Rock N Rustic Ranch

by Theonlyjohnny Resident

    The ranch is a great place to hang out, because there's great music, a polite and respectful staff, and a great design to the sim.

    This is a place for those of you that love hospitality as much as you love country music (assuming you absolutely love country music). My first time there, I had just teleported in, when everyone greeted me, as if I was already their best friend. Even though I was a furry, which they didn't mind even in the slightest, I felt at home.

    However, after being there, many times, I have begun to notice something that I don't see in other clubs, something that I can honestly say, sets this club apart from other clubs. No one comes here for lindens. The staff don't come to earn lindens either. No, people visit this club to make friends, have fun, and to listen to great music.

    The staff are some of the best that you will ever hope to find. They not only wish to have fun. They wish to bring joy to others. They make it possible for others to have a fun experience as well. The staff also play their part in the genre, perfectly. The DJ's all play country music. The hosts use only country style gestures. Honestly, you come here, and you will feel as though you were on a real ranch.

    Of course, this club isn't for everyone. Those of you who only visit clubs to get lindens, will not find this club very nice, due to the fact that there are no "sploders," no money givers, no coins, no cones, no lucky eggs, and of course no contest boards. The absent of these truly make this club better than most, since you know people are only there to have fun.

    The open design of this club really make it a welcoming place. The lack of walls really say, "We welcome all." Which is true, seeing as this club welcomes furries, and not many clubs will allow furries. So I applaud this club's kindness in allowing us furries.

I would say this club is a great place to be,

Originality: 3 of 5
Design and Look: 5 of 5
Music: 5 of 5
Staff: 5 of 5
Owner involvement: 4 of 5

In total 22 of 25

Theonlyjohnny Resident

Renaissance Island

  

 By Grey Lupindo

    Renaissance Island is a Tudor settlement where SL residents can learn about English life during the 16^th century and have fun, too.  The wharf and dock area is a great place to begin, located at Ren Isla, Renaissance Island (204, 213, 26).  You can either start a walking tour here or take a carriage.    The Village is huge, however, and to see it all may take more than one visit.

        Renaissance Island was created in 2007 by historians who wanted to recreate life during the Tudor ear.  They took on roles of people who would have lived during that time and established a place where others could join in the fun as they learned.  The Alliance Library System, a private benefactor, and later the South Central Regional Library Council in New York provided funding and support.  However, the Village is now sustained by its residents, educators, librarians, and visitors. 

         SL Resident Diamond Coronet is the Project Director.  In her profile, she notes, “The Renaissance means Rebirth.  What better way to enjoy this era than re-birthed virtually.”  On her profile you can find information about educational and support opportunities in the village.  

        Although it isn’t required, a great way to visit this site is in proper attire.  If you don’t have Tudor clothing, you can pick up free outfits at Vandeberre’s Emporium & Armory, located at Renaissance Island (196, 126, 26).  The merchants in the village will also sell you some very nice clothing, too.  At various places you can buy armor, swords, and other necessities.    

        I started my exploration near the Globe Theater, at Renaissance Island (174, 25, 26).  In the Globe you can get a free audiobook of “Romeo and Juliet” from Librovox.  There are notecards with information about Shakespeare and many of his other works are on display. 

        While I was exploring near here I ran into one of the villagers, Ashton Akiri.   He has been a resident since February, 2010, and is currently working on a project there.  He was very helpful in giving me links to their website, which has pictures, videos and other information about the site.   It can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/renaissanceislandsl  Akiri has a very large home in the Village, which he has open to the public.  There are other residents who also allow visitors to come inside. Some of the homes have handcrafted tables and other artisan wares for sale, too.   I saw a beautiful inlaid table for $50L and a hand-woven rug for $20L. 

     Outside the Globe Theater is one of the many teleporter maps that are a great way to orient you as well as move quickly throughout the site.  If you have the time, however, it’s fun to stroll down the streets and alleys. There are too many places to discuss individually:  a school, a small fort called the Reading Primley Bulwark, a stable, a community garden, and many others. There are many free items to be found at each location or some free activity you can do, as well as informational notecards.  I milked a cow at one spot and borrowed a free AKK horse at the stables.

        In the Tilt Garden, located at Renaissance Island (32, 69, 26), you can take fencing lessons or participate in jousts. According to a calendar of events, weekly joust tournaments are held on Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. SLT.  For a $1L donation you can purchase a pendant or a flag and cheer on your favorite.

      My favorite building is Lagswell Manor, which is based on a composite of several RL castles and halls.   The Manor is a grand mixture of educational, cultural, and fun activities.   

