Low Population Realms in World of Warcraft

People are complaining lately about low population servers in World of Warcraft. Once the number of players gets below a certain level, people start transfering away, and fewer people decide to join that realm. These realms should be shut down and replaced.

For years, players have been opining about the good old days of classic vanilla World of Warcraft, Burning Crusade, now Wrath of the Lich King, and eventually they will remember Cataclysm fondly. And there are a number of players who artificially limit their character level (called twinking), often just so they can play thru that classic content at the level it was designed for.

So, we have two problems. I say we can solve both! Lets take the seven worst realms in population and transfer all the characters out. Then we rename them, and open them back up with whole new identities and purposes:

Pandaria PvE Realm. Open it the first day Mists of Pandaria comes out. Everyone starts out at the same level, flood of new people coming on to level the content together, would instantly be a first-rate realm.

Cataclysm PvP Realm. Permanent level cap of 85. Pandaren playable, but transport to Pandaria disabled. Not available unless players own everything up to and including Cataclysm.

Northrend RP-PvP Realm. Permanent level cap of 80. Mage portals reinstalled in Dalaran. Revoke Flight Master License (for Kalimdor and Eastering Kingdoms). Not sure what to do about level 80 Cataclysm zones. Realm not available unless players have purchased Wrath of the Lich King.

Sunwell PvE Realm. Permanent level cap of 70. Mage portals reinstalled in Shattrath. Boats to Northrend Disabled. No Death Knights allowed, but I see nothing wrong with Goblins, Worgen, or Pandaren. Open to all paid players, since BC now comes with vanilla game.

Azeroth PvP Realm. Permanent level cap of 60. The Dark Portal is deactivated. Flight Master License @ 60, no need to worry about Cataclysm zones. Absolutely no Death Knights allowed.

Valley of Trials RP Realm. Permanent level cap of 20. All Free Trial players would be directed here. This realm should be open to Goblins, Worgen, and Pandaren, regardless of whether Cata, MoP, or even regular WoW are owned or not.

Scholomance PvP Realm. Permanent level cap of 40. Okay, so this realm is the least likely to happen. I propose that this realm be free-to-play for any player who has already purchased WoW, but has allowed their subscription to lapse. This would prevent free-to-play twinkers from being tossed in the same pool as genuine trial players. I'm fine with limitations: no Blood Elves, Draenei, Goblins, Worgen, or Pandaren; only classic WoW race/class combos; no realm transfer, ever... as long as we can have guilds, mail, and/or an Auction House. One permanently available realm would be a very good enticement to lure millions of former players back into the game again.

There we go. Seven low population realms transformed into active realms with their own distinct identities. Plus people would stop bugging blue posters about vanilla or BC realms. Play the game however you like it!

Lurker

More National Elections

For all the power the Federal Government has, there really is only one national office elected nation-wide, and that is only once every four years. That office is the President (with the VP as a package deal). Not nearly enough input from the voters, in my opinion.

Therefore I suggest that the office of the Vice-President be voted for separately, and every TWO years. So, instead of just voting for your congressmen (or not) on off years, a national vote for VP can be a national referendum on the party in power. Plus, it would add power to the office as a real heir-apparent, next-in-line, president-in-training. And it would be hilarious to split tickets.

The third national office (after POTUS and VP) would occur every four years, but staggered two years off from the POTUS. That office should be the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Yes, really. But, like the VP, he/she would only be allowed to vote in the case of a tie. Now at the moment there are 8 normal Justices plus the Chief, but 5/4 votes happen all the time. I also propose bumping up that number to 12 Justices plus the Chief Justice, making him the tie-breaker less likely. Could still work either way. Anyway, there are just so many issue voters (Abortion, 2nd amendment, gay marriage, etc) and all that weight is thrown behind Presidential selection, for good or ill, and his potential appointments to the court. Voters should be more directly involved in the process.

So, we have the President as the head of the Executive Branch, the VP as the head of the Senate and ostensibly the Legislative Branch, and the Chief Justice as the head of the Judicial Branch. And 2/3 elected every election year. These tweaks would make the national government much more representative and subject to the will of the American people. We are supposed to be a democratic republic, after all.

World of Warcraft Free-To-Play Twink Tiers

This week Blizzard did something profound, and almost no one noticed:
They went Free-To-Play.

Well, kinda. People could sign up for free-trials to level up to a max of 20, but now those trials no longer expire. What does this mean? For starters, that I'm going to be playing again (mostly for Achievements). But also there will be a number of new twinks at level 20 (and possibly 19). Unfortunately there are a number of limitations that discourage twinking (profession caps, no trading or mail, etc) the main impediment for brackets under level 20 is the 10gold cap, the exact amount required to turn-off experience. I'm sure it can and will be done though

But, they should expand their free-to-play level-capped tiers beyond 20 to people who have actually bought the game:

Level 40 for Vanilla and Burning Crusade owners (since they combined the two anyway). Let them log in and play any character Level 40 and below. They would still have fast land mounts, BC enchants, and many armor sets from Scholomance to collect.

