Video Games Cause Violence

Video Games Cause Violence Video game violence is an increasing problem in today’s youth with violence as one of the most popular themes. Games such as Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty are among the most popular games and have been scientifically proven to have a major effect on teens. Many people try to argue that there is a difference in the effects between genders, however it has been proven wrong. Video games have the same effects as other forms of entertainment but do not get attacked like video games because the other forms are much larger than video games and have a much wider audience. Violence in video games is a rising problem in the United States, causing teens to have less self-control and more emotional disturbances, requiring more attention from parents and the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). Background Violent video games are gaining popularity around the world and are causing more and more problems among teen violence. Seventy-seven percent of people between ages 14 and 18 who took place in a survey reported that they play fighting or shooting games sixty-seven percent of the total time that they play games. Rashawn Blanchard, author of â€Å"Video Games Do Not Cause Violence†, stated â€Å"violence in video games simply helps players find release from the frustrations in their daily lives. † The survey also supported this with most people saying that it is just a game and that they play it to release their anger on something fake that cannot hurt anyone in the real world. They say it all depends on the person though; everyone is different and react to things differently. Younger players would be more influenced by the games, while older players would know what is fake and real. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates all the games that are sold to the public. The ESRB rates the games among the content in the games, whether it is a learning games to teach younger kids or a game that you are a person working for the mob, killing people and earning cash to go pay a prostitute. Some people say that the ESRB needs to be stricter to stop younger players from playing more mature games, while others say the ESRB needs to be less strict because if the kid wants it the parents are most likely going to get it for them to make them happy. The ESRB gives parents the ability to make decisions about the video games they choose for their families through the age and content ratings depending on the action in the game and what it allows you to do. One incident was on April 20, 1999, in the small, suburban town of Littleton, Colorado, two high-school seniors, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, enacted an all-out assault on Columbine High School during the middle of the school day. The boys' plan was to kill hundreds of their peers. With guns, knives, and a multitude of bombs, the two boys walked the hallways and killed. When the day was done, twelve students, one teacher, and the two murderers were dead. Klebold and Harris seemed to spend their time doing normal teenager activities. They worked together in a local pizza parlor, liked to play Doom (a computer game) in the afternoons, and worried about finding a date to the prom. For all outward appearances, the boys looked like normal teenagers. Looking back, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris obviously weren't your average teenagers (Rosenburg). It is hard to tell if someone is being affected by video games until they tell someone or act out their plan that that has been influenced by the violent games. Another incident happened in Germany when Tim Kretschmer dressed himself in black commando suit and opened fire at random at the Albertville-Realschule school in South Germany, killing nine students and three teachers, before fleeing the scene. He would later shoot another person near a psychiatric hospital, before hijacking a car and forcing the driver to take him to the nearby town of Wendlingen. Police eventually tracked him down and shot him dead, but not before a gunfight that claimed the lives of two more passers-by, and wounded two police officers. Germany's already strict gun laws are being examined in the wake of this shooting, while politicians cluck about violence in the media and look at videogames as a possible cause. The country already has a reputation for banning outright any games that offend their censors, and a lot of material fails to (legally) make it to German gamers without heavy edits. This latest murder spree is not going to help matters at all (Sterling). This type of actions could eventually spread to the United States and make it hard for game makers to make a violent game and cause them to lose prophet and go bankrupt having a small toll on the economy. The Effects of the Games Violent video games are significantly associated with: increased aggressive behavior, thoughts and also cause increased physiological arousal and decreased pro-social behavior (Anderson). At the Indiana University School of Medicine, researchers say that brain scans of kids who played a violent video game showed an increase in emotional arousal and a corresponding decrease of activity in brain areas involved in self-control, inhibition, and attention. However what was not clear was what the MRI images indicate a lingering–or worse- permanent effect on the child’s brain, and what the effects longer playing times might have (Kalning). All of which are negative effects. Evidence form brain scans in another test seem to support a connection between playing video games and activation of regions of the brain associated with aggression (Kierkegaard). In the test that Kristin Kalning observed, 44 teens were split into two groups with one group playing â€Å"Need for Speed: Underground† (non-violent) and the other group playing â€Å"Medal of Honor: Frontlines† (violent). The scans showed a negative effect on the teens who played â€Å"Medal of Honor: Frontlines† for 30 minutes. The same effect was not present for the teens who played â€Å"Need for Speed: Underground†. In some cases the high levels of violent video game exposure have been linked to delinquency, fighting at school, and violent criminal behavior (Anderson), which would also support what happened at Columbine High School and in Germany. After visiting the Video Gamers Voters website I found many facts such as: Sixty-seven percent of American heads of households play computer and video games, which would allow these types of players to have more access to weapons. However people at the age old enough to be head of household would know what is right and what is wrong and would have less chances to do something bad. The average game player is 33 years old and has been playing games for 12 years. With the average age being that high, it might lead to problems with the ESRB restricting younger players from playing more violent games and not damage the industry. Eighty-six percent of game players under the age of 18 report that they get their parents' permission when renting or buying games, and 91 percent say their parents are present when they buy games. With the parents approving the games there would be less chances for a young player to play games over the age limit. Thirty-six percent of American parents say they play computer and video games. Further, 80 percent of gamer parents say they play video games with their kids. Sixty-six percent feel that playing games has brought their families closer together. With the parents participating in the games with the children there would be more guidance for the children to prevent the violent behaviors and the parents could also explain the different things that might happen in the game. Thirty-eight percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (31%) than boys age 17 or younger (20%). Which leads to PC Magazine saying that women have receive less effects than men, however they are not as likely to play a violent video game reducing the amount of violent video games sold. In 2007, 24 percent of Americans over the age of 50 played video games, an increase from nine percent in 1999. With a wider audience playing video games more people will understand the effects of the games and will work to prevent it. Forty-nine percent of game players say they play games online one or more hours per week. With the online play it can not be controlled to what other people do or say to each other, maybe causing other players to get angry and want to release on something else. 97 percent of the people that participated in a survey at Pasco High School stated that they played online most of the time that they played video games exposing them to more uncontrollable violent behavior. After conducting a survey among 57 peers at Pasco High School, I found that 11 of those 57 did not play video games at all. 1 percent of the males that participated in the survey did not play video games. 75 percent of the males surveyed played violent video games with 71 percent playing them most, if not all, of the time. Among the ones that played the violent video games, 100 percent of their parents approved the games and bought the games for them. 31 percent of the females surveyed do not play video games. 53 percent o f the females that play video games play violent ones. The females that played the violent games played them most of the time, with all their parents approving. How to Solve the Problem One way of solving the problem is for the ESRB to become stricter. Most of the gamers do not want this to happen and think it should be less strict allowing them to play the games that they want to play. However with all the crimes committed by younger people being blamed on video games the ESRB might not have a choice and be forced to raise the age limits for the more violent games. Another is for parents to control the games the kids play and not allow them to play the more vulgar games. Parents should not only know what the games are they should know what is in the games to see if they approve the games. If the parents just don’t care about the games the kids have more chances of being effected by the games and become more violent, making it partially the parents fault for not supervising their kids and allowing them to play the games. Another very unlikely thing to do is for the players to not play nearly as long as they normally would. This would reduce the effects on the players and still allow them to play. With the kids not playing as long it would allow them to do other things such as homework or go outside and play giving them exercise, however it is not something that the players want because most are addicted to the games. Any of these would drastically reduce the violent behavior and most likely reduce other problems in society. Violence in video games is a mounting problem in our society and needs to be stopped. In order for things to change everyone needs do their part to solve the problem and stick to what they choose. Once this is done the society will be much better.

