BS: Is Internet YOUR life?

Subject: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 12:23 PM

Nev. couple blame Internet for neglect


Mon Jul 16, 8:09 AM ET

RENO, Nev. - A couple who authorities say were so obsessed with the Internet and video games that they left their babies starving and suffering other health problems have pleaded guilty to child neglect.

The children of Michael and Iana Straw, a boy age 22 months and a girl age 11 months, were severely malnourished and near death last month when doctors saw them after social workers took them to a hospital, authorities said. Both children are doing well and gaining weight in foster care, prosecutor Kelli Ann Viloria told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Michael Straw, 25, and Iana Straw, 23, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts each of child neglect. Each faces a maximum 12-year prison sentence.

Viloria said the Reno couple were too distracted by online video games, mainly the fantasy role-playing "Dungeons & Dragons" series, to give their children proper care.

"They had food; they just chose not to give it to their kids because they were too busy playing video games," Viloria told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

Police said hospital staff had to shave the head of the girl because her hair was matted with cat urine. The 10-pound girl also had a mouth infection, dry skin and severe dehydration.

Her brother had to be treated for starvation and a genital infection. His lack of muscle development caused him difficulty in walking, investigators said.

The Straws have been given public defenders. Jeremy Bosler, head of the county public defender's office, declined to comment to The Associated Press on Saturday.

Michael Straw is an unemployed cashier, and his wife worked for a temporary staffing agency doing warehouse work, according to court records. He received a $50,000 inheritance that he spent on computer equipment and a large plasma television, authorities said.

While child abuse because of drug addiction is common, abuse rooted in video game addiction is rare, Viloria said.

Last month, experts at an American Medical Association meeting backed away from a proposal to designate video game addiction as a mental disorder, saying it had to be studied further. Some said the issue is like alcoholism, while others said there was no concrete evidence it's a psychological disease.

Patrick Killen, spokesman for Nevada Child Abuse Prevention, said video game addiction's correlation to child abuse is "a new spin on an old problem."

"As we become more technologically advanced, there's more distractions," Killen said. "It's easy for someone to get addicted to something and neglect their children. Whether it's video games or meth, it's a serious issue, and (we) need to become more aware of it."

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 12:35 PM

That is sick!

I just heard on NPR this morning that people in the USA spend 75 BILLION dollars per year on video games!! Think what that money could do if spent more wisely.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 12:36 PM

Welcome to the 21st century ...

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: beardedbruce
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 12:45 PM

Kat,

Who gets to decide what would be a wiser use?

I agree that there are better things to spend the money on, like clean water wells for ever village in Africa ( actually, for every village anywhere) but how do we do that, unless we send in troops to do it? When we give money away to other nations, it seems to go to make the rich and powerful richer and more powerful. When we try to spend it here, in the US, it goes to make the rich and powerful richer and more powerful. Congress now has a lower (26?% ) rating than the Bush Administration ( 32%): Individuals can always choose to spend their $250 ( figuring 300,000,000 people)on something better- and many do- but taht is just made up by additional spending by the ones who choose to buy video games. Should we make them illegal, driving the price up and making criminals of the users? That does not work with ( other) drugs, or alchohol.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 12:54 PM

It figures.

The biggest difference I noticed about people in the Third World countries I visited was that they were emotionally and socially healthier than we North Americans, precisely because they (most of them) have less "stuff", less money, and less leisure time to waste. Instead of living a "virtual life" they live a real life...like we North Americans used to before the TV, the video games, and the computers came along.

That guy's life was basically destroyed by receiving a $50,000 inheritance. It allowed him to "escape" real life into a life of fantasy. Such things are not uncommon with people who come into a lot of money that they didn't earn. It can have a very destructive effect.

It happens that way with animals too. If I were to give my dog all the food his little heart desires, he would eat himself into a premature grave quite quickly, I assure you...possibly in as little as 24 hours. He simply doesn't know when or how to stop. Neither did that couple, when it came to the computer games.

There are some people at the casinos who are addicted to gambling in the same way, and they also neglect their children and lose control of their lives.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 12:54 PM

No, we shouldn't and I know it gets complicated. Just indulging in a little dreaming and then ya have to go and wake me up!**bg**

I was astonished at the figure. My adult kids play video games but they are NOT addicted, thank goodness. I don't happen to like video games for a variety of reasons, esp. for young children like my grandson who loves them. Thank goodness, again, his mother limits him to age appropriate and his time is very limited on them, too. I still don't like it! I recently saw one preschooler open a book and ask why it didn't make any sound or move. We are too multi-media, sometimes, imo.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 12:55 PM

Oops, my "No, we shouldn't and I know it gets complicated" was in response to BB.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 12:59 PM

Heck with the video games, look at what we could do if we stopped throwing money away at an immoral "war on terror" and in Iraq. Sleight of hand, isn't it, suggesting one thing is vile when there are others out there moving right along in their wasteful ways.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Ebbie
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 12:59 PM

That couple's addiction in no way ameliorated their child neglect. The woman had a part time job- meaning that she was able to tear herself away for at least that long. Meaning she could also have fed those babies.

