Aether Salon's War of 1812 Discussion

 

"When was the War of 1812 fought?" That's a history joke that can get a few who take theirs seriously rolling their eyes. Another joke is that if it wasn't for the name, most Americans wouldn't know when it took place. And unfortunately, many know little about the conflict other than the date and a few key details such as the battle that inspired it's National Anthem. On Sept 20, there would be a discussion about the conflict at the Aether Salon in New Babbage, with Wildstar Beaumont as the speaker. Much of the discussion would focus on America's fleet of privateers. So how did it go?

 

Read the story in Events.  

 

*Addition* For those who read the article on Sunday, the transcript is now up and a link to it added.  

 

Press Release: OktoberFest 2026, Party Sunday October 4

OKTOBERFEST RETURNS TO BAY CITY

Annual carnival and party coming to Bay City Fairgrounds 

BAY CITY, SL (22 September, 2026) -  The Bay City Alliance welcomes you to their Oktoberfest festival from the 26th of September to the 4th of October, 2026, at the Bay City Fairgrounds in North Channel ( http://slurl.com/secondlife/North%20Channel/128/128/24/ ). 

Started in Germany, Oktoberfest occurs annually from the end of September until the first Sunday in October. Heralding the harvest and all it provides, Oktoberfest features a beer festival, numerous traditional German foods, and a carnival. 

Feeling the spirit of the event, Bay City’s event will also feature a carnival and biergarten, culminating in a party in the Biergarten from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. SLT on October 4th.  Providing themed music is DJ GoSpeed of KONA Stream.

Bay City is a mainland community, developed by Linden Lab® and home to the Bay City Alliance. The Bay City Alliance was founded in 2008 to promote the Bay City regions of Second Life and provide a venue for Bay City Residents and other interested parties to socialize and network. It is now the largest group for Residents of Bay City.

For more information, please contact Marianne McCann. 

Destination Guide entry:
https://secondlife.com/destination/bay-city-oktoberfest

Firestorm Aniversary Party, And Gifts

 

On Saturday, September 12, Team Firestorm would hold an anniversary party, it's sixteenth. Their actual anniversary of when they were founded as Team Phoenix in 2010 was on Thursday September 3. But they moved it to the weekend after Labor Day so more people could celebrate.

 

Firestorm is turning 16 this week! Our actual birthday was on September 3, but we want to celebrate BIG TIME, and we want you to join us. That is why we are moving our party to the weekend… Saturday September 12. Yes, we will have a party. And yes, there will be gifts – four really nice ones. There will also be some amazing entertainment. There is only one more thing we need – you! Please join us.

 

The fun started at 12 with the popular SL singer Maxamillion Kleene. At 1PM, singer Tally Mercury took his place. From 2 to about 3 SL time came DJ Trick. To make sure more people could enjoy the fun, the party took place at the intersection of four sims.  Beq Janus, the Project Manager since founder Jessica Lyon stepped down in January 2024, was there with the partiers. So was Pantera Północy, noted for filming Linden events such as monthly Concierge & Land User Group meet-ups. 

 

There was a lot of fun to be had, with lots of people in avatars of all kinds dancing away to the music.

 

And as always, Team Firestorm had some presents available for those attending.  One was "a bohemian inspired" bedroom set, which had a spacious bed along with a nightstand and lamp. It was described as "legacy and PBR textures applied," as well as having single and couples animations (I didn't check to see if any were clearly for behind closed doors). There was also a post with a set of birdhouses, with a weathered rustic look. 

 

There was also a a fiery pawed cougar from Wild Kajaera. It's a forever pet which needs no food but can't breed either. One can make it breedable, for a fee, but it will then need food every so often. And finally, there was the KittiCatS collectable kitty. They had another for it's third anniversary, a red one. This one was different, black with flames of a different shade of red. When it's new, you can place it on your shoulder if you know where to click. 

 

If you're interested, the gifts are still available. But they won't be up forever. So if you haven't yet, check them out. - https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Firestorm%20Ghost%20Town/14/240/3903 

 

Happy anniversary Team Firestorm. 

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

 

Announcement: Aether Salon Presents: "The War of 1812"

 

The Aether Salon Presents "1812!" with Wildstar Beaumont

Sunday at 2pm SLT! 
A scintillating hour is guaranteed. 
at the R.F. Burton Library in New Babbage
 Babbage Canals (195,63,105)
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Babbage%20Canals/195/63/105

Press Release: OutShop Cancer Starts October 1st, Ninth Season

 

Out Shop Cancer Returns for Its 9th Annual Event
 

*The Tables Are Open for a Month of Hope, Community, and Giving Back*

**SECOND LIFE –** The lights are on, the doors are open, and the tables are set!

This October, **Out Shop Cancer** returns for its **9th Annual Event**, inviting the Second Life community to **step into the game and help change the odds against cancer**. From **October 1–31, 2026**, shoppers, creators, and supporters from across the grid will come together to support **Making Strides Against Breast Cancer** and the **American Cancer Society**.