Pemphigus Vulgaris

Pemphigus Vulgaris Pemphigus Vulgaris is an autoimmune disorder in which there is blistering of the skin. The prefix phemphix comes from the greek work meaning â€Å"bubble†. This disorder affects the epithelial and mucous membranes. Although unlikely, certain medications can cause this disorder. These medications include: blood pressure medications and chelating agents. This autoimmune disease is especially rare and is limited to older adults to the elderly. A way that you can test for it is by performing a Nikolsky test. This test involves rubbing the patient with a cotton swab and if the skin comes off easily, it is positive. To be completely sure about the diagnosis, a skin lesion biopsy can be performed. Symptoms will most likely start with blisters in the mouth or skin. Then these blisters can turn into skin â€Å"lesions†. Lesions are when blisters start to ooze, peel off easily, or drain. The highest likely areas that will be affected are: the mouth, head, back, or stomach. Treatment for Pemphigus Vulgaris may include many different routes. Depending on the severity of the disease, you may need to be hospitalized for treatment. Possible ways to treat this disease include : intravenous solutions that include fluids, electrolytes and proteins, IV feedings in cases where the blisters are predominately on the mouth, numbing agents for the mouth, and some antibiotics may be able to work for this disease. This disease can be deadly if you don’t seek treatment. Even if you do seek treatment, the side effects of these treatments can also be very harsh. Since treatment focuses on the symptoms, this disease is still chronic with treatment. Works Cited â€Å"Pemphigus Vulgaris: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. † National Library of Medicine – National Institutes of Health. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. . â€Å"Pemphigus Vulgaris: EMedicine Dermatology. † EMedicine – Medical Reference. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. .

