The Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) and some of its partners recently conducted a raid which yielded illegally copied Nintendo DS games stored on discs. Meanwhile, ELSPA's crime unit head, John Hillier, wants to remind gamers (whatever console you may own) the detestable effects of piracy on the whole industry. For more on this raid, head on over to the full article for more information.

No doubt, Second Life is a virtual world, in all sense of the word. Here, you can watch your favorite TV shows, purchase Adidas trainers, line up for a Radio 1 event, attend a Reebok block party, go to an MTV Fender promo, and well, meet real people.

So it's no surprise that companies are taking this "real life sim" seriously. As I said earlier, there's Adidas, Radio1, Reebok, and MTV - as well as Philips and 20th Century Fox. It's "big business" after all. According to our source, "90% of Second Life users are also voracious users" who spread the gospel of Second Life in teh intarwebs.

"It's about Second Life going out into the real world. It's going to become part of web services, and be on more devices. It's effectively walking back through the mirror to the real world," says Justin Bovington, CEO of Rivers Run Red, which works with record labels and brands within Second Life.

The big wigs are invading your Second Life. And one cannot help but ask: "When will Donald Trump get a (second) life?" As we speak, the said virtual world (population: 1 million and rising) is already home to Sony BMG, Adidas, Sun Microsystems, and other real-world industry giants. Real world companies are eyeing this parallel universe to earn some money. Because as much as 400 Linden dollars convert to one U.S. dollar, companies are now seeing the value of virtual money: it is real.

Here in Second Life, these companies are already launching marketing promotions and advertising campaigns for their products. Nissan just bought an island to introduce its Sentra in-game car. Reuters just put up their virtual headquarters. MTV just launched their Virtual Laguna Beach. The line of the virtual world is thinning and starting to get tangible. Heck, a congressional committee is even looking into taxing people.

Gamers are starting to get concerned. Their virtual life is being invaded just "like a Wal-Mart coming to town or a Starbucks opening in the neighborhood." But others are saying that it's not much of a concern because these intrusions are just there for marketing hype.

Just as easily as you could avoid visiting the Nissan website over the internet, you can likewise give wide berth to the Nissan Island in the game. Mr. Rosedale even says that "there are no advantages from economies of scale for big corporations in Second Life." Companies that get into their second life have a number of issues to contend with. That includes not being able to know who exactly they're dealing with, especially with avatars whose names could be Darkstar Rover or Eiffel Tower. Copyright infringement is also going rampant: online botiques' are being hounded by cheaper spin-offs.

Regardless, this is something worth thinking about. Are you worried about more companies "invading" your second life? Or do you actually think it's interesting? Aren't they sort of spicing it up? I spy with my little eye a "Comment" link below. You know what to do!

While the past security breach and the looming IRS taxation might be keeping people away from Second Life, it has been, as they all say, business as usual. News agency Reuters just opened its cyber branch, and Toyota and Adidas are already there. And in case you're wondering where and when the parties are at, you might want to mark October 19 on your cyber calendars because Ben Folds is coming.

Yup, the real-life artist is venturing deep into virtual reality to promote his forthcoming album, "supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP!" At 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, Second Lifers can join Ben for a live chat and album preview on Sony-BMG's Media Island. Also, A Vision of W Hotels has recently announced the grand opening of an aloft hotel in Second Life. With that, they will be throwing a launch party from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern and at around 8:40 p.m., Ben will once again appear and give partygoers a chance to be the first to hear new tracks from the new album.

Interested parties should register in advance by sending an email to frontdesk@virtualaloft.com using their avatar name. Then all you have to do is wait for their email reply that will contain details on how to get to both events. Ben Folds is mostly known for their melancholic single, "Brick."

Second Life is bound to get more real in the days to come. Recently, Reuters has announced that they'll be opening shop for the said MMO this coming Wednesday. Reuters plans to begin publishing text, photo and video news from the outside world for Second Life members and news of Second Life for real world readers who visit a Reuters news site. Now that's some strategic advertising!

The news company won't be the first to do it as big time companies such as car maker Toyota, music label Sony BMG, computer maker Sun Microsystems, and technology news company Cnet are among the companies already taking part in Second Life. And of course, Adidas and American Apparel sell clothes and accessories for people to dress their avatars. Starwood Hotels has built a virtual version of "aloft," a new hotel chain it plans to open in the real world in 2008.

Reuters isn't planning on dishing out lightweight news as they are already tapping the services of journalists who will report on Second Life financial and cultural stories. Second Life citizens can stay tuned to news by using the Reuters News Center which is actually a mobile device that users can carry inside the virtual environment.

The fast-growing virtual world of Second Life is walking down the catwalk as its fashion industry booms. Now, instead of using needles, beads, and threads, people are using Photoshop. Some have created their own clothing line where people can buy clothes with the in-game Linden currency ($ 1 = 280 Linden). Yes, real money is exchanged.

American Apparel Inc. and Adidas have even joined the whole fashion boom in Second Life by selling virtual clothes that mimic their real-world counter parts. In fact, the American Apparel virtual store has already sold 4,000 articles of clothing to gamers.

Both professional and amateur designers are finding the fashion industry in Second Life very lucrative. It's actually one of the hottest items that get exchanged for Linden in the game. And that doesn't only include clothes, but also hairdressing, jewelry, and skin art.

In this day and age, it's not about simply living your virtual life. It's accessorizing it.