Today is one of the few days I feel like writing, lets attempt to make the best of it.
Second Life.....it feels like swallowing an entire can of dry tuna fish in one ill-advised gulp. Why would I choke down old albacore? Because I'm too cheap to buy a meal plan and it seemed like a good idea at the time. In any case, if that analogy were accurate, the whole harrowing experience would end one giant, bone-crushingly explosive .....
In Second Life, your unmolested avatar enjoys an androgyny envied by David Bowie. If Second Life aimed to further social progress or incubate new business models, this sexlessness would be an asset, since it eliminates gender bias. Imagine a world of androgynous agents, each blind to the other's actual inadequacies, purely pragmatic in their behavior. It's beautiful, in a bleeding-heart, sociology major type of way.
Unfortunately, the virtual sex industry is alive and wel. Sure, you may be a mouthbreathing needledick in real life, but in Second Life it costs mere pennies to equip yourself with a massive member Ron Jeremy would envy.
The digital penis industry is thriving. The sheer size of it must merit some special server-side attention. I believe that somewhere, ensconced within the vast, gelatinous bureaucracy of Linden Labs, there lives a neckbearded programmer. With hairy palms and oily skin, he furiously designs, tests, and optimizes a penile physics engine. Just thinking about this is making me sick.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Poor people.
As many of you may know, I am an ardent industrialist and wealthy capitalist entrepreneur. I have built my business empire on the back of those who we know only as the poor. This underclass, while often talked about is actually not well known to anyone, so I have taken the liberty of describing these noble people to those of us unaffiliated with them. I will state common misconceptions about the poor, and then systematically destroy these preconceived notions through sound logic.
Misconception #1: The poor are just like us.
The truth: The poor are not just like us. They tend to have a distinct odor which I believe comes from swollen glands, a condition usually associated with the consumption of wonder bread and government cheese. They are also incapable, both physically and mentally of dealing with the strain of communicating with the GPS in a Bentley, or even a BMW 7-series.
Misconception #2: The poor are poor because the society we live in has created exploitative systems which do nothing but undermine their ability to become prosperous.
The truth: The truth is that the poor are poor because they are probably immigrants. I mean there are like 40 million immigrants in the United States and there are also like 35 million poor people. This must mean that all poor people are immigrants, but not all immigrants are poor. The logic looks like this. A = B, which means that B =! A, which obviously means that A and B = C. If you are unfamiliar with the rigidity of logic, you should assume that you could be one of them.
Misconception #3: Poverty is a cycle that is incredibly hard to break.
The truth: Poverty is not a cycle, poverty is hereditary. The top scientists of the nation of Tuvalu, world famous for its internet domain name, have concluded that there is a gene which does not allow certain people to become wealthy. Gene therapy is available, granted that the Russians can collect enough unborn Chinese immigrant stem cells to create a viable colony.
Misconception #4 If we only begin to redistribute wealth the poor would all become wealthy.
The hereditary genetic inferiority of the poor would never allow them to become wealthy. They would undoubtedly squander money, even if it is freely given to them, on trivial matters such as food and healthcare for their kids. This would only propagate their inferior genetic stock.
What is to be done?
The poor are as you can see a necessary evil. They exist in a fashion that is unfit for the dogs in some of our homes. There must be a way to make them more docile. I recommend that we implement massive social engineering. It is necessary to make them believe that they too can become as prosperous as us. I will delegate this matter to PR.
Thank you for your time.
Misconception #1: The poor are just like us.
The truth: The poor are not just like us. They tend to have a distinct odor which I believe comes from swollen glands, a condition usually associated with the consumption of wonder bread and government cheese. They are also incapable, both physically and mentally of dealing with the strain of communicating with the GPS in a Bentley, or even a BMW 7-series.
Misconception #2: The poor are poor because the society we live in has created exploitative systems which do nothing but undermine their ability to become prosperous.
The truth: The truth is that the poor are poor because they are probably immigrants. I mean there are like 40 million immigrants in the United States and there are also like 35 million poor people. This must mean that all poor people are immigrants, but not all immigrants are poor. The logic looks like this. A = B, which means that B =! A, which obviously means that A and B = C. If you are unfamiliar with the rigidity of logic, you should assume that you could be one of them.
