Tag: rikomatic

Last Friday, January 20, at the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life, we had a great conversation about the proposed SOPA / PIPA legislation that would impose stiff penalties on websites and internet services that posted links to alleged copyrighted content. About 45 avatars crowded into the NPC amphitheater to share their views on bills before the US Congress, and the potential impact on the internet, free expression, and virtual worlds.

Thanks to the 45 avatars who came to participate!

Here’s a summary of the some of the key points and links for further information and commentary.

Links to basic info, news and external commentary about SOPA / PIPA:

• Library of Congress: actual text and summary of SOPA
• CNN
• Wikipedia
• Boing Boing commentary
• Propublica on SOPA and US Congresspeople
• Clay Shirky TED Talk on SOPA
• New World Notes on Second Life and Sopa

General commentary on SOPA / PIPA:

• Glitteractica Cookie: well, we [TechSoup] are not pro PIPA or SOPA that’s for sure… but we technically are a non-politically affiliated org

• In Kenzo: Here in Hollywood as for many media people and producers this is a difficult issue, pitting people against studios

• Hour Destiny: I’m in the IT field, with network admin experience, and knowledgeable about Internet matters, so have some idea of the impact SOPA/PIPA would have on the Internet.

• DJ Earnshaw: actually the main priority is giving government more control by pretending to target offshore piracy

• oO0Oo Resident: torrents (does not equal) copyright infringement.

• Nuala Foxchase: It feels like legislation written by someone with no appreciation of the primary function of HTTP in the first place. 🙁

• Jenelle Levenque: I do object to piracy, but I object to using a sledge hammer to kill flies

Important issues:

• In Kenzo: IntellectualProperty and Piracy are important items for any community that engages in user-community driven content

• In Kenzo: Every kid who has dreamed of making a Harry Potter fan vid to machinima producers may be in the line of fire here

• Rhiannon Chatnoir: then, there is of course the domino effect, the internet is a interconnected system, so whatever laws we make here to punish foreign piracy, influence/effect laws made elsewhere

• Jenelle Levenque: In SL we are on both sides of the fence. We are content producers and consumers

About civic action surrounding SOPA / PIPA:

• Rhiannon Chatnoir: I made a tshirt in anticipation of this talk and you can grab a copy in the box on the ground near Rik, it says “I Fight for the User’ on the front and “stop internet censorship’ on the back

• Jenelle Levenque: I got involved the past week or so. Called 2 Senators and 1 Representative yesterday

• In Kenzo: I love that this issue is activating teens. the 12 year olds here wrote to their senators…. as content producers, they care too

• In Kenzo: It has been amazing to see how the blackout day shifted the way our reps are voting on this one

• Rhiannon Chatnoir: I think InKenzo, the moment Wikipedia voted to go dark, that really impacted a broader base of internet users and caused more media attention…. we all love Reddit and I can Haz Cheeseburger and a lot of the other sites that spearheaded the blackout earlier, but the average internet user probably isnt as effected by that then Wikipedia

• Nuala Foxchase: I think that even just Wiki going down had enough of a global effect in making it a talking point. I freely admit that I felt guilty when looking at long lists of politicians’ contact details and feeling that as a foreign national, there wasn’t anything I really fitted into.

• Peris Ashton: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid just announced that he has delayed a scheduled January 24 vote on the Protect IP Act (PIPA). He had to postpone the vote because millions of activists like you had convinced enough senators to vote against it to guarantee that it would be defeated. Also this morning, House Judiciary Committee chairman Lamar Smith announced he is indefinitely postponing any consideration of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). We just won. While we need to remain vigilant about internet censorship bills cropping up in different forms in the future, for all intents and purposes we have defeated both SOPA and PIPA.

• oO0Oo Resident: The societal, and even global participation, in the form of the site blackouts leading to action, as well as garnering youth into political participation, and the ever growing grass roots connections, is all very promising in my view.

• Rodford Steinbeck: We’re better off supporting open source and creative commons

• Jenelle Levenque: People only seem to react when it’s their ox that’s gored

Written by: rikomatic

This Friday January 20, at 8:30am PT, we are hosting a special Nonprofit Commons meeting. We are inviting the our community and all residents of Second Life to join us to talk about the proposed SOPA / PIPA bills before the US Congress, and their larger implications for the internet, virtual worlds, nonprofits and education. Join us this Friday at the Plush Nonprofit Commons at this teleport link.

For those that don’t know, here SOPA stands for “stop online piracy act” and is designed to go after websites and services that provide links to copyrighted material. Here are a couple of links to detailed descriptions of SOPA:

• CNN http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/17/technology/sopa_explained/index.htm
• NY Times http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/c/copyrights/index.html

Here’s Hamlet Au’s reporting on how SOPA might threaten Second Life and other virtual worlds:

 http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2012/01/eff-says-sopa-threatens-second-life.html

Also this week our Mentors continue their overview of different third-party viewers for Second Life, the pros and cons, and what alternatives are out there. Really useful for both newbies and old timers to Second Life. And we close as always with open mic announcements from the community.

AGENDA

Nonprofit Commons Meeting

January 20, 2012, 8:30am PST

Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/88/126/26

AGENDA

8:30am Introductions

8:40am TechSoup Announcements

8:45am Mentors Corner

8:55am Discussion about SOPA/ PIPA and broader implications

9:30am OpenMic/ Announcements

Written by: rikomatic

Nonprofit Commons Meeting
January 13, 2012, 8:30am PST
Plush Nonprofit Commons Amphitheater
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons/88/126/26

AGENDA

8:30am Introductions
8:40am TechSoup Announcements
8:45am Mentors Corner
8:55am Brique Topaz, Live and Learn in Kenya
9:30am OpenMic/ Announcements

INTRODUCTIONS

[08:31] Glitteractica Cookie: Good Morning everyone (good evening for some). Please say your RL name, NOnprofit afiliation, location in the physical world, URL/Twitter handle, and anything else u care to add
[08:31] Buffy Beale: Buffy Bye, Bridges for Women, Victoria BC Canada, http://www.bridgesforwomen.ca @buffyb
[08:32] HB Eternal: Harold W Becker, The Love Foundation, Florida, http://www.thelovefoundation.com, @lovefoundation
[08:32] Chad Mikado: Chad Gobert; National Service Inclusion Project; UMass Boston; www.serviceandinclusion.org
[08:32] Zinnia Zauber: Renne Emiko Brock-Richmond, Sequim Humanities and Arts Alliance, Sequim, Washington. http://www.sequimartsalliance.org http://www.facebook.com/sequimartsalliance @renneemiko
[08:32] Gentle Heron: Virtual Ability, Inc. www.virtualability.org
[08:32] Astra Toki: Daria Ng, Global Kids, New York, @wocildocil
[08:32] Adalace Jewell: Corine Van Hellemont, RoSa Library Brussels www.rosadoc.be @adalace
[08:32] bulaklak: Michael DeLong, Online Community Manager, TechSoup Global, San Francisco, www.techsoup.org @MichaelDeLongSF
[08:32] Glitteractica Cookie: Susan Tenby, TechSoup.org San Francisco, CA USA @techsoup @suzboop
[08:32] Chayenn: monique richert, protect yourself 1, inc, baltimore, MD , protectyourself1.org , @PY1US
[08:32] Panny Bakerly: Jeanne Booth, Freeport Historical Society, Freeporthistorymuseum.org Freeport, NY
[08:32] Ozma Malibu: Sandy Andrews, Floaters Org, Arizona, Mexico, and on the road. @ozma, website still down.
[08:32] Hour Destiny: Morris Cox, Mesquite NV, @morriscox, alpha geek
[08:32] Veri Oddfellow: *waves to Chad* Hiya fellow national service type!
[08:32] Glitteractica Cookie: can someone post the links, since Rik isnt here
[08:32] alebez: Ale Bezdikian, Techsoup Global, San Francisco, Ca. @techsoup, @alebez
[08:33] Zotarah Shepherd: Bandana Easy Access College to the Humanities
[08:33] Veri Oddfellow: Brad Lewis, Co-Owner of Great STrides, and equine facilitated mental health and learning agency in Maryland, US. (Also Grants Officer at CNCS – www.nationalservice.gov [08:34] Zinnia Zauber: Good to see you Veri!
[08:34] Glitteractica Cookie: Any Other introductions? If you haven’t already done so, please introduce yourself to the comunity
[08:35] Glitteractica Cookie: anyone not yet introduce themselves?
[08:35] Sarvana Haalan: Sally Cherry, MT(ASCP) Rep for Protect Yourself 1, Baltimore, MD, http://protectyourself1.org
[08:35] Glitteractica Cookie: and can someone please post the links?
[08:35] LovePhillyChick: Hi im new to the commons but worked with techsoup with community groups in philadelphia
[08:35] Eliza Madrigal: Eliza Madrigal, observing/learning, not affiliated and hoping this isn’t a closed meeting 🙂
[08:35] Brique Topaz: Brique Zeiner – Live and Learn in Kenya Int’l – Selb, Germany – www.llk-selb.de
[08:36] Gentle Heron: Welcome Eliza.
[08:36] Em Ellsmere: Tina Walker, The ALS Association, Wash DC, http://www.alsa.org
[08:36] Eliza Madrigal: thank you Gentle 🙂
[08:36] Glitteractica Cookie: Can you post your URL and twitter handle LovePhillyChick and Eliza?
[08:36] Brennan Blaylock: Claudia Richards, AAUW, Washington, DC www.aauw.org @AAUW on Twitter
[08:36] jacmacaire Humby: Hi everyone
[08:36] Eliza Madrigal: @elizamadrigal for twitter
[08:36] Brique Topaz: Hi everyone.
[08:37] Glitteractica Cookie: Last call for introductions
[08:37] oO0Oo: Samúð, my first time here.. observing Hello all 🙂
[08:37] LovePhillyChick: virtualphildelphian@yahoo.com
[08:37] jacmacaire Humby: Jacques Macaire HUMANBE http://www.humanbe.com Action Tank and Council on Sustainable Development France and International @Humanbe
[08:37] LovePhillyChick: My area of focus is sustainable communities
[08:37] Glitteractica Cookie: Anyone else to say their real life name, nonprfoit affiliation, location in the real world, twitter handle and/URL?
[08:38] Buffy Beale: Here are the many ways to can get involved with the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life:

