Thursday, June 26, 2014

Second Life Airlines


By Theonlyjohnny Resident

Whenever someone says Airport people think of long lines at security checkpoints, snobby flight attendants, and long cramped rides. However, in Second Life, that is not the case.

There is not just one group, or region, but a full group of groups, each with at least 1 region, that participate in SLA (Second Life Airlines).

Like airlines in real life, these airlines each have different policies, different insignias, different planes, and different colors. However, that doesn't mean they're enemies. They are actually on good terms with one another.

I have joined one airline in particular, HSA (Harmaa Susia Airlines). We are also known as the pack, as our mascot is a wolf. You will be able to read more about HSA in a few days when I crank out the next article, but I will tell you this, we are a family. We work together, and help one another.

Some other airlines are Pagliare Airlines, International Airlines, and Eagle Airways. Each has their own home airport, as does HSA, and each fly between the other airports, in their quest, to provide safe and comfortable travel for the passengers.

Each airlines is always hiring, and I can vouche for two of them. Eagle Airways, and HSA. These two welcomed me with open arms. If you're confused, then don't feel bad, I was too.

It all started about a day before I was hired by HSA. I was looking into joining an airline as a pilot. I met a friendly guy, who was the manager of Eagle Airways. At the time, I hadn't known what the group my friend and his buddies were in, and I thought it was Eagle.

The guy told me that the pilots must provide their own planes, but he tries to help out in getting their first plane. Well I was so pumped, until I saw the group tags over my friend's head, and over his friends' heads. They said HSA. So I asked them about it, and they explained that Eagle and HSA are different, but we still provide our own planes. However, the new pilots of HSA don't really get help getting their first plane, yet we can still use any plane that carries passengers.

Well I then had to explain the mix up to the guy at Eagle Airways, and I was amazed how professional he was about it, even in IMs. He wasn't mad at all. He was very understanding.

So if you ever wish to join an airline, or just ride in one, then come visit us. The parcel I was first taken to, is this one,

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Flounder/126/41/49

It would be great if you could come check it out. You will most definitely be pleased.

Theonlyjohnny Resident

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

SL11B Press Day


By Bixyl Shuftan


On Saturday June 21st, I headed to a press tour of some of the Second Life Eleventh Birthday (SL11B) sims. Our meeting location was at part of a stage that vaugely resembled a pink brain, part of "The Empires of the Future Are the Empires of the Mind" theme I assumed.


Saffia Widdershins was the one leading the tour group. Among the others there was Daniel Voyager, in the SL11B robot avatar. We were offered a few freebies, such as a stack of hats.


Saffia was communicating with the group through both chat and voice, "Everyone at SL11B is a volunteer - and there are more than 120 of them! That's in addition to the 243 exhibitor spaces - any of which may have up to three builders involved. So you can see that the Birthday is a huge event!"

"I will say - on the Tour we will focus on public builds - but you will see the residents' builds all around - and I REALLY hope that you will explore them as they are AMAZING!!!"


"...we'll take a swift look at another SLB tradition - the time capsule. ... This is where the design for the winning SL11B time capsule will be placed. You can find details about how to enter the contest to design the capsule on the SL11B blog. http://slcommunitycelebration.com/ "


Nearby were reminders of Second Life Birthday events past, "All around us you will see on these platforms the time capsules from earlier years. Each contains the objects that people believed in 2007, 0r 2005 or 20102 would symbolize Second Life. And this year, people can add what they think defines Second Life in 2014. These are a little history of Second Life in themselves and are well worth exploring!"


Next stop was the Cake Stage, "So, welcome to the outside of the Cake Stage and, if you can, it would be worth making sure that you have the Advanced Lighting Model on so that you can see the amazing things that Loki Eliot, the designer, has done on the outer walls with projected lighting. There are also little platforms high above this build with secrets to discover - but we will say no more!"


