October 8, 2015

Virtual reality movie theatre to premiere in Amsterdam

Filed under: Dutch first,Event,Film by Orangemaster @ 7:10 pm

For anyone who hates 3D movies, look away now: a new virtual reality pop-up movie theatre will open in Amsterdam on October 31, organised by Samhoud media. The idea is to watch short 30-minute films, with many showings to choose from through the evening.

You’d be watching video through a Gear VR headset from Samsung and Oculus, an experience that will run you 10 euro. For 30 euro you can live large and enjoy a loveseat and VIP experience. Oh, and there will be popcorn. Owner Jip Samhoud said that it’s the first time in the Netherlands that they are going to apply such large-scale virtual reality, and it could very well be the first time in Europe.

The films are a surprise: no idea if they are Halloween related.

(Link: www.nltimes.nl, photo of film cans by tallfoot, some rights reserved)

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November 5, 2012

Sexologists believe virtual child porn may take pressure off for paedophiles

Filed under: Health by Branko Collin @ 1:54 pm

Out of every 20 men that get convicted for possession of child pornography only one will ever rape a child, sexologist Erik van Beek told newspaper Trouw two weeks ago.

A colleague, Rik van Lunsen of the AMC hospital, says that there is a group of paedophiles that they call the ‘healthy’ group. These men report themselves to the AMC and are clearly struggling with their conscience. They are afraid they will end up doing things to children that they don’t really want to do. Van Lunsen believes that the first step for these men is to stop the struggle against their feelings: “It’s like telling somebody that they should not think of a purple crocodile. Such a person will end up only thinking of purple crocodiles.”

Van Lunsen added that paedophiles cannot be cured: “Sexual preferences are set in stone once you turn eight.”

Both sexologists plead for allowing the production and possession of realistic, virtual child pornography. Apart from providing the ‘healthy group’ of paedophiles with a safety valve, they hope this will disrupt the market for real child pornography.

Realistic virtual child pornography was outlawed in the Netherlands in 2002. The Dutch tend to differentiate between paedophiles (adults sexually attracted to children) and child rapists (‘pedoseksuelen’). Lolicon, manga that depicts sex with children, may not be illegal in the Netherlands.

Photo by Jason Rogers, some rights reserved.

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November 16, 2007

Boy arrested for “stealing” virtual furniture

Filed under: Dutch first,Online by Branko Collin @ 1:00 am

The police in Amsterdam have arrested a 17-year-old boy at an undisclosed date for removing virtual furniture from other people’s accounts in the virtual community Habbo Hotel. According to the police of Amsterdam-Amstelland (Dutch) the suspect hails from Breda. Four more suspects, all 15 years old and from Gennep, have been questioned. The police are charging the five with computer trespass, theft, destruction of data and buying stolen properties, although the article sums up the case as one of fraud. This is the first time people have been arrested in the Netherlands for stealing virtual goods. The police received reports from five victims.

Habbo Hotel is a commercial online community for teens. Members can go to chatrooms and buy furniture, called “furni” according to Wikipedia. The furniture can then be placed in so-called guest rooms, or traded with other members.

(Link: ananova.com)

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