how many shrimps do you have to eat before you make your skin turn pink?

I have found the Panic Flamingo at Fantasy Faire. I must own this. Alas, for me and many others, for Alia Baroque has not yet decided if he is willing to part with it.



We can but beg and hope for an indulgent moment. But seriously...this is so much cooler than the prototypical plastic bird on stilts.

only when the stars are light enough

Could Steam be gearing up to allow people to share games?

The Last of Googly Us?

Today, there was a big announcement that Wonder Woman was getting a second book title. Which, cue the cheers of--oh, it's going to be a relationship book. Okay, cue the understanding cheers of how DC is tackling the tough issues of saving the world and trying to maintain a relationshi--

Oh. It's because she's dating Superman? That's the only reason she gets a new book?

Apparently so:

In the end, of course, it’s all about sales. And apparently DC Comics has decided that feminist icon or not Wonder Woman is in the end best presented as the girlfriend of someone and both boning and flying their ways into your hearts and wallets.

....Right. I'll just be in the corner, frothing like a rabid animal and wanting to throw things at people.

And the Uncanny Valley is staring right at YOU.

For some reason, she's also a toddler. Well, you can't have everything, I suppose.

Damien Fate has one of the simplest explanation of why the new Materials ability in SL is worthwhile. Perfection. I now understand what all my previous research failed to tell me.

Meanwhile, the Rain Room is now an installation at MOMA. What makes this so beautiful is not the fact that it's a constant driving downpour, but that motion-capture cameras identify visitors, creating a person-shaped space for that visitor to walk in. In other words, it's the experience of intense, and very loud rain, but you do not get wet. It causes a perceptual dissonance that creates wonder. Excellent use of technology to aid art.

In more art news, Amy Brier has an astounding idea for many of her sculptures. It's not new, precisely--mankind has developed many ways to leave impressions, from seals pressed into wax to carved cuneiform and other languages pressed into clay--but hers have a special significance, I think, because rolling them at angles changes the image.

And Pac-Man goes 3D!

Now shoo, I'm still trying to figure out if I can cope without coffee today.

Also, happy Litha!

all is dark, all of the light has vanished

(from the loss album; standing in New London Village)

I lay in bed and watch the world crack around me
soundless slow but there
silvershine progression in the chill blue dark and I
wonder how I came to be here

(from the loss album; in Witt's Harrow [Adult land])

once I had a forest
with winding leaf-strewn paths and glens
a reflecting garden in a birch grove and
a spherical pond filled with clouds

(from the loss album; in the wastelands of Fort Stygian)

the fire came and
scorched that world to ash
and I rebuilt green verdant plains
seed- heavy grasses nodding in the pale wind
and a low stone wall around a stone tower

(from the loss album; at the top of the lighthouse in Second Norway)

the tower fell and I rebuilt
high stone walls reinforced with iron
a gate that locked with a sound like regret
a shield dome made of spider-silk
spinning overhead

(from the loss album; in the ruins at PinkSpider)

the spiders came, the walls fell
the cottage guarded by stone fell
into disrepair and distrust
I abandoned it save for brief visits
once to pry open the gate that had rusted shut
and this time nothingness

(from the loss album; resting in Zain)

the ground fell away from my feet
I reconstructed the wall, the gate
the cottage from memory fighting
the inclination to sink

(from the loss album; near the rail station in Hercynia Forest)

I have a gate and it is locked
I have seeds planted to stave off despair
I have swept and cleaned and lifted
carried gathered replaced until my hands bled

(from the loss album; in the abandoned church at Armada Breakaway)

it's not enough, still not enough
but it is there, it is
all there is
the ground bare and bleak but
solid, the gate standing fixed in place

(from the loss album; looking over the water in Mushroom Ruins)

today I rebuild the wall
and we will see how it feels then

Yeah. I'm not making it to Oopskate. But I deeply appreciate the invitation.

then with his earthy hands he pressed sweet woodbine to my chest

Quick little entry, because I want to get this out today: tomorrow (Sunday, Aprille 29), starting at four pm SLT (Pacific Standard Time), will be a live auction of many of this year's Fantasy Faire builds. This is on the phenomenal side, people.

