Jack Thompson the Retard

So I felt that today went pretty bad because I failed my Unit 13 test for EE so I now have to do that freaking study guide, but then I found out that my brother proposed to his long-time girlfriend and now everything is alright. I'm thrilled for them and it's so funny that I'll soon have a sister-of-law. Enough about that though, I have some Jack Thompson news today to amuse you. So this nutjob is one of video games' most vehement detractors and he made a "modest proposal" that he'd donate $10,000 to charity if someone made a video game he described where a dude's kid is beaten to death by a teenage gamer so he takes revenge on the video game company (dubbed "Take This", I wonder what that could allude to). When a number of gamers actually created the game text-based (this image to the right isn't exactly the game he describes, but it's another satire from CAD) he rescinded his offer like a douche, so Penny Arcade put up the money for him. In a related turn of events one of the more prominent pro-family groups has actually distanced themselves from the lawyer. The point is that if you go against a community as strong as the video game community, you're not going to win. You're going to be ostracized like he is, so don't try it.

There's actually not a whole lot of other worthwhile stuff going on for techies. IMDB is celebrating its 15th anniversary, which is more years than the Internet has been mainstream so you know that they're hardcore. They're not always accurate, but they are rather comprehensive and no one has a better database. Those of you using the Taylor lab computers (or if you're just a Linux fan) may be interested in the new version of vim, which I'm going to install myself the next time I'm in the lab. In case you don't know, vim is the de facto text editor as far as I'm concerned for command line editing, but this is only a bugfix release. Lastly, the wave of editorials regarding Apple continues with WSJ's point that affiliates are none too happy with their reduced revenue from this new market. Things could get messy.

There's actually a healthy amount of movie news so I'm going to go through it fast and furious starting with some videos. My gift certificate should be coming in within the next couple of days, and you can check out some of the extras I'll be enjoying from the Batman Begins DVD set at Yahoo Movies. The X3 site put up the worst teaser possible and it lasts for all of 10 seconds so don't blink or you might miss it. If you want to see a couple of neat-looking (albeit air-brushed) Thai posters for Goblet of Fire then click here. Spike Lee clearly has no sense of waiting on sensitive issues as he's decided to make a documentary highlighting the race card with regard to Hurricane Katrina. This would be a good movie if it was started maybe five years from now, but being made so close to the event will lead to a close-minded movie and a lack of insight as to the ultimate results. For example, I think that Jarhead was made long enough after the Gulf War to elicit good reviews such as this one and truly explore its effect on the human psyche. Lastly, there are some rather strong rumors that Michelle Yeoh will be in Indiana Jones 4 so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for an official confirmation.

Now for some Monday Madness:

Which one?
1. Lemonade or Iced Tea?
Lemonade, because it's so much more refreshing.
2. DVD or VHS?
DVD, because Tivo already had the funeral for tapes.
3. Gold or Silver?
Silver, it just looks better on me (and it's helpful against vampires).
4. Baseball or Tennis?
Tennis; I just like racquets.
5. Spring or Autumn?
I'd have to say Autumn because you can expect a nice winter to come (or at least in Austin you can).
6. Diet or Regular?
Regular, because I'm not concerted enough about going over on calories.
7. Hearts or Stars?
Stars: they're just less girly.
8. Snail Mail or Email?
I don't even know how much it costs to send a letter via snail mail, so I'll say e-mail.
9. Shop: Online or In-Store?
It depends on the product since online is cheaper, but in-store you can test it out.
10. Credit Card or Check?
Credit card, because writing a check is a pain in the ass and I have no concept of spending more than I can afford to so I wouldn't be worried about debt.