March 13, 2010

[2010/03/13 10:08]  Geri Kuhn: Okay, Well think we can start now
[2010/03/13 10:08]  Geri Kuhn: Now that Michele is here
[2010/03/13 10:08]  Geri Kuhn: :)
[2010/03/13 10:08]  Michele Jigsaw: lol
[2010/03/13 10:08]  Legal Writer: Hello, all
[2010/03/13 10:08]  Michele Jigsaw: am I the quorum
[2010/03/13 10:08]  Solomon Cortes: Hi Michele
[2010/03/13 10:08]  Geri Kuhn: Welcome to the March meeting of the SL Bar Association. A transcript will be made of this meeting and posted to the website
[2010/03/13 10:08]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Brian Bardeslaw (12m)
[2010/03/13 10:08]  Geri Kuhn: We are going to have a short business meeting today because we have a speaker coming at 10:30 a.m., ‘Gentle Heron’ from Virtual Ability will be here to talk about her sim and then to take us on a tour.
[2010/03/13 10:09]  Geri Kuhn: The first item on the agenda is gifts to Legal Writer and Solomon Cortes
[2010/03/13 10:09]  Geri Kuhn: I think I can speak for the board and for our members in that we are grateful for the work that both of you Solomon and Legal, have done for the SL Bar Association.
[2010/03/13 10:10]  Geri Kuhn: As a small token of our gratitude, we would like to present you with these gifts
[2010/03/13 10:10]  Geri Kuhn: I will pass them to you in a minute
[2010/03/13 10:10]  Geri Kuhn: You may not be able to rez them here because they are prim heavy but the gifts are of the scales of justice.
[2010/03/13 10:10]  Legal Writer: You are most welcome, and thank you very much!
[2010/03/13 10:10]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Starlight Darkmatter (12m)
[2010/03/13 10:10]  Geri Kuhn: A picture of them is on the wall to my left. We have had them engraved with your names.
[2010/03/13 10:11]  Geri Kuhn: Thank you for your contributions of time and effort to the SL Bar Association and please continue to stay active.
[2010/03/13 10:11]  Legal Writer: How wonderful!
[2010/03/13 10:11]  Geri Kuhn: Would either of you like to say anything?
[2010/03/13 10:11]  Legal Writer: That's very kind of you. thank you!
[2010/03/13 10:11]  Solomon Cortes: Thank you so much. I am very touched! It has been a pleasure to be involved with the SLBA, which I am sure will continue to thrive under your able stewardship, Geri.
[2010/03/13 10:11]  Sam4 Courtois: /applause
[2010/03/13 10:11]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Keeter Mactavish (12m)
[2010/03/13 10:11]  Brian Bardeslaw: /applause
[2010/03/13 10:12]  Higgs Wopat: horray
[2010/03/13 10:12]  Dyanna Saxmundham applauds
[2010/03/13 10:12]  Legal Writer: Thank you, as well. I really appreciate your kind gesture. I also will do al I can to support the association in the future.
[2010/03/13 10:12]  Geri Kuhn smiles.
[2010/03/13 10:12]  Geri Kuhn: Thank you.
[2010/03/13 10:12]  Geri Kuhn: Let me know if you have any problem rezzing the awards.
[2010/03/13 10:12]  Solomon Cortes: Thank you everyone - I won't try to rez your very kind tribute hear, in case it makes the building / me disappear! But thank you again!
[2010/03/13 10:12]  Solomon Cortes: *here*
[2010/03/13 10:13]  Legal Writer: Thank you as well. I will check it out when in a better spot!
[2010/03/13 10:13]  Legal Writer: It looks very nice.
[2010/03/13 10:13]  Legal Writer: From the picture.
[2010/03/13 10:13]  Geri Kuhn: We hope you enjoy them. Thank you again.
[2010/03/13 10:13]  Geri Kuhn: All right the next item on our agenda is our land.
[2010/03/13 10:14]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Aisln Baxton (12m)
[2010/03/13 10:14]  SEmotion Sensible AO HUD v.3.8: Could not find animation 'sen_hovering'
[2010/03/13 10:14]  Geri Kuhn: Ben couldn’t be here to give us an update but basically he has been looking at some prefab buildings for our new land
[2010/03/13 10:14]  SEmotion Sensible AO HUD v.3.8: Could not find animation 'sen_hovering'.
[2010/03/13 10:14]  SEmotion Sensible AO HUD v.3.8: Could not find animation 'sen_hovering'.
[2010/03/13 10:14]  Geri Kuhn: Higgs may also know someone who can design something.
