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* Event will be * LIVE * at 7PM PST MARCH 23, 2009.

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* Meet in Second Life(tm) – http://slurl.com/secondlife/Acedia/109/213/24

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http://ustream.tv/channel/virtual-world-sig

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MindArk, developer of virtual world Entropia Universe, has obtained a banking license in Sweden.

Read more at MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29755068/

and at VWNews: http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2009/03/mindark

This is significant in the sense that this “virtual world” currency is no longer “virtual”.  “When deposits are made into Entropia they will actually be made directly into our own bank” said Jan Welter Timkrans, MindArk CEO (via Virtual Worlds News).  This is definitely one of the most or THE most direct virtual-to-real connections that has been made by a virtual world.

John Bates of MindArk lead a fascinating tour of Entropia at our August Virtual World SIG last year,
(https://virtualworldsig.com/entropia-universe-aug-25-2008/) under the title “Virtual Economies with Real Results”.   

Kudos to this extremely focused team of virtual world pioneers!

-Bob Ketner

For those of you in the NY/NJ area, don’t miss the Metaverse meetup this Friday 03/20/09.  Organized by Theodore Wright (Second Life avatar: California Condor)

Sue Martin Mahar (Second Life avatar: Nasus Dumart) and Jay Mahar (Second Life avatar: Apple MacKay) will be presenting their Book “The Unofficial Guide to Building Your Business in the Second Life® Virtual World” on Friday, March 20, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at the New Jersey Metaverse Meetup

We will be gathering at the bar at Harold’s New York Deli Restaurant in Parsippany, NJ.

Details and registration at http://gamedev.meetup.com/166/calendar/9829181/

Harold’s New York Deli Restaurant
707 Route 46 East
(Holiday Inn)
Parsippany NJ 07054

As many of you know, Molaskey’s Pub Owner, Apple MacKay (Jay Mahar) and his RL wife, Nasus Dumart (Sue Mahar) spent most of 2008 interviewing virtual world professionals and writing about ‘the Second Life® business experience’ for a mainstream, global audience. ‘The Unofficial Guide ~’ includes interviews with Philip Rosedale, Mitch Kapor, Steve Prentice, members of IBM, Persis Trilling of Princeton University, Larry Johnson of the NMC, Susan Tenby of the NPC, Liam Kanno, Sibley Verbeck of The Electric Sheep Company, and many independent entrepreneurs.

“The Unofficial Guide To Building Your Business in the Second Life® Virtual World” by Sue Martin Mahar and Jay Mahar (Amacom 2009) has received endorsements from Robert Bloomfield (Beyers Sellers), Aliza Sherman (Cybergrrl Oh), Steve Nelson (Kiwini Oe) and Mark Guan of IBM.

Join us for a time to discuss business in the virtual world, for networking, drinks and enjoyment.

Please pass on word to others and
RSVP at the New Jersey Metaverse Meetup website…

Details and registration at http://gamedev.meetup.com/166/calendar/9829181/
-Theodore Wright
(California Condor in SL)
Organizer for the New Jersey Metaverse Meetup

Co-organizers are Andy Fundinger and Hiro Pendragon

SDForum Virtual World SIG:  “Women at Work in Virtual Worlds”

A joint program of SDForum Virtual World  SIG and the SDForum Tech Women’s Program featuring a panel of women who build, create, and work in virtual worlds.

Panelists  will discuss their work in virtual worlds, commenting on how their perspective may differ from that of their male colleagues.  We are excited about the range of work these women represent including:

* K. Estelle Dodson,  NASA CoLab, on virtual worlds in science collaboration and education. Her work at NASA Ames Research Center in virtual research institutions includes telepresence, hyperwalls and meetings in Second Life and Qwaq.

* Orna Michael, Arts Devt. Director at Sims Studio  at  Electronic Arts, will discuss art and game development for the “Sims”, which is a simulation game of family, personal, career and personal development.

* Mary Duda,  CEO/President of VirtuePlay Inc. which is releasing a game  called “The Lunar Racing Championship ” (LRC) in late Spring 2009.

* Martha Russell, Associate Director of Media X at Stanford University, will discuss herexperiences with remote collaboration in Qwaq Forums.

* Jeska Dzwigalski (aka: Jeska Linden), manager of Customer Market Development, Linden Lab (creators of Second Life) . Jeska has been a (virtual) Jill of all Trades at Linden Lab, working on everything from the new user experience to community management.

* Susan Tenby, Online Community Manager and Virtual Worlds Evangelist and Organizer, TechSoup Global.

Location
Pillsbury Winthrop Office Silicon Valley
2475 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1114
Directions :
http://www.pillsburylaw.com/bv/bvisapi.dll/portal/ep/ofcDetail.do/ofc/14

Media
Virtual location and streaming media to be posted at https://www.virtualworldsig.com day of the event.

Agenda
6:30 PM Registration and Networking
7:00 PM -8:40 PM Presentations

Price
$15 at the door for non-SDForum members
No charge for SDForum members
No registration required

* SDForum Event page:
http://www.sdforum.org/vwsig