GeekSpeak – Alternative therapies. Join the discussion Jan. 9th at 12pm SLT

What alternative therapies do you know about?  And which ones have you used?  Probably everyone has tried some form of alternative therapy.  Which is your favorite?  Meditation, reiki, homeopathy, acupuncture, fish spas, swimming with dolphins, crystal therapy, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, there are hundreds of therapies out there.

All alternative therapies work to some extent, because of the placebo effect.  Do you think they are effective as more than placebos?  Should people be encouraged to try them?  Are they the enemies of official medicine or additions to it?

Come to GeekSpeak and tell us what you think.  Bring your friends, and Band-Aids 

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

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

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Chillin' At The Winter Ice Christmas Fest STACEY CARDALINES REPORTING

 

If you didn't get enough Christmas at Christmas, hey, no problem. Some places on SL are keeping it Jolly well into January. We tried one of them out today... The Winter Ice Christmas Fest.

You can skirt around the having-a-Christmas-party-after-Christmas problem in several ways, both religious and secular. You can use the Twelve Days Of Christmas argument, with the 12 days running from Christmas Eve through January 6th. I think this is when the wise men found Jesus, aka the Adoration Of The Magi. After that, if you still have the tree up (or the sim running), you move into the Eccentric area.

You can hold out until the next holiday, which is Martin Luther King Day on January 18th or so. Holiday overlap is peer pressure-regulated, as your family is going to look at you mighty odd if you set off 4th of July fireworks on Easter or if you show up at a Memorial Day service dressed for Halloween in a witch costume. There may be some Europe or Asia Day holiday in January, I have no idea. However, that gives you a little more wiggle room vis a vis leaving the Christmas stuff up in mid-January.

The easiest way is to name your Christmas sim as a Winter sim, which means that you can leave it up until April if you want. People like winter. OK, they hate it, but they like certain parts of it. Snow is lovely in a world where it never gets cold and where you don't have to drive anywhere. Many people live in places that don't get "real" winter, meaning "snow all over everything." They might enjoy visiting that element in a virtual world. A wise sim owner is positioned to meet the needs of such people.

Winter Fests can't rely on Santa like Christmas sims can. They need other things that people associate with winter. The Winter Ice Christmas Fest is chock full of seasonal goodness. 

I started off by taking a reindeer sleigh ride around the sim. It was useful to me in a scouting sense, as I got an aerial view of the place I had to be journalistic about. The reindeer take you along the ground, but they go airborne to avoid obstacles. It was an open-top 4 seater sled, with Santa in the Jackie Kennedy position and me in the Governor Connolly spot. It was a lot of fun, although we only had 3 reindeer. Rudolph was one of them.

You can only see so much from the air, so I got my feet on the ground and made some tracks in the snow like a tiny Yeti. The Winter Fest is, of course, snowy. It is also sort of Snowburban, a rural village with a few blocks of taller buildings. "Ski Chalet" describes the architecture well enough. You're sort of shooting for Swiss village looks with winter sims, rather than Miami. This place is so Swiss village looking, people will cough out cocoa if you sneak up and smack them on the back.

It's very romantic. If you have a girlfriend, take her here. If you don't, hang around and try to charm some friendly stranger into Santa's sleigh with you. "I hear he can get you off the Naughty List..." Men have gone five-hole on many women with worse lines than that... and remember, even if your Method fails 99.9% of the time, it only means that you have to bother 1000 women before the dice come up 7 for you. The numbers are the same if you switch the genders around in the equation.

There was also sledding available, but I'll get to Sledding in some future articles. This is more of a Touring sim, somewhere you'd go to take a walk and look at beautiful winter scenery. They're also only open until January 7th, so I'd recommend hurrying.

Winter Ice Christmas Fest = http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/REBEL%20YELL%20CONCERTS/65/41/28

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SLE Police Report: Mommy HUD Shamed by a Karen in Second Life

SLE Police Blotter:1/3/2021

With high hopes for new beginnings many residents of Second Life are hopeful for a new year better than the last. Just three days in and Karen of SL aka Laylah - of course (laylahlongsigh90880)  strikes an unsuspecting baby momma just trying to attend a concert while minding her own dang business and celebrating the upcoming arrival of her prim baby.

What has this vast grid come to when an overly pregnant avie cannot get some healthy exercise and entertainment at a concert without a random IM to just be rude for no apparent reason. Shame on you Karen!

[19:06] Laylah - of course (laylahlongsigh90880) AKA MOMMY HUD SHAMING KAREN: your trimester baby needs its fingernails clipped.

[19:07] Laylah - of course (laylahlongsigh90880)AKA MOMMY HUD SHAMING KAREN: I blocked the thing once.

[19:07] Mommy to be: lol I'll do it in 2 days when she arrives :)

[19:08] Mommy to Be: is it bothering you?

[19:08] Laylah - of course (laylahlongsigh90880)AKA MOMMY HUD SHAMING KAREN: (busy response): Wait, what???  Are you talking to ME?  Small, narrow minds need to be blocked and go away.  Go away.   Just.  Go.  Away.  ZAPPP!

OK THEN.....GEEZ.

Great quote from her profile.

