"Relay Rap" Begins for 2013

By Bixyl Shuftan

On January 27 at 3:30 PM, the "Relay Rap" weekly radio talk show aimed at promoting and discussing developments of the Relay For Life in Second Life began its new season. Trader Whiplash, whom was broadcasting on his T1 Radio program, hosted the show from the Arinultra Cay sim, interacting with an audience of about thirty present.

 On stage with Trader were the Relay's Planning Committee, Event Co-Chairs Dwen Dooley and Serina Juran, Event Chair Nikki Mathieson, and Director Stingray Raymaker. Over two dozen sat in the audience. Among the people there were Holocluck Henely and Fuzzball Ortega.

A number of topics were brought up. There had been some technical developments over time, such as people able to donate on the Grid through their real-life credit cards, "If you have money, we will find a way for you to give it to us." They talked about high points of the previous season such as "Bronzing," or donating money to a smaller and less successful team until it reached Bronze rank. Someone brought up a moment at 3AM (6AM EST) when he saw a "Winnie the Pooh" avatar walking down the track, then turning around, seeing a monster, then running at full speed down the track.

It was noted that the lag issue seemed worse in the 2012 Relay walk than it had been for a few years. This was despite the efforts people had made to reduce lag, "I lost count of how many bald avatars I'd seen." But they remained undaunted, "We have the Relay spirit!"

The total amount of money raised for the Relay For Life had passed a million and a half. About $396,000 US dollars remained until two million was reached, or about one hundred million Lindens. Trader offered to go bald once that mark was reached, a statement many of the audience was sure to hold him to. It was noted that the 100 year anniversary of the founding of the American Cancer Society was in May.  Most likely, there would be some kind of special event to commemorate the occasion.

One in the audience identified herself as with the Tombstone RP area. She announced they would be forming a new team. She requested if a special wooden kiosk could be made for her Wild West sim, "Something a little less modern that we can put out?" Fuzzball told her New Babbage usually put something over their kiosks to make them blend in, "Unfortunately for those of us in themed sims, specially made vendors aren't an option, so we have to do a little finagling."

One amusing new detail for this season was brought up: "Stinky the Skunk." For a donation of 3600 Lindens, or more, you could "skunk" another team for five days or so. Someone half-seriously asked if the news would be announced by someone in a furry skunk avatar dropping in the target's next event, "You have been skunked!" With attachments that could emit a green cloud a couple dozen feet across mentioned, some amusing possibilities were hinted at.

There were also a few jokes and wisecracks, "We're defiantly calling the TV channel 'DwenTV.' " And there were jokes about "MEEEESSSSHHHH…" items, a reference to how it was sometimes pronounced on PookyMedia's "Flufee" videos.

Eventually, the broadcast came to a close, "And that's a 'rap!' Great show Everyone!" And there were cheers and handclaps from the crowd, "GO RELAY!!!" "GOOOOOOO RELAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" "Yay Nikki, Sting, Dwen and Serina.. Thank you! And, thank you, Trader." "Good night all and Thanks Committee. Have a great week!" "Great way to kick off Relay Rap's 2013 season."

While the Kickoff for the Relay for Life season isn't until March, already the people behind Second Life's biggest fundraiser are busy planning ahead.


"Relay Rap" will broadcast every Sunday at 3:30PM at T1Radio http://t1radio.serverroom.us:8242 .

*Note* Due to the lag that day, there was a lot of grey around for the photographer.

Bixyl Shuftan

A Sunday Full of Relay for Life Events

Sunday March the 25th was an event-filled day for the Relay for Life. Across the Grid, a number of teams held a variety of events large and small, or helped other teams with a little publicity and Lindens.

One of the events started on Saturday night. The "Blues for a Cure" group was having a sixty-hour long music marathon, announced in the Relay volunteers group.


The Bluesers are still relaying! - Come on down and join us as we boogie-woogie two more hours into our sixty hour marathon of the Blues. Let us put a lil' boogie-woogie in your night. From some of the biggest hearts on the grid. So come join is as we relay with the Blues! We would love to have you join us and meet new friends.


