Buying That First Home: Anticipation

NOTE: This is a migrated entry.

"Right down to the wire"

That's exactly what it seems like. Everything is down to the wire. Do you know why that is? It's because the backend of our economy is inherently broken at its core. Little things where consumers have no control over what's happening result in a major downfall.

A home purchase is likely the largest consumer-centric investment you will ever make. In some ways it's not only life altering, it also is extremely risky. There are numerous factors that can affect you the moment you close on a house. You could lose your job (either via layoff or straight firing, or the closure of the company). Your income could decrease (I think some states have laws against that unless the job merits it). You could even experience a further decrease in the value of your home during these times. It's always a risk, always a gamble.

Therein comes anticipation.

I started my home search in April. That's right, April. I'm just now at a point of nearing closure, and even now it's still not a guaranteed deal, because everything substantive is happening on the weekends when the banks are closed. I'm forced to cross my fingers and hope that things stay exactly the way they are right now, until tomorrow so my broker can get a snapshot of the true way things stand with me. For the record, here is my checklist:

• Financing: secured, but then changed, the rates changed, the first lender could not offer the buying power I needed, DTI issues, etc. Think I finally sorted it out, but it will take time to get to a point of confidence.
• Finding the home: This was the bulk of the time spent. At first I was looking in surrounding areas like Temecula and Murrieta, but the inordinate increase in gas prices has made those areas not as feasible, even though they are visually superior in quality. I had to also wait for home prices to decrease even more in select areas, and even then the area I desired the most refuses to depreciate fast enough (Rancho Bernardo). I'll have to sacrifice my 15 minute morning commute for a much more stressful 35-minute commute, but whatever...I've got SIRIUS.
• Placing offers on homes: Short sale process is broken. Period. Banks should be required to reply to every short sale offer from buyers within 15 calendar days. There's a house on short sale out on the MLS, I put an offer on back in May. The banks ignored my offer and went with another guy and has been sitting at Backup Offer ever since. Placing offers on foreclosures is a bit more sane, but out of control, as investors are essentially falsifying the nature of the purchase in order to scoop up cheap properties to flip when everything rebounds. There needs to be more regulation of these types of situations. If they already own a home, they should be put lower on the priority list than those that do not.
• Consumer credit: This is the worst of them all. Your credit report can be literally pristine yet your credit score remains in the 600's because you don't have any tradelines that exceed 2-3 years. What's worse, any creditor, even if they know it's false, can report negative information to your credit file any time they please, and you can do nothing about it except try to work it out or dispute with the bureau...of course the dispute taking over 30 days makes that not a viable option when you're buying a home. That's what happened to me - pristine record, then right when I place an offer, some invalid collection account shows up and I have to fight tooth and nail to get it removed. Fortunately for me, I was able to call in a few favors to expedite the dispute process, but not everyone has such contacts.
• Cash on hand: When you're living in a state that does not ream you on taxes and fees and everything else, it's quite easy to save money. But when you're living in a place that takes your money any way they can, it's just not that easy to save, and even if you do save to like a 401k, you're going to get nailed for taking it out. Your money. Just because you earned it.

So, I sit in anticipation of what tomorrow will bring. Of course, it's July 20th, my lease expires August 2nd, and I have to do the walkthrough July 27th. Mind you, financing must be secured by July 24th. So I've got until Thursday to get financed one way or another. As of today it's a clean road to that goal, but who knows what lecherous creditor will try to hit me with next.

Buying That First Home: Low Cash

NOTE: This is a migrated entry.
For the record, my job pays quite well and has for the past few years. The economy has affected my company quite severely, as we laid off nearly 90% of the workforce in the span of a year and a half. I was kept because (1) I'm one of the few people who knows almost every aspect of the business and (2) I administer one of the core business systems (that's soon to change).

However, California is a quicksand pit: you can have a great salary and yet still be cash poor. "Cash poor" is a term that literally means you have no cash to speak of. You have reserves, you have assets, you have extended credit available, you have 'things' to show for your work, but no cash to blow. The primary reason I don't have cash? I rent.

You wouldn't think that simple statement would explain it all, but it really does. My rent payment exceeds every luxury I have. My rent payment is greater than the sum of all of my other bills combined. TV, internet, phone, cell phone, car, credit cards, water, electric, drinking water...combined make up about $900 per month expenses, give or take. My rent payment is almost $1800. By the time I pay those, I have just enough to keep my car and stomach filled, with the occasional book, game or DVD purchase. It's not easy saving.

However, I do have a 401k account that gets automatically filled. "How come you can do that and not set money aside yourself?" Easy. The 401k is immune from taxation. It also comes out before I ever see it, and I can't touch it without penalty. If I had the option of setting money aside from my paycheck into an IRA or a CD, tax exempt, I'd do it in a heartbeat. The problem is that I know the money's already been taxed and each check I get is cut by at least $600 before I see it, and that bothers me. So does the government's lame attempt at "economic stimulus" - don't send me a check for money that is just going to go towards tax liability...create a way for people to save money and avoid taxation. Encourage savings and you stimulate spending by proxy: if I could save enough money, I'd buy a house twice the size of the one I'm buying now and pay the same price.

Speaking of taxes, some people in other states really don't understand what goes into our tax system. So just for them, I'll break this down, then go further into the low cash system.

• Income Tax: This one is the worst of them all. An arbitrary incremental percentage of the money you earn. I happen to be a supporter of FairTax and believe that tax should be assessed based on what you consume, not what you earn. Doing it that way ensures that every level, from the lowest (drug dealers) to the highest (billionaires) are forced to pay their fair share, because everyone has to buy food. Everyone has to buy clothes. Everyone needs gas. There are a lot of things that everyone must buy, and then those billionaires who need a fleet of Hummers will automatically inject major amounts of money into the economy within months. Know what's worse? There are two - Federal and State. Some states don't have state income tax but we do. A huge chunk of our money is gone before we know what hit us. That's two taxes in one!
• FICA/Social Security/Medicare: This is a tax, I don't care who says it's not. It's a tax because the money you pay towards it does not benefit you, but rather the system that shares its name which, by the way, is slated to be dry and no longer of value before my generation turns retirement age. So in essence, everyone paying this has been throwing away millions of dollars a month towards something we won't benefit from. Also, if you make $110grand or more you don't have to pay this tax. That alone makes it severely unbalanced, as well as partially responsible for the fact that the majority of us won't have benefits when we retire. Either apply the tax equitably regardless of income or don't charge it at all.
• State Disability: See Social Security above. Same issue (except the income limit).
• Sales Tax: I actually have no problem with the sales tax. I do have a problem with its application. Sales tax should only apply to physical goods and only those purchased from a retailer in your state of residence, be that an online retailer or brick-and-mortar. What the government wants to do is force you to pay this tax in the form of use tax (I'll get to that one). They could solve their issue by simply enacting the consumption tax - then it wouldn't matter where the product was purchased, and I would support that, if it meant my income was completely left alone and paid fully to me.
• Use tax: Did you know that, if you buy stuff from Amazon.com or some other retailer that does not have a physical premise in your state, that you have to report the tax of those purchases on your return? It's called "use tax" - the government's way of attempting to collect money it thinks it's owed. It's a farce. the money was already taxed at income time; why do you then need to turn around and tax it yet again?
• Property tax: This one is ignorant. I mean at least it's deductible but still. Tax on land? Paid for with money that was already taxed at income time. It's stupid.

