Patch Speaks At The BBB7 Start

 

Tuesday, April 14, was the start of the Bellisseria Birthday celebrations. And they started off with a speech from Patch Linden. The event was at 1PM SL time.

 

"Wow! I can't believe it's been seven years," he told the crowd. He would speak for several minutes, "Second Life has been shaped by all of you ... into a living breathing world. Bellisseria represents one of the most exciting chapters in that story." Patch would say this had all started with Linden Lab wanting to provide residents with ready-made homes, "What we've seen since then has exceeded every expectation."

Patch would go on to talk about the Linden Home continent's expansion, and with many different themes from coastal retreats to suburban neighborhoods. He stated Linden Lab had responded to feedback, and was always looking for how to improve accessibility. Patch would say Bellisseria is defined by those Second Life residents who live there, and it continues to inspire. The community and platform, in his words, were "a collaborative world in the highest sense."

 And so, this week they would be celebrating "everything Bellisseria represents... to all of you, our residents, thank you. Thank  you for being part of this journey. Now take some time to celebrate ... Happy Birthday Bellisseria! And thank you all foe being here."

 

The speech was listened to by a crowd of close to fifty residents and several Moles and Lindens. 

 

Patch would go "off script for a second," giving a shoutout to AmandaT Tamatzui, a key member of the Bellisseria Bureau of Bureaucracy, saying it was her birthday as well. He would also say in the coming months, Bellisseria would continue to see new themes as well as "revisits to old themes" in which "a few may see some changes."

After the speech, most of the crowd stuck around.to listen to music by a DJ. There would also be posing by Lindens and Moles on stage for pictures.

 

Happy Birthday Bellisseria,

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

Bellisseria Birthday Celebrations Begin Today, Speech By Patch Linden 1PM SL Time

 

 

Truly, there is no better place for it. The Fairgrounds have always had that unmistakable Bellisserian energy, where community, curiosity, and just a hint of delightful absurdity all mingle. For one week, that energy will be turned all the way up.

The festivities officially begin on April 14th at 1:00 PM SLT with opening remarks from Patch Linden. If you’ve ever heard one of Patch’s speeches, you already know they carry a rare mix of warmth, insight, and (often) surprise . Then, without missing a beat, we pivot straight into celebration mode with our opening DJ. I confidently predict a party worth rearranging your schedule for.

Throughout the week, the ever-adventurous Scarlett Amethyst will lead guided tours across the continent using a variety of transport; each offering a different lens through which to experience Bellisseria’s charm. Whether cruising along coastal waterways, rolling through scenic routes, or taking to the skies, these tours are more than just journeys – they’re curated experiences. Of course, being who we are, each comes with its own collectible stamp. If there is one thing the BBB understands deeply, it is the quiet thrill of the hunt!

This year’s celebration brings a constellation of new passport stamps to collect. Some of your favorite Moles will be in attendance, each offering their own unique mark, alongside stamps from Bellisserian Ambassadors, BBB volunteers, event stamps scattered across the fairgrounds, and yes – even one from Patch himself.

There is something undeniably satisfying about watching your collection grow, each stamp a moment captured – a memory you can hold onto long after the tents come down.

If you’re feeling a bit more ambitious, or competitive, there will be opportunities to put your skills to the test. Special driving, boating, and flying challenges will be available throughout the week for those who want to prove they’ve mastered the Bellisserian lifestyle. Whether you glide through effortlessly or provide entertainment for onlookers, you’ll be in good company.

Then there is something particularly meaningful waiting at the end of this energetic week. On April 20th, we will gather for a ceremony that is, in its way, at the heart of what we do. Led by Abnor Mole, we will officially welcome our newest Ambassadors. If you’ve never attended one of these ceremonies, let me tell you – they matter. Bellisseria reaches outward. Community becomes a little more intentional and enduring. That, I think, is what makes this entire celebration so special.

Yes, it will be wacky. There will be laughter, missed turns, probably a few spectacular crashes, and more than a few “wait, where did everyone go?” moments. But underneath all that is something steady and real; a community that continues to show up for one another, year after year, in ways both grand and quietly meaningful.

So come for the party. Come for the stamps. Come for the tours, the challenges, and the delightful unpredictability of it all. But stay for that feeling – the one that reminds you exactly why Bellisseria feels like home.

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Whiskey%20Bay/173/4/24 

From The Gazette

 

Philip Linden Gives VWBPE Keynote Speech, Takes Questions

 

Yesterday, Thursday March 19 at 12 Noon, The Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education held it's Keynote. The man giving it was someone familiar to every longtime Second Life resident: Philip Linden, aka Philip Rosedale, the founder of Linden Lab, the company behind this virtual world.

