The State of the Iffy Address

Peter Steele, Type O Negative frontman, dies

2010-04-15T23:40:00.005-05:00

It's a sad day to be a metal head, I'm afraid. I just heard the news from one of my friends, and I wish it wasn't true. Peter Steele, the metal god from Type O Negative, has died. He was 48.

I remember how I first discovered Type O Negative. It was about ten years ago that I was first beginning to listen to heavy metal, mostly Black Sabbath was what fascinated me. One day, looking for songs, and I came across one that was originally done by Sabbath, but was covered by Type O Negative. It was "Black Sabbath", but what was unique was it was from "the Satanic Perspective."

It was one of the creepiest things I've heard to that point. And I had to hear more.

Eventually I would hear more notable songs from Type O Negative, like "Christian Woman", "Black No. 1", "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend," just to name a few. The most distinctive part of these songs were the sound came off like a slow dirge, and of course it was amplified more with Peter Steele's distinctive vocals. It was this really low, bass-heavy voice, which was both melodic and demonic sounding, and for some ladies who dug the vampire vibe, quite seductive. It was reflective of the tortured nature that Steele personified, and it resonates with me even now with this shocking news.

Although he's gone, he's certainly never forgotten. The memories I have associated with his music won't let that happen. Although, like the song says, "Everything Dies", his music lives.

Rest in peace, Peter Steele.

The Human Torch is now Captain America

2010-03-23T21:57:00.008-05:00

Well, I've been following the casting news for The First Avenger Captain America ever since the rumor mills were running with seven actors' names. Then it was narrowed down to just three actors. Now we have the actor who will play Steve Roger/Captain America: Chris Evans.

Superhero movie monopoly be damned...

Now many of you remember him from Fantastic Four and its sequel when he playes Johnny Storm, The Human Torch. While both movies are both considered a mixed bag among fans, I consider this pretty good casting. He has the All-American look, though he will need to bulk up a bit in order to have the commanding physical presence that Cap has. As for his acting skills, I think he'll do just fine considering he had a great performances in Sunshine. Evans has also been in another comic adapted movie: TMNT, where he played Casey Jones. Later this year, he will also be in the upcoming DC Comic film property, The Losers as Jensen, co-starring with Jeffery Dean Morgan and Zoe Saldana.

Mark your calendars.

Now I know a lot of people were expecting someone else to play Captain America. Many people wanted someone like Ryan McPartlin who plays "Captain Awesome" from NBC's Chuck, or Jensen Ackles from CW's Supernatural. I think both choices would have been acceptable, too. Hopefully they can make the jump to superhero films soon, considering DC Comics are looking for actors in upcoming films (i.e. The Flash, Superman) and Marvel needs to probably find more actors for their upcoming projects involving The Avengers and the expanding Marvel Universe on film.

Jensen on the left; McPratlin on the right.

But when you think the other actors that were in serious contention, Marvel could have made far more worse choices: we could have had Channing Tatum. Can you imagine on the same screen as Hugo Weaving? Or Robert Downey, Jr? Both of those actors would eat him alive on screen. And we already seen him as another "Real American Hero". We know how that turned out, right?

C.G.I. Joe: Death of Childhood.

Although Evans has been in a few comedies, I still think he has plenty of potential to pull another superhero movie. Only time will tell. But overall, I think Marvel made a wise decision going with Evans, and I can finally have a sigh of relief now that all of the speculation has ended.

Now let's finish casting this thing so we can get it filmed. We are anxious to see Captain America throw his mighty shield!

Peter Graves 1926-2010

2010-03-15T01:13:00.003-05:00

Actor Peter Graves has passed away at the age of 83.

Graves had just returned from brunch with his family to celebrate his upcoming 84th birthday. He collapsed on the driveway before he could reach his house, said Sandy Brokaw, his publicist. One of Graves' daughters administered CPR but was unable to revive him, Brokaw said.

The actor most memorable role was when he starred in the hit TV series Mission: Impossible, the 1960s CBS series in which he played intelligence agent James Phelps, leader of the elite Impossible Missions Force. The show ran from 1967 to 1973 on CBS and 1988 to 1990 on ABC.

He was also a star in the disaster spoof Airplane! in which he played Capt. Clarence Oveur, the bumbling pilot whose one-liners included, "Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?"He co-starred along with other stars Robert Stack, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Lloyd Bridges, and Leslie Nielsen.

Graves is survived by his wife, three daughters, and six grandchildren.

I just want to take this time to say, Mr. Graves, your mission to entertain for so many may have seemed impossible, but you sir made it look easy. May your legacy be cherished by those who enjoyed your roles in television and film.

Rest in peace.

Christopher Nolan on Superman and Batman

2010-03-10T13:53:00.006-06:00

Any rumor that confirmed or denied Christopher Nolan's involvement in regards to "godfathering" the next Superman film can be settled once and for all, since he has officially given a statement confirming he is indeed involved with the project. The director promises good things for the next Superman, and his wife, producer Emma Thomas, denies a few other recent rumors.

The LA Times ran a interview with Nolan and EmmaThomas about Superman., with Nolan speaking about the story that David Goyer pitched to him when they were stalled for ideas for Batman 3:

"It’s very exciting, we have a fantastic story. And we feel we can do it right. We know the milieu, if you will, we know the genre and how to get it done right…[it] is a way of approaching the story I’ve never seen before that makes it incredibly exciting. I wanted to get Emma and I involved in shepherding the project right away and getting it to the studio and getting it going in an exciting way."

Meanwhile, his brother Jonathan Nolan is hard at work writing the script for Batman 3, which by the looks of things is in full swing. Christopher Nolan says the villain won’t be Mr. Freeze, insists that the primary character ensemble from the previous two films will return, and that it will end their story. He explains,

"The key thing that makes the third film an great possibility for us is that we want to finish our story. And in viewing it as the finishing of a story rather than infinitely blowing up the balloon and expanding the story…I’m very excited about the end of the film, the conclusion, and what we’ve done with the characters. My brother has come up with some pretty exciting stuff. Unlike the comics, these thing don’t go on forever in film and viewing it as a story with an end is useful. Viewing it as an ending, that sets you very much on the right track about the appropriate conclusion and the essence of what tale we’re telling."

I think it is fair to assume that Chris will direct the FINAL movie in his series of Batman films, but my question is this: who will direct Superman? While there are rumors saying it will be Jonathan, I'm willing to think that it will probably be someone else. For some reason, I keep thinking Neil Blomkamp from District 9, since I really enjoyed what he did to redefine the science fiction movie. Who knows? Maybe it is someone in the Nolan camp. All I know is both of my all-time favorite superheroes are being handled carefully by one of the best directors today.

Definitely stay tuned for more information as I get it.

Corey Haim passed away

2010-03-10T13:24:00.002-06:00

A little bit of sad news to report: actor Corey Haim, passed away at the age of 38. Haim of course was an '80s teen heart throb, who co-starred along with another Corey, Corey Feldman, in the Joel Schumacher film The Lost Boys. He had recently starred in movies like The Lost Boys 2 and Crank 2: High Voltage. Haim also was notorious for his struggles with drug abuse. Reports say that Haim collapsed in his mom's apartment just before 1 AM. No illegal drugs were found, but 4 prescription drugs were.

