Kultivate Magazine - January 2021 Issue by Kultivate Magazine

Welcome to the January 2021 issue of Kultivate Magazine! The first issue of 2021! It is hard to believe that we are in 2021 but yet here we are! This issue features the machinima series Lang Virtual Community Radio, the Marfi Sim, The new exhibition at Kultivate Edge Gallery, Cica Ghostâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Planet 3D Exhibition, the Handmaidenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sim, the new board of directors at Linden Lab, Planet Indun, and a photo essay by Euridice Qork. As we enter in 2021, things were off to a bumpy start in some real life places. Covid is still ravaging many places, there is political upheaval in many countries, and there is just a since of gloom for people as we enter 2021. The way I see it, it is a new year, so focus on the positives in your life and if you feel you do not have any positives, find some! I would like to thank our advertisers, artists, staff,, friends, and business partners! Without all of you, we could not kultivate at Kultivate! Enjoy the issue

Sincerely, John, Owner & Publisher of Kultivate Magazine

PUBLISHERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOTE

KULTIVATE MAGAZINEâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;JANUARY 2021 CREDITS

Johannes Huntsman, Owner & Founder

Tempest Rosca Huntsman, Photographer Liaison Veruca Tammas, Gallery & Sim Manager Jessii Warrhol, Marketing Manager CONTRIBUTORS: Inara Pey, Lead Contributor Johannes Huntsman Euridice Qork Vanessa Jane

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Zatch Ixchel

FEATURED ARTICLE: LAN

ARTICLE: JOHANN

PHOTOGRAPHY: Z

NG MACHINIMA SERIES

NES HUNTSMAN

ZATCH IXCHEL

ach Ixchel creator of the machinima

series, Lang, contacted me a few weeks ago and introduced me to the series. I was lucky to get Zach to sit down and discuss Lang and more!

JOHN: So tell our readers what is Lang exactly. ZATCH: It's a crime comedy/noir about two private investigators; Sadie King and Herman Lang. JOHN: How did you come up with the story of Lang? ZATCH: We originally wanted to do a parody of the now typical, high-budget TV drama made famous by HBO, Showtime, Netflix, etc., but we had no actual plot when we started. Lang was totally improvised (live in SL Voice) for the first 3 episodes. We didn't begin to actually think about the plot or write any scripts until we saw that people were enjoying the show. The only thing we knew in the beginning was that Herman Lang was a private eye with unorthodox methods. The rest sort of revealed itself as we continued. JOHN: Is Lang inspired by any particular real life or Second Life events? ZATCH: Herman himself is definitely inspired by great actors and fictional characters -Humphrey Bogart, a little Alec Baldwin, Agent 47 of the Hitman Series, Leon The Professional, to name a few.

JOHN: Do you do all of the script writing and shooting of the series yourself or do you have a crew? ZATCH: I shoot and edit the series myself. I write the majority of the scripts, working closely with [Executive Producer] Cameron Frye to conceptualize each episode and over -all arch of the season.

JOHN: Who are the major actors and actresses in Lang? ZATCH: Lang stars Lucie Swansong-Ixchel, Nicole Russell, Tre Roberts, Cameron Frye, Chuck Shanglow, and myself.

synch. It is extremely tedious, sometimes outright difficult, to produce fluid, immersive cinematics from a video game. It's never easy. I'm always learning and improving my methods.

JOHN: Any tips for upcoming machinima creators? JOHN: Give us an overview of season 1 and ZATCH: My advice is don't watch too much season 2. I know you cannot tell us any spoilers other machinima. Learn real life filmmaking. of season 2 of course. Learn about composition, lighting, pacing. Learn ZATCH: Season 1 introduces us to the world of how it's done in real life, and it will translate Herman Lang, who is hired to do a routine into your machinima. background check, setting off a series of comical events, culminating in a stand-off high on the rooftop of the Essencia Hotel. We try to shoot JOHN: What do you use to shoot Lang with? "On Location" and use real places in Second Life ZATCH: I use the Black Dragon Viewer and OBS our viewers can visit. software. Season 2 continues where Season 1 ended, taking place in both Luxe L.A. and Mother Road. This season features drastic improvements in writing, audio quality, cinematography and character animation/lip-synch.

