SL10B Preparations: Flying over the Sims

By Gemma Cleanslate

So now I am on the sims of the SL10 Birthday Celebration, in my role of Exhibitor Assistant , not just looking, working hard! To help all the builders get settled is a great honor. I did it last year and loved it. It is a thrill to hear the thanks of the builders as we escort them to their plot and pass out their “slice of the cake.” This is their information box that will give them the building rules and badge as a builder.  

 Sunday was hectic to say the least. At Noon the sims opened and the rush was on. Before the builders came to the sim we had to verify them as an accepted applicant, then invite them into the Exhibitors group. It was great to have all the volunteer Exhibitors Assistants that were available. The crowds persisted into the evening hours and I am sure long into the night. Their anticipation just to get in there on their plot was electric.  Some of the builders already have their exhibits in their pockets and begin immediately to put it them out. Never mind we are still standing there doing paper work, LOL. This makes the sims bloom quickly. 

Some exhibitors are still planning. That is ok. There is plenty of time.Thank goodness they were patient. So far so good. Some, who are knowledgeable from past experience waited until the second day. The lines were not so long and moved much faster. 

I have had a chance to fly around now and take a look. It is amazing !! Already the fascinating builds are appearing. I also know from experience that no matter how long I am in those 20 sims I will not ever see every build. It is almost impossible. So I recommend trying very hard for you to set aside lots of time during the weeks of the birthday celebration. You are going to need it,not only to see the builds but also to attend the numerous 24/7 parties that will be on 5 stages. Performers and DJs will be there, June 16 through June 29 but the sims will remain longer for you to try to see it all. I say Try and I mean Try! 

I can’t show you any of the builds yet, but have permission to show you some plot holders. More to come.

http://slcommunitycelebration.com/blog/

Gemma Cleanslate

Bay City Celebrates Five Years

By Bixyl Shuftan

Last weekend on Sunday May 19th was the 5th Anniversary celebration of Bay City. The day was marked with a street parade down the main road of the area and a party at the Fairgrounds in the east end of the region.

Bay City was created in May 2008 "by a set of resident builders known as 'moles' with in the Linden Department of Public Works," a group dedicated to improvements on the mainland. Bay City was described as "the American urban experience between 1940 and 1965, perhaps best typified by Chicago circa 1950." The region has seen a number of improvements every year, such as it's near-doubling in size with the merger of the sims from the former Teen Grid Bay City in 2011, and the "Hairy Hippo Fun Land" amusement part with mesh objects last year around the time of last year's anniversary.

The day before at a table with a Bay City Welcome Basket and tour guide, I ran into Uccello Poultry, the writer of the Poultry Report as well as the partner of the winner of the Miss Bay City Pagent Angela Seale-Poultry. She made a few jokes about the "mer-moles" in the canal getting upset if someone didn't find the key to the porto-potties on the big day, "There are quite a few swimming around the waters off the Hairy HIppo Funland, and one in the aquarium in Oak Bluff." She added a lucky 7Seas fisher might catch one around "Hippo." Marianne McCann, one of Bay City's prominent residents,  joined us soon afterwards. Marianne shared a picture of a number of the city residents gathering for a picture, which had appeared on the Second Life Viewer.

Marianne then talked a little about Bay City's first days, "I still remember when the Lab started to promote Bay City, pre-opening. Shots of the city 'in progress' an' stuff. and I was soooooo disappointed when I didn't get the parcel I wanted. ... I got one a couple days later. Uccello commented, "I remember meeting the Governor when she was at the train depot trying to setup the freebies. (giggles) Had to toss a script to her and explain 'Buy for L$0.' " Marianne went on, "I remember first coming into Bay City when it first was gridded. (It was so new, you could not TP into it. (The) map did not recognize it yet. I had to fly in from Cape Haven. My first in-person view was of Farpoint Park. A friend of hers invited everyone on his friend list over, which was the precursor of their weekly meetings.


