UK retailers sell 18-rated games to minors

PC Advisor

Investigations at Woolworths, Game & Maplin
Oliver Garnham

Woolworths, Game and Maplin have been slammed by Which Computing magazine and Trading Standards for selling 18-rated video games to a 15-year-old.

During an undercover investigation by Which, Woolworths sold Grand Theft Auto (GTA) – Vice City Stories, which shows scenes of sex and violence, while specialist shop Game sold Condemned 2, which is subtitled 'a terrifying descent into chaos', to the girl.

Meanwhile, in the Maplin store, the shop assistant asked the investigator's age, but didn't refuse the sale of the 18-rated Hitman, even though she admitted she was 15.

"It's shocking and surprising that 18-rated games have been sold to a child as young as 15 by household names," said Sarah Kidner, editor of Which Computing. "The jury's still out on whether violent video games have a negative influence on behaviour but, whatever your view, it's still illegal to sell 18-rated games to minors."

Retailers face a maximum £5,000 penalty and/or six months in jail for selling games to those who have not reached the age specified in the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) certificate. Woolworths, Game and Maplin told Which Computing they were looking in to the incidents.

"Staff should realise that they have a moral and legal duty to stop these sales from taking place," said Ash Shah, assistant head of Brent and Harrow Council trading standards.

"There is a mixed but growing body of evidence that very violent games like this can sometimes influence under-age players with reports of anti social behaviour linked to them, in extreme cases even fatalities."

Read the article at http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=13504

Oh dear...

Well, life has become very interesting again. I had a call from a friend in Australia... Yes, I said Australia. Believe me; no one is more surprised than I am that he called me. We spoke for a fair bit of time, so I'd hate to think what that call cost, considering he called me on my cell from his cell. I appreciated the call though. Funny how your closest friends are too busy to pick up the phone and just give you a call, and vice versa of course, but someone you know from online will take 10 minutes out of their day to call you from a different country, just for the hell of it. Strange how that is hey? So, thank you Bradden, I did appreciate the call.

In other news I am ridiculously happy these days. I'm getting "that tingly" feeling again when I think about someone, which is and isn't a good thing. The last time I felt like this with someone overseas it ended rather abruptly and left me sad and hollow for a very, very long time. LOL! Thinking back on those days, I was so in love with Retro, and that feeling of being in love and pure bliss lasted 3 years. 3 YEARS! That's longer than all but one of my relationships I've had since. Am I still in love with Retro? No, but I remember what it's like to feel like that, and I feel that little spark of happiness growing inside me.

Also in other news I am a tad sad about my peppermint tea. It is fantastic except for this strange taste that comes through the peppermint... I checked the packaging... it's GREEN TEA! I think I'm going to cry. That is just EVIL! Trying to disguise that revolting green stuff with delicious, refreshing peppermint! The HORROR! So I'm in two minds as to whether or not I'm going to drink the remaining bags... we shall see.

Oh heavens... it should be illegal to be this happy, especially when that happiness comes from chatting to someone. He's on his way to a birthday party right now. I hope he has loads of fun.

Once again my car is in for a service. The thing is going to cost me the better part of R4k this time around. Every time I send it in it seems to cost me R500 more than the last time. It's frustrating because any money that I save up ends up going into my car, so saving for things like a new car, or a holiday in Australia is virtually impossible. So, I'm a sad panda when it comes to my car.

Otherwise life is carrying on.
Speak to you all soon.

xxx

Ashley is...

...contemplating getting a tattoo, what you think?

A bit of everything

Ok, where to begin. Well I guess I'm doing ok, from a general point of view. I got some money in that I wasn't expecting to get so instead of doing the practical thing like get my car fixed (which is happening tomorrow by the way) I decided to splurge and buy myself something which I've been wanting to buy for a very long time... a really good point-and-shoot digital camera. I picked up a Canon Ixus 80 IS from Makro. It's pink, but hey... it's a dusty, dirty pink, and it looks so beautiful.