Level 60 for Wrath of the Lich King owners. There are still a few awesome level 60 raids and actual Tiers of armor sets. High incentive for BC owners to upgrade. And Death Knights for all!

Level 70 for Cataclysm owners who let their subscriptions lapse. This is the lowest level for Arena and to get to the bottom of talent trees. Tons of raids and armor sets at this level. Will whet the appetite of most WoW players and get them to pay for current end game content if they so choose.


The only difference between twinking and normal playing is that players choose the level cap instead of the developers.

No TV series should last longer than 2 prez terms

Television shows continuing past their prime is a sad thing to see, almost like watching a beloved family member slowly succumb to Alzheimers or some other degenerative neurological disease.

So, I have a new rule: no fictional TV series should see more than two presidential elections. That way, no show would last more than 8 years, and some would last as little as 5, depending on when they started. After I list some examples, you will definitely agree with me.

Simpsons: 1989-1996(ongoing). Last season starting with "Who shot Mr. Burns". Peak!
E.R.: 1994-2000(2009). Season 6 was the last for most of the original cast.
South Park: 1997-2004(Ongoing). End with "Woodland Critter Christmas". Peak?
M*A*S*H: 1972-1980(1983). Last season with Radar. Peak.
Frasier: 1993-2000(2004). Season 7 ends with Niels and Daphne running off together. Peak!
Happy Daze: 1974-1978(1984). Season 5 coined the term "Jumping the Shark". Peak.
Smallville: 2001-2008(ongoing). Season 7 ends in the Arctic. Peak?
Stargate SG-1: 1997-2004(2007). Season 7 ends with battle in the arctic. Peak!
Friends: 1994-2000(2004). Season 6 finale- Chandler and Monica get engaged. Peak.
X-Files: 1993-2000(2002). Had it ended here would've been the best US Sci-Fi. Post peak.


Look at the above list of overlong series and I dare you to disagree with me on the majority! Possible exceptions not included above MIGHT be Cheers and Spongebob, and maybe not even then.


Lurker

Nebula, granddaughter of Thanos

(Comic book lore discussion ahead, not for the faint of heart)

Alright, so Nebula (Space Pirate and would be galactic conqueror) was introduced decades back as the supposed granddaughter of the mad titan Thanos, lover of Death incarnate. This was immediately dismissed by Eros, Thanos' brother, as it was unthinkable that Thanos would create life since he was so obsessed with death.

Many years later, we learned that Nebula's father was (according to her) the Luphomoid villian Zorr that killed the predecessor of Nova and disappeared immediately after, presumed dead. Zorr also had a brother named Kraa that fought Nova, and should still be alive. And apparently a sister named Xira aka Spirit, according to http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/spiritdm.htm

Alright, so if we no that Nebula's father (and aunt and uncle) are all Luphomoids. Since Thanos is even less likely to have three kids than one, lets assume that Nebula is related to him thru her mother...

Who is the only character in the Marvel Universe that could possibly be described as the 'daughter' of Thanos?

Gamora.

Yes, that Gamora. Member of the Infinity Watch, sometime lover of Nova. Taken from the future and raised by Thanos to be the ultimate assassin way back in the 70's Adam Warlock series when Zorr was last seen alive. Assume a little accelerated aging due to alien physiology, and suddenly it all makes sense.

Nebula is the daughter of Gamora, adopted daughter of Thanos.

Mystery solved.


DH the Lurker

Last time around, we fundamentaly changed elections with new tactics:

Money Bombs
The Blimp
Viral Youtube videos
Our own convention
Birth of the Tea Party
Virtual Marches (in World of Warcraft)
and so on and so on.


We need to reproduce this zany and creative grassroots tactics if we want to overthrow the Neocons and save our country!

Ideas:
November 5th (Guy Fawkes day) V for Vendetta event
Sky writing
Formal alliance with Log cabin republicans. San Fransisco march?
Declaration of Independence II
Ron Paul democrats in primaries (challenge Obama?)
Infiltration of sporting events and tv show audiences
crop circles and mazes
coast to coast march
underground comic book
Bar-hopping mobile debate groups
Fleet of Ron Paul vehicals: cars, semi-trucks, airplanes, train cars
Tap into the Arab Spring revolutions
Ron Paul Submarine to sail from Texas to New Hampshire


See, those are just off the top of my head. We can make this election feel like an actual revolution if we put our minds to it.

Ron Paul is no ordinary politician, why should he have an ordinary campaign?

Courting OBAMA voters by hook or by crook

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?287761-Courting-OBAMA-voters-by-hook-or-by-crook

If we [I]honestly[/I] want Ron Paul to [I]win[/I] the Republican nomination, we need Independants... and Democrats.

