For a long time ZZ Studios has been around Second Life as a creator of adult videos and more created by Cindy Babii and her group of talented actors and actresses. But there’s more than just adult entertainment to ZZ Studios. Darkefur Fraker, one of the long time actresses and builders for the studio, organized a car show open to the public. Cars just like in real life and also in Second Life are amazing things to drive in as well as admire for fine craftsmanship in virtual reality and also the real world. Cars add to the spirit of life in America or any country.
The ZZ Studios car show was for three days at their location at Sheridan (68/104/2501) . I visited there on Saturday. I found Dakota Lyle (Kota) who’s been with ZZ for a while and she had this to say, "Well, it's been a traditional event for ZZ for at least the last six or seven years. Car show and motorcycle show. Darke is the vehicle enthusiast so she kind of organizes all of these. Every one we have has gotten a bigger and bigger turnout."
"Darke" was the nickname of Darkefur Fraker. I met up with and joked with her. She also has other interests. I remarked, "Yeah I heard she likes other things too but it's awesome she loves cars." Dakota grinned, "Yea, ponies beware."
Another SL celebrity showed up helped me out, the ever retro hyena Ziba Roxley. She showed me Darkefur’s car the pink car behind her. At first I asked was it her car. She said she wished. However Ziba dreams of a special car, a 1956 Buick Centurion, and she showed me this link (picture). It wasn’t a car in reality quite yet, but Ziba said if she had the Linden or real life money she would certainly buy it.
One of the cars at the show that caught my attention was the General Lee from the show “Dukes of Hazzard" that I remember as a little kid. For those who don’t know about The Dukes of Hazzard check out the car here ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Lee_(car) ). There were also sports cars and I saw a military vehicle and a retro Volkswagen van.
To add more to the car show of ZZ, I added my own car, a Regalla. I was joking with Dakota Lyle that I told her what a bad driver I am. She also called my car lovely. I laughed and said it’s a James Bond type car and said I’m “Coakes….Grease Coakes." She laughed and said, "You have the perfect name."
Cars capture the imagination of everyone for James Bond flims or the fast and furious moives. ZZ put on a great car show and if you get the chance check it out and the wonderful cars.
Here
we have a fabulous success story about Relay for Life of Second Life
(RFL of SL). This time from the Aether Chrononauts/TinySteps team of the
Steamlands.
The Jam Tart Ball in it's 6th year
of raising awareness and funds for cancer research. It was held in the
Guvnah's Mansion on the region of Caledon Victoria City. The event
raised nearly L$17,000 during the day's event.
Some
6 years ago in 2011 when Patty Poppy was Captain of Team Caledon, she
came up with the idea of the Alice in Wonderland themed event which was a
fabulous success even its first year. She has planned, hosted and DJ'd
it every year since, save for one year when real-life got in the way. One of
the successes of this event is the fact that there are two events on Jam
Tart day: One at 1pm and one at 7pm SL time.
This gives the Euros and the America's both a chance to participate.
The other reason for the success is that it gives SLers a chance to
really create their costume and participate intimately with the
environment created for the event.
Attendees
find the most creative costumes imaginable for this dress up masquerade
party. The décor is clearly that of the Alice books and movies. The
music was in theme as well and focused on the Alice movies; tunes that
clearly implicated the fantasy theme of rabbits, underground, hookah
smoking caterpillars, cats and other interpretations of this party
theme. All genres of music was played including electro swing, classic
soft rock, contemporary and old world music; even a couple Dr. Demento
tunes like “They're Coming To Take Me Away!”
Attendees were from across the globe with more Europeans at the early edition and more North Americans at the evening edition.
The Independent State of Caledon (AKA Caledon) is owned by Desmond Shang,Guvnah. Caledon just celebrated its 10th year
in SL. The Caledon theme is Victorian/Steampunk and boasts 31 sims of
this steamlands area of Second Life. When you visit expect to meet
persons who are respectful and courteous as were the Victorians. Caledon
is also home of the new resident rezzing and learning center, Caledon
Oxbridge University though it is operated as a separate entity.
Avatar challenges are nothing new for the Relay for Life in Second Life."Bid Me Bald" has been fairly popular among Relay teams for several years. Others have come up over the years from "Bid Me Human" in teams with furs, "Bid Me Biggie" among tinies, "Bid Me Pink" being a recent one for the Sunbeamer Team. But Madonna Daehlie, best known for taking part in Relay events, such as her DJing, in her distinctive rubber suit and tall blonde hair, took her avatar challenge to a new, and somewhat disturbing, direction: her "Bid a Nightmare to End a Nightmare" for Team Shadow.
