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Let us pray …
According to the TV show, "Fox & Friends," video games and the mass shootings are linked. As a parent and video game journalist, yes, there is a link between video games and mass shootings. Yes, there is. I can not tell you how many times I've been online (Xbox Live and PSN) and been blown to kingdom come. I've sniped/shanked/fragged my share of haters online too. However, in the real world? Not so much.
Courtesy Media Matters:
Fox & Friends host Gretchen Carlson and Fox News contributor Keith Ablow distorted research findings to warn of a "terrifying link" between video games and mass shootings while dismissing the role of high powered firearms in those incidents.
During the September 10 edition of Fox & Friends, Carlson claimed, "brand new research suggests there is a terrifying link between video games and violent behavior," before showing images of recent mass shooters who purportedly "were big gamers." Ablow — claiming that all of the shooters were "addicted to violent video games" — said that a recent study that found "watching violent video games increases aggression and decreases empathy" to support his claim that video games are linked to mass shootings.
Source: http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/09/10/fox-amp-friends-hypes-flawed-link-between-mass/195811
For your viewing pleasure …
M4d Ski11z's take: I watched the segment and just shook my head. I am not a researcher, nor do I claim to be one. However, let's get one thing straight about video games: Video games have yet to kill or hurt a single person. Aside from the time I bodyslammed a student on top of Super Nintendo console with a cartridge stuck in it, video games are an easy target for conservatives, especially pro-gun, pro-NRA fanatics who want to deflect blame off of the main culprit. I was raised during a time when parents were scared of "Dungeons and Dragons" and believed they would send their children's souls to hell. I grew up during an era when rappers were political and screaming 'F the police' at the top of their lungs. I grew up with video games and a healthy respect for firearms. Now, children/mentally unstable people in the United States have access to firearms. When violence happens, conservative pundits and their drones are quick to blame video games.
Of course, these are the same people who have never played a video game, nor care to learn about them either. They link video games to increased violence, but never address what weapons were used to kill individuals.
I've said this time and time again – if video games are to blame for: 1. Violence 2. Mass shootings then my question, for anyone who supports the NRA, lack of gun control is this – why aren't other countries experiencing the same degree of bloodshed the United States is experiencing? I mean, "Call of Duty" games are sold worldwide. Rockstar Games upcoming blockbuster "Grand Theft Auto V" will sell like hotcakes all around the world. And – gasp – what about "God of War?" You not only get blood, gore and knives, but you get foul language and even breasts jiggling and nudity. And yet, there are no mentions of mass shootings or violence in Japan, France, Australia, Italy or Spain. Even Switzerland has a lax policy on firearms – and not a hint of violence. And yes, Virginia, they play video games.
The gun nuts and conservatives will never see reason. You'll be shocked to know who gamers really are. Talking to a friend – former Chronicle intern Cody Hardin, who happens to be a gamer – we compared notes about gamers that we know. We know literally thousands of gamers and can tell you most are socially awkward and a tad annoying at times, but generally good people. They enjoy their games and spending time in their virtual worlds. Are they immature? Sometimes, but not very prone to violence. The gunmen who kill masses didn't need a video game to bring their aggression to the surface. Did video games contribute to their violence? It's possible, but even in foreign countries, most heinous acts couldn't be committed without a firearm. And thanks to the misunderstood, misquoted 2nd Amendment, which states: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. – isn't the right to protect yourself against an imagined thug (code word for black male), it isn't the right to confront a suspicious person, but the right to keep a weapon to defend the Republic against enemies, foreign or domestic.
Sadly, anyone with a limited intellect will see the "Fox & Friends" hogwash and immediately side with them instead of doing their own research on topics. Fox knows their faithful drones won't listen to anyone except their network, and the Breitbarts, the Limbaughs, the Hannitys, the Ann Coulters, the Sarah Palins and the Glen Becks, who share their same, narrow, like-minded views.
The payoff: Studies reveal there is no clear link between video games and violence.
This. Courtesy of Media Matters.
In fact, the author of the research cited by Carlson and Ablow — which was actually published in 2010 — has stated that video games cannot be the sole cause of mass shooting incidents, despite being a proponent of the claim that a relationship exists between video games and real world violence. Ohio State University professor Brad Bushman published the survey of other studies that found a link between playing video games and aggressive thoughts cited by Ablow during his Fox & Friends appearance.
However, in explaining his research on video games in a March 20 New York Daily News op-ed, Bushman wrote, "It is crucial to understand there is no single cause of a crime like [Sandy Hook shooter Adam] Lanza's, and no responsible scholar could claim that violent video games cause murder."
Source: http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/09/10/fox-amp-friends-hypes-flawed-link-between-mass/195811


