Person(s) of The Year: Baron Wulfenbach/Melanippe of Themiscyra

 

Many people made the news last year. Sadly, the person who had the most impact was with her departure. On November 7, we reported that a lady player behind both Baron Klaus Wulfenbach (Klauswulfenbach Outlander) and Melanippe of Themiscyra (Melanippe Karas) had died. 

 

Baron Wulfenbach was based on the "Girl Genius" online comic character of the same name, and was constantly in character (though often in a better mood), and was quite a presence in the Steamlands. While he had his own sim, he was often in other places such as Steelhead. Melanippe of Themiscyra (melanippe.karas) was part of the ROMA community, and part of a number of events. 

 

Memorial events were held for both personas. The one at ROMA for Melanippe had a roleplayed funeral ritual, followed by a talk about both her and the Baron. A few days later at the Burton Library in New Babbage, people gathered, a few who hadn't been online in a while, to talk about the Baron, but also Melanippe. 

 

Honorable mentions include Crim Mip, the development teams behind the mobile viewer and the avatar welcome package, Scrim Pinion, and the Relay for Life Volunteer group.

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

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

People of the Year: The Moles

The Moles of Second Life, the residents of the Grid hired by Linden Lab to build and script things, haven't always gotten much notice. "The other blue dots" often went about unnoticed, though some residents did give them a friendly thank you for their efforts, notably the people of Bay City whom hold a "Mole Day" every February.

Most years, the Moles have a big project to take care of, recent ones being the Tyra and the Magical Glytches game and updating the Linden Realms game. But this year, they had their work cut out for them. Bellisseria, which had it's beginnings with the SSP landmass, has been nothing short of a massive undertaking with a lot of work done before it's opening in April. And they've continued to work at it, increasing it's landmass over time with details large and small. This included building and opening new Linden Homes, including the new camper homes in a campsite area. Sometimes they've been building with residents looking over their shoulders. And all this time, they've kept a sense of humor about it. The Moles' efforts didn't just build land, but the people whom moved into the new Linden homes came together into a new community, one that's been the scene of fun activities, and some beautiful shows. This month, what was probably Bellisseria's last major expansion was done. While perhaps there's a little more to do, what's been accomplished this year can only be called a great success.

For this, and keeping in mind their previous accomplishments, the Second Life Newser declares the Moles it's Second Life's 2019 Persons of the Year.

So what is it like being a mole, their interview at this year's "Meet the Lindens" events had a few details. (Click Here)

Bixyl Shuftan

Persons of the Year: The Second Life Birthday Volunteers

Second Life had it's share of people making the news this year, as well as people behind places and events making the news, and those making an impact behind the scenes. Finding someone who both stood out and made a difference was less than easy. But we did find someone.

Every year since it's first, there has been an anniversary celebration of some kind within Second Life, the Second Life Birthday. With one exception, the first eight were handled by Linden Lab. But in 2012, the Lab announced it would no longer be organizing one. What happened was that a number of residents took it into their own hands to organize the event, and these volunteers saved "The Birthday." Had the Newser been giving out it's "Man of the Year" award then, it would have gone to them.

This year came a milestone birthday, Second Life's fifteenth. It would me more than just the usual crowd of Second Life residents, but people coming back after taking a break for a few years as well as a few from tech blogs and magazines whom would be seeing the event as an example of the best of what Second Life has to offer, and giving their critical eye of what they saw. While Linden Lab has been taking a role in anniversary celebrations lately, such as the Musicfest and the "Meet and Greet" with noted Lindens, "The Birthday" is still up to a group of hardworking, and mostly overlooked volunteers.

Any Second Life Birthday is a challenge to undertake, the planning, the exhibit inspections, greeting and guiding visitors, watching out for griefers, finding people to fill in for musicians who can't make it, and more. And occasionally mistakes are made. But as always the Second Life Birthday volunteers rose to the challenge, and they tackled it well.

Many of the SLB volunteers have been mentioned in the Newser a number of times, such as Marianne McCann, Faust Steamer, Treacle Darlandes, and others. Our own Gemma Cleanslate was an SLB greeter for a few years. But many others have done their (unpaid) jobs practically unnoticed outside the volunteer group.

So for their hard work this year, as well as previous years, for this high-profile event, the Second Life Newser names the Second Life Birthday volunteers as it's Persons of the Year.

Stand by for our runner-up on Monday.

Bixyl Shuftan
Editor, Second Life Newser

2017 Person of the Year Runners Up: Barbie Alchemi and Fran Serenade

The Newser's choice of Man of the Year for 2017 as Ajit Pai, as expected, did not sit well with everyone. Several people talked to me or otherwise left messages, saying either our concerns on the issue of Net Neutrality were misplaced, or that the title should have gone to someone who made a difference for the better. But Time Magazine's Man of the Year annual magazine, which was the inspiration for our annual article, does not always chose a force for good, just the person, persons, or object that has done the most to influence events, for good or ill.

Still, there were plenty of movers and shakers in Second Life that made an impact. And so we can chose someone for runner up. It was not an easy choice, but we have picked two.

Barbie Alchemi and Fran Serenade are the women behind Creations for Parkinsons. While Barbie is the owner and leader of the sims and the groups involved, Fran is the inspiration for them. Having been earlier aflicted with Parkinson's, her time here has been atributed to not only halting the progress of the illness, but reversing it.

This year, they were mentioned in the Newser a number of times, such as when a 90th birthday party for Fran was held inworld, and they held their Gotham Island Hallowen fundraiser for money for Parkinson's research. And earlier articles and videos, notably Draxtor Despress' video of them, continue to draw attention to both them and the virtual world of Second Life. In the case of the latter, it offers people a view of the virtual world that's world's apart from the tabliodish depiction the public has often gotten.



So for their continued work for charity, for their continuing to be an inspiration for others in Second Life and showing people unfamiliar with the virtual world the good it can do, the Newser names Barbie Alchemi and Fran Serenade as it's runners up for Person of the Year.

Bixyl Shuftan
Editor
SL Newser