ICON Lifestyle Magazine Vol 1 Issue 8 Oct 2009

Oct. 2009 - Issue 8

ICON of the Month Raven Pennyfeather

Designer Watch Bijoux LeFavre of Heart & Soul

Mankind’s Revolution A New Day in SL Entertainment

A Day for Peace Make a Difference

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Publishers Notes Publisher’s Note

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Have you ever stopped for just a few minutes, looked around and said to yourself... “How in the world did I get here?” What an exciting ride this is and I am very proud of the product we have the opportunity to bring to you each month. It is only because of the spectacular team we are blessed to have assembled that we are able to keep up with everything that is going on these days in Second Life. Quick shout out to all the ICON staff, “You Rock!”

I had a few minutes the other day to sit down and take a look at my contact list.

While going through the list, I realized how many incredible people I have had the opportunity to meet in just the short time I have been on the Grid. I am terrible about keeping in touch with the people who have really been responsible for helping me on my journey in Second Life. It was during a conversation with an old friend that I realized that, and I want to take a minute and say hello to all my friends who I have had the pleasure of getting to know since I stumbled onto this Second Life. You have all in some way been a part of my journey and influenced me. I hope you all know who you are.

I am very excited about this edition of ICON. Our Feature is the amazingly talented Raven Pennyfeather of RFyre. As always, our writers will be bringing you the latest information in Entertainment, Style, Lifestyle, and as always, someone will have an opinion or two.

Please be sure to visit our advertisers and let them know you saw their ad in the magazine. If you see anything you think should be covered, just drop us a note and we will check it out and as always, let us know how we are doing. We want to bring you the best and most interesting stories and articles.

I believe we have the best staff in SL and I am very proud to be associated with such a great group of people.

The Month of October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. They are celebrating 25 years and I would like to encourage any of you who can, to make a contribution to the NBCAM or offer some type of support.

Wil

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ICON CONTE N T Radar 29 ICON of the Month: Raven Pennyfeather 33 Deserted: Back From Burnout 37 Content Theft: Destany Laval Speaks Out

Icon of the Month

39 Alia Rabeni: Gamer, Roleplayer, Designer 43 The Great Sailing Adventure Pt 1

Style 49 Fashion Forward 53 Bijioux LeFavre’s Heart and Soul 55 Under Damiani’s Skin 59 Chianera Cioc - CCC 63 Oct Fashion Feature 67 Sept MOTM Winner Advert Home Sweet Home: Ruin Quan page 71

Fashion Forward page 49

ICON CONTE N T Lifestyle

H2o: An elemental Oddyssey page 101

71 Home Sweet SL Home - Ruin Quan 77 A Perfect AvMatch?

81 Gadget Girl 85 To Neko or Not To Neko?

89 The Velvet Thorn 93 Undead in SL

Art and Entertainment 97 Mankind’s Revolution 101 H2o : An Elemental Odyssey 101 How Obsessed With Your SL Ex Are You? 109 Gettin’ Down With DJ Azu 113 New Polos from Musashi-Do

Viewpoint 117 A Day For Peace 119 Changing Poses at Striking Poses 123 An Interactive Journey 129 The Women of SL Pt 3

Changing Poses at Striking Poses page 119

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Icon of the Month Raven Pennyfeather T he pursuit of gothic excellence, hand crafted with a touch of dark romantic elegance

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Rfyre Rfyre Burning Bright.

By Ruin Quan Photos by SC Tracy

I had been in Second Life for a little over a week. My friends had helped me start working on my avatar - a body, a decent skin, some blue eyes, and a couple of outfits. I had also finally learned how to walk (well kind of) across a room without crashing into a wall.

One day I asked a friend, “where’s a good place to find some cool clothes?”

She smiled and said “I’ll tp you.” When I landed in the store she said, “just stand there till you rez, you will want to see this.”

Less than a minute later I typed back to her, “OMG!” This was my introduction to RFyre. I was standing in front of a giant poster of Mastrius, the quintessential Master outfit. Tall, commanding, powerful. The man on the poster looked like I wanted to look. A love affair was spawned that day that still fills me with excitement at the announcement of every new RFyre masterpiece.

I returned day after day, checking out the outfits, wandering from one poster to another, until I had built a not so small collection of clothing from there. One day I was just standing in the entrance to the store when I saw a name that I had become quite familiar with.

Raven Pennyfeather. Wow, could it be her?

I approached her quietly and said, “Raven. I really love your clothes“.

(A small smile curls my lips as I type this as I’ve seen dozens of people do the same). She turned to me and said, “why thank you Ruin. That’s an interesting name.”

We started chatting about her clothes, what drove her, what the events were that had brought this incredibly talented woman to Second Life, and a friendship was born. By the time I left there at the end of the day she was a friend and has remained so. Her name has gotten me into numerous stores to meet the owners, and her friendship has been a blessing in a number of ways.

When I asked Raven to allow me to write a story about her and RFyre, she responded in her typical way. A humble woman, she is always surprised at the accolades and honors that both she and her designs have earned. She blushed and said, “Me, an ICON? Oh dear!!”

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I laughed and told her that she was the cover story for the month and that she truly was an ICON in Second Life.

Ably assisted by Harper Beresford, whom she calls the “General”, Raven has built a successful company in Second Life. Its not just one that supports her Second Life lifestyle, but also supports her real life as well.

Raven Pennyfeather established RFyre with a group of friends in Second Life in 2004. The origin of the meaning of RFyre was born out of the collective drive and passion of its early members to create “our fire.” This collaboration began with such members as Traxx Hathor, who built the iconic RFyre build that still stands today.

Raven began opening remote locations in 2005. She continued to build her brand and in 2007 brought in Harper Beresford as CMO. The RFyre interior was rebuilt under customer’s eyes in late 2008, and the RP Couture brand was introduced in spring, 2009. SC Tracy was introduced as Advertising Director in September, 2009.

With each subsequent change, Raven has seen her business evolve, but has stayed true to her mission: the pursuit of gothic excellence, hand crafted with a touch of dark romantic elegance.

So after gathering some facts about the origins and business model of RFyre, I invited her to my islands for an interview. What follows is that interview; I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed doing it.

Ruin Quan: I understand that RFyre was started by you and a group of your peers, but what prompted it? What made you say “I need to start my own company and design the most fantastic clothes in SL”?

Raven Pennyfeather: Well I didn’t set out with the intent of starting up a company. What did happen was I saw what some of the other residents were already creating and that just triggered an overwhelming desire to make my own designs. The business kind of evolved out of that.

Ruin Quan: So you were designing before the company started.

What is your background prior to SL? Raven Pennyfeather: Correct. I had returned to school for graphic design just a few months prior to me joining Second Life. Previously I had a career in the financial / technical field as a Compliance/ Business Analyst. Yet I have always nurtured my love of art as a fantasy illustrator. That has always run parallel to my other careers.

Yet I have always nurtured my love of art as a fantasy illustrator. That has always run parallel to my other careers.

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Ruin Quan: Wow that is quite a career change. Fantasy illustrator.

That was an avocation as opposed to a vocation. When did you decide to go full time with your dream?

Raven Pennyfeather: I was never truly satisfied professionally until I started designing and selling my work in here. It began a bit before entering Second Life, when I went to see LOTR with a group of friends. That was the first clear call back to my art. I entered school, entered SL and then after about two years of just doing what I loved, it became evident that there were enough sales to sustain me doing this full time.

Ruin Quan: How did that affect you?

Raven Pennyfeather: Oh my, more than I can express. The one prevailing thought was that I should have been a part of that movie somehow. That, along with a lecture I heard a few years prior where the speaker asked the audience to “not die with your music still in you”. Needless to say it shook me to my core. It was one of many powerful seeds that were being planted.

Ruin Quan: That is a motivational statement. The kind of thing that stays with you and keeps you motivated.

Raven Pennyfeather: Yes very much so. Its impact never stops resonating. I feel so incredibly fortunate that this medium afforded me a means to express my creativity and support me financially.

Ruin Quan: I’d like to talk for a moment about the success of Rfyre. I find it equally as fascinating that you have built a successful business with a solid model as the fact that you have become recognized as one of the most acclaimed and respected designers in SL. Did you ever expect the day would come that your dream would not only come to fruition but far exceed those initial dreams?

Raven Pennyfeather: This has far exceeded my expectations and I am still in awe of it. The compliments and acknowledgements of our success here have been such a powerful affirmation. I forget sometimes of the impact RFyre seems to have on those who support us. I just put a lot of love into what I do. This is my song.

My music. When others hear and reflect that positive regard, it blows me away.

Ruin Quan: I suspect that your fans feel that music when they wear your designs. With great success comes great responsibility.

I know that you are very active in a number of charities and SL organizations that are aimed at making the SL experience better

and fairer for all involved.. Can you tell us about some of your favorite charities and committees that you participate in?

Raven Pennyfeather: Absolutely. Firstly is the American Cancer Society and its Relay for Life efforts. That is something that we are so very committed to in here. In addition I am an active member of the Content Creators group and do a fair bit of mentoring with new designers that I am lucky enough to cross paths with.

Ruin Quan: What is the Content Creators group and how does it affect the average SL participant?

Raven Pennyfeather: The group is comprised of artists who create content for and within SL. We act as a clearing house of information, support that facilitates the creative process. It impacts the greater community in that hopefully we continue to each grow as designers and develop better and better product, information and support. CCA Group Charter: Support, information and assistance for creators in protection of original content and other content related issues. We are stronger together. Let’s stay positive. We can work together to insure SL remains a haven for creativity.

Ruin Quan: Do you also address issues like theft of ideas and content? Copy bots I know have become a huge problem for artists in SL, do you work for policing those kinds of issues?

Raven Pennyfeather: Yes those issues are of primary concern to our group. Here again we try to encourage a proactive, as opposed to a reactive, approach. Awareness and education is critical to understanding this sometimes overwhelming issue.

Ruin Quan: Here’s a question I know our readers are interested in ... where does the inspiration come from? You create fashions all over the spectrum, from togas to High Fashion gowns and you are very prolific. How do the ideas keep coming?

Raven Pennyfeather: The ideas come from so many different sources. Again, being in this environment with so many creative minds is a synergy that lends itself to new ideas and inspirations.

Plus my wonderful customers take full advantage of our suggestion policy which I love!

Ruin Quan: What is your most favorite outfit ever?

Raven Pennyfeather: It keeps changing.

Ruin Quan: I’m sure that’s tough, but which one is it this week.

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RADAR Raven Pennyfeather: Right now I would have to say that Providence is still my favorite... for now.

Ruin Quan: A great outfit. What makes it stand out to you?

Raven Pennyfeather: The amount of hours in Photoshop finally getting that elusive leather texture I have been trying to develop.

The look and feel of it. The sim that inspired it (Insilico) and so on.

Ruin Quan: One of the things I note when I visit your Main store is the number of other designers that have space on your sim. I suspect that the exposure they get with your clientele is a real plus for them. Do you ever find yourself inviting a new designer to take space there? To sponsor them so to speak? What is the criteria to be a featured company in your main location?

Raven Pennyfeather: Oh yes. We are always on the look out for quality work and especially those who are relatively new to designing. We hope that by our activities on the isle we are supporting them and their sales. The criteria first and foremost is quality and passion.

Ruin Quan: Does a designer have to “audition” if they are interested in a store there?

Raven Pennyfeather: There is no audition. Typically either me or one of my team will go and visit the store of a designer who has asked to join us, or one we have heard of being particularly good at their craft. If they haven’t contacted us we will solicit them.

Ruin Quan: What would you tell a new designer in SL who is looking for the tools to success? How do you motivate them?

Raven Pennyfeather: Good question. Usually they are motivated already. All I do is try to fan the flames. Seriously though, the one thing I always say is persistence and love. With those two qualities, coupled with a little organization, the success will follow.

Ruin Quan: I talk with a lot of designers and SL citizens and it seems that when the name of Raven Pennyfeather comes up it is almost always followed by a smile and a positive compliment about not only your work, but even more interesting is the fact that people “like you”. So many people have a Raven story.

Raven Pennyfeather: I try to treat folks the way I wish to be treated. The world can be a pretty cold place. It never hurts to be kind.

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Ruin Quan: How does it feel to be so well respected for not only your professionalism, but to be seen as an ICON of personality as well?

Raven Pennyfeather: I appreciate the respect more than words can say. As for being an icon? Yikes... not sure what to make of that, lol.

That’s a pretty intimidating title both to encounter and or to carry.

Ruin Quan: You do it well. We’ve been looking forward to the day that you would grace the cover of our magazine.

Ruin Quan: I’m a new visitor to SL. I look around and see that I love your clothes and am lucky enough to run into you in your store. I approach you and ask any suggestions for me? What is the first thing I should do?

Raven Pennyfeather: Thankfully most people who I have met and who have solicited my input are very polite. That is always welcome as often I am juggling a half a dozen things at any given time. I do however put my customers first and will stop to assist them with their questions and or concerns.

Ruin Quan: Raven, I have totally enjoyed the opportunity to interview you. You are, as always, a pleasure to talk with and never fail to bring a smile to my face. Any final words you’d like to leave my readers and your fans with?

Raven Pennyfeather: Ruin thank you so much both to you and the Icon group for inviting me to participate in this interview. I would just like to say to those reading this to always try to leave any encounter with someone having them feel the better for it.

Ruin Quan: Well you’ve succeeded today for sure.

I was speaking with Raven a couple of days after the interview, a last minute kind of thing before I had to turn the story in for deadline. She told me that she had been to visit Nevar Lobo & Amethyst Starostin of the Relay for Life at their home outside Orlando.

I had to smile. This is a remarkable woman, and she walks the walk in both her Second Life and Real Life worlds. I am a fortunate man to have discovered the world of Raven Pennyfeather.

If you haven’t yet been to RFyre, make it a point. The clothes are amazing and the stores that share her Sim are exceptional. And if you’re really lucky, you may get to meet an ICON … Ms. Raven Pennyfeather. You’ll be better for it.

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Deserted: Back From Burnout.

on the clothing template when making jeans. So, my brother taught me some basic Photoshop skills and I started making my own lowrise jeans.” Zagato explained that his collection is based on his RL clothing collection. “My denim collection in RL is insane and, well, it kinda translated into SL,” he said. “And so, I started making more jeans, then started making my own t-shirts to wear with them. As my

I deserted my own store and the SL fashion world, only to come back re-inspired.

By Sahara Mehrtens Photos by Sissy Blitz Second Life is so many things for so many people. For some it’s an escape, for some it’s a dream, for others still, it’s a way to connect.

For Dragontat Zagato, it’s been an avenue for all of these and more.

For him it’s been a metamorphasis.

