Memorial Service for Jimmy Branagh

 

Saying goodbye to a friend for the last time is never easy. And earlier this month, the residents of the Steamlands and a few other places did just that. Jimmy Branagh, known best as a child avatar or "urchin" in the Steamlands, had been declared missing after evidence came to light he had most likely passed away. At the Babbage Town Hall on Saturday February 12, a memorial service was held for him. Various residents gave touching words about him in what was almost certainly the final farewell to him.

Read the story in People.

Memorial Service for Jimmy Branagh Today, 1PM

 
From Edward Pearse:

In light of recent news, I am holding a memorial service for Jimmy Branagh, and others who we think have gone but have been unable to confirm. Those "Lost at Sea"

Please join me at the Babbage Town Hall on Saturday 12th of Feb at 1:00pm SLT.

If you'd like to share a story about Jimmy or someone please let me know and I will try and sort out an order.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Babbage%20Square/157/179/111
 

Press Release: Mardi Gras in St. John

The Second Life estate of St John is hosting Mardi Gras from Sunday, February 7 through Wednesday, February 10. All residents of Second Life are invited to participate in the various events over that 4 day period.

St John is an estate based on New Orleans, Louisiana, USA of 100 years ago. It is currently the year 1916 for the residents of the estate. While St John is an historic community, it is not a role play environment. Role play is allowed and encouraged but it is not a requirement for residency or event attendance. Contemporary attire is allowed.

The St John Mardi Gras kicks off with a performance from The Flapperettes, a vintage dance troupe on Sunday, February 7 at 12:00pm Second Life Time. The Mardi Gras parade starts on Monday evening and runs through Wednesday morning. The parade is an interactive event in which visitors can participate by riding the floats.

On Mardi Gras Day itself there is a 12-hour long music event with live DJs, including Gabrielle Riel and Edward Pearse of Radio Riel, in order to provide live entertainment for Second Life residents in varying time zones. The complete schedule is here: http://stjohnintelligencer.tumblr.com/post/138711481556/st-john-mardi-gras-schedule .

All of the Mardi Gras events are taking place in the St John sim, which is based on Canal Street in New Orleans.


If you'd like more information, please contact Gabrielle Riel in Second Life or by email at: gabrielle.riel@gmail.com

Seraph City is Saved, Moved to New Sim

Good news for fans of the "retro-future" city area, Seraph City. Once in danger of fading away from Second Life, it now has a new home in the Symbiosis sim. On Wednesday night, I was invited to Club Seraph where some of the location's friends, including some involved with it's rescue, had gathered to celebrate with a few drinks at the bar.

Read Bixyl's article in Places.

Seraph City and Dryland, to Close

Yesterday came some news that two places in Second Life would soon be closing their doors, Seraph City and Dryland.

Seraph City was made in the style of the early 20th Century view of the urban experience of the future, or "Dieselpunk" as it was branded. There were numerous buildings, such as shops, as well as a train and a couple cars. The main buildings were the town hall, located next to the SURL I came across, and the "Seraph Club," a place that could easily hold a crowd  and was made with live events in mind.

 There was quite a bit to see. The old fashioned advertisements and signs added to the feel of the place.

Seraph City was one of the locations in "The Blackened Mirror" Second Life show, as well as where one of the characters came from.

It is still unknown as to why Seraph City is closing, which is set for mid-March. The group for it's fans has been closed to new entries. It did state, "Please direct any questions to Bromo Ivory or Edward Pearse."

More pictures of Seraph City can be found on Daniel Voyager's Flickr. There is also a Seraph City blog (link), but it hasn't been updated in a while.

Seraph City (113/149/106)


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"Dryland" is located in the Mado sim. In January, Second Life Newser was here when the "Lost Second Life" (link) exhibit by Ziki Questi was set up here. And now irronicaly this sim itself will soon be lost.

Designed by Anita Witt, a notecard I picked up stated she was, "Inspired by the man-made disaster that is the giant dried out Aral Sea in Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan" caused when the body of water shrank after rivers feeding it were diverted by the Communist government for collective farms. The result was that towns and villages that once depended on the sea were abandoned when their source of livelihood dried up.

The sim has a sense of being an abandoned wasteland, with scattered abandoned ships and buildings, and numerous other wrecks and debris. A lighthouse was still running, providing light for sea traffic that no longer existed. Not far from what was left of the water was a small carnival of some kind.

Inara Pey says the sim will most likely close in late March, quoting Anita, "I thought I’d give you all a fair warning in case you have photos or machinimas to make that requires a Dryland background, or if you’d just like to hang out one last time before it’s all gone."

Mado (125/172/38)