Third Life - Interest Check

Is anybody interested in a game based on this idea?
It is the year 2025 and humanity's favourite MMORPG has managed to capture 25% of the world population. There are offices, stores and even banks within this digital universe. Some people don't even logout for months since the VR capsules nourish the user's body regularly. There are only two limits to this World-changing game, the Violence Limit and the Reality Limit. "Third Life" allows any gamer to create environments, change certain rules of physics within them or even change certain traits of one's character. The Violence Limit logs any two persons out that commit an act of violence and also bans a multiple-times culprit. One day, a huge surprise update changes the world of Third Life by disrupting one of it's two most vital pilars. All Users lose the ability to log off permanently and recieve a message.

"Welcome to the New Third Life.
If you wish to survive in this place, feel free to use any instruments at your disposal.
-The God of the New Third Life.
PS: If you die inside of the game, you die in real life too."

Now most of the NTL'S cities have become warzones. Hundreds are dying every day. Most of the VR World's infrastructure has collapsed and intact technology has become hard to come by in this digital world (ironically)
You may or may not be a regular TL user, but you've been trapped inside the machinery of the game and can't come out without either dying or solving the mystery behind the chaos.
In order to survive, people clutch to digital legends about the game:
"During the beginnings of the game, Third Life, wasn't supposed to be violence free. The idea was to create the ultimate Combat simulator.
Therefor, they hired the minds behind all the biggest MMORPGs to create it. After a while they discovered most testers suffered from extreme mental stress after dying inside of the game.
It was like if the brain had been programmed to just turn off and die. The soul-less publishing company (Let's call it AE) paid the tester's families for their silence and created the violence limit while at the same time hiding most RPG-like elements within the game. Still, some people believe there are Backdoors, backdoors hiding the power to take this reality back and save this world before it collapses, forever.

Edit: I'm well-aware I posted this in the wrong forum. Already summoning a moderator ;)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/KgAajlChuIc/viewtopic.php

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Dog Training At Trickfist.com

Dog training is the process of teaching a dog to perform certain actions in response to certain commands which the dog is trained to understand. It is a general term which does not, by itself, describe what or how the dog is taught.There are many methods of dog training and many objectives, from basic obedience training to specialized areas including law enforcement, military, search and rescue, hunting, working with livestock, assistance to people with disabilities, entertainment, dog sports and protecting people or property.As pack animals, wild dogs have natural instincts that favor cooperation with their fellow dogs. Many domestic dogs, either through instinct or breeding, can correctly interpret and respond to signals given by a human handler.

Basic training

Most dogs, no matter their eventual advanced training or intended purpose, live with people who want them to behave in ways that make them pleasant to be around, keep them safe, and provides for the safety of other people and pets. Dogs do not figure out basic obedience on their own; they must be trained.

The hardest part of training is communicating with the dog in a humane way that the dog understands. However, the underlying principle of all communication is simple: reward desired behavior while correcting undesired behavior.

Basic pet obedience training usually consists of six behaviors:

• Sit
• Down
• Stay
• Recall (?come?, ?here? or ?in?)
• Close (or loose-leash walking)
• Heel

?Corrections? should never include harmful physical force or violence. Using force while training is controversial and should not be taken lightly, because even if it ends the behavior, when applied inappropriately with some dogs it may lead to a loss of drive (enthusiasm for the given task), stress, and in some cases even aggression. A handler may decide to use force, however the standard used by most trainers is the minimum amount necessary to inhibit the unwanted behavior.

Communication

Fundamentally, dog training is about communication. From the human perspective, the handler is communicating to the dog what behaviors are correct, desired, or preferred in what circumstances and what behaviors are undesirable.

A handler must understand communication from the dog. The dog can signal that he is unsure, confused, nervous, happy, excited, and so on. The emotional state of the dog is an important consideration in directing the training, as a dog that is stressed or distracted will not learn efficiently.

According to Learning Theory there are four important messages that the handler can send the dog:

Reward or release marker

Correct behavior. You have earned a reward.

Keep going signal

Correct behavior. Continue and you will earn a reward.

No reward marker

Incorrect behavior. Try something else.

Punishment marker

Incorrect behavior. You have earned punishment.

Using consistent signals or words for these messages enables the dog to understand them more quickly.

