Monday, September 10, 2007

I'm Not Sure What Day Of The Week It Is Repost: Want A New Xbox? Go To Mexico.

I rerun some of my older posts on Sundays as a way to highlight stories that you may have missed. Just think of it as 'thought recycling' and a day off, or that I am incredibly, incredibly lazy.


Reuters recently reported a new plan aimed at reducing the number of guns and drug related violence in some of Mexico City’s neighborhoods. The city’s new mayor announced that anyone who turns in a gun will be given Xboxes or computers. I don’t know what the price of an Xbox runs in Mexico, but this sounds like a great deal.

According to the story, handguns will get you an Xbox but larger guns like machine guns will earn you and your family a brand new computer, complete with a copy of ‘Computer Hacking and Virus Creation For Dummies’ and ‘Identity Theft Made Easy.’ I guess that means grenades are worth a PDA and anything larger than a machine gun will get you a new GPS navigation system for your car. Since the program will be run with the strictest of anonymity, I imagine there will be a lot of new Xboxes being handed out. Let’s forget reform and just sit around playing video games all day. I guess scared straight has been replaced with played straight or rewarded straight?

It seems to me that the best way to reduce drug violence is to begin eliminating the actual drugs. I don’t know if Mexico City’s Mayor is taking crime reduction tips, but how about an all-expense paid trip to Disneyland for anyone turning in drugs. The program could be taken a step further to help curb other types of crimes. If you steal a car and turn it into the authorities, you can be given a new Razor scooter. Purse-snatchers who return the purse (and wallet) get new Gucci handbags and anything returned to the home it was stolen from will receive a Best Buy or Home Depot gift certificate. Vandals who volunteer to clean up their graffiti will be rewarded with beginner art sets from JoAnn’s or Michael’s. I guess if you are accused of assault and promise to apologize profusely to the victim, you get a free punching bag. Counterfeiters who agree to destroy their fake money as well as its fabrication equipment will be rewarded with $500 American dollars for every 100 bills destroyed (wait a minute, that doesn’t seem right). You can see the benefits awaiting a career criminal who decides to clean up their act. Why oh why did I never buy a gun?

I have no idea how Microsoft feels about the program since they are the creators of the Xbox and undoubtedly, the computers being given away contain Microsoft Windows. My guess is that the computers will have Vista as their operating system, which is really a nice touch since I believe Vista is Spanish for ‘waste of money, just stick with XP.’ I can see it now when drug lords and dealers start lining up outside of Mexico City police stations demanding their machine guns back when they realize the Vista-loaded computers they were given in return aren’t compatible with their printers, scanners and digital cameras.

You know, I’ve wanted a PlayStation 2 for three years now. Maybe if I anonymously throw a rock through a window and then return the rock to law enforcement I can get one. That seems like fair compensation. I wonder if all the Xboxes being given out will contain any video games. Here’s a tip: ‘Grand Theft Auto’ might be a popular choice.

****Reminder to get your Q & A Tuesday questions in. I'm low on questions this week. Wait, I need a break. That might be a good thing...****

22 comments:

Airam said...

You know what's coming right?

First!

Michael C said...

Airam: You win again. How ticked are you gonna be the day you get here in time for being the 2nd commenter?
:D

Airam said...

I'll just shout SECOND! It's all good!

:)

Listening to your podcast now ...

Airam said...

Those impersonations were great! Still thinking of a question.

Airam said...

When did you discover your love of music such as Barry Manilow and Rod Stewart? Do you like other kinds of music?

Michael C said...

Airam: You certainly know how to make lemonade out lemons as they say. Way to embrace second-commentdom!! Crud, I forgot about having done those impersonations...really, I had!

I should have seen that music question coming...
;-)

Ralph said...

If a windows PC is for first place, what is for second -two?

NASCAR Q&A: Do you think F1 or IRL drivers like Montoya and Franchitti are good for NASCAR and the Nextel Cup?

Anonymous said...

8th! Yeay Me.

Open Grove Claudia said...

Yeah, that's really freakin' lazy. Now all the posts that I went out of my way to avoid I have to read??? SHEEZ!

Rebecca said...

Oh yes a Q 4 U 4 Tue: Do you like green eggs & ham? How about with cheese & jam?
Also, what would be your dream car?

Patti said...

If you are still low on ??? I have one:
Are you thinking of getting another cat?

Anonymous said...

OK - my first question for you:
If you have two M&Ms in your hand, and you eat one, what's left? An M&M? Or just an M?

That one has bugged me for years, and I'd love your take on it.

Odat said...

I wonder what my water gun would get? ;-)

My second question:
What assumptions do people make about you that are totally wrong?

Peace

James Burnett said...

Is there no God? Wait. Let me rephrase that. Why is Britney Spears rich?

magickat said...

Holy shit - is that true about the XBOX? That's craziness.

My husband has a bunch of BB Guns. I wonder what I can get for those. Since BB Guns aren't as dangerous maybe I get get a DS or something.

My questions for Tuesday (hope I made it in on time???)

1. How many books do you own and do you have a bookcase at home in which to store your books. If so, how do you organize them.

2. What is the one school lunch you still miss to this day.

3. How do you feel about stripes making their way back onto todays tube socks. We had all white socks happening for a while and now it seems like the stripe has made a return. What is your opinion on this and have you succumbed to the new (old) fashion?

Michael C said...

Ralph: Oh boy, a NASCAR question. That should bore the masses ;-)

Meleah: Yay indeed!!!

Claudia: Sorry, I should have explained that I can get pretty lazy.

Frigga: I love me the green eggs and ham!

Patti: Thanks for helping!

Wolf: That's the kind of question that makes my head explode. Woo Hoo!!

Odat: Oh no, now I have to find your first question. Gulp

James: Welcome back! I feared Britney might make an appearance on Q & A Tues. ;-)

Kat: Yay, you got questions in!!!!

C said...

I have a better idea. I bet if someone showed up with a gun and DIDN'T hand it over, they could walk away with EVERYTHING. ^_^ Not that I would do that. . .

C said...

PS, whoa, check it out! Count Dooku and James Bond! I actually watched that one not so long ago. :)

Michael C said...

Candace: That is a great movie. It's got Knick Knack (da plane, da plane. Yes, I know I've mixing cultural references), the 3rd nipple and Shirley Bassey singing one of the best Bond themes. Ok, I guess I didn't have to mention Scaramanga's 3rd nipple...

C said...

Oh yeah! I had forgotten about the 3rd nipple, LOL! And the mirror maze, right? Like in Phantom of the Opera. Only different.

Lis said...

Get with the times, baby, get a PS3!

Alrighty, here's my question: if the world's going to end tomorrow and you get to watch one movie before you join the choir invisible, which one will it be?

Anonymous said...

hmm.... I think I will take my son on a trip over there, he has an aching desire for a new XBOX. But, I might have to spring for a GUN first.

WTF?