Truth, Lies , Deception and Second Life

From The BBC site last year

A survey found 43% of online networkers from the US felt "as strongly" about their web community as they did about their real-world friends.

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It also revealed net-users had made an average of 4.6 virtual pals this year.

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The survey, from the US-based Center for the Digital Future, of 2,000 individuals forms part of a six-year study into attitudes to the web.

When I first started n the Internet, It was really just Usenet eg, Newsgroups. I never used my real name, and most people where the same. It was "Hello Space Ghost" or "Hello Pooka". I never felt the need to meet anyone I met online.

But just to contradict myself, most of the people I knew in the few years I was in NZ, I met via BBS or flatmates friends who coincidentally were also on the same BBS.

Second Life is sort of like the new Internet, but it's not the place to be yourself, it's the place to be what you want to be.

For many of the older residents, what happened in SL stayed in SL, and RL was separate. But it seems to be that the newer residents are just being themselves.

Some people just lie totally, and this can be really heartbreaking.

What do you do when old and new meet? Is one person being more honest than the other? Being of the old school, I've given this a lot of thought.

My personal belief is that any sort of cyber-based emotional involvement, without having a way to check who the other person behind the keyboard is, would be a major mistake.

But then I'm a boring person and like to play safe.

I've met some great people, and I count some of them as my friends, but I'm not planning on going to any SL meet ups. My SL has spilled over to RL a bit, and I'm a bit concerned that they might want to know more than I'm preparded to give.

I would really hate to think that I have been deceiving anyone, but it's only in SL that I could be a 6 foot tall, blond, pirate, buxom Barbie. ( and it's a fun thing to be, and remindes me of a cousin )

So I talk very vagely about myself, but I never lie to anyone, because if I care enough to communicate with you, I care enough not to want to hurt you.



Real friendship is shown in times of trouble; prosperity is full of friends- Euripedes

Move the Grid to Europe!!

Seems it's time to move the Grid to Europe.

Although I have to wonder why LL is opening an office in Bristol. Why not London, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City or St Albans.

http://secondlife.reuters.com/stories/2007/02/09/europe-takes-lead-in-second-life-users/

Europe takes lead in Second Life users
Fri Feb 9, 2007 10:02am PST

By Adam Reuters

SECOND LIFE, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Europeans make up the largest block of Second Life residents with more than 54 percent of active users in January ahead of North America’s 34.5 percent, according to new Linden Lab data.


Baldwin thought Europe was a bore, and Chamberlain thought it was only a greater Birmingham. - Winston Churchill

No more open skies

I'm sure many people know what can happen when you cross a sim boundary at speed. If you don't, then the word fragmentation, neatly explains it. Coals pictures and blog post will give you an idea.

Cubey Terra one of the Grids major aircraft makers, has grounded his fleet of self guided planes, and blimps from Qarl have been gone for quite a while.

Now that landowners have the ability to block almost anything coming on their parcels, air travel is somewhat more, lets say, adventurous.

I admit I got a little tired of my plane ( and sometimes my clothes ), disappearing in midflight, and have not flown it for some time.

The Lindens are aware of the problem, and will I hope find a solution.

EDIT:- To spread around some credit, Apotheus Silverman scripted some of the planes. The Terrachute as well, that saved me from the embarrassment of going splat a few times


Pilots will not wear spurs in the cockpit - 1920s RAF Cadet Flying manual

Spam

Could whoever is on IP 82.82.237.159 in Germany run a virus check please? I don't need the Viagra.

Thank you very much

[ Normal blogging will be resumed shortly :-) ]

EDIT:-
I have just noticed that I get the one spam email a day twice, a minute apart. It's been every day for the last 11 days.

Two days ago I got the book Scamorama by Eve Edelson, it's about those emails from Nigeria that promise you money in exchange for your bank details. The day I started reading I got two of them, the first for nearly a year.

Rule #1: Spammers lie.
Rule #2: If a spammer seems to be telling the truth, see Rule #1.

commitments

Due to RL commitments, I will only be in-world a maximum of 45mins. I will be spending this time doing classes, building and scripting.

Probably about 20.00 GMT





The circle is now complete - Darth Vader

Balloon Griefing

balloongreifer1
Originally uploaded by shockwaveplasma.

I went for a short Balloon ride with Barbara here, she was not very talkative, I did find that a bit odd, but though she might be IMing.

A few minutes ater I took this shot, she derezzed the balloon.

So I thought to have a bit of fun, and attached my Terrachute, and I opened as it should, just as I was about to hit the ground the bitch flamed me, and I was not impressed.

Serves me right for letting my FP HUD down.



I welcome the griefers, they're easier to sexually harass - Soleil Mirabeau:

Australia Day

Happy Australia Day to everyone! It's also my first Rezday.


