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

The Return of Yadni's Junk

By Gemma Cleanslate

BrianL61 Landar (Prof Grey) is a very very busy man. For almost a decade he has been cataloging, photographing and protecting the extensive collections of creations of Arcadia, also known as Aley. Many designers in the past years have not liked Aley. Why? Because she made so many things in Second Life, it is hard to keep track. Everything she made was free, transferable, copy, unlink, and do anything you wanted with them. I loved visiting her special places in Second Life. There are a few left. Some one can request a library setup on their own sim as Grey Nacht and others have done.

Now, of all things Brian is adding to the library in Anilis with a collection of Yadni junkyard items! Yadni was another treasure in Second Life. He loved to distribute free anything. He decided to close the junkyard about three years ago, I think it was. Like disappeared places of olden days it is missed. I remember going over to check it out for one more time as I often do when things are about to disappear. Nostalgia. Brian has started making some of his items available for anyone in Second Life to pick up again.

This is a daunting project. I went over to take a look . Brian told me ,”as an example the gadgets category has over 500 items that will be photographed, this is needed so the vendor can display the items correctly. I expect this to take a couple more months at least to complete the work and get everything up in vendors.” It is on the second floor of the library, which can also be considered a museum. Brian is setting up vendors one at a time because he takes pictures of everything before he places them in the vendors.. It is all much neater than Yadni’s junk yard was but here is the beginning!!

Those who went to Yadni’s will recognize many of the old good junk! For those who never got to the junkyard it is a trip to the early days of Second Life to go through the vendors and look.

For those who do recall going there it will be a great reminder of the early days of getting freebies to use in home and sim . I know there are still some great freebie places around. These are unique.  I say do not miss the opportunity to check it out as it begins. I will let you know when there are many more vendors to visit.

And Brian told me that in the future he is planning on adding to the collections with Moard Ling creations , another early distributor of freebies at the Freebie Follies. He will keep himself busy for the next few years I think. This landmark will put you at the library  Enter the doors and Yadni is upstairs to the left but enjoy the walk!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Anilis/37/179/111

Gemma Cleanslate 

Editor's Note: Contacting Yadni, he was happy to hear that he was still remembered here in Second Life. He invited his old fans to check out his current project, his artwork on his youtube channel. 

The Museums of Archaeology

While greeting at the Virtual Worlds Best Practices in education I met Qvintvs Petilivs Secvndvs   (SeverusAlexander Resident). I learned that he is an owner of the Museums of Archaeology in Second Life. I decided to visit the museum since it was completely new to me.

What a wonderful place this is for those who have an interest in history in general and those who love to visit regions with builds that are enticing,builds related to the past or to places we never expect to visit in real-life.

The Hub is the landing place where there is a gift shop featuring lovely ancient items that come from the various museums, a library filled with enough information to possibly acquire a degree. Some is on notecards , some on the web. Pick up a hud there when you land,that will guide you to the venues. There are also teleports at every stop.

I went to the Orbis Romanus first to visit an ancient urban area and view the monuments . At the entrance there is a map showing all the areas in the build. As you pass through the gates you feel the change of the of the time as you enter the ancient city . This would have been a wonderful way to learn about the building and columns of the past instead of looking at a flat book page. Listen to the sounds of the city as you walk. Information balls are on every build along with pictures of reconstruction and the original site of the building. It is an education!

My next stop was at the Ortem Project where you will see a collection of amazing inventions of the Roman times. A hall filled with all the armor and uniforms of the various times of the Roman Empire along with time maps of the progress of the growth of the Empire.Upstairs are examples of the very modern looking inventions for building and movement from that era.Some of this technology is still visible in our world today. Outside, near Caesar’s bridge  is a rezzer to see some of the tools  yourself. I rezzed a crane that really looked familiar, even close to the large cranes we see today,  and then rezzed an Elephant pulling an onager with troops behind.

From there I visited the Vatican Library , an imposing replica of a  beautiful hall of the library in Vatican City. Next I went over to the Mindan Museum. The story of the Minoan civilization of Crete and the Aegean Sea is told on boards around a build of the Palace of Knossos that shows the architecture of the time rediscovered in explorations of Crete in the late 18th century. See how lost history is recreated here .

