SLGeekSpeak – how do we fight extreme poverty? Join the discussion June 30th at 12pm SLT

Poverty makes people do terrible things.  They sell their children, they become terrorists or pirates.  They let some of their children starve to save others. 

What is the cause of poverty?  And what is the solution?  Printing more money?  Donating more food?  Free contraception?  An end to child marriage?  Education?  More power and choice for women?

How can we put an end to extreme poverty?  Move your feet and bring your brain to GeekSpeak.

IM Vulcan Viper if you have ideas for future subjects.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

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Second Life Children Launch Keyword:YOUTHSPOT to Connect the Community - Shiny Blackheart Reporting...

The oldest youth group of second life has a new campaign to help foster an inclusive and accessible community for the children of Second Life.

The group Second Life Children, established in 2006, co-founded by citizens Gemini Enfield and Linnian Sugar, helps SL kids get together, but the mission has been challenged the group said. A notecard distributed by SLC lamented a run of recent closures of youth focused SIMS; attributing the loss, “due to a lack of support or awareness that the location even existed.” The grid wide, global economic crisis was also attributed as creating difficulty for youth sims and others.

“Knowing where to go is a problem many of us frequently encounter.” SLC said. To simplify the process of finding kid hangouts and events the group created a searchable term inworld. Typing YOUTHSPOT into the search field yields a list of locations and events as a result.

SLC ‘s campaign is informing and encouraging parcels to participate by emphasizing the benefit of “getting found” which SLC says, “is easy.” The simple addition of the word youthspot to the parcel description even the last word, assures all locations that are enrolled in the Linden’s Second Life Search Directory will be located. (Linden Lab charge L$30 a week for inclusion.)

Approximately 28 locations are using the youthspot searchable term, but SLC’s relaunch of this project is in the early stages. In the last week, work has only just begun and an outreach team has compiled a significant list of locations to canvas, “and will be encouraging the owners to use the term and agree to inclusion into the directory magazine HUD.” co-founder Gemini said.

The HUD is a major component of the new campaign as the creation of The ‘keyword: youthspot' Directory Magazine, a wearable HUD that will list all of those searchable parcels but also many of the places that are not listed in Second Life's 'Search Places'.

Gemini explains, “The general idea is to encourage virtual kid locations to use the term ''youthspot' in their parcel descriptions. Then virtual kids can use Search in their SL app and the results would list a large amount of places they can explore.”

There are as many reasons why users play a child in Second Life as there are users, but at least six reason are listed on SL’s website:

·         A way to recapture some of the spirit of youth. Much like the old Twilight Zone episode, "Kick The Can," it allows one to 'be' a child, and run and jump, and play unencumbered with the responsibilities of adulthood.

·         "Re-imagining" bad childhoods. Many SL kids have faced childhoods filled with illness or disability. Many (by no means all) were victims of sexual or other abuses as a child, and this is allowing them to "rewrite" some of those childhood experiences with much healthier ones.

·         Related to the above, many may also want to have childhoods they could not, with all the toys and goodies they may have been denied for some reason. Always wanted that Easy Bake Oven? Go buy or make it in SL. Want the big swing set, or a pony, or whatever? All yours for a few pennies.

·         For fun. It can be a fun type of character to play, allowing for a childlike innocence and whimsy to come to the forefront, and providing for many opportunities to be "silly" that might not otherwise feel comfortable in an adult avatar.

·         A few may feel more comfortable in the role of a child, for whatever reason. While some of these might fall under various "philia" subsets (adult babies, for example), not all do.

·         Some may simply enjoy the roleplaying challenge of playing a kid, which isn't always as easy as one might think.

·         Some avatars may specifically create a child avatar to "escape" from the sexual content in other areas of Second Life. This may include victims of RL child abuse or it may not.

The youth avatar scene is a vibrant, hilarious, and creative one and the Second Life Children group and many others hope to keep the community thriving and spriteful. As the song goes, “I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside.” Youthspot encourages just that.