Looks Like "Jim" is Out of the Running for Cap

2010-03-10T13:00:00.008-06:00

There were some people who were baffled by the reports of John Krasinski being the front-runner for Captain America. Well, for those of you who were anticipating "Jim" from The Office throwing Captain America's mighty shield, I bring you news that it won't be happening.

Fox 411 reported earlier that Krasinski was Marvel's top choice to play the Star-Bangled Avenger after reading four times for the role, with other female leads possibly in contention. Of course since fan boys cried foul over his physical appearance being too small and unmuscular, the decision was made not to cast Krasinski.

Of the original contenders mentioned in a previous blog, only two remain “in serious contention”: Mike Vogel (Cloverfield) and Garrett Hedlund (Tron: Legacy). But now there's more actors being considered: Marvel has added Chris Evans to the list of possible lead actors. Many may remember Evans from a previous Marvel film property, as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch from The Fantastic Four. Apparently they're going to go the Ryan Reynolds route of casting, since he's set the standard for being attached to multiple superhero franchises.

Definitely, Maybe?

Anyway, in addition to John Krasinski, the list of actors who tested for the role, but are now out of the running includes Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl), Scott Porter (Friday Night Lights), Michael Cassidy (Privileged) or Patrick Flueger (Brothers).

It's funny that we won't get to have Krasinski was Cap, because I was anticipating Dwight (aka Rainn Wilson) as the Red Skull.

Oh, what could have been...

Important Announcement

2010-03-05T10:24:00.003-06:00

Okay, so I have a very important announcement to make, and I hope many of you who read this blog or are friends of me on Facebook or Myspace are ready. So, here goes:

My roommate Rayshard and I have been brainstorming and developing some ideas, and we both decided that we are going to create our own Podcast. Since both Ray and I have been featured numerous times on the Nannercat Podcast with Ron, Rob, and Brennan in the past, we decided to make sort of a"spin off" version of it, starring the two of us. The subject of the podcast in question will of course be our take on pop culture, with us exploring certain aspects in particular. An example will involve us dissecting what's good, what's bad, and what's weird about two distinct things, and in almost a sort of "Crossfire" style, discussing each of them. Because there are times me and Ray agree and disagree, which will be the fun part!

My idea with the podcast is to basically introduce people to ideas they may not have had about a certain cultural figures, or they have had it, but were afraid to admit this much. I know the format sounds a bit structured, but I am also going to make room for some free form conversation regarding current events. And since I liked how Ron had guests on Nannercat from time to time (especially when it was us), I plan to have guests on to join the fun. I might even ask you to participate.

Please?

So that's my huge announcement, folks. I'm creating a podcast. In regards to what I'm going to call this, I'm still musing on the idea of it. So far, some of the names I've come up with are:

- Pod Clash (It's simple enough)

- The Clash Cast (I dig the alliteration)

- Boomerburger (Ray asked me name my favorite pet, and my fave food. It was almost "Boomer Pizza, or Boomer Chicken)

- Sciecne Crucifiction (It's an old name I had for an Industrial Metal Band when I was in high school. Never happened, so...)

- The Rift Trip (I rendered a title to an animated show "Tripping the Rift".)

Like I said, while these maybe weird names, I'm still musing about the possibilities. I admit, there are weird names, but these won't necessarily be the names I use. I'm turning that possibility on to some of you. That's right! If you have any ideas what to call this, you're encouraged to share. I'm going to possibly take a poll from people on Facebook later. The winner will be our name for the podcast.

So, that's my announcement, ladies and gentlemen. Hopefully I get it up and running some time in the coming week.

Scream for me, Houston!

2010-03-05T10:07:00.003-06:00

Just when you thought it looked like my summer plans were going to be bland and dull, save for all the new blockbusters I was going to watch, comes word from my friend Andrew regarding a certain heavy metal band that I am a huge fan of:

That's right! Iron Maiden is going to tour this summer in celebration of their new album that's coming out. And these guys I've seen live before: the single greatest concert experience in my life! And the best news about Iron Maiden going on tour is this: Friday, June 11th, at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Maiden's coming to Houston!

Holy diver, that's awesome!

Now, I'll admit I've never heard a lot of music from Dream Theater, but I'm sure they are amazing! I look forward to seeing both bands play the Rock music I breathe, eat, and sleep. Metal isn't dead, my friends. It's alive! So most definitely I'm going to hit up TicketMaster come March 20, which is when tickets are on sale. I hope to see you there!

UP THE IRONS!

Movie News: Heroes Unite!

2010-02-25T15:42:00.005-06:00

Hey it's been a of been a while since I made a blog entry, but I decided to make one with some of my thoughts on developing comic book films. Hopefully I'm more up to date now. Anyways, hope this covers a few bases.

Spider-Man

It's been a while since I posted any news about Spider-Man, but there have been a few developments. Of course they have director Marc Webb, and a story that will have Peter Parker back in high school, and it will also be in 3-D. Apparently James Cameron is supposed to be helping Webb in that aspect, and with the monumental success Avatar has had, it's probably a good thing to have him mentoring Webb on this. Also, there's news that Brian Micheal Bendis, who made the Ultimate Spider-Man comic series, is going to oversee some of the treatment for the new movie as well. Another great sign, seeing how Webb LOVES the Ultimate Spider-Man comics, and they are part of the inspiration for this new film. So there's some hope in this reboot.

In the meantime, we have to play the waiting game when it comes to casting, principle photography, shooting, and of course opening weekend. While I have respect for the first two Raimi films, I do think the reboot should be better if they make a note to not just make it action packed, but also have the character true to himself. If Bendis has his hand in, that might be a possibility.

Batman and Superman

Apparently Jonathan Nolan and David Goyer are developing the story for the third Batman movie, which word of came out earlier this year. There's got to be some strong indication that Christopher Nolan will also direct the movie as well, and of course Christian Bale will be "the Dark Knight" as well. There's also word that not only will Nolan return to direct a third Batman film, but he will also be a consultant for the Superman reboot that Warner Bros. is trying to get made. In addition, Goyer is being asked to pen the screenplay for the movie, said to be titled "The Man of Steel." Many are wondering how is this Superman going to be any better or different than the previous films. Well, the movie is supposedly not an origin story, and it is not in the same continuity of the previous Donner movies or the Bryan Singer film. And the villains that said to be used are Lex Luthor and Braniac. Goyer also said there will be more development of a Kryptonian mythology.

While Goyer is very hit or miss (Hits: Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Blade, Blade 2; Misses: Blade Trinity, The Unborn), Nolan being a bit of a godfather to the Superman movie can put some of us at ease. I'm glad that my two favorite heroes from DC Comics are getting new films.

