The Grove is a proud sponsor of the Made to Model Reality Television Show.
“The Made to Model Mansion is located at The Grove Country Club Estates and many episodes are shot around the amazing 12-sim community. Our many thanks to The Grove and its residents for welcoming us with open arms!”
-- Filipa Thespian
Photo of a resident’s home, taken by Photographer, Viola Rookswood
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/172425
“Each contestant in the Made to Model Reality Television Show, will be wearing a Life Hud meter. The episodes and challenges will include residents needing to manage their Life Huds, maintain their happy moods and not have ‘little accidents’ that could lead to seriously embarrassing moments!”
-- Filipa Thespian
Publisher’s Note
Scorpinosis Nightfire, Publisher
IT’S GOING DOWN FOR REAL!
Endings and beginnings, it can all be so confusing where one stops and the other one starts. December has traditionally been a time to evaluate the last eleven months while January we look forward to the months to come. Yes I think that’s how one can keep the lines clear between endings and beginnings, however what they both have in common is that life on either end of this chronological spectrum is going down for real when we finish something and when we start it.
Now what I mean by “it’s going down for real” (a phrase recently re-popularized by FLO-RIDA’S single with the same name) is no nonsense reality. How we finish anything is often dependent on the quality of its start. When you want something to reach its full potential, then you lay a no BS foundation. In the words of an old proverb: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
Translation, if what you build is not built well, what will you do when it’s shaken and crumbles? Wow what a standard to evaluate our relationships by, our business ventures, how parents raise their kids, the list goes on and on. Yet what’s consistent is that “ordinary” just won’t do, if we want 2015 to close for us, with a bang, and 2016 to open with another.
If 2015 has demonstrated any truth, it’s shown us that in the end, our messes catch up with us. And while I can agree with those of you that might say “Scorp, that perspective is a bit overly simplistic, it is none the less very true.”
The Middle East was destabilized and Isis has risen from that. We have taken our natural resources for granted and now we have melting polar ice caps and 60 degree
days in December where we use to have snow. There is no escaping it, to coin another phrase meaning essentially the same thing as our theme phrase,
“We will reap what we have sown”
Of course reaping what we have sown was never meant to be just a scary karmic warning. This law or reciprocity is actually a motivation to do our best and see our best come back to us and those we love. Give a relationship your best and while there are no guarantees that others will do right, in the end the best will be given back to you.
Here at Nu Vibez, we believe it’s going down for real and that only our best an survive the shaking that comes when things get real. Each issue we try to give you great topics, coverage, graphics and empowerment to be all you can be. This is our last shot in 2015 to leave with a bang. You will let us know by coming in 2016 if we succeeded. Your continued patronage for years has said we did something right in the past to get this far and for that we are greatful. However I think Janet Jackson kept it real when she said “What have you done for me lately”.
This year end issue of Nu Vibez is our response to the its going down for real scenario we have shared in this note. As touched upon previously how this issue started for you and how it wraps is what counts. Happy Holidays.
Publisher and Founder, Scorpinosis Nightfire.
by Filipa Thespian
Photo
Paris Metro Couture is a Proud Sponsor of The Made to Model Reality Television Show providing her amazing designs for the M2M Competitors
Editor’s Note
Filipa Thespian, Editor-In-Chief Owner & Founder of Roleplay Guide Magazine
Here we are again, Christmas time ... WOW! This time of year always seems to make me feel nostalgic, well ... most people really. I reflect a lot but more so, I begin to get really excited for what is about to begin ... the New Year.
I am one of those people who thrive on change. When things stay the same, I grow stagnant, my creativity drops and I actually can get depressed because it feels like I’ve lost my edge.
I’ve learned over the years though, that the number one way to fix this for me, is to make a decent sized to huge change in my life. It can be doing something around the house, or ... like with this year ... it can be big changes that we have in store for you, our readers, fans, clients and varied other supporters ... you amazing people that we adore and cherish because for us, the world revolves around you ... after a fashion. ; )
With moving Made to Model’s mansion to The Grove Country Club Estates, other amazing opportunities have been placed before us. These will begin to be announced as they are closer to launch, but it’s really exciting friends!
We’re adding a few new sections to Nu Vibez, one that enables you, our readers, to participate if you want. The first can be found in this issue ... Pip’s Flickr Picks! On Flickr, we have two sharing groups. One for Nu Vibez and one for Roleplay Guide. Roleplay Guide has been around for a lot longer and as such has nearly 5,000 photos shared ... Nu Vibez has a few hundred. Each month, just before
publishing, I will go through these groups and any photo that’s added after the previous issue of Nu Vibez’s cover was added to the group, is eligible for selection. If you’re selected, you photo makes it to the magazine with your name, the title of the pic and a link back to the pic on flickr so they can find you!
The rules are outlined in this month’s Pip’s Flickr Picks, so thumb through to the article and get posting!
The other thing we want to do is invite our readers to comment on our website on what they read here. We want to hear your praises, your contrary arguments, your upsets over the news reported, your love of something going on ... anything ... we want to hear it. We will then begin publishing in the magazine, a reader’s comments section and making your comments available to be read on our site!
So lets get interactive friends ... tell us what will make this a fun and rewarding experience for you and 2016 just may be your year for change as well!!
Happy Holidays to one and all and big warm hugs from me and my sweet kitty here lol.
All my best,
Filipa Thespian
The Loft is a Proud Sponsor of The Made to Model Reality Television Show providing furnishings for the M2M Mansion
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/2041
Photo “We’re Passe” by Halfwraith, shared in the Roleplay Guide Magazine Flickr Group
CREDITS
PUBLISHER
Scorpinosis Nightfire
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Filipa Thespian
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Alkith14 Resident
Aurica Ghost
Cheree Shippe
Evion Ember
Filipa Thespian
Halfwraith
Lili Hunter
Locuala Madruga
Lolita Dinzeo
Lorenzo Hallenbook
Mat Kungler Atelier
Sadbab Shan
Susanne Drechsler
SyS Designs
If you have a comment, compliment or complaint about anything you read here in Nu Vibez, please make a post on this issue’s page on our website. We will endeavor to get it published and answer your questions in our next issue!
JOURNALISTS
Filipa Thespian
HillarySwift
Scorpinosis Nightfire
Selby Evans
Starr Marx
Vanatosis Arentire
Wild Bedrosian
SALES & MARKETING
Filipa Thespian
Scorpinosis Nightfire
Filipa Thespian
SUPPORT
LittleAsia
SubtleFire Resident
Arturo Vanek
SaraMae Xaris
MEDIA SPOTLIGHT: LANAI JARRICO
It’s not every day that I get to interview someone that I feel has worked so hard at making sure that everyone is covered fairly and accurately in virtual media.
Because we are in a simulated world, some people seem to care less about getting the facts right, and more about sensationalistic drama. After all “we are just toons” one person once commented, how could anything we say or do in a non-real environment matter or have consequences?
“One of the things that I’ve noticed is people in Second Life aren’t good at committing to things. If you want to be a writer, shop around and apply with a media source you share similar views and interest with and stick with them. “
With the above point of view being very prevalent, knowing what’s happening around us and to us becomes very important even in a virtual world. It’s for this reason (among others) that my sit down with SL Enquirer founder and owner Lanai Jarrico is meaningful for me and takes me back to when I needed fair and accurate reporting.
Journalist: Scorpinosis Nightfire
Photo Provided by Lanai Jarrico
NVM: Hey Lanai, very good seeing you.