In 2005, when SL was still a “noob” itself, Zagato was living far away from family and friends in RL and looking for a way to connect. In August of that year, his RL brother Zabitan Assia, told him about SL, and an SLaddict was born.

“I think after the first 15 minutes in-world, I was hooked,” Zagato said. “Finally I could stay in touch with my brother in an interactive, virtual environment which was much more engaging than e-mail or text.”

Just a little more than a year after his SL debut, Zagato found himself looking for a persona that was more ‘him’. “When I started SL, the goth look and leather were really popular, and although it’s a really cool look, it’s not really me,” he said. “I wanted something similar to what I would actually wear in RL, which is more of a highend jeans and t-shirt kinda look – comfortable but stylish.”

So, he decided he’d try his hand at designing, and Desert Moon Clothiers was born.

“I remember having a really hard time finding low-rise jeans in SL,” he said. “A lot of designers were using the default waistline

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RADAR make so I rely on RL fashion for inspiration and ideas.”

Zagato’s journey to his current state hasn’t been the easiest of transitions. He did suffer something many designers and other creative people go through – burnout. In January 2008, Zagato took an unplanned break from relasing new items. “My last release was in January 2008,” he said. “I know, I know... bad designer! But I struggled through what some content creators struggle through at times--burnout. I got tired of making stuff, working in SL at night but still working RL during the day.”

Another designing storm Zagato has weathered is the new explosion of using sculpties in designs. “ When SL introduced sculpted prims, and newer designers started incorporating them in their designs I felt like I was at a real disadvantage because I didn’t know how to use those 3-D modeling programs and still don’t” he explained. “So I kinda gave up. But after over a year of not making anything I finally just came to the conclusion that I can only do what I know how to do with the resources I’ve got.” inventory grew with my own stuff I thought that maybe others out there might be interested in buying what I made.”

Zagato’s first item, a pair of low-rise jeans called the Dirty South, was created on September 3, 2006. Now, several years and styles later, Zagato’s clothing store has grown into a very well-respected store on the grid. Most of his clothing caters to males, but he has bridged the gap into women’s apparel. “I cater more to men only because, well, I’m a guy and it’s what I’m most comfortable with,” he explained. “I truly design for myself first and put it out for sale. Everything I make is something I would wear in RL. I have expanded into the women’s market but it’s really a challenge for me. I never really know what to

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And so, this month, Zagato will release his new line of fashion, “Deserted.”

“Deserted is like version 4.0 in the evolution of my store/brand,” he said. “It began with Desert Moon Clothiers (for men), then added Desert Star (for women), then just Desert Moon Clothiers (for men and women), and now Deserted (for men and women). It’s taking everything I’ve done and learned through the years and producing a better collection.”

To him, the name of the store has deep meaning rooted within.

“Deserted” is kinda symbolic in a sublime way,” Zagato explained. “I deserted my own store and the SL fashion world, only to come back re-inspired.”

The collection will be available in the beginning of October, and features many staple items for avatars. However, Zagato said he plans on adding many items regularly. “You’ll see a lot of new stuff with some upgrades of some of my previous designs,” he said. “Of course there’s a lot of denim, but all my jeans now have sculpted prim legs. I’m using more and more sculpted prims as they become available to designers. You’ll see better textures, better shading, and better designs in urban and modern styles. I’ve designed more dresses on the women’s side and they’re all short. I can’t help it. Women in SL can have beautiful legs and bodies so why not show them off.”

Zagato spends time trying to do one thing, have fun. “Usually I’m catching up with friends I’ve met throughout the years,” he said.

“I’ve been lucky in that I’ve met a lot of people in SL who are just the coolest and very talented, sometimes crazy but always fun! And if you’re not having fun in SL then what’s the point in the being here, right?”

Zagato’s S.L.ife has been very interesting, to say the least, with ups and downs in career. But through constant work and ingenuity, he’s managed to overcome the odds and win the war against burnout!

Zagato has spent a lot of time working on his new collection, but has been careful not to do too much at the beginning. “I used to spend a lot of time designing, but I’ve learned the hard way that that can be the quickest way to burnout,” he said.

“I’ve realized I need to pace myself. So, I’ll probably spend a few hours a week designing.”

Zagato has found inspiration through many designers throughout the years and has many favorites he enjoys. “Over the years I’ve had so many [favorites], and still do!” he said. “When I’m out shopping I always find myself saying ‘Damn, now why can’t I design like that?!?’ But for sure some of my favorites include my brother Zabitan Assia of FORM, Saeya Nyanda of Kyoot Army, Posy Trudeau of Miau Haus, all the designers at The Block, Armidi, Aoharu, Muism, Emery, AlphaMale, Aitui, Barerose... it’s all over the place so I’ll just stop there for now.

When he’s not in the studio dreaming up designs or working on his latest creation,

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Content Theft, a Crime Against All of Us

By Ruin Quan One of the issues that come up frequently in my discussions with vendors and designers is content theft and the way it affects business in Second Life. I know several people who make their real life living from their work in Second Life, and any number who not only augment their income but also get to exercise their passion for creating. One of the repetitive themes of those conversations is how disheartening it is to see their work on someone else’s product. Many of them have stated flatly that it can be so discouraging to work to create something extraordinary and then have it usurped that they have considered just leaving Second Life. Others do the same thing that real life stores do to cover their losses from theft, they raise prices.

Monday evening I received an IM from Destany Laval of unzipped. She was angry due to an event that occurred with a man that she had recently associated with for some clothing designs. Her biggest fears and concerns were not for herself, they were for another designer that potentially could have been damaged by the event, and by her fear that she had let her customers down. After she had talked with the other designer and bravely notified her customers about what happened she still felt that there was a story to be told here. Graciously, she agreed to sit down and answer some questions about the event, her feelings, the responses, and her plans for the future. Here is the resulting interview.

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Ruin Quan: Destany, recently you had an experience with a so called “business associate” that affected you very strongly. Could you please tell us what happened?

Destany Laval: I had a store in a well known sim that was run by three people for almost a year and a half now.

They had always stayed true to their policy of having only the best designers in SL as vendors there. One of them approached me asking for help one afternoon and showed me his wonderful prim designs and asked if I could help with texture. So of course I honored our friendship and I said I would gladly help him. I spent that night creating textures and designing, then texturing the items. He then asked me to partner with him, because it would really help get his name known faster and also give me a new area and style to my store. I felt it would be good to help him after knowing him so long it was the right thing to do. But that all came crashing down in one night when I found out he had been copying designs from other designers.

Ruin: Wow... so, “his” prim designs were really from another designer?

Destany: He bought other designers outfits then looked at them, took their ideas, and rebuilt them.

Ruin: Well, where I come from that would be considered theft, I don’t know what the legal ramifications of that are, but it seems to me that stealing someone else’s work should have some kind of punishment attached even in Second Life. So let me get this straight, he stole from one customer, and put another customer at risk by using stolen property in the designs that you were partnering with him?

Destany: I entered into collaboration with him. He was friends with the people he also stolen from. He not only hurt me in this, but all the vendors within his sim and his business partners who now have lost their store sim because of his actions. He let us all down. We all trusted him.

Ruin: What were your first thoughts when you discovered what had happened?

Thanks for setting an example to others.”

Destany: I was in shock. This was a friend, someone I had always trusted. How could he have done such a thing? I had taken him to copyright meetings and given him the step up information on copyright. I had shared my pride in that everything I created was always 100% original design and how important that was to me. Yet here I was faced with the fact that in spite of all those things, he still went and did the very thing I was so against, and in a way brought me into it.

Shocked and betrayed and hurt all in one.

Ruin: That says a lot for your reputation, and the loyalty that you inspire in your customers. Tell me Destany, what are the main lessons you will take from this?

Ruin: What about your business, has it affected that at all?

Destany: Too early to tell really. I have received a lot of letters of support from my customers and friends that know me and love my designs. I am grateful for these letters, but yes I am still concerned as this is my real life income.

Ruin: Have you had the opportunity to talk with the other designer whose ideas were stolen?

Destany: That was first thing I did. I was more hurt for them. I know how that feels, as a lot of us designers in SL have faced it. However, as one of the designers I talked to yesterday says, we expect it from new account holders and people we don’t know. When it turns out to be someone you know and trust, someone you called a friend once, then the hurt is even worse.

Ruin: I noticed that you offered to recompense all the people who purchased the design that used the offending prims. What has been the response from your customer base?

Destany: No one asked for a refund and all that did reply said that he was responsible for it, not me, as none of my items were copied. They honored me for standing up and sending the notice. For example, “Kudos for stepping up on the cloak thing, it was a very quality thing for you to do.

Destany: Work on my own. Trust no one. You never know who you can trust, so trust your own designs.

Ruin: That sounds like a very good idea to me. Is there anything else you would like to say?

Destany: I work very hard on all my designs. They come from within and I hope that all my customers will remain with me. It was a huge mistake to enter into collaboration with this person. It has been a heart breaking experience but I will continue to create new items and be loyal to my customers.

This will not stop me. For others I say be mindful of who you call a friend in Second Life, for you never truly know. Not all people are this way of course. As a good friend of mine says, We Are Real. People should keep that in mind.

Ruin: Thank you so much Destany. It takes a lot of courage to put your business out on the street like this and I respect that. I know that content theft is a huge problem in Second Life; people don’t realize what it can do to the people involved. If you have any knowledge of people doing this please report it to someone, it affects all of us in Second Life.

All the involved companies have filed reports with Linden Labs and the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act http://secondlife.com/corporate/ dmca.php ) and are pursuing legal recourse. We will report on the result of that once there is a judgment.

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Deep down inside, every girl wants a pair of thigh high leather boots

Alia Rabeni gamer, role player and designer.

by Amelia Harsley Photos by Jordan Whitt and Alia Rabeni She’s a very passionate woman, one who is equally at ease designing outrageously sexy gowns, skimpy little dresses or amazing role play attire. She is Alia Rabeni, designer and owner of Ali Couture.

Last week Alia was contacted over posters in her store which advertised tattoos. In them, nipples were visible. After changing the Sim rating to “Mature”, which by the FAQ Website about Adult Content which is the setting for “simple nudity, with explicitly depicted but non-erect genitals”, Alia still took the step of censoring her posters, and editing new ones to erase all showing nipples. For a woman with the motto “Wear Ali or go naked”, this was a hard step to take.

Alia: We’re all having to cover our nipples. Most of the vendors at my mall are having to redo their posters because pixellated nipples are showing. We are now a Mature Sim, so people can still see nakedness and such, but really, with bannings and accounts being frozen, who wants to go against the system? So I’m ruining perfectly good pictures by censoring everything.

Amelia: So you changed your Sim rating?

An avid “gamer”, Alia is a self described pixel lover with a crush on the Prince of Persia, from the game of the same name. She came to Second Life to find her Prince, and to find hacks to finish this “game”.

She soon discovered that this isn’t a game. Its a never ending adventure, with countless stories and opportunities. Far from beating this “game” in five days, Alia became a part of herself, not merely a character. She is a successful designer, a good friend and an outspoken woman who never shies from a fight. Although some fights you do have to pass up, no matter how hard it is or how unfair they seem.

This happened recently to Alia when the new adult content changes came into effect on September 15th. What this means is regions are now classified by ratings of PG, Mature or Adult and to access some of these places, you need to be age verified.

Now you are probably wondering what this has to do with anything, especially a clothing designer.

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RADAR Alia: It has to be. They say if you have a question on whether you are PG or not, make your Sim Mature, to be safe.

to tell me to change. The Day of the Dead, black leather pants with skulls with a matching jacket, is a favourite.

Amelia: Are your future posters going to be censored too?

Amelia: Any you wish you had never brought ot life in Second Life?

Alia: My partners (who share the Sim with Alia) don’t get as naked in their advertisements as I do, so for their sake, I have to erase my nipples. Why bring attention to them because of my big mouth? So I have covered up. This is an adult game and my clothing posters have nothing to do “Adult Subject Matter”, but fear of pixellated nipples means I’m having to change the style in which I show my designs.

Alia: I went through a Lady Gaga phase and made a version of her “Poker Face” outfit. I pretty much retired it as soon as I released it.

A designer showed up in my store when I was pretty much giving it away and bought it. I gave her her money back. I was like “noooooo you can’t pay for that!”

Amelia: What is your design style?

Amelia: What do you see as the biggest challenge facing designers today?

Alia: Basically RPG, leather and chains, but I get inspired by a phrase, a word, a color or a feeling. I’m rather conservative in RL, but deep down inside, every girl wants a pair of thigh high leather boots, tiny mini skirt and a sexy corset as she wields a sword that would scare the living daylights out of any man.

Alia: I believe Second Life is huge and that everyone should be able to do what they want in here. There is room for everyone. If you want to design, then go for it. There is so much competition out there, with some awesome designers, that when you are starting out its hard to find your clientele. Its all about pounding the pavement and finding your niche market and your group.

Amelia: How did you get into designing?

Alia: There are so many things to do in Second Life, and I tried a lot of things before I started playing with prims and before I knew it, I had made my first skirt. Soon afterwards I made my first outfit. A friend asked me where I had bought it, and after telling her I had made it, she asked me to make her one too, but in another color. She was my first customer, although I didn’t charge her for it because she had given me glitter shoes. Bling was in...once.

Amelia: What would you pick as your favourite creation?

Alia: Thats a very hard question as all my outfits are my babies.

Sometimes I will wear a new outfit for weeks until my friends have

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Amelia: And the biggest benefit?

Alia: I still get a kick out of seeing someone wearing my designs or when customers say they love my clothes. Some designers get attitudes - don’t talk to me, don’t IM me, don’t write to me etc - but its because of our customers that we are who we are. My customers made me. They made Ali Couture.

Amelia: So where do you like to shop?

Alia: I became a designer because I wanted a certain look, so I wear my own designs most of the time, but if I like a store, I usually buy everything in the store. But my biggest weakness is shoes and hair.

I cannot stop buying either one of them.

Amelia: So did you ever meet your Prince?

Alia: Two weeks after joining Second Life I was in a club and learning how to cam around and OMG there he was at the other end of the club. The heavens opened, angels descended and started their angelic chants. The Prince was herein Second Life! I quickly IMed him and he asked me to dance and there I was, in the arms of my Prince. Later I found out he was twice my age... and retired. I met another potential Prince in another club. He hadn’t noticed me, so I was busily camming him. I had yet to learn what “spankers” were, so when I clicked on him, there in chat for everyone to see was “Alia spanks Demon’s ass”.

What else could I do but IM and fess up?

Amelia: So what does the future hold for Alia Rabeni and Ali Couture?

Alia: A few weeks in Second Life feels like a year, but I’m still hear after two years. I hope I am still here next year. As for Ali Couture, it will always be what my Biters (the pet name Alia has for her group members) make it.

