It's obvious that Thompson is going through some sort of denial complex because in reality he gained nothing. Anyways I find this funny from a mental standpoint because he has been shot down, him and his big ego. Now he is losing momentum. Good stuff, good stuff.

Where is that picture from? Who gave that man a megaphone?!

I believe that photo comes from Hack Thompson's appearance at one of the Peaceaholic's rallies at Rockstar's New York offices.

he emailed that entire letter to you?


damn i never even got a second response from him

@Jabrwock:

"Thompson is not restricted from criticizing the content of T2 games..."

He can "flap his yap" about them all he wants still. Since he can't start a lawsuit against T2 anymore, that's ALL he can do. Expect a lot of "Take Two is trying to shut me up..." type rhetoric. No financial penalties can apply unless he tries to file suit.

I apologize for the Wall of text, but I've got a recent exchange with our favorite quest from the insane asylum. You know how he's been peddling the "fact" that Jeffrey Weise had a heart rate of 60BPM (by watching a CCT nonetheless)? Well, either Weise was a world-class athlete or he suffered from a condition known as bradycardia (abnormally slow heart rate). I'm not sure how someone like Weise (who did look slightly overweight and most certainly not athletic) could have a RESTING heart rate under 60BPM. Just read the exchange and you will understand all. I think I just shot his theory about that and teabagged it a few times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradycardia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heartrate

Jack Thompson's illogical "facts" FTL!

"Are you sure your FBI friend knows his stuff? Children and adolescents tend to have higher heart rates than full grown adults. Adults typically have a heart rate of 70BPM and adolescents (like Weise) tend to have a heart rate of 80BPM. Of course, heart rate varies from person to person, and exercise can lower your heart rate. Mr. Thompson, I am going to assume that you agree that Jeffrey Weise did not look like an athletic youth. If what your FBI friend told you was true, then Jeffrey Weise would suffer from a condition called Bradycardia. This is a condition in which the RESTING heart rate is under 60BPM for an average ADULT. Most people with heart rates under 60BPM who do not suffer from Bradycardia are trained athletes. What I'm saying is that your "Video Games Lower Heart Rate Killing Efficiency" theory doesn't work logically. What you're FBI friend told you was that Weise had a lower heart rate when he was running around shooting people than his heart rate at rest. Doesn't make so much sense now, does it?

As for the excision, Cho's own roommate denies that Cho was ever seen playing video games on his computer. He also stated that Cho was frequently engaged in word processing programs. Compound this statement with the fact that Cho was an english major, and it begins to make sense. Mr. Thompson, whose opinion about Cho's computer habits should I believe, his roommate or yours? Ask yourself that same question.

Finally, I'd like for you to consider for just one second that there are compelling reasons other than video games for these murders. Let's look at the infamous Hi Fi Murders that were committed by Pierre Selby and William Andrews. As you might remember, they imitated a scene from the movie "Magnum Force" in which a prostitute was killed when she was forced to drink a bottle of drain cleaner. There was an uproar over the scene, and many viewers condemned the movie for the murders. During the trial, it was discovered that Selby and Andrews were searching for an efficient way to murder their victims. During the trial, Selby and Andrews admitted they were looking for an efficient way to kill their victims, and if they had not viewed that scene they would simply have chosen another way to dispose of their victims.

I read the MSNBC article you appeared in earlier. You stated that if Cho had not been "trained" by Counter-Strike, he would probably not have killed 32 people. I believe that you are incorrect in this assumption. Had the school been locked down immediately following the double homicide, Cho might not have killed 32 people. Had police been brought in immediately, Cho might not have killed 32 people. Had Cho not been able to legally purchase a Glock 19 and Walther P22, Cho might not have killed 32 people. Had Cho been involuntarily committed (after he was described by a judge as an imminent danger to himself and others in 2005), Cho might not have killed 32 people. Mr. Thompson, you seem to ignore the important facts about the Virginia Tech Massacre, and why it occurred. I believe that if you continue to pursue a link between the Virginia Tech Massacre and violent media, you will only drive your credibility into the ground."

The Washington Post’s Virginia Tech Cover-Up

By Jack Thompson © 2007

Nearly a decade ago Washington Post reporter Michael Isikoff uncovered President Clinton’s “sexual relations with that woman” Monica Lewinsky. The Post stalled on printing that story, which spawned a newsroom confrontation between Isikoff and his editors, so Matt Drudge broke the story out from under the Post and Isikoff. Well, the Post is at its cover-up games again, but this time it’s worse.