LJ: Hi Scorp and likewise. It is a pleasure to sit down with you for this interview.
NVM: Unknown perhaps to some of our readers is how we met and how your commitment to fair and accurate story coverage helped me from being falsely black balled many years ago. Do you remember that time and why you cared about the facts of the story more than juicy headlines?
LJ: It has been years and my memory is filled with a decade of covering news and listening to the many voices of our unique community. We have stayed in touch for years so I consider you a friend and glad I could help. Help -
ing you and others who come to me is something I like to do. What I did to help you was because I felt it was important. Too many people think they can conduct themselves in ways that hurt others or disrupt another person’s SL experience. I don’t like that.
Helping people get justice in situations where they are unfairly mistreated, caring about facts and publishing topics other sources may not dare touch is something that has to be done and not avoided.
I apologize if I do not remember the exact details of what transpired but I do what I think is fair and just. Some people may or may not agree with my opinions or how I do things but I know I cannot please everyone so I fo -
“I think one of the best ways to stay engaged is to feature anyone not just those who already have an advantage..”
Photo provided by SL Enquirer
This is a photo of the SL Enquirer Media Center
cus on the opinions of those that matter and who appreciate my efforts and what I have done and still do in the SL community.
I myself have dealt with people throughout the years who feel it is ok to treat me with malice for their own personal agendas and gain, or talk behind my back and smile in my face. That is ok. I can sleep at night knowing I do what I do with purpose and because I love what I do. I dislike when it happens to me so I try to help people who deal with issues, but don’t have the platform The SL Enquirer has.
I believe everyone should have a voice and be heard. As far as juicy headlines, they can help publications boost readership because people love drama as long as they aren’t in it. I may post eyebrow raising articles at times but I prefer featuring positive news that is interesting and helpful for our readers.
NVM: Fast forwarding to the present, what are your thoughts
from around the world. To me this is what Pangaea would have been like if all continents were connected.
NVM: What can we as news providers do to make our coverage more engaging and relevant to insure demand for news from potential readers?
on the discussion that in world news and events does not interest this new generation of residents and could spell the end for virtual news?
LJ: Just like in the real world, virtual world news is important and will always be needed for sharing information with the masses. I don’t believe virtual news is headed towards extinction. I just think the existing news sources here need to find new ways to keep people engaged and interested.
I agree, the Second Life community has drastically changed over the years. As times change so do people. It is sad to see elders lose interest and leave while the new SL generation in Second Life seems to lean towards “gaming” rather than realizing the big picture and all of the possibilities this virtual world has to offer.
Even after 10 years, I am still fascinated by the unique way people can work , play and share their cultures and ideas with others
LJ: I think one of the best ways to stay engaged is to feature anyone not just those who already have an advantage. Big brand names seem to do well on their own with longevity being on their side. But it is very important to feature residents who are just starting off and need exposure. Everyone has a unique story to tell. It is how you approach topics, asking the right questions and sharing information in a way that relates to the times. These are the key ways to staying relevant.
NVM: Do you think we are at the end of in-world magazines due to them being replaced by blogs as a more convenient format?
LJ: This is an interesting question. The SL Enquirer has always been a blog so I cannot really predict the fate of in-world magazines. However, it is a fact that we live in a fast paced world and people want to know what is going on now and in a quick way. Waiting for monthly issues to be released might be a bit off putting to some people.
Both styles of media have come and gone through the years but I think people who like to read news about Second Life want the option to engage. The difference is in-world
Photo Provided by SL Enquirer
magazines don’t give readers the ability to comment on stories or share them on social media like they can with blogs.
NVM: For the readers that may not know, and those that want to hear it again, please tell us how the SL Enquirer and even you Lanai came to SL?
LJ: I’ve been involved in virtual world news since 2004 in the beginning of the VW culture. The original news source I created was known as The TSO Enquirer (TSOE) in The SIMS Online. In early 2005, amateur filmmakers from France were working on a documentary to be featured in Second Life about people engaged in virtual worlds. At the time SL was just coming out of beta. These filmmakers heard about what I was doing in another virtual world and contacted me. They flew from Paris to my hometown and spent three days with me while working on their project. While they were here they suggested I migrate my news source into Second life but I was hesitant at first. A few months later I decided to check out this new virtual world they were so excited about. In May of 2005, Lanai Jarrico was rezzed into Second Life and started the transition from The TSO Enquirer to The SL Enquirer.
NVM: Who are some people in your time here that have influenced you and contributed in some way to your own quality control standards?
LJ: Wow, if I had to do name dropping on all the people who have inspired me in the past decade I would be here all day lol. My nearest and dearest friends have been the most influential. Some are still by my side and others have since left Second Life but remain in touch.
My friends list, as it stands now, has 1,511 people on it. I think everyone I have met has helped me in some way. Getting to know people, their perspectives, cultures and opinions, both good and bad have contributed to how I’ve shaped SLE and navigated through Second Life. I have had to raise and adjust my standards many times to avoid situations where people come to me trying to use SLE in a ways that do not align with my vision.
NVM: What is happening right now that everyone should know about with not only the SL Enquirer but with any projects you are involved in?
LJ: Hmmm. I’m sorry to disappoint but I have nothing too juicy to share about The SL Enquirer except we just moved from Seychelles Isle to a smaller parcel on Luxory North. It isn’t uncommon to make moves that are in our best interest. To me it is not about having an entire sim to let people know we exist. It is about having a place where our readers can come hang out and get information about our advertising options. I rarely host events anymore because my time has been
limited due to RL. I would recommend joining the SL Enquirer Media group for news and event notices from us or our advertisers. To easily find our location, people can ook in my profile picks or use this link.
NVM: What advice would you give to anyone that wants to be a virtual journalist and cover virtual news, events and Entertainment?
LJ: The only advice I can give anyone interested in virtual journalism is make sure it is your passion and not just a passing phase. It takes dedication and time. If you have those traits as well as skills to write, share it with others and have fun. One of the things that I’ve noticed is people in Second Life aren’t good at committing to things. If you want to be a writer, shop around and apply with a media source you share similar views and interest with and stick with them. When readers get used to a writer and suddenly that writer is no longer producing, it can hurt the source depending on how much they have contributed.
NVM: If someone wants to work for you and or any of your subsidiary projects, what do they need to do to impress you?
LJ: I’m impressed with people who share the same dedication and love of Second Life that I do. I’ve been called a workaholic and perfectionist with OCD tendencies. I just need order or things can get overwhelm-
ing real quick. Without structure and organization it would be difficult to manage SLE or get involved with subsidiary projects.
I enjoy working with people who take the time to get to know me rather than pass responsibility on to me and sit back benefitting from my efforts. I will put my 100% into a project if the other party does the same. Those are the type of people I will work with on projects because I can trust they will share equal responsibility.
NVM: What are your thoughts on Occuls Rift tech and others out there that are making virtual worlds more main stream and how could that benefit a virtual media company?
LJ: I think Occulus Rift is an interesting concept that will give people the ability to put themselves inside the virtual world environment even more but I have mixed feelings about it. We are already
a culture of people who are constantly looking down at our smart phones and locked into our computers while less time is being spent actually talking to others in our real world.
I think Occulus rift will isolate people even more from their surroundings and responsibilities. I see new technologies designed to keep people addicted to gaming and virtual worlds creating a new host of issues if not used in a responsible way. I’m interested to see what will happen but I’m in no hurry to see the changes that will happen in Second Life when the Sansar project is launched.
