The thing that really gives me the shudders about this is the 1984-style public recantation: "We understand Nintendo's right to protect its characters and trademarks and understand how in order to keep their property unspoiled by fan's interpretation of the franchise, Nintendo needs to protect itself -- even from fan-works with good intentions." You can just imagine the tearful, contrite speech through broken teeth ...

Sad? Sad? Dude, this is Rupert Fucking Murdoch we're talking about. The most evil man alive. Every second his foul influence remains on the earth is a second too long.

... is there anything stupid, evil or simply wrong that they will not do?

they're the ones who completely ignored Ron Paul's existence and went out of their way to paint McCain as a senile old man and Palin as a crazy country bumpkin.

That would have taken about a teaspoon of paint.

When you consider that it only takes two or three fundy whackjobs complaining about nipples or language to get TV and radio shows fined, it looks even more disgusting.

It is a hell of a lot less "wrong" to download a pirate copy of a game to see if it works properly, than it is to release a game that doesn't work properly.

Except that SSH solves the problem.

I'm sure as soon as the RIAA put out a press release that clarifies or contradicts their earlier statements, the "journalists" will print that without comment or analysis too.

Judge Judy is a bad choice there - she tends to go for the quick, harsh, and "obvious" (including a very strong implication that you are a fuckwit for thinking any differently) solution. That is very likely to be "don't steal songs". Do you think Judge Judy will recognize any human need for music?