I thought this story was supposed to be in David‘s Starry Nap room inspired by that story, but instead it was at Sok’s display. That’s okay. I found it.

I wandered in and found a seat as Sokmunky began the story. My little brother David held up the book and showed it around to us whenever there was an illustration. Twelve kids were there, sitting in comfortable cushion chairs. And…

Crap Mariner was there! She hovered over the story area rather than sitting with us. I think she was worried about our lungs. I like her because she is a mecha like me. …even though she makes me cough.

I can see why Sok read this story — it has sheep in it! A sheep with the power to destroy the universe!

“The flowers have been growing thorns for millions of years. For millions of years the sheep have been eating them just the same. And is it not a matter of consequence to try to understand why the flowers go to so much trouble to grow thorns which are never of any use to them? Is the warfare between the sheep and the flowers not important? Is this not of more consequence than a fat red-faced gentleman’s sums? And if I know– I, myself– one flower which is unique in the world, which grows nowhere but on my planet, but which one little sheep can destroy in a single bite some morning, without even noticing what he is doing– Oh! You think that is not important!”

His face turned from white to red as he continued:

“If some one loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars. He can say to himself, ‘Somewhere, my flower is there…’ But if the sheep eats the flower, in one moment all his stars will be darkened… And you think that is not important!”

He could not say anything more. His words were choked by sobbing.

During Kids5B, you can catch more story-times like this at the following times:

• Saturday, 27 June 6am SL- Short stories, including Sam the Fire Cat
• Sunday, 28 June 7am SL- Stories about ducks!

• Most of the art supplies and coloring tables were provided by Cricket Nelson.
• caballete dibujo’s created by David Thurman
• Interactive Coloring Pads created by Adz Childs
• Pottery Wheel that dispenses pottery if you “work” for a few minutes.
• Sky Writer – Lets you draw in mid-air! (Build-permissions required for operation)
• Free settable baby alphabet block full perms (novelty created by Adz Childs and Seth Mandelbrot)
• Free pair of scissors that only appears when you run (novelty scripted by Seth Mandelbrot)

• Dads : Randy Burt and Domineck Heron

Wed on Aug 15, 2007

• Adopted Son: Adz Childs

Age 8
adopted July 11, 2007

• Adopted Son: David Thurman

Age 5
adopted May 21, 2008

“We created this gallery to showcase our family. We love our dads very much and we are good boys and good brothers to each other always.”

On 06.03.08 Katt Linden said:

Dusan,

It doesn’t matter what sort of avatar you have, everyone interested can submit builds to the Birthday Celebration.

If any submissions aren’t accepted it’ll be because they are too “adult” in nature, not because of the looks of the avatar.

As someone involved in the original brainstorming about adding to the celebration, I assure you that we’re trying to make it more fun and valuable for everyone, full stop.

Thanks,
– Katt Linden

This should clear up any lingering doubts left by the less-than-clear LL official blog post SL5B: Birthday Expanded and New Submission Deadlines by everettlinden.

Overall this is a very good thing. It is good that Linden Lab finally realized that they must remain true to their principles. Second Life® is a platform of creative expression and should not be unduly limited. As much as Linden Lab wants to shift the focus of Second Life to the more profitable and laudable corporate and education interests, it cannot forget its foundations. The cynical way to put it is, Linden Lab needs to “dance with the date who brung ya.” I think a more tempered way to put it is that the two goals are not mutually exclusive. Heh… Dusan’s going to get a second link from me today. But I can’t say it better.

Dusan Writer – Children, Chains and Cold Cash: The Business Case for SL5B

Which leaves us, of course, with collaboration and education. But first, this event is not a “business showcase” and it’s not an “education fair” it’s a community event. And if they think that businesses and schools will be scared off by some kids and some leather-clad men then I hate to break it to them – but that horse has already left the barn. It’s not as if this stuff will be all that NEW – if you’re a school and you’ve decided to look at SL, you’ve already SEEN the press, you KNOW what’s there, and you either come or you don’t. A few little builds at a community even it hardly going to repel your corporate pocketbooks – they’ve already been repelled already or they’ve sucked it up and have come on board.

Stop to think, why are businesses and educational institutions interested in Second Life? Is it because it is a squeaky-clean environment with absolutely no controversy, no weirdos, and no freaks? I haven’t been a party to discussions between LL and potential clients, but this seems quite unlikely. They are interested because it is an open and creative platform. They are interested for the same reasons I am, the same reasons everyone comes here, the same reasons Second Life was created in the first place.