Nonprofit Commons blog: http://nonprofitcommons.org
Wiki: http://npsl.wikispaces.com

Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/TechSoup-Second-Life
Google Calendar: http://bit.ly/2tMEYh

About TechSoup:
http://www.techsoup.org/tools/howtousetechsoup/
http://flavors.me/techsoup
http://flavors.me/nonprofitcommons

Weekly Networking Event: Wharf Ratz, Aloft, Tuesdays, 7-9pm SLT
Aloft Nonprofit Commons (168,223,23)

Monthly Networking Event (1st Thursday):
Common Ground, Plush, 5PM-7PM SLT
Plush Nonprofit Commons (128,229,26)
[08:38] bulaklak: Thanks, Buffy!
[08:38] Buffy Beale: 🙂
[08:38] Rhiannon Chatnoir – Joyce Bettencourt, creative for The Vesuvius Group (@VesuviusGroup), organizer of yearly SLCC (@SLCC) – @RhiannonSL on twitter
[08:38] Glitteractica Cookie: thanks buffy
[08:38] LovePhillyChick: i was owner of seachange farm. we were first in cerfied organics in urban communites
[08:38] Zinnia Zauber: CommonGround is the 3rd Thursday, please note that.
[08:39] Buffy Beale: ohh sorry this was copied from a chat I had
[08:39] Glitteractica Cookie: OK, well, it’s good to see so many people here from all around the world
[08:39] jacmacaire Humby: 🙂
[08:39] Zinnia Zauber: Not to worry, I got to plug it early now.
[08:39] Buffy Beale: yay
[08:39] Glitteractica Cookie: and Rik’s not here, but we have a god group of people presenting today,s o let’s get started
[08:39] Zinnia Zauber: 🙂
[08:39] Veri Oddfellow: 😉
[08:39] Hour Destiny: God groups are good. 😀
[08:40] Veri Oddfellow: Yeah, I like that typo …

MENTORS CORNER

[08:40] Glitteractica Cookie: Can the mentors please come and give an update about how you help nonprofits?
[08:40] bulaklak: lol Hour
[08:40] Sarvana Haalan: wooot…Mentors rock!!!!
[08:40] Glitteractica Cookie: typos abound here in the world of live chat
[08:40] Zinnia Zauber: Mentor Central today is by Gentle and Chad.
[08:40] Gentle Heron: Glitter, for Mentor Corner today, Chad and I were going to begin the series on SL viewers.
[08:40] Glitteractica Cookie: ok
[08:40] Zinnia Zauber: Rah Chad and Gentle!
[08:41] Gentle Heron: Did you want us down front, or from our seats?
[08:41] Chad Mikado: 🙂
[08:41] Glitteractica Cookie: please come down in front, if you can
[08:41] Glitteractica Cookie: so ppl can see you
[08:41] Sarvana Haalan: yep, we want to see you….smiles
[08:41] Gentle Heron: I’ll start!
[08:41] Chad Mikado: hi all
[08:41] Gentle Heron: Good morning, everyone. The NPC Mentors frequently get questions about SL viewers. That is a topic on which long-time residents often speak passionately, but at the same time, it’s a topic that confuses newer residents.
[08:41] Gentle Heron: Therefore the Mentors will be offering a series of short presentations at our NPC Friday meetings about various available viewers. We’re starting today with the basics: what a viewer is, what it does, and where to find out more information
[08:42] Gentle Heron: Chad and I are not technical experts. So our explanations will be at the beginner level.
[08:42] Gentle Heron: We had technical input from The Virtual World Technologist, my friend JayR Cela, whose opinionated blog on viewers is here:
http://jayrcelasecondlifetechnologist.blogspot.com/
[08:42] Gentle Heron: A viewer is a client software program installed on your computer that allows you to visit various virtual world environments…….. SecondLife / InWorldz / Open Sim. So how a particular viewer works is heavily dependent on YOUR computer, not just on the game.
[08:42] Gentle Heron: Since viewers are software programs, they must be written for particular operating systems. That’s why there are separate PC, Mac, and Linux viewers for Second Life. Although Linden Lab supports all three operating systems, not all available SL viewers do.
[08:43] Gentle Heron: Your individual viewer, residing on your computer, interfaces with the several thousand servers that are operated by Linden Lab and housed around the world.
[08:43] Gentle Heron: Many online games and some virtual worlds are accessible via your web browser, without the need to install a dedicated separate piece of software. These are termed browser-based games.
[08:43] Gentle Heron: Usually access to these games is just a matter of adding a web browser plug-in, such as Flash, Java, Shockwave, Silverlight, or Unity, to your computer.
[08:43] Gentle Heron: {{For those not prone to addiction, a list of popular free browser-based games not requiring a viewer is here:
http://www.freebrowsergamer.com/2008/12/browser-based-games-top-10.html}}
[08:43] Kali Idziak: Jessica Dally, Community Voice Mail, Seattle, WA sneaks in
[08:44] Gentle Heron: **An important note here: Being “browser based” increases ease of use (i.e., no specialized software needs to be installed), but it also limits the game to what a standard browser can do.
[08:44] Hour Destiny: I’m tinkering with Unity3D myself.
[08:44] Gentle Heron: These limitations make it extremely difficult to have a complex and rich user experience, such as we have here in SL (e.g., building, poseballs, AO’s, etc.).
[08:44] Gentle Heron: World of Warcraft and other high-end games also require dedicated software to be installed on your computer, and don’t work in a browser… for the same reason. A browser just can’t handle a complex 3D environment with multiple interactive elements.
[08:44] Gentle Heron: The purpose of the viewer software is to allow you to interact with the virtual world. What is most important is not how the viewer interacts with your computer, but how you interact with the viewer.
[08:45] Gentle Heron: This is done through the User Interface (UI). The UI is what you see on your SL screen, around (and sometimes over) the scenery and avatars. So it includes all the buttons and controls, the menus and messages, that allow your avatar to function in the 3D virtual environment.
[08:45] Gentle Heron: ** The User Interface is what users notice as differences between viewers, although there can be major differences “behind the scenes” in how each type of viewer works.
[08:45] Gentle Heron: NOTE:

