Video games (and so does everything else) cause violece

Grand Theft Auto IV was released late April and we've been hearing the conservatives say this is just another example of a video game that teaches our children violence. Can I just say I'm wicked tired of people using tv, video games, movies, books and music as scapegoats saying these are the things that cause violent children.

Grand Theft Auto IV as well as most violent video games have an 'M' rating, can anyone tell me what that 'M' stands for? Yes that is correct 'M' stands for mature and do we want to know what mature means. According to the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) a mature rating means that a game " Contains content that is considered unsuitable for children under the age of 17. Titles in this category may contain intense violence such as blood and gore, sexual references and/or strong language". Even the teen rating tells parents of the restrictions "Contains content that is considered unsuitable for children under 13 years of age. Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling , and/or infrequent use of strong language".

After reading this a few things come to mind, with an 'M' rating the person buying the game has to be 17 or older. So if your 13 year old owns one of these games well someone over 17 had to buy it for them and that someone is usually an adult (most likely their parent). You can't complain after the fact its too late your the one who encouraged them to play the game. Even if you the parent didn't buy the game isn't it your responsibility to watch what your child is doing and stop them from doing something like playing inappropriate games? Games like Grand theft Auto aren't made for children they are intended for adult audiences so they shouldn't get their hands on them.

But lets just say your child some how does get their hands on a mature game and sees the kid acting behaviors out in the game in real life tell them to stop. If a little kid sees his older sibling hitting someone they will imitate it until some corrects the behavior and tells them to stop. And even if your child is exposed to violence guess what its your job a parent to explain to them appropriate behavior and whats real and whats not.

After Columbine any form of threat was taken serious in schools. I was suspended from school for 'threatening' (long story short it wasn't a threat just a dream that I told someone yada yada) some of my classmates who picked on me. I was pissed and wanted to hurt those people because they hurt me and my idea of 'popping their head of like barbie dolls' wasn't something I heard in a song (because i didn't listen to music that wasn't kiddie pop), see it in a video game ( i wasn't into vg's) and i didn't witness the behavior... Guess what when people get angry if they don't know how to control their emotions they explode.

I'm not saying that violence doesn't beget violence but people need to realize that children have free will. So when a child decides hey I saw something violent in a video game I want to act it out its not the video games fault its the parents. The violent things a child do is on a parents shoulder because a)you bought your child the stupid game or allowed them to play it, b)you didn't make the effort to tell them whats right or wrong and c) if you really want a scapegoat look in the mirror.

~This has been another rant by shane

Witch Witch sign of the devil (CITY ON FIRE)

A friend of mine told me about this story but I had to read it a few times to believe it:

Land O' Lakes, Florida -- The stories in the news about inappropriate relationships between teachers and students have been overwhelming. There was even a substitute teacher in New Port Richey who got in trouble after investigators say she had a relationship with an underage student. Well, another Pasco County substitute teacher's job is on the line, but this time it's because of a magic trick.

The charge from the school district — Wizardry!

Substitute teacher Jim Piculas does a 30-second magic trick where a toothpick disappears then reappears.But after performing it in front of a classroom at Rushe Middle School in Land O' Lakes, Piculas said his job did a disappearing act of its own."I get a call the middle of the day from the supervisor of substitute teachers. He says, 'Jim, we have a huge issue. You can't take any more assignments. You need to come in right away,'" he said.When Piculas went in, he learned his little magic trick cast a spell that went much farther than he'd hoped.

"I said, 'Well Pat, can you explain this to me?' 'You've been accused of wizardry,' [he said]. Wizardry?" he asked.Tampa Bay's 10 talked to the assistant superintendent with the Pasco County School District who said it wasn't just the wizardry and that Piculas had other performance issues, including "not following lesson plans" and allowing students to play on unapproved computers.

I mean the mere fact this man made a tooth pick disappear proves that he's evil (the devil incarnate) and was out to corrupt the students at this school. They should have thrown him in jail because he was endangering the life of all those minors. And while he's in jail they should put his name on the Florida sex offender registry listen because thats where people like him belong! Ok I hope everyone got the sarcasm there because I wasn't being serious even remotely (but I bet someone out there probably would agree with those sentiments).

People are dumb and so ignorant, I could have sworn we were living in the 21st century and we stopped accusing people of witchcraft or wizardry. And so what if he was a wizard should we set him on fire or try to drown him because if he floats we know what that means. What if this man were a practicing Wiccan the fact that he was fired he should sue the school district for religious intolerance. Even if he isn't a wiccan he should still sue for them being dumb asses because making a toothpick disappear isn't reason to be fired. They said another reason for his being fired was he wasn't "following the lesson plan", ok in my experience of going to school and having subs most of them didn't follow the plans. Unless he had to be habitually warned about not following lesson plans then he should be fired, but the fact wizardry was even mention as a reason is ridiculous.

-this has been a rant, (not a fantastic one but a rant none the less) by Shane

I just think thats DISGUSTING

I watch T.V a lot and so I'm usually subjected to RIDICULOUS commercials. But generally I don't mind but the commercials that generally stick in my mind are the ones that throw real facts at you. My brain is a sponge for useless facts (like the drink commercial which says men are more likely to be struck by lightning) but now I'm getting slightly off topic. So I see those Valtrex commercials which is that prescription to cure genital herpes. Then commercial goes on to say "1 in 5 people has genital herpes" *throws up in my mouth*, ok I wonder which 5 people these surveyors are hanging out with.

I think thats the skeeveist thing I have ever heard, I mean that makes me not want to have sex with anyone ever! I mean how hard is it to put on a condom so you don't catch someones nasty infections. Oh condoms might ruin the moment but I know they can save your life, because in the heat of the moment you may get yourself off but it can cause a lot more trouble in the long run. Its bad enough I have to worry about getting mugged walking down the street now I have to worry did I meet that right guy out of a group of 5.

But whats great about those Valtrex commercials is the understanding significant other, "Yes he has herpes and who cares how he got them, as long as he stays on this medication we shall be fine and can have as much sex as possible...oh and as long as he's not having an outbreak that would be bad". Ok I don't think I could even be in a relationship with someone with a sexually transmitted disease... so what does that say about me as a person, that says I want to have sex but don't want to put myself at risk for anything other than well pregnancy (and even thats a no no at the moment).

Being that I've never had sex it scares me shitless to think that someone I end up in a relationship will have something I sure as hell don't want. So the next time your in a room count up those people, if its a room of thirty think six of them has herpes and God knows what the others have.

-This has been a rant by Shane