Cartoon of the Day: Clubbing in Second Life

Taken at Club Cutlass' "Best in C" party, in which Rita went as a cave-chipmunk. Though with her weapon, it looked like she was showing she was a member of the club.

By Bixyl Shuftan (hat tip Liska Fuchs)

Fantasy Faire Mole Jail and Bail Event

Yesterday on Wednesday April 29, the Fantasy Faire had a popular event, the Linden and Mole "Jail and Bail." The event has always brought in plenty of money for the Relay for Life. But it's also brought in no shortage of humor and funnery. The Newser was there, and between crashes was able to catch some of the chaos.

Read more in Events.

Announcement: Walpurgisnacht is Nigh!

For those who have not kept an eye on the calendar, the veil between the worlds thins Thursday night, and Europa will be keeping the malign denizens distracted with our annual dance.  Join us at 10 pm in your most fantastical outfits (or Saturday at Noon, for early birds) and caper until the rift closes again.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Europa%20Wulfenbach/111/97/3680

Baron Klaus Wulfenbach

Announcement: Bellisseria Cinco De Mayo Boat Parade

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the Bellisseria Parade!

The Bellisseria Relay teams are celebrating Cinco de Mayo this weekend, May 2nd-5th. The celebration will include a Boat Parade that will leave the Fairground docks at noon on May 3rd.  You are all invited to bring your boat and join the parade. We're sending early notice so you have time to decorate your boat, too. Decorate it for Relay or Cinco de Mayo or both. Please plan to join us at noon on Saturday at the Fairgrounds, we look forward to seeing you!

The plan: 

    The First Anniversary boat parade was so much fun that we thought we'd do it again! 

    We will arrive before noon at the docks at Whiskey Bay.  Rez boats there and then move over to the west into Bellisseria Bay to line up, boats pointed south. 

     From there we'll cruise on south in parade line (as best we can with the constraints imposed by persnickety simulators, boats, and whatever else the Fates have in store.

    The parade route takes on a tour around The Pickle!  The whole trip takes about 45 minutes.

For more information, and a notecard, contact Camden McAndrews and/or join the Bellisseria Parade Group.

Tiny Yosemite

Longtime readers may remember Jadyn Firehawk's Yosemite park in Second Life. The place  remained up for some time until sadly real life made her unable to keep it up. Following her setting up of her Coronavirus Survival Store, she found she had a number of people still in the sim group. Inspired by these fans, she recently brought the place back in a smaller form, Tiny Yosemite. Gemma Cleanslate heard about it and decided to check it out.

Read Gemma's article in Places.

The Fairelands Quest is Active

One of the attractions of the Fantasy Faire, "The Fairelands Quest," is now up and running. In this game, you'll be taken on an adventure, and get some prizes along the way. Complete it, and you'll get a lot of prizes. In the past, the Quest has been delayed a few days as bugs were worked out. But this year the first part came on schedule. This year, the quest is "The Bard Queen's Garden." The Bard Queen asks some fae to get seeds for her garden. Unfortunately, the fae get distracted. So the Queen has to call on an adventurer for help.

To play the game, you'll need the required HUDs. They can be found at kiosks near the sim landing points, in the case of Fairelands Junction at (110/61/47). To get just the basic game, put 250L in the smaller kiosks. For the deluxe version of the quest, pay 350L in the larger one, which will give you the HUDs, and a Medieval fantasy-themed "Friend of the Fairelands" outfit. Once you buy the game, just find the boxed item in your inventory, add it to your avatar, then click on it. It will then unbox into your inventory. If you want to wear the outfit, you'll have to go somewhere else and unpack it. I found that my DSD Rabbit avatar I was wearing at the time was partially showing through the chest area. So I had to make a new (prim) shirt and made it close to the right color.

To begin the quest, while in the Fantasy Faire area, add the quest HUD, then attach the almanac HUD. You'll need to find the Bard Queen somewhere in Fairelands Junction. Presumably, she'll send you to get the seeds she needs (I haven't found her yet despite searching around the sim for fifteen minutes and got called away). So what are a bunch of seeds going to do against her enemy the Unweaver? Presumably adventurers will start to get their answers tomorrow Thursday April 30 when the second part of the quest opens.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fairelands%20Junction/110/61/47

Bixyl Shuftan

Scene From the Faire: A Couple Reminders of Real Life in 2020

Taken at Agra Adara. Next to the plague doctor outfit on sale, a little reminder about the pestilence currently in real life this 2020.