The Chateau de Chenonceau is a replica of a famous castle on the Loire in France. Cedric Hansome donated his Second Life build to the museum when he retired to real-life. The grounds and the out buildings are charming . The Chateau itself is filled with period furniture and lovely art pieces. Roam the halls, climb the stairs, and open doors to view it all.

My last visit was to the Viking era Royal Residence at Tisso , Denmark. The contrast between this and the chateau are almost a shock when you arrive. A much different style of building and life .Outside the wooden wall there is a little library where you can see the reconstruction of the original site . There is so much detail to discover in this marvelous library that I will leave for you to find yourself. It would take reams of paper to describe everything .

QVINTVS said about the sim, “  I founded it and have some good friends, who are excellent builders. So I have the ideas and the archaeological groundplans and usually I am the person who gives the conferences mostly. And yes, sometimes a friend of us, also archaeologist, she is prof. at an American university, brings her rl students there sometimes.” It is well worth a visit go and experience . 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Buttercup%20Isle/128/113/3001

Gemma Cleanslate

Easter Town

By Gemma Cleanslate

Laura Liberty does it again! Easter Town is ready for kids and grownups, people, animals, furries  to roam and have fun. Decor and outfits for Easter are in the cute shops circling the town.

I love the band that is entertaining just across the bridge from the entrance. The carrot car is a fun way to travel the roadway but be careful! There are other ways to travel that you will discover . I enjoyed the bubble ride .The balloon ride is always  a good look from above to check out all the possibilities.

I like to walk the roadway because there is a multitude of activities between the shops. tina (tanyja Resident) is sitting in the bunny chair where you can  take a picture with a bunny, and she is a strange bunny as usual. Here is my friend , Dally(Dallas Russell).  posing on her lap.

Absolutely do not miss the Peep Race.. If you don't really want to race at least go around the track to experience the sights along the way. I liked the peep papparazi I met on my tour. The track is not as easy as it looks at the start.

When you land pick up the information for the egg hunt. Lots of nice goodies in those eggs and number 1 is right there. The rest will not be that visible. Have fun! For those with talent in texturing there is an egg painting contest with a prize of  7000 overall. Check the decorating area for the notecard explaining all the rules to follow to qualify and all the prizes! Good luck to those who enter!

There is much more to explore and experience in the sim and fun adds to collect and wear . Make sure you get there this coming week before Easter. I could go on and on but want you to find your own amusements . However look for the freebie Bunny-hoppy Ball and others!!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Townies/121/131/23

Gemma Cleanslate

The Yamato Memorial

By Bixyl Shuftan

Although the age of the battleship has passed in naval history, they still have quite an impact on people. For Japan, the battleship that is the most symbolic to them is the Yamato. It (along with it's sister ship the Musashi), was the largest and most heavily armed battleship in history. In April 1945, with the war going badly for Imperial Japan and islands near Japan threatened with invasion, the ship was sent on what was essentially a suicide mission to stop the American offensive, or at last cause as much damage as possible. But the ship was spotted before it could make it's way to it's target area, and after repeated bombs and torpedoes hit, the ship finally sunk, taking with it all but 280 of it's crew of about 3300. The Imperial Navy would never again launch another major operation. After the war, the ship's loss was remembered as a brave but futile act by sailors trying to defend their homeland. As the name "Yamato" is sometimes used as a poetic word for Japan, the sinking of the ship was seen by some as a symbolic end for the Japanese Empire. The ship remains part of Japanese culture, appearing in film, anime, and magna, such as in "Space Battleship Yamato" or "Star Blazers," when the Yamato is rebuilt as a spaceship.

The ship was written about in Second Life Newspaper in March 2009. Maddy Gynoid would later state that the ship was built in 2007, entirely with "classic" prims. But by March 2012, the ship was gone. But on September 2013, it was back. That would be the last the Newser would hear about it for a while. Recently, the Newser was alerted to a story in the "Real Virtual" blog by Maddy Gynoid that the ship was returning after it was apparently gone for a year. So I decided to stop by.

