Beers With Mikalis Karas

Guy Down on His Luck, Needs Your Advice.

2011-11-28T15:44:00.000-08:00

You all know him: he's the nice guy with a heart of gold, or so it appears. He started off as the friendly dude who seemed somewhat inarticulate but was "nice enough." He might have even had a girlfriend or a partner and that was a relief because he certainly would not be "interested" in you. If he was single, maybe after a feeble attempt at somehow "dating" or otherwise being a couple you have settled into being this guy's confidant. He would die for that girlfriend or partner but they never seem to get along and "you understand him so much better." The homage of you in his picks is even more detailed than the one he has for the love of his grid life. What began as a few problems with the girlfriend or other aspects of grid life have seemingly mushroomed and you feel so sorry for him because you are the one with the good heart who will always help a friend when he's down.

He's been there for you after all, he's the one that told you about that sweet deal for the land near his and showered you with gifts when the other guy(s) in your life kind of felt short. He always wants to see you in pixel person when you guys discuss his problems and that just strikes you as so sweet. The only thing is that these requests have become more frequent and the advice sessions more lengthy cutting into the limted grid time you have to see others and to enjoy things like live music. Would it ever occur to you that your sweet, down on his luck friend, is more than just a sad sack? Well it should, because he's probably your stalker.

The New Oxford American Dictionary (standard on most new Macs) defines a stalker as "a person who stealthily huts or pursues an animal or another person" or "a person who harasses or persecutes someone with unwanted and obsessive attention." Unless you are engaged in a predator/prey role play I suspect your sad sack is the latter. This guy will always have some sort of problem that he needs to pull you away for because your insight is so valuable. It may be valuable but usually what the stalker is after is monopolizing your time and making you feel an emotional attachment with him out of sympathy: "Poor Roderixus always has all the bad luck with women!" He will go to all lengths to pull you away from others that he may perceive as a threat to your "special relationship," he'll be quick to find fault in that other person and oftentimes will create drama where none actually existed and become a very destructive force in your SL. Beware the sad sack stalker, he may be on a friends list near you!

Get Ready for the Ho Ho Hoes!

2011-11-28T15:29:00.000-08:00

Get ready for the Ho Ho Hoes, ladies and gentlemen, or join them! Christmas (that's right I said Christmas and not "Holiday") season is upon us and a quick search of SL Marketplace yields all types of results for "Sexy Santa" outfits. It used to be that "Sexy Santa" outfits were mostly relegated to the female avis but now there are many choices for the fellows to have sexy fun and become a Ho, Ho, Hoe! See for yourself and enjoy the season!

Spotlight on Music: Edward Kyomoon

2010-05-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

Rocking with Edward Kyomoon!

This spotlight is on Edward Kyomoon, the Seattle-based singer songwriter. Hailing from Texas, Ed is known for blending melodies and hard rock in fun show that appeals to many.

Mikalis Karas: Who have been your main influences in your musical life and how long have you been creating music?

Edward Kyomoon: I've been playing music since i was a kid, picked up the guitar at age 9, had always played around with keyboards, drum machines and tape recorders so recording technology was an integeral part of my music background. I was influence by rock and metal bands of the 80's at first to play the guitar, in college i discovered music of the 60's and 70's like the Beatles, the Doors and Pink Floyd, but i still like listening to Slayer or ambient music like The Orb. I learned about jazz and improvising from recording hundreds of jazz musicians in studios as an audio engineer. I dont have a favorite guitarist or bands, it's always evolving. But having said that, I think Pink Floyd has has the biggest influence.

Mikalis Karas: Is there any type of music that you'd consider your specialty and which instruments do you play?

Edward Kyomoon: I play mostly rock and pop music, hit songs that people remember. my main instrument is guitar but can also play bass keyboards and drums if i practice at them. I have created many of my backing tracks with Logic Pro 8 and a Roland keyboard/synth.

Mikalis Karas: What brought you to perform music in Second Life and why do you keep performing there.

Edward Kyomoon: I found music early on, a friend took me to a concert by Kori Travanti with in a few days of being in SL. I was fascinated by the idea of performing live for audiences in a virtual space, seemed like a brilliant concept as a working musician and for music fans to find live music inworld. I started playing for friends on my land, then at open mics, got a few paying gigs and found some people who liked the way I sounded and it has grown from there. 2 years and hundreds if not over a thousand of shows later it has kept me fed and a roof over my head. I'm constantly inspired to learn more songs, write more songs, and play better, sound better everytime for the fans and for the newbies that are hearing me for the first time. It's the perfect combination of live music, recording(which is a science and art in itself) and virtual reality. I could do this in RL but this is much safer and more fun in SL. Teleporting is much easier than loading gear in and out of my car, the club and my house (in the rain/snow). It's very addictive.

Mikalis Karas: Who are some of the other musical artists you enjoy in Second Life?

Edward Kyomoon: I like The Follow, Allister Westland, Onehempcat Oldrich, Anj Gufstefson, srv4u Conacher, Komuso Tokugawa, Noma Falta, Max Kleene, Ohmy Kidd, Mankind Tracer, Quinton Dialovo, Fierce Tibetan Gods, the list is pretty long, lots of great music going on in SL.

Mikalis Karas: If there was something you could do to better promote artists and venues in Second Life what would that be?

Edward Kyomoon: This is something I find myself doing all the time with people in RL - I talk about SL and music. By introducing it to more people in RL, it brings in new fans and SL consumers as well as other musicians who might be interested in performing in SL. Planting seeds and growing the community. I try to let people know about this amazing form of live entertainment you can enjoy online. This hopefully brings in more people to listen to those artists and tip those venues, buy stuff from those malls and so on. Music is the killer app for SL, music is the universal language, something that nearly everyone can enjoy and that has great potential and value for musicians, fans and venues that host live events. Also, I think we need to advertise live music to more areas within SL and the websites associated with SL, working with venders and advertising sponsors to spread the word about live music and helping peopling find the music and entertainment they want to see or hear.

Mikalis Karas: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to me. One final question, you play a fair bit of Pink Floyd and some Led Zeppelin. If there was a steel cage death match by guitar between David Gilmour and Jimmy Page, who would win and why?

Edward Kyomoon: Although i fear the thought of this idea outside of claymation, but i'd say Gilmour. he doesnt play as many notes at Page... but i think the ones he does play mean so much more... you can 'sing' David's solo's. Then again Page would probably kick him in the face during a solo and maybe set something on fire

Spotlight on Music: Dale Katscher

2010-01-20T19:40:00.000-08:00

Our second spotlight in this series focuses, like the first, on an artist from Eastern Canada. Dale Katscher is a guitarist/singer/songwriter from Nova Scotia who has toured throughout Canada and on the eastern seaboard of the United States. He plays acoustic guitar on the Grid and doesn't use backing tracks at all, preferring the "pure approach of just a guitar and nothing else," finding that approach exhilarating. Dale took some time to discuss his background and experience of playing on the Grid.

Mikalis Karas: Who have been your main influences in your musical life and how long have you been creating music?

