Avatars on Duty

FROM SLNP LISTSERV:

In keeping with our mission of improving communities by the
application of knowledge, which unleashes the power of nonprofits,
foundation, and individuals, the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for
Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (http://www.johnsoncenter.org)
at Grand Valley State University (http://www.gvsu.edu) is offering
Avatar on Duty service (AvOD) to the Philanthropic community in Second
Life. We will have various Avatars available to answer specific
questions related to effective philanthropy and nonprofit leadership.

The AvOD will be available to answer questions in regards to effective
practices and research on specific topics related to philanthropy and
nonprofit leadership.

Our schedule for July and August is as follows (times are in Second
Life Time - SLT):

July 9 from 6 am to 7 am SLT
July 14 from 10 am to 11 am SLT
July 16 from 6 am to 7 am SLT
July 21 from 10 am to 11 am SLT
July 23 from 6 am to 7 am SLT
July 28 from 10 am to 11 am SLT
July 30 from 6 am to 7 am SLT
August 4 from 10 am to 11 am SLT
August 6 from 6 am to 7 am SLT
August 11 from 10 am to 11 am SLT
August 13 from 6 am to 7 am SLT
August 18 from 10 am to 11 am SLT
August 20 from 6 am to 7 am SLT
August 25 from 10 am to 11 am SLT
August 27 from 6 am to 7 am SLT

Please send a message (IM) to 2020Vision Obviate (Real Name - Ashima
Saigal) or email her at saigalas@gvsu.edu if you have any questions.
We look forward to hearing your questions and how we might help you to
grow your organization's mission.

Teleport to us directly at http://tinyurl.com/3mn9ya and we look
forward to seeing you In World!

Virtual Worlds and Democracy

Face to Face - A Council of Eve Online Gamers - NYTimes.com

"Imagine an airline that encouraged its frequent fliers to elect their own representatives to hammer the company about baggage handling, inept gate agents and interminable delays. Imagine a sports league in which a group of fans had regular meetings with the commissioner to discuss salary cap and rules changes. Unthinkable, right? Yet that is just like what is happening in Eve. Dozens of players from around the (real) world nurtured their constituents, presented their platforms, shook every virtual hand, kissed every virtual baby and spread the inevitable unflattering rumors about their rivals as they campaigned for a seat on the council."

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Call for Papers: Culture of Virtual Worlds

CALL FOR PAPERS
Journal of Virtual Worlds Research
Special Issue: Culture of Virtual Worlds
Deadline: September 30, 2008
Publication Date: November 20, 2008

Guest Editors
Mark Bell, Indiana University
Mia Consalvo, Ohio University

* jvwresearch.org *

Early users of virtual worlds trumpeted their potential to bring together like-minded groups to create community, to encourage social activism, and to explore facets of identity. Over the past 20 years, we have seen virtual worlds develop from text-based to graphical, and from 2D to 3D interactive spaces. Some spaces have focused primarily on game-related activities, from MUD through Ultima Online and World of Warcraft, while others have concentrated on social aspects of being, allowing users to define their own goals, and often create many parts of the spaces they inhabit--from LambdaMoo to The Palace and Second Life. Virtual worlds have also become big business at the same time as some worlds remain resolutely tied to different goals. Yet what of the cultures that have grown up in, around, and through virtual worlds in this same time period? What do we know about that culture, or more accurately, those cultures and how to define them?

Individuals, groups, and corporations are exploring the potentials of virtual worlds, and what is created in that process says as much about our everyday lives as it does about our times spent online. But what do we know? Because of their richly detailed spaces, virtual worlds tend to encourage specific sorts of participants and players, along with expectations about behavior and culture. Yet at the same time, we cannot know how participants will create a livable space, develop a unique culture, until it happens. How is that process occurring in today's virtual worlds? What do we know about past virtual worlds to guide us? We are slowly learning about how identity shifts and mutates online, yet isn't as free-floating as early theorists claimed. What of users who are in game-centric versus non-game centric places--how does game versus non-game make a difference in who uses the space, how, and why? Likewise, we now see virtual worlds with transnational user bases. How does that impact the culture, the creation, and the experience of virtual worlds. What happens when virtual worlds emerge, when they expand quickly, and when they die, either slowly or suddenly? What happens to users and how do they make sense of those experiences? How do developers play a role in managing all those expectations, and how much *can* they actually control? These questions are only the tip of iceberg, just as today's virtual worlds are at the forefront of emergent design of 3D spaces.