Captain American

Joe Johnston, who helped direct The Wolfman and also Disney's The Rocketeer, is very close to finding the man who will play the Star Spangled Avenger, Captain America for the upcoming film, The First Avenger: Captain America. My previous redundancy aside, the news is the short list of possibilities is down to seven actors.

Here's who we have:

1. John Krasinski - Most people know him as Jim from The Office, as well as the movie Leatherheads.

2. Patrick Flueger - His biggest role was in the USA Network's sci-fi series, The 4400 as Shawn Farrell.

3. Chase Crawford - Ladies may recognize him as a star of the CW's drama Gossip Girl.

4. Scott Porter - An actor from Friday Night Lights, who is described as a huge fanboy of comics.

5. Mike Vogel - He was in 2008's horror movie Cloverfield, and will appear in the comedy She's Out of My League.

6. Michael Cassidy - He's currently the character Grant Gabriel in Smallville, but was actually close to playing the Man of Steel in a McG prepping of a Superman relaunch that failed.

7. Wilson Berthel - Was in HBO's miniseries Generation Kill, as well as star of TV's Young and the Restless.

I'm not quite sure what to make of these choices. For the most part, they definitely want someone who is younger to play Cap. And other than a few TV shows and movies, none of these actors are what you would call familiar to people, out of John Krasinski. But we will definitely keep our eyes out for more developments on Captain America.

Remake 'We Are the World'!?

2010-02-15T18:17:00.003-06:00

As much as I applaud the efforts being made by so many to help the people of Haiti, there is just something unacceptable about Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie remaking "We Are the World" in order to benefit the people of Haiti. I understand that there hearts were in the right place, I know. And all this was made with good intentions. But this reminds of the old saying: the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

And boy, was this song ever a glimpse!

As much as they tried to update the song to make it relevant to now, there are more than a few things wrong with this remake:

1) Justin Beiber is singing the first verse. I don't even know this kid, and I'm already annoyed by him.

2) Miley Cyrus sounds flat. I try to take it easy on younger people, but Miley is no Cyndi Lauper.

3) They changed the verse from the original. Michael Jackson wrote the original song, and you should have respected the singer's material not altering the lyrics.

4) Lil Wayne is no singer! More importantly, he's not a great rapper, either.

5) They added a rap portion to the song to the song. Ugh!!!

6) Wyclef Jean shouldn't have tried that wailing. It's not exactly your best attempt at improv.

7) Jaime Foxx, we know you played Ray Charles, but dammit this is supposed to be taken seriously. Stop with the impersonation.

8) Auto-tune!? Okay, having commercials for SHAM WOW and Budweiser weren't enough, but they had to put it in a benefit song? This trend is officially dead!

9) They kept Michael Jackson's portions from the original, thus having him involved. Again, involving the King of Pop in this abomination of a song was just wrong, no to mention callous. Leave him alone!

10) The fact that the original should have been left alone in favor of a new song. We Are the World, as great a song as many people think it was didn't need to be tampered with.

This just goes to show that things of the 1980s should stay in the 1980s. That goes for Michael Jackson's Thriller, and also We Are the World. Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie have to live with the decision of making a song that sound horrendous. It doesn't matter how big a name is here, the fact remains the song you made is no the newest Internet meme: think BME Pain Olympics or 2 Girls, 1 Cup reaction tapes.

Mardis Gras begins early.

2010-02-07T20:45:00.008-06:00

Super Bowl XLIV belongs to the "Who Dat?" Nation. The New Orleans Saints battled the Indianapolis Colts in Miami, and they won the big game, 31-17. I am not surprised that the Saints won, even though I admit I went for the Colts. The Saints had a lot of heart and they were the emotional favorites. After tonight's game, I see why people are calling them "America's Team".

Sorry, Dallas.

So I'll take nothing away from the Saints, because they did have a great season. This victory means a lot to them. It also like there's a passing of the torch. Drew Brees joins a long list of great Super Bowl QBs, beating two of them to get there. He's a tough hombre. Congratulations to New Orleans.

No matter what, Sharpstown supports their own.
You did your best, Addai.

Now, even though the Colts lost, I give them a lot of credit for trying. Houston's Joseph Addai showed me that you should never underestimate the ground game, and Indy should have used the running backs a lot more. Even if Peyton Manning is the Quarterback, you have to run the football. Troy Aikman was a one of the biggest arms in league during his day, but he also had soon to be Hall of Famer Emmett Smith to run for TDs, and win Super Bowls. Maybe the rookie coach could learn a thing or two.

Speaking of Dallas (you can tell I'm on a tangent here), you know how Tony Romo has the "Jessica Simpson curse" after having dated her. Because of that "curse" you know that Dallas hasn't been in an NFC Championship, let alone a Super Bowl, because Romo and the 'Boys have been choking. But on the opposite side of the spectrum, it seems the Saints have a good luck charm in Kim Kardashian. That's right! Kim Kardashian, the wifey of Reggie Bush, running back of the Super Bowl champs. So note any future stars in the NFL, find you are reality television girlfriend, who has a little bit of notoriety and a caboose to go with it, and you might win the Super Bowl.

Hips don't lie.

Top 10 Favorite Moments of the Royal Rumble

2010-02-01T17:37:00.003-06:00

This will mostly focus on the Royal Rumble match itself, simply because when my roommate Rayshard and I went to Buffalo Wild Wings to check out the pay-per-view, the restaurant made a botch that was TNA worthy, in that they had problems with DIRECTV. So we missed the entire first half of the pay-per-view. Fortunately, Ray got a hold of our favorite superhero, our friend the White Flash, and he told us the results for the matches we missed. So thanks go out to the White Flash.

Basically what figured would happen did happen in those matches we missed: Christian retained, Sheamus retained, Mickie won the Women's title, and Undertaker retained. I didn't know the Miz and MVP had a match, but whatever. So by the time they got BWW got the PPV to actually work, we were able to see just the Royal Rumble match itself, which is fine by me. It was worth the bullshit I went through to wait for it to start. So much so, there were plenty of noteworthy moments, ten of which I'll highlight in in MY TOP TEN FAVORITE MOMENTS FROM THE 2010 ROYAL RUMBLE.

10. CM Punk eliminates a decent amount of people, while giving his "straight-edge" promo. I know the whole messiah-type complex is a hit or miss angle, but CM Punk as a heel wrestler who espouses straight edge rhetoric has been entertaining. It was even more hilarious that he was cutting a promo just as he's eliminating a few of the Rumble participants. And his little girlfriend with the bald head reminded me of Sinead O'Connor, only much better looking. Sad to Evan Bourne get eliminated so easily, but them be the bricks.

9. John Cena gives DX the 10 Knuckle Shuffle. People can say what they want about John Cena, but I'm more tired of seeing DX always getting the spotlight when other talent are not getting pushed. So while Cena did have a fireman's carry botch that knocked out a DX member (Hunter, or Michaels, I forget who), he followed it up with a 10 Knuckle Shuffle. Which even though that didn't eliminate them, it was still nice to see Cena deliver some moves on those two.