Throughout the month, visitors can explore the **Out Shop Cancer Main Store & Marketplace Shopping Event** and the ever-popular **Gridwide Hunt**, discovering exclusive creations while every Linden Dollar donated helps fund groundbreaking breast cancer research, patient support programs, and lifesaving advocacy.

Beginning **October 15**, the excitement reaches a new level as **Out Shop Cancer: Luck Be a Cure Tonight** opens its doors. Inspired by the glamour and excitement of Las Vegas, this immersive two-week celebration transforms the event into a destination filled with:

* The Pop-Up Market
* The Art Walk
* Role Play Dinners
* Interactive Workshops
* Game Tournaments
* Pumpkin & Float Decorating Contests
* Live Entertainment
* And plenty of surprises along the way!

Whether you're shopping for a cause, discovering hidden treasures on the hunt, enjoying an evening of entertainment, or simply spending time with friends, every visit helps make a difference.

For nine years, Out Shop Cancer has proven that when a community comes together with creativity, generosity, and hope, incredible things happen.

**The House Doesn't Win… Hope Does.**

Join us this October as we **shop with purpose, raise the stakes against cancer, and help change the odds for breast cancer patients and their families.**

**Out Shop Cancer 2026**
**October 1–31**
**Luck Be a Cure Tonight**
**Roll the dice. Light the fire. Hope hits the jackpot.**

For full event details and calendar, visit https://www.outshopcancersecondlife.com/
 

Spoonful of Sugar Fundraiser

 

The Spoonful of Sugar Festival is going on. The event is to raise money for the "Doctors Without Borders" organization. It started Saturday Sept 12 and is going on to Sunday Sept 27. 

 

Ever Courtois would say, "It deeply pleases me to say the 2026 Spoonful of Sugar Festival will mark our 12th Anniversary and put us on task to have raised over $200,000 USD for this magnificent movement."

 

There are a few things to do at the festival. One can admire the scenery. There's also shopping one can do at various stores. There are also gacha machines to try your luck at, and raffles one can get a ticket for. And there are the music and dance parties. There is at least one every day. 

 

"Doctors Without Borders is an international independent medical humanitarian organization delivering emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural and man-made disasters, and exclusion from health care in more than 70 countries. " 

 

To get there, head to https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/UberGlobal%20Landington/127/106/23 .

 

For a list of the events, check here: https://thesosfestival.com/spoonful_of_sugar_events.html 

 

For more information, check the website at https://thesosfestival.com/ .

 

 Bixyl Shuftan

 

Announcement: Q & A American Cancer Society Meeting Tomorrow

 

 

 Tuesday September 15

 

12 Noon SL time and 3PM SL time

 

American Cancer Society sim : https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/American%20Cancer%20Society/129/128/27 (look on the map for where the people are) 

Announcement: HFOT "Together We Can Build More Than Homes - 9/12 at 12"

 

 ❤️ TOGETHER, WE CAN BUILD MORE THAN HOMES ❤️ 

ALL BREEDABLE CHARITY AUCTION
Benefiting Homes For Our Troops
Sponsored by DARKSTAR BREEDABLES
Homes For Troops Auction
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/River%20Alley/18/51/30
📅 SEPTEMBER 12TH • 12:00 PM SLT

Some events are about what we can collect.

This one is about what we can give.

On September 12th, we are asking our breedable families, creators, merchants, auctioneers, friends, and communities across Second Life to stand together for the men and women who sacrificed so much in service to their country.

WHY HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS?

For a severely injured Veteran, home should be the place where life feels possible—not another place filled with obstacles.

Homes For Our Troops builds and donates specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans. These homes are designed around each Veteran's individual needs, helping restore something incredibly valuable:

Independence. Freedom. The ability to move forward.

Their mission doesn't end when the keys are handed over. It is about giving Veterans a foundation from which they can rebuild their lives, pursue their goals, spend time with their families, and face the future with greater independence.

❤️ NOW WE HAVE A CHANCE TO HELP.

We are asking our community to open its heart.

ALL DONATIONS ARE WELCOME.

A treasured breedable.
A rare collectible.
Something you've created.
A special auction package.
A donation from your business.

What may seem like one small item can become one more bid, one more contribution, and one more step toward something much bigger.