The following day at Noon, people began gathering at the Hawich sim in the southwestern part of Bay City. Some would walk. Others were in cars and floats. Daniel Voyager would write that over 30 were at the gathering point.  Miss Bay City Angela Seale-Poultry was also there. And so was Marianne in her marching band director outfit, trying to organize this chaotic gathering. It didn't help when someone began showering the place with particles. Some wondered if this was a grieving attack at first, then someone noticed it was confetti. Unfortunetly, it was enough to send a number of residents crashing, including yours truly.

By the time I got back on, the parade had already started. I ported ahead to get some pictures. While enough razzed for me to see what was going on, sorry to say the lag meant most pictures were of fair quality at best. Fortunetly Daniel Voyager had taken a number, and gave his okay for the Newser to use some (like the one above).

Daniel was also in the parade as a flying dragon.

Other things in the parade included a huge "Stay Puft Marshmallow Man" avatar. Behind it was a "flaming noob" balloon.

And there was this float full of faux noob avatars.

Draxtor Despres of "The Drax Files" was also there at the parade (second image Daniel's).

 Bay City residents are always there to lend a hand, in this case a giant hand for a float.

And at the finish line, one car with Rosie the Robot doing chauffeur duty can be better seen with lag less of a problem.

Miss Bay City at the finish line of the parade.

Another car at the parade.

The parade went down "Route 66," the main road of Bay City. It went on to the Fairgrounds in the North Channel sim, which is several sims west of Ahern and Luskwood.

There, the paraders and onlookers whom had been watching from the streets joined up with the small party, which had already started at the stage and dance floor. DJ GoSpeed Racer was starting things up with her selection of tunes. The number of avatars there was close to 40 at times.

Among the dancers, a "Primitar" from "Linden World," the unpublished alpha version of Second Life.

Marianne dances with Loki Eliot of "The Goonies," and a few other child avatars. Daniel for whatever reason put on a carrot top. Holocluck Henley was also there.

Following DJ GoSpeed, there was a performance by live singer Christov Kohnke.

Overhead, there was a blimp getting a view from above.

The party went on for a few more hours and two more live musicians. There was also a display of fireworks. Marianne sent this message after the end:

Thank you to everyone who made out anniversary such a success! Our performers, our parade block captains, Ever for work above and beyond. Those who tossed into the hat to provide some great performers, and all our marchers, viewers,and partiers. Thanks for making Bay City’s fifth so great!

For more pictures, you can find more in Daniel Voyager's and Marianne McCann's Flickr.

Happy Birthday Bay City.

Bixyl Shuftan

Sources and Links: Second Life Wikia, Daniel Voyager's Blog, Daniel Voyager Flickr,

Volcano Party at Mount St. Helens

By Bixyl Shuftan

On the outskirts of the Steelhead region is Mount St. Helens. For those whom were old enough to keep up with the news in the early 80s, the name brings to mind the eruption in May 18th 1980 in which a huge ash cloud reduced hundreds of miles into wasteland. As it turns out, May 18th is the birthday of noted Steelhead resident Tensai Hilra. So what do the Steelheaders do when her birthday arrives? Blow it up.


Normally, Steelhead St. Helens looks nice and peaceful with it's top white with ice and snow and greenery all around. But on Friday May 17th, the place had changed. It now had the look of an active volcano with the top half blown off and lava flowing down with the slope full of dead trees. Over the lava-filled crater on top was a dome-shaped structure. And inside, a number of Steelheads were partying it up. "We decided to do it a little differently this year on the mountain" I later heard Tensai explain, "though I'll be sure to blow some stuff up … (grin)." There was also a balloon and gondola sailing nearby.

There were a number residents partying away. Among them were TotalLunar Eclipse, Lumina "Lumi" Elvehjem, Solace Fairlady, Baron Klaus Wilfenbach, and the birthday girl Tensai Hilra. Fuzzball and Eugene Ortega were also there. Rock and Roll Michigan was the DJ, playing songs like "Ring of Fire." When tipped, his jar would ring out, "Thank you (name), now I can afford volcano insurance." With the lack of a proper door, the usual way for people to enter the protective dome was to teleport, though a few found other means.