As I said, the inordinate level of taxation almost requires you to be making at least $60-70 grand a year just to make it out here. And that salary isn't easy to come by, even with a degree.

So...now that I've spun this into a different topic, I'll get back to the original one...cash reserves. It's not easy to save money out here. Doable? Yes. Not easy. And the system needs to give in one way or another:
(A) Implement a flat, static consumption tax and repeal anything else even referred to as a "tax", paid one time and one time only, or

(B) Implement processes that allow consumers to save their own money tax-exempt without requiring an employer-sponsored pension plan.

Buying That First Home: Home Inspection

NOTE: This is a migrated entry.

So at the behest of my agent, we went ahead and decided to proceed with the home inspection in anticipation of everything getting resolved with the financing and credit issues. Again, this is my first time doing this, however it seems pretty sensible: guy's essentially going to "audit" the house and write up a report of recommended actions, some which might be deal breakers, others not so much. No big deal.

For those in San Diego, I really do recommend San Diego Home Inspection, Mark West. He got it done in a few hours and issued a report right away, complete with pictures ( I was trapped at work and unable to go in person ).

The majority of the issues I had already noticed during the first tour of the home. Almost all of the window screens were bent, torn or falling off; the carpet was ruddy and needed to be replaced; the paint was not even; the attic panel was missing, etc etc. There were some other items though that I had not noticed, all having to do with the garage. First, there was some exposed power outlet cabling leading up to the ceiling in the garage. Not sure how I missed that one, but I can always do some conduit piping to take care of that. Next, there were a couple of holes between the living area and the garage itself. Not only is this just asking to suffocate from carbon monoxide, it's also not in compliance with building code. It really surprised me, considering so many other things had been recently re-done on the house. Lastly, the ventilation system (not the A/C, just general ventilation) appeared to have been neglected, which might cause issues in the garage.

I can imagine myself taking a quick trip down to Home Depot to pick up stuff for fixing the issues. In fact I was going to get some Mighty Putty to patch the holes in the walls and sand/paint over it. Of course, I have to wait until the financing sorts itself out. For the record, closing is tentatively scheduled for July 30th with a final deadline of August 21st (I think). However, my current lease expires August 2nd with an anticipated move out of July 26th or thereabouts. Needless to say, I'm eager to get everything sorted out.

Moral of the Story: If you're buying a home, get a home inspection. It's enlightening. It's empowering. It's good to have someone else do the work figuring out what's wrong with your home. Also, if something is screwed up that wasn't reported, you have leave to sue the inspector if they should have reasonably identified the issue at the time of inspection - slab damage, for example. Too many people are going without inspections because they're star struck on the home, or they have uncle Joe or the guy around the corner who claims to be an inspector, so they can save a few bucks. $325 is what I paid, and that's not too much to ask for a job well done.

Review: Amazon's Kindle

NOTE: This is a migrated entry.

I'm waiting for a call from someone...so I figure I will get this blog in order and start getting some value out of it.

Best way to do that is to share some of my consumer product reviews. I'm a bonafide consumer in the finest sense of the word...I buy and buy and buy. One thing I recently bought was the Amazon Kindle.

At first I hesitated to buy the device, seeing as it's severely overpriced, however I had some spare cash laying around and decided to give it a spin. For the record, I don't read much - maybe one book a year currently, but that's going to change in the near future as I intend to get my library back that I once had, using the Kindle as the catalyst.

I have hard books - a whole box full, the majority from the same author. The problem I currently face is the fact that I just don't feel right carrying my books where ever I go. Also some have started the edge yellowing and I can imagine what they'll look like in 10 years. I want to make it clear - I'm not one of those who buys a new book every week. I might buy one or three books a year, because it seems these days everyone is throwing a book out there and it's hard to really find one that works without sitting in a Barnes & Noble for three hours - which I wasn't inclined to do.

So you might be saying, "Then why'd you bother??" I bothered for the convenience. The ease of access to books, free samples, etc. might just compel me to read more books. Plus, if I only bought 15 full price books, the device had already paid for itself. Also, the ability to get new books directly via the device without even needing a computer was rather appealing for me. I've been using the device for over a day straight, and I've got a lot to say.

First, the negatives.

• Appearance/Style/Design: The Sony E-Reader is WAY more attractive than the Kindle. But then, Sony is always well known for having good looking devices; reliability is of course another matter. But Amazon really needs to streamline this badboy a bit.
• Screen: The resolution is fine, but I would like the ability to increase the contrast. Sometimes it just doesn't look right, somewhat fuzzy. I'm just a stickler for high contrast when dealing with black and white. The lack of color doesn't bother me too much except when browsing the Amazon store (book covers). What DOES bother me is the lack of touchscreen. I know it's a symptom of the screen type needed for e-ink, but if this had a touch screen, it would increase its value exponentially.
• Ergonomics and Comfort: I can hold the device fairly comfortably. In fact I hate holding it inside the case for some reason. Then again I've been a Star Trek watcher for years, and watching them hold the PADD, it's the same way with the Kindle. Thumb in the dead center below the screen - right on top of the logo, fingers spread out on the back rubber. The corner does not poke into my hand to where it's painful.
• Functions and Control: These are going to be nitpicks for some people, but I have to break it down. First, why is there no clock on the bottom bar? There's tons of real estate on the bar that could easily accomodate a clock, alas one is not to be seen (at least not from what I can see). If it's buried in another area, to me that is insufficient; it should be showing at all times so I can keep track while I'm reading. Second, and others have mentioned this, the lack of foldering is just appalling. Finally, you can't rename books to something more your liking - since some book titles are longer than the visible field on your book list, it's hard to distinguish books in a series if the series is named all the same with a small different subname. For example, Terry Brooks' Voyage series all starts with "Voyage of the Jerle Shannara" and then a word. In my list I can't tell which is which - very annoying. Also, you can sort by certain things, but you can't group. At least grouping or stacking options would have sufficed in lieu of foldering. Sample docs are bulkied in with books (which shouldn't happen) and I can't really organize what I've got.
• General Device Issues: The device's price, while it can pay for itself after 15 full price hardcovers, is still too high in my opinion. I would rather pay $200 for the device than its current price point, just because it is limited in some ways. Personal opinion. Also, if a book just came out, you're getting a deal. If it's an older one where there is a paperbook or used available for $5-6, you might not realize a savings on that book. Just something to keep in mind, as I don't feel that the Kindle prices adjust properly with the book's true price. It's really designed for early adopters/purchasers. On a smaller note, there is a minor delay for things to happen on screen after you press buttons. The processor must be the bare minimum allowable for the form factor. Great for battery life, terrible for processing and screen refresh speed.

Nitpicks yes...but they add up quickly.

