Cartoon of the Day

From a picture taken by Jasmine Dawn. Somehow my Shiba Inu avatar glitched in her viewer, leaving me looking like I "crashed eyes wide-open into a beehive." But a more likely reason was coming upon "what was seen cannot be unseen."

Bixyl Shuftan

SSP/Bellisseria Update

The new landmass, the SSP land, or Bellisseria as the name has been recently been revealed to be, is starting to be placed. South of the Sansara continent, part of it appeared.

Many of the sims on the new land have been renamed.

Some of the sims on the southern part have yet to be placed.

From the continent of Jeogeot, there's a string of water sims. Currently one can almost but not quite fly or sail to the new land mass. It is still closed to the public.

At the Home and Garden Expo, it was revealed that the new continent will be where the new Linden Homes are.

Hat Tip: Daniel Voyager

Bixyl Shuftan

SL Video: "Candolim"

(Click here if the video fails to play)

By Furry Alex in October 2018

Reader Submitted: The Second Life Name Issue

For several years, Second Life allowed everyone to chose from a list of thousands of last names with their choice of first name. It was without cost and without limit, as many if not most created alts over time who also had the same right or opportunity.

Then suddenly about eight years ago, they decided everyone should henceforth joining should be deemed "Resident."  This did two things. It made newcomers feel and look inferior, and it effectively created a permanent "Newbie" class of avatars.

They recently proposed bringing back last names, but only if people paid. This is highly unfair, especially to those who have been here five or more years and participated extensively in the economy. Should they pay when someone who logs in once a month and buys little or nothing for most of nine or more years got one or more for free?

Therefore I feel people who have been here several years and also made ample contributions to the economy, say for example at least fifty dollars worth in uploads a month and suffered under the Resident last name situation should be given a one time free name change, but future name changes could still be paid for everyone.

Kitacelia

"Spring Awakenings" at Ce Soir Arts

Gemma Cleaslate recently stopped by Ce Soir. There, she found an exhibition with a number of artists, “The spring season is our primary inspiration, but artists have been invited to explore the meaning of AWAKENINGS for themselves. What inspires, what moves the spirit? What opens the mind and broadens the horizons? What shakes one free from the doldrums that sometimes come from a long winter - or other darker time? Consider all - and express it artistically, using a range of media. Enjoy SPRING AWAKENINGS at Ce Soir Arts! “

Read Gemma's article in Places. 

Still Around: Duran Duran Universe

Longtime readers may recall the Duran Duran Universe sims, also known as "The DDU." Khanada, Azizi, Tlon, and Sanhedralite. A project between the music band Duran Duran and their fans, it was opened in 2011 and enjoyed some success, bolstered in part by the band which took interest in Second Life. One example of this was their performance in Hyde Park in the 2012 Olympics.

Several years later, the four sims and their builds, the Lipstick Tower, the Skin Dive, and other places are still up. Besides the Hyde Park concert, they were used to make a few videos. Perhaps they'll get some use soon.

https://secondlife.com/destinations/duranduran

Press Release: Live Bennefit Concert at Veterans isle

Frets Nirvana and US Military Veterans Group announce 2019’s February for Homes For Our Troops in Second Life! 

Frets Nirvana, the premier guitar artist in the virtual world Second Life and the US Military Veterans Group announce the 2019 March  benefit in Second Life for the Veterans Support Organization  Home For Our Troops . 

Frets Nirvana states:  “HFOT is a privately funded 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization building specially adapted, mortgage-free homes nationwide for the most severely injured Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of these Veterans are multiple amputees, paraplegic, quadriplegic or suffered severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).  Since its inception in 2004, over 90 cents of every dollar spent by Homes for Our Troop has gone to directly support Veterans. DURING THAT TIME HFOT HAS BUILT OVER 274 SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOMES NATIONWIDE FOR WOUNDED VETERANS.”

In 2018 the community in Second Life sent over $13,000 to Homes For Our Troops, thanks to may kind hearts and great Second Life performers.  HFOT built 34 homes for extremely wounded veterans in 2018.  We hope to help them exceed that in 2019!

Home for Our Troops benefit concerts feature premier Second Life talent monthly at Veteran’s Isle.  The concert on March 31, 2019 is scheduled from 11 AM to 4 PM PST.  Featured artists will be DJ Waya Snowpaw, Erin and Satin, Melenda Baptiste, Wolfie Starfire and Mavenn.

