News
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5/30/03 - Enter The
Matrix Sells Over a Million!
Atari's Enter the Matrix
rocked the sales charts. The game's publisher sent out
a press release today claiming that over one million
copies of Shiny Entertainment's action game were sold
in America and Europe after a week on the shelves, making
it the number-one video game for the past week. Matrix
directors Larry and Andy Wachowski are gonna rake in
the dough on this multi-media investment. According
to documents made public as part of Larry's divorce
proceedings, the brothers will receive $2.75 million
plus royalties from Atari for their work on EtM.
This is surprising news
to gamers who have kept up with the less then impressive
reviews by the gaming press so far. Clearly we have
a case of a great promotional campaign overcoming not-so-great
game problems.
I found the controls a bit sluggish during heavey combat
moments and there was never enough juice in the focus
meter to pull off the cool matrix moves. Finger fumbling
all day. The one hour of exclusively filmed scenes which
mirror events from MATRIX RELOADED provided tid bits
of much needed story info redeemed this game for me.
Seeing plot lines unfold from Niobi's and Ghost's perspective
was a cool twist.
Even with these stellar
merits, at the end of the day most gamers will find
using the cheat options(full juice meter, etc.) provides
more fun.
Enter the Matrix is available for the PC, PS2, Xbox
and GameCube right now in the U.S. and Europe.
I give this game 3 out of 5.
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5/27/03 - NEWS UPDATE:
WASHINGTON STATE VIDEO GAME LAW BATTLE WAGES ON!
 The
Interactive Digital Software Association announced plans
to file a court injunction against the anti-video violence
bill recently passed in Washington state. The bill,
which went through both chambers of the State House
this spring and was signed by Governor Gary Locke on
Monday, calls for fines against retailers who sell or
rent games featuring "violence against women and
the killing of police officers" to children under
17.
The IDSA is concerned
about the law because it one-ups the ESRB's own rating
system, used by every video and computer game published
in the United States. Most games are divided into three
categories: Everyone (suitable for all audiences), Teen
(suitable for gamers over 10), and Mature (suitable
for gamers over 18). The Washington law may make games
like Enter the Matrix, which is rated T but features
violence against police, a criminal infraction to sell
to minors.
The last time the IDSA
battled it out on a video-game legal issue was in 2000,
when the city of Indianapolis had passed a law requiring
violent arcade games to be placed in a separated, enclosed
section of gameing centers. The law was eventually struck
down by the U.S. Supreme Court.
STAY LOGGED ON TO WWW.LOVETHYJOB.COM/THEZONE
FOR MORE NEWS FROM THE FRONT LINES!
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5/20/03 - FILE THIS
UNDER: OOPS! ANOTHER P.R. NIGHTMARE!
 Well
folks, they say the road to hell is paved with good
intentions. This little story out of New Bedford, Massachusetts
is a prime example of that old saying. In an attempt
to instill what the local city government was calling
"civil pride," officials looked around the
community for a model citizen. They thought they found
one in Larry Heyes. Heyes, a fifty year old Vietnam
veteran and local garbage man ( I mean Waste Management
Technician) seemed for all intents and purposes to be
the perfect poster boy. But wait, the plot thickens!
City officials took out
a full page ad in The New Bedford Standard-Times in
which Mr. Heyes talked about the many things he loved
about New Bedford, except for one not so model citizen
fact! Soon after the ad ran, the truth came out about
Mr. Heyes' prior conviction in 1994 on the grounds of
child rape, assault & battery, and child pornography.
The charges are from a case involving Heyes and a fourteen
year old boy. Heyes served four months behind bars,
received five years probation and court appointed counseling.
How this kind of crucial background info could have
been over looked has been attributed to Mr. Heyes never
mentioning it. Must have slipped him.
STAY LOGGED ONTO WWW.LOVETHYJOB.COM/THEZONE
FOR UPDATES AND OTHER STORIES OF THE SO CALLED PROFESSIONAL
PRESS AT LARGE!
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5/20/03 - MATRIX MOVIE
FANS ASK "WHAT HAPPENED TO TANK?" & THE
ZONE ANSWERS!
Remember everyone's favorite
operator "Tank" from the original Matrix movie
played by actor Marcus Chong? Wondering why he was absent
from the latest installment? Well, Chong is apparently
suing Warner Bros and parent company AOL Time/Warner
for allegedly backing out on a promise to recast him
in the next two sequels. In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles
Superior Court, Chong accuses the studio and the films
producers of breaching a 1998 oral agreement as well
as a 2000 contract to bring his character Tank back.
Chong also filed suit
for slander in which he claims that false statements
were made against him saying he made terrorist like
threats in an attempted conspiracy to black ball him.
An alleged copy of his bail receipt document popped
up on numerous fans sites claiming to be from his arrest
on October 18th, 2000 for allegedly making threats.
This would place the arrest five days after his salary
negotiations broke down with Warner Bros. Litigation
on the case is still pending. "Tank" was written
out of the sequels and replaced by "Link."
