Media Addiction Quiz for Teens: Do TV, Video Games and Computers Run Your Life?

Welcome to "The Media Generation"

Teens are spending so much time watching TV and playing with their computer and video games that the Kaiser Family Foundation has dubbed this generation "The Media Generation."

The recent study found that children aged 8-18 were watching TV, playing video games, on their computers, and listening to music for a total of 6 hours and 23 minutes EVERY DAY! Many kids were doing two or more activities at once. Most of this time is still spent watching TV. Kids spent almost four hours every day watching TV. With so much time in front of TV and other media, perhaps Kaiser should have labeled it "The Media-Addicted Generation."

What excess TV, video game, and computer use may be doing to you

How much time you spend in front of a TV, video, and computer screen is important, because these activities have been linked to obesity, attention problems (like ADHD), and poor grades. Violent content may condition you to accept violence in your life. The sexual content of many popular shows and games may encourage you to experiment before you are ready. The TV can act as a depressant, stifle your creativity, encourage conformity, and simply waste your valuable time.

Find out if you are part of "The Media-Addicted Generation":

1. Does your family have more than one TV set? Yes [] No []

2. Are you in front of a screen for more than 2 hours per day?Yes [] No []

3. Do you sometimes have trouble getting TV or video game

jingles "out of your head"? Yes [] No []

4. Is there a TV/video game/computer playing in your

home much or all of the time? Yes [] No []

5. Do you have a TV, video game, and/or computer in your

bedroom? Yes [] No []

6. Is it easy for you to turn off the TV/video game in the

middle of a favorite show/game? Yes [] No []

7. Do you ever rush home, ditching friends and family, to

catch a favorite TV show, play video games, or go on the

computer? Yes [] No []

8. Do you frequently eat meals while in front of the TV,

video games, or computer? Yes [] No []

9. Have you ever caught yourself unintentionally mimicking

a TV or video game character? Yes [] No []

10. Do you talk to and play with your friends more than you

watch TV, play games, and play with computers? Yes [] No []

11. Can you turn off the TV, computer, and video games OFF

right now and leave them off for three days? Yes [] No []

12. Do you ever mindlessly surf through TV channels or

the internet? Yes [] No []

13. Do you need TV, video game, or a computer to relax after

a rough day? Yes [] No []

14. Do you feel edgy, anxious, or "not right" if there is no TV,

video game, or a computer playing? Yes [] No []

15. Do you watch TV, play video games, and/or play on the

computer more than spend time with your family? Yes [] No []

16. Do you ever watch the TV, play video games, or surf

the internet longer than you intend to? Yes [] No []

17. Do you feel spend too much time with TV, video games,

or computer? Yes [] No []

18. Have you missed a special event with friends or family

because you were watching a TV program? Yes [] No []

19. Have you ever tried to quit watching TV, playing video

games, or going on computer, but were unsuccessful? Yes [] No []

20. Do you have difficulty limiting the time you watch TV,

play video games, or go on the computer? Yes [] No []

*Note: Time spent on the computer for homework purposes does not count:

To calculate your score:

For all questions, except for #6, #10, and #11, give yourself 1 point for every "Yes" answer and 0 points for every "No". For questions #6, #10, and #11 give yourself 0 points for every "Yes", answer and 1 point for every "No". Add your total.

Your total: ____________

Scoring:

0-6: Great! Your TV, computer, and video games are not in control of your life. You are. But keep an eye on how much time you spend with these activities to make sure an addiction does not sneak up on you.

7-14: You are moderately addicted to your TV, video games, or computer. Maybe all of them. The good news is that with a little effort, a list of fun non-screen activities, and a reasonable schedule you should be able to keep your addiction under control. "The TV-FREE System" also helps you create a schedule that keeps you busy with fun, goal-centered activities. Follow your dreams instead of staring at a screen..

15-20: Oh dear. You probably have a serious addiction problem. You may need to take extreme steps, including getting rid of your TV or video games, to get in control of your time. Start with the device which squanders the most of your time. The good news is "The TV-FREE System" was designed to help even the most serious addict, and can be used for video game, or computer addiction as well.

