Aether Salson's War of 1812 Discussion

 

By Bixyl Shuftan

 

On Sunday Sept 20, The Aether Salon had it's discussion for the month. This time the topic was The War of 1812, which like other conflicts America took part in between the War for Independence and the Civil War tends to be overlooked by casual students of US History. The US leadership, furious over the impressment (kidnapping) of Americans by the British Navy, as well as incidents such as the unprovoked attack on the USS Chesapeake, declared war on the British Empire. But compared to the Brits, the USA had only a tiny Navy and regular Army. Attacks on Canada relied on called-up state militia that thanks to poor quality of men and officers alike ended up as disasters that left the country vulnerable to counterattack from Canadian militia and American Indian warriors allied to Britain. Fortunately for the USA, Britain would be busy with fighting Napoleon. But unfortunately the Brits could still enact a blockade. While there were a few individual victories by the US Navy in one on one battles, notably by the USS Constitution, the blockade was soon tightened and American overseas commerce strangled. 

 

Wildstar Beaumont was the speaker at the event, dressed up like a buccaneer. He remarked since this was "Talk Like A Pirate Day" weekend, he might as well touch on an issue somewhat related, the use of privateers by the badly outnumbered US Navy in the war.  He reminded the audience that he had chosen the topic months ago, and didn't count on talking about a war best known by the Canadians for it's attempted American invasions while in real life news America's President has been ratcheting up a trade war with the country. 

 

Driven by necessity to rely on privateers, the Americans found them to be a huge success. The smaller privateers could outrun the British when at a disadvantage, and engage when there was an opportunity. The result was numerous British ships sunk and captured, as well as the US Government taking in millions from duties on captured gold and other valuables, revenue it sorely needed with the blockade strangling the economy. News of naval victories also were a vital boost to American morale.

 

Also mentioned was the Battle of New Orleans, which took part in January 1815. Before the fight, the British tried to recruit smuggler and pirate Jean Lafitte to be a guide for their invasion. Instead he warned the Louisiana Governor, and offered himself and his men & weapons in exchange for pardons for him and his brother Pierre. General Jackson at first wasn't thrilled with the idea of them helping out with the defense of New Orleans, but would later laud their "courage and fidelity." The battle ended in a decisive American victory with the British taking on heavy losses. 

 

Negotiations to end the war began in mid 1814. At first the British demanded territory, seeking to create a buffer state for American Indian allies. The US Government angrily rejected it. The months went on, and a British attack in Maryland resulted in Washington DC being burned but failing to beat the forces defending Baltimore, the most famous part being the Battle of Fort McHenry which inspired the song "The Star Spangled Banner," and having to retreat. As more time passed, both sides came to realize the issues that started the conflict were no longer relevant and so they settled for status quo ante bellum - borders would remain unchanged. And the Treaty of Ghent was signed on Christmas Eve 1814. 

 

Although the war was a stalemate, the United States came out of it with a sense of pride for having successfully fought off the strongest empire in the world, especially with the news of the Battle of New Orleans coming just after news of the treaty. For the Canadians, they also came out of the conflict with a sense of pride, as well as a newfound sense of national unity, for having beaten off American invasion. As for the British, with the conflict being a side-show compared to the Napoleonic Wars, they barely remembered it happened. Indeed it's not even mentioned in many British history books. But for the American Indians, the war would prove to be the beginning of the end for those east of the Mississippi River. They would lose a great deal of land in peace treaties, and some years later entire tribes would be expelled in the Indian Removal. Not mentioned in the discussion was General Jackson finding a career in politics and eventually becoming President. Also in politics, the Federalist Party, which opposed the war, would come out of the fight badly. In the years after the war, it would fade away into irrelevance and ten years after the treaty was dead. As for the privateers, after the war some would continue in the Latin American wars for independence. 

 

The Aether Salon is hosted by Ceejay Writer. The next event should be on Sunday October 18. The transcript for the event should be up on the blog (https://aethersalon.home.blog/) soon.