"Hi All! A hot time in the old town tonight!" one Steelheader greeted everyone upon entering. And upon entering, one could see some of the guests were dressed in some pretty "hot" costumes, as demons, fire elementals, etc. There was also a lab area next to the wall, with a chalkboard filled with equations plus some equipment who-knows-what purpose it was used for. Rock & Roll called it, "The Lab at the End of the Volcano" after someone compared it to "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" in "Hitchhiker's Guide tot he Galaxy."

At one point, CeAire Decosta asked where everyone was when the real St. Helens blew. Lunar admitted he hadn't been born yet, to which CeAire responded, "Thanks for making me feel VERY old Lunar!!!" Thad Caligari told, "I was in Kanas and even we had some ash fall on us early on. … We just got a light dusting a couple of days after, was enough to know it wasn't Kansas dirt."  Willow Leafstorm told, "My typist's brother lived in Oregon at the time and sent me some ash." Hawc Decosta told the crowd, "I worked as a camp counselor at Spirit Lake Boy Scout Camp in the late '60s. It was a lovely area then."

CeAire added, "I was living and working there at the time! We were camping almost due west on Memorial Day weekend when it blew again. Blew the ash so high it went west over the ocean. And as it settled in blew east back to the coast where we were. They shut the roads down because of rain and slick ashy roads. They opened them by necessity on Monday, but boy was it difficult to get home without winding up in a ditch. When I was driving home they kept telling us on the radio to go slow and stay in one lane. There was a build up of slick sludge between the two lanes. A couple of cars ignored the warnings and passed us as threw ash all over our windshield. We had our revenge thought. Shortly after we passed both of them ..... in a ditch off the side of the road!" CaAire had an ash sample of her own, "I collected some ash off the car and had it for many years, but I don't think I have any anymore."

The party went on with some talk about the last show this season for "Doctor Who," a number of volcano and pyrotechnic jokes, and of course warm happy birthday wishes to Tensai.

Eventually, it was late and over time the residents went their separate ways, leaving the volcano behind. Eventually, the lava would cool, and through the nature of mad science, the locals will make it look clean and unspoiled as before.

This eruption looked much like the one in August 2011, which was done because the locals wanted a "Big Bewm." The eruption in May 2012 was different, with a huge ash cloud instead of lava.

Bixyl Shuftan

Skunk Aid 2

Last weekend on May 12, two Relay For Life teams, Team Shadow and RFL Advocacy, had recently been "skunked" by anonymous donors. So it was decided to throw a second "Skunk Aid" party to raise funds to get rid of the stinky label.

The Time Machine - 60's Classic Rock
5 - 7pm on T1Radio

Travel With T1Radio's Trader Whiplash back to The 60s!

Stinky is Back and so is SKUNK AID

Team Shadow and RFL ADvocacy have been infested by Relay For Life of Second Life's Infamous Rodent.  Help Rid Them of THE SKUNK

Join the Relay Rockers as we band together to help our Fellow Relay Teams in their time of need.

SKUNK AID II. Cause Cancer Stinks!

Wear Your Favorite Black and White and Get YOUR Cancer Stinks T-Shirts!

Dance to the Best Of 60's Tunes with Trader Whiplash

Sunday May 12
5 - 7pm

~ On the Pier at Arinultra Cay ~

And at 5PM, people began gathering at the beach pier, not far from where the Relay Rockers hold their "Bid Me Bald" events. But there would be no shaves tonight as everyone danced away to Trader's tunes, dropping cash in the "deskunker" kiosks for the two groups, and cheering each other on with numerous wisecracks. Among those there were Dusk Griswold, Holocluck Henely, DJ Madonna, Bain Finch, Panza Eilde, DrFran Babcock, Nuala Maracas, Breezes Babii, and more. Among the black and white outfits, Nuala had her skunk fursuit from the first "Skunk Aid." And there was one Luskwood anthro Skunk avatar dropping in, to join in the sweet smell of comradery.

The donations came in quickly, and just ten minutes into the event, Bain announced, "Oh my, we can take our de-skunker kiosk down and focus on Team Shadow! RFL ADvocacy De-skunked!!!" And two minutes later, "Oooh. Looks like Stinky was already paid off." "Team Shadow De-Skunked!!!!" "Yay!" "Yayyyyyyy!" "Yayyyyyyy!!!!" "We send Peepe packing."

