Gizmodo: banning

Now Is a Bad Time to Buy a Used Xbox 360

Jason Chen — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:27:32 EST

You know those Xboxes that were banned last week because they were modified to play pirated games? They're being dumped onto eBay and Craigslist by their owners, and they won't all tell you that those consoles are banned from Live.

So our recommendation is that if you really can't spare the money to buy a new Xbox—which you should really do, since the failure rate still isn't that low—is to make sure you ask the seller whether or not it's been banned from Live. If you're buying it in person, off of Craigslist, make sure you have them plug it in and show you that it can. If you're buying it on eBay, well, you'll just have to take their word. Just be careful, because Microsoft has no pity on you for buying a used Xbox that's been banned. [PCWorld]

Congress Takes First Steps in Banning In-Flight Calling Permanently

Jason Chen — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 12:30:00 EDT

Like a gaggle of schoolgirls, Congress traded stories about how they too were annoyed by people using their phones before and after takeoff on flights. Well, I never! One House member relayed the story of how his delicate sensibilities were stomped all over by some woman who talked about her sex life on the phone, shortly to be one-upped by another congressman saying that his wife overheard someone receiving a "Dear John" call before takeoff. Good sir! After the jab-fest portion of this sleepover was concluded, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved, via voice vote, a bill that would make the current FCC ban on in-flight calling permanent. And then one of their dads took them out for ice cream. Best night ever. [Yahoo]

Student Catches Principal Fighting With Student on Cellphone Camera, School Responds By Banning Cellphones

Jason Chen — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:32:36 EST

Way to go, Caddo School Board. You've won yourself the Gizmodo luddite of the week award. See, when a student films the principal of your Huntington High School fighting another student, the correct response isn't to ban cellphones, it's to make sure principals don't fight with students. It was only after the student showed the clip to local media that you actually did something about the situation, putting the principal on paid administrative leave. As a side note, we would also have accepted "resigning and putting people not completely retarded onto the school board" as a correct response. [Shreveport Times via Techdirt - Image courtesy Chicspeare]

Marathons Start Banning Music Players For 'Safety', 'Fairness'

Jason Chen — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 19:40:52 EDT

Although it'll be about a year before we mold our bodies into any kind of humanoid-esque form capable of running a marathon, but the news that said races are banning headphones isn't inspiring us to train. Apparently USA Track & Field, the group in charge, thinks iPods and other music devices makes running too dangerous and possibly prevents people from having a "competitive edge".

The runners themselves are divided. Some old folks say running with music ruins the experience, and some other folks say that if they're banning folks because they can't hear they should ban deaf people as well. Us? If it's like whiteboard marker huffing—which totally gives you an extra six miles, btw—and doesn't hurt anyone, it should be allowed. [NYTimes]

Russian Theater Blocks Cellphone Signals

Travis Hudson — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:30:17 EST

We've been bouncing around the idea of a theater cellphone ban for some time now, but it is good to see an actual theater in Russia going through with it. The expensive devices were installed in Russia's oldest theater recently. Over here in the states it's not so easy for this to happen. No matter how many warning and ads are before a movie requesting cellphones to be turned off, a few still manage to go off throughout the show. I'm all for using devices to hinder a cellphone connection, but the FCC—not so much. What if Joe Blow's crackwhore wife overdoses again while he is watching Dukes of Hazard? How would he ever know and be able to get her to the hospital on time? Anyway, hit the poll below and let us know what you think of a cellphone ban in theaters of all types.

–Travis Hudson

Sssh!! Russia's oldest theater hushes mobile phones [Reuters]