Goodbye and thank you

I thought long and hard about whether to write any last thoughts here or to leave it as it was, BUT I have a feeling others will make things up or read more into our closure than there actually is......


My reasons for closing the newspaper are simple - Real Life is more important!
Yes there are others who would willingly take over and, in fact, Bixyl has done an amazing job over the last few months BUT sl-newspaper was one mans' dream and one I was happy to be a part of and with his departure and our real lives taking over then its time for SLN to close down.


Over the last 4 years we have had the honour of working with some amazing people and seen so many changes in SL my wish is that people do not give up on the good that can be achieved within these virtual worlds (just look at RFL and all the good it does).


One thing I would hope for the future of SL is that the Lindens go back and realise what they are destroying with their policies. The sheer creativity, communication and international impact somewhere like Secondlife can be is being eaten away by the Lindens stupidly ignoring the content creators with their ill thought out policies which help no-one except their own pockets. 


I would personally like to thank certain people who have helped and supported us through everything, people like Bixyl, Gemma and Shellie who have continued to work hard for SLN even without guidance, and the many reporters who have written for us in the past plus the many sponsors over the years.
Skybeam and its amazing community has been a home away from home and one place I can always visit and feel welcome.
Nevar and Ame the best friends a person could hope for.
10 Goosson of M&M is another I shall keep in touch with and hope all the best for her future with M&M sculpts and her new home.
To be honest there are just too many to name and those friends I have not named will know I will forever hold you in my heart.
Breezes and Glitter my SL family, I will always be there for you and I am so glad I brought you to SL and a new way of finding your dreams.


One man, James T Juno, brought SL-Newspaper to life and made it one of the widest known and read newspapers in virtual worlds but more than that he made dreams come true, mine in particular, and would like the thank him for that.


"Don't cry because you are leaving, smile because you were there."


Dana Vanmoer

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All Good Things ...

When I first arrived at SL Newspaper, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. It was only weeks before in which I had shed the newbie avatar, and made some real friends and a couple hangouts in the metaverse. I was fairly confident I’d be able to do an article a week on something, along with at least one funny picture, but I was still the junior guy. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

In October 2007, it had been just weeks before I truly considered my newcomer status over. I’d shed the old-style ringtail I’d stepped into the Metaverse with and took on the red Luskwood fox as my appearance, found a couple hangouts, and made some good friends. Wanting to know more about Second Life, I searched the ‘net for websites about it. That’s how I found out about Second Life Newspaper. I enjoyed reading it every day, and peeking into the archives. Then I saw an article asking for reader submissions for articles and funny pictures. After sending a few in, Owner JamesT Juno and Editor Dana Vanmoer asked me to the office to talk about a position in the staff.

And the rest they say, is history. 

It’s been a lot of work. I like to write, but I aim to do it well. And whenever writers block set in, it could be a struggle. But I kept up doing at least one article and cartoon a week, and usually did more. My search for things to write about took me all over the grid, and sometimes I didn’t have to look far at all for something. Quite a variety too, from art galleries to sports fields, from churches to adult entertainment, from monuments to roleplays, from politics to science, from clubs to game shows, from “SLeberties” to people noted in real life dropping in on the Metaverse, I can say I’ve written pretty much about all kinds of subjects. And the journey has brought me a few friends as well, people I continue to keep in touch with. And it’s allowed me to give a few talented friends some deserved exposure. 

Been through a bit of Second Life history as well, from the Banking Crisis, to the SL5 celebration, to the VAT rules, to the Openspace mess, to the Presidential 2008 election, to the Adult Verification debate, to the Relay for Life walks, the Burning Life events, and many other events. 

And in the process, learning a little more about being a journalist. 

“What a strange, long, trip it’s been.”

I had a terrific team to work with: Gemma Cleanslate, Breezes Babii, Grey Lupindo, and Shellie Sands. In the past, there was more: Nazz Lane, Alesia Schumann, Delinda Dyrssen, Penance Sautereau, Dashwood Dayafter, Dixie Barbosa, Neuron Bandit, Baron DeSantis,Any1 Gynoid, and many others.

And of course JamesT Juno and Dana Vanmoer, who made it possible.

Sadly, for Second Life Newspaper, the journey is over. It was a great newspaper that both informed and entertained the residents of the Metaverse, and a few non-residents curious about the place. We the staff will very much miss it.

