2010: Russ Stevens - The AntiBukowski.

2010 may not have been a bad year. It just needed to be a great year after my 2009.

I probably did not notice how bad 2009 was since I wrote a lot more. It was not actually the writing, but more likely the publishing. That is weird because I did not have a lot to say, and it also led to poor writing habits. Damn the news media.

I do not mean the conservative bullshit that fed my depression upon returning to my parents in 2009, but the Illinois Central College newspaper, The Harbinger. Writing movie reviews, no problem. Writing opinion pieces, big problem. It was not the let down that I always had to endure when the satirical bite was removed, but is was wanting to save the ideas for pieces for the paper. Because of that, I was not writing the stories when they came to mind. Thus, my production was dramatically less, but the college audience was larger, so it was a necessary sacrifice. When you are an unattractive 29 year-old with nothing to offer, you have to take any attention you can get, even though it is more of a delusion.

Again, 2009 sucked. My highlight was selling out to a college newspaper. Based on that, wanting to kill myself if 2010 was not an improvement seemed just.

2010 needed to bury 2009, especially since I had just entered my third decade of being directionless. In all honesty, the lack of direction has been pressing on me since I turned 28 (all the cool people die at 27), but I could ignore since I was getting laid triweekly.

I know I will sound like a pig, but after an intercourse-free 2009, I could not go on if 2010 was the same. It is pitiful, but at this age, how else do I know if I am worthwhile? My therapy era started in 2006, the first year where I did not get any action since becoming sexually active, so does anyone want to invision where two nookie-free years would leave me.

2006 was a bad year for me, the bankruptcy I envision happening in 2011 came up that year in an attempt to be the most awesome of guys. The entire reason I went bankrupt was because that was what I thought was right. I would like to think I have always lived my life that way. Returning back to the Palahniuk attitude, if I would have died before the result could be witnessed, I would still die at peace knowing I was trying to do right. Unfortunately, I guess I thought there would be worldly rewards if I did not

.

Really, the reward could have been as simple as seeing something good coming out of what I was devoting my time and debt to. It was about proving that being a nice guy would be worthwhile. Instead, I am broken down by a junkie who would fuck everyone (dead beat dads, toothless addicts, fat fucks) except me. It was not about getting laid, it was more about not being the guy who was getting laid. What hurts more is finding out about the assholes she had screwed prior to meeting this nice guy and not even being offered to pay for the services she provided like the fatties got to.

Everyone I respect (and despise) seem to have gotten to end up with someone by age 27 where they had a chance to meet the one person that with a little faith (a huge demand of a relationship) they can be happy with. I am talking about something nearly tangible. Couples who got married or had kids. No, the happy ending may not be there for the relationship, but history cannot deny the greatness at some point. It just leaves me feeling like a fuck up, especially after the reinforced nice guys finish last stigma.

An unsuccessful Zoosk membership did not help the self esteem either.

CM Trump and NXT's Developmental Talent

What would the Monday Night Wars have been if there was accessible social media? My go to website was Bill Apter's 1wrestling.com, which was maintained by the same crew who handled Extreme Championship Wrestling's web presence. The reason I found that was because of ECW, so as far as I could tell, straight from the promoters' mouth was the only way to obtain any news. This kept the war limited to TV, so unless a wrestler came on to a Canadian sports program, it was relatively drama free. Neither of the three sides seemed to make it personal, unless there was message boards and newsgroups that talent was actively using. That seemed like too much work to find out.

Social media like Twitter and Facebook has definitely changed that perception. On one front, these are allegedly independent contractors. Thus, everyone has got to make a name for themselves. The only way to sell yourself is to display that you are the best regardless if you believe it. So it started with Seth Rollins claiming that bank account trumps the admiration of experts, the industry, and compassionate wrestling fans.

This was a poor decision since no one was out to take food from his table. The IWC was only inspired to see people stealing bread from decadents. They were not going hungry thanks to The Elite, but they felt like the rich kid was out for their lunch money. I realized the Black Days were over.

The trolls wanted to be fed and CM Punk has better things to do...

