What's the word - Real or Virtual ?

When I came across the title of this article : Man sells VIRTUAL REAL estate in an ONLINE game of Entropia for $635,000 - my initial reaction was that of shock and disbelief.
This VIRTUAL, ONLINE property is FINANCIALLY more expensive than a REAL, PHYSICAL property in San Jose, California that has a median value of $450,000.

Who would buy a VIRTUAL product with that kind of REAL money? - That too in this economy. That got me thinking. What is REAL and What is VIRTUAL ? Has there been a precedence for this kind of sale in the past ? Or Is this a nuance of the ONLINE world? Would I ever get to that level of MENTAL state to buy something VIRTUAL with so much MONEY?

The more, I got to think about the definitions of the capitalized words above- it was actually NOT that shocking. 


Using The Reality Framework, we determine that the capitalized words in the first sentence all belong to separate Fields/domains. 
1) Real Estate - a term usually indicating space from the Physical Field
2) $635,000 - Currency indicating Financial Field 
3) Online game - a term from the Virtual Field


We are seeing a collision of Online game, a virtual world for the first time with the other two fields. However, it is no different from the following examples from the past.


- Movie: A Virtual product (the movie itself is virtual though the distribution as a DVD may make it a Physical product)  that has value only because we spend time watching it and satisfy our mental emotions.
Here is a list of all time box office collections ranked by revenue.
For instance, Jaws made $ 260 Million more than a quarter century ago in 1975.

- Paintings: Another Physical product that has value only because we like to enjoy them to satisfy our mental emotions.
Here is a list of the most Expensive Paintings

- Book: Another Physical product that has value only because we like to get immersed in it. Harry Potter is a wonderful example of how financial money can be generated out of a Book. 


In other words, if we spend more and more time online and start enjoying products and services produced in the virtual domain, businesses would start advertising more in those places and thus we may soon be getting used to a $260 Million virtual real estate just like we are desensitized to a $260 Million Box office revenue of a movie.

What's the word: Arsenic - Life OR Poison ?

LIFE- The Usual suspects for building blocks of LIFE - Hydrogen, Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Oxygen and Sulphur

POISON
- Arsenic is typically considered poisonous

In news today, an example of a microbe that is bred using poisonous Arsenic in lieu of Phosphorous.
Minor traces still found as you can see in the last paragraph..
But Nevertheless, What's the word ?- Arsenic - Life or Poison ?

Happy Families



Happy Families

What's the word: GM - Socialism OR Capitalism?

When the World's icon of democracy (US) bails out a poorly run private enterprise (GM) - critics derided that move as Socialist.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31546668/ns/business-autos


http://townhall.com/columnists/HughHewitt/2009/06/09/gm_the_msnbc-endorsed_car_maker

After the bailout, when the US Government relinquishes some of its shares into the hands of the monarchist and communist entities during the GM IPO, it is cheered as the hallmark of capitalism.

- 1% owned by Saudi Prince, Alwaleed bin Talal al-Saud, from the royal family of Saudi Kingdom - an Islamic Absolute Monarchy

- 1% owned by SAIC, an entity owned by the Chinese Government - a Single party state governed by the Communist Party of China

Strange Definition Indeed

Happy Families

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Man - A Rational Animal ?

Man - A Rational Animal ? Not so soon at least - not in 2010.


It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this. – Bertrand Russell

I already have the last two events in my bucket list. I am adding the first one too.
Click on the links below.

Hologram Rock star - Japan 2010

Kumbh Mela - India 2010

Burning Man Festival, Nevada - US - 2010

While rich countries diet -- Emerging countries load up on the debt diet

May 5 2010 : Greece:

Public sector pay frozen till 2014

Public sector salary bonuses - equivalent to two months' extra pay - scrapped for higher earners and capped for others

Public sector allowances cut by 20%

State pensions frozen or cut; contribution period up from 37 to 40 years

Average retirement age up from 61 to 63; early retirement restricted

VAT increased from 19% to 23%

Taxes on fuel, alcohol and tobacco up 10%

One-off tax on profits, plus new gambling, property and green taxes

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8662366.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8661385.stm



Oct 2010 - France:
Retirement age up from 60 to 62


http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/299135


Nov 2010 - England:
Proposed fee rise, up from the current £3,290 per year to £6,000, with an upper tier of £9,000
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/nov/11/cameron-no-turning-back-tuition-fees-rise?intcmp=239


South Korea: What next ?

• Declining Birthrate
  1990:1.6 children
  2008: 1.2 children
• Slower GDP Growth
  2000-04: 5.3%
  2005-09: 3.4%
• Women in the Work Force
  South Korea: 53%
  All Developed Nations: 57%
• Rising National Debt (pct. of GDP)
  2000: 16.7%
  2010: 32.1%

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704791004575519703277433756.html