month. This time the speakers were Br. Guy Cosolmagno, Astronomer at the Vatican Observatory, and Scott Gaudi, Professor of Astronomy at Ohio State University.

The amphitheater at the IYA island is beautiful. We sat on a grassy hill, covered by a translucent dome of blue with white stars on it. The setting was perfect, and as the virtual sun set and the stars began to shine in the darkened sky I sincerely felt this was the right place to be for this event.

I was, however, surprised by the low number of avatars present. How, I wondered, could it be that such a great event only garnered the interest of a dozen avatars or so? Ourania Fizgig, manager of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 presence in Second Life and host of the event, explained that this was a 'soft opening' by invitation only, thus the low numbers. She explained that future lectures will be advertised, and I expect the number of avies present will be greater. I'll tell you something, I will certainly do my part to spread the word.

In real life Ourania Fizgig is Adrienne Gauthier, Industrial Designer and Technologist at the Steward Observatory, University of Arizona. Along with Christopher Impey, Professor of Astronomy at the Steward Observatory, University of Arizona and Second Life resident Cosmo Priestman, Ourania worked with undergraduate students at UofA to create the History of Earth and Life on Earth Walking Exhibit in Second Life. You can read more about this project at the EDUCAUSE Review website.

At the lecture Ourania was busy coordinating the real life event in Chicago with it's manifestation in Second Life while at the same time dealing with my incessant questions and shouts of excitement. I certainly didn't make it easy on her.

Aside from a few technical challenges (good thing this was a 'soft opening'.... I guess Ourania knows what she's doing) I was very excited during the entire event. It just blows my mind that I can be thousands of miles away from Chicago and still be able to enjoy and 'be present' at such an interesting lecture thanks to modern technology. Not only that, the fact the lecture was being broadcast live in Second Life was emphasized from the beginning, giving me pleasure in and of itself, but during the q&a period following each lecture we were actually part of the live discussion! I got to ask Br. Consolmagno about the Kepler mission (which happened to be launching the same evening) and what opinion or stance the Vatican has in regards to the implications finding extra-solar earthlike planets, and by extension life elsewhere in the universe, would have on humanity. Want to know how he responded? So do I. Unfortunately I had difficulty understanding him clearly as the audio was a bit muffled and my real life ears are not as functional as they used to be, but the lectures will supposedly be available as vodcasts.

I want to make a point about my appreciation of modern technology, specifically for Second Life as a platform and tool, as well as about the work Ourania put into making this event a success. The technology in and of itself is amazing, but worthless without hands to manipulate and control it. People like Ourania, and various other individuals and organizations, who individually and collaboratively use this tool to provide anyone in the world (with a high-speed internet connection) with information and resources (and by extension power) are what keep me wanting to explore more of Second Life. Thank you Ourania for making this event happen.

I encourage you to visit the Astronomy 2009 island as it is host to a wonderful exhibit dedicated to humanity's exploration of and appreciation for the heavens, and to come out on Friday, April 3rd, for the next lecture in the Far Out Friday series at the Amphitheater located near the north-west corner of the island. You'll probably see me there, whooping with excitement like a little boy looking at the moon through a telescope for the first time.

Remember, comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Take care.

Pluton Karas

P.S: A note on Ourania's name. Ourania (or Urania) was a daughter of Zeus and one of the nine muses. She was the muse of Astronomy.

Rocket Building Competition

2009-02-21T21:51:00.024-07:00

Hello everyone. Pluton here to tell you about the Tiny Moonraker rocket building competition held at Space Frontier earlier today.

I arrived on schedule, at 2 pm SLT, at the Space Frontier Sandbox, where there were some tiny rocketeers present. I knew this contest was targeted at tinies, but when I actually found myself surrounded by little adorable bears, bunnies, and dragons I felt like cuddling them, a feeling which was unexpected and strange. They were very cute, all done up in clever space suits and outfits befitting the occasion.

I had never been surrounded by so many tinies. I had met a few in isolated situations, but being in the presence of so many gave me a sense of other-worldliness, and once everyone gathered at the actual launch site things got even stranger. There were so many tinies all around that I felt nervous about walking, concerned that I might crush one of them! Then they began to remind me of the mischievous creatures of the Gremlins films! But not for long. The tinies were bundles of chaotic energy, just like those nasty green creatures, but certainly not mischievous and bent on destruction. No, these tinies were highly imaginative and bent on creating, as I was soon to learn.

UKBIKER Betsen, and other tinies, awaiting launch time

The rocket creations were fantastic works of imagination and absurdity. I was unable to capture all the rockets on film, so the following is not a complete listing of all the rockets launched.

Copper Mistral's copper rocket

Etherea Parrot's giant bottle rocket

Catten Carter's retro-futuristic rocket

Hannibal Salamander's half scale Saturn V rocket

Xanda Bracken's rocket animal

Skinty Sparta's Tiny Astronomical Space Accidents (TASA) rocket

Rizzo Taurus' udderly fabulous rocket (wish I had a better pic)

SHAMUS Carter's sim transporting rocket

SHAMUS ready for takeoff

Vic Titanium's carbonated sugar-water propellant rocket

Azelle Mavendorf's double booster lounge pad

patrich Merlin's baby bottle space booster

Raymond Nightfire's ballistic V-2 creation

There was a great moment I wish I could have captured on video. Skinty Sparta's rocket initially malfunctioned and exploded! Fortunately Skinty was unharmed, most certainly due to the flawless design of her crew cabin and flight suit.

