SL Video: "The Drax Files Made in SL - Episode 1: Caledonia Skytower"

 

 

 (click here if the video does not play)

From Draxtor Despres on Aug 24, his first episode of the new Drax Files, interviews Caledonia Skytower, known for her work at the Seanchai Library, but also other places, "There you go folks, I admit it: I have been snoring under a mesh rock for a long time, so it took me some 17+ years to tackle the creative energy emanating from one Caledonia Skytower and wrap it all up in this first episode of the new documentary series. Of course I only scratched the surface of her prolific SL adventures, and so I give you her story through my lens, in 12 minutes, based on many hours of conversations and research. ... Oh and on a personal note: thrilled to be back in the documentary saddle, albeit at a slower pace. Feels good!"

 

EOTB: News From Linden Lab

 

 

A few days ago, Linden Lab would post in the official blog a summary of news about Second Life, from it's point of view, over the course of the summer. 

This Summer has had some highs and lows. SL21B was a great success – the exhibitions, the events & performances, the town halls and the beta launch of Second Life mobile app – we enjoyed celebrating with all of you! But the rollout of PBR has been rocky and we know that it’s caused a lot of frustration. ...

Now let’s catch you all up on recent product developments! Continue reading for mobile updates, server changes, news for creators and Viewer releases.

Among the news from the Lab:

The mobile viewer got an update earlier this month. There were bug fixes, such as "Water no longer appears in weird places after you teleport" and fixes for avatars using Bakes On Mesh so textures are better able to load. And there were some user-interface updates, such as the ability to add or remove a group tag. 

The Lab would state, "Some important fixes and features have made their way across the grid in the last several months." This includes taking care of the "hovering-on-login" bug, and having "shipped support for 2k textures" for content creators. 

They would also talk about a combat system, Combat 2.0. They described it as having "new LSL functions and region settings to support building flexible combat systems using the built in damage system," as well as "damage adjustment for armor and healing," different kinds of damage to "allow for vulnerabilities and resistances," combat logs, region settings, and more.There would also be a new Combat section in the Destinations Guide. 

There was a new version of the Linden viewer up for download: Atlasaurus, which helps with a number of the PBR-related issues that have been bothering some residents lately. It also, "includes support for taking large groups of items back into inventory as individual objects, instead of a coalesced bundle of items, leaving you wondering if your favorite chair is really in there with the rest of your living room set. There is also a new Max Nearby Lights slider in Advanced Graphics Settings, for when things seem too bright. Plus a sneak peek at GLTF model imports which allows you a local, preview-only version, of what an imported model will look like. Plus all of WebRTC merged in."

For more information, check the post on the Linden Blog. 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Bellisseria Citizens Group Weekend Celebration Schedule For Friday

 

Bellisseria Citizens Group Weekend Celebration at Bellisseria Fairgrounds on Friday 30th: 

10 AM SLT Abnor Mole's speech and more! 

11 AM SLT 11AM SLT Moleseum tour! 

Come along to celebrate with the great team that gave us Bellisseria! Don't forget to ask nicely for their bears and / or trading cards 

This Saturday at The Science Circle

 

 

Saturday August 31

    ~*~

 

    At 10 AM PST   

    The Science Circle Forum

    Organized by Chantal Jager

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/forum/

    At the Nymfs Forum

   

      

    ~*~

 

    

    NOTE: Non-members required to register once

    IM Jes Cobalt or Nymf Hathaway

╚══════════════════════════════ The Science Circle (72,129,30) ═╝

 

Annoucement: Bellisseria Citizens Group Mole Day Celebration Weekend!

 

 

 Join us for an unforgettable weekend featuring the Moleseum Tour, a stroll down Memory Lane, live singers, DJs, games, and surprises!!! Let's celebrate the team that gave us Bellisseria and keeps on making it even better every day before going back to school / work, etc.  August 30th - September 1st. 

RFL Announcement: "Calling All Visionaries" For The Living Expo

 

Calling All Visionaries! 

