This posting is not for the uncool. My colleague Adam Reuters, aka Adam Pasick, has just scored a first for Davos, interviewing one of the participants in the virtual world Second Life. Avatars (online alter egos) of Adam and his special guest, Arianna Huffington, sat in a specially constructed Davos newsroom in Second Life and chatted about things including, well, Second Life.

You could see the snow-capped peaks outside.

Adam is virtual bureau chief of the virtual Reuters bureau in the virtual world. Ms Huffington is the celebrated blogger and columnist whose The Huffington Post is a popular read for those following U.S. politics. She sat with Adam in the middle of the Davos conference centre while audio was fed into Second Life and their avatars chatted along with it in front of what anywhere else would be described as a live audience.
Avatars who missed it can get the interview in Second Life on video. Others might hear of it on the BBC or in a newspapers as real world, old style media also covered the interview. (Reuters will post the video here)

Not all went well in the real world. Ms Huffington arrived later than expected which set off some virtual fidgeting among the assorted avatars waiting in the Second Life auditorium. One was having a good smoke — it’s about the only place left that you can — others discussed U.S. politics. One avatar said he/she was disappointed that Hillary Clinton did not announce her presidental plans in Second Life. It can only be a matter of time.

Pictures: Jeremy Vaught (above), Jeremy Gaunt (right)