We at the staff have thought about what to do. We could easily find other jobs in Second Life. But I personally have been reporting too long to simply just give it up.

So, I’m prepared to start again.

I’ve created a news blog page at http://slnewser.blogspot.com/  -  “Second Life News.” A small start, but with effort, it can grow to be something big. Chatting with the crew, some have expressed interest in joining up. And once we get sponsors, we truly will be an online newspaper.

There will be a few rough spots along the way in running this new bird. Dana is leaving some big shoes to fill. But being a newser at heart, nothing to do but step forward. If Second Life has showed me anything, it’s that this is a land of possibilities. 

And so, hello to the new newspaper, and goodbye to the retired one. She served us well.

“And that’s the way it is.” Good night from Second Life Newspaper.

Bixyl Shuftan

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My Farewell to SLN

Shortly after I came to SL three years ago my friend Breezes introduced me to her sl daughter Dana Vanmoer. I began to read the SL-Newspaper, of which Dana was the editor at the time. 
As I visited the many wonderful sites in SL and had so many thrilling experiences I thought to myself, perhaps I could write about some of these places. I talked to Dana and she invited me to be a freelance journalist and submit articles to the paper. It had been a while since I had written but I began and as more articles were published I gained confidence and wrote more.. James T Juno, the founder of the newspaper, interviewed me and my role was enlarged to regular reporter.  I loved doing it and eventually became a frequent contributor.
 I am eternally grateful to Dana and James for allowing me to join the crew and have so much fun. I found the Newspaper to be very professionally run and up on the latest issues that affected sl inhabitants. It will be a great loss to the daily readers. It will be a greater loss to the members of the newspaper family. I will miss the work, the meetings, sharing of ideas. 
 I would also like to thank Bixyl Shuftan for his advice, and support .
 Thank you Dana and James and good life to each of you!

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Greetings Dear Designer.....

      I am one of the Mall Managers for Bejambled Mall.  We are an very well established mall that is now under new management.  We are here to invite you to join some of our current vendors such as Alienbrear's Designs, Donna Flora, Aidoru, Bennelong Designs, SpiritWeaver Jewelers, Twinkleberry, as well as BastChild's Evocative Fine Jewelry as we present an opportunity/idea to bring together 60 of Second Life's finest, high-couture designers at one location.  Our idea is to bring QUALITY not QUANTITY so the above-average shopper has just one place to come for high-quality merchandise from head to toe.   In addition to clothing, we want to showcase jewelry, shoes, artwork, skins as well as host exclusive events to guarantee consumer traffic.

     As an exclusive introductory package, with 2-weeks paid tiers on any of our stores, you will receive 2 weeks free tiers.  Additional prims and/or additional store space will also be available upon request.

Vendor Store Rental Rates:
100 prims/Tiers of 350L a week
150 prims/ Tiers of 550L a week
200 prims/ Tiers of 700L a week

Vendor Kiosk Rental Rate:
35 prims/ Tiers of $125L a week

     We invite you to tour the establishment or to contact any of our Bejambled Management Staff for a tour and or additional information about the vision we plan to create which will be know as Bejambled Mall.

You will notice on your tour the unique design and build of the mall as QUALITY is our number one priority.

We look forward to your visit as well as the opportunity to welcome you into our Bejambled Mall exclusive list of vendors.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Reublin/192/96/41

The Bejambled Mall Management Staff
Maira Pinelli, Bejambled Manager
CognacLady Boxen, Bejambled Manager
Ebonny Rae, Bejambled Manager
Adonis Action, Bejambled Mall Owner

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M&M Creations: New Look, Same Commitment to Quality

Second Life Newspaper recently met up with 10 Goosson of M&M Creations about what has been happening at her store. “M&M Creations just keeps steady and growing as usual,” 10 explained, “We’ve lots to talk about and show Second Life residents. I’ll make it a short list.”


* The scenery screens have been deleted. After three years of selling those, the interest and needs were gone.

* Part of the main mall has been taken by the tree shop with all trees repacked with a temporary rez. So click, see and buy, or leave. Easy and much better than walking over the entire island and not being able to find what you are looking for.

* The flowershop, same story. The flowers have all been repacked, and some new shapes (sepals) have been added, with temporary rez as well. I dusted all flowers this way and was surprised about what I've created last three years.

* The landscaping shop has had a small transformation as well. It's filled, again a fast and easy way to see all builds rezzed, by using the good TP-system to visit the object you want to see.

