Mm20051018

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

A Second Life Publication

Free

Halloween plans made

Inside

By LORELIE WOYSECK Staff writer

CLUB NEWS - PAGE 9

Sports

FASHION FIGHT - PAGE 13

SL RESIDENTS mingle at the Second Life Community Convention. The SLCC was the first event of its kind, and has sparked plans fot a yearly event. - Photo courtesy of CUTTER RUBIO.

SLCC: One Week Later

FYI Effective Nov. 1, LL will be closing the classifieds forum and archiving all existing content.

The new classifieds system in Second Life will allow users to completely self-manage listings via personal profiles with image, price, description capabilities and more.

Index Perspectives . . . . . Page 2 Comics .. . . . . . . . . Page 9 Classifieds . . .. . . .. Page 9 Entertainment. . . . . Page 9 Fashion . . . . . . . . Page 13 Business . . . . . . . .Page 14

Web Poll Go to our website at www.metaversemessenger.com

to participate in our online poll.

This week’s question: Are you planning on attending any of the First Life meetings?

Look for the results from last week’s poll on Page 2.

By PHOENIX PSALTERY Staff writer

A week has passed since the conclusion of the 2005 Second Life Community Convention, which was held in New York City on Oct. 8-9.

A huge outpouring of good will seems to have come out of the SLCC, along with a renewed vigor for Second Life and a vision for the future for many of the residents who were fortunate enough to attend.

Jennyfur Peregrine stated, "[We] have met numerous SLer’s in a variety of settings over the past year or two, so we have gotten past some of the RL-to-SL weirdness that arises in meeting the persons behind the avatars [but] many times over the course of the party and convention, people quipped that it was like a family reunion of sorts."

"There was a positive vibe in the air that was infectious," added Forseti Svarog. The community and camaraderie of SL was mentioned again and again by attendees.

Hiro Pendragon, who was one of the team that spearheaded the effort to put together the SLCC, said that the thing that impacted him was "the strong sense of community. Before the convention, you had to go out and visit Linden Lab on their turf to meet the Lindens.

"At the convention, the Lindens mingled with the residents, and it really reinforced just how strong of a community we have in Second Life."

Another recurring topic mentioned by those interviewed about their SLCC experience was a renewed enthusiasm for SL. Svarog said "It gave me renewed confidence in the Linden Lab team. We are not just customers in this endeavor, we really are also partners

Volume 1, No. 10 Second Life The Metaverse Messenger Sido (169, 195) Rose from Ash Publishing

See PLANS, Page 11

Messenger Hosts Open House

By GEORGE BACKBITE Staff Writer

About Us

we could do a lot worse than be tied to LL on this journey."

Peregrine added "I am very excited for what the future brings and how the [SL] world will continue to expand and grow in the coming months many times over the course of the weekend various persons likened [SL] to where the Internet was at 10-12 years ago by this time next year one can only imagine where we will be."

When asked about the evolution of SL from its present proprietary form to a true Metaverse that can interconnect with other virtual worlds, Pendragon responded, "I think the natural evolution of Second Life into the Metaverse that is world-wide accessible is about creating standards and APIs,” "Philip Rosedale [AKA Philip Linden] spoke in detail about that at the SLCC during his keynote [speech], but it’s not a new idea. Talk of open sourcing, standards, and APIs has been ongoing in the SL community as long as I can remember, and probably earlier."

Travis Lambert echoed this sentiment as he recalled Lindens keynote address, saying that Linden talked about how SLers are "really all pioneers here" and that Linden Labs really sees SL as something that will someday be ubiquitous, comparing SL to "what the [World Wide Web] was, around 1992 or 1993."

When asked what stuck with him the most, a week after the convention, Lambert responded, "I guess the biggest lingering thing on my mind is that we’re all important our community is like a recipe for Mama’s best lasagne, and each of us is a critical ingredient, in our own way." Peregrine added, "For better or for worse, the future is ours to create."

For those who have yet to prepare for Halloween, there is plenty of time and stores to help with costumes, as well as decorations for your house and business.

A few places are giving away costumes, while others charge a small fee, starting at L$10. Stores are listed alphabetically with a small list of what they have.

Busty’s Hillbilly Hideout and Yard Sale has costumes ranging from L$10 to about L$25L. They also have a variety of decorations.

The store is in the Sesia region.

Holiday House in Belmondo (245,106) has decorating sets ranging from L$10 to L$125. They have some free costumes and other Halloween accessories as well.

Posters start at L$35 and textures start at L$75.

Illusion has costumes starting at L$175, and decorations starting at L$100.

Those who cant find a costume you like can try a new avatar!

Kuula New Citizens, Inc. (NCI HQ) has avatars that would work well as a costume. There’s something for both male and female avatars. The best part is they are all just L$1!.