If you like your fashion with an edge, or enjoy a bit of role playing, then Ali Couture is the store for you. The clothing, like the woman behind them, is strong, fierce and sexy. Just slipping into it will make you feel like you can take on the world. So now the question is, are you going to wear Ali...or go naked?

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What must it be like to sail from one end of the world to the other?

Dahlia Jayaram prepares to set sail around the Second Life world in her free Linden Labs sailboat, aptly named “my little boat.”

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THE GREAT SAILING ADVENTURE ~ 2009 part one

By Dahlia Jayaram

that say blimps will take you to certain destinations, when they really don’t. Secondly, Blake Sea is pretty big if it takes an hour to cross in my little boat. And finally, after looking at my map to compare the Blake Sea to the rest of the SL world, I realized something even more remarkable: the Blake Sea is really tiny!

Because of my new enlightenment I wondered: What must it be like to sail from one end of the world to the other? And from that moment, the seeds of an idea began growing under the curls covering my head. If I had a light bulb attachment, I would have worn it over my head. *Ding!*

A few months ago I saw a picture of a beautiful sailboat, all alone I made a map to show my plan: to sail around all the continents out on an empty sea shrouded in mist. Under the picture it said: Blake Sea. I thought to myself, wow, I’ve got to see this Friends (l to r) Pinetree Sungsoo, Lantern Panacek, and Larkworthy place; it looks so serene, so mysterious and so romantic.

Antfarm enjoy perfect sailing weather in the Blake Sea. I flew to Nantucket Yacht Club, where I found some sailing freebies, including a little boat that had room for two. It was cute, I thought. I can use it to find the Blake Sea. I unloaded my new free boat next to the dock and climbed in when it suddenly hit me: I had never been in a boat before.

Undaunted, I pushed off, heading out to look for an empty sea shrouded in fog. Basically—as you can probably already tell—I had no idea where I was going or what I was really doing. So it should be no surprise that I sailed around for about 20 minutes without finding any fog whatsoever.

I did discover, however, that the Inter Island Transit (IIT) company operated a blimp shuttle that serviced the Blake Sea islands—or at least the signs at its landing sites said so. The first blimp I saw, I followed to Gulliver Airport and waited for the next shuttle to arrive. It never did, so I sailed to one of the destinations listed on its route sign, only to learn it hadn’t been there in months. So I sailed to another of its destinations. There, the shuttle only flew back to Gulliver, so I sailed out to the last site on my list. But before I could reach it, I discovered it was inaccessible, surrounded on all sides by “off-grid” waters. I could see the water ahead of me, but I couldn’t touch it. Why? Because there is no “server” hooked up to it, that’s why.

The bastards! I cried out in anguish to the heavens. I had sailed for over an hour, crossing the full width of the Blake Sea, only to find myself shut out two Sims away. “D’oh!”

THE BIRTH OF AN IDEA My blimp shuttle experience revealed a few things to me: Firstly, someone needs to change those darn shuttle signs

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RADAR that were connected to each other by water: from the Blake Sea and Island Communities in the far southeast, to the southern tip of the Satoni continent in the southwest, up the western edge of the continent of Nautilus, and along the southernmost aspects of the northern continents of Corisca and Gaeta V, ending at the far eastern shore of Gaeta V. From there, I’d return, sailing along the northern shores of Gaeta V and Corsica, back down the western edge of Nautilus, then cutting due east between southern Nautilus and northern Satoni, through the Blake Sea, and finally, back to my starting point in the southeastern Island Communities.

How long would this kind of trip take? I wondered. If it took me an hour to sail the entire length of Blake Sea, this trip would certainly take considerably more time. I guess-timated that if I sailed a couple of hours each day, perhaps I could make it in two weeks total. I Dahlia’s little sail boat is dwarfed by the larger craft moored at the start/finish location at Serenity Keys in the Blake Sea and Island Communities sim of Morea.

Pirate Uri Jefferson and a parrot friend is seen riding his newly created throne raft in the Blake Sea.

considered two weeks was a conservative guess because, after all, who knows what’s out there? There could be land obstacles such as shallow sandbars, murky bogs, narrow passages, maybe even sea dragons! Anything was possible. I soon began to realize my plan was turning into an expedition as much as it was a sailing trip.

DAY 1: A SMOOTH START THROUGH THE BLAKE SEA & ISLAND COMMUNITIES A few days later I set sail, pushing off from the docks of Serenity Keys in the southeastern sim of Morea. Almost immediately, I encountered someone seting out regatta starting gates in preparation for a race celebrating the Schiffsratten Yacht Club’s first year anniversary. He was quite busy though, so I wished him well, before heading northward into Blake Sea. Once in Blake Sea, I joined a few friends at Sailor’s Cove Marina

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dahlia Jayaram loves to explore Second Life. Her first few months were spent searching for the most beautiful islands in SL and has recently begun exploring SL’s many diverse waterways.

Dahlia watches as someone creates regatta starting gates for a sail boat race to celebrate the first anniversary of Schiffsratten Yacht Club.

Dahlia rides along with Chance Rasmuson in his Trudeau boat as they race friends near Sailor’s Cove Marina in the Blake Sea.

where we jumped into two Trudeau boats and headed out onto the race course. This would be the very first sail boat race I had ever been in, and you can see a video one of the passengers made of it, complete with music and title cards at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6HyReQv9aU .

It was great fun and I hope to do it again soon.

My first day came to a close by docking overnight at nearby Sailor’s Rest at AnyPeople’s Yacht Lounge, Honah Lee North. It had been a long and successful first day on my sailing adventure. I was pleased with my progress on the map and even more with all the interesting people I met along the way. If every future day of my trip could be as good as today, I thought, I might have to give up walking on land and just stay in my boat from now on! If only I knew then what was awaiting me along the eastern shoreline of the Satoni mainland.

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STYLE STYLE

Fashion Forward It was a hard month choosing our ICONs, but the two we did choose are well known figures in Second Life. This month’s female ICON is Euni Kira.

The male ICON is Nicholai Shepherd.

Euri Kira, like all fashion addicts, is a fashion blogger.

She loves fashion and it shows in her blog. I’m always a fan of a girl that can have two completely different looks in one day. Heck, if you change every hour I’m a fan. She’s not an aspiring model. Blogging for her is for the love of fashion. It also helps to be a real life fashion freak, and that she is as well. Being a helpful eye for some of her designer friends is also on her to do list. I’m very excited to see what she’ll do next.

Photographer Moose Moomintoog

On Euni SKIN: lake betty norm frck by &bean HEADPIECE: antique rose head dress by noju HAIR: aphro in black only by another level EARRINGS: star earrings by n*l DRESS: mummy’s hand-me-down dress in blue NECKLANE: flower pearl necklace by brillante GLOVES: gloves in gray by lelutka STOCKINGS: lace stockings in plummy by dare BOOTS: la jalousie suede boots by mystique

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SKIN: po pale ash 2 by vive9 HAIR: rejector in ink by !lamb NECKLACE: siamese twins necklace by lagyo GLOVES: biker gloves in alpha by +plus+ DRESS: noell sculpted dress in grayblue by leezu LEGGINGS: leggings in grayscale 1 by lelutka SHOES: glam bootie in silver by stiletto moody

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Nicholai Shepherd is Mr. Virtual World 2009. He is also a stylist. There aren’t very many men that are stylists, even though there should be as there is a market for it. He is also a very talented model, currently working for 3 agencies MAD Agency, Boulevard Agency and JM Models. He has some exciting ventures coming up, and I look forward to seeing and hearing at from him.

Photographer Moose Moomintoog On Nicholai SKIN: Damiani - Neo V2 Tan2 Face 2 Eyeliner HAIR: Shag - He’s come undone SHIRT: LAQ Knit Cardigan TROUSERS: Emery - pant suit SHOES: Kalnins – Elegance

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SKIN: Damiani - Neo V2 Tan2 Face 2 Eyeliner HAIR: Madesigns HAIR - Chris velveteen F1 SB II SHIRT: Artilleri - Jed Shirt UNDERSHIRT: Artilleri - Max Tank Top PANTS: -WMD-”Ronin” Simon Blue jeans low rise LIP PIERCING: Von Ducky - Face Bite SHOES: Hoorenbeek - Dupree Boots - Men - A Brwn/Gld

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Designer Watch

Bijoux LeFavre

Heart & Sole

By Janina Scarmon Photos by RubyStarlight Writer

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Bijoux LeFavre came to Second Life two years ago in 2007, and did not start building until almost the end of her first year. She had many friends who were designers and they inspired her to try creating fashions for SL. Another year later she is the creative genius behind Heart & Sole Shoes.

In real life, Bijoux is a talented jewelry designer. When the economy started to slip last year, her journey in Second Life gave her a new way to bring her creativity to life. A consummate shop-a-holic and shoe lover in RL, she designs shoes that she

would like to wear in real life.

Bijoux loves a challenge, and she will take ideas that her friends give her and fashion them into Second life shoes for both men and women.

Bijoux has many ideas for the future of Heart & Sole. She just finished expanding to her own sim. There are a few stores in addition to hers, and they are planning some fun When Bijoux starts a events for customers new design, she gathers who visit. She and inspiration from things she the other store owners sees in a magazine or are planning a hunt website. Her natural creative on the new sim for the talent flows though as she last week of October, begins each one. It can be so there will be tons of an interesting heel, buckle, or gifts, and some will be even a strap that peaks her exclusives! She has imagination. used her "heart & sole" to design a new style of the sculpted sandals Her first boot was a rugged with feet, which has led style. It was all prim, no to other ideas as well. sculpts, and it took Bijoux many tries to get it right. Her love for the design To the new made her put her designers out heart and soul into there in Second it, right down to Life, Bijoux says, the traction on the "Go for it. Go all boot being made out! Don’t worry of hearts. When about what others it was completed, say, design from she opened her first the heart." She store and gave it advises them to the name "Heart & never do a style Sole" after the love that they are and care she had not interested put into it. Her first in wearing store sign had a themselves. picture of the sole The best ideas of that same boot, are those that and the first store designers make had a huge version with passion.... of that sole on the with their "Heart & wall!

Sole."

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Under Damiani’s Skin

Al l w e d o c o m e s out of us, and the inspiration we give each other.

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By Daija Arida Photos supplied by Damiani Finding a good skin in Second Life is a journey and quest of its own. And the fact that there are about 20 skin shops per sim doesn’t help any at all. Damiani Skins have been around for almost three years. They are currently releasing new skins for the skin expo. Along with having a killer skin line, they have apparel as well for both males and females.

I had the opportunity of chatting with one of the owners/ creator, Pompeja Rossini, about her future plans and what’s new with her company.

Daija: First, I was to start off by saying I really love your skins. How did you get into making them?

Pompeja: Through my partner. I was making some few clothes and he was trying skins and then asked me to make the makeup for them. That was my first attempt.

Daija: So your store is a partnership?

Pompeja: Yes. Damiani is a partnership. Kaoz Koba and I were

already a couple before we started creating together. All we do comes out of us, and the inspiration we give each other.

Daija: Is it easy for you guys to work together and play together?

Most couples can’t do that.

Pompeja: Of course. We’ve never had a problem with that. It’s worked fine since 2007.

Daija: For someone that’s never been to your store, explain what all you carry there.

Pompeja: We carry male and female skins, as well as shapes for them. We also sell eyes and male and female apparel. This we plan to expand in near future.

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Daija: Expand on apparel?

Pompeja: Yes, some casual and less formal. It’s harder to make clothes when the focus is on skins, as they are our passion. We have 6 male skin lines and 8 female. The 9th Jada is in progress and is a darker skin.

Daija: It’s very hard to find a good bronze or dark skin, so it would be nice to have.

Pompeja: I know. That is the reason why I made her. Also, I did forget, we carry male and female Drows as well as Goth skins in the Damiani Underground.

Daija: Do what have any skin you haven’t done yet? Like high fashion makeup?

Pompeja: If the request is made, I will do also those. I do have many makeup styles, due to my real life work as makeup artist. I do what I can, considering I’m working on a flat template with such a low resolution.

Daija: It’s good to have real life experience in such a competitive field.

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Pompeja: I am still learning Photoshop and trying to find the way to use it in the best way for my work. My partner is the pro in that field.

Before 2007, I’d never heard of it before.

Daija: You want to expand clothing. Is there something else you want to do as well? Like shoes or something of the sort?

Pompeja: I will attempt hair, because this is something that would complete Damiani. As for shoes, Koaz will be making those in near future. Clothes are something I always do after making a skin to relax and forget, but never for very long.

Daija: I wish you all the luck, with you store and future ventures.

Pompeja: Thank you.

Here is the slurl to the mainstore of Damiani Fashions. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Damiani/127/139/26

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Designer Watch

Chianera Cioc CCC

By Janina Scarmon Photos by RubyStarlight Writer and Chianera Cioc

Chianera Cioc is one of the honored designers of Second Life that we felt deserved a moment to shine. Her education comes from traveling to many countries and getting to actually view all the beautiful art from countries like Indonesia, Morocco, Egypt, and of course Italy, her native land. Her natural creative talent can be seen in each design she makes for Chianera Cioc Couture.

Chianera started her Second Life by working at the Italian

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design things that were different than what she was seeing in the fashion world of Second Life. She wanted designs that were elegant and breathtakingly sexy at the same time.

It was at that point in Chianera’s time in Second Life that she met Jacopo Perenti, the co-owner of CCC, at the Italian Beach Club. Jacopo bought the sim and took over, asking Chianera to be the host of the club. He believed in Chianera’s talent, and many dresses she created were designed with some of his ideas, especially the ones with the deep open back because Jacopo loved the sight of a woman’s lovely back. Two such designs were CCC Rare and Morgana. It was at Jacopo’s ItaliaSL sim that Chianera opened her mainstore next to the beach jazz club. She

Beach Jazz Club located at the ItaliaSL sim. She entered contests at the club which featured themes. She created each outfit that she wore for those events. For instance, when they had a chocolate night, she designed and wore an outfit that was made of SL chocolate and silver aluminum for the skirt called Willy Wonka. When they did the Wizard of Oz theme, she created a Glinda the Good Witch gown for herself. Her natural talent and ability to design and create had begun to show.

From these designs, Chianera began to gain experience in SL fashion design and content creation. She wanted to

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STYLE created a low lag dress for the security and hosts to wear called Camil, a dress that she wishes people would wear many of the laggier days here in SL. Chianera then discovered uses for faux fur and sculpted prims. She felt the hardest part of designing with sculpted prims were not the actual creation and manipulation, but in choosing the right place to place them.