JOHN: If you could bring any actor and/or director into Second Life who would it be? ZATCH: I think Wes Anderson could probably make some really cool machinima. KM Very special thank you to Zatch for answering our questions! You can visit Lang at the following links:

JOHN: Will there be a Lang season 3? Or are you going to have a new series? ZATCH: Absolutely. We are currently working on youtube.com/c/ZatchIxchel Season 3. Expect other projects as well. facebook.com/langtheseries JOHN: How can a person who wants to participate in machinima whether as an actor or actress or crew get involved with Lang and your other projects? ZATCH: Reach out! Find me in-world, on social media, or shoot me an email at ZatchIxchelSL@gmail.com

JOHN: Do you create any films in real life? ZATCH: Yes, I am a RL video editor. I began making SL videos as a way to stay creative during the pandemic. Interestingly enough, the first videos I made as a child were machinima. It seems I've come full circle!

JOHN: What are some of the obstacles that a machinimist faces when creating machinima? ZATCH: General character movement and lip-

Langâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s credits include: Starring: Lucie Swansong-Ixchel Nicole Russell Tre Roberts Cameron Frye Chuck Shanglow Ry McMahon Noelle Santana Zatch Ixchel Created/Directed by Zatch Ixchel Executive Producers Lucie Swansong-Ixchel, Cameron Frye Written by Zatch Ixchel, Cameron Frye Original Score by Dennydidit

INSIDE LOOK: A PATH OF INNER

ARTICLE & PHOTOG

R AWARENESS IN SECOND LIFE

GRAPHY: INARA PEY

SOCIETY. n December 2020 I visited Path to Oneself

Reflection, an immersive and semi-interactive art installation by the SL Random Art Crew led by RoxkSie (Roxie Logan) that sought to offer a look back at 2020 with its pandemic and divisions, and offer nudges for our thinking and outlook, and consider the ways in which the past years has both separated and united. It was an impressive and complex installation as I noted in A path of reflection in Second Life; in that piece, I also noted that the story of 2020 and its impact was far from over.

As with The Path, this is an installation that encourages us to walk through a rugged landscape; one in which walls of rock, mountains and hills break the lowlands into a series of areas encircling a central body of water and high peak topped by a massive hand reaching upwards in what might be an attempt to reach beyond what we are and become the promise of what be might be.

UNITED; HOWEVER, THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD THAT CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THIS. DIFFERENT MINDSETS BUILD A DIVERSE

Whatever the cause – and it is hard not to blame social media platforms such as Twitter, it has been increasingly easy for any of us to

In following the path and bridges through the landscape, we’re asked to consider a number of topics and how they might impact us, and we Thus is it that, officially opening on Monday, February 1st – although it has been available for them: the nature of diversity, the ideals of the public to visit for that last couple of weeks – choice and change, the challenge of acceptance is what might be called the sequel to The Path, and willingness to change, how we might better face the future as individuals and in the benefit entitled Inner Self Awareness. of humanity as a whole. Within these topics are That it follows on from the Path is perhaps most couched responsibilities that affect us all, from dealing with the pandemic through to touching clearly demonstrated by the fact Inner Self upon matters such as climate change. Awareness has a setting that is very much in keeping with its predecessor, although the actual focus of the installation is very different: All of makes Inner Self Awareness as very whereas The Path encouraged us to look back personal experience, one that is extremely over the past 12 months and consider how they difficult to transfer into words, simply because it does require each of us to invest a fair degree of have affected us both on an individual and introspection in it – and the very fact that we all societal level, Inner Self Awareness asks us to consider, what, as we emerge into a new year, have different perspectives means that the installation is going to resonate differently, we may have learnt from the past twelve months and how we might, as individuals, seek depending upon just how much time and to move into the future and the changes (if any thought we are prepared to give to the subjects RockSie prompts us to consider – and the – change is not a subject everyone is comfortable with, as the installation duly notes changes we are willing to make in order to help bring about a more desirable future. in places) we might make in order to better embrace that future. To quote RoxkSie directly: For me, these thoughts all coalesced around ideas of a greater need for tolerance and WE HAVE LOST SO MUCH THAT IS understanding on the part of all of us as FUNDAMENTAL TO WHAT WE CALL OUR individuals; we have become far, far too NORMAL LIVES. WE ARE GOING TO LEARN intolerant of any ideas or thoughts that are not WHAT OUR NEW NORMAL IS VERY SHORTLY. THIS WILL MEAN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS in absolute lockstep with our own. Simply put, TO EVERYONE INDIVIDUALLY. THE YEAR THAT far too many of us have become entrenched in our various beliefs and leanings, that we’re HAS PASSED US HAS SHOWN MORE THAN EVER THAT AT TIMES OUT THOUGHTS ARE NOT unwilling to accept the views of others.

