Opinion: The Kids are Alright

 

By Any1 Gynoid

 

This dress is a “thoub”. It’s a classic traditional Palestinian party outfit for women. I’ve been wearing this dress all week at dozens of Second Life venues. Nobody noticed. Would kids even notice if a real Hamas terrorist pillaged their home town? I doubt it.

So I am searching today in-world in Second Life. Search term Palestine? Nothing. Palestinian? Nothing. Hamas? Nothing. Gaza? Nothing.

So why are all those kids protesting on college campuses and getting arrested as we speak?

I have a theory. ATTENTION. How else can they get it? Presidential Scandals are not shocking. Pr0n is not shocking. Mass killing is the new normal.

I deplore the double standard in society. It’s NOT OKAY to be a misogynist. Me too! NOT OKAY to be a racist. NOT OKAY to be anti-LGTBQ. (Nor Anti-FURRY! LoL)

But ANTISEMITISM! Somehow it’s okay to hate Jewish people. To quote Dana Horn’s book title… People Love Dead Jews… Jesus H you know the most popular! The 2nd most popular is Anne Frank… And thems fighting words. You are messing with the wrong biatch! Now you have my ATTENTION!

So I’m just saying. Society is really messed up. And it’s getting worse for our kids generation. Declining economic prospects for young people and marriage. It’s okay to work at home in your mom’s basement and be socially isolated. Okay, I get that!

The kids are protesting the hypocrisy of modern society. So the kids picked the most divisive issue possible to get our attention. Okay kids we hear you.

I don’t believe the protestors’ antisemitic rhetoric on TV for even for a second. I don’t believe that kids are so disgruntled that they turned into screaming racists overnight. A nation of college campuses populated by Marjorie Taylor Greene’s yelling at Stonewall Douglas victims. I’m not buying it. Whatsoever. The Kids are Alright. 

Any1 Gynoid

 

Reader Submitted: 988

 

 By Any1 Gynoid

 

Ronnie Montrose 64, Kurt Cobain 27, Amy Winehouse 27, Wendy Haluza 29, Brian Donovant 15, Rose Berka 38, Jim Morrison 27, Janis Joplin 27, Jimi Hendrix 27 ... When I am on Second Life, there is one thing you can bet your digital boots on, I always request the song "Suicide Solution, theme song of M*A*S*H. I am not afraid to talk about suicide. I am your friend. I am there 24 hours x 7 days a week, x 365 days a year. I am a 988 Crisis Counselor.

Mental Health. In this country, The United States of Americs (USA! USA!), where there are 400 million guns, more guns than people. In fact, about 2/3s of all guns in the world are the private property of US citizens. And our 50 state gubbermints are shedding budgets ... taking money away from colleges and universities ... DEFUND mental health institutions ... kids are scared to go to school ... Fox News incessantly spreading spreading Russian propaganda. Who you gonna call?

 

So here's the thing. The USA is the greatest country in the world. More than half of all US hoseholds are living paycheck to paycheck, 2/3 of households making under $100,000 per year, 3/4 of households making under $50,000. Paycheck to paycheck. What that means, let's say you are the breadwinner, and you break a leg or your car breaks down, or you get arrested, or you get pregnant (i.e. the looming crisis in 20 veto-proof red states). You were just getting by from paycheck to paycheck. But now,  ... The wheels fell off your life's jugging act. What can you do? Who you gonna call?

Suicide may appear a solution. So here's what we do. If you called 911 emergency services, these high-school educated guys, heavily armed, expecting you own an AR15 Assault Rifle ... will knock on your door, possibly guns blazing. Yeah, go ahead and do that. Or call me. I'm just sayin.

 

All the problems, all of the major mistakes that we make building an Information Technology (IT) system, all the mistakes, land on the IT helpdesk. Similarly, but in a much larger context, all of the major mistakes, we parents, we teachers, we counselors, we pastors, we officer friendly's, all those mistakes and problems gotta go somewhere. 911 is often NOT the right answer. So there is 988. 988 is the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It is national. It is everywhere in The United States of America. It is 24x7x365. FREE!