Many of the dresses she created from this time on were born from ideas that friends gave her, or a “sweet word that caresses” her, or “from the deepest thought of lusciousness.” Many of her designs are named for the many women who are important to her.

At the end of 2008, Jacopo brought Chianera into the

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international jet set with two fashion shows on SLCN. The first show was just of Chianera’s fashions, and the second was in conjunction with the great Italian male designer of La Sartoria, Traveller Bade. It was at this time that Chianera participated in her first contest as a designer, Miss Italian Fashion. Two of her designs made it to the finals, and her design, CCC Bithia, won the contest. Bithia is a dress that was inspired by a real life dress that her mother wanted her to wear.

Advice to other designers? She tells new designers to work with software that they are comfortable with, and to take time to do everything the right way. “Believe in you and in creativity, and someone who believes in you will come along to help you in doing the same.”

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Fashion Feature

On Laya Skin: Damiani Demi Autumn tone August with freckles make up

For this month’s Fashion Feature I chose the extremely talented Naith Smit of NS Designs. His pieces have a grudge feel that I love, so I decided to go there a little bit with these shoots.

The jewelry at his store is that amazing gothic/catholic style that we love so much on Criss Angel and if he ever came to Second Life, this is the store he’d shop at. There is also an array of accessories, such as belts. The store is also packed with both men’s and women’s clothing. He is building a new main store that will be opening within the next month or so and he will be releasing some new items then. For now, here is the slurl to his main store as of print time. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cobra/99/191/36 Photographer Moose Moomintoog Models Dimitri Shinn and Laya Felisimo

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Tattoo: AITUI - Demise Faded II Hair: Mirai - Jule (Brown) Lip Piercing: Skream - The Beauty Mark Tank: NS - Tank Top Clean White Necklace: NS - Rock n Rolla Chain Bracelets: Cake - 80’s Pop Bracelet Cigarette: Sways (Hand) Ring: NS Blood Diamonds ring Bag: Arai - Shoulder Bag Jeans: NS - Jeans (Gark blue) Shoes: Kalnins – Braxterz On Dimitri Hair - MADesigns HAIR ~ BILLY DESTROYED C2 ~ NB II Eyes - MADesigns EYES - MIRRORS – vanity Skin - Damiani Noah Clean Tan Hoodie - Naith Smit Lions Head Fur Inner Shirt - Muism 40% Transparency Tank Pants - Kal Rau Skate Pants Shoes - [hoorenbeek] Rifts Men Black/White Bag - GeekMind Backpack Large

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STYLE On Laya Skin: Damiani - Demi Autumn tone October with freckles.

Hair: TRUTH - Mini (Espresso) Tattoo: Luck Inc - Rosary Cross 2 Sunglasses: NS - Rock n Rolla Aviators (silver) Cigarette: NS - Cigarette Lip Piercing: Skream - Beauty Mark Shirt: NS - Fuel For Life Cleavage Studs: Skream - Stop Staring Jeans: NS - Fuel For Life Boots: Shooz – Vice On Dimitri Hair - Uncleweb Studio Ilias Black Eyes - Damiani Moody Blues Skin - Damiani Noah Beard Dark Shirt - Naith Smit Bat Tank Pants - Naith Smit Mens Skull Jeans Black Shoes - ShooZ! WEHRMACHT bootZ Necklace - Naith Smit Rock’n’Rolla Crown Sunglasses - Naith Smit Rock’n’Rolla Aviators Black Ring - Naith Smit King’s Back Ring Opposite Page: On Laya Skin: Damiani - Demi Autumn tone September Hair: RQ - Fuzzy (Platinum) Lip Piercing: Skream - Studs & Stars Shirt: NS - Jesus (Green) Stole: sey - Afghan

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Bracelet - Skream - Ritual Goth Jeans: NS - Blue Boots: Shooz – Nigel On Dimitri Hair - MADesigns Eric SB III Eyes - MADesigns EYES - MIRRORS - vanity Skin - Damiani Noah Goatie Tan Shirt - Naith Smit Mens Gray Tatt Pants - WMD “Ronin” Vendetta Jeans Low Rise Shoes - [hoorenbeek] Biker Boots Men Used Beige Belt - [MANDALA] Kookai Belt /Dark Brown (Resize)[Male] Gloves - Redgrave Biker Gloves [1/2-finger] Black Sunglasses - [BUKKA] Sunglasses “Goch”

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Home Sweet SL Home

By Jordan Whitt Photos by Brie Pinazzo

novel the ruler of the land and his lady retreat to get away from it all. This is where I met Ruin and raethe, in their own private retreat from the world of Second Life.

One of the truly amazing things about Second Life is how it gives everyone the opportunity to be anyone, do anything, and to create fantasy worlds, dream homes and have amazing lives that is virtually impossible to have in the real world.

For Ruin Quan and his best friend, raethe Rhiadra, its given them the perfect forum to build and live in a world created by Ruin’s imagination. Based upon a novel he wrote, Rigio Siorai is a visual masterpiece.

In the Himalayas there is a kingdom which is hidden and buried deep in the depths of the mountains.

In this kingdom, the forces of good and evil battle for control of the planet. There is a dale, a sacred place for the rulers of the land and in this dale is a waterfall. Behind the waterfall is a cave, where in the

Looking around the cave, its hard to believe that it is indeed a cave. “We made it a bit more livable,” says raethe. Its very livable, with tasteful furnishings, a lovely bedroom upstairs with a wonderful view over the sim and an intan dance system. “raethe and I are huge dancing fans,” says Ruin. Not that I can blame them. Every home needs a well stocked intan full of the wonderful dances available in Second Life these days.

When we went outside, it was very hard to believe that this retreat was on a skypad floating above the islands below. The build was created by a woman Ruin describes as “a great friend who has captured the nuances very well. She puts up with our wild ideas and makes them real.” I have to agree with him. The build of the skypad retreat is one of the most incredible I have seen. Its very easy to see why this is their retreat from the world.

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LIFE The islands below are just as incredible. We started our tour at a beautiful spot, the gazebo. Its set in a beautifully landscaped spot. All the trees, bushes and flowers selected for the area all compliment each other and help create a place they describe as peaceful and meditative. Landscaping is something raethe enjoys. “I could do it all day long. I run out of prims before I get bored,” she says. Ruins laughs at her statement, because it is true. raethe has a real talent for knowing what works with what and how to create a paradise out of nothing. Ruin’s talent is in playing “prim police”, but its a hard role when everything raethe puts her hands to comes out so well.

A love of birds is something that has been passed from raethe to Ruin, so there is a number of them about the gazebo. They are another feature from the novel that has made their way into the Sim. Ruin explains their significance. “In the story, there are Eagle Warriors. They fly over the mountain ranges, keeping an eye out for evil.” Also making a home at the gazebo is Rave, their tiger. Ruin is quick to point

out that so far he hasn’t eaten any of the birds.

This is a perfect spot for a relaxing chat or for just spending time with a loved one. Ruin often brings the people he writes about to this spot for their interviews.

Its a place with no distractions and that has the most amazing views, no matter what time of day.

We continued our walk around the Sim they call “the Dale”, pausing momentarily beside a pretty tree which had a big red button with the words “don’t touch” above it. Um yeah, like that would stop anyone. I was a bit apprehensive about ending up ejected and naked on another Sim, but it was so shiny and calling for me to push it, so how could I not? It seems I’m not the only compulsive button pusher around Second Life as the tree is in honour of a friend who is also one. “Sometimes I just sit here and push it over and over. It clears the head,” chuckles Ruin. I did push the button...and was hit on the head by a rather large falling apple.

From here we continued down to a spot that holds special significance to them both. “When we came here the first day, this was all very barren, beautiful and savage. Nothing but bare rock. We have really tried to keep the essence of the islands and to make them more complete,” says Ruin. “This is actually the first spot we saw here. Barnabas TP’d us in here after showing us a square tract on a suburban island.

He said he had something that he thought was more our style. That is all it took. We knew this was the place for us.”

Walking along the path to the next spot on the tour, raethe’s sanctuary, we passed the most incredible waterfall I have seen in Second Life. It explodes out of the mountain wall and has a very realistic sound to it. It is a perfect touch to the make an ordinary

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Ruin has his own private space, his study. Its another amazing build by their friend, lushvelvet Nightfire, who not only created all the builds on the islands, but some of the furnishings too. Ruin’s desk was a special Christmas gift from raethe to him. Its an elegant space which has a real welcoming feel to it, in part coming from the furniture and pictures that decorate the walls, and the rest from the building itself. It is three circular structures all joined together to create an amazing space for Ruin to work in. Also on the wall is an entry they submitted to an earlier Icon contest for romantic couples. They couldn’t agree on whether they came second or third, but it hardly matters now. It is a fabulous picture of a loving couple and its in a place where Ruin can appreciate it while he works. expanse of scenery come alive. raethe’s sanctuary is a quiet little spot at the end of the island. Away from any neighbouring Sims, it gives her a place to come to be alone with her thoughts or to just kick back and relax after a hard day landscaping.

We passed by more waterfalls and spots for quiet relaxation or to enjoy time with friends on our way to the Temple. Described by Ruin as lushvelvet’s masterpiece, it is very easy to see why. Not only is the building exceptional, but the little details like

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LIFE windows and textures, are stunning too. Flanked by two huge ice dragons is Ruin’s throne. Yes it was named after Ruin by the designer, as he was the first person to purchase it and have it customized. From the balcony at the end of the main room you can watch the most beautiful sunset. Displayed on the walls is another of Ruin’s passions - dragons. His collection of dragon artwork is right at home as it adorns the walls of their Temple.

Outside is a surprise built by raethe for Ruin, a natural ballroom which is still a work in progress.

The potential is easy to see though, especially when you change your sky settings to midnight. raethe jokes about how she likes to put things out on the Sim to see how long it takes Ruin to notice.

This was a quick find for Ruin, and one he enjoys.

Another thing they like to joke about is the amount of intans they have on their Sim. But as dancing is one of their favourite pastimes, its not something they mind too much.

The last spot they shared with me is one of their newest additions to the island.

In the dark woods is a cottage. In here lives a witch who is tightly interwined with the prince of the rulers.

This story is yet to be told, but the creation of it is taking place right now in this magical spot. They work together to recreate the places that Ruin writes about and that inspire him to write more. “I’ve been very fortunate that my best friend, my biggest fan, is also a co-owner. She is my muse. We’ve had the most incredible time here,” smiles Ruin.

The possibilities to create in Second Life are endless, as are the ideas and inspiration from Ruin and the writing he does. With the help of raethe, he is building a fairytale world where they can live out these stories and share them with everyone in Second Life. They plan to open up the Sim to the public to share in and enjoy along with them.

It was a magical afternoon sharing in the wonders of Rigio Siorai and I am waiting with baited breath to see what adventures are inspired by it and to see any new spots that are created to inspire more.

Ruin and raethe were gracious and excited hosts who enjoyed showing and sharing their world with us all. I hope you take some time to enjoy it as much as I do.

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A Perfect AvMatch?

By Jordan Whitt A couple of months ago, my three year relationship broke up.

Turns out my partner enjoyed the company of “others” more than me, one in particular. So he left me and was partnered, engaged and married to her barely a month after our break up. Took me two years to get a wedding out of him!!! But that’s a whole other story that would have us here for hours and this is about what happened after.

I did the usual post-break up things. I deleted everything he’d ever given me (took all of 2 seconds), deleted the pictures, wedding vows, moved the house, changed my look and decided to get out and on with my Second Life. But getting on with it meant meeting new people, socializing and putting aside all the subscriptions (not issues) my ex had left me with. Considering I’m not always the most sociable person, and that I tend to spend most of my time in Second Life working, it was a daunting thought for me.

And where do you start?

Clubs? I was so over the club scene having worked in it for most of my working life in here, and it didn’t help I was tossed aside for a DJ. The chance of bumping into either of them, whilst slim, was always on my mind. Plus, I did venture out into some “Ladies Only” clubs and not even the dancers hit on me...and that’s their job!!!

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Shopping? Well I did meet someone when I was buying hair one day and we hit it off, but I hadn’t seen him for weeks.

Plus most of the time when I shop, I TP in, grab what I want and scurry home where hours of playing “statue in yard” ensued.

My little ego being a bit bruised, I decided “who needed a man” and put all my energy into other things, like work and scootering around SL in a fat shape and bikini with my best friend. But eventually she found a partner of her own and, as happens, time together evaporates and her world changed whilst mine remained stagnant.

Then one day I was bouncing around XStreet and a promotional banner at the top of the screen caught my eye.

It was for a site called AvMatch.com and it featured the picture of a hunky male and sexy female avatar. But it was the words that caught my attention.

“We met thanks to AvMatch.com. Who will you meet?”

I was intrigued enough to click the banner and check out the site. What I found was a simple and easy way to meet people I might not have had a chance to meet inworld. I registered, filled in my profile with a bit about me, what I was looking for, and uploaded a picture and I was good to go! I had a basic membership and three tokens to my name.

So now what?

Working out how the site works seemed like a good idea, so I found the FAQ and soon found out it was very an easy

and straight forward system. It is completely free to sign up, make a profile and to use the site. Where a small cost comes into it is when you start contacting people. There are two ways of doing this. The first involves passing premade notes, pretty much just to break the ice. This costs nothing and you can send as many as you want to whomever you want. The second is where the cost comes in. If someone tweaks your interest and you want to start communicating with them, you open what is called a “connection”. This costs you one token and means you can send unlimited messages to the other person’s inbox on the site for 30 days. It will also cost them one token if they want to reply to you.

You receive three free tokens when you join the site and an additional two every month, but these soon go fast. You are able to purchase more through the site at a cost of $500L for five, or twelve for $1000L. However, if you want unlimited messaging to anyone, then you can upgrade to a Premium Unlimited membership for one month, three months or six months. Pricing ranges from $1350 - $6200L. How you do this it to go into the Membership & Tokens tab and place your order. Your avatar then needs to TP in to the AvMatch headquarters, click the kiosk and pay for your order. If you are serious about exploring the possibilities of a site like this, I do recommend getting at least a one month Unlimited membership.

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LIFE I guess like many people, I expected the messages to start rolling in. After all I had a funny, witty profile, a super sexy pic of myself and damnit, I’m a catch! Like all things though, you need to put yourself out there before things come to you.

So I started browsing the profiles, looking at the pictures, reading profiles and eventually I jumped in and soon notes were flying from my profile to all sorts of people. I played it safe with the “cool profile” note, although I have to admit a couple of hunks did receive the “oooh I like your pixels” one.

Eventually though, I did get the hang of the site and met some fascinating and wonderful people. One even broke my little pixel heart, although I will never admit it - again. So while I didn’t meet my Av Match, I did have fun and enjoyed the opportunity to meet people I probably never would have stumbled across venturing around Second Life on my own.

