Fearless Nation PTSD Support Virtual Community

By Bixyl Shuftan

Fearless Nation is a group and sim in Second Life with the purpose of helping people with Post-Tramautic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Their description is, "Fearless Nation PTSD Support is an RL 501c3 Nonprofit Organization for people with PTSD, their families, partners, children and communities: We provide education, support and advocacy. Since 2009 we've had a virtual, online community that spans distance, with a small carbon footprint bringing people together in a common goal: Trauma Recovery."

I recently had a talk with Anya Ibor  the director of the group, at the main building at the sim. "This is Main Library," she told me, "where there is lots of education/info about PTSD and an art gallery upstairs." After I asked how the group got started, she told me, "We started in 2009, on parcels I pulled together. There are many misconceptions, and lots of stigma about PTSD. We had a Library there, a small house, and meetings. I started to play around with virtual environments for people with PTSD, like a couple of nice meeting places, a Remembrance Place for loss and grieving, companion animals, Yoga Nidra (a mind/sleeping yoga), information on nutrition and bodycare for PTSD, creative arts and art therapy. The idea is: Engage with your avatar, and then take it to RL for PTSD symptoms."

I asked about the misconceptions. Anya answered, "Misconceptions about PTSD include: Thinking that we are 'ticking time bombs,' that we pose a threat to others, that we are weak and unreliable, that we are psychotic. Not true, unless there is a co-morbid psycholigical condition that includes psychosis or voilence. That is rare. Also, veterans and military make up only a minority of PTSD sufferers, most of use are victims of crime, and all abuse (psychological, physical, sexual). Our group includes military in real life, but mostly police personnel, trauma therapists, EMTs, survivors of abuse--and we have people engaged here who are trauma therapists and friends and family who have what is known as 'secondary' or vicarious PTSD."

And when did Anya think the public was starting to take PTSD seriously? "In the late 70s/early 80s," she told me, "through the work of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and Judith Herman, working with Viet Nam vets and crime victims -- I can send you more detailed information about the pioneers of PTSD. Now it is more widely accepted however, there is still a great deal of misinformation out there. After 9/11 and all the wars of the last 20 years PTSD has gained much more ground in research and simply 'being believed.' The psychiatric/psychological community has made great strides in PTSD understanding. For example, the DSM-5 (2013) separated PTSD from anxiety disorders and put it in its own trauma-centered category. Because there are different types of PTSD, C-PTSD, Combat PTSD, etc. and PTSD is the only condition caused by external forces. For example, some ppl with PTSD have a 'before trauma' and after trauma" view, and some never knew anything but trauma from childhood. But the symptoms remain the same across the spectrum of PTSD.

"So far we have gotten strongly positive feedback. So because I have been getting my Ph.D. in psychology, I focused in doing my Dissertation research on the lived experiences of ppl with PTSD who engae in SL (virtual worlds). The formal name of the study, conducted under Walden University's Institutional Review Board is named: 'The Experiences of PTSD Sufferers Who Participate in Internet-Based Virtual World Activities in Desktop Virtual Reality Environments (DVREs).' ”

I brought up the study, mentioning she was looking for volunteers. Anya answered, "Yes. I need 5 more people with PTSD who are active in SL/virtual worlds to answer a ten item questionnaire about how their lived experiences in SL might affect, or not, ther PTSD. The study is completely confidential and private per APA Ethics Code and Walden University standards. All identifying information will be coded and hidden. So no one has to worry that their real-life identification will be revealed."

And where did the idea for the study come from? The idea came from, well, me," she answered, "I have PTSD and back in 2009 when through work for IEEE Standards Association in RL I was introduced to SL/Virtual Worlds. I started noticing all the potential to work out PTSD issues in-world, and take that knowledge and lived experience into RL. Then I met other residents who were doing the same thing with their trauma, and we just banded together and, well, started growing.

"I have 15 responses now. I need at least 20 participants. Sounds small, but this is Qualitative (QUAL) research project, where the participants provide rich, robust information about their experience inworld in light of their PTSD. I will collect all the Questionnaire answers - which are meant to be easy, engaging, creative, fun - and 'code' the responses to detect patterns of meaning.

"The responses HAVE been rich and robust as well! There have been responses that have surprised me, but they will be included certainly as areas for further future research. For example, sometimes in-world, personal relationships can be as heartbreaking or upsetting as any real-life relationship. That begs a question as to whether SL might be a triggering or exacerbating influence on a person's PTSD."

When I asked how many were in the group, Anya answered, "There are currently about 275 members across two groups (because in the beginning, 2009, I didn't know what I was doing, ha-ha). We have had some terrific events, from 2009-2013 we would have 24-hour events with music (live performers and DJs), lots of art installations, and of course, information. Let me get the YouTube channel link because we had these events filmed in-world. Great videos.




https://www.youtube.com/user/FearlessNation4PTSD

"We've had outstanding support from the music and arts community in SL. Really amazing support. And Linden Labs has been understanding and supportive too, of course. (laughter) Not as financial as I'd like, but understanding and tolerance of us doing something different with the technology in here."

I asked about how much can art heal someone. She answered, "As for the power of art to heal: It can help immensely! Using creativity to express the confusion and anguish of trauma (survivor guilt, anxiety, etc) can sooth the wounded soul. In fact when trauma occurs, memories become divided into verbal and _non-verbal_ memories because the brain hunkers down into 'fight or flight' mode. Using art in-world, such as building, making art, muisc - even how one designs their avatar - are ways to express trauma, verbal and nonverbal. It helps one process the traumatic event, and work on living easy with the trauma memories."

"I am hoping that this research study might show that the engaging and creative activities in-world may prove a legitimate approach to easing PTSD symptoms. But we will wait and see what the data tells us. It is very interesting and exciting to be able to conduct this study. On these sims, I have used research in environmental design, color theory, art to create moods, curiosity,etc. Even the windlight settings are to calm and encourage relaxation and calm. This approach to the sims design has been a work in progress for over 10 years now.

"Unlike other VR sites that use VR for 'exposure therapy' we absolutely do not re-create war zones or trauma events. Exposure therapy was developed for phobias--PTSD is not a phobia. Far from it."

And what were Anya's future plans? "Well, I would love to work for Linden Labs or another VR company," she answered, "and I want to continue to explore the use of VR for trauma reconciliation. I will certainly continue working to help all people with PTSD learn to live in peace with their trauma. ... for anyone who would like to participate, or simply view the questions for the study and think it over, contact me via my Walden University email: colleen.crary@waldenu.edu.

"By the way: Here is quick, simple PTSD education slide show on my website so you have more background on PTSD. http://www.colleencrary.com/ptsd-support/ "

To check out the location, head to
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Fearless%20Nation/73/154/30

Bixyl Shuftan

A Cry For Help From Venezuela

By Bixyl Shuftan

Computers and the Internet can bring people together in many ways, online virtual worlds even more so as they give the appearance of being together. This can often mean people learn a little more about each other's societies. But it can also mean an up close and personal view of a big problem overseas that one might be only casually aware of through the newspaper or TV news, if it makes it to the newspaper or TV news at all.