Dale Katscher: My first and biggest influence was definitely my Dad, as I grew up in a very musical family. As for first artists I heard, my parents listened to Elvis, Charlie Pride and Johnny Cash. I always drifted toward blues-infused pop such as Clapton and Hendrix. Now i listen to pretty much everything I can get my ears on. Right now, I'm huge into Ray Lamontagne, Greg Laswell and Meiko. My music is like a car crash of everything I listen to and love.

Mikalis Karas: Is there any type of music that you'd consider your specialty and which instruments do you play?

Dale Katscher: Specialty..hmmm...Maybe folk-acoustic-pop...whatever that is? My main instrument is guitar but I also play bass, drums and a bit of piano...only guitar in SL though.

Mikalis Karas: What brought you to perform music in Second Life and why do you keep performing there.

Dale Katscher: My friends made me try it at first...then I got hooked. It's a great space to create and share art in.

Mikalis Karas: Who are some of the other musical artists you enjoy in Second Life?

Dale Katscher: Harper Messmer, Damian Carbenell, Phemie Alcott.

Mikalis Karas: If there was something you could do to better promote artists and venues in Second Life what would that be?

Dale Katscher: I think it would be to have a website that is just for SL music promotion...instead of searching through live events. Then, each performance could link to artist websites, etc.

Dale Katscher on the Web: MySpace | Twitter | Plurk

For Ali

2010-01-03T13:27:00.000-08:00

This is my first foray into combining my Grid pictures with a song that we both enjoy. This was a labor of love.

For Ali from Mikalis Karas on Vimeo.

Your Three Step Plan for Lessening and Eliminating Drama From Your Grid Experience

2009-12-27T10:38:00.000-08:00

Drama got you down? Is who's zooming who now consuming you? Got a "friend" who has become less of a friend and more of a soul sucking parasite whose name makes you cringe when you see that they are online? Are you at the bottom of a multilayered "dramalanche" that has pinned you avi down worse than a club full particles and Prim Whores and made your Grid Life a living nightmare? Now still in time for the holidays and at the cost of zero currency comes your solution and it's much more efficient than other methods.

Being wrapped up in drama is an addiction, and, despite what you may believe, drama and being entrapped it is an addiction as much as drugs such as nicotine or caffeine. It's an insidious addiction that keeps sapping at the addict and doesn't come in menthol or pumpkin spice flavors. In the recent past and present, those wanting to help others or themselves cure addiction have undertaken the 12 step approach. In "these economic times" (the most overused phrase in the last year and a half), I am offering a reduction of 75% off in steps: three easy steps and four words on your way to a drama free existence!

Step number one is Mute. A longtime proponent of muting, I just barely touched on the effectiveness of muting in February of this year. When you utilize mute, the offensive party will not be able to contact you and will be rendered as gray and motionless. Mute also works remarkably well for spamtards, gesturebators and those suffering from mental hootardation. There is nothing that tickles me more than teleporting into a live music venue and seeing the gray withered husks of my "mutees," knowing that I will not be subjected to their foolishness during the show. I have heard some say "Well Mik, that is sooo closed minded and you'll be shut off from something that they might say that is valuable." Let me make this perfectly clear to you all, those that you mute will never say anything of value that will enhance your Grid experience. You can mute using the profile of the prospective mutee, your mute list under the "View" menu or the pie menu that you get from right clicking on the avatar. Once you no longer have to hear their drama you should take the next step.

Step number two is Delete. If the offending person is on your contact list, delete them as a contact. This is quickly and easily done from the contact list. If you don't want to hear from the person causing the drama, you certainly don't want to see their name popping up on your screen and continue to be informed when they login and logoff of the Grid. Delete them. Erase any evidence of their existence and purge yourself of the psyche sucking parasite that has sullied your Grid experience. You will be better off by doing so and be ready for your next step in emancipating you from the affliction of drama.

Step number three is Move On. This in itself can be the most difficult step of the three pronged approach to lessening and eliminating drama. You will feel compelled to look at the offender's profile especially if they were someone that was a Grid-love interest. Do not dwell on the mutee/deletee. You may find out that you've been replaced in his picks by six women you never heard of before or that s/he is now partnered with the person that was "just a friend." Don't look, not even a peek, move on and live your Grid existence without this person. If you know that looking won't cause you any grief but will make you laugh instead, do go ahead and look down at that stinking big cauldron of drama in which the offender now finds their self. Sit back, laugh, and be content that you have completed the three step plan for lessening and eliminating drama in your Grid experience. What happens if you still find yourself subjected to drama after taking these steps?

If you find yourself immersed in drama after taking these steps, then do them again, this time choosing others who are bringing the drama to your prim doorstep. Mute, Delete and Move On. If you soon discover that you have few or no contacts left, then it may be time to re-examine the type of people you are allowing into your contact list and experience. It may also be time for the self-realization that maybe just maybe it is you that is causing all the drama and you belong on the other end of this three step plan.

Christmas Message 2009: Jesus was Not a Prim Baby

2009-12-25T10:12:00.000-08:00

As we celebrate this most joyous holiday for Christians, I have message for you all that will dispel the rumors of conspiracy theorists. I have indisputable evidence that Jesus was not a prim baby. How do we know that our lord and saviour was not just a pixellated flesh nugget? Firstly, Mary did not annoy the living crap out of everyone from Egypt to Bethlehem with a tummy talker. She may not have made it to the manger that night had she. Being born in a manger was also proof positive that Jesus was not a prim baby. Had he been a prim baby he would have been born in a vampire castle, next to a blood cask or an over-priced badly designed house suffering from prim drift, an affliction that doesn't affect the babies which we'd love to have drift away. Let's look at paternity. God did not have bad hair, appear in the same clothes daily and necessitate a "Dress Him Up" Hunt to shape up his look. God was also not some dude with 234 alts who wanted Mary to commit to him by having his prim baby. Regarding gifts, the three wise men gave Mary gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. If Jesus were a prim baby, one would expect that Mary would have gotten a pair of Moody Stiletto thigh highs, a new outfit from League or hair from lamb. from each of the wise men (a furry, a she-male and a cyborg, if they were on the Grid). Finally, Jesus lived a short but eventful life as our saviour, performing miracles and being a teacher of his disciples and representative of his father on Earth. Were Jesus a prim baby. Mary would have put him back in inventory, before she and Joseph ever had to flee for Egypt, and resumed her career as a stripper and escort. Glad I could be of service to dispel the myths. Merry Christmas to one and all.

Spotlight on Music: AMFORTE Clarity

2009-12-20T14:36:00.000-08:00

Living in and broadcasting from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada is AMFORTE Clarity. This Canadian (and fiercely proud of it) singer/songwriter combines pleasing vocals and a strong guitar with a sweet humility that endears all who listen to her play. I recently got to ask AM some questions that have become the first Spotlight on Music for this blog. Enjoy this new feature and AMFORTE's music in and out of world!

Mikalis Karas: Who have been your main influences in your musical life and how long have you been creating music?

