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Home:Crystal Ball
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Name: Clawed and Shadow
Occupation: Chewtoy.
Current Hobbies:
RPGs!
AIM: MadClawed
45.3% corrupt
And the silence of the shining stone
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28.0% pyro-pure
34% wierdness-pure
81.8% insane
66.6% pure gamer
like the shattering crystal of the poet cries:
"I the enigma undefined,
the error of my age;
the players and the play defamed
that tread a timeless stage.
Ay! both hero and the rake,
of tragedy and of comic parts;
the dirge at many a wake
and the wit that veins the farce."
Oscar Wilde
hey, kallaris, do you still have those hard drives you wanted to get rid of? I may be in the market for one
unghhh... 8am biology labs should be classified as torture... especially since last week the Bio dept told me that there wouldn't be a lab, that this week was the first week of labs. So, of course, I missed the first lab. *sends nasty email to office manager*
Clawed snatches the keyboard away from her keeper.
Oh, looky looky what I found this morning while forum-browsing. The Gaming world takes another blow.
Use a Game Boy in Greece, go to jail
In Greece, playing a shoot-’em up video game could land you in jail. The government there has banned all electronic games across the country, including those that run on home computers, on Game Boy-style portable consoles, and on mobile phones. Thousands of tourists in Greece are unknowingly facing heavy fines or long terms in prison for owning mobile phones or portable video games.
GREEK LAW NUMBER 3037, enacted at the end of July, explicitly forbids electronic games with ‘electronic mechanisms and software’ from public and private places, and people have already been fined tens of thousands of dollars for playing or owning games.
Portable games, computer games, internet games, cell-phone games? In an effort to stop illegal gambling? Does anyone else see a fundamental blind spot in their argument? Making something illegal won't stop it... and banning electronic games or "games with electronic mechanisms" won't stop gambling.
The law applies equally to visitors from abroad: “If you know these things are banned, you should not bring them in,” said a commercial attaché at the Greek Embassy in London, who declined to give her name
Gee, can't imagine why she'd want to remain anonymous.
Internet cafes will be allowed to continue to operate, providing no games-playing takes place. If a customer is found to be running any sort of game, including online chess, the café owner will be fined and the place closed.
The Greek government introduced the law in an attempt to prevent illegal gambling. According to a report in the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, Greek police will be responsible for catching offenders, who will face fines of 5,000 to 75,000 euros (about $4,980 to $74,650) and imprisonment of one to 12 months. “The blanket ban was decided in February after the government admitted it was incapable of distinguishing innocuous video games from illegal gambling machines,” the report said.
'incapable of distinguishing innocuous video games from illegal gambling machines'. Forgive me, but I can tell the difference between a video game and a gambling machine. And - oh, look- they say that video games are innocuous! Innocent diversion. But - oh, my, who knows whether that thing that boy has in his hand is a Gameboy, or a Big Bad Gambling Device!
Sounds like a bad comic book.
The Greek gaming community has reacted with a mixture of shock, disbelief and anger. One Web site, www.gameland.gr, has started a news service about the ban and opened a petition to protest it. In addition, it is posting English translations of the law and messages of support from around the world.
hrm... ya think? I'd be shocked if that were the only petition - although, somehow I doubt the Greek government would think very highly of an internet petition. I mean, come on, they can't tell the difference between Gambling sites and Bejeweled.
A test case is to come before the Greek courts next week, and the Greek gaming community is already planning protests in the event that the defendant is convicted.
“We are trying to organize a protest against this law,” said Petros Tipis of Thessaloniki-based gaming company Reload Entertainment, which has had to cancel a gaming tournament that was to be held this week.
CASE COULD GO TO EUROPEAN COURT
If the prosecution of the defendant next week is successful, said Tipis, the Greek gaming industry will take the case to the European Court.
I can't help but wonder what a test case is? To see if the new law works? The lawmakers are going to look like idiots if the defendant in this unknown case is found innocent. Somehow, I sincerely doubt this is going to be an unbiased trial.
In the meantime, Tipis told ZDNet UK, a lot of people in Greece are very worried about the new law. “They are taking it very seriously,” he said. “It even affects the games that come with Windows. This law isn’t the right one,” he added. “It is unfair. It was introduced too quickly.”