I was exploring a virtual landscape in Second Life a couple nights ago when I got a notecard that had been sent by someone on my contact list: Alejandra Jumanya, or Miss W as she is also known. I had interviewed her last year, as both the owner of a virtual goods store selling outfits for Second Life avatars, and as someone inside an increasingly impoverished and oppressed country in which the money she made online was becoming increasingly important in getting by as the economy in her country crumbled. She had hoped she and her family would make it to the United States in the future.

A year later, she has become more concerned with the short-term survival of her and her daughter.

The notecard she had passed to me, and everyone else on her contact list, read, "Hello my dears, xxxx and I are getting some food at Walmart and shipping them over to Venezuela.  If you wanted to help us, you can do so by giving us a gift card to Walmart or Paypal (xxxxxxxxxxxxxx@hotmail.com).  I feel embarrassed  to ask for donations, but you know the situation here and how difficult it is to get food, also minimum wages here are like $15 a month, so it gets tough.  If you feel inclined to help us, we will be very very grateful!"

Wanting to know more, I instant-messaged her. She was surprised to hear from me and at first wondered if I had taken offense at her request. I told her no and wanted to talk. We met at a location where she had a few of her goods for sale. She continued with her story, "I started to write another notecard a few weeks ago, but I never had the ... bravery to send it. I will copy some parts of the notecard ... which I never finished or sent because I was embarrassed, and my friend said it would be better to do an event. But she is busy and real-life gets in the way.

"I'm not sure if you know, but things here in Venezuela has gotten harder for us (for xxxx and I), the government is imposing us a food redistribution system, that requires us to acquire food from Socialist Party members, it's a way for the government to use food to coerce citizens into supporting it... not only you don't get in the food list if you are not pro-government, but also, those who get the bag, it's a (paid) bag of 1 kg or rice, milk, sugar and pasta every few weeks or months.

"I don't get a (paid) food bag... my neighborhood doesn't anyways, so we are currently forced to buy food through a rations system that forces us to stand on supermarket lines up to twelve hours long (although it's illegal to do food lines at night, so if the police comes, we have to run to our cars and come back to do the line). Often, after 10 or 12 hours through the lines, you find out that the supermarket in question has run out of basic goods like rice, vegetable oil, and milk.

"Controlling food supplies has become increasingly important to or government as riots become more and more common. Last week, in the heart of Caracas, hungry patrons of a local market rioted after seeing a shipment of rice enter the market and almost immediately being told the food had been redistributed to the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), the troops typically responsible for attacking peaceful anti-government protests. Chanting 'we want food,' a crowd of hundreds began to march towards the presidential palace, halted only by the GNB using tear gas and violent Chavista gangs known as 'colectivos,' attacking both protesters and journalists."

"I've heard some news reports," I told her, "though this is something new." "Not new for us," Alejandra told me, "it's just been shushed by the media. But we have been in a very bad situation with food and medicine. ... Just today, a friend of mine left her home to buy a present for her 12 month old baby. When she came back, someone had broken into her house, stole her stash of diapers, all her baby's clothes, left NOTHING. stole her clothes too, and the food she had in her fridge and pantry, you know, half a kilo of rice, some pasta, 250grms of coffee, things like that. That's how bad things are. ... You see people losing weight, faces gaunt, people who have college degrees, like doctors, engineers, accountants, making $15 a month and not being able to eat twice a day."

She had shared a few real-life pictures of her and her daughter, but after some thought she felt it might not be a good idea for them to be used, "maybe we should use (only) Second Life pictures. ... what if someone who knows me sees it, and they mug me or kidnap me for money? It might not be so safe to put my face there." It was quickly agreed to use only her Second Life identity and pictures.

I asked her where she had first gotten the idea of making her appeal. She answered, "Well, I had my group for about 7 or 8 years now, and I have thousands of loyal customers, people who know who I am, they know my store has 3 brand new group gifts per week, and they KNOW who I am.. I have always been open about my real-life and my daughter, and the situation we are facing.  We are like a big family in my store group, and I thought some of the girls could or would want to help us."

I asked about others getting help outside the country. She answered, "Of course. Maybe about 80% of my friends have left the country, they are doctors or accountants here, and go to America or Europe to clean houses, work construction, do any job they can find, work at hotels cleanings, so they can send money back to their relatives." While it does bring home needed cash, unfortunately, "it tears families apart. I have a friend who left her deaf/mute daughter and granddaughter to go work in America taking care of an elderly person, so she can send money back here. Another friend who left her two kids with her mom and left to Dominican Republic, so her kids get to have food, but no mother."

"The Dominican Republic?" I asked, "Weren't they poor compared to your country a generation or two ago?" Alejandra answered, "People came to Venezuela from all over the world, because we have a great weather, the women are GORGEOUS, people are warm, you have in such a small country a desert, snow, the most amazing beaches, the plains of Venezuela, we are sitting on top of the biggest reserve oil of the world,  there is no other country with more oil.  Venezuela used to be a great place to live in, we often would see Europeans, Latin Americans or Americans vacationing here. Now the sad truth is that we are treated as 'the migrants' now where we go. Lately I have seen protests in Panama, asking the government to deport illegal Venezuelans, same in Dominican Republic and other countries. We are known as 'the migrants,' people are fleeing the country, even by boat."

I then asked, "Is there any kind of sign of this collapse being halted?" She answered, "You live here in a state of anxiety, you live with uneasiness, often people will say 'NOW THIS IS IT, THIS WILL BE IT!' But nothing ever happens,  there will be no revocatory against the President (elections to vote if we want the president or not).  We have lost the sense to be shocked.  For instance, a few weeks ago some malandros (thugs) got into a bus with a mobile credit card machine and they made everyone on the bus empty their bank accounts.  So, people say 'OK THIS IS IT! NOW IT'S REALLY THE LAST STRAW!' But nothing really happens. When things get really bad, the government distributes some food or do a concert and bring a couple of singers and some beers, and people forget about war, and they go back to their jobs the next day."

How secure was her connection to the outside world, Second Life and the Internet? Alejandra answered it was already occasionally sporadic due to the occasional lack of electric power, "we go without Internet sometimes a couple of days. Sometimes we have Internet but no electricity, water and gas fail too, we will be having water only twice a week, on Wednesday and Sunday night. It's all chaotic here."

Although her email was in the notecard, she asked that it not be used in the article as she could get in serious trouble if the Venezuelan government traced them to her. Anyone interested in helping her could contact her inworld for the information. How could others help her out? "Walmart gift cards, or Amazon. When you buy a gift card, it gives you the gift card number and a four number code. With those two details I can add it to my account and use it. It won't work for PayPal,  but it would would work for contacting me."

As many problems as she had, some which she wanted off the record, Alejandra's last message was one of well-wishes, "I want to wish you and all your readers a merry Christmas and may 2017 be a wonderful year for you and all you love."

And so we parted ways. A number of my Second Life and Facebook friends often complain about drama, or about sports. Several weeks after the US Presidential election, there are still no shortage of complaints from some about the results. It all seems so pale when talking to someone concerned about her daughter having enough to eat.