Porting over using the landmark provided to "The Gateway to the Blues" at "The Delta" sim (see main section), a number were dancing the night away to some bluesy tunes, "We started last night at 6 pm and going 60 hours; our first year as a RFL Team!" "Really? Our first year?" "Yesssss!" There were no figures as how much they had raised so far for the event, but the kiosk there alone had 601K Lindens out of a team total of 628,400, "We're at 2,514 US$, since March 10th."

The next morning, the music marathon was joined by other events. At 11 AM SL time, there was the Relay for Life cross-sim Giant Snail race at the Skybeam Estates. Yours truly was a little late getting there, thinking the display screen at the main snail race trace provided live footage of the race. It didn't, and I tried rezzing the SL Newser blimp to cover it from the air. I managed to get a few half-grey pictures of those whom had fallen a little behind the pack. Finally, someone offered a teleport to the finish line. I got there just in time for the sixth place finisher. Tindalia Soothsayer was the winner of the race, at 58 minutes.

Talking with her and other racers, Tindalia felt she didn't have too much trouble holding her back, " just the start and the mega lag, but then everybody (here was) having that problem. … For the most part, things went pretty smoothly, little lag and snap back at times." Racer Alden Cortes told, "I got stuck under the prims on the water near the big falls. … I crashed twice crossing sims, but still a whole lot of fun." "It's always a lot of fun," Tindalia commented, "even with problems." "Yeah,"Alden agreed, "they just make it more interesting."

Spectators included Sheriff Fuzzball Ortega of Steelhead and Aasha Kohime of Aria Clash. Aasha had just found out about the race, commenting one finds the most interesting things in Second Life.

The Skybeam cross-sim snail race can be seen on Treet TV's archives Here.

One Relay for Life event that day was part of another. The WW2 Tribute sim was starting up it's Military Expo, and one of the first events was an Areosmith band music tribute, the event starting at 12 Noon. The band played on for at least a couple hours to a packed crowd, some of them Flying Tiger pilots. And in front of the stage were RFL kiosks.

As the Areosmith event was going on, another event was starting. The Tiki Photography for Life was having a "Jail and Bail" event. People were willing to get themselves locked up in-avatar for a little while for charity, people donating to bail them out.


It's a beautiful day for a Jailbail. Come join us at Tiki Paradise. Throw your friends/enemies in jail for 1K, and you get to choose the bail, up to 5K. All proceeds go to Relay for Life.


Popping over, the tropical setting certainly looked pleasant, with the beach huts and the sand. Even more so with the music and partying. But not everyone was dancing. Some were stuck in the huts under arrest. One couple made the most of it, speeding the time snuggling and kissing. Others just sat their and waited. "We were framed!" one of the jailbirds mock-complained, getting into the role, "Me toooo! I was framed too!"

While there, I saw a new prisoner was brought in: Relay Mentor Panza Elide. Not even the top people among the Relayers were immune, "Hello Panza. It so nice to have a cellmate." Over the Relay for Life volunteer's group chat, word quickly spread about Panza, some joking if there would soon be a "file-flavored cake" delivered. There were also a few "Gilligan's Island" jokes, and calls for "Will someone pitch in for Panza's bail?"

Later on, DJRedRyder Resident would announce the total the jail event raised in group chat, "Thanks For Your support Of Tiki Photography For Life Jail Bail Event Made 46,502 For Relay For Life Second Life."

In the middle of the Jail & Bail, still another event was starting up. The "Rockin' the 60s for Relay," also known as "Reader's Time Machine, " was taking place at the Legends Classic Rock Club & Boardwalk in the Arinultra Cay sim. Heading over there, this is where some of of the more active speakers in the group chat were, such as Fuzzball Ortega and Trader1 Whiplash, the latter being the DJ for the event, "If you are enjoying the music please remember tonight's show is for the benefit of Relay For Life and help with a donation to a Kiosk."

Just after I arrived there, Trader got some news, "Oh geez, there's a warrant out on me!" "Yep, they got you Trader." "Better you than me." Supposedly his bail was set for 5,000 Lindens. No one showed up to arrest him that afternoon, so he continued playing. He would escape arrest until Friday when he was captured by members of the Goreans for Life team.

It was an eventful Sunday for the Relay for Life.

Bixyl Shuftan.