Misconception #3: Poverty is a cycle that is incredibly hard to break.
The truth: Poverty is not a cycle, poverty is hereditary. The top scientists of the nation of Tuvalu, world famous for its internet domain name, have concluded that there is a gene which does not allow certain people to become wealthy. Gene therapy is available, granted that the Russians can collect enough unborn Chinese immigrant stem cells to create a viable colony.
Misconception #4 If we only begin to redistribute wealth the poor would all become wealthy.
The hereditary genetic inferiority of the poor would never allow them to become wealthy. They would undoubtedly squander money, even if it is freely given to them, on trivial matters such as food and healthcare for their kids. This would only propagate their inferior genetic stock.
What is to be done?
The poor are as you can see a necessary evil. They exist in a fashion that is unfit for the dogs in some of our homes. There must be a way to make them more docile. I recommend that we implement massive social engineering. It is necessary to make them believe that they too can become as prosperous as us. I will delegate this matter to PR.
Thank you for your time.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Blog #8 A Second life trip
Last night I went to see the Virtual Hallucination simulation that has been developed by UC Davis. The Hallucination simulator has been designed to give us a better understanding of what it feels like to have schizophrenia. Based on the stories of two people who have schizophrenia. The simulator aims to provide an auditory and visual experience that simulates how schizophrenics see and hear the world.
To my mind this is a earning experience for anyone attempting to be a in the health care filed who might occasional work with mentally ill patients. The simulator starts off with you walking into a hospital. All of a sudden you hear voices telling you that your "worthless" and that you need to "kill yourself now." Objects appear in front of you out of thin air, such as guns a and the grim reaper. Looking into mirrors produces a image of a skeleton, and the voices in your head tells you the hospital staff is out to get you. The floor turns into the sky, and you are deathly afraid of falling.
This simulator is a is a excellent idea for the use of second life in education. It give students an experience they can't have any other way.
To my mind this is a earning experience for anyone attempting to be a in the health care filed who might occasional work with mentally ill patients. The simulator starts off with you walking into a hospital. All of a sudden you hear voices telling you that your "worthless" and that you need to "kill yourself now." Objects appear in front of you out of thin air, such as guns a and the grim reaper. Looking into mirrors produces a image of a skeleton, and the voices in your head tells you the hospital staff is out to get you. The floor turns into the sky, and you are deathly afraid of falling.
This simulator is a is a excellent idea for the use of second life in education. It give students an experience they can't have any other way.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
POST #4
The article on wired travel on second life is a amazingly informative article. The most amazing thing I find about second life is how almost every world, item, or person you encounter is user created. A concept that I find wildly mind blowing is the fact that the department of homeland security has bought and used real estate in second life, among wells Fargo, and pepsi.
The begging of second life is very similar to that of America! in 2002 when second life was first opened for users, there was a tax on items. Users who were angry about this tax actually protested in much the same way as our forefathers. Users dressed as colonial garb and held tea party's all across second life. The market and economy on second life is a free market. Users can create, buy, sell, and trade items tax free.
Wired states that second life was sex free until users secretly brought in adult content. Surprisingly they have prostitution in second life.
People who state that second life is not a game is to be fooled, there are several games in second life. One game of many is on a island called "SAMURAI ISLAND" Were you actually get to battle with others!
My opinion on second life has changed greatly. I can see second life as being a fun thing to do. If only I can get it to work on my computer.
The begging of second life is very similar to that of America! in 2002 when second life was first opened for users, there was a tax on items. Users who were angry about this tax actually protested in much the same way as our forefathers. Users dressed as colonial garb and held tea party's all across second life. The market and economy on second life is a free market. Users can create, buy, sell, and trade items tax free.
Wired states that second life was sex free until users secretly brought in adult content. Surprisingly they have prostitution in second life.
People who state that second life is not a game is to be fooled, there are several games in second life. One game of many is on a island called "SAMURAI ISLAND" Were you actually get to battle with others!
