See title.

When:  Wednesday, June 10 at 9 p.m ET/ 6 p.m. PT

Tired of scraping by to make ends meet? Looking for ideas on how you can get ahead?

Michael Rubin, author of “Beyond Paycheck to Paycheck,” and president of Total Candor, a financial education company.

Rubin will share tips and answer questions on things most everyone can do to decrease spending, increase savings and start to go above and beyond the paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle.

This event will be hosted on TalkShoe.  You can dial in by phone or log into the web-based client to listen and participate in the discussion:  http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/51172. If you are interested in this event, please register here on Eventbrite.

To learn more about Michael Rubin, see his bio at Total Candor.

To learn more about LifeTuner, visit LifeTuner.org.

Update: Michael asked me to give out this link to folks who are interested in purchasing the book for a $5 discount.  :)

Today, Idea City hosted its third Idea Exchange discussion, but it was the very first audio-based event.  Ellen interviewed Michael Schutzler on TalkShoe about his leadership experience and newly released book, Inspiring Excellence.  The interview was streamed live into Second Life and Metaplace, and the text chat was bridged between the worlds.  You can listen to the entire interview below.

About Michael Schutzler:

Michael Schutzler is a successful business coach with more than a dozen years experience coaching and mentoring CEOs, executives, and board members. Michael developed a passion for and expertise in leadership over the course of twenty-five years in a wide variety of executive and management roles in notable companies, including Harris Corporation, RR Donnelley & Sons, Classmates.com, and RealNetworks.

As an independent venture investor, he has helped launch more than a dozen Internet and technology companies. Michael has also served in leadership roles in nonprofit organizations and public school committees. He holds an MBA in Finance and Economics from the W. E. Simon School at University of Rochester and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

Listen to the interview:

[Update] Here is the unabridged chat transcript from the event!

If you haven’t heard about it already, there is a cross-world SL/MP group discussion today at 12PM PDT about virtual economies and the role they will play in our real-world recession.

Attend from http://beta.metaplace.com/Interval/play or http://slurl.com/secondlife/Idea%20City/145/129

There is more information about the event here: http://virtualeconomies.eventbrite.com/

You can also register and subscribe to future Idea Exchange event notifications (about one per month).

Hope you can make it out!

I had the distinct privilege of organizing one of the first public cross-world discussion events to occur between the virtual worlds of Second Life and Metaplace, which got announced on Metaversatility’s and Raph Koster’s blogs, briefly mentioned on Virtual Worlds News, and covered more extensively on Osprey’s, Dusan’s, and Rik’s blogs. Rik also has an interesting screenshot on his Flickr page.

As was revealed in the aforementioned blog posts, the gist of the event was to hold an informal group discussion in two worlds simultaneously. The topic for this discussion was “emerging trends in game development.” A few virtual worlds and gaming industry insiders participated and shared their experiences at the Game Developer’s Conference in San Antonio this year. Among those attending were Raph Koster, Adrienne Haik, and Robin Harper.

Here is a raw, unabridged chat log of the event.

This discussion event is the first of a new monthly series, dubbed “Idea Exchange,” being produced by GSD&M Idea City. Check out their sim in Second Life here. Future topics for Idea Exchanges will be related to emerging trends in technology in media. If you have an idea for a topic, please share in the comments or shoot an email to ideas@herdpress.com. Thanks!

I am grateful to have had an opportunity to contribute to this year’s SLCC. The convention has meant very much to me over the years. It was the beginning of my career as a community organizer and also the beginning of a life-long partnership with Meghan. I have attributed a lot of my personal story to Second Life, but in fact, if it weren’t for this very convention, there is no telling where I would be at this point in my life.

In light of recent events, communications, and a general stirring in my soul over the past few weeks, I have decided not to continue my role as the community manager for SLCC. The Future United and I disagree about the most effective way to manage the organization and move this event forward. I wish them all the very best and will continue to encourage residents to attend this year’s community convention. I hope that it will continue to grow and come to mean as much to others as it has to me.

If you are interested in volunteering for the convention, you can reach the main organizers by sending an email to volunteer@slconvention.org.

One of the things that I do for Orange Island is to help run an in-world group called Metaverse Explorers.  Every couple of weeks, the group goes on a guided tour of some new and interesting place in Second Life.  Some of the places we’ve visited in the past are Greenies, Straylight, Rivet Town, Shinobi, and Suffugium, just to name a few.  We’ve also toured some art exhibits, such as “Kiss the Sky” and Atelier Alizarin.  You can read about many of these places here on the Orange Island blog.

One of the tools I’ve found useful for discovering new places to visit is the Second Life Architecture group on Flickr.  This pool contains many photos of beautifully designed places in Second Life.

If you happen to know of any hidden gems, I’d love to hear about them.  You can comment here, IM me in-world, or send me an email using the contact link at the top of this blog.  If you’re interested in attending one of our tours in the future, just join the group Metaverse Explorers in Second Life.  It’s open-enrollment and free to join!

Connie Molinaro sends this message:

I want to take a little of your time for some charity… Quand tu penses a moi, je vais deja mieux.. When you think of me, I already feel better…. http://ewingfashionagency.wordpress.com/2008/12/19/when-you-think-of-me-i-already-feel-better-2/ Almost Xmas, time to think about people who may need us these days. Send a message to children in hospital to brighten up their day! See attachment or the EFA blog how. Would be great if you can visit the place and post your message, even more great if you can pass this message in your group or publish it at your blog! Merry Xmas!

I sent a message myself, and hope that you will too. It only takes a minute.