8. Kofi Kingston undercuts Shawn Michaels Superkick attempt with Trouble in Paradise. In a lot of ways Kofi Kingston reminds a little of Shawn Michaels, so how fitting that he counters his predecessor's patented Sweet Chin Music with a little bit of Trouble in Paradise. Not to mention, Kofi came up with some nice eliminations with his head scissors to a few superstars. I really wanted Kofi to win, but alas. There's always Money in the Bank at Wrestlemania.

7. Beth Phoenix makes the Great Khali fall head over heels for her. I gave a very slim chance of any of the WWE Divas to enter into the Royal Rumble match, but Beth Phoenix made a pretty big impact, at the expense of the Punjabi Playboy, the Great Khali. In order to eliminate her opponent, she took one for the team by planting a big wet kiss on the giant. That was probably one of the biggest moments of the night where marked out pretty hard to Beth.

6. CM Punks makes Beth Phoenix a "sleeping beauty." It wasn't but a few moments later that CM Punk put Beth in the GTS, Go to Sleep, laying out the Glamazon on her back, looking like Sleeping Beauty. I'm not saying I condone violence against women, but keep in mind that if you're inside the ring, you better be ready to wrestle and take any move a wrestler gives you. On that note, Beth is one tough diva.

5. Carlito cleans house, gets back at Triple H for "not wanting to be cool." Triple H has a huge problem with ring psychology, and it showed when he refused to sell a move given to him by Carlito. Not wanting to let that slide, Carlito then proceeds to giving those closest to him his "Back Stabber" finisher, and that includes Triple H. Take that, you pompous ass!

4. Shawn Michaels eliminates Triple H from the Royal Rumble. I didn't expect to see Hunter leave the match as soon as he did, but I'm not complaining, no sir! Shawn Michaels made it clear he didn't care who was in the Rumble match, he was going to do what it takes to win. And he proved it by getting rid of his co-tag team champ partner. Hopefully this will be explored more the following episodes of Raw. DX might have ended as we know it. And I feel fine.

3. Edge enters the Royal Rumble at #29. Ray and I knew the moment he appeared that Edge was going after Chris Jericho, his former tag-team partner and former co-champion. The look on Chris Jericho's face read like he was caught like a deer in headlights. Chris was given a devastating spear, and then thrown out the ring like yesterday's trash.

2. Shawn Michaels gets eliminated, and loses his shit! They have been pushing for HBK/Undertaker: The Rematch for this year's Wrestlemania, but as the old saying goes, anything can happen at World Wrestling Entertainment. That includes getting eliminated by the other king douche, Batista. Shortly afterward, Shawn was in such disbelief that he super kicked a few officials before being told to leave. I'm not sure how Shawn will find some way to get Taker involved in his pursuit to end the Dead Man's streak. We'll see.

1. Edge wins! I am glad Cena wasn't the winner because we don't need to see him pursuing a title right now. It's gotten a little stagnant seeing him going after every single world heavywight championship, so having Edge win was a smart investment. I look forward to seeing who he will face for the title at Wrestlemania. We won't know for a whie until it's mentioned a few weeks before that night.

Until next time, this has been my favorite moments from the WWE's Royal Rumble of 2010.

You think I give a damn about the Grammy's?

2010-01-30T20:06:00.013-06:00

This entry has a bit of a disclaimer in it. It does have a bit of profanity in it, so PARENTAL ADVISORY, EXPLICIT CONTENT.

Thank you, Tipper Gore.
This is the official seal of approval for awesomeness.

To answer the question that was posed from the blog's title, that would be a very resounding, "FUCK NO!"

In fact, I have absolutely no respect for most award shows, let alone music award shows that are not really respective of Hard Rock music, particularly Heavy-fuckin'-Metal. I took a look at this year's nominees for said music, and what a depressing sight! Only bands like Megadeth, Slayer, and AC/DC pique my interest and favor to win. But you know Green Day, Nickelback and U2 will continue thrive, and be passed off as great.

Bullshit! The Grammy's are an awards show that pays more attention to Pop an Rap, so they really don't give two shits about Hard Rock or Heavy Metal. Oh hell, those people involved in the nomination proceedings must have a very limited grasp of Rock music period, anyway. I bet come award show season, a bunch of those dumb asses just goes ahead to a bookstore and picks up an issue of the Rolling Stone, writes down several random band names, draws them out of a hat, and says, "Okay let's give Best METAL Performance to *insert names* right here." Bottomline, the Grammy's are sorely out of touch when it comes to all things Rock.

Classic case in point was when Jethro Tull won a Grammy in 1989, and it was clear as day that METALLICA should have won it (or maybe Iron Maiden, but only because I love that band). Well it was some what poetic justice when they won it finally in 1992, and they thanked Jethro Tull for NOT being nominated that year.

The flute is a heavy, metal instrument.

Since then, we've had maybe a handful of winners, some of which the Grammy's had given an overabundance of nominations and wins to already. Like, oh I don't know, METALLICA!? Seriously, we get it, Grammy's. You fucked up so badly that one time, and now you were trying to make up for it by kissing their asses. Seriously, stop it. It's okay, now. They're multi-platinum sellers, and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. They won a bizillion awards! Here's an idea: nominate and award a band like Judas Priest or Iron Maiden. And while you're at it, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: nominate Maiden and Priest, too! Don't get me started on those fuckers!

Hey, Grammy assholes!
You fuckers missed an issue!

Now where was I? Oh yeah.

So while the world will be talking about Lady GaGa, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Kanye, or even the Black Eyed Peas winning Grammy's, I won't give two shits really, because these are really artists I can sincerely say I care nothing at all about. You who know me too well, or have made it this far reading this blog entry at least, know how much I truly love Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. And I hate how those artists who deserve to have their work recognized get overlooked by shallow, out of touch douche bags in the music industry. May the Rock Gods punish you for your hubris! So you who have read this, if you take nothing else from this blog, take this:

FOR THOSE ABOUT TO ROCK,

IFFY SALUTES YOU!

Everything is in 3D!

2010-01-27T12:45:00.005-06:00

There's this old saying from the Bible that goes, "There is nothing new under the sun." We've seen instances of this, be it in choosing new world leaders, observing the rise and fall of the economy, or even trends set in popular culture. When in doubt, playing it safe has become the tried and true method of getting something accomplished. Which is part of the reason why I'm starting to see more and more news about movies being shown, not just in high definition, but in 3D.

Seriously, I know I am not the only one who has noticed this. More and more, people are putting movies into the 3-Dimensional format, and not just settling with normal 2-D. That's part of the reason why the highest grossing film of all-time, Avatar, was so successful in only two months of being in theaters: everyone is talking about how amazing it looks, and how James Cameron has revolutionized cinema with the 3D format.

Now there's this announcement that the last two installments of the Harry Potter film franchise will also use the 3D format. And I even think other summer blockbusters will use it, such as Toy Story 3, Iron Man 2, and Clash of the Titans. George Lucas is even toying with the idea of releasing the old Star Wars movies (hopefully not the prequels). Hell, even television wants to have a hand in it. ESPN is going to try to have a channel that airs some of its games in 3D. Yes, that's not a typo. ESPN is going to try to use 3D channel for television.

