For Mdm Reil

I always liked this version better.



Thank you for the dance.

Some Arithmetic.

Consider the value of land measured in prim per USD.

Current value of SL land:

Mainland 76.9 prims/USD
Private 50.8
OpenSpace 50.0


Proposed 2009 land values, after final price hikes

Mainland 76.9
Private 50.8
Homestead 30.0
OpenSpace 10.0

Not even mentioning the avatar and scripting caps.

Rumormill reports that people are jumping onto nonLinden grids, which are still in early development stages. Competition fosters innovations. Perhaps some future good is seeded. But for the communities today, the blow is dire.

Guy Fawkes Day in New Babbage

Another amazing vignette from the streets of Babbage, by young master Loki Eliot. It suffers a bit from lag and titlers (take them OFF, people!), but the City's bones show true.



Put some lindens in the orphan donation box next time you are in town.

Belated blogging

It has been a very different week in SL, ever since Linden Labs announced its proposed rate hikes on open space sims. Their timing could not have been worse. I've been under alt all week, because it is times like these that people need their clowns.

Guvnah Shang has shown remarkable calm leadership among in 19th Century nations, while "continental types" rioted and waved flags of protest on Nautilus, various infohubs, and Linden Village. I am a poor writer, so I would refer you to Hotspur O'Toole's excellent remarks, as we appear to be of similar mind.

Meanwhile, Linden Labs appears to be reconsidering its position.

One blog called for a user walk out today. Even if this were possible (!) and we could pull the needles from our collective forearms (on a Friday!), I think this is a fairly pointless gesture, as it only hurts the residents.But, former space pirate that I am, am easily swayed by such gestures, however futile. I won't be logging in today.

It's Halloween, people. The holiday we geeks do best.

Turn off the computer and go have some fun.

With your other neighbors.

Sim packing party tomorrow!

All good things must come to an end. Deseret has changed ownership and will being traded for 4 voidsims. Fair trade I say, but I already miss the gardens and their changing seasons. So before the few remaining residents pack up, there will be a party at Mr. Tenk's Fabulous Flophouse for Vagrant Avatars, tomorrow at 4pm SLT. Music by the ever lovely Duchess Gabrielle and the Radio Riel crew.

Here's the old Caledon Embassy. building by Miss Valentine Janus, landscape and entrance area by Mosseveno Tenk.



It was build on the fountations of Tristan's old fortress. Now you see it.



Now you don't.

Kites!

kites, originally uploaded by galacticbaroque.

Marion Questi stopped by the AoA sandbox and passed out copies of his new invention to the delighted residents to test fly. Kites are now on sale at Bolyai Plaza Instrument Shop (SE corner of Babbage Square) and the Kittiwick Pleasure Pier (NW corner of Caledon Kittwickshire). They are a delight to fly and come in different shapes and colors, with bats and ghosties for Halloween season. Works best away from sim lines.

Demise of a Landmark

The Lighthouse on the Vernian Sea in New Babbage is no more. I think this was one of the most photographed builds in the areas that I haunt. Click through for final photos posted in the New Babbage Ning.

Red sky at morning

Red sky at morning, originally uploaded by galacticbaroque.

Early morning fog burned off to reveal the Castle Wulfenbach in the skies over Steelhead CIty, Oregon. One hopes the Baron's presence in United States airspace is a purely diplomatic showing of the Europan flag.

Stepping Out in New Babbage

Stepping Out, originally uploaded by galacticbaroque.

After bearing through another cutting remark by Frau Lowey about my lack of blogging, it is probably best if I rely on my snapshots, and as I am a visual person that is a lot easier than the burden of writing.

Babbage Square is where I pretend to build from time to time, which I do rarely as the mindset required distracts from my studies. I like how it is taking shape, although its not exactly in the English Industrial theme. The land belongs to a good and generous friend who, as he puts it, has a habit of "collecting strays" inworld and out. He thinks letting various people build on his lands gives them a lived in look.

The Engineers Ball was a smashing success, although I was unable to claim my dance with Captain Red, who succumbed to lag. Baron Wulfenbach and Miss Delilah Nephilim were chosen best dressed, and many famous faces were in attendance, including Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Mr. Dorian Grey. Please click through for more photographs.

Back From Away

Chakyn Forest, originally uploaded by galacticbaroque.

My typist...

Oh screw that.

I'm back from a summer (their winter) in New Zealand, where I worked on various native forest restoration projects. Life imitates second life, eh? It was grand. The hidden purpose of this trip was a detox vacation. I had been in no uncertain terms advised to curb my caffeine consumption, which could be measured in liters of diet coke per day. The other was to get off the internet for a while.

I am successful on the first count, although I'm drinking a lot more chocolate than I used to , something I never really had a taste for before. My pulse is notably stronger. How to deal with math without stimulants remains to be seen.

I was nearly successful on the second, if not for an unfortunate incident. I had some bad cultural reentry shock on returning to San Francisco, so headed up to Olympic for some impromptu backpacking while I re-americanized myself. Nothing clears the head quite like a road trip. Anyway, I managed to roll my ankle near the top of Appleton Pass and had to walk out on it. By the time I got home the next week, I was obliged to spend a couple weeks flat on my back while gazing with chagrin at a leg that looked like it had been graphed on from a morbidly obese donor.

Well, what is one to do when laid up like that? Watch *shudder* daytime television?

I really was not intending to come back, but my attitude towards SL has changed due to my experience in New Zealand. The few times I could locate an internet cafe that was capable of getting me on the grid, it became my wandering home. I began to look forward Fridays, when I would go into Auckland and go to the fastest cafe I knew of to spend an evening with my friends in my home sim. One night my Warcraft playing traveling companion from England and I both logged in on an overnight gamer's special and spent the night, so to speak. No trains until morning.

So.

I'm at one of these places in time where I need to get mobile again. I have no family. My current RL location has never felt like home. I need to move on and get my life back on track. For the next little while, I consider the grid my home while I go about the business of decluttering my material life. I've watched and participated in the grueling process of cleaning out parental households while settling affairs, and I know this is the right thing to do at this stage in my own life.

I'm back to stay. See you on in Caledon.

Well duh...

Your result for The Steampunk Archetype Test...

The Roguish Pirate

0 Swashbuckling Engineer, 38 Crazy Clockwork Tinkerer, 0 Charming Noble, 50 Roguish Pirate, 8 Mechanical Fian and 42 Aetherist Bodger!

There is treasure on those airships flying back from the Imperial colonies and you can be found wherever there is treasure. Sometimes you don’t know what you prefer, having the loot or getting the loot. You have your own crew of engineers, bodgers, tinkerers and fians to keep your airship fast and powerful. Those lumbering cargo ships can’t withstand your assault after you fire off the grappling hooks. Oh there is always a fight, but that is part of the fun.

Take The Steampunk Archetype Test at HelloQuizzy

Hmmm. It seems I still have not outrun my past. Now someone tell me what a "bodger" is, eh?

Check one two

compliment-duel-rfl08, originally uploaded by galacticbaroque.

Miss Davies gave me a well deserved frown last night for having an empty blog, so allow me to remedy the situation.

Since I first opened this blog (and subsequent non-entries), I have been appointed the Adam ondi Ahman ambassador to the Independent State of Caledon. Miss Janus urged me to "get out and show the flag more," so I have attempted to attend more social functions in Caledon. This is excellent exercise for my typist, who has become quite the hermit.