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Ok, I'll admit that I didn't get it immediately after finishing (I felt like I'd just been Matrix-Revolutioned to be honest)....but after re-reading it a few times I did get the ending and I must say it is ABSO-FRIKKEN-LUTELY the best damn ending King could have possibly written. Sheer genius no matter what others might think. Reread it, think about it, let your subconscious play with it and you will be enlightened....or read on and I'll spoil it for ya and you will ken the ending....you will ken it well.

First off the bad, the expected and the good of this final DT book.

The Bad:

- No real antagonist. Of course Lord of the Rings suffers the same problem. I didn't care much for Flagg as spider chow or the finale with Mordred. They rang flat. Maybe in the final loop.....100.....

- No 'Traveling Jack', Pennywise or Buicks. I was hoping for more stuff from his other books but I guess they can't all be in the path of the beam.

- I guess I have to re-read 'Insomnia' but I still think King should have delved deeper into the Crimson King....I was always under the impression the CK was Pennywise/The Spider from IT.

- Oy!

- The first part of the Coda where he apologizes to the reader for what is to come. This should be yanked out. The ending is pure genius and needs no apology.

The Expected:

- King tossing his characters aside like Rag Dolls. ....just like in everything else King has written. Of course all characters are just there to help Roland get to the Tower....

The Good:

- A wonderful, imaginative journey. The settings were very cool and the characters very enjoyable.

- King including himself in the story. Many folks don't like this but I find it is ingenious. Not only does he get to tie his accident into the series (and his motivation for finishing it), this plot device also works well in tying the series to our 'Keystone World'. Does King believe he sings the song of Gan and that the events in DT occurred? I believe he does on a certain level and who knows maybe they have!

The ABSO-FRIKKEN-LUTELY Genius:

For those of you who want the ending spelled out for you. Here it is. I encourage you not to read this until you have thought about the WHOLE series and the last 20 pages of the book for at least a week. If you have not had a head slapping AH-HA moment like I did last night, then come back.

Still here? Ok.

Hint #1 The real ending to Roland's saga wasn't written by King

Hint #2 "It'll be your damnation, boy. You'll wear out a hundred pairs of boots on your walk to hell." - Cort

Hint #3 The Dark Tower series is Robert Browning's poem in narrative form....except for one glaring difference.

Hint #99.....100

Get it? Ok. Here's the deal-io. The story is fundamentally about addiction, in this case Roland's addiction to the song of the Tower (a 'Tower Junkie' as Eddie calls him and I say thankya) and Roland breaking the addiction to his one true deviant love (who he loves more than Jake or Susan). Roland has been stuck in a time loop and the Dark Tower series is about loop #99....the loop that matters, the final loop, the one where he finally overcomes his addiction (through his love for Jake and his ka-tet) and earns his redemption and final reward, the Horn of Arthur Eld, the horn that he will use to play his own song and hence overcome his addiction to the song of the tower. When does he play this song? In the REAL ending to the story....in Browning's poem, which is the real end to Roland's saga (loop #100). What he does after is irrelevant. Maybe he starts a family or meets Susan at the end of the path. The bottom line is that he breaks his addiction to the tower, exits the loop and is free.

Why not write loop #100 some might ask? Well then we would have never entered the tower and we can't have that!

This is probably the cleverest end to any series I've ever read. He hides the ending in plain sight and many people don't see the veiled happy ending! There are no more books in the story folks....the story has been told...and told well!

The DT series isn't perfect but the ending is. I've enjoyed every second of it and say Thankee BIG-BIG-BIG to sai King for channeling the Song of Gan. It's been a heck of a ride.

Overkill was a big step forward from Motorhead's eponymous debut; it cemented the group's famous sound, and it features the classics Metropolis, Stay Clean, No Class, and the title track. But nearly every song on here is a hit, and these songs will tattoo themselves to your brain after only one listen. The beats are ultra infectious and rhythmic, and are laden with irresistable hooks, and the songs are composed of fast, memorable, groovey riffs, bouncy drum patterns, grumbling bass notes, and gruff vocals.