Those who like to party and make some money may want to visit a club. Some clubs may require a costume if attending on Halloween night. They are all having costume parties and having contests.

Asylum is hosting events and tours all day. At the end of the night, there will be a masquerade ball.

They will have door prizes, raffles and live music. Rainbow Island is having a special event and a dance.

Club Hedon is having a party and a ball. Club Vixens will have a live DJ and a contest for best male and female costume. Two lucky people will win L$150 each for best and most creative costumes.

Bates Motel will have a money ball, live DJ and prizes. This one is costume only. First place is L$2000 and second place is L$500. Club Voodoo is having a party on Oct. 25 and will be having a contest for best original male and female.

The public was invited to join the staff of the Metaverse Messenger at an open house Oct. 14 to celebrate the opening of the newspaper’s new office building.

“The turnout was great,” said Messenger associate publisher Phoenix Psaltery. “Katt [Kongo] and I didnt know what to expect.

We didn’t know if anyone would show up or not,” he laughed, “but there was a great crowd. We were very pleased.”

About 25 avatars attended the open house, which featured dancing and refreshments as well as a money ball and a series of prize giveaways.

Nearly L$2000 was given out during the two hour event via the money ball. The three major prizes were awarded by random drawing at the end of the night.

Four weeks’ worth of free 1/2 page ads in the Messenger, valued at L$4400, were awarded to Cocoanut Koala.

A gift certificate to Nomine, good for a L$5000 avatar skin by Best Of SL poll winner Munchflower Zaius, was won by Mulch Ennui, who earlier had characterized himself an unmitigated loser, quipping that “I never win anything.”

The major prize of the night went to Frans Charming, who won L$10,000 in cash which had been donated for the drawings by Mike Burleigh of Burleigh’s Second Hand Store and his wife, Gabriella Molinari, and had not been one of the prizes on the agenda, but was added by the Messenger staff upon learning of Burleigh’s gift.

The evening of fun was hosted by Kongo and Psaltery, and all in attenSee OPEN, Page 11

THOSE WHO attended the Messenger’s Open House were treated to prizes, refreshments and dancing - Photo by PHOENIX PSALTERY.

Perspectives Page 2

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October 18, 2005

A Bird’s Eye View Observations on Second Life and its denizens

By Phoenix Psaltery

No Limit In the wake of last week’s Second Life Community Convention, it seems as though there is a renewed enthusiasm among virtually everyone with whom I have come in contact in Second Life this week.

There has been a lot of animated discussion on the SL forums and elsewhere, not only about next year’s SLCC, but also in regards to the possibility of holding local and/or regional meetings in various parts of the United States as well as in Europe. (I haven’t heard of any planned gatherings in Asia yet.)

A group in the southern United States is having an informal gettogether in the Atlanta, GA area next week, and another is planned in Austin, TX. There has also been a lot of talk about the next SLCC being held in Dallas or Austin, while a small, vocal group is holding out for Las Vegas, ostensibly for the inexpensive hotels and restaurants, although many smile and wink and point to the abundance of adult entertainment as the draw.

There has also been some discussion about the San Francisco area — logical, since that is the home of Linden Labs — or southern California as the site of the next SLCC. In addition to all this, there is also a group of European SLers that is

planning a meeting in Amsterdam for later this month.

I find all of this activity extremely exciting! Seeing the residents of Second Life come together in such a positive fashion is something that has the potential to cause SL to explode in growth as we share the “gospel” of Second Life with everyone else.

I have previously made (humorous?) references in this space to the First Church of The Great Linden, where we worship Philip the Almighty, Creator of Lindenworld.

To that doctrine, I happily offer up the Book of Phoenix as an addition to the canon, and urge you, my brethren (and sisteren?) to listen and heed the gospel of SL. The word “gospel” comes from an Old English word that means “good news.” In the church world, it is used to refer to a spiritual thing, but in this context, I am talking about something virtual.

The good news of SL is that you no longer have to resign yourself to playing online games that are nothing more than mindless hack-andslash or shoot-the-monster fragfests.