These are attitudes that require intentional act on our part to change, as this installation attempts to point out through the encouragement of introspection. However, the fact that it does require introspections and an acknowledgement of a need to change, it is easy to brush the need aside because “one person cannot make a difference”, or because there are those who simply will not change. However, neither of these are valid arguments, because the fact is that, while it might feel that “its only me”, numbers do matter and can have an impact, as RoxkSie notes – couching her observation in a frame of reference that appears to encompasses the subject of climate change: NATURE NEVER CHANGES IN ITS DIVERSITY AND BEAUTY. FROM AESTHETICALLY UGLY TO PERFECT, IT IS ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL AND CONSTANTLY EVOLVING. THE THINGS WE CHOOSE TO DO, DO INFLUENCE HOW IT EVOLVES AND CHANGES. ONE PERSON CANNOT DO A LOT, BUT IF 100 OR

1,000,000 PEOPLE CHANGE JUST ONE HABIT, IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SOME DON’T WANT CHANGE, BUT IT IS HAPPENING WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT. BECAUSE NATURE DOES NOT CARE WHAT WE THINK. Challenging and potentially discomfiting for some, Inner Self Awareness is an interesting successor to The Path, presenting as it does considerable food for thought – far more in fact, than I’ve thought in here, as there is a veritable treatise to be found within it, and I’ve forcibly restrained my commentary here so ad not to blanket the experience other may have with my own subjective thinking. When visiting, do be sure to have local sounds enabled (not the audio stream). KM You can visit this installation at the following slurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ Roxkstudios/38/231/56

MUSIC SPOTLIGHT: VIRT

ARTICLE & PHOTOG

TUAL COMMUNITY RADIO

GRAPHY: INARA PEY

irtual Community Radio (VCR) is a new

quality content, and the station is open to suggestions for similar suitable spoken word programming – so if you know of an individual or group presenting such, please contact the station.

24/7 new internet radio station based within Second Life and service the wider metaverse, be it other virtual worlds, those who reside in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States and their associated territories, can listen to the service via a web browser – including using the links on the right of this blog -, whilst the station’s URL (http:// main.vcradio.org/) can be used through inworld region and / or parcel media and suitable app players such as VLC or WinAmp.

With the launch of VCR, initial programming will include Where’ve You Been? This will be a discussion-style program covering a range of topics: interesting sights and places around Second Life and Tarot @ Teatime a series on the history and techniques of Tarot card reading. Meanwhile The Grove (commencing on Saturday, February 13th) will offer live presentations of new age music on an evocative starlit sea.

Founded by Richard Elen, known in-world as award-winning DJ and radio presenter, and cohost of Designing Worlds, Elrik “Rik” Merlin, will officially launch on Saturday, February 6th with an in-world gala at their new headquarters. Programming is hosted through Live365 and primarily consists of light classical music, with some selected additional classical, baroque, early music, soundtracks and easy listening pieces.

Drama presentations will launch with the airing of the classic landmark radio drama series The Black Mass, featuring thirty tales of mystery, imagination and the human mind, created by the late Erik Bauersfeld over half a century ago. As a non-commercial, non-profit public radio service, VCR is supported by direct sponsorship by individuals, organizations, and businesses. Those who would like to support the station can do so by visiting the station’s sponsorship page, but in brief:

VIRTUAL COMMUNITY RADIO IS ABOUT VIRTUAL COMMUNITIES – GROUPS OF PEOPLE WITH COMMON INTERESTS IN VIRTUAL WORLDS LIKE SECOND LIFE® – AND ABOUT COMMUNITY RADIO – TALKING TO PEOPLE IN THOSE GROUPS AND PROVIDING ENTERTAINMENT AND INFORMATION THEY ENJOY. IN ADDITION TO BEING AIMED AT LISTENERS IN VIRTUAL WORLDS, IT’S ALSO FOR LISTENERS ON THE WIDER INTERNET.

