Dad Nails Xbox To Tree, Looks Like A Moron

One of the things about “over reacting” is that the person who thinks they’re in the right tends to look like an ass. Case in point is this jag who thought he would teach his 3 boys a lesson about bad behavior while playing their Xbox, by nailing it to a tree. Check the quote:

“My husband had repeatedly warned our 3 boys about their behavior while playing the XBOX. Tuesday, after I arrived home from work, our oldest son told me to look in the backyard at "Dad's artwork". Well, I wasn't surprised to see the XBOX proudly displayed on the nearest tree... way to go Honey!!!!!”

Now I’m all about discipline, and perhaps the kids needed some ass kicking. But I’m not sure what you’re really teaching your boys when you nail a game console to a tree. Because let’s face it, he just shortened the time for those kids to ask him to buy an Xbox 360.

[ireport via Gizmodo]

Law Introduced To Make Internet Traffic Shaping Illegal

I love Comcast!!!

With lawsuits hitting them in the face for Internet traffic shaping, Comcast finally admitted to the deed. Comcast was slowing down traffic from bittorrents, stating that they're doing it for the greater good of all of their customers. I have to call B.S on that, but that argument is for another day. So you would think with all the lawsuits Comcast would stop slowing down traffic, nope. They changed their terms of Service to state that they have the right to "shape" internet traffic.

That's just great!!!

Well it looks like there are some people in this world who think that is just plain dumb. A bill will be introduced to the House that will prevent Comcast or any other ISP from Internet traffic shaping. This is in the best interest of the public who can't have their Internet messed with because of the reliability of services like VoIP.

I'm glad that this bill was introduced, with the hope that it will stop the insanity that is Comcast. Sometimes, they think that we work for them!

Comcast Defends Role As Internet Traffic Cop [Washington Post via Crunchgear]

EA Pimp Slaps Fox News For Mass Effect Story

Certainly not to step on Malcolm's posts, but EA's Vice President Jeff Brown responds with an open letter to Fox News Live Desk with Martha MacCallum's attack of the game Mass Effect. Check out the Bullet point smack down below:

Ms VanHorn,

I’m writing to request a clarification of serious errors FNC made in a story which aired about the video game Mass Effect. (See attachment) As the parent company of BioWare, the studio which created the game, EA would like you to set the record straight on a number of errors and misstatements which incorrectly characterize the story and character interactions in Mass Effect.

Errors include the following:

• Your headline above the televised story read: “New videogame shows full digital nudity and sex.“
• Fact: Mass Effect does not include explicit or frontal nudity. Love scenes in non-interactive sequences include side and profile shots – a vantage frequently used in many prime-time television shows. It’s also worth noting that the game requires players to develop complex relationships before characters can become intimate and players can chose to avoid the love scenes altogether.
• FNC voice-over reporter says: “You’ll see full digital nudity and the ability for players to engage in graphic sex.”
• Fact: Sex scenes in Mass Effect are not graphic. These scenes are very similar to sex sequences frequently seen on network television in prime time.
• FNC reporter says: “Critics say Mass Effect is being marketed to kids and teenagers.”
• Fact: That is flat out false. Mass Effect and all related marketing has been reviewed by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and rated Mature – appropriate for players 17-years and older. ESRB routinely counsels retailers on requesting proof of age in selling M-rated titles and the system has been lauded by members of Congress and the Federal Trade Commission. In practical terms, the ratings work as well or better than those used for warning viewers about television content.
• Other sources used in the segment made similar incorrect statements about the game. Judging by the inaccuracy of their comments, they have had zero experience with Mass Effect and are largely ignorant about videogames, the people who play them, and the ESRB system that governs their ratings and sales.

The resulting coverage was insulting to the men and women who spent years creating a game which is acclaimed by critics for its high creative standards. As video games continue to take audiences away from television, we expect to see more TV news stories warning parents about the corrupting influence of interactive entertainment. But this represents a new level of recklessness.

Do you watch the Fox Network? Do you watch Family Guy? Have you ever seen The OC? Do you think the sexual situations in Mass Effect are any more graphic than scenes routinely aired on those shows? Do you honestly believe that young people have more exposure to Mass Effect than to those prime time shows?

This isn’t a legal threat; it’s an appeal to your sense of fairness. We’re asking FNC to correct the record on Mass Effect.

