Zan's at Steelhead Bay

If you're looking for some Victorian/Steampunk wear, one place you should check out is Zan's in Steelhead Bay. Owned by Zantyago Mannonen, I went to check the store out. He has many good clothes both from the Victorian era and from other times that take the fashion as a frame of reference.  I would recommend this store to anyone who is interested in Victorian wear.

I had a few words with Zantyago. "Steelhead was looking for tenants, and I was looking for a place to set up a big shop," he told me about the store. He previously had a location in the old Steelhead Estates. He couldn't remember where he started, but Zan's really took off after he released his first male suit.  Zantyago was amazed by the response and that particular suit is still a strong seller. Zantyago then shaped and combined dresses he had already created to make new stuff.  The Blazer Belle is a great example.  That one is popular.

"I began doing this more seriously because I lost my real-life job and  I had the realization that I'm not cut up for office nonsense," said Zantyago, ."I am still studying chemistry which is my career and I had some great people that helped me and encouraged me." He then brought up the group, "Iron Sharpens Iron, which is a group of skilled people."  When asked about the Iron Sharpens Iron, he said, "Surrounding yourself with skilled people and show your works, and most important, listen to what they have to say." Zantyago explained that the group mostly disbanded, but those aviation people were great help, and good crazy fun.

Zantyago makes Victorian and occasionally clothing from other eras that take the Victorian era as a frame of reference. There are outfits for both men and women, coming in both mesh and prim. He sells to both owners of furry and human avatars, and has a line of shoes made for furs. He has a cute set with color changing abilities. Zantyago went on to say that there are clothes in pastel colors coming soon. Another excellent outfit is a collaborative effort with Amy Parker Tapkoinu Resident, "Zan's Little Lady Dress."

I would recommend this store to anyone who is interested in Victorian clothes.

Steelhead Bay (108,196, 23) / Marketplace link (here).

Deaflegacy

More On The Castle Home and Garden Contest

By Gemma Cleanslate

 I am having a wonderful time helping out at the Castle Home and Garden Contest! I am really glad I am not a judge!! So many beautiful builds grace the sims. Walking in the gardens of winter, summer and underwater is great fun. 

 Here are a few pictures of the gardens and castle details you will see .

 Climbing around in the castles  looking for hidden rooms can be very interesting. Since the event takes place on two levels the TP pads are helpful for moving from sim to sim. There is a hunt going on as you move through the shops and lots of goodies for sale.

The main stage has events every day and you can find the times here.  http://chgrfl.org/schedule/
The live music has been so enjoyable and the visitors are loving it! 

 This is the landing point at the main stage where you can pick up the guide book and find the tp pad to all the sims take a look at the maps there too showing the two levels.
. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/CHG%20Main/129/131/21

Gemma Cleanslate

Crew Meeting

 Saturday July 22 was the time of this month's crew meeting of the SL Newser. From left to right are Ciska Riverstone, whom had recently sent in a reader submission and was invited over, myself (Bixyl Shuftan), Deaflegacy, Gemma Cleanslate, and FoxytheJamie  (aka Kimiko Kanagowa), whom was back after a hiatus. The meeting took place in our office at HV Community.

There was much to talk about, as we had spent much time in the past couple months covering the Second Life Birthday and the Relay Weekend. And now we had more room to write about other things.

At one point, there was a slight glitch when an invitation, written on a texture, had been passed to Jamie, and it landed on the chair, turning the chair the pattern of the texture. It was an amusing moment in the meeting.

Bixyl Shuftan

Sansar Preview Video: Maxwell Graf

(Click here if the video fails to play)

This Sansar preview video came just after the "Ria" one on July 6. Done by Linden Lab with help from Draxtor Despress on July 12, "Opening to the public in 2017, Sansar is the best way to create, share, and sell your own social VR experiences. You can apply to join our creator preview community now at Sansar.com. 3D content and environmental artist Maxwell Graf shares his thoughts creating 'Neptune's Revenge' and other roleplaying experiences with Sansar."

The video shows Maxwell creating two scenes meant for roleplaying, "Rustica" and "Neptune's Revenge." He talks about how useful a platform could be for roleplaying, saying the area is "4096 square meters, it is pushed all the way up to the maximum size limit in Sansar. The really interesting thing about something on that scale is it does not have to be confined to a small village anymore. You can exist on each side of the mountains, and never even  see each other because it takes like three hours to walk across." With some flak from Second Life users about reports of Sansar's sims being separate rather than the ability to connect to one another, that places in Sansar can be this size is likely to be positive news. He also talks some about the possibilities of builders in Sansar marketing their content.

