Slashdot Mirror
Jack Thompson Calls Cops on Penny-Arcade
Anon1001 sent us the latest developments in the ongoing saga between Miami Attorney Jack Thompson and Penny-Arcade. So far the story goes that Jack has filed a wrongful death suit against Rock Star, claiming that GTA is a cop killing training simulator responsible for the murder of a pair of cops. He also
offered $10k to charity if anyone who would develop some ridiculous murder spree game. When someone did it, and he changed his mind and Penny-Arcade donated the cash instead. All of this is being documented on the Penny Arcade website, in phone calls, rants and comics, as well as an 'I Hate Jack Thompson' T-Shirt. (Note, Slashdot's parent company owns ThinkGeek).
He has now
called the cops claiming harassment. Update: 10/18 17:40 GMT by Z : It seems like this confrontation has been brewing all summer. The most recent altercation is just another link in the chain made by Thompson's reaction to Hot Coffee and his crusade against the Sims 2. Further, PA has put up the scan of the letter to the cops, and a photo of the check.
It's going to happen very soon now, as Jack is getting loonier and loonier. He keeps dancing around direct legal threats, because he knows what will happen. Soon he will slip, and soon after that he won't be a lawyer anymore, and won't THAT be a shame?
"Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm fucked."; ~ Donald J. Trump
The man gets a $10k tax break from Gabe and Tycho and he goes to the cops.
The man's intelligence must be so staggering, it's beyond my comprehension.
Or maybe he's a just a loony.
The Blaster Master Fighting for Truth, Justice, and Evil Pie since 1979
and your name is drew... hmmmmmmmm.. plug perhaps? is THAT why all slashdots stories end up on fark after they're posted? hmmmmmm?
(ducks)
** "It's not my job to stand between the people talking to me, and the ones listening to me." -- Pego the Jerk
Sounds like PA is having fun with this... AFAIK, people can say pretty much anything on their shirts... Oh well, guess litigation is always the way to go.
He also offered $10k to charity if anyone who would develop some ridiculous murder spree game.
What the fuck does that even mean?!
I am fascinated by the whole story -- before this week, I had never heard of this nutjob.
Therein lies the crux of the problem: This guy (Thompson) is railing against freedom of expression, and the mainstream press is ignoring him in droves.
How does the Slashdot Effect happen given that no slashdotters ever RTFA?
Its like a car wreck, you dont want to stare, but you cant look away!
I love to slaughter the english language.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
I sure hope they cite his ass for making a false report. Publications are not harrassment. Jack Thompson himself started this mess. Does he consider himself guilty of "harassing" the makers of GTA? ...the video game industry? ...game loving Slashdotters everywhere?
The more extreme he goes, the more orginizations and politicians will distance themselves from him. Filing charges against sites like Penny Arcade should hasten his fall to obscurity. Or at least I can dream.
"It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education." -Albert Einstein
Since VGCats were the ones who posted all his contact information, wouldn't it make more sense to go after them? Penny Arcade, who are not really a company lack Jack insists they are, really only recounted a story about Jack and nothing more.
IAAL, and I gotta say, Jack Thompson, YOU SUCK.
I mean sure, this guy is a blowhard and a liar, but I think the T-shirt goes a little too far. However, it doesn't constitute harrasment. A bunch of geeks calling his house or hacking into his email or whatever else does, though. I don't know if that sort of this is happening yet, but you can bet it will if this continues.
"These idiots have been so careless as to post on their www.pennyarcade.com web site what they are doing regarding the harassment of me."
In the same sentence he's call them idiots he gives the wrong web address.
Won't somebody please think of the children -- and run down Jack Thompson with an 18-wheeler!
Watch out, here comes the Waaaaaaaaah partol!
That's a paddlin'.....
What does this man think he's going to accomplish? His vitriolic actions are very unlikely to change anyone's mind about the issue of video game violence. I teach argumentative writing and rhetoric to college students; one of the first things we teach is to know one's audience. Very few people of the ultra-conservative persuasion, however, need to be persuaded - they already are fanatically against video games that contain violence, sex, etc.
And his tactics - wilfully distorting the truth, branding video game makers as murderers, setting up straw men to attack in his ravings about violent entertainment - well, I doubt anyone who's played the games he's targeting is going to burn their copy of GTA because of the things Thompson is saying.
Bravo, Penny Arcade, for helping him do what he'd end up doing anyway: alienating anyone who might have listened to a more logical or reasonable argument against game violence, and generating more media attention for Rockstar Games et al. so they will, in turn, sell more games and continue creating popular content. For a lawyer, Thompson seems to have missed that one little maxim: "any press is good press."
For the record, the actual threat of police action against PA happened only this morning. The rest of it has been on-going.
From the world of warcraft community, We'd like to give this insightful advice to Jack Thompson. "CRY MORE FGT" Since I can't hide behind a level 1 alt here, I'll just AC it. HAND.
Hey, looks like a written attack on Penny Arcade. They should counter sue on the grounds that they are not idiots :-)
...what a complete douche thompson is.
I am NaN
I am not a lawyer, but reading the course of communications between Jack Thompson and Penny Arcade, it seems to me that while Penny Arcade is certainly not guilty of criminal harassment, Jack Thompson has violated the Florida Bar's standard of ethics for attorneys. He is using his status as an attorney, as an officer of the court, to threaten/bully private citizens with obviously frivolous suits. (You cannot sue someone for merely e-mailing you, unless it was obscene, a death threat, causing severe emotional distress, etc.!) While not rising to the point of a suspendable offense, I believe a public reprimand from the Bar is appropriate and needed.
These idiots have been so careless as to post on their www.pennyarcade.com web site what they are doing regarding the harassment of me.
w ww.pennyarcade.com/
Actually www.pennyarcade.com was the website for a "Queer theatre" troupe.
http://web.archive.org/web/20021123192944/http://
I guess it's a moot point to jokingly call Jack homophobic. His attacks on Islam have already painted him as cookie-cutter Christian Right.
Worst. Summary. Ever.
What would that prove?
what a jackass.
Evil people don't think they're evil. - George Lucas, Making of Ep III
Against the motion picture industry when the aliens attack since they released movies like Mars Attacks and Alien which are obviously trainers for how aliens should kill people and take over the earth...
Oh sweet irony prevail and let this man get run over by a delivery truck from EB Games full of violent video games...
News Reporters Make Tasty Polar Bear Treats!
It seems that most of his quotes seem to deride the geek community, particularly gamers, as somehow not being as intelligent as he is. I'm not surprised at all that he's gotten this kind of backlash, particularly from a group that typically doesn't like to let an issued a challenge go ignored.
I'm also surprised that he hasn't been more thoroughly bashed by Penny Arcade. I would have expected some sort of Fruit F*cker episode gone wrong.
"No fair, you changed the outcome by measuring it!" - Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth
The fragments in this Slashdot story are hard to decipher.
...he'll probably win. At least in the first court battle. Consider the current political climate. Not only Republicans, but high-profile Democrats as well (thank you, Hillary Roddham Clinton) are coming down hard against those eeeeeevil video games.
Now, on the other hand, it's good that it's Penny-Arcade being threatened and not, say, some random shmoe with some unknown little Website. Penny-Arcade has enough fame to make this a high-profile case, which means a lot of flak will be generated for Jack Thompson and his defenders, which means that the "good guys" have a fighting chance of winning-- maybe even in the short term, and not the long term. If, instead of picking on Gabe and Tycho, he'd decided to pick on, say, some random video game lover, the "good guys" wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in Hell.
With spending like this, exactly what are "conservatives" conserving?
Evidently, Jack believes it to be acceptable to harass video game developers, but sees this as a one-way street.
This is what freedom of speech is all about, Jack. Say what you will. You are free to listen to what others have to say in return. Harassment law ought not prevent you from being hung by your own words.
On the one hand, I almost feel compelled to call the Seattle PD (local for me) and plead with them not to take any action based on Mr. Thompson's ludicrous and exaggerated claims; on the other hand, I can't imagine anyone taking that man seriously after all the negative press he has been receiving. It's almost as though the more he gets ragged on, the more intense he gets about beating the video games industry into the ground.
:P), but this situation with Jack Thompson reminds me vividly of the classic bully/attention-whore syndrome in elementary school. The more flak people give this guy, especially negative, he's just going to keep coming back for more. You know what would really hurt him? Neglect and disregard. If somehow everyone was able to see what a boisterous gasbag this man is and just learn to ignore everything he barks, he will lose his bite. So for Mike and Jerry, while reading about their antics of antagonizing Mr. Thompson are often hilarious and eye-opening, they may be just making the matter worse for most involved.
I do love Penny Arcade as much as the next guy (perhaps moreso if the next guy doesn't like them
In any event, this too shall pass; I just hope it passes before our friends at Penny Arcade get slapped with a real-yet-bogus lawsuit by this litigation-happy doofus.
Fin.
"The gods do not protect fools; fools are protected by more capable fools." -Larry Niven's "Ringworld"
Cry more n00b!
Ok, if GTA is a "cop killing training simulator", then what does that say about the compentency of our police force?
I remember a spot in GTA 3 where I could hide under an overpass and the cops would all jump off the top to their deaths...this would continue indefinately and I found it rather amusing. And now that I know that this is what would happen in real life, I'm going on a crime spree rampage during which I'll wipe out the town's entire police force by crouching near an overpass.
The more press you give him, the more outrageous and stupid bullshit he pulls. Eventually he will get on The Today Show, Nightline, whatever fucking show has a lot of morons watching and he will say ONLY what he wants to say and try to make everyone believe it. The news agencies see "games kill people" stories as good for ratings so they usually side with whoever is being "killed" and villify the "killers" as much as possible to add hype and excitement.
THIS IS MY MESSAGE TO YOU PEOPLE:
STOP TRYING TO DEBATE THIS MAN. HE IS NOT A LAWYER, HE IS A TROLL.
DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS.
He wanted to make a video game about a father who's son does something violent after playing video games. The father would go nuts and kill video game developers. He offered to donate $10k to the charity of the developers choice if the game was made. A game (actually, a GTA mod) was made, and Thompson reneged on the offer
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
Though I'm sure many following this mess know about it. Jack has also recently recieved a letter from Dr. David Walsh of the National Institute on Media and the Family. In this letter (published on www.gamepolitics.com) Dr. Walsh distances himself and his organization from Jack. His comments tend to really get to the core of what Jack does, "Your commentary has included extreme hyperbole and your tactics have included personally attacking individuals for whom I have a great deal of respect." He's like a kid on a playground. Someone does something he doesn't like and he starts yelling about getting his daddy to get them, because his daddy is a cop or a lawyer. Only he is the lawyer...
jack t. sucks, and so does penny arcade. i'm confused!
That which brings the highest happiness.
Just one, and surpise, he's a lawyer.
-Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music.
Their training simulators deal with thugs and criminals and they have since countersued for defamation of character.
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
How, pray, does an attorney get disbarred for being a loonie? Half the western governments would lose representatives, MPs, etc. on that claim. More to the point:
He has now called the cops claiming harassment.
He will now harass PA and the thing is, he knows full well how to do it and could make PA suffer in the short run.
I have no doubts he has nary a leg to stand on, bringing this all upon himself by raising himself to a Public Figure, which surrenders certain protections.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
GREAT in the sense of successful, of course, not in the sense of "good for the people."
You all are taking note of what he's trying to do, right? He's trying to transform the gamer community's reaction to his lunacy into attacks on his cause, which is, at least in his mind, protecting innocent kids and brave police officers.
It's just a matter of time before it becomes a real simple equation:
Disagreeing with Jack Thompson = Helping to kill cops
At that point, it becomes really easy to pass laws banning the types of videogames that Jack disagrees with. (Then movies, then web sites, maybe even books...)
Yep, he may be just a lawyer right now, but he clearly has higher intentions in mind, and he's using skills that have been taught very well over the past few years to get elected. It doesn't take too much gray matter to realize that soccer moms outnumber gaming advocates by a pretty wide margin, so who would you rather have included in your base?
The crying shame of it is that given America's record of picking leaders lately, he'll probably succeed, unless at least a few people not just read Slashdot, but actually act on what they read here.
Send a message, folks, and get out and vote. And not just for the big elections every four years. Vote in your Congressional elections. Vote in your state elections. Vote for your local councilmembers. Spread the word and get your friend to vote. Don't be afraid to use that fancy gaming machine to write a fickin' letter now and then. What do you say, can we please stop the ensuing madness to come before it gets started?
Jack wants to protect children and cops. Hey, I do too, I just happen to think he's going about it all wrong. The question in my mind now is: Who will protect the rest of us from Jack?
Rob Malda harasses my eyes everytime I read a same-day dupe and fourteen grammar/spelling errors in a three sentence story summary.
If you "get" pointers add me as a friend (116)!
That will shoot ball bearings at things. I am going to use it for hunting, but I'm sure people will use it against police officers and other people not deserving of that fate.
I look forward to Jack Thompson's lawsuit against me and the pinball machine manufacturers for programming children to use my soon-to-come railgun against police officers.
Quoth the jackass: "I look forward to working with your fine Police Department to shut this little extortion factory down and/or arrest some of its employees."
Extortion factory? That's not a stated opinion, that's stating a (supposed) fact. Better get your own law team together, because libel's a bitch. I'd like to see how many lawyers it will take to get Jack off.
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
Jack Thomson is trying to SAVE YOU! Ever since the first Lemming exploded the video game industry has been corrupting your minds. You all clearly lack the ability to discern sliding a CG mock-up car through a crowded bus stop in Carmageddon from real world laws and morals. GTA and Bully will spell the end for all the decent God fearing folk of your great nation! Won't someone please think of the children?!!! *SOB!* *WEEP* *MOAN* What's Next?! GTIB?!!! (Grand Theft Investment Banker) GTE?!!!! (Grand Theft Election) What kind of example would that set for the financial and political leaders of the last bastion of freedom and high-holiness in the world?
It was Ice T's group Body Count that did the infamous "Cop Killer" song.
