On the Topic of Credibility: An Open Letter to Senator Leland Yee

The San Francisco Chronicle posted an article on Wednesday, that quoted Sen. Leland Yee(D) as saying "gamers have no credibility in this argument[about gun violence]."  As a lifelong gamer, I felt compelled to respond to his remark.  This is an open letter that will also be sent to Yee directly.

Five things Sony got right with the Playstation 3

Over the past couple of years, Sony has gotten a really bad rap.  Between the numerous hacks, promotional gaffes, and some bad design decisions, the Playstation 3 is not the powerhouse that Sony was expecting.  Even so, there's a lot that Sony did right by their console, despite the many shortcomings.  So today, I'm taking a look at the bright side of the device that "only does everything."

A Case of the "Humbugs" Or: Taking Back Thanksgiving

Okay, so if you've ever lived in Minnesota for any extended period of time, you learn that we're very, very, VERY loyal to companies headquartered in our state.  Best Buy and Target stores are just about everywhere.  So now there's news that both Best Buy and Target will be opening on Thanksgiving day.  And this just made me mad.  Last year, stores were opening at midnight, and now we as a society have gone too far.  So I'm just going to say it.  I've developed a case of the humbugs!

Scrooge Alert! Lollipop Chainsaw for $20!

Don't let this guy ruin Juliet's day!

If you saw my review of Lollipop Chainsaw and still didn't pick it up, now is definitely the time to do so.  Amazon has it on sale for as low as $20 right now.  Go get it!

Playing for Free: League of Legends

If you haven't been gaming under a rock for the past couple of years, you've probably heard about League of Legends.  If you haven't played it,  you can sign up for an account here.  You may have heard about how passionate the community is, the cheating at last week's world championships, and the folks that drop an insane amount of cash into it.  But the game says, "Free to Play."  Is this a game that you can actually play without spending a dime? Over the past six months, I've been putting this very question to the test.  And now, I'm here to post my results.

Preview: MechWarrior Online Closed Beta Impressions

Some of you may have noticed that I've been away for a while and haven't spent much time writing about games.  Part of that was due to the Non-Disclosure Agreement I signed when I started trying a few games.  I've been in the closed beta for MechWarrior Online now for a little bit, and I've been holding back on gushing about it.  That is, until now.  The NDA has been lifted, so there's a lot to discuss on this little gem.  So, without further ado, let's get started!

Scrooge Alert! 10% off Mists of Pandaria!

Buy.com has a 10% off deal for the newly released World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria.  It's $36, down from the MSRP of $40.  Those of you that were thinking about getting it, this might be the tipping point.

Wishlist: Expanding horizons in Dance Central 3

Back in July, Harmonix teased a partial song list for Dance Central 3.  One of the included songs was "I am the Best" by Korean pop group 2NE1.  K-pop fans on this side of the Pacific unanimously jumped up and cheered for the arrival of cross-cultural songs in what is arguably the best game franchise on the Kinect.  But why stop there?  Harmonix stands to bridge the culture divide and broaden musical tastes.  Now, while the game is coming out on October 3, and probably has little room for adding songs now, there's always room for DLC.  If anyone at Harmonix reads this, consider these songs for DLC.  Seriously.

Welcome SuperPAC Listeners!

For those of you who stumbled upon Treasure Bin through the Super Podcast Action committee, Welcome!  You can read the AO rant here.  Also, check out my other rants while you're here.  Please enjoy your stay, and I'll see you around.

(BREAKING) Gaymer.org Defaced

Gaymer.org has found its website defaced today.  The entire website appears to have been wiped clean, leaving only one folder: "index-cgi," which blocks access with a "403 Forbidden" error.