Hamlet Au and Inara Pey would also write about the video. Inara's article is the more positive of the two, she admitting she's known Maxwell for some time. The Newser did write about him in July 2010, when he deleted a sim to protest content theft in Second Life.

Bixyl Shuftan

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at the Relay Weekend track. When the Green Lantern character first came out, only part of is outfit was green, for some reason. That wasn't the only change over time as at first his weakness was wood, not the color yellow.

By Bixyl Shuftan

The KT Autism Festival

The KT Festival, a two week event to raise money for the World Autism Organization, has been going on since the middle of the month and will conclude on July 31. The event, taking place at Rosemist Isle in a mostly underwater area, involves close to a hundred merchants in various shops, gachas, shopping hunts, music from DJs and live musicians, and an underwater cave turtle ride. Bixyl Shuftan had a few words with Amythe Moonlight about the event.

Read the article in Events.

The Marvel Universe

After a hiatus, FoxytheJamie (aka Kimiko Kanagowa) is back with the Newser. In his first article with his return, he looks at "The Marvel Universe." Taking place in the environment of the Marvel comics, the players take on the role of superheroes. So what did Jamie think of it?

Read Jamie's article in Places.

Events This Week at the Sunweaver and Furry Fashion Clubs

It's a week of events for the Sunweaver and Angel clubs and the Furry Fashion Lounge.

Club Cutlass: Best in 'G," Apples and Oranges, Disco Night

Happy Vixen: "Food Fight," Christmas in July, Summertime Party, Bikers, CAYA, Sexy, CAYA

Club Zero Gravity: Best in Green, Public Service, Marvels

Furry Fashion: Television, Mythology, Mix n; Match, Pool Party, Modder's Monthly, Rave, Steampunk, CAYA, Technology

See the schedules in SL Clubbin'.

Note: Club Zero Gravity has a new location on it's sim.

Updated 10:30AM SL time

Announcement: "The Biggest Caper in the Castle, Home, and Garden Contest."

Great News

Team bonanza has kidnapped 4 lindens starting at 12pm slt till 2pm slt please come and help them out as they cannot leave and we all know if they are kidnapped you get no support while they are being held captive and it is your chance to meet them also.

The date is Tuesday July 25th.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/CHG%20South/56/61/23

Linden Lab Updates Terms of Service, DMCA Process Stricter

Linden Lab recently announced that there will be an update to the Second Life Terms of Service, which will take effect on July 31. One noteworthy change is that concerning DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) notices, in Section Twelve, Part Two, at the bottom of the ToS page, or their "Intellectual Property Infringement Notification Policy."

To begin with, the Lab will not respond to any DMCA requests made inworld. Anyone interested has to either fax them, at, (415) 520-9660, or send a "snail mail" letter.

Linden Research, Inc.
945 Battery Street
San Francisco, California 94111
Attention: Intellectual Property Team

Then there was the following:

Please be aware that under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), you may be liable for any damages, including costs and attorneys' fees incurred by us or our users, if you knowingly materially misrepresent that material or activity is infringing.

Looking up this law, it basically states, "anyone filing a claim they either know is false or unsure whether it's true or not may be taken to court." Or as Hamlet Au not so delicately put it, "If you waste our time with frivolous claims, we may just sue your a**."

Hamlet Au got several responses to his article, all positive. One responded, "This is a good thing. I know two recently who have had DCMA filed against them out of jealousy of (a) better product. " Another commented, "This change has been a long time in coming - many genuine SL merchants do NOT have the finances required to mount a defence on every claim no matter how frivolous, which has been one of the weaknesses of the DMCA with regards to SL. The threat of actual blowback in the event of malicious claims should also cut out some of the adventurism in this regard. It's one thing to write a policy and another to enforce it, though. Let's see how it affects things when it finally goes into effect."

So it seems Linden Lab made a move that, for a change, is getting approval from the residents. As one stated, it remains to be seen how it changes things.

Hat tip: Hamlet Au

Bixyl Shuftan

RFL Team Sunbeamer Celebration Party

Sunday July 23 was the day of Relay for Life team Sunbeamer's celebration party. The event took place from 6PM to about 8PM SL time at the Goblin Cave in the Pacific Waters sim, east of the Farshore Field airport. The occasion was to celebrate the team's successes, notably Platinum rank fundraising and winning an award for the campsite design.