The early announcement of what's up for grabs (more might be added later):

• The unique Fantasy Faire Jails (each auctioned individually)
• The amazing Steampunk Elephant from Devil's Locket, and the Blue Genie statue (both by Lauren Thibaud)
• The "Pure Imagination" build--a one-of-a-kind setpiece including poses for both Petite and regular-sized avatars (ten poses total), in dreamy oversaturated colors (built by Mayah Parx)
• A three-butterfly windmill build from Marcus Inkpen and Sharni Azalee
• The ENTIRE Shifting Sands build by Kayle Matzerath (this includes both buildings and landscaping)
• The ENTIRE Devil's Locket build by Lauren Thibaud (this inclueds buildings, steampunk/seaside landscaping, and full volcanic kits from Elicio Ember)
• The ENTIRE Nu Orne build by Elicio Ember (this includes all buildings and full landscaping packs) 
• The ENTIRE Siren's Secret build by Elicio Ember (this includes all buildings)

(from the Charity efforts album)

I can't guarantee than this is what you'll get if you buy the butterfly mills, but this shows you what they look like if you haven't seen them yet.

(from the Charity efforts album)

Part of the Nu Orne jungle ruins build.

(from the Charity efforts album)

Part of the Siren's Secret build.

To get to the live auction site, go to Fairelands Junction. And bring your Lindens! It all goes to a good cause, and the builds were really phenomenal this year!

I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower

Axi Kurmin continues to amaze me. When she's not managing three businesses in SL, listing new pics and descriptions on the Marketplace for three more plus her three, spinning discs in SL, or posting columns on Search Engine Watch, she carves eggs, paints them, and sells them. She has a whole bunch of them. I'm fascinated, and deeply impressed.

This next bit is NSFW, or at least, some of the pictures are--Solange is back! It's been months since I heard of any new releases, and now she's back to designing, but...well, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. This is the front of the "Carnal" outfit (in pink); this is the front of the "Carnal" outfit (in red). So far, so good, right? Lovely illicit design, with erotically placed cut-outs, and, as shown, the option to have full-coverage cups as well as more revealing ones. Beautiful silk velvet roses ornament the attached skirt, the gloves, and the fascinator headpiece, and it's perfect for burlesque dancing and, I would imagine, lovely for taking photographs to send to a loved one, or an admirer.

The problem? Would be "Carnal" from the back. In discussing this one with a friend, I think we both agree the front is lovely, but the back is...problematic at best. I think, visually, I expected the bustle to persist across the back. Instead what we get are...well...hip bolsters. Which are pretty from the front, but not that attractive from the rear. Strangely, it's too revealing, which I will grant is odd to say about a piece of lingerie.

Still, it's good to know Solange has returned! I'll be sure to traipse across the sim now and again, and see what's new in the shop.

And aren't Zen gardens supposed to be calming? Isn't that the point? This is something guaranteed to make at least one poor soul out there shriek in utter terror and run the other way!

and realized I loved you in the fall

Look what I got handed today!

(from the Burn2 album)

Still, by the time I got home today, I was barely in time to use my shiny press pass to see the Burn. But I did promise pictures, so I started out with a parcel at random (which happened to be Trill Zapatero's build, called "Grailquest").

(from the Burn2 album)

The Grail in question is a rather monolithic goblet, attached to a rustic wooden ladder, which you click to climb (you can also right-click it, and choose your climbing speed).

(from the Burn2 album)

There are instructions. The instructions are basically "click things". Click things.

(from the Burn2 album)

Some are poses, some are sits, or climbs, some active, some passive, like the mirror trick depicted here. But don't be afraid to click anything you see. Fun things will happen.

(from the Burn2 album)

At the top of the grail, I was presented with several doors. Lagging a bit from the fire dancers, I ended up at the red door. Feeling this was the virtual hand of destiny, I touched the red door, and crashed. This did not bode well for my first Burn2 press outing.

