Clipmarks | Second life Clips

'Virgin Birth' By Shark Confirmed: Second Case Ever

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:27:54 GMT

clipped by: invictus
clipper's remarks: The "Jaws Messiah"?

ScienceDaily (Oct. 10, 2008) — Scientists have confirmed the second-ever case of a “virgin birth” in a shark, indicating once again that female sharks can reproduce without mating and raising the possibility that many female sharks have this incredible capacity.

Tags: biology, genetics, marine life, sharks, virgin birth, science

Virtual worlds carve out new path

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:42:25 GMT

clipped by: balthazarus
clipper's remarks: "The first step is to have virtual worlds as a common medium for ordinary people. It has to become far more ubiquitous, more like a toaster than a DVR,"
What virtual worlds do well is contextualise social encounters in a way that social networking cannot do, he thinks.

"Without places it is hard to have activities. The bowling alley or the alcohol does not matter as much as the people but if you do not have the bowling alley or the alcohol it's just an empty room and no-one comes,"

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

Virtual worlds carve out new path

If you are walking with orcs in the World of Warcraft or setting up a business on planet Calypso, the real world is probably very far from your mind.

There is a sharp divide between so-called Massively Multi-player Online games (MMOs) which aspire to draw from the real world, such as Second Life, and those, like World of Warcraft, which proudly inhabit a land of pure fantasy.

Cityscape

Hoping to change that is Twinity, one of a growing number of games determined to make a link between the virtual world and the real.

allows users to hang out in some of the world's most famous cities

Twinity is a virtual world from Metaversum with avatars that walk around real cities. Metaversum chief executive Jochen Hummel says people can feel as though they have been to a city.

Networking avatars

"Virtual worlds are about experimenting and doing something different," she said.

Going one step farther, Myrl has created a social network exclusively for avatars.

Anonymity

Tags: virtual, reality

Paris and Sheen talk about the presidency

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:27:05 GMT

clipped by: pcmkrfn
clipper's remarks: ha

Clip Source: perezhilton.com

[Video]

Clip Source: www.thesundayfunnies.com

RIP
Good Friend Gordon
now you've crossed
the River Jordan

HERE LIES
GOOD OLD FRED
a great big rock
fell on his head

HERE LIES
a man named Zeke
Second fastest draw
in Cripple Creek

Here lies the spirit of
JOHN ROUND
Lost at sea
and never found

Here lies Clyde
Whose life was full
Until he tried
To milk a bull

HERE LIES
the Pillsbury Dough Boy
He will rise again

First a Cough
Carried Me Off
Then a Coffin
They Carried Me Off In

Here lies the body of
MARGARET BENT
She kicked up her heels
And away she went

HERE LIES LESTER MORE
Four slugs
From a forty-four
No Les no more

HERE LIES my wife,
I bid her goodbye.
She rests in peace
and now so do I.

Here lies
HENRY BLAKE
He stepped on the gas
Instead of the brake

Dear Departed
BROTHER DAVE
he chased a bear
into a cave

EZEKIEL PEASE
Pease is not here,
Only his pod
He shelled out his Peas
And went to his God

HERE LIES NED
There is nothing more
to be said

REST IN PEACE
COUSIN HUET
we all know
you didn't do it

Fergie Regrets Divorce

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:56:32 GMT

clipped by: piomio

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Now, Sarah has admitted that she regrets their separation, to which she says they agreed only so she could make a fortune in America.

Asked in New York whether she would “do it all again”, she replies: “Married him, yes. Divorced him, no. See, this second son has no financial provision. He is just a naval officer, so no income. The Royal family is forbidden to work. I couldn’t earn anything. When I went into public life to make some money, the marriage could not continue. The Royal family supports my daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, but me, not. The UK is still hostile to me.”

She now admits that their relationship is over: “He’s 40, but unfortunately has a permanent girlfriend, so we’re going no further.”

Sarah adds that she lives close to Prince Andrew. “I now rent my own small place near Windsor,” she says.

“My girls live one minute up the road at Royal Lodge, where his grandmother lived.”

Tags: fergie, duchess of york, prince andrew, duke of york, royal, uk

Israel and the War in Iraq

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:44:07 GMT

clipped by: ChicagoLynn
clipper's remarks: Exceptional post - good for understanding Christians' views on Israel in the political forum.

