GeekSpeak – Neuralink: Saviour or Disaster? GeekSpeak Saturday 5th September at noon SLT

Last week Elon Musk unveiled the latest plans for Neuralink, the company that plants a chip in your skull that connects your brain to a computer.  This technology promises to make the paralyzed walk and the blind see.  If it can do that it will be an amazing benefit for all disabled people.

What else will it be able to do?  Will we be able to link our brains to robots on Mars so that we can experience being there on another planet?  Will we be able to share thoughts with other people?

Are there dangers with this technology?  If a couple links their brains will they live happily ever after, or get a divorce straight away?  Will companies be able to put advertisements into your thoughts?  Will the government force all children to get a link so that they can be controlled?

Come and discuss the digitalization of your brain patterns.  It is closer than you think.  Bring your friends, with or without brains.

IM Vulcan Viper, who teaches a meditation class every Wednesday at the GeekSpeak auditorium at 1pm SLT, if you have ideas for new subjects.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

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SHOULD AVATARS WEAR MASKS? Stacey Cardalines Reporting...

Etiquette is a touchy thing. It is both timeless and ever evolving. There was a time when a lady had to know how to get into a stagecoach properly, for instance. The answer to that doesn't matter now, but other questions rose in place of it, and will continue to arise as we evolve as a species.

One particular question of Etiquette that arose on 2020, in an admittedly isolated niche within SL culture, is "Should avatars wear masks?" 

Note that I phrase it as a question of Etiquette, not as a question of Science. Science doesn't mesh well with the idea of avatars wearing masks. Avatars, which are not living organisms, are incapable of transmitting a physical virus from one to another. There is no scientific benefit to making your avatar wear a mask, not are there medical consequences if you walk around maskless. There may be social consequences, but we'll get to that later in the article. 

Yet, while researching this article, I went on SL Marketplace. I searched for "COVID masks." There were 297 pages of them available. Who is buying all of these masks, and why? Only a fool would buy one, right?

I should add that many of these sales are of the Greater Fool variety, meaning that people think of something simple and useless that they can make for a few pennies and sell for a few pennies more. Perhaps there are people out there who worry about getting sick from an multiple avatar interaction. "The CDC said nothing at all about animated characters being able to go maskless, so I'd better err on the side of caution." That is your target market. Get what you can from them, while you can get it. They are, to quote edited-for-television Scarface, "a great big chicken, waiting to get plucked."

Other people might wear a mask because they feel that SL should mirror RL. Granted, you can't teleport places or carry a lighthouse around with you in RL, but masks come down on the other side of that line. There is a little roleplay element to this that most SL users can slip into effortlessly. We live in a masked society RL, and some feel that this should reflect itself when they move among the animated masses.

Some people may do it for Discipline. If masks are mandatory, you wear them. If you're walking out to get the paper off the doorstep, you wear a mask. If you are running out to the store for one thing, you wear a mask. My grandfather was actually like this with ties. The tie wasn't necessary for what he was doing, but he was more comfortable with a tie on. That kind of discipline would transfer to SL if you were to animate such a man. 

I decided to strut around SL in a mask, just to see how I was reacted to. It was disappointing. Not in a bad way, but in an odd way. Disappointing in myself, if that is how one would phrase it.

I went to the gym first. I was the only one in a mask. Unfortunately, there are a lot of wrestlers in my gym (wrestling is a hugely popular sport on SL). They saw nothing at all odd with me walking around in a gas mask, and just assumed that I was in character. "The crowd is gonna LOVE that!" was a common refrain. "Can it be weaponized?" was another.

I went to my side job as a dancer at a fetish sim. There were 30 people around when I went on the dance pole, dressed exactly as I was in the picture accompanying the article. I was immediately conspicuous. A gas mask, however, is nothing special to fetish people, many of whom were disappointed that I wasn't bound. Several people were able to correctly name the brand.

In the end, you're on SL to amuse yourself. You won't hurt anyone if you don't feel like wearing one, nor will you save lives by wearing one. If someone else wants to wear one, it isn't your business to tell them otherwise.

