WonderlandZ

 

By Gemma Cleanslate

 

Sorry , I have been AOL(away on leave), sort of. I moved in real-life and had no internet most of the time. And the internet I could connect to was spotty. I even missed my duties as Greeter at the SL21B most of the time. Now I am back and ready to explore!

My friend RainDaze along with her partner Sanka (JaylenGA Resident) have created a magnificent region filled with memories from childhood with all the creatures of fables and fairytales we have stored away in our minds.

It is called WonderlandZ and is on the Shine of Love. That is an appropriate name for the wonder you will experience.

When I landed I was met by Tweedledee and Tweedledum standing by a tall house and Mockturtle peering out the window. In the distance I saw Alice talking with a Caterpillar. The Cheshire cat watched from above. To my surprise right next door I spotted a tree house that turned out to be Barbie’s home! I wondered where she lived. And near the beach was the Heart’s Queen and of course the white rabbit.

The entrance area offers a notecard of information and a teleport door to get you to so many interesting places if you choose. I enjoyed walking the paths and seeing the foliage along the way and the mushrooms that bow and smile.. There is a tall gate that says “Follow the White Rabbit” guarded by two Card Soldiers and so I did.

It was fun to come upon places I recognized as favorite memories, Cinderella’s home was the first stop. Her coach was there along with one slipper lying on the floor. Following that stop I walked on to the Fun House and entered a whole area of fun and games. Have fun in there ! Try that bouncy house.

Nearby is an Art Gallery that I would say is a work in progress since Raini will be adding photos taken by visitors and more. I believe it is called the Lunatic Asylum .There are three floors of art pieces room for more. and also... Wellness? You decide.

I passed a funeral pyre with a closed casket and after peeking inside I think the Prince did not get here in time. The three little pigs also have a really damaged home. There is so much more to see. I want you all to go find all the little nooks with surprises and other buildings and explore. See some pictures below and have a wonderful time!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Shine%20of%20Love/28/43/22

Gemma Cleanslate

 

 

Places

"Tempura Project" Bringing Back Look And Feel of Closed Sim

 
By Bixyl Shuftan

At the end of March, the Tempura sim closed after fourteen years in operation. The days before were marked by a number of longtime fans, as well as those having just found out about the picturesque area, dropping by for a final look before the end. But it wasn't the final word for Tempura. Yesterday someone messaged me about "The Tempura Project." In Sweety Bay, a tribute sim is under development. 

The goal of this project is to recreate the spirit of the original Japan Tempura sim. We will focus on putting in all the different areas of focus that were found on the original sim.

What will be different is everything is getting a face lift. We will be working with upgraded textures, mesh, current animations, and furniture that is current, doung our best to keep the spirit of the original.

Dropping by, I found an area that was already much like the Tempura I saw, a bridge leading to a building in the distance, with waters and islands in between, and a forest behind me. But it was a work in progress.

The sim is under construction. It is open to the public while we build. Watch the sim transform one section at a time.

Phase One - In Progress
Bridge (first draft) - Tai chi (first draft)  - Meditation (first draft) - Landing Area (first draft) 

While I was there, people kept dropping in at the landing area. Among them, the owner of the land, Tribish Tammas. "We are still in the build stage," he told me, "but wanted it open for people while we build. We are trying to keep everything in balance, keep the items here similar to what tempura was, us(ing) prims and mesh in balance to keep people with older computers a place to come still."

Tribish had known about the original Tempura since around the time of it's beginning, hearing about it's closing since being told by a friend. When asked how the idea for rebuilding the place came about, "Actually it was a conversation with a lady from Europe doing tai chi as I explained to her it was going away. She was telling me Tempura was the only reason she stays. And for a lot of us it was a daily fixture. So decided we would build something to honor the original build." Building had started March 30, "I have a few others that are on the build team, so it's a group effort. ...  One landscaperღJαℳεε Sαȿȿαƒґαȿღ (Nonya Markova), two provide content, Passion (Passionately Mysterious) and Luna Blue Larsen (Luna Larsen), and one manages requests for changes, Emera Sai (DeanaZhollis Resident). That's our staff. I have a good team of people that are good at what they do."

