Remembering Baron Wulfenback

 

On Sunday November 16 at 2PM SL time, residents gathered at the R.F. Burton Library for a memorial service to Baron Klaus Wulfenbach, or the other personalities of the person behind the avatar Tanarian, Corgi, or Melanippe of Themiscyra. At least a few dozen were in the building, including a few people whom it is guessed have not been online for some time, taking a break from their hiatus to honor the departed. 

 

 One at a time, various people would go over an old memory, whether it was a first impression, a memorable event, or something else. A couple people would recite poems. 

 

"... he gave me a personal tour of the Cavorite mines, during which he warned me about the unstable, dangerous floor, just before he accidentally fell through and got trapped himself!  He was also my very first dance partner at my first, formal Caledon Ball.  I will always miss his grace and presence.  He made a newbie feel welcomed and brought me into the Steam community." 

 

"Herr Baron vaz der great guy, hyu knowz?  He encouraged me, alvays, to do crezy schtuff."

 

 "I remember the Baron well, from the time he was Consulate for Antiquity. He was always polite and friendly to everyone.  Personally, I always felt he kept many Estates linked together, so many people attended each other’s events. He is one more person who is sadly departed from us all."

 

"...we had many adventures together. But the greatest was when she returned the favor and dragged me into the Steamlands, with Baron Klaus Wulfenbach, played to the hilt from the Girl Genius online comic. And all our friends spun new characters and stories from that universe. My thanks to the rest of you for recounting the memories."

 

"I will only say this: it is because of Ms. Tanarian that I am here today. She taunted me with promises of many hijinx if I joined SL. And so there has been." 

 

 After the remembrance, some went to where the Baron's casket was on display at the Capitol Building in Texas Antiquity. Antiquity's Prince Jacon Desanto Cortes de Bezar (Jacon Cortes) would thank the Honor Guard which had been standing watch, and give a statement in the departed's honor, "It is with a heavy heart that I bid farewell to Herr Baron ... I had no idea he as also in Roma. I dealt with him there as Mel, and had no idea. Herr Baron was well known as you can tell by the many that have attended services for him. The services were fuill for a reason. He touched many people. Now we bid good bye to our friend, in whichever form you knew him...."

A larger article will be done, eventually, with all tributes given. For now, the Aether Salon has a transcript of the talk in the library available (here). 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Announcement: "Rememberance of The Baron At The R.F. Burton Library"

 

 The R.F. Burton Library will be hosting the Salon in remembrance of the Baron on Sunday.  

"Bring your favorite memory of Baron Wulfenbach, Tanarian, Corgi, or Melanippe to share. The real-life creative soul behind them has left our earthly realm."

 http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Babbage%20Canals/195/63/105

 

A Busy Weekend

 

 Quite a bit happened this weekend. The Relay for Life in SL had their party to celebrate having reached the four million USD mark in their history (during which they thanked the Newser for their coverage over time). Also, the Museum of Contemporary Art in the C.D.S. held an event to celebrate a new exhibit of pictures. The Aether Salon in New Babbage had their monthly discussion, the topic being Dieselpunk.

 Stay tuned for more info later.

Various Events Last Weekend

There were a few events going on last weekend that I didn't have time to write about in detail. One was the Newcomers Ball in Caledon.

The event would take place twice that day, 12 Noon and 7PM. The music was provided by Cynthia Farshore and Ms. Nyree Rain. There was plenty of dancing at the double-event.

The following day on Sunday November 17 at 12 Noon was the Raglan Shire Talent Show. The event was packed, with over 80 avatars present.

There were various acts from dances to live singing to scripted skits by bots that ended up exploding. Almost as entertaining were the reactions and gestures from the tinies in the audience. This annual event in the noted community is often videotaped and posted online.

At 2PM was the Aether Salon discussion in New Babbage. The topic was for writers interested in publishing their work. Unfortunately, I forgot to save my notes before teleporting away, and I crashed.

There's always something going on in Second Life. One just has to find it.

Bixyl Shuftan

Announcement: May's Aether Salon - Royal Ascot

Liz Wilmer and Oriella Charik join the Salonistas again to share the history and customs of England's most renowned horse race and social event, the Royal Ascot.  (You may fancy dressing appropriately to help set the mood.) 2 pm, Sunday, 21 May at the Aether Salon building.

New Babbage - Academy of Industry (0, 64, 106)

Announcement: May's Aether Salon - Secret Societies!

Due to complications, the Salon will NOT be on the third Sunday of May but the fourth, the 22nd, instead.

Secret Societies have existed since the dawn of Man, and all throughout history.  For this month's Aether Salon, Jimmy Branagh explores the whys and wherefores of some of the most famous of these secretive and often malevolent organizations.

Please arrive a tad early to receive your gift, and instructions.

New Babbage

Events This Weekend

This weekend had a number of happens. There were the weekly Giant Snail Races. There were a number of Relay for Life events, such as the last events of the "Family Fun Fair," including the talent show (picture above). There was also the monthly talk at the Aether Salon, this month's given by Klaus Wulfenbach on earthquakes. There was the unveiling of an exhibit of poetry and artwork at the Itaca Art Gallery.

We'll get to explaining more about these when we have time.

Discussion of Victorian Medicine and Surgery At The Aether Salon

 Medical practice as the world knows it developed in the 19th Century. Things people in all but the most isolated areas take for granted such as anesthesic drugs and doctors washing their hands and instruments before surgery came about at this time. The development of these practices, and other details of medicine and surgery during the Victorian Era, was the subject of this month's Aether Salon discussion, on Sunday April 27 in New Babbage at 2PM SL time. Normally on the third Sunday of the month, as Easter fell on it's normal time it was delayed a week.

 Jimmy Branagh, whom normally roleplays a young "scamp" in Steelhead and other places in the Steamlands, though given credit for developing a "mechanical musical liver" led the discussion. Before the use of ether for surgery, the only way for the patient to deal with pain was a "mug of rum and a stick to bite on." And although disinfecting one's hands before surgery was proposed by one doctor in 1847, his "observations conflicted with the established scientific and medical opinions of the time, and his ideas were rejected by the medical community." It would be years later, after the acceptance of germ theory, in which doctors would start washing their hands before surgery.

The high point of the discussion was when Jimmy performed a demonstration of an amputation before the use of knockout drugs, in which the only thing the doctor could do, besides getting assistants or restraints to hold the patient down, was to do the job as quickly as possible, using a knife to cut through muscle, "it's much like ... cutting through a moderate sized ham," then a bone saw. A skilled doctor could get the job done in under a minute. Jimmy stated the subject, securely restrained, was "drunk ... with luck he will sleep through the entire procedure and be none the worse for wear."

Unfortunately for the audience, the subject didn't stay unconscious, and the place was filled with horrible, blood-curling screams, combined with the sprays of blood, staining Jimmy's hands, making the demonstration a bit too realistic for some, "Grossest thing, ever." Once the demonstration was over, one observer remarked, "Jimmy, you have a sick mind. I am proud to be your friend."

Edited and unedited transcripts of the discussion are available on the Aether Salon blog. More and better detailed pictures of the surgery can be seen on the New Babbage Municipal Gallery.

Bixyl Shuftan