I wanted to know a bit more about the site though for this article so I sent through a couple of questions using the “Contact Us” support option. A few days later I received a reply from the man behind the site, Mason Kingsford.

Jordan: Why did you start AvMatch?

Mason: After hanging out in SL for a year and a half or so, I saw a lot of friends who wanted relationships but were having a hard time finding what they were looking for. I saw what I felt was a need for the service, and I already had the skill set to create dynamic web applications, so I decided to build AvMatch.

Jordan: What sorts of people use the site?

Mason: A broad spectrum of people use AvMatch from around the world. Some young, some old, some looking for SL fun and others looking for a SL to RL connection. We have both SL veterans and newbies using the service as well. Some people, such as creators who are busy a lot, benefit from using the site because they don’t have time

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to get out and socialize much in world. And with time zone issues, schedule issues, sim limits and more, it can be hard finding exactly what you are looking for.

Jordan: Does it work?

Mason: Yes, it does work! We get emails from people thanking us quite a bit. We also see profiles announcing that they have now found someone. I can’t say how often it works, but people are using it for more than just finding a significant other, they are using it to find friends to just hang out with. It’s just another way of connecting and finding some common ground. So it definitely works, but it depends on who you ask and what they are looking for. I’m sure for some people it doesn’t work, but again, it really depends on what the person is looking for. It’s a flexible system that allows you to choose to display either SL info only or both SL and RL info. You can specify that you want friends only or you can specify that you’re looking for much more than that.

I just got this email a couple of days ago: “Thanks a lot!! I found someone very special and without your site I would have never met him!! :D”

We’re very excited about the success and growth of the site so far. We have thousands of members and hundreds log in every day.

AvMatch isn’t just a place to find romance or a partner. It’s also a place to find friends. I enjoyed my time there and met some wonderful people, a few that are still on my friend’s list and that I talk to all the time. So if you are looking for your love match, a friend to explore with, poseball buddies or even a real life match, this is the site for you. It’s easy to use, full of interesting and fun people, and you never know who you will find there. Maybe exactly who you are looking for.

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Gadget Girl

Building a foundation.

I decided to get a little frisky and I started to build my very own studio.

By Sahara Mehrtens Photos by Aradia Eberhardt

Hey guys and gals! Gadget Girl here, and writing for a new magazine! Many of you followed my monthly adventures in another magazine that recently closed down, and just when I thought I’d lost a place to share about all the amazing gadgets SL has to offer, I got an IM from ICON magazine, and well... here I am! WOOT! So picking up where I left off, my photography hobby has quickly turned into a passion! I opened a little store and started taking pics of everything and everybody.

The Masquerade pose chair is still my favorite; I swear it has the sexiest poses I’ve seen in SL. Nothing like posing with your guy or any guy for that matter on that chair!

HAWT! Anyway, so I opened up this little store/ studio, and things were going great! The

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problem was, I didn’t just stop at photography. I picked up clothes making and building! I can’t believe what a few nights of boredom will get me into, but what I needed was another man. I’ve been guy hopping again since my fiasco with Jayson a few months ago, and the time between guys was leaving me to myself, and making me get my creative juices flowing.

I’ve been on the lookout for gadgets that can help me out with my store, and I thought I’d share a little about what’s

been going on the past few days. Although I’ve been on the lookout for gadgets only, I’ve run into something that may prove to be promising! We’ll see!!

Mark and I had a great time building all those buildings, and one night he said something profound. He said, “Baby, why don’t you sell them? They’re really good!” Did I just hear that right, did he call me baby? I mean... sell them... oh yeah.. that’s a great idea! So I decided I’d put them up for sale, but the problem was, they were too prim heavy for the store.

Once again Mark had the answer. It’s a sexy gadget, which once you learn how to use, is a vendor’s best friend.

But they’re so big.... where can I put them Soon after my photography started to pick up, I wanted a place to put my PhotoLife system. I searched the grid for a skybox big enough to house it. The problem was that there weren’t any that I was too crazy about. So I decided to get a little frisky and I started to build my very own studio. I was slappin’ prims together when realized I was doing a few things wrong. Things just weren’t lining up. I IM’d my friend Chloe and she sent me the name of this builder friend of hers that let’s just say was... yummy. He tp’d in to help me and give me some pointers.

It’s called the A.Z. Rez Station 1.040 and basically what it does is it can store a demo version or a for-sale version of the items you have built and rez’s a temporary version for the customer, so they can see what you’ve got without it taking up too much prim. I was really frustrated with the machine at first, but Mark calmed me down and read me the notecard. We slowly walked through each step, and before you knew it, I had all of my creations in a convenient and easy-to-use rez station!

I’ve always heard the old cliché that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, well he knew the way to get into this girls heart... GADGETS! That may sound geeky, but as you know, I’m kinda geeky. This guy knows how to do it, and do it right. Building!!!! (Get your minds out of the gutter... for now! HA!)

Mark told me I was cute when I was frustrated, lol, that’s a first.

So, he brought by some new gadgets for me to try. One of them was the coolest thing I’ve seen since the Mystitool!

It’s called the Wedware Builder Helper, and OMG it has the coolest functions! Got a prim that just isn’t lining up? This HUD spanks it into place! Want to make your building line up perfectly? This baby does that for you! I asked him where he got it, and he said on xstreetsl.com, but I’m sure there is another place to grab this jewel for builders!

It took me no time to put together my studio, a store, a house, a skybox, and many more buildings! The funny thing is, Mark, (that’s his name) stuck around to see me through all my projects. We really had a good time laughing and talking while setting things up, and I think we really clicked.

He’s so yummy!

Now what am I gonna do with them?

But what about my clothes, Mark.... you have an answer for that?

One day, when we were messing around... with prims, (geez, you guys and your minds) Mark commented on a shirt I was wearing, saying it was really hot. I blushed and said thank you, and I told him that I had designed the shirt myself. He couldn’t believe it. So I put on an impromptu fashion show for him, and I showed him all the clothes I had been making.

He was turned on, to say the least, and by the end of the fashion show, he “convinced” me that I needed to start selling my clothing line. And again, he had just the gadget to persuade me.

It’s called the AliceD Designs Vendor V 2.0, and it’s one of the easiest vendors I’ve had the pleasure of using. Literally, you get your stuff, put it in there, and the board does the work.

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LIFE It keeps all of your items inside it, and gives a small preview picture of your item that when it’s clicked on becomes a large image so your customer can see it closer. The coolest thing about it, and what really makes it stand out from the others, is the fact that you can see several of your designs at once, not just one at a time. It really helps the customer, in my opinion!

So, do I see a future with Mark? Maybe... ; ) But, for now, we’re having a tons of fun, hanging out, building together, and messing around.... WITH GADGETS! You guys are just wrong! Lol...

Love you all! Check back with me here in ICON next month, and if you have a gadget you want me to test, send me an e-mail at gadget.gurl@ ymail.com !

Love ya!

Gadget Girl XOXO

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85 |  ICON lifestyle magazine | October 2009

To Neko, or not to Neko?

continue reading on how you can be a Neko.

Do you like cats?

By Romie Serrao Photos by Moose Moomintoog Tis the season to be Neko, meow-me-ow-meow-meow-me-me-meeow! Bushy-tailed, cute fluffy twitching ears and a pair of cat eyes are what makes a Neko. Like many of the wonderful things in Second Life, Nekos are one of the most unique species that exist here. Where or when did Nekos first appeared, is a question that I can’t answer, but if you want to know whether being a Neko is right for you, you must first ask yourself, do you like cats?

Nekos are half human and half cat avatars with their own unique taste in fashion.

Some Nekos have more human attributes and some are further along in their, “transformation,” process; they are called the “feral,” ones. A typical Neko would have the cute fluffy tail and cute twitchy ears. Some go further into the role of being a Neko and have the fluffy tail, cute twitchy ears, catlike eyes, paw feet boots, whiskers and have cat-like skin. If you like what you are reading so far, then

First: Choose what type of Neko you want to be. The basic Neko equipment is ears and tail. Like all the great things in Second Life, you can choose what kind of ears you want to have. They have round anime-like ears, real cat-like ears or even bedazzled ears. You can choose ears with options such as tugging on them, or ears you can pet, but not all ears have these scripted options. Different ears have different options. Tails also come in lots of styles with lots of options too. Fluffy and bushy, long and cat-like tails, or tails with different designs on them. Most tails have a wrap on top of them where it connects to a human avatar’s body. Like the ears, the tails have their own scripts for if you want to tug, pet, or even groom the tail. The HUDs for these can be very helpful in fashion, because some HUDs allow you to change some of the deco on your ears and tails to suit your clothing.

Second: What type of hair should a Neko have? Generally if you choose the path of Neko, some of your human attributes should be hidden or gone; such as human avatar ears.

Since Nekos have their own ears, your human ears shouldn’t be seen or shown. So when a Neko chooses their hairs or hairstyle, they choose hairs that will cover their human ears up.

Third: What type of unique clothes/fashion does a Neko wear? This is where you can let your imagination run wild in Second Life. Nekos fashions range from grunge to gothic, cyberpunk and steampunk to cute and cuddly and even your occasional casual outerwear. A lot of female Nekos wear cut up booty jean shorts, ripped up tank tops and fishnet stockings.

Male Nekos tend to wear black leather pants, black jackets with ripped up t-

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LIFE bands. These are usually equipped with pill bottles, small knives, some cat toys, or food.

Imagine a futuristic homeless cat woman on the run; she would need her medications, her weapons for protection, entertainment, and her food. The other most common accessory is the arm-warmers and collars that Nekos accessorize with. Last but not least, backpacks are really popular in the Neko community.

shirts and tattoos. Another feature of Neko wear is puffy leg warmers worn over combat boots.

Fifth: What is this about certain eyes and skins of a Neko, I hear? Most Nekos wear cat-like eyes. When I say catlike, I mean eyes that are brightly neon colored with small black slits in them. Some have shapes in the irises of the eyes and others are vibrantly realistic eyes. The skins for the human-like Nekos are normal human skin tones with some scars or scratches on them, and some can have tribal markings on their faces or some other body parts. The more “transformed� Nekos have furry skin that can be tiger striped, calico colored or have furry tribal markings on the skin reminiscent of real felines.

Fourth: What else makes being a Neko more appealing? What makes Sixth: What else do you need to complete your Neko look? Most any clothes or fashion more appealing? The accessories of course!

Nekos have whiskers and paws for hands and feet, and some even Your typical Neko accessories includes belts, thigh straps and arm 87 |  ICON lifestyle magazine | October 2009

have a Neko AO. Neko AOs’ are equipped with special cat-like movements such as crouching, landing, scratching, purring, licking of the paws, and certain cat-like gestures and sounds.

Nekos can be really cute and most of the guys, in my opinion, are hot! Even though I didn’t have a chance to go to each and every Neko store, I did end up with a small list of places for people to enjoy and where they can buy Neko merchandise. These are places that most of the Nekos I met recommended to me.

Gort Grot: Ears and tails with HUDs. Hybrid: Tails, ears, HUDs, clothing and AOs.

Have fun shopping!

Neko Neko-Purrrrfect Purrrrfect Kitties: This is a Neko Mall for all your Neko needs. >>>Moloko<<< Neko Punk Urban: Here you will find tattoos, accessories, eyes, and clothing at affordable prices.

T & A Designs: Clothing and accessories.

Dirty Lynx: This is a steampunk Neko store where you will find all the clothing you need to be a steampunk Neko. >.:^^:..Xplosion..:^^:.< - Has your tails, ears, accessories, AOs, HUDs and clothes.

NyC: Has Neko ears, hair and tails.

Darkatz: HUDs, fur skins and accessories.

Gransy Fashions: Clothing, hair and accessories.

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The Velvet Thorn.

of individuals who want to develop sincere Female supremacy led relationships. Women who want the D/s experience to be enjoyable for all participants.

By Sissy Blitz

From the very beginning of her SL life, StarSong found herself utterly fascinated with virtual sexuality and the possibilities what SL offers both sexes. The ability to create an avatar to your own personal ideal and the variety of clothing and accessories was very exciting and empowering. This, combined with a new found sense of power and “teasing the boys” mercilessly was a heady combo that had her addicted from day one. “Ah, IF ONLY RL came with “edit appearance mode sliders” I would be the happiest woman on the planet, hehehe,” Starsong jokes.

a place where men may come to worship women.

Photos by Jordan Whitt and StarSong Bright

Don’t you sometimes wonder “what if women ruled the world?”

“SL gives men with a submissive bend an opportunity to do what most of them could and would never do in RL - let go. I have found that many of the men who come to the Thorn are ones with RL responsibilities, in management or head of household, who could never allow themselves to feel out of control in their RL. This virutal world allows them to give themselves up, to lay the decisions for their actions and play at the feet of a lady,” she surmised.

The Velvet Thorn is such a place. This is a virtual space where men may come to worship women, a sim founded upon the principles of a female dominated led society.

StarSong Bright created the Velvet Thorn nearly two years ago as a place where members may come and explore the possibiliities of a female dominant society in a safe sane and

Star goes on to say, “And on the flipside of that coin, the ladies who may or may not feel that empowered in their RL, for whatever reason, are able to come here and take some control. They can tease mercilessly. Avatar customization can be so empowering.”

consensual enviroment.

It is a “Lighthearted Femdom” where people don’t take themselves too seriously and subscribe to the motto “The rules have changed, and the ladies rule!”

Support and education are deep fundamentals that StarSong believes in and promotes throughout her sim, creating a virtual space for kinksters wishing to meet like minded souls to develop relationships. There are discussions, workshops and classes every week. The play spaces in the sim are comfortable places where the ladies can relax and let their imaginations loose. Every effort is made to show members that they do not have to take on a role that doesnt fit them, and do not have to “be a certain way” in order to have fun in the D/s lifestyle.

This reporter observed the sim itself has a pleasant open atmosphere to it, and is well laid out. Far from the dank dungeon one might imagine.

“I really get off on helping people explore themselves and others.

I find it very satisfying to create these spaces for them to do it in,” Star explains. “The Velvet Thorn is self supporting with the mall and member contributions and I will keep going for as long as there is this community for it.”

For much of her first year in SL, StarSong made every new man she met tell her a fantasy story... something that turned him on. She found it amazing what the guys came up with to tell her. The freedom Some purists believe that men are worthless. This is not a of anonimity allows them to surprise her with their stories. She found belief subscribed to by The Velvet Thorn. Striving to break the herself understanding her RL husband better, as well as the men stereotypical views of the negative preconceptions of the word “Mistress”, StarSong Bright promotes a social organization composed around her in SL.