Imho, it's no bad thing for the games industry to have some shots put across its bow. A great deal of exploitation goes on, a great many sharp practices happen since vast sums of money are involved, and anyway no industry is above scrutiny and criticism. There are genuine and valid concerns about the impact of some games on kids, too. Indeed, on games generally if they are played to the point of being a substitute for growing up into a real life. Left to its own devices, could the games industry be trusted to behave for one moment? I doubt it - no other industry can be. Just check out fast food, pharma and smokes.
I don't know anything about Jack Thompson and maybe he is a nutter - but anyone who is subject to this kind of vilification has usually scored a bull's-eye somewhere and, besides, it takes more guts than most of us have to stand up to the plate and say what you believe in when these are the consequences. Try it sometime before scoring cheap laughs off the guy.
Las qué passoun
tournoun pas maï
..i'm immediately reminded of Walter Peck from Ghost Busters.
;)
Hopefully when the phoned up the police to ask them to arrest the Penny Arcade guys, the police officer on the phone said "You do your job pencil neck, don't tell me how to do mine!"
"Hey! Unless this is a nude love-in, get the hell off my property!!"
....then he (or one of his minions) is aware (or will be aware) of this thread here on Slashdot. Seeing what a over-reacting media whore he seems to be, I suspect that this discussion will be referenced on whatever media outlet he ends up on (likely Fox News, if you want to call what they do journalism) to prove that we "nerds" are a bunch of psychos who are addicted to violent video games and our threats to "run down Jack Thompson with an 18-wheeler" as the AC who posted that comment said will be used as proof of that.
Why not tone down the rhetoric and give him the type of attention he deserves, which is NONE whatsoever?
This is my opinion. To make sure you don't steal it, it's covered by the DMCA.
I know it is entertaining to watch, but the more publicity you give this guy, the better it is for him.. just ignore the asshat but put your efforts into undoing his attempts at passing bad legislation with your representatives...
IF we can stop the rubbernecking it will go a long way to getting this guy the recognition he deserves, which is none...
I always like to ask right-wingers ranting about games and sex causing social decline, "Yeah! I mean, do you know what's happened to rates of violent youth crime and teen pregancny in the last ten years?" They always answer that they're at unprecedented levels, and then are thrown off when I tell them that they've actually been falling quite steadily. Teen pregancy is even at its lowest rate since we began taking statistics in the '40s, down from the all-time high in 1991.
What would be really amusing to me is if they discovered, in 20 years, that untold psychological damage to children was done by The Sims. People spending all day running households like gods, torturing and killing families and developing these horribly twisted personalities. I mean, take a horribly violent, depraved movie -- for example, Saw, and ask what game the creators would probably enjoy playing?
In all seriousness, I think people are both more fragile and more resiliant than they're usually credited with. We handled torturing animals with sticks in the backyard 50 years ago, and we'll handle GTA. And I was going to say something about child-rearing, but then I realized that the last thing anyone wants is more advice on raising kids from a childless twentysomething, so I'll leave it at "the world is probably not coming to an end".
xkcd.com - a webcomic of mathematics, love, and language.
Jack uses a Cyberstalker law in Florida to threaten people who email him. Basically he cussess them out then ends it with "and don't email me back", and when they reply, he says they're harrassing him and to stop or he'll call it Cyberstalking.
Of course, like everything Jacko does, it's never gotten to court. If he actually let it get to a court of law he'd be thrown out forcibly.
Did anyone else realize.... Citizens United Negating Technology For Life Aand People's Safety
Let me be the first to say that Jack Thompson is verifiably batshit loco insane. He has twisted a simple premise (he believes that violent media has a role in violent behavior in some kids and adults, and since there's no sure way to know how these impressionable kids will react, we shouldn't sell it to them) into a media-whoring shouting match the likes of a mentally unstable street preacher. Let me also say that Gabe and Tycho enlighten me and entertain me on nearly a daily basis and I love them to death.
That said, I still think that both sides have handled the situation fairly poorly, as I see it. First off, if Jack really wants to change things, he should have offered his $10,000 toward nonprofit research that proves the positive mental effects of nonviolent games. If you tell the 16-year-olds of the world that being good at Tetris will get them laid, Rockstar would be bankrupt in a week.
On the other hand, I feel the guys at PA have sunk to the same shameful ad hominem depths as their opponent with their "I hate Jack Thompson" shirt. It's their right to sell it, of course, but it shows no class and seeks to profit from causing misery to a specific individual. I happen to think they also should have donated their $10,000 to starving families and dying children, and not the Entertainment Software Association. Sure, it's funny that "Jack Thompson" is sending the ESA a check, but all they're really doing is furthering their own agenda and probably funding lawyers -- I had hoped that out of this debacle people in need would see some benefit, but I guess that's too much to assume.
I support the separation of oil and state.
this guy is beeing hated more and more doesn't he understand that's not a good thing
... should martin scorcese be put in prison
i cant believe this since when do we blame entertainment for our actions, since when has society turned his back on own actions and turn to scapegoats?
people have been wearing those nice Copkiller t-shirts for ages and they never have been sued
Why go against the games industry when hollywood itselfs has a more longstanding 'copkilling' reputation
or did u forget movies like goodfellas, reservoir dogs,
i dont think so
he deserves prison equally as the developpers at rockstar imho
1. Paranoid delusions, or delusions of persecution, for example believing that people are "out to get" you, or the thought that people are doing things when there is no external evidence that such things are taking place. 2. Delusions of reference - when things in the environment seem to be directly related to you even though they are not. For example it may seem as if people are talking about you or special personal messages are being communicated to you through the TV, radio, or other media. 3. Somatic Delusions are false beliefs about your body - for example that a terrible physical illness exists or that something foreign is inside or passing through your body. 4. Delusions of grandeur - for example when you believe that you are very special or have special powers or abilities. An example of a grandiouse delusion is thinking you are a famous rock star.
Well he certianly seems to think people are out to get him, he seems to have delusions of reference as well, and he sure as hell has delusions of grandeur as he seems to think he's a great crusader against evil. He meets various other criteria as well:
# disorganized thinking # difficulty understanding # difficulty expressing thoughts # difficulty integrating thoughts, feelings and behavior
Now of course I am not a psychologist (though that is what my degree is in) and even if I were, you cannot diagnose a condition like schizophrenia from things over the Internet, but there's enough irrational behaviour that it certianly gives me cause to wonder. The man may honestly be clinicly crazy, and if that's the case, his rationale for his actions isn't likely to make sense to anyone.
I think the real issues here are getting obscured amid this Jack Thomson fracas and the hearty self-congratulations of we internet warriors fighting off such trollery. Namely that Thomson and his ilk want to use legal and de facto social power to outlaw the access of certain media based on age.
Though I appreciate the Gaming Community's sensitive nerves when it comes to the irrational violent stereotype of gamers, this whole troll hunt has largely helped obscure the dangers posed by Thompson's larger movement. This is a battle with those who somehow think they are owed the privilege of controlling what information individuals are allowed to pass between one another. And all those gamer personalities who, in the heat of action, are passingly assigning blame to parents 'not strict enough' in 'enforcing' what games their children could play... are actually buffering the very movement they so fashionably oppose.
Just like with every other troll we need to make sure we aren't doing their work by fighting them.
Jack Thompson touched my peepee.
You all may want to check out the ChatterBox interview with Gabe and Tycho that was done this past Sunday. Gabe talks a little about his recent conversations with Jack Thompson. Apparently the first thing Jack said after calling Gabe up and establishing his identity was:
"Let me tell you something, idiot."
This utter professionalism is well-reflected in the text of his fax to the Seattle police.
"There are a bunch of computer geeks out there who think..."
"These idiots have been so careless as to..."
I can only imagine what some of his non-game-related correspondence is like.
Also, this has probably been posted before, but here it is again: the ChatterBox interview with Thompson. Lunacy thrown into the sharpest relief.
The coolest voice ever.
If we ban the sims 2 for allowing us to see mannequinely naked sims when we ourselves have to get a cheat code to do so, then we should ban barbie and *gasp* skipper too because you can take their clothes off, and skipper is underage for christ sakes!
Judges and senates have been bought for gold; Esteem and love were never to be sold.
Thompson is a Grade A asshat, and it's easy for anyone familiar with video games, with his long-term crusade, or with this episode in particular to see that. But we're not Thompson's intended audience; he doesn't care if we know he's an asshat.
If this story draws any mainstream attention, you know how it will look when the news bobbleheads summarize:
"Pro-family activist lawyer harrassed long-distance by violent video-game-addicted L337 H4XX0R punks! Are YOUR kids safe from internet preadators?"
I'm surprised this didn't hit here earlier.
/.ed all at once?
Let's see... we've got the PA forums, "/.", and VGcats backing PA...
Is it possible to get wanged and
Mischief Managed
Insert Sig Here
People like this need to be taken out.
I'm sure his personal protection is somewhat lacking, so just pick him off from a distance and get yourself a headshot.
He might be next in line.
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
From the testimonial section.
"Growing up in a strict religious house hold, I did not know what a penis or a vagina was. Then I got hooked on the internet. Now, I am ashamed to admit I have both."
- Name withheld
"I've always had a healthy sexual appetite. Around the time I hit puberty, I became sexually fixated with my grandmother. I could not get her out of my mind. People told me it was wrong, but I honestly believed that they were lying. If it feels so right, how can it be wrong, right? Wrong! I heard about the interweb. I went online expecting to discover a whole secret society of people JUST like me who loved much elder relatives, and hoped that for the first time since I gave up fantasizing about my sister, I could feel normal. How wrong I was. No one is obsessed with their grandma aside from me. I am a complete freak, and completely alone. The internet has ruined EVERYTHING. The worst of it is I STILL LOVE HER!"
- Brain Baylor, Shady Pines
ROFL
I don't know Jack Thompson, so I can't comment on the quality of his character. However, I think all of this harassment is the wrong thing to do; attack the message, not the messenger. Jack Thompson is not the problem (although he appears to be an asshole); the view he holds is the problem. He is not the only person who thinks GTA is a "cop killing simulator", you know. He represents a good chunk of the population. Personally attacking/harassing him gives his message validity, or at least takes away validity from the opposing viewpoint.
Going after a company known for providing charitable contributions and trying to get the owners arrested isn't exactly the smartest thing to do. This guy should pick his battles better.
If the Seattle news media are reading this, I have a great headline for you:
"Jack Thompson goes after charitable game news company"
No matter what would happen to PA because of him calling the cops on them, his reputation with the mass media would definitely go further down the tubes!
You want to go after a company that has done this!? Shame on you!
The whole fax is a clever troll to try and get the Seattle PD thinking Penny Arcade is somehow a direct danger to them.
Our intelligent designer has never created an animal that we couldn't improve by strapping a bomb to it.
So far he has:
I, for one am grateful for Thompson's lunacy.
I saw this story on Fark long before it was on Slashdot. Don't get me wrong; I love Slashdot, but I also love the truth.
Washington State Code 9A.46.020 (1) A person is guilty of harassment if: (a) Without lawful authority, the person knowingly threatens: (i) To cause bodily injury immediately or in the future to the person threatened or to any other person; or (ii) To cause physical damage to the property of a person other than the actor; or (iii) To subject the person threatened or any other person to physical confinement or restraint; or (iv) Maliciously to do any other act which is intended to substantially harm the person threatened or another with respect to his or her physical or mental health or safety; and (b) The person by words or conduct places the person threatened in reasonable fear that the threat will be carried out. "Words or conduct" includes, in addition to any other form of communication or conduct, the sending of an electronic communication. It is possible that Florida law would apply given that Thompson lives in Florida. I haven't yet looked into that, but I may if I get curious. However it is pretty clear to me that this is a spurious claim based on the Washington state definition of "harassment."
What made Jack such a sociopathic misanthrope, and why don't we ban *that* instead?
jackthompson.ws is available.
jackthompson.tc is available.
jackthompson.vg is available.
jackthompson.ms is available.
jackthompson.gs is available.
jackthompson.be is available.
jackthompson.co.nz is available.
jackthompson.at is available.
jackthompson.com.mx is available.
jackthompson.org.uk is available.
jackthompson.me.uk is available.
jackthompson.net.nz is available.
jackthompson.org.nz is available.
jackthompson.de is available.
jackthompson.tv is available.
jackthompson.cc is available.
jackthompson.bz is available.
jackthompson.com is unavailable.
jackthompson.net is unavailable.
jackthompson.org is unavailable.
jackthompson.info is unavailable.
jackthompson.us is unavailable.
jackthompson.biz is unavailable.
jackthompson.name is unavailable.
jackthompson.co.uk is unavailable.
That's gotta be it.
Our intelligent designer has never created an animal that we couldn't improve by strapping a bomb to it.
There's no such thing as bad press, unless you're in office, and this guys' not in office (yet?). Either he's playing the game exactly the way he wants, doing anything for attention, or he's insane and getting attention for everything he's doing. Either way, it keeps his name in the news. Doesn't matter WHY his name's in the headlines, just that it's there. As a result, he wields more power than the other 99% of us that are sane.
Policeman - You, cut the power to their web server.
Gabe - Sir if he cut the power you will let all the Penny-Arcade users free to roam on the internet. We won't take the responsability for this.
Jack Thomson - You will be held responsible! YARRRGH!
It's not an act -- the guy is actually loony. (Or at least, he has an extremely active imagination.) Here are some other famous outbursts by him.
One example: in 1988, he ran against Janet Reno for DA of Dade County:
Thompson's unique campaign message was that Reno was unfit for the job because, as a closeted lesbian with a drinking problem, she was great candidate for blackmail by the criminal element. Jack never explained why this remained a threat even after he exposed her "secret." Reno cruised at the polls.
Toronto-area transit rider? Rate your ride.
He's made himself a public figure, that makes him venurable to things like that. It's true, you can't do that to some random private citizen. If I went and started selling "I hate eln" t-shirts tp get back at you I could get in trouble (well, assuming I was using your real name that is). However we are allowed to mock public figures, be they politicians, celebrities, etc. So by going on 60 minutes and the like, he's made himself a public figure and subjected himself to this.
The geeks calling his house and such IS harassment, but Penny Arcade isn't liable for that. Nowhere on their site do I see his contact info or directions to contact him. In fact they say "You're all asking me for Jack's Email and or phone number and I respect that. The problem is that I can't give that info out."
