Vampires?

Dear Gudrun -

I want to be a vampire!!!!  This has been my dream for so long...  Some girls see movies and want to be vampires cuz the guys are "hot."  Lots of girls, for example, want Edward to bite them. This is not what I'm talking about.

I can smell blood even if I can’t see it.  I notice just a little taste of it...even my own.  I went to a vampire movie with one of my boyfriends.   Watching portrayals of vampires makes me want to be one even more, but it’s because just the thought of tasting blood sends a chill throughout my whole body.  I told the boyfriend that the movie made me want blood.  I’m fairly attractive, and guys want to please me, so I ended up getting it.  He let me bite him hard enough that I broke the skin and got a little bit to come out on its own, and then I sucked more of it out of him.  

I wanted to drink it badly, but I couldn’t let myself do it to him, even though the whole time it was he who was encouraging it...  I had never had to fight so hard with something like that in my life.  Another friend of mine once let me drink his blood. Now every time I see him now I just want to bite him and drink his blood.   As weird as it may seem, the blood is so sweet to me that I can hardly resist the urge when I smell that breathtaking fragrance.

I realize there are serious issues with real life vampirism: health, safety, moral, and legal, not to mention social and psychological.  I have learned to suppress my desire for human blood.

I won't let my bloodlust turn me into an evil, sadistic, seductive, bloodthirsty sex fiend in real life.  But the cachet of the vampire is attractive.  Anyway, is SL the place for me?  Will it help me with my problem?

                                                                        Sincerely,

Bloodthirsty

Dear Bloodthirsty –

Second Life may not be “the” place for you, but it is definitely “a” place for you.

I have had many vampire friends in SL, but almost NONE of them claim to be Real Life vampires.  Quite a few, on the other hand, are into BDSM in RL, which is a much safer thing to be into.

There are huge problems with RL blood-drinking.  There are pretty much only three ways to get blood:  (1) tap another human, (2) drink menstrual blood, or (3) drink slaughterhouse blood.  Though the risks by method vary, the common factor is that there is NO risk-free way to procure and drink blood.  There are major threats, both physical and mental, to both you and any "donor" you may come upon.  What goes for sex applies here as well, and the only true safety is, even more so, to abstain.

The donor may die from infection or bleed to death.  You may overindulge.   Moderation should always be paramount: two to three drinks per week is the maximum suggested.  (Unh… Who makes these suggestions???  Well, the ancient Roman playwright Terence suggested “Moderation in all things,”  Two or three cocktails per night, not per week and mostly alcohol, would be moderate for me.  So maybe…  Oh, never mind.)

There is a risk of drug interactions through "donor" blood. The chances are pretty good that at some point your "donor" has taken one or more "medications," legal or illegal. You may be allergic, may not be able to handle it, or it may even interact with your own drug “regimen.”  *Sigh

With menstrual blood, an array of additional issues may arise.  Likewise with slaughterhouse blood.  You can figure these risks out on your own.

There are also non-physical problems that may arise: ethical, religious, or moral. In general, drinking blood is hard on the psyche.  When it is REALLY done, not done mystically, symbolically or rhetorically, it is not a "normal" thing to do, It can cause ostracism by friends, loss of loved ones, mental anguish and

pain to others, depression, alienation, and anomie.  For some, this isn't a big deal.  Some are loners by nature; but most need validation by others.  Sometimes it is better to be human, and be like everyone else...

Vampires’ attractiveness usually is directly associated with their menace and amorality. They're a version of the typical "bad boy" (or “bad girl”) erotic type, elevated to supernatural proportions.  Many of us would like to be THAT way, too.  But, it's not at all like in the movies or books.  The trend of making formerly evil creatures and characters into good creatures and characters is driven largely by the publishing industry's desire for novelty and innovation.  Making a vampire a “good guy” is a logical impossibility…  They prey upon the young and old, drink their blood, and often kill them.  Alternatively, they condemn them to a demonized immortality.

You are young; you have the whole world open to you. You can be anything that you choose if you apply yourself and try hard to work toward that goal. But being a vampire is not what it seems. It's a life full of the same frustrations, complications, stress, and worry as any life.

Vampirism in SL

Anyway, in SL you can be a vampire without any of these risks.  And you can be romantic and fashionable, rather than scary.  You can be a good vampire who goes to church and protects humanity.   Or you can be a scary bloodsucker.

What vampire communities exist in SL?  Lots.  There are lifestyle ones, that don't play role games, and RPG vampires as well.  A search for "Vampire" in groups reveals 857 results.  But you needn’t follow the crowds - you can be independent.  Or you can join a “family” or set out on your own.  Whatever.

