BURN2 Burnal Equinox 2014, press release

BURN2 2014

The BURN2 planning team have released a brand new press release today announcing details of the upcoming BURN2 Burnal Equinox 2014. This will be the first big BURN2 event on the event calendar this year for the BURN2 community to enjoy in Second Life. Every year it’s great fun for everyone and more visitors attend the annual BURN2 events which is always a good thing.

The BURN2 Burnal Equinox 2014 starts at 12pm SLT on 28th March through to 30th March 2014. Invite friends and enjoy the 2014 playa experience.

Press Release 

OPENS MARCH 28TH 12PM SLT

Join us from March 28th-30th in Second Life for a totally different playa experience!

At a time far into our future, the earth has been devastated by a multitude of scourges: harsh climate change, pollution, famine, and war. The playa is one of the last inhabitable places on earth, but toxic fumes cover the ground and rise to 100 meters. The only safe living environment is above the toxic gas at ground levels as the playa’s winds help purify the air at this altitude. Passing through this toxic ground zone is possible, but long term exposure can be fatal.

One redeeming factor of the toxin is that when it is captured, placed into a balloon and mixed with the correct proportion of playa dust, it takes on the form of a very powerful, lighter-than-air gas.  A single five-meter balloon can lift thousands of pounds into the air.

The gaseous concoction has been fondly named Fairy Dust. Modern manufacturing no longer exists. Everyday items are scavenged from the remains of abandoned buildings.  Humans have learned to survive by creating with their own hands. They build platforms supported by balloons filled with Fairy Dust. These floating platforms are the hosts for a new civilization above the ground.  The citizens of this floating city commute by building lighter than air vehicles. They are powered by whatever means can be found and lifted into the air by balloons filled with the Fairy Dust.

Every Spring the residents of this community celebrate a renewal of life. Balloons have been the savior of this city. Residents design and decorate their lifting balloons as part of the Equinox celebration. This tradition has been carried down from their ancestors from when the earth was plentiful. They celebrate this event in hopes that the earth will renew itself. They celebrate the clean air that still exists high in the clouds. They celebrate their existence on earth, as different as it might be from their ancestors. They are ALIVE!

Become a citizen of this Playa City in the Sky and celebrate Burnal Equinox by creating a build on one of our 32x32x40 floating platforms!

 Please read the Builders Guidelines and then submit an application that will be entered into the lottery for selection for the event.

The Blackened Mirror Season 2 episode 4 airs after delay

After weeks of delay episode 4 of The Blackened Mirror Season 2 aired on Sunday 26th January 2014 and the episode title is named “Missing You”. There are just two more episodes to go until season 2 ends. I have to say that Season 2 has been very entertaining to watch so far and the story lines have been great. I hope that Season 3 goes ahead and perhaps a Season 4 at some point in the near future. 

Episode 4 is here! 

Episode 4 details 

Quinn is back in Seraph City — his home. Or so he expects. But this is a very different Seraph City, it seems — and there are some shocks in store for the detective hero. “Meet at the office.” That was the arrangement. But what will Quinn find there?

Season 2 air-dates

• Episode 2.1 : Reversals of Fortune (Dec. 1)
• Episode 2.2 : Friends of Old (Dec. 8)
• Episode 2.3 : Catching Up (Dec. 15)
• Episode 2.4 : “Missing You” (Jan. 26)
• Episode 2.5 : “No More Angels” (Feb. 2)
• Episode 2.6 : “Decisions” (Feb. 9)

Visit The Blackened Mirror Website for more information and the chance to watch previous episodes.

VWBPE 2014 removes CloudParty platform

Last week the VWBPE team announced major news on the blog that the CloudParty platform will no longer be part of VWBPE 2014 onwards. This year the conference will be held from 9th to 12th April 2014 without CloudParty. As many know already Yahoo have acquired CloudParty and the service will shut down on 21st February 2014.

It’s not surprising to hear this because as one door closes another door opens for another platform to be part of the VWBPE conference. Other possibilities could be Twinity, There.com, Onverse, World of Warcraft, Active Worlds or Kaneva etc.

It is with regret that one of the key platforms VWBPE has been using as a principal venue, CloudParty, has been recently bought out by Yahoo and is now due to close (see link). While this potentially means wonderful things for the people at CloudParty and their future success, for the rest of us, we now need to pick up and move forward. This, too, is part of best practices. Learning to let go and to move on. How to bear the burden of attachment to friends, dedication to projects, and a desire for improvement, which now will need to transform to new states of being.

For the VWBPE Conference, this means we will no longer have a CloudParty track as the platform will be taken down prior to our April conference dates. People who have submitted proposals for this platform will be contacted to make other arrangements. But in the face of loss comes the face of opportunity to make new connections. To rethink the way we do things. To be reborn from the ashes and hopefully soar higher than ever before.

In this conference, we want to hear your stories on how you have addressed the transition from CloudParty to other platforms. To show us how we can extend the reach of educators to imagine a world without boundaries, without CloudParty. To reach out beyond self-imposed constraints and open the doors to new ways of thinking, imagining, expression, and building.

Upcoming Dates for VWBPE 2014

• Registration opens: 1st February
• Call for Volunteers: 15th February
• Acceptance Letters: 15th February
• VWBPE 2014 opens: 9th April
• VWBPE 2014 ends: 12th April

Will you be applying or attending this year ? Please comment and share your views!