Reload’s tournament, which was to be held on Sept. 6, was a qualifier for the CPL Oslo 2002 gaming tournament. “Now we are trying not to lose the two slots we were given from CPL for the tournament,” said Tipis. “This was the first time for a qualifier (for this tournament) in Greece.”
damn right it's unfair. If one country is willing to do this, what about others? What would be the next to go? RPG's - because we all know that this leads people to devil worship. And what about poker, and other games where gambling is an integral part of the game. maybe all card games will become illegal, because how could one distinguish between things like... solitaire... from Poker and blackjack?
Why am I starting to see Big Brother?
Perhaps it's because I live in a country where we at least have the illusion of freedom that laws like this bother me so much.
Let’s take a look at the law itself, shall we? Courtesy of http://gameland.servegame.com/index2.htm
Article 1
Game categories
---------------------
According to notion of the commands of the current law:
a. Mechanical games are those, that depend on one's muscle force.
b. Electrical games are those, that depend on electrical mechanisms.
c. Electromechanical games are those that depend on electrical mechanisms and the use of one's muscle force.
d. Electronic games are those, that depend on both electrical-electronic mechanisms and software.
e. Entertainment technical games are those, whose result depends exclusively on the ability and skill of the player, and are used solely for entertainment.
The category (e) also includes all card games which had been characterized as
"technical" games, according to the statement of law F.E.K A21.
Oops, seems they've already hit card games. And funny how only one category earns the description "entertainment". Does that mean that the puzzle games I have on my computer are here for some other, sadistic purpose? And we can all guess what I really use Half-life for...
----------------------------------------------
Article 2
Game prohibition
----------------------------------------------
1. Operation and installation of any game of type (b), (c) and (d) of Article 1, including computer games, placed in public places such as hotels, cafeterias, organization halls and in any other public or private place, is prohibited.
2. Operation of games of type (e) is allowed in devices of type (a). Regarding these games, it is prohibited to place bets.
Such bets will attract penalties described in Articles 4 and 5.
-------------------------
Article 3
Internet cafes
--------------------------
The prohibition of using computers described in Article 2 does not affect internet cafes, as long as the computers
are not used for any gaming activities.
To be able to run an Internet cafe, a special permit is required from the municipal or the state where the
company is based) and from its starting point (port) if it is a boat based company. According to the first
application of this measure, the company should be equipped with this permit in three months
from the issue date of this law.
----------------------
Article 4
Criminal sanctions
----------------------
1. Any persons who manage or depend on centers or other places as described in paragraph 1 of Article 2
where games prohibited by the previous Articles are in use or even exist, will be penalized with at least
three months of jail plus a fine of at least 5,000 Euros. If this offense is repeated, the penalty will be at least
one year of jail plus a fine between 25,000 and 75,000 Euros. The court will also command the confiscation
of all those games.
2. The orders for the games of type "c", in paragraph 1, paragraph 3 and 4 of Article 7 of the coded command
29/1971 are followed accordingly.
Wow. Jail time for owning a place where games exist. I can think of a lot worse things that go on that only get a day in jail, or, better yet, a Fine. But then, I live here, and this is a Greek law, so I don't know what I’m talking about.
-----------------------------
Article 5
Administrative sanctions
-----------------------------
1. Apart from the criminal sanctions, if it is found that a prohibited game, according to the commands of the previous
articles, there will be a fine of 10,000 Euros for every such game and permanent taking away of the business
license, according to the orders of Article 7.
2. The fine will be based on the decision of the corresponding authority, in paragraph 1 of Article 6, who had
found the violation. In this decision the violation will be described, the fine will be underlined, as well as the
order in use. Together with this decision, a copy of the violation report will be notified towards the violator.
-----------------------------------------
Article 6
Report of confirmation of violations
------------------------------------------
1. The police authorities are responsible to enforce this law. The port authorities are responsible for boats
traveling domestically, and for any other boats staying at the corresponding port.
2. If the authorities for the "body for fighting financial crime" find violations of the law for the games, they
will impose the sanctions and will proceed to actions described in the previous article.