AMFORTE: It's hard to say who has been the main influence because i listen to different types of music. I'd have to say in the beginning, my major influence was Alanis Morrisette and Jennifer Knapp, but since then they've changed throughout the years to Radiohead, U2, My Chemical Romance, All American Rejects, Elliott Smith, etc., and I enjoy writing different styles of music, like Rock, Pop, Punk, I don't just want to be one style, I think it's ridiculous to stay with a specific genre. I write what i feel, and if I feel like writing an angry punk song, I'll do it, if I feel like writing a cheesy melodic song, I'll do it, if I feel like writing a rap song, hell, i'll do it. }: ) <-----unibrow smile (and in no way shape or form do I, in RL or in SL have a unibrow....just to make things clear) hehe

Mikalis Karas: Is there any type of music that you'd consider your specialty and which instruments do you play?

AMFORTE: No, there is no specific type, i write all genres and it feels good to be free to do so, i love it. I mainly play the guitar but would like to start playing the piano again soon.

Mikalis Karas: What brought you to perform music in Second Life and why do you keep performing here.?

AMFORTE: A friend of mine told me about it one day how musicians can play shows and get out there so I decided to try it and so far it's been great. I think I've made a mark so far and my group continues to grow. I just think of sl as another way to get my original material out there. I'll be hopefully touring in RL next year, hopeing I get enough sponsors...even maybe one?...umm, any takers? Let me know:) muahahamauahahaha(evil british laugh) I try to be amusing but not sure it's working.....umm, let me know....hehe

MIkalis Karas: Those of us who have had the pleasure of hearing you perform have heard you putting Eminem on notice that there is a new MC in town. You usually joke so right before singing your rendition of TLC's "Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls." Have you always liked this song and what led you to take on the challenge of Chilli's rap (which I think you pull off quite well)?

AMFORTE: When I was younger, I use to listen to T.L.C so when I came across it a few weeks ago, I decided to add it to my playlist. I decided that as a musician, I didn't want to stay in one genre and that singing different styles will only open myself up to write different styles of music.

ROCK ON!

}}: = ) <-----BUCK TOOTHED UNIBROW SMILE (TM)

Mikalis Karas: Who are some of the other musical artists you enjoy in Second Life?

AMFORTE: OMG, there are so many...not in any particular order, but I when I do have time to check out some shows, i enjoy Raspbury Rearwin, Mimi Carpenter, Maximillion Kleen, Taunter Goodnight, Amereth Popstar(<---where are you buddy, haven't seen you around, i hope you're not laying on the side of the road dead somewhere...if you are, let me know!), IggyKings Solo (<---still waiting for the bloody songs Iggy! Stop blaming your dog for eating them! Get with the program, damn you! ) <---i definately say it with love iggy. hehe.....Harper Messmer and those are only a few that are in my head at the moment. Sorry, I know I'm totally rambling!

Mikalis Karas: If there was something you could do to better promote artists and venues in Second Life what would that be?

AMFORTE: Hmmm, that's a very good question....if you have ideas, let me know, I'm all out of answers on this one:)

Mikalis Karas: Thank you for being our first Spotlight on Music! Check out AMFORTE's music by going to her website at AMFORTE.com.

My Letter to Santa Claus

2009-12-11T15:27:00.001-08:00

Santa Claus

Santa's Workshop

North Pole

Dear Santa:

Hi it's me Mikalis, you know from that island sim. Yeah I can't write where because I have a psycho ex but you know how to get there. I should be at the very top of your good list. Yes, I know I've muted about a hundred hootards, spamtards and assorted fools this year, does that make me bad? Sure, I've asked a prim baby mother the city knows she stole those two trolls she calls her children from the bridge. She was the person that thought I was going to ruin her wedding because I was obsessed with her. Yeah the transcripts showed the opposite. Okay, I admit, when her two adopted children (probably 53 year old men who live in their mother's basement) left, I threatened to call Child Protective Services. Do I deserve a lump of coal in my stocking for these actions? I don't think so. Anyway Santa, all I want for Christmas is Grid Peace and No Drama for all. Please deliver promptly on December 25. Mik out.

Regards,

Mikalis Karas

Elmo is Not Your Bitch

2009-12-03T14:21:00.000-08:00

Elmo does not belong to you.

Is that skin that you're wearing "ripped?" Was that clothing "CopyBotted" and reproduced? There are those unscrupulous folks (unlike this person) in Second Life^® who employ different devices to steal the creations of others and pass them off on others as their own. Who are the people who are most concerned with content theft? They are the creators in SL™. They make the clothes we wear, the homes we live in and the toys we play with in our second lives. They are a talented bunch who sometimes can be persnickety but I cannot blame a one for complaining about when their hard work is stolen.

What one however can take issue with is those who on the one hand complain about "content theft" while they themselves steal. Does that DJ who you listened to at the club you frequent or at that awareness event that you attended use licensed music. Was that issue poster that you passed over to me or the ones that you use for your shop created on an officially licensed and properly purchased copy of graphic design software (such as Adobe Photoshop) or are you using a "cracked" copy of a popular program? Do you own the intellectual property related to the content you are creating or are you stealing from other sources with neither permission nor with payment of a licensing fee? The World Intellectual Property Organization defines intellectual property as

"creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce. Intellectual property is divided into two categories: Industrial property, which includes inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source; and Copyright, which includes literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, and architectural designs. Rights related to copyright include those of performing artists in their performances, producers of phonograms in their recordings, and those of broadcasters in their radio and television programs. "

Did you somehow think the boys from Twilight or Elmo were public domain and you were free to profit off of these or other intellectual properties that didn't belong to you? If you did you were sorely mistaken. These pieces of intellectual property belong to their holders and not to you and your store. This may include the style and look of something you lifted from an offworld magazine and adapted for yourself in your Second Life business. Software and content piracy contribute to billions of dollars and countless job losses each year. When you are stealing, you are helping to take somebody's job away so you can shop for your next pair of Moody's. Recently a creator, how has been vocal about stolen content, showed me their Second Life^® store complete with wonderful creations, nothing seemingly stolen from offworld or inworld. When asked what they like to do when not creating I was told "Oh I like to watch movies in SL™." "Oh really, is that some sort of officially licensed rebroadcast or replay of motion pictures? If not you do realize that you are stealing content, right." It seems I may have stunned the creator with this revelation as I got a stammered response followed by "Shush, I like my movie nights." So content theft is only applicable when the content is your creation? Some that offer movies online point to the fair use doctrine as their justification for selling movies inworld. This is a quite liberal interpretation of that doctrine. In the face of other theft, the hue and cry continues over Linden Lab's supposed failure to address the problem of content theft. Perhaps they don't have enough of an incentive to do so, even with some of their users suing them. Interestingly Linden Labs has raised "unclean hands" affirmative defense in a case brought by two content creators. Could it be possible that these creators "borrowed" from real world intellectual property? Nobody seems to know what it would take to properly combat content theft. Perhaps a big enough stick isn't being wielded just yet.

