Shining The Light On The Midnight Cabaret

 

Netera Landar recently stopped by the Midnight Cabaret. This venue was well-designed with a picturesque interior and good music for the parties. Netera would have a few words with Melita, one of the staff behind the place, about how it came to be and what makes it stand out from other places to party.

 

Read Netera's article in Design.  

 

Interview With Frets Nirvana, Musician And Veterans Advocate

 

Frets Nirvana is a name many longtime readers of the Newser will recognize.  Perhaps best known for organizing monthly benefit concerts at Veterans Isle, he's had a long career in music in both real life and Second Life. Netera Lander recently interviewed him, finding out what musicians influenced him over time, other details on him as a musician in both real life in Second Life, and particular reasons on what led him to organize the fundraisers he does for veterans.

 

Read Netera's interview in People. 

 

Interview With Some T. Jupiter

 

Netera Landar recently interviewed Second Life musician Some T. Jupiter (Somewhereintime Jupiter). While he started out singing Blues music, he also does a variety of other genres. So how did he start and how did he find out about Second Life. Netera would find out those, and more. 

 

Read Netera's interview in People.  

 

Walk Around the Grid: The Willows Cartoon Night

 

In her latest "Walk Around The Grid" article, Netera Landar writes about, and shows some pictures from, when a favorite club of hers, Willows, threw a party that no doubt brought back some happy childhood memories among many: Cartoon Night. She and others danced along classic cartoon characters, and some more recent stars. 

 

Read Netera's story in Events. 

 

Interview With Veo Voom

 

In Netera Landar's latest article, she interviews the musician Veo Voom. When first seen, he was an unusual sight, covered in tattoos, wearing a raccoon t-shirt, and playing a guitar resembling a pizza. “I think I’ve always been unapologetically myself," he would say.  A longtime musician in real life, once he found out about Second Life, "I dove down the beautiful rabbit hole of live music." He would talk about this, and more. 

 

 Read Netera's interview in People.

 

Walk Around The Grid: Pet Pharmacy's Sixth Anniversary

 

Netera Landar was recently at the anniversary party of a venue known as Pet Pharmacy. Attendance was heavy, with everyone well-dressed, and dancing to swing music by the DJs.

 

See Netera's screenshots of the anniversary in Events.  

 

The Ever-Turning Experience Of Joel Eilde

 

Netera Landar recently interviewed singer/songwriter Joel Eilde, who has been performing in Second Life for years. He enjoys focusing on numerous genres. He spoke with Netera about his love of creating music.

 

Read Netera's interview in People. 

 

Rocking Sands

 

In Netera Landar's article for today, she steps away from Second Life and reports on a place in another virtual world.  The Wolf Territories Grid, an Opensim world, is pretty small compared to ours, just a few thousand residents. But it doesn't lack in entertainment. Among the venues is the Rocking Sands club, owned by Eagle Palmer and Anjolie Amore. So what did she have to say about the location?

 

Read Netera's article in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games. 

 

At The SLB23 Shop & Hop

 

One of the biggest annual shopping events is the Second Life Birthday's Shop and Hop. With hundreds of shops to go through, there's plenty to see. Netera Landar decided to go check it out. So what did she find?

 

Read Netera's article in Fashion. 

 

After Dark

 

Newser reporter Netera Landar recently wrote about a venue that caught her eye: After Dark. Owned and managed by Meegan Dantz and located in the Idle Rogue sim, the venue had an aesthetic that caught her eye, particularly when viewed at Midnight. But there's more to the place than good looks. 

 

Read Netera's story in Places.

 

Black Flowers

 

Netera Landar recently stopped by a women's fashion store called "Black Flowers," located in Four B District. Joining the store group allows you access to some gifts, Plus there was a sale in which some good outfits were available at a low price. 

 

Read Netera's article in Fashion .

 

Ghee

 

For today, Netera Landar writes about a women's wear store in Second Life: Ghee. Owned by Sophia Paez Serendipity, it's noted for clothes made by Warm Clarity. By joining the store group, one gets access to a number of good outfits for practically nothing. But the place offers more than bargains. Netera found some classic styles that stood out and looked great.

