(this is from a couple recent BBC articles)

Thousands of gamers may have been cut off from Microsoft's online gaming service Xbox Live for modifying their consoles to play pirated games.

Online reports suggest that as many as 600,000 gamers may have been affected.

Microsoft confirmed that it had banned a "small percentage" of the 20 million Xbox Live users worldwide.

Microsoft said that modifying an Xbox 360 console "violates" the service's "terms of use" and would result in a player being disconnected.

"The health of the video game business depends on customers paying for the genuine products and services they receive from manufacturers, retailers, and the third parties that support them.

The Xbox 360 is equipped with Digital Rights Management (DRM)technologies to detect pirated software.

But many gamers modify their consoles by installing new chips or software that allows them to run unofficial - but not always illegal - programs and games. However, some chips are specifically designed to play pirated games.

Microsoft has not said how it was able to determine which gamers to disconnect.

"We do not reveal specifics, but can say that all consoles have been verified to have violated the terms of use," the firm said in a statement.

Microsoft has not said how it was able to determine which gamers to disconnect.

"We do not reveal specifics, but can say that all consoles have been verified to have violated the terms of use," the firm said in a statement.

Affected gamers were met with a message during the login process. It read: ""Your console has been banned from Xbox".

Reports suggest that the ban does not stop the console from working and only affects a gamer's Xbox Live account.

Industry figures suggest that piracy may cost the video game industry as much as £750m a year.

In other news, a UK court has dismissed a man's appeal against an earlier conviction for selling modification chips - "modchips" that allow gamers to play illegal games.

Christopher Gillham's earlier conviction was upheld by Hereford Crown Court which found that playing counterfeit games on a modified console infringed copyrights.

Is this really an appropriate response, banning all modified consoles?

There are legitimate and legal reasons why one might modify their console.

It's important to fight back against piracy, but not at the expense of the consumer. Everyone in the gaming industry knows that piracy is impossible to stop. But so long as it is guarded against responsibly the publishers will make profit and more great games will keep getting made.

As for Xbox banning consoles from Live, this can result in shortcomings for thousands of gamers who have been misunderstood by the team behind the service.

Jack's grandfather left him ten million dollars,

and the following week Diane agreed to marry him.

After three months of married life,

Jack noticed that his beautiful wife was ignoring him more and more.

On the rare occasion that she would go to bed with him she would be indifferent, or even worse, called out other mens' names.

Whenever they went out in public,

she ignored him and flirted with other men.

Finally, he decided to confront her.

"Diane," he said,

"The only reason you married me was because my grandfather left me ten million dollars when he died, wasn't it?"

"Don't be ridiculous," she replied,

"I couldn't care less who gave you the money!"

Now you know how VWs are made

man goes into his son's room to wish him goodnight. His son is having a nightmare.

The man wakes him and asks if he is ok.

The son replies he is scared because he dreamt that Auntie Susie had died.


The next day, Auntie Susie dies.

One week later, the man again goes into his son's room to wish him goodnight.

His son is having another nightmare.

The man again wakes his son and asks if he is ok.

This time the son says that he had dreamt that granddaddy had died.

The father assures the son that granddaddy is fine and sends him to bed.

The next day, granddaddy dies.

One week later, the man again goes into his son's room to wish him goodnight.

His son is having another nightmare, and the man wakes him again.

The son says that he had dreamt that daddy had died.

The father assures the son that he is ok and sends the boy to bed.

The man goes to bed but cannot sleep because he is so terrified.

The next day, the man is scared for his life, he is sure is going to die.

After dressing he drives very cautiously to work fearful of a collision.

He doesn't eat lunch because he is scared of food poisoning.

He avoids everyone for he is sure he will somehow be killed.

He jumps at every noise and hides under his desk.

Upon walking in his front door at the end of the day, he finds his wife.

"Good God, Dear," he says, "I've just had the worst day of my entire life!"

She responds,

"You think YOUR day was bad, the mailman dropped dead on the doorstep this morning."

This is the restroom at a rib place in Omaha Nebraska.

The Naming of Christ

The three wise men went to visit Jesus right after he was born. One wise man was extremely tall. He hit his head on the top of the door frame and said, "Jesus Christ!" Joseph looked at Mary and said "Write that down -- that's better than Clyde!"

The Correct Answers.

--1. While all may be good for you it was an advertisement for

D. Wonder Bread.

--2. before he became a Black Muslim and went to prison for draft evasion due to it being against his religion to "fight" he was.

G. Cassius Clay

--3. the Pogo comic strip ran in the newspapers from 1948 to 1975.

B. He is us.

--4. The Huntley-Brinkley report ran on NBC from 1956 to 1970 when Chet Huntely retired, he died in 1974 .

A. Good night, Chet

--5. while they all make sense the commercial was for a toothpaste.

G. When you brush your teeth with Pepsodent.

--6. From the television show The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.

D. Maynard Krebs was his beatnik best friend.

--7. this i think everyone has used. Liar, Liar....

C. Pants on Fire

--8. When I was really little The Original Superman was on Thursday nights after the Mickey Mouse Club.

Truth, Justice, and..

F. The American way.

--9. Cowboy Bob Said this.

C. It's Howdy Doody Time.

--10. Remember the yellow brick road?

Lions and Tigers and Bears.

E. Oh my!

--11. D. Over 30

--12. C. Joe Namath

and he looked mighty silly but had a big paycheck.

--13. all true but the commercial said:

G. a little dab'll do ya

--14. Remember Fats Domino

G. On Blueberry Hill

--15. the first Peter Pan was played by a girl

B.Mary Martin

--16.the Beatles are:

G. John, Paul, George, Ringo

--17 another great song.

D. Who wrote the book of love?

--18. remember Popeye?

B. Cause I eats me spinach.

--19. the first reality show

A. Smile, you're on Candid Camera.

--20. while those are true the commercial said:

F. melt in your mouth, not in your hand.

--21. rock history.

E is the Monkees but there is more :

Boyce and Hart produced the Monkees and wrote all the music(A)

ABBA is (C)

The Dave Clark 5 is (D)

Queen is (F)

The Mamas and the Papas are (G)