Selling computer games to minor will get you lifeDaft laws of the dayBy Nick Farrell: Monday 04 June 2007, 06:53NEW YORK has decided that people who flog adult ranked computer games to minors should be sent to jail for life.While you do not get jail for life for selling crack to kids, or beating one up, by a strange quirk of the US Justice system, selling a game to a kid could get you locked up until you drop.Lawmakers have decided that selling such games is now a serious crime, what over the pond they call a felony. Since New York has a three strikes rule, which was upheld in 2005, it means that if you commit three felonies, however important or not they are, you go to jail for life.
Not sure what to make of this yet.... strange though, the Xbox did have some issues with heating and the PSU, however it doesn't get nearly as hot as the PS3... yet...QuoteXbox 360 killed our kidParents sue MicrosoftBy Nick Farrell: Tuesday 29 May 2007, 16:20Click here to find out more!THE FAMILY of an Illinois kid who died in a house fire has sued Microsoft claiming that its faulty "Xbox 360" was responsible.According to the India Times, the family believes that the wiring that connected the Xbox 360 to an electrical outlet became so hot that it started a "catastrophic" fire. Kline was killed in the fire.The lawsuit claims that the fire was a "direct and proximate result of the overheating of the game's power supply and wiring". The case will put Vole, Wal-Mart and unnamed power-supply maker have been named in the suit.The fire occurred in December 2004 when the Xbox 360 didn't officially launch until May 2005, so the lawyers for the family might have got that wrong when designing the suit.If it was a first generation Xbox then there is a bit of history involved with power cords. In February 2005, Microsoft had announced a recall of more than 14 million Xbox power cords, citing fire concerns.Wade Kline's family is seeking 'unspecified damages' in excess of $50,000.Not only is this kinda weird (I suppose the date is wrong) but what about the fact that they are only after $50,000 if my child died as a result of an electrical fire caused by a faulty electronic i'd be looking for ALOT MORE... you can't put a price on life but getting damages in the 6-7 digit would be the minimum ppl would look for, not to mention some kind of assurance that quality assurance on further devices leaving the manu lines are indeed high enough!
Xbox 360 killed our kidParents sue MicrosoftBy Nick Farrell: Tuesday 29 May 2007, 16:20Click here to find out more!THE FAMILY of an Illinois kid who died in a house fire has sued Microsoft claiming that its faulty "Xbox 360" was responsible.According to the India Times, the family believes that the wiring that connected the Xbox 360 to an electrical outlet became so hot that it started a "catastrophic" fire. Kline was killed in the fire.The lawsuit claims that the fire was a "direct and proximate result of the overheating of the game's power supply and wiring". The case will put Vole, Wal-Mart and unnamed power-supply maker have been named in the suit.The fire occurred in December 2004 when the Xbox 360 didn't officially launch until May 2005, so the lawyers for the family might have got that wrong when designing the suit.If it was a first generation Xbox then there is a bit of history involved with power cords. In February 2005, Microsoft had announced a recall of more than 14 million Xbox power cords, citing fire concerns.Wade Kline's family is seeking 'unspecified damages' in excess of $50,000.
Publisher pulls Law and Order game from UK shelves Pic of murdered British toddler to blameBy Nick Farrell: Thursday 21 June 2007, 09:06 A VIDEO GAME based on the US telly show Law and Order was yanked from UK shelves after it used the last known picture of Jamie Bulger. Two year old Bulger was tortured and murdered by two ten-year-olds after being taken from a shopping centre in 1993. The sad sight of Bulger standing in a shopping centre at the time of his abduction apparently appeared in the game. According to BBC radio, a picture featured in Law and Order: Double or Nothing is certainly similar to famous security camera footage of two-year-old James Bulger being led away. A spokesman for Bulger's mother said the image should not be treated as if it were public property as it "dehumanises James and it seems like his death enters into some kind of myth or legend." The game's British distributor, Global Software Publishing said it was aware of an image "that may cause offence" and has withdrawn the game from sale in the UK. It has been in circulation for over four years already, a spokesman said. Legacy Interactive's game follows the format of the "law and Order" television series, and allows gamers to play as the first half as a criminal investigator and the second half as a prosecutor. µ
Rockstar claims Manhunt 2 is art UK uncivilised and have wonky teethBy Nick Farrell: Thursday 21 June 2007, 14:38 VIDEO GAME maker Rockstar has hit back at the British and Irish censors who banned its Manhunt 2 video game. The censors decided yesterday that Manhunt 2, which tells the heart rending tale of an insane asylum escapee who kills enemies in gruesome ways, had no redeeming features and banned it. While we are not big fans of censorship, it is not as if we are talking about bunch of retired army majors and nuns inflicting their will. This is the first time in 10 years that a computer game has managed to get itself banned in the UK and the first time in Ireland. Yet Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick claimed that Manhunt 2 was "fine piece of art" bought a formerly unheard of cinematic quality to interactive entertainment. He said that parents and consumers should be able to make their own choices once they are informed about a product. Unfortunately in the UK there is not a censorship category of "shite, nasty don't buy it" so the censors had to ban it. Not only did Zelnick stand behind the game he said that the "Rockstar team has come up with a game that fits squarely within the horror genre and was intended to do so". The game has received an adult's only rating in the US where violence is good but sex is bad. If the escapee dropped his pants it would have been banned we guess. Although to be fair, the "adults only" in the US is the kiss of death to a commercial game as many wholesome retailers will refuse to stock them on the grounds that the covers upset people when they go and buy their guns and ammunition. µ