Skinty ready for take off

Mayday! Mayday!

Skinty protected in the crew cabin!

Hurrah! Skinty is unscathed!

After an hour of fun rocket launches it was time for the judges to deliberate over the contestant's efforts. Fifth place was awarded to Raymond Nightfire, fourth place to Lara Vidor (not pictured), third place to SHAMUS Carter, second place to Azelle Mavendorf, and first place to Gadget Jun.

The best rocketeers of the day

Gadget Jun and her winning rocket

Special Honorable Mention was bestowed upon JiKun Aero who missed the opportunity to launch a multi-stage rocket that would have surely impressed the judges.

If you would like to see the rockets visit the Space Frontier Sandbox. Some rockets are launch capable, some are copyable. Feel free to roam and explore.

My sincere apologies go out to all the rocketeers whose creations were not represented in this entry; Differ Darwin, UKBIKER, Tiamat, Lara Vidor, and PsychicMediumMeri Indigo.

This event was one worthwhile attending, and certainly one worth repeating. I hope Krull Aeon, Rocket Sellers, and all the community of Space Frontier do it again. Thank you all for working so hard to make this happen.

Thanks go out to all the tinies who participated. Your creativity is amazing, and your energy is boundless!

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas

StormEye

2009-02-21T00:16:00.016-07:00

Preparing to enter StormEye.

Hello dear readers. I have found a beautiful installation located 500 meters above the NMC Campus' Aho Museum.

StormEye is the result of the collaborative work of Desdemona Enfield and Douglas Story. I was fortunate enough to meet and converse with Desdemona beneath the virtual glow of Second Life's full moon. It did not take much to get Desdemona to tell me about herself and her work. Desdemona's principal skills are in scripting, though she also adds to the visual design of the pieces she and Douglas work on.

Desdemona Enfield

How do I make a brief entry while still doing justice to the beauty of the installation? Perhaps images, each worth a thousand words, would be of better use in this case.

At the entrance.

Get yourself an umbrella, compliments of Bryn Oh.

Inside the funnel, with blotto Epsilon.

The inner chamber, which Desdemona referred to as the eye of the

storm, during a peaceful moment.

SweetlySo Gealach enjoys the calm within.

The inner chamber during the storm.

Pluton Karas, sundhi Joubert, and SweetlySo Gealach.

Outside the piece with sundhi Joubert.

Relaxing with Bill Friis.

Everyone is invited to visit StormEye on Saturday, February 21, from 2-4 pm SLtime, for a celebration including ballroom dancing hosted by dj Naydee McGettigan. I won't be able to attend, so I ask you, dear reader, if you attend the celebration, or whenever you experience StormEye, would you be so kind as to leave me a note abou it?

I have been struggling to stave off sleep. I wanted to finish this short entry before retiring for the evening. I hope it is not disjointedly structured.

Until next time, take care of yourselves and each other.

Remember, comments are greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas

Virtual Ability in the News

2009-02-17T00:49:00.004-07:00

Hello everyone. I just read an interview with Gentle Heron, president of Virtual Ability Inc., in the Second Life newspaper. Gentle Heron talks of the further expansion of Virtual Ability with its affiliation to Cape Able, an organization dedicated to providing resources for the hearing impaired in Second Life.

Two of the exciting updates are an art gallery featuring works by deaf and other disabled artists, and a Service Center with resources for the hearing impaired and anyone interested in learning more about the deaf community. I ran into one of Gentle Heron's old friends, Norse Writer, who was kind enough to pose with me for this picture inside the Service Center.

An official Grand Opening celebration will take place on Sunday, February 22, from 2 to 6 pm SLT. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend. If you visit please drop me a note about the event, or if you post about it send me a link.

Take care.

Pluton Karas

Teleport to Cape Able

Aerospace Crew

2009-02-16T00:54:00.006-07:00

Differ Darwin, Motoko Karu, Rocket Sellers, Elbereth White,

Krull Aeon, and myself in front of a high-tech mobile rocket lab.

Hey all. Pluton here, back with another quick entry.

After exploring the region Space Frontier a bit further I found a crew of rocket builders. This being Second Life all the avatars were unique and included a cat (Krull Aeon), a fairy in human guise (Rocket Sellers), a plains clothes rocketeer (Elbereth Witte), a space suited rocketeer (Differ Darwin), and a cyborg (Motoko Karu).

All the rocket builders were very friendly and encouraged everyone who may read this to go over and check out their rocket building facility. A word of caution, however. There is information around the sim that lists a schedule for rocket building classes. Unfortunately the classes are no longer offered. Rocket Sellers, who described herself as both the manager and a patron of Space Frontier, explained that they are "planning other sorts of classes that are not about Second Life, just in Second Life". Unfortunately she would not tell me more, saying "it's a secret project".

