This Saturday at The Science Circle

 
Saturday February 26

At 10 AM

"The Roller Coaster of Extreme Weather in a Climate-changing World"
by Linda M. Kelley and Dr. Keith E. Grant
https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/extreme-weather/

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/122/166/3002

~*~

At 9PM
Gender and Race in Science
Discussion by Jes Stannard
https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/gender-and-race/

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/190/53/23
 

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at Burn2. Who knows what the reason was for why this guy wearing such a girly outfit, but it's fun to guess why. ;-)

By Bixyl Shuftan

News and Commentary: Of "Morphological Freedom" in Real Life and Second Life

Earlier this summer, Valkyrie McGill wrote a commentary about two people making the news at the time. Bruce Jenner had completed a series of sex-change operations and treatments, and was now known as Caitlyn Jenner. Rachel Dolezal, a leader of a chapter of the NAACP, was found to have white parents, but still insisted her identity was black. Valkyrie called both cases examples of "morphological freedom," the freedom to look like and identify yourself as what you feel you are. In Second Life, the ability to change one's appearance is taken for granted, and seldom is being of a different race or gender here than you are in real life a big issue. But is the virtual world a guide for when the ability to change one's looks on the scale of what Jenner and Dolezal have done becomes much easier, faster, and costing less (or no) money?

Read Bixyl Shuftan's commentary in Extra.

Commentary: Gender in Second Life - Take Two

Recently, Newser reporter talked about the issue of taking on the appearance of the opposite sex in "Gender in SL." Some do so more or less freely. Others, not so much or not at all. Bixyl Shuftan had a few thoughts and impressions on the subject, as well as a different perspective. Here, he offers some words of his own on the topic.

For the article, check out People.

Gender in SL

Becky "Sha" Shamen had a few things to say on a certain subject that for some residents is a touchy subject. The ability for someone to go about the grid as the opposite sex. In real life media, the topic's become the subject of numerous jokes. Becky on the other hand has her own opinions on the matter of one's gender on the Grid.

Read Becky's comments in People.