Interview with Second Life Children co-founder Gemini Einfield

*Shiny BlackHeart (narayanraja): Questions from Shiny to Gemini

• SB: When was SLC established?

GI: SLC was established Spring of 2006.

• SB: Who are the citizen founders/admins?

GI: It was co-founded by Linnian Sugar & Gemini Enfield.

• SB: Any thing you want to mention about the SLC parcel or any parcels?

GI: We have 2 adjoining parcels in the Orleans sim on the Bay City continent.

We are planning to host some future events there to encourage use of the keyword youthspot

• SB: You mentioned significant closures:

GI: I mentioned many sims and virtual kid locations had closed, but that was a grid wide issue when the global economic crisis occurred.

• SB: How many over time?

GI: Hard to say

• SB: What percentage of the community uses ‘YOUTHSPOT” in search directory now?

GI: At the current time 28 locations are using it, but we haven't relaunched to the wider community yet.

Work has just started this week and we have drawn up a large list of locations we plan to visit,

and will be encouraging the owners to use the term and agree to addition to the directory magazine HUD.

• SB: What kind of correspondence did you have with Linden Lab about YOUTHSPOT, (If any.)

GI: We have never discussed the project with Linden Lab.

• SB: Are you personally reaching out to Parcels along with the campaign to encourage them to use Youthspeak?

GI: Yes, we plan to speak to everybody before including them in the directory.

• SB: Any recent parcels start using that might want to comment on their experience?

GI: Not yet

• SB: Given these questions any other thing to come mind you’d like to share that might help the story?

GI: Keyword : Youthspot is a relaunch of a project started in July 2010 but was never taken to the next level until now.

The general idea is to encourage virtual kid locations to use the term ''youthspot' in their parcel descriptions.

Then virtual kids can use Search in their SL app and the results would list a large amount of places they can explore.

The 'keyword : youthspot' Directory Magazine is a wearable HUD magazine that will list all of those places and

many of the places that are not listed in SL's 'Search Places'.

We would also like kid friendly locations to add the words 'youthspot friendly' in their parcel descriptions.

This will also help us find them so we can include them in the directory too.

For more information or to get involved SLC Group and Land links are listed below here:

SLURL Link Hint:

Second Life Children Group  (http://world.secondlife.com/group/82017c80-6aa1-6fa3-e946-317a4a8175d3)

Second Life Children Youthspot Parcel/Sim: Meet other boys and girls in Second Life.  All children welcome!  Release your inner child and learn about all of the fun youthful activities going on in SL -- Be a kid again and meet other kids ... Boy and Girl

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bay%20City%20-%20Orleans/88/40/2

For more about Child Avatars visit:

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Child_Avatar

Additional Information:

SLURL:http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bay%20City%20-%20Orleans/88/40/2

URL:http://world.secondlife.com/group/82017c80-6aa1-6fa3-e946-317a4a8175d3

Other:http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Child_Avatar

-Shiny Blackheart

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Trouble Communicating in SL – Instand Messages [IMs] A Complicated Process- Seersha Heart Reporting...

I have never put as much thought into an introduction paragraph as I have with this subject.  As research indicates, the receiver of written electronic communication understands emotion conveyed by another person slightly under 60% of the time.  There is one attribute we all share in Second Life.  We all must use written communication to express feelings, observations, thoughts and ideas.  For some, written is the only form of communication used in Second Life.  Other residents combine one of the many voice application with the written text.  Still others combine writing, audio and visual to communicate in world.  That seems like a lot of variations.  Wait there is more to consider, who communicates to a friend who does not understand English very well?  Lastly, studies indicate that sarcasm is the least understood of the written feelings communicated between people electronically.  Our own government [USA] has spent time and research on sarcasm in electronic communication within ongoing studies by the NIH.

