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Thursday, March 14, 2013

Why I Stopped Pirating and Started Paying for Media

March 14th, 2013Top Story

Why I Stopped Pirating and Started Paying for Media

By Thorin Klosowski

Why I Stopped Pirating and Started Paying for MediaLet's be honest for second: most of us have illegally downloaded something in our lives. Maybe it was a song, some software, a game, or a movie. For a period I pirated everything I could. As technology pushed forward, it became less necessary, and now I don't even bother. Here's why.

Piracy affects pretty much every part of the entertainment industry from big corporations to independent creators. While pirating isn't always immoral (say you already own the movie), it is illegal, and while many pirates buy more, that doesn't mean they buy everything they pirate—and that hurts the industry in question, particularly when you're talking about independent creators. That didn't particularly matter to me, though, until I realized that it was easier for me to legally buy media than it was to pirate. Here's how I flipped the switch and started paying for media.

Why I Pirated to Begin With

The bulk of my pirating ways happened in the mid to late-2000's during that awkward time when media companies were fighting the inevitable internet download ecosystem, and prices for digital versions were often higher than the boxed equivalents. It was a time when no one was really doing digital correctly, when experiments were happening everywhere, and when sites and stores were popping up (and being shut down) repeatedly. Essentially, if you wanted to go digital, nobody was making it easy for you.

Digital Was Confusing and Expensive

Why I Stopped Pirating and Started Paying for MediaThere was a point not that long ago when you couldn't rent a movie online and watch it on a TV. Music downloads fluctuated between $9.99 and $15.99, and in order to buy software you had to go through a tricky payment service and dump your credit card info on a dozen sites.

In short, you had to jump through a lot of hoops (and you still do to some extent). Some of those hoops left your data out in the open with brand new companies that had no track record for security. Others were almost just as risky. If you wanted to download software or games, you had to do it on the faith it'd actually run because nobody offered refunds. So, I'd pirate a game or software, see if it worked on my aging computer, and then never actually buy it. All I really needed to circumvent that was a good return policy from a credible store or a solid demo.

The same went for music. 98% of my music piracy was just downloading copies of what I already owned on vinyl. Before download codes were included with records, you had to purchase an album twice if you wanted to listen to it on the go. As a (former) wannabe audiophile with a love for vinyl, this didn't fall within my tiny budget.

Basically, the lack of a consistent shopping ecosystem or any type of trial service made digital downloads a risk. Sure, shareware, demos, and 30 second samples existed, but they were rarely helpful. It was just easier to pirate something than it was to get it legitimately.

Nobody Provided a Good Customer Experience

Why I Stopped Pirating and Started Paying for MediaWhen digital downloads first started to catch on, media companies were quick to try all types of DRM. A lot of this DRM put absurd restrictions on the devices you could use, or worse, locked it onto one specific piece of hardware or software. This meant if you wanted to jump between devices, your content was stuck on old hardware. It wasn't (and still isn't) a good practice. Some of the bigger companies, like Apple, didn't ditch DRM until 2009, and that was just for music. Most places still have DRM on movies and TV shows. This was a culture shock to those of us who were used to having physical copies of media we could get working on pretty much any device.

Worse was the fact that even digitizing your physical media was illegal in some cases. It's still not legal to rip a DVD you own, which means if you want a legal digital copy of Indiana Jones you're out of luck. It's 2013. That's absurd.

The other problem here was the basic usability of anything you downloaded. Nobody wanted to watch movies on their computer, but with strict DRM everything was stuck there. Until set top boxes came along, the very idea of downloading and watching a movie wasn't a pleasant experience. It was a lot easier to just pirate something and use a media center to watch movies or TV shows. Photo by David Chartier.

Why I Stopped Pirating and Went Legit

I'm not going to get on a soapbox and scream about taking the moral high ground to stop pirating. In fact, the main reason I stopped pirating is that now, piracy takes too many steps. It's now a better experience to download something from a legitimate source than it is to pirate it. In fact, I hardly even noticed that I'd stopped pirating—it just kind of happened.

