A new sim for pet lovers has recently opened. It is called Peace Valley and contains a pet cemetery, hospital and photo gallery. The idea for the sim came because Silverax Greenwood’s pet cat died and there was no where in rl for Silverax to memorialize her in an appropriate way. The Peace Valley cemetery now provides a place for pet owners to create a memorial for their pets , where they can visit and quietly remember those who were such an important part of their family. In the words of Silverax Greenwood, the Peace Valley Hospital is a “clinic (that) cures hurting people”. It is a place for grieving pet owners to come and share memories of their pets, perhaps by talking with Silverax or others involved with the sim, builder kondoo Freck, cemetery manager nyan Singh, and timasam Dagostino. In addition, there is a pet photo gallery available where citizens of sl can rent space to post pictures. Peace Valley (110, 61,54)
Submitted by Hibiscus Hastings

Etopia Eco-village on Etopia Island and Etopia Prime is an amazing Sustainable Sim Development Concept created by WilliamThewise Goodman with the expertise of Prim Chemistry, the Community Builder. Etopia is an educational, and entertaining example of energy conservation and efficiency. A virtual cornucopia of ecologically sound designs, concepts, products, learning experiences and commerce, Etopia exhibits a wonderful relaxing atmosphere that everyone can enjoy. Take a bicycle ride around the island on its many bike trails, or ride an aerial gondola, and even take a train ride on a monorail maglev system. On Etopia you will find town plazas surrounded by a mixture of shops, offices and apartments. In addition buildings are clustered to allow for a variety of natural areas, which are easily accessible within a short walk. This is a commitment to reducing the dependence on non-renewable sources of energy. Etopia Island and Etopia Prime are examples of what is possible within a virtual world to help secure a more sustainable future for all. Etopis offers a vast and varied residential and commercial rentals or ownership, educational and recreational offerings and entertainment all in a diverse environment of built and open spaces. When you come to visit, the Etopia Island Manager Jojogirl Bailey, or one of the many on hand Hosts will be glad to answer your question and give yu a tour of the Island. This is truly a Second Life experience you don’t want to miss. Visit Etopia Eco-Village, Etopia Island (175, 71, 22) PG.
Submitted by Rocket Flasheart

“I lived long enough in the dark” by Juria Yoshikawa slurl.com/secondlife/North%20Dolores/86/57/406/ The paint is still fresh on this cosmic detour. On the far side of the galaxy waits a roadside attraction of beneficial, mind altering qualities. Come, bring a friend and fly through the light. Requires sound on, set sun to midnight and flight assist (flightfeather).

After two decades of creative pursuits - ranging from conceptual art, installation, poetry, performance, computer art, animation, photography and digital design - Juria Yoshikawa (a.k.a. Lance Shields, Tokyo-based multimedia artist) arrived in Second Life in the winter of 2007 looking for a new artistic spark. Rather than bringing rl artwork into sl, I am compelled to use mainly the elements that make up sl itself. To me sl art is about freeing oneself up to create in ways impossible in rl.
Submitted by Juria Yoshikawa

Many educational institutions have sims in Second Life, Princeton University being one of them. It has recreations of lovely old buildings and a garden laid out in approximately its present form by Mrs. Woodrow Wilson at the beginning of the 20th century, but some incredibly intriguing surprises await those who explore a little farther. Near the “campus” area of the sim is the Princeton Gallery of the Arts. Currently on display is an exhibition entitled “Art in Science”. The idea behind this is that both artists and scientists are intent on making discoveries about the world around us and that the two disciplines have this in common.

These works are records of “aha!” moments, when all the pieces fall into place, either for the scientist or for the artist. In the Princeton North area of the sim are a couple of installation pieces, Flower Ball and Liquid Light. Flower Ball is, in the words of its creators, Douglas Story, AldoManutio Abruzzo and Desdemona Endfield, “an interactive art thingy”. From the outside it looks like a ball, inside it contains close up floral photographic works by Douglas Story, arranged in layers. By flying up and down, layers of music, or a soundscape, as composer AldoManutio Abruzzo calls it, are added to the visual experience. Desdemona Endfield is responsible for the scripting. Nearby is a second installation, Liquid Light. This work was created by Juria Yoshikawa, with music by AldoManutio Abruzzo.