Yes, I say unto you that there is a place — not a game, a place — called Second Life, where you can be anything that you want to be, helping to create a virtual world in cooperation with others like your-

See, BIRD’S EYE, Page 11

The Metaverse Messenger Sido (169, 195) E-mail: metaverse_messenger@yahoo.com Website: www.metaversemessenger.com Publisher: Katt Kongo Associate Publisher: Phoenix Psaltery Composition: Katt Kongo Phoenix Psaltery Account Executives: Phoenix Psaltery Maureen McLean Lola Rosebud Office Manager: George Backbite

Distribution: Lola Rosebud Sports: Porscopino Brocco News editor: Katier Reitveld Staff Writers: Katt Kongo Phoenix Psaltery Katier Reitveld Sarg Bjornson Lola Rosebud Lorelie Woyseck

The Metaverse Messenger is published once each week on Tuesday for $L0 per year in Second Life. Subscribers send notecard or instant message to publishers. Any erroneous reflection upon the character, standing or reputation of any person, firm or corporation, which may occur in the columns of The Metaverse Messenger, will be gladly corrected upon being brought to the attention of the publisher(s). The publisher is not responsible for copy ommissions or typographical errors which may occur other than to correct them in the nearest issue after it is brought to the publisher’s attention and in no case does the publisher hold him/herself liable for damages further than the amount received by him for actual space covering the error.

Copyright © 2005.The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted by The Metaverse Messenger and the Rose from Ash Publishing Company. No material may be reproduced without the expressed written permission of the publisher.

Write a Letter to the Editor Our policy pertaining to letters: The Metaverse Messenger accepts letters to the editor/publisher from our readers. Letters must include a valid SL name and an e-mail address. All letters will be verified before being published, and only letters that address SL matters will be accepted. To submit your letter, either send it via a notecard in-world, with “Letter to editor” in the file name or e-mail it to the newspaper.

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New service helps find SL information

By KATIER REITVELD Staff Writer

Alexander ~ Tuppakaka Molly Alexander and Cloud Tuppakaka were wed at 1 PM on Oct. 15 at Cocktails Wedding Chapel on Phoenix Isle.

The bride wore a wedding gown created by StarrNix Jade. Alexander's maid of honor was Holly Jensen, her RL sister. Bridesmaids included Darcy Rutledge and Jobelle Sugar.

Tuppakaka's best man was Tito Polonsky, and Troy Westerburg served as a groomsman.

Jade Opal officiated, and a reception followed at Cocktails Ballroom.

After a honeymoon spent in Gallinas, the couple will make their Home in Cilix.

Many threads have been popping up in the forums about First Life get togethers.. To make it easier for residents to organize and discuss things, Linden Lab has created a new forum:

Meet-ups and Real Life Events.

A new way of searching for information relating to Second Life was announced by Hank Hoodoo on Oct. 6.

This search facility, known as SL WebSearch, is designed to aid residents who need to find information pertaining to anything from blogs, news, Shopping or even scripting and building tips.

Hoodoo sees this facility as invaluable due to limitations of the provided search facilities. The system, which is currently in beta testing, can be accessed at www.slwebsearch.com.

Hoodoo said, “We believe that given the current state of the in-

world search, this can be an indispensable tool for finding out more about what’s going on in Second Life, via the old-fashioned but still awesome 2-D medium known as the Web.” On Oct. 12, Hoodoo expanded the site with an RSS feed. This feed allows automated access to the information held on the site so tools can use the information to display it on a website or perhaps even into SL itself.

Given near future promised developments in the SL world, Hiro Pendragon was enthusiastic about the potential of the site, commenting, “Given the upcoming integration of HTML into SL, I think this will become an immensely useful tool.”

See SERVICE, Page 11

Coming Soon!

SLYP! Contact George Backbite

October 18, 2005 The Metaverse Messenger Page 6

LL considers invisibility mode

By SARG BJORNSON Staff writer

THE GROUP SL Katrina Relief met Sunday night to discuss various fundraising plans on the Big Easy and Biloxi sims. Though the group has suffered some set backs, and the group is working hard to plan various events and builds.. - Photo by KATT KONGO.

Group plans events for fundraising

By KATIER REITVELD Staff writer The fundraising efforts for the victims of Hurricane Katrina continue with many events planned and starting to take place.

Most notiable of these with firm dates is a series of live concerts run

by Margaret Mfume. These concerts will feature the cream of Secondlive Live Music entertainers. Some of these entertainers are Tyne Sinder, Frogg Marlowe, Astrin Few and Flaming Moe. These concerts are expected to start on Oct 28th and continue for three weeks.

Other events planned include support from the Lindens in the form of a Linden Lottery. Items to be won in this include Andrew Linden, items

created by Nicole Linden and more.

Sadly, for such a worthy cause, there have been setbacks. However, the recent meeting has thankfully countered them, and the group has started to put firm plans in place for the events.

Plans include a cycle way, replica of Bourbon Street, a Halloween concert by Frogg Marlowe, sand sculpture contest, parade float contest and more.

Overall the planning for these fundraising is gathering pace and there promisses to be a good variaty of events. Therefore most residents ought to find something they enjoy and appreciate.

For more information or to offer help, contact Margaret Mfume, Katt Kongo, Frans Charming or Jonquille Noir.