My opinion on second life has changed greatly. I can see second life as being a fun thing to do. If only I can get it to work on my computer.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Blog #3
Post 1
Another Perfect World. Dir. Femke Wolting & Jorien van Nes. Submarine Productions, 2009
The best word to describe Second Life would be strange, but this is because second life is uncharted to me. Second life seems like an alien world, and I do not understand its customs. What joy does someone get from having virtual sex in a swing that is attached to a dragon statue? Irrelevant to any point. I can understand someone being able to play out their fantasies and build a utopia for themselves that they could not do elsewhere -- but I do fear there could be some room for addiction with second life; escaping into the fantasies of a word, almost similar to what drug addicts do. Drug addicts escape the realities of life, the hardships, the problems. I am not putting down second life, I believe as in moderation anything is okay, but to immense you in a virtual world 12 hours a day just seems a little too much to me.
Who is the author of the source?
Femke Wolting is co-founder and head of Submarine, an Amsterdam based production studio that develops and produces documentaries and cross media programs for broadcasters and media companies. Since its formation in January 2000, Submarine has produced documentaries for directors such as Rob Smits and Alexander Oey, created an extensive game for renowned director Peter Greenaway and released a variety of interactive productions by international new media artists.
From 1994 to 2002 Femke Wolting was the initiator and programmer of Exploding Cinema - part of the International Film Festival Rotterdam - which explored the future of media, and featured exhibitions, conferences and film programs. Between 1995-2000 she worked at the Dutch public broadcaster VPRO at the digital department and from 1998 as an editor for VPRO's documentary series 'Laat op de Avond' and 'De Nieuwe Wereld'. Since 1999 Wolting has directed several documentaries such as: 'It's The End Of TV As We Know It' - a two-hour tv and web documentary about the future of television, the crossmedia documentary 'Sneakers' about the rise and rise of the sports shoe, 'Viktor & Rolf "Because We Are Worth It",' a year in the lives of the avant-garde fashion designers. More recently she co-directed 'Another Perfect World' - a docu about online worlds created as places for work, play, friendship and love.(taken from http://anotherperfectworld.submarine.nl/)
What is the purpose of the publication or website?
Another Perfect World is a documentary about digital utopias, the online worlds created for people to work, play, find friendship and love. The utopias of the future will be created online, in digital worlds capable of rendering photo-realistic depictions of whatever the mind can imagine with technologies that allow people from around the world to join in. We now have the chance to build a new world from scratch. If you were going to do so, on which principles would you establish it? What is more important: freedom of expression; an active marketplace to encourage social interaction; or laws to define the limits of social relations?
When was the source published?
another perfect world was released at a film festival called HOTDOCS in Toronto, Canada. It played from April 30th - May 10th, 2009
Where did you find the source?
Most information about this film can be found at there website at
(http://anotherperfectworld.submarine.nl/festivals)
Why should you use this source more then others
I feel this film is very informative about second life, while is is not the only film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpvsoP6UDGM
Any one wanting to know more about second life should check out this BBC documentary about second life, and addiction.
How does this selection of evidence in the sources reflect the interests and expertise of its another, publisher and sponsor?
I feel this film is made by a respectful documentary film company (submarine productions.) Submarine productions have made many films in the past, and have won many awards for such.
Post 2
Interview with Philip Rosedale.Fullerton, Ticky. Online video. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 3/19/07
I think what best sums of this article is "virtual actions, real life consequences." I believe that if bad enough, the actions in the virtual world can reach you in your life. Take for example someone who keeps harassing and stalking a person in second life, that person could potentially file a restraining order on you in real life. Or perhaps you are having a virtual affair with someone that is not your wife, and your wife finds out -- im almost positive most women would not be happy to find there husband developing a relationship with another women online.
Interview with Interview with Ted Castronova.Fullerton, Ticky. Online video. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 3/19/07
Second life is just that, a second life for someone! Second life is not a game, there is no "goal." Second life is just a social website, such as face book or myspace. People hang out, talk to each other, buy land, build houses, open clubs, ect. It really is a amazing concept, but I feel many people do not use second life because they see it as being mainly for sexual purposes and therefor being taboo. Second life may not become popular, but I do see something similar to second life becoming popular. Sadly I see in out future people being too lazy to actually want to get out and socialize.