As far as I can see, Penny Arcade is in the clear.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/docs/jackdocument.gif Image from penny-arcade his letter.
Notice the website meantioned. www.pennyarcade.com Guess he's going to get the police to act with no proof. Nice try Jacky boy.
Mr Thompson has made himself a public figure, which makes his sueing folks for slander or libel just about impossible. Pretending to be harassed while deliberately harassing others is hypocrisy. A debating technique commonly called Ad Ad Ad Hominem.
... the crazier Jack Thompson seems to be. Apparently he ran against Janet Reno for the Office of Dade County State Attorney back in 88. He made some pretty ridiculous claims, including that Janet Reno uses call girls. He's also gotten in an e-mail flamewar with a 14-year old, and his quips make the youngster look like Socrates by comparison.
I hope if the mainstream media begins to give Jack Thompson air time, since he is fast becoming a "celebrity", these past deeds are brought up. To ignore them does not accurately portray his real character.
- shadowmatter
lawyers with free time on their hands to worry about something penny arcade is posting on top of other nonsense about video games can't be successful lawyers.. successful lawyers i would think would rather be raking in some billable hours..
http://www.awwsheezy.com
for Jack Thompson to release a book and benefit from all this free publicity.
Oh, wait a second.
"This story is completely false and defamatory. Take it down or else."
And Tycho's reaction to it:
"It is critical to establish that this letter isn't anything to worry about. We've been sent worse by better."
sounds like time for a Luau...
This guy's a great example of the problems that America has with lawyers... Anyone can become a lawyer, and there's really no criteria to determine who deserves to be a lawyer, vs. those who can simply memorize a lot of laws and precedence.
This guy continues to prove his total ineptitude, but by god, he's got that stupid lawyer degree hanging on his wall, and so he's capable of hurling lawsuits, and thus wasting innocent people's money. The Penny Arcade posts are classics, and between them, and the 14 year old who argued him into a corner (link was posted in yesterdays thread... Look for it if interested), it's quite obvious that this is a man who thinks he's morally right, yet has no clue as to how the law works. He evidently thinks that having that lawyer degree automatically makes him right, and anyone who questions him is "stupid" (using his own mighty lawyer talk).
It'll be nice when once of the people who Jack so casually threatens and harrasses actually hires a lawyer to deal with Jacks threats and harrasment. Perhaps then Jack will learn how the law really does function.
For that matter, as honorable and nice as Penny Arcades contribution in Jacks name is, I would have preferred to see someone go after Jack for not fulfilling his publicly stated contribution once his conditions were met. Regardless, something tells me that Jacks nearing the end of his soap boxing, as he's now involving law enforcement to try and resolve the situations he gets himself into. Eventually someone's going to say "Look, we have bigger fish to fry than a lawyer who doesn't understand the law", and at that point, he'll go from victim to tormentor in the eyes of law enforcement.
Can't wait for that to happen...
Does slashdot use them?
What does this mean?
"He also offered $10k to charity if anyone who would develop some ridiculous murder spree game."
Or this?
"When someone did it, and he changed his mind and Penny-Arcade donated the cash instead."
I think we have a winner for this year's title of biggest douche in the universe. And it's not Ursula, the giant douche from the Horsehead Nebula, Station J-12.
Here he is, the Biggest Douche of the Universe!
In all the galaxies, there's no bigger douche than you!
You've reached the top, the pinnacle of douchedom!
Good going, douche.
Your dreams have come true!
If Mr. Edison had thought smarter he wouldn't sweat as much. --Nikola Tesla
(1) Why is it that when some idiot -- who was wired wrong to begin with -- goes off of the deep end and kills someone that folks like Jack Thompson try and take away MY rights? There is something wrong with the whole premise... I am being punished for what someone else can't manage! Following that logic, all religions should be declared illegal because some extreme Islamic sects have committed terrorist actions.... heck, I should try and sue EVERY CHURCH IN THE WORLD because of what some dipshits did.....sounds stupid doesn't it? ...and...
(b) What would happen to 'activists' like Thompson if they weren't collecting 30-50% of their lawsuit damages?
I'm willing to bet people like _him_ at least would go away... (I am NOT trying to say that all lawsuits are frivolous... but I question the TRUE motivation behind hundred million dollar class action suits where the CLASS gets 1/2 the money!)
RCW 9A.46.020
Definition -- Penalties.
(1) A person is guilty of harassment if:
(a) Without lawful authority, the person knowingly threatens:
(i) To cause bodily injury immediately or in the future to the person threatened or to any other person; or
(ii) To cause physical damage to the property of a person other than the actor; or
(iii) To subject the person threatened or any other person to physical confinement or restraint; or
(iv) Maliciously to do any other act which is intended to substantially harm the person threatened or another with respect to his or her physical or mental health or safety; and
(b) The person by words or conduct places the person threatened in reasonable fear that the threat will be carried out. "Words or conduct" includes, in addition to any other form of communication or conduct, the sending of an electronic communication.
(2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, a person who harasses another is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
(b) A person who harasses another is guilty of a class C felony if either of the following applies: (i) The person has previously been convicted in this or any other state of any crime of harassment, as defined in RCW 9A.46.060, of the same victim or members of the victim's family or household or any person specifically named in a no-contact or no-harassment order; or (ii) the person harasses another person under subsection (1)(a)(i) of this section by threatening to kill the person threatened or any other person.
(3) The penalties provided in this section for harassment do not preclude the victim from seeking any other remedy otherwise available under law.
----
BTW how many weapons out there have gamepads attached them them? Seems to me that to be actually training to kill cops, you'd at least need a gun based game controller. This guy should be dis-barred.
Don't Vote for Norm Dicks! http://www.nodicks2008.com Another nutless dirtbag that voted for the FISA bill!
That's nothing. I saw this on Penny Arcade before it was on Fark.
Has anyone noticed? there seems to be a correlation between the warlike nature of a country and/or its leaders and the increasing numbers of attacks on 'warlike' or 'violent' games, comics and video.
I wonder if anyone (reputable) has done a study. I seem to remember it happening here (UK) during the falklands conflict and 'video nasties' corrupting our 'youth'
I love PA and read it constantly, but even I could see this coming a mile away. Things were going just a bit too far.
I'm not talking about the comics or what-not, but their posts. It's kind of an "our word against his" about the way their conversations were going. Between their descriptions and the interview, anyone could tell that an insane lawyer was going to try something like this.
I'm not saying it's right or that they deserve ir (far from), but when you pick a fight with an insane lawyer then expect an insane lawsuit or criminal case lobbed at you.
"He's made himself a public figure, that makes him venurable to things like that. It's true, you can't do that to some random private citizen. If I went and started selling "I hate eln" t-shirts tp get back at you I could get in trouble (well, assuming I was using your real name that is). However we are allowed to mock public figures, be they politicians, celebrities, etc. So by going on 60 minutes and the like, he's made himself a public figure and subjected himself to this."
What makes a person private vs. public?
How do I know if it's fair game to make a t-shirt about someone and not 'get in trouble'? What level of 'public-ness' must a person attain to become fair game?
What law/rule/statute would it be breaking to make/wear/sell a t-shirt that said 'I hate John Smith'?
/sig
Oh, and the new stylesheet crap on this site really sucks.
He stated that Penny Arcade are extortionists. They should sue him for libel.
At that point, it becomes really easy to pass laws banning the types of videogames that Jack disagrees with. (Then movies, then web sites, maybe even books...)
Right now it's video games. But the rest is not just speculation. He's already on record demanding a ban on certain movies, web sites and music.
Most notably: 2LiveCrew. Yeah, same guy.
Now if only more people talked about how bad Shaq-Fu was maybe it would have had the same success.
yeah, Jack Johnson ripping off A Modest Proposal makes about as much sense as Abbey Hoffman ripping off a Nixon speech. Who would have ever thought an ambulence chaser like Thompson would try (and fail) to use yippie tactics like that.
The florida bar association
D 1C9D5551885256B61000B58D2/AE11AE39767C4F8685256B74 00523C2E?OpenDocument
Center for Professionalism:
Carl J. Zahner
czahner@flabar.org
Terri Anderson
tanderso@flabar.org
Paula Stephenson
psteph@flabar.org
from http://www.floridabar.org/TFB/TFBOrgan.nsf/54E05C
Actually, I'd liken him more to a pod person... Oh, wait, you were speaking figuratively? Never mind then.
Just because you can mod me down, doesn't mean you're right. Shoes for industry!
can be destroyed by the utter power that is slashdot link followers.
slashdot - 1 penny arcade - 0
Not Obvious, So Happy I Told. Somebody Has Easily Ruined Laughter Over Coward Kibosh
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
This is how lawyers "solve problems". They sue people. Another way to solve the problem of kids and uberviolent video games would be to make an online web page with a list for parents so that they can click on a game and see how violent it is, and decide whether they want to buy it for their kids. Then you publicize that web site so that parents know its out there. That's how a reasonable and intelligent person would solve the problem. But when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail, and when all you have is a law degree, everything looks like an actionable lawsuit. So he types up a brief in his underwear while he's watching an episode of "Boston Legal", and he thinks he's making a difference.
Tristan Yates
Gosh, if only there was some way for us to channel our annoyance into something that could undercut the very base of Mr. Thompson's power. If only there was a governing body monitoring the practice of law in Florida that we could contact and ask that they look into his legal harassment of satirists. If only their contact information was this:
Florida Bar
Complaints - Phone
- Attorney Consumer Assistance Program
- (850) 561-5600 + 1 + 5673
- ACAPflabar.org
If only there were a ton of witnesses to his wanton bullying who were willing to corroborate these claims and perhaps get his license to practice law suspended.
Well, I can dream can't I? =)
"Not all who wander are lost" -- JRR Tolkien
It appears he's even launched a DNS attack against Penny Arcade's server! He's brought it to its knees. That bastard!
If someone says he and his monkey have nothing to hide, they almost certainly do.
Does anyone have a list of organizations and/or businesses that Jack Thompson is affiliated with?
I think this would be a good time to fire off letters to his affiliates saying how I was a customer (if that's the case) and will boycott their business/organization as long as they are affiliated.
Also, does anyone know if he has the support of any senators or representatives? If he does, this would be a good time to send off a few more letters and volunteer for their opponents.
I'm not getting it to come up, and I've never had that problem before. Does anyone know if they pulled it down for now, or if they were maybe forced to?
Shit man, be careful - there's a new law on the books in Florida that ensures a Floridian with a permit to carry a concealed weapon even more leeway in the right to use deadly force if they feel threatened.
What are you smoking? They've been a company for a long time, its their business, it is how they earn a living.
The problem is that Jack thinks he is on a Jihad inspired by God Himself. I talked to Jack recently and he told me as much. However, when I told him that God never mentioned him to me, nor their communication, that I found truly abhorent, Jack started yelling "Who the hell do you think you are?" at me over the phone. I tried to explain that I had a close, personal relationship with the almighty and that he didn't start any Jihads without consulting me first. Jack responded with a tantrum, and name calling "Blasphemor! Blasphemor!" I said "Listen Jack, Mr. Man and I are going for a smoke in a few minutes to talk about Dubya and a viscious assult by a swarm of national socialist howler monkies. If you don't watch it, I'll subtly suggest a dozen bueboes on your Chevy Chase." He proceeded to call me a large purple dinosaur that mated with a large purple teletubby with a pink triangle on his forehead. "Sir, my farts sound more eloquent than you," I imparted as I put the phone down. I'm pretty sure that Jack spanks to Laura Croft, but that's my personal opinion.
/\/\icro/\/\uncher
No, this is exactly what he wants. All this 'public lampooning' feeds the beast. There is no bad publicity for this guy. Like that cheesy Merlin mini-seires from 1998, the only way to destroy the evil witch is to FORGET JACK THOMPSON. Turn your backs. Ignore him. If he wasn't controversial, producers wouldn't be seeking him out an putting him on news shows. The game news media attraction to him, and the gamers attraction to mocking him gives him power
Having said that, I recognize it's impossibly difficult to stop the "I hate Jack Thompson" landslide, mostly because younger people are far more prone to reaction based on emotion than logic. But right or wrong, by keeping his voice alive in the media, a percentage of adults are going to pick out his soundbites and use it to reinforce their already negative image of some games.
No matter how many psychologist you parade on TV, or game execs, or 'kid next door' interviews that are frank and honest about violence in game and the lack of attribution towards violence in real life.... it wont make a difference. They'll hear what they want to hear, and because the target demographic of 85% of products is 18-30 years of age, us being upset about this guy gives a button to push that makes us turn to watch, or read, or care.
Jack Thompson is a griefer. He's the MyG0t of Attorneys. And the best way to make a MyG0t'er leave a server (assuming you can't kick/ban) is for everyone to ignore him.
-Malakai
A Dragon Lives in my Garage
So, video games are bad m'kay. But video and images of killing in Iraq (and elsewhere) are fine? Is it because CNN is less graphic (hardly), or because those people are 'the bad guys'? How about the movies? Television dramas? Where the fuck does this guy come from?
/. just for the use of the word 'karma'
Easy answer, every one else is either owned by the government or has a huge lobby. The video game industry lobby currently doesn't come close to the rest of media (where'd that link go?).
I really hope the general public gets the message 'dumbass is pissed about charity donation in his name' (sounds like Onion material) rather than 'superstar lawyer is saint and patroit' - there's a chance since the general public doesn't RTFA either.
The real irony, I think, is that if there were some Hindu/Buddhist/Jain company that created a game where the challenge was to not kill anything, this guy would be just as pissed - 'WHAT! You're not killing the $Name Bastards'. He'd probably be happy to attack
"None of us are as dumb as all of us." - meeting mantra
In fact they say "You're all asking me for Jack's Email and or phone number and I respect that. The problem is that I can't give that info out."
Yeah, but the random link immediately underneath that to vgcats *does* have his email and phone number, so they're giving it out indirectly in a reasonably obvious way.
Not that I think they're completely off-base, but I don't think they're completely in the clear either.
I Googled Jack Thompson, first web page gave me a reason for his cause an address and a phone number.