Bjorlyn Loon sent the following press release regarding new management of Metanomics. Additional information about Remedy and Metanomics, along with the full release and related contact information, can be found here: http://metanomics.net/PressRelease121508

Toronto, December 16, 2008 – Metanomics, a “virtual talk show” filmed primarily in the online, 3D world of Second Life and broadcast on the web, announced today that Remedy Communications, a leading communication and “virtual world” development company, will provide marketing and technical expertise to the program.

Remedy will supply the resources to extend Metanomics’ role as the leading source of insight into online virtual worlds. Metanomics, hosted by show founder Professor Robert Bloomfield of Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, will continue to focus on best practices for the swiftly evolving enterprise, educational and social opportunities of online three-dimensional web content.

“The partnership with Remedy Communications is a valuable resource as Metanomics strives to enrich its substance, reach and influence. I am impressed by the energy and talents of both the Remedy creative staff, and the virtual world development team that will promote and operate the Metanomics show,” said Professor Bloomfield. “We want Metanomics to be the most trustworthy portal to access the latest and best in virtual world practices and potential.”

Metanomics has charted, analyzed and assessed the growing commercial and consumer importance of virtual worlds, using Second Life as its “home base”. For Metanomics, virtual worlds “are serious business”.

Many businesses, small to multi-national, are looking for solutions to remain competitive in a global market with limited resources. “In an economic period where cost-savings are critical for large corporations, virtual worlds offer advantages that are not fully realized by alternative bleeding-edge internet solutions,” said Sandy Adam of Sigma-Aldrich Chemical. “For example, Sigma-Aldrich uses virtual worlds for cost-effective 3D collaboration, as well as for product demonstrations that would not be possible at customer sites. Enterprises that benefit from 3D visualization, global intra-communications, or effective social networking, rely on the weekly Metanomics show to keep up-to-date with timely and in-depth coverage of virtual world opportunities.”

Erica Driver, co-founder of ThinkBalm, an independent analyst firm focused on enterprise use of the Immersive Internet, and formerly a strategic advisor at Forrester, said that: “The Metanomics show is a futuristic combination of traditional lecture, TV talk show, massive group text chat, and weekly gathering of friends and associates from around the globe. In just a year, the Metanomics show has evolved into an invaluable source of information about immersive internet trends, developments, and announcements.”

In recent Metanomics programs, attorney Benjamin Duranske considered how the creation of virtual worlds might alter intellectual property law, architect Jon Brouchoud explained how virtual worlds could provide cost-saving collaborative and integrated practice in the building industry, and Dahlia Khalifa of the World Bank emphasized the value of reaching a large world audience through virtual worlds as part of their “Doing Business 2009″ report.

“Remedy believes that virtual worlds hold real practical and commercial potential for a vast range of business, non-profit and social organizations,” said Doug Thompson, CEO, Remedy Communications. “Much like the first Internet revolution, use of ‘virtual worlds’ can assist collaborative business practices, save money, and build revenue. The Metanomics program is dedicated to showing businesses and others how to step into this brave new world.”

Alizarin Goldflake sends this press release about an art exhibit premiere in Second Life. I helped organize a Metaverse Explorer group tour of her gallery last month. It was widely admired by the group.

From: Griffin Halderman
Topic: “Metempsyche’s Garden” by Alizarin Goldflake
Event date: Sunday, December 7, 1 – 3 pm PDT
slurl: http//slurl.com/secondlife/Sunfire/220/160/23

The SL premiere of Alizarin Goldflake’s latest Immersive art creation, “Metempsyche’s Garden,” will take place on Sunday, December 7, 1 – 3 pm PDT at Sunfire Gallery.

“Metempsyche’s Garden” is a place of mysterious metaphysics, of reincarnation. A fish is reborn as a mermaid, who is herself reborn as a human. The human is reborn as a winged spirit, who is finally reborn as a moth. The cycle repeats and overlaps and turns in on itself, capturing the evolution of life from the sea to the land to the air, with the lovely insect finally inheriting the earth. This process takes place in the stark beauty of black and white, in a garden of exquisitely-detailed seaweed. Best viewed at World/Environment Settings/Midnight.

The focus of the build is ephemeral giant particles, which are actually high-resolution jpegs of digital drawings created with Corel Painter using a Wacom digitizing tablet and stylus. The SL audience sees the work in all its RL detail.

“Metempsyche’s Garden” is situated in a beautiful landscape installation by Keith Extraordinaire. Check out the gorgeous trees, wondrous sculpty rocks, flower-speckled grass, stroll down to the sea crashing along the coast, then return and sit in the Seaweed Throne and lose yourself in the imagery. Three of the artist’s kinetic sculpty works are also on view in this location.

Alizarin will be present at the opening.

Highlights from Ali’s SL resume include “mesmerEyes: alizarin’s visions” at Artemesia (August 2008), ” Sunfire Gallery Grand Opening” (July 2008), “Alizarin Goldflake: Selections from The Georg Janick Collection” at New Caerleon (July – October 2008), “Treasure Hunt” at Crecscent Moon Museum (June 2008), “Alizarin Goldflake: Selected Immersive Art” at Artis Gallery at DDB Live (June -September 2008), “Floating World: Immersive Art at the Marina” at Bissorte Marina (May 2008), and “SECOND LIGHT: Alizarin Goldflake and Elros Tuominen” at the Kirkness Art Center ( February 2008), “No Matter” at Ars Virtua ( February 2008), and the Oyster Bay Anniversary Show (January 2008).

Alizarin has been a RL professional visual artist for a long time. She shows in several prominent RL galleries, and her work is included in many RL museum, corporate, and private collections.