Alejandra recommended  A number of New York Times articles about her country's situation, including one about the currency crisis sparked by the government's strange policies, and of it's people trying to find work outside the country to bring home a little cash.

Alejandra's store is located at Pergola (158/9/22), she has a page on Marketplace, and has her own blog at http://wetherbysfashion.blogspot.com

Bixyl Shuftan

Reader Submitted: Sandi Glas: A Quiet Hero of SL

by Jadyn Firehawk

In Second Life, there are quiet people who make a huge difference behind the scenes. With the season of giving upon us, I would like to take the opportunity to thank one of these quiet heroes: Sandi Glas.

In 2009, I founded the Pixel To Pixel Foundation, which helps people in SL who are on disability. It occurred to me the other day that the current location of the Pixel To Pixel Foundation headquarters has now been our home for over four years. Our old location at a sim called Artropolis went offline one day in April 2012, without any advance notice or explanation.

When we suddenly found ourselves stranded, one of our donors quickly stepped in and offered us a new home at one of her sims, at no cost to us. Sandi Glas owns Clairehaven Estates, and Clairehaven sim has now been P2P Foundation's home for over four years. We have now been at Clairehaven for longer than we had been at Artropolis.

What strikes me is this: The owner of Artropolis was the well known and flamboyant artist Filthy Fluno, who had once gotten featured in the New York Times Magazine. He was a very public character in SL. This is certainly no fault against Filthy, because he is a brilliant artist and was a good friend to the foundation.

Sandi, on the other hand, is of a quiet nature, and yet, her support -- even just on the headquarters location alone -- is both more lasting and deep. She is also selfless. She doesn't publicity-seek, in the least. Her support goes far beyond just the headquarters location. Let us just say there there are certain quiet, generous people in SL who are huge contributors to non-profit organizations, who single-handedly provide up to one-fourth of the operating expenses that a charity depends on for their success.

There are probably other untold stories, other quiet heroes out there like Sandi. I rather doubt that Sandi would even prefer to have a spotlight shown on her, but she does work hard in SL and has two business enterprises (Clairehaven Estates and Glas Houses), and I personally feel that her generosity to the Pixel To Pixel Foundation really should be recognized in some way, by me and on behalf of the rest of SL, as a thanks.

Sandi certainly hasn't put me up to this, and I honestly don't even know how she'd feel. She doesn't act on any "quid pro quo" factor. She is simply a person with a big heart, who cares.

It makes me wonder, how many other quiet heroes are out there in SL?

Pixel To Pixel Foundation:

SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Clairehaven/130/136/24

Clairehaven Visitor Center:

SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Barushkya/137/92/601

Glas Houses:

SLurl: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Barushkya/202/60/501

Jadyn Firehawk

Editor's Note: Jadyn created and runs Virtual Yosemite, and was recently interviewed by Deaflegacy. 

Ask Dr. Philly: "Pointing Out 'That Guy' "

Dr. Philly,

I'm a club manager of a venue that serves both the community it's in, and has also attracted a small following of those from outside. One way I publicize it is through my Facebook feed. 

Well, one evening someone plasters an image of a woman doing unspeakable acts with animals, followed by an angry rant spewing hatred of Second Life. He claimed to be the owner of a couple sims whom had people doing the most vile things from child rape to bestiality on his land, saying the Lab closed his sims and threw him out of the Grid. He denounced our virtual world as a land of the most sickening perversions, and demanded if I had any decency at all, I would leave and help spread word of "the truth" about Second Life.

My response was to delete the his comment. While I can take an insult, I couldn't have that image he posted due to it's graphic nature and it being against Facebook Terms of Service. Well, his response was fury. Accusing me of covering up "the truth," and defending perversion, rape, child abuse, and all sorts of other crimes. Finally, he told me he'd be reporting me to Facebook to get me banned.

Dr. Philly, if what this guy says happened to him is true, it was wrong. But I can't accept his hate either. While I don't know exact numbers of these sorts of sims, it was months before I came across so much as a girly bar here in Second Life. Let alone a "kink club" of which I've heard tales about, but only saw for myself when a friend TPed me in one one as a joke, well over a few years after I came here. To paraphrase a Dutch friend, Holland is not just a few "red light" city blocks in Amsterdamn, and Second Life is not a handful of hardcore RP sims that very few of it's residents ever set foot in.

I still feel mad about what he did, and he's been posting his hate on his own Facebook page. Shall I counteract them in his own comments? And do I have anything to worry about by his ban threat?

Pointy-Haired Manager


To the Point,

   These kinds of civil disputes can be very tangled affairs and in many cases neither party is 100% right. In an arbitration, we would first get a detailed description, from each, describing the problem from their own perspective. Step two, make each read the other's description. That done, we can now ask meaningful questions. If the man owned the sims and things were being done that he does not allow, why was he letting them stay? Why does he target your club, instead of the ones on his sims? If he is so against "porn," why is he spreading it in a public setting?

   The fact is, one,there are many such adult clubs in SL, which work within the rules and two, if an individual has a bad opinion of a person or place, it's just that, an opinion. Opinions aren't rules, until you get a majority to vote on them. Another thing to remember is, Second life is the product of over 44 million imaginations. The tricky thing about the imagination is, it has no picture for the word "NOT." If you put a "Thou shall not..." in your mind, it immediately goes about drawing it to you.

Far more powerful than a mere physical brain, our minds can magically create anything it pictures. There is no Top Secret plan to keep you from gaining super mind powers. You just haven't asked the right question yet. Conflicts end as soon as both parties imagine a solution, as a picture where everybody has a happy ending and maybe even a new friend.

   This has proven true through out my life, but I don't ask anybody to just take my word for it. I can only hope that I have stirred your curiosity enough to test it for yourself.

Still waiting for the fat lady to sing,
   Dr. Philly

===========================

Hey Doc,

   I can't help but notice that you and your little bunny friend, Sha, are somewhat better known and more influential in your community than I am in mine, despite your having been in SL for fewer years than I have. If we all start out second life with the same abilities and bank account, how is it that some seem to be born with a silver spoon in their mouth? If, on the other hand, we all have the same potential to become noteworthy, influential members of the community, there must be some skill involved, that I, one of tens of millions in SL, could learn and develop and thereby get my own silver spoon. As a "Pro", are there any "tricks of the trade" that you could pass on to us little guys, to help elevate our position in the community?

Signed,
   That Guy in episode 81 of Galaxy Quest

Hey you Guys,

   No doubt, we have all heard, when it comes to turning ideas into forms of reality, expressions like "Money talks" and "Follow the money". The same principles are at work, whether we are in a real or virtual world, so it is important to understand what money is and how it works. In and of itself, a dollar is no more valuable than a piece of paper or any rock on the ground. Money gets it value because it is a good conduit for turning ideas into form. Keep in mind, money is not the only path that ideas can take. It is not even the best way of connecting ideas and forms. Like computers, our mind energy can have a wired or wireless connection to the "get'er done" network. By learning to mix the mental energy (an ideal) with some emotional energy (enthusiasm) and a little physical energy (rolling up your sleeves and getting a little dirt on your hands), you can convert any molehill into a mountain, without spending a single L$. How, you ask? John Lennon said it best, in his song, "Imagine".