Sponsored by Frets Nirvana and the U.S. Military Veteran’s Group of Second Life.  To learn more about Homes for Our Troops visit https://www.hfotusa.org

Reader Submitted: Dogs On A Cool Tin Roof

Taken at Club Cutlass by The Orange Floof (FriendlyDaWusky Resident). These five doggies are enjoying the view from above the dance floor.

Announcement: Gofundme For Illya Leonov (Morgan Freepony)

Illya Leonov, or Morgan Freepony, is well loved for his voice work narrating My Little Pony fanfictions for the pony community and for the library. Of course he also does other voice work such as the audiobooks "Selkies' Skins: Castle and Well" and "Pearls of Sea and Stone: Book of Seals." You can listen to him on his Youtube, his Soundcloud, and usually on Thursdays at 6 PM Pacific/Second Life time in the Trotsdale Library and over his stream.

Right now he needs help handling his medical bills stemming from his fight with cancer. Even if you can't help out financially with a few bits you CAN pass word around about his Gofundme. When a pony like Illya decides it is time to actually start one then that tells us he truly does need help.

Illya's GoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/surgery-is-magic

Illya's Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmZW2ThMRGG1nLWVxIqgEg

Illya's SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/illya-leonov

~Amehana Arashi/Ishtari
Curator of the Trotsdale Library, Astral Sector Alpha Library, Ibexian Library, and member of the Intersim Library Network

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at the Happy Vixen. Miyuki Naidoo is sporting a "battleship girl" avatar. Looks like she won't have much of a problem with sexual harassment.

By Bixyl Shuftan

GoSpeed Racer On Her Published Novels

While some in Second Life are content with their accomplishments inworld, some strive to make success in real life. GoSpeed Racer, known as a DJ inworld and Internet radio station owner, has taken her hand to writing fiction. Having recently published her third novel, she contacted the Newser. So we sat down, and talked some about her stories.

Read the interview in People.

Interview With Six String On Being An Aspiring Musician

Second Life has a number of noted musicians. But one has to start somewhere. Looking for someone with dreams of making it big on Second Life and already has been playing live music, Deaflegacy didn't have far to search as her friend Six String has been playing music at one venue, and hopes to find others.

Read Deaflegacy's interview in Extra.

"A Dark Day For Internet Freedom" : EU Passes Vauge Copyright Bill

On Tuesday March 27, the European Parliament voted in favor of the "Copyright Directive," a controversial bill that advocates of Internet freedom charge is vague and threatens public rights of expression online. The vote was 348 to 274.

While not an immediate blow to those wishing to express themselves online, there are still a number of steps before the bill becomes law in Europe, the bill is still a threat. Particularly worrisome are Article 11, the "link tax," which could make it impossible for websites such as Wikipedia to function in countries affected, and Article 13 (which has been changed to Article 17) which would require websites and platforms that allow for content to be loaded to install "upload filters" as a preventive measure to stop copyrighted content.

The law is vague and subject to interpretation, but the potential consequences to Second Life are very bad. Linden Lab could be given a stark choice: the instillation of expensive and clumsy upload filters that would certainly anger it's users due to content creation becoming far more difficult if it involves bringing textures and other things into the virtual world and the fees jacked up greatly to make up for Linden Lab's expenses, or block the IP addresses of the affected countries.

The next step for the bill is when it goes to the European Council. While it previously looked like it would pass there easily, "one of two countries responsible for the final wording of Article 13 (/ 17) ... Germany is having something of a change of heart, with their Minister of Justice publicly opposing the idea of upload filters. ... five other member states – the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, Italy, and Finland – have voiced public opposition to the Directive the vote. So should Germany, a key nation behind the legislation and of the EU, change its mind between now and April 9th, it would prevent a Council majority being reached." This would mean the bill would need to be renegotiated, and activists would have a chance to vote a number of legislators supporting it out of office.

As Inara Pey of Modem World put it, "while a significant battle against the EU Copyright Directive has been lost," the war's not over yet, but "it is going to be significantly harder to win."