      In December a Masquerade Ball was held, and titles were bestowed on people who supported King Henry and his village. The Ball and titles seem like a fun and festive way to raise support for the Island.  Wealthy supporters could become a Marquisate or an Earl, at least for a little while, by paying $10,000L or $5000L respectively.  The social climbing poorer gentleman could become a knight for $750L.  Each title came with a different amount of privileges, except for the poor knight who doesn’t seem to gain anything except the privilege to be called Sir for a little while.   

        I saw that a few titles of Baron were available for $2500L, including ones for Grey of Codnor, Greystock, Grey of Groby and Grey de Ruthyn.  I’ll have to check to see if I have any relatives on the Island.   In the meantime I’ll suggest to Diamond Coronet that Baroness Grey de Lupindo has an elegant, regal sound to it, and they may want to include it next year.           

        Inside Lagswell Manor is a Music Room and information about Thom Dowd, whose RL counterpart was a professor of music at the Conservatory of Fribourg in Switzerland.   He performs Renaissance and Baroque music on a recorder and has brought his talent into SL.   

      The library that is located here is fantastic.  There is a wealth of information about Tudor England and the literature of that era.  If you take the stairs up to the second floor, you will find a game room and the hall of Queens.  Portraits of the wives of Henry VIII are here, including an informational notecard about each one.      

      The Manor also includes a Tudor kitchen and information about the meals that would have been served during that time.  I picked up a free barrel of spiced Mead, which should be a hit at the next SL Newser party.   

      No village would be complete with a church, a doctor, and a tavern. Renaissance Village has St. Minutia’s Church, both a physician’s residence/office and a healer’s hut, and the Boar’s Head Inn.   It has many other builds and activities, too, for both serious students of the era as well as SL residents who want to travel to a different time and place.        

Grey Lupindo

The First Sims: Minna

by DrFran Babcock

I couldn’t wait to visit Minna, because if you look at it on the map, it is the most colorful of the original sims. I was not disappointed. Minna is one of the first sims that has an active population, and lots to see and enjoy.

History of Minna

Minna began as a mostly commercial sim back in 2002. It was dominated by Divivity, a store that sold gifts, food, and nursery items. Divivity still has a presence on the sim, but it is dotted throughout the sim. What I loved about Minna is that is seems to be populated by old members and new members who have a love for and appreciation of the rich history of Second Life™.

Who Lives Here?

Paula Dix owns the land that has all the colorful trees on it. I knew immediately that they were the work of Second Life™ artist and queen of wild trees: soror Nishi. Paula’s land—she calls her parcel Paula’s Ploting (sic) Plan—is covered with the trees and particles, and is just a delight to visit. From Paula’s profile comes this statement with which I have always agreed: “There is no Second Life as opposed to First Life. SL is as real as FL We may be just pixels, but we  are  as real as anything. So live fully and be sure to assure that all can also live.” Nice.

Kennylex Luckless is someone I know, because he seems to be always around the Ivory Tower of Primitives on Natoma, building and giving away freebies, or at Linden Office Hours. He has a darling castle on Minna, that he told me he wanted to remove, but ANSI Soderstrom told him he could not. I was able to ask him a very, very few questions before his Natoma fan club distracted him:

SL Newser: Kenny, how did you find out about Second Life™?

KennyLex: Oh, newspaper, it was a article about Second House of Sweden. (Kenny is from Sweden) The sim closed because there were complaints. 

When I did log in, I found Natoma and the Ivory tower, and fell in love with building things. So, I stayed. I am mostly here (Ivory Tower), Luskwood, Bay City and at Torley’s Place. Although, Torley’s old place here was much funnier.

Kennylex gave me a vehicle made out of old barrels that he made, we rode around Natoma for a while. I returned to my explorations.

ANSI Soderstrom has a lot of land on Minna, and a sense of humor. Her cel-shaded ANSI-wood build, a play on the Hollywood Hills, is like an anime hobbit village. However, she is also the creator of Port Ansi, a complex-looking brick building that holds tons of freebies built by Kennylex Luckless. Kennylex’s freebies are fun, and often he includes the textures he used in them so that you can mod what you take.

Blogging acquaintance and SL Universe forum member Elysium Hynes owns 736 square meters of land, and purple trunked trees. It hugs a water edge, and is filled with pretty chairs and tables for hanging out. I wonder if she ever spends time there?