In "real life", we have money for the necessities, like food, clothing and shelter. In Secondlife, we don't ever require food or even air. You can spend all day walking on the bottom of the sea or the moon and never take a breath. On the Marketplace, there are enough free items to fill any needs. Shelter is totally unneeded, because there are no elements that can harm us. Home is a handy place to open your new items, but there are lots of other places to do that, without the need of paying rent. What about money for things that aren't free? How do I get L$s to buy cool stuff? You mentioned my "little bunny friend". With her hundreds of avatars, each with the latest selection of mods and clothing, the castles, vehicles and other rich girl toys, it might surprise you to learn that, until recently, she never bought any Linden dollars. If there seems to be a silver spoon in her mouth, it is because she imagined one there, from day one. Imagination is the principle currency in Secondlife. When we log into the grid, we have a picture in our mind of who our avatar is and what it's position is in the community. When you are in world, there is an entire network of computers dedicated to turning the pictures in your mind into a virtual world around you. If you want a better world, begin with putting better pictures in your mind. Does something this simple really work? Yes, 100%, so give it a try. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Imagine that,
   Dr. Philly

Ask Dr. Philly: "Up The Wall With The Blues"

To Doctor Philly,

   I have some friends, on the sim I live on, that I would love to be closer with. The problem is, they seem to be unresponsive, in conversations, most of the time. Sometimes it's like they are on another planet and radio communication takes a half hour to get there and back. I try to be patient, but there are times when I feel tempted to push them out a hole in my skybox floor. I've even seen one of them A.F.K., several times, when she was dancing on a pole for tips. What's wrong with these people and what can be done to make them fit in better?
signed,
 Talks to walls

Peace Talks,
   Communication breakdowns are always irritating. Fortunately, science can lead us to finding ways to improve the art of communicating. At every scale, from individual sub-atomic quarks to the entire universe itself, we observe life forms. These countless life forms all share two desires; to be individuals, making their own choices and to gather with others of their kind, to form a synthetic greater life form. Quarks join to make sub-atomic particles, which join to make atoms, which form molecules, cells, plant and animal bodies, etc. The incentive for forming greater life forms is the synergistic increase of powers and abilities. The greater life is much greater than the sum of it's little life parts. In order for little lives to gather into greater ones, they must surrender part of their own self- determination, for the good of the group. Each modifies it's behavior/mannerisms, depending on position within the greater body and how it may be most useful there. A cell that is acting in the right manner could be said to have "good manners." A cell with bad manners will be an irritant to the rest of the body and will be eliminated, out the back door.

When somebody in the room is asleep at the wheel (AFK), they are, temporarily not one with the group. Commune means "with one." We all have to get up from the keyboard, now and then. The best way to avoid any disturbance to the rest of the group is to excercise good manners. If you need to step away from the group and not be cut out, give them a BRB (be right back) followed by a BACK, on your return.
We can't force others to have good manners, but we can set good examples and let others know that manners are appreciated. In the meanwhile, at least you know, when you talk to your walls, they aren't  going to just walk off from you.

At your service,
Dr. Philly

-----------------------------------------------------

Dear Doc,
   I love that in SL I can be anything and do anything I want. Lately, one of my friends has been saying that I should pick the best avatar, species and gender and stay that way all the time. That doesn't sound like fun, to me. Is there some kind of rule that I don't know about? Am I allowed to have fun or not?
signed,
  Stuck inside of foxes with the bunny blues again

Dear Stuck,
   The main purpose of any universe, real or virtual, is to answer every single "What If" question that can be asked. The quest for answers brings a never ending stream of new experiences. With each question that's answered, we "Become" something that's New and Improved. I'm fond of telling folks that "Even an old god can learn new tricks."  In some old, mistranslated writings, a prophet asks God his name, to which the reply was, "I am that I am." We have confirmed that the correct translation should be "I am BECOMING that which I will become."

I don't know all the official rules in Second Life, but the top of any list should say, "Thou shall have great fun, gaining new experiences and becoming all you can become.

From the horse's mouth,
Dr. Philly

Ask Dr. Phily: "Between a Rock and a Shady Place."

Dear Dr. Philly,

   Through some misunderstandings, I feel that the administrators of the sim and some of the residents are angry at me and want to do me harm. I have taken this up, with those in charge and been told I can stay, but still feel unsafe in my home. I am just a little guy. What can I do to get out of this mess?

Signed,
   A.F.K. under my rock




 To Mr. K.,

   Can I call you A? I'm going to let you in on a very little known important secret on how things get done, anywhere in the universe, RL and SL included. Everything in the universe that we call "matter" has it's roots in an idea that mattered. That idea inspires minds to create images of it. We call that "Imagination". Our feelings enthusiastically take up these images and create electro-magnetic meshes which draw pre-existing matters to give the original idea a solid form. Long story short, everything that's happening around us is being cooked up in our imaginations, like it or not. Don't just take my word for it. You have to prove it for yourself. I know you have an imagination, or you wouldn't be in SL. Put and develop in your mind the image that you are "That Guy". That guy, who everybody likes and respects and says hi to, when he walks in a room. That guy, that everybody is friends with and smiles every time they think of him. Keep your image free of any negative qualities. Have good, happy feelings about your image. When the image and feelings are complete, drop it, forget about it. Right on time, you will become "That Guy"

  Dr. Philly

 ++++++++++++++++

Dear Doc,

   I have an anoying new neighbor, that's driving me and my friends nuts. Whenever he's around, it's always talk about doom and gloom, we're all gonna die. Dude, it's a GAME, get over it! If I ban him from my home, that would only add more stress. Can you give me a more civilized way to handle this guy?

signed,
   Peeks-Thru-Shades




 To Peeks,

   I think you will like my "High Tech" methods of handling group conflicts. In the process, we'll also share some ideas about how time works. We'll check the weather forcast, before we proceed. When it comes to predicting the path of dangerous storms, Meteorologists use "computer models", which can be run using a different set of "what ifs", hundreds of times per minute, ending in the most probable path. The actual storm path takes days to finish. The computer model path takes a nano second. Same paths, different time scale.

  If we step back and take a look at Second Life as a method of running computer models of interpersonal relationships, we can find the shortest behavioral path to a "happily ever after" civilization. In a one hour movie or TV show, all the events shown cover more than one hour's time. For the person at the keyboard, the soul of the avatar, an hour of movie or an hour of SL both offer the same amount of new experience. The added advantage in SL is that we each write our own lines, in each new daily episode of a sitcom and the length of time you spend in world is equal to one day's experience to both the avatar and it's soul. This accounts for why we have all felt that time is faster in SL. We are all variables in a computer model society. We can write our own scripts, but not those of others. Over time, we can influence what others write. The important trick is, don't keep playing the same re-runs each day. With each new episode, make your av say and do things that might help steer the show to a happy ending. With a little practice, you WILL get good results.