I pointed out the Tai-chi area and that already a few people were using it.  "Yea, Tai-chi was my favorite place," Tribish responded, "so its the first thing I recreated." If all goes well, the rebuilding should be effectively finished in a few weeks, "We're about 75% content in ... And once we finish the first draft of the build, that's when we will open it up to the public to start providing feedback what needs to change and be updated. From there, it will be a lot of slow updates, adding animations, adding seasonal stuff."

For the moment, no special or seasonal events are planned, "but who knows. If people are interested we will figure it out." It was brought up the ballroom was set up to handle events.

"The main thing is the fact we very intentionally did not exactly recreate Tempura," Tribish pointed out, "The Tempura team put a lot of love and effort into the original build. We wanted to create something a big up to date materials wise, but still gave everyone the feel they had for so many years. The core content is in the same areas and laid out as close to the same as possible, but updated for current mesh and advanced materials."

As stated, the sim is both open to the public and under construction. So there will be changes over the next few weeks. But by all means drop by. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sweety%20Bay/178/129/27

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Jurrasic Park

 
By Bixyl Shuftan

I recently heard about a Jurassic Park themed place here in Second Life. Probably most everyone in Second Life, at least among English speakers, has heard of the 1993 movie by Steven Spielberg in which a genetics company has accomplished the once impossible: bringing dinosaurs back from extinction. The owner decides to make a theme park on an island far from the mainland, and invites a group of people on a tour before the planned opening. But unfortunately, things go wrong, and the dinosaurs end up out of control and the people in danger from them.

The SURL takes you to a cavern full of dinosaur bones, in which you're told you're a palentologist whom has just been invited to take a trip by helicopter to "see what your fossil findings have brought to life." You can pick up a flashlight and a backpack at a couple places. Leaving the caves, your next step is to click on the helicopter pad and hop on the helicopter. 

You go through some sky and clouds, and eventually land in front of what looks like a museum, with the sign Jurassic Park. Going inside, at first you see bones, but going further you see an incubator with eggs, and an animation showing a scientist getting DNA from a mosquito. 

Going through the door, you hop on a car and go on a tour, seeing the live dinosaurs for the first time, "Welcome to Jurassic Park." But eventually, something goes wrong and the vehicles stop. You then have to continue on foot, glad the carnivores are safely in their cages ... or are they?

Those familiar with the movie (and novel) can guess what happens next. There are scenes of the fences holding the more dangerous dinos now down, and making your way through jungle to the buildings, which are now overrun with raptors. You'll be going through them, as well as some explosions, then wreckage as you make your way to safety. At one point, there's a T-Rex chase. 

There are a few spots with some humor, such as the giant pile of poo in the triceratops area. And there are a few rides, such as the rideable pterodactyls. At the end of the experience is a small store in which you can pick up a souvenir, such as an Australian slouch hat. 

A great place to explore, especially for fans of dinosaurs. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/River/35/234/2252

 Hat tip: Inara Pey

Bixyl Shuftan
 

Rebel Yell

By Gemma Cleanslate

Rebel Yell is a winner of 10 gold AviChoice awards among others. The entertainment group is one of the oldest and largest tribute groups in Second Life. I have been to some of the shows in the past  and have written about their delightful winter sims over the years. There is now a new  region called Rebel Yell that opened with a grand party Sunday the 13th. It is a celebrities hangout. 

I visited last week before the opening to get the flavor of the sim. At the entrance you are able to rezz a bike if you like to ride over the bridge to a very fine restaurant, relax and have dinner on the open porches. The menu is extensive  from soup to nuts and champagne!

The island where the restaurant is located has paths for a nice walk about. I spotted several relaxing places along the way. Down on the beach there are many areas to hang out and talk. Or , grab a paddle boat for a ride on the river. I also tried a small motor boat. I found a tour boat also and took a ride in that. I came across a ping pong table that uses beer as a ball. It looked like fun! 

