Hey kids! The army is just like those shoot 'em up games you like so much!

[Pocahontas]

They weren't old enough for it. From a parental standpoint, however, I will restate my PERSONAL OPINION that rap is crap.

 

I agree a hundred percent on rap being crap, luckly my kids did not listen to it very long. They listen to alot of the same stuff we do, thank god. My two oldest bought tickets yesterday to see Wilco for the first time, so it has sanked into their minds what good music is now that they are young adults. I feel like I did something right there.

[cryptique]

The upshot' date=' says military sociologist Charles Moskos of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., is that the Pentagon and Congress should be aiming higher than recruiting by video game. By drastically changing recruitment benefits to pay off college loans, he says - and even offering short-term enlistments - the Army could tap into the 1.2 million college graduates looking for work every year, few of whom now enlist.[/quote']

I think this guy is onto something. If you wipe federal student loans off the books for graduates who sign up for, say, three years, you could increase the quality of the pool of recruits considerably.

 

Personally, I'd kind of like to see mandatory service instituted -- so that everyone would have to put in two years of service between the ages of 18 and 28, or something along those lines. You could choose to do it right out of high school, or defer it until after college, but everyone would have to do it. And when your two years are up, you have the option of bailing with no further commitment.

 

I think such a program would have other benefits, too -- instill some discipline in kids who might not have had any previously, among other things.

[EL the Famous]

I have a real peeve about violence as entertainment, particularly for children (and by children I mean teenagers). My son (who was forbidden to have one of those game things in my house for that reason) doesn't see anything wrong with killing e-people for fun. Hey, he even thinks it's okay to let his 7month old son watch him do it.

 

With the Pentagon being in the war game biz it makes sense for them to do this, but I wonder if other producers of these games get grants from the military to develop them because they do such a good job of inuring people (men) to violence.

 

Disclaimer: The opiner also disapproves of DVD players in cars for children.

 

I agree. We've made a decision that there will be no video games involving violence (outside of something like Madden 2020) allowed in our house. My guess is that they'll play them at a friends house or wherever else, but it will be with an understanding of just how stupid they are, how much we disagree that they're even out there and that they in no way should translate to one's views on how to act in 'real life'. I never thought i'd say that, but games like Grand Theft Auto offer no value to anybody and they are a little different than throwing down w/ Evil Otto on this:

 

 

On that tip, my guess is that the makers of said Grand Theft Auto aren't receiving any sort of grants for fear it'll allow government editiorialization of popping e-caps in e-asses, selling e-crack to e-crackheads and e-fucking e-hookers.

 

To take it a step further, I really don't see us ever having one of those game consoles, period. They can read a book, listen to music, go outside and throw a ball around, mow my lawn, whatever.

[owl]

Exactly. And my parents always thought: Why should we buy something/endorse something for you that only keeps you in the house to make you lazy and annoy us?

 

Instead my mom would say: "Go outstide and get the stink blown off of you."

[EL the Famous]

They weren't old enough for it. From a parental standpoint, however, I will restate my PERSONAL OPINION that rap is crap.

 

That, of course, I completely disagree with.

[aricandover]

I played forms of violent videogames when i was young, have played every version of grand theft auto somewhere at somepoint, i find multiplayer shooter games to be highly entertaining, and i don't want to harm anyone.

 

 

same here

[viatroy]

I I never thought i'd say that, but games like Grand Theft Auto offer no value to anybody

 

To take it a step further, I really don't see us ever having one of those game consoles, period. They can read a book, listen to music, go outside and throw a ball around, mow my lawn, whatever.

 

 

Ah parenthood.

[bobbob1313]

One time my friend beat me in halo so I broke a glass bottle and used to to cut him.

[EL the Famous]

I played forms of violent videogames when i was young, have played every version of grand theft auto somewhere at somepoint, i find multiplayer shooter games to be highly entertaining, and i don't want to harm anyone.

 

so did I. however, how old are/were you when games like Grand Theft Auto came out and wouldn't you say that it is a lot different/more realistic than what was avail back in the 80's/even 90's?

