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FRONT PAGE NEWS
Hi everyone!
This week, we have a new version of one of our 'Living & Learning' tools for you – a pocket-size version of our 'Science to Spirit Ring' that is small enough to be printed onto a business card and carried in a wallet wherever you go!
Long-term followers of Sambiglyon's work may recall that the 'Science to Spirit Ring' was a problem-solving tool that could be used to work out solutions to challenges with philosophical / metaphysical elements to them that could not be solved easily through scientific methodology alone.
This mini version of the Ring drops the half of the ring that deals with location-based problem analysis in order to make it easier to use and more portable and focuses on the mechanism for either simplifying or constructing theories for how something might work.
We can quickly summarize the operating principles of the Ring by quoting from the above article: “[Users] can find the layer [of the Ring] that their idea fits into at its current stage of development and can then work their way clockwise or anticlockwise along the ring to plan what stages they need to go through next to either make their idea more complex and therefore acceptable to a professional audience or easier for anybody to understand."
"The entire process is deliberately designed to be similar to a science-fiction matter transportation 'beaming' device which can either turn loose, unformed energy into a collection of atoms and then a physical object or break that complexly structured solid object down into extremely simple energy.”
A primary reason why a business-card sized format is ideal for a portable form of this tool is that the user does not have to extend their thumb far inwards over the surface of the card in order to be able to freely slide the thumb of one hand against the symbols on the Ring whilst holding the edge of the card with the fingers (and thus keeping it firmly still).
The other hand, meanwhile, is free to move up and down the Slider on the opposite side of the card without holding onto the edge on that side (making utilization of the card similar to how a smartphone is simultaneously held and touched).
We have also produced a version of the tool for left handed people! Left-click on the images below to open the image in a new browser window and then use the Save Image option to save it to your computer for printing later.
LEFT-HANDED VERSION
RIGHT-HANDED VERSION
Note the checkered pattern inside the ring. This is not simply there for the sake of decoration: if the user wishes, they can cut out this section of the card with a pair of scissors so that they can overlay the card over the top of a photo ID card or any other favorite wallet sized picture held underneath (e.g a family member, friend or pet) and in doing so instantly add the functionality of Sam's 'Personal Settings Slider' tool to the card.
This feature can be enhanced further if the cut card is laminated, making it both more durable and still able to display through the plastic any card / picture placed beneath it.
Yet another possibility that cutting and laminating provides is to use the card as a tool to break down complex information on a book page into more manageable bite-sized chunks by overlaying the card on a section of a page that you want to focus exclusively on and then moving the card around to display the next section of information beneath the see-through area.
We very much hope that the pocket Ring tool will be useful to you and those that you know, live and work with. Let us know about any success stories you have with the tool at the usual contact addresses!
Fleet Goldenberg
Sambiglyon Community Manager
If you enjoy our book range and are an author or artist yourself who is looking to publish your work then you may be interested in our free custom book layout, publishing and distribution service.
SAM'S BIG LAUNCH
Our brand new youth self-enhancement site for kids aged 8-12, 'Sam's Big Life', is now live! As well as lessons ln capability enhancement presented at a pre-teen level of comprehension, the site also features a version of our Free Books page with age-appropriate titles and no purchase links! We hope you'll share the site with your friends, colleagues and family.
THIS WEEK'S FLEET GOLDENBERG 'DEVELOPER DIARY' HIGHLIGHTS ON FACEBOOK
 Via Massively: Roblox CEO David Baszucki talks blocks, building, and learning through play.
We'd like to remind our Second Life rent box leasing customers that on June 15, rental price rate increases will come into effect for leasing customers who joined us prior to January 2012. All customers who became tenants after that date are already on the 2012 price rate and will not see a further increase.
The new rates were introduced in January but delayed for a 6 month period for existing rent-box tenants in order to help them to prepare for the change. The rise is modest - for example, a L$810 a week property becomes L$860 - but we realize that any increase is undesirable in this economic climate. Those existing box-based customers can delay the effects of the rise by pre-loading advance time credit onto their box at the 2011 price rate before June 15.
I was looking at Hawaii on Google Earth and suddenly noticed that the GE map of Hawaii looks like an Alsatian / German Shepherd dog!
To encourage participation in Sambiglyon's website usability survey, we are offering the incentive of a prize draw for two prizes of a code that can be redeemed for $20 worth of online-service purchase points for the console platform of your choice (Nintendo Points, Sony PSN or Microsoft Xbox Live).
Previous participants in the survey before this date will also be put into the draw. Winners can gift the code to friends and family if they wish. Staff and associates of Sam are excluded from the draw in order to ensure fairness, of course. Points can be supplied for use on UK, European or US consoles. You can find the survey at the link below.
We have adjusted the terms of Sambiglyon's Second Life 'Object Insurance' benefit so that it is now available as standard to all pay-contract land leasers. The free plan replaces lost or damaged SL items up to a maximum value of L$4,000 ($15 USD).
To qualify for the plan, tenants need simply to register a list of their objects with Sambiglyon prior to them being lost / damaged, just like a real-world insurance policy. We hope this will help to encourage people who are uncertain about trying out virtuality to give it a chance, reassured that they have a safety cushion if something goes wrong on their land! If you would like further details of the plan, get in touch with us.