The specs are:

Sensor

• 1/2.5 " Type CCD
• 8.0 million effective pixels

Image sizes
(L) 3264 x 2448, (M1) 2592 x 1944, (M2) 2048 x 1536, (M3, Date Stamp) 1600 x 1200, (S) 640 x 480, (W) 3264 x 1832. Resize in playback (M3, S, 320 x 240)

 

Movie clips
• (L)640 x 480, 30fps/60fps
• (LP) (M)320 x 240, 30fps
• (S)160 x 120, 15fps
• Time Lapse 640 x 480, 0.5/1fps (Playback 15fps)

File formats
• JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
• AVI [Motion JPEG compression + WAVE (monaural)]

Lens
• 3x optical zoom
• 6.2 - 18.6 mm (35mm equivalent: 38–114mm)
• F2.8 - 4.9

Image stabilization
Yes (lens shift-type)

Digital zoom
up to 4x

Focus
TTL
autofocus

AF area mode
• AiAF (Face Detection / 9-point)
• 1-point AF (fixed to center or Face Select and Track)

AF assist lamp
Yes

Focus distance
• Normal: 12 in./30cm-infinity
• Macro: 1.2 in.-1.6 ft./3-50cm (W), 1.2 in.-1.6 ft./3-50cm (T)
• Digital Macro: 1.2-3.9 in./3-10cm (W)

Metering
• Evaluative (linked to Face Detection AF frame)
• Center-weighted average
• Spot (center)

ISO sensitivity
• AUTO
• High ISO Auto (incorporating Motion Detection Technology)
• 80
• 100
• 200
• 400
• 800
• 1600

Exposure compensation
+/- 2 EV in 1/3 stop increments

Shutter speed
• 1/60 - 1/1500 sec (factory default)
• 15 - 1/1500 sec (total range - varies by shooting mode)

Aperture
F2.8 - 4.9

Modes
• Auto
• Manual
• Digital Macro
• Portrait
• Night Snapshot
• Color Accent
• Color Swap
• Stitch Assist
• Movie

Scene modes
• Kids & Pets
• Indoor
• Sunset
• Foliage
• Snow
• Beach
• Fireworks
• Aquarium
• Underwater

White balance
• Auto (including Face Detection WB)
• Daylight
• Cloudy
• Tungsten
• Fluorescent
• Fluorescent H
• Custom

Self timer
2 or 10 sec
custom

Continuous shooting
Approx. 1.3 fps (Large/Fine)

Image parameters
My Colors (My Colors Off, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, Black & White, Positive Film, Lighter Skin Tone, Darker Skin Tone, Vivid Blue, Vivid Green, Vivid Red, Custom Color)

Flash
• Auto, Manual Flash On / Off, Slow sync, Red-Eye Reduction
• Face Detection flash exposure compensation
• Flash exposure lock
• Range: 30cm - 3.5m (w), 2.0m (t)

Viewfinder
Real-image zoom optical viewfinder

LCD monitor
• 2.5-inch TFT
• 230,000 pixels

The thing that I love most about this is that Canon has really thought about their end user. The functions are all easily accessible without having to trudge through the menu. Obviously, more custom settings are available through the menu, but the basic functions, ie: flash on or off, macro or standard zoom and ISO standard or high are all there at the push of a single button.

Moving on from the camera, I delivered the album of doom last night. Thankfully they (the couple and the bride's parents) loved it. I have to say though, all the work I put into it paid off, and it was a fantastic looking album in the end. I even took some photos of a few of the pages, which I will post at some point.

I'm going to wrap this post up with Starbright Girl. Megan has updated her website www.starbrightgirl.co.za with her new stock, and it's going quickly. So best you get in there and get buying. The thing that I really love about her jewellery is that it's not "cheap shit". Every item is beautifully crafted and the quality of the materials used is superb. I was initially sceptical about the resin, but let me tell you, it's lightweight and maintains its original look, unlike metals which lose their lustre after a while. Not only that, the jewellery is light weight, which is fantastic in our sunny climate, because it doesn't make you feel like you're wearing something heavy that is sticking to you. I am even wearing drop earrings now which I never did before because they are lightweight and look beautiful. It's very 80's movie/tv orientated jewellery, which is what makes it so appealing. If you wanna have a look at her latest items go visit her website... Here's the link again... www.starbrightgirl.co.za

Ordering is nice and easy, just do a direct deposit from your internet banking (if you're not on internet banking get out of the stone age), and then pop Megan an email with what you've ordered. I advise checking with her first though that the item is still available, as she isn't updating her site every 10 minutes. So check with her if the item is available, and then buy it ;)

Have a great day all!
xx

How Bizarre is Life?

It's been a while since I updated this thing, and although I'm going to try and avoid hurting feelings I have come to the realisation that I can't live my life trying to please the world.