It is important to note that the dog?s reward is not the same as the reward marker. The reward marker is a signal that tells the dog that he has earned the reward. Rewards can be praise, treats, play, or anything that the dog finds rewarding. Failure to reward after the reward marker diminishes the value of the reward marker and makes training more difficult.

These messages may be communicated verbally or with nonverbal signals. Mechanical clickers are frequently used as a reward marker. Hand signals and body language also play an important part in learning for dogs. The meanings of the four signals are taught to the dog through repetition, so that he may form an association by classical conditioning so that the dog associates the punishment marker with the punishment itself. Some sources contend that the most effective marker is the human voice. (Canine Dimensions, 2008, 32)

Dogs do not generalize commands easily. A command which may work indoors might be confusing out-of-doors or in a different situation. The command will need to be re-taught in each new situation. This is sometimes called ?cross-contextualization,? meaning the dog has to apply what?s been learned to many different contexts.

Reward and punishment

Most training revolves around establishing consequences for the dog???s behavior. Operant conditioning defines these following four types of consequences.

1. Positive reinforcement adds something to the situation to increase the chance of the behavior being exhibited again.
2. Negative reinforcement removes something from the situation to increase the chance of the behavior being exhibited again.
3. Positive punishment adds something to the situation to decrease the chance of the behavior being exhibited again.
4. Negative punishment removes something from the situation to decrease the chance of the behavior being exhibited again.

Most trainers claim that they use ?positive training methods ?. Generally, this means using reward-based training to increase good behavior rather than physical punishment to decrease bad behavior.Positive reinforcers can be anything that the dog finds rewarding ? special food treats, the chance to play with a tug toy, social interaction with other dogs, or the owner?s attention. The more rewarding a dog finds a particular reinforcer, the more work he will be prepared to do in order to obtain the reinforcer. Just being happy about a dog?s accomplishment is a reward to them.Some trainers go through a process of teaching a puppy to strongly desire a particular toy, in order to make the toy a more powerful positive reinforcer for good behaviour. This process is called ?building prey drive?, and is commonly used in the training of Narcotics Detection and Police Service dogs.

The goal is to produce a dog who will work independently for long periods of time, in the hopes of earning access to its special toy reward.Traditional forms of punishment is least used by modern dog trainers. A dog is generally only given this type of punishment if it is willfully disobeying the owner and owner needs to guard the dog?s safety in a serious situation. Punishment is effectively paired with teaching the dog desired behaviors, but is not a single solution, as it will make the dog fearful or unwilling to cooperate if it is not taught desired behaviors.Punishments should only be administered as appropriate for the dog?s personality, age, experience and physical and emotional condition. Some dogs may show signs of fear or anxiety with harsh verbal corrections. Other dogs may ignore a verbal reprimand. Some dogs develop an aversion or fear of water, when water is sprayed at them as an aversive

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Source: http://trickfist.com/content/Plus%20Pets/dog-training/

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Carly Rae Jepsen Debuts 'Good Time' Video With Owl City

Jepsen and Owl City's Adam Young prove they can have a good time anywhere in the clip for the summer jam.
By Jocelyn Vena

Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City in their "Good Time" video
Photo: Universal Republic

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1690334/carly-rae-jepsen-owl-city-good-time-music-video.jhtml

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From Aaron K. in Baghdad (Powerlineblog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/238241928?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Names of victims emerge in Colo. theater rampage

Isaac Pacheo, who said he was a good friend of theater shooting victim Alex Sullivan, is comforted, Saturday, July 21, 2012, as he visits a memorial near the movie theater in Aurora, Colo. Twelve people were killed and dozens were injured in the attack early Friday at the packed theater during a showing of the Batman movie, "Dark Knight Rises." Police have identified the suspected shooter as James Holmes, 24. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Isaac Pacheo, who said he was a good friend of theater shooting victim Alex Sullivan, is comforted, Saturday, July 21, 2012, as he visits a memorial near the movie theater in Aurora, Colo. Twelve people were killed and dozens were injured in the attack early Friday at the packed theater during a showing of the Batman movie, "Dark Knight Rises." Police have identified the suspected shooter as James Holmes, 24. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

Tom Sullivan, center, embraces family members outside Gateway High School where he has been searching franticly for his son Alex Sullivan who celebrated his 27th birthday by going to see "The Dark Knight Rises," movie where a gunman opened fire Friday, July 20, 2012, in Aurora, Colo. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez)