And in Elemaria, there was this guy whom was looking like so many in real life these days

By Bixyl Shuftan

Uccello Poultry Has Died of Coronavirus

Many longtime Second Life residents knew Uccello Poultry as one of Bay City's more noteable residents, as well as the writer behind the "Poultry Report" blog. After over a year of inactivity, her real-life brother CC Columbo posted that she had passed away from Coronavirus, and was delivering her final message. "Caitlin wrote several letters before she passed," He would say of Uccello, "One was for her friends and family in Second Life. Here it is."

In the post aptly named "Logging Out," Uccello would credit her brother with saving her life, though the experience came "at the cost of me being able to speak and an inability to cope with a number of instantly blooming phobias." Such phobias would lead her psychiatrist to recommend Second Life as a way to overcome her fears and socialize. After a time on the Teen Grid, she would start an account on the main one along with her brother who "met me at Waterhead and took me to his land in Nangrim. There he gave me $L100, 16 square meters of land to call my own, and then took me to the Isle of Lesbos. The rest, as the trite say, is history."

At Lesbos I met my soon-to-be sister, Threshin. She helped me become a strong (if willful) and confident woman over the subsequent years. Always encouraging and loving, I learned that I didn’t need to cling to my brother. I also met my wife, Angela, there. Marriages in SL are real, if you let them be so.

I’m also proud to say I was a citizen of Bay City, the BEST community in Second Life. So many close friends, especially Marianne, Pygar, Rachel, Roc, and the eternal Ever Dreamscape. This was truly the life I did not have growing up. And grow up I did. The strength I gained from being accepted into the city and becoming a contributor (the year I was Miss Bay City was the best year in any of my lives) led to me becoming a productive citizen in Real Life. Getting a job, paying taxes, and becoming responsible for others. Just like a real person!

It wasn’t easy, but learning from my Bay City friends and people like Kennylux, my darling sistress Zen, Crap, Anthony & Mo, Vick, KinZiki, Torley, Michael (King of the Moles!), Kaelin, Doc, Loki, all the Moles & Lindens, Claudia222, Cubey, Elvira, Draxtor, Gammy, Kaikou, Honour, Fenix, Shep, GoSpeed, Iris, Miss Jane, Shaman, Parker, Serenity, Owl, Nikokito, Sylvia, Washu, Mr & Mrs Hooker … cripes, I wish I could remember everyone right now … helped make me into the person I am now.

Uccello would cut ties to Second Life when she was concerned she was addicted. And then came the Coronavirus, "Most likely it was from someone at work that CC, his girlfriend, I picked up the COVID-19 virus (along with who knows how many others), learning of this only after we were told to stay home (with pay!) and to wash our hands. Fever, cough, no sense of taste or smell … I was tested. A few days later I’m here in the hospital with an iPad and a teddy bear and I don’t think this is going to be good."

Her last wishes were that her friends help her brother cope with her loss, and ...

/me hands you an impossibly large box.

Take my Love. I have plenty for all of you. Perhaps I’ll see you all on the Big Grid and we can swap stories. I hear there’s no Grid goo and the Feed there works. Until then, there’s so much I haven’t done. Go out and do it for me.

Caitlin (AKA: Uccie, Zyx, and Xandah)

20 April 2020

And so, the epidemic that has claimed so many lives in both the world and America has taken one of Second Life's noted residents and a beloved Bay City personality.

Credit: Hamlet Au

Bixyl Shuftan

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

Here's what's going on at the Sunweaver, the Montecito Bay clubs, and the Furry Fashion Lounge.
 
Club Cutlass: Best in 'C', Leather/Latex, Orange and Red

Happy Vixen: Hooves Horns and Tails, Long Tails and Short Ears, TBA, Big Hair, Royal Ball, Orange and Black, TBA, Stripes and Spots, Predator and Prey, TBA

Club Zero Gravity: TBA,

Xanadu: Cartoon Party, Rock and Roll Dreams, TBA

Montecito Bay: TBA

Furry Fashion Lounge: Rainbows, Stripes and Spots, Hybirds, Cyberpunk, Space, Birthday Events, Rave


Saturday Events: Birthday Ball, CAYA, Ferals, Blue vs Purple, Best/Favorite Outfits, Late Night

Read the schedules in SL Clubbin'.

Reader Submitted: Scenes From The Faire

 Like many, Matt Carlton's been exploring the Fantasy Faire. While there, she took a few pictures.

And she took one picture of herself, in her Spirit Fennec avatar, in the woods.