Ok, so what is going on in the life of Ash?

Well, firstly I finished the album of doom. Thank heavens for small miracles. There is only so much time you can put into an album before it becomes a thorn in your side, and you end up drawing red horns on the bridal couple. I pray that I never get another wedding this size again. It's just too much stress, and the amount of money that I get back from it doesn't warrant the amount of time I put into it. That is something which Steven was trying to drill into me the other day.

Speaking of Steven, we had a mild fallout. Only a mild one though and seem to have made up and are friends again. I will never understand that man, but I guess that is part of his charm... his ability to piss you off one second and be friends with you the next.

Oh yeah, about men in general... why are the good ones married, live overseas or gay? I found the guy of my dreams online, but of course, he lives in an entirely different country. I mean, it would be impossible to find the guy of my dreams living in the same town as me, so ya... Life carries on hey. He is a lovely person though, and we have a fair amount in common, which makes it worse. It would be ok if we had nothing in common other than the internet, but we both enjoy the same music, and, oh happiness, he plays in a band... All my life I've wanted a rocker boyfriend :P No, that is not sarcasm... I love a man who is musically inclined. And by musically inclined I don't mean listens to music :P And he's good looking to boot. Why can't Australia be a couple hours away by car? I could live with that... not a whole freaking plane flight to another country! So is this motivation to get my life sorted out and get the heck out of this country? Can you spell Y.E.S...

Let's see, what else has been going on. Apart from work and weddings nothing much hey. I'm enjoying life in general, although I do seem to be having some serious down days lately. A friend suggested I go see someone because he thinks I could be suffering from depression and could need medication. My answer to that was I know I have my depression type days, but I'm not medicating myself. We all have bad days, yeah, mine can be a little harsh, but that is only because I'm 29 and single. The one thing I crave more than anything in life is to get married and have a family of my own. Until that happens I will never be a whole person, or at least, that's what I believe.

Anyways, I have work to do. Have a good day all...

xxx

Bully blocked

Belinda Anderson, Finweek

17 June, 2008 01:26:00

If Telkom got away with being a bully in the past, it's less likely to be able to do so in future.

IF TELKOM GOT AWAY with being a bully in the past, it's less likely to be able to do so in future. That's because South Africa will soon amend the Electronic Communications Act in line with the proposed Competition Amendment Bill to ensure the Competition Tribunal - not regulator Icasa - has the ultimate jurisdiction to rule on competition matters with regard to telecommunications.

Deputy Telecommunications Minister Roy Padayachie announced that as part of the department's recent Budget vote speech in Parliament. He said the change was "likely to have a significant bearing on costs issues within the information and communication technology sector".

Outgoing Vodacom CEO Alan Knott-Craig welcomed the decision, describing SA's competition authorities as "one of the best regulatory bodies. They do a very competent job and are very experienced. Icasa doesn't have the resources to deal with competition issues."

However, while the legislators go about the business of changing the law as it will apply to future matters, there are a number of unresolved historical complaints that fell beneath the murky waters of the so-called "concurrent jurisdiction" between Icasa and the competition authorities.

Padayachie said in his speech that the Commission found this situation of concurrent jurisdiction to be "seriously problematic". For example, in 2004 the commission referred a complaint laid against Telkom by the SA Value Added Network Services Association (Sava) to the Competition Tribunal on the grounds that Telkom had abused its dominance by way of a number of practices.

Telkom essentially replied that the tribunal didn't have the authority to rule on competition matters in telecoms and the case recently went to court. The judge has yet to make a ruling. A "guilty" ruling by the tribunal could subject Telkom to a fine of 10% of turnover (excluding subsidiaries and joint ventures) in the year prior to the complaint.

However, Telkom said as part of its most recent results the commission had yet to impose the maximum penalty on any offender. Its statement in that regard preceded a long list of other complaints laid against it with the commission as part of note 21 to the financial statements on Telkom's contingencies. It doesn't set aside any money for any of the six complaints, among them the Sava matter, Omnilink, Orion, the Internet Service Providers Association (Ispa), M-Web and Internet Solutions, as well as a separate complaint by M-Web, in which Telkom is also challenging the tribunal's jurisdiction to rule on the matter.

Ispa representative Ant Brooks says the Communications Department's clarification on the matter was very welcome. Ispa represents Internet service providers and has also previously laid complaints against Telkom with the commission.