Sources: The Verge, Modem World, BBC, CNet,

Image credit: Nydia Tungsten 

Bixyl Shuftan

Events This Week at the Sunweaver, Montecito Bay, and Furry Fashion Clubs

Here's what's going on at the Sunweaver and Montecito Bay clubs and Furry Fashion's Furscape

Club Cutlass: Best in "I" and "J", TBA, TBA

The Happy Vixen: Big and Strange Hair, Pool Party, TBA, Fire and Ice, Magic vs Tech, Bunnies and Feathers, Goodbye to Winter

Club Zero Gravity: DJ JB, DJ Snowbuns, DJ Naughty Nydia, DJ JB

Montecito Bay: Under the Sea/Ocean Creatures, Relax, National Noodle Month, Lem N Em, After Dark,

FF Furscape: CAYA, Disney, Neons, Fandoms, Rainbow, Sci-fi, Videogames, Elements, 90s, Disco

Read the schedules in SL Clubbin'. 

Reader Submitted: "Save Your Internet"

From Snowbuns (Skylark Lefavre). Looking up what this Chibi Noodle Dragon's tag meant, she cane across (https://saveyourinternet.eu/act/). Last September, I had written about the proposed European Union legislation that would mean crippling censorship for the Internet in the countries that passed it, and possibly those countries being blocked from Second Life. Seems the vote is today.

Tarot Reading by Grease Coakes

Most everyone wants to know what the future holds in store for them. For Deaflegacy, she pondered over a couple issues. Someone whom offered a few predictions was friend of the Newser Grease Coakes, whom has been doing some tarot card readings. She decided to see what the cards had in store for her.

Read Deaflegacy's article in Extra.

The Yinglet Avatar Release Party

For fans of Fantasy online comics, there was a treat at Montecito Bay's Avagora shopping mall, the Yinglet avatar release party. What is a Yinglet? They're the small furry folk with a talent for getting in trouble and a taste for clams in the online comic "Out of Placers." So how would the avatar sell in a population of foxes and wolves? At the party, it did pretty well.

Read more in Design.

A Busy Weekend

There were a number of events this weekend. Among them, the "Celebrating SL Women" event in the Confederation of Democratic Simulators on Saturday from 12 to 2PM SL time, and the joint SL Cheerleading Squad and Safe Water Foundation fundraiser event for the Relay for Life.

The Relay event raised 12,400 Lindens, and put the SLCS over 50,000 Linden dollars raised in total, and into Silver Level. Other events on the weekend included a festival in the ROMA community, and a Relay fundraiser by Cobras MC.

Video: "I Spent a Week In a VR Headset, Here's What Happened"

(Click here is the video does not play)

From Disrupt on March 7, "On February 20th, 2019 we put a guy in a headset for 168 hours. Hosted by: https://twitter.com/jakwilmot." For one week, Jak Wilmont was constantly wearing VR headsets, save the couple seconds it took to change from one to another.  While the video doesn't mention Second Life, it does involve virtual worlds.

His response when the challenge is finally over, "Oh my gosh, the graphics are so good."

Hat tip: Nydia Tungsten

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at Club Cutlass. Two little dragons, one small, the other a chibi noodle.

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Announcement: SLCS and Safe Water Foundation Underwater themed Funday Concert

Tomorrow from 9 am sl to 9 pm sl SLCS will be teaming up with the Merfolk of Safe Waters Foundation for a 12 hours Relay for Life concert. Singers Slated to attend are the following. I have included the LM for the event and bios of all the singers in the NC

9-10 Lisa Brune
10-11 Harmonia and SS
11-12 Lyric Serendipity
12-1 Phemie Garfield
1-2 ChicagoSax
2-3 Luke Auster
3-4 Luvofmusic
4-5 Laidback Celt
5-6 Hojo Warf
6-7 Jimmy Soundz
7-8 Ronnie
8-9 Mark (singingit2ya)

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Union%20Passage/214/220/2

Press Release: Cobras MC Rally This Weekend

By Wesley Regenbogen 

Cobras MC is holding a Rally this weekend.
Everyone is welcome to join in.
Here’s a complete schedule about the whole Cobras Rally weekend :

COBRA BIKE RALLY SCHEDULE OF EVENTS MARCH 22-24

Rally MC tents are free on a strict first come first served basis.
Tents and trailers may be claimed from Wednesday March 20 bright and early,
There is a 50 prim limit on the free tents provided.
If you would like to set out a trailer, you can rent a space by buying the pad for 150L for 100 prims.
CONTACT:  TAMMY UNDERWOOD OR GAMBIT JENKINS

*Sorry, no child avatars allowed on Cobra sim (Pins), however we are having a Kids Rally on the adjoining sim (Needles) with concerts, a bike show, lots of carnival rides and games and a prize hunt!  Below the main schedule is the Kids Rally schedule.

