Author Archives: ZoHa Islands

Is Virtual Reality Dangerous?

by

Virtual reality

Virtual reality is fast becoming the “must have” technology for many, with a slew of new headsets and experiences flooding the tech market this year. However, there has been little discussion as to whether or not this is actually a good thing to indulge in. With all of the games and platforms coming out at a steady pace to stay ahead of the curve, no one is really stopping to question the consequences of the average person stepping into Virtual Reality for too long.

This isn’t a new concern. We have a younger generation developing a lot of this technology without much thought into the long-term effects, knowing that our addiction-prone society would take to it like a moth to a flame.

The Wall Street Journal discussed research done by Stanford University professor Jeremy Bailenson recently where he outlined his discoveries over the past 15 years. His claim is that too much diving into Virtual Reality can, in short, change you psychologically. He states that this is because the experiences can start to alter your sense of reality.

There’s also the more common effects that can even be found with short term use:

“The experience can cause nausea, eyestrain and headaches. Headset makers don’t recommend their devices for children. Samsung and Oculus urge adults to take at least 10-minute breaks every half-hour, and they warn against driving, riding a bike or operating machinery if the user feels odd after a session.”

Prolonged use can also possibly affect hand-eye coordination, balance, and your ability to multitask. It’s also strongly urged that Virtual Reality headsets should not be used in moving vehicles (which could be a feasible issue with mobile-based sets like the Samsung Gear). It’s also strongly urged to NOT be used with children under 13, yet there is a heavy under-13 demographic in the gaming communities.

Some companies are calling for content creators to be responsible about what they put onto the market and ensure that it will be of benefit to the user, rather than contribute to the altered sense of reality. Considering that the Oculus Rift (which is the frontrunner in the market) was developed by a (now) 24-year-old, are we putting too much faith that youth is considering the long-term effects? Or are we setting ourselves up to find ourselves in a very gloomy future where we’re all detached from reality?

We do hear positive stories like Virtual Reality being used to be therapeutic for hospital patients and the elderly population, but with platforms like Sansar being developed in the mad rush to stay relevant….we’re bound to see Virtual Reality become something that will encourage addictive behavior for some and leave many too immersed in it for too long. So, where does the responsibility lie- in the developers, the content creators or the consumers? Are they doing enough to educate people on responsible usage here?

Share your thoughts on the matter- is Virtual Reality all that great for the general population?

Bria Oceanside
ZoHa Blogger/Social Media

Are We Selling Ourselves Short In Second Life?

by

I’ve been mulling over this for the past few days after checking on all things Second Life on Twitter and seeing this ad somewhere in my feed:

Second Life Bad Ad1

Now, this isn’t earth-shattering horrible, but what it also isn’t is positive. Hear me out on this one.

Not long ago, it used to be more difficult to find the “innuendo” ads and Second Life was portrayed more as a place for possibility. A place for teaching. A place for business. A place that enabled those who had Real Life limitations. But, as most platforms do, it started focusing more on skirting the more “sexual” themed ads. And I honestly can’t blame Linden Labs solely for this, because a simple search on Google shows we are also doing ourselves a great disservice.

While researching ads, tons of Marketplace listings were all over the place with sexual images, implications of interactions with animals that didn’t involve kosher acts and tons (and I mean tons) of women in lingerie. So, are we pushing Linden Labs to jump on the “sex sells” train?

Don’t get me wrong; I do see ads that are positive in the sense that they’re like “oh, check out this fun place, you can shop and meet people and explore” or “here’s some gorgeous images from some random place”. That’s great, but again, selling us short as a whole.

At the most recent Lab Chat Ebbe took a moment to respond to my question regarding whether or not there would be a focus on promoting the potential for education and other progressive opportunities in Second Life as was once done before the technology was ready. While I appreciate my question being used, it wasn’t actually really answered.

With the release of Sansar coming out, I really don’t want us to go down that slippery slope towards non-users thinking this is another game that promotes hooking up and just general foolishness. What that would do, really, would be of no justice to the amazing potential Second Life has and bring in more folks just aiming to be there for less interesting reasons.

Second Life can empower people, bloom creativity, educate, heal and so much more. There are already enough of us that think that Second Life is “just a game”….so why not try to catch the attention of those who would become advocates; Second Life’s biggest cheerleaders? Why not promote the documentary efforts of some of our most passionate bloggers and vloggers, rather than try to get another person that would come into world screaming “yay, virtual sex”?