Step into the City of the Future at the SL Living Expo—a futuristic adventure in support of the Relay For Life of Second Life! Are you a master designer with a passion for cutting-edge designs and advanced technology? A sponsor looking to make a forward-thinking impact? Or a participant ready to immerse yourself in a world of neon lights, and futuristic wonders? We need YOU!Signups aren't open yet - but you can let us know you're interested!  🔗 https://forms.gle/C6bbMYVM4saAdz7u8

 

Grand Re-Opening Party in Oahu

 

On Sunday August 25, there was a grand re-opening party in the Oahu sim. The place had closed and was now up and running once more. The Newser was there, and took a few pictures. 

 

Read the story in Events. 

Press Release: Out Shop Cancer Looking For Bloggers

 

Calling All Fashionable Bloggers! Support Breast Cancer Research with Out Shop Cancer

 

Are you a passionate blogger with a love for fashion and a desire to make a difference? Out Shop Cancer Second Life, an official Strides Campaign of the American Cancer Society, is seeking dedicated bloggers to join their team for the 2024 shopping event!

Running throughout October, this month-long extravaganza features a vibrant marketplace filled with unique Second Life creations. Proceeds from the event will directly benefit the American Cancer Society, supporting vital breast cancer research, treatment programs, and survivor services like Reach To Recovery.

Spread the Word and Support a Worthy Cause!

Out Shop Cancer is searching for enthusiastic bloggers who can help spread awareness about the event. Selected bloggers will create engaging content featuring stunning Second Life fashions from participating stores. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your creativity while contributing to a great cause.

Become an Out Shop Cancer Blogger:

• Experienced Blogger:
  We're looking for bloggers who have been active for at least 3 months with consistent posting (once or twice a week).
• High-Quality Visuals: Captivating photos featuring Second Life fashions are a must!
• Engaging Content: Combine stunning visuals with creative narratives and detailed item listings with Second Life store links.
• Easy Navigation: Make sure your blog is searchable and features clear posting dates.

Benefits of Participating:

• Be a part of a meaningful event that supports breast cancer research and survivor programs.
• Gain exposure to a dedicated Second Life fashion community.
• Network with other passionate bloggers.

Ready to Apply?

Visit https://www.outshopcancersecondlife.com/bloggers/ to join the Out Shop Cancer blogging team. Let's raise awareness and funds for this critical cause together!

About Out Shop Cancer Second Life:

Out Shop Cancer Second Life is a dedicated platform within Second Life that provides support, resources, and community for breast cancer survivors.

About the American Cancer Society:

The American Cancer Society is a leading organization dedicated to saving lives from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service.

Contact:

For questions or additional information, please contact AveryMae Amore or Sandie Loxingly.

 

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

 

 

Here's what's going on at the Sunweaver, Montecito Bay, and Scorn clubs.

Club Cutlass: Candy Shop, Fluffy and Furry, Medieval

Happy Vixen: DJ Malit, DJ Arooo, DJ Charlee, DJ Minty, TBA, DJ Scratch, DJ Squeaks, DJ Khyra

Club Zero Gravity: Cute and Fluffy

Bouncing Bunny Beach Club: Rainbows

Xanadu: DJ Jesse 

Club Squeaks: DJ Squeaks

 

Montecito Bay:  CAYA, After Dark

Club Scorn: DJ Charlee, Morning Show, Breakfast Show, DJ Aldi, DJ Poison, DJ Charlee, DJ Malit, DJ Gwen

 

Furry Fashion:  Gothic, Creepy vs Cute, CAYA, Trolls vs Noobs, Feathers

 

Read the schedules in SL Clubbin'

 

Ten Years Ago: Ice Bucket Challenge

 

 It was about ten years ago an unusual fundraiser for a disease, turned social phenomena, had reached Second Life: the Ice Bucket Challenge. Originating as "the Cold Water Challenge" in early 2014 for various charities, such as hospice centers, by summer it had changed to the Ice Bucket Challenge with the focus becoming ALS, also known as Lou Gerigh's Disease, and quickly growing in popularity. There were numerous people dumping a bucket of ice cold water on their heads, naming several people to either do the same or donate to the ALS Association or other ALS related charities. Celebrities and politicians such as Weird Al Yankovic, Justin Beiber, LeBron James, and former President Bush would take part. Even Kermit the Frog took the challenge (video).