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5/14/03 - SENATE APPROVES
FINE FOR VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES
According sources from
The Associated Press, the Washington State Senate approved
a bill that would fine retailers $500 for selling or
renting games that depict violence against police officers
to minors. Since a very low number of titles has this
sort of game play dynamic, this bill points directly
to the emerging success of the GRAND THEFT AUTO franchise.
The bill was passed by the state's house legislature
and is expected to be signed into law by the governor.
The IDSA (Interactive Digital Software Association)
responded to the news by saying that the bill is essentially
a form of censorship.
This kind of action further
strengthens the argument that parents should take a
more active role in what their children are buying.
The law in question is more like state wide baby sitting
then protecting children against dangerous influences.
The lessons of learning right from wrong starts in the
home and is not the job of your local government.
STAY LOGGED ON TO WWW.LOVETHYJOB.COM/THEZONE
FOR MORE NEWS AND DETAILS ON TIME AND TAXPAYER MONEY
WASTING LAWS LIKE THIS.
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5/5/03 - JENN KITTEN
FULL ALBUM DROPPING SOON!
Finally the wait is over.
Jenn Kitten's Full LP will be available on June 3rd.
Fans of her music know how important this release is.
Copies of her E.P. are still available. Stay logged
onto WWW.LOVETHYJOB.COM
for more updates and details.
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5/4/03 - EARTH'S FIRST
REAL SUPERHERO IS A BRIT!
Sources at CNN.com and The Kent and Sussex Courier in
London have received eyewitness reports of a costumed
crime fighter operating out of the town of Tunbridge
Wells, southeast of London. Reports state a man wearing
a cape and a brown mask thwarted a group of villains
in the middle of a purse snatching.
"To my great surprise," the Courier quoted
21-year-old psychology student Ellen Neville as saying,
"a masked man wearing a brown cape rushed past
me to assist a woman who was having a bother with a
group of youths." "He swept in, broke up the
commotion and ran off, leaving myself and the woman
in a state of shock," "if only there were
more people around with this kind-hearted spirit,"
she said
Another man living in the area reported that he was
being attacked by a group of youths when the caped crusader
appeared. “Shocked the gang so much they ran off."
the man said.
Such acts of heroism are found to be defined as vigilantism
and are illegal in most cases. I for one am glad normal
everyday people are finally heeding the call to help
in these troubled times we live. I gotta go get bit
by a radioactive spider as soon as possible. THE ZONE
will follow this story and keep you informed as we learn
more on this monumental story. Stay logged on to WWW.LOVETHYJOB.COM/THEZONE
for more updates.
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 4/20/03
- Attention: "We need another hero!"
According to sources at
the Hollywood Reporter and Entertainment Weekly, the
WB network has given the green light for a six-episode
run of a reality series aimed at introducing a new superhero
to the people of the world. The project is being headed
by Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee and  Meet
My Folks producer Bruce Nash. Superhero seeks to find
material for a potential new comic-book series.
Nash told the Hollywood
Reporter "The tone of the show is going to be fun".
"It's wish fulfillment, a blend of fantasy and
reality." The show will focus on people willing
to pitch their ideas before a panel of celebrity judges
from the ranks of actors who have played superheroes
in TV and movies and later, become their chosen characters
by donning costumes and competing in would-be hero missions
as all part of the so-called "superhero makeover."
Lee will develop the winner's idea into a comic book
or other project. The producers will conduct and film
open auditions around the country in coming weeks. The
show will air on the WB network some time in the 2003-04
season. Which we all know is home to a more established
superhero, the young Clark Kent of "Smallville."
THE ZONE will be updating you with times and dates for
your chance to audition. You can bet yours truly will
be one of the hopefuls waiting to save the world from
bad television. |
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4/14/03 - Calling
all R.I. music fans!
THE ZONE needs your help!
Would you like to see your favorite local band or solo
artist get more media attention? Then cruise on over
to THE ZONE's fan club section and post some info on
local artists you think we should be covering. Information
like names, shows and websites would be a great start.
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4/10/03 - Incubus
Split
According to statements
by the Associated Press and many online news sources
including www.incubusonline.com & www.washingtonpost.com,
Dirk Lance has parted ways with the Platinum-selling,
Art-rock outfit Incubus. The split is being attributed
to creative differences within the band. Vocalist Brandon
Boyd was quoted on www.washintonpost.com as saying:
"We, as a band, would love to express our gratitude
towards Dirk for an amazing 12 years of artistry and
dedication; He was and will remain a valuable asset
to the history of this band."
At press time Lance declined
comment. The decision to leave the band was reached
some time after the conclusion of the "Morning
View" tour. All you wannabe rock stars don't start
tuning up your basses just yet because Dirk's replacement
is none other then the Hip-hop, funk, live band, The
Root's former guitarist Ben Kennedy who recently took
part in the Incubus side project "The Time_Lapse
Consortium".
For more on this and other Incubus related news check
out the bands official web site www.enjoyincubus.com
and stayed logged into www.lovethyjob.com/THEZONE |
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