Unhinged, subtitled A Festival for Eku’s Head a special, month-long series of events aimed at raising money to assist SL resident Eku Zhong, draws to a close today.

Over the last several years, Eku has suffered with MS and then thyroid cancer prior to being stricken with bone cancer. Throughout this she has undergone extensive treatment from radiation therapy through to both bone marrow transplants and bone replacements, all of which have taken their toll, and left Eku with a fragile skull. The area where her zygotic arch meets the temporal bone is severely compromised, leaving her with a risk that her zygotic arch could lift off the temporal arch and push the temporal bone into her brain. Actions as simple as chewing hard food or yawning the wrong way could cause this.

To prevent this, Eku needed to have a further surgery to fit her with a prosthesis to replace the damaged bone. Unhinged was put together by Eku’s friends, lead by Nephilaine Protagonist, in order to help her meet the cost of the surgery and the prosthesis.

Over the course of the last month, Unhinged has been taking place on two regions, with a large, open-area vendor area on Port Seraphine, with content creators who are supporting the event displaying their wares – some of which have been exclusively for Unhinged. The vendor area is simple, low-lag and highly effective for an event of this sort. It leads up to the party / stage area, which is just “over the border” in the region of WaterWorks and is very much in keeping with the overall theme for the event, as it features a large skull in which DJs are artists perform.

During the course of the month, which has seen donations both in-world and via an Indiegogo fundraiser page, enough had been raised which could be added to the money Eku herself has put together for her to undergo the surgery. As a result, Eku is once more at home, recovering. She is also hoping to attend the remaining Unhinged events through the day as and when she can.

As a result, a series of special events are being put together – and while the schedule is somewhat fluid, everyone is invited to join in and welcome Eku home.

The events, as currently scheduled are:

• 12:00 noon – 14:00 SLT: Tracer Graves
• 14:00 – 16:00 SLT:  Mabb Dilweg
• 16:00 – 18:00 SLT: Shane

All events at the stage area.

With thanks to Ciaran Laval

I have no idea how I missed this. I’d not seen or received any notification in advance, managed to miss any word of it looking around other blogs and had no idea there was even a call for bloggers. I’m not blaming anyone other than myself for not keeping eyes better peeled and ears more firmly to the ground and catching word in advance.

Unhinged – subtitled A Festival for Eku’s Head is a special, month-long series of events aimed at raising money to assist SL resident Eku Zhong, as organiser Nephilaine Protagonist explains in the Unhinged blog:

Her struggles started with MS. Then they found thyroid cancer, and through poor treatment it turned into bone cancer.  Over the last seven years, literally countless surgeries, radiation therapies, bone replacements and marrow transplants later, the stress of repeated surgeries has left her skull fragile and yet more surgery is needed.

The area where her zygotic arch meets the temporal bone is severely compromised.

Literally there is a risk that her zygotic arch could lift off the temporal arch and push the temporal bone into her brain. Actions as simple as chewing hard food or yawning the wrong way could cause this.

There is hope. Another surgery could correct this issue, but it requires the purchase of a prosthesis to replace the damaged bone. This is where myself and a group of people who love her dearly come in, and you as well should you choose to help out.

From November 15th through December 15th, we will be running a festival in SL- a festival to celebrate Eku’s titanium spirit. The event is called Unhinged. It will be a great big gacha fair with a skull theme, lots of DJs and super fun party time, in honor of this spirited and sweet person who is such an inspiration.

75% of the proceeds from gacha plays will go to the Eku’s New Bone fund, to help offset the substantial out-of-pocket cost for this prosthetic. We have a great group of vendors and entertainers lined up, but there is room for lots more, and every contribution helps!

The even is taking place on two regions, with a large, open-area vendor area on Port Seraphine, with content creators who are supporting the event displaying their wares – some of which have been exclusively for Unhinged. The vendor area is simple, low-lag and highly effective for an event of this sort. It leads up to the party / stage area, which is just “over the border” in the region of WaterWorks and is very much in keeping with the overall theme for the event, as it features a large skull in which DJs are artists perform.

Unhinged kicked-off on the 15th November, and will run through until the 15th December. Events are planned throughout the month, with music and dancing taking place at the stage area, and people are encouraged to pop along, have fun, perhaps buy an item or two and help show love and support for Eku. Skull-topped donation boxes are readily available, or for those who prefer, there is also an Indiegogo fundraiser page as well.

The opening event may have taken place, but entertainment is always available at the stage area, where Unhinged hosts are waiting to welcome people, and there is plenty of time to browse the stores, grab some exclusives and help in the cause – so why not take a little time out of your day and pop all? It really is worthwhile – in every sense of the word.

Related Links

• Unhinged blog
• Unhinged Indiegogo fundraiser page

Since their introduction at the start of 2012, petites have grown in popularity and  – no pun intended – stature, becoming one of the popular attractions within Second Life. It’s a world I’m just starting to explore, my interest having being piqued at this year’s SL Birthday.

Today sees the opening of Petites Kingdom, a full sim dedicated to the world of petites, providing a focal-point and home for those who enjoy this tiny world. I’ll be covering the new world in an upcoming article, but in the meantime here’s the official press release for today’s opening.

Petites Kingdom Press Release

In January 2012, the first Petites shyly ventured into our world. Curious creatures by nature they were fascinated by our world and quickly captivated the hearts of those they encountered. Offered land for an embassy by Yabusaka Loon, the Petites set up a home, only to quickly outgrow it. Thanks to the quick minds of Alia Baroque, Sharni Azalee, and Marcus Inkpen, a larger space was built for the burgeoning Petites community, but as more and more Petites came to explore our world even this new larger garden paradise began to seem too small.