Above the entry area you have a choice of a full hot air balloon tour of the area and took that. The other choice is a fun ride up over the island with a handful of balloons carrying you . 

There are villas for rent on the sim so as you move around exploring be careful not to run into the ban lines of privacy protection .. especially while you are in a boat! 

I went back on Sunday to the opening party . This took place on an outdoor dance floor covered with tent like structure. Guiltyangel, an owner of the sim was greeting the party goers and Jamin Nakim-Lenoir(Stevie Edwyn ) , the DJ was providing lively dance  music for the crowd. 

It was a fun opening. Have fun on your visit. There are people taking advantage of the lovely sim all the time. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/REBEL%20YELL%20CONCERTS/192/36/29

Gemma Cleanslate

Back To The Future: The Ride

By Bixyl Shuftan

Most are familiar with the "Back to the Future" sci-fi comedy movie trilogy. A sequel of sorts was the "Back To The Future: The Ride" at the Universal Studios Theme Park in Orlando Florida. The ride opened on May 2 1991 (about a year after the third movie was in theaters), and ran until 2007, with a duplicate ride in Universal Sudios Japan running until 2016. As it turns out, there's a version of the ride here in Second Life at the ASD Studios sim. The tribute was created by Alicia Stella.

In order to experience the ride properly, one has to have media available. Ouside the ride is the first part of the pre-show in which the riders are spoken to by Doc Brown, having moved back to the present in order to found his "Institute of Future Technology." The riders were supposed to be volunteers for his new eight-seater version of his DeLorean time machine in which they would be sent forward into the future one day. Unfortunately, Biff Tannen, (the antagonist in the first two movies), has somehow gone from 1955 to the present day institute. In the second part of the pre-show, of which the doors open to every few minutes, Biff is shown trapping Brown in his office, getting into a time machine, and laughing as he speeds away into time. Doc pleads for the volunteers to get into the other time machine and go after him. Thanks to a tracker in Biff's machine, they can catch up to him and all they have to do is bump into him.

In the Second Life version of the ride, only four people can fit into the DeLorean time machine. The ride is best viewed in mouselook, as it shows the riders chasing Biff through time, occasionally crashing into things as he tries to throw them off through Hill Valley 2015, the Ice Age, and the Creaceous Period. Eventually, the riders catch up to their target. At the end of the show, Doc Brown thanks the riders, reminding them, "the future is what you make of it," and asks the riders to leave "before you meet yourself coming in." There's a donation jar near the exit to help with tier payments.

A fun ride, especially for fans of the movies.

More on the ride can be found on Wikipedia, and Universals Studios Wikia .

ASD Studios (18/89/27)

Hat tip: Skylark LeFavre

Bixyl Shuftan

Furillen's Battle of Hoth

By Bixyl Shuftan

With the film "Rouge One" set to appear this month, there's been more of an interest in "Star Wars" lately. So it was no real surprise that I heard of a sim getting a makeover by it's owner to replicate the Battle of Hoth in "The Empire Strikes Back." The place is Furillen located at the Love of Life sim. Serene Footman, the owner, described what he did in the sim's blog.

The sim just had its biggest ever make-over for an event – over the weekend I started completely from scratch in order to replicate Hoth, the ice planet that features in one of the strongest movies of the entire franchise, The Empire Strikes Back. It’s Furillen’s way of celebrating this week’s release of Rogue One, which looks like being a classic.