(from the Burn2 album)

By the time I returned to the Playa, night had fallen. I had a scant amount of time to get any of the pics I wanted to get. But again, at the top of the grail I am faced with many doors. While I rezzed things in, I considered them.

(from the Burn2 album)

Red door. Blue door. Purple door. And a small garden gate. I chose the garden, which seemed safest, but it was full of old books on the grass, their pages wildly fluttering. And just inside another curtained hanging, I found a small image of the Buddha affixed to a hanging rope. Out of curiosity, I clicked it.

[19:45] Buddha: "Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity."

Indeed. I must remember to return and explore this work in more depth.

(continued in part II!)

and if I rise up in smoke around your eyes, you'll know that it's me

I realize comments, once deleted, really shouldn't be preserved, but also, once a comment is made on the JIRA, that comment is sent to everyone signed up for that issue. Plus, things changed based on this deleted comment, so let's follow it out.

First, Dan Linden comments on Aki Shichiroji's build menu change JIRA:

You can enable the Build button by right-clicking the bottom toolbar and checking "Build button".

Then Alexa Linden, based on that comment, changes the JIRA category from "Bug" to "New feature".

But what Dan--and Alexa--fail to understand is that this JIRA is not about behavior in the lower toolbar. This issue has zero to do with that. It's about how this particular build mode is unavailable once the build menu is open, and whether or not the "Build" button is visible on the task bar or not doesn't matter.

Moon Metty commented afterwards--before Dan's comment was deleted--that this was quite similar to her reported JIRA bug, which was subsequently closed. Why? Moon Metty explains it thusly:

Cassandra closed this Jira without comment, so we can only speculate as to why this change was made.
"Not enough room" is not a good reason for this incorrect and clumsy behaviour, it now takes more room.

Soft, we understand if you don't want to reopen this Jira, you being a Linden and all.
However, us residents just want SL to be fast, easy and fun ... and this bug is slow, tedious and annoying.

So, apparently Cassandra Linden feels that it's expected behavior from the new v2 client, and as such, is not a bug, so everything's just peachy. Case closed--literally.

(Amusing side note--in the time spent writing this, Dan Linden has apparently re-enabled his comment, with added brackets:

[ You can enable the Build button by right-clicking the bottom toolbar and checking "Build button". ]

I don't know why the brackets are important, but there you go. So now I'm talking about a published comment that hasn't been deleted--and is still wrong.)

So, let's talk about stores that get it right for hunts. Let's talk about the Epic Toy Factory.

(from the scavenging album)

Part of the Peaster's Hunt is that you have to do it all, if you want the end Vault prize--because you have to come back to the castle at MadPea with all fifty keys. So Fawkes and I made the decision that we were going to stop at each stop on the hunt.

This was stop 2--a magical, amazing place where our first hint was found right at the landing circle. Once we'd talked to that NPC (hee!) we were sent off to find a dragon. The dragon seats two, and off we went, on a slow, lazy circle around the sim.

This particular sim is amazing from the ground, but from the air, it was breathtaking. I've gone on a lot of rides on various things in five years on SL, but this was wonderful.

(from the scavenging album)

Something that made this night a touch more surreal--I've developed this occasional inability to get clothes to rez, which is a) making me freak out as to how other people are seeing me, and b), results in things like this--I left my prims on and wore a full-body alpha cover.

Fawkes, of course, wears LuciA, the newest member of the Autogenica family. I've been very happy that it's selling so well, but really, it's such a fun concept, how could it not?

(from the scavenging album)

The dragon dropped us off, neat as you please, by the docks, where we spoke to an old and amusing pirate, and were given our next paired destination--two golden seahorses waiting in the waters below. Remember to click scrolls, or objects near the NPCs you talk to on your journey--they'll give you prizes! (If you have the Peaster's HUD on and activated, that is.)

(from the scavenging album)

There's a mermaid to see, a wonderful shipwreck, jellyfish--all while you're leisurely gliding past on the glowing golden backs of seahorses. (Hold your breath, you're under for about two minutes!)

(from the scavenging album)

Proving that it's not just their size that makes them magical, they floated from the water to the land, and deposited us in a strand of heart's grass, before swimming back to the sea and the docks, so off we went to talk to the "herb hag". (She's not actually green; she's just green until she fully rezzes in.)