RFL Announcement: RelayStock Registration Now Open For Teams

7th Annual RelayStock
A Multi Team Fundraising Event
May 15, 16,17

A weekend of Peace, Love, Rock n Roll, Hope and lots of MUD!
All teams welcome to participate - no cost
We supply the VW Van or Hippy Tent
You bring the Fundraising vendors, kiosks, decorations & fun
Team Stage time available (limited)

This books fast...reserve your spot soon!
See attached or go to www.relayrockers.org/relaystock

Announcement: Mod Monday at The Avagora

7pm SLT at Avagora, 27th

SKS Designs, Bullseye, Caboodle, Project Maehem!

Featured DJ will be TatteredTwilite aka Moni!

We hope to see you there!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Montecito%20Bay/9/111/702

Team Sunbeamers Reach 400,000 Lindens With Air Show

This weekend, the Sunbeamers had their Seventh Annual Air Show at Farshore Field. As before, Cynthia Farshore worked hard to get the event set up. There was the cannon to the Moon. There was the dunking stool with the German 88 cannon. There was Skylark Lefavre's balloon ride. There was the pirate town set up nearby by Arcadia Asylum's Prof. Grey. There was the airfield which people could rez planes and take off. And there was Cynthia's display of WW2 aircraft, with a few from times before and after.

A number of people showed up. Yours truly rezzed a Nieuport 17 and flew around. And when I was needed elsewhere, when there was more activity I sent an alt over whom managed to send someone into the dunk tank. But while a number from Team Sunbeamers showed up, besides Gem Sunkiller and someone from Meli's Maniacs, not many from outside the team did. That dispirited a few, which showed in team captain Rita Mariner's announcement

Sunnies and Beamers:  I wish to give my deep heart felt thank you to those of you who could find the time and made the effort to attend Cynthia's 7th Annual Airshow.  She puts a lot of effort into these and the least we can do is support her to the best of our ability!  So few non-team members showed up to support it, it was truly sad.  I know our team makes every effort to support other teams, It would be nice if they did the same.  Sadly it seems, that is not the case. I still want us to help others.  

It wasn't the amount of cash raised that was the issue. It was brought up that some traditional heavy-hitters that outperform the Sunbeamers in Linden dollars raised have been lagging behind this season. Among almost 180 teams this year, the Sunbeamers have consistently remained near the top. And in a year in which many people's incomes are gone due to the Coronavirus epidemic, the team is happy to raise the amount it has. The issue was the number of people from outside the team showing up, which had some members scratching their heads. At least one person contacted me saying she would have come over, but had a bad night and slept most of the day, waking up only when it was over.

In any event, enough people donated to bring the team total past 400,000 as the air show was ending. And with Cynthia and Shockwave Yareach's "Bid Me" events and Skylark's bachelorette auction, the total continued to climb to over 428,000 Linden dollars, closing in on half a million and Jade level. One person volunteered to go green for a week for when that happens, either clothes, avatar appearance, or both.

Cynthia is to be congratulated for her hard work, this year and previous years. As for the near future, there's taking part in the Relaystock. And after everyone enjoys the Fantasy Faire, there's the setting up the campsites for the Relay track. And then the Relay Weekend in early June.

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

EOTB: Springtime Swaginator Hunt

Recently in the official blog, Linden Lab announced a couple things. One was a gift for Premium residents, a gazebo and matching table and chairs, available for pickup at various Premium gift kiosks. The other was a new gift grab, the Spring Swaginator Hunt.

Several flower-shaped kiosks have blossomed across the grid - and each kiosk holds a special surprise! Seek and find the kiosks to claim a total of five free gifts. Grab your free Swaginator HUD at Meauxle Bureaux to get started. The hunt runs all through spring, happy hunting!

To start out, head to Meauxle Bureaux (157/123/29), and click the flower. You'll then get the HUD in your inventory. Go into your inventory and find it, then click "wear" or "add"/"attatch." It should then appear in your upper left. Click it to get the location of where the first gift is. Once you get it, click the HUD again and get the next location. There are five in total.

To read the blog post in full, Click Here.

Scene From The Faire

Yours truly, still in my "Bid Me Bunny" look for the Sunbeamers from March, has been going about the Fantasy Faire. Here I am taking a short break near the dragon boat in the Isle of Shadows.

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day: Milk From The Fridge

Taken at Cape Heron. We all know cats just love milk. So how would they act if they had opposable thumbs and access to a refrigerator? And what would get them to regret their decision?