So basically, we will take your call. We strive to be compassionate, empathic, engaged, and helpful. But mostly we listen. Our goal is to help you through the next 24 hours safely. There are things under your control, and we will help you discover. Tomorow is another day.

Nine Eight Eight. 988. There for you. Voice and TEXT. Could be your last resort. Hopefully not. But remember this. You gotta friend. AnyOne will take your call. 988. Bada Bing!

Any1's opinon piece for the SL Newser (The REAL Fox News)

Images of Imagine Peacefest

IMAGINE PeaceFest was a respite from Occupy protests, where global solutions are envisioned, and Second Life's most fabulous talent converge in spirit of peace, love, and harmony. An eclectic melange of art, music, poetry, politics, and positive thinking, IMAGINE PeaceFest was a 3 day weekend, over 50 hours of events on dozens on Second Life regions.

Second Life's best and brightest and most talented, all turned out to bless us with their special human gifts. Donations went to READA, RAWA, and One Laptop per Child, important and under-reported small causes, where our Second Life contributions really do make a big difference.

Amazing Second Life immersive artist, Artistide Despres, stood alongside a huge hand peace symbol on New Caerleon region.

The IMAGINE MUSIC stage was set up by Gary Kohime and Pixels Sideways at New Caerleon for IMAGINE PeaceFest.

Bankers on the run!!!

Leading the parade of Occupy Movement protest marchers.

Famous photographic artist Gracie Kendal joined us at IMAGINE PeaceFest. Her new book 1000+ Avatars is in production. At the Peacefest, she declared that if you had your portrait taken for her first book, 1000 Avatars, your picture is definitely published there.

Epic artist, curator, and Second Life builder, Trill Zapatero comes out in her Occupy outfit for IMAGINE PeaceFest. Her RAWA and Afghanistan builds kicked off the festival, and on Sunday she hosts the RAWA BoHo Hobo Fashion Show of authentic and inspired traditional designs.

Photons of Imagine and Peace radiate from a large hand in peace symbol, sending a message of love towards the heavens.

The IMAGINE PeaceFest home page is at http://peacetraintrust.org/ .

Any1 Gynoid

Article & images originally on CNN.

Best Viewer Apps for SL

Second Life Viewers are maturing rapidly and avatar users are choosing sides. I am decidedly multi-viewer. As an active user and teacher of several major viewers, I'll share some important news and insights. In my recent survey of 133 experienced Second Life (SL) users, the viewer market share breaks down like this:
56% use Phoenix Viewer @ PhoenixViewer.com
26% use Linden Lab's Viewer 2 @ SecondLife.com
3% use Other New Viewers (e.g. Imprudence/Kokua, Emergence, Ascent)
16% use Linden Lab's Viewer 1 and Miscellaneous

More surprisingly, SL ages appear to correlate with Viewer choice…
Phoenix users are mostly 1 to 4 years old in SL
Viewer 2 users are mostly less than 1 year old in SL
Viewer 1 users are mostly over 3 years old in SL
* Of course there were several outliers who don't fit these norms

Linden Lab (LL), the maker of Second Life, stopped development of Viewer 1 at version 1.23 in October 2009. LL launched Viewer 2 the same year, and offered the Viewer 1 code to 3rd party developers. First Emerald emerged as third party leader, which was replaced by the Phoenix project, which now dominates SL viewer market share.

When I announced this survey to some groups, people came forward to announce their Viewer 1 loyalty. Indeed, oldbie avatars (avis) are laggards, by and large, and even very old versions of Phoenix are being blocked from SL (156 and 168).

You see me in Phoenix Version 818 with all my glorious Heads Up Device (HUD) gadgetry in Picture 1. The pictures are all raw SL snapshots, un-retouched (i.e. a little dark), where I compare Viewer 2 and Phoenix for this story.

