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Second Life's Popularity Rests On Breadth Of Activities -- second life -- InformationWeek

Second Life's Popularity Rests On Breadth Of Activities -- second life -- InformationWeek.

Second Life's Popularity Rests On Breadth Of Activities
Here's a quick guide to what goes on in Second Life, a lively virtual world full of music, dance, travel, games, and cybersex.
By Mitch Wagner, InformationWeek, September 25, 2008 04:00 AM

The Second Life phenom could not have happened without the many in-world avenues for users, or residents, to express themselves, often through through collaborative play and performance.

As the company tries for a second act under a new CEO and targets new markets, users are busy doing what they've always done in Second Life.

What is there to do in Second Life? Finding your way around and learning about what to do there can be tricky for newcomers. Here is some information to help you get started.

Walt at Random » Blog Archive » Where your patrons are – or are they?

Walt at Random » Blog Archive » Where your patrons are – or are they?.

Where your patrons are – or are they?

Putting on my asbestos gloves, I write a mildly cautionary post.

If you love Second Life, more power to you. I tried it–had to, for a contest, at some length–and didn’t care for it. I’m one of perhaps four million ghost avatars, always to be counted by Linden but never to return (I have no idea what my password is, for that matter.)

That’s me. I probably wouldn’t care for most virtual worlds (except those in fiction). That’s me.

Walt takes on a current Library 2.x trend, get into Second Life (SL) as a librarian, because that's where your patrons are.. in fact, I am trying SL, but mostly on my own, to understand the concept; the client software; interactivity; fun factors, etc. But, Walt's point is well-made, even given the math has to be estimates...

Wanna Stay 'Lost'? Play 'Lost': The Game | Kevin D. Thompson

Wanna Stay 'Lost'? Play 'Lost': The Game | Kevin D. Thompson.

April 24, 2006
Wanna Stay 'Lost'? Play 'Lost': The Game

This morning I received a press release from ABC announcing a new interactive game based on Lost. The release claims the challenge is the largest ever tied to a TV series. ABC as well as 19 other networks spanning five continents will take part in the ‘Lost Experience,' an internet game that will feature a parallel storyline that will give players more insight into ABC’s hit series.

My initial reaction was a big, fat, who cares?

That’s all I need -- a maddeningly confusing interactive game that’ll probably be just as maddeningly confusing as the TV show. When I read the release, it just reminded me how my patience with Lost is waning. Too many repeats. Too many do-nothing flashbacks. Too many promos that promise something juicy, but ultimately deliver nothing.

Lost is moving in slow motion. And I’m getting tired of working that hard just to watch -- and understand -- a TV show. When Locke discovered the glow-in-the-dark map, or whatever the heck it is, in the hatch a few weeks ago, it looked intriguing. But I wasn’t about to pause my TiVo to go about the business of deciphering all those symbols and letters and scraggily drawings.

Will people play the game? .. Yes, but (see previous post) a lot of them will be geeks and nerds.. Will the game help or hurt Lost? .. Help, if it gives summer re-runs a bounce, and helps the show "get unLost" a bit.. I have to agree with this columnist from Florida; it's interesting, it's fun, it's entertaining, and it's moving at a snail's pace.. The major players are busy elsewhere, and it's showing up on the small screen.. there's time to fix what's broke, but is anybody listening? ...

Video games add interactive dimension to local libraries: Some librarians worry games take time away from reading; others see it as a way to engage teens

kingcountyjournal.com - Video games add interactive dimension to local libraries: Some librarians worry games take time away from reading; others see it as a way to engage teens.

Video games add interactive dimension to local libraries: Some librarians worry games take time away from reading; others see it as a way to engage teens
2006-03-30
by Dean A. Radford, Journal Reporter

Some say they're a pox on civilization. Others say they're a nod to teen culture.

Either way, video games are finding a place in the King County Library System, alongside books and other traditional programs, as librarians try to engage teens and meet their recreational needs.

The program -- already in libraries from Issaquah to North Bend and Covington to Tukwila -- is geared toward young people ages 12 to 18, with the games rated ``E'' for everyone or ``T'' for teen.

But don't bet on video games ending up in all the system's suburban libraries. Some librarians worry that setting up the games and monitoring teens will take time away from other activities.

Rosalie Olds, the teen librarian at the Fairwood Library east of Renton, runs a teen writing group that is working on historical fiction.

``I should spend my time doing that, not watching them play video games,'' Olds said. She became a librarian to promote reading and writing, she said.

But she's on the fence and can see the positives of the program, which is called ``Game On.''

SimplyFun Opens the Book on 'LIEbrary'(TM)

SimplyFun Opens the Book on 'LIEbrary'(TM), The Board Game of Bluffing and First Lines of Books Created by Actresses Daryl Hannah and Hilary Shepard: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance.