By Bixyl Shuftan

Press Release: 5th Annual Kultivate Spring Art Show

Dates: April 24, 2020 to May 1, 2020

Location: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Water%20Haven/139/134/24

The 5th Annual Kultivate Spring Art Show will take place April 24 to May 1, 2020 and will feature 2D and 3D artists, live music, a hunt, storytelling, and cabaret dancing! We will also have a variety of giveaways and contests, so you can win a variety of artistic and photo tools, as well as lindens! This event will feature both a juried and non juried competition component, where artists will compete for prizes in a variety of categories.

Participating juried artists include: AlexAvion, angyel Resident, Anouk Lefavre, danielofangel, Eucalyptus Carroll, Freedom Voix, ilyra chardin, Jamee Sandalwood, Johannes Huntsman, Judilynn India, Kacey Macbeth, Kapaan, KodyMeyers Resident, Michael Lysios, mth63, Myra Wildmist, paineful, Rory Torrance, Sabine Mortenwold, SandyBlackCloud, Sevant Anatra, Sheba Blitz, Skye Joubert, softandred, softandred, Solana Python, Syphera Inaka, TaraAers, Tempest Rosca, Vanessa Jane, Veruca Tammas, & ViktorSavior. There are also two special exhibitions by Debauche Dance & The Art Loft.

The following live performers and instructors will provide entertainment throughout the art show:  Wolfie Starfire, SaraMarie Philly, Aislen Sings, Melenda Baptiste, Samm Quendra, Holly Giles, Savannah Rain, Mavenn, and Maximillion Kleene. Whymsee and Seanchai Library will also have special events at the art show.

About Kultivate Magazine:
Kultivate Magazine is a publication about the cultural aspects of Second Life. The goal of Kultivate Magazine is to support art, culture, photography, music, and fashion. Kultivate Magazine consists of the magazine, The Windlight Art Gallery, The Edge Gallery of Black & White Imagery,  The Kultivate Loft Gallery, The Kultivate Signature Gallery, The Kultivate AIR Gallery and The Kultivate Select Gallery. Kultivate Magazine is proud to be the media partner and primary sponsor of Team Diabetes of Second Life, an official and authorized team for The American Diabetes Association

For More Information:
https://kultivatemagazine.com/2020-spring-art-show/

Announcement: This Week at the Seanchai Libraries

THIS WEEK: Spindles, Spinners, Secrets, and Spring!
Share the joy of stories this week, presented LIVE in Second Life, and on Seanchai Library's properties in Kitely.

Check out the stories and the storytellers at www.seanchailibrary.com


All events at Holly Kai Estates (215/44/27) , unless otherwise noted.

All stories told in open voice unless otherwise noted. All times SL/PT

 * * * * *

Check out Strawberry Linden's April 17th interview with Caldeonia as she and Seanchai Library were the feature on LAB GAB.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot3lpcZtSTk&list


--------->> COMING THIS WEEK:

*SUNDAY, April 26th

 ~ at 2pm: STORIES  AT KULTIVATE MAGAZINE'S SPRING ART SHOW.  Kayden, Cale, Willow and Dubhna take the stage on Water Haven as part of Kultivate magazine's Sping Art show with an hour of stories to amuse and delight. Live on Stream.
Water Haven (134/135/23)

   ~ at 6:30pm: MAGICLAND STORYTIME: "The Secret Garden" Concludes. Caledonia Skytower reads from Frances Hogsdon Burnett's first published book (1911). Live on Stream. That which seems neglected and withering can still thrive with caring and hard work - whether they be flowers and trees, or even people.
The New Golden Horseshoe at Bracket (181/57/30)

*MONDAY, April 27th, at 7pm:  Jamil Nasir's HIGHER SPACE continues with Gyro Muggins.

*TUESDAY, April 28th:

~ at Noon: RUSSELL EPONYM, Live in the Glen with music and poetry in Ceiluradh Glen as guest of Seanchai Library , Holly Kai Estates (220/60/2966)

~ at 7 pm: Neil Gaiman's THE SLEEPER AND THE SPINDLE, with Willow Moonfire, live on Stream.

*WEDNESDAY, April 29th, at 7 pm:  Dorothy Gilman's A NUN IN THE CLOSET, a new mystery-adventure series presented by Caledonia Skytower, live on stream.

*THURSDAY, April 30th,  at 7pm: STONE ANGELS: Stories of the Gothic South with Shandon Loring. (Also in Kitely!  Find teleport from the main Seanchai World grid.kitely.com:8002:SEANCHAI)

***

Fantasy Faire is open!  Now through May 10th with events through May 3rd.

Come visit us on the Isle of Shadows where we are the Region sponsor, and have our "Faire Treasure Hoard & Pirate Reading Room."

