Soup Radio Announces it's Closure

It was with mixed emotions that I took in the news from Arahan about Soup Radio closure ... some surprise, some disappointment, but mostly with an over all understanding of his decision. He'd sent me an e-mail letting me know and I promised that I would await his official announcement before I posted about it. The announcement can be found on the Soup Radio site.

Thank you for the year and all the very best to you Ara along with your co-hosts; Amy, Penumbra, Raul, Jane and Allan. We all look forward to see where your art takes you and us.

July 2011 UWA 3D Open Art Challenge

The time is winding down for voting for your favorites at the July 2011 UWA 3D Open Art Challenge. I stopped in yesterday evening and wandered around for a few hours enjoying seeing as many of this months 73 entries as I could. For those who use twitter, you can see a list of the works that I viewed while there. I did speak briefly with Freewee Ling, UWA Curator who reminded me that the voting ends on the 1st of August at noon PDT/SLT with the awards announcement ceremony on the 3rd of August at 6 am PDT/SLT.

A list of the 73 artists and their pieces follow:

Vote for as many entries as you like, on a scale of 1 to 3. Note that ANY VOTE is a POSITIVE vote. If you don't like something, don't vote for it. It's important that you look at all the works and to vote for all the pieces that truly speak to you. You are, of course, welcome to encourage your friends to come see the show and to vote for their favorite pieces.  But please don't tell them to just come and vote for yours. It's about the art, not the artist!