The best thing to combat "content theft" (that which is of actually original content and not stolen itself from the intellectual property of others) might be a lawsuit from intellectual property holders, the MPAA and/or the RIAA. Only when faced with such an action, might Linden Labs institute a licensing regime whereby intellectual property holders could offer their properties for sale inworld or license them out to creators. This would cause a considerable shakeup for current content thieves who are profiting off the hard work of others while still complaining about theft. Somehow they feel that stealing from a large concern is justified. Such a shakeup would leave legitimate designers, builders, owners and DJ's who have been respectful of intellectual property holders and have not themselves engaged in piracy poised to continue doing business. Only then can and should action be properly taken against others who steal content.

Are you a designer, builder, owner or DJ who respects intellectual property and what do you think about those who don't respect the intellectual property rights of others?

The Cacophonous Cries of the Morons

2009-11-08T04:31:00.000-08:00

mental hootardation
noun |men-t^əl hü-tär-dā-shən|

1. the act of using a loud gesture, usually mimicking the natural sound of an owl or a horn in open chat, usually performed by a gesturebator (also known in this instance as a hootard). The mental hootardation filled the venue.

2. a condition characterized by the intellectual inability to say anything intelligent and instead gesture as above. Poor thing, she suffers from mental hootardation.

3. the irresistible urge by some to utter sounds thus preventing others from hearing other sounds or live music.

You've been there, in a club, with all the (sometimes other) spamtards and boxtards, when some of the brain addled let loose a barrage of "hoos" and "woots" ("hoos and woots"). In some environments this is to be expected but that still makes it mental hootardation.

Sure one expects mental hootardation in a club where the host can do nothing more than send out "This DJ Rawks!" or "This Club Rawks" page filling gestures. One does not expect this however in a venue where one sees and hears what is the most egregious instance of mental hootardation: during a live show, while the singer is singing. In this instance, hootards because of their irresistible urge to fill a chat box and emit sounds could randomly, at any time, start spewing forth a barrage of hoos and woot. One of the best ways to deal with these silly fools is to use the mute function.

I may never be able to adequately express the the joy I feel when I teleport into a live venue and find that half of the avatars therein are in the shape of withered gray husks. When one encounters a case of mental hootardation it is best to immediately employ the mute function. It may be wise to also mute the person with which the hootard is dancing and all their comrades in mental hootardation. I will do this and mark the local chat by simply typing "mental hootardation." When told about my propensity to mute, I was asked "You must be bitter and never enjoy SL." Let me dispel you, like I did the questioner, and tell you that actually I do enjoy my time in world. I enjoy it even more since I can easily quiet the cacophonous cries of the morons that are mental hootardation.

Collard Greens and Judging Profiles

2009-10-20T19:23:00.001-07:00

Thanks for the positive response received regarding my piece on Second Life profiles. Sadly some folks are not clear on the underlying message of a the piece or the concept of a blog itself. I recently had the following conversation with an avatar who looked at my profile in world.

Person: wow, straight forward man u are
Mikalis Karas: thank you
Person: welcome...
Mikalis Karas: that is the only way to be
Mikalis Karas: but if you read it you know I'm not into textese
Mikalis Karas laughs
Person: well, when i 1st read it i thought man what a asshole
Person: but then i am kinda the same way i guess
Person: i dont like the bullshit and drama and i speak what i think

Having been told that this person had an appreciation for my straightforwardness, I thought I'd point her to my blog and perhaps gain a reader and thus offered up my blog for her perusal.

Mikalis Karas: you read the blog?
Mikalis Karas: or just the profile?
Person: just the profile
Mikalis Karas: ahh k
Mikalis Karas: my web tab has the blog
Mikalis Karas: I suggest opening it in a browser
Person: of course

Given the response to my profile, I expected a similar positive response to my blog. What I got however was something markedly different.

Person: why would you even post that
Mikalis Karas: Am I missing something?
Person: dont think so are you?
Mikalis Karas: you think looking at a profile is insulting?
Person: didnt say that now did i?
Mikalis Karas: you seem offended somehow
Person: no was just asking a question
Mikalis Karas: why would I?
Mikalis Karas: because it's observation on how people have threats in their profiles

At this point I'm confused as to what the quarrel is or why this person found the blog unreadable. What followed was even more puzzling.

Person: but what right does someone have to judge someone elses profile
Mikalis Karas: I have a voice, I can speak. Threats in a profile are just stupid.
Person: but that is your opinion
Mikalis Karas: that's right my blog is my opinion

Amazing! My blog is my opinion! Here I thought it was the gospel truth up until Ms. Person disuaded me of that notion! Seems that Ms. Person is unfamiliar with the concept of a blog as opinion. It was a great revelation indeed to learn that this was my opinion. Then she tried to make me look into myself.

Person: maybe what one sees in your profile is stupid
Mikalis Karas: maybe they do, they are free to write about it
Person: ok hun

She drops the "hun" card, perhaps attempting to appeal to my softer side because I am a mean and judgmental person for expressing an opinion on profiles. Foolishly I try to try to explain the premise of the piece once again, totally not adhering to the adage to not go into intellectual combat with the unarmed.

Mikalis Karas: it's a colorful opinion piece and not based on anyone's profile it's a mix of many profiles. I've been here a while and have seen that.
Person: ok hun, we all have our opinions
Mikalis Karas: threats in sl are hollow

In the end like the Tai people of Myanmar, who share her first name (you do the research), gave up their insurrection against that government, she too gave up her fight seeming almost to agree with me.

Person: but it is only sl. a chat program
Person: nothing more
Mikalis Karas: that's right
Person: Enjoy the rest of your evening hun
Mikalis Karas: thanks

I too gave up and moved on. I would however continue to sniff profiles and express my opinion as I did with a person who had "Collard" several slaves.

Mikalis Karas: Collared has an "e" in it
Mikalis Karas: the way you are spelling it is a green leafy vegetable found in dishes in the Southern United States.

My attempt to aid this person was met with a pretty funny response and sad excuse which was met with a deserving reply and follow up.

Mistress: xD all I did was copy and paste!
Mikalis Karas: well that person can't spell either. :)
Mistress: xD
Mistress: Gee thanks :P

Well at least she thanked me! She however continues to have the "Collard" slaves in her profile, perhaps I should next offer this recipe. The quest for profile perfection would be as successful as OJ Simpson's attempt to find the real killer but as long as they exist, they will be sniffed despite the earlier protestation.

You Better Not Mess With Them Or There Will Be Hell to Pay

2009-09-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

As a self-proclaimed "Profile Sniffer" in Second Life, I am likely to look at one's profile before I send an instant message or determine how I want to reply when they have messaged me. I consider the profile to be the area of first impression and telling regarding the person behind the avatar and their inclinations. My next place to look is at one's Profile Picks ("picks"). If the front of the profile is the window to the person behind the avatar then the picks are the furniture you see inside the window. Can you see that worn couch by the cardboard box?