 

Read Neteral's article in Fashion. 

 

Sixteen Years Of The Newser

 

In Spring 2010, the staff of the Second Life Newspaper faced a dilemma. It had not been a good past several months. A sponsor went under, forcing them to abandon their office and build a new smaller one elsewhere. The owner and founder JamesT Juno was facing real-life difficulties and had to take an indefinite break from Second Life. And Editor Dana Vanmoer was spending less and less time inworld due to real-life as well. Finally in their April meeting, Dana announced she was having to close the paper. It was news that shocked the rest of us, some having been writing for the "Gray Lady" of SL for most of it's three and a half year history.

So we talked amongst ourselves, and four of us, Gemma Cleanslate, Grey Lupindo, Shirley Sands, and Bixyl Shuftan (myself) made the decision to start a new newsletter. Since I was the one with the most experience, being Dana's assistant editor aka Office Manager, I would be the owner and editor. And so on June 5 2010, the day the Second Life Newspaper made it's last entry, the Second Life Newser would start. 

Sadly, our first topic was covering the retirement of the established paper. Following that were a few routine articles. Then came shocking news. Linden Lab was laying off a third of it's staff. This would include some popular Lindens. Then came news of then CEO M Linden stepping down and Philip Linden returning as interim CEO. We would cover a happy event as expected, the Second Life Birthday, the SL7B, though we also reported on the close of the classic Greenies sim which longtime residents from the early days still look back on fondly. And there was the office and land donated to us by Ranchan Wiedman of the Sunweaver/Angels community. It was an active first month. As the year went on, we would report on the Relay for Life, the Emeraldgate scandal, the decision to merge the teen grid and the older teens, Universal demanding Linden Lab shut down the Battlestar Galactica roleplay and then pulling back, Ozimal bunnies taking Amareto horses to real-life court, Philip stepping down and the new CEO Rod Humble stepping in, and the real-life news network CNN closing it's location in SL. To help us out, Breezes Babi and Any1 Gynoid would join the team. We would also get our first sponsor, the Podex Exchange owned by Jacek Shuftan (no relation). 2010 was a pretty active year. 

Since then the Newser team has continued to report the news, big and small, of the people, places, and events in this crazy and wonderful virtual world. There have been no shortage of problems, the occasional griefer, drama that can end a group or community, sims closing down, the occasional questionable move by Linden Lab (in the past this happened more often), and saddest of all people passing away. But there's also been plenty of good, memorials set up to honor soldiers and others who gave their all, support groups to help those with troubled thoughts, people tweaking the mechanics of this virtual world to explore it's possibilities, people who found friendships and comradery here, charities that help people in real life such as Team Diabetes, Homes For Our Troops, and the Relay for Life, and much more. 

Sadly, over time people have had to drop out of the Newser team due to real-life concerns. Grey Lupindo and Shelly Sands would drop out after a couple years. But we've had others step up to contribute to virtual journalism such as DrFran Babcock and Grease Coakes. Today, the Newser consists of three full time staff. Gemma Cleanslate (who is currently under medical leave) and myself remain from the original team, with Netera Landar having rejoined us and is productive as ever. 

Sixteen years later, Second Life is a very different place. The few sims owned by corporations and US Government agencies are gone. Mesh has changed the way people build. The people have themselves changed with the Boomers and Gen Xers slowly giving way to more Millenials and Zoomers. But what hasn't changed is people still want to know what's going on. And it's up to newsletters such as the Newser to deliver. We're not perfect and occasionally we miss something. But we're persistent. Every day we post something, even if it's just a video or cartoon. But we inform as well as entertain. Our mission as always is to report the news big and small on the people, places, and events of this virtual world. And we will continue to do so. 

