Xpinionated

A study of World of Warcraft players aged 12 - 83 has found that after some violent gaming, the players were actually more relaxed or tired than aggressive. 

“There were actually higher levels of relaxation before and after playing the game as opposed to experiencing anger but this did very much depend on personality type,” said Jane Barnett, who headed the Middlesex study. Translation: If you’re an aggressive jackass before you play a video game, you’ll still be one after; and video games don’t magically turn peaceful people into violent offenders.

Hopefully, more studies like this one will make it to the mainstream media so every violent outburst doesn’t fall at the feet of gaming.   I dare wager that the same could be proven of music and other forms of media.  Though, these forms of media do effect us, the foundation for violence toward others is built on something more than an album, video game, or shoot ‘em up movie. 

I am thinking about getting this tattoo on my back.  I have been going back and forth about whether I want to get another tattoo.  If I do get this one though, it means I will need to get a tattoo for every child we have, if I want to be fair and not show favoritism.  Whatcha think?  I may add ‘Lil Man’ above or below it….

There’s a new social network for those in interracial relationships!  The site’s creator is known to have a short attention span but if folks start showing up and the discussion is lively, I know for a fact that the site’s creator will try to maintain a lively community.  SO GO CHECK IT OUT —>  http://www.intermarriage.ning.com

Announced recently, the Discovery Health television network will soon become OWN — Oprah Winfrey Network. 

In my mind, I can’t imagine that I am the only person in this entire world that is sick and tired of the constant ego trip that Oprah Winfrey lives.  A magazine featuring her face on every issue.  A school for kids in Africa — despite the need for such a school in any impoverished area of any metropolis in America — that bears her name but abuses the kids.  A television talk show that has become predictable in every facet.  And now a television network?!?!

Gimme a break.  Her ego has taken over.  If a sports celebrity, say Michael Jordan, decided to start a book club, open the Jordan Boys and Girls club of Chicago, create Air Magazine with his likeness plastered on the cover every single issue, and buy half of NBA TV so we could watch all Jordan, all the time, I guarantee the critics would be plentiful.  But if Oprah does it, she’s just giving back!  Look, the last thing Oprah has ever done was give back.  Oh, it may seem like she’s giving back when she gives everyone in the audience a new car (even though technically, I’m sure not a single dime came from her pocket), but the money she made after that news hit the airwaves easily dwarves any ‘efforts’ on her part. 

Well what about the Legends Ball she through not too long ago?  She threw a party for a bunch of famous people!  I threw a party for a bunch of unfamous people and ABC did not want to film it.  Hell, I’m not sure Oprah even deserved to be in that select group of folks. 

Oprah is a fraud.  She may be loved by millions but in my mind (and this doesn’t make me a hater — and if it does who cares), she’s a fraud.  An ego driven, narcissistic attention-whore.

Not sure who sings the songs but the chorus is as follows — roughly

We can go to the tropics, sippin’ on coladas, shorty I can take you there

Or we can go the slums, where killers get hung, shorty I can take you there

We can go the slums?  Where killers get hung?  Really?  This is your pick up line, your git r done?  This is why I find myself listening to the blues channel more and more.  I love(d) hip hop.  I have defended it for years against critics and naysayers.  I’ve spent chunks of money on it.   But when something as idiotically stupid as this (though trivial in the scheme of things) makes a regular playlist, no wonder hip hop receives some many backlashes.

When going to the slums is a way to pick up a female companion, then the (and lord knows I hate to use the following term) ‘thug’ mentality has gone too far.  It’s one thing to glorify ballin’, not that I agree with it but I can understand the origins. But to use the slums as a place of luxury instead of as a motivation to succeed, then there’s a complete lack of common sense there. 

What’s happening to our culture?