From the blaming-everything-on-video-games department:

• Supposedly murder because of stupid drunk teenagers imitating Mortal Kombat
• Soda companies blaming video games for child obesity

All I have to say is… /sigh Can we find some other scapegoat? Like D&D, rock and rap music, media violence, internet? Oh wait, those have already been blamed. For all you parents out there, you are supposed to be watching what yours kids are doing. If your 12 years old are playing GTA and get screwed up in the head, you are to blame because you didn’t catch him/her doing so, and provide proper guidance/parenting.

Also, I think the number of accidental gun shot deaths in households is way higher. In 1999, in 3,385 firearms-related deaths for age group 0-19 years, 214 unintentional were unintentional. Pardon my old numbers, I can’t find any newer ones, but with guns more and more common today in US, I can only imagine that number being higher. Let’s fight more worthwhile fights, shall we?

A neat story about how physical therapists at one hospital is using the Wii to engage the patients into doing physical therapy. Just goes to show everyone that, all coins have two sides. Instead of blaming video games for violence in the young and what not, people should instead take responsibility and ask themselves, what they can do to make the most out of the medium, and minimize the negative impact.

Straight from the press release:

Vivendi to Contribute Vivendi Games Valued at $8.1 Billion, Plus $1.7 Billion in Cash in Exchange for Approximately 52% Stake in Activision Blizzard at Closing; Total Transaction Valued at $18.9 Billion

Activision Blizzard Will Commence Post-Closing Cash Tender Offer for Up to 146.5 Million of its Shares at $27.50 per Share, Representing 31% Premium for Activision Stockholders Based on 20-Trading Day Average

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