They are programmed into the virtual model as well, creating a detailed virtual city which anyone can navigate with the click of a computer mouse.

CNN: Virtual L.A.: A traffic-less trip

Building a Starbucks franchise in a FarmVille virtual city for firms like Zynga and Facebook is just an inkling.

FORBES: Consumers: Market with Them, Not to Them

Near Global is launching in 2009 with the promise to offer the most accurate 3D version of a city ever produced as a virtual world.

BBC: Virtual worlds with real purposes

Unlike all other versions of SimCity, the latest requires gamers to remain online while they play, as each city they construct sits on a chunk of virtual territory shared with other players.

BBC: EA apologises over 'dumb' SimCity launch

Is City in a similar situation with Sir Alex sticking metaphorical pins in virtual voodoo dolls?

WSJ: English Premier League: Sir Alex Ferguson's Mind Games

His researchers are working on virtual stores for a retail firm and a three-dimensional computer version of the city of Coventry for use by architects and planners in local government.

ECONOMIST: What video-game technology can do in the real world

The city of Boston says it is planning to set up support groups for families in Boston and a virtual support group for families around the nation.

WSJ: In Boston, Families Grapple With Long Road Ahead

There is also a wealth of informational "mash-ups" of maps with other data, such as Virtual Tourism, Google City Tours and safe2pee.org, so you can look at destinations ahead of time, figure out a city tour based on the sites you want to see, even locate the public restrooms.

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That puts Gadhafi in "a bizarre situation, " Kaufman says: He is "under virtual house arrest and not free to gallivant around the city" that he wants to leave for his safety.

CNN: Gadhafi's son seeks travel ban waiver, lawyer says