Playing Underage Children In SL

YOU KNOW, I've been playing a child in second life for about three months, The things I have noticed are sick, and it scares the living out of me.

I've seen people ask kids for in game sex favours, and asking kids to do more than just that.

I have also noticed that the kids, or should we say the adults that play kids in second life, are not always what they seem, some of the adults do it for the thrill of being young again, but I've noticed a few people (who names I shall not say) do it to 'get off' in real life.

Don't worry, I have reported them.

I have joined a group called 'Stop Child Abuse & Pornography' this groups' goal is to try to get second life to listen.

I have to agree, for me second life is letting these things happen they're not cracking down hard enough.

However they don't let people do underage sex in the game. If you play a child they tell you that you can't do stuff you would do with a adult av. I think this is great, BUT I think they need to enforce it more and make it so People understand that life in second life is kinda like real life. People in this game are real people, even though they are avatars, they've got feelings behind the persona, they think and act, and do stuff in real life.

Second Life should be treated somewhat like real life, you have jobs, and go too school and do things like in real life.

Here are some hints to the people who play child av's to protect themselves if something happens.

1. Save any text and report it to abuse line. (to save text hit history and highlight it, and hit ctrl c open a new note card hit ctrl v and hit save)
2. Don't go to rated M land, your a child, act like one!
3. Careful who you talk to, if they act strange in anyway tp the heck out of there
4. Wear clothing that fits, don't wear small tight clothing, or lose clothing
5. Stay with an adult or other friends

If you do this, you will narrow the chances of a person asking your underage av to do sick things. Please keep this in mind, if we all fight child abuse in second life we will win. Also that group i mentioned above you can IM me to join it.

This is Zaclegend Usher

You can IM me for further info about this topic thank you, for reading.

Times of your (Second) Life: Secrets and Lies

We live in a virtual world. Our virtual bodies existing on virtual land, doing virtual jobs, making virtual friends, and maybe having virtual relationships. But this is our make believe existence, and we are all pretending, while side by side living our real lives, away from our SL selves. We do not even go by our real names. With all this facade and fantasy, it is only natural that SL residents can start to have issues over what they believe. What is truth and what is acting? Who’s playing a game, and who is being played?

Due to this, it’s hardly surprising that a number of Private Investigators have set up shop in Second Life, snooping the dark areas of the grid on the trail of that piece of evidence that could either confirm your fears or prove that the object of your doubts is true to their word. One of the most established and successful of these is Mercury Madsen, the man behind the ' Mercury Heat' Detective Agency. Mercury investigates everything from possible partner cheating to property being used when you’re not online, and even unscrupulous business partners or employees. I had the chance to sit down with him, to have a chat about his unique perspectives coming from his inworld experiences:

Voodoo: So how long have you been working as an investigator in SL?
Mercury Madsen: 6 months
Voodoo: What drew you to doing this as your inworld profession?
Mercury Madsen: Just fancied the idea of detective and gadgets to follow and find out things used to be club manager and had to keep track of staff. That’s how I started to learn trade then set u business after that
Voodoo: And you've been in demand?
Mercury Madsen: Yep, there’s a high demand for PI’s. There’s many different reasons. The most popular reason for hire is cheating partners, but have had many different.
Voodoo: What has been the most unusual, if you can tell me?
Mercury Madsen: Can't go into any details, but tracking objects from different places including cash and sexual equipment. A company owner thought staff were stealing money, so I tracked them. That’s really all can say about that (confidential etc). Can get nasty though and have to watch my back, keep distance….
Voodoo: Have you ever had any comeback from those you have investigated?
Mercury Madsen: No. I am very careful to cover my tracks and I have a lot of tracking and bugging equipment to prevent that.
Voodoo: Do you think that SL naturally makes people suspicious? Due to the fact that we are all wearing these AV masks?
Mercury Madsen: There are 2 types of people in my experience on here. The 1st is the type that see sl as a completely different world and what happens on here stays on here, but very real too; and there are people who see this as a game and it don't matter what they do on here.
Voodoo: So, the problems arise when the one gets involved with the other?
Mercury Madsen: Problem arises when people see sl as true to life and the other person sees as a bit of fun. If playing a game you act differently to when your actions have an effect on life, even if a sl, and that’s when problems can occur
Voodoo: When one person is serious, and the other persons freewheeling actions can cause hurt?
Mercury Madsen: Yep, in many cases, but there are many different situations and every case is slightly different.
Voodoo: There have been stories of RL partners hiring detectives to look into what their other halves are doing inworld. Have you been approached to do any of these?
Mercury Madsen: No, not had that one yet, but will maybe get some soon. Have also heard stories about that, but mostly sl partners.
Voodoo: So, in your experience, how justified are the suspicions of SL residents? Are people generally untrustworthy?
Mercury Madsen: I deal with the people that are untrustworthy. That could be a low % of total people compared to total population, but in many cases the people suspicions are right.
Voodoo: But there are still a few people who are true to their words?
Mercury Madsen: In what way u mean, as in trustworthy?
Voodoo: Yes, that people are suspected of being up to no good, but the suspicions are found to be unfounded?
Mercury Madsen: Yes, there are a few, and the person hiring me is just being over cautious.
Voodoo: Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers, if they are worried that they might be being deceived? Any telltale signs?