Like paying Colt Cabana's legal fees. The courts may not agree with me, but it is what a well off person should do for someone who can see everything go to shit in an instance. Sorry if I am under estimating Cabana's worth, but Punk did buy Joey Matthews a house when he was down. I guess Colt maybe well of if Punk skipped his prior reaction.

Today, the suits between Cabana and Punk were settled. And it turns out that Punk is very Trump-like in terms of criticism. I am suggesting if he keeps blowing up about how people treat him, a libel/slander suit will eventually stick. He was not keeping up with the "Art of Wrestling" obviously since he did look up in a thesaurus a way of saying "allegedly" claiming online that Cabana "tried to extort me."

It is really easy to say something in flexible terms. Like: "It felt like he tried to extort me." This even makes you seem thoughtful and sympathetic. Of course, coming off as a sore winner or needing to affirm that you are the winner makes that tough to do by suggesting Colt will start a "woe is me" GoFundMe account.

My experience is you can keep pressing on and only be a credit score. The only problem I am having with that is a lack of resources to get a Matt Classic tattoo to offset my Punk montage. But more importantly, the courts allow for the rape culture in this country, so just settle out of court...and get over the everyone is out to get you mentality, or at least get some clozapine.

It makes me think that the reason he bailed out Matthews was not only because it was the right thing to do, but it was unexpected. A guy with everything to lose went to bat for him, well he did not lose, so he should be fine. From my own personal experience, I have been screwed out of tens of thousands, and I will still go to bat for others, not just myself. Punk's situations was up to a hundred times greater when it comes to risk, so I may have yet to get bitter from my past experience with thieves.

All Elite Wrestling are more than happy to fulfill the demand for Twitter drama. For the most parts, these guys know how to cut promos, unlike a babyface Rollins. Dominik Dijakovic needs to develop that. Hence why he is NXT, WWE's developmental brand. In a way, his Twitter response to Kenny Omega's interview saying that NXT talent would be doing dark matches or opening the Dynamite program is a fairly valid opinion.

Check out the rest of the blog at the "Rip 'Em System" tumblr along with the subtext of "No Holds Barred."

4/22/13: What to do without Punk on a Monday? Feminism and Bad Wrestling

I suppose, I should actually turn to listening to the Riot Girl genre instead of waiting for the return of the CM Punk.  If only I was not listening to Bratmobile iHeartRadio at work.

My god, I did not mean for that to be a sensible transition to the why a lack of CM Punk makes Monday Night Raw nearly worthless (as a Danny Daniels student, I will still believe in the Shield, they still need more promos to keep my attention).  History lesson, Bratmobile would be the little sisters of Bikini Kill in terms of the Riot Girl (as a guy who preaches spelling Stevens with a V, I cannot bring myself to spell it Grrl). Riot Girl was a punk rock movement of the early 1990's that was about everything women need to be to fight the masculine authority through preaching the "do it yourself" philosophy to get the message across.  The music was pretty raw for the most part and overshadowed by other all girl bands like Hole (yeah I know there was a guy in the band, but trying telling Courtney Love he was not her bitch with a six string) and L7.

With the exception of Courtney Love, Peoria's premier bullshit rock station (you cannot really say any of them are not bullshit since Bloody Mess left for Oregon) 105.7 the X would lead you to believe that the other pissed off chicks were Alanis Morrsette (only her American breakout track) and Shirley Manson (ironic, but angry?).  Of course history does not sell in the Midwest.  Thus, I can claim Peoria radio encourages socialism because that is an example of a lack of compassionate capitalism.  Then again, as of 1995, we still had rascist history teachers in Morton (it is not okay to instruct white students to call Native American an American Indian, and since the cry baby conservatives calling for secession after Romney lost, the Civil War was about ending slavery not keeping the country together), so the RadioPlex is just doing their part to keep the redneck status quo.

The real pissed off women were going to make you listen and feel uncomfortable until you understood them.  Too bad it worked in 1992, at least in places in this country that count.  The movement stayed underground after the first Bush was defeated, thus Roe v. Wade was going to be safe for at least eight years.  Activist tried to bring the themes back for the W era, but I feel women were not concerned with it since there was terrorism.  On the bright side, Bin Laden did keep the country's mind off of wanting to burden this country with unwanted children.