•

Outside of their primary program schedule, VCR will provide additional and wider selections of music genres on a rotating basis of special programming, alongside an expanding schedule of additional content with a particular emphasis on spoken word presentations – live and recorded readings, radio drama and other similar material. In this latter regard, VCR will be working with the likes of Seanchai Library, Engines Of Our Ingenuity and ZBS Media to present unique,

•

Currently, there is one level of sponsorship set at L$5,000 (approx. US $20) per 4-week period. In return, sponsors receive a 300x300px graphic panel on the VCR website, which is displayed in rotation with those of other sponsors; a link to a URL or SLurl, and a crafted, suitable public service announcement (PSA) that will be frequently broadcast as a part of programming. Those interested in providing sponsorship should contact VCR via info@vcradio.org or IM / send a note card VirtualCommunityRadio Resident in Second Life. Additional sponsorship opportunities will be made available in due course. Those who appreciate VCR in-world presentation or enjoy listing to the station’s programming can additional make donations towards the station’s costs via the tip jars within the VCR Theatre or by direct in-world payment to VirtualCommunityRadio Resident.

As noted above, the station will officially launch with an opening gala ball that will be held at the VCR Theatre, commencing at 14:00 SLT on Saturday, February 6th. Formal wear is requested for the opening. KM You can visit Virtual Community Radio on the web at the following links:

VCR Theatre, Second life VCR website VCR Sponsorship information VCR 7-day program schedule

PHOTO ESS

PHOTOGRAPH

SAY: MARFI

HY: INARA PEY

SIM SPOTLIGHT: A HA

ARTICLE & PHOTOG

ANDMAIDENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ESTATE

GRAPHY: INARA PEY

hen a region’s title includes

“Handmaiden” (albeit without the apostrophe and ess), one might be forgiven if the mind jumps immediately to speculation on whether it might have something to do with Margaret Atwood‘s dystopian novel or the television that arose from it. However, The Handmaiden Estate, designed by StephiDreamEverMore Doune (stephidreamevermore.doune) and Bella Cavanaugh (Bellacatorina McKeenan) on behalf of region holder Takao Kishijoten (Takao Kiyori), looks a lot further east the totalitarian state of Gilead, drawing as it does primarily on Japan and other Asian elements for its inspiration. The region’s description notes that it is a place for “both lust and relaxation”, with the region rating further hinting that it can be a place where adult activities might be found – as does some of the décor with the main houses. However, to classify The Handmaiden Estate as being solely about adult pursuits would be unfair and inaccurate. The landing point sits within the gardens of the main houses, both of which are imposing wood and slate structures of neo-classical Japanese design. One has a more direct reference to adult – or more precisely, BDSM – pursuits, whilst the other has furniture – including modern hot tubs – that perhaps leans more towards the occidental than oriental, making for an interesting mix. The gardens between the houses sits as a continuation of the landscape the beyond the houses and their walls, featuring grass and freegrowing flowers and blossoms, which is again a step away from the more stereotypical representation of an oriental environment, where gardens can so often be more formally laid out. Beyond the main houses the landscape is a further interesting mix. To one side, a canal-like channel splits the landscape, a bath house occupying the far bank. This looks like it could be the home of an ones, but within, the bath room is more mundane. A large pools sits behind the bathhouse, its

unheated water fed by four carved koi, towels and oils neatly laid out along one side for the use of patrons. Shaded by blossoms and lit by paper lamps, I found this pool to be perhaps the most enticing location within the setting in which to spend time. Outside of the bath house’s walls to the west, sits a natural pool fed by water tumbling from a rocky hill. It is the home to pedestal Shoji lanterns and water lilies, a stone bench under a Torii gate presenting it as a place to sit and perhaps meditate. A short walk away, stone steps rise to a higher peak, one topped by a further house. Guarded by a Buddha at the foot of the steps and stone lions at the top, I’m not entirely sure if this house is intended to be for public use or not, although there were no overt signs that it is reserved as a private setting or residence. East of the bathhouse lies a small grassy bay, home to a pagoda style pavilion where tea might be taken and offering a view across the bay to where a small island is occupied by an Indonesian statue protected by the dome of a smaller pavilion whilst watched over by a sampan styled boat. With hints of formal gardens that never quite mature along a north-south path running beside the walls of the large houses, a statue

