New Fox News Lulz: "Former Marine Disappeared, Possible link to COD"

[phear3d]

BREAKING NEWS!

Herald Tribune (http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080210/NEWS/802100499) through FN

Missing Ex-Marine's Family Says Video Game May Have Sparked Disappearance (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,330225,00.html)



Relatives of a missing ex-Marine wounded in Iraq fear a video game that simulates combat may have triggered war memories that led to his disappearance, Florida's Herald Tribune reported.

After playing "Call of Duty," Eric Hall "just got up and said he had to go," Courtney Birge, a family friend, told the newspaper.


The 24-year-old Hall left the home of a relative in Deep Creek, Fla., where he was staying, on Feb. 3, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office. He rode away on a motorcycle that was later found on a roadside, still running.
Hall had been hallucinating and having flashbacks, the sheriff's office said.


In June 2005, Hall was injured when a bomb exploded while he was on patrol. He was treated for injuries to his right arm, left leg and hip and the left side of his abdomen. He spent 13 weeks in the hospital and later was granted medical retirement by the Marines.


During the same incident, Hall witnessed his best friend being decapitated, the newspaper reported.


On Sunday a team of family members and friends planned a search for Hall using all-terrain vehicles, heavy-duty trucks and dogs, the Tribune reported. Several family members traveled Florida to help authorities in the search.



Hall's father, Kevin, remained in their native Indiana in case his son returned.


He said his son has been struggling to heal from his injuries and the stress associated with them since returning from Iraq. He said his son had moved to Florida to "get things together."


Birge told the Tribune that Hall will not be found if he doesn't want to be found.


"He's a Marine," Birge said. "He knows how to survive off the land and find food. We don't feel he is dead. We want him back with us."
posted 02.07.08

AP/Fox News Lulz: "Researchers: Video Games May Hurt Nature"

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,328384,00.html

AP article through FN


WASHINGTON — As people spend more time communing with their televisions and computers, the impact is not just on their health, researchers say.

Less time spent outdoors means less contact with nature and, eventually, less interest in conservation and parks.


Camping, fishing and per capita visits to parks are all declining in a shift away from nature-based recreation, researchers report in Monday's online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.


"Declining nature participation has crucial implications for current conservation efforts," wrote co-authors Oliver R. W. Pergams and Patricia A. Zaradic. "We think it probable than any major decline in the value placed on natural areas and experiences will greatly reduce the value people place on biodiversity conservation."

"The replacement of vigorous outdoor activities by sedentary, indoor videophilia has far-reaching consequences for physical and mental health, especially in children," Pergams said in a statement. "Videophilia has been shown to be a cause of obesity, lack of socialization, attention disorders and poor academic performance."


By studying visits to national and state park and the issuance of hunting and fishing licenses the researchers documented declines of between 18 percent and 25 percent in various types of outdoor recreation.


The decline, found in both the United States and Japan, appears to have begun in the 1980s and 1990s, the period of rapid growth of video games, they said.
For example, fishing peaked in 1981 and had declined 25 percent by 2005, the researchers found. Visits to national parks peaked in 1987 and dropped 23 percent by 2006, while hiking on the Appalachian Trial peaked in 2000 and was down 18 percent by 2005.


Japan suffered similar declines, the researchers found, as visits to national parks there dropped by 18 percent between 1991 and 2005.


There was a small growth in backpacking, but that may reflect day trips by some people who previously were campers, wrote Pergams and Zaradic.


Pergams is a visiting research assistant professor of biological sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago, while Zaradic is a fellow with the Environmental Leadership Program, Delaware Valley, in Bryn Mawr, Pa.


While fishing declined, hunting held onto most of its market, they found.


"This may be related to various overfishing and pollution issues decreasing access to fish populations, contrasted with exploding deer populations," they said.


The research was funded by The Nature Conservancy.

its like they're saying "see, i told you video games are bad".

[Chacrana]

I feel like I've seen this story before, and it doesn't get any less ridiculous.

And can't the same argument be made for... Fox News? That time spent becoming "informed" isn't being used for having picnics and hiking.

[mykevermin]

I bet nature is happy. At least somewhat.