Press Release
SimplyFun Opens the Book on 'LIEbrary'(TM), The Board Game of Bluffing and First Lines of Books Created by Actresses Daryl Hannah and Hilary Shepard
Tuesday October 4, 6:48 pm ET

BELLEVUE, Wash., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- SimplyFun (www.SimplyFun.com ), a direct-selling "party plan" company that markets games and other products that promote the importance of play and interaction between friends and family members, announces LIEbrary, created by popular film star Daryl Hannah ("Kill Bill," "Splash," "Steel Magnolias," "Blade Runner") and longtime best friend and fellow actress Hilary Shepard ("Power Rangers," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"). Available now, the beautifully packaged board game, with the look of a vintage coffee table book, stimulates humor, imagination and creative thinking -- making it an intriguing pastime for people from 12 years old to 112! LIEbrary is the latest addition to SimplyFun's collection of fun-to-play simple-to-learn board, card, party games and puzzles that are sold to consumers at in-home parties exclusively by the company's network of consultants.

Arts & Culture - Voice of San Diego: Renaissance Fair Provides Escape from Mundane Life

Arts & Culture - Voice of San Diego: Renaissance Fair Provides Escape from Mundane Life.

Renaissance Fair Provides Escape from Mundane Life
By JESSICA HORTON, Voice Contributing Writer Monday, Aug. 8, 2005

A stately young woman's feet suddenly replace her head as she performs summersaults in the grass. Two stout figures dance about in tights, shouting heartfelt obscenities over the clank of jousting sticks. A bold suitor tickles a lady's bare bosom with a feather, only to be tumbled to the grass as a rowdy courtship ensues.

"Rennies" like those who came to San Diego's Morley Field over the weekend transform sedate neighborhood parks into festival playgrounds where decorum is left at the gate. Working a circuit of ever-popular Renaissance fairs across Southern California, these festival folk do their best to spread gleeful abandon in the guise of a medieval history lesson.

Great local version of the fair.. Rennies and guests had fun, was able to go for a couple of hours on Saturday.. ladies and knights and wenches and serfs everywhere, laugh...

Disembodied Brain sci-fi weblog | A video introduction to San Diego Comic-Con

Disembodied Brain sci-fi weblog | A video introduction to San Diego Comic-Con.

A video introduction to San Diego Comic-Con
July 11, 2005

For those who may be unfamiliar with the giant pop-culture convention, SignOnSanDiego videographer Yvette De La Garza and I have prepared a video introduction to San Diego Comic-Con International 2005. [link added]

It features Paul Horn (right), illustrator for The San Diego Union-Tribune; Jamie Newbold of Southern California Comics; and Comic-Con spokesman David Glanzer, who provide the B-roll for this package.
We'll be following up with more video from this year's con.

Comic-Con
An intro to the big comic con.
Video (may require Real Player)

Posted by SignOnSanDiego at July 11, 2005 08:13 AM

LucasArts | Press: LUCASARTS FOCUSES THE FORCE ON UPCOMING STAR WARS?: EPISODE III VIDEO GAME

LucasArts | Press: LUCASARTS FOCUSES THE FORCE ON UPCOMING STAR WARS®: EPISODE III VIDEO GAME.

LUCASARTS FOCUSES THE FORCE ON UPCOMING STAR WARS®: EPISODE III VIDEO GAME

Marin County, Calif. – July 27, 2004 – Following the recent Lucasfilm Ltd. title announcement of the Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith™ motion picture, LucasArts revealed today that it will release the Star Wars: Episode III video game on May 5, 2005, two weeks before the opening of the film. Currently under development, the third-person action/adventure game will deliver the ultimate Jedi action experience as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi join forces in fierce battles and heroic lightsaber duels until one’s lust for power and the other’s devotion to duty leads to a final confrontation between good and evil.

In the Star Wars: Episode III video game, players will control all the Jedi abilities of both Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, including devastating Force powers and advanced lightsaber techniques involving robust combo attacks and defensive maneuvers. As Anakin, players will unleash the power of the dark side in ruthless lightsaber and Force attacks. As Obi-Wan, players will struggle to save the galaxy from darkness by focusing the power of the light side into swift and precise lightsaber attacks and using the Force to control enemy actions.

Working closely with famed Star Wars stunt coordinator Nick Gillard, the development team is creating the most authentic lightsaber combat ever with choreography taken directly from the films as well as many new stunts created exclusively for the game under the auspices of Gillard. Expanding on the upcoming movie, the game will take place in never-before-seen locations that will give fans a sneak peek into the highly anticipated Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith film, releasing worldwide on May 19, 2005.

MSNBC - Sony gets it right with new PSP

MSNBC - Sony gets it right with new PSP.

Sony gets it right with new PSP
Sleek and sophisticated -- and not just for gamers, either

REVIEW By Tom Loftus Columnist MSNBC Updated: 9:05 a.m. ET March 24, 2005

Hope you enjoyed your 15 minutes, iPod. Sony, the company that invented the modern handheld entertainment industry 20 years ago, moves to reclaim the throne with the Sony PSP, a media device that plays music, movies and games and looks great.

