Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "Artificial Intelligence? The Truth Behind a Fascinating Buzzword"

 

"Artificial Intelligence? The Truth Behind a Fascinating Buzzword"

Saturday October 23,

10 AM to 11 AM

Nowadays it is almost impossible to read newspapers or watch media without encountering the words “Artificial Intelligence or AI”. These words evoke in most people either scaring remembrances of sci-fi movies or anticipations of a bright future where human beings will be freed of any duty and will devote their time to leisure or personal growth. In the real world, AI has very little to do with what we normally perceive as intelligence. It is just a combination of powerful statistical methods, fast algorithms and great volumes of data. This combination is however very powerful and potentially the most powerful an also the most disruptive technology ever  invented.

Presentation by Giuseppe Longo

Auditorium

To read more, Click Here. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/125/132/22
 

Burn2 Pictures

 

For those of us who missed Burn2, or want to see the scenes again, while the builds may have come down, there are still the pictures that were taken. Among the photographers was Wildstar Beaumont, who not only took many and put them on his Flickr page, but the pictures were well done.

Click Here to see Wildstar's Burn2 pictures for this year.

Suggested by Gemma Cleanslate
 

Announcement: HFOT September 2021 Benefit Concert This Sunday

 

Frets Nirvana and US Military Veterans Group announce 2021’s October benefit for Homes For Our Troops in Second Life for October 24, 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 October benefit 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.  On September 12th HFOT presented their 18th Home for 2021 to a deserving Veteran and their family in Hillsboro, MO..

Home for Our Troops benefit concerts feature premier Second Life talent monthly at Veteran’s Isle.  The October 24 concert for 2021 is scheduled from 4PM to 9PM PST.  Featured artists will be DJ Waya Snowpaw, Wolfie Moonshadow, Dimivan Ludwig, Grace Loudon and Rickylive Music.

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
 

Cartoon of the Day: Empty Head

 

Taken at the Halloween Shop and Hop. I took this picture while things were still rezzing. The lady's head appeared before her hairpeice did.

By Bixyl Shuftan

 

The Happy Vixen's Ghost Pirate Island

 

Once again, it's Halloween. Many clubs just put up a few decorations. But the Happy Vixen beach club has a special Halloween area. Builder Jasmine Dawn (Jasmine Knickers) makes one appear every year. This year's area is a ghost pirate island. So what can you expect should you brave the fog of this misty haunted isle?
 
Read more in SL Clubbin'.
 

Reader Submitted Poetry

 

Early in the history of the Newser, Shelly Sands would contribute poetry on occasion. Today, well, it's been a while since we had any. Aola Tyrian (Ratatosk Independent) recently sent the Newser a couple poems from someone known only as Laura. They are, "A Song to Humanity," and "About Rhythm."
 
Read Aloa's submissions in Extra.
 

Announcement: Halloween On Caledon Downs

 

You are invited to enjoy the fun of "Halloween On Caledon Downs". New this year is a Ghost Train along with the return of the Ghost Hunt and Pumpkin prizes. The Ghost Hunt is a region wide hunt for certain ghost that appear randomly for short periods of time that you shoot with any collision (prim firing) weapon. You can use any such weapon you have. There is no sign-up needed, the person and scoring is automatically recorded and the top four scores are displayed on a post in the Goblin Cave. Ghost Hunt has linden prizes of L$1500 first place, L$1000 second, L$500, and L$250 for fourth place. The hunt scoring will continue till the end of the Halloween dance at 8pm Sunday Oct 31st.

The Jack'o Lantern search is for 5 pumpkins deposited at certain locations about the region. Each Jack'o Lantern contains a prize delivered upon touching BUT mind you only touch once or well you'll get something scary! An example of the Jack'O lantern is displayed at the information board in the Goblin Cave. The information board will deliver the hints as to where these prize givers are.

The starting point is the Goblin Cave Community Center there you can pick up the info and hints for both the Ghost Hunt and Jack'O Lantern search. The region is completely open and filled with sights and games.

New is the Ghost Train. A scary ride along haunted rails to doom and more.

