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| NBA Preseason Highlights: London Lions at Trail Blazers (10/12) Stream of Nation |
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13 @ 00:01:39 PDT (21 reads) | |
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nba preseason highlights: london lions at trail blazers (10/12)
highlights from the game between the london lions and the trail blazers on monday, october 12th |
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| Sharyn Lee Sibera, Warren, Ohio |
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13 @ 00:01:39 PDT (16 reads) | |
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Warren, ohio (myvalleytributes) - sharyn lee sibera, 74, of warren, ohio entered into the eternal life on friday, october 9, 2026, with her daughter desiree at her side.
she was born april 15, 1952, in warren, ohio, and is the daughter of howard w. Kordes and mary (denovchek) kordes.
find obituaries from your high school
sharyn was a graduate of the 1970 class of howland high school . She attended thiel college, where she was a sister of alpha xi delta sorority and ultimately earned her masters degree in teaching.
advertisement advertisement advertisement advertisement she spent her teaching career in the howland school system for 38 years. Her love for teaching was reinforced when her students always stopped and talked with her, even 20 years after having her as a teacher.
while teaching and after, sharyn was a lifetime member of delta kappa gamma sorority, where she moved through the ranks up to vice president yet enjoyed being an officer who lent her expertise to upcoming teachers. She also loved to dance jitterbug with her late husband, travel with her daughter and friends to numerous places, gamble at different casinos where she always won, and kept her faith with the good lord going to church with her friends. Sharyn always had a smile on her face and impacted so many lives.
sharyn was well-known for being very active in her community and spent numerous hours volunteering. She volunteered at the menagerie by awl for years before switching to volunteering at st. Vincent depaul weekly and was very active with the republican gop.
cherishing her memories are her daughter, desiree cleo sibera of fairmont, west virginia and her son, victor (amanda) sibera of tallmadge, ohio and her grandchildren, victor and julius sibera which she adored.
advertisement advertisement besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, victor j. Sibera, whom she married august 4, 1984. Sharyn cherished her 30 years of marriage with her husband and loved every moment with their children during their milestones. Along with family, she leaves her little girls gizmo and izzy, who she enjoyed taking on walks and who made her laugh.
the family wishes to thank her doctors and nurses from the cleveland clinic and especially her nurse practitioner, chelsea lisk, from the renal group who worked around the clock and went above and beyond their duties to help her and her family through this difficult time.
the family will receive friends from 5:00 - 7:00 p.M. On wednesday, october 14, 2026, and again one hour prior to the funeral on thursday, october 15, 2026, at the funeral home.
funeral services will be held at 12:00 pm on thursday, october 15, 2026, at the
carl w. Hall funeral home , where pastor edgar agler will officiate.
advertisement advertisement friends may send condolences to the family by visiting our website at carlwhall.Com .
interment will be in the crown hill burial park, vienna, ohio.
the family wishes any contributions to be made in sharyns name to the animal welfare league, 812 youngstown kingsville road se, and st. Vincent depaul at 540 main avenue sw warren, oh 44483.
copyright 2026 nexstar media, inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to wkbn.Com. |
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| Video games |
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13 @ 00:01:39 PDT (15 reads) | |
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Difference between revisions of video games
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*[[final fantasy]] - a very popular and long running [[rpg]] series in both the [[united states]] and [[japan]]. Earlier games were rather child-friendly, but the series has become more mature over time. | *[[Final fantasy]] - a very popular and long running [[rpg]] series in both the [[united states]] and [[japan]]. Earlier games were rather child-friendly, but the series has become more mature over time. | ||
*[[the legend of zelda]] - a popular series of fantasy action-adventure games. | *[[The legend of zelda]] - a popular series of fantasy action-adventure games. | ||
| ? | *[[Terraria]] - a 2d [[sandbox]] rpg game that has mature themes and violent imagery. Notable for | + | *[[terraria]] - a 2d [[sandbox]] rpg game that has mature themes and violent imagery. Notable for its popularity, and constant free updates in spite of the game releasing in 2011. |
=== first person role-play === | === first person role-play === |
revision as of 01:28, october 13, 2026
- see also:
chess, a strategic board game dependent on intellect which can help overcomeaddictionto video games.
a video game is an electronic game, which is played on a device such as a computer or console. Video games provide the user with audio and visual feedback when the game is played. Today, they are often played with others, either in person or over the internet. Board games are often converted into video games using online matchmaking and scripted bots, and one of the most popular of these is chess for its strategic gameplay. One expert observes that every school shooter has been heavily immersed in violent first person shooter games.[[1]](#cite_note-1) many bright futures of young men are destroyed by video game habits, and video games even cause harmful increases in blood sugar in players.[[2]](#cite_note-2)
video games are addictive, train young mass murderers, and promote liberal talking points or ideas. By exploiting this addiction, one article says that the global video games market [is] to reach $293.2 billion by 2027.[[3]](#cite_note-3) additionally, another article states that in 2022, in japan, that 17 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 12 spend more than four hours a day gaming — up from 9% in 2017, with a similar jump seen among those between the ages of 12 and 15.[[4]](#cite_note-4) as to liberality, video games, even ones exported to russia, increasingly promote the homosexual agenda contrary to the policy of russia and elsewhere.[[5]](#cite_note-5)
violent video games are particularly addictive for boys and young men.[[6]](#cite_note-6)[[7]](#cite_note-7) additionally, video games are associated with dropping out of school and the video game industry is criticized for exploiting its workers.[[8]](#cite_note-8)[[9]](#cite_note-9)
at least one study showed that young men are playing video games instead of getting jobs, as reported by the chicago tribune.[[10]](#cite_note-10) young adults would be helping themselves by seeking alternatives to video games during recreational periods.
the video game industry itself also receives significant government support; in quebec, all large video game projects can receive tax credits up to 37%, increasing public debt and taxes for everyone else. [[11]](#cite_note-11)
nature of video games
video games vary greatly in type and complexity, but all games are alike in that they translate player input (from a controller, mouse, keyboard or motion sensor) into onscreen actions. Games are often stored on some sort of digital media - rom cartridge, cd, dvd, flash memory chip, or even cassette tape for early computer games. Older or less expensive games sometimes used dedicated chips that were pre-programmed to play certain games only. In recent years, game developers have moved to digital distribution, allowing customers to purchase game licenses online, and download over the internet. On pcs, this is often done through marketplaces such as valve corporations (also known as valve software) steam service, or electronic arts origin service, while the xbox one and playstation 4 have their own digital distribution services.
home consoles are classified by generation to indicate their relative power and date of release. The current major consoles (xbox series x, ps5, nintendo switch oled) are considered ninth generation. Handheld consoles are not generally put into generations due to their more irregular release schedules.
various genres
video games in the course of their existence have grown from simple arcade-style games, and have become more detailed and separated from one another. Genres can now include first-person shooters, racing, simulation, role-playing, sports, action, strategy, massively multiplayer online (mmo), puzzle, sport simulation, and many others.[[12]](#cite_note-12)[[13]](#cite_note-13) even then, games can combine genres, such as mass effect (role playing and third person shooting), or not fit nicely into any genre, like the mystery of the druids. The most popular genres tend to be shooters, action, and role-playing games. Some video games are based on movies, such as star wars.
popularity and controversy
games have risen in popularity over the years, as is shown in the rise of video game sales from the 1980s until today. This has brought with it a large amount of controversy as the video game industry continues to grow with its original player base.
video games are addictive activities targeted at teenagers, often with tragic results. Certain genres of games are becoming increasingly violent and offensive, attracting the attention of legislators in many states to protect the exploitation of children by them. Games such as grand theft auto are very violent, sexually explicit, and feature criminal behavior. These games are rated m 17+ for mature, but courts have struck down laws preventing retailers from selling them to children, under an interpretation that the first amendment protects offensive video games even for children.[[14]](#cite_note-14) after a conservapedian filed an amicus brief with the u.S. Supreme court to consider this issue, it surprised liberals by granting certiorari.
however, in 2011, the supreme court denied a ban on the sale of violent video games in california, claiming they were protected as they qualify for first amendment protection and pointing out that there has historically been no shortage of violent imagery in childrens fairytales, classical literature, and comics. Writing for the majority, justice scalia pointed out that disgust is not a valid basis for restricting expression, and continued that any effects of violent video games on children are both small and indistinguishable from effects produced by other media.[[15]](#cite_note-15)
it has also been suggested that it is the role of parents to regulate what their children play, and that laws restricting video game vendors are an effort to replace parents decisions with the governments decisions.[[16]](#cite_note-16)[[17]](#cite_note-17)
as some wake up to how harmful violent video games are, the video game industry declined in 2012,[[18]](#cite_note-18) though it remains much bigger than hollywood. Video games are likely the single biggest cause of bright young men dropping out of college. While video games were originally designed for children and adolescent males, video games have become too popular with adult males, many of whom will often neglect family and work to spend a copious number of hours playing video games including online games such as world of warcraft in a video game addiction. Liberal denial discourages people from recognizing the problem.
arguments against video game usage
see young mass murderers for their connection to video games.
video games have been accused of being linked to murders by young people and other violence, stress-induced health problems (including unexpected heart attacks),[[20]](#cite_note-20) atheism, obesity,[[21]](#cite_note-21) and sexual immorality. Several prominent murderers in recent years were inspired by video games.[[22]](#cite_note-22)[[23]](#cite_note-23) young mass murderer adam lanza was immersed in a perverse video game world and killed himself to prevent law enforcement from taking his points. He plotted his rampage far in advance and learned the principles of ... The tactical reload from his [video games].
video games have also been used as murder simulators by the american army, in order to desensitize young men, into triggering the gun better, and with less doubt, thus killing enemies more efficiently.
[[24]](#cite_note-24)
after a murderous rampage by another video game user in norway:[[25]](#cite_note-25)
| “ | a number of norway stores have pulled violent video games from sale - including several call of duty games and world of warcraft - in the wake of the massacre carried out by anders behring breivik on july 22. | ” |
unbeknownst to many, the video game industry is partly subsidized by taxpayers, even in the conservative texas. In 2015, a spat broke out between the video game and film industries about the millions they would receive from the government.[[26]](#cite_note-26)
video game usage and excess weight
due to the sedentary lifestyle of many who abuse video games or play them for extremely long amounts of time, there is an absence of exercise - meaning addiction to video games can cause an increase in weight to unhealthy proportions.
the national obesity forum indicates:
| “ | the figures highlighted by the f as in fat annual report [trust for americas health 2007 annual report] were retrieved from the data resource center on child and adolescent health website. The analysis of these figures reveals a strong positive correlation between hours spent on tv/video game play and the percentage of children classed as overweight per state. The state of utah was acclaimed with the lowest percentage of children overweight, and was found to have the second lowest proportion of children spending 2 or more hours on tv/video gameplay. The district of columbia, found to have the highest percentage of overweight children, also had the highest percentage nationwide of children spending an incredible 4 hours plus in front of a screen.
|
slate reported in 2012:
| “ | the american academy of pediatrics tells parents that children’s total entertainment media time should not exceed two hours daily. According to the kaiser family foundation, average kids watch at least twice that much television. They also spend more than an hour per day online and another hour on video games. These activities, collectively called “screen time,” are widely blamed for the tripling of obesity rates in children since the 1980s.
|
the university of texas at austin declares:
| “ | a study by researchers at the university of texas at austin suggests that watching television is not associated with children’s weight, but playing electronic games may be, especially for girls.