Picks, found on a tab of one's Second Life profile, are usually dedicated to a place or a person. The place is either a sim or a business. When a pick is a place they are either the person's own business (which can be extremely helpful when you're trying to find a certain item that you want to buy), some place at which they work or that they like. Sometimes picks are there because of a contest for putting a place of business in one's picks. The types of businesses or places that are in picks are illustrative of what kind of person is behind the avatar. Usually the more "Free Sex" kind of picks the person has, the less likely they are the kind of person who I want to know. For the longest time, I didn't even know how to use "Picks" in Second Life and was actually ridiculed for it. I didn't care to know much like how I spent much of the first six months of my SL existence wearing a pair of boardshorts and no shoes. Once I found out how to place picks and had put a few in, there soon would come an endless amount of griping as to why either someone was or was not in my picks or why they were higher in my picks than someone else. These were picks listing a person or "personal picks." This whining even forced me at some point to put an exclamation point in the name of one of my picks so it rose higher in the ranks. This salved the concerns of my partner at the time. Eventually even before that partnership dissolved (soon to be the subect of a future post), I had eliminated my picks.

I would soon come to see personal picks as falling into one of several categories, each paying some type of homage to one or another person in a written blurb accompanied by a picture. There are personal picks, done by sane and articulate people, listing their families, friends and significant others. I am not writing about those kind of personal picks. The categories of picks found below are universal among a certain recognizable crowd of avatars (the names are made up and don't correspond to an actual avatar and contain actual probable misspellings) who generally travel through SL full of angst sometimes insisting that they are "no drama" but somehow attracting it. They usually appear as follows.

Love of one's Second Life - name will usually contain flowers and all manner of ASCII characters like so ♚ `*•.¸☆´¯`♡ GRISWOLD♡´¯`☆¸.•*¨♚, Met 1/20/09, Collared 1/21/09, Engaged 2/3/09, Married 2/10/09 Gris your the most amazing guy ever and the love of my life and a shining light b4 u it was really really dark. I'm so lucky to have you in my SL, we will be together forever. You're my leage and ma love and no bitch better try to fuck with that. I love you Pooh Bear!
SL Relative or Friend - name can contain the same kind of character gibberish or might be in a special font like so ⓀⓇⒺⓏⓉⒺⒺⓃⒶ, Krez is the funnest person I met in my life, she make me laugh. Remember when u told that slut at Laguna where to go!!!!!!! I dunno ware I'd be without my number 1 gurl we have been threw so much together and I know she's always got my back. If you try to phuck with Krez she will show where to go too!!!!!
Group of Friends - Same type of characters with a title for said group (this could be a family group insead of friends. It would look like so ❃❂❃❂❃❂HOT ASS BISHES❂❃❂❃❂❃, Kreez, Lewizuh and Me breaking it down at Boogie Beach. U2 are the funnest girls a friend can have. These are mah bishes and nobody stands in our way. You better not mess with them or there will be hell to pay.
Other Lesser Friend or Relative - usually is lower in the hierarchy but still somehow merits a listing in the picks like so ☀❊ ❉ ✲BIGRICK69✲❉❊☀, Rick is the sweetest brother a girl could have. You were the big brother my Mom and Dad never let me have, you taught me so much in sl and I don't know where I'd be without you and your fun. Thanks for being here for me threw it.
Yet Another Lesser Friend or Relative - this person could be missing or have left SL but still deserves a never ending homage like so ·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.· MAXAMILLIANA`·.¸¸.·´´¯`··._.·, Maxi you were the first person I ever met in SL. We tried on hairs together and worked at TAC togetha. I miss you am waiting for my Maxi to come back!!!!!!
Defunct Business or former lover - this could be a place at which the person worked or tried to start because as with many new folks in SL they of course know better than those who are established and will make a killing fast. It might look like so THE AMAZIN' CLUB, this was the most kickass club ever in SL. It was like no other and I miss it so much. It will always be part of my soul. Love you TAC!!!!!!! If a former lover the posting might be a bit vague so as not to raise the suspicion of the love of second life and it might look like so ·´)› KINGRUFUS ‹(`· Roof you new me when I 1st got on SL and I learned alot from u. taught me alot on SL and I will never forget all of our times together.

Fast forward two months. There has been a tectonic shift like the ones seen recently in the Pacific in this avi's life. If you open up the profile you will find that said avi's picks will look remarkably different!

Love of one's Second Life - the replacement love will be listed here with perhap similar characters as the last like so ♚ `*•.¸☆´¯`♡ FREEBYRD♡´¯`☆¸.•*¨♚, When you met me I was down on the ground, till I met you I didn't know how to live in SL. Urr the best thing to ever happen to me and I will <3>
SL Relative or Friend - the replacement best friend's name might contain the same kind of special font as the previous best friend like so ⓈⒽⒺⒺⓏⓃⒾⓉ, Sheez is the funniest person I ever met in SL. We will always have each others backs. Theirs never a dull moment with Sheez and I don't know what I can do without her.
Group of Friends - With the falling out with the former best friend the other friend might end up going away so the new group might look a little like so.❃❂❃❂❃❂$ISTER$ 4 EVER❂❃❂❃❂❃, Me and my gurls, Sheez and Twinka kickin' it at Frank's. Aren't they the hottest bishes u have ever seen? You guys can say hi but don't mess with them or there will be hell to pay!!!!!

The progression of insanity continues down the line with certain tributes remaining while others are wiped away in an Orwellian rewriting of recent SL history. What endures through all the revisions are the threats made to all readers. We are told to not "mess with" someone or to otherwise not interfere in this ironclad relationship lest we face dire consequences. As if someone would want to interfere with the domestic tranquility of and be themselves involves with such luminaries! What is never explained in these pick threats is just how this punishment will be meted out. Will you send me a nasty instant message? Will you turn on some bling in my presence? Maybe you'll turn on a particle wand? Will you blast me with a sperm gun? All of SL is quaking in our collective boots awaiting our comeuppance as punishment for our perceived interference or "messing." One wonders if the threateners actually believe that they can somehow affect the rest of us. If only they could hurt us as much as they make us laugh then their threats would not just consist of empty pixels.

A Dumbass Rises

2009-08-11T15:54:00.000-07:00

It all began quite innocently. A friend's sister had broken up with her partner and she needed a date for an upcoming SL wedding. As a courtesy to my friend, I said, sure I'll go out on a date with your sister. Any visitor to my profile knows that I abhor SL weddings since almost every one I've been to has been a disaster.

First there was the one where the groom didn't show up at all. Then there was the one where everything seemed to be done on the fly including the procession down the aisle. In that same disaster one of the "bridesmaids," who was on voice, decided that she was hungry and proceeded to chew her cud with total disregard for others. I got to experience the "Pastor" who sounded like a 13 year old reading off a script. I expected at any moment that we'd hear a loud noise and his mother would crash in telling him to get off of the computer. Unmercifully, however, this did not occur. The next wedding was populated by several individuals, all on voice, who like they had just walked off of the set of a revival of the television show Hee Haw and had been eating lead paint chips all their lives; "Howdy!" All I could think of was the movie "Deliverance" as I clutched the pew and warily eyed the room. Fortunately there were no banjos accompanying the vows. Needless to say I wasn't terribly excited about going to yet another SL wedding but I figured I'd do a favor for my friend and have fun.

