Lindens to participate!

Uh huh... I thought that would get your attention. Seriously though, several Lindens have agreed to participate in the Charity Ball and Auction on Sept. 13 at 6 pm SLT. Keep reading for all of the juicy details.

I have wanted to hold a fundraiser for the victims of Hurricane Katrina for some time now. I have trying to come up with something that would raise some money and would also be enjoyable. So the formal ball and auction is one thing I thought would be fun..

However, we won't be auctioning off clothing, skins or vehicles. We'll be auctioning off residents of Second Life... perhaps those you have always wanted to get to know better.

If you are the high bidder, you will win a date with the person you bid on. Winning does not include any sexual activities however (that's our official disclaimer), just a fun evening of getting to know someone a bit better.

You could find a quiet spot and chat with your auction "prize." Or ask him/her to show you his/his favorite places in SL, how to design, build, script, animate.... the fun you will have!

I intend to put myself on the block. If you would like to do the same, simply send me a notecard in-world, with your biography (make it interesting) and name the notecard "AUCTION ME!"

Also up for bidding (so far) is Bub Linden, Blue Linden, Nova Linden,Maureen McLean, Cheronne Basset, Phoenix Psaltery and Jesse Murdock.

I hope to get many of you infamous posters to join in. Remember that it is for a good cause.

If you plan to attend, we will be selling tickets starting today. Maureen McLean is in charge of ticket sales, so please contact her.

ALL $L generated by this event will go to the victims of Hurricane Katrina via the American Red Cross.

Infamous posters? Hey, I resemble that remark!

This date with a Linden sounds like great fun! I wish I could afford to bid on it!

coco

I will be bidding on Bub AND Blue. I was thinking they could come help me make a sandwitch.







What?!

Show up -- you never know. Damn, go buy a few thousand L$ at one of the exchange sites. At less than US$4 per L$1000, it's the most fun you'll ever have donating to a worthy cause. I am hoping to raise upwards of L$250,000 during this event. There will be a donation box available as well as the proceeds of ticket sales and the auction. We already have received a donation of L$1,500 from someone who will be unable to attend.

And remember, people, it's all for a great cause -- easing the misery of others. Here we are, happily immersed in Second Life, when some of these people don't have anything but the clothes on their backs, and many have lost friends and family. At least one SLer who I know personally but does not wish her name disclosed had her home submerged in 20 feet of water. This is real, and this is personal, and this is unsettlingly close to home. We're not talking about Somalia, or Ethiopia, or somewhere on the other side of the planet here. This is a precious, antique jewel of an American city that has been virtually wiped out, less than a 7 hour drive from where I sit as I am typing this. And NOLA isn't the only place, it's affected millions of people all along the Gulf coast.

Every L$ donated will benefit the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

Give a damn.

P2

I thought you were just going to order a Reuben Linden and call it good, Aimee?

I'd offer to be auctioned off since I can't afford to buy lindens due to a RL issue, but I'm afraid no one would bid on me.

I'll bring my camera...

P2

This post was a little harsh (yes even by my standards) for no good reason, which makes me not want to give a damn in SL. The real person behind this avatar will make a real donation to the red cross, adding to the normal yearly donation this real person makes to the Red Cross. I would not trust some fake-ass avatar that is mouthy when asking people for money to actually get my donation where it is supposed to go. Asshat. Report this.

Awwwww. I promise you, someone will bid on everyone that is auctioned. Just don't wear a bra that night.



Did I say that out loud????!??!??!?

P2

Excuse me? Forgive me for being passionate about something I believe in! What was "harsh" about what I said?

You don't know me, Eboni -- but few of us know many of our fellow players in SL. I am sorry you took my post the way you obviously did. If you don't want to participate, then don't participate. But don't you DARE criticize me, or anyone else, for trying to do the right thing.

P2

You posted on a public message board and I will critize you all I fucking want, if you don't like it put me on ignore.


Plenty of people are passionate about New Orleans. We have lost our family home and many prized possesions that are decades old. My southern Grandmother told me you get more flies with honey, you might want to try that, since you are asking people that don't know you from adam for money and being a pushy jerk about it.


If people really want to date they should donate directly here

I was just about to say the same thing - I doubt many people know me, but still, I don't mind being auctioned off for one evening.

Thanks for the suggestion. That's a distinct possibility if this continues, though I really hate to do it.