Privacy has always been a controversial topic on the Internet. For many people, the Internet today is not only a source of information, but a cheap and comfortable way to escape, albeit in a very limited form, from mundane problems and limitations.

It can be pictured as a kind of "stress oasis" where anyone can relax without having to bother by physical constraints. When people are surfing the Internet, they want to be free.

They don't want anyone to know what they have been doing, which sites they have visited, what products or services they have bought, or who they have been talking to via their favorite messaging program.

Virtual worlds such as Second Life, on the other hand, consist of ongoing, digital interactions among many individuals. This factor alone takes away a bit of the privacy one can enjoy on the Internet.

When surfing, you are alone.

When in a virtual world, there are people around you, usually acting in a similar way that they would act in the real world. Usually people come to a virtual world attracted by the possibility of meeting people, socializing while having fun playing something akin to a computer game.

However, there are some times when people don't enter a virtual world with the objective of socializing with others.

Perhaps you are very angry in real life, and are searching for some kind of solitude. Perhaps you just had a very bad day at work. Perhaps you

have some work to do inside the virtual world itself, and don't wish to be disturbed by other people.

It is only logical that some of these individuals feel that their privacy is being invaded by others. In Second Life, there is a Busy Mode for those situations. By clicking busy mode, all chat and instant messages are hidden, while inventory and teleport offers get automatically declined.

While this should be enough in most cases, some people consider Busy Mode to be rude and impolite, as well as incomplete. Many residents think that an alternative to this system should be developed, some kind of "invisibility" system in which, for example, a box called "Show Me As Offline" could be clicked at the time of logging in.

This invisibility mode would list a player as offline for many purposes, letting him act in almost total privacy. A discussion about these topics took place a few months ago in the forums, in the form of Proposal 52, and has been recently redefined by resident Travis Lambert, who thinks the original proposal was either misunderstood by Linden Labs, or poorly worded.

Proposal 52, created on April 4, 2005 by Erzulie Lioncourt, says, "Allowing avatars to be invisible when they want and even just to certain players which would also remove the green dot from the map allowing more privacy."

The proposal caused some constructive discussion between those who thought it meant "avatar invisibility" and those who understood it as "chat invisibility."

The first group raised some con-

cerns about the possibility of hidden, invisible avatars: "Even though I realize there could be someone watching such as the system administration, I don't like the idea of knowing a pervert could be standing beside me when I am dressing or having a quiet moment with my partner. “My actions are based on the mini-map and who is around me. My privacy rights are at stake in this proposal to allow invisibility," said Anita Langdon.

On the other hand, the second group advocated the need for some kind of chat invisibility, but one that didn't imply avatar invisibility at all: "We need chat invisibility desperately, like Yahoo has. It has to be one of the most gaping holes in the chat space, and makes it difficult to log on to get some work done without interruptions.

"Avatar invisibility is extremely contentious, and has benefits in only a limited set of circumstances.

Limited enough that I doubt this proposal would have received so many votes if the meaning was clear," argued Travis Lambert.

Lambert has been trying to redefine the proposal for some time, even contacting the Linden Hotline in the hopes of stirring some official response in that direction.

"We need a way to be able to log on, and choose whether or not we have our friends notified 'Travis Lambert is Online'," said Travis in the forums.

The Hotline to Linden thread was posted on Sept. 24, and, as of this writing, has not yet received an official response from officials at Linden Lab.

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Entertainment Page 9

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Fundraising is still ongoing in the Biloxi and Big Easy sims for Hurricane Katrina Victims. Rumor has it all kinds of help is needed - event organization, donations, hosts, and more. IM Jonquille Noir, Margaret Mfume, ReallyRick Metropolitan or Katt Kongo to discuss how you can help.

Another charitable organization is looking to open a virtual chapter - the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Interested in volunteering? IM Cram Doctorow.

Unemployment in SL is on the rise. Jobs for new residents are difficult to come by - decent paying gigs are next to impossible. Are employment agencies necessary?

I love Halloween! Are you ready yet? Looking for a great Halloween costume? Try Mischief Designs or *Dreams* NVI because you'll need a good costume for your trick or treating.

MANAGER SUNNY Buttercup dances with an employee at Club fUSION, which was formerly Club Elite.. - Photo by KATT KONGO.

Club Elite renamed fUSION

By KATT KONGO Staff writer Club fUSION Head Manager Sunny Buttercup announced Sunday that the club has changed its name and made some changes in personnel.

The club was formerly known as Club Elite. Buttercup said the owner of the club, Abramelin Wolfe, decided to change its name to Club fUSION. The name change was implemented to fit more closely in with the overall theme of the sim, which is modeled after the 1982 movie Blade Runner starring Harrison Ford.

