‘Blazing Arrow’ was one of my favorite albums of 2002 and it really put Blackalicious on the map for me. I know a lot of people loved their first album, ‘Nia’ but it never grabbed me. Still doesn’t, and I’ve tried.

To me, ‘The Craft’ is sweet continuation of the vibe they were throwing down on ‘Blazing Arrow’. I don’t know if you’ve been keeping up with the West Coast, but they’re making some of the best hip hop ever. Fer rillz.

“My Pen And Pad” is a great example of Gift of Gab’s ill flow. I mean, the dude just doesn’t stop. It was tough to pick just one song from this excellent album so I went with a short one. Enjoy.

Squeezebox 3.0.

Good choice in music, too.

Packers at Vikings – Battle of the 1-and-4’s. I am dumbfounded by the mess that is the Minnesota Vikings. Their season is flat-out not salvageable. Looking at their schedule, I only see five games for the rest of the year that might be winnable, and I’m being charitable by including the Bears team that beat the crap out of them last week. They’re done. Enjoy that Top-3 pick, Coach-to-be-Named-Later. Meanwhile, Green Bay is looking ascendant to me. I like the Packers, dome and all. GB 27, MIN 17. Despite all of the historical evidence pointing to a Favre choke in a dome, I also think that the Packers will carry the day here. The Minnesota mess keeps on stinking and I’m not reading anything about it getting better. I think the Vikings will at least show up this week (unlike last) but will still come up short. GB 28 Minn. 24

Steelers at Bengals – I like the Bengals here, even though. Even though they have yet to beat a team with a winning record. Even though the Steelers remain a talented and well-coached team. Even though Big Ben has yet to lose to a coach not named “Belichick”. The Bengals are talented, well-coached, and at home. The Steelers are limping, literally in the case of Roethlisberger, who wouldn’t even be playing this week if Tommy Maddox had looked competent last week. Bad mojo. CIN 24, PIT 20. I think the Bengals are good, certainly playoff bound, but Big Ben brings the confidence level of his team to an unbelievable high when he takes the field. His injuries will certainly limit him, but look for mega doses of the Bussa-Bus to make up the difference. Steelers win a close one Cinn. 24 Pitt. 27

Chargers at Eagles – Are the Eagles really averaging 64.2 rushing yards a game? Seriously? That’s one way to keep from paying Brian Westbrook… feed him 11 carries a game and lower his market value. The Eagles sport the worst run-pass balance possible. Last in the league rushing, first in passing. This is not the way to win games, but it’s the way to win this week. Andy Reid is money coming after the bye (I know I read that somewhere), and SD’s secondary is suspect (27th against the pass). I like the well-rested home team. I’d like them more if they ran 25+ times a game. PHI 27, SD 24. Speaking of 25+ a game, if LT2 gets that many touches the Chargers will win. Fact. The only way I see the Chargers losing this one is if Schottneheimer forgets Tomlinson’s number (which isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds see Weeks 1+2). The main cog in the Philly offensive machine (McNabb) is still limited by injuries and is one solid hit from breaking in two. His lack of mobility in the pocket is cramping the offense’s style, Some of Owens’ best work is when he breaks downfield as McNabb runs out of a collapsing pocket. Assuming Schotty doesn’t revert to week 1 form, I see the Chargers winning 28-17.

Then you will appreciate this amazing movie.

[propers to Willie, of all people, for showing me the way]

I saw this on the tv last night and I simply *had* to share it.
Props to Tivo for the pausing and the Treo for the pic-snapping.

This has winner written all over it.

From SciFi.com’s Sci-Fi Wire:

Dax Shepard, who plays an astronaut in Jon Favreau’s upcoming SF family film Zathura, told SCI FI Wire the movie marks his second adventure in time travel… Next year, in Idiocracy, Shepard plays one of the dumbest guys on the planet about 500 years into the future.

Idiocracy is written and directed by Office Space writer Mike Judge and also stars Luke Wilson as an average underachieving military private who volunteers for a hibernation experiment. When Wilson’s character wakes up in the future, he discoverse that he’s the smartest guy on the planet. Maya Rudolph from Saturday Night Live portrays a prostitute who also agrees to the experiment. Shepard is one of the citizens from the future.

Mike Judge? Luke Wilson? Oh, yeah.

This guy is very unhappy with EA’s newest Madden offering.

We’ve talked about this before.

[caught the link over at Spuckfuckingtackular]

A movie of dudes skating where all of the boards have been erased. Kind of surreal, and the soundtrack suits that feeling.

[thanks Yewknee for the link]

Convict ups 30-year prison sentence to 33 years, to honor Larry Bird.

“He said if he was going to go down, he was going to go down in Larry Bird’s jersey,” Oklahoma County District Judge Ray Elliott said Wednesday. “We accommodated his request and he was just as happy as he could be.”

The internet hype machine is gearing up for the release of “This Bird has Flown”, a 40th anniversary tribute to The Beatles’ classic album Rubber Soul. From the looks of who is involved (Ted Leo, Low, Nellie McKay, Sufjan Stevens) this will be one to grab next week.