"China's State Administration of Taxation announced that it will impose a 20 percent personal income tax on profit from virtual money." Woah, the 21st Century really did hit, didn't it?

Disney are shutting down VMK despite its continued success and large userbase; as a "promotion", it's run its course. Some of the comments are very affecting. Lessons to be learned about the implicit contracts you create when you build worlds.

"Are we absolutely sure that this is the very best we can offer young people?" [Lord Puttnam] asked. "Do we really want them to think of themselves as not much more than consumers?"

"By today, the headquarters of Front National has entirely disappeared from Porcupine; in its place, a tiny casino has sprung up overnight, and is already receiving customers." Second Life _is_ Las Vegas!

"Most people are deeply invested in the physicality of life; this is not going away".

There’s nothing wrong with a service that appeals to tens of thousands of people, but in a billion-person internet, that population is also a rounding error. If most of the people who try Second Life bail (and they do), we should adopt a considerably mo