The downside is women seem to be adjusting their beliefs and fears to the conservative agenda.   Guns will not save women from being raped.  Forcing society to call bullshit on it will.  Unfortunately, most guys will not take the time out of their day to do so.  Most guys are not raping, so why step on the roofie market (especially when we need a reason for Helms, Cooper, and Galifianakis to destroy "culturally corrupt" cities).

Check out the rest of the blog at the "Rip 'Em System" tumblr along with the subtext of "No Holds Barred."

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January 2010: The Ghost Writer: War Criminals vs Pedophiles

So...the editors at the Harbinger, Illinois Central College's newspaper, expects their contributing columnist to walk by their office that is two stories above the only class he is attending this semester. It's funny because he only had to enter the office once in his three semesters of contributing.

Enough of this 3rd Person bullocks, makes me feel like those right-wing twats who were offended at my "Destroy Popular Culture, Rebuild, Repeat" shirt...at a strip club. Did one of the girls pay them off just, so I would plead for one of them to take me back for a dance?

The editor had told me, if they could pay me for my reviews and my opinion pieces, they would. Personally, I like not having the hassles of showing up to meetings, and if that cost me a few bucks, that no big deal. All I expect is an e-mail telling me when I have to get my shit finished.

Maybe it just slipped their mind, maybe the A&E editor saw a flick and wants my space, or the editor-in-chief did not like Ghosting my last opinion piece. Whatever the reason, I feel a little put out by a newspaper that hardly updates its website.

Yes, I guess I maybe taking the inevitable "sorry, we were so busy e-mail" too hard, but I have an ego, and when I do not do too many things well, failing to get published hurts.

After receiving the e-mail, it was a reality check. The staff simply had college things to do, the stuff that will further careers. Writing for a college newspaper is kind of a secondary thing in comparison. Like it or not, that is pretty accurate.

C'est la vie, I guess. With a Polanski movie review, that seems appropriate. As long as my works were not published for making an observation about pedophilia in this critique, everything will work out fine. I bought a domain for a reason right?

Exiled director Roman Polanski once again proves his brilliance as an auteur with his ironic tale of an exiled prime minister. "The Ghost Writer" is a film where the talent of the cast and crew shine as they present a rather uneventful story.

Ewan McGregor portrays The Ghost. His living is made by piecing the together the memoirs and irreverent thoughts of celebrities into autobiographies. His latest assignment is the task of telling the life story of the recently retired British Prime Minister Adam Lang, Pearce Brosnan. It should not prove to be too difficult since the last ghost writer for Lang had finished a first draft before he drowned off of Martha's Vineyard. That is until the UN calls for an investigation into the PM's alleged involvement in kidnapping terror suspects and handing them over to the CIA torture programs.

Because the US does not recognize the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction, Lang heads to Washington for the support from government that most of his decisions seemed to truly benefit. This leaves The Ghost left to entertain the PM's wife, Olivia Williams, and his own curiosity into the who, what, why, and how that led to the last ghost's fate. His impromptu investigation may not only uncover what happened to his predecessor, but also some secrets that may make him the next big threat to international security.

One has to be amazed at Polanski's ability to set a film in a country that he cannot even visit. The framing of each shot is near perfect, each actor nails their role, and the film's story flows very well. In many ways, it is an ideal conspiracy flick because of the lack of violence.

If people are talking about a conspiracy, all the violent acts happened in the past, and all that there is left to do is investigate. Oliver Stone bent a lot of truths for "JFK," but like Polanski, he knew that there was no place in the story for someone to get into a gun fight with Kevin Costner.

Unfortunately, this story is not based on the greatest conspiracy on the 20th century, so audiences may feel this film is missing something if McGregor is not using his Jedi skills to outwit assailants. Add to the fray that this film can seem to be rather insulting to audiences from the Red States. Polanski delivers a left hook to the US by showing the evils behind the motives of the last administration, and retracts from that strike with a backhanded slap about how the nation will not prosecute war criminals, but will never forget an all too common indiscretion.