Mercury Madsen: Well exactly like rl, really if a story of when on sl or what doing does not add up, or someone’s lying about when they’re on, like clicking appear off line option, then they are up to something. Then it is my job to find that out, with evidence for them!

Previous articles in this series:

Times of your (Second) Life Part 1: Pregnancy

Times of your (Second) Life Part 2: Childhood

Times of your (Second) Life Part 3: Getting a Job

Times of your (Second) Life Part 4: Dating

Times of your (Second) Life Part 5: Weddings

A New Beginning Adoption Agency

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Come check us out today and get a panel, we also have reffer program 3l for kids you reffer 25l for every parent, have the reffer im zaclegend with your name for credit!
Have a Great Day

Shock Discovery of M8

Dear Bella,

I have just found out that my best m8 is a woman! With voice in second life, I couldn't wait to chat to my best m8 the way we had been for months but he kept declining my calls, saying he didnt have a mic.

Then I heard him talking to some 1 else and was shocked to hear a girls voice. Why would he pretend to be a man when he is a girl? Why wouldn't he/she share something like this with me? What am I going to do? I feel betrayed and tricked and made a fool of. I told him/her all kinds of things you would only share with another man.

"Hurt and Confused"

Dear 'Hurt and Confused',

Deceit is hardly a good basis for any kind of relationship, so you are justified in feeling betrayed.

Why a person would pretend to be a gender they're not is understandable. I know several people who have wanted to experience life as the opposite sex, for different reasons.

One woman pretended to be a man to avoid all the sexual attention they were getting; and another, a man, pretended to be a woman because they wanted a pretty avatar to look at, and to also see if it were true that you can get men to do things for you if you're a pretty woman.

BUT the fact that your friend chose to keep you in the dark about this is the issue, not the fact that they were pretending to be something they weren't.

True friendship is a relationship where you share confidences and trust that the other person has your best interests at heart.
As the old saying goes: "Friendship is knowing all about somebody, and loving them just the same."

Your friend either didn't trust you to share the reasons why they were a woman/girl pretending to be a man; or their priority was to see just how far they could take it without being discovered. (They must have done a good job or else your suspicious would have been roused!)

The challenge for you will be seeing if you can get past their deception as you may always have an element of not trusting them from now on. You will probably find out more about why they did this when you tell them you know their secret. That will be the turning point.

They will either tell you all about it, or not. You will know instinctively what course of action you want to take once you have both broached the subject and had some open discussion about it.

Best of luck! I'll be interested to hear back from you why they felt it necessary to keep such an elemental part of their personality from you.

Bella

Times of your (Second) Life: Weddings

You’ve found that special someone. You adore spending time together. You’re perfectly matched and you want to let them know that this is it. You want to be with them, and only them, for the rest of your lives. But how to show them? How to make it clear that they are the only one for you? Well, sounds like there’s a question that needs to be popped. “Will you marry me?”

Weddings are big business in Second Life, in much the same way as real life. But since rl weddings can be one of the most stressful and complicated things to prepare and go through, what makes SL residents go through all that in their virtual lives? To find out a little more, I spoke to Alisha Appin, the lady behind “Love Story Weddings” (Click here to visit), a wedding provider with over a years inworld experience, that organises and hosts many weddings and receptions, using either one of their fantastically built wedding areas, or if needs must, giving a full customised wedding service for your special day. I sat down with her to find out a little more about the SL wedding experience, and why people do it in the first place.

Voodoo: How long have you been organising weddings in SL?
Alisha Appin: In Secondlife, about a year now
Voodoo: Do you deal with weddings in real life too?
Alisha Appin: I do planning for friends and family mostly in rl about 4 years working with that in my free time.
Voodoo: Is that what inspired you to become a virtual wedding planner?
Alisha Appin: It’s funny, a guess you could consider that to be my inspiration but really I was looking for a time consuming job. I’m a workaholic. I started working for Love Story about 6 months ago and I bought the company from the original owners July 1st.
Voodoo: And you've had a lot of success with it?
Alisha Appin: We’re trying lol. We’ve been number one in the places search for weddings a few times this week
Voodoo: So, what do you think makes Weddings such a popular thing in Second Life? After all, with the partner system, there is already a way of showing your commitment. Why do people still go for all the pomp and ceremony?
Alisha Appin: Most of my clients are people engaged or already married in real life celebrating anniversaries etc. I did a wedding last week for a couple. He was in Iraq and she was at home and it was suppose to be their rl wedding date but he couldn’t go home for it. They used voice etc. I promise not a dry eye in the chapel
Voodoo: So, it's kind of a real life wedding substitute?
Alisha Appin: I would say at least for 90 % of my clients yes for about the other 10% i would say because its cheap and easy. For 5 real dollars you can be married and hey if you don’t like them the next day pick another one and try again lol
Voodoo: Obviously, Second life is a place with a lot of unusual subcultures. Do you get many requests for specifically Gor or Vampire or Furry weddings?
Alisha Appin: I’ve only done a few furry weddings, but vampire and goth is a weekly theme around here and we have the occasional Neko couple etc
Voodoo: Do they have any particular special wedding needs that provide a particular challenge?
Alisha Appin: Not really, I tell my clients "you want it you get it" so if i cant do it ill find someone that can. But nothing really out of the ordinary. I’ve had to build blood rivers and cake shooting blood etc. We did a milk fountain for a Neko wedding things like that.
Voodoo: Is there any advice you would give to any of our readers thinking about getting hitched?
Alisha Appin: If your going into book a wedding make sure you have personal items picked. Wedding colors, the date you’re wanting, a time that’s good for you and your fiancée. Those are most important. Anything other than that, throw at me. I love a challange
Voodoo: So, even virtual weddings need a fair bit of planning?
Alisha Appin: I can have a wedding ready in 5 minutes but I prefer about a week or two. A lot of people ask how long do I need in advance and really that’s up to the couple as long as the date and time is available.
Voodoo: So, it's as complicated as the bride and groom want it to be?
Alisha Appin: Yes, it can be as simple and close-knit as they want it or as big and elaborate as they want. I’m working with a couple that has already been 2 months in planning and we’re looking at least another month or two. Having everything custom made from manicures and pedicures to hair, clothes, flowers etc
Voodoo: Well, thank you for giving us a looking into the world of Second life matrimony.