Now for the good stuff:

• The Amazon Store is quick and easy to search and find things. It's also convenient to be able to search for a book that someone just told you about, find it and download a sample, and if you enjoy it, buy the full book, all within a few minutes. Also, the amount of books available is amazing; even obscure books like "Investing in India for Dummies" and unexpected ones like "If I Did It" have Kindle editions. Some books that were expected were not to be found - like Terry Brooks' Landover series.
• The screen does have a very good resolution to it. Text is very easy to read and not stressful on the eyes.
• Playing music while reading; Some might not like this, but I do. There's nothing like listening to the likes of David Benoit, Joe Sample, Brian Culbertson, Rick Braun, Boney James, Kirk Whalum, etc...while reading a good book!
• The built in storage is quite sufficient for all but the most frequent reader. I've got a number of books on my Kindle and I've barely cracked my space allocation.
• The cool factor. I showed it to a guy at work who was curious about the Kindle, and he was like me: price turned him off, but after seeing it in action he's seriously considering getting one.
• Battery life was quite good, even when playing music constantly. The key is to turn the wireless off if you're not browsing the store.

The biggest turn offs are:

• The form factor - too bulky compared to its closest competitors;
• The price for the device, higher than competitors;
• The lack of touchscreen capability;
• Interface/processor speed, not good at multitasking;
• Lack of foldering/grouping/stacking options to make it easier to organize your library;
• Not every book is Kindle'd. You would think that an author would want every book they published to be Kindle'd if they allowed at least one to be, but sadly this is not the case.

Some of those are personal nitpicks, as I said, but there are so many...

In summary: Do I recommend it for the reader who doesn't read a lot of books? Maybe...but not at its current price point. Right now it's for early adopters for sure. Anyone who is a book veteran and spends their hours at Barnes and Noble should just keep on doing it. However this could open up doors of potential if they do it right. Schoolbooks, more widespread Kindling of books, faster processor performance, and a better web experience would help to justify the price tag.

Buying That First Home: Consumer Credit

NOTE: This is a migrated entry.

Seventeen people showed at least a passing interest in my previous entry. Maybe I'll get more viewers on this entry, which interestingly enough is directly piggybacked to the first.

Financing had some issues at the last minute. My broker contacted me and asked me about a collection account that shows on my credit report. I'd noticed it and disputed it on all three bureaus; the only one that didn't delete it is Equifax. I didn't pay it much mind, but apparently the banks don't like to see collection accounts in my situation.

What really bugs me about it is that, out of 25 accounts, it's the only true derogatory...and it's not even mine! Want to know what's worse? My credit score has actually gone up since it added itself to my credit! You can imagine how really ticked I was to be informed that it's the only problem the bank has - so a guy who has 25 paid or positive statused accounts and one collection that shows on only one bureau, is automatically a credit risk. Yeah, okay...I know it's the credit crunch that has them nervous about such things, but still. It's not like it's ING Bank or anything.

So, I informed the broker that said account was not mine and had been successfully disputed with two of the three. I then went and faxed a dispute to Equifax to get them to take it off - I'm sure it'll be successful.

The moral of the story kids, is this. Oh, and so you know, I used to work at a credit bureau, if you're curious...

• Keep an eye on your credit, even if you're not actively looking for a home. Things will just add themselves to your report without your knowledge, companies that won't ever contact you about the debt. Get a credit screen service - I suggest TrueCredit since you can pull your report unlimited times during the subscription.
• If you're going FHA, make sure your report is as clean as it can be.
• If you filed bankruptcy in the past, you can still get an FHA loan. Just make sure that, if it was Chapter 7, it's been at least 2 years since the discharge date. If it was Chapter 13, make sure it was at least 3 years since the filing date.
• Try not to open new credit accounts in the 6 months preceding your search for financing. It's just unnecessary explaining - the only exception to that would be if you had applied to a large credit limit card for the purpose of balance transfer - assuming it will actually decrease your monthly debt and not increase it.
• Work on maximizing your debt-to-income, according to your monthly pay. Minimize your actual monthly expenses as much as possible. Monthly expenses considered are credit-based; that is, existing mortgage payments, credit card payments, loans, and credit lines. If you don't have any existing debts - car paid off, no credit cards/credit cards paid off, no outstanding loans, etc., you should be in good shape. Just make sure to keep it that way.
• if you have stored assets - 401k, CDs, etc., offer them to the financing agent. They can use those to help approve the loan by substantiating the amount of money you have on tap.
• The little known factoid: FHA lenders can consider the amount you pay per month in rent. If your rent payment exceeds the potential future mortgage payment, that can be used to get approved. Usually this is used as a last resort to getting approved. But at least you know that isn't ignored.
• And now, a free credit scoring tidbit for you: Did you know that closing credit cards can actually hurt your credit score? it's true. The length of time credit accounts have been opened is a strong factor when calculating the score, but so is the amount of "usable credit" on credit cards. if you have three credit cards open for a total of $5,000, and nothing owed on them, that results in a higher score than 20 credit cards with 18 of them closed for a total of $5,000.

UPDATE: My fax to Equifax was successful, as they have removed the erroneous debt...I figured they would, Transunion did. I contacted my broker and let him know to re-run credit as soon as he gets a chance. I'm one step closer to the goal.

Buying That First Home: Securing Financing

NOTE: This is a migrated entry.

So recently I decided to take the plunge and buy a house out here in San Diego. After such an educational experience I figured I would post something here in the hopes it is of use to others in similar situations.
I figured I would cheat the system a bit and get the financing squared away first so I didn't have to fight after the fact. I selected Chase, somewhat by accident, and went through the trouble of getting pre-approved for a rather limited amount. I really think underwriting policy needs to be edited; instead of using score thresholds to determine whether you can do an automated underwrite or not, I think it should be based on all factors considered: how much net worth the buyer has, how long they've been in the same company/position, purpose for buying, etc. The days of manual underwriting really need to come to an end, and pool those resources towards clearing out the short sale backlog.

I also think FHA's DTI is not properly adjusted to compensate for the human element: in other words, it assumes you can't afford certain levels of mortgage payment, even though that customer may be paying that or more in existing rent payments without a problem (meaning the calculation is not accurate for that specific customer). I think 50% of adjusted monthly income (AMI) is more appropriate.. AMI works like this: If I make $70k/year, I make $5833.34/month (70k divided by 12). That compensates for the irregular pay periods of some companies and allows a customer to use their true buying power. If they did that little bit, my buying power would (potentially) double, and I'd really lose no more money in the long run.

Some might disagree with that logic, thinking it's overstating income, but it isn't. That would account for the amount of money I really do make. If there's only two pay periods in the month of May and three pay periods in the month of June, and another two pay periods in the month of July, it's the same amount of income as if there was one check a week.

Anyway, I digress.

I finally chose a home that seemed within my price range, assuming grant funding, and made my offer. The bank increased the money they wanted for the home slightly and played with the numbers so they were not paying any more than they felt they should have been under any other circumstance. Great for them, bad for me...because it was $5000 outside of my buying power. My agent suggested I consider a mortgage broker with whom he was acquainted - and I will say that while that broker seems to be getting the job done, his attitude leaves a LOT to be desired. Note to readers: do not let anyone force you into signing blank forms. If you get forms that aren't filled out, make them fill them out, or give you the information so you can review it. Of course, me being an auditor, I already knew this and was ready to call him out.

Current status: I'm waiting to hear back from the broker on the final underwriting. It's really the only piece that's holding me back from closing on the house I chose. It's hard, because while I no longer have a rent payment (I gave notice earlier in the month...even if the house doesn't pan out, I've got to get out of the place I'm at), I have to have cash on tap for such things as inspections and insurance and whatever else might come up, never mind that I still have to eat and put gas in my car.