Shoot, I have a friend on SL who is a 6 foot tall humanish Bat. In the real world, she would be right at the top of How The Virus Jumped To Humans suspect list. On SL, she's just someone I see at work. She's not harming anyone, and neither are you if you wear or refuse to wear a mask.

Do what thou wilt.

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From Farm to Table - GiaBlossom reporting

The Farming concept was first seen with the introduction of Harvest Moon in the gaming world. It gave the communities and cults for games a reason for immersive roleplay. Back in 2009 when Farmville hit the world up a storm, no one knew how big the business would be. Second Life gamers were also not behind in bringing the concept in-world. 

In 2010 we saw the introduction of Guardian de las Sombras, easier known as G&S. It focused on medieval fantasy communities to help them get into immersive roleplay. We had also seen the introduction of Life where not only the energy but also the hygiene of an avatar was introduced making it more real. Then came the Digital Farm System in October 2016. In 2017, a year later, we heard the introduction of the Aura Roleplay system. And the latest introduction in BeYou, which is similar to Life and is slowly taking the grid by storm. The estates like Blossom Meadows  are relaunching itself as the family community roleplay integrated with BeYou homes. 

Earlier we used to see crops used for farming. Crops like wheat, hay, tomato, rice, sugarcane, corn. The basics that could be cooked to make the animal feed for farm animals like cows-bulls, hens-roosters, goats, sheep etc. Then we saw the introduction of carpentry, mining, backsmith, fishing among other activities as well. Overall, in all the systems you will find these activities. As the growth of secondary markets began we also saw the expiration of the goods in certain systems, the first being G&S. Like all changes, it was met with both positive and negative reviews. 

We have also witnessed various breedables over the years from fantasy to farm to domestic and wild animals. We have also seen fairies breed. And more important, we have also seen plants as breedables, called the Plant Pets. With the introduction of mesh, people wanted to see more realistic elements. We saw a number of new full perm mesh designers in the grid. This helped the farming industry as well. From water towers, windmills to crops to farm animals to food. And these days we have flowers as well. 

Flowers grown are used in further production and creating Limited/ rare items for recipes. 

Creativity has no limits. Immersive roleplay is so deep that every step you take will bring you to new opportunities. Flowers, trees, bushes which were once made just for landscaping are now used in farming systems. The same that were used for landscaping with the same prim count are used to decorate sims and create an interactive world. Unlike the breedables, the farming scripts use a lot less memory and usually low lag. There is also no physical element, that is the animals are movement restricted leading to no collision which also helps in keeping the lag down. However, for a new farmer it's always good to start small and build up from there depending upon your spare time and involvement. There are many farm barons who give a small piece of land for farming. Either you can ask in respective groups or look out for the advertisements. 

Since 2016, the secondary market for the Digital Farm System has grown to over 4500 active members. They also started with the Digital Living System to enhance the life-like living in Second Life. It is seen that the older the systems get, there are more number of people who join and the prices in the secondary markets fall. For example the same recipe in G&S will sell for 27L$; while in DFS it will sell for 152L$ and in beYou it sells over 300L$. (All prices fluctuate and are in approx estimates). Farming enthusiasts who love to mint Lindens from the secondary markets, will grab the next opportunity in a new system. Also, the scope of expansion and improvements gets higher with any new systems. 

To keep a business afloat it is important to keep the change alive. The Digital Farm System introduces new recipes every month. This recipe is dedicated to the monthly cooking champion. Sometimes, these recipes are available to be cooked for a limited time only. Like all limited items the prices for these are fairly high. This system also  introduced flowers by TSpot Home and Garden in a number of recipes to add fragrance with the added fruity flavours. 

The flowers are used for essential oils, cooking oils, fragrance, decoration of furniture, decoration of food platters, cakes, limited recipe items, edible flowers as well. Flowers like roses are the best sellers during valentines month. Other varieties of flowers like lilies, chives, lavenders, baby’s breath, wild flowers, daffodils, daisies, carnations, Geraniums are a score and are available in various colors. The flowers like all plants come with certain fixed uses; which means they can be harvested for that many times. However, DFS introduced the concept of Forever plants. Forever plants can only be received from Farm Stash Boxes and Grab Bags available each month from the MainStore. These plants are resold in secondary markets at very high prices. Each Sunflower Forever plant is sold at as high as 10,000L$. The other Forever flowers are Chives, Daffodils, Lavenders and Wild flowers. For example in the month of May 2020 a new limited variety of wild flowers were introduced, the “Wild Flowers Mothers Day Blue Dolly”. Not only are flowers used in flower baskets, but it is also incorporated with animals as cute decorations like the Limited DFS Sow/Boar - Happy Mother Day. 