SPONSORS PLEASE CONTACT TAMMY UNDERWOOD

Vendor tents are free to sponsors, however, if not sponsoring, vendor tents are 100L for 50 prims.  Purchase the tent to reserve your space.

All GAMES MONEY TO BE SENT TO RELAY FOR LIFE
(Kiosks will be available)

RALLY GREETER IS WESLEY REGENBOGEN


SUNDAY MARCH 24TH EVENTS

SAT-SUN 9:00AM - 9PM - DJ's  (QIRKY & DAMIEN)
8:00 Till NOON BIKE SHOW (75 PRIM LIMIT)  (SHAYNE)

8:00 Till NOON FANTASY BIKE SHOW (200 PRIM LIMIT)  Highest votes as well as highest RFL donations (kiosks provided for each bike placed) will determine winner.  (SHAYNE)

8:30-9AM Cage of Death  (BIG ED)

9-10AM Bull Riding Contest  (SARA)

10-11  WET T-SHIRT/BOXER CONTEST  (BIG ED)

11 - NOON PIT PARTY.  ALL PRIZE WINNERS ANNOUNCED  (MIGHTY)

KIDS RALLY @ NEEDLES

CARNIVAL RIDES/GAME/FUN OPEN FROM 10 - 4 (CARNIVAL CLOSES AT 4PM SLT)

NOON 1:30 Kids Hamster Ball Races  (EDWIN)

NOON - 2 Kid's Bike Show  (SHAYNE)

2-3PM Children's Concert ICE  DINKY  (BIG ED)

3 PM Kids Bike Show and RODEO DOLPHIN Riding Winners Announced after the Dinky Concert   (MIGHTY)

** All Times and Events are subject to change**

***No avis under 10 days or children avis allowed on the Pins (Cobra World MC Adult sim), they will be kicked. Child avis at Needles and Heartfelt Ridge sims ONLY!**

Cobra`s is neutral territory, so in order to keep down on the lag please take this into consideration wearing huds, guns, scripts, etc.

Rally coordinator  Big Ed  (Stormrunner1)

Bike contest coordinator  Shayne Winslet 

Sponsors coordinator  Tammy Underwood

Announcement: Limerick Contest Results

The Limerick contest went well and I am pleased that there were so many submissions. Each participant will receive 25L dispersed from my alt Kirsty (Hanaarashi Resident). The winner will receive an extra dispersal of  1500L as the prize pot was increased over the term of the contest by donations sent to the prize pool.

=Limerick Contest Participants=
Max (Fluffyquokka)
NightTrotter
Flutters (Derpyhoofesy)
Bixyl Shuftan
Zayfod
Rainbowdashsw

=Winner=
NightTrotter

The submissions will all be read on Amehana's stream for the library Sunday during the 6 PM Pacific Story Hour. It will also be available on Youtube starting March 24 at 11AM.

Library stream #2: http://us2.ishout.net:8403/
Youtube video: https://youtu.be/9valPiX4PXQ

I have not yet chosen the next writing or art contest for the library. Illya Leonov (Morgan Freepony) is currently running his own costume contest for the library for the Thursday music/story sessions. His contest spans 21 sessions in the library, more on the Newser at (http://slnewser.blogspot.com/2019/03/announcement-library-costume-contest.html) , or the forum thread (http://intersimlibrary.freeforums.net/thread/70/past-sins-fanfiction-costume-contest).

~Amehana Arashi

SL Video: "Secondlife Music Video | Sugar Robin Schulz"

(Click here if the video fails to play)

From YKZ Productions in August 2016, "ReqBy: xOxSUGARxOx Director/editor : YKZ4 No Copyright Intended, For Entertainment Purposes Only"

Reader Submitted: The Survivor

YadNi Monde, whom is continuing to replicate his noted Junkyard in the TAG grid, recently sent me a couple screenshots. They were of several kiosks of various Second Life newsletters, including the Second Life Newser and it's predecessor the Second Life Newspaper.

"I took the freedom to get your very ancient dispenser here and to recreate script to link to your page," YadNi told, then noted that one, the Newser, stood out, "Green dot indicates you are LIVE. I guess you are the only real survivor amongst all those old newspapers I had at the junkyard."

We're still writing away after all those years, still finding reasons to enjoy Second Life, and still telling you about them.

