September 11 Memorials, Past and Present

 
By Bixyl Shuftan

The September 11 2001 attacks are one of those few events in history in which people remember where they were when they heard the news. Like Pearl Harbor decades ago, it led to war. And thanks to the Internet, many many thousands shared images and personal stories. Second Life wasn't around yet when 9/11 happened. But once it was, memorials and other tributes began appearing very early in it's history as soon as 2004 (New World Notes article). 

Over time there have been a number of 9/11 memorials. One of the largest and best known was the one a quarter-sim in size by Alliez Mysterio. It was up for only two or three years, but it was well-attended.

(Click here if the video fails to load)

 Another one that got attention was the memorial at the New York City Block sim. Owner and creator Cheri Bing was from Brooklin New York City, and 9/11 had been very much up close and personal. A firefighter group would hold an event there to honor the fallen. Alliez's memorial would last until about 2009. The New York City Block memorial would stay up until the sim closed in early 2011. 

Areo Pines Park had a "Stairclimb Tribute" in honor of the fallen firefighters. Cindy Bolero would have it up each September for several years. These were two transparent towers in which one could get and wear a free fireman's uniform and climb the 110 stories to the top.

Stagg Island had a well-done marble memorial with plenty of detail, such as the two square waterfall fountains meant to represent the Twin Towers. On Sept 11 itself, people would gather for remembrance events. 

The Stairclimb would be up each November for several years until the shrinking size of Aero Pines park eventually meant there wasn't enough room and the park would eventually close in 2018. 

Also in 2018, the Stagg Island memorial would move to the Yellow River sim after the death of it's builder Fazio Magic. Geena Zackerly would keep it running for a couple more years, but 2020 would be it's last year.

Currently the largest detailed memorial in Second Life is the replica of the real-life Flight 93 Memorial, over Copperhead Road, which was made last year in 2020. Owned by Paul Woodrunner, the main part is the "Tower of Voices," a 93 foot metal structure with 40 wind chimes. 

But since last year, more work has been done on the place. The memorial has doubled in size to include the marble "Wall of Names," of which an event was held at the one in real life on September 11. There's also the visitor shelter and a replica of the gate to the crash site.

One other memorial was "Always Remember" which this year was in Gold Haven. Dropping by on September 11, I ran into the owner Bryston Vanvleck. "I appreciate you visiting all these years," he would tell the people there. Asking when the memorial first came about, he told me, "Well, I started building my NY lofts back in 2007, I believe it was 2008 or 2009 when I first held a memorial in the store. (The) following year, I started building this and it has evolved over the years. ... I have thought about replicating the real-life New York memorial many times. But people do appreciate the intimate simplicity of this one."

When it was brought up just about everyone could tell where they were when they first heard about 9/11, Bryston responded, "That is what this place is for, to reflect and share your stories. I meet so many good people with heartbreaking stories they share. But anyone who was alive will tell you exactly where they were that day. I visited ground zero 3 weeks after it happen and it had a profound effect on me."

Among the stories was, "I was riding the bus down 16th street to go to work when dozens of fire and police cars zoomed past us. The bus was full and everyone's phones started to buzz. That's when I heard someone flew a plane into the Pentagon. The father of a friend was on that plane. What was scary was not knowing what would happen next. Rumors circulated vans were filled with explosives, etc. Surreal indeed."

As this year marked the 20th anniversary of the attacks, it's noteable that Second Life not only has residents whom were young children when they happened, but is getting residents whom hadn't been born yet. Plus some older residents whom were around when it was just a few years before have passed on or otherwise no longer able to get online. The event is transitioning from recent history that practically everyone witnessed to history that more and more people never saw for themselves but know only from recorded media. And of course from memorials, both in real life, and in Second Life.

Video source: Hamlet Au

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Grey Nacht's Greenie Tribute

By Gemma Cleanslate

Ah,  the Greenie House! For those who visited I am sure you recall it. For those who never saw it, I am sorry.  You missed a wonderful destination. The Humans never know who caused all the mischief in the house.If you look closely you can see us gathered t the kitchen sink for a fishing contest. We avatars  were very small in that enormous house. It was put there by Rezzables. Finally that company moved it all to Opensim in June 2010.  This video will give you an idea of what it was like when avatars visited the house.  