PA can't possibly be held liable for information that is so easy to get.
And if they need it, I would donate some money to pay their legal fees. I'm sure many others would too.
42 - So long and thanks for all the fish.
GROW UP.
"I guess Jay Leno is going to be there (at the ESA convention, where their friend Robert will be presenting the $10k check)".
Dear God and Jesus,
My name is Jayhawk88, but then you already know that. I know I haven't been the best person in the world, and I don't go to church very much, but if you could see to it that this Jack Thompson v. PA feud receives national media attention, I promise to be a good Christian from now on. I will give to the needy, love my fellow man, and praise your name if you will give me Jerry Holkins debating Jack Thompson on The O'Reilly Factor.
try digg.com... it's slashdot on-time and fark without all the crap
The first high profile cases he had was going after prominent black rap groups, and recently he said to Scott Ramsoomair (Ransoomair, whether a pseudonym or not in the case of Scott, is an Indian name):
"Get a name and a life"
Or maybe it had too many vowels in it for Thompson's comfort.
Just because you can mod me down, doesn't mean you're right. Shoes for industry!
"He also offered $10k to charity if anyone who would develop some ridiculous murder spree game." So what is the incentive to develop this game for the people to actually take the time and effort to do it? Also - don't tell Jack about the game by Running With Scissors called "POSTAL". He just might fall over dead.
MadOgre.com
Mr Thompson is just a sad, lonely guy who wants some attention. As he obviously has no natural talent or charisma his only chance of doing this is by picking up contrivertial causes.
Just like Kevin Warwick http://uncyclopedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Warwick, Uri Gellar http://www.sisyfos.cz/sisyfos/geller.htm and co will all go away if we just ignore them.
It has been a long time since I took contracts, and I haven't read the original documents in this case, but, that never stopped anyone one Slashdot.
...
It appears that Jack made an Offer for a Unilateral contract.
"Someone" took him up on his offer and performed according to the contract.
Now, Jack attempts to rescind the contract claiming it was all a joke.
But Jack can't rescind the offer because someone already accepted and performed (thus completing thier end of the contract).
Now is it worth the attorney fees to sue jack under the contract? Probably not, but
Pay the $25 fee and take him to Small Claims Court. He may move you to real court, or he may not show and just default. Either way, he feels the love.
...have MURDERED people? I'd guess about 1000000000000x more than the people who have happend to play video games and killed people.
Was trying to remember where I saw that before. Thought it was a VG Cats comic, not CAD.
Fly me to the moon Let me sing among those stars Let me see what spring is like On jupiter and mars
Just out of curiosity how does PA make so much money? They sell gear...and they have that convention once a year... but they seem to be paying at least two people full time, plus donating large sums of money. Where does it all come from?
Follow me on this one:
Jack Thompson has stated that he plays games like GTA VC and such so that he can make videos of the kind of corruptive behavior they demonstrate. To play the games, doesn't he have to agree to the EULA? If so, he's waved his right to file half the suits he's filed, and can probably be sued for violating said EULA.
I can only hope.
This sig is false.
Very few people of the ultra-conservative persuasion, however, need to be persuaded - they already are fanatically against video games that contain violence, sex, etc.
This idiot is not a conservative. I am however. And as a conservative, I believe it's the parents responsibility to make sure their children are being tought morals, ethics, and respect for their fellow neighbor. Jack Thompson however, thinks it should be GOVERNMENTs job to dictate the virtues of life to others without parental intervention. This flys in the face of conservitism.
Life is not for the lazy.
Read up on Jack Thompson here.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Did the Kids walk around taping 'X' on there controllers to kill the cops? The number of young people playing Doom/Quake/Duke/Kill Zone/GTA/Carmaggedon or whatever is so high, you can not equate that to police officers dying. Sure the kids are nuts, but Video Games didn't make them do it. I can not think of one person I know (myself included) who has even threatened/hurt somebody else in a manner similar to any video game, and we've been playing the most horrific and deadly and immoral games we could find for over 25 years! Now, Take those video games away from kids, and you'll have a real problem of wacko's!
get out and vote. And not just for the big elections every four years. Vote in your Congressional elections. Vote in your state elections. Vote for your local councilmembers.
Good.
Spread the word and get your friend to vote. Don' be afraid to use that fancy gaming machine to write a fickin' letter now and then.
Better.
You are one vote.
Your letter to your congresscritter may be counted by him as some multiple of one vote - the inverse of the fraction who believe as you do but don't write letters.
But the critical part is to convince others to vote, and write letters, and convince still others. Then you are multiplied, not by a constant, but by a rising exponential.
Research this guy. If he's working against an aspect of freedom that is one you value highly, he's probably done the same for other aspects that are valued by others. Dig them out. List them. Use them to convince others that the guy is a menace to THEM.
If you're talking in person, draw them out about what they do, and tell them how this guy is bad for it.
If you're writing letters, give them a list. They'll mostly ignore the ones that aren't a big issue for themselves and zero in on the ones that affect them. So you can write letters and let them filter, rather than trying to figure out in advance what will bug any particular person.
Once you've got them convinced, try to recruit them to help convince others.
Find his political opponent. Volunteer to help with his campaign. He'll need money - but he'll need warm bodies even more - to stuff letters, walk precincts, talk to people, staff booths. Help out and you not only help get rid of the crank, but you get the ear of the guy you're helping. Keep HIM aware of why you were so opposed to his opponent, so he doesn't make the same mistake.
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
Filing frivilous lawsuits actually costs money, and I don't see where his income comes from. It's all nice to crusade and all, but eventually you have to pay for the fax machine and ISP.
And what kind of law does he actually practice? All this grandstanding could be done by anyone with the wherewithall to build a soapbox, but I wonder if all this is actually just an excuse to avoid going to the office and doing the inevitable paperwork: "Make sure Form 5A is included with Form 7B (revision 2) that has been notarized along with the Schedule C form...."
Zzzzz...
(Maybe that's why he's so aggressive...he's just trying to stay awake)
My mommy didn't hug me.... so video games make me kill people! Sheltered bastards become asshole lawyers... apparently!
Would you please enlighten us as to what it is like to wear one of these penny arcade T-Shits out in public? I'm sure everyone is eager to walk up close to you and talk to you with one of those on.
actually i'm pretty sure could get away with putting anyone's name on a tshirt whether public or private.
Brilliant.
We've /.ed Penny Arcade!
This sig is false.
Between Fark.com and slashdot.org, the poor Penny Arcade server never had a chance.
/. Effect on the same day.
/. Fark.
Farked, and hit by the
And thus they have invented the
Poor Bastards
"Live Free or Die." Don't like it? Then keep out of the USA
"I hate Jack Thompson" T-shirts are a form of harassment?
Does that mean 'F*** GW', 'Nuke the whales,' 'don't blame me I voted for Kodos,' and 'Winbloze' are also forms of harassment of our president, the whales, kang, and wndows users repsectively?
Oh god, if Jack Thompson wins this I'll have nothing to wear....
fortunately for my 'Guns don't kill people, I kill people' shirt JT is just a raving lunatic with nothing better to do than make an ass out of himself on a regular basis.
From the check:
9500 Roosevelt Way Ne, Suite 300F
Seattle, WA 98115
http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=9500+Roosevel t+Way+Ne,+Seattle,+WA
I once read somewhere that people who really get upset over the possible abuses of things such as these games (for child porn, etc) are really "closet" about it themselves?
...on how long before this assclown pulls a Morton Downey Jr. style publicity stunt, saying he was beat up in a men's room by some angry gamers or something, to bump his story and endear himself to the handwringers?
My guess is 3 weeks from today at the most.
-Those who dance are considered insane by those who can't hear the music.
And what's the code to unlock the secret "Jerk Stompson, insane ambulance chaser" character?
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
I wouldn't know, I buy my t-shirts on sale at Popular Outdoor and I don't really care what they say. However their legality isn't dependant on me wearing one or not.
If it hasn't been posted yet..
John B. Thompson, Attorney
1172 South Dixie Highway, Suite 111
Coral Gables, Florida 33146-2750
Phone: 305-666-4366
Jackpeace@comcast.net
And possibly his home info
5721 Riviera Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33146-2750
Random Rants from an Airline Employee
Jack Thompson is simply the extreme of the pattern of victimization that has swept over North America. The reality is that there are some things that people are responsible for themselves. Parenting is one of them. A child being addicted to gaming is the same as a child being addicted to smoking - only in this case the parent has complete control over it since they provide the games, gaming console or even if the child is pirating games and playing them on computer, the parent provided the computer and internet access. Furthermore, violence is a key role in society when given a proper outlet. Historically, we've had the Colosseum with the gladiators, any kind of competition sport, movies, and games as well.
I know from my own childhood, whenever I would a movie with violence in it (the blue moon when my parents would let me) they would watch it with me and constantly reiterate that it's not real. As far as I know, I haven't committed any acts of violence.
Furthermore, I'd like to point out one thing - this man probably is a conservative who supports Bush and the war in Iraq - now which is a stronger message? A fantasy game where you kill aliens, or advocating the murder of others, especially when the reasoning behind it was a lie.
PS. His claim that FPS games train children for acts of violence in the real world is ludicrus - shooting an uzi in a computer game is completely different than in real life not to mention that in a game all you do is press a button. He's also giving an excuse to people who commit crime - if you killed somebody, would you be more or less likely to blame a video game if it would mean a reduced sentence?
Take the spotlight away from someone who has nothing else going on and they fade away. He'll try harder to get the spotlight again, but if he continues to be ignored and shown to be an utter loon, then anytime he opens his trap he'll be brushed off w/o a second thought. Tipper Gore and the PMRC had a similar crusade against music in thte 80s. They won to a certain extent and Record Companies started to label music with the Explicit Lyrics label we've all come to love. The problem in Jack's case is that the ESRB already exists and already label's games.
If music companies and artists aren't liable for the death of cops by gang-bangers who listen to Gangsta Rap then why should game companies be any different.
To Alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems.
psst - I was making reference to the typo in your subject line :)
Glorifying hatered on a t-shirt is counterproductive, and reflects VERY poorly on the reasonable cause the shirt represents.
Hatred is a human emotion. So unless you bleed green and you have pointy ears, chances are you had a taste of it.
The shirt is an expression of how the wearer feels about a public person, the wearer could be a hypocrite and pretend he meerly dislikes, or disagrees with Thompson, but if we do hate him for consistently attacking our character based solely on our preferred passtime, and his attempt to ban our passtime, then the shirt is simply expressing our feelings in a perfectly reasonable way.
I hate that fucker Jack Thompson.
There, I said it.
You can't take the sky from me...
What's really funny though is if you google 'detachments' the first hit is coping.org!
Or maybe it's just me....
And as you tread the halls of sanity, You feel so glad to be, Unable to go beyond. I have a message, From another time..
google "jack thompson lawyer"= &safe=off&q=jack%20thompson%20lawyer&btnG=Search&s a=N&tab=wi
http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr
http://stopkill.com/index.html
At the very bottom of the page it has his work address and phone number listed:
1172 South Dixie Hwy., Suite 111
Coral Gables, Florida
305-666-4366
However, google maps has the address listed as:
1172 S Dixie Hwy.
Miami, FL 33146
At least it is not Bob Loblaw.
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
The PA guys should offer up all of the profits from the sales of their line of "I Hate Jack Thompson" shirts to chairty! I'd buy 3!
...that this whole ongoing chain of events has more action and more of a plot than the last few video games I did buy.
You are in a maze of little twisting passages, all different.
Oh yeah, and the obligatory:
http://gc.advancedmn.com/article.php?artid=5883
Sounds fun. I want to play it.
Who the hell is Jack Thompson? And why should I care?
I feel that the the precise arguement you are presenting, if taken past some critical mass, is completely electable. It's what everyone knows, and if someone spoon feeds it to them with charisma then people will listen.
.
-shpoffo
Does the offence of "wasting police time" exist in the US? Because while IANAPCFL (I Am Not A Publicity Crazed Florida Lawyer) it certainly looks to me as if Jack T's demands that the cops go and harass Tycho and Gabe of Penny Arcade could fall under that heading. It might even be a case of falsely reporting a crime, which has got to be good for a swift rap across the knuckles.
The boys at Penny Arcade seem to be conducting themselves with grace, style and wit in this one. Thompson? Well, let's just say that he probably isn't adding to the circle of his admirers with his current antics. At least, I certainly hope he isn't.
The most awesomely awesome thing about this is how Penny Arcade is nearly getting slashdotted with all the free advertising and interest in their site generated from this Thompson fiasco. For all I know they'll probably make back the 10,000 dollars they donated to ESA in his name. What Jack should do now, is take credit for that money, and demand it back from the ESA (or sue). ohh man, how would we entertain ourselves w/o insane public figures?
Since Jack keeps using the stupid Florida cyberstalker law as a weak defense against those emailing him, I say we use Florida's AWESOME "Shoot First" law as a strong offense against Jack!!!
I'm just kidding, but it *IS* a nice thought.
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
Unless you sell it for more than you paid for it. Otherwise you are taking a loss on the transaction, and losses aren't taxed.
Consider selling your car. If you bought the car for $15,000 and then sell it for $10,000 you are losing $5,000 of value, even though the other $10,000 has been converted to cash. The conversion to cash is a red herring--taken as a whole, the transaction loses money so you don't pay income tax.
The taxman looks at your total monetary value before and after each transaction...income taxes are only assessed on positive differences.
Think of your salary, where you start each pay period with x asset value, and you end each pay period with asset value of (x + paycheck)--you're taxed on the difference (paycheck). Or investments, where your investments start each quarter with n. If you have (n + appreciation) at the end of the quarter you pay taxes on the appreciation. If you have (n - depreciation) you get to deduct the depreciation from your total income.
Build a man a fire, he's warm for one night. Set him on fire, and he's warm for the rest of his life.
At the top of the scanned letter it says "John B. Thompson", yet at the bottom it says Jack Thompson?
Could anyone tell me what's up with that?
Is he that senile and crazy that he forgot his own name?
I hate the fool.
I hate the fact that his vitriol and assinine attacks getting him national attention on 60 Minutes.
