Howard Rheingold made a most triumphant appearance in Second Life earlier today, both via audio stream and inworld avatar @ the NMC Campus.

He is such a warm, friendly guy. He is to me what Public Enemy and Run-DMC is to today's rappers, and I have *tremendous* respect for him, mad skillz on tha Virtual Community and all that. He looks so genial and, as my Rav pointed out, sure sounds like a fun guy. If Howard were an abbot decked in saffron robes, no doubt I'd be raking through whitesands and listening, but since the circumstances were higher-teched and arguably even more colorful —

Answering one of my longtime questions, Howard wears two types of hats:

• The first, as featured in this visionary photograph, is a Borsalino, which he's owned for 22 years (!). GOOD LORD HAT STAMINA. In his words, 20 years ago, a dermatologist informed him his youth in Arizona gave him his lifetime supply of ultraviolet and more. Howard also personally let me know a good Borsalino goes for US$200-300.
   
• The second hat, which he wears in the "warm season" and which his SL avatar also has, is a Panama hat. Priced at US$75, SL version presumably much cheaper.

I'd like to thank Larry Johnson (Larry Pixel in SL) for conducting this whole shebang and asking my question, and Howard of course for being so awesome! When I grow up I wanna be like you.