Life is too short to "watch" it go by.

Katherine Westphal is the guru of TV control, and the founder of Trash Your TV. Find out how you can get in control of your TV, video game, and computer use with The TV-Free System [http://tvfree.trashyourtv.com]. Get in control of your addiction today.

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How to Configure a Gaming Desktop Computer

This is a simple guide on how to build a gaming desktop computer. All it requires is that you understand some basic form of computer terminology, though none at all is still acceptable to understand this article.

One of the issues with the typical computer, is that it can't always handle graphically intensive scenes, resonate sound effects, or fast paced scenarios without inducing latency, momentarily freezing, and crashing all together when presented with such a task. Though if you obtain the proper performance based hardware components, you can configure a gaming computer that can handle any application or program presented to it. Here are a list of components you need in order to build a gaming desktop computer.

To begin to build yourself one of the best gaming desktop PCs around, you first need to understand the type and style of game you play. After this, begin selecting each piece of hardware because buying each piece individually ensures your getting the best value out the amount of all the performance based components available on the web.

The Motherboard has the most value in a gaming computer. This circuit board hosts and controls the system buses that allow a gaming computer to function. It must be equipped with one of the latest sockets to utilize a fast quad-core processor, an array of effective video cards, and at least triple channel memory slots for a large amount of memory to operate. A good suggestion would be to purchase a motherboard with 2 PCIe x16 expansion slots for the graphic cards, at least three color matching memory slots, a numerous amount of peripherals to accommodate room for USB ports and I/O connectors, and lastly a chipset that can handle an over clocked processor and an SLI or CrossFire video card setup. Most of these features are easy to obtain on a gaming motherboard because manufacturers are prepared to offer every possible option.

The next component we recommend purchasing would be the Processor. This small chip is what controls all your games and even the operating system you are currently using. The thing about CPUs is that they have to be fast, and I mean well equipped with multiple processor cores, a well supplied source of L2 memory cache, and most of a all, a fast FSB to ensure data is output accordingly. Two quality processor vendors we recommend providing your gaming computer with are either Intel or AMD, whom even offer other superior products for gaming purposes. Also, these impressive little chips get really hot, which require them to be equipped with a cooling agent that dissipates the heat without causing any unforeseen interruptions. Gaming systems can normally be configured to use intricate water based cooling systems to cool multiple components as the same time.

Even our next recommended component can be setup to use one of these water cooled systems. The Video Cards are the primary components that employ the graphic intentions you desire. These expansion cards use super fast GPU's to process all the exquisite scenes and videos that are encountered throughout a games span. These cards should be setup to operate in tandem for optimum graphic production for every scene or level. Gaming video cards also use their own dedicated source of memory as the GPUs are processing images. For gaming we suggest at least two SLI or CrossFire ready video cards. These cards are easy to find, its just a matter of how powerful you want them, based off of your preferences and such. You can determine important video card characteristics by visiting our website, which has a link at the bottom of this article.

Now since you have your motherboard figured out, you can select Memory Modules for your gaming computer. We recommend using modules that can can be setup to use duel and triple channel memory options, with a large capacity, fast operating speed, and function stably. Also, since the primary memory has direct interaction with the Storage Drives, we also support using SATA hard drives that spin at 7,200 RPM at least, though we suggest 10,000+ RPM rated HDDs for the best gaming desktop PCs.

At this point you should choose a case based off of the motherboards dimensions and also one that will have enough space to situate the other components that will be configured in the appropriate section of the Chassis. Plus, ensure the Power Supply has a decent power rating to supply enough power to the hard working components throughout the systems operation periods.

Gaming computers require quite an arrangement of components resulting in most carrying a high price tag when bought from a manufacturer. You can save a significant portion of money if you configure your own gaming desktop piece by piece, even to the extent where they match the best gaming desktop PCs in value and quality. For further information about the specific components used to build a gaming computer, please refer to our website iGamingComputers.com. Visit our gaming desktops page for each individual component in detail. We hope this guide gave you a general idea about how to configure a gaming computer.