When I asked the rocket builders if they wanted me to mention anything specific about their work Rocket Sellers expressed the need for low cost and frequent access to space. "You can go to the moon or mars or asteroid or moons of Jupiter," she went on, "no need to argue about the destination now... just get to orbit affordably". On the other hand Krull Aeon expressed the need to "commission a really big rubber band," and when Elbereth Witte mentioned that Russia has declared and interest in reaching Mars, Krull responded by declaring an "interest in Mars bars".

Rocket Sellers went on to say that "this project is supporting non profits, companies and individuals who are concerned about access to space. We might joke around, but we are very serious." At the end of this entry you will find links to some non profit organizations Rocket listed during our conversation.

If you are interested in rocket building, making access to space more feasible, and networking with others who share this interest then search for the group Space Frontier and visit the the Space Frontier region. Remember, the region is always in development. As Rocket Sellers pointed out, "we consider this research, and our motto is Always Under Construction".

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas

Space Access Society

Space Studies Institute

Space Frontier Foundation

Students for the Exploration and Development of Space

Rocket Science

2009-02-15T22:43:00.006-07:00

Hello everyone. I have not been touring much recently, but tonight I got on and immediately found this fantastic event. This one's for all the rocket scientists out there.

Over at the Space Frontier Sandbox I found a rocket building contest. Everything you need to enter is provided when you click on the poster. You get an already constructed rocket, with scripts included, and a notecard with competition guidelines.

The competition is open to anyone who would like to build a rocket, either using the rocket provided or one entirely created from scratch. The are only two restrictions. First, "no pre-scripted or pre-purchased items" are allowed. Second, the "rockets must be created by the original participant." Beyond this anything goes.

Physics are important in this competition, as I quickly learned when I tried to ride the rocket. After spending a few frustrating minutes I succeeded in standing atop the gray vehicle. When I launched, however, the rocket tipped and blasted off, struck a structure, skimmed over the land and ended up underwater. Fortunately it had no warhead within, and the field was empty of avatars, otherwise I hate to think what may have happened! There was no catastrophic event. In fact it turned quite humorous as I ran and flew around trying to capture a photograph of the accident.

The launch date of the competition is Saturday, February 21, with a slated time of 3 pm SL time. I am looking forward to seeing all the different entries blast off into the clouds above.

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas

Maddening Field Trip

2009-02-06T20:44:00.010-07:00

Travieso Sella, Adriel Ronas, Scott Nizna, Christiana

Senovka, and Pluton Karas, ready to go insane.

"If you have a history of mental illness, particularly a psychotic disorder, you should not tour this facility". Thus begins the tour of the Virtual Hallucinations facility in Sedig, a simulation which provides a glimpse into the schizophrenic's perception of reality. Thanks to the work of Dr. Peter Yellowlees, professor of psychiatry at UC Davis, and his peers, avatars are able to explore a medical ward in which aural and visual hallucinations transform what should be a sterile and safe environment into a maddeningly terrifying one.

The maddening experiences in the ward are based upon the very real experiences of schizophrenics interviewed for the project, and include the following:

unnervingly calm voices repeatedly reminding you that you're dead, that you don't exist, that you know none of this is real
a poster and newspaper whose printed messages transform, distorting not just your perceived world but also the value of your own existence
a television broadcast that directly addresses you, and which attacks and devalues your existence

a mirror in which a healthy looking man smiles at you as you watch him die and begin to decompose; this is based on the experience of a patient who stopped shaving because every morning he would see his reflection dying and decomposing

a gun which suddenly appears beneath a spotlight, with voices trying to convince you to take it and kill yourself; also based on a patient's experience, the man was arrested for attempting to take a police officers gun after the voices he heard gave him the instruction to do so
a hallway whose floor suddenly disappears beneath you, leaving you to precariously make your way over an abyss by hopping on floating stones

Obviously listing the 'experiences' does them no justice, so I won't go into length about them. You must experience them yourself. And let me warn you, the experience can be terrifying.

I took a group of avatars I met at Philosophy House on a field trip to the sim. I had been through the simulation on two separate occasions, both times unaccompanied. This time I was touring with a group. Very early into our tour I realized that touring with a motley crew like the one I gathered reduced the impact the tour had on me, and thereby must also mean that my fellow tourists' first experience here would not be as meaningful as if they were touring solo. Yet, despite this and all our irreverent commentary, my fellow tourists found the tour to be impacting and frightening. Here are just a few excerpts of our conversation:

"Damn, this is insane."
"Ew, that's awful... this guy... no wonder the guy went nuts." (referring to mirror)
"Wow... all these voices... tell them to stop :-("
"What [this sim] cannot convey is the *absolute conviction* you feel when the voices speak, that THEY are correct."
"Wow... That was the craziest shyt [sic] I've ever done in Second Life."
"That was fun. Can we do it again?"

That last quote is not meant to be frivolous. You see, what terrifies me about this sim is that I can choose to experience this, and that at any time I can stop the experience. The schizophrenic cannot. For the schizophrenic, this is reality.

Going through a simulation like this provides us with the opportunity to broaden our real world perspectives, to bridge the gap between our 'normal' world and this alien world of madness. This is of great importance, for if enough of us can gain even this slightest shred of understanding of what the experience of the mentally ill 'may be' like, even if it's just an approximation of that reality, then society can be constructively impacted, for western society not only misunderstands the mentally ill, it also marginalizes and abuses them.

