Anniversary Party!
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Isla%20Montevideo/116/134/26
TONIGHT!
All on the Luna Box Sim from 9pm GMt 2PM PDT (3rd Nov)
The SLLU GIG and fair!
Go wild with Mike Mission from 9pm GMT
Chillout from 11 with Wildo Hofmann
Experience the fairground, the kart track, the catapult and the exhibitions! Freebies all night...
All on the Luna Box Sim from 9pm GMt 2PM PDT (3rd Nov)
SLURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Isla%20Montevideo/116/134/26
A reply to the interview with Laura Gagliano from second life resident and
Uruguayan, PastoraPier Ferrentino:
"I read your interview. It's really good, I really enjoyed it. But i think Laura
mixed our situtation with the Argentina situation, economically speaking.
It's not true that:
"The French energy company have bought the service for Uruguay.....
etc....".
This is what happened in Argentina, when Menem (one person from the
right side of politics) was President. Here in Urguay in those years (1995) we
also had one neo liberal president (Luis Alberto Lacalle), but he
couldn't sell any of our amenities off, because the left parties (in the
government now) asked for a "referendum", and won the NO to the
privatizations.
In another part of the interview, Laura said that the owners of the
land are Europeans. I know quite a few Uruaguayans with land who have
European heritage, but a lot are Uruguayan 100%.
I really think the good times are arriving now for this part of the
world. I am sad for the Iraquis, for the USA population, and for all
the countries that are in war now, but here, finally, we are in peace
and growing up."
Plot Tracer Investigates the Luna Box Collective...
Krisp and Laura asked me to meet them on their Red Boat on their
[13:26] Plot Tracer: aha - this red boat?
[13:26] Krisp Alexandre: yeap
[13:26] Krisp Alexandre: hello
[13:27] Plot Tracer: hi laura
[13:27] Laura Gagliano: hello;-)
[13:27] Plot Tracer: i like the boat!
[13:27] Krisp Alexandre: :-)
Laura had materialised in the sea just off the bay in which the Red Boat and their submarine sits. From my vantage point I could see the large exhibition centre of Luna Box and the SLLU “Exploited” Factory installation.
[13:27] Laura Gagliano: I always take a sea bath before interviews! Lol!
[13:27] Krisp Alexandre: :-p
[13:27] Plot Tracer: will we go aboard?
[13:27] Laura Gagliano: sure, lol;-)
[13:28] Laura Gagliano: i've been palying to the little barbies dolls for hours, lol;-)
I know Laura must have a busy real life as she has children… SL/RL – I have a lot of questions!
[13:28] Laura Gagliano: i want to go in my red boat ;-)
[13:28] Krisp Alexandre: :-)
On board, there is a fire burning in the middle of the boat, the fumes and smoke funnelled through the roof. Krisp and Laura sit side by side. They are a couple in RL as well as SL.
[13:29] Laura Gagliano: the journalist can take the nice Charlotte Perriand lounger!
I take my place in what seems like a psychiatrists lounger – am I to be the interviewed?
[13:29] Plot Tracer: i like this - what a great space!
[13:30] Laura Gagliano: this is gonna be my home when i'm older
[13:30] Laura Gagliano: lol
[13:30] Laura Gagliano: and rich;-)
[13:30] Krisp Alexandre: :-)
[13:30] Plot Tracer: your retirement home?
[13:30] Laura Gagliano: lol
[13:30] Laura Gagliano: what is retirement?;-)
I know what she means – Laura is a busy woman. She has been busy building Luna Box for most of the year – from the humble beginnings most people start with in SL – to the fantastic island it is now.
[13:30] Plot Tracer: ok will we start?
[13:30] Laura Gagliano: yup;-)
[13:31] Plot Tracer: The 'Exploited' exhibition seems to be drawing a lot of visitors so far - congratuations! and many thanks to Luna Box for agreeing to curate and host it. To begin with, can you give our readers some brief background information about how the idea for 'Luna Box' was conceived?
[13:31] Plot Tracer: don't worry about making long answers...
[13:31] Laura Gagliano: hehe, me? making long answers?;-) never! Lol!
[13:32] Laura Gagliano: Ah, it was conceived as a cooperative, a visual cooperative. A sort of alternative to free lancing and slavery. We are 4 in Rl, with various specialisations....web, modelling 3d, photography, rendering scenography....
and we work also with others perons, in network
[13:33] Plot Tracer: Who are the main avs involved?