Australians don't have a preconceived notion of what things have to be... we can go on a fantastic journey - Yahoo Serious

Pastafarian Poetry

The creator who holds us dear
did not look as what we hear.
he was not a man, or human at all
he was made of spaghetti and two meat balls.
he made us all
originally short
and it wasn’t even his last resort
Pirates are his people,
holy are they
who end every sentence with “Arrgh” as they pray.
Some might not believe,
but it is a fact,
our God was pasta
no, this isn’t an act
So lets all give
a hip hip horray
the FSM is here to stay

Taken without any authority from http://www.venganza.org/

Let us all eat bling together - Tateru Nino

Closed due to overpopulation?

I logged in last night for about an hour or so. It would have been nice to go somewhere, every teleport came back "parcel is full".

I also (tried to ) direct some new people from Germany to the German speaking welcome area. It was also full. Seems that SL is BIG news over there.

Twittermania has got me as well at www.twitter.com

I'm also contemplating an SL web comic. "Adventures of Pirate Plasma" or something like that.



We have been God-like in our planned breeding of our domesticated plants and animals, but we have been rabbit-like in our unplanned breeding of ourselves. - Joseph Toynbee

No eyes tonite

I just logged in tonight to see who was on, and then had a look at myself, something was wrong, but I couldn't spot it right away.

I had no eyes...creepy, and I couldn't put any on, even more creepy.


You never know how you look through other peoples eyes

Third Life

A very long time ago, I read a book called Lucid Dreams by Celia Green , at the time I thought what and amazing concept. Your body is asleep, your mind is awake but still in a dream. At that time was was really interested in the workings of the mind, and I was also a bit of a New Age nut.

( I know someone who is going to say " Not another Hippy" )

But like the contents of many books, it rattled around inside my head for a while, and didn't really leave.

In about 1988 I bought Lucid Dreaming by Stephen LaBerge

Later I bought Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by Stephen Laberge and Howard Reingold, and it still sits on my bedside table. Finally a tape with hypnotic suggestions, and they are on my MP3 Player.

Synchronicity is back, as I write iTunes has found a MP3 of an hour long interview Stephen did on a radio program.

So what is it all about?

So imagine you are in a dream, and something really odd happens like the purple 6 legged giraffe that is driving the flying bus runs a blue light, then you realize traffic lights are not blue! Then the train of thought says you would only see that if you were dreaming.

BANG! realization happens that you are dreaming. Usually the dream starts to become more colourful and dynamic. In all these years I've had one LD, and it's really annoying, as I have spoken to friends who have never heard about it, and then they have one that night. ( I hate my subconscious )

So what is it good for I hear you say!

In the books SlB gives examples of people who were learning Ice Skating, Judo and skiing and where able to use LD to rapidly improve their skills.
One lady recounts she was able to debug her programs much faster.

Not forgetting you really can have sex with whoever you dream of.

Ok so now you want to learn how to improve your Judo.

A simple collection of the main methods are at Wikipedia

But a few extra things that will help is to actually remember your dreams in the first place.
A book and a pen beside the bed to write them down is very helpful. I just bought a pen with an led in it, so I can write with out turning on the lights. That has helped a lot.

Vitamin B12, also helps dream recall, and often makes them more vivid. If your an Australian who likes Vegemite, double your dose, it's full of B12. Everyone else, you will have to use Marmite. If you don't like the taste, it doubles as a 100PF sunscreen.

The Lucidity Institute sell the NovaDreamer a device that blinks light in your eyes, when you are dreaming, it's very expensive

I just found this DIY Facemark

and this one as well.

Do not lose hold of your dreams or asprirations. For if you do, you may still exist but you have ceased to live. - Henry David Thoreau

SL Userguide and Gor forever linked ?

Yesterday I ordered my copy of the SL official guide from Amazon.co.uk.

In the "Other buyers of this book bought " section, the number two book was Tarnsmen of Gor, it just happens to be book one of the Gor series.

So I wonder why none of the other Gor books, then appear.

"I will now water you," said Borin, the cactus's Gorean master.

The cactus did not resist being watered. Perhaps it was realizing that such watering was its master's to control. Too, perhaps it knew that this master was far superior to those of Earth, who would not water it if it did not wish to be watered. - Houseplants of Gor

Wwwhhhooo are you ? Who? who? Tell me who are you!

Tateru has been interviewed a few times, ( probably more than a few now,... Oh to be a celebrity ) in which at the end they usually ask for her RL identity.

She always declines. Quite rightly too.

It looks like even Geoffery Chaucer has this problem.

IVthe thinge: My biggest compleynt: Whan wil ffolk stop saying ich nam nat real? Whan wil thei stop asking for my “real name”? What part of G-E-O-F-F-R-E-Y C-H-A-U-C-E-R do thei nat vndirstonden? An editor from WIRED magazine did contact me to aske if that fyne publicacioun mighte printe a part of my poost concerninge internette abbreviacions. Thys was gentil and did plese and honor me gretli, and ich consentid. And yet thei wantid to yive credit to “Geoffrey Chaucer (aka your real name)” and thei wanted to knowe what ich do in “in real lyf.” Whan ich toolde hem that my trewe cristen name was Geoffrey Chaucer (Galfridus in latina) and that ich am a justice of the pees in Kente and a member of parliament, thei seyd thei coud nat print it. For thei seyde thei coud nat printe writinge “without attribution to a real person.” What am ich, liver y-chopped? Reality ys harder to com by than a duchy thes dayes, mesemeth.