On Monday, April 16, at 3:10 pm I was on the Fox News Channel being interviewed by Bill Hemmer about one possible piece of the Virginia Tech massacre puzzle. I explained to Hemmer that the worst school shooting in world history, until Monday, was in Erfurt , Germany , at the hands of Robert Steinhaeuser who literally trained on the violent shooter game Counterstrike to kill 16 and then himself. I said we might find a similar violent video game component at V Tech because, significantly, eyewitnesses said the shooter was incredibly calm and methodical in stalking his prey, just as have other video gamer student rampage killers. That was the case in Paducah whose victims’ families I represented.

The FBI Agent heading the investigation of the Red Lake ( Minnesota ) high school massacre by Jeffrey Weise told me, “We could tell from the surveillance video that his heart rate was not above 60. He had rehearsed this. He was so calm and methodical. .He had done it before. The video games we know he played are the only explanation.”

Tuesday night, the Washington Post published an Internet version of an article which contained the following:

"Several Korean youths who knew Cho Seung Hui from his high school days said he was a fan of violent video games, particularly Counterstrike, a hugely popular online game published by Microsoft, in which players join terrorism or counterterrorism groups and try to shoot each other using all types of guns."

Fox News asked me to come back Wednesday morning and explain, basically, that I had been right and what the significance of this finding was. When I got to Miami ’s Fox News bureau, the bureau chief said to me “ New York is calling. They say they can’t find the Counterstrike paragraph in the Post article.” I said, “That’s because it’s not there anymore. But watch this and please tell New York to do the same thing.”

I went to www.washingtonpost.com, with the bureau chief looking over my shoulder and simply typed in “Counterstrike” in the search engine window. Bingo! Up pops the above paragraph which had been excised from the article. You can still see it now, at the time I am writing this piece at 9:30 am on Friday, April 20 by conducting the same search. The Counterstrike excision is at http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/NewsSearch?sb=-1&st=counterstri.... The Post forgot to excise the excision.

What’s going on here? I asked the Washington Post’s “ombudsman,” Deborah Howell, with a phone message left for her Wednesday. Late yesterday she left the following message on my answer machine, which I shall save until the day I die:

“Mr. Thompson, what you saw was an early version of a story. It was replaced later by more reporting. Several reporters did look at the video game part and concluded that it wasn’t important enough in the whole thing to include.”

This was a story entitled “Shooter Described As Eccentric Loner by Students, Teachers.”

Let’s see now, Cho’s immersion in the specific game that trained Germany’s Steinhaeuser to accomplish what is now the second highest school massacre body count in world history “wasn’t important enough” to help explain how Cho pulled this off, but the following in the new, edited story is? Get a load of this:

“Cho's sister, Sun Cho, graduated from Princeton University with a degree in economics in 2004 after she completed summer internships with the State Department in Washington and Bangkok. A State Department spokesman said Sun Cho works as a contractor specializing in personnel matters.”

What does the above paragraph have to do with Cho’s possible motivation and profile? Nothing. Yet it is precisely the length of the excised or “spiked” Counterstrike portion.

The news media are increasingly owned by entertainment companies. Liberals who infest both worlds don’t want you to think that adult-rated entertainment, containing violence and sex, has any behavioral consequences. The First Amendment protects everything, right? Wrong. The Supreme Court doesn’t say that. Further, the American Psychological Association says violent video game play increases teen aggression.

Cho trained on shooter games to kill 32 innocent people and himself. More “Columbines” and more “V Techs” are on the way. There’s going to be plenty of blame to go around when they occur, and some of the blood will be on the hands of those who cover up the reasons why “V Tech” happened.

Jack Thompson is a Miami lawyer who has spent the last 20 years opposing the distribution of adult entertainment to minors.

Jack Thompson, Attorney

"It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."

GP: DON'T POST PERSONAL INFO

@Steavor

The matter of Thompson's standing with the Florida bar is a different case that hasn't been resolved yet. This settlement hasn't gotten him completely out of trouble.

In my opinion, this is clearly a win for Take 2. People here seem to think that Jack's being found in contempt of court would have amounted to some big jail time. That is almost certainly not the case. Being found guilty of contempt will usually land someone a fine and/or some trivial amount of jail time, usually an overnight. To be sure, the charge would carry some effect as far as damaging his reputation, but I think his behavior (which led to the possibility of contempt in the first place) has already taken its toll. This settlement will have an overall greater result.

