Federal Work Group Conference

If you were not logged in on Friday and you missed this event, you missed seeing something that was fairly exciting. There was a massive work group session with multiple locations in RL as well as SL. There were discussing using SL for ideas with the Federal Government. I was able to watch, participate, chat about the event for some time (over 2 hours) and I heard it was an all day event.

They had multiple speakers presenting different topics and using different presentation styles. What I found to be really interesting was the fact it was being streamed and presented live. One presenter used a stream of his desk top and did a primer on SL. He covered everything from how to log in to moving and viewing. We could hear his voice and watch a screen of what his computer had displayed. The next presenter was using PowerPoint or some other presentation software, but it was not just a constant presentation. During sections of the presentation it would cut from the presentation to the presenter, live! It was really exciting to see and hear live audio and video streamed from different locations.

In SL they were set up in NOAA and NASA JPL islands. NOAA filled up fast and several people who could not make it there came to NASA JPL, which is where I was. We had moderators at the locations and if we wanted to ask questions the moderator would send the questions over. I know of at least one SL question was asked while I was there.

I think it really opened up ideas in my mind about education and how we might be able to use this in the schools, or better yet outside of the schools to work with more students and extend the learning environment to more of a 24/7 model.

NASA Jet Propulsion Lab

NASA's JPL (Jet Propulsion Lab) is located on Explorer Island. What an instersting place right off the bat. Firs the note cards are fantastic and fun of information. You get one notecard when you show up, and I got another as an Asteroid was heading towards me. This island is loaded with information for any space enthusist or student wanting to learn more. They have created many different moving exhibits so that you can see the whole object, or walk around it to see more.


(Important note: many of the cards have Spanish versions and a few French so that students can have more access to the information)


There is so much to see and do here that I'm not sure I can put it all down in words. They are still constructing some of it, but there are so many note cards to read with information on different spacecrafts from NASA, including some fun facts with each one.


When you do stop by this island, make sure you check out the Martian mountain (Victoria Crater I believe). You can see the rovers, check out the rover aribags, see a Martian dust storm, and explore a Martian landscape.


There is all a display for the Ion engine. Well if you thought that blue engines were just in Star Trek you are wrong. Check out the new fuel source and how the blue color happens with Ion engines. They have an interactive display with more information.

Marist College Island

So as someone from the Husdon Valley and someone who drives past Marist College on a regular basis, when I saw they had their own Island I had to stop and see it.

Wow, what a beautiful place. From the trees and flowers to the gas laterns lighting the walk ways, everything looks nice. There are also several fountains and a bridge that connects the town to the college.

Now I'm not a Marist grad or teacher... but I would not mind teaching one day, but I had to get a hat and shirt to support the local college. They had a small shop with clothing branded with the Marist logo and name. It was great to shop for some stuff from the college in SL.

There were also some other shops, like the Dutchess County Wine Store. They had a few note cards about some local wines and a free wine glass (red and white). That was just in the "town" side of the island. Many of the small building are currently empty and I'm very interested to see what other shops from the Hudson Valley end up in here.

The College side of the island looks more like a traditional college. As I walked around inside the college building I stumbled into the server room... my only question would be where are all the wires? It is the cleanest server room I've ever seen. :-)

The College has several large rooms with chairs for lectures as well as smaller areas for meetings.

As I continued to wonder around the island I noiced a light house, monorail, dock and with boats, lots of open space, and signs that seem to seperate the island into sections; North, South, East and West.

I took a few pictures because I love to document where I've been in SL with photos. If you have not been to Marist in the real world, then taking a trip to Marist in SL is fantastic. The RL Marist is a fantastic campus and the SL one is just as nice.

Norte Dame De Cyberie Church

So I'm always looking for places that look like real world places in SL. While looking around I came across Notre Dame Church. It is a fairly nice representation of the Church. I took a picture from the inside and out side to show people the look and feel. Not a bad little place to take a group to see this famous building.