This means we need to go after former (and current) Obama supporters, and convince them to vote for Ron Paul in the Republican primaries.

There are two methods to do this. The first is to convince them Ron Paul REALLY WILL bring the troops home from Iraq and Afganistan, legalize drugs, close Gitmo, restore civil liberties, and all the other things Obamaniacs hoped to change.

The second (and more controversial) method is recruit democrats to sabotage the Republicans by nominating the "worst" canditate that Obama could "easily" defeat. Want to assure a second term for Obama? Register as a Republican and vote for Paul! He has no chance at all!

These primaries hinge on such a small percentage of the population. We need every possible vote we can, and we have an extra half of the electorate up for grabs. This one-two-punch strategy can shift the balance further in our direction.

THE REVOLUTION CONTINUES!

Move US Capitol to Three Forks, Montana

Washington D.C. is a monument to governmental waste, fraud, and abuse. If we really want revolutionary change, we need to abandon the Washington culture altogether and start over in a new location. We've already moved the Capitol from Philidelphia, to New York City, to it's current location.

I propose we move the new capitol out west, close to Three Forks, Montana. It is named after the three rivers named the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatain that converge to form the headwaters of the Missouri (Mississippi) River. Already well named. Plus high in the mountains (already full of tunnels and secret bases) and far from the coasts, it is very defensible very hard for potential foreign armies to march upon. Unlike DC, which the Brits burned once already.

There are already three important freeways that converge on this area: I-90, I-15, and US Route 287. I-90 connects the northwest coast at Seattle to Spokane (Washington), Billings (Montana), Sioux Falls (South Dakota), Madison (Wisconsin), Chicago (Illinois), Cleveland (Ohio), Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany (New York), Worcester, Springfield, and finally Boston (Massachusetts). Already a very important trade corridor.

I-15 connects the southwest coast at San Diego to Riverside and Los Angeles (California), Los Vegas (Nevada), Provo and Salt Lake City (Utah), and eventually up north into Canada. This a newer corridor with lots of growth in recent years.

US Route 287 connects the the southeast coast at Port Arthur to Fort Worth, Dallas, and Amarillo (Texas), Denver (Colorado), and Yellowstone (Wyoming). It would require the most upgrading to serve as a national corridor.

The New US Capitol's proximity to the Yellowstone super volcano is quite intentional. Some terrible day in the next thousand years or so, the caldera is doomed to erupt once again, leveling everything within hundreds of miles. Our new capitol would share the same fate as Atlantis, instead of succumbing to corruption and decay, it would transform into a mythical ideal. Then we can create an even better capitol.


Lurker

Carving out New States from old ones

We haven't added any new states for more than sixty years. While most of our states are 4 million or less, a few are monsterous in size (California is 37 million!). Most of these bloated giants have vast expanses of lightly populated territories governed by distant urban centers with completely different populations and lifestyles. And subject to the tyranny of the majority. We need to prune some of these giants down to a more reasonable size, more easily governable and representable by Governers, Senators, and other statewide offices.


So, proposed new states:

Southern California (Capitol: Los Angeles)
22.4 million

Northern California (Capitol: Sacramento)
13 million

Jefferson (Capitol: Redding)
1.75 million
Counties north of Sacramento: Del norte, Siskiyou, Modoc, Humboldt, Trinity, Shasta, Lassen, Mendocino, Tehama, Glenn, Butte, Plumas, Lake, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Sierra, Nevada, Placer, and El Dorado.


Long island (Capitol: Brooklyn)
7.5 Million

New York (Capitol: Albany)
from 19.4 to 11.9 million


Everglades (Capitol: Miami)
7.9 million
Counties south of Tampa: Manatee, Highlands, Okeechobee, Saint Lucie, Martin, Sarasota, Desoto, Charlotte, Glades, Lee, Hendry, Palm Beach, Collier, Broward, Monroe, and Miami-Dade.

Florida
formerly 18.8 million, now 10.9


Chigago
8.2 million
Counties: Cook, Dupage, Lake, Will, Kane, Kendall, Grundy, and McHenry.

Illinois (Capitol: Springfield)
formerly 12.8, now 4.6 million


Philadelphia
3.85 million
Counties: Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Deleware, and Chester.

Pennsylvania (Capitol: Harrisburg)
formerly 12.7 million, now 8.9


Cleveland
3.2 million
Counties: Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning, Lake, Geauga, Portage, Cuyahoga, Summit, and Lorain.

Ohio (Capitol: Columbus)
formerly 11.5 million, now 8.3


There we go, this splits most of the states over 10 million in population, carving out 7 new states with distinct identities already present in one form or another.

Of course, the glaring omission is Texas, the second largest in population and area. Unfortunately, not only is there a rather strong identity in the state, but there are also over 200+ counties, making partitions frustratingly difficult.