Palestinian Extremist Sim Gone

In November last year, Second Life Newser reported on the Jordan River sim (article), of which the owners had built an area to support the cause of Palestinian terrorist groups whose goal it was to topple and overthrow the state of Israel. Taking a look back there recently, the Arabic scripts and black, red, & white flags were gone. The sim was now in someone else's hands for whatever other means they wanted, and all of the propaganda gone.

It is unclear exactly when in the previous year the old owners lost the sim, and why. Perhaps Linden Lab finally decided to put their foot down about residents actively calling out for the end of a democratic country, and it's people (which include Muslim and Christian Arabs among it's citizens and government, in addition to the descendants of Jewish people from Europe whom had returned to the place of their ancestral orgin). Or perhaps it was closed from the owners not being able to pay their teir. Or maybe it's builders closed it on their own, deciding there was a better use for their time and money.

Whatever the reason, while the end of a sim is usually a sad occasion, this time most residents are more likely to take the news with relief.

Bixyl Shuftan

Palestinian Propaganda Sim

Recent events in the news included the latest eruption of violence between Israel and the Palestinians with the launching of rockets into the former from Gaza. It isn't just in the news that one can find Arabs and Israeli's bickering. There's a sim in Second Life owned by residents supporting Palestinian resistance, made as a place to display propaganda.

Read more in Places.

A Look at Egypt, One Year Later

It was one year ago this month that the "Arab Spring" took Egypt by storm, with demonstrations against the Mubarak regime that had ruled for many years. They were reflected in Second Life at the Egypt (All Arab) sim, with people making demonstrations of their own, both Arab and not, calling for democracy. And when they won, there was celebration in the streets of the sim.


Fast forward a little more than a year later, the layout of the sim has changed a bit, a river dividing the place, but the general theme of a hangout for Egyptains & friends with games and clubs, plus an ancient Egypt theme in places to attract tourists, remains the same. I arrived at an hour when most of the Egyptians were asleep, but did run into a couple whom were happy to have visitors dropping in, especially someone spreading word about the place.

Unfortunetly, the hopes from the Arab Spring uprising have not come to pass for Egypt in real life. The country remains under the control of the military, and the opposition has come to be dominated by Islamist parties calling for law based on their interpretation of Sharia, women to be restricted to more traditional roles, and an end to the treaty with Israel, which would technically bring the country to a state of war. And more recently another troubling development: the regime has been going after Americans, charging them with "anti-government activities."

Bixyl Shuftan

Anti-Kadaffi Demonstrations at Clearwater Beach

A sizable demonstration against Libyan dictator Kadaffi took place in Second Life today. Taking place in front of a replica of the UN building, the crowd spoke out against the reported slaugther of civilians by mercenary troops hired by the strongman.

"There was about 50 people or so here about 3pm," Second Life Newser was told by demonstrator Suzy Honey, "people from all over the world, Europeans, Japanese, Arabs." Another of the group, Ms Qunhua, mentioned there would be another protest Tuesday at 10AM SL time.

For the past 24 hours, Kadaffi's position of power has been steadily deteriorating in this latest Middle Eastern nation hit by waves of unrest. The second largest city is reportedly in the hands of protesters. Two Libyan jets landed in Malta and defected, saying they were ordered to fire on civilians. Kadaffi's son warned on the radio that he and his father would not be stepping down like the leaders in Tunisia and Egypt, and threatened thousands would die. Kadaffi himself has reportedly left the capital of Tripoli, his current whereabouts unknown. The number of dead is supposedly in the hundreds at least.

More about the protests can be read in CNN articles by Janey Bracken and Nadia Lane.

The demonstrations are taking place at Clearwater Beach (144, 98, 25).

(Picture from Suzy Honey)

Bixyl Shuftan

Egypt Sim: Protests Turn to Celebration at News of Egyptian Leader’s Stepping Down

Events in the country of Egypt have taken some dramatic turns this week in real life. In Second Life, these events were reflected at the Egypt sim as people protested strongman Mubarak's refusal to resign one day, and the next were celebrating his departure.

Read the article in Events.

Egypt Sim: The Loyalists Appear

As the turmoil goes on in Egypt in real-life, there have been some more developments at the Egypt sim. Stopping by Thursday, the place was much more quiet than it had been the previous day, with fewer avatars and much less chatter. There were also a number of signs that were supportive of Egyptian leader Mubarak, as well as a few avatars wearing tags supporting him. There was also one sign with a picture of a blindfold over the Statue of Liberty "The Big Lie."

People continued to drop by and express there support for Egypt, one woman telling me she had a good friend from the country, "I love Egypt, and all my friends from Egypt." There was much less debate on the protests, someone telling me a number of people had been banned from the sim. I saw Ammroty Aedipo the sim, owner, but he appeared to be away from his keyboard. Seeing him log off, I sent him a notecard, but it went unanswered. I saw him the following day, but he was busy chatting with someone.

Dropping by briefly on Friday, the crowd was a little larger and the chatter a little more active, but the talk was often on subjects other than Egypt, such as US President Obama's domestic policies. One resident did express curiosity about some people apparently changing sides on the issue of Mubarak.

Back in real-life Egypt, Thursday saw much fighting as pro-government groups attacked anti-government protesters. Reporters found themselves under attack too, subject to rock throwing and beatings, and authorities began ordering journalists confined to their motels. Some observers feared this was a sign of loyalist forces about to do something really bad. But Friday's largest demonstrations have apparently gone peacefully, pictures showing some from opposing sides shaking hands and dancing.

What happens next in Egypt is anyone's guess, but no doubt the Egypt sim will continue to be a place of activity and debate for as long as the situation goes on.

Bixyl Shuftan

Demonstrating at the Egypt Sim

With Egypt's protests so much in the news, the spotlight has been put on the Egypt sim in Second Life. Run by an Egyptian group, when I first came here there were just a handful of residents, discussing recent events. Over the next couple days, more residents dropped in to voice their opinions.

Read the article in Events.