Fantasy Faire Mole Jail and Bail Event

By Bixyl Shuftan

Wednesday April 29 had at the Fantasy Faire an event that's become a yearly favorite: The Linden and Mole "Jail and Bail." This time, there were two sims involved: Ambigula and Melusina.

Patch and the Lindens locked up on an island, Moles in the pirate galley’s brig. Who gets the DJ? Only YOU can decide! We’ll be setting up a family feud as the donation kiosks decide exactly whose decks DJ David Abbot will be using! It’s another Fantasy Faire Jail’n’Bail to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, with our very own beloved Lindens and Moles as the very special guest stars! 1-3pm SLT on Melusina’s Depths for the Lindens and on Ambigula for the Moles.

Melusina was packed with 67 residents at one point, so all I could do was occasionally peek over from Ambigula, where a number of moles were behind bars. Abnor Mole, in a dinosaur avie, occasionally had his head peaking out from between the bars. Maximus Mole looked like he was straightjacketed and secured like Hannibal Lectur. Chronos Mole was on a horse, to which there were a few horse manure jokes, "a bag of complimentary horse poop for your Linden Home garden! "The cage wasn't really locked shut, but stuffed with doors.

I couldn't see Patch Linden, but I could hear him, "Ahhhhhhhh you can't keep me here!" Of the Moles, they had their share of supporters, "I love my Log home, shoutout to Moles and Lindens who worked hard on them!" "Supports the freedom of the moles! the eating of Bacon and the clicking of the donation kisok!" "WE WUV DA MOLES!"

It was soon brought up one of the Moles was without his shirt, which got comments from the women, Madonna Daehlie saying, "You shouldn't have shown up shirtless, Derrick. Now Elayne will NEVER let you free!" Another retorted, "Let's bring David back and get hot Linden men shirtless!!" "Wait, they have hot shirtless Linden men? O.O"

As time went on, one woman was holding a sign, "Moles and Lindens on a skewer! Judgement has come!" A more supportive mouse had a simpler, "Free the Moles!"

Someone would hand them a plate of bacon. Someone joked, "I think I've got some of Abnor's potato salad left over from the Mole Appreciation Day if anyone doesn't want bacon." Abnor apparently didn't see it, or it was quickly gone, "FREE ME!! I WANT TO GO EAT.... I mean... BUILD MORE HOUSES!"

It was observed that the Moles' kiosks had a slight lead over the Linden ones most of the event, "You heard Elayne. She thinks she can beat us! HAH! Keep feeding the kiosks, Moles and Ambigula!" Then it was offered to jail Magic Mole if another 40,000L were raised. It soon was, and the diminutive Mole was tossed in the slammer, "We got Magic in a can!"

Other Moles made offers for large donations, Notta Mole saying, "10k L Gets you and 2 friends a guided tour with the Awesome Abnor Mole around Bellisseria for an hour! (I promise you, he's a fantastic driver!)" Abnor shouted, "How much would someone offer to NAME A REGION in Belli? (Subject to approval)"

There were a couple people dancing away on critters, including the old dancing cow from early Second Life, "I feel like im a young resi again.....dancing cow 4 eva" One of the "Pawlice" was dancing away with a rock n roll guitar.

There were a couple people thinking of Uccello Poultry whom it was announced the day before had died, OldeSoul Eldemar shouting, "LET'S DO THIS FOR UCCI !" Patch Linden shouted as well, "DO IT FOR UCCI!"

At 6PM, the Moles were released, and their side of the event had raised over 300,000L in their two kiosks. It was quite a fundraiser.  But this wasn't the only Jail and Bail scheduled. Thursday April 30 promised to have Jessical Lyon of Team Firestorm.

Bixyl Shuftan

"Mole Day" at Bay City

By Bixyl Shuftan

Almost everything in Second Life was created by the residents. But some things were made by people under Linden Lab. Things like the railroads and highways on the mainland are maintained by, and places such as the Blake Sea, Bay City, Linden Realms, Portal Park, and Horizons were created by the Linden Department of Public Works, often referred to as "moles." These are residents whom have been hired by Linden Lab for their skills at building or scripting. Besides being paid for their work by the hour, they get a special account with the surname "Mole." The name, according to the Second Life Wiki, comes from some graffiti in the original Second Life area early in it's history, "Beware the mole people!"