The SURL I saw in Maddy's story took me to the Yumix Ocean sim at (66/173/21), which borders the place where the Yamato is just to the north. Appropriately enough, the sim is called "Yamato Memorial." To my surprise, I saw the owner of the Yamato's neighboring sim, Yumix Writer. "Sim of a battleship restored two days ago," she told me. She pointed to Maddy's article, saying when he found the ships, the sim had just been created and was still inaccessible. But heading over, the area could be entered without trouble. The only limitation was that one can't teleport onto the battleship or any other ship in the sim, but only onto a small island in the northwest corner at the sim at Yamato Memorial (25/222/21)

The ship takes the length of the sim, and it's nationality is clearly distinguished by the Imperial Japanese flag, and the chrysanthemum symbol mounted on the bow of the ship. The ship is heavily armed with nine 46 cm (18.1 in) 45 caliber Type 94 naval guns on three turrets as the main armament, the largest kind ever mounted on a warship, Each gun was 21.1 meters (69.3 feet) long and weighed 147.3 metric tons (162.4 US tons), and could fire shells at targets 42 km (26 miles) away. The ship also had six 155 mm (6.1 inch) guns in two smaller turrets, and 24 127 mm guns. There are also many anti-aircraft guns on the ship.

There's a good amount of detail, such as the rifling of the main guns.  And one can make their way to the bridge with ladders. The inside of the bridge is somewhat lacking, but the detail elsewhere makes up for it. The Yamato can only be called a first-class build.

The Yamato is joined by other ships in the area. Next to it is the Imperial Japanese carrier Akagi. Both the Yamato and the Akagi were part of the Imperial task force in the Battle of Midway, but the battleships never saw any action while the carriers were sunk. The carrier has a small tower and bridge, and a number of planes on the top flight deck, a mix of fighters and torpedo bombers.

Besides anti-aircraft guns, the Akagi also has cannon: ten 50-caliber (23 cm) guns, six of them located in swivel mounts in the back. Why would a carrier have big guns? The ship had been built in the 1920s before it was fully realized how much of a disadvantage a carrier would have in a ship to ship duel without planes. The ship's main smokestack is located in an odd position: mounted on the side of the ship and angled downwards.

There are three other smaller ships in the vicinity. Also in the Yamato Memorial sim is a cargo ship and a Fubuki-class destroyer. These ships have been called the first modern destroyers, dangerous opponents in a fight even against much newer ships. The ship has both guns and torpedo launchers. To the north in Yumix Small Town is a Takao class heavy cruiser. Besides a distinctive bridge, the ship has five turrets with ten eight-inch (20.3 cm) guns.

In the past, there was a seaplane on the Yamato that could be boarded and launched from the catapults in the back. There was also a display of photographs in the interior, though could only be seen by panning around. Unfortunately, neither is available this time. But the ship is still very well done. The island to the northeast does have a gun that can be fired if one wears a HUD, as well as a small balloon launcher. It has a seaplane that can be boarded, but not flown. The northwest island has an Imperial tank, another anti-aircraft gun, and a bunker.

It seems that the Yamato has been used for some events. Maddy once found the ship all decorated for someone's wedding. He himself felt a battleship as the setting for a wedding was a little odd, "a wedding in front of the mouth of a 46cm gun is a bit brutal, but who knows."

The Yamato, and the other ships, were made by Masakado Allen. Besides his ships, he also has a page on Marketplace selling warplanes.

Mentioning the ship to friends, some wanted to see the vessel, fans of the "Star Blazers" anime, history buffs, and others.  So if you and your friends have a love of history, ships, and especially both, head on over and see the builds for yourselves.

Yamato Memorial (25/222/21)

Sources, Wikipedia, Real Virtual 

Bixyl Shuftan

Creations for Parkinsons

By Deaflegacy

Creations is a beautiful park, full of people meeting each other.  Beyond the beauty of the park, there is a reason. The reason is Parkinson's.  I came to Creations Park during a certain time that mermaids were getting together and the piano player, Ari (Arisia Vita), was there to play the music.  The music is beautiful.  The mermaids are beautiful.  But I came to the park for a reason.  I came to interview Barbie Alchemi and Ari about the roles they played in raising funds for the Parkinson's research.