Update: One lender dropped...three more to go. Let's see which lender is smart and which are short-sighted.

Update 2: OK, so the initial lender isn't quite "dropped" per se. See my message on Consumer Credit for more information, but they're in a limbo state. The broker is dealing with a different bank who claims to be more flexible on things like this. Fingers are crossed.

Update 3: Just got a packet from the first lender with some good faith documents. I left a VM for my broker (see my Consumer Credit posting). I think come Monday, I'll have some good news!

10 Things: Issue #5

~10 Things I Hate About Dating~

1. Females who don't know how to appreciate a guy who opens doors.
   
2. The price of movie tickets.
   
3. The fact that you can never convince a female how to properly handle her finances.
   
4. The idea that just because you're dating, you're supposed to be "loyal".
5. The expectations for you - that since you're a man, you're required to treat a female a certain way.
6. The fact that females refuse to approach a guy and express interest yet they expect males to read their mind.
7. Females who are shy.
8. Females who only care about how a guy looks.
9. The fact that single females don't know how to act.
10. The fact that females who are married are always the easiest to be intimate with.
    

10 Things: Issue #4

10 Things I Hate About Being 30

1. Seems like you get sick easier, and for a longer time.
2. Girls in their 20's think you're too old.
3. Girls in their 30's almost allways have a kid to worry about.
4. Things you enjoyed just 5 years ago are not as fun now.
5. When you look at yourself in the mirror, you really don't look any older.
6. Hair loss.
7. You almost always feel like sleeping.
8. The friends you had when you were younger are still doing nothing with their lives.
9. The only real place to meet someone is at work...a bad move.
10. Gray hairs.

10 Things, Issue #3

~ 10 Things I Hate About San Diego, California ~

1. The home prices.
2. The gas prices.
3. The sales tax.
4. The state tax.
5. The property tax.
6. The Mello-Roos.
7. The home owners associations, their Draconian rules and blatant fees.
8. The fact that almost every employer wants to pay at the minimum wage level or hiring substandard talent (i.e. illegal immigrants), or they want a 4 year degree to do basic work such as Executive Assistant.
9. The gang exposure, including cholos and wannabes.
10. The fact that nobody out here seems to know how to drive properly. Everyone is always balancing a cell phone to their ear, hanging nasty cigarettes out the window, or driving illegally...which of course just encourages the city to put up radars, speed traps, and cameras.
    

10 Things: Issue #2

~ 10 Things I Hate About Females ~

1. If you tell them the truth, they think you're lying. If you lie, they get mad.
2. 90% of females are not ambitious, settling instead for that cozy job at KFC rather than getting a good paying office job - because they don't really want to work for money. Why work for it when you can just find a rich boyfriend who's stupid enough to pay your bills?
3. Every female is looking for a model-looking man, rather than accepting the fact that what really attracts two people is not the outside, but the personality.
4. Females don't really understand #3 until they've had at least one kid and been left by at least one guy they either married or nearly married...then they're open to finding a "Nice guy". But by then it's too late. Most men don't want to deal with someone who had someone else's kids, especially if that dude was a jackass and she knew it going in and didn't care.
5. Females are content to just have a male friend or boyfriend drive them everywhere, rather than paying attention to #2 and getting a car of their own (and no, not one your parents bought for you).
6. Females think it's okay to have 40 million male friends and no female friends because "Females are jealous"...even though it's well known that the reason they have male friends is the fact that it gives them options if they get "Hot" and "Bothered" without the bothersome commitment that goes along with.
7. Cute females must always have a fat, unattractive friend. That way they look even better.
8. Females never take solo pictures. There always has to be (1) an ex boyfriend, (2) a group of ex boyfriends or (3) at least one female friend. Guess what, we don't care about any of them.
9. Females always claim to want a guy who is "family oriented". Yet when they find a guy that is, they call him a "momma's boy". Hasn't happened to me, but I know quite a few it has happened to.
10. For some reason females are okay living at home until they're 30 because they're close with Mommy. Get off your butt, heed #2 and get your own place.
    

10 Things: Issue #1

Ok folks, here it is...the beginning of an era, to be sure.

Called "10 Things" it is simply that...multiplied X number of times to create an ongoing list of things that really bother me. I figured I would start out with some things off the top of my head, and see where it goes. Let's see if I can avoid overlap without thinking about it.

By the way, there is no priority order of the list; they're all equal in the eyes of whatever deity you praise.

~10 Things I Hate About My Job~

1. The fact that we have one upper manager (Director, Vice President, Senior Vice President, or "C" Level Executive) for every 10 employees.
2. The fact that we decided to change to biweekly pay to save money, yet we've downsized employees so much that the cost isn't there anymore, yet we don't go back to weekly pay.
3. The fact that 401k is only matched 50% of the first 6% contributed.
4. The fact that single employees with no children have to pay for medical benefits (we didn't before).
5. The fact that people who get the promotions get them because they complain for it, not because they earn it and are acknowledged.
6. The location (nowhere near a major freeway)
7. The changes in the industry and credit markets which make job security almost null and void.
8. Being forced to tell people what to do, only to have them not listen to me, and I can't do anything about it.
9. The Draconian way the company is managed (you can't use your PTO whenever you want, etc)
10. The fact that certain people will ask for a raise and get it, then quit...resulting in a total waste of money and illogical approval condition.

OK so it's been a while.

I have a good reason. I really do.

One thing to note about me: I'm always doing something, even when I'm not. What does that mean? It means I expect a certain quality of life, and I work very hard to get to that point, even if I'm just sitting at home. To those that don't know, the Internet is a very powerful tool indeed, when used properly. It can make a person's life better...or worse, depending on how you use it. I use it to improve my quality of life, and someday I plan to use it to get even higher in status.

But enough about that. I promise to keep up with the blog, I really do. When I get a network card for my laptop, it'll be a lot easier to do this..

I had a bright idea for some postings that will be coming in the near-to-far future. If you've ever seen Monk, there's an episode where he's asked to name all of the things he's afraid of, and he goes on and on and on...seemingly unending list of fears....well my list of pet peeves is just as long. Instead of a long boring list, I figured I would segment them out by subject. Should be fun...coming soon.

Now, what's new with me? Well....

- I bought a new car, a shiny Sebring convertible, Limited edition (of course). This was in February. I actually only bought it because my other car was starting to have idle issues, so I figured, instead of wasting money fixing it, why not just buy a new(er) one? I'm paying more money for this car.

- I've got a bid in on a custom built house with all the trimmings. Very nice house it is, and I really hope the bid is accepted, because I just love it. If it's not accepted I'll be somewhat upset, because the houses I'd have to settle for are nowhere near as nice and would require significant work to get up to the specs I desire. Regardless of which house though, my mortgage payment would be less per month than I pay right now in rent payments. Sad, isn't it?

- I got approved to refinance the above car with a better term. It's 72 months, I believe....whereas this one is 48 months. Same monthly payment, just two less years worth of interest I'm paying, lower interest rate, and a better overall financing company. Not only will I save on interest, but also payment method...the current company only takes paper checks and no electronic payments.