∞ A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes... and a sense of humor! Every time you're able to find some humor in a difficult situation, you win.

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GeekSpeak subject for Saturday 2nd January at noon SLT: GeekSpeak – New Year’s Resolutions!

 

Last year we recorded some of the resolutions of our dearest regular visitors.  This year we can find out whether we all kept them.  Whatever our resolutions were for 2020, to lose weight perhaps, to read more, to have more fun, we are sure that, as always, many of us did not succeed.

Why do we humans find it so difficult to change?  What can we do about it?  Can we find ways to make this year’s resolutions work? 

Come to GeekSpeak to tell us what your resolutions are for 2021.  Yes, we will record them again.  And share your tips for keeping them.  Bring your friends if they have made resolutions too.

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

And a Happy New Year to everyone!

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

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U Can't Touch My Riches: A Visit To The Silver Hawk Gun Company: STACEY MONPONSETT REPORTING

 

Christmas is a special time of year, a time when we strive to be nice to each other. We celebrate the birth of the Prince Of Peace, and- for as long as we think Santa is watching us- we try to live up to Jesus' more high-minded teachings. It really is a small miracle, as humans spend December trying to be a self-actualized version of themselves, and the end result is at times glorious..

Unfortunately, this isn't man's natural state, which is why we can only keep it up for a month. People are, by nature, cruel and somewhat evil. We are often ruled by the Id. That's why God sent Jesus to us in the first place. It's also why the Bible is so prohibitive, spending a lot of time telling us not to kill/steal/covet the goods of thy neighbor, and why you shouldn't put the hot sauce up on his old lady... and hardly any time at all saying "Hey, you're not so bad, relax a bit, I made this wonderful sunset for you..."  Humans aren't wired like that, and God- if you caught him when he was speaking plainly- would call us "high maintenance."

Nope, humans are only capable of high-end behavior for about a month. When that month is over, we can and perhaps must revert to and revel in our atavistic need to kick ass. 

This is why God, in his infinite wisdom, gave us the Silver Hawk Company. The SHC sells guns, lots of guns, and it is where you need to be in the Two Oh Two One. Let the next man love thy neighbor... there is nothing in the Bible, even in the small print, which says that you can't love they neighbor while concurrently being prepared to blow open a hole in his chest if he has a few too many drinks and turns up on your property, angry about something.

The Silver Hawk Company isn't cheap, but what price can a man put on Justice? Justice is like Love, in that you can't truly buy it on the street. You can, however, buy a reasonable facsimile of these abstract things. That girl Destiny from the escort service doesn't really Love you, but if your credit card works, she'll bark like a dog and call you Papi if you tell her to. Likewise, shooting people who bother you isn't really Justice. Justice is determined by the courts, but I'd rather be tried by twelve than carried by six.

The SHC has guns of all sorts. Little guns you can sneak into a club with, big guns that you can empty the club with, automatic weapons that you can close a high school permanently with, guns with pretty pink paint jobs that might sway a woman who was vacillating between joining the NRA or the Book Club... they have it. They also sell riot shields (in both male and female versions), because 2020. If you want to party like it's 1499, they have swords and shuriken and other old fashioned ways to gain the upper hand in a disagreement. They even sell proper shooting animations, so folks at the gun range don't snicker at you. 

I was going to ask the owner why he named it the Silver Hawk Company, but I do not like to pose unnecessary questions to a well-armed man who buys his ammunition by the truckload. You and a few friends could defend Little Round Top with all the guns in this store. "Silver Hawk" sounds just fine to me.

2020 was a scary year, and God only knows what is waiting in 2021. In these uncertain times, a gun are like money.... it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Whether you're a conservative frightened by some ANTIFA hobgoblin, or if you are a progressive worried that some Trump fan will shoot up your church... it's like the Boy Scouts said in their old commercials... Be Prepared.

The Silver Hawk Gun Company

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Silver%20Hawk/211/92/26

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"Winter Slavic Rebirth 2021" LUXE Paris GOES RUSSIAN!

 

''Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening'', said Coco Chanel.

Seeing things in the same way as the great lady of fashion, Viktor Savior de Grataine, creator of the artistic event ''Winter Slavic Rebirth 2021'', decided to invite fashion designers to join painters, builders, poets, actors and musicians to tell about this fascinating culture of Russia before Christianity. And of course, LUXE Paris took up the challenge with immense pleasure!

The Russian soul at the heart of fashion

Paganism, unity with nature, indigenous gods, strength of spirit, fairy tales and epics, furs and ancient patterns ... drawing their inspiration from these main guidelines, the designers of LUXE Paris have created three outfits that they exhibit in photos at the art gallery of '' Winter Slavic Rebirth 2021'' in the company of several other fashion houses.

Parisian Skytower presents KRASNE, a dress and headpiece all in Slavic poetry. The dress with coat and hat SLAVIC BEAUTY by Mika Palmyra, for its part, features the iconic material of this snow country, fur! Finally, Avalon Chrome has chosen to play the Grand Duchess ANASTASIA Nikolaevna, adorned with a sumptuous kokoshnik, a typically Russian headdress.

An event funded by Linden Lab

The ''Winter Slavic Rebirth 2021'' event, which starts on January 1 and runs until February 28, is one of the first achievements of Second Life Endowment for The Arts (SLEA), a project by Tansee, funded by Linden Lab.