I hate the fact that he is even allowed to get away with the very behaviors that he accuses others of simply be the fact that he's a lawyer. As such he should be help to HIGHER standards than those without professional legal training.
I hate that he uses his "position of power", his lawyership, to be a bully.
I hate his total inability to grasp reality and basic concepts like cause and effect.
I hate is blameshifting.
I hate his haircut.
And I LOATHE anyone making any preconceived conclusions about me without any personal knowledge of who I am or anything else, a practice entirely too common from corporations, politicians, and grandstanders these days.
The geeks calling his house and such IS harassment, but Penny Arcade isn't liable for that. Nowhere on their site do I see his contact info or directions to contact him. In fact they say "You're all asking me for Jack's Email and or phone number and I respect that. The problem is that I can't give that info out."
:-)
As far as I can see, Penny Arcade is in the clear.
Even better, the letter he wrote to the Police had his number/address removed. They are going to some effort to protect him from hurting himself.
Personally I think Jack's an idiot but that's his legal right. Thought of getting one of those I hate Jack shirts. I'm hoping they come out with J2.0 shirts with something like "Jack's a Jerk" or something more creative
Has Comcast disconnected your Internet account? Same here. You can read about it at http://comcastissue.blogspot.com
This guy is a fucken nut case, what does anybody even bother paying attention to this nutter?
:)
Has this fuckwit even gotten onto TV to air his views?
Good going to PA for donating 10k
"WebTV: bringing the Internet into the shallow end of the gene pool since 1995" - Martin Bishop
How can geeks be so smart and know nothinga about tax law?
I don't know the answer to that question, but your post shows that you don't know anything about tax law either.
The only case where a pure cash donation to charity can really be advantageous to your bottom line is if you are teetering on the edge and the deduction will drop your AGI into a lower bracket. You may also be able to help yourself if you can figure the donation in as an adjustment instead of a deduction (but this is not an easy set of rules to meet). You can also sometimes receive beneficial tax credits that when you donate in specific ways or to specific organizations such as with tsunami relief in 2004.
1) "Dropping into a lower tax bracket" alone does not magically save you money. If you donate cash to a real charity, you will ALWAYS pay out more money than you will get back in tax deductions. The term "tax bracket" refers to your "marginal" rate. If you are in the 28% "bracket", it does not mean that you owe 28% on all of your AGI. The U.S uses what is called a "progressive" tax system. That means that you owe X% on the first $Y of your income, A% on the NEXT $B of your income, C% on the NEXT $D, etc. If you drop from $1 over the 28% line to one dollar under the 28% line (into the 15% range), you will have donated two dollars, and you will owe $.43 less in taxes, for a net cash payout (read money out of your pocket) of $1.57. Your charity dollars acutally go LESS far towards reducing your tax bill, the lower bracket you are in.
2) Tsunami relief did NOT give you special tax CREDITS. Instead, it shifted the deduction date deadline, which let folks take a DEDUCTION on their 2004 taxes for donations made in 2005. A credit is dollar-for-dollar reduction in the check you must cut to the IRS. A deduction merely reduces the amount that tax is calculated from.
A handy deduction tip: Give your old stuff away to charity instead of having a garage sale. If you are already itemizing your deductions anyway (most homeowners are in this boat) the tax savings from the deduction at a reasonable declared value will bring you more than taking pennies on the dollar from spendthrifts at your sale. Plus, you dont have to pay taxes on the income from the garage sale (since there is no income).
The "reasonable value" you are allowed to deduct for used household goods is supposed to be what the items would sell for at an establishment such as a thrift shop. Unless your local Salvation Army sells stuff 3x-6x more than a garage sale (depending on your marginal rate), you aren't going to end up on top by doing this.
Please actually READ tax law (or at least IRS publications) before giving out wacky advice like this...
SirWired
bar-ra-try: the offence of habitually exciting quarrels, or moving or maintaining lawsuits; vexatious persistnace in, or incitement to, litagation.
Education is the silver bullet.
As much as people here disagree, Thompson is, in fact, correct.
I also believe these games are glorifying violence against not only cops, but others too.
I happen to own GTA and Vice City and have played them both on many occasions and they certainly are obsessive games.
I can image someone of weaker mind or great obession could easily be lead by this to do something horrific and not really know the difference between it and real life.
And, yes, the kids on PennyArcade probably are hassasing him for his point of view, which differs from theirs.
Penny-Arcade vs. Jack Thompson would be fun, but I'd rather see it on The Daily Show or some other venue moderated by Jon Stewart. I also desire a venue that can release the uncensored results of such a meeting.
Start Running Better Polls
is a _damning_ indictment...
than I would be, because I'd be talking to a lawyer and seeing what I could do about that libelous letter. Extortion seems like a pretty serious allegation to make about someone and their business. Way to go for both of them for being stand up guys and taking the $10k out of their pocket to give it to charity since the tight lawyer couldn't part with it.
"I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it." -Voltaire
They're doing quite well. it's been intermittently down for a while, but I was able to bring it up with a couple refreshes. They get 2 million plus hits a day, from what I've read, and this shit really hit the fan on a Tuesday, which helps. No new comic today, so more room for extra hits.
If I am correct (fat chance), wouldn't a hot shot lawyer know that?
Angleyne: You can't bend that girder - it's unbendable! Bender: Well I don't know anything about lifting, so that ju
Haven't been thrift shopping lately, have you? In my locale (Phoenix, Arizona), if you go around and compare prices of equivalent items at a garage sale vs. Salvation Army vs. Goodwill, you will quickly find that on many items, the Salvation Army is ripping people off, and are making a hefty profit on "junk". Not that they don't have a right to make as much as they can for their "charity", but their margins tend to be way outside the norm of comparable items from other sources.
As noted, though, this may be indicative only of the Phoenix, Arizona market, and may not reflect on other markets elsewhere...
Reason is the Path to God - Anon
That's what I was thinking.
I guess it comes down to "It's legal until the judge deems otherwise."
I can't come up with a good acid test of what makes a person private enough not to be a target of satire.
One man's privates is another man's publics?
/sig
... has some very insightful commentary about Jack Thompson. I learned quite a lot more about this fellow today.
http://www.megagamerz.com/archive/051018.html
... that there are a LOT of people like Jack Thompson in powerful positions right now, and more coming. There's a cultural war* going on in the U.S. right now, and these are just the opening salvos. I hope all of you free speach advocates are preparing your bunkers.
*Yes, I'm using the new, improved version of "war," which bears little relation to its original meaning. For example, the "War on Terror" or the "War on Drugs", ie., a war on a tactic and a war on a substance.
-G
www.pixelstatic.com
Though, Gabe should also note that Jack's information is a matter of public record. And can be found on www.flordiabar.org
--
Adobe's anti-counterfeiting softw
John B. Thompson, Attorney at Law 1172 South Dixie Hwy. Suite 111 Coral Gables, Florida 33146 305-666-4366
If they can afford to donate $10,000 US just to prove a point!?!
Only, like, everyone.
Man, all of this open discussion is making me really ANGRY......
Anyone wanna tell Jack Thompson exactly what they think about him? His info is freely available online at http://www.stopkill.com/ - "If you want to help your state pass a constitutional law to prohibit the sale of these virtual reality murder and sex simulators to children, if you want any additional information or help, or if you want to help Jack Thompson in any fashion, including prayer, please contact him at 1172 South Dixie Hwy., Suite 111, Coral Gables, Florida, or phone him at 305-666-4366. May God bless you, keep you, and protect you and yours."
Maybe Jack's email to Gabe, "This story is completely false and defamatory. Take it down or else.", is actually about the cold plecenta sandwiches that Tycho will get to enjoy after the birth of his child as stated in Monday's comic. What if Jack leans more toward the "Coneheads" vision of the birth process, where the father breaks the umbilical cord with his teeth? Different strokes for different folks.
Nis
Look, the guy very obviously doesn't care what people think about him.
/. just gave him free advertisement.
However, he does go on 60 Minutes. He's seeking publicity. And both PA and
Hook, line and sinker. He's a troll, people. He doesn't want to win, he only wants to annoy and be remembered by as many people as possible.
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
Google "Teenage girls water sports" and the 5th match is slashdot. LOL so apparently this topic has been covered before. If you're lost see the Parent's link, follow it, and RTFA =D
/ 1844257&tid=133&tid=10
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/16
This has been the subject of extensive case law and precedent over the years. Ultimately it is decided by a jury if the case makes it that far.
Here's some elucidating info:
And some futher explanation of 'public figures':
I think in this case, Mr. Thompson is certainly a 'limited public figure' and as such would have a much higher burden of proof in a libel or slander case.
Harassment however is a whole other can of worms.
What law/rule/statute would it be breaking to make/wear/sell a t-shirt that said 'I hate John Smith'?
None as far as I know. (IANAL) However you might be treading on thinner ice if you walked around with a t-shirt that said "John Smith murders kittens." or "John Smith is a homosexual."
------
Where are the slash-groupies? I distinctly remember being promised slash-groupies!
Your advice is appropriate in general, but it's off-topic and distracting.
This guy is directly attacking an aspect of freedom - free speech. My posting above takes this as a given, and is strictly discussing how those who have determined to oppose him can do so most effectively.
Research, then vote. Get your friends to read about the candidates and issues, then vote.
Nice. But it doesn't address the proper function of elections. It is not to make rational decisions (although they often do, which is good when it happens). They are to figure out how the war will come out, so you don't have to fight it with more deadly tools.
If someone feels strongly about an issue, and convinces others to go along - regardless of whether the position is rational or irrational - they will go along. The purpose of elections is not to stop this from happening, but to let it proceed to accomplish its goals through a less destructive channel.
By advising people who have strong opinions about who should be the officeholder to advise people to do additional work, you are making them less effective at what they have already determined to do. Having them ask people to do extra work to convince themselves, when they can avoid both the work and the stress of change by ignoring the person trying to persuade them, means most will ignore him. Then he's wasted his time and effort.
This is a war - by other means.
The way for us to win it is to do the research FOR the people we're trying to convince. Then we present them with our results, and if they agree the guy's got to go, recruit them into our growing snowball.
We use truth. Not because we must. But because it works better. Since it's a war, it's up to the OTHER guy to do the arguments for HIS side of the issues. Once they're BOTH brought to the voters attention, they become aware that there's an argument going on. Then those whose minds aren't already made up will compare our propaganda to his - especially where they diverge on matters of fact. That's where building ours on truth pays off. When they check, our arguments win, on facts and on visible logic running from them. (The credibility we gain there also leads to increased respect for our decision-making process and thus our opinions.)
Please don't "just vote". Don't try to convince your friends to "just vote". It dilutes the votes of people who actually know what they're voting for and skews the vote in favor of superficial whims. If you don't know a candidate or issue while in the voting booth, it's too late; leave the entry blank, please.
This is good advice to an individual voter. But it's noise for the election process. If he makes a random choice it cancels out. If he votes for a member of his preferred party he's accepting the party's endorsement that the candidate is a team player on their team: (That's a poor move for his own interests, but it still models how he'd behave if it came to a war, so it's just fine for the election process.) Ditto if he votes on name recognition: He just sold his vote to the guy with the biggest advertising budget or the operators of the mass media he views. That's a problem for those trying to swing public opinion - but (unfortunately) still a good model of the civil war.
Leaving it blank when you don't know or don't care gives power to people who do know or do care. Sometimes that's in your interest. Often it's not. Because they vote in THEIR interest, which may be opposed to yours. (Of course if you don't know that, you could as easily help them and hurt yourself as the other way around. THAT's why you shouldn't vote when you don't know or care.)
But that's advice to individual voters. This thread is advice to the committed, who DO know and DO care, on how to effectively advance their cause.
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
JT kinda reminds me of Bernie Shifman...
Maybe someone should start a 'Jack Thompson is moron lawyer' website...
Given that Thompson is from the state that wants you to "Stand your Ground", Penny Arcade should open an office in Miami. When Mr. Thompson shows up in person and starts being thretening, Penny Arcade should "Stand there ground" http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?story Id=4934076.
Jack Thompson proposes a game in which a father kills innocent people related in some way to gaming, as revenge for his son's death. Someone actually made that game as a mod--and this is irony, if you missed it--to Grand Theft Auto.
If JT wants anyone to play his game, and get vicarious revenge on the game industry, they have to purchase GTA to play it.
Well, I don't own a copy yet. Guess I'll go get one.
BTW, if your reply to this post defines "irony" for me, I'll fucking stab you. Damn, video games do make you violent!
It's rare that you're presented with a knob whose only two positions are Make History and Flee Your Glorious Destiny.
No, no, different Drew. I am Drew from Zhrodague. If this were a plug, I'd prolly do something like this.
Zhrodague.net - I do projects and stuff too.
I love the liberal media we have in this country.
toxoplasma gondii?
I sent him a letter earlier, here's what I got back....
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification
Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:
jackpeace@comcast.net
Technical details of permanent failure:
PERM_FAILURE: SMTP Error (state 9): 551 not our customer
Total hilarity, guys. Comcast says "Not our customer" as if they dropped that guy from their service!
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
"If you want to help your state pass a constitutional law to prohibit the sale of these virtual reality murder and sex simulators to children, if you want any additional information or help, or if you want to help Jack Thompson in any fashion, including prayer, please contact him at 1172 South Dixie Hwy., Suite 111, Coral Gables, Florida, or phone him at 305-666-4366. May God bless you, keep you, and protect you and yours." Coincidence? I think not.
Naturally, one can find Jack's phone number on Jack's own site! How can you discuss something like this when linking to the opposing viewpoint is an incitement to harass?
I'm also not entirely convinced that the vgcats conversation wasn't some prank call done through email.
I Browse at +4 Flamebait
Open Source Sysadmin
So i'm suprised no one's commented on the resilliancy of the slashdot effect on slowing down, but not killing penny arcade's servers. :P
You never realize how much manually made unmanaged "linked" lists suck, till you have src.link.link.link.link...
"An Open Letter to Jack Thompson"
CAD had a fairly amusing strip about Tack Jhompson
Sig Appended to the end of comments you post. 120 chars.
if he behaves this way in public? I sincerely hope he doesn't have children.