Clip Source: obamacan.wordpress.com

Israel’s Allies in America

For the past 100 years, there has been a move among the superpowers of the world to create, then support, and to some extent, even sustain a nation-state for the Jewish people in the region of the fertile crescent. In America, this movement was first led by Woodrow Wilson, yet over time, it’s banner has been passed to what is now the “Neo-conservative” movement.

Yet, it would be logical, fair and sound for the media to challenge and raise doubt about the Christian Right on the moral inconsistency and, really, hypocrisy, of preaching about a culture of life while advocating war in Iraq, and remaining shamefully quiet about the genocide in Darfur. Who are these people who would propound such ill teachings? Call them out – name their names – show what they are doing for what it is – misleading their own flock, and perpetrating unending violence in the Middle East.

Tags: israel, christians, second coming, neoconservatives, progressives, balfour declaration, evagelical, dispensationalist, charismatic, biblical

Digado - Digital Adoption

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:19:38 GMT

clipped by: Fast T friend

Clip Source: digado.nl

Digado stands for Digital Adoption. Its the scenario I think will be most relevant for the future of the metaverse. A generation that regards 3d as a ‘natural environment’. The Xbox, playstation and PC generation. They will adopt the 3d worlds and see the benefits of the digital distribution, communication, education, information and entertainment as something that has always been part of their lives.

This blog lists my research, opinion and news regarding ‘the Metaverse’. A word I define as being a Virtual, Social Network. The goal of this network can be anything from entertainment (gaming worlds such as World of Warcraft), business and creativity (Second Life) all the way down to simply connecting people in a customizable environment (Cyworld).

The question that Digado tries to answer is ‘how can we use Virtual Worlds in a realistic, meaningful way for the businesses of today and tomorrow’.

Tags: metaverse, virtual, business, social, digital

Simple Low-Tech Home Wins Prize For Sustainability

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 09:33:06 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: Woodruff's house uses just 25% of the energy of a conventional house of the same size. His winter power costs are a $30 electricity bill each month and a cord of wood. In the summer, power is needed only for the hot water heater and appliances.

Yet the little 1,100-sq.-ft. house is as straightforward as you can get. No high-tech gizmos. No elaborate contortions. The house relies on simple architectural principles -- windows oriented for sunlight, cross breezes for ventilation, overhangs for shade -- basics that were much lauded in the 1940s and '50s, but less emphasized since.

They included large doors that can be opened for cross-breezes. They designed the heating so energy is used and reused within rooms. The living/ dining/kitchen area is one big room heated by a wood stove on rainy days, and the sun on sunny days.

"The public rooms face east, the logic being you want those to heat up with the sun first in the winter and in the summer, you want to avoid the hot western sun.

Clip Source: www.nationalpost.com

The main room, with a 16-foot-long kitchen countertop, is the life of the house.

Mr. Woodruff's modest weekend home on Mayne Island in the southern Gulf Islands chain of British Columbia, took second place in a North America-wide architectural competition for sustainable principles and energy conservation.

"The Gulf Islands House stood out for its elegance and simplicity," juror Robert Rogers of Roger Marvel Architects said in an e-mail interview. "Its sustainable features were subtly woven into the basic program for a small house. Its size alone represents a fundamentally green attitude. We felt that the project was a graceful whole and neatly detailed."

"To say something as simple as the building should be lit throughout the day by the sun becomes a radical position," Mr. Woodruff says. "It's ridiculous, but it does. We have clients who insist on air conditioning. Psychologically in the modern world, people think that air conditioning is fundamental."

Tags: american institute of architects, "how green are you?", vancouver's measured architecture

Penis Enhancement Patch System

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 09:36:23 GMT

clipped by: sheincoke
clipper's remarks: ProEnhance™. researchers combined the transdermal patch technology with the latest data and produced a full-potential penis health system which is endorsed by medical professionals.

Improvement Timeline

- First Month - Harder erections, size gains starting.
- Second Month - Continued penis increase to about 0.5-1 inch
- Third Month - Increased confidence in life & the bedroom
- Fourth Month - Rock hard erections, more penis gains
- Fifth Month - Full confidence and solid results shown

Clip Source: penis-enlargement-home.blogspot.com

Penis Enhancement Patch System

ProEnhance™. researchers combined the transdermal patch technology with the latest data and produced a full-potential penis health system which is endorsed by medical professionals.