Open your shades, your front door, hit [Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Y] and let that SLun shine in.

Dr.Philly

Nydia Tungsten Gets New Monitor From Sunweavers

Among the more active residents of the Sunweaver Estates is Nydia Tungsten. One of the estate managers who helps out with any land issues, in the past she was one of the regular DJs at Club Zero Gravity, the Happy Vixen, and other clubs. More recently she's been doing a number of videos, many of which have been featured on the Newser such as "Come Back," "Evacuate the Dance Floor," and "Margaritaville." And of course her articles in the newsletter, mainly reviews of games but also some occasional social commentary.

In real life, Nydia's finances have been a bit limited, as have those of many residents. So when her monitor began acting up after several years of use, such as blinking out for a couple seconds, She didn't have enough after regular expenses to buy a new one right away. So reluctantly, she made the following announcement.

I can't shoot anymore videos until further notice, I have a dying monitor and it is going to cost me between 150 to 200 dollars usd to replace, so please bare with me while I tend to it and save up.

It didn't take long for word to get around. So after some discussion, Sunweaver chieftess Rita Mariner made an announcement of her own:

Sunnies:  Nydia Tungsten's Monitor is dying and doesn't have the funds to replace it and that means no more videos!  Maybe no more SL for her.  We can't have that.  REC has suggested a Monitor Fund for her, I agreed to collect any Lindens you may wish to donate to help out.  After a period of time, I will pass along any Lindens we get to Nydia and she can then convert it to Cash and transfer it to her bank!  So if you wish to help out, just sned your donation to me, Rita Mariner.

Not everyone donated via Rita. A few directly donated to Nydia. But the results were the same. It didn't take long at all for Nydia to find out she had all the money she needed.

Sunnies:  The fund to raise funds to help Nydia Tungsten replace her dying monitor was a complete success!  Those of us that donated, raised over ... towards her new monitor and she was awestruck!  She has offered to make music videos for all those that donated.  Way cool, Nydia!  Here is the Monitor she decided to get.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824005623
Thanks again to all who donated.  We are Family!


Nydia herself had some words about what happened, "When I found out about it...I was shocked.....for them to do that for me .... it touched me deeply.  At first I thought maybe ... $10 to$50 dollars .... because I know how tight money is. Then I started getting it...and I cried...."

"I knew I had to get the best monitor I could for the money, so I enlisted my mega geek brother for help. Between the two of us we found a monitor at a great price. I was even able to get a 3 year extended warranty. And I thought I should get it as fast as possible, so people wouldn't keep donating their hard earned money..."

Nydia paused for a moment, then spoke again, "You know I am not one toask for help at a drop of a hat.... Once I confirmed the sale...I cried again. I am almost eight years old in Second Life. I have seen and heard of this happening to others as well. But never thought it would happen to me..." There was silence for a few more moments, "Sorry for the long pauses...crying again..."

"There are a LOT of people here in Second Life I consider family. I know to some here in SL they will call anyone family at the drop of a hat.....I only claim those that I truly care for."

So what were Nydia's plans now that she has a new monitor on the way? "I have stopped video productions because of the monitor, as well as most streaming and gaming," she explained, So I will start that up again." When asked if she had an idea for a video, "Several actually, skunks and vixens as well as others dancing. I will start with a small one at first as a test."

"What I REALLY wanted to say... To all of those that donated, and wanted too, I would like to publicly say 'Thank you' and your love has touched me deeplyand I will never forget this. I truly want to say more... but words fail me. I am STILL bloody crying... I want so much to give back some how to those that have given to me.....even in some small way."

It was a day later that Nydia announced that the monitor had finally arrived. She showed a picture of it to the Sunweaver group up and running, in the new Minecraft server a number of Sunweavers and others in the Furry Gamers group have been in, and that she was back in business.

Another example of how Second Life friends come together to help one another.

Bixyl Shuftan

Commentary: Suicide and Second Life

By DrFran Babcock

There has been a lot of discussion, anger and passion over the Commentary posted by Nydia Tungsten and Brandi Streusel Tungsten on March 2^nd, 2015 in this esteemed publication  (http://slnewserpeople.blogspot.com/2015/03/commentary-suicide.html). When I got to the monthly Newser staff meeting last Saturday, I was alarmed to find that Nydia was not there. According to editor Bixyl, she was taking a break from Second Life™ because of her upset over the event which had prompted her commentary.

 

I had wanted to tell her how much I agreed with what she said. However, I didn’t get that chance, and then the Plurk-driven underbelly of Second Life™ cranked into action, resulting in this SL Secret submission last Sunday. (see number 9 http://slsecrets.com/slsecrets/slsecret-week-341/ ).

I suppose you are wondering why I am inserting myself into this controversy. I have worked in behavioral health for almost all of my life, the last 30 years full-time in a psychiatric hospital. I work in a huge health system, and I am one of seven people who comprise the Suicide Task Force for the health system. I am not bragging; I am attempting to establish the fact that I have been very close to the subject for many years. 

Suicide is always a mess. It means that someone is in enough pain to override the human instinct to stay alive. It means that the people left behind will suffer, and spend their lives wondering what they could have done to prevent it. Most of all, it means that something that was essentially preventable took place.

The fact that someone threatens suicide because they want us to know they are in pain, or because they have learned that these gestures bring attention and love does not mean that they will not eventually complete a suicide — either on purpose or by accident. However, if you tell me you are going to end your life in a venue or situation in which I have no actual access to you—there is nothing I can do.

Nydia and Brandi are angry because they were put in a hostage situation. There is no denying that the person who sent the photos of himself with the gun was in pain, but he put his friends in a horrid no-win situation. 

In virtual worlds, where we don’t always know how to contact the person behind the avatar, it is easy to create a drama. While I don’t know the details of the relationship this person had with Nydia and Brandi, they scrambled to help the man in whatever manner they had at their disposal.

Perhaps this incident can serve to raise awareness of suicide. Suicide is always preventable, provided the person who is suicidal seeks help. The sad reality is that the disease of depression, the single largest stimulus for suicide, can also cause a person to remain isolated and secretive about their feelings. It is never OK to threaten and tease people with suicide, but the suicidal person’s judgment is often impaired.

I applaud the Tungsten’s for venting their feelings about this event. It is time for mental illness and suicide to come out of the darkness. The discussion has to get going. We have to be able to talk about these things so that people understand that suicidal people are in pain, and not bad. What this guy did was an act of anger and need, and I hope he gets help. I hope if there is a next time he feels this way that instead of emotional hostage-taking, he picks up a phone and asks for help.

Many years ago an ex-patient of mine contacted me (my number is unlisted, so I have no idea how she did it), and started to threaten suicide. I got her number from the hospital and called it, but the number had been disconnected. I made some other attempts to contact her which turned out to be all dead ends. I let it go, because I had done all I could do. 

Am I responsible for helping someone who doesn’t allow me to really help them? I think not. I am responsible for making the effort to do so. That is what Nydia did. I hope she can come back to Second Life™. Until then, I will miss her fine writing in the SL Newser. 