1    Ally Aeon    Reflections

2    Anley Piers    Fantasy

3    Anley Piers    View of the past

4    Artistide Despres    Harmonies in C Great (+)

5    Asterion Coen    Caboose

6    Asterion Coen    Jupiter

7    Betty Tureaud    Magician hat

8    Cherry Manga    Eco Echo

9    Cherry Manga    Dotty Autoportrait

10    CHUCKMATRIX Clip     Windows to the Soul - Covet

11    CHUCKMATRIX Clip     Strength

12    Corcosman Voom    Hurdle

13    Daco Monday    Musico p

14    Daco Monday    Nudo al mare

15    Dekka Raymaker    Sole Survivor

16    Dekka Raymaker    Nude Descending a Staircase

17    Dusty Canning    Globalization

18    Earl Dinkin    Small Chair Under Big Chair

19    Faery Sola    Tiny Ivory Cell

20    Fiona Blaylock    Time flies

21    Frankx Lefavre    God is a Bullet

22    Fuschia Nightfire    Not Everything Is Plain Black & White

23    Gfresh Botha    On Reflection

24    Gfresh Botha    Spidercrab vs Zombiefish

25    Gingered Alsop    Welcome to our parlor

26    Gingered Alsop    Starforged

27    Giovanna Cerise    The armony

28    Gleman Jun    The matter of ideas

29    Jimmy Debruyere    Red Catastrophe on a Cocktail Pin

30    June Clavenham    Living fractal

31    Kolor Fall    Adjacent Lovers

32    Lollito Larkham     Aminima

33    Lollito Larkham     Go Ban et Luth

34    Mania Amat    Sl Molecules

35    Maya Paris    LightRoot

36    mcarp Mavendorf    Jack star

37    Milly Sharple    Lotus

38    Miso Susanowa    Vision Tree (Autumn)

39    Miso Susanowa    Down On The Data Farm

40    Moeuhane Sandalwood    Mommy told me to just try harder

41    Moeuhane Sandalwood    Redrock Miners @ Ant Vegas

42    Mudbug Cooperstone     Regeneration of Life

43    Nino Vichan    Four Medieval Scenes

44    Oldoak Merlin    Argusfrucht Gold

45    oona Eiren    Remote control

46    PeanutbuttahJellehTime Magic    A Bottle of Ideas

47    PeanutbuttahJellehTime Magic     My sister ate this

48    Penelope Parx    Two Crocodiles

49    Penelope Parx    thinking another me

50    Pinkpink Sorbet    Aleatoric

51    RazorZ    Tunnel with light at the end of it

52    RazorZ    4 speed art (8 Circuits on a pedestal)

53    Ronin1 Shippe    Trumpet Man (sculpture)

54    Sabine Stonebender    Crawling Upon the Wind

55    Sabine Stonebender    MacroScopic Plague

56    Secret Rage    Clouds

57    Secret Rage    Inundated (would you like fries with that?)

58    Silene Christen     Icarus flight: following our dreams

59    Sledge Roffo    Error Code 1.8

60    Spiral Silverstar    Art is Infinite

61    spirit Radikal     9.14 %

62    spirit Radikal     Baubles

63    Theda Tammas    My Pain

64    Thoth Jantzen    Great Balls o' Fire

65    Thoth Jantzen    World Egg of the Ogdoad

66    Toughlove Sabra    Right, left brain theater

67    Toughlove Sabra     Inside a Troubled Mind

68    typote Beck    The Superheroes Breakfast

69    typote Beck    Autoreverse

70    Tyrehl Byk    The Ego's Many Eyes

71    Ub Yifu    Child play

72    Vim Sims    Trumpet Man

73    zephyru Zapedzki    The Big Bang

"Creative Power" a New Build by Soror Nishi Opening in InWorldz

The opening of "Creative Power" is scheduled for the 30th of July.  I'd been aware that soror Nishi had been working on something new and then I heard that the opening is near from Jeri Rahja. She'd contacted me to share in the excitement and to pass along a copy of the poster. In our conversation that evening, Ms Rahja suggested that it "is quite different from anything we'd ever seen soror do previously". The build is on one of Jeri's SIM's in the virtual world of InWorldz. It was a day later that I caught up with soror during an InWorldz visit. I found her on line and busily at work in preparation for the opening. We chatted briefly about the work and opening.

Nazz : Ciao!

soror: Hiya … how's life?

Nazz : Moving along pretty good … you?

soror: Excellent … All good thanks. I'm just finishing off a build for the 30th opening at Jeri's.

Nazz: That's why I popped in ... I spoke with Jeri yesterday and she'd made mention of it and sent me a copy of the poster.  She said it's a complete departure from any of your earlier works.

soror: It is, yes, it's quite different, on purpose really. I think my last builds tied together a bit like an ongoing design, but this is a bit different … not so 'plant centric'. There is a blog post about the idea ... just a few thoughts on the title.

Nazz: I recall having read the post. A different geometry on this build as well?

soror: hmm ...well it's still me … it's difficult to explain, I guess I haven't really digested it all yet. Sometime you need some distance before you get clarity. I start most of my builds in the same way, with volumes and structures and then that demands other forms and geometry. So ...it's the same process and it results in an atmosphere, so … similar conclusion.

Nazz: I can appreciate that.

soror: But the tone is different …  not the same musical key. It'll be interesting to see reactions, it always is …

Nazz:  The opening date is the 30th, have you set a time?

soror: Yes, noon PDT.

Nordan Art One Year Celebration Party

Nordan Art Gallery

The invitation to the celebration party had arrived from Flora Nordenskiold while I'd been off line. I'd seen a notice in my e-mail that she had sent me something, and when I logged in-world I saw that it was an announcement about an event on Saturday, the 23rd of July. The happening is a one year celebration and also the release of a publication, "Nordan Art: A Retrospective 2010 to 2011", a commemorative book about year one of the gallery. The festivities are scheduled to begin at 2 pm PDT/SLT at Nordan Art Gallery with musical accompaniment provided by DJ and Nordan Art resident, Eifachfilm Vacirca. While there, visitors can also enjoy the current exhibit, which had opened on the 9th of July and features the work of; Theoretical Afterthought, Igor Ballyhoo, Cherry Manga, Anley Piers and lalie Sorbet. The exhibition will be open through the 10th of September.

I had an opportunity on Thursday evening to see part of the exhibit and a little later, a brief chat in IM with Flora about Saturday's event and the book.                        

Nazz: Hello Flora, how've you been?

Flora: Hi Nazz, I'm good, how are you?

Nazz: I'm doing pretty good. I was just over your place to check out Anley Piers build ... it's quite extraordinary.

Flora: Yes, she is very talented. I think she has a few things at UWA now also, but I love the work she had at Nordan right now.

Nazz Lane: I've seen her work at UWA before and yes, I really liked it. So, the one year anniversary ... you must be quite proud and happy. Are there any highlights from year one that stands out more so then any other?

Flora: You know, one of the most pleasurable moments is when we work really hard on an exhibit and it finally all comes together, just in time for the opening ... it is such a great sense of accomplishment, I think not only for me, but also for the artists. There is so much pride involved in creating.