We’re not going into the controversy over the various versions of SL viewers. The Mentors will discuss several viewers in upcoming weeks. Suffice it to say that all major SL viewers are undergoing continuous upgrades.
[08:46] Gentle Heron: The upgrade process begins by collecting data. One way many developers do this is through “bug reports.” If you find something that is not working properly in a Linden Lab viewer, you can submit a Public JIRA report on the Second Life Bug Tracker. (Other viewers use a similar process.) You’ll describe what you did, what you expected to happen, and what happened instead. Information on this process is here:
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Bug_Tracker
[08:46] Gentle Heron: A second way viewer developers collect data on their viewer’s functionality is through crash reports. When your viewer crashes, please allow the crash report to be sent, as this data helps the maker of your viewer (whether LL or a third party developer) to improve the next version.
[08:46] Gentle Heron: A third way LL collects information on the viewer is through resident direct contact with Project Snowstorm, the development team led by Oz Linden. You can attend the weekly Project Snowstorm team meetings, and hear what LL is working on for the next iteration of their viewer. You can find out about Project Snowstorm here:
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Project_Snowstorm
[08:47] Gentle Heron: And finally, viewer developers learn from messing around with other viewers! Since the Second Life viewer code is open source, nothing is secret.
[08:47] Gentle Heron: Over to Chad!
[08:47] Chad Mikado: Thanks Gentle
[08:47] Chad Mikado: I wanted to talk about what “open source” means.
[08:47] Chad Mikado: Open Source is software that is not proprietary. In other words, no one owns it. It is free to use, copy, distribute and/or modify.
[08:47] Chad Mikado: Other than the Linden Lab viewer, you likely already use open source software somewhere in your daily/working life
[08:48] Chad Mikado: Audacity, MWSnap
Open Office, Libre Office as alternatives to MS Office Android software for smartphones
[08:48] Chad Mikado: Understanding something about the communities that exist in SL, Linden Lab encourages anyone to create a viewer for SL.
[08:48] Chad Mikado: Having this option to choose or, with skill, create our own viewer presents opportunities to increase access and accessibility for many users in Second Life
[08:48] Chad Mikado: A list of LL developed and under development viewers is here: http://secondlife.com/support/downloads/
[08:48] Chad Mikado: Those who develop viewers and comply with LL policies are listed as “Third Party Viewers”. You may find Third Party Viewers here: http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Third_Party_Viewer_Directory
[08:48] Chad Mikado: How to choose from all the viewers
[08:49] Chad Mikado: First of all, what are your needs?
-SL’s viewer offers a standard and advanced view based on your comfort level and experience using it
[08:49] Chad Mikado: There are other options available, based on
[08:49] Chad Mikado: -The capabilities of your computer (text only, viewers that use fewer computer resources)
-Your level of knowledge creating/manipulating content in SL
-Accessing via smartphone (Android and Apple)
-The operating system of your computer (Mac, PC, Linux)
[08:49] Chad Mikado: All viewers listed on the wiki page meet LL’s Third Party requirements. It’s your choice whether you want to download and use a viewer from another site, but LL doesn’t recommend it.
[08:50] Chad Mikado: We cannot recommend a Third Party Viewer directly, but certainly encourage you to evaluate what your needs and capabilities are. There’s a variety to choose from!
[08:50] Sarvana Haalan: over here Krayoni,,, grab a seat
[08:50] Gentle Heron: That’s it for today…. just an introduction to viewers in general.
[08:50] Gentle Heron: Stay tuned for info about particular viewers in later installments of Mentor Corner.
[08:50] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you very much Gentle and Chad!
[08:51] Panny Bakerly claps!
[08:51] oO0Oo: 🙂 nice, ty
[08:51] Chad Mikado: you bet.
[08:51] bulaklak: Wow, thanks guys! That was really interesting to me, as still somewhat of a newbie. I had no idea.
[08:51] Dancers Yao: great thanks
[08:51] Eliza Madrigal: Thank you ::claps:::
[08:51] Zinnia Zauber: We have our Mentor’s Meeting after this meeting if you need help or have input for the Mentors.
[08:51] Glitteractica Cookie: Thanks you two
[08:51] Astra Toki: thank you
[08:51] Zotarah Shepherd: Thank you
[08:51] Sarvana Haalan: woot, woot!!!

