photo credit: caidalibre

The Sirius-XM satellite radio merger is set to go in effect tomorrow. Until today I was really excited about the merger. I had heard XM was going to add an a la carte service whereby subscribers could pick the channels they wanted on their plan much like you pick what you want on your plate at Bob Evans. Also, the companies were assuring that everyone’s radios would continue to work. After all, who wants to have to buy a new unit or worse yet, have their built-in dashboard XM or Sirius stop working while the two satellite giants are merging to supposedly offer better service to subscribers! No I said the audiophile.

So, with these hopes high in heart, I checked out the details of the merger offering which goes in effect tomorrow. I was well disappointed by my findings. The main push is for XM users to upgrade their plan for $4/month to get “the best of Sirius.” “The best” being the best and sounding the best to potential clients includes the following channels: two Howard Stern channels, NFL play-by-play, NASCAR, Martha Stewart and Playboy. To be blunt, I’m going to go with more of a no than a yes.

Out of all the offerings of Sirius they pick these? There’s got to be a money issue behind this; either that or marketing statistics which say that an overwhelming number of satellite radio users are men, but that doesn’t really explain the Martha choice. I don’t imagine too many truckers toggling between NASCAR, Playboy and Martha Stewart.

Additionally, what about family subscribers? Driving on the way to the beach for the family vacation with the toddlers car-seated like fighter pilots listening to Stern and bunnies. This seems to be a question they’ve preempted with a FAQ:

What if I don’t want some of the content (i.e. channels with frequent explicit language)? XM offers two “family-friendly” options that will not contain any of the “XL” channels that contain frequent explicit language, and these packages will be offered at a discounted monthly rate from that package’s standard monthly rate.

As to what the “family-friendly” packages are have yet to be revealed. More Martha Stewart and another NASCAR? Let’s hope not. How ’bout some music please.

Overall, the merger seems disappointing and I haven’t even told you about the need to buy a new radio receiver if you want to get the rumored a la cart service. I guess just plain old XM will have to suffice for the time being (which I love by the way). =)

On another note, isn’t Citi bank one who’s on the verge of going the way of Fannie Mae? The paperless, tree initiative might be the least of their worries. Nonetheless, woo-hoo trees!

I wouldn’t recommend starting this way given the cultural connotations.

Translate and win a prize!

What’s encouraging is that numerous commenters have seen through the lack of charity in the diatribe and offer rebukes. What it all comes down to is that she disagrees with Palin’s views. Unfortunately, her manner of expressing her dislike reflects poorly on her and draws attention away from the issues she seems to care so much about.

Good Day,

My name is Mr. Song Lile, i am the credit officer in Hang Seng
Bank, Hong Kong. I have a business proposal in the tune of
$19.5m, after the successful transfer, we shall share in ratio
of 30% for you and 70% for me. Should you be interested, please
contact me through my private email(songlile_hk31@yahoo.com.hk),
so we can commence all arrangements and I will give you more
information on how we would handle this project.

Please treat this business with utmost confidentiality and send
me the following:

(1)Full names
(2)private phone number
(3)current residential address
(4)Occupation
(5)Age and Proffession.

Kind Regards,
Mr. Song Lile

Anti-Terrorist and Monetary Crimes Division
Fbi Headquarters In Washington, D.C.
Federal Bureau Of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001
Website: www.fbi.gov
Email:FBIMONITARYCRIMES@mail2washington.com

ATTENTION FUND BENEFICIARY,

This is an official advice from the fbi foreign Remittance / telegraphic dept., it has come to
our notice that the C.B.N Bank Nigeria district has released 5,300,000.00 US dollars into bank of

America in your name as the beneficiary, by inheritance means. The C.B.N Bank Nigeria knowing

fully well that they do not have Enough facilities to effect this payment from the Nigeria to

your account, used what we know as a secret diplomatic transit payment (s.t.d.p) to pay this fund

through wire transfer, they used this means to complete the payment.

They are still, waiting for confirmation from you on the already Transferred funds which were

made in direct transfer so that they can do final crediting to your account. Secret diplomatic

payments are not made unless the funds are related to terrorist activities why must your payment

be made in secret transfer, if your transaction is legitimate, if you are not a terrorist, then

why did you not receive the money directly into your account; this is a pure coded, means

ofpayment?

Records which we have had with this method of payment in the past Has always been related to

terrorist acts, we do not want you to get into trouble as soon as these funds reflect in your

account in the U.S.A, so it is our duty as a world wide commission to correct this little problem

before this fund will be credited into your personal account.

Due to the increased difficulty and unnecessary security by the American authorities when funds

come from outside of Europe, and the Middle East, the f.b.i bank commission for Europe has

stopped the transfer on its way to deliver payment of $5,300,000.00 to debit your reserve account

and pay you through a secured diplomatic transit account (s.d.t.a). We govern and oversee funds

transfer for the World Bank and the rest of the world.

We advice you contact us immediately, as the funds have been Stopped and are being held in our

custody, until you can be able to provide us with a diplomatic immunity seal of transfer (dist)

we shall release the funds immediately we receive this legal documents.

