Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Governance User Group Meetings Have Ended

 
For some time, Linden Lab held monthly Governance User Group meetings, with Tommy and Kristin Linden as their representatives. There, residents could discuss "issues involving Governance such as in-world abuse, Abuse Reports, Forum Reports, Marketplace Reports, etc." But they are no longer happening. In a forum thread, it was asked if they were removed from Public User Group Meetings, and Tommy Linden confirmed it.

At this time there is no scheduled user groups for Governance, the majority of questions asked at the user group meetings are questions that we are just not going to be able to answer. Such as information regarding action taken, DMCA, or other Resident specific information that we will not discuss due to privacy policy, or it being outside the scope of the Governance team.

However myself, and others will always remain available to answer questions in how to file Abuse Reports, and you don't have to wait for a meeting to do that, you can message me your question and the next time I log in, I will always respond. If you wish to bring a specific incident of abuse to our attention however, as always the answer will be to file an Abuse Report.


He would later say, "Yes, at this time the user group has ended. I am exploring other options to better share useful information with all of you."

A few residents expressed their displeasure, "I'm sorry to see this.  These groups were an ideal forum for people to bring up ideas, and to get an idea of how many people were experiencing the same issues." "I went to Governance every few months, for the same reason I'd go to a city council meeting once a year or so. It's good to keep an eye on the people who think they're in charge. ... Governance was boring. That meant things were working." Someone summed it up, "... it sounds like the Users seen it as possibly usefull, but LL doesn't. And just again a step backwards in direct LL - User contacts."

Blogger Daniel Voyager would be among those who felt the meetings should have continued, "It’s a shame they are no longer happening."

To read the forum thread, Click Here.

Hat Tip: Daniel Voyager

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Cartoon of the Day: Drinking The Koolaid

 


Taken at Film Threat. Among the avatars I saw there was this old "Kool-Aid Man" one. Kool-Aid itself has been around for years, with commercials on TV showing their mascot smashing through walls shouting, "Oh yeeaahh!" Unfortunately for the company, in 1978 a cult leader ordered his followers to commit suicide by drinking from a vat filled with the beverage mixed with poison. Years later, people still call blindly following a movement or ideology (especially one they don't like) "drinking the koolaid."

By Bixyl Shuftan

 

EOTB: Linden Lab Announces Oz Linden's Retirement Gift

 *

In February, Oz Linden retired from Linden Lab after 11 years of work. There's no record if he got a gold watch. But he did just receive a retirement gift from the Lab: a small bronze statue courtesy of Second Life artist Bryn Oh. The announcement was last Friday, September 24.

To celebrate Oz and his many contributions to the community, Linden Lab commissioned talented artist Bryn Oh to create a special bronze sculpture of his avatar as a retirement gift. Using an image of his avatar as a reference, Bryn created Oz in a very unique way -- the infamous Second Life “away” pose.

So why did Bryn Oh have Oz in that position? He would answer with this:

I felt it was nice to make Oz in "away" because maybe retirement its more of an adieu than a goodbye.  Or maybe I am just too sentimental.

The Newser first reported the news about the bronze statuette last month. It's not the first time Bryn worked with bronze. In 2017, she was making some based on her works in Second Life.

For the Linden blog post, Click Here.

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Events This Week at the Sunweaver and Montecito Bay Clubs, The Fallout Shelter, and Furry Fashion Lounge

 

Here's what's going on at the Sunweaver and Montecito Bay clubs, The Fallout Shelter, and the Furry Fashion Lounge.

Club Cutlass: Best in 'I and J', Purple & Blue, Sports Night

Happy Vixen: Serengeti Soiree, Topless, Tinies Micros and Ferals, Odds and Mods, Madkatt Mashup, TBA, Class and *ss / Ladies Revenge, Swimmsuits

Club Zero Gravity: TBA

Bouncing Bunny Beach Club: Zebras and Other Hooves

Xanadu: DJ Christine, DJ Jesse

Montecito Bay:  CAYA, After Dark

Furry Fashion Lounge:  Video Games, Movies, Neon, Ferals, CAYA, Late Night, Magic, TBA

Deathlands Fallout Shelter:  DJ Wolfy, DJ Nafrini

Read the schedules in SL Clubbin'.
 