The stage itself was pretty small. The rest of the area was for the audience, "the Main Cake Stage where a mixture of live and DJ events will be held. Loki Eliot is a well-known designer - many of you may remember his dinosaur from last year, and his fantastic recreation of Linden Lab for SL9B. Do look up and see the fantastic ceiling Loki has created here. There are actually dancing platforms high above the ground so - if you want - let's fly up and take a look!"


Lots of flashy lights were around.



After the Cake Stage, the tour continued.


Heading to the "Live Stage."



Definitely some big hands.


Next was the DJ stage.


Golan Eilde, the stage lead, happened to be there.


We explored around a little. The place has some secret passages, including supposedly a device that allows one to "take over the world." Sounds like someone's been watching a bit much "Pinky and the Brain."


Exiting the DJ stage area, and back at the exhibits.



Lastly, we went to one of the travel pod places, where rezz the little vehicles that allow one to tour about the place without walking. At some places though, they'll turn into balloons or boars.

"From 29 June until 6 July 2014 the sims remain open only without performances on the stages and in the auditorium - it's a chance for people to explore the builds and do the Hunt!"

And so ended the Press Day tour. Since Daniel was there, you can get his impression, and pictures, by reading his blog entry (here).

Enjoy SL11B.

Bixyl Shuftan

Monday, June 16, 2014

Grease Coakes Turns Seven


By Grease Coakes

First off I want to thank my RL boss that I’ll name Mary to protect her real life identity. She was nice enough to let me work the day before and have today off. Also one of my co-workers I'll name Stan was singing me "happy birthday" yesterday.

 And I think I speak for anyone that birthdays are special whether it's your birthday in the real world or a virtual birthday. Your birthday is your special day no one can take that from you that one day out of 365 days that's yours. Most people celebrate the holidays in December whether it's Christmas or Hanukkah with family and friends. People who live a second life in the virtual universe get two birthdays per year. How can you beat that? In today's fast paced world of either life people should take their birthdays to take time to smell the roses and relax.

Another crazy fact it's my brother's real life birthday today. So my SL birthday and his real-life birthday are the same day.

So I started the day with no events so I figured there would be something going on at the furry club IYC which stands for International Yiff Center at IYC Addictions (153/115/2492) I was right as the furry DJOK Fretwerk AKA Jim Morris was djing. Not many people were active at 5:30am SLT, but it was ok I still handed out my freebie shirts and hung out.

For my fifth and sixth and SL birthdays for readers of the Newser who may not know, I handed out t-shirts that I made myself. I handed out these shirts for a limited time. In IYC I handed out the shirts to everyone in the club. A few furries IMed me in confusion. I explained these are my birthday shirts. I'll get birthday wishes and in fact Chedder Digipaw with account name CyberRatt resident gave me a whole clothes set named League of xtranary Furs. Shyraii Devinna asked for the asset UUID to make my Zapbird shirt better looking for women to show breasts. It's a rare case that I get a party pooper that declines my shirt. I shrug it off and move on.

I gave Shyraii a cookie and she responds by saying, "My fiance ate all my chocolate chip cookies (frown). He's a butthole (grin)." "Dude what's up with that?" I asked. 

So in IYC I hung out with Shy as we were wearing the same shirt dancing together to Loferz Resident AKA TeiTei who announces over voice anyone who says hi gets a cookie. So I say, "Hi Teitei do i get a cookie?  TeiTei went, "YUSH!" *stuffs one in your muzzle* ^_^

Who can say no to a cookie?

Earlier I IMed a human buddy of mine Lia Mistwalker, asking is there any events at SGB which is shorthand for Sounds Gravis Beach at Sounds Gravis Beach (134/21/32). Lia told me, "Sakura spins at 8am to 10am."
I told her, "I'm so there! it's my party and I’ll shake my tail if I want to I turn 7 today." "Happy rez day!" she says

When the party started I went over to SGB and SGB Melody the club owner said this, "And all the girls, please line up and kiss our Furry Grease... It's his rezzday today!"