Update on Montecito Bay: The Holographic Tower

When I took a close look at the site of the UFO crash in Montecito Bay late last month, I expected the flying saucer and what appeared to be either a mannequin or a body that had somehow avoided decay to be taken away soon. And checking the place last weekend, as expected they were gone. But what I didn't expect was finding the site completely repaired and with a new tower that looked like it might have been made by someone not of this Earth.

The top of the structure was surrounded by what looked like a red holographic globe. Besides the structure was some bizarre-looking sculpture and unearthly-looking plants that had glowing leaves. Just beneath the top was a circular band that went around the tower, full of the same kind of symbols that were in club schedule updates prior to the Groundhog Day incident.

There didn't seem to be an obvious way up. I did see a pad that looked a little like those transporter pads in science-fiction shows. A way to the top of the tower? I hesitated to find out.

Another thing I noticed, or rather didn't notice, were the "street circles" in the pattern of crop circles that had been on town intersections for months. They were now all gone.

So what does this all mean? I had a few words with town mayor Lem Aiko (LemonPledge Resident), who told me that "Official statement, it was swamp gas," and wasn't in a position to say more. But he did get me in touch with someone who was willing to speak under a condition of anonymity, saying that they had been told to say nothing by the Feds, "I know what I know, and you saw what you saw. It was indeed E.T. but this time they waged war on our city. I was there when they shot the city up in their UFO's. why would they do that if it wasn't an act of war? We still don't know why the UFO went down, or even why they were here in the first place." Someone with him thought the saucer probably went down due to pilot error, though it was a guess. A second person joked, "I think they were going for the irresistible hot dog cart and totally missed, but that's just me."

Of the strange tower that suddenly went up, "The crazy guy who I made mention of before says the building was a peace offering. He was right last time, I would believe him about that. I just hope they don't do it again. It cost the city millions. That is also why we are redeveloping the area that was bombed. the UFO attack so severely damaged the infrastructure in that part of the city, it's cheaper to completely scrap the design and move on to something new."

So is this the last we'll hear about flying saucers around here? With that strange tower, I hesitate to say. Even so, Montecito Bay never seems to be quiet for very long. Something strange usually happens just after things begin to settle in a routine. There's already reports of strange small creatures that speak with a lisp and have a craving for clams and other shellfish. And of course, there's what will be going up in place of the torn town buildings, whatever it is.

Montecity Bay, signing off, for now.

Note: There was no actual alien attack, just people having some fun.

Bixyl Shuftan

Paris 1900 is Ten Years Old

Last week on March 16, the Paris 1900 area celebrated it's tenth anniversary. In was in 2009 that this area representing the capital of France at the turn of the last century was formed. The most visible part of the sim is of course the Eiffel Tower, which when built in real life was the first structure to surpass the height of the Great Pyramid of Giza, which had held the record for millennia. Other places in the area include the Arc de Triomphe (Arch of Triumph), the Moulin Rouge, and the Catacombs.

Yours truly didn't see the actual celebration, but the event grounds and signs about it. Among the events there was a Michael Jackson tribute.

Paris 1900 has been the scene of some other celebrations, such as Bastille Day. But not all events there have been happy ones. in January and November 2015, people gathered there to pay their respects to the fallen of two terrorist attacks.

Bixyl Shuftan

Second Life Destinations: InSilico

The latest "Second Life Destinations" by Linden Lab puts the spotlight on Insilico, a noted sci-fi roleplay area that also looks visually well-built.

Role-playing is one of the many ways in which Residents choose to spend their time in Second Life. From supernatural fairy tales to gothic vampires and medieval battles, there are long-standing communities and Regions built around elaborate and rich lores. It is possible to visit any of our over 200 Role-playing communities and find your niche. 

 

“You’re not just there as a bystander … you’re creating worlds.” says Stark Osterham in the video below. 

 

This week’s Destinations video takes a glimpse into InSilico, which is one of the longest running role-playing communities in Second Life.

 

InSilico is an immersive,  futuristic, cyberpunk world full of interesting characters who operate beneath a dark, foreboding skyline and airships. InSilico is a painstakingly detailed space that you will want to explore, photograph, and you may just find yourself swept into the story as a participating citizen.

