Avatars: As Much Electricity As Brazilians

Nicholas Carr does the math and figures each avatar in Second Life consumes as much electricity as an average citizen of Brazil.

So an avatar consumes 1,752 kWh per year. By comparison, the average human, on a worldwide basis, consumes 2,436 kWh per year. So there you have it: an avatar consumes a bit less energy than a real person, though they're in the same ballpark.

Now, if we limit the comparison to developed countries, where per-capita energy consumption is 7,702 kWh a year, the avatars appear considerably less energy hungry than the humans. But if we look at developing countries, where per-capita consumption is 1,015 kWh, we find that avatars burn through considerably more electricity than people do.

Darfur Q&A in Second Life

Actress and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow will make an appearance in Second Life this Friday from 9AM to 10AM (Second Life Time) to discuss and answer questions about Darfur and the genocide which is occurring there. She will be joined by John Heffernan, Director of the Genocide Prevention Initiative for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Committee on Conscience, and photographer Ron Haviv whose images of Darfur are part of a multimedia event which will be featured as part of the event.

via Beth

Homeless Child in Second Life

The Spanish association Mensajeros de la Paz ("Messengers of Peace") has created an avatar of a homeless boy in Second Life. His name is MensajerosDeLaPaz Jubilee and is there to remind participants "that many people still need help and everybody can do something against poverty, injustice and abandon."

He has no property except a cardboard box shelter and some newspapers to lie upon. He carries a sign which says "Help a child have a second oportunity in his First Life."

via BoingBoing

Steven Starr Interview

Our guest on November 18 was Steven Starr, founder and CEO of Revver. We talked a bit about the future of user generated media, and how Revver is attempting to steer advertising dollars towards the content creators without discouraging the viral distribution of their product.

- Listen to the Interview -