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The name “Velvet Thorn” came about from an small argument with none other than her RL hubby, who told StarSong that she was “all thorns, wrapped in velvet, and unexpectedly sharp at times.” She smiles when telling that story. Inspiration can come in the most unlikely events.

The Velvet Thorn community is going strong and is very self supporting at this point and this has allowed StarSong to expand out into other projects as well, such as renting sim parcels through her Velvet Estates. Her rentals are not restricted to “femdom only”, although let’s just say that most of her residents are on the kinky side.

An avid builder, Star has built most of the things found in the Velvet Thorn, from buildings to furniture and some toys, to shoes, hair and special bondage cuffs for submissives.

As to the future, StarSong is very open and always looking for new ideas and things to do and build. For now she has more things on

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her to-do list than she will ever get to, but she vows to keep trying to get all the way to the end. “The thing is, the list never seems to get any shorter, no matter how many things I do in here! I don’t see myself ever getting bored in SL,” she quipped.

StarSong fell into the lifestyle by accident when exploring Second Life led her to Hoto, where she began the journey to becoming the Lifestyle Mistress she is today. Her charismatic personality prevailed and I was charmed by this lady and I understood then why she as become loved by many with in our second world. One of the first Domme sims to debut in Second Life was The House of X. Long gone are the days when Mistress’s were seen as “leather clad women wielding a whip. They are highly educated ladies with class and a descerning manner, with style and “hawt”.

as we know it today. It can be very rewarding to indulge in woman worship. Many seem to find the notion of men showing respect to women in such a profound way as kissing their feet unacceptable, and try to explain it away. It is certainly a powerful and potent act, holding great sexual fusion between couples expressing such desires and need taking them to a whole new level of sexual psychological stimulation.

The dominant female of modern society is apparently here to stay.

Expression of her new power and proestrus style is evident in all phases of our lives from the high fashion industry to the average housewife, who is beginning to demand personal satisfaction in and out of the bedroom. The woman of today has come a long way in her relationships and in understanding her inner “FemPow”. The original idea of The Velvet Thorn was to bring all the Mistresses together.

StarSong began building her dream two years ago and now it florishes with an office, classroom and dungeon for scenario role play and a social area, which is a must visit spot as all are made welcome and treated as equals.

This is a place where men may come to worship women. The adoration of woman is nothing new. Through the ages it has transcended to the modern world

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Undead in SL

By Romie Serrao Photos by Jordan Whitt Stand back Dracula, get lost Edward Cullen! There are new vampires in town! What town, you ask? Second Life of course! Vampires, lycans and all the creatures of the darkness exist, not only during Halloween or costume parties. In Second Life, vampires, lycans and creatures alike all co-exist in gaming and role-playing Sims. Every Sim has different rules, regulations, admission, game HUDs, and even storylines.

Since the 12th century, historians have recorded accounts of vampires and creatures of the dark. From the first accounts of vampires in Eastern Europe to the early accounts of 18th century Americas, vampires have become increasingly popular. The early vampires were supposedly purple and bloated, and then as the centuries went by, vampires, like humans, have gone through evolution to today’s Edward Cullen and Second Life’s vast versions. Second Life vampires, like the ones of legend, have their own history and guidelines. Not only is vampirism popular in real-life, but it is inhumanly popular in Second Life. Since vampirism struck such a chord in popularity here, many gaming/role-playing Sims have sprung up in Second Life. Among the many Sims built for vampires and creatures, there are three major Sims that stand out from the rest.

These are: Bloodlines, The Hunger and The Faction/Damnation.

Bloodlines is a status/caste based role-playing Sim and its’ objective is “The Thirst”. The Thirst is all about the thirst for blood. Bloodlines is based on a hierarchy, with a King and a

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Queen of a clan. Other members in the clan with the most souls are considered to be highly ranked within the clan.

One of the main rules in Bloodlines is that you can’t bite anyone without their permission. As a human in Bloodlines, you are not subjected to attacks, but however you must agree to role-play according to the Sim’s rules. When a human allows a vampire to bite them, their soul is lost according to Bloodlines, but that is only if the human has purchased Bloodlines HUD. If a vampire bites a human without a HUD, the vampire does not get the human’s soul until the human purchases and wears the Bloodlines HUD. To become a vampire, you have to lose all 100% of your humanity. Each human in Bloodlines contains 5 liters of blood. When you become a vampire, you must fill your blood vitality to 5 liters. Vampires must find fresh humans or blood constantly because they lose 0.25 liters of blood every 24 hours. If a vampire loses all its blood vitality, then the vampire will be consumed and he/ she will lose all the souls collected.

The Hunger - Chase Bosch, the owner of this Sim was contacted in regards to this article. His response was that as the owner of The Hunger Vampire System’s rights, inworld and out, he was denying us the right to publish anything about it. In respect to his wishes, I have edited out the section about The Hunger and all references to it.

Damnation, or The Faction, may not be as well known as the Bloodlines or The Hunger, but they are however still one of the major vampire Sims in Second Life. This Sim, unlike Bloodlines and The Hunger, are strict about role-playing.

They too have a hierarchy system. Damnation revolves around a more medieval system. With attributes similar to Bloodlines, they are also similar to The Hunger in its violence. Lycans are also popular in this Sim and they are the enemies of the vampires. There are different classes of vampires. You have the offensive Templar vampire, the learning Acolyte vampire healer, the more skilled Diablerist vampire healer, and the defensive yet gruesome Death-Dealer vampire. Each class demonstrates their own strengths that each clan must have to fight when they are at war with each other

or other creatures of the night. There are four major clans.

Ordo Templi Divinus is a neutral clan that are the known as scribes and historians of Damnation. The Justice Clan brings justice in Damnation. The Werewolves of the Night-watch is the lycan clan. They are weak by day but fierce and strong by night. Lastly there is the Shadow-Stalkers clan, dark creatures of the night that “shadow” you all over Damnation.

You do not lose blood or fend for your life constantly, but it is a cultured vampire Sim. Even though I didn’t cover ALL of the Sims of vampirism in Second Life, I did discover that they all have similar rules and similar creatures of darkness. If you are Edward Cullen, go Bloodlines! If you are a Dracula, go The Hunger! If you are a medieval creature of the darkness, then go Damnation! Personally, I loved Damnation because it had a sturdy background and is a good role-playing Sim for vampires, lycans and creatures alike. Bloodlines is also fun, but it is more modern and it had hybrids, such as neko-vamps. I found it to be chilled, less violent, and not so strict about role-play.

in Second Life. Sn@tch is a wonderful store, full of clothing ranging from gothic and vampire through to urban and punk.

With fabulous prices and awesome clothing, its well worth a look around.

Lizzy Dress - Nervous Energy in Red Boots - FrankenBoots Too Gloves - Punkables in Black Aimee

So vampire lovers, explore, indulge and hopefully you will find a suitable home in the right vampire Sim. Vampire fashion is also big business in Second Life.

We sent Lizzyox Allen off to one of my favourite stores, Sn@tch, to see what she find for a fashionable vampire to wear as they hunt

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Dress - Velvet Goldmine in Blue Lizzy Dress - Morbid from The Hunger Earrings - Cutter Earrings Aimee Top - Poison Velvet Tank in Black Pants - Flirt Capri in Black Belt - Oblivion Bondage Belt

Lizzy Dress - Baroness Earrings - Black Crystal Earrings Aimee Dress - Dangereuse Coat from The Hunger Boots - Oblivion Boots

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ENTERTAINMENT ART Keeping live music alive in Second Life

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Mankind’s Revolution

each one hour performance. Convert that to US dollars and that’s anywhere between $8.00 and $75.00, which is a drop in the bucket to what a comparable evening in RL would cost you. Most venues that host the artists pay them in full prior to the performance and then advertise to attract concert goers. The venue relies heavily on donations to fund the performances and to pay the day to day costs of running the venue (i.e. staff, tiers, contests, games, etc.). As a former club owner myself, I can attest to the fact that clubs are poor investments, you will rarely profit, or break even for that matter.

Story by Lucy Eberhart Photos by Marcy Thorne

The recession's cold, greedy hands have reached into the vast expanse of SL and have affected us all in some manner or another, including live musicians and the venues that sponsor them. Many venues that once sponsored live artists have been forced to close up shop due to the high cost of hosting talented musicians along with struggling to pay ever increasing tier fees.

Mankind Tracer has come up with what he proposes to be the solution to venue owners and musician’s economic difficulties.

He recently called a meeting of live venue owners, at which I was present. He spoke to a packed sim, introducing his invention, the Cover Charge System or CCS. He believes this product will revolutionize the way live music venues operate and work to keep live music alive in SL.

Let's take a moment to look at the costs. Live artists tend to charge anywhere from a paltry L$2000 to a phenomenal L$20,000 for

The system's concept is fairly simple. The venue owner will set a fee for entry to the venue, for example L$250, and in order to gain

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ENTERTAINMENT ART entry to the concert the attendee would pay the ticket booth the set amount. At the end of the performance the booth will pay the artist 80% of monies received and the venue the remaining 20%.

Personally I feel this is an ingenious invention, but on the other hand others present were not so enthused by this conception. They voiced their opinions in open chat, at times it got ugly, even hostile.

I presume they are judging the product without fully understanding what it can do. I asked a few attendees for their opinion on the CCS, most were willing to offer an opinion.

I spoke to Twistd Ruggles, producer of The Stream Scene on MBC. Here is what she had to say: "OK, so I think he has a lot of good points about how venues aren't benefitting from the current situation. I think there needs to be a better solution and I commend Mankind for his efforts in trying to help keep venues from closing like they have been this past year.

I am very curious to see who will join him in this new idea of paying fees to attend a show. I would like to see how it will work out and if it will be successful or not. I think this is a step towards finding a solution and I look forward to seeing how it evolves."

I also spoke to Diane Fairplay who is a musician's manager and part of the Peace Tower sim owned and funded by Yoko Ono. When asked what her feelings were on the CSS she responded by saying "I feel it will play a very important profit role for both the venue and the artist. I go to so many shows and see 99 |â&#x20AC;&#x192; ICON lifestyle magazine | October 2009

very little generosity being shown to both the venue owner and the artist." She also feels that it will be slow to catch on at first among venues, but after those that use it start boasting about profits the rest will follow.

All in all, I must commend Mankind. Well done!! I for one will be implementing this system as soon as it's released, and recommend that you look into it as well with an open mind.

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We all wanted something fresh, original and beautiful.

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H o: An Elemental Odyssey 2

Story by Lucy Eberhart Photos by Marcy Thorne Upon arriving at this hip new joint, one is greeted by an aesthetic masterpiece. The build itself is simply breathtaking and takes on a new and different attitude with each windlight setting. It boasts a mall for the shopaholics and an area with hover vehicles and cuddle boats perfect for a first date. These are located just off the teleport point. After a stroll along the futuristic boardwalk, you will enter into one of the best architectural structures in Second Life. Your eyes are drawn upward to take notice of the intricately patterned domes. Once you are completely mesmerized and have caught your breath you will notice the room full of people just hanging out and having a good time with great conversation filling the room. They offer live artists and DJ's on a regular basic and has a multi purpose stage appointed at the fore of the room. Off to the right of the entrance there is a gaming room large enough to satisfy the Zyngo monster within you.

They offer a multitude of popular games for hours of fun. This venue deserves a leisurely look; once you are there you will want to stay awhile. There are multiple lounge areas to sit and catch up with old friends or to make a few new ones. I met with the owners, Mykael Sciavo and Prynze Decosta along with their general manager Dessi Tyran for an interview. They are all so personable and easy going in an industry that is often full of drama.

Lucy: So the obvious question, what prompted you to open your own club?

Mykael: Well...Dessi, Prynze and I all met at another venue and we began to discuss things that we always saw repeatedly no matter where we went. We all wanted something fresh, original and beautiful. I, being relatively new to Second Life, really wanted to find some way to bring what I do in my real life to Second Life. Prynze, being very in tune with design, also wanted to bring that to the table.

Dessi filled the gap on more of the SL business sense and thankfully the three came together and meshed well. We all love live music and clubs, as a whole, just wanted something different than the rest.

Lucy: How long did it take you from conception to opening?

Mykael: We actually worked and reworked the idea for over a month.

Once the sim was here and the ideal born, we basically worked nonstop between the three of us for three weeks, give or take a few days.

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Lucy: Why the name 'H2O'?

Mykael: Well, obviously we wanted something that fit the design that Prynze had created. He absolutely loved a museum that we had located in Spain while trying to find a concept to base this place around. The museum is built directly upon the water with other buildings encircling it in a way that is very difficult to do in Second Life. We threw several name ideas out there but really there is nothing more connected with water than the basic elements within it.

Water is in everything, it has the ability to sustain or end all forms of life. There isn't one aspect of the world that isn't affected by water or the lack thereof. So, what better name for a place that should be the basic element for someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second life.

dancers and aesthetic value one can find. We hope that the shoppers will find the mall a fresh change in a stale environment. We live in a very box shaped world, here in Second Life, and we wanted to get out of that box. So, hopefully, that has been expressed well and will keep them wanting to come back for more. We have a lavishly decorated lounge that sets the perfect romantic atmosphere, a game room that gives many different options for people to have a great time and an aquatic surrounding that allows people to enjoy the music however they please.

Lucy: When was your official grand opening?

Prynze: It was on 9/9 of 09

Lucy: What can someone that has never been here expect to find on a typical visit?

Lucy: How has it been working so closely together, has it been stressful to your partnership at times?

Prynze: Well, the main goal that we had for this place was to create something that took your breath away once you entered. We wanted the people that came in to teleport in expecting just another live venue, club and mall and be pleasantly surprised. As a person that has never been here, they would find themselves surrounded in a cool and inviting atmosphere with the best live performers, DJ's,

Mykael: Well, anytime you mix business with pleasure you have your moments. Thankfully, though, we've been through a lot together and are able to have our fits of excited "discussion" and move on with the next task very easily. Dessi, here, really fit into things and it's been actually a lot easier than I anticipated considering the 12 hour days we've been putting in.

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Prynze: Good question Lucy!!

Lucy: Have you heard of the CCS for live venues?

Prynze: Yes, we definitely have! We're closely following all the progress with the Live Music Venue's to see what options are out there. The main thing is that any change to this realm is going to require a change on everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behalf. So, we're sitting back and taking it all in and watching how things work and don't work well for others.

Do yourselves a favor and go check them out in person, words simply won't do it justice. The atmosphere and individuals that comprise the club embrace you and make you feel like you belong. You are more than a customer; you are part of the family.

Lucy: Given the state of the economy, and the expense of operating a club, do you feel like you will come out ahead?