“children with higher weight status spent moderate amounts of time playing electronic games, while children with lower weight status spent either a little or a lot of time playing electronic games,” said dr. Elizabeth a. Vandewater, who led the study published in the february issue of the journal of adolescence. Although the greater weight/video game link was found in this study with girls, she noted that future studies may reveal similar findings for boys. Either way, the findings could be significant considering how many american children play electronic games. |
” |
the pittsburg gazette reports: a 2010 study from the eastern ontario research institute found video games to blame, chiefly because children, boys especially, tend to eat more when theyre playing them.[[31]](#cite_note-31)
irreligion, video game usage and obesity
relevant magazine reported about the journal article in the international journal for the psychology of religion entitled no other gods before mario?: Game preferences among atheistic and religious individuals:
| “ |
|
as far as the relationship between irreligion and obesity, please examine the articles below:
exergaming
as far as exergaming (video games that prompt the users to engage in physical activity), slate reports:
| “ | after three months, “there was no evidence that children receiving the active video games were more active in general or at any time,” the authors wrote. (The year before, a similar study in new zealand had shown only minor improvement with active games; kids weighed just a pound less after six months of exergaming.)
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overcoming addiction to video games
as with any addiction, video game usage can be hard to overcome as soon as one is drawn into it. Fortunately, faith-based efforts to overcome addiction can be effective and rewarding, and churches exist in part to help people overcome harmful vices in the world. (See also: habit) the online gamers anonymous website is a good example and has chapters in many places, nooks and crannies.
catholicism recommends that people give up something they like on fridays, and throughout all of lent. For some, it is easy to end a bad habit altogether once one is successful in giving it up at least one day a week, or throughout the 40 days of lent.
in this regard, the bible can be extraordinarily helpful and inspiring. Replacing video game usage with readings from books such as psalms and proverbs can turn a vice into an enormous boost to ones life. One approach is to read the proverbs chapter having the same number as the day of the month (e.G., On february 17 read proverbs 17), and read five chapters in psalms that also correspond to the day of the month (e.G., Read psalms 81-85) on february 17 (17 times 5 is 85). New testament passages in which jesus mentions hell can also be tremendously beneficial in combating vice. See, e.G., Mark 9:43.
in general, acquiring good habits can help drive out bad ones. Setting goals helps: give yourself a weekly or monthly report card on all aspects of life. (See also: beating nfl addiction)
violence
most of the controversy comes from the rising trend toward violence in video games, as pioneered by doom), quake, spring, and the grand theft auto series.
some people point out that violent video games cause violent behavior in children. The effects of violent video games on the developing psyches of children and adolescents vary greatly and of course depend on the mental stability of the subject in question.
serious crimes have often been associated with video games. For example, a 14-year-old brutally murdered a video arcade employee one morning and his cousin stands trial for murdering the store manager when he entered the store shortly thereafter.[[34]](#cite_note-34)
in the usa, all retail games carry ratings from the esrb, a video game ratings organization.
some claim that kids who dont play video games at all seem to show more violent tendencies. Of course, as expected, those who played violent video games for large amounts of time also showed violent tendencies; the study, however, claims that this is a risk marker, not an actual cause.[[35]](#cite_note-35)
multiple studies have shown a correlation between violent video games and increased levels of aggression, caused by playing some of the aforementioned video games.[[36]](#cite_note-36)[[37]](#cite_note-37) however, in such cases, it is vital to keep in mind the fact that correlation does not equal causation. [[38]](#cite_note-38)
sexuality
although nudity is not prominent in western video games, there are various products containing sexually suggestive material. One reason for the relative lack of explicitly sexual material in western games may be the refusal of retailers including wal-mart[[39]](#cite_note-39) to sell games carrying an adults-only rating. One notable target of controversy is the grand theft auto series after a third-party mod was released that allowed the player to engage in a mini-game containing explicit sexual material. Mods are, as third-party would imply, fan-made and are not the responsibility of the games developer. Other sources of this criticism relate to the game tomb raider, one of the first games to depict and advertise a female character (the protagonist) as a sex symbol.[[40]](#cite_note-40)
arguments for video game usage
video games have been suspected of giving otherwise liberal people some virtual conservative viewpoints.[[41]](#cite_note-41) they have also been shown to help people to become more attuned to their surroundings and increase coordination, and in the future may be used to treat people with visual problems and to train soldiers.[[42]](#cite_note-42)
while the evidence is conflicting, some also say that video games keep the participants engaged and more mentally active than watching television.
also, the american psychological association states that while there is a well-established link between violent video games and aggressive behaviors, empirical research finds there is little to no evidence connecting violent behavior (extreme physical aggressive behavior) to video games.[[43]](#cite_note-43)[[44]](#cite_note-44)
video games and society
as video games become more popular, their impact on society becomes ever more present. A prime example of this is the massive ad campaigns for the halo) and grand theft auto franchises. Advertising, merchandising, and even social pressures have changed in the ever-growing influence of video gaming.
due to their popularity, various corporations have begun placing advertisements for their products within the context of the game. Second life, an internet-based virtual world, has attempted to blur the lines between the real world and the virtual world, and companies such as adidas, reebok, and dell have set up virtual stores selling real-world products within the game. Reuters also operates a news bureau reporting news in the game.
npc internet meme
the npc internet meme (derived from non-playable character (npc)) in video gaming), is a politically right-wing internet meme that represents liberals/leftists (like sjws) who do not think for themselves, lack critical thinking skills and have been politically indoctrinated.
according to the website the verge:
| “ | last week, the
along with a couple of stories before it, the times’ article kicked off a domino effect: its publication prompted popular members of the suddenly, a meme... [Was] telegraphed to a massive audience in a jarringly forced display of virality that highlights just how quickly an inside joke from an insular community can spread with the oxygen of press coverage.
|
the rise of the npc internet meme
there has been a huge rise in the use of the npc meme on the internet as can be seen by this google trends graph of worldwide searches for the term .
the main factors are:
1. Elon musk taking over twitter which gave a boost to the political right.
2. Supporters of right-wing politics are getting more active in culture war issues such as anti-woke backlash.
3. The growing hunger for free speech and anti-cancel culture sentiments.
4. The rise of a few other right-wing friendly social media platforms (rumble, gab, etc.).
6. A right-wing populist program normally encompasses factors such as economic protectionism/problems and anti-immigration/anti-illegal immigration sentiments and these factors are rising in some countries.
7. European right-wing political figures (marine le pen, viktor orbán, andrej duda, etc.) Are using the european union corruption scandal as a political weapon and inciting anti-eu sentiment ahead of the 2024 european parliament elections which is giving a bounce to right-wingers.
education in video games
it is unlikely that there is any educational value in video game usage, compared with better activities that could be pursued.
but firaxis games, a noteworthy video game development company, has been creating a video game series called civilization for nearly a decade.[[46]](#cite_note-46) civilization is a simulation game that allows the player to lead a nation from ancient times to the modern day. It features a dynamic military system, politics, trading, and historical content. It has been recognized for its unintentional educational properties.[[47]](#cite_note-47)
microsoft flight simulator is another example of a video game that may have some slight educational value.[[48]](#cite_note-48)
some games are also created specifically as teaching tools. While they may not offer detailed, useful knowledge, they typically attempt at least to teach useful concepts or general information. An example of this is the now-dated game, oregon trail.
faith in video games
faith in video games has, as a rule, either led to the creation of new and dynamic antagonists, or video games that are mediocre, such as spiritual warfare and bible adventures for the nintendo entertainment system, or the bible game for various systems. Bible adventures in particular is infamous for its poor design and playability.
the bible, or other such religious texts, tells a story spanning many different viewpoints. Turning these ideas into a video game, however, most often leads to games that tend to bore most video game audiences.
religion has, however, taken a prominent place amongst the various heroes and villains in video games. The breath of fire series and the shin megami tensei games, in particular, use a god as a main antagonist in many of their incarnations. Other games to use religion in some way include the final fantasy series, left behind: eternal forces, black and white, heaven and hell, xenogears, okami, and the tales series, particularly tales of symphonia. Unfortunately, many (not all) of the aforementioned games (and nearly any role-playing game from east asia) present religion (or its respective church and followers) as evil, fake, or having ulterior and nefarious motives.
games may include a fictional religion as part of the setting if the use of a real religion may invite undesirable controversy.
video game reviewers have sometimes unjustly attacked and reviewed games where real-world religion plays a notable role. One of the most prominent examples of this is the game left behind: eternal forces.[[49]](#cite_note-49)
popular video game franchises
culturally historical
pong- the first real video game, resembling a two-dimensional interpretation of table tennis using hand held dials as controllers.Pac-man- an old maze game. It was very popular with kids and adults back in the eighties.
platformer
donkey kong- an early platform game in whichmario(then known as jumpman) tries to save his girlfriend pauline from a barrel-flinging ape named donkey kong. Both donkey kong and mario went on to star in many other successful video games.Super mario bros.- Side-scrolling platform game series bynintendo. Players play as mario and luigi, two italian plumber brothers, who explore the mushroom kingdom in order to rescue princess peach from the evil bowser [called koopa in japan]. This is possibly the most well-known game in the world.
2d role-play
final fantasy- a very popular and long runningrpgseries in both theunited statesandjapan. Earlier games were rather child-friendly, but the series has become more mature over time.The legend of zelda- a popular series of fantasy action-adventure games.Terraria- a 2dsandboxrpg game that has mature themes and violent imagery. Notable for its popularity, and constant free updates in spite of the game releasing in 2011.
first person role-play
assassins creed- taking place, after a fashion, during thecrusades. Play as altair, and kill leaders from both sides to stop a deadly plot.Mass effect- a science fiction rpg for mature players.Tomb raider- series of games following the adventures of lara croft.
above & below
grand theft auto- a game series aboutgangster-like characters who perform missions to rise to the top by killing, stealing, and other, sometimes violent, missions.
first person shooters (fps)
call of duty- a series offirst-person shootersin which a player is either a soldier in world war ii or a soldier involved in thewar on terror.- Half-life and half-life 2 - first-person shooter series about gordon freeman, a luckless scientist turned hero-from-desperation. This game uses one of the leading physics engines in first-person shooters, the source engine.
halo- a trilogy of games following a super soldier during a fictional futurewar.Medal of honor- a first-person shooter series usually taking place in the front lines of world war ii.Portal- a popular first-person shooter/puzzle game using the same game engine as half-life 2 involving inter-dimensional travel through portals in an abandoned testing facility. This game is known for its deadpan sense of humor.
third person shooters
gears of war- mankind has been annihilated by an underground race of beings.
strategy
age of empires- anrtsin which the player leads an ancient civilization.Civilization- a strategy game in which the player leads a civilization from its birth, and into the future.
arcade fighting
mortal kombat- multi-player fighting game which is famous for violence, blood, and gory finishing moves called fatalities.Super smash bros.- Series of nintendo fighting games. It mixes characters from differentnintendofranchises [with some exceptions] in wide environments.Soul calibur- a weapon-based fighting game. Revolves around the tale of two weapons, soul edge [cursed] and soul calibur [blessed], and those who fight for control or destruction of the weapons.Street fighter- one-on-onemartial artsfighting game series, where a player selects one of various martial artists and battles other players or against computer-controlled characters.
simulation
guitar hero- a game where players play the role of theguitaristin a band. Uses a special controller in the shape of and is played similarly to a guitar.Harvest moon- farm life simulator, with many sequels spreading from various platforms. The character runs a farm, raises animals, and can eventually marry.Nhlseries - a series of hockey games produced by ea sports.The sims- a life simulator produced by ea.