Like so many social phenomena, the Ice Bucket Challenge would eventually reach Second Life. Eventually people began creating scripted ice buckets, then douse themselves challenging friends to donate or do the same. While it might not be as inconvenient, or as freezing, as the real thing to those getting iced, it could be just as entertaining to those watching. A number of people would record their challenge on video, such as Kara Trapdoor, and Josie Anderton. Many would get dunked at a bucket set up at a wrestling association building, raising thousands of Lindens there alone.

And yes, yours truly would end up taking the challenge as well. 

It's unclear how many thousands of Lindens were raised in Second Life Ice Bucket Challenges. But the total amount raised worldwide was over 114 million dollars. In the words of the ALS association, it almost tripled the money raised for the charity and "dramatically accelerated" the fight against the disease.

Could a similar challenge come about ten years later for ALS in Second Life? Considering all of the "Bid Me Bald" events going on, one could. 

Have an ice day,

Bixyl Shuftan

Xavier Theibaud's Farewell Party

 

On Sunday August 11, there were two events at the Royal Opera Garnier.  One was the showing of "The Little Prince" at the theater. The other was a farewell party at one of Second Life's longtime residents: Xavier Theibaud. Gemma Cleanslate was there, and had a few things to write about.

 

 Read Gemma's story in Events.

 

EOTB: Linden Lab Acknowledges Some Residents Are Having PBR Related Issues

 

If you've been having issues with the viewer in Second Life since the PBR (Physical Based Rendering) updates, you're not alone. Numbers of people have complained since it's introduction of increased lag, longer rezzing times, and crashes.

 

In their latest post on the official blog, Linden Lab was basically acknowledging there was a problem,  

We are always striving to add more improvements to Second Life and we’ve been particularly excited to roll out integration of PBR Materials, which has the potential to improve and modernize much of the look and feel of our virtual world. However, the introduction of PBR has not gone as smoothly as we would like and we have heard community frustrations and feedback with recent PBR-enabled Viewer releases of both the Official Second Life Viewer and Firestorm Viewer.

We share your frustration and are taking steps to make things better for everyone on both lower-end and high-end systems. This means that we’re actively focused on improving the performance in a variety of areas including improved FPS, VRAM management, texture loading, alpha blending, and even how lighting is rendered within the world. Additional fixes are already in our development pipeline and will head to QA soon.

Of what to do, the Lab suggested that those using the Linden Viewer download this update (link).

If you are having issues with the Official Second Life Viewer, you can immediately download an update here that addresses many of the issues affecting performance, particularly among those who may be using older or less powerful computers. We are continuing to work on additional fixes that will further address texture loading issues and low framerates. If you don’t update proactively now, you’ll soon see a prompt when you go to login to Second Life in the coming days encouraging you to update. 

 

For those using Firestorm, the Lab stated, "We are working closely with the Firestorm team to coordinate the rollout of updates that will improve your performance." They would mention that Team Firestorm made the decision to keep their last pre-PBR viewer around indefinitely .

 

The next release of the Firestorm viewer will include all the performance fixes we are working on. You’ll be prompted to update your Firestorm Viewer once it is ready in the next few days, but you can also be one of the first to try it by joining the Firestorm Preview Group inworld and continue to stay connected with their development progress on the official Firestorm Viewer website and its dedicated download page.

For the blogpost in full, Click Here. 

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of The Day: Magic Broom, Or Maybe Not

 

 

 Taken while shopping. I see these magic brooms once in a while. But I realized with today's technology, something like them *could* exist in real-life. Which made me think of sci-fi author Arthur C. Clark's best-known quote.

 

By Bixyl Shuftan 

Announcement: Royal Variety Performance At Royal Antiquity Theater

 

You are cordially invited to attend The Royal Variety Performance on Saturday, August 24th at Noon SLT

Dress Code: Smart Casual or Formal, any era

Note: Please enable Media Auto Play for the show

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Antiquity%20Bexar/73/187/31

 

SL Video: "Collin Martin and Parker Static Dual Stream Barton Hollow"

 

 

 (click here if the video does not play)

From Kara Trapdoor on Sept 2015, "I received a late night notice Collin and Parker were dual streaming in the virtual world of Second Life and although my CPU was slow due to having high graphics going too long I recorded a little choppy video of them singing at The VooDoo Loung. Please enjoy their singing and I apologize for the lack of quality to the video. I caught the end of the show and was not prepared but their sound was so great I didn't want to miss recording it."

