Lets have some fun!

Alright, I know it is all too often true that most blog sites are full to the brim with rants. I do not want mine to turn out that way. So every so often I will write a blog about something good that is happening, or perhaps a funny story, or even just some interesting facts or jokes.
So when you are feeling down and headachy with all the bad news you hear, just remember that it could be worse; the ancient Egyptions slept with pillows made of stone! Are you afraid of dying in a plane crash? Well, you are more likely to be killed by a donkey! Be glad you are not a snail, you would be breathing through your feet!

The Risk of Video Games

No, this is not yet another rant about the menace to society that video
games pose. I will not rage about how evil they are or how they should be cast into the lake of fire. On the contrary, I believe that when used properly, video games can be a
fun, even useful tool.
The problem I have with video games is that way too often their use is
unrestrained. For instance, take a look at the number of kids who are
seriously addicted to gaming. According to Forbes.com, "Statistics
released in 2005 by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), an
industry group, estimated that 70 percent to 90 percent of American
children play video games." And look at what they say about addiction,
"According to the AMA report, one soon-to-be-released British study
polled 7,000 "gamers" and found that 12 percent of them met World
Health Organization criteria for addictive behaviors." Rather
startling isn't it? Twelve percent of our kids are not only playing
too much, but are addicted to it.
Again I am not stating that gaming is bad, playing video games is
something I enjoy doing myself, but, and get this, it must be
controlled. Just like any other addictive substance, morphine for
example, a little can take someone's mind off pain, too much and it
destroys their life. It is the same way with video games, look at how
video games can be good according to HealthDay.com, "Surgeons [that]
ranked in the top third of video game skill made 47 percent fewer
errors [in laparoscopic surgery drills], performed 39 percent faster,
and scored 41 percent better than those in the bottom third of video
game skills." On the dark side too much gaming can reduce the time
spent completing homework, according to the Archives of Pediatrics and
Adolescent Medicine "Kline found that adolescents who reported heavy
game play were more likely to put off doing homework, chores, and
family activities." This is my problem with video games, kids get so
focused on beating the next level and the next one and the next one,
that they skip doing the important things: homework, chores, visiting
friends, and most important, family time.
When kids spend less time with their family they grow farther apart,
that in itself is reason enough to toss the X-Box out the window.
Families are becoming farther and farther apart these days, and not
just because of video games, but I digress.
One other problem I have with video games is the amount of money spent
on them. It may not seem like much at first, but when you tally it up
the results can be astounding. Jordan Parrish, on his blog site
EGMatter.com, contemplates the amount of money he has spent on video
games, "I have been thinking about video games lately, and I was
curious to see how much I had spent on them throughout my life. I
wrote down every single game I've bought since I was 10 years old. And
this is what I came up with: $640!!!! Need I say more? I wonder what
would happen if I added up the hours spent on video games? Amazing.
Was it worth the money? What else could I have spent the money on?"
This is a kid whose parents were very strict about video game use;
What about those kids whose parents don't even care? Oh, and by the
way, the only game platform he had was a Nintendo DS and a Nintendo DS
Lite, total cost: $240. That means four-hundred dollars were spent on
video games!
Again, video games can be a legitimate use of time. For instance, I
love playing Mario Cart (a racing game with Nintendo cartoon
characters) with my siblings. We are not just sitting there,
slaughtering brain cells, we are laughing, shouting, and enjoying each
others company just as much as if we were playing board games or
reading aloud to each other. If someone was to listen to us from the
next room, they might think we were having a wild but friendly pillow
fight.
"Look out, Hannah is winning!"
"You got her, watch out for the wall!"
"Nat, help me, I'm stuck!"
Of course, our time playing video games is strictly monitored by our
parents, who make sure our schoolwork and chores are done, and that we
do not spend too much time on ether the computer or the Game Cube.
Let us remember that even though video games in and of themselves are
not bad things, they can be harmful and a waste of time. It is our
responsibility to limit the time and money spent on video games,
especially with children. Just like anything else in this world, there
can be too much of a good thing. And by the way, I sold my Game Cube
to pay for College.

"Video Game Overuse may be an Addiction: Experts." Forbes.
22 July 2007. 19 September 2007.
http://www.forbes.com/health/feeds/hscout/2007/06/22/hscout605801.htm

Cummings, Hope. Vandewater, Elizabeth.
"Relation of Adolescent Video Game Play to Time Spent in other
Activities." Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. 161.7
(2007). 19 September 2007.
http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/161/7/684.

Parrish, Jordan. "The Dark $ide of Video Game$." Weblog posting. EGMatter.com.
28 February 2007. 19 September 2007. http://egmatter.blogspot.com/.

American resolve

Today is September 12, 2007. Six years ago yesterday, the world was shocked to learn that the World Trade Centers existed only as a pile of rubble. Americans joined together for support and comfort. They also demanded that the government find and destroy those resposible for the attack. We wanted to show the world that we a tough and resilient nation. That we would do what it took to ensure not only our own physical safety, but the safety of democracy and freedom. But where now is the steadfast resolve we had six years ago?

As more and more people are demanding that we extract our troops immediately from Iraq (and yes, Saddam did give funds and weapons to terrorists), what is this telling the evil we are fighting? It tells them America is weak, that we have no guts for the long fight it will take us to subdue them. Which is exactly what they thought as they were planning the attacks on the Trade Centers. Will we prove them right? May it never be! May it never come to pass that evil men triumph over the rightious, for we are fighting a rightious cause. If Freedom is not something right to fight for, than upon what does America stand?