So...  We, the taxpayers of the United States, have provided a bailout to the financial industry.  The problem is - there are no oversight provisions or inherent accountability measures, and no disclosure requirements.  What this means is that we've given the same people who ran America's financial industry into the ground the autonomy to decide how to spend billions of tax payer dollars without requiring them to report (or even track) how these funds are being spent.

Am I the only person that has a problem with this?  I mean - what is the probability that these "bankers" are tossing around bonuses, etc., for performance that, in any other occupation, would warrant immediate termination and possible legal action?  This is ridiculous!  And do you know who is to blame - our representatives in Congress.  Everyone was so concerned that we (the American people) throw money at the financial problem immediately that no one bothered to address the underlying bad practices that created this situation in the first place.  Now, I (and every other poor American) get sink swiftly into debt this holiday season knowing that my tax dollars are keeping someone's yacht payments current.

Thoughts like these tend to prompt the question - the problem with Socialism is what exactly?

Let me preface this rant by stating that I have been inspired by Barack Obama.  Not just because, as a Black man, I understand the adversity and subtle (and not so subtle) racism that he faces every single day.  Not just because, as an intellectual, it's nice to see someone with a little more cognitive ability in the White House.  In this particular forum, what inspired me is the fact that an underdog with little to no chance of success beat the odds and became what many call the "leader of the free world."  And how did he do it?  With a grass roots organization that toppled the political machine and appealed to the disenchanted individuals within the mass of America.  And, with this as a preface, I would like to say, unequivocally, that Microsoft as an organization is the absolute WORST company to do business with, and the Microsoft Xbox 360 is a complete piece of TRASH!

Am I preaching to the choir here?  Probably not.  Because, as we all know, an individual's capacity to delude themselves is amazing.  And I deluded myself for a while as well.  Let me explain:

I received an Xbox 360 as a present last year, and I was fucking ecstatic!  The price (at the time) was enough to keep me playing my PS2, and I was fine with that, but when Kim came home with those boxes, I know my expression was "priceless."  I plugged it in and tuned out for several fun (yet remarkably unmemorable) months, before I received the dreaded "3 Red Rings of Death."  Now, if you don't know what that is and what it means, let me enlighten you.  The "3 Red Rings of Death" translate to a massive hardware failure.  As in, your $400 machine is now a paper-weight.  Microsoft, in an effort to dominate the Next-gen console market, introduced an inferior product en masse.  Then, when they started falling like rain, Microsoft offered to repair/replace these inferior consoles for free.  Good job, Microsoft!  BUT...  Had they simply corrected the issues with the 360 (I don't know for sure, but I'm inclined to believe that a product release THAT significant would mandate a thorough understanding of the products' features, benefits and, ultimately, short-comings), I probably wouldn't be ranting now.  But they didn't.  Like the Mac commercial points out, they spent a ton on marketing, and didn't correct a fucking thing.

Anyway, after about 6 months of gaming, I got the 3 rings, and sent my 360 off to Microsoft.  I was expecting a 5 week wait, but was pleasantly surprised when I received what was described as a "new" 360 in the mail.  Hell, I even got a letter stating that they (Microsoft) had registered the 360 for me, AND they included like 3 months of free Xbox Live.  I plugged it in, and it came on and played fine that first try.  I shut it off, and when I came back to play it later, the damn thing couldn't recognize my game.  I returned to the dashboard, ejected the game, then closed the eject drive WITHOUT EVER TOUCHING THE GAME, and the damn thing came on.  Obviously, something was still wrong with my 360, but when the game played, I thought, "That's weird..." and just kept playing.  For about another half a year.

Sunday, my 360 was working fine.  I shut it down, and watched some football for a while.  A few hours later, I turned it back on, but the damn thing would not recognize any games.  Let me repeat - the damn thing wouldn't recognize ANY game.  None, and I have a bunch of ‘em.  So, I log into Xbox support, type out my issues, and am given a support request #.  That isn't good enough for me, so I call Microsoft and try to get some help.  The support lady was very courteous, up until the point where she stated that I'd have to send Microsoft another $100 to get them to fix the 360 that I hadn't even played for a whole year.  I explained what happened before, and that my new 360 had a manufacture date of December 21, 2007.  Because of this, it should still be under warranty because it is less than a year old.  The support lady then told me that my "new" Xbox 360 was, in fact, refurbished, and that my warranty on it expired 90 days after I received it...  Or 3 months ago.

So, to summarize up to this point, I got a brand new 360, it worked for about 6 months, I had to send it to Microsoft and they sent me another 360.  The "new" 360 worked for about 6 months, then it broke as well.  I called for support and found out that Microsoft lied about the console being new, and that it was, in fact, out of warranty.  Furthermore, I was told that Microsoft would charge me $100 to get the "new" console fixed.  Now, $100 is not a lot of money.  I've spent more than that at the bar on more than one occasion.  But the idea that I should have to pay because your product is shitty is absolutely ludicrous!  Fucking ridiculous!

At this point, I've started looking into replacement options.  I definitely want a Wii, but those things are hard to come by.  Also, they don't really have the catalog of games I'd prefer.  I think I'll be the happiest with the PS3, for several reasons.  First, the PS3 now costs about as much as I paid for my 360.  It has an 80GB hard drive, full HD capability, a Blue-ray player.  It has a serious catalog of titles, and a number of system exclusives (God of War 3, anyone?!) that whet the palate.   And, most importantly, the PS3 has NONE of the technical issues that have plagued the Xbox 360!