 

*Addition* - The transcript is finally up: https://aethersalon.home.blog/2026/09/27/1812-with-wildstar-beaumont/  

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

 

Discussion on Tactics At Aether Salon

 

By Bixyl Shuftan

This is one of my "better late than never" articles that temporarily got lost in the reporting about the SL23B and then Rita Mariner's passing. 

Besides being the last day of the Second Life Birthday, Sunday July 19 was also the day of July's Aether Salon discussion. 

Today at 2PM SLT: The Aether Salon presents TACTICS! with one of the founding Salonistas, Jedburgh Dagger. Sneak in unnoticed, steal a seat and brace yourself for further instructions.   

One of the central points of the discussion by Jedburgh Dagger of tactics was what face a commander on the field: "the three 'Cs,'" Command, Control, and Communications."Command, go there. Control, stay together. Communications, tell them to go there too." And in ancient times with no radio, communications wasn't easy, relying on visual signals, horns, and messengers which took time to reach where they were going and vulnerable to being killed. 

 

 

Jedburgh noted that tactics pretty much stayed the same for millennia. Even when firearms first appeared in European battles in 1419, they weren't a significant change at first, until "in 1525 the first battle that was pivotally decided by firearms was fought in Italy. Battle of Pavia, when the cavalry found out that you can't run pell mell at a block of musketeers. But even so, guns ended up not changing the formations a great deal."

Real change would have to wait until King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, "known as the first modern general, and the man who started the widespread use of 'combined arms'.What he did was use cavalry, artillery, and infantry together, each using their strengths to offset the weaknesses of the other."  

Still, the practice of men in lines marching in formation toward each other continued, even in the early and mid 19th Century that saw developments in firearms and ammunition that made rifles more accurate and quicker to reload. But then came Maxim and his machine gun, "it took Maxim's gun to provide huge amounts of fire that ended the large unit use of line formations, and also killed colored uniforms for that matter." But line formations didn't go away entirely, "even today, the riot squad and the infantry squaddie still do the same thing their Greek ancestors did."

 

There were some amusing moments with the occasional joking remark, such as someone responding to the comment "the same thing their Greek ancestors did" with Tepic Harlequin going "drink too much and fight the locals?" He would also man the machine gun on display. There were also fireworks unleashed at one point. 

 

Ceejay Writer, who organizes Salon events, would say, "we do not have a speaker for next month, but we do for the rest of the year," and invited people to sign up to be one.  

 

The Aether Salon discussions are announced in the New Babbage group inworld, and on it's Discord. They take place at Babbage Canals (195/63/105).

 

To read the group blog, including this week's transcript, Click Here: https://aethersalon.home.blog/

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

 

 

The Dickens Project And Party At The Bellisseria Fairgrounds

 
By Gemma Cleanslate

The first minute you enter the Square at the Dickens Project, you know you are in a different time and space.  Pick up the map and wonderful TP hud in poster near the Gazebo. 

This will take you to places you will want to visit with much ease.

The Gazebo has a few offices and stores around it . Visit them. On the walls of two stores are wonderful free outfits to help you get into the era that is being celebrated here , one for men, one for women. You will feel much more comfortable clothed for the era and they are very smart.

To tour the nearby area before you use the hud take a leisurely coach ride and view the environs near by. It will take you by important places from Dickens books.

Every year it is a pleasure to see what is old and new in the project. This year there is a whole new region exposing the coal mining of the day. Find Sultan the horse  and take a tour of the mines themselves and then walk nearby to see the housing and other building associated with life then. 

If you want to attend an event during the week here is a schedule to check  https://irelandslstory.blogspot.com/p/dickens-events-calendar.html

If you have time explore the buildings surrounding the Christmas Past Square. I found two galleries , one with people who have played Scrooge across the ages, and one with posters from familiar remakes of the story in cartoon and film. On the way back if you walk stop into some of the homes along the way to experience some of the decor of the past.There is plenty of food almost everywhere you go!