Wolfe said he wanted to have a nightclub on his sim, Devil’s Moon.

BigJohn Jade, Club Elite’s previous owner, was a friend of a friend, and Wolfe said he approached him to see if he "would be interested in helping get it [a nightclub] started.

"Previously I think he had had problem funding it and stuff so it closed," he said, explaining that he is able to cover the costs of events and

staff through the sales of his products, also located on the sim as well as in other locations.

Jade agreed to work with Wolfe as his employee as long as the name Club Elite was kept. With the disappearance of the name Club Elite comes the departure of Jade.

"He wanted to have the name elite to be involved, so I agreed, although to be honest the name elite doesn’t really fit the theme on my sim."

Wolfe added that he also decided to change the club’s name because of organizational problems. There were misunderstandings about the ownership of the club and contributions to it.

Additionally, new employees were hired, an escort service was started and staff members were reprimanded without his permission or knowledge.

Club fUSION holds daily contests such as biker night, best Goth, sexiest pajamas ,80s, and male and female sexiest avatar. The club also holds a $10,000L give away every Saturday night.

Classified Ads Help Wanted The Metaverse Messenger is searching for a motivated and responsible person to perform duties as a staff writer. The position would require reasonable writing skills, willingness to work and the desire to learn.

Staff writers at MM start off with a base pay of $200L per article. After a one-month probation period of quality work, base pay goes up to $350L. The Metaverse Messenger has advertising sales positions open. RL sales experience a plus, communication skills a must. Involves approaching SL business owners with information on advertising in this paper. IM Katt Kongo or e-mail: mm@metaversemessenger.com.

The Metaverse Messenger has openings for writers who can cover specific areas in SL, such as fashion, finance, lifestyles (weddings, engagements, etc), entertainment and sports. IM Katt Kongo or e-mail: mm@metaversemessenger.com.

Advertising

October 18, 2005

Locations to stop on your search for goodies: Midnight City, Hollywood, Alexa Lioncourt's festively decorated home, Bates Motel, Grindlewald, the Blue Stone Haunted House and Gravity Works. If you are shopping for your own party be sure to see the Haunted Mansion on Illusion Island, Pirate's Cove or the Divivity Halloween Headquarters.

Looking for a great date location? Try the 4 Seasons Theme Park. Tons of rides, games and shops on the midway. DSmooth took me to the park for a fun evening out, and it felt like the real deal. I even got queasy on the Dragon's Wrath.

Another great place to take your date - Oktoberfest in Neualtenburg. Just be sure to go solo if you plan on hitting the kissing booth to kiss one of the residents.

But don't worry - your donation also gives you the option of a public smooch with your sweetie.

The Metaverse Messenger

works!

A real newspaper for a virtual world

Preview tested with parties

By KATT KONGO Staff writer Several parties were held by Brent Linden last week in the preview grid with the purpose of testing how many avatars a sim in the new version could support.

Amid comparisons of FPS, the agent count in the sim climbed to 107.

After testing her various scripts, Gwyneth Llewelyn said, "Performance is incredible!"

Travis Lambert referred to the preview version as "really impressive and awesome," adding, "1933 active scripts in the sim! And I can still move!"

The test was conducted on a Class 3 sim, which is what is used for most sims on the main grid, said Brent Linden.

The new version is expected to be released this week.

The Metaverse Messenger has openings for columnists to report on events in various SL cultures, including vampires, tinies, furries, D/s, etc. Candidates for these positions should be members of the specific culture you wish to write about. IM Katt Kongo or e-mail mm@metaversemessenger.com.

For Rent THE RENT is $200 a week for 175 prims. Live out on the open water and feed the dolphons while you drink your morning coffee.

Catfish Cove Marina and Houseboat Rental Owasco (38,28).

THE RENT is $350 a week for 350 prims, parcel can be named what you choose, and the stream can be set on your preference. The view at this location can't be beat. It's the perfect home for a newcomer to Second Life.

Catocala (41, 113)

To place your classified ad, send an e-mail to classifieds@metaversemessenger.com

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October 18, 2005 The Metaverse Messenger Page 11

OPEN From Page 1 Kongo and Psaltery, and all in attendance seemed to have a good time.

Several avatars rode bicycles (even up and down the office stairs), while others enjoyed themselves on a psychedelically swirling dance floor constructed over the water behind the building. More than a few shot themselves out of a cannon situated on the building’s roof, while several more decided to take the plunge and

dive off the roof into the ocean five stories below.

The Messenger staff also made public a number of new projects, including a Yellow Pages directory of SL, a newcomers’ guide to SL, and foreign language editions of the Messenger.

The Metaverse Messenger building is located in the Sido sim at (175,196).

