Apologies!!Apologies!!for the long sabbatical from the blogosphere.
All, I'll say is that I was reduced to the state of a Palestinian refugee while my brother(read:world's most irritating guy)became the Israeli conscript.
And in our case the bone of contention not being the GAZA Strip,but my HCL beanstalk PC..which remained under the seizure of the conscript all the while..
Needn't mention the role of US diplomats being played by my parents who let my bro take control of this holy territory..while their constant efforts to assuage me failed..
I tried to tell them the real WMD(in this case Weapons of Mental Destruction) were the GAMES installed in the PC..so first these WMDs needed to be contraband,then should one go for the rest of the grease..
Our residence resembled some war-prone battlefield with guns firing and mortar roaring..all virtually on the PC
Down memory lane
It all started way back with the Little Master video games we had got
back then were mario,tetris and my super cool man ..the pacman.
Game cartridges and highest levels attained remained the topic of discussions in birthday parties..
And now the only conversation that is broached up in labs.,canteens,events in college and even at home is CS..CS..CS and other games like something called DOTA,HALO and what not..
while guys shouted Counter Strike i wondered how about countering this with a strike??
Not that I'm playing the Devil's Advocate:there are just a few facts I'd like to share..
Agreed that such Games provide recreation and at times can also be attributed to developing logic and skills..
But the staggering extent to which they've been lionised and are being practised in the same way,is what is the cause of concern
They seem to have become objects of obsession,insanity..
* A recent report showed that 45% of heavy video game players and nearly a third of avid gamers are in the 6 to 17 year old age group (NPD Group Inc., 2006).
*It leads to aggression and belligerent attitude the players after all that "headshot" after all that "camping in Terrorist-spon and CounterTerrorist spon".
God knows what vicarious pleasure does it give to such gamers by firing guns virtualy??The Indian Army suffers from a dearth of soldiers!why not try the real life battle?
* Many games only offer an arena of weapons, killings, kicking, stabbing and shooting.(Research by Anderson & Dill, 2000; Gentile, Lynch & Walsh, 2004).
* Over-dependence on video games could foster social isolation, as they are often played alone.Why not hit the football ground or tennis court for recreation and stop complaining about poor state of sports in the country??But no..EA Sports is a better option for such sloths..after all"its in the game"
* Women are often portrayed as weaker characters that are helpless or sexually provocative.
* Many games do not offer action that requires independent thought or creativity.
* Games can confuse reality and fantasy.
For more on Fundas log on http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/17694.html
"ALL RIGHT LET's MOVE ON..."(CS crap again!)
so if Microsoft Xbox says "Game on"..I say "No game"
Let me start with what ROALD DAHL had to say about TV a few decades ago.
It is as true for PC/Video gaming today as it was for television in the yester years.
With all due respect to Mr. Dahl i've taken the liberty of contorting(read:tampering) his poem Television...
so let me call it
THE VIDEO GAME
The most important thing we've learned,
So far as children are concerned,
Is never, NEVER, NEVER let
Them near your Moniter set --
Or better still, just don't install
The idiotic thing at all.
In almost every house we've been,
We've watched them gaping at the screen.
They loll and slop and lounge about,
And stare until their eyes pop out.
(Last week in someone's place we saw
A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)
They sit and stare and stare and sit
Until they're hypnotised by it,
Until they're absolutely drunk
With all that shocking ghastly junk.
Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash the dishes in the sink --
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
IT ROTS THE SENSE IN THE HEAD!
IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!
IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!
IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND
HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND
A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!
HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!
HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!
HE CANNOT THINK -- HE ONLY SEES!
'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?
'How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'
P.S.Ministry of Health(Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss) are you listening??
