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Last year California was the chewy center of the video game legislation lollipop. This time around it may well be Florida.
California had all the elements for high drama in 2005. The state is, of course, the heart of the North American video game industry as well as perennial host of the industry's big dance, the E3 Expo. Add in the larger than life status of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, himself a star in a violent video game or two. Finally, California's video game legislation made for great theater as a fascinating David Vs. Goliath struggle played out. Assembly Speaker pro tem Leland Yee faced down the might and financial muscle of the video game industry in getting his bill not only passed, but signed into law by Schwarzenegger.
In 2006, Florida has all the elements in place to capture the media spotlight, including a famous governor - Jeb Bush - who has appeared in a videogame, or at least specially customized mod of Madden 06. And, as with Arnold Schwarzenegger before him, there are serious doubts as to whether Bush will sign such legislation. Also akin to California, Florida has substantial ties to the game industry. EA's Tiburon Studio, of course, is a major employer in the Orlando area. The University of Central Florida has a prestigious game design degree program, and the well-known Full Sail game design school is also located in Florida.
And Florida has Jack Thompson.
The human sound bite is not only the world's most quotable critic of the video game business, but has several high-profile sideshows taking place, including a bitter fight with the Florida Bar Association that is only going to get uglier. Thompson is already asking to be permitted to testify about the issues during upcoming committee hearings.
How will this play out in the Sunshine State? It's anyone's guess. Last year Leland Yee needed Hot Coffee to get his bill approved by previously reluctant legislators. Florida State Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla already has the Hot Coffee issue in his pocket. And if the Federal Trade Commission report on the scandal comes out in 2006, that will only serve to whip up the memory of the video game industry's darkest hour.
What's more, Diaz de la Portilla's bill, SB 492, is already gathering momentum. The bill cleared its first procedural hurdle, the Florida Senate's Commerce and Consumer Services Committee, by a 7-1 vote on Wednesday.
And, Diaz de la Portilla himself is not without baggage. Stay tuned. 2006 will be an intersting year.
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January 13 2006, 13:49:52 UTC 6 years ago
Because of term limits, Jeb Bush doesn't have to worry about re-election this year, unlike Arnold Schwarzenegger, unlike Rod Blagojevich, Jennifer Granholm, and the governors of Kansas and Maryland.
So with that in mind, I'm going out on a limb and say that Jeb will veto this piece of shit legislation.
January 13 2006, 14:15:57 UTC 6 years ago
I'm not so sure.
It may not be Jeb's career on the line, but Republicans in general will not risk losing the "scared soccer mom" vote. And Republicans have no real clear candidate for 2008. So I don't think they'll risk the Democrats being able to say, "Look at your 'moral' Republican party, now. They don't care about your kids." I expect the courts will have to decide this one, too.
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January 13 2006, 13:49:54 UTC 6 years ago
Worst case scenario.
I feel deeply sorry for those in Florida who are under 18 years of age.All 25 of them.
January 13 2006, 14:06:00 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Worst case scenario.
I loled. Thanks for making me look like an idiot at the office !;P
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January 13 2006, 14:39:47 UTC 6 years ago
Video Game-Inspired Beatings in Ft. Lauderdale?
Ft. Lauderdale police are now seeking young white teenagers who beat a homeless man with a baseball bat (click on below surveillance video of the beating). Take-Two's murder simulators, the most successful violent games in the world, with 60 million units sold worldwide (Gallup finding 71% of Americanteen boys having played them) feature baseball bat beatings. Is life imitating art? Probably.
January 13
8:53 AM
Fort Lauderdale police hunt young men in murder, beatings of homeless
Within three hours and four miles, police think a group of two to four young men, either teens or in their early 20s, had put two homeless men in the hospital and one in the morgue.
BAT BEATING: Surveillance video shows attack on homeless man at FAU
Homeless learn to live with danger in the night
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/s
I spoken with the police and have identified the assailants and will arrests these kids shortly. Heads-up to Paul Eibeler of Rockstar: Put your Blank Rome attorneys on red alert for this one. Jack Thompson
PS: All you people emailing me anonymously and annoying me: a) you're committing a criminal act, by virtue of a new fedearl law, and b) I have your identities by virtue of software I have. Nice going, geniuses. The last kid who did this got sent to jail in Houston.