NVM: Will SLE be going to the new Second Life platform and continuing to still have a presence here on SL 1?
LJ: At this point, I have no interest in abandoning Second life for SL 2.0. As I’ve said in other interviews, I am going down with this ship. Second Life is my virtual
home and this is where I will remain covering the culture. Some people may think I’m making a big mistake not moving on to the new virtual world but by the time the community is established, boredom will set in and resident will either find new things to do elsewhere or come back to SL… if it still exists.
NVM: Finally what can we expect from SLE in 2016?
LJ: I really don’t pre plan what I am going to do with SLE. It is not like an in-world Magazine that has to preplan their features. I go with the times as they happen and create topics based on that. We will just have to see what news happens in 2016!
NVM: Lanai thank you it’s always a pleasure to catch up with and what you are working on. Happy Holidays.
LJ: You’re Welcome it was a pleasure and happy holidays to you too!
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/58537
SOME PEOPLE NEVER LEARN
“Some people never learn. “ At least that’s how the saying goes, when we come across people who seem to display the same unproductive behaviour over and over again. Intensive research is not even needed, common sense would lead us to drop behaviours that have led to bad outcomes. Most of the time that’s how life goes.
We make a best guess about what might work, then we try them and if the outcome is not so good, we might review what we did, tinker with our strategy, then maybe try again. If it still leads to an outcome that is not so good, we might just stop and take a long hard
look at just where the problem lies before charging ahead again with another variation on our plan.
This way of navigating the world works fine for most of us most of the time. In the course of this trial and error, we learn about ourselves and others and the world at large. Mostly we can split these trial and error behaviours into those directed at inanimate objects, for example, an obstacle course, or tinkering with the car, and those that involve animals such as pets and humans.
Journalist: HillarySwift Resident - Photo: Jane Doe / @jnedoe
With inanimate objects it is clear that if we don’t succeed, we cannot blame bad intent on the object. The obstacle course or car was not “out to get you” for example. We might try to say, the car was a lemon, and no matter what anyone did, it would fail, or we might say after trying and failing, that we are not as good a mechanic as we first thought and we need to go learn a few more skills. We tend not to try to say that the car was sabotaging our plans for a nice holiday by deliberately breaking down for example.
With animals and humans in particular, the situation is entirely different. The opportunity to blame looms large, and some people grab that opportunity and take full advantage of it, even when all indicators show that actually they are the ones mainly causing the bad outcomes. These are the folks that consistently fail to learn from bad outcomes.
I have avoided saying “learning from mistakes” because while people may not produce a good outcome from their behaviour, the thing they chose to do might have been fine in a different context, just not with that particular other person at that time. It is a form of mistake in a way, but not the same as someone knowingly doing or not doing something that was obviously an error.
In essence, a better way of judging our choice of behaviour is by its consequences, if the consequences are pleasing and are just what we anticipated or better, then we have chosen well. If the
outcome is not at all what we expected, then we chose poorly in that particular circumstance.
Experiencing repeated failures at relationships are worth examining under the light cast by this perspective.
There are both men and women that leave a trail of broken relationships in their wake, only to leap into another one barely before the dust settled on the old one. In some of these cases, this serial relationship behaviour that ends in break up in similar ways each time, to be followed by a hasty search for the next Mr or Miss Wonderful, could be a result of the ‘perpetrator’ never stopping to learn from their choices of behaviour.
It is too easy to blame a human and make out that they are the main cause of all the ills of a relationship (when it always takes two to tango) simply because all humans have choices. The perpetrator of broken dreams knows this, and takes full advantage of it. They heap all the blame for the bad outcome onto the one they were involved with, and without hesitation, no reflective pause to learn about the part they played in the poor outcome, they seek out the next ‘victim.’
There are particular clusters of personality traits that tend to be more like this in the way they navigate the world, but more on that next time.
Nu Vibez and Roleplay Guide are looking for writers, photographers, ad sales agents and support staff to help us to continue to bring the news and insights you want to read, to you each and every month. If this sounds like you, drop a note at nuvibezm@gmail. com. Tell us your skills, what you want to do and what inspires you! We look forward to hearing from you!
What is Made to Model?
... a whole new breed of reality television
Made to Model is a reality television show from the amazing avatar driven world of Second Life. Filmed with high quality and intense focus on the artistic and creative aspects of filming and production, Made to Model brings a new vision of what can be done in virutal worlds, to online television enthusiasts.
The contestants will compete against each other for their chance to win:
$200,000 Lindens
Live in the M2M Mansion at The Grove for 1-month rent free after the show
Have first dibs on renting the M2M mansion at The Grove after that.
Paid Modeling Contracts with the Avante Modeling Agency
An Interview & Photo Session in Nu Vibez Magazine
A Paid Scholarship to the SL Vogue Modeling Academy
A Modeling Contract with SL Vogue
A Promotional Tour with perks & High Profile Exposure
Each contestant will be wearing the super cool Life Hud version 2.0 during the entire competition, adding that bonus reality affect, forcing them to take into consideration, various bodliy, emotional and functional needs to succeed.
There will be modeling, photographic, runway and other amazing challenges prestented to the contestants during the show and on each episode, someone will be sent home until one lucky girl remains and is crowned the first ever, Miss Made to Model!
It will be fun, exciting and packed with television drama, humor, heartbreak and well ... more drama lol.
Episodes will air weekly on iMoogi.tv and on YouTube. Details will be provided as they air.
Get yourself into the Made to Model group inside Second Life and subscirbe to the website at:
AreYouMadeToModel.com
...so that you do NOT miss a single event, party, episode or prize!
You too can stream the internet’s http://192.99.35.93:6268/stream
internet’s best top 100 radio station: http://192.99.35.93:6268/stream
The Grove Country Club Estates has long been “the place” to live with the “in” parties to attend and this holds true to this day. Their are many articles about The Grove over the years, always from the perspective of a look in at the grounds and estates, but for the first time, Nu Vibez has been given access to The Grove’s residents, to get their take on why they moved here, what they love about it and what they would say to propsective new neighbors about their beloved home.
We sat down with residents, EvaCross, Hank Correia and his wife, Kimmera Correia, Leighton Trippy and Marco Corleone.
Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy scheudles to speak with us on behalf of the Grove. Crito, owner of The Grove -- and all of us here at Nu Vibez appreciate it! Let’s jump right in ...
NVM: With so many residential properties to choose from what made you select the Grove?
EVA: A couple of years ago, a friend of mine moved to the Grove, and I really fell in love with the realistic aesthetic of the community. The detail
stuck with me over the years and when I decided to give up my homestead to try community living, The Grove was the first place I thought of. And it was the best move that I have made.
HANK: The overall style of the property here fits very well with my/our personal tastes. Kim and I were looking to consolidate several properties we had separately into a home for us and the Grove was the perfect choice for us.
KIMMERA: I have been in SL a very long time, I have seen properties come and go. Umberto Giano is a close friend and his vision for The Grove intrigued and enticed me. I loved his style and the result did not disappoint. The Grove has such an elegance to it, the people here have what I like to think of as pride of ownership. Not only is The Grove a beautiful place, but it is a community, it has that sense of Home. Your neighbors become friends, we be-
come family in many ways and I love that feel. Hank and I owned quite a few properties between us when we got together, I still own two sims, but we wanted something that felt like we belonged to it, where we could socialize and feel at home, The Grove was perfect.