 

Last Pre-PBR Firestorm Viewer To Be Around "Forever"

 

For years, Firestorm has had a three-version policy. Besides the current and latest version, they had available for download the two previous versions. All older versions would be no longer available, or be supported. So with recent trouble some have been having with the PBR update, there's been some worries that when the last Firestorm viewer made before that, version 6.6.17,  gets too old, it will be removed and a number of residents will find Second Life almost unusable. 

Several days ago, it was announced on the Firestorm blog that version 6.6.17 would not be going away and it would be available "forever." But, there would be a catch.

I am pleased to announce that, as part of a more comprehensive review of the so-called “three-release policy”, we are going to ensure that the 6.6.17 release is never blocked; we will also cease blocking in general in the short term pending a longer-term review to decide how we manage our ability to give our users support.

 

I hope that this will come as a relief to those of you who have been stressed and worried about potentially losing access to Second Life.

There will be no deadline to update now ...

So people who are having trouble with the PBR compatible viewer will not have to worry, for the moment. For those who use Voice, that option will soon be unavailable with the upcoming changes to it.

Linden Lab will launch a new WebRTC voice service in the next few weeks to replace SLVoice. These changes are entirely outside of our control and as this new system is entirely different to and incompatible with the old one, SLVoice will be turned off on the backend shortly after the launch, and older viewers will lose voice support.

And the problem with older viewers is they become more and more outdated.

 

The last non-PBR viewer will remain available for any users who are unable or unwilling to make the update. However, it will not be maintained, and we will not be able to fix bugs or retrofit new services, so the choice does carry a price tag; ...

As a non-PBR viewer, it will already fail to render PBR textures on objects and clothing, and any terrain that uses the new PBR terrain will show grey or white. You will also not have access to other post-PBR features such as Emojis.

They would also explain why their "three viewer" policy was changing.

 

The “three-version” policy for Firestorm allows only three active releases at any time. The oldest release is typically blocked three weeks after a new one comes out. This policy was established years ago to provide a degree of stability and certainty for our users who had made it clear that they would not readily accept the automatic updater employed by the Linden Lab viewer but satisfied the Lab that outdated viewers would not hold back progress.

Even though. at the time of this writing, almost 60% of Firestorm users have already upgraded to the latest version and while Linden Lab is busy developing further improvements for low-end machines, these will take time to get right and expected to be delivered over the remainder of this year. At the same time, major infrastructure projects, such as the imminent move to WebRTC voice, will mandate more Firestorm releases.

If we retained the three-release policy we were concerned that we’d be having to block the last non-PBR release well before all the improvements were ready and the maximum number of users felt able to update.

For some users, the problem is not technology but aesthetics; the lighting changes required for PBR have meant that many established custom environments and day cycles no longer appear as they should. It will take time for creators and communities to recreate those settings. Already, we are seeing a rapid growth of PBR products in the marketplace, and replacement environments (EEPs) are available, but the concerns from our users that they’d be locked out of Second Life or that their beloved way of life would be lost were clear.

While discussing the last release and the forthcoming Voice updates, we shared our concerns around our release strategy with Linden Lab. They were very willing to review the policy with us; and everyone is in agreement that while it might have been right back in the day, it is no longer appropriate.

So, with a big thank you to Linden Lab, we can now look to find a much better way to manage things.

They would also add that the promise not to block viewer 6.6.17 was not applicable to other viewers.

We will review how we manage our releases, including access to beta and alpha builds, to see if we can improve the timeliness of updates and if we can interest more of you in helping us test forthcoming updates to get feedback early and often. We will need to ensure that anything we do is aligned with the needs of the Second Life platform and, thus, is approved by Linden Lab. This is new territory for everyone, should it be found that this is not working out then we may by necessity have to revisit some form or retirement process, I would hope that anything we need to impose is still markedly better than the draconian three version limit.