The prices for the flower markets like all other raw materials increase with the number of uses for each basket. For example a Geranium basket will sell at 5-6L$ each. Each harvest gives 1 basket. The prices of the harvests are based on a number of factors. They are: number of harvests, number of days to harvest, number of times they are pruned, the further uses in production of recipes, amount of energy it took to prune and harvest. 

Unlike G&S and Aura, DFS and beYou have more modern food platters. They ask the players to suggest recipes that could be incorporated. Hence, we have cuisines from all over the world. We have various flavours of icecreams, fragrance of soaps, creative influx of cakes for all occasions fitting all taste buds. Syrups, milkshakes, dips and sauces are just a few among the long list. 

These days these recipes have found a place in the non-roleplay environment as well. A few years back at wedding parties, birthday celebrations, baby showers and other occasions we used to find a brunch table giving out a list of food items from its menu. Then we saw placemats being used as restaurants with a similar concept as well. Now we will see clients asking for specific food for their celebrations. Event planners can now arrange for food tasting and complete custom orders. The old foods used to just have the eating and drinking animations, the new ones have the added advantage of being eaten with energy. 

Second Life is an escape from reality and we may or may not have a reason to party. These systems are an added dynamics that are built not only for active roleplay but also encourage opportunity at every level. There are farmers, cooks, carpenters, miners, blacksmiths, traders. The limitless opportunity to earn for not only the players but also mesh designers. Earlier we used to see just simple plating in the form of prims, then we saw sculpts and now we see mesh. From fish to meat, crops to flowers, fresh herbs to spices, fruit trees to pine trees (harvested for wood); we are all growing. 

Additional Information - 

Digital Farm System by Ice12192 Drover - https://www.digitalfarmsystem.com/

TSpot Home & Garden by Teresa Matfield - https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/46024

Guardian de las Sombras - https://gstrading.info/

BeYou - https://www.beyouworld.com/

Aura Roleplay Systems - https://aurarpsystems.wixsite.com/aurarp/single-post/2017/04/24/Welcome-to-the-information-page-for-AURA-Role-Play-Systems

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You are cordially invited to a White Party Hosted by CLUB LANAI & The SL Enquirer. Saturday August 29th 11am-3pm SLT

Guest will be treated to a SLebrity Style Event to mark the return of CLUB LANAI 2020!

Dressed in all White, guests will mix and mingle with the Elite of Second Life in a star studded event. Champagne will flow as smooth as good conversation, music and dancing. Be sure to bring business cards to network with other movers and shaking in Second Life. Rumor has it someone is driving home in  a new Porsche Carrera.

ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE:

11am-12pm DJ  Éva βlóóðŵěll

12pm-2pm: DJ Arisha Flame

2-3 PM: Moonlight Music's Wolfie Moonshadow

DRESS CODE: ALL WHITE

(No Jeans and sneakers)

Your limo awaits: 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Akamai/160/48/22

ABOUT CLUB LANAI

Owned and Operated by The SL Enquirer,(www.slenquirer.com) CLUB LANAI opened its doors back in 2006 for exclusive once a week themed events. This high-end venue returns for a reboot in 2020 with a new team of seasoned entertainment professionals. CLUB LANAI isn’t like other venues or clubs on the grid. During the week guests can visit for some DJ sets managed by Arisha Flame and host Lily-Roanne Flame Alderson while lounging, playing pool, or socializing with other SLebrities.

Lanai Jarrico will host exclusive themed events on the last Saturday of each month for the grown & sexy crowd. Join the Club Lanai VIP Group for invitations to private parties and themed events. The Next Exclusive event will be announced in CLUB LANAI VIP GROUP.