[2010/03/13 10:14]  Geri Kuhn: Hopefully we will have this in place by the time of the next meeting. If you would like to check out our land, here is the link to it:

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Nimue/48/135/63
[2010/03/13 10:15]  Geri Kuhn: I meant link
[2010/03/13 10:15]  Geri Kuhn: Next item, is our 501 (c) (3) application.
[2010/03/13 10:15]  Geri Kuhn: Lexis and Legal, would you like to tlak about this?
[2010/03/13 10:15]  Legal Writer: Yes, of course.
[2010/03/13 10:16]  Lexis Looming: The 501(c)(3) application is complete and approved by the Board. it will be circulated for the necessary signatures and mailed in to the IRS forthwith.
[2010/03/13 10:16]  Lexis Looming: We have filed our informational return for 2009, as well. I am still working on determining whether an informational return in California is required. I have started initial work on the California exemption request, if required.
[2010/03/13 10:16]  Legal Writer: I want to thank Lexis for all of his work on the application.
[2010/03/13 10:16]  Lexis Looming: Hopefully, a California licensed attorney will complete the final preparation and submit it for the necessary signatures.
[2010/03/13 10:16]  Lexis Looming: A special thanks an note of gratitue is due from all of us to Legal and his office staff whoc contibuted their time to preparing the 501(c)(3) application.
[2010/03/13 10:17]  Legal Writer: We are glad to help!
[2010/03/13 10:17]  Lexis Looming: I will report as soon as we receive approval from the IRS
[2010/03/13 10:17]  Legal Writer: And Lexis put together the paperwork with my assistant Catherine Chamberlain, so let's give Lexis and Catherine a big round of applause!
[2010/03/13 10:17]  Geri Kuhn claps
[2010/03/13 10:17]  Dyanna Saxmundham applauds
[2010/03/13 10:17]  Jerome Roddenham: applauds
[2010/03/13 10:17]  Aisln Baxton applauds
[2010/03/13 10:17]  Lexis Looming: ty
[2010/03/13 10:17]  Brian Bardeslaw: /applause!
[2010/03/13 10:18]  Lexis Looming: Catherine did a yeoman's job
[2010/03/13 10:18]  Sam4 Courtois: applauds
[2010/03/13 10:18]  Legal Writer: I should add that as part of the process Lexis described, the board today approved the draft conflict of interest policy. This document is a prerequisite for filing the 501c3 application.;
[2010/03/13 10:19]  Legal Writer: I have been in the process of handing over the administrative reins on the Cal. filings to Geri. So, we can provide additional support to her over time to make sure we keep up with Cal. filings.
[2010/03/13 10:19]  Legal Writer: So, I think that's it, Geri.
[2010/03/13 10:20]  Legal Writer: Any questions?
[2010/03/13 10:20]  Legal Writer: OK, great. I now turn it back to Geri.
[2010/03/13 10:20]  Geri Kuhn: Okay, thank you Legal and Lexis
[2010/03/13 10:20]  Geri Kuhn: And thanks for all of your work, both of you.
[2010/03/13 10:20]  Legal Writer: You are welcome!
[2010/03/13 10:20]  Lexis Looming: you are very welcome
[2010/03/13 10:21]  Geri Kuhn: I know it sounds like we are racing through this meeting, it is to make sure we have time for our speaker.
[2010/03/13 10:21]  Geri Kuhn: :)
[2010/03/13 10:21]  Sam4 Courtois: Keep on truckin"!
[2010/03/13 10:21]  Geri Kuhn: We have an upcoming talk on march 17.
[2010/03/13 10:21]  Geri Kuhn smiles
[2010/03/13 10:21]  Sam4 Courtois: Keep on truckin"!
[2010/03/13 10:21]  Geri Kuhn: OUr next CLE
[2010/03/13 10:22]  Geri Kuhn: We will be having a seminar on bias in the legal profession – lawyers with disabilities. Linda Batiste and Beth Loy from the Job Accommodation Network from West Virginia University (http://www.jan.wvu.edu/ ) will be discussing the professional work environment for lawyers with disabilities.
[2010/03/13 10:22]  Geri Kuhn: March 17 at 12:00 noon, SL Time.
[2010/03/13 10:22]  Geri Kuhn: They will discuss barriers faced by attorneys with disabilities and what employers need to do in order to accommodate lawyers with disabilities.
[2010/03/13 10:22]  Geri Kuhn: This seminar will be free and for California attorneys, it will help you obtain one hour of training related to elimination of bias in the legal profession
[2010/03/13 10:23]  Geri Kuhn: As I mentioned last time, I have written a press release for the event. If you have a blog or have a place to post information about the seminar, please let me know. I would really like to get the word out.