The who/what/when/why of electronic communication is ever changing for we as end users.  Different rules for communicating apply in different settings.  There is no single rule book titled “Texting, Emailing and Emoting for Dummies”.  Believe me, I have checked for such a book.  The web is a Hydra of electronic communication advice; select and read one and three more appear.  The good news is that I believe Second Life residents are generally well versed in communicating.  In this article I will cover what I found to be the most helpful advice.

I don’t believe there is a single person who doesn’t know that writing in ALL CAPITAL letters is considered shouting in text.  There are several other considerations when composing your texts.  Words matter to the recipient.  The word you select to open and to close a text as well as the specific words you use should be considered in your communication.  The length of a response you write may convey meaning to your recipient.  Psychologytoday writes that one of the most important items to consider is that the person you are “speaking” to may be in a very different mood than you are when you write them.  This effects how they understand your intentions and your meanings.  Studies have learned that when someone receives an ambiguous or open-ended text, they are most likely to consider the meaning as negative or indifferent.  Ironically the study also found that negative emotions are the most frequently misunderstood communications within individuals electronically.

This is excellent advice, consider the receiver before firing off that IM.  If you want to be understood consider a few factors that affect the receiver.  How long have you known this person?  Research indicates that the less you know a person, the more formal your replies should be to them.  Communicating using IMs is how you manage some very important relationships.  What might you say to this person if you were speaking to them in the same room?  Read your IM before sending it.  How may it be interpreted?  When in doubt, you may always ask a friend for help.  In Second Life that is frequently not possible so doing your best is fine.  Depending on your relationship with a person, know when to go “voice” or “video” with them.

Now you are thinking about your receiver and how they may or may not interpret your words.  When we communicate with someone in person we have the benefit of expressing ourselves with touch, facial expressions, sounds and body language.  Psychologytoday reports that words set less than10% of the emotional tone of our interaction.  That means with our IMs over 90% of the communication tools we have may not be used.  Everyone in Second Life knows that with that less than 10%, there are frequently misunderstandings.  That is perhaps the understatement of the year. [laughs] Let’s look at an example from Psychologytoday from a couple’s interaction.

He: Luv u, 2 2

The challenge of this short IM is that he doesn’t know exactly how the woman he sends this too is currently feeling.  With the brevity here, she may interpret this as he is too lazy to write more, he is too busy for her, or perhaps she will merely feel indifferent.  Here is one suggested response:

He: I was just listening to one of your favorite songs.  I was thinking of you.  I wanted to tell you I love you.  I am happy we are together.  I can’t wait to see you tonight.

The actual response in Psychologytoday is laughable.  [Think the Pina Colada song meets an unpublished romance novel left in a mud puddle].  It is two paragraphs long.  In Second Life SIZE MATTERS with communication.  Here what is the suggested style that instead of short “couples speak”, writing a thoughtful line or two will go a long way toward sending the message you want the recipient to receive from you.  Using their guidelines, I crafted a response using their points of connection.  The important points gleaned from this article is that you may convey body language [sitting on sand], facial expression [smiling], voice [singing] and touching [toes in the sand] using words.  Frequently we are just plain lazy.  We pay dearly at times for that laziness.  Sit for a moment and consider any one of the misunderstandings you have experienced in Second Life.  If you had added a few more words and considered how the other person felt, would things have gone differently for you.  In almost every case the answer is yes for me.  Though we all know that sometimes we try our best and ‘people be crazy’.

Techwalla.com had some very good suggestions for IMs.  Abbreviations may seem curt or disinterested to some people.  A slightly longer response may make your IM easier to understand.  What punctuation have you used in this particular IM?  Some people fine ending a statement with a period (.) to be unfriendly whereas ending with a semi-colon or no punctuation may lead some to believe it is open-ended.  It was at this point of my research I felt almost unable to IM anyone I knew in Second Life.  So many things to consider before hitting that enter key.  When we respond to an IM we frequently whisper or hear our response in our head.  That response is perfect in emotion tone and delivery.  We need to remember that is not sent along with the words.

