I recently came across the blog of a long time muse of mine, Labi Siffre. I was once in a second-hand shop in Manchester and the cover of his 1972 album, “Crying, Laughing, Loving, Lying” called out to me to buy it…

I had never heard of him, and the record was a little scratched, but I took it home and haven’t stopped listening to it since. I even hooked up the record player to the computer so I could make mp3s. Some time later, I saw him perform a sublime set of music and poetry – on race, religion, politics and people.

When I came across his blog, Into The Light, I saw a stream of poetry… This one really caught my attention:

as 123 as ABC

“life has no meaning without God” say many
but life has no meaning
full stop. period.

life is the muse, the inspiration
equalled only by existence
and these wonders inspire us
FIRE us to meaning

to not realize that is
profoundly
odd

and the customary way
to flee
responsibility

At the recent SLDevU conference in London, I understood the vision behind the online virtual world, Second Life, to a much deeper level: a platform for the 3D Internet – a richer, more compelling and more collaborative space for information and communication than our current, flat-screen Web.

Created by visionary programmers and inhabited by curious explorers, soul seekers, revellers, entrepreneurs and a frenzy of big-bucks brands, I wonder if we could turn this new Frontierland into something greater than our First Life?…

Second Life is often cited as being just another Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplay Game. But its founders have no such idea in mind. No, not a game, but a virtual universe in which all the lands, buildings, clothes and all manner of wild and wonderful objects are sculpted and scripted by the residents. People conduct business and engage in the marketplace for very real money. They congregate and communicate in ways never previously possible…

Information from our more familiar, 2D websites streams in and out of the Second Life world, interacting with its residents. Now you can watch a YouTube video together with people in different countries. You could be in the crowd at a concert of your favourite band, without ever travelling. You can work with colleagues and hold business meetings in your new virtual office.

What possibilities of open-mindedness and self-exploration could this unique experience offer? If travel expands the mind, Second Life is like moving to Mars! Certainly, the space is permeated by all the familiar messages from dollar-hungry ‘lifestyle’ brands and the heady hedonism of clubs and consumerism. We know these too well, but is there something else in there, something to touch the core of one’s being: meaningful communication, heartfelt connection, depth and learning or spiritual discovery?

We see a rare opportunity, where the citizens of this New World can be instrumental in creating the society of their dreams – and in the relative safety of a virtual space. Can we rise to the challenge and even create a catalyst for transforming the very Real World all around us?…

Links:

• Virtual Reality in Second Life & Beyond
• Second Life Resource for Educators
• Making a Living in Second Life
• Guide to Jobs in Second Life

Do you like Dharmasphere? Do you listen to music? Sure you do!

Roll up and join the Dharmasphere group on Last FM. We’ll get group radio once we have a few more members…

Last FM is a website that learns your musical tastes and plays you a radio stream of similar music – from highly commercial to highly independent artists. It has introduced me to some fantastic new bands.

If you’re interested to listen to my music, one of my albums is in there:
Ishta – Live in Manchester

I’ve been playing with artwork for a new Dharmasphere logo. You can find the results in this interactive animation… but you’ll have to be clever and work out how to find it! :)

What do you think?

Illustration Friday is one of a multitude of projects on the web with the simple desire to unite minds across the globe and to share inspiration and creativity. In my eyes it is a simple example of how the web can be used to establish a worldwide family.

It is a very simple concept. Each Friday, a theme is given and anyone around the world can illustrate the topic and then submit a link to their illustration from the website.

Anyone is free to suggest a topic and any aspiring or established artist can interpret the theme.

My interest has only recently been sparked by the world of illustration or ‘illo‘ as it is known in such circles. Through Illustration Friday I have discovered an enormous web of artists and illustrators producing beautiful and inspiring work.

I have been particularly drawn (‘xcuse the pun!) to the works of:

• Alida Saxon
• Lollipop Girl
• The Lady Bug
• Tara’s Art Camp

I have also taken my own step into the magical world of illustration by starting my own illustrations set on Flickr.

After 15 years of the humble magazine for “spirituality and social change”, New Renaissance has launched a blog site: www.newren.org

New Renaissance takes a look at the world around us and imagines a future based on spiritual ethics and ecological practices. Writers and reviewers are encouraged to get involved.

I am often fascinated by the choice of Google ads that appear on different posts on this site (at the bottom-right of the page).

For the previous post on Golden Rectangles, there was a string of ads for ‘Fibonacci Traders’…
What are Fibonacci Traders?!

It seems the ads were picking up the mention that stock market prices fluctuate in a Golden Ratio relationship. And Fibonacci Traders are ones who use this knowledge to get you Big Bucks on the stock exchange!

It just fascinates me to see all the random businesses out there who wind up being linked to words that we write. Whatever next?
 

Recent events have demonstrated the power of grassroots journalism. The recent bombs in London were followed by a wave of media from independent citizens. Before the first TV crews had arrived, passersby were recording and documenting the events, and blogging on their sites, uploading photos to Flickr, commenting on news websites…

According to blog tracking service, Technorati, there were more than 1,300 posts about the blasts by 1015 GMT.
(BBC)

Wikipedia’s community had built a detailed article on the attacks within hours.

The media companies were quick to respond. The proportion of “amateur mobile video” used to report the London blasts on mainstream TV and internet was unprecedented.

Dan Gillmor, founder of Grassroots Media, which promotes what it calls “citizen journalism,” said witnesses’ photos and online accounts would reshape the role of traditional news media over time. As more and more photographs and blogs go online with major events, Mr. Gillmor said, the mainstream news media should search those postings and point their readers to the best ones.
(NY Times)

News and images of the Asian tsunami, the US elections, Live8 & G8 have all spread quickly through grassroots journalism. At a time when media corporations are merging and swelling like never before, this New Broadcasting – distributed and empowered and at a wireless hub near you – could be just the answer we need.

The meeting of the G8 world leaders in Gleneagles, Scotland is about to begin. And Third World Debt, together with the poverty and exploitation it creates, is firmly under the spotlight.

Below are the latest photos from the G8 and Live8 groups on Flickr… They automatically update as new images are posted. Click a thumbnail to view the original.

• AfterCapitalism.org – cooperative economics blog
• IndyMedia UK – independent journalism at the scene
• MakePovertyHistory.org
• Live8 official website
• G8 official website
• G8 on the BBC
• Live8 on the BBC

I’ve been experimenting with interlinking photos to allow a user to navigate around a scene.

If you click on the photo above, you can then navigate around the Yellow Wall using the links within the image notes. The whole photoset is then interlinked with the nearest photoset.

I want to expand this concept by telling a piece of a story with each photo (see work in progress). The user can reconstruct the story from whichever angle interests them. Kind of like “Choose Your Own Ending”, but more like “Choose Your Own Everything”.