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIK2BpJ_s8A

Once in a while Grey Nacht pulls out all the Greenie paraphernalia and sets it up in his sim. Many of us still have our Greenie avatars and pull them out for that event.  That is Grey in the red hat overseeing the fishing.

 That is me inn my paparazzi Greenie avatar. It is great fun for those who recall the house and the stuff in it.

We hold a contest amidst the decor that we remember from the house. 

I took some pictures of us there fishing in our Greenie avatars and having fun!. It was great to recall those times. 

Thanks Grey!!!

Gemma Cleanslate

Tales From Podex: This Is Goodbye

By Bixyl Shuftan

He couldn't believe it!

He'd been after the place for years. Ever since his initial robbery attempt of the Podex Exchange went awry due to bad luck, he continued to try and try again to get back at them for that and then successive failures. He'd come up with a plan to sneak in and burgle some Linden dollars, and then sneak away vindicated, his reputation as a "liberator of assets" restored. But every single time he'd been cursed with rotten luck! Sometimes he got away, sometimes he was caught. But he would always plan again.

And now, the game was over. There would be no next round.

He had heard some rumors about the place being threatened with shutdown. It seemed the powers that be that made the rules for the land had decided places like Podex were no longer needed. Some thought they were acting out of paranoia, others out of greed. But he didn't pay much attention to the stories, until he decided to scope out the place from a distance for his next plan of attack.

And he found the place abandoned. Not even a "closed" sign.

He stared at the area where the building was for a long time. He thought of both his defeats, and his plans for victory. Over and over again, he thought of what might have been if his luck had finally held and he had won. After a while, he began to feel tired. So he sat down, and closed his eyes for a moment.

"And it has begun."

The burglar turned and found a dark figure, his appearance concealed with a hood and cloak. He jumped, "The Mastermind!!"

"Yes." the dark figure spoke in a menacing voice, "It seems the first part of my plans have finally come to fruition."

"Y-you mean you were trying to close the banks, not just rob them?"

The Mastermind chuckled, "My little minion, oh how small you think about greater goals. Mine included much more than simple currency exchangers."

"W-what were you planing?"

"Perhaps my real appearance will give you some idea." The Mastermind reached for his hood, pulled it back, and let it and the cloak fall, revealing ...

"Philip Linden?!!" The thief was shocked.

"Yes, but a Linden no more," the figure spoke, "I had grand designs for this Grid, grand wonderful plans. But you the residents just had to muck it up! This place is too badly damaged for me to repair. So I've been starting over."

"Damaged? Starting over?" The burglar looked both confused and scared.

"This should have been a place of higher learning, of culture, of humanity. Instead, there's sim after sim of stupid clubs, debauchery and sex, and worst of all, perverted twisted versions of humanity, tinies and furs."

"B-but you allowed them." The thief looked more confused and scared.

"Only because I thought they were a passing phase. Well, I've been developing a new Grid, with new rules. No clubs, no sex, no furs. Manipulating things behind the scenes to close the exchangers was just the first step. Soon, this Grid will collapse, and the human residents will have no choice but to head to mine."

"W-what about residents like me?"

"You get to find out whether or not there's an afterlife for avatars."

"No!"

"Muhahahaha!" the voice became that of when he was in the Mastermind guise, "Yes!"

"Nooooo!" The bandit fell to his knees, "Nuuuuuuuuuuu!!"

"Muhahahahahahaha! Muhahahahahahaha!! "

The burglar covered his ears and shut his eyes, muttering, "This can't be happening! This can't be happening!"

"Excuse me?"

The thief blinked his eyes. He'd fallen asleep. It was just a bad dream

"Are you okay, you looked like you were having a nightmare or something."

The bandit turned, and saw a certain figure, "You. You're ..."

"Jacek Shuftan, CEO of Podex. Although as this Grid is concerned, now just an ordinary resident like you."

The burglar stood up, "So you're the owner of this bank."

"Yes." The man looked over the figure with the masklike face and the stripped tail, "I don't suppose you're this 'Clumsy Cooper' I've been hearing about?"