Chris Jones is an authoritative source for information pertaining to gaming desktop and laptop computer configurations. For an abundant amount of resources about this criteria, visit iGamingComputer.com

Chris Jones Copyright © 2010 - You may use redistribute this article if all links and content remain intact.

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Flying Games - Games for Boys

If you want to entertain yourself, yet forget about all the daily worries, the best thing you can do is try to play computer games. There are on the Internet games for everyone's taste and interest. This industry evolved very much in the last period of time, and these games are created so they will capture you through their graphics, challenging tasks and sound effects.

Some very interesting games that will capture the attention of both adults and children are the flying games. You certainly have where to choose from. These games are created so you can develop flying skills by putting you in difficult situations. Beside flying skills you can also develop the sense of concentration and patience. Also they can be considered strategy games, because there are some of them where you must attack some country, or you should defense yourself from the enemy, so you should find the best solutions and strategies to do that. You can choose from games like Solo Hero, Cobra City, Battle over Berlin, Park my Plane, Sky Machine, Storm Rage, Police Chopper, Plane fight simulator and many others as well.

These kinds of games for boys are mostly played by boys but there are other types according with their age. Not all of them can play difficult strategy games, so there are others, which can develop important skills as well. Boys like usually racing games, fighting games, even puzzle games if they are challenging enough. They like to feel like small men, and do things that men usually do, like driving a car, participate to a war or defeat some dangerous character. It is better if you as a parent choose these games for them, so they won't make a bad choice and play too violent games for their age. So you can pick from Motor games, Tom and Jerry, Sail Voyage, Base Defense, Flash Tiles, Moon Rider and many others as well.

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Hidden Object Games and Animal Games - Games With a Difference

Games are of different types and these are designed for people of every age group. There was a time when games were considered a child's play but these days games are for everyone who likes to play. There are a lot of them available which are designed to suit every age.

Hidden object Games are the most liked and have a lot of people playing these games. These were initially found only in newspapers and magazines, however now these are also found online.

The main thing about these hidden object games is that to qualify for the next level the player must find all the objects which are hidden in the scene. It's an interesting game as one needs to see and screen the scene well to fine the hidden objects.

These hidden objects games come with a storyline and the objects that are hidden are all pertaining to the same. These do belong to the adventure genre and have a lot of puzzles and hidden things that one needs to solve and get past before progressing to the next level. The sound effects and the story line add to making the game even more interesting.

Animal games are another kind of graphic based play which holds the attention of the kids. Kids have a special liking for games which have animals. These games could help them learn alphabets, numbers or maybe simply rhymes.

These animal games also holds a special importance because they help the children to learn about various animals and how they serve the humans. This could m part of the basic information that you are kids will get before joining a KG or pre primary school.

These games also help the children understand and educate them about the importance of these animals and their existence. The most common cartoon characters are inspired from animal forms and hence most pre-schoolers can relate to them.

Animal games are available in the online and the offline mode. These animal games are also available in the traditional board style games where the kids can play with the assistance of their parents. The computer games come with foot tapping music which adds more attractive value to the game. The online ones allow users to play with other online users too. The main idea of making and designing all these games is that one learns as well as has fun while playing them.

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Best Gaming Laptop Computers - Find Out Which Ones Are The Best

So you are wondering which are the best gaming laptop computers? If you are an experienced video game player, you know that it is important to have a strong computer when playing your games. Having a computer that isn't up to a certain level can ruin the video game experience. Let's talk about some of the different computers that are good for playing video games, as well as some of the computers that should be avoided.

First, let's start off with some of the laptops that should be avoided for gaming. I have never had a good experience with a Toshiba computer. When I was first buying a laptop, a gentleman gave Toshiba laptops a strong recommendation. I really trusted his opinion, so I got one and honestly, it was the worst laptop I had ever used. Well, a few years later, I was going to buy another laptop and again, I let this man talk me into another Toshiba. Well, needless to say, it was terrible again.

