Marybeth Cooperstone

Aislin Ceawlin wrote: How do you respond when someone you literally just met asks questions about your RL? I really don't want to be rude, but am usually flummoxed as to how to respond!! ... As I said in the other Fourth Wall tread, I am often in SL conversations about RL matters so I discuss RL. Also, I will say things like: "Got to run, time to take something out of the oven" or "RL phone call, BRB". However, depending upon the circumstances, some things are inappropriate. For example, a reference to the (RL) phone would not be appropriate when involved in RP in an earlier period of time. I have been in discussions in SL with other moms about raising kids in RL. But I still keep somethings to myself. Even in an RL online forum or other venue, some things are appropriate and some are not. When on-line in a discussion forum I will not reveal my kids' school, my address, my phone number, or some other information. With a few exceptions, when online I do not reveal the name of my law firm or even the city. Of course, the same goes in face-to-face RL conversation. If, in most circumstances, I was asked about the size of my bra, I would be offended and would not reply. But in the lingerie section of a store that would be a normal question and I would give the correct reply. In SL it depends upon the circumstances and each persons feelings about mixing SL and RL.

First, you should always be careful about information given on open on-line places such as Second Life, FaceBook, this site, etc. You should not give your home address, phone number, etc. That said, there are many levels RL can enter SL. For example, many of us would not hesitate to say something like “Gotta go – need to get call on the phone”. However, if you are involved in RP in a time before the telephone was invented, it might be best to avoid that. Come up with some more appropriate excuse. As for me, SL is an extension of my RL. (not the case for everyone). I have been engaged in conversations about raising kids with other moms. I have been engaged with other attorneys about legal matters (opinions about court decisions, discussions about law office technology, etc.) I “attend” church services in SL; as a part of that the congregation offers prayers for others. Of course, I have no way of knowing that the others are who they say they are. That tempers the way I converse and the level of detail I give. The same is true on any other open venue. In addition to above, I never reveal the name of my law firm or the city. I know that others, even those who do not RP, keep their SL and RL lives separate. But some of us do not.

AnnAdams wrote: ----------------------------- Marybeth, Did you do any runway modeling or just photo? Ann, I just did photo modelling for store catalogs (print and web). That was a while ago, when I was an undergrad and just after graduating. The only exception is that during law school a group of women, mostly students but some faculty, held a charity event that included a fashion show. There was no lingerie, only suits (like women lawyers might wear) supplied by a couple of stores that were our cosponsors. That was my only experience with runway modelling, I have not done that professionally. Marybeth

Phil Deakins wrote: "I'm up for offerin here a lot more than dinner in a fancy restaurant, but she'd decline the offer That's right, Phil. I will decline the offer. Phil Deakins wrote: "I'm only interested in pictures to confirm that Marybeth actually wears in RL what she says she wears " 'The others semm to have misunderstood but you didn't, and it is greatly appreciated I can rest assured now that it really does happen lol" I can assure you that most women, and probably most involved in SL (the RL women in front of the computers), are wearing bras and panties much like what I modeled (and am wearing now). Try asking them. Marybeth

irihapeti wrote: here you go (: http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Fashion/What-bra-is-this/m-p/2745422/highlight/true#M11291 irihapeti, I made the bra and panties, but that is not me wearing it. It is an SL picture of a friend (or I should say: friends avi). Phil, What doesn't happen? OK, here are some pictures from RL, real store bought lingerie with the real me. (click on a picture for a larger one) At one time did this for a living (part time while an undergraduate). A number of nears ago if you found lingerie or a dress or suit on a store web site or print catalog, it could be me. But none are being used now. The pictures in front of a curtain and in the bedroom (fake) were taken by a professional photographer but not used commercially (I have the rights). The pictures in front of a door and white wall were taken by me (time delay on shutter). Marybeth

I used to model (in RL) lingerie (and other clothes) for catalog photographs. When being photographed in very sheer bras that would let the nipples show through, some photographers (actually it was the people creating the catalogs or web sites for the stores) would have models wear nipple concealers. (others would use photoshop or something). I never did like the concealers; but didn't have a choice. Marybeth

A good reason to wear underwear. I always wear pretty, usually lace, bras and panties - similar to what I wear in RL.