(from the scavenging album)

Her conveyance of choice was a sparrowhawk carrying a gilded swing--and yes, it seats two. Off we went to the heights of the sim, floating airborne once more.

(from the scavenging album)

Did I mention the sim is incredible? There's fun goofy touches (like the cake, or the mad tea party in the treehouse), there's a little bit of steampunk (seen here in the zeppelin and the steam towers), and I fervently lust after their ground texture, an amazing dark-woven patchwork concoction that I'd adore using myself. I will definitely be back.

All in all, all of the stores on this hunt seem to have put in a genuine effort to participate in the sense of fun and play--a far cry from most grid-wide hunts these days! And several of them have been stores I'm looking forward to visiting again, to spend my time--and Lindens--wandering around looking at things.

I'll be covering some of the ones that really stand out later on, because I didn't snap pics of them at the time--I was too busy being amazed! But I definitely believe they should be brought to wider attention.

Apart from Grumble.

Because I'm still banned from her sim.

Also, one last amusing note:

(from the scavenging album)

Cheesecake poses on top of dressing tables really, really don't work when I'm invisible.

don't you think I know you're only trying to save yourself?

[19:43] Old enough to have a surname (ladyheart.sweetwater): i want to say sorry to anybody in the sand box for 1: crashing the sim and 2: smacking you in the head with a elevatory floor

Okay, then.

[19:55] Nazarr: mi internet conexion sucs
[19:56] Nazarr: im sorry 4 that
[19:56] Nazarr: suxs

The fact that he had to correct the spelling on "sucs" kills me...considering he got the word wrong both times.

"They've been had. Totally. Completely. The closer you were to this guy and the more you believed and trusted him, the more he ripped you off. He isn't your buddy, he isn't your friend, and he doesn't care about you--and he never did."

Axi Kurmin nails it again, and for anyone who still thinks xFire Xue was a good guy, just maligned by "the system"? Read that.

And this, from a founder of IMVU:

"When your customers become your allies, there’s almost nothing you can’t accomplish together.

There’s only one catch. You can’t stop listening.

That's nothing more than basic, unvarnished truth, and if ever anyone with any connections to the Lindens might be reading this, pass them that link. To this day IMVU still has image problems, big ones, because of that mistake. The Lindens have gone overboard with mistakes in community management, I don't think anyone denies that--but it could all be reversed if they would take the time to listen, instead of further fostering the impression that they don't--or don't want to hear what we want to say. Because that just leads to the impression that the Lindens do not care in the least about what we have to say--which is where we are now.

(And a tip o'the hat to Mr. Headburro Antfarm, who brought the link, and the blog, to my attention.)

About a week ago at this point, news filtered down that Elvina Ewing had lost her mind--again. She set her Ambrosia gowns on the Marketplace for sale on a 40% discount. (As of this writing, they're still at a 40% discount.) Why? Because--according to her--Evangeline Miles of Evie's Closet copied her dress.

No, really. That's what she's saying. So of course, I had to look into it.

From the Comparisons album

This is Caverna Obscura's "Ambrosia" gown, shade Orange. And I have to be honest with anyone reading along, this gown is gorgeous. The leaves on the upper skirt are all sculpted, but some plant leaves don't move a lot anyway, so it doesn't feel unnatural in the least. And the little drops of dew--which are also reproduced in smaller form along the flower-cap sleeves--very nearly iridesce in person. And for the gown I chose, this is absolutely a deep, rich, California-poppy orange. I admit to a definite partiality for California poppies, and Miss Ewing selling this particular shade didn't hurt in the least.

From the Comparisons album

Granted, the hair I picked to showcase this pretty much effectively hides the back detailing, though the lower back cut-out work can just barely be seen. This shot was mostly to show you that there are parts of the flower-sleeves that do move, and wonderfully.

From the Comparisons album

This gown comes with several attachments for whatever effect the wearer wants; this picture shows off the two back leaves that curl up like a structured corset along either side of the spine (they're both pectoral attachments, which is frankly genius).