I Stopped Needing Everything Immediately

Why I Stopped Pirating and Started Paying for MediaIn 2013 you can buy digital copies of pretty much everything you want from reputable sellers the same day it's available in stores (in some cases, you can even do it before it's available in stores). Better still, if you wait a little while you can get them cheaply. Amazon, Google, Steam, and Apple routinely have massive sales on everything they sell. Don't want to pay $60 for a game? Wait a few months. Don't feel like buying a movie? Wait for it to come out on Netflix Streaming or Amazon Prime. You can even read old Marvel comics through an inexpensive subscription service these days. It's the same discount system that works in box stores, but it took a surprisingly long time to come to digital.

If you end up spending any amount of time getting your content delivered to you, you're wasting time that's better spent elsewhere. With the ecosystem we have now, it's a lot easier to stream or download legitimately than it is to pirate.

Media and Software Companies Made Everything Easier

Why I Stopped Pirating and Started Paying for MediaIt might have taken media companies a lot longer than it should have, but it's now incredibly easy to download anything you want, to any device, for a reasonable cost. These downloads sync across accounts (and more often than not, devices as well) so they're accessible everywhere. They have interfaces that are easy to understand and easy to use. Basically, it's finally easier to download something legally than it is to pirate it. I'm not outfitted with some crazy tech-y setup. All I have is a computer, a smartphone, a tablet, and some game consoles attached to my TV. With that, I have access to every medium I could possibly want:

  • Music: Streaming services like Spotify and Rdio make it easy to sample albums for free. Then, stores like iTunes, Google, and Amazon make it simple to purchase and download anything I decide I want offline (although I rarely bother anymore). Plus, sites like Bandcamp make it so I can pay a band directly for an album if I don't feel like supporting a record label. The RIAA has been known to sue everyone from a deceased grandmother to a computerless family, but at least for now the record industry provides a wealth of legit ways to listen to music for free.
  • Movies: Movie companies haven't quite caught up to the rest of the industry with their services and they still have restrictive DRM on just about everything. If you buy a video on iTunes, it's only playable on certain devices. If you purchase something on Amazon, you have to play it in an Amazon player (though the Amazon player is available on a lot these days). It's ridiculous, and if you want to download videos to watch when you don't have an internet connection, piracy is still the best route to take. However, I realized I rarely watch movies more than a couple times, so it's cheaper—and quicker—to just rent or stream them than to download a permanent copy that sits on my hard drive. Between Netflix Streaming and Amazon Prime Streaming on a PS3, I have access to thousands of streaming movies. For me, renting is the new buying. I know some people still want a big library of movies, but for many of us that just isn't as necessary as it once was. Renting it for $3 is cheaper unless you manage to watch it at least five times (which I rarely do anymore, save for a few of my favorites that I own).
  • Software and Games: With Steam, Xbox Live or PSN I can download pretty much any game I want right away. PlayStation even discounts those downloads (and gives some away for free) if you pay for PlayStation Plus. Likewise, with software stores like the Mac App Store and Steam, it's easier to pay for software than it is to pirate it. For everything else, getting discounts is incredibly easy. Of course, some game companies (ahem, EA) are notorious for messing with DRM to the point where their games become unplayable. My solution? Don't buy from that company. Sorry, SimCity, but I'm not going to play you. That's a loss I'm willing to take. But pirating is certainly another way to send a message.
  • Books: With pretty much any ereader you get a dedicated ebook store. With something like a Kindle, everything you purchase is synced across all your devices. You can't do that with a pirated book. My favorite innovation is that you can download a preview of a book to see if you even like it before you purchase it. You can also check books out from the library for free, or get free books from Kindle's massive lending library. This alone has saved me countless dollars and wasted time. The one problem here is that ebooks can suddenly dissapear. When you don't own a physical copy it might happen to one of your purchases at any time. That's worrisome, but thankfully stripping the DRM off ebooks is incredibly easy.

It Ended Up Being More Cost-Effective for Me Not to Pirate

Why I Stopped Pirating and Started Paying for Media Piracy is no longer free for most of us. If you use Usenet, you're paying around $5-$15 a month for access. With BitTorrent, these days, you absolutely have to have a VPN or proxy to avoid the Copyright Alert System. That's also usually around $5-$15 a month depending on your needs (here are a few services to check out). From there, you have to find what you're looking for, download it, piece together the download, and cross your fingers it's not a dud. Even setting up an automation service takes a bit of time (and remember, time is a "cost" too).