of an emperor that perhaps leans more towards Sino origins than Japanese, and the aforementioned occidental furnishings, the Handmaiden Estate offers and interesting fusion of ideas and elements that, whilst perhaps eclectic, actually come together very well to present an interesting setting. There are definitely some particular gems to be found when exploring. The aforementioned outdoor pool, for example, and / or the circular pond to the south-west, home to heron and guarding a further pavilion that looks in part to be a sitting area and in part a small shrine. However, I confess I did find the region to be a little let down by the default environment settings, which tender to render it a little flat. As such, I’d recommend dialing the environment over to one of your preferred environments for better ambient lighting. I found doing so really mad aspects of the region really pop, as I hope the images here demonstrate, making it ideal for photography and appreciation. KM You can visit The Handmaiden’s Estate at the following slurl in Second Life: http:// maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ BASED/118/97/25

WINTER

PHOTOGRAPHY:

PLACES

: VANESSA JANE

3D ART EXHIBITION SPO

ARTICLE & PHOTOG

OTLIGHT: CICAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PLANET

GRAPHY: INARA PEY

HAT IF I’M A PRINCESS ON ANOTHER

PLANET? AND NO ONE ON THIS PLANET KNOWS IT? The above quote, from The Carrie Diaries by American author Candace Bushnell, is a musing on the part of the book’s protagonist, the young Carrie Bradshaw (the book is a prequel to Carrie’s later adventure in Sex and the City) as she endures high school in Cranberry, Connecticut and dreams of life in New York City and all she might become / escape once she has moved there to become an aspiring author, and left behind her provincial origins. It is also a quote that Cica Ghost uses in her latest installation, which opened on Tuesday, January 26th, 2021 – and in using it, she offers perhaps the most perfect encapsulation of what Second Life can be to those of us invested in their digital world. As such, Planet is a location that can be enjoyed on two levels. It can be taken simply as a whimsical and fun setting, filled with Cica’s usual interactive touches that always make a visit to one of her installations a pleasure; or it can be combined with the quote that accompanies it to offer the opportunity for deeper reflections on life and Second Life. Caught under a mauve sky where the clouds have been strung into ripples that wash gently along under the light of a distant white star, this is a strange world filled with creatures of strange origins. Some are capable of walking, others of flying and some of slithering, whilst others appear to be rooted to the spot, almost as if they have been extruded out of the ground. Not that any are particularly threatening – rather the reverse in fact, many of them standing in little groups or close enough together as if to be conversing. They are certainly at ease within their otherworldly landscape and not in the least fazed by the little flying saucers a that hover and flit around certain points over the landscape like little mechanical bugs.

Nor are the locals particularly bothered by the fact an very Earthly-looking rocket ship has landed among them, or that a human has quote literally established a homestead in their midst, one complete with cat potted plants and very Earthly looking grass and tree. It is here that setting and quote intertwine to add that deeper layer of potential and reflection to Planet. Within her dome, the girl has arrived from another planet, a place where she might well be a princess, but here is just another sharing the land with her strange neighbors, none of them truly aware of the status or otherwise she might hold back in wherever she came from.

an elf warrior on a quest, or a starship captain seeking brave new worlds, or even a tinkerer and inventor of Things, or can simply escape cares and pressures and sit in the digital shade of a tree or sail the digital tides of a broad sea, and no-one around us in the physical world need be any the wiser as to who we become, where we travel, who we meet or the adventures on which we might embark and discoveries we make.

Whether you are looking to simply visit and have a little fun drifting around in little flying saucers or dancing among the aliens or drafting weightlessly within a space ship, or whether you are tickled into stepping through Thus, her presence might be said to mirror our he door that Cica opens to deeper, broader own in Second Life. Here we can be anything thoughts about life, expression, the power of we desire, unencumbered by who we are in the imagination and the freedoms presented the physical world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; be it living the life of a by SL, Planet makes for an ideal visit, and princess or a pauper, so to speak; we can be should remain open through to around mid-toaccepted simply for how we are perceived late February. KM through our looks and actions and activities within this virtual realm, free from all that You can visit Cicaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Planets at the following might otherwise encumber us. slurl in Second Life: http:// maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ And, just as importantly, the reverse is true: van/187/90/34 here we can be that princess or that dragon or