These three residents hail from 2007 or later, but there are also members who are much older with parcels on Minna. Dave Zeeman has a not very pretty build, of which he seems very proud:  “This is Dave Zeeman's original home!  He's had it ever since Beta v0.3.2!  Check out the classic "Matrix Box" and world renowned Plinko game!  Also the site of any "Match Game SL" shows!” So, Dave is one of the original members, but from the look of his parcel he has not been around for some time.

Emmaly Baxton (2008) has the Minna Sky Complex, a poured concrete series of elevated lookouts that provide a place to view the original sims. Her land seems to be part of Dave Zeeman’s, and is a somewhat modern and grungy structure. Although I didn’t speak with her, I did see her on the sim during one of my research visits.

Another oldbie is Div Epoch, a Charter Member, who will become 10 years old around the time that Second Life™ does. Has an old-school house, very minimally furnished on northwest corner of Minna.

And, then there’s Vivianne OFlynn, who is almost ten years old, and owns Divivity’s food and celebrations supplies. I suppose she is still around, because there were prims from 2013 with Mother’s day items. According to the Second Life™ Wiki, Divivity was most of the sim of Minna at one time. Now, there was only the celebration shop, and another parcel with garden items.

Of interest to me, from a historical standpoint was the Sacred Ground Druid Circle that Simon Metalhead, a Beta Member established in  September 2003 I imagine it was meant to hold larger crowds as it spans the corners of Minna, Ritch, Zoe, and Natoma. Again, I have to wonder if people still use it. I hope it remains, because it is from the earliest days of Second Life™.

A very new addition to the sim is from four year old Carol Pixelmaid. Virtually Gorgeous is a tiny shop with some pretty old-school lingerie and dresses for ladies. It has a nice grass covered lookout on the property with free binoculars and pose balls for viewing the beauty of Minna.

For Sale
Would you like to live on Minna? There is one tiny landlocked plot, L-shaped and narrow that is for sale for 35,998 Lindens. Sounds a bit steep for me, but you may be a lover of history.

Visit Minna: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Minna/127/127/79

DrFran Babcock

Tales From the Ghost Forest – LEA14

By DrFran Babcock

I had seen the Linden Endowment for the Art’s Tales From the Ghost Forest mentioned on the log in screen several times. Usually, that means it’s a build about which I won’t write, because I figure that promoted sims get a lot of coverage. I decided to visit anyway, with a friend, and decided to tell you about it.

First, after a few visits, and some photography, I am not really sure I understand Uan Ceriaptrix’s build. However, the mood he creates, and the post-apocalyptic feel made me feel immersed in another dimension. I believe that’s what art is supposed to do.

The build is composed of four different parts. You are greeted by a giant spider when you teleport into the sim. Be careful or you may end up in her web. Instead, follow the colored balls over the long bridge, up a ladder, and enter Junk City, which is just what it sounds like. According to Ceriaptrix, this area, which is a barren path studded with garbage and pollution is the point at which things started to transform through a change and restructuring of technology. Humans have been transformed into avatars and holograms, and homo sapiens are extinct.

Leaving Junk City, you enter the Ghost Forest, which the artist labels as Mother Earth. This region is filled with science, technology, and devices that have been left to the trees and fishes, to provide them with energy. In place of the machines, odd vegetation sprouts along the canyon path. Twisted, odd vegetation, that is tended by alien creatures. Boggy greens submerge your feet in tiny plants as you walk along and tiny bubbles float up through the ooze, hinting at the possibility of new life.

When you leave Mother Earth you will find yourself in Election (or die trying), which is the hope for the regeneration of the world. The luminous beings have kept collections of biology so that the ecosystem can be regenerated.  UFOs, chairs with teeth in their seats, aliens, and giant insects hold court, bringing the damaged land back to life.

At the end of the path the land ends, and the water beckons. Under the water in the unconscious that contains a carousel, a sand castle, a display of Uan Ceriaptrix’s, and other items.

I loved the build for it’s look and the builds that were on it. The terraforming created a land that was at once familiar and alien. Uan is a skilled creator, and his palette of sandy-colored ground, and green toxic or leavy touches. The windlight setting creates a smoggy sky that reminds one that this is a dying land, trying to regenerate.

I have always believed that despite what the artist or the art is trying to say, once the public views it, what is perceived becomes their truth. As I said, I don’t think I understood what was intended, but I liked it, and it made me feel strong emotions of loss.

You can come and visit The Tales From the Ghost Forest at LEA14: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA14/128/128/15 and decide for yourself.

