North Carolina is officially looking into limiting the screen time of children.
Gov. Mike Easley recently signed off on the state budget, a 220-page document in which is buried a $100,000 appropriation to establish a task force on childhood obesity. Group members primarily include representatives from the education and healthcare sectors. From the legislation:
The goals of the strategic plan shall encompass the following framework of initiatives...
(6) Developing activities or programs that limit children's screen time, including limits on video games and television.
Video games aren't the only named culprit, of course. Other focuses are providing better nutrition as well more opportunites for children to exercise safely. The task force will report on its findings in 2009.
Comments
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Thanks good job;
Btw, I think Atari and Midway will drop out too, but mostly travesti because these guys have done nothing travesti or little and need to start saving costs. and dizi izle
YES.
Now I don't have to get off my ass for the important shit anymore!
Whats next, ordering pizza from Xbox live?
Wait... I think that sounds like a good idea.
But I think voting should MAKE you get off your ass, and see outside or a second while you go vote. I mean, your picking the president of the United States of America for God's Sake... least you can do is drive down there and punch out a card.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Nintendo is indeed selling SOME of these on the Virtual Console but not even close to all of them. While i agree in part to his piracy he was filling a market that Nintendo failed to recognize. Maybe someone doesnt want to buy a Wii. maybe they just want a console with 50 - 100 NES games on them?? maybe just maybe?
but no Nintendo wants everyone araba kiralama to buy the Wii. thats their excuse but thats not what copyright is supposed to protect. i am real sure that the makers of 10 yard fight were losing sleep because they were missing out on their $0.00025 worth because they didnt get royalties from this player. *smirk*
my question is, should Super Mario Bros. be banned from public domain forever? isnt 23 years enough time for Nintendo to have made their profits?
If you have followed the Steamboat Willie case regarding Mickey Mouse you can rest in your bed well at night knowing that the MOUSE will still be under copyright law, away from public domain after your great grandchildren are in nursing homes. That is beyond ridiculous dont you think??
Gallagher can araç kiralama say all he wants, but I strongly rent a car believe it's due to his crappy leadership and E3 being a joke. ESA's Board of Directors need to find a way to get out rent a car of this horrid contract with this Bush cronie before there's no one left on the Board.
Btw, I think Atari and Midway will drop out too, but mostly travesti because these guys have done nothing ttnet vitamin or little and need to start saving costs.
YES.
Now I don't have to get off my ass for the important shit anymore!
Whats next, ordering pizza from Xbox live?
Wait... I think that sounds like a good idea.
But I think voting should MAKE you get off your ass, and see outside or a second while you go vote. I mean, your picking the president of the United States of America for God's Sake... least you can do is drive down there and punch out a card.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
lol. Gamers talking about encouraging fitness. Maybe we aren't as lazy and fat as the steoreotypes make us to be.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
That or we've seen the effects of sitting in front of a screen for hours on end.
Ok, so I'm not even remotely fat, but I am out of shape. If I spent less time in front of my computer I would probably be happier and healthier, so it's only natural that I would want to keep others from repeating my mistakes.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Okay, I understand that a lot of parents are doing a horrible job when it comes to their kids' health, but government regulation? We'd have to think of another name besides the free world for this country if the government started calling shots in kids' lives.
Michael Carusi
Capitol Gaming
http://augamers.blogspot.com
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Ultimately their hearts are in the right place with this. While video games are not to BLAME for the obesity epidemic they are a factor. I totally agree with the previous analysis which talked about how we say "leave it up to the parents" but we have been and that's failed.
I'd be interested to see what their goals are here. This is really vague legislation which is created more to give the appearance that something is being done than actually ACCOMPLISHING anything. They COULD use this to create athletic programs and stuff, that would be great. But I fear all that will happen is a bunch of talking heads will sit around a table and yak about stuff.
I think certain people have read too much into this, if you read the text it says "develop activities" to reduce screen-time. That's a laudable goal. To me that sounds like attempting to create interactive, athletic, outdoor ACTIVITIES that are alternatives to screen-time, not to simply say "no more than 2 hours of video games a day." Of course this also seems to ignore the exercise potential of games like DDR and WiiFit
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Part of me thinks that all of this shit will reduce when our generation is in control, but it's never going to stop...