Previous articles in this series:
Times of your (Second) Life Part 1: Pregnancy
Times of your (Second) Life Part 2: Childhood
Times of your (Second) Life Part 3: Getting a Job
Times of your (Second) Life Part 4: Dating

What 2 years of SL does to you ...

On the 8th of November, 2007, the SL Newspaper will exist exactly 1 year !! And I promise you, that'll be a big cake !! On November 8, 2006, our CEO JamesT Juno wrote his first article. Well, it wasn't his first article, but at least it was the first official SL Newspaper article. From that day on, the SLN really took off.

Starting with the site, linking to several blogs, it really looked like a newspaper site and a lot has changed since then. We've moved sections around, a number of excellent writers joined us and basically, we're still a bunch of volunteers, enjoying working for the SL Newspaper. But .. it all started with that one article, written by the CEO and founder, JamesT Juno.

Or ... actually, the paper started about 2 years ago as an experiment, as James explained. With only about 40 readers daily, the year before the actual start of the SLN, he already had a blog that he called the SL Newspaper. It was mostly about his newbie experiences in Second Life, and I found the real first article. And .. OMG .. I never realized that even our distinguished CEO, usually dressed up in his expensive suit, was once a newbie. And looked like one !!


Although new to Second Life, he wasn't new to writing and publishing. Even before this first article from September 2005, he had his own blog called '15 Timez', basically writing funny stories.

So, as I said, the SL Newspaper has started out as just a small blog, but now has grown to a newspaper that's read and appreciated by around 10,000 people per day. Correction: 10k not-unique hits per day. Which means that some people actually check the paper more than once per day. Isn't that flattering :-) By now we have 2 offices and a number of coffeshops and fan shops, scattered all over the grid. Soon we'll open our 10th location.

All in all, and I'm sure I'm speaking on behalf of the entire staff and freelancers, we are very proud how he established that, how he made it grow into what the SL Newspaper is today. If he wasn't as persistant as he is, we wouldn't have all this fun working for the SLN and informing you people about things going on in Second Life.

And, to be honest, I'm very glad he lost the newbie spikey hair !! Now we just gotta get him to wear some jeans, instead of the CEO suit ....


By the way, of course there'll be big celebrations upcoming for the official first anniversary of the SL Newspaper in November. More about that later. And if you want to visit our latest new location, please follow this SLurl.

Who Does Voodoo? I do:

Having been a member of the SL Newspaper for some time now, and mingled with my fellow reporters on both social & official occasions, I already knew that each of us has a special talent or knack for creativity.
Obviously because we all are involved in the newspaper we generally do not use our medium to promote ourselves. However, I have decided to break that 'rule' and declare myself a fan of a colleague, namely
Voodoo Buwan.
I knew from past experience that he was not only a great photographer but also, on the sly, a rather good poet too. After a chance conversation, I hopped over to his new studio, and found a whole new version of the Voodoo I already knew. The photographs within are of everyday subjects but at the same time manage to provoke quite extraordinary emotions and mental images. One in particular (I won't mention title), initially invoked a sexual content, followed by an alien type emotion, then finally (very strange) a combination of both!!
Voodoo has managed to create an exhibition of his work that is both 'static' but full of life, emotion, depth and simplicity all in one.
His 'romantic' & quite deep side can be found within his poetry also (see the book as you enter).
I for one am delighted to have visited his gallery, bought.. yes bought some of his work & placed it with pleasure in my SL house, but am even more pleased that he is one of the members of a team that I am proud to be part of, and will always support.
VOODOO, keep up the great work mate.

Voodoo's gallery can be seen at :
WHODOVOODOO, Haven (137, 210, 74)

By Baron DeSantis

I Have A Problem!

I WANT TO START MATCH MAKING PEOPLE! But the Grand Poobah here at SL Newspaper isn't convinced there is a need for a guiding hand in the 'romance' stakes.

So ... are there people out there who are too shy to get the ball rolling on a new romance? Been in love and had your heart broken, and still feeling a bit gun shy to try it again? Haven't met the right person for you yet?

Just IM me (or write an email to: BellaTheWise@gmail.com ) telling me a bit about yourself and what you are looking for in a partner.

If all goes well, I'll organise a get together / beach party at our new lovely beach area here at the paper's headquarters in Sunrise Reef and "oil the wheels a little" for people who need a helping hand. Games, dancing, scuba diving, beach play and good ol' socialising with a drink or two ...