(Click here if the video does not play)

It should be noted Linden Lab came close to indirectly shutting down Insilico in March 2016 when it decided to ban the owner of the sims, the controversial Skills Hak. Despite that the Lab allowed for the transfer of the sims to one of the administrators, Insilico never did recover from the disruption and several months later in October was on the verse of shutting down. But in what could only be described as a Christmas miracle, the roleplay was given a cash infusion by a mystery benefactor in late December. Apparently since then, things have gone back to normal for the roleplay, and the players are continuing to enjoy themselves.

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/INSILICO/190/183/3602/

RFL Announcement" Bid Trader Whiplash Bald

Please Help Me Support the American Cancer Society & Relay For Life of Second Life

Chemotherapy and cancer treatments can cause many side-effects, most commonly hair loss.  The Relay Rockers, in support and honor of anyone who has heard the words 'You Have Cancer', offer our hair to help the American Cancer Society Save Lives, Celebrate Lives and Lead the Fight for a World Without Cancer.

As part of the 13th year of Bid Me Bald, I will be shedding my hair in solidarity with these heroes of the fight against cancer.

      ~~~~ Please Help Me Reach My Goal of L$50,000 and 10 Days Bald!~~~~

My Kiosk can be found at  Arinultra Cay (189/44/27)  from March 20th until the 27th. Please be generous!

And don't forget to join me on March 27th at 4 pm for a Hair Cutting party at the Barbershop

Until There's A Cure

Trader

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Arinultra%20Cay/189/44/27

RFL Team Sunbeamer Has Three More "Bid Me" Fundraisers

Last Friday, the first two "Bid Me" events conducted by Team Sunbeamers had their totals finalized as their biding periods ended. Now three more have started running. They are Shockwave Yareach in "Bid Me Goat," Cynthia Farshore in "Bid Me Wolf," and Sunbeamer team captain Rita Mariner herself in "Bid Me What?"

We have 3 new BID MES up and running at CUTLASS.

1. SHOCKWAVE is offering himself up to go GOAT!

2. CYNTHIA: Is offering herself up to go WOLF!

3.. BOSS BUNNY: Is offering herself up to the last bidder (NO CHEAP BIDS COUNT), to choose any avatar I have in my inventory, and I will wear for the time bid. 

As before, the bids will be made in pairs of kiosks at Club Cutlass, one to keep the volunteer as is, the other.to give him or her a new look for a while. Provided the change kiosk wins, the volunteer has to spend a week in the look for every 3000 Lindens raised.

Talking to Rita about her Bid Me, she was saying she didn't want someone making a tiny bid of five Lindens at the end, saying a final bid of 500 Lindens would be sufficient. Apparently the only limit is that the avatar already be in her inventory. The Bid Me only affects her avatar. Anyone hoping for an "au naturel" bunnygirl will be disappointed to hear she'll keep on being well dressed for events.


The kiosks will remain open for bids until 8PM on March 29.

Sunweaver Bay (114/117/757).

Bixyl Shuftan

SL Video: "Love Made in Second Life - Episode 3: Meet Calisto and Talon"

(Click here if the video does not play)

From Linden Lab's "Love Made in SL" series, "Age ain’t nothing but a number for Calisto and Talon Whitewolf, a U.S.-based couple that met about eight years ago in Second Life. While Calisto may be about a decade older than her long-time partner, but the virtual world proved to be the perfect platform to bridge the age gap and connect the two together in the physical world. The courtship began with an initial period of flirting and fun across multiple romantic 3D spaces in Second Life, including a memorable date on a replica of the Titanic!

“'We did the whole couples thing,' says Calisto who adds that over time the signs became more clear that the two were truly meant to be together. As a result, Talon ultimately moved from his home in Virginia to be with Calisto in Kentucky. This move is described by Calista as a 'natural progression…We were best friends and then the next thing I know - he’s here!'

 

"To learn more about Calisto and Talon’s story, watch the latest episode of “Love Made in SL” below. You can also learn more about dating in Second Life in this recent article on DatingNews.com, too."

To see the post in it's whole, Click Here.

Announcement: "Celebrating SL Women" at The Gallery Barzane

This coming Saturday, March 23, is the date for our 2nd annual Celebrating SL Women. Avalon Bouvier will DJ as we honor the following women who have made Second Life a better place through their contributions. This event features honorees from all walk of Second Life, representing women who bring amazing work and creativity to our shared worlds.  We hope to have Citizens, friends and fans to greet and honor our honorees, and to celebrate SL Women! Join us, and watch for updates!