Stated the obvious that we frequently forget, Fastcodesi HYPERLINK "https://www.fastcodesign.com/3036748/why-its-so-hard-to-detect-emotion-in-emails-and-texts"gn.com adds some helpful ideas.  “Without the benefit of vocal inflections or physical gestures, it can be tough to tell e-sarcastic from e-serious, or e-cold from e-formal, or e-busy from e-angry. Emoticons and exclamation points only do so much.  (short answer: we’re selfish) and what we can do about it (short answer: make some face or phone time).  A big problem people have when conveying digital emotions is often that they fail to appreciate there’s a problem at all.”  Incredible, I wondered, I am selfish and inconsiderate that is why I have misunderstandings.  Ouch, let’s dial it back just a bit for context.  It’s is all the recipient’s fault!  No that isn’t the answer either.  As with most things in life, time and experience will help us develop our talent or lack of talent.

One situation that how we word our IMs may be very critical between a “great” time and a “should have watched TV” time we spend with another person; romance.  Emoting is considered by some residents to be a great skill, while other residents can’t be bothered to use it.  Emoting is conveying your feelings, actions, observations by using the /me before writing an IM to another person.  When doing chat at a RP SIM, there are rules for how, when and what format written communication must follow such as “turn-based paragraph-roleplay”.  When you are with your special someone, there are no rules.  I would recommend asking the individual how they prefer to communicate.  Do they prefer short responses or longer responses?  Do they enjoy a rapid reply or proceed more slowly?  Truth is, I don’t do this most of the time and most other residents don’t either.  We don’t do the obvious thing because we are embarrassed or uncomfortable asking our date.

Considering the research, the reading and all the ways IMs may go wrong; I believe the best way to approach this is to pay attention to your date [recipient].  Pay attention to how they communicate with you, their style.  Stay out of local chat, this demonstrates how you prioritize your receiver.  For some people that is hard to ignore.  Trust me, there will always be plenty of location chat.  There is only one time to make that first impression IM.  Being attentive is rewarding as it adds to the comfort of communication.  If both people are paying attention to each other, then asking questions such as “do you want…” or “do you like…” or “should we…” become much easier to ask.  Take a moment and consider what I am suggesting to you.  A little time up front, gives the relationship [whether romantic or friendship] a good chance to become a good relationship.  You can keep your own style and be you.  When you have questions along the way, clarify with the recipient.  That is the magic silver bullet as I see it; listen and pay attention.

“Digital miscommunication wouldn’t be much of a problem if we always adopted the most optimistic or generous view of an ambiguous email or text.”  Justin Kruger, NYU

…But we don’t assume the most optimistic or generous view, we assume the negative or the indifferent view.  We don’t pay attention closely and view them only through our own filters.  The phrase “no drama” never fails to make me smile in world.  With all the complexities of our communications how can there be anything except drama?

“Elementary”, said he.  “It is one of those instances where the reasoner can produce an effect which seems remarkable to this neighbor, because the latter has missed the one little point which is the basis of the deduction.”  Sherlock Holmes speaking to Dr. Watson, “The Hound of the Baskervilles” [1901].

References:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/threat-management/201311/dont-type-me-email-and-emotions

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b HYPERLINK "https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rediscovering-love/201305/communicating-emotions-online"l HYPERLINK "https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rediscovering-love/201305/communicating-emotions-online"og/rediscovering-love/201305/communica HYPERLINK "https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rediscovering-love/201305/communicating-emotions-online"t HYPERLINK "https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rediscovering-love/201305/communicating-emotions-online"ing-emotions-online

https://www.techwalla.com/articles/ HYPERLINK "https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-convey-emotion-in-text-communication"h HYPERLINK "https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-convey-emotion-in-text-communication"ow-to-convey-emotion-in-text-communication

