Video Game News:
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It's Official! You Suck!
By Lisa Baertlein
Thu Oct 27, 4:24 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A Florida state senator has introduced a bill that would ban the sale or rental of violent video games to minors, an aide to the lawmaker said on Thursday.
Introduced on October 25 by state Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla, a Republican from Miami, the bill is a near clone of legislation recently signed into law by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger -- Hollywood's "Terminator" -- who is portrayed in several video games based on his action film roles.
Bills aimed at restricting sales of violent games to minors are the latest salvo in a long campaign by detractors and some parent groups to limit access to games with adult content.
Critics cite research suggesting that violent games can increase aggressive behavior in young boys. Game makers and retailers counter that video games carry ratings similar to those found on films, and many store clerks ask for identification from young gamers to make sure they are not buying titles aimed at older audiences.
The battle over controversial video game content flared anew this summer when game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (Nasdaq:TTWO - news) pulled its blockbuster title "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" from store shelves following the discovery of hidden sex scenes in its code.
Jackson gets tapped for VGAs
Thu Oct 27, 8:09 AM ET
NEW YORK - Last year, he won one. This year, Samuel L. Jackson will host the Spike TV Video Game Awards.
The 56-year-old actor, who won a VGA for voicing "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," will host the Nov. 18 awards show at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles. The show will air Dec. 10 on Spike TV.
"Sam Jackson is one of the coolest guys on the planet; we're thrilled to have him hosting this year's show which promises more stars, more rock and more games than ever before," said Casey Patterson, senior vice president, event production and talent development for Spike TV, in a statement this week.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Vin Diesel, The Rock, Missy Elliot, Snoop Dogg and Ozzy Osbourne are among those set to appear at the third annual awards event.
Jackson was nominated for an Oscar for his role in 1994's "Pulp Fiction." He has also appeared in "A Time to Kill," "Shaft" and "Changing Lanes."
Jack wants Penny-Arcade shut down.
19/10/2005 12:07
Anti-videogame campaigner Jack Thompson is making headlines once again after writing to the Seattle police department requesting the arrest of two online cartoonists.
Copies of the letter were also sent to various US websites and a scan can be found on Penny Arcade, the site Thompson wants police to shut down. In it, Thompson claims PA has "Decided to commence and orchestrate criminal harassment of me by various means."
This, according to Thompson, is because he appeared on the CBS programme 60 Minutes to discuss a wrongful death lawsuit he launched on behalf of two Alabama police officers and a dispatcher, "Who were shot in the head and killed by Devin Moore." Thompson claims Moore "Obsessively trained on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to kill them," before describing the game as "A "cop-killing" murder simulator."
Thompson makes no mention anywhere in the letter of the fact that Penny Arcade recently gave USD 10,000 to charity after Thompson failed to keep a promise to make the donation himself.
He does observe that Penny Arcade is selling I Hate Jack Thompson t-shirts and claims this is "Just the tip of the iceberg," before supplying an incorrect URL for the site.
Oh Snap!
Seattle police pass on Penny Arcade flap
Florida lawyer's harassment allegations considered a civil matter on the surface, criminal investigation still possible.
Web comic Penny Arcade made headlines last week when it was the subject of an angry complaint letter sent to the Seattle Police Department alleging organized harassment and extortion. In his letter, Florida attorney Jack Thompson said he looked forward to working with the police "to shut this little extortion factory down and/or arrest some of its employees."
However eager Thompson may be for that, it doesn't look likely to happen anytime soon. A representative with the police department told GameSpot today that it hasn't found any crime to prosecute in the matter.
"Our preliminary review of the document has led us to believe that it is most likely a civil matter," police spokeswoman Deborah Brown said, "but we have forwarded it to the chief of our criminal investigations bureau to make sure that it is correct."
Unless the chief of that bureau finds some criminal activity that wasn't apparent upon first examination of the complaint, this part of the ongoing dispute between Thompson and Penny Arcade is resolved.
Calls seeking comment from the office of US Attorney for the Western District of Washington John McKay, whom Thompson also contacted for help in his spat with Penny Arcade, were unreturned as of press time.
By Brendan Sinclair --
GameSpot
Posted Oct 27, 2005 4:15 pm PT
We're DOOMed!
Mon Oct 24, 6:23 PM ET
LOS ANGELES - The Rock's sci-fi horror tale "Doom," based on the video game, debuted at the top of the weekend box office with $15.5 million.
Finishing second was Kurt Russell and Dakota Fanning's horse-racing story "Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story," which opened with $9.2 million.
The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. are:
1. "Doom," Universal, $15,488,870, 3,043 locations, $5,090 average, $15,488,870, one week.
What I've been playing:
Stubbs the Zombie! Finally!
Pirates: Legend of Black Cat.
Anime News:
Turner Classics plays Ghibli.
posted on 2005-10-25 22:39:34
7 Miyazaki Movies, 2 Takahata Movies
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Turner Classic Movies has posted their January schedule.
Every Thursday in January Turner Classic Movies will air 2 Ghibli movies (3 on January 19th) starting at 8pm. The movies will repeat a second time at the end of the second (or 3rd) movie.
Turner Classic Movies lists the English cast for each movie except for Only Yesterday, for which it has the Japanese cast listed.
Thursday, January 5
8:00 PM Spirited Away
10:15 PM Princess Mononoke
1:00 AM Spirited Away
3:15 AM Princess Mononoke
Thursday, January 12
8:00 PM Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
10:00 PM Castle in the Sky
12:15 AM Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind
2:15 AM Castle in the Sky
Thursday, January 19
8:00 PM My Neighbor Totoro
9:30 PM Porco Rosso
11:15 PM Whisper of the Heart
1:15 AM My Neighbor Totoro
2:45 AM Porco Rosso
4:30 AM Whisper of the Heart
Thursday, January 26
8:00 PM Only Yesterday
10:15 PM Pom Poko
12:30 AM Only Yesterday
2:45 AM Pom Poko
Con Corner:
Necronomicon this weekend!!