Anonymous
January 13 2006, 14:43:12 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Video Game-Inspired Beatings in Ft. Lauderdale?
too damn bad that law doesnt cover us foreigners, huh?Trevor Leblanc
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January 13 2006, 14:44:44 UTC 6 years ago
"The time has come for someone to put his foot down... And that foot is me.
...Anonymous
January 13 2006, 14:47:05 UTC 6 years ago
"The time has come for someone to put his foot down...
...And that foot is me." Jack "Dean Wormer" Thompson, Florida CrusaderPS: Who said I don't have a sense of humor?
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January 13 2006, 14:46:08 UTC 6 years ago
Poor JT
Awww is da baby annoyed by a few e-mails? Now maybe you know what it is to be everyone else having to listen to your drivel.Anonymous
January 13 2006, 14:47:50 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Poor JT
It's a criminal act, moron, to do it anonymously. Jack Thompson6 years ago
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January 13 2006, 15:13:09 UTC 6 years ago
Did anyone else notice . . .
. . . that as soon as the new law against annonymous emails with the intent to annoy was passed, our beloved troll disappeared? You know, the "I'm a reformed gamer" one? And at pretty much the same time, our beloved JT made his triumphant return to GP. Coincidence, I think not. I think JT's new tactic was to try and beat us from within, as a reformed gamer. And since the law was passed, he has to post as himself, or be culpable. Interesting tactic, JT, if it is true.Just a theory, of course.
Can you add anything to the contrary, Dennis?
January 13 2006, 15:18:06 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Did anyone else notice . . .
Yeah, I did notice.Jack swears he will never return = New troll pops up.
Jack doesn't post for a few weeks = Troll runs rampant.
Jack makes his return with vigor = Troll is nowhere to be found.
Well, I think he is actually taking this law very seriously, even if the rest of us have the common sense not to.
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January 13 2006, 16:06:00 UTC 6 years ago
Once again jack, you fail
I guess you didn't notice that we already proved your little theory about the Law WRONG!!.But, hey, whatever. Not like logic, intelligence, or reason ever applied to you right?
But I have to applaud your energy if nothing else. Can't say I know anyone willing to fight a doomed battle with anything close to the zeal you display. Though your tactics, strategy and ethics are completely absent, your drive is amazing.
Regardless of your drive, it's only a matter of time before you no longer matter. I imagine once the bar takes your license, you'll have to find another job. Hell, I'm amazed your not facing and endless string of defamation and Slander/liebel suits, but thats for Blank Rome to attend to.
Maybe if you put as much passion into everything as you did your petty crusade, well, then maybe you could have made something of yourself other then a self serving parasite.
Try puttting your energy into something useful. I bet you'd make a killer DA if you could find some ethics.Anyway, I'm starting work, so I'll check back in later.
January 13 2006, 16:11:35 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Once again jack, you fail
Nah, remember why he didn't get hired by Reno? He refused to even consider a hypothetical situation in which the police made a mistake. He believes cops are infaillable, and never do wrong...
The first time he ignored concerns, and prosecuted an innocent man over a mistake he refused to correct, he'd have his ass handed to him.
January 13 2006, 16:25:29 UTC 6 years ago
BREAKING NEWS: Hot Tea code in Studies! (a sequal)
A recent study on the effects of peopel drinking hot tea whilst committing grand theft auto, by study company Popstar, has been revealed to contain a secret code revealed by reading every 3.142th letter, that reads, "want to go for some dry sex?"This has caused an uproar among anti-study critics, and the writers at popstar have responded, "We at Popstar are sorry for this embarrasing discovery, and we assure you it was ment to be an in-joke never meant for the public."
Whilst the code does not refer to any highly lewd comments, a re-write has been made available online that replaces 'dry' with 'nude'.