40 GROUPS NOW in SECOND LIFE: Here's How!!!

From time immemorial in SL, users were limited to 25 SL groups. Someone at LL made a ridiculous assumption that if we let people join too many groups, the resulting communications would overload the virtual world. Kind of like a nuclear chain reaction, we would collectively melt their server farm!!! LOL Finally LL came to it senses. Hee Hee!

If you are Viewer 2 user, you are already 40 groups capable. If you are in Phoenix, you may need to enable this feature, here's how: Enable the Advanced Menu by holding down CTRL and ALT… then press D. In Advanced > Show Debug Settings, then type "Phoenix40…" (auto-completes)… and click the TRUE radio button, then OK button. Done!

Viewer 2: Market Share by Default Downloads

If you don't have a desktop iMac and or a superwide HDTV 16:9 display, forget V2, Bada Bing! V2 has a right margin bar that takes up too much screen on ordinary computer displays, Picture 4.

Nevertheless, I have always liked the Viewer 2 (V2) interface, and declared that to M Linden (then LL CEO) while V2 approval ratings among SL users was only 3%. See my letter to M Linden on SL Newser: http://tiny.cc/udl6m

I suggested M dump Google… they were botching V2 search quite badly, the key feature that makes SL SL (e.g. Compare with OpenLife). Instead, LL drove Google very deeply into V2, to the extent that, it's fair to say: V2 IS SPYWARE. V2 requires full enabling of Google's Analytics, AdServices, AdWords, and LeadServices… otherwise the "action" buttons in search don't work at all: Teleport, IM, Profile, and Details. Why does Google need to know who's profile I'm opening? Groups I research? Where I'm going in SL? Or who I'm IMing? YIKES! See https://jira.secondlife.com/browse/WEB-2465

Remember… I like Viewer 2. Adding Phoenix to my SL quiver was hard for me in some ways. V2's groups list is awesome; I love the Favorites Landmark (LM) bar across the top (Picture 3); and the Instant Message (IM) icons are way cool… little caption bubbles pop up when a chat arrives.

In-World search in V2 actually works! Yay! But the user interface is very annoying, making you slowly reopen search numerous times, every time you TP. Slow Google-driven buttons… need to be re-started from scratch for your next search. For Event Search, your best bet in V2 is to click the Profile button then Notify, for a bunch of Events, before you TP. In Phoenix (after you TP), to use the next search result… Ctrl F, Click-Select an event, and Teleport. Dead simple and fast! Duh!

The surgery LL did on Group Notices, IM's and chat with Toast pop ups, Toast Time, Toast Fade time… is pretty ill-defined and unworkable for users. Either you go with their ADD-inducing 5 second defaults or… go with their ADD-inducing defaults… You Will Lose Settings with Every Viewer 2 Update!

Now, what really irks me is Viewer 2 lag. Clouding and Ruthing are a form of lag. I get serious Clouding most every time I log into Viewer 2, and seldom a problem in Phoenix. Viewers 2.4 and beyond significantly increased lag… I noticed instantly because I surf in SL, and I CAN'T SURF IN THE LATEST few V2 releases e.g. my SL Surfs Up iReport: http://slnewserplaces.blogspot.com/2010/12/dude-surfs-up-in-second-life.html.

This lag in LL's own viewer is a great irony, because the new CEO of LL is a video gamer guy.
For Clouding/Appearance fixes see my iReport: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-504314
And see this amazing Phoenix Wiki note… incredible De-Clouding advice! http://wiki.phoenixviewer.com/doku.php?id=bake_fail

Why Phoenix is Winning Market Share!

TA DA!!! PHOENIX OFFERS FREE LIVE TECHNICAL SUPPORT… In-World for their browser… delivered by Phoenix staff… through their SL group Phoenix Viewer Support. During peak SL hours, Phoenix has at least 2 dedicated staff answering your questions. This is an amazing feature because in my 3+ years in SL, I've never seen LL do direct technical support. Not even close.

