Opinion: The Kids are Alright

 

In real life American news, one of the top stories are the students at a number of college campuses engaging in anti-Israeli protests, often speaking out in support of the Hamas terrorists despite their brutality. Any1 Gynoid, who wrote for the Newser regularly in the past and sends an occasional article, recently had a few things to say about the matter after going about for about a week in Palestinian fashion. Just what are the students really after?

Read Any1's commentary in Extra.  

988 Is NOT A Joke

 

Gemma asked me to write this story ...

I love Gemma Cleanslate (an epic writer for SL Newser) ... She's been my credibility reference forever ... like many jobs in SL ... and stuff ... So, I will tell my story ...

So, I have lived a hard live, (tee hee) ... for a privileged white person in America ...

I was sixteen years old in Chicago Illinois. On my 16th birthday, my father kicked me out ... "GET A FREAKIN JOB!" It's legal at sixteen. So I got on my bike and cried a lot ... and got a job at Burger King (at) one US Dollar and sixty-five cents an hour ... the absolute minimum wage. ... That was fifty-one years ago. I know how to cook a great burger ... even veggie style.

I am not kidding, life was hard ... (laughing out out)

So I am retired, and now volunteer on the 988 National Suicide Hotline ... a call center operation ... I love this work ... I love helping people, and MAN O MAN, people are juicy. Oh Emm Gee ... I respect EVERYONE, bada-bing.

The most important thing I realize after all this 988 jazz ... there are EIGHT BILLION unique persons oon this world ... all very individual and passionate aboutu their life experiences. It's awesome.

So Hey! People are lonely ... people are economically stressed ... I have heard from multiple callers ... THE INSURANCE COMPANY DOUBLED OUR RATES ... what the f*** ... and seriously, I just retired from the insurance industry, so I am like WTF as much as anyone ...

People have anxiety… Oh My God … more intense than you can possibly imagine. I try and help. I am not always successful. That makes me cry. A LOT! I tell people I care; which I am trained to do… I am a volunteer… and very sincere. NINE EIGHT EIGHT 988 is available 24 x 7 days a week in USA. We never sleep… And I have like six trained professionals backing me up… paid professionals.

So I am just saying. My life was hard. Or dead easy. Depending on your perspective.  I don’t care if you just broke up with your boyfriend… GOOD FOR YOU… nor if your life is completely falling apart… I will take you call… I will try my best to help you.

And if I can’t help. Just call us back… I have 6 professionals backing me up. BADA BING!

WHO YOU GONNA CALL??? Ghostbusters…. Shhh their number is 988. Full Stop.

Any1 Gynoid

For the first article on 988: Click Here.

Reader Submitted: 988

 

Longtime readers may remember Any1 Gynoid. It's been over a decade since her last article as a member of the Newser staff. But she sends an occasional reader submission. She recently sent one about a less than comfortable topic: suicide. Or rather, one thing you can do about it: dial three numbers, 988, the suicide hotline.

Read Any1's; story in Extra.

Reader Submitted - Halloween for Stoners in SL

Any1 Gynoid, or Maggie Mae Bhaktiguru as she's been calling herself, is a friend of the Newser. One of the CNN iReporters, she once wrote for the paper on a regular basis. While she no longer can, she still sends us occasional stories. She recently sent a reader submission about the people in the live music groups she's in, or "stoners" as she refers to them and her. She got the idea when announcing an event by guitarist Jed Luckless, and got to her virtual pen about the love she and her friends have for just kicking back and listening to or making music, "It's 4:20 somewhere."

Read Any1's reader submission in People.

"Thank You Any1 Gynoid"

Remember when we reported on Any1's rezzday party on July 22, which she turned into a benefit for "Feed a Smile?"  Well, a few days later on July 28, she got this picture from the school where the charity does it's work, thanking her for the fundraiser, "Thank you Maggie and all of the wonderful singers musicians and guests who made this meal possible. Asantesana from the LLK kids from Live and Learn in Nakuru Kenya."

The schoolchildren are on a two week summer break, so the first of Any1's meals will be on August 14th.