From the Comparisons album

So far, all the shots have been of the maxi skirt length. This is the best shot I was able to get of the midi skirt. The midi length is less ballgown, and more tattered-petals, and it moves wonderfully.

From the Comparisons album

Finally, this is the mini skirt length, which is a blend of flexi panels and curving sculpted petals. The outfit doesn't come with stockings, so I didn't wear any for the shots. All three skirt lengths carry that hint of 'tattered petals', and while there may be some alpha flicker, I personally didn't notice any--and while I was on Tol, I did a lot of walking, running, flying, swimming, falling--so while it might be there, to be honest, I noticed more alpha issues on the hair I chose for these shots.

From the Comparisons album

There's also an included necklace of vines and petals, and coming this close to take the shot also shows the detailed shading on the corset top. I grant you, the shading on both skirt leaves and corset cup leaves are more reminiscent of rose leaves, but really--you won't care.

From the Comparisons album

Finally--and yes, I moved indoors for this one--there are both bloomer and glitch-pant layers included with the gown, and a separate sleeve style. This shot shows the bloomers and the secondary sleeves. I feel positive that the bloomers could be worn without the skirt as a little 'romper' style outfit, or with a silk-style skirt (one that's flexible panels on a chain belt, say) from another outfit entirely.

Being entirely sculpt pieces, the separate sleeves don't move, but again, they're charming enough you won't care.

This is a gorgeous piece, start to finish. It requires very little fitting out of the box--in fact, the only thing I did for these shots is move the necklace down. It's attractive, very well-made, and I am definitely thinking I need it in more shades.

So, you have Ambrosia's style firmly in mind at this point. Now, what Miss Ewing says is a blatant copy:

From the Comparisons album

This is Evangeline Miles' 'Eden' babydoll-styled dress, in Marigold. Just let that sink in for a while.

From the Comparisons album

It comes with wings, shoes, a vine-and-flowers crown (not shown), and stockings--all things the Ambrosia gown does not have. It also has a pair of separate-shoulder attachment wings (also not shown), and both a right- and left-oriented vine/petal 'brooch' (not shown, because one attaches to the spine, and the other attaches to the chest--the same place the skirt attaches to. So I had to scramble to get back in the skirt after that!).

From the Comparisons album

What does it have? This one skirt. Just this one. Which, in all fairness to Miss Miles, is lovely, but is also in the babydoll style that makes most of my AO poses look like I'm pregnant. While it can be edited (and I may make a copy, and see if I can't play with the length), this is also the only skirt, as I said.

From the Comparisons album

The shoes are adorable crossed-strap flats in a complementary shade, and there is the suggestion of leaves just under the breasts, though that's the only suggestion of petal-dress, really. (And I don't mind that, I'm just making the point.) The shading on the not-petals themselves, is subtle, with multiple slightly-sheer layers making up the skirt (130 prims in all) that tend to flow through each other, so now one has a hint of fluid lines, now one has sparkle, now one has a glimpse of smocking...Very, very effective.

This shot, in addition, shows the stocking toppers--sadly, none of the shots I took from the back really shows them off well.

From the Comparisons album

Baghera--he's the black panther off to the right of the shot--really didn't like me being in his territory, so most of these shots were taken while he and his mate, Miel, were snarling at me, pushing me aside, or toppling me into the daisies. Still, I think there are a few definite good things about this outfit, from the included shoes, to the stockings, to the fact that I think part of my pulling back from the babydoll skirt is form-based: on my normal (okay, five-foot-very-little, but still) form, it doesn't hit me right, but on my four-foot pixie? Especially if she's in flutter mode? This would be very nearly perfect.

From the Comparisons album

So, end results. Of the two gowns, I definitely prefer Caverna Obscura's, and I think with all the options, I'll definitely get more use out of it. This is not to say that Evie's Closet 'Eden' gown isn't a lot of fun--but I'll likely stick to gowns from her store that start off with longer skirts from now on.

