EU Report

The European Parliament Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection released a new report on a study about video games. Here’s the coverage by Reuter. (Nothing new here… and again, sitting on the fence.)

“Videogames are in most cases not dangerous and can even contribute to the development of important skills,” said Toine Manders, the Dutch liberal lawmaker who drafted the report.

“(They stimulate) learning of facts and skills such as strategic reflection, creativity, cooperation and a sense of innovation,” a news release on the report said.

The report avoided any call for EU-wide legislation banning certain games, and instead urged the bloc’s 27 member states to work together in strengthening an existing voluntary code in Europe known as “PEGI” which rates games according to content.

Total revenues from the video gaming sector amounted to more than seven billion euros ($9 billion) last year, the report said. In Britain, separate research last year showed videogames outselling music and other video products for the first time.

Am I surprised? No.

Am I surprised it got flamed (read the comments) by a bunch gamers? Nope!

secondhealth

You have heard and even used SecondLife, but have you heard of SecondHeath – the SecondLife’s healthcare virtual world from United Kingdom?

Second Health is located in the SciLands, a specialised region of Second Life for Science, Technology and Educational applications. Most of these projects are about professional and patient education, collaboration and health strategy.

Second Heath Hospital in SciLands, SecondLife.

This is an experimental, innovative and efficient means of communicating complex healthcare messages as well as illustrating what healthcare of the future could look like.

The design of the virtual hospital in Second Health is based on the principles and recommendations outlined in the recently published Healthcare for London: A Framework for Action.