"The Ghost Writer" is a piece of art, and like most great art, is not truly meant for mass consumption. It is an excellent narrative delivered by a marvelous director, but it is a film for a patient audience, and will disappoint anyone with preconceived standards of what conspiracy and espionage films from films with spies whose last names start with "Bo".

90 min. DVD.com - "Firepower: For Those Who Wanted Heel Ultimate Warrior"

I think I have gotten use to the standard 9-to-5 lifestyle. Throwing in a sixth day at the retailer makes a social life difficult. Inadvertent sobriety is a thing as well. If only Riot Fest was not cash only bars.

Come on Reggies. I may have had too much fun the couple of times I had been there to remember if I ever ran a tab, but when you sell food and rock tees, somebody there has to have a Square reader. You only lose 28 cents per $10 transaction. Those losses would only come to a free drink by the end of the night.

I am just now learning how to relax again, and that I may not brown like I use to. Sunburn flakes from the forehead can be quite distracting as you handle transactions. Was the punishment worth being a predominately cis-white male two rows back from Bikini Kill headlining a major festival? Fuck yeah! I was sure there was space along the rail in case "girls to the front" was invoked.

Perhaps it was not really punishment. Perhaps no professional wrestler tans well ("The Boondock Saints' 7-11 Rule" still allows me to claim that as a profession, and I still have two weekends of full gear in my Altima's trunk.). This may explain the smudgy appearance of the stock used to shoot "Firepower," an early Gary Daniels film that promises us a kayfabe heel Ultimate Warrior versus Chad McQueen, Johnny Lawrence's number two henchman from "The Karate Kid".

After the 1992 riots, it was probably not a stretch of the imagination for Los Angelinos to imagine that the city would eventually resort to just letting the slums fend for themselves and quit risking peace officers lives. Ten years later (You may need to watch "Wresting with Wregret's Warrior versus Sting" video to get an even more accurate synopsis. This film has no Wikipedia page.), you have the Personal Freedom Zone. Crime rates decreased initially, but with a lack of resources as the exchange for lawlessness, the criminal element needs to expand beyond their borders. The criminal element's primary money maker is distributing a counterfeit AIDS vaccine. LAPD sergeants Darren Braniff and Nick Sledge do not want to return to the practice of safe sex, so whenever the thugs come out to steal pharmaceutical supplies, they are ready to pounce.

One night, a failed robbery results in two of the top villains being captured. One of them is the presumed leader of the conspiracy, the rage and testosterone-filled Swordsman. The Swordsman's gang immediately breaks him out of prison and almost equaled the T-800's 1984 body count in the process. Braniff and Sledge crave their pound of flesh, and ignore the rules of the freedom zone to attempt to recapture the too buff for 1994's WWE monster. They are able to track him to the "Death Ring", a nightly death match competition, that seem to where all the plans and schemes are based out of.

Since the Swordsman is champion, Braniff determine that there is only one way to reach them. They must go undercover and fight their way to him. If they offer to spare his life, maybe he will let them in on the drug ring. The police chief and Braniff's wife are opposed to it, but with Sledge's headstrong nature, they reluctantly allow the boys to proceed. It is an all or nothing proposition and that may be the only attitude that will allow you succeed in the Kill Zone (per the movie poster).

"Firepower" has a dystopian made for DVD action movie premise that I love, but the direction and production fail everyone who actually puts an effort into the project. The three actors worth billing on the box, including James "Warrior" Hellwig give their best, but director Rich Pepin fails to lets us truly appreciate acting near the Keanu Reeves's level. With that said, Gary Daniels needs to be in "John Wick: Chapter 4."

Outside the most interesting characters, the rest of the cast is there for a pay day. And perhaps they got it. That would at least explain why there is only one fight scene that is shot with any cinematic intention, there are virtually no shots from inside the cage fights, and the constant reuse of the same special effects and driving shots in drawn the overly drawn out car chases.

