People of The Year Runner-Up: Supporters of Ukraine

 

When Russian dictator Vladimir Putin ordered his country's forces to invade the Ukraine on February 23 2022, the result was an international outcry. Thousands across the world protested in various ways. 

 

In Second Life, there were protests against the invasion in the Moscow sim, plus calls to support Ukrainian merchants. People would also start raising or waving Ukrainian flags, and flagmakers would respond by making the blue and gold banners available for free.  

 

There would also be at least one fundraiser to raise money for the country. The fate of one Ukrainian content creator who ended up in occupied territory was also of concern. Linden Lab itself would come to make a statement in support of Ukraine. The Newser office itself would sport a blue and gold flag. And then there were the numerous people wearing blue and gold clothes, or sticking a blue and gold cloth in their belt or some other wearing of the colors of the Ukraine.  

 

Not as many wear or show the blue and gold today. But there are still some places that do, such as one venue yours truly stopped at last week. 

There are those who call this support of "Nazism," referring to Russian dictator Putin's claims that the invasion was carried out to "denazify" the country. The sources of their information are Russian news websites that have no choice but to state propaganda to support the invasion or the few in the West who for some reason have come to believe this misinformation. But most in America and Europe aren't buying it.

So the Newser collectively gives "Persons of The Year - Runner-Up" to those who in some way showed their support for the country of Ukraine as it continues to resist Putin's invasion.

 

Also nominated were Lisa Buttmonkey (Cottonheaded Ninnymuggins) and Ian Witt (Brian Ninnymuggins) of "The Dirty Grid" which recently closed after over a decade, the Relay for Life in Second Life volunteers, and the Moles. 

Bixyl Shuftan

Editor

SL Newser

A Tribute to The Airliner Tragedy

Last week, Flight MH17 of Malaysia Airlines crashed in the eastern Ukraine, has been the scene of conflict between the country's armed forces, and pro-Russian separatist rebels trying to break the region away from the country and unite with Russia.  The cause of the plane's demise was quickly found to be an anti aircraft missile. Although the Russians and rebels claim the Ukrainian government shot down the plane, there is evidence that the separatists, using Russian equipment were the cause of the disaster. Of the 298 people killed, the majority were Dutch citizens, resulting the country being in mourning. The airline, already in trouble from another of it's planes vanishing somewhere in the Indian Ocean earlier this year, may not survive a second disaster.

While on the Relay track, I came across this tribute to those who perished on the plane, showing the nationalities of those who were killed.