For those of you not Familiar with "Star Wars," Hoth in the stories is a frigid ice planet, in which anyone outside shelter without protective clothing would quickly freeze to death. The two native life forms that could handle the intense cold were tauntans, which could be tamed and ridden around for transportation, and wampas, which were like abominable snowmen and the planet's apex predators. The movie never showed what the tauntans ate, though the wampas probably considered anything they could catch dinner. In "The Empire Strikes Back," Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance have a base on the planet, which is discovered by an Imperial Task Force personally led by Darth vader. The Imperials send an attack force on the base consisting of five massive All-Terrain Armored Transports, or AT-ATs, sometimes called Imperial "walkers," which resembled huge beasts as they plodded across the landscape. The Rebels put up a heroic defense, taking out three of the five Imperial walkers. But the Imperial forces prove too strong, and the Rebels have to evacuate the base.

Dropping in on (http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Love%20of%20Life/109/105/23), I appeared in an icy cave. Fortunately there were no signs of wampas. But there was an automated message by Serene, "Welcome to Furillen. I hope you like this tribute to Star Wars - the Assault on Hoth! To enjoy the sim to the full, switch on your music, turn up draw distance as high as you can manage, and don't get crushed by an At-At!" The music wasn't from the movies, but it did help set the mood of the place. There were a couple signs pointing out what was ahead.

Stepping out, the rebel base wasn't far away. There was a line of defense consisting of laser turrets and smaller laser guns, with one of the turrets having been blasted open. Across the icy plain was the Imperial attack force, consisting of six imperial walkers and a few scoutwalkers or AT-STs (All-Terrain Scouting Transport), as well as a few speeder bikes. The walkers were well detailed, and built to scale. Standing next to them, they were just as big as in the films. High above the walkers were a couple TIE fighters.

Behind the rebel's guns was the rebel base, built into the side of the mountain. Rebels tending to be short on supplies, the base was a bit spartan with cold steel floors and pipes going around in a few places. There were a few stations with screens, possibly radar and communications, where one could sit at. In one corner were a few bunks one could rest at. Scattered around the base were Chewbacca, Princess Leia Organa, Han Solo (in a dramatic pose with his blaster drawn), the robots C3PO and R2D2. Luke Skywalker was nowhere to be found, possibly out in his snowspeeder fighting the AT-ATs. Curiously, Yoda was there in the display. Perhaps the Jedi Master was using his powers to somehow keep tabs on events.

But at least the Rebels weren't hungry. Near the image of Yoda was a pizza machine with the name "Pizza Butt." Perhaps given the reputation of Jabba the Hutt, anything named "Hut" around here would be avoided. There was also a coffee machine, but the parody of "Starbucks" was a name unmentionable in a family-friendly publication. In one corner there was what looked like a laptop computer with the screen on "Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy."

The display is not all that's going on. In the sim blog, Serene stated he was planning a "gathering of the geeks" for a "Furillen-Hoth Christmas party" on Sunday December 18, 1PM SL time, "Star Wars costume is essential, of course. But given that there are so many great mesh Star Wars avatars and costumes around on marketplace, and that they are so inexpensive, this is as easy as it gets. We’ll stream some party music – good bits from the movies, of course (who can resist Cantina?) – but with a bit of inventiveness we can add some space-themed music from more familiar Furillen names, like Bowie and Radiohead."

Normally Furillen looks like an abandoned industrial island off the coast of northeast Sweden. Serene didn't give a date yet when the place will go back to being a "remote, bleak and beautiful ... photographers haven." But no doubt Star Wars fans will keep on dropping by while it lasts.

Sources: Wookipedia, Furillen 

Bixyl Shuftan

"My Father's Place" at Aero Pines

By Bixyl Shuftan

"My Father's Place" was a music venue in Long Island New York which ran for sixteen years, from 1971 to 1987, with about 3000 musicians performing close to 6000 shows, some broadcasted over radio, some recorded. In Aero Pines park, the music club has been recreated, where visitors can listen to music and dance, read up about the real club's history, and more.

My Father’s Place (MFP) presents a live video webcast series from Long Island, NY. Featuring original musicians and songwriters, as well as famous recording artists. At the Virtual MFP venue, you can experience live mixed-reality shows, explore interactive photos from the book, listen to archived shows, watch the WLIR documentary, play rock trivia, dance, and mingle at the bar.

