Clarification

Last week I participated in a panel discussion for FountainBlue.

A blog written by someone in the audience quotes me as saying that someone made US$1.7Million selling virtual shoes. In fact what I said was that there were nearly 60K accounts that are making enough money in Second Life to cover their costs.

In addition, several people/accounts are cashing out US$ amounts in excess of $1M per year (with the highest amount estimated at $1.7M), based on annualizing one quarter of data. Most of the top 10 are in the real estate business, but the group also includes a company that does events and one that designs virtual goods including shoes.

My apologies for any misunderstandings that may have arisen from my statements.

Leaving Linden, but not Second Life

I had the most amazing experience on Friday morning, when I attended a going-away party that Sitearm Madonna and Ham Rambler hosted for me in Second Life. It was humbling and gratifying, as so many people stopped in to wish me well. Of course it wasn't without its crashes, but all in all it was wonderful. I want to thank Sitearm and Ham, and also the people who provided the live music: Dizzy Banjo, Frogg Marlowe, Grace McDunnough and Cylindrian Rutabaga.

Here's what I said to all the party-goers...

Thanks to Sitearm and Ham and their team

It's so awe-inspiring to see so many people who have been so important to me for such a long time. I can't thank you all enough for making the time to stop by. I know you all have busy RLs in addition to your SL.

I want you all to know how much I admire what you've done. We gave you a foundation and some tools, but you've made SL the diverse and beautiful place it is. It's in the things you've built and the people you are, and the friends we've all become.

I'll be sorry to leave you all as Robin Linden, but I'll still be here as Taliesin Protagonist and I hope you'll all continue to be with me in my new journey, wherever it takes me.

Change is a good thing

I posted the news that I'm leaving to the Linden Lab blog today. Such a hard decision, but I'm excited at the possibilities. Seven years is a long time, and it's been a great ride. But time to move on and refresh.

Parrots? In San Francisco?

I feel like I should be writing something profound about the state of the world as we move into the new year, or at least making a prediction or two.

But I'm dazzled by the fact that the flock of parrots that lives on Telegraph Hill made a ground level appearance today, just as I was walking by. Now how cool is that?!

Magic

The other day my friend JM told me about Ocarina and I downloaded it to my iPhone. Now I'm sitting and listening to people in Hawaii playing Christmas carols. A little while ago I listened to LonelyOne experimenting in New York somewhere. And Whyn in Hawaii is playing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".

I've been a believer in online community for a long time. Meeting people and making new friends from all over the world is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job at Linden Lab. But I'm astounded at the magic of hearing a melody being played in Indonesia and imagining that person sending their little tune around the world to me.

This shouldn't be

It shouldn't be possible that a highly organized group, faith-based no less, can raise money and help to pass a ballot initiative in another state. And yet it's becoming clear that the passage of California's Prop.8 defining marriage as between a man and a woman, was made largely possible by the organized efforts of the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City.

I was heartened to see that I'm not the only one who feels this way; that members of the Mormon Church also recognize the role their church leaders played in passing a ballot proposition that so blatently denies same sex couples the opportunity to build a family.

This comment was posted in response to Judith Warner's latest blog entry.

I am so sorry that so many people in California (and elsewhere) believed the lies and distortions paid for and distributed by the people and organizations pushing for Prop 8’s passage. I was heartsick to find the names of friends and relatives on the Mormon “big donor” list. The “No on 8″ campaign seemed completely blindsided by the influx of money from outside California. Now there are demonstrations, now there is energy, but too late.

Throughout this entire sorry spectacle, I still have not heard one cogent, logical, sensible argument about how gay marriage would hurt my marriage or anyone else’s marriage.

The courts will have to overturn Prop 8 on the grounds that it violates gays’ fundamental rights. Overturning it will enrage the pro-Prop 8 groups, who will mount yet another costly campaign. For Prop 8 alone, the latest figures only with respect to Mormon participation show that 59,000 families donated some $77 million — the lion’s share. Now Mormons are unhappy that their chapels and temples are protest sites. They expected that the targets of their Salt Lake leaders’ policies would quietly accept having their rights taken away?

As a final thought, directed to my Mormon family and friends: the LDS church’s 13th Article of Faith states, “We believe in being honest, true, … benevolent, and in doing good to all men….” How is printing, disseminating, emailing, and telephoning messages filled with fear-based untruths and distortions being “honest and true”? How is taking away other people’s rights being “benevolent and … doing good to all men”?

Unfortunately, as I know all too well from my own several decades of devoted participation, Mormons place obedience to their leaders over listening to their own hearts and consciences, and over thinking for themselves. And as with civil rights for blacks, and the ERA for women, the Mormon church once again finds itself on the wrong side of history and morality.

— mofembot in France

Tears of Joy

Five days later, and the excitement and joy hasn't abated.

There are a few times in my life that I remember as defining historical events, where it was evident that something momentous was happening which would change us all. Some were frightening or sad -- the assassinations and riots in the 60's, the end of the VietNam war and Nixon's resignation, and more recently the horror of 9/11.

But the last event of such significance that was so filled with hope was the fall of the Berlin wall almost 20 years ago.

On Tuesday night something changed. Everywhere crowds of people were in the streets, dancing and cheering, with tears running down their faces. Can anyone remember seeing hundreds of people shouting with joy in front of the White House in any election in the past? Five days later we still have economic challenges, climate change fears and an abysmal health care system. And yet there's something different.

Six days ago we wondered if it would ever be possible for us to overcome the enormous problems we face, and what sort of world would be left to our grandchildren.

Today we are realizing that our grandchildren will know a world that has the potential to be so much better simply because we have allowed ourselves to walk away from prejudice and divisive stereotypes. Today I feel a renewed sense of possibility. And all because of one remarkable man who has managed to convince millions that things can be better with the simple words "Yes we can".