Sincerely,

Jeff Brown
Vice President of Communications
Electronic Arts, Inc

EA Takes FOX News To Task Over Mass Effect [GameInformer via G4TV]

RIAA Comes Up With Fake News Segment

Boy you just can't make this stuff up!!!

The RIAA has launched a new campaign in the fight against pirated music, this time by creating their own fake news segment. taking on the apperance of a local news segment, the RIAA warns consumers that record companies do not sell CD's on street corners, that pirated CD's sound "atrocious" even though it's a digital to digital copy, and my favorite; watch for CD's with too many good songs on them.

WATCH OUT FOR CD'S WITH TOO MANY GOOD SONGS ON THEM?

That last one might be the reason that the record industry is losing money RIAA. Perhaps you might want to try the idea of putting a lot of good songs on a CD, consumers might even buy them. That statement sums up the record industries total mind set.

RIAA Fake News! [Live Leak via Crunchgear]

School Bans Cellphones After Principle is Caught On Video Fighting With Student

In another edition of how silly our education system is, comes this gem about a principle and a student fighting. The incident took place at Huntington High School, and was caught on video with a cellphone. So with a principle fighting a student, how do you think the Caddo School Board would respond? Dismissal of the principle? Suspension?

Nope.

The board decided on a ban of cellphones in the school was a more appropriate act. In fact the board did nothing about the principle until the student showed the video to the local media. The board responded by putting the principle on paid administrative leave. I think the more appropriate response would be to remove the morons on the board who thought it was a good idea to ban cellphones. Removing the devices that catch your teachers and principles doing things that they shouldn't isn't the answer.

Try hiring administration that will set a good example and not join in on the fray.

[Shreveport Times via Gizmodo Image courtesy Chicspeare]]

Jingle Bells Played On A Graphics Card

I think I'm ready to punch this guy right in the face!

I'm in desperate need of a new graphics card, and this punk is playing Jingle Bells on a perfectly good one. Merry Christmas moron!

Times like this make me want to open up a vein.

[YouTube via Gizmodo]

AT&T Pulls Data-Only Plan From Hearing Impaired

In another installment of AT&T are jags, this one comes from a AT&T store in Colorado. Seems like this store was providing hearing impaired iphone owners a data-plan only for $27.99 a month, since they don't get much use out of the voice plan.

Sounds cool right?

Well I guess some insensitive hearing assholes were complaining about it to AT&T Corporate Marketing, and they shut it down. So no more data-plan only for the hearing impaired. Once again AT&T has dropped the ball, forcing people to pay for a plan that they simply cannot use. Why can't they keep in the higher ups who have common sense?

AT&T puts the kibosh on voice-free iPhone plans for the deaf [TUAW via Crunchgear]

Driving And Texting In Phoenix = Ticket

Well if you're planing to drive through Phoenix anytime soon, you better not text message while doing it. The Phoenix City Council made it illegal to text message while driving within their city limits. Drivers cannot send or read text messages while operating a vehicle, or face a citation for doing so. The first ticket was issued on November 5th, and the city hopes that this will be a deterrent to texters and hopefully prevent more accidents.

Yeah right!

Phoenix hands out its first citation for texting while driving [AZ Central via Crunchgear]

Nerds Fight, Forum Shut Down

I knew that the HD format war was starting to heat up, but I had no idea how stupid passionate people were about this. So much so that the administrators at AVS Forum had to shut down an HD DVD vs Blu-Ray thread that was getting a little out of control. Check the quote from the admins:

"We have seen members attacking other members not only in debate, which is the right way, but with physical threats that have involved police and possible legal action. This type of behavior is just not welcome here PERIOD,"

Nerd on nerd violence is never a good thing, but these guys got pissed off like they own stock in one or the other formats. For the admins to have to shut down a thread because one geek can't watch Spiderman and the other can't watch Transformers is just plain dumb.

Please nerds, take that energy and put it towards meeting a girl, maybe even talking to her.

HD Disc Format Areas Currently Closed For Posts [AVS Forum]

Comcast: Competition Will Bring Higher Rates, What?!

As you know I don't like long posts, but I'm in rant mode over this one, so please bare with me.

If you've ever lived in an apartment or condo complex, you might have run into the situation of the association only giving you the option of one cable company to go with. I've always though that is was a little unfair, and didn't give people the chance to choose which cable company they would like to go with. Well the FCC finally thought the same thing, and overturned the "exclusive contracts" that cable companies have enjoyed for decades.