Introducing new brand into a market Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Introducing new brand into a market - Case Study Example (Auchan, 2008). Currently, Auchan has formed an alliance with the telecommunications operator Wind, in Italy, to build the strongest virtual operator, supported physically by Wind to offer telecommunication services as well as attractive promotions and fidelity options to give customers a reason to choose its supermarket over the current leader. This is an example of the "flanker strategy" - the objective of this strategy is to defend an exposed flank, which in business terms, is translated into a weakness in the leader's offering. "a follower may try to capture a leading share in a market segment with a differentiated product where the leader is not strong." (Avlonitis, 2006, p. 49). Attacking a non natural action field will give them an advantage over Carrefour that will require time for them to regain. Archos France is a company that produces electronic components, specifically those dedicated to multimedia applications. The role of Archos is the one of a company that follows the pace of the technology dictated by other leaders like Apple. Its strategy is based on producing almost cutting edge technological products at a lower cost than the concurrency but not trying to get the leadership position, since the company does not invest in innovation and advertising to the extent of the leaders in the industry. This is despite the fact that the company claims to have an objective of being an innovative company that brings pocket entertainment to customers (Archos, 2008). "Firms which undertake a good deal of innovation often have to recoup massive investment costs. Market followers are able to copy what the leading firms produce and save themselves the burden of massive investment costs. This means that they can operate very profitably at the going price in a market." (Proctor, 2000, p .109). An example of this strategy is the multimedia reader Archos 405 which is a product that resembles the iPod touch from Apple but with less appealing characteristics that allows it to be commercialized at half the price. Geox Italy is a firm that works in the shoe industry where other companies like Nike or Adidas are leaders. The difference with the strongest brands is that Geox was born based on the innovative idea of creating a shoe that allows transpiration to go out of the shoe through holes that do not allow water to come in. Its objective is to create shoes that guarantee those aspects giving the company a strong niche orientation, "A cardinal rule for successful entrepreneurs is "find a market niche." Specialization in a product area can make you the recognized expert." (Lesonsky, 2001, p. 45); the family of shoes that uses the Geox breathes patented system was a success among the customer that searched waterproof shoes that allowed the feet to remain dry, a sector of the market which was not considered by the market leaders and challengers such as Reebok, Le Coq Sportif or Avia. Essay 2 (Deena) An Overview Many companies consider launching new brands and products into the market with hopes that it will provide these brands sustainability and an increase in market share. While processes for dealing with competition differ from one region to the next, it is also important to recognize that for some brands, their competition might not require the same marketing competitive

My Electronic Dictionary is Very Important to Me Essay

My Electronic Dictionary is Very Important to Me - Essay Example Chomsky continued that he â€Å"can find definitions for four or five words in one minute†. As an international student, the author understands and agree with Chomsky love of words. Knowing the meaning of various new words is essential for learning proper English. It is impossible to carry around a huge dictionary with me all the time. However, an electronic dictionary is something that helps me avoid all of the inconveniences. Everyone can benefit from the use of an electronic dictionary because â€Å"students and scholars of language, the electronic versions open up to our possibilities for the exploitation of dictionary texts that the print versions could not begin to offer". The reporter highlights that  "I use it to learn new words and I am not shy about using it in the conversations. How can I communicate effectively with people around me if I do not know the meaning of the words they say? I am very happy that I finally purchased an electronic dictionary. The dictionary is my constant companion and is always with me always. In many conversations, it helped me to find the right terms to use and not to make a fool of myself by saying something inappropria te. While my electronic dictionary is easy to use, the purchase of it was not quite as easy One day, when I went shopping with my parents to one of the department stores in our neighborhood, I saw an electronic English dictionary that was destined to be mine. It was well designed and offered amazing features. These characteristics caught my attention immediately. The dictionary, literally, mesmerized me with its smooth silvery case. I could not divert my eyes from it. I went closer to the shelf where it laid to have a better look at it. The list of available features in the dictionary was no less astonishing than its looks."

Public Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Public Health - Essay Example surroundings and circumstances determine the health of people. Some of the factors used in the determination of health include genetic factors, educational level, income level and relationship with families and friends. The main determinants of health include social and economic environment, physical environment and the individual’s behaviors and characters. The increase in the income earning may increase the living standards; however, in some case people may fail to control their eating habits and end up acquiring diseases such as diabetes among others. The great gap between the gap between poor and rich increases the differences in health conditions. On the other hand, low education levels also contribute to the development of disease in the community. For instance, the lowly educated people may not be able to understand which kind of food to take at a given time. It becomes very difficult to create a harmonized healthy condition in the entire society because of the variatio n in the social factors (Kindig, 2015). In addition, people have different views and opinion regarding various health factors in the society. For example, some people may support abortion while other opposes the act and considers it an evil act. Such differences influence the efforts made to improve the population health.