Except when one of their projects makes the news, moles can be excused for feeling overlooked. So the community whose home they made, Bay City, honors them every year in late January or early February in the Bay City Fairgrounds in the North Channel sim with "Mole Day." For it's first several years beginning in 2010, the event was held on February 2, or "Groundhog Day." Then it was changed to be held on a weekend day, either Saturday or Sunday, whichever is closest to the second day of February. Either day, it's one of Bay City's big events of the year, an event full of music, and a chance to meet some moles and Lindens.

This year's Mole Day event started on Saturday February 3 at 11AM. The big stage that had been around for the first several years was replaced beginning with last year with a smaller gazebo. DJ Gospeed Racer, or GoSpeed Raser as she's been calling herself sometimes lately, was spinning the tunes for the first hour. While she's been playing for every Mole Day that I've seen, this year she was doing so as Miss Bay City, wearing the sash and tiara for the event.

Also there were a number of other Bay City regulars, such as Kennylex Luckless, Erik Mondrian (Bay City's own red Lusk fox), Uccie Galway (Uccello Poultry). Others dropping by included Relayer Oldsoul Eldemar, former Newser writer Any1 Gynoid, and Sunweaver chieftess Rita Mariner. There was also one "Lost Prim."  And there was Bay City's leading citizen Marianne McCann.

And of course there were the moles and Lindens. There was Abnor Mole  in a tiny avatar with a hammer. There was  Ancient Mole in an avatar looking like a tiny blue critter. Magic Mole looked like a tiny monkey. There was Dyna Mole in a barrel-shaped robot. There was Garden mole in a short purplish avatar. Squishy Mole was a human with a bunny ears headset. Of the Lindens, Dee Linden was there representing them, looking a bit like a big fairy with her butterfly wings. Any1 told everyone, "I was Any Mole on the Pathfinding Project."

"Mole Day is The annual event to honor the Linden Department of Public Works, the 'moles', who make things across Second Life for us to have fun and frolic in," Marianne told the crowd, "Bay City was the first such area made by the Moles proper, so we opt to celebrate their great works every year, just around Groundhog Day. 'cuz Groundhogs ain't got nothing on Moles!" Dee Linden pretended to miss that, "What's that, Marianne?  I didn't quite hear you. Please repeat?" Marianne mused, "I said, Generalimissio Fernando Franco is still dead."

"Doesn't matter what you moles wear," Dee Linden told them, "just as long as you HERE." "Really?" Abnor mole asked.  "'cept you, Abnor." "I mean... really?" "It very much matters what YOU wear." One complemented, "You're the 'mole-iest'." The little blue guy was touched, "Aww." "Thanks mole for all the stuff you build,"  "I literally squee when each one of you show up, ty Moles. really each of you are awesome! Hi-five!" "Abnor, your Routes are the best ones!" "All you moles have excellent avi's!" "If it wasn't for all the moles hard work SL would be a much duller place." Abnor Mole answered, "We love doing it!" Garden Mole remarked, "Hopefully we fixed the roads to nowhere and hooked up the ends (grin)."

GoSpeed played a selection of songs, mainly pop music, Dee Linden saying, "So very much loving the musical selections!  Please don't forget to tip GoSpeed Racer -- any amount, from L$1000 to whatever your heart desires (grin)." But there were a few mole themed selections such as "I Am A Mole And I Live In A Hole" by the Southlanders, and the "Moley Scene" in the Austin Powers movie "Goldmember." That got a few chuckles and "Yeah, Baby!", "So you're the moooole," and "MOLEY MOLEY MOLEY!" remarks. When "We Built This City On Rock And Roll" played, Abnor Mole sang, "We built this city on primmms from moooooles!"

It was noted that GoSpeed now has a book published online. Vick Forcella shouted, "Happy happy Gospeed with your book publication!" Angela Galway (Angela Seale) cheered, "We need an SL version of Sherman from 'The Critic' of Gospeed, 'buy my book! buy my book!!!' " "Gospeed!!! Congrats on teh booklaunch!!!!!"

People continued to come in over time. "Look at all these beautiful people!" "Glad you could show up, these blue names are the ones making SL awesome." GoSpeed encouraged those further away to come closer, "Plenty of room up here for you pretty people out in the distance!"

And there was the congo line, "I should have bet you'd be dancing the conga .... (grin)" "Mouselook in the conga line is FUNKY!" I'm dizzy (kaughter). Cant watch the conga line hahahaaaa!" "Dizzy watching it?  You should be in it." Someone joked, "It is hard to take pictures of moles without taking accidental upskirt shots." The robotic Dyna Mole quipped, "Don't you DARE shoot up MY skirt. (grin)"  Any1 joked, "! want the Mole Embarassing Photo Calendar (laughter)." The person who started the joke commented, "Well, it isn't upskirting the moles, it's upskirting the people around the moles since the moles are super tiny and dancing next to people in skirts."