LEIGHTON: I stumbled upon The Grove a few years back when Commoner was located on the sim. I remember feeling very impressed by atmosphere but at that time I was a college student who just couldn’t afford live here. I just happened to stumble up on it again recently and saw how amazing it looked if not better from the last time I was here. I walked around a bit and was sold in the first five minutes.
MARCO: I was really impressed with the amazing landscaping and beautiful parcels.
NVM: The Grove is known to be very posh and exclusive. Did the high end reputation of this property encourage you or give you pause before moving in?
EVA: To be honest, the reputation initially gave me pause. I love decorating, but if I had to describe my decor style, I am not a very formal person with very ornate furnishings. And, I was under the impression that my house needed to be ornate to fit in, but that isn’t the case at all.
HANK: Early in my knowledge of the Grove it appeared to be
too exclusive and expensive but as I matured in SL and gained experience elsewhere, I learned. The community aspect is something I appreciate. I lived on another high end estate for some time and was very sad when it was sold, but learned it was not a bad thing to pay a premium for beauty.
KIMMERA: Posh isn’t a word I would choose, Exclusive? yes and no. Posh sounds stuffy to me, I prefer elegance and quality. A place where the details matter and everyone has the common goal to keep it that way. Exclusive sounds like tenant wannabe’s have to go before a board of stuffed shirts LOL. It isn’t like that. I think The Grove attracts people who want a certain feel for where they live, a sense of community and home. We see a small turnover, but many of The Grove tenants settle in and stay.
LEIGHTON: It actually made me pause for a second. I have lived in many neighborhood sims in second life and for some reason it seems like everyone is hiding in their homes with their group of family/friends and they are reluctant to meet other people. As an extremely outgoing person this was hard for me, and with the known “Posh” status of this community I thought maybe everyone would have their own groups and be a bit unwilling to accept newcomers. But the hesitation stopped when I met two very lovely individuals here at The Grove. Not only were they very welcoming, but they seemed true and genuine, and as I got to know more people, I fell more and more in love with the community.
MARCO: Not at all I felt like I would fit in well. People are very friendly.
NVM: Since you have moved in what have you come to appreciate most about life in the Grove?
EVA: My neighbors have become my closest friends since I have moved to the Grove. I was really fortunate in that regard. And, the community as a whole is very warm and supportive and comes together really well even under adversity.
HANK: The people here, new friends and wonderful neighbors and a sense of community.
KIMMERA: The peacefulness of it, the people involved here, the beauty around every turn.
LEIGHTON: Besides the community, it would have to be the environment. The landscaping is phenomenal.
MARCO: The amazing scenery there is always something new around.
NVM: Some would say that having to stay with the Grove’s community standards and quality control guidelines is a bit restrictive but what is it about having to maintain such high standards that you residents seem to appreciate?
EVA: Unlike some other places that I have lived, I never have had to derender my neighbors’ tacky objects because there just aren’t any around. I love that I can come home and feel like I am at in the Mediterranean.
HANK: I like the idea of not coming home to find a space station or a castle as a new next door neighbor. While those are fun things and I have no problem with them on their own, there is a place or places here in SL, where they would fit much better.
KIMMERA: I love that there are set standards, it means no billboard or unexpected surprises suddenly appearing next door. There are many opportunities in SL to live, The Grove has a theme, a feel, if it isn’t what you seek, I am sure there is someplace else that will.
LEIGHTON: I understand people saying the guidelines are a bit strict but it’s what makes the environment.
MARCO: I don’t mind at all that Grove Management does all the landscaping for you when you move in, it helps keep everything in theme.
NVM: The Grove is currently going through a remodeling upgrade and adding a business and entertainment district. How
do you think that will enhance life in this once residential only community?
EVA: Already, I have noticed that the upgrades seem to be more prim efficient with higher detail, and I think that is excellent. As to the entertainment venues that are coming, I am excited to see any additional outlets for residents to party together as well as show off our beautiful community to SL at large.
HANK: I think it makes it even more of a community and encourages people that may not live here to visit with the chance to better understand the Grove.
KIMMERA: As far as I recall, it has never been a residential only community. True, there has never been a shopping district, but entertainment/ events/activities has always been encouraged. I think the addition and the support of
the new sim and activities will only enhance something very special. I hope that this new venture introduces more of SL’s vast population to discover it and appreciate how special it is.
LEIGHTON: I think it will bring a new light to the community which will in turn make the community grow.
MARCO: I think it will create more exposure to the sims. I wouldn’t mind seeing more people around. It tends to be
quiet at times. I enjoy seeing people. Some people might like it quiet so it all depends.
NVM: Would you say it’s a misconception that only the SL rich and famous can enjoy life here in the Grove, and if so please could you explain why you feel it’s a misconception?
EVA: Sure it is a misconception. I am definitely not a SLebrity, and I live here. And there are others that live on my sim who are normal residents like
me who are here because we enjoy the quality of the Grove life.
HANK: Aside from the initial buy in for property, which goes toward the custom landscaping of the parcel that you just purchased. The monthly cost is no more than any other property and the benefits and service from the staff here is exceptional. So I see it as a value compared to some other locations.
great people who appreciate its quality and tranquility. We have neighbors that are well known, we have neighbors that aren’t, but the key word is neighbors. We all enjoy the surroundings and appreciate each other.
MARCO: I don’t feel that is true. I am not a wealthy person. I have found the parcel prices
NVM: How did you find out about the Grove?
EVA: I originally learned about the Grove through my friend who was a resident here a couple of years ago.
HANK: My wife Kim had been invited to view a new home being designed by one of the landscaping designers here.
KIMMERA: Yes, I would say it’s a misconception. I have known about The Grove since its beginning. Its allure is not the rich and famous, yes, it has its share, but it is really filled with
actually comparable to most. Also the prices in the Grove are not the highest I’ve seen with the prims you receive. Compared to mainland you receive more prims for the price without the lag. I almost never have lag where I live which is great.
The conversation migrated to how the Grove was doing and he offered us a tour. Within an hour we met the owner Crito Galtier and had purchased two properties.
KIMMERA: As mentioned before, I know the original Guru behind it’s conception and I am also close with one of the builders that helped in creating this masterpiece. Crito Galtier, the new owner and his wonderful partner Preston have carried on the legacy and have become close friends as well, THANK YOU CRITO AND PRESTON (aka Peaches)!!
MARCO: I found out about the Grove from a friend she brought me here and almost right away I needed to move here. There are no other sims like it! I’ve searched high and
far for a European theme sim and nothing compares!
NVM: What Do you want the general public to know about the Grove?
EVA: The Grove is a gem that does have an aura of exclusivity. But the residents are some of the best you will ever meet.
HANK: Just that it’s a beautiful place to live with some pretty wonderful people, from the neighbors to the people who own and operate the community. It has been one of my bet-
ter experiences here in SL for sure.
KIMMERA: Yes, I do, I want it appreciated and respected.
NVM: What are some of the exciting things planned for the Grove in the coming new Year?
EVA: I am looking forward to seeing the new Country Club and Nightclub that are being built.
HANK: Well I know from talking with the owner of the community, events and common areas
like the Country Club, the new shopping area and a new entertainment venue are being planned for the New Year. My Wife and I recently invested in a full sim here so that we could expand our home and also add Kim’s Tres Beau stores, The Powell Gallery and our Pub (MacClintons)/Game Center to the Grove.