Dropping by recently, even though this was a time of day fewer people are in Second Life, there were several people inside. Most were dancing away, playing the trivia game, "Question 35 of 50: The band White Snake was rumored to be named after the lead singer, David Coverdale's….?", or both. There were also a few people outside nearby doing some fishing. Near the front door was a display of the myfathersplace.com website, showing the times of broadcasts from Glen Cove, New York. On the inside, the place was done much like a real life club, with a bar area separate from the dance floor, with stools, a few booths, even a couple 80's video games. On the wall were a number of pictures of the real life location, and a little history.

"There was a time in Long Island's cultured history when the whole world looked here for the next big trend in Rock n' Roll. This was between 1974 and 1980, the heyday of My Father's Place, a cabaret in Roslyn and Michael Epstein, known as Eppy, ran the whole shebang. Along with My Father's Place, which opened on Memorial Day in 1971 with a concert by Richie Havens, a confluence of entities created a scene that would influence music for decades to come." The New York Times, August 27, 2001.

Cindy Bolero, the owner and manager of Aero Pines, was also there. "It's kind of (a) live venue and museum," she told me, "a 3D version of the legacy rock club's book and documentary." She went on to say of their broadcasts from Glen Cove, "Every couple of weeks we have someone famous. So far this summer we had the real China Crisis from Liverpool, Denny Laine from Wings/moody blues last week, coming up Mike Peters of the Alarm." She mentioned the Facebook group so far had close to 10,000 fans.

Cindy's big challenge was getting fans of the venue who hadn't been in Second Life before to the place, "Been working hard at getting it easy for noobs. ... The 3D venue is still experimental. The hardest thing to do is get new users to Second Life, but these guys have a lot of enthusiasm. ... Secondlife viewers are the deal killer. Too complex and overwhelming, frustrates new users, they don't come back. Things need to be simple, simple, simple. Linden Lab wont do anything about it. ... and they wonder why its still less than ten percent stay and play. ... the complex interface keeps it from being more popular with the masses."

She went on about the club, "I feel its not just another club either. We stream bands, which is rare in Second Life because it takes a crew to live mix and shoot. We also stream famous artists, but its a challenge getting them to understand the virtual bar and get them to talk to the avatars. And its hosted by famous music promoters and radio station DJs that have a name in the industry. They are based in New York and I had much history to learn, but it is parallel to what I was doing in the 70s and 80s here in the San Francisco market. Basically when we were all in our 20s and 30s working in the music industry, We dealt with the same artists, and same music industry ecosystem of  'Band plays club, Newspaper does reviews, their record in the stores, and their record on the radio.' Now I'm trying to bring them up to speed with social media, live video webcasting, online label, activities to promote that, and that wacky virtual bar they wanted to try. Many many challenges on this journey. We've had an artist deny the video webcast at the last minute because their agent was paranoid about something or other. Meanwhile a whole crew just set up everything. We don't make music. We showcase new and famous talent. We meaning the MFP productions team.

"The history is the My Fathers Place rock club (300 seats)  from 1971-1987 featured pretty much any band or artist you can think of in that era. Just search a band with My Father's Place. Like 'Police My Father's Place' or The Ramones 'My Fathers Place.' Or Billy Joel, who got his start there as well as Bruce Springsteen. And even through the disco years they stayed a rock venue. Doing a historical build in SL is a lot like doing a documentary. So this is basically a reboot of how things were done and how entertainment companies are trying to survive today.

"What I was getting to, is back then the club got too famous for its size. So the famous underground rock radio station started bringing a truck and did live broadcasts. And since then much of the recordings have been released or bootlegged all over the web. You can say they were the first 'sharing' social media by broadcasting the shows live so more could listen."

Cindy eventually had to head out, "I'm excited to be a part of something that may actually give virtual venues a boost outside of Second Life."