So...  I was sparring with a friend from college the other day.  We used to practice Wing Chun - which is essentially a Chinese fighting style developed for close quarters combat with numberous targets.  Anyway, we're fighting and all, and dude tries to hit me with a roundhouse (Dragon Tail kick) to the head.  Instead of dipping back or just ducking, I do this spin move that leaves me sitting on my ass - which was supposed to happen.  Unfortunately, when I tried to come up, I hurt the hell out of my knee, and subsequently wound up getting kicked in side/arm when he followed through with the other leg.

The lesson here - martial arts hurt, and that pain increases exponentially when you are out of shape!

So...  Thursday, I deposited $4,500 into my Wachovia account because I don't like having more than $1,000 in cash on me.  On the news Thursday evening, I find out Wachovia is looking for buyers.  Let me just say, FDIC or no, I was pretty pissed off at the prospect of losing my cash.  I mean - I could've put the money into my account with BoA, but I wanted a lil' diversification.  Fut the Whuck?!

So, Monday, we find out that Wachovia is selling to CitiGroup.  I guess that makes me more confident...  Until Citigroup starts looking for buyers.

As I was reading about Barry Bonds being indicted for felony charges (15 in relation to lying to the grand jury during the congressional investigation of baseball) it brought this question to mind - Why are my tax dollars subsidizing a witch-hunt in Baseball?  Furthermore, given that gas now costs 2.5 times as much as it did 2 years ago, and the price of EVERY OTHER ITEM is increasing in proportion, isn't there something more...  I don't know...  IMPORTANT for us to be spending all this time and energy on?  And the way us Americans are eating this nonsense up is ridiculous!  It's almost like watching a shitty magician in front of a crowd of moderately retarded kids.  How impressed am I REALLY supposed to be at the end?

Now, I KNOW I'm not the only person thinking this.  Not possible.  I'm thinking too many of us have adopted the Orwellian definition of "patriotism," and forgo independent thought for popular opinion.  It's as if all government accountability went out the window on nine-eleven - to the point where now, every government initiative is either to 1) stop the terrorists or 2) PULL THE FUCKING WOOL OVER OUR COLLECTIVE EYES!  Seriously, has anyone's life been changed THAT significantly by steroids in baseball...  I mean - besides Barry bonds, Roger Clemens, and company?  Are your kids jaded now because the Number 1 slugger MAY HAVE BEEN on the juice?

As far as professional athletes, I have issue with the fact that they get paid millions to swing sticks and dribble balls.  I'll admit that.  But, if we're going to put a premium on someone entertaining us, why limit the depth of that entertainment.  I say let 'em shoot up.  Get as massive as you can handle, Buddy!  That way, the hits will be harder, the game will move faster, and I won't have to worry about the next Michael Jordan coming back and ruining everything...  Because the 'roids will kill him!  (hahahahahaha... Huh?!)  I'm kidding (maybe).  But the point is, if it's SO IMPORTANT that I be able to watch some jackass on TV dunk from the foul line, or some other schmo toss a ball 100 mph, why stop there?  Could you imagine guys dunking from half court, or pitching at 200 mph?  To me, THAT's entertainment!

I'm going to go out on a limb here and state the obvious - rap music sucks!  Now, I know what you're thinking - how can someone who lives and breathes Hip Hop say something so (seemingly) contradictory?  Well, I have news for you - most of that shit on the radio is TRASH, and is designed to motivate morons to continue the status quo.  I.e. $5,000 earrings on a dude that lives with his mom in the projects, a car worth $200 with rims worth $2,000, kids dropping out of high school to pursue a "lucrative" career in pharmaceutical sales, and the expectation that every other emcee is going to get a record deal if they kill enough people and do enough fucking on their tracks.  Why the fuck is that acceptable?  I mean - I heard a song on the radio where this guy is like, "I ain't buying no diapers, or formula...  That baby don't look like me..."  Fut the whuck?!

I believe that music and lyrics are more than just entertainment - I believe they are art, a voice for the voiceless and a medium to express social consciousness.  To me, making music that doesn't inspire and motivate (or at LEAST reflect, in an intelligent, non-glorified way, the realities of our world) is an insult to the intellect of the listener.  I mean, anybody who thinks Soulja Boy is anything other than a non-talented opportunist has either a 1) low I.Q. or 2) low standards.  Did you know that in every other country, indigenous rap music is STILL the voice of revolution and rebellion?!  And yet here, in the birthplace of rap music, it has devolved into this commodity bullshit.  I'm sick of sing-songy, snap-happy, ring-tone rap CRAP!!!!  Where are the artists at?  Why should I pay $20 for a CD with like 1 good song, when I can download that whole pile of shit for free?  Personally, I download EVERYBODY, and if your shit is tight, I'll go spend the money to show my support.  But, as the standards have gone the way of the Blue Blazer, I find my self doing more deleting than anything.

Lately, I haven't been listening to anything that came out AFTER 1994, and the vast majority of THAT is early MTV 80's music!  (Take on me, anyone?  My Melody?  Sweet Dreams?)

If you don't agree with me, that's fine.  Please proceed to the nearest bathroom, insert your fingers into your anus, and go fuck yourself!