How do SL vampires look?  They come in many shapes and sizes. From Nosferatu (who are irredeemably ugly) to suave vampire playboys and glamorous vampirettes, gothic dress to modern gowns, and even jeans and t-shirts.  Some who could pass for human, and some who can't. Many have red eyes, though.  Male vampires are unusually handsome, strong, confident individuals... charismatic, self centered and vain.  They usually force their will on their victims.  Female vampires radiate an unearthly beauty, are usually quiet, and can command the attention in a room by just walking in without saying a word.  A female vampire usually has victims throwing themselves at her, begging her to bite them.  (I think you have already had experience with this, hun.)  There are very few who look scary and epitomize the 'horror' aspect of vampires.

How does one become a vampire in SL?  That depends on many factors. Some just buy skin and some fangs and declare themselves vampires, and who's to say that's not alright to do.  Others become vampires through the games they play.  But, it takes commitment to the lifestyle. You have to figure out what your parameters are, and work to stay within them.  Some join vampire clubs and groups. Others are invited into a family and given the blessing as a reward for serving that family.  Basically, you do what feels good to you.

Does one get the turn-on in SL?  Of course.  Where do you bite?  Necks (One confidante loves to start in the hollow of the neck, just under the jaw line... teasing, working her way down to the hollow of the neck just above the collarbone. The turn of the neck just at the trapezius muscle is the place she likes to bite the most.)  Wrists and thighs are also good.  Most anims reflect the preferred places.

Are there issues finding donors in SL?  No.  In SL, there’s no compulsion to find victims…  Many vampires don't feed regularly at all. Instead they feed when they find a host who piques their interest.

Assuaging the Bloodlust

I know you like blood…  Most people are familiar with blood sausage, which is really good as a grilled tapas.  But here are a few recipes that might help you out.

STEAK TARTARE

 

Buy a lean steak...  It can be cheap, but the better the meat, the better.  Top round or eye of round is fine. You need two to four ounces per person.

Never use pre-ground meat.

Bacteria don’t exist on the interior of meat so you only need to deal with the exterior. First, wash your hands, then rinse the meat thoroughly under running water.  Then give it a thorough coating of salt (a uniform coating - you can’t use too much) and refrigerate for an hour or so.  Then rinse it, grind it or chop it (ribbons, then teensy cubes), season it, and prepare to serve it.

Taste it and add salt (if necessary), pepper, and olive oil.  A shallot and some vinaigrette may be used as well.  Other possibilities are Worcestershire, brandy, or hot sauce, depending on your tastes.

Shape it into a disc and put it on a serving piece. 

A steak tartare must have egg with it.  A raw egg yolk on top, a big yellow sun, acts as a sauce after you make the first cut. Use pasteurized a egg (for example, Davidson's). Or it can be soft poached.  Serve some accompaniments with it: toast, pickles, red onion relish, mushroom duxelles, or just some mustard and cornichons, or nothing, just beef, toast, egg yolk and minced shallot or red onion macerated in a little lemon juice.

“PITTSBURGH” BLACK AND BLUE STEAK

 

Get the best bit of steak you can: filet or sirloin, the thickest cut you can, at least 1 inch.

Leave it out for a few hours to bring the center up to room temperature.  This will help given the quick cooking time.  

Salt and pepper to taste.  Add seasonings you enjoy, such as rosemary or marinate, if desired.

Heat some (extra virgin) olive oil in a large (preferably cast iron) frying pan on HIGH ‘til it’s HOT.  Add a pat of butter.

   

Place the steak in the pan.  Do not prod it or poke it or press it.  Turn.  (A thin steak will take 1 minute per side… A thicker steak 1.5 minutes.)

Ensure that no part of the surface of the steak is still uncooked. If you have a particularly thick steak, it’s possible the sides aren’t cooked, so manipulate the steak to slowly roll it round on its side.

This, of course can also be done on a grill.  The idea is the very high heat. Pittsburgh steak is often called "black and blue." It should be practically charred on the outside (black), while the center remains cold and rare (blue).  A traditional rare steak has an internal temperature of 125F.  A Pittsburgh black and blue rare, 100-110F. Pittsburgh steelworkers made ‘em for lunch on the blast furnaces, LOL.

CZARNINA

 

Czernina  (from czarny "black"; sometimes also Czarnina or Czarna polewka) is a Polish soup made of duck blood and clear poultry broth.  In English it can be called "duck blood soup" or simply “duck soup.”

Serve with kluski (dumplings or noodles).