[2010/03/13 10:23]  Geri Kuhn: If you wish to sign up for it, you can find register and/or find out more information about it on our website: http://slbarassn.ning.com/events/virtual-ability-cle
[2010/03/13 10:24]  Geri Kuhn: It should be ver interesting. I hope you will all come.
[2010/03/13 10:24]  Geri Kuhn: *very
[2010/03/13 10:24]  Geri Kuhn: Solomon, you are next.
[2010/03/13 10:24]  Solomon Cortes: Thanks Geri.
[2010/03/13 10:24]  Solomon Cortes: I wanted to mention that I'm likely to be attending INTA (the International Trade Mark Association conference) again this year. The conference is in Boston from 22 - 26 May, and I was wondering if any other SLBA members are going? If so, I thought it might be neat to try and meet. If anyone's interested, please let me know by email (david.naylor@ffw.com) and we can try to set something up.
[2010/03/13 10:25]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Gentle Heron (4m)
[2010/03/13 10:25]  Solomon Cortes: Of course, if anyone has any questions about INTA / meeting there now, just say!
[2010/03/13 10:26]  Higgs Wopat is Offline
[2010/03/13 10:26]  Geri Kuhn: Any questions for Sol?
[2010/03/13 10:27]  Solomon Cortes: Wow - looks like INTA isn't popular here?!!
[2010/03/13 10:27]  Geri Kuhn: Okay, guess not. Hope you are able to meet up with some folks.
[2010/03/13 10:27]  Geri Kuhn: Hopefully others will read the the transcript.
[2010/03/13 10:27]  Michele Jigsaw: lol Solomon... maybe those folks arent here today
[2010/03/13 10:27]  Geri Kuhn: Legal, you wanted to mention something
[2010/03/13 10:27]  Legal Writer: Yes, thanks.
[2010/03/13 10:29]  Legal Writer: First, I want to tell everyone that Geri and I had an opportunity to meet for the first time in RL in San Francisco recently. It was great meeting in person. Sometimes, we don't make time to meet people in RL, but I hope we can meet as often as possible in RL as well as SL.
[2010/03/13 10:29]  Geri Kuhn grins.
[2010/03/13 10:29]  Legal Writer: Second, I wanted to let people know that I just came back from the Bar Leadership Institute at the American Bar Association in Chicago.
[2010/03/13 10:30]  Legal Writer: It was a very large group.
[2010/03/13 10:30]  Legal Writer: This is a meeting of state and local bar Presidents-Elect, Executive Directors, and other leaders from around the country.
[2010/03/13 10:30]  Legal Writer: I had the opportunity to present to the large group to tell it that sweeping changes in technology will change the kind of law we practice in upcoming years and decades.
[2010/03/13 10:30]  Legal Writer: I of course metioned virtual worlds.
[2010/03/13 10:31]  Legal Writer: And I hope to start a national large group, perhaps at an ABA Meeting to continue the dialogue about science and technology law issues.
[2010/03/13 10:31]  Legal Writer: If people are interested in joining in, please let me know.
[2010/03/13 10:31]  Legal Writer: I am thinking that this may become a permanent part of the Bar Leadership Institute in March each year.
[2010/03/13 10:32]  Legal Writer: We have an opportunity to get some publcity for the association among leaders from all over the US.
[2010/03/13 10:32]  Legal Writer: I will carry the flag for the association at these meetings and dialogs. We will also try to keep in touch with Bar leaders through a blog or Facebook page or something.
[2010/03/13 10:32]  Legal Writer: Please join in if you would like!
[2010/03/13 10:33]  Legal Writer: Thanks!
[2010/03/13 10:33]  Geri Kuhn: Thank you Legal for the update and for being our liaison.
[2010/03/13 10:33]  Legal Writer: You are welcome!
[2010/03/13 10:34]  Geri Kuhn: Is there any other business anyone would like to mention?
[2010/03/13 10:35]  Geri Kuhn: Okay then I would like to conclude our business portion and invite Gentle Heron to speak.
[2010/03/13 10:35]  Geri Kuhn: It is my great privilege to introduce Gentle Heron. Gentle Heron is the Chairman of the Board and a founder of Virtual Ability.
[2010/03/13 10:35]  Solomon Cortes: Hello Gentle, and welcome!
[2010/03/13 10:35]  Gentle Heron: Thanks Geri.
