A Cozy Holiday Ball in New Babbage

Saturday night was a special night for New Babbage. Most of the Christmas rush was over and it was time for a nice relaxing dance before the New Year is upon us.



My dear wife and I enjoy the dances and the excellent music.


Steam Santa and the Boiler Elf on their approach to Piermont Landing.


Nice landing.


Steam Santa and the Boiler Elf bring coal for everyone!

Sadly I was called away but a customer query so didn't get to see the magic Steam Sled for myself, but the large pile of coal left on the front landing at Primbroke Manor will be put to good use over the winter.

Battle of the DJs

As an end of year party for the Radio Riel team, Hoy will be hosting a Battle of the DJs.

Today: Sunday 28th of December.

2:00pm SLT.

Each of the DJs gets a 15 minute set and has to try and incorporate 2 randomly assigned genres into their music. Genres won't be given out until 1:30 SLT. I figure Weird Al has done enough parodies that no matter what the genres I'll be able to find something in there.

Come on over and join in the fun!
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Murdann/234/165/29

To you an yours

From the Duke and Duchess of Argylle,

Wishing you a festive and safe season, no matter what side of the world you're on.

Terraforming and a long overdue fix.

Waaaaaaay back in April of 2007, someone logged a fault saying the SLURL maps not showing up to date images unless you were viewing at full zoom. If you pulled your view back vast numbers of sims disappeared. Well it finally seems that Jira WEB-87 has been fixed. Might be able to do the large scale map at last.

While looking to see which sims were furthest in any direction I stumble across these. Sadly direct TP is blocked but I did pull up the sims on the internal map.

Someone's done some nice terraforming loading of their raw files.

The weird and wonderful art of Travis Louie

His website describes them as "human oddities, mythical beings, and otherworldly characters who appear to have had their formal portraits taken to mark their existence and place in society."

Not quite steampunk as such, but an interesting creation.

The full gallery can be viewed here.

Christmas Cheez

Today's From the Library is the special Christmas stuff that you sceretly love but are too ashamed to admit in public. From the schmaltz of Frank Sinatra and Michael Bublé, to the tacky of Weird Al Yankovic and the Royal Guardsmen, to the terror of Macarena Christmas and the Cheeky Girls, there's a little something for everyone!

From the Library is produced by Radio Riel in conjunction with the Caledon Library in Second Life. Today's program was produced by Edward Pearse.

You can listen now at http://music.radioriel.org - the ideal URL for you to use in your home parcel media address in-world - or simply visit any Caledon Library branch in-world and press Play on your embedded music player.

Riel Radio Theatre

This week's programme features Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre on the Air, not the now infamous War of the Worlds story, but Around the World in 80 Days.


Thursday 18th of December starting at 7:00 SLT

Join me at the new location of Radio Riel's HQ Edison Hypatia to listen with the rest of us or tune your music player of choice to http://music2.radioriel.org if you can't make it in person.

Valé Kaiserine Kendra I

I was saddened to learn today of the recent death of Kendra Bancroft.

I had known of her in my early time in SL but got to know her a lot better during the Neualtenburg War RP in early 2007. This was the cause of my mechanical arm.



Later I was invited to DJ Oktoberfest in Neualtenburg, which was great fun. Viking helmets, chicken hats and assorted sillyness were all part and parcel.

I was surprised to discover that her typist, Maddie Blaustein, was also a voice actress for many of the Pokemon characters.

She will be missed.

CHRISTMAS AT HIGHLANDS

Aberdon Enigma and Fauve Aeon welcome you to their home in the Highlands for Holiday Event and Celebration Soirée, Sunday December 14th from 2-4 pm SLT at the lovely Aobhach House in the Stained Glass Ballroom, sweetly decorated for the Season to benefit the SL Shakespeare Company in their ongoing goal to raise 6 months of tier for the Globe Theatre Sims to continue their astonishing undertaking of presenting quality, fully staged short productions of Shakespeare's works in a recreation of the original Globe Theatre.
Join us for a special performance of The Victorian-esque Caledon Edition of a Skit by a SL Shakespeare Co. Actor:
"The Strange Transformation of Lucianus to Claudius and Others"

Caledon's own Duke of Argylle, Edward Pearse, of Radio Riel, will be spinning a very special mix with period music and some recordings of local historical reenactors playing as well, something entirely new for your dancing pleasure.

Silent and Live auctions will be presented for the following unique, limited and special items, many details and wonderful PIX in the notecards! Come and win for yourself something precious and special and help a very worthy endeavor as well. Oh yes, and BOOGIE :D


...and a few more surprises

Voices in the Machine podcast the Fourth

A special episode of Voices in the Machine is now up. Recorded at CaleCon, a real-life get together held in St Marys, Ontario, Canada, in August of this year. Gabriel Riel presents interviews with Soliel Snook and Otenth Paderborn.

Go. Listen!