"Spring is sprung, the grass is riz, I wonder where the birdies is?" You don't want spring to arrive and have love in the air, and still be on your own, do you?

Bella

Introducing JunkDNA Fiction

JunkDNA Fiction is the Second Life bookstore of SL and RL author Made in DNA (SL moniker: JunkDNA Watanabe)
located on Publishers Island at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Publishing%20Island/63/187/36 (right up the street from both SL Guides and SL Newspaper).

Specializing in original SCIENCE FICTION, BIZARRO, NOIR and CYBERPUNK themes, the store carries a variety of short story work in an easy-to-read format that you can either REZ or WEAR (HUD CENTER 2) to enjoy.
Stop by for the SAMPLES available of every title, or freely read the Japanese horror story THE DIPLOMACY OF DEATH right there in the store! (You can probably even wrangle a free copy just by asking.)

Inquiries and new friends of the store always welcome! -- Fresh Like Sushi -- The Moped Ronin
http://www.mopedronin.com

On the 7th of June 2007 we could all read the message below on the blog : http://mariogerosa.blogspot.com

These days the italian press is representing SL as a bad and dark world. I don't subscribe to this point of view. As I say in my book SL is very eclectical, art oriented and full of creative people. Don't let that a few people destroy the reputation of this world! Let's fight the crimes in Second Life but let's also contribute to know this world better! For this reason, I launch a campaign against the criminalization of SL and I invite all the ones who read to send me a photo of their avatar like the one I posted, taken in Imogen (227, 253, 28).

Now, more then 2 months later we can still see a growing amount of pictures as requested on the wonderfull blog. Message to Mario Gerosa (RL journalist and writer of "Mondi virtuali")... Keep up the great job you are doing !

Runaway with Cheen:

As an admirer & collector of the arts within SL,
I gave me great pleasure to interview one of my favourite creators, Cheen Pitney, sculptor who also has a sense of humour.
BD: As one of the leading figures in the SL Sculptor scene, what is your RL background, art wise?
CP: Well, that's very nice of you to say but I am a relative new comer to the concept of digital 3d art. Having graduated from art school and spending my life covering the arts from murals to logos, from illustration to carved concrete sculptures, from map making to sign painting it was a pleasant surprise for me to find this new way of creating art ...... digital 3d building, what a treat.
BD: Your avatar name of Cheen Pitney, any significance to the 'other' Pitney, Gene?
CP: Ah, yes, .. to Runaway to another world, what a more fitting tribute than to the master crooner and besides isn't Cheen a cool name. Hardly anyone says Gesundheit .... anymore.
BD: I am impressed with the sheer scale of some of your works, especially the 'Crossed Swords'. How do you begin such a large work, the thought process etc. Do you sketch beforehand ?
CP: Crossed Swords is an extension of the Shattered Sword which was germinated by the ability here to freeze motion in space, as the shards of metal that are suspended in these pieces. Of course the smaller the components are the larger the piece must be and here in SL dimensions are virtually limitless. I have sketched ideas occasionally but, as all mediums do, the 3d SL engine and the prims determine the result to a great extent.
BD: Much of your work seems to be based on 'fantasy' ..unicorns etc. Where do you find inspiration?
CP: Well one of my favourite things is when a client comes up with a challenge for me and the fantasy/myth/legend realm is very popular in this as many other alternative universes. For myself I leave it up to the Muse that is with me at the moment.... and I like to play with forms. BD: What brought you into the SL world? and apart from sculpture, what is your favourite area in SL?
CP: Having read the spate of articles about SL I was reluctant at first to log on imagining that it would be all consuming, which of course it can be, hahahahah. As soon as I saw the fantastic things being created here by Starax, Stormy, Stella and a swarm of others it became obvious I had to learn to do this and luckily I turned out to be pretty adept at it... plus it's tons o' fun to travel around and see the crazy things folks dream up.
BD: I have asked this of other artists, but how to you feel the RL & SL art community can interact/evolve?
CP: Mmmm..... that's a toughie because RL art touches so many more senses than SL art can. Even though you shouldn't you know you could touch one of the silky marble sculptures in the Uffizi and if they let you close enough you could smell the stone and if you licked it, it would taste. Perhaps it's a matter of RL art and DIGITAL WORLD art .... as all oil paintings smell of oil, all digital art smells of ozone. On the technical side I think that SL is wonderful for promoting 2d artists from RL although once again it is a screen not a canvas.
BD: In SL, apart from your own work, what is your favourite piece of sculpture, and why?
CP: Some of the artist here have the ability to make a statement, show an emotion, evoke a feeling and one of my favourites of these is Stormy Roentgen and the piece I would choose is her sculpture titled "Scorned". Stormy is of course highly adept at jamming prims together and in this piece she virtually rips open her psyche to send the orange pain radiating to the universe in invisible screams of rage..... that's what I get out of it anyway, lol.
BD: Same question but this time in relation to RL.
CP: No doubt in RL my favourite piece of sculpture is the giant bronze canoe by Bill Reid in the Vancouver International Airport. I have been fascinated by west coast aboriginal art since I came to Canada and he is one of the best. The multitude of figures on this canoe and the interplay of forms and shapes keep me staring at this masterpiece for hours ... o , and Petel is good too, to say the least.
BD: Who, either living or dead, most inspires you, and again why?
CP: Van Gogh cause he was crazy and still lived brilliant art though never recognized in his own lifetime.
BD: Favourite place in RL & SL?
CP: SL - my build platform RL - my front porch or the Uffizi, hahahahah
BD: Music/film inspires many artists, is it the same for you?
CP: Music and film and the grocery store and the highway and the conversation at the next table and the taste of this chilli and the words you just said and the itch I must scratch.
BD: If you could have 6 guests to dinner, living or dead, who would they be and why?
CP: Well I'd like my dad to be there, only remember meeting him once when I was very young and the Beatles '65 vintage and of course Gene Pitney, then we could all have a jam session, what a hoot.
BD: Finally… If money was no object, what single piece of art would you buy, and the reasons?
CP: I would buy one of the magnificent marble pieces that grace the gallery of the Uffizi. Then I could touch it, sniff it and maybe even lick it.
BD: The mind boggles at that one.. Anyway Cheen , thank you so much for taking time out for this interview, I look forward to seeing your new creation.
I own many of Cheen's works, so pop over but you can see more at the location below. Do go and see this guy's work, a pure joy.