🐾 EVERY BREEDABLE COMMUNITY IS WELCOME.
XS Fish • Magibuns • Amaretto • WK • Nixsys • Ponies • Pigeons • and MORE!

And you don't need something to donate to be part of this.

Come bid. Come support. Bring a friend. Share the event. Fill the auction with people who care.

Because when a community comes together with one purpose, even the smallest acts of generosity can become something extraordinary.

This September 12th, we're not asking what we can get.

❤️ We're asking what we can give back. ❤️

ALL BREEDABLE CHARITY AUCTION 
📅 SEPTEMBER 12TH
⏰ NOON SLT
⭐ Sponsored by DARKSTAR BREEDABLES ⭐

One community. One afternoon. One mission.

 They served for us.
Now let's come together for them. 

 

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/River%20Alley/18/51/30 

 

Firestorm 16th Anniversary Party Saturday Sept 12

 

A few days ago was Team Firestorm's official anniversary.  Soon afterwards, they would announce a party to mark the occasion. 

 

Firestorm is turning 16 this week! Our actual birthday was on September 3, but we want to celebrate BIG TIME, and we want you to join us. That is why we are moving our party to the weekend… Saturday September 12. Yes, we will have a party. And yes, there will be gifts – four really nice ones. There will also be some amazing entertainment. There is only one more thing we need – you! Please join us.

 

The event itself will last for three hours, with three musicians.

 

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM SLT – Maximillion Kleene (Live Singer)
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM SLT – Tally Mercury (Live Singer)
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM SLT – Our very own DJ Trick

 

To keep areas from overloading, the team is asking people to TP to different areas, depending on what letter their first name starts with.

 

A – J:
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Firestorm%20Ghost%20Town/14/240/3903
K – R:
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Firestorm%20Aerodrome/240/17/3902
S – Z:
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Firestorm%20Dow%20Forest/238/238/3902

 

And like other Firestorm parties, there will be gifts available for those who want them. One is "a bohemian-inspired bedroom set." Another is a birdhouse post. And there are two pets available. One is a firey-pawed cougar from Wild Kajaera. The other is a collectable kitty from KityCats. This one is different from the one in 2014. 

 

For more information, Click Here to check the Firestorm blog.

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

VRChat Video: "Stage Flight 3.4 - Avali Takeover"

 

 From Stage Flight on Sept 1, Tantari Kim would call this "A great festival on VRC."

 

SLCS and Blue Angel Airport Funday, Sunday August 30

 

While the Relay For Life's official season is over, and spinnoff events such as I Pink I can won't be happening for a few weeks, that isn't stopping a few Relayers from doing off-season fundraisers. On Sunday August 30, the Second Life Cheerleading Squad had their "SLCS and Blue Angel Funday."

 

The Second Life Blue Angels soar across the virtual skies with precision, discipline, and showmanship that echo the spirit of their real‑world counterparts. Their pilots execute tight formations, daring maneuvers, and high‑energy demonstrations that bring authentic aviation excitement into the digital world. Each performance blends technical mastery with immersive visual flair, creating an experience that feels both familiar and uniquely Second Life.  

 

The event was an all day one, going from 8 AM SL time to about 9PM (Midnight EST).  It took place at the Quigley sim at (104,195,1001). For those who made a donation of 100L or more, they got to go up in one of the Blue Angels jets. There were a number of live performers such as Eric Steffensen (EricSteffensen Mistwalker), Mimi Carpenter, and Harmonia Trefoil.

 

It should be noted many Relayers (probably most) need long breaks due to real life, how much energy they throw of themselves into their events, or both. So these kinds of events aren't for everyone. But cancer never stops. And there's always someone planning a Relay event, even for the offseason.  

 

By Bixyl Shuftan 

 

Memorial Service For Rita Mariner

 

 

On Saturday evening August 1, it was time for the Sunweaver community to say goodbye to a special friend: it's founder Rita Mariner. A number of people gathered to give their farewells, sometimes saying a few words about her. Complicating things were technical glitches which prevented some people from being there, so ways had to be found to work around them. But the event would proceed, with much spoken. 

 

Read the story in People.

 

Last Day At Abnormality Shopping Event

 

One of the larger seasonal shopping events is almost over. Abnormality's summer event, which started on August 7th, has it's last day today, August 28. This month's theme is "Jungle Jam." And the place has been made to look like a village in the middle of one, with the ground looking marshy outside the foot paths, and the shops made to look like huts with walls of sticks and thatch huts. On August 15, there had been a fifth anniversary party. 

 

Going over, there was quite an assortment of avatars, clothes, and accessories. But I noticed one place had a tag, "Human Made."  It appears some are concerned about items designed by AI.

