Rep. Ed Markey’s office talks to SciEye: SL hearing, Congressional reactions, & VW future plans
SPNN, Spindrift, the SciLands, Second Life - April 2nd, 2008
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Your SciEye correspondent previously covered the House Subcommittee on Telecommunication & Internet hearing in SL April 2008 in my initial story yesterday.
Today, Rep. Ed Markey’s [D-MA] office responded to my followup questions about response to the SL hearing:
Is Rep. Markey the 1st legislator into SL and/or any VW [virtual world] in an official capacity at a real-world event? Can u give me old boilerplate about him at Bali, and what that event was? The reaction from Congresspeople to your office about this event’s usefulness as a technology demonstrator to them? His future VW plans? His thoughts about VWs and their utility to Congress? Has he stopped doing [semantically loaded phrase about Bad Things]? :)
Jessica Schafer, Communications Director, replied to me:  Answers to your follow up questions:
Is Rep. Markey the 1st legislator into SL and/or any VW [virtual world] in an official capacity at a real-world event?
Rep. Markey isn’t the first legislator in SL — Rep. George Miller made an address from the Virtual Capitol floor and former Governor Mark Warner (as a presidential candidate) did a SL interview — but this was the first Congressional hearing simulcast in SL. Links: George Miller: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6N-6lQw7BU, Mark Warner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgpDms-GYk4
Can u give me old boilerplate about him at Bali, and what that UN event was?
More info on Rep. Markey’s first foray into SL can be found on this web site (Rep. Markey is chair of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming in addition to the telecom chair): http://globalwarming.house.gov/mediacenter/pressreleases?id=0137Â Â I would also recommend watching this news report on the event: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg4IJcX4sI0&feature=related
The reaction from Congresspeople to your office about this event’s usefulness as a technology demonstrator to them?
Overall, fellow Members of Congress have been impressed by the broad involvement in SL by governments, corporations, schools and non-profits. Some Members have expressed interest in using SL as a way to stay connected with their constituents. Also, leaders from other countries have expressed interest in conducting international meetings and forums on issues such as global warming.
His future VW plans? His thoughts about VWs and their utility to Congress?
We would like to use the hearing room again. We would also like to travel to other spaces in SL to conduct forums on global warming and network neutrality. It is an impressive platform for bringing together voices and ideas from around the world.
My thanks to you and Representative Markey for your responses!
Representative Ed Markey’s website, and his Congressional record.
Tags: interview, US government
April 2, 2008 at 5:22 pm
[...] Zhaoying talks to SciEye: carbon, future trends, & advantages of running VR conferences Rep. Ed Markey’s office talks to SciEye: SL hearing, Congressional reactions, & VW future&… [...]
April 2, 2008 at 6:35 pm
ISM is Not NASA
Many thanks to ISM Planning Group member Paradox Olbers for the info about and link to Markey’s hearing. Be sure to check out his blog for more details and his followup interview with Markey’s staff.
April 3, 2008 at 7:34 am
Markey made the New England papers with his virtual UN environment appearance. this was a good post, thank you for all the Youtube links. :)
As to congress being impressed with VWs, I am very glad to read that and to see that they seem to be open minded to it as a positive communication tool. twitter anyone? :)
*ener is open to becoming an sl lobbyist . . .* =p