Second Life is an amazing place with amazing people in it. We need more of that. It’s 2016, and we clearly have still only scratched the surface of everything we’re capable of doing. It’s a wonderful platform that, in a sense, has the power to impact two worlds at once. So can we see more of the education-centric promotion? More of the positive promotion that would entice businesses and organizations to consider the potential of investing in a virtual world? Maybe it’s time to go back to those roots, because now Second Life is more streamlined and ready to embrace those ventures.

Promote the progressive again, get more progressive people, and maybe we can start to shake this public perception of Second Life being “just another sexualized game”.

Bria Oceanside
ZoHa Blogger/Social Media

An Introduction, And Appreciation.

by

So, it’s only logical that I should introduce myself as the newest blogger for ZoHa Islands. I’m sure it would be expected that I explain the predictable about my joy for Second Life, but I’ll spare the mundane.

But, first let me thank the person I’ve been able to attempt to fill the shoes of, Suzanne. I’m honored to be able to carry the torch she’s already lit and (hopefully) do her work justice. While her departure is a loss, I’m humbled by the opportunity to follow such a class act.

What you won’t find is a self-absorbed intro full of cliché’s but a vision. I absolutely love so much about Second Life that I feel needs to be done so much more justice. Sure, there are a lot of amazing places to go hang out and things to do- but I have a love for the lesser-known and the more progressive sides of SL. I enjoy learning about the amazing talents, the trailblazers and the very developments outside of SL that can impact us all. I’m a bit of a history nerd with a thirst for knowledge, and I’m excited to be able to share this all with you.

I do feel that Second Life needs more attention on the lesser-known facets because, let’s face it, it has a huge amount of capability for us all. There are so many opportunities to learn, grown and expand our social circles in a way that’s far more tangible than we realize. There’s so much untapped potential that would be amazing to also see. Second Life is far more than “just a game”. It’s a community, a movement and a platform for some amazing experiences to be had.

So, of course, I guess it would be polite to mention a few things about myself. I originally joined SL in 2009 and have been in love with it since. I am a mother, a creator, an auctioneer and a visionary. I am a freelance professional outside of SL, although that also crosses over to SL as I mentor people on the vast universe of freelance.

I have a deep love for the creative and the oddball. I do love to explore places to see how people fit their puzzle pieces together and appreciate the sheer artistry of it all. I love attending classes, live concerts and challenging myself to grow as a person.
I appreciate this opportunity to share my Second Life (and all that impacts it) with you. I certainly hope to be able to do this role justice, as I think it’s incredibly important to shed an immense amount of positive light on the insanely dynamic world that we all call our second home.

Thank you, and I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead!

Bria Oceanside
ZoHa Blogger/Social Media

Fashion For Change 2015

by

Fashion For Change Logo

Fashion For Change is an event in Second Life running from April 11th through April 25th. This event benefits a wonderful organization called Womankind Worldwide.
Womankind Worldwide is a UK based, international Women’s Rights charity working to help women transform their lives and communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America. They celebrated their 25th Anniversary last year (2014).

The charity’s motto is “Equal, Respected, Proud,” and its vision is of a world where being a woman does not limit choices, opportunities or rights, no matter where she lives.

The charity’s aim is to support local Women’s Rights organizations and smaller local women’s groups. These groups, often at great personal risk to themselves, are challenging discrimination, human rights abuses and violence towards women within the countries and communities they are based in.

Womankind delivers the essential support – funding, expertise, contacts and publicity that these local grass roots women’s organizations need to amplify their voice, increase their impact and bring about greater change in their communities.

Womankind’s approach is not to impose a ‘top down’ solution but to help and empower the women’s groups it works with to achieve their own solutions and change. Womankind Worldwide also works in wider arenas, to lobby for change , working to influence the powers and practices of governments and non-governmental organizations.

While not being a very large charity, over the 25 years of its existence it has supported directly and indirectly over 18 million women and their families. In 2013, for instance, it worked in 15 countries, directly supported almost 141,000 women, and helped improve the rights of over 6 million women. In 2013 as an example, it worked in Afghanistan, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Peru, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

What follows is just a tiny example of the schemes, large and small, that it has helped.