For more information, check out the website, http://MyFathersPlace.com , or the Facebook group:
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/FriendsOfMyFathersPlace/

Equus (50/129/29)

Bixyl Shuftan

Ready for Winter

By Gemma Cleanslate

Many of the winter sims are not ready to change season yet. Yes, it is early but I know people are already looking for the winter activities in Second Life. Some regions are going to celebrate Thanksgiving before changing over, although I saw some snow lingering along the roadways in  places that I know will have lots of snow and ice soon. Here are a few that are ready!
      

 “We believe everyone should  be free to be themselves, to be the unique person they are .
so everyone is welcome here at Skate and Date..... “ This is from the welcome sign in Freyr at Winter Wonderland and train ride. Cute little penguins are circling the ice rink and offer you free skates in case you don’t have them already. Hop on the couples skating balls nearby and take a tour on the ice. Grab a seat and cuddle with your date or drop down near the fire to warm up. I spied a sled rezzer and took a quick ride around through the trees passing more penguins along the way. There is a train tour too. If you have your own train you can put it on the tracks as it is a slrr rail but you can rezz one there if not. Have fun!  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Freyr/154/65/50 .

 

 

“Welcome to our Winter Enchantment, made in loving tribute to our late friend Soraya Wardhani.....” Though a more somber greeting than at skate and Date I found it a lovely memorial thought as I surveyed this lovely skating venue. More penguins circled the skating pond . Free skates for both men and women and  singles and another sled rezzer await your pleasure. A fat jolly snowman offered me a cup of hot chocolate .  On the other side of the pond I found a ski lift and took a ride up to the top of the mountain where I took some free skis and boots and hopped on the ride down the mountain. It was a winding trail down the hillside that gave me a good look at it all, another place not to miss. Some of the decor is for sale .  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Xeriacle/46/73/21.

 

Winter scenes by Incendia Outdoors in Dizza offer wonderful skating , soft snowflakes falling and a peaceful lodge with fireplaces where you can lounge around alone or with friends and grab up for a run down. I found an igloo with snowball fighting walls set up with kids having fun and lots of snowballs so you can join in. The scenery is lovely with nature the object of the region. I found sheep hunting for morsels of grass , in another area moose looking warily at a horseback rider as she passed, and a found a  bear fishing in the open creek. Another lovely place to put on your list of winter venues.There is a carriage to ride in and a horse rezzer for you. At the entrance is a guest book where you can leave a comment or read those of former visitors. Dress for snow. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dizza/223/63/21

 

More to come!

 

Gemma Cleanslate

NeverLand Valley - A Tribute to Michael Jackson

By Grey Lupindo

      I have attended many concerts by tribute bands in SL, but this was my first visit to a tribute sim.   Created by MICHAELjackson Follet, NeverLand Valley is devoted to honoring, remembering, and celebrating the best of Michael Jackson’s life.   It is located at NeverLand  (247,250,25).  This isn’t a new site, but it was new to me.

      The site is amazingly true to the RL Neverland Ranch that existed in Los Olivos, California from 1988, when Michael Jackson purchased it, until 2005.   During those years, the 2500 acre Neverland Ranch was Jackson’s home as well as a wonderland for visiting children.  There was a petting zoo, amusement park, two trains, and other attractions.  

        In the SL version MICHAELjackson Follet has recreated the amusement park, zoo, a train, a large home filled with Jackson memorabilia, and beautiful gardens.     Make sure your music is enabled when you visit.   While I was there I heard  "We are the World", "Things I Do for You", "Another Part of Me", "Bad", “You are My Lovely One”, “Dancing Machine”, and others.    

       There are reminders when you enter that this is a unique, memorial site.     A note states, “Neverland is my Home...I created Neverland as a home for me and sharing with others. (MJJ).   Respect each other and you are the most welcome.  Feel free to go around, play, enjoy or simply relax.  It's all for love.”    There is a reminder that visiting residents may experience different emotions when recalling Jackson’s memory, and visitors are urged to respect their privacy.  There were other residents there on the three occasions that I visited, but no one was chatting.   We each seemed to be content with remembering this special and talented man.    