''SLEA is the spiritual successor to the former Linden Endowment for the Arts (LEA), a decade-long partnership with the arts community that aimed to provide opportunities to further fuel interest in and spotlight the work of both established and emerging artists in Second Life'' explains Tansee, founder and coordonnator of SLEA.

''The new SLEA pursues the same goals with a multi-region, cost free experience, where the artists can exhibit their works and make themselves better known.''

With artists from all walks of life

Artist in real life, Viktor Savior de Grataine draws the world of Second Life as if it were real, with pencil and brush. He was therefore a suitable candidate for SLEA.

''One of my friend told me about art grant from SLEA'', he explains. ''I never heard about it before but I like to try myself in new projects so I have filled the form about my idea to revive the ancient Slavic culture with the contribution of artists from all walks of life and I was accepted!

''Sure, it was a big surprise! And then, a very big work inside team with many people to present an unique world  dedicated to russian culture but I am very proud of what we have accomplished all together!''

If you have an art project and would like the support of SLEA, contact Tansee.

The address of the ''Winter Slavic Rebirth 2021'' event is:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLEA1/127/123/21

LUXE Paris outfits inspired by Slavic culture are on sale at the main store:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bao/56/72/26

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The Best of TSO and Modern Holiday Music and Fractal Art Display by: angelbabytucker

On Wednesday, December 30, long-time SL rock DJ Robobobby Skytower will spin TALES OF WINTER, songs from Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and other Winter and Holiday Music.  This show is choreographed and arranged in detail, a holiday celebration on the not-so-traditional side.  The evening will be a show of music and light.  The show will also spotlight the amazing and beautiful fractal art of SL notable artist Milly Sharple.  

The Venues of Champagne’s signature venue, CHAMPAGNE, is affectionately called “The Glass”.  This elegant and sparkling ballroom has an effervescent champagne dance floor that bubbles away inside a vintage style champagne glass. The dress is Champagne Formal** ~ Champagne Fabulous.

Mark your calendars. You won’t want to miss this coordinated and original event.

Come explore The Venues of Champagne! Search Champagne, Portals, Waves, The Blues Room, and Zensational!   Music. Chat. Beach. Romance. Ballroom. Blues. Mermaid. Dance. Games. Family. Fun. Laughter. Low Lag. The Genuine Side of SL.

**The transparent overlays of skirts maybe more translucent on parts of the dance floor because of the transparent nature of the Champagne ballroom.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Moorland/79/97/70

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PlayDoll's Magazine- Visit us at Playdolls Mansion

PLAYDOLL'S MAGAZINE was Founded by Tazzy Jenkins in 2007 and is carried on in lasting love & honor. The periodical has won 6 media awards. With over 5K reader's per month, PLAYDOLL'S MAGAZINE is one of SL's most widely circulated periodicals.  

ABOUT THE PLAYDOLL'S SIM
Gentlemen, come for your ViP memberships. Leaf through our periodical, or just enjoy the company of a woman doting on Your arm at the Playdolls Mansion! Drinks served inside the Mansion at Tazzy's Pub, replete with working darts, pool table, and Greedy. Live DJs and performers each week at Club Pink Kink, all on the Relaxation premises at Playdoll's Magazine, Second Life's eyebrow raising social & entertainment destination!

Visit us:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Relaxation/61/231/21

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GeekSpeak subject for Saturday 26th December at noon SLT: China! Should we admire it or fear it? Will we become like it?

 

China has made itself one of the most powerful and important countries in the world.  Its influence in the rest of the world is steadily increasing.  How big a threat is it?

What is China really like?  Are the stories about concentration camps, disappearances, organ theft all true?  What is it like to live under the social credit system?  Do you think that all countries will eventually become like China? 

Will China rule the world and would that be a good thing?  Or will it fall apart in chaos and revolution?

Take your Mandarin lessons and come and discuss China with us!

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

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

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THE HEART AND SOUL OF ANIMATIONS: ADULT ENTERTAINMENT IN SECONDLIFE - JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC REPORTING

‘Tis the Season to be Shopping.  And in the course of my hunt for truly unique Gifts, and I came upon an amazing store called Heart and Soul. In an adjoining workshop, I stumbled upon Abbbadon Soulstar and his partner Q-Baby, hard at work building the latest in animated furniture.  As they stopped for lunch, I was able to chat with these amazing builders. 

Josh (Thomas1 Bellic) (JB):  So tell us, Abs.  How long have you been in the business of animating furniture?

Abs™ (abbadon.soulstar) (AS): I started building and animating prim furniture way back in 2012. I had a few items on Marketplace and then I met Q-Baby!  We partnered on a few projects. I did the animating and she did the texturing. We quickly figured out what we are a match made in heaven!

JB:  You have literally hundreds of animated pieces in your store. Where do you get your inspiration?

AS:  Q-baby and I play off each other really. We get inspired by a lot of things. Real life furniture pieces, our interest in role play, and thinking about unusual places and ways to get your groove on.

JB:  Do you build your items from scratch, or do you take existing items available elsewhere and spruce them up with animations?