KIMMERA: Hank and I have recently purchased a full sim from The Grove and moved our home to it as well as Hanks amazing Powell Gallery and hopefully soon, Tres Beau and Tres Maison will have satellite
shops here. We have also created a public friendly Pub with Live Music events and a slew of Games and Bowling! We hope it brings the community together for fun and friendship and opens the door to others to discover how welcoming and amazing the Grove is.
NVM: What does a person need to do to become a resident here at the Grove?
EVA: Contact the Grove Concierge to see what is available!
HANK: Just visit, walk the grounds and see everything
the place has to offer. While it may not be a place for everyone it is home if you enjoy a sense of community
KIMMERA: Come Visit! View available parcels, acquire a space to call your own, move in and fall in love.
MARCO: Speak with someone on the management team, Filipa Thespian, Dar Writer, or sim owner Crito Galtier.
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/19207
N4RS is a Proud Sponsor of The Made to Model Reality Television Show providing furnishings for the M2M Mansion
“...you don’t have to go to a galaxy far far away to experience the dark side.”
THE FORCE AWAKENS AND EXPOSES
Journalist: Scorpinosis Nightfire
To say that the new Star Wars Episode 7 has been a long time coming would a massive understatement.
The original trilogy consisted of Episode 4: A New Hope, Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode 6: Return of The Jedi and covered 1977 to 1983. Why George Lucas started his space franchise with episode 4 was always odd to me till, as a fan, a dared to consider there would be more. However I had no idea how long I and the rest of the world would have to wait for those missing episodes of 1-3, the now infamous prequels.
Fortunately, Star Wars enthusiasts get “The Force Awakens”, for CHRISTMAS – a decade after Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge Of The Sith (my personal fave of the prequels)!!!! Are fans excited, you bet your light sabers they are excited? From the moment news hit that there would finally be an episode 7 to give closure to the fates of the original cast, audiences worldwide were ecstatic. But as with anything as big as a Star Wars sequel there is some controversy.
The Black Stormtrooper:
If there is anything needed in movies it’s more racial diversity in leading roles. And a recent case in point is Lionsgate “The Gods Of Egypt”. In this soon to be released film almost all the Egyptian roles went to white non Egyptian or African actors: The film’s director had this to say:
“We recognize that it is our responsibility to help ensure that casting decisions reflect the diversity and culture of the time periods portrayed,” … “In this instance we failed to live up to our own standards of sensitivity and diversity.”
Ridley Scott’s “Exodus: Gods and King,” which featured Christian Bale as Moses and Joel Edgerton as Ramses, was criticized last year for its predominantly white cast. Here is what Ridley Scott said to excuse the lack of diversity in this picture:
“It’s always art against economics,” … “As soon as you’re at the higher levels of budgeting, you’ve got to get the film made and the only way to support the film is to have actors who can support the budget.”
Finally Emma Stone was cast in the Cameron Crowe film “Aloha” playing as a character who is supposed to be of Chinese, Hawaiian and Swedish descent. The public responded with disapproval asking why someone white would be cast in that role. We could go on citing more cases of “white washing” roles written for non-white characters, but the examples given will suffice. Now here is how all this relates to our black stormtrooper issue.
Reaction to John Boyega’s face when he takes off the Stormtrooper went viral. One commentator covered it this way:
“Earlier today, it seemed like #BlackStormtrooper might actually eclipse #BlackFriday as a trending topic. That’s because the official trailer that aired Friday for the next film in the Star Wars saga—The Force Awakens, directed by J.J. Abrams and scheduled for release in December 2015—opens on a
black man wearing a stormtrooper’s uniform”.
He goes on to say:
The man, who is played by John Boyega (of Attack the Block), pops into view perspiring and panting hard. He is surrounded by desert: in all likelihood the rolling dunes of Tatooine, the homeworld of both Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. And he appears to be in trouble.
Maybe the only people more alarmed than Boyega by his circumstances were commenters surprised by the sight of a black man’s head emerging from the white plate armor of an Imperial stormtrooper. People on Reddit compared the trailer to a scene from the 1987 Mel Brooks spoof Space Balls, a gag that plays up a black stormtrooper as jive-talkin’. In other threads and on Twitter, some people registered mere racist shock. But a few corners of the Internet turned to the internal logic of the Star Wars universe to appeal the presence of a black stormtrooper. Didn’t the prequels reveal that all stormtroopers were white clones?
When Boyega’s character, Finn, popped off that helmet, I, like some others, was surprised. Instead of being upset about it however or feeling like it was “that damned affirmative action program has even managed to reach outer space, I was intrigued. I thought ahh they want us to react and say how will they address the clone issue with all the original stormtroopers. It, I believe, was actually to stimulate our thinking, not to expose the racism that’s still with us even to -
day, after all the sacrifices and victories that have made things better than they use to be for people of all colors.
I don’t want to bore you with my theories on how or if they are going to cover this issue of Finn being a black trooper. Yet it would be remiss to not point out that fact that the bounty hunter used as the cloning template in the prequels was not white. Writer Kriston Capps sums this point up well below:
“Those clones weren’t white in any sense of the word. Jango Fett, the bounty hunter who served as the genetic template, was culturally (and perhaps ethnically) a Mandalorian. And the actor who portrays him, Temuera Derek
Morrison, is a New Zealand-born person of brown skin and partial Maori descent”.
So my fellow Force fans and movie goers there you have it. Once again Star Wars has created dialogue and reminded us that you don’t have to go to a galaxy far far away to experience the dark side. I think once the movie’s out and the issue can be discussed without ruining a plot line, we all will have something we need to talk about. Oh … and may the force be with us all.
SL is home to some very cool events that make logging in world all the more entertaining and engaging. Once such event is this year’s huge Alcoholics Anonymous X-Mass Bash 2015, put together by Rattis Neutron and Carmen Roquelaure-Neutron. According to Rattis:
... this year we are running the event for a week long. We are expecting to set a new level of standards for events run on SL …. As we expect to run 4-6hrs worth of events each day for that week. Currently some of our sponsors are Holli Pocket, Razor///, Alterego, Allure, 360, OhMahGawd, Chop Zuey, Blueberry, Taox Tattoos, Lapointe & BastChild and BOSL just to name a few.
Not new to running successful Second Life events, Rattis goes on further to share some of their past accomplishments below:
Since my partner and I started on SL we have run and been involved in huge
Second Life events such as SL8B, SL9B, SL10B, RFL 08. 09, 10, 11, 12 & 13 along with yearly Halloween & Christmas events.
Last year we ran our largest event to date. 12hrs of nonstop entertainment with over 200k worth of prizes and giveaways for Halloween. This year we have chosen to host an even bigger Christmas event.
Not only are the Neutrons partners in SL but they are also a First Life married couple that has taken their in-world connection to new real world heights. Helping out the Neutrons is entrepreneur and
Mami is hosting the 2015 X-mas Bash on her sim from Dec 15-21 and is the acting Event Manager
CN: Rattis and I met on here when I first started Second Life almost 5 years ago. We both were DJs on here as well as in real life. We shared a lot of common interests and developed a very close friendship. Rattis was hosting events with sponsors before him and I became partners, but on a much smaller scale. I discussed with him how I loved his work and was interested in doing one of these events with him. So in Christmas of 2013 we had our first Christmas bash together. At that point in time we never would have expected to be we are today.