SGB is always a great place to hang out at. Smooth music and minimal emotes. There's always a conversation going on plus the DJ mixing live. Raphad Noyes who may be related to StJohn Noyes one of my friends from Brahma Yoga class stopped in at SGB with his lady friend Mielerosa (honeyrose58 Resident. He's usually a werewolf but today he was a human. Raphad is a very polite and cultured werewolf/human as he always calls me sir. He mentioned in IM, "You look a bit different, Sir." "Yes indeed Sir Noyes," I answered, "I’m wearing the first avatar I bought in SL." "Interesting."

I IMed Aurora Avila informing her I can make her DJ set today as I usually work on Thursdays, the only day she DJs. She says awesome. We also chit chat about the game she told me about , Guild wars 2.

"I should try the species you showed me," I told her, "the goblin species they are hard to find in PVP (which stands for Player vs Player)." Aurora answered, "They tend to be pretty fugly." "Yeah they are! But all my characters can't be the Charr cats that would be boring."

Over time In real life I get hungry so I plan to leave SL for a bit for food. But before I leave, the girls at SGB plan to make Cesare Drucker the club manager cross dress. They type various things like

Jet Goode: "We can duct tape him to a pole."
Lia Mistwalker: "Mini dress, don’t forget to wax his legs."
Mariete (Mariete Babii): "Just don’t WAX Grease!!!You could kill him."

Luckily I leave before the ladies decide to play dress up with me

After I go out to get Chinese food and popcorn I come back into SL and bounce from SGB to the Ark at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Quarabia/141/123/500. I hang out for a bit then I go to Woods at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/WOODS/126/163/25 

Then Nydia Tungsten IMs me and says there's s video that I could take part in. She warps me to The Happy Vixen at Purrfection Estates (180/59/22). I warped over and a short while later she starts her chimera and begins recording. Nydia sorts out things as she has to relog and over time the video is complete. Her video is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfArSuKsqHM&feature=youtu.be.


When it's finished I made a SL card through email to my brother for his real life birthday today.

Afterwards I took another break from SL and logged back on and stop at a few other places but for my SL Birthday it doesn't seem right. I instead warped to my friend Amehana Ishtari and I jump in on a pony party.

I handed out my shirts and Amehana admits to being busy. However she does agree to an interview about her new book Selkie Skins Castle and Wells soon. Amehana has also written about a woman named Blowing Wind as she goes on a spiritual adventure with a dragon spirit named Ryu. I joked, "Amehana your pony looks pimped out." And she says this, "Ummm... Thank you? *raises her eyebrow, never thinking that word would ever be used for her*" I instead say that her pony is dressed like a diva and she says, "*watches you backpedal*"

I goofed off and relaxed before Aurora Avila starts to DJ at her new club club Midi Bikini Bay (85/196/1022) where she still plays her video game remixes and Japanese songs.

I went to Club Midi and I had a good time just like it was yesterday. Aurora played her mix of video game songs and everyone chit chated about video games or whatever. Aurora still has a nice surprise to anyone who tips her. I felt stress ebb away and relaxed as Aurora played her unique mix of songs.

I guess the point of this article is that in today's fast paced world of Second and First Life that once in a while take time for yourself. I remember talking to a customer at Royal farms in real life and he said don't sweat the small things and always have fun for yourself. Give yourself some me time.

Today I did take time for myself and had a great seventh birthday. It's a rough world out there but if you always have a smile on your face the world will seem a much brighter place. I guess that's the gist of this article is just have fun in life whether it's your real life birthday your second life birthday or your unbirthday.

Grease Coakes

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

SL11B: Plot Holders


By Gemma Cleanslate


As I have been making my way through the sims at the SL11B I have been looking at the magnificent builds that are appearing already on the plots. But I cannot show you any yet. 



In the meantime, I have been taking some pictures of the quaint and fun plot holders that some builders put down while they work in their own land on their projects to be brought in later. 



I did this last year too ..

















Harper Beresford has some on the blog site too. Keep an eye on the SL11B blog for information and fun! 

http://slcommunitycelebration.com/

Gemma Cleanslate