 

For the blog post in it's entirety, Click Here.

 

Bixyl SHuftan

Linden Lab Looking For Engineering Manager

 

 

On Linden Lab's "help wanted" page, there's a new opening that suggests they're taking the development of their mobile viewer fairly seriously. It's for a manager for the engineering team for their Mobile Viewer. 

We’re looking for an Engineering Manager to help bring Second Life to mobile devices. 

This is a technical lead role, reporting to Second Life's Viewer & Server Director of Engineering. In this highly collaborative position, you will write software, architect new systems, mentor staff and manage a small team responsible for bringing the mobile Second Life viewer to life.

This is a hybrid role, with some expectation of in-office presence in our Seattle office or San Francisco HQ.

The requirements for the job are:

 

8+ years experience as software engineer including mobile development; 3+ years in a technical leadership role

 
Modern web, game, C# and Unity development experience

 
Familiarity with game networking, UDP/TCP

 
A track record of leading teams and shipping successful projects

 
Earnest interest in learning new technologies

 
History of working with cloud based computing platforms such as AWS, Azure, GCP

 
Great communication, awareness, self motivation and collaboration attributes

 
Familiarity defining the strategic direction for AI initiatives and ensuring alignment with broader business goals

 
Curiosity for experimenting with and implementing novel AI capabilities to solve complex problems and create new user experiences

 

The Lab did say people can apply anyway even if they don't meet every single requirement. The salary will be between $163,000 and $223,000. 

 

Hat tip: Daniel Voyager

Bixyl Shuftan

This Saturday at The Science Circle

 

 

Saturday August 24

    ~*~

 

    At 8 AM PST   

    The World of Meat Substitutes

    Dr. Stephen L. Gasior

    Part of a series on food

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/meat-substitutes/

   

      

    ~*~

 

    

    At 10 AM PST   

    Humanity Should Populate Mars

    Debate

    Organized by Chantal Jager

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/debates-4//

    At the Nymfs Forum

   

      

    ~*~

 

    

    NOTE: Non-members required to register once

    IM Jes Cobalt or Nymf Hathaway

╚══════════════════════════════ The Science Circle (72,129,30) ═╝

EOTB: Voice In Second Life Is Getting "Big" Changes

 

 

For those in Second Life who use the Voice option, expect some changes. On the official blog on Tuesday August 20, Linden Lab announced some "Big Updates" were coming. 

Voice services in Second Life are getting a big upgrade and we are excited to share an update on our progress with you! We are introducing a modern protocol - WebRTC and will be transitioning away from our current voice services (Vivox) shortly thereafter. You can try out WebRTC Voice right now and enjoy the higher quality audio, stereo audio, noise reduction, automatic gain control, echo cancellation and improved security.

 

The Lab acknowledged there were some issues, such as "Conference/Group/P2P" not yet available in Web RTC areas. "An occasional popup regarding voice server incompatibility can appear" - which would require restarting Voice, voice-morphing not yet available in WebRTC areas, and switching to another device while in a conference call may drop it. 

 

For more information, check the Linden blog.

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of The Day: Shopping Zombie?

 

 

Taken while shopping. This lady's AO gave her a rather, odd look, zombielike. So what would make her go about that way? I could think of one think that would make so many of us stumble about half-aware. 

By Bixyl Shuftan

More News Later

 

 Yours truly has been busy, and wasn't able to finish writing something before the need for sleep took over (or maybe was busy to the point he couldn't start). We'll have something up once there's been a chance to rest.

 

Events This Week at the Sunweaver and Montecito Bay Clubs, and Club Scorn

 

Here's what's going on at the Sunweaver, Montecito Bay, and Scorn clubs.
 