Cheen Pitney's Peacefools Sculpt, FurNation Vista (217,152,25)

From the pen of Baron DeSantis

Who is Torley Linden ???

Friendly greetings! I'm Torley, you may've heard I love watermelons. It's true.

I started my Second Life as a Resident (affectionately abbreviated as "Resi") in 2004 before working for Linden Lab, and grew very passionate about making our world a better place for you to live. I'm mellow but prone to enthusiasm.

If you feel you're constantly observing and acting on wonders most other people miss, I can relate.

I'm a "Product Manager & more" on the Community Team.

* I develop communications — Blog, Issue Tracker, Wiki, etc.
* I'm in Studio Blacklight, helping devs to identify and repro critical pain points.
* I'm our community-facing representative for Project: WindLight (killer skies & kickass environments).
* I also nourish content creativity — Texture Tools, Video Tutorials, etc.
* I'm involved with the inworld Resident eXperience, including our user interface, and exploring the Grid.
* You can call me an avid photographer of Second Life's beauty, and spontaneous performance artist.
* Additionally, I specialize in connecting seemingly unrelated pieces together and observing eclecticism that gets missed!

I also post regularly on the Official Linden Blog.

Wedding on Zurich City Sim

Ligeia Westwick & Silelf Fisseux

Congratulations !

Boss' Pet

Dear Bella,

Im lucky to have a great job in sl, but the gals Im working with are giving me grief cos I get on so well with our boss and they dont. They figger that because my boss is so good to me that there must be something going on between us and they are always making nasty cracks and given me a hard time.

She has lent me money (which they dont know about it but one of the girls keep asking me where I got the money) and the boss has given me time off when I had some RL problems and she is always given me the good jobs.

What can I do? If I say anything to my boss I recken she'll sack the ones who are making trouble but then theyll hate me more cos good jobs are real hard to find here.

Ive had a hard time in my real life and this is the first time Ive been happy in my work but its getting me down all this grief from the others.

What do you suggest?

Boss' Pet

Dear Boss' Pet,

Well good for you - a well paid job AND a nice boss! Mmmmm ... jealousy is a curse and women who are cursed with it, can make life hell for everybody.

If you are happy with the relationship you have with your boss, then focus on that. Forming 'personal' relationships in any workplace can lead to all sorts of complications, and while the best advice is to avoid them, the reality is (in SL as well as RL) that people DO form personal attachments in the workplace.

Do you feel comfortable that your boss' generosity toward you is 'appropriate'? (In as much as she isn't giving you something with the expectation that you will give her something in return - apart from being a loyal employee)?

As for your bitchy workmates - it's cold comfort being 'right', if you are ostracised at work. If your boss is switched on, she'll be aware of their antagonism toward you and will already be considering her options as to their future employment.

Maybe a boozy night out all together - you, your boss and your other workmates and with tongues loosened, issues that are niggling at everyone will come spilling out.

A good catfight is always good for clearing the air!

Who knows? If your boss is REALLY fond of you, maybe she'll make you a partner in the business - that'll shut the other gals up!

All the best,

Bella

Images from the mind.

Images From the Mind

Many moons ago in RL, I took up photography as a hobby. At the time I was based in Cyprus and joined the photo club. Amenities were free to use, including all the film, paper, developing equipment etc . I decided on focusing (no pun intended) on black & white photography, easier to develop. I found that, because the images were in b&w, the viewer was able to concentrate on the subject itself, rather than be 'distracted' by the backdrop or surroundings within the picture.

Henri Gontineac

, a Dutch photographer has managed to create images that are both thought provoking and startling in composition. I discovered his work on a re-visit to the DEPOT gallery and was amazed at the emotions that I felt as I viewed his images. They say that a picture paints a thousand words, these do more! Each photograph seems to create a whole novel on the content. A simple image of a child's fingers through a letter box conjured up a strange, confused thought process. Is it a child checking on who the visitor is before opening the door, or is it a child seeking help?

One image in particular brought out a severe case of the shivers in me. In itself, it is not anything to be scared of, but when I saw it, I felt a cold shiver run up my spine. I will leave the reader to decide which photograph it was.

Violetta LeShelle, curator, explained to me that Henri tries not to title his work, instead leaving the viewer to decide on how they see the image and what it should be called.

