"Look at the popularity of the Sims..." ok :) (rubs hands a cackles evilly) With an estimated user base of 4 million people, it appeals to less than one tenth of 1% of the population of the United States. (sorry, Veritas - spent too long in school) "... it is expected that "news" operations will dispatch these systems like a flock of birds to breaking news locations." ...in about ten years when the technology has matured and production costs reach a feasible level. "...why pay people when you can use 3D snakes, alligators, and have M3-V3 eating "live" tarantula's and being bitten by cobras and die horrible deaths-..." Because the actual lure is the knoweldge on the part of the viewers that there is a "percieved" risk involved. Remove that risk and you lose the attraction of (voyeurism). "...This uses entertainment industry logic- the more horrible and stupid, the "better" it is..." Oversimplification for the purpose of being cute.

thou and I, my friend, can, in the most flunkey world, make, each of us, one non-flunkey, one hero, if we like: that will be two heroes to begin with. (Carlyle)