ICE raids mod chippers. The US is much safer today.

ICE, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency in charge of, among other things, keeping illegal immigrants out of the country raided 32 mod chipping “operators” earlier this week in 16 states. The operation was a cooperative effort with the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). ESA, unsurprisingly, applauded the raids wholeheartedly.

The rest of the country, however, aren’t seeing things quite in the same light ICE and ESA are. Especially gamers. The reaction to the raids has been overwhelming and 100% negative. Even the venerable John Dvorak felt compelled to speak out against the raids.

One of the best written counterpoints to ICE’s and ESA’s black-and-white view of the world is a forum post on Xbox Scene by twistedsymphony titled The Legality Of Modding, and how everyone is a criminal according to the DMCA. It raises several questions about ESA’s motivations, the PR spin put on the raids and modding video game consoles in general.

Technically speaking the people raided might all be guilty of violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The raids are, however, yet another sign of how utterly ridiculous the DMCA is.

-TPP

Spammer in the slammer. Good news.

Christopher “Rizzler” Smith  has been convicted to 30 years in prison for nine charges of conspiracy, illegal distribution of drugs, money laundering and operating a “continuing criminal enterprise.”

Up yours, spammer scum!

-TPP

A sure sign the apocalypse is imminent

DownloadSquad.com writes about a social networking site for dead people.

Yep, you read that right. Dead people.

Respectance is a site where people can post obituaries for their loved ones and then invite others to share memories about the deceased. The site has raised $1.5M in funding from two venture capitalist companies.

I think I’ve seen it all now.

-TPP

Tony Avella continues his campaign against Asians

AM New York, a free ad supported newspaper handed out to commuters during morning rush hour in New York City, has an article about the backlash against the Asian community in Queens, New York.

Tony Avella is leading the local white homeowners against expansive construction by the increasing Chinese and Korean population in the neighborhood. He’s, of course, framing the conversation as having nothing to do with race, but everything to do with McMansions.

It is, however, very revealing how every single one of the protests target an Asian homeowner.

Tony Avella is widely speculated to be a future mayoral candidate for the Mayor of New York City. What a great ticket to run for a Mayor, Tony. Don’t count on getting any minority votes.

-TPP

In Soviet US the Party knows better than the doctors

The Washington Post is writing about political pressure put on former Bush administration Surgeon General.

Richard H. Carmona, who served as the Surgeon General from 2002 to 2006, testified today at a House committee hearing that political appointees in the administration routinely scrubbed his speeches and reports for “politically sensitive” topics.

That kinda sounds like how the political officers operated in Soviet Union.

-TPP

See no evil, hear no evil

The Washington Post writes about yet another incident where Alberto Gonzales claims to have had no knowledge of any illegal conduct by an agency under his jurisdiction, in this case the FBI and its violations of law when requesting information about individuals from third parties.

It is amazing how Alberto Gonzales doesn’t remember anything and doesn’t know anything about anything that goes on in this country. One could ask what it is that he actually does other than turn the other way?

-TPP