Simple, yet very thought provoking, this is a 'must see' for anyone into photographic imagery.

Oh, and if anyone can guess correctly which photograph gave me the 'shivers', I will send them a Madonna Limited Edition Charity T-shirt (worth L$200). Offer extends to the first five correct entries received !!

(submissions should be emailed to

barondesantis@gmail.com, subject SHIVERS and NOT the SL Newspaper office or staff)

Verdict: 10/10

Story by : Baron DeSantis

"Stop Making Desperate Attitude"

IN ALL THE KERFUFFLE the other day about people not being able to get on to SL and losing items from their inventory etc., I happened to overhear a conversation on Help Island - one little phrase just tickled my fancy so much, I had to share it with you.

I was going to delete the helper's name, but I think he did extremely well, considering the circumstances:

[2007/08/09 16:39] Johnny Rambler: Well, if you listen to me, instead of making deperate attitude, I will explain it.

The two object are conglomerate objects. They happen that way when you return multiple unlinked objects at once and appear as 3 cubes in your objects folder or lost and found. If you rez those two conglomerated objects, all your stuff will be there."

(SL'er was soon pacified and off they went to un-conglomerate their items).

But the phrase "... listen to me, instead of making desperate attitude ..." reminded me of a phrase I heard many years ago in a Hong Kong hotel - "No lip roar" - which meant no shouting. LOL

SO, all you SL'ers out there getting frustrated and agitated - "STOP MAKING DESPERATE ATTITUDE!" LOL

"Would I Adopt A Child in SL?"

Dear Bella,

What do you think of this business I read about the other day, of people being able to adopt a kid here in SL? I reckon its a bit wierd myself. Why would you want to lumber yourself with that sort of responsibility in a game like this?

Bewildered

Dear Bewildered,

Not having a maternal bone in my body (well not many) and always having thought that the only way I would have a child is if someone left a baby in a basket on my doorstep, I must say that, like you, I did pause for a moment and think, "Mmmmmm ... adopt a child? Would I like to do that?"

Then my Latin lover offered me another glass of champagne and I thought, "Well ... maybe not today!" lol

ALTHOUGH ... I do like to keep my options open. If there is a little tyke, all alone in the world, itching for a mother like me, I could very well be tempted. (Just leave the baby on the couch in my office at SL Newspaper!)

HOWEVER, I've got to say, I do find it just a little "irky" that an adult would want to pretend to be a two year old (my preferred age for a child IF I was going to have one).

STILL ... "walk a mile in my shoes" they do say.

What do other readers think?

Bella

Lip Flap

And how about this one? I think this is really beautifully made !! Hope to see more of these people. And ... maybe it answers some questions about the Lip Flap !! Wanna know what it means? Watch the movie ...



Source: YouTube.com

A Better Life ...

On YouTube, I found this truly beautiful short movie, made by Robbie Dingo (that's his SL name). As the comment for the movie on YouTube says: "This short film plays much like a music video and tells a tale of one man's escapism and search for a 'better place' in a virtual world." One of the better I have seen so far.



Source: YouTube.com

Adoption in SL : one way to build your family

Some people come to SL to experience something that they couldn't, or maybe wouldn't want to experience in RL ... for these cases, there are a lot of features in SL that brings it pretty close to RL. One of these features is make a family. I remember a very good article from Voodoo talking about pregnancy ... that inspired me to look for something related to it ... so, I'm going through adoption in SL. I talked with Carie Bishop, owner of Family First Adoption Agency.

Ross Larsson : Hello Carie, it's a pleasure have you in the SL Newspaper.

Carie Bishop : Thanks, Ross.

Ross: How did you have the idea to start this in SL?

Carie: Well I started off as a child myself and found it hard to find parents at first. I went to a couple of different agencies but the main one was New Life at the time. For a couple of reasons I chose not to use them for myself after I heard various things about them. So after finding my dad and realizing the difficulty in it I talked to a sister of mine and we decided to give it a try. We started off in a small prefab house with some poorly made panels but it was enough to start with. We outgrow the place and bought a bigger prefab made some adjustments to it and then we eventually out grew that place as well. And moved here with a half a sim now a place for the kids to swim, watch movies, play in the park or arcade, there is a mini mall, and now we're adding a daycare feature.

Ross: That's really nice ...

Carie: Well without my sister it would not have got this far and now we had to add two managers one you met, Gunner, and another Sadie and they are mine and Lushies right hand they help us out a lot here. As you see we stay quite busy here and constantly doing events for the kids such as movie days and dances for them to interact and get to know each other.

Ross: So ... how long have you had this agency?

Carie: We have been open since beginning of March.

Ross: Why do you think people are interested in adoption in SL?

Carie: I can't really give you an exact reason of what makes people choose to adopt I can only give you the reasons I have heard. One being they want to live the family experience in their second life, and some being they adopt in game cause they can't have children outside of game.

Ross: I see ... have you been successful in getting families for children here?

Carie: Although we just recently expanded here because we were doing so well and outgrew our last place. Oh definately I dont have an exact number sorry but many success stories.

Ross: How does it work? Could you give me some background on this?

Carie: It is a mutual thing it's all done behind the sceens and privately. Parents and kids each buy a board for their own depending what they are. Once they buy the board they upload their application and panel, they proceed to the other side and click on the boards. You choose profile to get their profile read it over if you like it then you click their panel again and hit like. If they have liked you too the boards cross match to make sure everything is in order on liking each other. You then go on a trial for one week, at the end of the week you can end the trial or finalize the adoption. If for some reason prior to the end of the week something happens you can end it early as well.

