While My Laptop Gently Weeps

Long post, but there should be something for everyone.

Blogmaverick: The most interesting aspect of these NBA Finals isn’t the phenomenal basketball that’s being played by both teams. It’s the utter insanity of Mark Cuban. In his most recent blog entry, Cuban basically talks about how much he enjoys swearing and hates the press. He also manages to swear at the press.

Flaming Pie: This past Sunday marked the 64th birthday of Paul McCartney. If this birthday is significant, it’s because of the classic McCartney tune “When I’m 64,” which is found on LSD-inspired Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club. It’s a wonderfully silly song that only Sir Paul could pull off.

Movie Notes: It’s almost July and I’ve seen three movies: Over the Hedge, the Da Vinci Code, and X-Men 3. Sadly, the best of the lot was actually Over the Hedge, which was pretty funny and kinda cute (or at least it would be cute, if I were the kind of guy who used the word ‘cute’). The Da Vinci Code was easily the worst of the bunch. It was slow and plodding and contained zero action. As for X-Men, I was wildly disappointed. The bar was set pretty high by the second installment of the series and this one just wasn’t as good.

Debauchery: I have a new favorite web site. Everyone knows athletes love to party. Now, a site memorializes some great moments in bad decision making by those athletes. The best set of pics include Steve Nash (showing off his chest hair and the other with The Dirk). Good times.

Sports Talk Watch: Talk radio is pretty awful. Yet, I listen. About a week ago (i.e. I should have mentioned this about a week ago), I was listening to Mike & the Mad Dog discuss Roger Federer’s defeat at the hands of some guy named Nadal at the French Open. Apparently, Nadal has beaten Federer a couple of times on clay surfaces. Either way, Mike and “The Dog” started talking about his this needs to become a major rivalry, but it’ll only happen if Federer publicly acknowledges that Nadal is his rival. I guess that makes sense, but then these guys started going on for about 10 minutes how Federer ABSOLUTELY MUST DO THIS SOON.

That begs the question: what kind of rivalry bequeathing ceremony do these guys have in mind? Ideally, Federer would hold a big press conference and make thinly-veiled threats against those Nadal loves. I’ve spent the last 20 minutes or so thinking of the possibilities. The best scenario that I can come up with is Federer putting a pumpkin on the table with ‘Nadal’ scribbled on it and then stabbing it with an ice pick.

Good Times: The other night I got to hang out a Bennigan’s in Jersey. There isn’t a better place in the world to drink heavily. I wasn’t able to drink because of the whole driving thing, but my partner in crime drank enough for both of us. In fact, she probably drank enough for a small, Asian family. Either way, you won’t find a better mix of delicious sandwiches (Monte Cristos), drink specials, and $6 shots of Kettle One.

Trivia: In what not-so-famous comedy did Bill Pullman say: “Stolen beers taste better.”

Don’t be hatin: I come down pretty hard on conservatives any time they cross the line in attacking the left. (See my Ann Coulter tirade.) Of course, we conservatives don’t have a monopoly on stupid and embarrassing comments. A friend of mine, who happens to be pretty liberal, recently posted on her blog some pretty foolish comments about Republicans. Here’s a taste:

All day I am worked into a blind rage and a sense of hopelessness when I hear
about all of the horrible things George Bush and other immoral Republicans like
him, have commited. [sic]

I think "My God has everyone in this country
lost all sense of what is moral and just?"

Then I turn on Comedy Central
at 11:00 and I am saved by the great and wise John [sic] Stewart...

After someone AGREES WITH HER in the comments section, she goes on to call the anonymous poster a “small-minded bigot.” Aside from calling Jon Stewart ‘wise,’ this is a pretty baffling post. Aside from not mentioning anything immoral that the President has done, she just kind of throws it out there.

I don’t really have anything specific to say about the actual post, but a question: why has politics become so polarized? Now, there are important debates that need to happen and they probably need to get a little heated. In fact, I love a knock-down-drag-out debate as much as the next guy. The problem is when it becomes an us-against-them on everything.

What I’m reading (and I’m not talking about apartment listings): Collapse by Jared Diamond.

What I’m listening to: The Beatles Anthology Part 3.