The Boston Herald reports that Angela Mejia, 49, woke up in the middle of the night to find her 14-year-old son awake and gaming, playing Grand Theft Auto (naturally, the version was not specified.) She unplugged the PlayStation (naturally, the version was not specified) and then called the cops, who finally persuaded the kid to stop killing hookers and go to bed.

Of Grand Theft Auto, Mejia insists she "would never buy that kind of video." Noooooo. "I called (police) because if you don't respect your mother, what are you going to do in your life?" I dunno, lady. Have you talked to your doctor about safe, effective, fast-acting kick his ass? Mrs. Good used that. When I was exactly that age, too.

The Herald notes that she broke down in tears during her interview and then goes into the obligatory discussion of game addiction. I invite you to read the whole story. It, the headline and the presentation are credulous to the point of self-parody. Bottom line: Maybe the kid needs help. The mother does for sure.

The 911 on Video Game Obsession [Boston Herald, thanks Enigma Nemesis]

After several years' worth of trial shows in Seattle, the Penny Arcade team is ready for the main event. PAX East 2010 will take place in Boston from Friday March 26th to Sunday March 28th, and pre-registration is now open. Expect all the tournaments, concerts, and general frivolity of the West Coast original, with some sort of distinctive Eat Coast twist.

"We're bringing the craziness the fans have come to expect from PAX, but with an East Coast twist," said Robert Khoo of Penny Arcade. "Most of all this will be a place where you can be yourself with fellow gamers."

See? There's a twist. Having lived on the East Coast most of my life, I can only imagine he is talking about the lovely dirt we've managed to accumulate on this side of the continent over the years. The kind of Northeastern dirt I miss living in Atlanta, which has been much cleaner ever since it was burned down that one time.

Between now and December 31st, a three day pass for PAX East 2010 will run you only $45, saving you $10 off the at the door price. Head over to the show's official website for more details.

Twelve-year-old Jake O'Donnell of Boston got an eyeful of side- and underbooby when Maxim showed up this past month, and mom Kathleen is - I gotta go with her on this - understandably a bit peeved.

Not that Maxim's out-and-out porn, but it's definitely for a readership a bit older - note I didn't say "more mature" - than a 12-year-old. It's not just the boiyoiyoinggg photos, either, stuff about drinking, bad hookups and stupid stunts with painful endings, seriously. That's not age appropriate.

Boston's WBZ-TV smelled the big stinker and filed an investigative report on it. Basically, the news is - while subscribers could opt out and get a refund for the remainder of their EGM subs, that notice was accompanied by the first replacement issue of Maxim, meaning there was no way for a mom to head off her junior high-schooler's encounter with his new subscription and a roll of Charmin. On top of that, although Mrs. O'Donnell wrote in to cancel the sub, the August 2009 copy - with Joanna Krupa vamping topless on the front - arrived right on time.

12-Year-Old Gets Maxim Mag, Mom not Happy [The Escapist via Joystiq]

Menino, a democrat, announced on Friday two initiatives to back the industry locally and encourage its growth there. First is PoweringUpBoston.com, an industry networking site, and the other is a "steering committee" to provide a voice for and leadership among Boston-area developers, which include Harmonix, 2K Boston and Turbine.

Menino's own office says the Hub's game industry pours $200 million into the local economy and provides 1,500 jobs. So, even if a year ago he was equating games with porn and other media requiring strict sales regulation and penalties, he's now seen the light. Nine-figure estimates will do that, especially in a down economy. And hey, just because you call games porn doesn't mean they are. In the end, it's not like Delaware, which is considering legalized sports gambling just to make ends meet.

'Games as Porn' Mayor Backs Boston Games Industry [Edge Online via GamePolitics]

"More Than a Feeling" (Master)
"Peace of Mind" (Master)
"Smokin'" (Master)
"Rock & Roll Band" (Master)
"Something About You" (Master)
"Hitch a Ride" (Master)

Individual songs will cost $1.99 each with the whole back going for $9.99. I'm already getting my fingers all fired up for More Than a Feeling which was a major song of my youth. If you are a Boston fan these tracks will be a definite must have. The pack hits XBL and PSN March 25.

DLC Week: March 25th - Boston Pack [Rock Band Forums - Thanks, Kevin]

"Children aged 17 and under should not be sold this stuff, so they are not getting into the hands of 9- and 10-year-olds," said Larry Mayes, Menino's chief of human services.

"Is it going to be an uphill battle? Sure. But it's absolutely a battle that the mayor feels he should take on."

Menino: Ban violent vid games for kids [Boston Herald via Game Politics]

Guitar Hero III Community Leaderboards [Activision - Thanks eddie200x!]

"This is a wonderful exhibit not only for video game lovers, but for anyone who wants to know how science, technology, and art come together to form an industry," said Dr. Peter Raad, Executive Director of The Guildhall at SMU.

New Exhibit Focuses On History Of Video Games

Fall exhibit hosted by Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's Economic Adventure Gallery

BOSTON, Mass. - October 29, 2007 - The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's Economic Adventure Gallery is hosting an engaging, interactive exhibit on the history of video games this fall. "Video Games Evolve: A Brief History from Spacewar! to MMORPGs" examines the video-game industry's roots, which are firmly planted in New England. The exhibit, which is free, runs though January.

"This is a wonderful exhibit not only for video game lovers, but for anyone who wants to know how science, technology, and art come together to form an industry," said Dr. Peter Raad, Executive Director of The Guildhall at SMU.

