Philip Rosedale figured out how to get people to buy and sell goods and services in a virtual marketplace — and now he's trying his hand at doing the same in the real world. The Second Life founder has launched Coffee & Power, an online marketplace where people can buy or sell small tasks and services, but rather than the inane tasks that you see on a site like Mechanical Turk, it's designed for people to sell their expertise or hobbies. 

The site launched earlier this year, but re-launched on a broader scale today with services offered ranging from Arabic lessons to Android development to octopus crocheting. It uses a virtual currency, but exists very much in physical space — there's even a Coffee & Power-funded coffee shop in San Francisco where people can meet up to exchange things. It's a nice concept, but we can't help but notice that Rosedale's first project had one big advantage: you didn't have to leave your house to buy stuff on Second Life.