Become Your Avatar...

Second Life: Become Your Avatar...

Lets see if you make it out alive!

I'll be away for awhile - A Doubledown Tandino Hiatus

As life progresses (first life, that is), and as Second Life progresses (with the 2.0 viewer), I unfortunately have to take a leave of absence from the virtual world.

As some of you know, I have been working my way towards moving, living, and working in New York City.   Phase 1 is complete; I'm packed, and I've left for the big apple.... 

You would think phase 2 would be unpacking at my new place in Manhattan and getting right back into Second Life.... but, there is no phase 2 yet.  Apparently I find myself in nomad/gypsy mode.... ok, let's just call it what it is... I'm homeless.

That's the simple truth....  I've left where I was living in South Jersey, packed up one bag of clothes, and traveled to NYC with no set home.   Some people are congratulating me on this... some people say I have a lot of guts.... some people say I'm following my dreams...  

I have to admit, I'm nervous and overwhelmed as hell.   As I said on my facebook wall: "Either I'm going to eat the big apple, or the big apple is going to eat me"

With all that being said, I will be sparse in Second Life.   I won't be available to DJ live inworld for some time until my real life has stabilized.  I will pop inworld where wifi allows to check on things, try to attend events, and make sure my company Ravelong is running smoothly.  And, I will be back, you can count on that.

And I'll leave you with this:  Two 10 minute Electro House mixes.  These were filmed simply to do it.  I knew I wouldn't be DJing for awhile, and I was going to pack up my music and gear... so here's two mini-mixers for ya.  Enjoy:





I may or may not take a break from this blog for awhile too... I haven't decided yet. I know I won't be in touch with what is going on in Second Life... but who knows.... maybe I'll still find interesting things to post about.

Is the *Avatar* concept really possible?

Is the 'Avatar' concept really possible?
By Elizabeth Landau, CNN

(CNN) -- Now the highest-grossing film ever, "Avatar," has captivated millions of viewers with its picturesque scenery, extraterrestrial battles, and nature-loving, blue-skinned aliens.

The premise of the film is that humans can enter the world of these 10-foot aliens, called the Na'vi, by way of half-human, half-Na'vi hybrids. A high-tech interfacing mechanism allows a human to remain inert while controlling one of these avatar hybrids just by thinking.

Not only does the human manipulate the avatar's movements and speech, but he or she also experiences life -- every sensation, feeling and emotion -- through the eyes of the hybrid, as if consciousness were transferred.

Scientists say we are many decades, even centuries, away from making this kind of sophisticated interaction possible, if it can be done at all. But the fundamentals of components required to create this complicated system of mind-controlled avatars are already in the works, and have useful applications in medicine.

"We're starting to understand the basic building blocks, but the biggest challenges will be emotion and thought -- how to make another organism think what you think, to feel what you feel -- because those networks are much more difficult to sort out," said Dr. Brian Litt, associate professor of neurology and bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE ON CNN where they cover:
Moving remote objects by thinking
Uploading information
Understanding brain networks
Transferal of sensations and emotions
    

Maximillion Kleene from Second Life carries the Olympic torch in Canada

Sunday December 20th, 2009 - 3:10pm PST/SLT

LIVE coverage on the web :: Maximillion Kleene from SL musician... in canada in Real Life carrying the Olympic torch on the torch run ... 

3:10 SL time approx he will be the one with the torch in the live feed  
http://bit.ly/maxtorch