Group URI Code: secondlife:///app/group/b0a835bc-4a51-1c0a-ab1b-5ecee824fc9a/about

The dress code is always Classy, Sexy, cool.  (No jeans and sneakers permitted- Men in suits a plus.)

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All your data belongs to us! Who is listening? And should we worry? Saturday 29th August at noon SLT

So much data is collected about all of us.  What is it used for?  Is it an invasion of privacy?  Does it make you angry?  Will all humans eventually get sick and tired of all the spying?  Will the Big Five data collectors, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google, cease to exist?

Or do you think they should use the data to give you information you really need?  Like what colour the flowers you buy for your mother on her birthday should be.  Or what sort of job you should take. Or who you should marry.  Would you listen?  Or would you find it creepy?

Can we ever get our privacy back?  Is there a way to escape the panopticon we all live in?  If you do escape, how long will you be safe from the ever-seeing Eye?  Come and join the discussion.  Turn off your phone and wrap it in tinfoil.  And bring your non-friends to confuse the system.

IM Vulcan Viper, who teaches a meditation class every Wednesday at the GeekSpeak auditorium at 1pm SLT, if you have ideas for new subjects.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Danmu/143/127/51

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AIRSHOW OVER THE CANYON: JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING:

The day is sunny, and it feels sooo good to get out of the house.  You head on over to the Grand Canyon, reveling in the solitude of the most majestic region on the entire grid. There you are, communing with nature…

Suddenly and without warning, you are almost knocked off your mule by an ear-splitting roar! You look up just in time to see, disappearing over the lip of the canyon, a high-performance jet aircraft screaming through the sky!

Yes folks, you have stumbled into – (cue the timpani drums) – AN AIRSHOW!

Grand Canyon SL recently hosted a good old-fashioned Air Show, complete with wing walkers, bi-planes, people in sharp looking flight suits, and over a dozen high performance jet aircraft.

After the last roar of engines had rolled off down the canyon. After the show was over and the last planes had departed for their home field.  After the bleachers were clear of spectators with only empty popcorn boxes and soda cups to show they were ever there….I was able to catch up to an exhausted Lis (lisisme.dubrovna), owner of Grand Canyon SL,  and 5(johnnynumberfive), lead for the Hawks Aerobatic Team. They graciously agreed to chat with me.

Josh (Thomas1 Bellic) JB:    Let’s start with you, Johnny. How did you first get interested in Air Shows?

5 (johnnynumberfive) J5: As a young kid around 6 years I got a ride in an old Papua New Guinea mission plane the 'Andrew Stuart' which incidentally is now in a museum.  From early years I remember cutting out planes from the back of 'Corn Flakes' packets and later upscaling them and building them from balsa.  Later in my 20's, I, along with a bunch of work mates took up hang gliding, which later progressed to a job as a hang-gliding instructor.  So, for as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with planes.

However, in 1991 I attended the 70th Anniversary Richmond Air Base Show and for the first time saw real fighter jets up close and was inspired by our own Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Roulettes Aerobatics team. 

In SL I naturally gravitated toward aviation and joined the USNSL Blue Angels.  So in early 2017 when a combat friend of mine mentioned starting our own team it was a 'no brainer' :) 

JB:  Tell me Lis. How did you come up with the idea of hosting an Air Show?

Lis (lisisme.dubrovna) LD:  Johnny was looking for a venue and contacted me and at first it was only supposed to be The Hawks but word got around and then other teams wanted to fly at the Grand Canyon. It's a scenic place for an airshow. They were all absolutely amazing.

JB:  How extensive were your preparations for this event? I understand you had to move mountains, literally, to pull this off. 

LD:  I contacted LL to take down my Mt Everest sim which is north of the Grand Canyon, so that the skies would be clear. I had great cooperation from an agent at Linden Labs. It is unusual for them to take down a sim for a day but he went there and saw that Mt Everest would obstruct the view of the planes in the sky. I am only sad they did not do more to promote such a magnificent and skilled event.

I removed some high prim items from 3 sims to help with lag. I opened 3 sims and many parcels for rent so that they could rez their planes. I did a sim restart before and after each team. I video filmed the entire event and I'll soon edit and put it on YouTube. I'll send out the URL in Grand Canyon Group notices.