WoW player loses $10,000 on rogue elfGaining 15 minutes of fame is bad for your elfBy Nick Farrell: Thursday 20 September 2007, 10:45A BLOKE WHO spent $10,000 buying a used World of Warcraft character seems to have lost the lot.The bloke, "Shaks" bought the Level 70 Night Elf Rogue character, one careful owner, no rust, complete with the Twin Blades of Azzinoth and four out of five pieces of the Tier 6 armour set.The careful owner was "Zeuzo" from the Method guild on the Sylvanas server and the elf seems to have become the property of Shaks from the Kazzak server.The move earned Shaks 15 minutes of fame in the gaming community who all wished they had that sort of cash.However Blizzard is apparently incandescent with rage over the sale which it says breaks a lot of its rules.According to Portalit, the character has been banned since September 3.Shaks is apparently thinking of suing Blizzard and Zeuzo. µ
Computers become more important than partnersThey betray you but you come back for moreBy Nick Farrell: Wednesday, 10 October 2007, 8:30 AM A SURVEY has revealed that people are now spending more quality time with their computer than their significant other.According to Livescience, the survey, conducted for SupportSoft, said that 64 per cent of Americans say they spend more time with their computer than with their significant other. Another 84 per cent said they were more dependent on their computer than they were three years ago.SupportSoft's Anthony Rodio, the firm’s chief marketing officer, said that the relationship with the computer is as dysfunctional as any sitcom family. When confronted with a dead computer, 19 per cent admitted to wanting to hurl it out the nearest window, nine per cent felt stranded and alone.Surprisingly, only 11 per cent swore at the computer. Seven percent did so loudly, three per cent burst into tears and three per cent took out their anger on on inanimate objects. More than 32 per cent said that they shrugged off any computer problems.Just under half said they would rather help a friend move than deal with a computer problem. A third said they felt more frustration with their computer than they felt three years ago. µ
In Leonardtown, Maryland, a 17-year-old boy admitted in court Friday to trying to hire a hit man to kill his parents after he reportedly became angry at them for confiscating his PlayStation. According to police, Cory Ryder, 17, told the mother of one of his friends that he wanted his parents dead. The woman contacted authorities and detectives decided to set up a sting. Ryder was told to meet with a police officer posing as a hit man at a hotel. That’s where he offered the undercover officer his stepfather’s new pickup truck as payment for killing his parents," the article states.
QuoteIn Leonardtown, Maryland, a 17-year-old boy admitted in court Friday to trying to hire a hit man to kill his parents after he reportedly became angry at them for confiscating his PlayStation. According to police, Cory Ryder, 17, told the mother of one of his friends that he wanted his parents dead. The woman contacted authorities and detectives decided to set up a sting. Ryder was told to meet with a police officer posing as a hit man at a hotel. That’s where he offered the undercover officer his stepfather’s new pickup truck as payment for killing his parents," the article states. Source: http://www.n4g.com/gaming/News-80236.aspx...ten bucks says somebody's going to blame it on videogames.
Gamer stalked girls after Halo slippedCops bang him upBy Nick Farrell: Friday, 04 January 2008, 8:19 AMA “VERY conservative” Christian Halo player drove 40 hours to threaten to rape two girls, aged 15 and six, who he met playing Halo, police claimJoshua Stetar, 20, who describes himself as a “very conservative" Christian on his myspace profile apparently wants to be a Christian school teacher.According to Inspector Knacker of the Saratoga Springs yard Stetar met the older girl while playing Halo on his Xbox 360. He sent presents and texted her often. He got the girl's address and other personal information through Internet search engines. In October he stacked out her house.In the end the girl's mother told Stetar to go forth and multiply and leave her daughter alone. The mother changed the number, but he got the new one through a friend and the calls began again.Last week Stetar drove 40 hours and texting the girl on the way. He said he was in a vehicle in front of her house. Six minutes later he told her that she had better call the police because he was going to rape her and her sister, police claim. So the girl's parents did. The police picked him up at a nearby motel.Stetar's Myspace page is filled with Bible verses and includes the message: "How can I know for sure that I am going to Heaven? First, you must accept that you are a sinner."According to the Times Union newspaper Stetar now faces five years in jail for stalking.
I don't see what the problem is hes a christian so no matter what he does he still going to heaven.../sarcasm. Lemme guess, in this case playing the Xbox was the sin that cause him to want to stalk and rape two young girls. I wonder what game he'd blame that on because I can think of none that promotes that kinna thing towards young children.