The Halloween season will end with a Halloween Dance in the Goblin Cave on Sunday Oct. 31st 6pm to 8pm. Enjoy!!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Downs/104/89/32
 

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 'N', Stripes & Spots, Fall Colors

Happy Vixen: Flight, Mad Science, Hooves Horns and Scales, Country Cowboys, Madkatt Mashup, Favorite Slasher Villain, Scary and Sexy, Orange and Black

Club Zero Gravity: TBA

Bouncing Bunny Beach Club: Raccoons and Wah

Xanadu: DJ Christine, DJ Jesse

Montecito Bay:  CAYA, After Dark

Furry Fashion Lounge:  Cute VS Creepy, Wings, Retro, Fire vs Ice, Masquerade, Late Night, Hooves and Horns, TBA

Deathlands Fallout Shelter:  DJ Wolfy, DJ Nafrini

Read the schedules in SL Clubbin'.
 

Election Schedule For The CDS, Fall 2021

 

"Hard to believe that we are more than halfway through our 35th term of government but we are. We in the CDS have the privilege of electing our governing officials to represent us in forming and maintaining the laws and policies that determine the structure of our community. This privilege is rare in Second Life. It's also rare in real-life. We should not take this privilege for granted. Any CDS citizen in good standing as of Oct 9, 2021, is eligible to run ..."

CDS 36th TERM in the autumn of 2021

Dean of SC notifies citizens of dates

Qualification deadline to run for office
    - October 9, based on citizenship according to the October 8 CDS Census

Qualification deadline for right to vote
    - October 16

Call for candidates for RA and Chancellor announced
    - October 18

Deadline for declaration to run for RA or Chancellor
    - October 31

Dean posts list of candidates
    - November 3

Campaign starts
    - November 6

Polls open
    - November 13

Polls close
    - November 20

Announcement of new officers for the 36th Term
    - not later than November 21

New RA Affirmation of Office
    - between November 21 and December 1 at the convenience of the new officers

New RA Schedules first meeting and election of LRA
 - On or shortly after December 1, 2021
 

Weekend in Brief

 

Quite a bit happened this past weekend. Among the events was the conclusion of the Burn2 festival, which culminated with the Burning of The Man (above) and the Temple Burn. It was also the conclusion of the Sci-Fi Expo, which raised money for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Sadly there was a sad event, the announcement that the Survivors of Suicide depression support group was closing. And while on a Monday and not the weekend, the "Trick or Treat" game on Bellissaria started.
 

Survivors of Suicide Owner Announces Closing of Group

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After thirteen years, Second Life's largest depression-support group will soon be closing.

On Saturday October 16 at 2PM, SoS leader Sebastien Bouevier met with others in the group. There, he would first announce that he had reluctantly made the decision to close the group. He would also post the news in the group's blog (https://www.survivorsofsuicidesl.org/post/sos-is-closing), and on Facebook.

Today I did the hardest thing I have ever had to do in Second Life. Survivors of Suicide has been a part of my life for a full decade. It has been my pride and joy, and a real privilege to have been at the helm of this organization for the past seven years. It makes saying goodbye so hard, and I am so sad to announce that after 13 years in Second Life, Survivors of Suicide is closing.

Sebastien was interviewed in 2017 and 2019 by the Newser. He had first joined the group as someone in need of it's services. Eventually, he would end up taking over the group when it's founder could no longer lead it. Although the group started out for those whom attempted suicide, or whose friends and family had, it eventually expanded to help others suffered from depression (and friends of).

Chatting (with an alt) with some people in the group, a few mentioned on new depression support group: Impact Mental Health. It is led by Kitten Stratten-Jaks (Kitten Meridoc).

The last meeting of Survivors of Suicide is scheduled for Saturday October 23rd at 3PM.

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Vampire Bat Spotted At Deathlands

 

As a post-apocalyptic wasteland slowly recovering from the collapse of civilization, the Deathlands have seen a number of scary beings and scary tales of such over time. But this October, something new has appeared, or at least that's what some claim. Lately there have been a number of sightings and tales of a human-sized vampire bat.

In a place where mutant monsters and raiders are threats, a vampire might not seem quite so scary. And indeed with a few of the sightings, the bat is described as helpful. In one case, a band traveling at night found themselves under attack by raiders when they saw a shape of some kind from above dropping an object. Then a magnesium flare lit up in the middle of the attacking raiders. Blinded, they could only stumble while the travelers got away. When they returned in the day to recover some lost items, they found the bodies of a few of the raiders, drained of blood.