And also, clearly Thompson was the first to "blink". Remember, he dropped his RICO case against Take 2 et al well in advance of this. I believe that this was the first step (or "blink") towards the settlement that came about. Perhaps, in time, that may even be revealed, but I doubt it, as the negotiations behind settlements are often kept quiet.

MSNBC article about VT and games
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18220228/

very intresting to see how he changed targets so fast....TO fast...

From GTA/T2/Rockstar now to Microsoft/CS.

.....You think Microsoft will stand up for themselfs more unlike T2?

After the NBC article I m waiting for Jack Thompson to say that he got rid of the games before he started.

um, they both one.

Not going to jail.
No more annoying lawyer on your case.

Take 2 won, though, because Jack will break the rules, and they're really not bound to any rules.

I think I'm beginning to understand this guy!

He's the eternal optimist when it comes to anything about himself.

Everything is a "huge victory." I'm sure he goes to the toilet, raises his arms triumphantly, says "what a huge victory!" and then flushes it.

I love this section:
"Meanwhile, authorities released a search warrant listing the items found in Cho's dorm room. Not a single video game, console or gaming gadget was on the list, though a computer was confiscated. And in an interview with Chris Matthews of "Hardball," Cho's university suite-mate said he had never seen Cho play video games.

None of this seems to matter to Thompson.

"This is not rocket science. When a kid who has never killed anyone in his life goes on a rampage and looks like the Terminator, he's a video gamer," he told MSNBC.com."

You hear that people! Despite that the police found no videogames in his belonging, he's a videogamer! The earth is the center of the universe!
Facts do not matter!

@Jer

Just finished reading it and I must say, it feels good that finally some mainstream media see Jack Thompson for what he is.

@17-A

To be honest, it's better for Take Two if Jack doesn't make a Martyr of himself. As much as I consider the man a slimy little bottom-feeder.

I'd rather see him simply agree to keep his mouth shut than being, oddly enough, in the same position as he put 2 Live Crew in years ago, after all, look at all the publicity it got them, I wouldn't want him getting that sort of publicity.

I guess I'm one of the few people who, if I had to pick a winner in the lawsuit, would say that JT got the better part of the settlement.

Why? Because under T2's former board of directors, it's quite possible that the company wouldn't have settled and taken Thompson to his ruin. After the shareholder rebellion though, I'm guessing this was just seen as a piece of business that they didn't want to be involved with and thus, it was quietly dealt with. All things considered, this is an outcome that favors Thompson.

No, Jack may never be able to admit deafeat. But I like to think that the internet in general - and this site in particular - are contributing to his demise. Time was, Jack could go on any news show and spout his lies unchallenged and never have his credibility checked. Now, though, it seems they're more reluctant to book him. He didn't appear on TV this week nearly as much as he did during and after Columbine. And news hosts are now more willing to question him openly (Chris Matthews) or at least dismiss him at the very end (David Gregory).

One of the reasons for this is I think that now thanks to this site, Jack's lies and true behavior are there for all to see. This could also be why he hates Dennis so much, because while he may never admit it publicly, he knows this site has been instrumental in exposing him. This site is being seen by a lot of people, he knows that, and he also knows that we are alerting those in government and the MSM about him, and slowly but surely the word is getting out and privately he's scared by that.

JT won, he has escaped a possible disbarring or jail. On the other side, there's nothing that will stop him from continuing his crusade in the courts (because he can still act as a counsel for plaintiffs)

"Then again, it was his own off-the-wall conduct in the Bully matter which handed T2 such significant leverage."

And it still hangs on him actually keeping his mouth shut. That's what the contempt charge was basically all about. His inability to keep his mouth shut.

Well now there's financial penalties. If he doesn't keep his mouth shut, except under very specific circumstances, he's in for financial liability.

I can see him going on about other games in the meantime, but I only give him a few months before he starts flapping his yap about T2 games again...

How long is that settlement valid for anyway?

@Hackangel

No, I think you're right. I've been thinking these two things about JT:

1) He doesn't know how to win.
2) He doesn't know how to know he lost.

@A-wel

(*becomes rather baffled by that second reply you got from Retard Jack*)

Okay... Now ask him how can looking at one's eyes determine that person's heart rate. See what he says to that one.

". . . it is likely to mute his public pronouncements and lawsuits against the company . . ."

Wrong. Dead wrong.

@Shoehorn O'Plenty

"Yes he’ll still be the same. Except that now instead of being powerless to stop the games being released through unconstitutional means, he is even more impotent as he has been told he cannot even attempt to stop their release."