survival horror
resident evil- survival/horror video game series, revolving around viral zombies and the survivors of the zombie attacks.
see also
references
?Childhood obesitydepartment of health and human services, retrieved sept 18th 2011?Adelmann, bob (august 5, 2019).Motives in recent mass shootings should include impact of violent video games. The new american. Retrieved august 5, 2019.?Video games rather than tv may be linked to childhood obesity, university of texas at austin news?Tv, video games linked to obesity, pittsburg gazette?Http://wii.Qj.Net/new-research-reveals-kids-who-don-t-play-videogames-at-all-are-more-at-risk-of-violent-tendencies/pg/49/aid/118505new research reveals kids who dont play video games at all are more at risk of violent tendencies?Ashley, robert. The secret history of videogame sex. Official playstation magazine feb. 2006: 96-99.?The npc meme went viral when the media gave it oxygen, the verge, 2018 |
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| Video games |
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13 @ 00:01:39 PDT (15 reads) | |
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Difference between revisions of video games
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| line 186: | line 186: | ||
*[[final fantasy]] - a very popular and long running [[rpg]] series in both the [[united states]] and [[japan]]. Earlier games were rather child-friendly, but the series has become more mature over time. | *[[Final fantasy]] - a very popular and long running [[rpg]] series in both the [[united states]] and [[japan]]. Earlier games were rather child-friendly, but the series has become more mature over time. | ||
*[[the legend of zelda]] - a popular series of fantasy action-adventure games. | *[[The legend of zelda]] - a popular series of fantasy action-adventure games. | ||
| + | *[[terraria]] - a 2d [[sandbox]] rpg game that has mature themes and violent imagery. Notable for its popularity, and constant free updates in spite of the game releasing in 2011. | ||
=== first person role-play === | === first person role-play === |
revision as of 01:20, october 13, 2026
- see also:
chess, a strategic board game dependent on intellect which can help overcomeaddictionto video games.
a video game is an electronic game, which is played on a device such as a computer or console. Video games provide the user with audio and visual feedback when the game is played. Today, they are often played with others, either in person or over the internet. Board games are often converted into video games using online matchmaking and scripted bots, and one of the most popular of these is chess for its strategic gameplay. One expert observes that every school shooter has been heavily immersed in violent first person shooter games.[[1]](#cite_note-1) many bright futures of young men are destroyed by video game habits, and video games even cause harmful increases in blood sugar in players.[[2]](#cite_note-2)
video games are addictive, train young mass murderers, and promote liberal talking points or ideas. By exploiting this addiction, one article says that the global video games market [is] to reach $293.2 billion by 2027.[[3]](#cite_note-3) additionally, another article states that in 2022, in japan, that 17 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 12 spend more than four hours a day gaming — up from 9% in 2017, with a similar jump seen among those between the ages of 12 and 15.[[4]](#cite_note-4) as to liberality, video games, even ones exported to russia, increasingly promote the homosexual agenda contrary to the policy of russia and elsewhere.[[5]](#cite_note-5)
violent video games are particularly addictive for boys and young men.[[6]](#cite_note-6)[[7]](#cite_note-7) additionally, video games are associated with dropping out of school and the video game industry is criticized for exploiting its workers.[[8]](#cite_note-8)[[9]](#cite_note-9)
at least one study showed that young men are playing video games instead of getting jobs, as reported by the chicago tribune.[[10]](#cite_note-10) young adults would be helping themselves by seeking alternatives to video games during recreational periods.
the video game industry itself also receives significant government support; in quebec, all large video game projects can receive tax credits up to 37%, increasing public debt and taxes for everyone else. [[11]](#cite_note-11)
nature of video games
video games vary greatly in type and complexity, but all games are alike in that they translate player input (from a controller, mouse, keyboard or motion sensor) into onscreen actions. Games are often stored on some sort of digital media - rom cartridge, cd, dvd, flash memory chip, or even cassette tape for early computer games. Older or less expensive games sometimes used dedicated chips that were pre-programmed to play certain games only. In recent years, game developers have moved to digital distribution, allowing customers to purchase game licenses online, and download over the internet. On pcs, this is often done through marketplaces such as valve corporations (also known as valve software) steam service, or electronic arts origin service, while the xbox one and playstation 4 have their own digital distribution services.
home consoles are classified by generation to indicate their relative power and date of release. The current major consoles (xbox series x, ps5, nintendo switch oled) are considered ninth generation. Handheld consoles are not generally put into generations due to their more irregular release schedules.
various genres
video games in the course of their existence have grown from simple arcade-style games, and have become more detailed and separated from one another. Genres can now include first-person shooters, racing, simulation, role-playing, sports, action, strategy, massively multiplayer online (mmo), puzzle, sport simulation, and many others.[[12]](#cite_note-12)[[13]](#cite_note-13) even then, games can combine genres, such as mass effect (role playing and third person shooting), or not fit nicely into any genre, like the mystery of the druids. The most popular genres tend to be shooters, action, and role-playing games. Some video games are based on movies, such as star wars.
popularity and controversy
games have risen in popularity over the years, as is shown in the rise of video game sales from the 1980s until today. This has brought with it a large amount of controversy as the video game industry continues to grow with its original player base.
video games are addictive activities targeted at teenagers, often with tragic results. Certain genres of games are becoming increasingly violent and offensive, attracting the attention of legislators in many states to protect the exploitation of children by them. Games such as grand theft auto are very violent, sexually explicit, and feature criminal behavior. These games are rated m 17+ for mature, but courts have struck down laws preventing retailers from selling them to children, under an interpretation that the first amendment protects offensive video games even for children.[[14]](#cite_note-14) after a conservapedian filed an amicus brief with the u.S. Supreme court to consider this issue, it surprised liberals by granting certiorari.
however, in 2011, the supreme court denied a ban on the sale of violent video games in california, claiming they were protected as they qualify for first amendment protection and pointing out that there has historically been no shortage of violent imagery in childrens fairytales, classical literature, and comics. Writing for the majority, justice scalia pointed out that disgust is not a valid basis for restricting expression, and continued that any effects of violent video games on children are both small and indistinguishable from effects produced by other media.[[15]](#cite_note-15)
it has also been suggested that it is the role of parents to regulate what their children play, and that laws restricting video game vendors are an effort to replace parents decisions with the governments decisions.[[16]](#cite_note-16)[[17]](#cite_note-17)
as some wake up to how harmful violent video games are, the video game industry declined in 2012,[[18]](#cite_note-18) though it remains much bigger than hollywood. Video games are likely the single biggest cause of bright young men dropping out of college. While video games were originally designed for children and adolescent males, video games have become too popular with adult males, many of whom will often neglect family and work to spend a copious number of hours playing video games including online games such as world of warcraft in a video game addiction. Liberal denial discourages people from recognizing the problem.
arguments against video game usage
see young mass murderers for their connection to video games.
video games have been accused of being linked to murders by young people and other violence, stress-induced health problems (including unexpected heart attacks),[[20]](#cite_note-20) atheism, obesity,[[21]](#cite_note-21) and sexual immorality. Several prominent murderers in recent years were inspired by video games.[[22]](#cite_note-22)[[23]](#cite_note-23) young mass murderer adam lanza was immersed in a perverse video game world and killed himself to prevent law enforcement from taking his points. He plotted his rampage far in advance and learned the principles of ... The tactical reload from his [video games].
video games have also been used as murder simulators by the american army, in order to desensitize young men, into triggering the gun better, and with less doubt, thus killing enemies more efficiently.
[[24]](#cite_note-24)
after a murderous rampage by another video game user in norway:[[25]](#cite_note-25)
| “ | a number of norway stores have pulled violent video games from sale - including several call of duty games and world of warcraft - in the wake of the massacre carried out by anders behring breivik on july 22. | ” |
unbeknownst to many, the video game industry is partly subsidized by taxpayers, even in the conservative texas. In 2015, a spat broke out between the video game and film industries about the millions they would receive from the government.[[26]](#cite_note-26)
video game usage and excess weight
due to the sedentary lifestyle of many who abuse video games or play them for extremely long amounts of time, there is an absence of exercise - meaning addiction to video games can cause an increase in weight to unhealthy proportions.
the national obesity forum indicates:
| “ | the figures highlighted by the f as in fat annual report [trust for americas health 2007 annual report] were retrieved from the data resource center on child and adolescent health website. The analysis of these figures reveals a strong positive correlation between hours spent on tv/video game play and the percentage of children classed as overweight per state. The state of utah was acclaimed with the lowest percentage of children overweight, and was found to have the second lowest proportion of children spending 2 or more hours on tv/video gameplay. The district of columbia, found to have the highest percentage of overweight children, also had the highest percentage nationwide of children spending an incredible 4 hours plus in front of a screen.
|
slate reported in 2012:
| “ | the american academy of pediatrics tells parents that children’s total entertainment media time should not exceed two hours daily. According to the kaiser family foundation, average kids watch at least twice that much television. They also spend more than an hour per day online and another hour on video games. These activities, collectively called “screen time,” are widely blamed for the tripling of obesity rates in children since the 1980s.
|
the university of texas at austin declares:
| “ | a study by researchers at the university of texas at austin suggests that watching television is not associated with children’s weight, but playing electronic games may be, especially for girls.
“children with higher weight status spent moderate amounts of time playing electronic games, while children with lower weight status spent either a little or a lot of time playing electronic games,” said dr. Elizabeth a. Vandewater, who led the study published in the february issue of the journal of adolescence. Although the greater weight/video game link was found in this study with girls, she noted that future studies may reveal similar findings for boys. Either way, the findings could be significant considering how many american children play electronic games. |
” |
the pittsburg gazette reports: a 2010 study from the eastern ontario research institute found video games to blame, chiefly because children, boys especially, tend to eat more when theyre playing them.[[31]](#cite_note-31)
irreligion, video game usage and obesity
relevant magazine reported about the journal article in the international journal for the psychology of religion entitled no other gods before mario?: Game preferences among atheistic and religious individuals:
| “ |
|
as far as the relationship between irreligion and obesity, please examine the articles below:
exergaming
as far as exergaming (video games that prompt the users to engage in physical activity), slate reports:
| “ | after three months, “there was no evidence that children receiving the active video games were more active in general or at any time,” the authors wrote. (The year before, a similar study in new zealand had shown only minor improvement with active games; kids weighed just a pound less after six months of exergaming.)
|
overcoming addiction to video games
as with any addiction, video game usage can be hard to overcome as soon as one is drawn into it. Fortunately, faith-based efforts to overcome addiction can be effective and rewarding, and churches exist in part to help people overcome harmful vices in the world. (See also: habit) the online gamers anonymous website is a good example and has chapters in many places, nooks and crannies.
catholicism recommends that people give up something they like on fridays, and throughout all of lent. For some, it is easy to end a bad habit altogether once one is successful in giving it up at least one day a week, or throughout the 40 days of lent.
in this regard, the bible can be extraordinarily helpful and inspiring. Replacing video game usage with readings from books such as psalms and proverbs can turn a vice into an enormous boost to ones life. One approach is to read the proverbs chapter having the same number as the day of the month (e.G., On february 17 read proverbs 17), and read five chapters in psalms that also correspond to the day of the month (e.G., Read psalms 81-85) on february 17 (17 times 5 is 85). New testament passages in which jesus mentions hell can also be tremendously beneficial in combating vice. See, e.G., Mark 9:43.