Mykael: Well, the way things are in Second Life right now makes it very difficult to be a live venue, especially a new one. However, being in business within my real life and having Dessi here working and helping me understand things, we've come up with a relatively good business plan. Obviously, the club and venue aren't going to be our only ventures here in second life. We plan to do many things, Prynze there has begun to etch his way into the modeling world, Dessi works with Synapse Media Group and I am branching out on different business ventures myself. Our main goal to make this place successful is for the mall and the venue to go hand in hand. The shop owners that come into our mall can expect a lot of advertisement from our live performers as well as our DJ's. The happier we make them the happier in the end we all will be. The main thing that is going to determine our success is what avenue the Live Music decides to choose. However, we feel pretty firm that our business model will hold up with minimal set on our behalf.

Lucy: Where do you see the club and yourselves a year from now? Any expansions or other projects in the future?

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ENTERTAINMENT ART 1. After you break up, your next guy is typically: a. Exactly like your last guy – They could be twins. b. The exact opposite of your ex. c. Just any random cute guy... as long as he help you cope.

2.How do you feel when you teleport into “your place” or the place you used to hang out? a. It makes you sad... too many memories! Avoid at all costs! b. If you two run into each other there, it will be WWIII SL! c. Eh... it’s fair territory. No big deal if you run into each other.

3.When you feel that sudden urge to check his profile, you: a. Open up, read it, and cry. b. Ha.... have an urge to check his profile.. pfft, yeah right! c. Stifle it, it might hurt or make you mad, you’d rather not know.

4.When you talk about your ex to your friends and family, they: a. Roll their eyes, they’ve heard this story nine million times.

How obsessed with your SL Ex are you?

By Sahara Mehrtens Photos by Aradia Eberhardt

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b. Cringe, they know some naughty words are about to be heard! c. Make you feel better by telling you how much happier you are now.

5.How many photos, textures and objects of his do you keep in your inventory after the split? a. All of them! No way you’re deleting that stuff! b. NOTHING! c. Some... you’ll get around to deleting it... no rush.

6.When you see your ex around SL, you:

people, good friends, and close family.

a. Avoid him, watch from a distance, and cry. b. Cuss him out. Too bad there isn’t a “kick him in the balls” animation. c. Say hi and ask him how he is.

7.Slow jams and love songs make you feel: a. Weepy-eyed and emotional. b. Bleh..I’m turning that off. c. Good. You like thinking about memories.

Mostly C’s You’re good with or without him.

You maintain that healthy balance that the first two girls haven’t found yet. You are great without him, but you were great with him too. Make sure to keep this balance and you will get over him 100 percent in no time! You turn to friends instead of pining over mementos or wanting to stab his eyes out, and that’s the right way to do it!

Mostly A’s Time to let him go!

Girl, you are so stuck on him that you aren’t even making sense! You hang on the fact that you aren’t together and your heartbreak is a daily occurrence. Let the wound heal. You’ve got to try and shake this off! If you don’t shake this off, it could ruin your life and ruin your chances at something else that could be waiting in the wings! There are all kinds of guys on the grid, move on and find one that will last!

Mostly B’s Ok, just don’t kill him.

It’s a good thing that you can move on and be happy with your life, but your feelings of hate can turn into a different type of obsession than what the “A” girls have. Your obsession can turn into some really bad things.

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ENTERTAINMENT ART He knows how to get a crowd going and keeps them there.

Gettin’ Down with DJ Azu 109 | ICON lifestyle magazine | October 2009

Story by Lucy Eberhart Photos by Marcy Eberhart and Azufr3 Catteneo

Lucy: Describe a normal night on decks. What is the atmosphere like?

Azu: A normal night on the decks starts around 20 Club H2O is certainly the place to be right now. Everyone minutes before, testing equipment, picking the start-up who's anyone can be seen there including some of the track, and making sure SL is not being mean to me. As hottest DJ's in SL. DJ Azufr3 Cattaneo, simply known as far as the atmosphere, it's usually hectic, I am trying to DJ Azu, has been added to the long list of talent there as get everything going, and people would like TPs, also the Friday night DJ. This is a coveted spot in any club. trying to make sure the stream gets locked in and so on.

It's the night with the most action, and Azu is all about action. He knows how to get a crowd going and keeps them there with a torrent of upbeat tunes and personality. Lucy: Can you tell us a little about Azu, the whole I sat down to talk to this fascinating individual. I have package, not just the DJ. What are you into in SL? to say this was one of the best interviews ever. Azu is Azu: At the moment, I am working heavily on DJing also personable and kind... two traits that go far in my book. continuing to produce some of my tracks and designing for LeLutka.

Lucy: So, I see you have been on the DJ scene for some time now, how did you first become involved?

Lucy: What would you say is your favorite song ever?

Azu: It first started almost 2 years ago, when I joined Sarco Sound, I wanted to just try out DJing as a hobby and to try something different and related to music.

Azu: Ever, ever, ever... wow that is a really hard question. I think it depends on the genre really and when you ask me because it changes constantly, but one particular song that I really love to listen to, and to play is Cary Brother's Ride (the remix and the original)

Lucy: You seem to have quite a following. How many members are in your fan group now?

Azu: Well that is a tough question because there are multiple ways to stay in touch with everyone, the SL group is 324, the Azu-o-matic is about 200 and then there is the website's schedule and so on.

Lucy: How would you describe your musical styling?

Lucy: You've certainly come a long way in two years.

Can you tell us a few of your accomplishments?

Lucy: Sounds intriguing, how would I be able to know when and where you will be?

Azu: Well thank you, I think the biggest accomplishment has been to continue DJing and to evolve music wise around SL. I have been very lucky to have very supportive friends and fans who love music as much as I do.

Azu: The easiest way if you are not already on the group or the Azu-o then www.AzuCatteneo.com the schedule has the most update information.

Azu: I think it's a mix of Electro, Club, House and Tribal

Lucy: Ok, now just between you, me, and all the ICON

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ENTERTAINMENT ART readers... can you tell us one thing about you that not a lot of people would know?

LeLutka and moving forward with any opportunities that are yet to come.

Azu: Ha-ha, well, I like to cook, and yesterday I made some really amazing chicken soup.

Azu: I just want to thank everyone for reading, and I hope they enjoy music as much as I do, and I hope to see them around the grid.

Lucy: Mmm…mmmm good! That’s awesome!

Lucy: Last question, where do you see yourself in a year's time?

Azu: You know last year I asked myself the same question and looking back things were just so unexpected and great that I really don't know what is to come. I hope to continue bringing diverse music and to produce some more tracks, also to continue being part of

111 | ICON lifestyle magazine | October 2009

Azu is so many things, the word I feel best describes him is SPECTACULAR! I’m sure once you attend an event with him you will say the same. Remember if you have a hotspot or are DJ you think deserves a little recognition, drop me a notecard. Who knows you may see yourself in my next article.

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PRESS RELEASE 113 |â&#x20AC;&#x192; ICON lifestyle magazine | October 2009

Shiryu Musashi of Musashi-Do has released five polo shirt sets for men.

With collections of solid colours, contrasting stripes and sporty looks, there is a polo shirt for any occasion that will have any man looking stylish and sexy.

designs to grace Second Life using his RL expertise in fashion. His mastery of design in Second Life is second to none.

Musashi-Do is one of the first Italian brands that has spiraled SL fashion to the level it is today.

These classic sets, which are created with 100 percent handpainted textures, are part of the casual and sportswear collection.

Shiryu Musashi has created designs based on current trends, and has brought the excitement of his

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A Day for Peace Make a difference!

By Pet Karu

The Wall (53, 85, 25) The Wall When I first came to Second Life, I had no idea what to expect. But immediately I discovered this medium offered an opportunity of expression far beyond traditional forums, message boards and chat rooms. This was other-worldly! Perhaps you were an avid chatter or poster with those other media, and when you arrived you felt the same way. I can assure you of one thing, we are here now, we have a voice and a means to finally articulate what has been resonating in our hearts.

Yes, we can be creative and build homesteads. We can be sexy run-way model drop dead gorgeous or plain-Jane’s or Joe’s; both are a matter of personal opinion and confirms that beauty is found in the eye of the beholder. We can find a means to express and learn from other’s expression. There are museums and classes held to suit even the most discriminative mind.

Recently I decided to explore that world within Second Life again. What I uncovered rocked my world and inspired me to share those thoughts with you.

In 1995 I had the honor of taking a vacation with my son for his birthday to commemorate his coming of age (turning 18). We decided to go to Washington D.C. (one of my favorite cities). This was right after a failed terrorist attack and the barricades around the buildings made the trip less enjoyable than I remembered when I was a child. However, what moved us on this occasion was The Wall, The Vietnam Conflict Memorial. There were just so many names. My heart started to palpitate

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as I recalled the daily death toll and MIA’s tally during the evening news over dinner. Day after day, these numbers reminded all the citizens in the USA that we were engaged in a bloody affair that was costing men and women their lives. I was a teenager when the daily count started to make sense to me.

The effect this had on my son was not unlike my own.

He was overwhelmed by the single slab of black marble with the white names etched into it. Name after name, slab after slab. We wanted to run from there.

Run for our lives. Forget that we saw such a horrific object.

Today, I visited The Wall Exhibit in Second Life. It still has an overwhelming effect on me. I could see the newsreels, hear the songs and recall the rallys. Our nation was country torn asunder. As I stood there, I remembered how our president failed us by the time I graduated high school. My son was to experience the same in his generation. Are we any better today? Has this world not evolved one degree toward goodness, tolerance and acceptance? What is the base nature of mankind? Can it be so bleak and selfish, really?

As I exited the memorial, I decided I could dash my hopes for a better society and resolve that man’s inhumanity to man would continue as long as mankind dwelled on this planet. Or I could decide to make a difference and stand for peace for all man. On September 21, 2009, Second Life celebrated Peace Day! What a wonderful idea to foster peace here and now, with so many hurting people.

Yes, the list of names on the memorial was still shocking to me; however when you consider the faceless, nameless history of mankind suffering tyranny under the hands of another human, that list of names would create a wall so high it would encompass the globe. Is it ok that in 2009 we still have starving children? It is ok that we still have people dying of diseases which have known cures? Is it ok that some die of exposure

because they have become homeless due to lack of work? The homeless no longer looks like vagabonds.

They are starting to look like us. Is it ok that we can now create a vehicle to charter us in space, yet we neglect brotherly-kindness to our neighbor?

No my dear reader, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not ok. Make a difference! Let us use our Second chance at Life to esteem our fellow man. Let us use this medium to shrink this globe so all men and women are treated equal regardless of their creed, origin, nationality, ethnicity, faith (and even the

lack thereof) as well as their sexual preferences.

Be kind and loving, dear gentles. We have but one life to live. When you click off your computer, you smile having enjoyed escape from reality never knowing the condition of those you engage with while here. Earnestly befriend and be aware - no one escapes reality completely.

I wonder how high the wall of brotherly-love would beâ&#x20AC;Ś

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Changing Poses at Striking Poses.

Zelly Mornington

Bringing Striking Poses in to line with these changes.

By Amelia Harsley Photos by Sissy Blitz and Akelei Schnyder It was probably a long time coming, and no real surprise to anyone when LL stepped up and finally imposed a ban on trademarked, copyrighted and branded items being reproduced and sold in Second Life.

There have been several real world lawsuits involving copyright infringements, so this is seen by many as covering of butts, or finally Second Life catching up. At present, these only seem to apply to XStreet, with penalties including removal of the listing and for repeated violations, the removal of XStreet accounts.

infringements, not to mention copybotting (the latest incident at Rebel Hope and The Woodshed for example), doesn't it seem rather petty to be targeting legitimate businesses?

I was able to catch up with Zelly Mornington and Akelei Schnyder to talk about how difficult it has been for them bringing Striking Poses in to line with these changes.

Included in the banned item list were items using celebrity and famous people's names.

One business that was built on celebrity names is Striking Poses.

This is one of the most loved pose stores in Second Life. I have talked to many people and they all have one thing to say about it..."I love that store". Zelly Mornington, the woman behind the store, takes real poses used by models, celebrities, actors etc and recreates them here in Second Life. The poses were named after the person they were based on; Angelina Jolie, Pink, Vin Diesel, etc. Her promotional boards featured pictures of the original pose and the Second Life version to show the inspiration behind it and what you would be buying.

Amelia: When you were setting up your business, how did you decide on making poses and more specifically, emulating the poses of real life celebrities?

Maybe I'm naive or just don't see the issue here, but calling a pose a celebrity name and using the pictures is now against the Terms of Service for XStreet, and soon, Second Life? After all, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a pose. You can't copyright how you stand...right? And considering how many other problems there are in Second Life and other blatant

Amelia: Did thoughts of copyright infringement enter your mind when you were creating and marketing the poses?

Zelly: Hmm, well two things came into play. I was really dissatisfied with the poses I had seen so far on the grid (mainly poorly made freebie poses), so I thought with a little practice surely I could create something better than what I'd seen. I wanted them to be ultrarealistic and glamorous, so I took my love of celebrities and the skill I had learned from tutorials and combined the two to create the business I have today.

Zelly: Not really. I was, after all, making a pose...a position of the body. How does one put a copyright on something like that?

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VIEWPOINT However, in the marketing I did use pictures of the celebrity alongside pictures of the pose as a comparison to show how realistic my poses are. All pictures I used were gotten from free internet sites, so it was not something I really worried about.

guidelines?

Zelly: No, I don't think it will. I believe my poses are good enough to stand on their own merit, with or without a celebrity name attached to them. I also have a very strong customer base and so far sales have not decreased with the new names.

Amelia: How did you find out about the new TOS? Zelly: I received an email from LL about one of the fatpacks I had listed on XStreetSL.com. It basically said it was in copyright violation and I needed to correct it before it could be set for sale again. The email gave a link to the TOS page which I read. At that point, I knew it was only a matter of time before I would have to make a huge change to my business.

Amelia: Do you have any thoughts or feelings on how this matter should have been handled?

Amelia: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been claimed that LL forced you to "clean up" your business. Any truth to that?

Amelia: What changes (if any) will this be making to your business in the future?

Zelly: Well, they did send me an email that stated the new listing guidelines (which also included items in-game as well) and said that the deadline to be in compliance was Sept.14. However, this was a blanket email that everyone who listed items on XStreetSL.com received. It's not as if I was personally singled out.

Zelly: I understand that LL is a business and that these are precautions they are taking for their business. My biggest wish was that extensions in time could have been granted for businesses such as mine that were completely built on a real life celebrity platform.

Zelly: I will still be making poses based on celebrities because it's what I love and enjoy doing. I just won't be marketing them as such.

Although, you might see a comparison or two on my blog.