DrFran Babcock

The First Sims: Freelon

By DrFran Babcock

I keep continuing to explore the original Second Life™ sims, because I love history, and I love this virtual world. So often we forget to preserve the past, and then it’s lost before we realize what value it had. Freelon is the sixth sim to come on line in Second Life™. It is another sim that I have spent little time exploring until now.

History of Freelon


Freelon is believed to be one of the first mature sims on the grid. In its early days it hosted The Black Sun, a 2003 night club based on the Snow Crash book venue. Those who remember will recognize that this book is believed to be what inspired Philip Rosedale to create SL. Sadly; it is no longer on the grid. Another lost parcel is the Amazon Nations, the land of which seems to have been bought by Erwin Solo, who leveled the Freelon volcano in the process of creating his builds.

Who Lives Here?

The largest landholders on Freelon are Erwin Solo and Del Lykin, both relatively new to the sim.  However, there is someone on Freelon who was there from the very beginning, and this is Chip Midnight, owner of CMFF–Chip Midnight’s Fine Fashions. Chip and I have the same rez day, but he’s three years older than me, and a beta member of SL. He says on his profile that he dates from “when dinosaurs roamed the grid.”

When I was a noobie, I used to visit his shop, and drool over the items there. Back then, I had no conception of the worth of Lindens, and my ability to make them and buy things with them. Chip’s most durable contribution to Second Life™ is the templates for the system clothing that were used by almost every content creator until the advent of mesh, and even now. Freelon is worth the trip just to pay homage to this great resident, and his multi-leveled, Danish modern shop.

Del Lykin’s land is a sprawling marina, country club-like building and mansion. It is a pleasant build, but very old-school looking with nary a sculpt or mesh object, even though the inspected prims date from March of 2013. It seems I just missed the Amazon World’s disappearance. The late, and dearly missed Lalo Telling chronicled some of these older places on his blog, and I urge you historians to take a look: http://lalotelling.wordpress.com/2010/06/13/seconderth-a-deep-map-freelon/ .

Most of the rest of Freelon is owned by Erwin Solo, who seems to be a self-appointed historian/archivist of Second Life™. His land contains two statues of The Man statue, created by Oldjohn Linden in July of 2002! One of them holds Philip’s old beachball, which is a bit older.

The big surprise here is the “oldest prim in SL” which sits at the base of one of the man statues. Accordning to Erwin Solo:

Oldest Object in SL. 25-Jan-2002.   Creator Unknown.  Software apparently didn’t store creator name back then. From the pre-SL alpha period.  A gift from an Oldbie, who wishes to remain anonymous.  It is just a cube, but it is copy/mod so I can make things with it. I gave a copy to the Ivory Tower of Prims for museum use.

I IMed Erwin to ask him how he came into possession of this prim, but I didn’t hear from him. Erwin has also a Mayan Temple, and a small collection of Linden Bears. For newer readers, Linden Bears were once created by and carried by all Lindens. If you ran into a Linden on the grid, you could ask for one, and would be rewarded with an object that represented that particular Linden Lab employee. Believe it or not, but Lindens used to be quite evident at events and even held some for our benefit. I have a huge collection of bears that would require a sim’s worth of Land Impact to display.

Erwin’s bears border a really nice dance floor and outdoor sitting place. It’s a shame that these places are never occupied when I come to visit. The dance floor is the nicest part of his parcel.

Tiny Properties and Premiums Only

There are a few small plots dotting Freelon. Thunder Electric’s build dates from 2003, and is still on the sim, although mostly empty. Its purple and black gothic look are worth a visit for their historical value. Just by accident, I came upon a “secret grotto,” under Thunder’s dome, that housed some interesting items, among them a prim model of oldbie Torrid Midnight. I was unable to get into the grotto, the door was locked, but I could see inside. I wonder if this spot is still in use?

 Aminom’s ultra-small Pad (“who needs more than 29 prims?”) is filled with two very bizarre billboards, one of which is depicted here.

The strangest thing I found, and only because I rezzed an alt to do some exploring, is that a small piece of the sim is off-limits to non-premium members. When DrFran returned to visit, there was no apparent reason for the banlines. The parcel contains an odd, imaginary machine, and nothing else.

The last bit of strangeness is that there is a parcel in the Northeast corner of the sim that is empty, but is named Luskwood Freelon! This 5056 square meter parcel was claimed in 2012 by the Luskwood Residents group. If anyone has any ideas what this is about, please let me know. I love these mysteries.

Second Life™ sims are a palimpsest. This ancient word relates to the old practice of scraping a parchment clean of its writings so it could be reused. Parchment was expensive back then. Thus, any old manuscript may contain layers and layers of documents, just as the sims of this beloved virtual world contain layers and layers of builds and memories.