Who is the author of the source?
Ticky Fullerton is the one interviewing both ted and tim. As of now Ticky Fullerton is currently the national business reporter for ABC. Ticky Fullerton is also a recipient of the Peter Hunt Eureka Prize for Environmental Journalism, and prior to journalism, Fullerton was an associate director with investment bank Credit Suisse.
What is the purpose of this publication?
To inform the reader about second life and basically what it is all about. it talks to the creators and asks them there view point on second life.
When was this source published?
This source was published 3/19/07 by Ticky Fullerton and the Austrian broadcasting company.
Where have you found this source?
You can find this source at
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20070319/default_full.htm
Why should you use this source over others? I feel that the Austrian broadcasting company is a extremely repeatable journalistic company that has won many awards, and is pretty straight forward and non-biased towards most articles.
How does the selection of evidence in the source reflect the interest's of the audience. This in a very informative website done by ABC. Anyone who is playing, planning to play, or has played second life would most certainly enjoy visiting this very well done website.
Post 1
Another Perfect World. Dir. Femke Wolting & Jorien van Nes. Submarine Productions, 2009
The best word to describe Second Life would be strange, but this is because second life is uncharted to me. Second life seems like an alien world, and I do not understand its customs. What joy does someone get from having virtual sex in a swing that is attached to a dragon statue? Irrelevant to any point. I can understand someone being able to play out their fantasies and build a utopia for themselves that they could not do elsewhere -- but I do fear there could be some room for addiction with second life; escaping into the fantasies of a word, almost similar to what drug addicts do. Drug addicts escape the realities of life, the hardships, the problems. I am not putting down second life, I believe as in moderation anything is okay, but to immense you in a virtual world 12 hours a day just seems a little too much to me.
Who is the author of the source?
Femke Wolting is co-founder and head of Submarine, an Amsterdam based production studio that develops and produces documentaries and cross media programs for broadcasters and media companies. Since its formation in January 2000, Submarine has produced documentaries for directors such as Rob Smits and Alexander Oey, created an extensive game for renowned director Peter Greenaway and released a variety of interactive productions by international new media artists.
From 1994 to 2002 Femke Wolting was the initiator and programmer of Exploding Cinema - part of the International Film Festival Rotterdam - which explored the future of media, and featured exhibitions, conferences and film programs. Between 1995-2000 she worked at the Dutch public broadcaster VPRO at the digital department and from 1998 as an editor for VPRO's documentary series 'Laat op de Avond' and 'De Nieuwe Wereld'. Since 1999 Wolting has directed several documentaries such as: 'It's The End Of TV As We Know It' - a two-hour tv and web documentary about the future of television, the crossmedia documentary 'Sneakers' about the rise and rise of the sports shoe, 'Viktor & Rolf "Because We Are Worth It",' a year in the lives of the avant-garde fashion designers. More recently she co-directed 'Another Perfect World' - a docu about online worlds created as places for work, play, friendship and love.(taken from http://anotherperfectworld.submarine.nl/)
What is the purpose of the publication or website?
Another Perfect World is a documentary about digital utopias, the online worlds created for people to work, play, find friendship and love. The utopias of the future will be created online, in digital worlds capable of rendering photo-realistic depictions of whatever the mind can imagine with technologies that allow people from around the world to join in. We now have the chance to build a new world from scratch. If you were going to do so, on which principles would you establish it? What is more important: freedom of expression; an active marketplace to encourage social interaction; or laws to define the limits of social relations?
When was the source published?
another perfect world was released at a film festival called HOTDOCS in Toronto, Canada. It played from April 30th - May 10th, 2009
Where did you find the source?
Most information about this film can be found at there website at
(http://anotherperfectworld.submarine.nl/festivals)
Why should you use this source more then others
I feel this film is very informative about second life, while is is not the only film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpvsoP6UDGM
Any one wanting to know more about second life should check out this BBC documentary about second life, and addiction.