It was Second Life and our connection as friends and business partners
that brought him and I closer together. Rattis and I decided to meet in real life almost 2 ½ years into our SL partnership. We had a very close connection after his first visit to America. We loved every moment of his 3 month visit. We then decided at that point that we wanted to take our relationship to the next level. Early June, 2015 he packed his bags and made the trek from Australia to me in the USA. June 13th, 2015 Rattis and I got married in real life.
NVM: Rattis how do you guys pick what sponsors you want for a specific event and have there
ever been some sponsors you perhaps didn’t want to ask because maybe their work was not representative of the style or quality you guys want to bring to your events?
(You can answer this one without giving the names of the designers)
RN: We like to mix up sponsors from big name designers to the small unknowns. For us it’s all about networking. Sometimes it’s the small unknowns that actually make top quality stuff but they haven’t had the exposure yet to
Photo by HuNiiB (hoochiehottie)
become well known. Both Carmen and myself do a lot of profile perv’ing just to see who is in what groups, or to see if something we bump into has a store. We like to think everyone once started off small and give those stores a little helping hand.
If they gain a few new customers from these events we feel we have made a difference. All of our sponsors promote the event which causes a lot of cross promotion. End of the day everyone from these events walks away a winner. The sponsors, the patrons, the DJ’s and us. Making new connections and friendships on SL is the way to achieve bigger and greater events each year as many sponsors re-contact us in the months leading up to these events to find out if we are running them again.
We have had some sponsors in the past, whom we tried out but things didn’t work out. We hope during the year between the events designers better themselves with the quality they pro -
duce. As mesh is the new IN, we try and base all our designers to at least build with mesh. Old style textured items no longer have a place really on SL.
NVM: Carmen, with knowing all the work that comes with a bigger event than the previous year, why not play it safe and just repeat what you guys did last year?
CN: We have had so much success with our previous events and have felt so much love and support from our sponsors we wanted to do more. Each year our sponsorship list has grown and this year we even had a few designers contact us directly about joining. A lot of our sponsors have stood behind us throughout the years and I appreciate each and everyone of them for being there for us. I just felt that we needed to give more to them this year. This event is about cross promotions it is not just bigger named sponsors it is for sponsors who are just starting out on their journey. I know that there are so many talented creators in Second Life and this is a place where their voices can be heard. We just add in the entertainment value to the event with live Djs, the fashion fair style and our own spin to make sure that our sponsors are getting the best promotions for their donations of time and prizes.
NVM: During a promotional event for the X-Mas Bash, we heard the DJ say that you guys have over 400k in sponsored gift cards to give away during the course of the event, is that number for real?
RN: Actually, there is over 500K worth of gifts and prizes that will be given away over the course of the week long event. The number is 100% for real!
NVM: Great prizes are not all that makes this year’s bash the best is it? Tell us about some other things visitors are going to get when they come to the Bash?
RN: Well as the great prizes, we require all the patrons to actually listen to the DJ’s music during the course of the event. The hand select each DJ due to their personality on mic. Great music is one thing, but it’s the randomness of each DJ that makes them unique.
NVM: Now you guys are on record for saying the following when it comes to giving out prizes. Take a look below and elaborate further on how you came to this conclusion.
“We have very strict rules for winning prizes. Having been a clothing designer in the past and sponsoring events, I felt the sponsor never really did get their worth from the sponsorship deal. We require all those who attend the event to be listening to the music stream. Via the music stream we will randomly play a special sound byte/clip the listeners have to listen for and when they hear it they are required to message our prize giver. If people message early or spam message the prize giver those avi’s get disqualified for that round and eventually get removed if it continues.”
“Nothing worse than a sim full of mindless zombies expecting free prizes for doing nothing. We make them work for it. During the course of the event we also have radio adverts to advertise the
sponsors along with gestures we provide our hosts with the sponsors name and what they sell. “
CN/RN: We have been to many events where prizes are just handed over to people whom are AFK and are there just to win a prize or lindens. We do not feel it is beneficial to any sponsor to be handing out free stuff to anyone without being acknowledged for their work. There are so many designers/creators in here that this is their passion and some it may even be their real life job. We feel that people often look past the talent, knowledge and time spent that our designers/creators have in order to bring out a product. We do not believe that someone
should be given something for nothing, when someone poured their heart and soul into creating it.
NVM: When it’s all said and done and you are doing the X-mas Bash 2020, what do you really want people to take away from all this that’s most important?
CN: We want people to have fun, enjoy the music, but also have an appreciation for the hard work that goes into creating events. This event has always been a way for us to connect with designers / creators to give back for all they have done for us throughout the years. I also want our sponsors to know that we gave it our all and did right by them and hopefully have helped them out as much as they have helped us. I would honestly like to thank every sponsor that is involved in
ing mix DJs we also loved to mix drinks while we worked. Just a little bit of alcohol helped bring out the best and worst of us while DJing. For a while we would announce ourselves as the Alcoholic DJs.
We both have been meaning to quit, but well as the saying goes “Winners never quit & quitters never win”. So It seems our drinking has to stay else we will be quitters. So it seemed fitting we name the group “Alcoholics Anonymous”. Plus well we are taking the piss out of the REAL AA by drinking.
As Frank Sinatra once said, “Alcohol may be mans worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy”.
Who can argue with such a wise man?
Over the years we have had others DJs we have invited to join the group whom are also drinkers. These DJs are our go to people when we need more DJs for events and are like family to us.
this event this year. If there was no sponsors this event would not happen.
RN: Carmen couldn’t have said it better.
NVM: Finally, and this interview would not be complete without asking you this question, could you please explain to the readers out there why your DJ Company and group is called Alcoholics Anonymous?
RN: Originally both Carmen and myself had separate DJ groups and spamming the two groups for events was messy. We both decided we needed just one group. Now apart from both be -
Our groups motto is, “Drinking is NOT the problem. An empty glass is. Filling it is the solution”.
Come on we all know the alcoholics are the life of any party. We just want a nice environment to work and have fun in without the drama of rules holding us down.
NVM: Well I don’t think anyone was expecting that answer lol, however it seems to be your wit and creativity expressed in your answer, that has also played a role in the success of your endeavors. We wish you both the best and thank you for taking time to sit with us for this chat.
PIP’S FLICKR PICKS, DECEMBER 2015
Journalist: Filipa Thespian
If you haven’t already discovered it, here’s your officiali invitation ... Nu Vibez and Roleplay Guide Magazines have reader sharing groups on Flickr.com!
These groups have been in operation for some time, especially in the case of Roleplay Guide with nearly 5,000 member photos to peruse.
Each month, we will be searching the photos uploaded to either the Nu Vibez Magazine Group or the Roleplay Guide Magazine Group and share here in Pip’s Flickr Picks!
So dear readers, get yourselves a posting! Any photo posted after the last issue’s cover is up for consideration, but do not duplicate! Only one per photographer and if you keep posting the same photo each month, it’ll just begin to get ignored. Also keep in mind, we don’t want to see your sex scenes or your advertisements. Ads and sex or nudity that we do not deem as creative art, are deleted. Likewise, blatant advertisements are deleted. If you make something in world, learn from two of this month’s winners on how to get some free publicity from Nu Vibez ... make it creative, quality and art ... and you’ll get in!