So, if you're getting music from Spotify for free (or $5 a month to cut the ads), and you're paying around $7 a month for Amazon Prime (which you also get free shipping with) or Netflix, you're not saving that much money by torrenting unless you watch a ton a movies. Granted, no direct equivalents for software or games exist, but maybe in time we'll see new options. Books, of course, you can always snag from the library for free. If you consume media like me, the legal services actually end up being about the same price with half the headache.


Of course, companies still do incredibly stupid things that end up accidently promoting piracy. DRM is still frustrating as hell, and it certainly took a while to break my habit of needing to own everything. But I'm happy I did. I have less clutter in my house, and less junk I'll never read, watch, play, or listen to.

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How To Balance Video Games With Real Life

March 14th, 2013Top Story

How To Balance Video Games With Real Life

By Tina Amini

How To Balance Video Games With Real Life Growing up sucks. Jungle gyms are replaced by cubicles and healthy almonds replace gobs of Gushers. Or something like that.

One of the worst things about growing up is that you never seem to have any time left over for yourself. For anything. Including video games, which are sometimes the first thing to go when it's time to make compromises.

One of the saddest things I hear is, "Well I used to play a lot of games but I just don't have time for them anymore." In the list of priorities, video games didn't make the cut. Sure, you may still watch a bunch of television shows and go to concerts all the time, but video games? Video games could be kicked to the curb.

I keep trying to tell my oldest brother that, yes, even though you're busy launching your new company and, yes, even though you just got a brand new puppy, there's still time in your life for video games. Please make time for video games.

I pick out titles I know he'll love—the last game I got him to play was Saints Row: The Third—but even then he'll rampage around a city for a while before letting his devotion to the game taper off.

I maintain that it's possible to squeeze a bit of (healthy) video-game time into a well-rounded adult lifestyle. If you can sit down to read a book for a few hours on a lazy Sunday, surely you can spare time for games. After all, video games are worth the time investment. For so many reasons. They're therapeutic. They're educational. They're plain ol' fun.

In an attempt to convince more people to at least try to make gaming more a part of their life, here are some tips for time management that will help them do so.

1. Limit Your Consumption; Avoid The Really Time-Consuming Games

This ain't college anymore. We don't have the luxury of spending a weekend shut in our dorm rooms playing rounds of GoldenEye and Halo with roommates and floormates and friends and, wait, is that my English professor? It's more important than ever to prioritize which games we play.

Personally, I've gone so far as to cut entire games out of the picture. I used to play a lot of World of Warcraft. I used to be in a guild. Socializing for me meant hopping in to chat with guildmates and playing with friends online. It got to the point where I'd even multitask, raiding some dungeon while watching something else on TV.

But nowadays, it's important to not let an entire day go to waste, so I don't play never-ending MMOs anymore. There are still games I will play from morning until night, though (and not just when I'm reviewing them). I enjoy games enough to still feel productive when spending the day burning through a lengthy game like Ni no Kuni. It's probably somewhat different for me than it will be for you, since playing games is also a part of my job. But that's not the case for everyone. If you have a family and other responsibilities, you might not want your entire day dedicated to a game. You might feel guilty for neglecting laundry duties and procrastinating building that bike for your kid. And everything else parents do.

I spoke with one parent, Shawn—who balances being an avid gamer with his role as both a husband and new father—to gauge how he manages his time. He shared a similar feeling towards MMOs:

"Social MMO's are pretty much impossible for me. My gaming schedule is too unpredictable and irregular, I cannot make any commitments to any guild/corp/outfit buddies. And I certainly don't have the time to spend plowing through the grind that most MMO's require in order to obtain experience/gear/currency/etc. I spent a couple years pretty involved in EvE Online back around 2006-2007, but keeping up with that game would be impossible for me now."

How To Balance Video Games With Real Life

I've noticed similar difficulties as an FPS player. Those games are dangerous for me, because what starts off as, "Oh I'll just play a few rounds," turns into, "God dammit that bastard has it coming. I'm targeting XXsnipedyomamaXX next game." I tend to have an addictive, one-more-round-please, attitude when it comes to first-person shooters. I'll still hop on when I need some stress-relief or when I'm looking for a game to play with a friend some weekend, but I try to limit how often I return to them. Because I just know I'll lay an entire day to waste, rubbing my bloodshot eyes at 4am trying to remember if I even ate anything all day.

