What kind of mind does it take to devote hours, days, weeks, even months to the development of a virtual character in one of the very du jour MMORPG's? Some may be tempted to wonder what sort of warped social drive exists within the MMO addict.

Anyone. Anyone at all. The social engineering behind it all can be quite easily explained in terms of Behavioral Psychology. The addiction is built up over a short period of time that begins with easy conquests and rapid rewards. Operant Conditioning and shaped responses help guide those who are inclined to extend their addiction into pastimes like farming or crafting. Regardless of the system (Everquest, Final Fantasy and Lineage II being some of the more popular), the same social patterns emerge and form.

Take an extended look at the psychology of MMORPG addiction in The Norathian Scrolls: A Study of EverQuest

A recent analysis of St.Ego's handwriting was conducted to further explore the mind behind the agenda. Potentially exploitable (ie: negative) traits and characteristics have been removed.

To conduct a Dossier quality analysis of your target, obtain a sample of their handwriting (ie: cursive script) and use Handwriting Wizard to process the style and nuances for a detailed psychological report. When you are done, don't forget to record the information in your Dossier profile for the target.

Happy gaslighting!

Social engineering is about pushing the limits of sanction within society. In keeping with that, we present the Social Engineers guide to pushing the limits while driving. These are a series of exploits that are available to everyone who spends time on the road. The only way you have to control the driving of other motorists is through the use of subtle (or not) patterns on the road. It can be done; you can take more control on the road. You are not restricted to just being a safe driver.

• Approach slower vehicles at speed. Do not deccelerate over distance. A driver in front of you is going to notice a rapid approach faster because it represents a potential complication to his or her own driving. If you wait before you tailgate, it will only indicate to the other driver that you are being a nuisance.
  
• Most places charge for speeding tickets a flat amount for the first 10 miles over the limit. If you drive 8-9 miles over the limit (4-5 off the highway), consistently, you virtually eliminate your chances of being pulled over for it. Push the limit.
  
• A slow moving vehicle in the fast lane is not likely to increase speed unless other vehicles are passing it. You don't have to try to pass them up, you just have to change lanes and speed up a little. This is ideal when they are only going a small amount below the limit and passing them would require going faster than 10 miles over the limit.
  
• If you have a manual transmission, do not rely on your brakes to deccelerate when you see a police car; downshift and let your gearbox do the work for you without giving a way a bright flashing tell-tale that at least you think you were doing something wrong. Avoid signalling your attention.
  
• If you are caught speeding, by a stationary police car, and you are NOT on the highway, start making turns. If you do so in a controlled fashion (read: do not maintain or increase speed, slow down) they police will tend to think you intended to go where you went instead of thinking you are trying to run. Either way, they can't stop you if they can't find you. Take at least 2 turns, don't linger to see if they followed.
  
• If you are being tailgated, first evaluate your driving. If you in the fast lane going at or below the speed limit, move. No, move. You don't belong there. Most highways post signs indicating the left lane for passing only. If you are already going over the speed limit (8-9 miles or so) and the right lane is open, the vehicle behind you is fair game. If you are bold and in need of money, you can throw on your brakes. Otherwise, you can simply begin slowing down until the other driver gets irritated enough to pass you. If there is traffic, move over anyway and let the other driver be someone else's problem.
  

The music industry, RIAA et al, as well as any application development or game company, has been the target of having it's copyrighted materials downloaded using various P2P sharing services. Through it all, the battles have been consistently pushed to the courtroom, and there brought legal heavyweights from afar to achieve a marginal, almost unknown, victory.

Every time another Metallica sees it's brainchild being disseminated online, the knee-jerk reaction has been the cliche American warcry of I'll sue!

The real battle has then successively been lost online, with new P2P sharing services becoming available daily. The battle can no longer be won or lost in the legal institutions that rest within national boundaries. The online world simply doesn't care.

And so the lawyers and judges and politicians trudge home, quite convinced (and reasonably so) that the system no longer works.

What used to be "he'll be back on the street in 24 hours..." is now "he'll just license rights legally and charge for it next week..."

The solution that no one has looked at (publicly) has been bubbling up through the subculture for decades: Disinformation

Every day as millions of Americans (who are traditionally more susceptible than most) sit down in front of the TV and envision what they have been taught to accept as how life works. Sitcoms, especially the most popular ones such as Seinfeld and Friends, are generally taken to be a semi-accurate depiction of the hoi pollio. These shows abound with examples of groups of people who's lives revolve around how they deal with each others neurosis'. Viewers are taught, indirectly, that the presented interplay of personality is how we develop coping mechanisms. If someone's actions seem only to make sense to themselves, we accept it unquestioningly because they typically do the same for us. It may not make sense, it seldom does, but it doesn't have to. This is how we all are and that is how we must cope in order to continue functioning as a society. The pattern has been as nearly carved in stone as the establishment can make it. And most of us never stop to question the process...