[13:34] Laura Gagliano: inworld Krisp Alexandre, Saajuuk Bogomil, Neener Keats and me, for the real life and in sl, antib milo, wildo hoffman....
[13:34] Plot Tracer: And what was your vision behind creating this co-operative?
[13:35] Laura Gagliano: The cooperative is dedicated to communication, in many ways.....fictional as well. But in terms of contents, we are specialized in virtual exhibitions, culture, education in priority. We are in installation in
[13:38] Plot Tracer: How else does Luna Box impact on your rl?
[13:38] Krisp Alexandre: euh....
Krisp is the quiet one of the partnership. Quiet, though skilled in his work – and very obviously politically dedicated to what they have created.
[13:39] Krisp Alexandre: meet some new peoples
[13:39] Laura Gagliano: and we really would like to cooperate with institutions. Luna Box is a reality;-) we are presents in second life to explore the potentialities of metaverses in terms of educational technologies.....
[13:39] Krisp Alexandre: and opening to other perspective in/out sl
[13:39] Laura Gagliano: at all nivels. And yes.....sure, to meet people with the same interests, exchange ideas....creativity.....
[13:40] Plot Tracer: cool
[13:40] Krisp Alexandre: yes... evolution
[13:40] Laura Gagliano: levels* nivels is a spano english word! Lol! sorry;-)
[13:42] Plot Tracer: np - that is great - that leads me on to this question - In RL, Laura, you make no secret of the fact you are from Uruguay but living in France. You were very prominent in the fight against Front National setting up in Second Life – in fact it was you and SLLU who helped to popularise this fight against the organisation of fascist groups in SL. What do you think of current French Politics?
[13:43] Laura Gagliano: Ah....the question would be what do I think about French society evolution.....
[13:43] Plot Tracer: yes
[13:44] Laura Gagliano: I think it's a society working at his own poorness.... economical and cultural- front National is just an epiphenomenon of the fact..... Also, I actually think that the actual president is a representation of something maybe worse than extremist and intolerant parties..... he's popularizing at a no return point, making official the same ideas in a light version..... but the audience is bigger.....
[13:46] Krisp Alexandre: honourable looking but same ideas than extreme right
[13:46] Laura Gagliano: sincerely....I'm happy to come back to
[13:47] Plot Tracer: like blair - sarkozy an expert at spin?
[13:48] Laura Gagliano: But i cannot stop to think that is an inncredible waste, erosion of all a culture.....
[13:49] Plot Tracer: yes - i would nsay the same for the British culture - and especially the Scottish and working class cultures in the
[13:50] Laura Gagliano: Well.... it happens a lot of things there;-)
[13:51] Laura Gagliano: But in a very different way of Europeans, just for historical reasons.... it have most the face of a search of freedom..... we've been colonies for a very long time, remember.....lol and the responses to that are locals also.....
[13:53] Plot Tracer: yes -as have the places i have lived -
[13:53] Laura Gagliano: personally.....i'm not a Chavez lover, for the simple reason that is a very authoritarian government..... More near of the politic of a Lula.... which with errors, almost desenvolve something..... it participes of a consciousness process.....not so bad. Yes
[13:54] Plot Tracer: What has been the impact of SL in
[13:54] Laura Gagliano: maybe is for this reason that I’m living in
[13:58] Plot Tracer: yes - i agree with you on that point - i would say that is sl's greatest asset...
[13:58] Laura Gagliano: the worse problem is the matter of inexistence of individual access.....so it's necessarely to desenvolve the collectives and institutionals ones
[13:58] Plot Tracer: yes - and sl is now being seen more and more as a way to create financial gain...
[13:59] Plot Tracer: Do you think Uruguayans will be more into SL as more people come online - now capital in Uruguay is starting to be spread out to people because of fairer progressive tax laws (a friend of mine from Uruguay told me she was happy to see coin operated phones in her town recently – as these were a good sign that the economy was becoming steady)?
[14:00] Laura Gagliano: Well, sincerely, i've founded the reaction of Argentines workers very intelligent in many ways....
[14:00] Laura Gagliano: the matter is not the absence of capital, there's a lot of money in circulation in the Rio de la plata- is more to stop the run all around, and the localization of capitals.....most of them have NEVER been south American.....
[14:02] Plot Tracer: i dont understand you answer... what do you mean most of them have never been south American?