This editorial reflects my beliefs, and my experience. I welcome a dialogue, because that’s how things emerge from the shadows. Suicide needs to emerge from the shadows, so we can help.

DrFran Babcock

Commentary: Suicide

By Nydia Tungsten and Brandi Streusel Tungsten

Last night, I had a friend send pictures with a shotgun barrel in their mouth to a few of us. To say it upset me is a severe understatement. They were saying this was how they were feeling, then stopped talking after a while. We all feared the worst had happened. I was in tears most of the night.

I am STILL a wreck this morning as I write this with shaky hands. I have lost two very dear and close friends to suicide, over what they thought they could not endure anymore. I still love them both and remember them, but I do it with mixed feelings.

Their acts of cowardice destroyed lives not of their own, and I am talking about the family members that found them and their friends that have to deal with the sudden loss. Imagine a sister that finds her brother a week after he hung himself, a full week! Imagine what that did to her. Imagine a mother who goes into to talk to her daughter in the morning only to find her dead soiled body on the bed next to an empty pill bottle.

Suicide doesn't just affect the ones that do it, but those that are left behind, and to me, they are the biggest, most selfish cowards in the world. People will say I just don't understand. Maybe they are right, but I will bet you dollars to doughnuts more people believe the way I do.

Celebrities that kill themselves are “Celebrated for their lives and the works they have done” when in fact, they need to be forgotten and the media needs to stop being glamorizing their deaths to the public and making it look like it was honorable. IT'S NOT! They died like they lived: attention whores! That is the message I get from ever celebrity site that has front page news about the latest suicide, and yes it has made me a bit bitter.

And for those of you that feel you need to send pictures to your friends with guns in your mouth, you are the worst.

I am not saying not to reach out, I encourage that. YES, talk to someone. But stuff like
that is WAY over the line and you come across as a theatrical attention whore once the dust settles.

Because of that picture, my nerves are shot, I've gotten very little sleep. I am an emotional wreck as it at LEAST three other people I know of this morning. We were finally able to figure out where they lived and get the police out to them, where they quickly tried to play it off and telling the police to forget about it instead of getting help they desperately need.

If you feel like you want to take your life, PLEASE call someone, ANYONE and talk to them. Tell them how you are feeling, it could be a medical problem that can be fixed!

But if you think you absolutely must take the selfish cowardly way out, find a cannon ball, tie it to your ankles and jump in the ocean so no one will find you. After a while, you will just be forgotten, which is all you deserve.

So it comes down to this. If you want to end it all, please seek help. And if you don't really want to seek help, then SCREW YOU AND DO IT ALONE!!

Nydia Tungsten

Interview with Brace Coral, Founder of NCI

By Wesley Regenbogen

I interviewed Brace Coral a few months ago, but recently she asked me to re-interview her once again. So here is interview.

Wesley Regenbogen: Hello there Brace Coral.

Brace Coral: Hey Wes (smile).

Wesley Regenbogen: You requested a new interview in the Second Life Newser. So, I will ask you a few questions. Here we go. ... 

How is the NCI in general doing at the present?

Brace Coral: We're doing great, I think! There's been a reshuffling of some staff, and we've got a whole new education program being set up. That warms my heart, because getting New Folks learning and having fun is always my main focus.

Wesley Regenbogen: Which new classes will be held at the NCI, or what changes are you referring to?

Brace Coral: Well for one, I'm teaching again! Basic Clothing Creation. Had my first class this past Tuesday and it was a blast (smile). We're getting more Newbie focused classes on board too. Pajobra Zessinthal is our new Education Coordinator and she's doing an excellent job.

The other big change... We've started paying our Instructors and Event Hosts again! 300L/per class/event. That's one of the main things I wanted to see happen when I came back. That was the main reason behind startng my weekly fundraiser event. I'm so excited!

Wesley Regenbogen: Which fundraiser event are you referring to ?

Brace Coral: Every week on Saturday at 5pm SLT I throw a Salsa Dance event. We shake our butts and throw cash into the big Donation sign. It's a lot of fun (smile). People can come donate there, or any of the kiosks at our NCI Campuses. They can also help support the NCI by donating tier and buying stuff from the NCI Store (smile).

Wesley Regenbogen: Cool, a dance event. But how do you raise virtual money for the NCI then. Do people need to pay to participate in the event or which means of entering are available?

Brace Coral: Ginger Lorakeet runs the store, so you can ask her about donating things to be sold there as well. ... Oh the event is FREE like all our classes and events. People can donate lindens during the event if they wish. Most do (smile). But it isn't mandatory. I appreciate people donating themselves, their fun, and time to come make the event special each week.

Wesley Regenbogen: So entering the event is free or donations are required?

Brace Coral: The NCI stays afloat solely from donations from residents. Tier, fees, and rent. So a HUGE thank you to our donors!

Wesley Regenbogen: Are there changes to the NCI places as well?

Brace Coral: Well Wellington Beam who's currently heading things and running the NCI is always on the lookout for how we can make things better. We tweak each campus, clean up scripts and decorate for the holidays (smile). There's always something new, so I hope folks come visit and see what we got going on.

Wesley Regenbogen: Ok, But I didn't mean decorative wise. I meant landscape wise or something?

Brace Coral: Well our main campus at Kuula sim is mainland, so we don't have too much leeway in terms of landscaping. And the basic format that we have now works pretty well. Sandboxes, classrooms etc. The layout works. We just have to get the word out on our other campuses - NCI South and NCI Beach. They're always on my Profile Picks (smile) Happy Visiting!

Wesley Regenbogen: You mentioned changes in the staff. May I ask which changes have been due?

Brace Coral: It's just easier to give a link (giggle). the Personnel by Role list gives you the info on our campus coordinators and other staff positions: http://wiki.nci-sl.info/doku.php?id=personnel:personnel

Wesley Regenbogen: Ok, thanks for the list.

Brace Coral: Our main website/blog has the links at the top for how to donate tier and also info about the store as well: http://www.nci-sl.info/blog/ You can also follow us on Twitter! https://twitter.com/NCI_SL

Wesley Regenbogen: Are there new areas of classes that are organized ? I mean : are there new topics that can be learned or does the shedule stay unchanged ?

Brace Coral: The schedule, found here: http://nci-sl.info/education/Schedule.pdf is updated each week, with the new classes being added as they come online. We're looking for someone to teach Beginning Scripting, so contact Pajobra Zessinthal if you'd like to teach or if you have a referral (smile). Other Newbie Focused classes are welcome as well.

 Wesley Regenbogen: Ah ok. If I find someone with that field of expertise, I will let you know.

Brace Coral: Wonderful (smile).

Wesley Regenbogen: Is there anything new that we haven't mentioned ? Please explain a bit more, if so.

Brace Coral: That's it for the most part. If I've missed anything, we can talk about it the next time we meet for an interview (smile) Also our Twitter feed keeps a pretty up to date rundown of NCI goings on.

Wesley Regenbogen: Ok. I would like to thank you for this short interview and I wish you the best future for the institue NCI (big smile).