This has been the case in western society for millennia, and it is still the case today. We may no longer burn them at the stake or publicly humiliate them in the town square, but the mentally ill, and their counterintuitive experiences, are so alien to us that we, as a society, ignore the horrors they go through, force our own perspective upon them, then leave them to cope with their terror all alone.

I do not mean to devalue the work of individuals such as Dr. Yellowlees, his colleagues, and the countless number of medical and legal professionals who advocate for the mentally ill. Nor is my intent to alienate all the organizations and individuals who actively work to protect, care for, and advance the rights of the mentally ill. However, despite all this valuable work, I feel the general population still has a distorted view of the mentally ill that stems from fear and ignorance.

In a post-tour note Travieso Sella expressed similar views:

"We can also see the vastness of the gap between the suffering individual and other people, the difficulty one may find in attempting to function in society with such an illness as well as the lack of understanding others may have for them, or their condition. Mental illness and what we call mental disorders are still something of a mystery to people I believe."

"I think [this sim] can reveal to people why those who are schizophrenic may not be required to endure the same kind of punishments, for certain crimes, which other are. Some people are in a state of mind dominated by certain urges, and voices fueling these urges. And therefore they have to struggle in ways that others don’t. So naturally they should, and usually are (at least in my country,) subject to special legal treatment and rehabilitation involving the respective crimes."

I hope more and more people take advantage of this sim. Check it out for yourself, and share the location with others. However, heed the warning I quoted at the beginning of this entry, and read all the information and instructions available before entering the facility.

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas

PS:

Directly teleport to Virtual Hallucinations by clicking here

Read the "New Wold Notes" original commentary on the sim from 2004

T-Shirt Expressions

2009-02-05T18:40:00.007-07:00

Hey all. Check out these t-shirts.

The model is Walk Sideshow. He was cool and humored me for a few minutes, but refused to be photographed shirtless. Oh well.

To me the shirts initially express irony but, like the Necker Cube, suddenly their 'intent' shifts and they seem to genuinely express ignorance. What do you think?

If you want the t-shirts send me a notecard in-world. I'll get them to you as soon as I can.

If you want the t-shirts in real life, go here.

Pluton.

Willowdale Mathematics Library

2009-02-03T22:10:00.006-07:00

Hello everyone. Pluton here. Yesterday one of my readers visited the town of Willowdale, but was unable to locate the mathematics library I featured in my blog (entirely my fault; see below). In order to help I am posting some directions.

Let me begin by saying there is probably an easier way to assist anyone interested in getting to the museum. If this is so, please comment and help me learn.

In addition, I need to apologize to all my readers, for the name of the town is Willowdale; Old Willowdale is the region. I have edited the original entry in order to rectify my error. Thanks go out to Veritas Raymaker whose comment on the difficulty he had finding the museum led to this correction.

In order to get to the mathematics museum follow these directions. Use Second Life's Search window to locate "Willowdale", not "Old Willowdale". If you search for the latter and teleport you will be in Willowdale, but this particular location is not the best to set off from.

After you find "Willowdale" follow the teleport link. This will transport you directly in front of the Willodwale Community Center; it is the building I am standing in front of in the photograph below.

The street I'm standing beside is Swan Way. The tall grey building in the background, at the end of Swan Way, is the mathematics library.

Hope this helps.

One more thing. The members of Willowdale would like to keep it as realistic as possible, so avoid flying to get around. Thanks.

Sincerely,
Pluton Karas

The Town of Willowdale: Child Avatars and Mathematicians

2009-02-02T17:02:00.006-07:00

Hello everyone. I have found myself with a great deal of writing energy and am including a second entry for the day. Can you handle it? Hmm.

Kya Muircastle

A week and a half ago I met Kya (pronounced Kaya) Muircastle. I mentioned her in an earlier entry. She is responsible for helping design and construct Willowdale, a town in the PG region of Old Willowdale which specifically caters to child avatars and their families. The sim celebrated it's grand opening yesterday with a variety of activities, including a live DJ and lots of dancing.

Personally, I had no idea there was a community of child avatars in Second Life. These are individuals who enjoy role playing as children and are adopted by in-world adult avatars. These are in-world families!

I met a small visitor at the Learning Tree

In fact there is a large and supportive community of Second Life children. To learn more about this community visit the Second Life Children blog, or you can go to the Second Life Children Learning Tree in Second Life.

The members of Willowdale are courteous and friendly. Among the avatars I met were Erica Core, a child who graciously answered my questions and gave me a tour of the town, and Corey Somme, a cat who only speaks with children.

Corey and Erica relaxing

The town of Willowdale has everything any small community needs, including a fire house, library, shopping mall, medical center, and school. Classes are held at the school every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Appointments can be made to see a doctor or dentist at the medical center. If you like wholesome, smallville family life then check it out.

What drew me to Willowdale was the Mathematics Museum. I was touring SL, looking for mathematics related locations, when I found it. It is still a work in progress, but if what Kya Muircastle has already done is an indication of what the museum will offer when it is complete then this will be a wonderful place to experience the world of mathematics.

An example of Kya's wonderful interactive exhibits

One of the exhibits will be a hall of biographies. Kya had a contest for individuals to write short biographies on mathematicians. I gave her an entry and earned second place in the contest. To be fair, I don't know how many entries there were (Kya said she received far fewer than she wanted), but I am not about to ask! Unfortunately Kya will not finish this part of the museum until more biographies are ready.