Akelei Schnyder has worked for Zelly as her Advertising Diva for over

Amelia: What have you done to comply with these new guidelines?

Zelly: I have changed the names of all my poses and re-worked all ads and marketing materials.

Amelia: How much work has it been?

Zelly: It has been a ton of work as I'm sure you can imagine. The time and thought in coming up with new names for every single pose, having to physically rename each one in my inventory, then having to repackage within my inventory. Then there is also the re-working of all the graphics for each pose, and finally, changing out products and graphics throughout my main and satellite stores. There is no way I would've been able to get myself into compliance by the deadline without the help of my staff.

Amelia: And the cost involved?

Zelly: Surprisingly enough, the cost involved has been minimal to which I am extremely grateful! Upload fees and lost sales (because of downtime) on XStreetSL.com are the only losses I have incurred.

Amelia: Do you think your business will suffer from these new

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Akelei Schnyder

a year now. It’s her wonderfully creative pictures using poses from the store that you see on the Striking Poses blog. Akelei has been the one redoing all the Striking Poses boards with new pictures to bring them into line with the requirements of the new guidelines. I asked her to tell me how it’s been for her.

Akelei: Where do I start? It’s been a very long three weeks for me and I managed to do what I believe was the impossible (or at least it felt like it!). From the word go I imagined this would be a difficult task.

When Zelly explained the situation to me, I started to consider what I could do to help. After a few moments my mind was set on what the new ad designs should look like!

The weeks were long and hard, I even managed to carry on working when I was suffering from bronchitis. I spent the time in bed with my laptop on my lap, trying so hard to meet the deadline!. Zelly came up with all the new names for the poses.

Instead of being a celebrity name they were instead words that described the celebrity and pose set. Each advert not only had a name change, but had a re-design; this meant re-modelling every pose, which the Striking Pose girls helped me with.

The difficult part came when deciding on the outfits for the adverts. Why? Well, before the changes, matching an outfit to a celebrity was simple. You would think on the celebrity and voila, something would jump out of the closet. But with the new names, this was entirely different. How do I dress for “Miss All American”? I had to put a lot of thought into this and I had to look deep inside my closet. The outfit I chose had to be a perfect match to the pose, as it's what catches people’s eyes!

I must admit it was one of the hardest tasks I’d ever worked on.

I had mixed feelings about it all. One side of me loved doing it and the other side felt all the stress and madness! I completely reconstructed over 100 adverts!. I would never wish this task on anyone, not even my worst enemy.

Well, it’s all done and finished, and with all that being said...I’d still do it all again!

It has been a long road, but Zelly and Akelei have brought Striking Poses into accordance with the new TOS, and the new pose boards made by Akelei look amazing.

All the pose names have been changed as well, so Zelly has placed vendors with a list of the name changes around the stores. I spent a few hours last week going through my pose folders renaming them with the new names. Yes, I own THAT many! This is something I recommend to everyone who owns poses from Striking Poses. I am famous for buying poses I already have, and I don't even have the renaming excuse to fall back on. I'm just ditzy sometimes.

This is just one business these new guidelines affect, but there are many more out there that make shapes, skins, t-shirts, furniture, etc who are also finding themselves on the wrong side of the new rules. How many have adapted or changed their businesses or have packed up altogether is still to be seen, as is the effect on the SL economy. Will there be one? Or will there always be those who think themselves above the law that will continue flaunting the rules?

Only time will tell.

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An Interactive Journey

A respite from our second realities to contemplate on life itself, virtual or otherwise.

Now, I'd like to present to you locations for interactive-introspective journeys: The River in Tranquil Cove on Adele (82, 73, 23), Anam Turas Pagan Learning Grove on Gaia Rising (172, 93, 51), The Prayer Path on Lourdes (213, 28, 23),

By Pet Karu Photographs by Brie Pinazzo

There are little known treasures that lurk outside the mainstream in SL. These are the places that I have come to cherish as I'm waiting on friends to come online, or between shopping sprees. These are the places that I come to relax when I am exhausted from dancing or just when I need a break from the everyday routine. In my début article I mentioned great places for silent or guided meditation.

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Any one of these three would be noteworthy in its own right, but I've condensed my synopsis here to whet your appetite so that you may be able to unlock your own experience after visiting fabulous, delicious places. I have had the honor to meet these creative visionaries who have given us a respite from our second realities to contemplate on life itself, virtual or otherwise.

The River If you’re concerned about the earth’s global warming and your heart aches for those suffering and living in areas stricken with droughts, then you might want to visit The River. Charlie12string

Lax envisioned a place where we could come behind the scenes and send petitions for "rain" to be supplied to those places on our planet which suffer from drought.

After typing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Send Water Again" three times in the local chat, a small cloud appears over the mountain's crest and suddenly there is lightening, and rain descends on the mountain. Eventually this rain creates a stream in the riverbed below. After each request, the stream will flow for 3-4 hours.

Enchantress Sao can be seen at Anam Turas Gaia Rising, the sim she co-founded, co-created and shares with her partner, Nima Burali.

We met on his ship to start the interview, where Charlie pointed out a large picture which shows Lake George.

Pet: When I visit, I pray for drought affected people... that the love of God would rain (and Him to reign) in their hearts.

Also scattered about on his parcel are small triangles which offer encouragement to those who desire to read the notecards they contain.

The Medicine Wheel

Charlie's vision became a virtual reality when he met a programmer who brought his hopes and dreams to life.

Charlie12string: Lake George, which is dry most of the time, and where the Silver Wattle House of Prayer community was, is where I lived until it closed and I retired. Australians are often praying for rain, so I thought it would be good to encourage people to pray for drought affected areas like Australia, Mexico Afghanistan and other areas.

flowing.

Gaia Rising welcomes a large following due its diversity, and warmly embraces all faiths, philosophies, and practices.

Among fireside chats, amphitheaters and the Blue Tavern Club, there is a small grove offering us an opportunity to delve deeper into our minds, hearts and very being to discover the essence of ourselves.

There is also a tree house and playground for the adult child in all of us.

When visiting this location, you might want to either collect the note cards for evaluation later or block off some time and set your avatar to busy/away.

I've found it takes a good hour to complete the exercise. But I tell you

Charlie12string: So a friend did the landscaping for me and another friend knew someone who could write the program that could make it happen. That is the great advantage of the way it was programmed. You can pray for many different situations and different kind of droughts, climatic spiritual emotional etc.

Charlie thanks all those who have visited his corner of SL and requested that rain be sent to those regions of our planet suffering from the lack thereof. He says it brings him great joy to log on and see the river

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Living Shamanically' by Leo Rutherford MA.

There are two different exercises within the Medicine Wheel that Nima Burali created. Nima, who is a RL psychologist, based the medicine wheel exercises from the book 'Shamanic Path Workbook - Practical Shamanic Ceremonies and Soul-Doctoring Exercises for

Direct from Nimaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heart, this interactive space explores many aspects we think, hope, desire, and experience. As I said, this is a serious opportunity for some heart work.

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The Prayer Path (Prayer Labyrinth)

meditation labyrinth, is one of the oldest contemplative and transformational tools known, having been used for many hundreds of years for prayer, ritual, initiation, and spiritual growth.

Gadgetjoe Mimulus designed The Prayer Path after the model from his RL church's Prayer Labyrinth.

It has 11 rooms complete with unique audio or video media.

There are short exercises for each participants to do, dropping stones into buckets, gazing into mirrors and the like. There is even a Christian Communion Room.

However, even with a Christian venue, non-Christians enjoy the solitary peace within its walls.

Origins It is believed that the first labyrinth originated in Greek mythology, where it was an elaborate structure constructed for King Minos of Crete and designed by the legendary artificer Daedalus to hold the Minotaur, a creature that was half man and half bull and which was eventually killed by the Athenian hero, Theseus. Theseus was aided by Ariadne, who provided him with a fateful thread to wind his way back again, a clue to the single path of the labyrinth. Labyrinths were also used as spiritual aides in ancient Egypt, Peru, and India.

I caught up with Joe and we went to the “counseling sphere” to discuss why he created this place.

Pet: What inspired you to create the prayer path?

GadgetJoe: Well, we did a labyrinth at our church in RL and about a year ago. When I first came into 2nd Life, I wanted to do something that was meaningful. Once I realized that this medium could support the prayer path, that just sealed the deal. I find that 2nd Life is a great place to unwind and be creative. I have never been a creative person with paint or even crayons but digital arenas have always been my comfort zone. But there are a lot of people here with masks, facades and hurts. A place like this where you can be comfortable and experience something like the labyrinth/prayer path is the kind of experience I wanted to create.

The idea is to be comfortable and experience peace and serenity and relax.

Here’s a bit of history (taken from the notecard at the entrance of the Prayer Path): The Prayer Labyrinth, also known as a

The term labyrinth is often used interchangeably with maze, but modern scholars of the subject use a stricter definition. For them, a maze is a tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage, with choices of path and direction, while a single-path ("unicursal") labyrinth has only a single path to the centre. A labyrinth has an unambiguous through-route to the centre and back and is not designed to be difficult to navigate.

Christian use As other pagan cultural practices, the prayer labyrinth was adopted by the Church across Europe during the medieval times, being often used as a means to meditate, pray and connect with God in a higher spiritual way. Numerous

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cathedrals in Europe have prayer labyrinths embedded into their floors, with the Cathedral of Chartres (Notre-Dame de Chartres Cathedral), located about 80 km from Paris having one of the most famous prayer labyrinths in the world. Prayer labyrinths were often viewed and modeled as a journey to Jerusalem and were even called Chemin de Jerusalem (Road of Jerusalem) serving as a spiritual pilgrimage for those who could not afford to travel to Jerusalem, the center of the world.

The widest accepted prayer labyrinth in the Church was the elevencircuit labyrinth, which is more symbolic of Christ's cross with its four quadrants, and grace being symbolized by the never-ending path to the center and back, allowing the pilgrim to walk the path at his own pace, stop for prayer and meditation as needed.

By the 17th and 18th centuries however, prayer labyrinths had lost much of their spiritual meaning. Some clergy and other believers now

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associate them with New Age mystical practices.

With the practice of walking the prayer labyrinth becoming popular again in contemporary Christianity, particularly in the Emerging Church movement, many Christian denominations from across the theological spectrum are again adopting the practice of walking the prayer labyrinth. Some churches opening their labyrinths to any pilgrim in need of contemplation and prayer. It should be noted that the prayer labyrinth is not a maze in the popular sense, and rather has one path on which one cannot get lost, serving a powerful symbol of individual life journeys and pilgrimage in faith.

Walking the labyrinth A Catholic writer describes their spiritual significance in this way: "The labyrinth is a universal symbol for the world, with its complications

and difficulties, which we experience on our journey through life. The entry to the labyrinth is birth; the center is death and eternal life. In Christian terms, the thread that leads us through life is divine grace.

Like any pilgrimage, the labyrinth represents the inner pilgrimage we are called to make to take us to the center of our being. In some Christian circles today the labyrinth continues to be used as an instrument to facilitate meditation, prayer, personal reflection, etc.

For example, when walking the Chartres style labyrinth the believer meanders through each of the four quadrants several times before reaching the goal. An expectation is created as to when the center will be reached. At the center is a rosette design which has a rich symbolic value including that of enlightenment.

Enjoy!

Each of these interactive inward journeys represent opportunities that are not to be missed. Each one would make a great expose article in their own right. My hearts desire is that you will visit and perhaps our planet will be enriched by your petitions, the droughts would cease, we become better people and we touch heaven free from the hindrance which plagues us on this side of glory.

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The Women of SL – Part Three By: Delphine Ellisson Here is SL, as in the general internet, we have access to an almost unlimited supply of sexual material, brought to ‘life’ through the ingenuity of its players. Confronted with this side of Second Life the day I stepped into it I quickly found myself caught in a virtual world of teasing, flirting, and ultimately with the question, To Cheat or Not to Cheat?

to be an enlightening question, and while most of the numbers remained relatively stable there was a notable raise in those who came for social reasons, that being 37%, a whooping 10% increase. I also find it interesting to note that no one who’s cheated listed their main reason for joining was for SL to act as an escape from their children. The second most popular reason for coming to SL continues to be, and not surprisingly, to escape the general stress of life in today’s fast-paced society.

One last thing I found curious was that those who admitted to cheating also tend to be more ‘grouped’ in the hours they spend on SL, with 25% spending 2-3 hours a day on SL, 27% spending 3-5 hours, and, in a slight decline, 21% spending 5-8 hours a day playing SL. What I found curious about this is that I expected the majority of cheaters to Throughout this survey process we have tried to find out spend a minimal amount of time signed on when compared what kind of women are attracted to SL, why they come to the general cencus, I.E. it doesn’t take long to cheat. here, and how it ends up affecting their lives. Today, we This, coupled with the large portion who come on here for look at perhaps the most intimate way SL can change our social reasons tell me that people don’t cheat because of an lives; by opening that window of dishonesty it can break a unfulfilled lust as is so often stereotyped to them, they are marriage, tear apart a family, and in the end, make one’s in fact looking not only for a second life, but also a second life miserable; or... perhaps it may, in contrast, provide hope relationship. There is an emotional fulfillment that lays empty for someone stuck in an unhealthy relationship, allowing in their RL relationships and they try and find that through SL them to see what’s really out there. Today, we look and try to while maintaining their RL involvement, SL sex just happens single out the factors that eventually lead a woman, myself to tag along with the emotional factor, as it does in reality. included, into the situation where she chooses to cheat on a RL spouse, through the use of this pixelated game.

Curiously enough when I joined this ‘game’ I had expected it With so many stories, articles, even TV documentaries and to be targeted towards a younger audience, and was slightly shows coming out and talking about how Second Life, even surprised to find that a large number of women actually lay in the internet in general, is ruining relationships, and tearing the age range between 30-40 years old. This is a continuing people apart I begin to believe the opposite. People tear their own lives apart, they make the conscious choice to take trend, with 33% of women who claim to have cheated are within that same age range, followed closely by those 21-30 that step, SL just provides the scape goat in order to ignore the rifts that were already there. The Problem lies at home, at 31%. with the people themselves.

Moving onto our next set of graphs we see basically the same outline of numbers, with a couple more having joined recently, but the largest portion having joined 2-3 years ago Despite such propaganda, I will continue to value those I at 35%, 3% above the general rezzing at the time. meet within this virtual world, and love them in the way that Asking those who have admitted to cheating on their partner I choose, because I’m a woman of Second Life, and I create WHY they came to Second Life in the first place also proved my own limits.

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Regular:

Regular:

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Cheating:

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Regular:

Regular:

Cheating:

Cheating:

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Regular:

Regular:

Cheating:

Cheating:

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