[14:03] Laura Gagliano: I mean they have never been possession of south American states, or private enterprises..... they're Europeans half a part
and
[14:04] Plot Tracer: there is a denial on their behalf of their south American ness? Do the majority not share the want of Simon Bolivar - a "
[14:05] Laura Gagliano: Well, not really.....the big families who own the lands and fabrics where inmigrated here like colons.... and it don't have changed a lot;-)
[14:06] Plot Tracer: it is unusual for immigrants not to become part of the local culture...
[14:06] Laura Gagliano: just the terms , but it's the same mechanism..... and all is for sale to the bigger offer, lol
[14:07] Plot Tracer: yes - like all of the now neo-liberal world...
[14:08] Laura Gagliano: Yes....but curiously the 500 years {anniversary] of the discovering of
[14:08] Plot Tracer: cool
[14:08] Plot Tracer: ok.... moving away from politics a small way... Are family involved – and do many of your family understand or know about Luna Box and SL?
[14:09] Laura Gagliano: ah yes, for me everybody, knows almost. After.....who knows who understand what? lol
[14:10] Plot Tracer: do they "approve" - I ask as someone whose family don't see the value in sl as i do...
[14:11] Laura Gagliano: No, apart my grand mother, but she never have understood the value of a computer lol so it's normal
[14:11] Plot Tracer: cool
[14:11] Plot Tracer: how do you think Luna Box impacts on visitors rl’s?
[14:13] Laura Gagliano: Sincerely, like a link, a network.....I've meet really interesting people in Sl.... We're just trying to show parts of our realities, lol I’ve never believed in only one reality and it was a few years ago, i've never touched a computer yet, lol
[14:14] Plot Tracer: Do you feel sl is a different reality - or as lawyers have recently said - part of real life?
[14:15] Laura Gagliano: Both things;-) imagination is it part of reality, reality is it part of imagination, good question, lol we can stay since tomorow with, but....i'm not sure that is a special problem of metaverses and virtuality;-)
[14:17] Plot Tracer: yes - but i feel there are concrete - real - things here - relationships, communication, education and erm... money. My opinion is that the sub-reality of sl is secondary to these things... what do you think? And Krisp, what do you think?
[14:19] Krisp Alexandre: I think virtual reality is a part of reality... you don’t have 2 worlds closed... there is a lot of link and bridge between both. As human, you project your reality in virtuality with all sort of thing
[14:20] Plot Tracer: absolutely. I think it became very obvious when "pig bombs" were impacting in the rl media for example... and the fact that we are sitting in a boat, but divided by a sea...
[14:20] Krisp Alexandre: and SL is a copy of RL for a lot of people I would like that sl not becoming a clone of real world.
[14:21] Plot Tracer: yes
[14:21] Laura Gagliano: but it's also support of totally deslinked experiences for others....
[14:21] Krisp Alexandre: in sl like in rl you can make friendship and meet other peoples,
[14:22] Laura Gagliano: imagination is no restrictive, even when we talk of money.....
[14:22] Krisp Alexandre: but it's more simple in sl, you dont have the distance problem
[14:22] Laura Gagliano: and all sorts of dirtiness’s.....lol But Sl is putting a light more on some collectives inconscients ;-)
[14:22] Plot Tracer: with "dirtinesses" you mean the porn?
[14:23] Laura Gagliano: no, the money, lol
[14:23] Laura Gagliano: no money, no prn;-)
[14:23] Laura Gagliano: lol
[14:23] Plot Tracer: yes - i agree - personally I have learned a lot from sl by talking to people from all over the world about their experiences...
[14:23] Krisp Alexandre: yeap, agree
[14:23] Plot Tracer: ok - 'Exploited' opened only last week and already seems to have generated a lot of buzz and interest. Do you know how many visitors has the expo received so far? The feedback I have received has been very encouraging - What has been the feedback you have been receiving?
[14:24] Krisp Alexandre: all peoples i talked to, were very enthusiastic - very good feeling, it seems
[14:24] Laura Gagliano: Yes, the feed back it's very simpatic and friendness.....i still have to put the notes in the exhibition…shame on me;-)
[14:24] Plot Tracer: lol -
[14:25] Laura Gagliano: but I really would like to instaure the oficialisation of an interactive space her....
[14:25] Plot Tracer: "instaure"?
