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Gun, Red Dead Revolver, and the Wild Arms games. These are the only half-decent Wild West themed games that have come out in the past decade. I give Wild Arms credit for having such a long running RPG series, I even enjoy my copy of Wild Arms 3, but when I think of the Wild West, I don't picture cell-shaded anime characters shooting goblins in the face with snipers and shotguns. I like the Wild Arms series, don't get me wrong, it just isn't the type genre of the Wild West that I'd like to see more of.

The 1800's in America were a time of exploration and adventure, where everyday people weathered the elements, the treacherous landscape, and the wild animals to catch a glimpse of the Pacific Ocean or make their fortune in gold. Nowadays, sand box games are all the rage and so an open ended Wild West game seems doable; just picture Nikko from GTA4 on a horse instead of a car and using a six shooter instead of a rocket launcher.

It surprises me a little that we aren't flooded with every Western-style game imaginable like we were with Western movies. Ask anyone if they've ever heard of John Wayne or Clint Eastwood and after they ask what you're doing in their house, they'll probably say yes. The simple answer is that we don't see more wild west games is because Japan has the most say in what types of games are to be developed and since their history is much different than ours, we see more samurais and ninjas than we do cowboys.

Don't get me wrong, I like exploring fictional video game lands like Filgaia and whatever the name of the world is from the Final Fantasy games, but it would be a breath of fresh air and much more interesting to have landscapes in games modeled to look like realistic locations. Nothing would be more exciting than to explore the pre-settled territories of the American West and ride off into the sunset like we see so many heroes do in movies; or recognize a landmark in a game that you've actually seen in real life.

Thanks to advancements in open sourced technology, gamers are given the driver's seat when it comes to what they want in video game. Maybe in the future we'll see more games that seek to satisfy the restless American spirit that we all seem to have because, I don't know about you, but Oregon Trail just doesn't seem to cut it.

My name is Brendan and I am a senior at the University at North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I enjoy writing articles to improve my writing, pad my resume, and give my advice and feedback on different topics. Check out my website to find more of my stuff at http://brendanigan.com

AP - Blacks are already surging to the polls in parts of the South, according to initial figures from states that encourage early voting - a striking though still preliminary sign of how strongly they will turn out nationwide for Barack Obama in his campaign to become the first African-American president.

One of the easiest ways to make gold in WoW is through the Auction House. When I started out playing this game more than 3 years ago, I was insanely poor just like most low level players. I couldn't afford anything I wanted; I never even used a potion until after level 40.

After more than three years of experience, I learned many gold tips, and I am here to share with you one method that will help you get started.

I still remember vividly my first time entering Stormwind City on my level 10 human rogue. I remember entering the Auction House for the first time, drooling over a 90g dagger when I had 14 silvers in my pocket. I was one poor rogue, but I was thinking big things, the simple idea of buying low and selling high arose in my head.

This idea sounded good on paper, but how do I know which items to buy at which prices? I didn't know. I was never sure if gold could be made from the items that I bought.

I made a level 1 character; I ran her to the nearest Major city and just sat her in the Auction House. I would log on to this alt 2-3 times a day to buy/sell in the Auction House.

As time went by, I became more accustomed to the Auction House. Profits began to pour in at a faster rate. I managed to turn a measly 60 silver into 150 gold by the time my main character hit level 40.

Most of my purchases from the Auction House were not weapons or armors. I avoided them because they usually have large deposit fees, so if they don't sell, the deposit fee is lost.

Enchanting shards and cloths were some of the most thought after items, so that's what I focused on. The best thing about bidding on enchanting mats is that there is no deposit fee.

Later, I found out about addons like Auctioneer which actually sorts out the items that are potentially profitable. Aside from the occasional UI glitch, this addon was a total lifesaver.

Costly mistakes were made during those times, I remember purchasing items that became obsolete right before the Burning Crusade, I lost some gold there but at the end of the day, the gold that I made far outweighs any loses.

You live and learn from your mistakes right?

About The Author: Jim Wapp is a WoW enthusiast; he is constantly looking for new and more efficient ways to do things in-game. He is also an active raider and generous contributor to his guild. He is the founder of WoWDotCom and he has reviewed some of the most popular WoW Gold Guides available on the market. Receive FREE WoW Tips and Strategies by joining WoWDotCom's famous mailing list.

Politico - In the past week, Cindy McCain released two pages of her 2007 tax return, and Joe Biden let reporters review — but not copy — 49 pages of his medical records.