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Lol what ever happened to freedom of choice? Who have the right to judge what we waste our lives on? America land of the hypos and the liars, set out to free the world you say? Why you can't even free your own people, better yet make up laws to restrict the freedoms that your fathers gave their life for. Upholding the constitution is not the first priority any more, bending it to suit your own moral code now that's more like it.
America is the stuff of George Orwells nightmares. America is real.
Yea and Americans who read this, you let this happen to your own people somewhere between ww2 and now you traded the "land of the free" in for "a nation under god". Laws like this is not the beginning because the beginning was a long time ago. You can't blame this one on the terrorists.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
These laws don't restrict or legislate jack, they're just there to set up social programs and the like. They're not really laws they're just budget details.
Oh and Oceania/1984 was more than just Big Brother
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Oh, iv'e read 1984 a few times, and what made it so damn scary wasn't the living conditions, it was the way the goverment breed the population, trained them from the craddle to believe in their ideal (in your case god). Only the ideal they taught was not the ideals they lived by (in this case imperialism). You fight for god, for freedom (nice looking words) against terrorism and suppresion (bad words). Yet your own goverment creates legislations and restrictions, you say you fight for their freedom, do you think stealing their natural resources (oil) will help them through this horrible time?
Your goverment can come with outrageous claims saying something like "Irak have nuklear weapons" and then when it's clearly proven they do not and your attack was uncalled for they change the battlecry from "homeland security" to "freedom in the middle east". And no one will dispute them on that claim, since well you went in to irak to free them and mission accomplished right? Because there was no nuke then clearly you can't have gone in to find something that wasn't there, the truth is much simpler you went in to save them right?
Oh and since when was deciding how much time a person should spend his/her time with a certain activity not considered restricting his/her rights? Budget details, social programs? If anyone have to abide it as if it was a law i don't care what they call it, it's still a law.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
I do not fight for God. I believe that if there is a God he wouldn't need my help (or anyone else's).
And have you not seen the incredible amount of flak the Bush administration has taken over the Iraq war and how Mccain is trying his best not to look like Bush?
Oh an no citizen has to abide by the law, all the suggestions and things in that bill are voluntary.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Spoken like someone that probably has never READ "1984" or who has ever lived under a true dictatorship/totalitarian state.
America is not perfect and the current administration has done a lot of curtailing on personal liberties. But we are a LONG way from Orwell's Oceania in 1984 and just as long of a way from a true dictatorship/totalitarian state.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
*Kid turns on the television.*
IDENTIFY
*Kid holds up right hand*
IDENTITY CONFIRMED, WELCOME Richard Hoplin
Richard Hoplin, YOU ARE ALLOTED TWO HOURS OF SCREEN-BASED ENTERTAINMENT
*Channel flickers to Logan's Run*
"There is NO sanctuary!"
---- There is a limit for both politicians against video games, and video games against politicians. http://www.goteamretard.com
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
For a second I thought you were talking about that show where contestants had to guess other people's jobs (or other things) based on what they look like. That would be an interesting show for kids, too bad it's not on anymore.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Jesus Christ I hate this country. Just another way our tax dollars are being flushed down the fucking toilet.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Flushed down the toilet? It's more like getting slapped in the face and robbed of your wallet.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
you know what REALLY scares me? im a martial arts teacher and id like to teach my kids kung fu, however im a firm believer of the scream method, since it releases energy into every movement. Now what if im teaching my kids in my own home and a nosy neighbor hears all the screaming and calls the police or child services. Try explaining a bruised and screaming kid to a cop and or nosy neighbor. its not that i beat em up or anything but the very nature of chizao bruises arms and legs, although it doesnt really hurt. im afraid id loose my kids to the nanny state that wants everyone in a bubble.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
To be fair, this is a valid response, especially in areas that have a "noise pollution" ordinance. It's not "nosy" if you can hear it halfway down the block. People will call the police over anything from barking dogs to partying teenagers.
My only advice is to get on really good terms with the neighbors. Let 'em know who you are and what you do, show 'em the kid really likes it, and maybe they'll be less inclined to complain about "that kid doing karate again" when they hear the screaming. On the flip side, if someone does call child services, you'll have a streetful of people to testify to your good character.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
There's already a perfectly good monitor that limits kids time on tv... It's called not having cable.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
"In order to limit children's screen time we are are implementing something called reverse televesions or "tele screens" these will monitor the children and make sure they get enough exercise."