Ross: Great, that's a good strategy ... do you have some experience with adoption in RL?

Carie: Personally yes I do.

At this point Violete Robbins, Carie's daughter, joined us.

Ross: So ... how did you meet each other?

Carie: Well, her and her sister were up for adoption that is how we met and we just clicked and hit it off from there.

Violete: Yes, I was lucky. She adopted me and my sis, and I love my mommy!

Ross: So ... do you spend much time together? Carie seems very busy ...

Violet: I know she works. But I have family : grandpa, auntie, cousins ... So, I'm not alone.

Carie: Well we spend as much time as we can, but luckly Vio understands I'm busy and when I am she spends the time visiting with the rest of the family.

Ross: Talk a bit about your experience in SL ... how did you know about it, how long have you been here ...

Violete : I've been here about 2 years. And I love the game. I have met a lot of different people, made a lot of friends.

Carie: Well I been here since 2003 not on this character though. I found the game back when it first opened and decided to test it and here I am.

Ross: So Carie ... what are you planning for this place from now?

Carie: Well we are in the process of opening a daycare center now. And eventually to be honest I would like to pick up the other half of the sim and open a school with it.

Ross: Great ... Do you have some sponsorship to keep it?

Carie: Well at this point its all coming out of mine and my sisters pocket and some help from Sadie. It's something I have thought about doing, but haven't found anyone yet to bring into it. We have a donation box out yes and it brings in a little and what it does is definetely a help. However never enough to cover what we spend here each month.

Ross: So Carie ... Now, I'd like to do a fast game with you (almost finishing this!) ... I'll give you a statement and you complete it ... ok?

I wish people would take more notice of... the kids and the hard work that my workers do to help out here.

I am good at... helping people and making sure everyone is happy
And I’m very bad at... managing time
The most surprising thing to ever happen to me was... meeting my girls
For me, adoption means... family, security, love

Ross: Well Carie ... I think that's all ... Is there something you would like to add, some words would you like to share with our readers?

Carie: Yes, please. I suggest everyone thats thinking it to really take the time and look at the agencies and what they have to offer and how they support the kids before choosing one that might have been around longer. Make sure you're doing it for the right reasons not just because someone else did it, but because you really want to give that love to some one that comes with being a parent. Because although this might be a "game" you will soon learn you pick up the parent feelings for those children. One final note is that dont judge people because they choose to play a child in game not all of them are bad. I know sometimes they get bad reps and I'm not saying that there aren't some out there that have bad intentions but there are a LOT of kids out there that just want to play a kid and have fun with it and have that family experience.

Ross: Thank you very much, Carie.

Carie: Thanks, Ross.

Location : http://slurl.com/secondlife/Bishop%20Point/37/190/21

What Does SL Give Us?

(Photo above: The gang settles in for a boozy session of Guiness drinking and smoking cigarettes).

A LAZY SATURDAY MORNING in Second Life. I wonder what people are up to? What do they do in here, that they can’t do in their First Life?

So, into my favourite striped hippy outfit, with bare feet and out into the big ol’ world of SL to find out. Would I go by my magic carpet ride, our plane, or just plain ol' teleporting?

First stop was the pub a group of us are thinking of taking over as our 'Press Club' and one of the most beautiful sites you’ll find in SL. And who was there? A group of boozers downing Guinness and chewin’ the fat. “What do people do in SL that they don’t do in real life?” I asked. “That’s easy, replied one wit, they don’t weigh 280 pounds!”

Dingo Kardex was quick to point out, “Well I’m a guy, so I gotta be nine feet tall.” “And what about those guys who walk around with their scimitar exposed, big as my leg and the wrong colour?” asked someone else. “I mean, honestly, what do they imagine that’s good for? Wooing mares?”

As she spoke, Dingo puffed away on a cigarette - something it’s actually illegal to do in some countries - smoke in a public place. So there is another thing you can do in SL that you can’t do in first life - smoke with impunity and no regard to health risks.

I reflected on my own temptation the day before to buy a pair of crocodile skin shoes. Something you CAN do in SL that won’t have safety or ethical ramifications for any crocodiles.

Over at Laguna Beach (?), the beautiful Glenjineer Abernathy was dancing with her equally beautiful friend, having a bit of a gossip as they grooved. She told me about the island’s owner, Puff Woodin who had raised several thousand dollars for breast cancer research, which she may not have been able to do in first life.

I was directed to the very unusual Scented Dix, whose appearance was a head, bosom, derriere and legs. “Every man’s dream!” she exclaimed.



(Photo above: Scented Dix gives men what they want).

Next stop was another beach. This time a pair of amorous Dutch lovers couldn’t be talked into an interview and so I left them to it, whispering words of love and devotion presumably. Or maybe they were discussing the stock market.

Maybe that Spanish/Portugese/Brazilian guy over there on a unicorn would be interested? No, he just wanted to take off into the clouds.

Another Dutch couple clip-clopped into earshot on a pair of beautiful Clydesdale horses, but they were off for a gallop along the beach.

Okay, let’s check out a bit of nightclub action, but before I could settle in for a chat, SL’s five minute warning for re-logging appeared and it was every man and woman for themselves as everyone scattered to the four compass points seeking refuge from being booted.