You may ignore those elements because the film stock looks worse than a parody of a Barbara Walters interview. Warrior was out of the pro-wrestling game at the time, so feeling the need to tan was not there. It may not have been the stock. Perhaps if the director would have taken the time to light the scenes properly, the film would not look like it was used by Warrior as a means to blow his nose. If you can afford a couple of explosions, you should be able to afford lights. Because you only needed one explosion due to the tendency to reuse shots, there is no excuse for the lack of lights.

"Firepower" is deserving of a shot-by-shot made for YouTube remake, but if you are not going to devote that time, it otherwise deserves no attention. It is sad because Warrior could have avoided becoming a motivational dick/speaker and the fight scenes could have given us a good Jean-Claude Van Damme knock off. Instead, we have to wait another three years for Gary Daniels to be Britain's Joe Pantoliano of action. Unless you are Spielberg, Tarantino, or an Anderson not married to Milla Jovovich, do not tease the audience with greatness.

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Fans or Girls? A query for the reluctant 9 to 5

And the alternate Japanese title: "A Call for Nihilists: Fuck Me or Friend Me"

I just want to give the reader a heads up this is kind of a psycho-analytical work, and the title is the conclusion. I found the journey to the conclusion to be fun, but the lack of known readership since 2009 has left me to conclude that many of you find me whiny. This conclusion leaves me a little bitter, but you've known that aspect of me longer than I have, so what gives. A little feed back, or dedication to the cause of "Main Event of the Dead." (Email russthebus07@gmail.com for a treatment of this pro-wrestling zom-com).

russthebus07@gmail.com

"The high road is pretty to look at, but you'll have a hard time marching your armies up it."

I thought if I was ever going to open a blog up with a "Game of Thrones" quote, it would be from a profound character, but I guess the show is not so profound. Guess I'll quit running the blu-rays to "entertain the cat" while Mom is cleaning my apartment. It is not great subliminal material.

Then again, Mom's lack of fandom to the "A Song of Ice and Fire" or J.R.R. Tolkien is due to the exploitation of short people. Better step away from this talk about mothers (a weak George R.R. Martin transition) and get to why I opened this journal entry with the quote of a sadistic character...even if it does feel like a waste of Freudian psychology (word/phrase association, mommies, sadistic influences).

Let us delve into abandonment (which has nothing to do with mother). I have cut out a lot of negativity of the outside world. Removed "friends" from Facebook that represent the lazy, hateful nature of white America, stopped listening to ignorant, chauvinistic sports talk radio (Mike & Mike, @MarkMaddenX is not ignorant...and only seeming chauvinistic) that promotes bullying (I guess I should thank indie wrestlers to keep that in my mind @knightwagner ), and been napping till Jon Stewart opens an easy-to-stomach liberal agenda in the evening. All of these actions may have left me with further self loathing because there is little to get angry about. Got to get pissed at someone, may as well be me. Eva the cat is just too cute.

First shift does not help me. If I must be depressed and nihilistic, let me have hours to that accommodate my nature. I wake up, go straight to work, go home, make dinner, and when I am comfortable enough to be constructive, I have to go back to bed. Thanks Je...whatever for Sobieski's high quality and low price point and poor selling, weakly flavored Stoli varieties. Without these, my nihilism would have reached "Fight Club" levels. Not to say that I'm not at a "I am Jack's smirking revenge," state, I am just not social enough to organize underground boxing (or a film production, but I am sure you the reader can help).

Now I think I need to add "Fight Me" as an option to the alternate Japanese title.

This blog is feeling successful, relating to two other brands that I think my fans would relate to. Too bad I do not know where they have gone. Damn the Facebook migration. I rocked MySpace.

By the time I get on Twitter to self promote, the fellow first shifter are tuned out. So I cannot jump on any trend to get @MainEventZombie exposure. Beliebers must have surrendered to Katy Perry as Queen of the Twits. Because of this failure to Belieb, no one can confuse them with #GetMainEventZombieto47. I am realistic, eight figures is not.

It is weird to feel alone when you are supposed to be operating with the majority of yanks. Alright, this may actually be the prevalent reality in the nine-to-five lifestyle, but I figure most of them have significant others or children to share the despair with. If not those, than an AR-15 or AK-47 (Are patriotic newsmen ignoring the AM-16 when shootings occur?) that comforts them with the thought of getting some much needed attention.