in general, acquiring good habits can help drive out bad ones. Setting goals helps: give yourself a weekly or monthly report card on all aspects of life. (See also: beating nfl addiction)
violence
most of the controversy comes from the rising trend toward violence in video games, as pioneered by doom), quake, spring, and the grand theft auto series.
some people point out that violent video games cause violent behavior in children. The effects of violent video games on the developing psyches of children and adolescents vary greatly and of course depend on the mental stability of the subject in question.
serious crimes have often been associated with video games. For example, a 14-year-old brutally murdered a video arcade employee one morning and his cousin stands trial for murdering the store manager when he entered the store shortly thereafter.[[34]](#cite_note-34)
in the usa, all retail games carry ratings from the esrb, a video game ratings organization.
some claim that kids who dont play video games at all seem to show more violent tendencies. Of course, as expected, those who played violent video games for large amounts of time also showed violent tendencies; the study, however, claims that this is a risk marker, not an actual cause.[[35]](#cite_note-35)
multiple studies have shown a correlation between violent video games and increased levels of aggression, caused by playing some of the aforementioned video games.[[36]](#cite_note-36)[[37]](#cite_note-37) however, in such cases, it is vital to keep in mind the fact that correlation does not equal causation. [[38]](#cite_note-38)
sexuality
although nudity is not prominent in western video games, there are various products containing sexually suggestive material. One reason for the relative lack of explicitly sexual material in western games may be the refusal of retailers including wal-mart[[39]](#cite_note-39) to sell games carrying an adults-only rating. One notable target of controversy is the grand theft auto series after a third-party mod was released that allowed the player to engage in a mini-game containing explicit sexual material. Mods are, as third-party would imply, fan-made and are not the responsibility of the games developer. Other sources of this criticism relate to the game tomb raider, one of the first games to depict and advertise a female character (the protagonist) as a sex symbol.[[40]](#cite_note-40)
arguments for video game usage
video games have been suspected of giving otherwise liberal people some virtual conservative viewpoints.[[41]](#cite_note-41) they have also been shown to help people to become more attuned to their surroundings and increase coordination, and in the future may be used to treat people with visual problems and to train soldiers.[[42]](#cite_note-42)
while the evidence is conflicting, some also say that video games keep the participants engaged and more mentally active than watching television.
also, the american psychological association states that while there is a well-established link between violent video games and aggressive behaviors, empirical research finds there is little to no evidence connecting violent behavior (extreme physical aggressive behavior) to video games.[[43]](#cite_note-43)[[44]](#cite_note-44)
video games and society
as video games become more popular, their impact on society becomes ever more present. A prime example of this is the massive ad campaigns for the halo) and grand theft auto franchises. Advertising, merchandising, and even social pressures have changed in the ever-growing influence of video gaming.
due to their popularity, various corporations have begun placing advertisements for their products within the context of the game. Second life, an internet-based virtual world, has attempted to blur the lines between the real world and the virtual world, and companies such as adidas, reebok, and dell have set up virtual stores selling real-world products within the game. Reuters also operates a news bureau reporting news in the game.
npc internet meme
the npc internet meme (derived from non-playable character (npc)) in video gaming), is a politically right-wing internet meme that represents liberals/leftists (like sjws) who do not think for themselves, lack critical thinking skills and have been politically indoctrinated.
according to the website the verge:
| “ | last week, the
along with a couple of stories before it, the times’ article kicked off a domino effect: its publication prompted popular members of the suddenly, a meme... [Was] telegraphed to a massive audience in a jarringly forced display of virality that highlights just how quickly an inside joke from an insular community can spread with the oxygen of press coverage.
|
the rise of the npc internet meme
there has been a huge rise in the use of the npc meme on the internet as can be seen by this google trends graph of worldwide searches for the term .
the main factors are:
1. Elon musk taking over twitter which gave a boost to the political right.
2. Supporters of right-wing politics are getting more active in culture war issues such as anti-woke backlash.
3. The growing hunger for free speech and anti-cancel culture sentiments.
4. The rise of a few other right-wing friendly social media platforms (rumble, gab, etc.).
6. A right-wing populist program normally encompasses factors such as economic protectionism/problems and anti-immigration/anti-illegal immigration sentiments and these factors are rising in some countries.
7. European right-wing political figures (marine le pen, viktor orbán, andrej duda, etc.) Are using the european union corruption scandal as a political weapon and inciting anti-eu sentiment ahead of the 2024 european parliament elections which is giving a bounce to right-wingers.
education in video games
it is unlikely that there is any educational value in video game usage, compared with better activities that could be pursued.
but firaxis games, a noteworthy video game development company, has been creating a video game series called civilization for nearly a decade.[[46]](#cite_note-46) civilization is a simulation game that allows the player to lead a nation from ancient times to the modern day. It features a dynamic military system, politics, trading, and historical content. It has been recognized for its unintentional educational properties.[[47]](#cite_note-47)
microsoft flight simulator is another example of a video game that may have some slight educational value.[[48]](#cite_note-48)
some games are also created specifically as teaching tools. While they may not offer detailed, useful knowledge, they typically attempt at least to teach useful concepts or general information. An example of this is the now-dated game, oregon trail.
faith in video games
faith in video games has, as a rule, either led to the creation of new and dynamic antagonists, or video games that are mediocre, such as spiritual warfare and bible adventures for the nintendo entertainment system, or the bible game for various systems. Bible adventures in particular is infamous for its poor design and playability.
the bible, or other such religious texts, tells a story spanning many different viewpoints. Turning these ideas into a video game, however, most often leads to games that tend to bore most video game audiences.
religion has, however, taken a prominent place amongst the various heroes and villains in video games. The breath of fire series and the shin megami tensei games, in particular, use a god as a main antagonist in many of their incarnations. Other games to use religion in some way include the final fantasy series, left behind: eternal forces, black and white, heaven and hell, xenogears, okami, and the tales series, particularly tales of symphonia. Unfortunately, many (not all) of the aforementioned games (and nearly any role-playing game from east asia) present religion (or its respective church and followers) as evil, fake, or having ulterior and nefarious motives.
games may include a fictional religion as part of the setting if the use of a real religion may invite undesirable controversy.
video game reviewers have sometimes unjustly attacked and reviewed games where real-world religion plays a notable role. One of the most prominent examples of this is the game left behind: eternal forces.[[49]](#cite_note-49)
popular video game franchises
culturally historical
pong- the first real video game, resembling a two-dimensional interpretation of table tennis using hand held dials as controllers.Pac-man- an old maze game. It was very popular with kids and adults back in the eighties.
platformer
donkey kong- an early platform game in whichmario(then known as jumpman) tries to save his girlfriend pauline from a barrel-flinging ape named donkey kong. Both donkey kong and mario went on to star in many other successful video games.Super mario bros.- Side-scrolling platform game series bynintendo. Players play as mario and luigi, two italian plumber brothers, who explore the mushroom kingdom in order to rescue princess peach from the evil bowser [called koopa in japan]. This is possibly the most well-known game in the world.
2d role-play
final fantasy- a very popular and long runningrpgseries in both theunited statesandjapan. Earlier games were rather child-friendly, but the series has become more mature over time.The legend of zelda- a popular series of fantasy action-adventure games.Terraria- a 2dsandboxrpg game that has mature themes and violent imagery. Notable for its popularity, and constant free updates in spite of the game releasing in 2011.
first person role-play
assassins creed- taking place, after a fashion, during thecrusades. Play as altair, and kill leaders from both sides to stop a deadly plot.Mass effect- a science fiction rpg for mature players.Tomb raider- series of games following the adventures of lara croft.
above & below
grand theft auto- a game series aboutgangster-like characters who perform missions to rise to the top by killing, stealing, and other, sometimes violent, missions.
first person shooters (fps)
call of duty- a series offirst-person shootersin which a player is either a soldier in world war ii or a soldier involved in thewar on terror.- Half-life and half-life 2 - first-person shooter series about gordon freeman, a luckless scientist turned hero-from-desperation. This game uses one of the leading physics engines in first-person shooters, the source engine.
halo- a trilogy of games following a super soldier during a fictional futurewar.Medal of honor- a first-person shooter series usually taking place in the front lines of world war ii.Portal- a popular first-person shooter/puzzle game using the same game engine as half-life 2 involving inter-dimensional travel through portals in an abandoned testing facility. This game is known for its deadpan sense of humor.
third person shooters
gears of war- mankind has been annihilated by an underground race of beings.
strategy
age of empires- anrtsin which the player leads an ancient civilization.Civilization- a strategy game in which the player leads a civilization from its birth, and into the future.
arcade fighting
mortal kombat- multi-player fighting game which is famous for violence, blood, and gory finishing moves called fatalities.Super smash bros.- Series of nintendo fighting games. It mixes characters from differentnintendofranchises [with some exceptions] in wide environments.Soul calibur- a weapon-based fighting game. Revolves around the tale of two weapons, soul edge [cursed] and soul calibur [blessed], and those who fight for control or destruction of the weapons.Street fighter- one-on-onemartial artsfighting game series, where a player selects one of various martial artists and battles other players or against computer-controlled characters.
simulation
guitar hero- a game where players play the role of theguitaristin a band. Uses a special controller in the shape of and is played similarly to a guitar.Harvest moon- farm life simulator, with many sequels spreading from various platforms. The character runs a farm, raises animals, and can eventually marry.Nhlseries - a series of hockey games produced by ea sports.The sims- a life simulator produced by ea.
survival horror
resident evil- survival/horror video game series, revolving around viral zombies and the survivors of the zombie attacks.
see also
references
?Childhood obesitydepartment of health and human services, retrieved sept 18th 2011?Adelmann, bob (august 5, 2019).Motives in recent mass shootings should include impact of violent video games. The new american. Retrieved august 5, 2019.?Video games rather than tv may be linked to childhood obesity, university of texas at austin news?Tv, video games linked to obesity, pittsburg gazette?Http://wii.Qj.Net/new-research-reveals-kids-who-don-t-play-videogames-at-all-are-more-at-risk-of-violent-tendencies/pg/49/aid/118505new research reveals kids who dont play video games at all are more at risk of violent tendencies?Ashley, robert. The secret history of videogame sex. Official playstation magazine feb. 2006: 96-99.?The npc meme went viral when the media gave it oxygen, the verge, 2018 |
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*[[pong]] - the first real video game, resembling a two-dimensional interpretation of table tennis using hand held dials as controllers. | *[[Pong]] - the first real video game, resembling a two-dimensional interpretation of table tennis using hand held dials as controllers. | ||
*[[pac-man]] - an old maze game. It was very popular with kids and adults back in the eighties. | *[[Pac-man]] - an old maze game. It was very popular with kids and adults back in the eighties. | ||
| + | *[[minecraft]] - a 3d [[sandbox]] game that is all about building with blocks. Notable for being one of the two best selling video games of all time, tied with [[tetris]] due to conflicting sources. It is also notable for having free updates with constant expansions. | ||
| + | *[[tetris]] - a puzzle game about scoring the most points by creating complete rows with falling tetrominoes. It is also notable for being one of the two best selling video games of all time, as well as having around 220 different versions. | ||
=== platformer === | === platformer === | ||
| line 186: | line 188: | ||
*[[final fantasy]] - a very popular and long running [[rpg]] series in both the [[united states]] and [[japan]]. Earlier games were rather child-friendly, but the series has become more mature over time. | *[[Final fantasy]] - a very popular and long running [[rpg]] series in both the [[united states]] and [[japan]]. Earlier games were rather child-friendly, but the series has become more mature over time. | ||
*[[the legend of zelda]] - a popular series of fantasy action-adventure games. | *[[The legend of zelda]] - a popular series of fantasy action-adventure games. | ||
| ? | *[[Terraria]] - a 2d [[sandbox]] rpg game that has mature themes and violent imagery. Notable for | + | *[[terraria]] - a 2d [[sandbox]] rpg game similar to [[minecraft]] that has mature themes and violent imagery. Notable for its sheer popularity, being the 7th best selling video game of all time. |
=== first person role-play === | === first person role-play === |
latest revision as of 01:55, october 13, 2026
- see also:
chess, a strategic board game dependent on intellect which can help overcomeaddictionto video games.