The party went on, with the donations continuing and people congratulating each other for the success. Madonna commented, "YOU are all my heroes. I'm a crazy old woman just trying to do the right thing." Someone's pet skunk cut loose however, "ACK!" "c-a-n-t b-r-e-a-t-hh-e." "Ewwwwwww.....stinky!" When asked if someone made him mad, the two-footed skunk answered, "Hey, that wasn't me." What did happen with the black and white furry was when moving around in the lag, a person or two ended up with a tail in the face, "Sorry."

DrFran Babcock commented later in the dance, " 'So, what did you do this weekend, DrFran?' 'Well, I danced with a skunk, and I raised money for the American Cancer Society by dunking the Emperor of Tiny Empires in a tank. What did you do?' "

Skunk Aid 2 wasn't the only event that day. Earlier in the day, the Relayers were ringing in a new team, "Run For Life Angels." It was so new, there was just one member. But it wasn't just anyone. Trader Whiplash announced in Relay chat, "it is a single member team, an 18 year old with Lung Cancer and Leukemia who has been sent home because 'There is Nothing More We Can Do.' Please come out here and let's not stop 'til this team has bronze level!" So people went to it's event high over the Lilith sim where it's kiosk where, and chipped in. It wasn't long before the 10,000 Lindens to reach Bronze Rank had been reached, and the donations kept coming. Ariel Goldrozen cheered in group chat, "THIS is how ONE TEAM welcomes a new team to Relay!!!!" Panza commented, "I almost want to tell you to go donate to Running with Angels, and let our skunk live happily ever after." "I'd gladly be skunked to the whole season to help support someone like Angel for the news they we given."

The Relay action continues this weekend with the "Halfway There Fair," and later on the "Home and Garden Expo" and "Paint Second Life Purple."

"Go Relay!"

Bixyl Shuftan

Gina Gracemount's "Bid Me Bald"

By Bixyl Shuftan

On Wednesday May 8th, the Relay Rockers held another of their "Bid Me Bald" events. Their first one was on March 27th when T1 Radio owner and Rocker Co-Captain Trader Whiplash received the season's first shave. Since then, others have had their moment in the team's barber chair, placed prominently on the team's stage at their beach location. And on this day, Second Life Newser happened to have a reporter on the scene for their latest: Gina Gracemount.


Gina, a Jazz and Blues singer on the Grid, had offered to put her hair on the line, going bald for every 5,000 Lindens raised. With 70,000 raised, this meant a shiny scalp for two weeks. And so wearing a "Don't Panic, Go Shop" shirt, she bravely approached the leather seat next to the barber pole, with Trader playing the 60s tune, "Long Beautiful Hair." Her friend Dillon Janus, whom was already bald, sported the scissors, "Hee-hee! Have a seat."

As she sat on the chair, Janus kept poking his leg when lowering his hand. "Watch the ears!!" Gina shouted. Trader grinned, "Gina, we have sutures handy." "Oh, so you are used to blood then?" "Fiz's ear healed pretty quickly after we sewed it back on." "I feel a sting on my neck! Careful!"

And so the deed was done, one lady commenting, "I hesitate between calling you Britney Gracemount or Gina O'Connor."

But it was then Gina's turn for revenge. Dillon had agreed to go along with her in the "Bid Me Bald." But as he already sported a bare scalp, something else was called for. "Oh, you haven't seen what he's agreed to wear this time," Gina grinned. And so, the guy's shirt vanished, replaced by a black and pink blouse, and his pants faded into the virtual nether, with a frilly poodle skirt taking their place. The crowd reacted with laughter, "Oh *Lawd*, Dillon!" And to top it off, he sat in the chair for Gina to place on him a womens' wig, gluing it on, "A little squirt here, and across the forehead, yep, think you are ready to go!"

The chuckles continued, "and you still didn't shave your legs, (laughter)!" "I love the saddle shoes and bobbie sox." "The chest hairs really set the whole thing off!" "Oh we love you Dillon!" "Now he is prettier than me, (sigh)." "(I) just hope his poodle skirt don't have a lil accident on the carpet!" One girl dropped a bar of soap in front of the charity cross-dresser. With all the funnery, Gina and Dillon joined the Rockers on the beach dancing away.