If you are in Viewer 1 (or any non-V2), moving to Phoenix is dead easy. No learning curve, 95% upward compatible, you won't notice the difference. I assure you. I urge you NOT to stay on Viewer 1.23… since there are no code updates in years, the security/griefer situation will continue to deteriorate. The multitudes of V1.23 users are a juicy target! Oh Yeah! Don't get hacked silly, upgrade painlessly now!

Most features of Viewer 2 are available in Phoenix in some form. The Outfits folder was a great V2 innovation, fully available in Phoenix, and built into Appearance > Make Outfit. Your V2 outfits are already in Phoenix and work great!

Zoomable Mini-Map with mouse wheel! Great V2 feature! It's in Phoenix too! Yay! (Picture 2).

Favorites links… are an inventory folder in Phoenix. Often, I get annoyed with V2's way of splitting up inventory… into Places and Outfits and whatnot… Yikes! I'm in the WRONG V2 window again! But no, in Phoenix it's all in inventory and searchable without switching panes.

Phoenix let's you see which SL Viewer other people are using. Making this story possible! Hurrah! Look at avi name tags. Picture 2 shows many Phoenix cool cats hanging with a handful of Viewer 2 and miscellaneous avatars.

Phoenix has many "beyond Viewer 1" extensions… Some are integrated into familiar SL controls… but many are in the new Phoenix menu and the new Phoenix tab on Ctrl P Preferences. Fun to explore… no worries, the good olde features are just where you expect!

Bottom Line: What to Do?

If you are on Viewer 1, upgrade to Phoenix. If you are on Viewer 2 and don't mind the avi clouding and lag… you are cool and should stay. Enjoy your SL! Otherwise migrate to Phoenix and join Phoenix Viewer Support SL group! You can't go wrong!

And join my classes, I re-start teaching in February, every Saturday and Sunday at 6:30am SLT (US Pacific). All at our remodeled way-cool campus in SL: Dream Seeker (206, 132, 22)

For more info, download my free SL book, links in this iReport: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-518024

ABOUT SECOND LIFE GADGETS & HUDS (Pictures 1 and 3)

SL, like Dog years, feel like 7X faster than RL years. In my decades in SL, I've accumulated over 22,000 items. Omg! Most oldbies use a lot of HUDs and attachments as shown in any Picture 1 and 3. All this stuff is pretty easy to find in the SL Search classified ads, or just ask any SL help group.

Starting from Mini-Map upper left, and going clockwise, you see HUDDLES EZ Animator. I have this one setup to do modeling poses, but it's main function is to animate dances and invite friends to sync dance. Buy the deluxe model because it's copyable.

Top center is the free Simbolics Translator. Does dozens of languages, translating both directions. You also have built in Google translator in Ctrl P Prefs, Chat tab, but that translation is only 1 way :-(. Ferd's free translator is also great and does 3 or more languages at once.

Just under Group Notices in Picture 1 is the JLU signal HUD. This is anti-griefer panic button that summons the super-hero-clad Justice League Unlimited experts to your location. It's the 911 of SL for fighting griefers!

The Pink button next to the chat window is Musyume-AO from MAMESANDO Rings (Japanese AO seller). Gotta love those way-cool AOs to get some 'tude in ur avi postures!

Above the chat window is Avatar Online Tracker. I find SL's online friends notification to be way laggy and annoying. This great device helps me track online status of anybody, especially useful for iReporters and event promoters for finding people online they want to meet!

P.S. I only specialize in the features of SL that enable fun. I would love to have an open discussion (i.e. public SL meeting) with people who are truly knowledgeable about SL techno stuff.

P.P.S. Viewer 2.4+ very important… (otherwise it's DOA)… Advanced Menu > Show Debug Options, then in the box type adminmenu, set the radio button to True and OK. Then… Advanced > Show Develop Menu and Develop > Show Admin Menu. Now you can ALWAYS FLY real high (fixes loads of SL problems) and work round the SL music failure bug… Essential for true SL fun lovers! See Chapter 2 of my free SL book for more info: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-518024

P.P.P.S. The next version of Phoenix is FIRESTORM... and the next Imprudence viewer is Kokua... the new new thangs! Get the buzz on the SL group Phoenix Viewer Support! It's cool to people-watch the SL support fun! Go Figure!