The wedding itself went without incident as did most of the date and I had fun. I wanted to see my date again and we added one another. I hadn't heard from my date for a while nor seen her online but talked to my friend who told me that her sister was 9 months pregnant and about to give birth and maybe I wanted to be there to support her. "Nine months pregnant, I wondered?" The next time I saw her online I began the following chat

Dumbass Preggo: so ya upto much

Mikalis Karas: exploring, vampiring..:)

Dumbass Preggo: cool :P

Mikalis Karas: how about you?

Mikalis Karas: other than babying

Dumbass Preggo: just down at one of the clubs a work at dancin

Dumbass Preggo: havent had ma baby yet lol

Mikalis Karas: you are going through a prenancy and all that happy horseshit?

Dumbass Preggo: its ma last day lol

Mikalis Karas: oh yeah

Mikalis Karas: you definitely looked 9 months preggo

Mikalis Karas: pffft

Dumbass Preggo: lol i take it off

Mikalis Karas: if only one could do that irl

Dumbass Preggo: yeh lol

Mikalis Karas: that is why i have no respect for that here

Mikalis Karas: and don't care if anyone finds me offensive regarding it

Dumbass Preggo: its ok ya not the only one

Mikalis Karas: to me it's complete waste of fucking time

Mikalis Karas: when you get bored, you'll just put the "baby" in inventory

Dumbass Preggo: yeh prob but still

Mikalis Karas: pointless

Mikalis Karas: could have given it up along with having been partnered

Mikalis Karas: why bother

Mikalis Karas: your lifelong dream to play a single mom online?

Mikalis Karas: lmao

Dumbass Preggo: no

Dumbass Preggo: maybe i shouldnt have sed n e thign

Dumbass Preggo: *thing

Mikalis Karas: well good luck

Mikalis Karas: tc

Dumbass Preggo is offline.

The above conversation sums up pretty much my feelings about those pixellated flesh nuggets in SL known as prim babies. I have never understood the impulse to want to be pregnant in SL and paying money to all the silly businesses built around pixellated procreation from pregnancy tests to fertlity clinics to the fat suit add ons. "Oh you don't understand Mik, they want to experience what it is like to be pregnant," I've been told. While I may not myself personally know what it is like to be pregnant, and barring some sort of medical miracle or intervention of God never will, I do have learned enough about pregnancy to know that playing in SL is nothing like the real thing. If one in SL really wants to experience what it is like to pregnant, they should have to go through the following:

Avi will be prone to bouts of nausea and vomiting as virtual morning sickness takes hold.
Avi will be gravity challenged and mobility challenged and in a state of lag, this can be done by changing the physics of the avi's interaction with sl.
Pregnancy "suit" will not be removable until a period of time until either the pixellated flesh nugget is born or somehow miscarried (that would add realism to the scenario) through a randomness that is exacerbated by the avi's activities (preggo strippers and crack hoes may be more prone to such complications).
Cost of birthing must be borne by the avi. This could prove a detriment to the SL economy as the preggos will have to chose between birth and that new pair of Moody's.
Once born, the "child" will not be able to be placed into inventory until such time as it either reaches an accelerated age of 18 (perhaps three years) or is taken away by Child Protective Services. For this entire period of time, the "parents" will be required to nourish and otherwise interact with the "child" at least once every three hours they are on SL.

I don't expect any of my reforms to be adopted so we are probably stuck with these troll like creatures (some think their own are cute) and all the related industries that have sprung up surrounding their acquisition and proliferation. The only bigger scam in SL are the "Adoption Agencies" where adults playing children are placed into homes for a fee only to invariably flake over a short period of time only to be placed again into another's home. It's probably easier money than having a legitimate business in SL.

The dreaded pixellated flesh nuggets are here to stay as their air-headed proponents traipse around gleefully annoying the most sensible of us on sl. We the sensible will soldier on, taking every opportunity that presents itself to use our MystiTool to impersonate the talking pregnant stomachs with such phrases as "Help me, call Child Protective Services, she smokes and drinks" or "I am the Spawn of Satan!" If you are a former "parent" of a pixellated flesh nugget, I invite you take the time to pull it out of your inventory, if not deleted, and if is transfer send it to me in world. I will serve a new and more useful purpose as a doorstop or landfill and thus not take up valued space which could be filled by yet another new hair or other shopping conquest. Seems as long as there is money to be made from dumb people, pixellated flesh nuggets will exist in SL.

Welcome and Welcome back to BWMK!

2009-08-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

I'm back after a long hiatus I've returned to and dusted off BWMK. If you are new to the blog, please check out my older posts which I hope you'll enjoy. Nice to have you here. Stay tuned, folks!

Avs Behaving Badly: Spamming Fans

2009-02-20T09:08:00.000-08:00

You're at a concert of someone you enjoy in a private home. You've been there before many times and are open to others enjoying the wonderful music you've enjoyed over these months. Some character comes in, is chatting cryptically with his friend, and sends you, and everyone in the room, a notecard. Many don't know that this person has nothing to do with the show or venue (private home). This happened to me recently during a TB Andel show. "You" is me, Mikalis Karas.

EdDereDdE Laval: sorry lateest updates

Tweegy Felwitch: Lnn

EdDereDdE Laval: dump the older lol

You decline Music 4U by EdDereDdE Laval from EdDereDdE Laval.

Tweegy Felwitch: oops Ed . Looks like we interrupt something

Tweegy Felwitch: sorry guys

You: spamming people at a residence?

EdDereDdE Laval: hu? lol

Called out on his bad behavior, the spammer first pleads ignorance

then lols.

Tweegy Felwitch: what do you mean Mi?

You: notecard

EdDereDdE Laval: i sent him artists infos he thinks he doesnt need it

[2009/02/06 23:07] Tweegy Felwitch: oh ok

EdDereDdE Laval: well mika you are free to decline

EdDereDdE Laval: but we got tpd here by tb andel and nobody tells us anything - is that optima? lol i guess not

[2009/02/06 23:08] EdDereDdE Laval: and

Apparently getting a limo from the artist (who is most gracious and friendly and would tp in anyone to enoy his show) gives one carte blanche to spam the room. Then the spammer turns his attention to my profile and I silence him swiftly as he is doing this during the performance.

EdDereDdE Laval: "Quick witted and friendly, I am always looking for fun and interesting people to share my sl with me" cant be true else you would fist look and judge then instead of denying right away but o

Tweegy Felwitch: ok Ed. im not feeling invited here . I don't want to bother anyone

You: Ed shut up

Tweegy Felwitch: omg

Tweegy Felwitch: not even polite

EdDereDdE Laval: we go babe lol this guy cant talk nice lol

You: I'm trying to enjoy the show

Appears I hurt the spammers feelings. Could it have more to do with being called out. At least spammer's consort had enough sense to say she doesn't "want to bother anyone," but she feels the need to run her mouth a little.

EdDereDdE Laval: bye

You: feel freeto post the rest of my profile

Tweegy Felwitch: be polite..., thats good . ;-)

Yes, we all know spamming a room with your "artists" is polite behavior. Guess I need to learn how to be "polite." If you see either of these twits in world tell them, "I read about you in Beers With Mikalis Karas!"

