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"Contribute to Katrina relief in the virtual world "Second Life" and your avatar may receive a T-shirt from Second Life Boutique, a store specializing in virtual fashion."

Meet the 21st century‘s answer to the Jerry Lewis Telethon.

Inside the free form virtual world "Second Life," a desire to help Katrina victims has spawned yard sales, auctions and fund-raising concerts. Proud donors wear T-shirts that read "Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief."

Everything in "Second Life" is virtual: The yard sales are stocked with virtual clothing and goods; the relief concerts and dances star virtual DJs and bands performing in a virtual concert space. And those T-shirts ... also virtual.

The money raised, however, is very real.

"Second Life" residents, as users of the space are known, have contributed almost ＄6,000 to the Red Cross so far, with one celebrity date auction netting ＄2500.� (The dates, of course, are virtual.)

Then there‘s the people melting virtual gold.

---- credit goes to Tom Loftus
Originally from MSNBC
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