Afghanistan – In Jalalabad WW helped a a legal aid center run by a local Women’s Organization to provide free legal support to 175 women, psychosocial support to 70 women/girls and basic health treatment to 46 women

Bolivia – WW helped 550 indigenous and peasant women leaders in 5 out of the country’s 9 regions to acquire the knowledge to challenge discrimination and they are now actively participating in local politics.

Liberia – WW helped develop a manual to help the police improve how they manage cases involving violence against women and girls, especially rape

Tanzania – WW worked with the Women’s Legal Aid Center in the Nyarugusu camp to support refugee paralegal units to take action on violence against women, and other human rights abuses, and they trained the wider community to recognize, promote and protect the rights of refugee women, children and men.

Nepal – WW helped Dalit tribal women’s political participation and their understanding of local political processes

Ethiopia – over five years, alongside another charity, WW worked with local communities to raise awareness of women’s rights, violence against women and harmful traditional practices. Just one result of this work was that 250,000 girls escaped genital mutilation.

That is only a tiny sample, the list could go on for hours….

This is a charity where even small donations can make a significant difference, because the money is targeted to make maximum and lasting impact. Some examples are shown below.

$20 US could train a police person in Peru in issues of sexual exploitation, violence and women’s rights to ensure that they better support trafficked women and women in prostitution.

$60US could train a community paralegal in Ghana, to provide legal support to survivors of violence, helping them to obtain child custody, a divorce or to keep their home.

$300US could train 25 Aymara women in Bolivia to educate other women in their communities on women’s rights, violence and leadership.

Looking at the figures, you can see that there is a real chance that money raised in Second Life could make a real difference somewhere.

Womankind Worldwide’s weblink can be accessed by clicking this link: Womankind Worldwid.

Please consider attending these events in Second Life and supporting this worthwhile cause. If you have any questions, you can contact Eles (eleseren.brianna) inworld. Here is the link to the inworld location: Fashion for Change

Fashion For Change Club Events Schedule

Fashion For Change Club Events Schedule

Fashion for Change Runway Fashion Show Events Schedule

Fashion for Change Runway Fashion Show Events Schedule

I remain respectfully yours,
~ Suzanne Piers, ZI Blogger/Social Media

Landscape Designer Extraordinaire: Antinéa Torok

by

Antonea Torok

One of the most frequent questions that ZoHa Islands staff receive from residents, is “How do I get my parcel (or sim) landscaped? Will you do it for me?”

Unfortunately, ZoHa Islands staffers don’t usually have time to help residents with making their property look amazing. However, Second Life has many talented landscape designers, and one of the outstanding ones is Antinéa Torok.

Antinéa Torok

Antinéa Torok

Antinéa has been in Second Life for well over seven years. She is partnered in Second Life to Callum McAuley. She has a wonderful, self-depracating sense of humor. Antinéa speaks French and English. Her talent for building and design is evident in her breathtaking Flickr page.

I highly recommend that you check it out. You can find it by clicking on this link: Antinéa’s Flickr Page.

If you are in need of an amazing sim designer, please contact her inworld and she will discuss your landscaping and designing needs.

In addition, she is a ZoHa Island resident and all around good egg. 🙂

I remain respectfully yours,
~ Suzanne Piers, ZoHa Islands Blogger/Social Media

Meet Your ZoHa Islands Staff 2015!

by

About a year ago, I did several posts on getting to know your ZoHa Islands staff. We have had people come and go since then, although fortunately we have a great core group of people that have stuck with us through thick and thin. We have also been fortunate enough to have some new people on staff and I thought it would be good to get to know them, too!

LoveeDi Resident

Q: How long have you been in SL?
A: 10 months

Q: What drew you to SL in the first place?
A: I have friends that are here.

Q: How long have you been with ZoHa Islands, and what is your job?
A: I’ve been with Zoha about a month or so and I am an Estate Manager

Q: Have you held other positions with ZoHa Islands?
A: Sales Agent

Q: Have you worked other places in SL? If so, what are they?
A: I owned a club where I also acted as DJ and Host. I was a Host for Brimstome and Kountry Korner. I currently own and auction house and act as Auctioneer called Midwest Breedables.

Q: What do you like to do in SL? Do you have any favorite places?
A: I love breedables of all kinds, and can usually be found at an auction house or shopping with friends.

