Cartoon of The Day

 

 Taken at the PBC "Fright Fest." This lady's outfit was, well, quite shocking.

 

By Bixyl Shuftan 

 

Hurricaine Idalia Threatens American Southeast

 

 

 Just after Hurricane Hilary caused a scare for California, there's another major storm taking aim at Florida, and on course to barrel through Georgia and South & North Carolina: Hurricane Idalia. Projected to strengthen to Category Three before it lands, there's the possibility of it getting still stronger to Cat 4 when it hits the Florida coast this morning. The storm is expected to remain at hurricane strength as it heads through Georgia, and only weakening to tropical storm status in South Carolina, and continue on through southeast North Carolina, being out at sea only very early Friday morning.

 

People in the path of the storm can expect a strong possibility of electrical, and Internet, outage, and some on the outskirts may experience some interruptions as well. So some of us in Second Life may be offline, or notice some friends who are usually on being off.

 

Sources: News Nation, Weather Channel

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

The SL20B National And Global Contests

 

 The Second Life Birthdays have had prizes one can win for some time. But there's a chance to get a real-life prize from a contest here at the SL20B celebrations, in addition to a chance every day to get a free upgrade to Premium for a year, or maybe for life.

Visit the SL20B welcome area and look for the National and Global contest kiosks to win one of many huge prizes! Qualifying U.S. residents can  win a brand new Chevrolet Bolt EV car or a high-end ASUS computer in the physical world. Global community members can win one of several special prizes including daily giveaways of One-Year Premium Second Life Subscriptions and more!

 

The welcome area is in the SLB Awesome sim, a globe-shaped structure with greenery that in most hours of the day has had numbers of people. Going inside, at ground level there's a number of kiosks, and a rotating model of the grand prize for one of the two contests: a real-life electric car.

 

Of the two contests, one is open to US residents only, the National Sweepstakes.  The other is open to all residents of Second Life, the Global Sweepstakes.

 

The greater attention is on the National Sweepstakes prizes, as they're higher in value. The Grand Prize is an electric car, a Chevrolet Bolt EV, which has a "suggested retail price" of $27,495 USD. There are also five First Prizes, "Sponsor specified" laptop gaming computers described as worth about $2800 USD. 

Of the Global Sweepstakes, the prizes are free upgrades to one's account. The Grand Prize is a free upgrade to Premium for one's account, for life. The First Prize is a free upgrade to Premium Plus for one year. There are also Daily Prizes for a free upgrade to Premium account for one year.

One can enter up to Wednesday July 5 for both the National and Global contests. The drawing for the Grand and First prizes will be "on or around" Thursday July 6. One can enter the draw for the Daily Prize in the Global contest once a day. 

 

To enter, head to SLB Awesome (108/122/35).

Details for the contests are (here) and (here).

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Hurricane Update

Following it's turn to the north after heading to Florida, Hurricane Dorian has been battering the East Coast as it makes it's way north. Thursday it was hitting South Carolina, and by Thursday night it was North Carolina's turn. In South Carolina alone, more than a quarter million are without power. This number does not count those who lost it in other states.

Today the storm will be hitting southeast Virginia. After that, by Saturday morning Massachusetts' coastal areas will be getting high winds. then the storm will go through Nova Scotia and Labrador.


If someone whom is usually on Second Life on Friday's isn't, they might be in one of the areas affected by the hurricane. For those yet to be hit, be prepared.

ouruces: Greenvile News, wunderground.com, The Post and Courier
Image Source: NOAA

Bixyl Shuftan

Hurricane Update

For the Bahamas, Hurricane Dorian has been nothing short of devastating. The most powerful storm to hit the islands, seven deaths have been recorded, a total expected to go up after the departure of high winds allows for better searches. Having been heading slowly in the direction of Florida for the past several days, the storm has started to make it's turn northward while it's weakened to a Category Two. So while the Sunshine State is getting plenty of wind and rain, it looks like it's going to avoid a direct hit.

The bad news, the storm will be heading up the coast from Florida, to Georgia, to South Carolina, to North Carolina, to SE Virginia. Residents at or near the coastal areas of these states are urged to keep a close eye on weather reports for the next few days. At the very least, make plans for a day or so of lost power (including the local gas station and ATM). Closer to the path of the eyewall of the storm, homes could experience real damage.

Be prepared

Souruces: Associated Press, Reuters, wunnderground.com
Image Source: NOAA

Bixyl Shuftan

Hurricane Dorian Threatens East Coast

Real life is very likely to bring some unpleasant news to the East Coast of the United States soon. After coming through the eastern Caribbean, Hurricane Dorian has been gathering strength and heading to the Bahamas as a Category Four storm. Heading to Florida, there are signs the storm will turn northward and weaken somewhat. Unfortunately, this means that Georgia and North and South Carolina are threatened. Residents in the affected area are likely to experience power outages, and possibly worse in places where the storm makes a direct hit.

Those in the southeast, keep an eye on the weather.

Sources: wunderground.com, Associated Press, weather.com
Image Source: NOAA

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at Club Cutlass

by Bixyl Shuftan

SL Video: "Duran Duran - Electric Barbarella Party"

By "Jjccccc"

"Filmed at Tion at the Duran Duran Sim Second Life
Music by Duran Duran - Electric Barbarella"

Reporter Grease Coakes Temporarily Out of Action

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, a number in the area hit by the storm are still unable to access the Internet, sometimes from lack of power. Among them, Grease Coakes, who emailed us from a library, saying he still didn't have Internet at his house.

On another note, Xymbers Slade, whom has been taking a break, recently informed SL Newser that some real life problems have come up that will demand his full attention for some time. So he has been given an indefinite leave of absence.

Hopefully both will be able to write again soon.

Both Grease and Xymbers (and others) had tangles with a hurricane last year with Irene.