Here’s where I say there are spoilers and if you are watching the show on DVR or whatever, this is the point to turn back. The rest of this article after the bump.

Ok, first of all, if I had to choose just by personality alone, who should win it would easily be Chef Garces. seriously. Because Chef Mehta may be an extraordinary chef, but his attitude is really not that of a true Iron Chef. I mean come on, in this last episode, he said something to the effect of  “I don’t care if anyone likes me”, which to me is a very poor attitude. He’s constantly sabotaging other chefs, and making the most outrageous layouts for his dishes. While this may be seen as “creative” or “artistic”, there’s really nothing artistic about his layout when you’re eating his dishes and thinking, “where is the food?” seriously? He really needs to tone down on that. He also needs to listen to the judges. Almost every time, he has been told to tone down his sweetness in the dishes. But has he done it? Nope. Has he grown at all in the entire competition? In some ways, maybe, but really, I don’t think he’s learned anything.

When Chef Freitag was eliminated from the competition, I thought that was it. That was the end of this competition. Honestly, Chef Garces was the only other chef I thought worthy of the title of Iron Chef. Well, perhaps chef Mullen. He really did a great job, but in the episode that eliminated him, I think he really shouldn’t have made that rice. Apprentices in Japan spend somewhere from 3 to 5 years just cooking rice. It’s really a very serious thing. I’ve been cooking rice for almost 20 years, and I have to say I have yet to make the perfect bowl of rice.

Now I’m really looking forward to what Chef Garces will make for the finale of Next Iron Chef. As for Chef Mehta? I really don’t care. It will probably be something outrageous and ridiculous to look at. It may look pretty, but will it really be any good? I suspect that Chef Mehta will probably win the competition only because he’s a “bad boy” chef and they probably want that for ratings.

If he does win? Then I’m no longer watching Iron Chef America. Or maybe even Food Network for that matter. It’s just a shame. Chairman Kaga from the original Iron Chef would be ashamed to have him as an Iron Chef I think.

Oh and a message for Chef Freitag: I’m sorry you didn’t win, I really wanted you to win. But think of this way. Now you can really grind those chefs on Choppped. Hehe.

Again, thanks and this day is for you! Semper Fi, never die!

Wow, honestly I do love the holidays. This year however, might be a bit different. We shall see how this year goes. I’m not exactly sure what is going on for Thanksgiving itself, but if nothing else is really planned, I hope to prepare to make the Thanksgiving meal this year. I don’t remember what we did last year, but I’m pretty sure the year before that, I prepared the meal and it was just Meesh’s parents and us. If I do prepare the meal, I better start planning soon.

Don’t eat too much candy and get sick either!

Also a happy birthday for all my friends that are Halloween babies, although I think I only know Doris who is a spooky baby! LOL

However, one use I don’t necessarily condone or agree with are the use of psychics. I know there are plenty of people who say they can talk to the dead, or are sensitives, but honestly, a lot of them are probably not really psychics and I’m sure there are a handful of them who are actually fakes. Kinda like how “The Mentalist” used to be.

I’m sure you’re waiting on why exactly I have a hard time believing them. The biggest reason is because my friend’s son, Shawn Hornbeck, went missing back in 2002. I’m not sure if you’ve necessarily heard of the story, so I did link it to his website. During that period of time, they had consulted so many psychics who tried to find Shawn. However, no one had anything of substance. Some actually even stated that he had already passed on and crossed over. Others said he was out of state and he was long gone. But the fact remains that Shawn had never left the state, nor even the city! He was found to be living in Kirkwood, MO, just about 20 miles away from where he went initially missing. Come on now. How can I possibly believe in psychics who claimed to have talked to him from beyond?

I am willing to hear from any psychics who claim to be authentic, or anyone who has met one. Nothing would please me more than someone who can debunk my theory that psychics are either frauds or people who think they have a gift for clairvoyance or whatever. I would just love to hear that there is more to this world, and that there are those that can speak to the spirits of the dead. Convince me!

J-POP 101 2006 at Anime Expo: This video was created as an introduction to Japanese pop culture. It was aired on July 1st, 2006, 7:30 P.M. in the Anaheim Convention Center. The panel was hosted by Linzer Dinzer and myself, Kestelia I hope you like it :)

The only thing I didn’t like about this video was they left out a couple of J-pop stars I thought should show up in there, in particular, SMAP and Koda Kumi. You might recall that Koda Kumi sang the original songs for Final Fantasy X-2 (which were unfortunately translated later on to english). But anyways, I still loved her versions, because well, she’s pretty awesome.  SMAP is just one of the most popular bands in Japan, I think, and they’ve all been in a variety of Japanese dorama. I love their stuff. Usually if I see them starring in a dorama, I will watch it. Usually.

So I’ve included a video by both SMAP and Koda Kumi for your enjoyment. You can determine if you like them and possibly become fans too. Video after the bump.

William Smithback, a New York Times reporter, and his wife Nora Kelly, a Museum of Natural History archaeologist, are brutally attacked in their apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

Eyewitnesses claim, and the security camera confirms, that the assailant was their strange, sinister neighbor-a man who, by all reports, was already dead and buried weeks earlier.

While Captain Laura Hayward leads the official investigation, Pendergast and Lieutenant Vincent D’Agosta undertake their own private-and decidedly unorthodox-quest for the truth. Their serpentine journey takes them to an enclave of Manhattan they never imagined could exist: a secretive, reclusive cult of Obeah and vodou which no outsiders have ever survived.

I was thrilled to hear that some characters were returning in the new story, as I do love their little crossovers they have from various other novels, not relating to the Pendergast novels. Before I start the review, I have to say I really liked the book, although there were some things I’ve had an issue with. (look in the spoilers.) That being said, there are spoilers for the book (yes they’re really spoilers!) and don’t read them if you don’t want to know what happens in the book. Spoilers after the bump.

[[Visit blog to check out this spoiler]]

Overall, I’d give this book 4/5 stars. It was still entertaining, believable or not. I read books for entertainment value, not because it’s real.

William Smithback, a New York Times reporter, and his wife Nora Kelly, a Museum of Natural History archaeologist, are brutally attacked in their apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

Eyewitnesses claim, and the security camera confirms, that the assailant was their strange, sinister neighbor-a man who, by all reports, was already dead and buried weeks earlier.

While Captain Laura Hayward leads the official investigation, Pendergast and Lieutenant Vincent D’Agosta undertake their own private-and decidedly unorthodox-quest for the truth. Their serpentine journey takes them to an enclave of Manhattan they never imagined could exist: a secretive, reclusive cult of Obeah and vodou which no outsiders have ever survived.

The second video is a kind of meshed together version of Beyonce’s video and the Saturday Night Live skit with Justin Timberlake and Beyonce. They can’t put the entire skit up there mainly because of copyright issues. Which to me is kinda lame, but hey, I don’t make the rules. Videos are both after the bump. Enjoy!

Thanks to Rachel, here’s a link to the SNL skit. Hilarious!

What follows are some spoilers about the book, and if you haven’t read the book yet, I don’t recommend  reading any further. The rest is after the bump.

Ok, in addition to putting the content behind the bump, I know that a lot of folks are coming from Facebook, and see the whole post without actually seeing the “bump” so I’ve added a new feature where you can opt to view the spoiler. If you are sure you want to view the spoilers about the book, go ahead and click on the “Show” link and you shall get to see it.

[[Visit blog to check out this spoiler]]

It’s not like I didn’t like the book. I liked it. Just not that much. At all.