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Updated 3:13 p.m. ET: Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had a great game against Syracuse, throwing for 424 yards and three touchdowns, but the Orange's 45-26 win over the No. 11 Cardinals today was all on Louisville's defense. Louisville allowed 524 yards to the 'Cuse, but it was allowing big plays that ultimately decided this game.
The loss puts Louisville at 9-1 on the season and 4-1 in the Big East, behind Rutgers. The Cardinals will have a chance to rebound against UConn next week before the season-ending game against the Scarlet Knights that could still very well decide which team will go to a BCS bowl.
Syracuse (5-5 overall, 4-2 Big East) is one game away from bowl eligibility. The Orange has an out-of-conference game against Missouri next week before finishing the season at Temple.
Ranked just outside the AP top 10, undefeated Louisville would need help and help and more help to even think about sniffing a BCS championship appearance.
Or, Syracuse might take care of that problem altogether. The Orange lead the Cardinals 31-13 at the half.
Louisville was able to drive the field and kick a field goal right before halftime, but other than that, it's been all big plays by the 'Cuse. Receiver Alec Lemon already has over 100 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns.
The Cardinals are good enough to overcome this, but Syracuse is playing a lot like it did a year ago in a blowout win against West Virginia. If the 'Cuse can hang on, it would put Louisville a half game back from Rutgers atop the Big East standings. The Scarlet Knights are playing — and currently tied with — Army today.

subset: commoncrawl


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Apparently, SQL Saturday isn't popular in the west. See for yourself. I wanted to see what cities frequently host SQL Saturday and ended up creating this dashboard. There are some interesting findings. Look at how the events are primarily confined to only (right) half of United States. There are several states that haven't yet seen a SQL Saturday!
I created this using Tableau Public. Unfortunately, functionality of the dashboard on this blog is limited, so I encourage you to click on this link to see an interactive map.
Which state has conducted the most events so far? That's right, it's the Sunshine state. Good guys in Florida are outstanding by conducting 20 events already.
I hope this post is fun. Your comments are welcome. Cheers!
I'm @SamuelVanga on Twitter.


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Indigenous Australians vulnerable to lupus
(Medical Xpress)—A new study is currently exploring why Indigenous Australians (IA) suffer more frequently and severely from lupus than non-Indigenous Australians (NIA).
Affecting more than five million people worldwide, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), known as lupus, is an auto immune illness, meaning the body's immune system attacks the body itself, destroying healthy tissues, particularly the heart, joints, brain, lungs, skin and kidneys.
A scientific review of lupus research in IA, published in the Internal Medicine Journal, reported the prevalence and disease characteristics of lupus in IA differed distinctly from NIA, suggesting the possibility of a distinct and unique immunologic pathway causing this autoimmune disease in Indigenous populations.
Lead author Dr Fabien Vincent, from the Department of Immunology at Monash University, said lupus was up to four times more prevalent in IA compared to NIA, and IA suffered from a more severe form of lupus with a higher numbers of deaths.
"There is a higher prevalence of this illness intrinsic to this particular population and Indigenous Australians appear to have a different set of symptoms of lupus from non-Indigenous Australians," Dr Vincent said.
"Interestingly, prevalence and disease characteristics of lupus also appear to differ between IA communities, depending on the region of Australia.
"In Far North Queensland, compared to non-Indigenous Australians, they have less photosensitivity which is an abnormal reaction of the skin to the sunlight, more renal involvement which means that their kidney function is often affected. In the Northern Territory, they have more anti-Sm autoantibodies than non-Indigenous Australians, which are specific to this disease highlighting the abnormal production of antibodies by the body against itself."
Dr Vincent said the potential findings might lead to new therapeutic strategies that target this distinct pathogenic pathway causing lupus.
"These differences in lupus prevalence, severity and disease manifestation may reflect and be influenced by different genetic and environmental factors such as high ambient ultraviolet exposure and prevalence of infections," Dr Vincent said.
"There's a possibility that environmental factors act as triggers of disease when combined with genetic factors, such as an autoimmune predisposition or susceptibility in Indigenous Australians.
"Considering the genetic-environmental interactions, and not just genetic background, may lead to better knowledge of the underlying causes of lupus in this population. It may also improve the health status of Indigenous Australians and close the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous lupus sufferers."
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Chicagoans Linda and Debra Basili thought about becoming landlords years ago. But even two professional women's combined salaries were no match for the Windy City's high housing prices.
Then the biggest real estate crash since the Great Depression hit, driving down Chicago home prices by a third in five years. The 54-year-old twins took the leap.
Last year, they bought not one but two condominiums near downtown. They found renters within weeks, and the rent more than covers their costs.
"Tell Donald Trump to look out," says Linda Basili, a State Farm insurance manager.