Visit the town of Willowdale and see what the Second Life Children community is like. Maybe it will turn out to be something you had no idea you would enjoy.

As always, comments are greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas

Virtual Ability

2009-02-02T11:49:00.012-07:00

Virtual Ability Sim

Hello everyone. Pluton Karas here again, ready to tell you all about another sim I found which has left me impressed.

As I already mentioned in my last entry I recently met an avatar named Starling Ansar whose user is deaf and mute. I wanted to invite Starling to a taping of The 2nd QuestioN, but since the show is voice chat based she was unable to accompany me. I asked Pookie Amsterdam, producer of the show, about closed captioning for the hearing impaired. The response I got was unexpected, and from an unexpected source.

An audience member named Gentle Heron responded to my query. It turns out Gentle's user is affiliated with Virtual Ability, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities in gaining access to virtual worlds such as Second Life. This assistance is provided both in real life and in Second Life.

In real life the organization helps individuals by assessing their particular needs (perhaps an individual is incapable of using a keyboard) and providing advice and resources to acquire necessary hardware and software (such as voice recognition applications).

Once an individual is physically capable of accessing Second Life the organization provides assistance through it's community network to help him successfully integrate into the virtual environment. To this end the organization has a sim named Virtual Ability which serves as a Second Life entry point and is designed to walk the new resident through the basics of the Second Life interface.

Flight Instructions

The most important way the organization assists residents is by providing a community that "offers members information, encouragement, training, companionship, referrals to other online resources and groups, ways to contribute back to the community, and ways to have fun".

In the organization's mission statement the following point is emphasized:

Virtual Ability, Inc.'s success will be measured not by how many people stay in our group, but by how many use our services to grow into virtual worlds, and become productive members of society once there (italics mine).

If you have read my prior entries it comes as no surprise that I am impressed by that last line in the mission statement. The concept that in this virtual world we all have access to new tools and environments which we can use to constructively affect the real world globally is mind blowing! This organization has certainly done it's part in affecting the lives of real world users with disabilities.

Not only is the work done by the members of Virtual Ability important because they are helping those with disabilities gain access to this incredible medium, but there is also a body of research which boasts of the medical benefits virtual reality worlds present to persons with disabilities, including but not limited to the following:

Benefits those managing chronic illness in rural settings where sources of social support and health information are limited
Improves functioning in the categories of independence, communication, and learning among persons with a significant mobility and physical impairment
Improves cognitive function and concentration for those who have suffered traumatic brain injury
Improves health, as well as mental and physical functioning, during rehabilitation as a result of the patients having 'fun'
Offers social skills training for persons on the Autism spectrum by practicing behaviors through role-play situations in a safe environment

All this information, and more, can be found at www.virtualability.org and at the Virtual Ability sim in Second Life. I hope you pass this information along to anyone you may know who would benefit from the services of this organization.

Adelene Dawner

During one of my visits to the Virtual Ability sim I got to meet an avatar named Adelene Dawner whose user is autistic. Adelene has been in-world for two years and has been active in and benefited from the disability community in Second Life. I am curious to learn of others with disabilities who have benefited from their experiences in Second Life. If this is you leave a comment with your story. If you would like to forward this entry to an avatar whose user has a disability please feel free, and ask if they would comment on their experience.

Finally, let me apologize for the disjointed writing on this entry. Is it disjointed? I am not feeling well and perhaps the writing is fine and it is my perception that is being detrimentally affected by my physical state.

Enough. I wish you all well.

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas

A Note on What I am Researching

2009-01-22T00:01:00.005-07:00

Hello everyone. It has been a while since I have written, and although I am jotting these brief words tonight, I am afraid they do not carry much substance.

I am writing to let you all know that... well, I am still writing. I am still touring Second Life, and meeting some interesting people. Here's a quick rundown of some of the things I am learning about, which I will eventually write about (perhaps).

I have come across information regarding avatars with real life users who are physically disabled. I met an avatar named Gentle Heron who is affiliated with a non-profit organization named Virtual Ability, Inc. This is a real life organization whose mission is "to enable people with a wide range of disabilities to enter into virtual worlds like Second Life®, and provide them with a supporting environment once there". You can learn more by visiting their website at www.virtualability.org. I have not learned more, so perhaps the information I provide, once I write more about this, will be redundant.

I met another avatar named Starling Ansar whose real life user is deaf and mute. Starling designed an art gallery named Soar for what she referred to as the 'deafie sim'. She has been interviewed by an architecture magazine and told me that "when CNN sent a reporter to cover the deaf sim, she used Soar as the backdrop for her report". I plan to learn more about her, as her experiences in Second Life seem interesting.

I visited a mathematics library under construction in Old Willowdale, a sim that is designed for role-playing child avatars and their families. The sim will officially open on February 1st. Hopefully I will have more info before then, or at the very least I will visit on opening day and write about the celebration. The library is the work of Kya Muircastle, a child avatar who was gracious enough to give me a tour.

This is just a short sampling of more incredible avatars I have met, and the amazing work and creativity featured in Second Life.

