One Good Reason to Get Out of Bed  

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The Leading Hotels of the World understands the finer points of hospitality and luxury. Indulge yourself in a lifestyle of luxury at one of our 5 star hotels and the unparalleled comfort they offer. The Leading Hotels of the World's featured hotels cater to the discriminating few, where first class service is a norm rather than an exception. The Leading Hotels of the World features small luxury hotels, resort hotels as well as world-renowned stately hotels offering all the possibilities for family getaways, romantic escapades and business meetings. Whether you need accommodation for business or pleasure, The Leading Hotels of the World will have the perfect solution for you. Online hotel reservations have never been easier.





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No Dull Moments with Online Games  

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In a galaxy not too far away, online gamers may soon scour the job boards for paying posts as Galactic Empire insurgents or anti-Vader moisture farmers. Massive multiplayer online role-playing games boast subscriber populations that rival those of many North American cities. As a result, game developers are moving beyond simply creating ultrarealistic 3-D worlds. They're also modeling less tangible Earth phenomena such as governance and commerce -- prompting a rise of real economies in imaginary societies. "Traditionally that kind of kill-the-rat, get-your-five-gold-pieces model hasn't changed with most (multiplayer online games)," said LucasArts producer Haden Blackman, referring to the revenue strategy pioneered by the early text-based multi-user domains on which modern MMORPGs are based. "One of the things we wanted to do is have a more viable player-run economy from the very outset." Blackman heads up the LucasArts branch of the team that's working with Sony Online Entertainment to produce the first Star Wars-based MMORPG, Star Wars Galaxies, set to hit shelves in late January.


The elaborate handle for these online role-playing games is shortened in various ways throughout the online gaming industry: MMOP, MMO and MMPOG, in addition to the Star Wars Galaxies-styled, MMORPG.

Typically, MMORPG gamers move through elaborate environments as digital action figures called avatars. Successful adventures yield monetary rewards that can be used to purchase equipment and clothing.

The major problem with older MMORPG economies has been their artificiality. The ability to sell to market-oblivious machines and the presence of infinitely durable goods, for example, have led to a variety of economic problems, which Blackman said his team is working hard to minimize.

"We identified some problems with the previous MMORPGs -- things like the older a (gaming) server is, the more money is available, meaning less value for 'über-items,'" Blackman said, referring to the devaluation of currency that occurs when an economy lacks monetary drains. "We wanted to avoid that syndrome if we could, and so a very simple addition like 'item decay' in our game will hopefully help."

And as similar games move closer to economic reality, the line between "real" and "fake" economy begins to disappear.

"From an economist's standpoint what's happening in these games is real," said Edward Castronova, an associate professor of economics at California State University at Fullerton. "You've got a distinct territory with specialization of labor, gains from trade, a floating exchange rate -- real economies are happening."
As a doctorate student in economics, Castronova had a strictly recreational interest in gaming -- until he encountered Sony Online's EverQuest, the most massively popular MMORPG in history.

"I started playing EverQuest in early 2001, and was playing for about four days when I saw the reality of the economy in it," he said.

A year later, Castronova had penned the first-ever study of a game society's economic system. His paper examines the EverQuest world of Norrath, where "the exchange rate between Norrath's currency and the U.S. dollar is determined in a highly liquid (if illegal) currency market, and its value exceeds that of the Japanese yen and the Italian lira.... Norrath's GNP per capita easily exceeds that of dozens of countries, including India and China."

Star Wars Galaxies directly addresses many of the economic problems Castronova identified in the Norrathian economy -- namely the reduction of computer-controlled merchants and the elimination of infinitely durable goods. Both of these measures should eliminate the deflation experienced in Norrath.

Castronova believes games will eventually move from the creation of "real" economies to the formation of "real" governments.

"What you have now is a customer service state -- history has shown that this is not a viable way to run a people," he said. "I'm sure that we'll see a move toward consensus-based decision making. You are going to see player parliaments, or people are going to go to Earth courts and sue."
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Beautiful Spots in the Philippines  

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Explore the Philippines. Take a peek at Filipinos' history and culture mirrored by century-old churches, ancient forts and modern museums. See the best of nature in our white-sand beaches and three-layered virgin forests.Discover the Philippine islands. Blessed with an extensive coastline, the Philippines is ringed with unspoiled beaches and first-class resort facilities. Its deep-blue, crystal-clear waters offer about 40,000 square kilometers of coral reefs teeming with a wide variety of marine life. Endowed with a temperate climate, the Philippines offers a perfect treat to enjoy the sunlight.

Boracay

Lying in southeast Asia and surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Philippines boasts of unsullied beaches, spectacular sunsets, luxuriant pastoral lands, cool mountain weather, brilliant man-made resorts and dazzling islands.The Philippines boasts some of the best beaches and scuba diving waters in the world, supported by golf and an increasingly-impressive inter-island tour and transport system.Witness the vast expanse of nature's splendor under the spell of cool mountain breeze. A perfect setting for romance or nature tripping, the country's mountain villages serve as a perfect hideaway from the lowlands' summer heat.If you have yet to see the Philippines, then embark now to what promises to be a trip to paradise! Feel the breeze of summer at white-sand beaches deemed as among the world's finest; be fascinated at the spectacular view of Baguio and Tagaytay; and take a dip in the refreshing waters of modern resort facilities.

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KTM reveals completed X-Bow prototype  

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Austrian motorcycle builder KTM today released photos of a full-scale prototype of its new X-Bow (crossbow) roadster. The 1500-pound car has a four-cylinder Audi engine offering 220 horsepower in the base model, and a potential 300 horsepower in a more expensive variant. A choice of either a six-speed manual or DSG gearbox will be given. KTM says the base X-Bow will hit 62 mph in 3.9 seconds.





The X-Bow has no windshield, and instead will come with specially designed helmets, intended to offer shelter from the elements rather than full crash protection.


After its debut in Geneva, 100 units will be manufactured in-house by Italian racing car specialists Dallara and sold by KTM. The price for the basic version will be around 40,000 euros.

If all goes well, KTM plans further small series productions of the car. This production will take place in Austria and begin in 2008. KTM is working on the basis of a projected 500 units per year. The decision concerning production will be made at the end of April 2007.


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Cadillac CTS Sedan  

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A coupe design study of the Cadillac CTS sedan was a surprise attendee at the Detroit auto show.


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2007 Lotus Exige S  

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The latest addition to its family of lightweight sports cars, the 2007 Lotus Exige S weighs just 2057 lbs, and is powered by a 218 horsepower high-revving supercharged engine. This gives it a 0 - 60 mph time of 4.1 seconds.

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Citroen C-Metisse Diesel Hybrid Sports Car: Fast and Furiously Responsible  

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Our hybrid fetish lives on, especially for the Citroen C-Metisse Diesel Hybrid Sports Car that'll be rolled out at this year's International Motor Show in Paris. This four-door rocket is powered by a 205hp diesel V-6 engine and two electric motors, one on each rear wheel. That combo delivers pretty good numbers, too: 0-to-62 mph in 6.2 seconds at a top speed of 155mph, all the while sipping the fuel at just 42 miles per gallon.



While we probably won't be seeing a car like this on these shores or anywhere else anytime soon—yeah, it's a concept car—these design exercises will likely bear fruit somewhere, somehow. Plus, we're really digging those four gull-wing doors, inviting a quartet of lucky riders to jump in and hit the triple miles-per-hour digits. Someday. But for today, check out more pics after the jump. – Charlie White



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