Conspiracy theory...

As Cymre put it, "living under a rock," I will say, yes, yes I was, and it was a lovely rock, with cool moss, and some grubs and worms, and all was happy. But someone stuck a big shovel under my rock and upturned the whole patch of dirt that I called home. The upheaval was epic. I spent the evening talking a few friends down from the ledge over lost spells, and including myself over totem changes - I'm not unhappy, it's just different, and is going to take some getting used to. But this isn't about grubs or soil - no, there is something far more sinister afoot in Azeroth!


But--did anyone else notice this? No one else seemed to--everyone, NPCS and players alike went about their business of changing key bindings and whatnot, but Luperci noticed it, and tried to alarm her fellow citizens (being the paladin that she is): The rats of Stormwind banded together and purchased shapeshifting spells and disguised themselves as CATS!

OH, the humanity! Oh, the felinity! Oh, the murinity! (No, that's not a word, and neither is 'felinity' Creative license priviliges, yo.) What the hell is going on here?!? 

With apologies to Navi, I had to kill it to uncover its disguise....

I have a sneaking suspicion somehow Mrs. Whitworth is involved in this, and Señor, I think Cat, is too.

They have also had a hand, er, paw in the missing #47 entrant photo - it was judged along with the other contestants, but the files have been misplaced...or so they claim.

RTMT: Just like in real life.

Today's Random Tuesday Morning Thought is brought to you by Real Life Industries, because when you play hard, you should work hard!

Last week, PRI's The World had a brilliant series on class, caste, and social structures.  (This is one link to  a chat on PRI - you'll have to find the series yourself. Sorry.)

This morning, Cynwise offers us his view on class and achievements. 

Brilliant.

It made me think of the (tired) adage, the "American Dream" phenomenon, (as in how it doesn't exist, or paradoxically exists in nearly every culture), and how with the economies of the real world folding, shuffling, and polarizing each us of further apart. The RNGs must have a field day with this, playing gods to our little pixels, deciding whose fate or paths are pre-determined on our way to end-game nirvana. 

I could write a bit more, but at this point, I think I'll let you dear readers do your own pondering and musings, at your own leisure. 

But, before I go, wait. Are you sitting down? Last night I got a very sweet in-game leader letter from the raid letter leader of that misbegotten PUG. True story. I wrote back, also apologizing for my mistakes, and hoped we could try again sometime. 

That took real class.

Thank goodness.

I don't have to do Children's Week again. Ever.

Danger: Exploding Minds

Have you had your mind blown recently? No? Well, please read:

http://cynwise.posterous.com/on-snow-crash-virtual-avatars-and-warcrafts-s

Postscript: Nod to Guarf for telling me to read Stephenson long ago -still on my bookshelf, Guarf. Been hanging out with you in Azeroth too much.