We have some amazing photographers posting some positively stunning work in the groups and they have even more magnificent works on their own Flickr pages. We invite everyone to go take a peek! NU VIBEZ MAGAZINE FLICKR GROUP: https://www.flickr.com/groups/nuvibezmag/ ROLEPLAY GUIDE FLICKR GROUP: https://www.flickr.com/groups/roleplayguide/
Home https://www.flickr.com/photos/126747726@ N03/20211385023/in/pool-roleplayguide/
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Photo Title
HOW TO BE A GOOD LOSER
Turning Adversity Into Opportunity
Journalist: Filipa Thespian
Recent generations are not taught how to lose. Little League and other sports teams in some areas do not keep score so that the fragile psyche of a child does not have to face the thought of losing.
They can leave a game feeling good about themselves but that only leaves them set up for later frustration and disillusionment when entering grown world where losing is a very real entity hovering above everyone’s head.
Entering into Second Life where your every fantasy can come true, not many give thought to what losing can mean and how it can be beneficial at times to let yourself lose on occasion.
One of the most annoying people we can encounter in Real Life or Second Life is the sore loser. We have all met this person in our lives. The whining emotional attitudinal, “life is not fair” person who once having lost, refuses to accept the possibility, kicks over the sandcastle, picks up his or her toys and stomps off in a huff.
How arrogant, how utterly boring is the person with the attitude of “I win. I always win.”. No winner
ever came about without losing a few the first time around. Without setbacks and in some cases a terrible loss, can victory ever be satisfying and not feel hollow?
Tarl Cabot our Gorean Hero of the books lost many times but it is how he handled loss and overcame it that made him a hero and a winner. He lost women, fortune, a Home Stone and even his freedom, not just once, but a few times. He struggles to accept his fate, then rise above it to win. This is what made him a winner, not just winning the first time and every time. That is what the epic tales were about and made him memorable. The process of loss and victory make it all the sweeter when the inevitable triumph happens.
Another classic example is Conan the Barbarian. His parents were killed at a young age, he was enslaved at the Wheel of Pain, crucified to the Tree of Woe, sold into fighting slavery until he gained freedom and climbed to being a hero only in the end slaying Thulsa Doom. If he had won and always won he would have slain Thulsa Doom as a child with his father’s sword then probably stayed
Photo Shared on the RPG Flickr Group by Halfwraith
in the village with the survivors as an obscure barbarian who always won but never amounted to much, never learning to overcome, to strive and desire to ascend to greatness and claim a Kingdom of his own. Not a great tale always winning and not learning how to overcome losing is it?
So why would we lose? What traits makes one a good loser?
Learning from mistakes. When you make a mistake, you learn how to overcome. Learn to overcome and not quit. Quitters are the real losers.
No cheating. I mean really, how much do we like it when another player cheats? OOC knowledge such as profile reading, minimaps, camming through walls, fixed weapons -- these are all cheating in SL and no victory is gained by doing so. These are the tools of true losers. Impenetrable fortresses, doors that cannot be picked or broken down, group access only traps are also
the tools of losers as there is no way to overcome these.
For every winner there is a loser. Always remember, every time you win, someone loses, but it is very important that no one becomes a sore loser. Often, the loser can be the more talented roleplayer in the ex-
change, considering they made an RL concious decision to allow themselves to be on the losing end of your situation. They are deserving of respect and friendship. It’s better for everyone, we’re in it to have fun afterall. Likewise, when you lose, do it with grace and style. Always be a bigger person, always be positive and uplifting and win or lose, always make time to make friends and compliment the other player for their magnificent storytelling!
People cheer for the underdogs. People admire winners but cheer for the big comeback against all odds. Do people remember the Champions winning...yet again, or do they talk for years to come of how the last place team came back in the last half and wiped the field with the always winning team? If you can’t answer that honestly ask a baseball fan about the 1969 Mets.
Know when to give up. This is not that same as quitting. Quitting is not trying. There is no shame when you give your best, 100 percent and still can’t do it. You might not be able to win at that point, so concede the better persons skill on a well played game. I have seen
Photo Shared on the RPG Flickr Group by Aurica Ghost
Photo Shared on the RPG Flickr Group by Lili Hunter
more times then not when this happens, that the winner is so stunned at the admission that they will teach how they won, where your mistakes were and how to get better, even taking that person under their wing. Real winners like a challenge. Chiron taught Hercules and Perseus who both went on to be great heroes of Greek Mythology. At first they had much to learn and he then could look at those men and say to himself “I taught them how to be Heroes!”
Grace under fire. Good losers and good winners learn to keep cool. When the going gets tough, accept it and get tougher. Don’t cry about it. If you want to dish it out, learn how to take it and do it with style. You will be remembered for your actions and you do not want to be remembered for tears.
So learn how to lose, turn your momentary adversity into the springboard for future opportunity to roleplay and perhaps, to win. It may take a few tries to go from underdog losing to champion winning. The loser is the one who does not know how to lose and those who quit before trying their best.
Thomas Edison said “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” If he had quit after not winning, we might reading by candle light. Albert Einstein failed the entrance exams to university (no he did not fail math) yet went on to be known as a genius in Physics.
If at first you don’t succeed, try try again.
“Know when to give up. This is not that same as quitting. Quitting is not trying. There is no shame when you give your best, 100 percent and still can’t do it. “
Photo Shared on the RPG Flickr Group by Cheree Shippe
Photo by WrenNoir Cerise
ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT WITH MAMI DRUCCI
A
business woman, a night club owner, an event coordinator and a Domme, Mami Drucci (also known in SL as Sensual Mami) takes some time with Nu Vibez to talk about her new projects.
NVM: it’s so wonderful to see you again, thank you for taking the time to speak with us about your new projects today.
MAMI: Hello Filipa and as always nice to see you as well
NVM: What’s it like being a successful business woman who some people may still to this day want to credit others with the success you have earned on your own?
MAMI: I love to network plain and simple, I have a love for fashion and a great respect for all of the very talented creators that have made Second Life what it is. I get an idea for a project and i run with it although some are not as successful as others I enjoy each and every adventure I have been involved in. From my first club, Da HAUS, to the Sexpo Expo
which I organized with my former partner, Stroker -- From the Casino he and I had, Jizz Games, which has been closed due to current gambling laws in SL, to my current project TOM, Second Life has always been a fabulous platform through which to express myself and run with things, while enabling others to express themselves.
NVM: We know you have a nightclub called Fuzion. Could you tell us about it and what does the new year have in store for it?
MAMI: With my current projects I am not able to put much time into the club any longer, but Fuzion does focus on one event a month called, Cycle of Sin. COS is a roaming party that has been active for many years now on SL,
put on by Hard Rust from Hard Alley’s Retroville, and Barbiedollz club, which, if you haven’t yet been there yet, then you really should check it out). Years ago, Barbiedollz was owned by Stroker Serpentine, my old partner and still close friend. Later, it was taken over by my awesome sister, Tempest Jewel. The event is the first Saturday of every month and begins at Fuzion @ 7 pm SLT where sexy people come in to join us from across the grid. The music mixes vary and it is a very fun and sexy event. At 8 pm SLT we are off to Barbiedollz where we tend to get a little more sexy, meaning the clothes tend to shed as the event goes on ... and by the time we hit Hard Alley’s Retroville at 9 pm SLT it gets pretty steamy. If you want to know what i mean by that then you have to come see for yourself.. *blushes*
“Cycle of Sin begins at Club Fusion, the first Saturday of every month at 7pm SLT. At 8pm we are off to Barbiedollz where we tend to get a little more sexy. By the time we hit Hard Alley’s Retroville at 9pm, the sexy has turned super steamy!”