 

Today, we have the distinct honor of hearing from a man who actually made gatherings like this one possible. Our keynote speaker is a physicist turned coder turned visionary,  someone who looked at the early internet and saw not just a network, but a world waiting to be built.
 

 He founded Linden Lab and created Second Life, the virtual world that has been home to educators, artists, researchers, and dreamers for over two decades. He has since explored spatial audio, open-source VR platforms, digital currency, and even the frontiers of machine consciousness. And in October 2024, he returned to Second Life as CTO, bringing fresh energy and new ideas to a platform many of us call home.

Someone was saying close to a hundred people were in the area the event took place, an intersection of four sims, Philip on a small cliff overlooking the crowd, "I feel like a king standing on a high rooftop *laughs* I see people I recognize, it's the magical things about Second Life." He thanked the educators for their work in this virtual world. He would talk about AI and how it was impacting society, saying at one point a comparison could be made to the Industrial area when machines did the work of the muscle power of many men, "Now we have gone much father with replicating how our mind works. ... the progress was very quick lately ... we are living in strange times- there are tremendous risks, there are more bad than good impacts at the moment."

After the keynote, Philip took questions, and there was talk about not just AI, but other topics such as Second Life, "It's interesting to reflect on the fact that SL hasn't grown as rapidly as we thought or liked." One subject was about how people often rely on facial expressions, hand movements, and other cues in real life but that was absent in Second Life and other virtual worlds. It was also brought up that being hired to correct an AI could be a roundabout way to do the job of a programmer for a fraction of the cost. Someone also joked it AI had an alignment, it would be "Chaotic Neutral." It was also brought up that there hasn't been a real-life Second Life Community Convention since 2011. Philip Linden did wonder if the possibility of doing another deserved some thinking about. 

 

The conference was broadcast live, and may be available to see later on the VWBPE Youtube channel later.  

 

*Addition*: It's available now.  

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

 

Abnor Mole's Speech for Bellisseria Mole Day

 

Last Friday, Belliseria started off it's Mole Day Celebration Weekend. It started off with Abnor Mole, one of the more familiar of Linden Lab's Moles, giving a speech.  The Newser wasn't able to make it. But thankfully someone copy-pasted the speech and put it in notecard for the Belliseria group. So what was talked about?

Read more in Events.

This Saturday at The Science Circle

 

 Saturday March 16

    ~*~

    

    At 10 AM PST   

    Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education

    Essential Skills For Living And Learning In An Age of Fake News And Unfettered Speech

    Presenter: Linda Sautereau/Peggy Daniels-Lee (Assisting: Wisdomseeker)

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/vwbpe/

 

    VWBPE Tundra Expanse (113/9/25)

      

    ~*~

 

    

    NOTE: Non-members required to register once

    IM Jes Cobalt or Nymf Hathaway

╚══════════════════════════════ The Science Circle (72,129,30) ═╝

 

 

SL20B Opening Ceremony

 

 Thursday June 22 was the opening day of the SL20B. At at Noon SL time was the opening ceremony. Patch Linden was the speaker, and gave a speech that lasted about fifteen minutes. It was held at the Mandala Stage at SLB Astound. The event was attended by close to three hundred residents in the four sim area.

"Welcome everyone," Patch greeted after his microphone was finally turned on, "It is with great pleasure and excitement that I invite you to join me in commemorating the 20th anniversary of Second Life, our virtual home. Since it's launch in 2003, Second Life has revolutionized the way we engage and interact with each other, both online and the physical world. Second Life has brought people together in a way that has transcended geographical boundaries like never before, and has provided a place for us to gather in creative collaboration, the result of which is the immersive world we are now celebrating. Over the course of the next eleven days, we will have the opportunity to relive past triumphs, revel in our present accomplishments, and reveal glimpses of what the future may hold for Second Life."

Patch would go on for another twelve minutes, going over how the place began and allowed residents to express their creativity. While some past troubles such as it's layoffs and other problems in 2010 weren't mentioned, at one point he did say the virtual world had managed to endure, ""despite the challenges it has faced." He expressed optimism for Second Life's future, "Now we stand on the brink of a new era of virtual reality and the possibilities are truly endless." He would also talk about the event grounds having 321 exhibits over 22 areas. 

At one point, Patch would make a joke about celebrating their 120th anniversary due to 6 days in SL passing in real-life, "and I haven't aged a day" and suggesting maybe they could bottle up the youth and sell it. He would conclude the speech, "together, let us celebrate the past, embrace the present, and envision the future. ... your world, your imagination, it all started with a cube." Then as an afterthought, Patch would mention the two contests ... look for the national and global contest kiosks at the welcome area for the rules and how to enter."

The opening ceremonies would be followed by the opening performance of the Music Fest less than an hour later. Some stuck around. Others would head to other parts of the SL20B, or the Shop and Hop.