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/a HYPERLINK "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4999054/"r HYPERLINK "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4999054/"ticles/PMC4999054/

https://www.fastcodesig HYPERLINK "https://www.fastcodesign.com/3036748/why-its-so-hard-to-detect-emotion-in-emails-and-texts"n HYPERLINK "https://www.fastcodesign.com/3036748/why-its-so-hard-to-detect-emotion-in-emails-and-texts".com/3 HYPERLINK "https://www.fastcodesign.com/3036748/why-its-so-hard-to-detect-emotion-in-emails-and-texts"0 HYPERLINK "https://www.fastcodesign.com/3036748/why-its-so-hard-to-detect-emotion-in-emails-and-texts"36748 HYPERLINK "https://www.fastcodesign.com/3036748/why-its-so-hard-to-detect-emotion-in-emails-and-texts"/ HYPERLINK "https://www.fastcodesign.com/3036748/why-its-so-hard-to-detect-emotion-in-emails-and-texts"why-its-so-hard-to-detect-emotion-in-emails-and-texts

Specific to Second Life Emoting:

http://asphyxiationpoint.weebly.com/emoting-basics.html

http://esmieblog.blogspot.com/2007/10/how-to-emote.html

https://elysiumcabaretblog.wordpress.com/classes/emoting/

This is what the Pina Colada song meets an unpublished romance novel left in a mud puddle sounds like to me:

Psychology HYPERLINK "https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rediscovering-love/201305/communicating-emotions-online"Today advised text in place of Luv u,u2:

“I’m sitting on the sand where we first met, wrapped in the love blanket you gave me. The sun is going down and I can feel you close to me. I’ve got a big smile on my face, but I have tears in my eyes, wishing you were here. If I were speaking now, my voice would be a little croaky because I’ve been singing too long in the cold, but I know you would still love the way I sound. I’m running the warm sand through my fingers and toes, listening to the beautiful sounds of the ocean going dark. I love you so much and I hope you miss me, too.”

 Seersha Heart [saoirseheart resident]

Photos by Karmaghna Ulrik

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Monitoring your Look Pen Dragon Reporting...

Second Life is a visual world and your personal appearance can mean everything. It can get expensive and be a confusing process. What mesh body is best? Who makes the best mesh clothes? Where do I find a good skin? The good news is that there is someone who can help with all of that.

Shelby Monitor is the owner of Shelbyfied, an inworld store that specialises in custom avatar enhancements; custom shapes, quality skins and clothing and more. I recently spoke with Shelby about the service she offers and here’s what she had to say.

Q: What are custom avatar enhancements exactly?

Shelby: .I make custom shapes, but not only shapes . I help you from start to finish to become your true self or the avatar you would love to become. From shape to skins, eyes hair makeups clothes i want you totally happy with who you become .

Q: How long have you been offering this service and what got you started?

Shelby: I've been doing this for a couple years now . There are so many stores out there that say they have nice things but after buying stuff it either doesn't fit of doesn't look the same so I started writing down all the best stores and then promoting the best in my store group. I have about 15 of the best designers right in my group now.

Q: How long does the your service take on average?

Shelby: Depending on what all we do from shape to clothes and going from store to store getting all the components and then putting it all together it takes me about 30 minutes, but sometimes it takes hours for me to help and explain everything to people .

Q:  Is there a large demand for avatar enhancement services?

Shelby: Sometimes I am very busy, other times I just help with small things my members need. I post market links to some of the best sales in my group  and I also make an exclusive card just for group members with the best sales and events in SL .

Q: Describe your typical customer.

Shelby: Some customers are repeats, others I find at clubs or sims where people ask me for help or are searching for things they liked on my avatar.

Q: Tell me about yourself and what motivates you.

Shelby: I love to help others and make people smile, and when I help create a look for someone it brings them joy and happiness and that in itself makes me happy.

I also do shopping tours and my group members get exclusive gifts from me and my designers.I created SHELBYFIED  to help anyone in need with anything they need to create the best avatar possible.

Shelbyfied offers a wide range of service as well, from a custom shape to photography service so you can put your best avatar forward.

Additional Information:

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Comhar/47/17/23

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012292563225

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/142776171@N04/

Group: secondlife:///app/group/bf7bb63d-665f-130b-9b31-2f5008c8e344/about

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Behind the Veil: GOR Pen Dragon Reporting...