I made it to an area I had missed in past years I guess,  a fascinating display and education of horses of the Victorian age . Find a tp at the stable near the homes. If you use the hud it is on there. There are so many locales for you to visit. I will leave some for you to find. This is a wonderful project and I hope it continues for many years. There is much to learn here  thanks to the Seanchai Library and the whole staff under the direction of Caledonia Skytower.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Dickens%20Project/125/118/22

Saturday I went to a holiday ball at the Bellisseria Fairgrounds. 

It was elegant and so well attended by many in formal dress dancing to the music of  FAR (fwdfwd Farslider) DJ while I was there .

The whole event was arranged by Giselle Lacombe.  I told her how lovely everything was and she explained the she had done it all with  help from Christhiana  of Needful Prims. She was really shocked by the response at the ball and I heard her exclaim later, ”When I had this crazy idea to do  this, I never thought it would turn out like this! You all are incredible.” It was lovely !

I think this will be my last article before Christmas so I want  to say Happy Holidays to all the readers of the SL Newser . If you are stuck where you are, rely on memories of past Christmas days that were so enjoyable and look forward to a better time coming. Our lives here in second life are safe!  I am telling Santa to grant you all your wishes!

Gemma Cleanslate

The Crhistmas Truce Exhibit

By Bixyl Shuftan

Over the Holidays, there was an exhibit in the WW2 Combat RP area that covered an event not of the Second World War, but of the first. It was a hundred years ago in which Europe was locked in what was then called "The Great War." After the initial German march into France was stopped, both sides dug in and the Western Front was locked in the stalemate of trench warfare, with no end in sight.

Although there were truces in the fighting so both sides could tend to their dead and wounded, in December 1914, something very different took place. The "Christmas Truce" was unique in that so many soldiers took part and that there was not only a lack of fighting but soldiers from opposing sides often meeting up to chat or even exchange items. Although there had been calls from the Pope for a truce, and some officers and generals wanted at least a break in the fighting, what happened came about through the spontaneous combined actions of the infantrymen. For a short time in this war marked by so much death destruction and misery, there was peace.

A hundred years later in Second Life, the New Bastogne region had an exhibit about the Christmas Truce, "(Many visitors have) already seen the Christmas Truce Exhibit on Ardennes sim. On the exhibit you will find period time photos, press and the most important, the individual histories of who lived it. Don't miss this great exhibit."

At Homely Isle,there were a number of photographs and descriptions up for display, describing scenes of how the Christmas Truce came to be.

We were in the front line, we were about 300 yards from the Germans. And we had, I think on Christmas Eve, we'd been singing carols and this that and the other, and the Germans had been doing the same. And we'd been shouting to each other, sometimes rude remarks more often just joking remarks.

Anyway, eventually a German said, "Tomorrow you no shoot, we no shoot." And the morning came and we didn't shoot and they didn't shoot. So then we began to pop our heads over the side and jump down quickly in case they shot but they didn't shoot. And then we saw a German standing up, waving his arms and we didn't shoot and so on, and so it gradually grew.

More than a hundred thousand soldiers would take part in the truce. While it was often just simply leaving one another alone, there were numerous examples of the soldiers getting out into No-Mans-Land and chatting with one another, exchanging items such as tobacco with one another, even exchanging Christmas gifts, often alcoholic drinks. There were even soccer matches set up between the two sides.

A Scottish soldier appeared with a football, which seemed to come from nowhere, and a few minutes later a real football match got underway. The Scots marked their goal with their strange caps, and we did the same with ours. It was far from easy to play on the frozen ground, but we continued, keeping rigorously to the rules, despite that it only lasted an hour, and that we had no referee. A great many of the passes went wide, but all the amateaur footballers, although they must have been very tired, played with huge enthusiasm.

One might think after weeks of stalemate someone among the leadership might have suggested making the truce official and give the governments a chance to negotiate, especially with the Germans whom were fighting a two front war. But it was not to be. Eventually the generals on both sides grew more irritated with the truce, and began ordering the fighting to resume under threat of punishment. The following year, soldiers were warned they faced court-martial, even execution, if they fraternized with the enemy. Some smaller truces still came about in that year and the next, but there would never again be another Christmas Truce like 1914 had seen.