JB:  How long did it take to build the runway and the bleachers for the fans?

LD:  At first, I created a black megaprim for the runway but then Johnnynumberfive had a runway and bleachers in inventory. I had to clear the land below and join all pilots to my Grand Canyon group as Entertainers. I was "Ground Control" lol.

JB:  How many people does it take to put on an airshow?

J5:  Wow the million-dollar question!  How long is a half-stretched rubber band? :)  Most teams consist of 6 pilots - 4 in the diamond team and 2 in the solo team.  But if you include those that do stuff for the teams to keep them flying...Lukeflywalker Fittinger EmCee's, Jimi Xi provides helmets, plane manufacturers like Shana and TBM, photographers, and then show hosts all play an integral part, but it’s our fans that do the most just by providing the motivation

JB:  Can you share a few words about each of the groups that performed?

J5:  There are many other teams in SL and all present a quality and unique experience for their audience.  Anemone Wing Walkers hark back to early circus style barn storming, Team Phoenix is an older team and presents a strictly choreographed and tidy formation display.  The USNSL Blue Angels strive for excellence in discipline, much like the RL USN Blue Angels, and the Hawks, although not the newest kid now are still testing the boundaries in maneuvers, themes, light and sound.

JB:    Do these four teams fly together often?

J5:  SL attracts a wide variety of people and from time zones all over the world so it's challenging to get everyone together.  However, the common love of aviation is a compelling reason to get out of bed at crazy times of the night for these shows.  Typically, its only once or twice a year for larger events involving 4 or more teams but smaller 1 or 2 team events more often.

JB:  How much practice goes into an airshow?

J5:  I can't speak for the other teams but generally once or twice a week for official practices of about 2 hours, and then informal practices when time permits.  It generally takes about 3-6 months to perfect a new maneuver to show worthy quality, depending on its complexity.

JB:  What was your favorite part of this year’s Air Show?

J5:  Being back on the runway after a successful show was nice, I have to say.  It was rough up there with the lag, but I have to say the best thing by far is seeing all the teams do great and seeing the audience enjoy the show.

LD:  They were all utterly amazing but I have to admit I was stunned by "The Mirror" performed by the Hawks solo team at the end of the show.

JB:  I can hardly wait to see this again.  When is your next Airshow?

LD:  I hope we can do a big one like this twice a year so maybe we can look forward to a January 2021 Show.

J5:  The next one for the Hawks is September 20 at Jamaica for a much more "Jamaican' style casual show - right in my wheelhouse :D

JB:  Lis and Johnny, I’d like to thanks you for agreeing to chat with me this afternoon. Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

LD:  Please come to the Grand Canyon and join the group so that I can inform you with notices of live singers and air shows and contests and events and additions I make to the sims. I have just added 'Experience' which is nothing more than a fast teleport (it does not take over control of your avi like many think). You will be amazed by the Love Tunnels. There is also a new Cuddle Cloud Tour (PG).

J5:  Ah so may 'ism's I could share here but I say just do it... give it your best shot...whatever it is...and if not, go support those that do.  We as humans are more skilled and experienced at pulling others down, albeit most often in good humor, but it’s so nice to see the support these teams give each other and the blessing they are to the wider community.

So there you have it, folks.  Just when you think you have seen everything, someone throws an Air Show at you, and you have to rethink what you believed was possible in this wonderful world of SecondLife.

Grand Canyon SURL:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Grand%20Canyon/106/177/111

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The Valley of Dreams Venue - Exclusive and Beautiful- Upcoming Events

We at Valley of Dreams take great pride in presenting three of the finest entertainers, in Secondlife. Stressing quality rather than quantity we open only when our performers grace the Valley of Dreams stage. Attire in the Valley is relaxed and ranges from Smart Casual to Formal, so be comfy.

7pm SLT on Sundays - KoKoIncognito time. Picture this. A little girl, five years old, grabs a hearth broom and pretends she is holding a guitar as she belts out Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas.” That’s our KoKo, and she loves to sing everything form classic country and the oldies to a tender ballad. Her enormous repertoire offers something for everyone. Request a rock tune, and the venue will reverberate with her delivery. Looking for something sweet and romantic, look no further. Recently, she stepped into the role of Karen Carpenter for a wonderful, hour-long tribute performance. An entirely genuine and warm human being, KoKo’s vibrant delivery and engaging humor must be experienced.