[2010/03/13 10:36]  Geri Kuhn: Thanks, I actually had a long intro prepared
[2010/03/13 10:36]  Geri Kuhn: But maybe you should just start.
[2010/03/13 10:36]  Geri Kuhn: You are well known :)
[2010/03/13 10:36]  Gentle Heron: all right!
[2010/03/13 10:36]  Gentle Heron: Hi, I'm Gentle Heron from the Virtual Ability community here in SL. I am pleased to speak with you briefly today about our community and some of its projects in Second Life. I hope to tantalize you a bit so that you will take advantage of our mini-tours after I am done presenting.
[2010/03/13 10:36]  Gentle Heron: I'm going to pass around notecards that contain landmarks and SLURLs. We are all going to the first place together, The Sojourner Auditorium. After we are done there as a large group, the notecards are set up to break you into smaller groups for the mini-tours, which are VERY brief!
[2010/03/13 10:37]  Gentle Heron: When you receive your notecard, please proceed to the Auditorium and take a seat down front. Geri if you would please go first and help folks? I will brin up the rear when everyone has a notecard. See you again soon!
[2010/03/13 10:37]  Geri Kuhn: Okay thanks
[2010/03/13 10:37]  Gentle Heron gave you Group 3 schedule.
[2010/03/13 10:37]  Lexis Looming: Thank you Gentle
[2010/03/13 10:37]  Brian Bardeslaw: Thank you!
[2010/03/13 10:38]  Michele Jigsaw: I'm going to excuse myself. this is the weekend of Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education conference
[2010/03/13 10:38]  Teleport completed from http://slurl.com/secondlife/Tabula%20rasa/97/174/27
[2010/03/13 10:38]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Sam4 Courtois (1m)
[2010/03/13 10:38]  SEmotion Sensible AO HUD v.3.8: Could not find animation 'sen_hovering'.
[2010/03/13 10:38]  SEmotion Sensible AO HUD v.3.8: Could not find animation 'sen_hovering'.
[2010/03/13 10:38]  Connecting to in-world Voice Chat...
[2010/03/13 10:38]  Connected
[2010/03/13 10:38]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Treasure Ballinger (1m)
[2010/03/13 10:38]  Connecting to in-world Voice Chat...
[2010/03/13 10:38]  Connected
[2010/03/13 10:38]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Brian Bardeslaw (15m)
[2010/03/13 10:39]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Legal Writer (15m)
[2010/03/13 10:39]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Dyanna Saxmundham (15m)
[2010/03/13 10:39]  Lexis Looming: Hello Aisln...good to see you
[2010/03/13 10:39]  Aisln Baxton: *smiles* likewise
[2010/03/13 10:39]  Lexis Looming: Hello Brian...I am Lex....Nice to meet you
[2010/03/13 10:39]  Brian Bardeslaw: Nice to meet you too!
[2010/03/13 10:39]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Jerome Roddenham (3m)
[2010/03/13 10:40]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Geri Kuhn (15m), Solomon Cortes (16m)
[2010/03/13 10:40]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Starlight Darkmatter (15m)
[2010/03/13 10:40]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Gentle Heron (15m)
[2010/03/13 10:41]  Sam4 Courtois: Am I in your seat Geri?
[2010/03/13 10:41]  Geri Kuhn: no no worries - lots of them
[2010/03/13 10:41]  Gentle Heron: sorry I think I have to relog
[2010/03/13 10:42]  Lexis Looming: OK Gentle..HB
[2010/03/13 10:42]  Treasure Ballinger: Relog, an ever present peril.......
[2010/03/13 10:42]  Geri Kuhn: Yes
[2010/03/13 10:43]  Geri Kuhn: Hopefuly Gentle will come back
[2010/03/13 10:43]  MystiTool HUD 1.3.1: Entering chat range: Gentle Heron (15m)
[2010/03/13 10:43]  Geri Kuhn: Anyway while we are waiting
[2010/03/13 10:43]  Aisln Baxton: there she is
[2010/03/13 10:43]  Geri Kuhn: This is the location of our March 17 seminar
[2010/03/13 10:43]  Geri Kuhn: so now you have all been here
[2010/03/13 10:44]  Gentle Heron: OK I am sorry I still can't see anything
[2010/03/13 10:44]  Brian Bardeslaw: Try Ctrl-Alt-R
[2010/03/13 10:44]  Geri Kuhn: You are a big glob, Gentle
[2010/03/13 10:44]  Sam4 Courtois: Nice talk!