I might decide to skip on an RPG if it's the kind that will ask me to aimlessly grind before I'm powerful enough to progress. You know the ones. I'm still pushing through Etrian Odyssey IV even though I'm at a point where I'm all but required to grind. It's a handheld game so I give it a pass. I can play it on the train or during a road trip or while waiting for a friend. It's easier to integrate a mobile game into the tiny crevices of free time that I'd otherwise spend on my phone reading Kotaku or Twitter.

Limiting your daily game-time can be as strict as keeping to 30-minute intervals. Speaking with friend-of-Kirk and father of a 6-month-old, Dan, he told me that it can be difficult to limit yourself to such short bursts, but it's a necessity. "Having responsibilities means developing a relationship with the pause button," he elaborated to me. "Games without a 'Save and Quit' option are the enemy."

"Having responsibilities means developing a relationship with the pause button."

Picking a less time-consuming game can also mean picking a game with natural pauses that make it appropriate to constantly start and stop as needed, especially for the 30-minute interval rule. Dan reminded me of one fitting title: "I polished off nearly all of Super Meat Boy in the first few months after our daughter was born, in large part because the start/stop pacing of the game fit so well into my nightly childcare routine."

Another married friend I spoke with, Doug (who also keeps busy with a job that requires a ton of hours and travel), echoed a similar sentiment: "Weekends and late nights are all I've got — and some nights I know I can't play for more than 30 minutes, so I make sure it's something that doesn't get too involved — indie games, platformers.. stuff that I can put in some time, save it, and I don't have to remember anything about where I was when I come back."

Shawn landed on a similar point about the troubles of remembering storylines in lengthier games. He told me that they typically need to be spaced out over what ends up becoming a couple of months worth of tiny intervals of gaming at a time. It's why he has yet to play L.A. Noire even as it sits unplayed in his Steam library. He opts for Minecraft:

"Minecraft has been an absolute godsend in this regard. I can jump onto a server and fart around building something random or digging holes or whatever for 10 minutes and then leave, or if I know I'm going to have an hour to play, I can build something more involved. There's no real goal, the rules are pretty simple and don't really ever change, and there aren't really any important skills that I have to worry about forgetting if I don't get to play for a while. MC is pretty interesting in that it can consume an almost endless amount of time if you let it, but it also works pretty well in short and sporadic sessions."

The game you choose to play can be specific to your needs and your play style, but the point remains the same: finding a game that doesn't will you to completely zone out for hours is key.

2. Skip The Extra Stuff; Just Plow Through

It can be hard to let go of an entire genre like RPGs just because they take out huge chunks of time to complete. If you rather find a way around that harsh decision, skipping side quests and hidden items could be wise, especially if you intend to finish one of these games.

Dan uses a similar tactic, denying his inner completionist the satisfaction of turning over every stone: "Spending less time exploring corners of the map (or, better yet, opting out of tedious inventory/character management) means more time for gameplay."

Father of one adorable little girl (and a personal friend), Randy, notes that trophies and achievements can get in the way of finishing games, too. "Some are set up specifically to pad gameplay or take you out of your way from completing the game on a more natural playthrough."

3. Keep Your Priorities Straight

If your baby is screaming wildly in need of a diaper change, this is not the time to try that new DLC that just came out for your favorite game. Go change poopy butt over there first.

If you promised your spouse you'd make them a romantic dinner that evening, go pick up the groceries for it first.

If you have a 9am deadline on that TPS report, make sure to get it done first so you can play with ease afterwards.

"If my wife needs me to put down the controller to go help her with something, doing so is the proper response."

Speaking with Shawn, he explained that this is the most important part of his balancing act. While his wife is understanding of his need to fit gaming into his life, he has to reciprocate. In an email with me recently Shawn explained: "That obviously has to be balanced by an understanding on my part that the games are just games, they are not a priority, and I accept that at anytime when I'm playing, if my wife needs me to put down the controller to go help her with something, doing so is the proper response."

If you prioritize and cross your chores off your list first, you won't feel any guilt about playing games afterward. If you miss deadlines or anger your husband/wife, you might begin to think that video games are getting in the way of your happiness. They're not! You just need to prioritize.