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
insert 1984 reference here =p
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
This is why there should be a king of the world... at least said person doesn't take CRAP from any of the retard parents.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
FOR GOD'S SAKE! Why, WHY, does the government want to be a surrogate parent so much? This is definitely a keen insight into why our country is so screwed up, the government is wasting tax dollars on pointless "task forces" that try to raise people's children for them instead of focusing on the real problems...
LET. PEOPLE. PARENT. THE. WAY. THEY. WANT. It's their job, not some idiot politician's.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Unfortunately, the rest of society suffers if they don't do a very good job. Parents have certain responsibilities, many of which the government can already enforce. Just as parents do not have the right to starve their offspring or deprive them of other basic necessities, perhaps it's time to let them know that they don't have the right to turn little Johnny into a raging hambeast either.
Ideally, I'd like to see required parenting courses in schools that cover everything from diapers to proper nutrition. I understand that such things exist in some places, but they are nowhere near as widespread as they should be. Trying to balance out the failings of modern parents with in-school initiatives (ie. bans on junk food, more physical education, etc.) is only a temporary solution, and the government needs to ensure that the next generation of parents will be able to shoulder the responsibilities that the current generation cannot.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Yeah, try forcing me to take courses on changing diapers in High School. Not in a million years. That's a waste of time in High school. A better solution would be some sort of parenting program in the local community that adults have to take if they are having a baby. Like getting a driver's liscence, except to raise babies. Think of it this way, raising a child properly can be thought of being even more important than driving well. It sounds crazy but if we need to have driver licences than we should have parent licenses. Of course there's no chance that this will happen.
High school is an incredibly stupid time to teach teenager's how to be parents. Trust me, teenagers won't take it seriously at all and won't learn much.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
The same could be said of any highschool course, but I found that when I got to university, I benefited tremendously from even a slight introduction to any given subject. You'd be surprised how much information you retain without even trying.
Besides, there's no way to force parents-to-be to take parenting courses, but if you get 'em while they're young, there's a chance that they'll remember at least a little bit of what you teach them. At worst, it might convince a few of them that they are nowhere near responsible enough to have a child.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
"High school is an incredibly stupid time to teach teenager's how to be parents. Trust me, teenagers won't take it seriously at all and won't learn much. "
As a senior in high school, I can testify to that :P.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
As a sophomore, I too can testify to that. :)
Though it might discourage them from having a baby.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Another thing that killed kids' afternoon TV was the fact that the FCC fined stations if any commercial contained even a fleeting glimpse of any character from the show, claming it turned the whole cartoon into a half-hour commercial. Stations were getting $50,000 fines because a commercial for cereal had a "FREE POKEMON SPOON" promotion, for example. Easier to just stop showing cartoons instead of having fines thrown at you that you couldn't even protest if you wanted to continue broadcasting...
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
I wonder if these laws are still in effect. Will TV networks go back to showing afternoon cartoons? Well, anyways, kids get their education from school, they don't need doubly much from the TV when they have homework to do. And there was already a network in place that showed educational kids' programming: PBS.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
but the cartoons i grew up were nothing BUT 30-minute commercials for toys.
how absolutely stupid are people to infect their children with lack of control over the television?
Here are we -- and yonder yawns the universe.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Sweet! Hey, why don't you wipe the parents asses too while you at it!
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
This'll make parents even lazier.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Remember that US Telecom act of 1997?
It totally killed after school TV time, with the downfall of TV cartoons. It was supposed to replace it with more educational content. But instead we got reruns of Cops and talk shows replacing Digimon. Yeah, THAT's a lot better for kids.
I feel the same way about what this will do to TV again.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
So THAT'S what happened?! That killed Fox Kids!
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
if you have to bury it, maybe you shouldn't be doing it. In fact, you probably already know you shouldn't be doing it.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
How the hell are they supposed to constitutionally enforce this? Oh wait, they can't.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
From what i can tell their is nothing to "enforce", they are creating activities and doing what they can to improve health... They are not making a law that makes it illegal for children to spend too much time in front of a tv or computer... Legislation isn't just about making laws but also putting together social programs. The idea is to create these activities, spread the word, and them hope that children will choose to participate in them (or parents will force their kids). Essentially, the participation is purely voluntary
Here's the list before he mention of video games...