PLANS From Page 1 FurEver Eternal is hosting a Halloween Dance Party, costume only, on Oct. 31. The Barbie Club will be having a costume party on Oct. 29 from 5 to 6 pm SLT. Costumes are not required in order to attend, but one must be worn to win. There will be first and second place winners for male and female.

There is a cover charge of L$125.

There will be a live DJ. There are several haunted house attractions that have opened in recent

days in various parts of SL, including the Halloween Horror Park at Blue Stone (128,128), which features a 2400 sq m underground maze; the House On Superior Hill (Superior 64,132), which bills itself as "not for weak of heart or small children," and the Haunted Mansion Quest at the Four Seasons theme park (Eaton 131,64) which was scheduled to open Oct. 10 but still appears to be under construction as of this issue’s publication.

BIRD’S EYE self.

And more than that, there is NO LIMIT to what we can accomplish in SL! We are truly limited only by our own imaginations. As Jennyfur Peregrine said this week, “For better or for worse, the future is ours to create.” So let’s create it!

Look around you! Yes, SL has its share of immature, irritating goombas, I admit, but overall, I believe that the majority of the people who are “true” SLers — the ones who have “caught the vision” of what Second Life can and will become — are the best and brightest of what our world, that is, First Life, has to offer.

Periodically I mention in this space how the SL population has grown. I haven’t done that in several weeks. In fact, I hadn’t really even looked at the indicator in quite some time.

When I checked it just now, it showed that we are now at 65,838 members. It seems like just a few days ago that we crossed the 60,000 mark! A quick check of the SL forums reveals that it was actually at

5:30 PM SL time on Oct. 5 that we reached 60,000. This means that in the 12 days since then, we have gained 5,838 new residents — an increase of nearly 10%.

The Lindens used to say that the population of SL normally increases by about 20% a month. The numbers for last 12 days, however, indicate that this growth has accelerated.

Extrapolated over a 30-day period, the present growth rate is equal to about 24.3% in a 30-day period.

If this growth rate continues, it could mean that within a year or two, SL will be several times the size it is now. Let’s look at some figures, conservatively assuming a 22% per month increase in population (figures are rounded to the nearest thousand): Presently: 11/15/2005: 12/15/2005: 01/15/2006: 02/15/2006: 03/15/2006: 04/15/2006:

SERVICE Rathe Underthorn also sees the potential in this new development, saying, “SLWebSearch is very cool!

I have been using Google to keep track of SL related content.

“SLWebSearch makes it much easier and more consolidated without all the non-SL stuff. That will make my life much easier!”

The site itself is clean and easy to use. A search bar at the top allows easy entry of search terms and the engine returns the result of the search

From Page 2

66,000 80,000 98,000 120,000 146,000 178,000 218,000

05/15/2006: 06/15/2006: 07/15/2006: 08/15/2006: 09/15/2006: 10/15/2006: 11/15/2006: 12/15/2006: residents

265,000 324,000 395,000 482,000 588,000 718,000 875,000 1.06 million

Someone I spoke with this week mentioned that a figure of 1 million residents by 2007 had been bandied about at the SLCC, and dismissed it as wild speculation. But these figues show that it is not only possible, it is quite plausible.

All we really need to do is continue the creative spark that has already made Second Life the greatest virtual world in history. To paraphrase a line from a famous film, “If we build it, they will come.”

And for the doubter that posted on the forums this week questioning the way many of us equate SL with the Metaverse, I say: Second Life ISN’T the Metaverse… yet. But just you wait!

From Page 5

quickly and cleanly.

A search for the word “Metaverse” returned 10 pages, of which three were various pages from this newspaper’s website.

The others were mainly blogs, with one reference found within the SLExchange site.

Clicking on the “sites” link brings up a comprehensive list of the sites this search facility works through.

It’s very similar to Google in function but limits itself to searching

the sites that have been entered as having SL content.

The “submit my site” button gives users the ability to add SL-related sites that are currently not being searched. In order to ensure no nonSL sites are cataloged, these entries are sensibly moderated.

Overall, the site is well thought out, and very cleanly designed. The facilities provided are easy to use and potentially very useful for all SL residents.

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Fashion Page 13

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October 18, 2005

Fashion fight

By KATT KONGO Staff writer A dispute broke out late Monday evening in the Innamoramento sim when one designer accused another of copying her work.

Kimmera Madison, with friends Courtlyn Cunningham and Theo Lament in tow, arrived to discuss the fashions of Ginny Talamasca in the presence of her customers and friends.

When Lament commented on the collar on a cream top, Cunningham said, "I haven't bought a thing from her, refuses.” Madison said in reply, “Yeah, hell, I'll borrow some of her ideas.”