NVM: So Mami, tell us, who is TOM, a new boyfriend? ;)
MAMI: Laughs! Yes TOM is my current new love... No I am actually single with no interest in being involved in a formal relationship at this time. But let me tell you about TOM. As we all know there are many fetishes in RL as well as SL, Financial Domination being one of these fetishes. Tax-o-Meter, or “TOM” for short, is a database backed system that tracks tips in Second Life. Let me explain what TOM offers. Currently the system has the following components:
• A tip jar - used for recording tips.
• A personal tip jar (comes in mod, trans and mod, copy editions) with advanced features like announcement muting, minimum tip threshold and hover text color selection.
• A tip jar that enables logins
• Sub HUD - allows subs to nominate a dom/me to be marked as his or her owner.
• Registration object - mark yourself as a sub, switch or dom/me in the Tax-O-Meter database.
• Domme HUD - allows a dom/ me to manage his or her subs, including dismissing them.
• Leaderboards - enables top givers and receivers to get recognition in-world.
• A privacy tool - to enable subs or dommes to opt out of
the leaderboard.
• A server module - detects when guests, subs and dommes arrive and announces their current status to the hangout location.
• Adboards
• Basic edition (no tip jar)
• Pro edition with an integrated tip jar
NVM: Dominants and submissives ... sounds kinky, whats this about? What do you do with this?
MAMI: And this is where it gets deeper. TOM which stands for Tax-O-Meter is a Financial Domme system that myself and two other friends created together for a reason. We were visiting another Findomme area and didnt quite agree with what they stood for. It was being run more like a an escort establishment and didnt stand for what many of us call Findomme. So, that’s when I spoke with a friend, who is also in the lifestyle, as well a scripter here in SL and another friend, Mija Perfferle, a 3d Mesh artist here in Second life and owns D&B (Deviant & Bizarre) which specializes in a variety of very interactive items such as cages and many toys. We all came together and put in play , a lot of ideas for a new and much more advanced findomme system in SL. We also strive on keeping findomme what it is and not what some others have taken and ruined.
NVM: What is Findomme and what does this Tax-O-Meter system do for the BDSM community?
MAMI: Findomme is power exchange and the Tax-o-meter system helps bring the real life fetish alive in second life as it is a very interactive system.
NVM: So this is a BDSM thing and deals with tips? Is it like, tipping for sex? Or is there something more to it? Deeper perhaps?
MAMI: BDSM does have some play in this but this is what is called Financial Domination, Let me explain a little...
To have the fetish of being financially controlled by a powerful Domme, is in some ways similar to having a pantyhose or foot fetish; it’s just that the object of the fetish is money instead of feet, or an article of clothing. The in-
We strive on keeping Findomme what it is, and not what some others have taken and ruined.
dividuals who participate in the fetish usually get excitement and in cases even arousal out of their fetish play. Just as is the case in a number of other sexual fetishes. In cases of Financial Domination this excitement usually occurs when the slave gives money to the Owner; feeling powerless under Her control. In most cases the man will get an intense rush of excitement both when thinking of giving money to a Domme and when he gives Tributes. This excitement can last even past that point, many days after engaging in this fetish.
I say She and he, because usually the giver is a male, the receiver is a Female. While there are cases of Male Dominants participating in the fetish; it is extremely rare. Just like foot fetishes the Financial Domination Fetish is one where Females are usually considered superior; thus you would rarely find a woman serving a man in this manner.
The payment given is called a Tribute; and can be anywhere from around fifty dollars when strangers first meet, to several
thousand dollars as can be the case in well established relationships. Just like other Mistress/ slave relationships, some Financial Dominants will form strong bonds with those who serve them over a long period of time. However, these relationships will be very platonic. While Financial Domination is a sexually charged fetish, that arouses and teases, most Dommes will not have any sex with their slaves, just as a Professional Dominatrix would not with Her clients.
Women that are participating in this Fetish are called Princesses, Queens and even Goddesses. Not only money is exchanged in this Power Exchange, in many cases gifts are given as well; which are usually purchased off a Wish list. Gifts are so popular because there is a heavy emphasis on spoiling and pampering the Female Dominant. Allowing the Lady to live a life of absolute luxury while the male struggles and suffers in many ways for Her is often a big part of Financial Domination. Time and time again he must surrender and give up, so She can live above Her means. There is a large contrast between how Owner and slave live within this fetish, unlike other BDSM relationships where there is more blending between the lifestyles of the two. After all, in Financial Domination She is a Queen and Goddess, and he is Her slave. Some Ladies specialize in ruination of the slaves, while others drain more conservatively and with care, knowing that a completely ruined slave is useless. However, the sheer amount of men who fantasize about being ruined by a beautiful and pow-
erful Woman is staggering. And yet, it is to be kept in mind that for most men, it is only the fantasy of this that appeals to them, not the reality.
NVM: This fetish seems like it leaves the door open for some serious fraud or advantage taking, how does the Tax-O-Meter system protect the subs from being terribly taken advantage of?
MAMI: <Laughs> Taxometer takes absolutely no responsibility for anyone being taken advantage of. The sub/piggy is highly turned on when their wallets are drained. The more money that comes out of their pockets, the more Owned they feel and it becomes even more of a mindfucking for them, and even more intoxicating. I myself, have drained
my piggies so severely that they eat bread throughout the week and drink water until they replenish themselves. They must do all they can for their mistress, even getting a 2nd job or a loan. In many cases, if they are drained, then they will pay a tax on what they owe when they replenish their funds.
NVM: I notice all this is on the same sim. How does your night club play into all this?
MAMI: The night club is a whole seperate identity and while we do have some random events with Dj;s that do come in to throw a party from time to time. Our main event is Cycle of Sin which is the roaming party that takes place the first Saturday of each month.
NVM: I understand you like to support other residents and help their brands out. How do you choose who to do things with or not?
MAMI: Yes I really do love to network and have a great interest in being able to support my friends with their creations. There are a lot of talented designers here and I like to think that I have an eye for a well put together product, as I can feel the love that goes into their work by the quality.
NVM: Tell us please about the up-coming XMAS Bash. We understand this is one of those resident things that you offered up the use of your sim for? What is this all about?
MAMI: I am very excited about the Xmas Bash taking place Dec 15-21. It is a week long event that has over 28 live mix Dj’s and they will be spinning between 4 pm
SLT -10 pm SLT nightly. During their sets, their will be a jingle to listen for such as “HO HO HO Merry Chrismas” and that is when the first five or so that message us will receive a gift card from a sponsoring store in the event, We have over L$500K in gift Cards to give away and it is going to be a very fun event! We have some major brands participating in our event and are very thankful to all that sponsored. This event is to give back something nice to all the Customers, from all year long, that support their favorite designers. It also displays some items from each store sponsoring this event so that someone who maybe has not yet heard of the store, can learn about them. Everyone is invited and everyone will walk away with some very nice prizes guaranteed!
Come on by: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Excalibur%20Kings/128/128/22
NVM: So, whats on the horizon for you and your business?
MAMI: Well for right now my plate is full with my current projects but after the New Year I do plan on bringing something new and fun to the table so stay tuned.
NVM: Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to speak with us. In parting, is there anything you’d like to add that perhaps we haven’t talked about?
MAMI: I would like to invite anyone who might have any questions about Tax-o-Meter to message me or visit. Also please mark your calendars for Cycle of Sin. But most of all, to have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year.
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