ART EXHIBITIONSPOTLIGHT: A E

ARTICLE & PHOTOG

EDGE FOR ART IN SECOND LIFE

GRAPHY: INARA PEY

he Edge is Kultivate Magazine’s gallery space

specializing in black-and-white photography exhibitions, generally hosting ensemble art displays by artists responding to calls for artists that are periodically announced by the Kultivate team. Sunday, January 17th marks the first such exhibition at the gallery for 2021, featuring artists Jessamine2108, Maaddi, Eucalyptus Carroll, Johannes Huntsman, Moora McMillan, Blues Rocker, Tempest Rosca, Jamee Sandalwood, Veruca Tammas, Vita Theas and Myra Wildmist. As tends to be the case with ensemble exhibitions, the art is wide-ranging in subject matter, featuring avatar studies, reflections on SL art, landscapes, and more. The majority of the artists are familiar to me, and individuals whose work I always appreciate seeing – although I admit that both Maaddi and Moora are two artists whose work I cannot recall having previously witnessed – and I admit that I found the three pieces presented by Moora attractive in both their subject matter and presentation; Path Near the Sea in particular. One of the aspects of monochrome photography I particularly like is the matter in which it can add a depth of life to a image, often more so than if the image had been produced in color. In the latter the subtleties within an image can sometimes be overlooked as the eye is drawn to admire the way colors have been used or blended; within a monochrome piece, the use of light and dark, whilst obviously presenting contrasts, tends to allow those subtleties to be gently teased to the fore. This is certainly the case with the majority of the images here, so much so that singling any out is a little unfair, however, I do admit to fining Jamee’s and Tempest’s pieces to particularly demonstrate this. The central image of Tempest’s trio for example, appears to have been pulled from the physical world; had it been in color, there is a genuine possibility that even allowing for postprocessing, its avatarian origins would be

as engaging were they in color; so much so, that I look forward to seeing more of Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experiments in this style of art. But really, all the artists in this ensemble deserve recognition for the pieces they have selected for this exhibition . KW You can visit The Edge Gallery at the following slurl in Second Life: https:// maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Water% 20Haven/44/210/26

SECOND LIFE: MEET LINDEN LAB

ARTICLE: & PHOTOG

Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS

GRAPHY: INARA PEY

THE US AND LARGEST INDIANA BASED BANK IN ollowing confirmation early this month that 2006 AND 2007 RESPECTIVELY, HE DIVERSIFIED INTO TECHNOLOGY, MANUFACTURING AND the acquisition of Linden Research Inc., (to give OTHER INDUSTRIES. Linden Lab its formal name) has been completed (see the second half of 2021 RANDY HOLDS THE CHARTERED FINANCIAL Update: Life in the Cloud from the Lab and also ANALYST DESIGNATION AND IS A GRADUATE OF my own Linden Lab gives cloud migration HARVARD UNIVERSITY. HE CURRENTLY SERVES update & new ownership announcement ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF RED OAK (updated)), the Lab has updated the Board of PARTNERS, WATERFIELD TECHNOLOGIES, Directors section of the About page on the LINDEN RESEARCH, INC. AND HAS PREVIOUSLY official Linden Research website. SERVED ON THE BOARDS OF YPO (AND WAS

The acquisition, sees three new board members replacing Jed Smith, Bill Gurley, Dina L. Evan and Bing Gordon. Two of them have been previously mentioned: Brad Oberwager and J. Randall (Randy) Waterfield (you can read my own notes on these two gentleman here: Linden Lab announces it is to be acquired). However, what may come as news is that there is a third member of the Lab’s new board: Raj Date. The following are the biographies for all three as found on the Lab’s About web page:

THE 2017-2018 CHAIRMAN OF YPO), ASURE SOFTWARE ( NASDAQ: ASUR), SMTC CORPORATION (NASDAQ: SMTX), RF INDUSTRIES (NASDAQ: RFIL), AMONG OTHERS. HE IS ALSO THE CO-CHAIRMAN OF MISSOURI COBALT, LLC, THE LARGEST COBALT MINE IN NORTH AMERICA. RANDY SUPPORTS VARIOUS EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CHARITABLE CAUSES THROUGH THE NONPROFIT WATERFIELD FOUNDATION AND J. RANDALL WATERFIELD FOUNDATION.