Studies have been under close scrutiny for the past year for links between them and journalist violence. Respected politician Hillary Duff has announced legislation to restrict the access of studies to journalists, saying, "I do not believe it should be easy for journalists to simply walk into a building and pick up one of these hyper-annoying studies. It takes a whole local star cluster to raise a journalist, and we want to keep them safe."
/satire
January 14 2006, 00:54:01 UTC 6 years ago
Re: BREAKING NEWS: Hot Tea code in Studies! (a sequal)
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Anonymous
January 13 2006, 16:36:35 UTC 6 years ago
NOOOOO! I LIVE IN FLORIDA!
I don't like Florida because Jack lives here. He is always talking his BS, while his brainwashed followers say "Go Jack". Can't wait to move.-AC
January 13 2006, 16:42:08 UTC 6 years ago
Re: NOOOOO! I LIVE IN FLORIDA!
How old are you? If you're a legal adult or, better yet, someone who has kids, your opinion should technically matter. If it doesn't, then quite frankly it'll be clear he's just a lunatic.Anonymous
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January 13 2006, 16:53:03 UTC 6 years ago
Jack, defend yourself! I thought you were a man?
Has anyone noticed that Jack Thompson just puts his ignorant commant and leaves? You know why? Because he is a spinless worm and a pussy. He needs to be a man and have a conversation like a man. Stop being a child! If you check his comments, you would see he is full of hate and wants to change america for the worst. He is unamerican, and should leave this country in exile. And let me finish on this final quote: DEFEND YOURSELF YOU WORM!-AC
PS: I want to hear from you if you really are a man. Come on, don't cry, I won't bite!
January 13 2006, 17:01:11 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Jack, defend yourself! I thought you were a man?
You might want to post your real name first, otherwise he'll just accuse you of the annoyance thing.January 13 2006, 17:08:35 UTC 6 years ago
January 13 2006, 17:15:16 UTC 6 years ago
Anonymous
January 13 2006, 17:35:48 UTC 6 years ago
Didn't he vow to never post here again...
Or something like that.Anyway I don't really care. Only proves that he doesn't have anything better to do. You'd think someone that is being attacked by a far-reaching conspiracy involving Hillary Clinton, the NIMF, the Florida Bar and the ESRB would have something better to do than troll up some LiveJournal forum.
Jack, I sincerely hope your end is as hilarious as I think it'll be. In the meantime, dance, puppet, DANCE!
Anonymous
January 13 2006, 18:16:45 UTC 6 years ago
You should know better than to trust Jack's word
Jack's life is a laundry list of self-deceptions and lies. I don't know how you can be surprised at another one.Anonymous
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January 13 2006, 18:11:03 UTC 6 years ago
Go Jeb Bush!
I was just reading the sun-sentinel and found out that Jeb Bush OPPOSES this bill. You know why? Because he said its the parents job to regulate kids, not the government. Its nice to know that some politicians have common sense. And for those who don't know who Jeb Bush is, he is the govener (mind my spelling) of Florida. This bill won't be a law for sure! Score one for the normal people!-AC
January 13 2006, 18:40:39 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Go Jeb Bush!
A link to that article (if it's online) would be appreciated. I've love to read that if what your saying is true.Anonymous
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January 13 2006, 18:20:16 UTC 6 years ago
Jack, your not looking so good.
Okay, Jack, if you are really against video games, then why do you continue to make gamers look like trash. You have the right to say video games are wrong, but you take it too far when you insult people. Also, you are complaining that people are being mean to you. Well guess what? They are mean to you because of your immature comments. If you wouldn't have called people "children" and "fat slobs who don't shape america", you might of been more effictive. But nooo. You are just too ignorant to know that. Here's a word of advice: STOP INSULTING PEOPLE AND STATE THE FACTS! As you might have known, no one likes it when they get insulted, so you should just calm down and get to the point.-AC
Anonymous
January 13 2006, 18:49:09 UTC 6 years ago
want to see Jack Thompson at his worst?