[14:25] Krisp Alexandre: i saw some guys take and sit and passed a long time between the video
[14:25] Laura Gagliano: I mean, the garden is open to all collaboration in relation with the thematic;-) install?
[14:26] Plot Tracer: ah ok
[14:26] Plot Tracer: yes - i have been here when people have sat at the video the whole way through - it is a very powerful video.
We talk about the technicalities of compressing video and streaming on SL.
[14:29] Plot Tracer: ah ok - this was a "collaboration" between sllu and luna box - Do you think these kind of collaborations are a good idea – that is, collaborations between different left individuals and organisations?
[14:29] Krisp Alexandre: yes, a very good idea. Errcheck helped us too
[14:30] Laura Gagliano: and Antib Milo with the radiations;-)
[14:30] Krisp Alexandre: working in network is more powerful than stay lonely
[14:30] Krisp Alexandre: lol
[14:30] Laura Gagliano: Well, i like collaborations quiet natural, and it was the case ;-)
[14:30] Plot Tracer: absolutely - my opinion as well... and you all seemed to work fantastically together.
[14:31] Laura Gagliano: It's incredible to see how the best things we do in life needs no organisation, lol
[14:31] Plot Tracer: absolutely.... no bosses!
[14:31] Laura Gagliano: And the time we spent trying to organize thing who never works. I found it fun.
[14:31] Krisp Alexandre: collaborating is a natural thing... no ?
[14:32] Plot Tracer: yes krisp... i agree
[14:32] Plot Tracer: This exhibition is the second collaboration between Luna Box and SLLU. The first was the anti-G8 'Cre-8' tribute garden, which you also hosted at Isla Montevideo, and which was unique in that it invited SL residents to come and place their own exhibits, and freely express their opposition to the injustices of globalisation, and share these tributes with others, in solidarity. This second collaboration also appears to be a fairly unusual event in SL, in that it is utilising the multimedia capacities of the platform, which is often a very 'cartoony' environment, in order to highlight serious RL social justice concerns surrounding an overlooked subject - that of global workers' exploitation and suffering. This is possibly the first exhibition on this subject in SL history. What do you say to people who believe there is no place for highlighting RL social issues within SL - that RL and SL should be kept 'separate'?
[14:33] Laura Gagliano: I said to them that the most importants messages in terms of society and politics
[14:33] Krisp Alexandre: we can keep sl and rl separate... sl and rl is part of life
[14:34] Laura Gagliano: was given in the 70 in
[14:34] Krisp Alexandre: and wee only have one life !
[14:34] Plot Tracer: i agree krisp - make the most of the one life we have!
[14:34] Plot Tracer: in what way, Laura?
[14:35] Laura Gagliano: The American subculture was great....and very cartoonist.... I don't see those envirinonments like a problem… it don't hurts the force of information..... also....the biggers lessons and morals were given in the chidren's stories in the past..... isn't it?;-)
[14:37] Plot Tracer: yes - i see - information and politics can be taught through these environments like the popular culture of the past - yes - these places are the new "fairy tales!"
[14:38] Laura Gagliano: maybe....;-)
[14:38] Krisp Alexandre: sl is a media with strength and weakness... we must use it to expose real and imaginary things
[14:38] Plot Tracer: yes - well put, Krisp.
[14:38] Plot Tracer: ok - Tell us about the other politically themed exhibitions Luna Box has hosted in SL previously – and any on going projects.
[14:39] Laura Gagliano: Well, we've made an exhibition in our anterior sim about revolutionary graphics - signs, paints ....
[14:40] Krisp Alexandre: we also had a 'revo video stream' ;-)
[14:41] Plot Tracer: tell the blog readers what that was?
[14:41] Laura Gagliano: it was a multi space exhibition, with Roots Camps and Errcheck
[14:42] Plot Tracer: cool. Roots Camp is a good organisation. Are you going to do further collaborations with them?
[14:42] Laura Gagliano: Yes, Errcheck is a very good collaborator, he have an immense graphic culture;-) Sl is made to learn, also and I've learned a lot with him;-)
[14:43] Plot Tracer: yes - he had a lot of original stuff in the first tribute garden...
[14:43] Krisp Alexandre: yeap, very instructive collaboration
[14:43] Laura Gagliano: yes, he's impassioned by his subject and a good searcher.
[14:43] Plot Tracer: Do you believe that there is a hunger for this kind of content in SL, in contrast to the platform's more ubiquitous 'consumeristic' culture?