The Christmas Truce Exhibit remained up after New Years, and will be taken down tomorrow on January 10.

Homely Isle (98/135/31)

Bixyl Shuftan

Guy Fawkes Night

 November 5 was Guy Fawkes Day in Great Britain,  and in Britannia Village in the Green Park sim the residents held a "Bonfire Night" party. The music started at 1PM SL time.

 There was even an avatar names Guyfawkes Redgrave, though he was most likely an alt used for this time of year. He ended up on the bonfire.

Some of the partiers also dressed by like Guy Fawkes, both with the mask made famous in the movie "V For Vendetta," and without. Among the people there was one British lady whom had come to Second Life that very morning. For her, the party was a blast.

 Britannia Village also caters to Dr Who fans. One tossed a Dalek into the bonfire.

 And someone was using fire gestures at one point, spreading flames all around. No avatars got singed of course.

Britannia Village wasn't the only place holding a Guy Fawkes Night party, There was also one at Club Zero Gravity, with DJ Reactor spinning the tunes. With the furry avatars, there were a few "Guy Fox" jokes.

Bixyl Shuftan

Election Night 2008 in Second Life

This article is reprinted from Second Life Newspaper. It can no longer be accessed from there as after the paper was shut down, most of the sections, including the one where it was archived, was closed to public access.

Election coverage in Second Life was different four years ago than from today. The Grid was still in the public eye, and months earlier politicians Newt Gingrich and Mark Warner had made inworld appearances. Real life news media would occasionally stop by areas in Second Life with political activity, notably Cafe Wellstone for the left, the Straight Talk Cafe for the right, and Capitol Hill which was officially neutral. Also, with no incumbent, the election was considered more wide open, and more people were interested in this race between a grizzled old war hero and a promising up and coming Senator.


*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

After nearly two years, the 2008 American Presidential Election finally came to a close with millions of citizens turning out to the polls. And in Second Life, many got together to watch the returns come in.

Going around, I found a few amusing sights, such as someone running around Capitol Hill in his skivvies. When offered a campaign button in jest to put there, he declined, “I’m weird, not vulgar.” Then left shortly afterward. A lady there told me there was interest in the election overseas, “I spoke to a guy from Portugal this morning and asked him if there was a sense of excitement there about the U.S. election today. And, he said that there is a lot of interest in his country, and most people see Obama as the winner.”

 Checking out the Obama HQ in Silicon Island, a few had arrived before polls closed. They were looking forward to victory, both the Dems and some European visitors, with a few having sour words for the opposition. Asking them what an Obama Presidency will bring, they told me, “eventually, an Obama Presidency will bring a stable middle class, which will create a stable economy, and more employed home owners,” “PEACE,” “ a year and our economy will be creating clean energy jobs.” I later saw a couple avatars that were caricatures of Pailin and Obama, the Pailin one joking, “Well, don't tell McCain that I'm with Barack. He'll be pissed, ha ha! But I LOVE this man.” Later, the two went to SL Capitol Hill, the Barack caricature wearing a Superman suit.

Cafe Wellstone, another pro-Democratic area, had a small crowd early in the night, mostly confident of victory, “And TOGETHER we will begin the next great chapter in the AMERICAN STORY.” Though some were anxious. Later on when I tried going there, the sim was maxed out and closed to me.

Heading to the Republican’s Straight Talk Cafe, there were not just the regulars, but some liberals had also dropped in to debate them, some barbs traded between the two sides. A few branded him communist. More Conservatives were saying they could not vote for a charismatic leader they knew little about. Some also expressed worries about more trouble with Islamic terrorism. Asking them what they could expect of a McCain Presidency, one answered, “I expect McCain and Pailin to grow jobs, restore out image around the world, and secure victory in the wars we are fighting.”