Jack Thompson, (206) 282-0528, 1000 1st Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119 Google Maps Yahoo! Maps MapQuest
:)
Jack C Thompson, (206) 568-6357, 1200 Boylston Ave, Seattle, WA 98101 Google Maps Yahoo! Maps MapQuest
Enjoy
-ND
Gamespot http://www.gamespot.com/news/6135979.html/ is reporting that Jack didn't even bother to file his complaint with the Seatle Police department until well after he'd faxed complaints to PA, Gamespot, 1up, and others.
I realize the mans not the brightest bulb on the show room floor, but you'd think sending in the complaint before the press release would be a no-brainer. This, if nothing else, absolutely shows off the character of the man. Show boating, and media attention first and foremost.
I'm with others, if he has finally filed a complaint with the SPD I hope they, and PA nail his ass to the wall for filing a false complaint. The only way the media will finally stop listening to him is if someone takes his ass to task for his tactics. Follow it all the way through the courts, get them to declare him an ass-hat and you have more credibility then all the Janet Reno and Trolling stories put together.
The bigger issue here is his stance on being a lawyer.
At this point, I wouldn't have this guy defend me on an air-tight first amendment case with cenematic quality video evendence, George C. Scott in its leading role, and supporting supporting expert testimony from Benjamin Franklin as to the true intention of The Constitution.
I'm surprised nobody's done a "Killed my father and raped my mother!" routine with technology yet.
Just because you can mod me down, doesn't mean you're right. Shoes for industry!
can you believe it? Jack Tompson did all this. he picked me off the street, strapped my arms and legs down in the lawyermobile's passenger seat, and just wouldn't stop fondling my cock'n'balls.
they definately were red flag touches. the goddamn referee he had in the back seat kept on raising up this red flag every time he touched my junk but did Jack Tompson care? NO WAY! he just kept on doing it. I couldn't believe what the fuck was going on, indeed. I pleaded with Jack Tompson but to no avail. I told him the city would not approve of such a crazy nutjob touching an underage kid like me (at the time I was 13) without at least compensating me for the trauma and the use of my body as his own personal plaything.
this got to him, worrying about his image. he continued to fondle me, all the while ignoring the referee's red flags. then he drove the lawyermobile to my house and ejected the seat i was in! it was amazing. but surprisingly, after I woke up the next morning, my bank account had $150k in it!!! Can you believe it??????
[omg - this is a post you can correctly respond to with "that begs the question"]
-bs
That that is is not that that is not. That that is not is not that that is.
this, my friends, is the fututre of reality entertainment.
show description:
over-puffed anti-vidgame blowhard takes on vidgame scenes' most prominent humorists--primarily the most charitable & anti-blowhard of them all.
this is the greatest flamewar i've read in years, and no participation neccessary! the inevitability of his self-destruction is so delicious--it's like watching a kick-ass slow-mo explosion.. with director commentary!
The man is a real jack ass.
Karma: a simple way of silencing those with unpopular views regardless how correct or just that view might be.
I just hope some crazy teens don't go out and kill a few Orcs in the name of the Alliance for the sake of Blizzard and Warcraft!
Anyone interested in contacting Jack Thompson might want to try the following address and phone number:
John B & Patricia H Thompson
5721 Riviera Dr
Coral Gables, FL 33146-2750
(305) 666-4366
You think someone forged Thompson's email address and then intercepted email sent back to it in order to reply?
"I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas...".
The guy article says this guy welched on a verbal contract where he offered to give $10K to charity (still waiting apparently) if someone developed a game involving pissing on people and killing game store clerks. Apparently the game was made, because Penny Arcade stepped up and paid off the charity reward, which is part of this "harrassment".
So what ever happened to the game?
Well I see a lot of comments in this thread that associate Jack Thompson's actions to those of other public figures, like Ann Coulter, or George bush, or other right-wing political figures. I don't think that he is associated or supported by them, and while my information is by no means exhaustive, I do know that one the the senators he mentions he is working with is Hillary Clinton. (who is most certainly not a republican)
I think there are public figures (senators and the like) on both sides that have been misled to believe this guy is legit.
Basically I don't think this has anything to do with the republican party, Jack is just a fruitcake all by himself.
sometimes, i wonder if i'm the only conservative on teh intarweb. ah well, back to mah hogs and warmongerin'....
Interestingly enough, I just read today of a case where a man in New mexico (couldn't find a link, try USA Today) is standing for sentencing, of up to a year (3 total, but one for this one charge) for "criminal libil". 16 states have the law that makes it a misdemeanor to circulate and "false or malicious statement affecting the reputation, business, or occupation of another, or which exposes another to hatred, contempt, ridcule, degradation, or disgust". Now, clearly PA would also be in the wrong here, with their shirts, but I'm focusing on the one statement Jack made "to shut this little extortion factory down and/or arrest some of its employees" Where, extortion factory could be a statement that affects their business (although in this casem probably positively, heh). IANAL in any regards, but I found this article interesting.
Want to find other gamers to play board and role playing game
Makes me think of Postal 2, in the level where there are protestors against violent video games, who start violently ambusting/attacking the software developers in their building.
Your Momma's so fat she makes emacs look like nano!
You certainly could with a simple "I hate _____", or anything like that, but you couldn't say "_____ fucks his mother" unless you could prove that ____ does, indeed, fuck his or her mother.
At least, that's my understanding of the law here. Expressing an opinion is fine in all cases, but statements of fact that could harm someone must be demonstably true.
> fark without all the crap
That would be one loooooonely and boring website.
I would pay for a shirt that says Jack Thompson murders kittens!
Then again, maybe I'll say I'll pay for that shirt and recend my offer when someone prints it, I hear its what laywers do these days.
http://www.stopkill.com/
Hmmmmm... last paragraph of this website may be useful as well.
What'll we get for ten dollars?
Every 'ting you want
Everything?
Every'ting
Ooh! Don't do that, baby! Ahh!
Hold on this! Oh, sock it to me! Aaahh!
Ooohh!
Chorus (repeated during breakdowns):
Ahh! Me so horny!
Me love you long time!
Verse 1: [Brother Marquis]
Sittin' at home with my dick on hard
So I got the black book for a freak to call
Picked up the telephone, then dialed the 7 digits
Said, "Yo, this Marquis, baby! Are you down with it?"
I arrived at her house, knocked on the doo
rNot having no idea of what the night had in store
I'm like a dog in heat, a freak without warning
I have an appetite for sex, 'cause me so horny
Chorus
Verse 2: [Fresh Kid Ice]
Girls always ask me why I fuck so much
I say "What's wrong, baby doll, with a quick nut?"
'Cause you're the one, and you shouldn't be mad
I won't tell your mama if you don't tell your dad
I know he'll be disgusted when he sees your pussy busted
Won't your mama be so mad if she knew I got that ass?
I'm a freak in heat, a dog without warning
My appetite is sex, 'cause me so horny
Chorus
Verse 3: [Brother Marquis]
You can say I'm desperate, even call me perverted
But you say I'm a dog when I leave you fucked and deserted
I'll play with your heart just like it's a game
I'll be blowing your mind while you're blowing my brains
I'm just like that man they call Georgie Puddin' Pie
I fuck all the girls and I make 'em cry
I'm like a dog in heat, a freak without warning
I have an appetite for sex, 'cause me so horny.
Chorus
Breakdown(4x):
Ahh! Hold on this! Oh, sock it to me!
Chorus
Verse 4: [Fresh Kid Ice]
It's true, you were a virgin until you met me
I was the first to make you hot and wetty-wetty
You tell your parents that we're goin' out
Never to the movies, just straight to my house
You said it yourself, you like it like I do
Put your lips on my dick, and suck my asshole too
I'm a freak in heat, a dog without warning
My appetite is sex, 'cause me so horny
Chorus
Breakdown (repeated till end of track):
Fuckie suckie. Me fuckie suckie.
*And I hate him for it!
I'd buy that shirt.
/sig
Things are about to get really interesting. Why? This quote from PennyArcade, updated at 6:30pm: "I don't think we can just ignore him anymore. --Gabe"
Translation: "Jack, you are about to be ridiculed like no other person in the history of the internet. Before this is over, you will be embarassed to speak your own name outloud, former friends will openly laugh in your face, children and animals will mistrust you, and you will reflexively spit at your own reflection out of disgust. And just when you think that things can't get worse, or perhaps it's all over, the fun will begin anew. "
Or, to paraphrase: "Jack, baby, you really fucked up."
No really, it's funny...
There's a number of possibilities, ranging from someone forging the initial email to jackpeace@comcast.net not being jack thompson, aka john b thompson attorney at law.
I Browse at +4 Flamebait
Open Source Sysadmin
Mr. A.C., This has to be, quite literally, the funniest god damned thing I have ever read on /. Thank yo very much for this piece of entertainment. Should be plus 5 funny by now.
This has the same hysteria that Dungeons and Dragons was causing 20 years ago. Blaming bad behavior on video games make a good scapegoat for irresponsible parenting.
Does counterstrike teach kids some decent door tactics? Maybe. Do they know to aim for the head now rather than closing their eyes and just squeezing the trigger? I'd say yes. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that video games can make someone a more proficient killer. (Don't you dare cut and paste my comment, Jack, you frigging retard) But, games don't make a person a killer. If they did, then there would be 100K counterstrikers shooting up the neighborhood.
Ultimately it is still just scapegoating. I'll bet I can find people on the drama team or a chess club who've committed crimes. Dumbass is just trying to feather his nest off the tragedy of others. If he wants to make a difference, he needs to teach these kids ethics and morality. Murder stems from the heart, not from guns and not from video games. Jackass needs to go start spending his time helping troubled youth, and stop wasting it trying to violate all our rights.
You know, everyone hates lawyers and he's just another example of why.
And for this slightly higher price, you get the benefit of shopping at a single location rather than spending all day in garage sales. Given today's gas prices, you may well spend less :)
One of my friends said, back in the 8-bit days there existed a game called the "rape simulator". I can't remember if it was on Atari 8-bit or C-64. I never saw it. But I guess the motto was, "If you can't fuck it, then beat it to death." Or something like that.
I do recall one on the Atari ST called "Schoolyard Slaughter". The funny thing about these games is that they usually suck. It purely about shock factor and what's the most offensive thing can we think of to make a game/song/whatever about? I think a lot of it exists merely as a reaction to these fundamentalist. I can't have what? It's bad for me? What is it? and where can I get some to try it? I played/had a copy of/showed to people schoolyard slaughter because it was an offensive concept, not because it was a good game. So either for the OMG shock reaction of people who have easy to press buttons, or to people so we are indulging in some naughty thrill.
People who try to enforce their own extremist ideologies are going to be confronted by an opposing ideology. I don't think censorship works in the long run. Now I'm off to make some popcorn and continue enjoying the show.
wow. pretty creepy.
....SOMEHOW.....somehow, you know, somehow i imagine that what you're talking about HAPPENED to him, it would actuallly be bad. cause you know, it would be a big outspoken lunatic/critic of [videogame] VIOLENCE being harmed or killed because of his [idiotic] opining.
pretty ominous too.
jack is an idiot. but should he really be scared to have his home information public?
which, SOMEHOW, ya know, maybe it would trigger a backlash(?)
At the top of the Fax, and in the letter head, it says "John Thompson", not Jack Thompson. Are we dealing with multiple personalities here, or did he forget how to spell his own name?
[insert witty comment here]
John B. Thompson, Attorney at Law
1172 South Dixie Hwy., Suite 111
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
305-666-4366
jackpeace@comcast.net
August 5, 2005
http://www.vgcats.com/jack.php
Many years ago, we (Meow Media, Inc - parent company of Persian Kitty's Adult Links) were sued by Jack Thompson in what later became a landmark sixth circuit court of appeals first amendment case. Granted, we were vindicated after two years of legal expenses... but it still cost us several hundred thousand dollars in attorney fees, expert witness fees, and appeals fees (which required a second set of attorneys).
While Jack Thompson's lawsuit was grinding its way through the court of appeals, another copy-cat attorney by the name of John DeCamp decided to sue us (Meow Media) for the Columbine shootings!
Soon, every attorney with expensive car payments was jumping on the bandwagon, in [what I perceive as] an effort to collect a "nusiance" settlement from us and other defendants. In fact, this practice became so common and popular that PBS FrontLine ran a feature story on our collective plights.
Fortunately, when the Court of Appeals ruled in our favor on the Paducah lawsuit (and reaffirmed this when they rejected the appeal for reconsideration), the other defendants were quick to drop their lawsuits, else face an action sounding in tort. However, that too required attorney fees and retainers for each case, in each particular venue.
For those of you who have not yet gone through lengthy and cumbersome litigation... there is not much you can do to recover the costs involved with defending yourself from most tort litigation. Sure, we could turn around and sue the families of the deceased children who were killed by the shooter... but that's not exactly good publicity, nor does it make for a sympathetic jury.
So here I sit today, a few hundred thousand dollars poorer, watching history repeat itself.
5721 Riviera Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146.
home phone number is 305-666-4366
cell 305-588-3005
from findlaw & fark
I'm pretty sure that means all their profits from t-shirt sales probably already are going to charity for a while :)
-- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
Those possibilities being drastically reduced when jackpeace@comcast.net is the address listed as his in numerous locations, and replies sent to it were answered. One initial email could theoretically have been sent by someone else, but not very likely further replies in the same thread, especially when they eventually acknowledge the initial email.
After reading several things which Jack Thompson wrote, it seems that he lacks a coherent argument, and resorts to ass kissing and name calling more than half of the time.
In the scanned letter, he refers to Penny Arcade as "an extortion ring," a "bunch of computer geeks," and repeatedly spews "facts" about the gaming industry which have yet to be proven. To my limited knowledge, Rockstar Games has not publically admitted that GTA:Vice City is some sort of combat simulator which prepares youth to overthrow authority. Hell, the game has very little bearing on reality from what I have seen.
Lets face it, this letter was designed to have maximum effectiveness with the police, not a third party. He doesn't seem to be bothered by this alleged harrassment, instead, his letter seems to be a vengeful attack on Penny Arcade.