The album begins with one of the best. Overkill (the title track) is driven by a propulsive, fast, thumping, speed-punk drum beat, and is complimented with a very catchy guitar line and a wailing guitar solo. The album continues with Stay Clean, which features wah-wah guitars and a chorus you'll have bouncing around your head for days. Later on, No Class, which has a toe-tapping rhythm, is a concert and fan favorite; and Damage Case boasts a pair of fairly long solos and another unforgettable chorus. Track eight, Tear Ya Down, has some almost breathtakingly awesome guitar work, and, likewise, Metropolis has five wailing solos. Limb From Limb is highlighted by humming riffs, crashing drums, and three speaker-shredding solos.

If you get the remastered edition of this album (which you should and most likely will), five extra tracks are included, including two b-sides (Too Late, Too Late and Like A Nightmare), as well as an instrumental version of Tear Ya Down and two covers of Louie Louie (both of which are as catchy--maybe even catchier--than the original).

1980's Ace of Spades may have catapulted Motorhead into superstardom and the mainstream, but their second album, 1979's Overkill, was their first classic (which is arguably as great as Ace of Spades). If you consider yourself any kind of Motorhead, speed metal, or heavy metal fan, this disc is a must.

Due to the holidays, there will be no Gotta-Have Movie review this week.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Let me tell you, at first when I realized that Stephen King was writing himself into this book as a character, I was annoyed and amused. I thought, well here is a pompous man who uses all of his books to advertise his other books. But once I realized where his character was taking the story, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it does raise the philosopher's favorite question of why are we here? Are we really here or the figment of someone's imagination? But it does so in a way that is dark and scary. For Roland most of all, who finds out that his existence is only because of Stephen King and the horrific experience his character had as a child thus forcing himself to invent Roland.

Either way, I was unable to put this book down. I am more in love with the characters now than I ever was and I did not think that would be possible after Wolves of the Calla. I truly hope all of you gunslingers out there enjoy this tale. I only wish it could go on forever. After all, there are other worlds than these...

The Lamb, as any true fan of early Genesis refers to this masterpiece, is possibly the greatest rock album of all time. Yes, I am serious! Of course, there are other albums by other bands, which have more hits or more listening potential to the casual music fan. There are other albums that are actually better "rock and roll" albums... but if you want to experience something mystical, something almost spiritual in nature and a musical experience that will take you on a different journey every time you listen to it, this album is for you.

If you are strictly a pop, metal, straight up rock n roller you may find this album hard to listen to at first. Some of you may never go back to it... but I promise you that if you give this album a good listening to from beginning to end you will find that every note on this album is almost divine.

I have been listening to this album since I was a kid in the early eighties. I bought it in 1982 (yes, eight years after it's release) and have never grown tired of listening to it. Every time I listen to it I find something new or go on a different journey. This music was not written, it was composed as any great symphony was composed; it is that good.

The music on The Lamb needs to be listened to by anyone who calls himself or herself a lover of good music. If you are a musician you must listen to this album. I promise you, you will devour it. Much as Peter Gabriel's So album has become a timeless classic, The Lamb is in the same league...if not above it. I can't say enough about this wonderful piece of art except that when I die, if there really is an afterlife, I hope that I can still listen to The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.

Ever tried burning any old video file to a playable DVD? How much was the repair bill after you put your foot through your monitor? DVD Flick burns virtually any video file to a DVD you can drop in your DVD player and enjoy on the big screen.

DVD Flick is a simple but at the same time powerful DVD Authoring tool. It can take several video files stored on your computer and turn them into a DVD that will play back on your DVD player, Media Center or Home Cinema Set. Several external programs are used by DVD Flick to do the dirty work like encoding and combining of video material. All of these programs are free, some are Open Source too.

DVD Flick

Columbus went to America. Armstrong went to the moon. Harold and Kumar go to White Castle.

First of all, I'm not a stoner and I don't think I'm supposed to like this movie - but I do. It is an off the wall adventure of two unlikely heroes who only want to get to a table at White Castle and enjoy hamburgers while high. It's not a family film in any way and if you're easily offended - this movie is not for you. If you're up for a raunchy, pushing-all-the-limits ride - buckle up and hold on. This one had me shocked, awed and laughing the entire time.

I settled in for what I thought was going to be a stagnant, low-budget comedy and I was surprised that this is more of a road trip movie that constantly moves. Every time I thought they couldn't possibly push the limits and be more crass, they take it to yet another level. It's pretty perplexing that the movie is as good as it is.

