Note: This article was originally posted on Examiner. 

In the words of Herbert Huncke, "I'm beat." There's two ways to explain my situation. One is: "dead broke." The other is: transition period. I prefer the later.

In the past two weeks, I've managed to spread out my last $360. Who knew a few pizzas here, some Chinese food there, a couple of taxi rides and a few boxes of formula would cost so much? I could've bought six games for the same, and god knows there's a lot of must-buys that have dropped or will drop this month. Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 3, Sonic Generations, Uncharted 3, Modern Warfare 3, Metal Gear HD and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary top my list.

But until I get where I want to get in my career and personal life, I'm just another games journalist who can't afford games. But some people aren't going to let a little thing like money deter them. 

I'm not the only one in dire straights, it seems. Just last week, Timothy Joseph Mandes applied for a job at a Best Buy in Bethlehem Township. Presumably so he can get discounts to cheapen an expensive gaming habit. Smart man.

Okay, so maybe shoving game systems down your pants isn't ideal, even for the broke gamer. This next broke gamer, however, wasn't so much broke as he was impatient.What wasn't so smart, however, was when he found out he didn't get the job, he decided to shove an Xbox 360 console down his pants. He didn't leave and do this the next day, but literally walked to the games section right after being turned down for the position. The store's security cameras picked this up, and being that he had applied to the store, giving them all his personal info, the police were able to arrest him right at his home (presumably playing an Xbox 360 that reeked of unemployed ball sweat). Though, not before he would attempt to flee and scuffle with law enforcement, who effectively tasered  him.

David Morales wanted Modern Warfare 3. Like anyone who wants something from a retailer, he decided to drive to a store, stand in line and purchase it. But when he saw the length of the line at GameStop, he decided waiting was for suckers. So instead of going an hour without the game, David devised a plan to stalk and rob someone in front of the line. That someone was Adam Freeman.

Morales followed Mr. Freeman to his apartment, blocking him in with his Ford Explorer, and jumped out on Adam with a gun.

"Give me the game," David said, pushing a round into the chamber. 

“Fuck You,” replied Freeman.

As David pushed another round into the chamber, it knocked his first one out, giving Adam a moment to grab the barrel of the gun and scare off his attacker. Adam promptly reported the attempted robbery.

After leaving the scene of the crime, David didn't go home, but instead went back to GameStop. After all, he still didn't haveModern Warfare 3. When the police came to review security cameras, they saw a person who matched the description Adam gave them, standing in line waiting to buy the game at that very moment. He was immediately arrested.

Lesson learned for David: don't go to buy games on launch day from places where most gamers pre-order. Go to Blockbuster instead.

If you're going to do something, do it right. That saying must've originated in France, cause a group of French criminals recently succeeded in stealing not one, but 6,000 copies ofModern Warfare 3. Costing a whopping €400,000, or about $545,000 USD.

The morning of November 6th, just south of Paris, two masked assailants armed with knives collided with a Micromania delivery van, causing the drivers to stop and get out of the van. The assailants then used tear gas to disorient the drivers and the two criminals sped off with the delivery van and 6,000 copies of MW3.

Unfortunately, criminal-grade black masks -- which would presumably need a matching black outfit to boot -- a tear gas grenade launcher and a couple of rounds of tear gas, all sound pretty steep to a writer who can't afford one game. Not to mention a car, let alone one to wreck. Guess I'm going to have to find other ways to get my gaming fix.