We have several partners who make exclusive mesh items for us. We also work with partners for custom animations when we want something really special for a piece. We will use mesh kits if they are great quality or an item we have really been wanting to see animated in SL.

JB:  OK Abs… tell me…and I promise to keep it just between you and me….(and our 40,000 readers each month)…..what are some of your personal Favs in animated furnishings here?

AS:  My favorite animated item is usually the one I'm currently working on LOL. Maybe it's my OCD but I spend a lot of time thinking out the menu and how animations can flow together on each piece. Q-baby obsesses over colors and textures and getting things to look just so. We are both really invested in making sure each piece we put out is amazing.  But to be fairly specific, here are just a few items I'm really proud of that I’d like to mention with a little background on how they came together.

1- H&S~Girl Power-Pole & Lap Dance Sex Table v2:  This was a very fun project we worked on with our partnering Mesh Creator and Animators/Script writers to bring the vision I had to life. This item is a great club or home piece. The RP is well thought out and gives our customers the ability to take it to the next level of RP.

2- H&S~Passions Complete HUD:  Here we took an old idea and breathed into it new technology and features never available back in the MLP Script sets and XPOSE days.  Avsitter which is the current gold standard in script sets is feature rich as well as adaptable.  Clever script writers can write plug ins to even further enrich the features available...ok ok i'm slipping into "Nerd mode" lol... But it was fun to put it together so a customer can wear a very small HUD on the corner of the screen and literally RP anywhere they can rez the pose balls that the HUD generates.  

3- H&S~Truths & Dares V 1.2.:   Back in my early SL days there used to be a really fun game created by a fellow who is no longer in SL. Jpose built a Truth & Dare game based off the MLP script set.  It was a really fun ice-breaker party game. Of course, it was a bit naughty; which made it even more fun "grins".  What we did with that idea was bring it into today with loads of awesome animations. Avsitter as the base engine, and a very clever script set that employs algorithms to match players up gives them choices of selecting some pretty funny truth questions or dares and to be as naughty as they wanna be. The game automatically levels up the heat the longer you play. And there's also the menu option to "increase the heat" should players like a faster pace. We have it in 2 languages and have been offered by several customers to translate it into their language because they have enjoyed playing and would like tonshare it with their native speakers.

JB:  As you know, there is no shortage of places here that sell adult animated furniture in SecondLife.  What is the “Heart and Soul” difference and why should people come here for all their animated furnishings needs?

AS:  I think our name, Heart & Soul, sums it up. We aren't just pushing out items in assembly line style. We really take time to think about who is going to be using our pieces. So, we tend to put our hearts and souls into the menus, animations and textures trying to make them the best they can be. As I look around SL I see cheaper pieces but you aren't getting the quality animations and well thought-out menus that makes our stuff so popular. We both are very proud of our work. Our policy and goal since starting Heart & Soul Designs has been 100% customer focus and the best customer support available anywhere.

JB:  Do you ever run Sales or have special “Members Only” good deals?

AS:  Oh yes, we love our VIP Members! Every month we do a new release item at least half off for our Members. For major holidays we will do half off or more for the entire store. For Christmas we did a sweet little holiday rug at a deep, deep discount. Our Members loved it!

JB:  Tell me about Indulgence Island?  What can visitors expect there?

AS:  Indulgence Island is the adult sim below the store. It's a tropical paradise for anyone who wants to use it. We sprinkle it with our creations so folks can use them before they buy.  But, mostly it's our way to give back to the SL community. We allow residents to rez their own toys, open boxes, and just relax and use the sim to do what SL was created for...have fun! The only rule are we ask people to not be rude to other visitors and no child or under age avatar visitors. 

JB:  Do you host events there, or is it more for people who want to get “Far from the maddening crowd”?

AS:  We have free-lance DJs who do their own events. It's a great hang out when people are there and a peaceful beach when there aren't.  LOL.  We let people throw parties for their friends Rez days other celebrations whatever they want to do.  

JB:  You have added animations to everything from John Deere Tractors to Motorcycles, and from Spinet Upright Pianos to Hot Air Balloon baskets.   What new things can we expect to see animated in the coming months?

AS:  Spring time will no doubt get the creative gears into motion again. I feel a hot tub coming on in the near future. Sometimes Q and I riff on each other, spit-balling crazy ideas until we say "Hey.... that's a project!"  Hence the creation of the Redneck Hot Tub LOL. A tractor tire filled with dirty water, floating beer cans and ashtrays and oh yeah and some hot animations!

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

AS:  Q and I are regular folks. We are here to have fun like everyone else.  We don't do this for a living other than SL, we do this because we enjoy it.  It's fun to share our creations with folks and know they are having fun with them like we are.

We appreciate our partners and customers more than we can express. We think SL is big enough for more than just H&S so we encourage people to be creative and pursue their passions and most of all Jeffrey Epstein didn't hang himself.  LOL

Sooooo..There you have it folks. Whether you are helping to build the grid’s next Adult region, or merely outfitting your back-porch deck, for the finest in animated furniture available anywhere in SecondLife, be sure and check out the stock at Heart and Soul. Even if all you are doing is shopping, plan a sizable chunk of time for your visit here. There is SOOO MUCH to see and try out here. And don’t forget to rezz a Hot Air Balloon for the ultimate in ballooning pleasure.

