All the positive reviews of Guillermo Del Toro's "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" mention the intricately detailed settings, the beautiful production design, the fantastic monsters, the exciting action and Del Toro's unique artistic style.

But no one mentioned how hilarious it is.

I loved "Hellboy II," and I laughed all the way through it.

About a year ago, Schaumburg state Rep. Paul Froehlich decided he wanted to be a Democrat. That was big news because Froehlich had spent nearly a decade running the local township Republican organization and been elected to the General Assembly under the GOP banner. The representative might want to keep this all in mind when he rises to speak on the House floor and challenge his former colleagues on the Republican side. Earlier this year, he questioned a downstate Republican's idea to bring year-round horse racing to the track at the Illinios State Fairgrounds in Springfield. Froehlich pointed out that the lawmaker pushing the deal had once opposed gambling.

You could see this one coming. After yet another rough outing yesterday, Cubs reliever Michael Wuertz found himself headed for Iowa today, with righty Kevin Hart coming up. It's too bad, really, for the likeable Wuertz. But for some reason, he wasn't burying the slider the way he can, and hitters were taking advantage. Lou runs out of patience with pitchers who aren't aggressive, and Wuertz already was on thin ice before yesterday's performance against the Reds. The all-star break looks like it's coming at just the right time for the bullpen, which can use a breather. Scott Eyre comes back next week in Houston, and the Cubs will have to move two pitchers out if they want to get down to a 12-man pitching staff.

Me, my roommate, and a case of Busch Light happened upon "American Pie" on cable last week, and we had a lot of fun playing "Where Are They Now?" while watching it. Nine years ago (yes, "American Pie" is already nine years old), no one would have guessed that Tara Reid's career and beauty would both be long behind her, or that Alyson Hannigan would turn out to be drop-dead gorgeous, or that Chris Klein would be an even bigger joke than Keanu Reeves.

Amid all the future "stars" in that cast, there was one guy whose fate we had no knowledge of: Thomas Ian Nicholas.

More than six years ago, voters in the Winfield Elementary School District 34 approved higher taxes to pay for school construction. The project was eligible for more than $2 million in state assistance. But that money never came and the local taxpayers have had to eat the entire cost of the project. On an almost annual basis the district and about two dozen others fall victim to political gamesmanship at the Capitol. The authority to spend nearly $150 million to finally pay up was included in the state budget the Illinois House and Senate approved on May 31. But that was among the nearly $1.4 billion in spending Gov. Rod Blagojevich cut this week because the budget was out of balance.

It's been a big morning for Cubs pitchers. Rich Harden threw a side session in the bullpen while being watched by pitching coach Larry Rothschild and trainer Mark O'Neal. Harden, who is scheduled to pitch Saturday against the Giants, termed the session a "light side." "He threw the ball easy today," Rothschild said. "As long as he's healthy, that's the biggest thing. We know what kind of pitcher he is when he's on the field." Harden, whom the Cubs obtained Tuesday in a big trade with Oakland, was on the DL for a month earlier this year with a strained right shoulder. After Harden threw, he went to home plate for some bunting work with bench coach Alan Trammell and coach Ivan DeJesus. After that, it was a session of running the bases for this longtime American League pitcher.

Senate President Emil Jones Jr., a Chicago Democrat, has often quipped that the state should tax the media to balance the budget.

Now he's got a new tax plan.

"We're going to put a tax on the mayor," Jones told reporters as he walked past the pressbox in the Illinois Senate.

This was after Jones said the city of Chicago should have to send money to Springfield to help pay for the rest of the state, a reference (I think) to the city complaining about having to pay millions for a state gambling license under the expansion plan Jones wants.

OK, so the dust-up between Jermaine Dye and Orlando Cabrera Wednesday night was not a “big deal.’’ It was just a “misunderstanding.’’ The White Sox are going to “move on,’’ because they are a “family,’’ and “these things happen’’ in baseball. I can just see the late Chris Farley, in his classic Saturday Night Live role as Matt Foley, doing the finger quotation marks. The Sox, well, Dye and manager Ozzie Guillen, said all the right things about the dugout altercation that was caught by Comcast SportsNet cameras. It’s going to blow over, but this is just another case of Cabrera being a strange fish in uncomfortable waters.

Sorry, Miss Aniston, but I like talking about my flair.

I am addicted to flair.

Long after the last front page is sent on Sunday night, long after I've sent the interns home, long after the Sports department has put the West Coast scores on their pages ... I'm at my computer, looking for more flair.

Here's the news release from the Green Party that just arrived ...

Green Party's Rich Whitney to Unveil "Don't Blame Me…" Bumper Sticker

Rich Whitney, 2006 Green Party candidate for governor, will unveil a new bumper sticker that reads "Don't Blame Me, I Voted Whitney for Governor". The bumper stickers, available for $2 apiece, will go on sale July 10, 9 p.m., at a reception hosted by Whitney during the 2008 Green Party National Convention at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Ill. Revenue from sales of the bumper sticker will benefit the Whitney for Governor campaign committee, as well as 2008 Illinois Green Party candidates.