* Marcthur is still releasing the Antique builder-packs. Those seem to be very popular.

* M&M Fashion will get more time and attention. Full Permission outfits with all materials used are very new in Second Life. Especially because all creators are so anxious about their goods being copied or stolen. We ignore the fear and keep making new things Full Permission to help designers of any level with good stuff to create great objects/outfits.

* It was time to create a new Tutorial: Fit & Wear Fashion Sculpts. A lot of questions about it and it isn't easy. So this tutorial is almost finished.

* In the line of this new tutorial, I will give the other three (and the new one of course) in-world and will schedule these. So there will be a long running event in June: Tutorials. So, classes, classes and classes (this time on our islands platform with the possibility to rez, all people who will participate, can build right at the spot)

* I changed the island that much, only a few parts are recognizable as they were.


- The fairyland is more wetlands and has a huge cave with colorful scenes, all fantasy-flowers, fairy-like landscaping items, etc., are rezzed. I'm still amazed I built this all myself and I wonder around at midnight. The stage is wide and open next to the seaside with some quiet, hidden, corners to relax.

- We embraced Annika Designs with her low-prim builds (caves, waterfalls) so she has a part to rez a few of her great builds.

* Marc is also renewing the oldies. The cherubs have lighting shades and a very special copper texture. They look amazing.

* New fashion sculpts are made of course. Some of those oldies are renewed, because they needed the newest skills of the creator (grin).


10 only had a little time to chat, so she was soon on her way, heading to one of her classes to offer free lessons.

Always evolving, M&M continues to offer shoppers high quality sculpted outdoor products, and 10 Goosson is still personally helping those new to building to become better at it.

M&M is at the Double MM sim: Click Here for the SLURL.

Bixyl Shuftan

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Today in SL Newspaper

In Community, after being shut down for months, Club Zero Gravity was back in business, Nydia Tungsten reopening the space club to a happy crowd. In Extra Extra, we have a little poetry from Shellie Sands, "The Fury of the Storm."

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Watch this space.........

We have some HUGE news for our readers 

Come and join us on Saturday at Skybeam to find out what it is!

Watch this space for Teleport on the day

Dana

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Cartoon of the Day

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Quit Facebook Day

Most people thought of Monday May 31st as Memorial Day and nothing else. But it was also designated by some as “Quit Facebook Day.”

Lately, the widely popular social networking site has come under fire for its policies concerning privacy, that it’ discloses information about users without their consent, and that it makes efforts to block such disclosures very difficult. Comments earlier in the year by Facebook’s creator Mark Zuckerman that “some aspects of privacy are a thing of the past,” did not help matters. In the past, it changed it’s terms of service to appear that once a user shared content on it, it had total control over it. But when faced with a formal complaint with the US Federal Trade Commission, it backed down. But only months later it was once again getting accusations.

So it was probably inevitable that some people would respond by pulling the plug on Facebook. But two people, Joseph Dee and Matthew Milan, took it a step further by asking people to do so all at once on one single day, May 31.

“Sick of Facebook’s lack of respect for your data?” the site www.quitfacebookday.com/ asked viewers, “Add your name and commit to quit! Why are we quitting? For us it comes down to two things: fair choices and best intentions. In our view, Facebook doesn't do a good job in either department. Facebook gives you choices about how to manage your data, but they aren't fair choices, and while the onus is on the individual to manage these choices, Facebook makes it damn difficult for the average user to understand or manage this. We also don't think Facebook has much respect for you or your data, especially in the context of the future.”

It was brought up that for those quitting to preserve their privacy, it might already be too late. They would still have peoples’ information, and mine it. And there were those who thought the website was a waste of time to begin with , and people should get off privacy issues or no. Ironically enough, some “Quit Facebook” pages sprang up on the social networking site itself. The main one was tagged by several thousand users. A few pro-Facebook pages sprang up, but they were outnumbered and heavily outmanned.

Response to the call to quit was small. A poll taken on the day showed only about 11 percent of the users surveyed had even heard of “Quit Facebook Day,” and only two percent committed themselves to quitting. One user commented that he couldn't quit because his job depended on use of the site.

Despite it’s problems, Facebook was listed by Google as the world’s most popular site. But it still faces trouble. With the legal questions continuing to dog it, a survey made by an IT security firm suggested 60% of users polled had considered quitting.

Sources: PC Magazine, PC World, Facebook

Bixyl Shuftan

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