The Alphaville Herald

Terror in the Park- Landshark!!!

by Pixeleen Mistral on 20/12/06 at 9:51 am

Officials shut down Hyperborea sim for 2 hours

by Pixeleen Mistral, National Affairs desk

Landsharks menace residents in Hyperborea

HYPERBOREA- A landshark sighting closed Hyperborea sim again, after a resident – Fake Furry – felt threatened while walking in the park two weeks ago. At the time several residents were away-from-keyboard and oblivious to the danger – but they were gently pushed away from the park by public spirited residents who risked their avatars and an abuse report for bumping to protect their fellow citizens. Officials speculate that the AFK residents were in danger because some real life typists were taking typist-union mandated breaks from Second Life at the time.

The 4-foot shark was sighted in the lawn and was observed occasionally jumping in the air. The shark was captured on film by a Herald photographer who had been “resting her eyes” in the Herald offices near the park – but was awakened by the commotion.

The shark’s identity – Mechanical Bellman – was confirmed by officials at Hyperborea Park, said Linden Lab Safety Supervisor Tarlay Linden. Sims were closed for two hours on each side of Hyperborea as a safety measure.

leaping landsharks!

Bluebird Linden, enforcement chief for the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), said a second landshark was reported near Baku, but the sighting was unconfirmed.

Landshark sightings are not unusual, said Firewall Linden, but they tend to receive more attention from the public and the media after an attack has occurred. He said the last confirmed shark sighting was two or three weeks ago, when sewer pipe landsharks were seen in several sandboxes.

DLNR Director Fillup Linden, who chairs the state Landshark Task Force, said task-force members would interview Fake Furry and Mechanical Bellman but he did not expect other action to be taken.

The interview is regular protocol, but members who speak with the attack victim will ask her to clarify her description of the shark that bit her. Z. Linden said he wanted to find out if the description Fake Furry gave reporters of a 4-foot-long gray shark with a pinkish tail came from her own memory or if someone suggested it to her – and could she please pay for the Linden’s time to investigate the attack – the venture capital people went to see more ROI soon.

Z. Linden also said the task force did not have plans to post permanent signs or take other steps to warn metaverse resident that sharks may be present – this would be far too costly and is really something for residents to do for themselves.

In a Monday news conference, Fake Furry said she hadn’t known landsharks were infesting parks and sandboxes, and she felt the Linden Lab staff should have done more to warn her and other visitors.

“I think that’s fairly naive,” Bluebird Linden said. “Landsharks are a part of our natural environment – something like griefers. Sort it out among yourselves, please”

Task-force member Busybody Yaffle said he urged the Linden Lab years ago to create a brochure that could be passed out to tourists, warning them of landsharks and other hazards like lag, script break, eels and other asset server issues.

He said he was amazed that Fake Furry didn’t know Second Life had landsharks.

“This is a prime example of education” he said.

He said people should be informed about landsharks, including the fact that, at this time of year, the avatars are pregnant and giving birth or on semester break and so are “very irritable.” He would also warn people that bling, cuts and hoochie prim hair can attract the interest of landsharks.

Busybody Yaffle said that although the task force didn’t decide to go ahead with the brochure idea, he was in the process of developing an informational placard together with the Second Life Mentors.