I’m glad LL decided to take the good with the bad.

As an added bonus, this event caused what I would call an outpouring of support. Honestly, more than I thought we’d get, considering we’re all a bunch of pervs.

It looks like Kids5B will go on, in parallel. The organizers say they will submit the whole thing as a proposed build. I don’t know what will happen, and I’m not worried about it one bit. I’m sorry I can’t take a more active role. Since I’m not taking a front seat, if the whole thing falls apart, i.e. if any of Kids5B, SLC, and BSSL’s contributions fall through, I can’t say a word. I know many of the people involved in all three projects have put alot into it. But I also know that of all the builds, the official SL5B SLC build was the only one for which planning started before June 1st. If the others happen too, I look forward to contributing what I can. If they don’t, oh well.

When I start building my arts and crafts display for Kids5B, I’ll start posting about that.
))

Updated with more links:

Ruslan Laryukov – Second-Class Citizens

I find it regrettable that LL has decided to snub three of its more significant and loyal constituencies by excluding them from SL5B: kid avis, gor and bdsm. -Ruslan

JIRA – MISC-1231 -Missing Cultures & Communities from SL5B

The following communities are said to be missing from what was described as: ‘Celebrating the cultural diversity of Second Life’: ‘Who do you hang around with in Second Life? What are your communities’ traditions and signature characteristics? Are you proud of your sexy blue fur? Your excruciatingly detailed tea ceremony? Your murky environments? Your sculptures? The help you’ve given to others?’ -Vint Falken

Rai Fargis – The “SL5B” PR Desaster

Dusan Writer – Lock Up Your Kids, Tie Up Your Kajira, It’s Time to Celebrate

So, sure, you can come aboard, and you can lock up your private island and keep the weirdos out – OR, you can come aboard and realize that this is the flowering of something different. If you want safe and sanitized go to There.com or sponsor some furniture in the Sims – but you’d better realize that this IS the Wild West, and it’s that way for a reason – because THIS is the frontier, this is where the great ideas are arising, this is where the creative classes, the prosumers and the hackers, the griefers and the savants are mashing up the future, and if you want some sort of hint of how the future’s going to unfold you’d better at least suck it up and have a look around. -Dusan Writer

Ordinal Malaprop – A Restriction of the Youth

The recent clarification that Child-Like Avatars will be permitted attend, but not exhibit, makes the situation even more ridiculous. Clearly the Prurient will take this as confirmation that the Laboratory is quite happy to promote all of the things in their imaginings, and it will simultaneously serve to confirm to the Childrenish concerned that they are not considered worthwhile, and in the category of the Second Class in Second Life. -Ordinal Malaprop

firstlifeisfullofcrap – The Fake Children

And every culture is being given the opportunity to showcase what they’ve done, what they will do, and what their vision is for tomorrow. Without limitation. Without sanitization. Without scrubbing. Without censorship. Except one. And I don’t think that’s right -Crap Mariner

danielregenbogen – Update on SL5B

SLC – Still More (A clarification)

Robin Linden has indicated that child avatars are allowed and welcome as attendees – this is simply affecting whether child avatars can be contributors.

SLC – More on SL5B

…This decision was made thanks to people like United States Representative Mark Kirk who are on a misguided quest to keep real life kids off an adult only service by penalizing a company already making steps to keep real life kids off the system… -Marianne McCann

Massively – Calling all cultures? Not any more

…Linden Lab (according to staff) is apparently afraid of the whole of Second Life being shut down at a legal level if it should show any implicit support of — well, an activity that mental health professionals tell us we should be trying to find ways to do more of…Childlike play, and reliving our respective youths in positive and nourishing ways… -Tateru Nino

danielregenbogen – LL discriminates against the kids!

…This mail was forwarded to and answered by Robin Linden, who wrote me that kid avatars would be welcome as guests but not allowed to contribute to the showcase – because that wouldn’t be in the best interest of the event and Linden Lab. What a poor and cowardly decision! I don’t expect much more, but I answered her with this mail:… -Daniel Regenbogen

Jacek – [Rant] Intolerance

…Rampant violence? That’s fine. Hopscotch? My god, we have to put a stop to that!…-Jacek

According to a post in SLForums, child-shaped avatars are not the only self-identified community excluded from the event. [This has since been denied by Everett Linden in a comment on the Massively article]