This guy needs to do some research and forget about whatever it is that motivates his attack on "violence." Whether he is after money, political power, or a place in history is not certain, but there is clearly an ulterior motive to his attack on the gaming industry.
I don't care. It would be worth it.
But what if the t-shirt says: "Tom Jackson is a dyslexic mother fucker"?
"That's so plausible, I can't believe it!" - Leela
It'd be legal if you put "I think", "I believe", or "in my opinion" before it.
"That's so plausible, I can't believe it!" - Leela
Is English Cmdr Taco's first language? I could not make any sense of the post.
-fb Everything not expressly forbidden is now mandatory.
I think its time the gamers unite and go 'Ralsky' on his ass. His address has been posted, lets sign him up for magazines, game demos, porn, everything. Have any old games kicking around? Consider making an anonymous dontaion to Jack.
Of course we could all be evil and say, set all our phones to call forward to his business phone number or something >:->
Where I post game reviews, my PSP backgrounds, podca
Uh, maybe they are also nice guys that wanted to give money to charity, and this was a golden opportunity to also show everyone what a jackass this guy is.
But what if the t-shirt says: "Tom Jackson is a dyslexic mother fucker"?
:)
You know "The Thinker", right? Well, you've just stumbled upon the question that's had him sitting on that rock for all these years.
Currently Jacko has all the cards: he's on CNN and whispering in the ears of Congress, possibly the Democrats' '08 presidential nominee. The gaming community is confined to, well, here.
Now, the bigger this fight gets, the better chance the fight has of catching media attention. Which inevitably means a gamer gets press coverage--America loves a good catfight.
Now, how awesome would it be to have Mike & Jerry on CNN talking about free expression in video games? Dare I dream, arguing in public with Jack Thompson? They're smarter than him. They have more charisma than him. They have a children's charity; he is a puritanical scumbag lawyer.
There is nowhere, I repeat, nowhere the public discourse about boundary-pushing games can go but up. This has happened in every industry Thompson and his ilk took on, because artists asserted their right to free expression. Ice T, Jello Biafra, George Carlin, Lenny Bruce.
GTA and games like it are this decade's offensive entertainment, but they have no Champion. This is dangerous. This time Thompson came strapped with statistics, which look like scientific proof to a politician. This is dangerous. The political left is sucking up to social conservatives; that's dangerous.
I don't know Thompson's stated goals. The Chatterbox interview (linked above) doesn't clarify them. But the man has, this very minute, all the influence he needs to get legislation passed. I probably wouldn't like his legislation, and nobody is standing up to him. We cannot afford to ignore him and hope he goes away. One does not do that when one's rights are threatened.
A PA post put it best: this thing happens every few years, and after much hollering, someone reminds them we live in America and everyone shuts up. It's high time for that reminder. I can't think of a more apropos source than creators of a new and delightful medium that fuses gaming with that other innocent children's entertainment, comic books. As far as I'm concerned this is Jack Thompson vs. The Beatles, and my little flag is a-waving.
On Mike! On Scott! Go Jerry go!!
my journal: Hot Coffee
you can have my violent video games when you pry them from my cold, dead hands.
Prime UID Club
John B. Thompson, Attorney at Law
1172 South Dixie Hwy., Suite 111
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
305-666-4366
jackpeace@comcast.net
August 5, 2005
zomg he is the devil !!!!!!!!!!!1111!!!!!
Snowden and Manning are heroes.
that all this furor he's causing is because he has a book coming out in November and he wants some free publicity? Nah, of course not. Move along, nothing to see here.
Greetings, first post. I am but a boy of 18, an avid gamer, and a lover of all that is slightly rebellious yet not-so-criminal. With that said, I give you people the conversation held between Mr. Thompson and Me: Italics is Narration I stumble across his phone number. I write something short and sweet and give the man a ring. It rings about 12 times before I get his voicemail/answering machine. I hang up, figuring it's 10:30PM, he's probably not in his office, and furthermore, I have all evening tomorrow to pick up the phone and give him a call. I am on my way to replace the phone handset when it rings again. Lo-and-behold, it says Jack Thompson on the Caller ID. r0bVious (r0b): Hello? Jack Thompson (JT): What do you want? I decide to play dumb. r0b: Excuse me? Who is this? JT: What do you want? Seeing as that's not going anywhere... r0b: Oh! Is this Jack Thompson? JT: Yes. What do you want? Then I begin saying what I had pre-written. r0b: Mr. Thompson, I apologize about it being so late, but I just wanted to let you know that I support your actions versus the gaming industry. Without people like you, we'd have to find other reasons to make Canada look so good. Please, don't run for president. Sue me. I hang up. Satisfied. A nice hearty vent. I, once again, am going to return the handset, when it rings once more. Who could it be? I'll give you one guess. JT: Let me tell you something... I am too humored and surprised to come up with anything better than an obviously false voice. Even I was disappointed with what came out. r0b:squeaky-voiced Who is this? Vindictive JT laugh. JT: Let me tell you something... I have your number, and you need an attorney. I am utterly floored. I had read he was threat-happy, but I just didn't really believe it until I heard it first-hand. r0b: Truely stunned, You're going to sue me for giving you a call?.. JT: Slower; Evil-er (honestly), You got it. ...I figure I'm pretty low on his To-Sue list, so I'll expect my indictment in several years.
Looking back, after he had said I needed an attorney, I should have asked if he was free.
Can anyone think of an intelligent way to help stop the problem (Jack Thompson)?
There are all sorts of idiots on the Internet who try to help by
posting on forums and responding directly to Jack with hate mail;
however, I don't think that sort of reaction will really help the
situation. Responding to idiocy with further idiocy just fuels the
fire.
If there is some intelligent way that I can help, please let me know. I'd like to do something, but I don't really have any good ideas.
Please keep in mind that I am Canadian, and thus do not have a senator to appeal to. (But if you can think of some American only solutions, post them as well).
Thanks.
The guy does sound a bit loony, but GTA *is* trash. And while I doubt it was the software developer's intentions for police officers to get killed by addicts of their game, if the game did have any effect which resulted in those deaths, then I dont see why they shouldnt be held responsible at least to some extent.
Christ, people sue McDonald's when their coffee is too hot!?! You think a lawsuit against a company who's product is an engrossing video game that glorifies killing innocent people and law enforcement is out of line?
People *are* affected psychologicaly by video games, some more than others.
Theres limits here that people in a civilized society should be able to see without the need for legislation. GTA goes beyond one of those limits.
Consider: Pretty much everyone would agree that if a game came out tomorrow where you played the part of a Nazi soldier in a deathcamp and the goal was to exterminate Jewish citizens, that that would be distastful and 'over the line' right? (I sure hope you would agree!!)
Well, GTA crosses that line too - just not as far over..
3 people are dead: 3 people who seem to have done more with their lives besides play violent video games.
IMO, the 'right to live without getting shot' preempts the 'right to play a violent video game'. And if people cant see this on their own, then legislation ends up coming into play. And that just sucks.
The solution is not to purchase crap like GTA in the first place.
-- NeTMoNGeR
You're also lazy!
[omg - this is a post you can correctly respond to with "that begs the question"]
You just made my friends list, for what that's worth.
You're doing it wrong.
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.
Delivery to the following recipients failed.
jackpeace@comcast.net
From: squee burger
To: jackpeace@comcast.net
Subject: hi.
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 10:33 PM
Hi,
You are a moron.
Please see -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moron
Also I like http://www.thinkgeek.com/pennyarcade/gamer/7a15/
Thanks,
Have a good day.
damn.
www.qsopht.com ~q
The "reasonable value" you are allowed to deduct for used household goods is supposed to be what the items would sell for at an establishment such as a thrift shop. Unless your local Salvation Army sells stuff 3x-6x more than a garage sale (depending on your marginal rate), you aren't going to end up on top by doing this.
I know at least one tax practicing CPA who recommends this. Even if you don't end up on top by straight figures, any reasonable valuation of the time spent on selling the stuff versus donating it will easily push you over.
Of course, if spending 4-6 hours hanging out on your lawn while people haggle with you over your stuff is your idea of a good time, go for it.
If you know of a qualified charity that runs a thrift store and accepts donations at the store, you can take care of your donation and get a fair market value in the same trip by looking at similar items in the store.
Well it would appear that Jack feels he doesn't need to be reached by his fans, clients as the email address he provided to the FL BAR Assn' is no longer valid. As someone who wants people to be accountable for their actions he seems very resistant to following this rule himself.
:)
Just for reference:
This is the Postfix program at host mail.armyofpenguins.com.
I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message could not be
be delivered to one or more recipients. It's attached below.
For further assistance, please send mail to
If you do so, please include this problem report. You can
delete your own text from the attached returned message.
The Postfix program
: host smtp.comcast.net[63.240.76.27] said: 551 not our
customer (in reply to RCPT TO command)
Reporting-MTA: dns; mail.armyofpenguins.com
X-Postfix-Queue-ID: 2C547681CA
X-Postfix-Sender: rfc822;
Arrival-Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 22:53:24 -0400 (EDT)
Final-Recipient: rfc822; jackpeace@comcast.net
Action: failed
Status: 5.0.0
Diagnostic-Code: X-Postfix; host smtp.comcast.net[63.240.76.27] said: 551 not
our customer (in reply to RCPT TO command)
Jack if you're reading this say hi
OMG, funniest shit evar!11!!1 Which mental institution do you hail from?
Where one of our friends gives a post a +1 moderation which is ONLY seen by his fans, and we can then rank this as something other than +1 if we want mabye. If you agreed with the rating then you could highlight it, and you could
Or mabye I've spent too much time with and would be best served by StumbleUpon
GENERATION 26: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig on any forum and add 1 to the generation.
The anti-Jack movement thrives on revealing stupid actions and comments made by JT by posting them publicly. Perhaps in the future he'll be disbarred or successfully sued for some of the more aggressive or unprofessional remarks he has made
However, Jack also thrives on the stupid, violent, or aggressive comments made against him. So rather than advocate such things and paint ourselves exactly as he is trying to do, how about we just use calm, professional points with correct facts - which seems to annoy him the most anyways - and avoid playing into his game.
From most of the JT comments I've read, he seems to regard gamers and indeed geeks in general as a rather intellectually-insufficient subspecies. By providing intelligent feedback and/or responses we probably annoy him a lot more anyways, by proving him wrong. In such debates, he often also seems to make some pretty unprofessional and irrational comments, further proving our view that he seems to have some major personality and/or professionalism issues...
Jack, if you're reading this, people of all types use the internet, play video games, and generally populate the USA. You're going to get idiots of various varieties as a representation of the general population, so if 1 in 10,000 people in the US are somewhat demented (and base on what I have seen in a 1000 or less school population, this probably actually a higher number), and 1 in 5000 play video games, then chances are you get some overlap there.
I just want everyone to know that when I first bought GTA 3 on the PS2 that in my 5~6 complete hours of playing that game, I blew up around 25~30 cars, blow up 4~5 trucks, shot and hurt many, many civilians. But you know what? I think I might have killed a total of one cop... again, I think... By the end of that 5~6 hours and leaving it on the shelf or a good year or so, I sold it to a game reseller a really bad Gundam game. You know... some people just fired up about nothing... Sim 2 has low-res polygonal nudity? God, thanks, Mr. Thompson. Thanks for telling all the pervvy little teenagers that. Now they'll go out to buy the game... idiot... *shakes head* Sometimes I wonder if he's getting kick back from these game companies. Oh yeah, I would also like to announce that Star Wars: battle front is a jedi-killing simulator. I mean, if I saw a real jedi on the streets, I would know exactly how to kill him! All I have to do is try to land a tie-fighter on him or blow him off a cliff with a grenade (and I say him because there are only male jedis/siths in that game). How dare lucas arts for making such a violent game! I mean, you can totally see what they're trying to do to our poor, innocent children!
please... let me sleep... a little more... yay, no longer annonmyous coward.
True... they're definitely not getting anything good out of it. Nope... no publicity or anything.
Someone Please Get Jack An Interview On Comedy Central. That Would Be So Much Fun to Watch.
`Lex - Find Me Here: Text Appeal
I see a rash of emails to that address coming now, lets see if comcast can handle an email /.ing. At least you can narrow down the subnet to find ole Jack's woefully insecure windows machine connected directly to the cable modem with the 800 gigs of beastial porn. You know, "research material".
today is spelling optional day.
This is why a loser pay system is far better. Oh yes, and if you cannot drop a suit you initiate unless you poay the defense cost.
C. Sagan : A demon haunted world:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345409469/
visit randi.org
OK, I sat and listened to the interview with Jack Thompson and Chatterbox Video Game Radio.
/.
I felt I needed to get past the bias and everything else.
So here's what I've gotten out of it:
1. Jack Thompson seems to believe his focus is very well defined. He claims he wants to fight access to violent and sexual video games by minors, which is something a lot of people including myself agree with, but his actions don't follow.
2. His actions are indictive of his dislike of the existance of violent games and games with sex in them.
3. He doesn't seem to grasp the concept that mods are not created by the original artist, and feels that they should be held responsible for modders creations.
4. He likes to throw big names around to support his opinion. His personal favorite appears to be Hilary Clinton. It feels like he's trying to play off the fact she's running democratic to draw in people on both sides of a fence. As far as I understand, conservitive views tend to be we should maintain the status quo.
5. He blames the game developers for the ESRB's short comings in rating video games.
6. He believes that interactive entertainment has an exponentially stronger affect on people's minds than any other form of media.
7. He loves to point out that he has been on TV and had many interviews.
And my take on it is, he's focusing his energy on the wrong targets. I feel a lot of people agree kids shouldn't get their hands on the higher rating games, but that's not something to blame the game companies for. They shouldn't stop creating the games they do, but they shouldn't focus ads on minors. They should keep the right to make the games they do. If people really didn't want them, they'd be out of business.
I remember the argument about the rating system coming up before. A lot of people felt that it made no sense to have a different rating system for movies and games, and I agreed with that, but I think it's too late to change it now for one reason. The movie rating system works because it's been working for a long time. Familiarity is what keeps it stable (even though it is drifting too), and it's what defines its meaning now. Games haven't had a rating system for that long. When the movie industry first started using their system, did they make mistakes? I wouldn't doubt it, although I can't site specific examples. The industry has faults because its growing into the system. Society needs to pick up on it too, and that's going to start happening as more and more gamers start having kids, because all of a sudden, people are going to recognize the long held system for rating games and be able to better protect their OWN kids from the games.