Bixyl Shuftan

Announcement: Bellisseria Anniversary Party Saturday April 15

 

 

 Happy Birthday Bellisseria

Bellisseria's 4th Anniversary Celebration!

Are you ready to Party!?!

Patch Linden will officially open the celebration with a Speech @ 10:00 a.m. SLT

(Please be sure to have your Voice enabled and Microphones Muted)

WHERE: Bellisseria Fairgrounds

WHEN: Saturday, April 15, 2023

TIME: 10:00 am to 4:00 p.m.

April 15, 2023, is Bellisseria's 4th Anniversary. Let's Party!

We've got a great party planned, so be sure to join us.

A Random Gift Giver with lots of Prizes!

Also, be sure to collect the rare Anniversary stamp at the event.

Music . Dancing . Prizes . Refreshments

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bellisseria%20Fairgrounds/173/241/24

Picture from Prudence Anton

SL19B Opening Ceremonies Hit by Technical Difficulties

 

On Thursday June 16, the Second Life Nineteenth Birthday celebrations began. At Noon were the opening ceremonies at the Arboretum, which was a speech by Patch Linden. As the event can get crowded, the Lindens and Moles made the area their high-capacity sims. But things did not go as planned. 

Read the story in Events. 

 

This Saturday at The Science Circle

 
    Saturday, March 12

    At 9 AM PST   

    A Political Geographer’s Perspective on Ukrainians and Their Territory
    Merrill Johnson/Meryl McBride, Ph.D.
    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/perspective-on-ukraine/

    ~*~
    
    At 10 AM PST   

    What’s In Our Water: The Science of Water Quality and Testing
    Dr. Phil Youngblood
    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/whats-in-our-water/

    ~*~
    
    At 9 PM PST
    
    How has freedom of speech or press, helped or hampered science?
    Discussion led by Jes Stannard
    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/freedom-of-speech/
      
    ~*~
    
    NOTE: Non-members required to register once
    IM Jes Cobalt or Nymf Hathaway

╚══════════════════════════════ The Science Circle (72,129,30) ═╝
 

SL16B Opening Speech

On Friday at 9:30 AM SL time, the opening speech of the SL16B took place at the Festival Stage. Patch Linden delivered the message to a crowd taking up the four corners  that the stage overlapped. The speech was short, but well-received. And it was soon followed by music and dance, as well as Lindens and Moles having a little fun.

See the pictures in Events.

Commentary: Perri Prinz Writes About The Effect Of The Antifa

In February 2016, Perri Prinz of Second Life's Sunweaver community announced she was no longer updating her Livejournal which she had used to discuss various topics. Her writing was limited to her Spectral Shadows serial story, which still can be read at http://spectralshadows.livejournal.com/. She has recently taken a break from that and gone back to writing nonfiction articles and briefs. The reason: zealots known as the Antifa.

Perri, under the name Perri Rhoades,  recently wrote a commentary for Furry Times, "The Fandom That Feared Itself." Starting off by calling it the story of how "something truly horrible had happened to the Furry Fandom." In her article, she described her reading about how trolls and zealots were claiming Nazis were present among fans of the genre, and threats of force against them were necessary. Eventually, they would succeed in shutting down a convention through death threats. To Perri, these extremists regarded their targets as having no rights, and her questioning of their actions got her labeled as a "Nazi."

Anyone who even remotely knows Perri would see such statements at best some kind of sick joke. She is best known for her DJing of classic rock 60s and 70s songs, sometimes in bell-bottomed pants, and is the co-owner of a classic rock club with images of the era. Hardly the mark of someone on the far right. In her "Spectral Shadows," at least one character described as conservative was very unsympathetic towards those who were different. She hasn't been the only unfair target. One other so-called "Nazi" turned out to be half-Thai and gay.

So what does this have to do with Second Life? Yours truly has seen the black paw print in a white field on a red armband used as a parody of the infamous fascist armband (not unlike Charlie Chaplin's "double cross" in "The Great Dictator") in the past inworld, as well as groups such as "Fox Supremacists" of which the names were meant to be a gag.

The Antifa has done more than just shut down a convention of sci-fi/fantasy fans. Their threats of violence have also resulted in an annual parade in Portland Oregon being called off. And riots by them at Berkley forced a conservative speaker to cancel an appearance. One writer in the Wall Street Journal commented the danger wasn't just within the Berkley campus, but if not stopped they would have a chilling effect on free speech.

Perri stated that unless the Antifa communists were clearly labeled as the thugs they were and isolated, they would continue to poison the minds of young adults into seeing violence and threats of as an acceptable method  of dealing with those they don't like, "we must ... reaffirm our stance against censorship. We must be more protective of freedom of speech and freedom of expression than we’ve ever been before, as it is those things that are under attack."