8pm SLT on Sundays - Turner Harbrough takes the stage. Enormously talented with a singularly great stage presence, listening to Turner is a pleasure. He sings an eclectic variety of music, from smooth jazz to dance-able pop and country. We count ourselves lucky to have him join us each Sunday. His beautiful voice will melt your heart as he sings the romantic ballads of Michael Bublé along with down to earth country standards. From amazing music to witty banter, you won’t want to miss a single performance by a truly splendid artist. But wait! What’s this! No, it couldn’t be. Is that Kermit the Frog, one of Turner’s devoted friends we hear. Perhaps if we are lucky, very lucky, they will honor us with a duet.

7pm SLT on Thursdays - Edian Tey a brilliant new talent joins us every Thursday. We first heard Edian Perform at ~O~ Karaoke Lounge and knew we wanted to engage him. Edian started singing publicly when he was 20. He and a friend entertained at private parties and in local coffee shops. Soon the owner of a group heard them, and they were invited to join. Edian accepted marking the start of his professional development as a singer. Edian sings in Spanish as well as English, thus enabling him to reach many people through his music. Influenced by artists of the 70s and 80s, he enjoys all musical genres and is no stranger to crooning a beautiful love song. Even so, he can add a bit of spice to his performance with a toe tapper from his extensive song list.

For more information, send a notecard to DavidDaniels999 or Lena Heartsong.


SLURL
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Starry%20Sky%20Land/207/186/23

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SAPPHIRE BEACH CLUB - A PARADISE IN PIXELS: JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING...

If you look in the dictionary for the phrase “Quality Entertainment”, you will most likely see a picture of Sapphire Beach Club (SBC).  Long known for presenting some of the best and hottest live entertainment on the Grid, SBC has recently reopened following a complete rebuild. The Sinclair family has done a bang-up job too.  I was recently given a sneak preview of some of the new areas designed to delight and entertain even the most discerning of SL Visitors, and believe me folks when I say this is one place you have to see for yourself!

Recently I was able to sit down with SBC co-owner, the lovely and gracious Claudine Sinclair, as she discussed the exciting changes of late.

Interview

Josh Bellic (JB):  Claudine, I recall visiting Sapphire Beach Club back in 2019, and was impressed with it then (http://www.slenquirer.com/2019/05/spotlight-on-sapphire-beach-club-gem-of.html )   How has Sapphire Beach Club changed and how is it different from the other Beach Clubs out there?

Claudine Sinclair Jewell (claudine.jewell): (SC): We are different from other places in that we have a variety of events and venues.  These are constantly changing, and we continually offer our guests new places where they can have fun. We have a welcoming attitude towards everybody in SL and of course we have an exceptional staff.  In fact, we have the most professional and best run team I can imagine. But the BEST way to find out about the Sapphire difference is to ask our guests :)

JB:    You mentioned your staff.  Can you share with me something about the key staff members here?

Claudine and John Sinclair own the Sim. Amber Sinclair is our Manager. Christine Sinclair is our Host Manager. Maggie Sinclair is our Assistant, Ace Sinclair is our Promoter and of course we work together with Live Artists, DJ's, Tribute Bands, Dancers. 

John, Claudine and Amber have worked together since May of 2019.  Christine and Ace joined in October of 2019.  Foxxy started hosting at Sapphire this year and Maggie joined our Team at the end of July 2020.  We are like a family and we are blessed with a supportive crew. I love them and I can't imagine my SL without them.

JB:    What changes have you made since the last build?

The whole Sim has changed and has a totally different layout now with many places for new Venues. We have always stressed LIVE events, and now we have MORE live events than at any time in the past.  

At our New Beach we have a Natural Pool with Waterfalls, a Grotto, a Tropical Beach Lounge, along with many other private beaches, cute little shops, and of course the big Tropical Hill / Skyhill. We will be adding Game Tables and Beach Loungers in the weeks ahead to make these places even more enjoyable for our guests.