In this work, columns of white light are interspersed with yellow shapes that expand and contract. The work itself is placed over a waterway, so that in order to experience it the visitor must fly into the space, and by so doing will also experience the music composed for the work. Finally, in the Princeton South area, is a third installation, and the most recent of the three works mentioned here. It is named DynaFleur, and again it is a completely immersive experience. It uses the photographic images of Douglas Story, with scripting by Desdemona Endfield, music by Dizzy Banjo, and terraforming by Poid Mahovlich. The visitor walks, or falls, through a tube in which flower petals unfold, until one finally reaches a small lounge area. On the walls are more photographs of flowers, which are revealed when the visitor flies up to them. Words alone cannot give a strong enough idea of the experience; it must be visited and is very much worthwhile. All the works here, in the Princeton Gallery of Arts, Flower Ball, Liquid Light and DynaFleur explore nature, but the last three do so only in a way that is possible in second life, so that in the Princeton sim we can see the evolution of the use of Second Life.
Submitted by Hibiscus Hastings

Second Life is quickly becoming populated by professional people bringing their skills ‘in world’. We already have famous real life writers, musicians, artists etc visiting the virtual world on a regular basis. Second Life, therefore, has become a tool for global coverage for anything that people wish to display, giving them a chance to reach a vast amount of people with their particular medium.

Schmonson Dalglish is one such person, he has managed to put on an art exhibition using Second Life, that has never been achieved in the real world. The type of art, called Lapidary Art, is a rare form of American artwork using gemstones to create pictures. This form of artwork is derived from the Italian tradition of Florentine mosaics. Whilst the Italian mosaics are recognised as art and highly valued, the art world has turned its back on American Lapidary, refusing to recognize it as an art form.

In the 1930’s a group of dedicated American artists developed their own techniques to create these pictures, using whatever tools and machinery were available. Basically each rock has to be sliced, trimmed and ground down to fit closely in the picture. The pieces are usually cemented together with epoxy resin, which should last approximately 12,000 years or more.

One piece of art may take years to create and unlike other art forms, on occasions, entire clubs have worked together to create one picture. Many of the artists involved came from ordinary backgrounds, like mechanical engineers, house painters and other such employment. Each picture has a story to tell and one biography Schmonson received from a Lapidary artist, told how he lived as a hunter trapper in the frozen north and survived eating moose. Needless to say, most of the artists have passed on by now, and the paintings in the collection belong to the artists’ remaining families.

Schmonson is himself a Lapidary artist, carrying on the tradition, he has two excellent examples of his own paintings in the exhibition. He told me that he has been creating pictures since 1994. He had built up a database of Lapidary art in 1990-2001, and it continues to slowly grow. The first edition was put on a CD and distributed to just about every art museum library on the continent from the Metropolitan in New York to the Getty, however the art world does not see this as ‘art’. The exhibition is being shown at the Gallery of Camazotz, owned by Davina Glitter, who has supported Schmonson in displaying these wonderful pictures. Anyone looking at these great American works of art can only conclude that they are masterpieces and priceless, and even more so, in respect of their rarity.

Shamefully, the art world can display an unmade bed (by Tracy Emin, winner of the Turner Prize in London), or a sheep dipped in formaldehyde (Turner Prize winner Damien Hirst) and declare that Lapidary is not art. No disrespect to Tracy and Damien, but by example, anything can be labelled ‘art’ if it meets the criteria of the personal views of the deciding body. There is so much more to discover about Lapidary art and you can find out more by visiting their website at www.americanmastersofstone.com.
Submitted by Janey Bracken

SciArt Media, a Temple, New Hampshire, based web design and publishing company, is opening a new office and more today, January 18th. What is unusual is the location of the new office: it is nowhere in the real world – it is entirely virtual – located in the realm of Second Life. The entire complex will be known as the SciArt Media Center.

This center consists not only of a virtual store (where both real and virtual items and services can be bought and sold with in-game currency called Lindens, which can easily be exchanged for real money), but other, less traditional, areas as well: In addition to the three-floor store, there is also a classroom and lecture hall, where educators can book time for free and teach classes that have up to forty-two students at a time, as well as a “Geology Lounge” where people can sit and relax beside an erupting volcano, a jazz and blues club called the “Be Bop” where people can dance or just kick back with a virtual drink, and an area for virtual skydiving.