Visit Freelon: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Freelon/160/68/32

DrFran Babcock

The First Sims: Federal

By DrFran Babcock

Federal is the fifth sim to come on line in Second Life™. It is another sim that I have ignored largely during my many explorations of the mainland. As usual, the history and details of a sim can be uncovered to some extent by exploring and inspecting. Join me as I reveal what I found out about this largely forgotten territory.

History of Federal

Same as for Stanford, the week before, Federal was one of the weapons sims, or the Outlands as they were called. Aside from this bit of information, all the material on the Second Life Wikia is incorrect now. Federal used to be the home of the Second Life Botanical Gardens, which are now housed on their own sim, and the Club Elite, which is not in existence any longer. I had hoped to find the Federal drawbridge still around, but I couldn’t locate it. The bridge was built by longtime resident, and creator of the SL Universe Forums and Snapzilla picture sites, Cristiano Midnight.

For Rent

It seems that about half of Federal is for rent. There is a huge, flat portion of the sim that is empty of everything, except a map of old Second Life™.  The landlord for this piece of property is the same person who owns the parklands on Federal: Deltango Vale, who is not nearly seven years old—a veritable newbie in this territory of a world that began in 2002. The land title says that Cinnamon Beach is for rent, but right clicking the land gives you the information that the land is for sale for one million Lindens. Any takers? I am sure Podex will do the Linden transaction for you.

Who Lives Here?

The aforementioned Deltango Vale has created a minimalist parkland on much of the sim. The trees are all autumnal, have falling leaves, and are nicely complemented by the elfy lanterns dotted here and there. I believe that this is another attempt to preserve open space on the mainland and prevent the uglification of Second Life™, and I applaud this endeavor.

There are two oldbies who still have land on Federal. Sturm Valen, over ten years old, has a piece of land, and there is a house up in the air a few meters. There are a few untextured, plywood prims in the build, so I assumed that he was busy still building. However, an inspection of the prims revealed that they were created  in March of 2003, making them some of the oldest prims in Second Life™!

When I do these reports, I always send an IM to the inhabitants who are old-times, asking them for input. I have been unsuccessful in getting a response so far.

Simon Metalhead is the owner of MetalHead Stables and the supposedly very old Über Mall on Federal. The stables are a newer addition to the sim, as they are meant to house Amaretto Horses. Sadly, the two horses I found in the stables had turned green and were sick without food and water.

The Über Mall is a bunch of blocky cubes that rise out of a small hill that is surrounded by the Federal Park. Robert Jung, SL historian, has described it as one of the oldest malls in Second Life™
( http://www.sluniverse.com/pics/pic.aspx?id=547141 ), but unless it has been rebuilt, most of the prims date from 2007. There is very little in the mall. Basically two stores: Bowulf and Altered Visions make up the inhabitants of the mall. Altered Visions has two signs and no stock at all. Bowulf, which is the work of Simon Metalhead, has only a series of goggles, a kitchen set, and a fireplace for sale. This is one gigantic mall with only a few items for sale. This is one of the drawbacks of having Lifetime Members. They let their horses die, along with their malls.

The only item of interest that I found, by perving into the basement of the mall, was a sign for the FICs. FICs are the Feted Inner Core—a conspiracy theory that certain avatars had an advantage with the Linden Lab employees that favored them in business and other product placements. It became somewhat of a joke over time, so the sign was a fun find for me.

Second Life Art Gallery

For the most part, the mall is not worth a visit. There are other things to see on the sim. The Second Life Art Gallery being one of them. You will not see a single picture from the works in the gallery here in this article, because they are all erotic in nature, and many of them extreme in nature. Of course, you may go and see for yourself. The gallery is owned by Tony Tigereye, and many of his works are there. Each display in the four stories of the gallery has a notecard to tell you about the artist. Tony’s is worth repeating:

Tony uses Yahoo! Doodle to create his colorful works of art.  A lot of his inspiration is drawn from his good friend, Porscha, and many of the works are a collaborative effort.  Many people notice the stunning over-use of male genitalia in Tony's works, perhaps leading them to believe he has a fixation on the black male penis.  Later works suggest, however, that Tony is simply out of his mind crazy and has no rhyme or reason to anything he does.

Tony’s art work is, um, infantile, to say the least. I guess he’s just having fun. Isn’t that what Second Life™ is about? Well, it is for me. Come visit Federal. Maybe you want to rent the beach.