After Madison and her friends made a few additional comments about the designs displayed in the store, Talamasca told Madison that while she may have used prims that looked like one of Madison’s skirts, she did not copy.

When Talamasca added that the skirt was 180 prims, Madison said, “180 is way excessive,” adding, “And Ginny, before you copy something like this, you really should have the respect to ask first.”

Talamasca said she works hard to be original, to which Madison replied, “So do I. And like I said, if they had been closer to my work, I'd have had your head, and other parts.“ A bystander, Maureen McLean, exclaimed a simple “Wow,” in reaction to Madison’s comment.

Madison then turned to her and said, “Maureen, I work very, very hard.

It’s irritating when people take your ideas and use them.”

Madison also told McLean that the discussion was none of her business, to which McLean replied, “It's none of my business, but when three people come onto a person’s place of business and start accusing them, it's just not right.”

In an attempt to stop the discussion from progressing into a fight, Talamasca offered to remove the offending dress. Madison said there

was no need for that, but “I just ask you not use my ideas in the future.”

McLean stated that she was upstairs and heard what was being said by Madison and her friends.

“It’s just wrong and kind of petty,” she said to Madison.

In reply, Madison said, “Maureen, she copied my design, I have a right to come see and talk to my girlfriends as I wish.” Lament echoed that by saying, “It’s not petty to check out who has been reportedly copying her work.”

Said McLean, “Well Kimmera, to do it in her store in open chat is wrong.” At that point, Madison agreed and apologized.

She then said, “But you need to stay out of Ginny[‘s] and my business as well.”

Lament then referred to McLean as “low class,” which fueled tempers. McLean responded by saying, “You talk low class? What you did here was beyond low class.”

Madison then asked McLean to never shop in her store, saying, “I don't design for ugly people.”

Cunningham then encouraged Madison to leave, and added “I bet she didn't even graduate from high school, can't even carry an adult conversation.”

Although Talamasca begged them to stop, the taunting continued when Cunningham told McLean to grow up and asked if she could read.

Although several customers were present when Madison and her friends arrived, they quickly left as the discussion spiraled out of control.

Messenger accountant George Backbite, who claims to be something of a fashion diva himself, went to Madison’s stores to compare her gowns with Talamasca’s.

“I did not see any design that Ginny [Talamasca] could be accused of copying, in either structure or texture. It is my opinion that the verbal attack was planned in detail as a way to embarass Ginny and was motivated by jealousy,” he said.

Fashion show held in Zouk sim

By KATT KONGO Staff writer Zouk Models presented the work of Telly Costello on Sunday with yet another fabulous fashion show attended by many.

Fashion show Master of Ceremony Lexy Ludovico started the event by introducing a black beaded dress that comes in two pieces. The top and skirt show great detail with intricate beading, while the top has a diamond in the center of the chest.

Next Ludovico introduced a design with leopard print, form-fitting spandex, which she said "is not for the shy."

Up next was a design inspired by the groovy 60s, with tie-dyed colors twisted and blended to bring delight to the viewer. The outfit includes three pieces.

The following model was wearing

a Victorian creation in cream and sage, and Ludovico said the dress is prefect for any season.

Ludovico then discussed several shirts worn by the models. "Lola is wearing the famous shirt, Liquor on the front and Poke Her on the back," she said. Another model was wearing a crop top, while a third model was wearing a leather and rubber top.

The last three tops consisted of a pumpkin keyhole half sleeve shirt that is semi-sheer and dips down in the back, a pumpkin-colored tank top and another pumpkin-colored tank, but in a sheer material.

Minky Mousehold, the founder of Zouk Models, holds weekly fashion shows. She charges $1,500L per show, and services include construction of a stage, trained models to work the show, a Master of Ceremony and card invitations. For more information on booking a fashion show, contact Mousehold.

HARSH WORDS WERE EXCHANGED in the Innamoramento sim when Kimmera Madison accused Ginny Talamasca of copying her designs. The above photo is of Talamasca’s dress, which Madison claims she copied from one of hers. However, when Messenger employee George Backbite toured Madison’s stores, he found nothing similiar to Talamasca’s designs. . - Photo by KATT KONGO.

Business Page 14

The Metaverse Messenger Sido (169, 195)

October 18, 2005

Town hall meeting was held to discuss LindeX

By PHOENIX PSALTERY Staff Writer

DOMONEE BENTON STANDS in front of a display tracking the rise and fall of the Linden's value. Benton is preparing to open LindenMarket, a full service bank.. - Photo by Phoenix Psaltery

Full service bank planned for SL

By PHOENIX PSALTERY Staff Writer In the wake of the demise of Gaming Open Market (GOM) and the advent of Linden Labs’ own currency trading system known as LindeX, a new currency exchange service is preparing to open its doors, to be called LindenMarket.