Last year alone, we movies like My Bloody Valentine, The Final Destination, Up, Coraline, and a lot of animated and horror films that were using 3D and it actually did help them sell some movie tickets and make a fair amount of money Box Office. Personally, I don't care too much for 3D, because as much as people like to brag about how great it looks, it's just an old gimmick. I give it credit for it being more advanced than it was in the 1980s, when a lot of cheesy horror films used it. But the fact remains that it doesn't really enhance the story, which to me is what should sell me more than whether or not I can see Iron Man propulsion rays blasting baddies right in front of me on screen. Plus the cost of a regular movie ticket where I frequent movies is $5.00 (without snacks, anyway), and I don't feel like paying that any more than that at a theater. The most is maybe $7.50 or even $8.00.

So I won't need those 3D glasses, thanks.

Not Looking Forward to Friday

2010-01-27T11:32:00.006-06:00

Usually that the day of the week most people look forward to, but not when you're a full-time caterer for Aramark. That is, if you're working a double! That's right, ladies and gentleman: I'm working two shifts on Friday, from 5:30 AM to 2:30 PM, then I turn right back around and work from 3:30 PM to 10:30 PM. And the punchline is that I have to be at a mandatory meeting the very next day, at 10 AM. I'm worried I'm going to be cranky, so that means I'll need to go to sleep earlier on Thursday.

"It's too early for this!"

The good news is I my paycheck the same day, as well as my W-2 forms. The bad news is I'm having a busy day, so I'm going to be put to work so much that day, I have to find the time to get my precious tax forms so that I can get my refund. But of course worrying about that does no good, so I'll man-up and just roll with it. Before the dreaded double, I'm making a trip to grab some Stacker 2 energy drinks, or maybe Red Bull. Because if I've learned one thing about working so bloody early in the morning, it's I run off caffeine like it's diesel fuel.

Red Bull gives you wings...and super powers.

Nannercat Podcast: Shout Out

2010-01-27T10:29:00.004-06:00

Visit them at nannercatpodcast.blogspot.com and tune in

to all the madness that ensues.

My buddies Ron, Rob, and Brennan over at Nannercat Podcast are beginning to expand, so I thought I'd give them a much needed shout out. The guys already have a bit of a following on Facebook, and also have podcasts available on iTunes. Recently the guys made a Blogger account, which is a great way to bring their podcasts to everyone, and my own State of the Iffy Address is linked there as well. I've already been a featured guests on their podcast three times, and I'm about to return in two weeks, along with my roommate Rayshard. I'm excited for these guys, and hopefully great will come. So I hope you give a listen to them, despite the very explicit content. That's about the only disclaimer I can give you, since there are some moments in the podcasts that you will hear some pretty dirty language.

But fortunately, not one animals are harmed during the course of the podcast.

So PETA can relax.

Colts vs. Saints: My prediction for the Super Bowl

2010-01-25T23:20:00.010-06:00

Brees. Manning. I really rather see Farve in this,
but this will have to suffice.

After witnessing one of the most heartbreaking losses of Bret Farve's storied career, I realized my dream match-up for this year's Super Bowl in Miami were dashed. Instead we have the Saints advancing in place of the Vikings to take on the Indianapolis Colts. For me, I was looking forward to seeing Farve vs. Manning, but I guess that's something I'd have to simulate for MADDEN '10, that is of course when I get my PS3, but I digress. So the stage is set now, and we have the Colts vs. the Saints. Who do I pick to win, you ask?

The Colts.

Surely the Saints are the underdogs, and since people love a fighter, the Saints are hands down the emotional favorites going into this. But if I was a sports guru, which I'm not completely, of course I'm not taking the Indianapolis Colts lightly. They've done it before, and they can do it again. That's certain. Now, I don't really take cues from people who are on the Saints bandwagon. It was like this when the Carolina Panthers were in the Super Bowl. Or even the Atlanta Falcons. I'm of course alluding that most southern based teams that are suddenly the odds on favorite, no matter what. I don't have any real allegiance to the South that it extends to any sports teams that happen to reside in that region.

Actually I'm all about Texas, baby. And Joseph Addai of the Indianapolis Colts went to my high school (Sharpstown), and he is from my hometown of Houston, Texas. So if nothing else, I'm always for the hometown guy. So, sorry Saints. I'm a Houstonian first and foremost.

And if nothing else, Peyton Manning is the guy I want with the ball in the 4th Quarter, in the Red Zone, with the game on the line. He's led his team to one of its best seasons, even with the two losses. Brees may have people leading in chants of "who dat" and what not, but Manning's led his team to the Super Bowl, and won. That's worth more on paper than any sign a Saints fan holds up. Manning is a better QB, and no one should underestimate the guy. The Saints certainly better not, because if they did, you will most definitely see this:

Never question "who dat" is.

The Super Bowl will be on CBS, February 7, 2010,

LIVE in Miami, Florida.

Long Live Coco

2010-01-22T02:02:00.007-06:00

So it's been made official: starting March, The Tonight Show will be given back to Jay Leno, after Conan O'Brien was paid $45 Million by NBC to hand it over. While this whole mess has finally been "resolved" from the back-and-forth between the two late-night hosts, we are pretty much back to where we started in 1992: what, with a host having steal a spot that was already promised, in order to be put into the limelight.

I guess that's what "Jay-Walking" is really all about?

Meanwhile, it may not be until the Fall we see another show hosted by Conan, which will obviously be on another network. CBS has David "hey I got something in common with Bill Clinton when it comes to interns" Letterman, as well as Craig "I'm better than you guys, and I'll even use puppets" Ferguson. ABC has Jimmy Kimmell after Nightline, which I'm even surprised still comes considering I don't know anyone who even watches Nightline. TBS has Lopez Tonight. Yeah, they gave George Lopez his own late night show, which only interferes with potential repeats of a more worthwhile program, The Office. Fox pretty much has nothing in the way of late night talk shows, but since Mad TV was canceled, they gave Wanda Sykes her own show in that time slot. That was not a typo, that happened.

Yikes.

It looks like Conan's best bet might be Fox, although I'm not how that will fair for him, seeing how every time Fox had a talk show, it got canned. Chevy Chase comes to mine. So does Kennan Ivory Wayans (the other bald Wayan brother who wasn't in Mo' Money). And even Earvin "Magic" Johnson. So if Conan does land on Fox, I'm not certain how the show would do. But going to Fox would be homecoming of sorts, since Conan used to be a writer for The Simpsons long before taking on hosting duties for Late Night. Again, I'm skeptical, but more than anything I want to see Conan and Andy and Max Weinberg land on their feet.

We'll just have to see come Fall 2010, which will be the soonest we'll hear mention of Conan's late night talk show future. In the mean time, this:

Early Renaissance I think. Either Raphael or Piero della Francesca.
Well I believe it's one of the Fettucines.