I also hate the "it's declined from its peak, so it must be a bad sign" argument. OF COURSE it declined from its peak - its the fucking peak for a reason. Show me the current rate relative to the average, and don't conceal your phony outrage by demonstrating a steeper decline because your starting point is the highest point available.

I won't be all that shocked if the findings are true but overstated here. We can't dismiss every study on games that has "negative" findings for games (I think nature could use a breather from us, truth be told) as incorrect. Flawed, in this case, but not necessarily wrong or malicious.

[DesertEagleXIX]

Researchers should find the link between Fox News and completely bogus stories about video games.

[InuFaye]

Simple Math

Fox News+ Video Games= Bullshit Lies

[linkpwns]

So, by not using and abusing nature, we are hurting it? GUYS LETS GET OUT THERE AND SMASH SOME fucking TREES! CAUSE THAT'S MORE FUN THAN GAMES!

Okay, I suppose I'm going a bit batty xD

[hohez]

Bullshit, video games help nature. The more time I spend in front of Lego Star Wars, the less time i spend out knocking up strange women.

Video Games stop over-populating and slow the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

[linkpwns]

Bullshit, video games help nature. The more time I spend in front of Lego Star Wars, the less time i spend out knocking up strange women.

Video Games stop over-populating and slow the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Sigged. Thanks!

[phear3d]

So, by not using and abusing nature, we are hurting it? GUYS LETS GET OUT THERE AND SMASH SOME fucking TREES! CAUSE THAT'S MORE FUN THAN GAMES!

Okay, I suppose I'm going a bit batty xD
this reminds me of that looney tunes episode where they were turning those tree logs into a toothpick.

[hohez]

Sigged. Thanks!

Always glad to help. \\:D/

[linkpwns]

So they think that Hiking and whatnot help Nature? Let me tell you, that's not always the case. There is a massive Boy Scout Hiking Reserve in New Mexico. Not Suggesting that I have or Have not Been there... They don't get much rain there, most obviously. Well, they do, but when it happens, it's friggin' wild. It hailed once. Anyway, during a drought, I think about 10 years back, some Boy Scout Troop was making a fire and burnt acres of the damn reservation. They couldn't do anything to stop it either. Now, if those dumbshits were playing gameboys instead of making a fire, there could have been a whole lotta trees saved!

[mykevermin]

Simple Math

Fox News+ Video Games= Bullshit Lies

The same is true if Video Games = 0.

;)

[Chacrana]

So, by not using and abusing nature, we are hurting it? GUYS LETS GET OUT THERE AND SMASH SOME fucking TREES! CAUSE THAT'S MORE FUN THAN GAMES!

Okay, I suppose I'm going a bit batty xD

Destroying trees would probably be pretty fun.

[PyroGamer]

Conservation isn't based on the fucking free market. At least it sure as hell shouldn't be.

[InuFaye]

Destroying trees would probably be pretty fun.

Chac is secretly a lumberjack?

Whodathunkit?

[PyroGamer]

Simple Math

Fox News+ Video Games= Bullshit Lies
Fox News / Fox News = Bullshit lies.

[lordxixor101]

Fox News / Fox News = Bullshit lies.

Actually, isn't Fox News/Fox News = 1 (as in anything divided by itself =1) :)

I'm torn on these. Let's say this is 100% true and a bad thing (and really, both are highly arguable points). So what? So, people have decided they'd rather fish on their Wii than fish for real. If I'm a fish, I don't mind.

Things come and go. People shouldn't be forced to like going camping because "it's good for you". How? If you get eaten by a bear, it isn't good for you, which is far more likely to happen when camping than playing video games.

Hey, horses were needed far less when cars were made, but did we have huge uproars then for homeless horses.

I just don't care.

[linkpwns]

Chac is secretly a lumberjack?

Whodathunkit?

Idgit!

Man, the next step in destroyin' nature is a game about destroyin da environment! It'll be like GTA, but instead of mowin down hoes, you be mowin down them bushes!!!11!!