Brace Coral: Thanks so much Wes! Love your Afro by the way.

Wesley Regenbogen: (laughter)

Wesley Regenbogen 

Interview with Brace Coral, Founder of New Citizens Incorporated

By Wesley Regenbogen

This summer, Wesley wrote about New Citizens Incorporated. Recently, he had a chance to interview it's founder, Brace Coral.

Wesley Regenbogen: Hi Brace. You are a NCI Helper. What does a Helper do in NCI?

 

Brace Coral: A Helper at the New Citizens Inc/NCI is usually a staff person. They greet Newbies who come by our main campus. They answer questions and help New Folks with things like avatar appearance, UI basics and so on.

Wesley Regenbogen: oh, you are the Founder. So change of the question: When did you create NCI?

Brace Coral: Well I had some pretty basic ideas when I started NCI. There was a void in the "official" helper situation set up by Linden Lab, and I wanted to make sure that Newbies didn't fall through the crack because of it.

The official start date is somewhere in 2005, but the real skinny is I started in 2004, within my first year of being in Second Life.

Wesley Regenbogen: So you basic task is to help newbies. That's a noble cause. How do you help them?

Brace Coral: That's a big question! There are so many ways you can help a new person. The most important thing is to LISTEN. Most new folks will tell you what they want and need. What they want to do, why they've come into Second Life.

You help them attain their goals, and at the very least, you've given them a detailed crash course in the basics of SL.

Wesley Regenbogen: NCI also has different locations. Does each area have a owner or manager. Or is there only one person that manages all the areas of NCI?

Brace Coral: We have three campuses, each has a Coordinator who oversees things in each area. Makes sure the everything is up to spec, and all the information presented is up to date for example. They also help with making sure the Instructors have what they need at each location, and are there to help out in general.

Wesley Regenbogen: So, you give the newbie all the information he needs to adapt to the Second Life environment?

Brace Coral: Yes! For example. Someone might come in wanting to be a vampire. But they don't know how to make their avatar look like a vampire, or know where the vampires hang out, and all the different kinds from hardcore roleplay to more casual types. And we help them with that. From learning how to walk, sit, fly, manipulate their avatar appearance and clothing. Everything they need to help them achieve their goals.

Wesley Regenbogen: how many NCI Helpers are there?

Brace Coral: a lot :) I'd say 25-50 active helpers, but I don't have exact numbers. Instructors/Event Hosts/Helpers - there is a lot of overlap in the staff personnel. Many people have multiple roles. And they are all volunteers. We all are.

Wesley Regenbogen: So, all volunteers are doing it free without getting virtual payment. How is NCI getting virtual money to stay alive then?

Brace Coral: The NCI, and indeed most Helper organizations and groups, survive on resident donations. There are sponsorships via people buying ads at our campuses, donating lindens, donating land tier, buying items at our newly set up NCI Store and so on. I hold a weekly fundraiser event every Saturday evening 5pm SLT. Its a fun time for people to come meet, mix and mingle and donate & dance! Every little bit helps.

The honest truth is that many have had to also rely on their own real life money to keep things going. We had more support in the past from Linden Lab, but times have changed. So we rely on each other and donations from residents to keep on truckin(smile).

Wesley Regenbogen: Is the NCI places created by residents or is there someone that created all this?

Brace Coral: The NCI used to be just me, my SL family and some friends. We would help out at the main landing area for New Folks, that used to be Ahern. Then I created a group and got more people involved. The core of the NCI is the main New Citizens Inc group. I then rented a small plot of land, that grew into the huge NCI Main Plaza at Kuula sim. With multiple sandboxes and a bigger area for freebies. It was during Carl Metropolitan's tenure running the NCI that it really took off and became something more firmly established. Those who have been at the helm since and now have also contributed to make it what you see today. Amazing!

Those are residents who stepped up and used their skills to make the NCI something beyond my wildest dreams. I just wanted to help folks, but never thought it would become something so huge and varied as it is now.

Wesley Regenbogen: Is following classes with NCI really free and do you need to be part of a group before joining a class?

Brace Coral: All classes and events at NCI are free. You don't need to be in the group to participate. Just come as you are, have fun learning and be sure to ask lots of questions (smile).

Wesley Regenbogen: I'll surely will do. Thank you for this little interview. And I wish you all the luck with future of NCI in general!

Wesley Regenbogen

Interview with Greenlantern Excelsior (Hal Jordan)

There's no shortage of occasions on Second Life when someone could use a helping hand. Newcomers at beginning areas often need advice on where to go and what they can do. And of course there's the ever-present problem of griefers. And ignoring them hoping they'll go away doesn't always work. One group with the goal of helping out with both, and more, is the Green Lanterns, led by Greenlantern Excelsior (Hal Jordan).

I recently contacted Greenlantern, and he agreed to an interview. We met at the Green Lantern Headquarters in the Unknown Country sim. He explained, "In the comics, the home of the Green Lantern Corps was the planet Oa. That is already the name of a sim operated by another Green Lantern group, so we wanted to choose a different name."

"So how did you find out about Second Life?" I asked him. "I don't remember where I first heard about Second Life," Greenlantern answered, "But as with everything on the Internet, I asked Mr. Google about it and he showed me a link." When asked how his first days went, he answered, "I wandered aimlessly along a large road and looked at the buildings and signs along the way. There was not a Welcome Area that I remember, and no Mentors to provide help. Finally I found an object called, something like, 'The Big Damn Book of Second Life' that provided some information. I always remember how I felt back then, and that's why I love to go to the Welcome Areas and help new residents." I chuckled a bit at the name.

I then asked, "Where did the idea for the Lanterns come from?" Greenlantern answered, "I joined a Green Lantern group when I first arrived in Second Life in 2006. By 2009 it had changed so that its focus was mostly on fund raising and charity. Many of us who wanted to continue helping people in Second Life were ready to leave. A compassionate friend saw what was happening and created a group called The Green Lanterns in November, 2009, so that those of us who loved the character could continue doing public service in a Green Lantern group. About mid-2010, the founder and its senior leaders had moved on, so the group ownership was given to me."

So what was the purpose of the Green Lanterns in Second Life in a nutshell? Greenlantern answered, "The Green Lanterns can be described in basic terms as a Neighborhood Watch in Second Life. We dress as members of the Green Lantern Corps from the comics, and patrol the grid looking for those in need of help. We assist new residents in making the transition from Real Life into Second Life. We submit Abuse Reports to Linden Lab when griefers attack. We educate landowners about security arrangements. We provide security patrols for Second Life events. We adhere to several standard ethical principles which are described on our blog at http://thegreenlanterns.wordpress.com/about/. We only have three standard rules: 1) No Drama, 2) Have Fun, and 3) Don't be Evil. The group has 105 members, and we are actively recruiting new members who enjoy helping others and removing griefers from the grid through the use of timely and accurate Abuse Reports."