2019 HONOREES
Gabrielle Riel
Callipygian Christiansen
Elizabeth Tinsley
Gentle Heron
Theresa Linden
Tish (laetizia)
Leondra Larsson
Delia Lake
Inara Pey
Imajika Wirefly

Please join us!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Colonia%20Nova/13/186/44

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at the Happy Vixen. While some planes such as ultralights work just fine with the same gas that goes in a car, others require fuel with higher octane and special additives.

By Bixyl Shuftan

Reader Submitted: Subnautica Below Zero, Part Two

Last month, Rita Mariner wrote about the sequel to the popular aquatic survival game Subnautica, "Subnautica: Below Zero." Since then, the early-access game has continued to develop, and Rita's continued to play, noticing both the changes and the deeper sea levels that getting better equipment has allowed her to do. So she decided to write once again about the game.

Read Rita's reader submission in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Interviewing Jasmine Dawn And Nydia Tungsten About The Happy Vixen

The beach club of the community where the Newser office makes it's home has just gotten a new look. It's a shiny look that's gotten complements. But who's the person behind the build? Deaflegacy went out to interview the woman behind the renovation: Jasmine Dawn. She also had a few words with owner Nydia Tungsten.

Read Deaflegacy's interview in Places.

SL Video: "Second Life Destinations - The Blarney Stone"

(Click here if the video does not play)

From Second Life Destinations on Friday March 15. The Blarney Stone is a pub located in the appropriately named Dublin sim at (81/81/25). While the biggest crowd is on St. Patrick's Day, it's open all year and has a few events a weel.

Also mentioned was St. Patrick's Town, and the month-long festival in London City.

Second Friends Social Network Closing Down

With Facebook having a less than friendly policy toward account users whom would prefer to use their online name rather than their legal real-life name, some Second Life users have sought alternatives. Among then was "Second Friends," created by musician Mankind Tracer (real-life name Seth Regan). But last week on March 14, Seth announced he was no longer keeping it running. It's Facebook group however would remain.


My Dear Second Friend,

I have decided after a bunch of years to close down Second Friends. I want to thank you personally for helping create our wonderful SL community on the SF social network.

If you would like to stay in touch with other members, please join the Second Friends group on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/groups/secondfriend/

Seth asked people to download any pictures or videos from the site that they wanted to keep before it went down.  He stated he may open another network in the future.

Be well my dear Second Friend. I hope to see you in Second Life where I plan on starting up my live shows again very soon. ... I sign out for the final time here on Second Friends.

Second Friends boasted about 3800 users.

Events This Week at the Sunweaver, Montecito Bay, and Furry Fashion Clubs

Here's what's going on at the Sunweaver and Montecito Bay clubs and Furry Fashion's Furscape

Club Cutlass: Best in "H", Working Stiffs, Toon Time

The Happy Vixen: Fairy Tales, Videogames, TBA, Raccoons and Wah, Cops and Robbers, TV and Movie Characters, Naughty, TBA

Club Zero Gravity: DJ JB, DJ Snowbuns, DJ Naughty Nydia, DJ JB

Montecito Bay: Under the Sea/Ocean Creatures, Monthly Plushie Night, National Goof-Off Day, After Dark, Ska

FF Furscape: CAYA, Wasteland, Cartoons, Nature, Wet n' Wild, Cute, Animes, Wings, Videogames, Equines

Read the schedules in SL Clubbin'. 

The Happy Vixen Gets A New Look

It's been almost three years since the Happy Vixen, the beach club of the Sunweavers/Angels community, was last redesigned. But in recent months, there have been some events in which the club's dance floor was quite a bit crowded. So club owner Nydia Tungsten got together with Jasmine Dawn, whom had done the last few renovations, as well as the Halloween builds. So last Friday and Saturday, Jasmine went to work. And on Sunday at 6PM, the club was ready for it's Sunday events.

Besides a larger dance floor, a glowly one that won't cause peoples' tails to look transparent, the club has a hot tub for relaxing in, seating for people, a dragon seating area, and more. There is still a little more work to do. Later on, the games that people played at the old Happy Vixen between events will be placed.

The two events that night were "Angels," made with Nydia's "Angels" group in mind, with DJ Snowbuns, and "Best in Green/St. Patricks Day" with DJ Squeaks. Valerie Casetti (llodea Resident) won the first event. For the St. Patrick's event,  MaliitCoyote Resident and Kragon Vlodovic split the 1500 Linden dollar prize.