Nazz: So it's that moment when it all comes together for you then?

Flora: For me and the artists, when we have put it all together and are ready for the opening.

Nazz: Beside the book which commemorates the first year, will there be any other special events at the celebration?

Flora: No just the party, the book is pretty special, we just finished it tonight.

Nazz: How long did it take to put the book together?

Flora: Oh, it took us about three weeks, Huckleberry Hax and I did it together. Igor Ballyhoo contributed and we had some input from Paola Tauber. Igor wrote the foreword, I wrote the acknowledgments, Huck the afterward and each artist has text and images.

Nazz: Will it be available outside of Second Life?

Flora: It will be published on line, through Issuu. We are very excited. I think it came out very well.

Nazz: I look forward to seeing it and I'll try to be there on Saturday.

Flora: I hope to see you there Nazz.

Virtual Ability Hosts International Disability Rights Affirmation Conference in Second Life

July 16, 2011 - IDRAC2011

International Disability Rights Affirmation Conference- July 23/24, 2011

Virtual World Conference about Real World Rights

Virtual Ability, Inc. announces the International Disability Rights Affirmation Conference (IDRAC2011) to be held Saturday and Sunday, July 23/24, in Second Life®.

In 2006, the United Nations held a Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The text of the Convention was adopted by the UN General Assembly, and now has over 100 signatory states, including the US and the European Union.

Legislation to protect the rights of persons with disabilities is becoming common around the world. However, the June 9 World Health Organization study, the World Report on Disability, found significant barriers to equal access for persons with disabilities still exist.

This international conference will begin to explore legal protections around the world for persons with disabilities. Featured panels of persons from around the world will discuss local legislation that supports the rights of persons with disabilities. Panelists come from Australia, Belgium, Costa Rica, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK.

Featured presenters include Scott Gill, Simon Walsh, Sister Abeyante, and Roberta Walker Kilkenny.

Gill is Executive Director of Access 2 independence, a Center for Independent Living in Iowa, US; he will talk about the independence movement. Walsh is head of his own consulting firm in the UK; he will compare the US ADA legislation with the UK’s DDA. Abeyante is a Salvatorian Sister; she will discuss advocacy for disability (civil and human) rights. Kilkenny is a college instructor; she will present about the significance of the UN Convention.

Presentations by the National Service Inclusion Project and the Job Accommodation Network will highlight disability services available in the US. Other sessions will feature peer support, comedy, and dance, both as part of the affirmation celebration.

Presentations will take place in Sojourner Auditorium on Virtual Ability Island within Second Life®: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Ability/54/170/23. The full schedule of confirmed presenters is posted inworld, and at http://virtualability.org/IDRAC2011.aspx.

Alice Krueger, president of Virtual Ability, Inc., stated: “It is a great pleasure to host so many wonderful speakers. Our audience will gain information about the extent of the issues facing people with disabilities, and the potentials for solutions to barriers.”

About Virtual Ability, Inc.

Virtual Ability, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation based in Denver, Colorado, dedicated to enabling people with a wide range of disabilities by providing a supporting environment for them to enter and thrive in on-line virtual worlds like Second Life®.

For more information on Virtual Ability, Inc., including the benefits of virtual reality for people with disabilities, please see www.VirtualAbility.org.

For further information, contact:

Alice Krueger, President

Virtual Ability Inc.

Office: 303/400-3306

akrueger@VirtualAbility.org

Pirats Opening La Manufacture Art Gallery Today

Always a pleasure to do so, I popped in a bit late to the Pirats opening. Before you get to the gallery, be sure to see Solkide Auer's piece right next to the point of entry. Something I think a little different for him, certainly colorful and well done. Inside you'll find the works of both Newbab and Merlina, a rare treat at least for me I've not seen any of Merlina's pieces in quite some time. Rounding out the exhibitors are; Francesc Palomas, LeMelonRouge Onyett in SL, and Monroe Snook. Ms Snook has a very good photographic eye and brings it to bear on both SL and RL subjects.

http://ping.fm/BVNd3

Bid4aCure Group Launches "Stop the Shots" in Second Life

I'd become aquatinted with the cause and wonderful lady who runs Bid4aCure two years ago when I interviewed her for an article which appeared in the SL Newspaper. The cause itself had become a personal one for me that year and I am grateful for both the efforts put forth by Ms Sands and the Bid4aCure crew and in providing my support for them. In 2010, the team raised over 900,000, which when considering the economic times, it was an amazing success. The money was shared between the two organizations noted below in her attached note. The high light event of the drive and favorite of mine is the date auction of which your truly has been on the block two years running and I will again this year. More to follow on that at the date gets closer.