Reader Submitted: Portrait of Jessicabelle Dayafter

 


From Kitacelia Resident, a portrait of Jessicabelle Dayafter, whose passing was announced last week.
 

Announcement: This Week at the Seanchai Libraries

 

THIS WEEK: Our calendar is filling with spookable tales and seasonal delights as we enter the "High Story Season" at Seanchai Library. Join us in #Secondlife for fun and adventure.

Check out the stories and the storytellers! 

All events at Nowhereville (203/43/26) , unless otherwise noted.

Stories told in open voice unless otherwise noted. All times SL/PT

--------->> COMING THIS WEEK

**TUESDAY, September 28th:

   ~ at Noon: RUSSELL EPONYM, Live! with music, and poetry in Ceiluradh Glen.
   http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nowhereville/194/131/21
   
   ~ at 7pm: Alice Hoffman's NIGHTBIRD continues with Willow Moonfire.


**WEDNESDAY, More Selections from Terry Pratchett's THE WYRD SISTERS with Caledonia  

**THURSDAY, September 30th at 7pm: ABANDONED with Shandon Loring

** FRIDAY, October 1st at 7pm: GHOSTBUSTERS Begins with Shandon Loring and Caledonia Skytower

** SUNDAY, October 3rd at 1:30pm: TEATIME ~ "A Night In The Lonesome October" Continues, live on stream in Ceiluradh Glen. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nowhereville/194/131/21

****
 

Monday, September 27, 2021

EOTB: Multi-Factor Authentication For SL Accounts

 

Last Week, Linden Lab offered the residents "an additional way to protect your account." It was called "Multi-Factor Authenticiation."

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is now available to all residents on their accounts. MFA is an additional step to prove your identity before gaining access to sensitive information or actions on your account. It provides an extra layer of security to supplement your username and password. Widely adopted by many products, MFA is an industry standard.

How does it work? You can learn more about MFA, find out what you’ll need to do, and activate it in the knowledge base article!

You will need to take action in order to activate MFA. It is entirely opt-in. Go to accounts.secondlife.com/mfa/status and get started! 

On how it works, the Lab would go on  to say, "MFA requires an authenticator app on your mobile device which generates secret codes (called “tokens”). When you log in, Second Life connects to the authenticator app to make sure the token you provide matches the one generated by the authenticator app." To turn it on, one would need to "Install an authenticator app on your mobile device. We do not supply this app or directly support any third party app, but we have tested Google Authenticator with this feature."

The blog post would remind people to change passwords on a regular basis, and state MFA would not effect how residents log into Second Life and MFA's protection was limited to the SL login. But in the future, it may be applied to other parts of Second Life such as the Marketplace. 

As was stated, to get started, clich here: https://accounts.secondlife.com/mfa/status

To read the blog post in full, Click Here. 

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Weekend in Brief

 


There were a number of events that happened this weekend. Friday was the start of the Renaissance Festival for Making Strides Against Breast Caneer (above). Sunday would have the anniversary party for Team Firestorm, the monthly benefit concert at Veterans Isle, a memorial service at New Bastogne for Jessicabelle Dayafter, and more.

Read more about some of these events later.

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Sunday, September 26, 2021

Cartoon of the Day: Face Time


 
Taken at the Happy Vixen. As with this avatar, that could just as easily be her nose, I could have  gone with some other punch line.

By Bixyl Shuftan

 

Saturday, September 25, 2021

SL Video: "Angel"

 


(Click here if the video does not play)

 
By Furrex on June 2019, "Song: Instrumental Core - A Crowd Of Gods"
 

Friday, September 24, 2021

Game Review: Harem Hotel

 

Recently someone sent Nydia a game and asked her to take a look at it. The game is "Harem Hotel," and is Not Safe For Work with it's pornographic content. Unlike some other adult-rated games (perhaps most), this one has a plot, and it takes a little time for the action to start. The main character finds out his grandfather has passed away and has inherited his hotel, But it's not just any hotel. So what did Nydia think?*
 
Read Nydia's review in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.
 