This special issue of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research is dedicated to exploring the issue of culture in virtual worlds. We welcome articles from academic researchers and practitioners in areas such as communications, sociology, psychology, anthropology, information systems, political science, game studies and cultural studies.

Topics of interest include (but not limited to):
• Definitions of Virtual Cultures
• Ethnographies of Virtual Worlds
• Social mechanics and networking in Virtual worlds
• Historical development of Virtual Worlds
• Identity
• Differing goals of play versus non-play centric spaces
• Emergent practices, player-generated content, activities
• Dynamics of economies
• "Serious" uses of Virtual Worlds
• Transnational game spaces, player groups

Guidelines and Deadlines
We welcome submissions in the form of essays, papers, original research, interactive online exhibits with accompanying detailed descriptions, and other forms of scholarship.
For specific submission instructions visit: http://jvwresearch.org.

Deadline for Submission: September 30, 2008
Publication: November 29, 2008

For further information contact:

Mark Bell, Indiana U, typewriter@gmail.com
Mia Consalvo, Ohio U, consalvo@ohio.edu

About the Journal
The Journal of Virtual Worlds Research is an online, open access academic journal that adheres to the highest standards of peer review and engages established and emerging scholars from around the world. The Journal of Virtual Worlds Research is a transdisciplinary journal that engages a wide spectrum of scholarship and welcomes contributions from the many disciplines and approaches that intersect virtual worlds research.

Editorial Board
Edward Castronova, Indiana University, United States
James Paul Gee, Arizona State University, United States
Steve Jones, University of Illinois at Chicago, United States
Jorge Peña, University of Texas at Austin, United States
Joseph Straubhaar, University of Texas at Austin, United States
Kathleen Tyner, University of Texas at Austin, United States
Natalie Wood, Saint Joseph's University, United States

Editor
Jeremiah Spence, University of Texas at Austin, United States

Associate Editors
Mark W. Bell, Indiana University, United States
Sun Sun LIM, National U. of Singapore, Singapore
Suely Fragoso, Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos/Unisinos, Brazil
Joe Sanchez, University of Texas at Austin, United States
Amanda Salomon, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia
Henry Segerman, University of Texas at Austin, United States
Yesha Y. Sivan, Shenkar College & Metaverse Labs, Israel
Stephanie Smith, NASA JSC Learning Technologies, United States
Caja Thimm, University of Bonn, Germany
*******************************************

Burn MacBook Burn

Since my last post, I've been without my computer. Not that I've been a consistent poster, but so far it looks like it's going to be a while before I'm back.

Reading and Listening

Thanks to Mr. Crap I've added the Beat Chicks Podcast, but I couldn't get myself to add SLCR - Second Life Children Radio. It creeps me out.

What I'm Reading Today

Social Media Learning Packages : nodestone
Looking forward to their thoughts on social media and nonprofits.
epredator's blog - The real life of a metaverse evangelist: My CV as a Tag Cloud - CV 2.0 ?
Wondering if a CV like this would be useful.
Botgirl's Second Life® Diary: The impact of immersive worlds on human emotional processes. Part 1 of a series
Botgirl's Second Life® Diary: The impact of immersive worlds on human emotional processes. Part 2 of a series
Botgirl's Second Life® Diary: Part Three of the series formerly known as The impact of immersive worlds on human emotional processes
Botgirl just GETS it. Even if you don't agree, she makes you think.

Zombies As Social Commentary

I was watching Shaun of the Dead with a friend and realizing that my generation's obession with zombies is really a social commentary on consumer culture. So in case you don't understand what's going on, here's a breakdown in plain english:

Social Networks & Millennials Pushing Mobile Tech

Millennials are using their mobile phones to be social - in other words, the mobile phone is an extension of their social selves. Now the challenge is to set-up infrastructure *cough twitter status* and a revenue model that pays for these services. From Go Mobile Young Millennials, Go Mobile - GigaOM & Virtual Worlds News: In-Stat: 230M Mobile Social Networkers by 2012

I personally think the next big apps will be the ones that ties the various social media together and allow a user to keep track of them in applications that unify their social media tools like oh say Digsby.