a video game is an electronic game, which is played on a device such as a computer or console. Video games provide the user with audio and visual feedback when the game is played. Today, they are often played with others, either in person or over the internet. Board games are often converted into video games using online matchmaking and scripted bots, and one of the most popular of these is chess for its strategic gameplay. One expert observes that every school shooter has been heavily immersed in violent first person shooter games.[[1]](#cite_note-1) many bright futures of young men are destroyed by video game habits, and video games even cause harmful increases in blood sugar in players.[[2]](#cite_note-2)
video games are addictive, train young mass murderers, and promote liberal talking points or ideas. By exploiting this addiction, one article says that the global video games market [is] to reach $293.2 billion by 2027.[[3]](#cite_note-3) additionally, another article states that in 2022, in japan, that 17 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 12 spend more than four hours a day gaming — up from 9% in 2017, with a similar jump seen among those between the ages of 12 and 15.[[4]](#cite_note-4) as to liberality, video games, even ones exported to russia, increasingly promote the homosexual agenda contrary to the policy of russia and elsewhere.[[5]](#cite_note-5)
violent video games are particularly addictive for boys and young men.[[6]](#cite_note-6)[[7]](#cite_note-7) additionally, video games are associated with dropping out of school and the video game industry is criticized for exploiting its workers.[[8]](#cite_note-8)[[9]](#cite_note-9)
at least one study showed that young men are playing video games instead of getting jobs, as reported by the chicago tribune.[[10]](#cite_note-10) young adults would be helping themselves by seeking alternatives to video games during recreational periods.
the video game industry itself also receives significant government support; in quebec, all large video game projects can receive tax credits up to 37%, increasing public debt and taxes for everyone else. [[11]](#cite_note-11)
nature of video games
video games vary greatly in type and complexity, but all games are alike in that they translate player input (from a controller, mouse, keyboard or motion sensor) into onscreen actions. Games are often stored on some sort of digital media - rom cartridge, cd, dvd, flash memory chip, or even cassette tape for early computer games. Older or less expensive games sometimes used dedicated chips that were pre-programmed to play certain games only. In recent years, game developers have moved to digital distribution, allowing customers to purchase game licenses online, and download over the internet. On pcs, this is often done through marketplaces such as valve corporations (also known as valve software) steam service, or electronic arts origin service, while the xbox one and playstation 4 have their own digital distribution services.
home consoles are classified by generation to indicate their relative power and date of release. The current major consoles (xbox series x, ps5, nintendo switch oled) are considered ninth generation. Handheld consoles are not generally put into generations due to their more irregular release schedules.
various genres
video games in the course of their existence have grown from simple arcade-style games, and have become more detailed and separated from one another. Genres can now include first-person shooters, racing, simulation, role-playing, sports, action, strategy, massively multiplayer online (mmo), puzzle, sport simulation, and many others.[[12]](#cite_note-12)[[13]](#cite_note-13) even then, games can combine genres, such as mass effect (role playing and third person shooting), or not fit nicely into any genre, like the mystery of the druids. The most popular genres tend to be shooters, action, and role-playing games. Some video games are based on movies, such as star wars.
popularity and controversy
games have risen in popularity over the years, as is shown in the rise of video game sales from the 1980s until today. This has brought with it a large amount of controversy as the video game industry continues to grow with its original player base.
video games are addictive activities targeted at teenagers, often with tragic results. Certain genres of games are becoming increasingly violent and offensive, attracting the attention of legislators in many states to protect the exploitation of children by them. Games such as grand theft auto are very violent, sexually explicit, and feature criminal behavior. These games are rated m 17+ for mature, but courts have struck down laws preventing retailers from selling them to children, under an interpretation that the first amendment protects offensive video games even for children.[[14]](#cite_note-14) after a conservapedian filed an amicus brief with the u.S. Supreme court to consider this issue, it surprised liberals by granting certiorari.
however, in 2011, the supreme court denied a ban on the sale of violent video games in california, claiming they were protected as they qualify for first amendment protection and pointing out that there has historically been no shortage of violent imagery in childrens fairytales, classical literature, and comics. Writing for the majority, justice scalia pointed out that disgust is not a valid basis for restricting expression, and continued that any effects of violent video games on children are both small and indistinguishable from effects produced by other media.[[15]](#cite_note-15)
it has also been suggested that it is the role of parents to regulate what their children play, and that laws restricting video game vendors are an effort to replace parents decisions with the governments decisions.[[16]](#cite_note-16)[[17]](#cite_note-17)
as some wake up to how harmful violent video games are, the video game industry declined in 2012,[[18]](#cite_note-18) though it remains much bigger than hollywood. Video games are likely the single biggest cause of bright young men dropping out of college. While video games were originally designed for children and adolescent males, video games have become too popular with adult males, many of whom will often neglect family and work to spend a copious number of hours playing video games including online games such as world of warcraft in a video game addiction. Liberal denial discourages people from recognizing the problem.
arguments against video game usage
see young mass murderers for their connection to video games.
video games have been accused of being linked to murders by young people and other violence, stress-induced health problems (including unexpected heart attacks),[[20]](#cite_note-20) atheism, obesity,[[21]](#cite_note-21) and sexual immorality. Several prominent murderers in recent years were inspired by video games.[[22]](#cite_note-22)[[23]](#cite_note-23) young mass murderer adam lanza was immersed in a perverse video game world and killed himself to prevent law enforcement from taking his points. He plotted his rampage far in advance and learned the principles of ... The tactical reload from his [video games].
video games have also been used as murder simulators by the american army, in order to desensitize young men, into triggering the gun better, and with less doubt, thus killing enemies more efficiently.
[[24]](#cite_note-24)
after a murderous rampage by another video game user in norway:[[25]](#cite_note-25)
| “ | a number of norway stores have pulled violent video games from sale - including several call of duty games and world of warcraft - in the wake of the massacre carried out by anders behring breivik on july 22. | ” |
unbeknownst to many, the video game industry is partly subsidized by taxpayers, even in the conservative texas. In 2015, a spat broke out between the video game and film industries about the millions they would receive from the government.[[26]](#cite_note-26)
video game usage and excess weight
due to the sedentary lifestyle of many who abuse video games or play them for extremely long amounts of time, there is an absence of exercise - meaning addiction to video games can cause an increase in weight to unhealthy proportions.
the national obesity forum indicates:
| “ | the figures highlighted by the f as in fat annual report [trust for americas health 2007 annual report] were retrieved from the data resource center on child and adolescent health website. The analysis of these figures reveals a strong positive correlation between hours spent on tv/video game play and the percentage of children classed as overweight per state. The state of utah was acclaimed with the lowest percentage of children overweight, and was found to have the second lowest proportion of children spending 2 or more hours on tv/video gameplay. The district of columbia, found to have the highest percentage of overweight children, also had the highest percentage nationwide of children spending an incredible 4 hours plus in front of a screen.
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slate reported in 2012:
| “ | the american academy of pediatrics tells parents that children’s total entertainment media time should not exceed two hours daily. According to the kaiser family foundation, average kids watch at least twice that much television. They also spend more than an hour per day online and another hour on video games. These activities, collectively called “screen time,” are widely blamed for the tripling of obesity rates in children since the 1980s.
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the university of texas at austin declares:
| “ | a study by researchers at the university of texas at austin suggests that watching television is not associated with children’s weight, but playing electronic games may be, especially for girls.
“children with higher weight status spent moderate amounts of time playing electronic games, while children with lower weight status spent either a little or a lot of time playing electronic games,” said dr. Elizabeth a. Vandewater, who led the study published in the february issue of the journal of adolescence. Although the greater weight/video game link was found in this study with girls, she noted that future studies may reveal similar findings for boys. Either way, the findings could be significant considering how many american children play electronic games. |
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the pittsburg gazette reports: a 2010 study from the eastern ontario research institute found video games to blame, chiefly because children, boys especially, tend to eat more when theyre playing them.[[31]](#cite_note-31)
irreligion, video game usage and obesity
relevant magazine reported about the journal article in the international journal for the psychology of religion entitled no other gods before mario?: Game preferences among atheistic and religious individuals:
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as far as the relationship between irreligion and obesity, please examine the articles below:
exergaming
as far as exergaming (video games that prompt the users to engage in physical activity), slate reports:
| “ | after three months, “there was no evidence that children receiving the active video games were more active in general or at any time,” the authors wrote. (The year before, a similar study in new zealand had shown only minor improvement with active games; kids weighed just a pound less after six months of exergaming.)
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overcoming addiction to video games
as with any addiction, video game usage can be hard to overcome as soon as one is drawn into it. Fortunately, faith-based efforts to overcome addiction can be effective and rewarding, and churches exist in part to help people overcome harmful vices in the world. (See also: habit) the online gamers anonymous website is a good example and has chapters in many places, nooks and crannies.
catholicism recommends that people give up something they like on fridays, and throughout all of lent. For some, it is easy to end a bad habit altogether once one is successful in giving it up at least one day a week, or throughout the 40 days of lent.
in this regard, the bible can be extraordinarily helpful and inspiring. Replacing video game usage with readings from books such as psalms and proverbs can turn a vice into an enormous boost to ones life. One approach is to read the proverbs chapter having the same number as the day of the month (e.G., On february 17 read proverbs 17), and read five chapters in psalms that also correspond to the day of the month (e.G., Read psalms 81-85) on february 17 (17 times 5 is 85). New testament passages in which jesus mentions hell can also be tremendously beneficial in combating vice. See, e.G., Mark 9:43.
in general, acquiring good habits can help drive out bad ones. Setting goals helps: give yourself a weekly or monthly report card on all aspects of life. (See also: beating nfl addiction)
violence
most of the controversy comes from the rising trend toward violence in video games, as pioneered by doom), quake, spring, and the grand theft auto series.
some people point out that violent video games cause violent behavior in children. The effects of violent video games on the developing psyches of children and adolescents vary greatly and of course depend on the mental stability of the subject in question.
serious crimes have often been associated with video games. For example, a 14-year-old brutally murdered a video arcade employee one morning and his cousin stands trial for murdering the store manager when he entered the store shortly thereafter.[[34]](#cite_note-34)
in the usa, all retail games carry ratings from the esrb, a video game ratings organization.
