This is for (e:Paul) -- students in a course on online reading and writing have been researching Second Life players in secret. Of course, it's not a secret anymore, and the SL denizens are pissed. Here's a link: That sums things up a bit. And there's a bigger article at Terranova: And another link discussing SL specifically and the reactions:

A quote:

How ethical are you? How ethical is it to "play" in a metaverse like Second Life (SL) while you're taking notes on what everyone around you is doing and saying? Do you have an ethical obligation to tell the avatars around you that you're a student, experiencing SL and interacting with the others in SL just so you can write it and them up in an analytical paper?

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(e:Paul), I know you didn't want SL to become your major research area, but I just wanted to reiterate that I think your story would not only be entertaining, but, especially now, highly relevant and revealing.

i was so shocked that mtv2 was showing the new eminem video i mentioned in the last post that i snapped this phonecam pic. this is my fave shot of the whole video, where osama bin laden is giving a speech and the backdrop falls away to reveal cheney and rummy shaking hands. super creep-tastic.

i can see it on election night now: "nobody counted the black-hoodie contingent which seems to be out in full force" At least mr. mathers had the good sense to state in no uncertain terms, FUCK BUSH, so his legions of bleached and bitter fanboys won't get confused... no offense to eminem lovers. i mean, i give him credit - he's got a thing and it's pretty interesting.

and for (e:terry) -- play the game for fun. and I'll post a new version of all these tracks when final mixes are done. I'll be building a site for the group in the near future, too. so keep an eye out for that. lots of fun free stuff will be there.

I thought I'd go with a headline that would get some attention...

I was talking to Paul V today and told him about one of my fave nerdcore hip hop fellas, MC Frontalot, a SF-based rapper who is SUPER cool. Check out his site (http://www.frontalot.com), and download all his music (it's free). And here's a link to the track I was talking to Paul about, I *heart* Fags --

And to compliment that, I thought I'd toss in a couple more rap music oriented links. First off, we finished some more tracks from the new DJ Funken Wagnalls feat. Cottonmouth demo. Here are two of them:

I Think The Government is Watching Me
Archeteuthis (Squid Hunter)

Sorry for the WMA on Archeteuthis, but it's a working mix... A bit raw, but fun nonetheless, i think... maybe not...

And, finally, I have to point people to the new Eminem video on Guerrilla News Network. Some dude at GNN loves Eminem, I guess. It's a cool anti-Bush video and song. Mainstream rebellion. Find it here: And if that link is too slow, check at iFilm's viral videos channel:

OK, is that all? I think so. Well, it's not. Go book a trip on and let me know whaddup...

Like Ajay sez, sign the petition to resist Pano's plan to tear down the Atwater House and put in a parking lot.

Linky-link-link:

I've only lived in Buffalo for 2 years now. My wife's family is from here, but we came for the schooling. I have really enjoyed Buffalo, and one of the things I have come to appreciate in my time here is the significance of Buffalo Architecture. Since being here I saw the Harbor Inn tore down. I've also seen some great restoration work. I'd like to see more. And a better mass transit system. Not that the current one isn't functional; but more pleasant. Resurrect the Buffalo Trolley System? Hmm...

8*

Wow, Soyeon's journal freaked me out. In the lab, no less. Then I came home and had to look at it again. And her entry about the photo critique is probably one of the best things I've read lately. Sums up a lot about the weird nature of graduate school...