Childhood development is important

We've been told a child's formative years are their most important. What better way to teach budding young sociopaths their alphabet than with a set of wooden alphabet blocks?

Xylocopa has produced A Young Mad Scientist's First Alphabet Blocks to help aspiring youngsters learn word association.

A complete list of the images represented by the letters is as follows:
A - Appendages
B - Bioengineering
C - Caffeine
D - Dirigible
E - Experiment
F - Freeze ray
G - Goggles
H - Henchmen
I - Invention
J - Jargon
K - Potassium
L - Laser
M - Maniacal
N - Nanotechnology
O - Organs
P - Peasants (with Pitchforks)
Q - Quantum physics
R - Robot
S - Self-experimentation
T - Tentacles
U - Underground Lair
V - Virus
W - Wrench
X - X-Ray
Y - You, the Mad Scientist of Tomorrow
Z - Zombies

Brilliant!

A Study in Emerald

For this week's broadcast of Riel Theatre I am proud to present A Study in Emerald, winner of the 2004 Hugo Award for Best Short Story, written and presented by award winning author Neil Gaiman.

A Study in Emerald is a pastiche of Arthur Conan Doyle's famous Consulting Detective and H.P. Lovecraft's Great Old Ones.



Thursday 11th of December starting at 7:00 SLT

Visit Radio Riel HQ to listen with the rest of us or tune your music player of choice to http://music2.radioriel.org if you can't make it in person.

Exploring Caledon

There are times when it pays not to get out of the car.

A new member of the Realm of the Roses

Off the East Coast of Caledon Dundee a new sim has appeared.



Zeppelinheim is the newest member of the Realm of the Roses and contains many members of the former island of Brythony.

Welcome and tea all round!

Ice Skating in Steelhead

Snow came to Steelhead and the Harbour froze over.


There was skating on the ice


Sheriff Ortega plays "Snoopy's Christmas"


Even the snowmen were skating


Winter had indeed come to Steelhead

Moving a dream

The last of the items were being taken down from the walls, the paintings slotted into their packing cases, the stuffed animals into teachests, the furniture covered in dust cloths.

"Your Grace?"

I looked up at the metallic voice of Gears, his servant's livery obscured most of his burnished copper body but his tick was almost as distinctive as my own.

"Yes Gears?"

Gears stepped forward and handed me a small packet. "These are the photographs you took after the move was announced sir."

Looking down at the envelope I sighed heavily. "Thank you Gears." He nodded a left to continue with the packing. I opened the envelope and proceeded to clip through the photos. "We certainly have improved photography with the Prokudin-Gorskii camera," I said to myself. "A vast improvement over Daguerre's work."


The main bridge from Penzance


Looking across the Harbour


Guardian unicorn


The underwater tunnels with the ballroom just behind Neptune.


Chester


Inside the tunnels


Inside the Mooring Tower


The front steps of Primbroke Manor

I smiled sadly and closed the packet again placing it in the box with the contents of my desk. Hearing soft steps coming towards me I turned to see my dear Christine. Her apron showed signs she had been organising things in the attic, as did the tell-tale wisps of escaping red hair. Kissing her gently, I said before she had a chance to say anything "No, there has been no news on the new home." Christine narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips.

"I didn't even ask this time," Christine replied.

Holding her close I simply said "soon."

Santa's Elf

A little gift from Pearse'd & Cut for the winter festivities.



4'5" tall AV comes complete with shape, hair, clothes and eyes. All he's really lacking is a good cigar.
The hat is scripted to play bells as you walk.

Available from Caledon, New Babbage, Steelhead and Steeltopia.

Girl Genius Radio Theatre

Special broadcast performance this Thursday (4th of December) 7-8 SLT: Girl Genius Radio Theatre. Brought to you by the regular weekly broadcast of Riel Theatre from Radio Riel.




Join us at Der hut des Jägers to listen with the rest of us or tune into http://music2.radioriel.org if you can't make it in person.

Happy St. Andrew's Day

The national day of Scotland and a reason to celebrate all things Scottish. Sadly this year concerns with larger events have overtaking the organising of a proper celebration.

But I wish you and yours the best for the day, even if the closest you get to being Scottish is the tartan ribbon you tie around a present.

Alba gu Brath!

New sim for Steelhead

This week saw the arrival of Steelhead's 4th sim, Steelhead Port Harbor. Unsurprisingly this will sit to the west of Steelhead Harbor



They've also been named as sim of the month for this issue of the Primgraph. Christine's hard work decorating the inside of Rosehaven has resulted in a double page photo spread.

And I don't think the Primgraph mentioned Floppy Dong once.

Voices in the Machine podcast the Third

Episode 3 of Voices in the Machine is now online and ready for your listening pleasure.