Learn more about The Faire at https://fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com/

****

Relay "Bring Your Own Kiosk" Event

The "Monday With The Roos" event by Relay for Life's team "Roos With a Dream" on April 20 at an Australian-style pub proved interesting. They made it a "BYOK" or "Bring Your Own Kiosk" event. And so people from other teams came over to place theirs. Even though it was a small sim with a capacity of  25, in which a couple others with Premium accounts hopped in over the limit, a reported ten kiosks for ten teams were there. Bain Finch would say over group chat, "Think the Roos got a record. 10 kiosk BYOK with 17 people here.."

Matt Carlton, representing the Sunbeamers, was there. And thanks to her, the team got an extra few thousand, plus a few pictures from her sent to the Newser. Among them, a picture of some green goo being spewed onto the floor. Matt would wonder if this was "pea soup," and if there'd be a scene from "The Exorcist" soon. Each team there got at least 2000 Lindens, the Roos getting over 10,000 L.

Image source: Matt Carlton

Bixyl Shuftan

Announcement: RFL Team Fundrasing Totals, Week Ten

Week 10 levels! We have FOUR teams raise over $1,000 USD this last week EACH!!!

This list is for the first 10 weeks with totals as of Monday 04/20/2020.

Congrats to everyone who has hit a Fundraising Club Level!!!! We are definitely saying "Game On, Cancer!"

Bronze

Bluzsters For Life, The Krazy Korner Team, We are Dragon's, MC - Satans Warriors MC, PawZ! For the Cause!, Slatanic Mechanic, Sail For Life, Team Core Charities, Feed Your Soul, Find A Cure, Steelhead Salmons, Mini A Chuu, Team OD, Twisted Hunts and Events For A Cure, GridPlay, Team Live Wire, Giant Snail Races, RFL Evenstarr's, SOUL SISTERS n FaMiLy, Midnight Renegade Country Club, MC - Thunder Demons MC, Team Sol Existence, MC - RWA HELLS ANGELS, Secret Desirez, Sweet Genesis, United Artists of SL, Cruz4Life, Sisters in SL, Purpose SL Homes, ROCKIN REBEL'S BEARS, UFS Metamorphosis, Foundation For Life, Team Bobbi Sue, MC - Cobras MC World, MC - Highway to Rock, Ministry of Dance, MC - DARK ANGEL REBELS, Southern Nights Country Club

Silver

Harshlands, MC - Legends MC, Circle of Life, B - Bellis Blues and Djs, Stay PAWsitive, Burners Without Borders in SL, MC - Outlaws KY MC, MC - Blood Wolfs MC, Supernaturals For A Cure, Mieville Steampunks, Secret Garden Productions, SHB Gems, Meli's Maniacs, Second Life Cheerleading Squad, Relay for Christ, Sanctuary Rockers, MC - Relay Goes MC

Gold

Stormy's Stars, Nightfall RFL, Gor - Port Kar, The Second Fiddle For RFL, Free Spirit Hippie Brigade, RGF Estates for RFL, Friends For A Cure, Spirit of the DragonRFL, MC - Voodoo Rebels MC, Inspired Dreamwalkers, Cancer Gets Stung, Attention on Cancer, MC - SISTERS OF MAYHEM

Platinum

The Grove Country Club Estates RFL Team, BlueWaters Plaza, SUNBEAMERS, Gull's Wing Sailing Club, Seekers of Hope, Roos With A Dream, Aether Chrononauts Tiny Steps, Team Shadow, LOW GEAR AUTO RACING, Esalinus, Goreans in Relay For Life, Relay Rockers, MC - HeadHunters


Jade

MC - The River of Life
Heroes Helping Heroes

Sapphire

Bellisseria for RFL
Cure Chasers

Ruby

Camping for a Cure

Topaz

Harmony of Hope

SL Video: "Taylor Swift - Trouble"

(Click here if the video fails to play)


From InWorld Films/Suzie Anderton on March 2014

Multi-Team "Bid Me Bald" Event By Relay Rockers Ends

From Wednesday April 8 to Sunday April 19, the Relay Rockers hosted a multi-team "Bid Me Bald" event at Arinultra Cay. Finally on the last day at 4PM, the final totals were tallied.

