Sunday, January 20, 2013

One Billion Rising in SecondLife 2013

I picked up the press release for this important and thrilling event coming up in SecondLife in February via Daniel Voyager´s Blog. Daniel also informs us that there will be a 4 region stage where over 200 avatars will be able to enjoy the live music and interesting art/info exhibits.

Right now, 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. So today I became part of the revolution of women and men who will WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to violence against women and girls on 2.14.13.

ONE BILLION RISING is a global call to women and men across the planet to gather in their communities to dance and demand an end to men´s violence against women and girls.

Will you join me? Sign up here: One Billion Rising


COME AND DANCE: ONE BILLION RISING IN SECOND LIFE 
SECOND LIFE® RESIDENTS JOIN GLOBAL CAMPAIGN “ONE BILLION RISING” TO STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS

February 14, 2013 to be V-Day’s Largest Day of Action Ever

On February 14, 2013, for 24 hours starting at midnight Pacific Standard Time, Second Life residents will join with activists around the world in a spectacular 24-hour dance event for ONE BILLION RISING, the largest day of action in the history of V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women and girls.

ONE BILLION RISING began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS. On February 14, 2013, men and women in Second Life will join activists, writers, thinkers, celebrities, and people across the world to Walk, Dance, and Rise as a show of unity, individual strength, and the need for change.

The Second Life event will feature a four-region stage where 200 people can dance together, surrounded by an area of art installations and informational exhibits. A variety of performers will play over the 24-hour period, enabling people all over the world to attend this virtual event no matter their timezone. The regions will have a General maturity rating to allow all residents an opportunity to participate. Pictures are welcome on the event’s Flickr group.

The objective of the event is to raise awareness, not to raise funds; however, information about real-world organisations will be available for those wishing to donate.

One Billion Rising in Second Life is sponsored by: Alchemy Immortalis; Bits and Bobs Animations; Cheeky Pea; The Domineaux Effect; Dutchie; Galland Homes; Garden of Dreams; Gos Boutique; Gwen Carillon Designs/Serenite; Heart Garden Centre; Kaerri; MadPea; Maven Homes; Meshworx; Prime; and Spargel and Shine. In-kind sponsors are: CaLLie CLine; Fruit Islands; Home and Garden Market; KittyCatS!; and Prim Perfect Publications.

For more information:
Our blog: http://onebillionrisingsl.wordpress.com/
Our Webpage at One Billion Rising: http://onebillionrising.org/page/event/detail/startarising/wd8
Our Second Life Group: One Billion Rising
Our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/One-Billion-Rising/493344827375934?ref=hl
Our Twitter Stream: https://twitter.com/OBRinSL
Our Flickr Group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/2169739@N23/

About One Billion Rising
One in three women on the planet is raped or beaten in her lifetime. That is ONE BILLION WOMEN violated. One billion daughters, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, lovers and friends. On February 14, 2013, V-Day’s 15th Anniversary, we are inviting ONE BILLION women and those who love them to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to this violence. ONE BILLION RISING will move the earth, activating women and men to dance across every country.

For more information go to http://www.onebillionrising.org/.

About V-Day
V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler’s award winning play The Vagina Monologues and other artistic works. In 2012, over 5,800 V-Day benefit events took place produced by volunteer activists in the U.S. and around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls. To date, the V-Day movement has raised over $90 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it, crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns, reopened shelters, and funded over 14,000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq. Over 300 million people have seen a V-Day benefit event in their community.

For more information go to http://www.vday.org/.

At the Mercy of Rules

After spending the whole of yesterday in bed with one of the damnedest headaches ever, I am up and about again and preparing myself to go shopping inworld and then go to a membership meeting of Second Pride.
I see the need for rules of order within societies and associations, so that every members right to equal participation in orderly meetings are protected and that business can be conducted harmoniously and in a way that protects the interests of the membership.

Since coming to SecondLife I have participated in quiet a few meetings because, as I have told +Guyke Lundquist, I see the need for and the importance of democratic meetings and I also know the game so I might as well suffer for it.

However, the thing that has struck me most is some of the participants eagerness to preoccupy themselves with discussing procedural rules instead of focusing on the substance of the issues at hand. I love order, but it should never get in the way of efficient and democratic decision-making where the participants are allowed to focus on issues. It is especially exasperating when the different factions try to knock each other unconscious with various editions and versions of "The Robert´s Rules of Order".