- I bought a platform bed and matching nightstand. I haven't put the bed together yet as I figured I would be moving soon anyway, and would just assemble it at the new place. Unfortunately it looks like I'll be at my current place for at least another month, meanwhile my back is killing me due to the precarious type of bed I have now - a metal frame under a memory foam mattress. Not comfortable, I assure you.

So yeah, I've been busy and still going. I really want to get a equity line of credit, consolidate all of my bills (including the car) and pay them all off, then just pay down the credit line over time. Dunno if that'll fly, but that's my goal.

Tune in next time as I begin the "Pet Peeve Encyclopedia".

I'm back!

OK.

So I've been MIA for a long time. Truth be told, I ran out of things to talk about, but then I realized that the blog itself isn't to satisfy my own need to write a journal. Rather, it should be used as an outlet to share the things I'm thinking about every day, which is exactly what I wasn't doing. Given the fact that I think constantly about all sorts of random things, this is the perfect time for me to revive my poor blog that has been so neglected for so very long.

This is the first Christmas where I've bought gifts for someone other than myself. I mean I've bought gifts for others but it was more out of obligation - they'd buy me something so I would feel as though I owed them a gift. This time was different.

Recently I've discovered that I actually don't have very many friends, I mean I have a very select few that I can call "friends", but most of the others are just acquaintances; people I'm aware of and even cordial to, but I can't call them "friends" per se. Of these, three are female, all very sexy, and I think about them constantly. But I wouldn't ever push up on them. One is married, one seems to not be attracted to anyone but her supermodel boyfriend, and the other...well...she doesn't seem to want to deal with guys in that way anymore. I guess she's been hurt. The irony is, I'm more attracted to her than anyone else right now. I can't stop thinking about her. *sigh*.

So here's how my Christmas went:

Bought myself a bunch of presents in November. Still bought even more gifts for myself in December. Bought some gift cards as presents for some folks. Bought a coffee brewer for a co-worker for no apparent reason other than the fact that I felt she could benefit from quality tea and coffee. Gave an acquaintance of mine the LCD flat panel that's been sitting unused in my living room (I'd sold him another one previously, but somehow he broke it). Gave my mother a computer that I bought. Found out that one of my front fang teeth broke at the midpoint. Yes, I said broke....so I have a gaping hole in my mouth. There's no pain and it's not bleeding, but there's a stump there and it's really unattractive to look at my teeth.

Fun, right?

So let's summarize:

• I spent way too much money on myself.
• I spent way too much money on gifts for people I'm fairly certain don't truly appreciate them.
• I'm obsessed with a female friend who doesn't want to have anything to do with men because of some jackass who didn't know what he had.
• I fantasize about all of my female friends, especially considering two of them like to wear shirts that show major cleavage - and both have D-size breasts.
• I have a gaping hole in my teeth that I can't do anything about.

Any questions?

Sony is in trouble.

OK.

So I saw a message board posting claiming that Sony was being sued by Immersion Corp (owned in part by Microsoft, more on that later) for patent infringement and back royalties. The source? The DualShock 2, a controller that, for many, is the difference between playing a game and living it. The DualShock 2, which has been around for years (since the PS2 has been around for years), and is sold along with each console. O....K.

Let me back up and state clearly that I've played every type of controller that has a force feedback function and NONE...NONE of them can compare to the DualShock 2. I'm very picky about how noisy the feedback is within the controller, and thus far, only Sony can make a quiet, yet powerful, feedback motor. Others have tried, and failed - Logitech came close, but their controller is way too overpriced.

Now, let's break down the facts as presented.

• The PS2 has been out for YEARS. YEARS. I remember when it first launched; my friend was dumb enough to run out and buy a launch system for $300, returning it shortly thereafter when he found there were no games. I'd estimate roughly 5 years, but I'm probably off a year in either direction.
• The DualShock 2 has been out for YEARS (since it was sold alongside the system).
• There is a limited list of games that "use the DualShock feature". This I don't get; more on this later.
• Force Feedback really started with the Dreamcast, but its was a separate feedback module that plugged into the controller. N64 followed suit with a similar concept.
• Third party makers have force feedback in them.

With the facts above, I ask myself questions.

1. In all of these YEARS why is this company coming forth now? Especially considering they could have really hurt the PS2's chances of becoming or remaining number one. If the PS2 had never existed -OR- were hindered by this announcement in the beginning, Xbox -WOULD- be the dominant system, Dreamcast would still be around and kicking out games, and GameCube would probably have been on top of the RPG world. Hey, just stating it as I see it.
2. Just about every game on PS2 uses the Dual Shock in some way or another; why is the list so short? I mean certain games like Final Fantasy X-2 and Star Ocean: Till The End Of Time weren't listed. There has to be more to this. I wonder if it's the name "DualShock" and not the mechanics. Then I'd understand the limited list, because not every game that supports DualShock mentions it on the box or in the game.
3. Why are third parties exempt? Why is Nintendo exempt? Again, something doesn't add up, unless question 2 is correct about it being the name patent and not the mechanics, or are others doing something different?

Anyway, I tried to buy a PS2 and found that no retailer has any, for some odd reason. Whether related to the suit I don't know, but I bought Dynasty Warriors hoping to play it, and finding now that I cannot. Really bites.

Oh well. Comments welcome.

Terri Schiavo (uh, oh)

I'll be honest. I learned about this human tragedy roughly a week and two days ago. Apparently this is a 15-year old deal, and I had absolutely no clue. Whether that's due to media trying to squash the issue, or just because it wasn't as big a deal as it is now, I'm not sure. What I get asked regularly is what I think about this.

What do I think? What I think doesn't matter. What I feel does.

I'll share a little known fact about ReV. I'm immortal. I plan to live forever. I have no intentions of dying at 80 like statistics say I should, and in fact, if I DO die, it wouldn't be a day before 146 years old. No, you silly reader, I'm not insane...I simply believe it. I believe it as strongly as I believe the sky is actually not blue. I refuse to give up life, not because I fear death, but because I can't imagine my consciousness winking out. I can't imagine not thinking, in other words. So I refuse to stop thinking, and therefore, refuse to stop living.

Which brings me to Terri's deal. Here we have a situation where she collapses (the true reason behind this collapse is not known but 'rumored' to be a deficiency of a nutrient, causing the heart to stop flowing, thus oxygen was not flowing, thus...you get the pix) and goes into what they refer to, rather rudely, as a "vegetative" state. I've seen people in this state. My grandmother was in a minor bout of this state just before she passed away. It's not pretty...but the one thing that remains: The people want to live.

I like to pride myself as being somewhat empathic; meaning, of course, that I can detect what certain people are feeling. I'm good at it, been good at it since...oh....10th grade maybe? Anyway, when I look at the footage and pictures of Terri, and I look into her eyes, I don't sense someone in pain. I don't sense someone wishing death. I sense someone who's frustrated. Frustrated that she can't voice her side. Frustrated that people can't fully understand her. Frustrated that she can't live the happy life she once had, and frustrated that now, her life is being decided by, of all people, "the system". Not her.