Go to the article "GameDaily Biz Names Thompson, Eibeler Most Influential of 2005" and look for all of Jack's comments. You won't believe what he writes, trust me.-AC
January 13 2006, 19:20:37 UTC 6 years ago
Re: want to see Jack Thompson at his worst?
Or ELSE...!- Cecil
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January 13 2006, 19:39:58 UTC 6 years ago
Ah, Florida...
A growing state for the video game industry. I love it.* lives really close to EA Tiburon, UCF, and Full Sail.
* lives about an hour away from Disney... which has the mega-arcade known as Disneyquest. There used to be a Pac-Man Cafe around, but that closed down.
* is going to UCF for college. And then the new game design program there.
* goes to this place called Megagamez. Best LAN centers in town. One is really close to me and the other is in the back-lot of UCF. If you're ever in Orlando, you'll want to go there.
So basically, the best part about Florida and video games is in the Orlando area.
January 13 2006, 19:49:45 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Ah, Florida...
Signed.January 13 2006, 20:45:30 UTC 6 years ago
Hey Dennis
Hey Dennis, just had a flash of insight as to what would make a great Sunday Editoral."The many lies of Jack Thompson."
No, seriously, we have a list here of lies upon lies that this man has told. Enough to fill a good size editoral. If you need any help gathering the data, just ask in the comments section. I'm sure Jaber, Catch, myself, and a few others could dig up all the info you need. Since a lot of it is on your site, I'd bet you could find plenty just going through your archives.
Anyway, just thought I'd make a suggestion. Love your work and hope you keep it up.
January 13 2006, 21:50:38 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Hey Dennis
I think that would give old assclown too much airtime. :)I see no problem in doing some research though, wikipedia is a good place to start.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Thomp
Maybe we could compile contradictory statements on someone's LJ page, and then just link there?
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January 13 2006, 20:47:31 UTC 6 years ago
OH NOEZ!!!!!!!
Breaking news today:A twelve year old kid was found dead on a busy highway. Police caught four other kids who were connected with the death. Here is what the kids had to say:
"Well...me and my friends were playing this game called 'Frogger', a game where you have to lead a frog to a river on the other side of the street. Well, my friends and I were so impressed with this game and its many, many sequels that we thought we'd have a bit of fun. Johnny over there wasn't fast enough..."
I have word that politicians across the nation are calling Jack Thompson to do whatever he can to get rid of this fester pit of corruption that is the Frogger franchise. One American city has even created a way to signal Thompson in their time of need. Photo below:
(Image provided by Rooters)
January 13 2006, 20:50:19 UTC 6 years ago
Maximum LOLage
Seriously. :) That was awesome. The picture was perfect.6 years ago
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January 13 2006, 20:52:57 UTC 6 years ago
FAO Dennis - response would be appreciated
This site is rapidly becoming a circus run by the clown who goes by the name 'Jack'. In all seriousness, the antagonism and unprofessional behaviour by this man is detrimental to what you are trying to create here. All the comments and discussion are either insults from Jack, or responses to him that are ignored or insults aimed back at him. It's tedious and frustrating to wade through.I knwo you dont want to do this, but I'd seriously consider at the very least turning off anonymous comments to force him to get a LJ (and thus need to conform to the LJ terms and conditions of acceptable usage) or to get rid of his ability to patronise and insult entirely.
I'd like to know your views on this as you are getting the brunt of his abuse too.
January 13 2006, 20:59:57 UTC 6 years ago
Re: FAO Dennis - response would be appreciated
I agree that GP should not allow anonymous posting.Anonymous
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January 13 2006, 20:58:30 UTC 6 years ago
More evidence that Jack Thompson is a complete asshole.
Check it out yourselves at http://arcade.joystiq.com/2006/01/12/jaDearest Children at Joystiq:
I know it's hard to take time out of your crowded schedule of blowing away humans in your virtually violent worlds, but take just a few minutes, little ones, and go read the California Civil Code and see, with your own bloodshot eyes that a private individual has a RIGHT to seize any property which poses a particular danger to him/her if it falls within the category of a public nuisance, WITHOUT a court order.