James Maynard, the New Hampshire native who is both the owner of the real-life company and the owner/designer of the virtual media center, said that he is “quite excited about the possibilities open to businesses within the virtual world. Companies such as IBM, Microsoft, Coldwell Banker and Ben and Jerry’s, as well as organizations such as Jet Propulsion Laboratories, have all opened offices in Second Life. Artists such as Suzanne Vega and Duran Duran have played live concerts in the same virtual world, as well,” he explained.

The SciArt Media Center covers almost two-thirds of an acre and was nearly a year in construction. During the grand opening of the store on the 18th, people will also get sneak previews of the rest of the complex, including the jazz club and lecture hall, each set to open soon. People wishing to come to the grand opening at 1 pm EST (10am Second Life time) can easily join the Second Life community and appear at the center by pointing their internet browser to: http://secondlife.sciartmedia.com. There is no charge for the event, the game download is free, and the public is welcome. For any questions, please call SciArt Media at: (603) 397-0053 or by e-mail: secondlife@sciartmedia.com.
Submitted by Sciart Media

On 2/19/08 a weekly event at New Citizens Inc. will celebrate two years running. It is a ‘Blitz’ building contest, 8 to 9 pm SLT Sunday nights, where any SL resident over 90 days can enter and build to a theme using 40 prims or less in 40 minutes or less. Winners are judged by the audience and awarded cash prizes, normally $L300, $L200, $L100 for First, Second and Third, from New Citizens inc. The event held on 2/17/08 had a larger purse due to donors at the event. Through the generosity of the winner, Flea Bussy, all 5 contestants entered received cash prizes totaling $L2,850. Builds Sunday night, on the theme of “Carnival” included a Kiddie carousel, a frog float, a Ring the bell strength test, a dunking booth and a human/avatar cannon. An experienced contestant, Toady Nakamura, winner of the contest twice in January, says, ” I think it is the most fun thing I do in Second Life. NCI is one of the most active educational groups inworld.” The host of the event, Heiko Decatur, says, “Oldbie and Newbie blitz building run once a week each and anyone is welcome. For me, the most interesting thing is seeing the newbies progress in their skills from week to week” NCI Event Coordinator, Gramma Fiddlesticks, told me, “We hold a similar event on Monday evenings at the same location , Oldbie Show and Tell. This event gives people the opportunity to display and talk about, some inworld content creation they have made. There is audience voting and prizes awarded in a similar manner as the blitz-building contest. I am constantly amazed by how quickly some can come up with ideas for something and get it out there in the blitz events.” NCI’s first event was a Newbie Show & Tell in May 2005. An 3rd year anniversary event is planned for April 24th. Builders, newbies, anyone wanting to learn, visit NCI http://slurl.com/secondlife/Kuula/54/175/29. Their slate has nearly 60 classes and events about building, making clothes, working an Animation Overrider, Land ownership and much more. Jim Sella for iReports.
Submitted by Jim Sella

Two islamic rappers, Muhammad Mugrabi (Palestinian myspace.com/gtown) and YAS (Iranian) gave dynamic performances during a cultural event sponsored by Dancing Ink Productions today during a Round Table Forum live in Qatar. Though few in the audience undestood the langugage, their passion and feelings about World Peace, came through strongly. Both rappers are influenced by American Media as well as their own culture. For more information, see http://www.eurekadejavu.blogspot.com. Lea56 Hyun - Reporting from Peace City TV (Second Life)
Visit Peace City TV (121, 179, 27)
Submitted by Lea56 Hyun

Got questions on tax preparations? Come on down to H&R Block Island and meet with Hope Bechir and Ribbons Whitfield to get all the answers you need.

For the second year, H&R Block representatives will be in-world every Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30-7:30 SL time, in February and April.

This year they have recruited Nexeus Fatale, SL DJ extraordinaire, to spin his sounds and keep everyone’s mind off this annual ordeal. Who comes to these evenings? Despite offices in the US, Canada and Australia, Hope Bechir says that people stopping by were mainly US citizens.

Do they get more personal tax questions or questions from small SL businesses owners?

“It tends to be a mix. It seems that a good chunk of the small businesses are single-person”, offers Hope Bechir: “Either sole proprietorships or single owner LLCs, so the business tax stuff just gets reported on the personal return. It’s hard to tease them apart.”

One of the products featured this year is Tango, an online tax preparation tool. More information can be found on H&R Block Island, as well as online at http://digits.hrblock.com.