Please contact her or any of the other crew members noted below to help out. Your support will be greatly appreciated.

Dear Kin,

I am writing to you to let you know about Bid4aCure.  This charity event, scheduled for the month of September 2011, raises money in Second Life for Diabetes Research, splitting all proceeds evenly between two members of the International Diabetes Federation.  This drive is in its fourth year and for all years I have been in close contact with both DiabetesUK and the American Diabetes Association.  All funds are accounted for and receipts are available both on my website and on the Bid4aCure site. 

I need your help.   I am seeking SIM owners, entertainers, DJs and venues that are willing to host events this September 2011 and help us to raise money to Stop the Shots. 

Please contact me, Adrian Harbinger, Argus Collingwood, Hare Fadoodle, Ilyra Chardin, or  Miyam Letov and let us know if you are willing and able to help us support this very worthy cause.  

I appreciate your time and look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Jocelyn Sands

http://www.bid4acure.org/

Bid4aCure is a fund-raiser event, in its fifth year, that will be held this year in the month of September 2011.  We raise money for diabetes research for member organizations of the International Diabetes Federation: Diabetes UK and the American Diabetes Association:

http://www.idf.org/

http://www.diabetes.org.uk/

http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp

Why Bid4aCure?

• Diabetes currently affects 246 million people worldwide and is expected to affect 380 million by 2025.

•  In 2007, the five countries with the largest numbers of people with diabetes are India (40.9 million), China (39.8 million), the United States (19.2 million), Russia (9.6 million) and Germany (7.4 million).

•  In 2007, the five countries with the highest diabetes prevalence in the adult population are Nauru (30.7%), United Arab Emirates (19.5%), Saudi Arabia (16.7%), Bahrain(15.2%), and Kuwait (14.4%).

•  By 2025, the largest increases in diabetes prevalence will take place in developing countries.

•  Each year a further 7 million people develop diabetes.

•  Each year 3.8 million deaths are attributable to diabetes. An even greater number die from cardiovascular disease made worse by diabetes-related lipid disorders and hypertension.

•  Every 10 seconds a person dies from diabetes-related causes.

•  Every 10 seconds two people develop diabetes.

•  Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of global death by disease.

•  At least 50% of all people with diabetes are unaware of their condition. In some countries this figure may reach 80%.

•  Up to 80% of type 2 diabetes is preventable by adopting a healthy diet and increasing physical activity.

•  Diabetes is the largest cause of kidney failure in developed countries and is responsible for huge dialysis costs.

•  Type 2 diabetes has become the most frequent condition in people with kidney failure in countries of the Western world. The reported incidence varies between 30% and 40% in countries such as Germany and the USA.

•  10% to 20% of people with diabetes die of renal failure.

•  It is estimated that more than 2.5 million people worldwide are affected by diabetic retinopathy.

•  Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of vision loss in adults of working age (20 to 65 years) in industrialized countries.

•  On average, people with type 2 diabetes will die 5-10 years before people without diabetes, mostly due to cardiovascular disease.

•  Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death in diabetes, accounting for some 50% of all diabetes fatalities, and much disability.

•  People with type 2 diabetes are over twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as people who do not have diabetes. Indeed, people with type 2 diabetes are as likely to suffer a heart attack as people without diabetes who have already had a heart attack.

VB15 at Odyssey Performance Art Festival

On Saturday, July 9th starting at 4 pm PDT, Gracie Kendall/Kristine Shomaker (USA) and the Vaneesa Blaylock Company will perform live at the Odyssey Performance Art Festival. In the performance, which is titled VB15, Gracie will offer 16 avatars, 16 variations of identity and 16 life possibilities.

http://ping.fm/6nfVB

Opening Today at Nordan Art

Exhibition opening at Nordan Art, on Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 2PM SLT. The exhibit features the work of Theoretical Afterthought, Igor Ballyhoo, Cherry Manga, Anley Piersl and lalie Sorbet. Music provided by Nordan Art resident DJ: Eifachfilm Vacirca

http://ping.fm/6nXKB