Visit Federal: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Federal/154/202/28

DrFran Bakcock

Hazardous: An Infinite Dream Re-Created

By Gemma Cleanslate

When I arrived at Hazardous, the landing area it should have been a clue to a different experience. As I dropped to the ground by I read some interesting warning signs: “no biting,” “beware of noobs,” "no talking bellies,” and more you will see when you go there. One of my favorites was “children avis left unattended will be sold to the circus." One was a street sign with the the names: here, there, somewhere, lost, nowhere, confused.

I felt this was an eerily beautiful  place where something must have  happened. There are small buildings, barns, old cars and trucks,  all abandoned. Solitary buildings dot the fields of grass and shrubs. Crows flew everywhere... flocks circling ... single sitting calling ... where ever you go they are there. I love crows because they are so so smart, so I did not mind seeing them at all. 

The best thing to do at Hazardous is just start walking. As you move along you will encounter people. some alone just sitting, some couples enjoying the nooks where you can dance or just relaxing and enjoying the region. I walked along the perimeter to see a fallen lighthouse, boats drifting empty. I took the stairs down to the water where I found framed paintings of Hazardous strewn along the water near the shore, some of the same that  I saw in the viewer near the entrance. I climbed back up to continue my walk and came across a pond with a dock. 

Bewick Grayman, another explorer, asked  me if I had looked down the well. Curious, I approached the well, the cover of which was askew and clicked and down I went like a rabbit in a hole. Below there was a room with more pictures of Hazardous on the wall. I learned I should click on many things as I roamed. As I crossed the bridge over a deep ravine, I spotted a white building at the end. So I made my way down to check it out. On the walkway to it, I found more relaxing hangouts. 

As I explored, the thought kept entering my mind, did something happen that left this desolate empty place? It is like a huge museum of the past, or a memorial to something. I see why people are roaming around or just sitting quietly, perhaps pondering what was behind it all. I finally sent a note to the creator Mandingo quan (Dingo), asking why.  He answered, “It's based on a childhood memory... A place I visited with my family.... on a day trip or vacation... somewhere in my homeland of Australia... and its my first vivid memory of a location... I just wanted to recreate it...I just wish I could remember where so I could visit it again.” 

So actually it is a memorial, to a memory.  And his advice taken from his profile, “"Dream infinitely..... remain fearless.....seek Hazardous adventures." He attributes much of the "polish “ of the design of the region to Wendy Zeno, who worked with him. 

Don’t miss it! http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Misali/165/163/195

Gemma Cleanslate

The First Sims: Stanford

By DrFran Babcock


Stanford is the fourth sim to come on line in Second Life™. I have to confess that I don’t think I have ever visited there until this article. Two big parcels are for sale on the sim, rendering it half the size of most sims, and there are a few ban lines on some of the properties.

Ban Lines

I will use this opportunity to opine about ban lines a bit. I…hate…them. Hey, ban line people, the moment that I see them, I use my camera to look into the place that is blocked out. Just because folks think they are important enough to believe they can have privacy in Second Life™ doesn’t mean they should make things ugly. Ban lines interfere with transportation and movement in general here, and I oppose them simply for that reason. Please don’t use ban lines. Especially, do not use the kind of banlines/security I encountered on Stanford. This security device sent me home a few times before I had time to fly away, which I found quite rude.
Anyone who wants access to you can figure a way to get it, and you disturb the serenity of nomadic people like me when you use them.

Rant over: We now return you to our regularly scheduled history.

History of Stanford

Before Jessie, Stanford was one of the weapons sims, or the Outlands as they were called. This all got changed when Stanford, along with Federal, Hawthorne, Shipley, and part of Clyde were changed to residential sims. This happened in 2003, a long time ago, in Second Life’s™ timeline, way before most of us remember. Since this time Stanford has been home to Annie Butlers residence, and to the Stanford mountain. Most of the rest of the island has changed often.

Stanford Mountain exists thanks to  the benefit of being able to terraform the early sims to great heights. The peak of the mountain overlooks the whole sim, and provides a relaxing break from the stresses of everyday Second Life™. There is a nice old-school bench there to sit and ponder your next build project, relationship, or whatever. The really striking feature of the mountain is the stream and waterfall that meanders down the mountain, and was build by Jake Cellardoor, whose profile said that he is ten years old! Jake is responsible form much of the parklands and the waterfall on Clementina. One of the lessons I am learning is that there are a handful of old-timers who are devoted to preserving, creating, and maintaining the beauty of the mainland.