[ryanbph]

I hope the study is true. The amount of property in my area that is considered historical landmarks is unfuckingbelievable. For instance, in a neighboring city there is about 8 run down mills most of the partially destroyed. A walmart and home depot wanted to move in there, but for some reason that land is considered a historical mark and wouldn't let them buy the land. What does old mills from the knitting days have to do with preserving the city? It is now a slum area. As gamers get older, if the study is correct, we wouldn't give a shit about a building like this and allow for some new business to move in.

[Maklershed]

Wow ya cant win .. you get in trouble for going into the forest and destroying the balance just by taking a hike and then you get in trouble for staying at home. Fuck everybody .. especially Fox News.

[doho7744]

You know the govt is behind this anti-gaming movement. The govt uses it to maintain control of the plebes. The people will spend there energies hating the video gamer and have less time to worry about overthrowing the govt.

Govts have done this forever. Prohibition, Rock and Roll. You turn the common man against something to take focus off their antics.

Fox (Murdoch) is controlled by the govt that's why they spread their propaganda, in exchange for this fud the FCC has allowed newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership in major markets.

I have to run now, they are coming for me, Hack the planet.

I am kidding bout most of the above, but it does make you think.

[Blackout]

Researchers should find the link between Fox News and completely bogus stories about video games.

QFMFT! Sigged. Why do these news stations even cover video games? Isn't there some celebrity doing drugs or shaving their head?

[fart_bubble]

Why the fuck are you guys bringing up Fox News besides the fact that the article is hosted there? The story is from the AP

[elwood731]

Why the fuck are you guys bringing up Fox News besides the fact that the article is hosted there? The story is from the AP
Because nobody bothers to read. Just react! They said video games were bad!

[linkpwns]

Because nobody bothers to read. Just react! They said video games were bad!

I only reacted on the article itself, not FoxNews. It's obvious that they don't do any work...

[Krymner]

Well, we gotta find something to blame it on. If it ain't global warming, terrorists, or George Bush, there's gotta be some scapegoat.

This article is rediculous. It states just theories and offers no facts backed up by specific research. By just stating that its video games fault because they started becoming popular at the same time parks started declining in tourists is stupid. I could just as easily blame it on things like rap music, since it started about the same time. What about the internets? Or anime? Or wait, my younger twin brothers were born in 1984! I bet it must be their fault!!

[linkpwns]

You know the govt is behind this anti-gaming movement. The govt uses it to maintain control of the plebes. The people will spend there energies hating the video gamer and have less time to worry about overthrowing the govt.

Govts have done this forever. Prohibition, Rock and Roll. You turn the common man against something to take focus off their antics.

Fox (Murdoch) is controlled by the govt that's why they spread their propaganda, in exchange for this fud the FCC has allowed newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership in major markets.

I have to run now, they are coming for me, Hack the planet.

I am kidding bout most of the above, but it does make you think.

WTF? No, I really don't think that's the case. I don't think that they count on people hating gamers. Gamers are people too, if you haven't actually realized...

[fart_bubble]

Fox (Murdoch) is controlled by the govt


If you think that, you must be too young or too biased to remember the Clinton News Network

[VanillaGorilla]

"videophilia"

Sounds hot.

[lunatic_pandora]

Simple Math

Fox News+ Video Games= Bullshit Lies

No, no, no. It's Fox News + Anything at all = Bullshit Lies.

[phear3d]

oh shit get ready for f0x news to do a 3 hours special on this one

http://www.destructoid.com/alert-fox-news-ten-year-old-mugs-a-younger-classmate-for-his-pokemon-cards-69471.phtml

[Thomas96]

I think that if there is a decline in National park use, then its going to be equated in less money being made by the US government, and the only way to recoupe the money lost from national parks would be to........

Impose a VIDEO GAME TAX


once the government is making money off of something (ex. Cigarettes) it doesn't matter if its proved unhealthy or not.

[KingBroly]

The only reason other media outlets aren't attacking video games like Fox is, is because they have some stake in some gaming media sites/places.

Oh, and they REALLY like Jack Thompson.