I'm a fascist? You're all tyrants. You want to pick and choose what laws are to be enforced and which are to be ignored. You claim the wonders of the First Amendment. The First Amendment protects the "right of the people to petition the government for a redress of grievances." I have peititioned the AG of California. The people of California have passed a law that gives every cop the RIGHT to seize these games.
If you lazy video bums don't like the law, if you cannot abide how the First Amendment has worked here, then get of your sorry rearends and change the freaking law. Don't tell me I'm a fascist. You all are the fascists--the childish goofs who can't read, won't do anything with your lives, and sit around and pontificate on laws you've never even read.
Go to Hell more quietly, please. You're not taking what is left of your generation with you.
Jack Thompson.
January 13 2006, 21:21:16 UTC 6 years ago
Re: More evidence that Jack Thompson is a complete asshole.
Alleyoop onto WikiQuotes. :)I've started posting all Jack's letters there. That way we can reference them...
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January 13 2006, 22:55:47 UTC 6 years ago
Honestly, just ignore JT
I think Chuma brings up a good point. I come here for news and information about the social world.I already know about Jack. You already know about Jack. We know he hates video games with a passion, and he likes to lie when it helps his cause (all the time.) He knows that we hate him.
And he knows that every time he posts here, people will notice and pay attention to him. He doesn't care that he's wrong, he doesn't care what your opinion is.
What he does care about is turning GP into JT. He is ruining the integrity of this site by posting and waiting for low-quality, rude, and repetitive replies to flood the forum. And we're doing the dirty work for him.
There's only one way to fight a firebrand, and that's not to feed the fuel. Just ignore him. When he realizes no one's feeding him here, he'll move onto the next site, and then we can start having some REAL news.
January 13 2006, 23:00:17 UTC 6 years ago
Re: Honestly, just ignore JT
actually the worst thing we can do is ignore him. history shows that when people like mr. thompson are ignored they have a nasty habit of getting people to listen. we have to counter his lies and grandstanding with the truth and level headed logic. its the only way we'll come out on top.6 years ago
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January 13 2006, 23:44:31 UTC 6 years ago
In my day, we just tortured gophers
Geez. Kids these days. They're what's really wrong with society today. No repect for human life. Well, I just hope they realize that, statistically speaking, one of the guys they beat up was probably a war veteran (http://www.floridavets.org/publicationJanuary 14 2006, 00:43:22 UTC 6 years ago
missed
I missed alot in december and part of january, I guess jack was showing his ass while I was away, well I am back and ready to pwn jack thompson, well got to get back to playing resident evil, and my next purchase will be the special edition of GTA san andreas, btw, for all thouse who want it, the hot coffee version can be found with the M rating in tact in a local pawn shop near you.Enjoy, victory will be ours as always, keep your chins up, well got to go to bed I got to get up for work in the morning.
January 14 2006, 02:03:15 UTC 6 years ago
well, starting a new job
And I love the idea of being a working man again. Took time off to go visit my dad, whose in for surgery today.Now that I'm done with my training for today, I thought I'd come back and do some commentary, as well as give a shout out to everyone on the board, save for JT, whose a pathetic troll.
Watching things unfold ,I find it ironicly humorous. In the end, the efforts of JT and his ilk will be, as they have been, for nothing. THe courts have, and will, continue to shoot down bogus game laws, Jt loses more and more credibilty each day, and with the Bar on his case, he'll soon have none left.
In the end, the issue will land where it was ment to land. Back in the parents lap where it belongs.
Still, I think it's most telling that jack is scared to try and answer the well thought out and intelligent challanges that often pop up from this forum. Myself, Duffy, Andrew. Tons of people. He knows he's got nothing, and is to afraid to try and defend his insane claims.
I know, I know, I'm preaching to the choir and all, but I just thought it would be nice to point out the truth of the matter.
Anyway, good night all, take care.
January 14 2006, 02:21:12 UTC 6 years ago
Re: well, starting a new job
Hey Man keep us updated on your dad i hope his surgery goes good6 years ago
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