I was observing an interesting phenomenon in Second Life, a 3D virtual environment around 7:00PM PDT, September 9, 2008.
I visited the island of "United Russia", a Russian pro-presidential party. It is bear-shaped and located next to the Kremlin. Everyone who happened to be there at that time, could really meet a black bear in a round plaza there.
As I was approaching, the predator began generously emitting Georgian flags. As I was going away, the flags gradually disappeared.
I failed to approach the animal undiscovered but saw his avatar name overhead. As I supposed, some SL user, probably supporter of Georgia, managed to "graft" the Georgian flag poofer to him when the bear was AFK. Later I learned from Russian sources that there was a team and their inworld names were Nipppe Shippe, Superdelegates Michigan, OrkyGuy Baxton and TheRussian Swashbuckle. I IMed the bear asking for a copy of that poofer but he did not reply: he actually was AFK.
Anyway, what I can certainly conclude from this is that complicated Georgia-Russia relationships spread now not only to traditional Internet but also to 3D cyberspace.
Second Life is a 3D virtual environment where its users (some million people in many countries) can meet, communicate, and socialize as avatars. A man whom you see in the video is my avatar. When Georgia and Russia were conflicting in August 2008, they conflicted also in cyberspace and Second Life.
Uladzimirs 3 years ago