Picture from Any1 Gynoid

Any1's "Feed a Smile" Event, The "Pixel to Pixel" Fundraiser, And The Benefit Concert For Maxx Sabretooth

Quite a bit goes on in Second Life. And that includes benefit events. Although the Relay for Life is the biggest fundraising organization, there are many others, and sometimes it's just a handful of people. Yours truly dropped in on three recently, benefiting, "Feed a Smile," "Pixel to Pixel," and a gofundme for live singer Max Sabertooth's medical-related expenses.

Read the story in Events.

Announcement: "Any1's Rez Day Benefit" For Feed A Smile

Any1 Gynoid, a former CNN iReporter and former member of the Newser team, has her tenth Rezzday today. To celebrate, she's turning the occasion into a n 11 hour long  benefit, with stand-up comedy, and live music, with proceeds going to "Feed a Smile," which funds the charity "Live and Learn" in Kenya.

For more information, check out their webpage at: http://www.leben-lernen-kenia.org/typo3/index.php?id=115&L=1

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Feed%20a%20Smile/61/142/23

Safe Water Foundation Meeting and Underwater Birthday Bash

On June 10 at Noon SL time, there was a meeting at the Safe Waters Foundation in which Gentle Heron of Virtual Ability gave an open discussion about how the disabled could access Second Life, and how a welcome area suited to their particular needs could encourage them to stay. The meeting was attended by SWF head Grace (GraceSWF Wrigglesworth), and Barbie Alchemi of Creations for Parkinson's. Any1 Gynoid was also there. The event took place on the ocean floor of the Union Passage sim.

Grace happened to have her rezzday about this time. And at 6PM her friends in and out of the group held a rezzday party for her.

The party was mostly merfolk, but there were a few others, including a couple people in diving helmets. Kiosks for the Relay for Life and the Team Fox Parkinson's charities were placed and  collected a few thousand Linden dollars. Much of the music played was Celtic and Celtic-inspired. Tours were offered, and yours truly got a chance to see some places around the bottom of the Blake Sea.

Stay tuned for more about the Safe Water Foundation and the Blake Sea.

Addition: Grace told me the discussion happens at Union Passage (96/229/1) every two weeks, and is called, "Let's Mertalk," "Sometimes Open Topic and other times there will be other topics announced in advance."

Bixyl Shuftan

Reader Submitted: D.R.U.M. – Celebration and Remembrance

Any1 Gynoid, who describes herself as a "reader contributor" to the Second Life Newser has sent us another submission. She writes about a recent event at Creations for Parkinson's. They hosted an event by the Divine Rhythms of Universal Music, better known as D.R.U.M., of the Burn2 group. DRUM has been around. Part art and part musical performance, they certainly stand out.

Read Any1's article in Events.

Reader Submitted: Cinco De Mayo in Second Life

In the past, Any1 Gynoid had written for the Newser, as well as CNN iReports. While she has left the paper, she occasionally keeps in touch with us. She recently sent us a submission about a party she had went to recently: Cinco De Mayo. While many of us north of the border have "Cinco De Mayo" parties in bars and other places around the fifth of May, just exactly what is the holiday? And as it turns out, the day is also celebrated on the other side of the Atlantic, but for another reason.

Read Any1's reader submission in Events.

A Little Music With DJ Pilot, And Friend

On Thursday August 18, I ran into DJ Pilot. Although known for her "Sunday Riot" at Devon Dream, she DJs at a few other places. Here, she entertained a small crowd.

Among those there was Any1 Gynoid, who wrote for James and Dana's SL Newspaper and the Second Life Newser in it's early days. It was a happy chance encounter.

See more of DJ Pilot at her "Sunday Riot" at Devon Dream (207/31/3992)

News and Commentary: SL Day of Remembrance and Action Against Violence

Longtime readers may remember Any1 Gynoid, the freelance reporter whom mixed journalism with social activism, whose stories appeared both in the Newser and CNN. She recently picked up her pen again after hearing about a gathering of people discussing a tragedy in Mexico that sparked the "16 Days Against Violence Against Women" event four years ago.

Read Any1's story in People.