Abnor Mole poked fun at his tiny blue avie, "I'm bluuuueeee... yes I'm bluuueeeeee......" Dyna Mole in his barrel-like avie responded, "Do I look fat in this outfit?" Kennylex Luckless countered, "Dyna, do more sit ups to get rid of that cag and to get a six pack." One guy joked he was about to "tests the molarity." After Marianne came back from a crash, someone joked, "Chain Marianne to the floor so she don't crash." Dee Linden went with the funnery, "No chains!  But I have fancy duct tape!"

At one point, Uccie shouted, "Quick! Everyone, on the count of three, say your favorite Mole build!" After "Three," people gave a few answers, "Mainland!" "The greenhouses!" "The molar coaster!"  Then Any1 mused, "What would be funny mole names? Like UnscheduledMaintainence Mole. … He smokes in the data center and nobody knows why? (laughter)" Others began adding to the joke, "EnyMeinieMiny Mole?" "My favorite name: Guaca Mole (grin)." Garden Mole reminded everyone that name had been real, "Guaca, blast from the past. Undercover Mole was a good one." "Mystery Mole." "Star mole would not be that funny but an actual animal." Any1 suggested, "Saucy Mole (pronounced molay) ... Robo Mole .. Russian Mole ...Slacker Mole ... Lagfest Mole ... TooMuchCoffee Mole ... TheMooch Mole. ... Bratty Mole ... Spanky Mole." "Is there a digital mole yet?" Uccie joked, "My Mole name would be Excised Mole." GoSpeed jokingly suggested, "Millenial Mole." Kennylex remarked, "I wait for a Holy.Mole but there exist a Holy.Moleno (smile). ... Day.Mole? By the way, why is there not a Sekreet Mole?" Uccie joked, "I thought you were Seekret Mole, Kenny." Dee Linden mused, "Kenny, I'd tell ya but it's a seekret."

Eventually, GoSpeed ended her set with the closing theme of "Mystery Science Theater 3000." Marianne shouted, "Everyone, Thank GoSpeed for an AMAZING set today! Coming up next will be Stratus Mactavish." "Yay! Thank you GoSpeed! My favorite DJ!"

The jokes and wisecracks would continue, Abnor Mole saying before going on break, "Be right back. Need some wormjuice!" A few made faces, "Bleah Abnor! (grin)" "Abnor Weird." "I now know more about mole beverages than I ever wanted to know." Uccie asked, "Has anyone counted all the mole holes in Bay City? Sounds like a project, to me."

With the Superbowl the following day, someone ribbed fans of a football team, "It's so nice that people and even Patriots fans get to enjoy the mole builds." He got a few reactions, "Hey. Leave the Patriots alone ... (laughter)." "I AM a Patriots fan!" "Give someone else a turn Patriot fans (laughter)."

With GoSpeed in her sash and tiarra, Uccie remarked, "So many former Miss Bay City title holders here AND Miss Bay City herself! We choose a new one annually to represent The City By The Bay during our Hot August Nights event. Could it be YOU this year? ... I think Dee Linden should run for Miss Bay City." "I'd vote for Dee," GoSpeed joked. Abnor Mole mused about looking for a swimsuit for the next competition. Kenny joked, "I think Magic Mole shall run for Miss Bay City title." Magic went along with it, "It's on my to do list." Uccie then turned the joke, "Or Kennylex could Miss Bay City could be MISTER Bay City, you know."

Oldesoul got into the act by appearing in his tiny avatar and police uniform, "ALL RIGHT ALL RIGHT !!! WOT IS GOING ON HERE !!!! Da pawlice have arrived. ... Now any funny bidness - I haz mah warrant book !"

There was one noted former Linden mentioned whom had been close to the moles, Michael Linden whom had left Linden Lab in the past year. "Do you know if Michael is coming ...?" Uccie would ask, "By the way, if Michael Linden's civilian self is here or if anyone knows him, please let him know I miss him and hope he's well. Big part of Bay City history and my life." Dee Linden told her, "Uccie, I absolutely will!"

At one point, Marianne reminded everyone, "Bay City turns TEN YEARS OLD this very year!" The event, held in May, means the community has a little more than three months to prepare for it's biggest parade in years. But you won't have to wait that long for another event in Bay City. Around April Fool's Day is "Everfest," named after their late neighbor Ever Dreamscape.

I had to leave shortly before the end, but no doubt everyone had a great time on this day to celebrate "the other blue dots on the map."