Long Live Coco. Good luck to you and your staff, Conan.

Marc Webb to Direct the NEW Spider-Man

2010-01-19T23:40:00.011-06:00

Like I said before in a previous blog, about the guys at Sony nuking Spider-Man 4 in favor of a reboot of the franchise, there was speculation over how this new Spider-Man movie was going to be based upon the screenplay James Vanderbilt written. There was talk of it being darker, grittier, and more contemporary, which almost sounds like a pitch for a new Batman movie, but I digress. So just a week after the huge news comes word that a new director was chosen to helm this new Spider-Man movie: Marc Webb.

Get all of the laughs out of your system
as soon as possible.

It's obvious there are puns and plenty of irony abound just from the mere mention of his name, but you'll hopefully get over that. Hope being the keyword when talking about Marc Webb directing a new take on my second favorite Marvel character, behind Captain America (Hold that thought for a later blog). You see, while I don't know all too much about Marc Webb, he did direct a film I briefly reviewed most recently, (500) Days of Summer. It's a film that explores the complexity of a romantic relationship, from its initial stages of whimsical and exhilarating, to the bitter break-up that inevitably comes. It was performed well by its acting talent, and I rather enjoyed the direction Webb took in exploring the characters and their interactions with one another.

So this brings me to an important point: sure, we want to see Peter Parker have plenty of character development as a protagonist, and we all felt Sam Raimi did this in the original Spider-Man movies, but even so, do we know if Webb can manage to direct action scenes and showcase special effects?

Well, seeing how his resume is rather small, it may be difficult to say. But I will give him the benefit of the doubt. If he can utilize the idea of it being a tool to tell a story, rather it being a CG-porn fest this side of Jerry Bruckheimer, than it will be just fine. I want to approach most superhero movies like I do with all movies: let there be a rhyme and reason for all the action. In the Star Wars movies, the original trilogy by the way, the light sabre fights were not these over-stylized, highly choreographed numbers we saw in the prequels years later. There was a lot charcter revelation that was implied in scenes like the conflict between Darth Vader and Obi-Won Kenobi, or when Luke first fights Darth Vader. The Darth Maul fight with Obi-Won and Quan Gon-Gin was definitely a greatly choreographed fight, but at the cost of the emotional impact, especially when you have characters that were not that well-developed to begin with.

This

Versus this.

The difference is that while Episode I had a nice choreography, and advanced effects, it lacked any of the emotional investment of The Empire Strikes Back. Ignore the fact Jar Jar Binks was in the former. (No really, for your sake, please!) At any rate, if Marc Webb can give me the same kind of tension in actions scenes like when Spidey fought Doctor Octopus on top of a moving city train from Spider-Man 2, then the action will be just fine. I don't need to have my eyes completely bombarded too much, just enough for me take in the scene an revel in it.

So very few people know Webb, and unless they've seen (500) Days of Summer, or a number of music videos he's directed, people will be a little dismissive. I was like that with Jon Favreau when I heard about Iron Man being made. While most people only knew Favreau from his earlier cameos in Vince Vaugn's films, only Zathura and Elf where some of his work he himself directed. But later Iron Man became one of the game changing superhero blockbusters from 2008, along with The Dark Knight. Now he's named as the executive producer to The Avengers film.

Iron Man 2, coming May 7, 2010.
(Rober Downey Jr., Jon Favreau, and Don Cheadle)

While Iron Man was virtually unknown outside the mainstream in terms of popular superheroes, what Favreau was able to do with his film was make a movie that was appealing to both fans of the hero, and the general movie audience. The challenge Webb has is to do the same thing, but with a hero who is one not only a flagship character, but a well-established multi-million dollar movie franchise. Making it pander too much to general audiences may turn off the fanboys, but being too inaccessible will not satisfy others as well. It's finding a happy medium much like Iron Man did, but still set the bar higher for future movies.

But I think Marc Webb is bold choice, but it also gives me some hope. He is said to be a huge fan of the Ultimate Spider-Man comic book series, which from all accounts is one of the best takes on the character. And we are already seeing a little bit of the Marvel Ultimate Universe peeking in the Iron Man movies, with Samuel L. Jackson playing Nick Fury. So if they do want a different take on Spidey, then the Ultimate incarnation is a great place to start.

So who exactly will play Peter Parker, who goes through the series of events that makes him the titular character? My hope is that Webb has control over who he's casting, and that they don't just get some young actor who will just be pander to tweens. (Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson, keep your mitts off!) If they weren't going the high school route, and instead college, I would have made the obvious guess of Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Since he is almost 30 years old, it seems like he might not be. Hopefully we have someone who I can see as Peter Parker, more so than Tobey MacGuire.

And I'm never gonna dance again.

I swear, that's the last time I mention Spider-Man 3 jokes

Maybe.

Pat Robertson is a moron!

2010-01-15T09:53:00.004-06:00

There's very few things in life that bother me, but when it comes to politics and religion, I tend to try to be as aloof and mum about it if possible. But the Pat Robertson made a comment regarding the the tragedy in Haiti.

Speaking about the disaster during his program that maybe a small amount of people watch, "The 700 Club" on the "Christian" Broadcastin Network, Robertson said Haiti "swore a pact with the devil" while still a French colony, wanting its independence.

“They said, ‘we will serve you if you will get us free from the French.’ True story. And so, the devil said, ‘OK, it’s a deal,’” Robertson claimed.“But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other,” he continued.

For those of you who even bother to remember, this is not the first time he went out said something like this, invoking God and religion in order to justify why national tragedies befall upon people. He did the same thing with his late-Fundamentalist friend Jerry Falwell after September 11th, and again during Hurricane Katrina.

Now, I'm a Catholic, and while I am fully aware that people have a hard time agreeing with anything I may happen to believe, I would never, and I mean never, say anything this offensive and insensitive. My thoughts and prayers go out to their people who are going through a very tumultuous time. And I applaud the rescue effort that is being done. And its Robertson's comments that further remind me why I don't partake in the beliefs Fundamentalists like him adhere to.

Pat Robertson. You sir are a moron!

NBC: Nobody, But Conan!

2010-01-15T09:29:00.002-06:00

Earlier this weekend I heard the news that broke about The Jay Leno Show was soon going to get canned, but as the week progressed, NBC made the call to all three hosts (Leno, O'Brien, and to a lesser extent Fallon) over the the late night talk schedule. While the Tonight Show was supposed to come on directly after the local news, NBC still wanted to give Jay Leno a spot that was reserved for Conan.

So while Jay's supposed to have been enjoying his initial retirement, having a nice stroll with his huge chin on one of his many classic cars and motorcycles, his skunk hair in the wind, he pulls a Michael Jordan and tries to come back to late night. But this isn't like the first comeback Jordan made; no it's more like the second one where he had his ass handed to him. Because the Jay Leno show was baaaaad!!!

So NBC is really looking pretty stupid taking a chance with Leno when Conan was doing just fine with the Tonight Show. Now I'm hearing reports via TMZ that Jay Leno is going to get the Tonight Show back from Conan, thus shattering Conan's childhood dreams of being NBC's top dog in late night.