Be there.  Aloha!

JB

Heart & Soul Store    SURL:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fontana/133/94/2501

Indulgence Island     SURL:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fontana/201/210/24

 

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The SL Enquirer: Interview with Santa- Lanai Jarrico Reporting...

The SL Enquirer: Interview with Santa- Lanai Jarrico Reporting...: Every year I try to get an interview with Jolly ol’ St Nick but he has avoided me for the past few years. 

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BREAKING NEWS! Lanai Jarrico Taken Down by Christmas Tree

 

12/23/2020- SLE Police Report

In a tragic turn of events at The SL Enquirer Media Center on December 23rd the beloved by some and hated by others, CEO of The SL Enquirer, Lanai Jarrico was unexpectedly laid out cold by an overly decorated Christmas Tree.  It happened early Tuesday morning as Jarrico attempted to hang one last ornament. Only time will tell how much damage was done to the tree.

According to witnesses near the scene, Miss Jarrico had a bottle of Jack Daniels in her hand. She appeared to be drunk while singing "Deck the Halls with Santa's Baaaaaa**s".  When the tree came crashing down.

Sources at SL General Hospital say, pine needle removal is underway and Lanai is expected to make a full recovery. No further comments were issued about her blood alcohol levels and drug test. However, one insider commented about a strong smell of marijuana as paramedics rushed her into the ER.

The Second Life Community can take a sigh of relief that Jarrico will survive this horrendous incident.

If you have an additional information about this incident , please use the comments below!

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BREAKING NEWS: Runaway Trolley hits the Lockhouse at Coeur de Bourgogne!

SLE Police Report: 12-22-2020

In the early hours of Dec 21st. It was reported by a stunned yet calmy poised Ayla Panacek-Guisse (ayla.guisse) of Coeur de Bourgogne , Second Life. Apparently two nincompoops were driving a trolley and lost control while attempting to swerve a drunken stumbling Santa on his way home from a Homeless shelter Christmas Party. St. Nick was narrowly missed as he dove into a pile of trash.  Witnesses on the scene were startled by the sight of a trolley barreling their way. One woman was injured  as she slipped on a patch of ice and broke a nail on her right hand. Another witness trying to help her up was covered by an avalanche of snow as the trolley hit a nearby snow mound before crashing into the lockhouse and bursting into flames. Another witness who did not want to be identified suspected  garish illuminations & icy roads may have played a part. Two suspects were identified as wearing elf costumes. One with a very distinctive unibrow. Before firefighters arrived one man was seen toasting marshmallows. 

 If you have any additional information about this accident, Please use the comment box below to report the suspects!

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The LUXE Paris BREWIN Collection by Avalon Chrome ART TO WEAR!

Becoming LUXE Paris LOOK of the YEAR opens many doors and Avalon Chrome is tangible proof. The current ambassador of the famous brand has joined Parisian Skytower and Mika Palmyra within the LUXE Paris design team!

And what a beginning! Chrome presents the LUXE Paris BREWIN collection, nothing less than art to wear, a group of ten outfits created from the works of her husband in real life, the Canadian painter Dave Brewin. Vibrant and expressive, Brewin's acrylics burst with a joyful and daring ardor and blend wonderfully with the haute couture styles of LUXE Paris.

A NEW WAY OF EXPERIENCING ART

''Avalon and Dave are both very talented and the pooling of their creativity has given birth to an extraordinary collection of which we are very proud,'' said Parisian and Mika, co-owners of the LUXE Paris brand, established in 2012.

''Art lovers will find in this collection a new way of living their passion. Rather than leaving their favorite painting at home, they can now take it with them, let it shine through their lives.''

''THAT WAS HIGH UP ON MY SL BUCKET LIST'' - Avalon Chrome

The new designer is just as enthusiastic, delighted by the turn of events.

''I knew I’d have some fun as the brand ambassador for LUXE Paris, but I had no idea there would be such a diverse abundance of opportunities presented to me in this role'', she confides passionately.

''Achieving the status of a designer for such a prestigious brand and designing my own collection was certainly high up on my SL bucket list, but was one I thought wouldn’t happen for a long time, if ever.

''So, I'm delighted and proud to present my debut collection. I’m also grateful to Mika and Paris for their support, encouragement, and for sharing their expansive knowledge.

''My husband Dave Brewin, the artist featured in this collection, and I appreciate the opportunity to showcase both of our work in this amazing collaboration!''

EACH OUTFIT COMES WITH A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY

On the style side, the LUXE Paris BREWIN collection reveals a bold but resolutely chic new designer, in perfect harmony with the brand's image. Avalon Chrome signs dashing and very couture outfits but quite easy to wear. Her experience as a model and photographer in Second Life, her expertise in marketing in real life as well as the fact that she was chosen among 326 candidates as the best person to represent LUXE Paris in the LOOK of the YEAR competition, make her a natural designer, inspired and competent. A great acquisition for the brand.

