![[No, it's not a joke. There's actually a cool gamer politician out there.]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.wowinsider.com/media/2007/07/senator.jpg)
We've known for a while that there were stars playing World of Warcraft. After all, with 9 million people logging in, there's inevitably going to be the occasional star from somewhere in the world. But reports this week illustrated a player that perhaps many of us were a little surprised at. You see, the gentleman in the picture to the right is Senator Ray Tenorio of Guam. When he's not working towards a brighter future for Guam serving in the Mina Bente Ocho Na Liheslaturan Guahan (the 28th Guam Legislature) as Senator and Majority Leader, he can be seen slinging heals in Karazhan on his Level 70 Dwarf Priest, Paleray. This just further helps to illustrate the point that many researchers are claiming now -- that MMO players know how to excel in team environments and make excellent leaders. Aside from that, I have to admit that having a gamer (and a Priest, at that) running for elected official would get some brownie points from me. Raiding requires people who are willing to work hard with a group, and that's definitely what I want to see in any elected official. Although I have to wonder why the Pacific Daily News didn't use actual screen shots from Paleray as opposed to just snagging random WoW screen shots. I don't know about you, but I'd be curious to see what a Senator uses for a UI.
[via Pacific Daily News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-28-2007 @ 5:16PM
James said...
"This just further helps to illustrate the point that many researchers are claiming now -- that MMO players know how to excel in team environments and make excellent leaders."
Yes, because a sample size of 1 is easily enough to draw major conclusions about a sample size of 9 million.
I have a much larger sample size of nitwits, jerks, and general jackasses that I've encountered or seen on the trade channel across multiple realms. Its not exactly a bunch of Washingtons and Churhills running around out there.
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7-28-2007 @ 5:16PM
Hybrys said...
Holy sweet mother of god, he has hot, all pre-Kara, Shadow gear. 1050 to shadow pre Kara is NICE.
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7-28-2007 @ 5:18PM
Bans said...
Lets get to the real issue here senator! DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT BUY GOLD!
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7-28-2007 @ 5:35PM
RogueJedi86 said...
Isn't this the first time a "famous person" who plays WoW has been identified to a specific race/class, much less an individual character?
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7-28-2007 @ 5:35PM
makjang said...
man, he even has better gear than me!!
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7-28-2007 @ 5:50PM
Barnabas said...
["This just further helps to illustrate the point that many researchers are claiming now -- that MMO players know how to excel in team environments and make excellent leaders."]
So you are suggesting that in the near future that you can put WoW on a job application? I mean, I understand that there are guilds out there that basically make you app like you are for a j-o-b but on a real one? lol
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7-28-2007 @ 6:18PM
MacAllah said...
Slingin' healz? He has all Shadow gear TYVM. I saw this story yesterday and he was specced 8/0/53. It appears as if since then he has switched to Holy, but kept the same gear on...
Well, all I gotta say is that as a fellow Dwarf Shadow Priest it is nice to see someone in power know what he is doing (...by using Warlock gear and smashing +9 spell damage gems into everything).
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7-28-2007 @ 9:19PM
G said...
You have your leaders, then you have your failures who whisper "can i join ur asome gild plz?!" And then probably a few in between.
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7-28-2007 @ 10:14PM
CVJ said...
The last part of this story was so stupid I lol'd in real life.
After being in a couple of raiding guilds I have noticed that people play together well if things go right if they go wrong the kids go emo on Vent or TS instead of calmly discussing what went wrong, true leaders will try and discuss and find ways to improve.
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7-28-2007 @ 10:18PM
Omacron said...
Jhonen Vasquez (creator of Invader Zim, JHTM and Squee) has put out enough clues to his info to find him, I rolled an alt on his server and chatted with him for a few hours, he's a cool guy.
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7-28-2007 @ 11:01PM
Rich said...
Does he actually work or does he raid all the time? LOL
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7-28-2007 @ 11:08PM
B said...
For any NASCAR fans out there, I know a very popular crew chief in the Nextel Cup Series that plays a hunter on Dragonmaw. He would rather remain anonymous though.
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7-28-2007 @ 11:09PM
andrew Byatt said...
Guam?! And I thought America didn't have an empire :O
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7-29-2007 @ 2:04AM
tricksta said...
I'm in Paleray's guild, and I can say that he's a great guy. As the priest class lead, he's put in the hours to help his guildies, and he didn't get that awesome gear sitting around doing nothing. And he never talks about politics in guild chat! Salute to Ray! - Glynnoch
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7-29-2007 @ 2:13AM
Shadowisp said...
I want to hear reports of WoW/Leet Speak suddenly appearing in the senate.
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7-29-2007 @ 2:46AM
wobbles said...
"Aside from that, I have to admit that having a gamer (and a Priest, at that) running for elected official would get some brownie points from me. Raiding requires people who are willing to work hard with a group, and that's definitely what I want to see in any elected official."
Are you fucking serious? Rofl. I hope this is a joke.
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7-29-2007 @ 4:31AM
Shadowisp said...
Press: "Senator Tenorio what is your opinion on the claims from the opposition..."
Senator: "Alliance Rulz, Horde suxxor... have to run late for Kara"
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7-29-2007 @ 4:37AM
Malokye said...
@11 couldnt agree with you more. Senators are suppose to be busy, look at this guys reputation with factions on the armory, hes exalted with more ppl then I. Not to mention all the farming that needed to be done for some of his gear...unless he did buy gold =P
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7-29-2007 @ 5:07AM
honkhonk said...
If my senator had that gear and those faction reputations I'd question if he's got the right priorities.
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7-29-2007 @ 6:52AM
Kyr said...
Seems like famous people playing Wow are damned if they do and damned if they don't. The the posts above, grow up and stop being jealous over a few pixels, sheesh. Just because he makes more money in a month than you do in a year AND finds the time on top of that to have fun in his favorite game doesn't make him a better or worse person than you.
It does showcase your pettiness, though.
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