[14:44] Krisp Alexandre: yes, i hope
[14:44] Laura Gagliano: Well, the artistic platform in sl is becaming very interesting.... I cannot say a lot about the malls and shops platforms...... I spent my lindens uploading
[14:45] Laura Gagliano: lol
[14:45] Krisp Alexandre: and for 1 or 2 dresses ;-)
[14:45] Plot Tracer: aha! lol
[14:46] Laura Gagliano: yep, when the grey is trashy, i put the orange
Laura has the “orange” on now. Her AV is one she has taken lots of time over – she has created a unique AV. Krisp’s AV looks a lot like this rl picture in his profile. Another way of communication, unique to this kind of environment.
[14:46] Plot Tracer: What most inspires you in SL?
[14:46] Plot Tracer: both of you?
[14:47] Laura Gagliano: the same in sl and rl, lol the possibilities and the search;-) the communication
[14:47] Krisp Alexandre: liberty and open mind of peoples we can meet
[14:47] Plot Tracer: i am totally with you on those points! I agree wholeheartedly...
[14:47] Plot Tracer: How would you like to see the potential of the platform further developed, in terms of using it to promote social justice in RL?
[14:48] Laura Gagliano: the voice....the sound.....
[14:48] Laura Gagliano: lol
[14:48] Laura Gagliano: wildo!!!!!
[14:48] Plot Tracer: yes wildo is great...
[14:49] Plot Tracer: but in the sense of educating others to the injustices of the world - has sl got the impact to influence peoples thought?
[14:49] Krisp Alexandre: a greater access to all sort of information, photos, sound, video, and meeting
[14:50] Laura Gagliano: hum.....i simply think that it's a little bit young to said....
[14:50] Laura Gagliano: for an impact in Rl i mean..... but he have the charm to be a new possible way..... but i've the impression that the communities with a good activity a growing up......
[14:52] Plot Tracer: well - it has brought all of us "together" in some way - the world has become smaller.... do u think our being here is impacting on rl? I was at a socialist meeting last night at which i kept saying things like, 2my friend from the Us" or "my friend from Denmark" "my friend from London" and my friend from France" all of whome i met here on sl...
[14:53] Krisp Alexandre: yes, i think... facility of communication with people around the world...
[14:53] Laura Gagliano: yes;-) it makes possible impossible meetings
[14:54] Krisp Alexandre: internet made this possible... and SL is a simple way to do it
[14:54] Laura Gagliano: i agree with you plot;-)
[14:55] Laura Gagliano: yes....the interest of sl is the space of expressivity......
I CRASH ….
[15:01] Plot Tracer: aha - a problem with sl.... crashing, eh? lol!
[15:02] Krisp Alexandre: :-/
[15:02] Laura Gagliano: lol
[15:02] Krisp Alexandre: :-p... interview is safe !
[15:04] Plot Tracer: oh - what was beatbeatwing?
[15:04] Plot Tracer: beatbeatwing kidd?
[15:05] Laura Gagliano: A grafist from
[15:05] Laura Gagliano: he makes a very interesting work, i like it.....in the gallery, luna box
[15:08] Plot Tracer: cool. ok to finish off - what do you see as the future of collaborations with sllu? Laura - you were a member of sllu from near to the beginning - and sllu has been going for nearly a year - do you see sllu as moving onwards with its project of helping to unite left groups and individuals?
[15:09] Laura Gagliano: well, i would like to develop an activity of conferences;-)
[15:11] Laura Gagliano: it could of a common interest, i'm sure;-)
[15:12] Krisp Alexandre: live audio conferences...
[15:13] Laura Gagliano: and for the rest of the question....yes
[15:14] Laura Gagliano: Sllu in sl.....where could you meet a Mexican socialist?......in
[15:15] Krisp Alexandre: :-D
[15:15] Plot Tracer: certainly not in (the town i live in outside
[15:15] Plot Tracer: audio conferences - hmmm some people do not like the idea - me included - think about trying to understand each other - accents etc... it could turn out to be a night mare - though i have seen that some universities are offering language courses in second life - so i might try Spanish ( or French!) ok - thank you both for this interview!