Despite her now hairless look, Gina gave thanks, "Trader, thank you to you and your team... without you organizing these events, and the effort you put in, we couldn't raise half as much!" She also thanked, "Ms Tina, who has been in personal charge of the 'get Dillon to wear a skirt' campaign (laughter)."

The Relay Rocker's beach location, T1 Radio's Classic Rock Club, is at Arinultra Cay (182, 26, 24). So far this season, they have raised over 1,500,000 Lindens ($6200), making the Saphire-ranked team the second highest in cash raised for the American Cancer Society.

Bixyl Shuftan

Fishiversary Pictures

Pictures of the Spring 2013 Fishiversary event, sponsored by 7Seas

See you at the next Fishiversary

Gemma Cleanslate

A Fairy Faire of Hope

By Kitacelia

I arrived at Fairelands Junction, sponsored by Oceania Breedables.  I was greeted by a series of trees with portals to different areas of the Faire.  I began in Ravenshard.  Amid the sparkling giant purple ferns and whimsical mushroom furniture, I found a variety of venders in and out of the enchanted trees.  Included in these was an Alice in Wonderland display, based on the classic novels. Fantasy-themed music from movies and shows and other sources was played. Dotting the landscape was a assortment of boards and kiosk, all to benefit the Relay for Life cause. This was sponsored by the Epic Toy Factory. An announcer/DJ gave amusing dialog to entertain shoppers.


 Next I went to Evensong Woods, Sponsored by Roawenwood. This had several gothic arch style buildings and platforms. Scrollwork and pale grey stone lended them a decidedly Elven grace. They also featured brocade drapes and banners, ivy strewn pillars and balconies with elegant railings. Similar boards and kiosks for RFL were here as well.

Next was on to Crimson Fields sponsored by Trident.  It was a huge field of red flowers as you might expect, contrasted by rocky cliffs and stone ruins.

Then I explored Titans Hollow Sponsored by Cerridwen's Cauldron. More graceful curving scrollwork  and what appeared to be chandler's or candelabras suspected in the mists or clouds delignted my vision.  Sunset-hued stained glass framed by scrollwork and matching rails make me wish I had the room and lindens to take another picture.  Platforms of crystal glass overlooked mystical mists.  After that I adventured around Lotus Valley Dream, sponsored by Looking Glass.. This had a definite East Asian quality with Japanese-style gates and Chinese Lanterns. The characteristic uptipped roof corners were met by circular doorways and bamboo decor.  Cherry blossoms and bonsai trees neatly pruned trimmed an orderly walk.  Yes, I found lotuses growing in a lake, guarded by a majestic and sinuous Eastern dragon.

On to the Dragonspire sponsored by The Arcanum. This locale contained a decidedly cavernous quality, with stalactites and stalagmites of huge size all over.  Flashes of scintillating crystals of every hue adorned the walls and cold-seeming underground rivers provided a icy refreshment to passersby . giant slabs of stone bore equal sized cracks, as if damaged by something enormous and powerful. Tunnels into pitch darkness as well as glowing scrollwork and crystal formations gave a feeling of both magic and trepidation.

I then teleported to the Valley of Ish'Nar, sponsored by the Key of Hope Hunt. This region was a place of ruins in the forest and lost treasures. Chests, boxes with ornate decor and golden pitches as well as precious coins and gems lie in every part.Strange sounds emanated from somewhere, lending it a mysterious and secret aspect.

Lumenaria sponsored by Solarium was a landscape of courtyards and magnificent fountains as well as buildings with a somewhat Germanic expression. Exotic gardens and oddly shaped balloons meet the onlooker. 

At last count the Lindens raised is over 7 million at the Faire.  However, more is still needed.  Many of us, our loved ones, our friends have been effected by the tragedy and plague that is Cancer.  So even if fantasy isn't your slice of Elven bread or your mug of Dwarven ale, please check out this Faire anyway, it is for a wonderful cause.  If I missed anything important please let me know.

For more pictures, check out the Relay for Life's Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/groups/slrelayforlife/

Kitacelia