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Massachusetts Looks To Jack Thompson for Game Law
Game Politics is carrying the news that the state of Massachusetts is asking Jack Thompson for help in drafting a piece of videogaming related legislation. The bill aims to block minors from purchasing games which fall under one of these categories: "Depicts violence in a manner patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community, so as to appeal predominantly to the morbid interest in violence of minors. Is patently contrary to prevailing standards of adults in the county where the offense was committed as to suitable material for such minors. Lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value for minors." The bill has strong backing in the state, from mayors all the way up to state senators.
-Eric
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
That may not be the standard everywhere else but I'm not overly traveled.
Because of company policy, and because the movie industry would take away some privileges if they didn't. They weren't required by law to check your ID. The fact that pretty much every theater in the united states has that policy is proof that you don't need it written in law.
There should be a corollary to "Godwin's Law" that some asshat will mention it in any sufficiently long discussion.
I repeatedly hear people crying sighs of relief, "Now that Romney's out and we can start again..." Yet, I completely fail to understand what he did wrong.
Indeed, he came into the governor's office as a republican after a long spell of mis-management and gross ineptitude by his predecessors of the same party. At the same time, his term spanned the same period that a republican president and congress have totally f*cked up on an immense scale.
Yet, despite the failings of Mitt's political party, he has run the office of governor as a consummate executive. His agenda was made clear prior to the election, and has been consistently pursued, with remarkable results given the opposition. While having shown an admirable ability to compromise, just as admirable has been his intolerance of ineptitude, waste, and inefficiency. For both the state budget and our overall economic health, his policies and leadership have stemmed the arterial bleeding and we are currently on the mend.
I do not begrudge Mr. Romney's presidential ambitions. Even with that on his agenda for possibly his whole gubernatorial term, I have been singularly impressed with his performance.
Despite all this, the voters in Massachusetts have elected someone who appears to be the opposite of Mr. Romney in every way. From his eloquent parries to avoid taking positions on a multitude of political topics to his questionable political backers, not to mention his complete lack of executive experience, the man we elected our new governor seems to *me* to be the one who is 'uncool'.
Of course, I base my judgments of 'coolness' on facts, track records, plans, and common sense. However is is quite evident that most other citizens of this state prefer youthful ideology and a perfect salesman's smile.
One last thing, just to say something on-topic... Deval Patrick was given and borrowed a *lot* of money to run his campaign. I have read that Microsoft has already made successful appeals to his administration. I suspect that Mr. Thompson smells an opportunity as well.
I'm done with sigs. Sigs are lame.
They've gone about this entirely the wrong way. There is something to be said for limiting the sale of violent games to kids - but it's the same thing that needs to be said about violent movies, music and other forms of media. If they'd had the balls to go for consistent censorship of content according to violence ... then it would still have been thrown out. But at least they would have had some moral authority when they lost, rather than their dubious claims that games require special treatment, and as a market side-effect they want to censor the games available to adults.
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