A miracle is nothing more or less than this. Anyone who has come into a knowledge of his true identity, of his oneness with the all-pervading wisdom and power, this makes it possible for laws higher than the ordinary mind knows of to be revealed to him. - Ralph Waldo Trine

Pirate Outfit

pirateoutfit
Originally uploaded by shockwaveplasma.

Shirt, Skirt, Thigh high boots..... Perfect for Piracy

Now I just need some weapons!

( Ummm and a Ship, and a Crew )


Pirate: I'm gonna teach you the meaning of pain.
Elizabeth: You like pain? Try wearing a corset.
-Curse of the Black Pearl

watermelindonland

watermelon1
Originally uploaded by shockwaveplasma.

After some fruitless searching in the Linden Village for Torleys build, I finally found the Surl from her blog.

I did ask if there was some place the Lindens have for themselves, and I guess this is it.

I thought this chair was an enticing place to sit.

Just after I sat in it, I had this weird fantasy that this looks like a Venus fly trap. I closes on you and then sucks out your colours, and spits you out just leaving the black and white bits.

The colours drained from you keep the build alive.
( I must have read to much bad fantasy as a child )



Watermelon -- it's a good fruit. You eat, you drink, you wash your face. -
Enrico Caruso

Roll on

I have added a few bloggers whos sites I read sometimes....ohh..ok I mostly stole them from Erbo. :-)

I'm not in world as much as I used to, as I need to spend time studying for certifications to get better jobs. ( bummer ).



Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead.
- Chinese Proverb

Real life goals for 2007

Learn To type
Exercise more
Learn to Juggle
Learn to use a Whip ( Hey, it's an Australian thing )
More Money ( e.g Better Job)
Finish the IT certs I should have.
Finish the House DIY
Get a Windows Mobile PDA
Learn PhotoShop
Find a Krav-Maga class
Keep with the French Language class

If one does not know to which port is sailing, no wind is favorable. -Seneca

Pirates in the News

It looks like the Secondlife Herald, has been doing some recruiting for the Pirates of Sl, we now have 280 members, yesterday it was 270.

I don't have any decent Pics, as last time I was there the water was so clear, you would think there wasn't any.


Most importantly, I am getting my Pirate wardrobe together, and I might buy a ship, and assemble an all female crew. But what to call the ship?
The Blondbeard?...No Piratespulse...possible The Lash...probably not

Any suggestions will be accepted, as will suggestions for a flag. Skulls yes, but I might make the flag Purple, and have crossed garter belts rather than crossbones.

EDIT:- Pirate Ship names suggestions, please don't suggest Boobyprize ( it's just too obvious )

Now and then we had a hope that if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates- Mark Twain

Anshe Chung in the News

So the BIG News Item of the moment, is the husband of Anshe Chung trying to suppress the video
of the falling penii at her CNET interview.

In my humble view, claiming a copyright violation has taken place is just rubbish. In that regard all photos taken in SL would be copyrighted. It seems the crushing of "fair use" is taking another step forward.

This could be a extremely clever move to get more publicity for Anshe Chung Studios. If you have any idea of how the Internet works, then you know that the more you try to suppress something, the more known it becomes, and the more people want to know what it is.


Don't believe your own publicity. You can't, you'll start thinking that you're better than you are.-
Leif Garrett

The Shockwave Travel Writer -- Fini

Well Rome was great, I will admit that it really didn't wasn't to go at first, as most Italians I have met were...well...slightly undesirable ( ok, bastards of both sexes) . Then I turned it around, and thought of Italians coming to Australia. We can be total bastards as well, I have met some here who make we want to say "Sorry, I meant I'm Austrian".

Observations and musings.

Positives :-

1 euro for a 75 minute Subway/bus/tram ride.
( I can't see this taking off in the UK, and half the time I didn't pay anyway)

Rome is cleaner than London.
People are thinner and better dressed
Clothes are mostly made in Italy and cheaper and better quality, than the Made in China
stuff we get in the UK
It's warmer
Apartments all have balconies
More Police
Lots of Roman Stuff
Pizza places everywhere.

Minus :-

High density living
More beggars -
More street crime ( But I didn't encounter any )
Street hawkers
Traffic Jams


The last few days in Rome where great, we didn't get to go to Pompeii, so we went to Ostia, the old port town.
It's really what I have wanted to see for a long time, it's the complete layout of a Roman town, and it mostly excavated. The mosaics are still in place, and you can still walk on them ( I didn't really want to )

New Years started with the people upstairs having a party, and then throwing up in to the courtyard. Charming. Rockets and fireworks started as soon as it was dark, and kept going until 2am.

Spent the last day walking around and looking at the bridges and some of the temples we missed before, buying a few more clothes, material, and souvenirs.

I still remember my first sight of St Stephens Tower ( Big Ben ) from across the Thames, The first time I saw Stonehenge, and now I have to add the first time I saw The Colosseum

"All bastards are bastards, but some bastards is bastards."-- (Terry Pratchett, The Last Continent)