Announcement: Bellissera's Third Anniversary Event

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Today, Bellisseria celebrates it's third anniversary with the start of a three-day event. Things start at 10 AM with a speech from Patch Linden. DJ events and dances go on until around 7PM SL time. Saturday has more events from 10 AM to 9 PM, notably a residents vs Moles boat race at 11 AM. Sunday the events are from 10 AM to around 5PM.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bellisseria%20Fairgrounds/171/239/24
 

SL Youtube: Avination's Aniversary

Remember the A1B Aniversary at the Avination Grid? The A-Team later published a youtube of their event.



They also have some photos of the celebration on their Flickr account Here.

I noticed one of the A-Team, Zandzum, was going about in a clown suit. But no one "pittied the fool." ;-)

Avination Celebrates One Year Aniversary

From Thursday to today Saturday, the Avination Grid has been having it’s first official Anniversary celebrations. Conducted mostly in a sim appropriately named Avn1B, there were live concerts to attend, as well as a few freebies to pick up and a few amsements, such as an amusement park ride and a maze sim. There was also a raffle in one building on the northeast, the prize being getting an Avination sim rent-free for a year.

Dropping by on Friday afternoon, a Carah Nitely was singing. While the crowd at 26 residents would be considered great for a typical party in Second Life, it seemed small considering the magnitude of the event. Among the crowd were some of Avination’s “A-Team,” the equivalent of Second Life’s Lindens. Chatting with someone with customer relations, she admitted things were a bit smaller and simpler here, but the A-Team was far better at listening to the residents and dealing with problems.

Avination has had great success as well as challenges in it’s first year. It grew rapidly, then more recently began leveling off. There has also been a debate about Avination having a less strict gambling policy than Linden Labs, some saying it gives the residents more choice, others expressing worry about the gaming halls. It was partially because of their allowing gambling that Paypal and Avination almost parted ways but reconciled. There were also rumors floating around that Avination hired JCool/Fractured Crystal of Team Emerald to work on their viewer. Although the man in question was later booted from Avination for trying to access Second Life again after being banned, there has been no solid evidence to support the rumors.

For Saturday, from 10AM-2PM is the “Avination Networking Event “at the Avn1B region. From 3PM-5PM is the Avn1B Final Party with DJ Volkmar Taurog at Club Wastelands in the City Center region

For more information about the anniversary event, contact Micheleh Center at helen@avination.com.

Sources: Avination Forum, Avination Official Blog, Hypergrid Business

*Addition* The winner of the free sim for a year was Isis Ophelia. Also, the A-Team later published a youtube of their event.



They also have some photos on their Flickr account Here.

Bixyl Shuftan

SL Machinima: "The Magic of Second Life"

"The Magic of Second Life," by acclaimed machinima artist Phaylen Fairchild, captures the evolution, magic and imagination of SL from inception to its eight year anniversary (SL8B).

SL Machinima: "When Second Life Turns Eight"

When Second Life Turns Eight (SL8B)

On June 23, 2011, Second Life will be officially eight years old. Can you believe it? A hard-working team of Resident volunteers and Lindens have been busily preparing for the annual birthday bash—laying down the groundwork (literally) for you to celebrate.

The event kicks off at 10:00 a.m. SLT on Monday, June 20 and runs through Sunday, June 26 with a glittering assortment of musicians, speakers, artists, business leads, media mavens, merchants, social organizers, and other amazing Residents like you.

from Chantal Harvey

SL8B Waiting for the Magic

The excitement is electric. Builders who will be creating exhibits for the SL8B are clammering to be admitted to the group and sites. I listened in on a Second Life birthday group IM and could feel the anticipation to start placing builds. As Millay Freschi, one of the builders said, “I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone does with the theme..I love the magic and the inspirational perspective!! what could be better! We could use a little of that as a world.”

Poor people trying to give out the tags ... 300 to go! It will be an exciting week for sure, June 20-26. I will be a greeter for the event. I have attended the event for the last 3 years and am amazed at the level of creativity and fun that shows up. If you have not been there before save a lot of time! It is there for a week for a reason. There are so many sites to visit and interact with and look at with awe. I cannot wait!

Gemma Cleanslate

Join Second Life Newser for a PARTY!