(1) Providing healthier foods to students;
(2) Improving the availability of healthy foods at home and in the
community;
(3) Increasing the frequency, intensity, and duration of physical activity in
schools;
(4) Encouraging communities to establish a master plan for pedestrian and
bicycle pathways;
(5) Improving access to safe places where children can play; and
(6) Developing activities or programs that limit children's screen time,
including limits on video games and television.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
This legislation is just granting money for programs that will provide a healthier alternative to sedentary activity. There is no regulation arising from this because this is a budget bill, not a proposed law. I'm all for it, except that it assumes that you can't be active while playing a game. That's just uneducated because of dancing games, Wii waving games, etc.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Last I checked, North Carolina was still in the USA, and didn't somehow defect to China.
"I'm not responcabel fer my comuter's spleling errnors." -- Xlorep DarkHelm
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Wow, taxes money hard at work finding the nearest drain possible. Great job government officials... Maybe tomorrow you can just wipe your butts with the money and flush it down the drain instead. At least then it will have been put to use before disappearing.
So who is looking for votes with this idea.
How about schools mandating exercise while doing school work in class? I exercise while playing video games when load screens come up, and while watching TV. Teach these kids how to multitask, they will greatly need it in the work force.... Nah that wont work... How about limiting the amount of food they are allowed to eat at lunch, real workouts by qualified professionals during PE, and beating parents upside the head that are obese without medical reasons.
I understand some people have medical reaons behind why they are overweight, and that being too skinny is bad too. Too many people in this world are just flat out way too fat for no real reason other than their unhealthy ways and laziness. I admit, I have family members in this group... It takes some work, but it adds years to your life...
At the same time though, the GOVERNMENT HAS NO RIGHT TO CONTROL PEOPLE and what they do. I hate to be a propagandist, but across the world governments are slowly stripping away the freedoms of the people.
"If we restrict liberty to attain security we will lose them both." - Ben Franklin
That includes, if we let the government restrict how we live our lives, to keep us alive longer, we will lose those freedoms to live free, and we will live shorter. We must let society go the way it must, swaying its direction when needed. May it be by encouragement or educating, those are some of the few right ways to keep societies on track.
Meh, something like that at least... I just hate seeing the government go against the forefather's wishes of how our country was to be ran, and that the founders were wiser than the people currently in position of power, when they were to never to be in power, but instead people of representation.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Ya know, I'm really confused by my own state.
We have the Julia Boseman video game law which, for the second year, didn't make it anywhere. Showing that some in the legislature found more important issues to deal with.
Then, we have the Anti-Bullying (Anti-Abuse) law which went belly up because Pro-Abuse organizations and politicians said such a law violated their Right to Abuse children and others.
Now, the Governor appears to be getting behind the issue of child obesity and the desire to limit certain activities.
Consistancy may be spelled with an NC, but NC ain't into consistancy.
:/
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Nightwng2000 has also updated his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/nightwing2000 Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
You expect them to tackle the same issues over and over again?
At what point does consistency become beating a dead horse?
Oh and perhaps you can elaborate on the anti-abuse law. I doubt that people really argued they had the right to abuse children.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
I expect them to be consistant in their "Protect The Children!" attitudes. Video games are bad for kids, but abusing them in any fashion is good is NOT consistancy.
Anti-Bullying law:
The bill itself:
http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2007&BillID=h1366
Note that the groups listed are general groups, not specific types of individuals within those groups (race in general, not specific races, gender in general, not specific genders, etc.)
Also note that it is not unique to list such groups in laws. Just look at Employment and housing laws for example.
Also note that creating seperate abuse laws from assault, such as child abuse and spousal abuse laws.
I know, you didn't bring those up, but others have in relation to trying to argue against the law.
Below are a couple of articles about the law. I'm sure you could find a few others. I only did a Google News search, so there are most likely plenty of other blogs and sites chattering about the law, both for and against it.
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=299375
The next link is the op-ed piece referred to in the previous article.
