Press Release: Homes For Our Troops Fundraiser This Sunday

Frets Nirvana and US Military Veterans Group announces the ninth 2016 benefit for Homes For Our Troops in Second Life! 

Frets Nirvana, the premier guitar artist in the virtual world Second Life and the US Military Veterans Group announce a benefit on September 18, 2016 in Second Life for the Veterans Support Organization for Home For Our Troops . 

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).  These homes restore some of the freedom and independence our Veterans sacrificed defending ours, and enable them to focus on their family, recovery, and rebuilding their lives. Since its inception in 2004, over 90 cents of every dollar spent by Homes for Our Troop has gone to directly support Veterans. ”
Home for Our Troops benefit concerts feature premier Second Life talent monthly at Veteran’s Isle. 

The concert on September 18, 2016 is scheduled from 5-9 PM PST.  Featured artists will be Effinjay (Frogg Marlow and Jaycatt Nico,Shaye Dezno Jonstone, Baz (Avantgarde Frequency) and Savannah Rain.

ABOUT HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS  - HFOT builds homes as a departure point for Veterans to rebuild their lives, and once again become highly productive members of society. Despite their life-altering injuries, many Veterans have embarked on new careers, completed their college degrees, or started families. Empowered by the freedom a mortgage-free and specially adapted home brings, these Veterans can now focus on their recovery and return to their life’s work of serving others. Many have embraced their roles as motivational speakers, sharing their messages of persevering through tragedy with groups and classrooms around the country; others take to a national platform to promote awareness of veteran suicide, homelessness and PTSD. Their incredible stories are the driving force for the work for HFOT.

To learn more about the Homes For Our Troops visit https://www.hfotusa.org

Events This Week at the Sunweaver and Furry Fashion Clubs

It's another week of events at the Sunweaver clubs and the Furry Fashion Lounge.

Happy Vixen: Girl Power, Wings, Dragons, Squirrels

Club Cutlass: Best in "D", Bling it On, Silver and Gold

Furry Fashion: Ska, Space, Punk, Scalies, Spots vs Stripes, Metal, Hybrids, Anime

See the schedules in SL Clubbin'.

University of Western Australia Retiring Four of Five Sims

While there have been many colleges and universities which have had a presence in Second Life, perhaps the best known has been the University of Western Australia. Over the years since their begining in 2004, they have sponsored and held a number of art and video contests on their sims. But Jayjay Zifanwe and , the manager of the sims, had some bad news on Sunday September 11. Due to budget cutbacks, the number of sims held by the UWA will be "restructured" from five to only one.

UWA Virlantis will be taken over by Dr Phylis Johnson (Sonicity Fitzroy). The UWA, UWA Winthrop, and WASP Land, barring a last minute handover, will vanish on October 9. only the University of WA sim will remain, "Everything on All Sims will remain as is for the next 2 weeks... do come back for a visit as many of the artworks going back 7 years are still at various locations. Once those 2 weeks are up, our curator, Freewee Ling will start to rationalise what is on the UWA sims, so that some items from all sims are brought onto the one remaining sim."

Curator Freewee Ling had the following to say, "I am saddened by the restructuring that is happening at UWA and that the university's presence in SL will be so drastically curtailed. JayJay has done a remarkable job establishing the virtual campus, maintaining the sims and, more significantly, building a worldwide reputation for UWA's virtual presence. He has worked tirelessly to promote UWA in SL for the last seven years. There is no one at UWA who didn't know about it, and tours of the rl campus by everything from local school kids to international delegations were routinely given a tour of the virtual campus as well. Our reputation for inspiring the creation of literally thousands of virtual artworks and machinima by hundreds of artists from around the globe has helped to raise awareness of what creative people in virtual worlds are capable of achieving. Our programs have served to elevate and legitimize the work we do here. We had an inclusive open entry policy that allowed newbies and veterans to exhibit and compete on equal footing. I am very proud of all the work you submitted to our programs. I will share more of my personal thoughts in a separate post."