LIVE AND LEARN IN KENYA

[08:51] Glitteractica Cookie: Next up we have Brique Topaz (in RL, she is Brique Zeiner), Chairwoman of Live and Learn in Kenya Int’l www.llk-selb.de
[08:52] Glitteractica Cookie: She will be talking abou tthe Lavender Field, Feed a smile
[08:52] Glitteractica Cookie: Give it up for Brique!
[08:52] Brique Topaz: I’m very glad to be here again. I joined Nonprofit Commons nearly 2 years ago. I don’t get to many meetings because of the time zone problem – I’m an American living and teaching in Germany – and usually have lessons at this time.
[08:52] Buffy Beale: Cheering!
[08:52] Brique Topaz: °͜°
[08:53] Glitteractica Cookie: @briquezeiner on twotter
[08:53] Buffy Beale: Thanks for the infor Chad and Gentle!
[08:53] Brique Topaz: My avitar name is Brique Topaz and my RL name is Brique Zeiner. I’m an American living in Germany.
I’m the RL Founder and Chairwoman of Live and Learn in Kenya Int’l – which is the daughter organization of the German organization Leben und Lernen in Kenia e.V.
[08:53] Sarvana Haalan: Excellent…
[08:53] Brique Topaz: We are a registered charity organization in both Germany and in Kenya.
[08:54] Brique Topaz: I founded Live and Learn in Kenya Int’l (LLK) over 10 years ago in order to find a way to help extremely poor children out of the vicious circle of poverty.
[08:54] Brique Topaz: Only through education can this circle be broken.
[08:55] Brique Topaz: We have 423 children on the program at the moment. They are all going to school – from kindergarten through to university. We’re very proud that the first young man was able to begin university just a few days ago.
[08:56] Brique Topaz: From the 423 children only 48 do not have sponsors.
[08:56] Brique Topaz: 6 of the sponsored children have sponsors through SL.
[08:56] Adalace Jewell: great
[08:56] Brique Topaz: I only began slowly promoting the sponsorship program a few months ago.
[08:56] Brique Topaz: I have been in SL for nearly 2 years.
[08:57] Buffy Beale: that’s fantastic Brique
[08:57] Brique Topaz: I joined SL because of Nonprofit Commons. I was invited here by Alison Lowndes, who also runs a Kenya project.
[08:57] Brique Topaz: My main initiative in SL is to raise funds to feed the children on the program.
[08:58] Brique Topaz: We have a charity venue called “The Lavender Field – Feed a Smile”.
[08:58] Brique Topaz: We have a charity venue called “The Lavender Field – Feed a Smile”.
[08:58] Brique Topaz: The land and everything on it was donated.
[08:59] Brique Topaz: A huge variety of musicians in all musical genres, artists, dancers, storytellers, etc volunteer their time and talents to raise funds to “feed some smiles” in Kenya.
[08:59] Brique Topaz: There are at least 3 – 5 events take place every week.
[09:00] Brique Topaz: It is a huge and growing success and I am very thankful to say that in the 18 months of The Lavender Field – Feed a Smile we are averaging about 900 US$ monthly.
[09:00] Brique Topaz: With a meal costing about 40 cents (100 Lindens) that means we are feeding at least 2250 meals the month just from SL.
[09:00] Gentle Heron: That is certainly significant!
[09:00] Glitteractica Cookie: That is amazing
[09:01] Brique Topaz: The children receive school meals that LLK pays for through sponsorships and donations – but on weekends and school breaks we feed them from our office compound in Nakuru.
[09:01] Glitteractica Cookie: we should do a spotlight on techsoup about your case
[09:01] Brique Topaz: °͜°
[09:01] Brique Topaz: That means about 850 meals per weekend – which means that Sl pays for more than two weekends of meals every month.
[09:01] Brique Topaz: That’s an amazing success in my opinion.
[09:02] Sarvana Haalan: awesome
[09:02] Veri Oddfellow: Excellent work .. bravo!
[09:02] Eliza Madrigal: 🙂
[09:02] Brique Topaz: Many venue and shop owners set donation boxes out for Feed a Smile.
[09:02] Buffy Beale: amazing, well done!
[09:02] Brique Topaz: Thanks…
[09:02] Brique Topaz: The donations can be watched at: http://gandn.rooss.de/apps/gandnllkdonations/llkdonations.php?command=sh… although some donations are paid through paypal from the website www.llk-selb.de or venue. They also have events at their venues and shops for us.
[09:03] Brique Topaz: My goal in SL is to feed the children every weekend and find sponsors for the remaining children without sponsors.
[09:03] Brique Topaz: 3 huge events will be taking place at the Lavender Field within the next 3 months:
[09:04] Brique Topaz: Today – starting at 12PM slt and going on until 5PM – Friday the 13th event with 4 live musicians and a DJ.
[09:04] Brique Topaz: On Saturday, February 25th – Live music, art and and auction
[09:04] Brique Topaz: and on Sunday, March 25th Pol Arida will be performing his very successful presentation “Monsters”. I have a notecard about it if you’d like more information.
[09:05] Brique Topaz: The Lavender Field for Feed a Smile is open to the public 24/7
[09:05] Brique Topaz: We have a main stage area
[09:05] Brique Topaz: a Kenya area
[09:06] Brique Topaz: and a small stage in a cozy house for quiet concerts and readings
[09:06] Brique Topaz: What this all comes down to is – Second Life is a tool that can be used for many wonderful causes – BUT – we aren’t just here to work – at least I’m not… Like Bono once said “As a rock star, I have two instincts, I want to have fun, and I want to change the world. I have a chance to do both.”
[09:07] Brique Topaz: So we all have a good chance to do good and have a good time doing it!
[09:07] Brique Topaz: Thank you for your attention – and if anyone has any questions – I’ll try to answer them.
[09:07] Sarvana Haalan: always in for a good party for a good cause
[09:07] Brique Topaz: Right!
[09:08] Buffy Beale: Applauding you Brique, well done
[09:08] Brique Topaz: Thank you.
[09:08] Zinnia Zauber: Wonderful Brique!
[09:08] Gentle Heron: Congratulations on your fundraising success, Brique. And of course on your care of the children. Can you tell us a bit about how you advertise your events here?
[09:08] Brique Topaz: Well, I post all events.
[09:09] Brique Topaz: I am on Facebook – Brique Zeiner
[09:09] Sarvana Haalan: I received your notices through NPC notecards
[09:09] Brique Topaz: and as a group – Feed a Smile
[09:09] Brique Topaz: Yes – and notices, notices, notices
[09:09] Second Life: You decline ‘Out with the old, in with the ODD, 9:30pm NYE!’ ( Dragonhenge (128,128,652) ) from The Tunaverse.
[09:09] Second Life: You decline ‘Out with the old, in with the ODD, 8:30pm NYE!’ ( Dragonhenge (128,128,652) ) from The Tunaverse.
[09:09] oO0Oo: ty Brique
[09:10] Gentle Heron: Do you get the same audience members most of the time?
[09:10] Brique Topaz: I want to take this chance
[09:10] Brique Topaz: to say thank you to Nonprofit Commons for making this possible.
[09:10] Sarvana Haalan: do you want with any other NGO in Kenya?
[09:10] Sarvana Haalan: *work with
[09:10] Hour Destiny: Kiva allows people to sponsor entrepreneurs in third world countries via their website. Maybe something similar for Feed a Smile?
[09:11] Brique Topaz: That would be interesting…
[09:11] Brique Topaz: We have some support from the Red Cross in Kenya
[09:11] Brique Topaz: and from a German Dentists Org.
[09:12] Hour Destiny: Are you making use of One Laptop Per Child?
[09:12] Brique Topaz: No – I don’t know about that – but I’d like to find out…
[09:12] Brique Topaz whispers: As we aren
[09:13] Brique Topaz: ‘t a registered org. in the US it is difficult to get connections there
[09:13] Sarvana Haalan: are you familiar wh Hope Missions International, as part of the Hope Partnership and Mary Kamau?
[09:13] LovePhillyChick: my friend worked in the peac corp and just came back from kenya
[09:13] Brique Topaz: No Sarvana – I’m not.
[09:13] LovePhillyChick: she was saying resources are not getting to people
[09:13] LovePhillyChick: its nice to know about feed a smile
[09:13] Brique Topaz: Well – that is the reason why we are there…
[09:14] Sarvana Haalan: as so many other countries
[09:14] Hour Destiny: http://one.laptop.org/
[09:14] Brique Topaz: We are a small org doing big things….
[09:14] Sarvana Haalan: indeed
[09:14] Eliza Madrigal: :))
[09:14] Brique Topaz: We had our bad experiences – and learned from them.
[09:14] oO0Oo: 🙂
[09:14] LovePhillyChick: its the smaller groups that make a difference
[09:14] LovePhillyChick: wonderful what u are doing
[09:14] Gentle Heron totally agrees with PhillyChick.
[09:15] Brique Topaz: As a US citizen, I’m hoping to find a way to register LLK in the States as a non-profit org
[09:15] LovePhillyChick: she personally adopted a child
[09:15] Sarvana Haalan: do you get any support from the government?
[09:15] Brique Topaz: Kenyan?
[09:15] Sarvana Haalan: yes
[09:16] Sarvana Haalan: not necessary $$$ but cutting re tape
[09:16] Brique Topaz: Only to the extent that we are allowed to do our work more or less in peace
[09:16] Sarvana Haalan: *red
[09:16] Sarvana Haalan: that’s a victory in its self
[09:17] Brique Topaz: yes.
[09:17] Brique Topaz: It hasn’t been easy.
[09:17] Brique Topaz: There is a lot of corruption in Kenya.
[09:17] oO0Oo: *
[09:17] LovePhillyChick: yes
[09:18] Sarvana Haalan: I was in and out of country Kenya during the early 90s with JHPIEGO
[09:18] Brique Topaz: there is a small souvenir from Feed a Smile.
[09:18] LovePhillyChick: ty
[09:18] Eliza Madrigal: ty Brique
[09:18] Sarvana Haalan: Thanks
[09:19] Brique Topaz: your very welcome
[09:19] Glitteractica Cookie: Thanks Brique
[09:19] Glitteractica Cookie: Any final questions or comments for our speaker?
[09:19] oO0Oo: Brique, Is there a long term view whereby the children who are learning, will be able to feedback/loopback into the efforts with livelihoods continuing to support or develop standard of living?
[09:20] Sarvana Haalan: this was great… Kenya has my heart indeed
[09:20] Brique Topaz: It is our wish that the children “pay back” by supporting the org in Nakuru in their own way.
[09:21] oO0Oo: ty, and I willl read more on the website also
[09:21] Brique Topaz: We have many children – young adults now – who have finished vocational training and can now help the others by cutting their hair
[09:21] Brique Topaz: sewing clothes
[09:21] Brique Topaz: etc….
[09:21] Hour Destiny: One Laptop Per Child at http://one.laptop.org could help with “paying back” by providing the opportunity to increase education and provide employment (such as via programming).
[09:21] oO0Oo: ah.. ty
[09:22] Brique Topaz: That would be great. I’ll looki into it!
[09:22] Brique Topaz: If anyone is interested in the “Monsters” performance, I can send you a notecard about it.
[09:23] Em Ellsmere: I am
[09:23] Brique Topaz: Thanks again to NPC for the possibility to talk to you about it.
[09:23] Buffy Beale: you really set a fine example Brique for using SL for a good cause
[09:23] Glitteractica Cookie: Thanks for talking to us
[09:23] Buffy Beale: I know Relay for Life gets a lot of press and hope your story gets out as well
[09:23] Sarvana Haalan: I would like a notecard
[09:23] Glitteractica Cookie: and please feel free to send more infoarmtion to nonprofitcommons@techsoup.org and we will try to do a spotlight piece on your work
[09:24] Sarvana Haalan: I blogged about it … http://virtual-sarvana.blogspot.com/2012/01/learning-about-live-and-lear…