For now, this is the extent of my entry.

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas

Garden for the Missing

2009-01-04T20:26:00.004-07:00

Hello everyone. Once again I am writing about one of the locales I visited in Second Life. It is called Garden for the Missing. You can easily find it by doing a search in Second Life. To see images of the garden click here.

I had the opportunity to meet and chat with Ronnie Rhode, founder and creator of the garden. In our conversation she emphasized the value a place like Second Life has in providing any of us with the ability to do, as she put it, 'good' work. Though I generally abstain from using terms such as good and bad (remember, I think too much) I understand what she means. The opportunity to constructively influence the 'real' world, and by extension the evolution of both the individual and the collective (i.e. the human race), through this 'virtual' world is amazing!

She began work on the garden in mid 2007 and opened the garden to the public in September of the same year. She explained that she had no experience with construction in Second Life and taught herself how to do it. Here is an example of what I have been writing about, of how any of us can, by investing our energy, do anything in this world! Specifically, any of us has the ability to do something 'good' for ourselves and for our fellow human beings.

I know I have mentioned this before, but I will mention it again; I am impressed by the opportunity a world like Second Life presents for organizations and like-minded people to connect. In this case the organization is one we may consider to be involved in a noble cause. Whether our connecting and interacting with this 'noble' organization (the garden) results in more cases being solved is not what I am interested in. This would obviously be wonderful, but what I find interesting is that Second Life adds another medium through which we can become actively involved in directly reshaping our 'real' world. We can influence people's 'real' lives. Whether we choose to be constructive or destructive is another topic. In this instance Ronnie Rhode has done something to constructively affect change in the 'real' world.

I am going to cut this entry short. However, there are so many tangents my mind has taken notice of as I write. For instance, how active is our participation in this medium? Isn't it in fact passive? What kind of influence does a virtual world like Second Life really have in reshaping the lives of people all around the world? There's so much to think about. In fact there is more to write about my visit to the garden (I met another interesting person there). But I must go for now.

Thank you for reading my blog. Comments are always welcome and appreciated.

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas

Stumbling Along, I Found This! (Part II)

2008-12-28T22:44:00.005-07:00

Hello again. I am back to finish the tale of my experience in the Albaycin Preserve. This entry will consist only of describing what I saw in the preserve. I have created a photo album of my visit, which you can access here.

Delia Lake's cabin is a self-sustaining dwelling. A wind turbine and solar panels on the roof power the cabin. She has made available a solar panel that can be copied and used by any visitor in the construction of his or her own dwelling. Delia hopes to influence other Second Life builders to design dwellings that are self-sustaining and at harmony with the environment. The cabin itself is spacious and comfortable. Delia has placed information around the cabin regarding the book she coauthored and research on the fragility of some of the earth's ecosystems.

Delia placed a keyhole garden behind the cabin. To learn more about keyhole gardens watch this video. Since it is winter in the Albaycin Preserve Delia has placed a winter greenhouse over the garden that can be removed in warmer weather. A rain catcher with "holes in the top disc so that the water can come through and run down the plastic sheeting onto the compost and seep into the garden itself" tops it. According to Delia these gardens could be built anywhere in the US, Europe, southern South America, Russia, and most of China.

Delia briefly explained some aspects of the flora, fauna, and geography of the sim to me. "Since this sim is set in a north temperate area, it will change with the seasons. Right now [it] is winter, but the look of the place will change in spring, summer and fall."

She continued, "Many of the plants and animals here would be native to the Pais Vasco area—oaks, beaches, pines, some maples, fruit and nut trees. Many of the birds and marine animals [would also be native to the region], but not all of them. All of the plants and animals could live in these conditions though. I have chosen to treat my natural builds in [Second Life] as people have treated places to with they have immigrated for eons in [Real Life]. Humans have brought with them as they migrated some favorite plants and animals from their old homes. The ones ... suited to the new conditions adapted and thrived. A few of the trees and animals here I have made/brought to [Second Life]. Most, though, were made/brought into [Second Life] by other people".

A nice place to enjoy the beauty of the sim is the patio and vineyard located along the southern coastline of the bay. There you can pick grapes from the vine, squash them in a large wooden tub, and drink the fruits of your labor on an open, cobbled patio overlooking the bay. In the future Delia plans to host small music events and discussion groups on the patio.

The sim is unfinished, but the work Delia has completed is astounding.

I want to thank Delia for being so gracious with me. She was courteous and answered all my questions without hesitation.

Well, another entry is done. I still have much to write about though. My next entry will be about Ronnie Rhode, an avatar who has built a garden in Second Life dedicated to helping solve missing person cases in the United States. Until then, take care of yourselves.

Remember, comments are appreciated.

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas

Stumbling Along, I Found This! (Part I)

2008-12-28T02:25:00.002-07:00

Hello everyone. Here I am again, writing because I have had an interesting experience. I met someone who constructs natural habitats and nature preserves in Second Life.

Her avatar's name is Delia Lake. I met her in her cabin in the Albaycin Preserve, one of the habitats she works on. The habitat is based upon the geography of the Pais Vasco, the Basque Country of northern Spain. What she has done is "to compress the geography [in order to] get a feel for a representation of the Euskadi/Basque natural landscape". I have never visited the region, but I must say I am impressed with the work she has done.