BRAD OBERWAGER BRAD OBERWAGER HAS SPENT HIS ENTIRE CAREER IN TECHNOLOGY AND CONSUMER FOCUSED COMPANIES AS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND BOARD MEMBER.

RAJ DATE RAJ DATE WAS THE FIRST-EVER DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE U.S. CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU (CFPB). AS THE BUREAU’S SECOND-RANKING OFFICIAL, HE HELPED STEWARD THE CFPB’S STRATEGY, ITS CURRENTLY, HE SITS ON THE BOARD OF TWO OPERATIONS, AND ITS POLICY AGENDA. HE PUBLIC COMPANIES, ASURE SOFTWARE ALSO SERVED ON THE SENIOR STAFF (NASDAQ: ASUR) AND BETTER WORLD COMMITTEE OF THE FINANCIAL STABILITY (NASDAQ: BWACU). HE IS THE CHAIRMAN OF OVERSIGHT COUNCIL, AND AS A STATUTORY TWO COMPANIES HE FOUNDED, JYVE AND DEPUTY TO THE FDIC BOARD. SUNDIA AND IS ALSO ON THE BOARD OF BEFORE BEING APPOINTED DEPUTY DIRECTOR, TEGSCO (AKA AUTORETURN). HE OWNED BARE RAJ ACTED AS THE INTERIM LEADER OF THE SNACKS, ACQUIRED BY PEPSICO IN 2018. NEW AGENCY, SERVING AS THE SPECIAL BRAD WAS VICE-CHAIR OF YPO INTERNATIONAL, ADVISOR TO THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. A GLOBAL ORGANIZATION OF 25,000 CEOS. HE LED THE CFPB FOR MOST OF THE FIRST SIX MONTHS AFTER ITS LAUNCH. BRAD RECEIVED HIS BS FROM GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, HIS MBA FROM THE WHARTON CURRENTLY, RAJ IS THE MANAGING PARTNER SCHOOL AND LIVES IN SAN FRANCISCO. OF FENWAY SUMMER, AN ADVISORY AND

J. RANDALL (RANDY) WATERFIELD MR. J. RANDALL (RANDY) WATERFIELD, IS THE CHAIRMAN OF WATERFIELD HOLDINGS, WHICH TRACES ITS ORIGINS TO 1928. AFTER SELLING THE LARGEST PRIVATE MORTGAGE COMPANY IN

INVESTMENT FIRM FOCUSED ON FINANCIAL SERVICES AND FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY. IN THAT CAPACITY, HE CHAIRS THE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE OF FENWAY SUMMER VENTURES, A FINTECH VENTURE CAPITAL FUND, AND

WORKS WITH CLIENTS OF FS VECTOR, THE FINTECH ADVISORY FIRM. HE ALSO SERVES AS A DIRECTOR FOR A NUMBER OF INNOVATIVE FIRMS IN FINANCIAL SERVICES: PROSPER, THE MARKETPLACE LENDER; GREEN DOT, THE BANK HOLDING COMPANY; CIRCLE, THE DIGITAL ASSET FIRM; GRASSHOPPER, A DE NOVO BANK; AND COLLEGE AVE, A PRIVATE STUDENT LENDER. HE IS A GRADUATE OF THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY (HIGHEST HONORS) AND THE HARVARD LAW SCHOOL (MAGNA CUM LAUDE). Without wishing to take anything away from Mr. Oberwager and Mr. Waterfield, Raj Date’s credentials are especially impressive for a relatively small company like Linden Research; having joined the CFPB in February 2011, on what he thought would be a 2-3 month tenure, he was asked by Elizabeth Warren, who oversaw the establishment of the CFPB as a Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury, to lead “the guts of the policy apparatus” within the Bureau. When Warren sought to (successfully) run for the U.S. Senate later in 2011, Date was

nominated to succeed her as the CFPB’s Special Advisor to Treasury, and (as the Lab notes), its first Deputy Director, under Richard Cordray. His background with consumer affairs, finances, and his post-CFPB founding of Fenway Summer would appear to help lend significant weight to Linden Lab’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Tilia inc; while he is not currently listed as a member of Tilia’s board, his background and expertise could be used in an advisory capability, and his name certainly brings a further level of gravitas to Tilia,

