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 Digg.com Facebook Google Bookmarks N4G Gamerblips del.icio.us Reddit Slashdot.org StumbleUpon Yes! step away from video-games KIDS, we want no more annoying trash talking from you youngans, leave our games to us older folk. Now if he could just get them to stop swearing constantly when they are online. I know. You worry about the global recession and we shall worry about our health.
Besides, Wii Fit said my BMI was ideal. :wink: wow.. Obama is doing good so far. not. America must be in a better postition than i though if he's worried about Videogames?
So mass unemployment, people dying cause they cant afford helathcare and lets not get into the debate about real guns rather than Videogame ones.
God Bless America! Jesus, people. Getting upset about such a throwaway comment? Besides, he might be making a painfully cliched point, but it is a valid one all the same.
The health of a nation's people is as important as anything else he has to deal with. JimSteele - Then I think it would be more appropriate if he said; "Kids, don't eat yourself fat at McDonalds." Or perhaps "parents - stop feeding your kids shite and letting the TV raise them for you".
Granted.
Either way, it clearly wasn't meant as a scathing attack on gaming, gamers or the videogame industry, as much as people want to see it that way.
Gaming gets a bad rap, but gamers do get a bit too sensitive about these things. Or maybe if people actually followed the link and actually read the article you'd notice that he does:
"It also means cutting down on all the junk food that is fueling an epidemic of obesity, putting far too many Americans, young and old, at greater risk of costly, chronic conditions. That’s a lesson Michelle and I have tried to instill in our daughters with the White House vegetable garden that Michelle planted. And that’s a lesson that we should work with local school districts to incorporate into their school lunch programs."
As for mentioning guns, unemployment and the global recession, I think these would be a little out of place at speech given to the American Medical Association, don't you? Why single out video games Obama? In case you didn't notice, we sit on our arses while we watch TV, playing a boardgame or doing a jigsaw puzzle, at the cinema/theatre, or often when we're just relaxing at home listening to music. Of course hes right to say that.
Whats more healthy, running around outside or sitting in playing videogames?
Hes just right. No one can possibly even attempt to argue with him. I'm so glad to see that "cool heads" aren't completely eradicated yet, Nico. Good on you sir! Exactly. Studies have indicated that the habits instilled in children during the formative years are vital in terms of determining the odds of a child adopting a healthier lifestyles vs. a more unhealthy one (no guarantees mind you). This applies to dietary habits and lifestyle choices. Let your kids play computer games if they like to, that's fine; just make sure it's not the only thing your kids do and that they get a vareity of different activities - including phyiscal exercise - in their day-to-day routines. It's necessary for healthy growth. Err... Obama smokes.
As for the 'play less videogames'. Of course he is right. Like anything, videogames should be taken in moderation if you want to stay healthy.
It's fine if you don't - it's your choice - but he is obliged to make the comment particularly as America has the old obesity epidemic.
Myself, I go to the gym 3 times a week, and on the other days, if I'm not out, will tend to play my xbox rather than watch TV . oh come on. He's basically saying that we should encourage our kids to be more active. he said "spend MORE time outside." not all not we should ban video games. he said kids should be more active. Personally i think its an endorsement of gaming, its such an enjoyable and engaging past time that many don't feel the need to go outside.
He also couldn't of said stop watching TV, the conglomarates that own the networks are some of the biggest corporations in the world. He can get away with using gaming as an anlogy the last thing he wants is the negative reactions from the mass media in the states. Which luckily gaming hasn't quite become part of yet. Any parent with and common sense should be doing this anyway(but obviously are not). Too many lazy parents out there nowadays. Parenting license maybe or a course in parenting? It's all about balance. Personally, I spend time with my kids taking them out getting some fresh air and excersise. Taking the dogs for a walk and what have you. I am an energetic person anyway so they have no choice with me :)
I grew up playing videogames from the age of 4. I also loved football and played all the time as a nipper. Once your routine is set it's harder to break. I couldn't imagine sitting on my arse all day and play videogames. A couple of hours does me then I have to stretch my legs.
Set your children up right early and it will more than likely carry on in their adult life. It’s a comment on parenting, not gaming. Read between the frickin lines people. So THIS is why microsoft invented Natal! To make Americans more active! Ah it all falls into place Conkers you beat me to it. A welcomed side-swipe at people who lay sprogs then make a real hash of bringing em up (good parents excused)quite refreshing since it is usually parents claiming it is everyone elses fault.