Improvement Timeline

- First Month - Harder erections, size gains starting.
- Second Month - Continued penis increase to about 0.5-1 inch
- Third Month - Increased confidence in life & the bedroom
- Fourth Month - Rock hard erections, more penis gains

- Fifth Month - Full confidence and solid results shown

Click here to find out more about ProEnhance - Penis Enhancement Patch System

Tags: penis enhancement patch system, penis enlargement patch, male enhancement

We'll all be citizens of virtual worlds

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:13:41 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: What is the point of all this? It is quite likely that it will be a natural thing for future generations to meet their friends in worlds such as these, where they can watch the same music or videos while chatting to each other. And if that is where youngsters will be hanging out, then brands and media, including newspapers, will have to be there. Other life-mimicking worlds about to be released include shopping malls such as themall.tv, which aims to emulate an entire shopping mall with scores of high street shops. It claims to have signed up 500 brands.

Clip Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Most people still look askance if you admit to using virtual worlds where you move around with an avatar or 3D version of yourself. It recalls the technophobic reactions in the early days of the internet. But attitudes may now change for two reasons. First, children are piling into their own virtual worlds, so their parents can get a glimpse of what it is all about. And second, a huger user base is being created, one that is accustomed to virtual worlds and is ready to trade up to more sophisticated ones as they grow older.

Some of the kids' sites have more registered (but not necessarily active) members than countries have citizens. These include Habbo Hotel (more than 100 million registered users), Neopets (45 million) and Disney's Club Penguin (20 million). Up the scale there are spaces such as Second Life and hipihi.com from China. Kzero reckons that there are about 100 million active users of virtual world.

Second, virtual worlds are changing fast

Tags: virtual worlds

Senate Clears $1.5 Billion for Washington Metro

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:15:29 GMT

clipped by: Andrew Gillies
clipper's remarks: Good news for Washington residents or anyone visiting. As detailed by the Washington Post here http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/22/AR2008092201144.html, Metro's needs are considerable and include "replacing one-third of its rail fleet, about 300 rail cars that are more than 30 years old and nearing the end of their life cycle; replacing about 100 buses every year; repairing leaky tunnels and crumbling station platforms; and repairing bus garages, one of which is more than 100 years old."

Clip Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Senate Approves $1.5 Billion Plan For Metro Funding

By Lena H. Sun

Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 2, 2008; Page A01

The U.S. Senate voted last night to authorize long-sought federal funding for Washington's cash-strapped and aging Metro system, clearing a major hurdle toward providing $1.5 billion over 10 years to help maintain the nation's second-busiest rail system.

The Senate passage is the furthest the measure has advanced since Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) began the effort two years ago to secure a reliable source of financial support for Metro.

The bill, part of a major rail safety reform package with billions of dollars for Amtrak, was passed by the House last week and goes to the president for signing. Supporters say a veto is unlikely, partly because of the veto-proof margin of last night's 74 to 24 vote.

Could former Mossad agent be Israel's next PM?

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:16:41 GMT

clipped by: rmowery

Clip Source: www.finalcall.com

Could former Mossad agent be Israel�s next PM?
By Ashahed M. Muhammad
Assistant Editor
Updated Sep 30, 2008, 10:34 am

What's your opinion on this article?

Israeli foreign minister Tzipora �Tzipi� Livni has cleared one hurdle in her effort to become only the second female Prime Minister in the nation�s history.

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice meets with Tzipi Livini, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, at the U.S. State Department, February 14, 2008. Photo: US State Department

Final results in the Kadima party�s primary announced on Sept. 18 reported a narrow victory by Mrs. Livni of 431 votes over her opponent, Israeli transportation minister and long-time military man Shaul Mofaz. In conceding defeat, Mr. Mofaz also announced that he would be completely leaving political life and the Knesset which throws hopes of the establishment of an effective political ruling coalition into uncertainty.

Tags: israel, mossad, rzipi livini, female, prime minister

Let's take it out, better yet lets take it in

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:56:22 GMT

clipped by: balthazarus
clipper's remarks: It is an interesting research, of showing biases of environments and how they are experienced by users.

