Number crunching for fun and profit!
Hal Harpin, head of the Interactive Entertainment Merchants Association, responded to a statement by California Assemblyman Yee by quoting the latest Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) report on their "secret shopper" survey, which provides a yearly report on how well the retail industry is voluntarily keeping mature media (movies, music & games) out of the hands of minors. (Note: the 2006 report, based on 2005 surveys, only covers video games, other media will be included in a future report)

He is either quoting an out-dated several year-old study, or has missed the press regarding their latest findings: that the nation's leading retailers, our members, are successfully carding for M-rated games 65% of the time - which puts the games industry on par with his 'Gold Standard,' the movie theatre owners, who card at 69% of the time.

JT immediately jumped in and called Harpin a liar:

the only one misinformed about the FTC's findings is you. The FTC found that close to 40% of the time retailers are still selling mature-rated games to minors.

Since 100% - 60% compliance = 40% failure, technically both are right. But Hal is most certainly not lying.

Comparison from the 2003 FTC report (presented to Congress in 2004):

Video games (retail): 31% compliance, 69% failure (improved to 65% compliance, 35% failure in 2005)
Movies (theatre): 64% compliance, 36% failure (no data available for 2005 yet)
Movies (retail): 19% compliance, 81% failure
Music (retail): 17% compliance, 83% failure

This also refutes Jack's assertion that the industry is "doing nothing" about sales to minors. I think a 110% improvement in enforcement (31% + 110% = 65%, do the math) is certainly indicative of them "doing something"...

Independant Stores

JT also attacked Harpin for the FTC's findings that independant retailers failed to check ID 65% of the time, although this is a pointless comparison, since Harpin is the head of the IEMA, and independant merchants are by the FTC's definition not members of a national chain or organization... It would be like expecting the New York State Bar Association to penalize JT for his antics in Alabama, even though he's not even a member...

Best/Worst analogy of the day:

If Seven-11 had that failure rate on tobacco and alcohol, the CEO of that retailer would be in jail.

Ironically, a 1994 survey found that minors could buy cigarettes 69% of the time, and in 2001 this number was 68% of grade-8 students, and 89% of grade 10 students. Individual states such as California and Massachusetts saw significant decreases, but only through massive state-wide enforcement of ID carding.

I know what! Let's put Hal Halpin in charge of airport security in Boston and let's see if the passengers there are happy with 42% of the fliers not being checked for explosives and other weapons and not asking 50% of the fliers for identification!

Also rather stupid, but then again, I suppose since JT fears video games about as much as he does Al-Queda terrorists, his pants-wetting at the though of a minor buying a copy of "The Sims" and doing unspeakable things to his sim are understandable...

I'm sure JT's aware of the difference between the dangers of an airplane bomb/highjacking, and a minor increase in a minors' access to violent media...

But if he's not, here's the best explanation: While fliers are required by law, under severe penalty, to be checked for explosives and weapons, stores are operating voluntarily... Imagine if JT had to voluntarily leave LJ. Guess how well he'd abide by that one...