Club Cutlass: Black and Gray, Blue and Yellow, Dark

Happy Vixen: DJ Malit, DJ Arooo, DJ Charlee, DJ Minty, DJ Scratch, TBA, DJ Squeaks, DJ Khyra

Club Zero Gravity: Angels And Demons

Bouncing Bunny Beach Club: No Event

Xanadu: DJ Jesse 

Club Squeaks: DJ Squeaks

 

Montecito Bay:  CAYA, After Dark

Club Scorn: DJ Charlee, Morning Show, Breakfast Show, DJ Aldi, DJ Poison, DJ Charlee, DJ Malit, DJ Gwen

 

Read the schedules in SL Clubbin'

Interview With Xavier Thiebaud

 

The Newser recently had a chance to interview Xavier Thiebaud. Xavier has been many things. In another account, he was one of Second Life's first residents in the Beta Grid. He's also been a co-founder of the popular A-List group and been involved in arts and entertainment. But he recently announced he would soon be departing this virtual world. I would meet up with him not long after, and we would talk for a while.

 

Read the interview in People.  

EOTB: Applications Now Open for Halloween Shop And Hop (Until Sunday)

 

 

It may still be August and the time of summer heat and vacationing on beaches. But Linden Lab is already looking forward to the cooler season of autumn, and Halloween. On Friday August 16, they announced they were accepting applications for the Halloween Shop and Hop shopping event. 

The Halloween season is fast approaching and our annual multi-region inworld shopping event is coming back. If you are a Content Creator, this is your chance to spook up some sales and reach a large audience with your creepiest and coolest creations!

Those interested in taking part and getting a store at the event need to fill out a form on google docs (here). Participating merchants are required to have a discount on their items in the store, at least twenty percent off, and have at least one gift available to shoppers, whether they're part of the store's group or not. It should be a new one different from previous Shop & Hop events. And the store and items should be appropriate for a Moderate-rated area, and there should be nothing political.

The application form won't be available for long. After Sunday August 25, it will be taken down. It should be noted that applying doesn't automatically mean one is in, the Lab saying they will contact you soon after the date "if your application is accepted." The setting up period is from September 27 to 30.

The Halloween Shop and Hop will start on Friday October 4, and is scheduled to last to Sunday November 3rd.

For more information, check the Linden Blog.

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of The Day: Pet Snake

 

 

 Taken while shopping. Snakes are unusual pets, and I've never seen one carry theirs around with them. So why would one do so? I could think of one reason. 

By Bixyl Shuftan

SL Video : "Old Town Road"

 

 

 (click here if the video does not play)

 From PinkPazuru on June 2019, "Cover by Nyanners. Join two cowgirls on the adventure of a lifetime."

Press Release: PBC Red White And Blue Civic Awareness Party, Sunday August 18 3PM

 

Greetings All,

It's Real Life Election time in the U.S.A!

The Premier Business Center aka PBC Red White and Blue Civic Awareness Voter Registration Party will Kick off on Sunday, August 18th @3:00 PM slt with random events to continue through Sunday, September 29th @3:00 PM slt!

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/PBC/190/65/1150

The attire is casual: Red, White, and/or Blue.

Additional Events are tentatively scheduled for every other Sunday, on or around the dates listed below:
Sunday, September 1 @ 3:00PM slt
Sunday, September 15 @ 3:00PM slt
Sunday, September 29 @ 3:00PM slt

Everyone is invited to attend any or all of the PBC Red White and Blue Civic Awareness Parties! Our goal is to reach anyone in Second Life who is interested in voting, or qualified to vote in the U.S. A. but for whatever reason, might not be registered to vote in the upcoming election.

We are focusing on Second Life residents who can, and those who are willing to vote as long as they meet the eligibility requirements and guidelines to vote legally.

We will provide information on how to confirm registration status, how to register to vote, how to update voters registrations, voting rights for individuals with disabilities, and so much more for every state throughout the U.S.  

The information provided might not apply to everyone for various reasons however, It is up to the individual to determine if the information is useful and applies to them or not.
 
Dont miss out on this fun filled, educational, and exciting event!. You can confirm and/or update your registration information, as well as get online registration details for your state, while learning, and having fun at the same time!

We hope that everyone whether SL or RL will take the first step, and that is to confirm their registration status, and if necessary,  register, and VOTE in order to make an RL impact in the election!

YOU can NOT VOTE if YOU are NOT REGISTERED! MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT!

YOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, YOU CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE, infact YOU ARE THE DIFFERENCE!   