Madonna has been injected with something awful and it gave her cockroach arms like the woman/creature from "Nightmare on Elm street." What was the mad woman in the sweater said? "Live a nightmare to end a nightmare like cancer." So 20K for each week you wanna see Madonna bugged out cockroach style .We need to cure cancer more than Madonna needs human arms so let's put cancer in a roach motel and make Madonna creepy crawly to benefit Relay. Let's really BUG cancer.
The day of the event was July 5. I dropped by the Silver Creek sim where it was taking place.
Team Shadow. Madonna herself, the effects of the mutagen not having quite taken effect, yet, was bench pressing weights. Looking her over in a "Freddy Krugger" outfit was Rhea (rheata). Oldesoul Eldemar wasn't far away, and on stage were Gem Sunkiller and Sasha Fairywren along with Peter Savage (petersmith) and Shadow (victor.jaggernov), playing some tunes.
"Just in time Bixyl," Gem told me, "(It's) happening now." Rhea then told hold of Madonna's barbell, pressing on it, "Remember that shot I gave you some weeks back?" Madonna grunted as she struggled with the additional force on the weights. Rhea continued, "Well, that little beauty reactivates with exercise. Remember what I said about living a nightmare to end the nightmare of cancer?" Madonna nodded, looking fearful. Rhea then took hold of the barbell, and flung it aside with what seemed like impossible strength, "The nightmare starts now and lasts as long as the bidders have paid for. That's nine weeks with at least one more donations coming."
As the band changed their music to the theme of "Phantom of the Opera," Rhea shoved Madonna upright, and the transformation began, her arms turning lengthening and developing hard exoskeleton and barbs, resembling the limbs of a cockroach, "Eeeeeeek!! Owwwwwwww! Hey, Sis? We have a crazy woman on this team!" Sasha shuddered, "Look out, Madonna!" then after a pause, "Ohh my gaaahd ! She looks like a Nightmare!" The girl in the rubber suit looked herself over, "Geez, this is one hell of a makeover!" Looking at Sasha, "Well, uhhh, Sissy.. Thank goodness there's no tambourine in this song.. I couldn't play a tambourine now."
Commenting over a certain line in the "Phantom" song, Sasha commented, "Power over you? Yeahhhh. And I don't think ,it's all inside your mind.. looks like it's pretty much outside you, Sis." Madonna blushed and noded.. "I'd say so..." Peter commented, "Whoaaaa! Ya def gonna bug cancer, Mady. And ya fightin' back. Daaamn."
In total, the "Nightmare" fundraiser took in 180,350 for Team Shadow
"Thank you again - for tonight, and all your help the last 6 weeks."
Saturday July 2nd was the day of the Second Life Newser Beach Party. About two to three times a year, the newspaper staff get together to take a little time off their busy schedule for a beach party. Usually they hold one in early June around the time of the Newser's anniversary. But complications came up on top of an already busy schedule, notably covering and being a part of the Second Life Birthday. So the party was postponed to the Saturday after the official events.
At just after 1PM SL time, people began gathering at the Happy Vixen Club in Purrfection. DeafLegacy dances to a tune while next to ShadowRene Ivanova, Skylark LeFavre, and Pagan SunFire.
Nydia Tungsten, the owner of the Happy Vixen, was the DJ who provided the music for the event
Gemma Cleanslate was certainly dressed for the beach party.
Britty Bee, one of our newest writers.
ClarisseJane, whom had recently sent a Reader Submission and expressd interest in joining the team, was there.
Becky Shamen in her bunny avatar, with her "Bid Be Bald" time over, the "hare" is back.
Mikati Slade came over, bringing a couple friends.
Many others showed up such as Kryxia in her new avatar.
We all had a great time that Saturday afternoon, a couple hours of music and dance and a little time away from out busy schedules. But eventually it was back to (virtual) reality
The Second Life Thirteenth Birthday officially ended last week with the fireworks show and "last hurrah" hour that ended as Sunday June 26 came to a close at Midnight SL time. But this wasn't the true ending of the SLB. The sims were left up for a week so people could keep viewing them a little longer, Madpea's "Mad Monster Mountain" and Loki Elliot's "Knightmare" tribute game being favorites. But nothing lasts forever, and Sunday July 3 was the last day the sims would be up for the public. But before the door was shut to all but the volunteers and exhibitors, there was one last bash, one that began with an event known as the "Cake Explosion."
The Main Stage in Second Life Birthdays has taken the form of a giant cake for years. But it wasn't until Mikati Slade built the stage in 2012 for the SL9B when it was demolished for entertainment, a video by KT Syakumi later published in the Newser. When there was another Mikati Cake for the SL12B last year, the wrecking of the cake was announced ahead of time and was attended by a number of residents. This year, the Cake Explosion was set for 4PM SL time, so after 3PM, people began to gather there.
