Sex, mob hits: 'Sims' tests virtual morals (Livin' in a virtual world)

CNN ^ | 7.5.03

[mhking]

NEW YORK (AP) -- Jeremy Chase admits to shaking down his enemies. His Web site advertises extortion, hits and prostitution for a hefty fee.

Chase is a mob leader -- but only in the virtual world. He is one of hundreds of players who found the path of lawlessness and deviance too irresistible when "The Sims Online" challenged them to "Be Somebody ... else."

[mhking]

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[Lazamataz]

The utter emptiness of this whole lifestyle is stunning.

People playing cyber-lives and having cyber-families, when real people are out there, lonely.

So sad.

[JakeWyld]

I for one have a lot of fun playing online games. In fact, I play the mother of them all Everquest.

Second point I feel compelled to make...your tagline is just awesome!!!

[Lazamataz]

Second point I feel compelled to make...your tagline is just awesome!!!

What is my tag line? I've never read it....

[JakeWyld]

The "proudly posting without reading the article since 1999...".

[Lazamataz]

You missed the jokey wokey.

[Xenalyte]

You, sir, are a HOOT.

[Doctor Stochastic]

He has a tagline?

[Houmatt]

Already posted here.

[Russian Sage]

"You start having to question who your real friends are, who you can trust, who you can't trust," Jennifer Mathieson said.

How do these people make it in the real world?

[Lazamataz]

You, sir, are a HOOT.

And this hoot is looking for A NANNY.

Together we could be a real party.

[Xenalyte]

Unless this broad shows up.

[Prodigal Son]

, I play the mother of them all Everquest

Is that any fun? I've heard a few people mention it but know nothing about it.

[JakeWyld]

It is very fun. However, it requires a lot of work to enjoy most of it...which is why I'm good at getting a character up to about level 10 and then I usually end up starting another :)

[JakeWyld]

must have.

[JakeWyld]

Anyways, I was not sure that I was using the right technical term...I wasn't too sure that was called a tagline I only guessed so when you made that comment I thought I had it wrong.

I didn't realize at the time you were trying to be humorous.

[Richard Kimball]

So, how long before some lawyer files the first lawsuit over being treated badly in the Sims?

[Richard Kimball]

Are you back yet?

[JoeSchem]

The utter emptiness of this whole lifestyle is stunning.

I'm not sure I can go along with that. At least they're interacting with real people.

Now, bookworms, they're lonely and they're not interacting with anybody. Now, drug addicts, they're lonely and they're not interacting with anybody -- except to rob or kill them. So, I see nothing new or especially bad about this new technology.