It had been a very long time since Ari started playing piano for the Creations Park.  He did say that he found it pleasant to say yes when Barbie asked him to play piano for them.  It also gives Ari a chance to sit with Fran Serandade, at the piano.  "Yes," said Ari when I asked him if he would be playing for a long time.  "as long as I can help by playing."  Barbie sent me some information about Creations.  I'm going to put it in the article. 

I sat down with the information that Barbie had sent me.  I poured through it, eager for the information about Parkinson's. The information started with a bold title: UNDERSTANDING PARKINSON’S.  The information had plenty of information.  It said: 

"Parkinson’s disease is a chronic degenerative disorder involving the decrease of dopamine-releasing neurons in the central nervous system. Common symptoms upon early stages of Parkinson’s disease include increased rigidity of joints, shakiness and inability to walk or move quickly. Most early symptoms include the loss of movement-related abilities and skills. Later symptoms of Parkinson’s include cognitive and behavioral degeneration such as dementia.

According to research conducted by the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation (PDF), it is estimated that seven to 10 million people live with Parkinson’s disease worldwide. Studies from PDF also state that approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with the disease each year. The probability of a Parkinson’s diagnosis increases with age. As stated in the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation website, less than 4% of people under the age of 50 are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Although there is not yet a cure for Parkinson’s disease, some treatments, such as levadopa, are available. Levadopa is a chemical that crosses the blood-brain barrier and proves to lessen the impact of early symptoms. Many people with Parkinson’s report that regular participation in SecondLife drastically improved their movement related symptoms. Many of these people attribute symptom improvements to imagining themselves mirroring the physical movements of their avatar, which soon turned into the ability to actually make those movements. Research is currently underway to explore the possibility of possible scientific backing to these reports."

The information was helpful so I thought I'd share it with the world about what the Creations is all about, which is people devoted to helping the others with Parkinson's.

Deaflegacy

Mardi Gras Places in Second Life

By Gemma Cleanslate

A few more places are celebrating Mardi Gras in Second Life. Laura Liberty has opened her famous Mardi Gras Town. Go listen to the Zydeco  and Blues music of Louisiana in the street. Grab a hula hoop and have some fun! Any needs you have for decor you can find in the town shops. I saw some great masks and outfits too.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Townies/92/207/748


From Mardi Gras Town it is an easy tp over to Valentine Town from the street. I always take time to visit that too! The Love Buggy will take you and your honey on a sweet ride all around the town  with some visual surprises . Try it! Loads of valentine decor, outfits, and accessories are available in the stores. Townies (129/168/7)

Cay’s at Woodland Lake is really celebrating this fun holiday before the quiet. The sim is decorated for the event and there are parties every night and sometimes day! DJ Messalina was spinning tunes when I stopped over at an early party. I took a walk around town admiring the banners and other decor . The French Marketplace was fun to visit , showing the foods of New Orleans. The King Cake is a special delight at this time of year. I grabbed a piece  and a fork and had a wonderful taste. There is a subscribo on the wall in town to receive notices of events. I saw some notices around town that there may be some changes coming after Mardi Gras so don’t miss it now.

http://maps.secondlife.com/Pismo Beach/91/114/3760

The Plaza at Bourbon Street West is worth a stop to view Mardi Gras decor.There is a Mardi Gras party planned here on the 13th at 8:00, so put it on your list if you are doing Mardi Gras hopping that day. I looked in at the Musical Legends Park there where you can pick up biographies of various musicians. Hop the train and take a ride through Bourbon Street.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Zurich%20City/35/39/27

My last stop was most interesting. I visited a little gallery, the Sean Clancy Gallery, that houses marvelous photographs of the real New Orleans and south  Louisiana folks associated with Mardi Gras activities. "Mardi Gras Indians are Black Carnival revelers in New Orleans, Louisiana, who dress up for Mardi Gras in suits influenced by Native American ceremonial apparel.” 

Some intriguing photos are here and I recommend a stop. There is some good music playing here too from New Orleans radio. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Busiris/246/206/21

Gemma Cleanslate

Virtual Museum of Black History

By Gemma Cleanslate

I am sorry to say I missed the grand opening of the Virtual Black History Museum in Second Life in December. I know the opening went very well with an original art exhibit featuring three photographers in the gallery and live performances and raffle prizes for attendee and an outdoor market. This will be a good time to write about the Museum though since February is the Black History month in the USA.