GOR. It’s a word you’ve probably seen in many profiles in Second Life, but what is it really? Some are probably familiar with the sexual nature of the popular role play genre, but how much more do you truly know? In this article I will take a deeper look at the counterculture phenomenon.

GOR has its beginnings as a series of novels, written by John Norman in 1967, set on an alternate earth. The alternate earth in the stories has the same orbit as our earth, but is linearly opposed to earth and is unviewable from earth because it is hidden by the sun. Norman was a professor of psychology and injected his own beliefs into the novels, particularly male dominance and the theory that that all societies are based on dominance and hierarchy.

The inhabitants of this planet are transplanted from earth by space ships by the rulers of GOR who works behind the scenes. These rulers are an insect like species called Priest-Kings. The Priest-Kings controlled every aspect of life on GOR, limiting some forms of technology such as transportation and weaponry, but granted technological advances in fields such as medicine and architecture.

The book series is known primarily for its depiction of sexual fantasies involving men abducting and then sexually and physically abusing women into submission. In the world of GOR these brutalized women grow to enjoy their submissive state. Most of the stories in the series of 34 books are narrated by Tarl Cabot, a master swordsman and British professor transported to the planet GOR, some are narrated by slave women and others by tradesmen. The loose, overarching plot is the struggle for dominance between two major cities and on a higher level the conflict between two alien races to control the solar system.

These are the fantasy/science fiction roots of the GOR counter-culture, including the role players in second life. The subculture itself is based more on the philosophies expounded by author John Norman in his books. The people who populate this movement are usually divided into two groups: Literalists and roleplayers. Literalists incorporate the gorean philosophy, gender roles and culture into their daily lives, whereas the roleplayers, most of whom are in second life, are not committed to the philosophy and ideals.

The online gorean movement began in the 1990’s with a group of male teenagers in internet chat rooms. The ability to hide their inexperience and age allowed them to garner a following of middle aged housewives who served as their kajira, or sex slave.

This movement gained notoriety and, because of the beliefs and practices of the GOR philosophy, drew a great deal of attention and ire from both feminist groups and the BDSM community at large according to author Michael Makai in his book ‘Domination & Submission: The BDSM Relationship Handbook.’

But how does all that translate to second life? I spoke with some GOR roleplayers to find out. I interviewed Mustafaaab Connoisseur and his kajira Amara to get their perspective on GOR, the roleplay and the issues facing their community. Mustafaab is a harbour master at Schendi, one of close to 300 sims dedicated to GOR.

According to Mustafaaab there are two different factions to the GOR RP. One group, identified as BTB or by the book, follow the original source material as written by John Norman. This includes the limited technology, Priest-King overlords and the male dominated society.

“.To me gor is what earth was 150 years ago to 1 million years ago. In the recreation of gor you have Historic earth, male dominated, a fictional recreation of Planet Earth.” Mustafaaab said.

As for what attracts someone to GOR, it would seem that those reasons are as varied as any other roleplay, for both male and female players.

“There are many attractions. Me, as a striving dominate male, I like the concept that earth failed and gor was pure and clean like a replacement earth on the other side of the sun, and Dom sub relationships between men who want women and women who want men, as is the constant theme in the books. For some it is the fighting, the trade the clothes and  the medieval environment the story.” Mustafaaab explained.

There are those who don’t follow the John Norman novels however. Inside the community they are called GOR Evolved, or GE. The major difference between the two is that GE allows more modern weaponry, but more divisive is the fact that they allow women warriors and same sex relationships. Many, if not all of the BTB roleplay areas will not allow anyone who is a part of the GE movement to be a part of the sims storylines.

If, as many say, GOR is misogynistic, then why would a woman want to be involved? I asked Mustafaaab’s kajira Amara and here’s what she had to say.