Annie Butler’s residence is clearly based on Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water. It is perched to the south of Stanford Mountain at the base of the falls, and was built by old-timer Juro Kothari, who is also my neighbor on Varney. Sadly, he is never around.

I recommend highly that you go and visit this house. Remember that it was built before the era of sculpts, flexiprims, and mesh. Yet, it is a beautiful representation of the Arts and Crafts movement in architecture and furnishings. The look is timeless, luxurious and earthy all at the same time. Outside there is a deck with many lounges, and an ultra-modern infinity pool. If you don’t know what that means, you will have to go look. The house is open for wandering, and it actually would make a nice date outing. Don’t miss the works of art, the hot tub, or the very necessary kitchen.

I had thought to contact Annie and ask her about her time on Stanford, and her lovely home, but it seems that her profile makes it plain that she is now committed to medieval role-playing, and has left her previous second life behind. One of the reasons I love Second Life™ is that you can be whatever you want to be, and change your course at any time. I respected her desire to not be contacted.

The last public building on the island is a lighthouse—one of the icons of Second Life™. It is on group land owned by the aforementioned Annie Butler and two other people. It is a simple build, well-executed by a younger resident: Sandy Clymer, of Pillow Talk fame. You can teleport to the tower to have some more views.

For Sale

The three plots for sale on Stanford are large and pricey. One is 10,240 meters squared and costs 62,000 Lindens; the next is 8,416 meters squared and costs 51,000 Lindens, and a tiny plot of 160 square meters is a pittance at 15,995 Lindens.

None of these plots have water access, and all are very expensive, but reflect the historical value of the land, and the almost limitless terraforming. The one plot that was on the water that was not for sale, but for rent was attractive.

So What?

As I conclude the fourth visit to the first sims I am struck again by how little history has been preserved. I was pleased to find that much of the topography of Stanford remains unchanged, but there is little of the old sim that is identified or recognized. I know there are history museums in Second Life™, and many places that have information about the past, but I wouldn’t want to go visit the Alamo in Michigan, and I don’t want to see have no place to go to see the roots of this world that I love.

Visit Stanford: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Stanford/128/128/2

DrFran Babcock

Calas Galadhon Park Sims

By Gemma Cleanslate

  
Some of you will recall my visit to Calas regions during the winter. Most of the eleven sims were covered with snow, and I had delightful time skating and skiing and visiting the Christmas Pavilion. I thought I should go back now that it is spring and see what is going on. 

Flowering trees and plants now adorn the regions. The fields are filled with grasses and the animals are out roaming the pastures. It is a wonderful place to go horseback riding, so I did. I visited several sim that way, looking at the rocky hills and cliffs and spectacular vistas. In  Eryn Vom you can look out over the marshes and cross over the bridges to the tiny islands. Whereever you go, you pass quaint areas for relaxing alone or with friends. Dance balls dot some of the areas for your pleasure. In Mirrormere I found a canoe and paddles and took a ride down the rivers, perhaps some of those on which I skated in the winter. 

In the Bay of Belegar, visit the pirate ship and climb down below for a scuba diving. I met Chatty Kathy down there, using the gear and exploring and having a wonderful time. “This is entirely too much fun ... darned thing even has bubbles ... it's always an amazing place, but oh em gee, at Christmas and Halloween, there's no place like it on the grid." I left her to go see the Pirate ship which she recommended highly. 

I visited the Cafe Armenelos high up on a hill, where I found some loungers admiring the view. From there I could see what looked like an entire Hotel high on a hill. I went up and it was a lovely set of buildings reminding one of a quaint village perched  at the peak of the mountain. 

There are no rentals or living places on any of the sims. There are no commercial enterprises. All buildings are open for visiting, but not for staying. I spied the one of the owners, Tenk sitting on a bench on a hillside pondering. I did not want to bother him, so I took a quote from the welcome notecard, “Come immerse yourself in the early American coastal countryside of the early 20th Century. We strive to bring the beauty & peace of our natural areas into Second Life for all to enjoy as a refuge. There are now 11 sims to the Park.  Each sim has a unique feel, yet are tied together with verdant fields & farms, high mountain meadows and winding streams through its woodlands & valleys which eventually lead to the natural beauty of the coast. There is also the island of Armenelos where the 'Santorini' build by Bora Rossini, can now be found.” 

There is so much to see. I will leave it to you to discover all there is to find in the regions. When you arrive at the entrance, you will be able to pick up a notecard with the rules and the landmarks of places you may want to visit. There is also a teleport board to all the regions. This is definitely a landmark you will want to save. The regions call for revisiting often, alone or with friends. You can follow the activites by joining the group , or by visiting the calendar at the website. You also see a copy of the calendar at the entrance.  