The exchange has not yet begun operation as of this writing, but according to the company’s website at www.LindenMarket.com, the service fees charged by LindenMarket will closely mirror those formerly charged by nowdefunct GOM. The website also states that during its first 60 days of operation, LindenMarket will charge no selling fees or commissions while a client base is built up.

“LindenMarket.com is much more that just a currency exchange service — we are a full service bank,” said LindenMarket owner Domonee Benton.

In addition to buying and selling Linden dollars, LindenMarket members will be able to take advantage of numerous other services, including the capability to register bank accounts to an e-mail address rather than by Second Life avatar names, thus making access to deposited funds available to any avatar that a player may have.

Benton stated that LindenMarket will also offer not only savings accounts but checking accounts as well. “For a small fee of only ten Lindens [for] each check, you can leave your Lindens in the bank and make purchases using a check system,” said Benton.

LindenMarket will also offer secured loans of L$10,000 and up, and a loan matching service to assist avatars who wish to loan money with those who are seeking to borrow.

According to Benton, other serv-

ices planned for the future include a Rent To Own service which will allow members to make large purchases on a monthly payment basis, a real estate sales office, both mortgage and building construction loans, and LindenMarket also plans a free service to help SLers search for a home or store. Persons with locations for rent may list them with a picture and a notecard or landmark.

This is a free search service for potential tenants and carries a fee of only L$100 per property or landlord may subscribe for a fee of L$2500 per month and list all their properties. Acceptable rental properties can be houses, apartments, land, stores, timeshares, etc. The only requirement is that the tenant must be able to set their home location to the property.

Future expansion plans include a mall, a news service, and advertising opportunities on the LindenMarket.com website, said Benton.

In addition, Benton said, LindenMarket will be accepting several forms of payment including egold, PayPal, and Western Union money transfers.

Benton added, “[LindenMarket will] be donating some of our profits back to the residents of SL through grants. We intend to be a strong force in helping others, [both in] real life and in Second Life. We’ll take one of our services, most likely [we’ll] let our clients choose which one, and donate 10% of the profits. We’ll have a committee to choose the recipients, through an application process, and they will select the recipients, much like a RL foundation does.”

LindenMarket’s in-world offices are located at Honeoye (200,85). For additional information about LindenMarket, contact Domonee Benton or LM Golding.

Linden sets up RL mapping application Pathfinder Linden has set up a friend mapping application on Frapper for Second Life residents to use.

Linden invites residents to share their general location in real life on a world map.

Residents can subscribe to the map (be notified once a day via

email of new people added), upload a pic, and type in a short message for people to see.

The site, located at http://www.risingconcepts.com/frapper/secondlife, already has approximately 30 people on it.

Linden posted the thread Tuesday at 6:40 pm SLT

A pair of Town Hall meetings were held Oct. 12 in which Lawrence Linden discussed the related topics of Second Life economics in general and the new LindeX currency exchange in particular.

In his opening remarks, Linden stated that “By introducing a Linden Labs-run currency exchange we hope to fuel the in-world economy back, making L$ more accessible to people who don’t have enough,” predicting that this should dramatically increase the amount of L$ that changes hands in-world each day.

In addition, Linden stated that Linden Labs wanted to ensure that new residents had easy access to L$ without having to take “yet another leap of trust” to sign up and provide payment information to a third party.

As of the date of the town hall meetings, Linden said, more than L$17 million had changed hands through LindeX, representing over US$64,000 in transactions by more than 1,600 individual residents.

In addition, Linden said, the value of the Linden dollar has rebounded somewhat, from about

L$300/US$1.00 at the time LindeX opened to L$265/US$1.00 as of Oct. 12.

Linden also made the statement that Linden Labs considers L$250 per US$1 to be an appropriate target amount for the Linden.

In response to a question posed by a resident, Linden stated that as of Oct. 12 there was approximately L$390 million in circulation in SL, which represented an increase of approximately L$11.5 million from the week before.

Linden also revealed that LL plans on eventually integrating access to LindeX into the SL client, making it much easier to purchase L$ any time a resident attempts to make a purchase that costs more than the available L$ he or she has.

“This in-client interface is likely to resemble the “buy” page of the basic interface mode of the [LindeX web page],” said Linden.

Among the highest priority items at this time for LL is automating the PayPal transaction portion of LindeX, which will “significantly reduce” the fee charged to residents.

“I’m hoping to have it ready for internal testing sometime next week,” said Linden, who announced the formation of LindeX on Oct 1.

October 18, 2005 The Metaverse Messenger Page 15

October 18, 2005 The Metaverse Messenger Page 16