Relay For Christ L$41,857

Relay Rockers L$20,000

Cure Chasers L$17,660

Cancer Gets Stung L$16,000

Roos With A Dream L$13,161

Mieville Steampunks L$11,912

Heroes Helping Heroes L$11,000

People Are Rainbows L$10,500

Team Wishing Star   L$10,304

As Arizona Ballinger put it, "Woooot! Awesome 'Bid Me Bald Challenge' ending .... Total L $152,394." "Congrats Relay for Christ," Sienna Thor would add for the team that got the highest total. 

The captain of Team Wishing Star was not around.  Arizona would say, "Team Wishing Star will be bald until June 6, 10am slt. Unfortunately she could not be here today due to illness. We will cut her hair on return." But not wanting to disappoint those who came for a haircut and shave, she took her place in the barber chair, with the team captain of Relay for Christ handed the scissors. One remarked, "Can Leelee be trusted with scissors? Or are we all in danger?" "Just hair, Leelee. no ears eyes or noses!" But Arizona took it in stride, "I never had a mermaid cut my hair before."

After the fact, as Arizona would say in group chat, "I stood in and Leelee cut my hair!  No band aids needed!" Nuala Maracas would comment, "Having a little mermaid floating around with scissors and doing a hair cut, it was touch and go on the band aids for a bit (laughter)."

While the multi-team Bid Me Bald is over, the Relay Rockers have another event soon, the Relaystock. This is another multiple team event, including Team Sunbeamers, that's a salute to the three day music festival in 1969.

Bixyl Shuftan

CDS Announcement: April Showers in Alpine Meadow

April Showers - Dancing in the Rain with DJ QT!
*****************************************
Sunday April 26, Noon - 2 pm SLT
__________________________________

The Confederation of Democratic Simulators is pleased to the announce our celebration of Spring and the CDS debut of our own citizen, DJ QT!

On Sunday, April 26th 2020 the place to be is the scenic Alpine Meadow region in the Confederation of Democratic Simulators. That’s where we’ll be dancing in the spring rain and grooving to the tunes of DJ QT.

DJ QT has a broad selection and knowledge of music and she’ll be bringing us a fun mix of rockabilly, blues, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and much more! She’s a fun and engaging Emcee and it will be a treat having her entertain for CDS to help us kick off spring.

Festivities begin in Alpine Meadow at noon SL time. Just follow the umbrellas to the path that leads to the fountain - and the people dancing in the rain to the beats DJ QT will be laying down for us.

Raincoats and umbrellas are encouraged - you’re gonna need ‘em!

Alpine Meadow region, Sunday April 26th 2020 at Noon. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Alpine%20Meadow/73/224/43

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "Online Strategies for Quarantine: An Evening with Pathfinder Lester"

"Online Strategies for Quarantine: An Evening with Pathfinder Lester"

Saturday April 25

10 AM to 11 AM SL time

John Lester (Pathfinder Lester) has worked in software development, product design and management, knowledge engineering and online community building for over 20 years. He has led projects and teams in a variety of settings from startups to Fortune 100 companies, and his diverse background includes neuroscience, perceptually immersive learning, VR, artificial life, fintech, infosec and big data analytics.


With his background in neurology, John developed the first immersive medical education products and online patient support communities while doing research at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. John co-founded the the first computer security hackerspace “The L0pht,” he’s a long-standing member of the oldest white-hat hacker group “Cult of the Dead Cow,” and he led the development of pioneering immersive learning education initiatives for Second Life while working at Linden Lab.


Matthew will discuss the following topics with John

(1) Platforms Pathfinder is excited about

(2) Tools recommended; Apps, websites, podcasts, etc

(3) Strategies

–  Synergies to using a platform and a tool together

–  The role of social media during quarantine

(4) Caution, things not to do or to avoid?
To read more, Click Here.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/67/129/32

Fantasy Faire Open

The RFL Fantasy Faire  has begun. From today to May 10, there will be eighteen sims to explore, shop, and otherwise have fun in. Although yours truly hasn't seen much so far, all promise to be visual treets.

I'll have more on the Faire later on. Considering the amount of traffic so far, people may want to visit in off-hours. There's already jokes about a witch named "Baba Laga" whom will react with jealousy with people with lots of jewelry, bling, and other things that make an avatar complex, and zap them with slow spells that will drag them and anyone else near them down.

For more information, check the blog, which should update most days until the end on May 10: https://fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com/

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fairelands%20Junction/148/63/47

Virtual Funeral Held By Friends of MMO Player

A little over a week ago, an online funeral look place in the Final Fantasy 14 MMO game. The event, described as having hundreds of people taking part, was for a player known as Ferne Le'roy. Her friends organized the effort on Reddit.