That's not true, though. He loses the ability to attempt to stop TAKE 2's games. Assuming he doesn't try to find some way around that ("...nor is he prevented from acting as counsel in lawsuits brought against Take Two by other parties"), he'll still likely move on to another target. Rockstar's games have always been a favorite because they're so easy to stir up crap about, but I don't doubt for a second he'll move to another target.

@Hayabusa: Under those circumstances, I have to agree with you. I'm reminded a bit of Javert. So obsessed with a pointless crusade that he loses sight of all else.

Well, I guess we shouldn't have expected someone as immature as Thompson to be gracious in defeat now could we?

What? Here comes GTA4! You got NOTHING you wanted, except to escape jail!

I mean, 'suing', not 'banning'...

(*is another guy who wishes for the EDIT button....~_~*)

You know, Jack Thompson is starting to remind me of the former Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf.

"There are no American infidels in Baghdad. Never!"

"We have destroyed 2 tanks, fighter planes, 2 helicopters and their shovels - We have driven them back."

Riiiight! We all know how well that turned out for him! ;)

A-wel: I was confused by that blatent lie of his too. Jack just makes things up to support his crackpot theories and hopes noone will call him on it.

Given his conduct towards people who email him genuine questions and the consistantly purile responses, maybe we should get some major news outlets to send some low key emails and see if he starts calling them jerk, asshole and such in reply, then get them to print the quotes in their articles about him. Would certainly help to discredit him further.

@Hackangel

Nope, it's not you, the man could never admit defeat, no matter how clear it was that he'd lost.

Sometimes I swear that the only way people know when there beaten is when they are lying face down on the pavement from getting there asses beat.

Not that I'm saying jack should be attacked mind you, I'm just saying that some people are to stupid or stubborn to know when they lost until it's way to late.

"How long do you think it’ll take for him to violate the terms of the settlement?"

Is 2pm Tuesday taken in the pool yet?

Does anyone have a link to the game spot interview, or has it not been published yet?

I'd like to see myself how he claims to have "Gotten" what he wanted when the world can see that all he got was a muzzle and a castration, in legal terms at least.

Jack wanted to be able to attempt to block them distributing their games. He now is incapable of doing that. How can he claim to have got what he wanted?

@ AM

"He’ll still be the same shrill, annoying demagogue he’s always been"

Yes he'll still be the same. Except that now instead of being powerless to stop the games being released through unconstitutional means, he is even more impotent as he has been told he cannot even attempt to stop their release.

"...making your son despise you less?" C'mon. Ad hominem attacks are going a bit far. Let's be the bigger people here.

Anyway, regardless of who "won" in this settlement, it wasn't US. Jack can still go on all he wants about games, including Rockstar's, spreading lies (see Kotaku's disassembly of his recent Fox News appearance for several direct lies). All he can't do is sue. Since Take 2's games have always hit the street in spite of him, for us, nothing has changed. He'll still be the same shrill, annoying demagogue he's always been. Our victory would've been a contempt of court trial that found for Take 2, even if it didn't result in prison. At this point, all that's left on the table for gamers' victory is the Florida Bar investigation.

...."was" should be "is" and "in" should be "and".

I started righting the java to edit the string..... then I realized i can't do that. Jesus, lack of sleep+coding+deadline+foo fighters+gamepolitics is not a very good combination. Grammer suffers accordingly, along with coherency and train of thought.

Majestic ... wow. Thanks for the link, I hadn't seen that yet.

Why do people like JT and Ann Coulter still get to appear on TV, when it is evident from their writings that they are batshit crazy?

I hear the VT shooter did a lot of loony writing too...

@Majestic

I guess we now know who may take the place of GTA ;)

Actually, as I'm now reading the settlement itself for the first time, it seems that Laddy Jack is not allowed to represent anyone seeking to restrict the sale or distribution of T2 games.

He can represent people alleging specific individual harm caused by those games. Most people seem to be on to him here, and he hasn't really been getting this kind of case since his Alabama debacle. Frankly, if you were trying to get money out of the gaming industry, it's probably wise to stay away from Laddy Jack, since game companies have demonstrated a willingness to take him on that they might not against less strident opposition.

So, did anyone find the gamespot interview he gave? I can't find it no where?

[...] Jack Thompson and Take-Two settled out of court. More then likely Take-Two won and got money from Thompson. I guess Thompson will need to go with out Internet for a bit. That’s all that needs to be said about that. [...]

Somehow, I suspect the man isn't going to actually abide by this settlement... remember what got him kicked off the case in Alabama? As I recall, he got in hot water for sending out all those abusive press releases after he was ordered not to by a judge.