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

Virtual World Offers New Locale For Problem Solving

Second Life, a virtual world created in 2003, currently boasts more than 12 million users worldwide who go there for everything from college recruiting to shopping

investigating how virtual teams can better solve real world problems by collaborating in Second Life

created an experiment in which students formed teams and were asked to solve a problem, posed by a video, using different meeting styles.

The researchers set up 10 teams to work face-to-face, 10 teams to work through teleconferencing, and 12 teams to work as groups of avatars in Second Life. An avatar is a computer user's representation of him or her self. It is the user's persona inside virtual space.

The face-to-face teams felt most confident of their performance, yet the Second Life teams provided the most accurate answers in the task

however, the teams using Second Life took the longest to finish

there's definitely a learning curve with it

Tags: virtual, second life, collaboration

Alan's War WWII Graphic Novel

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:25:03 GMT

clipped by: teacherstevenson
clipper's remarks: This Graphic Novel tells the personal journey of one American private and his trials and tribulations through the Second World War.

Due for release in December, this could make a great preent for any History, Warfare and Comic Fan. I for one am all the above! I enjoy personal stories such as these because the events are real and they had an impact on his life.

Writer/Artist: Emmanuel Guibert

You can pre-order it and save £3.85 at Amazon.co.uk
You can pre-order it and save $7.68 at Amazon.com
Amazon.Com Online Reader features extracts for viewing

Clip Source: www.forbiddenplanet.co.uk

When Alan Cope was eighteen he joined the army and went off to fight in World War II. Like every American, he felt a patriotic fervor burning in him after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. But he had little idea what he was getting into by enlisting. This graphic memoir tells the story of his life during wartime, of his journey from his home on the west coast to basic training in Kentucky to leave in New York City, to the battlefields of France, to the terrors of the Bulge and General Patton's drive on Germany and Prague.

Told with poignant intimacy and matchless artistry, Alan’s War was born from a friendship between Alan and the graphic novel creator Emmanuel Guibert, who created a deeply personal and moving graphic novel from the stories Alan told him of his wartime experiences. An award-winner when it was serialized in Guibert's native France, this moving story of an American's experiences during the Second World War now finds its audience in his homeland.

Tags: world war two, wwiii, graphic novel

IDENTITY THEFT - the coward's ultimate tool

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:47:59 GMT

clipped by: ianschneider
clipper's remarks: There so many fake Ian Schneider's online that I sign my name differently online.

IF THIS WAS IAN ANDREW SCHNEIDER, ESQ. (me) I would have killed myself years ago. I only sign online as
/Ian Andrew Schneider/
or
/ias/ - until [redacted] catches up to that, and so on.
Anything online that is not related to the meanspeed music conjecture and found on meanspeed.com or meanspeedmusic.com is probably NOT me.

This moron is the least of false identities that have been set up.

It is ironic that having an unusual American name makes identity theft so much easier, teh reason I always use my middle name and if necessary will use numbers and so on.

I have lost easily a year of my life tracking down this [redacted]. I will not say who it is because [redacted].

/Ian Andrew Schneider/

Clip Source: 209.85.165.104

Stories

Today

Virtual Church

Original at Ian Schneider • 2 hours ago

I need some feedback on this one. I think most of us have heard of the thing online called 'Second Life'. It's like online Sims but you can do whatever you want. You live a second life, hence the name. Get a job, get married, ...

Tags: identity theft

YourTutorial Presentation System

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:42:48 GMT

clipped by: gunlimited
clipper's remarks: With YourTutorial you can conduct presentations within Second Life, using
the tutorials from YourTutorial. Just put the URLs of the tutorials in a notecard and drop it on the system's pin board.

Clip Source: www.slexchange.com

YourTutorial Presentation System

With YourTutorial you can conduct presentations within Second Life, using

the tutorials from YourTutorial. Just put the URLs of the tutorials in a notecard and drop it on the system's pin board.

The tutorials are immediately available in Second Life without any uploading in world. You can add your own tutorials or use existing tutorials from others who allowed them to be used.

Tutorials can also be used in Real Life: You can load them with our opera widget, view them in your browser or export them as PDF files.

Visit http://yourtutorial.net/second_life.htm for more informations

Tags: yourtutorial second life presentations tutorials