————————————————————————————————
We have decided to contact you directly to acquire the proper Verifications and proof from you to

show that you are the rightful person to receive this fund, because of the amount involve, we

want to make sure is a clean and legal money you are about to receive. Be informed that the fund

are now in United State in your name, but right now we have ask the bank not to release the fund

to anybody that comes to them, unless we ask them to do so, because we have to carry out our

investigations first before releasing the fund to you. Note that the fund is in the BANK OF

AMERICA right now, but we have ask them not to credit the fund to you yet, because we need a

solid proof and Verifications from you before releasing the funds.

So to this regards you are to re-assure and proof to us that what you are about to receive is a

clean money by sending to us FBI Identification Record and also Diplomatic Immunity Seal Of

Transfer(DIST) to satisfy to us that the money your about to receive is legitimate and real

money. You are to forward the documents to us immediately if you have it in your possession, if

you don’t have it let us know so that we will direct and inform you where to obtain the document

and send to us so that we will ask the bank holding the funds, the Bank Of America to go ahead

Crediting your account immediately.

These Documents are to be issued to you from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. (E.F.C.C)
Nigeria, so get back to us immediately if you don’t have the document so that we will inform you

the particular place to obtain the document is in Nigeria  because we have come to realize that the

fund was Authorized by C.B.N Bank Nigeria.

An FBI Identification Record and Diplomatic Immunity Seal Of Transfer (DIST) often referred to as

a Criminal History Record or Rap Sheet, is a listing of certain information taken from

fingerprint submissions retained by the FBI in connection with arrests and, in some instances,

federal employment, naturalization, or military service.These Condition Is Valid until 29th of

august 2008 after we shall take actions on Canceling the payment and then charge you for

illegally moving funds out of Nigeria. Guarantee: funds will be released on confirmation of the

document.
————————————————————————————————
Final Instruction;
1.  Credit payment instruction: irrevocable credit guarantee.
2.  Beneficiary has full power when validation is cleared.
3.  Beneficiaries bank in U.S.A., can only release funds.
4.  Upon confirmation from the cbn bank / united nations.
5.  Bearers must clear bank protocol and validation request.
————————————————————————————————
NOTE: We have asked for the above documents to make available the most complete and up-to date

records possible for the enhancement of public safety, welfare and security of Society while

recognizing the importance of individual privacy rights. If you fail to provide the Documents to

us, we will charge you with the FBI and take our proper action against you for not proofing to us

the legitimate of the fund you are about to receive.

The United States Department of Justice Order 556-73 establishes rules and regulations for the

subject of an FBI Identification Record to obtain a copy of his or her own Record for review. The

FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division processes these requests to check

illegal activities in U.S.A.

An individual may request a copy of his or her own FBI Identification Record for personal
review or to challenge information on the Record. Other reasons an individual may request a copy

of his or her own Identification Record may include international adoption or to satisfy a

requirement to live or work in a foreign country or receive funds from another country, i.e.

Diplomatic Immunity Seal of Transfer, letter of good conduct, criminal history Background, etc.)

FBI Director
Robert S. Mueller, III

Good day,
I am MR.CHAO WEI, Bank of China (Hongkong),I have a business proposal
of (US$18,600,000.00) for you from my bank.Finally after that I shall
provide
you with more details.Please send your details to My direct email:
chaoweihk1@yahoo.com.hk for more information on this business proposal
email me
at chaoweihk1@yahoo.com.hk if ineterested:
Regards,
CHAO WEI.

Good Day.

I am Mrs. Kate Hood Of the Ups Courier Company, I have a Confirmable of
£800,000.00 GBP (Eight Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds), that I
deposited
the Draft with UPS COURIER SERVICE, West Africa, I traveled out of the country
for my holidays and I will not return back until the end of September.

I want you to try all your best and contact the UPS COURIER SERVICE as soon as
possible to know when you will get this package because of the expiring date.
For your information, I have paid for the Security Keeping Fee, Insurance
premium and Clearance Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is not a
Drug Money or meant to sponsor Terrorist attacking your Country.

The only money you will send to the UPS COURIER SERVICE to deliver your Draft
direct to your postal Address in your country is £200.GBP only being
Delivering
Charge Fee of the Courier Company so far. Again, don?t be deceived by any
person to pay any other money except £200.GBP being the Delivering Charge .I
would have paid that but they said no because they don’t know when you will
contact them and in case of demurrage.
You have to contact the UPS COURIER SERVICE now for the delivery of your Draft
with this below information.

============================================
Contact Person: Mr. Phoenix McFerrin
Email Address: upscourierservice_claimdpt101@live.com
Telephone: +234-703-712-1986
Fax +234-70-371-219-84
=============================================
Lastly, You are advice to send the below information to the Courier Company:
Your Full Name:
Postal address:
Direct telephone number:

Do send it to them again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery and ask them to
give you the tracking number to enable you track your package over there and
know when it will get to your address.

Yours Faithfully,
Mrs. Kate Hood