More details can be read in their blog post (here). Ironically enough, the exhibit mentioned in the post is "The Last Ocean," the theme being the death of a virtual world. You can check out the exhibit at UWA Winthrop (32/28/27).

Bixyl Shuftan

Wild West Roleplay Lands

Becky Shamen's latest adventure took her to a place of six-guns and horses at the "Wild West Roleplay Lands." Offering a chance to take part in the "Old West" of the later half of the 19th Century, get a good cowboy outfit if you want to take part. In her journey, Becky found her friend Eric Mouse wanted to tag along. So how did our heroine and her new sidekick do?

Read Becky's story in Places.

Announcement: Memorial Service For Catt "Kala" Gable

Celebration Of Life
                  

~ Catt "Kala" Gable ~
                

Saturday  September 17, 2016

5 PM SLT

Join us as we remember and celebrate the life our dear friend,
teammate and ACS Memorial Garden Curator, who lost her fight
with cancer on August 19,2016.

Relay dAlliez (128, 5, 23)

Do You Have a Story?

On occasion, Second Life Newspaper will print an article or picture submitted to us by one of you, the readers.

Have you seen a particularly well-detailed sim? Went to a great event? Found yourself in a hilarious "only in SL" predicament? We're very interested in what you the readers have to say. Send us a story or funny picture, and if we like it, we'll post it as a Reader Submitted. For pictures, jpg format is preferred.

Mail submissions to bixylshuftan(at)gmail.com.

PLEASE include your SL user name and tell us if you wish it to appear with your story.

SL-Newser reserves the right to post in the appropriate section and to investigate any names used in submitted stories (please ask permission before using anyones name or picture or use an alias for them).

SL Video: "The Drax Files - World Makers Episode 40 - Bernhard Dörries"

(Click here if the video fails to play)

The latest "Drax Files" video from Draxtor Despres on Sept 1, "This episode of the Drax Files focuses on 88-year-old Bernhard Dörries. A successful German film director whose prolific career spans more than 50 years and 129 films, Bernhard continues to explore storytelling and creativity through Second Life.

"In Second Life, Bernhard’s avatar is Bernhard McIntyre - a youthful representation of his creative intellect, as well as a vehicle to cope with the emotional and physical challenges of moving into an assisted living situation.

“'My avatar is co-creator, equal partner in sharing feelings, co-owner of feelings and emotions,' he says.

[**** please choose your subtitles in the lower right corner by clicking "cc" and for an English transcript go to http://bit.ly/tdf40_english ***]"

September 11 Memorials in Second Life

September 11 is the fifteenth anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil in which over three thousand perished. Four airlines were hijacked by Islamofacist fanatics, and diverted to suicide missions on targets. Two were crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, where most of the deaths occurred. One hit the Pentagon in Arlington. The fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania after the passangeres rebelled, it's fourth target probably either the White House or the Capitol building.

Over the years, there have been a number of 9/11 memorials in Second Life. The most decorative is the Stagg Island Memorial made by Geena Zackerly-Magic (Geena Zackerly) and Fazz (Fazio Magic). All of the names of the fallen are carved into stone, and two beams of light rising from square waterfalls, representing the towers. There are also flags of each nation that lost someone in the disaster.

There will be three services at the memorial today, at 8AM SL time, 2PM, and 6PM.

Stagg Island (10/152/37)

 Another memorial is Bryston Vanvleck's September 11 Memorial, located at Lanzarote (216/143/1343)

"Come join us in honoring the victims and commemorating the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks. A moment of silence will be held at the following times: 8:46 a.m.(5:46 SLT)Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower (1 WTC). 9:03 a.m.(6:03 SLT): Flight 175 crashes into the South Tower (2 WTC). 9:37 a.m.(6:37 SLT): Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon. 9:59 a.m.(6:59 SLT): The South Tower (2 WTC) collapses. 10:03 a.m.(7:03 SLT): Flight 93 crashes into an empty field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. 10:28 a.m.(7:28 SLT): The North Tower (1 WTC) collapses."