How To Balance Video Games With Real Life

4. Diversify Your Media Intake; Make A Trade

If you've been going to a lot of shows recently, or are really caught up in a comic series, try switching things up and replacing that current hobby with a video game you've been meaning to try out. You're not taking time away from any of your responsibilities, just trading one pleasurable hobby for another. Plus, it'll keep the experience of reading that comic or meeting up with your music aficionado friends (or whatever else) fresh and less monotonous. Everyone wins.

5. Be Selective; Keep Your Library Tight

I like to keep all my games. I like libraries of things in general. It feels like a good show of my interests, memories, tastes. But it can feel daunting to look at a shelf and realize you haven't played more than half the games there. Maybe even to see one or two still in their shrink-wrap. But hey, you're an adult now. You don't have time to play every game that comes out.

Talk to friends, read some of your favorite gaming websites (ahem), and gauge what games you feel like you just have to play. My mom gives me similar advice when we go clothing-shopping. If you're hesitating, she tells me, you know you're never going to end up wearing it. She's so right. The same goes for games. If you're not really excited about a game you pick up, you'll probably toss it aside in favor of some old favorite, or whatever other new game comes along. So you might as well be selective about what games you do pick up.

6. Play On Easy Difficulty

This one was a really difficult transition for me. I still typically opt to play on at least a Normal difficulty level, but occasionally—if I know a game is a particularly long one—I'll hover over the Easy option for an unreasonable amount of time before finally deciding to try it out. I still get to experience the game but it doesn't take as much time, and hey, I might even like the game more for it.

7. Try Methods Of Integrating Games Into Other Parts Of Your Life

It can be hard to manage home-life with game-life when you have children. I chatted with both Evan Narcisse and Mike Fahey—resident Kotaku daddies—about how they manage their time. Evan jokingly suggested staying up late, but you may not want to sacrifice delicious, delicious sleep. Although Dan had a similar suggestion, noting that while a big chunk of the day is devoted to family time, he'll budget time throughout the workweek to fit some gaming in accordingly. That sometimes results in early mornings for him or, more often, late nights. How that plays out week to week will likely depend on your personal schedule.

Dan also explained that making a multiplayer date with your significant other is a reasonable way to both find time to game as well as spend time with your spouse. "Pitching multiplayer sessions to your significant other as a 'night out' really helps carve out a dedicated block of time for gaming (as long as you're open to giving your partner a night off in return!)," he told me in an email.

"Pitching multiplayer sessions to your significant other as a 'night out' really helps carve out a dedicated block of time for gaming."

Fahey had an interesting and similar idea, too: get used to playing games that your children can grow up to enjoy. That way, when you want to sit down to play Skylanders, you'll be hitting two birds with one stone. Just like that, you're playing games and bonding with your kid.

This works for those of us who don't have children, too. I brought up playing handheld games earlier in this article. If you're on the train with not much else to do, whipping out a 3DS or Vita or what have you is a good way to get in game-time without it getting in the way of your daily schedule.

Doug noted to me that some games can even fit with specific activities, like exercising. "I did just pick up an interesting game on my phone — Zombies, Run — that fits gaming into my regular exercise schedule," he told me. "It's an app that plays your music and puts in dialogue to make it sound like zombies are chasing you every now and then.. you pick up weapons and food and stuff along the way to upgrade your town.. it's got the right aspects of gaming.. rewards and accomplishments — and it's entertaining. So finding ways to game and do something else at the same time helps to get a gaming fix in."

There are plenty of ways to fit gaming into your regular routines.



These are just a few tips that have come to mind. Many of them are guidelines I've adapted to as my free time slowly closes in around me. Others came with the help of some crowdsourcing from parents and otherwise busy gamers who have even tougher struggles with the limits of time. If you've got other tips, chime in below.

Top image modified from John-Morgan.

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Chopping Off a Dog's Balls, Auctioning Off a Friend's Belongings, and Other Questionable Advice

March 14th, 2013Top Story

Chopping Off a Dog's Balls, Auctioning Off a Friend's Belongings, and Other Questionable Advice

By Caity Weaver

Chopping Off a Dog's Balls, Auctioning Off a Friend's Belongings, and Other Questionable AdviceWelcome to Thatz Not Okay, a regular column in which I school inquiring readers on what is and is not okay. Please send your questions (max: 200 words) to caity@gawker.com with the subject "Thatz Not Okay."