Personal Income Tax and Revenue Forecasting Assignment - 1

Personal Income Tax and Revenue Forecasting - Assignment Example The lower tax rates are expected to stimulate economic activity and to encourage business to move from the shadow to the official (taxpaying) economy, so some of the revenue loss will ultimately be recovered. The Ministry of Finance forecasts collections of 7,789,000 markka (MK) for 2001. Data on tax collections are reported on the following page. Based on the information provided, the ministry definitely needs to revise its 2001 forecast. This is because the pace of tax revenue being collected is not coinciding with its revenue forecasting, which is 7.8 million markka. Basically, at its best point, the tax revenue averaged about 1.2 million markka, at the end of 1999 and 2000. However, the data in 2001 shows a significant drop compared with the past three previous years when tax revenues were compared. This means that it will probably take about 20 more years or so until tax revenue reaches 7.8 million markka, because if it took 3 years to get to 1.2 million in revenue—one multiples 3 by 7 and one gets the number of approximately 21 years to create that amount of revenue. Of course, revenue could increase exponentially in years to come, thus making the target goal of 21 years achieved in a faster time period. However, the important point to remember is that there are several factors that go into how such data is arrived at in the first place. So, supposing that Vardar’s markka strengthens as time goes on and that more people are able to pay taxes due to the economy being stimulated and people being freed up to make more money—it is entirely possible that the economy will grow significantly before the 21-year window of economic growth is due. It depends on if people can get the jobs to provide for their families and support the economy. What factors might influence the patterns seen in the data include a variety of things. In former Soviet

Research Paper on Stereotypes Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On Stereotypes - Research Paper Example One understanding of stereotypes is that they emerge to exploit differences between competing groups. Stereotyping downplays similar characteristics and magnifies differences. One sees this occur among African-Americans, whose identity clearly goes more in-depth than racial background, as they are more American than African. However, American society consistently splits itself on lines of black vs. white. Another theory of stereotypes relies on psychological research and claims that for human beings it is too difficult to process all the nuances of individuality so stereotypes function to help cognitively organize groups of people. By assigning characteristics to large groups, it aids humans in simplifying, organizing, and predicting the society they function. As a result, there is decreased need to process new information that would distinguish people by individual traits. Sociologist Charles Hurst believes that, â€Å"†¦stereotypes (are) the lack of personal, concrete familia rity that individuals have with persons in other racial or ethnic groups. (Hurst 6).† In these regards, it’s clear that lack of familiarity encourages the lumping together of unknown individuals. Whatever the theory, it’s clear that stereotypes present a problem for society as they inhibit integration and function in large part to maintain a social caste system where upward mobility faces resistance. One can just view the cases of the maquilos workers on the Mexico – Florida border and the gender stereotypes they endured when attempting to receive fair and equitable wages and positions. Stereotypes are in direct opposition to our right as human beings to the pursuit of happiness and personal betterment. While stereotypes exist for a variety of reasons, it’s clear that there are a number of stereotypes that have emerged that are regularly believed by large groups of the general public. One of the major areas of stereotyping occurs in the area of gend er. In these regards, men are presented as needing to be concerned with sports and ‘manly pursuits. Oftentimes, there are stereotypes presented of woman, such as blondes as being outgoing and fun loving, while girls who read having a prudish edge. One comes to witness a great degree of gender stereotypes in phrases such as ‘you should never hit a girl’. As within such statements there is the belief that men should be weak and men physically strong. Another area of stereotyping occurs in terms of race. Race constitutes one of the major areas where stereotyping occurs. For instance, Mexicans are depicted as lazy, while Asians are depicted as being studious and career driven. Still more stereotyping occurs in regards to religion. If one speaks to individuals very familiar with sects of Christianity, for instance, they will oftentimes report that Baptists have different attitudes than Catholics or Lutherans. In addition, there are a wide variety of stereotypes regardi ng practitioners of Judaism, with these individuals being thought of as thrifty or intellectual. Finally, stereotyping also occurs in regards to people’s sexual preferences. In regards to sexual preference, gay individuals are oftentimes depicted as speaking with a lisp or doing fantastical or ‘fabulous’ things. They are also believed to wear specific types