Look while I admit I have a sort of disenchantment when it comes to Late Night Talk Shows (thank you George Lopez for reaffirming this), I do enjoy Conan. If NBC goes with Leno, then to hell with them! I lost a lot of respect for them already, what with them having (part-time sports caster, full-time douche bag) Keith Olbermann on NFL coverage and political commentary, not to mention Saturday Night Live is absolutely in the crapper. But Conan was at least a glimmer of hope. And now NBC falls further into a black hole that they've created.

Spider-Man 4, No More!

2010-01-14T01:49:00.004-06:00

So, by a show of hands: how many people actually liked the last Spider-Man movie. Okay, the three people who raised their hands will not like this news:

Columbia Pictures and Sony have decided to pull the plug on Spider-Man 4 after Sam Raimi made it through creative difference with executives clear that he was not going to make the Summer 2011 deadline. So instead of moving on to find another director, the studio announced that they will scrap Spider-Man 4 altogether, and instead make a reboot of our friendly neighborhood wall-crawler scheduled for release in Summer 2012.

Okay, what? So you are going to get rid of Raimi because he wasn't going to make the deadline you proposed, but instead you are going to make a new totally new movie that will take even longer to get into production? Dammit, Hollywood!

So to make matters even more complicating than they already, there are rumors that they want to make this new Spider-Man movie "gritty and contemporary" based upon a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt. Gritty and contemporary? Look, I know Spider-Man is many things to many people, but there isn't a single thing about him that screams "gritty." Maybe people are blinded by this notion because of the success of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, but here's where the comic book fan in me has to lay it down for you all:

The reason why Batman is gritty and brooding is because that's how his universe around him is, and his environment calls for him to be that way. He has to be this intimidating, brooding figure when he takes on villains like the Joker, Two-Face, and Hush. And besides, Batman's origins as a comic book character are such that he is a vigilante who appeals to this darker disposition of the superhero mythos, that is different from the Superman archetype. That's why Christopher Nolan utilized this aspect of Batman in the two movies, and people enjoyed how authentic the style and story were when dealing with a character who has, for the better part of his movie life, has walked the line of being either dark and brooding, or too much like the Adam West incarnation that many fans disavow any acknowledgment of in favor of the contemporary incarnation.

But Spider-Man, on the other hand, is a superhero who appeals to the better part of the comic book reading world because he is a science geek who has some of the same problems we as teenagers had. They were just further complicated by the fact that he was bitten by a radioactive spider, and began fighting crime. And in most adaptations I remember him in, he has often had a bit of a sense of humor. He makes clever quips when battling guys like Doctor Octopus or The Green Goblin. However, he has a certain aspect that makes him different from all the other superheroes: he isn't edgy or angst-ridden in the sense an anti-hero like Batman or the Punisher are. Sure, he's seen his Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy killed, and he's had in his comic book history where he had some pretty dark moments. But the one characteristic that defines him is that he never turned became a gritty and bitter character. He always seemed to be the same guy we know and love him as, our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

This is what I hope Columbia Pictures at least tries to understand about Spidey if they are going to reboot the movie series. Just because The Dark Knight was the way it is, that doesn't mean Spider-Man needs to be like Batman. Batman is Batman for a reason, and that's what worked for him. Let Spider-Man be Spider-Man. Make Mary Jane the girl next door that gives the Peter Parkers of the world hope that they can get lucky with a dynamite looking redhead. And also, if we are going to recycle old villains, can we at least make the Green Goblin not look like the Green Ranger?

Return to the norm? Okay, mini movie reviews.

2010-01-11T22:44:00.011-06:00

IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE!

Thanks in part to my roommate and his former professor, my laptop is back in working order. So what happened was that part of my hard drive couldn't function properly, so we programmed it so that it would still function normally regardless. Think of as someone lost a few brain cells after having one to many nights binging. A few dead brain cells, but still functional. The good news, most of my original files are still intact, including old poetry, class assignments, and my media files.

But since I've been away from my brain damaged computer, I've watched quite a bit of movies, including four I wanted to see this past year. There are some I even watched at a friend's house. Here's a mini review for those movies.

Katy and Zooey do resemble each other, but
to her credit, Zooey's more talented.

(500) Days of Summer - This movie stars young actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel (Katy Perry from an alternate universe?) in a indie style comedy that explores both the good and bad of a relationship. It's nothing like those hokey romantic comedies that Katherine Heigl stars in, and is in fact a very honest portrayal of how a relationship starts out great, then ends badly. Both are characters I found myself emotionally invested in, and would highly recommend it to people who are looking for something familiar, but still different from other so-called romantic comedies.

If there's something strange, in your neighborhood,
who ya gonna call?

Paranormal Activity - You know, this movie had a lot of hype surrounding it, especially when it was making the rounds at the Box Office last Fall. People were dubbing it hat it as "one of the scariest movies made." Well, for me, this didn't quite live up to the word of mouth critics and audiences were giving it. Most of the time, there wasn't much happening between scenes, and I never really felt enough tension built up. It did manage to get disturbing towards the end, but for the most part it was unintentionally funny in areas where it should of been scary. It's worth a rental at best, but not worth another look.

This movie is further proof why
RUSH needs to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

I Love You, Man - This movie defines what a "bromantic comedy" is. You basically have all of the elements you would find in the romantic comedy genre, but you turn all of that around to have a story about a guy who has no real male companions. Paul Rudd and Jason Segel are just a couple of friends who enjoy hanging out, playing covers of Rush. It's definitely one of the overlooked movies from last year, and it does have a bit of a familiar formula; but I enjoyed this movie enough to say it's worth watching with your closest friends. And later, air guitar to some of your favorite songs from Rush!

Aliens and humans. Separate, but equal?

District 9 - I regret not seeing this in theaters when it came out, but better late than never. If this past year was about the awesomeness of science fiction movie, then your Mount Rushmore of such films would be incomplete without District 9. This was a movie that dealt with a lot of issues still relevent today, like the world's growing sense of xenophobia and the way the mass media portrays people. Along with a very poignant message, and an engaging story, there are plenty of awesome special effects. Michael Bay should take a break from trying to be "awesome" and take some notes: this movie makes up for the trash Transformers 2 was.

Forget Bella and Jacob,
Here's your best on-screen couple!

Crank 2: High Voltage - When a movie like Crank 2 comes along, and it has the premise that it has, you can't help but just look in sheer awe. I was like that in just the movie's first fifteen minutes, almost losing my mind at how amazingly hilarious this movie was becoming. Think Shoot Em Up, but with more adrenaline. The movie knows it's ridiculous, but it bore that distinction with a sense of pride through out, and that's what makes this kind of movie work. Jason Statham was practically a god for the hour and thirty minutes he was on screen. If you are going to have beer and pizza night with the guys, you will thank yourself later.

This is his idea of moving out of the neighborhood.