Cynthia Farshore played the tunes for the party. During the time, the people joked and talked about old times. There was talk about making a try for Jade level next year, which would require raising an additional 300,000 Linden dollars. The idea was thought highly ambitious, but doable, mostly likely with a few joint events with teams such as Meli's Maniacs and the Steelheaders.

We were "the little team that could," and did over and over again. This next time, we would be setting out sights a little higher.

Bixyl Shuftan

Reader Submitted: Burnstock 2017

This weekend, Saturday July 22 and Sunday July 23, the Burn2 spinoff event "Burnstock" took place. In Burning Man- Deep Hole, the festival took place with displays of art and a number of DJs and live musicians performing. With all of the fun, there was an eye towards raising cash for the sims to make up the "Big Burn" in October. Klaus Bereznyak was there, and wrote about the event.

Read Klaus' reader submission in Events.

Castle and Home and Garden Contest Opens

Yesterday, the Relay for Life spinoff event, the Castle, Home, and Garden Contest, officially began. Although taking place a little late this year, with it's time being after the Relay Weekend this means the event will get a little more attention from Relayers who miss the excitement and fun from earlier this month. Gemma Cleanslate has been getting a behind the scenes look at the show.

Read Gemma's story in Design.

The Moon Landing Anniversary Party

Thursday July 20 was the 48th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. In Second Life, the occasion was celebrated with an event at their Tranquility Base venue at the National Space Society sim. Although this was an all-day event, there were two important times, 1PM and 7:30PM SL time. It was 1:18PM SL time on the date in 1969 that the "Eagle" lander touched down. I was among those there watching a video of CBS news footage at the time of the lander making it's approach and finally coming down.

Some couldn't help but cheer at hearing the famous words, "Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed." "Woooooooo!!! 'Man on the Moon.' " "Congratulations, Team Apollo! Yay!" "Truly an amazing feat." A few people recalled watching the event on TV at the time, " I had enough time between landing and First Step, I could watch the landing at my in-law's house in Cincinnati Ohio then drive to our college apartment in Lafayette Indiana (between Indianapolis and Chicago) and arrive in time to watch the First Step. Better believe I had my fingers crossed; nothing would stop that car!"

There was more discussion, "Walter Cronkite actually teared up. Experienced newsman than he was, it still got to him." "Imagine the pressure on Armstrong. Christopher Columbus could revise his wording all the way back to Spain. Armstrong was 'live' with an audience estimated in the billions. Most-watched-show ever at the time." "They mention Neil in his heavy spacesuit only sank about 1/8" into the lunar dust. By then they knew he was in no danger of falling into a deep pool of dust, as some had theorized, due to the earlier Surveyer landers giving them, literally, 'ground truth'."

Talk soon turned to, "So when do you think we'll be back?" Despite NASA's grand success, public support for additional Moon flights dropped, and eventually so did the space program's budget. The last Moon landing would be on December 1972. Currently, the United States has no means of it's own to send men into space, let alone to the Moon. Perhaps China or some other country announcing it was launching a Moon program would spur America to return there. Or perhaps it would be a private space program. But there was little doubt among the people that it wasn't a question of "if" we'd be back, but when.

There would be another gathering at 7:30PM SL time to commemorate the first steps on the Moon at 7:56PM.

Bixyl Shuftan

The Focus of the Newser

The Second Life Birthday and the Relay Weekend and now behind us. These two mega-events represent the best of Second Life, people coming together and making some great builds, and in the case of the Relay for a great cause. They deserve lots of coverage. And from us, they get it.

But as good as these events are, covering (and documenting) these great events and their places takes some time from other people, places, and events on the Grid, and a few related Internet and computer issues outside it. Quite a bit can go on in Second Life. For instance on the Relay's "Teardown Day," there was the opening of a small real-life book publisher's office inworld, a Moon Landing anniversary party, and a benefit concert for live musician Maxx Sabretooth whom needed medical help. We've had to make a few choices in what to cover, and what to put on the back burner. And now that the big two summer events are done, we can focus a little more on other subjects.

What do you the readers want us to look at? There's plenty going on, such as the LEA art exhibits, Madpea and other games, various shops in Second Life that we could put a greater focus on, personal stories, and of course Linden Lab's next generation virtual world Sansar.

Should anything get a little more (or less) mention? Reader feedback, especially written comments, can make a difference in what we the Newser team focus on.

Bixyl Shuftan
Editor, SL Newser

The Relay "Flood Party"

One of the traditions of the Relay for Life in Second Life following the Relay Weekend is the "Flood Party." Beginning as an impromptu event in 2010, there has been one every year just before the day the builds are scheduled to come down. On a few occasions, the "flood" was just ankle deep water. This year it was significantly deeper, enough to bring out the inner tubes and inflatables, and the water balloons.