P.P.P.P.S. The 10 thousand odd members of the Phoenix Viewer Support group make it an amazing forum... SL's true Towne Square... A recent interaction really "made my day"... someone asked sincerely... if we could help her friend who was lagged and clouded and having tremendous SL problems... Whirly Fizzle promptly offered this sage advice... "If boobs are not jiggling... go to edit... prefs.... Phoenix..page 2... effects,,, make sure boobs are enabled & set numbers to 100, 15, 100, 16, 1 (if you have low fps you need max/min vel at 100/1). If still no jiggle go to advanced... debug settings..... PhoenixBreastPhysicsToggle...set to FALSE, then back to TRUE" LOL LMAO!!!, used with Whirly's permission!

(originally on CNN)

Any1 Gynoid

Future Medicine in Second Life

Despite heavy RL snow, eager college students flock to first-day nursing classes at Second Life's UNCP Campus (Picture 1). Telecommuting and virtually present for class, these students are starting an intense learning experience: 12 hour days in Second Life, rehearsing every conceivable future medical situation they will encounter in real life (RL). During my visit to the SL Hospital for Nursing, coeds entirely new to Second Life (SL) were having a wonderful time modeling their virtual nursing uniforms and learning to navigate virtual life.

University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP), an innovator in Second Life (SL) education, has a sprawling SL campus built entirely by new media Professor Anthony Curtis. As Stone Semyorka in SL (Picture 2), Dr. Curtis constructed 50 buildings at many elevations over 2 SL regions, and engages numerous students and faculty from journalism, art, library science, education, astronomy, environmental science, and now the Hospital for Nursing (Picture 3).

Each year, Dr. Curtis hosts the Teaching and Learning with Technology Conference (TLTC), drawing over 1000 participants in this entirely SL-based academic symposium. On his extensive UNCP in SL web, Dr. Curtis explains his SL activities and about UNCP, a public state university with about 7000 RL students and a large nursing program.

Surprisingly, there are almost 1000 universities engaged in SL, some with massive footprints, dozens of sims. Imagine... projects like UNCP in SL X 1000! Of course many are young programs, and very few are likely to compare with what UNCP has achieved in only 3 years in SL. Virtual education is an exciting endeavor, with new possibilities, and enthusiastic faculty and students fearlessly immersing themselves in virtual worlds.

Second Life and Internet Resources:

UNCP in SL Hospital for Nursing, visit in SL: Dasom (118, 240, 1101)

SL Hospital for Nursing and SL UNCP on the web: http://www.uncp.edu/home/acurtis/NewMedia/SecondLife/HospitalForNursing.html

UNCP Nursing Department RL website: http://www.uncp.edu/nursing/

Dr. Curtis' Faculty Home Page: http://www.uncp.edu/home/acurtis

About Teaching and Learning with Technology Conferences (TLTC): http://conference.unctlt.org/ (This message from Dr. Curtis)

The 2011 UNC Teaching and Learning with Technology Conference will be April 12-14 in Second Life. Theme: "Learning Forward: Teaching Technologies for Engaged Learners."

Held since 2000 about effective use of technology and learning environments face-to-face and online, the TLTC has topics of interest to education professionals regardless of grade level or geographic location, from effective practices to emerging technologies. We anticipate participation by faculty and staff from UNC system, NC community colleges, other private colleges and K-12 educators from anywhere in North Carolina and beyond.

Watch for registration and proposal deadlines on the web http://conference.unctlt.org/. Registration is free. TLT Conference is hosted by UNC-Pembroke. Presentations will be primarily on the NC Education islands funded by the community college system. I hope you will want to present or view presentations. Please send me any any questions and feel free to share this announcement. Thanks!

(Originally posted on CNN)

Any1 Gynoid