"Recently we have become very active in helping club owners with security," Greenlantern stated. "I think we got started helping club owners early in 2013. The more people I talked to, the more concerned I was about griefers attacking multiple clubs. And I heard rumors that some clubs hired griefers to attack rival clubs, so that was concerning. So I talked to one club owner and offered to help as an officer in their land group, and she added me right away. Now I'm in seven different groups as an officer, and members of The Green Lanterns are being added also." I brought up the "Junkyard Blues" incident last year, and asked him if this and similar attacks were another reason. "Absolutely," Greenlantern answered, "that horrified me, and I was determined that some way we should be able to help in situations like that. The Lab may not have been of help then, but I understand their efforts are ramping up and they have been seen more frequently in the field these days. We are still searching for a way to help multiple clubs and venues without having to join multiple groups, since the LL group limit is still set at 42."

"Was the lab cutting back on security then?" I asked Greenlantern. "I can't speak for Linden Lab and I don't like to bad-mouth them because I don't know what's going on behind the scenes there," he answered, "It did seem that fewer resources were being devoted to Governance than in the past, though. And now it seems that more resources are being added.." "So more recently they're increasing their efforts again?" I asked.  "I believe so," he answered, "We first noticed this back in early November, when it was reported to us that griefers had been attacking people in the Barbarossa sim for several months. We went in and looked at the situation and several of us were griefed as well. So we brought in a large number of peackeepers and wrote Abuse Reports, and about an hour later, Governance7 Linden arrived and the griefers disappeared. Soon afterward, those griefer names could no longer be found in search, and the griefing stopped. After that, we have seen the Governance# Linden (2 through 8) in the sandboxes taking care of griefer objects. The Barbarossa incident is documented in our blog."

"Just why do griefers grief?" I asked him. Greenlantern's answer was, "I wrote about that in the very first post on our blog, and I have come into contact with most of these different griefer types. Here's a canned answer to that: The Exploration of Griefer Play document lists several categories of 'griefer motivations' that may explain many of the reasons that griefers engage in griefing."

Category – Game influenced
Motivations – Anonymity, Boredom, Greed, Protest, Testing, Game premise

Category – Player influenced
Motivations – Spite, Victim vulnerability, Revenge

Category – Griefer influenced
Motivations – Ritualization and group identity, Reputation

Category – Self
Motivations – Bad mood, Wanting to feel powerful, Attention, Enjoyment, Role-playing

" 'Greed' is a new one," Greenlantern added, "some griefers apparently make money by griefing for hire. That is disgusting. It's obscene that someone would get paid to conduct what is essentially a denial of service attack. These venue owners are losing money as a result. It should be referred to law enforcement, in my opinion." Were these incidents on the rise? "I don't have a good feel for whether incidents are going up or down," he answered, "They don't seem to be newsworthy items, so we don't hear a lot about them, or at least I don't."

I then asked a question which I myself had to deal with, "There has been some debate as how griefing incidents should be covered. Some feel they should often be documented to show others, notably the Lab, what's going on. Others feel people should keep quiet about them, as not to give them an audience and too many stories might give Second Life a bad name. Did you have an opinion on this matter?" Greenlantern paused for a moment, then answered, "My opinion has changed on this subject. I used to write numerous blog articles showing how bad and how frequent the griefer attacks were. My thought was that maybe someone whose last name was Linden would see the articles and realize that something needed to be done. But now I think not that the attacks should be hidden, but that they should be discussed in an intelligent way so people can come to reasonable conclusions about what should be done. I even made a couple of videos of griefer attacks, but I think now that there isn't much point to showing a sandbox full of cubes."

Greenlantern added, "If residents can think and talk about how we can all come together and make it harder for griefers to affect people, then that's a positive outcome. And I have some ideas about how that can be done, but they are not yet ready for prime time, so to speak."

Is there such a thing as a reformed griefer? Greenlantern's answer was, "Yes! I know a few of those. They have stopped griefing for several different reasons, including fear of legal action, and gaining enough maturity to leave childhood pursuits behind." *smile*

So besides dealing with griefers, what has the group been doing? Greenlantern answered, "We have been spreading out across the grid. Some of the venue owners we helped have graciously provided space for us to build an outpost on their parcel or sim. It is just another example of how people can exhibit a stunning amount of kindness and generosity to anyone who wants to help them. We are considering rebuilding our parcel too. ... Reduce prim count and increase the number of cool looking gadgets! Actually we have been thinking about it for some time, but today a couple of newer members started talking about it seriously, so I will send out a Notice and we will see what happens."

Have the Lanterns ever had to disclipine a member? Greenlantern's answer was "I can't think of a single occasion when I have had to do that, and no one has ever been ejected from the group. We did have one member who was reported to be griefing in a sandbox. When I talked to him about it and asked him if itwere true, he confirmed it and then resigned. Another member had a sudden change of personality and became very angry with everyone. She went into the same sandbox and attacked a resident using griefer tools. When I talked to her about it, she resigned too. Our rules and code of conduct is very clear about the consequences if anyone is caught griefing, and everyone knows it."

So whom among the Lanterns had distinguished themselves? Greenlantern answered, "There are so many members of this group who have stepped up and done amazing things that I wouldn't want to give a list of names because I might forget someone. A shorter list would be the inactive members. Of the other Lantern groups, the one that stands out in my mind is The Blue Lantern Corps. Several years ago it was led by an amazing guy named Nomad Parx. He energized the group and it was growing and patrolling and creating some impressive equipment. When he left, the group withered away."

"What are the Blue, Red, and other Lantern groups?" I asked Greenlantern. His answer was, "Green Lantern is a comic book character. Members of the Corps wear a power ring that can create anything the wearer can imagine, and the ringbearers can overcome great fear. So the rings are said to draw upon willpower to operate. DC Comics created a story arc called 'The War of Light,' where other Lantern groups were discovered whose rings operated on a different part of the 'emotional spectrum.' The Red Lanterns run on rage, Orange Lanterns run on avarice, Sinestro Corps or Yellow Lanterns run on fear, and the Black Lantern Corps is sustained by death since all of their members are dead. On the good side, the Blue Lanterns run on hope, the Indigo Tribe uses compassion, the Star Sapphires use the violet light of love, and the White Lantern corps uses the power of life itself." Were these groups just about roleplaying I asked him. He answered, "The Blue Lanterns, back in the Nomad Parx era, did the same things we do - they patrolled the grid looking for griefers to report so LL could take care of them. I don't know of any Lantern groups devoted to roleplaying, but I'm not a roleplayer so I could be wrong about that. We haven't done any roleplaying in this group, although if the members want to do that, they can have at it."

Greenlantern described a recent incident, "Last week we got a frantic call from a lady working at the Ocean Casino Hotel. She was being attacked by griefers and her parcel powers weren't working. So several Lanterns responded and we used our parcel powers to eject and ban the griefers. They stayed out on the sidewalk which was the public part of the sim, and we stayed in the parcel and faced them down. It reminded me of a scene from The Magnificent Seven." He handed me a picture of the incident.

It was about then the two of us parted ways. For those interested, one can head to the Green Lantern Headquarters at The Unknown Country (159/147/2023), where one can get information about the Green Lanterns, and an application to join up.

Bixyl Shuftan