Thompson and 2K Come To Blows Over Manhunt 2 99
GamePolitics is serving up email transcripts that show increasing tension between Jack Thompson and 2K Games. The two parties have been acting at least vaguely civilly towards each other since an April settlement. A taunting, factually incorrect email from Jack to 2K (and other parties) has set things off again. 2K's response is to-the-point: "We demand that you cease making these false statements about our online sales practices. Your dissemination of knowingly false statements for the purpose of adversely affecting Take-Two's business is actionable and we reserve all of our rights under the settlement agreement and state and federal law. Not only are your statements clearly false, but they were made in an email publicly disseminated to both the FTC and the press. Please be assured that I am happy to answer any questions you have concerning our practices in a private communications. It is for this very reason that our settlement agreement designates a legal contact for you at Take Two."
Re:2k games is not Take Two (Score:4, Informative)
2K Games is a video game publishing subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive.
Re:Title (Score:2, Informative)
Am I surprised he won, no, but it would have been fun to see one of the geeks take the same interest and have boned up on how to throw a punch. That having been said, it's not like I think he deserves any more respect than the zero respect I already have for him thanks to that stunt.
Frankly I for one would have liked to have shot in that ring, but 1) I'm just some guy, not really relevant except that I think Uwe's a douche. 2) I know how to fight, which I think disqualifies me. 3) I'm a couple pounds out of the weight class he restricted it to, so even if I was somebody "important", I'm disqualified.
Now... weren't we talking about Jack Thompson?
J.T. wrong on firearms (Score:4, Informative)
Take-Two is welcome to use age verification software that is available for on-line alcohol, firearm and other purchases of adult material.
Not sure about the other two, but NOBODY can "buy a firearm on-line".
By law, and very heavily enforced throughout the industry, firearms must be physically transferred through Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL dealers), who require detailed forms be filled out and background checks run. While payment to original seller may occur on-line and arrangements for shipping occur, taking physical possession requires face-to-face meeting with a federally licensed dealer who will require federally recognized ID, run a NICS criminal background check (or confirm more detailed checks have occurred), and require legally binding statements of eligibility (a felony to lie on the so-called "yellow forms"). Shipping may only be to an FFL or current owner (not buyer).
No, Jack, there is no "age verification software that is available for
Re:J.T. wrong on firearms (Score:5, Informative)
I cannot both respond and moderate your post a -1 wrong, but you can buy firearms online and nothing would restrict this as long as it is a private transaction as these are http://www.shootersexchange.com/ [shootersexchange.com] .
Re:J.T. wrong on firearms (Score:2, Informative)
I purchase groceries from an online service from time to time (I live in a city, where cars aren't the norm, and the quality is good enough and prices competitive enough that it's worthwhile not walking thirty blocks with a month's worth of food on my back) and this can include wine. They make you check a little tickbox that says "I am over 21" and that's it. The wine comes, along with all the other groceries, directly to my door and kitchen.
So, a little tickbox for video games saying "I am over 17" sounds like about all the "age verification" software that's in order here. Fabulous!
Re:J.T. wrong on firearms (Score:5, Informative)
Ummm... Wrong. And it only took a few seconds of looking at the shootersexchange website to figure it out. They are in an awkward position because they are not lawyers and cannot give specific legal advice, but they do point the buyers and sellers [shootersexchange.com] to places that specify the relevant federal and state laws.
While you can enter into a contract to purchase a gun over the Internet, an FFL (Federal Firearms License) Holder [atfonline.gov] (someone who's licensed to sell guns) must make the physical transfer of the weapon to the purchaser. So you can't just have the gun shipped to you - it has to be shipped to an FFL, and then they physically verify who you are (and follow any other local laws regarding the transfer) and hand you the package. It's up to the buyer, seller, and FFL to make sure the applicable state and federal laws are followed, but that's still the case with a traditional "brick & mortar" purchase so there's no real difference.
Narrow exception, red herring (Score:3, Informative)
The on-line firearm sales sites (gunbroker.com, gunsamerica.com, etc.) merely connect buyers with sellers, who still have to either (A) arrange for an intermediary FFL to handle the transfer, or (B) arrange a face-to-face meeting - neither of which counts as "buying firearms on-line" which typically conjures up images of "click on 'Mossberg 590 Master Key', quantity 1, click on 'cart', enter credit card number & address, have nifty new shotgun show up on doorstep several days later". Such sites are merely faster ways to find out who has what a buyer wants, followed by the standard in-person transaction.
To clarify: the private transaction you indicate still requires (legally) a face-to-face meeting, which provides ample opportunity to discern whether the purchaser is a prohibited minor.
In no way (short of outright illegal) can, to J.T.'s email, a legal minor buy a firearm on-line with mommy's credit card.
Re:J.T. wrong on firearms (Score:5, Informative)
I think you were looking for Pen Island [penisland.net] instead. :-)