I really don't think that you comprehend the message I was initially trying to send. Perhaps you haven't stopped to consider that many, many people -- some 50% or more of Americans, I'm told -- sit in front of the TV (or in this case, the computer) and shake their heads and go "Gee, that's awful," when a disaster strikes, but never get around to doing anything to help. I am sorry if you felt that what I said was "pushy," or that I was being a "jerk." Those who know me, and as I said earlier, you don't, know that I am anything but. I am friendly, and loving, and giving, and protective of my friends. I have many friends who will vouch for my good intentions. How about if we start over? I really didn't mean to say anything that you or anyone else would have found offensive.



And in no way am I discouraging anyone from doing that. We are simply offering an enjoyable means of donating, that will encourage some people to get to know someone they may not already know.

P2

Hate to say it, but when I see, hear, and read about children suffering and dying, or adults, for that matter - I don't stop to think about whether they're on the American Gulf Coast or in Somalia or Ethiopia. I just see the pain and wonder what I can do about it. To make the above statement, and then tell people to "give a damn" strikes me as a remarkable contradiction.

My concern for the people on the Gulf Coast, and my small efforts on their behalf, in no way differs from my concern for people on the other side of the planet. The only difference is, I may be able to do more for Americans than for Ethiopians, by virtue of who I am and where I am.

I congratulate you on being regular supported of the Red Cross, but is it really necessary to shit (pardon the language) on people who are trying to do SOMETHING to entice more people to donate?

We're all very sorry to hear about your loss, but just because this is a message board and not face to face, don't think you can take your frustrations out on people here.

You talk about "more flies with honey" and you turn around and blast people?

Think about that.

Well, the thing is, it's true that we should care about all who are in need, whether they're around the block or around the globe. But unfortunately, for so many, it doesn't work that way.

And what part of the phrase "give a damn" has people so confused? If someone were to say to me, "I don't give a damn about the people affected by Katrina," I'd think they were incredibly insensitive. So by me asking people to GIVE a damn rather than NOT giving one, I'm just saying, "care about this situation!" Does that clarify things for anyone?

P2

"Give a damn," when used in the context Phoenix used it, is just a phrase people commonly use in contexts such as these. I believe it probably started in the 70's? Anyway, if you haven't been living under a rock somewhere, you've heard this phrase used in this way before. As such, there was nothing harsh about it and nothing harsh intended.

So, no need to have to defend it. Starting over: Good idea! And yes, I plan to be there. People can donate through Red Cross AND through whichever other fund-raising efforts such as this one they deem legitimate. Nothing wrong with doing both, and having a little fun while you're at it!

coco

TYVM, CK.

P2

Yeah, fuck the people in Ethopia or Somalia! Classy.

Troll.

That is NOT at all what I meant and you know it.

P2

I am not a troll, it was just a really fucking stupid thing to say. Your intentions may be good to try to raise money, but to belittle people suffering every day of their lives in an effort to get help for something you deem more important is just completely lame.

Great. Another person who insists on taking everything I say wrong.

What I meant was that 90% of Americans consider things that happen in third world countries to be of no consequence to them. I'm not saying it's right, I'm saying it's the truth. It's just like the old adage that says that 20% of the workers do 80% of the work. Most people "tsk, tsk" to the evening news and never lift a finger or write a check to help those in need.

If you have a problem with how I have worded things, then I am sorry.

P2

I would suggest thinking about how you say things then before you do so. You seem only motivated to help because this was so close to home. The same 90% didn't give a damn that the people in New Orleans and elsewhere were some of the poorest of the poor in the US in the first place, even before the storm. What has happened is incredibly tragic - people with nothing somehow have even less now. The response has been phenomenal, it is just sad that human nature is that it takes something catastrophic to open up people's eyes to how much help people need all the time, even without a hurricane.

I'm not shitting on anyone. I do think it is a very low thing to belittle people in an attempt to strong arm them into donating money via a 3rd party to charity (which is questionable to begin with). The post was rude and out of line.



I can post how I feel and not kiss the ass of anyone since I am not asking people to donate money to me that may or may not reach the parties it is intended for.

Please give me statistics showing that people in America do not give to help other countries. Last I checked we were one of the most giving nations with personal donations. I wont even bring up how much of our federal taxes go to helping other countries.

Billions of dollars are given to charitities that are spread around the world for tax decutions alone. So there may be some self serving purposes behind much of it. Does not change the fact that America gives.