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CAIRO, Egypt — Islamic leaders condemned the London bombings, though many on Friday insisted the United States and Britain, with their wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, are ultimately to blame for fueling militant violence. Increasing voices, however, say the Arab world has to stop adding "but" to its denunciations of terrorism.
Thursday's attack came as a double shock in the Middle East, occurring the same day that al-Qaida militants announced they had killed Egypt's top diplomat in Iraq after kidnapping him and judging him an "apostate" for his country's support of the United States.
The bombings also targeted a city with enormous influence in the Arab world: London is home to some of the most widely read Arab-language newspapers and to many Arab exiles — including Islamic fundamentalists.
"This is a disaster, but even disasters can bring good things. It's a chance for Muslims to show they want to live together" peacefully with Westerners, Tunisian Islamist leader Rached Ghannouchi, who lives in exile in London, told Al-Jazeera, one of the Middle East's most popular satellite channels. "Extremism and violence cannot resolve any issue."
"If the British government committed crimes in Afghanistan or Iraq, that doesn't mean the British people are fair targets," he said.
Denouncing terrorism while explaining militancy
The chain of blasts in central London, claimed by an al-Qaida-linked group, once again had Arabs walking a fine line: denouncing bloodshed and terrorism while trying to explain the growth of Islamic militancy.
"We are not trying to justify, only to analyze," wrote Abdel-Bari Atwan, who lives in London and is editor-in-chief of the Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper. "We or any of our family members or friends could have been among the victims in London."
"But we must emphasize that the wars being waged now against Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan and Palestine are the best way to recruit more terrorists and to expand the circle of armed attacks in the entire world," he said.
That stance was exactly what Khaled al-Huroub, a Palestinian writer living in Cambridge, England, said Arabs must avoid.
"It's wrong even to say this is a crime we condemn but we must understand the reasons behind it — this could be seen as a justification," he wrote in the London-based Arab daily Al-Hayat.
He called for "a clear-cut position, with no 'buts,' calling a crime as it deserves to be called."
The mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheik Abdulaziz al-Sheik, condemned the attacks, saying the bombings violated the tenets of Islam forbidding the killing of innocents.
"The family of Islam must act and show the truth ... that Islam is the religion of reform and goodness," said al-Sheik, the highest religious official in the kingdom.
However, the Friday prayer sermons at Saudi Arabia's main mosques in Mecca and Medina made no mention of the bombings.
In Jerusalem, prayer leader Yousef Abu Sneineh urged the West to "rethink their policies toward Islam and toward the issues of the Islamic people."
"Where was the American civilization — and that of its allies — when they attacked Iraq and Sudan? Where was the Russian civilization when it attacked Chechnya?" said Sneineh at the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest shrine in Islam.
Others were more direct with their condemnations and sympathies for the victims.
In Gaza City, worshippers left the Ze Noran mosque after hearing a sermon decrying violence in the name of their faith.
'Nothing can justify random killings'
"God taught us to be wise and He teaches us that Islam is a religion of mercy and wisdom," said Khaled Salah, a 45-year-old teacher. "No doubt that many (British) committed crimes against us, but nothing can justify random killings."
Egypt's biggest newspaper, the state-run Al-Ahram daily, ran a banner headline proclaiming a "black day of terrorism," with lead stories on the London bombings and the slaying of diplomat Ihab al-Sherif, who was abducted in Baghdad late Saturday.
During a prayer sermon at Cairo's Sayeda Zainab mosque, Egypt's mufti Ali Gomaa called al-Sherif a "martyr," saying those who killed him were "thugs" who will "spend eternity in hell."
© 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Challonge Premier
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The BMC is proud to present the nastiest, the foulest, the most feared arena in all of New Britannia! The Grid-Iron is equipped with a pit-style arena, VIP table, betting, vendor booths, and all the blood-sport you can handle. Fighters will be charged a 20,000gp entry fee. The house takes 20% for hosting, the winner takes 50%, and the runner-up takes 30%!
Come one, come all, whether you aspire to be a spectator seeking wealth, or a combatant seeking glory and fame, all of it can be found at The Gladiator's Grid-Iron!
Before the actual event, the BMC, in its effort to bring you maximum hospitality, invites all participants to a feast 30 minutes before the event, where guests may meet & greet, place bets on potential event winners, register to be a combatant, and converse with VIP avatars that may arrive for the evening's festivities.
After the event, all guests are invited to get down BMC style, where the clothes are shucked, the hot-tubs are steamy, Avatars Radio is loud, and the companionships are forged for a lifetime!
Location: Blackrock Point (Novia near Etceter Crag mines)
Lost? Visit our Crier in Owls's Head (Peddler's Row) for zoning instructions.
EVERY Sunday Night 5:30pm to ??? (New Britannian Time)
Feast & Registration begin at 5pm. Show up early to fight!
Look at our FAQ for detailed info.
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Final Results
|Supreme Champion:
|Nijal [BMC]
|Worthy Adversary:
|Jar Laxle [BMC]
|Maybe Next Time:
|Sheamus McGuinness [BMC]