The museum is the brainchild of ßяια Ŏ (abriannaoceanside) with the partnership of  Broderick Logan (BroderickLogan Resident, fellow curator. Broderick  “handles  the arts and merchant side of things and is a huge part of the overall design” When I first met Bria back in November she told me, “We'll be highlighting key genres influenced by African American musicians and spotlighting some specific talents.” At that time there were pieces that were very reminiscent of New Orleans and Bria told me that it is a favorite place of hers musically. She attended a jazz fest there and it changed her life.of the museum she says “It's not just here to be informative, but hopefully progressive. It's already taught me that not only is the world filled with amazing people within the community, but also amazing allies that truly are an important element of the change our society needs. It's also going to be a place where we can celebrate and learn from EACH OTHER, which is just as important as paying respect to the journey that led us here. “

The modern museum building houses the history rooms and Time Line. The information is presented in a way that is easy to read and follow. The Time line begins with the founding of Jamestown and moving through the years of trial, suffering and triumphs for the African Americans to the present time.

 In the other room there is a wall sharing current issues of the day that are actually remnants of the early years. The adjacent wall  has some really interesting little known facts to add to your education.

 The next wall is a biography wall of some early black pioneers in various fields that have affected the country.

Upstairs is the gallery at this time showing works of by three artists, YukiOnna Senaki, Rya Santana, and Trish Claremont.  Be sure to walk through to see the eclectic collection while it is there . There are bio cards on each artist that share their visions.

Outside there is a plaza area with a charming cafe . I ran into my friend  Ciska, and we sat and had a drink.

The opening event on February 1, featured the talented singer, Hedy Patrucci.  Her music was lovely and elegant and she took requests from the audience. It was the first time I have heard her and I was so impressed. During the month of February there will be many live events . When you visit check out the calendar at the entrance for more events or join the group to stay informed.

 I hope you will have time to make a visit to this wonderful addition to sl and return often as the museum progresses and the Gallery changes.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Herald/81/184/122

Gemma Cleanslate

Mardi Gras Parade in Shared Fantasy

By Gemma Cleanslate

Laissez les bon temps rouler...It is that time again!! There will be some wonderful Mardi Gras sites in Second Life with parties going on for the next week or so to get ready for the quiet period of Lent . Lots of the colors of Mardi Gras visible: purple representing justice, green for faith and gold for power. This tradition began at the first Mari Gras.  Rex, the King of Mardi Gras, selected the official Mardi Gras colors in 1872 to honor the visiting Russian Grand Duke Alexis Alexis Alexandrovich Romanov, whose house colors were purple, green and gold. The 1892 Rex Parade theme "Symbolism of Colors" affirmed the colors' meaning. And it continues today.

One region is all set and ready to roll. FrannyDJ Dean already has her fabulous parade out on the streets and moving along. This is her fourth annual parade and is in Shared Fantasy this year. From the moment you arrive you feel as if you are now in New Orleans! In the entry I grabbed my beads and a crawfish nibbles and got ready for the parade.There are more beads around on the street. I got some more from a teddy bear. I hopped on the Energizer Bunny float and actually floated in the air next to him as we went down the street. I jumped on a few more floats and watched the others go by. 

I had to take my hair down to wear the derby I wore on a float. To take a break I walked through the park to the Carnival that is set up and took in a few of the rides and fun games set up on the river’s edge next to the steamboat. They have wonderful funnel cakes too.

Back to the parade route it feels like New Orleans French Quarter with the style of the buildings.
There are several clubs worth a visit and some open  bars along the side streets . Don’t miss the Voodoo shop where you can pick up more beads and some charming little masks I ran into Bayou Diesel and had a beignet and daquiri with him . He is hanging out taking pictures and enjoying the Mardi Gras sims before the big day. After our philosophy class our professor and several of the students went over and rode the floats!

Do not miss the parties that will be taking place on the steamboat with FrannyDJ Dean. Always great fun! It would be a good idea to join the group F*A*M*E so you don’t miss the fun. Watch for other Mardi Gras sites to visit .

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Shared%20Fantasy/55/176/1163

Gemma Cleanslate