Welcome to OpenCafe in SL!

Hi all – I am Szavanna and here is a blog all about OpenCafe in SL.

I’m happy to let you know that our little initiative has its own Second Life

The SL cafe is located on the Non-profit commons together with other great initiatives that are worth checking out. If you have a nonprofit project – you can also apply for free space there – let me know if you need more info. Here is a few shots of the SL Cafe – though it is always chaning as I carry on learning more building skills – if you’d like to help with building tasks – please contact me!

Opencafetalk at the Openbuilding school

29may2009 Opencafetalk at the Openbuilding school

Originally uploaded by OpenCafe in SecondLife

The first OpenCafe chat in SL in the new OpenBuilding school as one of the Ring Discussion’s regular Thursday events. Thanks Juni for inviting me to take part.

It was a fun event – it also gave me ideas for setting up such events in the school.

Join the Rings Discussions group – and come to the Thrusday discussions – lots to learn there :

More about the group :

Explore the potential of SL to take humanity to a future of cooperation instead of competition. Positive about solutions and acting for change using creativity.

http://imaginenetwork.ning.com/
http://www.earthweek.wordpress.com/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/slearthweek/
http://www.koinup.com/group/SLEarthWeek/
Facebook Group – Earth Week in Second Life
http://www.slhumanrightsfestival.wordpress.com/

Metropolis

Some time ago I got to see Metropolis in SL. Here is what their notecard says :

METROPOLIS…the Re-Make…..every Friday and Sunday 2 PM SLT

After an idea of Debbie Trillling to do a re-make of METROPOLIS the fist science fiction movie made in 1927 by Fritz Lang, Velazquez Bonetto and Josina Burgess started with working out this Idea to bring it to Second Life.

Velazquez Bonetto rebuild the Whole Metropolis,  wrote programms and scripts, situated every scenery at its place and brought new technology into SL .
Josina Burgess created all the caracters, avatars, costumes and together they used Muybridge simulations for mass groups where needed.
Nnoiz Papp wrote and composed the music specially for Metropolis.
Windyy Lane build the upperclass scenery and made all the animations
Sca shilova build the robot and the animations for it.

the actors are:
Debbie Trilling
MillaMilla Noel
Efrantirse Morane
Josina Burgess
Velazquez Bonetto

A Camera system is build in the seats where the audience will sit , also the seats, with audience in it,  will fly around in Metropolis form scene to scene to be a “part” of the whole.

Its  so far the biggest project ever done on SL, it took months of working, building,creating, rehearsing and animating.
The actors/avatars playing the  key figures teleport from stage to stage and perform in between camera close-ups.

The whole Metropolis is a 1 hour breathtaking experience on SL, but not only on SL even in RL people will be able to watch this via You Tube as a new way of making a artistique event going beyond borders.

Read Metropolis ( the original film ) here.

SLURL :http://slurl.com/secondlife/Benvolio/36/63/1497

Times : every Friday and Sunday 2pm SLT ( be early! )

Metropolis

Go and see it – it’s not something you see everyday

Juniver’s show during Earth week

Juni's lightshow

Yesterday I spent some time listening to the live shows at Nany’s sim – Virtual Native Lands. I love live music – there is nothing like listening to the artists singing or playing their instruments live  – chatting to the audience about their songs.

Juniver’s show was breathtaking and spectacular – great tunes and fantastic lyrics – an amazing light show accompanied him and the girls, Any, Medora and Blanche who danced in beautiful earthly outfits while the lightshow was going on behind them.

Listen to Juni’s tunes at http://www.myspace.com/sevenjunivers.

About the Nany’s sim : Virtual Native Lands ( from the website):

Virtual Native Lands was conceived as a response to the lack of authentic Native American presence and content in virtual worlds. Although there are dozens of virtual worlds in existence with more being introduced every year, very few Native Americans are yet present in any of them.

A high level of public interest in Native American cultures worldwide combined with limited authentic Native American presence results in misrepresentation of Native cultures and issues in the emerging 3D internet.

Furthermore, Native Americans have not yet begun to make use of the capabilities virtual worlds offer which are uniquely suited to the needs of widely dispersed and fragmented tribal communities.