Ingredients

    1 average (4 pound) duck, cut up

    2 cups duck blood

    ½ cup vinegar

    10 cups water

    2 cups half and half

    ¼ teaspoon marjoram

    5 whole allspice berries (optional)

    2 whole cloves (optional)

    2 cups dried fruit (prunes, raisins, pears, apples)

    4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

    1 tablespoon white sugar

    salt and pepper to taste

  

Directions

Mix fresh blood with vinegar so it won't clot, cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Or you can buy the blood already mixed with vinegar at some European specialty stores.

Place dressed duck pieces in a large pot. Cover with at least 10 cups cold water. Bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Add a stock sachet, if desired: marjoram and other spices, if using.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour.

Add the dried fruit and cook another hour. Remove meat from bones and return to the pot. Let the soup cool and refrigerate to make skimming off the fat easier, and prevent curdling once the blood and half-and-half are added.  

When ready to serve, in a large bowl, cream the soup by fork blending flour into half-and-half. Add 3 ladles of cold soup and blood-vinegar mixture and whisk until smooth. Transfer to pot with remaining soup and heat gently until soup is thickened and the raw flour taste is cooked out, about 20-30 minutes. Adjust seasonings, vinegar and sweetness, if necessary.

Serve with kluski (dumplings or noodles).

Note:  This item also appeared in the November REZ Magazine.

Peux-tu me voir?

Dear Gudrun -

I feel like an old stick-in-the-mud... behind the times because I'm not mesh-enabled.  Almost every day in SL, I see an avi, with invisible clothes, or wearing some weird geometric shape.  Because of this, I fear that old viewers like SL 1.23 (mine), Imprudence, and Phoenix, i.e. viewers I am or might be comfortable with, will start to disappear. People see mesh and ask, What’s that odd looking thing? Then they realize what mesh is and that using an old viewer means they can't see everything others see. So their migration to newer viewers will be nudged along, and me with it.  What can I do???  -  Behind the Times

Dear En Retard -                 

You are not alone, hun.  Because of their underpinnings, old viewers like SL 1.23, Imprudence, and Phoenix will never see mesh.  Other third party vendors will add mesh.  But for me it's still too soon to migrate.

I guess the newviewer adoption rate is something like 22%, and I presume that most if not all of these people are motivated by the desire to usewant to be able use the new avi/clothing display features.   This means you're gonna encounter stuff you can't see, or stuff that looks like a big geometric chunk, in any large group of people.  I'm pretty sure that LL feels that these features will sell themselves and that people will willingly migrate. 

But ask yourself this:  How many invisible dresses or girder shaped avis do you see out there at any one time?  Noy many, right?  In my own case, I refuse to look like an egg or whatever while the majority of users (including moi) cannot see the new graphics.  Cuz what's the point?

The Lindens are making a significant effort to find out what keeps people from upgrading to SLV2. They hope to address the issues and motivate people to update. SLV1 users are not being abandoned, at some point LL will have to leave them behind or hold everyone else back.

I suspect many think the biggest problem for SLV1 users not adopting SLV2 is the user interface.  It is, but the other part of it is the relatively minor benefit of using a mesh-enabled viewer (unless, of course, you are a developer).  Mesh-enabled users happily wear their mesh, but since a substantial number of users can't see them, what's the point?

So, why mesh anyway?

Mesh is an improved capability for bringing 3D models, known as meshes, created in third-party tools, into SL.  (N.B ~ Mesh is a collection of triangles with a single transformation matrix, roughly equivalent to a "Prim" in SL.  A simple mesh is a mesh with a single face. It has a single color and texture, and can model a simple object in the real world. A multi-face mesh is a mesh with multiple textures.  A rigged mesh is a mesh with an internal virtual skeleton. Manipulating the virtual skeleton causes corresponding changes in the shape of the mesh, which allows the mesh to be animated.)

Benefits of mesh that prims or sculpts cannot match:

* Custom UV mapping (wrapping a 2D texture onto a 3D mesh) for up to 8 textures; selectable smooth or hard edges

* Custom collision shapes

* Rigged meshes that conform to your joints and motions and animate accordingly

* Fractional prim count for some objects, and lower count than some equivalent prim builds

Drawbacks of mesh:

* Mesh is not flexi

* Large or complex mesh can cost more than sculpts or prims for the same result

* Making level-of-detail versions and physics shapes is more work

* Mesh features are only at first release, some things were left till later by LL in this first version. (Note, SLV3 for mesh features.)

* Many people do not see mesh avis/clothes :=P

So it's really not about the casual user.  It's more about the ppl who create.  Allowing user-created, irregular, polygon meshes gives creators a greater level of freedom in not only what they create, but just how they create it.  This seems to be a response to gamer ridicule of SL use of prims vs. mesh, because from a basic control standpoint, SL combat sucks.  (Of course, SL is not about combat, except for some.  And the battle of the sexes does not seem to have been inhibited.)

