Author: Otenth

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Social norms, privacy, and community

There’s a thought-provoking post about social norms and privacy at Grace McDunnough’s blog, Phasing Grace: Upholding Social Norms

Reflecting upon my early Second Life social experiences and those today I see dramatic changes, especially related to social privacy. For example, part of the subtle but consistent reinforcement from the early community was that the separation between one’s Second Life (SL) and real life (RL) was assumed, and the merger of those two was the decision of each individual to be exposed, discussed, etc. at their discretion and without prompting and if shared, certainly held in the utmost of confidence.

I’ve left a comment with a few of my perceptions as a resident of Caledon, a Quaker and Unitarian Universalist, and a middle-aged avatar (since November 2006, when we had already passed our first million residents).

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Orcadia expands

In a very exciting development, this evening Shapinsay and Hoy joined Wyre in the estate of Orcadia. Needless to say, it will be difficult to go to work tomorrow, and the weekend will be filled with terraforming so that the eager new residents can move in. You cannot yet teleport to the new sims, but if you go to Wyre you can cross the sim border.

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Social change opportunity

If you are engaged in using virtual worlds to create real-life social change, check out Second Life and the Public Good.

We are currently accepting proposals from groups, organizations, or individuals for projects that show how Second Life can enhance, develop, or sustain the public good. The best submissions will be selected based on how well they demonstrate the significance of virtual worlds for making an impact on society or culture.

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An amazing resource

The Old Bailey Online has not only “The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, 1674-1913,” but also extensive background materials.

A fully searchable edition of the largest body of texts detailing the lives of non-elite people ever published, containing 197,745 criminal trials held at London’s central criminal court.

There are essays on “Community histories”:

  • Black Communities
  • Gypsies and Travellers
  • Homosexuality
  • Irish London
  • Jewish Communities
  • Huguenot and French London
  • Chinese Communities

“London and its hinterlands”:

  • 1674-1715
  • 1715-1760
  • 1760-1815
  • 1800-1913
  • A Population History
  • Material London
  • London’s Rural Hinterlands
  • Currency, Coinage, Cost of Living
  • Transport

As well as “Gender in the proceedings,” “Crime, Justice, and Punishment,” and “The Old Bailey Courthouse.”

(via The Cat’s Meat Shop.)

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April salon

As I am each third Tuesday, I will be at home tonight for conversation. Tonight’s topic takes the form of four questions:

  • By what am I enslaved?
  • What must I clean from my life in order to remember my inherent freedom?
  • What are the stories I tell that remind me of my freedom?
  • How do my stories lead me to treat other people?

Please join me at Ormsby Hall, Caledon Murdann, on Tuesday 15 April, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm SLT.

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The Most Honourable The Marchioness of Giggleford

An invitation to all and sundry from His Serenity, Otenth Haakon Paderborn, Jarl of Orcadia, Duke of Murdann, Viscount Ormsby of Little West Sniggery and Giggleford, Thegn of Aa:

You are cordially invited to the Investiture of The Most Honourable The Marchioness of Giggleford, Soliel Snook.

Saturday, 29 March
1-3 pm SLT
Wyre Fairgrounds

A short presentation will be followed by revelry and silliness. Music will be provided by Radio Riel, with presenters Otenth Paderborn and Soliel Snook.

Orcadian court genealogists continue to put their records in order (duly forwarding their discoveries to Begonia’s Peepage), and they have uncovered a familial relationship between Lady Giggleford and I, which prompted me to bestow on my kinswoman the title Marchioness of Giggleford.

Our common ancestor is his Grace, James Guinne Ormsby, Third Duke of Murdann, of whom I am the great-great-great-grandson by his first marriage, to Lady Lydia Jane Maclachlan, and of whom the new Lady Giggleford is the great-great-granddaughter by his second marriage, to Lady Wilhelmina Sylvia Post, making us half third cousins, once removed.

Yes, it is confusing, isn’t it? I’m also both the great-great-grandson and the great-great-great-grandson of Sigurdr Oskrr Aas, whose daughters Eleanor Margaret Aas and Sif Gudrun Aas married, respectively, my great-grandfather, His Serenity, Otenth Heinrich Paderborn, Jarl of Orcadia, and my great-great-grandfather, Magnus Haakon Heidrun, Baron Wyre. I believe this makes me my own third cousin, once removed.

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De-specifizing Tenth Life

As far as I know, all my readers participate in the same virtual world as I. If so, you may read the official blog of the company that owns the architecture of said world, and know that they have decided to take a heavy hand with copyright (their own, but no one else’s, of course) and trademark. So I have begun removing all specific mention of said company and said virtual world and will make my best effort to use generic terms henceforth.

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March literary salon

As I am each third Tuesday, I will be at home tomorrow for conversation. The March topic is drawn from “The beauty of life,” an address delivered before the Birmingham Society of Arts and School of Design on February 19, 1880, by William Morris:

‘HAVE NOTHING IN YOUR HOUSES THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW TO BE USEFUL OR BELIEVE TO BE BEAUTIFUL.’

What is the relevance of this “golden rule” to our first or second lives?

Please join me at Ormsby Hall, Caledon Murdann, on Tuesday 18 March, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm SLT.

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Relay for Life

The 2008 Relay for Life in our favorite virtual world effort was launched today. I encourage you to participate in events and to give generously to the fight against cancer. This year 20% of the donations will be going to non-U.S. destinations. (The SLRFL is associated with the American Cancer Society and there’s a real-life Relay for Life.)

I created a low-key team to bring together friends who want to quietly support RFL. Team Elizabeth Blackwell is named in honor of the first woman to receive an M.D. degree from an American medical school, in 1849.