This undated photo provided by the Larimer family shows John Larimer. Relatives have identified Larimer, a U.S. Navy sailor, as one of the victims killed by a gunman at a showing of the new Batman movie, early Friday, July 20, 2012, in Aurora, Colo. (AP Photo/Larimer family)

Three helicopters make a flyover of the Century Theater on Saturday, July 21, 2012 in Aurora, Colo. Twelve people were killed and dozenswere injured in the attack early Friday at the packed theater during a showing of the Batman movie, "Dark Knight Rises." Police have identified the suspected shooter as James Holmes, 24. (AP Photo/Barry Gutierrez)

Shelly Fradkin, the mother of a friend of shooting victim Alex Sullivan, places balloons to mark Sullivan's birthday at a makeshift memorial across from the Century 16 theatre east of the Aurora Mall in Aurora, Colo., on Saturday, July 21, 2012. Twelve people were killed and dozens were injured in the attack early Friday at the packed theater during a showing of the Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises." Police have identified the suspected shooter as James Holmes, 24. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

AURORA, Colo. (AP) ? Ashley Moser drifted in and out of consciousness in the ICU, bullets lodged in her throat and abdomen. In her waking moments, she called for her 6-year-old daughter Veronica.

Nobody had the heart to tell her that Veronica was already dead, the youngest victim killed at a Colorado movie theater in one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history.

"Nobody can tell her about it," Annie Dalton said of her aunt, Ashley Moser. "She is in critical condition, but all she's asking about is her daughter."

Veronica just started swimming lessons on Tuesday, Dalton said.

"She was excited about life as she should be. She's a 6-year-old girl," her great-aunt said

The young girl was among the 12 people killed when a gunman barged into a crowded Colorado theater, set off gas canisters and opened fire as spectators dove for cover. Dozens of others were injured, including the 25-year-old Ashley Moser and 10 others in critical condition as of Friday night.

The victims' identities have emerged one by one after authorities told their families of their deaths. By late Saturday morning, relatives and family spokesmen had confirmed the identities of half of those who died.

One is 27-year-old Matt McQuinn. His family's attorney, Rob Scott of Dayton, Ohio, said McQuinn was killed after diving in front of his girlfriend and her older brother to shield them from the gunfire. Scott's account could not be immediately verified.

For Alex Sullivan, it was to be a weekend of fun: He planned to ring in his 27th birthday with friends at the special midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" and then celebrate his first wedding anniversary on Sunday.

Late Friday, Sullivan's family confirmed that police told them he was among those killed.

"He was a very, very good young man," said Sullivan's uncle, Joe Loewenguth. "He always had a smile, always made you laugh. He had a little bit of comic in him. Witty, smart. He was loving, had a big heart."

Micayla Medek, 23, was also among the dead, her father's cousin, Anita Busch, told the Associated Press.

Busch said the news, while heartbreaking, was a relief for the family after an agonizing day of waiting for news.

"I hope this evil act ... doesn't shake people's faith in God," she said.

On Saturday morning, parents of John Larimer released a statement that Navy officials notified them about midnight that their 27-year-old son was one of the 12 killed.

The family said that Larimer's brother is working with the Navy to take his body home to Crystal Lake, Ill. He was with a unit that belongs to U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. Tenth Fleet at Buckley Air Force.

A blogger and aspiring sports reporter who recently wrote of surviving a Toronto shooting was also among those killed, the woman's brother said.

The death of Jessica Ghawi, who was also known as Jessica Redfield, was a "complete and utter shock," said her brother, Jordan Ghawi.

He has been using his blog and Twitter account to update what he knew about his sister's condition. He also appeared on the NBC "Today" show.

Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said Friday evening that 10 victims died at the theater and two others later died from their injuries.

Jordan Ghawi said on his website that a man who was with his sister at the theater described the chaos, saying he and Jessica Ghawi dropped to take cover when the gunman first started shooting. Jessica Ghawi was shot in the leg, her brother wrote, describing details relayed to him by a man identified on the blog only as a mutual friend named Brent.

The man was then shot, but he continued attending to Jessica Ghawi's wound before he realized she had stopped screaming, Jordan Ghawi stated. The man said Jessica Ghawi had been shot in the head.

Jessica Ghawi, 24, moved to Denver from Texas about a year ago and friends and colleagues described her as outgoing, smart and witty.

Ghawi blogged at length about surviving the Eaton Centre mall shooting in Toronto that killed two people and sent several others to the hospital.