All the outfits in the LUXE Paris BREWIN collection are delivered with a certificate of authenticity signed by the painter. Customers can also view the original artwork that inspired their outfit on the artist's website at www.artisbrewin.com/works

The LUXE Paris BREWIN Collection is now in store at 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bao/56/72/26

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Second Life’s First Ever Photography Fair - Fynnyus Resident Reporting

 

In the planning stage for the past two years, creators Angela Thespian (angelathespian resident), Frank Atisso, and Cesar Lighthouse, have brought the first ever Photography Fair to Second Life. Sponsored by Focus Magazine & Art Galleries, this unique event runs from December 18, 2020 to January 1, 2021. Why have a photography fair? As Angela told me, “It's really out of dedication to our loyal readers and to continue to constantly try to provide assistance and encouragement to explore their creativity.” And so, the Photography Fair features some of the most creative photography specialists and creators in Second Life. From 3-D tools, to props, and backdrops to poses, 33 of the best-known photo brands are here at the fair bringing everything a photographer could need, from the beginner to the professional. And many of the creators will have some very exciting offers just for this event. In addition, photography workshops will be offered over the course of the fair (see the workshop schedule below). So, if you’re interested in Second Life photography and enhancing your Flickr collection of images, this fair is a must!

The event started with a live performance by Nefer who sang popular songs of the Top 40 variety. Nefer was the first of many live performances at the fair (the schedule of live and DJ performances at the fair is provided below). The people at this opening performance had been waiting several hours for the event to open at noon, at which point dancing and lively conversation ensued. I spoke with several people about the fair and there was overwhelming enthusiasm expressed by everyone.

When asked for her impressions of the Photography Fair, Freja (freeflying), the owner of Unbound Spirit, told me, “I’m impressed. It’s the first time FOCUS has had an event like this. It feels professionally done. There is always someone online, making sure vendors are on track. They have arranged some really, really good events and not just one or two, but one every day. The people who have visited have shown real interest and have asked good professional questions. So, it seems like a high-quality event.” If you get a chance, visit Freja’s booth at the fair.

The event organizers were enthusiastic, too:

Angela Thespian-Ireland (angelathespian): this fair is an opportunity for vendors to share their creativity!

Patrick Thespian-Ireland: Of course, another cool feature of the fair is that backdrop designers are offering "gifts" of props with their sets - such as flowers, or drinks etc. - all bringing a special flavor to each photo. It’s all quite brilliant mind you, I just love how this has come together.

Frank Atisso: There is something that we have here especially for backdrops. Backdrop creators often lose out because they can at most display one product in the limited space of the booth. So, we provided each backdrop creator with the option of a platform to provide them more space. So, this is something creators can use so that people get to see more of their work.

I asked famous Second Life photographer, Artemis (artemisgreece) what she thought of the Photography Fair and she told me, “It's good they thought about it because I think it's the first time in Second Life for an event like this. Poses and backdrops are presented at other events, but only as support and not the main thing because you know at events mostly clothes catch the eye of the visitor and here photography is the main subject and that's good.”

Another well-known Second Life photographer, Hermes Kondor told me, “I think this is a very important event for the photographer community in Second Life. The choice of products is excellent.

The fair appeals to the extraordinary popularity of photography in Second Life. I asked why is photography so popular in Second life? Here is what I found out:

Angela Thespian-Ireland: that is much like asking "what is the meaning of life?"

Patrick Thespian-Ireland, Angela’s partner told me:  I can answer that from my own perspective. First, it's super fun. CGI and digital art have been around for years. Traditional mediums such as painting with oils and acrylics, or watercolor, etc. are wonderful and of course traditional photography with a DSLR camera and fancy lenses. However, many people in Second Life just love to take snapshots. Many VR games allow you to do that and have for years. So why it's fun and exciting is that the virtual world here in SL is so amazing, and pretty real - many SIM designers and creators of mesh do amazing work. An example would be landscape photos. Photographers take fab shots and create such beautiful shots that rival real life.

Angela Thespian-Ireland: There are bloggers who are passionate about sharing their sponsor's merchandise artfully,  but then there are CGI artists who focus on creating art and I think most of all, Second Life photography is accessible to those who need/want a creative outlet but don't have the skill to paint or draw. The fact is that people want to be seen and show their creativity. It’s innate is almost all of us. Some people write, some people sing, most people can do neither. Everyone is creative, though and Second Life offers people a medium to explore their creative selves and this fair is meant to provide those people with the tools they need. The point is not income for us - that may be one of the biggest differences between this and other fairs. Our mission for this event is truly to provide information to photographers, primarily our readers, and also to help our vendors reach photographers.

Hermes Kondor: Well, because it's an excellent form of expressing our feelings, creating art. And it's very good that Second Life photography is so popular. In this sense we are obliged to take even better photos and work more technically and creatively. We need to try to be better because it's not easy. The competition is great and very good. There are great artists in Second Life who could very well show their work in real life in a gallery. Second Life is a world of creativity and we see that here at this excellent event. Second Life, in its essence, is a work of art, too and needs to be discovered and seen in different ways. We need to see differently and better to show even better works of photography.

And there you have it! The Photography Fair is a wonderful opportunity for you to get started on your photographic journey, or for those already well-versed in the visual arts, a way for you to up your game. And just another quick note: so far the fair has been very successful with an average of 500 visits a day and most of the vendors already recouping their investment in renting the booth, so come and see what’s happening at this unique Second Life event before it ends.