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=299261
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=299446
I also relate the fact that without such lists, an opponent could make the "Founding Fathers" argument. It's an argument very common in Freedom of Speech arguments. It's the argument that says that the Founding Fathers didn't mean for <fill-in-the-blank> to be protected by Freedom of Speech. The Founding Fathers could foresee certain situations and now, we're in that situation and since so-n-so doesn't like that thing, we'll argue that the Founding Fathers didn't mean for it to be protected. So, take out the list, and then when someone is abused because of so-n-so, argue that "oh, they weren't meant to be included because so-n-so".
So, yes, the arguments being made in opposition to the Anti-Abuse law are actually arguments to support a desire to argue the Right to Abuse others. An individual is ALWAYS entitled to their beliefs and opinions. HOWEVER, when one starts abusing other individuals directly, then the victim's Rights are being violated. Verbal (even in writing), mental, physical, and/or sexual abuse, even if one justifies the abuse through religious dogma, is still abuse and a violation of the victim's Rights and is still abuse.
The same is true whether the person is being abused for their race, gender, religious, sexuality, physical characteristics, and even because of how they dress, the books/movies/TV shows/Video games/music/politics/etc that they expose themselves to. Much of that isn't included in the bill. Much to the satisfaction of certain "Culture Warriors" who advocate abuse because of those not listed groups.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
Nightwng2000 has also updated his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/nightwing2000 Nightwng2000 is now admin to the group "Parents For Education, Not Legislation" on MySpace as http://groups.myspace.com/pfenl
Waste of time
Just what we need,more government!
Someday,we will most definetly pay for letting our mentally challenged politicians think they can do this kind of shit and get away,whe nthey should be doing what they were originally given jobs t odo,whic is to portect our rights from those who want t otake them away from uo(here's lookin at Vladimir Putin).
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Soething else that bugs me.
If gym class were not relegated to being just another practice session for the current sport season, perhaps more people would enjoy it.
I hate gym class growing up. I hated it because I did not enjoy any of the school sports. So what did I end up doing instead. Running laps for an hour. Total blast don't you think. Give me some activities to do besides running and perhaps it would be more engaging.
The emphasis on school sports is pretty damaging to youth. Kepp them around for those who want to play. I have no problem with that. But when the schools consider you a lower class student because you don't participate in sports, then we have a problem.
E. Zachary Knight
http://www.editorialgames.com
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/okceca
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1325674091
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
My thoughts exactly.
I always hated recess and PE growing up - I interacted much better, and much more willingly, with a book or a screen than with a bunch of noisy kids (read: minors) hitting a solid object around. Besides, why the emphasis on team sports? By their very nature (barring variants), you have only one or two kids interacting with the ball/puck etc. at a time, thus all the unathletic ones who don't want to be playing in the first place are sitting on the sidelines or playing 'defense'. Yeah, real great exercise. Recess was even worse because instead of sitting around bored in a classroom (where at least there was the expectation that you would shut up with an adult in the room) I'd be sitting around bored outside, ducking projectiles every 5 min or so. Aren't some schools now using DDR-esque video game technology in their PE programs? It's like the Wii philosophy - figure out why people don't want to use your product, then sell them something they will like.
I'm not arguing for banning PE, or for that self-esteem BS. (If the kid does have a health problem, though, at least find some healthy physical activity for him to do so he doesn't turn out anemic/obese.) But athletics is like music and arts - great for the kids who like/are good at it, but useless for the ones who aren't. You can force him to run laps every day for 12 years, but do you really think he'll keep going to the gym after college if he grew up considering PE a hateful chore? It's not as though most careers require you to be in great physical shape anyway - I'm not super-fit, but I'm not 50+ lb overweight either, and I like my current body size. (Incidentally, the only PE activity I liked in high school was archery, which does zero for your physical health.)
And now that I've completely bored y'all and gone off-topic...
Mandating something unenforceable that parents should control - Fail. $100k for a 'task force' to 'develop...recommendations' but no money for actually doing anything - Fail. Ignoring other sedentary activities like Internet usage, movies, and reading - oh, that's right, kids don't read these days.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
Really? try drawing a 75lb english longbow a few times and tell me what muscles in your upper body aren't telling you "I'm working"
. Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
Re: North Carolina Working to Limit Kids' Screen Time
I know it works your upper body muscles. That helps, how? Doesn't improve cardio/endurance. Doesn't trim fat. If anything, archery leads to arthritis (Wikipedia cites skeletons of English longbowmen with noticeable deformities). I suppose it could help you control your breathing, but so does meditation, a non-physical activity.