Jessica Ghawi wrote of the Toronto shooting: "I was shown how fragile life was on Saturday. I saw the terror on bystanders' faces. I saw the victims of a senseless crime. I saw lives change. I was reminded that we don't know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-07-21-Colorado%20Shooting-Victims/id-93422d10d9ac4febb009236f36427c3d

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Al Franken's 'SNL' partner, Tom Davis, dies in NY

HUDSON, N.Y. (AP) ? Tom Davis, a writer who with Al Franken helped develop some of the most popular skits in the early years of "Saturday Night Live," died Thursday at age 59.

His wife, Mimi Raleigh, said he died of throat and neck cancer at his home in the Hudson Valley, north of New York City. He was diagnosed in 2009.

Davis is best known as the thinner, taller partner in Franken and Davis, the off-kilter comedy duo who performed in the early years of the show. They also were among the first writers hired for the new show in 1975 and helped create memorable work such as the "Coneheads" skit with Dan Aykroyd and what evolved into the "Nick the Lounge Singer" skit starring Bill Murray performing lounge-lizard versions of songs including the "Star Wars" theme.

Raleigh said Davis and Franken "were two of the first writers hired ? with one salary."

As performers, Davis was the quiet guy, overshadowed by the flashier Franken, who is now a Democratic senator from Minnesota. Davis, in a 2009 interview with The Associated Press, said, "If we were Sonny and Cher, he would be Cher."

Franken said he spoke with Davis's mother Thursday, and she recalled fondly all the laughter that would come from the basement when the two first got started in comedy.

"I visited Tom two weeks ago, and though he was deathly ill, we did a lot of laughing," Franken said. "He was a great friend, a good man, and so funny."

Dudley Riggs, founder of a comedy theater and improv in Minneapolis where Franken and Davis got their start in the 1970s before heading to "SNL," said Davis would always find "an oblique way" to tell a joke and had "a knack to be able to surprise."

Screenwriter Pat Proft called Davis and Franken a "perfect comedy team."

"Last I saw Tom he was happy," Proft said in an email. "He wrote his book. We talked. Had a wonderful time. I'm sorry for his wife. His family. For Al. For all of us who know him. A very sad day."

Davis met Franken at a suburban prep school in Minnesota, where their first gig was making announcements at morning chapel. They hit it big with "SNL" and stayed there until 1980, then returned a few years later. Davis left the show in 1994, feeling frozen out. Still, he told the AP he would always treasure his time on the show.

"It's my family. It's my extended, dysfunctional family, and I love them," Davis said.

"SNL" creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels said "no one saw things the way that Tom did."

"He was funny, he was original and he was always there to help no matter the hour," he said. "And I always trusted his laugh. I can still kinda hear it."

In the 2009 interview with AP, Davis recalled spending his childhood watching "The Mickey Mouse Club" on television while wearing Mouseketeer Ears. He was the older of two brothers. Their father worked for 3M and their mother was the 1950 Queen of the Lakes of the Minneapolis Aquatennial, an annual summer festival.

In his memoir, "Thirty-Nine Years of Short-Term Memory Loss: The Early Days of SNL From Someone Who Was There," Davis also detailed friendships with counterculture legends Jerry Garcia and Timothy Leary, his own drug use and his travel as a young hippie to India in the 1970s.

Davis kept up his quirky sense of humor to the end, writing an essay on his experiences with cancer and the coming end of his life.

"I wake up in the morning, delighted to be waking up, read, write, feed the birds, watch sports on TV, accepting the fact that in the foreseeable future I will be a dead person," Davis wrote. "I want to remind you that dead people are people too."

Veteran "SNL" writer Jim Downey said Davis had a sense of humor different from everyone else, seeming to come out of nowhere.

"He was a loyal friend, a generous and supportive collaborator, and utterly unthreatened by the success or talent of those around him," Downey said. "His old pals have known for some time that this day was coming, but still it's hard to accept that he's now no longer out there, somewhere, thinking those crazy thoughts that no one else would think."

___

AP Entertainment Writer Jake Coyle contributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/al-frankens-snl-partner-tom-davis-dies-ny-215034281.html

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InsideHoops: Grant Hill may only play another 25 or 30 #NBA seasons, so enjoy him while you can

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Source: http://twitter.com/InsideHoops/statuses/225801164002840576

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