TECHSOUP UPDATES

[09:24] Glitteractica Cookie: Bulaklak, would you come up here and give a techsoup update to the community?
[09:24] bulaklak: Hi, folks!
[09:24] Glitteractica Cookie: Cool, Sarvana
[09:24] Buffy Beale: hey bulaklak
[09:24] bulaklak: Thanks Brique for that great talk.
[09:24] Sarvana Haalan: Woot, Bulaklak
[09:24] oO0Oo: Thanks Brique.. nice presentation.
[09:24] bulaklak: So last week we had Kristy Graves here to talk all about the TechSoup Digitial Storytelling Challenge
[09:25] Sarvana Haalan: I included NPN mtg info as well
[09:25] bulaklak: I hope everyone is getting excited about it
[09:25] bulaklak: The official pages will launch next week
[09:25] Sarvana Haalan: great
[09:25] bulaklak: But in the meantime, here is a calendar of events so you can save the dates!
[09:25] bulaklak: http://bit.ly/tsdigscal
[09:25] bulaklak: I also want to point to an upcoming webinar at TechSoup
[09:26] bulaklak: All about how libraries and nonprofits are using apps
[09:26] bulaklak: This is coming out of a survey we did over the last few months
[09:26] bulaklak: In this free, one-hour webinar, we will share valuable information regarding creating and using apps in libraries and nonprofits. Thanks to a grant from Microsoft, TechSoup’s App it Up project has enabled us to learn about the kinds of apps nonprofits and libraries are using to engage constituents, tell stories, and accomplish their goals. Discover popular apps you can put to use right now. Listen in when Shawn Michael of NPower explains how her organization effectively uses apps. Find out how to develop and deploy an “app-propriate” strategy when we share tips and lessons learned on the entire process of developing apps.
[09:26] bulaklak: It’s free.
[09:26] bulaklak: And you can register here.
[09:27] Gentle Heron: Bulaklak, be sure this gets to the large library community in SL! They are a natural audience for this.
[09:27] Sarvana Haalan: the magic word… Free .. lol, lol
[09:27] bulaklak: http://bit.ly/wrJIgk
[09:27] bulaklak: And that is on January 19 at 11am Pacific time
[09:27] bulaklak: Lastly, we are talking all about tech planning at TechSoup this month
[09:27] bulaklak: If your org does not have a 3 – 5 year strategic tech plan
[09:28] bulaklak: It might be time to think about that
[09:28] Sarvana Haalan: oh, no… I have a lab training course … will the webinar be archived?
[09:28] bulaklak: Here is a whole mess of resources and links in a blog that you will find useful if you are consideriong that process
[09:28] bulaklak: http://bit.ly/yNeo4v
[09:28] bulaklak: It will be recorded
[09:28] bulaklak: The webinar, that is
[09:28] bulaklak: So you can watch it later if you have a scheduling conflict
[09:29] bulaklak: All of our online events are recorded or recapped
[09:29] bulaklak: So they always have a “second life”
[09:29] bulaklak: hehe
[09:29] bulaklak: And that’s all I have today
[09:29] bulaklak: Thanks, folks
[09:29] Glitteractica Cookie: harhard
[09:29] Glitteractica Cookie: OK, thanks Bulaklak
[09:29] Veri Oddfellow: Tee hee
[09:29] Astra Toki: haha
[09:29] Hour Destiny: http://mobile.civigive.com is a free branded mobile web app for 501c3s.
[09:30] Glitteractica Cookie: I know we had a bit of a brainstorm, the last time Rik was away, but I can’t find the chat log. Do you (any of you) remember what event idea we had?
[09:30] Glitteractica Cookie: i can always look in chat archives, but i just wanted to shout out to you all first
[09:31] Glitteractica Cookie: we had a great idea for an event, but I’m losing the rest
[09:31] Buffy Beale: darn I can’t remember either but seems we had a few good ideas come out
[09:31] Gentle Heron: Glitter, I think that was Wishes Granted.
[09:31] Glitteractica Cookie: Hmm.. no one remembers? OK, I will dig up the chat log. Good thing we are saving those
[09:32] Glitteractica Cookie: No, it wasn’t wishes granted… something else.
[09:32] Glitteractica Cookie: i will ask Rik to look up in the chat log
[09:32] Sarvana Haalan: oh, yes…was it the challenge or hunt?’
[09:32] Glitteractica Cookie: YES
[09:32] Glitteractica Cookie: Challenge/hunt themed…
[09:33] Glitteractica Cookie: hmm.. ok, well we will look into it. and report back when we recover that chat log

OPEN MIC / ANNOUNCEMENTS

[09:33] Sarvana Haalan: is this open mic yet?
[09:33] Glitteractica Cookie: I think we are at open mic time!
[09:33] Glitteractica Cookie: Who is ready to say an announcement for the larger group, say AYE
[09:34] Sarvana Haalan: you read my mind… lol
[09:34] Astra Toki: aye
[09:34] Sarvana Haalan: I have an announcement…
[09:34] Glitteractica Cookie: OK, Daria is first i[
[09:34] Glitteractica Cookie: first up
[09:34] Glitteractica Cookie: (then Sarvana)
[09:34] Astra Toki: Hello everyone, I’m from Global Kids, based in NYC and wanted to announce our last two youth-run talk shows
[09:35] Astra Toki: They’re happening today at 5pm EST. The high school students I work with are presenting on climate change and electronic waste
[09:35] Rhiannon Chatnoir: love the idea ofa NPC scavenger hunt though.. a get to know/interact with the various orgs here
[09:35] Astra Toki: The show will be here: New Media Consortium Convention Center NMC Conference Center (201,29,48)
[09:35] Glitteractica Cookie: is there a tweet we could RT about it from the techsoup and @npsl accounts?
[09:35] Astra Toki: Feel free to join us as audience members!
[09:36] Astra Toki: btw, you can watch our last show’s video here: http://www.olpglobalkids.org/2011/12/lts_food_justice_show_full_vid.html…
[09:36] Glitteractica Cookie: Daria, do you have a tweet for us to amplify
[09:37] Glitteractica Cookie: or we can just tweet about it and mention it, on our own accounts
[09:37] Astra Toki: sure, i’ll grab that and post it here in a sec
[09:37] Glitteractica Cookie: (as in not a RT)
[09:37] Glitteractica Cookie: perfect, we are happy to amplify your messages
[09:37] Glitteractica Cookie: While you are grabbing that, Sarvana is up, then Gentle Heron
[09:37] Sarvana Haalan: I attend the VWER meeting yesterday… discovering several members had no knowledge of NPC. I assumed that they did. I did invite several members to future meetings. And one more thing,
[09:38] Sarvana Haalan: FYI: we are postponing the Capacity Building Workshop…waiting for a new date from the venue
[09:38] Sarvana Haalan: so we should be cross promoting NPSL and events
[09:38] Zinnia Zauber: cool Sar
[09:39] Hour Destiny: Heh. I have mentioned NPC at VWER before. However, people come and go and the passage of time affects memories.
[09:39] Sarvana Haalan: plus I hope to blog more in 2012… NPC will always have a link
[09:40] Gentle Heron agrees with Hour.
[09:40] Sarvana Haalan: okay… I am done… the floor is open for my friend and colleague Gentle Heron… fromm
[09:40] Sarvana Haalan: I been watching to much congressional sessions… lol, lol
[09:40] Gentle Heron: OK I have an interesting event to announce!
[09:40] Sarvana Haalan: *tyoo
[09:40] Gentle Heron: New Year’s Resolution: Live Healthier
Presenter: Vera Zhaoying, Dutch physician, head of Ann Myers Medical Center
SATURDAY January 14, 10 am SLT

The workshop is in two parts.
[09:40] Buffy Beale: lol Sar
[09:40] Glitteractica Cookie: yes, feel free to take the lead on that cross promotion. Speaking of cross-promotion, we are all in favor of having messgaes threaded across multiple platforms, here at NPC. We don’t advocate for messaging just in SL. It’s not as effective as cross-promotion, so we are always advocating for messaging across multiple platforms
[09:40] Gentle Heron: (1) We will begin at the Health and Wellness Pavilion on Healthinfo Island.