SL had already been using irregular meshes, it’s just that the rest of us hadn’t the ability to create our own. The most obvious example of this is the Second Life avatar, an irregular polygon mesh created by LL to be especially good conforming to the user's wishes.  I have to admit I do not know the difference between LL mesh (visible in V1) and imported mesh (not).

I would like to see mesh, and have toyed with mesh-enabled viewers that have friendlier interfaces. But at the same time, I worry that I might inadvertently wear mesh without getting the warning I now get in SLV1, thereby adding myself to the weirdly shaped, partially invisible minority.

When mesh use comes to full fruition, we will all want to see it.  But in the meantime, don't worry about being behind. 

TC ~ Gudrun

 (NB ~ This item also appears in September's REZ Magazine.)

Do Not stick in Thumbs...

...the plums are all on top, LOL.

To me, late summer means plum cake!  This is a sweet, dense cake topped with sliced, juicy Italian plums curled and tinged from just the right amount of time in the oven.  It is usually available at German and Austrian bakeries, and is technically a kuchen.  (Italian plums are an essential ingredient, as others tend to be too juicy.)


I know of three places it can reliably be obtained on the north side of Chicago...

Cafe Selmarie, 4729 North Lincoln Avenue - Chicago 60625  773-989-5595 (Theirs tend to be expensive.)
Dinkel's, 3329 North Lincoln Avenue - Chicago 60657  773-281-7300  (Theirs too.)
Schlegl's Bakery and Cafe, 3915 Touhy Avenue, Lincolnwood  60712  847-568-1750  (Best deal.)

But you'd better call to see if they have one.  They only appear for a short time, and they get snapped up in a hurry.  If you can't find a place to buy a plum cake, you can make one...

Plum Kuchen

1/4 lb butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg 1 tablespoon sour cream
1 pinch salt (only if you use unsalted butter)
1 teaspoon lemon, rind of
1 3/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups Italian plums, pitted and sliced into thin wedges

For the topping:
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
1 In a large bowl, cream the butter, add the sugar, vanilla, egg, lemon peel, sour cream and salt (if desired).
2 Mix the flour and baking powder and add that into the mixture.
3 Grease the base of a round (or square) baking pan and spread the dough over the pan. 
4 Liberally spread plums over the dough.
5 To make the optional topping, cream the butter, add flour, sugar and cinnamon.
6 Sprinkle over the plums and bake for 30-45 minutes in the middle rack at 375 F.
7 Be careful not to let the bottom burn!

And if you can't get quite the right ingredients, I suggest you make my famous bottom crust plum pie...
http://livyurdream.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

Ol’ Blue Eyes, Indeed!!!!

Fact:  87.5% of all statistics are made up (just so you know).

Fact:  Most people in the world (95%) have brown eyes.

Fact:  Most of the actors you see close-ups of in movies (95%) have blue eyes, even if they are supposed to be Arab, African, or Asian.

Question:  What’s up with this??

Answer:  Hollywood (and everyone else) seems to have an unspoken but obvious standard of beauty.

LOL:  "With a curvaceous figure that Venus would have envied, a tanned, unblemished oval face framed with lustrous thick light brown hair, deep-blue eyes fringed with long black lashes, perfect teeth, and a small straight nose, she had a beauty that defied description."   Hunh?

So I guess blue eyes are part of an unspoken standard of beauty??  Is beauty an idealized form of the characteristics of the general population… something everyone can relate to?  I don’t think so…  Do blue eyes show something other eyes don’t?  Or is it that unusual eyes are interesting and beautiful?  And what happens when the usual becomes unusual?  Or vice-versa…?????

Beauty

 

Is beauty culturally determined??  To some extent, for sure.  For example, Leslie Caron was considered a great beauty, but to me she looked exactly like a Frog, especially when she smiled.  (Oh, boy!  I can’t believe I said that out loud…  Me is gonna hafta get some Freedom Fries to compensate…)   But cultural relativism means that impressions of beauty are solely acquired over many years of socialization.

In reality, there is a growing body of evidence that infants are happier with more attractive caregivers than they are with those who have unattractive qualities.  This is true with infants as young as one or two months.  And it’s not attributable to scent, or whatever.  In one study of one-year-olds, caregivers wearing attractive/unattractive masks produced the same result:  the more attractive masks elicited a favorable response; the less attractive ones, crying.   These findings are consistent with the personal experiences and observations of many parents of small children, who find that their children are much better behaved when their babysitters are physically attractive than when they are not.   So, babies are born with an eye for beauty. Infants only hours old will choose to stare at an attractive face rather than an unattractive one - and they also prefer to listen to Vivaldi straight, rather than Vivaldi backwards.