As time went on, states were declared as polls closed and tallies were taken. Finally around 8 PM SL time in the Capitol Hill sim, “This is it.” “... here it goes!!” “Oh my God! Noooo!” “This will decide it.” “Nooo.” After a few more comments of the sort, Kiwini Oe went, “Well, now we’re a bit over the top! 304/143.” “Congratulations,” Kei Mona announced, “We have a new President.  We welcome President-Elect Obama and VP-Elect Biden.” “Oh my God! As soon as he won, my MSN crashed!”

Princess Ivory had this to say, “Do you all realize that this is a historic election not just for the US, but for SL? 4 years ago SL wasn't as popular. In the past, we would gather with our neighbors and family in the living room and watch the election results on television. Now we sit and watch our avatars sit together, and listen to the BBC broadcast from another window. Incredible. Who could have forseen it?! ... I think that this is one of those elections, regardless of its outcome, that will go down in the history books as being a significant moment of change in the way we communicate, share data, etc. And the immediacy of the online environment tends to mobilize people. They don't feel so alone. They are part of something larger.”

Checking the Obama HQ, they had set up some bright glow-balls, bathing the interior of the building in light. And with victory declared, many were dancing away. Some were clearly rubbing it in, “Eight years of opression is over!” “... he and his followers are finished!” Others were more conciliatory, “McCain sowed respect to Obama and showed humbleness.” After McCain’s concession speech, one remarked, “McCain has asked all Americans to support Obama.” One lady in voice and chat told everyone, “I'm an American Ex-Patriot in France and for the first time in a LONG time, I am proud to be an American that the USA was able to overcome racism and elect the first black president.” She put her son up to the microphone, whom began singing.

Then a couple came in, telling everyone they had just been banned from the Straight Talk Cafe, saying they ran through the place naked, “StreaKIN THE rEPS!!” Heading over, the main group of avatars had gone from the Cafe to the deck outside another building, where the Conservatives found no peace in their candidate conceding defeat, Obama supporters coming in to harass them. One was commenting how wonderful Obama’s election was as it would help usher in a world government, but it was unclear if he really meant that or was trying to aggravate the conservatives by invoking a conspiracy theory.

“You voted to suffer.” One Republican lady told them, “I voted for the man who tried to free my country, Vietnam.” “Any comments on what the Republican will do now?” I asked them. “Regroup.” “We need to clean house and get back to our conservative roots.” “1) Clean house in the RNC. 2) Take a few Leadership Institute courses 3) start promoting limited government candidates who believe what they say 4) pain(t) ever action by Obama as the socialist pickpocketing that it is. 5) Win the 2010 and 2012 elections.” One soldier sighed, “I will go to base tomorrow, keep working, kiss my wife goodbye for a year in March, and hope I am not shot when Obama makes me run from Iraq.” Some wondered if they could have done better with another candidate. Others felt there were not many realistic alternatives to whom they had chosen.

Outside the political sims, people told me about two clubs, Star Tails and Cutlass, having election-themed parties. Cutlass called theirs an “Election Reconciliation” party, with a poledancer in red, white, and blue. Stopping by Luskwood to chat, one asked me if the Straight Talk Cafe was griefed with Obama particles.

Stopping by Capitol Hill one final time, there were fireworks in the air to mark the end of this long campaign.


*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

Four years later, Capitol Hill and the Straight Talk Cafe, later renamed the GOP Cafe, are gone. Cafe Wellstone is still around. Fewer people seem interested in the election, as one real life columnist put it, the days of "Hope and Change" are long gone.


Bixyl Shuftan

Pearl Harbor Memorial Service at USS Arizona Memorial in Oahu Sim

At 2PM SL time on December 7th at the Oahu sim, a number of residents met at the USS Arizona Memorial. Some were locals whom made the island their home or hangout in Second Life. Others were veterans, or from tribute groups such as the Flying Tigers. But all had come to pay their respects.

The service began with a recording of the song “In the Arms of an Angel.” Next was singer Roxanne Ysabel, doing a performance of “America the Beautiful.” Then came a five minute segment of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Day of Infamy” speech, which was followed by salutes from the vets. Technical glitches kept some from hearing the sounds at times, but it was cleared up by the end of FDR’s words.

