Este articulo va para todos aquellos que estan buenos para crear un C.A. (Cibernautas Anonimos). Jajaja, espero que no sea el caso de ninguno de ustedes. Paz.

En auge, la adicción a la Internet, el nuevo problema siquiátrico
*Lo comparan con el alcoholismo, el juego compulsivo o la drogadicción .
*Especialistas han creado programas de 12 pasos para evitar la obsesión y grupos de ciberviudas para esposas engañadas por sus maridos en la red.
*Saldos millonarios por competitividad perdida.

ANDREW GUMBEL THE INDEPENDENT

Los Angeles. Un grupo cada vez mayor de profesionales de la salud mental en Estados Unidos ha señalado el surgimiento de un nuevo problema siquiátrico, equiparable al alcoholismo, el abuso de las drogas y el juego compulsivo: el desorden de adicción a la Internet.

Los Angeles. Un grupo cada vez mayor de profesionales de la salud mental en Estados Unidos ha señalado el surgimiento de un nuevo problema siquiátrico, equiparable al alcoholismo, el abuso de las drogas y el juego compulsivo: el desorden de adicción a la Internet.

Un empleado de oficina debe concentrarse en su trabajo cotidiano, pero pasa muchas y valiosas horas jugando futbol americano de fantasía en la computadora. Un ejecutivo tiene tanto apego por su Blackberry que lo último que hace antes de acostarse es consultarla, y vuelve a hacerlo en el momento mismo en que abre los ojos al día siguiente.

Algunas personas pasan tanto tiempo en línea que dejan de salir a la calle, sus matrimonios se arruinan y se sienten abrumadas por la depresión y los sentimientos suicidas.

Según estimaciones citadas por The New York Times, se puede decir que hasta 10 por ciento de los 189 millones de usuarios de la Internet en Estados Unidos son adictos a sus computadoras y dispositivos de mano. Otros profesionales no están tan seguros; se preguntan si la adicción a la Internet no es sino una nueva plataforma para otras patologías como el juego o la obsesión por la pornografía, y descartan la idea de la Internet como una nueva fuga.

Otros aún no se deciden a categorizar el problema. La revisión obsesiva del correo electrónico ¿entra en la misma categoría que gastar múltiples horas cada día jugando EverQuest y cualquier otro juego de la red? ¿Enviar mensajes instantáneos es tan dañino como los juegos de apuesta en línea? ¿Las charlas sexuales con extraños en los salones de chat para adultos son un problema conyugal tan serio como la infidelidad sexual?

Hilarie Cash, directora de los Servicios para Adicción a la Internet y la Computadora en la ciudad de Redmond, a las afueras de Seattle -hogar de Microsoft-, ha identificado una corriente química específica -un flujo alto de dopamina- generada por los juegos, e incluso por algo tan sencillo como recibir un e-mail. Declaró al New York Times que ha visto múltiples casos de ansiedad y depresión en sus pacientes.

Otros pioneros en el campo han desarrollado programas de 12 pasos para arrancar a las personas de la adicción a estar en línea, o creado grupos de ciberviudas para las esposas de adictos que tienen "aventurillas" en la red.

Una de las muchas definiciones del desorden de adicción a la Internet, propuesta por Jennifer Ferris, sicóloga de Virginia, apunta a siete signos reveladores, entre ellos una sed de pasar más tiempo en línea; temblor o incluso movimientos involuntarios de los dedos cuando el usuario está lejos de la computadora, disfunciones en las relaciones cotidianas con amigos y compañeros de trabajo y, en casos extremos, pérdida del empleo o del matrimonio.

Por lo general la Internet está en ascenso. Un informe del proyecto Pew sobre Internet y la vida en Estados Unidos, realizado el verano pasado, descubrió que más de la mitad de los adolescentes del país se conectan día a día, en comparación con 42 por ciento hace cinco años.
Y sus impactos económicos negativos comienzan a cuantificarse. La firma consultora empresarial Challenger, Gray & Christmas calculó en fecha reciente que sólo el futbol americano de fantasía costaba a los empleadores estadunidenses 200 millones de dólares en competitividad perdida cada temporada.

