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If you have ever wondered about state-of-the-art video games, log on to CallofDuty.com for a clip of the soon-to-be-released “Modern Warfare 2.”
This latest version is due out tomorrow — one day before Veterans Day.
The graphics in this game are as realistic as they come, and the theme is a worldwide conflict that takes players from wild destruction in a typical American neighborhood to the obliteration of the White House to explosive struggles in outer space.
The violent images are disturbing, yet the game will probably top many gift lists this season.
Call of Duty enthusiasts are addicted to the adrenaline rush, online camaraderie and intense competition the genre provides. Obviously, the creators of this game have relied heavily upon war veterans to provide the realistic details of this digital fantasy.
I asked my 17-year-old son why his peers spend money on the game, and his response was simple: “Boys like to shoot guns.”
It was a sobering observation.
There is one major difference between video games and real war — when you die in “Modern Warfare 2,” you are not really dead, and Mom is probably just steps away in the kitchen, making dinner.
Many men and women in our community have experienced the realities of war — our local veterans. Many have sustained life-altering injuries after answering their own call to serve their country, while others carried out missions that represented the “softer side of the United States military.”
One member of the Lake of the Pines community, James Blashford, has served in the military for 20 years. A major with the Provincial Recon-struction Team (PRT), Blashford spent 12 months in Afghanistan building schools, medical clinics, bridges and other projects aimed at assisting the Afghan people.
Blashford, a reservist who took leave from his position with Placer County to serve overseas, feels it is extremely important to take the time this week to honor veterans.
On Saturday, he participated in the annual Higgins-Diggins Lions Club Veterans Appreciation Luncheon, where 80 veterans from several different wars were honored.
Donna Prince has coordinated the luncheon for four years. She told me the lunch is sponsored by funds raised throughout the year by the Lions Club and the Bear River Lioness Club. The big fundraisers are the Lions flea markets and the Combie Road See's Candy trailer.
Laura Lavelle's column is for southern Nevada County residents to share thoughts and information. Contact her at lavelle@cebridge.net or leave a message at 477-4230.
This latest version is due out tomorrow — one day before Veterans Day.
The graphics in this game are as realistic as they come, and the theme is a worldwide conflict that takes players from wild destruction in a typical American neighborhood to the obliteration of the White House to explosive struggles in outer space.
The violent images are disturbing, yet the game will probably top many gift lists this season.
Call of Duty enthusiasts are addicted to the adrenaline rush, online camaraderie and intense competition the genre provides. Obviously, the creators of this game have relied heavily upon war veterans to provide the realistic details of this digital fantasy.
I asked my 17-year-old son why his peers spend money on the game, and his response was simple: “Boys like to shoot guns.”
It was a sobering observation.
There is one major difference between video games and real war — when you die in “Modern Warfare 2,” you are not really dead, and Mom is probably just steps away in the kitchen, making dinner.
Many men and women in our community have experienced the realities of war — our local veterans. Many have sustained life-altering injuries after answering their own call to serve their country, while others carried out missions that represented the “softer side of the United States military.”
One member of the Lake of the Pines community, James Blashford, has served in the military for 20 years. A major with the Provincial Recon-struction Team (PRT), Blashford spent 12 months in Afghanistan building schools, medical clinics, bridges and other projects aimed at assisting the Afghan people.
Blashford, a reservist who took leave from his position with Placer County to serve overseas, feels it is extremely important to take the time this week to honor veterans.
On Saturday, he participated in the annual Higgins-Diggins Lions Club Veterans Appreciation Luncheon, where 80 veterans from several different wars were honored.
Donna Prince has coordinated the luncheon for four years. She told me the lunch is sponsored by funds raised throughout the year by the Lions Club and the Bear River Lioness Club. The big fundraisers are the Lions flea markets and the Combie Road See's Candy trailer.
Laura Lavelle's column is for southern Nevada County residents to share thoughts and information. Contact her at lavelle@cebridge.net or leave a message at 477-4230.