some claim that kids who dont play video games at all seem to show more violent tendencies. Of course, as expected, those who played violent video games for large amounts of time also showed violent tendencies; the study, however, claims that this is a risk marker, not an actual cause.[[35]](#cite_note-35)
multiple studies have shown a correlation between violent video games and increased levels of aggression, caused by playing some of the aforementioned video games.[[36]](#cite_note-36)[[37]](#cite_note-37) however, in such cases, it is vital to keep in mind the fact that correlation does not equal causation. [[38]](#cite_note-38)
sexuality
although nudity is not prominent in western video games, there are various products containing sexually suggestive material. One reason for the relative lack of explicitly sexual material in western games may be the refusal of retailers including wal-mart[[39]](#cite_note-39) to sell games carrying an adults-only rating. One notable target of controversy is the grand theft auto series after a third-party mod was released that allowed the player to engage in a mini-game containing explicit sexual material. Mods are, as third-party would imply, fan-made and are not the responsibility of the games developer. Other sources of this criticism relate to the game tomb raider, one of the first games to depict and advertise a female character (the protagonist) as a sex symbol.[[40]](#cite_note-40)
arguments for video game usage
video games have been suspected of giving otherwise liberal people some virtual conservative viewpoints.[[41]](#cite_note-41) they have also been shown to help people to become more attuned to their surroundings and increase coordination, and in the future may be used to treat people with visual problems and to train soldiers.[[42]](#cite_note-42)
while the evidence is conflicting, some also say that video games keep the participants engaged and more mentally active than watching television.
also, the american psychological association states that while there is a well-established link between violent video games and aggressive behaviors, empirical research finds there is little to no evidence connecting violent behavior (extreme physical aggressive behavior) to video games.[[43]](#cite_note-43)[[44]](#cite_note-44)
video games and society
as video games become more popular, their impact on society becomes ever more present. A prime example of this is the massive ad campaigns for the halo) and grand theft auto franchises. Advertising, merchandising, and even social pressures have changed in the ever-growing influence of video gaming.
due to their popularity, various corporations have begun placing advertisements for their products within the context of the game. Second life, an internet-based virtual world, has attempted to blur the lines between the real world and the virtual world, and companies such as adidas, reebok, and dell have set up virtual stores selling real-world products within the game. Reuters also operates a news bureau reporting news in the game.
npc internet meme
the npc internet meme (derived from non-playable character (npc)) in video gaming), is a politically right-wing internet meme that represents liberals/leftists (like sjws) who do not think for themselves, lack critical thinking skills and have been politically indoctrinated.
according to the website the verge:
| “ | last week, the
along with a couple of stories before it, the times’ article kicked off a domino effect: its publication prompted popular members of the suddenly, a meme... [Was] telegraphed to a massive audience in a jarringly forced display of virality that highlights just how quickly an inside joke from an insular community can spread with the oxygen of press coverage.
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the rise of the npc internet meme
there has been a huge rise in the use of the npc meme on the internet as can be seen by this google trends graph of worldwide searches for the term .
the main factors are:
1. Elon musk taking over twitter which gave a boost to the political right.
2. Supporters of right-wing politics are getting more active in culture war issues such as anti-woke backlash.
3. The growing hunger for free speech and anti-cancel culture sentiments.
4. The rise of a few other right-wing friendly social media platforms (rumble, gab, etc.).
6. A right-wing populist program normally encompasses factors such as economic protectionism/problems and anti-immigration/anti-illegal immigration sentiments and these factors are rising in some countries.
7. European right-wing political figures (marine le pen, viktor orbán, andrej duda, etc.) Are using the european union corruption scandal as a political weapon and inciting anti-eu sentiment ahead of the 2024 european parliament elections which is giving a bounce to right-wingers.
education in video games
it is unlikely that there is any educational value in video game usage, compared with better activities that could be pursued.
but firaxis games, a noteworthy video game development company, has been creating a video game series called civilization for nearly a decade.[[46]](#cite_note-46) civilization is a simulation game that allows the player to lead a nation from ancient times to the modern day. It features a dynamic military system, politics, trading, and historical content. It has been recognized for its unintentional educational properties.[[47]](#cite_note-47)
microsoft flight simulator is another example of a video game that may have some slight educational value.[[48]](#cite_note-48)
some games are also created specifically as teaching tools. While they may not offer detailed, useful knowledge, they typically attempt at least to teach useful concepts or general information. An example of this is the now-dated game, oregon trail.
faith in video games
faith in video games has, as a rule, either led to the creation of new and dynamic antagonists, or video games that are mediocre, such as spiritual warfare and bible adventures for the nintendo entertainment system, or the bible game for various systems. Bible adventures in particular is infamous for its poor design and playability.
the bible, or other such religious texts, tells a story spanning many different viewpoints. Turning these ideas into a video game, however, most often leads to games that tend to bore most video game audiences.
religion has, however, taken a prominent place amongst the various heroes and villains in video games. The breath of fire series and the shin megami tensei games, in particular, use a god as a main antagonist in many of their incarnations. Other games to use religion in some way include the final fantasy series, left behind: eternal forces, black and white, heaven and hell, xenogears, okami, and the tales series, particularly tales of symphonia. Unfortunately, many (not all) of the aforementioned games (and nearly any role-playing game from east asia) present religion (or its respective church and followers) as evil, fake, or having ulterior and nefarious motives.
games may include a fictional religion as part of the setting if the use of a real religion may invite undesirable controversy.
video game reviewers have sometimes unjustly attacked and reviewed games where real-world religion plays a notable role. One of the most prominent examples of this is the game left behind: eternal forces.[[49]](#cite_note-49)
popular video game franchises
culturally historical
pong- the first real video game, resembling a two-dimensional interpretation of table tennis using hand held dials as controllers.Pac-man- an old maze game. It was very popular with kids and adults back in the eighties.Minecraft- a 3dsandboxgame that is all about building with blocks. Notable for being one of the two best selling video games of all time, tied withtetrisdue to conflicting sources. It is also notable for having free updates with constant expansions.Tetris- a puzzle game about scoring the most points by creating complete rows with falling tetrominoes. It is also notable for being one of the two best selling video games of all time, as well as having around 220 different versions.
platformer
donkey kong- an early platform game in whichmario(then known as jumpman) tries to save his girlfriend pauline from a barrel-flinging ape named donkey kong. Both donkey kong and mario went on to star in many other successful video games.Super mario bros.- Side-scrolling platform game series bynintendo. Players play as mario and luigi, two italian plumber brothers, who explore the mushroom kingdom in order to rescue princess peach from the evil bowser [called koopa in japan]. This is possibly the most well-known game in the world.
2d role-play
final fantasy- a very popular and long runningrpgseries in both theunited statesandjapan. Earlier games were rather child-friendly, but the series has become more mature over time.The legend of zelda- a popular series of fantasy action-adventure games.Terraria- a 2dsandboxrpg game similar tominecraftthat has mature themes and violent imagery. Notable for its sheer popularity, being the 7th best selling video game of all time.
first person role-play
assassins creed- taking place, after a fashion, during thecrusades. Play as altair, and kill leaders from both sides to stop a deadly plot.Mass effect- a science fiction rpg for mature players.Tomb raider- series of games following the adventures of lara croft.
above & below
grand theft auto- a game series aboutgangster-like characters who perform missions to rise to the top by killing, stealing, and other, sometimes violent, missions.
first person shooters (fps)
call of duty- a series offirst-person shootersin which a player is either a soldier in world war ii or a soldier involved in thewar on terror.- Half-life and half-life 2 - first-person shooter series about gordon freeman, a luckless scientist turned hero-from-desperation. This game uses one of the leading physics engines in first-person shooters, the source engine.
halo- a trilogy of games following a super soldier during a fictional futurewar.Medal of honor- a first-person shooter series usually taking place in the front lines of world war ii.Portal- a popular first-person shooter/puzzle game using the same game engine as half-life 2 involving inter-dimensional travel through portals in an abandoned testing facility. This game is known for its deadpan sense of humor.
third person shooters
gears of war- mankind has been annihilated by an underground race of beings.
strategy
age of empires- anrtsin which the player leads an ancient civilization.Civilization- a strategy game in which the player leads a civilization from its birth, and into the future.
arcade fighting
mortal kombat- multi-player fighting game which is famous for violence, blood, and gory finishing moves called fatalities.Super smash bros.- Series of nintendo fighting games. It mixes characters from differentnintendofranchises [with some exceptions] in wide environments.Soul calibur- a weapon-based fighting game. Revolves around the tale of two weapons, soul edge [cursed] and soul calibur [blessed], and those who fight for control or destruction of the weapons.Street fighter- one-on-onemartial artsfighting game series, where a player selects one of various martial artists and battles other players or against computer-controlled characters.
simulation
guitar hero- a game where players play the role of theguitaristin a band. Uses a special controller in the shape of and is played similarly to a guitar.Harvest moon- farm life simulator, with many sequels spreading from various platforms. The character runs a farm, raises animals, and can eventually marry.Nhlseries - a series of hockey games produced by ea sports.The sims- a life simulator produced by ea.
survival horror
resident evil- survival/horror video game series, revolving around viral zombies and the survivors of the zombie attacks.
see also
references
?Childhood obesitydepartment of health and human services, retrieved sept 18th 2011?Adelmann, bob (august 5, 2019).Motives in recent mass shootings should include impact of violent video games. The new american. Retrieved august 5, 2019.?Video games rather than tv may be linked to childhood obesity, university of texas at austin news?Tv, video games linked to obesity, pittsburg gazette?Http://wii.Qj.Net/new-research-reveals-kids-who-don-t-play-videogames-at-all-are-more-at-risk-of-violent-tendencies/pg/49/aid/118505new research reveals kids who dont play video games at all are more at risk of violent tendencies?Ashley, robert. The secret history of videogame sex. Official playstation magazine feb. 2006: 96-99.?The npc meme went viral when the media gave it oxygen, the verge, 2018 |
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| Olivia Rodrigo quietly helped University of Alabama student pay for final semest |
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13 @ 00:01:39 PDT (14 reads) | |
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Jamie causey carried a secret through the closing months of her college experience.
the alexander city native and first-generation university of alabama student had received $5,000 from grammy-winning singer olivia rodrigo to help pay for her final semester.
causey was deeply grateful. She also was reluctant to tell anyone.
“olivia rodrigo paid for my final semester of college,” causey revealed in a recent tiktok video. “And i almost never told you that, not because i wasn’t grateful, but because i didn’t want something that meant so much to become a public spectacle.”
as she prepared to close the college chapter of her life, however, causey decided she could not leave without publicly thanking the singer who had quietly helped her reach the finish line.
the connection began with a birthday wish.
rodrigo commented “happy birthday gorgeous!!!!” On one of causey’s tiktok videos. Causey, a public relations major who unexpectedly gained a following after going viral during bama rush, was stunned that the singer had seen her content.
“that alone meant so much to me,” causey said.
later, causey posted a video explaining that she was struggling to pay tuition for her final semester.
“i wasn’t asking people to pay for it,” she said. “I wasn’t asking for pity. I was just being honest.”
rodrigo saw that video, too.
this time, she contacted causey privately.
“girl! I know you don’t know me but i love your videos so much,” rodrigo wrote. “You seem like the kindest coolest gal and you are such a source of positivity and light in my life!”
rodrigo told causey she had watched the tuition video, congratulated her on being close to graduating and offered to help. She initially asked whether causey had a venmo account where she could send the money.
an april 18, 2025, email from one of rodrigo’s representatives later confirmed the amount.
“i’m reaching out on behalf of olivia rodrigo,” the representative wrote. “She’d like to contribute $5k towards your education.”
because the payment could not be sent through venmo or zelle, the representative offered to arrange a check or direct deposit.
rodrigo wanted to help causey graduate. Causey said she did exactly that.