After trying a few different laptops for gaming, I was finally able to settle on one that I really liked. I currently use a Dell laptop and I greatly enjoy it. It handles video games very well. There is never a time when the computer freezes or any other types of problems arise from playing video games.

Another computer which is good for gaming is a Mac. These are different, because many of the games that are made for Windows are not made for Macs. Make sure to check into that before you purchase one.

Either of these are great choices. This is not to say they are the only great choices. There are thousands of computers out there and many of them are great options. Good luck finding the one for you!

Looking for more information on the best gaming laptop computers? Check out this site.

http://bestgaminglaptopcomputers.com

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Welcome to the World Of Gaming Notebook Computers

As notebook computers have gained in popularity, gamers have begun adapting them to their own needs. Gaming notebook computers are a totally separate entity from regular laptops and desktop computers.

Conventional notebook computers and those designed for gaming do have one big factor in common though. They're both designed with portability in mind. In the past, people who have wanted to attend a LAN (Local Area Network) party would have to unplug their desktop gaming computer and lug it to where the event was taking place. Now, it's just a matter of putting your dedicated laptop in a backpack and going.

Just as desktop gaming computers have their own special requirements, so do gaming laptops. For starters, consider a model that uses a desktop CPU instead of a mobile CPU. The desktop processor uses a faster FSB (Front Side Bus) than what's normally found in a laptop. The speed of the FSB is what establishes how responsive the computer will be because it's what communicates with the RAM and the motherboard. Another important consideration is the video card. Older type laptops have video cards that use the main system RAM. This slows down the computer. Normally you can't swap out the video card in a laptop. So it's important to get one that has enough power for your anticipated needs.

It's also important that any laptop that's going to be mainly used for gaming has a dedicated memory card. Some of the top models to look for are the Nvidia GeForce Go 6800 and GeForce FX Go 5700, the ATI Mobility Radeon 9800, ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 and the ATI Mobility Radeon 9600. Also carefully consider the hard drive. It's important to have enough capacity on your hard drive to hold your games. Most experts suggest a minimum of 60GB, although more is better.

An external USB mouse can make the gaming experience much more enjoyable. A laptops touch pad can be hard to work quickly enough in a high speed game. You might also consider an additional external battery since gaming places such large demands on available power. Many of the newer gaming laptops have hot-swappable bays that allow the player to switch out components like disk drives and batteries while the computer is running.

The manufacturer of gaming laptops used to be limited to just a few specialty builders. Now even major players like Dell, Sony and Hewlett-Packard have entries in the marketplace. With the addition of the big players, now's a great time for those looking at gaming notebook computers.

To find special discounts and reviews on cheap gaming computers and the best gaming laptops, then check out: CheapGamingComputersOnline.com

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How to Buy a Gaming Desktop Computer

You want to buy a new gaming desktop computer, but the choices available are overwhelming. Picking the right gaming PC can be hit or miss. Do you really need all the fancy options of the most expensive models? If you scale back your purchase, will you regret it in six months because it won't run the latest game? Here are two important tips that can help you make a smart purchase of your next gaming PC.

Best picture

1. Resolution - Whether you are buying a new LCD monitor or using one you have already, you need to make certain the PC will support your LCD's native resolution, and ideally its maximum resolution as well. The native resolution means the number of pixels it supports without scaling the image up or down. For example, if you have an LCD with a 1680 x 1050 pixel native resolution, but the video card on your PC does not support this, then you will have to scale the image to fit that display, robbing you of image quality.

2. Interface type - DVI cables will usually give better image quality than VGA. Make sure the video connectors on the PC match the monitor. You can buy converters, but they sometimes will not work and you will sacrifice image quality.

Video processing choice: integrated or expansion card

If you care about high end gaming, do not buy a computer with integrated video. This is a cost savings approach that focuses on price over quality. It will likely mean that other components have been chosen for price vs. performance. Instead, buy a PC that uses a dedicated video card. Google the model number and read reviews, or check out tomshardware.com to find out if the card is powerful enough to play the game you want at a given video resolution. Go with a PCI express 2.0 card. If you only play flash based or Facebook games, integrated video should be good enough.

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