Q: Tell me a little about your RL, if you’re comfortable doing so. Are you married, kids, hobbies, etc?
A: I am married to my best friend and have been for going on 4 years in September. We have grown kids and grandkids which are my pride and joy, the grandbabies are my world in RL. I enjoy playing on the pc, movies and reading reading reading. Im a city girl turned country from Texas and love to fish and boat.

–•~~❤~~•–

Christara Hallstrom

Q: How long have you been in SL?
A: I originally came to SL in August of 2005. Since then I have created several different avatars in order to do different things within SL, such as clothing creation, building, roleplaying, and more.

Q: What drew you to SL in the first place?
A: I actually heard about SL because of the boyfriend I was with at the time. His parents were having troubles because of this game so we checked it out. I immediately was drawn to it. SL is my escape as well as my means of social interaction. I am a functioning agoraphobic. SL allows for me to get out in the world with less anxiety and panic attacks. Many of the people that I have met have become a huge factor in my RL and I have met several people from here that have become like family to me.

Q: How long have you been with ZoHa Islands and what is your job?
A: I started ZoHa Islands back in November of 2014. I started as a sales agent and then in January of 2015 I became an Estate Manager.

Q: Have you held other positions with ZI?
A: Sales agent

Q: Have you worked other places in SL? If so, what are they?
A: Well, I have been in SL for almost 10 years. I have worked in clubs as a host, dancer, and DJ. I have managed clubs as well as owned them. I have my own clothing store as well as a building store. I have worked in sales, management, and advertising for a variety of businesses. I have been an estate manager at another company as well as had my own successful wedding business. I can honestly say that I have done a lot of things and I am sure there will be a lot more to come.

Q: What do you like to do in SL? Do you have any favorite places?
A: I love to build and making clothing. If I am not working, I am usually on my sim trying to build something new or work on making new clothing for #themeshproject avatars or mesh clothing for everyone. I do tend to visit friends, but like in RL, I am a homebody. I love to just hang out with those I am close to and just chill and listen to music. Occasionally we fish, play greedy, swim, dance, and more.

Q: Tell me a little about your RL, if you’re comfortable doing so. Are you married, kids, hobbies, etc?
A: I am not legally married and dont plan on it anytime soon. I do not believe in marriage after my first one failed miserably. I currently have a polyamorous relationship and love it. I have some wonderful kids, both biological and not that I would not give up for the world. If I am not in SL, which is rare, I am usually gardening, walking, or spending time with my friends and family. I am very down to earth and laid back. I am the same in SL and am true to myself.

–•~~❤~~•–

Wendy Kinsella (misswendy.divine)

Q: How long have you been in SL?
A: Over 10 years.. Dec 22, 2004

Q: What drew you to SL in the first place?
A: My friends and I came here from The Sims Online game. Don’t remember who it was that actually found SL but we came in a group of about 15.

Q: How long have you been with ZoHa Islands, and what is your job?
A: I’ve been with ZoHa Islands since Nov, 28, 2014, and I am an Estate Manager

Q: Have you held other positions with ZoHa Islands?
A: I started out as a Sales Agent

Q: Have you worked other places in SL? If so, what are they?
A: Years ago, I had my own Internet radio station that was popular in SL, as well as other online games. We had many DJs and Producers, all bringing music to the best places in SL, before DJs were all free agents. Over the many years I have been with SL, I have had a lot of different jobs. I have worked at a lot of clubs in SL as a DJ, a Host. or a Manager, of some kind.

Q: What do you like to do in SL? Do you have any favorite places?
A: My big love in SL is my MC. I belong to a Motorcycle Club and it is a great bunch of people. No matter where you go in SL, if you are dealing with people, sooner or later you will have some kind drama, sooner or later. What I like about the bikers is that usually, if a biker has a problem with you, they come to you. I like people who are up front. You can visit our club by clicking this link: Motorcycle Club. Also, I am into Pet Peddlers Breedable Fish. They are a lot of fun and the people that breed fish are the friendliest group I have met in SL. I have done a lot of different breedables and I love the way the fish breeders really team together. Click this link: Breedable Fish

Q: Tell me a little about your RL, if you’re comfortable doing so. Are you married, kids, hobbies, etc?
A: I live in Texas, USA.

–•~~❤~~•–

If you see any of these three lovely ladies around ZoHa Islands, give them a shout out and say hello.

Stay tuned; I will be profiling other new staff in the coming days and weeks.

I remain respectfully yours,
~ Suzanne Piers, ZoHa Islands Blogger/Social Media