Healthinfo Island (211,86,22)
Here we will learn about the importance of exercise and regular medical care in keeping ourselves well throughout the coming year.
[09:40] Glitteractica Cookie: Sarvana does this well via Facebook, for example
[09:41] Glitteractica Cookie: good model to follow
[09:41] Gentle Heron: (2) The second part of the workshop will take place at Ann Myers Medical Center.

Fashion Boulevard II (79,48,21)
Here your avatar will get a health checkup!
We will finish with exercise, so wear appropriate clothing.
[09:41] Gentle Heron: The intent of this entire event is to help you keep your New Year’s Resolution, or to give you a wake up call.
[09:41] Sarvana Haalan: Thank you
[09:41] Gentle Heron: ***and***
[09:41] Gentle Heron: while we are on the topic of New Year Resolutions:
[09:41] Gentle Heron: We also have research opportunities posted in the Research Pavilion on Healthinfo Island. If you want an easy way to give back to the global community, please consider offering to be a research subject.

Many opportunities are surveys, easy to complete. Come on over and see if you quality to participate.
[09:42] Zinnia Zauber: Awesome!
[09:42] Gentle Heron: That’s all this week. Thanks!
[09:42] Sarvana Haalan: any special requirements to participate in surveys?
[09:42] Gentle Heron: Each one is particular to the research
[09:42] Gentle Heron: For some, they want you to have a specific disability.
[09:42] Hour Destiny: Alive, breathing, and literate, I suspect. 🙂
[09:43] Gentle Heron: For others, just a requirement about how long you’ve been in SL.
[09:43] Gentle Heron: It varies!
[09:43] Sarvana Haalan: as long as I do not have to give up my first born and only born. lol, lol
[09:43] Glitteractica Cookie: Thanks Gentle
[09:43] Gentle Heron: oh no no nothing arduous like that
[09:43] Astra Toki: btw, here is something you can amplify/tweet for the talk shows today: Let’s Talk Sustainability – Upcoming (and final) Shows!: http://tinyurl.com/874bygl
[09:43] Glitteractica Cookie: Perfect, will amplify
[09:44] Gentle Heron: I think the most invasive is for family members of people with MS… they want a saliva sample.
[09:45] Glitteractica Cookie: Any more announcements?
[09:45] Glitteractica Cookie: this is the time to share with the larger group
[09:45] Zinnia Zauber: Me please
[09:45] Glitteractica Cookie: go ahead Zin
[09:45] Zinnia Zauber: thank you
[09:45] Glitteractica Cookie: np
[09:46] Zinnia Zauber: CommonGround is on Jan 15 from 5 to 7 PM
[09:46] Zinnia Zauber: our color theme is silver
[09:46] Sarvana Haalan: wooot, woot
[09:46] Zinnia Zauber: and I encourage you to visit the Wishes Granted display
[09:46] Sarvana Haalan: Sunday night?
[09:46] Glitteractica Cookie: Can you give a brief bit of background on common ground and wishes granted, fo rthe new folks?
[09:46] Zinnia Zauber: this weekend before we take it down to decorate.
[09:47] Zinnia Zauber: yes
[09:47] Zinnia Zauber: CommonGround is a networking event that has been going on for over 3 years.
[09:47] Sarvana Haalan: I posted the pictures that I took on Flickr… they are in the NPSL group pool
[09:47] Zinnia Zauber: Enjoy networking and dancing among other nonprofits and supporters! Learn more about what nonprofits, educators, humanitarians, scientists, and artists accomplish in Second Life at the Nonprofit Commons at this fun and informative event.
[09:47] Glitteractica Cookie: can someone send the chat log to nonprofitcommons@techsoup.org I don’t have the full chat
[09:47] Sarvana Haalan: you guys are an great job.
[09:47] Zinnia Zauber: To get to know one another, you are welcome to share what you or your organization is up to and distribute notecards about special events we can support and participate in. Another effective way to connect with a new audience and promote your organization’s mission is to sponsor a CommonGround Party.
[09:48] HB Eternal: Zin the 19th (Thu)?
[09:48] Ozma Malibu: I am so excited to have time to attend! Yay for semi-retirement.
[09:48] Sarvana Haalan: 15th or 19th?
[09:48] Zinnia Zauber: sorry, yes the 19th
[09:48] Gentle Heron: (((Ozma))) don’t ever plan to FULLY retire.
[09:48] Zinnia Zauber: I was stuck in another month
[09:48] Zinnia Zauber: lol
[09:48] Zinnia Zauber: Jan 19 for CommonGround
[09:48] Sarvana Haalan: I want to tretire… it’s a “Bucket list” item. lol, lol
[09:49] Zinnia Zauber: I am still on my first cup of coffee.
[09:49] Sarvana Haalan: *retire
[09:49] HB Eternal: Zinnia is the hostess with the mostess!
[09:49] Zinnia Zauber: Thank you HB!
[09:49] Buffy Beale: yay Z!
[09:49] Zinnia Zauber: We have an amazing team for CommonGround!
[09:49] Sarvana Haalan: that’s why I can’t type… I have Not had my tea today
[09:49] Glitteractica Cookie: OK, and any more announcements from the community? (tahnks Zinnia)
[09:49] Glitteractica Cookie: anyone?
[09:50] Glitteractica Cookie: OK, so I guess that is wrap. Can someone email nonprofitcommons@techsoup.org with today’s chatlog plz?
[09:50] Glitteractica Cookie: seeking a very nice volunteer to do this
[09:50] Buffy Beale: I can Glitter
[09:50] Astra Toki: thank you glitter
[09:50] Glitteractica Cookie: thanks buffy
[09:51] Buffy Beale: k
[09:51] Glitteractica Cookie: 🙂
[09:51] bulaklak: Thanks, Buffy! Thanks, all, for a great meeting!
[09:51] oO0Oo: Buffy 🙂
[09:51] bulaklak: See you all next week!
[09:51] Glitteractica Cookie: ok, then I guess we are endign a few mins early. Thanks for everyone’s participation
[09:51] Veri Oddfellow: Take care all .. nice to see you!
[09:51] Glitteractica Cookie: See you all next week
[09:51] oO0Oo: Thanks so much.. wonderful
[09:51] Veri Oddfellow: *waves adn smiles*
[09:51] CarynTopia Silvercloud: thanks
[09:51] Panny Bakerly: Take care all. Thank you!
[09:51] Buffy Beale: have a great one all, take good care
[09:51] Chad Mikado: Have a good weekend all
[09:51] Zinnia Zauber: Mentor’s Meeting at 9:55 SLT

Written by: rikomatic

This Friday January 13, the Nonprofit Commons welcomes Brique Topaz, founder of Live and Learn in Kenya, Intl, a registered charity in Germany and Kenya. Brique will be talking to us about her work to improve the lives of poor children in Africa. In the past months , she has been using Second Life as a means of raising funds for meals for poor students in Kenya with remarkable success. Learn how she does it and what their plans for the future are.

As always, we feature news from TechSoup.org, we learn something new from our wonderful Mentors, and close with open mic announcements from anyone in the community. Join us on Friday morning at the Nonprofit Commons amphitheater. See you then!

Nonprofit Commons Meeting

• 8:30am Introductions
• 8:40am TechSoup Announcements
• 8:45am Mentors Corner
• 8:55am Brique Topaz, Live and Learn in Kenya
• 9:30am OpenMic/ Announcements

Written by: rikomatic

On January 6, 2012, Kristy Graves, Susan Tenby, and Michael DeLong of TechSoup spoke to the Nonprofit Commons community about the launch of the 2012 TSDIGS initiative. TSDIGS stands for the “TechSoup Digital Storytelling Challenge,” a fun, friendly competition to encourage nonprofits to share their story using different digital media tools.  There are great prizes and its a great way to get your nonprofit’s message to a wider audience.