So there is some innate cross-cultural biologically ingrained preference for  beauty.  Or maybe it comes from prenatal exposure.

But what is attractive?  Features that seem to represent physically attractive faces are symmetry, average appearance, and secondary sexual characteristics. So, a stereotypical human face?  Also, attractive people seem healthier with greater physical fitness, and prove to live longer.  Good news for millions:  average is pretty.  The downer: you must be physically fit.

I will stick with facial features…  I refuse to get into waist-hip ratios, and all that.

Wait…  What about blue eyes?

The ideal of female beauty seems to be blonde hair and blue eyes. Women have been dying their  fair hair blonde as far back as the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. This means that women were dying their hair blonde long before peroxide was even discovered. Why is blonde hair seen as attractive?  It seems then that men have innate psychological mechanisms that predispose them to prefer women with blonde hair. Ideas seem to be shaped and then hard-wired, making it no coincidence that men (gentle or not) prefer blondes.

The ideal image of beauty whether socialized or innately acquired does impact how society reacts to us as humans, and how we perceive these reactions as well.  For most people, concepts of the body and beauty come to the fore in early adolescence. By the end of teenage years, these notions have developed into a self-image, right along with all of the stereotypes.

Apart from innate influences, preference for blue eyes seems to be accepted as an ideal in the west. Blue eyes are not just considered to be attractive for women but for men as well.  Going by Hollywood movies, that is totally the case.  Or is it??

As I said, 95% of movie stars seem to be blue-eyed…  and if you look closely, this was also true before color filming became preponderant.

However, brown eyes are considered dominant.  So perhaps relatively colorless eyes lend themselves more to character development by other means.  And certainly excitement in those eyes (as evidenced in pupil dilation) is easier to observe…  assuming actors are able to produce the appropriate physiological effects on call.

Whence Blue Eyes?

 

A Danish researcher theorizes that all blue-eyed people have a common ancestor (prolly a Dane :=P) who, about 10,000 years ago, began to spread a mutant gene throughout Europe and the Middle East.  This resulted in what I like to call the European “Blue-Belt.” 

Why Blue Eyes? 

The Czechs did a study, and the Czech Republic is “sort of” in the Blue Belt…  maybe the second string Blue Belt…  not that they aren’t as pretty as anyone else :=P

Brown-eyed men were ranked as more dominant than blue eyed men by both men and women. And the same men were rated as most dominant even when they got blue eyes courtesy of Photoshop.  The blue-eyed guys, however, were still ranked lower in dominance, even after receiving their brown eye makeovers. So there was more than eye-color involved in the male rankings.  The female rankings, on the other hand, showed no difference on the basis of eye color.

One theory is that something in the facial structure of brown-eyed men makes them appear more dominant.  In general, the brown-eyed men in the above study had wider jaws and bigger noses than the blue-eyed men.

Another possible explanation is that brown-eyed men may actually have higher testosterone levels. This is gene-related, as of course, is appearance itself, but social factors could also impact appearance.  Blue-eyed boys are more inhibited as preschoolers, although they quickly overcome this social deficit.  Conceivably, early social standing could alter hormonal balance, which could alter face shape.

Several studies have shown that women prefer to mate with high-dominance males, but they prefer low-dominance males as life partners.  Hmmm….  Maybe Czech ladies just like Turks as lovers…

No, not just Czechs.    Men often seek women with blue eyes, but women often do not (seek  blue-eyed men that is, or women vs. men, or whatever).  Not only do women have different selection criteria (social status, wealth, and, of course, testosterone), blue-eyed men also tend to look more feminine.   This means that men will often select for blue eyes and women will often select against them, not because they find blue eyes unattractive, but because blue-eyed men tend to look boyish and gender-ambiguous.  Or because the brown eyed guy is richer.

So why the Hollywood propensity for blue eyes in males as well as females?  Bright, colorful, unusual, and exotic eye colors are always considered intriguing (or scary, LOL). Once common in the boy and girl next door, blue eyes have become increasingly rare among Americans. Immigration patterns, intermarriage, and genetics have all played a part in the steady reduction of their numbers. While the drop-off has been a century in the making, the decline in the past few decades has taken place at a remarkable rate.

About half of Americans born circa 1900 had blue eyes.   By the 1950s that proportion had dropped to a third.  Today only about one 1 of every 6 Americans has blue eyes.  Much of this change has to do with changes in marriage patterns.

