A Cry For Help From Venezuela

A year ago, the Newser interviewed Alejandra Jumanya, also known inworld as Miss W. A skilled content creator with a line of women's fashion, she had also attracted attention as her Second Life income had increasingly been making a difference in her real life as in her home country of Venezuela the economy was deteriorating. A couple nights ago, we once again spoke with her. The situation of her and her daughter had gone from bad to worse and was in need of help.

Read more in People.

The Newser Beach Party

On Saturday January 2 at Noon SL time, some of the writers and fans of the SL Newser met up for a little beach party. The Newser crew usually has a beach party around Christmastime in December. It was suggested that a party just before the holiday might have a small turnout due to people either doing last minute shopping or being with family. So after some thought, it was moved to the Saturday after New Year's Day.

Among those who attended was Grey Lupindo, whom hadn't been inworld in a while, but took the time to drop by to get in touch once more with friends such as Gemma Cleanslate and FoxytheJamie.

The intended DJ was unable to log onto Second Life, so Tantari Kim, whom has been regularly DJing at the Happy Vixen took over, bringing her "Journey of Sound" to those outside the club's group of regulars dropping by. Old friends such as Kikas Barbenco (who ended up in the cartoon the following day) and Bejita dropped by. So did newer ones like store owner Alejandra Jumanya, Anne Brightstar, whom has recently started her own Second Life blog, "Exploring with Annie," Rai Fargis, who described himself as a real-life journalist, a co-captain from the Second Life Cherleader Squad, and others.

It was a happy time as we danced to the music, and put our cares away, at least for a little while.

Bixyl Shuftan

Interview with Alejandra Jumanya of Wetherby's

I recently interviewed storeowner and clothing designer Alejandra Jumanya. The lady has done quite a bit of work on her line of outfits. But what makes her stand out is doing so while dealing with the real-life economic and crime difficulties in her home country of Venezuela. As time has gone on, her Second Life business, once more or less a hobby, is more and more supplementing her real life income as the latter has been shrinking in value.

Read the story in People.