After much thinking and planning by their friends, it was decided that the Petites must have a place of their own in our world, a place to come together to share their community with one another and with the people who had so warmly welcomed them to this new world.

Ringed by mountains, a lake as smooth as glass waits poised to reflect the silhouettes of the nine floating islands of the Petite Kingdom. A portal was created above the lake linking our worlds together. Five islands made the journey from the Petites’ world to ours before the magic that powers the portal ran out. It was meant to be recharged with the magic crystals gathering from the caverns of the Crystal Mine. Unfortunately the airship that came to pick up the supply of crystals and transport them to the portal was hit by a stray wind current that flipped it upside down spilling the magic crystals all over the Petites Kingdom.

Now, with half the islands of the Petite Kingdom here and half on the other side of the portal, we need your help! We need you to come and help us gather up the missing magic crystals so we can refuel the portal and bring the rest of the petite islands into our world. The Petites, always a very hospitable race of creatures believe highly that work and play should go hand in hand so wish to make the task of gathering the lost crystals an enjoyable one. Thus, we invite you, out friends, to come and discover the new Petite Kingdom on Saturday, September 29. Come and help us retrieve the missing crystals and stay to help us celebrate the Petites new home with music, dancing and possible surprises!

Important Information:

Please join us for The Crystal Hunt and Welcoming Celebrations on Saturday, September 29 @ Noon SLT. The hunt will start at noon SLT with celebrations starting at 3pm SLT and going until 9pm SLT. Big or small all are welcome!

Petites Kingdom! – SLurl opens September 29th, 2012

Torley Linden, rightly one of the most popular Linden Lab employees, famous for his infectious good-humour, his love of watermelons and talent for music, is to be the focus of the 5th resident-run Saint Torley’s Day, organised by the First Church of Rosedale and the Four Kittens of the Apocalypse.

The event will take place this Sunday, the 16th September, 2012, commencing at 12:00 SLT. Celebrations will comprise:

• 12:00-13:00 –  a special service will take place at the Rheta Shan Memorial Chapel of the First Church of Rosedale. Please note that the church is in the Promised Land of Zindra, so participants will need to be adult-verified or have payment information on file
• 13:0-14:00: a party featuring Second Life artist Kaklick Martin and Torley’s own compositions, hosted by Alchemy Epstein and Nakira Tennen; to be held at the Four Kittens of the Apocalypse, Penning.

The press release announcing the event reads in part:

“Torley Linden has written innumerable posts on the company’s official blog and created hundreds of video tutorials. He listens and responds to residents, holding weekly office hours and keeping tabs on Second Life content all over the Web, including blogs, Flickr, Twitter, Vimeo, and YouTube. His Saint Day is the Sunday closest to his “rezday” (the day he first entered Second Life), September 15; 2011 will mark the end of his eighth year ‘in-world.’”

The event is intended to be a warm celebration of Torley’s work as Resident Enlightenment Manager, as such those attending the party are encouraged to “wear the most pleasingly garish shades of neon pink and green they can find”, and expect the “‘melon-go-round’, the grid’s most heavily armed watermelon piñata, and more surprises”.

So get your shades, grab a watermelon and join the festivities!

Watermelon Wine by Torley Linden

For further information, contact Samantha Poindexter in-world.

The organisers stress this event is not affiliated with or sponsored by Linden Lab.

With thanks to Samantha Poindexter.

Pooky Amsterdam has tapped me about this, and I’m happy to slip-in this post for her.

This year marks the 5th annual Machinima Expo, a three day virtual machinima festival which bridges Second Life and the real world. The Expo will be held over the weekend of the 17th-18th November 2012, and submissions are now open for those wishing to participate.

There is no maximum running time for entries to the event, but a couple of rules must be adhered to:

• Entries must comprise at least 50% machinima
• Entrants must not have previously submitted the film to the Expo.

Note that films do not have to be filmed in Second Life (or any other virtual world – although entries created in any virtual world are obviously welcome), just so long as they are at least 50% machinima. The closing date for submissions is September 30th 2012, and you can find the entry form on the Expo website.

A look at a couple of entries from last year’s event

The Expo itself will take place largely inside Second Life during the weekend of the 17th-18th November (venue to be confirmed) and films will be simultaneously streamed in-world and to the Expo website. As well as showing this year’s entries, the Expo will comprise:

• An awards ceremony featuring a grand prize, plus three Jury prizes. This year’s prizes include sound effects collections, a full license of Lightwave 10, copies of iClone5 Pro and much more
• Panel discussions, live filmmaker interviews, a keynote address and live presentations on the craft/art of making machinima
• Workshops.

Additional details on events and event streaming will be posted on the Expo website nearer the weekend.

BattleBeast Breedables, which I took a look at last month officially launch in-world over a two-day event commencing today.

The programme of events includes (all times SLT):

Friday March 9th

• 16:00-17:00: DJ Bard Wasp at MIDDY’s Battlebeast Dragons Store & Sales
• 18:00-20:00: DJ Shayla Juran at Rainbow’s End Breedables
• 20:00-22:00: DJ RedHawk Chronowire at Xxtreme Breedables

Saturday March 10th

• 09:00-10:00: DJ Shayla Juran at The Knights of BattleBeast
• 12:00-14:00: DJ Mixie Leigh at Divine Dragons at Serena Becuma
• 14:00-15:00: Damian Carbenell at Blue Fusion
• 15:00-17:00: DJ Ben Shutt at GeneSys Breedables

There will also be a range of activities occurring at the BattleBeasts main store throughout the two days, including: a raffle for a dragon 3-pack, battle demonstrations, game booths, random prize givers and the BBB Hunt, which starts at the main store and travels to each of the BBB premier locations.