So, got a tax question? Curious to find out if grooming costs are tax-deductible if you’re a furry? Come and talk with Hope and Ribbons. They’ll be happy to help you.

H&R Block Party Tuesdays and Thursdays February and April 5:30 -7:30 SL Time SLURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/HR%20Block/161/182/58
Submitted by Maxie Mostel

Dave Sparrow has a project, which involves people in real life getting help from Second Life. Strange way round?

Well, it’s not once you know how much Second Life has helped Dave, who suffers from Aspergers Syndrome, which is a form of Autism.

Just recently Dave had the inspiration to build a place in Second Life where sufferers of Autism, and their relatives, could come to relax and have fun. He explained to me that one of the main problems for people who have the condition is the day to day communication skills to interact with other people.

People with Autism cannot read other people’s facial expressions and body language with the same ability as a non-sufferer. Dave has a job in the real world, but he tells me that the majority of people who suffer with this condition are unable to work. Dave said that his life changed when his family decided to get the Internet.

He was able to use chat rooms and soon realized that people used symbols to express themselves, the smiley signs, the angry sings, hug signs etc, to enhance the text.

He went on to say that subconsciously his brain was learning about communication from these sessions of chat.

So what has all this to do with Second Life?

Well Dave thought to himself that if he had had Second Life then, instead of the simple chat rooms, the possibilities would have been incredible for picking up communication skills.

That is why he wants to bring people who suffer from Autism into Second Life so that they too, can at last, feel relaxed and comfortable interacting with other people.

He has recently approached the real life Autism Groups who are really interested in his suggestions. He plans to give newcomers some basic training in getting around in Second Life and tell them what to expect before they even arrive, making their transition to becoming an avatar even simpler.

Once in Second Life, they will find all the information they need regarding help groups about Autism in Dave’s main office on the island. Dave tells me that usually, any media coverage regarding Autism, has been quite depressing, painting a picture of kids in black and white, looking all sad.

Then to contradict this image they expect people to understand it when they show Autistic people are so colorful and amazing and talented. That’s why his island is about fun, to bring a brighter side of Autism to the fore.

He told me that the majority of sufferers get fixations on things, such as art, acting, maths, literature and many, many other things, and that is why they are so talented in whatever subject they are fixated with.

The Island can be a meeting place as well for people from all over the world, who either suffer from Autism, or have a child or a relative who suffers from the condition. At the moment there are two mothers, one from the UK and one from Canada who meet there to discuss any problems they have and generally have a chat.

Dave says that this is a great help as most people feel they are alone with their problems, so at least they can share their experiences and tips with each other. Dave went on to say that his aim for the future, when there are enough members, will be to have conferences there, inviting real life psychologists into Second Life to give speeches.

This is a great idea, as people would not have to physically travel for this expertise, they would only have to log in to Dave’s Island.

He has already set up a stage and seating for such an event. Dave has a wide circle of friends in Second Life and he says, without them, he would not have managed to set all this up. As he is financing the whole thing himself and does sell a few items on the Island, donations would be a big help to him to carry on. In actual fact he collected a hundred signatures from friends in order to petition the Linden Labs into helping him, either by finding a sim or part of a sim that they would be willing to let him use for this good cause.

He sent the letter off, but after two weeks of waiting for a reply, got a stock letter back, that did not even answer his points. He wrote a reply and they did not even have the grace to reply to that one.

Dave said that most of all he needs publicity so that people with Autism will see it and come into Second Life. He wrote again to each and every Linden to ask if it were possible to get a mention on their main Second Life web page. To this day he has not had a reply from any of them.

Whilst I can see the enormous problems that the Linden Labs would have in assisting some groups and not others regarding these type of requests, I think they should weigh up how much good they could do, even if it is a public relations exercise, by making sure they answer any queries they receive from their clients and offering some sort of advice.

Surely, with all the negative publicity that is heard about Second Life, they would be happy to keep in step with the good things that people have used it for. Dave, however will continue with his plans and he was most surprised to find out that a lot of people in second life that he spoke to have someone in the family, or have friends, who also suffer from Autism.

Dave may actually have found a breakthrough with the communication problems associated with Autism by using Second Life as a tool, we shall wait and see. What a fantastic person, if you want to drop by his island and take a look, as well as leave a donation, you can find it at ‘Naughty Auties Haven, Crystal Isles (165, 225, 21).
Submitted by Janey Bracken