But even though the commission has teeth, it takes a very long time to obtain relief on a specific matter. For example, Sava's complaint was referred to the Competition Tribunal back in 2004 (Sava was subsumed into the Communications Users Association of South Africa (Cuasa) at some point).

Ispa's big success was in its role in opposing Telkom buying Business Connexion, which the tribunal blocked. Brooks says it had been resolved quickly because Telkom wanted it done.

But with regard to any of the other complaints against it, Brooks says Telkom hadn't paid a cent and was still engaging in some of the practices the commission had found it guilty of.

The Competition Amendment Bill was released in draft format on 27 May this year. It should still go through a process of public responses, which Deneys Reitz Attorneys said in a note at the time it hoped would be detailed, given the importance of the issues at stake.

Apart from clarifying concurrent jurisdiction matters for regulatory authorities such as Icasa, the Bill also proposes imposing criminal sanctions on directors and managers. Those include proposed fines of up to R500 000 and/or a prison sentence of up to 10 years for directors and managers responsible for, or who knowingly participate in, fixing prices and trading conditions, as well as market division and collusive tendering.

In the wake of the recent penalties imposed in the bread price-fixing and collusive tendering by Tiger Brands subsidiaries Albany and Adcock Ingram Critical Care, it's already clear the tribunal has significantly sharpened its teeth and is aggressively eliminating cartel behaviour.

The Bill, if implemented in its current form, should strike additional fear into the hearts of corporate bullies and at least prevent such behaviour.

If applied retrospectively (which isn't normally the case), I'd be a very worried Telkom shareholder.

Telkom Competition discussion

Finweek

 

Relationships… Ugh

Ok, this is a bit of a rant about my love life, or rather, lack thereof… so please, if you don’t want to hear about it, the door’s that-a-way -->

----------

I think it’s because I’m sick that I’m having a bit of a pity party, but I am really feeling sorry for myself at the moment. The reason is my love life.

I know that there are wonderful men out there, really I do. However, the ones that I’ve come across are either married, live in another town, far, far away, are just way too young for me or have been so badly hurt by a woman that they are afraid to let themselves love again. Then again, I suppose I’m not really one to talk because the idea of being in a relationship again terrifies me, although I long for one. The problem is I would probably die of shock if I actually managed to get into one, and have it work for any period longer than 8 months.

I’ve had several relationships over the past 10 or so years, only two of which were actually worth something. Yes, I’m talking about Ian and Richard. Those are two of the most incredible men I’ve ever met, each for very different reasons.

So what is the solution to my problem… a shag buddy? “Fun while it lasts?” Maybe it’s the only solution. But what happens if you get attached to that shag buddy? Then what? No, sorry, I’m actually well on the way to wanting more of you in my life, so let’s end it now? What the hell do you do if you develop feelings for someone who sees you as nothing more than a toy to play with when needed?

Maybe only a handful of people are meant to find real happiness in a relationship whilst the rest of us enjoy what we can, while we can? Is that an awful thing to say?

I’m also going to say that I don’t think it’s good for a married person to answer that question either. If there’s a single person out there in the world that has the answer, let me know…

Ok, the pity party is over… I’m too busy to be feeling sorry for myself for any great period of time.

x

June!

Oh my word it’s JUNE! What the heck happened to the beginning of the year? Where has it gone? WHERE!

Ok, quick catch up time!

I am working my tushie off. Between weddings and my 9 to 5 job I don’t know whether I’m Arthur, Martha or Martha’s Arthur… I can’t believe how insane my life is at the moment.

This Friday is my boss’s birthday party… So far the guest list is at around 150 people, and I’m one of them. EEEK! Thankfully I’m not one for drinking of late, so no throwing my name away this week, thank you.

What else can I tell you?

Oh, yes I ordered myself an MP3 Player. It’s a SanDisk Sansa. It looks very nice, so let’s hope that it works nicely. It’s only a 2gig, but that’s all I need for listening to music.

VISIT THE OFFICIAL SANSA WEBSITE



I have stuff to tell you, but now isn’t the right time, so it’s going to have to wait… Actually, I’m never sure there’s going to be a right time, so it may be waiting forever.

I’ll be adding new photos to my website one of these days… just have to catch up with the albums first!

I’ve got so much stuff going on in my head at the moment, so much so that this is coming out as a rather bitty update. Oh well, win some, lose some…

And Dante, if you call me emo once more you’re going to be in trouble.

Enjoy
x