This week is former House of Pain member Everlast…finally. Easiest way to describe his new sound was probably best said by Eminem during their one sided feud.

“Got in touch with his roots, found the redneck in his blood
And said, “heck, country western rap records are good”

Despite the verbal ass kicking layed down by Eminem, I’m a huge fan of Everlast. Just love his sound. Had trouble deciding on a song, so picked one at random off of his “White Trash Beautiful” album. That song, “Broken”. Other than the title track, it’s probably my favorite off this CD. For the record, I love me some rock ballad’s and my taste in some music is mildly questionable…thing is, I don’t care. I’m a sensitive man dammit!

I’m a big fan of Vampires/Vampire lore. I am now a big fan of Richard Matheson. I Am Legend is 170 pages of greatness. I love the way he explained the Vampire “disease”. It all made perfect logical sense. Why they were afraid of crosses, garlic, their own reflection, etc. One of the few books I’ve read that has you interested from the very first page to the very end. And the end was fantastic. That final paragraph wrapping everything up perfectly as a new legend is born…

“A coughing chuckle filled his throat. He turned and leaned against the wall while he swallowed the pills. Full circle, he thought while the final lethargy crept into his limbs. Full circle. A new terror born in death, a new superstition entering the unassailable fortress of forever.
I am legend.”

I now am much LESS interested in the movie just based on what I’ve seen in the previews. Namely anything to do with the dog. I still plan to see it, but I have a feeling I’m gonna hate it.

I caught this movie on Showtime. Normally I wouldn’t bother with movies on TV. Especially if they’re not in widescreen, but being I’m a big fan of Edward Norton and I’d never heard of the movie I checked it out. Edward Norton did not disappoint…the movie on the other hand was only slightly above average.

Norton’s character was a sad, pathetic, lonely, miserable, disturbed person.

Synopses jacked from imdb, with a mild edit:
Tobe(Evan Rachel Wood) is about 16, living with her dad(David Morse) and younger brother(Rory Culkin) in LA’s San Fernando Valley. She invites a gas station attendant named Harlan(Edward Norton) to come to the beach with her and her friends. He talks country, claims to be from South Dakota, and to have been a ranch hand. They have a great time, his simple expressions seem like wisdom, he’s attentive and polite, and even though he’s more than twice her age, she wants to spend time with him. When her father objects, she rebels. Harlan, meanwhile, thinks she’s his soul mate, and he starts making plans to get her away from her father. Worlds are set to collide, but which ones? He appears to be a down home country boy, but all is not what it seems.

Not sure what I thought of the ending. It was hard to empathize with Norton’s character, but he clearly left an impression on everyone in the movie…whether it was good or bad, I don’t know.

…is the smoothest, most soulful white boy ever. Bought a couple of his older CD’s a few days back(and promptly turned them into mp3′s) and damn is that some good shit. Just don’t get that kind of R&B anymore. The new Boyz II Men Motown Classics CD isn’t too shabby either. Better than I expected for sure.

That is all.

Well, I think it’s long past the time to start looking forward to next season. We’re beyond done this year. Last I looked, they were down 41-7 to the fuckin’ Broncos.

Other news, at least we’re not the Dolphins.

I was gonna put up an Everlast song, but with recent passing of UGK’s Pimp C, I figured I’d add a song of his off their latest CD. Not gonna pretend I was a huge fan and gush about his and UGK’s greatness, but they were one of the few act’s from the south I could listen to and for the most part enjoy. The first time I heard them was on the Menace II Society soundtrack. If I still had it, that’d been my choice for todays MP3 Saturday. UGK’s “Pocket Full of Stones” and MC Eiht’s “Streiht Up Menace” got endless amount of playtime back in the day. “Got a pocket full of stoooones.” Rest in Peace Chad ‘Pimp C’ Butler

Anyway, since I don’t have the above mentioned song, I give you…

…5th highest paid player in baseball!? I love me some Andruw Jones, but damn! He hit .222 last year, and his HR total dropped drastically 2 years in a row. A five-time All-Star, Jones will receive a $12.2 million signing bonus, of which $5.1 million is payable next year, $2.1 million in 2009 and $5 million in 2010. He will get salaries of $9 million next year and $15 million in 2009, and also will receive a no-trade clause.

I hope he bounces back, I truly do, but….damn.

In other news, the Royals newest signee Jose Guillen started things on the wrong foot by being suspended for the first 15 days of next season by Major League Baseball on Thursday for violating the sport’s drug program. Royals management is beyond repair.

Heroes went out with a whimper which is about par for the course this season. Peter was so fuckin’ stupid all season. Of course everybody at one point or another had a case of the “stupids” this season. The blunder twins were pretty pointless, especially the brother. Glad he got offed, but it took too long. I jumped…(well you know what I mean) for joy when the sister was killed…then they brought her back like a minute later. Only plus was Hiro burying Adam alive and pretty much anytime Sylar got some screen time. The writer’s strike just killed Heroes. Adam’s role was just wasted. I hate when something has such great potential, then delivers nothing. The 2 “deaths” were predictable as all hell too. I put deaths in quotation marks because nobody stays dead apparently. This season gets a hard C.

Dexter on the other hand has been fantastic. Especially the episode before last. Great stuff between Dexter and Doakes. Lila has some serious fricken’ issues. Can’t wait for the final 3 episodes. Gonna be a vastly different show if Doakes bites it.

Only the second Korean film I’ve seen. The other being Il Mare, which is also the only love story I own if I recall correctly. Anyway, the Host far different than Il Mare. There’s no love story at all, though there is a giant mutated fish like creature eating people. A story about an ordinary family thrust into a very extraordinary situation. The situation being the aforementioned giant mutated fish like creature eating people.

The story starts with a bunch of formaldehyde being dumped into the Han river which in turn apparently causes a mutation. Said mutated creature starts a rampage killing, eating, mauling, and kidnapping people for later consumption. One of the kidnapped is a little girl and the story revolves around the girls family trying to find her.

The cinematography was very good. Loved the shots on the bridge. Wish there were more shots like it in the movie. The special effects were also very good minus the fire in the end. It looked really bad.

The previews for this movie made it out to be comical, and while there’s a few smiles, the movie is not a comedy in the loosest definition of the word. It’s pretty much a straight creature/monster flick in the vein of The Thing I’d say. If you’re a fan of the genre definitely check it out. Especially if you passed on it due to the misleading previews.

Side note: I loved that they showed the creature so soon and didn’t make you wait 45minutes to an hour for just a glimpse.

A big HA! to Missouri.

Kansas capped its best season in decades with its first Bowl Championship Series berth, a bid to the Orange Bowl to face Virginia Tech (No. 3 BCS, No. 5 AP).

The eighth-ranked Jayhawks (11-1) set a school record for victories and didn’t lose until their regular-season game last week against Missouri. The Tigers won the Big 12 North and reached conference championship game, but got shut out of the BCS in favor of rival Kansas.

Virginia Tech (11-2) won the Atlantic Coast Conference championship for the second time in four seasons since joining the league.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press