FCC Chairman Kevin J Martin said “Exclusive contracts have been one of the most significant barriers to competition,” he also stated that cable rates have risen over 93% in the last decade. I'm not even sure if gas prices have risen that much in the last decade. So how does Comcast respond to the ruling? By stating that they may have to raise rates because it'll cost money to compete with other companies, and it will cost more to fight this ruling in court.

What?!

So they're going to raise rates because they can't continue to get over on people by locking them into using their company. They're going to raise rates because they will have to ADVERTISE more? That is the one of the dumbest things I've ever heard!!! Check this out from Techdirt:

“The following statement may be attributed to Sena Fitzmaurice, [Comcast] Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Government Relations: ‘Consumers in apartment buildings and condos across the nation received a blow today from the action taken by the FCC. The result of this decision is likely to be higher prices for services and years of litigation and uncertainty for consumers. The significant concessions building owners have been able to bargain for on behalf of their residents will be lost.’”

Hey Moron, for once the FCC did something that actually benefited the customer. Stop trying to make it sound like you're on our side. Oh and the FCC didn't deal us a blow, they freed us from having to deal with your continuous price raises. And if there is "likely to be higher prices for services and years of litigation" guess what, people finally have the choice to go to your competitor. Ya see, that's how it's supposed to work in this country.

Raise all the prices you want, people have a choice now!!!

Corporate Doublespeak: By Forcing Competition On The Market, We Will Need To Raise Prices [Techdirt via Crunchgear]

AT&T: Wildfire Victims Must Pay Us $300

Man I just love AT&T!!!

On top of them threating to turn your Internet off if you say any bad things about them, they've managed a way to look even more like an ass. Case in point a California couple lost their home in the wild fires that have plagued the area, while they were on a cruise. Well AT&T was nice enough to charge them $300 for the loss of equipment-non-negotiable!!!

AT&T wouldn't even postpone the bill until the couples insurance kicked in. That's so cool AT&T, this couples lives have burned to the ground, but to hell with them, where's our DRV right? So if you have any AT&T gear, your ass better run back into that burning home and get it. Forget your photos and stuff you can't replace, AT&T wants their receiver.

AT&T: Your World, Burned to the Ground (but get my dvr first)
What a joke!

[DSLReports via Crunchgear]

Update: AT&T has responded to the situation. It was actually a Dish Network employee that they were transferred to and that person did not follow the disaster policy that they have in effect. So this wasn't really a case of AT&T being insensitive, just a moronic employee at Dish Network.

Thanks DSLReports

3D Email Service: Morons Have A New App

Are you tired of that boring ass email service that you have now? Do you wish you could have a cool looking, visually stimulating, representation of your email?

Are you just plain stupid?

Well my friends, you can take a spin on the 3D train ride of "3D Email". Yes my friends, imagine all of your emails simulated by a jumbo jet flying into a simulated LAX.

“Email meets flight sim. In Level 2 of 3D Mailbox, each of your emails is represented by a jumbo jet. Based on the country of origin/destination, over 80 national airlines are employed, along with thousands of real pilot-controller conversations. Cargo jets haul your attachments, and the integrated SpamBayes spam filter sends your junk to the airport boneyard.”

Doesn't that sound great!

Worlds Worst Email App Gets Worse: Aircraft Simulation Meets Inbox [TC via Crunchgear]

Sony-BMG: You're A Thief

Wow is all I can say about this one!!!

During the first trial between the RIAA and a person who they claim illegally downloaded music, Jennifer Pariser, who is litigator for the Sony-BMG Music Group is calling damn near everyone a thief. During her testimony she was asked if she thought a consumer should be allowed to copy a song off a CD that they already owned.

Under oath she stated that “when an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song.”

So there you have it!!!

Most people have to copy music from their CD collection to get it to there ipods or Zunes, so now they are thief's? Not to even speak about all the old school people back in the day who made tapes from records, just to play in their car. I don't think I know one person who has never made a copy of music that they owned, for another media. So if you already own the CD, Sony-BMG says you should have to re-purchase it again to put it on your MP3 player, to be considered not a thief.

So everyone, according to Sony-BMG you are all thief's!!!