Another memorial is at  McCoy Island (59/58/28)

Learning Virtuale has a memorial at Serena Balmoral (210/46/2001)

A website for the memorial can be found at http://www.serve.gov/?q=site-page/september-11th-national-day-service-and-remembrance

The Faces Of Our Fallen Memorial Park on Sacred Ground, Rosies Paradise (193, 65, 3501)

From 6-8PM, there will be a "Homes For Our Troops" fundraiser, with music by DJ Biker

Sugar Bay (138, 159, 20)

Bixyl Shuftan

Fifteen Years Ago

Fireman's Prayer

When I am called to duty,
whenever the flames my rage,
give me strength to save some
life whatever be their age.
Help me embrace a little child
before it is too late,
or save an old person from
the horror of that fate.
Enable me to be alert,
and hear the weakest shout.
And quickly and efficiently
to put the fire out.
I want to fill my calling
and give the best in me.
To guard my every neighbor,
protect his property.
And if according to my fate
I am to lose my life,
please bless with your protecting hand
my children and my wife.

9/11/01 - We will never forget

Poem by Firefighter A.W. “Smokey” Linn

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at Lupus Prime. Skylark LeFavre tries a cyborg look with robotic eyes. But just what would cause eyeballs to stop working?

By Bixyl Shuftan

SL Video: "Beautiful Red Cherry"

(Click here if the video fails to play)

From Furry Andy on January 2016, "song : DIA (디아) [KissCry 키스크라이] - 나쁜 여자 (Bad Girl)"

Dancing at the LEA 1

Gemma Cleanslate recently went to the LEA1 sim, where the 2Ldance group has been offering dance lessons. Instead of just hopping on a poseball, here it's explained just what's involved with dancing in real-life. Besides the dancing there's good scenery, including a park from Creations for Parkinson's Barbie Alchemi.

Read Gemma's story in Design.

Game Review: Tom Clancy’s "The Division"

In Wesley Regenbogen's latest article, he takes a look at the game "Tom Clancy's The Division." Inspired by a real-life US government operation designed to test America's response to a bio-terrorism attack, the player takes on the role of a secret agent trying to help restore order in New York City after a plague has resulted in a breakdown of society. So what did Wesley think of the game?

Read Wesley's review in Other Grids, MMOs, and Games.

Press Release: 2016 Strides Fundraising Tools Now Available

SEPT. 5 -- The official fundraising tools for 2016 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSABC) Across Second Life season are now available at American Cancer Society Island.

The SLURL for the MSABC building and the tools: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/American%20Cancer%20Society/106/73/21

If you have an old kiosk or other tools, please delete them and use the new ones.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Leala Spire or Sandie Loxingly. For tech support, please contact RyleighReign.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Across Second Life raises money for The American Cancer Society..

Some key dates for Strides:

Oct. 23: Opening of the Blossoms of Hope Showcase
Oct. 29: Strides Walk starts at 10 a.m. SLT
Oct. 30: Honor Ball for Survivors & Caregivers
Nov. 4: All donations due from walk
Nov. 5: Wrap-up on Relay dAlliez sim


About Making Strides Against Breast Cancer:
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer or MSABC is the largest network of breast cancer awareness events in the nation, uniting more than 300 communities to finish the fight. Every breast cancer walk and event is an incredible and inspiring opportunity to honor those who have battled breast cancer, raise awareness about what we can do to reduce our breast cancer risk, and race money to help the American Cancer Society fight the disease with research, information, services, and access to mammograms for women who need them.

About The American Cancer Society:
For more than 100 years, the American Cancer Society (ACS) has worked relentlessly to save lives and create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Together with millions of our supporters worldwide, we help people stay well, help people get well, find cures, and fight back against cancer.