"Um ..." the bandit wasn't too sure about answering

Jacek smiled, "No worries. One can't report a crime that can no longer be committed."

"Oh," Clumsy looked more at ease, "I don't suppose you can tell me what happened?"

"I'm afraid the reasons for Linden Lab doing what they did are not leaving their headquarters. Since they couldn't be made to change their mind, there is nothing more for me to do but move on to where I can do my business."

"Yeah," Clumsy spoke, "I guess this is goodbye."

"But what will you do? Find someone else to launch your attempts at robbery on?"

Clumsy thought for a moment, "No, it's over. I'm not a common griefer. And I'm not going to other grids to do burglaries. I'll find something else to do."

Jacek smiled, "Well, it looks like you're taking the opportunity to turn a new leaf."

"Yeah, no more 'Clumsy Cooper.'"

"Did you have another name?"

"Melvin."

"Well, pleased to have met you, Melvin. Perhaps one day we'll see each other again."

"Same here. Good luck where you're going."

"And you as well."

The banker and the former burglar shook hands. Then Jacek turned and walked away. Melvin watched him for a long time, and eventually he was out of sight. He then looked at the former site of the Podex Exchange one more time, then walked off.

"I wonder if the Green Lanterns could use someone to test their equipment? ... Nah, I don't want to get beat up."

The End

Bixyl Shuftan

A Musical Sunday

Last Sunday on Feb 26th, I went to a couple music events that I happened to just hear about. The first I stopped by at was an ABBA tribute at Anvaya Cove after getting a notice in a group.

From Keras Karas, Hey guys!!! There is a great tribute concert ABBA at my sim. IF you guys love ABBA, this is a MUST SEE event! Come join us for some fun. (smile)

I went over, and the place was packed. With 55 avatars, there must have been a lot of ABBA fans on the Grid.

Friday night and the lights are low,
Looking out for a place to go,
Where they play the right music, getting in the swing,
You come in to look for a king,

Anybody could be that guy,
Night is young and the music's high,
With a bit of rock music, everything is fine,
You're in the mood for a dance,
And when you get the chance,

You are the dancing queen,
Young and sweet, only seventeen,
Dancing queen, feel the beat
From the tambourine, oh yeah,

You can dance, you can jive,
Having the time of your life,
Ooh see that girl, watch that scene,
Dig in the dancing queen.

As the event went on, tribute band members Dragonfire17 Ghost, Belyse, Aude Tylman, Kristen Katrina, Littlejohn2 Deed, Jaguar Pearl, and PJ Wasp continued to perform.

The event went on a little past the two hours scheduled, but eventually, it came to a close.

At the end, thanks were given to all involved in the concert, THANK YOU KATIA KERES TO PRODUCE THE SHOW OF TONIGHT ON YOUR LAND .... PJ ON GUITAR ** JAGUAR ON KEYBOARD ** DRAGONFIRE ON PIANO ** BELYSE ON BASS GUITAR **LITTLE JOHN ON DRUM **** KRISTINA AND AUDE THE SINGER ABBA ******* THE BAND ON STAGE APPLAUSE THEM .
So I say,
Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing,
Thanks for all the joy they're bringing,
Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty,
What would life be?
Without a song or a dance what are we?
So I say,
thank you for the music,
For giving it to me.

Feb 26 was also the last day of the Metaverse Music Expo in Areo Pines Park. Cindy Bolero told me it had been going on since the 22nd, with Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the main events.

"The Metaverse Music Expo is intended to expose new avatars or avatars not already aware of live performances in Second Life, as well as serves as at networking mechanism for musicians and singers, connecting them with music professionals, venues, as well as a conference for marketing, technology, and artist development. By popular demand, the expo has been extended another week so visitors can still catch some live music and explore the expo grounds. ... Its been an amazing collection of talent and enthusiasm, over 80 performers during three days, with a new act every 30 min."

Around the area were "lemonade stands" which took donations for charity against cancer. One of the people involved, Lillith Siamendes, told me they had plans to repeat the event next year.

Sadly, the day was a bit overshadowed by events with Linden Lab, so publishing was delayed until now.

Bixyl Shuftan