Freedom Reborn

Community Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: captmorgan72 on August 07, 2012, 04:11:09 PM

Title: Gotta love CNN...
Post by: captmorgan72 on August 07, 2012, 04:11:09 PM
They ran two articles titled "5 warning signs of gaming addiction" and "Is gaming addiction a real disorder?" Then right underneath those was one titled "How to become a pro at Starcraft 2".  :thumbup: Love it!
Title: Re: Gotta love CNN...
Post by: stumpy on August 09, 2012, 02:28:19 AM
captainmorgan, I think those ironic ads are becoming more common as sites automatically serve "relevant" ads by looking for keywords in the main content of the page. I frequent a site that repeatedly discusses cases of outrageous abuse by a well-known public profession. But, probably one-third of the Google Ad-Sense ads on the site are related to gaining employment in that profession.

Regarding the headline, it seems like the media is gearing up for the next round of "Them dad-gummed 'puters is wreckin' up our lives and messin' up them thar youngins in the head." A few weeks ago, one of the dinosaur media magazines (Newsweek, I think) ran a cover article whose full-cover image had the title "iCRAZY: PANIC. DEPRESSION. PSYCHOSIS. HOW CONNECTION ADDICTION IS REWIRING OUR BRAINS" emblazened over a screaming woman holding her head. BTW, even with their own title, when they referred to a psychologist's book on the subject, iDisorder, they made a point of referring to that title as "hucksterish". Irony much, Newsweek?

Anyway, the people who make a living by trying to keep the rest of us on the verge of panic have latched on to social media and gaming (much of it online/multiplayer nowadays) as the next fear-seller. Does anyone remember the mid-late nineties, when every year there was a new "pandemic" set to strike us all dead and that just "happened" to be newsworthy during the slow Summer news period? Oh, SARS, we miss you. No doubt you are off on some tropical island, sipping rum hummers with your pals H5N1, swine flu, and West Nile virus - all just passing the time until you are called forth to glory again.
Title: Re: Gotta love CNN...
Post by: thalaw2 on August 09, 2012, 03:18:09 AM
I remember going to a Ghanaian friend's house for dinner one evening (here in China) and he wanted to make me feel comfortable by switching to CNN on the TV.  I protested, but he insisted and eventually we were watching CNN.  It was embrassing.  It was hard to distinguish it as a news network or a comedy channel.  The "reporting" was terrible, everything was exagerrated to try to make it seem as if you should run right out and raid your local convienience story for survival gear. 

I have an overwhelming urge to talk about how its a nantional news network in a nation run by military generals and lawyers...but I won't. 
Title: Re: Gotta love CNN...
Post by: BWPS on August 09, 2012, 11:23:35 AM
I love cable news in America and if I know what might hurt or kill me I can stay safe. I also own a gun so I can shoot people if I need to. I eat a lot of burgers and don't exercise because heart disease and cancer are not concerns of mine as I am more likely to die from an animal-themed flu or terrorist attack. I also text and drive.
Title: Re: Gotta love CNN...
Post by: captmorgan72 on August 10, 2012, 02:51:23 PM
Quote from: BWPS on August 09, 2012, 11:23:35 AM
I love cable news in America and if I know what might hurt or kill me I can stay safe. I also own a gun so I can shoot people if I need to. I eat a lot of burgers and don't exercise because heart disease and cancer are not concerns of mine as I am more likely to die from an animal-themed flu or terrorist attack. I also text and drive.
:lol: