Virtual worlds debate thread

My recent time away from the forums has been due to two reasons: World of Warcraft (hence forth known as WOW) and Lord of the Rings Online (hence forth known as LOTRO).
These two games should be labelled with a warning stating that you will be robbed of time and money.
Real life friends and social life might suffer from these games if you get absorbed and immersed into these games.
But hey! Life is supposed being an adventure so what is wrong with travelling around Azeroth and/or Middle-earth doing some adventuring?
And by adventuring I don't mean jumping of building/bridges with a parachute or an elastical cord strapped to your body, white water rafting, mountain biking and all that extreme sports stuff.
No I mean adventuring by travelling and exploring.
While most of the worlds population don't have the financial means to do so worlds like Azeroth and Middle-earth offers the next best thing namely: Going places and doing stuff.
But you won't be going places and doing stuff by yourself as you do in most RPG based computer games.
Many other real people that are going places and doing stuff on Azeroth and Middleearth just as you do: Infront of your computer.
Friends are to be found in Azeroth and Middle-earth. Friends you can go places and do stuff with.

All of this ranting brings me to the question at hand.
Where will these virtual worlds take us?
Will the virtual worlds become an integrated parts of our everydays as they are 'trying' to do with Second Life?
Who says that these exsisting virtual worlds are only for entertainment purposes. Can they be used for something more?
If, yes. Then what can they be used for?
If, no. Then what will become of them?
(Personal Rants/opinions are most welcome. Just beware of feedback!).

The end is near!

So it has come down to this....
After completing the second moon mission the chatter between my resident eggheads went over the roof about how to finish of the Beastmen infestation on Mars.
The result was that I got the missions to finish them off and the means to do it. All I need is a certain thing from Earth and I am on track.
Until then I'll have fun conquering the rest of the Beastmen turf since they wasted the Green Martians and made me not have access to plasma weapons.
Not that it matters as I am kicking rear anyways.....

Gamereactor.dk reviews UFO: Afterlight

Scandinavias largest gaming magazine Gamereactor has reviewed UFO: Afterlight.
Link.
It is in danish so the short version: They give it a 5 out of 10.

Five minutes to midnight!

When reading the news I came as across this: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/0...k.ap/index.html
Official website here: http://www.thebulletin.org/minutes-to-midnight/

Beware of left-handed gamers

I had to gloat a bit about this. since I to am a lefthander.
So is there any other left-handed gamers out there on Strategycore?