Nice review on the new Sony PSP.. worth a read.. a gem toy, and looks like fun is coming in hand...

Madden NFL 2005

Madden NFL 2005

Madden NFL 2005 marks the 15th season of this superlative football game series.

Good review of a great game...

HometownAnnapolis.com, Top Stories - Costumed canines joining owners for trick-or-treating

HometownAnnapolis.com, Top Stories - Costumed canines joining owners for trick-or-treating

Costumed canines joining owners for trick-or-treating
By VANESSA FRANKO, Staff Writer

Zeus won't suck your blood, but on Halloween he might just show his fangs.

Kay Barnard of Arnold is dressing up her son's Italian greyhound as Dracula.

Zeus will be modeling a vampire cape from a stuffed teddy bear she bought at a grocery store during her costume search.

"He's going to give out Halloween candy with me," Ms. Barnard said.

MSNBC - Wheeling and Dealing on Your Next Vacation

MSNBC - Wheeling and Dealing on Your Next Vacation

Wheeling and Dealing on Your Next Vacation
Poker tours and tournaments are sweeping the travel industry. Maybe it's time for you to ante up, too
Joe Cavaretta / AP, Updated: 5:36 p.m. ET July 28, 2004

Greg " The Fossilman" Raymer, right, prepares to play the final round against David Anthony Williams, left, on May 28, 2004 at the World Series of Poker at Binions Horseshoe in Las Vegas. Raymer took home the first place prize of $ 5 million and Williams took second and $3.5 million. [photo caption]blockquote>

Poker is making its way out of smoky back rooms and private casino dens and is hitting the travel circuit in a big-money way. And it's not just Vegas anymore, baby. Try Connecticut, Paris, a Caribbean cruise—and with TV coverage, fat bags of cash and Angie Dickinson. If you know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em, then you can join any number of poker competitions while vacationing (or make it a destination unto itself). But if you don't know your jack from your ace, you can still watch the pros up close without risking a cent.

POKER EVENTS

You've seen the poker players weep or win on TV, now you can join them at the table. In addition, poker tournaments are held around the globe and are open to anyone with some bucks to throw in (no experience necessary). Here are some events you can watch live or play during your travels.

AlterNet: Know When to Hold 'Em

AlterNet: Know When to Hold 'Em

Know When to Hold 'Em
By Justin Peters, Washington Monthly, June 3, 2004

Before this year, my only experience with poker was at basketball camp when I was 12. We played during rest periods with Skittles for chips and about seven different wild cards per hand. Although fun, the game paled by comparison to other leisure pursuits, such as sleeping, and I never gave it much thought after that. Yet, during the past year, I have unexpectedly changed my tune. I've joined a weekly card game. I waste hours surfing online poker sites. I try to drop poker phrases like "bad beat" and "the nuts" into casual conversation. When I won $140 at the table in February, I spent weeks regaling everybody I knew with chapter and verse of my victory. Most reacted with raised eyebrows and condescension, but similarly afflicted friends of mine understood, greeting the story with measured awe, as if I were Amarillo Slim.

Filed under "Sports," hmmm, is poker a sport? Oops, changed to the Games category.. whew!

When is a French Kiss, English?..

Origin of Phrase, "Excuse My French" (Google Answers)

The OED [Oxford English Dictionary] also equates the adjective French with "spiciness", as in French letter for "condom", French kiss (1923) and French (i. e. "sexually explicit") novels (from 1749).

I was looking for confirmation that in France, a "French Kiss" is known as an "English kiss." Google wasn't all that much help, as everyone repeats the same "trivia" fact as though it was fact. There's little or nothing online showing up via Google from France, i.e. *.fr domain.. which makes me suspicious about this still.. if anyone knows for sure, drop me a note.. just curious..

While wandering around in that quest, I stumbled onto the above Google Answers' post dealing with the origin of the phrase, "Pardon my French." Part of the answer is quoted above, and the link is to the full response.. a fun read and interesting history...

Travel Scrabble® Game Folio

Travel Scrabble® Game Folio

I'm looking to get one of these.. saw one in Gaslamp district on Friday at the Borders store..

Scrabble® Game Folio by Hasbro Games/Milton Bradley.

The ever-popular SCRABBLE® brand crossword game is now available for on-the-go word fanatics. With the SCRABBLE GAME FOLIO, players lock in their tiles in a compact, portfolio-style game board set in a durable cloth case with a zip closure. If players need to move the game, they can close the board during play, take it to another location and pick up the game without losing a tile. With this all-inclusive unit (racks, score pad, tiles, and board), players can conveniently set up a game on the beach, in the park or even on a subway. Traditional SCRABBLE game rules apply to this portable version. Ages: 8 and up Players: 2 to 4