The jacket layer is unique since it covers above and below the waist. The skirt layer is also unique because it doesn't "paint" on your avatar. Other than that, all items of clothing could be on the same layer. I have had a bra, cami, and shirt on one layer and it worked OK. as for Dresdon's suggestion (made in jest, I assume), you simply put on your pants first and underwear second. Marybeth

I think Henry Kissinger once said "Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac". Must work here. Marybeth WORDPRESS FACEBOOK

Perrie, Fortunately I have not had anything to do with insurance law, so I didn't draft the one you had a problem with.. The case you wrote about is one that should go to court if there was really a problem interpreting the law, rather than an insurance company thinking that you will settle rather than fight. (In which case you might still have to go to court). If a court interpretation is needed, it would be best for it to be heard at the appellate level. (appeals courts do not deal with decisions about facts, they defer to the lower court. But they will make decisions about the law and interpretation of statutes. These decisions are binding on lower courts. The fact that the insurance company would settle without an appeal tells me something. Perhaps they knew they would lose. But interpretation of laws is the business of our court system that unfortunately gets bogged down with cases that should be settled out of court. Marybeth WORDPRESS FACEBOOK disclaimer: the above should not be considered legal advice and, by posting it, I am not soliciting business.

Perrie Juran wrote: As I understand it, generally speaking, when ambiguous or contradictory terms appear in contracts, the courts rule in favor of the 'weaker party,' and in this case the users are the 'weaker party.' That is after all another reason companies settle out of Court. They don't want the Court to make a statement in fact regarding the terms, that is, set a precedent. Perrie, In general, you are correct. Another rule for interpretation of ambiguity is that the court will interpret ambiguous langauge against the party that wrote the contract. In this case it is clearly Linden Labs. However, it is still best to avoid ambiguity. Any matter dealing with this would most likely be settled before trial, or certainly should be. But, considering the cost, it is best to avoid legal action by having a TOS that is clear to all and unambiguous. I agree that a separate TOS for Second Life will help avoid the complexity, ambiguity, and misunderstanding. Sec. 2.2 may seem to help. But it reminds me of something I remember, as something to avoid, from my contracts class: Sec. 2. We won't do xxx. .... Sec. 38. Section 2 notwithstanding, we will do xxx. That will frequently cause problems. Judges don't like it. ___________________ Ceka - Yes, it does smell of lazyness. Lazyness, whether on the part of the writer or the proof reader, is a major cause of ambiguity and other problems. __________________________ Pussycat - I will agree that our courts, particularly the Supremes, are too political. However, I have had judges of my political party (somewhat well known) rule against me and judges of the other party rule for me. Marybeth WORDPRESS FACEBOOK disclaimer: the above should not be considered legal advice and, by posting it, I am not soliciting business.

The TOS, as it applies to "sexually explicit" content is not well written. Among other problems, Section 6.1 (vi) conflicts with Section 6.3 (iv). The text at the beginning of 6.3 state that "In addition to the rules set forth in Sections 6.1 and 6.2 above, you agree that you will not:..." (emphasis added) so 6.3 (iv) cannot be interpreted as an exception to 6.1 (vi). Proper drafting would put language in 6.1 to allow exceptions. For example, it might have the phrase "except as allowed herein" or similar language. Better yet, subsection vi could simply refer to Section 6.3 (iv). I think that it would be safe to assume that 6.3 (iv) as an exception to 6.1 (vi), but with Linden Labs one can't be sure. This is typical of rules and laws relating to sex. People drafting the rules don't want to be explicit and want to spend very little time on the subject, and it doesn't get discussed enough to discover problems. That leads to mistakes and ambiguities. I once jokingly told a state legislative committee that the law concerning "crimes against nature" should be placed in the chapter dealing with environmental laws. That drew some laughter, but not everyone was amused Marybeth WORDPRESS FACEBOOK note: the above sections 6.1 and 6.3 refer to the Linden Labs Terms of Service found at http://lindenlab.com/tos, © 2014 Linden Research, Inc. Last viewed July 20, 2014. disclaimer: the above should not be considered legal advice and, by posting it, I am not soliciting business.