In another case, a tavern owner late at night had a knock at the door, and answering found only a crudely written note, saying someone was hurt near the intersection of two nearby roads. Concerned, he and a few others in town went over, and found the bodies of two mutants, drained of blood, and an injured man with a crudely-made neck brace. When the man recovered, he claimed the mutants had broken his neck, then were attacked by some dark shape before he passed out. When they got the man to a doctor to examine his neck, the physician wondered if whomever had set it had access to x-rays, or sonar.

Not all of the stories involve tales of rescue. One was from someone whom checking on his sister found she needed supplies, notably food. When he returned, he found someone else had delivered a few fruits and meat of some kind. Curiously, she had what looked like two half-healed puncture marks on her neck. When he asked who was here, where the food came from, and how did she get the marks, she just smiled whistfully. 

The Baron, Rebel Wolf, could neither confirm of deny the existence of the vampire bat, saying stranger mutations have happened. But even in the Deathlands, people tend to tell tall tales around Halloween.

Note: the preceeding was a tale of fiction for this time of year.

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Announcement: This Week at the Seanchai Libraries

 

THIS WEEK: More at Haunted Hollow, plus Ghostbusters, Watchstar, Wyrd Sisters, and ghost stories galore. Join us in #Secondlife for fun and adventure, this week.

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

{IMPORTANT NOTE: To get to story sessions at Haunted Hollow, you will be directed to the main landing point. There is no direct teleport to the Halloween Tree venue.  Look for the sign outside the arrival building, pointing to the *telepumpkin*. Click on the *telepumpkin*  to be redirected to The Halloween Tree story venue.}

**MONDAY, October 18th, at 7pm: Pamela Sargent's WATCHSTAR continues with Gyro Muggins.
    
**TUESDAY, October 19th:

   ~ at Noon: RUSSELL EPONYM, Live! with music, and poetry in Ceiluradh Glen.
   http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nowhereville/194/131/21
   
   ~ at 7pm: Ray Bradbury's THE HALLOWEEN TREE  begins with Caledonia Skytower, Faerie Maven-Pralou, and Shandon Loring, live on stream at The Halloween Tree at Haunted Hollow.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Chestnut%20Hills/144/220/2502

**WEDNESDAY, October 20th at 7pm: More from Terry Pratchett's WYRD SISTERS with Caledonia Skytower.

**THURSDAY, October 21st:

   at 6-8pm: SLUMBER PARTY GHOST STORIES with Shandon, live at The Halloween Tree at Haunted Hollow. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Chestnut%20Hills/144/220/2502

   at 9pm: SEANCHAI LATE NIGHT with Finn Zeddmore (back at the Library)
   
** FRIDAY, October 22nd at 7pm: GHOSTBUSTERS Continues with Shandon Loring and Caledonia Skytower

**SATURDAY, October 23rd at 2pm on Virtual Community Radio, Seanchai Library's adaptation of THE STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL & MR HYDE - Tune in to https://vcradio.org/

****
 

Cartoon of the Day: Horse Sense

 

Taken at the Confederation of Democratic Simulators. This horse was available for anyone to ride. But in a place where besides humans there are furries, one wonders what the horses would think.
 

By Bixyl Shuftan

 

SL Video: "SciFi Expo in Second Life Region Tour"

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(Click here if the video does not play)

From Bain Finch on October 11, a tour of the 2021 Sci-fi Expo sims.
 

SL Video: "Happy Halloween From Second Life"

 

 (Click here if the video does not play)

From Malibu Karu on October 6.
 

Burn2 Continues

 

Burn2, the biggest and longest running annual art and music festival in Second Life, is taking place. This Saturday and Sunday are the high points, the Burning of the Man and the Temple Burn. But there's much more to the Burn than that. Gemma Cleanslate has been going around the various exhibits and events. And there was plenty to see.

Read Gemma's article in Events.
 

Bellisseria's "Great Trick or Treat Event"

 

Earlier this week, Patch Linden announced, on a thread in the Linden blog, a Halloween event on the Linden Home continent of Bellisseria, "The Great Trick or Treat Event." 

Prepare to celebrate Halloween Belli style! Collect candy across Bellisseria this Halloween season with a chance to win prizes! This is an interactive event where residents living in Bellisseria can host Candy Buckets on their parcels and anyone (even residents not living in Bellisseira) can go all around Bellisseria Trick or Treating to collect candy. 

