Hello again, everyone.

Sorry I took such a long break, but after my last few non-review posts caused so much crap, I needed to get out of the blogosphere for a bit. One can only take so much drama. Anyway, these last few months, I've been giving Second Life a spin.



Now, let's get one thing out of the way - yes, there's a ton of sex-related stuff on Second Life. Strip clubs, escort services, orgies, whatever the more perverse elements of society could ever want are available in abundance in SL. However, to characterize it as being solely about that would be a disservice, especially against the backdrop of the internet at large. There are OTHER things available for entertainment. One of my favorite places is Mobius, which features recreations of old Sonic the Hedgehog levels, complete with rings you can collect. The dedication some people have to recreating something they've seen in a game or other type of content is absolutely amazing.

There are also various sporting event opportunties. For example, you can take a car and race through town.



Or perhaps a game of soccer is more your thing.



And of course, there's tons of shopping. Everything from weapons to clothes to vehicles can be found herein.

And let's not forget the roleplaying.



However, what keeps Second Life running are the people. While there are perverts and assholes out there, as with any portion of the internet (though it's not as bad as Xbox Live), the majority of the people you'll meet are actually quite friendly. I'm still learning thing, even now, because people are mostly nice and willing to answer questions. It's been a very fun experience.

Of course, it's not all roses and puppies and puppies made of roses. You have griefers who want nothing more than to ruin everyone else's fun by trying to crash your sim, most commonly through the use of self-replicating items. This has led to the institution of a policy whereby most places won't let you place objects in-world unless you're a member, necessitating the purchase of a home. And, as with any part of the internet, there are people who have no clue how to type properly. Also, in any number of niches you'll find prejudices, most commonly against furry roleplayers.

However, it's generally more good than bad. Much like the real world, most people are decent, but the assholes get more press, especially out in the mainstream media. It's not a utopia, but just like anywhere else, and is generally favorable compared to the rest of t he internet. Just find yourself a niche and you should be fine.