And then I found the exotically beautiful Babette Sivocci - bare bodied and beautifully tattooed, strolling nonchalently along near Indyra Fashion Originals store. It seemed redundant to ask what did she do in SL that she couldn’t do in RL.



(Photo above: The beautiful Babette Sivocci displays her very beautiful tattooed body to us all).

Next to teleport to the site was Megan Torricelli. So, what did SL allow her to do that she couldn’t in her First Life? “Well I don’t own a strip club in real life,” she replied, referring to her club Ready Or Not.

My next interviewee was Nettle Blackthorne (I just love the names we have in SL). I couldn’t help noticing her beautiful face and a stunning pair of bovver boots she had on - kinda like gymn shoes but with vicious look spikes all along the outside rim of the sole.

“Real life, I’m a divorced mommy of two, that attends PTA meetings and does the whole carpool thing,” she answered when I asked my standard question.

“This, is the ‘great escape’.” These are my man stompers.” I’m quite conservative, so this is the inner me fighting against conservatism. Here I can be whatever I want ... a vamp .... a slave.”

When I asked Nettle if this expression of her inner self gave her a sense of contentment, she agreed that she did feel a little more fulfilled in her life by expressing this aspect of her personality.

Jeaniesing Trilling was the next person to join in the discussion. She was immediately noticeable in as much as, she wasn’t the obligatory ‘skinny minnie’ that everyone seems to aspire to in SL. She was very attractive with an ample figure of curvaceous roundness.

“I worked hard to get out of that Barbie mould,” she remarked. “The shape is of my own making, as is the hair.”

“In RL I am a pillar of the community. I don’t tell them I have a second life.”

“I live in a fairly rural area and have long depended on the net to find people of like mind. Here I can spend every night going to live concerts and talking with interesting people. And of course, buying and wearings gowns. How often do you wear a gown in real life?”



(Photo above: Just two ordinary American mommies expressing themselves - Jeaniesing Trilling and Nettle Blackthorne).

But do you know the highpoint of my day? A friend IM’d me to say, “Come and marry me!” She had decided, (on a whim as far as I can figure) to marry her current beau and she wanted me and a friend of ours to conduct the ceremony. When I pointed out the dangers of “Marry in haste, repent at leisure” she breezily waved away my wariness.

“It’s SL, it will be okay.”

So that's what you can do in Second Life that you can't do in First Life. Just about everything!

Furballs

Dear Bella.

I am a furry with an active sex life. I enjoy having different partners but am always careful to keep them separate. I juggle my calendar with a fair amount of skill, even if I do say so myself.

The problem is, sometimes I cough up a furball that's a different colour than the partner I'm with at the moment. What should I do?

'Furball Furry'



Dear Furball,

LOL When I finally stopped laughing at your dilemma, the obvious solution seemed to me that you either stop coughing or stop licking! LOL

But .... there is another solution. Like the true gentleman I'm sure you are, what you could do when you feel a cough coming on, is to slightly turn your head, cough up the furball, give it quick once over to see if the fur colour matches your partner's. If it doesn't, very delicately put your hand up to mouth, spit the ball into your palm and then, oh so discreetly, slip it into your pocket (do furries have pockets?)

If it does match, you could present it to your lady love (presuming it IS a female you're with?) as a little memento of your evening's licking. She will be so touched by this, that she might even lick you back!

And for all you humans out there, just be grateful that it's only the occasional hair you have to worry about! LOL

Lots of love, (I don't know why, but your letter has made me come over all affectionate),

Bella
XXX


(Photo by Paolo Bade)

Dear Bella ... I'm A Chick Magnet

Dear Bella,

Ive been reading your column before I came into SL and you seem to have good advice.

Im a woman and only been in SL for a week. Im still getting myself organised with my avatar, skin, hair, clothes, shoes etc.

But I gotta tell ya, every single time I come online, I have wimmen coming up to me and saying I'm cute, or that they like me, or asking if I want company, or can they hang with me ... What's going on? I've still got the basic avatar you arrive with so it's not as though I have better looks than anyone else.

These wimmen are like bees around a honey pot! Its getting a bit creepy cos it just keeps happening.

It got so bad that I went and hid in some caves and and still one found me! And I was REALLY hiding. Im sending you a pic of me - can you see why these wimmen want me?

'Chick Magnet'

Dear Chick Magnet,

Well sweetie, you look rather ordinary to me, but that could be because you're just not my type! Those full lips do look deliciously kissable though. lol

Mmmm .... unwanted advances are disconcerting because it's just so tedious having to repel them. BUT they do say, being bisexual doubles your chances of a date on Saturday night, so maybe you are being a bit hasty in thwarting your suitors.

I don't know why these women are finding you so damnably appealing ... maybe you're giving off an aura innocence or naivety? Whatever it is, it's magnetism and people pay money and go to expensive forums to learn how to get that!

SL is as much about role play as fulfilling fantasies, so maybe you should just go with it and play the temptress? Or adopt these amorous amazons as your fan club? Or play the mean mistress? Start a bordello?

There is nothing much you can do about what other people do. They will approach you or not ... according to their desires and whims, not yours. You can always go frumpy if it gets you down too much.

But I'm curious .... are there other people out there in SL who have to beat off suitors with a stick?

Bella