I say "the system" because after many bouts back and forth between her estranged husband and her parents, a judge has ruled that Terri be deprived of the nutrients she needs to survive. You see, she was fed through a tube that went directly to her stomach. Her condition prevented her from consuming nourishment, effectively creating a dehydrated and malnourished state for the body. This tube was her saving life, and a judge made the decision to end it, based on doctor's opinions (I stress that word for a reason) and Mr. Schiavo's slight falsehoods. He's not a downright liar, but he's not telling the full truth. For example, it's a well known fact, and real doctors know this, that a person does not just collapse without:

• physical trauma (i.e. someone struck her)
• mental trauma (i.e. stress, fatigue)
• dehydration (difficult to believe if her 'loving husband' is with her)
• malnutrition (see above)
• suffocation (bad air/not enough air?)
• heart problems
• drugs

Note that with the exception of heart problems, all of these instigators are really motives to hurt someone, and don't make Mr. Schiavo look too good. I'm not saying he did anything. I'm stating a fact: It's highly improbable that she just woke up one day, walked into the living room, then collapsed from absolutely nothing. This isn't the Matrix; she wasn't unplugged or anything.

Which brings us to now. And which leads me to answer the question I've avoided up to this point: What do I think? Honestly, and some will hate me for this, I think that she should be allowed to die. It may seem to contradict what I said above, but let me explain myself before you throw tomatoes with these two timelines. Both could be wrong, neither may happen, but just to get your brain moving a little.

1. Judge makes decision. Tube is to be removed from Terri Schiavo.
2. Parents, friends, and sympathizers provide support to Terri in her final hours.
3. Terri passes away. The country mourns her seemingly pointless loss.
4. Evidence surfaces that Mr. Schiavo caused the initial collapse.
5. Judge finds that due to Terri's death, Mr. Schiavo should be tried for murder and sentenced to death by slow injection.

That's the "poetic justice" timeline.

1. Judge makes decision. Tube is to be removed from Terri Schiavo.
2. Parents, friends, and sympathizers provide support to Terri in her final hours.
3. Terri manages to recover enough to say (and is taped doing so) what happened and that she wishes to live.
4. Parents violate court order, feeding her just enough to keep her alive to request a stay of judgment.
5. Judge orders stay; Terri can be fed until a final verdict is reached.
6. Judge finds Terri can comprehend the world, contrary to doctor opinions, and rescinds order for tube removal.

That's the "sunny day" timeline.

Both basically say that fighting the system is useless. As long as there are nerds with PhD's running around making opinions about symptoms, they'll be believed. This situation can end only one of three ways: poetic justice, sunny day, or yet another person gets away free. OJ Simpson, Michael Jackson, The Ramseys, Kobe...

Long answer short - I feel she should be allowed to die because if Mr. Schiavo caused her to collapse in the first place, it's grounds for his execution. He'll die, and in a slow, painful way, just like he made her do. If she's allowed to live and he's found guilty of the collapse (say he hit her, as an example), he'll get...what...2 years lockup time for domestic abuse? Come on.

I may have a cynical view, and again, I AM pro-life, but I'm an even bigger supporter of "what goes around, comes around". IF he did it, he should get the maximum possible punishment.

While I'm at it - OJ Simpson...

OK.

I'm on a roll, and people have asked me about the OJ Simpson trial of the 90's. The criminal AND the civil one. What are my thoughts? Well...I don't want to go too much into detail, but I will say this: OJ was involved, but not the killer.

First, the testimonies.

Kaelin says he heard "3 thumps". I didn't hear the testimony so I could not hear his reenactment of the thumps in order to know speed, volume, and pattern.

Fuhrman found the glove over by Kaelin's room, however the foliage was undisturbed and no blood was found except that from the glove.

The glove was still moist the next morning - a total of 8 hours.

All of the clothing was OJ's. In particular, the Bruno Magli shoes.

OJ could not be accounted for during the murder period. The Bronco was not confirmed to be at Rockingham the entire time...unless Allan Park (the limo driver) was lying.

Speaking of Allan Park, he said he saw a "shadowy figure" walk up from the driveway to the front door. This was assumed to be a black man. However, race is irrelevant, since you could wear a dark beanie or other head ornament over your face and appear black to someone that far in the distance. This is important.

Kaelin and Park just happened to be within visual range of this figure walking up the driveway at the "right" time. So the timing of Kaelin's exit from the room as well as Park's facing the gate with the beams on just happened to be the same. More on that later.

The murder clothing was found half-washed in the washing machine. The bloody socks were found near the foot of the bed and the murder weapon never found.

The murders were brutal, calculated...there was nothing subtle about the way Brown or Goldman was killed. Although Simpson was the only known person to really have a motive to kill Goldman, others may have had reason to kill Brown...and Goldman happened to be in the wrong place at the right time.

That should be it for what was presented. Now, many theories are floating around, the conspiracy to frame Simpson by LAPD, mob involvement, Simpson himself, and even gangs. I think (and I stress this as an opinion based on the facts) that OJ was no fool. I don't...no, CAN'T believe him to be capable of such ineptitude. Things were way too illogical as presented, and the murders too brutal for a normal human being. Therefore....(wait for it....)

I think someone ordered a hit on Nicole Brown Simpson, and I think that OJ was framed...not by that person, but by himself.

Notice I said "someone". I don't discount the possibility that OJ was the requestor. What I'm saying is that someone else did the actual kill. Who was it? I don't know. May have been OJ, may have been someone trying to blackmail OJ, may have been someone who just didn't like Nicole. Perhaps someone from her past. In any case, that would explain the missing murder weapon; the killer would not be dumb enough to leave it anywhere. The second part - that'll be some explaining yet.

So, like I did with MJJ, I'll recount what I believe happened that fateful night:

• Goldman discovers Nicole left her sunglasses at the restaurant. Decides to take them to her.
• Goldman arrives at the Bundy residence, meets Nicole, and gives her the glasses.
• The killer, having been waiting near the residence, sees there's another person. He (more on that later) realizes he'll have to kill Goldman as well.
• The killer performs his killings. He had to have been behind Nicole, possibly holding her with the knife to her throat, giving instructions to Goldman to "get down", knocked out Nicole, then Goldman attempted to take the knife from the killer, who overpowered him and stabbed him. A few more pokes - is he dead? Nicole has since comes around, sees the killer and perhaps recognizes him - Goldman almost got the hoodie off in the struggle. The killer realizes he's busted, kills Nicole.
• The killer departs the Bundy residence immediately.
• Fate and timing would have Simpson show up. Simpson intended to talk to Nicole in an effort to work things out. He walks up the front way until he hears splashes under his feet (this accounts for why blood is on his Bruno Magli shoes and socks). Hmm, maybe she left the water on.
• As he gets closer he sees that they're dead bodies with pools of blood - specifically, that of Nicole and Goldman. He starts in grief, possibly even grabbing Nicole up to him and crying over her body (this accounts for the blood on the sweat suit if he was wearing it). Then he stops. He'll be blamed for this. He'll be the one.
• He gets up, frantic. He goes this way, that way, not sure what to do next. He's in a serious panic over what to do next. Should he call the police? There's blood all over him and his bloody footprints are the only ones present.
• Without thinking, he gets into the Bronco and removes the sweatsuit, laying it on the seat next to him, then drives rapidly back to the Rockford residence (this accounts for the Shively testimony). He knows he needs to get out of there, quickly, but there's blood all over him. What should he do?
• Park's scheduled to pick him up. He forgot. He needs to get to Park so that Park can take him to the airport. But he can't walk in with these bloody clothes. Knowing that Kaelin is the only one inside, Simpson stands partially on the gate and raps three times (Kaelin's story about the picture slanting isn't true), then goes back around into the shadows at the front.
• Simpson waits a moment, then walks up to the house, thinking that Park is inside the limo which is facing the gate with its beams on and wouldn't be looking in that direction.
• He slips inside, now that everyone has exited, throws the bloody clothes in the washing machine, forgetting in his haste that the cycle would not take out all of the blood, goes upstairs, and changes socks, not realizing there were small splots of blood from the splashing. He does his best to hide the shoes and change to get ready for Park.
• Park drives Simpson to the airport with a "half-moon shaped bag". This is the same bag that Kaelin attempted to assist Simpson with earlier. Simpson is seen apparently holding this bag and putting something in the trash. Either he was called by the killer who threatened to kill him if he didn't put the money in the dumpster, or he was called by the killer demanding payment be put there. In either case, I believe it was money, not evidence.
• Fast forward: Simpson is called by police who inform him that his wife's dead. He shows little emotion to this event, why? Because he already knew she was dead and was fighting to maintain composure, lest he implicate himself. Simpson says he's rushing home.
• Simpson writes what appears to be a suicide letter, but is actually a "disappearance" letter. He's encouraged to write this by his friend Cowlings, who is making arrangements for Simpson to flee and has all of the necessary instruments to do just that.
• Fast forward some more: after the Bronco chase comes to an end, it is filled with what appear to be effects for skipping the country - a passport, lots of cash, fake mustache, etc.

In closing, I am honest when I say I don't believe "OJ did it". I believe he was at the scene of the crime, yes. I believe he was wearing the clothes he said he was not, yes. I believe he committed perjury about not wearing the shoes, yes. I believe 90% of his testimony was filled with perjury, yes. However, I don't believe him capable of those murders - not the way they were done. Again, I'm willing to admit the possibility that he ordered the hit and maybe even watched it happening. But I don't believe he killed those two, and until I hear a failed lie detector test and perhaps photo evidence of him carrying the bloody knife, I won't believe it. I think he was a man who panicked. I think he lost cognitive reasoning for that moment and it almost cost him.

Is Michael Jackson really "Bad"?

OK.

So the buzz of the year is, "Did Michael Jackson molest that boy?" In fact, people are also asking, "is it possible that Michael Jackson molested the boy from before?" They assume that, since he paid the last boy off, it's an admission of guilt. They also assume that just because Michael Jackson enjoys the company of children, he must be a pedophile. And they ask me what I think. I'd have to say I get asked the question roughly 4 times in a given day by a variety of folks who are rather disquieted at my reply.

Simply put - I don't think he's fully guilty.

Yes, you heard me. I don't think he's fully guilty. By that, I mean that I think there are things he did that were inappropriate, even illegal. I do NOT, however, believe he molested that boy. I can back up what I believe with the following:

1. The daughter not only lied herself, she admitted that her mother lies;
2. The brother lied, on numerous occasions. First off, it's VERY hard to mess up boxers and briefs. They are two different things. A 13-year old boy is more than likely not wearing boxers, he's probably wearing briefs, but let's assume he wanted to be grown. The brother said once that MJJ had his hand down the accuser's pants. Then he said MJJ's hand was on top of the accuser's pants. Then he said MJJ's hand was down the accuser's briefs, then he said boxers. All during Mesereau's cross-examination (and by the way, if I ever get in a scuffle, I'd love to have this guy on my team.)
3. The accuser stated that Michael gave him wine. He also stated that it smelled like "rubbing alcohol". I know from personal experience that he was referring to vodka; however, there is a strong difference between vodka and wine. The accuser said he took the drink and just swallowed it in one gulp from the Diet Coke can. No. Impossible. For one, you can't just drink the entire contents of a Diet Coke can with "one gulp" due to the fact it's in a can. Two, the strength of the alcohol content in vodka prevents you from running shot with a can's worth. Your throat would be so jacked you couldn't even speak. Three, the boy stated he thought it was water. Bull, since the smell will reach you long before the can does, not to mention it would be illogical to have water in a Diet Coke can. I believe this was very carefully scripted and the boy coached on exactly what to say.
4. The accuser's family is charing MJJ with attempting to imprision them, preventing them from leaving. If this is case, how did they get out the one time, only to turn around and come back to be "imprisioned" again?
5. The only two accusers of molestation in the entire span of time MJJ has had Neverland running (2, for the record) were both from broke, low class families. All of the children who made something of themselves (Macaulay Caulkin, Wade Robson, Emmanuel Lewis) say that MJJ didn't do anything to any of them. Know why? Because the families want to get paid. They know MJJ is a mark. They know MJJ is a softie. They read up on the case or talked to the previous DA that won the settlement and found exact details of what they needed to do. Then, they decided to try to muscle cash out of the King of Pop. Pure and simple. Jay Leno himself tried to get scammed by this same family, for the same cancer pity speech. Unfortunately, it didn't work, because they had nothing to use against him: Leno doesn't like the company of children.

With all that said, I don't believe MJJ molested that kid nor gave him alcohol. The facts presented do not make sense, and these are actually the family's testimonies. They all have been carefully scripted to say certain things certain ways, and there is no truth or validity about any of it. If these events really happened the mother would have put a stop to it long ago. A mother can tell when her kid is plastered, and if this kid really did down a 6 x 2 can worth of vodka, he should have been at slobbering status. Assuming he was, the mother chose not to act. That makes her negligent, and there is no proof to back up the claim that MJJ gave that liquor to the kid.

"But you said not fully guilty!" Yes I did, and I applaud you for your memory. By that, I mean that I DO think MJJ was sharing porn mags with the kids. Why do I think that? It's the one part of this whole trial that is not getting much focus. Sure, Sneddon did a little bit of questioning about the briefcase and such, and Mesereau did do some cross examination of the brother to catch him in a lie, but it was not as deep as the alcohol when, in my opinion, the porn mag is a more serious issue. For one, showing porn to an underage child is illegal. MJJ's prints as well as the kid's were on one of the mags. The kid's prints being on the mag means the kid saw the mag. Which means the kid looked at the mag. Which means MJJ is guilty of that, because if it was in a briefcase somewhere, the kids (unless they're just that good at searching) would not have known where that case was stashed. Someone had to pull it out for them. That someone could only have been Jackson.
Assuming what I think is true, showing porn to anyone has the potential to arouse sexual feelings in that person. Curiosity is a certainty. It's entirely possible, and believable, that in the process of seeing porn, possibly for the first time, the kid may have become curious, and regardless of who initiated it, that could lead to some level of molestation, even if benign.

So...having stated all of this, here is what I believe happened.