For more information please visit the sites below:
https://makingstridessecondlife.org/
http://makingstrides.acsevents.org/
http://www.cancer.org/

Marianne McCann's Last Fireworks For Summer 2016

Bay City's Marianne McCann is noted for a number of things. Among them, her firework shows at 8PM every Saturday night during the summer. Starting with Memorial Day weekend, she lit off her pyrotechnical displays every week. But with Labor Day weekend, the traditional end of summer, it was time for the last hurrah. And around 7:45PM on September 3, she announced to all on her friend list this would be the last show for the year.

The firework show as always took place in the Livingtree sim at "Kick the Can," a school building for SL kids. The fireworks were taxing to the location's fire alarms, "Oh no, not again!" But for the onlookers, the response was all "Oooooo"S and "Ahhhhh"s. GoSpeed Racer of KONA Radio provided the tunes. Among those there was Uccello "Uccie" Poultry, former Miss Bay City and the writer of the Poultry Report blog, and Crap Mariner, a SL personality whom has been more low key recently than in the past.

A few of the fireworks hit a little low, such as this one right here which created a flash of green light. One other obscured the immediate area around with mostly smoke.

At the end of the show was the rainbow display. And with that came the end of the firework shows, at least until next year. Starting Memorial Day Weekend in 2017, Marianne launches her rockets once again.

Bixyl Shuftan

Reader Submitted: Taco Dance

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From Moffett (moffettmephit) of Furry Fashion, a number of Crux avatars dancing around a huge taco. How did the taco get there and why are they dancing around it? Moffet didn't say.

Press Release: 50 Years of StarTrek At T-1 Radio

Join T1Radio's Space Cadets Madelyn Majestic and Fuzzball Ortega as they
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Star Trek!

Klingons, Romulans, Vulcans and lifeforms from all over the Galaxy will party for 4 Hours

Bring your own Romulan Ale, Vulcan Port and the like!

Set your Phasers to PARTY and Beam to LEGENDS Classic Rock for the Best Star Trek Celebration on the grid!

L$1000 Best Star Trek Character Contest  (6p-8pm)

T1Radio  - The Galaxy's Favorite Classic Rock Station

Saturday September 10, 5-9PM SL time


Arinultra Cay (198, 65, 29)

www.t1radio.com

Cartoon of the Day

From Club Cutlass. Sometimes being unpopular with the ladies can be a good thing ... if you're a predatory insect.

By Bixyl Shuftan

Tantari Kim And The Last Call For Lupus Prime

Sometimes locations in Second Life fade away unnoticed to all but a few. Other times their end draws attention. Tarnari Kim, A DJ whom has performed at the Second Life Birthday, the Sunweavers' Cutlass and Happy Vixen, and other venues, heard about one space station, Lupus Prime, about to be closed down. Rather than simply let it fade away, she decided to hold a grand finale for the place. Second Life Newser found out, and took a look.

Read the story in Events.

Sci-Fi Faire Opens Today

 At 11 AM SL time today, Wednesday September 7,the Second Life Sci-Fi Faire opens. Organized by the Sci-Fi Alliance in Second Life, the event is to both celebrate the 50th anniversary of  the Star Trek franchise, and to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. The event covers three sims and over eighty booths.

Kirk Wingtips, one of the head organizers, stated this was a spinoff event of the Sci-Fi convention, "its our in-between conventions event, the conventions themselves are the bigger event with six sims. We have quiet a few events coming up, the Milky Way Cabaret, some trivia, a Star Trek flight experience, some DJ's, and a little ship combat area." Of the booths, "some (are) using their booths to advertise and recruit new members, and some are vendors who sell some pretty cool sci fi-stuff, uniforms such as this one and ships, props and things." There were also taxi stations in which one could rez a small ship, get in, and it would take one around the place.

The landmarks for the three sims are the following:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Vulcan/128/129/24

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Qonos/127/128/24

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Risa/128/128/33

For more information, check the Second Life Sci-Fi Convention blog: https://slscificonvention.wordpress.com/

Bixyl Shuftan