Special thanks to JamesT Juno and Dana Vanmoer for showing us the ropes. Special thanks to Ranchan Wiedman and the Sunbeamer and Angels community for giving us our office. Special thanks to Linden Lab for giving us this virtual world to start with (but we still wonder about some of our strategies). And of course special thanks to you the readers without whom this newsletter would not be possible.

And that's the way it is. Good day from the Second Life Newser.

Bixyl Shuftan
Editor
SL Newser

 

Kaleidoscope – The Monarch Education Project

 

Netera Landar recently stopped by the Kaleidoscope sim to visit something interesting, especially to lovers of nature: The Monarch Education Project.  The place has much information about the Monarch butterfly, which unlike other butterflies migrates from north to south and back again every year, as well as being visually pleasing. One can pick up a freebie pet butterfly as well.

 

Read Netera's article in Places.  

Ministry of Trance

 

Netera Landar recently stopped by the Ministry of Trance. As a venue, it certainly left an interesting first impression with it's forest setting and DJ Puddles on a unicorn as she played the music. When Netera had a talk with her later, it turned out she was the owner and she didn't found the club, but took it over as a labor of love when it was about to shut down. Then there's the radio stream, and the Fairytale Palace. Netera would ask about these, and more. 

 

Read Netera's article in Design. 

 

Interview With Twin Ghost

 

Netera Landar recently interviewed the musician Twin Ghost. Unlike many musicians here in Second Life, Twin got his start in real life, as one of the members of a band in his older teens and even signing up with a major company and touring the country. These days, he can be found playing at venues inworld. Netera would have a number of questions for him, such as what brought him back here after an absence. 

 

Read Netera's interview in People.

 

Star Wars RFL Event At Rockin' Robin

 

On Monday May 4, Rockin' Robin was the scene of a fundraiser concert. The event was advertised as going on all day, and being May the Fourth, the theme was Star Wars.

 

We are dancing on the moon all day today (Monday, May 4th), for 24 hours at an event hosted by Team Bobbi Sue. Dress in anything space-related (Star Wars, Star Trek, astronauts, aliens) or casual. Singers today: Austin Moores at 5 pm, and Wolfie Moonshadow at 6 pm. There are also 10 raffles with some amazing prizes valued up to L$15,000!  

 

Yours truly dropped by when Austin Moores was singing, sporting an Emperor Palpatine avatar, at one point doubting the Star Wars villain probably couldn't sing a note.

 

 Backing up The Emperor Austin were dancers Netera Landar and Talia Sunsong.

 

It's not yet known to the Newser how much was raised by Team Bobby Sue, but at the end of the set, the total on both kiosks on the stage was close to a hundred thousand Linden dollars. Much had also been raised in the motorcycle and other prize raffles. 

 

 May the Fourth Be With You,

 

Bixyl Shuftan (with two pictures from Netera)

Update: The Newser was informed the event raised a total of L$479,446 , or  US$1980

SLEA - The Quiet Between Worlds

 

The Second Life Endowment for the Arts (SLEA) gets a number of art exhibits and exhibitions. Recently Netera Landar stopped by a particularly exceptional one. Located in SLEA8 and created by a team led by Nemesis and Nyx Marville, it has several levels where one can enjoy the music, remember those you lost, or simply spend some time alone to let your mind relax. 

 

Read Netera's article in  Design. 

Interview With Maestro (Mythrilweaver Atlas)

 

Recently at an event, Netera Landar ran into a talented resident named Maestro / Mithrilweaver Atlas. Also known as Konstantin the Mithrilweaver, he's an accomplished singer and songwriter, as well as a writer of poetry. Netera would interview him about these and more. 

 

Read Netera's interview in People.

 

Radio Spiral Hosts 7-Hour Bunny Hop Event

 

Netera Landar was recently at Radio Spiral, a place in Second Life that regularly performs electronica music, where you can find some longtime musicians such as Cypress Rosewood. The occasion was their "Bunny Hop" event. There was a bunny hunt with prizes, a riverboard ride, seven hours of relaxing music, and lots of company. 

 

Read Netera's story in Events.