Dozens of avatars showed up, of various types.
Looks like these two made an "asp" out of themselves. "Snakes, why did it have to be snakes?"
I wasn't the only red Luskwood fox who showed up. The guy's name was Eric Mondrian. Surprisingly, while he had been around since 2005, his profile was practically blank.
Cindy Bolero, the owner of Aero Pines park, was there. She was decked out in red, white, and blue.
Holocluck Henley also had some patriotic decor on. Also in the picture are Catboy Qunhua, and Tindallia Soothsayer.
When we had just about a minute until the official time, all of a sudden, the stage beneath our feet was gone.
Where had the cake gone? It had gone up of course.
From our point of view, it looked like "Close Encounters of the Cake Kind."
For some moments, the Cake hovered above. We wonder if there was a glitch holding the pieces up in the air. Could it take this long to unlink the prims on a build. Then again, how many builds take up four sims?
Then ar 4:11, the cake began to fall apart.
And the pieces began landing onto the ground, and us.
"Cakequake!" "How did you die? Death by frosting."
It was a confectionery avalanche of cake and frosting. "Someone call in the SL Coast Guard; I'm drowning in dessert."
"There is so much more to come down." "I'm covered in cake pieces!"
"Wow, it's still coming down." "These frosting stains will never come out."
"Call friends, I think you'll have to eat your way out." "It'll be SL14B by the time I make it through all this."
"There goes my diet." "I'm glad I'm not on the cleaning detail tonight."
"This cake was most defiantly not a lie." "Don't tell GLaDOS."
Cake may be soft, but some weren't taking chances.
Mikiati Slade, the Cake "Baker," looks at the wreckage she had brought on, to the delight of everyone, "Hello everyone, I am the cake stage builder Mikati Slade, I am happy it done without problem. Thank you!"
Looks like one lady was feeling a little "boxed in" by a treasure chest.
RacerC Gullwing, whom had arrived just after the mess had dropped, joins the crowd.
Doc Gascogine, in his Viking helmet and bunny slippers, observing things from above.
One demonic-looking lady was showing a little Fourth of July spirit with her dress and her own personal fireworks.
The brightly colored mess was clearly visible from the nearby "Stage Left."
Tantari Kim handed me this picture of the four sim area from above. She later told me it was from an online forum she found somewhere.
At 5PM SL time, the crowd moved over to Stage Left, where the music and dance started up again.
Golan Eddie, the stage lead, joins the party.
With fireworks going off, many set their viewers to Midnight.
At one point, a bunch of objects were falling down, "IT'S AUTOMATON SNOT!" They resembled chicken nuggets, but with eyes and beaks, "And I thought being covered in cake was going to be the worst thing to happen today."
Some pieces resembled wings, "It's spam but chicken." "RSPCA approved prim chicken." "Extruded chicken, formed and 'grilled', and flavored to resemble chicken."
Once in a while, the huge Stage Left automation would move it's arms. ""The giant auto is moving!" "This automoton is freakin' me out."
Cuberepublic showed up, and one of the staff pointed him out, "If you ever went to Live Stage, you might want to thank CUBEREPUBLIC. He's in back, and he builds the best usable stages of them all every year"
At one point, someone joked, "Since I'm not on staff this year, I can reveal that Doc keeps a copy of every sim elsewhere on the Grid every year." One of the staff joked in return, "This just in: **** is paying tier for 17 sims so all exhibits can remain!" "Let me win the lottery and we'll have a month-long SL14B."
Eventually, people began heading out. Some to go offline, others to get one last look at the exhibits before the place was closed to the general public at Midnight, "Just a shame all these great builds are so short life-spanned." Mikati joked, "I will go to clean my huge OVEN, see you and happy SL Birthday! byeee!"
"Good NIGHT, everybody!" "Mikati, THANK YOU, this stage was AWESOME!" "See you at SL14B next year!" "Thank you SLBD 13 team for all you did!! HUGGZS and huge thank you to you all!!" "Thank you everyone for your hard work this year."
Another SL celebrity showed up helped me out, the ever retro hyena Ziba Roxley. She showed me Darkefur’s car the pink car behind her. At first I asked was it her car. She said she wished. However Ziba dreams of a special car, a 1956 Buick Centurion, and she showed me this link (picture). It wasn’t a car in reality quite yet, but Ziba said if she had the Linden or real life money she would certainly buy it.
To add more to the car show of ZZ, I added my own car, a Regalla. I was joking with Dakota Lyle that I told her what a bad driver I am. She also called my car lovely. I laughed and said it’s a James Bond type car and said I’m “Coakes….Grease Coakes." She laughed and said, "You have the perfect name."