Recorded November 20th, 2008 the regular lineup of myself, Gabrielle Riel, Fuschia Begonia and Nix Sands welcome special guest Eladrienne Laval and discuss her upcoming exhibit at the Whitehorn Memorial Library in Caledon Victoria City, "The Past Reimagined: Victorian Fashion and the Designs of Eladrienne Laval" (December 7-March 1).

Feedback welcome.

The Grand Tour

With all the heated debate and hurt feelings over the Open Space controversy, Miss Fogwoman Gray organised The Grand Tour; a multi-sim dance that ran for most of the weekend and covered sims in Colonia Nova, New Toulouse, Orcadia, Victoriana, Neufriedstadt, Winterfell, Caledon Carntaigh, New Babbage, Steeltopia, Caledon Argylle, Al Andalus, Isles of Fatima, Giggleford, Caledon Stormhold, Wunderbar, Uhr, Antiquity and Steelhead.

Sadly I was unable to attend much of the dances but there are a few places that I must get out and visit before Christmas. Because many of these places will cease to exist once the new OS changes come into effect.


Her Grace of Carntaigh, Gabriel Riel, with Baron Wulfenbach


Myself with Miss Laval.

Two of these sims that will be consolidating are Carntaigh and Argylle. Thus this event was something of a farewell for these sims. Argylle has only been around some 6 months but Carntaigh came into existence 2 years ago, just after I arrived in Caledon. Both places are special to me and will be missed. I'll see what new memories shall come with Caledon Rothesay.

Photos stolen from Miss Laval's blog.

Tarot Meme

You are The Hierophant

Divine Wisdom. Manifestation. Explanation. Teaching.

All things relating to education, patience, help from superiors.The Hierophant is often considered to be a Guardian Angel.

The Hierophant's purpose is to bring the spiritual down to Earth. Where the High Priestess between her two pillars deals with realms beyond this Earth, the Hierophant (or High Priest) deals with worldly problems. He is well suited to do this because he strives to create harmony and peace in the midst of a crisis. The Hierophant's only problem is that he can be stubborn and hidebound. At his best, he is wise and soothing, at his worst, he is an unbending traditionalist.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Shaken not Stirred

Steelhead had its weekly dance last night and for the first while in a long time I was able to make the party.

This week the theme was Bond, James Bond.

There were Bond Girls, villains and Bond clones out in force. A great turnout and an impressive line up of music from Sheriff Fuzz.


A very good turnout for the night


Yours truly as Hugo Drax, a little something I whipped up that afternoon.


My dear Christine as "Maple Sugar". We're trying to find out if there's ever been a Canadian Bond Girl. Maybe James doesn't like Canadians.


Kamilah grooves to the tunes.


Kara Timtam practices at being Shark Bait. Sharks with fricken lasers.


Miss Eladrienne gets up to some High Jinx.


The Tanarian of the Davies sisters shows off her new wheels. The dropbear had to get one as well. Vrooom!


Hawc DeCosta in the Bond Barrel tunnel I built for the evening. Special thanks to Professor Avalanche for the free poses given away at "The Spy Who Lagged Me" party the week before.


The Baron shows his sparkiness with a Q jacket.


Fuzz wears the pimp-hat I sent him after his announcement about Steelhead Port Harbor.


"No Mr. Bond I expect you to die!" Wonderful scenery for the night.


Steelcobra and his huge Fist of Doom.


Even the Jägers were getting into the feel.

Voices in the Machine podcast the second

Episode 2 of Voices in the Machine is now online and ready for your listening pleasure.

Recorded November 6, 2008 (recorded sooner than our hoped-for biweekly schedule), Gabi, Fuschia, Nix and myself discuss the November 5, 2008 announcement by Linden Research updating changes in policy and pricing for Open Space sims.

And I stammer more due to trying to wake up during the recording :-)

Second Life's Endangered Spaces

Saw this video on the Winterfell forums and thought it needed to be shared.

Lest we forget

Today marks the 90th Anniversary of the end of the "War to end all Wars".

On this day in 1918 the Armistice was declared. In more recent years Armistice Day has become Remembrance Day.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

-- From Laurence Binyon's "For the Fallen", 1914

From Fuschia with Love - The Spy Who Lagged Me

The evil Pixie and the Professor had another of their stunning parties last night. Usually I'm busy sleeping at such times but with the change in Daylight Savings Time for everyone I've now moved 2 hours back from where I was relative to SL.



Dancing around Sharks with fricken lasers.

I caught the last hour of the party and enjoyed it immensly. It was nice to see Professor Avalanche again. Haven't seen him in ages.

I'll also have to set up a suitable photoshoot with the nifty new "spy" poses. I think my gift of the shark pool will turn up at Steelhead's Bond theme dance next week. :-)

Miss Emilly has some better pictures as she had her camera busy snapping.

The next one is "Bedknobs and Boomsticks". Based on that I've suggested that the Pixie will be played by Angela Lansbury and the Professor by Bruce Campbell. Should be fun!