I am helping a friend by taking his dog to the vet to get a microchip. The dog sometimes runs away, so the microchip would be a great help. I am thinking about taking advantage of the free neuter that comes along with the microchip. My friend hasn't had his dog neutered because he "just can't bring [himself] to" but I think the dog's escapist tendencies are exacerbated by balls. Not to mention unwanted pregnancies. So, as uncomfortable as being on the side of eugenics makes me feel, I think this is the right decision. Is that okay?

Thatz not okay.

"Thank you so much for taking him to get that microchi—-UM WHERE ARE MY DOG'S BALLS?"

I applaud your noble intentions here. Spaying and neutering dogs not is not only socially responsible, it can also provide health benefits like eliminating the risk of testicular cancer for males. But it's not the kind of thing you can just go ahead and do to someone's dog without their permission.

A dog's testicles aren't like his hair; once they're gone, they're gone forever. They are, in that respect, similar to the feelings of affection this friend has for you; taken for granted until the day you chop his dog's balls off in secret.

Depending on the dog's age and size, recovery time from the procedure can be anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks. Do you really think it's in an injured dog's best interests to spring him upon a shocked owner with no warning?

Well intentioned though you are, you can't bury a surprise like that inside a favor.

"I filled your car up with gas and also threw away all that stuff you had in the backseat."

"I refinanced your mortgage and also started renting out the top floor of your house. (I leased it to a cute couple but I'm pretty sure there are actually three people living there.)"

When your friend says, "I can't bring myself to neuter my dog," he doesn't mean he is physically unable to do so, otherwise he would. He means he doesn't want to neuter his dog. Since you feel passionately about this issue, find out why. Explain to your friend the benefits of neutering his dog. Emphasize that the procedure can be performed for free, because free opens up a lot of doors. With any luck, you'll be able to bring him around to the idea. (If nothing else, you'll at least know why he's so strongly against it.)

If, after this discussion, you decide conclusively that your friend is totally incapable of making responsible decisions, offer to take him out for a "peace offering" of coffee.

THEN SLIP HIM A MICKEY AND CHOP OFF HIS BALLS. That's the end of that poor decision-making line.

My old roommate allowed mutual friends to use our garage as storage about two years ago. I wasn't asked permission but we didn't need the space, so I didn't make a fuss. The roommate has since moved out yet the stuff remains. Tables, a treadmill, a couch, kitchenware and many other household items. I have contacted the owners of these items several times over the years but they have expressed zero interest in getting their stuff back. I have new roommates and we'd like to be able to park in our garage again. Is it okay to sell their stuff in a garage sale? It is okay to keep the money from these sales? Is that okay?

Thatz okay.

The big news here is that these people have already thrown their stuff away. Except, instead of illegally tossing it in the dumpster behind a Winn-Dixie like any decent friend would do, they've chosen to dispose of it in your garage.

What is the alternative to you getting rid of it? Preserving it forever as a shrine to some mutual friends? Do you plan to evaluate potential homebuyers on their curatorial abilities? ("We'll only feel comfortable selling to someone who demonstrates the proper respect for the pieces we've acquired over the years.") Will you include the treadmill in your will, leaving it to the residents of your neighborhood on the condition that it never be moved without the written consent of a direct descendant of one of the original mutual friends?

You are not bound to these people's junk forever. If you truly are one of the kindest human beings on the planet, you can let them know you've decided to reclaim your garage, and tell them to pick up their kitchenware (an old melted rubber kitchen scraper! Two forks and eleven knives!) by X date or it's getting scrapped.

Furthermore, you're damn right you're keeping the money you make from this sale. In fact (I am putting myself in charge of this operation since it has apparently floundered over the years due to gross mismanagement), I forbid you from offering them a cut of the take. Get as much money as you can and treat yourself (and your new roomies) to a celebratory candlelit dinner in your new spacious garage. Or, price everything to move and experience the natural high that comes with shouting "Treadmill for a nickel! Armoire for a nickel! Everything's a nickel!" at passersby.

And don't let people store things in your house without your permission anymore. That's how you end up with a cooler full of left hands.

Submit your "Thatz Not Okay" questions (max: 200 words) here. Source photo from Shutterstock/image by Devin Rochford.

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