One hundred years ago - because of language, ethnocentricity, religion - 80 percent of people married within their ethnic groups. Blue eyes -- a genetically recessive trait -- were nevertheless consistently inherited, especially among people of English, Irish, and Northern European ancestry.

By mid-century, one’s education and prospects became the primary factors in obtaining a spouse.  We all know how many 1950s coeds went to college seeking their MRS.  As intermarriage among ethnic groups became the norm, blue eyes began to disappear, replaced by the more prevalent brown.

The influx of nonwhites into the United States, especially from Latin America and Asia, accelerated the disappearance of blue. Between 1900 and 1950, only about 1 in 10 Americans was nonwhite. Today that ratio is more like 1 in 3.

However, the preferences for fair skin and blue eyes stretch back in Europe to at least the Middle Ages.  For women in particular, especially those of European descent, fair skin and light eyes have long been seen as a measure of fertility and beauty.  We need only check out Renaissance, and earlier, paintings to verify this assertion.  (Or check out Jesus’ mom at your nearest Catholic Church.)

America adopted these European biases as immigrants poured in, and Hollywood reinforced them by providing endless blue-eyed blondes as national (and international) sex symbols.

Eugenics was the racist pseudoscience determined to wipe away all human beings deemed "unfit," preserving only those who conformed to an ideal.  In the 1930s, eugenicists used the apparent disappearance of blue eyes as a rallying cry to support immigration restrictions in the United States.  But oddly the eugenicists themselves rarely conformed to the ideal.    On the world stage, Hitler himself didn’t have blue eyes.  Nor did Mussolini.  Or Tojo.  :=P

Nevertheless, Americans were consumed with the blue-eyed, fair-haired ideal.  In the '70s and '80s most fashion models were typically Scandinavian. But in the past decade those standards have begun to change.  People now, as then, want a look they can relate to, and trend-makers  have noticed. The look today favors honey-colored skin, brown hair, and green or brown eyes, and the most successful models seem to be coming from Brazil.  (I heard Angelina Jolie used brown contacts in a recent film.)

But even as blue eyes give way to brown, lighter eyes will maintain a certain allure. When people see something pleasurable, their eyes dilate. Dilated pupils signal happiness and are, in turn, considered attractive.  Since they are easier to see in lighter eyes, especially on film, they have a natural appeal.  Once again, this all goes back to acting ability.  (I’m talking to YOU, Frank.)

Second Life Eyes

Of course things are somewhat different in SL. Not only can SL residents alter their physical traits at will, we also have a lot more eye colors to choose from. "Exotic and unusual" takes on a whole new meaning in this environment.  The most important thing is to look different than any other woman in the room. 

But how different can you be and still be desirable in a normal sense.  This takes skill.

Anyway, blue is less common than brown.  What are the Real Life eye possibilities????

Black - Intuitive, sensual, and secretive.

Blue -  Direct and vital with a gift for insight (possibly psychic), and observation.

Brown -  Earth-energized, creative, simple, humble, with strength, endurance, and fertility.

Gray -  Connotations of water, weather, changeability, mysticism, and wisdom.

Green  -.  Connotations of life-force, vegetation, rejuvenation, youthfulness, and health.
 Hazel -  Hazel is an exciting combination of the inner strength and independence of brown, the compassion and healing qualities of green, the fluidity and sensitivity of gray, and the intense vitality of blue. 

Violet - An exquisite and sophisticated color that has connotations of spirituality, nobility, psychic energy, and purity.

Colors available in Second Life?  Duhhh… You can do any color you want.  You can make your eyes as luminous or as weird as you want.  You can be the one alluring Asian or African in a room full of blue eyes.  But I’m betting the most used color is still blue.  And your Second life popularity will be directly related to your fashion and color sense, and, most of all, your conscious or subliminal acting ability.

But wait…  When will SL incorporate Blue Eyes technology????  This means computers with sensory abilities like those of human beings.  Imagine a computer that can listen to you, feel your emotions, and evaluate your moods through special technologies.  That’s what Blue Eyes is supposed to be.  (“Blue” is for Bluetooth wireless; “eyes” is for eye movement providing the most important information.)  Okay…  I guess that’s the next release…

(This article also appears in the June edition of Rez magazine.)

Sources:

Belkin, Douglas.  2006, October 19.  “Blue Eyes Are Increasingly Rare in America” - International Herald Tribune - Retrieved May 17, 2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/18/world/americas/18iht-web.1018eyes.3199975.html

Blakeslee, Sandra and Blakeslee, Matthew. 2007. The Body Has a Mind of its Own. New York: Random House, Inc.

