Splenda is now open and offering a proposal to all in Second Life! Think to yourself what you would want in Second Life to make it better. A HUD that does amazing things? New animations that allows you do to tricks? Or even a building or sculpture? It is up to you. Now, the contest takes place on Splenda Island ( http://slurl.com/secondlife/Splenda/90/113/29/ ), and if you are chosen as the winner you get a 4-day/3-night trip for two to Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona! How awesome is that?!

So here is what you need to do: Go onto Splenda Island: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Splenda/90/113/29/ touch the caramel apple to get the details on submitting. You need to submit a description of your idea on what would make life sweeter (in SL) via note card to the caramel apples throughout the land. If you want to submit a picture, that is perfectly cool too, just make sure your name is on it. The last day to do this is the 30th of Nov. so you have to hurry! We will then judge with a panel on five finalists. From there, we will set out either a mini model or a picture of the proposal and the community will get to vote on it! The winner will not only get their idea built out, but they will get that trip for two to Canyon Ranch in Arizona!!

You have less than three weeks now, start getting those ideas in!

Until then, look out for the fun things to do! The Shake slide, the Lemonade pool, ferris wheel, and inside the cafe, some of the food, when touched, gives out the recipes! Not only that, by going on Splenda island, you get a code for a coupon from their site!

Hey all!
So, Reuben and Douglas have gone to Japan and are back….well, Douglas will be back shortly. So, my husband and I surfed through the internet and found that Japanese sites had already posted a ton of stuff about Reuben, Douglas, and Millions of Us! Another interesting article we found was in Japanese about Gossip Girl and the HUD! http://www.secondtimes.net/column/tour/20071011_gossipgirl.html So keeping the spirits of Japanese goodness, I will continue the blog….in Japanese!

ルーベンとダグラスは日本にいる時に、Gossip Girｌ　のレジデントがすごい増えました～！信じられないで、Moderatorの人々と一緒にいろいろなイベントとゲームを企画しています！あいにく、英語分からなければちょっと難しいかもしれません。でも、上のサイトを呼んでHUDの基本的なやり方がわかります。ゲームが本当楽しいよ！でもゲームしなくてもいいですよ！Upper East Side　にショッピングとイベント（ダンス　パーティーとファーショん　ショー）ありますよ！実はゲームをやれば、ポイントをたまって、服とか（WB　SIMとGossip Girl SIM内）アパートの家賃として使えることが出来ます。お楽しみに！

(*Since Reuben and Douglas were in Japan, Gossip Girl residents have grown! The Moderators and MoU have been planning events and loads of good stuff. However, it may be difficult if you don’t understand English, but you can still learn the HUD usage by going to the site above. It’s really fun~! Right now there is shopping and events like dance parties and fashion shows in the Upper East Side and shortly you will be able to exchange those well-earned points into items like clothing or rent for apartment on the WB or Gossip Girl) sims. Have fun!!!)

Phase II of the Visual Studio Challenge: Defy All Challenges has officially started!

For the next 6 weeks there will be an egg with a puzzle to solve. On two of the weeks, an additional egg will be released. The excitement is in the air as we have another island parceled up for grabs for the new winners! Those that have won from Coder’s Cove will get a community plot of land where they will be tasked to create buildings and objects for a community.

Many of the puzzles in this game have been created by the members of Coder’s Cove as they are the Game Masters! So, come and play, see if you can solve the puzzles that are set out!

The breakout success of Microsoft’s Defy All Challenges campaign has led
us to up the ante. The games are back, complete with puzzles embedded in
elusive eggs - but this time they’ve been devised by the winners of the
campaign’s first phase. The games
have thus come full circle, with the challenges now being developed by
the elite logicians of the Coder’s Cove community.

There was a celebration party yesterday for the winners of Phase I; the

Come and try to Defy All Challenges: Phase II!

Good luck!

Coming from a belief that education is so important to not only children, but adults as well, I found the Imagine Cup in Second Life a great support to the real-life version on the Imagine Cup! If you are unaware of what the Imagine Cup is, it is an event held to encourage and amplify young people’s creativity and talent in technology while uncovering and dealing with real-world issues. These young people come from all over the globe and now they are in Second Life! This year, the theme is “Education”. How great is that?!

I had a chance to talk to several people there, some contestants, and some just visitors checking the place out. I was seriously amazed that when I arrived, there were already 69 people on the island! The students and visitors were simply amazing and their creations were phenomenal! The event ends today, the 29th. If you get a chance, hang out there and see what awesome creations that have been made!!
Hope to see you there!

If you did not know already, there is a cool little freebie out there that is exclusive to those that meet Buzz Balogh, our Nokia avatar! What does this freebie do? Well, you know that typing your avatar does when you are chatting? This li’l puppy overrides that by having your avatar write on the Nokia Stylus! AND!!!! There are cool effects that shoot out while you type….or in this case, write! How fun is that?!
Not only can you get a free Nokia stylus N800 in Second Life, but you too can get on in REAL LIFE! HOW?!?!? It’s easy! Our lovely avatar (with a wicked walk) has been going around and attending several events using her awesome Nokia Stylus N800! Now, she only has one more event left! What does that mean?! Well, it means that anyone that wants to be in the running for a free REAL LIFE Nokia Stylus, needs to meet with Buzz Balogh at her next appearance.

So….where’s she gonna be? Well, Buzz Balogh has been to 70’s and 80’s club, snail races, and western clubs. Now it is time for her to go into the sciences! That’s right! She is going to go to the SL Sci Fi Expo on Sunday June 24th. The event is from 5-8, but Buzz will be appearing to check out the great people on Constellation Island for about an hour. If you see her and want a Nokia Stylus N800 for your avatar AND a chance to win a Nokia in REAL LIFE, come on over and see the SL Sci Fi Expo!

See you there!