links for 2008-12-03

"The reason we single-player fans love world-games like Fable II is precisely because there are no other "real" people around. Because really, who needs people? People suck. I'm joking, of course — but only a bit. The truth is that, in online multiplayer worlds, dealing with the delightfully unpredictable behavior of "real" people can be an absolute chore. Teammates fail to show up for a raid, or they leave everyone waiting for an hour, or they log out in the middle of battle and leave you gored by a howling mob. Some of my favorite moments were between battles, when I'd roam through a desolate stretch of forest at night, looking at the shadows and ancient ruins. Hell, I just enjoyed the peace and quiet! I don't get enough of that in my real life. That's why people loved Myst so much back in the day: The game was completely deserted — not a single other person alive — so you were literally alone for hours with nothing but your meditative thoughts." – via Adam Crowe

"People lie for three reasons; the first is to protect themselves, sometimes it works. It’s a gamble, but when it works, wow. Which gives us the third reason people lie: we want to be seen as better than we see ourselves. The secret truth is everyone has moments of weakness: times when fear and greed melt our brains and we’re tempted to say the lies we wish were true.
The first rule of BS is to expect it: swallow some cynicism, and add some internal doubt to everything you hear. Who cares how confident they are: the question is how confident are you in them?"

"You're probably better off staying plugged in, because energy is lost in the process of charging the battery, storing the electricity, and then powering the computer from the battery."

"Possibly the single most important lesson in this brave new world, where a treacherous credit line is often but a signature away, is responsibility. My son will understand that things should be bought only when needed, and that we should pay for them only with money we have."

"Looking back to the last really nasty recession—the early 1980s—isn't much help for low-cost airlines, cell-phone companies, Internet retailers, producers of organic and fair-trade food, and many other businesses barely imagined at the dawn of the Reagan era. The economy has simply changed too much since then for experience to be a reliable guide. In the United Kingdom, we are blessed with tabloid newspapers to explain what's going on. Apparently, sales of aphrodisiacs are up, and so are sales of maternity dresses." – Sit at home, get back to your ex, rediscover meaningful relationships and actually marry for love and have babies. Win!