Read the story in Events.

Cartoon of the Day

Taken at the Happy Vixen during it's "Fire" party, with DJ Fortunas Sands.

By Bixyl Shuftan

SL Video: "Giant Snail Race, RFL Tiny Shady Fox Memorial Race "

(Click here if the video fails to play)

From RacerX Gullwing on July 16. Yours truly makes an appearance at the beginning.

Tiny Race: 1 - Rowena Dubrovna: 425.159500
Tiny Race: 2 - Jamac89 Resident: 441.481300
Tiny Race: 3 - Catten Carter: 500.669800
Tiny Race: 4 - loopy String: 501.304400
Tiny Race: 5 - Caleb Kit: 508.829100
Tiny Race: 6 - Fukuju Amaterasu: 511.766800
Tiny Race: 7 - SuperGlitterLoudBox Resident: 518.262700
Tiny Race: 8 - LittleAbs Resident: 532.202900
Tiny Race: 9 - Akay Utu: 554.904400
Tiny Race: 10 - Alden Cortes: 555.871500
Tiny Race: 11 - Cuddly Waffle: 567.920500
Tiny Race: 12 - Rhianne Daffyd: 568.627700
Tiny Race: 13 - Linn Darkwatch: 657.404500
Tiny Race: 14 - Lobbie Riggles: 669.583300
Tiny Race: 15 - Hey Voom: 716.191900 *
Tiny Race: 16 - Lominola Rehula: 732.341700
Tiny Race: 17 - Maryam Camino: 757.473900
Tiny Race: 18 - Sannctuary Resident: 793.663200

RFL 2017 Tiny Race
____________________
RACERS
____________________
Loopy String
Abby Black (littleabs)
Rhiabella (rhianne.daffyd)
Brother Frog (hey.voom)
Glitter (superglitterloudbox)
Caleb Kit
Cuddly Waffle
Whispering Wind
Rowena Dubrovna
Josu Tenk
Linn Darkwatch
Fukuju Amaterasu
Alden Cortes
Sannie
Lominola Rehula
Catten Carter
Akay Utu
Lobbie Riggles

Editor To Be Guest Speaker at Safe Waters Foundation Today

Yours truly, Bixyl Shuftan, will be the guest speaker at the Safe Waters Foundation's mer Chat Pavilion today. The topic, at least which I'll be speaking about, is about writing for an online newsletter, or blog. Among the people there, Grace Wrigglesworth, the head of the Safe Waters Foundation, and Barbie Alchemi of Creations for Parkinson's.

The discussion is at 1PM SL time.

Mer Chat Pavilion  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Union%20Passage/96/229/1

Announcement: "Any1's Rez Day Benefit" For Feed A Smile

Any1 Gynoid, a former CNN iReporter and former member of the Newser team, has her tenth Rezzday today. To celebrate, she's turning the occasion into a n 11 hour long  benefit, with stand-up comedy, and live music, with proceeds going to "Feed a Smile," which funds the charity "Live and Learn" in Kenya.

For more information, check out their webpage at: http://www.leben-lernen-kenia.org/typo3/index.php?id=115&L=1

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Feed%20a%20Smile/61/142/23

SL Video: "Snowee Dance"

(Click here if the video fails to play)

From Furry Alex on Nov 2015

RFL Team Sunbeamers Celebration Party This Sunday

This has been the best year for the Relay for Life in Second Life's Sunbeamer Team. But we're not done yet. Thus Sunday, we're celebrating our success, and inviting all of you to join in the party.

The event will take place in the Goblin Cave in Pacific Waters, just east of Farshore Field. Cynthia Farshore will spin the tunes. The music and dance starts at 6PM SL time.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pacific%20Waters/173/164/37

Interview with Gem Sunkiller

Deaflegacy recently interviewed one veteran Relayer whom has become a familiar face in the Relay for Life of Second Life: Gem Sunkiller. Part of Team Shadow, Gem was part of the team's successful efforts this season, raising almost 1,800,000 Linden dollars and earning Topaz rank in fundraising. In the interview, Gem talks about she became part of the Relay, her team's most successful event in her opinion, and more.

Read Deaflegacy's interview in People.

The Relay Track Comes Down

"All good things must come to an end." And so must every Relay Weekend track. Even before "Teardown Day" on Thursday July 20, a few campsites were taken down the day before on Wednesday. This included the Sunbeamer camp, for some reason. Fortunately, a number of others remained up until the late afternoon and evening. And so people made last minute trips seeing them in detail, finishing up various hunts and games, or just going down the track one last time. Yours truly has also been busy taking pictures of the exhibits. Sadly I didn't get a detailed look of them all, but I get get a look at a number.

