First off, those wacky game publishers:

Trade magazine MCV has reported that games publishers are considering legal action to stop the sale of “pre-owned” games. To anyone outside the games industry that means second-hand games. Second-hand games sales terrify the games industry in a way that MP3s terrify music companies. The market for second-hand games is worth ?100m annually in the UK, MCV estimates. And GAME stores take a hefty chunk of that, promoting second-hand games alongside new purchases. It’s this games companies particularly object to ? they think it devalues new games, forcing games stores to mark down prices too fast. Either that, or they want a cut of each resale.

Hang on… they want extra money because you’re selling on something you already own? What are they, the revenoo? Fark that for a game of soldiers.

Rumours have it that Sony went so far as to flirt with the idea of locking games for its next PS3 console to the first console a game was played on. But after an outcry, they appear to have backed away from that idea.

Do you know what would shock me? If I read an article about Sony that didn’t contain the word ‘outcry’. Perhaps, one day, they’ll learn. But I’m guessing that that day is still a while off.

The odd issue is why the games industry hates reselling games so much. It doesn’t seem to upset DVD, music or book companies. And anyway, the games industry only has itself to blame. When one version of FIFA Soccer is virtually indistinguishable from the next, where’s the imperative to buy the new one?

To be fair, the same thing could be said for Limp Bizkit albums, and there’s no objection to selling them on. And there weren’t any complaints when I bought a second hand pre owned Magicland Dizzy all those years ago, so they can’t start complaining now. See? Impeccable logic.

Secondly: Ah, those wacky professional ‘offended persons’. Who are currently offended at Jeremy Clarkson for his recent urine removal from ze Jermans.

Clarkson raised his arm Nazi-style as he spoke about the German company BMW’s Mini.

Then, mocking the 1939 invasion that triggered the Second World War, he said it would have a satellite navigation system “that only goes to Poland”.

Finally, in a reference to Adolf Hitler’s boast that his Third Reich would last ten centuries, Clarkson said the fan belt would last for 1,000 years.

Ah, good, old-fashioned, piss taking. But some people don’t enter into the spirit of it.

David Marsh, a UK businessman and a leading figure in the German-British Forum, who has worked to break down stereotypes between the countries, has written to the BBC director-general, Mark Thompson, to complain about Clarkson’s “odious” remarks.

In the letter, he said: “As a British person with strong links to Germany, I take exception to this poisonous rubbish carried by a publicly funded broadcasting company. Such actions are out of place in our society.

Er, no they’re not, mate. They’re pretty much the very basis of our society. We take the piss out of people a lot, and as a result, we tend to laugh at them rather than lynch them. How do you think Mr Blair manages to still draw breath?

“It is no excuse to say that people, often German, who complain about such programmes have no humour or do not understand the British people’s quirky characteristics.

Dammit. He’s just stated that I can’t use my main point. Oh well.

I think that people who complain about such programmes have no humour or do not understand the British people’s quirky characteristics.

And yah-boo to Mr Marsh.
Hat tip to Mr Toaster for pointing out yon second article.