There is so much to write about that I will break it up into several blog entries. I feel that if I compiled it all in this one entry you, dear reader, would be bored, and the beauty and innovation (at least from my perspective) of Delia's work would be diminished.

In this entry I will share with you what Delia shared with me about herself in our initial conversation. In her 'real' life Delia has been on the board of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston for 10 years, on the board of Extras for Education for 15 years, and has co-authored the book The Sustainable Enterprise Fieldbook. In Second Life she is a member of the Green Island Avatars group.

When I asked what spurred her to take action in Second Life she explained how two-and-a-half years ago she heard mention of Second Life at a web technologies presentation. She decided to try Second Life for a week (her son does some game programming for fun and she thought she could better understand his interests by visiting Second Life) and "very quickly realized that Second Life is not a game but a medium for co-creation and innovation". She got involved in developing 6 water related microhabitats for the Center for Water Studies and is now constructing the Albaycin Preserve.

All her spaces in Second Life are public access. She explained that one of the primary reasons for her presence and work in Second Life is "to raise awareness of the beauty and fragility of our world".

Once again someone has worked to create something in Second Life that, hopefully, will impact the 'real' world in a constructive way. She has recognized the opportunity this innovative technology offers and has taken action. To what effect I sincerely cannot say. In fact I have been pondering to what extent Second Life can affect 'change' in the 'real' world, and for whom. But regardless of my ponderings, she is doing it.

All right. I am tired. I will write more, and include images of the preserve, another time. Until then I thank you once again for reading my blog. All comments are appreciated.

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas

Important Links

2008-12-26T04:03:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. Pluton Karas here. I must post some links of importance before I go to bed (for 3 hours).

In my last entry I retold the exciting and entertaining evening I had at the StudioDome in SciLands at The 2nd QuestioN! show. If you would like to get more info on SciLands and the various science resources available there, visit scilands.org. To learn more about The 2nd QuestioN! and its creator, Pooky Amsterdam, visit pookymedia.com.

That's all for now. Take care, everyone.

Pluton Karas

Movies and Game Shows

2008-12-24T00:13:00.000-07:00

Hello all. Welcome back. So, here I am, all excited about this world I'm visiting, with all the potential it holds for creativity, and you know what I did today? I spent two hours in a movie theater eating pixilated popcorn. That's right, I went to the movies in Second Life.

Can you name the film? You've got to be specific. I'll give you a visual clue. It stars this actress:

The theater is the Second Cinema Movie Theater, located in Amity Island. It showcases classic horror films, and abounds with free horror film posters for the taking.

I also got an invite to an event. I thought it was going to be a question-and-answer panel show about science. I was excited about going, wondering how many people would be there, what kind of things I would learn, and just what the experience would be like. It turned out to be much more entertaining than I thought.

The event was a weekly science panel show, just as I expected, but with an entertaining twist; it is set up like a game show. It is called The 2nd Question. Turns out it's a television show broadcast in Second Life. Episodes can be viewed at www.slcn.tv.

I met a friend at the StudioDome in SciLands (she's the one on my right) and got comfy.

As you can see there were quite a few people there. Everyone was in good spirits as the show began with holiday songs from guitarist and singer Edsel Heinkel. The hosts, Pooky Amsterdam and Hydra Shaftoe, kept everyone entertained as they read questions and commented on the audience responses, which at many times were hilarious.

The questions were mainly of a scientific nature, though they weren't strictly limited to the realm of science. There was one question which everyone in the audience knew the answer to; Liberace. Not only did we all know it, we all spelled the flamboyant pianist's name correctly! However, like I said, most of the questions were not as easy and I spent much of my time on Google and Wikipedia looking up the information.

My research efforts paid off. I ended up neck to neck with a cool looking reindeer named Loretta McGinnis. In the end I was able to come out ahead and finished with the most correct answers for the evening. My prize? A cool L$1000.

Afterwards, as balloons, confetti, and dreidels rained down on us, many of us hung around chatting and getting to know each other. Well, everyone else did. I took a few pictures and left, eager to write about my experience. Simply put, I had a blast!

So, what's so special about going to the movies and a game show? Well, nothing really. But I wonder, how many of you have been part of a studio audience? Well, maybe lots of you have, but here in this world we each have the opportunity to not just participate in an entertaining cultural event and have fun, we have the opportunity to create the setting we want and showcase whatever content we wish. Well, perhaps developing something like this show or constructing a movie house would be incredibly challenging for any of us to do (design and construct a set, plan a show, get legal permission to showcase films, etc.), but it would be possible, and maybe easier, to find others in this world with whom to cooperate in accomplishing this task than in the 'real' world, and it certainly is within our capacity to develop a cultural event on a smaller scale.

Am I being naive in thinking that any of us can do anything in this world? Maybe. After all, I have only experienced a total of about 3 days of this world. I am still in my honeymoon period, and besides, I am just a tourist, perhaps only seeing what I want to see. Still, I am so impressed by what can be done here that I will keep exploring, looking to experience more of what people just like you have created in this Second Life world.