Addition: Perri has started up her Livejounral again, reprinting her commentary there, which has already been getting comments by others. I also forgot to mention the New Fallout WW2 Combat Roleplay, which has some German groups.

Sources: Fox, Reuters, Wall Street Journal , Encyclopedia Heraldica

Bixyl Shuftan

Philip Rosedale at the SVVR

Earlier this week, the Silicon Valley Virtual Reality (SVVR) Conference and Expo took place. Philip Rosedale had the honor of being the keynote speaker. Second Life Newser was able to get to one of the places in Secone Life where the event was broadcast. But, technical difficulties got in the way.

Fortunately, we were able to find it on youtube later. So here it is.



(Click here if the video fails to load)

 Daniel Voyager had a few words about what he had to say, including, "we're going to be arguing over the price of virtual real estate  on Pandora soon."

Ebbe Linden Speaks At The VWBPE Conference, Addresses ToS Issue

On Friday April 11 at 1PM SL time, Ebbe Linden (Ebbe Altberg) spoke at the VWPBE (Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education) conference. He spoke to a packed audience, whom had a number of questions.

One can get a summary of Ebbe's speech from Daniel Voyager, a review by Jo Yardley, and a full transcript from Inara Pey. Or see a video by Mal Burns:



(Click here if the video fails to load)

Ebbe brought up a number of concerns, including the controversial Terms of Service issue.

I am working with my Legal Counsel to try to try to figure out how we can make it more obvious – or very obvious – that the creators of the content own the content, and we obviously have no intent of ever stealing your content or profiting off of your content independently of the creators in some fashion.

The current terms might indicate that we might somehow have some plan to steal people’s content and somehow profit from it for ourselves, without benefitting the creator, and that’s obviously not our intent at all. It would be very damaging to our business if we started to behave in that way because this whole platform is all about the content you all create. And if you can’t do that, and trust that it is yours, that’s obviously a problem. So I’m working on that, and I can ask you right now to trust us that we’re not going to do what the current clause might suggest we’re going to do, but we’re working on some simple tweaks to the language to make that more explicit.

We also have no interest in locking you in; any content that you create, we feel you should be able to export, and take and save and possibly if you want to move to another environment or OpenSim, that should be possible. So we’re not trying to lock you in either. Obviously, it’s very important to us to get content both in and out, so I just want to put that right out there. 

These words were much more of an answer than the vauge answers given to the United Content Creators of Second Life group when they pressed the Lab for answers. So it seems finally the Lab, or rather it's CEO, has answered.

Different residents had differing views. In a UCCSL group chat I observed, those who had heard the speech were overall pleased, but, "He didn't say a clear position." Talking to some residents of the Sunweaver area, the opinion seemed to be cautious optimism to neutral. One commented the Lab had made promises before and failed to follow through, so would wait for more actions before deciding whether or not Ebbe was any different.

Time will tell whether or not this was the start of Linden Lab regaining the trust lost in the Terms of Service controversy.

Image from Gemma Cleanslate

Bixyl Shuftan

Martin Luther King Speech Reading at UUtopia

On Monday January 21 at 5:30 PM SL time, there was a reading of speeches by Martin Luther King Jr. at the UUtopia Peace Center in the UUtopia sim.  Caledonia Skytower spoke the selections to an audience at the center.

Caledonia first read King's speech given at Oslo in Dec 1964 when accepting the Nobel Peace Prize. Next was his "Where Do We Go From Here" speech from August 1967.

Following the speech readings, Fredia Frostbite lead those who didn't leave into a meditation session.

King was a Civil Rights activist in the 1950s and 1960s, known for his campaigns of nonviolence and civil disobedience. He was assassinated in 1968. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed into law a bill making January 21 Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday in the United States. A few states were slow to enact it, or in the case of Virginia combining the holiday with another honoring two Civil War generals as "Lee-Jackson-King Day."

Bixyl Shuftan

The SL9B Commencement Speech

Monday June 18th was the start of the Second Life Ninth Birthday, and it began with a commencement address. But this time it wasn't delivered by a Linden, but by a resident. Saffia Widdershins gave the address to an audience of four packed sims, thanking those who got the birthday started, and answering a question: "Why are you celebrating Second Life’s birthday, when Linden Lab can’t be bothered to?"


Read the speech in Events.

Breakers Coffeeshop Debate on Political Correctness

Most of us do our best to use courtesy in the way we talk and write, though there are complaints from some about pressure to make them go out of their way from potentially offending someone by the use of unnecessarily complex language. And it's not just speech, but even in whether or not someone gets a job because they're not of the "right" label that has little if anything to do with how the job is performed. I went to the Coffeeshop in the Breakers sim where the people asked themselves: "has political correctness gone too far?"

Read the story in Events.