The Virtual Native Lands project began to take shape in June, 2008, as an entry in the USC Annenberg School for Communication Network Culture Project, Second Life and the Public Good Community Challenge.

USC Network Culture Project

Virtual Native Lands, then called Native Lands, was one of three projects selected for a three month long study of a beneficial use of virtual worlds.

Virtual Native Lands was incorporated as an educational nonprofit business in Washington State in September, 2008. Virtual worlds locations for educational exhibits, training in the use of virtual worlds technology, and collaboration with other nonprofits and educational institutions were obtained in the following months.

Virtual Native Lands is serving as a contact point in virtual worlds for those seeking connection with real world Native American organizations and authentic information. Virtual Native Lands also serves as a contact point for Native Americans seeking connection with virtual worlds organizations and information.

Virtual Native Lands

Click to visit Virtual Native Lands in SL!

And click here to visit the SL Earth Week blog and read about all the other events as well.

Earthweek April 2009 – Artemisia’s talk

Earthweek April 2009 – Artemisia is giving her talk

Originally uploaded by OpenCafe in SecondLife

It’s Earthweek and SL has a lot of things going on. My little parcel on Africa Live got busy a few days ago – Artemisia decided to give her talk there.

Artie talked about the Mangrove forests – the talk and slides are still available right there on my parcel at Africa live. So go and visit – it is an interesting slideshow to go through.

Here is some info ( from Artemisia’s talk ) about Mangroves to give you an idea :

“Mangrove forests : one of the most productive ecosystems and the richest of the planet, but also most threatened. Their protection and rehabilitation have become a major concern and are continuing throughout the world.

These forests are characteristic of tropical coastal regions and subtropics regions on all continents, they cover ¾ (75%) of coasts and deltas, or approximately 200 000 km² (20 million hectares). Mangroves are formed by groups of mainly woody plants. These plants are subject to the influence of tides and freshwater flows in shallow areas ….”

Mangrove forest

Best practices in education

Best practices in education

Originally uploaded by OpenCafe in SecondLife

I took part in a panel discussion with Nany Kayo (Virtual Native Lands), Gentle Heron ( Virtual Ability ) and Penguin ( Techsoup ) and discussed about ways to help make virtual tools reach those living in areas where computers and the Internet is not easily accessible. It was a great experience – thank you Oronoque for organizing it all.

Click to visit vwbpe.org to read more about this event.

The new OpenBuildbuilding school on Geo island

The new OpenBuildbuilding school on Geo island

Originally uploaded by OpenCafe in SecondLife

Thanks To Zeppo Romano and the Department of Geology-Geography at Illinois State University – we have a new location on Geo island so we can restart our “openbuilding activities”

We also have a sandbox right next to the school just like on Tresor so come and build away – there is lots free textures and tutorials to choose from. Soon we will start classes as well.

SLURL to the new school :

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Geo%20Island/205/49/31

OpenBuild – Ndebele fountain

OpenBuild – Ndebele fountain

Originally uploaded by OpenCafe in SecondLife

The latest OpeBuild is this fountain with Ndebele patterns. All OpenBuilds are freely available at the OpenBuilding school together with class supplies and step by step instructions.

SL Addicts and the new Makin Media site

Makin’s club

Originally uploaded by OpenCafe in SecondLife

Makin & Anna have been supporting the cafe since the very start – thank you so much guys – it’s been a year of fun and learning.

They have the most amazing venue in SL – the SL Addicts night club – go and visit – it’s not a place you can forget easily.

Makin just launched his new Makin Media site – click here to visit for some more info on all they have been up to.

Here is the SLURL to the SL Addicts club :
http://slurl.com/secondlife/The%20Last%20Smile/29/121/110

ICE new sim – grand opening

ICE new sim – grand opening

Originally uploaded by OpenCafe in SecondLife

We had fun dancin around at the grand opening – congrats to all those that put so much effort into setting up such a beautiful sim. i am planning to teach there quite a lot this year.

Ndebele pottery class

Ndebele pottery class

Originally uploaded by OpenCafe in SecondLife

I just completed my new class – the tutorial will also be available soon – free of course – just come to the cafe or IM me for your free copy of the pottery class.