Sassy, That looks very nice. One of the disadvantages of system is that a dress has to be made of a separate top and skirt, not one single piece. Can you wear a slip underneath it? Marybeth WORDPRESS FACEBOOK

As a lawyer, and one who drafts proposed state tax law, I can say that the laws on gambling are very complex. The legal zoom article Perrie linked to gives a good discussion. Linden Labs has much more to worry about than the individuals either gambling or providing the gambling. I can certainly understand their actions to protect themselves. As for the law being an a$$, I will leave that up to others to decide. Marybeth WORDPRESS FACEBOOK

Some of these should be added to RL, particularly "All male avatars on a 28-day cycle; for a five-day period ... " Marybeth WORDPRESS FACEBOOK

geko12 wrote: How would you describe your style or avatar's "theme" usually? My avatar is like me. The style or "theme" depends upon the situation. In RL I am a mom, active in my church, big firm lawyer, runner, etc. So my RL style can be anything. So can my SL style. Marybeth WORDPRESS FACEBOOK

Kelli May wrote: RobertThorp wrote: Very true. It is harder to fake gender in RL, but I have known of it being done. I know of one guy (NOT ME!) who met a good looking girl in a bar. One thing let to another, and eventually he found out that she was really a he. So take everything, particularly SL but also RL with a grain of salt. No one who passes that well in RL is "faking it". It depends upon how much the person being deceived had to drink.:matte-motes-big-grin: Marybeth WORDPRESS FACEBOOK

mirbaz wrote: Jusr came accross someone randomly while looking at profiles, and this single chevrom on mini map clicked it for profile, it had an arrow indication another menu, clicked that and list shows five different names all online under the one chevrom in a skybox and all having the same info, howcome? On the mini map, if several people are close together they will appear as on dot or chevron.

Starling Cazalet wrote: I think everyone in a way is rping because we really dont act like ourselves in here. We all act diffrently in different place. I act differently in church, in a meeting with clients, and at home. That doesn't mean that I am rping in those places. If I act differently in a particular place in SL I am not playing a role but just responding to my environment. Marybeth WORDPRESS FACEBOOK

Sara, As you must know by now, Second Life is more than Role Play (RP). Second Life is a platform, and people use that platform for many different things. There are some areas that are only RP, and some people who use Second Life (SL) only for RP. There are reenactments of historical battles, made up battles involving medieval knights, space travelers, or future soldiers. On the other hand there are many people like me for whom SL is at extension of their Real Life (RL). In RL I am a mother, wife, Episcopalian (Anglican), and attorney. In SL I am the same. I do not have an SL relationship or SL kids, and I do not practice law or give legal advice in SL (or here), but I do engage in conversations about kids, legal practice, etc. and I go to worship services in SL. In all of those I am myself and what I say is not made up. One of my hobbies is making SL clothes and wearing them. In general, the clothes I wear are the same as what I wear in RL (professional and other), except that I have some in SL that I cannot find in the right color and size in RL. I do have some of my designs that I would like to have in RL but haven't seen yet. I also have a far bigger wardrobe in SL than I could afford in RL. Sometimes people appear at non-RP events with their RP avatar and clothes. For example, in a worship service there is sometimes someone who looks quite different from his RL self, but what he discusses is purely RL. I was once in a discussion with several other lawyers about the technical aspects of electronic submission of court pleadings. One person in the discussion was a older, female appeals court judge. She appeared as a young, male, medieval knight. Yet, what she said was her true opinion about the subject from her perspective as a judge. Of course, many people are not quite the same in SL as RL. People with physical handicaps may do things they cannot do in RL and appear in SL without the handicap. Some people wear clothes that they would not wear in RL. Many people enhance their appearance in SL. I would not consider that role playing. Some people do things in SL they would not do in RL, such as go to a bar, meet someone, and have sex with a stranger. There are people who RP the opposite gender in SL. That is OK where gender doesn't matter or where RP is expected. However, I don't consider it to be OK to enter into a romantic or sexual relationship being dishonest about one's gender. I know it is done, but I strongly disapprove of the practice. Marybeth WORDPRESS FACEBOOK