JB:    What are the inspirations for your ideas? How do you come up with these themes?

We take inspiration from wherever it comes, and in whatever form.   Some ideas are inspired by people.  Others may be inspired by a movie theme, or perhaps from a song.  Just about anything can serve as our inspiration.

JB:    Is this a complete rebuild, or were they just major modifications to a few areas?

Oh yes.  We did a complete rebuild of the Sim – from the ground level up.  We have several brand-new concert venues, and we can accommodate anything from smaller, more intimate gatherings in a club, to full blown stadium events with room for hundreds of guests.

JB:  I see that in addition to the base Region, you also seem to have several Skyboxes.  What is up there? It seems like they are an important part of your operation here and part of what makes SBC unique among clubs.

We currently have one Full Region and quite a few Skyboxes.  The number of skyboxes changes with the season, or with the inspiration. In addition to our standard favorites, we create seasonally themed spaces as well.  We shift the landing point around from venue to venue, depending on the specific event at the time, so our guests don’t have to walk from a static landing point all over creation to wherever the event happens to be.  We drop them off right at the door to the event. 

We use skyboxes to mix it up and for themed parties a lot.......the current ones are ...

• The Universe: Our First skybox we created was “The Universe”. That theme turned out particularly cool as a skybox. 
• The Stadium: The Stadium skybox was built because we used to host tribute Events. The Tribute Bands mostly use bigger stages and need more space for guests. We built a Skybox especially for a Baby Metal Tribute, and we put the Stadium up so we have space for future Tribute Bands. 
• The third current venue is the Country Barn. We built that for our Country Event which lasted a weekend and it was so popular that we decided to keep it. Complete with a mechanical bull, you can almost smell the scent of fresh-cut hay bales in the loft and animals roaming the premises.

We also had a set up for a Dance Show so we have stools we can put out there. The stage we have there now is used for Live Singers. We have tentative plans to host another Tribute Show one day when we can work out the details. 

Skyboxes come and go all the time, and we change them with the season. We had one for Halloween; another one for Valentine’s Day.  John also built one with a Cat Tree theme, but they’re not rezzed anymore. We had a winter themed one as well, that filled an entire region.

JB:    Which area here is your personal favorite?

Claudine Sinclair: I’m undecided.  I like all the areas. I like the change so it never gets stale. 

Amber Sinclair: I love the beautiful natural pool at the bottom of the waterfalls.  There are some amazing “Kodak Moments” for the budding photographer, making this an ideal location for events.

John Sinclair: The Natural Pool with the Waterfalls is indeed a very special place. I also like the Grotto.  I think we can host a number of great events there. But in the final analysis, I really end up liking the entire Sim.  Wherever you go, it’s.

JB:    So, what’s next?  How can we learn about any big events coming up?

SC:  Certainly Josh.  We maintain a full calendar of all our events at:  https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=des7242006@gmail.com&ctz=America/Los_Angeles.  Check it out for a full line up or all our activities

JB:    Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

We appreciate every Visitor, Guest, Group or Social Media Member who takes time to come and visit us, and wish to thank you all so much for your continuous Support. We try to keep our place Drama free but it's not easy in SL. We have also had our share of weird experiences and we cannot make everyone happy but in the end we do it all for the people and the great community in SL. We are paying, planning and organizing so people can have a good time and an immersive experience at Sapphire BC while listening to the best Live Artists.  Check us out in person, or visit our Facebook pages at 

https://www.facebook.com/sapphirebeachclub.sl/photos

So there you have it, folks.  Sapphire Beach Club: A Paradise in Pixels.  Check it out.  You’ll be glad you did.

Be there!  Aloha!

JB

SURL:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Skyhill/130/212/28

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CYBRARIANS - VIRTUAL LIBRARIANS WORK TO INFORM THE DIGITAL CITIZEN: JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING

So…you are tapping away on your computer, working on a research paper for your online class.  You are writing a fluff piece on a rather well-known topic like, “Where did all the antimatter go and its effect on the unified theory of physics?”, when suddenly you hit a snag and need more information about the topic.  Where do you go?  Normally, you might Google the question, but decide you don’t want to wade through 2,354,287 hits. You want professional help. You could go down to your neighborhood public library, and ask Marian the Librarian to point out the reference section on Unified Physics theory.  Unfortunately, due to a worldwide pandemic, Marian finds herself in a high-risk group and decides to close the library and stay home.