Firestorm Anniversary Party This Sunday

 


The team behind Second Life's most popular viewer, Team Firestorm, will be celebrating it's anniversary soon: its eleventh. While the actual anniversary was earlier this month, the party is this Sunday at 11 AM. There will be music and gifts available.

We are going all out like never before this year! We’ve lined up some ‘A’ list live performers PLUS EPIC GIFTS from some of the best and biggest content creators in SL! ... These gifts will be available for everyone as this is our way of thanking the Second Life community on the whole for keeping us going. Some will be limited (collectors) items, some will be available for a longer time period.

More details will follow as we get closer to the 26th! Stay tuned for that blog post.


It is asked that avatar complexity be kept under 300,000.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Firestorm%20Dow%20Forest/219/229/3901

Source: Firestorm blog
 

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - Fireside Chat, Panel - "Bias"

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Fireside Chat - "Bias"

Saturday September 25

10 AM to 11 AM

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/161/99/24

*  *  *  *  *

Panel - "Bias"

Saturday September 25

9PM SL time

Whether it’s in areas like data forecasting or classifying images, computer algorithms are vulnerable to bias. In areas like the medical field or cybersecurity, where the employment of artificial intelligence is being explored, bias can be severely detrimental. How can bias be measured, how can it be prevented? What are the consequences and threats to society it may introduce?

Panel Host – Karthik Prathaban

Auditorium

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/67/129/32
 

Thursday, September 23, 2021

SL Renaissance Festival Tomorrow

 

Tomorrow is the start of a ten day event, the Second Life Renaissance Festival. In a four sim area next to the American Cancer Society sim, there will be tournaments, music, a raffle, special events, and plenty of shopping. The event will raise funds for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. 

The Festival runs from Friday September 24 to Sunday October 3.

For more information, check the event's blog here: https://slrenaissancefestival.com/ .
 

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Halloween Places in Second Life


It's not yet October. But already some places in Second Life are taking on some spooky appearances for Halloween. Gemma Cleanslate went around looking for some. While a number of these places cater to shoppers, she also found some cool rides, a contest, and plenty of spook-tacular sights.  Here's the first of what will be a series of articles on spooky places.

Read Gemma's article in Places.
 

Memorial to Jessicabelle Dayafter

 


The reaction to the news of Jessicabelle Dayafter's passing among the Sunweavers has been sadness, often preceded by shock. She was popular with many, and people couldn't believe she was gone. In Sunweaver Eclipse, Shockwave Yareach had a Memorial Garden for Sunweavers and friends of the community whom had passed away, such as Akea Grommet and Lacy Musketeer. And now, Jessicabelle's name has been added to it, with a flame in her honor.

Stopping by, flowers had been dropped off, as well as a card with her picture: "Always and Forever Jessicabelle." The lively skunkette of the Sunweavers will never be forgotten.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sunweaver%20Eclipse/66/248/21 

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Announcement: HFOT September 2021 Benefit Concert This Sunday

 


Frets Nirvana and US Military Veterans Group announce 2021’s September benefit for Homes For Our Troops in Second Life for September 26, 2021!  

Frets Nirvana, longtime supporter and contact for Homes For Our Troops in Second Life in conjunction with the US Military Veterans Group, announces the 2021 September for the Veterans Support Organization Home For Our Troops at Veteran’s Isle .  

Frets Nirvana states:  “HFOT is a privately funded 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization building specially adapted, mortgage-free homes nationwide for the most severely injured Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of these Veterans are multiple amputees, paraplegic, quadriplegic or suffered severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).  Since its inception in 2004, over 90 cents of every dollar spent by Homes for Our Troop has gone to directly support Veterans. DURING THAT TIME HFOT HAS BUILT 313 SPECIALLY ADAPTED HOMES NATIONWIDE FOR EXTREMELY INJURED VETERANS.”

