When second best is the best you can get...

I'm kinda tired. It's kinda hard to focus on all my class work, recent competitions have been slightly disappointing, and I've spent a lot of time getting angry at stupid people.

Ever heard of Jack Thompson? He's a lawyer crusading for the end of ALL "violent" videogames, both to minors and adults. He also classifies all gamers as stupid, morally bankrupt degenerates, and frequently lashes out at those who disagree with him ("or you'll be sorry" seems to be one of his favorite phrases). He also claims to be delivering divine judgement (which last time I checked is reserved for God):

Jesus said, "If any of you should cause one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better for you if a millstone were tied around your neck and that you be cast into the uttermost depths of the sea." Jack Thompson is trying to tie that millstone around the violent video game industry's neck, and he needs your help. These people intend to do evil, but evil can be turned away by persistence and prayer. [emphasis added, and if he's trying to carry out the punishment, doesn't that mean he's encouraging the behavior in order to bing about the punishment?]

Last week Jack made an announcement that he would give a mere $10,000 to charity if a game company made a game where they were the target of violence. Turns out, the game idea was satire, and so was the money. Penny Arcade, a web comic, called him out on having such a small sum of money for charity. They pointed out that their charity has raised $500,000 in the last two years for children's hospitals, and that if a company made this game he'd have to sue himself for creating it. Jack responded with threats. Then, when Jack refused to donate the promised $10k, Penny Arcade did it for him.

As much as I want to agree with some of Jack's points (violent and sexual media should not be sold to minors), his confrontational attitude and lack of cohesive arguments forces me to hate him.

"Dave, it is laughable, it is absurd, that you have copied your email to Bill Gates, of all people. This is a guy whose Halo trained Malvo to kill in D.C. This is a guy who now has put all the Grand Theft Auto games on his XBox. This is a man who is going to release Bully when the coast is clear in the spring." -Jack Thompson
Last time I checked, Malvo learned to snipe from his partner who is an army sharpshooter. Also, I'm not sure how moving your thumbs in a fast-paced video game develops the breath control, body posture, and patience to snipe. Not only this, but Bungie began development for Halo BEFORE they were even associated with Microsoft, let alone that Bill Gates simply gives a cursory look to all the game division's decisions, so he can hardly be held responsible.

Ok, enough about the crazy guy who thinks that I'm a godless, imbesilic degenerate. Anyways, if you ever come accross this guy, run away. Most christian family groups even hate this guy. Besides, he thinks that calling Hitler a Nazi is an insult (which is just as much of an insult as calling Jack a lawyer). Pray that this guy realizes just how misguided he is and stops threatening people. Maybe he'll realize that arguments need to be supported by facts, and then he can start to bring about meaningful change in the way the US handles violent media and minors.

And would it hurt people to comment every once-in-a-while?

Rant over.