Later today, the staff of Second Life Newser will be hosting a party to celebrate our six month anniversary. For six months, we've been reporting the news under our paper, and it's time to have a little fun.

The event starts at 11 AM at a friend's place. So be sure to IM us and as for a teleport over.

Bixyl Shuftan

Three Years of “Fox News”

Earlier this month was three years since I took on the job of reporter in Second Life. For me, it was a happy time, with a long “newbie” period behind me and having a couple hangouts and a good group of friends. Looking up websites about Second Life to learn more, I came across Second Life Newspaper, and it’s call for reader submissions. And after sending over a few, its owner and editor, JamesT Juno and Dana Vanmoer, invited me to join them.

It’s been an interesting time, of good moments, and not so good. For me, it was my first job in Second Life, and at doing something I loved: writing. I made a number of friends there, and we had a lot of fun with the workplace parties, and my work getting an audience. I proudly wore the title of “reporter,” considering it an honor here. Although a few people looked at me suspiciously, more than one being mindful of the Grid’s tabloid “The Herald,” most were happy to have me around. And when Dana made me the office manager of Second Life, technically third in charge behind her and James, I felt proud, and happy.

For a long time Second Life Newspaper thrived. We made a deal with a noted land baron, moved to a roomy location, and had a couple classy offices, the second one there quite large. But the land baron went bankrupt, and the owner and manager had to deal with some real life-trouble. Dana’s skill kept the paper afloat, and making a profit for a while longer, but real-life pressures were just to much, and she had to leave.

And so, my perspective changed, from reporter to owner and editor. Not just writing stories, but having the responsibility for owning and running a paper, paying staff, cutting deals and negotiating. While I had done some negotiations before with advertorials under SLN, there was more of that at SL Newser. But with the much-needed help of my staff, and people willing to sponsor and otherwise help out, I persisted. December will mark six months of us under a new name, and as long as my friends keep writing (believe me, without them the paper wouldn't be around) and real-life allows I’ll be continuing to run it and write as long as there’s a grid under my avatar’s virtual fox feet.

Second Life has also changed. When I started, it was still relatively new and shiny in the eyes of the media, articles appearing regularly on the BBC news website and elsewhere. It was even on some broadcast television shows, such as CSI. And it’s population grew steadily. We didn’t have the numbers of “World of Warcraft,” but there was a good deal of optimism, and Philip and Linden Labs, despite their blunders, still had their dreams of a world of possibilities for residents, “Our World, Your Rules,” and plans for the Grid being an ideal place for business meetings and education.

Today, Second Life has demonstrated time and time again it’s possibilities. But seldom does it make headline news any more, usually an occasional mention in computer journals. The Lindens seem to be putting more distance between themselves and the residents, a number of popular ones gone and Philip himself departing (twice) to other pastures. Their plans for Second Life being a place for business meetings has been shelved, and as a place for education put on the back burner. “Our World, Your Rules” is no longer the slogan, but a reminder of simpler times.

But Second Life’s epitaph has been written time and time before. And despite the setbacks it continues to go on, even prosper. Not because of the Lindens, but the residents whom have demonstrated time and time again how creative they can be.

And it’s my pleasure to keep on spreading the word about it, now not just my own accounts, but the reports of trusted friends.

Bixyl Shuftan

SL7B Officially Concludes, Exhibits to Remain Up Until July 3

The Second Life Seventh Birthday celebration officially concluded around Midnight last night when the last event ended. But by all means the fun is not over. For any one whom didn't have a lot of time last week, the exhibits will be allowed to remain up, if not encouraged, until July 3. Courtney Linden stated that exhibits remaining on July 3rd must be taken down, or the builds will be lost when the sims close.

Doctor Gascoigne of the SL Birthday team had this final comment, "We want to thank everyone from Events Staff, Live Performance and DJs, Stage Builders, Stage Coordinators, Stage Managers and Stream Coordinators. Thank you for helping us deliver another great celebration."

"See you next year. Great work!!!!"

Childhood in SL - A Visit to the SL Kids SL7B Exhibit

Among the exhibits that stand out in SL7B is the SL Kids place, "Unexpected Childhoods." The kid avatars in Second Life occasionally raise eyebrows, due to people wondering why would someone grown want to experience the Metaverse as a child? Our reporter Gemma Cleanslate takes a look at the exhibit, and the avatars behind it.

Read the story in People.