Thus far, the acquisition and arrival of the new board has been handled in a relatively low-key manner. While some might be tempted to see the negative in this, it’s likely more a case of the Lab wishing to demonstrate that, from their perspective and that of the incoming board, things are very much “business as usual” rather than being indicative of any kind of radical change. KM

SCENIC LOCATIONS

ARTICLE & PHOTOGR

S: PLANET INDUN

RAPHY: INARA PEY

K Ballyhoo dropped me a line

concerning Planet Idun, a new role-play / photography region with which she has been involved, inviting me to hop over and join her in taking a look around, with region holder and co-creator Fazzy Constantine (Faisel Constantine) also on-hand to chat and answer questions. IDUN. A TROPICAL JUNGLE PLANET, SET IN THE FAR REACHES OF THE MILKY WAY GALAXY. FEATURING A FULL DAY AND NIGHT CYCLE, DYNAMIC WEATHER, STUNNING SCENERY, VIEWS AND HIDDEN SPOTS. Located on a Homestead region, Planet Idun is the latest design Fazzy and his team have worked on under the BluShock RP group banner – a group with a role-play history that stretches back over a decade, and which has been responsible for some impressive designs, such as the ice world Vanargand, complete with its Oblivion-inspired spaceport tower, and also the world of Aegis Prime (as will as having a penchant for Norse mythology, as some of the name indicate!). For Planet Idun, the BluShock team have opted to create a setting potentially warmer than Vanargand: a rugged, rain forested world where water in places falls from a teal sky to join with that tumbling from high cliffs into the gorge of a narrow river. Largely untamed, this is a world that does have some signs of civilization – but finding your own way around will call for the explorer within you, as paths are not always obvious, at times relying on narrow ledges of rock. The clearest sign of habitation is the large ultra -modern base built into the high cliffs towards the north-west of the setting. It is built around two covered landing areas for air / space craft, one of which is dominated by a monster hammerhead of a spacer I’d personally not have liked to pilot into its landing. Inside the base are comfortable living spaces as well as multiple workspaces, whilst its location is marked by both the manner in which its backs into the cliffs and the impressive communications arrays sitting on

the peak above it.

However, this in not the only structure to be found within the setting. awaiting discovery on the tip of a high finger of rock pointing to the sky on the east side of the region is Idun’s Roof. A bar / house constructed of wood, presumably gathered from the local forest and reached via a long, winding stair. Elsewhere are other artificial constructs – an open-air landing pad, the region’s own landing point (complete with teleport connecting it with the Deep Space Destination Hub, a nexus for travelling between different sci-fi settings (just accept the experience to use the system for automatic teleports). As a role-play environment, the region is intended to support free-form RP by members of BluShock and can support short RP situations created by other groups (e.g. as the location for an away team mission). There are a fair number of opportunities scattered around that can be used to built game play – camp sites, crashed vehicles, hidden walks and tracks (some obvious, others not so – as I said, you’ll need the explorer in you), and kayaks to explore the waters as well as the aforementioned bar and the cliff-side base.

OUR LAST REGION, VANARGAND, RELIED HEAVILY ON MISSIONS AND EVENTS, OFF WORLD TIME TRAVEL AND SO ON. BUT THIS TIME WE’VE DECIDED TO TAKE A BACK SEAT AND JUST BUILD AN ENJOYABLE REGION. A FEW INTERESTED PARTIES ARE ALSO COMING DOWN FROM OTHER GROUPS TO ENJOY ROLE-PLAYING. WE’VE BEEN INSPIRED BY A FEW SCI-FI GAMES – MASS EFFECT AND HALO, FOR EXAMPLE. •

Fazzy Constantine

friendly group BluShock is also open to those interested in free-form sci-fi based role-play where the emphasis is on fun rather than an overburdening set of rules and requirements. In addition, those looking for sci-fi / fantasybased photography may also find Idun to their liking, the dynamic custom day / night environment helps to add depth to the setting / photography. KM You can visit Indun at the following slurl: http:// maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Jasper% 20Point/151/195/41

SHADOWS PHOTOGRAPHY BY: EURODICE QORK

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venue is decorated in an Italian rustic style and features crooner music and a urant is also available for private events, free of charge. Simply drop Johannes al requests. SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Water%

KULTIVATE MAGAZINE

VOLUME 5, ISSUE 12 JANUARY 2021 WWW.KULTIVATEMAGAZINE.COM