        When you enter the gates you can pick up a free Smart Car to drive or you can walk on the stone walkway to the house.   The two-story house is huge, with a library, multiple sitting rooms, pianos, and many portraits of Michael Jackson on display.   Upstairs there is a bedroom with Shirley Temple photos and other children’s items.  In one of the offices there is a framed copy of a RL legal document relating to the Ranch hanging on the wall.    My only criticism is that I wish there had been a few notecards describing some of the items.   Everything is very interesting, but I left wanting to know more. 

          The gardens surrounding the house and open areas are beautiful.   There are bridges to cross and ducks and swans to watch.   Benches are available, too. 

           In the amusement park, MICHAELjackson Follet provides SL residents with many of the same type of rides that Michael Jackson owned.     There’s a Galleon swinging ride, the kind that always makes me sick in RL, a huge Ferris wheel, Merry-go-Round, Lollipop carousel, and a few more.   I rode these rides, and they are great.  

            Nearby there is a theatre, too.   In the entry are images of toys and characters from favorite children’s stories such as Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs, ET, and Pinocchio.     In the theatre section there are plenty of comfortable seats.  Unfortunately I couldn’t get the video to play, which I’m sure was caused by my system limitations.        

        I was able to view many videos created by MICHAELjackson Follet on his website, http://mjfollet.com/Neverland.html.   My favorite video is the one located on this first page.  Entitled “Forever Neverland”, it shows images of both the SL site and RL photos of Michael Jackson.   While the images are shown, Michael Jackson sings “Have you Seen My Childhood?” and “Smile”.   Although I only know a little about the abuse and loneliness he experienced as a child performer, I found the video to be very moving. 

          Next to the amusement park is the zoo, found at NeverLand (52, 96, 22).  As you walk toward it, moneys wave and birds fly by.  Be sure to approach the animals slowly so that they have time to become animated.   Touch them to hear their sounds.     Michael Jackson would have loved the SL version of his zoo.  There are no cages, and while the lions and tigers growl, they don't bite.

         Another amazing thing about NeverLand is that everything here is free.   There are no tip jars and almost nothing is sold here.   Inside a building located in the amusement park there are a few children’s items that appeared to be for sale, but they are discretely hidden away.      All of the rides, cotton candy, and other items are free.   

      The site and its members do support a RL charity in Haiti.   Tucked against one side of the sim, at NeverLand (142,247,26),  is a display where donations for “Haiti’s Children” are accepted.   There is a picture of Mideau Pierre, a child that is being supported by Neverland Friends and donations from other SL residents.    They have been supporting him since 2010.   At the time of my visit, they had collected  $44,169L in the donation box located there. 

     SL NeverLand Valley is a unique site that honors and celebrates the life of one of the most talented musicians of our time.

Grey Lupindo

 Editor's Note: Following the death of Michael Jackson, a number of tributes were created in his honor, one of which was featured in Second Life Newsepaper. Neverland might have been among them, but most of the others are gone. As for the real life Neverland Ranch, it was sold in 2008 due to Michael Jackson being deep in debt, and fell into disrepair following his death. Recently there was a partial restoration with what was left of the amusement park rides replaced with a zen garden.

Black Hills Forest

By Grey Lupindo

       The Black Hills Forest, located at Le Dome (36, 111, 21), is a beautiful and fun place that celebrates many of the best sights found in America.  Set in a beautiful park-like setting, it features statutes, photographs, and memorials from places found all across America, from the Atlantic coast to the Black Hills of South Dakota.  There’s even a zoo with animals from around the world.

      The first amazing thing I learned about Black Hills Forest is that its creator is French.   Benoit Lednev lives in Paris in real-life.  Because of time and language issues, we were only able to talk for a few minutes.  I wasn’t able to learn what motivated him to create such a beautiful tribute to America.   But It's a great site, and Benoit said that he plans to expand the zoo even more.               

