Anthony E. Zuiker, Creator CSIChristian Renaud, Chief Architect, Networked Virtual Environments, Cisco Technology CenterEntertainment & Marketing
Virtual Worlds for the EnterpriseBusiness Strategy & InvestmentCommunity & Customer ServiceDesign & Dev
 
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 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 
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LATEST HEADLINES SceneCaster debuts hot new 3D-to-2D web product at DEMOfall ‘07 Conference Live from Metaversed Island and Cornell University: Metanomics 101 Fall Summit kicks off with Linden scripting boot camp World's first live orchestral concert in a virtual philharmonic hall BUSINESS Chase bank denies Visa purchase of L$ Claims Second Life is gambling site
COMMUNITY Second Life Community Convention 
Furries, pirates, and entrepeneurs ARTIFICIAL ISLE—The crowd at Artificial Isle (128,128,0) looked like the usual assortment of Second Life (SL) avatars � with the occasional set of fairy wings or samurai sword. On the other hand, according to Carolina McCarthy of CNet News, the real-life scene at Chicago’s Hilton ballroom was a “lace and leather masquerade ball” with furries, pirates, drag queens, and Goths. ECONOMY Second Life Virtual Economy Key Metrics Data reveals drop in Premium accounts  The newly released “Second Life Virtual Economy Key Metrics Data” reveals that while there has been a huge growth in the number of “No Payment On File” users over the past year, the number of “Premium”account users is in decline. The number has dropped from a high of 94,607 in June, to 88,797. This trend is expected to continue when the August metrics are released. TECHNOLOGY The search is on!  Meta Mart’s Second Life (SL) developer Robbie Kiama’s company, Meta Mart, released version 4.1 of their versatile metaHUD this August. Meta Mart’s metaHUD provides unprecedented search and feedback capabilities for SL: ECONOMY Gambling velocity Or, "How I learned to stop worrying and love the FUD” Reuters is running stories about an “economic crisis” in Second Life. The basis for this is the announcement of a platform-wide ban on gambling, a minor insider theft ($10,000 US) at a “in world stock exchange”, and a bank run on a major “in world bank” (which handles about 150 million in L$ deposits). The result of this, they claim, is that the in world “spending” decreased from $2 million US to about $1.1 million US per 24 hour period, signaling an “economic crisis.” This article examines why you shouldn’t really worry. COMMUNITY Police Blotter: Gambling now leading TOS violation  A recent analysis of Second Life Police Blotter data reveals that gambling outperformed both mature content and misrepresentation by a 50% margin and is now the leading TOS violation. Second Life residents who were cited for gambling received a 14-day suspension. Terms of Service violations represent only 26% of the disciplinary actions taken during this period. The remaining 74% were Community Standards violations. FROM OUR DESKTOP
The Seventh Sun, News from the virtual world, and SimWire are trademarks of Pollywog Press and are not affiliated with Linden Lab. Second Life® and Linden Lab® are registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc. |
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 
Interview with Desmond Shang
COMMUNITY News by the community, for the community PR Newswire provides free kiosks for community press releases by Surfdaddy Orca Getting the news out has never been easier for Second Life (SL) residents. The release of version 1.4 of PR Newswire’s new free portable kiosks give SL residents the ability to get the news out as it happens, and to see the latest press releases from around the Grid. ENVIRONMENT The Habitat Trust for Wildlife How one woman’s campaign to save mature habitat is making a difference 
COMMONWEALTH—The Habitat Trust for Wildlife is a nonprofit charity that is dedicated to protecting the imperiled habitats of rare, threatened, and endangered species. They currently own and manage 500 acres of land in Southern California, much of which is recognized by the scientific community as a global biodiversity hotspot. In addition, they conduct coral reef research in the Caymen Islands and in Cozemel, Mexico. I met SongbirdClone Writer (who in real life is Leeona Kippstein, Executive Director and founder of both The Habitat Trust and its sister organization, Spirit of the Sage Council) at their Second Life headquarters nestled deep in a forested sim. COMMUNITY Creativity in Second Life Take the Thinkerer Challenge
COMMUNITY California Dreamin’ at Diegoland The California Heritage Project  “The Legend of Josefa,” a ballet performed by the California Ballet Company in celebration of the unique aspects of San Diego’s history, is the story of starry-eyed lovers Dona Josefa Carrillo and Captain Henry Fitch. A performance as part of the California Heritage Project occurred August 4-5, 2007 at Chula Vista Bayside Park in real life. SL PRESS RELEASE D.C. District Court Rules Against Endangered Species Recovery Conservation Plans Nationwide Allow Permits To Kill & Destruction of Millions of Acres  08.31.07, 8:00 AM SLT COMMONWEALTH ISLAND—On Thursday afternoon, Judge Emmett Sullivan, D.C. District Court, released his Decision and Order regarding the most controversial legal challenges to the federal Endangered Species Act (Spirit of the Sage Council, et al. v. U.S. Interior Secretary Kempthorne). ABOUT US Seventh Sun Plaza New home at Second Oasis  You are invited to visit our newly relocated Seventh Sun Plaza on the shores of beautiful Second Oasis. As before, the focal point of the complex is the InfoHub with a variety of free tools and utilities—including a PR Newswire kiosk. We also now have a new Advertising Sales office where you are welcome to stop by for a cup of tea. While you’re there, please pick up a copy of the informative new booklet, “Share your message with our readers.” Our beautiful Undersea Garden Room is being carefully reassembled at the foot of the volcano and will be enclosed by the seawall. We also have gondollas, surfable waves, a nakamal, and meditation garden that you are welcome to enjoy. Bula! 
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     Sponsored by PR Newswire Virtual Worlds Conference and Expo The Mad Haberdasher 
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Second Life resident Champion Valiant got a big surprise when he decided to purchase a rather large, undisclosed amount of Linden dollars on August 29th. Much to his chagrin, his transaction did not complete even though it was for an amount below both his daily and monthly purchase limits.
Take the challenge! No, you don’t need to drink a cup of Pepsi or Coke. But you do need to think outside the box a little to take the Thinkerer Challenge.