 

*Music Schedule*

Friday 18th Dec

12pm-1pm : Nefer *LIVE MUSIC*

1pm-2pm : DJ Eth Tedeschi

 

Saturday 19th Dec

6pm-7pm : Icecremn Merlin *LIVE MUSIC*

7pm-9pm : DJ Ninja

 

Sunday 20th Dec

12pm-1pm : Thera *LIVE MUSIC*

6pm-7pm : Vampink *LIVE MUSIC*

7pm-8pm : DJ Female

 

Monday 21st Dec

12pm-1pm : MrMulti *LIVE MUSIC*

1pm-3pm : Tunes by DixMix

 

Tuesday 22nd Dec

6pm-7pm : Melodee McDonell *LIVE MUSIC*

7pm-8pm : Wαιɳ Aɾυɳ *DJ*

 

Wednesday 23rd Dec

12pm-1pm : Icecremn Merlin *LIVE MUSIC*

1pm-3pm : DJ R.A.K.S

 

Thursday 24th Dec

6pm-7pm : Ghostie *LIVE MUSIC*

7pm-8pm : Wαιɳ Aɾυɳ *DJ*

 

Friday 25th Dec

6pm-7pm : Mish *LIVE MUSIC*

7pm-8pm : DJ Matrix

 

Saturday 26th Dec

12pm-1pm : Ugly Bill *LIVE MUSIC*

1pm-2pm : DJ Harry

 

Sunday 27th Dec

6pm-7pm : Rosedrop Rust *LIVE MUSIC*

7pm-8pm : DJ Female

 

Monday 28th Dec

12pm-1pm : MrMulti *LIVE MUSIC*

1pm-3pm : DJ Verdant

 

Tuesday 29th Dec

6pm-7pm : Gandalf Mornington *LIVE MUSIC*

 

Wednesday 30th Dec

12pm-1pm : MrMulti *LIVE MUSIC*

1pm-2pm : DJ Eth Tedeschi

 

Thursday 31st Dec

6pm-7pm : MrMulti & Edward Lowell *LIVE MUSIC*

7pm-8pm : DJ Shamrod

8pm-9pm : DJ Female

 

Friday 1st Jan

12pm-1pm : Yadleen *LIVE MUSIC*

1pm-2pm : DJ Jadeyu

6pm-7pm : Ricky *LIVE MUSIC*

 

***************

 

*Workshop Schedule*

Tuesday 22nd Dec

10:30am - 11:30am : Photography Workshop by Moni Bebee

 

Wednesday 23rd Dec

10:30am - 11:30am : Blogging/Photography Workshop by Sugah Pancake

 

Monday 28th Dec

10:30am - 11:30am : Photography Workshop by Moni Bebee

 

Tuesday 29th Dec

4pm - 5pm : Blogging/Photography Workshop by Sugah Pancake

 

***************

*Relevant Links*

FOCUS Photography Fair 2020 FB : https://www.facebook.com/FOCUS-Photography-Fair-106512111341386

Flickr Group : https://www.flickr.com/groups/tsftg/pool/

FOCUS Magazine FB : https://www.facebook.com/FocusMagazineSL

FOCUS Photography Fair FB Event : https://www.facebook.com/events/144513523851741

Inworld Group : Too Sexy for this Group

secondlife:///app/group/1803660a-f5c4-ca32-75df-a0340ed93669/about

Photos by Hermes Kondor.

 

 

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GeekSpeak subject for Saturday 19th December at noon SLT: The future of Transport!

 

Self-driving cars will be with us very soon.  And in Las Vegas, there is a very exciting tunnel project that will mean we can all travel underground and take hardly any time.  Hyperloop!! 
What if you can step into a taxi that is cheaper than a train?  What will happen to trains once electric trucks, with or without AI, are cheaper?  Will you want to use balloons, or teleportation, or what?

How will goods be transported in the future?  In just a few years, what will we see? Will goods be transported through space?   Will they be teleported?  Will nothing be transported over water or land?  What difference will that make, for jobs or towns?  What do you see in the future?  And what do you worry about?

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

Join us for a discussion about the future of transport!  IM Vulcan Viper, who teaches a meditation class every Wednesday at 1pm SLT in the GeekSpeak auditorium, if you have ideas for new subjects.

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Unsolicited Advances and Immature Behavior - ORION BARAL REPORTING

 

When you have a game like Second Life, the lines between reality and fiction often get blurred. A lot of people, male and female often forget that there is a human at the other end of the keyboard. During this time of forgetfulness, some people act a certain way unbecoming of any normal human should with morals and some intelligence. 

Recently I was witness to some behavior uncharacteristic for a man let alone any human. What truly amazes me is the tactics some take to get the attention of others. I honestly believed they weren’t hugged enough as a child. Or maybe hugged by the wrong people :)

This got me to thinking, if I just witnessed some absurd behavior when a person was denied for their advances and they got angry about it, this has to be happening a lot and maybe in real life. 