“olivia, i don’t know if you’ll ever understand how much that means to me,” causey said. “You made me feel like i belong on this platform. You didn’t owe me anything. You just chose to show kindness to a stranger.”
[@hearmeoutnews]a fan has revealed that olivia rodrigo helped her graduate by paying off the last semester of her college tuition. Jamie (jamiemcausey), who shared her life on tiktok since 2024 and the challenges she faces as a “first-generation student.” Jamie shared that the singer reached out to her personally supporting her content and wanting to help her, to which jamie shared her gratitude saying: “you made me feel like i belong on this platform. You didn’t owe me anything, you just chose to show kindness to a stranger.”[#Oliviarodrigo][#or3][#youseemprettysadforagirlsoinlove][#stupidsong][#oliviarodrigoedit][? Original sound – hear me out]
the contribution carried particular meaning for causey, who has spoken candidly about the financial realities behind her college experience.
she was raised by her grandparents, who worked for what they had while living on social security and disability income. Her grandfather continued doing lawn work after reaching retirement age. At alabama, causey relied on financial aid and grants while trying to find a way to complete her degree.
still, she has resisted allowing those struggles to define her.
“i’ve been told that my brand is about being broke and i just don’t like that very much,” she said in an earlier video.
causey’s tiktok following began with bama rush, but her videos grew into something more personal. She shared the good parts of college, the difficult ones and a path that did not always look like everyone else’s.
she also encouraged followers who were struggling to find where they belonged.
“i realize now that my college journey is unique and i was never missing out,” causey said in a previous video. “I was simply writing my own story.”
that message apparently reached rodrigo.
causey said the singer told her that her videos had become a source of positivity and light. By stepping in when causey needed help, rodrigo returned some of that light.
causey also thanked allison kuch, mama tot, west wilson, paris hilton and the followers who told her that her videos made them feel less alone.
“i came here wanting to be a light and source of positivity for others,” causey said. “And all of you did the same for me.”
as causey said goodbye to the platform that had felt like home during part of her college experience, she left her followers with a challenge drawn from the kindness she received.
“so if you’re watching this, and you wonder, does that small act of kindness matter?” She said. “It does.”
send the message, she told them. Pay for someone’s coffee or the car behind you. Smile at someone.
“you never know the difference it will make,” causey said.
she ended the video grateful for the people, memories and moments that shaped her college years.
“thank you guys for everything,” causey said. “God bless, and roll tide.”
sherri blevins is a staff writer for yellowhammer news. You may contact her at [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5b28333e2929321b223e3737342c333a36363e29353e2c2875383436). |
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| Why one University of Alabama graduate chose to invest her future in Alabama |
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13 @ 00:01:39 PDT (17 reads) | |
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Raegan harris thought she knew alabama. Then she spent a summer exploring communities across the state and realized there was far more to discover.
the recent university of alabama graduate credits two statewide leadership programs with changing her perspective on her home state. Along the way, she met community leaders, listened to students and discovered opportunities that ultimately shaped where she hopes to build her career.
“being in these programs… reignited my passion for planning in the southeast, and i saw that maybe this is where my efforts can be best spent,” harris said.
harris recently graduated from the university of alabama with a degree in urban planning and community development. During her sophomore year, she realized she wanted a better understanding of the places and people she hoped to one day serve as an urban planner. That realization led her to fuelal, a summer program facilitated by the economic development partnership of alabama and supported by innovate alabama.
while interning with the walker area community foundation in jasper, harris traveled to communities across alabama, met young professionals, volunteered on community projects and attended a gulf coast summit—experiences she says broadened her understanding of alabama’s communities, people and career opportunities.
in the video shared by innovate alabama, harris said the program gave her a new perspective on the opportunities available across alabama.
“fuel alabama is a program focused on exposing students to all the different assets throughout alabama to encourage them just to consider it as a place to make their home,” harris said.
“so i really just got to explore more about the state of alabama and kind of envision what my future could look like here.”
her interest in alabama’s communities didn’t end when the summer program concluded. Harris later joined the 2024-2025 student retention council after being appointed by former university of alabama president dr. Stuart r. Bell. The program gives college students an opportunity to share what would encourage more graduates to build their careers in alabama. Harris’ cohort engaged with more than 1,000 students across 15 communities statewide.
those conversations offered harris a firsthand look at both the strengths and challenges facing communities across the state.
“it taught me a lot about assessing community assets and needs. Because as i traveled to all of these different communities, i was able to have conversations with people who might be making the decisions, and people who were affected by the decisions,” she said.
“it was really special, too, because it felt like every community was giving us the keys to the city for a couple of days.”
no matter where the council traveled, harris said similar themes emerged. Students wanted a clearer picture of career opportunities, more knowledge-based jobs and communities that invest in quality-of-life amenities such as parks, outdoor recreation and public spaces. Harris later presented those findings to state leaders in montgomery, including alabama finance director bill poole and then-senate president pro tem greg reed, who now serves as secretary of the alabama department of workforce.
soon after the presentations, poole wrote a letter of recommendation supporting harris’ graduate school application.
“programs such as fuelal and the student retention council are critical to alabama’s continued growth and long-term success. These initiatives expose and connect talented college students with employers, communities, and career opportunities across alabama while strengthening their professional development and leadership experiences,” poole said.
“in doing so, they showcase alabama’s exceptional quality of life and the many career opportunities available here at home – encouraging students to build their futures, careers and families right here in alabama.”
“raegan harris is a shining example of the impact these programs can have, and the opportunities alabama offers to the next generation of talent.”
harris has since been accepted into the university of texas at austin’s master of science in community and regional planning program, where she will begin classes this fall. While she’s excited to gain experience in a larger city, she says her long-term goal is to bring what she learns back to alabama.
“i’m studying urban planning and community development and i think there are a lot of career opportunities for me in this state and i really want to be a part of helping it continue to grow and flourish,” harris said.
harris’ story is one example of a broader push to help more young alabamians see a future here. From introducing students to career opportunities through fuelal and the student retention council to launching the new alabama pathways initiative, state leaders are working to connect education, workforce training and employers before students decide to leave the state.
sherri blevins is a staff writer for yellowhammer news. You may contact her at [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4a39222f3838230a332f2626253d222b27272f38242f3d3964292527). |
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| Athletics prospect Kenya Huggins has mentor in Hall of Famer Dave Stewart |
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13 @ 00:01:39 PDT (15 reads) | |
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Mesa, ariz. -- Getting traded in the early stages of a career can throw off even the strongest of prospects. Their lives are upended, theres a whole new organization to learn, from players to coaches to front office staff.
oaklands righty pitching prospect kenya huggins experienced it first-hand when he was sent from the reds to the as at the 2025 trade deadline. Luckily for the young hurler, a legend from his new organization reached out to forge a relationship, a member of the as hall of fame.
the only problem? Huggins was not familiar with the name dave stewart.
i better tell the real truth about this one, huggins laughed during a conversation with his now-familiar mentor in the mesa solar sox dugout ahead of an arizona fall league game.
hell yeah, the real truth, stewart agreed.
someone gave huggins a card, and its of dave stewart.
when you meet this guy, get him to sign it, is what huggins said he was told. Im like, ok, great. They fly me out to arizona … i see mr. Dave stewart. Didnt know who he was. No clue. I had no idea.
their first interaction came when stewart watched a bullpen session in arizona and commented on how big huggins shoes are -- size 15, according to stewart. The relationship has grown from there, with the 23-year-old calling the three-time world series champion uncle stew and stewart referring to huggins as a member of the family.
thats how i met him, huggins said. Then we just started talking every day. When i did my research on him and talked to him on and at the field, i wanted to take it deeper than that and talk to him outside the field. And ever since then its just been an everyday story, one day at a time, and its just been awesome.
its a perfect connection between an eager student and a very willing teacher. Stewart feels an obligation to shepherd the game and serve as a guide to the next generation because thats exactly what his pitching elders did for him when he got his start. So even though he didnt know huggins much beyond seeing him throw a time or two, he knew what he wanted to do.
i just kind of did what everybody has done for me when i was a young pitcher coming up, a young black pitcher coming up for sure, and i did what they did for me, stewart said. Bob gibson and sandy koufax, don newcombe. I did for him what they did for me.
when i walked into dodgertown in 1976, don newcombe was the first person i met, and he told me his responsibility and why it was his responsibility. So everybody ... Its not just kenya. It was dontrelle willis. It was cc sabathia. It was … hunter greene. Ive kind of been able to touch a lot of the guys just to be a source of information to be able to help to make the path a little bit smoother.
huggins does not take it for granted, this heirloom of responsibility that stewart is paying forward. The as no. 23 prospect is keenly aware of how much he has to learn about life as a professional, both on and off the field. Sure, he could have used this kind of guidance coming out of his new orleans high school or at chipola junior college, when he became a fourth-round pick of the reds in 2022, but he clearly believes stewart came into his life when he was meant to arrive.
more from mlb pipeline:
• top 100 prospects | stats | video | podcast | complete coverage
its more than any gift anyone can give me, huggins said. Its more than the amount of money that someone can receive. The knowledge of just strictly talking to someone whos done it, who looks like me, and who strictly pushes me to be better than who he is, and we all know how his career went.
to push me to be better than his career, theres nothing else anyone can ask for, like at all. It all happens for a reason. I can always say i wish it came earlier, but everything happens for a reason, right when its supposed to.
huggins certainly appreciated having stewart in his corner during a trying first full season in the as organization. The fairly aggressive push to double-a did not go well as huggins finished with a 6.63 era. He missed bats (10.2 k/9) but struggled with his command both in and out of the zone, spending time both starting and relieving with midland. Hes pitching out of the bullpen with mesa in the afl, and much like during the ups-and-downs of the regular season, stewart rides the emotional rollercoaster of every outing with his protege.
i look at him so much as one of my children now, stewart said. I get frustrated and i know he gets frustrated, and so its learning when to temper whatever it is i have to say, and you know, remembering the frustrations that i went through in the minor leagues.
hes got way more talent than i had coming up, and he knows more than i did. His ability at this point is much better than mine, so my expectations of him are really, really high. His successes, i feel absolutely jubilant, and his failures are really, really hard for me as well, and so its just, you know, separating family because hes family now.
huggins wants straight talk from uncle stew. If anything, and this might surprise those who remember stewarts intensity on the mound, huggins thinks he pulls his punches too much when they talk.
honestly, i tell him to be harder on me, huggins said. Dont ever take it easy on me. Not him. Not this guy. Anybody else? I could probably take the softness, but not this guy because thats just how i respond.
i grew up in a situation that hardships were the way that you learned. I had a lot of things against me. Now im in this real world where some people, not that they dont want me to succeed, but you know, they kind of need me to fail, so therefore they get in there faster.
and i have a hall of famer, a great mentor whos supporting me in my long childhood dreams to continue to push me forward. He could do anything, he could not help me at all if he didnt want to. But the fact that he has been open to helping me every day, its just been something i cant pass up on. We only live this life one time. I cant pass up on it. |
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| CSUSM students speak out following series of reported campus rapes this semester |
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13 @ 00:01:39 PDT (15 reads) | |
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A sixth case involving rape or sexual assault has been reported at cal state university san marcos student on-campus housing since the start of the 2026 fall semester.
five of those reports, from sept. 9 through sept. 21, triggered clery timely warnings — a mandatory campuswide alert.
the university said in response late september that it increased university police patrols, added additional overnight security and increased front desk staffing at residential communities.
so far, there have been mixed reactions from students as to how the school is dealing with the spike in sexual assault cases.
