Looking Back: The Palestinian Extremist Sim

 

In real-life news, it's been about a month since the Hamas terrorist organization attacked Israel. In the resulting carnage, over 1400 Israelis were killed, notably many civilians in their own neighborhoods or attending a music concert. There have been numerous stories of grenades tossed into safe rooms where terrified families were hiding, and piles of decapitated babies. Many were also taken hostage. American visitors were among both the dead and abducted. 

 

In response, Israel responded by bombing Hamas positions in Gaza, the tiny but densely populated strip of land controlled by the terrorists, and then following up with an invasion. With so many people in the place and the terrorists taking positions so close to where noncombatants lived, the result has been scores of civilian casualties. With the stories of civilian suffering, there have been numerous calls among neighboring Arab states for a ceasefire, and pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the US and Europe. But there has been no alternative plan to get rid of the terrorists. 

 

Eleven years ago in November 2012, there was a less devastating attack on Israel from Hamas involving a number of rockets, resulting in a fight in which Hamas claimed victory despite coming out of it heavily damaged. In Second Life, there was also a Palestinian militant propaganda sim, Jordan River. The place was full of propaganda, referring to the Israelis as "Zionists," comparing them to Nazis, and calling for the end of the nation of Israel. Others spoke out against the place, Hamlet Au of New World Notes calling it a place with the "most extreme forms of expression."One commentator would say, "It seems strange to me that one can have a sim that calls for the annhilation of the state of Israel. And that's okay. But if (I) created one calling for the annhilation of Syria, Iran, Palestine or Egypt, why, then I'd be in violation of the TOS for 'hate speech'. Seems unfair to me."

 

Checking again several months later, Jordon River was gone. While it's possible the owner closed the sim on his own, more likely Linden Lab finally caught wind of the place and shut it down. 

Bixyl Shuftan

Apple Says No To IOS SL Mobile Client

 

As you may know, Linden Lab has been working on a Second Life app for mobile devices. Last month, it looked like one would be soon be available in beta. But it appears the wait will be a little longer. In the Web User Group meeting held on Wednesday October 7, it was revealed that a beta version of the IOS (iPhone Operating System) version of the SL mobile app had been submitted to Apple to appear in it's app store, and was rejected. The reasons for the rejection were not revealed, only that the Lab is working to correct the issues.

For now, the IOS app remains in closed alpha. The Android version is described as behind the IOS in development.

Unrelated to Second Life but of note to gamers,  Apple has been at odds with Epic, the company behind the popular Fortnite game, over what both sides claim is unreasonable behavior. Apple took Fortnite off it's app store over what it called violations of the agreement between them and Epic. A week ago on October 9, a judge ruled that Apple didn't have to put the game back.

Sources: Daniel Voyager, Modem World, CNN, Forbes

Bixyl Shuftan

Reader Submitted: My Banning From Faery Crossing, And Beyond

When people think of someone being banned from a sim, they usually think of a troublemaker. But what if the person had made numerous attempts to reconcile differences? In a reader submission sent to the Newser, MajikVixen (Bluevioletvixen Lorefield) describes her situation with the Faerie Crossing community, of which despite her efforts to smooth out differences she ended up banned from the area. Here, MajikVixen presents her side of the story. But the most important thing, she feels, is that there can be a life after banning for a resident of Second Life.

Read MajikVixen's story in Extra.

"Conflict Resolution"

It's been stated before that the biggest source of troubles for people is, other people. No matter how much you try to get along, it seems that sooner or later you run afoul of someone. In her newest article, MajikVixen talks about how to deal with the other parties in disputes and a few tips in resolving them.

Read MajikVixen's article in People.

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.

Memorial Day in Second Life

Memorial Day is here, and for Second Life residents in the United States, time to take a few moments to remember the fallen Veterans of its wars, past and present.

Among the places with memorials, Southern Colorado sim has one, built by owner Daaneth Kivioq.

"Memorial day is upon us, and it is time to honor those who have selflessly served America - especially those who have fallen fighting in her honor. Several years ago I created a small memorial to them in Hope Gardens. I invite you to come visit it, and spend a few minutes remembering those who have sacrificed so much."

At the memorial, a plaque reads, "My angel, his name is Freedom - choose him to be your king. He shall cut pathways east and west, and fend you with his wing." - Ralph Waldo Emmerson

"Dedicated to all those whom have given life or limb in service of the Angel named Freedom."

Southern Colorado (129, 42, 25)

Probably the best known veterans' memorial in Second Life is the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial. Created by Meme Science, modeled after the real life wall, it has over 58,000 names of those killed and missing from the Vietnam War. More information can be found at it's website: http://www.thewallsl.com/

To get to the Vietnam Wall, Click Here.


The Patriot Island sim is the home of a Veterans' group. Naturally, it has it's own memorial, one for those soldiers whose remains were never identified: The Tomb of the Unknowns.

The memorial is located at Patriot Island (111, 123, 29).

These of course are just a few memorials. Look for more.

Bixyl Shuftan