In short, today I am hoping that an objection on a point of order - whether a motion has been duly "seconded" or not - is not made after 45 minutes of discussion of an issue. If that happens I will most likely start jumping on that stupid avatar if someone doesn't hold me back.

Friday, January 18, 2013

The Case for Mammy/Daddy Marriage


(via +Joe Jervis at J.M.G.)

Irony is a great tool!

Support Ticket #01587329 XI (Updated)

This evening I had an email from the sweet Theresa Linden waiting for me when I got home from work.

"A comment has been added to your Case..

Case: 01587329
Avatar: Bock McMillan
Type: Other Inworld Issues
Status: Information Requested
Hi Bock,

That is pretty cool info! I have just sent Alexa an email for you :)

Please let me know how it goes with the bandwidth test!

All the best,
Theresa Linden

To reply to this case, either Reply to this email, or visit : https://secondlife.com/my/support/?caseID=01587329

(To view the Case online, you will need to log into Secondlife.com with this Avatar: Bock McMillan)

---

I sent Theresa this answer

"Dear Theresa,

Thank you very much for greeting Alexa from me!

As far as the bandwidth tests go, I am cautiously optimistic but would like to do some further tests this weekend. Among other things I am planning a shopping tour to some of the lagiest shops I know in SecondLife. 


I will get back to you with a full report of the full results of the testing on Sunday. However, the tests I have conducted so far with extremely helpful and patient friends are very encouraging and positive since I reduced the bandwidth to 500.

Have a wonderful weekend and keep your fingers crossed for me.
Bock"

---

Update
A little later I received the following response.

"A comment has been added to your Case..

Case: 01587329
Avatar: Bock McMillan
Type: Other Inworld Issues
Status: Information Requested
Hello Bock!

I have my fingers crossed for you! Either way, have a good weekend no matter what and we will talk soon :)

Theresa Linden
To reply to this case, either Reply to this email, or visit : https://secondlife.com/my/support/?caseID=01587329

(To view the Case online, you will need to log into Secondlife.com with this Avatar: Bock McMillan)"

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Gone Fishing


Well, the post title is in a sense a damned lie, but I have checked out of my SecondLife for the day. My brain is running overtime from all the necessary tests to regain and maintain my virtual life. I am also suffering from information overload concerning the questions of life and love in first life and SecondLife.

I am doing fine and feel strong, so it´s just a short break. I will be back to get my SecondLife in order tomorrow again after which I will hopefully be able to send a cautiously optimistic report to my tech-support Theresa Linden before the weekend.

See you tomorrow, I and The Much Honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Charm and prince of Cascade  Falls, will then attempt the crucial tests on which the whole of SecondLife´s future economy rest. We are going s-h-o-p-p-i-n-g for the first time in almost three months. 

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Something Old, Something New...

Before I go back to my playing with myself and test if Bock may finally be over the problems we have had lately I would like to take a moment to honor two SecondLife blogs and their bloggers.


The first one is the oldest Swedish SecondLife blog, My Avatar´s Name Is Apmel, which is owned and operated by my bosom buddy Apmel Goosson & alts (in his first life also known as +Lennart Nilsson)..

Today the blog celebrates it´s sixth blogoversary and having reached 5,000 posts. The number of pageviews should be close to 700,000 by now as the blog reached the 600,000 mark on March 26, 2011.

My Avatar´s Name Is Apmel has previously been honored by The Bock McMillan Art Foundation´s (a part of the BMcM Corporation) lifetime achievement award on March 26, 2011, read why here SecondLife Culture Blog Honored.

I for one am looking forward to following Apmel and alts on their adventures in SecondLife the next six years also, It is - and will remain - an obligation for every SecondLife blogger to read what Apmel has to say about our life and times.

On the other end of the scale I also wish to congratulate my friend Benja Aquila, who started blogging just recently, on hos blog Benja Aquila´s Second Life. The blog passed it´s first 5,000 pageviews yesterday!

Congratulations to both the blog and the blogger, I am so looking forward to still be a faithful follower when you pass 500,000 pageviews!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Could It Possibly Be...?

I am saying nothing yet, not until I have slept on it and tested it again...

But please, please, keep your fingers crossed...