The 'Eden' shoes are beyond cute, the stockings are wonderfully shaded and drawn, but
the only thing that's even a hint at any sort of copying is that it's also a petal dress. And there's only so many ways a designer can make a petal dress, after all, if one is being faithful to the concept of flowers in the least.

For all shots, I was wearing Nomine's "Calliope" skin from her Clown line, hair from Analog Dog (Maddy, Bleached, but tinted poppy-orange), and old Pixeldolls "Starry-Eyed" eyes in bright hazel--no longer available.

Evie's will set you back L$395, and depending on how the skirt edit goes, I may get the Wisteria shade as well. The "Ambrosia" gown (since it's on sale) is L$350 on the Marketplace (still), and I am beyond tempted to pick up the Lilac, the Pink and the Red (though I'd like it if it were a brighter, "rose" red). Another plus is that her Dream Thief line of outfits are (save for the Dark variant) done in the same shades as the Ambrosia gown, for ease in mixing and matching.

(While we're here, I'd love to know who the "other designers" were that she's forebearing to mention. Maybe she's so fixated on Evangeline Miles, every other designer of floral gowns pales in comparison...)

Go to Caverna Obscura if you like the thought of multi-petal gowns, that are excellently shaded (though in world, they're not on sale; they're at their normal price of $550). Go to Evie's Closet if you like the idea of a simpler pixie gown, that also comes with shoes, leaf wings and stem "crown".

Other than the price being similar, there's nothing that links these two dresses other than both being floral gowns, and I hate to break it to you, Elvina, but they've been around for a while. (And yes, that was five image links, all of them dating back at least a century, if not longer.)

(And while I'm at it, did I mention Miss Elvina's abusing Wizards of the Coast/Dungeons & Dragons copyright by having an outfit named after Mialee, a trademarked character in the D&D books? And her latest release is, by her own admission, adapted from a Guild Wars ranger armor. But noooo, she's the one whose outfits are being stolen...)

lights go out, stars come down, like a swarm of bees

First, pictures could be edited. But that was okay, filmed evidence could not be faked.

Then we could edit film. But that was still okay, because we had video evidence.

Now videotape can be edited digitally as it happens to remove objects the camera sees. We're pretty much down to fingerprints (which get iffy on occasion) and DNA work for evidence, right?

I'm just waiting for evidence of DNA editing now...

[10:17] Darlingmonster Ember: M Orr, my regards. I wanted to follow up with you about the Carni Outfit and ask if it was intended that it be only textures? And full perm? Was there an outfit box with prims?

And with a profound and sincere *facepalm* I traipsed back to the tree. The store blog explains the details, but I am quite chagrined over this. That thing's been in the Midnight Mania since I popped the tree up, in...August? September?

And okay, now I'm glad the Mania never capped--save for last night--but yaaagh. Such a rookie mistake. I am too long on the grid for this.

Remember the party at Fallen Gods I mentioned last night? Apparently it ran for twelve hours. There are pictures.



I had heard reports that the sightings of the ghost ship were in Caledon Sound. I went there, and saw nothing, but I'm fairly sure it may not surface during the day. I listened, but I heard no unearthly voices, and saw nothing untoward but the sea monster, rolling his eyes at the dock. I am wary that he seems so...placid, and...harmless.



So I stepped off the dock, shapeshifting on the way down. I swam slowly away from a shark, found an odd, glowing spike that gave off no heat, conversed briefly with a turtle, and pondered ancient shards on the sea floor.



I found a statue of a cat-headed goddess, holding a crescent moon, and the ruins of a temple beyond her. I swam to Lionsgate and back, and saw many wondrous things, but...no haunted ship.



Still, I am not disappointed. I saw many amazing things, both man- and nature-made, and had a chance to breathe good saltwater through new-formed gills. I'd forgotten how much I liked swimming. And I am sufficiently intrigued to return.



Still and all, whatever's there...is not there always. The sea retains her secrets.

and the breath to stop fighting, and the cold to close her eyes

On a whim, I took the Kingdomality Personality Test. It is supposedly designed to identify your 'medieval personality' to better place you in today's job force. (Yeah, I don't get how that works, either.)

My result?