So I started to research it and I found some information from a Psychotherapist and they stated the following: “Men have been taught since the earliest of times to protect their masculinity," says psychotherapist Jaime Gleicher, LMSW. "When they're rejected, they associate it with their masculinity. When that's threatened by an outside source, they tend to fight for it—also as a way to re-prove their manliness.”

This may explain why men get so inexplicably aggressive when you decide you don’t want another drink or date. It’s likely he’s wanting to avoid the inevitable reality, says Gleicher.

Now I can get behind that, I am a man and yes I don’t like my masculinity attacked or damaged, but that doesn’t mean I have to go into an instant rage and start verbally abusing the person. I mean do they think the person they were hitting on will now think “You know maybe he is the one I want to be with, he is so passionate and I mean calling me a slut and a whore kinda is spot on, so he gets me so I should take his advances and feel lucky”?

Seriously?? I can honestly say that I don’t believe that has ever happened. Nor should it actually. 

Now do not get me wrong this isn’t only on men acting like children when they get turned down. This goes for women also. You all thought you weren’t getting out of this unscathed, did you? *smiles*

I interviewed a few SL residents that experienced such shenanigans. Names have been changed to protect their privacy.

Harrison: I met this girl at a greedy party while I was hanging out with some friends. Two days later she messaged me to hang out with her. She invited me back to her house where she showed me around and boasted about being a dancer and a host for a fairly new club. She was attractive and funny and we seemed to hit it off. I wasn’t looking for a serious relationship and I let her know that but it didn't seem to stop her from pursuing me. Fast forward maybe a week later she invited me back to her place again. This time she was wearing lingerie and really flirting hard. We ended up having sex. I don’t usually spend long hours on second life so after about a half an hour of cuddling I had to log off. Everything seemed fine until I logged in 2 days later and received a long offline about how I ghosted her and that I was an insensitive a****** and that she is going to warn all the girls she knows about me being a player. I was shocked and confused. I tried to apologize for making her feel that way and reminded her that we weren't a couple and she called me a bunch of names and muted me. I’m still confused about why she flipped out on me like that.

Sarah: I experienced harassment after a break up with someone I thought was a great person. At first he seemed sweet and took me dancing and we talked for hours laughing and just enjoyed spending time together. Things seemed to change after a couple of months when I took too long to answer his messages or I wanted to spend time with my friends. A lot of the time when that happened I was AFK or hanging out with my friends and playing board games. He started accusing me of talking to other guys which was not happening at all! I was surprised that he started to act jealous and mean. It was a turn off and I started to feel less interested in him.. Then one day after 3 or so months I decided I didn't want to see him anymore and that's when things got out of control. He started to show up at the clubs we used to go to together and openly say embarrassing and hurtful things. He even started to make fun of my appearance and telling my friends I was not to be trusted. I feel bad that he involved my friends in drama.  I unfriended and blocked him and now I avoid the places I once loved to go.

Remmy:  I’m a dancer and meet a lot of people. Most of them are very nice. We banter and have fun just talking and listening to music at the club. I don’t normally date the customers who come watch me dance. I like my freedom. I even have in my profile that I am single and not interested. One evening a gentleman comes in and is giving me lindens and IMing me flirting and asking for a lapdance. I let him know what the fee was and he agreed. We went to a private area and I proceeded to dance for him. Then he started calling me a s**t and a w****e. I asked him nicely to be respectful and he suddenly got up and shamed me for being a dancer and actually asked for his lindens back! I reported him to the club manager and he got banned. I don’t understand why men have to act that way!

Bradley: I spend a lot of time going to concerts. I love different kinds of music and interaction. It is also a great place to meet new people and just hang out. I’ve dated girls in the past and no stranger to things just fizzling out after a couple of months so I take it with a grain of salt. SL is a place to have fun or there’s no reason to be here. One day while listening to a concert and dancing I got asked to dance by a girl who was standing nearby. I declined because I wanted to dance alone. About halfway through the show one of my friends showed up and asked me to dance. I didn't think anything of it so we started dancing.  No more than 5 minutes later the previous girl IMs me and starts to berate me for not dancing with her. I thought it was strange since I didn't even know her and the worst part is she even IM’d my friend and started to insult her! What is wrong with some people!?!

Caly: I dated someone for about a year. Things were starting to feel the distance between us so we talked about it and decided it was best if we were just friends. Everything seems fine until one day he showed up at my house uninvited and I was there with someone else. It’s embarrassing to say this but we were having sex when my ex dropped in.  I quickly added my date to my access list and turned on my privacy orb and it kicked the ex out. He proceeded to harass me and the guy in IMs killing the mood. The guy I was with ended up leaving and telling me he wanted nothing to do with me. I don’t know what my ex told him but that not only embarrassed me but made me leave SL for a while. 

There you have it, folks. Unsolicited advances and even fits of jealousy create so much unnecessary drama that ruins Second Life for people who come here to just have fun or hang out with friends. The only advice that I can offer to those who are causing scenes and being ignorant and immature is to just leave and go find somewhere else to act up.  Time is a valuable thing and if it is wasted hurting others for one's own personal satisfaction, I feel sorry for them because they must be missing something in their life, maybe a hug from their mommy or maybe some self-esteem. Either way, stop being immature and grow the hell up.

If you had your own experiences do share leave a comment below!

Ciao

Orion

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