games

Skateboard Jam Alien A BP Rally BMX Freestylebduction Show Jumpin Beat The Wall Robot Rageg Castle Conquest Jet Ski Formula G1 Need for Madness Waterslide Slalo Super GerballmT Trech Police C Big Catch Most Wantedhoppe Superbike GPrre Tropi Golf Snowboarder XS Polar Dashch 2 Minilympics Gutterball World Cup Soccer

games

• Crazy Karts Drive your kart to victory.
• Wakeboard Pro Ride the waves and show off your wakeboarding skills!
• Battle Wheels Battle Wheels: The Ultimate in Radio-Controlled Combat
• Creepy Pong See how many Halloween ghouls you can beat at table tennis!
• Kickboxing Pick your fighter and battle all the way to the top!
• Snowboard Madness Strive to be the best as you ride the mountains.
• Frantic How many waves you can last?
• Alien Hive Neutralize the unknown life forms!
• Motocross Fever Perform awesome stunts and race your motorcycle to victory.
• Basketball Slam Hear the crowd roar as you slam dunk your way to victory.
• Sewer Run Hurtle down the sewer at high speeds pulling tricks.
• Super Trucks Powerslide your F1 Super Truck to victory.
• Rally Championship Compete in 3 gruelling stages : Sweden, Germany & Mexico.
• Ski Run Complete the Slalom course as quickly as possible to take Gold
• Hot Rods Nitro Boost your way to victory racing your classic Hot Rod.

• Robot Rage
• Pizza Hot
• Skateboard Jam
• Alien Abduction
• BMX Freestyle
• BP Rally
• Show

FUN AND GAMES

FUN AND GAMES

Harrison County Skate Park & Hockey Complex, DeBuys Road, Gulfport. Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tues.-Sat. during the summer; noon-5 p.m. Sun. Closed Mon.; 3-7 p.m. Tues.-Sat. during the winter. One-year membership is $90 for Harrison County residents and $100 for non-Harrison County residents; three-month membership is $40 for Harrison County residents and $50 for non-Harrison County residents; $8 a day for Harrison County residents with a requied helmet, additional $5 to rent a helmet; $10 a day for non-Harrison County residents; $5 for helmet rental. Beginner, freestyle and vert areas; War Lord Pit. Details: 604-4045.

Island Strikz Entertainment Center, 2302 E. Pass Road, Gulfport, 24 bowling lanes, arcade area, restaurant and lounge, satellite bar, snack bar, more than 20 flat screen TVs and six 10-foot projection televisions. Hours are 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, noon to 2 a.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday. Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. Weekly specials, and live sports in the Palms Sports Bar Sunday and Monday. Details: 896-1450 or islandstrikz.com.

Gulf Islands Water Park, North of I-10 between Canal Road and U.S. 49; open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily; cost is $27.95 for individuals taller than 42" and $19.95 for individuals under 42". Senior citizen discounts, cabana rentals, half-day rates and two-day passes available. Details: 328-1266, 1-866-GULF-FUN or www.gulfislandwaterpark.com.

The Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon.-Sat., free Friday nights, 5 to 8 p.m. Mississippi's only children's museum. Admission is $7, discounts for active duty military and seniors. Details: 897-6039 or www.lmdc.org.

S.W.A.T. Paintball Park, 6314 N. Washington Ave., Ocean Springs. Gameday held only on Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; $40 per player, $25 with own gear; 385-2264. S.W.A.T. store open Tuesday-Friday, noon-6 p.m. Warped Sportz store location at same address, 872-1459; offers paintball and skateboarding supplies. Open Tuesday-Thursday, noon-5 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4 p.m. Details: 872-1459.

HISTORIC
Biloxi Tour Train. The Biloxi original lets guests touch the city's past and present while traveling the historic district aboard the open-air Tour Train. Please call for rates and departure times. Season runs March-November. Group reservations available. Details: 374-8687.

Ocean Springs Historic Walking Tour.Self-guided walking and biking tours of the historic downtown Ocean Springs; tour information can be found at the L&N Depot/Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce, 1000 Washington Ave. Details: 875-4424.

NOT JUST FUN AND GAMES

NOT JUST FUN AND GAMES

Break your child's computer-game addiction

ANIJIRA ASSAVANONDA

We're now in a world where the Internet and computers have a great influence on the lives of people. The impacts of a computer on our children is also unavoidable. As a result, most children spend hours in front of a computer, playing games when they should be outdoors playing some sport.

Some are so addicted they cannot perform their daily routine. If banned from using the computer at home, few children turn to the abundant Internet cafe's.

If you have children who are addicted to computer games, the first step is to find out why they are addicted to them.

Easy addiction

If you ask children what glues them to computer games, the answer is most likely to be, "Because it's fun."

To help you better understand the causes of the problem, Dr Bundit Sornpaisarn, director of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Rajanagarindra Institute (Camri), has linked this addiction to two major factors - human nature and the environment.

- Human nature

"Children always seek happiness and success in life, and computer games respond directly to their needs. Playing games is fun for children. Besides, games are challenging. When the children win, they feel proud and successful," said Dr Bundit.

This success comes easily when compared to achievement in education or other aspects of life.

"Many children addicted to computer games are losers at home or at school. They might be poor students and can often be lazy children, who are blamed by their parents for lacking responsibility and discipline. But no matter what kind of people they are in reality, they are virtual heroes. When they win, the game honours and rewards them," said Dr Bundit.

He added the changing world also causes adults, including children, to get used to instant happiness, and computer games provides it.

Parents' lack of time to look after children is another factor. Since most parents are working, many leave the child-raising to television and computers.

- Environmental factor

One major factor that causes children to attach to themselves to computer games is a lack of a good outlet for their energy. The recreational space has decreased while spaces like pub, discotheques and Internet cafe's have increased.

"It is true that supply induce demand. As the number of Internet cafe's increase, the places are easier to access and more children will be attracted to them," said the doctor.

The level of addiction

Dr Bundit categorised game addiction into four levels.

- Seeking - Children always look for a chance to play the games whenever they are free. They may rush to the computers right after they finish their homework, or once they wake up in the morning.

- Getting used to - Children are getting used to the habit and gradually increase playing hours.

- Unable to live without the games - Children will easily get frustrated when they can't play a game. Some may turn dull or become angry when the computer breaks down.

- Not performing daily functions - Computer addicted children will perform badly at school. They may skip classes, steal some family's assets or the parents' money to pay for the Internet, and fail to perform their daily functions.