Avs Behaving Badly: Mute is Your Friend

2009-02-20T08:44:00.000-08:00

Are you ever at a club or a live music event and your local chat and sound starts to get inundated with the silliness of gesturebators or chat spammers? Mute is your friend! Your Mute List is located under the View Menu. You can add folks individually by clicking them and choosing "Mute" on the pie menu that comes up. This silences them, their chat spam and gestures. It also turns them into a gray motionless corpse eliminating bad dancing, bling and particles. Truly, I say to you again, mute is your friend! Are you using this tool?

Second Life as a Real Life Engineering Tool

2009-01-19T13:17:00.000-08:00

For those of us who can hardly build a box in world, it may amaze us that Second Life can be used as a real life engineering tool but Professor Matthew Traum of the University of North Texas says it's time that Second life be seen as just that. as a "a future tool for engineering design and testing." Professor Traum writes, in a blog for Design News, that he is using using SL in his Computer Aided Engineering class taught in the Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering at UNT's College of Engineering. The article sets out some other real life examples where Second Life has been used as a real life engineering tool. It looks like despite some of SL's desertions and technical issues that there lies potential for the growth of the grid as a serious academic and industrial tool.

Daily Mail Fun With Mandy-Clone

2009-01-17T13:48:00.000-08:00

Having reported the impending arrival of Peter Mandelson's avatar into Second Life. the folks at the Daily Mail decided to have a little fun and introduce their own "Mandy-Clone" onto the grid and set him loose on UK themed sims. Mandy-Clone visits London, Harrods Department Store, goes house hunting and ends up at a nude beach. Read the entire article here and wonder if this gives the Labour Party pause considering the less than stellar reception received.

Are You a Boxtard?

2009-01-16T17:49:00.000-08:00

boxtard
verb |bäkstärd| [ trans. ]
the act of typing dialogue in the wrong box or chat window either from local to instant message, vice versa, or from instant message to instant message : Did you boxtard that last line?

noun |bäkstärd|
one who performs the act of typing dialogue in the wrong box or chat window either from local to instant message, vice versa, or from instant message to instant message : Cheetara is a boxtard.

DERIVATIVES
boxtardation |bäkstärˈdā sh ən| noun
boxtarder |bäkstɑrdər| noun
boxtardment |bäkstɑrdmənt| noun

Are you a boxtard? Admittedly I'm a boxtard. Many us are boxtards. I believe that all of us have have a boxtard that we can point to and laugh. Some call it "ww" as shown below but it is and will always be a boxtard.

BT: oh wrong window

BT: hehe

Mikalis Karas: that's a boxtard

BT: lol i ike that word

BT: I am a boxtard

[BT: I likeit.. I just say ww

Mikalis Karas: you are a boxtard and the text itself is a

Mikalis Karas: dual meaning

One of the best ways to avoid boxtarding is to close down chat tabs until your friend replies. Also don't engage in IM's when you're having a special moment with that special someone: that way you avoid boxtards like this one.

[2008/12/17 9:04] Jenzel Rotterssman: have to send u chee's boxtarding.....

[4:09] Cheetara Magic: oh rui

Having a boxtard in your group can be at times confusing but it also can be a great source of unintentional humor. Have you boxtarded lately?

The Politics of Real Life Invading SL

2009-01-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

The Guardian out of the UK has an article about a politician and political party using an avatar on Second Life to get their word out. Apparently the opposition Labour Party will be unveiling an sl avatar of Peter Mandelson during the introduction of a new blog. One has to wonder how the Honorable Baron Mandelson of Foy (or whoever will be operating the avi) will react when a noob with an enormous attachment chases him around the New Labour sim. Read the entire article here.

Peter Mandelson's avatar, courtesy of the Guardian and Labourlist.org.

A Field Guide to "SL Hybrids"

2009-01-06T21:35:00.000-08:00

As readers of this blog have gleaned, I am a reader and a fan of Virtual Neko, the incredibly visually rich and superbly written blog by Stacia Villota, with whom I've become friends. While Stacia writes about the art of being Neko in SL, there exist a vast variety of anthropomorphic beings in SL. Kotaku.com has an article entitled a "Field Guide to Second Life Animal Hybrids."

The article is clearly designed for those who have little knowledge of these creatures and breaks down the differences between Furries, Nekos, Ferrals, Tinnies and other "hybrids." Not dissimilar from a field guide one may purchase about birds or north american mammals, what is contained in the short guide are pictures, species description and roundup that includes other categories of beings that were not delved into at length, perhaps warranting a second edition of the field guide. Some lively comments including one from someone who doesn't "understand the point of Second Life" follow. Read the entire article here.

Party Like a Rockstar Is Hacked by Disgruntled Ex-Employee

2008-12-22T12:26:00.000-08:00

Party Like a Rockstar

Nikki Winx's Party Like a Rockstar ("RS") is a fun place with friendly folks from the owner herself to the entire management and staff. Unfortuately RS's club and mall were hacked by a disgruntled ex-general manager at about 4:00 AM SLT early Saturday morning. I got to speak to DJ G-Spot (NickG Gagliano) who let me know that much of the club and mall were able to be rolled back but that many of the club member names were lost. G-Spot is confident that this incursion and betrayal will only make RS stronger. If you were an RS member, check your groups and rejoin if you need too. If you weren't, join up and enjoy one of the best clubs in sl.

Saturday Night Special: Gesturbators at Gan

2008-12-21T16:17:00.000-08:00

gesturebator (jes-chər-ˌbā-tər) noun - usually in Second Life, a person who engages in self-animation and sound generation of one's avatar, through gestures, usually for their own gratification and pleasure. Gesturebators can however be entertaining.

A quiet saturday night started with me spending some time at the home of a friend's sister, A planned fashion show came to a screeching halt because of technical difficulties. In our travels in sl, we find places where we enjoy the company, the sim or both these can be clubs, homes or other wonderful builds. These places become places that we love. I headed over to what has become one of the places I love in sl, Kekoa's Gorgeous Surfin Beach is a spot that I've been frequenting since pal Cheetara Magic ("Chee") first brought me there. My friend Samantha Walsh ("Sammy") accompanied to the new house overlooking the surf. Chee and Kekoa Arbizu ("Kek") were there along with "Big Gan" (Gan is the name of the sim in which Kekoa's is located) Keyn Akina who had taken to a stripper pole. The "Waterbabes," as the group members are known are called to frequent parties through the group chat, a less than egregious use of group chat. Kek has created a fun area where one can surf, windsurf or just hang with the misfit Waterbabes in usually one or two locales, the house or the "Coyote" bar area. With the great variety of folks and all types of alts and avis popping in, sometimes the first question you may encounter is "Who's alt are you?" With Kek, Keyn and Chee leaving it was just myself Sammy and Kek's Beach newcomer, and new Waterbabe, Silvina Thorne.