© The Independent
Traducción: Jorge Anaya

The New York Times. This article is about a controversial video made by a police officer of San Francisco. It could seem something innocent at first, but for some people, as one person said "The question is: Were the clips a glimpse into what the cops really think about the people they serve?".Police officers are intended to serve people, not to make fun of them. What do you think?

Officer's New Video Stirs More Ire in San Francisco

By CAROLYN MARSHALL
Published: January 9, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8 - The police officer whose amateur video raised concerns among city officials about racism, sexism and homophobia within the San Francisco Police Department is hoping his filmmaking skills can help undo the damage and refocus the debate. But critics suggest he is making matters worse.

The officer, Andrew Cohen, was temporarily suspended last month along with 23 other officers connected to the video, which depicted uniformed and plainclothes officers in skits that mocked the homeless, gay men and lesbians, African-Americans and others.

Though reinstated, the police officers remain under investigation in the making of the videotape, and Officer Cohen and some others have been reassigned.

Now Officer Cohen has embarked on a one-man public relations effort to promote a 28-minute video - which he started working on two years ago and calls a serious documentary - that shows the difficulties of police work in some of the city's most crime-ridden and violent neighborhoods.
"This will show you what I'm all about and what the department is about," Officer Cohen said at a screening of the video on Wednesday. "The officers that were suspended are nothing like the accusations."

Peter Ragone, a spokesman for Mayor Gavin Newsom, said that Officer Cohen was "acting unilaterally" in publicizing his new video and that the mayor and Police Chief Heather Fong had no part in the effort. Mr. Ragone said many people, including fellow officers, had asked Officer Cohen to "stop trying to promote himself."

"I honestly do not know, nor do I care to speculate, about what Mr. Cohen and his lawyer are up to," Mr. Ragone said.

Whatever the intent, Mr. Ragone added: "It doesn't change the fact that we have videos that make fun of Chief Fong's Asian heritage and segments that have a white officer running over a black homeless woman. There is simply nothing funny about it."

Before screening the new video at the 4-Star Theater, Officer Cohen urged members of the public in the overflow crowd to focus on his serious filmmaking efforts, which have included the production of at least eight educational videos for and about the Police Department.

"Forget about the comedy video," he said during the free screening, which was viewed by several hundred people. "It's got to go away."

Many in the audience, though, said afterward that the film's promotion had led them to expect that they were going to see the controversial video.

"Everybody feels lied to," said Damien Ross, 25. "We all came to see something, and it wasn't shown."

Jeff Simmons, 45, described the video that was shown as "a half-hour infomercial."

"I know it's tough to be a cop in the Bayview," Mr. Simmons said. "The question is: Were the clips a glimpse into what the cops really think about the people they serve?"

Mr. Simmons, echoing others, said he had wanted to see the skits to make up his own mind about the controversy they have generated.

"I know the mayor's spin; I know the police spin," he said. "Where can I actually see the video?"
Called "Inside the S.F.P.D.: The Bayview," the new video being promoted by Officer Cohen depicts officers from the city's Bayview station, where he worked when he shot it, in dicey confrontations, arresting suspects, rescuing bloodied victims and rounding up drug dealers in a troubled neighborhood. Woven through the scenes are interviews with the officers, who speak about the dangers of police work.

Parts of the movie were also used to produce the controversial "comedy video." That video spliced together tape, much of it shot while Officer Cohen and the other officers were on duty, that parodied the life of police officers. Sexually explicit skits spoofed the television series "Charlie's Angels," and some segments showed officers ignoring crime dispatches. Officer Cohen said the video was intended as a gag for the station's annual Christmas party.

Clips from the Christmas video first appeared on Officer Cohen's personal Website but were more widely distributed at a news conference on Dec. 7 held by Mayor Newsom and Chief Fong, who said they were outraged about the contents. There was also a strong reaction among many Asian-American, African-American and gay and lesbian residents, resuscitating accusations of racism and sexism in the Police Department.

In an open letter to the San Francisco Police Commission, Asian community leaders called for disciplinary action against the 24 officers.

"This video vividly illustrates disrespect towards the disenfranchised communities of San Francisco and represents a fundamental breach in the promise of the city's police officers to protect and serve our communities," the letter said.

Mr. Ragone, the mayor's spokesman, said the Police Department's investigation could last several months. In cases of wrongdoing, he said, discipline could include a formal reprimand or dismissal.