Hope they are not allowed to use that plea in court.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 01:04 PM

Too Much of Anything

Too much of anything can make a man feel ill at ease
It can blind his sense of justice and drive him to his
knees
Too much of anything is the poison on the pen
That writes down the road to ruin and does not return
again
In that place without redemption
Called the dark night of the soul
When there's too much of anything
No one has control

Too much of anything can drive a man insane
Deprive him of his conscience and mutilate his brain
Too much of anything is the carrot for the horse
Who is shackled to the racetrack and wired for the
course
In that place of no redemption
Known as paradise to some
Too much of anything
Can strike you deaf and dumb

Say goodbye to Rosemarie, give my love to Joan
I've had enough of tragedy and I'm ready to go home

Too much of anything can make a man a liar
Put icicles inside his veins and set his feet on fire
Too much of anything can tear his life apart
Make a mockery of sanity and desecrate his heart
In that place without redemption
In the castle made of fear
When there's too much of anything
No one's eyes are clear

Too much of anything can drive a woman to extremes
And make her waste her beauty on someone else's
dreams
Too much of anything and your body becomes a host
To a band of thieves and murderers and they'll haunt you like a ghost
In the place of no redemption
In the caverns of the mind
Too much of anything
Can make anyone go blind

Say goodbye to Rosemarie, give my love to Joan
I've had enough of tragedy and I'm ready to go home

Too much of anything is at the bottom of the well
On the road of bad intention that ends at the gates of
Hell
Too much of anything is a common thing these days
On the steps of the holy temple where the public
righteous pray
It's a place of no redemption
For the children of the mind
Cos when there's too much of anything
They just leave it all behind

Too much of anything, they sell it on TV
And write it on your credit card in a language you
can't see
Too much of anything is the banker's pyramid
You pay and pay as life decays and the price is always
hid
In that place of no redemption
Called the dark night of the soul
When there's too much of anything
No one has control

Say goodbye to Rosemarie, give my love to Joan
I've had enough of tragedy, I'm ready to go home



(A song lyric of mine, indirectly inspired by a Dylan song called "Too Much of Nothing". The music is entirely different.)

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Mickey191
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 02:53 PM

LH, You speak the truth.   Brilliant!


I hope this couple does not get custody of their children. The story is revolting.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Rapparee
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 03:13 PM

Are they worse or better than those who give their kids every thing -- except their time and love?

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 03:18 PM

Worse.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 03:25 PM

Well, they clearly weren't well equipped to be parents, and a lot of people aren't, but most of them still end up having kids anyway. In fact it seems that the people least able to take on such major responsibilities are often the ones most likely to put themselves in that position.

The line of least resistance always leads down...

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: JennyO
Date: 16 Jul 07 - 11:08 PM

LH, that song is brilliant - and perfect for this thread! I wish I could hear it!

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Jul 07 - 12:07 AM

Me, too! Incredible, LH, thanks!

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Jul 07 - 09:24 AM

Having read of some of the parents of the past -- the Nickell family of Wyoming, Caligula's folks, some of the British monarchy, the Benders of Kansas, the Medicis, and a host of others -- I sometimes wonder if anyone is fit to be a parent.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 17 Jul 07 - 11:34 AM

Hey, there are some half-decent parents out there - quite a few actually - they just don't make the news - or the history books ...

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Nick
Date: 17 Jul 07 - 07:01 PM

These might well be the last straws - the ones that break the camel's back.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Donuel
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 05:02 PM

Since my website of 8 years was dixie chicked, I spend about nine minutes on the internet a day.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Donuel
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 05:12 PM

Hey we gave $50 million a year to a faith based just say no to teenage sex organization.

It didn't seem to have any effect on teens but the faith group is very very happy indeed.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Donuel
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 05:13 PM

well they used to be happy but they just lost their $59 million a year boondoggle due to a evil Democrat Congress.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Gorgeous Gary
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 07:01 PM

I have friends who either currently work for or have worked for video game developers. I'm sure *they* think that $75 billion was spent wisely... 8-)

-- Gary

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 18 Jul 07 - 09:26 PM

"camel's back"???

Didn't realise he'd gone...

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 02:09 AM

He inherits $55k and SHE still goes out to work....? Says it all really.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Becca72
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 05:33 PM

I don't get the phrase "unemployed cashier". either you're a cashier or your unemployed....it doesn't take a 4 year degree to run a register...

Subject: RE: BS: Is Internet YOUR life?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 19 Jul 07 - 05:43 PM

Hey, c'mon, Liz....he needed most of that 55k for the computers and videogames, eh? ;-) What's a guy supposed to do?