I agree with you there, I would neither as a Ph. D. candidate submit a paper without references and with smileys in the text. Good classic research in my opinion, need to be standard form, and I do not think I would have made the try to not refer to previous research even if my team is a class of 8yo. He could have added the references into an addendum online or publish a separate paper completing and referring to this article, I think I would have done that.
But, this paper is exceptional nevertheless and the principal author made the choice to not include references and explained why. It is exceptional maybe not by the extent of the paper (scientific impact) but by initiating very young scientist to science with real science (except references
Having 8yo, I would have been very proud today to have participated in this, and make me think that scientific literacy can be achieved sooner than in college. What I remember when I was that age, I went to my teacher and asked him : when will we do paleontology, planetary science and dinosaurs studies: he told me : that is not this year, not the next year, not in high school, but not before college maybe. I can say that this was not one of the best answers I had in my life. If someone had a practical answer to my question at the time, I would not have loose so much time before starting university...
And one little thing I noticed on the paper itself when I read the full text (free in html or pdf through the web site) - they didn't cite any sources. Few publications would allow that these days, I would have expected that their corresponding (last) author would have added in some sources to establish the background at the least.
While I agree that the absence of source may be a problem in most cases of publishing a scientific paper, the corresponding author explain in the abstract why it would not be a good idea to publish this article with references. The research is still original, 8yo or not, and well at least they do not try to hide the fact that there is no references.
Actually, since these were paid for with real money and are basically "one month subscriptions" to the game they have as much value as any subscription to a service.
Possibly that the guy who loose it all is billionnaire ingame (he's a an alliance director and corporation CEO) and buy it with ingame money from other people selling PLEX on the market. No difference with any other items. and BTW a Titan class ship cost like 5 times that loss (80 B+ ISK) and these die too =)
"That's a very poor argument. You can swap out "church" for almost any other childhood activity. For example, soccer:"
A soccer coach has less scope for compelling sodomy than does a priest representing an imaginary celestial friend.
[...]
If we isolate variables, for all setbacks being equal for church and soccer (abuses, brainwashing, training), maybe soccer teach tactics, teamwork and make you healthy. I don't know what is the 'altar boy experience' is giving as an advantage in this context.
BTW, soccer coaches aren't paying hundreds of millions of dollars in pedophilia settlement money.
But adult soccer players may be payed millions of dollar! Not adult altar boy.
PS: I am no altar boy nor a soccer player...
Runescape, as far as MMO's go, is as secure as it can possibly be.
AP - Quebec - Another teen corpse missing fingers and eyes was found Saturday in the vicinity of Quebec's biggest internet cafe.
Hmm didn't knew Quebec was having internet...
The next person to mention spaghetti stacks to me is going to have his head knocked off. -- Bill Conrad