Crew Meeting

 The Newser crew had it's monthly meeting last weekend on November 8. Those present were from right to left Fritter Enzyme, Gemma Cleanslate, Tiddly Winks, and Bixyl Shuftan (me). Former CNN iReporter Any1 Gynold was also there. Topics included coverage of the upcomingVeterans Day and Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Fritter Enzyme showed up in a "politically incorrect" avatar that he had gotten from a gacha. So why the American Indian headdress? Maybe with cold weather coming, he was trying to keep his wig wam.

Bixyl Shuftan

Crew Meeting

 Saturday October 4 was the day the Newser crew met for it's monthly meeting at our office in HV Community. Attending were Wesley Regenbogen, DrFran Babcock, Nydia Tungsten, Theonlyjohnny Resident, and Bixyl Shuftan (myself). Also there was Any1 Gynoid, a former CNN iReporter for Second Life, and Jian Allicot, whom expressed interest in Nydia's idea for broadcast news videos.

Dr Fran showed up a little early. She was back from a vacation in real life, and looking forward to writing again. As usual, she had a pet with her, this time a little piggy she insisted was "lunch." Heh, at that size, expensive bacon.

And with me putting the spotlight on Fran on her pets so much, well, turnout's fair play. Here I am with "Chilly," the Firekitty from the Firestorm anniversary party last month. It got a few jokes from Any1, whom brought up an infamous joke between Johnny Carson and Zsa Zsa Gabor about the pet cat she brought with her and was on her lap. ... well, infamous to me.

Never a dull moment around here.

Bixyl Shuftan

September 2014 Crew Meeting

On Saturday September 6, The Newser held it's monthly crew meeting. Those attending were Gemma Cleanslate, DrFran Babcock, Wesley Regenbogen, Theonlyjohnny Resident, Mermaid Celene (Celenehighwater), and Editor Bixyl Shuftan. Also there was Any1 Gynoid, whom has an interesting history with the paper.

Topics included subjects such as September 11th and Talk Like a Pirate Day. Also discussed was about an interview of a former wrestler that had to be pulled when some readers from the wrestling community told of having never heard from him. No one had pulled one over the paper like this before, and it was resolved we would be more careful about writing about wrestlers none of us had heard from.

But not all was of serious matters. DrFran showed off her pet pink kitty, which she had gotten from a gacha. This got a few jokes, including one from Any1 asking if she being a catgirl should get on someone's lap as well.

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day: At the Jamm for Genes

Any1 Gynoid at the "Jamm for Genes," Still going on  at Vahalla Island until about 10AM today. While it wasn't really the YMCA song being sung, her dance made me think of it. ;-)

By Bixyl Shuftan

Party Time at Qwark and Gemma's

On June 21 at Noon SL time, Gemma Cleanslate and Qwark Allen threw a beach party at their house. They called it the last of the SL Newser celebration parties, though as it took place a week later, to me it was more like a "between the birthdays" bash, with the SL11B just a couple days later.

Those dropping by included Any1 Gynoid, the former CNN iReporter, and Chakat Northspring of Team Firestorm. The latter brought out her pet firekitty on her back after seeing Qwark's playing in the sand.

Besides dancing, one could pick up a drink at the bar, or a snack.

Grease Coakes shows off a colorful "pawsome" animation.

One last look at the hosts of the party.

By Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day

Any1 Gynoid taking a seat at the old office, and the script doesn't quite work right.

By Bixyl Shuftan

The First 2012 Presidential Debate in Second LIfe

Last night, Oct 3, the first Presidential debate was seen on TV, but it was also seen in Second Life. At least it was watched in two locations: Cafe Wellstone and the Republican Party in Second Life HQ. So how did the different audiences react and who won?

Read more in Events.

The SL Newser Beach Party at Cova's Cove

It was a great party at Cova's Cove yesterday. Begining at 11AM, both the Newser staff and friends of began dropping in.

Others not pictured here whom dropped in included Netera Landar. The owner of the beach, Covadona Writer, was also briefly there.

Blogger DrFran Babcock took this picture. My computer couldn't process her mesh shoes.


Any1 on a whirl. She talked about being in a lively debate with a Plot Tracer earlier.

For more than two hours, it was a fun time held by all. But this isn't the end. There will be at least one more event, at Wednesday at 2PM at DJ Qwark's Sky Platform. We should have another this Saturday.

Thanks to a great team, two years in business. And here's to many more.

Bixyl Shuftan