Your distinct personality, The Dreamer-Minstrel might be found in most of the thriving kingdoms of the time. You can always see the "Silver Lining" to every dark and dreary cloud. Look at the bright side is your motto and understanding why everything happens for the best is your goal. You are the positive optimist of the world who provides the hope for all humankind. There is nothing so terrible that you can not find some good within it. On the positive side, you are spontaneous, charismatic, idealistic and empathic. On the negative side, you may be a sentimental dreamer who is emotionally impractical. Interestingly, your preference is just as applicable in today's corporate kingdoms.

Um...right. Me, the "positive optimist". Me, who thinks clouds have silver linings just before mercury rains. I have been told I mainline drama like a drug.

On the other hand, I used to be a minstrel in the 14th century, several lives back...so maybe they have something. Who knows?

There's a fellow on Twitter, @jessebdylan, I've been following of late. He finds the strangest things, but they generally always are worth at least one view, if not more. In the most recent case, he found a perfect example of undiluted geek pop that's just amazing to take in.

"All...it takes is a small group of people who will actually care or at least notice that you're not there."

Quick little blurb on the Herald about coming attractions in SL, including the big news for that blogger and myself: mesh imports.

So why are mesh imports a big deal? Simplest explanation: think of Tinies. Tiny avatars are sized using prim limbs and clothing, over a specifically contorted mesh reducer--most people who make Tinies use the same one, even, it's become the SL industry standard. But what if you could import a specifically tiny mesh that would use the average avatar mesh template? Or think furs--sure, there would still be prim muzzles, prim feet, prim hands if needed, and tails and ears, most definitely--but you could convert a lot of the animal musculature into the basic mesh, which would then be imported.

The MightyGodKing blog mentions how relevant it would be, now, in the wake of much revisionist history (at least in the US), to tell the tale of Steve Rogers' upbringing. I tend to agree, but there would be a lot of backlash against the basic concept. And that basic concept, the working theory, plays out as accurate in at least my head, considering the official date of 'birth' of the character, some of his inherent ideas, and what little has been noted officially of his past.

Engadget, on the other hand, is all about the potential new tech standard for uploaded videos and movies. It's a good read even for those uninvolved, because it does a grand job at taking a very thorny and dense copyright/patent issue (everything surrounding the H.264 encoding for media) and clarifies everything it can. It is complicated--Engadget's legal consultant, Nilay Patel, emphasizes this--but the issue is made as simple as it can be made, without losing clarity.

There's a wonderful article on the new ABC series, Happy Town, that is worth reading just for the dialogue alone. "Cute as a mouse's pocketbook" actually had me saying aloud to the screen, "You didn't just say that..."

In amusing side news, I'd like to mention Miss Sphynx Soliel's interview at SLGoth. I have been haphazardly involved with the Sanguinarius Community Center, run by Sanguinarius, who is, coincidentally enough, Sanguinarius Magne in world, for a few years now. They're good people, working on bringing in-world decent information and are almost always willing to help people who are curious or just seeking.

Plus, the Sanguinarius Community Center has a firm "No Bloodlines" policy. :)

I logged in to Emerald one day and saw, as their log-in image, a storm-lashed boat being torn apart by some tentacled sea creature. Captiva Island sounded interesting. So I went.



First tip: give yourself plenty of time to let things rez. Move off the beam-in point in small steps; you are on a ship, and it is a stormy night. In fact, it bids fair to rip the ship apart at times; the creaking and the groaning of stressed timbers is beaten only by the sound of water lashing the planks.



One miserable little rat kept creeping about, searching for a way out of the rain; with the door to the captain's cabin open, the water sprayed inside, so there weren't many places to hide and get warm.



While this is all very impressive--and trust me, sound and sight, water washing over the planking, tentacles of the Beast tearing at the ship and all--it's just the beginning. Find the genie's lamp near the Captain's cabin--then your journey really begins.

Finally, this just amused me to no end, and I'd like to thank Miss Terry Lightfoot for finding it. It's small, it's brief, it's very warped, and you'll either get it and giggle, or you'll stare blankly. Both are equally fun.