Research on Presence in Virtual Worlds

Thanks to malburns on Twitter I have this great site: Keho : the place for Presence wiki. Presence is an importent concept for virtual world research and they have a companion site that allows researchs to collaborate: PeachBit. I need to look at them both more closesly, but I'm wondering if copresence is included or if there is a distinction made.

Social Media in Plain English

Now we can finally understand them Web 2.0 thingys.

Social Media in Plain English from leelefever on Vimeo.

From the Mail Bag

Join us at this Thursday May 29, at 7pm in Second Life for Tim Johnson!

Krazy Talk! Industry Giants Speaker Series - Tim Johnson
Presented in conjunction with the Krazy! The Delirious World of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art - Vancouver Art Gallery.

May 29, 2008 7:00 pm
At the Great Northern Way Campus Virtual Centre for Digital Media - University Project region - home to the Masters of Digital Media Program!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/University%20Project/150/84/23

http://mdm.gnwc.ca/

Tim Johnson - Animated Feature Director
Tim Johnson made his animated feature film directorial debut in 1998 with Antz, Dreamworks' first computer-animated comedy. Most recently, Johnson directed the lauded DreamWorks feature, Over the Hedge, staring the voices of Bruce Willis and Garry Shandling.

This session will be simulcast free of charge in mixed reality in our Virtual Centre for Digital Media - tickets are available for the first life event by contacting the Vancouver Art Gallery. www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

So You Want to Read a Good Blog on Virtual Worlds

Then you are in the wrong place my friend. ;-) Try here:
Hiperia3D News: 7 Good Virtual Worlds Blogs

Went Nuts for Web 2.0 Sites

God! I should be sleeping. Before you ask, YES I did look into all of these and I forgot a few before this post. *sigh* I drink more coffee; so, I can stay awake at work; but, I stay up late; so, I need more coffee.


Sandy — your free personal email assistant
Music Celebrities Pop Culture and Movies - Social Media Community - Buzznet
Vimeo, Video Sharing For You
hakia Search Engine Beta
Wikia - Wikis from Wikia - Join the best wiki communities
Radar: Instant Picture Conversations
Worth1000.com | Photoshop Contests | Are you Worthy™ | home page
FotoFlexer - The world's most advanced online photo editor
drupal.org | Community plumbing
Amazon Web Services @ Amazon.com

Another Podcast I'm Liking

EscapePod added the the first installment of PodCastle: "Come Lady Death"ome Lady Death
I have to say I wasn't expecting to like this because I don't particularly like Fantasy, but this story was so good that I was late for work. So, check it out. I think you'll find it as enjoyable as I do.

Event: Another Nonprofit Commons Sim Launched

Join in the Celebration of the Launch of the Second Nonprofit Commons
Sim

Nonprofits, supporters to host mixed reality grand opening celebration
in San Jose and in the metaverse on May 28th

Wednesday, May 28, 2008 starting at 10:00 A.M. PT/SLT, in the new
second Nonprofit Commons location:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/aloft%20nonprofit%20commons/100/68/25
<http://slurl.com/secondlife/aloft%20island/100/68/25>

Highlights:

* Grand opening May 28 of the Nonprofit Commons 2/ALOFT, our
second sim housing a large community of nonprofit organizations

* Mixed-reality event, to include a live presentation, a
demonstration of the new Second Life Nonprofit Commons island to
attendees at the NetSquared Conference
<http://www.netsquared.org/conference> in San Jose, and events within
Second life

* Live peformances all day within Second Life, with over 8 hours
of music from musicians around the world

* Media is invited to attend in-world event as well as to San
Jose, and phone interviews are available upon request

This second of two Nonprofit Commons nonprofit sims was generously
donated by TakingITGlobal <http://www.takingitglobal.org/> . Like the
first Nonprofit Commons sim on Plush, a virtual space for nonprofits,
managed by TechSoup <http://www.techsoup.org/> , Nonprofit Commons 2
creates and houses a community of social benefit organizations in the
online virtual world of Second Life. This community of practice is
entirely volunteer-run and hosts organizations from across the globe. To
date, they have created a community blog
<http://www.nonprofitcommons.org/> , Google Group
<http://groups.google.com/group/TechSoup-Second-Life> and a
resource-rich wiki <http://npsl.wikispaces.com/> , and have held
mixed-reality events, workshops, and regular weekly town hall meetings
<http://npsl.wikispaces.com/Weekly+Meetings> . This international
community is a hub for charities to share best practices, work together
on innovative ways to benefit their causes, and network with
organizations from across the globe.