In 2020 the community in Second Life sent  $15,750 to Homes For Our Troops, thanks to many kind hearts and great Second Life performers. THIS PUT SECOND LIFE’S DONATIONS EFFORTS IN THE TOP TEN OF HOME FOR OUR TROOPS DONORS IN 2020!  

23 Veterans and their families received the keys to their forever homes in 2020 and the donations received in Second Life were part of that effort.  Currently HFOT has 62 projects underway for extremely wounded veterans.  HFOT has now delivered the keys to 17 homes to extremely injured veterans in 2021.

Home for Our Troops benefit concerts feature premier Second Life talent monthly at Veteran’s Isle.  The September 26 concert for 2021 is scheduled from 4PM to 9PM PST.  Featured artists will be DJ Waya Snowpaw, Chapman Zane, Chillee Hernandoz,  Donn Devore and Lark Bowen.

Sponsored by Frets Nirvana and the U.S. Military Veteran’s Group of Second Life.  To learn more about Homes for Our Troops visit https://www.hfotusa.org .
 

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Jessicabelle Dayafter Has Died

 

The Sunweaver/Angels community has lost a longtime member. It was announced last night that Jessicabelle Dayafter had passed away.

Some sad news. We received word that our loveable skunkette, Jessicabelle Dayafter, has passed away. The news came from an SL resident whom told us she knew her in RL. Jessica did post on Discord about a month ago she had come down with Covid.

Jessicabelle had been active in Second Life since 2007, and has been with a number of communities and groups. This includes the Sunweavers, Nydia's Angels, and the New Bastogne WW2 RP. She was noted for her anthro skunk avatar, and liked posing for pictures in outfits, such as seasonal ones for Christmas and Halloween, and appeared in many of Nydia Tungsten's calendars. She would also appear in a number of Nydia Tungsten's music videos. She also had skill as a builder, and would design and build some combat capable WW2-era aircraft for Second Life.

(click here if the video does not play)

Of her real-life family, it is known she had a sibling who died years ago, and her mother passed on a number of months ago.
 

Events This Week at the Sunweaver and Montecito Bay Clubs, The Fallout Shelter, and Furry Fashion Lounge

 

Here's what's going on at the Sunweaver and Montecito Bay clubs, The Fallout Shelter, and the Furry Fashion Lounge.

Club Cutlass: Best in 'H', Working Stiffs, Gone To Plaid

Happy Vixen: Supers, Videogames, Colors of Love, Odds and Mods, Frisky, Birthday suits

Club Zero Gravity: TBA

Bouncing Bunny Beach Club: Skunks (Tribute to Jessica)

Xanadu: DJ Christine, DJ Jesse

Montecito Bay:  CAYA, After Dark

Furry Fashion Lounge:  Monochrome, Celtic, PJ Party, Rainbow, Wastland, Late Night, Ferals, TBA

Deathlands Fallout Shelter:  DJ Wolfy, DJ Nafrini

Read the schedules in SL Clubbin'.
 

Announcement: This Week at the Seanchai Libraries

 

THIS WEEK: Perilous journeys, awakenings, wyrd sisters, and more story magic. Join us in #Secondlife for fun and adventure.

Check out the stories and the storytellers! 

All events at Nowhereville (203/43/26) , unless otherwise noted.

Stories told in open voice unless otherwise noted. All times SL/PT

--------->> COMING THIS WEEK

**MONDAY, September 20th, at 7pm: THE WEIGHER continues with Gyro Muggins.

**TUESDAY, September 21st:

   ~ at Noon: RUSSELL EPONYM, Live! with music, and poetry in Ceiluradh Glen.
   http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nowhereville/194/131/21
   
   ~ at 7pm: Alice Hoffman's NIGHTBIRD continues with Willow Moonfire.

**WEDNESDAY,  September 22nd at 7pm: AUTUMN in Music & Poetry with Caledonia Skytower and Ktadhn Vesuvino in The Glen.    http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nowhereville/194/131/21

**THURSDAY, September 23rd:

   ~ at 7pm: Selections from Terry Pratchett's THE WYRD SISTERS with Caledonia

   ~ at 9pm: SEANCHAI LATE NIGHT with Finn Zeddmore

***