[15:16] Krisp Alexandre: yeap... but you can have traduction
[15:16] Laura Gagliano: yes, i deending in what form it's organized;-)
[15:17] Laura Gagliano: i don't like the idea of nightmare too, but there's no obligation to assist in conferences in a language that you don't understand, lol
[15:17] Krisp Alexandre: thanks a lot Plot, it was a pleasure to answer your questions
[15:17] Laura Gagliano: translators are bad, buerk
[15:17] Laura Gagliano: lol
[15:17] Laura Gagliano: oh, you can arrange my English, lol;-)
[15:18] Krisp Alexandre: lol... my few words too ;-)
[15:19] Plot Tracer: yes - i agree, laura. i think the mind of a colonised person believes that the language forced upon him is the only one people need to speak. Neruda is a poet i have a lot of respect for - he liked to range from mighty language, to common language... and i think we all need to TRY to communicate. The British Govt have been very bad at teaching language - and the British peoples are very bad at thinking they need other languages. i hope to learn another language soon...
[15:21] Krisp Alexandre: si...
[15:21] Krisp Alexandre: no hablo castellano... tambien !
[15:21] Plot Tracer: lol! cool! very good!
[15:22] Plot Tracer: bien!
[15:22] Krisp Alexandre: gracias
[15:22] Laura Gagliano: ah, lol, i feel the iteacher behind that
[15:22] Plot Tracer: lol - i WISH i could speak French or Spanish! lol
[15:22] Laura Gagliano: "always encouraging"
[15:22] Laura Gagliano: lol
[15:22] Plot Tracer: aha!
[15:22] Krisp Alexandre: oui :-)
[15:23] Plot Tracer: ok... got to go. aurevoir for now - i will speak to you both soon! I appreciate this. I think this interview will be of interest to a lot of people who read the blog. see u both soon!
[15:24] Krisp Alexandre: see you Plot, and bonne nuit :-)
[15:24] Laura Gagliano: kiss, plot;-)
[15:24] Krisp Alexandre: à bientôt
[15:25] Plot Tracer: bon nuite! and see u soon! as the northern irish say, keep 'er lit!
Oi - GO! - http://slurl.com/secondlife/Isla%20Montevideo/234/88/33
SLURL TO OUR COFFEE SHOP: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Montserrat/48/18/22
SLURL TO THE TRIBUTE GARDEN: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Isla%20Montevideo/49/220/36
IF YOU ARE BROADLY IN AGREEMENT WITH THESE, PLEASE CONTACT SLUL REVOLUTION TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BE INVOLVED!
OUR CHARTER:
The SLLU seeks creative, non violent means to foster revolutionary social dialogue. We oppose capitalism, as well as racism and sexism as a part of capitalism. Our goal is to develop socialism in order to maximise left activity and thought on SL.
SLLU originated from members of the Scottish SSP, and is now part of a world wide left unity movement in SL. We are a diverse group, united around social justice and anti-capitalism. We are a democratic collective.
SLLU has acquired new land.
A number of the SLLU membership have been working hard on projects as diverse as educationals on the coffee trade, factories in 2/3rds world “economic zones” and of course, the Tribute Garden.
The land sale went through for L$37000. More projects are to be announced to members soon – and YOUR input is required!
Thanks to all who financially contributed/ regularly contribute. We still need the money to come rolling in. Contact me, SLUL REVOLUTION about contributing both financially and physically – ie. work/ ideas/ comments.
Click on link to go to SLLU entry in wikipedia... or click on pic above for a screenshot...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Businesses_and_Organizations_in_Second_Life#Second_Life_Left_Unity
WELL DONE all of you who are rallying to the cause! We have L$38436 in the coffers. WE NEED MORE to keep moving!
Consider a regular donation-this will mean the SLLU can rely on funds for regular payments like rent(eg our Coffee shop), donations to orgs who have donated land (eg.the garden and the future factory sim) and tier when we have our own land.
Secondly-GET INVOLVED! Contact higgleDpiggle Snoats, SLUL Revolution, Eremia Woodbury or Plot Tracer.
SEND DONATIONS TO -SLUL REVOLUTION
From Scottish SLLU member, Plot Tracer -
Comments required on sl (to Plot Tracer or here on blog):
I ask SLLU members to make an outright condemnation of the attacks in England and Scotland. People have been reticent in giving views on this.
In my opinion, it is easy. The people who did this are stupid to think the appalling act of killing holiday makers will ease the conditions in Palestine or Iraq by giving the “West” a taste of what has disgustingly happened in those countries because of a terrible and very mistaken foreign policy initiated by Bush and Blair.
Nor will it make those in power in western countries, or those in subjection in UK/US decide to push their governments to ease the situation in the Middle East.