Others have given a good explanation of "glitch pants". I will add a few points: "Glitch" referred to a glitch in the technology of making skirt from prims. Sometimes the avi's rear end, leg, or other part would stick through the skirt. To hide this glitch, the avi could wear pants on the pants or underpants layers that was identical to the skirt. Glitch pants are not necessary on system skirts. For all their other faults, system skirts did not have that glitch, so you could wear regular panties under a skirt. But you should wear something, panties or glitch pants, because it is very easy to "upskirt" a woman on SL. When we sit, the position of the legs is controlled by the script in the seat, so it is not always possible to sit in a "lady like" manner. That is, our knees could be far apart. Also, unlike RL, there is light under our skirt to everything is visible. In spite of the faults, many of us still wear system skirts. We just have to make sure we adjust the butt size of our avi and wear good looking panties Marybeth Wordpress

It was me. I made the bra and gave a copy to Vicki who wore it when a few of us gathered together to talk about clothes. That particular bra was made a few years ago and is not very good. I do not sell clothes. I make them only for myself and sometime give a copy to a friend. Vicki was the only one at that gathering I knew. She also makes clothes, for herself and not for sale. I think her things are better than mine. Marybeth Wordpress

Kandy, When I started making clothes a few years ago either paint.net wasn't available or wasn't good enough to compete with GIMP. I just downloaded it (ver. 4) and took a look. It now seems to be as good as GIMP. And I agree with what you said about GIMP's interface. One question about paint.net: I store everything I make, plus the files containing the UVs and other marks, in .psd files. Is there any way to read them in paint.net? I didn't see anything in my few minutes trying it. But paint.net seems to be a good alternative to GIMP. Marybeth Wordpress

As others have told you, put on clothes that show your taste, and show off your personality, and yes, your brain. We women, at least in RL, are not impressed with naked males, particularly their genitalia. We traditionally have been moms, nurses, and other caregivers - now doctors. Many women have seen male genitalia as part of caregiving, not just sex, and we are not impressed, excited, or shocked. We may be disgusted when you show "it" off for some perverted reason, but not if it is a normal part of caregiving. Assuming that it is the real person operating an avitar that you are trying to attract, the same thing that applies in RL also applies in SL. Show your taste in clothing, personality, and brains. That will attract the girls

Just a few points about IP addresses. Some websites have counters that log the IP address, as well as the screen size, OS type, and other information about visitors to the website. I have, in the past, used one on my site. Some forums log the IP address of posters to the forum. This helps to disclose situations where people are arguing with themselves in order to show off their knowledge or advertise. But see point below. Often you can find the location of a IP address from a web service. But these are often wrong. They sometimes give a location on the other side of the country, or hundreds of miles away. Some coffee shops have separate IP addresses for each location, others have a single IP address for multiple locations. Often several people may be using the same WIFI, and will have the same IP address. For example, several of us at my business, a large law firm, may be commenting on the same forum at the same time, and will have the same IP address. I have a collegue at this firm who is active on SL and on this forum. When we are on SL or this forum from our offices we will have the same IP address but are not alts. Marybeth