Please contact JardenAlexis if you wish to volunteer as entertainers, or greeters at any one of the upcoming PBC Red White and Blue Civic Awareness events!
 
 Thank you!
 JardenAlexis- PBC Owner

 

Eye On The Blog: Linden Lab Announces SL Community

 

 

Yesterday on Thursday August 15, Linden Lab announced they were expanding the Second Life Community Exhibition area for a third time. 

As we enter Phase III on August 15th, we're not only introducing new exhibits but also enhancing a few from earlier phases with larger parcels to enrich the visitor experience. Here’s what’s new and upgraded in this phase:

• Virtual Worlds Education Consortium (VWEC)
• Premier Wrestling
• American Cancer Society
• Cycling Federation
• Baunatal
• Blender School
• Jeogot Warship
• Happy Hippo
• Echo Group
• Rosehaven Estate
• Sea of Fables
• Circle Mental Health

The first expansion was in January, and the second was in May. 

The announcement ended a long quiet streak in Linden Lab's "Featured News", which had gone on for over a month since June 28.

 

Source: Linden Blog

Bixyl Shuftan

This Saturday at The Science Circle

 

 

Saturday August 17

    ~*~

 

    At 10 AM PST   

    Woke Culture Has Gone Too Far

    Organized by Chantal Jager

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/debates-3/

    At the Nymfs Forum

   

      

    ~*~

 

    

    NOTE: Non-members required to register once

    IM Jes Cobalt or Nymf Hathaway

╚══════════════════════════════ The Science Circle (72,129,30) ═╝

SL Video: The Little Prince At The Royal Opera Garnier

 

 (click here if the video does not play)

From Alchemelic on August 12, A recording of the performance of "The Little Prince" on Aug 11.

Cartoon of The Day: Crayon Runner

 

 

 Some guy was running around with a crayon at a place I went. Guess he wanted to, well, you know. 

 

By Bixyl Shuftan

 

Events This Week at the Sunweaver and Montecito Bay Clubs, and Club Scorn

 

 

Here's what's going on at the Sunweaver, Montecito Bay, and Scorn clubs.
Club Cutlass: Let's Get Drunk, Turning Red, Sci-Fi

Happy Vixen: DJ Malit, DJ Arooo, DJ Charlee, DJ Minty, DJ Scratch, TBA, DJ Squeaks, DJ Khyra

Club Zero Gravity: TBA

Bouncing Bunny Beach Club: TBA

Xanadu: DJ Jesse 

Club Squeaks: DJ Squeaks

 

Montecito Bay:  CAYA, After Dark

Club Scorn: DJ Charlee, Morning Show, Breakfast Show, DJ Aldi, DJ Poison, DJ Charlee, DJ Malit, DJ Gwen

 

Read the schedules in SL Clubbin'

 

KVXN Back On The Air

 

After being offline for months, yesterday on Monday Nydia Tungsten announced that her SL station, KVXN, was back and operational.

 

KVXN is back in SL where I started all those years ago, feel free to tune in to the Randomness that is "The Vixen of Vixen Radio" http://acastream.us:7223 No DJ's, No Commercials, No Drama, just what I am listening to. Feel free to tune in and sing along with me to our old favorites! 

KVXN Radio began in 2011, a 24 hour SL stream for the Happy Vixen and other clubs under White Vixen Enterprises to play between parties.

Abnormality Shopping Event

 

 

The Abnormality shopping event is once again active. This "human-alternative and furry shopping experience" is active a few times a year, "serving all human-adjacent and fantasy styles," although a number of the wares are good for those who stick with human avatars.

The theme is season is Badlands, "Are you ready for the apocalypse?" And the grounds have a look of ruin, with a haze over the area as you pan away and surrounded by dead trees. The shops look dilapidated, and there's wreckage in between. And there are numerous avatar skins and parts up for sale.

The event started Aug 7 and goes on to Wednesday the 28th. It takes place in the Abnormality sim. 

 

For more information, check the website (warning, some pages are not safe for work): https://abnormality.is/coming-soon/

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Abnormality/120/118/17

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

SL Video: "You are Here: A Tour of Torley's island!"

