No one needed to consult the prognosticators to know that this was almost inevitable. Pakistan's former prime minister and opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was murdered in a suicide attack in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Dec. 27. Ms. Bhutto was a beloved figure in her native Pakistan despite allegations of corruption over her two terms as PM. She had recently returned to her homeland after a self-imposed exile of over a decade in the hopes of establishing a power-sharing agreement with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

Rant/Rave reported on the suicide attacks on Bhutto's transportation convoy in October, interviewing a resident of Karachi on Bhutto's return and the political and militant strife she hoped to quell. I came away from the interview with a stronger understanding of the similarities of Pakistanis and Americans and the world at large. No one wants their country to be regarded as violent and ignorant, yet these are spectres that haunt our nations.

There has been much rioting in Pakistan in the aftermath of Bhutto's murder, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets to mourn. Many are laying the responsibility for this crime at the feet of President Musharraf, but the government is blaming Al-Qaeda. One thing is certain - martyring your enemy can be a very dangerous thing. Those who feared the power of one woman may now face the wrath of hundreds of thousands who saw her as the bright, shining hope for their future.

In a year marked by more frequent (and blatant) attempts by humanity to climb into the handbasket on an express route to Hell, certain entities and personalities stood out from the pack. We thank those below who made this list possible.

MTV - Once the bastion of mainstream coolness, the network that brought you just about everything you grew up on died and was replaced by a stream of infomercials for the "Rich White Kid" lifestyle. Tila Tequila gets a dating show while Radiohead puts an album out for free. WTF, MTV? Justin Timberlake was right - you do need to start showing more videos, especially if you wanna keep that "M" in front of your name.
And just when Hip-Hop had forgotten how you ignored it for a good part of the 80's, you relegate Kanye West - an artist who appeals across virtually all of your carefully research demographics - in a glorified bungalow at the VMAs while setting Britney Spears up to fail in front of the world. It was like watching Dr. Frankenstein murder his own creation, but with lip-synching.

Mitt Romney - Enjoy the brownnosing, sir. I have to warn you that sooner or later you're going to have to address minorities and we can only pray that there's a cameraphone available when someone finally tells you to kiss their black ass. It will happen. And knowing you, you will kiss it. With aplomb.

Congress (The Democratic Remix) - This Democratic Congress is the legislative version of Windows Vista - Not So Hot 2.0. You might have hated its predecessor, but at least it worked. If votes could be refunded, well...let's not even go down that alley.

TV Networks and Movie Studios - You're broke? Creatively and artistically bankrupt, maybe. Too cheap to do much besides slap numbers on after the name of a popular movie, sure. In a year when three movies grossed more than "The Empire Strikes Back", it's kinda hard to feel bad for you. Anyone who televises "Ghost Whisperer" could do to pay a few writers a little something extra. The WGA writers may not be getting their fair share, but the ratings suggest that you are.

Guns - From Virginia Tech to the Von Maur mall to every single day in Philadelphia, it is becoming increasingly obvious that guns don't give a damn who you are or where you live. Why do we keep forgetting that their only purpose is to kill people?

Record Labels - It would be a crying shame if it weren't so damn funny. It's kinda like getting to watch a convicted rapist during his first night in prison. Your P.R. points can't help but free-fall when you send the RIAA out after people like the Music Gestapo - I know because I pay almost $400 monthly as part of a settlement. On top of it all, you tried to bully the nerd who single-handedly saved your collective asses - Steve Jobs. Maybe all of this will teach you to play nice and stop spraying perfume on garbage and convincing people to buy it. Probably not, but maybe.

Lawyers and Technical Colleges (And The Commercials That Love Them) - If you believed your television, every other person in this country is bankrupt, facing DUI charges, or truly believes that six months at a school that has to change its name after each class graduates will net them the job of a lifetime. As a veterinarian technician. Cleaning up dog poop.

Both Sides of the Illegal Immigration Argument - I'm lost. Isn't it ILLEGAL? Like marijuana, dogfighting, and asking John Kerry questions without expecting a taser up your ass? Seriously - we need to come up with a viable plan that is respectful of the civil rights of all immigrants as well as the law. I recently read that in the past few years, the number people leave Mexico for the U.S. each year is larger than the number of people who die in Mexico.

Rant/Rave is looking for contributors in the areas of entertainment, politics, sports and culture to help us build an even stronger presence in 2008. We are also interested in cartoonists to illustrate our commentary from time to time. If you're a sharp writer/artist with enough time on your hands to contribute a few pieces a week, email me through R/R on Squidoo or via the email link at the home site - Rant/Rave