Up - I've seen quite a bit of movies from Disney/Pixar, and I think this movie is on the same level as of excellence as Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Finding Nemo. Ed Asner plays one of the most endearing animated characters from these types of animated films, as an elderly man who sets on a adventure to fulfill a dream he shared with his wife, but he gets to share this adventure with some unexpected company. It is a movie that is sweet, and definitely a great movie for the family. But I would argue that it can be watched by people of any age, and for that, I consider it one of my five favorite movies this past year.

Speaking of which, I am indeed going to make an aforementioned top movie list for the past year. I didn't make one for 2008 because there are some "Oscar" movies I haven't seen yet. But for 2009, it's coming along just fine. *

* I did realize I just rhymed there.

But anyway, I do have a few more movies to look at before I give you my list. I'll even throw in some of the worst I've seen.

But as always, until then, STAY TUNED!

Technical Difficulties

2010-01-08T13:14:00.004-06:00

Just a quick note: I'm kind of suffering technical difficulties with my laptop, and now I can't log on to Windows. But I'm working on a remedy for it come Monday next week. Meanwhile I'm on a computer on SHSU campus, with my student account.

So as I'm posting this, I'm also backing up what files I can onto my USB Jump Drive. If I have to restart everything on my laptop, I'm probably going to lose a few documents. Including some of my poems, sadly. But one thing I've learned as a writer is to always have rough drafts of the original work. Which is why I'm glad I had the fortune of finding some old copies tucked away in a box in my bedroom. Now I have a little project to complete, in addition to updating the S.o.t.I.A.

The year's toughest question.

2010-01-05T00:11:00.004-06:00

So the first big thing to the start of the new year is how we are supposed to refer to it. Some people want to refer to it as "the year two thousand ten" and you have others referring to it as "the year twenty-ten." That was the first thing I watched on television moments after the ball dropped in Time Square, some reporter asking people how we should refer to the new year. Most people answered "twenty ten" because it just rolls off the tongue better. So does, "Iffy Okpon is a Billion Dollars richer," or "Chuck Norris for President." But as good as those sounds, I'm not certain those will catch on.

But as for how I will call it. I'm still using "two thousand ten" because I've been using the whole "two thousand ___" for a while now. Works just fine for me. But I'm probably going to catch myself saying "twenty ten" depending on my mood.

We obvious face plenty of challenges this new year.
Among them, the preferred pronunciation of it.

The New Monday Night Wrestling War?

2010-01-04T23:41:00.003-06:00

If I had the choice I probably would have just watched the Boise State vs. TCU game, since Raw was pretty bland. It's sad because Bret "The Hitman" Hart was on tonight, after 12 years not being in the WWE. I would consider him my third favorite wrestler of all-time, behind the Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin. And having him on tonight guaranteed my viewing, especially the history surrounding him and what happened in Survivor Series in 1997.

But I have to say, WWE did not use Bret in a way that they should have. It's not enough to keep bringing up the Montreal Screwjob or that there's been years of animosity that Bret has against Shawn Michaels, and Vince McMahon. You have to make better use of the other Superstars. And as it tuned out, the same guys are getting overlooked. It's became apparent to me during the DX vs Jerishow match because it was just Triple H once again showing the pull he has with the company, burying talent on the roster. I mean, Triple H is the real "Undertaker" because he keeps putting careers in the dirt. And his favorite target is Chris Jericho, which is a shame since Raw is interesting when he's there.

So despite the fact that Raw had one of the greatest technical wrestlers ever, Raw still seemed pretty bland.

As for TNA, it was decent. Having Hulk Hogan was mildly interesting, but the wrestling matches were much more interesting than anything the Hulkster had to say. I was actually digging the AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle match, even more than the Kofi and Randy Orton match. But every once in a while, I kept thinking over and over again, this is just WCW Nitro all over again, and it didn't help having old guys being brought in. Literally, TNA is never going to shake the stigma of being considered a graveyard for old WWE/WCW wrestlers who were recently fired or just can't take a hint they're not worth a damn anymore. I think that's the only reason to even call this the new Monday Night War; because TNA is nothing more than WCW 2.0.

As bland as WWE was tonight, I have some confidence they will get better. I'm interested in Bret's involvement, but WWE really needs to utilize him better than they did tonight. And also, get the damn title off of Sheamus! He's more painful to watch than the BME Pain Olympics/2 Girls One Cup Double Feature!

Anyway, just a little rant on the whole TNA/WWE thing. The only reason I didn't really watch Boise State was because I knew they would win. Congrats.

Happy New Year 2010

2010-01-01T17:28:00.007-06:00

A toast to the New Year, and that it won't suck.
And if it does, a toast to getting smashed. Often.

At some point, we will need to put moratorium on wishing people Happy New Year. Kind of like you shouldn't wear white after Labor Day, except it's not a stupid fashion trend; it's just out of common sense.

But for the time being, get all you proclamations for the new year out of your systems, because I do indeed wish the whole lot of you a Happy and Prosperous New Year. Welcome to the inaugural launch of my new blog, The State of the Iffy Address, now on its own blog. So a few things:

1) I will still use Facebook to post Addresses from time to time, for a monthly wrap up of sorts. That saves me the time from making mammoth sized blogs on Facebook. I can use this Blogspot as a way to talk about individual things, and not stress about making it look like an article for the New York Times gossip column.

She's got my vote!

2) Speaking of dishing, I will still try to give you my little thoughts on movies, music, sports (yeah, I'm actually going to make the attempt), and whatever is going on in popular culture. Just nothing on politics. If you want to hear some my opinions about Universal Health Care, Glen Beck, MSNBC, or if I would go out with Meghan McCain (which come to think of it, I might...maybe), I'm sorry to disappoint you. But I will take pot shots at Fox as a whole.

3) You are encouraged, if you read my blog on Facebook (and I know a few of you have) to make any kind of comments. Just don't verbally abuse me. That's what ex-girlfriends and my employers are for.

4) I can't guarantee I'll update every single waking moment, because I have to work, make a living, and read comics and watch my movies. When I can update, I'll update. I'm going to make the effort.

5) Besides the usual musings I have, I will occasionally post poems or prose writings. I have a large amount of original writings that I have, and I'm open to workshopping latest pieces as well as sharing completed works. Some of it autobiographical, some of its my vivid imagination. You'll see as that comes.

and finally...

6) I hope you continue read, and offer any kind of advice to make this blog bigger and better. I know making it independent from Facebook was the first step. The second is up to me the writer, and you the readers. Let's make it happen.

That's about it right now.

Until then,

Currently Under Construction

2009-12-08T11:26:00.000-06:00

Well, to those who have been following me on Facebook, this just in: I've made a Blogger account, and I will soon begin to post future entries via the Blogger account. To follow me on said account, the URL is http://stateoftheiffyaddress.blogspot.com.

I'm still working out all the kinks for this, so until further notice, I won't use this blog just yet. You'll still be able to follow me on Facebook until further notice.

And I am still going to use to the pretty pictures and snarky comments underneath pictures.

So until next time, stay tuned.

Iffy