        It is fitting that one of the most visible landmarks on the sim is a replica of the Statute of Liberty, which was a gift from France to the United States in 1886.  The real-life statute, which is located in the New York Harbor, was designed by Frédéric Bartholdi.  In SL the Statute is located at Le Dome (34, 26, 21).   Benoit Lednev has displayed a number of photographs of the real statute in a building next to the replica.    Nearby you can pick up a free souvenir t-shirt, too.   As soon as I put it on, I felt like a tourist on vacation.

       The sea’s edge is the main landing spot for the Black Hills Forest when you teleport to Le Dome (36, 111, 21).  There is a replica of the Gloucester Fishermen’s Memorial at the landing point.    The RL memorial was built in 1925 at the Stacy Esplanade in Gloucester, Massachusetts.   The SL replica includes memorial plaques that contain information and the famous inscriptions found at the real-life statute.    

      From this point you can go northwest to the zoo or walk straight ahead to the gazebo.  Inside the gazebo are pictures of the site’s attractions.  Click on the one that interests you to be teleported there. 

        The zoo is a great place to relax and have fun.   There are animals from all over the world, including  a Red Panda from China, polar bears and penguins from the ice caps, parrots and monkey from the jungle, giraffes, lions and tigers from Africa, and my favorites, a wolf pack from the wilderness.  There’s a small aquarium, too.  Unlike their RL counterparts, the SL animals don’t have to be kept behind bars.   The toucans and parrots fly, and the monkeys scurry around and get into things.  You’ll even find one or two species that are extinct in RL but living here in SL.

           On one of my visits, a woman and a little girl were visiting the zoo.  Ray Ray (rayleigh.toxx) had brought 11-year-old Teresa Amulet (keira.amulet) to see the animals. They seemed to be having a great time.   

      At one end of the zoo is a beautiful cafe where I was able to have some breakfast.   The setting is quiet, and the tables are set with beautiful dishes and a rose.  Orange trees grow here, too, so their juice is the freshest in SL. 

      After breakfast I left the zoo area and continued to explore.  I came across a replica of Mr. and Mrs. Frog Fishing.  The real-life statute was created by David Phillips in 2003 and is located at Boston Common Frog Pond.  Another interesting piece of art is the replica of the statute, “Menotomy Indian Hunter,” by Cyrus E. Dallin.   The original was created in 1911 and is located in a park near Arlington, Massachusetts.   Since the majority of us will never be able to visit these real-life statutes, the replicas are the next best way to experience them.  

       There are a few reminders of the worst times in America, too.  There is a memorial to the Salem Witch Trials, including a long row of headstones of men and women who were killed there.   The date was circa 1692.  In another area, photographs of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., and other civil rights workers are located in the building at the Black Hills display, locate near Le Dome (213, 165, 60).     

   

        As in real-life, the SL Black Hills has Mount Rushmore.  To get to this spot, you don’t have to travel for days to North Dakota either.   It’s located at Le Dome 213, 165, 60.  If you don't want to teleport, there's a chair lift you can ride to the Mount Rushmore site.   Catch the lift at Le Dome 246, 121, 21.    

  

         Inside the building at Mount Rushmore are photographs of many great Americans, from Alexander Graham Bell to Amelia Earhart.  Inventors, scientists, writers, and astronauts are featured, as well as a section that includes Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and other civil rights leaders.

        On the plaza there are benches where you can relax as you gaze at the four famous presidents, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.  There are picnic tables nearby, too, but watch out for the mountain goats.

 

         Many other treats are waiting to be explored in this beautiful park.  A tea house sits near a small pond that you can float in.   Trails meander through trees and over streams.  The sim has places for couples, too.  Among them are a campfire near the lighthouse and a nearby beach cottage.  The best couple’s spot, however, is the eerily beautiful Dark Romance section, located at Le Dome (229,49,21).  Best to visit it with someone you love.

           Like his fellow Frenchmen so long ago, Benoit Lednev has given a beautiful gift to SL residents to enjoy.   

Grey Lupindo