The Gala event will be a mixed-reality launch party, complete with
networking, a panel of speakers, and tours of the Nonprofit Commons.
This live event will take place in the real-world of San Jose,
California as part of the NetSquared Conference
<http://www.netsquared.org/conference> , and within the virtual world of
Second Life. These events will occur simultaneously and will also
feature interactivity between the two worlds. Following the
mixed-reality event, we will have an afternoon and evening full of live
entertainment in Second Life. Audience members in the Second Life
portion of the event will include Nonprofit Commons residents, their
invited guests, and media representatives. Don't miss this interactive
collaboration, connecting the virtual world with real-world issues.

Event details:

* The mixed-reality event takes place Wed.May 28th in Second Life,
broadcast live from the NetSquared conference in San Jose, 10:00 am-
12PM PST (SLT), online in Second Life
<http://slurl.com/secondlife/aloft%20island/100/68/25> , and is hosted
by TechSoup <http://www.techsoup.org/> , Nonprofit Commons
<http://www.nonprofitcommons.org/> and NetSquared
<http://www.netsquared.org/> .
* Second Life entertainment will continue throughout the day, into the
evening at the Nonprofit Commons 2:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/aloft%20nonprofit%20commons/100/68/25
<http://slurl.com/secondlife/aloft%20island/100/68/25>

Event activities:

10am- 11:30am PST/SLT (Second Life Time): Nonprofit Panel and Q & A
session

11:30- noon: Tours of the Nonprofit Commons offices in Second Life

Noon-->: Activities continue in Second Life throughout the afternoon
and night with major concerts, poetry readings, tours, dancing, and
games.

Information and Inquiries: More information about the real-world
NetSquared conference can be found on the NetSquared site
<http://www.netsquared.org/2008/conference> .

Please RSVP via email to Megan Keane (megan megan@techsoup.org>
@techsoup.org megan@techsoup.org> ) for in-world attendance to
this event or IM Penguin Kuhn in Second Life. Join the TechSoup group,
in-world to receive announcements about this event and future nonprofit
events in Second Life.

******************************************************

About the Non Profit Commons

2 Locations:
NPC1- Plush Non Profit Commons:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/128/178/26
<http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/133/232/76>
NPC2 - Aloft Non Profit Commons:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/aloft%20nonprofit%20commons/100/68/25
<http://slurl.com/secondlife/aloft%20island/100/68/25>

Members of Non Profit Commons meet each Friday at 8:30 PST/SLT at Plush
Nonprofit Commons Ampitheater. Visitors are always welcome to join us
in making a difference one pixel at a time.

Nonprofit Commons (NPC) consists of two virtual locations (sims) housing
over 65 social benefit organizations, managed by a community of
volunteers, under the leadership of TechSoup. The NPC1 sim was donated
by Anshe Chung Studios and NPC2 sim donated by TakingIT Global. NPC was
designed to lower the barriers of access to Second Life, to create a
community of practice for nonprofits to explore and learn about the
virtual world, and to investigate the many ways in which nonprofits
might utilize this unique environment. Through this community, we
provide free office space to qualifying groups, meet and collaborate,
create a cooperative learning environment and foster outreach,
education, fund-raising, all in a virtual space. We focus on providing
an accessible entry-point to Second Life and on creating a community of
NPOs, not just having NPOs live separately and exist separately
in-world. We believe that Second Life is a wonderful place not just to
entertain, but also to collaborate, educate, inspire and assist our
fellow avatars (and the humans behind them). We welcome all who wish to
join us as partners, collaborators or supporters.
-----------------

About TechSoup

TechSoup is a nonprofit organization that helps other nonprofits acquire
and use technology to better serve their missions. We are working toward
a time when every nonprofit and NGO on the planet has the technology
resources and knowledge they need to operate at their full potential.
Through our Website, nonprofits will find a broad range of software
donated by leading tech companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, Symantec,
Intuit, and Adobe, along with content and community forums targeted
specifically at a nonprofit audience. The NetSquared conference
showcases social Web innovations that nonprofits can use to dramatically
increase their reach and impact.