Bixyl Shuftan

April Fool's In and Out of Second Life

By Bixyl Shuftan

For those who love a good joke, or even a lame one, April Fool's Day is a day to look forward to. It gives one a chance to play a few jokes or pranks (harmless ones). The idea of a day for jokes and merriment goes back at least to Roman times. April Fool's Day as we know it has been around for a few centuries, supposedly it started when the adoption of the Gregorian calendar (the one used today) moved New Year's Day from April 1 to January1, and that those whom still celebrated New Year's on April 1 were called "April Fools."

Besides people playing jokes, newspapers and other news media have also done some foolery of their own with joke articles, one famous example being a BBC TV show about "spaghetti farms." And so the Newser has been doing an April Fool article every year, our foolery this year being that Linden Labs pushed back Sansar over a year due to a Windows 10 update, and was working on a third dinosaur-themed virtual world. Last year, we joked Donald Trump had bought Second Life. In 2015, Michi Lumin of Luskwood was in on the joke, us saying she had been hired by ABC News as their technology news anchor. In 2014, the joke article was Linden Lab was doing away with last names in older accounts. Our first one in 2011 was of Linden Lab announcing it was about to shut down Second Life for six months as glitches were about to make it so laggy as to be unplayable.

But the Newser wasn't the only one pulling April Fool's stunts. The Furry Fashion mall was temporarily sporting a new look on the roofs. The owner Amethyst Crystal gave me a picture of the new aerial view of the place, "We also changed the sim terrain texture to a picture from the 'Bee Movie.' That is a bit of a meme on the Internet. So we changed the sim terrain for a April Fool joke." She didn't tell me how long the prank paint job would "bee" up.

But this wasn't the only joke. The staff of Furry Fashion played a joke on those frequenting the place by replacing their display names with temporary ones based on the store owner's nickname: Ame. "It's an April Fool thing," Amethyst Crystal explained, "Many people try to say staff are my alts. So some of us have all changed our names to be like me." She then gave me a list of those in her staff who made the change in their names.:

Never be the Ame again (Amethyst Crystal)
The Ame with the D (RickGuyy)
Ame the Crux (LabMadeCrux)
Ultraviolet Crux Ame (TonyBurk)
Maybe Ame (Skyler Glasswing)
Disney Ame (Becky Doulton)
Amethyst (Strype Puddlegum)
Always Ame (Sugalite Silverfall)
Say my Ame Say my Ame (Caelia Bailey)
Not your Ame (CaeliaAmethysia)
Noob Ame (VileNik)
Distracted Ame (f2004w)
Could be Ame (Alexiel Magnolia)
Ame that could be Ame (Becky Nosferatu)
Is It Ame (Klomonx)
Violently Ame (LemonPledge)
I Can't Believe It's Not Ame (MoogaSpectrum)
Oh look its another F-ing Ame (ScratchMusikatt Sprocket)
That one Ame in the corner (TatteredTwilite)
Famous Ame-us (VesperBloodwing Parx)
Aim (xdakafallx)

The Furry Fashion Lounge would have an April Fool-themed event: "April Fool/Memes." The group notice for halftime went, "Thats right we are here and having fun this April Fools Day!!! Come Join In the fun !!! all you need to enter the contest hosted by Amethyst get some silly outfits or fashion nightmares mix and match or jester outfits on and come to Furry Fashion Lounge! DJ I Cant Believe its not Ame, has the ABSOLUTE BEST music to help us have fun today. And we have 1300L Up on that board!" People were encouraged to bring their funniest, craziest, goofiest looks. Ukli Resident had a particularly strange appearance (pictured left), "I'm laughing at my own avatar!" Feline avatars were also encouraged, "Cats are made of memes." There were a number of funny tunes played, and a few that had become memes themselves such as the "Rick-Roll" song. The contest was won by Emorald Resident, with Ukli coming second.

Furry Fashion wasn't the only place to have an April Fool Event. Grendel's Children did as well. Toady Nakamura had the following announcement.

Sixth annual!!! April Fool!  The ANNUAL April Fools event from your friends at "Frog-n-Cat productions" is back, this time in a yuge castle!! ... No fooling. !!   :)  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Avaria%20Tor/133/135/305  Ride the Rocket where you arrive to get to the Castle!!  More than 164.5 gifts all over -- in things or in gift boxes -- and ready to go home with you!!