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Calas%20Galadhon/137/233/22

Gemma Cleanslate 

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

The First Sims: Zoe

By DrFran Babcock

Zoe is the third sim to come on line in Second Life™. After my trip to Ritch last week, I was a bit disheartened, and hoped that I could find more history and better use of the historical space. I was not disappointed.

A Little History

I started this story by looking on the internet, and again found little about the sim of Zoe. I have to guess that the creators of Second Life™, along with the earliest residents, had no idea that the world they had created would have the kind of staying power it has. Therefore, they didn’t think to respect the past, nor preserve it. The only way to find out might be to find and interview some of the early residents, which I will do, if I can find them.

Current Zoe Usage

Zoe is a very pleasant place, despite its lack of written history and residents. Again, I found a very empty sim each time I visited. Natoma, to the north, has many residents on it all the time, because of its status as a sandbox and it is the home of the Ivory Tower of Primitives, but few folks seem to venture into Zoe. This is a shame, because the sim really is a lovely place.

The main owners of land on Zoe are Myck Tackleberry of the Ridgeview Group, and SuluMor Romulus, almost as old as Second Life™ itself, of Zoe Garden Associates. Luckily, both groups seem to be invested in creating and maintaining a park-like atmosphere on the sim.

Myk’s land is a museum, strewn with works of art by Second Life’s™ creators. The Bryn Oh statue is immediately recognizable. Myk, himself is a lovely, understated builder. I have been fond of his slate gray and brick “clubhouse” for many years. The building is deceptively simple, impeccably assembled, and makes a great platform for the gathering of sofas and chairs. Go there and find the coffee table books in the central room. They are two picture books, one of which contains photos (by Yana Kawasaki) of beautiful places in Second Life™. I browsed through the volume and was both delighted and saddened. So many of the places in the book are just memories. The other book depicts a sim that you can still go see: Verdigris and the Vintage Village. Vintage Village is the home of The Golden Oriole, built by Oriolus Oliva—a delightfully mad antique store. The creator/owner must have some connection with the folks on Zoe, because aside from the coffee table book, several of the builds on the sim are by Oriolus. The huge Breughel Castle sits on the edge of the gray mountains that fill the middle third of the sim. It lords over the sim majestically.

What makes the original sims so special is their terraform ability. Zoe is one of the sim blessed with plus and minus forty meter terraforming. What that means is that these sims have tremendous landscaping ranges. Huge mountains and deep gorges are possible, and are often present on these early parcels.

There is much to like on Zoe, and a bit of humor, unintentional I think, on the sim. There is a small parcel to the southwest of Sulumor’s land, and it’s called The 50Linden Store. However, as soon as you land, there’s a big sign advertising a furry  avatar and some digipants each for 125L. Huh? The other odd parcel is a 512 parcel owned by Ravenglass Rentals—a company owned by long-time resident Prokovy Neva. It is leased by Luka Peck, and has some iridescent sculptures in it. I have never seen anyone on the parcel, and I am in the neighborhood often.

Stewardship

All in all, the lands of Zoe are in good hands. Avi Arrow, Myck Tackleberry, SuluMor Romulus, and the Ivory Tower Group, headed by Lumier Noir. These are the names one sees when exploring this park-like sim. The owners seem determined to keep things looking pleasant and attractive, and they have succeeded in their goal. Traveling around Zoe is a delightful experience. Go up on the mountains and find the hidden meditation spot, with the luscious rock fountain. Find the bridge over the gorge and stare in wonder. It’s all there to explore.

One More Thing

Zoe is next to the sim of Clementina, home of Governor Linden’s mansion (one of the oldest objects in Second Life™), and there is a build that overlaps Clementina and Zoe on the southeast corner. The build is a fascinating recreation of a Thai water market, colorful and realistic, down to the boats with different objects for sale. On the Zoe side, there are rice paddies, and stalls with vegetables and other items. Electricity poles dot the build, adding more authenticity to the area. The build is by Areal Loonie, but the land is owned by SuluMor, who has had it since the beginning of SL time, I imagine.

It’s interesting that Clementina, which is not one of the first sims, seems to have more history on it than the surrounding original sims. This seems to be just another mystery of the early days that may never be solved by me. What I need is some oldbies to tell me some stories. If there are any takers, I would love to hear from you.

Visit Zoe: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Zoe/245/241/26

DrFran Babcock