How does this selection of evidence in the sources reflect the interests and expertise of its another, publisher and sponsor?
I feel this film is made by a respectful documentary film company (submarine productions.) Submarine productions have made many films in the past, and have won many awards for such.
Post 2
Interview with Philip Rosedale.Fullerton, Ticky. Online video. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 3/19/07
I think what best sums of this article is "virtual actions, real life consequences." I believe that if bad enough, the actions in the virtual world can reach you in your life. Take for example someone who keeps harassing and stalking a person in second life, that person could potentially file a restraining order on you in real life. Or perhaps you are having a virtual affair with someone that is not your wife, and your wife finds out -- im almost positive most women would not be happy to find there husband developing a relationship with another women online.
Interview with Interview with Ted Castronova.Fullerton, Ticky. Online video. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 3/19/07
Second life is just that, a second life for someone! Second life is not a game, there is no "goal." Second life is just a social website, such as face book or myspace. People hang out, talk to each other, buy land, build houses, open clubs, ect. It really is a amazing concept, but I feel many people do not use second life because they see it as being mainly for sexual purposes and therefor being taboo. Second life may not become popular, but I do see something similar to second life becoming popular. Sadly I see in out future people being too lazy to actually want to get out and socialize.
Who is the author of the source?
Ticky Fullerton is the one interviewing both ted and tim. As of now Ticky Fullerton is currently the national business reporter for ABC. Ticky Fullerton is also a recipient of the Peter Hunt Eureka Prize for Environmental Journalism, and prior to journalism, Fullerton was an associate director with investment bank Credit Suisse.
What is the purpose of this publication?
To inform the reader about second life and basically what it is all about. it talks to the creators and asks them there view point on second life.
When was this source published?
This source was published 3/19/07 by Ticky Fullerton and the Austrian broadcasting company.
Where have you found this source?
You can find this source at
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20070319/default_full.htm
Why should you use this source over others? I feel that the Austrian broadcasting company is a extremely repeatable journalistic company that has won many awards, and is pretty straight forward and non-biased towards most articles.
How does the selection of evidence in the source reflect the interest's of the audience. This in a very informative website done by ABC. Anyone who is playing, planning to play, or has played second life would most certainly enjoy visiting this very well done website.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Blog 2
Interview with Philip Rosedale.Fullerton, Ticky. Online video. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 3/19/07
I think what best sums of this article is "virtual actions, real life consequences." I believe that if bad enough, the actions in the virtual world can reach you in your life. Take for example someone who keeps harassing and stalking a person in second life, that person could potentially file a restraining order on you in real life. Or perhaps you are having a virtual affair with someone that is not your wife, and your wife finds out -- im almost positive most women would not be happy to find there husband developing a relationship with another women online.
Interview with Interview with Ted Castronova.Fullerton, Ticky. Online video. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 3/19/07
Second life is just that, a second life for someone! Second life is not a game, there is no "goal." Second life is just a social website, such as face book or myspace. People hang out, talk to each other, buy land, build houses, open clubs, ect. It really is a amazing concept, but I feel many people do not use second life because they see it as being mainly for sexual purposes and therefor being taboo. Second life may not become popular, but I do see something similar to second life becoming popular. Sadly I see in out future people being too lazy to actually want to get out and socialize.
I think what best sums of this article is "virtual actions, real life consequences." I believe that if bad enough, the actions in the virtual world can reach you in your life. Take for example someone who keeps harassing and stalking a person in second life, that person could potentially file a restraining order on you in real life. Or perhaps you are having a virtual affair with someone that is not your wife, and your wife finds out -- im almost positive most women would not be happy to find there husband developing a relationship with another women online.