Several members of the Nonprofit Commons community were active participants last year. We’d love to see at least 10-15 submissions this year.  The challenge is in February, so start thinking of what story you want to tell, and what medium you want to use now!

The full transcript of their talk is below. Thanks for speaking at the NPC, Kristy Susan, and Michael!

[08:57]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok lets move on to our featured speakers…

[08:57]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Kristy and Michael, come on down please

[08:57]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): or right click on one of the chairs beside me

[08:58]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): Yay Kristy welcome!

[08:58]  Sage Geddins: Hi everyone!

[08:58]  Sarvana Haalan: hello

[08:58]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Sage and Bulaklak are two of my colleagues at TechSoup

[08:58]  Sage Geddins: It’s been a while since I’ve been here, nice to see all you

[08:59]  Sarvana Haalan: wooot, TechSoup!!!!

[08:59]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Bulaklak, are you coming down?

[08:59]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): or just suppporting from the audience?

[08:59]  Glitteractica Cookie: I’ll sit here with my team!

[08:59]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): there you go

[08:59]  Sage Geddins: he was coming to help me out 🙂

[08:59]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): We are here to morally support Sage, who has never presented here before

[09:00]  Sage Geddins: Since it’s been a while since I’ve been here. Thanks for helping me out

[09:00]  Glitteractica Cookie: I think she has, year ago, actually

[09:00]  Jen (jenelle.levenque): Welcome Page

[09:00]  Sage Geddins: Yes, it’s been a year. Was here last year for TSDigs

[09:00]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): So they are going to tell us about TSDigs, the TechSoup digital storytelling challenge

[09:00]  Sage Geddins: Cool, yes, we’re excited for this year’s Challenge

[09:00]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Please give them your best attention, since it sa really cool project that can help you

[09:01]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): take it away Sage.

[09:01]  Sage Geddins: http://tiny.cc/tsdigs

[09:01]  Glitteractica Cookie: I can give a littel history, if you want, Sage

[09:01]  Sage Geddins: this year we’re partnering with a cool nonprofit in Austin, Lights. Camera. Help.

[09:01]  Sage Geddins: http://lightscamerahelp.org

[09:01]  Glitteractica Cookie: Let’s take a step back and give a little context/background

[09:02]  Glitteractica Cookie: Is that OK, Sage?

[09:02]  Sage Geddins: And the Challenge will be a month long event during February

[09:02]  Glitteractica Cookie: OK, So, For those of you asking, What is the Dis all about…?

[09:02]  Sage Geddins: During that we’ll be hosting a series of webinars, tweetchats, and resources that will help organiztions tell their story digitally, through video or digital pictures

[09:03]  Sage Geddins: Do we have anyone here who participated in last year?

[09:03]  Glitteractica Cookie: Sage– I’m going to do a little background context ok?

[09:03]  Glitteractica Cookie: Ahem…

[09:03]  Sage Geddins: Sure

[09:03]  Glitteractica Cookie: So, to give this a little context…

[09:04]  Glitteractica Cookie: A few years back we launched the TechSoup Digital Storytelling Campaign. It was a challenge to teach nonprofits how to better tell their story. I had been noticing that most orgs were not versed in telling their own stories well

[09:05]  Glitteractica Cookie: The only orgs who really thought about storytelling and the practice of creating stories to tell their org’s mission in a way that is more than just words on a page were Domestic Violence agencies

[09:05]  Glitteractica Cookie: The DV orgs had Digital Storytelling down, but most other orgs were falling behind. So, we launched an educational Campaign that culminated ina challenge for orgs to create digital stories

[09:06]  Glitteractica Cookie: This event will occur over a month and most importantly… it si a CROSS PLATFORM event.

[09:06]  Glitteractica Cookie: WWhat that means is that it is decentralized and the entire campaign is held together across social networks via a single hashtag, #TSDIGS

[09:07]  Glitteractica Cookie: so, with that minor background, i think you all have a little more background to learn about this year’s events

[09:07]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thanks, glitter

[09:07]  Glitteractica Cookie: OK, we can answer questions after

[09:07]  Glitteractica Cookie: Back to Sage

[09:07]  Sage Geddins: Thanks, Glitter

[09:07]  Sarvana Haalan: nice

[09:07]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): perhaps update people on what is new this year, Sage?

[09:08]  Sage Geddins: Yes. One big new part is the partnership with Lights Camera Help, LCH – great nonprofit out of Austin that hosts a nonprofit film festival every year…

[09:08]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): Amazing educational resources coming together

[09:09]  Sage Geddins: They’ll be leading our three training webinars on production

[09:09]  Sage Geddins: The webinars will be on the first three Thursdays in Feb, at 11am Pacific

[09:10]  Sage Geddins: We’re working on updating the site now, but will be posted at http://tiny.cc/tsdigs or you can sign up to be notified at http://bit.ly/tsdigssubscribe

[09:10]  Sage Geddins: We’ll also be hosting a series of tweet chats for those you on Twitter, Tuesdays at 11am Pacific.

[09:10]  Sage Geddins: As Glitter mentioned, the tag is #TSDigs

[09:11]  Glitteractica Cookie: That tag is also finable on FLickr

[09:11]  Sage Geddins: Organizations have the month of Feb to create a 60 second video or 5 picture slideshow on Flickr

[09:11]  Sage Geddins: The cool thing is, you’re creating a story about your own organization, so you can keep it to use for your own marketing or recruiting

[09:11]  Sarvana Haalan: awesome

[09:12]  Sage Geddins: But we will have prizes!

[09:12]  Glitteractica Cookie: really GOOD prizes, courtesy of our TechSoup Donation partners!

[09:12]  Sage Geddins: We’ll be awarding prizes from our donor partners like Adobe and Flickr

[09:13]  Sage Geddins: Here’s a link to last year’s winners so you can see what the finished stories looked like TechSoup Winners http://bit.ly/xdNw20

[09:13]  Sage Geddins: Room to Read won 1st place from our expert judges, and it was their first video they created

[09:14]  Sage Geddins: We’ll also be having a Community Audience Choice Award again this year

[09:14]  Sage Geddins: So make sure to share stories with your communities!

[09:15]  Sage Geddins: Not sure if I saw BuffyB here? but here’s her video submission from last year http://bit.ly/woOlYw

[09:15]  Glitteractica Cookie: i don’t see buffy

[09:15]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): seh’s not here right now

[09:15]  Sage Geddins: Does anyone have any questions? Or any my team have anything to add?

[09:16]  Jen (jenelle.levenque): Will we be watching from the Drive-in again this year?

[09:16]  Sage Geddins: Yes! Definitely

[09:16]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Is the campaign clear to folks? Basically tell your stories, win great prizes

[09:16]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): We will stream the screening show as in previous years during our OCTribe meetup in March.

[09:16]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): people really liked that drive-in

[09:16]  Sage Geddins: We’ll be hosting an Red Carpet awards screening March 28th in SF and will be streaming into the Drivein

[09:17]  Jen (jenelle.levenque): When is the deadline for submission?

[09:17]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): Feb 29th – leap day!

[09:17]  Sage Geddins: February 29th

[09:17]  Sage Geddins: And opens Feb 1

[09:17]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): lucky this year we get one extra day to play

[09:17]  Sarvana Haalan: Can all NPCSL residents can submit their stories?

[09:18]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I’m counting on a big showing this year from the NPC community

[09:18]  Sarvana Haalan: *NPSL

[09:18]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): all nonprofits can enter a video

[09:18]  Jen (jenelle.levenque): Who/how, do we submit

[09:18]  Sarvana Haalan: sorry my fingers are not working right today

[09:18]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): lets show the world how awesome your work is

[09:18]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): global orgs are welcome and encouraged to join in!

[09:18]  Sarvana Haalan: indeed

[09:18]  Sage Geddins: You’ll be able to submit your stories directly on the TechSoup website

[09:18]  Glitteractica Cookie: by global, In Kenzo means Non-US

[09:18]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): The entry form will be up starting Feb 1

[09:19]  Glitteractica Cookie: via the link Sage sent around before, tiny.cc/tsdigs

[09:19]  Sage Geddins: http://tiny.cc/tsdigs will be able to take you there

[09:19]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): so who is thinking about submitting their story already?