That said, the two leads are loveable and fabulous. They're at times green and at times effortless, but always enjoyable. I found myself rooting for them and their nonsense journey. I wanted them to make it to White Castle. They became stoner warriors, breaking politically incorrect boundaries and then riding a cheetah. Seriously, a cheetah - who does that? It was awesome.

I'm still laughing to myself about Neil Patrick Harris's role. Talk about breaking a type cast. He has officially killed Doogie Howser, M.D. What I like about this film is that it absolutely does not pretend to be anything it is not. No hidden agenda. The performance of "Freak Show" is worth the price of admission alone!!!

Militants in Iraq have used $26 off-the-shelf software to intercept live video feeds from U.S. Predator drones, potentially providing them with information they need to evade or monitor U.S. military operations.

Senior defense and intelligence officials said Iranian-backed insurgents intercepted the video feeds by taking advantage of an unprotected communications link in some of the remotely flown planes' systems. Shiite fighters in Iraq used software programs such as SkyGrabber -- available for as little as $25.95 on the Internet -- to regularly capture drone video feeds, according to a person familiar with reports on the matter.

While this is a serious breach of security, it could have been worse. If the insurgents were as smart as they think they are, they would have realized they could have downloaded a 'lite' version of SkyGrabber that would have done exactly what they needed. And it's free.

Like I've said before, you can pay for software or do a little searching and find an alternative that does the same thing for free.

Stephen King's fans who don't read the Dark Tower series are really missing out. The Wolves Of The Calla is an impressive, well-written, story that raises questions King has been giving us in other works and ties in one of his very first stories in a unique way.

The suspense and drama of the books are fantastic, but I think it's the characters that really set this series apart. In Wolves Of The Calla, each member of the ka-tet has agonizing personal choices to make and their decisions, sometimes flawed, sometimes heroic, make this series something beyond classification. This isn't a drawn-out epic fantasy or a gimmicky tie-in of other novels. Like Wizard And Glass this novel is memorable both in itself and in what is does for the series storyline.

Jake is growing up. The Gunslinger is growing a heart (has been for some time). He's also losing some of his physical abilities, but he's a much more interesting character than when he started out. Susannah's latest personality would defy belief if written by any other writer, but Stephen King handles her masterfully. And Eddie the former junkie is now the one that's desperate to hold the group together. The battle to protect a town's children against seemingly unstoppable "wolves" is just one part of the story.

The stakes are raised at the conclusion of this installment by a new character with his own stunning background added to the mix and Stephen King tantalizes us with the first real glimpse of how this series might conclude. I hate spoilers, so that's all I'll say.

Don't miss it.

To me, a classic can be an album that has so much historical symbolism, it gets the label. Or, it can be music that is just so intrinsicly good, it also grabs the brass ring. It can also, of course, be both.

Well, Let It Be absolutely gets the first badge. When the best rock band, ever, implodes before your ears, this is that sound. Don't believe me? Paul hated what was done to Long and Winding Road. John hated the original tapes so much he went outside the Beatle circle and gave them to Phil Spector. The Beatles even had to return to EMI, after the smoke cleared a little, and make Abbey Road. Even they did not want to go out with what was then to be called Get Back.

Get Back, the song, is great--1963 style Beatles rock with 1969 technology and craft. The same can be said for Dig a Pony, I Me Mine, and the title track.

I Got a Feeling. is the type of Delaney and Bonnie roots rock that would have carried the Beatles into the seventies, had things been different. A rocker, but listen to that scale that is the middle eight, and Paul's singing--again, like the young man in the Cavern but with the experience of a master. As always, with the Beatles, even the simple is never really simple.

Across The Universe is great, but seems patched together by Spector's production, as does Long And Winding Road. None of these tracks are bad by any standard, except for that of the Beatles.

These guys were exhausted, and hearing this album leads you to understand why they broke up. If you have not read the story, listen to Sgt. Pepper, than listen to this, and it's is self-evident

Yet, if you don't know this album, you don't know the whole stroy, and with the Beatles, that is just wrong.

Knowing a few albums by the fab four is like making love in an asbestos tuxedo, and who ever wants to do that?