The gaming revolution began across the Charles River at MIT, where the first non-commercial interactive video game, "Spacewar!", was born in 1962. About a decade later, Magnavox released the first commercial video-game console, "Odyssey," which was created by New Hampshire resident Ralph Baer. In addition to enjoying a "Spacewar!" simulation, visitors can examine an enlarged reproduction of Baer's prototype notes, as well as an early Odyssey console.

If guests are interested in a more hands-on experience, they can play classic 1980 arcade games like "Donkey Kong," "Ms. Pac Man," "Frogger" or "Space Invaders." In addition to being able to play these games for free, visitors can admire the sleek fiberglass console of "Computer Space," an early 1970s arcade game.

The exhibit also offers a look at the evolution of the home-gaming console, a timeline of video-game history, and an in-depth look at the motion-capture process (a key animation tool in modern video-game production). The Guildhall at Southern Methodist University, a leading education center for digital-game development, loaned several three-dimensional sculptures of creatures that were used to develop animations.

In addition to examining the past, the exhibit also offers an enticing look at modern-day games, including "Star Wars Galaxies," the "Immune Attack" educational game, the virtual reality of "Second Life," and massive, multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like "World of Warcraft."

The exhibit is part of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's Economic Adventure, an interactive educational designed to teach middle- and high-school students how New England's improved living standards are reliant upon innovation, which leads to advances in productivity. The exhibit is open from Monday through Friday, from 1:00-4:00pm.

By: Brian Crecente

Denver's mass transit system voted down this week a proposal to ban video game ads from its buses and trains, deciding to side with common sense rather than Boston and Portland.

Earlier this week the Regional Transportation District rejected the suggested ban 12-3, citing concerns about freedom of speech.

The ban on adult-rated games was recommended by a committee to the full board after the Parents Television Council and the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood floated the idea.

"It was a tough decision because I think our hearts as a board were with trying to limit exposure to advertisements that promote violence," Boulder board member John Tayer told the Associated Press. "But the overwhelming weight of the legal advice was that if we pursued this, we would face an uphill battle in court."

The council was not present at the vote this week, but a representative said in February that by running mature and adult rated video game ads RTD is doing the residents of Colorado a disservice "with its tacit approval for the dangerous content in the mature-rated video games."

On Wednesday Peggi O'Keefe of the Entertainment Software Association said the proposal was unnecessary and unconstitutional. The industry's Entertainment Software Rating Board enforces strict guidelines about which games are appropriate for minors and how those products can be advertised, she said.

Current RTD policy prohibits deceptive, illegal or obscene material and ads for tobacco products, while requiring that ads be "of a reputable character."

The Council's call for the ban comes after both Boston and Portland put similar bans in place for their mass transit systems.

I spoke with Gavin McKiernan, the National Grassroots Director for the Parents Television Council, earlier this month about the council's decision to try and have a ban passed in Denver.

He said the original idea came from the council's Denver chapter director after he spotted a Grand Theft Auto ad on an RTD train.

"He had seen some of the success in the group we had partnered with in a similar campaign in Boston," he said. "And decided to pursue it in Denver."

I asked McKiernan why they had decided to make their proposal so specific, asking only for a ban on adult or mature-rated video games and not for other things like mature television shows, movies or alcohol.

He said that while the group would be interested in expanding the ban to include adult programming on television, the current rating system would make that quite difficult.

"With advertising television programs its difficult to tie (a show) to a specific rating," he said. "With video games they have the ESRB ratings. "

"We don't put any credence in the television rating programs because they rate their own."

Is it the desire to ban adult and mature video games then, I asked, spurred in part because of the medium rather than the content?

"It's a bit of both," he said. "The bigger concern is with the medium."

What about movies, would the council seek to have ads for adult movies banned?

"There's a difference," he said. "For one, movies and movie theaters have a good history of policing themselves about who can see what. Anecdotally most people assume there is a law saying you can't go see an R rated movie if you are under a certain age."

"The video game industry doesn't have a good history of keeping adult video games out of childrens' hands. We don't anticipate having a similar campaign for movies because of the lack of enforcement (of ratings for) video games."

At least he's up front about his ignorance of the system.

So what good could come out of a basketball career ending illness and a home robbery? The kindness of strangers (duh)!

When his parents broke the news about the theft, in the same breath they were able to say somebody has already donated an Xbox to you with enough money to replace all the games.

Man, that kid is SO lucky. Just kidding. That's not funny at all.

Thanks for the tip, Michael. Michael McWhertor

2 arrested in theft of Xbox from cancer patient [Boston Globe]

TriMet said it does not accept ads that promote or encourage illegal activity. After a review, the transit agency decided to pull the ads, saying the national agency who purchased the ad space didn't alert them to the game's nature.

I actually saw one of these ads myself on the Washington D.C. Light Rail this past week. I wonder if those will get pulled as well? Flynn De Marco

TriMet Pulls Grand Theft Auto Ads [KPTV News]
[via: Game Politics]

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino is calling shenanigans on Sony and their PS3 launch. The mayor blames Sony for Friday night's riot at Copley Plaza where 12 squad cars had to be called in to enforce some crowd control. Five hundred angry customers were gathered outside the Sony store anxiously awaiting the moment when they could purchase their rare prize. When the doors were finally opened at 5am, the crowd surged inside wreaking havoc. There was trampling, broken escalators and people getting arrested in droves.

It is Mayor Menino's opinion that the blame lies directly on Sony for not supplying enough store security and keeping mum on how many units would be for sale. I'm not sure exactly how The Mayor will implement this plan, but I would love to see it go through just to find out exactly what a riot costs. Flynn De Marco

Boston Mayor Charges Sony for Riots [2old2play]
[photo courtesy The Boston Globe]