As the event takes place on Bellisseria, only residents who own land there can place a candy bucket. But anyone can get a HUD and collect candy. There's also prizes available in the form of bears. Those whom collect at least one piece of candy get a Skelly Bear (skeleton).

Only residents who own parcels in Bellisseria can host a candy bucket, but all residents can get a game HUD and go Trick or Treating.

Everyone who participates in Trick or Treating and collects at least one candy will receive a Halloween Skelly Bear (skeleton bear is decor only). The top 100 trick or treaters get the Evil Bear (devil) as well. The top 35 players get those two plus the Magic Bear (magcian), which is wearable animesh and "waves a wand with particle effects, sounds." And finally the top ten also get the top prize, the Deady Bear (zombie), an "Animesh Pet/Follower with custom animations, sounds and effects."

To help explain the event, this video of Magellan Linden and Punkey was shown with Magellan going around still incognito.

The event doesn't start until Monday October 18. But residents of Bellisseria can go ahead and get a candy giver and place it on their land. It and the HUD can be found at the following locations.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Millbank/205/38/23
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Campwich%20Forest/118/101/24
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Randelsham%20Forest/150/112/70
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Muehlenbach/158/120/37 

 Good gaming to you.

Hat Tip: Daniel Voyager

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Press Release: "Scare Me Silly" by Team Diabetes

 

DATES: OCTOBER 15 TO 22, 2021

WEBSITE: https://teamdiabetessl.org/scare-me-silly-2021/

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Water%20Haven/148/144/25

The 6th Annual Scare Me Silly Event, will take place October 15 to 22, 2021.. This event is the first fundraising event for the 2021-2022 official Team Diabetes fundraising season! Scare Me Silly will feature shopping, a special hunt, art, raffles, giveaways, live music, tricks and treats!

Team Diabetes of Second Life is an official and authorized team of The American Diabetes Association. The mission of Team Diabetes of Second Life is to raise awareness, tolerance, and funds for diabetes in the virtual world of Second Life. According to the World Health Organization (2016): 422 million adults in the world have diabetes and 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes each year.

Participating Artists: 4pril resident, Aquaris27 Resident, Bagnu, cutewillow.carlberg, DamnedFool Bonde, Elise Sirnah, Eucalyptus Carroll, Fluer Heartsdale, iidreamrii resident, Jamee Sandalwood, Karma Weymann, maggiemagenta, Matt Thomson, Moora McMillan, Pieni (Resident), Sasheba Looming, ShawnDeLyons Resident, Sophiependragon, SummerSuperb, ViktorSavior, & Vita Theas

About The American Diabetes Association:

The American Diabetes Association’s mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. The American Diabetes Association leads the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fights for those affected by diabetes by funding research to prevent, cure, and manage diabetes.

The American Diabetes Association delivers services to hundreds of communities and provides objective and credible information and resources about diabetes.

Free resources are available in English and Spanish at http://www.diabetes.org and 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2382).

For More Information:

Team Diabetes Official Website:
www.teamdiabetessl.org

Scare Me Silly 2021 Website:
https://teamdiabetessl.org/scare-me-silly-2021/

Official Team Diabetes Authorization and Fundraising Page for the American Diabetes Association:
https://donations.diabetes.org/site/TR?px=11304578&pg=personal&fr_id=13323

 

Announcement: This Saturday at The Science Circle - "Alien Exosociology,"

 

"Alien Exosociology: Our Transgalactic Commonalities"

Saturday October 16,

10 AM to 11 AM SL time

Recent military reports of unexplained objects flying in our skies have sparked renewed interest in alien visitors. Some scientists predict that we will have made contact with advanced civilizations on other worlds within 25 years. What might they be like, and — more importantly – how might they act? Steven Van Hook, a researcher in transcultural relations, will consider what universal social traits we could share in common with our galactic alien neighbors.

Auditorium

For more information, Click Here.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/125/132/22 

*  *  *  *  *  *
 

"Online Anonymity; How Important Is It To You?"

Saturday October 16

9 PM to 10 PM SL time 

“There is no guarantee that an anonymity-free Internet would be a kinder, gentler Internet.” –Author: Whitney Phillips

“The Internet, my fickle friend, my two-faced enemy, what would life be like without you? Where else can I be anonymously anyone and yet, have no anonymity at all?” -Author: Susan Schussler

Fireside

For more information: Click Here. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Science%20Circle/104/125/1114