Twstd Ruggles, one of Oahu’s residents, then addressed the crowd, “Aloha and thank you all for coming today to our special memorial services remembering 70 years ago the day Pearl Harbor was attacked. I had planned to do this speech in voice, but SL isn't being kind so please bare with me. Coming up we will hear music from the lovely Ichie Kamachi, hula dancing, prayer, and then we will all go to the deck and launch our leis into the sea for remembrance.”

“One more thank you to Kitilla Cortes for making this awesome replica of the USS Arizona Memorial Structure. This is our 3rd year having this event and I can't explain in words how much this means to me. Everytime I come here and visit, I can't help but get choked up hearing all the names of the people who lost their lives 70 years ago. So today I want to honor those people and I thank you all for joining us as we give tribute to them today. So without further delay, please toggle your audio as we enjoy a few songs from the very talented Ichie Kamachi!”

And then Ichie, a real-life Hawaiian, took to the stage and began singing to the crowd with the velvet voice she has been noted for. She sang two songs, then came a hula dance presentation by Oahu sim residents in native costume led by Szerwerp Loon. This was followed by a prayer by Chaplain Stan Teva.

“Roosevelt, who was never at a loss for words, said it was ‘a date that would live in infamy.’ Military leaders said it was the most disastrous defeat that our military had ever suffered in a single day. Let us pray, Dear Lord, creator and sustainer of all things, we offer this humble prayer to you this day. We understand that this world is full of good and evil and that you have given us the freedom to choose between the two. Today we remember a day when men choose evil. The day that Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and dragged the United States into the darkest of all wars this planet has seen. We remember the people on both sides that gave their lives and pray for those that are left behind seventy years later. We thank you in this hour of need you gave us these people, America's ‘Greatest Generation,’ when our need was greatest. We also remember the brave men and women that stood their ground against this evil both at home and abroad to ensure freedom would prevail. “

“We stand here next to the Second Life memorial to the 1177 sailors and marines that lost their lives on the USS Arizona during the beginning of the attack. It is here also that we remember that thousands of sailors, soldiers, airmen, marines and civilians that lost their lives on this day. Help us all to remember Pearl Harbor and keep America; no, not just America by help us keep the world alert against any attacks against our freedoms. Let us not bring shame on those who still lie in the quiet places through our indifference or forgetfulness. They gave it all and showed their love as you taught us in John chapter 15 verse 13, ‘There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’ “

“We give thanks for the brave people who embodied your love by making this ultimate sacrifice on this day. May we be willing to follow their example when duty calls. We also give thanks for all the men and women that made this ultimate sacrifice during the war that followed and during the many wars and conflicts that have followed to this day. And let us not forget the survivors and families that have gone on to contribute to this world of ours. War is an unnecessary evil that we must live with until all of mankind rejects their selfish nature and accepts the Truth. Lord, we humbly beseech thee to guide us and teach us so that we can bring glory to your name as the people we remember today did seventy years ago.”

“In the name of Jesus Christ we made this prayer, Amen.”

Several servicemen followed, “Amen” in response.

Chaplain Stan continued, “Don't forget the next event in today's program is the launching of leis into the sea in remembrance of the fallen. To your right, my left, at the front of the Arizona Memorial is a sign at the end of the deck to launch your lei. Please click on it in remembrance of those who have gone before us.”

It was then that the residents walked to the USS Arizona memorial. One by one, they clicked on the launcher, and a circle of flowers fell into the water, stained with a bit of oil that would occasionally bubble up from a simulation of the wreckage below. The memorial itself was a permanent structure, that would read the list of the men who perished on the USS Arizona, giving one name at a time every so often. The virtual memorial had pictures of the real-life one, in addition of those of the Arizona and it’s crew. At the far end of the memorial was a list of the fallen carved in stone.

As residents threw their leis in the sea, the hula dancers began their second performance and the last part of the Pearl Harbor tribute. Residents gave their thanks to Twstd Ruggles, as well as Szerwerp Loon.

“Thank you that we could participate this special day.”

Bixyl Shuftan