There are some ideas you consider that sound fantastic on paper but crumple a bit once you give them some further thought. One of these 'great in theory' ideas was to run all of the US states' budgets through a Sam's budget analysis system and come up with suggestions for fixing the budgets. It was going to be called 'Solution for America'. The point at which I filed it in the trash can was when I realized that politicians don't listen to good ideas if they don't coincide with their pet projects! [end of cynical line] [also, end of rubbish Tron references]
I'm listening to my music tracks at the moment while writing the newsletter editorial (update: the one you've just read). Anyway, I was trying to think of the wording for a section and then the Ulysses 31 sci fi cartoon theme kicked in. "ULYSSES! ULY-SEE-HEES! SOARING THROUGH ALL THE GA-LAX-EE-EES!". And then the words that I needed came to me. Eighties cartoon themes were wonderfully inspiring ('Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors' might have had a similar effect had it been in my ears at the time) :)
Like newspaper writing, the choice of subject for the editorial is often settled on at short notice, depending on what ideas come to the fore as deadline approaches and whether one idea is more suitable for the front page than another. In a parallel universe somewhere, the latest editorial is about the Real Ghostbusters and their proton packs (I assure you all that there was a relevant reason for considering this as a Sam newsletter topic!)
* Since I started reading Club Penguin Magazine for 8-12 kids market research (in addition to the Moshi Monsters Magazine I've read since last November for the same purposes), I find that silly little catchphrases from CP get stuck in my head. Like pinky penguin lady DJ Cadence's 'Woot woot!' and 'Lolz!'. If it can embed itself in me, heaven knows how many kids are running around shouting these phrases! Speaking of Moshi, you can legally and officially download issue 1 of the Moshi magazine for free from the link below:
If you like the teaser issue and are a US resident who would like to purchase the magazine for your darling child, you can buy it from the Moshi magazine's international site and have it delivered to your door as a subscription print magazine (albeit without the free gifts UK purchasers get, but you can live without those as the really good stuff is in the form of codes inside the mag!)
I went to the outdoor market in town this morning and picked up a couple of cheap dvds. One was the British comedy set in war-time England, 'Dad's Army', and the other was the iconic 90's virtual reality movie 'The Lawnmower Man'. Nice mix of history and and futurism, if the future of virtual reality was going to involve avatars from a Commodore Amiga game (the following image has been edited for safeness at work).
Via YouTube: “For the last two years the Sauber F1 Team mechanics have been using their downtime to slice a Formula One racing car lengthwise down the middle with the precision of true craftsmen. Chief Designer Matt Morris quite literally gets underneath the skin of the F1 car, pointing out where and how the individual components are located within the chassis. Everything is packed in pretty tightly. Sergio Pérez is also on hand to demonstrate the driver's seating position.”
One of the weaknesses of Second Life's design is that you cannot see visual previews of your inventory items, and such a feature does not seem to be in third party viewer software either. Then something occurred to me - if you drag an item out of inventory and drop it on your avatar's back then it rezzes as an attachment that waves around in front of you. You don't even need to own land in order to rez the item on the surface of your avatar. If you want to remove the item then you can just right-click on it and select 'Detach or do so with a right-click in the item's name in the inventory'. It might be a good technique for absolute beginners recently arrived in SL.
Childrens author / artist Nicola J Bolton, Sambiglyon and 'The Secret of Healey Nab' were featured in the Chorley Guardian local newspaper!
SOCIAL NETWORK HIGHLIGHTS FROM FRIENDS OF SAM
Free Technology for Teachers: ReadCube - A Desktop Tool for Organizing Research
'Bagpuss: The Movie'. The latest travesty from legendary director Michael Bay.
You know an event is something special when it has its own lightbulbs!
While children continue to learn and grow well past age five, the foundation of their brain – upon which all their future learning, relationships and health will be built – has already been established. So, the early years represent our best chance to help kids develop a strong foundation, and avoid problems that will be harder – and more expensive – to fix later on.
If you wish your upcoming event to be highlighted in our newsletter and in the calendar on our website then please email your news, preferably with a week's advance notice before the date of the event, to marty@sambiglyon.org
Date: Every Sunday, the Garden of Healthy Aging, Eduisland 2, 1PM SL (Pacific) Time
Presenter: Zsuzsa Tomsen
Description: Join Occupational Therapy @ Thomas Jefferson University every Sunday at the Garden of Healthy Aging for a weekly discussion event about being active in senior years.
SLurl Teleport Link:
http://www.slurl.com/secondlife/Eduisland%202/104/86/21/
Date: Sunday 10 June, Virtual Pioneers, 5pm SL (Pacific) Time
Presenter: Spiff Whitfield
Description: Spiff's Famous Greet and Meet - an informal time to hang out with friends and have relaxed conversation. Newbies welcome.
SLurl Teleport Link:
http://www.slurl.com/secondlife/Eduisland%209/99/95/22/
Date: Sunday 17 June, Buona Pesca Archipelago, 5pm SL (Pacific) Time.
Presenters: Wittsofwanda Zapatero and sim owner, Cesta Franizzi
Description:
Come join VIrtual Pioneer, Wittsofwanda Zapatero and sim owner, Cesta Franizzi for a tour of Buona Pesca Archipelago. These beautiful Medieval Realms and Roleplays are surrounded by open sailable waters covering twenty-seven adjoining regions. Come walk, boat or ride through the Archipelago and experience Medieval and Medi-Fantasy at its best. Medieval dress is welcome or come as you are. Our tour will start at the Ruins of the first humans to explore these shores ...
SLurl Teleport Link:
http://www.slurl.com/secondlife/Buona%20Pesca/128/128/29/
Date: Sunday 24 June, Virtual Pioneers, 5pm SL (Pacific) Time
Presenter: Spiff Whitfield
Description: Spiff's Famous Greet and Meet - an informal time to hang out with friends and have relaxed conversation. Newbies welcome.
SLurl Teleport Link:
http://www.slurl.com/secondlife/Eduisland%209/99/95/22/
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK
We love to hear from our readers through any of our the contact channels at the head of this newsletter about any subject that's on their minds!
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