 

for the record, I think just not allowing it into the house isn't enough...you have to raise your kids to understand how shit featured within isn't acceptable behavior. perhaps, maybe the latter is enough for some parents to then allow the games to be played at a certain age...which I could completely understand. it's all how you parent your children and to that, I say, to each their own.

[JUDE]

To this day I still have this irrational fear of gorillas that throw wooden barrels.

[bobbob1313]

I always felt bad for the turtles in Mario. I mean, a turtle cannot last long without it's shell, and it seems a bit mean spirited of Mario to always be jumping around on their backs and using them to hit other people in go-carts.

[EL the Famous]

To this day I still have this irrational fear of gorillas that throw wooden barrels.

 

Ditto, but I can swing on a vine over quicksand and alligator infested ponds like a motherfucker.

[austrya]

I don't let my kids play sexually violent video games. They do know the difference between right and wrong though and they know that video games are video games and not real life.

 

I'll also add that even though I let my kids play the games, they also are active in sports, play with kids in the neighborhood, get good grades, etc. Heck, my 8 year old and I are reading The Phantom Tollbooth together, not many kids in 3rd grade can read AND comprehend a book that has a 6.4-7.2 (depending where you look) reading level...

[EL the Famous]

I don't let my kids play sexually violent video games. They do know the difference between right and wrong though and they know that video games are video games and not real life.

 

I'll also add that even though I let my kids play the games, they also are active in sports, play with kids in the neighborhood, get good grades, etc. Heck, my 8 year old and I are reading The Phantom Tollbooth together, not many kids in 3rd grade can read AND comprehend a book that has a 6.4-7.2 (depending where you look) reading level...

 

you're a good parent who's obviously taught them an excellent sense of right/wrong...every kid is different and it's up to their parents to raise them the best way they know how. that's awesome.

[Guest ScottHoward]

As a kid, I exclusively played the Leisure Suit Larry suite of games.

[EL the Famous]

As a kid, I exclusively played the Leisure Suit Larry suite of games.

 

 

 

 

[bjorn_skurj]

That, of course, I completely disagree with.

I don't think it's entirely her fault. I think her kid is into Eminem.

[owl]

Yeah, there is good hip hop and very, very, bad hip hop.

 

There is also an emerging Indie hip hop scene that seems pretty cool.

 

This guy is good:

 

http://www.giovannimarks.com/

[EL the Famous]

Yeah, there is good hip hop and very, very, bad hip hop.

 

Absolutely, just like every other genre of music. If someone is judging all of hip hop by what they hear from Eminem, i'd completely understand their distaste for it.

[owl]

Absolutely. I do think that Eminem is witty, but I find his music to be very grating and obnoxious, as well.

[c53x12]

Instead my mom would say: "Go outstide and get the stink blown off of you."

I'm not quite sure what that means, but your Mom sounds a lot like my Mom. And my Mom was pretty cool.

[owl]

At least in the years before (the stink blown off of you years) and after (the thanks for putting me through college years) my obnoxious, ungrateful adolescent/post-adolescent jerk phase.

[EL the Famous]

I don't know if i'd call him witty...he's got a powerful, sometimes unique, delivery/style and has had some catchy hooks to drop rhymes over. The whole murder/i'm crazy thing was done by other artists a long time ago (i.e. Ghetto Boyz), the novelty that it was being spit by a white guy wore off for me after the first single.

[G_willy]

I don't let my kids play sexually violent video games. They do know the difference between right and wrong though and they know that video games are video games and not real life.

 

 

This is what I don't understand about american culture. Why is it that so many parents condone violence but any sight of nudity and its...NO WAY IS MY KID PLAYING THAT.

 

I used to work electronics at target and a mom wouldnt let her son buy the new james bond video game cus a girl was in a bikini... so he bought some other shooter game instead.

 

Why is it that killing people is much more acceptable in todays values than something thats required for the continuence in life? You look over in europe and even parts of canada and sex is just sex...its not something soo tabboo.

 

I dont care if people dont want their children exposed to sexual content at a young age ... different people have different views, but why then is it acceptable for them to be "virtually" killing people?

[OOO]

because kids walking around pretending to kill eachother is more acceptable than kids walking around with boners.