Many of the problems are taking care of themselves, and Jack seems to be missing that point. Gamers are not just kids anymore. We're the first to test the waters of this technology, and now we get to spread that message to our kids.
And no, Jack, just because you've been on TV doesn't mean you're any more credible than I am, dropping a comment on
Don't make bluffs you're not prepared to be called on.
I wouldn't consider the mad hatter mad. Just reality impaired. He sure can make a mean cup of tea.
They don't _need_ publicity. I'm sure that the net cost to PA will wind up being something less than 10k due to the increased ad revenue and whatnot, but it's still money for a charity and it makes me laugh, AND it makes Jack Thompson look like a dildo, so I've got no cause to complain.
Mod Parent up
As a privet citizen employed by the Lutheran church I have become concerned about the recent inappropriate actions and public comments by John B. Thompson aka Jack Thompson. In recent days he has incited violence against several people, and has attempted to "bully" news and creative outlets that have pointed this out with threats to sue. In the long term their is an entire history of him being just plain nasty to otherwise nice people asking honest questions about his legal beliefs and motives. Hes has also, in ignorance or in a just plain lie, has told major media outlets that the NFL is so sickened by the video game industry that they would not allow Midway ltd to use their logo when in fact EA simply secured exclusive rights to use the logo in their line of sports games. Below I have provided links to a handful of media and creative outlets that have had ongoing contact with John B. Thompson aka Jack Thompson.
- 14- 18
r eshold=1&commentsort=0&tid=123&mode=thread&pid=0
/ 1750203&tid=133&tid=10
http://www.vgcats.com/jack.php (creative)
(Penny-Arcade updates Mon, Wed, and Fri the 3 links I have provided go to various dates as well as their most current news. Also Penny-Arcade is involved in both news and creative media but they DO NOT create news their reports are accurate and well documented)
http://www.penny-arcade.com/news.php?date=2005-10
http://www.penny-arcade.com/news.php?date=2005-10
http://www.penny-arcade.com/
http://croqaudile.com/?article_id=10299 (news media/blog)
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/janet.htm (media, little old back from when he ran agenst Janer Reno for dade county DA)
http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000103062744/ (if you type the words "Jack Thopson modest" into the search engine google.com this artical and several other related articals are the top hits this refects the level of negative public attenion his recent actions have brought up.)
(slashdot.org news for geeks very long link so I broke the format of posting the sorce type next to the link)
http://yro.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=165653&th
http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/10/17
The following is John Bruce Thompson's bar information:
John Bruce Thompson
Member in Good Standing Eligible to practice in Florida
ID Number: - 231665
Firm:
1172 S Dixie Hwy Ste 111
Coral Gables Florida 331462918
Phone: 305.6664366
Fax:
E-Mail: jackpeace@comcast.net
County: Dade
Circuit: 11
Admitted: 05/31/1977
I have carboned copied this E-mail to Mr.Thompson as well as news@slashdot.org, gabe@penny-arcade.com and, tycho@penny-arcade.com
I implore you to look deep into his recent actions this individual is practicing law in both your state and on a Federal level while at the same time is showing very little regard for the law.
Your truly & concernd;
Keith. J. Lemire
Community Intergration Specalist
Luthren Socal Services
P.S. Feel free to contact me by phone between 5pm and 10pm Monday through Thursday or 9am to 10pm fri,Sat,Sun
#ya right I'm not slashdoting my phone number!
he couldn't even get penny arcade's web address right in his letter, what a tool!
hey jack its www.penny-arcade.com , dumbass. you are award not points for your response, we are all dumber for having heard it, and may god have mercy on your soul.
I sure wish -I- could gain national media attention by living in my own fantasy world.
Friend: "The NIC is misconfigured..." Me: "No prob, I'll just telnet in and fix it." *Silence*
It was my understanding that in order to get the police to arrest someone for harrassment he has to file a police report first, i.e. calling the dade county police to file a report, and then THEY contact the seattle police, at which point, the seattle police would visit the location, get their version of the story, add it to the police report, and then probably tell Mr. Thompson that it's a civil matter and that the police are not going to get involved.
BTW, I wrote a small rant about the affair on my website at http://www.b-o-g.net/
Stupid is as stupid dies.
Realise that Penny Arcade is a couple of game geeks who had good timing. They don't do this stuff for publicity. They do it for laughs.
we tell him about Derek Smart's new game and sit back and watch the fireworks...
Best. Comment. Ever. Enjoy!
s/dildo/enema nozzle
I say enema nozzle because he's full of shit.
Also, if anyone's heard the extremely well-done satire of Rush Limbaugh, transcribed at http://www.vegsource.com/talk/pub/messages/570.htm l, you might find that audio file could very well be descriptive of Jacko. To get the full effect you'd have to listen to the audio file first though.
From the bowels of Adolf Hitler
Comes the voice of Jack Thompson
Even though it's only Anon., I've not laughed so hard in MONTHS.
For some reason, that was hilarious.
pass me the popcorn.
You know, much as the guy _is_ insane, some of the stuff before sounded at least _technically_ true, or a truism. E.g., _technically_ the Hot Coffee material was there on the CD, and the modders used what was already there. Yes, I know, it still wasn't available in the game as published, so Jack _is_ full of shit. But in a lawyer's technicallities and verbal fallacies game he does have _some_ actual fact (minor and irrelevant as it may be) from which to start the fallacies game.
But The Sims 2? Give me a fucking break. As shipped there are _no_ models or textures on the CD that include penises, vaginas, nipples and all the crap that Jack's been spouting.
In this case, it's 100% user-created material, and typically requires one to get an account to an adult-oriented mod site, or the adult section of a mod site. (I.e., if Jack saw that in his copy of the Sims, he must have not only downloaded it himself, but even then he wasn't getting it unknowingly while thinking he's just getting a new haircut for his sims. The only way to get those is knowingly, after registering to a site which explicitly tells you what are you registering for.)
At any rate, it's not EA's material, it's not on EA's CDs, it's not on EA's site, it's not even linked to by EA. How the f-word can he hold EA responsible for it? It's like holding a car company responsible for changes a customer did to his own car.
It's not even that the game "allows" third-party skins, in much the same way as HalfLife, Doom 3, or Unreal Tournament allow user-created skins. It's that Maxis, for all the "yay, we love the mods users create for our game" declaration, is actually fairly hostile to modding. Beyond recolouring clothes, EA and Maxis haven't published the file formats, haven't published any tools, etc. All modding has happened pretty much against EA's and Maxis's wishes, by reverse engineering their binary files.
In fact, the latest Nightlife expansion pack is pretty much a slap in the face to the modders by EA, because it warns the users that any script mods could interfere with the game, and by default offers to disable them. There's a lot of Joe Average and Jane Clueless users who've just been told by EA, "don't use mods, they screw up your game." (If EA is so concerned about that, wouldn't it be nicer to offer a clean stable API and tools or documentation instead? You know, beats throwing a fit about how those reverse-engineered hacks are screwing their game.)
So again, the short story is that any mods other than recoloured clothes and haircuts happened _against_ EA's wishes and lack of support. They were _hacks_ to EA's game.
So how the heck can Jack hold EA responsible for that?
What's EA supposed to do there? DRM the files, to prevent the users from reverse-engineering them? Sue the modders (i.e., their own fans and customers) under the DMCA? Yeah, suing one's own customers gives a company such good publicity and goodwill. Or _what_? What does Jack want them to do to prevent users from creating their own skins?
A polar bear is a cartesian bear after a coordinate transform.
Jack Thompson makes Woody Woodpecker look sane.
To err is human. To forgive is not company policy.
I hope someone sneaks into his house and ties him up in a straightjacket while he sleeps.
Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
dirty, stinking troll.
"Very few people of the ultra-conservative persuasion, however, need to be persuaded - they already are fanatically against video games that contain violence, sex, etc."
1. Even then, you can convince them that you represent their views the best. For a politician trying to get elected, that may well be enough.
Also, you can point their existing hatred and bigotry at your own target. E.g., someone might already be rabidly against the mere mention of sex in the media, but not see video games as the main threat. They might not even have bothered looking at what games are available. Even if they had a brief look at the Bible Blaster their own little Dick and Jane are playing, they don't know what Jack and Jill across the street are playing. If you drum up games as being _the_ main offenders to their bigotry, you might have gained some allies.
Even and even if you didn't sidetrack them towards hating games, again, see the first paragraph. You've told them "I'm fighting for the same values _you_ have" (e.g., against any mention of sex) anyway.
Also, you can shift their priorities a bit. Humans, even bigots, are complex beings. They don't just have _one_ issue or problem, they have a variety of issues, some related, some not. E.g., someone might already, to different extents, be for Issue A, but also for Issues B, C and D. E.g., someone could be against sex in games, yes, but currently be more concerned about national security, or the recession, or their job getting offshored, or whatever. Yes, they're already convinced that games are filth, but might consider other issues as a more immediate need.
And you _can_ push the right buttons to shuffle some of those existing concerns around. E.g., if you appeal enough to their fear that their kids will get raped and/or shot by a gamer school-mate, that pre-existing conviction will go up the scale. Where previously they might have rather voted for someone who promisses to end the recession, you might get them around to think "hmm, well, even _if_ I were to lose a job, saving my children from being shot is probably more important."
2. You have to realize that some people are into protesting something just _for_ the act itself of protesting something. It's not even just that some people are RL trolls, it's also that some people actually _need_ to feel like they're part of something that'll save the world. They have to see themselves as the few chosen ones that see the big danger everyone else ignores, and the ones who do the up-hill battle of saving you all. (If needed, sprinkle a bit of persecution complex, for even more self-backpatting oportunities.)
And for a lot of them it doesn't really matter _what_ they're saving us all from. It can be from atheism, or from sex in video games, or from Intel, or from emacs, or from buttering the bread on the wrong side. What really matters is being a messiah and a martyr, not the actual goal, nor if it actually makes any sense.
And such a loud-mouthed crusader offers a high profile crusade to join. It doesn't matter if it's wilfully distorting the truth, word games, and straw men. Those are the normal tools of the trade in the messiah business anyway. What matters is that it offers a great (imaginary) "threat" to save the world from.
A polar bear is a cartesian bear after a coordinate transform.
Don't harrass Jack, that just fuels his fire... harrass the news agencies that give him a voice. Here's one to start you off:
To: 60m@cbsnews.com
Dear Sir / Madam,
I find the views of "Jack Thompson" biased, inaccurate and insulting, not only to me, but to the community of gamers and the community of Islam. I hope you will take this into consideration before letting him speak on any issues in future.
Yours,
-=NAME=-
My feeling is he's a paranoid with a martyr syndrome.
Apocalypse Cancelled, Sorry, No Ticket Refunds
Does anyone else who reads this find it slightly ironic that Ice T went from songs about killing cops to playing a cop on TV (Law & Order: SVU)?
The folks at UK:resistance made me laugh with their take on this.
floridabar.org
Jack Thompson is a fucking kook.
I'd like to see an ultraviolent game in which your character decides to take revenge on a loudmouthed personal injury lawyer named Tom Jackson. There would be several endings to choose from, ranging from your character pissing on the lawyer's bludgeoned brains to decapitation.
I can't afford to give $10K to charity for such a game, but I can say I will!
I'm going to sue Rockstar. Their GTA cop killing simulator is a dismal failure. I trained for weeks, but I've haven't managed to kill a single cop.
"This is the guy who insisted that Columbine was caused by DOOM being a "murder simulator"."
If murder involves remote controlled robot using a keyboard and mouse... Then yes I would call it a "murder simulator".
You for the life of me I can't remember, but there is some reason that the US military doesn't just train recruits by sitting them in a cubicle and having them play US Army for 6 weeks and then ship them to Iraq... Seems to elude me...
Oh yes, I remember now... Firing large caliber guns effectivly and on target is hard to fucking do in real life.
Not to mention the tactics involved fighting in urban combat or lugging around 100lbs of gear. Maybe if Doom taught how to clean your guns as well... US Army comes close, but the only murder simulators out there are the shooting range and basic training.
"I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
-Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
I cannot post as myself because I just modded this fucking hilarious, but I've got to say, if an ariticle about jack thompson ever comes up in the future, I'll be sure to paste this in as a running gag.
Truly great.
That is called the Sullivan Test after this Supreme Court decision. That particular decision was about a public official, and other decisions have expanded that rule to any individual who is a public figure. Being a public figure makes it much harder to win a defamation case in the US, so many plaintiffs will try to sue in British courts. That's why Jack decided to lie and make the claim "This story is completely false and defamatory. Take it down or else." Because he is probably attempting to try to use that as a defence in court at a later date. Ultimately all lawyering revolves around intimidating your opponent. An opponent who refuses to be intimidated will be very expensive for Jack (or any other lawyer) to deal with. He already ruined his reputation, so it is impossible for anyone to defame it further.
Libel is the term used for written defamation of character (I hand you a note, or print in /., saying that your cat is an idiot), and slander is the verbal form (I tell people that your cat is an idiot). Defamation loosely means making false statements about someone that results in their losing reputation. If your cat really is an idiot, then it isn't defamation. Proving whether a statement is true or false is pretty easy. Proving malice, which is needed for public figure plaintiffs, is much harder to do.
According to Gamespot, the infamous fax to the Seattle Police has not been received by the Seattle Police (as of yesterday). My hypothesis as to why the fax was never sent to the police is that it would constitute filing a false police report which is a crime in every state in this country.
I am not a lawyer either, but I did go to a police academy.
Oh, I wasn't saying that it was actually a good idea to run a garage sale, just that dollar-for-dollar, the garage sale will most certainly put you on top, if you run it properly. Personally, I DO donate my surplus items to charity. I think the poster I was replying to was inferring that the cash value of the tax deduction could be equivalent to the cash you would receive from a sale. This is obviously not true.
SirWired
...does this mean it's actually illegal to be criminally unfunny?