Second Life - KIVA group has made 4 loans already!

[Guest]

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[Julia]

I have been checking out 'Second Life'. (not because I need another life, but I am curious about it..)  Anyhow, 'Second Life' is a SIM like game where you make a character and can go around this world and interact with other people. I'm still not really sure what is going on and how the money and all works. but there are 'groups' and I joined the KIVA group.  There are 3 other members, and apparently they are making money and converting it to real money and doing loans. So far they have made enough for 4 loans, which isn't trivial. 

Membership is free and there is a tutorial that tells you how to do stuff. Let me know if you join and we can fly around together or have a big KIVA party.

http://www.secondlife.com/

[michael]

Have a care, there.  The IRS is looking closely at taxing the conversion of Second Life money to real money (and for that matter, they're looking at taxing SL ASSETS even if they are not converted.) 

It would be a shame if you ended up paying taxes and penalties in the course of trying to do good.

[Julia]

Well so far I have raised the equivalent of about 48 cents, so I'm not too worried about the IRS yet. And I've been spending  my loot; I had to pay to join the KIVA group (1 linden dollar), and had to pay (10) to upload pictures.  I uploaded the KIVA 'loans that change lives' logo and am wearing it as a texture for my shirt. Looks real funky. 

I also found the KIVA headquarters.  And, um, I created my first 'object' which looks a lot like a big square.  But I put a KIVA loan image texture on the back, so it looks like an information square. I don't yet know how to make the images different. So much to learn.

At the KIVA headquarters is a donation box, so I am just going to put all my accumulated linden dollars in there and let KIVA deal with the tax issue of changing them to real dollars.   

Here I am with my first objects, I created the big ads with the loan descriptions.  (I made squares and imported pictures).

[FANAFI]

By the way, you only have to report it if it exceeds $600 over the entire year (falls under income and is exempt up until $600 per IRS guidelines). So aim for the moon Julia!

[michael]

True NOW, but http://money.cnn.com/2007/03/02/technology/sl_taxes/index.htm?postversion=2007030214 would suggest that the IRS is perhaps going to go further.  I merely am saying "stay alert."

[Joe]

That's a cool screen shot, Julia. I downloaded the program and logged in today. I have no idea how to get to the Kiva places though. I did a search and saw "Kiva Virtual Offices" listed, but couldn't figure out how to get there since double clicking on it didn't teleport me anywhere. Can I get some help on how to get there and where to enter it?

[FANAFI]

That IRS... Raining on all these parades!

[Julia]

The surl is
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Merricks%20Landing%202/110/169/24

I think you have to go there and log in and transport there.  I'm upstairs making new paintings, some info for the microlenders. Let me know what you think. I'm learning scripting.
I played around with some stuff on the roof too.   

[AccountAbility]

By the way, you only have to report it if it exceeds $600 over the entire year (falls under income and is exempt up until $600 per IRS guidelines). So aim for the moon Julia!

I think you are confusing the requirement of a seller or payor reporting a transaction to the IRS (as in a 1099).  All earnings of any size are reportable for the person who earns it, assuming their other incomes put them into a reportable bracket.

[FANAFI]

IRS ruled in my favor when such income was reported (2006 taxes) and stated in a letter that the min. was $600 and refunded me the money claimed as taxable as an adjustment... So I tend to side with the IRS's assessment per my experience in the prior year. I'm not sure how it will play out in the future, but it will be nearly impossible to regulate since the currency is neither of a national banking system origin (cyber money has no precedence in US case law at this time) nor does it qualify as a legitimate means of currency exchange since it is based upon 'fictional' exchange rates... So this is rather curious indeed. It will be interesting to see how this is handled in the court systems, etc.

[Julia]

 I am not planning on converting any of the linden dollars I make to US dollars, therefore I will not have any income.  I am going to give all my dollars away to KIVA inside the game, and they can exchange for real dollars.  I don't know how they report that on the tax.  Money from avatars? I am donating my time. Hey, isn't that a tax write off?

So it seems you can make money by camping out at certain places.  Apparently camping out over night brings in lots of linden dollars. That's how the SecondLife KIVA group has made enough money for the 5 loans.  This just blows me away, that money can be created from my imaginary person sitting on an imaginary camp stool.



Like my KIVA car?  And check out the new KIVAFRIENDS sign.  if you touch it, a box opens up and asks if you want to open the web page www.kivafriends.org
And dig my KIVA bracelet?  I made that. I have a few for sale too 

[Joe]

Wow. That is insane (in a good way). Thanks for the sign and link!

[Julia]

So here's a picture of Joe and I upstairs at the KIVA office.  We both used KIVA pictures for our clothes so we look like KIVA dorks.  He is typing something to me.  And we're both wearing bracelets. The ACODE is Joe's first picture.



I changed the stuff on the roof a bit. Added a slogan about a goat.  There is a coke machine and ice cream machine (both work).  It draws the crowds that are just flying by. I have actually seen someone stop for a free coke and then start reading about KIVA.  There is a table inbetween the coke machine and ice cream, with KIVA notes and coffee cups.   

[FANAFI]

Alright! LMYG is now on SL!

I'll have to pop on later and take a look at all the things you've done Julia!

[Ramón]

So I just visited. Nobody else there, but impressive office. We should ask the Kiva folks if this is what their office looks like

Question to Julia: where in SL can you "sit" for a while and you get money for free? I'd be more than willing to sit for a while at a spot...

--Ramon

[Joe]

Nice pictures Julia. I still think I look more like a pro-wrestler in my outfit. It's a nice virtual office. Too bad whoever runs it deleted some of the stuff Julia did.

Ramon, in the program click the Search button at the bottom. You should see a tab called POPULAR PLACES. Click on that, select Money Island from the list and teleport there. After you arrive, walk around until you see some circle looking things that say click here to camp. Can't miss them since lots of people will be sitting on them. Get close, click on it to start your free money and sit down. It "pays" 1 linden or whatever every 5 minutes. Kind of boring sitting around if you're not talking to anyone, but sometimes I just sit there, minimize the program and go do something else. There are a few other options like taking surveys. Just use fake info for those so you don't get spammed.

[Joe]

Just to note, if you visit and see nothing but a street (or a club) then it's because the people that made the building are in the process of moving it (and the donation box) to a new location. New links should be available soon.

[Mona]

Julia, is this here your second life account lender page?
http://www.kiva.org/lender/secondlife1494



Location:            
Aloft Island, Secondlife.com United States

Occupation:    
Virtual World / Web group

I loan because:    
*We Are A Fund raising Group In Secondlife.com, A Web Based Virtual World/Chat Game. *Search for Kiva.Org Fundraising Group.*

About me:           
Virtual People Called Avatars Raise Virtual Money Called Lindens(L$) In A Web World. Exchanged Into Real Money(US$),That is Loaned To Real People In The Real World. Is That Awesome Or What?

Check out:         
secondlife.com

Member Since:    
Mar 17, 2007

If so, way to go with 113 loans already made! 

[Tatiana]

Amazing!

[Diane R]

That lender page is not Julia's, but belongs to another Kiva supporter in Second Life (called SL for short), who has placed collection points around SL and when the donations total 25 real-world dollars, he makes a loan.  (I'm being a little nonspecific, because I can't recall the name of the person who owns that lending account, but I know that KF-admin Joe has also worked for Kiva in SL and helped build the headquarters.)

--Diane.