While not law related, every so often a worthwhile cause comes around that deserves as much exposure as possible. This time, Cheap Ass Gamer (“CAG”) and CAG member “neushane,” a Storekeeper First Class with the US Navy currently deployed in Fallujah, are starting a collection of video games to be sent directly to the troops in Iraq.

No matter what your stance on the war, I think we can all agree that Fallujah is not a place that most of us would currently like to be. Rather than get a meager Gamestop store credit or let your unplayed games continue to gather dust, why not send them to some guys who could really use a distraction?  Any games (new or used) and consoles can be mailed to:

SK1 Shane Neuhaus
30 NCR DET 1
FPO AP 09381-1702

Fortunately, there is no need to worry about excessive shipping charges to this address; it is treated as any other US address. So, a standard bubble mailer with game should run about $1.40-1.80 and a flat rate priority box, for those larger donations, can be shipped for $8.95 at your local post office.

Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PLAYSTATION 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii, and DS games are preferred. All further questions can be directed to shane.neuhaus@tq.mnf-wiraq.usmc.mil.

For more info, see: Cheap Ass Gamer
Official CAG Thread
Also, DIGG this story for CheapyD!

CheapyD of Cheap Ass Gamer has recently posted all of the court documents related to the Circuit City subpoena on the CAG main page. The documents include the original 22-page complaint filed by Circuit City and CAG’s Objection and Motion to Quash.

Laws of Play will be reviewing the court documents and reporting our impressions in the near future.

Furthermore, LoP would like to apologize for the infrequent updates as of late. School is starting back up and recruiting season has just begun, so we’ve all been pressed for time. Regular updates will be back in full swing in the coming week.

Cheap Ass Gamer (“CAG”) has reported via its latest “CAGcast” and on their site that Circuit City has issued a subpoena for any information regarding forum member “speedy1961.” In an interview, CAG CEO David Abrams told Laws of Play that “Circuit City wants me to hand over any personal information about speedy that I might have.” Circuit City wants the information because speedy1961 reportedly released Circuit City print ads to readers of CAG via the forums before they were publicly available. Though Abrams says he has yet to see the full complaint he is sure of his response either way.

We will do whatever we can (within the law, of course) to protect our users’ identity.

Noting also that he would not have hired lawyers if he wasn’t interested in protecting his forum users privacy, as turning the information over would have been much cheaper. Abrams and his lawyers have not yet responded, but he says “my lawyers are working on [a response], though I can’t reveal exactly what that is going to be at the moment.” As far as Abrams knows, Circuit City has not issued any other subpoenas concerning “speedy1961″ and he believes that speedy is the only one mentioned. Abrams will discuss the case further on the next CAGcast.

As far as the legality of this, the discussion is best left to lawyers (or other members of the site who are in law school) but forum members’ privacy is a tricky issue, especially if the forum member is breaking the law. If speedy1961 was breaking the law is it right for CAG to withhold the information? Does Circuit City have any right to request information that is held in confidence from the get go? Where does freedom of speech fall into all of this? Clearly blogger identity is a tricky subject though most people would probably side with speedy on this one, so the court of public opinion is probably already adjourned. Either way, with blogging becoming the hip new place to be and companies actually paying attention to the Internet, it might be a good idea to be careful about what you post.