The event on the Zalera server began in the city of Ul'dah with people gathering at night, server time, many dressing in black for the memorial service. They then walked over a half hour, the night giving way to day as the players crossed different areas along bridges and roads. They would travel to a place known as the Guardian Tree, considered a holy location in the game.

Ferne had an alt known as Poppy Rose in the Coeur server, and a similar event took place there. She had died of Coronavirus.

Leafelda Moonchild, one of the players who organized the event, would say, "When I made the post on Facebook, I didn't expect anyone to actually show up. I made the post so that those that may have known her would be informed. The fact that so many people showed up, not only from Zalera but from other servers, really took me by surprise."



Someone named Kealmir made a video for Youtube.

Sources: Daily Mail, Inverse, MMORPG,

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Announcement: Sunbeamer RFL 7th Annual Air Show And Fly-In

When: Sat, April 25, 8am – 4pm

Where: Farshore Field on Sunlight Bay 160/40/22

The Sunbeamers team welcomes you to the 7th Annual Sunbeamer RFL Air Show Fly-in on the 25th of April between the hours of 8AM to 4PM SLT. There will be planes on display with information about them. Some Pilots will be on hand to give rides and flight demonstrations or you can just BYOAP [Bring Your Own Air Plane] and stunt around yourself. During the show there will be a number of activities to participate in. Shot from a cannon to the moon with a parachute, a dunk tank with a German 88 instead of beanbags and more. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sunlight%20Bay/160/40/22

Press Release: HFOT April 2020 Benefit

Frets Nirvana and US Military Veterans Group announce 2020’s April benefit 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 2020 April 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 295 SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOMES NATIONWIDE FOR WOUNDED VETERANS.”

In 2019 the community in Second Life sent  $14,000 to Homes For Our Troops, thanks to may kind hearts and great Second Life performers.  HFOT built 19 homes for extremely wounded veterans in 2018 and purchased the land to build 21 more. 

Home for Our Troops benefit concerts feature premier Second Life talent monthly at Veteran’s Isle.  The April concert on April 26, 2020 is scheduled from 4 PM to 9 Pm PM PST.  Featured artists will be DJ Waya Snowpaw, Tone Uriza, Melenda Baptiste, Lark Bowen and Ry Anne.

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

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at the Happy Vixen

By Bixyl Shuftan

Journey Into The Expanse, And A New Mod Release At Furzona

A few months ago, Cyfir (Cyfiremmerich) wrote about Club Furzona. This Friday, the club will be having a special six hour space-themed triple event, "The Expanse." On Saturday is another special six hour triple event, the last one being a release party for a new avatar mod. Cyfir talked to one of the DJs about the first event, which promises prizes and fun.

Read Cyfir's article in SL Clubbin'.

New RFL Sunbeamer Fundraisers: Date Auction, Two "Bid Me" Events

Just days after the success of Nydia Tungsten's "Bid Me" event for the Relay for Life's Sunbeamers, the team has three more fundraising events going on. On Monday, it was announced Skylark Lefavre, aka DJ Snowbuns, would be putting herself up for a date auction.

Beamers: You can now win a date with our own DJ Snowy.  She is up for AUCTION, at Club Cutlass.  It will run for about the next 12 days.  Min bid is 100L. but we all know Snowy is worth much more than that. Auction Board is next to entrance at Club Cutlass.  Can't miss it.  Snowy is displayed in all her glowing glory!

Talking to Snowy, she made it clear that the date will have limits. While watching a movie or a slow dance at a club would be nice, she will not take part in any intimate activity. She left open the possibility of a DJ session or drawing. More information is included in a notecard in the bidding board at Club Cutlass. Bidding ends Saturday May 2 at 8PM SL time. As of the writing of this article, the next bid will need to be at least 1200 Lindens.

The other events are the two latest "Bid Me" events for Team Sunbeamers. Shockwave Yareach and Cynthia Farshore, the two most notable builders of the team, are putting their looks on the line. Both have three kiosks each for their event at Club Cutlass. Besides her default avatar, which would allow her to stay her usual goat avatar, Cynthia is offering bidders to make her change to a fox or wolfess for a period of time. For Shockwave, whom is usually a wolf, the options besides the default kiosk are to make him a fox or a goat for a while.

For both events, for each 2000 Lindens raised in the winning kiosk, rounded down, they'll have to spend a week as that look. For instance, 3999 Linden dollars would mean one week while 4000 would mean two. And as before, if the default kiosk comes out on top, the volunteer's appearance is unchanged. People have until Saturday May 9 at 8PM to make their bids.