Take care,

Pluton Karas

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

2008-12-22T20:54:00.001-07:00

Within the world of Second Life there are countless incredible environments to visit. One of these is the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Currently the virtual museum is hosting the exhibit "Witnessing History: Kristallnacht, the 1938 Pogroms". Comprising a combination of virtual reproductions of actual sites with audio and video footage of witnesses to the events, the exhibit brings to life the personal experience of the victims of that terrible night.

The exhibit begins in a newsroom, complete with filing cabinets, drab, uncomfortable chairs, desks covered with notes, and bulletin boards replete with background and introductory information of the events. It feels like a standard museum exhibit, until you touch the glowing dossier across the room. Suddenly, one of the newsroom's walls vanishes, opening onto a virtual recreation of what may have been a German neighborhood as it appeared on the Night of Broken Glass.

Graffiti covers the walls. Broken glass and books litter the street. Glowing footprints are scattered all around the streets and inside the buildings. Stepping over them activates audio recordings of people's memories of the night. These are the actual memories of witnesses to the pogroms. Other icons provide various information, from personal histories of the witnesses to reproductions of actual legal documents belonging to them.

The neighborhood includes various buildings one can explore to become better acquainted with how the witnesses' daily lives, perhaps mundane and similar to ours, were directly affected. Among these is a schoolroom with desks turned over and piled outside its door, a house that has been ransacked by the SS, and an elevator that leads up to a secret hiding room. Everywhere there are personal items of the witnesses whose stories are detailed in the exhibit.

Among these neighborhood details I found one to be most interesting. It was a news post plastered with newspaper and magazine cover pages, posters, and legal documents illustrating the racist propaganda prevalent in Germany at the time. Amongst these is an illustration from a children's primer. The enchanting illustration portrays a lovely landscape of a lakeside town. Just outside the town a Jewish family, drawn with stereotypical anti-Semitic features, stands before a sign that reads, "Jews are not wanted here". How, I wonder, could anyone sincerely present this image to a child? It truly is disturbing.

Stepping up to the local synagogue triggers an exhibit comprising audio memoirs of the destruction of various temples as well as virtual effects recreating the shattering of glass and burning of the temples. Walking through the threshold one finds the synagogue has been destroyed. Various glowing icons cover the floor and walls of the temple, triggering information regarding the desecration of the temples and the holy books of the Torah.

In the synagogue there is an exit that leads into another newsroom. There you can leave a note regarding the exhibit and see photographs of the witnesses from the exhibit. Past this is a sanctuary perfect for contemplating or discussing what you have just experienced, followed by a room where you can watch video of some of the living witnesses of Kristallnacht.

The effect the entire exhibit has is to personalize the events of the night. The audio recordings tell of how the witnesses' lives, most of them children at the time, were affected. Their voices bring to life the fear, horror, and confusion they experienced. Thus this exhibit transcends the intellectual value of a history lesson and becomes an event in which you, the visitor, through the development of an empathic link with the witnesses, have the opportunity to gain a deeper sense of the horror and injustice perpetrated by human upon human on this infamous night.

I am amazed by the opportunities for creativity and learning that Second Life offers us all (so long as we have access to a computer and a high-speed internet connection, that is). This exhibit is one of many such environments. There is a whole world to explore, created by people just like you, sitting in front of their computers, working to bring a bit of their personal experiences and desires to this virtual world. I will continue my journeys and log my experiences here.

This is Pluton Karas, resident of Second Life, wishing you health and happiness. Take care.

Introduction

2008-12-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

Hello. I call myself Pluton Karas. It is a name I chose for myself, though I do not recall attributing any meaning to it. It was not given to me, for I was not born. I was... well, "I was" is perhaps not an appropriate way to explain how I came to be. Ah, that's it. I came to be aware of myself on March 26, 2007. Exactly how this happened I haven't a clue, though I have since learned of the circumstances surrounding that moment of self-awareness.

It seems I was the result of a sub-atomic collision experiment at Fermilab. I was never detected, though the research papers allude to the prediction of my existence. The prediction was correct, for I came into being, but unfortunately for me it was a very tumultuous beginning.

Confused? So was I. I was suddenly present and fully self-aware, inexperienced yet filled with potential in a world of space and time that afforded me every possibility in existence yet was terrifyingly infinite! How would you handle that? Well, I ran away. I sped through time and space, trying on various 'traps of perception' (I guess I should stop being pretentious and call them personas, but sometimes I like being pretentious) before deciding upon this one.

I have been an international banker in Tokyo, but found myself unhappily immersed in the cosplay world of Tokyo's image clubs. I was also a sherpa, guiding foreigners on expeditions through the Himalayas, but was bored to death by the routine until my existence was nothing but mundane. I even tried being part of the luminous cloud of expanding gas around Wolf-Rayet star WR124, only to find no majestic luminous cloud there (the star is about 21,000 light years away, which means the nebula we see today existed 21,000 years ago... duh!). I could go on and on, but I don't want to bore you.

So, to make a long story short, I found myself here, in Second Life. Here was a reality that could be directly manipulated and transformed by any one of its residents in ways that the so-called 'real world' could not. I loved it, and became a sort of tourist in this world-in-constant-flux.

This blog is a way for me to share experiences, places I've been or encounters I've had, which have been personally meaningful. Hopefully it will spur some of you to explore Second Life. The possibilities here are incredible!

Sincerely,

Pluton Karas