Fear not, my fellow intrepid seeker of knowledge. Help is only a few mouse clicks away. Enter the Virtual Librarian.  Fortunately, one of the Metaverses foremost experts in Virtual Library services consented to an interview. Dr. Valerie Hill (Valibrarian Gregg) is a Subject Matter Expert in the field and also happens to be a resident of SecondLife..  I caught up with her the other day and she graciously consented to answer my questions.

Josh Bellic (JB):  So tell me Val, what types of people use virtual libraries?

Valibrarian Gregg (VG):  Good question, Josh. All age groups now access information in digital content, so depending on your definition of a virtual library, everyone uses them.  

One definition (IGI Global) is "A Virtual Library is a collection of resources available on one or more computer systems, where a single interface or entry point to the collections is provided".

The Community Virtual Library is a VIRTUAL WORLD LIBRARY rather than a physical library or online database.  Nearly all physical libraries now provide digital access. such as on a cell phone.

CYBRARIANS - VIRTUAL LIBRARIANS WORK TO INFORM THE DIGITAL CITIZEN:   JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING:  What types of services can online virtual librarians offer?

VG: Any services provided in the physical world library can be offered in the virtual world including: exhibits, books, storytelling, writing workshops, seminars, conferences, tours, immersive role play (such as the Dickens Project every year), read-alouds, book discussions, and 3D projects such as Metaliteracy Symbolic Modeling (coming up on Sept 25th at 9am in SL).

JB:  How can a virtual Librarian best assist a researcher?

VG:  Virtual librarians can provide help accessing specific databases or resources in subject areas but, more importantly, can help individuals navigate changing information landscapes.  Digital citizenship requires "metaliteracy"- a new way of accessing and sharing information in digital culture where most content is born digital. Learning to evaluate information and use it ethically is an acquired skill.

JB:  That must require specialized knowledge to be effective? Is there a governing body or accreditation for Virtual Librarians?

VG:  Accreditation and certification requirements vary across the globe but most are standard in requiring an MLS or MLIS (Master of Library Science or Master of Library and Information Science).  In the US and Canada, the MLS or MLIS is required for most librarians in public, academic, or special libraries.

The board members of the Community Virtual Library in Second Life are professional librarians with a master's degree in library and information science (one with a degree in education). Volunteers (friends of the library) are provided training, particularly if they serve at the reference desk.

JB:  Are there any Librarian Groups in the Virtual World?

VG: Second Life Library 2.0 (main group for the Community Virtual Library

ACRL in Second Life (for Assoc of College and Research Libraries virtual world interest group- mostly academic librarians)

JB:  How can someone find a virtual Librarian?

Most academic libraries have a virtual librarian online (sometimes with live chat or through follow up). The Community Virtual Library (CVL) has librarians on duty at the reference desk and trains volunteers to help.  

https://communityvirtuallibrary.org/

In addition, CVL is building a spreadsheet of educators' office hours in virtual worlds to help individuals network and navigate virtual environments for learning.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12Q3CUF1gQ1ua8EGWOuVeFOp9w-DBEI0j73fx_jP5Y60/edit?usp=sharing

JB:  Is there anything else you would like to share with our Readers?

VG:  Yes.  I would like to invite your readers to check out Google Group:  metaverselibraries

Dr. Valerie Hill has researched virtual world libraries since 2007 and her recent book focuses on changing literacy with emphasis on virtual environments.

https://www.igi-global.com/book/metamodernism-changing-literacy/243091

So there you have it, folks.  Next time you are looking for a recipe for dragonfly soup, or the proper way to store macadamia nuts – or even looking for the secrets of the universe in an “Illustrated Novel” – Ask your friendly Virtual Librarian.  You’ll be glad you did.  And be sure to visit the Community Virtual Library (CVL) at:

SURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cookie/199/199/21

See ya in the Stacks! Aloha!

JB

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