Extropia’s event (see previous post) reminds me of something that’s been floating around on my project list for a few weeks and has already moved to my “give this idea away because I don’t have room for it” list. I’ve talked to one or two people in-world about it, and there appears to be interest, but those I’ve talked to have likewise not had room for it.

So, why not mention it here then, eh? I think I shall! If you read the idea I’m about to describe, and you like the sound of the project and think you can pull it off, feel free to run with it! Be free, little idea, be free!

So what is this idea? Second Life has a measurable carbon footprint (given all the physical servers, UPSs, HVAC for the server rooms, et cetera), so why not organize an in-world charity/fundraiser that allows people to “adopt” a portion of that carbon footprint. What does that mean, exactly? Maybe an example would help:

Let’s say you use SL, on average, 10 hours per week. Through this project, you could adopt a chunk of the SL carbon footprint proportional to the amount of time you spend in world per year. (Or more, if you were feeling generous.) To adopt, you donate an amount of money calculated to fit that portion of the footprint, and that money is in turn donated to an environmental cause. Voila — “micro-Kyoto Protocol”, SL style! Linden Lab turns green from the grassroots up.

As I said above, I have no room to head the effort, but I love the idea of someone picking it up and running with it. If you happen to be that person, just drop me a line to let me know; I’ll be glad to help out!

Tee shirt reads: “Somewhere in Texas there’s a village missing an idiot.” BHCC chat participant 24 January 2006

Here are two events I recommend next tuesday, 30 January 2007:

• 3:30pm slt – Thinkers Discussion: Will the metaverse kill the planet? – Blurbage: “It sure is fun working and playing in cyberspace, and it does not seem to require much energy. Not much effort in using a mouse and keyboard, huh? But Google’s datafarms require a massive 5 gigawatts in order to handle web 2.0 applications, which is enough to power Las Vegas-hotels, casinos, restraunts and convention centres included-on the hottest day of the year. And the average SL resident requires as much energy anually as the average Brazillian (in terms of carbon emmissions, it amounts to driving a car 2, 300 miles per year). With energy wastage and climate change such big issues, is cyberspace a luxury we can ill afford? Come discuss with Extropia DaSilva. All welcome!”

• 7pm slt – Political Forum: Terrorism and the Politics of Fear – Blurbage: “How has your country’s government responded to the threat of terrorism? Have they done enough to make you feel secure? Or have they gone too far? Do you regard the loss of personal freedom as a necessary part of coping with an unfortunate reality or the first steps towards an Orwellian style future? Do you feel that your government has utilized the fear generated by terrorism to secure unnecessary power? … Please join the group Political Forum if you’d like to receive notifications of upcoming events and group activities. Political Forum has been set up for people who’d like to get together for casual, fun political chats. IM Misty McConachie if you have any questions.“

Wednesday’s topic at the Benicia Hill Community Center: Hillary Clinton has thrown her hat in the ring to be the next president of the United States. How do you feel about her as a politician? Do you think the U.S. is ready to elect a woman president? Come and share your views.

Here’s another great event by way of the tireless Verum Vacirca. Diversity
2007: An intro to a Buddhist’s Life. “Reverend Jishin Shinohara will share
about becoming a Buddhist priest and her life since. Q & A afterwards.”
(7pm slt)

Aki Clutterbuck, mug in hand, leading the Making SL work for the Real World discussion.

Bieneff’s pick for today’s discussion is Soren Ferlinghetti’s discussion about religion and politics in the Middle East tonight at 5pm slt. From the event listing: “Short introduction to the issues (Jewish-Muslim relations, intra-Jewish interrelations, intra-Muslim relations, Middle East politics in the world context) followed by discussion on what can be done to promote understanding between people of differing religious and political orientations, especially in the Middle East.”

At 3:30 today, I’ll be in a meeting. If I weren’t, I have no doubt where I’d be. I’d be at Extropia DaSilva’s event: Thinkers Discussion: Are Avatars Mind Children? at the Nirvana Path Temple.

What makes a good novel? What makes it satisfying, meaningful, or engaging? Whether you’re a writer or a reader (or both!), come on by the Benicia Hill Community Center and talk about what it is about the novels you love that make them so great. Benicia Hill Community Center, Wednesday, 8pm SLT.

(This topic, by the way was suggested by a participant at a past BHCC discussion, but I seem to have forgotten who it was. If it was you, let me know!)

I love watching tennis. I don’t know why. It’s just weirdly satisfying. I like to play tennis too, but given the choice between watching world class competitors battle it out on the court and playing my own unimpressive (though enthusiastic) game, I’ll take the spectator role any day.

Given my affection for tennis spectatorship, I was pleased to learn of the nifty sounding simulation set up in conjunction with the Australian Open tournament. There’s an interesting write up about it on the West Australian’s website. If it works, it’ll be very cool indeed.

Looks like Ina Centaur is making it easy for people in different time zones to attend the sLiterary Writing and Art Info Meeting. There’s an hour scheduled at 4pm and another at 9pm (SLT both). Here’s the blurb:

“sLiterary (http://sLiterary.com) is a new quarterly ezine dedicated entirely to stories set in the reality of Second Life. sLiterary will be published both inworld in SL as well as on the web at sLiterary.com, which will also feature quarterly art portfolios — some of which will be displayed in sLiterary’s in-world art gallery, free of charge.

“Come to this Info Meeting to discuss your story ideas, meet writing buddies, and find out more about sLiterary.”

If you’re a writer, I strongly recommend attending this event.