 

Abnormality has events four times a year, advertising itself towards nonhuman avatars, "serving all human-adjacent and fantasy styles, furries, elves, and aliens alike."

 

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Abnormality/128/128/18 

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

Open Mike At Book Island

 

Book Island has several events a week, mostly oriented for those who like to read, write, and both, though there are occasional dance shows and other happenings. Soon after 1PM Sunday, dropped by for some of it's Open Mike event, hosted by Selina Green

 

1pm Open Mic on Book Island - come share your writing (fiction, non fiction, poetry, essays - anything!) or the writing of your favourite author. You can read yourself or have someone else read for you or just come to listen. Try your luck at winning our L300 doorprize too! 

 

By all means this isn't the only event to go to. Join the "Book Island Events And Discussions" to find out more (link). The location also has a small office for the Newser at (221/118/36). 

 

 https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Book%20Island/187/131/36

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

 

Applications Open For Halloween Shop and Hop (Last Day Sunday)

 

It's not even September, and already Linden Lab is getting ready for the spooky season in shopping. Pm Friday August 14, the Lab announced they were accepting applications from merchants interested in taking part in the Halloween Shop and Hop. 

 

The Halloween season is creeping up on us once again, and so is one of Second Life’s biggest shopping events! If you’re a Content Creator, now’s your chance to conjure up your best items and reach thousands of shoppers across multiple regions.

 

Those interested need to fill out a Google doc form (here).  As with previous Shop and Hop events, participating sellers need to offer a 20% discount on all items on sale, plus offer a free gift to any shopper regardless if they're in the store group or not. It either must be a new product, or a gift card worth at least 300 Linden dollars. All products, and store decoration, must be rated moderate (No nude succubi or other clearly adult Halloween-themed monsters and items). Nothing political is permitted, and stores cannot be used to promote items at other events. 

 

As the poster above states, The event runs from Friday October 2 to Sunday November 1. The merchants have three days from September 25 to 28 to set up their shops. 

 

The deadline for store owners to apply is Sunday August 23.

 

To read the blog post in full, Click Here. 

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

 

SL Coast Guard Birthday Cruise Today

 

 

It's last day of the Second Life Coast Guard's 21st birthday celebrations. And they're having a cruise today.

 

⛵ Welcome to the SLCG's 21st Birthday Cruise ⛵
⛵  Brought to you by the SLCG Sail Training Center ⛵

We're delighted to have you along for our birthday celebration cruise.  Please read through the following information so that you know what to expect and do contact us if you have any questions.

ℹ CRUISE DETAILS ℹ

Date: 09th August 2026
Cast Off Time: 09.00 SLT (17.00 BST / 18.00 CEST)
Rez Here: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Abbotts/108/22/21
Docking Here: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hikuelo/108/234/22

The STC Weather Gremlin predicts that winds will be coming from the South (180°) at 15-18 knots, but you're welcome to set your own winds.

Walk Around The Grid: Jason and the Argonauts

 

In her latest "Walk Around The Grid" article, Netera Landar checks out an event by Drama Libre. The club took on a Hellenistic look as the party theme was "Jason and The Argonauts." Things took on an interesting look with Ancient Greek hoplites mixing it up with mythical creatures. 

 

Read Netera's article in Design.  

Discussion on Tactics At Aether Salon

 

In Bixyl Shuftan's article for today, which was postponed due to reporting about the Second Life Birthday and the passing of Rita Mariner, he reports about last month's discussion at the Aether Salon in New Babbage. Over time, there have been many topics in these meet-ups that take place once a month most months, organized by Ceejay Writer. For July, it was "Tactics," with Jedburgh Dagger as the speaker, So how did it go?

Read more in Events. 

Announcement: Memorial Service For Rita Mariner on Friday

 

Event: Memorial Service for Rita Mariner

 

When: Friday July 31 at 6PM SL time

 

Where: Farshore Field, Sunweaver Estates 

 
https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sunlight%20Bay/115/87/23 

 

At Burn2 Conception

 

This past weekend from Friday July 24 to Sunday July 26 was Burn2's Summer Burn event, also known as Conception. This year's theme was "The First Spark."

Friday night, I dropped by for a look, and the Burners were partying. Playing music that night were Red Heaven, Elysienne Nebula, Magi, and Dre. I also heard there was a particle show scheduled.

 

Quite a lot of fun was had, the Burners telling me, "Welcome home."

 

It was quite a fun three days. But in a few months the "Octoburn," the main Burn2 event, will take place, with not just a weekend, but several days of art, music, and fun over Deep Hole and several other sims.

 

Bixyl Shuftan