[2010/03/13 10:45]  Geri Kuhn: heheeh
[2010/03/13 10:45]  Aisln Baxton: *chuckles* fast moving smoke
[2010/03/13 10:45]  Treasure Ballinger: Gentle if you would like to pass me your notecards, I will be glad to help until you resolve your cloud?
[2010/03/13 10:45]  Gentle Heron: nothing helps
[2010/03/13 10:45]  Gentle Heron: it's the new viewer
[2010/03/13 10:45]  Brian Bardeslaw: I think the asset server has been having some issues, too.
[2010/03/13 10:45]  Gentle Heron: Virtual Ability, also known as VAI, is a community of support for people with any kind of real-life disability- physical, mental, emotional, or sensory- who want to enter and become successful in virtual worlds. To provide this support, VAI has developed a real-world infrastructure, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation called Virtual Ability, Inc. We are an all volunteer organization, with no paid employees in RL or SL. I serve as President of that corporation.
[2010/03/13 10:46]  Gentle Heron: Within Second Life, VAI owns four islands. The most public one is Virtual Ablity Island. This houses our Linden Prize-winning Community Gateway, an orientation course that uses Universal Design principles to create an environment that supports people who use assistive technology while not segregating them from others.
[2010/03/13 10:46]  Gentle Heron: We are in The Sojourner Auditorium on Virtual Ability Island. Please take a moment to look around you at the way it is designed. We wanted it to be totally accessible, so the 70 plus seats are arranged within text-hearing distance of the speaker position, so that I don't need to use a "repeater" device to shout at you.
[2010/03/13 10:46]  Gentle Heron: Seats are arranged in three tiers, with easy ramp access to all levels. Notice that people in wheelchairs can sit on any level. Also, note that people can wheel in front of those already seated without crushing toes.

The seats are individually numbered so that when a blind community member wishes to sit without landing on someone already seated, the greeter merely has to name an open seat.
[2010/03/13 10:47]  Gentle Heron: Most of all, notice that there are no blue wheelchair signs. We don't have them here. VAI believes that all environments should be accessible to all, so signs that indicate accessible areas are not needed. Often people with disabilities feel as if those signs enforce segregation.
[2010/03/13 10:47]  Gentle Heron: Our second public island is Healthinfo Island direclty to our west. That island provides timely, accurate, and accessible information on topics of physical, emotional, and mental health. This is done through interactive displays, links to outside resources, group events, and personalized assistance.
[2010/03/13 10:47]  Gentle Heron: For example, the Consumer Health Library at HealthInfo Island helps SL residents with health information needs. An RL librarian helps you clarify your questions, and then provides you with a personalized reading list of evidence-based information.
[2010/03/13 10:48]  Gentle Heron: VAI also owns the Cape Able sim. Before merging with VAI, Cape Able was a thriving but isolated community for D/deaf and hearing impaired people. Since becoming part of VAI, that community has integrated into the larger SL society.
[2010/03/13 10:48]  Treasure Ballinger: :)
[2010/03/13 10:48]  Gentle Heron: This has required some adaptation. Hearing people often forget that when they speak to other hearing people using SL's Voice feature, others near them may not know what is going on. VAI has taken several steps to be sure D/deaf and hearing impaired people are included in all activities. One major effort has been to provide both text and Voice for all events. (Although I appreciate not having to do that today, as I have laryngitis and can not speak at all.)
[2010/03/13 10:48]  Gentle Heron: (Treasure is the Estate Manager for VAI of the Cape Able sim.) in the cause of full disclosure
[2010/03/13 10:49]  Treasure Ballinger waves
[2010/03/13 10:49]  Geri Kuhn grins.
[2010/03/13 10:49]  Gentle Heron: time for one quick question if anyone has one?
[2010/03/13 10:49]  Lexis Looming smiles
[2010/03/13 10:50]  Brian Bardeslaw: Just taking it all in.
[2010/03/13 10:50]  Gentle Heron: Then it's time to being the little mini-tours on your notecard. Our presenters will have short prepared statements about each site. You are encouraged to ask questions, but remember that our time is short and you can always come back to explore more another time.
[2010/03/13 10:50]  Gentle Heron: Please stand and go to the first mini-tour on your notecard
[2010/03/13 10:50]  Gentle Heron: There are greeters at each spot.
[2010/03/13 10:50]  Legal Writer: Thank you so much for the information. It's a wonderful facility.
[2010/03/13 10:50]  Geri Kuhn: Thank you Gentle
[2010/03/13 10:51]  Lexis Looming: Thank you Gentle for sharing your time and work with us
[2010/03/13 10:51]  Gentle Heron: Thanks. Sorry it's so brief.