Privateer Space

Having seen various reports about this new sim throughout the aetheric community, I thought I should go and have a look myself. Let me just say there's a VAST gulf between reading about it and seeing it for yourself. Part of the fun is finding the various SF jokes that abound in the textures and the builds. Do *you* know where Asteroid Al's is from?


This is where you start. The Galactic Truck Stop. "Last fuel for 20,000 light years". Here you can pick up an EVA suit and your own Spacebuggy for zipping around the sim.


"Take me out to the black, tell 'em I ain't coming back.."


Honest Zorg's Used Space Craft. You can pick up a Spacebuggy with TCS on it if you want too. Just be careful to take note of the No Entry signs.


Hotel New California. Yes that's the Swinetrek in parking orbit.


The police building. It was here I met the sim's creator Aley Arai. She was claiming her client was innocent by reason of the victim having fallen into a sun. Uh huh. Likely story.


A looooong talk with her (which I later realised was about 1.5 hours) and I was back off exploring. Amazing person. And quite happy to share her knowledge of how SL does (and doesn't) work.


Ringworld, from Megaprims.


Prior to this I had been under the belief that prims could not be rezzed permanently above 780 metres or so. Here am I at 2000, the top of the prims on the sim.


Space Pirates, hiding among the debris.


New Detroit. Underneath you'll find the *actual* way SL works, including "random inventory deletion server", the "Random Bug & Crash server" and the 1000 terabytes of pixel p0rn.


The surface of Mars


Ancient subterranian (submartian?) ruins.


"My God it's full of stars!" There are four monoliths in the sim. Find them all!


Surface of Da Mooo000o0ooo0n.


During the looong discussion, we ventured into the topic of Space 1999. Where upon I was presented with my very own Eagle. Now I had a chance to set it out properly!


Mining inside a gas giant.


And she's STILL building. Inspired by the Valley Forge (from Silent Running) this will become a host for alien plants. I've suggested triffids in here at some point :-)

You could spend hours in here (I did) and still not see it all. Definitely a sim to return to. Privateer Space can be found at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Privateer Space/122/134/639

Chinese New Year, and Radio Riel party

With the Mardi Gras parade set to go on Friday night, Steelhead's usual Friday dance was shifted to Saturday. This week was the celebration of the Chinese New Year (also known as Lunar New Year). Though ironically is usually prompts everyone into wearing Japanese outfits :-)


Yours truly


My dear Christine looking stunning in a cheongsam.


The DeCostas


Tensai and Lunar


Miss Lily


Mr Hassanov, who decided to come as Chinese Take-Away


Miss Laval

As the festivities began drawing to a close I headed to Caledon Penzance where a party celebrating the official opening of the new Radio Riel offices was underway. Any excuse :-)


Sadly for Lionel Ritchie, we weren't dancing on the ceiling.


Tiny groovers


I was in a strange mood. I had not prepared a playlist and was just going by feel, and even then had things like Popcorn, Reel Big Fish, Falco, Robbie Williams, Front 242 and of course Weird Al Yankovic, are not usually the sort of things you'd expect to hear in the same set. Meh, they were warned :-)

Additonal praise

Many thanks to the Editors at Prim Perfect magazine for their highlight of the new Radio Riel office called Even better than realism.

It's always nice when your friends say nice things about your builds, but it's unexpected when strangers appreciate it as well.

Thank you!

Building post No. 2

When Radio Riel opened its doors in Caledon Penzance I was asked by Her Grace to make a n office, after she'd seen my work on my new shop.. It's been a while but between RL, other commissions and events I've finally finished my own newest building. Some are other's textures, some are modified textures and some are created the whole cloth by myself.

It should receive an official opening tomorrow.


External view


Front façade


Ground floor


New Broadcaster's Booth


First Floor offices


Our own broadcast tower (you'll have to look behind the stairs for the power source).

Building post No. 1

I'm rather picky when it comes to building. Good texturing can often be let down by poor prim alignment, or a nice layout can be ruined by someone with no sense of scale (even after allowing for the 7' avatars that about in SL). So it's nice when I see someone who has accomplished both wonderful textures and put them on a great build.

Just north west of the hub in Caledon II used to be a series of townhouses based on some in existence in RL Sydney. While the wrecking ball had been taken to them, the replacement buildings more than make up for any disappointment I might feel.

My main focus of this collection of buildings is The Golden Harp.