Bloch, Konrad. 1994. Blondes in Venetian Paintings, the Nine-Banded Armadillo, and Other Essays in Biochemistry. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Feinman, Saul and Gill, George W. 1978. “Sex Differences in Physical Attractiveness Preferences.” Journal of Social Psychology 105:43-52.

Kleisner, K.; Kocnar, T.; Rubesova,  A. & Fleger, J. (2010). “Eye color predicts but does not directly influence perceived dominance in men.” Personality and Individual Differences, 49: 59-64.

Knight, Meredith. 2008. “All in Favour: The Gentleman’s Friends Prefer Blondes.” Psychology Today. April 15, 26.

Krazytech (2011, April 24)  – “Blue Eyes Technology” Retrieved May 17, 2012, from http://www.krazytech.com/technical-papers/blue-eyes-technology

Little, Anthony C., Penton-Voak, Ian S., Burt, Michael D., and Perrett, David I. 2002. Evolution and Individual Differences in the Perception of Attractiveness: How Cyclic Hormonal Changes and Self-Perceived Attractiveness Influence Female Preferences for Male Faces. Wesport, ON: Ablex.

Miller, Alan S., and Kanazawa, Satoshi. 2007. Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters. New York: Peguin Group.

Somes, Liz. 2008. “A Lock on Love: The Lustre of Long Hair.” Psychology Today 22: 30.

Urban Dictionary – “ Blue Eyes”  Retrieved May 17, 2012, from http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=blue+eyes

University of Copenhagen (2008, January 30). “Blue-eyed Humans Have A Single, Common Ancestor.”  ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 17, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/01/080130170343.htm

Wikipedia - “Eye Color” Retrieved May 17, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_color

Chicken Vesuvio - The Real Deal

“Chicken Vesuvio, a specialty of Chicago, is an Italian-American dish made from chicken on the bone and wedges of potato, sauteed with garlic, oregano, white wine and olive oil, then baked until the chicken's skin becomes crisp. The dish is often garnished with a few green peas for color.  In Chicago, one also often finds the technique applied to other foods, like ‘steak Vesuvio,’ ‘pork chops Vesuvio,’ or even just ‘Vesuvio potatoes.’  The origins of the dish are unknown, but some suggest it might have been popularized by the Vesuvio Restaurant, which operated… in Chicago in the 1930s.” - Wikipedia

Sadly, most Vesuvio recipes you now come across only vaguely resemble a true Vesuvio.  But I know where the real recipe came from…

Before Julia Child, long before, Francois and Antoinette Pope taught us to cook on their daily television show, which ran from 1951 to 1963 on both network and local stations.  (Daily?  Obviously people, including TV cooks, had far more of a work ethic in those days.)  And, as a kid, I used to watch it, learning to cook at a young age, and nicely rounding out my TV day of Uncle Johnny Coons, Kukla, Fran, & Ollie, and Garfield Goose.

The Popes began their schools in 1930.  Francois was French, and Antoinette was Italian.  (And as far as I can see, Antoinette did the heavy lifting.)  A 1938 Chicago Tribune advertisement for “Antoinette Pope’s School of Fancy Cookery” offered lessons for $1.  The Antoinette Pope School of Fancy Cookery ran for over 40 years, graduating over 100,000 students.  Antoinette’s cookbook (which I have two copies of, one dog-eared, grease and batter spattered, and notated, and one in mint condition) first appeared in 1948.  (My aunt has one bearing Antoinette's autograph.)

The Popes have long since passed.  And the The New Antoinette Pope School Cookbook has been out of print since its 3rd edition in 1977.  But here is the nearly verbatim (and in strict violation of copyright laws) recipe for Chicken Vesuvio…

Chicken Vesuvio (serves 4)

3-pound frying chicken, cut up

½ cup sifted all-purpose flour combined with 2 teaspoons paprika, 1/2 teaspoon crushed oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon grated Italian cheese

1/4 cup hot olive oil

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup stock or water

1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)

Wash the chicken under cold, running water, drain it thoroughly, but have it slightly damp so the coating will cling better.  Roll each piece in the seasoned flour, pressing coating on with both hands.  Saute the chicken in the hot oil combined with butter over medium heat until brown on both sides, but not too dark as it will darken more in the oven.  Place it in an attractive piece of ovenware.  Add the stock or water to the drippings in the skillet, and pour this over the chicken.  Place browned potatoes in and around the open spaces on the platter.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about an hour, or until tender, removing the breasts after 40 minutes.  (I myself often don't take the breasts out.)   Baste chicken with drippings in pan or with additional butter the last 10 minutes.  If drippings appear scant, add stock or wine.