Sony BMG’s chief anti-piracy lawyer: “Copying” music you own is “stealing” [Ars via Crunchgear]

AT&T: Criticize Us, And We'll Shut You Down

No wonder why AT&T is running a close second for the most hated company next to Sony. Any opportunity people get to avoid using their service (i.e. iphone unlocks) it is jumped on. This isn't shocking considering their latest insanity that they've put together.

AT&T's new 'terms of service' basically states that if you're a internet customer of theirs, you can't publicly complain about their billing or service. If you do, they have the right to discontinue your internet service.

Now, I've never heard of a company that WORKS FOR YOU say that if you say bad things about us, we'll shut you down. That's the most communistic thing I've ever heard from a company.

If your service is as good as you say it is, then what do you have to worry about?

UPDATE: Here is the exact wording for the new TOA:
AT&T may immediately terminate or suspend all or a portion of your Service, any Member ID, electronic mail address, IP address, Universal Resource Locator or domain name used by you, without notice, for conduct that AT&T believes...(c) tends to damage the name or reputation of AT&T, or its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries.

[AT&T T.O.S via Crunchgear]

Jack Thompson Thinks He's A Target In GTA4

Jack Thompson, the video game hatting attorney, thinks that he is a target in the upcoming video game 'Grand Theft Auto 4'. He claims that an article written in 'Game Informer' magazine reveals a mission in GTA4 that involves killing an attorney. He is convinced that the attorney represents himself. Check the insanity below:

"You have until five o’clock P.M. this Friday… to inform me that you are going to delete the above references and any other references that could reasonably be construed to be references to me in Grand Theft Auto IV and any other video games that are pending release…
Now you have descended this low - using one of your games to threaten my physical safety… Failure to comply with the deadline… will result in my having to take necessary and proper means to stop release of the game which targets me personally… given the copycatting of violent games…"

This guy will file a lawsuit for anything!!!

[Gamepolitics.com via G4TV]

iphone Gone Wild

I got a laugh at this story about a woman's problem with her man's iphone!!!

Certainly worth the read.

Hit the jump for the article. [Jezebel.com via Gizmodo]

No Vista SP1 Until 2009?

I know that this is a dirty rumor that has no flip'n chance of being real, at least for Microsoft's sake it better not be.

But the rumors are that Microsoft will not release SP1 for Vista until 2009 at the earliest. Valleywag.com reported that “Microsoft has apparently told executives at one of the world’s largest PC makers not to expect a formal release of Windows Vista SP1 — the first major set of upgrades and bug fixes to its Vista operating system — until 2009 at the earliest.”

It might explain the comments today from Gianfranco Lanci who is the CEO of Acer. If this is true, I'm starting to think that Microsoft deserves some of the fun that Apple pokes at them.

This is just bad. [Valleywag.com via Crunchgear]

Down Goes AllofMp3

This is a sad day for me and anyone who thinks that the RIAA is the devil.

It appears that the download site AllofMp3.com has been shut down for good. This Russia site had new and old mp3's at a fraction of the cost of most on-line stores. It has been shut down before and has come back in some way. But pressure from the World Trade Organization holding Russia hostage by not allowing them entrance until they dumped the downloading site.

The US Government claims that AllofMp3 was stealing money from American artists.

I guess the US Government doesn't care if the artists or the record industry is stealing from the American people.

Read the rest after the jump. [Torrent Freak via G4TV]

NY State Votes on Violent Game Ban

Today, New York state came one step closer to curbing violent video games. Both the State Senate and the House have passed video game violence resolutions. The laws have support from both sides of the aisle, making it very likely, New York will have some sort of violent game law by the end of the year.

New York legislators want to restrict the distribution of violent games to minors. The Senate and the House will have to come together and reconcile their two different bills, but that shouldn't be hard considering how good it looks to adult voters that you're trying to keep first person shooters out of the fragile minds of children.

Despite numorous studies that cut the tie between violent video games and violent people, law makers and politicos keep trying to rally public support behind making games less violent.

Choo! Choo! All aboard the censorship train! Next stop, missing the point entirely!

Read the insanity after the jump. [GamePolitics.com]

So this is what we've become: Damn technology!!!

Whenever I here how technology will destroy us or make us dumber, I would always chuckle and slowly back away.

Now after seeing this picture, I'm not so sure if they're wrong.

Come on lady, get your lazy ass off the Segway and walk with your kid!!!!