No. 1 Penny Lane, an impressive collection of late 19th century architecture.



The Outside of the Golden Harp.


Inside the foyer, the pub's namesake.


The main bar, including some very comfy looking lounge chairs, as well as a collection of booths.


Up to the first floor is the games room, featureing En Guard, draughts, chess, backgammon...

... a pool table...

... and even a dart board. (My aim is terrible)


Up to the second floor has an outside beer garden for those evenings where the weather is warm.

Steampunk Football and Rez Days

Friday night in Steelhead, the call was put out for a "Steampunk Football Tailgate" themed dance. Now I confess my ignorance of American football (with the exception of the quote from Giles in Buffy "I just think it's rather odd that a nation that prides itself on its virility should feel compelled to strap on forty pounds of protective gear just in order to play rugby"), however my dear wife, being Canadian, wasn't much help either. Her brother's description wasn't terribly enlightening either. So even now I'm no closer to understanding the tailgate bit. However I did bring the Steam-powered esky, and it was fun :-)


Myself, Mrs. DeCosta and another lady who's name I forget.


Melissa with her cigarette and Tensai, with her Kryptonite pom poms.


Lady Eva in the pink, and my lovely wife in her cog corset.


A riské umpire (I think) and Miss Weatherwax after she had been into the jägerbrau


Lunar and his favourite chicken.

From there is was off to a secret locale to help Steelhead's own Avil Editor, Eladrienne Laval, celebrate having successfully wasted a year online her first Rez Day.


An assortment of shapes, sizes and outfits.


Which included Mr. Nix Sands as The Artist formerly known as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince.

Then is was home to do some finish touches on the Radio Riel build before heading to bed.

Welcome, the Provence of Lovelace.

Continental drift seems a rather rapid occurrence in SL. The rising of landmasses that eventually joined the lands of Caledon and Winterfell together to form the Realm of the Roses, have now shifted the Province of Lovelace to the south of Caledon's shores.

Don't forget to say hi to Fluffy.

Burns Night, Steelhead and Dancing Drop Bears

Friday night saw something a little different as far as Caledon events. While Caledon is quite up front about it's Scottish heritage (though you'd have to use small words to explain it to some) usually this involves a dance with a Scots theme. Friday night was the traditional Burns Night Supper to commemorate the anniversary of the birth of one of Scotland's greatest poets. To celebrate, Her Grace of Loch Avie and Miss Soliel Snook organised a sit down dinner.



Complete with tatties and neeps, haggis, plenty of whisky and the traditional reading of various poems and historical anecdotes.

Yours truly was providing the music but my typist encountered some early problems requiring a complete system shutdown. Thankfully Her Grace of Carntaigh was onhand to cover for me while he instituted Emergency Repair Procedures.



The it was on with the dancing with some Scottish themed tunes.

Saturday night was Steelhead's formal for the month with the theme of "Steelhead" (possibly about as close to having a western theme as it's likely to get) which I dressed as Sheriff Jobias Barthelmess...



But I couldn't stay long as I was running my own Australia Day party in Caledon Cay.


Lawns, barbeque, esky, choons. (I need to get myself a set of cricket whites I think)


A visit from a "Darwin Tourist Trap".


Two drop bears and a bunny.


More dancing.


My dear wife and Miss Gildea play on the clothes line.


And what's an Australia Day party without beer?

Australia Day in Caledon

While there are few Australians in Caledon, my typist is one and as such I invite you to celebrate a little bit of Australia in Caledon on Saturday the 26th.

The esky is out the barby is hot and the Hills Hoist is made for swinging :-)

In Sunny Caledon Cay

There's also your very own copy of Ned Kelly's armour to be had.



Some fitting may be required....

Hope yous have a bonza bloody time mate!

Burns Supper in Loch Avie

Please join us in Caledon Loch Avie at the Conservatory a' Ghaidhealtachd for the celebration of a Burns Supper. There are two opportunities offered for celebration of this night. The Early Bird celebration from 12:00pm-3:00pm SLT, and the SL evening celebration from 7:00pm-10pm SLT.

Your hostesses will be Miss Soliel Snook at 12:00pm, and Her Grace, Eva Bellambi, Duchess of Loch Avie at 7:00pm. There have been many volunteers in the organisation of these events from all of Caledon as well as Steelhead.

Radio Riel will be providing the music for the evening (and I will be running SAM for the first time!)