"body for fighting financial crime." a fancy way of saying the anti-gambling authorities, no?
----------------
Article 7
Authorization
----------------
1. The terms, conditions, procedures and permits for Internet companies are determined by the common decision
of the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Public Administration, Ministry of Public Order
and Ministry of Trading.
2. A similar decision establishes the authority which enforces the taking away of business licenses, the
procedure of taking it away as well as any other necessary details for applying the orders of this law.
--------------
Article 8
Tax returns
--------------
Whoever has already paid " tax for running businesses with entertainment technical games" for 2002 for
electronical, electrical or electromechanical games, will have their tax returned corresponding to the time
of the publication of the law in the Government's Paper until the end of the year. No returns will be made
in the case of violation of the law for games and there is no awaiting court case in front of the Committee
in paragraph 4 of article 15 of law 2753/1999 (FEK 249 A').
---------------------------------------
Article 9
Maintained and transitive orders
---------------------------------------
1. With the orders of this law, there are no complications with the orders of the law 2206/1994 (FEK 62 A')
as well as the rest of the orders regarding casinos.
2. From the start of the enforcement of this law, the three-member game committees which are established by
the orders in paragraph 4 of article 15 of law 2753/1999, cease to exist. They will still exist though, until the
finish of check up of the game machines that had been binded by the auditor authorities and for which there
had been a reserve.
--------------------------
Articles 10, 11, and 12 describe the changes in the laws only for card games and are not relative with the
game machine orders.
--------------------------
ATHENS 29th of July 2002
Now, granted, much of the wording is probably odd due to translation, but still.
The worst part of it is, it's yet another example of a useless law. It's not going to make an impact on illegal gambling - all it's going to do is piss off the consumers and gamers who enjoy gaming. And, while I don't know much about Greek government, I can guess that this isn't going to make the current political leaders and lawmakers popular at all. So, in the end, they're only screwing themselves and those who they should be looking out for. And how many people are going to actually obey the strictures of the law. How is the government going to know what Joe Bloe is using his computer for - maybe the internet will be banned, too.
wait, didn't China already try that?
when will Governments get it through their head that imposing unlikable and largely baseless laws gets them nowhere? Oh, to someday live in a truly free society...
Quote of the Night:
Icchan: "I-B-U-P-R-O-F-E-N... hmm, if you switch the b around, you can spell friend, ooh, Ibuprofen is your friend, oh, look, that's a bus."
Ragabash's comments on High School made me think about my days at CVHS.
In another year, I'll possibly have a five-year reunion. But all the people I knew and liked in high school I am still friends with. The others - I don't know that I want to see them. Everyone changes. Those who don't are doomed to die, either physically or mentally.
Several of the people I knew in high school died right before graduation, including one boy that I was fairly good friends with, who everyone liked, was intelligent and had a future. And, for reasons that we'll never know, one night went out in his father's garage, took his father's gun, and put a bullet through his brain.
Why is it little towns seem to have a higher death toll? Maybe it's just because everyone knows everyone else. Matt and I had been friends since we were in second grade and used to shove each other off the jungle gym because we had cooties. His father and mine were both political movers and shakers in town. The only thing he left his friends was an announcement in class the next morning.
At my sister's graduation in may I ran into a lot of people I hadn't seen since our own graduation. Most of them were either already married or engaged. It unnerved me a bit, I was unable to process the fact that they weren't the kids I knew four years ago.
It's still very strange to me to meet people that I knew, and was friends with, in high school, and to have gotten so out of touch with them - and yet to have gotten so close to people here that I've only known for a year or two, three at the most. Like I lead two separate lives, one here, and one at my parent's house.
NnM, I can't help but smile ironically at your rants about college. I remember feeling the exact same way when I was facing my imminent graduation, and realizing that all of the securities that I knew in high school would be gone, and seeing all the towering, looming fears and the like ahead of me. Now, looking back from the other side, I realize that I had no idea. Things have been difficult, but they've also been easier, and I learned that I have the ability to do and take on a lot more than I ever thought I did. And, that, even falling doesn't destory much.
Ahhh, random musings on a slow evening.