“I came for a variety of reasons. I was curious. I came to hide from my brother slowly dying of cancer.  but some of the things that are written in the book actually make a lot of sense and are kind of logical. Like a woman, when she gets married, she wears a ring and that serves a similar purpose as a collar in gor. It shows you are claimed. Over the years I have been involved in some of the most incredible storylines, better than the best novels.There are some great writers are in gor.”

With the rise of militant feminism, you would expect someone like Amara to be the focus of contempt, but she says that most people she encounters respect her decision to live her second life the way she wants. And with claims of brutality, rape and misogyny how does the GOR community thrive and continue to expand? From what I learned talking with Mustafaab and Amara, it’s because sex isn’t the main focus of the community. The roleplay, stories and world building that truly define GOR.  

In my quest to learn more about the GOR community I was surprised to find a rich, deeply detailed and thriving world filled with friendly people who enjoy the depth of the roleplay. It is certainly more than meets the eye, or more than the rumors. If you would like to learn more about GOR, or even become involved in the immersive roleplay, you should visit one of the many schools that teach the world of GOR.

Additional Information:

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Gorean%20Campus/7/125/23 GOREAN Campus

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fridericus/240/34/2622 SCHENDI PORT

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Marina%20Bay/218/213/3903 The GOR

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Four things your teenager really wants you to know

Being a teenager is such a challenging time, but it seems that most adults have forgotten what those years were really like. Rather than just watch them exist in some limbo between being a child and becoming and adult, there are some things that you can do to help your teen through this period. Many teenagers find it difficult to talk to their parents about anything, and so, this list of five things your teenager really wants you to know should go some way to help.

You don’t know everything

There are some things that parents just don’t understand about their children, be it their taste in music, or their choice of friends. What you, as a parent, need to understand is that you can’t presume to know how your child is feeling, or what they like throughout their entire adolescence. Communication is key, so rather than be that annoying parent who thinks they know precisely what their child is thinking, talk to them, hang out with, and get to know them.

You can trust them

Of course, this isn’t true in every situation, but imagine how infuriating it is for a kid to not be offered some sort of independence as they grow. Being over-protective can be just as damaging as allowing your child to do whatever they want. Learn to find a balance, and give your child some trust. A teenager needs to learn how to deal with some situations and to be around social situations so that when the time comes to fly the nest they will be somewhat prepared.This doesn’t mean allowing them to do whatever they want, and you must assess whether your individual child is ready for the level of independence expected of them at their age.

Sweet 16 is all about the car

Unfortunately, this is the truth, and if that small package you hand to them on their sixteenth birthday doesn’t contain car keys, things are going to get ugly pretty quickly. If there is no way on Earth you are giving your child a car for her sixteenth birthday, you need to make that very clear early on. Should you be considering it, ensure they are well prepared for the responsibility of car ownership. Do your own research online via sites such as Truckersection.Com and find out wat kind of car is most suited to a teenager, and all the things they need to know to travel safely when driving on their own.

Friends are everything

At this age, a teenager’s friends are their world. This can be very difficult for parent that doesn’t like their child’s friends, or believes them to be a bad influence. It can also be hard when children suddenly want to spend more time with their friends than with you. This is all part of growing up, and as a parent, you should want your child to socialise and learn about healthy, respectful relationships. Always be aware of keeping the lines of communication open because even though they will adore their friends, they will always need their parents there when things go wrong.

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Why to choose medical sonography as a career in CT

A lot of people aim to become a medical professional. Some choose this profession because they want to serve the community while others are just following the line because they don’t know what else to pick for their career. No matter what reasons you have to become a medical professional, once you achieve your goal, you become responsible for so many people’s life. Apart from becoming a MBBS professional, you can also choose to be a part of other medical fields which are just as important as the doctor itself.

Mostly diagnosis these days are now done through the digital machinery scans since they are much more accurate and fast too. To perform these scans, professionals are required who know exactly how to conduct them and generate accurate reports. Without these professionals, the job of a doctor will get even hard and it will not be easy to get a diagnosis report early. There are many good institutes which are teaching its students to become a good ultrasound technician. These schools are preset everywhere in the US. If you aim to become one, you can pick the institute for you from the list of Ultrasound Technician Schools in CT.