1. Child meets MJJ.
2. MJJ finds a common bond with the boy after hearing that the boy also did not have a good relationship with his father (the boy's father attempted molestation)
3. MJJ meets the mother, the mother is at first apprehensive, but realizing the possibility of a good life at MJJ's expense, goes along for the ride.
4. MJJ and the boy are close friends, and he feels safe with MJJ, so much that he feels acceptable calling him "Daddy".
5. Mother learns that MJJ allows the boy to sleep in his bed and is again uncomfortable until she is told that MJJ sleeps on the floor, not in the bed, when someone else is sleeping there.
6. Mother finds out, either through reading or perhaps even a meeting with that DA, about the previous molestation case that was settled. She gets dollar signs in her eyes at the prospect of another settlement. Knowledge that children sleep in his bed is golden.
7. Mother explains situation to the boy, who doesn't want to rat out his friend. The brother, however, does, and somehow gets the boy to go along with it.
8. Martin Bashier interview happens at just the right time. Boy pretends to be perfectly friendly with MJJ, long enough for MJJ to reveal the fact about his willingness to let children sleep in his bed.
9. Boy gets curious, and asks about "the birds and the bees". MJJ, not really knowing how to explain it, offers to illustrate instead, and shows the porn mag.
10. Brother finds wine cellar, alerts boy, and together they go down to "take a look". Finding nothing but alcohol there, the brother encourages the boy to "take a sip and see what it tastes like". Boy is hesitant at first but then concedes. After all, this is all part of mother's plan.
11. Rebuttal video is orchestrated by MJJ, who does not actually script what to say, but pleads with the family to simply solidify the point that nothing sexual or inappropriate happens at Neverland. The rest is the family's discretion.
12. Mother talks to a lawyer to find out her rights, going on the assumption of a molestation case. The accusation begins.

As you can see, I have a somewhat different view of events, but I seriously don't think MJJ would have laced the kid with alcohol nor do I believe that MJJ would have been jerking the kid off or rubbing him inappropriately or in inappropriate areas or whatever. I just don't accept it. Not solely because it's not in MJJ's nature, but because the testimonies are illogical. The stories keep changing, and all the while, the one witness who could exonerate Michael is exercising his rights as a reporter - yes, Martin Bashir, for Martin was the one who lived with Michael during the exact time that the alleged crimes started. Martin knows. He knows exactly what did or did not go on. His testimony would tell the truth (if he himself were truthful), and he chooses not to provide it. So then my question to Mr. Bashier is, are you testifying because you want to protect Michael? Or are you refusing to testify so you can get your share of whatever profit might come out of MJJ's conviction? It seems to me that a man who has evidence or eye-witness testimony to set a man free and believes him to be free would do everything possible and within reason to see that the truth is revealed, but not Martin Bashir. So I'll reserve judgment.

In any case, those are my thoughts. Post away.

File Sharing? No.

OK.

So the RIAA has been issuing lawsuits faster than George W. spits lies. And towards what? Users of P2P, or peer-to-peer, networks. They claim that the "rampant downloading of free music is damaging" to their bottom line, and that the "blantant stealing causes CD prices to go up as a result".

Let me tell you something.

I've been paying $18 for a CD (not including tax) for as long as I can remember. The part about increasing prices is a crock. Recent studies also have shown that, in fact, p2p can help sales. How? Look at the facts:

- the RIAA says that everyone who downloads music off of the net is yet another consumer who's not paying for the music. However, studies show that these same people are, for the most part, not financially inclined. They're the kids with allowances, highschoolers with lunch money, etc. They're not your working stiffs. That's not to say there aren't working stiffs that p2p. It's saying that they're the minority. That means that the minority are the losses to the artists, and truth be told, with the price gouging that CDs endure, they make more than enough to compensate.

- the RIAA says that people like to go online and download whole CD's of music. This isn't true, because anything transmitted over the internet, even with the fastest of connectons, is not near as good quality as the physical copy. A lot of people use p2p to sample music -OR- to get a single - something a lot of stores stopped selling. The thing is, if people get a chance to hear one or a few songs from an artist that they end up enjoying, they WILL buy the person's album: one, because they're impatient to wait for it to download; two, because there's no guarantee it won't be a corrupted file (and most people don't have the patience), and 3, they want to get the best possible quality. They'll buy it.

- the RIAA says that p2p is stealing. It's not. It's sampling music and I'll tell you truthfully - I would welcome p2p to anyone, because it means people actually get a chance to hear my music, and maybe even find songs that they enjoy that didn't get air play. That's sales for me.

- the RIAA says that MP3 files should be outlawed, and songs not be able to be burned to CD due to the rampant burning and selling. It's so hard to find a good quality version nowadays that it's more time effective to just go buy it.

It's getting crazy now people.

OK.

So I'm looking and I see that now we have:
- T1
- DSL
- ISDN
- Cable
- Satellite
- Wi-Fi
- Wireless (Digital cell phone)
- Dialup

All for internet access types. Instead of trying to improve the existing, we're making more types. I remember when dialup was all that was available, and even that was limited speed-wise. T1 connections are still too expensive; DSL isn't available to every home; Cable is bandwidth limited in most markets; Satellite is not only slow but does not support uploading (necessary to request packets, so you have to have a dialup account in order to surf); Wi-Fi is so new that we don't know how Wi-Fi will affect our health, not to mention it's unsecure and VERY easy to hack people's computers through it; Wireless is not only slow but it's expensive for how slow it is.

What about dialup? Believe it or not, it's the connection of choice. Why you ask? Why would anyone want something so slow? I'll give you 3 reasons.

1 - Grandma from Pasadena who only checks emails isn't going to pay $29.95-$49.95 for a high speed connection that she won't notice anyway, not when she could pay $4.95-$12.95 for a connection that suits her needs just fine.
2 - Dialup doesn't care how far you are from what. All you're doing is making a phone call, which you could make to just about anyone with a phone number. That means everyone can have it.
3 - Faxing without external software requires a phone line. Manual fax machines have not evolved in over 8 years, and they probably never will. I'm itching to see if VoIP will allow for broadband Ethernet connections to initiate and establish a dialtone, but in the meantime, if people want to fax over their line, they'd rather just get a main line and a fax line, because they'd get a discount on it. People don't want to disconnect their phone lines for just a broadband connect, knowing they lose the ability to fax or receive calls.

I hope some of these technologies drop off, because a lot are great ideas, but pointless (wireless and satellite).

WWE: Come on now.

OK.

SO I turn on the TV yesterday, and what do I see? WWE Smackdown!. More to the point, JBL, otherwise known as John Bradshaw Layfield. He's spouting off and ranting about CNBC, Americans, Mexicans, Indians, just about everyone. In fact, he even goes so far as to say that it's Americans "that are wrong with America". Well, that's funny Mr. Layfield, and you're saying this why? Because you got fired from a syndicated show that was making you money? No. Because you're upset at the fact that you just can't lose the gut? No. It's because you're starting to finally realize that you're not what you thought you were. You're not a true athlete; you're a joke of yourself. And before some of the anti-wrestling people come on talking about how it's fake, it's not. It's scripted. Scripted is NOT faking. It's predetermining the outcome. What he said in that interview was not scripted. I strongly doubt Vince McMahon would have told him to go out and bash America. He would have said, "go out there and say something that will get people talking about us", and 'JBL' took it from there.

As entertained as I was watching Smackdown, I find it very sad that this is what the industry called "sports entertainment" has come to. A tired man with a beer belly complaining because he got fired from a show he had no business on in the first place.