Oh, must move dinner to friday night... unexpected change of plans
Oh, the thrills of campus phone service and the joys of putting a check for 3$ in the mail... 9.9 seems so pointless.
Unfortunately for me, I always manage to lose calling cards...
Oy. Been a while since I blogged anything. So far as the internet is concerned, I could very well have fallen off the face of the earth.
not that that many people read this blog...
Hrm... That, and there's not much interesting that goes on when one is the only one at college, and only talks to family and a handful of friends...
So, forgive me if any of this is repeating myself... but I'm going to start anew with everything dumped into one entry.
Now that classes have started, it's time to put the Asuka costume in full gear. Tomorrow I'll pick up the other pattern I want, and probably pick up as much of the red leather as I can, while I still have money in my account that I can blame on start-of-school expencses ^^;. I'm tempted just to buy up all they've got, I'll probably need it... But I'm at a loss as to what to do about those little valve-things she's got in various places on the plugsuit.. if anyone has any ideas I'd be happy to entertain them. Also need to get a new pair of styrofoam eggs, and this time I won't slice my palm open cutting them to the proper shape...
Almost finished with Piropuff v 1.0. Will probably make Piropuff v 2.0, as 1.0 is rather ... lopsided. At the moment, s/he is missing hir hair. (No those are not mispellings, 200 points if you know what I'm referencing...) Anyway, for those of you who don;t know what I'm talking about, I'll explain.
I assume you know who Piro is, the author, creator, illustrator, and main character of Megatokyo. And I'm figuring that you have at least seen an image of the Powerpuff girls.
Piropuff was inspired/created by this episode of Machall... blame them.
Hmmm... what else. oh, sometime in the next two weeks I get the thrilling job of teling my boss that I really am not sure if I want to a)continue with the failed project I was given, and thus lose my first published paper, or even b)continue on in her lab. I've been fighting the death of this project all summer, after the DNA extractions I was doing failed to yield DNA... But I'm not sure where to move to next, to the Biochem lab, or to the Halophile lab. I have to decide fast, because if I decide to go with halophiles, I've only got a short time before the available positions fill, if they haven't already. Which, knowing my luck, they have. *sigh* I wish my projects would work...
*pokes Kallaris* Oy... we oughta start game in the next few weeks... *poke* brought my printer with me so I can run off a few hard copies of the questionnarre and the character sheet, and plan to revamp the Notebook this week...
Hrm, what else...Oh, a warning. One should never watch Whose Line is it Anyway when one's roommie is trying to sleep...
Have to decide if I want to work the 9/11 program at the auditorium... it's all volunteer, which is annoying, since the decision was made without asking the crew, but no more than an annoyance.
I just don't know if I want to go anywhere near it. I mean, it's not that I have any problems with memorial programs, and whatnot. I'm just afraid that it's going to get overdone.
Yes, 9/11 was a catastrophe. A terrible event that should never have happened and took the lives of people that should not have died. And, a year ago, all the outporing of everything was touching and comforting.
But yesterday I heard people debating making it a national holiday, something that would eventually turn into a 4th of july or labor day thing that would turn into another reason to take the family and go boating.
Somehow that's not my concept of a fitting way to remember 9/11.
I'm not saying that it shouldn't be remembered. But, please, remember it in the spirit in which it happened. The families of the victims don't want to have this splashed everywhere, with all kinds of whoknowswhat to "commemmorate" the event. It should be solemn, and sad, rememberance of those who died, and prayers and hope that it never happens again.
I know, I know. That's just me. But think how you would feel if you were in their place.
Hrm. Asuka, piropuff, work. School... boring. Nothing terribly interesting there...
Sam is up here this year, a freshman. We've already managed to strike a healthy dose of fear into Kallaris, now it's time for Everyone Else to learn terror. *insert evil laugh here* Just wait... the two of us are capable of more trouble, more mayhem, more Obscure References In A Single Sentence than anyone else alive. Or at least in our general jurisdiction.
Well, I can't really think of anything else. Hopefully I should be more interesting this year.
But before I sign off..
I've done a lot of thinking in the last few days. As well as looked up a recipe for Miso soup. I have no idea if it'll be any good...
But, Bird, I just wanted to invite you to join us if you want.