A Message to MAVAV

I was recently introduced to Mothers Against Videogame Addiction and Violence (MAVAV). They are an activist group, decrying anything related to video games with lies and slander. I made use of their contact link to send the following.

To whom it may concern,

I find the so-called facts published on this website slanderous and offensive. I have compiled below a list of your claims which I find false in my case, and in the case of almost all gamers I know.

Fact: You have described me as socially inept. I find this highly offensive. I have many good friends with whom I am fully capable of communicating.

Fact: You claim that I must surely be failing school. Would you kindly explain my most recent report card, which read:
English - A+
Mathematics - A+
Science - A+
German - A+
Computing Studies - A+
History - A
Geography - A
Phys. Ed. - B


Fact: You also claim that I possess violent tendencies, and the video games are teaching me to murder. As anyone who knows me will know, and happily attest to, I am a sworn pacifist. I believe there is a non-violent resolution for every conflict.

In a similar vein, I would be very interested to hear MAVAV's standpoint on US military actions in the Middle East, as I find the behaviour of soldiers therein to be needlessly violent.

One point you make on your website is based around the release of Manhunt 2, the sequel to popular title Manhunt. You claim that the release of such a game on the "kid-friendly" platform of the Nintendo Wii is inappropriate. Firstly, I would posit that every console in production today is "kid-friendly". Secondly, I would point out to you, that this is the purpose of the classification system. The game is given a rating based upon the level of maturity needed to cope with such themes in a game without adverse effects. The only possible way for a child under this age limit to attain a game containing said violent themes would be for a parent, or other older legal guardian to purchase it for them. This act is illegal. Now, as Manhunt was rated "AO" or Adults Only, it is only possible for an adult to purchase this particular game, making your given example, though regrettably not your entire argument, invalid.

Finally, I would be greatly interested in seeing a list of your sources. I personally have never heard any of the statistics referenced on your website, and have actually heard findings that flatly contradict some of your claims.

While I doubt that you will publish this communiqué on your website, I feel that a refusal to publish this message proves the bias of the claims made herein. It would greatly interest myself, and many others, to see your rebuttal to the arguments I have presented published on this website. A failure to respond would be, in my eyes, a concession that my arguments are true and correct, and a forfeit on your part.

I await your reply with great anticipation,


Yours Truly,

Chris Alderton

 Their website can be found at http://www.mavav.org/

I'm watching and waiting for their response.

Should This Be My English Speech?

Good (morning/afternoon) Ms. Albon and class. Today I am going to speak to you about my personal responses to the play “Othello” and the ways in which activities and tasks carried out in class helped in shaping this response.

I will begin by speaking to you about my personal response and reactions to the play, as a responder. I will then explain how tasks and activities carried out shaped this response. This includes tasks such as my personal journal entries and the group oral presentation. As well as this I will talk about the effects of class discussions on the play, as well as information taken directly from the actual text itself.

Now, to my first point: my personal response to “Othello”. “Well, thank God that’s over. That was bloody boring.” The work we id shaped this response by making me more bored. It actually made the play seem more droll than I had originally thought possible. It was a definite struggle to stay awake during some of the particularly boring passages, which include: the entire play. I am honestly surprised that the majority of the class members did not simply expire from pure, unadulterated boredom during the course of our reading. Thankyou.


I'm tempted. I really am. How I hate oral presentations.

BROWN

So it's been a long time since I last posted. Quite a very long time. There have been matches and fractures, events and non-events, and some third contrasting comparison I'm sure. The Athletics Carnival happened, as did a school dance, as did the banning of school dances. Oh! There we go, the third contrasdting comparison: There have been school dances, and a forthcoming total absence of school dances.

Anyway, I guess I'll tackle the major events, starting with:

The Athletics Carnival

It was a fine and sunny day on which the Athletics Carnival too kplace. Lots of people were running and jumping and doing other such sporty things. Yours truly took part in seven events. And Baartz won by 5 points. Coincidence? I THINK NOT! Unfortunately, in the process of carrying the house to victory, I attained a wicked sunburn which lasted a full week and was quite painful.

After the Athletics Carnival came...

The Movies

We went on to the movies at Glendale to go see Shutter Island, with the best line from any movie I think I've ever seen. Namely, an old, German guy saying "Why are you all wet baby?" Much fun was had by all involved, and Josef kept my sunglasses for the weekend. Then, of course, came...

Dwyer's Party

Dwyer turned 16, his family was completely insane and there was much rejoicing. We played Truth or Dare and Murder in the Dark, then we all went and slept for 5 hours. During tent-time, a meme was spawned...

IN A WORLD

...

WITHOUT COLOUR

...

ONE

...

CAN ONLY DREAM

...

*neeeeeeeooooooooooww-BOOM!*



Moving on now to...

The Dance

Well, the dance happened ,and people danced, I air-guitared and a few people were naughty and got drunk. This means that school dances have been banned  "until this issue is resolved". Stupid Skeletor.

And well, that kinda wraps it up. Not too much else happened. Oh, well there was the minor matter of






EMILY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY!

Be honest. You thought I'd forgotten, didn't you? Well I didn't. Many a person was there who did give many a gift and answered many a trivia question. Also, we all ate many a food and hit many a pinata (well, only one a pinata). And Amanda broke many a shoe. (Again, only one shoe). We were all dressed in many a costume (I was many a Jack Sparrow). Although, I don't really have many a much more to say about it, so I'll move to many an end of this post, I suppose.



I leave you with two things:

• My sincere hope that I have a hell of a lot of fun at the Prodigy concert tomorrow night; and
• A quote from Mooey - "You are the best person in the entire world!"

Well, I think that says it all, just about

Peace out, my adoring public
(Well, maybe not, but when am I ever gonna have the chance to say that again?)

Much love to all,

The Sledgehammer