Interview with Interview with Ted Castronova.Fullerton, Ticky. Online video. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 3/19/07
Second life is just that, a second life for someone! Second life is not a game, there is no "goal." Second life is just a social website, such as face book or myspace. People hang out, talk to each other, buy land, build houses, open clubs, ect. It really is a amazing concept, but I feel many people do not use second life because they see it as being mainly for sexual purposes and therefor being taboo. Second life may not become popular, but I do see something similar to second life becoming popular. Sadly I see in out future people being too lazy to actually want to get out and socialize.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Post 1
Another Perfect World. Dir. Femke Wolting & Jorien van Nes. Submarine Productions, 2009
The best word to describe Second Life would be strange, but this is because second life is uncharted to me. Second life seems like an alien world, and I do not understand its customs. What joy does someone get from having virtual sex in a swing that is attached to a dragon statue? Irrelevant to any point. I can understand someone being able to play out their fantasies and build a utopia for themselves that they could not do elsewhere -- but I do fear there could be some room for addiction with second life; escaping into the fantasies of a word, almost similar to what drug addicts do. Drug addicts escape the realities of life, the hardships, the problems. I am not putting down second life, I believe as in moderation anything is okay, but to immense you in a virtual world 12 hours a day just seems a little too much to me.
Another Perfect World. Dir. Femke Wolting & Jorien van Nes. Submarine Productions, 2009
The best word to describe Second Life would be strange, but this is because second life is uncharted to me. Second life seems like an alien world, and I do not understand its customs. What joy does someone get from having virtual sex in a swing that is attached to a dragon statue? Irrelevant to any point. I can understand someone being able to play out their fantasies and build a utopia for themselves that they could not do elsewhere -- but I do fear there could be some room for addiction with second life; escaping into the fantasies of a word, almost similar to what drug addicts do. Drug addicts escape the realities of life, the hardships, the problems. I am not putting down second life, I believe as in moderation anything is okay, but to immense you in a virtual world 12 hours a day just seems a little too much to me.
Friday, January 15, 2010
All political power comes from the barrel of either guns, women, or opium pipes, and people seem to like it that way.
RIP the toughest man that ever lived.
CNN
There was a book or autobiography on this man, and he talked about after the first blast while was going to his job there was a river that he was having trouble crossing, so he made a raft out of dead bodies to cross it.
He was the luckiest and unluckiest man in the world.
CNN
Tokyo, Japan (CNN) -- The only man recognized as a survivor of both atom bombs dropped in Japan at the end of World War II has died.
Tsutomu Yamaguchi died Monday after a battle with stomach cancer. He was 93.
He had long been a certified "hibakusha," or radiation survivor, of the August 9, 1945, atomic bombing in Nagasaki. In March 2009, the Japanese government confirmed that he had also survived Hiroshima three days earlier.
On that day, the U.S. B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb nicknamed "Little Boy," which exploded over Hiroshima at 8:15 in the morning.
Yamaguchi happened to be in the city on a business trip for his employer, Mitsubishi Shipyard.
Many years later, he recalled the bombing in a story that appeared in the British newspaper The Times.
"It was very clear, a really fine day, nothing unusual about it at all. I was in good spirits," he said. "As I was walking along, I heard the sound of a plane, just one. I looked up into they sky and saw the B-29, and it dropped two parachutes. I was looking up into the sky at them, and suddenly ... it was like a flash of magnesium, a great flash in the sky, and I was blown over."
Badly burned, Yamaguchi returned home to Nagasaki only to experience horror again.
"My double radiation exposure is now an official government record," Yamaguchi told reporters last year after his official recognition. "It can tell the younger generation the horrifying history of the atomic bombings even after I die."
About 140,000 people perished in Hiroshima and an additional 70,000 in Nagasaki. Many of those who survived suffered a lifetime of radiation-related health problems, including cancers. Yamaguchi lost his hearing in his left ear in the blasts, and suffered from acute leukemia, cataracts and other bomb-related illnesses in subsequent years.
Yamaguchi spoke publicly about his experiences and appealed for the abolition of nuclear weapons at venues such as the United Nations.
He was visited in his hospital room in Nagasaki last month by filmmaker James Cameron, who wanted to discuss ideas for a film about nuclear weapons, the Japanese newspaper Mainichi reported.
There was a book or autobiography on this man, and he talked about after the first blast while was going to his job there was a river that he was having trouble crossing, so he made a raft out of dead bodies to cross it.
He was the luckiest and unluckiest man in the world.
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