The Happy Vixen has events most of the week, the schedule that can be viewed in SL Clubbin'.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Purrfection%20Estates/208/231/22

Bixyl Shuftan

Urban Furry Club Shuts Down.

There was some sad news late last week. On Friday March 15, the Urban Furry club had it's last events. It had been owned by Whiskey (Thorrin Resident), and was located in Mystic Timberland. The club had been running for over a year, and was a member of the Furry Club Alliance. Probably it's best event was the "Furry Prom" which was attended by over fifty people at one point.

Talking around, it seems the cause of the club's shutdown was real-life schedule changes with the owner and much of the rest of the staff that made running events harder, plus questions if they had the finances to keep it running long term. Thorin did say, "I'll be back. This isn't the end of me," and has plans for something new when things calm down in real life.

Bixyl Shuftan

Kitacelia and Raising Horses

Before automobiles, people got around either on foot or by horse. Even today when many people go weeks or months without seeing one, horses are still a big part of our culture such as engines measured in "horsepower," expressions such as "never look a gift horse in the mouth," and of course our stories such as cowboys always being near their horses. So it was probably inevitable people would bring horses to Second Life. Several years ago, breedable pet horses came about. And it became possible to raise them here. Deaflegacy, who owns a few horses, recently interviewed one horse breeder, Kitacelia. She had a few questions about raising horses here in the virtual world.

Read Deaflegacy's story in People.

Environmental Art Delivers a Sobering Message at Ecoscape

For most of its history, Mankind was at the mercy of the environment while having little impact on it. While Man could occasionally cause ecological damage, it was on a local level. But in the past century, it's become more obvious more powerful tools made possible by recent technologies in addition to more humans on the planet are having an impact on the global ecology. The question is, how much? Klaus Bereznyak recently went to InterstellART and saw EcoScape, an art exhibition with works from eight different artists about environmental issues. So what did the exhibits show?

Read Klaus' story in Design.

Preview of New Linden Homes at Home and Garden Expo.

The Home and Garden Expo, one of the larger events of the Relay for Life in Second Life, is taking place in several temporary sims south of American Cancer Society. But the one getting the most attention is the Linden Homes Preview sim as like the name suggests, people can check up on what the soon to be available set of Linden Homes look like.

 Not all of the Linden Homes will be on dry land. Some will be houseboats parked at docks.

According to Inara Pey and Daniel Voyager, what was assumed about the SSP continent is true. It will be the location of the new Linden homes. It's opening is described as "weeks" away. The plan is to rename it "Bellisseria" and place it between two other continents to form a larger mass of contiguous sims that one can walk/fly/drive from one end to another without the need for teleports.

As with the other Linden Homes, these are available only to Premium Residents, and obtaining them will be done via a webpage. As the new Linden Homes are occupied, the smaller landmasses where the older ones are will be dismantled once they're empty of residents.

To check out the new Linden Homes yourself, and the rest of the Expo, head to https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Linden%20Homes%20Preview/40/210/25

Sources: Daniel Voyager, Modem World

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Team Sunbeamers "Bid Me" Results

Last month, Team Sunbeamers, the Relay for Life team for the Sunweaver community, started it's first two events: "Bid Me Human" and "Bid Me Goat," with yours truly Bixyl Shuftan and fellow vulpine Liska Fuchs as the volunteers. On Friday March 15 at 8PM, team captain Rita Mariner calculated the totals at Club Cutlass.

Results:
LISKA: Fox      2500L
             Deer  13,600L

 Liska goes Venison, I mean Deer for 5 Weeks,

 BIXYL: Fox:          2550L
              Human:  27,000L

 Bixyl goes Human for 5 weeks.                        

So it looks like Liska will be dealing with a few "buck stops here" jokes and yours truly will be furless, at least for a few weeks. Being a journalist however, I can switch back to my usual self when doing an interview, or something else related to the paper. But other times, I'm without the pointed ears and tail.

And yes, it's not the same human avatar after the first couple "Bid Me Human" events. I figured two rounds of "Blazing Saddles" jokes was enough, so went with an Asian avie instead.


In the meantime, the fundraising by Team Sunbeamers continues. There will soon be another round of "Bid Me" volunteers.  The team itself has climbed to almost 64,000 Lindens, passing the halfway mark to Gold. After that is Platinum, in which I appear as something special for a week. The first couple times, it was a look I hadn't gone about before. What will it be this time? You'll see.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan