My bro sends along word that the Brits are considering a crack-down on video games. It's For The Children™, of course.

The report, commissioned by the Prime Minister in response to a growing moral panic about video games, will conclude that they can harm the development of childrenÂ’s beliefs and value systems and desensitise them to violence. It will also recommend that retailers who sell video games to anyone under the age rating on the box should face a hefty fine or up to five years in prison, The Times has learnt.

The report, written by Tanya Byron, the clinical psychologist and television parenting guru, is also expected to address the dangers of childrenÂ’s use of the internet.

"Moral panic," as far as I knew, was a generally negative term for a group of people getting carried away by a distorted understanding of something they consider morally deviant. How lucky that a report commissioned to respond to British moral panic over video games has turned out to reinforce their beliefs!

Ms. Byron is suggesting video games be forced to carry cigarette-style health warnings (for example, like this one), which have been so very, very successful at keeping folks from smoking. She also says that parents need to be made aware of the prevalence of pornography online--because there are people out there who don't know!

My brother writes:

Better put labels on politicians, (political) scientists (and I mean those scientists that are driven to conclusions due to politics), and "holy" men. I think they can harm the beliefs and value systems of more than just the children.

But I think the best response is in the comments to that Times article, from one Stuart in London:

If we were just simply to chop childrens hands off at birth. That way we don't have to worry about these evil games and them shovelling fast food into their mouths... problem solved

Word.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 07:46 AM | Comments (49)
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But he only said it on Vermont Public Radio and the three people that usually listen to that on a Friday were out draining sap buckets.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 07:41 AM | Comments (18)
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Masquerade Party Friday

Time for some intensive slackin'.

Don't deny it. Your continued presence here indicates that you pitilessly chisel many hours of paid time from your employers each week.

And it's Friday, meaning your brains never left the bed this morning. They're still snuggled up on your pillows, while your bodies are making ghastly fake 'work' motions to satisfy appearances and collect full checks.

This is the core skill set that enables the Ace of Spades Lifestyle.™

I am proposing an open thread.

I am proposing that this open thread be in the form of a masquerade party. Don't come as you are. Come as somebody more fun. I mean that in the nicest way possible.

Historical figures, famous people, celebrities, what-have-you. Flames not required. But they are encouraged.

I think it's safe to say that Dave in TX is likely to arrive in the guise of Thomas Jefferson.

And in accordance with ancient custom, the women will all arrive dressed like whores.

Posted by: LauraW at 06:50 AM | Comments (330)
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Quite stupid actually.

After telling the world he never heard any of the idiotic, racist comments Reverend Wright made and that he could not disown Wright anymore than he could disown his grandmother or the black community, Obama now says he was about to do just that.

"Had the reverend not retired, and had he not acknowledged that what he had said had deeply offended people and were inappropriate and mischaracterized what I believe is the greatness of this country, for all its flaws, then I wouldn't have felt comfortable staying at the church," Obama said Thursday during a taping of the ABC talk show, "The View." The interview will be broadcast Friday.

This strikes me as Clintonian in its desire to have it both ways. After 20 years Obama was just about to get up and walk out of the door in protest of WrightÂ’s demagoguery but donÂ’t you know it, the old man goes and retires.

Next thing you know Obama will tell us heÂ’s the victim, that old man Wright cheated him out of the chance to show just how committed he is to not being associated with a kook like Wright.

ObamaÂ…The Audacity of Bullshit.

Posted by: DrewM at 05:32 AM | Comments (92)
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Fiscal super genius, Robert Mugabe, prime architect of Zimbabwe's recent "economic renaissance" has notched another major success.

The word is out: The Spar supermarket has bread at only $7 million a loaf. People rush to the shelf duly marked $7 million, but by the time they reach the till with their hyper-inflated Zimbabwean dollars, the price is up to $25 million.

That equals just 62 American cents, more than a teacher makes in a week...

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 04:44 AM | Comments (61)
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Air mobile. Those boys just wouldn't stay put.

US provides air support for Iraqi army on the ground fighting Shia militants who got froggy.

Two bombing missions were carried out against specific targets overnight, Major Tom Holloway told AFP.

"It was on identified rocket teams in the city and there was a concentration of militia troops which was bombed," he said, adding that the bombings were the first by the coalition forces since Iraqi military operations started in Basra on Tuesday.

Militants. Just like them to bring a mortar to a combined arms fight.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 03:30 AM | Comments (8)
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The early 3rd round games are underway over (West Virginia lost to Xavier and Washington State lost to North Carolina). The late games are now underway (UCLA v. Western KY and Tennessee v. Louisville).

Congratulations to leaders of the AoS Fantasy Pool...JavaJoe and Driver RedHatRob, and Laddy.

Me? As I said when I started this, it's not about wining just beating Dave in Texas. Now I know that was setting a pretty modest goal but little did I know he wouldn't figure out how to pick games past the 2nd round. Competing against a goober kind of taints the 'victory'.

Posted by: DrewM at 03:24 PM | Comments (26)
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If this is true, and it probably is -- and if McCain does not reverse himself immediately -- I'm sitting this election out.

Thanks to CJ.

OTOH: Bryan Faughnan notes that Shuler has a big reason to lie.

True. But.

Inside Man: JackM. writes:

Hey man, take this for what it's worth.
But even as anti-McCain as I am, I can't pin this Shuler deal on him.
I dont know of anyone in the House who has been contacted on the GOP side. And I asked around today.
Shuler is in a tough position.
He's in a Red District where Immigration is one of the top issues.

Posted by: Ace at 01:53 PM | Comments (180)
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Too harsh?

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - A judge known for creative sentencing has ordered three Spanish-speaking men to learn English or go to jail.

The men, who faced prison for criminal conspiracy to commit robbery, can remain on parole if they learn to read and write English, earn their GEDs and get full-time jobs, Luzerne County Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. said.

Reminded me of a time in my youth, I shant offer details, when a county court judge offered me a couple of options. The keenest neato one to me was to continue and complete my education, but it was also the one he encouraged me to take.

Ha ha on him... it took me 6 more years. But I digress.

I didn't catch all of his nuance, because I was a moron then too, but I did get it that he seemed quite interested that I get myself out of the way of the law and onto a decent life.

These four "yewts" were facing charges for harrassing, accosting and threatening with a firearm. Feels like to me he's giving them a shot at changing their lives for the better, failing that they get 2 years incarceration.

I don't think I have a problem with that.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 01:26 PM | Comments (41)
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The really big important news I've avoided in order to talk about people being molested by Bigfoot.

Read the whole thing; it will only hurt a little.

Posted by: Ace at 01:14 PM | Comments (43)
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