Taken by Trader Whiplash

"(sigh) T1Tower comes crashing down," Trader Whiplash announced, sending a picture of the radio exhibit's build not simply vanishing, but coming down with a symbolic crash, "hates this part of relay."

From Relay chat, taker unknown

"Best. RFL. Weekend. EVER!" commented Avariel Falcon in Relay chat, "Except for next year, that will be even better!" RaydenRider Resident spoke, "It was an amazing weekend though thanks to every single Relayer in SL." One told the group, "t was a terrible rollercoaster... lost a family member and a dear friend of mine just days before the weekend."

Ertina Loopen commented, "It is hard to see it go, but envision it as tearing down cancer because that is what Relay is all about. TI and Relay for Life in SL does it best!" Avariel commented, "I like the Fantasy Faire aproch of letting everything vanish into the mist."

And so, the Relay Weekend 2017 and it's sims have passed into history. But this is not the end of the Relay season just yet. Some teams are still having more events. This includes the Sunbeamers, whom are planning a celebration party this Sunday at 6PM at the Goblin Cave in the Pacific Waters sim. A spinoff event, the RFL Home, Castle, and Garden Expo is in just a few days, taking place on five sims on two levels. The opening ceremony at July 23 at 3PM, and it lasts to the end of the month.

For those who want to see screenshots of the Relay Weekend, there is the Relay for Life in Second Life Flickr page. Among the contributors, Wildstar Beaumont, IshtarAngel Micheline (Ishtarkiss), and Avariel Falcon. The Newser will try to have some more screenshots posted, soon.

Bixyl Shuftan

Pixel to Pixel Eighth Anniversary Dance Party And Open House: July 22

Greetings, Friends! We hope your SL is going great! We're having an event, and you're invited, along with your friends!

8th ANNIVERSARY PARTY
The Pixel To Pixel Foundation

♪♫♪  WHAT - 8th Anniversary Dance Party and Open House
♪♫♪  WHEN - Saturday, July 22, from 12 noon to 2 p.m. SLT
♪♫♪  WHERE - P2P Headquarters at Clairehaven

ALOHA!

Come help us celebrate 8 years of improving the SL-lives of people on disability. Great Friends, Music, Food, and Limbo Dancing. Theme: Hawaiian. Dress: Beach Wear/Casual

Here's your limo:

SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Clairehaven/130/136/24

WHAT DOES PIXEL TO PIXEL FOUNDATION DO?

The Pixel To Pixel Foundation's mission is to provide support for individuals on disability who are members of the SL community. The foundation provides a financial stipend to those who qualify, as well as other supports. The stipend enables people with drastically limited means to do things that many enjoy in SL without giving it a second thought -- have a home, buy some clothing or furniture, or simply taking snapshots or uploading textures.

ALSO: DONATIONS NEEDED

We're in need of new donations! Would you like to help?

Any amount helps, and all amounts, large and small, do add up. You can help us get more people off of our waiting list and continue to support the ones that we already do!

HOW YOUR DONATIONS HELP

We rely on a steady stream of donations to provide the stipends on a weekly basis. The math is very simple. The more we can fund raise, the more people who can receive assistance. There is a waiting list of people that you can help us to assist. Any donation helps, whether it is large or small, a one-time donation, or something you feel called to do on a regular basis.

You can help make this happen for people in Second Life who are on disability. You can become a part of that enabled or re-enabled ability to thrive. By donating to the Pixel To Pixel Foundation, you are helping people to stay in Second Life, and to better enjoy the full range of opportunities that it can give them.

However you choose to donate, we thank you on behalf of our clients and ourselves. It's a beautiful thing you're doing, and it makes a real difference.

Thank you, everyone!

Jadyn Firehawk, Founder
Pixel To Pixel Foundation

SL Video: My Walk Around the Relay for Life Sims, 2017

(Click here if the video fails to play)

Posted on Youtube on July 16 by "ThatSLGuy" Benny Springflower, "the reason why I did this video is simple, I after RFL is done all of it will be deleted, and with the video we have the possibility to watch it back even few years from now "

He starts in RFL Spirit, and goes clockwise. The Sunbeamer and Steelhead camps appear at about 13:20, at 22:20 is the multiple-award winning build by Dreamin' in Purple, and at 28:00 is the "Chinese temple" RFL Journey designer sim.