 

 

 (click here if the video does not play)

 From Torley Linden in August 2008, "Friendly greetings! You can learn Second Life in a fun and fast fashion! The enthusiastic Torley is your host, taking you on a tour through tips, tricks, and techniques that'll increase your confidence and make you smile. Whether you're a newcomer or longtime resident, your inworld experience will benefit from these video tutorials."

Cartoon of The Day: Skeleton Vacation

 

 

 Taken at the Fandom Con. I found this skeleton taking a soak. So how did this come to be? I could thing of one reason. 

By Bixyl Shuftan

Winner of Final Linden Home Poll Announced: Tiki/Water Theme

 

Last Monday, August 5, Patch Linden announced in the Second Life forums the winner of the last Linden Home Poll. It was the Tiki/Water Theme, with Alpine Style Theme (Snow) as the runner up. 

The winner:  Tiki/Water Theme
Runner up:  Alpine Style Theme (Snow)

Owing to our offsite training, the team has fallen somewhat behind and is now focused on catching up. We have yet to determine which theme will be in line with Premium or Premium+, but we expect to make this decision promptly. 

Thank you to everyone who participated in the poll and helped decide the upcoming themes for Linden Homes!

The first of the three polls was announced on July 1, of which Tiki/Water and Alpine style were just two of 33 themes listed. The winner was supposed to have been announced a week earlier, on Monday July 28, but was delayed without comment for seven days. 

There was no comment about when the new theme will be available.

Bixyl Shuftan

SL Music Video: "Breathe You"

 

 

 (click here if the video does not play)

From Furrex on June 27

 

The Beta Contributor Wall

 

 

 

I recently talked to Xavier Thiebaud, the interview to be published soon (when I am not interrupted by power outages). But he took me to a few places, some not commonly known. One was the Beta Contributor Wall, which had a list of over 1500 names of those who were in Second Life in it's Beta days, before it's official opening in June 2003. 

 

The 1500+ names here recognize the most active residents who made Second Life Beta a tremendous success. Whether you are still part of the journey, or someone we hope will one day return, you are all part of this community. 

A big thank you from all the Lindens and a promise of much more excitement to come.

 

The wall, located in the Plum sim, thanked them for helping make Second Life a tremendous success, and being a part of it's journey.

 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Plum/132/52/33

 

Announcement: Special Performane of "The LIttle Prince"

 

 

Performance of the play "The Little Prince," this Sunday August 11 at 1 PM SL time. Produced by Xavier Thiebaud, directed by Andy Loon. This is a special performance as Xavier is leaving Second Life after 20 years. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Royal%20Opera/8/126/3609

This Saturday at The Science Circle

 

Saturday August 10

    ~*~

 

    At 9 AM PST   

    Factory Farming, Animal Welfare, And The Future of Modern Agriculture

    Dr. Stephen L. Gasior

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/factory-farming/

   

      

    ~*~

 

    

    At 10 AM PST   

    Artificial Intelligence Poses an Existential Threat

    Organized by Chantal Jager

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/debates-2/

    At the Nymfs Forum

   

      

    ~*~

 

    

    NOTE: Non-members required to register once

    IM Jes Cobalt or Nymf Hathaway

╚══════════════════════════════ The Science Circle (72,129,30) ═╝

 

Dropping By The Fandom Con

 

 

 The other day, I dropped by the Fandom Con at a music event at the ship stage in Nautical (202/70/23). DJ Knut was performing for a small but enthusiastic crowd. There was one more in the water as well, a mermaid. Nearby were some of the raffles mentioned in the Newser a couple days ago, but the focus was on the music.

 

Looking around, there were a couple stores, such as these two in the WastedLands. At least some of the money of each purchase goes to the American Cancer Society. Or one can simply donate in the numerous kiosks around.

And plenty of scenery as well. 

The Fandom Con goes on to Sunday, August 11.

Bixyl Shuftan

It Came From Bellisseria Chat: Traci And Her Minions

 

 

 From Traci Quandry. In one segment of Bellisseria chat, people started chatting about how ugly their avatars were. Finally Traci posted this picture, "these guys make me look hot." It was her with her raccoon minions. But there was a goose and a penguin added. 

 

Why the goose had a knife in it's beak, no one asked.