[09:19]  Glitteractica Cookie: best best is to sign up for the google group

[09:19]  Sage Geddins: http://bit.ly/tsdigssubscribe

[09:19]  Sage Geddins: is the link to the Google Group

[09:19]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Sounds like Sarvana is considering it

[09:19]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): Who else?

[09:19]  Jen (jenelle.levenque): Raises hand

[09:20]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): yes!

[09:20]  Sage Geddins: awesome!

[09:20]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): Last year we had at least 5 NPSL entries – would love to see more in 2012

[09:20]  Jen (jenelle.levenque): I’m thinking of getting something together

[09:20]  HB Eternal: Our entry last year has had over 6,000 views on our TLF Channel (one of 175 videos we offer) so we will create a new one again

[09:20]  Glitteractica Cookie: the prizes are video cameras, an Ipad, great adobe software and more

[09:20]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): sweet HB!

[09:20]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): awesome HB

[09:20]  Glitteractica Cookie: That’s great HB!

[09:20]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): Now’s a great time to build organizational support to participate in February, gather your team

[09:20]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): I’d like at least 10 from the NPC community

[09:20]  Sarvana Haalan: wow!!!

[09:21]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): which is totally do-able

[09:21]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): we have 140 members

[09:21]  Sarvana Haalan: hoping to add to your numbers soon

[09:21]  Sage Geddins: There’s a great post InKenzo wrote last year on how much time it takes http://bit.ly/tsdigstime

[09:21]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): and many more groups taht are involved in our community

[09:22]  Sage Geddins: It can take less than you think!

[09:23]  Sarvana Haalan: Zinnia did an awesome job telling the participating orgs’s stories for the “Wishes Granted” Winter Festival

[09:23]  Zinnia Zauber: Thank you, Sar!

[09:23]  Zinnia Zauber: It was a super team effort!

[09:23]  Sage Geddins: Do you have a link to that video?

[09:24]  Sarvana Haalan: my rl colleagues were quite impressed with the information shared

[09:24]  Zinnia Zauber: Sage, it is an inworld project, not a video.

[09:24]  Sage Geddins: ah, sorry

[09:24]  Zinnia Zauber: You can still view them before we take them down for the next CommonGround.

[09:25]  Sarvana Haalan: couldn’yt it be made into a video adding a narrative voice over

[09:25]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): all of those could easily be translated to digital stories

[09:25]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): So there’s tons of opportunities coming up

[09:25]  Zinnia Zauber: Yes, you could totally do that!

[09:25]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): We’d love to have you join us for #NPlive on 1/25 on collaborative video production for orgs

[09:25]  InKenzo at Amoration (in.kenzo): to get the ball rolling

[09:25]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): and lots of people around to help

[09:26]  Sarvana Haalan: I trully hope the the Wishes Granted” presentation is included…

[09:26]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): ok I think we’ve cheerleaded enough for TSDigs

[09:26]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): thanks Sage and my team for all the great info

[09:26]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): We’ll also be posting this to our blog soon

[09:26]  Sage Geddins: Thanks Rik

[09:27]  Rik Panganiban (rik.riel): but seriously I want at least 10-15 stories from our community

Written by: rikomatic

Written by: rikomatic

Written by: rikomatic

At the final Nonprofit Commons meeting for 2011, I gave my own personal recap of the last year for nonprofits in the virtual world.  Here are my full remarks below.

2011: A Year in Review for Nonprofits in the Virtual World

Here’s my own personal recap of some of the major virtual world developments that I thought were relevant for nonprofits and education in 2011.

LINDEN LAB POLICY CHANGES

The year 2011 got off to strange start with Linden Lab rescinding the long-standing discount on virtual land for educators and nonprofits. Worthwhile efforts like virtual PTSD therapy and the SL Shakespeare company had to de-rez due to increased land costs they could not afford. Another sea-change was the merger of the “teen grid” of Second Life with the main grid. For many teens, this meant the loss of their own separate space where they could play, explore, build, create businesses and learn. Since the merger, we have not heard much about teens in Second Life, which is worriesome, since teens are typically not very silent!

The dream of a web-based, immersive virtual world continues to be chased by several companies.

A number of them launched web-based or web-integrated virtual environments in 2011, including:

• Reaction Grid’s JIBE virtual platform, built on Unity 3D
• Kitely’s “virtual world on demand” service
• Tipodean’s Builtby.me web viewer for Second Life or OpenSim worlds
• The Spoton3D web viewer
• The “Shaker” virtual hangout for Facebook which received $15 million in venture funding

Almost all of these are still very much in beta. But they show promise for how getting into a virtual space might be as simple as clicking a web link or joining a FaceBook group.   Sadly, Linden Lab’s web-integration efforts appear to have stalled out or died.

FUNDRAISING FOR JAPAN AND CANCER RESEARCH

Fundraising continued to be an important application of virtual worlds in 2011.   The American Cancer Society’s virtual Relay for Life was again one of the most successful fund appeals of the year. They raised $375K with over 3,000 avatars participating!   That brings their total take-in from Second Life at more than $1 million dollars over the history of the virtual relay. Another notable fundraising effort across multiple worlds was for earthquake relief to Japan. Various SL groups, Eve Online and Zynga launching their own fund drives and events.  

ROCKCLIFFE AND NPC CELEBRATE MILESTONES

Despite the increase in land-fees, several nonprofit and educational efforts continued to survive and even thrive in Second Life.   The Rockcliffe University Consortium recently celebrated 5 years as a nonprofit educational institution in Second Life. The Nonprofit Commons in Second Life also marked a milestone in September, feting our 4 years as the largest nonprofit community in the virtual world.   Thanks to those of you who made our celebration so memorable and fun!

MAJOR INSTITUTIONS STILL INVESTING IN VIRTUAL WORLDS

The virtual world continued to attract a number of major public institutions, who launched projects in 2011, including:

• The World Bank Institute
• The Mayo Clinic
• NASA
• The Library of Birmingham
• Rutgers University

…. and many more….

VIRTUAL PROTESTS FOR DEMOCRACY IN ARAB WORLD AND OCCUPY MOVEMENT

While there were not as many virtual protests as real ones, there were a number of interesting demonstrations and political gatherings in the metaverse in 2011.   In February, coinciding with the “Arab Spring” protests in Egypt, avatars were gathering in Second Life to demonstrate for democracy in the Arab world. Then in the Fall, the “Occupy Wall Street” movement swept the United States and cities around the world.   Activists in Second Life gathered under the “OccupySL” group, sharing information and news, and launching their own virtual protests.  No pepper spraying in SL, but some avatars were ejected from the CapEx sim.

NEW DOCUMENTARIES FOCUS ON VIRTUAL LIFE

In 2011 a number of documentaries examined virtual living including some profiles of some of our own nonprofit friends. The documentary film “Login 2 Life” premiered in September, telling the stories of of 6 individuals whose lives are deeply impacted by different virtual worlds and online games.   Our own Gentle Heron was one of the individuals profiled on her own work with people with disabilities!   The film “Deep Down,” a documentary about the coal mining industry in America, was nominated for an Emmy for its virtual world game called the “Virtual Mine.”  

So those were my highlights from the year! What were yours?

Written by: rikomatic

From all of us on the team at TechSoup , we wish all of our tenants, members, supporters and friends of the Nonprofit Commons community a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

We are looking forward to making 2012 the best year yet at the Nonprofit Commons!

Written by: rikomatic

Join us this Friday December 30 for the final Nonprofit Commons meetup of 2011! For this meeting, I, Rik Riel, your ever faithful community manager, will be giving my 2011 Year in Virtual Worlds Wrapup . Afterwards we’ll share each of our own highlights from our nonprofits over the year, and wishes for the new year. And we’ll pass around fizzy drinks to toast 2012 together!

So join us on Friday December 30, starting at 8:30am PT at the Plush Nonprofit Commons amphitheater. See you then!

Written by: rikomatic