Once again, the board and kiosks are in the back of Club Cutlass. https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sunweaver%20Bay/114/117/757

Go Sunbeamers! Go Relay!

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Press Release: Fantasy Faire Starts Tomorrow

Celebrating its twelfth year, Fantasy Faire 2020 is the largest gathering of fantasy designers, enthusiasts, role-players and performers in the virtual world. From Thursday, April 23 to Sunday May 10, treat yourself to shopping, dance and theater performances, DJ parties, auctions, questing, our Literary Festival, fantasy art, events and role-playing as thousands of Second Life residents and creators bring their own visions together to support the American Cancer Society’s vision of a world without cancer.


Our formal programming will conclude with our One Team dance party marathon on Tuesday, May 5th, but now we invite you to join us for an additional week of shopping, questing, and exploring as the Fairelands will be open through Sunday, May 10th. That’s a total of eighteen days of the Faire – and you never know when something unexpected might happen in that final week!

As always, you’ll find fantasy avatars, clothing, furnishings, gadgets and exclusive items available from almost 200 of Second Life’s top Fantasy Creators across thirteen stunning regions designed by some of the visionary artists behind many of the hottest spots on the Second Life destination guide.
In addition to the thirteen shopping regions there will also be five Faireland realms that take us beyond commerce, from a Memorial Garden to the Fairelands Quest, the Literary Festival, Performance Stages, from Art Galleries to the Worldling Collection. These bring the Fairelands count for 2020 to eighteen regions, just waiting for you to explore them.

Fantasy Faire 2020 will be open to the public April 23 – May 10. The SLurl to the event will, as always, be found on the website on our opening day. We welcome you to come and join the story.
Fantasy Faire 2020 is made possible by the generous support of our Region and Event Sponsors, all of whom you can learn more about on the Faire’s website. For more information please contact one of the Faire coordinators:
https://fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com/organizers/

Are you or a loved one battling cancer? Find out how many ways the American Cancer Society is there to help. Visit cancer.org or call (US) 800-ACS-2345.

Email: FantasyFaireSL@gmail.com
Website: http://fantasyfaireSL.wordpress.com/
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/fantasyfairesl/
Plurk: http://www.plurk.com/FantasyFaireSL
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FantasyFaireSL
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/fantasyfairesl/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FantasyFaireSL
RFL in SL: www.relayforlife.org/secondlife
American Cancer Society SLurl:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/American%20Cancer%20Society/127/103/21

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

Here's what's going on at the Sunweaver, the Montecito Bay clubs, and the Furry Fashion Lounge.
 
Club Cutlass: Best in 'B', Springtime, Toon Time

Happy Vixen: Hybrids and Ferals, Ears and Tails, TBA, Nekos and Kitsune, Pony, Orange and Black, Fur and Scales, Sexy in Red, Cute and Sexy, TBA

Club Zero Gravity: TBA,

Xanadu: Furry Jam, More Rock and Roll Dreams, TBA

Montecito Bay: TBA, Mod Monday at the Avagora

Furry Fashion Lounge: Under the Sea, Nature VS Tech, Monsters + Mythology. Good vs Evil, Beach, CAYA, Late Night, Horns + Hooves

Read the schedules in SL Clubbin'.

EOTB: The Environmental Enhancement Project is Online

In the official Second Life blog yesterday, Linden Lab announced that after a few years in development, the Environmental Enhancement Project, or "EEP" for short, was fully ready and part of the Grid and regular viewer.

The big day is here!  The Environmental Enhancement Project has been released grid-wide.  As of today the default viewer download and all regions on the grid fully support EEP!

In short, EEP offers big improvements in how one can modify the sky, water settings, and day cycles in one's sim or parcel. One can create and modify "environmental objects," and even sell them to others. You can have up to four different sky levels with very different appearances. The Sun, Moon, and cloud textures can be replaced with custom ones. One can change the four-hour day/night cycle in Second Life to 24 hours, or even a 168 hours (seven days), and more.



Besides the video about EEP provided by the Lab, one can also check out the Wiki page. Inara Pey would also write a tutorial and a primer.

Sources: Linden blog, Modem World

The Bellisseria Anniversary Rock and Sail

This weekend from Friday to Sunday, the first anniversary of the opening of the Linden Home continent of Bellisseria. On all three days, there were music and dance parties in the Fairgrounds. But on Friday and Saturday, there was also the "Rock and Sail." This was a boat parade from a spot on the middle of the western coast to the Fairground island. Gemma decided to take part in the Friday parade, which would be the longest journey she ever made by water.

Read Gemma's story in Events.