Me, Sammy and Silvina Thorne hanging at Kek's

After some pleasantries over how we had come to be at the same spot, the gestures started flying. Now Sammy is quite the accomplished gesturebator and lets loose gestures in local chat with the frequency that one sees oversized plastic penises on noobs in high traffic areas. Yeah, that's pretty frequently. We were soon joined by Gan regular, and neighbor of Chee's, Zinnia Zimminy ("Zinnie"). Zinnie has quite a collection of gestures (and avatars) herself Soon two gesturbatrixes were firing off gestures left and right with requests for the ones that were copyable coming from myself and friend CherryRose Larnia, Depraved dancer, who had joined the party. Inventories were beefed up and laughs were had: it was a night of silliness and pure fun that sl can provide.

CherryRose, myself, Sammy and Zinnie hanging at Kek's

Kek and myself during an earlier visit to Kek's

Saturday Night Special: Snow on LOST Island and the Lasso of Truth

2008-12-14T09:16:00.000-08:00

Snow was falling on the LOST island.

Saturday night began at the LOST island with DJ Toria Mumfuzz spinning tunes on a large dance floor composed of portraits of the main characters and photos from the hit ABC show. Toria seems to spin a mix of all genres. The crowd is friendly and familiar, consisting of SL LOST group members, are very welcoming to newcomers. Samantha Kuncoro and Campetin Hoorenbeek and their team have done an amazing job of recreating the island and in a case of "art imitating art" even recently moved the island when they moved to a new sim just like the island was moved (a feat possible according to Einsteinian physics) in the final episode of the last season of the show. Sam and Camp, as they are known, also operate a great website at SL-LOST.com that is packed full of news an original videos. My next stop took me to a regular destination, the Dome at Space Junky Island.

At the Dome, DJ Azrael Ibanez was spinning a mix that was hard rock and alternative heavy with some industrial put in there. At one point in the evening Azrael took to a stripper pole laid down by Oz Ducatillon effectively combining stripper and DJ duties and perhaps foreshadowing things to come in a Second Life affected by the real world economy. Mercifully the evening ended at the Dome before the stripping was totally complete. The next destination was Party Like a Rockstar where a "Superman" event was being held.

Clad in my best Kal-El costume I was not accompanied not by Supergirl (c'mon folks, everyone knows that Supergirl is Superman's cousin, don't they) but rather by Wonder Woman. I didn't need the lasso of truth wrapped around me to note how great the rendition of Princess Diana of Themyscara looked on sl Hostess and Model Bobbie Naidoo. DJ G-Spot (aka NickG Gagliano) was spinning some edgy hip hop as only several of us in costume mixed in with the couple of dozen mostly non-superheroes. The evening was capped off with a couple Superfriends slow dances before Diana (Bobbie) took her invisible plane to dreamland. I ditched the blue tights and cape and headed over to Studio 54 for some hip hop and rock. As night faded into morning and I tired, I bid my friend Veronica Kanya a good morning, thinking I might come back to that club sometime soon.

Superfriends at Party Like a Rockstar

PC World Photos Strange Sights

2008-12-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

PC World has a piece by Mark Sullivan, who goes by Motard Putzo in world. Fourteen pictures are accompanied by narrative. What is curiously absent are slurls which would point one in to these sights so they can see some of them for themselves. See and read the entire piece here.

Saturday Night Special: Chance Encounters II at Club Industry

2008-12-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

I believe that when one undertakes a journey like this blog, one may have an idea of where they would like to go but that ultimately it is the journey itself that dictates the path along which one travels. Witness Saturday night when I found myself at the Dome at Space Junky Island, which incidentally is one of the coolest builds in SL. As we hoisted lighters in the air and swayed to the voice of Ronnie Van Zandt, DJ Loch Harlan who had spun his special blend of rock all night long, capped off his set with "Freebird." With the Dome closed down for the night, I was accompanied by DJ Ravin Slade as we searched out another place to rock out to some great tunes. Club Sanctuary, one of the top visited sites on SL was our first stop. Ravin told me that this was one of the first clubs she had visited in SL. For the amount of people there the lag was low and the tunes were cranking. We next moved to Club 11:34, a hard rock "gentleman's club" at which the poles were curiously empty and only two of the dozen people on our radar were actually in the club. Immediate exit ensued. Ravin suggested a club where I "may not like the music." Willing to try something new, I awaited my limo to our next destination. I was teleported to Club Industry, a raucous club blaring industrial music, correctly pointed out as not my cup of tea. Despite the fact that there were only a couple dozen folk in the club, the lag was palpable. Second Life Profiles has comments that bear this out. After some minutes of dancing to the strains of such classics as "Shut up and Swallow," I perused the local chat and what should appear (no it wasn't a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer)? It was the Virtual Neko herself, Stacia Villota chatting away! I didn't know that Ravin had taken me to a neko joint. There I was, as pointed out to me later, tailless and earless! This was another of one of those "chance encounters" that seem to happen so much in sl but have happened to me when it comes to a certain pair twice! Ravin and I made our way to the entrance where Stacia and her man the super-talented Bobby Yoshikawa were lag tied. They were gracious enough to agree to appear in these pictures with us.

Ravin, Stacia, Bobby and me, lurking

Me, Ravin, Stacia and Bobby (Photo by Bobby Yoshikawa)

One may wonder if I started a blog to write about Virtual Neko in you the majority of my posts. No, actually I did not. But isn't it funny where life and indeed Second Life, takes you sometime.

US Army to Recruit on SL

2008-12-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

G4 TV reports that the US Army is going to begin recruiting on Second Life. According to the article, "..you may come across one of two virtual Army islands. One will be a welcome center meant for recruitment, and the other is where you can go to check out what it's like to 'jump out of airplanes, rappel out of towers, use a weapon.' " Read the entire article here. One wonders if rl dismemberment, alienation and post-traumatic stress disorder should play a part of these sims.

Spotlight: Virtual Neko

2008-12-02T08:21:00.000-08:00

This is the first of what I hope is a regular feature here at BWMK. Today I am writing about Virtual Neko, which carries the tagline of "The Art of Being Neko in Second Life." Clearly there is an art to being a neko in Second Life and Stacia Villota passionately pounces on this lifestyle with a blog that is well written and very visually stimulating. Virtual Neko takes you on a trip through different worlds with mostly every post laid out as a travel log that immerses you into the places. Some time ago I had the pleasure of a chance encounter with Stacia and her amazing photographer Bobby. They were so friendly to this reader and in some ways were and continue to be an inspiration for what you see here today. I highly recommend checking out Virtual Neko, whether you're neko or not.

Sent to the Governor's Office

2008-12-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

This happened to me a while back. I was trying to teleport home and I was teleported instead to the home of Governor Linden. I wondered why I was sent to the Governor's place with flashbacks of trips to the principals office. I repressed this episode until I recently rediscovered the above picture. I am pictured here waiting to see the Governor for one transgression or another. Was it that time in Baldr? What was I there for? I didn't wait to find out and figured I'd be facing the music if that was indeed to be my fate. It turns out that my home region may have been unavailable according to this cached post from Xstreet SL. Turns out it was no trouble at all! On a side note, take a look at some of the sanctimonious replies to the question.

Welcome to My Blog

2008-11-24T21:40:00.001-08:00

Welcome to Beers with Mikalis Karas, my adventures in Second Life.