Shame none of the idiots in question will work that out and probably think he is just having a go at videogames! Try the entire Western/developed world with Japan being the notable exception (a strong cultural sushi and rice based diet is believed to bear a large part of the responsibility for this). So is being a largly inactive sushi eating western man a good thing or a bad thing. Could explain hy i'm fat but not that fat. On a different note, do you think a natal leisure suit larry would be a good idea? To be fair to both sides there are reasons for what they say. He's right that kids need to get out more and be active but he could of mention TV amongst others that are a cause for this. The reasons gamers get so annoyed by comments like this is due to the fact that not a week goes by without someone blaming videogames for obesity and just about everything else at the moment. The fact is that there is about 150 million homes around the world with a games console in the home while there are probably nearly a billion homes with TV's in them. Which is really the bigger issue at this point in time. I know plenty of friends who just let their kids sit and rot in front of TV all the time. I get what your saying, its like, dont ban guns....ban bullets...... »
That's real cute, Monkey. :lol:
Mmmm. Fresh sushi. Here's a solution to the issue. We have criteria for drivers licenses, wedding licenses, gun licenses, why not baby licenses? You have to pass a certain intelligence/decency test in order to be allowed to procreate. Good parents turn off the tv and boot their kids out the door, as well as not feeding them frozen pizza and french fries every day. @ timewarp1
LOL, your comment about Natal based Leisure Suit Larry made me chuckle :) I think he has bigger issues to deal with somehow. He should concentrate on them. While I like Obama videogames don't mean jack when it comes to "health" I play loads of videogames and I'm as fit as a fiddle and enjoy a varied life, it's just my main hobbies always come back to gamin. I'm not fat, psychopathic (much) or illiterate so I feel games get a bad break. If obama brings out a law for american kids that have squeeky voices, cannot play online.
I would do anything obama wanted me to do. xD I think he makes a valid point. He doesn't say "don't play", just put the controller down and go see that there's a world out there. Good message. You people defending Obama are TOTALLY missing the point. It is NOT the President's job to tell people how to live. President Obama tells us how to live on a daily basis. Who can be CEO of what company, how much private citizens can make, using unimaginable amounts of taxpayer dollars to buy businesses that NEED to fail in order to straighten themselves out, and telling them what kind of product they should have. Don't eat fatty foods, don't drive these kinds of cars, don't use too much energy that you pay for with your OWN money. This guy is a mega-controlling jerk. So, for once, just for once, Mr. President, shut your mouth and leave us alone to live our lives as WE see fit. Is he telling you what to do? no? Is he trying to encourage people to live healthier, more productive lives, impacting positively on the nation as a whole, yes. If he gave even half a sh!t about "The health of a nation's people" he'd do something about the HMOs. :roll:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/library/mdstateleg/issues/hmos327.htm I'm sick of people stereotyping kids on videogames. No, I am not overweight. NO, I do not shout abuse down Xbox Live. All you "veterans" who "grew up" with Pong, maybe you should stop disguising yourselves. It's YOU screaming abuse hoarse voicedly down the Halo server at 2 in the morning. And I joined CVG for an actual reasoned argument. Disappointed about the state of it now.
Seriously, get some sleep and switch off your console. I'm sick of people stereotyping kids on videogames. No, I am not overweight. NO, I do not shout abuse down Xbox Live. All you "veterans" who "grew up" with Pong, maybe you should stop disguising yourselves. It's YOU screaming abuse hoarse voicedly down the Halo server at 2 in the morning. And I joined CVG for an actual reasoned argument. Disappointed about the state of it now.
Seriously, get some sleep and switch off your console. I'm sick of people stereotyping kids on videogames. No, I am not overweight. NO, I do not shout abuse down Xbox Live. All you "veterans" who "grew up" with Pong, maybe you should stop disguising yourselves. It's YOU screaming abuse hoarse voicedly down the Halo server at 2 in the morning. And I joined CVG for an actual reasoned argument. Disappointed about the state of it now.
Seriously, get some sleep and switch off your console. is that the same Barrack Obama who advertised in burnout paradise, or was that a different Barrack Obama Oh.. My.... You are right.. ROFL! I forgot about that :lol:
But I do get what he means. He is the President of the United States. His voice is heard throuout the country and the world. He is not preeching, just using his power to encourage people to live a better lifestyle. Spreading advice that more learned people know. At the end of the day, he is right and if someone listens to him then that's a job well done. Eat healthily, excercise regularly and overall take care of yourself. If a friend of mine said 'Simon, do you realise doing what you are doing now, you can be causing undue damage to your body? You might want to try this. you'll feel great. Just a suggestion mate'. I would take the advise onboard. Sometimes people do try to help others and give good advise sometimes :) Hmm American kids not playing video games I'm starting to like this idiot, maybe I can get more than an hour of abuse and lag free Halo play lol. Oh the man can do no wrong, wish the sun shined out of my ass they way it does his. People have been living their lives the way they see fit for quite some time, and it has had disastrous results. You could say that some buisnesses need to fail in order to straighten themselves out, so do millions of individuals, so does the finance industry. Maybe Britain and America, the Western world and the entirety of modernity NEED to fail in order to straighten themselves out.
I'd rather get stuff sorted now, than wait for utter collapse first. You may be on to something there, Syph. Personally I'd much rather see US hegemony continue as opposed to China taking over. Then again, being a Westerner I'm probably biased since I grew up with Western cultural trends and values. However, at the very least I can walk down most any Western street and speak openly against the sitting government and not have to be too concerned about tanks suddenly rolling through a central square, or having a sack thrown over my head followed by torture. Is the West perfect? Not in my opinion and there are certainly a number of areas that could do with a shift in paradigm thinking, but remember to keep an eye on the competition. | 