“im more fearful. I mean i feel like every woman has pepper spray. I have a taser,” said junior hannah herd. “School is such a gift, and not being able to feel safe in this environment is really upsetting.”
the school said in a written message to parents that the “reported incidents are not connected, and there is no serial or random attacker targeting students.”
csusm said law enforcement has identified individual suspects for the cases reported this year. It also said university police investigators have been in direct contact with the san diego county district attorney’s office. The cases are still under investigation.
even with the updates to safety and security, herd said the changes havent gone far enough.
she’s a commuter student and said she hasn’t noticed many of the changes, which are focused in residential areas.
herd agreed with what another csusm student posted in an chage.Org petition regarding the reported assaults, requesting the university “provide more campus security in parking lots, the quad and other poorly-lit areas on campus.”
herd also said there hasnt been enough campus-wide discussion on the matter, nor enough accountability for victims.
“i think it just impacts how safe i feel on this campus. But also ive seen the sense of every woman i talk to has a fear on campus, and why is this being normalized?” She said.
freshmen larissa millikan and faye dumont live in the newly-opened student residence black oak hall, where some of the assaults took place according to timely warning reports shared with kpbs.
“we know some of the victims, we know some of the perpetrators which is really intense,” millikan said.
the 18-year-old roommates said theyve noticed a significant change in safety and security measures in recent weeks at their dormitory.
“we have security … in the hallways. And then we have to check in every time. It feels really safe,” dumont said.
they said it was shocking to hear about the sexual assault reports, but ultimately they’re proud of how the school has responded.
“its just a little scary for (me and my) friends, just to be nervous about are we in a safe space? But i think the most frustrating part for me is that a lot of people have said (csu) san marcos isnt a safe campus, and that theyre not doing enough,” millikan said.
according to the u.S. Department of education campus safety and security database, csusm has specifically tracked criminal rape and fondling cases on campus since in 2014.
data show the university reported the most rape and fondling incidents in 2015, with 11 rapes and five cases of fondling, and in 2023, with 11 rapes and six cases of fondling.
2024 and 2025 saw a slight decline in both reported rapes and fondling cases.
on monday, the university confirmed to kpbs that so far in 2026 there have been 10 reported rapes on campus and four fondling incidents.
the year still isn’t over, and those numbers are close to the peak years of reported cases in 2015 and 2023.
herd said what’s been happening at cal state san marcos and other u.S. Colleges like cornell university is why higher education needs to change the way sexual assaults are reported and handled.
specifically, she said the title ix reporting process does not go far enough to hold perpetrators accountable.
title ix is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination at any educational institution that receives federal financial assistance. It requires schools to respond when sexual assault affects a student’s education.
still, a campus title ix investigation is separate from a criminal police investigation.
“it doesnt start a judicial process for students. It doesnt start a way of going through the criminal justice system,” herd said.
anita rodriguez is a fourth year student at the university. She’s describes herself as a victim of sexual harassment.
“going through the title ix personally myself, the title ix process can take up to three semesters and that doesnt guarantee you a success in your case at all. And its very hard to go through,” rodriguez said,
she said she and other young women want to feel safe on campus.
“we want to be able to have the motivation complete our academics without having to worry about safety or going through mental health issues because we were affected by sexual violence,” rodriguez said.
she agrees with the changes third-year student herd proposes — like campus-wide discussions on sexual assault, more security across campus, brighter lighting in dimly-lit parking lots and pathways, and big picture changes to title ix reporting.
rodriguez said she also views requiring more rigorous sexual assault trainings as a key to changing college rape culture.
“they require us to do a title ix training, but its all online and not in person,” rodrguez said. “And the only students subjected to go to sexual harassment meeting is first-year students living in the dorms.”
csusm president ellen neufeldt posted a video on sept. 22, but has not agreed to any interviews since. In the video she explains how csusm has implemented additional education measures regarding sexual violence and consent.
the school is also encouraging all students to download csusm cougar safe, the school’s official public safety app.
a university spokesperson said the app will eventually replace the blue light emergency poles across campus, which they plan to phase out over time.
herd and rodriguez said some of the emergency poles have not been working on campus. |
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| In Uneven Geographies, Clouds Are Not Only in the Sky |
| Posted on Tuesday, October 13 @ 00:01:39 PDT (17 reads) | |
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In uneven geographies, clouds are not only in the sky
at shiva gallery, six artworks and community projects frame conditions for geography as social and political processes. Delivered via the exhibition’s title, uneven geographies, resistance and navigating are explored through environments: ecological, domestic, and historiographic. Covering a wide range of the world, jordan, palestine, taiwan, india, kashmir, and the u.S.,, These multimedia works are instrumentalized through the curatorial premise to stake a claim on the far-reaching consequences of cause and effect that lead to gender inequities, ecological destruction, and communities coming together to cope. Across these uneven terrains, human interaction with land, water, and the built environment is explored.
in and around a microchip plant in taiwan—a country that holds 60% to 70% of the global semiconductor foundry market—the artist speaks to fishers and workers, moving around by car. One local fisherman explains that they don’t believe the official reporting on river health; instead fishermen check the water with their eyes to determine how murky it is. Sometimes the shrimp are so dizzy that they float ashore. The film is not expository; no broad claims or arguments are made; instead su yu hsin’s camera is observational and participatory. But much is also missing. We see no executives, products where microchips are used, or trade routes, instead the video focuses on the hyperlocal rural environment of the plant. The second video, also screened in a temporary room in the exhibition space, tells a broader story of how the burgeoning microchip industry in sun city, arizona, a cooperation between taiwanese and u.S. Businesses, ushered forward by the u.S. Chips and science act of 2022, which attempts to gain more market share, is altering the landscape. A voiceover markets the booming and growing area while roofers lay tiles and builders construct new houses in the desert landscape—the voice conveys ready for you and your family, but the imagery does not. Hsin explores the tension of these unfinished building sites as promise versus destruction and ecological decline. She sits in a driverless car traversing the built and natural landscape. Water is central, but elusive; the way she merges indigenous thought—working with the land—in this video brings with it a more layered understanding of how this new plant and its development work against the landscape and what it has to offer. Microchip production requires immense amounts of water, a resource scarce in arizona.
outside of the room, around the corner, polycrystalline silicon, a substance that does not exist anywhere in nature, produced by these plants, is displayed on shelves. Hsin treats them like sculptures. This is what the multi-billion-dollar chip industry looks like: its environmental impact and the materiality of the natural resource. The showcase is both sleek and thought-provoking, in which indigenous and post-industrial technology are placed in opposition to each other. I am doing the walkthrough with shiva gallery’s director, macushla robinson, who also teaches at the college. She explains that she often starts the semester by asking students to take up their phones to check how many images they have on them: 700-7000 is the range. Hers, she admits, is in the upper range. How much water it takes to construct a chip, phone, or to run a data center is absent, yet present, the titles of all three works allude to clouds: “particular waters,” “where clouds once formed,” and “sunless circuit.” Both in the sky, but also, cleverly, the digital cloud, where your phone’s photographs might be stored.
amongst the strongest pieces in the exhibition is raneem ayyad’s “where do we meet the sun?,” Where she has reconstructed a room from her aunt’s house; it is transported into the gallery with its beige-toned bookshelves, seating area, television, and curtains drawn. In jordan, women spend much time in their homes, with the curtains drawn, natural light is lacking. In al-zarqa, in the 1970s, to meet the demands of a growing city, apartment buildings were built close to each other to maximize living space at the expense of residents’ access to light and the outdoors. Meeting both of these conditions, privacy, and lack of access to the outdoors, women find ways to recreate natural light through lighting design. A video piece in the recreated living room shows some of the women that the artists have studied through anthropological and ethnographic modes. When i came to the realization that the exhibition’s lighting is not designed to resemble the sunlight in the original room, but that women in jordan design lighting to resemble sunlight they lack, the piece darkened in my mind. Outside of the room, a video work details a mother speaking about cleaning the ventilation system adjacent to the airshaft in her son’s room. Visitors can cosplay this action of care and domestic labor by taking a broom and sweeping sawdust on the floor. Why are women sequestered? Why do their children live in badly ventilated homes? Ayyad’s piece speaks to the tension between conditions and choices, and their uneven distribution.
the longest-working artist within the group is mel chin, who has since the 1990s become known for his ambitious ecoventions, such as revival field (1990–1993), a green mediation project where he extracted toxic heavy metals from the soil at a waste landfill in st. Paul. Together with a creative collective, he also placed subversive artworks into the sets of the iconic 90s tv show melrose place, arguing for the importance of art within media which was becoming increasingly consumer-focused. The series of paintings on view in uneven geographies are more intimate, subtle, but still collaborative—chin fielded unusual memories from various people and painted them in diptychs in interpretation of vision (pronounced “eye of”) (2024). He paints poet mary munson mcgee’s recollection, or poem, as it is displayed next to the work, of her camper van going up in flames, which she calls an “end to our nomadic existence” likening herself to an unbiblical missus job suffering floods, plague, conflagration, and disease—a fire is none of those things in reality, but the metaphors are strong—while enduring trump. Within the exhibition, i am struck by how chance and circumstances can come to represent something larger in life; this is part of the human condition, drawing seemingly logical deductions, sometimes when it is not there. This piece of personal resistance, experience, and interpretation counterbalances some of the public and communal actions in the exhibition; like the maps created by the social justice initiative save ennore creek campaign (secc), comprised of local fishermen in north chennai, india, who have since 2014 advocated for preserving the wetlands by countermapping, protesting, and issuing a cookbook, together with the vettiver collective, with ephemera on view. Here the enemy is tangible, it is the planning authorities who continue to sidestep legislation to protect the wetlands. Marking another one of the exhibition’s illustrations of how government and local authorities deprioritize the environment that people live and farm in.
for those who know shiva gallery, it is usually an open space, however, the show’s exhibition designer amir halabi made use of its kitchen to show seec’s cookbook, created two temporary rooms, ayyad’s aunt’s living room and hsin’s screening room, that recenter the body in space. Chin’s works are recessed into the wall. Subtle design choices that speak to the embedded nature of the topics at hand. Tucked into the back is a room dedicated to radio alhara, the independent online community sometime activist radio station founded during the early covid-19 lockdowns, operating from bethlehem and ramallah in palestine. It constitutes a haven of sorts—a space to linger, listen to a live broadcast, or browse parts of the station’s archive which curators gauri bahuguna and candice strongwater transferred onto cassette tapes. This will be the first time many of the students visiting the exhibition and younger visitors handle the now-dated technology; to engage with this tactile artifact is an invitation to slow down. In the middle of the exhibition space, two 35mm projectors buzz as they display a commentary on settler colonialism in kashmir, “my memory is again in the way of your history,” an excerpt from kashmiri-american poet agha shahid’s “farewell.” Much to learn and ponder. Rather than a spatial revelation, the most important take-home from uneven geographies is perhaps that forces of technology, stewardship, and change are never linear.
uneven geographies is open through october 30, 2026, at shiva gallery, john jay college of art, 860 11th avenue, new york, and is accompanied by a catalog and an education kit to support educators.
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anna mikaela ekstrand
anna mikaela ekstrand is editor-in-chief and founder of cultbytes. She mediates art through writing, curating, and lecturing. Her latest books are assuming asymmetries: conversations on curating public art projects of the 1980s and 1990s and curating beyond the mainstream. Send your inquiries, tips, and pitches to info@cultbytes.Com. |
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