SLLU members should condemn the attempts on the lives of ordinary shoppers/ night clubbers/ travellers. We also acknowledge the fact that these embittered people/organisations would not be attacking us if our so called leaders had not sanctioned attacks on their livelihoods/countries/families.
The solution? – Uk and US out of Iraq! Allow the people of Iraq to come to a solution without US market and political pressure.
Allow the people of the Middle East to govern themselves and allow them to sell/distribute their own oil/resources for the benefit of their own country – which will allow them freedom from the World Bank and IMF – and those organisation's stipulations - ie. what they constitute an “unfettered market”.
UK should support the formation of a Palestine state without Israeli/US/ US political or US market conditions. UK/US should as a first step, stop selling and servicing weapons to countries in the area that have been modelled in their image by their regimes. These countries, rather than imposing a solution via their hand selected emissaries, should allow the peoples to have honest and open talks.
Other SLLU comments welcome on this subject. Im me or place comments on Blog. ALL comments will be placed on the SLLU blog. - http://slleftunity.blogspot.com/
SLLU are involved in a few exciting projects around Second Life - two of which are detailed here - more to follow. All of these projects are designed by our members to facilitate learning.
I'D KILL FOR A COFFEE
There are coffee shops on every high street. Places like Starbucks and Costa Coffee have become common place. SLLU have opened a coffee shop in Second Life - click on one of the images below for a slurl - if you are logged into sl, you will be tp'ed there. If you are not yet a Second Lifer, click on the image and then follow the instructions on how to set up free membership and when you have arrived in SL - look up Second Life Left Unity group!
Farmers only get around 10p of every £2.00 or more we spend on coffee – and that proportion is diminishing as free trade rules slice off more of their living standards. Even Fair Trade products are not addressing the poverty the coffee industry is creating.
The result? – Multinationals make HUGE profits from coffee while the 25 million growers are forced into poverty. Around 70 percent of coffee is grown on small farms in Africa, East Asia and 
Some non-governmental organizations are taking the coffee companies to task, but it is a drop in the ocean. The history of coffee is tied to capitalism – don’t forget that the first financial markets such as Lloyds and the London Stock Exchange where started in coffee shops. The London Stock exchange and the capitalists who used/ use it to make money have profited from the coffee trade from supplying slaves, insuring ships and supplying finance to coffee merchants. The emergence of an international market altered the balance of power in the trade in favour of importers. The New York Coffee Exchange was set up in 1882 to prevent producers from banding together.
Further reading:
http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/downloads/pdf/spilling_the_beans.pdf
http://www.globaleye.org.uk/secondary_autumn04/eyeon/coffeetrade.html
http://www.theglobalist.com/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=4703
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=aa49
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_10_31/ai_55983395
http://www.marxist.com/Globalisation/g8-debt-relief-poverty130605.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2745629.stm
You Cre8tive lot! The photo below shows some of the Cre8 garden tributes you have left in memory and in tribute to the victims of globalisation/capitalism.
All you lefty creative types - the ongoing Cre8 Garden
(http://slurl.com/secondlife/Isla%20Montevideo/49/220/36)
has proved that the left have the artists! Well done to all who have taken part and all of those who are going to.
SLLU are now working towards aquiring our own land for a new and exciting ongoing proposed project - details of which to follow later in the week.
In order that we can expand, and connect with as many people in SL as possible, we are now looking for content-creators who are interested in participating in our new ventures. Currently, we are in the process of setting up a space where we will give away creations, donated by members, to residents of SL, who can then contribute a voluntary donation if they wish (or not, as the case may be!).
SO! if you are a content-creator, and are interested in donating content you have made, and having a venue to show-case it, be it overtly politically-themed, or just playful/dorky/useful/experimental - whatever! please get in touch for further details, and/or send your full-perms content to either myself (higgleDpiggle Snoats), Eremia Woodbury, or Plot Tracer.
thanks again for your continuing support!
higgledpiggle snoats
OUR CHARTER:
The SLLU seeks creative, non violent means to foster revolutionary social dialogue. We oppose capitalism, as well as racism and sexism as a part of capitalism. Our goal is to develop socialism in order to maximise left activity and thought on SL.
SLLU originated from members of the Scottish SSP, and is now part of a world wide left unity movement in SL. We are a diverse group, united around social justice and anti-capitalism. We are a democratic collective.