Looking around from the entrance at Grendel's, it didn't take long to find the rocket to ''Catsel Bufo." Inside, there was a shopping area were one could get discount items, such as an underground tunnel kit, as well as a freebie dragon. Going further, there were a number of fun exhibits (be careful about bumping the dino skeletons). Finally getting back outside, there was a "Munchman" game (a Second Life Pac-Man spinoff game).

And then there was the "Everfest" event in Bay City. For three days from Thursday March 30 to Saturday April 1 Bay City celebrated the life of their late noted resident whom passed away three years ago, one noted for her quirky sense of humor.

"It went quite well," Marianne McCann, Bay City's most noted resident, told the Newser, "Chaos and frivolity rules, with quite a focus on sharks this time out. Ever did like her shark fancy dress costume, so I s'pose that's no surprise. What struck me is that the events tended to go much, much longer than expected. Folks had a blast bowling, and the dance party was going strong an hour after it officially ended. There were a number of residents who never had the chance to meet Ever, but I Hope some of us who did know her were able to help share some of her spirit."

Marianne also pulled an April Fool stunt that was apart from Everfest. She posted an update on her SL page, "END OF AN ERA: after 10 years in Bay City, it's time for a change. Traded my land with a Kama City landowner. It's time to shake things up in Zindra. ... I hope to be opening "Lirp Aloof's Home for Wayward Child Avatars" in the Oritz region soon!" There were responses of "Oh noooooo!" Before she finally admitted it was a joke. "I got quite a few folks with my April Fool," she stated, "I don't know if I should be happy or dismayed that I actually did fool quite a few."

In the past in the world of gaming, there have been some noteworthy April Fools stunts. Blizzard, the maker of World of Warcraft, made an announcement early in the game's history they would be introducing a panda-like race: the Pandaren. But the joke proved so popular, Blizard eventually brought them into the game for real. And there have been some playable April Fool's stunts, such as War Thunder's "My Little Pony" fighters. But this year, there was a surprising lack of April Foolery in the games yours truly checks out. Elder Scrolls Online had a "Jesters Festival." That was pretty much it. No special games in War Thunder, World of Tanks, or World of Warships. The ships game did have an unplayable submarine added to it's players' rosters, which turned into a free slot when the stunt was over, So at least there was that. No joke announcement in World of Warcraft either. Star Trek Online made a reference to "Contact Day," which made me wonder if the game was saying the day the Vulcans had chosen to make contact was April 1. It wasn't. Perhaps that April Fools Day fell on a Saturday and not a weekday this year was the reason for the lack of gags this time. Ark Survival Evolved did have a major update that put severe limits on flying mounts and boats that frustrated many players, Nydia Tungsten's Furry Gamers group included. But this was no April Fool, and no one was laughing.

So in the world of gaming, in which Second Life residents sometimes step into for a break in the routine, there would be no chuckles. But here on the grid, there were a number of examples of residents cracking jokes and having fun.

Bixyl Shuftan

Guy Fawkes Night at Steelhead

By Bixyl Shuftan

Friday Night, November 9, was "Guy Fawkes Night" at Steelhead. Guy Fawkes Day is a British, and not an American holiday, and it was actually on the Firth of November. But with their mad scientists and their love of making things go "bewm," they didn't feel the need to make any excuses, "pretend it's the 5th of November, and dance away under the town hall." "Bring your revolution masks and some dynamite."

 So instead of at the usual location at the Steelhead Ballroom, the party was held in the town hall basement. Fuzzball Ortega was the DJ that night, with the central feature being a support pole rigged with enough dynamite to blow the place sky high.

  And of course they remembered the gunpowder.

 Occasionally something would go off with a boom, and fill the room with smoke. Luckily the dynamite was unaffected.

 The tip jar Fuzzball was given was also prone to explosions. The lycan was unhurt, though his hair was a bit gray from soot and his outfit scuffed up a bit.

 And as invited to, some Steelheaders showed up in their Guy Fawkes masks. No sign of any "Occupy Steelhead" though.

Besides the gunpowder barrels and dynamite, someone brought a flock of pigeons.

But with all those explosions, the results were most "fowl." Meat and feathers all over the place. The Steelheaders cheered for more, and a certain Fox Reporter was drooling.

The party went on for two hours, with Fuzz playing a variety of 80s fare and sci-fi hits, such as "Weird Science." After Fuzz bid everyone well, everyone went their separate ways, though yours truly borrowed a few sacks to clean up the meat, leaving the feathers for pillows.

And just what does a Fox with a brain and opposable thumbs do with lots and lots of poultry meat?

Thank you Steelhead! The Newser crew and my sweetheart Jasmine will be eating well for a while.

Bixyl Shuftan