In conclusion, I need fans or sponsors, a girlfriend, or to abandon my strict gun-control stance. Do not worry, you know I will not sell out a leftist ideal for anything. My false sense of honor is what affirms that I am a good person.

Pro Wrestling is to MMA as Artist are to Hacks.

It is unavoidable, pro wrestling and mixed martial arts have to step on each other toes. People feed on violence, and unfortunately for pro wrestling, the audience is differentiating and demanding the real thing. Honestly, that is kind of sick (what is more unsettling that it makes Vince looks like a saint).

Violence is not sex. Unlike the porn market, snuff is not something people expect to find on your PC. While directors are trying to incorporate unsimulated sex into cinema, you do not see them rushing the debut of unsimulated murder. Of course, trying to bring actual death to the big screen would screw over makeup artists, and I doubt the future Tom Savinis will stand for that. Hell, they are probably wise enough to form a union.

I would not call MMA fans sickos (I love the Japanese scene), but that is because I was an amateur wrestler and bar room boxer. If anything, my 15 seconds with Derrick "The Eraser" Noble at the Peoria 2001 "Toughman" contest demands that I admire mixed martial arts. My issue with the sport is that the art is fading away.

The most awesome tweet ever came from Chris Jericho (oh my disappointment when he reneged on it):

Ok guess I'm the only "old school pro wrestler" to say it...screw UFC fighter. U could NEVER do what me and my brothers do. #bringitbitches.

I share the sentiment of the tweet. It goes back to the days of kayfabe where wrestlers had to believe and prove they were bad asses. My Tae Kwon Do masters taught me all the short cuts to avoid losing fights, so I am not afraid any repercussions to my belief in our savior.

Still, I am not saying that the TUFs cannot execute the moves, but look at Ken Shamrock. We know they cannot sell, but since there is no A in MMA, maybe they cannot make the moves look good.

Working for promotions north of I-80 in Illinois, I have seen my share of full-time combat sports contestants try to be part-time wrestlers. The motivation is easy to understand. It is the reason I got into the business myself.

Outside of intercourse, there is no greater sensation than to give everything you have and risk everything, and be cheered and even loved for it. Guess that makes combat sound like an a homoerotic unprotected Thai sex show, but I digress. The point is, we get addicted to the rush, and unlike drug addiction, we can get paid to capture the this high (and in turn we have the option of paying for a drug addiction with the earnings). I can at least attest that this was my motivation, and I hope that it was theirs. Regardless of the motive, the MMA guys did not find much success, and I suspect it maybe because they have never mastered an art.

And I think Tyler "Seth Rollins" Black would agree to the statement after "The Ultimate Fighter 5" wash out Wayne Weems broke his jaw. A true artist should immediately know their power and need to restrain it. This is probably why instead of booking him in matches, that promotion would send out challenges to "fighters" for him to have shoot matches against and other promoters would cast him as a bystander to get stiffed.

I still love to fight, but the fight game requires that you win. In high school, I succeeded in being loved for my efforts, but that was because I was a babyface. My starts were notoriously slow, usually resulting in me needing to comeback from an 7-9 point deficit. 60% of the time, 20% of the time the matches were close, and the other 20%...well I succeeded in my last five years of my amateur career in never being pinned. Unfortunately, the amount of beating I took when I was used as a weight class filler my sophomore year was too much to finish with a winning record. Still having the itch to compete, and having flunked out of computer science (I did not think there was an actual use for calculus), pro wrestling seemed to be the right career move.

Oh the naïve nature of youth. Especially in 2000 when ECW showed the potential of a grounded mini in Little Spike Dudley and Tommy Dreamer taught us that you can have a fun and exciting matches without needing to lift anyone.

Pro wrestling was the art I chose to pursue when MMA required you to master one style, and trust that your mastery of it would lead you to success (like Big Foot did to Fedor). If I knew that I could cut and paste styles and not have to finish opponents, I may have made a different decision. I doubt it because I would rather be the best in the most entertaining televised athleticism next to Cubs baseball. Like Banky Edward's father told him about going down on women, "Don't do anything if you can't do it well.