Bad Parents

Some people just should not have children. If you are too wrapped up in playing video games to feed or care for your children, you SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE!

A couple 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.

It's nothing less than they deserve. Now for the part I hate. The only specific game mentioned is D&D.

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.

Great. Will BADD rise again? These people would have been neglectful regardless of what their obsession was. The AMA recently decided not to include video game addiction as a formal addiction, more research was needed.

AMA delegates instead adopted a watered-down measure declaring that while overuse of video games and online games can be a problem for children and adults, calling it a formal addiction would be premature.

"While more study is needed on the addictive potential of video games, the AMA remains concerned about the behavioral, health and societal effects of video game and Internet overuse," said Dr. Ronald Davis, AMA's president. "We urge parents to closely monitor children's use of video games and the Internet."

Don't forget the parents.

It's things like this that make me doubt our future.