[elwood731]

I think that if there is a decline in National park use, then its going to be equated in less money being made by the US government, and the only way to recoupe the money lost from national parks
The national park system is not really a money maker for the government. Fluctuations in attendance are hardly a cause for alarm for the government, except that they may wonder why they even bother financing them in the first place if no one cares for them.

once the government is making money off of something (ex. Cigarettes) it doesn't matter if its proved unhealthy or not.
The government makes far less money off of cigarettes than it could if it simply lowered the taxes. It's basically priced many people out of buying them, and yes, that was on purpose. Cigarettes basically remain legal because they would be a bigger pain to deal with if they were illegal. This is the reason many argue pot and other drugs should be legalized and then taxed to death.

[Maklershed]

oh shit get ready for f0x news to do a 3 hours special on this one

http://www.destructoid.com/alert-fox-news-ten-year-old-mugs-a-younger-classmate-for-his-pokemon-cards-69471.phtml

They call it "mugged" now? Back in my day we used to call it "bullied".

[Jek Porkins]

"The decline, found in both the United States and Japan, appears to have begun in the 1980s and 1990s, the period of rapid growth of video games, they said."

Also a period of rapid growth for rap music. Perhaps rap music is to blame.
Say, didn't Communism fail around that time? Perhaps Communism was the only thing keeping nature going.

[HotShotX]

Fox News / Fox News = Bullshit lies.

Pyro, your math is garbage. Anything / Itself = 1

Fox News = Bullshit Lies

So, Bullshit Lies / Bullshit Lies = 1.

~HotShotX

[mykevermin]

"Former gamer disappeared, possible link to PTSD."

[Apossum]

By studying visits to national and state park and the issuance of hunting and fishing licenses the researchers documented declines of between 18 percent and 25 percent in various types of outdoor recreation.


The decline, found in both the United States and Japan, appears to have begun in the 1980s and 1990s, the period of rapid growth of video games, they said.


They forgot to mention that I stopped eating grapes over this period. I could be responsible for the decline.

[HotShotX]

By studying visits to national and state park and the issuance of hunting and fishing licenses the researchers documented declines of between 18 percent and 25 percent in various types of outdoor recreation.

Well THERE'S your problem:

Fishing and trees are fucking boring. You actually needed research for this?

~HotShotX

[linkpwns]

Oh god, this new story is really something.

[option.iv]

If I stood and watched as my best friend was decapitated... I don't think I could even pick up and play a war game. I hope that guy is all right.

[Blackout]

If I stood and watched as my best friend was decapitated... I don't think I could even pick up and play a war game. I hope that guy is all right.


Yeah that's some pretty heavy stuff. Hopefully that guy is ok. Hopefully he didn't completely flip out and start living in the woods or something.

[TC]

Don't let him see Rambo.

[ratzombie]

If you're really that fucked up in the head after being in real war, why would you go and sit and play a video game that simulates it?

Makes absolutely no sense.

[camoor]

If you're really that fucked up in the head after being in real war, why would you go and sit and play a video game that simulates it?

Makes absolutely no sense.

I think it's a psychological thing - complete pop psychology here - if you experience real trauma sometimes your mind keeps reliving it even after the trauma is gone.

Kinda like that Vietnam vet who kept watching "Aliens" until he wore the tape out.

[mykevermin]

If you're really that fucked up in the head after being in real war, why would you go and sit and play a video game that simulates it?

Makes absolutely no sense.

Achievement whore?

[Thomas96]

I feel like I've seen this story before, and it doesn't get any less ridiculous.

And can't the same argument be made for... Fox News? That time spent becoming "informed" isn't being used for having picnics and hiking.



Is this not the story of John Rambo?


--------------------------------------------------------

The Military needs to take better care of their troops when they return from war. Give troops a psych eval when they return home, monitor them for a couple of months. The trauma occured while the he was in war, the video game just rekindled the past situation. The same could have happened if he were watching a movie involving the military. We strive for our games and movies to be authentic in their representation of what a person actually goes through while they're at war so that we who won't ever go to war can have an somewhat similar experience of what its like if we were in that situation.

[DesertEagleXIX]

No one's a former Marine or ex-Marine. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Know your shit, Harold 'News'.

[TURBO]

Fox News relies on controversy & outrage to drive ratings.

The best thing you can do is not watch it.