Remember to put your breasts back in for the last few minutes if you took them out.  At this point, little heaps of peas or green beans can be placed in open spaces, or may be served separately.

Browned Potatoes

2 pounds red boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered

1/4 cup hot olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons grated Italian cheese

Brown the potatoes in the hot oil, remove them, and season them with the salt, pepper, and cheese.

Peas or string beans

1/4 cup sliced or chopped onion

1/4 cup hot olive oil or butter (or combination)

1 package defrosted frozen peas or beans

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

1/4 teaspoon crushed oregano

Saute the onion in the hot oil for several minutes.  Add the defrosted vegetables and cook until tender - seven or eight minutes for beans, three for peas.  (I always do peas and serve them separately.)

Additional Source:  Chicago Tribune

There Are No Atheists on Icebergs...

“Futility, or the Wreck of the Titan” is an 1898 novel by Morgan Robertson.  It tells of the ocean liner Titan, which sank in the North Atlantic after striking an iceberg. Fourteen years later, the Titanic sunk, and similarities to the wreck of the Titan have been frequently noted.  I myself find the name usage more than coincidental, especially since Titanic’s identical sister ship Olympic had no problems.  The use of fictional ships in boat naming did not stop there, however, and probably culminated with the first nuclear sub, the U.S.S. Nautilus (thanks, Jules).

The hero of the story, John Rowland, is a cashiered U.S. Navy officer working as a seaman on the R.M.S. Titan. Speed is all-important to the steamship company's bottom-line, and there is skullduggery among the officers aboard the Titan: they have no problem slicing in half poor fishing boats that get in their way.  Efforts are made to discredit Rowland, who has been a witness to this barratry.

The speeding Titan subsequently hits an iceberg.  Rowland proceeds to save the young daughter of a former (and wealthy) lover by jumping with the child onto the iceberg, camping in a wrecked lifeboat, and fighting a polar bear.  Although the bear bites off Rowland's arm, he manages to kill the bear, thus providing food, and then makes good the rescue by finally hailing a passing ship.  He makes his way back to America where the daughter is reunited with her mom amid some confusion.  In spite of a series of MAJOR misunderstandings, he endures and regains his place in society.

Although the novel was written before Titanic had even been designed, there were some remarkable similarities between the fictional Titan and real-life Titanic. This might be attributed to the fact that Roberston was a naval innovator (who claimed to have invented the periscope, though the U.S. Navy’s version had already been invented).

Like the Titanic, the fictional ship sank in April in the North Atlantic, and there were not enough lifeboats for the passengers. There are also similarities between the designs, sizes, speed, and lack of life-saving equipment.
 

Each ship was described as "unsinkable" because of watertight compartments; each was the largest moving object ever made by man; each had far too few lifeboats (the Titanic - 16 plus 4 folding lifeboats, less than half the number required for her passenger capacity of 3000, and the Titan - "as few as the law allowed," 24 lifeboats, also less than half needed for her 3000 capacity); each struck an iceberg on the starboard side while speeding (the Titanic at 22½ knots, the Titan at 25);each was within a few hundred miles of Newfoundland.  Each lost more than half its passengers, but the the Titan lost practically everyone except the hero and heroine’s daughter (who jumped on the iceberg and camped out), and small number of passengers (including the heroine) and evil crew members, including the captain and first mate.  But this furnished the grist for the rest of the story.

However, the Titanic went down bow first, and the Titan capsized.  

Capsized??  Speaking of capsizing - It would be a few more years before the S.S. Eastland turned over while at dock in the Chicago River with a loss of 844. On the morning of July 24, 1915, the Eastland, known as the "speed queen of the Great Lakes," was part of a fleet of five excursion boats to be used to take 7,000 Western Electric employees, their families and friends, across Lake Michigan  for a company picnic.  The ship had loaded its capacity of 2,500 passengers and was attempting to trim in preparation to cast off.  Then it rolled over.

A total of 844 passengers and crew were killed.   An incredibly detailed timeline of the disaster can be found here:

 http://www.eastlanddisaster.org/timea3a1.htm
 

Ironically, the addition of lifeboats because of the Titanic disaster probably contributed to her top-heaviness and instability. Even more amazing, she was later acquired by the Navy, rechristened the U.S.S. Wilmette, and used a training vessel at Great Lakes Naval Training Center.  I guess they figured if the swabbies could keep her upright, they were good-to-go.  I don’t think anyone has yet made a movie...:=P

You’ve seen enough of the Titanic…  These are pictures of the Eastland...