The National Center for Education Statistics has listed four college on Connecticut. There are two hospitals as well which are offering complete medical sonography programs. After the completion of studies, students are required to obtain a verification certificate so that they can be licensed. The licensing requirements vary from state to state. To become eligible for the certification, the program a person is attending must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). You can check the list of accredited institutes on CAAHEP website.

Depending on your career goal, the CT schools and training centers will offer you different types of trainings. A student who is starting off on his or her career can choose a diagnostic medical sonography associate degree program. It will take two years to complete the degree. The degree also includes health and general education courses. This program will prepare students to perform obstetrical, gynecological and vascular sonography procedures. Those students who have already completed the training or degree can enroll in certificate programs to get specialized training in vascular or pediatric sonography. For the successful completion of the training, a student must complete both the didactic and clinical portions of training. In the didactic training, classroom studies and lab work in involved. Some of the course topics include sonographic physics and instrumentation, clinical pathology, psychology, vascular sonography and GYN sonography. The clinical portion requires student to complete the supervised internships and practical courses where they can get hands-on training while performing ultrasound procedures.

The diagnostic medical sonographers have amazing career opportunities. They are expected to see an employment growth of 46%. CT alone had 840 diagnostic medical sonographers employed as per reports of 2012. It is also the top paying states for this occupation and the annual wage is calculated to be $78430.

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How do avies spend Summer in Second Life? -Becca Drascol Reporting

Seasons in Second Life:

For this reporter a change of season doesn’t mean what I’m doing is any different. However a lot of people are very into season changes. Many change up the look of their sims, perhaps even buy a new wardrobe or engage in seasonal activities like swimming and boating in the Summer and skiing and ice skating in the winter .

Some clubs and other venues hold special seasonal events too. For me I do enjoy hopping around taking photos in SL of different types of season themed venues.  I set out to interview some avies to see what they do.

What avies are doing in Summer SL Style:

DustiRose Dobbs: Pretty much dancing at beach clubs and starting to think about the Fall fashions.

Becca Drascol: Are you thinking of designing special clothing for Summer?

DustiRose Dobbs: I have made a few things already and I have them for sale in my store.

Becca Drascol: How do you spend Summer in Second Life?

PoppaSlim Resident: I usually just hang out in the social sims and chat amongst the people.  I’m goofing off with people most of the time xD.

Becca Drascol: Do you change wardrobe any or go to any different type of venues during Summer?

PoppaSlim Resident: Sure, I change depending on the location, but generally I have a handful of outfits for my main avatar.  I have more but it's hard to find clothes that fit properly.  I  went to venues on occasion but only when friends invite me to go with them.

Becca Drascol: How do you spend Summer in Second Life?

Tor Draconia: Usually changing the landscape of my sim.

Becca Drascol: Is there anything else you do differently or special in Summer?

Tor Draconia: Not really. I do at times shop marketplace for new season clothing.

Becca Drascol: How do you spend Summer in Second Life?

Jaydianna Spellhunter: In the Summer I love to explore the different sims, meet new friends and party with old friends. Go to the beaches, sun tan on yachts and swim with mermaids. Attend bonfires, explore fairy woods and meditate with all manner of creatures. Just live it up and have fun :)

Becca Drascol: How do you spend Summer in Second Life?

SrDracoThe Unsung: Mostly dancing on beaches.

To sum it all up:

While some avies don’t choose to do anything out of the ordinary for Summer. Those I spoke with tend to do some of the normal activities of the season such as beaches and enjoying time virtually outdoors while enjoying time with others.

 Even though Second Life is for the most part a social world, some do get into the mood of the changing seasons. I do suppose it’s a matter of how into the virtual life one chooses to get.  Just because it is our Second Life, does not mean it can’t have some elements of realism. However you choose to spent Summer, I hope you enjoy it!

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